GOVERNOR SIMPSON UNITES ALL INTERESTS. Both Companies in danger--Edward Ellice, a mediator--George Simpson, the man of destiny--Old feuds buried--Gatherings at Norway House--Governor Simpson's skill--His marvellous energy--Reform in trade--Morality low--A famous canoe voyage--Salutes fired--Pompous ceremony at Norway House--Strains of the bagpipe--Across the Rocky Mountains--Fort Vancouver visited--Great executive ability--The governor knighted--Sir George goes round the world--Troubles of a book--Meets the Russians--Estimate of Sir George 270 CHAPTER XXX. THE LIFE OF THE TRADERS. Lonely trading posts--Skilful letter writers--Queer old Peter Fidler--Famous library--A remarkable will--A stubborn Highlander--Life at Red River--Badly-treated Pangman--Founding trading houses--Beating up recruits--Priest Provencher--A fur-trading mimic--Life far north--"Ruled with a rod of iron"--Seeking a fur country--Life in the canoe--A trusted trader--Sheaves of letters--A find in Edinburgh--Faithful correspondents--The Bishop's cask of wine--Red River, a "land of Canaan"--Governor Simpson's letters--The gigantic Archdeacon writes--"MacArgrave's" promotion--Kindly Sieveright--Traders and their books 283 CHAPTER XXXI. THE VOYAGEURS FROM MONTREAL. Lachine, the fur traders' Mecca--The departure--The flowing bowl--The canoe brigade--The voyageurs' song--"En roulant ma boule"--Village of St. Anne's--Legend of the church--The sailors' guardian--Origin of "Canadian Boat Song"--A loud invocation--"A la Claire Fontaine"--"Sing, nightingale"--At the rapids--The ominous crosses--"Lament of Cadieux"--A lonely maiden sits--The Wendigo--Home of the Ermatingers--A very old canal--The rugged coast--Fort William reached--A famous gathering--The joyous return 304 CHAPTER XXXII. EXPLORERS IN THE FAR NORTH. The North-West Passage again--Lieutenant John Franklin's land expedition--Two lonely winters--Hearne's mistake corrected--Franklin's second journey--Arctic sea coast explored--Franklin knighted--Captain John Ross by sea--Discovers magnetic pole--Magnetic needle nearly perpendicular--Back seeks for Ross--Dease and Simpson sent by Hudson's Bay Company to explore--Sir John in _Erebus_ and _Terror_--The Paleocrystic Sea--Franklin never returns--Lady Franklin's devotion--The historic search--Dr. Rae secures relics--Captain McClintock finds the cairn and written record--Advantages of the search 315 CHAPTER XXXIII. EXPEDITIONS TO THE FRONTIER OF THE FUR COUNTRY.