Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-12-28

OUO were Drought TO EQmOuUOu,
0.W Alberta. from the north coun-
try and trans-shipped to Lon
don, PRrfs, st. Petersburg, New York
and Boston to supply half the world
eventually. Three great companies
sent In furs valued at $625.000. while
independent traders brought in the
balance The catch of fox furs was
especially large. There are several
silver fox skins appraised from $3.50
to $1.500. Experienced trappers have
this year made from $1,000 to $4,000
on the average.
Scattered the length and breath of
the great lone land of northern Can
ada and along the lonely coast of Lab
rador at Cartwright. Rigolet, and
even to Davis inlet. and still again
about the shores of Hudson bay, re-
fined and intelligent Scotch, English
and Canadian families live. taking
charge of the lone trading posts of
the oldest trust In the world "a
Round about them stretches the
wilderness. North of Cartwright. in
fact and almost at that place itself.
there is not even a tree of trunk
thicker than a sapling's to comfort
the eye, for II Is beyond the tree line,
Outside, about the post, in the winter
nights. the wolves come and howl and
the call of the wild is answered by
the yelp of the Eskimo dog, who is
not a dog at all but species. Of
wolf. 81
Ship Long Awaited by Exiies.
= ,Off to one side Is the humble men g
house. There some Indians, or Eski
mo-. or half breed trappers for the
company, who have come in with the
load. of fur, make merry. In the little
whitewashed home, before the twig
fire. the factor and his wife gather
and read and write letters. each one
long. long letter. volume almost. to
which they add as fancy dictates, for
It cannot go until the passage "Opens
In the spring, And then. in the fac
tors home. and in the mems house,
both. they look for the coming of the
company shin from England
What wealth of good things. what
novelties. what dire necessities will
not relatives send. or else more pro.
sale traders ship them. What sur
prises will there be in storel And
what has the world done in all the
long months since they lost ear of it?
So. like the return of the Mayflower.
the exiles speculate. night upon night.
When the ship drops into the har-
bor. however. it is to unload as rap
idly as possible the supplies for fac.
tor and employees, the things to trade
with the Eskimo and objects Indians
and half breeds covet And mean
while they take aboard the furs. 1t
is a perpetual call of Hurry" and
of '.Hasten!' for the summer is short
and they must make the round of the
posts before the passage closes with
the ice. or they will be frozen in
Out in the harbor where the ship
drops anchor there is the small gray
schooner of the factor to catch the
eye 1t Hies dark blue flag. with
yellow crescent moon. the crescent
filled in. then with red, or behind
several low wooded hills circle about
the hamlet, Several neat frames are
scattered about and one sees a single
main white painted building. This
wears quaint shingle roof sloping
to either side. much like a barn In
Ohio. Skiffs lie about outside; two
or three other, white structures are
hidden from view behind 1t. Again
reflected on the leaden sea is the resi-
dence of the factor or agent.
It is icy and drear and lonely here
and one is glad to get ashore. First.
OF course visitors must peep into the
warehouse for furs. killed In the early
spring, and awaiting shipment to Lon
don II seems just long shed with
an aisle down its length. and with
barrels to right and 70 left, four high
Some OF the barrels are bound with
iron hoops. others with hoops or
birch Brooms stand gathered in
corner, for trading to the trappers.
bundle OF withes lies at hand for
working into future hoops Salt is
scattered about the floor in lieu OF
sawdust
Beyond this hut. to right and left OF
the path. what seem wigwams bu:
what really are tree trunks thin as
poles stacked together, rise, the Hrs