The "Fly Dope" that Corrine took to Fort Hope with her had an actual Canadian patent date of May 23, 1911 under the name "Rapelfly".
The Nipigon Museum has a bottle on display, 2012.
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Sunday, 22 July 2012
Fort Hope on the Map
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| Map NO. 23A 1938 Department of Lands and Forests, Surveys Branch, District of Thunder Bay, Ontario Showing location of Revillon Post on Eabimet Lake off the Albany River. |
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| Location of Hudson's Bay Company post on Eabimet Lake just north of Albany River from a 1929 map - 38b - 2, lake Nipigon to Albany River, Ontario Dept. Of Mines to accompany 1929 Report. Photos L.M. Lein. |
NIPIGON TO FORT HOPE 1910 - 1913 , the conclusion
Written by L.M. "Buzz" Lein from notes from a nine year correspondence with Corrine Franche.
Buzz wrote it in the first person so it reads as her story.
NEW YEAR'S DAY
New Year's Day is the Indians' day but on Xmas they came and brought me choice mink furs and ermine.
On New Year's I baked 300 tea biscuits, had them cut up and spread with strawberry jam. I used four five-pound cans of it to put between the biscuits. My husband and the man clerk from the Hudson's Bay Co. store along with two Indian girls helped me. The men made gallons of tea. Later on we served tea and jam spread biscuits to the Indians who sat around on the floor. The girls who helped were Flatfoot Mary, Mary Billy and Mary Moose.
We gave each Indian a bag of mixed candies, the Christmas kind, the best on the market. There was also a pound of sugar in the bag. Everyone got the same - the children and small babies, too.
We had about 300 Indians; the HBCo had about the same. The HBCo gave their Indians one can of Sardines each.
THE CHURCHES
There were two churches at Fort Hope. One was Catholic, the other Anglican. The Indians like to go to the Catholic Church because it was nicer with pictures and statues.
The Anglican minister was a man named Richard(?) His family lived in Fort William. His sister's family lived there too. I met them after I returned there. Mrs. Richard was a Cree from Moose Factory. A very pretty woman who spoke good English. They had six or seven children. I wonder where they are now?
Mr. Richard's sister in Fort William had married a Mr. Kirkup. They had one lovely daughter and several teen age boys when I met them in Fort William. I understood Mrs.Kirkup to say that her husband worked for the government in Fort William as a printer. I used to visit her brother and his family in Fort Hope.
THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY
The Hudson's Bay Company store wasn't very far away from us. The manager was a Mr. Gordon from Scotland and he wasn't very friendly. Very shy and quiet. His wife had passed away just before we arrived at Fort Hope. She had been tall, blonde and blue-eyed. Rumour had it that she came from Moose Factory and that her father had been an army officer. They had two young boys, seven and eight. Mrs. Gordon had had appendicitis and her husband operated on her, but after a few days had a bad turn. She was sent to the hospital in Fort William but did not recover. Mr. Gordon took leave of absence and took the two young boys to Scotland to live with their grandparents and to be educated. I never heard any more about them.
It seems that the managers and clerks of the Hudson's Bay Company and Revillon Brothers were not allowed to be friendly and visit each other. Mr. Gordon never came to visit with us, but his young clerk, Jack Robinson came to our place every Saturday and all day Sunday. The Posts and business was never discussed. I used to ask "How is Mr. Gordon?" The reply was always the same, "Very well, thank you."
Jack Robinson soon made our home his home and we really liked him. A nice young gentleman, he had come to Fort Hope by the way of canoe up the Albany River from James Bay. He told Mr. Gordon that he was learning to cook so that they could have proper meals. As it was, they took turns cooking and had an Indian woman to clean up. Jack had signed on with the Hudson's Bay Company for five years at $100 per year. He had signed up in Scotland. And after five years in Canada had seen no more of it than the Fort Hope area.
TIME TO LEAVE
Our two year term with Revillon was up in the spring of 1913. We came out with the regular spring trip that was taking furs and reports to Nipigon. I think our contract called for wages of $800 for the two years. We were in a hurry to get to Fort William. We were on short rations on the way down and at the Ombabika post Mrs. Thorpe didn't recognize me I was so brown. Jack Robinson's term was up so he came with us. With his credit of $500 for his five years work and his passage paid to Scotland, he immediately booked his passage when he got to Fort William. My husband and I went with him to the ship in Fort William to say our good-bye's.
Then the war came on and that was the end. We never heard from him again.
He was such a nice young gentleman.
Buzz wrote it in the first person so it reads as her story.
NEW YEAR'S DAY
New Year's Day is the Indians' day but on Xmas they came and brought me choice mink furs and ermine.
On New Year's I baked 300 tea biscuits, had them cut up and spread with strawberry jam. I used four five-pound cans of it to put between the biscuits. My husband and the man clerk from the Hudson's Bay Co. store along with two Indian girls helped me. The men made gallons of tea. Later on we served tea and jam spread biscuits to the Indians who sat around on the floor. The girls who helped were Flatfoot Mary, Mary Billy and Mary Moose.
We gave each Indian a bag of mixed candies, the Christmas kind, the best on the market. There was also a pound of sugar in the bag. Everyone got the same - the children and small babies, too.
We had about 300 Indians; the HBCo had about the same. The HBCo gave their Indians one can of Sardines each.
THE CHURCHES
There were two churches at Fort Hope. One was Catholic, the other Anglican. The Indians like to go to the Catholic Church because it was nicer with pictures and statues.
The Anglican minister was a man named Richard(?) His family lived in Fort William. His sister's family lived there too. I met them after I returned there. Mrs. Richard was a Cree from Moose Factory. A very pretty woman who spoke good English. They had six or seven children. I wonder where they are now?
Mr. Richard's sister in Fort William had married a Mr. Kirkup. They had one lovely daughter and several teen age boys when I met them in Fort William. I understood Mrs.Kirkup to say that her husband worked for the government in Fort William as a printer. I used to visit her brother and his family in Fort Hope.
THE HUDSON'S BAY COMPANY
The Hudson's Bay Company store wasn't very far away from us. The manager was a Mr. Gordon from Scotland and he wasn't very friendly. Very shy and quiet. His wife had passed away just before we arrived at Fort Hope. She had been tall, blonde and blue-eyed. Rumour had it that she came from Moose Factory and that her father had been an army officer. They had two young boys, seven and eight. Mrs. Gordon had had appendicitis and her husband operated on her, but after a few days had a bad turn. She was sent to the hospital in Fort William but did not recover. Mr. Gordon took leave of absence and took the two young boys to Scotland to live with their grandparents and to be educated. I never heard any more about them.
