The Great Company. Beckles Willson
are, of course, many other things that might be mentioned in an introduction of this kind, and there is room especially for an extended reference to the great and wonderful changes that have been apparent in Manitoba, the North-West Territories, and British Columbia, since, in the natural order of things, those parts of Canada passed out of the direct control of the Company. The subject is so fascinating to me, having been connected with the Company for over sixty years, that the tendency is to go on and on. But the different details connected with it will doubtless be dealt with by Mr. Beckles Willson himself much better than would be possible in the limited time at my disposal, and I shall therefore content myself with stating, in conclusion, that I congratulate the author on the work he has undertaken, and trust that it will meet with the success it deserves. It cannot fail to be regarded as an interesting contribution to the history of Canada, and to show, what I firmly believe to be the case, that the work of the Hudson's Bay Company was for the advantage of the Empire.
London, June 23rd, 1899.
| CHAPTER I.—1660–1667. | |
| PAGE. | |
| Effect of the Restoration on Trade—Adventurers at Whitehall—The East India Company Monopoly—English Interest in North America—Prince Rupert's Claims—The Fur Trade of Canada—Aim of the Work. | 17 |
| CHAPTER II.—1659–1666. | |
| Groseilliers and Radisson—Their Peregrinations in the North-West—They Return to Quebec and Lay their Scheme before the Governor—Repulsed by him they Proceed to New England—And thence Sail for France, where they Endeavour to Interest M. Colbert. | 23 |
| CHAPTER III.—1667–1668. | |
| Prince Rupert—His Character—Serves through the Civil War—His Naval Expedition in the West Indies—Residence in France—And ultimately in London—He receives Groseilliers and introduces him to the King. | 35 |
| CHAPTER IV.—1668–1670. | |
| The Prince Visits the Nonsuch—Arrival in the Bay—Previous Voyages of Exploration—A Fort Commenced at Rupert's River—Gillam's Return—Dealing with the Nodwayes—Satisfaction of the Company—A Royal Charter granted. | 44 |
| CHAPTER V.—1668–1670. | |
| Danger Apprehended to French Dominion—Intendant Talon—Fur Trade Extended Westward—News of the English Expedition Reaches Quebec—Sovereign Rights in Question—English Priority Established. | 52 |
| CHAPTER VI.—1671. | |
| First Public Sale at Garraway's—Contemporary Prices of Fur—The Poet Dryden—Meetings of the Company—Curiosity of the Town—Aborigines on View. | 60 |
| CHAPTER VII.—1671–1673. | |
| Mission of the Père Albanel—Apprehension at Fort Charles—Bailey's Distrust of Radisson—Expedition to Moose River—Groseilliers and the Savages—The Bushrangers Leave the Company's Service—Arrival of Governor Lyddal. | 69 |
| CHAPTER VIII.—1673–1682. | |
| Progress of the Company—Confusion as to the Names and Number of the Tribes—Radisson goes to Paris—His Efforts to Obtain Support there, and from Prince Rupert, in England, Fail—Arrival of M. de la Chesnaye—With his help Radisson Secures Support—And Sails for Quebec—Thence Proceeds with Two Ships to Attack the English Ports in Hudson's Bay—His Encounters with Gillam's Expedition from London, and his Son's, from New England. | 80 |
| CHAPTER IX.—1682–1683. | |
| Death of Prince Rupert—The Company's Difficulty in Procuring Proper Servants—Radisson at Port Nelson—The two Gillams—Their Meeting—Capture of the New England Party—The First Scotchman in the Bay—Governor Bridgar Carried off Prisoner—Indian Visitors to the Fort—Disasters to the Ships—The French Burn the Island Fort—Radisson's Harangue to the Indians—Return to France. | 94 |
| CHAPTER X.—1684–1687. | |
| Hays writes to Lord Preston—Godey sent to Radisson's lodgings—La Barre's strenuous efforts—Radisson Returns to the English—He leaves for the Bay—Meets his nephew, Chouart—Fort Bourbon Surrendered to the Company—Radisson's dramatic Return to London. | 112 |
| CHAPTER XI.—1683–1686. | |
| Feigned Anger of Lewis—He writes to La Barre—Importance Attached to Indian Treaties—Duluth's Zeal—Gauthier de Comportier—Denonville made Governor—Capture of the Merchant of Perpetuana—Expedition of Troyes against the Company's Posts in the Bay—Moose Fort Surrendered. | 125 |
| CHAPTER XII.—1686–1689. | |
| The French Attack upon Fort Rupert—Governor Sargeant Apprised—Intrepidity of Nixon—Capture of Fort Albany—Disaster to the Churchill—The Company Hears the ill News—Negotiations for Colonial Neutrality—Destruction of New Severn Fort—Loss of the Hampshire—The Revolution. | 134 |
| CHAPTER XIII.—1689–1696. | |
| Company's Claims Mentioned in Declaration of War—Parliament Grants Company's Application for Confirmation of its Charter—Implacability of the Felt-makers—Fort Albany not a Success in the hands of the French—Denonville urges an Attack upon Fort Nelson—Lewis Despatches Tast with a Fleet to Canada—Iberville's Jealousy prevents its Sailing to the Bay—Governor Phipps Burns Fort Nelson—Further Agitation on the part of the French to Possess the West Main—Company Makes another Attempt to Regain Fort Albany—Fort Nelson Surrendered to Iberville—Its Re-conquest by the Company. | 146 |
| CHAPTER XIV.—1696–1697. | |
|
Imprisoned French Fur-Traders Reach Paris—A Fleet under Iberville Despatched by Lewis | |