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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-08-13, Page 33Tiger Dunlop Days...Page 5 Tiger unlo p walked to Goderich through bush By the late W.E. Elliott At the end of their 80 -mile walk through the bush from Galt, the members of Dr. William Dunlop's party built a log "cottage" on the flat. It was close to a cornfield cultivated by the Indians, and the several accounts of the historic occasion make no mention of cutting down trees. One writer states that the area was "destitute of trees or stumps, and had evidently been cleared many years ago by the Indians, who had cultivated it with corn". But "at the top of the hill Dunlop had a clearing made" and built a log house, which was also the Canada Com- pany office, known locally as Dunlop's Castle. Probably it was added to, from time to time. It remain- ed, or some part of it remained, in Harbor Park until the 1870s. Mahlon Burwell, surveyor, kept a diary. He recorded that on May 28, 1827 he "surveyed out half an acre in a beautiful situation on the left bank of the Menesetung, and the men underbrushed it." On May 30: "I laid the foundation of the house (22' x 22' ) ' and the kitchen (15' x 15')". John Galt, Canada Company commissioner, arrived by water from Penetang in July, and named the new town Goderich. He and Dunlop are counted co-founders. • Galt commissioned Samuel Strickland, an English set- tler with some years' experience in what is now Eastern Ontario, to oversee the work of cutting out a road through the bush from the township of Wilmot to Goderich, 66 miles. Appearing live this weekend... Friday & Saturday, Aug. 15/16 PUBLIC SECRET The significance of allusions to Wilmot is that settle- ment in Waterloo county was already well advanced, and the Dundas road well travelled. The Wilmot township history, published in 1967, has a sketch map of the township (the Baden -New Hamburg area) showing four east -west roads, the Erb, Snider, Bleam's and Huron roads, all connecting with the Dundas road. The road to Goderich was cut through by July, 1828, and Strickland built a house about where the present lighthouse stands. He had come to the Huron Tract less than a year alter the Dunlop party, and spent three years in the Goderich settlement. In a two -volume work of 650 pages he required only two pages for his description of Goderich, presumably because there was then not much to describe. How "Tiger" got his name One day, while in a boat on the Ganges River with fellow officers, Dr. William Dunlop noticed several tiger cubs nearby. A young officer secured two. of the animals._.Soon,, the mother tiger appeared and plunged toward the boat. Immediately Dr. Dunlop took out his snuff box and threw the contents in her face. Then, seizing his sword, he struck the tigress a blow that detained the animal: while all in the boat escaped. - Owing to his reputed success in clearing several islands of tigers, Dr. Dunlop in army clubs, became known as "Tiger Dunlop", GODERICH -LION'S CLUB This lady duo can really entertain. Check out our new DINNER MENU Now Better Than Ever! Always a favourite, enjoy our ALL YOU CAN EAT $6.45 NOON BUFFET Served every Thurs. & Fri. Perch Dinner at the Lion's Harbour Park on Saturday, August 16, 1986`,' from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm RESTAURANT AND TAVERN Bayfield Rd., Goderich 524-7711 Tickets available from Lion's Members (Only 200 tickets available)