It seems that the managers and clerks of the Hudson's Bay Company and Revillon Brothers were not allowed to be friendly and visit each other. Mr. Gordon never came to visit with us, but his young clerk, Jack Robinson came to our place every Saturday and all day Sunday. The Posts and business was never discussed. I used to ask "How is Mr. Gordon?" The reply was always the same, "Very well, thank you."
Jack Robinson soon made our home his home and we really liked him. A nice young gentleman, he had come to Fort Hope by the way of canoe up the Albany River from James Bay. He told Mr. Gordon that he was learning to cook so that they could have proper meals. As it was, they took turns cooking and had an Indian woman to clean up. Jack had signed on with the Hudson's Bay Company for five years at $100 per year. He had signed up in Scotland. And after five years in Canada had seen no more of it than the Fort Hope area.
TIME TO LEAVE
Our two year term with Revillon was up in the spring of 1913. We came out with the regular spring trip that was taking furs and reports to Nipigon. I think our contract called for wages of $800 for the two years. We were in a hurry to get to Fort William. We were on short rations on the way down and at the Ombabika post Mrs. Thorpe didn't recognize me I was so brown. Jack Robinson's term was up so he came with us. With his credit of $500 for his five years work and his passage paid to Scotland, he immediately booked his passage when he got to Fort William. My husband and I went with him to the ship in Fort William to say our good-bye's.
Then the war came on and that was the end. We never heard from him again.
He was such a nice young gentleman.
NIPIGON TO FORT HOPE, 1910 - 1913 part five
Written by L.M. "Buzz" Lein in 1979 from notes from a nine year correspondence with Corrine Francher
Buzz wrote in the first person so this could be her story.
LIFE AND LEARNING AT FORT HOPE, 1911-1913
It was surprising that the winter months were not so cold as other places. The large wood-burning heater in the store kept things nice and warm there.
I had a lot to learn in the way of living with Indians, but I did learn the language. I felt right at home with them, but they were quite shy until I started to visit them and taught them a few things. I had to go slow so as not to hurt their feelings. We had about 300 Indians and the nearby Hudson's Bay Co. had about the same.
The routine seemed to be that in the fall, the Indians went hunting and trapping. Those who needed outfitting were so fixed up by their respective Posts.
The weeks and months went by so quickly. At Christmas time there were not many Indians left.
One of the things I was supposed to do because of my experience with nursing was to help look after the health of the Indians. They didn't care too much for this but I did what I could. As I already mentioned the Indians were shy with me.
I did make friends with a girl of about 15. Her name was Flatfoot Mary and I took her in hand to try and teach her to speak English; to sew and things like that. She used to come over and help me with the dishes. Along with two other girls, Mary Moose and Mary Billy, these were my original contacts. The Company had supplied an Indian dictionary, so between the dictionary and the girls I learned to speak the language. Mary Billy married later and moved to James Bay.
There were dogs all over the place. They were used as sleigh dogs in the winter and ignored in the summer. Long Mac had a team of his own and so did Ralph and I. I learned how to drive them and used them in winter to haul in firewood.
We also had a cat. The dogs got loose one day and killed it. I felt badly. The Indians had no cats. They didn't have enough food to feed them.
All the while I was continuing to learn. I was practicing with a 30/30 rifle and a revolver. I learned how to handle a canoe. I learned how to live off the country and survive if I had to. I had lots of time to do all these things and I was in a place where they could be done. I didn't see another white woman until I was on the way back to Nipigon two years after we had arrived here and we stopped again at the Revillon Brothers' Ombabika Post where I saw Mrs. Thorpe.
All the Indians were supported by their respective Posts - ours and the Hudson's Bay Co. They got rations twice a week while they were at Fort Hope, in return for the fur they could gather. They used to go north from Fort Hope as far as Lake Attawapiskat. They were all good Indians. I think now how much more I could have done for them, but the Company didn't seem to want them to know too much. I wanted to do so much but Ralph wouldn't let me. No one spoke English - only Indian.
They all had a ration of flour; rolled oats; tea and sugar each day. Children included. Then every tow or three weeks the Indians brought in their furs. These were credited against their ration account. I saw Mac doing up small parcels of tea and sugar and hide them under the counter. These were for his friends but I never let on that I knew about it.
BUILDING A WIGWAM
A wigwam is built by setting a post in the ground. Then poles are set up with their bases in a circle about the centre pole. The outside is covered with bark. There is a fire inside where the Indians cook whatever they have. The smoke goes out through the top, following the centre post.
There may be as many as ten people living in a wigwam. The whole place smells and it isn't perfume, believe me. They used cups make from woven birchbark.
The lake in front of the Post had been fished out. I don't know what the name of it was (Lake Eabimet, L.M.L.), but I called it No Fish Lake. All the Indians ever got out of it was a few whitefish. I never saw a sturgeon.
The Indians at Fort Hope had a York boat on a small lake there. They called them long pointers and didn't like them. Too heavy to handle on the portages. I had a short trip in one of them. The Indians like the birch bark canoes that they make for themselves. Whenever they went anywhere, whether it was for fishing or for any other reason they never went alone. All the kids go, grandma, too, and usually two or three small dogs.
As well as our store-dwelling place, there were two old houses with windows and doors. They were inhabited by the two interpreters who were attached to our Post. John Goodwin was one and the other was John Richter. John Richter had a Cree wife and a flock of kids. The children were smart and good looking. I heard that Goodwin went to James Bay to live there.
I had but one un-nerving experience with an Indian. One night I felt someone getting into bed with me. He put his cold hand on my leg. I thought it was Ralph and said, "Hurry up and get into bed. It's cold!"
But it wasn't Ralph.
It was an Indian and I woke up in a hurry. I chased him out with the revolver that was always under my pillow.
I was scared then, but I can laugh now. He was more scared than I was when he heard me cock the revolver. He sure got out quick.
Anyway , he didn't hurt me.
Our guides to Fort Hope were John Goodwin, John Rich and Joe Moose. They had learnt to speak English at the school in Moose Factory. They were my friends during the two years at Fort Hope. Their wives were always making things for me - moccasins, mitts, slippers and a sort of head bonnet trimmed with ermine. The work was beautifully done.
The Indians taught me many things. They taught me how to tan hides, how to dry fish and how to make beaded moccasins. On the other hand I taught them things too. How to sew on the hand operated sewing machine. They were fascinated with it but also afraid of it. I let them use it to make some of their print dresses. There were some beautiful shawls at the Post. They came from England and France. I used several of them and cut them down to make shawls for their babies. They were so happy.
FOODSTUFF AT THE POST
Most of the foodstuffs we had were dry. There were cans of things, though, and slabs of bacon. There were cases of dried apples, prunes, raisins, currants and other mixed fruits. Lots of different kinds of cheeses in cans. We never had any fresh potatoes because Long Mac ate all the seed potatoes instead of planting them. Instead we had dessicated potatoes. They looked like macaroni only smaller and were brown in colour. You put them in water and boiled them. They swelled up like porridge in the cooking.
