Hab

1 n. any French Canadian, especially one from rural Quebec.

habitan

habitant

1 n. a farmer in French Canada, originally a person holding land from a seigneur (def. 1).

Habitant

n. a member of the Montreal Canadians, a professional hockey club.

habitant French

the dialect or patois spoken by rustic or backwoods French Canadians.

habitant penny

a coin in circulation in Lower Canada during the early 1800's, properly the Bank of Montreal copper token.

hackee† 

n. any one of several small striped rodents, resembling squirrels, of the family Sciuridae.

hackmatack

n. any of several evergreens, especially the common larch, or tamarack; also, the wood of such trees.

hah-wee-a

Haida blanket

a D-shaped blanket woven of mountain goat wool with a warp of yellow cedar bark, into which are worked symbolic designs, originally made by the Chilcat Indians and later adopted by other tribes of the west coast. See picture at Chilkat blanket.

Haida canoe

a sixty-foot dugout canoe, used by the Haida Indians for raids on the mainland.

haiqua

hair

hair seal† 

one of several seals, such as the harbor seal, whose coat lacks underfur and is of little commercial value.

hair stick

See quote.

half axe

a light axe for use on the trail and in camp.

half beaver

the skin of an immature beaver, ¼, ½, and ¾ beavers being 1, 2, and 3 years old respectively. See 1743 quote.

half blood

half cargo

a partial unloading of a canoe to enable it to pass a shallow or dangerous place.

half gentry

Hudson's Bay Company officials intermediate in position between engagés and commissioned gentlemen.

half home (guard) Indian

a half-breed home-guard Indian.

half portage

a partial unloading of a canoe to enable it to pass a shallow or dangerous place.

half(-sized) canoe

a light canoe about 20 feet long, used on certain low-water routes.

half-breed† 

1 n. a person of mixed Indian and white ancestry.

Half-breed Rebellion

an uprising of Métis and some early white settlers in the Red River area in 1870, led by Louis Riel and caused by encroachment on prairie lands by the Canadian government; a second uprising of Métis, Crees, and white settlers, caused by the continued expansion of Canadian influence and settlement into the Saskatchewan region, nominally led by Louis Riel.

half-breed scrip

a certificate issued following the Northwest Rebellions to Metis as compensation for lost lands and entitling the bearer to 240 acres.

half-breed scrip millionaire

a person who speculated in land-scrip (def. 2), buying at a very low price from the halfbreeds and selling at a handsome profit to settlers.

Half-breed Uprising

a second uprising of Métis, Crees, and white settlers, caused by the continued expansion of Canadian influence and settlement into the Saskatchewan region, nominally led by Louis Riel.

half-camp

n. See lean-to (def. 1a) 1966 quote.

half-caste† 

n. a person of mixed Indian and white ancestry.

half-cent

n. a copper coin having a brief period of circulation in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

half-dime

n. a coin worth five cents; nickel.

half-dollar

1 n. half a Spanish dollar.

half-dried

adj. pertaining to meat or fish dried on the outside by exposure to the sun and wind, a process which forms an airtight sun-glazed envelope that protects the moist inner flesh from deterioration.

half-dry

half-Indian ((adj.))

adj. of mixed Indian and white ancestry.

half-Indian ((n.))

n. a person of mixed Indian and white ancestry.

half-joe† 

n. half a Portuguese Johannes, a gold coin worth about $8.00, in circulation during colonial days.

half-Johannes

n. half a Portuguese Johannes, a gold coin worth about $8.00, in circulation during colonial days.

half-load

n. a partial unloading of a canoe to enable it to pass a shallow or dangerous place.

half-section

n. 320 acres of land, 640 constituting a section (def. 2)

half-sized canoe

half-tent

n. See lean-to (def. la) 1966 quote.

half-white

n. a person of mixed Indian and white ancestry.

half-york

n. a flat-bottomed boat patterned on the York boat, but about half its size.

Halifax

n. a standard of exchange which served as a system of account in colonial times, being officially adopted in Lower Canada and later in Upper Canada, where York Currency had long predominated.

Halifax currency

a standard of exchange which served as a system of account in colonial times, being officially adopted in Lower Canada and later in Upper Canada, where York Currency had long predominated.

Halkett (air-)boat

an inflatable rubber boat. See 1850 quote.

halo

halu

Hamatsa

attrib. a secret society of the Kwakiutl Indians of the Pacific coast which indulged in the eating of human flesh.

hamatsa

1 n. a member of the Hamatsa Society.

Hamatsa Society

a secret society of the Kwakiutl Indians of the Pacific coast which indulged in the eating of human flesh.

Hambro line

a strong light line made in Hamburg, Germany, used for tracking canoes.

Hamburg bread

See quote.

hammock

hanata

n. a member of the Hamatsa Society.

hand

v. drag a canoe upstream by hand, walking ahead, hand on gunwale.

hand dag

See dag 1859 quote. See also picture at dag.

hand dague

hand game† 

See 1907 quote.

hand method

the process of separating gold from sand and gravel by using a pan (def. 3a).

hand-car† 

n. a small car used by section hands on a railway and driven by a geared hand-lever which is pumped up and down.

hand-log

v. engage in hand-logging.

hand-logger

n. one who engages in hand-logging.

hand-logging

n. logging with hand tools only, such as axes, peavies, and jacks.

hand-toboggan

n. a toboggan (def. 1), pulled by hand, as opposed to one pulled by dogs or horses.

handing

handliner† 

n. a fisherman who uses a handline.

handlining

n. fishing with handlines.

handsled† 

n. a small sled pulled by hand.

handsleigh

1 n. a small sled pulled by hand.

hang (up)

v. string fish up for drying.

hang up

1a (usually as pp.) of the moment of logs, slow down or stop en route from forest to deck, water, or mill.

hang-up

n. a log caught on a snag or obstruction when being transported.

hangard

1 n. a shed, warehouse, or outbuilding.

