442 PROOFS AND ILLUSTRATIONS. [G. 



Mr. McKay, McDougal, Stuart, &c. — were, in effect, to be interested as 

 partners in the undertaking, so far as respected the profit which might 

 arise: but the means were furnished by me, and the property was solely 

 mine, and I sustained the loss, which, though considerable, I do not re- 

 gret, because, had it not been for the unfortunate occurrence just stated, I 

 should have been, as I believe, most richly rewarded; as it will be seen 

 that the difference of price in the beaver and otter skins alone, say what 

 I received, and the value of them at Canton at that time, is about sixty 

 thousand dollars. The copy of the agreement, inventory, and extract of 

 Shaw's letter, you will please return to me. 



I am, sir, &c, 



John Jacob Astor 



(2.) 



Agreement between the Agents of the Pacific Fur Company and the North- 

 West Company, for the Transfer of the Establishments of the Former, 

 on the Columbia River, to the Latter ; concluded on the \Qth of Octo- 

 ber, 1813. 



The association heretofore carrying on the fur trade to the Columbia 

 River and its dependencies, under the firm and denomination of the 

 Pacific Fur Company, being dissolved, on the 1st of July last, by 

 Duncan McDougal, Donald McKenzie, David Stuart, and John Clarke, 

 with the intention to abandon the trade in that quarter, it is hereby agreed, 

 concluded, and settled upon, of their own free will and consent, by 

 Duncan McDougal, acting for himself and in behalf of his associates, 

 namely, Donald McKenzie, David Stuart, and John Clarke, on the one 

 part, and John George McTavish and John Stuart, acting for themselves 

 and in behalf of the North-West Company, on the other part, that the 

 following agreement and settlement take place between them, and be 

 binding and obligatory in the manner, and subject to the terms and agree- 

 ments, hereinafter specified and contained. Now, therefore, it is hereby 

 mutually agreed and concluded, by and between the said parties to these 

 presents, and they do hereby mutually covenant and agree, to and with 

 each other, in manner following, that is to say : — 



Article 1. The party of the former part hereby covenants and 

 agrees to deliver, or cause to be delivered, the whole of the establish- 

 ments, furs, and present stock in hand, on the Columbia and Thomp- 

 son's Rivers, as soon as the necessary inventories can be taken, unto the 

 said party of the latter part, or any other person or persons appointed by 

 them to represent the North-West Company, to receive the same at the 

 prices and rates concluded and agreed upon as hereinafter specified, in 

 article fourth. 



Art. 2. In consideration of article first being duly and faithfully 

 performed by the party of the former part, they, the said John George 

 McTavish and John Stuart, for themselves and on behalf of the North- 

 West Company, do bind and oblige themselves and the said North-West 

 Company, or their agents, to pay or cause to be paid, unto the said 

 Duncan McDougal, acting for himself and in behalf of his associates, as 

 before mentioned, his attorneys, assigns, or order, the amount of the sums 

 arising from the sale, according to article first, and the rates hereinafter 



