140 Our North Land. 



flourishing business. Last spring they secured nearly two hundred 

 white whales, as they call the porpoise. Three years ago Mr. Mac- 

 Tavish, who is an enthusiast in the interests of the company, 

 coasted the whole way from Churchill to opposite Marble Island, 

 where he has since done an extended business with the natives in oil 

 and walrus ivory. Last spring his visit netted the company two large 

 double lugger loads of oil and about two hundred pounds of ivory. 

 The rendering or "trying out" house is a large two-storey building at 

 the fort, fitted up with huge vats for receiving the blubber and oil. 

 The method of capturing the porpoise is as successful as it is in- 

 genious. A huge net is securely anchored at the bottom of the river, 

 and is so placed that when the tide is in it lies on the bottom and offers 

 no impediment to the progress of the animals up stream. Just before 

 the tide turns, however, the hunters raise the net, and as the water 

 recedes the porpoise are prevented from returning to sea. As the 

 tide ebbs the animals are left high and dry on the mud, and are 

 easily despatched by the hunters. They depend for their fresh 

 meat here on the reindeer, or barren ground caribou, hundreds of 

 which are sometimes killed in a single season." 



The accountant's department at Churchill contains some things 

 of interest. Chief among these is the accountant himself, Mr. Mac- 

 Tavish, who is a young man of pleasing address, very obliging, and 

 thoroughly conversant with his work. The accounts are kept in 

 £ s. d., as in the old country. " One may see here," says a con- 

 temporary writer, " the names of the Indian hunters who receive 

 credit from the company at this post. One, for instance, has received 

 credit for a couple of blankets, powder and shot, a # kettle, and so on. 

 For these he will pay next spring, when he comes in with his furs, 

 and receive a new credit. At Churchill, however, very little credit 

 business is done. The trade with the Indians is small, the great 

 bulk of the business being with the Eskimos, who come down once 

 or twice a year from the far north. No money is used in any 

 transactions with the natives, the unit of exchange being a beaver 

 skin. Thus a bear skin is worth so many beavers, and the same 

 with every other kind of fur or article kept for sale in the store. 

 Small pieces of sticks about three inches in length, and branded, 



