twenty-three boys and fifteen girls, who claim the particular attention of Dr. M'Laughlin and Mrs. Douglas. A teacher is employed for the boys, who superintends them not only in school, but in the field and garden. During my stay, an examination took place, and although the pupils did not prove very expert at their reading and writing, yet we had sufficient evidence that they had made some improvement, and were in a fair way to acquire the rudiments. Some allowance was to be made for the boys, who had been constantly in the field under their teacher for a few months past. Dr. M'Laughlin estimated the labour of four of these small boys as equal to that of a man. It was an interesting sight to see these poor little cast-away fellows, of all shades of colour, from the pure Indian to that of the white, thus snatched away from the vices and idleness of the savage. They all speak both English and French; they are also instructed in religious exercises, in which I thought they appeared more proficient than in their other studies. These they are instructed in on Sunday, on which day they attend Divine worship twice. They were a ruddy set of boys, and when at work had a busy appearance; they had planted and raised six hundred bushels of potatoes, and, from what Dr. M‘Laughlin said to me, fully maintain themselves. The girls are equally well cared for, and taught by a female, with whom theylive and work.'-(Vol. iv., p. 330.)

In another passage the Commodore says, 'I was introduced to several of the Missionaries; Mr. and Mrs. Smith, of the American Board of Missions; Mr. and Mrs. Griffith, and Mr. and Mrs. Clarke, of the Self-Supporting Mission; Mr. Waller of the Methodist, and two others. They, for the most part, make Vancouver their home, where they are kindly received and well entertained at no expense to themselves. The liberality and freedom from sectarian principles of Dr. M'Laughlin, may be estimated from his being thus hospitable to Missionaries of so many Protestant denominations, although he is a professed Catholic, and has a priest of the same faith officiating daily at the chapel. Religious toleration is allowed in its fullest extent.

The dining hall is given up on Sunday to the use of the ritual of the Anglican church, and Mr. Douglass or a missionary reads the service.

'An opinion has gone abroad, I do not know how, that at this post there is a total disregard of morality and religion, and that vice predominates. As far as my observations went, I feel myself obliged to state, that everything seems to prove the contrary, and to bear testimony that the officers of the Company are exerting themselves to check vice, and encourage morality and religion, in a very marked manner; and that I saw no instance in which vice was tolerated in any degree. I have, indeed, reason to believe, from the discipline and the example of the superiors, that the whole establishment is a pattern of good order and correct deportment.

This remark not only extends to this establishment, but as far as our opportunities went (and all but two of the posts were visited), the same good order prevails throughout the country. Wherever the operations of the Company extend, they have opened the way to future emigration, provided the means necessary for the success of emigrants, and rendered its peaceful occupation an easy and cheap task.'-(Vol. iv., pp. 331, 332.)

These statements are a complete answer to the allegation, that the Company are opposed to the spread of information among the native population,' that the 'considerations of humanity and religion are overlooked,' and that they trample down Christianity and benevolence' *.

These allegations are unsustained by the slightest evidence, whereas their refutation is from unbiassed and high testimony; by a Bishop of the Church of England, by three American gentlemen, a Minister of the Gospel, a Commodore of the American navy, and an official of the United States Government, and their testimony might be sustained by officers in the British army and navy, who have visited and examined recently some of the Hudson's Bay Company's settlements.

* Memorial to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, by A. K. Isbester. 1848.

