192 ROMANCE OF THE BEAVER 



we find mention of French vessels "richly laden 

 with the spoils of the beaver of this country" 

 being captured by " the English, who were waiting 

 for it in the Channel." 



From the very beginning the fur trade was 

 stained with blood, and yet perhaps it might be 

 said that the blood was shed for the good of the 

 country. "The richly furred and highly prized 

 skins formed the chief staple of Canadian com- 

 merce." They paid its debts. Men grew rich on 

 them. Vast fortunes such as the Astors' were 

 founded almost entirely on beaver skins. The 

 Hudson Bay Company, one of the most powerful 

 and successful companies that the world has ever 

 known, owed its existence to furs, the most 

 important being the beaver. This company was 

 largely responsible for the opening up of Canada, 

 the search for the skins taking their factors into 

 even the most remote parts ; in other words, 

 civilisation in a modified form perhaps was 

 carried into the wilderness in exchange for beaver 

 pelts. In times of distress caused by famine or 

 illness this great company rendered assistance to 

 the improvident Indians, giving them food, medi- 

 cine and clothing in exchange for their word that 

 the results of the trapping should be taken by the 

 Hudson Bay Company. Whether abuses ever 

 crept into the management of the outlying dis- 

 tricts I cannot say, but certainly on the whole 

 their affairs were well conducted for the benefit 



