THE ADVENTURER'S PARADISE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 6, 1 July 1911, Page 10

THE ADVENTURER'S PARADISE.

TIIK ROMANCE AND HISTORY OF HUDSON'S BAY. There is an enormous territory in America along which the Red Man still roams, wh'M'c deeds of derring-do are plentiful, and where, the most adventurous may follow lives such as are read in boys' story books. This is in the Northland of Canada, many days' journey from the nearest railway, in lands of snow and ice. It is a land of mystery, enormous stretches of which have seldom been penetrated even by the most hardy of adventurers, a land of secrecy and iracany silence. Even in Canada itself little is known of the mysterious Northland and its inhabitants. True, the lower portion is fairly well known, as agriculture is gradually extending further northwards; silowly wheat, timber and minerals are attracting numbers or settlers, and slowly the little trading posts are changing into general stores, and the few huts into towns.

vlver this enormous territory there still rules the most remarkable company the world Ims ever known, the Hudson Bay Company, which was established so long ago. This mighty company actually dates from IU7O, when it was founded by l'riiu'i! Rupert and seventeen noblemen and gentlemen for the purpose of importing into England the furs and skins obtained by barter from the In mans of North America. Tho company was practically omnipotent over the vast, iil-dcfiiicd territory, comprising all the regions discovered, or to be discovered, wnich drained into Hudson Bay or Hudson Hay Strait.

Practically .speaking, the hinds over which the company holds sway form an enormous game preserve', the vastest in the world. It has been so for hundreds of years, and it is so to-day.

The Rules and Regulations of the liud-s-on Hay Company form the code of laws in force over the enormous territory, which practically is exempt lrom the sway of the Canadian authorities. While the territory is a portion of (.'anada, of course, in practice the whole of the trade is done, with JUigland.

The territory under the sway of the company is so vast that only one portion may be dealt with here, that of Hudson's Bay itself. There are 'ten principal forts, at the head of each of which is a factor, and the whole business is organised in a wonderfully complete maimer'. The factors rule the Indians, sending them on long trapping journeys. The domination of the Indians by a handful of white traders is now one of the, wonders of civilisation. In fact, every Indian, man, woman or child, is under the direct control of tho factors.

It is possible thnre to l)iiy ,silver-fox skins which cost less than £2 each, although a single skin recently realised at the London fur sales as much as £SOO. The furs are obtained by the natives, who then take them to the nearest fort. Here they are, paid in kind at a fixed rate. The prices paid for the pells vary according to the quality, but then the Indian will be content with a packet of needles or a few beads for marten skins worth £6 to £S. A couple of pounds of common gunpowder is paid for red, white a-tid blue fox .skins. A few pounds of shot will liny minx skins worth £'2 or £2 10s.

Those on the spot who have gone into the figures have stated that the corapaay actually make a. profit of over MO per cent, on the turnover of the stock. There is a reason for the poor prices paid to the Indians, as if they received bijj sums they would settle down to a life of case, and would not undergo the rigors necessary to obtain the furs. Almost complete mystery envelops the operations of the concern. The white men who live there are servants of the company, who have served there all their lives, joining as apprentices and passing on until they are promoted factors. They are all practically member, of a great 'ccref. society, if they work soliWor the company, and never divukflh^