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Marquette Mission Site - St. Ignace, Michigan
Coureur de bois
This term was used for men who traveled into the wilderness to trade for furs particularly in the seventeenth century. At different times France outlawed this practice in an effort to control the fur market, but typically these men ignored the restrictions – especially when there was no local French military presence to regulate the trade. Little is known about these men as the Jesuits and French officers were not particularly vested in writing about their lifestyle. They are noted, however, for their occasional lewd behavior.The coureur de bois relied on good relationships with many different groups of Native Americans as they traveled into different areas and traded with many different people. The best strategy for survival was to immerse oneself in the Native culture and these men frequently married Native women.