The Conquest of the Great Northwest, Volume 2 (of 2) 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

The great fur trade rivalry that shaped a continent. This second volume continues Agnes C. Laut's epic account of the Hudson's Bay Company and its fierce competitors, the Nor'Westers, tracing their relentless struggle for dominion over the forests and waterways of the Canadian Northwest and American West. Laut meticulously reconstructs the recruitment rituals of these rival companies, those charismatic 'sly wolves' who traveled to Quebec parishes, seducing young men from their parishes with tales of adventure and wealth, contrasting sharply with the brutal realities awaiting them in the wilderness. The narrative follows the brigades as they prepare to embark, bringing to life the grueling physical demands of the voyageur's life, the fierce camaraderie among the men, and the cutthroat competition that drove both companies to ever more desperate measures in the untamed frontier. Beyond the trade itself, Laut illuminates the profound consequences for indigenous populations and the settlements that would eventually replace the fur trade economy.