tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64108268805140201212024-02-20T00:36:17.786-08:00Grand River Rafting Blogs and LegendsTales of the Grand River Valley and Beyond.Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-27038726505738709922011-12-07T15:18:00.000-08:002017-12-31T09:21:33.875-08:00Experience a Pirate Birthday Party Near Toronto... Where Sometimes the Kids are Adults!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PFOxotbd2nY/Tt_yw9y8KdI/AAAAAAAAAPU/bSV6SQetOv4/s1600/Pirate+Quest.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PFOxotbd2nY/Tt_yw9y8KdI/AAAAAAAAAPU/bSV6SQetOv4/s320/Pirate+Quest.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Lots of birthday companies have pirate birthday party ideas. But
outside of Toronto, this pirate birthday party isn't an idea... it's the
real thing!<br />
<br />
On this adventure groups don't just play pirate... they
come dressed as pirates! These pirates, journey in a ship with other
thieves at sea. With their map, each team searches for the clues to the
buried treasure. And to the most clever, goes the chest of gold,
awaiting at the end.<br />
<br />
This birthday pirate adventure was designed for kids and men! It
takes place on the Grand River, one hour west of Toronto. Each team gets
a ship (a large self bailing raft), there is a chest with a map and
tools, and a pilot-mate for hire. The only rule... everyone must come
dressed as a pirate. The adventure can be played in one raft or
competing rafts.<br />
<br />
Once on the water, the team cracks open the chest, reads the lost
letter and reviews the clues. There is an inventory of the tools,
strategies are planned and a "haggling" of booty-share with the
pilot-mate for their services. Once done, the anchor is lifted and the
crew heads out to sea.<br />
<br />
A little ways down, the sounding of the shore gong is required for
the pilot-mate to go further. In competition, a leading team can easily
become the last team until the gong is found and sounded. From here, the
clues are sought out, found and plugged into the map. It eventually
comes to the attention of the crew, that the pilot-mate seems to know
everything. This makes him the "go-to-hero" in the boat... but for his
answer, there is a percentage of the booty.<br />
<br />
Once all the clues are plugged into the map, the crew can paddle
directly to the location. Upon arrival, the team faces a new challenge.
They must use a compass and chain to locate the buried treasure.
Coincidentally the pilot-guide turns out to be an amazing instructor on
compassing and chaining... a lost pirate art!<br />
<br />
By compassing, chaining and solving a riddle, the crew arrives at the
location of the treasure. The location turns into an absolute mystery
to everyone, except for the smiling pilot-mate, who by now has probably
accumulated 90% shares in the booty! At the discovery of the treasure,
there is absolute delight as to what it contains... and with every good
pirate hunt, everything is shared.<br />
<br />
This pirate quest takes about four hours to play. It is for youth 8
years and up. Although this treasure quest was designed for kids, adults
have become the major players. Child or adult, it seems that when the
imagination is played out... simple events become an amazing adventure.
Just like the real thing!<br />
<br />
For further information about a pirate birthday party on the Grand River near Paris visit '<a href="http://www.grandriverrafting.ca/birthday-parties-grand-river">The Pirate Adventure</a>".Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.com32 Mechanic St, Paris, ON N3L 1K2, Canada43.192181 -80.38559880000002543.192 -80.385913800000026 43.192361999999996 -80.385283800000025tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-60639915700863398812011-11-11T13:13:00.000-08:002017-12-31T09:15:59.454-08:00Please Don't Pee in the Boat!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NInsZjDoXTQ/Tr2XJaYUErI/AAAAAAAAAPM/JU-Gr9uT0Gg/s1600/Dont%2BPee%2Bin%2BMy%2BBoat.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673857293512610482" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NInsZjDoXTQ/Tr2XJaYUErI/AAAAAAAAAPM/JU-Gr9uT0Gg/s400/Dont%2BPee%2Bin%2BMy%2BBoat.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 234px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Every river guide has a legendary story... well this is mine... and it's true!<br />
<br />
It was a windy Sunday afternoon and I was requested to take a woman called "Peggy-Sue" on a three hour guided canoe trip down the Grand River.<br />
<br />
I put the canoe in the water and helped her in the front. When she was seated... I handed her a paddle. She looked at me in surprise and said "Oh, I won't be needing that!" I graciously smiled and launched the canoe into the wind.<br />
<br />
Once on the river, my client turned sideways... put her feet in the water... dragging them in the river. She said she wanted to see me as she talked. I was informed she was marrying Sylvester Stallone's son and that she was doing this paddle to get in shape to have babies. (my lip started to bleed from biting it). She then informed me there were body guards following us along the river to keep her safe. She also mentioned that she was bipolar but no longer needed her medicine. (I am not sure if it was the wind making my eyes water).<br />
<br />
You know that famous expression... "talk your ear off". Well that phrase became very real to me. My three hour cruise became a five hour listening marathon. I was never so happy to get out of a canoe in my life. But as fate would have it... I blundered making the comment that I did night paddles. <br />
<br />
A couple of nights later I got a call for a night paddle and to bring my wife... Peggy-Sue had such a good time... she was coming back (there's tears in my eyes but no wind)!<br />
<br />
Peggy was late by an hour, so we shoved off in the dark. My wife sat in the front seat with a paddle. Peggy Sue sat on a floor seat facing me. No sooner were we on the river... then out came a camera with a flash that could burn the eyes out of an owl. She used an entire roll shooting the dark (after that lightning show I didn't need lights... all I had to do was blink my eyes).<br />
<br />
We came to a spot called the "Bloop" where the water rolls over the canoe bow. Peggy-Sue definitely wanted to shoot the Bloop. So over we went and in came the wave... her tight velour pants immediately sucked the water up. Peggy-Sue let out a gasp"oh, I am getting cold!" My wife told Peggy-Sue to take off her pants and wrap our spare nylon jacket around her. Peggy-Sue thought that was a great idea. (I was starting to wish my wife was not there). As Peggy-Sue started peeling her wet velour, she suddenly said "Oh, I don't have any underwear on! The boat went silent.<br />
<br />
Peggy-Sue proceeded to peel the velour off, but the pants got stuck around her ankles. I told her I was not going to help her. She then got laughing so hard that she started peeing in the boat. Finally she got the pants off and my wife suggested that Peggy-Sue get out to finish peeing in the river.<br />
<br />
While Peggy-Sue was peeing, she decided she wanted her picture taken. I had her camera bag... but I wasn't taking a picture of a bottomless woman urinating in the river. I gave my wife the camera. After the flash show, Peggy-Sue complained her back was sore from sitting on the floor and asked my wife to trade places. Without thinking my wife said "yes". As Peggy-Sue got in, my wife suddenly remembered the urine all over the seat. So she quickly sat on the thwart in front of me. As my wife paddled, I distinctly heard her say "I hate this job!"<br />
<br />
Peggy-Sue suddenly announced that she was having such a good time and that she was going to call her friend Calvin Klein to let him know (he must of designed those tight pants). After a 15 minute conversation with Calvin missing at the other end... she said goodbye.<br />
<br />
When we arrived at the end, my youngest 14 year old son was there, and I did not want him seeing this bottomless woman. Luckily I had a blanket in my car. We then drove to our home and gave Peggy-Sue a pair of my shorts. At Paris, Peggy-Sue had left something in the outfitter shop, so my wife went to get it.<br />
<br />
While alone, Peggy-Sue said "I don't really drink, but you two have gone way out of your way for me. Would you like to go across to the hotel for a drink as a thank you?" I suggested we ask my wife. When my wife was asked, she replied "ask Garth". Peggy-Sue immediately said "Garth said yes!"<br />
<br />
While we are splitting a beer... Peggy-Sue ordered five fingers of scotch on the rocks. And she puts the glass back with one gulp! My wife smells the empty scotch glass and says"it's the real stuff". Our dry Peggy-Sue orders another 5 fingers. In a half hour Peggy-Sue has consumed 13 fingers of scotch and is making out with an Italian who she claims is her bodyguard.<br />
<br />
Practicing "due diligence", we offer to drive Peggy-Sue and her vehicle back to her hotel in Brantford. When we arrive at the hotel, Peggy-Sue states there are no bodyguards to meet her and wonders if we can escort her. So we take her to her suite. On the way we are stopped by three Italians who check us out (I said to myself "you've got to be kidding"). They let us go by and we step into her suite.<br />
<br />
Peggy-Sue informs us that she has lost her mouth guard and asks us to help her find it. She informs us that she was a ballerina at one time and I get my own personal ballet performance... which was not "Swan Lake"... more like "Grand River". Then she shows us her favorite lingerie.<br />
<br />
We finally got out of there at 2am in the morning. As we were driving home, I said to my wife " I wonder why that woman was put in our path". My wife burst forth "I don't know... but I never want to meet her again"! Then my wife says "but I am so glad I went with you tonight, because if you had gone alone you would have been in so much trouble". I turned to my wife and said "Not so, because I would have never asked her to take her pants off!"<br />
<br />
A year later! I was guiding a Six Nations group on Big Creek for three days. We had a nurse traveling with us. Around the campfire the nurse tells this story of her new patient who was found dancing naked in the middle of a road. This patient is going to marry Sylvester Stallone's son... (there's tears in my eyes, but no wind).<br />
<br />
If wishing to experience the "Best of the Grand"... <a href="https://www.grandriverrafting.ca/" target="_blank">visit our website</a>.Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-16596829423884346772010-01-31T17:19:00.001-08:002017-12-31T09:20:32.843-08:00Iroquois Corn Fields... as Far as the Eye Can See!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2YsXU1H75I/AAAAAAAAAOA/lbB-USisaic/s1600-h/smoke+in+the+woods+645+x+444.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433078779709222802" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2YsXU1H75I/AAAAAAAAAOA/lbB-USisaic/s400/smoke+in+the+woods+645+x+444.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 275px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
When we think of the First Nations growing corn… many visualize quaint family plots growing outside the longhouse palisade. Actually the fields were so big that visiting priests complain about getting lost in them. We are talking about fields 100 to 1,000 acres in size.<br />
<br />
The land was cleared in a three season split. First year all the brush and lower branches were cleared and put around the big trees which were girdled. In the next spring the girdled trees were burned and cut down. The third year is when corn would be planted. The first two years of corn was the best yields. If a field got too low in production it was left fallow for two years. Never were all fields growing crops at once.<br />
<br />
Preparing the corn seed was done by soaking the seed in a corn medicine solution for one hour. Then put in a basket and wait until it started to sprout. The corn varieties used were flint corns adapted to the shorter growing season. There was also soft white & yellow corn… and gummy or sugar corn.<br />
<br />
The fields were prepped by chopping the weeds off last year “hills” and pulling out the old corn stalks. Next the fields of stalks were burned. The new corn seedlings in the old hills would often follow the root channels of last year’s crop.<br />
<br />
When the leaves on the oaks were the size of a red squirrels foot or the June berry was in blossom… it was time to plant corn. Sowing corn was done by the Iroquois women. There was an older woman overseeing a group of younger women. Planting started out with prayer first. There was much singing with young braves guarding.<br />
<br />
Each woman carried a notched stick of oak, ironwood or hickory that looked like a half shovel 5 inches wide with a one foot branch handle. The woman would stand in a line and each would plant a row across the field. The corn was sowed a meter apart in hills with 4 seeds per hill planted about 1 inch apart and 1 inch deep. When possible the women planted in the hill from last year. After planting there was a prayer of protection and thanks.<br />
<br />
Some records talk about Iroquois field 180 meters by 90 meters with 9 rolls of corn alternating with beans… the outside perimeter surrounded by squash and melons. Each village had it's own layout.<br />
<br />
Then there was the protecting of the fields from crows, blackbirds, raccoons, muskrats, rabbits, woodchucks and deer. The creatures were scared off by guards or snared. They also had suspended wooden whistles that blew in the wind or young girls on platforms.<br />
<br />
When the corn came up there was a dance. The first hoeing was when the corn was 2”<br />
high to remove competing weeds. The second hoeing happen when the corn was 2 ft high and they would hill them more too. This was also the time they would plant beans, squash, pumpkins and melons between the corn. The corn was actually used as a climbing ladder by the beans.<br />
<br />
Then there would be rain invoking ceremonies and rain stopping ceremonies.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2Y0iD1L9yI/AAAAAAAAAOY/GF6G5IyoqaQ/s1600-h/green+corn.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433087760217667362" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2Y0iD1L9yI/AAAAAAAAAOY/GF6G5IyoqaQ/s400/green+corn.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 123px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>About the start of August was green corn season for about 2 weeks. This was corn on the cob harvested in the sweet stage. Gummy corn or sugar corn.<br />