Hansard† 

n. the day-to-day official record of speeches and debates in the House of Commons in Ottawa and in certain provincial legislatures.

hap ((n.))

n. a trap.

hap ((v.))

v. trap.

harbo(u)r lot

a specified piece of ground underwater, leased for fishing purposes.

harbo(u)r seal

1 a small seal, Phoca vitulina, common on the East Coast.

hard hat

a protective hat having a metal or hard plastic crown, worn by construction workers, loggers, miners, etc.

hard maple

the sugar maple, Acer saccharum, or the black maple, Acer nigrum; also, the wood of either of these trees.

hard-cut

adj. tough; hard-living; rough.

hardfist

n. a rough person who is prone to violence.

hardhead† 

n. a round rock or boulder.

hardpan† 

1 n. a compacted layer of hard soil, especially clay, lying beneath the subsoil.

hardrock

1a n. mining in solid rock, especially quartz.

Hare Indian dog

a breed of small dog weighing 15 to 20 pounds and piebald in black and white or brown, found among the Indians of northern British Columbia, the Yukon, and the Mackenzie country.

harp (seal)

n. a large grey seal, Phoca groenlandica, so called because of the harp-shaped markings on its back.

harp mark

the saddle, or markings, by which the harp seal is characterized.

harse

n. See quote.

harvest excursion

a low-fare railway trip for field-workers travelling to the West to harvest grain.

harvest special

a train taking part in the harvest excursion.

harvest train

harvester special

a train taking part in the harvest excursion.

hat trick

the feat of scoring three goals in one game.

hatchet

in phrases where the hatchet symbolizes war; originally an Indian metaphor:

haul ((n.))

n. the operation of moving logs from the felling area to the dump, either by transporting or skidding, or by a high-lead system.

haul ((v.))† 

1 v. drag or draw a load, such as coal, grain, or logs.

haul out

v. of seals and walruses, come ashore at the échoueries.

haul road

a bush road made for hauling logs from the cutting area.

haul-off

n. the operation of moving logs from the felling area to the dump, either by transporting or skidding or by a high-lead system.

haul-out

n. of seals and walruses, the periodic coming ashore at the échoueries.

haul-up† 

n. See jackladder 1963 quote.

haulback† 

n. See 1942 quote. See picture at high-lead system.

hauler

n. as an Eskimo dog, used to pull a sled (def. 1), especially in the North. See 1577 quote at sled (def. 1). See picture at sled dog (def. 1).

hauler-head

n. a hand- or machine-operated winch that winds fishing line on a drum as fish are hauled in.

hauling

n. the process of conveying logs from the cutting area to the dump.

hauling dog

a dog, as an Eskimo dog, used to pull a sled (def. 1), especially in the North. See 1577 quote at sled (def. 1).

hauling grounds

rocky slopes on shore where walruses haul out.

hauling place

a river bank along which trackers walk when hauling a canoe, boat, etc.

hauling sleigh

a sleigh usually consisting of four bobs, used in a series to form a long sleigh for hauling logs.

hauling-line

n. a strong line or rope used in tracking (def. 1).

hauling-out site

rocky slopes on shore where walruses haul out.

hauling-road

n. a bush road made for hauling logs from the cutting area.

Haute Terre

a region of high ground forming a watershed to the north of the western end of Lake Superior.

Hauteur des Terres

a region of high ground forming a watershed to the north of the western end of Lake Superior.

hawk

v. examine loose rocks and stones of an area in search of gold or other minerals.

hawk bell† 

a small spherical bell, originally used in falconry, much prized by the Indians as ornaments.

hawk's-eye

n. the golden plover, Pluvialis dominica.

hay cache

a supply of hay put out on the range for winter cattle-feed.

hay camp† 

a camp, often temporary, where hay is cut and stacked for cattle feed.

hay corral

an enclosure in which hay is stored.

hay meadow

a meadow, often swampy, lying behind an old beaver dam and prized by early settlers for its fertility.

hay privilege

1 in the Red River Settlement, the right enjoyed by settlers to cut hay on the untilled land lying to the rear of each river lot.

hay slough† 

a low-lying damp depression where wild hay grows abundantly.

hay trail

a trail leading to an upland meadow.

hay-flats

n. pl. low-lying meadows near a river or slough.

hay-knife

n. See 1962 quote.

hay-tosser

n. a farmer, especially a rustic, countrified one; yokel.

haymaker

n. a miner choosing to work only rich deposits, leaving the poorer dirt.

hayseed

n. a farmer, especially a rustic, countrified one; yokel.

hayseedy

adj. having the characteristics of a hayseed.

haywire ((adj.))

1 adj. poorly organized and equipped; less than efficient; second-rate.

haywire ((n.))

