200 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



"been French ; and the officers of the Company, speak- 

 ing both languages, have always found it simpler to 

 speak French than to take any trouble to teach their 

 servants English. 



French Canadian priests and Jesuit missionaries 

 from France soon established themselves everywhere 

 under the protection of the Company, and, with their 

 usual zeal, quickly built up for their Church a con- 

 siderable following amongst the families of a mixed 

 origin. People conversant with the Avays of priest- 

 craft in other countries will easily understand the 

 influence they obtained amongst a rural and scattered 

 population, in such an isolated place as Red River. 

 Although the Hudson Bay Company officers were 

 the rulers dejure, the priests were so de facto. 



At first sight it may appear strange that this could 

 take place in a settlement where the Protestants and 

 Romanists were about equal in numbers ; but when 

 it is remembered that the former consisted of several 

 nationalities, and of still more numerous sects with- 

 out any one recognised ruler, and with many diver- 

 gent interests, it can readily be understood how the 

 smaller half, acting and voting as a unit under the 

 direction of a clever wily bishop, backed up by a 

 well-disciplined staff of obedient priests, maintained 

 an unquestioned supremacy. So much was this the 

 case, that the legal rulers were only too glad to 

 govern through their influence. 



Two great influences were at work preventing the 



