Europeans greatly benefited from Aboriginal peoples and their land. Exploration was continued after the discovery of the New World by the fur traders. As the fur traders advanced into new areas in search of more fur the Aboriginals that they met along the way helped them survive. The Aboriginals knew the waterways and routes for travel. They acted as guides for the fur traders; they taught them what they knew about the land. The Aboriginal people had medicines that saved the lives of the Europeans. For example, spruce tea contained an abundance of vitamin C, which prevented and cured scurvy; a disease caused by vitamin deficiency which was common during the early days of the fur trade. Scurvy was fatal if left untreated. Along with the Aboriginal