<br />
The final harvest of mature beans and corn was at the start of October. The women entered the fields with slung baskets on their backs. The mature corn was always picked with the right hand and tossed over their shoulder. When the baskets were full the women walked to an assigned piling spot and bent over to dump the corn out. These harvest piles were about 4 ft high and 9 ft long. A field yielded about 16 bushels per acre of corn. One Seneca village attacked by the American General Sullivan had over 160,000 bushels in storage.<br />
<br />
The harvested corn was then weaved together in groups of 50-60 ears about 8ft long braids. The braids were put on dry racks. The seed source for the next year was picked out and hung in the long house. Corn seed was viable for up to two years.<br />
<br />
The dried the corn was shelled by flailing, then winnowed. The blank cobs were burned to be used as seasoning. The shelled kernels were stored in bark chests which could hold 100 to 120 bushels.<br />
<br />
Other shelled corn was stored in waterproof pits. Some pits were trenches 5-6 ft deep, others were round holes of the same depth. The holes were often in sandy soil, lined with dry willow branches on the bottom with a layer of thick dried grass on top. The side walls were lines with a thick layer of grass held in place with a willow branch weaving. The top was covered with woven corn mats, leaves and earth. The pit locations were disguised in case of enemy attack and were some distance from the long houses.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2YvliLGUFI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/92bVypnohns/s1600-h/P1310001.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433082322344104018" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2YvliLGUFI/AAAAAAAAAOQ/92bVypnohns/s400/P1310001.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 400px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 299px;" /></a><br />
The amount of corn grown was enough to supply a village for three years… but often an annual crop was partially traded to the non-farming Algonquin for quill work, nets and furs. For the Iroquois corn was life. In fact the words for corn stages were used as time markers... planting, sprout, blade, stalk, silk, tassel, ear, kernel, husk, braid and hang.<br />
<br />
Today big corn planter sweep across the land planting hybrids that yields 10 times more per acre and big mechanical combines shell a cob in a second. Remember when you lift a can of corn off the shelf... we’ve got it good!<br />
<br />
If wishing a hiking classroom to learn about First Nations plants and trees visit this <a href="https://www.grandriverrafting.ca/ontario-edible-plant-hike-poisonous-plants-trees" target="_blank">link</a>.Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.com81 Pottruff Rd, Brantford, ON N3T 5L7, Canada43.1477813 -80.351396417.625746799999998 -121.6599904 68.6698158 -39.0428024tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-53537359628535509102010-01-31T17:10:00.000-08:002017-12-31T09:22:42.602-08:00The Iroquois Corn Fields as Far as the Eye Could See!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2Yq8UGA9LI/AAAAAAAAANw/YCDnK3RNBVo/s1600-h/smoke+in+the+woods+645+x+444.jpg"><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CG%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><style>
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</a><br />
--><o:p></o:p> <div class="MsoNormal">
When we think of the First Nations growing corn… many visualize quaint family plots growing outside the longhouse palisade. Actually the fields were so big that visiting priests complain about getting lost in them. We are talking about fields 100 to 1,000 acres in size.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The land was cleared in a three season split. First year all the brush and lower branches were cleared and put around the big trees which were girdled. In the next spring the girdled trees were burned and cut down. The third year is when corn would be planted. The first two years of corn was the best yields. If a field got too low in production it was left fallow for two years. Never were all fields growing crops at once.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Preparing the corn seed was done by soaking the seed in a corn medicine solution for one hour. Then put in a basket and wait until it started to sprout. The corn varieties used were flint corns adapted to the shorter growing season. There was also soft white & yellow corn… and gummy or sugar corn.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The fields were prepped by chopping the weeds off last year “hills” and pulling out the old corn stalks. Next the fields of stalks were burned. The new corn seedlings in the old hills would often follow the root channels of last year’s crop.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When the leaves on the oaks were the size of a red squirrels foot or the June berry was in blossom… it was time to plant corn. Sowing corn was done by the Iroquois women. There was an older woman overseeing a group of younger women. Planting started out with prayer first. There was much singing with young braves guarding.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Each woman carried a notched stick of oak, ironwood or hickory that looked like a half shovel 5 inches wide with a one foot branch handle. The woman would stand in a line and each would plant a row across the field. The corn was sowed a meter apart in hills with 4 seeds per hill planted about 1 inch apart and a ½ inch deep. When possible the women planted in the hill from last year. After planting there was a prayer of protection and thanks.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Some groups talk about field units of 180 meters by 90 meters with 9 rolls of corn alternating with beans… the outside perimeter surrounded by squash and melons.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then there was the protecting of the fields from crows, blackbirds, raccoons, muskrats, woodchucks, rabbits and deer. The creatures were scared off by guards or snared. They also had suspended wooden whistles that blew in the wind or young girls on platforms.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When the corn came up there was a dance. The first hoeing was when the corn was 2” </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
high to remove competing weeds. The second hoeing happen when the corn was 2 ft high and they would hill them more too. This was also the time they would plant beans, squash, pumpkins and melons between the corn. The corn was actually used as a climbing ladder by the beans.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then there would be rain invoking ceremonies and rain stopping ceremonies. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
About the start of August was green corn season for about 2 weeks. This was corn on the cob harvested in the sweet stage.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The final harvest of mature beans and corn was at the start of October. The women entered the fields with slung baskets on their backs. The mature corn was always picked with the right hand and tossed over their shoulder. When the baskets were full the women walked to an assigned piling spot and bent over to dump the corn out. These harvest piles were about 4 ft high and 9 ft long. A field yielded about 16 bushels per acre of corn. One Seneca village attacked by the American General Sullivan had over 160,000 bushels in storage.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The harvested corn was then weaved together in groups of 50-60 ears about 8ft long braids. The braids were put on dry racks. The seed source for the next year was picked out and hung in the long house. Corn seed was viable for up to two years.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The dried the corn was shelled by flailing, then winnowed. The blank cobs were burned to be used as seasoning. The shelled kernels were stored in bark chests which could hold 100 to 120 bushels. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Other shelled corn was stored in waterproof pits. Some pits were trenches 5-6 ft deep, others were round holes of the same depth. The holes were often in sandy soil, lined with dry willow branches on the bottom with a layer of thick dried grass on top. The side walls were lines with a thick layer of grass held in place with a willow branch weaving. The top was covered with woven corn mats, leaves and earth. The pit locations were disguised in case of enemy attack and were some distance from the long houses.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The amount of corn grown was enough to supply a village for three years… but often an annual crop was partially traded to the non-farming Algonquin for quill work, nets and furs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The first Nations often described corn parts in terms of time… plant, sprout, blade, stalk, silk, tassel, ear, kernel, husk, braid and hang.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today when I watch a big corn planter sweep across the field with yields 10 times more per acre… and a combine remove and shell… I can’t help but think how we’ve got it good!</div>
The land was cleared in a three season split. First year all the brush and lower branches were cleared and put around the big trees which were girdled. In the next spring the girdled trees were burned and cut down. The third year is when corn would be planted. The first two years of corn was the best yields. If a field got too low in production it was left fallow for two years. Never were all fields growing crops at once.<br />
<br />
Preparing the corn seed was done by soaking the seed in a corn medicine solution for one hour. Then put in a basket and wait until it started to sprout. The corn varieties used were flint corns adapted to the shorter growing season. There was also soft white & yellow corn… and gummy or sugar corn.<br />
<br />
The fields were prepped by chopping the weeds off last year “hills” and pulling out the old corn stalks. Next the fields of stalks were burned. The new corn seedlings in the old hills would often follow the root channels of last year’s crop.<br />
<br />
When the leaves on the oaks were the size of a red squirrels foot or the June berry was in blossom… it was time to plant corn. Sowing corn was done by the Iroquois women. There was an older woman overseeing a group of younger women. Planting started out with prayer first. There was much singing with young braves guarding.<br />
<br />
Each woman carried a notched stick of oak, ironwood or hickory that looked like a half shovel 5 inches wide with a one foot branch handle. The woman would stand in a line and each would plant a row across the field. The corn was sowed a meter apart in hills with 4 seeds per hill planted about 1 inch apart and a ½ inch deep. When possible the women planted in the hill from last year. After planting there was a prayer of protection and thanks.<br />
<br />
Some groups talk about field units of 180 meters by 90 meters with 9 rolls of corn alternating with beans… the outside perimeter surrounded by squash and melons.<br />
<br />
Then there was the protecting of the fields from crows, blackbirds, raccoons, muskrats, woodchucks, rabbits and deer. The creatures were scared off by guards or snared. They also had suspended wooden whistles that blew in the wind or young girls on platforms.<br />
<br />
When the corn came up there was a dance. The first hoeing was when the corn was 2”<br />
high to remove competing weeds. The second hoeing happen when the corn was 2 ft high and they would hill them more too. This was also the time they would plant beans, squash, pumpkins and melons between the corn. The corn was actually used as a climbing ladder by the beans.<br />
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Then there would be rain invoking ceremonies and rain stopping ceremonies.<br />
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About the start of August was green corn season for about 2 weeks. This was corn on the cob harvested in the sweet stage.<br />
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The final harvest of mature beans and corn was at the start of October. The women entered the fields with slung baskets on their backs. The mature corn was always picked with the right hand and tossed over their shoulder. When the baskets were full the women walked to an assigned piling spot and bent over to dump the corn out. These harvest piles were about 4 ft high and 9 ft long. A field yielded about 16 bushels per acre of corn. One Seneca village attacked by the American General Sullivan had over 160,000 bushels in storage.<br />
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The harvested corn was then weaved together in groups of 50-60 ears about 8ft long braids. The braids were put on dry racks. The seed source for the next year was picked out and hung in the long house. Corn seed was viable for up to two years.<br />
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The dried the corn was shelled by flailing, then winnowed. The blank cobs were burned to be used as seasoning. The shelled kernels were stored in bark chests which could hold 100 to 120 bushels.<br />
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Other shelled corn was stored in waterproof pits. Some pits were trenches 5-6 ft deep, others were round holes of the same depth. The holes were often in sandy soil, lined with dry willow branches on the bottom with a layer of thick dried grass on top. The side walls were lines with a thick layer of grass held in place with a willow branch weaving. The top was covered with woven corn mats, leaves and earth. The pit locations were disguised in case of enemy attack and were some distance from the long houses.<br />
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The amount of corn grown was enough to supply a village for three years… but often an annual crop was partially traded to the non-farming Algonquin for quill work, nets and furs.<br />
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The first Nations often described corn parts in terms of time… plant, sprout, blade, stalk, silk, tassel, ear, kernel, husk, braid and hang.<br />
