NARRATIVE, Ac. 13 



Representations haying been made to the Department, on 

 abject of foreign interference in the trade of the Upper 

 M ssissippi, a number of queries wer i addressed t>> an Ameri- 

 can trader, wcil acquainted with its geography and resources. 

 I inquired of him, whether the American traders on that border, 

 sed in their trade by the inhabitants of the 

 Red : ay, <>r by the partners and clerks of fhf I In I 



Ba) Company. He replied that the inhabitants oft Pembina, 

 in the habit of making temporary voyages "1" trade to 

 hief river, south of the parallel of forty-nine dc- 

 . but that they had net built or made a permanent stand 

 there, lie said, that the open nature of the country about the 

 river settle ment, gave great facilities for making short cx- 

 >ns into the Indian country, on horseback and in carts. But 

 he did not know any place to which permanent outfits had 

 -iit. except the river Souris, west of Red river. He bc- 

 ; that this traffic was carried on. exclusively, by the inhabi- 

 of the colony and not by the Hudson's Bay Company. 

 I asked him whether the Indians of the Lake of the Woods 

 of Red Lake, and whether our traders were an- 

 I in their trade in that quarter by the servants of the Hud- 

 Bay Company. He replied, that the Lac du Bois Indians 

 came across to Red Lake ordinarily ; that it is a three day's jour- 

 m y : but that no annoyance is experienced in the trade of that 

 part from the Hudson's Hay factors. He was of opinion that 

 lo not send outfits into any part of the territory south or 

 of the national boundary, beginning at Portage tics Iials 

 on the Lake of the Woods. 



A quite different aspect was put upon the temper of this op- 

 • Principal of this department of trade, who was 

 . He complained of the influence which the Hud- 

 • the lines, and the moral char- 

 acter of tli<- means which were resorted to, to induce the 

 l Indian-; to go to their posts. He said that in 1831, (I 

 think) one of hispettj clerks had been induced t>> abscond with 

 Itfit, and had been well received by one of the partn- 



