|
Post by Black Hand on Nov 3, 2021 11:07:14 GMT -7
My pouch & contents: Same bag used for rifle and smoothbore - both are 62 caliber. The patch tin contains patching for both (ticking for rifle, other for smoothbore). Split-belly contains premade shot loads.
|
|
|
Post by hawkeyes on Nov 4, 2021 6:27:48 GMT -7
a primer made of the tip of a long gourd. Spence, would you please share a few more images and information on this particular accoutrement? It's captured my eye... I'm very intrigued by this.
|
|
|
Post by spence on Nov 4, 2021 8:24:28 GMT -7
Sure, glad to. I had a gourd with a long neck but damaged, and I was looking for some way to salvage part of it. I cut 3 inches off the tip which was not damaged. It had a piece of the stem still on it which was very dried up and hard. I drilled a 5/64" hole through that, whittled out a plug of wood for it, found a cork to fit the other end. To make it easier to remove the cork for refilling I drilled a hole through it and put a short leather thong with knots in it to pull on. After a little use the stopper got a bit loose so I adjusted the diameter with some wrap of flax thread. To prevent splitting of the stem I wrapped it with flax thread and rubbed in some beeswax. I've been using it for 8 years without problems. It has a slight curve which makes it handy in the hand while priming. Spence
|
|
|
Post by hawkeyes on Nov 4, 2021 8:43:43 GMT -7
Fabulous little piece, I'm going to give my hand at one of these. I often times find it cumbersome priming the small pan of my Ketland lock with a full size horn. This little addition may just be what I need! Thank you for sharing, little details such as these are the cats meow.
|
|
|
Post by spence on Nov 4, 2021 9:09:34 GMT -7
I often times find it cumbersome priming the small pan of my Ketland lock with a full size horn. I have a double flint shotgun with Cochran locks, and I find the same problem with them. The pan is small and shallow, the whole lock is small, and this little primer works very much better than the full size horn with them. Spence
|
|
|
Post by lenapej on Nov 8, 2021 19:44:18 GMT -7
Thanks for sharing, nothing like a day in the woods period style. In my experience the amount of stuff carried in the bag depends on the outing, if I am out on a several day trek, there will be a few more items in the bag, if I am out for the day, much less, maybe I'm not a good hunter, but I'm lucky to get off 3 or 4 shots if I'm out for just the afternoon. I only carry in my bag what is needed for the gun, any other items are carried in pockets or my new favorite way to carry things, a market wallet, that was gifted me. When carrying it, I find it's not "in my way" as much as I thought it might be, and when sitting it is easily placed to the side.
|
|
|
Post by spence on Nov 9, 2021 11:43:58 GMT -7
That's very interesting, Lenapej. I've always thought a market wallet would be handy, and they certainly are historic. Somehow, I never got around to making one. Thanks, I'm glad to hear of your experiences with one.
Spence
|
|
|
Post by lenapej on Nov 9, 2021 15:49:15 GMT -7
That's very interesting, Lenapej. I've always thought a market wallet would be handy, and they certainly are historic. Somehow, I never got around to making one. Thanks, I'm glad to hear of your experiences with one. Spence I forgot to mention if you place a strap across the wallet, whether your pouch, horn, or canteen, it helps to keep the wallet from flopping around as you walk.
|
|
|
Post by hawkeyes on Nov 11, 2021 6:04:18 GMT -7
Market wallets are a fantastic piece of kit, very handy. I use one frequently made from linen. I find it a very easy item to carry even full of goods.
|
|
|
Post by spence on Nov 11, 2021 11:20:55 GMT -7
They are mentioned many times in the old writings. They were used to hold a large variety of goods, sometimes of amazing quantity, were used by men and women. I once compiled a list of things carried in them:
1745 surveyors tools....a broken Linnen Wallet , with a Surveyor's Compass and Chain, the said Chain was in a small Linnen Bag, and the Compass, Socket and Sight, were in little Bags of light colour'd Duffil, together with a Brass Scale one Foot long, and a Shagreen Case of drawing Instruments, both in the like Sort of Duffil, and a Protractor of Brass, in a Leather Case, with a small wooden Square.
