Father Showed Me Everything

Max McLean

Max McLean is one of the best-known seniors in Northwest River, Labrador. He is very active as a volunteer in his community. A man of many skills, he fondly remembers his days in the woods trapping for furs.

FATHER'S NAME WAS Murdoch McLean. His home was in Kenemish which is thirteen miles across the bay there.

In my day trapping was a living, and when you became fourteen, you helped to make money for the family. I was fourteen when I went trapping. You were compelled. I went to school in Northwest to grade nine and then I went trapping.

Father showed me everything I had to know. He was a great old fella to travel with. He never got excited, but was very cool about everything.

I found that the fall, up until Christmas, was the best time to get around. We had part of it in canoe, and part of it walking. We used the canoe until we had to give it up. We watched our chance, and used the canoe because it was faster.

Father and I got dumped once. We were running down Seal Lake and one of those flash storms caught us. We had to watch the wind, because it was usually stormy in the fall. This happened in November, with a real cold wind.

We were a good half mile offshore when she started taking water. He just kept her straight and got in around the lake. She didn't sink. We were taking on water but we didn't tip over. When we got ashore the pots and pans were floating around in the canoe.

Fresh water can come up awfully fast. We never did it after that.