1 n. smooth, light flexible wire used for binding bales of hay or straw.

haywiredom

n. shoddy, ill-equipped firms or groups collectively.

head

n. a slender, twisted plug of tobacco once common in the old Northwest.

head guide

v. the man in charge of a brigade.

head of rail

the farthest point to which railway service extends; the terminus of a railway.

head of steel

1 the most recently laid tracks of a railway under construction; the farthest point to which tracks have been laid.

Head of the Lake

the western end of Lake Ontario: the vicinity of Burlington, Hamilton, and Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Head of the Lakes

the twin cities of Port Arthur and Fort William, Ont., and the surrounding region on the northwest shore of Lake Superior.

head of the line

the point on the river at the end of stretch where boats or canoes were pulled by tracking lines; specifically, such a point on the Mackenzie River.

head-man

v. pass (the puck) to a team-mate who is closer to the opposing team's goal than the passer.

head-swamper

n. the supervisor of a gang of swampers (def. 1).

header

n. in preparing cod for salting, the person who beheads the fish receiving it from the cut-throat (def. 1) and passing it on to the splitter.

headlifting

n. among certain Eskimo shamans, a method of divining the future by lifting the suppliant's head as if weighing it.

headline

n. a strong leather line attached to the front of a dog-sled, to permit the driver to aid the dogs when the difficult terrain requires it.

headstrap

n. a kind of harness for carrying heavy loads, drawing on a tracking line, etc., consisting of a leather strap that is broad at the middle and tapers at both ends, the broad band being placed around the forehead (or chest) and the two ends attached to the pack or other load.

heap

n. in clearing land, a planned procedure for felling trees for burning (def. 1) in such a way that as many as possible fall near or across each other so that an efficient burn results.

heart seal

a large grey seal, Phocagroenlandica, so called because of the harp-shaped markings on its back.

heath cock

a grouse, Tympanuchus cupido americanus, common on the southern prairies.

heath hen

See heath cock.

heavy

adj. of drift-ice, thick and close-packed, making it difficult for a ship to make headway.

hedging

n. See milking the bushes quote.

hee-hee ((1))

n. laughter; fun.

hee-hee ((2))

n. See quote.

heeler† 

1 n. a subservient party worker who comes to heel readily when ordered.

hei-ho

n. the flicker, Colaptes auratus.

height

n. a watershed.

height of land

a watershed.

Height of Land

1 a region of high ground forming a watershed to the north of the western end of Lake Superior.

height of the country

the elevated plateau forming the western boundary separating Labrador and Quebec.

Height-of-Lander

n. a trapper whose traplines are in the region of the Height of Land (def. 2).

hell-hole

n. an underground cave.

hell-runner

n. a person soliciting business for saloons, brothels, gambling houses, etc.

hellery

n. mischief; trouble; wild behavior.

Helluland

n. See 1958 quote.

helo

adj. adv. no; none.

hemlock feathers

hemlock pine

the Canadian hemlock, Tsuga canadensis.

hemlock spruce

the Canadian hemlock, Tsuga canadensis.

hemlock tea

a beverage made from steeped hemlock needles and twigs.

Henry VIII coat

See quote.

Hepburn's Hussars

See 1965 quote.

herd bull

the chief boss; manager.

herd-camp

n. an enclosed pasture near a fur post or fort where spare horses were kept under surveillance.

Here Before Christ

a play on the initials H.B.C. for Hudson's Bay Company.

Here Before Columbus

here's a ho

Here-Before-Christer

n. See quote.

hereditary chief

a chief of an Indian band through hereditary right, as opposed to an elected chief.

herring salmon

a widely distributed North American food fish, Coregonus sp., especially C. clupeaformis.

herring whitefish

Herring-Choker

n. a Maritimer, especially one from New Brunswick.

herring-hog

n. a common porpoise of the north Atlantic and Pacific, Phocoena phocoena.

herring-rake

n. See quotes.

Hessian fly† 

a small flying insect, Phytophaga destructor, whose larvae does much damage to wheat crops.

hew ((interj.))

interj. a call directing a team of dogs to swing to the right.

hew ((v.))

v. work as a hewer.

hewer† 

n. See 1947 quote.

hiak

hiaqua

n. the shell of a mollusc, Dentalium indianorum, used by the Coast Indians as money and ornaments.

hiaqua shell

the shell of a mollusc, Dentalium indianorum, used by the Coast Indians as money and ornaments.

hias

High Arctic

the polar regions.

high climber

high country ((1))

the hinterland; the forests of the North and Northwest; the fur country.

high country ((2))

the foothills of the Rockies.

high Hyson

a beverage made from steeped hemlock needles and twigs.

high muckamuck† 

a leading person in a group; big-shot.

high north

the far north, especially the Arctic.

high prairies

an elevated plateau or a series of such plateaus having the appearance of a range of hills or ridges when viewed from the adjacent prairie.

high school

a secondary school having four or five grades, the number of grades and the nature of the curriculum varying from province to province.

High Toryism

the principles and policies of the far right of the colonial Tory party, epitomized in the Family Compact and the oligarchic arrogance associated with it.

high wine

(usually plural) spiritous liquor, specifically a mixture of alcohol and flavored water, widely traded to the Indians by fur traders.

high-grade ((1)) ((n.))

