IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 /%^ 
 
 
 -«?, 
 
 ■^ 
 
 1.0 
 
 I.I 
 
 i -^ IIIIIM 
 
 1.8 
 
 i.25 III 1.4 IIIIII.6 
 
 <^ 
 
 ''^ 
 
 ■t- 
 
 /] 
 
 
 ^. 
 
 '7 
 
 V 
 
 /^ 
 
 Photographic 
 
 Sdenccs 
 
 Corporalion 
 
 23 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 
 
 (716)873-4503 
 
Ltf 
 
 ;% 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 Microfiche 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 Collection de 
 microfiches. 
 
 Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 
 
 O^ 
 
Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques 
 
 The institute has attempted to obtain the best 
 original copy available for filming. Features of this 
 copy which may be bibliographically unique, 
 which may alter any of the images in the 
 reproduction, or which may significantly change 
 the usual method of filming, are checked below. 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 D 
 
 D 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 Coloured covers/ 
 Couverture de couleur 
 
 I I Covers damaged/ 
 
 Couverture endommagdo 
 
 Covers restored and/or laminated/ 
 Couverture restaur^e et/ou pellicul^e 
 
 I I Cover title missing/ 
 
 Le titre de couverture manque 
 
 Coloured maps/ 
 
 Cartes gdographiques en couleur 
 
 Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ 
 Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) 
 
 I j Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ 
 
 Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur 
 
 Bound with other material/ 
 Reli6 avec d'autres documents 
 
 Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion 
 along interior margin/ 
 
 Lareliure serr6e peut causer de I'ombre ou de la 
 distortion le long de lu marge intdrieure 
 
 Blank leaves added during restoration may 
 appear within the text. Whenever possible, these 
 have been omitter' Trom filming/ 
 II se peut que cen mes pages blanches ajout^es 
 lors d'une restauration apparaissent dans le texte, 
 mais. lorsque cela dtait possible, ces pages n'ont 
 pas 6t6 film^es. 
 
 Additional comments:/ 
 Commentaires suppl^mentaires; 
 
 L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire 
 qu'il lui a 4t6 possible de se procurer. Les details 
 de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du 
 point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier 
 une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une 
 modification dans la m^thode normale de filmage 
 sont indiqu^s ci-dessous. 
 
 □ Coloured pages/ 
 Pages de couleur 
 
 n 
 □ 
 
 D 
 
 Pages damaged/ 
 Pages endommagdes 
 
 Pages restored and/or laminated/ 
 Pages restaur6es et/ou pellicul6es 
 
 Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ 
 Pages d6co!ordes, tachetdes ou piqu^es 
 
 Pages detached/ 
 Pages d^tachdes 
 
 Showthrough/ 
 Transparence 
 
 I I Quality of print varies/ 
 
 Qualitd in^gale de I'impression 
 
 Includes supplementary material/ 
 Comprend du materiel supplementaire 
 
 Only edition available/ 
 Seule Edition disponible 
 
 Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata 
 slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to 
 ensure the best possible image/ 
 Les pages totalement ou partiellement 
 obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure, 
 etc., ont 6t6 filmdes d nouveau de fapon d 
 obtenir la meilleure image possible. 
 
 to 
 
 Th 
 po 
 of 
 fill 
 
 Or 
 ba 
 thi 
 sic 
 oti 
 fir 
 sic 
 or 
 
 Th 
 sh 
 Til 
 w» 
 
 Ml 
 dif 
 en 
 be 
 rig 
 re( 
 m< 
 
 This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ 
 
 Ce document est film6 au taux de reduction indiqu6 ci-dessous. 
 
 10X 
 
 
 
 
 14X 
 
 
 
 
 18X 
 
 
 
 
 22X 
 
 
 
 
 26X 
 
 
 
 
 30X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 y 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 12X 
 
 ,6X 
 
 20X 
 
 24X 
 
 28X 
 
 32X 
 
Th« copy filmad hera hat bean raproducad thanks 
 to tha ganarosity of: 
 
 Library Division 
 
 Provincial Archives of British Columbia 
 
 L'axamplaira fllmA fut raproduit grAca 6 la 
 gAn6roait* da: 
 
 Library Division 
 
 Provincial Archives of British Columbia 
 
 Tha imagas appearing hara ara tha bast quality 
 possible considering the condition and legibility 
 of the original copy and in Itaeping with tha 
 filming contract specifications. 
 
 Las imagas suivantas ont AtA raproduites avac Ic 
 plus grand soin, compta tenu de la condition et 
 de la nattetA de rexemplaira film*, et en 
 conformity avac las conditions du contrat de 
 filmaga. 
 
 Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed 
 beginning with the front cover and ending on 
 the last page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All 
 other original copies are filmed beginning on the 
 first r'aga with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, and ending on the last page with a printed 
 or illustrated impression. 
 
 The last recorded frame on each microfiche 
 shall contain the symbol — »- (meaning "CON- 
 TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), 
 whichever applies. 
 
 Les exemplaires originaux dont la couvarture en 
 papier est imprimis sont filmAs en commen^ant 
 par la premier plat et en terminant soit par la 
 darniAre page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par la second 
 plat, salon la cas. Tous les autres exemplaires 
 originaux sont filmis en commen^ant par la 
 premiere page qui comporte une empreinte 
 d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par 
 la dernidre page qui comporte une telle 
 empreinte. 
 
 Un das symbolas suivants apparaitra sur la 
 dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le 
 cas: le symbole — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le 
 symbole V signifie "FIN". 
 
 32X 
 
 Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at 
 different reduction ratios. Those too large to be 
 entirely included in one exposure ara filmed 
 beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to 
 right and top to bottom, as many frames as 
 required. The following diagrams illustrate the 
 method: 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 ■'■ 
 
 f 
 
 Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre 
 filmis A des taux de reduction diffArents. 
 Lorsque la document est trop grand pour dtre 
 raproduit en un saul clichA, il est filmA A partir 
 de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, 
 et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre 
 d'imagas nAcessaira. Les diagrammes suivants 
 illustrent la mAthode. 
 
Vol.. 
 
 ,<.i:;':Ai-/i. 
 
■) 
 
 
 rt 
 
 VpONiA-VJR<^lN-KlJ:nN^' 7-"^: 
 
 ^^fir^ 
 
 ^''/^TwAvT bvt a. JJngle Roj-e. 
 
 || Till You OH k did Breath 
 
 %^, Bvt >rii\ce ,v\e thinkJ-, it J-how 
 
 ,? Not J'O mvc>i I^j-& fvvT ;^i 
 
 '^21 Rrt«tncK. 
 
 Vi>i.. LIX.— Nn. 349. -a 
 

 THE IK^XORABLE HUDSON BAY COMPAXY. 
 
 IN tlio yciir HwO a cliartcr was jfraiitcd 
 hy Kiiiy C'liai'lcs II. l)y wliicli a coiiipa- 
 iiy, calliiij." lliciiisclvcs '•The Company of 
 AdvcMturcrs from Eiifilaiul trading; with 
 Hudson's Bay." were constituti'd ahsol.ite 
 pi'opi'it'tors of "all the lands and territo- 
 ries npon tlie counti'ies, eoasts, and con- 
 lines of the seas, lakes, bays, rivers, creeks, 
 and sounds, in whatsoever latitude they 
 shall he, that lie hetween the entrance of 
 the straits called Hudson's Straits." In 
 return for all this the Company was to 
 pay yearly to the sovereifjn two elks and 
 two hlack heavers, hut this only whenever 
 the sovereign sliould liai)pen to he within 
 the territories yranted. 
 
