The Long Hunter's Journal
The newsletter of the Utah ALRA
June 2006
Lieutenant's Message
My message this month is mostly one of apology for being such a flake lately. Steve had the bulk of this journal ready to go almost three weeks ago and has been waiting for me. My life has been crazy lately and unfortunately the ALRA has had to take a lower priority for me. I have started a new job that is very demanding at the present time and I am afraid you won't see much of me before Bridger. However, I have great officers in Steve and James. I am confident they will take good care of things.
Insurance Issue
There have been new developments with the insurance issue. Fort Buenaventura paid the Utah ALRA $210 for doing the school demos. With this sum added to our current treasury balance we have enough money to purchase an insurance policy that would run until next May. The cost of the insurance policy is $500. Between now and next May we would have to come up with a fund raiser to get the sum for next year. Several good ideas have been suggested thus far. There may also be an option that I have not had time to explore yet. The Free Mountain Trappers have purchased and insurance policy. We might each be able to join their organization for the benefit of insurance. I will need to discuss this with their leadership to see how they feel about that idea. So here are the pros and cons as I see them:
Pros:
Cons:.
I feel we should purchase the insurance policy for this year and then take some time to explore other options. However, I would like a vote of the Utah Patriots to authorize the payment of the $500 for the policy. Utah Patriots, please send me your vote in the next two weeks. -Grant
Western Gathering
The first ever Western Gathering is a GO for November. I got a commitment from Weber County that we can have the event regardless of the status of our signing the contract. The dates will be November 3-5 with early setup on the 2nd available. Mark Rutledge has commitments from a few that will be traveling long distances to get here. I would like to see a commitment from our local group to attend this event and show our brothers from other parts of the country just how strong the Utah ALRA is. We need to put some planning into this event so we can provide some worthwhile shooting events and other activities. Keep your eye out for firewood as we will need to provide it for all for this event. More details will be forth coming.
Unita Camp, June 22-24th
If you attended the 2005 Camp, you know what a great time it was. This year should be even greater! The Woods Walk has 30 silhouettes targets painted as British Soldiers, Indians, Settlers and Colonial Riflemen. James Chandler, Sergeant of Arms, will provide the scenario before the group heads out. This Walk offers plenty of shooting, decision-making, and skill. It will take place Saturday morning so don't miss it.
On Friday afternoon, we plan to work on skills towards advancing from Patriot to Scout. The requirement are:
Scout
In the "Hunter Level" there are several items you may have completed already: Hand stitch a cloth shirt, and obtain winter clothing (coat, footwear, mittens or gloves, ground cloth).
Friday evening will be a potluck dinner. Plan on making a side dish. The Garrison will furnish the meat. Right now, I'm thinking about sausage and rabbit in a pot of beans. Any suggestions? We will play the game of "Farkle" after the meal. Farkle was explained in the last newsletter so you can review the scoring and be prepared to shout Farkle!
Click on the Map for a Printable Map
Sorry, I don't have the mileage marked on this map. I'll have some signs posted from the US Forest sign on. Hopefully, there won't be any downed trees over the road again this year. Grant had to use his mighty belt axe to chop down a 15-inch tree that had fallen over the road when he came up late in the evening. He complained about the blister all weekend. Most of us would mount a fine set of antlers in our den but not Grant!
Volunteer Work
Thanks to all the individuals who participated in volunteer work recently at two events. Fort Buenaventure open its doors May 9-18 to schoolchildren to witness first-hand how life was during the Fur Trade period. Those who helped with the demonstrations were Terry Pendley, Trent Isaacson, Tracy McCarthy, and Steve Gish. Please see the link below to an article in the Davis County Clipper about the Colonial Fair that Gregg Hansen, Kirk, and Grant Davis did at West Bountiful Elementary School. http://www.clippertoday.com/link.asp?smenu=76&sdetail=14935
The picture is from the news article by Chad Phares.
Travels into North America
The three- volume book, Travels into North America by Peter Kalm offers firsthand insight into Colonial America. Kalm, a Swedish Botanist, came to rural Pennsylvania in 1747 to collect seeds of plants that might prove useful for agriculture and industry. Kalm's detailed descriptions of what he saw offers the researcher valuable information on the life in the colonial settlements.
A search of the web offers numerous sites with details of what Kalm experienced while in Colonial America. Check them out. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/HarCamp.html
How to Build a Bark Canoe by Peter Kalm
ABOUT two o'clock this afternoon we arrived at Fort Anne. We stayed here all this day, and the next, in order to make a new boat of bark, because there was no possibility of going down the river without it.
The making of our boat took up half yesterday, and all this day. To make such a boat, they pick out a thick tall elm, with a smooth bark, and with as few branches as possible. This tree is cut down, and great care is taken to prevent the bark from being hurt by falling against other trees, or against the ground. For this reason some people do not cut down the trees, but climb to the top of them, split the bark, and strip it off, which was the method our carpenter took. The bark is split on one side, in a straight line along the tree, as long as the boat is intended to be; at the same time, the bark is carefully cut off a little way on both sides of the slit, that it may more easily separate.
The bark is then peeled off very carefully, and particular care is taken not to make any holes in it; this is easy when the sap is in the trees, and at other seasons the tree is heated by the fire, for that purpose. The bark thus stripped off is spread on the ground, in a smooth place, turning the inside downwards, and the rough outside upwards; and to stretch it better, some logs of wood or stones are carefully put on it, which press it down.
