The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1879-06-17
HUDSON BAY TRADING POSTS.

Of the company are strange. qusin.>
looking places. bull, according to Q
general type. They stand generally
upon the second or lower bank of some
navigable river or lake, so ss to be
easily accessible TO the boats which an.
nuslly visit them with supplies. A trad
ing post is invariably . square. inclossd
by immense trees or pickets, one end
sunk deeply in the ground, and placed
close together. A platform about the
hight Of An ordinary man is carried
along the inner side Of the square. so as
to enable any one TO peer over without
danger from arrows or bullets. At the
four corners are bsstions, octsg onal in
shspe, pierced withsembrazures. to lead
the Indians 20 believe the existence of
cannon, and intended to strike terror to
any rsd-skinned rebel bold enough to
dispute the supremacy Of the company.
The entrance 10 the stockade is closed
by two massive gates. an inner one and
aD outer ons In the center OF the
square stands the residence Of the fac
tor or trader in charge, aud Of the up
per class Of employees. while about it's
four sides, close to the stockade, are
ranged the trading store, the fur room,
the warehouses. servants quarters, etc
Beside the larger dwelling arI.es . tall
flag staff, bearing the flag Of the com
pany, with ITS strange device. PRO
pelle cuten"-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 q few half
breeds or Indians in issseled caps and
dirty white capote. or tsttered bl.nk,t :.
A band of horses Craze in . distant
meadow, while nearer by a few feather
tepees. or bsrk lodges. from the frilled
poles of which the smoke curls lazily,
indicate the home Of the origina. hanger
on. AT one side of the palisade few
rude crosses or wooden rsilings, stained
by rein aud snow drift. and blown over
by the tempest. mark the 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 joist Of the
ceiling depend tAine. steel-trnps. TN
kettles, frying pans. etc: ON various
shelves are piled bales of cloth of all
colors. capotes. blankets aud caps; and
in smaller division, are placed files,
scalping knives, gun screws, hints, balls
Of twine. FIRE stcels. canoe avis, and
glass beads # all colors and sizes
Drawers in the cunt r. contain needles
pins. scissors. fish hooks. thimbles and
vermilliOn for painting canoes and
faces. Gu the floor is strewn variety
of copper kettles, from half = pint to q
gallon. aud in one corner of the room
stands dozen trading guns. and beside
them Q keg Of powder and . bag of
shot.
In some of the trade rooms . small
space is rallied Oft by the counter near
the door, behind which the Indian
stands to trade. Sometimes lthey are
confined to a separate apartment. called
the Indian trade room. adjoining that
occupied by the traders. and business is
carried on through q loopho!e commu-
nicating between the two. In many Of
the posts in the plain country the trade
room is cleverly contrived so ss TO pre-
vent . sudden rush Of the Indians, the
approach from outside the pickets being
through long narrow passage. only of
sufficient width to admit OF one Indian
ut time. aud bent at an acute angle
near the window at which the trader
stands. This precaution is rendered
necessary by the frantic desire which
sometimes seizes upon the Indian to
shoot the clerk, which he might easily
do were the passage straight
At most of tho interior posts time
moves slowly. and change 10 almost un-
known. Today is the same as hun>
dred years ago. The list Of goods Or
dered from England for this year has
exactly the same items o. that of 1870.
Strauds. cotton. beads and trading guns
are still wanted by the Indians. and are
still traded for musqussh and beaver.
The system Of trsdc at::the company's
post 10 entirely one Of barter. Until
recent years (money values were un-
known; tut this medium of exchange
has gradually become familiar to the
Indians, and the almighty dollar is
rapidly asserting its supremacy 10 saw