22 The Fur Traders. 



native women was common from the chief officers down 

 to the ranks, and thus bonds of mutual intf^rest were 

 created. Although this company did not always escape 

 difficulties with the Indians, it was general!}^ on terms of 

 peace with them, and its hold upon them as against irregu- 

 lar traders was well-nigh absolute. It may readily be seen 

 how powerless must have been a private trader and even 

 a strong company against this embodiment of power, 

 Avealth and organization." 



We have only outlined the operations of some of the 

 most important companies of fur traders ; for the story of 

 the Hudson's Bay Company alone would fill many volumes, 

 if told in detail from the date of its romantic formation 

 dow^n to the present day when it is devoting much of its 

 time and resources to the more prosaic work of opening up 

 a chain of mammoth department stores in Galgary, Edmon- 

 ton, Victoria, and other growing commercial centers in 

 British Columbia. As George Bryce says: "For full 

 two centuries the Hudson's Bay Company, under its 

 original charter, undertook financial enterprises of the 

 greatest magnitude, promoted exploration and discovery, 

 at one time held governing powers over an empire com- 

 prising nearly one-half of North America, and preserved 

 to the British Empire the wide territory handed over to 

 Canada in 1870 ; and for more than two generations since 

 that time, it has carried on a successful trade in competi- 

 tion with many rivals, and still shows all the vigor of 

 youth. Whatever ground there may be for criticism of 

 some of the earlier methods of this great organization, the 

 wonder is that with the extensive powers it has enjoyed, 

 it should bear after its long career, over such an extended 

 area of operations, and under so many different conditions, 

 so honorable a record." 



The Hudson's Bay Company has it is true always been 

 a keen trader, as its motto "Pro Pelle Cutem" — skin for 

 skin — implies ; but with this surely no fault can be found. 

 One of the greatest testimonials in its favor is that when 

 after two centuries it voluntarily gave up except as a 

 purely trading company its power in Canada, its influence 

 over the widespread Indian population of Rupertsland was 

 so great that it was asked by the Canadian government to 

 retain one-twentieth of the land of that wide domain, as 