 Unfortiiiuitely for {iiis exclusive ])rivi- 
 leffe of trade, as early as 1(!4() French col- 
 onists pushed th(>ir way into the intei-ior 
 fr(>m Lake Superior, across the valley of 
 the lied Kiver. and up the <>'reat Saskatch- 
 ■wan Kiver. They established their posts 
 at every available ])oint, and intercepted 
 the Indians on their way to trade their 
 furs with the ayents of the Hudson Bay 
 Company at their factories, which, for 
 more than a century after the date of the 
 chartei', do not ai)j)ear to have extended 
 very far beyond the sea-coast. In the year 
 \7H'.i a cond)inatioii of these fur traders 
 jrave rise to the "" Nortliwe.st Company of 
 Montreal." This company is said to have 
 emjjloyed about ;")()()() men alto<?ether in its 
 service at this time. With its orfranization 
 hostilities broke out tx'tween the agents of 
 the rival coi'])orations. For nioi-e than for- 
 ty years the conflict raji'ed over a larfje 
 l»art of North America. It was a {golden 
 era for the red man. Rival traders sought 
 him out, coaxed and bribed him to have 
 nothin;^' to do with the sliop aci'oss the 
 way, assur(>d him that Codlin, not Short, 
 was his friend, paid him an extrava^rant 
 price for his furs, and, better still, i)aid 
 that price in rum. 
 
 So wretched at last di<l the jreneral con- 
 dition of the territory become tliat efforts 
 were made to brinjr the traders to an am- 
 ical)le settlement and union of interests. 
 Under conditions satisfactory to both ])ar- 
 ties, a coalition was formed in 1H21. by 
 which the Northwest Company ceased to 
 exist, and henceforth the Hudson Bay 
 Company ruled su])renie from the .shores 
 of the Atlantic to the Pacific. At tlie suff- 
 ^'•estion of the British <rovernment. Parlia- 
 
 ment conferred ujion the new Conijiany 
 ])rivile<j:es of exclusive trade over a iai'ye 
 tract of • Indian countiw not included in 
 their own chartered territories, tenable for 
 a term of twenty years. In 1S.'{8 these 
 pi'ivih'O'cs were aji'ain exlended for a fur- 
 ther tei'm of twenty years, at the exj)ira- 
 tion of which the recjuest for their reiu'w- 
 al was denied. In IW!!) the Company's 
 riffhls to all the territory held under its 
 charter were l)oufiht up, iin(l(>r imjM'rial 
 authority, by the Dominion of Canada. 
 and tlie Company, as a monopcjly and 
 semi-sovereifjfn ])ow('r. ceased to exist. Not 
 so its oi'jranization. however, or the intlu- 
 eiu'c and extent of its operations. 
 
 The sui)reme control of Hudson Bay 
 affairs is vested, under the charter, in a 
 Governor. Dt'inity-Governor. and commit- 
 ti'e of live directors, all annually chosen 
 by the stockholders at a general meetinj;- 
 held each November. These functiona- 
 ries. residin<r in London, delefi'ate their 
 authority to an othcial resident in their 
 American possessions, called the Governor 
 of Riii)ert Land, who acts as their re])- 
 resentative. The authority of the Gov- 
 ernor is supreme, except du'Muf;- the ses- 
 sion of his Council, which is held once a 
 ,vear, and continues its formal sittings for 
 two or three days. 
 
 The other ])arties to the Council are the 
 nuMubers of the " Fur Trade." which con- 
 stitutes, in its relations to tlie Hudson 
 Bay Com))aiiy, the wheel within the 
 wheel. From this the in-olits of the Com- 
 ]>aiiy may be said to be entirely derived. 
 It constitutes the means I)y which the 
 Company avails itself of the rifrht to trade, 
 which it ))()ssesses in its teri-itories. Tlie 
 members of the Fur Triide reside entirely 
 in the localities where the business is car- 
 ried on in North America, and are em- 
 ployed in carryiiij? out its actual work- 
 injrs. They are composed of the two 
 hifjhest (Trades of commissioned otiicers. 
 called Chief Factors and Chief Traders. 
 Tlie.se furnish none of the capital stock, 
 and receive their commissions merely as 
 the rewards of loiifr service, seldom of 
 shorter date than fourteen years, as clerks. 
 No annual election of officials formiiifj: 
 any thiiifr like the Company's London 
 Board takes ])lace amoiifi; tlie partners of 
 the Fur Trade. The only approximation 
 to a c(mimon action which exists is af- 
 
 < » 
 
'\ 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
 THE HONORABLE HUDSON BAY COMPANY, 
 
 in 
 
 Tin; lllVAL COMl'A.MHH BOMCITINU Tlt.VDK A IIUNKUKI) Vl'.Altb A(i(>. 
 
 1 « 
 
 l'()r(l(>(l by (ho iiiiimal mcotiiiji's of tlio 
 (*()iiiu'il bcfoiT irf(>rreil to. wliicli all Chief 
 Factors and Chiof Traders arc entitled to 
 attend. Afi:ain, the Board in London have 
 a s])e;'ial r(>])r(>sentative in Rupert TiUnd 
 in the i)erson of the Oovernor. He is 
 ])r(>sident of the couneils of otHeors held 
 in the country, and there is no instance 
 of his havinjr been outvoted or his action 
 set aside by any such body. On the oth- 
 er hand, the P'ur Trade has no rejjresenta- 
 tiv(> at the house in London. An annual 
 dis]»atch is addressed l»y the London Board 
 to the Council of the Northern De])art- 
 nient. This constitutes the sole occasion 
 on which the Company as a. body a])- 
 ))roa('hes the Fur Trade as a body in the 
 whole course of their busiiu'ss. 
 
 The partners of the Fur Trade are con- 
 nected with the Conii)any under sucl; pro- 
 visions that their ini'omes tluctuate with 
 the alterations of the annual profits of the 
 
 trade 
 
 A detiuite numbe.* of shares com- 
 
 poses their affo-rofrate interest. Of these, 
 a Chief Trader ])osspsses one. and a Chief 
 Factor two. Vacancies in tlieir ranks are 
 immediately tilled u]) as they occur from 
 the death or i-etirement of the ni(Mnl)ers. 
 the qualitication necessary to ol)tain the 
 conunission beinjj a majority of all the 
 votes of all the Chief Factors.' The candi- 
 dates for a factorshi]) are necessarily Trad- 
 ers, while those for a vacant tradership 
 are from the ranks of salaried clerks, sel- 
 dom of less than fourteen years' standing; 
 in the service. 
 
 Althou<;h the Hudson Bay Comi)any is 
 itself an entirely Enjrlish corjxiration. its 
 othcers in the fur country are nearly all 
 Scotsmen or natives of the Orkney Isl 
 ands. Ai)plicants are enlisted at an early 
 ajre — from sixteen to eifjliteen — for a nom- 
 inal term of Hve years thoujrh the more 
 distinct understandiuij is that the a])pli- 
 caut shall devote his life to the busim>ss. 
 At certain periods a requisition is foi-ward- 
 
 Hi Stir. 8 
 
lb 
 
 c 
 
 20 
 
 HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
 
 I'd from tlio fur fountry for iulditioiiul 
 li('l|). iiiid tlif siu'ccssrul cuiuUdiitc is snit 
 by rctui'ii packol to York Factory, on Hud- 
 son Bay. His salary bofiins u])on the dato 
 of Ids d('])artur(' fri)ni Loudon, llic suui 
 paid tluriuy the tir.st live ycai's of apprcn- 
 ticcsinp raiiji'iuj;' from t!2() to l^.")!) sterling, 
 toyctiu'r witii rations, (juarters, and (dotli- 
 in^ from the Company's slioj) at <'()st and 
 ten iH'i- rcuttim. From York Factory lie 
 is ji'i'uci'ally scut to ])ass his ai)i)i"futic('sldp 
 in tlic extreme uortlu'vu districts, \vlu>re, 
 after a term of service, rau<jfinji' from four- 
 teen years and upward, duriiij^' wiiicii liis 
 
 Hr"___ 
 
 tiKt\ 
 
 ARRIVAI, OK THE UKIUK KLKOT. 
 
 salary lias increased from £20 to £100 ster- 
 ling, and he has passed by a series of trans- 
 fers from the remote and unimportant post 
 whence he started to the ])osition of ae- 
 coumant in one of the great depot forts, 
 he slips from the ranks of .salaried men 
 into the partnership of the Fur Trade as 
 Chief Trader, and is placed in charge of 
 
 sonu' important |)ost. He has ])assed in 
 the line of ))romotion a class of clerks 
 known as " post-masters." These ai'c usu- 
 ally ])romoted laborers, who for good be- 
 havior or Cailhful service have been part- 
 ly ])Ut on a footing with the gentlemen of 
 the service, but who lack the necessary ed- 
 ucation to successfully competi^ with the 
 Scotch imi)ortati:)ns. Below thest; still 
 are the interpreters, who for the most |)art. 
 are mor(> than ordinarily intelligent lab(»r- 
 ers of i)retty long standing in the .service, 
 and who, having obtained some kiu)wi- 
 edge of the Indian tongues, are found use- 
 ful in trading with the natives. Of a still 
 lower grades are the laborei'S, voyageurs, 
 an<l luniters. 
 
