Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-05-29
Hudson Bay Trading Post.

places, built according 10 q general type
They stand generally upon the second OF
lower bank Of some navigabe river or lake
so as to he easily accessible to the boats
which annually visit them with supplies
a trading post is invariably u square. in
closed by immense trees or pickets, one
end sunk deeply In the ground. and placed
Close sexsihsr; a platform, about the
height OF an Ordinary man, Is carried along
the inner side OF the square. so as to
enable any one TO peep over without dan
ge. from arrow or bullet. At the four
corners are basHons, octagonal in shape.
pierced with embrssures, to lead the In
dams TO believe In the existence OF can
non, and intended to strike terror to any
red-Skiuned rebel bold enough to dispute
the supremacy Of the Company. The en-
trance to the stocksde is closed by two
massive gates, an inner and outer one. In
the center OF the square stands the resi-
dencr of The factor or trader IN charge, aud
OF the upper class OF employees. while about
It's four sides, close 10 the stockade. are
| ranged the trading store, the fur room, the
| warehouses. servants quarters, etc. Be
side the larger dwelling rises a tall fag-
staff, bearing the dag OF the Company, with
its strange devire. PRO pe!le cHtem
for skin-and near by u bell tower, the
tones from which mark the hours OF labor
and rest. In front Of the gate lounge a
| few half-breeds or Indians In tasselled cap
| anu u"'s "h''e eapo'e'of 'a'teted o'auAets'
oahu Oh hotses Craze III Instant heau-
| o", ""ite nearer oy ale" ieathet HpeeS' or
patA iou2es' 'ofth tie irIiIeu pores OF "hich
| tns st'oAe Sutis 'aH"y' Ihu'cA'e 'hc nothe
ot tnc aoo' 's'ua' ha"Het-oh AZ one sue
! VI '"e pa'''aue ie" 'uue crosses OF "oou-
eh talNhSs' stained oy RAIN ana sno"-utlt''
/ and blown hy the tnurn the
iast resting -piaces OF thc uead-
The trade-rooms At all the posts are ar
! ranged wtth slrICt reference to the wants
/ of the peculiar custom which they attract.
From the heavy Joists OF the low ceiling
depend twlne. steel-traps, tin kettles, Try
! ing'pans, etc. on various shel"es are piled
bales OF cloth OF al colors, copote>, blank
cts, aud caps; and In smaller divisions ATE
| placed flies, sCalptug-Anives, gun screws.
! nlnts, balls OF t~Inc, IRE steels, canoe avis,
| aud glass beads OF all colors aud sizes
/ Drawers 10 the counter contain needles.
/ pins, scissors, fish hooks, ihimbes, aud
/ vermIliion FOR painting canoes aud faces
| On the iioor Il strewn variety OF copper
/ kettles, from halt "A pint TO a gallon aud
/ In one corner OF the room stands dozen
trading guns, and beside them Aeg OF
/ powder aud bag of shot.
10 some of the trade-roOms small space
/ Is Ta.scd OIL by the counter near the door
! behind which the Indian, stand 10 trade
/ Sometimes they are confined to srperate
| apartment, called the iudian-room. at
| joining that occupied by the traders. aud
| business Is Carried on through loop-hole
| communicating between the TIVE. la many
| OF the posts ia the plain country the trade
| room Is cleseriy contrlvcd so as to prevent
a sudden rush OF the Indians, the approach
/ from outsd de the picket, being through a
| long narrow passage. only OF Sufficient
"idth 10 auinI. o' one Indiih al time, aud
orht AZ an acute angie near the window At
"A'Ch 1he ttaue' stAuus' MS ptecauiloh
! Is rendered necessary by the frantic desire
! "h!ch sometimes sel1es uponthe Indian 10
shoot the clerk, which he might easily do
/ were tue passage straight.
Al most OF tue interior posts time moves
s'o"ly' anu chahge IS almost unAown- To-
Jay y -hc sathe AZ huhuteu years aSo.
ne u.s. Oh Sooas orue'eu from hhS'and
Iof this year mas exactly tue same Items As
thaI oil lay. stands, cottons' beads and
iau'ng uus are s'"' the wants oil the ln-
u'ahs' anu are SIN uaied ior mus squash ana
oease'.
i"e Srleu' oi traue n tue COMPANY
posts j. e"'i'e's one oi oat'er. h''i recent
years money saldes We're unknown out
I
become iahlilat 10 tue ihdlahs' ana me al
mishy dollar IS rapidly assertIn. u 81
p'emacy lh 'a'a.edoin.
-'oout tue h's' OF No'eWoer' "ueh the
ah'hAs nave Sot tuelt winter coats anu
iul III season. the inuiah 'rAppef lays
on' MS Happ'hS "h'A iot tue "lnIeI' aoIs
"n'cn ne places Hhe OF traps from ten TO
hiteen miles IN iehgth' once or twice a
week ne makes the iound OF this walk. aud
gamers sucn iufs As may DE cauSht' Most
Vi tue hhe' iars are taken oS means OF me
"ooueu ueau-iaII ahu steei-traps OF 'arious
sizes 'he larger iuF F-oearihS animal, oelng
ether shot' caught Ia snares, or Killed by
the poisoned oait.
s., Toward the latter end OF March the ln-
ulah trappers leave Their hunting grounds. .
ana make journey 10 the forts with the
poroduce OF their winter 5 toll. Here they
come, ihovlh. through the forest amoiley
snrohS' Inc braves march IN front, too
Ptouo anu lazy 10 carry any thing but their
guns aud not always doing even that
Alter they come the squaws, bending
under loads, driving dogs, or hauling hand
sleds laden with meat, furs, tanned deer
SKINS, aud Infants The puppy dog and
Inevitable BABY never fail IN ludlau lodge
or procession. The cheerful spectacle OF
The two packed together upon the back Of
70 hpA Vi tillittutbt occurrence
Day alter day the mougrel party Journeys
on, until the fort IS reached. Then comes
the trade. The trader separates the furs
into lots, placing the standard valuation
| upon each. Then lie adds the amnUnts
| together. and informs the trapper that he
has got sixty or seventy skins" At the
same time he hands his customer sixty or
seventy little bits Of wood, so that the lat
ter may know, by returning these in pay
ment for the goods for which he really
oarters his lnrs. just tow fast his fund,
decrease. The first act OF the Indian is 10
cancel the debt contracted for advances AT
the beginning Of the season: then he looks
round upon the bales of cloth, blankets,
etc, and after long while concluded To
have a small white capote for his toddliug
boy. The price is told him, and he hands
back ten OF bis little pieces OF wood. then
looks about him for something else. Every
thing is carefully examined, and with each
purchase there is contest over the ap-
parent Inequality between the amount re-
celved and that given. In the Indians
opinion one SKIN should pay tor one arti-
Gle OF merchandise no mater what the