BEAVER AND CANADIAN HISTORY 203 



less and indiscriminate slaughter of them whenever 

 the opportunity appeared." 



In former times when the Indians had the almost 

 exclusive trapping they were systematic in their 

 work, and the number taken from each colony was 

 seldom in excess of what would keep the numbers 

 fairly stationary. When the white man entered 

 the competition his one idea was to secure the 



#^^ 



1670 



Label of the Hudson's Bay Com- 

 pany, as used at the present time. 



largest possible crop of skins, utterly regardless of 

 whether or not he killed the goose that laid the 

 golden egg. The result was inevitable and the 

 wasteful destruction reduced the crop to such a low 

 level that from the animals' entire range probably 

 not more than 30,000 skins have been taken in any 

 one year for some time past. At one time it was 

 quite a question whether the beaver was not on 

 the very verge of extermination. The passing of 



