Malcolm |
||||||||||||||||||
|
Men Terms, Words & Expressions
edited
Compiled by Walt Hayward & Brad McDade
The American Mountain Men
| AUX ALIMENTS DU PAYS
French for "nourishment of the land". All the free trappers and many engages were required to live "aux aliments du pays", surviving by using the provisions of nature. AVANT COURIER A French word meaning "scout". This word was used by both voyageurs and mountain men BIG FIFTY The .50 caliber Sharps rifle used by the buffalo hunter. BLANC BEC A term used by voyageurs for a new man who had yet to travel the Missouri past the Platte River. As with many voyageur terms, this was later adopted by some Mountain Men with much the same meaning. BOIS DE VACHE Buffalo chips used as fuel. BONE PICKER A despised human scavenger who hunted for, and sold, the bones of dead animals, mostly buffalo. BOOSHWAY The leader of a party of mountain men. The word comes from the French "bourgeois", used by the voyageurs. Return BOUDINS The real treat of the mountain man. A buffalo gut containing thyme, which was cut into lengths about 24 inches long and roasted before a fire until crisp and sizzling. BUCKSKIN Tanned deerskin from which much of the clothing of the Indian and mountain man was made. If Indian tanned, buckskin was usually a very light dolor, often almost white. Darker color was usually obtained by smoking the skin over an open fire. BUFFALO BOAT A boat made of raw buffalo skins, much used by traders. This boat differed from the Bull Boat in that it was larger and had a normal boat shape. BUFFALO CHIP Buffalo manure, dried and used as fuel. BUFFALO CIDER The fluid found in the stomach of the buffalo. Used by both mountain men and Indians to quench thirst. BUFFALO DANCE An Indian dance used to insure success on a buffalo hunt. BUFFALOED Confused. BUFFALO GUN See "Big Fifty". BUFFALO LICK A natural saltlick used by buffalo and other game animals. Usually a very good place to find game. BUFFALO RANGE Any wide-open feeding area used by buffalo. BUFFALO ROBE The skin of the buffalo, tanned with the hair on. Used by traders, Indians, and mountain men as ground covers, robes and blankets, BUFFALO WALLOW The depression made by buffalo rolling and dusting themselves. The same wallows were used year after year often becoming quite deep. CACHE A safe place, often hidden, for storage of food and other supplies. COUNT COUP To show bravery and receive honor by touching an enemy, usually with a special stick used for that purpose only. In some tribes, touching a living enemy had more honor than touching a dead enemy. Touching a man had more honor than touching a woman. The first to touch received more honor than the second or third. Credit was seldom if ever, given after the third. When feathers were awarded for coup, they were sometimes depending on the tribe, cut or painted to indicate the type and amount of honor they represented. Oddly enough, killing the enemy did not count for coup the first to touch took the honor, be he the killer or not. When used by the mountain man, the expression "I'll count coup on him" usually meant "I'll kill him", after which, the taking of the dead man's scalp was normal. COUREURS DE BOIS A woods runner or hunter an early French trapper, (Voyageur) COURIER A messenger, A term used mostly by traders. CRIMPY DAY A very cold day. DIG UP THE TOMAHAWK Start a war. Often the word "hatchet" was substituted for "tomahawk". DUMPLING DUST Flour. This term originated from the early practice of mixing dough by pouring water in a depression made in the flour while it was still in the sack, causing small puffs of dust. Both the term and practice are still used by north woodsmen. DUTCH OVEN A large kettle with three feet and a dished lid. It can be used for both cooking and baking. FATHER OF ALL WATERS Mississippi River. An Indian term. FAT PINE Pitch pine, very good for starting fires. FEAST CAKES Pancakes. FIRE WATER Whiskey. This term comes from the Indian practice of throwing a cup of whiskey into a fire to see if it would burn. If it would not flame up, it would not be accepted. FIZZ-POP A very early soda pop made by mixing a little vinegar and a spoon of sugar in a glass of fresh water. Just before drinking mix in about a quarter of a spoon of soda. FLASH IN THE PAN A misfire. Also a man who spends a great deal of time bragging, but never seems to be around when it comes to proving himself. FOOFARRAW Any fancy clothing or anything fancy on clothing. Just about anything used for decoration FREE TRAPPER A trapper who worked for himself, trapping and selling where he wanted and to whom he wanted. As free a man as the elements would allow. FUR COUNTRY As the mountain men used the expression, The Rocky Mountains. GALETTE A basic flour and water bread made into flat, round cakes and fried in fat or baked before the open fire. (Voyageur) GREEN RIVER A western river (see any good map). The hilt of a knife (from the old GR trade mark up near the hilt). A knife made by Russell Green River