146 COLUMBIA RIVER. 



several years, has made no dividends. The accumulation of their 

 live-stock may, however, be considered as an equivalent for moneyed 

 profits. In the event, however, of the country becoming the abode of 

 a civilized community, the farms and other land possessed by this 

 Company must become very valuable, as the posts occupy all the 

 points most favourably situated for trade, and the agricultural esta- 

 blishments have been placed in many of the best positions for farming 

 operations. The utmost economy is practised in every part of the 

 establishment of the Hudson Bay Company, and great exertions are 

 made to push their operations over a larger field of action. Mercan- 

 tile houses, supported by the credit and capital of the Company, have 

 even been established at the Sandwich Islands and San Francisco, 

 where articles of every description imported in the vessels of the 

 Company may be purchased. 



The value of all the furs obtained on this coast does not exceed 

 forty thousand pounds annually ; and when the cost of keeping up 

 their posts, and a marine composed of four ships and a steamer, is 

 taken into account, and allowances made for losses, interest, and insu- 

 rance, little surplus can be left for distribution. I am, indeed, per- 

 suaded, that the proceeds of their business will not long exceed their 

 expenses, even if they do so at present. The statement of the Com- 

 pany's affairs presents no criterion by which to judge of the success 

 of their business on the Northwest Coast. I learned that it was 

 the general impression among the officers, that such has been the 

 falling off in the trade, that it does not now much more than pay 

 expenses. 



On my first visit to Vancouver, Dr. M'Laughlin was kind enough 

 to offer to keep a meteorological diary for me, during my stay on the 

 coast, that I might have the means of comparison. They had formerly 

 been in the habit of noting the changes that occurred, and for many 

 years had kept a journal ; but this had been for some years omitted. 

 The task would be but trifling in such a well-regulated establishment, 

 and it is surprising that it should not have claimed more attention. 

 The night observations seem to be the principal difficulty. In the 

 register kept during our stay, the instruments were only noted in the 

 daytime, and the record is not available for the mean temperature of 

 the twenty-four hours ; but as it may serve to show the state of the 

 weather, during the summer months, at Vancouver, I will give an 

 abstract from it. The barometer and thermometer were both com- 

 pared with our standard, and found nearly to coincide. 



