| CHAPTER I. |
| THE FIRST VOYAGE FOR TRADE. | Page |
| Famous Companies—"The old lady of Fenchurch Street"—The first voyage—Radisson and Groseilliers—Spurious claim of the French of having reached the Bay—"Journal published by Prince Society"—The claim invalid—Early voyages of Radisson—The Frenchmen go to Boston—Cross over to England—Help from Royalty—Fiery Rupert—The King a stockholder—Many hitherto unpublished facts—Capt. Zachariah Gillam—Charles Fort built on Rupert River—The founder's fame | 1 |
| CHAPTER II. |
| HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY FOUNDED. |
| Royal charters—Good Queen Bess—"So miserable a wilderness"—Courtly stockholders—Correct spelling—"The nonsense of the Charters"—Mighty rivers—Lords of the territory—To execute justice—War on infidels—Power to seize—"Skin for skin"—Friends of the Red man | 12 |
| CHAPTER III. |
| METHODS OF TRADE. |
| Rich Mr. Portman—Good ship Prince Rupert—The early adventurers—"Book of Common Prayer"—Five forts—Voting a funeral—Worth of a beaver—To Hudson Bay and back—Selling the pelts—Bottles of sack—Fat dividends—"Victorious as CÆsar"—"Golden Fruit" | 20 |
| CHAPTER IV. |
| THREE GREAT GOVERNORS. |
| Men of high station—Prince Rupert primus—Prince James, "nemine contradicente"—The hero of the hour—Churchill River named—Plate of solid gold—Off to the tower | 27 |
| CHAPTER V. |
| TWO ADROIT ADVENTURERS. |
| Peter Radisson and "Mr. Gooseberry" again—Radisson v. Gillam—Back to France—A wife's influence—Paltry vessels—Radisson's diplomacy—Deserts to England—Shameful duplicity—"A hogshead of claret"—Adventurers appreciative—Twenty-five years of Radisson's life hitherto unknown—"In a low and mean condition"—The Company in Chancery—Lucky Radisson—A Company pensioner | 33 |
| CHAPTER VI. |
| FRENCH RIVALRY. |
| The golden lilies in danger—"To arrest Radisson"—The land called "Unknown"—A chain of claim—Imaginary pretensions—Chevalier de Troyes—The brave Lemoynes—Hudson Bay forts captured—A litigious governor—Laugh at treaties—The glory of France—Enormous claims—Consequential damages | 47 |
| CHAPTER VII. |
| RYSWICK AND UTRECHT. |
| The "Grand Monarque" humbled—Caught napping—The Company in peril—Glorious Utrecht—Forts restored—Damages to be considered—Commission useless | 56 |
| CHAPTER VIII. |
| DREAMS OF A NORTH-WEST PASSAGE. |
| Stock rises—Jealousy aroused—Arthur Dobbs, Esq.—An ingenious attack—Appeal to the "Old Worthies"—Captain Christopher Middleton—Was the Company in earnest? The sloop Furnace—Dobbs' fierce attack—The great subscription—Independent expedition—"Henry Ellis, gentleman"—"Without success"—Dobbs' real purpose | 61 |
| CHAPTER IX. |
| THE INTERESTING BLUE-BOOK OF 1749. |
| "Le roi est mort"—Royalty unfavourable—Earl of Halifax—"Company asleep"—Petition to Parliament—Neglected discovery—Timidity or caution—Strong "Prince of Wales"—Increase of stock—A timid witness—Claims of discovery—To make Indians Christians—Charge of disloyalty—New Company promises largely—Result nil | 70 |
| CHAPTER X. |
| FRENCH CANADIANS EXPLORE THE INTERIOR. |
| The "Western Sea"—Ardent Duluth—"Kaministiquia"—Indian boasting—PÈre Charlevoix—Father Gonor—The man of the hour:—Verendrye—Indian map-maker—The North Shore—A line of forts—The Assiniboine country—A notable manuscript—A marvellous journey—Glory, but not wealth—Post of the Western Sea | 78 |
| CHAPTER XI. |
| THE SCOTTISH MERCHANTS OF MONTREAL. |
| Unyielding old Cadot—Competition—The enterprising Henry—Leads the way—Thomas Curry—The elder Finlay—Plundering Indians—Grand Portage—A famous mart—The plucky Frobishers—The Sleeping Giant aroused—Fort Cumberland—Churchill River—Indian rising—The deadly smallpox—The whites saved | 92 |
| CHAPTER XII. |
| DISCOVERY OF THE COPPERMINE. |
| Samuel Hearne—"The Mungo Park of Canada"—Perouse complains—The North-West Passage—Indian guides—Two failures—Third journey successful—Smokes the calumet—Discovers Arctic Ocean—Cruelty to the Eskimos—Error in latitude—Remarkable Indian woman—Capture of Prince of Wales Fort—Criticism by Umfreville | 100 |
| CHAPTER XIII. |
| FORTS ON HUDSON BAY LEFT BEHIND. |
| Andrew Graham's "Memo."—Prince of Wales Fort—The garrison—Trade—York Factory—Furs—Albany—Subordinate forts—Moose—Moses Norton—Cumberland House—Upper Assiniboine—Rainy Lake—Brandon House—Red River—Conflict of the Companies | 109 |
| CHAPTER XIV. |
| THE NORTH-WEST COMPANY FORMED. |
| Hudson's Bay Company aggressive—The great McTavish—The Frobishers—Pond and Pangman dissatisfied—Gregory and McLeod—Strength of the North-West C
rderer's fate | 399 |
| CHAPTER XL. |
| FROM OREGON TO VANCOUVER ISLAND. |
