CHAPTER XVII. 



Churchill People and Industries. 



the half-breeds of churchill — their condition, habits, etc — 

 uncle sammy and granny gray — description of church- 

 ill village — the commerce and industries of churchill — 

 old fort prince of wales. 



j*f/HERE is neither an Eskimo nor yet a resident Indian popula- 

 tion at Churchill. The inhabitants of the place number 



about forty. These are Chippewayan half-breeds, except the 

 ^ officers of the post and their families. There are, however, 

 about two hundred natives in the neighbourhood who visit the 

 fort, off and on, during various seasons of the year. The Indians 

 (Chippewayans) come in the early spring to trade, bringing with 

 them the valuable skins of the otter, the deer, and the martin, the 

 mink, the silver-grey fox, etc. The Eskimos visit the fort, generally 

 during the winter, laden with white bear, deer, white fox, wolf or 

 other fur-bearing skins. In this way a considerable traffic is carried 

 on, to the great profit of the Hudson's Bay Company and to the 

 many hardships and privations of the natives, who, however, appear 

 most in their true element when half naked, half starved, and 

 very dirty. 



The half-breed population of Chui'chill, less than forty souls, 

 dwell, with a few exceptions, in a long, low building, owned by the 

 Company, in which they are sort of tenants at will. In the best 

 sense of the term they are nothing more or less than slaves. They 

 are called servants. The name, perhaps, suits their condition and 

 circumstances best. There is generally a sort of engagement or 

 agreement between the men and the Company. They are engaged 

 for periods of from three to five years, at stipends ranging from <jne 