1 n. gold-bearing ore that is of high assay value.

high-grade ((1)) ((v.))† 

1 v. steal high-grade ore from a mine.

high-grade ((2)) ((v.))

v. in road making, build on a bed of ballast and so grade as to shed water.

high-grade ((adj.))

adj. denoting or containing gold-bearing ore of a high assay value.

high-grade squad

a police detail whose special function is to track down high-graders and recover stolen gold.

high-grader† 

n. a person who steals or traffics in high-grade ore from a mine.

high-grading

1 n. See 1958 quote.

high-hole

n. the flicker, Colaptes auratus.

high-lead

n. the cable, or main line (def. 3), used to haul in logs when using a high-lead system.

high-lead method

high-lead system

any method of high-line logging; specifically and originally, a system using only one spar tree.

high-lead yarding

any method of high-line logging; specifically and originally, a system using only one spar tree.

high-line logging

any method of yarding logs by means of one or more spar trees and a cable system.

high-lining

n. any method of yarding logs by means of one or more spar trees and a cable system.

high-pole cache

n. a cache raised off the ground on poles.

high-rigger

n. See rigger 1942 quote.

high-rigging

n. any method of yarding logs by means of one or more spar trees and a cable system.

high-toned† 

adj. affecting a superior attitude.

highball

adj. or attrib. operating on a speeded-up schedule; working at top speed.

Highball Express

the first railway into the Canadian North, from Winnipeg to Churchill, Manitoba, completed in 1932.

highbush cranberry

a shrub, Viburnum opulus; also the reddish, tart berry of this shrub.

highline† 

n. a fisherman or fishing boat making the largest catch during a specified time.

highliner† 

n. a fisherman or fishing boat making the largest catch during a specified time.

highstick

v. in hockey and lacrosse, strike an opposing player with one's stick raised to an illegal height, normally so that it extends above shoulder level.

highsticking

n. in hockey and lacrosse, the illegal practice of striking an opponent with one's stick raised above shoulder level.

hightail (it)

v. move as fast as possible, usually in departing or retreating from a place.

hill lion

a large, wild cat, Felis concolor, once common but now confined to southwestern Canada.

Hill, the

n. in the Government or Parliament of Canada; in the House of Commons and/or the Senate.

hillside lay

a hillside claim worked in partnership with the owner.

hip-wader

n. a long rubber boot reaching to the hips.

hit

v. reach; arrive at; meet.

hit the trail

take to the trail; leave; depart.

hit-and-roll

n. a play in which a curled rock glances off a stationary rock and slides into a better position.

hitch

n. a period of time, especially a period of service in the armed services.

hivernant

n. a seasoned fur trader or voyageur who spent his winters in the fur country.

hiyu

ho

1 interj. See 1952 quote.

hoard

n. a storing place where supplies, furs, equipment and other goods may be deposited for protection from foraging animals and the weather. See picture at cache, n. (def. 2).

hoary marmot

a large marmot, Marmota caligata, of the western mountains.

hock-moccasin

n. See quote.

hockey† 

n. a sport played on ice on a board-enclosed rink by two teams of six men each whose object is to shoot a puck into the opponents' goal.

hockey baron

See quote.

hockey cop

a rugged, aggressive player whose function is to intimidate opposing players and thus prevent them from roughing up his team-mates.

hockey cushion

a hockey rink (def. 1) especially an outdoor rink of natural ice.

hockey puck

a disk of hard, black rubber used in ice hockey.

hockey rink

1 the ice surface, usually surrounded by a board fence, on which hockey is played.

hockey stick

a stick specially designed for playing hockey, having a flat blade at the lower end so angled as to permit the effective control and shooting of a puck.

hockeyist

n. a person who plays hockey.

hockeyite

n. a person who plays hockey.

hog reeve† 

a municipal officer responsible for rounding up stray pigs and assessing whatever damage they may have done to the property of others.

Hogtown

n. Toronto, Ontario.

hoh-hok

hohoq

n. See 1964 quote.

holding

n. in hockey, lacrosse, etc., an illegal act in which a player grasps an opponent or his stick so as to hamper his movements.

holding boom

a large enclosure formed by logs chained together and used for holding floating logs, pulpwood, etc. until ready for transporting to a mill.

holding ground

an enclosure where cattle are temporarily penned during a drive (def. 3a) or round up (def. 1).

holding pasture

holding water

water backed up by some kind of obstruction in a stream so as to create a relatively placid and deep pool.

hole† 

1 n. See 1961 quote.

holey dollar

a Spanish dollar having a hole punched in the centre.

Home and School Association

an organization founded in Toronto in 1919 to promote the well-being of school children through co-operation and the exchange of ideas between parents and teachers.

home boy

See 1913 quote.

Home County

any of the several counties of the Toronto (Ontario) region.

Home Defence Force

during World War II, the force conscripted for service in Canada only.

Home District

in Upper Canada, the district that included York (Toronto) and adjacent townships.

Home Government† 

the British government.

home guard

2 a logger who works consistently in one camp, especially a family man. Also homeguard.

home hunter

a Home Indian employed as a hunter supplying meat to a fur post.

home ice

the rink where a team plays its home games.

Home Indian

a Cree Indian from the vicinity of the fur posts on Hudson Bay.

home native

any Indian who lived in or near a fur post, especially those employed as hunters.

home quarter

the quarter-section on which a homestead (def. 1) is located; the quarter-section first homesteaded.

Home Riding

one of the constituencies in the greater Toronto area.

home-and-school

attrib. of or having to do with the Home and School Association.

