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The distances voyageurs could cover in a day was incredible. Even the many portages did little to slow them down. When they didn't have to haul 3 tons of trad
by theluketaylor 9y ago
The distances voyageurs could cover in a day was incredible. Even the many portages did little to slow them down.
When they didn't have to haul 3 tons of trade goods they could really fly, like when travelling with Mackenzie looking for the northwest passage.
George Simpson (later HBC governor) made his way from the shores of Hudson Bay to the mouth of the Columbia River by canoe. He did use a horse for the Athabasca pass, but that's hardly cheating. He set a record by doing it in 80 days with a light load. For 1824 that was incredibly fast since it's about a 4000 km trip.
- brailsafe 9y agoYou have an interesting point. I hadn't really thought of that in quite a while, given that it was core curriculum in my early years. Using other professions like construction or moving for examples of how your body becomes conditioned for the job, the voyageurs must have been beasts of men. The lumberjacks of the river.