On the Fur Trade, and Fur-bearing Animals. 325 
ieee strait to Queen Charlotte’s Island in N. Lat. 53°, and by the Hud- 
son’s Bay Company thence, south of the Columbia river, from which 
Ashley’s Company, and that under Capt. Bonneville take the remain- 
der of the region to the coast of California. Indeed, the whole compass 
from the Mississippi to the Pacific ocean is traversed in every direc- 
tion. ‘The mountains and forests from the Arctic sea to the gulf of 
Mexico, are threaded, through every maze, by the hunter. Every 
river and tributary stream, from the Columbia to the mouth of the 
Rio del Norte, and from the McKenzie to the Colorado of the west, 
from — head springs to their junction, are searched and trapped 
for beave 
saben: all the American furs which do not belong to the Hudson’s 
Bay Company, find their way to New York, and are either distribu- 
ted thence for home consumption, or sent to foreign markets. 
The Hudson’s Bay Company ship their furs from their factories 
of York Fort, and from Moose river on Hudson’s Bay ; their collec- 
tion from Grand river, &c. they ship from Canada ; and the collection 
_ from Columbia river goes to London. None of dine furs come to the 
United States, except through the London market. 
The export trade of furs from the United States, is chiefly to sees 
don. Some quantities have been sent to Canton, and some few to 
Hamburgh ; and an increasing export trade in beaver, otter, nutria,. 
and vicunea wool, prepared for the hatter’s use, is carried on wit 
Mexico. Some furs are exported from Baltimore, Philadelphia, and 
Boston, but the principal shipments from the United States, are from 
New York to London, from whence they are sent to Leipzic, a well 
known mart for furs, where they are disposed of during the great 
fair in that city, and distributed to every part of the continent. 
» The United States mport from South America, nutria, vicunia, 
chinchilla, and a few deer skins; also-fur seals from the Lobos Is- 
lands, off the river Plate. A quantity of beaver, otter, &c. are 
brought annually from Santa Fee. Dressed furs for edgings, linings, 
caps, muffs, &c. such as squirrel, gennet, fitch skins, and blue rabbit, 
are received from the north of Europe ; also coney and hare’s fur, 
but the largest importations are from London, “ where is concentra- 
ted nearly the whole of the North American fur trade.”* 
Of the fur-bearing animals, “the precious ermine,” so called by 
way of preéminence, is found, of the best quality, only in the cold re- 
* Aikin on Furs, Trans, &e. 
