CASTOROIvOGIA. 1 09 



Hudson's Bay tokens, a specimen reached Quebec in the possession of 

 the captain of a trading schooner from I^abrador. As usual, the cargo 

 contained many valuable furs, and in bargaining for these, the token 

 passed over to a 5'oung fur merchant of Quebec. No special value 

 being attached to it in his hands, it was not a difficult matter for a 

 persevering acquaintance to beg it, and become its owner, which, 

 however, was only accomplished by misrepresentations ; then in 

 Montreal it was exhibited, with a wonderful story as to its antiquity 

 and rarity, and finally it was sold to a member of the Numismatic 

 Society for $110.00, being the first specimen ever seen and supposed 

 to be unique and to date back earlier than the North West tokens. 

 "Whole sets of the Hudson's Bay tokens are not uncommonly met 

 with now, but they are always valued as among scarce examples. 



In 1664, the English had dis-possessed the Dutch of their Ameri- 

 can provinces, and thus encroached on both sides of Canada, or New 

 France, allying with the Indians, and interfering materially with 

 the plans of the French monopolists. Much exclusiveness on the 

 part of those autocrats had driven many of the traders to settle 

 among the English, where trade was more free, and the profits 

 greater. The French government took cognizance of the superiority 

 New York was acquiring, and changed the manner of carrying on 

 the fur trade. Decrees emanated from the French Court, which di- 

 rected the grading and fixed the prices to be paid for the several 

 assortments of beaver ; and the Court also undertook the manage- 

 ment of the trading posts at Frontenac (Kingston), Niagara and 

 Toronto. As a result, all refuse, unsaleable furs and skins taken in 

 summer, became the property of the King, and these furs, &c., 

 "bought without examination, were carelessly deposited in ware- 

 houses, and eaten up by the moths." The fur trade of Canada con- 

 tinued for some time in this way ; brandy was working havoc 

 among the Indians, and the preparations were perfect for the petty 

 warfare soon instigated by the jealousy between the English and 

 French traders. The French had already crossed by way of I^ake 

 St. John, and attacked the Hudson's Bay Company's forts, and the 

 English had attempted the capture of Quebec; when in 1688, the 

 Revolution in England tempted Frontenac, Governor of Canada, to 



