LA COMPAGNIE DU NORD.

(Lettre de MM. de Vaudreuil et de Beauharnois sur les affaires génerales de la colonie. 19 Septembre, 1705.)

La Compagnie de ce pays n'est point en état d'envoyer, l'année qui vient, un vaisseau à la Baie d'Hudson pour y porter les vivres qu'il faut pour la garnison qui y est et pour en rapporter le castor et les autres pelleteries qui y ont été traitées, et y porter de nouvelles marchandises; et comme les armemens qui se font en ce pays coûtent des sommes immenses et que ce poste est aussi mieux à portée d'être explioté de France que dans ce pays, nous vous supplions, Monseigneur, de vouloir bien y envoyer un vaisseau car, sans ce secours, la garnison périrait faute de vivres; vous avez, Monseigneur, la Sieur de Grandville, garde marine, qui a déja fait ce voyage.*

THE BOUNDARIES TO BE SETTLED.

;

In the letter of 26th October, 1719, (de MM. de Vaudreuil et Begon) the writers say: Ils ont appris avec joie que Sa Majesté donne ordre à son ambassadeur en Angleterre de proposer et de nommer des commissaires de part et d'autre pour régler les limites de la Nouvelle France. Ce qui parait fort nécessaire parce que les Anglais, profitant des ménagements que les Français et les sauvages ont pour eux en temps de paix, s'établissent au bas de la rivière de Naurantsonak, où ils sont au nombre de 500 hommes. ce qui fait assez connaitre le dessein qu'ils ont de se mettre en état de s'y mantenir en cas de guerre et même d'y chasser les sauvages de cette mission.†

*The Compagnie du Nord is not in a condition to send next year a vessel to Hudson's Bay with necessary provisions for the garrison, and to bring back beaver skins and other furs which have been obtained in trade, and to take there new merchandize; and as the armaments raised in this country cost immense sums, and as this post is in a better position to be conducted from France than this country, we pray, Monseigneur, to send a vessel there; for without such assistance the garrison will perish for lack of provisions: Sieur de Grandville, Keeper of Marine, has already made this voyage.

They [the Canadians] have learnt with joy that his Majesty has given orders to his ainbassador in England to propose and to name commissioners, on both sides, to settle the limits of New France. This appears to be very necessary to be done, as the

RELATIVE VALUE OF NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN FURS.

Les pelleteries du nord sont sans contrédit les plus belles qui soutiennent toujours leur prix et ne sont jamais à charge, l'empressement du Sr. Nubert et Cie pour les avoir en est une preuve incontestable; d'ailleurs une canotée de ces sortes de pelleteries produit plus d'argent que 6 canotées de celles du sud et ne coûtent pas d'avantage."-Mémoire pour le rétablissement du commerce du Canada, par Delino; addressé au Comte de Pontchartrain, Ministre et Secrétaire d'Etat, Contrôleur-Général de la Marine, Octobre 25, 1710.*

M. DE BEAUHARNOIS TO COUNT DE MAUREPAS.

October 8, 1744.

"In regard to the posts on Hudson's Bay and those they [the English] have established on this side, in the direction of Temiscaming, and which His Majesty has been pleased to recommend me to endeavour to neutralize, or to utterly destroy if possible: I have accordingly instructed Sieur Guillet, who farms the post of Temiscaming, and has gained the good opinion of all the nations thereabouts, to prevail on them to assemble together, in the course of this winter, in order to fall, at the opening of the spring, as well on Fort Rupert as on the other posts in the direction of Hudson's Bay. I have in like manner, on receiving the news of the war, sent orders to Missilimakinac, to be transmitted to Alepimegon and other posts in that neighbourhood, so that they may all co-operate in the destruction of the English establishments at the north, and among

English exercise influence upon the French and the Indians in time of peace, to establish themselves on the river Naurontsonak, where they number 500 men; showing a design to maintain themselves there in case of war, and even to drive away the Indians from this mission.

* The furs of the north are beyond question the finest; they always maintain their price and never occasion a loss, as the strong desire manifested by Aubert & Co. to procure them incontestibly proves. Besides, a canoe-load of this kind of furs brings more money than six canoe-loads of southern furs, and does not cost any more.-Memoir for the re-establishment of the commerce of Canada, by Delino; addressed to Count de Pontchartrain, Minister and Secretary of State, Comptroller-General of the Marine, October 25, 1710.

the rest, of that newly built, about twenty leagues above Michipicoton, by a Canadian refugee, who conducted thither seven or eight Englishmen who trade there; and I have ordered not only the forcible destruction of that establishment, but also that the Canadian be killed, if it be possible to seize him. I have also given Sieur Guillet notice that I should, at the very opening of spring, despatch a party of Frenchmen and Indians, under the command of an officer and some others, to make a simultaneous attack on these posts. Sieur. Guillet is to warn those Indians of this expedition, in order that they may hold themselves in readiness to join it, and, in fact, I calculate on sending it as soon as the season will permit, and I beg you, my Lord, to assure His Majesty that I will not neglect anything to utterly destroy, if possible, the English establishments in that quarter, as well as all those the difficulties whereof I shall be able to surmount."

