SOURCE OP ST. PETER S RIVER. 65 



The population of the settlement amounts to about six 

 hundred. There is an appearance of neatness, and even of 

 comfort, in many of the cabins belonging to the Swiss and 

 Scotch settlers. The agricultural improvements are daily 

 becoming more respectable, and adding to the prosperity 

 gf the colony. The soil is not so good as at Pembina, yet 

 large crops of grain have been obtained. It appears well 

 adapted to the growth of wheat, barley, oats, and potatoes. 

 Maize has not yet had a fair trial. Of wheat they have re- 

 peatedly obtained from twenty to forty and even more 

 bushels to the acre. Perhaps the greatest desideratum at 

 Fort Douglas is wood, which, growing only upon the 

 banks of the rivers, is becoming scarce. They have a few 

 tradesmen and manufacturers among them. A tanner, 

 who appears to understand his business well, has been 

 brought over, and makes very good leather from buffalo 

 hides, so that they are not all at present reduced to the ne- 

 cessity of wearing moccassins. An attempt has also been 

 made to convert the wool of the buflalo to some useful 

 purpose. An association has been formed for this object, 

 which has contracted with the Hudson's Bay Company 

 for the requisite supply of skins ; they pluck out the hair 

 that covers the wool ; and then separate the latter by an 

 ingenious process into the different qualities, which are 

 said to be no less than nine. The coarse wool is manufac- 

 tured into a good substantial cloth ; the fine qualities are 

 sent to England, where, it is said, they find a ready mar- 

 ket. Mr. Pritchard, who superintends this important 

 establishment, kindly showed it to us, and communicated 

 some interesting facts relating to it. It was in his posses- 

 sion that we saw a hat, manufactured by his brother in 

 London, in which the beaver had been replaced by buffalo 

 wool. 



