Living our culture 1932

The fall I came out of the Country I thought I was a real brave. I went over to Uncle Steve Joes as I went into the house every body gathered around Uncle Steve Uncle Andrew Aunt Harriet aunt millie Joe Mike was there also they had been in trapping that fall as did everyone else in Conne. Uncle Steve uncle Andrew and Mick just got out also. the first Thing Uncle Steve Joe said was what's wrong you did not come over to see me this fall I was only just oveer the hill from where you fellows.I did not know what to say because I remembered Pop telling me Uncle steve Uncle Andsrew and mick is just over the opther side of true hill about coup[le hours walk. Anyway they were all quite happy to see me. all loving people they were. I remember Molly saying look how fat he got.Molly was two years or so older then I was. I remember Mick telling me that fall Uncle Andrew shot a big fat stag one moprning they just paunched it and went on at their gear. hge said thah evening they went to pick up their stag as they got near they saw a bear just throwing the stag on his back to carry off. he said Uncle Andrew shouted you put down our stag mick said the bear turned slowly looked at them the threw down the stag and took off for the woods. mick said they had a good laugh at that.

Living our culture 1932

The fall I came out of the Country I thought I was a real brave. I went over to Uncle Steve Joes as I went into the house every body gathered around Uncle Steve Uncle Andrew Aunt Harriet aunt millie Joe Mike was there also they had been in trapping that fall as did everyone else in Conne. Uncle Steve uncle Andrew and Mick just got out also. the first Thing Uncle Steve Joe said was what's wrong you did not come over to see me this fall I was only just oveer the hill from where you fellows.I did not know what to say because I remembered Pop telling me Uncle steve Uncle Andsrew and mick is just over the opther side of true hill about coup[le hours walk. Anyway they were all quite happy to see me. all loving people they were. I remember Molly saying look how fat he got.Molly was two years or so older then I was. I remember Mick telling me that fall Uncle Andrew shot a big fat stag one moprning they just paunched it and went on at their gear. hge said thah evening they went to pick up their stag as they got near they saw a bear just throwing the stag on his back to carry off. he said Uncle Andrew shouted you put down our stag mick said the bear turned slowly looked at them the threw down the stag and took off for the woods. mick said they had a good laugh at that.

winter of 1932

gettingready for christmas. it was this fall pop did fairly good with the fur.one day he came home and said getting wood will be a little easier this winter. because now we have a horse. mom asked where did you get a horse? he answered Uncle Denny and I bought a horse between us fron Father St Croix phil willcoptt and ambrose willcott will land it across tomarrow. Gilbert and I was right excited could not wait for the horse to arrive. we figures this woild be a nice gentle animal we thought we perhapps would lead it around. instead when it arrived it was saucy as the devil. kicking and snapping an anything and every one near it. this was just pops glory He did not care saucyer the better for him. I think that was the only reason they sold it yet.when they used to cue oxen they would tie all four legs together and trip it tie the legs to a tree not let it up before they had all four legs cued. I thought pop would have to do the same when he shoed the horse. bot not so pop grabbed the hind leg before the horse had time to lash out he had pulled th leg up so high that when the horse moved she thought she was going to topple over pop tacked on all the shoes in no time al all. hge was so good at it that other people woulg get him to shoe their horses and cue their oxen. his fee was fifty cents some time he got paid sometimes he didn't when he did get paid it was usually a stick of tobacco that was only twenty cents. but pop didn't mind that the respect he got for doing the job was good enough for him.That winter pop and uncle Denny went partners cutting logs. but that would be the only winter they cut logs together because uncle Denny was not one for cutting logs. he would much rather be with his brother uncle Joe making axe handles and Racks for schooner masts. wintering in a canvas tent somewhere deep in the forest. I could still picture them now my brother gilbert amd I used to go visit them sometimes . smoke would be curling from the stove pipe in their camp they would both be sitting inside sipping a cup of tea smoking their pipes. outside smoke would be rising from an open fire a big forty five gallon drum rigged above the fire filled with water boiling sending steam to their steam box which would be filled with long witchazel strips of wood which they would steam and turn into hoop like racks that was used to connect the sails to schooner masts. the camp would be boughed in all over making it nice and warm and cosy. but there was no table or chairs or bunks as was our culture we did everything from the ground lay on it sat on it used it for our table. wonderful life.Uncle denny told me once we are like two old dog beavers this is all we want freedom to do what we like doing.