We had butter in red cans. It was called Blue Nose Butter and came from Nova Scotia. It was put up in one pound cans and was the best butter I ever tasted.
There were canned meats of all kinds, including sausages that came from England. I have never encountered anything like them since. They were always a treat.
Cases of tomatoes, bags of flour, sugar and rice. Sugar sold for $1.00 per pound. Flour we did not sell. We gave all the Indians a ration of flour, salt and tea. We sold tea to non-Revillon Indians for $2.00 per pound. We also sold Brunswick Sardines for $1.00 per can. These were $).02 per can wholesale. rice was also a $1.00 per pound and corn syrup (pint size) was $5.00.
The Indians never had cash money. It was all trade with furs. Some of the Indians had never seen any money and didn't know what it was.
Sometimes we would open a few cans of corn syrup and sell two or three spoonful at a time. The price was one good weasel skin, worth then $1.00. They brought their birch bark cups in for the syrup. If the weasel skin wasn't in good condition or wasn't good in the stretching, we gave them less of whatever amount it was that they wanted.
In the spring the store was open every day from early morning (7 a.m.) to 7 or 8 at night. At Fort Hope in the summer months it was still daylight almost to 11 p.m.
We had package powder puddings and powdered milk, jam, and pickles. The food for us, such as carrots , beets, onions and cabbage were all dry, dark in colour and sticky, but we got used to it. There was canned roast beef, canned salmon and to repeat the best butter in the land - Blue Nose Butter in the red, one-pound cans.
We could not keep oranges. When the freighter canoes arrived in the spring, all the tribe and their kids would be at the dock waiting for a reward. All the oranges were given away - even to the new-born. The Indians loved oranges. We managed to keep a couple dozen for ourselves.
Canned tomatoes and sardines were great favourites. They could never get enough of them, but they sure needed other things for their health. We also sold mutton tallow. They seemed to like it better than lard, but Indians never seemed to fry any food. It is mostly boiled or cooked over a fire on a stick.
They made Bannock when they had flour. It is just made with white flour, salt, baking powder, a piece of tallow and water.
We had very nice prints for sale, all in lovely bright colours. They came from England. There were also beautiful, fancy satin ribbons of all colours and some really beautiful beads. The Indians used two needles at a time to do bead work.
There were also things like saws, axes, shovels, nails and pegs.
To be concluded.
Buzz wrote in the first person so this could be her story.
LIFE AND LEARNING AT FORT HOPE, 1911-1913
It was surprising that the winter months were not so cold as other places. The large wood-burning heater in the store kept things nice and warm there.
I had a lot to learn in the way of living with Indians, but I did learn the language. I felt right at home with them, but they were quite shy until I started to visit them and taught them a few things. I had to go slow so as not to hurt their feelings. We had about 300 Indians and the nearby Hudson's Bay Co. had about the same.
The routine seemed to be that in the fall, the Indians went hunting and trapping. Those who needed outfitting were so fixed up by their respective Posts.
The weeks and months went by so quickly. At Christmas time there were not many Indians left.
One of the things I was supposed to do because of my experience with nursing was to help look after the health of the Indians. They didn't care too much for this but I did what I could. As I already mentioned the Indians were shy with me.
I did make friends with a girl of about 15. Her name was Flatfoot Mary and I took her in hand to try and teach her to speak English; to sew and things like that. She used to come over and help me with the dishes. Along with two other girls, Mary Moose and Mary Billy, these were my original contacts. The Company had supplied an Indian dictionary, so between the dictionary and the girls I learned to speak the language. Mary Billy married later and moved to James Bay.
There were dogs all over the place. They were used as sleigh dogs in the winter and ignored in the summer. Long Mac had a team of his own and so did Ralph and I. I learned how to drive them and used them in winter to haul in firewood.
 |
| Firewood haul with dog team by Corrine at Fort Hope. |
We also had a cat. The dogs got loose one day and killed it. I felt badly. The Indians had no cats. They didn't have enough food to feed them.
All the while I was continuing to learn. I was practicing with a 30/30 rifle and a revolver. I learned how to handle a canoe. I learned how to live off the country and survive if I had to. I had lots of time to do all these things and I was in a place where they could be done. I didn't see another white woman until I was on the way back to Nipigon two years after we had arrived here and we stopped again at the Revillon Brothers' Ombabika Post where I saw Mrs. Thorpe.
All the Indians were supported by their respective Posts - ours and the Hudson's Bay Co. They got rations twice a week while they were at Fort Hope, in return for the fur they could gather. They used to go north from Fort Hope as far as Lake Attawapiskat. They were all good Indians. I think now how much more I could have done for them, but the Company didn't seem to want them to know too much. I wanted to do so much but Ralph wouldn't let me. No one spoke English - only Indian.
They all had a ration of flour; rolled oats; tea and sugar each day. Children included. Then every tow or three weeks the Indians brought in their furs. These were credited against their ration account. I saw Mac doing up small parcels of tea and sugar and hide them under the counter. These were for his friends but I never let on that I knew about it.
BUILDING A WIGWAM
A wigwam is built by setting a post in the ground. Then poles are set up with their bases in a circle about the centre pole. The outside is covered with bark. There is a fire inside where the Indians cook whatever they have. The smoke goes out through the top, following the centre post.
There may be as many as ten people living in a wigwam. The whole place smells and it isn't perfume, believe me. They used cups make from woven birchbark.
The lake in front of the Post had been fished out. I don't know what the name of it was (Lake Eabimet, L.M.L.), but I called it No Fish Lake. All the Indians ever got out of it was a few whitefish. I never saw a sturgeon.
The Indians at Fort Hope had a York boat on a small lake there. They called them long pointers and didn't like them. Too heavy to handle on the portages. I had a short trip in one of them. The Indians like the birch bark canoes that they make for themselves. Whenever they went anywhere, whether it was for fishing or for any other reason they never went alone. All the kids go, grandma, too, and usually two or three small dogs.
As well as our store-dwelling place, there were two old houses with windows and doors. They were inhabited by the two interpreters who were attached to our Post. John Goodwin was one and the other was John Richter. John Richter had a Cree wife and a flock of kids. The children were smart and good looking. I heard that Goodwin went to James Bay to live there.
I had but one un-nerving experience with an Indian. One night I felt someone getting into bed with me. He put his cold hand on my leg. I thought it was Ralph and said, "Hurry up and get into bed. It's cold!"
But it wasn't Ralph.
It was an Indian and I woke up in a hurry. I chased him out with the revolver that was always under my pillow.