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Today when I watch a big corn planter sweep across the field with yields 10 times more per acre… and a combine remove and shell… I can’t help but think how we’ve got it good!<br />
<br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">If wishing a hiking classroom to learn about First Nations plants and trees visit this </span><a href="https://www.grandriverrafting.ca/ontario-edible-plant-hike-poisonous-plants-trees" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">link</a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">.</span><b></b>Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-70101518306243149632010-01-29T15:24:00.000-08:002017-12-31T09:23:43.578-08:00Corn Whiskey, Corn Medicine, Corn Smut… Eat, Drink and Feel No Pain?<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2NxbvsPxsI/AAAAAAAAAMg/7UQdo7ArgS4/s1600-h/corn+cob+yellow+600+x+400.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432310297011406530" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2NxbvsPxsI/AAAAAAAAAMg/7UQdo7ArgS4/s400/corn+cob+yellow+600+x+400.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 266px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Believe it or not, the black fungus smut that grows on sweet corn is a gourmet delicacy. The natives would collect the corn smut when young; boil in water for 10 minutes, than fry crisp in a hot pan.<br />
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The Iroquois favorite was roasted green corn. This was corn in the soft sugary stage. To cook they would dig a long trench and create a hot coal bed in it. They would then lay two long poles a cob length apart over the trench. The cobs were then placed across the two sticks and turned to roast over the coals.<br />
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Green corn was also a delicacy boiled, with animal marrow spread on.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2TYNzPiMYI/AAAAAAAAANI/P7nbb5JHgzQ/s1600-h/Indian+Scrapper+645+x+300.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432704782120923522" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2TYNzPiMYI/AAAAAAAAANI/P7nbb5JHgzQ/s400/Indian+Scrapper+645+x+300.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 185px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> <br />
In the green corn stage, corn kernels were often cut raw from the cob with a flint scrapper as shown above. The cut kernels were mixed with boiled beans, sunflower seeds and some meat. This blend was rolled together to make a delicious sticky corn ball called Indian Succotash. The Indians would sometimes add the oil from boiled crushed hickory nuts for a different creamy flavor.<br />
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For long term storage, green corn was dried. After picking the green corn, it was half cooked in boiling water. To take the kernels off, a small pointed stick was run between the rows to loosen for hand shelling. After hand shelling the kernels were dried for 4 days and put into storage. Drying the green corn this way intensified the sweetness, giving a caramel taste.<br />
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The concept of popcorn came from the First Nations. The Indians took corn kernels and popped them over a coal bed… this was called "Parched Corn". Popping the corn preserved the flavor, made it storable and a lightweight traveling food. When needed they would grind the corn to a meal… mix it with wood ash and dried bean ash. To eat this dried mixture they added two parts water to one part parched corn. Traveling Indians could survive on 200 Gms of parched corn a day.<br />
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Ash cooking was another essential way of preparing corn for food. Wood ash was added to boiling water with mature corn kernels. This chemical process removes the skin. The kernels without the skin look like white peas. The Iroquois /Algonquin called it “Sagamite”. This was done by adding two handfuls of oak/maple ash to 3 liters of water. The ash water mixture had to be strong enough to bite the tongue when tasting. The corn was brought to a boil until it swelled. The kernel skins could then be slipped off by squeezing the kernel between the fingers.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2TZ-Rp6mLI/AAAAAAAAANg/wK_OxI85e_Y/s1600-h/gouge+645+x+200.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432706714429986994" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2TZ-Rp6mLI/AAAAAAAAANg/wK_OxI85e_Y/s400/gouge+645+x+200.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 124px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Cornmeal is corn flour! In the early 1920’s many Iroquois were still grinding corn in their traditional way. They would hollow out a block of red oak by burning and gouging. (stone gouge shown above) and then make a 2 meter pounding pestle out of maple, ironwood or hickory. One to four women in succession might pound, making a game of it. This is how they created their flour meal for cakes.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2N2P1nWrcI/AAAAAAAAAMw/uWRnl9g9EQE/s1600-h/pounding+corn+345+x+460.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432315590001208770" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2N2P1nWrcI/AAAAAAAAAMw/uWRnl9g9EQE/s400/pounding+corn+345+x+460.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a>In 1753 one French explorer records that one tribe had over 42 styles of corn cookery. He was impressed with their high degree of cuisine skills.<br />
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Corn is one plant that seems to have a split personality… it is used as a cereal grain… and it is used as a sweet corn vegetable.<br />
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The Indians use to get a corn sugar from the stalks. They would collect small green stocks (the size of asparagus) and chew on them to yield a sweet sugar juice. For larger quantities they would press the stalks in bundles to extract juice, than boil down to syrup.<br />
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The Iroquois also used the stalk juice as a medicine. They would store this medicine using the corn stalk as a medicine bottle with a plug on top. The juice was used as a wound lotion.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2N1Kp5YoCI/AAAAAAAAAMo/R9TPP7G7_ps/s1600-h/corn+silk+600+x+300.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432314401444634658" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2N1Kp5YoCI/AAAAAAAAAMo/R9TPP7G7_ps/s400/corn+silk+600+x+300.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>Corn silk on the end of the cob was brewed as a tonic tea for kidney relief. The silks off one cob were collected and put in a cup. Then hot water was poured over the silks and steeped for 15 minutes before drinking.<br />
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Corn cobs were burned to make “corn coal” a medicine for hogs to prevent the runs. This was done by thoroughly charring the corn cobs, wetting them with water salt brine and then feeding them to the pigs.<br />
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Corn cobs were also used for smoking meat to flavor.<br />
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The Iroquois strictly used corn as a food source. They had no knowledge of “moonshine”. But the Incas definitely did.<br />
<br />
The Incas fermented corn for a drink. The enzymes of their brew not only made them happy, but it was very nutritious. The corn was first ground and put in pots of water. When softened in the pot, other corn was put in the mouth and chewed. This chewed corn was spit out and added to the ground corn in the water. It was then boiled for 4 hours and cooled. Next it was poured through a cloth strainer. The strained liquid was then stored in pots in a dark place for two weeks before drinking. The longer it sat… the better it got.<br />
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Corn was the staple diet among the Iroquois. In the Iroquois legends, corn arrived when the Sky Woman’s daughter died. When the daughter was covered by the earth… corn grew from her body first… then beans and squash. Corn was the Iroquois trading power with the Algonquin Nations. From trade they acquired furs and fish. Corn was critical for the First Nations of this area… it guaranteed survival until the spring!<br />
<br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">If wishing a hiking classroom to learn about First Nations plants and trees visit this </span><a href="https://www.grandriverrafting.ca/ontario-edible-plant-hike-poisonous-plants-trees" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">link</a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">.</span><b></b>Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-76755097308624471552010-01-28T16:23:00.000-08:002017-12-31T09:23:13.834-08:00Indian Corn... Why Pilgrims Starved... and Indians Grew Fat!The Spanish discovery of Indian corn had a huge impact on feeding the world. But the racial prejudice of English settlers missed the mark.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2I2PkJ9GAI/AAAAAAAAAMA/gH9m3nSfaoU/s1600-h/200+kernels+of+corn+200x+150.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431963741593606146" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2I2PkJ9GAI/AAAAAAAAAMA/gH9m3nSfaoU/s400/200+kernels+of+corn+200x+150.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a>In 1492 wheat was the mainstay food of Europe, Asia and Africa. It was the “King of the Mountain." But that changed in 1493. <span style="font-style: italic;">The hand on the left is the yield from one kernel of corn seed.</span><br />
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When Columbus returned from his first voyage he told his stories before the Spanish court about the land of the “Arawaks”. He told about the Arawaks piles of grain from which they made a cake-meal. He described the grain as having tapered ears longer then his hand, thicker then his wrist, with long rows the size of a pea. He spoke about how the black seeds when cooked, split open to create a tasty white fluff. He said the Arawaks called this strange grass plant “mahiz”.<br />
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Corn was non-existent in the rest of the world until Columbus saw it in the West Indies. Its productivity capabilities and ease of growing caught the world’s attention. Back then, wheat produced 15 to 20 kernels per head while corn produced 400 kernels per head. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2I0gZHWCWI/AAAAAAAAAL4/c_wlikVn4xk/s1600-h/Barley+kernels+200+x+150.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431961831664388450" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2I0gZHWCWI/AAAAAAAAAL4/c_wlikVn4xk/s400/Barley+kernels+200+x+150.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">The hand on the left is the yield from one barley seed.</span><br />
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By the year 1515 this maize seed had spread like fire through Europe, Middle East, China and Africa. The exploring ships of the Spanish and Portuguese introduced maize seed to the rest of the world.<br />
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The British inhabitants of the New World called the wheat from Europe "corn".The English term “corn” means a particle or grain of. So to differentiate wheat,they called the North American maize "Indian Corn".<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2I3umOyG-I/AAAAAAAAAMI/RwwE9LWcaNs/s1600-h/Indian+corn+5+heads+600+x+300.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431965374238301154" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2I3umOyG-I/AAAAAAAAAMI/RwwE9LWcaNs/s400/Indian+corn+5+heads+600+x+300.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 200px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> <span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><br />
The British colonists were introduced to corn 30 years before they arrived at Plymouth Rock. Corn came to the English from introduced Spanish sources in Turkey. In fact it was called Turkey Wheat. This Turkey Wheat was considered inferior to barley, rye, oats and wheat because it seemed incomplete in nourishment.<br />
<br />
The pompous attitude of the English settlers created ignorance. They scoffed at the savages for <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2I6OTDVWwI/AAAAAAAAAMY/NasyKJ-muq0/s1600-h/Wooden+mixing+bowl+200+x+100.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431968117869075202" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2I6OTDVWwI/AAAAAAAAAMY/NasyKJ-muq0/s400/Wooden+mixing+bowl+200+x+100.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 104px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a>preferring the inferior corn as food. And the Indians were horrified at watching the settlers feed corn to their livestock instead of eating it. <span style="font-style: italic;">Picture on right of an Iroquois wooden mixing bowl for corn mush</span><br />
<br />
In Europe it was discovered that peasants who lived on corn during the winter got “corn sickness”. They developed raw rashes and sores, their joints and muscles ached and they became dizzy and nervous… sometimes ending in insanity. This continued to happen until 1930’s! As a result of this observed sickness, it made Europeans believe that corn was not nutritious.<br />
<br />
In the Twentieth Century, scientist discovered that three amino acids crucial for the human cells to process energy where missing in corn. They are niacin, tryptophan and lysine. If corn was consumed with beans the niacin problem didn't exist. But the Indians did not rely on beans!<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2TXYkZnocI/AAAAAAAAANA/2ePN9kU7sf8/s1600-h/Pestle+250+x+400.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432703867603624386" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/S2TXYkZnocI/AAAAAAAAANA/2ePN9kU7sf8/s400/Pestle+250+x+400.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 400px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 249px;" /></a>The Indians discovered how to unlock the nutritional value of corn by a process called an "ash bath". They would boil the corn in water with wood ash… this ash bath removed the corn hull making it digestible. The alkali in the wood ash released the locked in tryptophan and lysine acids, which in turn allowed the body to make niacin.<br />
<br />
