NISQUALLY AND COLUMBIA RIVER. 329 



abundance of good fare. Dr. M'Laughlin took the head of the table, 

 with myself on his right, Messrs. Douglass and Drayton on his left, and 

 the others apparently according to their rank. I mention this, as every 

 one appears to have a relative rank, privilege, and station assigned him, 

 and military etiquette prevails. The meal lasts no longer than is 

 necessary to satisfy hunger. With the officers who are clerks, business 

 is the sole object of their life, and one is entirely at a loss here who has 

 nothing to do. Fortunately I found myself much engaged, and there- 

 fore it suited me. The agreeable company of Dr. M'Laughlin and Mr. 

 Douglass made the time at meals pass delightfully. Both of these 

 gentlemen were kind enough to give up a large portion of their time 

 to us, and I felt occasionally that we must be trespassing on their 

 business hours. After meals, it is the custom to introduce pipes and 

 tobacco. It was said that this practice was getting into disuse, but I 

 should have concluded from what I saw that it was at its height. 



Canadian French is generally spoken to the servants : even those who 

 come out from England after a while adopt it, and it is not a little 

 amusing to hear the words they use, and the manner in which they 

 pronounce them. 



The routine of a day at Vancouver is perhaps the same throughout 

 the year. At early dawn the bell is rung for the working parties, who 

 soon after go to work : the sound of the hammers, click of the anvils, 

 the rumbling of the carts, with tinkling of bells, render it difficult to 

 sleep after this hour. The bell rings again at eight, for breakfast; at 

 nine they resume their work, which continues till one ; then an hour is 

 allowed for dinner, after which they work till six, when the labours of 

 the day close. At five o'clock on Saturday afternoon the work is 

 stopped, when the servants receive their weekly rations. 



Vancouver is a large manufacturing, agricultural, and commercial 

 depot, and there are few if any idlers, except the sick. Everybody 

 seems to be in a hurry, whilst there appears to be no obvious reason 

 for it. 



Without making any inquiries, I heard frequent complaints made of 

 both the quantity and quality of the food issued by the Company to its 

 servants. I could not avoid perceiving that these complaints were well 

 founded, if this allowance were compared with what we deem a 

 sufficient ration in the United States for a labouring man. Many of 

 the servants complained that they had to spend a great part of the 

 money they receive to buy food: this is £17 per annum, out of 

 which they have to furnish themselves with clothes. They are 

 engaged for five years, and after their time has expired the Com- 

 pany are obliged to send them back to England or Canada, if thej 



vol. iv. 2C2 42 



