ONE of the boldest and most successful of early navigators was the celebrated Henry Hudson, discoverer of that vest inland sea now known by the name of Hudson Bay.
He first distinguished himself by making three attempts to reach China by the Arctic seas to the north of Europe; but on each occasion the solid ice arrested his progress, and at last he was convinced that a north-eastern passage did not exist. The correctness of this judgment has been established by the more accurate knowledge of these dreary regions which we now possess. Baffled in that direction, Hudson resolved to pursue his explorations in another quarter, and crossed the Atlantic to America, where, with most insignificant means, his skill and daring were destined to achieve the greatest results.
He sailed along the coast of North America, and at length was rewarded for his toils by the discovery of the bay on which New York stands, and of the magnificent river which, as he was the first to explore it, has since borne his name-the Hudson.
Soon afterwards he returned to England, and obtained the command of a vessel of fifty-five tons burden, manned by twenty-three men, and victualled for six months. In this humble craft he set sail in 1610 on what proved to be his last voyage. After touching at the Orkney Islands, and at Iceland, - where he saw Mount Hecla in violent eruption in the midst of perpetual snows, -Hudson passed the south of Greenland and reached the strait which now bears his name. Here, in addition to the ordinary difficulties and dangers of navigation among the ice, he had to struggle against a mutiny among his crew; but, in spite of all, this intrepid explorer boldly pushedon till his vessel ploughed the waters of that great inland sea now known as Hudson Bay.
He did not know for a long time that it was a bay, but indulged the hope that he had discovered what he had so long sought-a passage by the north-west to China. Indeed the extent of its surface amply justified this expectation, since, with the exception of the Mediterranean, it is the largest inland sea in the world.
Here he was obliged to pass the winter. It is impossible to describe the hardships which the men endured. Notwithstanding all the birds, fishes, and animals serviceable for food which they could succeed in catching, they were always in dread of starvation.
When the ice broke up, Hudson prepared for the homeward voyage. The last ration of bread was dealt out to the crew on the day of their setting sail. A report that their commander had concealed a quantity of bread for his own use was readily believed by his famishing men, and a mutiny broke out.
Having put their captain, together with the sick and thefrost-maimed, into the shallop,the crew cast the boat adrift
with its hapless freight, and stood out to sea. Doubtless, Hudson and his miserable companions found a grave in the great inland sea which he had discovered; for the boat was never seen or heard of more.
Two days after the mutineers had sailed, they encountered a violent storm, and for fourteen days were in the greatest danger from the ice. That storm was probably fatal to their intrepid commander and his forlorn party, who may thus have escaped a still more terrible death from want and exposure. Just retribution overtook the guilty mutineers. Not one of the ringleaders lived to reach the land; and the rest gained the shore only after suffering the most awful extremities of famine.
None of them were ever brought to trial for their misdeeds; - probably because those who were deepest in guilt had already paid the penalty of their crime.
Sixty years after the death of Hudson, a Company wasformed in London, under the direction of Prince Rupert, for the purpose of prosecuting the fur trade in the regions surrounding Hudson Bay.
The first fort established by the Company was near the head of James Bay. Soon afterwards several others were built, in different parts of the country; and before long the Company spread and grew wealthy, and eventually extended their trade far beyond the chartered limits.
Imagine an immense extent of country, many hundred miles broad and many hundred miles long, covered with dense forests, expanded lakes, broad rivers, wide prairies, dreary swamps, and mighty mountains; and all in a state of primeval simplicity-undefaced by the axe of civilized man, anduntenanted by aught save a few roving hordesof Red Indiansand myriads of wild animals. Imagine amid this wilderness a number of small squares, each enclosing half-a-dozen wooden houses and about a dozen men, and between each of these establishments a space of forest varying from fifty to three hundred miles in length; and you will have a pretty correct idea of the Hudson Bay Territory, and of the number of its forts, and the distance between them. If Great Britain were converted into a wilderness and placed in the middle ofRupert"s land,three forts would be built in it-one at theLand"s End, one in Wales, and one in the Highlands; so that inBritain there would be but three hamlets, with a population of some thirty men, half-a-dozen women, and a few children! The Company"s posts extended, with these intervals between them, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, and from within the Arctic Circle to the northern boundaries of the United States.
