"A Man and His Wife Returning with a Load of Partridges to Their Tent".
While pemmican fueled the transport brigades, it was too precious for regular consumption at the posts. At most posts the basic staples were fish and fowl, either dried, salted or frozen in huge quantities for use over the winter. Towards spring, however, it was not uncommon for the food supply to run low at the northern posts. Then small parties would be sent out to augment the post's resources by snaring rabbits, fishing under the ice, or bagging a load of partridges like the couple portrayed here have done. This drawing is particularly interesting because it is the work of a young half-breed, William Richards, who was born in the James Bay area and served the Hudson's Bay Company from 1804 to 1811. Note the distinctive dress of this man and his native wife. Both are wearing snowshoes without which winter travel would have been impossible because of the deep snow. The dog sled (toboggan) is yet another example of how the fur-traders relied on Indian means of travel.