 Death or retirement ne.xt ojiens th(> way 
 for the Trader's advancement to the rank 
 of Chief Factor, the highest otiice undei- 
 the (jovernor, to which any one can i-i.se 
 in the service. In the exerci.se of the 
 functions of this ollice he assumes control 
 of a district often as large as a Euro])ean 
 kingdom, with head-ciuarters at th(^ largest 
 l)ost within its Hunts, and a general super- 
 vision of all the other ])()sts. 
 
 Th(? great majority of the Com])any's 
 otiicers marry natives of the country, hav- 
 ing first to obtain the consent of the Gov- 
 ernor, as rations, cjuarters, etc., are fur- 
 nished the fannly ecjualiy with themselves. 
 But it occasionally occurs that some gen- 
 tleman of independent taste tui-ns up who 
 l)refers a wife from the old country. For 
 such emei'gencies ])rovisi()n is made in the 
 l)aternal charactei" of the Com])any. Th(> 
 fastidious lover sends an order to the house 
 in London, with the special characteristics 
 he desires in a life partner. TIk' Company 
 selects such a one as it may deem suitable 
 from the list of can<lidates always ready, 
 and forwards her, duly invoiced. Upon 
 her arrival she is married out of haiul. 
 Many of the servants of the Comjjany 
 whose lives have been pas.sed in the serv- 
 ice retire to end their days at Fori Gari-y, 
 in the new provinces of Manitoba, forming 
 among themselves a society constituting 
 the aristocracy of the wilderness. 
 
 The enormous extent of the territory 
 over which the Hudson Bay Company 
 carries on its trade, and throughout which 
 dejjots and ])osts are established, can scarce- 
 ly he comprehended at a merely cur.sory 
 glance. From Pembina, on the Red Riv- 
 er, to Fort Anderison, on the Mackenzie, 
 is as great a distance as from London to 
 ^lecca; the space between the Company's 
 
^m 
 
 ^mmm^ 
 
 THE HONORABLE HUDSON liAY COMPANY. 
 
 21 
 
 1 ill 
 
 ■rks 
 
 ISll- 
 1.0- 
 
 >ai't- 
 n of 
 
 .■(I 
 
 llic 
 still 
 
 liii't. 
 
 lor- 
 vicc, 
 
 l)\Vl- 
 1IS<'- 
 
 still 
 urs. 
 
 
 ^A^J'lil' 
 
 
 ^^ 
 
 llALK-liRKKl) lAMILY ON TlIK WAY Hi A TUADINO TOBT. 
 
 post at S'-iult Ste. Marie and Fort Sini))- 
 soii, oil the Pacific, inoasuiTs more tliaii 
 251)0 fifeofrrapliical niilos; from tlio Kiiiy^'s 
 Posts to t'le Pelly Banks is farther than 
 fi'oni Paris to Sainarcaiid. Tlic area of 
 country under its inuuediate iiitliienee is 
 tihoiit 1,500,000 siiuare miles, or more than 
 one-third f^reater than the whole extent 
 of Europe. 
 
 For purposes of trade th(> orifjfinal char- 
 tered territories of tlie Comj.an.v, and tl)e 
 vast outlyinjy circuit of commercial rela- 
 tions, are divided into sections called the 
 Northern, Southern. Montreal, and West- 
 ern departments. Of these, the Northern 
 Department is situated hetween Hudson 
 Ba,yand the Rock,v Mountains; the South- 
 ern hetween James Bay and Canada, iii- 
 cludins' also East ]\Iain, on the eastern 
 sliore of Hudson Ba,v; the Montreal De- 
 partment comprehends tlie extent of the 
 business in the Canadas; while the West- 
 
 ern <'ompi'ises the rejjions west of the 
 Rocky Mountains. These four depart- 
 ments are a^i'ain divided into tifty-three 
 smaller portions, called districts, each of 
 which is under the direc- 
 tion of a su])erintcndinj; 
 otHcer, and has a depot 
 fort, to which all the sup- 
 plies for the district are 
 forwarded, and to w lii<'h 
 all furs and other piod- 
 uce are sent for ship- 
 ment toKnyland. Tliesi- 
 districts ai'c a^'^ain suh- 
 divided into innnci'ous 
 minor estahlishments, 
 forts, ])osts, and out- 
 posts. Over each of 
 these there is an dllicer 
 and from two to forl.y 
 men, incchanics, lalior- 
 e!'s, and servants. 15<'- 
 sid( s, the Conijiany em- 
 ploys nniltitudes of men 
 as vo.vaji'eurs, jnanninf>" 
 and working tlu' l)oats 
 and canoes in evi'i',v jiart 
 of the territory. The 
 disci))line and e1i(|ue1te 
 maintained are of the 
 strictest kind, and an 
 espi'i't (III rarjiN exists 
 between tlie three tlmii- 
 se.nd oilicei's — coniinis- 
 sioned and non-commis- 
 sioned — vo.vaffeuis, and 
 servants sucli as is onl.v 
 to he found in the army, or in an ancient 
 and honorable service. 
 
 The forts and tradiiifj posts of the Com- 
 pany are scattered over its inimenKO terri- 
 tories at distances a]iart varying from 
 [ift,v to three hundred miles. A better 
 idea ma,v, perhaps, he ol)tained of tlieir 
 relative [.ositions, and of the isolated lives 
 of their <i'arrisons, by imafrininji: the broad 
 State of (?)bio j.lantcd in the ntiddl(> of the 
 fur country. In that event the Comjiany 
 would build one tradiiifr post in it. 
 
 The t(nni lort, as ap)tlied to the estab- 
 lishments of the Conii)an,y, and su<2'<!fest- 
 injr a formidable arra.v of ram])art, bas- 
 tion, loop-holed Avail, and fortalice, is a 
 misnomer, there beinj? only two or three 
 in the whole fur cinintry at all worth.v 
 of the name. Ui)i)er and Lower Forts 
 Oari'.v are veritable forts, surrounded b,v 
 stone walls, with bastions at each of the 
 four corners. 
 
C 
 
 ti 
 
 harpp:r's new monthly magazine. 
 
