152 Our North Land. 



oven is a great convenience. It was built by the Company several 

 years ago. 



York Factory, aside from the Indian population, a great portion 

 of which is ever on the go and come, has a few half-breed inhabi- 

 tants. The servants of the Company number over thirty men, each 

 being, of course, the head of a family. The Chief Factor, Joseph 

 Fortesque, Esq., who has been in charge, off and on, for nineteen 

 years, left this year with his wife and family, provided the Hudson's 

 Bay Company's ship has reached York, and departed for home, on a 

 year's leave of absence. He is succeeded, temporarily, by Murdock 

 Matheson, Esq., of La Cloche, Ont., who had taken charge just before 

 our arrival. Mr. James Cowie is Chief Accountant; K W. Matthews. 

 M.D., is the Medical Officer ; Mr. Geo. Mowat is the Second or Fore- 

 man ; Mr. John G. Mowat is the Foreman's Clerk ; Mr. Wm. Wood 

 is Storekeeper ; Mr. John Smith is the Pilot ; Mr. Archie Arthurson 

 is the Cattle-keeper, and so on. There are no horses at the post, but 

 five or six cows and some young cattle are kept. 



The hospital at York Factory is a most valuable institution. It 

 was founded through the efforts of Dr. Matthews, who has left 

 nothing undone in any way calculated to improve the health of the 

 people, and minister to the comfort of the sick. It contained two 

 patients at the time of my visit. One, an old man, who had been 

 taken from his filthy camp, a sufferer from scurvy. He is doing very 

 well under the kind attention of the Company's doctor, and the oblig- 

 ing matron of the hospital, but cannot last long. Age and disease will 

 very soon bring him to his grave. The other was a young Indian 

 lad, suffering from rickets. He has greatly improved under the 

 doctor's treatment, and there are some chances of his recovery. The 

 regulations of the hospital are posted up in the patients' room in 

 both English and Cree, and are dated July 30th, 1883. The insti- 

 tution has been but a short time in operation, and is much in need 

 of funds. Dr. Matthews would be glad to hear from philanthropic 

 Canadians in aid of his efforts to make the hospital a permanent 

 success. 



There is nothing remarkable to record in connection with the 

 services at the churches. In the Indian church congregational singing 



