Lap-tak



Journal of Jose Chevalier The days and nights are passing by so ever slowly. We have finally reached the village of the natives that we’ve been searching for the last few weeks. The days that we leave behind me are treacherous for we have been forced to live off on rock lichens, moss, and even our own moccasins for we have finished all our provisions and game was scarce in this area. We plan on staying at this village for at least 6 months. We need the time to rest and gather our strength and our canoe needs repairing and possible replacement. This might take a while because only the natives know how to make these canoes. Life is much better now that I have a roof to sleep under instead of some sail that was been crudely made into a tent. This has been the seventh time that I have gone out yet it still feels like the first. The lands are getting wilder and wilder. I feel like we have been under watch by something or someone ever since we crossed the last river. Maybe it’s just me but my partner also has had some strange experiences. Whatever it is, we are safe now. Well I guess I should be more positive as things could’ve gotten a lot worse and we still have tobacco left. Tobacco, it is going to be the death of me at the end. Yet it is so addictive. It is always nice to smoke tobacco when you are canoeing down the rivers and lakes when there is nothing to talk about. Jacques is very quiet these days though. Maybe it’s because his wife died on the return journey last summer. Whatever the reason hopefully we can get him to talk again soon.

While staying with the natives in their village, I came across some very interesting people. Besides my usual companions, I met two more people like us. First is Dominique Olmpe. He is a very interesting man. Unlike us though he is a voyageur, a fur trader that has the government’s permission to trade. According to the law, you are suppose to report courier de bois but we have became good friends and he said that he will not report us and maybe even join us as he complains about the money he gets after taxes. Hopefully he will choose to join us for Jacques says he will stay in the village for 3 to 4 years with his newly wedded wife, which brings our numbers down to two. He is a happy fellow and is cheerful at all times, someone who could lift our spirits when we are down. The other person is Jacob Marquis. He is a courier de bois who operates in the same area as us but is in a different group for we, courier de bois, operate in threes. He thinks of retiring soon and going back to France. I don’t blame him, this job is really stressful. Maybe I should retire soon too. Buy some land, get a wife, start a family and a farm. But these are all things that I should be thinking about when I’m getting back, Right now I should be focusing on resupplying and the return trip. It’s getting late. I shall sleep now.

Bibliography: Harold Horwood, "The Colonial Dream," Canada's Illustrated Heritage, Toronto, 1978 Stewart K. Dicks, "Canadiana Scrapbook: Les Canadiens: The French in Canada 1600-1867," Prentice-Hall of Canada Ltd. Scarborough, 1980 Michael Cranny, "Crossroads: A Meeting of Nations," Pearson Education Canada Inc., Toronto, 1998