Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 17.djvu/60



DOCUMENT

A HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY CONTRACTi

AN AGREEMENT, made this First day of March in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty, between John Macphail in the Parish of Loch, in the County of Ross in Scotland, of the one Part, and The Gov- ernor and Company of Adventurers of England, Trading into Hudson's Bay, by William Fraser Tolmie, 2 their agent, of the other Part, as follows :

The said John Macphail hereby contracts and agrees to enter into the Service & Employment of the said Company in North America in the capacity of Shepherd & Cattleherd and that he will embark when thereunto required on board such Ship or Vessel, as shall be appointed by or on behalf of the said Com- pany and proceed to and for

the Term of one years to be computed from the said Embarka- tion and for such further time as hereinafter mentioned and faithfully serve the said Company as their hired Servant in the capacity of Shepherd and Cattleherd and devote the whole of his time and labour in their Service and for their sole benefit, and that he will do his duty as such and perform all such work and service by day or by night for the said Company as he shall be required to do and obey all the orders which he shall receive from the Governors of the Company in North America or other their Officers or Agents for the time being. And that he will with courage and fidelity in his said station, in the said Service defend the property of the said Company and their Factories and Territories and will not absent himself from the said service nor engage or be concerned in any Trade or Employment whatsoever except for the benefit of the said Company and according to their Orders And that all Goods

1 The original agreement is among the Fort Nesqually papers now in the possession of Mr. C. B. Bagley, of Seattle, Washington, who has kindly permitted this copy to be made. T. C. E.

2 Dr. William Fraser Tolmie (Inverness, Scotland, Feb. 3, 1812; Victoria, B C., Dec. 8, 1886) after two years' absence in England and Scotland took charge of the H. B. Co. Fort Nesqually on July 5, 1843 (succeeding Mr. Angus McDonald) and remained there until July, 1850, when he was transferred to Victoria, B. C. Dr. Tolmie in 1846 represented Lewis County in the Legislature of the Provisional Government of Oregon. T. C. E.