 Tlic ti'adiii^' iiiid iiitci'ior (h'-pot posts ot 
 till' (."oiupaiiy ai'f sti-iui^jc, (|ii:iiiit-loi>l<iiiy 
 places, l)iiilt accoriliiij,'' t() a ^ciH'ral lypt'. 
 Tlii'.v stand jfciici'ally upon llic second or 
 lower l)anl\ of some naviji'ahle river or 
 lake, so as to i)e easily accessible to the 
 boats Nsiucli annnally visit tlieni with 
 sn])|)lies. A Iradin;^' post is invariably a 
 stiuare. inclosed by innnense trees or |»icU- 
 ets, one end suidi deeply in the yronnd, 
 and placed close toffether. A platt'orni, 
 about the height of an ordinary man, is 
 carried alony' tlie inner side of tiie sqnare, 
 so as to t'nable any one to pei-j) over with- 
 out dan^rer from arrow or bullet. At the 
 four corners are l)astions, ocfa^joinil in 
 slia|)e, piei'ced with (Mnl)r)isures, to lead 
 tile Indians to believe in the exist(>nce of 
 cannon, and intended to strike terror to 
 ,iny i'ed-s!<inne(l rel)el lold enouji'h to dis- 
 pute t lie supremac.',' of the Company. The 
 entrance to the sto(d<ade is (dosed by two 
 massive <i'ates, an inner and an outer one. 
 [n the centre of the stpiare sliuuls the res- 
 idence of tlie factor or trader in (diai'ji'e, 
 and of the up|)i'r (dass of employes, while 
 about its four sides, (dose to the stock- 
 ade, are ran<i:ed the trading stoi'e, the fui-- 
 room, the warehouses, servants' cpiarters. 
 etc. Beside tia^ larger dwidlinu' rises a 
 tall fla<;'-statV, bearinj;' the Hay of the Com- 
 pany, with its stranjye device, "Pro fwllc 
 ciifcni" — skin for skin — and mnirbyal)(dl 
 tower, tlu^ tones fi Mi(di mark the 
 
 hours of labor and In front of the 
 
 i^'ate lounii'e a few hall ..reeds or Indians 
 in tasselled cap and dii'ty white ca])ote, or 
 tattered blankets. A band of horses yraze 
 in a distant meadow, while nearer by a 
 few leather tvpecs, or bark lodji'es, from 
 the fi'illed poles of whi(di the smoke curls 
 lazily, ,ndicat(>the home of the aboriiiinal 
 banLfer-on. At one side of the ])alisade a 
 few rude cros.ses or wooden railinfi's, stain- 
 ed by raiu and snow-drift, and blown over 
 by the teni[)est, mark the last resliur;:- 
 places of the dead. 
 
 The trade-rooms at all the posts are ar- 
 i-anyed with strict refen^iice to the wants 
 of the peculiar custom which they atti'act. 
 From tiio heavy .joists of th(> low ceilinfr 
 di^l)end twine, steel-trajjs, tin kettles, fi-y- 
 iny-pans, etc. ; on various shelves are ])iled 
 bales of cloth of all colors. ca])otes, ])lank- 
 ets, and cai)s; and in smaller divisions are 
 ]>laced Hh>s, .scal))inff-knives, pun .sci'^ws. 
 flints, balls of twine, fire steels, canoe 
 awls, and pi'lass beads of all colors and 
 sizes. Drawers in the counter contain 
 
 needles, pins, seissoi's, lish hook's, thim- 
 bles, and vernnlion for painting canoes 
 and faces. ( )n the lloor is strewn a vari- 
 et.v of copper kettles, from half a pint to 
 a ji'allon; and in one cornei- of the room 
 stand a dozen trading -i>'nns, and beside 
 them a Iceji- of powdei- and a ba;^' of slu)!. 
 
 In some of the trade-i'ooms a small 
 space is railed oil' by the countei' near the 
 door, behind winch the Indians stand to 
 trade. Sometimes tbe.v are confined to 
 a sepai'atc apartment, called th(> Indian- 
 room, ad.joiniufi' that oc( upied b.v the 
 traders, and business is carried on tln'ouyli 
 a loop hole communicating between the 
 two. In man.v of the i)osts in the |)lain 
 counli'.v the trade-room is (deverly con- 
 trived so as to prevent a sudden rush of 
 the Indians, the ajjproach from outside 
 the pickets beinn- Ihrouii'b a lonji' narrow 
 passage, onl.v of snilicient width to admit 
 of one Indian at a time, and bent at an 
 acute anji'le near the window at whi(di 
 the trader stands. This jjrecaution is 
 rendered neces.sar.N' by the fi'antic desire 
 wbicdi sometimes seizes n])on the Indian 
 to shoot the (derk, which he nn^'ht easil.v 
 do were the passayc straijiht. 
 
 At most of the interior posts time moves 
 slowl.v. and (dianjic is almost unknown. 
 To-da.v is the same as a hundred yeai's aji'o. 
 The list of <yoods ordered from Enjjland 
 for this veai- has exactl.v the .same items 
 as that of l7Ti). Strands, cottons, beads, 
 and tradinjj'-fi'uns ai-e still the wants of the 
 •^ndians. and are still traded for mu,s({uash 
 and beaver. 
 
 The s.vstem of trade at the C()m])an,v"s 
 posts is entir(d,y one of barter. Until r(v 
 cent .years money values were unknown ; 
 but this medium of exchanjic has {^radual- 
 l.v become familiar to the Indians, and the 
 almijiht.v dollar is ra])idly asserting its su- 
 |)remac.v in savajj^edom. 
 
 The standard of values throughout the 
 fur countrv is still, however, the skin of 
 the l)eaver, b.y whitdi the jjrice of all furs 
 and articles of trade is re<,''ulated. To ex- 
 ])lain : suppose that four beavers are (equiv- 
 alent in value to a silver-fox skin, two 
 martens to a beaver, twent.v nuisk-rats to 
 a marten, and so on. The Ci'ow's Claw or 
 the Man-with-Feathers wishes to ]nu'chase 
 a blaidcet or a pun from the Compan.v ; he 
 would have to jiive, sa.v, three silver- foxes, 
 or twenty beaver skins, or 200 nnisk-rats, 
 or other furs, accordinj? to their relative 
 position of worth in the taritl". Has he a 
 horse valued at sixty skins, he would trade 
 
 'i 
 ] 
 
 J 
 
m 
 
 "or 
 
 \ 
 
 TUK 11()N()UA15LK HUDSON HAY fOMrANV 
 
 a.i 
 
 lliini- 
 
 (■illincs 
 
 ii viii'i- 
 
 |iiiil to 
 
 • room 
 
 l)(',si(l(> 
 
 sliot. 
 
 small 
 
 ifjii" till' 
 
 titiid to 
 
 iiH'd to 
 
 llHlillM- 
 
 hy the 
 
 ii'duyh 
 
 v\\ tli<> 
 
 ' plain 
 
 ly con- 
 
 riisli of 
 
 outside 
 
 Marrow 
 
 i> admit 
 
 lit at ail 
 
 wliicli 
 
 itioii is 
 
 dcsii'c 
 
 Indian 
 
 it casilv 
 
 it thns; a j;nn. liftccti skins; a caiiotc, ten 
 skins; a blanket, ten skins; liall and pow- 
 dci'. ten skins; tohaci'o. lil'lci'ii skins to- 
 tal, sixty skins. So any .servit'c iTiulcrcd 
 or labor performed by the Indians is paid 
 for ill skins, tlie beaver beinji' the unit of 
 conipiiliilion. 
 
 For a very evident reason the jn-iee paid 
 for furs is not lixed in strict accordance 
 
 mild and eipiitable sway; in the latter, in 
 dependent Indians, roaming'' tiie plains in 
 !;real i)ands, a I'e too st ronj;' to be controlled 
 by the haiidfuls of men at the forts. l'"or 
 this reason the trading' |)osts in the plain 
 country are <lefended by stout and lofty 
 stockades, and every precaiilioii taken ti> 
 ji'iiai'd ayaiiis) a siirjirise diirin;,'' the proy' 
 ress of a tra<le. foi the wilv HIackfeet and 
 
 Tli.\IIU-UUU.U, IIUDHO.N IIAV UD.Ml'ANYa KJV.t, IN IIIK I'l.Al.N OUU.NTUV. 
 
 witli their intrinsic valut\ If it were .so, 
 all the valuable fni'-beavinj:: animals wonid 
 soon become extinct, as no Indian woiilil 
 bother himself to trap n clieaj) fur while a 
 hiji'li-priced one i-emained Hncaui>'ht. 
 
