VOYAGE IN THE WINNIPEG REGION 91 



which an Indian could get for a black bear-skin, in prime 

 condition, was a common Birmingham gun for which 

 I should refuse to give thhty shillmgs : while I have 

 actually sold a black bear-skin in London for fifty pounds 

 sterling. This may be excellent trading — it is not fair 

 conduct. On the other hand, I believe that, at a later 

 date, the Company strictly forbade their servants to 

 barter rum to the Indians ; but I am under the impres- 

 sion that they only did so under strong remonstrance 

 from the Government and public opinion at home. 

 These impressions of mine were made, and made honestly, 

 thirty-seven years ago, when I was a mere boy : but I 

 stick to them now, I say that the Company's policy 

 was a selfish, if not an absolutely dishonest, one. They 

 strove to keep a thirtieth part of the earth's surface as a 

 private hunting-ground for their own profit ; and did not 

 pay the working part of their employees (that is the 

 hunters and trappers) anything like a fair price for their 

 labour. They strove to keep out of this extensive 

 region all men but their own servants ; and wherever and 

 whenever they could, treated as intruders all private 

 hunters and travellers. Like the twelve Hebrew spies 

 of old, they raised up an evil report of the goodly land — 

 for a goodly land it is ; and strove to make their brethren 

 believe that it was a howling wilderness, in which no 

 settler could prosper. All this is past, and I have done. 

 Doubtless I shall be told that this is a matter which has 

 long ago lost its interest. Perhaps so : but it is history, 

 let me say. 



I do not intend to return to this subject of the 

 Hudson Company, therefore before finally quittmg it, I 

 think fit to record my own treatment by its servants. 

 Privately I was treated with great courtesy and hospitality 

 by several of the chief traders, or factors ; but there was 

 an evident tendency on the part of the Company's 

 servants, generally, to discourage my journeys. No 

 active opposition was in any case offered to me ; but 



