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78-618: The Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge is an American wildlife refuge. It is located in the Cache River watershed in southernmost Illinois , largely in Pulaski County , but with extensions into Union , Alexander , and Johnson counties. The refuge was established in 1990 under the authority of the Emergency Wetlands Resources Act of 1986. The refuge protects over 16,000 acres (65 km) of

156-471: A decharge . Those where the cargo could be floated in the canoe if split into two trips were called a demi-charge . There is a report of a voyageur named La Bonga , a 6-foot-5-inch (196 cm) freed slave carrying 7 bales (630 lbs.) for one-half mile when applying to become a voyageur, a feat which trumped the usual requirement that voyageurs be short. Being a voyageur was dangerous, not just because of exposure to outdoor living, but also because of

234-645: A U.S. National Natural Landmark . The Heron Pond – Little Black Slough Nature Preserve , another National Natural Landmark, is located within the upper stretch of the Cache, upstream from the Post Creek Cutoff. The Cache River area was used as a trading crossroads by Native Americans , and has several sites of archeological interest within its boundaries, including the Cypress Citadel site just south of Cypress, Illinois . French voyageurs gave

312-456: A canoe man, and forty-one years in service; no portage was ever too long for me, fifty songs could I sing. I have saved the lives of ten voyageurs, have had twelve wives and six running dogs. I spent all of my money in pleasure. Were I young again, I would spend my life the same way over. There is no life so happy as a voyageur's life! After the British conquered Canada in 1763 , management of

390-417: A day. Most of their diet consisted of a few items from a short list of food used for provisioning voyageurs. One was pemmican , consisting primarily of dried meat (pounded into small pieces) mixed with fat. Another was rubaboo or other dishes made from dried peas. Salt pork was more prevalent on the eastern routes. Montreal-based voyageurs could be supplied by sea or with locally grown crops. Their main food

468-459: A derogatory term. These men were seasonal workers employed mostly during the summer months to transport goods which could weigh as much as four tonnes by canoe. Up to ten men could be required to safely navigate with so much on board. They would travel to the western end of Lake Superior to drop off their goods. Those who overwintered were called hommes du nord (northern men) or hivernants (winterers). Those who were neither primarily traveled

546-729: A different set of voyageurs. Once or twice a year a larger gathering took place to transfer furs and trade goods among these groups of voyageurs. The largest gatherings occurred at transfer points on the shore of Lake Superior at Grand Portage or Fort William. A rendezvous was also a time for rest and revelry. Since most voyageurs began their careers in their early 20s, the majority of them were not married while they were working. Those who did marry continued to work while leaving their family behind in Montreal. Few voyageurs are recorded as having married later in their lives in New France. There are

624-691: A diversion channel that was cut to connect the Cache and the nearby Ohio River . Completed in 1916, the Post Creek Cutoff divided the Cache into two watersheds: the Upper Cache, which drains down the diversion channel to the Ohio, and the Lower Cache, which drains to the original outlet on the Mississippi River . In 1952, the Karnak levee was constructed, further cementing the division between

702-530: A grassroots organization of hunters, fishermen, and nature lovers, enlisted the help of state and federal agencies as well as non-profit groups such as The Nature Conservancy to form the Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture Partnership. During the past 15 years, efforts have been made to control erosion, reduce siltation, stabilize water levels, restore game species habitat, and provide recreational opportunities to

780-479: A larger part of the fur trading business process. The authorities began a process of issuing permits ( congés ). Those travellers associated with the canoe transportation part of the licensed endeavour became known as voyageurs, a term which literally means "traveller" in French. The fur trade was thus controlled by a small number of Montreal merchants. New France began a policy of expansion in an attempt to dominate

858-545: A place with them Men; however dismal the prospect is for subsistence, they follow their Master wherever he goes. By 1815, the HBC took his advice and began hiring substantial numbers of French-Canadian voyageurs for trading expeditions into Athabasca. Colin Robertson led the first of these HBC expeditions and claimed to have difficulty hiring voyageurs in Montreal because of NWC efforts to thwart him. The NWC realized how important