I was scared then, but I can laugh now. He was more scared than I was when he heard me cock the revolver. He sure got out quick.
Anyway , he didn't hurt me.
Our guides to Fort Hope were John Goodwin, John Rich and Joe Moose. They had learnt to speak English at the school in Moose Factory. They were my friends during the two years at Fort Hope. Their wives were always making things for me - moccasins, mitts, slippers and a sort of head bonnet trimmed with ermine. The work was beautifully done.
The Indians taught me many things. They taught me how to tan hides, how to dry fish and how to make beaded moccasins. On the other hand I taught them things too. How to sew on the hand operated sewing machine. They were fascinated with it but also afraid of it. I let them use it to make some of their print dresses. There were some beautiful shawls at the Post. They came from England and France. I used several of them and cut them down to make shawls for their babies. They were so happy.
FOODSTUFF AT THE POST
Most of the foodstuffs we had were dry. There were cans of things, though, and slabs of bacon. There were cases of dried apples, prunes, raisins, currants and other mixed fruits. Lots of different kinds of cheeses in cans. We never had any fresh potatoes because Long Mac ate all the seed potatoes instead of planting them. Instead we had dessicated potatoes. They looked like macaroni only smaller and were brown in colour. You put them in water and boiled them. They swelled up like porridge in the cooking.
We had butter in red cans. It was called Blue Nose Butter and came from Nova Scotia. It was put up in one pound cans and was the best butter I ever tasted.
There were canned meats of all kinds, including sausages that came from England. I have never encountered anything like them since. They were always a treat.
Cases of tomatoes, bags of flour, sugar and rice. Sugar sold for $1.00 per pound. Flour we did not sell. We gave all the Indians a ration of flour, salt and tea. We sold tea to non-Revillon Indians for $2.00 per pound. We also sold Brunswick Sardines for $1.00 per can. These were $).02 per can wholesale. rice was also a $1.00 per pound and corn syrup (pint size) was $5.00.
The Indians never had cash money. It was all trade with furs. Some of the Indians had never seen any money and didn't know what it was.
Sometimes we would open a few cans of corn syrup and sell two or three spoonful at a time. The price was one good weasel skin, worth then $1.00. They brought their birch bark cups in for the syrup. If the weasel skin wasn't in good condition or wasn't good in the stretching, we gave them less of whatever amount it was that they wanted.
In the spring the store was open every day from early morning (7 a.m.) to 7 or 8 at night. At Fort Hope in the summer months it was still daylight almost to 11 p.m.
We had package powder puddings and powdered milk, jam, and pickles. The food for us, such as carrots , beets, onions and cabbage were all dry, dark in colour and sticky, but we got used to it. There was canned roast beef, canned salmon and to repeat the best butter in the land - Blue Nose Butter in the red, one-pound cans.
We could not keep oranges. When the freighter canoes arrived in the spring, all the tribe and their kids would be at the dock waiting for a reward. All the oranges were given away - even to the new-born. The Indians loved oranges. We managed to keep a couple dozen for ourselves.
Canned tomatoes and sardines were great favourites. They could never get enough of them, but they sure needed other things for their health. We also sold mutton tallow. They seemed to like it better than lard, but Indians never seemed to fry any food. It is mostly boiled or cooked over a fire on a stick.
They made Bannock when they had flour. It is just made with white flour, salt, baking powder, a piece of tallow and water.
We had very nice prints for sale, all in lovely bright colours. They came from England. There were also beautiful, fancy satin ribbons of all colours and some really beautiful beads. The Indians used two needles at a time to do bead work.
There were also things like saws, axes, shovels, nails and pegs.
To be concluded.
Saturday, 21 July 2012
NIPIGON TO FORT HOPE 1910 - 1913, part four
Written by L.M. "Buzz" Lein in 1979 from note of a nine year correspondence with Corrine Franche.
Buzz wrote in the first person so it reads as her story.
FORT HOPE : THE POST
The manager was another Donald McDonald, but nicknamed Long Mac because he was tall and thin. it's no wonder he was thin after eating his own cooking for four years. He was originally from Antigonish in Nova Scotia.
He had been working in the Post Office in Ottawa where he met a fur buyer who told him about Fort Hope. There was no post at Fort Hope (Revillon Post, L.M.L.) at the time - just a tent. Long Mac and the Indians built the post.
The store was built of squared timber. It was a storey and a half with the store on the main floor with living quarters above. At the back was a small shed used for a warehouse. It was kept locked. At the front, across he full width was a balcony to which we had access by a door from our living quarters over the store. There was a staircase from the balcony to the ground, and this is how we came and went to the living quarters on the second floor.
There was a permanent ladder on the roof, leading from the eave to the chimney. This was for quick access to the chimney in case of a chimney fire, a constant hazard when softwood is being used for fuel. (or birch. L.M.L.)
The area around the store was flat and there was a fenced off patch beside the post for gardening purposes.
The store itself had been built around 1909. The living quarters over consisted of a large living and dining room combined; a small kitchen and two bedrooms, one of which was Long Mac's. There was a small wood stove in the kitchen and a small wood-fired heater in the living room. There was a back door which opened out onto the roof of the shed. This was an emergency exit in case of fire.
There was a bookcase in the living room; a long dining room table; a couch;and two chairs.This is where we had a gramophone with cylindrical records and a hand operated sewing machine. There was a typewriter and lots of good books and magazines. And I had my White House Cookbook.
Buzz wrote in the first person so it reads as her story.
FORT HOPE : THE POST
The manager was another Donald McDonald, but nicknamed Long Mac because he was tall and thin. it's no wonder he was thin after eating his own cooking for four years. He was originally from Antigonish in Nova Scotia.
He had been working in the Post Office in Ottawa where he met a fur buyer who told him about Fort Hope. There was no post at Fort Hope (Revillon Post, L.M.L.) at the time - just a tent. Long Mac and the Indians built the post.
The store was built of squared timber. It was a storey and a half with the store on the main floor with living quarters above. At the back was a small shed used for a warehouse. It was kept locked. At the front, across he full width was a balcony to which we had access by a door from our living quarters over the store. There was a staircase from the balcony to the ground, and this is how we came and went to the living quarters on the second floor.
There was a permanent ladder on the roof, leading from the eave to the chimney. This was for quick access to the chimney in case of a chimney fire, a constant hazard when softwood is being used for fuel. (or birch. L.M.L.)
The area around the store was flat and there was a fenced off patch beside the post for gardening purposes.
The store itself had been built around 1909. The living quarters over consisted of a large living and dining room combined; a small kitchen and two bedrooms, one of which was Long Mac's. There was a small wood stove in the kitchen and a small wood-fired heater in the living room. There was a back door which opened out onto the roof of the shed. This was an emergency exit in case of fire.