 The iiiannei' in which trade is conduct- 
 ed by the Company ditl'ers radically in the 
 Xortherii and Southern districts, owinjf to 
 Ihediiferent habits and disi)ositi()ns of the 
 Indians, those of the formei' beinji' solitary 
 hunters and tra]t])ers on foot, and those of 
 the lattcv i'. race of yrejrarious horsemen. 
 From til.' Northern or wood Indians 
 <'oiiii's t'.ie <ri'eatei' part of the trade in 
 line fus, while the line of forts alons>' the 
 Saskatchewan and in the iilain country 
 furnishes tlie coarser furs, bufl'alo-robes, 
 leather, pemniioan, and other provisions. 
 In the former cimntry the Company is 
 all-powerful, and rules its subjects with a 
 
 Crees embract^ (n'ery opportunity of takiny 
 |)ossession of a tradin;;' ])ost. and ]iel|)in<i 
 themselves to its contents. Bars, bolts, 
 and jilaces to lire down upon the Indians 
 abound in every direction. 
 
 The scenes presented durinji' the ])r()fr- 
 ress of a plain Indian trade are very pic- 
 turcscjue and excitiny. A week or mor<> 
 previous to the ti'ade there a])])ear at the 
 fort two or three Indians, who announce 
 themselves as the advance a<j;ents of their 
 hand, and authorized to neffotiate with the 
 oflicer in charfje for the trade of their pcd- 
 tries, robes, and ])rovisi()ns. They arc^ 
 shown into the Indian-room, wliei'e they 
 are handsonu^ly entertained, and made the 
 recipients of presents according' to their 
 rank and the anticipated value of the 
 trade. 
 
 On the day appointed for the trade there 
 
k 
 
 c 
 
 'l\ 
 
 IIARI'F'IRS NEW MONTIU.Y MAGAZINE. 
 
 TIIF. I'Al.AVltK — A IIKAU I'Cl.NY. 
 
 iijipi'm's iiioviiin- over the i)laiii a iiiotltn' 
 crowd of Iiidiinis. sciuinvs, <lotj:s. and Ira- 
 vaillt's, Ascpi'taiiiiiiii' lliat iioiic of tlicir 
 ciiiMuii's arc in sijilit, tlioy at onco ]»itcli 
 tlu'ii- camp at a littlo distance from the 
 fort, a few of lilt' braves ridinir uj) to lt>arn 
 whetiiei' tlie ])ost is in readiness for the 
 trade. 
 
 I'pon theii" lirst ajiiiearanee every thinjr 
 has hcen made ready for tlieir reception, 
 (tuns liave been load<>d and placed at the 
 h)op-holes <'on\mandiii<j tlie Indian and 
 trade rooms; all the <rates of the stout 
 loir stockade have been securely fastened. 
 Ki'om the shelves of the trade-room a 
 L'rcater ])art of the troixls have been tak- 
 en. leaviniT only a few blankets, strands. 
 •:uns, and a littl(» Ww and sn<rar. This is 
 mH'(>ssitated by the fact t!.at the untutored 
 Indian, unaccustomed to the siji'lit of so 
 riuich linery. is apt to hi'liave much in the 
 manner of a hungry boy ])lacod beliind 
 the counter of a pastry-cook's shop, to the 
 
 utter onllajise of all i)rofit ujion the trade 
 to the Hudson Bay C'om])any. All com 
 imniication between the Indian and trade 
 rooms and other parts of the buildinji' is 
 closed, and there remains for the use of 
 the customers only the nari'ow ])assat;'e 
 leadinjx from the outer jrate of the stock- 
 ade to the Indian-room, the Indian-room 
 itself, and the narrow hallway between 
 it aiul the trade-room. This latter is fur- 
 nished with two heavy doors, and the 
 s])ace between them will hold from two 
 to four Indians. In trading!, but two per- 
 sons are admitted into the trad<'-room at 
 a lime, in the foUowinji: manner: 
 
 The passage door commmiicatinp: with 
 the Indian-room is o])ened. and two In- 
 dians admitted therein: then it is closed, 
 aiul the d(V)r leading' into the trade-room 
 opened. When the two braves have fin- 
 ished tradin<r..they are returned l)y u sim- 
 ilar process, one door always beinjr kept 
 shut. Both these doors are made to slide 
 
I 
 
 TllK IIONOKAUI.K HUDSON liAY COMPANY. 
 
 2:i 
 
 into tlicir idiiccs, mnl sire tnntiipulatcd 
 fivmi tlir ;i|)in'tiii('iil (icciipii'd \>y tlic 
 Iriulci's. 
 
 The tradf-i'ooiii is dividfil !>y a slout 
 partition, pcacliinj; I'imuu lloor to ct'iiinj;, 
 into two pai'Is. one f >r tlic ti'adci's and 
 jroods. tlic otiicr for liii' Indians. In tlic 
 ccntiT of this partition an apci'lnrc idionl 
 u yafd s(|iiui'c is cut. divided l)y a „ atiny 
 
 As soon as the advance truai'<l of Indiiuis 
 approach, tiic trader accompanies Iheni to 
 camp, where a ^-'eneral palaver he;;-iris. 
 Many speeciies are made on holh sides, (he 
 Indians prom; lin^' to conduct the trade in 
 till' most pciiceaiile and orderly manner, 
 the whole all'air terminating hy the chief 
 loadiii;;' a pony with a ireiieral assortment 
 of rohes. pennnican. dressed skins, etc.. 
 
 
 K'-^^: 
 
 
 
 A TltAl'l'KIt UIIINU IIIH liOlIMDH. 
 
 into squares sufficiently \tu'<ro to admit the 
 passaf^e of a Idanket or robe, but inade- 
 quate to tli(> admission of the red man in 
 person. This is nc "ssitated by tiie In- 
 dian's forfyetfulnc )f the existence of 
 counters, and the exasperatinfjf pertinacity 
 with wlncli lie insi.sts upon a ))ers()nal ex- 
 amination of the jyoods. It sometimes 
 happens, too, that he express: s liis dissat- 
 isfaction at tlie price of a nuicli-coveted 
 article by desultory firin<T at the jjersoji 
 of the tradcM', who, in the absence of such 
 partition, has no means of escape or coii- 
 ccalnient. 
 
 and handinn^ horse and all he carries over 
 to the trader. This is the usual Indian 
 method of becrinniiifra trade, and has only 
 one drawback — the trader is ex])ected to 
 return a ])resent of twice the value. And 
 it is certain that if in the trade which en- 
 sues the trader buys a hmulred horses, 
 not one will cost him half so dear as that 
 which demonstrates the larfje-heartedness 
 of the chief. After the trader has, in turn, 
 shown the bip^ness of his heart by an ample 
 present of blankets and finery, the braves 
 and sipiaws move up to the fort with their 
 provisions and ijoltries, the trade having 
 

 ~KJ. ' ■ - '--'-■•:•■: i!;i*I''',''iL*ts. ).j j'wi 
 
 2« 
 
 llARl'KKS NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
 
 iittsv fiiii'ly hcyiin. Tlic cliiof ("xliorts his 
 lii'iivcs to coiKliict tlicnisclvcs pcacciihly, 
 ami not make liiiii tli(> possessor of a fork- 
 ed loii^i'iic l>y had i'oiidiict. Then the outer 
 yfate is tlirowii open, and tlie eajjer throiin' 
 rnslies in, every pian in tiie post iK'inji' at 
 his pla<'(> and ready for any tiiinff tiiat >iay 
 turn up. 
 
