"The prices paid to the natives for their furs are, in general, exceedingly small. Throughout the whole of the protected territories, the value of goods bartered for furs is certainly under one-twentieth of the value of these furs in England."—A. Simpson, p. 427.

cipal benefit the Company the exclusive licence of peaceable occupation of oper territory, from which arly the whole of the profits and for the protection of ave a right to look to gocommon with the rest of s subjects, as the trade of embraced in the royal Liyet, of very little benefit to ords greater advantages to untry in the employment of in the revenue arising from exports, than the Company

-Sir J. H. Pelly's Re

"The entire value of all the furs and other articles traded by the Company from the Indians in all its territories and possessions, average less than 200,000l. per annum. In one year it amounted to 211,000l., and the nett profits for that year were declared at 119,000l.!!!"—ib. p. 428.

owing extracts from works of an earlier date, taken in with the foregoing statements of Beaver and Simpson the policy of the Hudson's Bay Company towards the as been throughout such as above described by these

ompany find the profits arising from that inconsiderable
produce of this country which they have monopolised, so
that, while they are resolved to be undisturbed in the
they can have no motive to increase them, but are rather
prevent this as an evil that would endanger the loss of the
rom hence, perhaps, proceeds that vigorous exertion of
and power to keep all their servants except the chief
the captains of their ships, totally ignorant both of the
d trade; hence their treatment of the natives, which so
naiming at instructing their minds, and reforming their
made up of cruelty to their persons, impositions upon their
r their necessity, and a fomentation of a spirit of discord
that in time must destroy them all.”—Robson's Account of
'Residence in Hudson's Bay, 8vo. London, 1752. P. 74.
the long time in which the Company have been in pos-
mpany annually fit out one ship, of about 300 tons burthen, to the
re spoken of, and from it are derived those "great advantages to
ountry, in the employment of shipping," which Sir John Pelly de-
there is no duty on furs, and all the exciseable articles sent out to
are purchased in bond, the total revenue Great Britain derives
s and imports," and every other source, amounts to the sum of five
ally paid as "Rent" into her Majesty's Treasury, every 1st of June.

g

who never heard of the mild precepts of Christianity. Behe facts already mentioned, the following one was well atby the servants of the Bay, and was also produced in evibefore the Committee [of the House of Commons] :-An boy at Moose Factory, being taught to read and write the humanity and indulgence of a governor there, wrote the Company for leave to come to England, in order that ht be baptized, but upon the receipt of his request, which n who had the least sense of religion, and the least regard spiritual happiness of a fellow creature, would with joy have ed with, an order was sent to the governor to take the boy's from him, and turn him out of the factory, with an express tion against any Indian's being instructed for the future. vas the source of much affliction to the poor boy, who died fter, with a penitence and devotion that would have done - to his masters. But from whence can such preposterous and ral behaviour take its rise, unless from the apprehension that natives were properly instructed and made converts to Christthey would all claim the privileges of British subjects, and to Britain to be supported in them? The Company, therefore, vent their suffering a remote evil as traders, have violated dispensable duty as men and Christians."-Robson, p. 77. hen we recollect that this country has been in the hands of orporated Company for upwards of 113 years, and compare w discoveries that have been made during that period with made in other parts-when we reflect how little we are _nted with its soil or productions, and how ignorant we are espect to its capability of improvement-when we further conthat no care has been taken to cultivate a reciprocal friendwith remote nations of Indians; but on the contrary, that those ⇒ already acquainted with have been vitiated by the introducof spirituous liquors, and disgusted by ill-usage; such reflecnaturally excite in the bosom of every one that has the good ir country at heart, a wish that so extensive and improveable ntry were in the possession of those who would take more to render it more beneficial to the mother country."eville's Present State of Hudson's Bay, p. 102. London,

66

e following instance of barbarity, related by Lieutenant ChapR.N., of H. M. S. Rosamond, in his " Narrative of a Voyage udson's Bay," would appear incredible, did it not rest, to use wn expression, on the most indubitable authority:

