The Beaver, Vol. 1, No. 05, February, 1921

A vivid snapshot of early twentieth‑century life unfolds in this issue, beginning with a charming portrait of Little Miss Ouikpigak, a young Inuit girl from Great Whale River whose father hunts for the Hudson’s Bay Company. Her simple delight in seal fat, described as “candy,” offers a tender glimpse into the everyday joys and traditions of a remote community, while the accompanying photographs bring the scene to life.

The heart of the issue is a richly illustrated essay on the steamship Beaver, the first iron‑hulled vessel to ply the Pacific Northwest. Readers learn how the ship was built in London, launched under royal eyes, and then braved Cape Horn to reach the West Coast. Once there, the Beaver became a vital link for settlers, a protector of fledgling forts, and a swift enforcer of law in the rugged frontier, shaping the early growth of British Columbia’s coastal towns.