Another option was to add wood ash or finely mixed lime into the corn meal and bake. The different wood ash not only made the corn nutritious but different woods... added different flavours! (<span style="font-style: italic;">Left photo of a stone pestle used to pound corn & ash together</span>)<br />
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While the rest of the world got physically sick on a steady diet of corn, the First Nations of North America thrived. I find it interesting that sophisticated Europe missed out for centuries on the full nutritional benefit of corn... because one nation ignored the wisdom of another!<br />
<br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">If wishing a hiking classroom to learn about First Nations plants and trees visit this </span><a href="https://www.grandriverrafting.ca/ontario-edible-plant-hike-poisonous-plants-trees" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">link</a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">.</span><b></b>Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-16296715501511260002009-03-30T13:59:00.000-07:002017-12-31T09:24:13.077-08:00Neutral Attawandaron... What Happen to Them?<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SdEzayZJywI/AAAAAAAAAKE/r1Q6fKMEZD8/s1600-h/vase+photo+003.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319089170198153986" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SdEzayZJywI/AAAAAAAAAKE/r1Q6fKMEZD8/s400/vase+photo+003.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 110px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /><span style="font-size: 100%;">To understand what happen to the Neutral Attawandaron, a chronological time chart of their records reveals the narrow time window in which this powerful Nation fell. In southern Ontario one can do a <a href="http://grandriverrafting.ca/aboriginal-wilderness-floating-classroom">floating classroom</a> rafting trip on the Grand River to learn more.</span></span> <br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1615 </span> Etienne Brule was held captive and released by Five Nations to the Neutrals. He lived among the Neutrals a short time.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1616</span> Champlain states over 4,000 Neutral warriors came against the Mascoutens.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1623</span> Neutral attack a Huron village</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1625</span> Etienne Brule returned among the Neutrals and had a wife within the Neutrals… his daughter may have been a medicine woman.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1626</span> Dallion lived among Neutrals for a couple of months, made a diction of the language, but was brought back under guard because Neutral were going to kill him</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1629</span> Neutral population was equal to the combined population of Hurons & Five Nations combined. The Neutrals were twice as large as the <st1:city><st1:place>Erie</st1:place></st1:city>, Petun and Susquehannock combined.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1630</span> Recorded epidemics among Neutrals</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1634</span> Jesuits said Neutrals were still more numerous then the Hurons</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1638</span> Epidemics among all Iroquoian nations of Small pox and Cholera. Coureurs de Bois bring small pox to Neutrals.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1639</span> Severe famine among Neutrals… Neutrals sold their children to Huron for corn.<o:p></o:p> Wenrehoron (part of Neutrals) on <st1:place><st1:placename>Genesee</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>River</st1:placetype></st1:place> side … 600 killed by Iroquois…flee to Neutrals and Hurons. Also called Awenrehronon (Panther Tribe) lived east of <st1:city><st1:place>Erie</st1:place></st1:city>… part of a confederation between Erie & Neutral but not supported when attacked by Iroquois so fled to live among Neutrals</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1640</span> There are 40 Neutral villages with a population of 12,000 people total. Neutrals recovering from sickness (cholera & smallpox), famine and war. About this time the neutrality position coveted by the Neutrals is falling apart. In Nov til March…two priests Brebeuf & Chaumonot lived in vain among the Neutrals for 5 months. They also record more of the language. No one has found these recorded notes… only about 3 Neutral words are presently known.</div>
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Sixty Neutrals were found during this winter caught out in a snowstorm... frozen to death.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1641</span> A record of 2 converted Neutrals to Roman Catholicism. And the Neutrals bring back over 100 Mascouten prisoners from the west.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1642</span> Neutrals return with over 170 Mascouten prisoners. This is also the year the Five Nations start major attack against the Hurons.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1643</span> Two thousand Neutral & Ottawa warriors against the Mascouten fort of 900 warriors, the Neutrals took 800 captives, burned 50 of the Mascouten’s best warriors, poked out the eyes of the old men and girdled their mouths so they could not eat and left them to wander and die. (These Mascoutens were called “Nation du feu” and were bigger then the Huron, Neutral, Petun & Five Nations combined.) Also the discovery of the Neutral curing stones by Gendron a French surgeon… called Erie Stones. <span style="color: #b00110;">Also the Iroquois have now accumulated over 300 muskets in trade with the Dutch.</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1645</span> One hundred Neutrals visit Huron camp… surprised at chapel and invite Jesuits to come back among them. There is also a rumor at this time: <i>The Iroquois are digging the grave of the great Neutral nation, and the war cry of the Seneca will be the mourning funeral for the Neutral dead.</i></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1647</span> Aondironnons attacked by Seneca nations but Neutrals did nothing. Seneca attack and destroy a Neutral town to avenge a Seneca Warrior that was allowed to be captured in Neutral territory in sight of a village by a Huron war party tracking him…he was tortured & killed. Neutrals make an alliance with Andastes.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1648</span> Neutrals scared of Iroquois …hand over Huron fugitives seeking asylum with them to the Iroquois. Iroquois looking for a reason to attack Neutrals.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1649</span> Major Iroquois attack on Huron Confederacy… Hurons fall and Brebeuf is killed Dispersed Hurons settling among Neutrals. Open war between Neutral and Five Nations. Neutrals ask Jesuits in <st1:state><st1:place>Quebec</st1:place></st1:state> for arms against the Iroquois. A war counselor of the Onondaga called Shonnonkeri approached the Neutral many times to do combat battles to keep each side fit and the warriors not idle. The Neutrals of the Eagle Clan kept refusing, but finally agreed. In a fight the Neutrals captured a Seneca warrior… tortured and killed him.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1650</span> As a result of the killing… 1,600 Seneca and Onondaga attacked a major <st1:place><st1:placename>Neutral</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Town</st1:placetype></st1:place>, slaughtered and took women as wives. Other story said the Senecas attacked because the Neutral would not return an escaped Seneca prisoner among the Neutrals. Teotondiaton is the name of the town that fell. Jesuits record being at Notre Dame des Anges Camp of the Neutrals. Neutral & Susquehannock ally to fight Mohawk & Seneca. Neutrals retaliated and killed 200 Seneca warriors and tortured 50 prisoners. Iroquois have also crushed the Petun to the northwest of the Neutrals.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1651</span> The best of the 5 Nations warriors return to Neutral land and take out a town of 2000 Neutrals… as a result of this fierce attack, the other Neutral villages flee. The defeated Neutrals flee to the Christian Mohawks near <st1:city><st1:place>Montreal</st1:place></st1:city>, others with the Seneca, some with the <st1:city><st1:place>Erie</st1:place></st1:city> and Algonquin</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1652</span> Susquehannock, Andastes and Neutrals attack the Seneca. They invaded deep into Seneca territory. Seneca send their women to the Cayuga for protection. Jikonsaseh the Neutral Peace Queen living near <st1:place>Niagara</st1:place> is captured and protected by the Seneca.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1653</span> Three day meeting records 800 Neutral & 1200 Petun (2,000 warriors) with Algonqin near the Sault Ste Marie. At straits of Mickinaw. The French called the Neutrals that attended the “Huron Neutres… on west <st1:place><st1:placetype>shore</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename>Lake Huron</st1:placename></st1:place> near <st1:place><st1:city>Green Bay</st1:city>, <st1:state>Wisconsin</st1:state></st1:place></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1660 </span> Neutral presence still recorded around <st1:place>Great lakes</st1:place></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1669</span> There is a record of the Onondaga town called Gandoga and a couple of surrounding towns being predominately populated by captured Neutrals.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1690</span> The Huron, Tionnontates (Petun) & Attawandaron remnant are being called the Wyandot</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1712</span> The Deleware nation is defeated by Cayuga… became sub tribe… could not war without Five Nations permission. This is the year the Tuscarora join the Iroquois to become the Six Nations.<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1715</span> (approx) The <st1:city><st1:place>Battle</st1:place></st1:city> of <st1:place>Lake</st1:place> <st1:city><st1:place>Erie</st1:place></st1:city> was recorded on Wyandot wampum belt…</div>
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<i style="font-weight: normal;">“Twenty Wyandot and two Chippewa canoes landed at Long Point, and their scouts located a large party of Seneca at Big Creek. The Wyandots were discovered, but escaped to warn their group. The Wyandots then paddled out to deep water to escape the Seneca. The Seneca came out in canoes with war whoops… both group-chiefs exchanged threats, then the Seneca fired muskets. The Wyandot returned fire… then a hand to hand combat in canoes. The Wyandot were victorious. And only a few Seneca escaped. The Wyandot found a Seneca boy hiding under a basket in one canoe… and adopted him into their tribe”.</i><o:p style="font-weight: normal;"></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1775</span> The Seneca came near <st1:city><st1:place>Detroit</st1:place></st1:city> to attack the Wyandot and met with the Wyandot to parley telling how they were always defeated the Wyandot in the past. Wyandot chief then has old man come out, who tells the Seneca that he was a boy captured in the defeat of the Seneca at Long Point. He then shows the Seneca a wampum belt of Beaver given to the Wyandot by the Seneca after their defeat… it was called “the Battle of Lake Erie”. As a result the bragging Seneca left silently from lodge</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1780</span> John Kenjockety was a Neutral captured and adopted by Seneca… he was known as a man of influence and character among the Seneca</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">1892</span> Only about 368 “full blooded Indians” remain of the 40,000 Petun, Neutral and Huron of the 1650’s.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">If wishing a hiking classroom to learn about First Nations plants and trees visit this </span><a href="https://www.grandriverrafting.ca/ontario-edible-plant-hike-poisonous-plants-trees" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">link</a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">.</span><b></b></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SdE7dFM3WYI/AAAAAAAAAKU/nXrHPdS1Dk4/s1600-h/attawandaron+stone.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319098005699647874" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SdE7dFM3WYI/AAAAAAAAAKU/nXrHPdS1Dk4/s400/attawandaron+stone.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-style: italic;">A Neutral Attawandaron village grindstone (1651 or earlier) along the Grand River</span></div>
Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-68233513419425191422009-03-30T09:42:00.000-07:002017-12-31T09:24:42.501-08:00Neutral Attawandaron... Bones in the Longhouse<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SdD6s2jykRI/AAAAAAAAAJs/2l0papS-PwY/s1600-h/deer+bones+400x300.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319026808391373074" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SdD6s2jykRI/AAAAAAAAAJs/2l0papS-PwY/s400/deer+bones+400x300.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 225px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span><br />
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The mourning for the dead among the Neutral Attawandarons fascinated the French priests of 1620’s.</div>
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They commented on how the Neutrals would keep the body or bones as long as possible. If winter, the body was often kept in view within the longhouse until decomposition almost made them insupportable. Then the bodies were placed on drying racks outside. When most of the flesh was gone, the larger bones and skull were scraped clean and polished... kept on display in the longhouse until the “Feast of the Dead”.</div>
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The mourning was done by the women on a daily bases. They would blacken their faces. Corpses were often tattooed, adorned with feathers and favored trinkets. Any food dropped on the floor of the longhouse was always left for the dead.</div>