M. DE BEAUHARNOIS TO COUNT DE MAUREPAS.

Montreal, June 18, 1745.

"I am on my guard and merely on the defensive, not being able to act offensively, as I had the honour to inform you, either against New England or the posts on Hudson's Bay, in consequence of the want in the King's stores, and even in those of the merchants, of the supplies necessary for such expeditions, a circumstance I was not informed of last autumn. Besides, the preservation of our possessions and forts being my principal object, I considered it more prudent not to divest ourselves of our small means of resistance in case of attack, and to suspend the other projects until I be in a condition to execute them."

RIVAL CLAIMS OF THE FRENCH AND ENGLISH.

Prétensions réciproques des Français et des Anglais sur les Colonies. Pays pris par les Anglais pendant la paix: Le Fort Bourbon dans la Baie d'Hudson, les Français les en chassèrent en 1695; les Anglais les l'ont repris en 1696. Partie à rendre par les Anglais.

Pris par les Français pendant la paix: lcs 2 forts du sud de la Baie d'Hudson; les Anglais s'en sont rémis en possession pendant la guerre.*-Correspondance officielle relative au Gouvernement du Canada, 3me Série, I. Archives de Paris.

THE ENGLISH SIDE FROM THE HUDSON BAY CO.'S POINT OF VIEW.

[The following account of discoveries and national rivalries, in and around Hudson's Bay, is abridged from Oldmixon's British Empire in America. Though tinctured with national prejudice, and always proceeding on the assumption that the English alone had any rights in that quarter, as if the Treaties of Neutrality and Ryswick never had an existence, it will assist the enquirer in forming some opinion on the state of things out of which grew the series of treaties which have still a practical interest.]†

In the year 1576, Cap. Martin Frobisher made his first voyage for the discovery of a passage to China and Cathay by the northwest; and on the 12th of June he discover'd Tierra de Labrador in 63 degrees 8 minutes, and enter'd a Streight which he call'd by his name. On the 1st of October he return'd to England. In the following year, he went a second time on the same discovery, came to the same Streight, and us'd all possible means to bring the natives to trade, or give him some account of themselves; but they were so wild, that they only study'd to destroy the English. Cap. Frobisher stay'd here till winter drew on, and then he return'd to England. He made the same voyage the following year, and with the like success.

Six years afterwards, A.D. 1585, John David sail'd from Dartmouth on the same adventure, came into the latitude of 64 degrees 15 minutes, and proceeded to 66 degrees 40 minutes. In the year ensuing, he ran to 66 degrees 20 minutes, and coasted southward

• A translation of the above will be found in the preceding Report.

+ It may be regarded as semi-official, having been chiefly compiled and much of the materials being derived from the Hudson's Bay Company.

again to 56 degrees. Sailing thence in 54 degrees, he found an open sea, tending westward, which he hoped might be the passage so long sought for; but the weather proving tempestuous, he return'd to England. In October, the next year, he did the same. After which there were no more adventures this way, till the year 1607, when Cap. Henry Hudson discover'd as far as 80 degrees 23 minutes. In 1608, he set out again; and, having added little to his former discoveries, return'd. Two years after he again undertook a voyage to find out the north-west passage, proceeded 100 leagues further than any man had done before him, till he could not go forward for ice and shoal water; and finding himself imbay'd, he resolv'd to winter there. In the spring of 1611, pursuing a further discovery, he and seven more of his company were seiz'd, the rest of his men put into an open boat, and committed to the mercy of the waves and savages.

We know 'tis pretended, that a Dane made the discovery of this Streight, and that he call'd it Christiana, from the King of Denmark, Christiern the IVth, then reigning. But Cap. Hudson was the man who discovered it to the English, and who indeed first sail'd so near the bottom of the Bay, as he did within a degree or two.

The same year that he dy'd, Sir Thomas Button, at the instigation of Prince Henry,* pursu'd the same discovery. He pass'd Hudson's Streights, and leaving Hudson's Bay to the south, settled above 200 leagues to the south-west, and discover'd a great continent, by him called New Wales. He winter'd at the place afterwards call'd Port Nelson, carefully search'd all the bay, from him call'd Button's Bay, and return'd to Digg's Island.

In 1516, Mr. Baffin enter'd Sir Thomas Smith's Bay, in 78 degrees, and return'd despairing to find any passage that way. All the adventures made to the north-west, were in hopes of passing to China. In 1631, Capt. James sail'd to the north-west, and arrived at Charlton Island, where he winter'd in 52 degrees. Cap.

The expense of the expedition was certainly borne by merchant adventurers of London,