Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1879-06-11
Hudson Bay Trading Post.

quaint-looking places built accord
lag to the general type. They
stand generally upon the second
or lower bank of some navigable
river or lake, so as to be accessible
TO the boats which annually visit
them with supplies. A trading post
is invariably square, inclosed 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 peer over without dan
ger from arrow or bullet. At the
four corners are bastions, oc-
tagonal in shape, pierced with EN-
brasures, to lead the Indians to be-
lieve in the existence of cannon,
and intended to strike terror to
red-skinned rebel bold enough to
dispute the supremacy of the COM
pany. The entrance to the stock
ade is closed by two massive gates,
an inner and an outer one. In
the centre Of the square stands the
residence of the factor or trader in
charge, and of the upper class of
employees, while about four sides,
close to the stockade, the trading
store, the fur room, the warehouses,
servants quarters, etc. Beside the
large dwelling rises atall flagstaff,
bearing the flag of the company,
with its strange device, "Pro peHe
cutem"-skin for skin and near
bell tower, the tones from which
mark the hours of labors and rest.
In front of the gate lounge a few
half-breeds or Indians in tasselled
cap and dirty white capote or tat
tered blankets. A band of horses
Craze in q distant meadow, while
nearer by a few leather tepees, or
bark lodges from the frilled poles
of which the smoke curls lazily,
indicate the home of the aborigin-
al hangers-on. At one side of the
palisade a few rude crosses or
wooden ratings, stained by rain
and snowdrift, and blown over by
the tempest, marked the resting
place 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 jois;s of the low ceiling de-
pend Irvine, steel traps, kettles,
frying pans, etc.; various shelves
are piled bales of cloth of all
colors, capotes, blankets and caps !;
and in smaller divisions are placed
files, sca!ping knives, gun screws.
flint, balls of Irvine, fire steel,
canoe avis and glass beads of all
colors and sizes. Drawers in the
counter contain needles, pins, scis-
sors, fish hooks thimbles and ver-
million for painting canoes and
faces. On the floor is strewn n
variety of copper kettles, from
half pint to a gallon; and in one
corner Of the room stand dozen
trading guns, and beside them a
keg of powder an bag of shot.
In some of the trade rooms a
small room is rallied off by the
counter near the door, behind
which the Indians stand to trade.
Sometimes they are confined 10 n
separate apartment, called the In
dian room, adjoining that occupied
by the traders, and business is car
ried on through a loop-hole com
municating between the two, In
many of the posts in the plain
country the trade room is cleverly
contrived so rs to prevent q sud-
den rush of Indians, the approach
from outside the pickets being
through long narrow passage, only
of sufficient width to admit of one
Indian at time, and bent at an
acute angle near the window at
which the trader stands. This
precaution is rendered necessary
by the frantic desire which some
times seizes upon the Indian to
shoot the clerk, which he might do
easily were the passage straight.
At most of the interior posts time
moves slowly, and change is almost
unknown. To-day is the same as
a hundred years ago. The list of
goods ordered from England for
this year has exactly the same
items as that of 17I9. Strands,