 Tile Indiau-rooni h(Mu<i' now liiied witli 
 tile eseited crowd, two i)raves witii their 
 peltries ai-e aihnilted to llu' trade-room. 
 'I'liey look tlirou^h the jiratiuy, point to 
 the articles they want, and p.:y for Ihein 
 in installments. if au Indian were to 
 lirinu' ii hundred skins of dill'ertMd sorls, 
 or all alike, he would trade oil' every skin 
 
 notinces thn)u<;h a loop-hole that there 
 will he eiH)u<,'-|i for all. Thus the trade 
 pro^i'resses, until all the furs and i)rovis- 
 ions have chauffed haiuls, and there re- 
 mains nolliiuj.r more to Ih> traded.* 
 
 The nietliod of tradinj,'' for hoi-ses d(>- 
 peuds much u))()n the humor the Indians 
 ai'c in u])on compl(>tion of the (wchanye 
 of fioods and pelti'ies. If well satislied, 
 then th(> hor.se-tradiuj>' takes place imme- 
 diately outside the stockade, the animals 
 heiny; led within as fast as purchased; for 
 the Iu«liau's line sense of lunnor frequent- 
 ly leads him to i-ide away a hor.se hi> has 
 just sold, hy way of ])ractical joke u])on 
 the owner. If an a;;jrressive spirit oh- 
 
 TlSVl'fK.US I.KVVIN.; TllKll! IllMlM; CUlUMi!'. 
 
 si>parately, and insist on pa.vuu'ut foi- each 
 s!<in as he sohl it. lu this way he seems ' 
 to yt't more for his moiu-v. 
 
 The trade piH)>jiv.sses hi'iskly, the pur- , 
 chasers iH'iuir ivturued to the Indiaii-nioni I 
 as siHUi as supplieil, and a new hatcli let in. i 
 lu the Indian-i'oom there is terrihie ixcite- . 
 n\ent. As each couple ap(H'ars with their 
 puiH'huses they aiv eaii'erly tiuestionetl as i 
 to what they saw, wliether thei-e is any of 
 this or that artic!". and whether the sup- ' 
 ply is likely to Ih' exhausted iK'foiv the \ 
 (iuestii>uer's turn arrives. Each succ^mhI- 
 iuiT statement tliat theiv aiv on the shelves 
 hut a few iTuns. hlankets, cloths, etc., in- 
 tensities the anxiety, aiul the crush to yet 
 in iucreast^-s tenfold, until the trader an- 
 
 taius, howeviM", a single hrave with his 
 pony or ponies is admitted at a time with- 
 in the stockade, the trade ctl'ected, and the 
 owner paid and passeil out l)efore the ad- 
 mi>sion of a .sei-ond. 
 
 As iK'fore stated, the method of tradinu' 
 in the N(M'tlu>rn districts ditlers from that 
 pursiu>d upon the plain. It is the custom 
 of the Company to is.siu' to the ti'appin<;- 
 or wood Indians siu'h irooils as they n.eed 
 when the siuumer su|)plies arrive at the 
 tradiinr posts, su.-h advam-es to l)e paid 
 for at the close of the huntinsr stnisnn. 
 
 • Tlu" ostalilislunont i>f moiintiMl poliof station- 
 throii'Tliout ;x I'onsiili'niMo |M)i-ti(>i\ uf the plain \.\w\\- 
 trv of lato voars lias toniliM in loini- nicasuro to i!io<ii- 
 fv tills mt'tliD'l of tiuile at soiiio of tlio [wst:^. 
 
\ 
 
 THE HONORABLE HUDSON BAY COMPANY. 
 
 27 
 
 TUB I1AI..VN0E OK TKAllK. 
 
 Ill this wiiy a yfroiit minority of tlio Iiuliiui 
 iiiid lialf-l)i'(H>(l ImiitiM's and ti-appcrs ivally 
 live ill a state of pcoiiajiv to tlie Coiupaiiy. 
 Like tlic Mexican or Brazilian peon, tliey 
 arc so coiistaiitiy and, for tlicni, larjj'cly 
 ill debt to till' Fur Trade as to l)c jmicti- 
 caiiy its servants. By tliis .system of ad- 
 vances llie Coni])any rules its vast terri- 
 tories, and may he said to feed, clotlie. and 
 wliolly maintain nine-tentlis of the entire 
 population. The continuance of the sys- 
 tem is caused hy the nei'essitiesof the hunt- 
 ers and ti'ap])ers, many of whom it jire- 
 serves from absolute starvation. 
 
 About the first of November, when the 
 animals liave frot their winter coats, and 
 fur is " in season." the Im'.ian traiijier lays 
 out his trcppiny walk for the winter, 
 alony whit 'i he ])laces a line of trajis 
 from ten to fifteen miles in lentrth. Once 
 or twice a week he makes the round of 
 tliis walk, and jrathers such furs as may 
 l)e caun-ht. Most of the tiner furs are 
 taken by means of tlie wooden dead-fall 
 and stccl-traps of various sizes, the Uuxer 
 
 fur -bearing' animals i)(>iny (Mth.r shot, 
 cauj^ht in snares, or killed by the jioison- 
 ed bait. 
 
 Toward the latter end of ]\rarcli llie In- 
 dian trai)i)ersl(>ave tlieirhuntinj'fi'i'ounds, 
 and make a journey to tlie forts with tlie 
 produce of their winter's toil. Here they 
 come, moving' tlirou<rh the forest, a mot- 
 ley thronp^. The bi'aves march 
 in front, too ))roud and lazy to 
 carrj' any tliin<i' but their y:uns, 
 and not always doin<jeven that. 
 After them come the st^uaws, 
 li'Midiny under loads, driving" 
 dof;s, or haulin^if hand -sleds 
 laden with meat, furs, tanned 
 deer-skins, and infants. Tlu; 
 ])ui)py do<>' an<l inevitable baby 
 never fail in Indian lodye or 
 |)r()ces.>ion. The chetM'fnl spec- 
 tacle of the two piicked to}>'etli- 
 er u])on the back of a woman 
 is not of infreipient occurrence. 
 Day after day the monf^rel 
 ,f" pai't,y journeys on, until the 
 
 fort is reacluHl. Then comt>s 
 the trade. The trader separates 
 the furs into lots, ])laciny the .standard 
 valuation upon each. Then he adds the 
 amounts together, and infoims the tra])- 
 ])er that he has jifot si.xty or seventy 
 "skins." At the same time he hands his 
 customer sixty or seventy little bits of 
 wood, so that the. latter niav know, bv re- 
 
 OAUK KOll \ SUM tMll.VN. 
 
/a 
 
 '' ■ ' -'nii»Ljj.aH ' aiMjiji « «_.i miig-.j ' . ' 
 
 28 
 
 HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
 
 5,c:> 
 
 turiiiiifir tlioso in ])iiy- 
 iiu'iil for the fjodds for 
 wliicli lie really barters 
 his furs. Just how fast j*^'';K*^* 
 
 liisfuiuls decrease. Tlie ( ^ ^ v 
 
 lirst aet of tlie liuliaii is "~ °^ 
 
 to cancel the debt contracti'd for iidvances 
 at the be<i'innin}ir of the season; then lie 
 looks round \\\w\\ the bales of cloth. l)lank- 
 ets, etc., and after a 
 Ions' while concludes 
 to have a small white 
 capote for his toddliiift- 
 boy. The ])rice is told 
 him, and he hands back 
 ten of his little ])iecesof 
 wood, then looks about 
 him for something els(!. 
 Every thintj is careful- 
 ly examined, and with 
 each ])urchase there is 
 a contest over the ap- 
 parent inequality be- 
 tween the amount re- 
 ceivetl and that <iiven. 
 In the Indian's o])inion 
 one skin shoi.Id ;■ ly for 
 one article of merchan- 
 dise, no matter what the 
 value of the latter may 
 be. And he insists, 
 too, \\\)o\\ selectiuf^ the 
 skin. The steelyard 
 and weishins' balance 
 are his especial objects 
 of dislike. He does not 
 know what medicine 
 that is. That his tea 
 and su<,'-ar should be balanced against a 
 bit of iron, conveys no id(>a of the relative 
 values of peltries and merchandise to him. 
 He insists upon makin<i: the balance swiny 
 even between the trader's goods and hi: 
 own furs, until a new light is thrown ujioii 
 the question of steelyards and .scales by 
 the acceptance of his propositim. Then, 
 when lie finds his fine furs balanced 
 against heavy blankets, he concludes to 
 abide by the old method of letting the 
 white trader decide the weight in his own 
 way; for it is clear that the steelyard is a 
 very great medicine, which iro brave can 
 understand. 
 
