I have an interest in both long term wilderness survival, and the New World colonial lifestyle & history. So naturally I combine the two interests to come up with what I think is the best survival method. In this post I will look into the skills, tools, and foods used by the early to mid 18th century colonial settlers.
The skills list for long term wilderness survival is a long one, and there are some skills such as leadership, counselling, problem solving and socialising that are not covered in primitive skills lists. But here is a list of skills to get started. Some of these would be needed straight away by settlers; other skills would have to be learned along the way. In reality you stand a much better chance of surviving if you learn and practice these skills before you actually need them to survive.
Woodsrunner’s Skills.
This is a list of basic skills in which I personally would expect an 18th century woodsman or woods-woman to have some experience with.
• Flint & steel fire lighting
• Wet weather fire lighting
• Flintlock fire lighting
• Flintlock use, service & repair
• Field dressing game
• Blade sharpening
• Tomahawk throwing
• Making rawhide
• Brain tanning
• Primitive shelter construction
• Cordage manufacture
• Moccasin construction and repair
• Sewing
• Axe and tomahawk helve making
• Knowledge of native plant foods
• Fishing
• Hunting
• Evasion
• Tracking
• Reading sign
• Woods lore
• Navigation
• Primitive trap construction & trapping
Tools, Equipment & Supplies.
9 shirts
11 undershirts
2 pr of linen stockings
2 pr blue cotton stockings
2 hats
3 pr of pants ( translated error from the original german I suspect breeches)
1 pr of leggings~ Gaiters I suspect
4 prs of shoes
1 pr of boots
3 neck bands
1 hat clasp~ (????)
2 white caps
1 silk cap
evening clothes
4 pr of stockings
1 good outfit ( suit of clothes I suspect)
2 tin plates, 1 platter, knife and fork
1 hunting knife
1 pr of pistols
4 handkerchiefs
1 silk stockings
1 blue cotton handkerchief
3 silk "
2 black neck scarves
along with bedding and books..
Journal of Daniel Claus, 1750.
1 old hunting horn
1 bullet mold
14 guns and one musket
200 gun flints
9 dozen and 8 knives a Chien de Corne, 10 Flemish knives, 2 woodcutter's knives
40 pounds of lead balls
1 pair of pocket pistols
2 barrels of powder weighing 100 pounds each
Jacques Bourdon, 1723.
Cot, hunting knife, a silver pistol, bullet mould, and other common household items.
Belting, Natalia; (Natalia Belting died in 1748). Kaskaskia Under the French Regime, Urbana; University of Illinois Press, 1948; 43-46).
Estimation of the cost of emigration to New England were published in the 1600s. The following is a compilation from Higginson and from Josselyn first published about 1630.
Food £ s d Tools £ s d
Meal, one hogshead 2 0 0 Five broad hoes
Malt, one hogshead 1 0 0 Five felling axes 7 6
Two bushels of oatmeal 9 0 Two steel handsaws 2 8
Beef one hundredweight 18 0 Two handsaws 10 0
Pork pickled, 100 pound 1 5 0 One whip saw 10 0
Bacon, 74 pound 1 5 0 A file, a rest 10
Peas, two bushels 8 0 Two hammers 2 0
Greats, one bushel 6 0 Three shovels 4 6
Butter, two dozen 8 0 Two spades 3 0
Cheese, half a hundred 12 0 Two augers 1 0
Vinegar, two gallons 1 0 Two broad axes 7 4
Aquavitae, one gallon 2 8 Six chisels 3 0
Mustard seed, two quarts 1 0 Three gimlets 6
Salt to save fish, half a hogshead 10 0 Two hatchets 3 6
One gallon of oil 3 6 Two frows to cleave pail 3 0
Two hand bills 3 4
Clothing Two pickaxes 3 0
One hat 3 0 Three locks and three pair of fetters 5 10
One Monmouth cap 1 10 Two curry combs 11
Three falling bands 1 3 A brand to brand beasts 6
Shirt 2 6 A coulter wieghing 10 pounds 3 4
One waist coat 2 6 A hand vise 2 6
One suit of frieze 19 0 A pitchfork 1 4
One suit of cloth 15 0 A share 2 11
One suit of canvas 7 6 One wood hook 1 0
Three pair of Irish stockings 5 0 One wimble, with six piercer bits 1 6
Four pairs of shoes 9 0 Twelve cod hooks 2 0
