The record-union., 1899-09-13
Wasserman, Kaufman & Go.

for few hours rest. / have been told
by voyageurs that they have been so
tired at night that they were unable to
eat and have flung themselves down on
the nearest level spot, without SO
much as removing their coats or
snatching a blanket, and slept the
sleep of dead WEAKNESS until aroused
at daybreak by the cry of the guide.
Fifteen or twenty miles is perhaps an
average days journey; much depends
upon the water. In some places rapids
and portages occur with exasperatlng
frequently; in others the stream is
broad and deep, and there is little
current Again. crossing a lake. with
a favorable wind, sail may be made and
the rowers have a welcome rest; While
in breasting a rapid, round which it is
unnecessary or impossible to portage,
''tacking" is resorted to. A long line is
attached to the bow of the boat and
the men disembark. leaving only the
steersman to keep her nose off the
shore or off rocks in the stream, while
the men, far ahead on the bank, haul
her up against the torrent. Accidents
are common. A block of overhanglng
ice four or five feet thick, left by the
spring flood, may fall upon man as
he passes beneath it and crush out
his life; a sudden access of force IN the
current as the boat rounds a bend may
Jerk the trackers from their feet ana
into the river and some may not get
out again Or the boat may drift upon
a rock, smash to atoms and the cargo
and the men in her be lost.
But portaging is the hardest work
which comes to the voyageur, for some
times it is necessary to drag the heavy
York boat and to carry her load of four
or five tons over a rough, rocky point, a
mile in width. A portage strap is fast-
ened to one 'spiece" of about one hum
dred pounds; another piece, perhaps
two, are placed upons this, and with
the strap against his forehead, with
barred legs and shoeless feet, man after
man tolls across the portage, until the
narrow path beneath is soft and damp
with human sweat. They are glad
when the last piece is over The
clumsy oars seem light when they pick
them up again.
In former times buffalo pemmican
constituted the chief food for the voy-
ageur; now dried moose and caribu
meat have taken it's place. Then tea
and flour were luxuries enjoyed but
once a year, at Christmas; now they
form part of his daily rations.
AS may be imagined, the life of
company's officer or clerk does not pos
sess much novelty. If the clerk is
fortunate to be stationed at the district
headquarters he may perhaps live at
the same table with his commissioned
officer and family; there may be young
ladies. in which event music and cards
help to while away the long winter
evenings. There is also library OF
greater or less dimensions, and if he
be OF literary turn magazines ana
papers reach him as often as from
twice to twelve times a. year, as he
may be near or far from the arteries of
the great outside world. In any event,
the arrivals of the mails form perhaps
the most notable breaks in the monot-
onous life, bringing tidings of home and
friends and of those things of which he
was once a part, and which linger ever
in his heart and memory, no matter
how long it may have been since he
bade farewell to them all. Dances too,
assist in killing time, and if the occas-
ion be wedding dance is likely to
last for two or three days, for leisure is
usually abundant in this quiet land.
But hunting is the main recreation of
the majority of the officers and clerks.
The staff at; a post often go off and
camp for a week. and a. hundred or
more geese and double that nurber of
ducks loads the boats on their return.