What makes a heroine? Strength, moxie, a sense of humor? You can probably add to the list. But do you think historic heroines were fluttering females? Sometimes I think that we think they were because of the restraints of their society. But have we considered what it was like to cross the prairies in a covered wagon? Raise children without aid of medical care? Be spies during times of war? There women were incredible. They make us look like wimps.
A few days ago on a trip to Banff (see previous blog for more wonderful details) I went to an exhibit about such a woman.
Mary Schaffer was a Quaker lady from Philadelphia but she was also an artist, a photographer and a writer with a particular interest in wildflowers of the area. None of this was unusual for an adventuresome women of the Victoria Age.
But Mary was given a crude map by an Indian friend, of seemingly little more significance than mindless doodling on a paper napkin. But her friend said it led to Chaba Lake, never, to her knowledge, seen by a white man or woman. She spent the season of 1907 and 1908 searching for this lake. Now bear in mind there were no roads, no helicopters, no radios, no cell phone-nothing but what they took with them. And if a packhorse drowned or fell off the side of a mountain they lost their supply of flour, or the only change of clothes they’d brought along, or the tent that provided their only shelter when they camped. (click on photo for better view).
                                         
A picture of her camp. She’s in the white shirt in front of the tent.
 They found the lake and explored it. Mary later returned to map it. She wrote about her adventures in a book called, Old Indian Trails. And she took lantern shows around to show what she’d done. Here is a glimpse of some of her work currently on display at the Whyte Museum in Banff.
                                                
Now that’s a heroine to admire. If you want to read more about her, I recommend this excellent book.
She later married one of her guides, Billy Warren, and they built a home in Banff known as Tarry A While, which still stands and is a bed and breakfast.
                                     
So what characteristics make for a worthy heroine in your view?
P.S I apologize for the fact the pictures are inserted rather randomly. It’s not me I’m told. There is a problem with the program that will be fixed at some point. (I hope so.)