"Alexander Henry (the younger) wrote: 'The principal occupation of theses people is making pounded meat and grease which they barter with us for liquor, tobacco, powder, balls, knives, awls, brass rings, brass wire, blue beads and other trinkets.' Rum, tobacco, firearms, and ammunition were the chief commodities traded to make them dependent on the Europeans. Ammunition was constantly in demand and McGillivray wrote: 'When a nation becomes addicted to drinking, it affords a strong presumption that they will soon become excellent hunters'" (Innis, 238-9).

"[...] a bill [...] dated Montreal, October 3, 1808 [...] explained the situation:

'and although as we have observed above, these Indians, as well as their neighbours within our territory, have no valuable furs, their friendship and co-operation, is necessary to the support of the trade carried on with the others. They alone supply all the food on which the company's servants subsist; without which they could be compelled to abandon three fourths of the country, and all the valuable part of the trade. The sole employment of these Indians, is to kill the large animals with which their country abounds; to select particular parts of their flesh and tallow; and prepare it in the usual manner and deposit it at the posts where the Company's servants will find it, as they progress from and return to the general rendezvous; as these Indians are not like those of the cold and mountainous regions in want of manufactured goods, their principal inducement to perform the services we have enumerated is the present of rum, which they receive at stated periods. These are the most independent, warlike and restless, of all the Indian tribes; and require to be managed with the greatest delicacy; more particularly as they form the link which binds in a common interest with the Northwest Company the whole Indian population of the interior country'" (Innis, 239).