Traveling to the north was no job for lazy men. On the rivers and in the forests, the coureurs des bois and the voyageurs spent 12 to 14 hours per day moving ahead, laden down with merchandise, stopping only when the weather made that necessary. They could not delay if they wanted to arrive at the meeting point and return before winter.

The merchandise they carried depended on what the Aboriginal peoples wanted. At the outset, the First Nations peoples were very impressed by everything that was shiny or colorful, such as mirrors and trinkets. Then, their preferences switched to useful objects such as knives, kettles, fabrics, and weapons. Seduced by the lifestyle of the Whites, some then asked for flour, pork and utensils. For shipping purposes, this merchandise was packed in bales, whereas black powder and precious objects were stored in small water-tight casks. On the trip back, the merchandise was replaced by furs that were pressed, packaged and covered with a water-proof sheet.  Buffalo hides, among other things, were used to protect them.

The ideal means of transportation on North American rivers was the birch bark canoe, which was light, easy to maneuver on the water and capable of carrying heavy loads. The canoe was vulnerable to rocks and tree trunks, but easy to repair. In order to satisfy trading needs, a canoe measuring 10 to 12 meters long was designed. It was called the Montreal canoe or the “Maître” canoe, after the tradesman Louis Maître who built them. These canoes were generally painted bright colors, could hold a crew of 8 to 12 men and were used between Lachine and the Great Lakes. In the northern lands, smaller canoes were preferable.

It was in the spring that the fleets of canoes set out on their way. For the voyageurs, the day started before sunrise, when they had to carefully load the canoes. On the water, the voyageurs kept up a good pace, dipping their paddles 40 times per minute.  They sang to set the beat. Every two hours they took a break long enough to smoke a pipe. Distances were, moreover, often calculated in terms of pipes. In the front, the guide would take the canoe along the safest routes whereas, in the back, the helmsman handled the rudder, standing. These two men were occasionally called the boutes (the “ends”).

ON the Great Lakes, a sail could be used to help the paddlers when the wind blew, which they referred to as when “la vieille soufflé”. If there were waves, it was important to cross through them diagonally, so that the entire weight of the canoe would be supported by water, so as not to break it.

Shallow rivers, rivers filled with rocks, rapids and falls had to be bypassed. When portaging, the crew carried the merchandise and canoes by foot along steep, bumpy paths that occasionally were several kilometers long. At the start of the portage, the men would dive into the cold water to unload the canoe. Four of them would have to carry it. The others would use harnesses strapped across their foreheads to carry their loads. They walked hunched over, taking small steps. Injuries were common during portages and the crew was susceptible to ambushes.  When it was possible, the voyageurs preferred to guide the empty canoe through the rapids, using gaffs, or to pull it with ropes, either from the shore or in the water.

In the northern lands, those who wintered there (called hivernants) experimented with other Amerindian means of transportation, snowshoes and toboggans pulled by dogs.

Like the coureurs des bois, the hivernants were also responsible for the fur trade, which was a very delicate activity since people had to know the rules. Among the Aboriginal peoples, trade followed the logic of gift giving. People did not pay for an object, they honored the person who had given it and it was appropriate to be generous. The Europeans had to adapt to this way of doing things.

When the Europeans and the Aboriginal peoples met at the fairs in Montreal, they took part in quite a ritual. The Amerindians would arrive, wearing full make-up. The peace pipe would circulate among the chiefs of the tribes and the governor of the city, after which it would be offered to all the participants before being placed on a fur. An Amerindian chief would proclaim his peaceful intentions. Beautiful furs would be presented to the governor who offered gifts in exchange. Then, the Aboriginal peoples would visit the merchants’ stalls. Frequently, alcohol was served, despite the prohibitions, to facilitate contacts and develop loyalty on the part of the Amerindians. IN the northern lands, trading sessions involved similar elements. For several days, people would smoke, drink, talk, proclaim their friendship, give gifts and negotiate. Most often, the Aboriginal peoples would go to the trading posts but, occasionally, the hivernants had to go to the hunters in order to motivate them.

In order to determine the value of the merchandise and facilitate the trade, people often used a “standard” beaver pelt, called a pelu, as a benchmark. The European merchandise and the various furs corresponded to a certain number of pelus.

The nomadic life of the coureur des bois and his contact with the Aboriginal peoples influenced his housing, diet, clothing, songs, and rituals. To learn more about his daily life, we invite you to come back on March 31, 2009.


Sources
 
GERMAIN, Georges-Hébert. Les coureurs des bois: la saga des indiens blancs. Outremont, Libre expression; [Ottawa], Musée canadien des civilisations, 2003, 158 pages.

POMERLEAU, Jeanne. Les coureurs de bois: la traite des fourrures avec les Amérindiens. Sainte-Foy, Éditions Dupont, 1994, 143 pages. 


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