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INTRODUCTORY.
Observations on importance of N. W., Sandwich Islands and China trade.—Russian designs for control.—Rapid civilization of Sandwich Islanders.—They desire intercourse with foreign traders.—Customs of other nations readily adopted.—Fur trade in hands of Americans.—Likely extinction of British influence therein.—Opening up of Western country through to the Pacific.—Lewis and Clark's journey across the Rocky Mountains.—Variety of fur bearing animals observed.—Plans of Americans to form settlements; establish a town at the mouth of the Columbia River and found colonies on the Pacific Ocean shore.—Rapid growth of their population assures this.
The only object the author of this work has in making his observations on the trade between the north-west coast of America and the Sandwich Islands and China, is, to point out to the merchants of this country the vast trade that is carried on between those places by the Americans and the Russians while an English flag is rarely to be seen.
He would particularly wish to call the attention of the people of this country to the state of the Sandwich Islands, by pointing out their vast importance to the West-India merchants; also the
