, 1877-12-23


Correspondence Mug 3ork Post,
Furs compose the only species OF 1nerchand
> in the country the export OF which is renuner
tive, and WITHOUT them even what market c.
lists for other articles would speedily disa
pear. In fact, tho influence OF the trade ne
meates alt ciasses; everybody talks fur, az
every available position in the accessible part
OF the territory IS seized upon by fsce-tra.ie
for the collection Of pcltries. But while man
5 arc gathered in this way, ana traders spcedil
grow rich, their furs form scarcely drop in til
, | bucket when compared to the vast collections {
! the Hudson's Bay Company. 1t is only va:
, corporation, possessed OF unlimited means, lou
experience, aud immense facilities for trans
portation, TINT can hope to compete with thl
last great monopoly. Bold would be the trade
who would carry his goods to the A1ackenzi
River; intrepid would be the joyageur VIII
sought i profit from the lonely shores Of Grea
Bear Lake!
The Company, durtngIthe season just past
have made their usual shrewd and abundant
preparations for successful winters trade, aut
the conlvlg spring, no DOUBT, will show a cor
responding result in more than average catch
And it may not be unintcresting in this conncc
tion to give brief sketch Of the various fur.
| LtAACA Uy lAC LoHt A1IA LliC uumoGl
Of each species annually exported Iro1n It:
territories.
| PINE MARTENS.
The first In point Of value is the pine marten,
or duuson's bay sable, uf which about l20, 600
skins, on an average, are exported every year
| considered so valuable turs Is the sables OF
Russia, although there is no doubt that thu
varieties are ln reality Que and the same species,
| the difference in temperature nnd other local
tftfF fho fpf+n
| OF the Russian fur III fact. the difference
between the two Is not always diseernihle, the
lighter colored skins being usually dyed und
] sold Us Russian sable. Tie winter fur is the
1nost valuable, and the Indian trappers say the
| first tall Of rain, after the snow disappears
| spoils the martcn. When caught the animal is
skinned like L rabbit, the pcltry being inverted
| rs IT Is removed, then drawn over fiat. board,
| pine forests. especially where fallen or dead
| timber ahounds. md arc mostly caught in the
| style OF trap known It's the dcad-lall. This
consists Of small circular fence OF wood about
fourteen inches high. This circle is left open
on one side. and across the aperture small
trce-trunk is laid. with one end resting on the
| ground. Iuside the circle forl1ed stick holds
a small bait Of meat. This forkel stick is set
SO as 10 support another small piece OF wood,
upon which in turn rests the haff-upliftcd log.
Pull the bait stick, and you let slip the small
supporting one, which III turn lets fall the hor-
izontal log. Numbers OF these traps are erected
in the woods, the trapper sometimes having
line Of dead-fals ten fifteen miles in length,
and visiting them once week. 4 good murten
skinxas worth in trade from $3.50 to IS. The
best skins come from the far North, being
darkcr aud finer turred than Others.
THE FISHER.
The fisher is much like the pine martcn but
larger. Just why he is called fisher / cannot
i,nugne, US he does not catch fish, or 60 near
the water except when compelled to swim
stream. He climbs readily, but is trapped like
4hr VII F1rn oil fcS 71r,tH
and at Que time large trade was carried on IN
them, only the tails being worn By the Polish
jew merchants. About Il, 0J0 are annually ex-
ported from the territory. The average trade
price is from $3.50 to $3 The fisher in full
winter coat makes finer suit Of furs than the
sable.
M1SKs AND RAccooSs.
The mink is vastly inferior to either fisher OF
martcn III tue quality OF fur, and its habits are
entirely different. It frequcnts streams and
water-courses, aud feeds upon fish. crabs, etc.
The Indian hunter catches 1t with steel trnp,
balted generally with fish. The trade price is
about 50 cents skin. About $50, ,00U skins arc
exported, tho majority Of which ultimately 90
to the Continent Of Europe.
Tbs raccoon Is widely scattered over the
territories Of the Company, about $40, C0U skins
being purchased and exported every yrnr. The |
raccoo1s are generally shot, but few are taken
in steel traps. The fur is not very valuable, !
being principally used in making carriagc-rugs,
aud in lining inferior cloaks and coats.
COSTLY FOX FUR. !
The most valuable fur traded By the Company |
is that of the black and silver foxes There urr ]
thrce species OF fox found in the territory,-tAc |
black or cross, the silver, and tue red Iox. The
two former arc considered to be only Varieties |
OF the latter; us in any large collection OF skins
every intermediate tint OF color, changing by |
regular gradatiops from the red into the cross, |
anu from the cross into the silver and black, !
may be found, rendering it difficult even for the
trader to decide which Of the varieties skin |
really belongs to. The Indians also assert that
cuts Of tic three varieties nrc constantly seen |
in the same litter. The silver and cross fox |
skins bring from *40to $50 euch; the red fox is !
only worth about tive to eight shillings. About
5o,000 red foxes, 4,50o cross, and 1000 silver !
are annually exported. The silver fox fur is
almost entirely sold to Chinese and Russiu,,
dealers.
THE DECLINE IN DEMAND FOR BEAyER-sK1Ns.
To Illustrate the difference I'll the trade in !
bcayer now Us compared with what it Was before
the introduction Of silk is tue mapping of huts,
may mcntieu that III l743 the Company sold IN
England 2J, $50 skins, and more than l37,0OO
were exported and sold at Rochelle, in France
In 1853 Canada alone supplied 17G,0U0, and in
1903 again l25,927 skins. About $4,000 arc now
brought annually from the Compary's territories.
So much was this fur III demand before the /
Introduction OF silk and rabbits furs, that the
poor little rodent in some districts is entirely
:xtcrnnutcd. The principal use made OF the
:ur now is in the manufacture OF bouucts in
France, and in making cloaks. The long lair is
pulled out and the un1er-fur shaved down
.lose aud even by machine; some Of it is still
cilcd into 4 kind Of cloth. The beaver is u ycry
1iiticut animal to trap nut is, nevertheless, rap
dly Disappearing from tile greut fur preserves
MUsk-RATs.
The c.usk-rat is similar in many Of its habits |
o the beaver. Indeed, some Of the spcc;cs !
lnild their houses precisely Us the beaver docs.
rhc hunters generally spear them through
tie walls and roofs Of their dwellings, lie
Innual destruction Of these little animals,
hough immense, many hundreds OF thousands
'cia,g yearly exported, docs not serve greatly to
iininish tllcr numbers The fur is of very
title value, being used in*thc coarsest maui
actures. Large bundles OF the tails OF the
auss-rat are constantly exposed Tor sale in the
azaaEs Of Constanttnope Us articles for per- | I
uming clothing.
THE LYNX AND sBA OTTER.
The lynx ur wildcat is found in considerable {
uEabers throughout the territory. Its FUR, | I
owcver, though nrcttily marked, is not of much !
alue. Of wolf skins about IL, U0U are annually
xporred, and Of tho laul-otter about 17,0j0 | ;,
lns are often procurcd,, The FUR OF tAc sea | |
tier, though the mbst valuable fur traded, is !
cry difficult to ob.an The animal EauEcs | !
long the sea coast between California and !
laska, and appears to be connecting link T
ctween the true seal and the land otter: It is
enerallY caught in nets or, spGarcd by the | !!
ldians in the sea. Nearly al!the otter furs 20 :
} China, and good skin Is worth about 500. +
CHEAP sKISs. s
The coarse fur OF tile wolverine or American | Y
luton is used mostly In the manufacture Of | 4
uifs and Innings, and is OF comparatively little