The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-08-28
THE NORTHERN FUR TRADE.
Hard Life of the Hudson Bay Compa-
ny Voyageurs.

Hard Life Of the Hudson Bay Compa-
ny Voyageurs.
The quantity and value of the furs
| which an Indian may secure as the re-
suit of his spring hunt varies greatly
of course but in a good year from two
hundred to three hundred dollars may
be taken as fair average. He may
have eight or ten bears, dozen beav-
ers, four or five offers, number of
| lynXes, martens and minks, and several
hundred musquash or muskrats
When all the hunters have come in the
furs are pressed into packs of a hun
dred pounds each and sent in York
boats to the frontier trails, over which
they are carried to the nearest railway
station to be shipped to London, Eng
land, where they are carefully sorted
and afterWard sold at the two great an
nual sales of the company in January
and March, which are attended by buy
ers from all parts of the world.
In the hard life of the voyageur there
| are ever present the elements of danger
and excitement. With the first glance
OF dawn the guide shouts his warming
'Leve! Leve" and the men spring from
their blankets, pack their camp outfit
into the boats and are off. Six oars go
to boat, one to man, besides a
sweep in the hands of both bow and
steersman. The oars are large and
heavy, and the powers rise to their feet
and sink back on to their seats with
each long stroke. At eight O'Clock they
put ashore for breakfast. and about
noon another halt is made; then they
go on until night falls, when they stop
for the day, eat their supper and throw
themselves on the ground for a few
hours rest. / have been told by voy-
ageurs that they have been so tired at
night that they We're unable to eat and
have flung themselves down on the
nearest level spot, without SO much as
removing their coats or snatching
blanket, and slept the sleep of dead
WEAKNESS until reused at daybreak by
the cry of the guide,
Fifteen to twenty miles Is perhaps an
average days journey; much depends
upon the water. In some, places rapids
ora ,nrta,o,, ooorr ,,,;+h av,soarotirg
froc,,o,,n,,. l., o+harc +ho s+raor, ie
,,,,>',1 ,,7 49,, ,a +,,oro Il, u++la
s,,x.,o,,4 ,ai,, l., ,a,as,ixs,r ,,lro ,,,;+h
,,a,,t1- ,.,,,,a III, 10 ,,,o,,a a,a
~ ror,o,s ,,a,,a ,,o1oo,,,a rost. while
t., ,.,,.t,,7o ,a,1ia oro,,,,5 ,,,hto,, ~ ,s
unnecessary or impossible to portage
.4,, - H., e., ~, ,,at 80 TX
,,.a,s,,,,,- ,oo.-i,. a,,,,, ~, a+aors-
49, 60 u. - -,
70 GO y, ~. MI 49, ,,,a,,
g. 49, ,s,,,- ~, tar ~,
~ +,u,,+ Aaoia,,,+ oo,,,-
No., 4 Nal, ~ ovarbanging ico fo,,r
or Ave- feot thick left nv the snring
aood ,,,oy fal, mon man as he mass
DC honoatb II and crush ont his life
e,,ada,, access If force in the current as
tho Not Wounds q hand nav Jerk the
t,oc,yo,r from thair feat and info the
i've, ord Some NAV not ,at o,t AGAIN
~, ~ ha.t ,,o, dr,ft mo, q rock
sn,,s,, - ato,,s and tho cargo and the
~, -, bar No ,ost
p,,t ,ortoo,,,o Il. +bo hardest work
yybich comes IA fine yOvageIlr for some
+i,,,o. i /, ,acossor,, "a drag the heavy
Wi, boot ond "a Garry bar load of folr
-, g. ta,, o,,or , ro,,gb rookv no,nt q
,,,;ia l., ,,,idt, nor+age stran il fast
,, - LII ,,,,ioaa,, af about ono h,n.
~ ,,,as. o,o+bor ,iaca nerbens
~ ,9,,,,,a 80, +t;s ,,d With tho
49, IT. fo,o,,e,a ,,,;+b borod
- ,., -. f+ox ,,.r
row PAIN DG0ealn Is SUll anu udlllp WALL
human sweat. They are glad when the