Excerpt from An Account of the Countries Adjoining to Hudson's Bay, in the North-West Part of America: Containing a Description of Their Lakes and Rivers, the Nature of the Soil and Climates, and Their Methods of Commerce, &C., Shewing the Benefit to Be Made by Settling Colonies, and Opening a Trade in These Parts, Whereby the French Will Be Deprived in A G

These Countries, tho' most of them are In cold Climates, yet in the coldest Parts, even North of the Polar Circle, are inhabited by the Eskimaux Indians, and by the Whalebone and Oil, Skins and Furs got there at present, are of considerable Advantage to those who are concerned in that Trade, and if the Trade was laid open, would be of vastly greater Benefit to Britain by affording a considerable Market for our coarse Woollen and Iron Manufactures, and by forming proper Settlements in healthy and shelter'd Situations, out of the swampy Grounds, there might be comfortable Settlements made in most Places, and very tolerable, even in the worst and coldest Parts of that Continent, which are the Northeast and North-west Sides of the Bay, but in the Southern and Western Sides of the Bay, there might be made as comfortable Settlements as any in Sweden, Livonia or the South Side of the Baltick, and farther into the Country South-west, the Climate is as good as the Southern Part of Poland, and North Part of Germany and Holland, nothing being wanting to make it so, but the building convenient Houses with Stoves, such as are used In the same Climates in Europe.

The Reason why the Manner of living there at present appears to be so dismal to us in Britain, is intirely owing to the Monopoly and Avarice of the Hudson's Bay Company, (not to give it a harsher Name) who, to deter others from trading there, or making Settlements, conceal all the Advantages to be made In that Country, and give out, that the Climate, and Country, and Passage thither, are much worse, and more dangerous, than they really are, and vastly worse than might be, if those Seas were more frequented, and proper Settlements and Improvements were made, and proper Situations chosen for that Purpose, this they do that they may ingross a beneficial Trade to themselves, and therefore oblige their Captains not to make any Charts or Journals that may discover those Seas or Coasts, in order to prevent others from sailing to their Factories.

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