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For some there was a resurrection ceremony. If a prominent warrior was killed in battle, the personality of the dead one was assigned to another by a council. They would choose someone of similar age and character. At this resurrection ceremony all the people would stand except the selected one. The “Master of Ceremonies” would feign pulling the dead person from the ground and placing the spirit into the body of the selected living person. Then, the newly acclaimed “indwelled” would arise and be welcomed.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SdD77C3hDII/AAAAAAAAAJ8/kEmVL6AVwok/s1600-h/potato+digger.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319028151725132930" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SdD77C3hDII/AAAAAAAAAJ8/kEmVL6AVwok/s400/potato+digger.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-style: italic;">Implements like these old potato diggers unearthed more then just potatoes.</span></div>
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The graves were called Ossuaries and were 10 to 15 ft in diameter and about 5-6ft deep. Around the walls of the pit a scaffold system supported a cedar bark lining and an interior lining of beaver or bear pelts. The floor was packed with an ash-clay slurry that hardened. Many ossuaries were double layered, with a second ash-clay slurry about 12-15” deep poured on top of the first bone burial. The graves were communal, some bodies were wrapped in a fetal position called bundles. In other cases the large bones and skulls of many were mixed together.</div>
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How often the Feast of the Dead was celebrated is not known. A minimum of one year is mentioned. Discovered ossuaries have contained over 100 people. Objects found in the ossuaries have been bone combs, wooden spoons, stone tools, flint, food, pottery, smoking pipes, red ochre and the bones wrapped in rich furs. In later graves there were European copper pots, beads, iron axes and other metal pieces.</div>
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It was believed that when the Feast of the dead was held, the dead joined the Feast when the sun disappeared. As the living feasted on visible food and celebrated… the dead at the same time were able to join to eat and celebrate… this was the finale of being “One” before going beyond.</div>
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One Huron “Feast of the Dead” was witnessed, which gives an idea of what a Neutral ceremony might be like. Five villages joined together with an attendance of 2,000 people. Twelve hundred gifts were offered as a testimony of the living’s grief. The bones were placed in a shroud of 48 robes with each robe being made of 10 beaver skins. Once the shroud was placed in the ossuary… Indian corn was thrown on top and then earth. Guards were posted to protect the new ossuaries from scavengers.</div>
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There are other bones that have been discovered around Neutral longhouses. Bones that were charred or boiled belonging to the enemy of the Neutral, victims of cannibalism.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SdD7k9ui-gI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/Q4ifea-uKnc/s1600-h/the+oaks+600x200.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5319027772388211202" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SdD7k9ui-gI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/Q4ifea-uKnc/s400/the+oaks+600x200.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 144px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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There is a saying in our valley, “where there is sumac there is an Indian buried” is just a tale. Because where we walk… and on Who we walk… is unknown!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">If wishing a hiking classroom to learn about First Nations plants and trees visit this </span><a href="https://www.grandriverrafting.ca/ontario-edible-plant-hike-poisonous-plants-trees" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" target="_blank">link</a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">.</span><b></b></div>
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Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-23598744379723678802009-03-14T12:58:00.000-07:002009-03-30T15:41:21.119-07:00Lady Simcoe's 1792 Snapshot of Southern OntarioLady Elizabeth Simcoe's 200 year old diary creates a "word-picture" of Southern Ontario, foreign to all of us. If wishing to experience that world contact us at <a href="http://http://www.grandriverrafting.ca/content/guided-cayuga-rafting">Grand River Rafting</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/Sb1wrE0lnAI/AAAAAAAAAJU/siT1PV5nwSs/s1600-h/Whitemans+Bluffs+600x314.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 442px; height: 230px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/Sb1wrE0lnAI/AAAAAAAAAJU/siT1PV5nwSs/s400/Whitemans+Bluffs+600x314.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313527020698049538" border="0" /></a>As Governor Simcoe's wife, she dwelt in a world of elite social evening parties... but by day explored and experienced the 1790 wilderness of Southern Ontario. From her entries, I know this is a woman I would have enjoyed meeting.<br /><br />One of her strange wishes was to have a forest deliberately set on fire, so that she could stroll through it. She talks about how she enjoys walking through local forests that are burning... she loves the smell of the fire, it keeps the mosquitoes away and delights in watching burning torches erupt from hollow trees. When was the last time we had a forest fire in this area?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/Sb1wCUSOagI/AAAAAAAAAJM/UmO6sYyR1PE/s1600-h/fox+630x250.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 159px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/Sb1wCUSOagI/AAAAAAAAAJM/UmO6sYyR1PE/s400/fox+630x250.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313526320474253826" border="0" /></a>She is fascinated with seeing wildlife. She visits the homes of dignitaries with local collections of live or stuffed animals, reptiles and birds. She states that Indians use blunt arrows so not to damage the plumage on song birds. She writes about seeing her first stuffed five foot plus rattlesnake eating a black squirrel (the extinct timber rattler). She also sends samples of birds and insects to other people. She is delighted to discover the concept of preserving dried plants between the pages of a book. And there is the mention of being visited by the famous Alexander McKenzie from his travels to the Pacific Ocean... and he gives the Simcoes a sea otter pelt.<br /><br />People sent her all kinds of wildlife gifts. From the road clearing project to London, she opens a barrel with two rattle snakes... she describes them as dark and ugly with whizzing rattles. She is given a killed loon from Lake Ontario which she relates to a black swan. She receives a "cross fox" hide, which is a red fox with a black cross marking on its back. Someone sends her an owl with a 5ft wing span. Natives present her with the largest tortoise (snapping turtle) she has ever seen. Another non-animal gift she delights in, is a large Montreal birch canoe to travel out on Lake Ontario.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/Sb1x6BmrbbI/AAAAAAAAAJc/BUicihXXoWI/s1600-h/Voyageur.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 159px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/Sb1x6BmrbbI/AAAAAAAAAJc/BUicihXXoWI/s400/Voyageur.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313528377044069810" border="0" /></a><br />The wildlife is abundant. On the new-cut road to Lake Simcoe (Young St), Indians killed over 500 deer along a seven mile strip. In April and November the sky is dark with migrating passenger pigeons, which people knock from the sky with sticks. There is mention of over 700 rattlesnakes being killed in one year at Burlington Bay. She talks about a night paddle with shoals of fish around the torch-lit canoe. A day's catch of 600 whitefish and 100 sturgeons in the nets of Lake Ontario. There is a huge population of wolves because the Indians don't hunt them... no use for their pelts or meat. In June -July she records millions of yellow-black, swallow-tailed butterflies along the shore of Lake Ontario. She writes about a field invaded by gray-colored grasshoppers... she states the entire field appeared to be moving. She even writes about hearing a panther night scream among the Thousand Islands.<br /><br />Her ice fishing excursion to a native hut on Lake Ontario is fascinating. She states the Indians have cut a large hole which is covered over with a framed blanket. They lift the blanket off and use a small wood carved fish in the water to attract other fish. The fish attracted are muskie and pickerel, which they spear! Her only complaint is getting cold feet while watching.<br /><br />Concerning Indians, she has many notes. Chiefs are distinctive, followed by aides and only the Chiefs shake hands with the Governor. On her first meeting with Joseph Brant she describes him as having expressive features of cunning and that he is wearing braided sweet grass around his neck. She finds the Mohawk to be a very beautiful people but describes the Mississagas as dirty, idle, un-warlike and drunk. She talks about the Mohawks traveling up to fifty-five miles a day by foot. She notes the rumor that some of the Six Nation Chiefs which died, may have been poisoned at a meeting with western nations. She mentions a huge Indian burial ground of bones unearthed at Lewiston.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/Sb10pNYUN-I/AAAAAAAAAJk/n0Lc89gk0CQ/s1600-h/musket+fire+2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 159px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/Sb10pNYUN-I/AAAAAAAAAJk/n0Lc89gk0CQ/s400/musket+fire+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313531386682161122" border="0" /></a>Other notes on Indians... some sacrifice dogs or eat them when very ill. She talks about 50 Indians canoeing in to setup camp near some Senecas... they did not waste a motion and were so quiet and their arrival unnoticed... a vast contrast to the British soldiers. She mentions that the Indians hate snakes more then the British. She talks about Indians painting their faces black when mourning. A mourning bundle on the back of a Chippewa woman containing a lock or finger/toe nail of her husband, wood cut by him and leather made by him to keep him with her. She loves how silent the birch bark canoe glides on the water. She sees Indians spearing six foot sturgeon by torchlight. The Indians refer to the "Big Dipper"as the Fisher with the broken tail. And that Six Nation women remover their husbands knives if they are going to a celebration with drinking.<br /><br />There is a diary account of Col. Simcoe being accidentally shot by one of his own soldiers. The soldier was shooting at an Indian dog that was stealing his pork. The dog was severely wounded. An Indian, Simcoe and his friend who were walking by also were hit by shot. Simcoe gave the angry Indian the soldier's rifle to appease him, and reprimanded the soldier. A piece of lead was lodged in the knuckle bone on Simcoe's finger and he did not have it removed until five weeks later. She also writes how General Wolfe was shot by a French Priest, from behind a wooden fence, and believes the priest is still alive.<br /><br />Lady Simcoe records the first white expedition from Niagara to Detroit by land in February, 1793. Her husband took 5 officers, a dozen soldiers and 20 Indians to do the five week trip. She talks about the huge areas of oak savannah without underbrush, the finding of a petroleum spring and the decision to make London on the Thames River the capital.<br /><br />Lady Simcoe loves the "game" of the land. We find her feasting on venison, wild turkey, eel and rabbit. Her favorite is black squirrel and her least favorite, bear. She states that coon and porcupine taste like pork or lamb. She finds passenger pigeons delicious. The wild-rice fed black ducks of Lake Simcoe were very tasty. The red trout from the streams (brook) are her favorite fish. She also dines on whitefish and salmon from Lake Ontario. In fact Lady Simcoe likes fishing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/Sb1vb6oSrjI/AAAAAAAAAJE/UbgZpFxI6dQ/s1600-h/Flowers+630x250.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 159px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/Sb1vb6oSrjI/AAAAAAAAAJE/UbgZpFxI6dQ/s400/Flowers+630x250.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313525660752457266" border="0" /></a>Her plant knowledge is interesting. She prefers the syrup of Black Walnut to Sugar Maple trees, and uses the syrup of birch for vinegar. She talks about delicious butternuts, Indians bringing her underwater cranberries and edible chestnuts. She enjoys wild asparagus. She collects wild strawberries and other berries frequently. She talks about discovering ginseng, golden thread, and sarsaparilla. She even collects buds from sassafras to make a tea and uses hemlock tea as a tonic.<br /><br />Lady Simcoe did everything, the only things that bothered her were: rattlesnakes, Indians running at her firing guns, violent whitewater, the rumor the "Americans are coming!" and the cloud swarms of mosquitoes. An amazing woman!Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-76645664522171376172009-01-14T18:45:00.000-08:002009-01-16T21:31:41.216-08:00Hungar Lake Explosion... A Steam Sawmill Accident in Brant HaldimandIt is June 1868... and one of my great grandfathers is one minute away from death.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SW7K4aKxGDI/AAAAAAAAAIE/N_wwqQL-3Zs/s1600-h/Vanessa+Saw+Mill.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 239px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SW7K4aKxGDI/AAAAAAAAAIE/N_wwqQL-3Zs/s400/Vanessa+Saw+Mill.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291389682652878898" border="0" /></a><br />This is the narrow escape as told by Paul Huffman of the Kelvin <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Northfield</span> area.<br /><br /><blockquote>It was about 9 am. I tied my horse to a pair of bob sleighs and had just walked into the upper part of my brother-in-laws steam sawmill... when an explosion ripped through the building.<br /><br />In a daze I stumbled out into a smoke of human cries. My nephew was trying to get up, his one leg entirely torn off and the other broken. My niece Jane, laid limp, her neck snapped. Ferris, the steam engineer (fireman) was naked and totally scalded... trying to get himself out of the rubbish.<br /><br />Without waiting to see how many were dead, I jumped on my horse and galloped out. People were running in from the road. I ran the horse about 5 miles to a doctor. On getting off, my whole leg was covered in blood. I discovered the poor animal had three broken ribs and a deep foot long gash. It had bled a stream all the way to the doctor's house.