The necessity of enlarging the field of trade gave a remarkable impulse to exploration. In penetrating the unknown lands, north and west, the pioneer traders rendered invaluable service to their country. The honor of leading the way into the northland belongs to Samuel Hearn; a servant of the Hudson's Bay Company. Set ting out from Prince of Wales Fort, Hearne succeeded, after two failures, in reaching the Coppennine River. He was the first white man to arrive at the Arctic shores from the interior. The men of the Northwest Company were not slow to follow the example of their rivals. No name holds a prouder place in the annals of American travel than that of Alex ander Mackenzie. Fort Chipewyan, situated upon the shores of Lake Athabasca, the trade centre of, the north, was the starting point of his two great journeys. The "Western Sea,' the elusive goal of lierendrye's travels, was the object of Mackenzie's quest. His first jour ney, made in 1789, terminated at the Arctic Ocean. Choosing a more westerly stream for his second attempt, Mackenzie ascended the Peace River to its source in the Rockies, crossed the height of land, and, after descending the Fraser River a short distance, .struck out across country for the sea. The successful issue of the journey was proclaimed by the following words inscribed upon the face of a rock over looking the waters of the Pacific: "Alexander Mackenzie from Canada by land, the twenty second of July, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three.° Two other Nor'westers, Simon Fraser and David Thompson, also made their way to the Pacific Ocean, the former in 1808 by the river which bears his name, the latter in 1811 by the Columbia.
While British explorers were forcing a way across the continent, British seamen were mak ing good their country's claim to the Pacific Coast. In 1778 Captain Cook touched at Nootka, on Vancouver Island. At this centre of trade Capt. John Meares 10 years later established a settlement, which unfortunately was soon de stroyed by the Spaniards. In 1792 Capt. George Vancouver, being sent out to inquire into the action of the Spaniards, forced the latter to withdraw from the scene of their outrage. As the result of arbitration Great Britain received the entire coast line.
Down to the close of the 18th century the ruling interest of the West centred in the fur trade. Lord Selkirk it was who first conceived the idea of planting a settlement at the heart of the continent. From the Hudson's Bay Com pany he secured a grant of 110,000 square miles in the valley of the Red River, a district hence forth called Assiniboia. Settlers were hurried out from Scotland, and in 1812 a small com pany, 70 in number, made its way inland from York Factory.
The newcomers were looked upon as in truders by the Nor'westers, who suspected that Lord Selkirk, being a shareholder in the Hud son's Bay Company, had planted his colony to interfere with the trade of the Canadian com pany. The early years brought trying experi ences to the settlers. So great was the scarcity of food that the governor, Miles Macdonell, is sued a proclamation to the effect that ono pro visions, flesh, fish, grain or vegetables were to be taken out of the lands of the settlement for a year.° This action brought the hostility of
the Nor'westers to the point of violence. Some of the colonists were bribed to desert, the re mainder were driven out by a band of Metis, or half-breeds. Almost immediately, however, the refugees returned, reinforced by another com pany of immigrants. With the new arrivals came Robert Semple as governor.
Meanwhile Lord Selkirk had arrived in Can ada. Hearing at Montreal of the misfortunes of his colonists, he had engaged the services of 100 discharged soldiers and set out for the West. While he was yet on the way, stirring events were happening in the Red River Valley. The Nor'westers, angered by the destruction of their fort on the Red, bestirred themselves to destroy the settlement. A strong band of half-breeds was gathered at Portage la Prairie under the leadership of Cuthbert Grant. On 19 June 1816 Governor Semple was informed that a of horsemen was approaching over the prairie. Taking a small force, he marched out to inquire the purpose of the intruders. This move precipitated a skirmish at a spot now marked by the Seven Oaks monument. When the firing ceased Semple and 21 of his followers lay dead or mortally wounded. By this disaster the settlers were forced to again leave their homes.
The news of Seven Oaks was a signal for great rejoicing at Fort William, the headquar ters of the Northwest Company. The joy of the Nor'westers, however, was rudely dispelled by the sudden arrival of Lord Selkirk. The latter, acting in the capacity of magistrate, arrested several of the leading partners, and sent them down to York, Upper Canada. In the following spring he pushed on to the Red River, where he promptly restored the ejected colonists to their farms, settled his soldiers about Fort Douglas and made a treaty with the Indians.
When the news of the tragic death of Semple and his men reached England, the im perial government at once interfered. Both parties to the quarrel were ordered to give up all posts and property seized. The death of Lord Selkirk in the year 1820, though to be regretted, was beneficial to the West, removing as it did the last obstacle in the way of a union of the fur companies.
After the union, which took place in 1821, the management of the company's affairs rested with an official known as the governor of Ru pert's Land, assisted by a council of chief fac tors and traders. A strong man was needed for the governorship, and such an one was found in the person of a young Scotchman named George Simpson, who ably guided the fortunes of the company during the next 40 years. To the enterprise of the Hudson's Bay Company, in no small measure, Great Britain owes her control of the Pacific Coast. From the north Russia, from the south the United States, were pressing vital claims which threatened to shut out Great Britain entirely from the sea. Under Simpson's aggressive administration the country between the Rockies and the Pacific was occu pied. A fleet of six armed vessels protected the company's coast trade, of which Fort Van couver was the centre.