The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-07-30
AN OUTPOST OF COMMERCE..
At A REMOTE TRsDIN0 FORr on TIE
HUDSON'S nay COMPANY.
Inside the pnit.adc-The sto-c-Iuow INDIANS
shop t-~f.i Isoophoi-. - The Factors
Mouse ALTERNATING A Great Business.

Il
days the cart train had creaked its way over the
prairie in snuous folds and windings. Along
the right OF the black trail run tor
tuous river-cOurse. tho banks sometimes
denscy wooded. To tho left 80 far
tho eye could reach. spread the ilimit-
able plain-bare. treclcss its luxurlant grasses
blcached and crispcd by the heavy frosts with
here and there a black. smoudering belt
scorched by the prairie fire. Away to the front.
barely disccrniblc in the dim distance. glistenc!
at last the roofs of the Hudson's Bay fort. 1t
WAS pcrched. unlike the majority OF the trading
posts. upon y lofty bluff ovrrhanging the river
An oblong. nvc-sided paisade Of heavy logs
fifteen TO twenty feet high with thanking bustions
at the corners. surrounded the buildings. In
the prairie country this fence il stout and lofty:
there are roaming Indians 10 be- kept out. In
the wooded region OF the far north the pail
salcs are low. whore they are not dispensed
with altogether. Ioopholcs pierce this fence at
regular intervals. immediately in front of the
principal gateway the ground falls suddenly to
the river. A level plateau on the bank is under
cultivation as an arabic farm. A windmill IL
planted upon the higher ground at the back of
the fort. Loungtng ~ the gate. or struggling
on tho bank i'm front. ono sees hnlf-breed hunt
ers in tassrlled caps and deer skin shirts. or u
group Of Plain Indians in blanket robes or
dirty white capotes. The pointed poles OF nu-
merous tepees rise on either side OF the outer
stockade and over all towers the tapering flag
stan with it, strange device. Pro peie cide7n-
Skin for skin" band of ponies gr,ze IN a
distant river meadow. or dash with y wild
s"urry rtyrrward. Around stretches the un-
broken prairie. clad "a autumnn livery, while
far t. the north "a faint fringe Of Jagged pine
tops marks the beginning OF the great sub Are
IT, forests. A few hundred yards away. on
either side. a rud. wooden railing blown over
I :
lonely resting pl4rc OF ihe dead. ....,
Inside tn sto'kudc the houses arc arranged
in a hollow square. follow ~ the lin" ~ the
pal saic. Near, the principal ght" stands the
trad ing store; hug iw".slory siruclurr whore
ar" k"it tho hunk"h rulnf'd cloths nr"HrWs
nnniun ton, bright handkcrchicis. bends il~h-
iug iuchl" tho staple commodities of the
Indian trad. THIS building stands close
the lors forming the ~. kHde Is a long hori-
x.utal ioophole closed with ponderous shut
larger rnrt,,sof savage PLAIN inilans' whose
admission inside the fort would hc dung ruus
To- the sal, Is Of the ltfl" garrison. Very fire.
wu'n tn Great Grows Clan, or the
White swan, Expresses his dissaii sia'-
su'iurv mr. NJ through tn, l0opl0lr at tho clerks
within. inv parry %" small however or irom
tii' more ira table Wood tribes. limited NUM-
h.rnr" admitted within tlie IT.. kad" tnH . f'~
closed behind them, and IN" trading carried 10
oyer the counter. In- counter leaves vast
area h'twern II and tho sh'iNrs. ana oui "a
small ~pu'r before II for the 'u-ium"r-, for the
unsoriu-tiruicd rrd man hns fashion of con.
90 ullf.. small art tlrS beneath his blanket. an I
staring tue aStoul-hed owner thereof iu tfr
lu.r with ana rNIr --ion oi elm Ike Innocence.
lmWttlatslv over thu ~par" aliNti i customers
lNuphur- pierce IN" ealing. "a ca 10 Oi which.
upon the npor above am armed man stands
r acts o. ilir down upon the excited tlrnug 40
fNe first symptom Ol violence. Bat fli" TRADE.
fNr th" MOST pjit. Progresses peacefully. tho In
iiHn handing oyer one i"ltrt az % time. rtr'iN-
| ing value for Il. then rroiu ng another; for
% men ~.li"ih tlhv' ia huh, lr'i rf ht tA"
/ nu>ed -wo tne~s oi shopping ops drawn out.
