DCHP-1 Online

taureau [< Cdn F < F "bull"] Fur Trade, Hist.

• 1 n. a strong bag made of buffalo rawhide sewn hair side out, used as a container for 90 pounds of pemmican (def. 1).

  See also: bag (def. 1)  pemmican (def. 1)  pemmican bag  

  • 1794  (1889)  I cut off 20 sacks or taureux to put pemican in, and gave them to Minie to sew.
  • 1944  These sacks are known as taureaux (bulls) or pemmicans.
  • 1951  The pemmican [is] mixed and stored in heavy taureaux. . . .

• 2 n. the bag and its contents.

  See also: bag (def. 2)  pemmican (def. 2a)  

  • 1795  (1889)  Started them for the Forks with 138-137 taureaux of pemican.
  • 1860  The grease is ladled out onto the buffalo-skin, and meat and grease being thoroughly incorporated [it] is all shovelled into the bag, pressed down, sewn up, and the "Taureau" is made.
  • 1890  A sack or "toreau" of pemmican, as it was called, consisted of nearly equal quantities of tallow and dried meat, the latter being pounded on the bull hides with stone hammers, axe heads or flails

• 3 n. beaten or pounded meat mixed with melted animal fat and, sometimes, berries, the preparation being sewn in a skin bag to form a hard, compact mass that would keep for a long time under almost any conditions.

  See also: pemmican (def. 1)  

  • 1807  (1889)  This is our staple article of provisions when travelling, it is called taureau or Pimecan.
  • 1821  (1938)  . . . it may be well to have the Toreau in store.
  • 1927  It [pemmican] was a staple food among the fur-traders on long journeys, when fish, fresh, dried, or frozen, or game could not be had. Also known as "taureaux."