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936-524: A variety of conservation practices, such as conservation tillage, grassed waterways, and reforestation; many of these practices are through NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives and Wildlife Habitat Programs. In all, more than 45,000 acres (180 km ) of private lands are using some sort of NRCS conservation program in the Cache River Watershed. The Lower Cache River, a habitat that encompasses much of these landholdings, has been listed as

1014-477: A variety of explanations possible for this (including the higher than normal death rates for voyageurs and the opportunity to marry native and Métis women at the rendezvous through local custom weddings). However, it is likely that many voyageurs left for Mississippi or settled in the Canadian West. As French-Canadian voyageurs engaged and brought the fur-trade West, they established multiple settlements in

1092-405: A voyageur was penned by John Mongle who belonged to the parish of Maskinongé . He most likely used the services of a clerk to send letters to his wife. These chronicle his voyages into mainland territories in quest of furs. Three major influences molded the lives of voyageurs. First, their background of French-Canadian heritage as farmers featured prominently in their jobs as voyageurs. Working as

1170-448: A voyageur was seen as a temporary means of earning additional income to support their families and expand their farms. Most voyageurs were born in New France. However, fur trading was not an everyday experience for most of the colonial population. Roughly two thirds of the population did not have any involvement in the fur trade. The second influence came from indigenous communities. Voyageurs learned from indigenous people how to survive in

1248-679: A while then merged in 1821. Management was taken over by the capital-rich HBC, but trading methods were those of the Montreal-based NWC voyageurs. After the merger of the NWC and HBC, much trade shifted to York Factory (the Hudson Bay route) and later some went south to Minnesota . After 1810, the western posts were linked to British bases on the Oregon coast. By mid-century the HBC ruled an inland empire that stretched from Hudson Bay to

1326-623: Is a popular French-Canadian tale of voyageurs who made a deal with the devil in order to visit their sweethearts during the night, who are located a long distance away. It is a variant of the Wild Hunt . Its most famous version was written by Honoré Beaugrand , and was published in The Century Magazine in August 1892. For voyageur-based fur trade, that main route was divided into two (occasionally three) segments, each traversed by

1404-422: Is a report of a voyageur carrying seven bundles for half a mile. Hernias were common and frequently caused death. Most voyageurs started working in their early twenties and continued working until they were in their sixties. They never made enough money to consider early retirement from a physically grueling lifestyle. Fur trading was done by canoe and largely by French Canadians. In the fur trade context,

1482-605: Is considering a restoration project that could repair the levee as part of its efforts to restore low water flow. To date, two reports on this subject, created by the Center for Watershed Science at the Illinois State Water Survey, are publicly available. Since the 1970s, efforts have been made to restore the Cache to something more like its historic state. The Citizens Committee to Save the Cache River,

1560-488: Is now the U.S./Canada border, and in fact the border was largely defined by that route. The route from Fort William was slightly farther north. The two routes led to and joined at Lac La Croix . Each was a rendezvous point of sorts for the routes that reached into the interior. The other main route started at York Factory where the Hayes River empties into Hudson Bay. It led to Norway House on Lake Winnipeg. Later,

1638-512: Is titled "C'est l'aviron qui nous mène". It goes as follows: M'en revenant de la joli'Rochelle, J'ai rencontré trois jolies demoiselles, C'est l'aviron qui nous mèn', qui nous mont' C'est l'aviron qui nous monte en haut. To this day, school children learn this song as part of French Canadian culture. These songs served a dual purpose for the voyageurs. Not only were they entertaining on long voyages, but their rhythm helped synchronize their paddling. One fur trader, Edward Ermatinger, had

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1716-642: The Pays d'en Haut and the Pays des Illinois ) and times where that transportation was over long distances, giving rise to folklore and music that celebrated voyageurs' strength and endurance. They traversed and explored many regions in what is now Canada and the United States . Despite their fame, their lives were arduous and not nearly as glamorous as folk tales made out. For example, they had to be able to carry two 90-pound (41 kg) bundles of fur over portages . Some carried four or five, and there

1794-639: The Dalles des Morts rapids: They preferred running the Dalles; they had not gone far, when to avoid the ridge of waves, which they ought to have kept, they took the apparent smooth water, were drawn into a whirlpool, which wheeled them around into its Vortex, the Canoe with the Men clinging to it, went down end foremost, and [they] all were drowned; at the foot of the Dalles search was made for their bodies, but only one Man

