Transcriber’s Notes A number of the variants in spelling have been left, e.g. gayly/gaily. Much of the hyphenation has been standardised. Changes made are noted at the end of the book. In this text version, text in italics is delimited by _underscores_ and in the Transcriber’s Notes at the end of the project, text surrounded with = indicate =bold=. THE CONQUEST OF THE GREAT NORTHWEST [Illustration: Collier’s famous picture of Hudson’s Last Hours.] THE CONQUEST OF THE GREAT NORTHWEST _Being the story of the ADVENTURERS OF ENGLAND known as THE HUDSON’S BAY COMPANY. New pages in the history of the Canadian Northwest and Western States._ BY AGNES C. LAUT _Author of “Lords of the North,” “Pathfinders of the West,” etc._ IN TWO VOLUMES VOLUME I TORONTO THE MUSSON BOOK COMPANY LIMITED Copyright, 1908, by THE OUTING PUBLISHING COMPANY Entered at Stationers’ Hall, London, England _All Rights Reserved_ _TO_ G. C. L. and C. M. A. CONTENTS OF VOLUME I PART I CHAPTER I PAGE Henry Hudson’s First Voyage 3 CHAPTER II Hudson’s Second Voyage 16 CHAPTER III Hudson’s Third Voyage 26 CHAPTER IV Hudson’s Fourth Voyage 49 CHAPTER V The Adventures of the Danes on Hudson Bay—Jens Munck’s Crew 72 PART II CHAPTER VI Radisson, the Pathfinder, Discovers Hudson Bay and Founds the Company of Gentlemen Adventurers 97 CHAPTER VII The Adventures of the First Voyage—Radisson Driven Back Organizes the Hudson’s Bay Company and Writes his Journals of Four Voyages—The Charter and the First Shareholders—Adventures of Radisson on the Bay—The Coming of the French and the Quarrel 111 CHAPTER VIII “Gentlemen Adventurers of England”—Lords of the Outer Marches—Two Centuries of Company Rule—Secret Oaths—The Use of Whiskey—The Matrimonial Offices—The Part the Company Played in the Game of International Juggling—How Trade and Voyages Were Conducted 132 CHAPTER IX If Radisson Can Do Without the Adventurers, the Adventurers Cannot Do Without Radisson—The Eruption of the French on the Bay—The Beginning of the Raiders 162 CHAPTER X The Adventurers Furious at Radisson, Find it Cheaper to Have him as a Friend than Enemy and Invite him Back—The Real Reason Why Radisson Returned—The Treachery of Statecraft—Young Chouart Outraged, Nurses his Wrath and Gayly Comes on the Scene Monsieur Péré—Scout and Spy 180 CHAPTER XI Wherein the Reasons for Young Chouart Groseiller’s Mysterious Message to Our Good Friend “Péré” are Explained—The Forest Rovers of New France Raid the Bay by Sea and Land—Two Ships Sunk—Péré, the Spy, Seized and Sent to England 198 CHAPTER XII