Page:McLoughlin and Old Oregon.djvu/150

 tric, law-defying chief factor ruled absolute among the red men and sent his dog-sleds over the snow to still more northern forts. Every April he left St. James, with his family and retinue, for the summer trip to Fort Vancouver, reaching home again in late September. This time, however, the chief factor bade his brigade adieu in the warm and fertile Flathead country, and turned his face toward the Rockies.

Ogden carried a breeze across the Rockies.

"What does Dr. McLoughlin mean by encouraging so many missionaries? What does he mean, I say? "exclaimed Sir George Simpson, the most arbitrary Hudson's Bay governor since the days of Prince Rupert. " I'll checkmate this American move if I have to depopulate Red River."

Sir George recognized the resources of Dr. McLoughlin he did him the honor to overestimate them. Despatching his agent, he made this promise to the prosperous farmers of the Red River valley:

"To the head of every family emigrating to the Oregon country we will give ten pounds sterling in advance, goods for the journey, horses and provisions at the forts en route, and on the arrival at Puget Sound the company will furnish houses, barns, fenced fields, fifteen cows, fifty sheep, oxen, horses, farming implements, and seed. On the other hand, the farmers shall deliver to the company one-half of the crops yearly for five years and one-half the increase of the flocks at the end of five years."

In the chilly autumn nights the farmers talked it over.

"Not every day does such a fortune fall into our laps. Charlefoux says it rains and the grass is green all winter. Never is there a thunder, never a lightning,