The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-05-30
Hudson Bay Trading.POsts.

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Hudson Bay Trading-Posts.
The trading and interior depot posts
of the company are strange, quaint
looking places, built according to a
general type. They stand generally
upon the second or lower bank OF some
navigable river or lake, so as to be
easily accessible to the boats which an
nualiy visit them with supplies. A
trading-post is invariably a square, in
closed by immense trees or pickets, one
end sunk deeply in the ground, and
placed close together. 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 danger from arrow or
bullet. At the four corners are bastions,
octagonal in shape, pierced with en-
brasures, to lead the Indians to be-
ieve in the existence of cannon, and in
tended to strike terror to any red
skinned rebel hold enough to dispute
the supremacy of the Company. The
entrance to the stockade is closed by
two massive gates, an inner and an
outer one. In the center of the square
stands the residence of the factor or
trader in charge, and of the upper class
of employees. while about its four sides,
close to the stockade, are ranged the
trading store, the fur-room, the ware
houses, servants quarters, etc. Beside
the larger dwelling rises tall flagstaff,
bearing the flag Of the Company, with
it's strange device. "PrO pelle cattem -
skin for skin-and near by bell tower,
the tones from which mark the hours
of labor and rest. In front of the gate
lounge few half-breeds or Indians in
tasseled cap and dirty white capote, or
tattered blankets. A band of horses
Craze in distant meadow, while nearer
by few leather tepees, or bark lodges,
from the frilled poles of which the
smoxe curls lszily, indicate the home of
the aboriginal hanger-on, At one side
of the palisade few rude crosses or
wooden ratings, stained by rain and
snow-drift, and blown over by the
tempest, mark the last resting-places of
the dead.
The trade-rooms at all the posts are
arranged with strict reference to the
wants of the peculiar custom which
they attract. From the heavy joists of
the low ceiling depend twine, steel
traps, tin kettles, frying pans, etc.; on
various shelves are piled bales of cloth
of all colors, capotes, blankets, and
caps; and in smaller divisions are placed
files, scalping-knives, gun-screws, fints,
balls of Irvine, fire-steels, canoe-awls,
and glass beads of all colors and sizes.
Drawers in the counter contain needles,
pins, scissors, tish-hooks, thimbles, and
vermillion for painting canoes AMI
faces. On the floor is strewn q variety
of copper articles, from half a pint to
a gallon; and in one corner of the
room stand dozen traainggun and
beside them keg of powder and bag
of shot.
In some of the trade-rooms a small
space is rallied off by the counter
near the door, behind which the Indi-
ans stand to trade. Sometimes they
are confined to a separate apartment,
called the Indian-room, adjoining that
occupied by the traders, and business is
carried on through loop-hole commu-
nication between the two. In many of
the posts in the plain country the trade
room is cleverly contrived so as to pre-
vent q sudden rush of the Indians, the
approach from outside the pickets be-
ing through long, narrow passage, only
of sufficient width to admit of one In
dian at time, and bent at an acute
angle near the window at which the
trader stands. This precaution is
rendered necessary by the frantic de-
sire which sometimes seizes upon the
Indian to shoot the clerk, which he
might easily do were the passage
straight.
At most of the interior posts time
moves slowly, and change is almost un-
known. To-day is the same as 100
years ago. The list of goods ordered
from England for this year has exactly
the same items as that of 1779.
Strands, cotton, beads, and trading
guns are still the wants of the Indians,
and are still traded for musquash and
beaver?
The system of trade at the Company's
posts is entirely one of barter. Until
recent years money values were un-
known; but this medium of exchange
has gradually become familiar to the
Indians, and the almighty dollar is rap
idly asserting it's supremacy in savage
dom.-H. NJ. R0bi, SON, in Harper's
Magazine.