the fall of 1931

After my furring trip life began again.pop got some firewood to put us through till he got bach from the country this would be around the last of november. he stuck the wood he got on end on the wood pile. I would have help mom saw it up as we needed it. I woild have to bring the wood in the house and pack it in the wood box myself mom clove most of it I clove some also. as was my job. I also had to bring water from the well. I would have to make many trips to the well because I could only carry half a bucket at a time.I used to make splits [kindling] out of the dry wood mom used to make the shavings. this is where we used to laugh and make fun of her because she had no sense to use the crooked knife. instead of drawing the right way she used to put the crooked knife on her knee blade facing outward and push the knife and pull the split towards her. real comical. but she always got the shavimgs made good enough to get the fire going. Mom always had time to help with the wood wash clothes and knit our socks and mittens. because most times there was no food to cook she would make bread when ever we had flour this was not all the time. or cook a rabbit the most of her cooking was wild meat eels trout salmon rabbits. our people seldom ever bothered with cod herring or any deep water fish. this was not our culture.
I think at the time we had four sheep and of course a Horse. in those times every body had a horse or oxe but there were more horse's. I never want to be around an oxe. I did not like these horns sticking out of their heads. other people Like Clem joe said he loved the oxe. I said to him the horse is better because they have no horns. No he saids but the bloody things bite they could take a piece out of your arm. I knew this but I was more afraid of their kick the their bite.so I had to feed the sheep feed the horse and water her. three times a day.days were shore the nights were long. Sister Alice played with her rag doll I whittled at stickd for pass time. I was an expert with the crooked knife at a very young age. never got any serious cuts. all this happened when gilbert my older brother was in the country with pop that is when I did most of the work myself. when he was home we worked together. him doing the most.we got into it once I dont know what he done but he made me max I went after him with a hand saw. he said Nick old buddy boy dont hit me with that I didn't mean anything too late then I was stubbern. I struck him with the saw I saw him coming half crying he grabbed my around the waist I waited for the crunch he was very strong but no he just took me around the waist sort of easy held me for a while then let go again.

end of first furring trip 1931

As we landed our dory in the landwash back home . My older brother Gilbert came down to meet us also my younger sister Alice.Edwin was just under five years old at the time so he chased them down also. I remember Gilbert having a big wad of tobacco in his mouth. I was acting kind ob big after being gone a month in the country I thought I was above everyone else. I said so you got a chew have you? he answered yes. I was the first on in the house Mom put her arms around me and started to ask questions about how I got on. I started to tell her what we got I got one muskrat uncle got three weasels and two muskrats pop got a bear a for and a I could not remember the other one but she cut in right away an otter. I said yes. Now for the bad news. on the next day after we left conne. mom went stark raving mad there was nothing they could do for her they had to lash her to the bed for fear she would drown herself. there was only Gilbert and Alice with her first. the both of them could just hold her because she used to go for the landwash. had she got away she would surely have drowned herself. at last some one saw them and got help. they took her in the house and tied her to the bed. Gilbert told us George benoit came up with a cure. he said tie a long rope on her and let her go if she wants to go over board let her go but pull her back before she drowns. if it wasn't so serious it would be laughable. that is what I meant when I mentioned on the second day after we left. had pop known what waht was taking place at home it would have ended our hunting trip that year. Nobody knew what was wrong with her there was no doctor around anywhere. Mom said a lot of people would come some right brazen would come and look right in her face and say you knows me dont you? but she said all she could see was their twisted faces like ugley monsters she said this would terrify her she had no place to go to get away from them this lasted over three weeks. but when we got home all was normal again you would never tell there had been anything wrong. this was the last time this ever happened to her for the rest of her long life. Now back to home life again we had no furs just the one otter and a red fox might be two dollars in all. Pop took these over to st albans a four mile rowe in a dory could not pay his bill at Bill Colliers store. Bill was good enough to let him have a little food for the next trip which would be as soon as he was ready. this was the early part of november Gilbert wanted to go with him this time.Gilbert was a person would never let be said that I did more then him. I think this was the only reason he went. Because I think but I'm not sure this was the first the only trip he ever did make. Giulbert hated staying any longer then one night no longer then two nights anyway. I did skip the next fall btu after pop left I wish I had went I made sure from then on I would be with him every fall. On that trip did a little better. this trip lasted only three weeks because all the gear was set up. I remember after he came out that fall he must have done pretty good with the furs . because he rowed to st albans but when he came back he hired a motor boat to bring him back Father St. Croix motor boat Reg Willcott was the boat operator pop called him up the house fed him a good meal and paid him. I dont know how much it cost. but not more then a dollar because gas was selling fot nine cent a gallon those days. pop had flour pork tea and sugar most important pound of of Beaver tobacco. this was four plugs as we used to say then.I remember as if today we were out playing around the house mom called us for supper when we sat at the table there was a plate for esch of us. it had sort of milky water ans a few flakes of something floating around it. boy did it ever tast good for years I wondered what the flakes was many years after we had some corn flakes as soon as I tasted it I knew what mom had for our supper many years before. It was the first time I found out what it as. so it ends so far.

