42 INTRODUCTION 



Dragge, and the American Traveller,^ the only Authors that 

 have written on Hudson's Bay, and who have all, from motives 

 of interest or revenge, taken a particular pleasure in arraign- 

 ing the conduct of the Company, without having any real 

 knowledge of their proceedings, or any experience in their 

 service, on which to found their charges, must have contributed 

 to confirm the public in that opinion. Most of those Writers, 

 however, advance such notorious absurdities, that none except 

 those who are already prejudiced against the Company can give 

 them credit.* 



Robson, from his six years' residence in Hudson's Bay and 

 in the Company's service, might naturally have been supposed 

 to know something of the climate and soil immediately round 

 the Factories at which he resided ; but the whole of his book is 

 evidently written with prejudice, and dictated by a spirit of 

 revenge, because his romantic and inconsistent schemes were 

 rejected by the Company. Besides, it is well known that 

 Robson was no more than a tool in the hand of Mr. Dobbs, 



The American Traveller, though a more elegant writer. 



[^ " An Account of the Countries adjoining to Hudson's Bay." By Arthur 

 Dobbs. London, 1774. 



" A Voyage to Hudson's Bay by the Dobbs Galley and California in the 

 Years 1746 and 1747." By Henry Ellis. London, 1748. 



" An Account of Six Years' Residence in Hudson's Bay." By Joseph 

 Robson. London, 1752. 



" An Account of a Voyage for the Discovery of a North-West Passage 

 Performed in the Years 1746 and 1747," 2 vols. By the Clerk of the California 

 [T. S. Dragge]. London, 1748. 



" The American Traveller." By an Old and Experienced Trader [Alexander 

 Cluny]. London, 1769.] 



* Since the above was written, a Mr. Umfreville has published an account 

 of Hudson's Bay, with the same ill-nature as the former Authors ; and for no 

 other reason than that of being disappointed in succeeding to a command in 

 the Bay, though there was no vacancy for him.^ 



[" Umfreville states (p. 3) that he entered the service of the Hudson's Bay 

 Company in the capacity of writer at the salary of ^15 a year, and continued 

 in that employ eleven years. But some disagreement arising in point of salary 

 he quitted the service. (" The Present State of Hudson's Bay." By Edward 

 Umfreville. London, 179°.)] 



