72 Str ALEXANDER MACKENZIE

While descending the Churchill River on his
way to Grand Portage he met a party sent by
the Hudson’s Bay Company, at the instiga-
tion of the British government, to explore the
interior and make an accurate survey. The
party was in charge of Philip Turnor, the
skilled surveyor who taught the art of sur-
veying to David Thompson; they were on
their way to Lake Athabaska, and Mackenzie
wrote instructing his cousin, left as usual in
charge at Chipewyan, to house them in the
fort for the winter and give them every assist-
ance. Though every year the rivalry between
the Hudson’s Bay and North West Companies
was increasing, Mackenzie did not permit
commercial jealousy to hinder the progress of
knowledge.

The way in which he spent his leave was
characteristic. After the Grand Portage meet-
ing of 1791 he went to Montreal and thence
to England. ‘To reach the Pacific was the
supreme object of his life, and he felt that to
ensure success he needed to improve both his
knowledge and his equipment. He writes in

the preface to his Voyages about his journey