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 