66

mor

n by dogs. At length an English boy was missing
ement, and after some difficulty, two Esquimaux were
nfined in separate apartments. In order to recover
outh the settlers made use of a stratagem. A musket
ed in a remote apartment, and the settlers entering the
ch one of the Esquimaux was confined, they informed
that his comrade had been put to death for decoying
; and they gave him to understand at the same time
prepare to undergo the same fate, unless he would
dge himself to restore the absentee. The Esquimaux
mised everything, and on being set at liberty he made
is way into the woods, and of course was never after-
of. They kept the other native for some time a pri-
gth he tried to effect his escape by boldly seizing the
lock at night, but the piece accidentally going off he
ed at the report that they easily replaced him in con-
et either the loss of liberty, a supposition that his
had been murdered, or that he was himself reserved for
eath, deprived the poor wretch of reason. As he be-
ngly troublesome the settlers held a conference as to
ible mode of getting rid of him; and it being deemed
deter the natives from similar offences by making an
accordingly SHOT the poor maniac in cold blood, with-
ven themselves the trouble to ascertain whether he was
or innocent."-Narrative of a Voyage to Hudson's
t. Chappell, R.N., p. 156. London, 1817.
ces of similar atrocity which may be adduced would
but limited space will not admit of more than a con-
ct from the work of Mr. Beaver, already alluded to,
nese appalling details will be closed :-

e middle of the summer 1836, and shortly before my ncouver, six Indians were wantonly and gratuitously - a party of trappers and sailors, who landed for the one of the Company's vessels, on the coast someen the mouth of the river Columbia and the confines of Having on a former occasion read the particulars of assacre, as I received them from an eye witness, beg of the Aborigines' Society, I will not now repeat ny certain knowledge the circumstance was brought ore the authorities of Vancouver, by whom no notice it, and the same party of trappers, with the same of the most infamous murderers of a murderous fra- »

ly, and threw a child into a fire, in consequence of a quarrel ing a knife, which was afterwards found upon one of them

And during the year before they put four Indians to death aling their horses, which might be pleaded as some excuse for utality, but that they afterwards killed ten or twelve more in lood, and set fire to their village.

nce writing the above," he adds at the end of his communi“I have learned from good authority, that in the month of t, 1840, an Indian was hanged near the mouth of the CoRiver, and several others shot, and their village set on fire party in the employment of the Hudson's Bay Company, the command of chief factor M'Loughlin, who led them from Vancouver, thus indiscriminately to revenge the death of a ho lost his life in an affray while curing salmon."

not these things, as Mr. Beaver himself elsewhere asks, atively demand inquiry and interference? Is not such treatas has been narrated of their red brethren, unbecoming to as who profess the religion of the Prince of Peace, and to perwho, ignorant themselves of the precepts of Christianity, may the service of such professors?

CES PAID TO THE INDIANS FOR THEIR FURS. J. H. Pelly, in his Report to the Lords of the Committee of rivy Council for Trade, already quoted, states that the "trade country embraced in the royal Licence is, as yet, of very little it to the Company," and affords greater advantage to the er country than to them. The annexed Tariff, exhibiting at the articles supplied, and the prices. paid, to the Indians ining that territory, for their furs, will show, that whatever may ne cause of the limited profits derived from this trade it cannot tributed to any undue liberality in the remuneration afforded ne natives. The Tariff here given is that, with a few trifling modifications, employed over the whole of the Licensed try east of the Rocky Mountains, embracing a very great extent rritory.

may be mentioned that 33 1-3d per cent. on the prime cost of goods is considered by the Company to cover the expenses of ht, &c., to the country. The selling prices of the different s are extracted from a Table given by Mr. Murray, in his k on British North America, in the series of the Edinburgh inet Library, based on a list "obligingly furnished by the Comy themselves," as a fair indication of the average prices of furs he market.

Pr
Cra

the

Hu

of a

fur

the

116024692230

Man's Slop Coat (large) Boy's ditto

striped

19 10 O 19 10

(largest)

2251

6 19 6

37 4 0 6 0

260

4 13 0

4 13

27 18

11 12 6 6

1 Silver Fox Skin is equivalent to 4 Beaver Skin

6

0

5 17 6