Henry Kelsey: On the Trail of Native Friends

First Voyage

Kelsey first proved his worth by delivering letters from Fort York to New Severn with the help of a Native boy. This had not been done before. When he returned, he was sent on an expedition to Churchill River to trade with Native peoples living north of the river. The expedition failed because the Native people did not want to trade.

Hats made from beaver were very popular Copyright/Source

Gotta Have a Beaver Hat
By the 1600s everyone in Europe longed for a beaver hat. The beaver pelt made a kind of felt that could be made into different shapes, was waterproof and didn't wear out. Hats made from beaver were so desirable that people left instructions in their wills about who should inherit theirs.

Owens, Maureen and Jane Yealland. Forts of Canada. Toronto: Kids Can Press, ©1996, p. 49.