OLthefc were diverted from the Britifh market, being; fent through the
United States to Chi tia* *'i g,364 flans* fine beaver, weighing 192S3 pounds;
j&5oi fine otters; and #724 ; kitt fox^v - They would have found their
way .to .the China market at any, rate, but this deviation from the Britifh
channel arofe fromlthe following circumftanoe: §
An adventure of this kind was undertaken by a refpeflable houfe jin
London, half concerned with the: North-Weft Company in the year
1792. The furs were of the belt kind, and fuitable .to the market; and
the adventurers continued this connexion for., five fqcceflive years, to
the annual amount; of-forty thoufand pounds.^ At the winding iup of
the concern o f 1792, 1793, 1794, 1795, in the year 1797, (the adventure
of 1796 not being included, as the furs were not-fent to China, but.
difpofed of in liondon), the. North-Weft Company experienced a lols
of upwards of ^4o,ooo .(their half,) which was principally owing to the
difficulty, of getting home the produce procured in return for the furs
from Qhina, in the Eaft India Company’s (hips, together with the duty
payable, and the various reftri&ions of that company. Whereas, from
America there are no impediments; they get immediately to market,
and the produce of them is brought back, and perhaps fold in the courfe
of twelve months: From fuch advantages the furs of Canada will no
doubt find their w a y ‘to China by America, which would not be the
cafe if Britifh fubjefts had the fame privileges that are allowed to
foreigners, as London would then be found the beft and fafeft market.
But to return to our principal fubjeft.— We fhall now proceed to
confider the number of men employed in the concern: viz. fifty clerks,
feventyfeventy
ane interpreters: and clerks* one thoufand one hundred and
twenty caooe men,-and thirty-five guides. O f thefe* five clerks, eighteen
guides; and three hundred and . fifty canoe men, were employed for the
fummer feafon? in. "going from- ^Monfcreal to the Grande Portage, in
canoes, part o f whom proceeded* ffóhi thence to Rainy Lake, as will be
hereafter explained, and arc called Bork-eaters, or Goers and Comers*
Thefe were hired in‘Canada or Montreal, and wereabfen.t from the lft of
May till the latter end of September. For this trip the guides had
from eight.hundred to a thoufand livres, and a fuitable equipment;-
the-foreman and; fteerfmpn ffoitóvfourito fix hundred divres; the. middlemen
from two hundred and fifty to threGÜiundred and fifty livres, with
an equipment o f one blanket, one Hurt; and one pair of trowfe‘rs; and
wére maintained during that. period at the expence o f - their employers.
Independent o f their wages, , they were allowed to traffic, and many of
thpm earned to the amount o f their wages. About-one third o f thefe went
to . winter, and-had more than double the above wages and equipment.
All the others were hired by the year, and fome times for three years; and
of the clerks many were apprentices, who were generally engaged for five
or foven yeais, for which-they had onlyione hundred -pounds, provifion
and clothing. Such of them who could not be provided for as. partners,
at the expiration o f this time, were allowed from one hundred pounds to
three hundred pounds per annum*: withall neceffaries, tilb provifion -was.
made for them. Thole who a61ed in. the two-fold capacity erf clerk; and
interpreter, or were fo denominated, had no other expeèlation than the
payment of wages to the amount o f from one thou land to four thoufand
livres per annum, with clothing and provifions.- The guides, who are a
very ufeful fob of men, a£ted alfo in the additional capacity of: interpreters,
d. 2 . and