continuing our furring trip 1931

We packed up our food that night for the trip for the trip home. which was one and a half cups of flour enough tea for about six boil ups no doubt some times we would have to boil leftover tea leaves. we arose early the next morning I cant remember the day but it was sometime mid week. it was adark cloudy morning. little did I know my dry meat horse head would come back to haunt me. we packed our bundles when it was light enough we went outside the wigwam. as we stood by the door we copild feel small fine mist of rain on our faces. pop not a man for impatence. but he must have wanted to get started because he looked me straight in the eye sand said. if we dont get away today it will be your fault. he meant it was because I cut the horse's head out of dry meat I felt awful. we went back in the wigwam for about half an hour it seemed like the clouds were breaking away. pop made up his mind right away and we leave now.It took us nearly two hours to reach the canoe pop made a small fire got some spruce gum and brimmed the canoe [red hot a flat file and melt spruce gum on the leaks] this only took a few minutes and we were on our way. as we paddled east in sitdown way up on a mountain was some rocks formed like a man sitting down. it was then he told me that was the reason they named it Indian sit doown pond. the reason they said Indian sit down pond was because no white man has ever set foot on this land before. not until many years after when the got helicopters and snow mobiles.then they took over.paddling east was the only way you could see the real form of a man on the mountain. he also told me uncle lawrence his brother shot a caribou up on that same mountin from the canoe in the pond. it must be close to a thousand yards.we went on partaged down to pipestone shot the rapids when we could portaged over goon-dow-negwan. [rock portage] we camped on shoal pond that night it was not a bad day after all. our lunches were small just enough to keep the hunger pains away. for supped we would put bear scrunchens in a pand add water and a bit of flour for thickening this and a cup of unsweeten tea was supper.that night it was bitterly cold it was in october I believe our first frost. pop kept fire going all night I dont think he got any sleep because there was not a dry stick anywhere near where camped and uncle charley would not move to help with the fire. we got through the night and left the next morning again when it got light enough. we shot the rapids when ever possible paddled down the ponds[lakes] we was making good time that evening as we shot out in souli-anns pond a flock of partridges took off from the barren ground on our left. pop said darn it we could do with a couple of these. bou he said I believe theres one left sitting on the barrens. pop went ashore I followed with the shell bag sure enough there was a partridge looking at us pop fired the bird too flight I said you missed he did not like this too well. he kept looking to where the bird went walked towards to where he thought it landed sure enough the partridge was flat on the ground. pop shouted I knew I did not miss it. as he wakled over to pick it up the partridge jumped up and scurried away pop backed up and called out give me another shell I did pop shot again this time he finished it off I ran to pick it up. pop said I et it's full of shot this time. there was only one pellet in it when I told him that he said what? he could not believe it. pop said the first time I fired I was trying to just knick it so as not to damage our supper but almost missed it clean. we were happy there would be a little meat with our soup this evening. so for supper we had the partridge with bear scruncheons and thickening a luxurous meal.we camped on souli-anns portage that night here again was a big camping ground our people had been camping here for hundreds of years. the next morning we left very early we had to hurry to get across lond pond[jeddore's lake] before wind came up other wise we would be stuck for another day here. we had to be very careful with this lake it was four miles wide we never did want to get caught in wind whils crossing this lake. it was only a short run from where we camped to the pond. the water was calm we put a rush on and crossed before the wind came. from now on we would have it alright.It was around eleven in the morning when we reached long pond landing a tradetional landing. where all the canoes were put up for the winter.this was our third day. we put up our canoe had lunch and left for salt water we reached salt water by five o'clock in the evening. pop said we hane a qiuck lunch and start roeing our dory for home it would take over three hours roeing before we reach home we woould be pretty hungery by the. next we reach home we would hear about some hardship taking place after we left unknown to us.