Then the sides of the bark are gently bent upwards, in order to form the sides of the boat; some sticks are then fixed into the ground, at the distance of three or four feet from each other, in the curved line, which the sides of the boat are intended to make, supporting the bark intended for the sides. The sides of the bark are then bent in the form which the boat is to have, and according to that form the sticks are either put nearer or further off.
The ribs of the boat are made of thick branches of hickory, which are tough and pliable. They are cut into several flat pieces, about an inch thick, and bent into the form which the ribs require, according to their places in the broader or narrower part of the boat. When thus bent, they are put across the boat, upon the back, or its bottom, pretty close, about ten inches from each other.
The upper edge on each side of the boat is made of two thin poles, of the length of the boat, which are put close together, on the side of the boat, and are flat, where they are to be joined. The edge of the bark is put between these two poles, and sewed up with threads, mouse-wood bark, or other tough bark, or with roots.
But before it is thus sewed up, the ends of the ribs are likewise put between the two poles on each side, taking care to keep them at some distance from each other. After that is done, the poles are sewed together, and when bent properly, both their ends join at each end of the boat, where they are tied together with ropes. To prevent the widening of the boat at the top, three or four bands are put across it, from one edge to the other, at the distance of thirty or forty inches from each other.
These bands are commonly made of hickory, on account of its toughness and flexibility, and have a good length. The ends are put through the bark on both sides, just below the poles which make the edges; they are bent up above those poles and twisted round the middle part of the bands, where they are carefully tied by ropes. As the bark at the two ends of the boat cannot be put so close together as to keep the water out, the crevices are stopped up with the crushed or pounded bark of the red elm. Some pieces of bark are put upon the ribs in the boat, without which the foot would easily wear through the thin and weak bark below, which forms the bottom of the boat.
For better security some thin boards are commonly laid at the bottom, which may be trod upon with more safety. The side of the bark which has been upon the wood, thus becomes the outside of the boat, because it is smooth and slippery, and cuts the water more easily than the other. The building of these boats is not always quick; for sometimes it happens that after peeling the bark off an elm, and carefully examining it, it is found pierced with holes and splits, or it is too thin to venture one's life in.
In such a case another elm must be looked for; and it sometimes happens that several elms must be stripped of their bark, before one is found fit for a boat. That which we made was big enough to bear four persons, with our baggage, which weighed somewhat more than a man.
All possible care must be taken in rowing on the rivers and lakes of these parts with a boat of bark. For as the rivers, and even the lakes, contain numbers of broken trees, which are commonly hidden under the water, the boat may easily run against a sharp branch. This would tear half the boat away, if you rowed on very fast. The people in it would be in great danger, where the water is very deep, especially if such a branch held the boat.
To get into such a dangerous boat must be done with great care, and for the greater safety, without shoes. For with the shoes on, and still more with a sudden leap into the boat, the heels may easily pierce through the bottom of the boat. This might sometimes be attended with very disagreeable circumstances, especially when the boat is near a rock, and close to a sudden depth of water; and such places are common in the lakes and rivers here.
The birchbark canoe, the most ingenious and most beautiful of the Indian's inventions, was so broad that it could float in shallow streams, and so light that one man could easily carry it from one stream across the portage to the next stream.
Wampum By Peter Kalm (1749)
AMONG the numerous shells which are found on the seashore, there are some which by the English here are called clams, and which bear some resemblance to the human ear. They have a considerable thickness, and are chiefly white, excepting the pointed end, which both without and within has a blue color, between purple and violet.
They are met with in vast numbers on the seashore of New York, Long Island, and other places. The shells contain a large animal, which is eaten both by the Indians and Europeans settled here.
A considerable commerce is carried on in this article, with such Indians as live farther up the country. When these people inhabited the coast, they were able to catch their own clams, which at that time made a great part of their food; but at present this is the business of the Dutch and English who live in Long Island and other maritime provinces.
As soon as the shells are caught, the fish is taken out of them, drawn upon a wire, and hung up in the open air, in order to dry by the heat of the sun. When this is done, the flesh is put into proper vessels, and carried to Albany upon the river Hudson; there the Indians buy them, and reckon them one of their best dishes. Besides the Europeans, many of the native Indians come annually down to the seashore, in order to catch clams, proceeding with them afterwards in the manner I have just described.
The shells of these clams are used by the Indians as money, and make what they call their wampum; they likewise serve their women for an ornament, when they intend to appear in full dress. These wampums are properly made of the purple parts of the shells, which the Indians value more than the white parts.
A traveller, who goes to trade with the Indians, and is well stocked with them, may become a considerable gainer; but if he take gold coin, or bullion, he will undoubtedly be a loser; for the Indians, who live farther up the country, put little or no value upon these metals which we reckon so precious, as F have frequently observed in the course of my travels.
The Indians formerly made their own wampum, though not without a deal of trouble; but at present the Europeans employ themselves that way; especially the inhabitants of Albany, who get a considerable profit by it. Wampum was the only thing like money that the Indians had; but they traded skins with each other, and at the white settlements.
Another search brought me to American Journeys, a digital collection from the Wisconsin Historical Society: http://www.americanjourneys.org/aj-117/index.asp I did a search entering "canoe" and came up with numerous "hits" not only from Peter Kalm but other sources as well. This site contains digital information dating from 1000 "The Saga of Eric the Red" to George Catlin's plates of North American Indians, 1848. For those of you without the Internet, go to your Public Library to check these out.