I02 CASTOROLOGIA. 



beaver in their first public seal, and it was present continually 

 through all the political alternations to the reign of George II. 



In New France a change was made in 1628, and a larger company 

 was formed, entitled ' ' The Company of the One Hundred Partners, ' ' 

 who with trifling changes directed this enormous interest until 1663. 

 The first regular fur trading establishment was set up at Tadousac on 

 the River Saguenay in 1603 ; the next at Stadacona (Quebec) 1604, 

 then Three Rivers, and lastly Ville Marie (Montreal) in 161 1. For 

 many years Three Rivers was a much more important post than 

 Montreal, but about 1640, the change set in, and from that date 

 to the present, Montreal has unquestionably been recognized as the 

 mercantile capital of the country, and thither for many years most 

 of the inhabitants of the continent carried their furs. 



The mission and the beaver were too frequently associated by the 

 early missionaries. They made the fur trader and the proselytizer 

 one. Denonville writes ' ' I receive letters from the most distant 

 quarters, . . where they propose wonders to me by establishing 

 posts for the Mission and for the beavers which abound there." 



On the second day of May 1669, His Majesty Charles II. granted 

 Royal Charter to the Governor and Company of Hudson's Bay ; 

 whereby the company at their own cost and charges having under- 

 taken the " discovery of a passage into the South Sea," were made 

 masters of the " I,ands, Countries, and Territories ; Coasts and Con- 

 fines of the Seas, Streights, Bays, Lakes, Rivers, Creeks and Sounds, 

 together with the whole Trade and Commerce of these parts," for 

 which privileges the adventurers promised to give yearly ' ' Two 

 Elks and Two Black Beavers, whensoever, and as often as We, Our 

 Heirs, and Successors, shall happen to enter into the said Countries, 

 Territories and Regions hereby granted." 



Thus originated one of the grandest commercial enterprises 

 America has ever known, and there are features in its history which 

 have never been surpassed, at any time, in any country. They 

 most faithfully attempted to perform their contract with the British 