But as the subject is of the highest importance, and a neglect of religious duties and moral observances would justly subject any association to the condemnation of the people of England, and require Her Majesty's Government to deny an extension of authority to those who violate the laws of God which have been revealed to man for his temporal as well as for his spiritual good-I have been induced to inquire what has been done by the Hudson's Bay Company in support of that excellent institution, the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society,' whose efforts for the conversion of the heathen, in various parts of the globe, are deserving of cordial encouragement. Dr. Alder, one of the general Secretaries of the Society, has kindly furnished me with all the Missionary Reports on the subject. He was in North America last year, and informs me that the Mission has received the valuable aid of the Hudson's Bay Company at home, and of Sir G. Simpson and their chief factors and traders abroad. The Missionaries are supplied with provisions by the Company; they are conveyed, free of charge, from station to station by the Company; at Ross Ville, near Norway House, the principal station of the Mission, the Company have built for the Wesleyans a church, school-house, &c. 1839, the Hudson's Bay Company invited and encouraged the Wesleyan Society to extend their Missions to the territories of the Company, and to certain districts of country beyond the limits of those territories, with a view to the moral and religious instruction of the numerous tribes of the aborigines, and to their civilization, and the general amelioration of their condition. To an application, alike honourable to the Christian benevolence of the Company and to the character of the Wesleyan Society, the committee promptly attended; and five Missionaries and one Indian Assistant Missionary are now actually employed in this sacred service. From the following brief description of the stations which these evangelical labourers severally occupy, some idea may be formed of the extent of the country, the character of the population, and the arduous nature of those duties which our

In

beloved brethren connected with this new and interesting Mission are called upon to perform.

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1. Moose Factory is about 700 miles from the city of Montreal, in Lower Canada, and is the Company's principal depôt on the southern shores of Hudson's Bay. Connected with this establishment, there are numerous stations to which the Missionary will have to pay periodical visits; some of which are at a distance from the Fort, varying from one hundred to two hundred and fifty miles. The Indians, in this district of country, are principally of the Swampy Cree tribe, with a few Esquimaux at an establishment called Big River, which is about two hundred and fifty miles to the north-east of Rupert's River.

2. Michipicoten is the principal Factory belonging to the Company on the shores of Lake Superior; within and around which, and the different establishments in that extensive range of country, there is a considerable population of Europeans and half castes, as well as of native Indians, who are chiefly of the Ojib-eway or Salteaux Indians.

'3. Lac la Pluie is a trading post of the Company, situated near the height of land which divides the waters falling into the St. Lawrence from those that fall into Hudson's Bay, and is distant from Montreal about one thousand three hundred miles. The neighbourhood of this place is a great rendezvous for Indians from the surrounding country, during the summer, as the means of living on fish and rice are very abundant, so that, including the inmates of the establishment, the Missionary will be in communication at that place, during an important period of the year, with, at least, one thousand adults; in addition to which he will, at stated seasons, visit other depôts belonging to the Company, for the purpose of instructing the mixed population residing at the stations.

4. Fort Alexander is formed at the outlet of the River Winipeg, and is distant from Montreal one thousand five hundred miles. It is much frequented by the Indians, who, as well as those that visit Lac la Pluie, belong to the Ojibeway or Salteaux tribes.

5.

Edmonton is an establishment on the Sackatchewan River, which has its source on the Rocky Mountains, and disembogues itself by Nelson River into Hudson's Bay. It is distant from Montreal two thousand eight hundred miles. The Missionary will extend his labours from thence to the Athabasca River, which also has its origin on the Rocky Mountains. The establishments in that remote district are frequented by the bold and daring prairie or plain tribes of Indians, including the Assiniboines, the Peiagans, the Sarcees, and the Blood Indians. The Thickwood Crees and Assiniboines amount, with the whites and mixed population attached to the station, to between fifteen and twenty thousand souls.

'6. Norway House, one of the principal depôts belonging to the Company, is situated at the northern end of Lake Winipeg, and is distant from Montreal two thousand miles. There is an Indian village connected with this place, the inhabitants of which derive great advantages from the proximity of the Company's establishment, where the Indians, who are a part of the Swampy Cree tribe, find permanent employment as fishermen, boatmen, and labourers. As Norway House is a central point, it is intended that it shall be the residence of the General Superintendent of these Missions, who will be able from thence to communicate with, and to visit, the other stations with greater facility than from any other part of the territory.

'Such is the wide field of Missionary labour which has been providentially opened to our Society, and to which the following communications relate. It will be seen that the Missionaries have experienced a most cordial reception from the officers in charge at the different establishments which they have visited; a circumstance which is, under GOD, chiefly to be ascribed to the kind and powerful recommendations in their behalf which have been forwarded by Governor Simpson, to whom the Society is placed under deep obligations. As that gentleman expects shortly to return to the territories, the Committee anticipate much advantage to the Missions from his presence and co-operation with the Missionaries