Here's another query for the list, somewhat similar.

Years ago on the "Today" show there was a reference to a
traveler going some distance in the Alaska wilderness, and
it was said that they were "a pound of tea away from another
village".

It was one of those odd sayings that stuck in my mind, and
several times recently I have had patrons ask about that same
phrase, but can't find any approximate distance for this.

How far away is "a pound of tea"?

If I say John Smith lives down the road a piece that doesn't tell
us much either.

How far did it take on a journey to drink a pound of tea is the
question asked.  But if one was traveling on foot, dog sled, or
horse & buggy/sleigh, that description could vary.

Anyway the phrase was used in Alaska, Quebec, and Ontario that we
know, and how many more places?

Can anyone out there shed any more light on its origins or maybe
its approximate mileage if any.

If we want to figure distance this way, I'd say I live at least
6 coffee cups from the New York border..but maybe I drink more
coffee than anyone else.





Anna Mae Maday
Eddy Historical & Genealogy Collection
Hoyt Public Library
505 Janes Ave
Saginaw MI 48607
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517-755-9827