Coureur des bois

"Coureur de bois" - A woodcut by Arthur Heming

A coureur des bois (French pronunciation: [kuʁœʁ de bwa]) or coureur de bois (French pronunciation: [kuʁœʁ də bwa]), woodlands runner; plural: coureurs de bois) was an independent entrepreneurial French-Canadian woodsman who traveled in New France and the interior of North America. They ventured into the woods to trade various European items for furs, especially beaver pelts, and along the way, learned the trades and practices of the Native people who inhabited there.

The type of man

Arrival of Radisson in an Indian camp in 1660.

The French Canadian bushranger was a solitary character, but he had his profession by choice; he was not an outcast. “Coureur des Bois came from all social ranks and all succumbed to the lure of the wilderness.” The job boasted adventure, which was a needed escape from “the tedium of farming or yeomanry.” By the end of the 17th century, the profession became very popular in New France. In 1680, the intendant Duchesneau estimated that there was not one family in New France who did not have a “son, brother, uncle or nephew” among the Coureur des Bois. It was not just the promise of adventure or the freedom to roam that enticed the Coureur des Bois. They were also driven to the woods by a “desire to avoid the church’s strict enforcement of religious duties.” Later, they disregarded the Quebec’s monopoly in the fur trade and conducted their business independently.

A coureur des bois was an adventurer with many skills, including those of businessman, and of an expert canoeist. They engaged in a range of activities including fishing, snowshoeing and hunting. “When he was among the Indians, the Frenchman tried to act like one of them, and he soon developed in all the arts of forest life a skill which rivaled that of the Indian himself.” Native peoples were essential to the fur trade because they traded for and brought furs from the interior regions of French, British, and later, American territories in North America to French trading posts and provided the Coureur des Bois with instruction and friendship. Radisson and his companions, for instance, “struck agreeable relations with Natives inland by giving European goods as gifts”. But these gifts made inland people believe that the men were demi-gods “because of the way the gifts were distributed in impressive acts of generosity.” Friendships between the Coureur de Bois and the Natives often led to interracial marriage. During times of hostilities, it was safer for French traders to have their Native allies hunt and trap for furs, but more money could be made by those who were willing to venture into the interior rivers and lakes and bring back beaver pelts and other furs themselves. Although the term is most strongly associated with those who engaged in the fur trade, the most prominent coureurs des bois generally gained their reputation for being explorers rather than for being fur traders.

Coureur des bois and the fur trade

The term “Coureur des Bois” is most strongly associated with those who engaged in the fur trade in ways that were considered to be outside of the mainstream. Early in the fur trade era this meant circumventing the normal channels by going deeper into the wilderness to trade. Later it involved trading without permission from the French authorities during the late 17th century and early 18th century when such permission was required. During the 17th century, the fur trade was very lucrative for New France. Competition was fierce, and many colonists risked the journey west and north through hostile Iroquois territory from the settlements around Montreal to the pays d'en haut, or "upper country" (the area around the Great Lakes) to trade with Native trappers. These Coureur des Bois were not looked upon favorably by Montreal authorities or royal officials. They disapproved of settlers leaving the developing agricultural areas to seek their fortune trading. French authorities preferred that the transportation of furs be handled by the natives (and later the Voyageurs) than have independent unregulated traders. As a way to curb the unregulated trade of independent businessmen and their burgeoning profits, the government of New France instated a permit system (congés) in 1654. Men could not trade without a permit, but this restriction was often disregarded as many Coureur des Bois sought illegal ways to continue conducting their business with the Native population. Some illicit traders also caused problems by trading alcohol for furs. A combination of these factors created the role of “Voyageur” (translation: traveler) who was allied with a licenced merchant. Gradually, the Coureur des Bois were replaced by the Voyageurs.

En route

Early travel was incredibly dangerous and the Coureur des Bois, who traded in uncharted territory, had a high mortality rate. They left their homes in the spring, as soon as the rivers and lakes were clear of ice (usually May) with their canoes loaded with supplies and goods for trading. They had several routes they could take: “They had […] excellent routes from Montreal directly into the richest beaver lands of the continent. One of these, by way of the Ottawa and Mattawa rivers, had the drawback of an overland portage, but on the other hand the whole route was reasonably safe from interruption by Iroquois or English attack. The other route, by way of the upper St. Lawrence River and the lakes, passed Cataraqui, Niagara, and Detroit on the way to Michilimackinac or to Green Bay. This was an all-water route, save for the short detour around the falls at Niagara, but it had the disadvantage of passing, for a long stretch, within easy reach of Iroquois interference. Navigation on the St. Lawrence River was also dangerous in those days before buoys and beacons came to mark the shoal waters, and the risk of capture at sea during the incessant wars with England was considerable.” A typical journey lasted about a month, with the Coureur des Bois paddling sometimes twelve hours a day in birch bark canoes or bateaux. Some of the Coureur des Bois traveled as far as 2000 kilometers, or more, from home. Most traders were gone from their settlements from May until August. Packing a canoe for such a trip was often arduous, as more than thirty articles were considered essential for a Coureur des Bois’ survival and business. He could trade for food, hunt and fish, but trade goods such as “broadcloth, linen and wool blankets, ammunition, metal goods (knives, hatchets, kettles), firearms, liquor, gunpowder and sometimes even finished clothing, took up the majority of space in the canoe.” Food en route needed to be light-weight, practical and non-perishable. Pemmican, brought to the attention of the Coureur des Bois by the native people, fit all of these requirements. It was stored in rawhide bags and did not expire over the long journey. They also ate dried beans, peas and salted pork.