continuing our furring trip 1931

In my last installment I forgot to mention one thing when we went to island pond I said we stopped at a nice steady on a point to have a lunch and how careful pop was in putting out the fire. we on our way back the next day it was a nice calm day as we came yo a rise looking down towards gulp lake there was blue smoke rising from where we lunched pop said who in hell got a fire down there this morning ? we walked on down towards the smoke I was expecting a fight because pop would need a good explaination from anyone encroaching on his territory. as we got near the smoke was still rising we got to where we had lunch there was nobody there but the whols piont was burned away in another couple hours the fire would have reached more dense brush ans would spread rapidely this could have been a problem. but as it did we got there in time. Pop made good and sure the fire was out this time.
Now for the final round to check our gear before we go home.-as I said food was getting scarce we took all we just left enough to last us till we get home using it spareingly. we headed out on the trail checking gear as we went sad to say we still got no furs, we followed the same route as before staying the same places plodding on each day from daylight to dawn only this time we did not stop at crow brook but went direct to john lewiek. we stayed two days at john lewiek this is where we ran out of food we just had enough for breakfast. now we started to move faster we got to slide hang up by noon we always stay here overnight but this time we had dinner it was just fried meat nothing else this would take it's tole on me. we still got no furs. pop was kind of nervous he said we better head for tweg-on-geegh. we left it was around three o'clock in the evening I started to lag. I remember a place called joe brazils going around a pond I started to bawl I can Imagen now 8 years old on foot walking mile after mile all day with no food I was carrying my own little bundle my blanket my mug pair socke other little things as I was bawling pop said I take your bundle you carry this he had half a bren bag cut off a strap on it with two fox snares it it. about half pound. he put this on my back.Still I bawled after a little while pop said I take this too you just keep up. the sun was going down pop said it is not much further to out telt. it came dark but still no telt at last pop said you see that droke thats where our telt is. we trudged along the droke seemed to get further and further away I felt like lying down but pop kept encouraging me on. Pop use to say not much further when we get ther we will have food. I thought more fried meat. but a good rest would do me now I had resigned myself to just walk along with my head down. as we came into the droke I could see the well worn path that lead to out cabin. I felt so good when we got there after getting the fire going pop took a dutch over we call it bake pot in this on our last trip for just this purpose he had stowed some flour a little tea some bear fat in a short time we had supper fit for a king. we still had ssome for the next morning. so on this morning we started out early again for home telt we got no more furs this would be a very lean trip.such as the furriers life.when I the food was short I meant cevilized food we had dry meat and bear fat but I could not live on this for any length of time.
We got back to home telt the next morning we would leave for home if the weather was good but it was already getting cloudy looks like bad weather, that evening while enjoying some dried meat cutting off pieces while cutting the meat I formed a horse's head out of the meat so I cut eyes into it and shaped ears I thought it looked good so I showed it to pop . pop not one for loosing his temper mut he got mad with me said I was playing with food uncle charley put his two cents worth in said peter you should give him a hideing [meaning whopping]I chewed up my horse and remained quite for the rest of the evening,

