Fort Mandan, North Dakota — Patrick Gass: December 16, 1804
On this day, men from the expedition visited the first and second Mandan villages, where they were received with kindness. Three traders from the North West Company arrived at the fort carrying a letter for the commanding officers and stayed the night. Their visit was aimed at learning the expedition's purpose in the region and gathering information about the recent change of government following the Louisiana Purchase. The entry includes a lengthy footnote describing the history and operations of the North West Company in the northern fur trade.
the men to the 1st and 2nd village of the Mandans, and we
were treated with much kindness. Three of the traders from
the N. W. Company came to our fort, and brought a letter
to our commanding officers. They remained with us all
night. The object of the visits we received from the N. W.
Company, was to ascertain our motives for visiting that
country, and to gain information with respect to the change
of government.*
* The North West Company was first formed in the winter of 1783-4, by the
merchants of Canada, engaged in the fur trade, uniting their interests. The concern
– was divided into sixteen shares, without any capital being deposited; each party
furnishing his proportion of the articles necessary for carrying on the trade. After a
severe struggle and rival competition with others engaged in the trade, in the year
1787 more partners were admitted, the shares extended to twenty and the establishment
which was no more than an association of commercial men agreeing among themselves
to carry on the fur trade, founded on a more solid basis.
This and Hudson’s Bay Company, have engrossed and carry on almost the whole
of the fur trade in that extensive country, situated between Hudson’s Bay, the Rocky
mountains, and that high tract of country, west of lake Superior, which separates the
southern from the northern waters; and have factories, forts, and trading establish-
ments on the Winnipic, Assiniboin, Sturgeon, Saskatchiwine, Elk, and most of the
other great lakes and rivers, which communicate with or discharge themselves into
Hudson’s Bay, and the North sea. It is said some change has since taken place in
the establishment of the North West Company.
62 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
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The men went to the 1st and 2nd villages of the Mandans, and we were treated with much kindness. Three of the traders from the N. W. Company came to our fort, and brought a letter to our commanding officers. They remained with us all night. The object of the visits we received from the N. W. Company was to ascertain our motives for visiting that country, and to gain information with respect to the change of government.*
* The North West Company was first formed in the winter of 1783-4, by the merchants of Canada engaged in the fur trade, uniting their interests. The concern was divided into sixteen shares, without any capital being deposited; each party furnishing his proportion of the articles necessary for carrying on the trade. After a severe struggle and rival competition with others engaged in the trade, in the year 1787 more partners were admitted, the shares extended to twenty, and the establishment, which was no more than an association of commercial men agreeing among themselves to carry on the fur trade, was founded on a more solid basis.
This and Hudson's Bay Company have monopolized and carry on almost the whole of the fur trade in that extensive country situated between Hudson's Bay, the Rocky Mountains, and that high tract of country west of Lake Superior which separates the southern from the northern waters; and have factories, forts, and trading establishments on the Winnipic, Assiniboin, Sturgeon, Saskatchiwine, Elk, and most of the other great lakes and rivers which communicate with or discharge themselves into Hudson's Bay and the North Sea. It is said some change has since taken place in the establishment of the North West Company.
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