A General History of the Far Trade. 13 



into sixteen shares, without depositing any capital ; each 

 party furnishing a proportion or quota of such articles as 

 were necessary to carry on the trade : the respective parties 

 agreeing to satisfy the friends they had in the country, who 

 were not provided for, according to this agreement, out of 

 the proportions which they held. The management of the 

 whole was accordingly entrusted to Messrs. Benjamin and 

 Joseph Frobisher, and Mr. Simon M'Tavish, two distinct 

 nouses, who had the greatest interest and influence in the 

 country, and for which they were to receive a stipulated 

 commission in all transactions. 



In the spring, two of those gentlemen went to the Grande 

 Portage with their credentials, which were confirmed and 

 ratified by all the parties having an option, except Mr. Peter 

 Pond, who was not satisfied with the share allotted him* 

 Accordingly he and another gentleman, Mr* Peter Pang- 

 man, who had a right to be a partner, but for whom no pro- 

 vision had been made, came to Canada, with a determina- 

 tion to return to the country, if they could find any persons 

 to join them, and give their scheme a proper support. 



The traders in the country, and merchants at Montreal, 

 thus entered into a co-partnership, which, by these means, 

 was consolidated and directed by able men, who, from the 

 powers with which they were entrusted, could carry on the 

 trade to the utmost extent it would bear. The traders in 

 the country, therefore, having every reason to expect that 

 their past and future labours would be recompensed, forgot 

 all their former animosities, and engaged with the utmost 

 spirit and activity, to forward the general interest ; so that, 

 in the following year, they met their agents at the Grande 

 Portage, with their canoes laden with rich furs from the 

 different parts of that immense tract of country. But this 

 satisfaction was not to be enjoyed without soma interrup- 

 tion ; and they were mortified to find that Mr. Pangman 

 had prevailed on Messrs. Gregory and Macleod to join him, 

 and give him their support in the business, though desertec? 

 by Mr. Pond, who accepted the terms offered by his former 

 associates. 



In the counting house of Mr. Gregory I had been five 

 years ; and at this period had left him, with a small ad- 

 venture of goods, with which he had entrusted me, to seek 

 my fortune at Detroit. He, without any solicitation on my 

 part, had procured an insertion in the agreement, that I 

 shoulfd be admitted a partner in this business^ on condition 



