346 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



great, but from the first I never was troubled with any 

 fears on this account, nor went out of my way to avoid it. 

 The Indians I contrived to overawe ; the whites never at- 

 tempted to do me harm when on my ordinary travels. 



Most men engaged in this peddling trade, if well 

 enough off to own a waggon, carry a large quantity of 

 whisky and rum with them, off which they make a great 

 profit. For the rough cowboys and ranchmen will give 

 anything that they possess to obtain the horrible spirit 

 that such traders carry, and which deserves not the name 

 of whisky. So infatuated with strong drink are these 

 miserable men that the most abominable concoctions are 

 often sold to them without raising a protest, and double 

 and treble the price of good spirit charged. If they are 

 in possession of money, they will have drink at any price, 

 and without regard to quality. Personally, I have an 

 objection to selling drink, though, as the reader knows by 

 this time, anything but a teetotal fanatic, and I never 

 carried whisky with me except for my own use ; yet the 

 quality of my brand was so well known that, over and 

 over again, the rogues of cowboys would pilfer from my 

 waggon all that they could find. Often, however, I would 

 afterwards receive compensation in some form from the 

 marauders. 



Payment for goods sold was made in a great variety 

 of ways — by cheques and bills on bankers and merchants, 

 by note, and largely in kind, but very seldom in hard cash. 

 There was very little gold or silver in circulation in the 

 wilds ; but many of the outlying farmers and ranchmen 

 were rich men, and I would often part with coin to them 

 at a small discount, taking bills in exchange. This was 

 an advantage to both parties, the coin being much needed 

 for circulation among themselves and their servants, and 

 being a source of danger to me; for if by chance I had 

 been " stuck up " by Indians or other thieves the money 

 would have been irretrievably lost, but the paper would 

 be absolutely useless to them, not being payable at sight. 



