But I think the saddest record of all is the one that comes nineteen years later: “_24 Sept. 1729 Att A Comitte_— _The Sec. is ordered to pay Mrs. Radisson, widow of Mr. Peter Esprit Radisson, who was formerly employed in the company’s service, the sum of £10 as charity, she being very ill and in very great want, the said sum to be paid her at such times as the Sec. shall think most convenient._” This was the widow of the man who had explored the West to the Mississippi; who had explored the North to Nelson River; who had twice saved New France from bankruptcy by the furs he brought from the wilderness, and who had laid the foundations of the most prosperous chartered company the world has ever known. _Notes on Chapter XIV._—It need scarcely be explained that the data for this chapter are all drawn from thousands of sheets of scattered records in Hudson’s Bay House, London. Within the limits of this book, it is quite impossible to quote all the references of this chapter. Details of Radisson’s early life are to be found in “_Pathfinders of the West_.” One of Radisson’s petitions has been given in a former chapter. Another of his petitions runs as follows: “Copy of Peter Esprit Radisson’s peticon to ye Parleamt. presented ye 11th of March 1697-8. “To ye Hon’ble the Knights Citizens & Burgesses in Parliament Assembled—— “The Humble Peticon of Peter Esprit Radisson Humbly sheweth “That your petitioner is a native of France, who with a brother of his (since deceased) spent many years of their youths among the Indians in and about Hudson’s Bay, by reason whereof they became absolute masters of the trade and language of the said Indians in those parts of America “That about the year 1666 King Charles the Second sent yr. Pet’r and his said brother with two ships on purpose to settle English colonies & factories on the sd. Day, wh. they effected soe well by the said King’s satisfaction that he gave each of them a gold chain & medell as a marke of his Royale favour & recommended them to the Comp’y of Adventurers of England Trading unto Hudson’s Bay to be well gratified and rewarded by them for their services aforesaid. “That since the death of yr. Petr. Brother, the sd. compy have settled on your Petr: six actions in the joint stock of ye sd. compy and one hundred pounds per annum during yr. Petr: life “That your Petr is now 62 years of age (being grown old in the compys service) & hath not recd any Benefits of the sd. six shares in the compys stock for more than 7 years last past & hath had nothing but the sd. 100 pds. Per annum to maintain himselfe and four small children all borne in England. “That during the late Reign a Price was set upon your Petr head by the French & several attempts were made upon him to assassinate him & that for none other reasons but for quitting his owne country & serving the compy.