1751 stockings, shirts
1751 1. A Linnen Wallet, containing four speckled Shirts, an Ozenbrigs , wrapped in a Handkerchief; a small painted Box, containing sundry Ribbons, &c. a Remnant of Poplin, and three Remnants of Tammy, two Shifts, two Aprons, a white Jacket, and a Bundle of Shreds.
3. A large Wallet, containing three new Linnen Shifts, half made, with Thread, Cambrick, &c. to finish them; one old ruffled Shift, two Remnants of blue Callicoe, four Womens Caps, three Linnen, and one Silk Handkerchiefs, put up in a red Pocket, two Gowns, two Caps, an old Shift, wrapped in a Linnen speckled Handkerchief.
4. In another Wallet (which was in the above large Wallet) six new Holland Shirts, four long Neckcloths, four Mens Caps, tied up in a Handkerchief, an old Check Shirt, bloody at the Wrists, Bosom and Sides, and a Linnen Shirt also bloody, two Pair of Trowsers, one of Ticken, the other Check, a Fustian Jacket, one Cap, four Pair of Stockings, a Man’s Frock, of corded Poplin, lined with blue, an old Petticoat and Hat, a Check Safeguard, tied in a flowered Linnen Handkerchief, a Pair of old Stays, three Gowns, one of them Linnen, one Callimanco, and the other Chintz, put up in an old Check Apron.
1753 pedlar’s wares 1766 ferriers tools 1777 breeches 1777 clothes 1779 Nourse, Jr.--- jerked buffalo 1781 provender for his horse 1790 worsted stockings 1793 Dale--- parched corn, coal flour, provisions
And in 1766 was mentioned "a waxed linen wallet".
Spence
|
|
|
Post by spence on Nov 11, 2021 11:57:09 GMT -7
Off-topic warning...sorry, I can't resist.
Newspapers in the day published much more frank and earthy material than we are accustomed to seeing in them today. A good example is the story behind the item in my list of wallets, "1753 pedlar's wares"...
The Pennsylvania Gazette March 13, 1753 NEW YORK, February 26.
We have an Account from the Country of the following comical Affair, which lately happened, viz. A Jew Pedlar went into a House where he offered his Goods for Sale, but the good Man being out, and all his Family, except his Wife, who told the Pedlar that she could not buy any thing, for her Husband had got the Key of the Money: the Pedlar then finding that the Woman was entirely alone, offered to make her a Present of a Piece of Calicoe upon Condition of her giving up her Charms to him: the Bait was very alluring, for the Thoughts of sporting with a young Man, and having a new Gown in the Bargain, made her readily yield to his Desires; he accordingly gave her the Calicoe, and after taking a Repast in the banquet of Love, went about his Business; but had not gone far before he met with her Husband, and having some Knowledge of him, said, "Sir, I have sold you Wife a very cheap Piece of Calicoe, and on six Months Credit;" with that the poor Man stood amazed, and said, "I wonder at my wife's ill Conduct in running me in Debt, when she knows that I have a considerable sum of Money to pay in a few Months Time, and can't tell how to make it up." He then persuaded the Pedlar to go back and take his Piece of Calicoe, which he readily consented to, and when they came to the House he ordered his Wife to give the Pedlar his Calicoe again, which she did, after privately concealing a Coal of Fire in it; the Pedlar took the Calicoe and put it up in his Pack which was a wallet slung across his Shoulders so marched off, pleased with the Thoughts of his Success; but for his sweet Meat he soon found sour Sauce; he not suspecting the Cheat, jogg alonge till he met with a Countryman, who seeing his Pack on fire (and which was then just ready to blaze) cry, "Hey Friend, from whence came you?" "from Hell," replied the Pedlar; "so I perceive," says the Countryman, "the Flames at your Back." the Pedlar then look behind him, and to his great surprize found all his Goods on Fire, which made him stamp and rave like a mad Man, and curse his Folly in cuckolding the poor Man.
