Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 23.djvu/94



66 T. C. ELLIOTT

charge their waters into the said Lakes, Subordent Agent and Superintendent to Sr. William Johnson for the Western Indians Captn. Commandant of Michilimakinac and its Dependencies &c. &c. .

Instructions to Captn. James Tute Esqr. Commanding a Party for the Discovery of the North West Passage from the Atlantick into the Passifick Ocean if any such Passage there be, or for the discovery of the great River Ourigan that falls into the Pacifick Ocean about the Latitude Fifty.

You can set out immediately with this Detachment and with them proceed to La Bay from thence to the Falls of St. An- tonies and further up the said River to a convenient place to Winter amongst the Souex carrying with you the necessary Artickles now delivered to your Care for Boons to gain the friendship of they Indians and to retain and dismiss them from time to time as you approach on your way and pass the Curtry they are best acquainted with. You are when you arrive at the Falls of St. Antonies to endeavour to find out where Mr. Bruce Winteres and from him take Captn. Jonathan Carver under your Command who is to be Draftsman for the Detach- ment. He with Mr. James Stanley Goddard and the Inter- preter is to make up a Consull, which you may on every occa- sion that appears necessary Order, that they may with you consult the Expediency of the Voyage by which with these Instructions you are to gard yourselves. Mr. Goddard has an Appointment as your Secretary for Indian Affairs. He is to be second in Command, Mr. Carver third, Mr. Reaume has my appointment for your Interpreter & fourth in Command.

You will from where you Winter early in the Spring en- deavour to get some good guides from the Souex's and proceed with your Party to the Northwest and make what discoveries you can during the Summer and at the Close of which you will fall in with your Party to Winter at Fort La Parrie 1 at which place you shall have sent you a further Suploy of Goods next Fall, that you may take them what is ecessary to carry on the Expedition, & from Fort La Parrie you will travel West bear- ing to the Northwest and do you endeavour to fall in with the great River Ourgan which rises in several different branches between the Latitudes Fifty six and forty eight and runs West- ward for near three hundred Leagues, when it is at no great dis- tance from each other join'd by one from the South and a little up the Stream by one from the North; about these forks you will find an Inhabited Country and great Riches, the Gold is up that River that comes in from the North at about three Days Journey from their great Town, near the mouth of it at

i Fort La Prairie, for which see previous note No. 7.