Lob trees were prominent trees used as guides or landmarks along voyageur canoe routes. Branches were lopped (or lobbed) off the trees just below the top to make them more conspicuous. They were located at important places along canoe routes to indicate a portage, trail, or direction to a fur trading post. Often the tree was named in recognition of a bourgeois or trade official in the expedition. The coureurs des bois (runners of the woods) or voyageurs (travellers) is the name given to the men who engaged in the fur trade directly with the Amerindians in North America from the time of New France up through the 19th century, when much of the continent was still mostly... A canoe is a relatively small boat, typically human-powered, but also commonly sailed. ... For the Gentoo Linux package manager, see Portage (software). ... A trading post is a place where trading of goods takes place. ... Bourgeois at the end of the thirteenth century. ...