It was the activities of its rivals, and especially of the Northwest Company, that resulted in the establishment of the inland stations of the Hudson’s Bay Company. As long as it had a monopoly, the Company was content to set up posts at points convenient for itself, and let the Indians do all the travelling, sometimes making them go as much as one thousand miles to dispose of their furs. The opposition, however, carried goods to the Indians, and thus penetrated to the far Northwest and the Mackenzie River country. This competition compelled the older organization to extend its posts all over Canada, and finally, in 1821, led to its absorption of the Northwest Company. To-day the chief competitor of the Hudson’s Bay Company is the French firm of Revillon Frères. The merger with the Northwest Company was preceded by years of violent struggle. The younger concern was the more aggressive. It tried to keep the Indians from selling furs to the Hudson’s Bay traders. Its men destroyed the traps and fish nets, and stole the weapons, ammunition, and furs of their rivals. Neither was above almost any method of tricking the other if thereby furs might be gained. Once some Hudson’s Bay men discovered the tracks of Indians returning from a hunt. They at once gave a great ball, inviting the men of the near by post of the rival company. While they plied their guests with all forms of entertainment, a small party packed four sledges with trade goods and stole off to the Indian camp. The next day the Northwest men heard of the arrival of the Indians and went to them to barter for furs, only to find that all had been sold to the Hudson’s Bay traders. At another time two rival groups of traders met en route to an Indian camp and decided to make a night of it. But the Northwest men kept sober, and, when the Hudson’s Bay men were full of liquor, tied them to their sleds and started their dog teams back on the trail over which they had come. The Northwest traders then went on to the Indians and secured all the furs. The Hudson’s Bay Company sends all of its raw skins to London, where they are graded and prepared for the auction sales attended by fur buyers from all over the world. It does not sell any in Canada. Nevertheless, the Dominion is an important fur-making centre. During a recent visit to Quebec, I spent a morning with the manager of a firm which handles millions of dollars’ worth of furs every year. It has its own workshops where the skins are cured and the furs dressed and made into garments. The name of this firm is Holt, Renfrew and Company. Let us go back to Quebec and pay it a visit.