<br /><br />When we came back, my nephew was still alive and my other 4 yr old niece had a badly cut head. All the other victims were dead. My brother-in-law, Andrew <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Lymburner</span> was thrown two rods away and had his head blown off from under his jaw. Mr. Coon, his tail-sawyer, had his head almost torn off and frightfully mangled. Mr Smith , the head-sawyer, had his neck broken and was cut all over from the chest up.<br /><br />Mr Ferris, who was alive when I left had his legs and arms broken in two or three places. They carried him into the house where he became raving crazy, and lived for about an hour in that state crying to see his ill wife. It took three men to hold him down. When he died the whole front of his scalded skin peeled off.<br /><br />My 12 yr old nephew William lived till night.</blockquote><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SW7KYG29JGI/AAAAAAAAAH0/Wz8HcEEnKKw/s1600-h/Sawmill++Shack+Kelvin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 245px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SW7KYG29JGI/AAAAAAAAAH0/Wz8HcEEnKKw/s400/Sawmill++Shack+Kelvin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291389127713694818" border="0" /></a><br /><blockquote>The event happen while the saw gang was repairing a broken belt near the old 26 ft by 42" diameter steam boiler. When someone said the steam was too high, up to 80 pounds pressure... my brother-in-law ran to the boiler doors. When he opened the doors he saw the boiler flues were red hot. The boiler was almost dry. So Ferris the fireman, immediately started to pump. The boiler exploded with the first jet of water.<br /><br />After the explosion there was not a stone or brick or boiler plate left in the mill. Even the thick door was blown into three pieces. Two or three people saw the explosion from the road and thought the whole place was flying into the clouds. A huge depression was created in the ground by this explosion.<br /></blockquote><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SW7KEDIofnI/AAAAAAAAAHs/x13a5T2pj4E/s1600-h/Andrew+Lynnburner+Final.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 204px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SW7KEDIofnI/AAAAAAAAAHs/x13a5T2pj4E/s400/Andrew+Lynnburner+Final.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291388783116713586" border="0" /></a> Andrew <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Lymburner</span> 1825-1868<br /></div><br /><blockquote>All six bodies were buried the second day after the explosion... <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Lymburner</span> and his two children in the same grave. The funerals were in different places, but all the same day. A monument was erected in the Kelvin Union <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Cemetery</span> to the children killed in the explosion. There were over two hundred teams at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Lymburner</span> funeral.</blockquote><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SW7KqZDFPSI/AAAAAAAAAH8/epR3LTdkx0M/s1600-h/Steam+Saw+Mill+Kelvin.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 241px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SW7KqZDFPSI/AAAAAAAAAH8/epR3LTdkx0M/s400/Steam+Saw+Mill+Kelvin.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291389441834040610" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Paul Huffman owned a sawmill too, which was reported as having burnt down for a third time Nov 6, 1872 at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Florencevale</span>. He also had a very large cheese box factory which peeled <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">wetted</span> logs as one might peel an apple. This too burned.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SW7JS2p7eVI/AAAAAAAAAHc/u_07t8EFHX4/s1600-h/Hunger+Lake+Map.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SW7JS2p7eVI/AAAAAAAAAHc/u_07t8EFHX4/s400/Hunger+Lake+Map.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291387937953118546" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SW7JrGGL9CI/AAAAAAAAAHk/aLQonk7OM3Y/s1600-h/Paul+Huffman+Final.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SW7JrGGL9CI/AAAAAAAAAHk/aLQonk7OM3Y/s400/Paul+Huffman+Final.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291388354415031330" border="0" /></a> Paul Huffman 1870<br /></div><br />As heirlooms would have it... I inherited one of those cheese boxes. For an actual outing with Garth visit his website "<a href="http://www.grandriverrafting.ca">The Grand River Rafting Company</a>".Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-67763669153986994332008-12-16T09:43:00.000-08:002017-12-31T09:25:11.364-08:00I am Attiwandaron... A Neutral... Who Are You?<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SUfr2uG6b3I/AAAAAAAAAG8/jRLYlqZKRx8/s1600-h/Attiwandaron+face+1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280448413437685618" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SUfr2uG6b3I/AAAAAAAAAG8/jRLYlqZKRx8/s400/Attiwandaron+face+1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 309px;" /></a>The Iroquoian Neutrals of Southern Ontario were the bullies of Rome-burning… an unknown race of great power.<br />
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It is 1625... and I have just stepped into the few recorded pages of the Iroquoian Neutrals. What I saw, riveted my attention.</div>
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I was not prepared for the total nakedness of these people. Their skin was saturated by blood scarring with charcoal-pierced tattoos of snakes, monstrous beasts and “Oki” spirits. They were the tallest, finest bodied people among the Huron, Petun and Five Iroquois Nations. There were no hunchbacks, club feet or one-eyes in the villages. Unlike the other Iroquoians there was no specific style of hair… no head-dress... but curls were not allowed.</div>
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SUf3C-C1xFI/AAAAAAAAAHU/xGTomK57ul0/s1600-h/Inside+Longhouse.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280460718501905490" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SUf3C-C1xFI/AAAAAAAAAHU/xGTomK57ul0/s400/Inside+Longhouse.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
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They were a “musket-less” people with war clubs, leather elk shields and arrows. Around there neck was a pouch of tobacco, flint, calumet and totems. Their skin was heavily oiled from head to toe and pungent. Their sight-detection was very keen. They could follow scent. Their endurance and aloofness to cold and heat was beyond European tolerance. These people had a sixth sense for traveling, they could go anywhere without getting lost. Their eloquent speech was expressive and their memory power was considered astonishing. </div>
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They were called Attiwandaronk by the Huron & Petun, meaning a dialect that is off-kilter. The Iroquois Five Nations called them Alirhagenrat or Rhagenratka. The French explorer Champlain in 1606 refers to them as the Neutres because of their neutral situation between the warring Iroquois & Huron nations.</div>
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These Neutrals had a unique hierarchy of leadership, very different from surrounding nations. One man ruled supreme, an actual Neutral King. When he spoke there was absolute silence… his final decision was law, stringently adhered to. This kingship also allowed them to muster large warrior force under one command, making them very effective in war and alliances.</div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SUftEl1E0WI/AAAAAAAAAHM/wTLj_6jEMfQ/s1600-h/Longhouse.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280449751245181282" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SUftEl1E0WI/AAAAAAAAAHM/wTLj_6jEMfQ/s400/Longhouse.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 230px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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They had towns of over 2,000 people with smaller satellite villages and hunt-fish-farm camps. Their territory extended east to the <st1:place><st1:placename>Genesee</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>River</st1:placetype></st1:place> in the <st1:country-region><st1:place>United States</st1:place></st1:country-region>, across southern <st1:state><st1:place>Ontario</st1:place></st1:state> and beyond <st1:place>Lake St Clair</st1:place>. Their major towns were located deep within, between the Grand River and Hamilton. A safe distance from the warring western Sioux nations. But they were one day’s travel from the eastern Seneca and four days from the Huron-Petun.</div>
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Populations during early 1600’s were estimated between 20,000 to 40,000. Many interior villages had no palisades, with double palisaded towns up to 10 acres. Lesser villages had a single palisade enclosing 1-5 acres. Within, the longhouses were 30 ft wide and 120 ft long. With often 12 families per longhouse. And there was a longhouse code... that whatever nation was in their longhouse... was safe from physical death.</div>
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These Neutrals held power in a strange way. They had flint-chert beds along <st1:place>Lake Erie</st1:place>. But their edge was being the “artisans of flint napping." They even repaired flint. This excelled skill and trade position may have been part of their “neutrality. They are the only known nation to actually remain in a constant state of neutrality between the warring Huron-Five Nations.</div>
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According to legend, the Aondironnons tribe of the Neutrals were assigned the position of neutrality by Dekanawideh and Hiawatha. This neutrality between the Huron and Five Nations was ruled by Jikonsaseh, the "Queen of Peace". Whose town fell to the Seneca around 1647. The Seneca claim to have guarded and protected her after that.</div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SUfse-lTm8I/AAAAAAAAAHE/3d471Se27mw/s1600-h/Palisade+resized.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280449105054899138" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SUfse-lTm8I/AAAAAAAAAHE/3d471Se27mw/s400/Palisade+resized.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 176px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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The Neutral were not passive... war and torture was their thirst. They thrived on it. Cruelty, torture and cannibalism was an addictive taste. They easily mustered warrior forces 4,000 men. Their alliances with the Anadaste, <st1:city><st1:place>Erie</st1:place></st1:city>, <st1:city><st1:place>Ottawa</st1:place></st1:city> and Wenrehronon made them a formidable foe.</div>
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Torture was a three day affair. It started with the extracting of the fingernails or cutting off of the fingers. Cuts were made into the fleshy part of the leg and arm with fire brands shoved in. The head scalp was burned off by pouring hot gum or ashes on the hair. Prisoners were forced to walk around the lodge fires within the longhouse with the Neutrals poking hot brands into them. Water was thrown on their back while their fingers and private parts were scalded with fire sticks. They would pierce the arms and pull out nerves with a sticks. Bowels were open and children ran around with little pieces on sticks. If the prisoner appeared near death, torture ceased and water was given. The finale was being burned alive.</div>
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Among most Iroquoian nations the women would be quickly dispatched on the spot or taken captive. The burning of women was taboo… an unwritten code. But the Neutrals violated this with pleasure.</div>
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The Neutrals warred with over 17 nations. In one recorded battle in 1643, they sieged and captured a Mascoutin (small-prairie Sioux) palisaded town of over 2,000. The Neutral burned 50 of the best surviving warriors and took 800 into captivity. The old ones unable to travel had their eyes poked out and mouths girdled so they could not eat. They were left behind to wander and die.</div>
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At the peak of power, the Neutrals became careless with their alliances. Gambling, feasting and war was their lifestyle… they ruled unhindered. In 1635 a new sound of flint came from the east… musket fire! And with it a dreadful whisper… <i>“The Iroquois are digging the grave of the great Neutral nation, and the war cry of the Seneca will be the mourning funeral for the Neutral dead.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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In 1652 this prophecy was fulfilled…<br />
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To experience the valley of the Attawandarons... try a <a href="https://www.grandriverrafting.ca/content/family-rafting" target="_blank">guided rafting adventure</a><a href="https://www.grandriverrafting.ca/content/family-rafting" target="_blank"> </a>on the Grand River</div>
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Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-53611819224048741742008-11-26T11:32:00.000-08:002017-12-31T09:27:33.075-08:00There's "Injuns" in the Valley!<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STAm14Ti2yI/AAAAAAAAAGk/-EDAf3ejOyc/s1600-h/new+cut.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273757870740134690" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STAm14Ti2yI/AAAAAAAAAGk/-EDAf3ejOyc/s400/new+cut.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 134px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
It is the spring of 1913 in March, a boy’s dream happen along Whitemans Creek. Smoke rising from what is called the “Little Field” caught the attention of two boys, Shirley and Roy Davis.<br />
Being their farm, they went to investigate.<br />
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At the corner of the field was a wigwam… and as they approached the flap opened and out stepped an Indian with rabbit snares in his hand. Through the tent doorway they could see a smoldering fire surrounded by flat rocks. On top sat two black kettles. Behind, was a cedar bough bed with blankets on top.<br />