1872-740: The Great Lakes had been opened. The Hudson's Bay Company opened in 1670. The North West Company opened in 1784, exploring as far west and north as Lake Athabasca . The American Fur Company , owned and operated by John Jacob Astor , was founded in 1808. By 1830, the American Fur Company had grown to monopolize and control the American fur industry. By the late 18th century, demand in Europe grew substantially for marten , otter , lynx , mink and especially beaver furs, expanding

1950-868: The Nile Expedition to relieve Major General Charles George Gordon , who had been besieged by the Islamist Mahdist movement. Wolseley demanded the services of the voyageurs and insisted that he could not travel up the Blue Nile without the voyageurs to assist his men as river pilots and boatmen. The demand for the voyageurs, however, slowed down the British response, and ultimately the relief of Khartoum came two days too late. The voyageur's routes were longer distance fur trade water routes that ships and large boats could not reach or could not travel. The canoes travelled along well-established routes. These routes were explored and used by Europeans early in

2028-535: The Shawnee National Forest to Harrisburg, Illinois . The wetland center also contains information about places to hike, canoe, fish, hunt, or watch birds in the Cache River region. The Friends of the Cache River Watershed is an organization that promotes natural resource conservation throughout the five county Cache River watershed. The organization focuses on environmental education, resource conservation, management, and related issues throughout

2106-723: The United States Fish and Wildlife Service , the Refuge is part of the Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture Partnership , a confederation of state and federal agencies, non-profit groups, and private landowners with the common goal of preservation and restoration of the Cache River. [REDACTED]  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service . Cache River (Illinois) A significant portion of

2184-399: The prairie , the pemmican trade was as important a source of trade goods as the beaver trade was for First Nations further north. This trade was a major factor in the emergence of a distinct Métis society. Packs of pemmican would be shipped north and stored at the major fur posts Fort Alexander , Cumberland House , Île-à-la-Crosse , Fort Garry , Norway House and Edmonton House ). Music

2262-480: The 1660s. By the late 17th century Europeans had wintered on Rainy Lake west of Lake Superior, and by the 1730s regular routes led west from Lake Superior. Montreal was a main origination point for voyageur routes into the interior. From Montreal the route divided in two routes. The main trade route from Montreal went up the Ottawa River , then through rivers and smaller lakes to Lake Huron . The other followed

2340-468: The Cache River wetlands , and has a purchase boundary (ultimate goal for area protection) of 36,000 acres (146 km²) contiguous. The Refuge's area covers a variety of habitats, including cypress - tupelo swamp, bottomland forest, upland hardwood forests, oak barrens, and prairie grassland. Over 50 threatened and endangered species are found within the refuge's boundaries. In addition, several pre-Mississippian archaeological sites can be found in

2418-818: The Cache River Wetlands are protected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources . Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge , established in 1990, covers 15,000 acres (61 km ) of aquatic and riparian habitat, and is eventually planned to expand to 35,500 acres (144 km ). The Illinois Department of Natural Resources' Cache River State Natural Area protects another 14,489 acres (58.63 km ). Local landowners, through Wetlands Reserve Program easements with Natural Resources Conservation Service , protect an additional 13,500 acres (55 km ) of restored wetlands. Also through NRCS, landowners are using

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2496-472: The Cache Watershed. The organization advocates sustainable agriculture and forestry practices, as well as restoration of wetlands, bottomland, and upland forests. Friends of the Cache River Watershed facilitate a common meeting ground for individuals and entities associated with agriculture, education, tourism, rural communities, special interest groups, and government agencies that have an interest in

2574-458: The Montreal trade was taken over by English speakers, while the trapping and physical labour continued to be done by French Canadians. The independent coureurs des bois continued to be replaced by hired voyageurs. Since the west country was too far for a round trip in one season, each spring when the ice broke up, boats set out from Montreal and winterers started east. They exchanged their goods at Grand Portage on Lake Superior and returned before

2652-466: The North American fur trade declined, although it continues to this day. Fur animals became less plentiful, and demand for furs dropped. Products such as silk became popular and replaced beaver fur, reducing the fur trade further. With the completion of the railway and the closure of Fort William as a rendezvous point, both occurring in 1892, that year is considered by some to mark the end of