Relation to voyageurs

Main article: Voyageurs

"Canoe Manned by Voyageurs Passing a Waterfall" by Frances Anne Hopkins

Coureur des bois and voyageurs both played prominent roles in the North American fur trade era.

By 1681, the French authorities realized the traders had to be controlled so that the industry might remain profitable. They therefore legitimized and limited the amount of fur trading by establishing a system that used permits (congés). At the same time the fur trade also moved further into the continent, favoring organized long distance transportation of furs and trading goods.

The combination of these factors helped create a new player in the fur trade business, the voyageur, which literally means "traveler". Voyageurs typically worked for or were allied with a Montreal merchant who held a permit.

The licensed efforts which utilized voyageurs substantially displaced the coureur des bois' role in the fur trade business, but did not eliminate it. During the voyageur era, the term coureur des bois in the context of the fur trade business took on an additional meaning of "unlicensed".

The fur trade was thus controlled by a small number of Montreal merchants. New France also began a policy of expansion in an attempt to dominate the trade. French influence extended west, north and south. Forts and trading posts were built with the help of explorers and traders. Treaties were negotiated with native groups, and fur trading became very profitable and organized. The system became complex and efficient; to a certain extent, entrepreneurs were replaced by hired laborers.

Notable coureurs des bois

Jean Nicolet (Nicollet) de Belleborne (Ca. 1598 – 1 November 1642) was a French coureur des bois noted for exploring Green Bay in what is now the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Nicolet was born in Normandy, France in the late 1590’s and moved to New France in 1618. In that same year, he was recruited by Samuel de Champlain who arranged for him to live with a group of Algonquians, designated as the “Nation of the Isle” to learn Native languages and later serve as an interpreter. The Natives quickly adopted Nicolet as one of their own, even allowing him to attend councils and negotiate treaties. In 1620, Nicolet was sent to make contact with the Nipissing, a group of natives who played an important role in the growing fur trade. After having set up a good reputation for himself, Nicolet was assigned to work with the Compagnie des Cent-Associés in 1633. After this assignment to the Compagnie, Nicolet was sent on an expedition to Green Bay to settle a peace agreement with the Natives of that area. After accomplishing this, he settled permanently in Trois-Rivières.

Médard Chouart des Groseilliers (1618–1696) was a French explorer and fur trader in Canada. He was born at Charly-sur-Marne in France in July of 1618, although little is known of his early life. In the early 1640’s, Des Groseilliers relocated to Quebec, and began to work around Huronia with the Jesuit Missions in that area. There, he learned the skills of a coureur des bois, and in 1653 married his second wife, Margueritte. Her brother, Pierre-Esprit Radisson, also became a notable figure in the fur trade and is often mentioned in the same breath as Des Groseilliers. Radisson and Des Grosseilliers would also travel and trade together, as they did throughout the 1660’s and 1670’s. Together, they explored west into previously unknown territories in search of trade. Having incurred legal problems in New France because of their trade, the two explorers went to France in 1683 in an attempt to rectify their legal situation. When this attempt failed, the pair turned to the English. The two are credited, through this liaison with the English, with the establishment of the Hudson’s Bay Company because of their considerable knowledge and experience in the area.

Pierre-Esprit Radisson (1636–1710) was a French-Canadian fur trader and explorer. His life as explorer and trader is crucially intertwined with that of his brother-in-law, Médard des Groseilliers. The two explorers are famous not only for their explorations and trade, but also notably for their participation in the formation of the Hudson's Bay Company. Little is known of Radisson’s early life in France. He was born near Avignon in 1636 and came to New France in 1651, settling in Troi-Rivieres. His life would change dramatically in that same year, when he was captured by the Mohawks, while duck-hunting. Although two of his companions were murdered during this exchange, the Natives spared Radisson’s life and adopted him. Through this adoption, Radisson learned Natives languages that would later serve him well as an interpreter. He worked throughout the 1660’s and 1670’s with his bother-in-law, des Groseilliers, on various trade and exploration voyages into the west of the continent. Much of Radisson’s life during this period is wrapped up in the story of des Groseilliers. Together they are credited with the establishment and shaping of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Radisson died in the summer of 1710.

See also

• European colonization of the Americas
• Canadian canoe routes (early)

For further reading

• Podruchny, Carolyn. Making the Voyageur World : Travelers and Traders in the North American Fur Trade. Toronto : University of Toronto Press, 2006. ISBN 9780802094285.

• Brown, Craig, editor. The Illustrated History of Canada. Toronto: Lester & Orpen Dennys Ltd., 1987. ISBN 0-88619-147-5.

External links

• Canadian Vignettes: Voyageurs. A Film Board of Canada vignette
• Illinois Brigade, voyageur educators out of the midwest