j62 ON SNOW-SHOES TO THE BARKEN GROUNDS 



with sending out the greatest number of fur packs; but 

 however that may be, it certainly is the scene in summer 

 of the largest congregation of Indians when they come 

 out of the woods, pitch their lodges on the lake shore, 

 and settle down to trade their fur and worry Gaudet into 

 giving them credit. 



Trading with an Indian is no trivial matter. There is 

 first to get him to put a value on his fur, and then to con- 

 vince him that there is enough stock on hand to pay him. 

 There is of course no money in this country, a "made 

 beaver "skin being the standard of value by which all 

 trade is conducted as, for example, a marten is worth 

 from two to three beaver-skins, a bear-pelt about twenty 

 beaver-skins, and a beaver-skin itself from six to twelve 

 "made beaver." On rough calculation the "made bea- 

 ver" is equal to about fifty cents, though it fluctuates 

 throughout the country. 



When the Indian has finally agreed upon a price for his 

 fur, he proceeds at once to the company " store," and 

 then the intricate business of trading against his credit of 

 "made beaver " skins begins. It is impossible to deal 

 with more than one Indian at a time, and so they are 

 taken into the " store " singly, and the door is bolted, and 

 life immediately becomes a burden to the Hudson's Hay 

 Company officer. If there is anything in the stock that 

 has not been overhauled and priced before the Indian ex- 

 hausts his credit, it is only because it is out of sight. But 

 in a way he is a satisfactory sort of a customer. He is 

 not exacting as to what lie gets, so long as he gets some- 

 thing ; he may really want beads or duffel, but if there is 

 none of cither he as readily takes a copper teakettle or a 

 knife. It is (juite unimportant that he may actually need 

 neither. 



He is particular on one point only, and that is, he never 



