Back, like Franklin, owed much of the success of his expedition to the cordial help of the Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company, George, afterwards Sir George, Simpson. Ever the fastest of travellers in the north, Simpson had, in 1828, made a 3260-mile canoe voyage from Hudson Bay to the Pacific, passing the Rockies through canyons previously untried, and slipping down mountain torrents and through unknown rapids at such speed that hostile Indians let him pass in sheer amazement; and all his life he was distinguished for similar energy and celerity. When it became clear that the British Government had no immediate intention of completing the survey of the northern coast, Simpson organised an expedition at the Company's expense to undertake the task, and entrusted the leadership to Dease, who had done such excellent work for Franklin; and with Dease he associated his own nephew, Thomas Simpson, in no way inferior to his uncle in energy, speediness, or decision of character, being in fact one of our very best explorers, Arctic or otherwise. Thomas Simpson, Master of Arts of Aberdeen and a winner of the Huttonian, began characteristically by starting off to Fort Garry—now Winnipeg—with a view, as he says, "to refresh and extend my astronomical practice which had for some years been interrupted by avocations of a very different nature"; and thence, in the winter, making his way to Fort Chippewyan, a journey of 1277 miles, joining Dease there more than a month before he was expected. Two boats were built, light clinker craft of 24 ft. keel and 6 ft. beam, adapted for shallow navigation by their small draught, both alike and honoured with the classical names of the heavenly twins, _Castor_ and _Pollux_, each boat provided with a small oiled canvas canoe and portable wooden frame. Of one, the steersman was the redoubtable James McKay—"Pull your starboard oar!"—and of the other, George Sinclair, Back's bowman; and one of the bowmen was Felix, who had been with Franklin in 1826. All told, the expedition numbered fourteen.