 When the trapper has spent all his lit- 
 tle pieces <<f wood, and asks for further 
 advances, he is allowed to draw any rea- 
 sonable amount; for, contrary to the rule 
 in civilized life, a debt is seldom lo.st save 
 bv the death (if i\\v Indian. Ho may 
 
 K^^^^^^C^ 
 
 '\^J^' 
 
 ^mm 
 
 change bis ])lace of abode hun- 
 dreds of miles, but he still has 
 only a Comjiany's po.st at which to 
 trade. The Company lias always 
 been a good friend to him iind his, 
 and he Jiays when he can. He 
 knows that when he li(iuidates his 
 old debt, he can contract a new one 
 just as big. No attemjit was ever 
 made to cheat 
 him, and there 
 never will be. 
 When he is ill 
 he goes to the 
 nearest fort, and 
 is cared for and 
 atti'iided until 
 he recovers. 
 Wlien he does 
 his duty well he 
 
 
 TIIK (IIIKAT M>IITIIK,UN I'AllKKT. 
 
 gets a present, and he never performs any 
 labor without receiving fairc()m|)ensation. 
 Such humane treatment strongly binds the 
 Indian and half-breed to the Company. 
 
-,^. .„■„.. L. -.»-■— .... 
 
 \ 
 
 \. 
 
 THE HONORABLE HUDSON BAY COMPANY. 
 
 29 
 
 1' 
 
 Coinnniiiicatioii is maintaiiKHl l)('two(>n 
 cvci-y post ill tht' vast tci-ritory and licad- 
 (|iiarters (liii'iii<f the loii}; inoiitlis of win- 
 ter by iii(>aiis of the Great Northern Pack- 
 et. Avliicli leaves Fort trarry annually 
 ahont the lOth December. The a])])!!- 
 aiices for tlit^ carriaffe of tliis iinportant 
 mail are snow-shoes and dof^' sledfjes. 
 Tiie latter are two in number, driuvn by 
 four (lo<rs each. Upon each of these 
 sledjfes there are bound a i)air of .stoutly 
 constructed boxes, measui'inji;' about three 
 feet in lenjjtii by ei}>;'hteen inches deej) and 
 fourteen widi'. These wooden niail-ba<:rs, 
 when properly packed, contain an aston- 
 ishing amount of written and printed mat- 
 t(>r. The dojfs run 
 
 ataregular trot, the ~> 
 
 drivers accompany- 
 in<i,' them on foot at 
 the rate of about 
 forty miles jier day. 
 Tiie frozen channels 
 of the rivers and 
 lalci's form the fjen- 
 eral roadway, and 
 Lake Winnipeo: is 
 ti'a versed to Fort 
 C'arlton, near the 
 eastern end of the 
 Saskatchewan Val- 
 ley, the chief centre 
 of the winter pack- 
 et arraiifyements. 
 Here the entire mail 
 is overhauled and 
 repacked, branch 
 packets beiiijf sent 
 off east and west, 
 while the Great 
 Northern Packet 
 journeys on to tlie 
 
 remote arctic rejjions to which it is con- 
 sifjiied. From the morniiifr wlieii the 
 packet left the office at Fort Garry to the 
 eveniiijr when tlie .solitary dofj' train, last 
 of many, drajj^s the same packet, now re- 
 duced to a tiny bundle, into the inclosure 
 of La Pierre's house, move than a hun- 
 dred nijrhts have been passed in the ji'reat 
 northern forests; over three thousand 
 miles have been traversed ; a score of tlif- 
 ferent dog' trains have hauled it, sendinjf 
 ott' at loner intervals branch doj; packets 
 to the riji'lit and left. It was midwinter 
 when it started; it arrives just as the sun- 
 sliiiie of mid-May is bejriiiniii<i" to carry a 
 faint whisper of comiiifr spring to the val- 
 leys of the Ui)i)er Yukon. 
 
 NEWij OF TIIK DAV, 
 
 In former days all excess in the amount 
 of mail matter transmitted throuj,fh tlu^ 
 winter packets was .so jealously {jruarded 
 ajyaiiist that the carriajje of iievvs])a))ers 
 was disallowed, with the sinyle excejition 
 of an annual file of tlu> Montreal fjitzrttc. 
 forwarded for ffeneral ))erusal. The fifty- 
 two copies of that periodical circulated 
 over that vast country from |)o,st to jiost, 
 until, worn out by much service, they tin- 
 ished their course in a lonely station in 
 latitude 07^ lii}' north. At this date, how- 
 ever, news))ai)ers form the bulk of the 
 Company's inward-bound i)acket. 
 
 In the month of Ajiril the whole foicc^ 
 at eacli of the Company's jxists bcftin to 
 l)ack the furs accu- 
 i ,/^ __ mulated during the 
 
 ^'^^> -'. winter into bales of 
 
 from eighty to on(> 
 liuiidred jiounds 
 weight. The outer 
 covering is general- 
 ly of buffalo or oth- 
 er large skins. If it 
 be an inland ])ost, 
 looi)s are made to 
 each ])ackag«^ in or- 
 der to sling it ujion 
 a ])ack - saddle ; if 
 upon a navigable stream, 
 boats are used instead of 
 lior.ses. This is call' d iit- 
 ting (mt a i)rigade, a.d con- 
 stitutes the grand aiiiuuil 
 event in the traders' and em- 
 ployes' lives. Their destina 
 lion is the ('epot fort of the 
 district, there to meet the 
 boat brigades bringing th<^ 
 yearly sui)])lies. When the 
 dejxjt is ree.ched, the furs are 
 debarked, and the various goods to supjjly 
 the trade until a similar exchange next 
 year are handed over to the trader, who 
 genci'ally goes in charge of the brigade. 
 These tri])s occu])y from two to four 
 months. The meeting of these brigades 
 at the depot presents a quaint and singular 
 spectacle. Tlie wild look, long, unkempt 
 hair, sunburned faces, and leather cos- 
 tumes of the traders are only exceeded by 
 the still wilder ai)])earance and absence of 
 almost any clothing among their Indian 
 attendants. The scene while the bi'igadcs 
 remain is one continuous orgy. 
 
 When the brigades depart for their sev- 
 eral destinations, the furs are forwarded 
 by boat to the gi-eat de])ot forts on the 
 
no 
 
 HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE. 
 
 scii-coiist. wluMv llicy arc all sorted ami | Unifecl States, and to tlic Caiiadas; and 
 r<'])ack('d. hcint; pressed into l)ales by ! occasionally furs are exported hy the 
 
 enormous levers, and rtnn and tohacco 
 are placed Ix'tween the layers of skins to 
 keep out the in.sects and larvie of moths. 
 TlK'y are then loaded on the Company's 
 ships, which annual- 
 ly hrinji'out the stores 
 from England, ant 
 are eventually sold at 
 puhlic auction. The 
 sales in London alone 
 amount to more than 
 .s|, 0(1(1, (l( 10 pcrannum. 
 and this forms hut ii 
 small part of the year- 
 ly returns fi-om the 
 C*ompany"s territo- 
 ries, lai'H'e (|uantities 
 heini;' exported to tlu- 
 (.'ontinent. to the 
 
 Company to China. 
 
 The annual sui>ply of its va.st chain of 
 tradin;i: posts with mercliandise is a ma* 
 ter of vital im]»ortanee to the Comjjany. 
 
 
 l^ 
 
 ^'v.^ 
 
 MKKTINli OK ItOATS ANll ISI.AMI TIIAINH. 
 
THE HONORABLE HUDSON BAY COMPANY. 
 
