GEOGRAPHY OF OREGON. 31 



imparting a knowledge of the simplest and most useful arts, and have 

 thus induced some of the natives to engage regularly in agricultural pur- 

 suits; but the poverty of the soil generally renders their efforts in this 

 way unavailing. The last-mentioned missionaries also endeavor to con- 

 vey religious and literary instruction to the Indians through the medium 

 of their own languages, into which books have been translated and 

 printed in the country. Perhaps it would be better to teach the natives 

 to speak and read English ; but the other system has been generally 

 adopted by American missionaries in all parts of the world. 



The civilized inhabitants of Oregon are, as already mentioned in the 

 General View, either citizens of the United States or servants of the 

 British Hudson's Bay Company : the latter body enjoying, by special 

 grant from the government, the use of all the territories claimed by Great 

 Britain west of the Rocky Mountains, as well as the protection of British 

 laws, in virtue of an act of Parliament; whilst the citizens of the United 

 States remain independent of all authority and jurisdiction whatever. 



The establishments of the Hudson's Bay Company have been, until 

 recently, devoted exclusively to the purposes of the fur trade : but, within 

 a few years past, several farms have been laid out and worked, under the 

 direction of the agents of the company ; and large quantities of timber 

 are cut, and salmon are taken and cured, for exportation to the Russian 

 possessions, to Mexico, and to the Sandwich Islands. The furs are ob- 

 tained partly by hunters and trappers, in the regular service of the com- 

 pany, but chiefly by trade with the Indians of the surrounding country ; 

 and they are transported from the different establishments in the interior, 

 either to Montreal or to York Factory on Hudson's Bay, or to Fort Van- 

 couver on the Columbia, whence they are sent in the company's vessels 

 to London. The goods for the trade, and the supply of the establish- 

 ments, are received in the same manner ; the interior transportation being 

 performed almost entirely in boats, on the rivers and lakes, between 

 which the articles are carried on the backs of the voyageurs or boatmen. 

 The regular servants of the company, in the territories west of the Rocky 

 Mountains, are, a chief factor, two chief traders, and about four hundred 

 clerks, traders, voyageurs, &c. ; besides whom, nearly as many laborers 

 from Canada and from Europe are employed on the farms, and Indians 

 are occasionally engaged when wanted. The factors, traders, and clerks, 

 are, for the most part, Scotchmen or Canadians ; the hunters and other 

 regular servants are nearly all half-breeds. The company maintains on 

 the Pacific coasts one steamer and six or eight sail vessels, all armed, 

 and three large ships conduct the communications between the Columbia 

 and London. 



The establishments of the Hudson's Bay Company are generally called 

 forts, and are sufficiently fortified to resist any attacks which might be 

 expected. Those beyond the Rocky Mountains are in number about 

 twenty-two, of which several, including all the largest, are near the coasts. 



Fort Vancouver, the principal of these establishments west of the 

 Rocky Mountains, is situated near the north bank of the Columbia, at the 

 distance of eighty-two miles in a direct line from its mouth, and about 

 one hundred and twenty miles following the course of the stream. The 

 fort is simply a large, square, picketed enclosure, containing houses for 

 the residence of the factor, traders, clerks, and upper servants of the 

 company, magazines for the furs and goods, and workshops of various 



