History

Part 1

the North West Co. ——Daniel Harmon, 1800 Clerks usually "kept the books." They maintained the "Indian shop" and recorded information about customers, credits and debts. They also supervised the hired men and gave them jobs to do. Apprentice clerks were often younger than the men they supervised. Many clerks found that managing the men was their most difficult job. Sometimes the men were not interested in cooperating.

  I admit here that I have Never taken charge under Such circumstances, and that I did not Imagine before this Winter encampment how important it is to have much Resolution in managing Men, Particularly in all things that concern their Duties. —Michel Curot, 1803 During the winter of 1804, Seraphin Lamare was John Sayer's chief assistant at the Snake River wintering post. Although he worked for Sayer for many years, his position was clearly inferior. Sayer never once referred to him by his full name. Lamare remained with the company after Sayer's retirement. He apparently never became a partner. In 1815, he was listed by the company as simply "clerk, not yet classed for promotion."

In the early years of the 1800s, nearly three thousand men worked in the fur trade. Most were voyageurs, providing the power to move the canoes forward. Paddling at a rate of 60 strokes per minute, they transported the trade deep into the wilderness. Exclusive of the . . . number of Partners, regular Clerks, and Servants who winter, there are 80 to 100 Canadians and Iroquois hunters with whom the North West Company has contract, but who are not considered Servants of the Company, ranging free over the country wherever they find it convenient to hunt. 

There are yearly employed by the Company in canoes . . . 540 men, 400 of which go to the place of rendezvous on Lac Superior, where they pass from 6 to eight weeks, and then return to Montreal with the furs. —Simon McTavish, 1802 Voyageurs were hardworking, tough and brave. Most spoke French but generally could not read or write. Sometimes being a voyageur was a family tradition.

Voyageurs were almost human paddling machines. They could paddle at speeds of 6 miles per hour for 12 to 15 hours a day. They sang to maintain the momentum and break the monotony of paddling for hours on end. Colorful and lively characters, they were also carried all the cargo and canoes along the portage. They built the wintering posts. They cut firewood to keep everyone warm during the long winter months.

 They planted gardens and  traveled back and forth carrying mail, information, food and furs. My people have not had a day's rest since my arrival here last autumn. Of all the men who may be in the upper county I do not think there are any who worked as hard as mine: a house twenty feet square, of logs placed one on the other made by four men; 70 cords of fire-wood chopped; pickets sawn for a fort; a bastion covered; a clearing made for sowing 8 kegs of potatoes; and all the journeys made here and there!!! —François Victor Malhiot, 1805 There were two classes of voyageurs: mangeur de lard, or "pork eaters," and hivernants, or "winterers." Each summer, the company hired unskilled young men as "pork eaters." The majority came from the parishes around Montreal and Québec City. 

Paddling large freight canoes to the inland headquarters, these hard-paddling voyageurs earned their name from their daily diet of salt pork and dried peas. Hivernants were the wintering men. These seasoned voyageurs paddled the bourgeois, clerks and the trade goods into the interior, then spent the winter helping with the trading. In the spring, they paddled canoes and bourgeois back to the inland headquarters for rendezvous.