 31 
 
 ) 
 
 
 -,. 
 
 *iWiVi' 
 
 
 y^^^MM^ 
 
 
 ■^ aite 
 
 m-w^-j 
 
 mm? ...M^mi' 
 
 w» ^^^A. ■^aW^.'^SWHIutA 
 
 
 ^^k^^Li^^MM 
 
 «^--^' s"-, 
 
 I Vflftmlf ' iJfifJT 
 
 •TifT^^^ mr '"T-^^>^^'^^ 
 
 
 H^^lfe?^ 
 
 IrTfiK^ 
 
 jK^P-Jr*' /"' V 
 
 
 i^ 
 
 ^ ftJ ■ ■' ■■ ■ -, 
 
 
 
 , -■ 
 
 • 
 
 .?■ J" 
 
 r-'-ji. 
 
 "■""■'"■ : '■^'^ 
 
 - —T. * 
 
 •^M 
 
 '4?«'.I< '-.';« ".t >*,^ *■ IS*- - 
 
 ^^ 
 
 r-«^ 
 
 '•^'- ^'^^^ 
 
 
 
 «ff5s*,--- ■^-- 
 
 
 
 >• -v,^.. .Vj^,; 
 
 ' ■'"-^'." -'i'^^^ "^ •it«^^^^^^^^^^ ^' 
 
 *fiW-..^ 
 
 «-f^--T. .»'. 
 
 ,_ If J. .-af. 
 
 .i-^*^''- ''\.^^^-iJ^^^-«^^" 
 
 Wi^- 
 
 *^ 
 
 iT 
 
 
 
 * 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 IHH 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 -1 ■ ■ .-v" 
 
 
 4*^ -^%^1^^S'l'^ 
 
 LiH 
 
 p. --.-^ <' ' ■ 
 
 a ^i 
 
 
 i'" • > '**^-/ ' ,^^2*'^. ,.? 
 
 m 
 
 '"' ^^_^^. ''^^^ 
 
 > >*" ■-* 
 
 »«^^w^.:.,f ,<^ 
 
 
 W'^ 
 
 - " "^^^^^^^s'^^^P 
 
 ■ -^ >■> 
 
 V" » .5- ,,-*i 
 
 ' . '.a*'* ■/ ? , ■^- ir^^Miy; ^ a 
 
 
 ^^^^^^ 
 
 ,5' 
 
 
 
 
 ^^!^ 
 
 
 
 ^a^^im^^^ 
 
 
 f^; 
 
 ^t ■^^%- 
 
 ^c c^ 
 
 ^^^M:''^-w 
 
 ^^ • -. 
 
 ' , ^' h 
 
 ■'^ i '^ ^ -^-^1 
 
 .^^ 
 
 ^^i^ 
 
 .^^ae ;,_ 
 
 ..J ., <r- 
 
 ^ fcM .^-,?iSfeI?*-'**SKW^. >!»-:- 
 
 MAKlN(i A riiUTAin:. 
 
 > p 
 
 and is pondiu'tcd with a care and system 
 dcvotod to no otlicr l)i'anfli of its tra(l<>. 
 Early in .Tune ofcacli year the Coni]tany"s 
 siiijjs leave the Thames for the fur eoun- 
 try. It is the end of iViij^ust when they 
 land at York Factory, on Hudson Bay. 
 For one year the jfooils tlH>y have hroujjht 
 lie in the warelu)uses of the factory : 
 twelve months later they reach Norway 
 House; twelve months later, ajrain, th(>y 
 i-eacli Fort Simpson, t)n the Mackenzie. 
 The furs far which they are exchanged 
 ivacli London by similar stages in three 
 s more; so that si.\ years ela])se from 
 the date of the de|)arture of the rouyh 
 tlint-fjfun to the return of the skin of 
 sable for .vhich it has i)een bartered. 
 
 The supi)lies brouffht, out by the ships 
 are distributed to the interior ))osts by 
 means of what are called " inland boats." 
 Shaped like an ordinary whale-boat, they 
 carry a burden of three and a half tons, 
 and reijuirc nine men as crew. A num- 
 
 l)er of these boats constitute a brifi'ade. 
 each of which is i)laced in charffe of a 
 fjuide. The.se brif;ades. leaving' Fort Oai'- 
 ry in June, t<Mul north and northwest to- 
 ward Methy Porta<;e and York Factory, 
 there to meet other brigades from the re- 
 mote arctic disti'icts. to whom they deliv- 
 er their cargoes, receiving in reUn-n the 
 furs brought down from the interior 
 ])osts. When tliis exchange is ett'e<'ted. 
 each brigade reti'aces its coui'se. 
 
 On many of the streams traversed by 
 these brigades navigation is s 'riously in- 
 terrupted by rapids, water-falls, and cata- 
 racts, to surmount which the boats with 
 their cargoes have to be landed and cai'- 
 ried roun<l the obstruction, to b( relaunch- 
 ed at the nearest practicable jioint. Again, 
 it occurs that a height of land is reached, 
 across which the boats and cargoes must 
 be dragged in order to descend the oi)po- 
 site stream. Li either event the oi)era- 
 tion is known as " nudcing u portage." 
 

 
 /^J^-' 
 
 VDVAUiiUHS' OAMl'. 
 
 Tlie staiulfvrd weig-lit of eiu-li packao'e used 
 in tlio fur ti'ade is one huiidriHl pounds, 
 t'acli boat coiitaininfj soveiity-iivo '" inland 
 pieces," as sudi packajfos are called. In 
 crossing a portaj^c each voyaofeur is sup- 
 posed equal to the task of cari'yiu}? two 
 inlajul i)ieces upon his back. A broad 
 leather .strap, called a '" i)orta{;:e straj)," is 
 placed round the forehead, the ends of 
 which strap, passinjf back over the shoul- 
 ders, sup|)()rt the pieces, which, thus car- 
 I'ied, lie alonjr the s])ine from the .small 
 of the back to the crown of the head. 
 The de])arture of these boat brifjades on 
 their long trips forms a very picturesque 
 spectacle. The boats are decked in holi- 
 day attire: small red flays, streainiiifj: en- 
 signs, fj^audy ribbons, and the spreadin<; 
 antlei"S of moose and elk apjwar every 
 where above th<^ s(iuai"e ])acka{;fes of 
 freifj^ht. Conjfre<fated upon the l)each ai-e 
 the wives and sweethearts of the boatmen, 
 who have come to bid them adieu. 
 
 The voyag'eiu'.s of the Company are 
 jrenerally of French extraction, de- 
 scendants of the ti"a])])ers and ti-ad- 
 ers of the old Northwest C' vrpany. 
 Their g'randfathers were French Cana- 
 dians, their grandmothers Cree and 
 Chipi)ewa scpiaws. A merry, lifflit- 
 hearted race, they are recklessly (>en- 
 ei'ous, hos))itable, and extravajjant. In 
 the sunnuer they pull an oar in the boat 
 brijyades; in the winter they vary .seasons 
 of luuitin<>- with lon^'cr intervals of total 
 idleness. Vanity is their besetting' sin, 
 and they will leave themselves and their 
 families without the common necessaries 
 of life to beconu> the envied jjossessoi-s 
 of a haiulsome suit, a gun. or a (I'ain of 
 dogs, which nuiy ha))pen to attract their 
 fancy. Intensely superstitious, and firm 
 believers in dreams, omens, and warn- 
 ings, they are apt disciples of the Romish 
 faith. Comi)letely under the influence 
 of the priests in most respects, and ob- 
 .serving the outward forms of religion 
 with great regularity, they are ,y et gross- 
 ly innnoral, often dislioiu'st. and general- 
 ly untru.stworthy. But as hunters, guides, 
 and voyageurs they ai*e uneipialled. Of 
 more ))owerful build, as a rule, than the 
 pure iTulian. they are his equal in endur- 
 ance aiul readiness of resource.