continuing furring trip 1931

As usual the next day pop made is rouind checking gear on his own while uncle charley and I went out towards big naps as we called it we only had one otter trap and a few snares to check. we got nothing saw no animals sat around on the ridge just passing the hours away. we boiled the kettle as we always did had lunch whiled away some more time and went back to the cabin. around dinner time pop came back he to was skunked. we passed the evening levelling a place to build another log cabin as this one that was there since grand father Noel's times was getting badf the logs was rotted away. after a nights sleep we left early the next morning heading for slide hang up. we came out of a sprucy groung to marshy places right down to what we called signey sye I always thought the right spelling would [Sydney] but ha no way to prove it. so it remained [signey] signey sye was in a bottom or hollow with a beaver pond we had to cross at the foot. as we came out the other side we skirted on the north I think side of true hill. on the south side was uncle andrew joe's country this was beautiful ground all barrens good bear groung thousands of partridge berries lots of deer trails good place to set fox snares also. looking out eastward is where I mentioned the big wooden Cross was. we took a left turn here southward and went down the slope to slide hang up still we got no furs. this would probabely be one of the lean years. we got to the wigwam around three in the evening Pop had plenty time to check his gear on the off sides. still no furs. this is the wigwan I mentioned before that caught afire.it is also where I had the dream about the aeroplane going straight up in the air and the partridge that carried out my dream. This was our regular stop over in our rounds. we started out the next morning no fire this time and no omens. we were heading to tweg-on- cheech the day got real hot I remember getting very thirsty started to drink. Pop was wearing an old felt hat he used to form his hat into a cup and dip water from the pond or brook and I would drink from it. some times I could see the little water incects flicking around in the water but I was so thirsty I would still drink it. at last pop said it's no use the water isn't doing you any good we better boild the kettle so you can have a drink of tea. that will help but after awhile this was no good and we couldn't keep boiling the kettle so I had to suffer it out. I remember we getting to this nice brook. there was an otter rub on a point just above to where we were. we had put down our bundles pop was about to go check the trap when he saw a bear just to the left of us he had a trap in his hand. as he turned for something the bear moved and showed up a little further from the spot where he was pop was looking to see where it was I saw it first and saidthere he is pointing my finger at the bear pop instinctively hit me across the finger with the trap chain saying dont you point your finger at that bear. he took his gun and went after the bear. got close and took a shot at it the bear took off and got away I got the blame for the bear getting away. pop said I did noe miss because he shook when I fired. he then went to check the otter trap he disappeared around the spruce but in a second reappeared sang out bring along the tomach. I knew right away there was a good reason for him to want the tomack. uncle charley took off with the tomach to where pop was. in about ten minutes the came back with a great big otter when I saw the otter I forgot about the bear. this was the first and only otter for the fall.since we were carrying light loads pop took the otter with him just as it was. he did get mad with uncle charley though for letting the otter bleed on the rub. he said it's going to be a long time before any otter will come on that rub again till all the blood washes off.We travelled on again checking gear without success. passing where pop shot the two beaver on our first trip. we reached our wigwam early in the evening again there was not much to do pop did skin the otter but would not put it on moulds he would do this when we got to home tilt which was our nex stop. we cooked supper as night fell we lay down for the night sleep came easy for me because at this young age walking most of the day in the evening I would be very tired. but I would be up pretty earely the next morning even though pop was up with the fire in before I awoke even uncle charley would be still snoring, we had our breakfast packed our bundles and headed out againthis time for home tilt we passed high mountains on our left pretty barren grounds this is where pop shot the bear on our first trip. after about five hours walking we came to marshy and sprucy ground we would have this kind of terrian for the next thre or four hours right to home telt. we got no more fures on this trip. back to home tilt pop put the otter on the mould sculped it [fleshed it] hung it up in the wigwam to dry. the next day we would head island pond way. to check the rest of our gear. so the neaxt morning we started out again this time to island pond. we did not go to the big jedddores wigwam this time but went on our regular route. just after passing gulp lake pass the big wigwam we stopped on a point by a nice steady and boiled the kettle it was getting hot this was around eleven o;clock in the day.everything was pretty dry so pop took particular care to make sure the fire was put out. throwing water all aroud .we left there went on to reach our wigwam about two o'clock in the evening no furs . pop took a short rin to check his gear close by while we stayed at the wigwam whhen pop got back we had lunch then pop continued to work on the new wigwam putting up the rafters and other things the last he was rind birch rine[bark] packed this flat weighed it down and lefy it this he would cover the wigwam with on our final trip before we go back to conne. finishing our first trip of the fall.the next morning we headed back to home telt, we had not caught any more furs which was more discouraging then ever. when we got to home telt we spent one more day there before making our last check for that trip. civilized food was getting pretty scarce. and it began to tell on me.

