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Trail and Camp-Fire 



established at the mouths of rivevs flowing into 

 Hudson Bay, where for many years they con- 

 fined their trade without attempting to explore 

 inland ; and it was not until after the forma- 

 tion of their rival, the Northwest Company, in 

 about 1 760, that they were forced to establish 

 posts inland. Long before that date the 

 French had trading posts scattered throughout 

 the northern interior from the Gulf of St. 

 Lawrence westward to the foot of the Rocky 

 Mountains. After the amalgamation of the 

 Northwest Company with the Hudson Bay 

 Company in 1821, the following trading posts 

 were for a time maintained in the interior of 

 the peninsula : Waswanipi, Mistassini, Temis- 

 camie, Metiskin, Nichicun, Kaniapiskau, Fort 

 Nascaupee, Michikamau and Winokapau. Of 

 these at present only Waswanipi, Mistassini 

 and Nichicun remain. The ofificers and serv- 

 ants of the company employed at these posts 

 must have had a good knowledge of the inte- 

 rior of the peninsula, but, until quite lately, it 

 was the policy of the company to give no in- 

 formation to outsiders, and, in consequence, 

 all such knowledge has been lost. The only 

 officer of the company who left a written 

 account of his journeys through Labrador was 



18 



