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Who were the French Canadians known as voyageurs?
Meet the canoeists who paddled Canada
© Getty Images
The fur trade established in Canada in the 16th century brought with it a unique occupation: the voyageur. This was a tough and resilient French-Canadian boatman tasked with transporting cargoes of pelt and other goods on rivers over vast distances for delivery to remote trading posts. These were hazardous journeys often resulting in injury and sometimes even death. Voyageurs were celebrated for their skill and stamina on the water, and their position was coveted. But what did it take to become one of these iron-willed canoeists, and what were the perils of paddling into the wilderness?
Click through and chart a course to find out.
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