| Fort Vancouver on American soil—Chief Factor Douglas chooses a new site—Young McLoughlin killed—Liquor selling prohibited—Dealing with the Songhies—A Jesuit father—Fort Victoria—Finlayson's skill—Chinook jargon—The brothers Ermatinger—A fur-trading Junius—"Fifty-four, forty, or fight"—Oregon Treaty—Hudson's Bay Company indemnified—The waggon road—A colony established—First governor—Gold fever—British Columbia—Fort Simpson—Hudson's Bay Company in the interior—The forts—A group of worthies—Service to Britain—The coast becomes Canadian | 408 |
| CHAPTER XLI. |
| PRO GLORIA DEI. |
| A vast region—First spiritual adviser—A locum tenens—Two French Canadian priests—St. Boniface founded—Missionary zeal in Mackenzie River district—Red River parishes—The great Archbishop TachÉ—John West—Archdeacon Cochrane, the founder—John McCallum—Bishop Anderson—English Missionary Societies—Archbishop Machray—Indian Missions—John Black, the Presbyterian apostle—Methodist Missions on Lake Winnipeg—The Cree syllabic—Chaplain Staines—Bishop Bridge—Missionary Duncan—Metlakahtla—Roman Catholic coast missions—Church of England bishop—Diocese of New Westminster—Dr. Evans—Robert Jamieson—Education | 420 |
| CHAPTER XLII. |
| THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY AND THE INDIANS. |
| Company's Indian policy—Character of officers—A race of hunters—Plan of advances—Charges against the Company—Liquor restriction—Capital punishment—Starving Indians—Diseased and helpless—Education and religion—The age of missions—Sturdy Saulteaux—The Muskegons—Wood Crees—Wandering Plain Crees—The Chipewyans—Wild Assiniboines—Blackfoot Indians—Polyglot coast tribes—Eskimos—No Indian war—No police—Pliable and docile—Success of the Company | 431 |
| CHAPTER XLIII. |
UNREST IN RUPERT'S LAND.
1844-1869. |
| Discontent on Red River—Queries to the Governor—A courageous Recorder—Free Trade in furs held illegal—Imprisonment—New land deed—Enormous freights—Petty revenge—Turbulent pensioners—Heart burnings—Heroic Isbister—Half-breed memorial—Mr. Beaver's letter—Hudson's Bay Company notified—Lord Elgin's reply—Voluminous correspondence—Company's full answer—Colonel Crofton's statement—Major Caldwell, a partisan—French petition—Nearly a thousand signatures—Love, a factor—The elder Riel—A court scene—Violence—"Vive la libertÉ!"—The Recorder checked—A new judge—Unruly Corbett—The prison broken—Another rescue—A valiant doctor—A Red River Nestor | 438 |
| CHAPTER XLIV. |
| CANADA COVETS THE HUDSON'S BAY TERRITORY. |
| Renewal of licence—Labouchere's letter—Canada claims to Pacific Ocean—Commissioner Chief-Justice Draper—Rests on Quebec Act, 1774—Quebec overlaps Indian territories—Company loses Vancouver Island—Cauchon's memorandum—Committee of 1857—Company on trial—A brilliant committee—Four hundred folios of evidence—To transfer Red River and Saskatchewan—Death of Sir George—Governor Dallas—A cunning scheme—Secret negotiations—The Watkin Company floated—Angry winterers—Dallas's soothing circular—The old order still—Ermatinger's letters—McDougall's resolutions—Cartier and McDougall as delegates—Company accepts the terms | 448 |
| CHAPTER XLV. |
| TROUBLES OF THE TRANSFER OF RUPERT'S LAND. |
| Transfer Act passed—A moribund Government—The Canadian surveying party—Causes of the rebellion—Turbulent Metis—American interference—Disloyal ecclesiastics—"Governor" McDougall—Riel and his rebel band—A blameworthy governor—The "blawsted fence"—Seizure of Fort Garry—Riel's ambitions—Loyal rising—Three wise men from the East—The New Nation—A winter meeting—Bill of Rights—A Canadian shot—The Wolseley expedition—Three renegades slink away—The end of Company rule—The new Province of Manitoba | 459 |
| CHAPTER XLVI. |
| PRESENT STATUS OF THE COMPANY. |
| A great land company—Fort Garry dismantled—The new buildings—New v. old—New life in the Company—Palmy days are recalled—Governors of ability—The present distinguished Governor—Vaster operations—Its eye not dimmed | 472 |
| CHAPTER XLVII. |
| THE FUTURE OF THE CANADIAN WEST. |
| The Greater Canada—Wide wheat fields—Vast pasture lands—Huronian mines—The Kootenay riches—Yukon nuggets—Forests—Iron and coal—Fisheries—Two great cities—Towns and villages—Anglo-Saxon institutions—The great outlook | 477 |
| APPENDIX. |
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| A.—Authorities and References | 483 |
| B.—Summary of Life of Pierre Esprit Radisson | 489 |
| C.—Company Posts in 1856, with Indians | 491 |
| D.—Chief Factors (1821-1896) | 493 |
| E.—Russian America (Alaska) | 495 |
| F.—The Cree Syllabic Character | 497 |
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