DCHP-1 Online

lobstick

• 1 n. (originally associated with the northern Indians) a tall, conspicuous spruce or pine denuded of all but its topmost branches to serve as a mark of honor for a friend, as a monument, or often as a living talisman of the man for whom it was made.

  See also: maypole (def. 1)  nob stick  

  • 1821  (1900)  After Dinner we observed that two of our Men had lopped away the Boughs and all the Lower Branches of two Trees leaving a Top. This is called a Lop-Stick and the Voyageurs named it Garry's Point.
  • 1847  Two gentlemen were travelling a short time since, and lobsticks were out for them; but they professed tee-total principles, and could not think of encouraging intemperance, by giving rum.
  • 1908  The Indians lop-stick, called by the Crees piskootenusk, is a sort of living talisman which he connects in some mysterious way with his own fate, and which he will often go many miles out of his direct course to visit.
  • 1923  To commemorate this great battle, three lobsticks were cut on each side of the river.
  • 1964  There was a tradition among the Northern Indians that a lobstick honouring an individual would fall when its sponsor died

• 2 n. such a tree serving as a landmark.

  See also: mai  maypole (def. 2)  

  • 1789  (1801)  [We observed a great number of trees, in different places, whose branches had been lopped off to the tops. They denote the immediate abode of the natives and probably serve for signals to direct each other to their respective winter quarters.]
  • 1819  (1823)  At this place we observed a conspicuous lop-stick, a kind of land-mark, which I have not hitherto noticed, notwithstanding its great use in pointing out the frequented routes.
  • 1896  The "lop stick" is always made on a very high point of ground, and stands as a kind of traveller's guide-post in this wilderness.
  • 1928  The lobstick (originally lop-stick, from the fact that it is a tree with all but the topmost branches lopped off close to the trunk) serves the North for everything from a mark of navigation to a flagpole, tombstone and monument.
  • 1963  We located and headed towards the lobstick which marked the portage into Shorson Creek.