There was a bookcase in the living room; a long dining room table; a couch;and two chairs.This is where we had a gramophone with cylindrical records and a hand operated sewing machine. There was a typewriter and lots of good books and magazines. And I had my White House Cookbook.
Friday, 20 July 2012
NIPIGON TO FORT HOPE 1910-1913, part three
Written by L.M. "Buzz" Lein in 1979 from notes of a nine year correspondence with Corrine Franche.
Buzz wrote in the first person to make it her story.
35 PORTAGES IN 30 DAYS
On June 1st, 1911, a Thursday morning, we were down by the little lagoon just north of the C.P.R. Bridge over the Nipigon River. Everything that we were taking had been carefully stowed in the canoes after having been repacked in some cases into canvas sacks for easier handling. There I was in my new $25.00 high boots; heavy woollen hose; short skirt; canvas gloves; farmer straw hat with veiling and McKirdy's fly dope all set to start out on this adventure. We even had a flag (Revillon?) on our canoe.
A gang of people had come to see us off. Some had sad faces and were shaking their heads. After all the goodbye's had been said, we started off.
It was all so exciting.
We pulled out into the outlet from Lake Helen, and started north for the Nipigon River which came into Lake Helen on the west side about 3 miles above the C.P.R.'s Nipigon River bridge. We had no maps of any kind with us and didn't need them because the four guides knew exactly where they were going. I did know that we were going to South Bay where Ralph and I had wintered to load our left behind possessions on the passenger freighter steamer Ombabika for the trip north to the Revillon Brother's post in Ombabika Bay.
The worst portage was the long one around Cameron Falls. (The Long Portage). Mr. McDonald told me that it was about 2 and a half miles. We stopped here while Mr. Mac and I caught some fish and cooked them. Speckled trout. our Indian guides were very clean and polite. They helped put up the tents. Ralph worked with them.
There were millions of flies and mosquitoes. We had to eat many meals under the protection of our veils while we were on the portages.
We all had Hudson's Bay blankets. The Indians had rabbit skin blankets that had been made by weaving together strips of rabbit pelt. These Indians spoke English. They had learnt it in school at Moose Factory.
At nights on the portages we put up a small tent and slept on a bed of pine boughs under a mosquito net. We had flannelette sheets and 5 and a half point green HBCo blankets. We used the canoe cushions for pillows. And for light - one lonely little candle.
One night I heard an owl start up. I was wishing it would choke. My husband said "Don't be afraid. It may be worse later on." What a pleasant thought. At 4 a.m. we heard the guides getting up and making things ready. Except for the trip from South Bay to Ombabika post, it was paddle , pack and portage all the way to Fort Hope. And I lugged my Humpty Dumpty case of eggs over every one of those portages. I was wishing I had never heard tell of them.
It took us four days to go up the Nipigon River to get to South Bay where the Ombabika was docked at the Nipigon Tramway Terminal. We went over to our cabin where we had wintered to pick up the blankets and things that we had left there. The Tramway facilities as such were not being used. (Not needed. All construction material needed for railway construction had been moved north . L.M.L.) There was a camp there operated by some people from Kenora - the Cameron's.
It took us about four days to get to Revillon Brother's Post on Ombabika Bay. It would have taken longer if we had not been able to get transportation on the steamer. As it was we stayed in shelter and behind islands as much as possible.
THE OMBABIKA POST
The Ombabika Post was on the north shore of Ombabika Bay about two miles east of the Little Jackfish River. It was built right on the edge of the shore, so that from the front door of the post you could easily toss a rock into the water. The shoreline was exceedingly stony.
It was a nice store. Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe 9he was the manager) lived above the store. The clerk was Hilton George and he was Mrs. Thorpe's brother. They made us very welcome. Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe had a baby girl about 7 months old. I was always picking her up from her high chair. Mrs. Thorpe remarked that I was spoiling her, but she was so nice I just loved her. There was also a little girl of 5 or 6.
Mrs. Thorpe's brother had an odd hobby. He used to do silk embroidery on cloth for cushions. Roses, pansies, and all sorts of flowers. And good colours too. I was quite surprised to see a man doing this kind of work.
We stayed three days. We had mail and supplies for the Thorpe's. We changed canoes and re-arranged the things we were taking to Fort Hope. Mrs. Thorpe seemed happy to a white woman. She said she wasn't going to stay there another year, but she did, because when we returned she was still there. She didn't recognize me because I was so brown. She helped me fix my hair and change clothes.
Before we left the post, Mrs. Thorpe loaded my packsack with goodies and candies. "Take it", she said, "You have a long hard trip ahead of you." She was right. All the Indians and their families came to the post to shake hands with us. Then we were off.
The Revillon flag was up and waving in the breeze.
LEAVING LAKE NIPIGON
The first day was lonely. We were still on Lake Nipigon (Ombabika Bay, actually, and heading for the Ombabika River L.M.L.) then we branched out. After this it was nothing but paddling and portaging. There was never any trouble but i soon found out that skirts were not the thing for this kind of jaunt. My husband's trousers were too big for me, so I made a deal with one of the guides for a pair of his trousers which were my size.
Mr. McDonald lost his camera in one of the rapids so we didn't get anything in the way of pictures.
The Indian guides cooked all our meals. When we ran out of bread, they made bannock. Everything tasted so good after sitting in a canoe, paddling and running rapids.
The poor dear Indians worked so hard, the mosquitoes eating them up while portaging. We had to be on the lookout for bears. We walked the portages close to each other. My husband was a good woodsman, but I was sure green. I really was afraid of the Indians, but I soon found out that they were my friends. They looked after and protected me as if I were a queen.
I always wanted to give them something, but my husband said that they would be hurt. But as we were paddling I had my pockets full of hard candy. On long trips I would give them a few arrowroot biscuits and some candies. They would smile and say "Megwatch!" which is "Thank you."
On that trail, the Indians seem to live on bacon, fried potatoes, bread toasted on an open fire, sugar, powdered milk and strawberry jam. They never drank coffee but had their own tea. When there was no bread they made bannock. They had a supply of sardines which they loved. (On the trail Revillon would supply the standard provisions.L.M.L.)
The country had very small timber.
On the whole trip we met but two large bears. At night we could hear the wolves howling quite close. Our guides had their guns ready. Ralph had both a rifle and a revolver that he kept loaded, and in our tent.
We were four days on the Albany River which was narrow and full of lily pads. There was no particular wind or rain throughout the trip, nor was there any sign of forest fires.
The longest and most miserable part was paddling up that narrow Albany River. In places we couldn't use the paddles and had to use poles to push our way up. The flies! There didn't seem to be any birds - nothing but scrub trees and almost no animals.