y vt comes anoiiI T. @''r" Tot iur- anal li"l-
/ -iout beams of which hang myriads 81 skins
murtnn. mink. dark otter fisher. and black iox.
| not to mention bear beaver. AMI the huge piles
! OF buffalo robes aud less valuable fur-. Then
| com" tn" dwellings OF the men and lower order
| OF post servants, IN" shops ma tlr warehouses
| LNartiy IN the crnir" OF tn" fort. and OF the
hollow slrarr or oelons formed by the sur
! chief fartor, or trader, m charge OF IN" post
| generally large two-stury structure. with a
broad piazza "n'iroiing Il, liz pr'tusions TO
ar,nit"' turA, beauty are cn9an ''d 10y IA" many
! evidences Of the tH-fH and comfort az lis III
mates. well kelt grass p9t surrounds it
! on every sid. stately pines and hirrh"s rhad,.
/ IL. and beds Of flWrrs ia their season ill
| the air with their perfume. lt- doors
/ chairs upon its broad vnranda. with here and
,hrre stray pook or paper; mra r'Iy'en' OF
r ro5, ora Ire o ena sd ,be fo,op nnd br nm
! the clerks aii apprentices ~ every grab" WHO
/ are eniltl"d e. %" name o. COMPANY gen
lis CHEEKY M, - room the limited budget IF 10 'al
and foreign news IL dir 'u-s"d. Geu"rally
SUBJECTS pertinent 10 the trtde-the deficiency
q the fro".u hsn suppy the su,'"-s OF
camp. or IN" Hr'pn ulation II r'trirs.
| Promptly 40 a.. hour oi Il ia u" morning the
hug" ,sair- ir fort swint apart Inn"ss {,
! krg" body of Indians hc campcd outsId"l, and
| the daIy "m ploymcuts Of the lower servants
fa't"rs. Gl"rks. H., is transacted h"twe,n Q n
fIttsf ~ fft D. ln fNtst akta in
teryal between , and o'clock for dinner. VIII n
III" one and stores ar" closed Generally
| speaking. this division OF tim" holds good all
! lh' year ruuud, ,tvu-h slsht mwili'ttl1h
take place with IN" changing seasons. when
IN" i"ll hin"uh ~ tlr ol"n lE OF me thtH tu'
"nrlo-ur" 500 n nus with Indians ana traders.
! vino h,slegr the counters of the trading store
or louug" IDLY about tire yard. lahorrrs AMI
Vlytg"urs work AT ludlug the hoats in the stream
with bales of fur for trans portatIon t. the depot
/ forts. or IN dis hargng carEo"s. Pi.rr" ANA
Antoine are. SIT. ng n With carts or slcdgl a.
sound Of IN" anvil and the grinding Of the mill
II heard. All is hustle ana action.
As tI" day advance tn" arrivals NJ tho TORT
/ IN 'rease IN number and impor'Hn'c. Bands OF
lnilans ride rapidly up To the si9 kndr turn
.,'' nun U.s. "t" wv, W. '' ~ -
tn barter OF p"trlrs io supply th"ir immediate
n"rDs- .ti,s or rn ann about the ptlistd" Il 49,
pose IF the proceeds Of long and Surr.-siu
hunt, nni mukr tl" DAYS and nights hid,ou'
with their heather sh festivities. Oiii'"r- from
other posts arrive. ru route Tor distant points
stop for an hour and are of asain; cart train,
cnine iu laden with m"r'hanii-c; hunters 'Al-l
RAPIDLY up, hrIn4lns supplies pI fresh meat lol
tine l-IIut'd community, and the liiilr ons lbs II
and rr-tt-~ business centre.
81 Il ln the evening tine Atbors Of tho day ter
mhhl" ,n. -'lntEi"i1 are !"ih'h Out, NE tH' ~
swns smut aSalu, ana lurt lulls upon the iufi
and now begin thoH' monotouous hours Whl"i
drug most wwrily upon nil-'-p"elhily IA WIN
/ ter. tn" hit"ruhl torpor. ms II may be- called
s'ts I'm lu the bate Uutumual months. when tn
I increasing cod locks the rivers ia Ice, for
/ bldlng the Use oi cano. or boat. and driving II
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