DCHP-1 Online

pacton packton, paqueton [< Cdn F paqueton small pack] Fur Trade, Hist.

• 1 n. a small pack of personal belongings rigged for carrying on the back.

  • 1744  [Il prit son paqueton et tout son drigail et fricassa le camp.]
  • 1828  (1872)  [There were] the usual "agrès" for the canoes, besides the men's own pactons.
  • 1860  (1956)  Du Roy . . . hung the while on his back, while fastening the broad band of the "paqueton" round his head. . . .
  • 1944  Each spring, the food supplies, gathered in Montreal, filled the packs (called paquetons) in the large birch-bark canoes.

• 2 n. a pack of goods or furs weighing about 90 pounds.

  See also: piece (def. 1)  pack ((n.)) (def. 1a)  

  • 1804  (1911)  Sent 6 pactons of furs containing kitts, 57 wolves, 4 foxes, 7 beavers, 5 bags of corn and a horse.
  • 1806  (1897)  Grand Noir brought me a paqueton of beavers to induce me to show charity to his son-in-law.
  • 1827  (1912)  Embark . . . taking with us all the furs at this place, say 7 Packtons.