356 COLUMBIA RIVER. 



divided into three classes, viz. : articles of gratuity, those of trade, 

 and those intended to pay for small services, labour, and provisions. 

 The first consist of knives and tobacco ; the second, of blankets, guns, 

 cloth, povs^der, and shot; the third, of shirts, handkerchiefs, ribands, 

 beads, &c. These articles are bartered at seemingly great profits, 

 and many persons imagine that large gain must be the result from 

 the Indian trade; but this is seldom the case. The Indians and 

 settlers understand v^^ell the worth of each article, and are not inclined 

 to give for it more than its real value, besides getting a present or 

 "pot latch" to boot. The Company are obliged to make advances 

 to all their trappers, if they wish to be sure of their services; and 

 from such a reckless set, there is little certainty of getting returns, 

 even if the trapper has it in his power. In fact, he will not return with 

 his season's acquisitions, unless he is constrained to pursue the same 

 course of life for another year, when he requires a new advance. In 

 order to avoid losses by the departure of their men, the parties, some 

 thirty or forty in number, are placed under an officer, who has charge 

 of the whole. These are allowed to take their wives and even families 

 with them ; and places, where they are to trap during the season, on 

 some favourable ground, are assigned to them. These parties leave 

 Vancouver in October, and return by May or June. They usually 

 trap on shares, and the portion they are to receive is defined by an 

 agreement; the conditions of which depend very much upon their 

 skill. 



All the profits of the Company depend upon economical manage- 

 ment, for the quantity of peltry in this section of the country, and 

 indeed it may be said the fur-trade on this side of the mountains, has 

 fallen off fifty per cent, within the last few years. It is indeed re- 

 ported, that this business at present is hardly worth pursuing. 



Mr. Douglass was kind enough to take me into the granary, which 

 contained wheat, flour, barley, and buckwheat. The wheat averaged 

 sixty-three pounds to the bushel; barley yields twenty bushels to the 

 acre ; buckwheat, in some seasons, gives a good crop, but it is by no 

 means certain, owing to the early frosts; oats do not thrive well; 

 peas, beans, and potatoes yield abundantly ; little or no hay is made, 

 the cattle being able to feed all the year round on the natural hay, 

 which they find very nutritious, and fatten upon it. The grass 

 grows up rapidly in the beginning of summer; and the subsequ&nt 

 heat and drought convert it into hay, in which all the juices are 

 preserved. Besides this, they have on the prairies along the river, 