2730-504: The North-West Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia, and Yukon. These French/Francophone settlements and communities still exist and thrive today. The Métis Nation (Indigenous/Michif), Franco-Manitobans , Fransaskois , Franco-Albertans , Franco-Columbians, Franco-Ténois and Franco-Yukonais all have origins heavily linked to voyageurs. Franco-Manitobans celebrate their history and heritage with

2808-623: The Pacific. The Carlton Trail became a land route across the prairies. HBC land claims were transferred to Canada by the Rupert's Land Act 1868 . From 1874 the North-West Mounted Police began to extend formal government into the area. The fur trade routes grew obsolete starting in the 1880s, with the coming of railways and steamships. Several factors led to the end of the voyageur era. Improved transportation methods lessened

2886-532: The Saint Lawrence River and Lake Erie to Lake Huron. Grand Portage on the northwest shore of Lake Superior was the jumping-off point into the interior of the continent. It was reached with a very long portage, (nine miles) hence its name. By 1803, the NWC had moved its rendezvous point from Grand Portage slightly farther east to Fort William . In the late 18th century, Fort William supplanted Grand Portage. The trunk from Grand Portage followed what

2964-464: The bark of large paper birch trees, stretched over a frame of white cedar . The Maître canoe, or canot de maître (master's canoe), was used on the Great Lakes and the Ottawa River . It was about 36 feet (11 m) long and 6 feet (1.8 m) wide, weighed about 600 pounds (270 kg) and carried three tons of cargo or 65 90-pound (41 kg) standard packs called pièces . Their crew

3042-554: The breach, this section of the Cache is exposed to increased risk from flooding. The future of the levee remains uncertain. Management of the levee falls to Big Creek Drainage District No. 2. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers no longer considers the levee in its programs, making it ineligible for federal funding. The Cache River Wetlands Joint Venture Partnership (composed of Ducks Unlimited , Illinois Department of Natural Resources , Natural Resources Conservation Service , The Nature Conservancy , and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service )

3120-458: The coast or waterways accessible by ship. Soon, coureurs des bois achieved business advantages by travelling further inland to trade. By 1681, the King of France decided to control the traders by publishing an edict that banned fur and pelt trading in New France. As the trading process moved deeper into the wilderness, transportation of the furs (and the products to be traded for furs) became

3198-488: The context of the fur trade business were more distinct. Voyageurs were canoe transportation workers in organized, licensed long-distance transportation of furs and trade goods in the interior of the continent. Coureurs de bois were entrepreneurial woodsmen engaged in all aspects of fur trading rather than just transportation of furs and trade goods. The coureurs de bois came before the voyageurs, and partially replaced them. For those coureurs des bois who continued,

Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge - Misplaced Pages Continue

3276-421: The downstream portion of this route was traversed by York boats rather than canoes. A significant route led from Lake Winnipeg west to Cumberland House on Cumberland Lake , a hub with routes leading in four different directions. Most routes ended at the limits of what could be travelled in a round trip from a major transfer point (such as Grand Portage) in one season. Voyageur canoes typically were made from

3354-496: The environment and natural resource usage, protection, and restoration. Voyageurs Voyageurs ( French: [vwajaʒœʁ] ; lit.   ' travellers ' ) were 18th- and 19th-century French and later French Canadians and others who transported furs by canoe at the peak of the North American fur trade . The emblematic meaning of the term applies to places ( New France , including

3432-557: The forethought to record some of these songs. This is how eleven voyageur's songs came to be known today. Ermatinger travelled for the HBC from 1818 to 1828 as a clerk and learned these songs firsthand. These came to light only in 1943 when the Ermatinger family archives gave them to the Public Archives of Canada so that they may be copied. The Chasse-galerie , also known as "The Bewitched Canoe" or "The Flying Canoe,"

3510-464: The history of the settlement of the continent. Most led to Montreal. Later many led to Hudson Bay. Hudson Bay and Montreal routes joined in the interior, particularly at Lake Winnipeg . The 1821 merger of the NWC and HBC resulted in a shift towards using the route with direct access to the ocean, the Hudson's Bay route, away from the Great Lakes route. Both shores of Lake Superior had been explored by