Spence
|
|
|
Post by lenapej on Nov 11, 2021 13:59:46 GMT -7
They are mentioned many times in the old writings. They were used to hold a large variety of goods, sometimes of amazing quantity, were used by men and women. I once compiled a list of things carried in them: 1745 surveyors tools....a broken Linnen Wallet , with a Surveyor's Compass and Chain, the said Chain was in a small Linnen Bag, and the Compass, Socket and Sight, were in little Bags of light colour'd Duffil, together with a Brass Scale one Foot long, and a Shagreen Case of drawing Instruments, both in the like Sort of Duffil, and a Protractor of Brass, in a Leather Case, with a small wooden Square. 1751 stockings, shirts 1751 1. A Linnen Wallet, containing four speckled Shirts, an Ozenbrigs , wrapped in a Handkerchief; a small painted Box, containing sundry Ribbons, &c. a Remnant of Poplin, and three Remnants of Tammy, two Shifts, two Aprons, a white Jacket, and a Bundle of Shreds. 3. A large Wallet, containing three new Linnen Shifts, half made, with Thread, Cambrick, &c. to finish them; one old ruffled Shift, two Remnants of blue Callicoe, four Womens Caps, three Linnen, and one Silk Handkerchiefs, put up in a red Pocket, two Gowns, two Caps, an old Shift, wrapped in a Linnen speckled Handkerchief. 4. In another Wallet (which was in the above large Wallet) six new Holland Shirts, four long Neckcloths, four Mens Caps, tied up in a Handkerchief, an old Check Shirt, bloody at the Wrists, Bosom and Sides, and a Linnen Shirt also bloody, two Pair of Trowsers, one of Ticken, the other Check, a Fustian Jacket, one Cap, four Pair of Stockings, a Man’s Frock, of corded Poplin, lined with blue, an old Petticoat and Hat, a Check Safeguard, tied in a flowered Linnen Handkerchief, a Pair of old Stays, three Gowns, one of them Linnen, one Callimanco, and the other Chintz, put up in an old Check Apron. 1753 pedlar’s wares 1766 ferriers tools 1777 breeches 1777 clothes 1779 Nourse, Jr.--- jerked buffalo 1781 provender for his horse 1790 worsted stockings 1793 Dale--- parched corn, coal flour, provisions And in 1766 was mentioned "a waxed linen wallet". Spence Thanks for that list, very interesting.
|
|
|
Post by Black Hand on Nov 11, 2021 14:14:07 GMT -7
What is coal flour?
|
|
|
Post by spence on Nov 11, 2021 14:51:46 GMT -7
In 1793 Gen. Sam Dale wrote: " Our accoutrements were a 'coonskin cap, bearskin vest, short hunting-shirt and trowsers of homespun stuff, buckskin leggins, a blanket tied behind our saddles, a wallet for parched corn, coal flour, or other chance provision, a long rifle and hunting-knife"
W. B. Parker (1856)’ “Notes taken during the expedition commanded by Capt. R.B. Marcy, U.S.A., through unexplored Texas, in the summer and fall of 1854” “Cold flour is a preparation of corn. It is first parched, then pounded and according to taste, a little sugar mixed with it. A handful of this will make a pint of gruel, upon which a man can subsist for twenty-four hours.”
Parker defines ‘cold flour’ the same as rockahominy or ground parched corn. Dale uses a term which sounds the same and seems to fit the same definition, if the term coal reflects the parching of the corn. I have to wonder if there is a misunderstanding somewhere, and the two terms should be the same. It may simply reflect changing names of the same food, since I checked both original documents and my transcription is accurate for both, Dale said coal flour, Parker said cold flour. I can’t find either term in modern dictionaries. Of course, the earlier, and better known, name for this Indian food was Rockahominy.
Or not.
Spence
|
|
|
Post by brokennock on Nov 11, 2021 17:19:04 GMT -7
I'm wondering if Parker didn't just hear, and thus spell, "coal" as "cold."
As it has been written that natives parched their corn in the coals instead of a pan like Europeans, I suppose flour made of parched corn, or rockahomminy, seems a reasonable interpretation of what "coal flour" might be.
|
|