The New York herald., 1870-12-19
r - r S
Where They Come From and
How They Are Obtained.
The Rife, Trap and Canoe of
the North.
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF TRAPpER LIFE.
FORT CARRY, Manitoba, Dec. l, 1870.

an opportunity to give the HEhALDs resuers
some account Of the great fur trade OF British
America It's extent organization, nardshlps ana
romance. There is no field more inviting to writer's
OF adventure tnan the Northwest, and the exciting
narratives of bold hunters have penetrated the
,uugles OF Asia ana Arlca are tame compared with
the records OF the rappers life in the Arctic regions
where suffering aud death must be continually
froutel In the rlgors OF climate, scarcity OF food,
feroclty or half starved animals, ana the cupidity
ana treachery of savages. Ii must not be In
ferred however. that the fur-seeser's occu-
patton is wholly severe and gloomy. No
picture presents more striking contrasts OF
sunshine and shadow than the career OF the rapper
whose long winters are enlivened with thrilling
snort in swift dog trains and snow shoes, the
chase OF the elk and moose, and good cheer around
the blazing hearhs Of the trading posts and whose
summers brief as they may be- are fn OF the beauty
OF northern scenery, with its birch and ash and 1r
tree foliage and musical with the song OF padders
In the light canoe. The furs composing the rich
robes Of fashion are carefully assorted and matched
ont OF immense numbers OF skins collected from all
quarters, and the fair wearer OF costly set, could
rhe unraye ts history would be thrilled by stories
of romance such as printed page can
give. Let her m fancy unweave the story
OF her silky marten set for Instance. There Will be
SIX or seven sEis In it One has basked IN the sun
among the ridges Of the Rocky Mountains been
trapped some birch-fringed torrent by Indians,
hung upon the wigwam OF some savage camp been
carried by ponies through a OF prairie blossoms,
whsged In q canoe down through the foam and
edd;es OF some rushing river, and finally been pur-
chased by an adventurous trader for ammunition or
blanket. Another has sported on the shores or
the Yukon river in Alaska watched the Russian
journey past been caught by a strange aud warlike
tribe. come In dog trains across the frozen wilder
ness TO Mackenze's river, and there Joining It's kin
dred nom the distant Arctic sea, come by Great
Slave, Athahaska and Winnipeg lakes to summer
and civilization. They come from districts separ-
ated by thousands OF miles and distinguished by
widely different characteristics OF country and tribe
to make up a single set, and snow drifts and bios
SONS, peris and pleasure, hardship Starvation
plenty walling and song are woven together IN all
their varied history.
TWO HUNDRED YEARS
have elapsed since the vast fur producing regions OF
America were formally opened TO the world.
Northern Europe ana Asia We're then the only
OF fur and among the first discoveries into
the boundless wealth Of this Continent was the wide
field of tur traffic now conducted upon so stupendous
o scale. In 1910 u number OF English capitalists
obtained from King Charles ii. royal charter
granting to ''the Governor and Company OF Adven-
turers OF England trading to Hudson Bay"
exclusive Jurisdiction over all territory
adjoining Hudson Bay 'not already actu-
ally possessed by or granted to any
Of subjects, possessed by the subjects OF any
other Christian prince Sate.u At this time nearly
all OF America was unexplored, AMI the knowledge
OF the fur regions was confined to small area in
and north OF Canada. Previous 10 1910 individual
FUR traders had been penetrating the wilderness,
but nothing had been done within Hudson Bay IL
the way OF taking any actual possession OF the terri
tory granted. The bay had boen discovered several
ships from time 10 time had entered 1t, and pro
badly some Interchange OF commodities with tn,
Indians had taken place while the vessels re
manned within the straits; but nothing what
ever was known OF the interior. Charles the
Second claimed-for 1t was no more than
caim-all the territory which the discovery OF the
straits and bay could confer the British crown.
The French crown in ike manner had claimed by
reason OF their actual settlement OF Canada ana OF
their progressive discoveries and trade, not only all
the Western territory but the bay Of the North
and thence 10 the Pole; but neither French Eng
lish mad in 1870 penetrated within many hundred
miles OF the Red river. II would be too tedious
enter into even an abbreviated account Of the
long and bloody contests which TOOK place be-
tween the Engllsh and French traders for su-
premacy in the fur regions, nor i5 II neces-
sary 10 give here q history OF the protracted
diplomatic correspondence, the numerous treaties
and learned opinions which transpired between
France and England on the subject OF boundary
lines in America, whose final ind ennite settlement
has led TO much discussion OF late regarding the
validity OF the Hudson Bay Companys title recently
sold to the Dominion OF Canada. Such events are
referred to only In illustration OF the peculiar cir
cums.ances surrounding the establis hment OF the
attention viii be confined to the actual traffic itself
THE HUDSON BAY COMPANY
AT first limited settlements the shores OF James,
Bay and the Churchill and Hayes rivers. Herley
House, about l50 miles up the Ashpury river, was
not erected until I74o, and some time afterwards
the company erected Fort Nelson, some $50 miles
from the mouth or Churchill river and also the fort
at Split lake, l40 miles from Nelson rlver. For more
than century after the date or the charter these
forts, with few on or near the shores OF Hudson
Bay, were tie only posts OF the Hudson Bay Com.
pany, and In 1699 all OF them, excepting
Fort Albany, had been taken by the French
Tne treaty OF Utrecht restored "the whole
Bay and Straits OF Hudson" to the company
and since tnat period 1t has exercised jurlsdic
ton, first over all the territory drained by the waters
emptying into Hudson's Bay, and later, expiora-
aons progressed, over all the British possessions
north and west OF the Canada boundary line, and
finally extending rs fur trade into Canada, the
United states, Alaska and the sandwich Islands
Before proceeding with description Of the or.
ganizaton and operations OF the Hudson Bay
Company let US glance at two other
companies, which conducted the tur traffic
TO a considerable extent in the Northwest = d
which finally became absorbed by the Hudson Bay
Company In 1887 the Northwest Company was
formed at Montreal, ana established an Immense
trade In the British possessions, operating princ
pally In what Is termed the Northwest Territory
Another enterprise OF peculiar interest Americans
was started la 1900, by Mr.. William =. Astor of New
York, and was called the American Fur Company
But Its career was very brief, and was signa.ized
only by the disaster OF
THE AsToR EXPEDITION.
washington Irving. in his fascinating astoria >
and Alexander Ross, ia hrs equally interesting nar
rative OF Adventures the Columbia Riyer,r give