Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/236



228 DR. MCLOUGHLIN TO SIMPSON

19. In 28 para, you write, "I have made a few alterations in the indent sent us, striking out the felted cloth which has been universally condemned and thermometers that appeared to me quite unnecessary, requesting that plug be substituted for carrot tobacco as according to some recent alterations in the revenue laws, the latter cannot be shipped unless to great disadvantage, and reducing the quantity of strichynine from 6 oz. valued 27.12.0 to one oz. as you say the former strichynine was perfectly useless. If the article be useless as represented, much better expose the concern to the loss of one ounce than six until it be ascertained whether the drug be effectual or not." As to the felting cloth, on receiving the account of its bad qualities we had countermanded it before the receipt of your despatch. The thermometers were to enable us to keep the registers we had been directed to keep; the 6 oz. strychnine were for sale except about % oz. for ourselves. The remarks on the inferior quality were that a superior article to the last might be sent. The large quantity of medicines is for sale, and I can only state that our requisition is made out with the utmost care and attention. As to changing the carrot for plug, I can only say the quality of the last we got from London is so inferior that no person will buy it when they can purchase any from the Americans.

20. I send with this the tariff of our Indian trade at this place which is the same at Nisqually, Fort George and Fort Langley, but it is impossible to keep to a regular standard at this place or Fort George with all these Americans around us.

21. In the 73d resolve of Council, I am instructed not to give passages in any of our vessels whether inland or maritime to any persons that are not connected with our business, and I beg most strongly to offer the supplementary suggestion that our posts also may receive such persons only for temporary purposes of casual hospitality, and in yours of 29th June you write, "I have recently heard from private sources that the Rev. Mr. Blanchette had received two priests from Canada by the way of Cape Horn, that the Rev. Mr. Demers had been