Boots for men, one pair 9 0 Two lines 4 0
Leather to mend shoes, four pound 5 0 One mackerel line and twelve hooks 10
One pair of canvas sheets 8 0
Seven ells canvas to make bed and bolster 5 0 Wooden Ware
One coarse rug 6 0 A pair of bellows 2 0
Handkerchief, twelve 4 0 A scoop 9
One sea cape or gown, of coarse cloth 16 0 A pair of wheels for a cart 14 0
Wheelbarrow 6 0
Household utensils A great pail 10
One iron pot 7 0 A short oak ladder 10
One great copper kettle 2 0 0 A plough 3 9
A small kettle 10 0 An axletree 8
A lesser kettle 6 0 A cart 10 0
One large frying pan 2 8 A casting shovel 10
A brass mortar 3 0 A shovel 2 4
A spit 2 0 A lantern 1 3
One gridiron 2 0
Two skillets 5 0
"Certain Useful Directions for Such as Intend a Voyage into Those Parts"
By Mayflower passenger Edward Winslow
as published in Mourt's Relation : A relation or journal of the beginning and proceedings of the English Plantation settled at Plimoth in New England, London, 1622
"Now because I expect your coming unto us, with other of our friends, whose company we much desire, I thought good to advertise you of a few things needful.
"Be careful to have a very good bread-room to put your biscuits in. Let your cask for beer and water be iron-bound, for the first tier, if not more. Let not your meat be dry-salted; none can better do it than the sailors. Let your meal be so hard trod in your cask that you shall need an adz or hatchet to work it out with. Trust not too much on us for corn at this time, for by reason of this last company that came, depending wholly upon us, we shall have little enough till harvest. Be careful to come by some of your meal to spend by the way; it will much refresh you. Build your cabins as open as you can, and bring good store of clothes and bedding with you. Bring every man a musket or fowling-piece. Let your piece be long in the barrel, and fear not the weight of it, for most of our shooting is from stands. Bring juice of lemons, and take it fasting; it is of good use. For hot water, aniseed water is the best, but use it sparingly. If you bring anything for comfort in the country, butter or salad oil, or both, is very good. Our Indian corn, even the coarsest, maketh as pleasant meat as rice; therefore spare that, unless to spend by the way. Bring paper and linseed oil for your windows, with cotton yarn for your lamps. Let your shot be most for big fowls, and bring store of powder and shot. I forbear further to write for the present, hoping to see you by the next return. So I take my leave, commending you to the Lord for a safe conduct unto us."
www.pilgrimhall.org
A Catalog of such needefull things as every Planter doth or ought to provide to go to New-England
________________________________________
Victuals for a whole yeere for a man...
8 Bushels of meale 2 Bushels of Otemeale. 1 Gallon of Aquavitae 1 Firkin of Butter
2 Bushels of pease. 1 Gallon of Oyle. 2 Gallons of Vinegar.
________________________________________
Apparell.
1 Monmouth Cap. 1 Wast-coat. 1 Suit of Frize. 2 Paire of Sheets.
3 Falling Bands. 1 Suit of Canvas. 3 Paire of Stockings. 1 Paire of Blankets.
3 Shirts. 1 Suit of Cloth. 4 Paire of Shooes. 1 Course Rug.
7 Ells of Canvase to make a bed and boulster.
________________________________________
Armes.
1 Armor compleat. 1 Sword. 1 Bandilier. 60 Pound of Lead.
1 Long peece. 1 Belt. 20 Pound of Powder. 1 Pistoll and Goose shot.
________________________________________
Tooles.
1 Broad Howe. 1 Shovell. 1 Felling Axe. 1 Grindstone.
1 Narrow Howe. 1 Spade. 1 Gimblet. 1 Pickaxe.
1 Steele Handsawe. 2 Augers. 1 Hatchet. Nayles of all sorts
1 Whipsawe. 4 Chissels. 2 Frowes.
1 Hammer. 1 Broad Axe. 1 Hand-Bill.
________________________________________
Household Implements.
1 Iron Pot. 1 Gridiron. Trenchers. Dishes.
1 Kettel. 2 Skellets. Wooden Platters. Spoons.
1 Frying pan 1 Spit.
________________________________________
Spices
Sugar. Cloves. Mace. Fruit.
