THE HUDSON BAY COMPANY. 
for aid, and laws prohibiting the introduc- 
tion of malt and spirituous liquors into 
the Northwest Territories were immediate- 
ly passed. Moreover, the organization 
now known as the Northwest mounted po- 
lice was charged to enforce them. 
Soon after the formation of the new 
Hudson Bay Company, the British Gov- 
ernment granted it a license—terminable 
in 2I years, but renewed for a like term 
in 1838—of exclusive trade throughout the 
territory from Labrador to the Pacific, and 
from the Red river to the Polar ocean. 
Twenty-eight years later the Government 
granted a further license of exclusive trade 
and management over Vancouver Island to 
prevent its being annexed by the United 
States. The Company then held control of 
4,000,000 square miles of territory and its 
yearly profits were immense, amounting to 
£81,000 with a paid up capital of £400,000. 
It was reconstructed in 1863 with a capital 
of £2,000,000 for the purpose of enlarging 
its field of operation. . 
Over that vast country about 200 trading 
posts have been established. These forts 
are without exception placed on the shore 
of some lake or river so furs may be 
easily transported. The business of the 
larger forts with the Indians is carried on 
by a chief trader and a general adminis- 
trator. About 3,500 clerks, postmasters, 
surgeons, etc. are employed, and nearly 
100,000 hunters and trappers, both white 
and Indian, serve the great corporation. 
Many ocean vessels are employed on the 
Northwest coast to carry on trade with the 
natives. Forty years ago this trade alone 
employed 1,000 men, 5 armed sailing ves- 
sels and one armed steamer. 
During the short season when the North- 
ern lakes and rivers are navigable the ac- 
cumulated furs are transported in canoes 
to York or Moose Factory on Hudson 
bay, thence either to Montreal or Van- 
couver. Ultimately most of them go to 
London. It takes many months for furs 
to reach their destination from far points 
in the interior, on account of the numer- 
ous rapids and portages to be passed, and, 
above all, because of the long winter. 
119 
The Company annually exports £150,000 
to £200,000 worth of peltries to England, 
besides exchanging many pelts for Russian 
and American furs; while a large number 
are exported direct to China. - The profits 
are immense. Money or goods from 5 to 75 
cents in value is given to the Indian for 
a marten skin worth $10 to $30. For a 
$500 fox skin poor Lo receives but little 
more. 
The Company claims that its influence 
over its savage dependents has been ben- 
eficial. So it has, for itself, at least. 
Whether the conversion of a free, hardy, 
frugal and self reliant savage into a lazy, 
dependent, drunken and diseased being, 
practically enslaved by a vast monopoly, is 
a gain to the world at large, may well be 
questioned. 
Moose Factory is over 200 years old, and 
has for some time been the main port on 
James bay. There are situated the head 
offices for the region; and, as the vessel 
from England lands all supplies there, it 
-is the center of distribution for the whole 
bay. The population is about 200, con- 
sisting exclusively of Company employees 
and their famlies. Several hundred In- 
dians are connected with the post. A small 
saw mill manufactures lumber for all the 
posts in the region. A boat building shop 
is also maintained, which has turned out 
vessels capable of crossing the open bay. 
Moose Factory is also the headquarters 
of the missionary diocese of Mooseone. 
A substantial church has been erected, as 
well as a residence for the bishop. Out- 
lying stations have been established at 
Fort Hope, Fort Albany, York Fort, Rup- 
ert’s House, etc. The Indians are all nom- 
inally Christians; most of them are able 
to speak English and to read in their own 
language (Swampy Cree). They use a 
system of phonetic spelling well adapted 
to the language. South of New Post the 
Indians are Ojibways, and adherents of the 
Roman Catholic church: They do not use 
the phonetic writing, but can write in the 
ordinary characters as taught by the Cath- 
olic missionaries. 

The Guide: 
peak at last. 
The Tourist: 
Well, here we are on the 
Do you mean we can get 
no higher? Don’t say that I can ascend no 
farther! 
The Guide: 
alpenstock if you want to. 
—Chicago Tribune. 
Well, you can climb up this 
It’s 7 feet long. 