Home-and-Schooler

n. a member of the Home and School Association.

home-guard (Indian)

1a n. an Indian, usually a Cree, living in or near a fur post on Hudson's Bay and employed by the traders. See 1965 quote.

home-guard camp

a main camp; depot (def. 3) camp.

home-guard language

See quote.

home-print

adj. or attrib. denoting a newspaper that is set up and printed entirely on the publisher's own equipment.

homebred

1 n. in Canadian professional football, a native-born player.

homebrew

1a n. in Canadian professional football, a native-born player.

homer

1 n. a supporter of the home-town team.

homestake

n. enough gold to enable a miner to go home and buy a farm or business.

homestead ((n.))† 

1 n. a piece of farmland, including a house and outbuildings, where a family makes its home.

homestead ((v.))† 

v. take up public lands under the conditions of the Homestead Act (def. 2).

Homestead Act

1 See Homestead Law (def. 1).

homestead entry

the process of applying for and taking up land under the Homestead Act (def. 2).

homestead inspector

a government official responsible for seeing that homesteaders meet the conditions of the Homestead Act (def. 2).

homestead land

tracts of land set aside by the government for settlement under the Homestead Act (def. 2).

Homestead Law

1 one of the several pieces of legislation governing settlement on government land in Canada prior to the passing of the Homestead Act (def. 2) of 1872.

homestead patent

a legal acknowledgment from the government that a homesteader has met the requirements of the Homestead Act (def. 2) and is thus the legal owner of the land.

homestead quarter

homestead right

the right of a citizen to file on a tract of land under the conditions of the Homestead Act (def. 2).

homesteader† 

n. a settler, especially one who takes up land under the Homestead Act (def. 2).

homesteader's fiddle

a crosscut saw.

homesteaders' Bible

See quote.

homesteading

n. settling on land under the conditions of the Homestead Act (def. 2).

hommack

n. See hummock.

homme du nord

a seasoned fur trader or voyageur who spent his winters in the fur country.

hommock

n. See hummock.

hone

n. a species of Pacific salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, characterized by pinkish flesh.

honey bucket

a receptacle for excreta, as in an outdoor toilet.

honey-house

n. a shed or other outbuilding equipped with boxes and trays in which bees build up honeycombs.

honey-pot

n. Obs. See 1835 quote.

honker† 

n. a kind of large gray goose, Branta canadensis, with a black head and neck and white cheek patches.

hono(u)r box

an unattended newspaper stand equipped with a slotted receptacle for coins.

hono(u)rs course

in certain Canadian universities, a special program of study, usually taking four years after matriculation, offered to better-than-average students who wish to specialize in certain major fields.

hoo-haw

n. a dispute; altercation; furor.

hoo-raw

n. a dispute; altercation; furor.

hooch

n. See hootch.

hoochino

n. See hootchinoo.

hood

n. a large seal of the North Atlantic, Cystophora cristata.

hood seal

a large seal of the North Atlantic, Cystophora cristata. Also hooded seal.

hoodoo

1 n. something associated with bad luck, as an evil, malignant spell.

Hoodoo

1 n. a supernatural creature of dangerous and malignant tendencies, as the famed Sasquatch of British Columbia.

hook

n. an instance of hooking.

hook ((1))

1 v. See quote.

hook ((2))

1 v. rake (a horse) with spurs.

hook-and-line man

a fisherman who uses a handline.

hook-check

n. v. See sweep-check, n. and v.

hook-nosed trout

n. a species of Pacific salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, characterized by pinkish flesh.

hooker ((1))

1 n. See hooktender.

hooker ((2))

a drink of liquor, especially a generous one.

hookey

n. See hooky.

hooking

n. an illegal check made by using the blade of the hockey stick as a hook to impede a puck-carrier's progress.

hooktender

n. See 1942 quote.

hooky ((1))† 

n. play hooky, stay away from school without permission; play truant.

hooky ((2))

n. a brittle crust that forms on snow, such that the foot sinks through it causing a person to trip.

hoop game

an Indian game in which a hoop is rolled in such a way as to fall on an arrow slid along the ground just behind it.

hooping crane

hooshum (berry)

n. See soapberry (def. 2)

hootch

1 n. a kind of home brew. See hootchino (def. 1) 1937 quote.

hootchinoo

1 n. a kind of home brew. See 1937 quote.

hop-rising

n. a homemade leaven made from hops and used in baking a kind of bread.

hop-yeast bread

bread made from hop-rising.

horiniack

n. a large ruminant mammal, Alces alces, of the northern forests.

horizon ground mist

a low mist that extends to the horizon but does not hamper vertical vision.

horn-fish

n. a species of pike-perch, Cynoperca (syn. Stizostedion) canadense, similar to the walleye.

hornbeam† 

n. the blue beech, Carpinus caroliniana; also, the wood of this tree.

horned wavey

a smallish white goose, Chen rossii, that breeds in the Far North.

