Candlelight Tour at Fort Vancouver 2006

Now that I have had time to digest this past week-end, I am able to post about being in the year 1836 at Fort Vancouver NPS here in Vancouver. There was much to see and to display by those who participated in the "Village" site.

On Friday from 6 to 9 pm, We had over 800 visitors all asking many questions. Some were just simple mindedness, "Did you trap dogs and cats?" I was, for these days, "Grandpere" and had the privilege of finding a bride for my young 12 year old son and some husbands for my many daughters. What a wonder to watch the public catch the spirit of the moment and join in by wanting to sell their wife and daughters. We showed what a typical meal in the village would be. Chicken became either moose meat or goose, depending on the crowd. I offered a piece of beef jerky to a young boy and he asked what if was. My response was, "It is bear meat." The lad did a quick taste and spat it out with a yuck sound. (Very funny face too".) His dad told him it was just beef jerky, but the boy would have nothing of it. I wondered at the suggestive powers of words in a possibly believeable setting.

Saturday night was even a bit more reckless and abandoned. With 1400 people coming through the camp, we had the opportunity of singing songs, drumming, telling stories and just having a grand time of it. Our bread, stew and bread pudding was shared by those who REALY wanted to taste the 1800's cooking. I for one was not able to eat my food hot, due to the many people at our camp. I ate less than I would have liked but then I AM down to 236# now. Reports to the National Parks Service staff where high on the enjoyment poll. We were in formed our camp was the busiest and most informative. Our work was not lost to an indefferent crowd.