King Charles and the Duke of York
received him. Both royal brothers gave him gifts in token of
appreciation. He took the oath of fealty and cast in his lot with the
English for good. It was characteristic of the enthusiast that he was,
when Radisson did not sign a strictly business contract with the
Hudson's Bay Company. "I accepted their commission with the greatest
pleasure in the world," he writes; ". . . without any precautions on my
part for my own interests . . . since they had confidence in me, I
wished to be generous towards them . . . in the hope they would render
me all the justice due from gentlemen of honor and probity."
But to the troubles of the future Radisson always paid small heed.
Glad to be off once more to the adventurous freedom of the wilds, he
set sail from England on May 17, 1684, in the _Happy Return_,
accompanied by two other vessels. No incident marked the voyage till
the ships had passed through the straits and were driven apart by the
ice-drift of the bay. About sixty miles out from Port Nelson, the
_Happy Return_ was held back by ice. Fearing trouble between young
Jean Groseillers' men and the English of the other ships, Radisson
embarked in a shallop with seven men in order to arrive at Hayes River
before the other boats came. Rowing with might and main for
forty-eight hours, they came to the site of the French fort.
The fort had been removed. Jean Groseillers had his own troubles
during Radisson's absence.
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