18th Century printing Press.

Pierre de Maupertuis & the Lapland Expedition to Find the True Shape of the Earth in the 18th

NWC unterwegs im Nordkanu

Woodland Indian Education. Supplied by Martin.

Savage, the French term used for woodland Indians. They did of course have their own form of education, but they were also able to make speeches that would make a modern politition envious. Here below is a story supplied by Martin, a fellow blog follower.

Your account of James Smith's adventure reminded me of the following story:


When Ben Franklin was in Paris he wrote a short article on Indians that told of an exchange, possibly apocryphal, between Virginian leaders and representatives of the Six Nations at the treaty negotiations in Lancaster, PA, back in 1744. The Virginians made a dramatic offer to educate six Indian youths at the College of William and Mary and bring them into the fold of white civilization. The speaker for the Six Nations responded politely - any other form of response would be unthinkable from an Indian chief - but he made it clear that his people were not interested in the white man's offer:


"Several of our young People were formerly brought up at the Colleges of the Northern Provinces, they were instructed in all your Sciences; but, when they came back to us, they were bad Runners, ignorant of every means of living in the Woods, unable to bear either Cold or Hunger, knew neither how to build a Cabin, take a Deer, or kill an Enemy, spoke our Language imperfectly, were therefore neither fit for Hunters, Warriors, nor Counsellors; they were totally good for nothing. We are however not the less oblig'd by your kind Offer, tho' we decline accepting it; and to show our grateful Sense of it, if the Gentlemen from Virginia will send us a Dozen of their Sons, we will take great Care of their Education, instruct them in all we know, and make Men of them."


There is no record of the Gentlemen from Virginia taking the Iroquois up on their offer.
Yours,
Martin

James Smith Capture and His Adoption Into Indian Society.

My narrow beaded hair garter that I finger wove.

My finger woven beaded garters.

James Smith Capture, and Braddock's Defeat!

A Scenario and a Question.

As you know, it is very difficult to find specific information on 18th century lifestyles and the tools and equipment used. So most of our research has to be done through simply finding out what people did, and what tools and equipment were available to them. Then we must gather the clothing and a selection of tools and equipment and see if we can accomplish certain tasks. This is called "experimental archaeology", or by some, "experiential archaeology".
So below I have set out a scenario, and please feel free to participate.

Woodsman By John Buxton.

The Scenario.

It is sometime in the early to mid 18th century. You have been a few years in the New World doing various jobs to earn money. Recently you have been hired to range the area around a small community in New England looking for any sign of Indians. If you do find any sign of them being in the area, you are supposed to get back to the community as fast as you can and report your findings to the local militia.


You could be gone for any length of time from a few days to a month, depending on if you find anything, and it is now Indian summer, a time just before the leaves fall from the trees and bushes. There is a possibility that you could be discovered by an enemy, in which case you must just do the best you can to get back to the community.


You could of course get injured in some way and once again you will have to deal with it the best way you can. Now the question is, what equipment do you decide to carry with you when ranging the wilderness? You need to travel as light as you can, but at the same time you must be as self-reliant as possible. So some compromise must be made between these two principles, minimum weight, and maximum self-reliance.


Here below is a list of items you can take with you, you may add to this list if you think it necessary, or you can take away from this list if you don’t think an item is necessary. I will welcome any feedback on this that you are prepared to offer.

• .60 cal/20 gauge fusil. 42 inch barrel.
• .60 calibre smoothbore pistol.
• Shot pouch and contents.
• Powder horn.
• Butcher/Hunting knife.
• Legging knife.
• Clasp knife.
• Tomahawk.
• Tinderbox.
• Belt pouch.
• Fishing lines in brass container.
• Two snares.
• Gunpowder wallet (contains spare fungus tinder at present).
• Knapsack.
• Ball mould and swan shot mould.
• Lead ladle.
• Cup.
• Trade kettle.
• Medical pouch.
• Housewife.
• Piece of soap and a broken ivory comb.
• Dried foods in bags.
• Wooden spoon.
• Gun tools and spare springs.
• Compass.
• Whet stone.
• Oilcloth.
• One blanket (Monmouth cap, spare wool weskit and wool shirt rolled inside blanket).
• Leather costrel.

Friend or Foe By Griffing.