3588-541: The interior (beyond Grand Portage) without wintering in it. They would pick up the goods from Lake Superior and transport them inland over large distances. Because of their experience, approximately one-third of the mangeurs de lard became hommes du nord . The voyageurs worked for trading companies such as the North West Company (NWC) and the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC). They were retrieved furs from all over North America but were especially important in

3666-443: The interval between these stops. Between eight and ten in the evening, travel stopped and camp was made. Voyageurs were expected to work 14 hours per day and paddle at a rate of 55 strokes per minute. Few could swim. Many drowned in rapids or in storms while crossing lakes. Portages and routes were often indicated by lob trees , or trees that had their branches cut off just below the top of the tree. Canoe travel included paddling on

3744-632: The long trek to Hudson Bay. As a result, Colin Robertson sent a message to the HBC London Committee in 1810 suggesting that they begin hiring French Canadian voyageurs of their own: I would warmly recommend to your notice the Canadians; these people I believe, are the best voyageurs in the world; they are spirited, enterprising, & extremely fond of the Country; they are easily commanded; never will you have any difficulty in setting

3822-553: The mouth of the Ohio River , stealing their goods and sinking or selling their watercraft down river. However, the Cache provided excellent hunting and fishing, and abundant timber. Belknap, IL resident W. Marshall stated that the Cache River Basin was “good country for men and dogs, but powerful trying on women and oxen.” Between 1810 and 1890 timber harvesting became a major industry in the Cache basin, Cypress wood

3900-536: The need to transport of furs and trade goods by canoe. The presence and eventual dominance of the Hudson Bay York boat -based entry into the fur trade areas eliminated a significant part of the canoe travel, reducing the need for voyageurs. Completion of the Canadian Pacific rail line in 1882 finally eliminated the need for long-distance transportation of furs by voyageurs. Also, the volume of

3978-974: The public. One long-term goal of the joint venture is to restore the hydrologic continuity of the Upper and Lower Cache. Over the course of the restoration work, there have been tensions between the conservationists and some local landowners. Some of the region's farmers feared that restoration of the wetlands would cause flooding and loss of agricultural land, and many resented what they perceived as ‘outside influences’ meddling in their communities. Some local sportsmen feared that their favorite hunting and fishing grounds would either be put off limits or else overrun by visitors. State and Federal agencies have attempted at all times to reach compromise with local landowners and sportsmen, but tensions and resentment remain. The Cache offers ample recreation opportunities, such as canoeing, hiking, bird watching, fishing, and hunting. The Henry N. Barkhausen Cache River Wetlands Center interprets

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4056-430: The refuge. Cypress Creek is a popular area for both waterfowl and upland game hunters. Hunting of geese, ducks, whitetail deer, rabbits, squirrels, quail and doves is permitted on most parts of the refuge. Fishing on the Cache is generally mediocre; game fish habitat has been significantly degraded by siltation, invasive species (most notably Asian carp ), and changes to the natural hydrograph . Although administered by

4134-573: The regions they travelled and adopted many traditional methods and technologies. Voyageurs also brought Western materials and techniques that were valued by the communities they encountered. The final influence was the social structure of the voyageurs life. Since this group was limited to men , it was highly masculine. These men engaged in activities such as gambling, drinking, fighting; interests which were reserved for men of this trade. The terms voyageur, explorateur , and coureur des bois have had broad and overlapping uses, but their meanings in

4212-416: The river its modern name, calling it Cache , which means secret or hidden place. American settlers arrived in the region in 1803. They found the soil too wet for farming, and the swamps full of mosquitoes and venomous snakes; many early settlers died of malaria . According to legend, from about the 1790s to 1820, Colonel Plug , a river pirate, ran a gang of cutthroats and preyed on unsuspecting travelers near

4290-489: The rivers froze five months later. To save the cost of hauling food from Montreal, Métis around Winnipeg began large-scale production of pemmican . The Hudson Bay trade was diverted southwest to the edge of the prairie, where pemmican was picked up to feed the voyageurs on their journey northwest to the Athabasca country. Competition from the NWC forced the HBC to build posts in the interior. The two companies competed for

