Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 2).djvu/173

1768-1782] the natives from the company's interest, and discouraged them from hunting." The former is at present by no means clear, as I am credibly informed the New Northwest Company, whose trade extends to the boundaries of the settlements of the Hudson's Bay Company, find very little encouragement from the Indians; if therefore the natives were disgusted, they would embrace the first opportunity of shewing their dislike, by carrying their peltry to the new traders; nothing can be more natural than to expect that this would be the consequence; but as they have not done so, the inference is fair that they are not disgusted.

{129} Another observation is, "that the cruel and oppressive behaviour of the governors and captains towards the inferior servants, not only deters useful people from engaging in the company's service (a circumstance they should attend to for their own interest), but furnishes one pretext for the bad character that is given of the company."

Though in the particular department in which I have been many years engaged as an Indian interpreter and trader, I have had few opportunities of a personal and intimate acquaintance with many of the company's servants (having been in a commerce in direct opposition to their interest), yet I can speak with confidence in regard to some of them whom I have conversed with; that in every point of view I believe them to be useful servants, and well skilled in the language of the natives.—So far in answer to the assertion "that useful people are deterred from entering into the service." And by way of refuting the charge of "cruelty and oppression," I ————