16 The Peace River District

and their old posts still remain in active operation. These rival companies
long since united and continued as the Hudson’s Bay Company. The Revillon
Company then inyaded the territory, and have posts scattered throughout
the district; while, more recently, other fur-buying concerns have been attracted
to the field and their posts have sprung up in various places. The buffalo of
early days provided both meat and robes, and there still roams the northern
parts of this district a small band of wood buffalo, survivors of the majestic
herds of yore. Moose, deer, and bear are now the larger animals hunted,
while smaller fur-bearing animals produce more profit from their skins than
did the buffalo in their time.

The Beaver, Slavey and Chipewyan Indian tribes live almost entirely
from the chase, eating the meat and trading the fur, while the Crees and half-
breeds usually prefer to make their living by trapping rather than by farming
or other pursuits. In fact, so profitable has trapping become in late years,
that many of these people have given up promising farms to return to their old
haunts, which barely yielded a living a few years ago. These abandoned farms
may be seen in the Fort Vermilion district; the farms are good, but the fur
business is better, according to the Indian opinion. Many white men also
engage solely in trapping. Besides these regular trappers, great numbers of
settlers find in their spare time during the winter that they can derive con-
siderable revenue from this source, and the homesteader’s boy attains ready
pocket money and endless adventure from his own enterprise in this line.

Fish and Game

While the district abounds in fur-bearing animals, it is not so lavishly
provided with fish. The mountain streams, however, contain trout. Moberly
lake, though small, is well stocked with whitefish, as is also Sturgeon lake.
Peace river produces a few fish, chiefly ling and gold eyes. The Caribou lakes,
north of Fort Vermilion, teem with large trout and whitefish, and will yield
enormous quantities. As yet, these lakes are difficult of access. The Wabiskaw
and Peerless lakes are also well stocked, but lie in a district remote from settle-
ment.

In feathered game, wild ducks, geese, swans, and wavies are plentiful.
These are especially abundant on the Hay lakes northwest of Fort Vermilion,
and on the lower Peace and Athabaska. In the autumn, they gather in flocks
of thousands, and the Indians kill great numbers and hang them up to freeze
for winter use. Prairie chickens and grouse are found throughout the district,
but are not numerous. They are protected by the Provincial Governments.
Ptarmigan are plentiful in the mountainous regions of the Upper Peace river
and its tributaries.

Moose and woodland caribou are fairly plentiful, but other deer are rarely
seen. Wolves, bears, coyotes, and foxes afford exciting chase for the sports-

man and an opportunity, at the same time, to rid the settlers’ farmyards of
invaders.