On July 1st, 1911, we arrived safe and sound at the dock at Fort Hope.
What a relief! We felt as though we were in civilization again. It was about 6 o'clock in the evening, a nice day but not very warm, but we still had our heavy clothes on. After our hello's the first questions were for the mail and the instructions.
When I stood on the dock it seemed as though there were about 200 Indians - men , women and children. Some had never seen a white man. They were laughing as they always did, and shaking hands. I was more than a little nervous. On an impulse, I picked up a tikanoggan holding a little, pine and smoke scented baby, about two years old, and kissed him. He was so sweet and so small and so clean.
Mr. Mac called to me, "Now you have made a friend of all the Indians!"
The Indians were still laughing and wanted now to shake hands all over again. I found out later, that because of kissing this little boy, they had nicknamed me "Ogimah ninamonchen" - friend love or sweetheart.
Then to the Revillon Brothers' Post where we settled in.
Buzz wrote in the first person to make it her story.
35 PORTAGES IN 30 DAYS
On June 1st, 1911, a Thursday morning, we were down by the little lagoon just north of the C.P.R. Bridge over the Nipigon River. Everything that we were taking had been carefully stowed in the canoes after having been repacked in some cases into canvas sacks for easier handling. There I was in my new $25.00 high boots; heavy woollen hose; short skirt; canvas gloves; farmer straw hat with veiling and McKirdy's fly dope all set to start out on this adventure. We even had a flag (Revillon?) on our canoe.
A gang of people had come to see us off. Some had sad faces and were shaking their heads. After all the goodbye's had been said, we started off.
It was all so exciting.
We pulled out into the outlet from Lake Helen, and started north for the Nipigon River which came into Lake Helen on the west side about 3 miles above the C.P.R.'s Nipigon River bridge. We had no maps of any kind with us and didn't need them because the four guides knew exactly where they were going. I did know that we were going to South Bay where Ralph and I had wintered to load our left behind possessions on the passenger freighter steamer Ombabika for the trip north to the Revillon Brother's post in Ombabika Bay.
The worst portage was the long one around Cameron Falls. (The Long Portage). Mr. McDonald told me that it was about 2 and a half miles. We stopped here while Mr. Mac and I caught some fish and cooked them. Speckled trout. our Indian guides were very clean and polite. They helped put up the tents. Ralph worked with them.
There were millions of flies and mosquitoes. We had to eat many meals under the protection of our veils while we were on the portages.
We all had Hudson's Bay blankets. The Indians had rabbit skin blankets that had been made by weaving together strips of rabbit pelt. These Indians spoke English. They had learnt it in school at Moose Factory.
At nights on the portages we put up a small tent and slept on a bed of pine boughs under a mosquito net. We had flannelette sheets and 5 and a half point green HBCo blankets. We used the canoe cushions for pillows. And for light - one lonely little candle.
One night I heard an owl start up. I was wishing it would choke. My husband said "Don't be afraid. It may be worse later on." What a pleasant thought. At 4 a.m. we heard the guides getting up and making things ready. Except for the trip from South Bay to Ombabika post, it was paddle , pack and portage all the way to Fort Hope. And I lugged my Humpty Dumpty case of eggs over every one of those portages. I was wishing I had never heard tell of them.
It took us four days to go up the Nipigon River to get to South Bay where the Ombabika was docked at the Nipigon Tramway Terminal. We went over to our cabin where we had wintered to pick up the blankets and things that we had left there. The Tramway facilities as such were not being used. (Not needed. All construction material needed for railway construction had been moved north . L.M.L.) There was a camp there operated by some people from Kenora - the Cameron's.
It took us about four days to get to Revillon Brother's Post on Ombabika Bay. It would have taken longer if we had not been able to get transportation on the steamer. As it was we stayed in shelter and behind islands as much as possible.
THE OMBABIKA POST
The Ombabika Post was on the north shore of Ombabika Bay about two miles east of the Little Jackfish River. It was built right on the edge of the shore, so that from the front door of the post you could easily toss a rock into the water. The shoreline was exceedingly stony.
It was a nice store. Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe 9he was the manager) lived above the store. The clerk was Hilton George and he was Mrs. Thorpe's brother. They made us very welcome. Mr. and Mrs. Thorpe had a baby girl about 7 months old. I was always picking her up from her high chair. Mrs. Thorpe remarked that I was spoiling her, but she was so nice I just loved her. There was also a little girl of 5 or 6.
Mrs. Thorpe's brother had an odd hobby. He used to do silk embroidery on cloth for cushions. Roses, pansies, and all sorts of flowers. And good colours too. I was quite surprised to see a man doing this kind of work.
We stayed three days. We had mail and supplies for the Thorpe's. We changed canoes and re-arranged the things we were taking to Fort Hope. Mrs. Thorpe seemed happy to a white woman. She said she wasn't going to stay there another year, but she did, because when we returned she was still there. She didn't recognize me because I was so brown. She helped me fix my hair and change clothes.
Before we left the post, Mrs. Thorpe loaded my packsack with goodies and candies. "Take it", she said, "You have a long hard trip ahead of you." She was right. All the Indians and their families came to the post to shake hands with us. Then we were off.
The Revillon flag was up and waving in the breeze.
LEAVING LAKE NIPIGON
The first day was lonely. We were still on Lake Nipigon (Ombabika Bay, actually, and heading for the Ombabika River L.M.L.) then we branched out. After this it was nothing but paddling and portaging. There was never any trouble but i soon found out that skirts were not the thing for this kind of jaunt. My husband's trousers were too big for me, so I made a deal with one of the guides for a pair of his trousers which were my size.
Mr. McDonald lost his camera in one of the rapids so we didn't get anything in the way of pictures.
The Indian guides cooked all our meals. When we ran out of bread, they made bannock. Everything tasted so good after sitting in a canoe, paddling and running rapids.
The poor dear Indians worked so hard, the mosquitoes eating them up while portaging. We had to be on the lookout for bears. We walked the portages close to each other. My husband was a good woodsman, but I was sure green. I really was afraid of the Indians, but I soon found out that they were my friends. They looked after and protected me as if I were a queen.
I always wanted to give them something, but my husband said that they would be hurt. But as we were paddling I had my pockets full of hard candy. On long trips I would give them a few arrowroot biscuits and some candies. They would smile and say "Megwatch!" which is "Thank you."
On that trail, the Indians seem to live on bacon, fried potatoes, bread toasted on an open fire, sugar, powdered milk and strawberry jam. They never drank coffee but had their own tea. When there was no bread they made bannock. They had a supply of sardines which they loved. (On the trail Revillon would supply the standard provisions.L.M.L.)
The country had very small timber.