Works. A copy of a Russell Green River Works knife. HAIR OF THE BEAR, HE HAS The greatest praise a mountain man can say of another. HALF BREED A person of mixed blood, Indian and White. HALF-FACED CAMP A floor less shed, closed with poles on the back and sides, closed with skins and blankets on the front. The roof sloped from the rear of the shed to the front. This form of house or shed was greatly used by settlers until they had time to construct a log structure. HAWK Short for "Tomahawk". HEFT, TO A very old term meaning "to lift and feel the weight of". HELLO THE CAMP A traditional greeting given before entering any strange camp. Better given at a slight distance or the visitor may not leave in the same manner that he entered, HIDE HUNTER A rather low breed of man who killed buffalo for the hides only. Usually despised by all who came into contact with him. "Buffalo skins for the belts of industry." HIVERANNO An experienced mountain man. One who had lived many years in Indian country. (First Voyageur, later Mountain Man) HOGSHEAD A large wooden barrel or cask capable of holding from 100 gallons up. JERKY Dried meat made by cutting meat into strips about one inch wide, 1/4 inch thick, and as long as possible. This was then sun-dried on racks often with a small hardwood fire under the meat to smoke it and to keep insects off it. In good, hot weather the meat would be dry and ready to use in 3 to 4 days. LOCK, STOCK, AND BARREL In total; the whole thing. For examples "He sold his shop, lock, stock, and barrel". This expression comes from the 3 major parts needed to construct a muzzle loading rifle or pistol. LOCO Crazy. LODGE The living quarters be it house, cabin, tipi, hogan, tent, or lean-to, of the Indian or mountain man. LUMPY DICK An early pudding made by stirring dry flour into boiling milk until thick, then serving with sweet milk and molasses or sugar. MEDICINE The magic, secret charms of the Indian. Also the bait used in trapping. MEDICINE BAG The small bag, used to carry the medicine of the Indian. Adopted by the mountain man and used to carry anything small, especially the "secret" bait he used near his traps. MEDICINE PIPE The sacred pipe of the Indian. This pipe was used only during special ceremonies, was kept in a special, sacred bundle, and was NEVER allowed to touch the ground. MEDICINE LODGE A sacred lodge used only for religious ceremonies. In some tribes it could also be used as a meeting place for the secret societies of braves. The sweat lodge (an early American form of sauna bath) used by many tribes was also considered a "medicine lodge". MOCCASIN The buckskin or moose hide shoe of the Indian and mountain man. Light, quiet, and comfortable. MOCCASIN MAIL A postal system devised by the mountain man. It consisted of leaving messages concerning the condition of the trail ahead, time and place of a rendezvous, etc, in trees, hollow logs, etc. Such messages were quite often put in an old moccasin so they would be easy to see. MUD HOOKS Human feet. This expression is still often heard among country people. OL' EPHRAIM Grizzly bear PEMMICAN Indian food made by mixing powdered jerky with dried berries and hot tallow, then packed and stored in skin or gut bags. Used by Indians and mountain men. This is a high energy survival food. PENOLE Flour made from parched corn. PORTAGE A trip between waterways or around a waterway obstruction, carrying everything along with you. PORTAGE TRAIL The trail used to carry a canoe and supplies between waterways or around a waterway obstruction. POSSIBLES The personal property of the mountain man, Such items as a bullet mold, an awl, knives, a tin cup, his buffalo robe or a blanket capote, his pipe and tobacco, flint and steel, sometimes a small sheet-metal fry-pan, and other accouterments he considered necessary. Firearms were considered "pieces" or guns" and not possibles. POSSIBLES BAG The leather bag in which the mountain man carried his possibles. everything from his pipe and tobacco to his patches and balls. What could not be carried in the bag were hung on the bags shoulder strap. Shooting needs were given first priority, kept where they could be found with ease and speed. POW-WOW An Indian word meaning a meeting followed by dancing and feasting. The mountain man's term for any discussion between two men, or for a planned meeting. SNOW EATER, A A chinook. SOURDOUGH Fermented dough used for making bread, biscuits flapjacks, etc. SPUDS Potatoes. SQUARE A term of respect. Any man of courage, honesty, self- reliance, and devotion to what he believed to be right was " square " and darn proud of-it. SQUARE SHOOTER, A See "Square". TOMAHAWK A small hatchet used by the Indians and mountain men for fighting and woodcraft. TOMAHAWK TALKS Councils of war. Treaty councils. The tomahawk was an important symbol in both war and peace. TIPI The conical lodge used by the Plains Indians. (Teepee) VOYAGEUR A trapper for one of the very early fur companies. Most voyageurs were French-Canadian. |