4368-407: The rough work. Drowning was common, along with broken limbs, compressed spines, hernias, and rheumatism. Outdoor living also added to the hazards to life and limb with swarms of black flies and mosquitoes, often kept away by sleeping with a smudge fire that caused respiratory, sinus and eye problems. It was dangerous work, despite their expertise. David Thompson 's narrative describes an attempt to run

4446-510: The rugged Athabasca region. Athabasca was one of the most profitable fur-trade regions in the colonies because pelts from further north were thicker and of superior quality to those trapped further south. Originally the HBC was content to stay close to its trading posts along the shores of Hudson Bay and have indigenous trading partners bring the pelts to them. However, once the NWC began sending voyageurs into Athabasca it became easier for indigenous trappers to simply trade with them than to make

4524-475: The spring flood season. The failure of the levee has resulted in dropping water levels in the Lower Cache. An interesting effect of this diversion is that in times of high water direction of flow on the lower Cache reverses, flowing east to the diversion channel. When the water level in the lower Cache drops below the diversion channel level, flow resumes its westerly travel to the Mississippi. Also, because of

4602-579: The spring they would carry furs from these remote outposts back to the rendezvous posts. Voyageurs also served as guides for explorers such as Pierre La Vérendrye . The majority of these canoe men were French Canadian; they were usually from Island of Montreal or seigneuries and parishes along or near the Saint Lawrence River ; many others were from France. Voyageurs were mostly illiterate and therefore did not leave many written documents. The only known document left behind for posterity by

4680-414: The term picked up the additional meaning of "unlicensed". Another name sometimes given to voyageurs is engagés , indicating a hired wage-earner. There were several types of voyageurs, depending on the job that they carried out. Because of their diet, which consisted largely of salt pork , voyageurs who travelled only between Montreal and Grand Portage were known as mangeurs de lard (pork eaters)

4758-487: The trade and adding thousands to the ranks of voyageurs. From the beginning of the fur trade in the 1680s until the late 1870s, the voyageurs were the blue-collar workers of the Montreal fur trade. At their height in the 1810s, they numbered as many as three thousand. For the most part, voyageurs were the crews hired to man the canoes that carried trade goods and supplies to trading locations where they were exchanged for furs, and "rendezvous posts," such as Grand Portage at

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4836-415: The trade. French influence extended west, north, and south. Forts and trading posts were built with the help of explorers and traders. Treaties were negotiated with native groups, and fur trading became very profitable and organized. The system became complex, and the voyageurs, many of whom had been independent traders, slowly became hired laborers. By the late 17th century, a trade route through and beyond

4914-465: The two rivers. In 1950, about 11 miles (18 km) north of the Cache's natural mouth at the Ohio River, a diversion channel was created to connect the Cache and Mississippi rivers. Those last 11 miles (18 km) of the Cache continue to drain into the Ohio through the original channel. In 2002, the levee dividing the Post Creek Cutoff and the Lower Cache suffered a catastrophic failure during

4992-505: The unique natural and cultural history of the Cache River Wetlands. The center also forms the southern anchor to the 47.5-mile (76.4 km) Tunnel Hill State Trail , which is a favorite with bike enthusiasts. The trail provides an excellent look at the sloughs and bottomland forest as it follows the disused Norfolk Southern Railway grade (originally owned by the Cairo and Vincennes Railroad ) from Karnak to Vienna, then continues north through

5070-471: The voyageur era. Later, many French Canadians stayed in the bush for the prospecting and mineral exploration trades that grew from the middle of the 19th century into viable industries, especially in Northern Ontario . Nonetheless, the voyageurs enjoyed one prominent revival in the minds of the British public – at the end of 1884, Field Marshal Garnet Wolseley was dispatched to Khartoum with

5148-472: The voyageurs were to their success and were unwilling to give them up easily. This competition for experienced labour between the HBC and the NWC created the largest demand for voyageurs in Montreal since before the merger of the XY Company and the NWC. James H. Baker was once told by an unnamed retired voyageur: I could carry, paddle, walk and sing with any man I ever saw. I have been twenty-four years

5226-399: The water with all personnel and cargo, carrying the canoes and contents over land (this is called portaging ). In shallow water where limited water depth prevented paddling with the cargo in the canoe but allowed canoes to be floated, methods that combined these were used, such as pulling by hand, poling, or lining with ropes. Circumstances where only an empty canoe could be floated were called