On the whole trip we met but two large bears. At night we could hear the wolves howling quite close. Our guides had their guns ready. Ralph had both a rifle and a revolver that he kept loaded, and in our tent.
We were four days on the Albany River which was narrow and full of lily pads. There was no particular wind or rain throughout the trip, nor was there any sign of forest fires.
The longest and most miserable part was paddling up that narrow Albany River. In places we couldn't use the paddles and had to use poles to push our way up. The flies! There didn't seem to be any birds - nothing but scrub trees and almost no animals.
On July 1st, 1911, we arrived safe and sound at the dock at Fort Hope.
What a relief! We felt as though we were in civilization again. It was about 6 o'clock in the evening, a nice day but not very warm, but we still had our heavy clothes on. After our hello's the first questions were for the mail and the instructions.
When I stood on the dock it seemed as though there were about 200 Indians - men , women and children. Some had never seen a white man. They were laughing as they always did, and shaking hands. I was more than a little nervous. On an impulse, I picked up a tikanoggan holding a little, pine and smoke scented baby, about two years old, and kissed him. He was so sweet and so small and so clean.
Mr. Mac called to me, "Now you have made a friend of all the Indians!"
The Indians were still laughing and wanted now to shake hands all over again. I found out later, that because of kissing this little boy, they had nicknamed me "Ogimah ninamonchen" - friend love or sweetheart.
Then to the Revillon Brothers' Post where we settled in.
 |
| Fort Hope Revillon Freres Post . Corrine and Ralph standing. Living quarters up stairs Small cabin behind home for John Goodwin, Interpreter |
Thursday, 19 July 2012
NIPIGON TO FORT HOPE 1910- 1913, part two
Written by L.M. "Buzz" Lien, 1979 from notes of a nine year correspondence with Corrine Franche.
Buzz wrote in the first person so it reads as her story.
FORT WILLIAM
While in Fort William, we made our wedding plans. On November 25, 1910 we were married in St. Luke's Anglican Church on Cameron Street. We didn't linger too long in Fort William because while we were visiting in Nipigon, my husband had been asked if he would like to go north and work at a fur trading post and be only with Indians. He had always wanted the opportunity, so we decided to go and what a wonderful experience it was.
We were to be engaged for a two year period to work at Fort Hope for the Revillon Brothers. The district manager who was based in Nipigon was the one who approached Ralph. Ralph was to be the bookkeeper; keep track of the stock; do some trading and write necessary reports. I was supposed to look after the health of the Indians because of my nurse's training.
SOUTH BAY
Since this was only the first part of December, we had to spend the winter somewhere. Ralph and Mr. McDonald (District Manager, Revillon Brothers) had made arrangements to spend the winter in the Forest Ranger's cabin at South Bay. We bought all the supplies that were needed, and my husband arranged for an Indian to come with his dog team and take us to our cabin in South Bay. There was a lot of snow and we got caught in a blizzard.
We made it to Alexander Falls where we stayed in a cabin owned by some Indians. The poor sleigh dogs had all they could do to pull the toboggan, let alone me, so I walked most of the way to Alexander. We had snow shoes now and i quickly learned how to use them. I do not recall the Indian's name.
When we got to Alexander, the cabin was not locked. There was a stove inside, lots of dry wood and a coal oil lamp. Someone had left tea, sugar, but we had all our winter's supplies with us. We stayed here about a week, then Ralph again got the Indian to help us move our supplies. In the meantime, Ralph had been to the Ranger cabin in South Bay to check things out.
When he came back, he said that it wasn't far. We would walk on the shore and the Indian would take our supplies with his dog team. It was six or seven miles. Ralph gave him some cash, canned fruit, vegetables, tea, powdered milk and a few cans of sardines. The Indians loved sardines. They called them "baby fish". Oh, yes, while we were at Alexander we ran out of bread. Ralph made baking powder biscuits on top of the stove. He put the biscuit dough in one pan and used another for a lid. They came out real good.
Our cabin in South Bay was nice, cosy and clean. There was a small cookstove and a heater. It had two rooms, a good bed, a sofa, a table, a bench and two chairs. Of course it was built of logs.
Our nearest neighbours were an Irish couple (Jackman of the Ombabika?). They often came at nights to play cards. We played so many times that I have hated cards ever since.
In the spring of 1911, after spending the winter in the Ranger cabin, we packed up our clothes and blankets. We left them in the cabin to be picked up later when we were on our way north. South Bay was clear of ice now, but there was plenty of it on Lake Nipigon. It was either very late in April or early in May when Ralph said that it was time to go.
"We'll have to walk to Nipigon," he said.
We couldn't see the tramway track for snow. We soon discovered that there was only roadbed and no tracks. So there was no speeder. Tracks and freight cars had been removed; probably about two weeks before we set out. It could even have been the preceding fall because we couldn't see whether there were any tracks or not when we went to South Bay. There was too much snow.
So we walked. I'm not sure how long the track was to Nipigon, but we got there all right.
NIPIGON, 1911
The first thing we did was go to the Chinese Restaurant and have a good meal of bacon and eggs. We had long since finished the eggs that we had taken to our South Bay cabin.
Then we took up quarters in a side street boarding house run by some people with the name of Flatt. We stayed there while Ralph and Mr. Donald McDonald worked out the arrangements for our trip to Fort Hope and to get ready everything they needed.
The Flatts had five small children. There was another store there run by the McKirdy's who had three or four young boys.
There wasn't anything much in Nipigon. As well as McKirdy's store, there was the Revillon Brothers and the Hudson's Bay Co. store. All these stores were on the main street across the road from the C.P.R. Station. (Present day Front Street)
There were a couple of restaurants and along the business side of the main street there was a wooden sidewalk. I didn't meet many people in Nipigon because Ralph didn't want me roaming around. i seem to recall the name Sam Prendergast (Nipigon Inn) and Sanderson ( Independent Trader).
PREPARATIONS
Our trip to Fort Hope would be Mr. McDonald's third trip and was his yearly post inspection. While Ralph was busy with Mr. McDonald, I was getting ready to go too. Mrs. McDonald was a great help. She said that she had made the trip to Fort Hope one year with her husband and that the mosquitoes wee bad. She also said that she would not go again. She arranged to get me a pair of leather high boots from Montreal and told me about using veiling over our farmer-type straw hats as extra protection against flies and mosquitoes. I also bought several jars of fly repellent that the McKirdys made and sold. (Still being made and sold in 1979- not in 2012). Later on when the Indian guides saw this, they laughed and said that we should eat it. I also had some large, loose cotton gardening gloves.
I asked Mr. McDonald if there were any eggs at Fort Hope. When he said that there were none, I asked if I could take some.
"Sure," he said, "as long as you look after them and carry them over the portages."
