JOURNAL 
65 
light snow showers fell. Captain Clarke and four- 
teen men went out to hunt ; and took the three sleds 
^vith them. In tlie eveninr^ five of them returned. 
Captain Clarke and the other ^ encamped out, and 
killed two deer. The snow fell about three mches 
deep. 
Saturday loth, A cloudv day. Soma of the natives 
paid us a vi^it, and brought presents of meat to the 
commanding officers. About 1 o'clock Captain Clarke 
and his party returned, but had killed nothing jiiore. 
The buffaloe were gone from the river. Some slight 
showers of snow fell during the day. 
Sunday \&th. A clear cold day ; I went up with 
some of the men to the 1st and 2nd village of the 
Mandans, and we were treated with much kindness. 
Three of the traders from tile N. W. Coaipany came 
to our fort, and brought a letter to our commanding 
officers. They remained with us all night. The 
object of the visits we received from the N. W. Com- 
pany, was to ascertain our motives for visiting that 
country, and to gain information with respect to the 
change of government.* 
* The Koi-th West Company was -first formed In th« 
v/inter of 17B3 — 4, by the merchants of Canada, engag-ed 
in the fur trade, imlting their interests. The concern Was 
divided into sixteen shares, withont any capital being' depo- 
rted ; each party furnishing lus proportion of the articles 
necessary for carrying* on the trade. After a severe 3trug-g"l<* 
and rival competition with others eng-ag-ed/hi the trade, in. 
the year 17^7 more partners were admitted]' the siiares ex- 
tended to twenty and the estahlishment, which was no more 
than an association of commercial men a.^-reeing among* 
themselves to carry on the far trade, founded on amor»" 
sohd hasis. " ' 
This and' Hudson's Bay Company, have en ^Tossed and 
carry on almost the Vv-hole of th/> fur trade in that extensive 
country, situated betvveen Hudson's Bay, the Rcjcky 
mountains, and^ that high tract of country, v/est of lake 
Superior, which seperates the southern from the northern 
. F 2 