The country was divided into four large departments; again divided into districts, each under the direction of an influential officer; and these were subdivided into numerous establishments, forts, posts, and outposts.
A FORT IN HUDSON BAY TERRITORY
The name of fort was given to all the posts in the country, but the only two that are real, bond fide forts, are Fort Garry and the Stone Fort, in the colony of Red River, which are surrounded by stone walls with bastions at the corners. The others are merely defended by wooden pickets or stockades; and a few, where the Indians are quiet and harmless, areentirely destitute of defence of any kind. Some of the chief posts have a complement of about thirty or forty men; but most of them have only ten, five, four, or even two , besides the gentleman in charge.
The trade carried on in this desolate region is in peltries of all sorts: oil, dried and salted fish, feathers, quills, and ivory.
The most valuable of the furs which it produces is that of the black fox . This beautiful animal resembles in shape the common fox of England, but it is much larger, and jet black, with the exception of one or two white hairs along the back bone and a pure white tuft on the end of the tail. A single skin sometimes brings from twenty-five to thirty pounds in the British market!but-they are very scarce.
Beaver, in days of yore, was the staple fur of the Territory;but, alas! the silk hat has given it its death-blow. The most profitable fur in the country is that of the marten. It somewhat resembles the Russian sable, and generally maintains a steady price. These animals, moreover, are very numerous, particularly in the region of Mackenzie River, whence great numbers of skins are annually sent to England.
Trade is carried on with the natives by means of a standard valuation, called in some parts of the country a castor . This is to obviate the necessity of circulating money, of which there is little or none, excepting in the colony of Red River. Probably a trader tells an Indian, after looking over his furs, that he has got fifty or sixty castors; at the same time he hands to him fifty or sixty little bits of wood in lieu of cash, so that the latter may know, by returning these in payment of the goods for which he really exchanges his skins, how fast his funds decrease. Having selected the blankets, knives, and other articles which he wishes to purchase, to the extent that his wooden money will admit of, he packs up his goods and departs to show his treasures to his wife. The value of a castor is from one to two shillings. The natives generally visit the trading establishmentstwice a year;-once in October, when they bring in the produce of their autumn hunts; and again in March, when they come in with that of the great winter hunt.
The number of castors that an Indian makes in a winter hunt varies from fifty to two hundred, according to his perseverance and activity, and the part of the country in which he hunts. The largest amount I ever heard of made by one man, was two hundred and sixty castors. The poor fellow was soon afterwards poisoned by his relatives, who were jealous of his superior abilities as a hunter, and envious of the favour shown him by the white men.
After the furs are collected in spring at all the different out-posts, they are packed in conveniently-sized bales,and forwarded, by means of boats and canoes, to the depots on the sea-coast, whence they are transported to England. The whole country in summer is, consequently, in commotion with the passing and repassing of brigades of boats laden with bales of merchandise and furs; the still waters of the lakes and rivers are rippled by the paddle and the oar; and the long silent echoes, which have slumbered in the icy embrace of a dreary winter, are now once more awakened by the merry voice and tuneful song of the hardy voyageur .- R. M. BALLANTINEQUESTIONSFrom whom is Hudson Bay named? How did Hudson first distinguish himself? In what year did he set out on his last voyage? What places did he touch at on his way to America? What did he suppose Hudson Bay to be? From what did his crew suffer during the winter? What did they do on the homeward voyage? Why were not the survivors brought to trial? When was the Hudson"s Bay Company established? Where was their first fort built? How many stations would be built in an area equal to Great Britain? In what articles did the Company trade? Which is the most valuable fur? Which used to be the staple? Why has it gone down? Which is the most profitable fur? What is a castor? How many castors does an Indian usually make in a winter hunt?