Hornerite movement

an evangelical offshoot of the Methodist church, founded by Ralph Horner, a native of Renfrew, Ont.

horse brigade

a train of pack horses used in transporting furs and trading goods, especially in the Rockies.

horse cariole

a light passenger sleigh usually accommodating two passengers and a driver, ordinarily drawn by two horses and widely used for pleasure in many parts of Canada from the 18th to the early 20th century.

horse collar

a clerical collar.

horse head

a large seal of the North Atlantic, Halichoerus grypus.

horse Indian

1 a Kootenay Indian of the interior of Southern B.C., so called from the practice of travelling by horse rather than canoe.

horse latitudes

those parts of Canada where horses, as opposed to dogs, are used as draft animals.

horse park

an enclosed pasture near a fur post or fort where spare horses were kept under surveillance.

horse ranch

a ranch specializing in the raising of horses.

horse scraper

horse sled

n. a kind of sled or toboggan drawn by horses. See 1859 quote.

horse sleigh

horse snowshoe

a circular snowshoe fitted to horses that have to work in snow.

horse travail(le)

See travois (def. 2) and picture.

horse wrangler

a person having charge of a bunch of saddle horses, pack horses, etc.

horse-boat† 

n. a boat propelled by horses working a treadmill that drove the paddle-wheel(s).

horse-bun

one of the roundish pieces of the feces of a horse.

horse-drawing

n. a contest in which teams of horses draw increasingly heavy weights on a stoneboat over a ten-foot space until all but the winner are eliminated, the initial weight being 1,000 pounds, additional weights of 500 pounds being added in successive heats.

horse-fly

n. any one of several species of horsefly, especially Chrysops.

horse-haul

n. the operation of hauling logs from the bush by means of horses.

horse-hauling contest

a contest in which teams of horses draw increasingly heavy weights on a stoneboat over a ten-foot space until all but the winner are eliminated, the initial weight being 1,000 pounds, additional weights of 500 pounds being added in successive heats.

horse-skid

v. skid logs out of the bush by means of horses.

horse-skinner

n. West, Slang a teamster.

horse-toboggan

n. a kind of sled or toboggan drawn by horses. See horse sled 1859 quote.

horseguard

1 n. an enclosed pasture near a fur post or fort where spare horses were kept under surveillance.

horsekeep

n. the person in charge of a horseguard (def. 1).

horsekeeper

n. the person in charge of a horseguard (def. 1).

horseman

1 n. a rancher who raises horses.

hose

v. take advantage of; treat unfairly; defeat convincingly, as in a hockey game; trounce.

hose reel

a fire engine; fire truck.

Hosky

hospital district

in certain provinces, a district established for purposes of administration of local hospital and medical services.

hospitality centre

a large room or other public place where, under the terms of the liquor laws, alcoholic drinks may be served under a special temporary licence during the holding of some special function, as a carnival, convention, or exhibition.

hospitality room

hostel

1 n. a residential boarding house for Eskimos or Indians attending school away from home.

hostel school

a boarding school operated or subsidized by the federal government to accommodate students, especially Indians and Eskimos, attending classes at a considerable distance from their homes.

hot

adj. characterized by rich ore finds; potentially rich in minerals.

hot deck

See quote.

hot pond

1 a pond where logs are held for immediate use.

hot skidding

See quote.

hot-blood

n. a thoroughbred horse.

hot-deck

v. move logs out of the woods as soon as they are cut.

hot-stove

adj. or attrib. designating discussions of sports, especially and originally hockey, usually taking place between periods of play.

hotel

n. a place where alcoholic beverages are sold by the glass.

houlican

houlikin

hound

n. a common duck, Clangula hyemalis, of the northern hemisphere.

house

1 n. a trading post, especially, in later years, an inland post.

House of Assembly

1a the legislative body in a province of British North America, usually the lower of two bodies, the upper, called the Executive Council, sometimes being included in the designation.

House of Commons

1 the legislative body in a province of British North America, usually the lower of two bodies, the upper, called the Executive Council, sometimes being included in the designation.

House of Parliament

1 the legislative body in a province of British North America, usually the lower of two bodies, the upper, called the Executive Council, sometimes being included in the designation.

house-moccasin

n. a soft, comfortable moccasin (def. 1) for wearing indoors; moccasin slipper.

house-pole

n. one of several posts supporting the framework of an Indian building, often carved and decorated to symbolize identification with a certain clan or family.

house-post

n. one of several posts supporting the framework of an Indian building, often carved and decorated to symbolize identification with a certain clan or family.

house-raising† 

n. in colonial times especially, a community gathering, or bee, for the purpose of helping a neighbor to build a house.

how† 

interj. in Indian parlance, an expression used for several purposes, as when greeting someone, thanking him, registering approval, etc.

howk

hu

huchemaw

huckleberry

1 n. a shrub of the genus Gaylussacia; also its edible, bluish-black berries.

huddy

Hudson Bay

See Hudson's Bay and combinations.

Hudson Bay bird

1 the great northern shrike, Lanius borealis.

Hudson Bay fashion

See quotes.

Hudson Bay Railway

the first railway into the Canadian North, from Winnipeg to Churchill, Manitoba, completed in 1932.

Hudson Bay route

the proposed route for the Hudson Bay Railway.

Hudson Bay sable

the fur of the marten (a trade name).

Hudson Bay salt side

a kind of salt pork.

Hudson Bay Seal

dyed muskrat fur (a trade name).

Hudson Bay squirrel

the red squirrel, Sciurus hudsonicus.

Hudson Bay style

Hudson Bay tea

either of two closely related evergreen shrubs, Ledum groenlandicum and L. decumbens var. palustre.

Hudson Bay toboggan

in the North and Northwest, a light tobogganlike dog sled into which a single passenger or a load is laced securely, the dog-driver following behind. See picture at cariole.

Hudson seal

dyed muskrat fur (a trade name).

Hudson's Bay

1b (attributive uses) of or associated with the Hudson's Bay Company.