Pepper. Cinnamon. Nutmegs.
________________________________________
Also there are divers other things necessary to bee taken over to this Plantation,
as Bookes, Nets, Hookes and Lines, Cheese, Bacon, Kine, Goats, &c.
From: New England’s Plantation, or, A short and True Description of the Commodities and Discommodities of that Country. by Reverend Francis Higginson, London, 1630.
http://www.pilgrimhall.org/
What Provision is made for a Journey at Sea and what to carry with us for our use at Land
by William Wood
from New-England's Prospect, being a true, lively and experimental Description of that part of America commonly called New-England, London 1639
Many peradventure at the looking over of these relations, may have inclinations or resolutions for the voyage; to whom I wish all prosperity in their undertakings; although I will use no forcive arguments to persuade any, but leave them to the relation; yet by way of advice, I would commend to them a few lines from the pen of experience. And because the way to New-England is over the sea, it will not be amiss to give you directions what is necessary to be carried. Many I suppose, know as well, or better than myself; yet all do not; to those my directions tend. Although every man have ship-provisions allowed him for his five pounds a man, which is salt beef, pork, salt fish, butter, cheese, pease pottage, water grewel, and such kind of victuals, with good biskets, and six shilling beer; yet it will be necessary to carry some comfortable refreshing of fresh victuals. As first, for such as have ability, some conserves, and good claret wine to burn [burnt wine is brandy] at sea; or you may have it by some of your vintners or wine-coopers burned here, and put up into vessels, which will keep much better than other burnt wine; it is a very comfortable thing for the stomach, or such as are sea-sick; sallad-oil likewise, prunes are good to be stewed, sugar for many things; white biskets, eggs, and bacon, rice, poultry, and some weather sheep to kill aboard the ship, and fine flour baked meats will keep about a week or nine days at sea. Juice of lemons, well put up, is good either to prevent or cure the scurvy. Here it must not be forgotten to carry small skillets, or pipkins, and small frying-pans, to dress their victuals in at sea. For bedding, so it be easy, and cleanly, and warm, it is no matter how old or coarse it be for the use of the sea; and so likewise for apparel, the oldest cloaths be the fittest, with a long coarse coat, to keep better things from the pitched ropes and planks. Whosoever shall put to sea in a stout and well-conditioned ship, having an honest master, and loving seaman, shall not need to fear but he shall find as good content at sea as a land...
Now for the encouragement of his men, he [the head of a family with servants] must not do as many have done (more through ignorance than desire) carry many mouths and no meat; but rather much meat for a few mouths. Want of due maintenance produceth nothing but a grumbling spirit with a sluggish idleness; when as those servants be well provided for, go through their employments with speed and chearfulness. For meal, it will be requisite to carry a hogshead and an half for every one that is a labourer, to keep him till he may receive the fruit of his own labours, which will be a year and a half after his arrival, if he land in May or June. He must likewise carry malt, beef, butter, cheese, some pease, good wines, vinegar, strong-waters, &c. Whosoever transports more of these than he himself useth, the overplus being sold, will yield as much profit as any other staple commodity. Every man likewise must carry over good store of apparel; for if he come to buy there, he will find it dearer than in England. Woollen cloth is a very good commodity, and linen better; as holland, lockram, flaxen, hempen, callico stuffs, linsey woolsies, and blue callico, green sayes for housewife's aprons, hats, boots, shoes, good Irish stockings, which if they be good, are much more serviceable than knit ones; all kind of grocery wares, such as sugar, prunes, raisins, currants, honey, nutmegs, cloves, &c soap, candles, and lamps, &c. All manner of household stuff is very good trade there, as pewter and brass, for the use of that country; warming-pans and stewing pans be of necessary use, and good traffick there. All manner of iron wares, as all manner of nails for houses, and all manner of spikes for building of boats, ships, and fishing stages; all manner of tools for workmen, hoes for planters, broad and narrow for setting and weeding; with axes, both broad and pitching axes. All manner of augers, piercing bits, whip-saws, two handed saws, froes, both for the riving of pailes, and laths, rings for beetle heads, and iron wedges; though all these be made in the country (there being divers blacksmiths) yet being a heavy commodity, and taking but a little storage, it is cheaper to carry such commodities out of England. Glass ought not to be forgotten of any that desire to benefit themselves, or the country; if it be well leaded, and carefully packed up, I know no commodity better for portage or sale. Here likewise must not be forgotten all utensils for the sea, as barbels, splitting knives, leads, and cod-hooks, and lines, mackrel hooks and lines, shark-hooks, seines, or bass-nets, large and strong, herring nets, &c. Such as would eat fowl, must not forget their six foot guns, their good powder, and shot of all sorts; a great round shot called Barnstable shot, is the best; being made of a blacker lead than ordinary shot. Furthermore, good pooldavies [a heavy canvas] to make sails for boots, roads, anchors for boats and pinnaces, are good; sea-coal, iron, lead, and mill-stones, flints, ordnances, and whatsoever a man conceive is good for the country, that will lie as ballast, he cannot be a loser by it. And lest I should forget a thing of so great importance, no man must neglect to provide himself, or those belonging to him, his ammunition, for the defence of himself and the country. For there is no man there that bears a head, but that bears military arms; even boys of fourteen years of age are practiced with men in military discipline, every three weeks. Whosoever shall carry over drums and English colours, pattesons [spear that is carried in front of troops], halberds, pikes, muskets, bandeleroes, with swords, shall not need to fear good gain for them; such things being wanting in the country.