continuing furring trip 1931

as from where we saw the black fox. we did not get any furs up to now we was nearing john lewiek we came to a place called gig naps a high sort of whale back ridge. pop stopped half way to the top and dug a hole in the earth. he began to scoop out handfuls of orange color powder a little further up he dug mor of a different color sort of redish. he told me this is red ochre it's what the red indians used to rub on their faces to make their faces red.we passed a few small ponds there were a few shell birds swimming around not our kind of meat so we did not bother with then we reached john lewiex before sundown no furs at all very discourageing.I believe I got ahead of myself with the last post.

continuing furring trip 1931

We continued down a gradual slope passing to the right of the jeddores big wigwam crossing the east end of gulp lake this was a fair size brook shallow enough to cross with skinboots on wothout getting our feet wet.we headed on up serpentine ridge beautiful place. on our right was a very high sort of tolt at the top rocks was piled up about four or five feet high you could see this hill from miles away Pop always called it mount cormac. there is some confusion about this the joe family says mount cormac is over on true hill. I must check thie out on a map. as I mentioned before the asbestos field is close by.on the other side of the ridge was our home telt this is where we were headed for. we got there just after dinner we had lunch and prepaired for the next morning. now we will head out on a round to check our gearthe bear fat was nice and hard not messy. to make bear fat hard add deer fat to it when rendering it out. that night we mand enough pancakes to last the day. pop gouged out some bear fat to take with us wrapped it in thin birch bark kept it out doors in the cold packed some dried venison [dry meat in use of words] the next morning after breakfast we left. I mentioned about reading my tea leaves there formed in the leaves was a fox in a trap I mentioned it tp pop he said you have a fox trap on our trail we will see. I forgot about it right away. We left early headed north east for crow brook passing by deers home on our right. many years before hundreds of deer used to gather there so they called it deers home from then on.as we passed pop said at the other end of the marsh ahead is where you have your fox trap. I got right anxious felt like running ahead but did not. when we got to where my trap was the gress was all torn and scratched no trap was there where I had it it was way off to one side with a foxe's front paw in it. god was I disappointed. pop said if only we had got here a day sooned we would have got that fox. it was then I thought about my tea leaves from then on I never missed reading my tea leaves so did every one else. we set the trap again and headed onward. we did not get any furs so far. we reached crow brook dinner time we had dinner pop said no sense we lying around all eveniong we may as well head for john louis-ek we started out again checking snares and traps but we caught nothing very disappointing.about half ways to j-l-ek we were looking down from a barren ground ridge I saw what I thought was a black burned stump . I tensed and looked I laughed ans said to pop I thought that stump was a black fox. just then he jumped in the air and took off. pops aid you did see a fox. I fely sad again I was thinking if only I had spotted it before we might have shot that one.we headed on again checking gear with the same results. we reached j-l-ek late in the evening this was a large log cabin used as home telt by grand father noel and his brothers many years before in the early ninteen hundreds.there were lots of relic's of the past here I used to admire them a beaver bone broked in a match of strength a goose wing bone broken the same way. an empty 30-30 shell case a bear trap big old boiler an old snowshoe many others all relic's of the past. there was a bullet hole above the door where uncle denny fired at a blue fly. I could hardly wait for supper we were going to have pancaked and bear fat which I loved. pop used to give me a chunl almost the size of a tea cup I would chump off a piece bear fat and a piece of pancake it was delicious. pop said we might stay there the next day because he had to check his gear out toward fox ridge and it might be awhile before hegot back I did not mind that because I really liked this place.