River Valley Alliance

River Valley Factoid

Fort Edmonton soon became a major supplier of York boats on the river, as in due course, the fur traders switched from canoes to York boats to haul their goods. Eighteen men in York boats could haul a load that it took forty men to carry in canoes. Most boatmen were Orkney Islanders or Métis, and their working pace was cruel. The colorful sashes that they wrapped around their waist – characteristic of the “voyageurs” – gave the men essential support while they lifted 40 kg packs. Strangulated hernia was the most common cause of death among the voyageurs.