Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-05-23
Hudson Bay Trading Posts.

The trading and interior depot posts
of the Company are strange, quaint
looking places, built according to q
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
nually 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 bas-
tions, octagonal in shape, pierced with
embrasures, to lead the Indians to be-
lieve in the existence of cannon, and
intended to strike terror to any red
skinned rebel bold 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
warehouses, servants quarters, etc.
Beside the larger dwelling rises a tall
flagstaff, bearing the flag of the Com
pany, with its strange devise, PRO
pelle cutem' m'-skin for skin-and near
by a bell tower, 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 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 smoke curls lazily, indicate
the home of the aboriginal hanger-on.
At one side of the palesade a few rude
crosses or wooden railings, stained by
rain and snow-drift, and blown over by
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, flints, balls of twine, fire steels,
canoe avis, and glass beads of all
colors and sizes. Drawers in the
counter contain needles, pins, scissors,
ish-hooks, thimbles, and vermilion for
painting canoes and faces. On the
floor is strewn a variety of copper ket-
ties, from half pint to a gallon; and
in one corner of the room stand dozen
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 Indians
stand to trade. Sometimes they are
confined to separate apartment, called
the Indian-room, adjoining that occu-
pied by the traders, and business is
carried on through loop-hole COM
between the two. In many
of the posts in the plain country the
is cleverly cOntrived so as
to prevent a sudden rush of the In
dians, the approach from outside the
pickets being through a long narrow
passage, only of sufficient width to adj
NIT of one Indian at time, and bent
at an acute angle near the window at
which the trader stands. This precau-
ton 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 the interior posts time
moves slowly, and change is almost
unknown. To-day is the same as
hundred years ago. The list of goods
ordered from England for this year has
exactly the same items as that of 1879.
cottons, 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 In
dians, and the almighty dollar is rapid
ly asserting its supremacy in savage
dom.-H. NJ. Robinson, in Harper'S
Magazine tor June.