RK-812

Fort Garry 9' Dec 1861

My Dear Sir

I duly received last autumn your welcome letter of 5 Jany last - I have not yet heard from Professor Baird of your remaining in the North for anotehr winter after this lent[?] I will write him & regulate your supplies he seems anxious now to get you to Churchill for a season but if it is decided that you remain in McKenzie River another winter after this I think there will be no objections from the Company - perhaps you will do Churchill in the seasons 1863/64 & this carry out both propositions

I think with what went in to this season your supply of preservatives will not be[?] beat[?] & I sincerely trust your success will be in extra proportion -

An amount of supplies from here for you last spring is now sent I observe from some omission no brandy was sent you I am really sorry for it but cannot help it now I can assure you it was not intentional - if you remain it will be sent next spring

I am a constant correspondent of your fathers & Professor Bairds but want of line I fear will under me not a very satisfactory one I have just received from the Professor an unless[?] above that the packages[?] sent out from the McKenzie this season that reached him and a letter from your Brother which I send on.

As to myself I am doing very little in the Natural History line beyond a little with the microscope. Professor Baird sent me a number of infusorial[?]

earths which I look at from time to time but as yet my examination of them has been very imperfect but I am bent upon a thorough examination of the microscopic forms of life found here as soon as I can find time I have written to Professor Baird for a General description of Infusoria[?] to aid me in my undertaking I would be glad to be with you for a while to examine those in your neighbourhood but there is little chance of my getting to I have some gatherings of Mr Hardistys[?] in the neighbour hood of Slave Lake but though I have recognized some small forms among the deatomaseas[?] Couriously though I have not met with any of the larger Northern forms this may however have arison from there escaping from the mark[?] of Collecting Could you send me a few of the Agae[?] you may meet with secured by filtering

through blotting paper which may be folded up & sent me dry -

The suloins[?] stationed here have been removed & the call now is that we are exposed to the erruptions (when they please to make them) of our Loving Cousins the minisatians[?] I do not know what the devil would tempt them to come here beyond perhaps a few of the worst of[?] of them - Mr Ross must be doing wonders in the Collecting line besides writing in the Canadian periodicals

Hoping to hear from you in spring Believe me Yours faithfully W Mactavish

Mr Robert Kennicott McKenzie River