Hudson's Bay bateau

an inland freight boat, descended from the bateau, in common use from the early 1820's but used for tripping as early as 1790, and finally withdrawn from service entirely about 1930. See picture at York boat.

Hudson's Bay bill

paper currency issued by the Hudson's Bay Company in the amounts of five shillings and five pounds.

Hudson's Bay blanket

1a a durable woollen blanket long sold by the Hudson's Bay Company.

Hudson's Bay blanket coat

a warm woollen coat made of the same material as Hudson's Bay blankets.

Hudson's Bay boat

Hudson's Bay canoe

a large freight canoe, measuring about 40 feet and capable of carrying 4 to 5 tons, used for the voyage from Montreal to the Grand Portage.

Hudson's Bay cap

a distinctive cap formerly worn by servants of the Hudson's Bay Company, characterized by a soft crown of blue cloth and a visor with a shiny leather peak, and resembling a seaman's peaked cap.

Hudson's Bay capote

a heavy blue capote (def. 1) furnished with metal buttons and worn as a part of the winter uniform by servants of the Hudson's Bay Company.

Hudson's Bay Company

the popular and traditional name of the Company of Adventurers of England trading into Hudson's Bay, chartered by Charles II in 1670.

Hudson's Bay Company store

a trading post of the Hudson's Bay Company.

Hudson's Bay dollar

n. See Hudson's Bay token.

Hudson's Bay fashion

n. See Hudson Bay fashion.

Hudson's Bay harness

a kind of harness for carrying heavy loads, drawing on a tracking line, etc., consisting of a leather strap that is broad at the middle and tapers at both ends, the broad band being placed around the forehead (or chest) and the two ends attached to the pack or other load.

Hudson's Bay Hymn Book

n. the ledger in which the Hudson's Bay Company recorded debt taken by trappers.

Hudson's Bay Indian

n. an Indian trading exclusively with the Hudson's Bay Company.

Hudson's Bay land

one of a number of tracts of land surrounding fur posts, reserved for the Hudson's Bay Company when its claim to sovereignty in Rupert's Land was transferred to Canada by the Manitoba Act of 1870; also, these tracts collectively.

Hudson's Bay pointer

an inland freight bateau of shallow draft.

Hudson's Bay reserve

one of a number of tracts of land surrounding fur posts, reserved for the Hudson's Bay Company when its claim to sovereignty in Rupert's Land was transferred to Canada by the Manitoba Act of 1870; also, these tracts collectively.

Hudson's Bay start

a short first leg of a long journey, a term originating among the fur traders of the old Northwest.

Hudson's Bay store

See Hudson's Bay Company store.

Hudson's Bay strouds

a heavy woollen cloth in several colors, much used in the North during three centuries for making blankets, leggings, capotes, etc.

Hudson's Bay style

n. See Hudson Bay fashion.

Hudson's Bay suitcase

See quote.

Hudson's Bay token

n. See 1963 quote.

Hudson's Bay wind

n. a method of lashing loads to pack-horses, presumably used in the horse brigades of the Hudson's Bay Company.

Hudsonian

adj. of or associated with Hudson Bay. See combinations that follow.

Hudsonian chickadee† 

a brown-headed chickadee, Parus hudsonicus, common in northern Canada.

Hudsonian curlew

a short-billed curlew, Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus, that breeds in northern Canada.

Hudsonian godwit

a blacktailed godwit, Limosa haemastica, that breeds in the Barren Grounds.

Hudsonian zone

n. a biogeographic zone stretching from Labrador to Alaska, bounded on the south by the timber line (def. 2) and being roughly co­terminous with the Barren Grounds.

huldowget

See huldowokit.

huldowokit

n. a conjurer of evil spirits; also, the evil spirit conjured.

hummock

1 n. a small stand of trees, usually one surrounded by prairie, barrens, etc.

hummock(ed) ice

See hummock (def. 2) quotes.

hummocky

adj. of ice, marked by hummocks (def. 2).

hump ((n.))

1 n. the spinous process on the vertebrae in the hump above the shoulders of a buffalo, much prized as a delicacy.

hump ((v.))

1 v. carry (something) with much effort, especially on one's back.

humpback† 

1 n. a large whale, Megaptera nodosa.

humpback salmon

a species of Pacific salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, characterized by pinkish flesh.

humpback whale† 

a large whale, Megaptera nodosa.

humpie

n. a species of Pacific salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, characterized by pinkish flesh.

Hun

n. a European partridge, Perdix perdix, introduced from Europe, many of the original birds coming from Hungary.

hunch

n. the spinous process on the vertebrae in the hump above the shoulders of a buffalo, much prized as a delicacy.

hunchback salmon

a species of Pacific salmon, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, characterized by pinkish flesh.

hundred

n. one of a number of proposed land grants in Prince Edward Island, the recipients of which were to have baronial rights and obligations.

hung fish

fish, especially whitefish, partially dried and cured in the sun and wind by being hung by their tails to a pole, used as winter feed for sled-dogs.

hung whitefish

fish, especially whitefish, partially dried and cured in the sun and wind by being hung by their tails to a pole, used as winter feed for sled-dogs.

hung-by-tail

n. fish, especially whitefish, partially dried and cured in the sun and wind by being hung by their tails to a pole, used as winter feed for sled-dogs.

hung-up

adj. of the movement of logs, slowed down or stopped en route from forest to mill.

