The Adventurers of England on Hudson Bay: A Chronicle of the Fur Trade in the North — John Shaqi
The Adventurers of England on Hudson Bay: A Chronicle of the Fur Trade in the NorthLaut, Agnes C.
History
The Adventurers of England on Hudson Bay: A Chronicle of the Fur Trade in the North
Laut, Agnes C.
Fur trade -- Canada; Hudson's Bay Company; Northwest, Canadian -- History
On May 10, 1684, Radisson arrived in London. He was met by Mr Young and
Sir James Hayes and welcomed and forthwith carried to Windsor, where he
took the oath of fidelity as a British subject. The Company, sunk a
month before in the depths of despair, were transported with joy and
generous rejoicings, and the Governing Committee voted Mr Young thanks
for bringing Mr Radisson from France. Two days after Radisson's
arrival, Sir James Hayes and Mr Young reported to the Company that Mr
Radisson had tendered his services to the Company, that they 'have
presented him to our Governor, His Royal Highness, who was pleased to
advise he should again be received in service, under wage of £50 per
annum and benefit of dividends on £200 capital stock during life, to
receive £25 to set him out for this present expedition.' On May 21 Sir
James Hayes reported that he had presented Mr Radisson with 'a silver
tankard, charged to the Company at £10 14. 0.'
Radisson returned to the Bay on the _Happy Return_, sailed by Captain
Bond. On the same ship went the new governor, William Phipps, who had
been appointed to succeed Bridgar, and a boy named Henry Kelsey, of whom
we shall hear more later. Outlaw, who had been with Ben Gillam, had a
commission for the Company and sailed the _Success_. His mate was Mike
Grimmington, also of the old poacher crew. There was a sloop, too, the
_Adventure_--Captain Geyer--for inland waters.
When Radisson arrived at the Hayes river and told Jean Chouart--who, as
we have seen, had been left in charge of the French trade there--of the
looting of the fur cargoes at Quebec and of the order from the French
king to transfer everything to the English, the young Frenchman's rage
may be imagined. He had risked his entire fortune on the expedition from
Quebec; but what account did this back-stairs trick of courtiers take of
his ruin? Radisson told him that he had been commissioned to offer him
£100 a year for service under the English, and £50 each to his underling
traders. Jean listened in sullen silence. The furs gathered by the
Frenchmen were transferred to the holds of the English vessels, but Jean
and his companions evinced no eagerness to go aboard for England. On
September 4, just as the sailors were heaving up anchors to the
sing-song of a running chant, Phipps, the governor, summoned the French
to a final council on board the _Happy Return_. Young Jean looked out
through the ports of the captain's cabin. The sea was slipping past. The
_Happy Return_ had set sail. The Frenchmen were trapped and were being
carried to England. In an instant, hands were on swords and the ship was
in an uproar. Radisson besought his countrymen to bethink themselves
before striking. What could five men do against an armed English crew?
Once in England, they could listen to what the Company had to offer:
meanwhile they were suffering no harm. The Frenchmen sullenly put back
their swords. The boat reached Portsmouth in the last week of October.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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