5304-415: The western end of Lake Superior . They then transported the furs back to Lachine near Montreal, and later also to points on the route to Hudson Bay . Some voyageurs stayed in the back country over the winter and transported the trade goods from the posts to farther away French outposts. These men were known as the hivernants (winterers). They also helped negotiate trade in indigenous communities. In

5382-491: The word also applied, to a lesser extent, to other fur trading activities. Voyageurs were part of a licensed, organized effort, a distinction that set them apart from the coureurs des bois . Additionally, they differed from engagés (hired men, actually indentured servants), who were much smaller-scale merchants and general laborers. Mostly immigrants, the engagés were men required to go anywhere and do anything their masters told them as long as their indentureship

5460-525: Was 6–12; 8–10 was average. On a portage they were usually carried inverted by four men, two in front and two in the rear, using shoulder pads. When running rapids they were steered by the avant standing in front and the gouvernail standing in the rear. The northern canoe or canot du nord was used west of Lake Superior. It was about 25 feet (7.6 m) long and 4 feet (1.2 m) wide with about 18 inches (460 mm) of draft when fully loaded, and weighed about 300 pounds (140 kg). Its cargo

5538-709: Was a part of everyday life for the voyageur. Voyageurs sang songs while paddling and working, as well as during other activities and festivities. Many who travelled with the voyageurs recorded their impressions from hearing the voyageurs sing, and that singing was a significant part of their routine. But few wrote down the words or the music. As a result, records of voyageur songs tend to be skewed towards those that were also popular elsewhere in Canada. Examples of voyageur songs include " À la claire fontaine ", " Alouette ", " En roulant ma boule ", " J'ai trop grand peur des loups ", and " Frit à l'huile ". Another such song

5616-457: Was dried peas or beans, sea biscuit and salt pork. In the Great Lakes area, some maize and wild rice could be obtained locally. By the time trade reached what is now Winnipeg, the pemmican trade developed. Métis would go southwest onto the prairie in Red River carts , slaughter bison , convert the meat into pemmican, which they carried north to trade at NWC posts. For people on the edge of

5694-480: Was found, his body much mangled by the Rocks. When traveling, the voyageurs did not have time for hunting or gathering. They carried their food with them, often with re-supply along the route. A northern canoe with 6 men and 25 standard 90-pound packs needed about four packs of food per 500 miles. A voyageur's day was long, rising before dawn and travelling before their first meal. Voyageurs typically ate two meals

5772-456: Was half or less of that of a Maître canoe, about 25–30 pièces , and its crew was 4–8, with 5–6 being average. It was carried upright by two men. The canot bâtard (hybrid canoe) was between the Maître canoe and north canoe in size. The canoes used by Native Americans were generally smaller than the freight canoes used by the voyageurs, but could penetrate smaller streams. The express canoe

5850-401: Was not a physical type, but a canoe used to rapidly carry messages and passengers. They had extra crew and carried no freight. Voyageurs often rose as early as 2 am or 3 am. Provided that there were no rapids (requiring daylight for navigation) early in the day, they set off very early. They would stop for a few minutes each hour to smoke a pipe. Distance was often measured by "pipes",

5928-483: Was not limited to beaver pelts. Beavers were not particularly valued and people preferred "fancy fur" or "fur that is used with or on the pelt". The fur trade was viewed as secondary to fishing during this era. The earliest North American fur trading did not include long-distance transportation of the furs after they were obtained by trade with the First Nations ; it started with trading near settlements or along

6006-462: Was sought for its lightness and water-resistant properties. The small towns on the edge of the swamp experienced a small boom during this period. Several sawmills and small factories sprung up to process timber for lumber, railroad ties, charcoal, and packing crates and boxes. After most of the accessible timber was cut, local industry shifted to agriculture, and a program of diversion and draining began. The landscape changed dramatically, largely due to

6084-609: Was still in place. Until their contract expired, engagés were servants of their masters, who were most often voyageurs. Fewer than fifty percent of engagés remained in New France when their contracts ended. The others either returned to France or died while indentured. After the French presence in Canada ended following the British conquest during the Seven Years' War , fur trade was still continued by their descendants. The early European fur trade with Indigenous peoples

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