Monday, August 27, 2007

Coureur des Bois



"The life of the Coureur des Bois was one of adventure, freedom, danger and travel. "
Pierre Esprit Radisson (1636-1710).

"These are the Peoples who learned to live without the bold accents of the national ego-trippers of other lands."
Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980)

Coureurs de bois were itinerant, unlicensed fur traders of New France known as "wood-runners" to the English on Hudson Bay and "bush-lopers" to the Anglo-Dutch of Albany (NY). Few French colonists had ventured west of the Ottawa River until the mid-1660s, when a sudden drop in the price of beaver, the arrival of some 3000 indentured servants and soldiers, and peace with the Iroquois made the change both necessary and feasible.
By 1680, despite repeated prohibitions from both the church and colonial authorities, some 500 coureurs de bois were in the Lake Superior country attempting to outdistance the Indian middlemen. As a result, fewer Indians brought furs to trade at Montréal and Trois-Rivières, inducing colonial merchants to hire some coureurs de bois in order to remain in business.
Licensing was eventually introduced by the authorities to control the seasonal exodus into the hinterland. Thus professional, "respectable"
Voyageurs, usually associated with particular interior posts, came into being. Renegade traders persisted, becoming the primary bearers of the designation "coureur de bois" after the emergence of New Orleans as an alternative focus of the trade in the 18th century. The independent coureurs de bois played an important role in the European exploration of the continent and in establishing trading contacts with the Indians.

View additional photos and a video....

http://s186.photobucket.com/albums/x219/soo2ottawa/?

Updates from the journey

Day 1. Sault Ste. Marie to St. Joes Island
Time taken 5 hrs 50 mins
They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. This is our journey of expedition. The journey our forefathers took to explore, trade, embrace and conquer the vast expanses of this country. As I write this blog, we are now charting our journey north, beyond the boundaries of city life into an expanse of pure wilderness.

Day 2. St. Joes to Thessalon
Time taken - 7 1/2 hours.
Very rough close to Camp McDougall and close to Thessalon. Ingeniously sailed to Thessalon for 60% of the way. Would probably have added on 2 hours more if it wasn't for the wind (sailing). Thought we could do more than Thessalon, but had to call it off as the waves reached 3 to 4 feet and the weather channel (James' marine radio) said the waves were 1 metre high. It was very strange that the weather changed all of a sudden around Camp McDougall. Stayed on the municipal camp grounds in Thessalon. No place to eat. Everything closes at 8pm. Had to make do with gas station burgers (Ben says yummy, yummy).

Day 3. Thessalon to Blind River
Time Taken - 10 hours
Hardest day ever. Blind river just never appeared. Took 4 breaks along the way. Slept on the beach. It's our 3rd day and we've already experienced what many have encountered before -experiences such as what it was like to paddle the Canadian lakes and rivers, trudge over portages, feel the spray of rapids, camp among pines and face the insects.

For those who have wondered why....

"What sets a canoeing expedition apart is that it purifies you more rapidly and inescapably than any other travel. Travel a thousand miles by train and you are a brute; pedal five hundred on a bicycle and you remain basically a bourgeois; paddle a hundred in a canoe and you are already a child of nature."


Pierre Elliott Trudeau

More info on Ben and Ross

Ross has traveled extensively over the past 15 years including another historic journey; the 800 km trek to Santiago de Compostela in Northwestern Spain starting at the French border. Ben has lived in, worked in and visited 12 countries; spaning Asia to the Middle east and including Europe and North America ( .... :( .....only 12).

The Plan

Here's approximately where we hope to be at the end of each day.

  • Aug 24th - St Joes Island
  • 25th - Thessalon
  • 26th - Blind River
  • 27th - Aird Island (Next to John Island)
  • 28th - Little Current
  • 29th - Killarney
  • 30th - French river mouth
  • 31th - French river near hwy 69
  • Sept 1st - French river/Lake Nippising
  • 2nd - North Bay
  • 3rd - North Bay
  • 4th - Mattawa River
  • 5th - Mattawa town/Ottawa River
  • 6th - Ottawa river-Deux Rivieres
  • 7th - Stone Cliffe
  • 8th - Deep River
  • 9th - Pembrooke
  • 10th - Fort Coulonge
  • 11th - Arnprior
  • 12th - Ottawa!!!!!

"The Route" Then and Now

"The Route" Then and Now
A section of a map of the fur trade route followed by Rene Menard in the late 1600's. The "Journey of Citizenship" started in Sault Ste Marie on August 24/07 and has a planned completion date of September 12/07 in Ottawa.

.....and the journey has begun

.....and the journey has begun
Ben demonstrates a potential new Olympic sport....Canooling

Photos from the start of the journey

Photos from the start of the journey
last minute preparations

As well-wishers cheered, off they went.