gentlemen, beginning, as I have already 

 said, at the foot of the ladder, became in 

 after years, (some of them many years of 

 devoted service) prominent in the admin- 

 istration of the affairs of the company. 

 By fair and honest dealings with the 

 Indians and natives they certainly won 

 their gratitude, esteem and confidence. 

 I am indebted to a gentleman who lived 

 for some years at York Factory, for a 

 description of the life at that place, and 

 to another gentleman who resided several 

 years in the far north for the happenings 

 in the icy regions. Both those gentlemen 

 were connected with the Hudson's Bay 

 Co., but with that native modesty, char- 

 acteristic of the officers of the Company, 

 they would not allow their names to be 

 mentioned. 



With reference to the social customs of 

 officers who were from time to time 

 stationed at the Upper and Lower Forts 

 it may be said that they always joined 

 with the old settlers in their pleasures 

 and amusements, and were always wel- 

 come guests at parties, weddings &c. 

 given by the settlers, and it is needless 

 to say that with that unbounded and 

 royal hospitality for which the officers of 

 the company were noted, they were not 

 slow to reciprocate the attentions shewn 

 to them by the old settlers. When the 

 oflBcers set themselves out to entertain 

 they did it in magnificent and princely 

 style, regardless of expense, and those 

 who were fortunate enough to be invited 

 to one of their parties at either of the 

 Forts were always treated with an un- 

 bounded hospitality. They never did 

 anything by halves. 



IvIFB AT YORK FACTORY. 



New Year's day at York, as it was at all 

 other posts, was the day of the year, and 

 was celebrated with much ceremony. At 

 5 o'clock in the morning the clerks and 

 staff" would be called by the steward to 

 meet the officer in charge in the mess- 

 room which was generally in the resi- 

 dence of the " bourgeois " and then after 

 hand-shakings, compliments and greet- 

 ings, refreshments were served. After 

 partaking of the good things they retired. 

 After them came in the tradesmen to 

 exchange greetings with the officer in 

 charge. They then gave place to the 

 laborers, in number about 40, who called 

 and also received the hospitality of the 

 Chief Officer. After these came the 

 women and children of the Fort and they 

 in turn were treated to a supply of cake, 

 dried fruit &c., and they went on their 

 way rejoicing. 



It was now the Indians' turn. Thev 



generally congregated about the Fort at 

 New Year's to participate in the good 

 things that were going about that time. 

 They were invariably well treated, and if 

 not identical with their white brethren 

 they were fully as pleased and satisfied 

 with their kind reception. 



On New Year's evening the officers in 

 charge of the Factory gave a grand 

 dinner and ball. To the latter all the 

 employes of the company were invited, 

 the best of good fellowship prevailed and 

 dancing was kept up until morning. The 

 custom of giving this annual ball was not 

 only kept up at York but at every post in 

 the country, from the remotest station on 

 the Labrador coast to the great Yukon in 

 the Arctic Circle. 



Another great event of the year was 

 the arrival of the Hudson's Bay ship at 

 York F'actory which occurred about the 

 20th August and brought all the supplies 

 for the year. This was an event of great 

 rejoicing and was announced by the 

 firing of six big guns. This ship brought 

 one of the two packets received dur- 

 ing the year from the outside world. 

 The excitement of opening and reading 

 letters from over the sea was intense ; 

 some letters bringing tidings of joy and 

 some of sorrow ; some telling of con- 

 tinued health and happiness of friends, 

 and others that some dear relative or 

 friend had gone over to the great major- 

 ity. Perhaps none were more anxious 

 for the tidings brought over by the great 

 ship than the pioneer missionary and his 

 wife, for not onl3' were they anxious 

 over the arrival of their few supplies of 

 luxuries from friends at home but what 

 news would it bring them from their dear 

 children whom they had to send home to 

 be educated. One can easily imagine 

 how eagerly every word of their semi- 

 annual letters would be devoured, and 

 what happiness good tidings of their dear 

 ones would bring to this self-sacrificing 

 and devoted missionary and his brave 

 wife. All honor, we say, to the devotion 

 of these missionaries to their Master's 

 work, to the men who would sever family 

 ties and associations of their youth to 

 brave the hardships and perils of pioneer 

 missionary work in the frozen regions of 

 an uncivilized country. 



The men not engaged in unloading 

 and storing the goods from the ship 

 occupied their time in exchanging news 

 or admiring the nice things brought out 

 for ihem. 



All this time the brigades from the 

 interior were camped along the river 

 bank, and kept up a continuous round of 

 festivities, until their cargoes were deliver- 



