G.] PROOFS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. 441 



thousand dollars, for wages said to be due to some of the men. From the 

 price obtained for the goods, &c, and he having himself become interested 

 in the purchase, and made a partner of the North-West Company, some 

 idea may be formed as to this man's correctness of dealings. It will be 

 seen, by the agreement (that of which I transmit a copy) and the invento- 

 ry, that he sold to the North-West Company eighteen thousand one 

 hundred and seventy and a quarter pounds of beaver at two dollars, which 

 was at that time selling in Canton at five and six dollars; nine hundred 

 and seven otter skins at fifty cents, or half a dollar, which were selling at 

 Canton at five to six dollars per skin. 



I estimated the whole property to be worth nearer two hundred 

 thousand dollars than forty thousand dollars, about the sum I received in 

 bills on Montreal. Previous to the transaction of McDougal, we had 

 already established trading posts in the interior, and were in contact with 

 the North-West Company. It is now to be seen what means have been 

 used by them to counteract my plan. It is well known that, as soon as 

 the North-West Company had information of my intention and plan for 

 conducting my commercial operations, they despatched a party of men 

 from the interior, with a view to arrive before my people at Columbia. 

 These men were obliged to return without effecting their object. In the 

 mean time, representation was made to their government as to the proba- 

 ble effect of my operations on their interest, and requesting to interfere 

 in their behalf. This being in time of peace, the government did not 

 deem it advisable so to do. So soon, however, as war was declared, these 

 representations were renewed, aid was asked from the government, and it 

 was granted. The Phoebe frigate, and sloops of war Raccoon and Por- 

 cupine, were sent from England, with orders to proceed to Columbia 

 River, and destroy my property. They sailed from England early in Jan- 

 uary, 1813. Arriving at Rio Janeiro, Admiral Dickson ordered the 

 Phoebe frigate, with one of the sloops, to pursue Captain Porter in the 

 frigate E=>sex, and the sloop of war Raccoon, to the Columbia. She ar- 

 rived there, took possession in the name of the king, and changed the 

 name of the place from Astoria to Fort George. Previous to this, the 

 North-West Company had despatched another or second party of men to 

 the Columbia. They arrived there in the absence of Mr. Hunt ; McDou- 

 gal gave them support and protection, and they commenced, after some 

 time, to negotiate with this gentleman. 



The reasons assigned by him for his conduct will be seen by an extract 

 of a letter said to have been sent by a Mr. Shaw, of the North-West 

 Company, and of which I send you a copy. The plan by me adopted 

 was such as must materially have affected the interest of the North-West 

 and Hudson's Bay Companies, and it was easy to be foreseen that they 

 would employ every means to counteract my operations, and which, as my 

 impression, I stated to the executive of your department as early ns Feb- 

 ruary, 1813, as will be seen by a copy of the sketch of a letter which I 

 wrote to the secretary of state, and to which no reply was given. On re- 

 peated application, some time after, aid was promised me; but I believe 

 the situation of our country rendered it inconvenient to give it. You 

 will observe that the name of the Pacific Fur Company is made use of at 

 the commencement of the. arrangements for this undertaking. I preferred 

 to have it appear as the business of a company, rather than that of an 

 individual ; and several of the gentlemen engaged — Mr. Hunt, Mr. Crooks, 

 56 



