Fur Trade Stories

Navigator’s Sextant

• A sextant in its original mahogany box containing an eyepiece, mirrors, a movable arm and a measured scale. Written on the box is the inscription "Hudson's Bay Company, May 3, 1864”.

• In addition to their surveying instruments, European fur traders and explorers depended upon Aboriginal peoples for information about the land, water routes, and local resources, and for knowledge about the existence of various groups who might be encouraged to trade.

• Both Aboriginal men and women also served as guides, translators and provisioners of food and clothing for the Europeans making their way across the continent.

Métis Frock Coat• Early 19th Century hide coat

from the Red River Settlement area constructed in the style of a European "frock coat."

This garment is probably made from bison hide. It is decorated with floral paintwork and flattened and dyed porcupine quills in the shoulder areas. The quilled panels were woven on a bow loom before they were attached to the coat.

• Did You Know?While several Aboriginal groups produced a similar style of garment, Metis women from the Red River area were particularly renowned for their production of this type of coat.

Wooden Leg• Portion of a prosthesis made from

wood carved to accommodate a left leg that had been amputated below the knee. Sheet copper and copper nails were used to create a brace on either side to serve as an attachment to the wearer’s leg.

There is also a liner cup made from sheet copper. A ship’s name “Victory” and the date “1830” have been inscribed into the wooden portion. The original footpad, made from the skullcap of a muskox, is missing.

• The ship became ice-bound for four winters in the Prince Regent Inlet area, during which time Ross, assisted by the Inuit of the area, explored the region to the north and west.

The prosthesis was made for an Inuk hunter by the name of Tulluachiu who had lost the lower part of his leg due to an encounter with a polar bear. As a goodwill gesture, Captain Ross ordered his ship’s carpenter to fit the man with a wooden leg.

Plains Type Arrow

• Plains-type Blackfoot arrow with iron metal point. Feathers and point are fastened to the shaft with sinew thread. A section of the shaft has been painted with blue pigment to indicate ownership and perhaps a spiritual aspect of this hunting tool and weapon.

• With increased access to metal goods, the flint arrow point was replaced by metal versions such as that made from iron barrel hoops. Hunters traded bison robes for the metal hoops.

• Although the Blackfoot had access to guns in the first half of the 19th century, they preferred to hunt game, especially bison, with bows and arrows until firearms obtained through fur traders were more dependable.

Tobacco Carrot

•Reproduction of a three-pound “carrot” of tobacco. The tobacco is wrapped in cloth and bound with twine. The label identifies the contents as Imperial Tobacco, the weight of the contents, and the Hudson’s Bay Company as the supplier.

Beaver Club

• “Beaver Club” gold medal with suspension eye at top centre through which a linen cord has been threaded. The front side is engraved with a beaver gnawing a tree and a banner above with the words “Industry and Perseverance.” The legend reads “Beaver Club instituted Montreal/1785.”

Copper Pot• A variety of metal pots and kettles

was used in the fur trade as an exchange item. They were generally made from copper or brass.

Aboriginal people were quick to favour these new metal containers for cooking in place of their indigenous versions that were made from clay, animal hide or vegetal materials. For instance, metal pots were more durable and transported better than those made from clay

Medicine Chest

• Homeopathic medicine chest of polished mahogany wood. The chest contains 103 small glass vials of pills, 11 bottles of tinctures, several syringes, an awl, a metal counter and a book entitled “Homoeopathic Domestic Medicine” written by Joseph Laurie, M.D., published May, 1856.

• The carrots varied in size from .45 kg to 1.36 kg or more. Tobacco grown in Brazil was one of the common items traded for furs by the Hudson’s Bay Company and was preferred by Aboriginal traders over other types. Between 1720 and 1774, over 65 tonnes (144,000 pounds) of tobacco were traded at York Factory.

Prior to conducting trade, Europeans would offer a gift of tobacco to Aboriginal traders as a sign of good will and as an inducement to exchange goods. Tobacco also played a major role in formal trading ceremonies that were celebrated at the major posts.

• Mail was transported using wooden boxes known as “packet boxes” that could be locked for security. The term “packet” was used to describe a parcel or package of correspondence, official instructions, reports and other documents.

Packets were transported from the Governor and Committee of the Hudson’s Bay Company in London by ship in the spring and then overland to the major trading posts. From there, the mail was redistributed to their destinations

Daniel Harmon, 1805

“October 10, Thursday. This day a Canadians Daughter (a girl of about fourteen years of age) was offered me, and after mature consideration concerning the step I ought to take I finally concluded it would be best to accept of her, as it is customary for all the Gentlemen who come in this Country to remain any length of time to have a fair Partner, with whom they can pass away their time at least more sociably if not more agreeably than to live a lonely, solitary life as they must do if single.

In case we can live in harmony together, my intentions are now to keep her as long as I remain in this uncivilized part of the world, but when I return to my native land shall endeavour to place her into the hands of some good honest Man, with whom she can pass the remainder of her Days in this Country much more agreeably, than it would be possible for her to do, were she to be taken down into the civilized world, where she would be a stranger to the People, their manners, customs & Language.

Her Mother is of the Tribe of the Snare Indians, whose Country lies about the Rocky Mountain. The Girl is said to be of a mild disposition & even tempered, which are qualities very necessary to make an agreeable Woman and an effectionate Partner."