So I got a Humpty Dumpty case of eggs. This is half a regular case and was about 15 dozen. I also had a small packsack with my personal things. Oh, yes, there were powdered eggs at the Post.
Since there were only two scheduled trips a year from Nipigon to Fort Hope, what was being taken in was carefully selected. The spring trip north out of Nipigon was the main one, but there was a faster trip from Fort Hope to Nipigon to pick up and return with mail and anything that was required but may have been forgotten in the spring. This trip was usually made in late August or early September.
THE CANOES
I think that we started out with two "ton" canoes and two Peterborough freighters. The 'ton' canoe was a standard Revillon light canoe that was rated to carry 1800 pounds. This figure was stencilled on the bow of each of these canoes. Everybody paddled. Since we had some 35 portages to carry over, everyone had to pack too. We had four Indian guides.
All the things that we took in came from Revillon Freres in Montreal.
Buzz wrote in the first person so it reads as her story.
FORT WILLIAM
While in Fort William, we made our wedding plans. On November 25, 1910 we were married in St. Luke's Anglican Church on Cameron Street. We didn't linger too long in Fort William because while we were visiting in Nipigon, my husband had been asked if he would like to go north and work at a fur trading post and be only with Indians. He had always wanted the opportunity, so we decided to go and what a wonderful experience it was.
We were to be engaged for a two year period to work at Fort Hope for the Revillon Brothers. The district manager who was based in Nipigon was the one who approached Ralph. Ralph was to be the bookkeeper; keep track of the stock; do some trading and write necessary reports. I was supposed to look after the health of the Indians because of my nurse's training.
SOUTH BAY
Since this was only the first part of December, we had to spend the winter somewhere. Ralph and Mr. McDonald (District Manager, Revillon Brothers) had made arrangements to spend the winter in the Forest Ranger's cabin at South Bay. We bought all the supplies that were needed, and my husband arranged for an Indian to come with his dog team and take us to our cabin in South Bay. There was a lot of snow and we got caught in a blizzard.
We made it to Alexander Falls where we stayed in a cabin owned by some Indians. The poor sleigh dogs had all they could do to pull the toboggan, let alone me, so I walked most of the way to Alexander. We had snow shoes now and i quickly learned how to use them. I do not recall the Indian's name.
When we got to Alexander, the cabin was not locked. There was a stove inside, lots of dry wood and a coal oil lamp. Someone had left tea, sugar, but we had all our winter's supplies with us. We stayed here about a week, then Ralph again got the Indian to help us move our supplies. In the meantime, Ralph had been to the Ranger cabin in South Bay to check things out.
When he came back, he said that it wasn't far. We would walk on the shore and the Indian would take our supplies with his dog team. It was six or seven miles. Ralph gave him some cash, canned fruit, vegetables, tea, powdered milk and a few cans of sardines. The Indians loved sardines. They called them "baby fish". Oh, yes, while we were at Alexander we ran out of bread. Ralph made baking powder biscuits on top of the stove. He put the biscuit dough in one pan and used another for a lid. They came out real good.
Our cabin in South Bay was nice, cosy and clean. There was a small cookstove and a heater. It had two rooms, a good bed, a sofa, a table, a bench and two chairs. Of course it was built of logs.
Our nearest neighbours were an Irish couple (Jackman of the Ombabika?). They often came at nights to play cards. We played so many times that I have hated cards ever since.
In the spring of 1911, after spending the winter in the Ranger cabin, we packed up our clothes and blankets. We left them in the cabin to be picked up later when we were on our way north. South Bay was clear of ice now, but there was plenty of it on Lake Nipigon. It was either very late in April or early in May when Ralph said that it was time to go.
"We'll have to walk to Nipigon," he said.
We couldn't see the tramway track for snow. We soon discovered that there was only roadbed and no tracks. So there was no speeder. Tracks and freight cars had been removed; probably about two weeks before we set out. It could even have been the preceding fall because we couldn't see whether there were any tracks or not when we went to South Bay. There was too much snow.
So we walked. I'm not sure how long the track was to Nipigon, but we got there all right.
NIPIGON, 1911
The first thing we did was go to the Chinese Restaurant and have a good meal of bacon and eggs. We had long since finished the eggs that we had taken to our South Bay cabin.
Then we took up quarters in a side street boarding house run by some people with the name of Flatt. We stayed there while Ralph and Mr. Donald McDonald worked out the arrangements for our trip to Fort Hope and to get ready everything they needed.
The Flatts had five small children. There was another store there run by the McKirdy's who had three or four young boys.
There wasn't anything much in Nipigon. As well as McKirdy's store, there was the Revillon Brothers and the Hudson's Bay Co. store. All these stores were on the main street across the road from the C.P.R. Station. (Present day Front Street)
There were a couple of restaurants and along the business side of the main street there was a wooden sidewalk. I didn't meet many people in Nipigon because Ralph didn't want me roaming around. i seem to recall the name Sam Prendergast (Nipigon Inn) and Sanderson ( Independent Trader).
PREPARATIONS
Our trip to Fort Hope would be Mr. McDonald's third trip and was his yearly post inspection. While Ralph was busy with Mr. McDonald, I was getting ready to go too. Mrs. McDonald was a great help. She said that she had made the trip to Fort Hope one year with her husband and that the mosquitoes wee bad. She also said that she would not go again. She arranged to get me a pair of leather high boots from Montreal and told me about using veiling over our farmer-type straw hats as extra protection against flies and mosquitoes. I also bought several jars of fly repellent that the McKirdys made and sold. (Still being made and sold in 1979- not in 2012). Later on when the Indian guides saw this, they laughed and said that we should eat it. I also had some large, loose cotton gardening gloves.
I asked Mr. McDonald if there were any eggs at Fort Hope. When he said that there were none, I asked if I could take some.
"Sure," he said, "as long as you look after them and carry them over the portages."
So I got a Humpty Dumpty case of eggs. This is half a regular case and was about 15 dozen. I also had a small packsack with my personal things. Oh, yes, there were powdered eggs at the Post.
Since there were only two scheduled trips a year from Nipigon to Fort Hope, what was being taken in was carefully selected. The spring trip north out of Nipigon was the main one, but there was a faster trip from Fort Hope to Nipigon to pick up and return with mail and anything that was required but may have been forgotten in the spring. This trip was usually made in late August or early September.
THE CANOES
I think that we started out with two "ton" canoes and two Peterborough freighters. The 'ton' canoe was a standard Revillon light canoe that was rated to carry 1800 pounds. This figure was stencilled on the bow of each of these canoes. Everybody paddled. Since we had some 35 portages to carry over, everyone had to pack too. We had four Indian guides.
All the things that we took in came from Revillon Freres in Montreal.
Trip Route from Ombabika Bay, Lake Nipigon , map circa 1926
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