www.pilgrimhall.org
Provisions List from An Account of Two Voyages to New-England
by John Josselyn
2d edition, London, 1675
The common proportion of victuals for the Sea to a Mess, being 4 men, is as followeth;
Two pieces of Beef, of 3 pound and 1/4 per piece.
Four pounds of Bread.
One pint 1/2 of Pease.
Four Gallons of Beer, with Mustard and Vinegar for three flesh dayes in the week.
For four fish dayes, to each mess per day.
Two pieces of Codd or Habberdine, making three pieces of a fish.
One quarter of a pound of Butter.
Four pound of Bread.
Three quarters of a pound of cheese.
Beer as before.
Oatmeal per day, for 50 men, Gallon I. and so proportionable for more or fewer.
Thus you see the Ships provision, is Beef or Porke, Fish, Butter, Cheese, Pease, Pottage, Water-gruel, Bisket, and six shilling Beea.
For private fresh provision, you may carry with you (in case you, or any of yours should be sick at Sea) conserves of Roses, Clove-Gilliflowers, Wormwood, Green-Ginger, Burnt-Wine [brandy], English Spirits, Prunes to stew, Raisons of the Sun, Currence, Sugar, Nutmeg, Mace, Cinnamon, Pepper and Ginger, White Bisket, or Spanish rusk, Eggs, Rice, juice of Lemmons well put up to cure, or prevent the Scurvy. Small Skillets, Pipkins, Porrengers, and small Frying pans...
Apparel for one man, and after the rate for more
l s d
One Hatt 0 3 0
One Monmouth Cap 1 10 0
Three falling bands 0 1 3
Three Shirts 0 7 6
One Wastcoat 0 2 6
One suit of Frize 0 19 0
One suit of Cloth 0 15 0
One suit of Canvas 0 7 6
Three pair of Irish Stockins 0 5 0
Four pair of Shoos 0 8 0
One pair of Canvas Sheets 0 8 0
Seven ells of course Canvas to make a bed at Sea for two men, to be filled with straw 0 5 0
One coarse Rug at Sea for two men 0 6 0
Sum total 4 0 0
Victuals for a whole year to be carried out of England for one man, and so for more after the rate
l s d
Eight bushels of Meal 2 0 0
Two bushels of Pease at three shillings a bushel 0 6 0
Two bushels of Oatmeal, at four and six pence the bushel 0 9 0
One Gallon of Aqua vitae 0 2 6
One Gallon of Oyl 0 3 6
Two Gallons of Vinegar 0 2 0
Note.
Of Sugar and Spice... your best way is to buy your Sugar there, for it is cheapest, but for Spice you must carry it over with you.
