History

Part 4

Pierro, the same man who repaired Sayer's canoes, also hunted for Sayer that winter. Sayer also hired several other Native men to bring meat to the company men. Together, these Native men supplied John Sayer's wintering post on the Snake River with over 13,000 pounds of deer, bear, beaver, duck and and goose meat.

Tuesday 2nd [October]. Cloudy Stormy Weather. . . . this forenoon, the Outarde brot me a Small Deer. Gave him 1 Gal. H Wines and engaged him as my Hunter for the Winter he being accounted the best of all the Indians of this Department. 

Not all fur traders had the same experience. Many recorded instances of near starvation and told stories of men reduced to eating their moccasins to stay alive. Whether they built canoes or hunted for meat, Native men were paid for their work with trade goods. Work done and items supplied were as important as furs and treated much the same as pelts when brought to the fur traders.

Joseph Reaume wintered at Namai-Kowagon. Both were frequent visitors to Sayer's post on the Snake River. Winter Quarters Thursday 14 Febr 1805. A Cold Day wind N. at 11 AM Mr Reaume with 3 Men came from La Prairies Quarters. It appears that the same extragance as usual has taken place notwithstanding my positive orders to La Prairie to avoid giving large Credits. —John Sayer, 1805 Since the XY Company was trading in the same area, Sayer also spent a lot of time watching his "enemy's" activities. 

One method was to send his men en dérouine. These short trading expeditions were one way to keep a close watch on rival trader Ignace Chenier. At the same time, he could collect furs and trade for food with the natives. August 4th, Saturday. 

Today I am sending Bazinet to Ouisconsaint to try and get the Best skins from the Natives and also a small quantity of wild rice. He takes with him a small assortment of goods . . . —François Victor Malhiot, 1804 After the merger with the XY Company, the Nor'westers reduced the number of their trading posts. They trimmed the number of workers and cut wages. The cost of trade goods increased, fur values decreased and profits went down. 

In the middle of all this change, Sayer took his rotation to Montreal. For a couple of seasons, he traded for the company at Lac de Chats on the Ottawa River. Then, after over thirty years in the business, he retired from active partnership in 1808.