For Example; Brandy (English), One Gallon,
Four Beavers.
Vermilion, one and a half ounces, one beaver; and combs,
egg-boxes, files, glasses, goggles, handkerchiefs, hats (laced), hawk-
bells, rings, scissors, spoons, shirts, shoes, stockings, and thimbles.
The factors were accused of imposing upon the Indians by using
defective weights and measures; and it was said that the doubtful
profit thus made, in opposition to the standards sent out from England,
was called the "overplus-trade."
In the year 1748, the forts and settlements of the Hudson's Bay Company
"in the Bay" were: -
Latitude
Moose Fort 51 28
Henley House, or Fort 52
The East Main House 52 10
Albany Fort 52 18
York Fort 57 10
Prince of Wales' Fort 59
This limited occupation contrasts in a marked manner with the area of
posts, all over the continent, at this later date; see a list at pp.
222-226, and a map in front of this volume.
The skins and other articles imported, and sold at the Company's
warehouse, in the City of London, by the "inch of candle" - a mode of
auction common in those days (under which the bidding went on till the
inch of lighted wax, candle went out) - fluctuated in the ten years
between the years 1739 and 1748 very much. In that period the highest
and lowest prices were for: -
"Ivory" only appears once, viz. in the sale of 1738-9. This article may
have been, simply, bones of the whale; and "whale oil" only appears
four times in the ten years quoted.
The report of Lord Strange's Committee quotes many quaint and solid
instructions, as well in times of war as of peace, to the governors and
agents on the Bay. A letter from London, dated 10th May, 1744, says,
"The English and French having declared war against each other, and the
war with Spain still continuing, we do hereby strictly direct you to be
always on your guard and to keep a good watch; and that you keep all
your men as near home as possible. We do hereby further direct that you
cut away all trees, hedges, bushes, &c., or any other cover for an
enemy; and lay all level and open round the factory, further than
cannon shot, which we compute to be a mile; in order to hinder the
enemy from attacking you unawares, and from being sheltered from the
factory's guns. But you are to keep up, and repair, your palisadoes,
for your defence." ... "You are to fire point blank upon any ship,
sloop, or vessel that shall come near the factory, unless they make the
true signal, and answer yours. The letter proceeds to offer 30l.
to the widow or children of any man killed in defence of the factory;
to every one who should lose a leg, or an arm, 30l. Compensation
to men receiving smaller wounds; and especial reward to such of the
"chiefs, officers, and common men" as might specially distinguish
themselves.
The 18th paragraph of this remarkable letter says: "In case you are
attacked at Henley House, and, notwithstanding a vigorous resistance,
you should have the misfortune to be overpowered, then you are to nail
up the cannon, blow up the house, and destroy everything that can be of
service to the enemy, and make the best retreat you can to the
factory."
Grand old London merchants, these!
CHAPTER XIII.
The Hudson's Bay Posts - to-day.
In their Report of 28th June, 1872, the Governor and Committee report
the details of the varied posts from Ocean to Ocean of the Hudson's Bay
Company, as follows: -
Statement of Land belonging to the HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY, exclusive
of their claim to one-twentieth of the Land set out for settlement in
the "Fertile Belt," or the district coloured green in the accompanying
Map [in front of this volume].
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
| | Acres
District | Post | of
| | Land
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
LAKE HURON | 1 | La Cloche | 6,400
TEMISCAMINQUE | 2 | Kakababeagino | 10
SUPERIOR | 3 | Long Lake | 10
UNITED STATES | 4 | Georgetown | 1,133
MANITOBA, or }| 5 | Fort Garry | 500
RED RIVER SETTLEMENT }| 6 | Lower Fort | 500
}| 7 | White Horse Plains | 500
MANITOBA LAKE | 8 | Oak Point | 50
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE | 9 | | 1,000
LAC LA PLUIE | 10 | Fort Alexander | 500
| 11 | Fort Frances | 500
| 12 | Eagles Nest | 20
| 13 | Big Island | 20
| 14 | Lac du Bennet | 20
| 15 | Rat Portage | 50
| 16 | Shoal Lake | 20
| 17 | Lake of the Woods | 50
| 18 | White Fish Lake | 20
| 19 | English River | 20
| 20 | Hungry Hall | 20
| 21 | Trout Lake | 20
| 22 | Clear Water Lake | 20
| 23 | Sandy Point | 20
SWAN RIVER | 24 | Fort Pelly | 3,000
| 25 | Fort Ellice | 3,000
| 26 | Qu'Appelle Lakes | 2,500
| 27 | Touchwood Hills | 500
| 28 | Shoal River | 50
| 29 | Manitobah | 50
| 30 | Fairford | 100
| | |
CUMBERLAND | 31 | Cumberland House | 100
| 32 | Fort la Corne | 3,000
| 33 | Pelican Lake | 50
| 34 | Moose Woods | 1,000
| 35 | The Pas | 25
| 36 | Moose Lake | 50
| 37 | Grand Rapid Portage | 100
| | |50 Acres
| | |at each
| | |end of
| | |Portage
SASKATCHEWAN | 38 | Edmonton House | 3,000
| 39 | Rocky Mountain House | 500
| 40 | Fort Victoria | 3,000
| 41 | St Paul | 3,000
| 42 | Fort Pitt | 3,000
| 43 | Battle River | 3,000
| 44 | Carlton House | 3,000
| 45 | Fort Albert | 3,000
| 46 | Whitefish Lake | 500
| 47 | Lac la Biche | 1,000
| 48 | Fort Assiniboine | 50
| 49 | Lesser Slave Lake | 500
| 50 | Lac St Anne | 500
| 51 | Lac la Nun | 500
| 52 | St Albert | 1,000
| 53 | Pigeon Lake | 100
| 54 | Old White Mud Fort | 50
| | |
ENGLISH RIVER | 55 | Isle a la Crosse | 50
| 56 | Rapid River | 5
| 57 | Portage da Loche | 20
| 58 | Green Lake | 100
| 59 | Cold Lake | 10
| 60 | Deers Lake | 5
| | |
YORK | 61 | York Factory | 100
| 62 | Churchill | 10
| 63 | Severn | 10
| 64 | Trout Lake | 10
| 65 | Oxford | 100
| 66 | Jackson's Bay | 10
| 67 | God's Lake | 10
| 68 | Island Lake | 10
| | |
NORWAY HOUSE | 69 | Norway House | 100
| 70 | Berens River | 25
| 71 | Grand Rapid | 10
| 72 | Nelson's River | 10
| | |
ALBANY 73 | Albany Factory | 100
| 74 | Martin's Falls | 10
| 75 | Osnaburg | 25
| 76 | Lac Seul | 500
| | |
EASE MAIN | 77 | Little Whale River | 50
| 78 | Great Whale River | 50
| 79 | Fort George | 25
| | |
MOOSE | 80 | Moose Factory | 100
| 81 | Hannah Bay | 10
| 82 | Abitibi | 10
| 83 | New Brunswick | 25
| | |
RUPERT'S RIVER | 84 | Rupert's House | 50
| 85 | Mistassing | 10
| 86 | Temiskamay | 10
| 87 | Woswonaby | 10
| 88 | Meehiskun | 10
| 89 | Pike Lake | 10
| 90 | Nitchequon | 10
| 91 | Kamapiscan | 10
| | |
KINOGUMISSEE | 92 | Matawagauinque | 50
| 93 | Kuckatoosh | 10
| | |
LABRADOR | 94 | Fort Nascopie | 75
| 95 | Outposts do.
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