were writing at the
big fur monopolies and the way they handle the Indians. Las
Casas says that his Church thought they owned all the middle
part of this continent. The Hudson's Bay Company started in
to own all the northern part of it. I can't see the
difference. Las Casas says the discovery and conquest of the
American dominions has wrought ruin to Spain as a nation.
The results were 'disastrous to her power.' I am only a boy,
and don't know much about things, but I know perfectly well
the fur trade is based on injustice. I consider it the most
ignoble form of business in the world. I think it is pulling
down the Indians--as the archdeacon said in his sermon, they
were more manly and self-respecting before the traders came.
If the government of Canada claims to be so good, it might
look into the injustice done to the native people by some of
the traders, both the old companies and the independents. I
have read somewhere, 'No right is or can be founded on
injustice.' So what rights have they got?

"The Spaniards were after gold, and these big companies are
after fur. They have both relied on keeping the natives
down. That's why they are so jealous of outsiders getting
any knowledge about their ways.

"I have heard that an Indian always pays his debts to the
trader. On this trip I heard a man say that the big
companies never forgive an Indian a debt in all his life.
He would not dare to let his debt run if he could pay it,
because if he did he would starve.

"I wonder if old Mr. Las Casas was any relation to the
archdeacon here. They both preach a good deal alike, it
seems to me. He says, 'The system of oppression and cruelty
in dealing with the natives makes them curse the name of God
and our holy religion.... For should God decree the
destruction of Spain it may be seen it is because of our
destruction of the Indians, and that His justice may be made
apparent.'

"Well, I guess that will be all I will write out of the
book. I was just thinking that what the Spaniards did in
getting gold was something like what the white men are doing
to-day in getting fur in this northern country. It never did
look good to me.

"But though the Indians don't always remember everything
they hear in church, I believe the Church