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The boys brought vegetables to their visitor which he added to his rabbit stew. One day they brought a syrup pail with fresh milk. The Indian poured the milk into his smaller black pot. He put small sticks around the inside rim, threw a hide over it and left it outside to freeze. When he wanted milk he chopped out small pieces.<br />
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Their visitor stayed for over two weeks trapping muskrat, snaring rabbits and fishing along the creek. One day when they came to visit, everything was gone… no rocks… no boughs… no wigwam poles. There was not a sign of their visitor ever being there.</blockquote>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STAdYdA6qjI/AAAAAAAAAGU/tQKR2qdm3-g/s1600-h/Field+1000.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273747469593389618" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STAdYdA6qjI/AAAAAAAAAGU/tQKR2qdm3-g/s400/Field+1000.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 154px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> <span style="font-size: 85%;"><span style="font-size: 78%;">This is a photo taken of the "Little Field" along Whitemans November, 2008</span></span></div>
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In the spring of 1914 the boys daily checked the “Little Field” for the return of their friend… and one morning, there he was. And that was the last spring he was ever seen on the creek.<br />
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Around this same period Bob Milburn, just up the road experienced this. One day while down in the barn doing milking there was a knocking at the outside stall door. When Bob opened the door… there stood an Indian with a big fish. The Indian gave Bob the fish and left.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STAQyQAC68I/AAAAAAAAAF0/Tdh7faVEzic/s1600-h/Indian+Face.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273733619125513154" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STAQyQAC68I/AAAAAAAAAF0/Tdh7faVEzic/s400/Indian+Face.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 78%;">Artifacts collected along Whitemans Creek</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Secret Room… Tom Longboat’s Garage… Aunt Pearl’s Gang of Indians.</span></div>
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In 1905 when our Pottruff family moved to live in the Major Burrowe’s residence overlooking the mouth of Whiteman’s, they found a unique feature… a secret hiding room. As you went up the stairs there was a landing half ways. On this landing was a big built-in closet where the floor lifted up into a small cell room below. There was a breathing pipe through the wall. No one knows why Burrows built it… but one story is that he hid a white man there that the Indians were searching.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STBYOb7TssI/AAAAAAAAAGs/q8bQ5YobwS0/s1600-h/Burrows+Home+Sized+500+with+Print.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273812168688775874" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STBYOb7TssI/AAAAAAAAAGs/q8bQ5YobwS0/s400/Burrows+Home+Sized+500+with+Print.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 351px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 78%;">This is the Major Burrowes home overlooking the mouth of Whitemans built 1844, torn down by Five Oaks to stop Six Nations from their claim that the house was theirs.</span></div>
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Also in 1905 on the Burrowe’s estate… Tom Longboat with his mother and father moved into the old garage, fixed it up and installed a stove. They lived there for two years. Tom was 18 at the time and often in the evening Tom would run to Brantford and back. His goal was to qualify for the Boston Marathon. My great uncles, Clarence & Earnest, 14 & 13 years, tried to run with him… but never lasted.<br />
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<blockquote>
But Tom made his mark:<br />
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On April 19, 1907, against snow, rain, slush, the tough hills of the old course and 125 other entrants, Tom Longboat won the Boston Marathon in the record time of 2:24:24, a new record by five and a half minutes, the equivalent of a mile of running. It had become the fastest time ever made in a marathon race in all sports history. This new record was not to be broken until the course was made easier.</blockquote>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STAQS5-rT8I/AAAAAAAAAFs/7qkol_HaRyw/s1600-h/Axe+head.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273733080638246850" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STAQS5-rT8I/AAAAAAAAAFs/7qkol_HaRyw/s400/Axe+head.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a> <span style="font-size: 78%;"> A stone axe head from Attawandaron times</span></div>
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But my favorite story that I heard as a child was my “Aunt Pearl and her jalopy full of Indians visitors.<br />
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It was in the early 1930’s in September, Aunt Pearl and her daughters where cooking up a big dinner for a crew of men working on the farm, when her one daughter came rushing in wide-eyed. “Mom, there’s a carload of Indians coming up the drive!" Aunt Pearl stepped out and watched four men and one very old woman get out of a worn old Ford and slowly come to the door.<br />
<blockquote style="font-style: italic;">
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At the door the old lady said “I am Catherine Silver and I have come to eat dinner at my house”. The men said nothing. Aunt Pearl invited them in. The woman said she was 97 years old and that the Indians owed all the land around here and out to Burford. She then pulled out an old deed that was as yellow as a duck’s foot. And sure enough it was to the land that Aunt Pearl was on.<br />
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She then said “As long as one of us walks through this land once a year for 99 years… it is our land.<br />
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Aunt Pearl asked why had they left?<br />
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The woman said “A plague came, Indians would sit and in five minutes drop dead. They were buried where ever they dropped. Finally the ones left got scared and went Lake Superior way, and when the next generation came back, the land was taken”.<br />
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Aunt Pearl invited them for dinner since there was lots of food. After dinner the old lady walked alone outside with Pearl between the house and the bluff of the Grand. She did not want the men to hear.<br />
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“My ancestors are buried right out here and pointed to one of the low spots. There is a pot of gold buried by a white man here. His daughter fell in love with an Indian which he had forbidden. When the rich white man was walking across a log over the creek an Indian hit him on the head with a stick and he drowned.” Then she pointed at this big old multi-root elm and said “the treasure is there buried at the end of the roots”.<br />
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Aunt Pearl said there was always Indians walking across the land.</blockquote>
The plague Catherine Silvers was talking about was cholera… and the Iroquois did leave… the Smoke, Jamieson family and others. When they came back, they found a white squatters living in their homes. The first known white squatters at the creek mouth were Enos and Alexander Bunnel who ended up running a mill in Brantford.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STAerGzuIQI/AAAAAAAAAGc/g6vJkEXdpoo/s1600-h/White+arrowhead.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273748889561604354" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STAerGzuIQI/AAAAAAAAAGc/g6vJkEXdpoo/s400/White+arrowhead.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 291px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 78%;">As rare and sought after as the sacred white buffalo... a quartz white arrowhead</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Other Loose Strands of History</span></div>
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The mouth of Whitemans was a spring fishing spot where Indians would camp and fish. Fishing was very good from Apps Mill down to the mouth. Jack Migill. born 1877 mentions that as a boy he helped an Indian at the fish camp pull straw from a straw stack for his bed.<br />
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Jack also talks about memories of the “honest Gypsies” that would come in the summer by wagons from Hamilton, block off the old Tollgate road and camp there. During the day they would travel by wagon selling pots and pans and whatever they could trade. These gypsies were very gifted at handling horses… and often visited the Six Nations to do horse trading.<br />
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Upstream of Whitemans there is the Indian Field which was a village burial ground area for the Iroquoian Attawandarons of the 14th century. Further up is another Attawandaron village and the village grindstone is still there in the ground. The Attawandarons had a very large camp at the mouth of Whitemans which the visiting French Jesuits called “the Camp of the Angels. By 1540 European traded goods were in the valley though a European had yet to visit.<br />
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Uncle Ernest, one day when digging a post hole hit a steel plate, when he lifted it up there were bones underneath. Albert Weir also dug up a human skull when installing a water pipe line at the Five Oaks Center above Whitemans.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STARUAPJPKI/AAAAAAAAAF8/dpebQLtku3M/s1600-h/Brant+arrowheads.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273734199009426594" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/STARUAPJPKI/AAAAAAAAAF8/dpebQLtku3M/s400/Brant+arrowheads.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 322px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 78%;">An assortment of flint chert arrowheads</span></div>
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In the fall of 2007 I had the pleasure of taking a Jamieson (a senior Cayuga Iroquois) on a <a href="https://www.grandriverrafting.ca/content/family-rafting" target="_blank">Grand River rafting trip</a>. When we met to start our rafting trip... he asked what he was suppose to do? He had never been down the river in his life. As we drifted I told him about the history and interaction between the Attawandarons, Ojibwa and Five Nations, which he thoroughly enjoyed.<br />
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Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-28361501156687720562008-11-21T15:27:00.000-08:002017-12-31T09:31:21.196-08:00The Grand River Story of the Three Sisters<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrUSOkdsCI/AAAAAAAAAE8/_RmKHjYWVV8/s1600-h/Three+Sisters+and+rafts+modified.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272259723404357666" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrUSOkdsCI/AAAAAAAAAE8/_RmKHjYWVV8/s400/Three+Sisters+and+rafts+modified.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 204px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Every time I paddle through these magnificent columns,... people ask me about the story behind them. So here it is...<br />
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But first a "myth" smile for the day!<br /><br />
<blockquote>
In 2008, a journalist doing a guided canoe trip with a local Paris canoe outfitter was told... the Three Sisters were started just before World War I, but due to lack of funds, never completed. So the published Star quote said :<br />
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"<span style="font-style: italic;">walked up a rail-trail to a lookout on one of four abutments of limestone pillars, part of an unfinished train bridge constructed before World War I.</span>"<br />
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Janice Bradbeer<br />
Toronto Star</blockquote>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrSOXRGdPI/AAAAAAAAAEs/0dp9JSBFulU/s1600-h/Three+Sister+Bridge+Revised+1300.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272257457996330226" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrSOXRGdPI/AAAAAAAAAEs/0dp9JSBFulU/s400/Three+Sister+Bridge+Revised+1300.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 123px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 459px;" /></a> A very rare photo is of the Three Sisters with a bridge on top around 1940.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">The true story of how the "Three Sisters" were birthed...</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span>
<blockquote>
They were built around 1852. They were the pillars for the Great West Railway bridge over the Grand River. This was the the first railway to Paris, running from Niagara Falls. The inaugural trip was December 15, 1853... well before World War I.</blockquote>
<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><blockquote>
A passenger on this inaugural run described the day..."It was a cold raw day, the track bed was nothing but mud... there was no station platform, and the mud was too deep to wade across."</blockquote>
</span><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrFF2UmfZI/AAAAAAAAAEM/WHEFTXtw_rc/s1600-h/Three+Sisters+on+Water.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272243018062527890" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrFF2UmfZI/AAAAAAAAAEM/WHEFTXtw_rc/s400/Three+Sisters+on+Water.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 145px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a>"But there are two local stories that happen on the Three Sisters Rail Line worth noting...<br /><br /><blockquote>
Imagine that it is February 27, 1889... and you are sitting in the passenger coach of the St. Louis Express, one of the fastest trains on the Grand Trunk Railway. The steam locomotive is cruising at 50 mph. You have traveled this route before and are anticipating the upcoming magnificent views... one over the Three Sisters Bridge on the Grand... and the other over the St George Viaduct. As the train thunders into the viaduct, you are elevated 65ft above the winter countryside. Suddenly the coach starts shuddering like a "rudder board " road... and with the tearing of metal... you are plunging down.<br /><br />What happen? </blockquote>
