3 
From this it might be deduced that there is much in-breeding (or line 
breeding), with the consequence that the stocks are of great purity; but, 
if it be true, as was implied, that an Indian's conception of marriage 
obligations resembles rather that of the Eskimo than that of more civilized 
people, then one can by no means always rely upon the “legitimacy” of 
the children. One well-informed half-breed, who knew the country and 
the people well, described Gods lake as a place where morals were very* 
lax and where there were very few full-blood Indians. It is commonly 
agreed that at Oxford House there is a large admixture of white blood. 
At Island lake it is said that two persons between the ages of 30 and 40 
are known to possess some white blood, and that two others of similar 
ages are rumoured to possess some, but my informant was unwilling to 
disclose the identity of these. 
The majority of the girls marry at about the age of 18 years; almost 
everyone of them is married before reaching the age of 20 years. There 
are not more than three or four unmarried men of over 21 years in the 
three localities. 
In connexion with the question of the purity of the stock in the 
various localities the following brief historical note may be of interest 
and not without significance. 
Historical Note. In the year 1672 the Hudson’s Bay Company estab- 
lished a fort on Hayes river within a few miles of Hudson bay and called 
it York Factory. Its purpose was to trade with the Indians in exchange 
for furs and pelts, which were shipped to England. In 1798, a branch 
from York Factory was built farther up Hayes river and called Oxford 
House; and, at about the same time, a third post was built still farther 
inland, where Nelson river flows out of the northern end of lake Winnipeg, 
which came to be known as Norway House. In the earlier days the personnel 
of these posts was composed of unmarried men who had been brought out 
from England, and who were practically the first European settlers in this 
north land; later, it was drawn more especially from the north of Scotland. 
At least one contingent came from Norway, hence the name Norway 
House. It is now more than a century since a post at Island lake was 
first established; but this post was twice abandoned during lean years 
when fur was scarce and the Indians had scattered afield. The post on 
the Gods Lake site is much more recent. Those who manned these various 
stations had, in addition to defending them from attack, to act as crews 
for the “York boats” which distributed supplies and ammunition from 
York Factory to the inland posts and which returned with furs. 
The Indians in the northern parts of Canada have for long tended to 
collect and to congregate in the neighbourhood of the posts with which 
they trade, and now for many years they have been entrusted with the 
freighting which previously the white man did. Of the three posts (Island 
Lake, Gods Lake, and Oxford House) the one at Island lake is rather 
inaccessible and until within the last fifteen years has been, as we shall 
see, somewhat secluded; whereas those at Oxford House and at Gods lake 
are of more easy approach, and have, since they were founded, been in 
direct communication with York Factory and Norway House. 
In fact, the main route of entry from England into western Canada 
used to pass through Hudson bay, York Factory, Oxford House, and Nor- 