Prices of Iron Ware
Arms for one man, but if half of your men have Armour it is sufficient, so that all have pieces and swords
l s d
One Armour compleat, light 0 17 0
One long piece five foot, or five and a half near Musket bore 1 2 0
One Sword 0 5 0
One Bandaleer 0 1 6
One Belt 0 1 0
Twenty pound of powder 0 18 0
Sixty pound of shot or lead, pistol and Goose shot 0 5 0
Tools for a Family of Six persons, and so after the rate for more
Five broad howes at two shillings a piece 0 10 0
Five narrow howes at 16 pence a piece 0 6 8
Five felling Axes at 18 pence a piece 0 7 6
Two steel hand-sawes at 16 pence the piece 0 2 8
Two hand-sawes at 5 shillings a piece 0 10 0
One whip saw, set and filed with box 0 10 0
A file and wrest 0 0 10
Two Hammers 12 pence a piece 0 2 0
Three shovels 18 pence a piece 0 4 6
Two spades 18 pence a piece 0 3 0
Two Augars 0 1 0
Two broad Axes at 3 shillings 8 pence a piece 0 7 4
Six Chissels 0 3 0
Three Gimblets 0 0 6
Two Hatchets One and twenty pence a piece 0 3 6
Two froues to cleave pail at 18 pence a piece 0 3 0
Two hand-bills at 20 pence a piece 0 3 4
Nails of all sorts to be values 2 0 0
Two pick-Axes 0 3 0
Three Locks, and 3 pair of Fetters 0 5 10
Two Currie Combs 0 0 11
For a Brand to brand Beasts with 0 0 6
For a Chain and lock for a Boat 0 2 2
For a Coulter weighing 10 pound 0 3 4
For a Hand-vise 0 2 6
For a Pitchfork 0 1 4
For one hundred weight of Spikes Nails and pins 120, to the hundred 2 5 0
For a share 0 2 11
Household Implements for a Family of six persons, and so for more or less after the rate
One Iron Pot 0 7 0
For one great Copper Kettle 2 0 0
For a small Kettle 0 10 0
For a lesser Kettle 0 6 0
For one large Frying-pan 0 2 6
For a small Frying-pan 0 1 8
For a brass Morter 0 3 0
For a Spit 0 2 0
For one Grid-Iron 0 1 0
For two Skillets 0 5 0
Platters, dishes, & spoons of wood 0 4 0
For Sugar, Spice and fruits at Sea for six men 0 12 0
Now of course not everyone could afford to travel with such a large variety of supplies, but we can probably expect the "middling sort" to carry some dried foods to keep them going for a while and of course some crop seed such as corn, pumpkin, and beans. These staples were of course the "Three Sisters" of the native woodland Indians as well.
The woman Natalia Belting carried "hunting knife, a silver pistol, bullet mould" as well as other household items so the average individual or family could hardly be expected to carry less. So you would have your fusil, musket or fifle, plus possibly a pistol or two. You would also have a shot pouch & other neccasaries needed to service your gun. Hunting knife, tomahawk, possibly an axe & auger. If there are several of you then you may even be carrying a crosscut saw & an adze.
A kettle of some sort and perhaps a cup. Candles, flint, steel & tinderbox is priority.
"I noticed particularly, one family of about 12 in number. The man carried an axe and a gun on his shoulders. The Wife, the rim of a spinning wheel in one hand, and a loaf of bread in the other. Several little boys and girls, each with a bundle, according to their size Two poor horses, each heavily loaded with some poor necessities. On the top of the baggage of one, was an infant rocked to sleep in a kind of wicker cage, lashed securely to the horse. A cow formed one of the company ,and she was destined to bear her proportion of service - a bed cord was wound around her horns and a bag of meal on her back. They were not only patient, but cheerful and pleased with themselves with the expectation of seeing happy days beyond the mountains" Diary of Presbyterian Rev. David McClure. 18th century.
” The first and greatest labour after father had thus domiciliated his little family, was to clear sufficient land for a crop the following year, which was, of course, to consist of corn and a few garden vegetables. In this labour I was too young to participate, and he was too poor to hire; consequently his own hands had to perform the whole...”Pioneer Life in Kentucky, 1785-1800: A Series of Reminiscent letters from Daniel Drake, MD of Cincinnati to his Children. (Cincinnati: Clark & Co., 1870).
“we made a boat and
came down the river to the fort and then walked here and put up
a log cabin. We rowed down the river in the night and laid by
in the day, and we walked three or four nights pretty near all
night. We hear Mr. Tolliver is going to send some more people
out here and I wish he would as it is lonesome when Sam is gone.
We have about two or three acres cleared and planted in corn
and pumpkins and we have enough venison dried to do a year”.
Casper River, March 2, 1794. (78).
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