<blockquote>
One of the main locomotive drive engine shafts broke, tearing loose a number of ties while the locomotive crossed over the viaduct. The rails spread apart and the engine ran for about 80 meters between the rails. It dragged the baggage car and smoker safely across, but the passenger car plowed up the loose ties. The sinking car caught on the support trestle and fell through. The dining car fell through next, cutting the passenger car in half upon impact.</blockquote>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrT1rBRMcI/AAAAAAAAAE0/14w59IU1jyA/s1600-h/train+crash+%40+800.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272259232825160130" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrT1rBRMcI/AAAAAAAAAE0/14w59IU1jyA/s400/train+crash+%40+800.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 238px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
The above photo is at the scene of the carnage.There were 70 passengers on the St Louis Express, 18 were killed and another 30 injured. Residents of St George rushed to the scene and local homes were used as hospitals and accomodations.<br /><br /><br />The second story is a "school-boy hero's' tale.<br /><br />
<blockquote>
It is March 14, 1898, almost 11 years since the St George Viaduct accident. A mammoth ice jam near Galt gave way and a tremendous flash flood rushes down the Grand towards the Three Sisters.</blockquote>
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<blockquote>
Two boys on their way to school along the West River Road... James Telfer and C. Brown, both 15... notice the bridge. They are shocked when they realized the bridge abutment has broken away and the rails pulled apart. The boys ran over 3 kilometers to the Junction Station in Paris and warned the station-master just in time, preventing the scheduled freight train from crossing over.</blockquote>
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrVCj8zM4I/AAAAAAAAAFE/mR1AKmAdDno/s1600-h/Three+Sister+Bridge+Collapse+400.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272260553777296258" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrVCj8zM4I/AAAAAAAAAFE/mR1AKmAdDno/s400/Three+Sister+Bridge+Collapse+400.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 249px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<br />This is a picture of the broken abutment belonging to the Three Sisters on the west bank. This was caused by the river flood. The torrent was so strong that it actually undermined the bridge abutment causing it to fall over and break off.<br /><br />The bridge was repaired and the rail line continued to be used until competition from the more southern rail in Paris prevailed. After 1940 the line was closed and the bridge removed for World War II causes. And thus the end of the era.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrVmxRZc1I/AAAAAAAAAFM/C37wuiaKhCE/s1600-h/Three+Sisters+Park.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272261175828640594" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrVmxRZc1I/AAAAAAAAAFM/C37wuiaKhCE/s400/Three+Sisters+Park.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />But the Three Sisters still stand, and our rafting company has a picnic/takeout site in the shadow of these towering limestone giants. They never fail to awe people as they paddle between them.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrWRg-VUhI/AAAAAAAAAFU/PbTTFoRz4HY/s1600-h/Three+Sister+Train+on+Bridge+1300.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272261910188085778" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrWRg-VUhI/AAAAAAAAAFU/PbTTFoRz4HY/s400/Three+Sister+Train+on+Bridge+1300.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 167px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br /><br />
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This is the only picture known, showing a Steamer crossing the Three Sisters.</div>
<br />Below are some "tidbits" about the "Three Sisters Line"... (built by the Great West Railway, later becoming the Grand Trunk).<br /><br />
<blockquote>
In their first year of business the Great West had 70 steam locomotives and 1,700 rolling stock. To travel 65 kilometers one steam engine would burn this equivalent amount of wood... a log 1 meter in diameter with a 3 meter length.<br />
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The ride was extremely alarming, the cars bumped and swayed almost off the rails. The English engineers built shallow rail-beds that had not accounted for the Canada's winter frost-heaving effect on the rails.Cows were a major threat. One train going 8-10 km/hr hit a herd of cows which derailed the engine, three cars and killed six people. Passengers not use to stepping off a moving train, often rolled onto the platforms or fell beneath the wheels.<br />
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And with the railway came the taverns. Paris within 5 years had 17 taverns to supply the 13,000 yearly travelers.Train departure/arrivals were bizarre... most of the station-towns used a sundial with a town bell for tracking the hour. In fact Paris was on the sundial until 1883. For news... locals use to jump on the train looking for newspapers left behind.</blockquote>
<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrYBZTjnoI/AAAAAAAAAFc/bBGc_VtKdgY/s1600-h/Three+Sisters+in+a+row.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272263832274968194" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSrYBZTjnoI/AAAAAAAAAFc/bBGc_VtKdgY/s400/Three+Sisters+in+a+row.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 363px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 350px;" /></a><br />So you now know the story of how the Three Sisters arrived on the Grand. If wishing to paddle the route with the Three Sisters... <a href="https://www.grandriverrafting.ca/content/oneida-paddle" target="_blank">visit this link</a>.<br /><br />Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6410826880514020121.post-60413302643000949252008-11-19T08:29:00.000-08:002008-11-29T09:53:15.656-08:00The Legend of Whitemans Creek<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSR0Q0BeKnI/AAAAAAAAACk/CN7VATfbWKE/s1600-h/D1000001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSR0Q0BeKnI/AAAAAAAAACk/CN7VATfbWKE/s400/D1000001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270465296121866866" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span>As a boy, I was told the following story and legend of the buried treasure at Whitemans Creek.<br /><br /><blockquote style="font-style: italic;">There was a settler who lived along the creek where it flowed into the Grand. He was wealthy and had a untrustworthy daughter, who along with her husband were eager to acquire his money. The old man aware of his daughter's greed, secretly buried his coins in a chest along the creek valley. Unfortunately after hiding the chest, he slipped while walking along the creek, striking his head on a rock. The unconscious man drowned, and with him went the location of his wealth. Thus named the creek... Whitemans.<br /><br /></blockquote><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSSRBmFNHzI/AAAAAAAAACs/fea8tU-PcG8/s1600-h/Wolf.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSSRBmFNHzI/AAAAAAAAACs/fea8tU-PcG8/s400/Wolf.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270496920518598450" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Later in life, in the late 1990s an old Cayuga Storyteller recited a story to an acquaintance... who recited the story to me.<br /><br />This story is about how the creek got its name according to Iroquoian memorized history. What is interesting to note, is that the old woman who was in her 80s, refused to write what she knew on paper because she believed the "word" would lose its power.<br /><br />Some background before the tale...<br /><br />After the American War of Independence most of the Six Nations land was surrendered by the British to the Americans without the Iroquois consent. In lieu of the homeland loss and as a reward for their alliance, the British purchased the Grand River Valley from the Ojibwa Mississauga. So in 1875 the Six Nations moved north to take possession of the Grand River Valley.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span><blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">Some of our Cayuga people settled above Brant's Ford along the creek. When they came here, they brought apple seeds from their homeland and planted the trees along the creek. Some of these trees can still be found in the wild along the Apps Mill area. When the Cayuga settled here they were still vengeful and conducted a raid into the Cherry Valley, kidnapping two children. One was a German boy with the last name of Kemp, and the other was a little girl with the last name of Jamieson.<br /><br />Both children were adopted and lived for the rest of their lives among the Cayuga on the Grand River. Kemp took a wife from the Iroquois and had a family. He settled at the mouth of the creek and the Grand River. In his senior years while out collecting firewood in the spring, he slipped along the creek and drowned. Thus the name Whitemans Creek.<br /><br /></span><span>The third version of how Whitemans got its name:<br /></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Two children were kidnapped by the Mohawks from the Genesee River. The children were brought back and lived among the Seneca. The girl's last name was Jamieson and the white boys Indian name was De-ha-na-ge-reh-gwenk... meaning "Cosmopolitan" because of his white skin. He became a herbist and medicine man. He married Jamieson. One day when out collecting herbs he fell into the creek, striking his head and drowned. Jamieson then married another Indian who adopted her name which is still present among the Six Nations. But the creek was named in his memory. In the Burrows diary there is also mention of a Jamieson woman drowning when trying to cross the footbridge to the mill.<br /><br /></span><span>There is another old unknown name for Whitemans... it was called Harrier's Creek.</span><br /></blockquote><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSRZ5XogiFI/AAAAAAAAAB4/gzhfjYUPCZg/s1600-h/Copy+of+P9180360.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSRZ5XogiFI/AAAAAAAAAB4/gzhfjYUPCZg/s400/Copy+of+P9180360.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270436306061658194" border="0" /></a>This is a picture taken of the old cement dam at the mouth of Whitemans Creek in 2007, on the day before it was torn out. It was being removed for two reasons. First to allow migratory steel head trout better access to the creek spawning beds. Second to avoid liability. This crumbling dam that people loved to walk on, had a slippery apron under the water, which was a liability risk to the owners... the Five Oaks Christian Center.<br /><br />This dam was built it back in the 50's by Five Oaks to create a swimming pool for children summer camps. Each spring large thick planks were inserted into the slots between the cement supports to backup the creek. The creek had a backup effect that was 100 yards shy of the Pottruff bridge. During the 1970-90 people could roll large tire tubes up the creek path and float down to the dam.<br /><br />But each autumn, men had to wade into the creek, slowly pry up the waterlogged planks and slip a chain around one end. A tractor was used to pull the planks up and out. I actually got to install and remove the planks one year in the early 1980's with Stu Plumstead, Old Andrew and Big Jim. A breath-taking, bone-chilling fall experience!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSRjyCGcHYI/AAAAAAAAACY/_8kl7q1kiVw/s1600-h/Copy+of+P9180362.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSRjyCGcHYI/AAAAAAAAACY/_8kl7q1kiVw/s400/Copy+of+P9180362.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270447175138811266" border="0" /></a> The above picture is a shot of the dam from the south shore of Whitemans.<br /><br />It is at this dam where I experienced many "first time" conquests. It was here that I learned to swim. I caught my first brown trout and speckled trout in the 4ft deep pool below the dam. I actually paddled a kayak up through the chutes all the way to within sight of the Pottruff bridge. It was here that I first body surfed shooting through the chutes in high summer rainfall levels... a super waterslide!<br /><br />We also used this to bring our rafting customers to the old dam for a unique underwater experience. My sons had found a spot on the far south chute of the dam where one could lay back below the apron of the chute. The water from the chute flowed so fast, that it deflected up over a person's head, allowing them to breathe, while totally submerged. For those not as bold, the 4ft pool below the dam was a refreshing dip in the spring fed creek. The perfect spot on a hot summer day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSRfG2gHejI/AAAAAAAAACQ/_vZFPYthEm4/s1600-h/Whiteman+Creek+Annie+May.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 254px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__Yd5cGl4Vk0/SSRfG2gHejI/AAAAAAAAACQ/_vZFPYthEm4/s400/Whiteman+Creek+Annie+May.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5270442035244399154" border="0" /></a><br />The above photo was taken in 1903 of my Great Aunts & Uncles posing in front of Whitemans Creek just before the mouth... they often went to the flats for Sunday picnics. Notice all the stone to fall and hit your "noggin" on!<br /><br />If wishing to see some 1905 photos, click on the two links to view the <a href="http://www.grandriverrafting.ca/content/guided-trips" error="" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">old mill</a> on the south side of the Whitemans Creek or to view the Grand River at the <a href="http://www.grandriverrafting.ca/content/river-instructional-lessons" error="" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">mouth</a> of Whitemans Creek (you will have to scroll down on the link pages to find the photos).<br /><br />Well, there is a "ton" of other stories to tell... so it is a good thing there is always another day!!!!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><blockquote><span><span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></blockquote></span>Garth Pottruffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03899678289563690952noreply@blogger.com