Stuart and Clarke. They began
to listen to the desponding representations of M'Dougal, seconded
by M'Kenzie, who inveighed against their situation as desperate and
forlorn; left to shift for themselves, or perish upon a barbarous coast;
neglected by those who sent them there; and threatened with dangers
of every kind. In this way they were brought to consent to the plan of
abandoning the country in the ensuing year.
About this time, M'Tavish applied at the factory to purchase a small
supply of goods wherewith to trade his way back to his post on the upper
waters of the Columbia, having waited in vain for the arrival of the
Isaac Todd. His request brought on a consultation among the partners.
M'Dougal urged that it should be complied with. He furthermore proposed,
that they should give up to M'Tavish, for a proper consideration, the
post on the Spokan, and all its dependencies, as they had not sufficient
goods on hand to supply that post themselves, and to keep up a
competition with the Northwest Company in the trade with the neighboring
Indians. This last representation has since been proved incorrect. By
inventories, it appears that their stock in hand for the supply of the
interior posts, was superior to that of the Northwest Company; so that
they had nothing to fear from competition.
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