THE Hudson's bay fur company. ir the vast tracts of country between the Mississippi and the Pacific Ocean. It has sent out intrepid explorers- in every direction: Hearne. towards the Polar Sea, in 1770, to the discovery of the Cop- permine River; Franklin, in 1819 to 1822, along 5550 miles of the American coast ; Mackenzie, who, after having discovered the river to which he gave his name, reached the shores of the Pacific at 52° 24' N. Lat. The following is a list of the quantities of skins and furs despatched to Europe by the lludson's Bay Company in 1833-34, which will give an exact idea of the extent of its trade : — Beavers, . . 1,074 Skins and young Beavers, . 92,288 Musk Rats, 694,092 Badgers, . 1,069 Bears, . , 7,451 Ermines, 491 Foxes, . 9,937 Lynxes, . , 14,255 Sables, . ' . 64,490 Polecats, . . 25,100 Otters, . 22,303 Racoons, . 713 Swans, . 7,918 Wolves, . 8,484 Wolverines, 1,571 Such figures ought to bring in a large profit to the Hudson's Bay Company, but unfortunately they have not been maintained, and for the last twenty years have been decreasing. The cause of this decline was the subject of Captain Craventy's explanation to Mrs Paulina Barnett.
- Until 1839, Madam," said he, " the Company was in a flourish-
ing condition. In that year the number of furs exported was 2,350,000, but since then the trade has gradually declined, and this number is now reduced by one-half at least." " But what do you suppose is the cause of this extraordinary decrease in the exportation of furs 1 " inquired Mrs Barnett. "The depopulation of the hunting territories, caused by the activity, and, I must add, the want of foresight of the hunters. The game was trapped and killed without mercy. These massacres were conducted in the most reckless and short-sighted fashion. Even females witii young and their little ones did not escape. The consequence is, that the animals whose fur is valuable have become extremely rare. The otter has almost entirely disappeared, and is I
