288 Fred Wilbur Powell
comforts of life, for all the natural elements of wealth or for its adaptation to the wants and happiness of civilized man. It declares to the intelligent observer, beyond the power of doubt, that it is intended to be the habitation of myriads of civilized and happy men.
So far as I could learn from intelligent and credible wit- nesses, the country north of the Columbia, to the 54th paral- lel, possesses nearly the same character which I have described as belonging to the region which I myself traversed.
The Hudson's Bay Company, who have long occupied this territory, and endeavored to monopolize the benefits of its trade, it is believed, possesses greater capital, and employs a larger number of men in its various departments of service than any other association, excepting, perhaps, the East India Company, under the auspices of the British Government.
For nearly twenty years, ever since, in 1821, the Northwest Company was finally broken up, the Hudson's Bay Company have exercised an almost unlimited control over the Indian tribes and the trade of th^ whole country west of the Rocky mountains.
It has made great progress in settling that region. In 1834 it had over 2,000 men engaged in trading, farming, mechanical and commercial operations. Of these individuals, the major part had taken Indian women to wife, by whom they had children of all ages, from infancy to manhood. The company exercises full authority over all, whether Indians, English, or Americans, who are in its service, and in a manner always injurious, and generally disastrous, to all others who under- take to trade or settle in that territory. It may be said in fact that Americans, except associated with this ccnnpany, are not permitted to carry on a traffic within several hundred miles of the company's posts. I cannot state how long the mland trade has been cut off. But within the last season, our [57] merchants, since 1834, have not been allowed to participate in the lucrative trade and commerce of the northwest coast While I was at Vancouver, in that year, the American ship
