452 TRAVELS IN OREGON, NO. 2. 
Generally, however, when their time expires, they find 
themselves in debt, and are obliged to serve an extra 
time to pay it; and not unfrequently, at the expiration 
of their engagement, they have become attached or mar- 
ried to some Indian woman, or half-breed, and have 
children, on which account they find themselves unable 
to leave, and continue attached to the company’s service, 
and in all respects under the same management as 
before. If thev desire to remain and cultivate land, 
they are assigned a certain portion, but are still depend¬ 
ent on the company for many necessaries of life, cloth¬ 
ing, &c. 
This causes them to become a sort of vassal, and com¬ 
pels them to execute the will of the company. In this 
way, however, order and decorum are preserved, toge¬ 
ther with steady habits, for few can in any way long 
withstand this silent influence. The consequence is that 
few communities are to be found more orderly than that 
which is formed of the persons who have retired from 
the company’s service. This power, exercised by the 
officers of the company is much complained of, but it 
appears to be used for good purposes, as far at least as 
the morals of the settlers and servants are concerned. 
Dr. McLaughlin, who is at the head of affairs in this 
region, is of Scotch origin, but by birth a Canadian, en¬ 
thusiastic in disposition, possessing great energy of char¬ 
acter, and extremely well suited for the situation he 
occupies, which requires great talent and industry. 
Through his influence the use of ardent spirits has been 
almost entirely done away with. Large quantities of 
spirituous liquors are stored in the magazines of Fort 
Vancouver, which the company have refused to make 
an article of trade, and none is now used by them in the 
territory for that purpose. They have found the rule 
highly beneficial to their business in many respects; 
more furs are taken in consequence of those engaged 
