COLUMBIA RIVER. 353 



I am satisfied that as far as the morals of the settlers and servants 

 are concerned, it is used for good purposes. For instance, the use 

 of spirits is almost entirely done away with. Dr. M'Laughlin has 

 acted in a highly praiseworthy manner in this particular. Large 

 quantities of spirituous liquors are now stored in the magazines at 

 Vancouver, which the Company have refused to make an article of 

 trade, and none is now used by them in the territory for that pur- 

 pose. They have found this rule highly beneficial to their business 

 in several respects : more furs are taken, in consequence of those who 

 are engaged having fewer inducements to err ; the Indians are found 



COO " 



to be less quarrelsome, and pursue the chase more constantly; and the 

 settlers, as far as I could hear, have been uniformly prosperous. 



In order to show the course of the Company upon this subject, I 

 will mention one circumstance. The brig Thomas H. Perkins arrived 

 here with a large quantity of rum on board, with other goods. Dr. 

 M'Laughlin, on hearing of this, made overtures immediately for the 

 purchase of the whole cargo, in order to get possession of the whiskey 

 or rum, and succeeded. The Doctor mentioned to me that the liquor 

 was now in store, and would not be sold in the country, and added, 

 that the only object he had in buying the cargo was to prevent the 

 use of the rum, and to sustain the temperance cause. 



The settlers are also deterred from crimes, as the Company have 

 the power of sending them to Canada for trial, which is done with 

 little cost, by means of the annual expresses which carry their ac- 

 counts and books. 



The interior of the houses in the fort are unpretending. They are 

 simply finished with pine board panels, without any paint : bunks are 

 built for bedsteads; but the Avhole, though plain, is as comfortable as 

 could be desired. 



I was introduced to several of the missionaries : Mr. and Mrs. Smith, 

 of the American Board of Missions ; Mr. and Mrs. Griffith, and Mr. 

 and Mrs. Clarke, of the Self-supporting Mission ; Mr. Waller of the 

 Methodist, and two others. They, for the most part, make Vancouver 

 their home, where they are kindly received and well entertained at 

 no expense to themselves. The liberality and freedom from sectarian 

 principles of Dr. M'Laughlin may be estimated from his being 

 thus hospitable to missionaries of so many Protestant denominations, 

 although he is a professed Catholic, and has a priest of the same 

 faith ofl&ciating daily at the chapel. Religious toleration is allowed 

 in its fullest extent. The dining-hall is given up on Sunday to the 



VOL. IV. 89 



