Willmar tribune., 1909-11-10
HILE America has just
n finished celebrating the
NA/ tercentenary of Henry
v Hudson, whose name it

NV tercentenary of Henry
v Hudson, whose name it
has immortalized In
the Hudson river it is interesting to
remember thst Canada, too, has
permanent monument to his memory
in the shape of Hudson's Bay, the Mec-
ca Of the fur-hunter The geographic
cal position of Canada causes it, to.
gether with Siberia, to be the chief
fur-producing country in the world,
for the wild beasts there are endowed
by nature with the richest furs as pro-
lection against the extreme cold, and
HudSon's Bay is the true center Of the
fur hunting-grounds, whence the hunt
ers start, and whittier they return with
their precious spoils. We shall see in
this article what immense resources
are necessary, both in men and ma
terial, and what dangers and hard
ships have to be undergone to obtain
these furs, the high price of which is
thus naturally explained.
During the long winter months Hud.
sons Bay, which only communicates
with the open sea by the long Hudson
Strait to the north of Labrador, is cut
off from the world; for this reason
Revillon Freres have created towards
the most central part of the bay, in the
Strutton islands, vast depot, where
two steamers of their fleet bring
huge quantities of every descrip-
tion of stores at the beginning
of each summer, making their
way through the drift-ice from Mon
treal to James Bay, and, arrived there,
rapidly unloading their cargo. Once
their spacious holds are emptied. they
are reloaded with the precious furs,
brought from all the posts dotted
along the bay, and commence their
return voyage to Montreal before the
ice closes the only maritime route.
The grand depot at James Bay com.
municates with the posts by small
steamships, such as the Violette and
the steam-schooner Pourvoyeuse,
whilst sailing barges of a bout ten tons
are attached to the various posts, af-
fording a means of communication
along the coasts or up the rivers to
the secondary posts and outposts. The
chief posts are called base posts, and
here are concentrated all the provis-
ions for the ordinary posts, all their
accounts and their collections of skins,
feathers, oils, walrus teeth (vory),
etc. The ordinary posts, installed
further inland, serve as go-betweens
for the base posts, and the outposts.
or flying posts, opened temporarily
under the direction of a half-breed OF
an Indian, establish direct contact
with the hunters and trappers.
The European agents, located at the
base posts or in the ordinary posts
usually remain for three years In the
solitudes. The climate is healthy, al
though very severe in the winter, and
sickness is rare. Under the orders ol
this staff are numerous auxiliaries
either Canadians (the old wood-ran
gers) or natives, half-breeds, Indians
and Eskimos.
The ranger is gradually disappear
ing. this wandering, exciting and en-
tirely independent life, with It's per
petual struggle against the elements
wild beasts and men, no longer tempt
ing the bolder and more adventurous
spirits. They are succeeded by theil
children, however, who are half
breeds, and are more intelligent thar
the Indians. These are usefully EN-
ployed in the posts, or even take
charge occasionally Of an outpost. VI
to the fiftieth degree of latitude nortt
that is to say, the southern limit o.
Hudson's Bay-an abundant supply
of furs is brought to the posts by the
Indians. They are cunning hunters
but, unfortunately, often lazy, anG
suffer much from the ravages of con
sumption, to which their degenerate
frames oppose but poor resistance
The game, of course, varies, as th'
Indian either hunts the woods OF
foot or the rivers in the canoe; tn
sable, mink, ermine, fisher, red ant
silver fox, lynx, wolf, beaver, mus
ouash, otter, bear, wolverine, elk ant