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 The
Metis people pride themselves as the inventors of the red river cart
that was a crucial means of transportation. Metis people used the
red river cart for long trips especially for hunting trips. The cart
was very similar to the carts brought by the Scottish and French settlers.
The cart was made out of only wood so they were easy to repair on
trips unlike if they had metal parts. The wheels consisted of six
to eight spokes wrapped tightly with rawhide to prevent the wood from
damage. The sound of the carts could be heard from miles because of
the high pitch sound it made. Grease was not used on the axels because
dirt would have stuck on the parts thus creating a mud that would
wear down the axels faster then they already were. The wheels were
faced outward from the hubs so that when caring a large load the cart
would not sink into the soft ground. Some of their loads were over
800 pounds and the carts would not be able to handle that if it weren't
for the rounded wheels.
Another neat feature of the cart was that it doubled as a raft if the wheels were taken off. Oxen usually pulled the red river cart but when large trips were taken horses were used. The carts moved in single file when there were many on the go but when they were being chased they would travel along side each other.
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Copyright
© 2001 Alberta Metis Historical Society