Hungarian (partridge)

n. a European partridge, Perdix perdix, introduced from Europe, many of the original birds coming from Hungary.

Hungry Belly Company

Hungry Thirties

the period 1930-39, when many people were unemployed and on relief; the Great Depression of the 1930's.

hunt

n. the catch of furs of a trapper or hunter, either for a season or one trip.

hunter

n. a hunter, usually an Indian, employed by a fur company to provide meat for a fort.

Hunter

n. a member of the Hunters' Lodge.

hunter's swan

See quote.

Hunters' Lodge† 

a secret society organized in Vermont in 1838 and having branches in Canada and the northern United States, its purpose being to support those in Canada who wished to be free of British rule.

hunting brigade

a party on an excursion to hunt for provisions.

hunting camp

1 the headquarters of a party of Indian hunters.

hunting canoe

a canoe used on hunting trips, especially by Indians.

hunting fence

two converging lines of fencing, as poles, piles of turf or brush, etc., used in early times in deer drives.

hunting ground(s)

a region frequented by Indians in search of game and furs.

Hunting Indian

a Montagnais or Naskapi Indian from the region between Hudson Bay and Labrador coast.

hunting lodge

1 a wigwam (def. 1) or other habitation used by an Indian on the hunt.

hunting lot

hunting scrape

a hunting expedition.

hunting shoe

hunting sled

hunting snowshoe

See 1924 quote.

hunting tent

a wigwam (def. 1) or other habitation used by an Indian on the hunt.

hunting territory

See 1915 quote.

hunting toboggan

See 1872 quote.

hunting tract

a region in which a fur company had the right to trade for furs.

hunting wigwam

a wigwam (def. 1) or other habitation used by an Indian on the hunt.

hunting-bag

n. a game-bag of woven babiche (def. 1) used by Indian hunters.

hurdle

n. the stick used in playing Indian lacrosse or baggataway; also, the game itself.

hurdy

n. a dance-hall girl who frequented the saloons and dance-halls of mining camps during the Cariboo gold rush.

hurdy(-gurdy) house

a low-class dance hall where dancing-partners could be hired.

hurdy-gurdy

1 n. a dance-hall girl who frequented the saloons and dance-halls of mining camps during the Cariboo gold rush.

hurdy-gurdy girl

a dance-hall girl who frequented the saloons and dance-halls of mining camps during the Cariboo gold rush.

Huron reserve

an extensive tract of land (one million acres) in western Upper Canada, opened for settlement after 1828 by the Canada Company.

Huron route

the route to Georgian Bay by way of the Ottawa River, originally a trade route of the Huron Indians.

Huron territory

Huron Tract

an extensive tract of land (one million acres) in western Upper Canada, opened for settlement after 1828 by the Canada Company.

Huronia

n. See quotes.

hurricane deck

the back of a bucking bronco.

Huskey

Huski(e)

huskimaw

n. See Eskimo.

husking† 

n. a community gathering where neighbors husked corn and had a party.

husking bee

a community gathering where neighbors husked corn and had a party.

husking corn

Indian corn Zea mays.

husking frolic† 

a community gathering where neighbors husked corn and had a party.

husking party† 

Husky

1 n. a member of a large group of North American aborigines inhabiting the Arctic and northern coastal areas from Greenland to Siberia.

husky ((1))

n. one of an aboriginal breed of dog, Canis familiaris borealis, probably originating in Siberia, trained by the Eskimo to draw sleds and carry packs.

husky ((2))

adj. big; strong; well-built.

husky boot

a kind of mukluk (def. 1).

husky dog

one of an aboriginal breed of dog, Canis familiaris borealis, probably originating in Siberia, trained by the Eskimo to draw sleds and carry packs.

husky goose

1 See 1957 quote.

husky mouse

one of several voles of the tundra.

hustle† 

1 v. exert oneself in order to succeed or get ahead.

hustler† 

n. a person who works energetically to achieve or sell something.

hutte

n. a blind used in hunting ducks or geese.

Hutterite† 

n. a Christian sect of frugal farmers living (since 1918) in communities in the Prairie Provinces. See 1963 quote.

Hutterite colony

a farming community (Brüderhof) of Hutterites, operated as a Christian commune under elective superiors.

Hutterite community

Hyack

n. a volunteer fireman (a term now preserved in tradition in the Honourable Hyack Battery of New Westminster, B.C.).

hyack

hyak ((adv.))

adv. quickly; right away.

hyak ((v.))

v. hurry up; hasten.

hyaqua(u)

hyaque

hyas

adj. adv. large; big; very.

hyas tyee

a great or mighty chief; an important person.

Hydah

n. See under Haida.

Hyder

n. See under Haida.

Hydro

1 n. Hydro Electric Commission of Ontario, a publicly owned corporation created in 1906 to produce and distribute electricity.

hydro

1 n. hydro-electric power.

hydro power

hydro-electric power.

Hydro-Electric

n. Hydro Electric Commission of Ontario, a publicly owned corporation created in 1906 to produce and distribute electricity.

hydro-stone

n. a type of artificial stone made in Halifax from sand pressed into building blocks.

hyiu

adj. adv. much; many; great; very.

hyiu muckamuck

n. lots to eat; a good big meal.

hyiu-skookum

adj. very great, strong, or important.

hykwa

n. the shell of a mollusc, Dentalium indianorum, used by the Coast Indians as money and ornaments.

Hyter

n. See under Haida.