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Of the Canadian voyageurs or engages, a race that has now so nearly passed away, some notice may very properly here be given.

They were unlike any other class of men.  Like the poet, they seemed born to their vocation.  Sturdy, enduring, ingenious, and light-hearted, they possessed a spirit capable of adapting itself to any emergency.  No difficulties baffled, no hardships discouraged them; while their affectionate nature led them to form attachments of the warmest character to their “bourgeois,” or master, as well as to the native inhabitants, among whom their engagements carried them.

Montreal, or, according to their own pronunciation, Marrialle, was their depot.  It was at that place that the agents commissioned to make up the quota for the different companies and traders found the material for their selections.

The terms of engagement were usually from four to six hundred livres (ancient Quebec currency) per annum as wages, with rations of one quart of lyed corn, and two ounces of tallow per diem, or “its equivalent in whatever sort of food is to be found in the Indian country.”  Instances have been known of their submitting cheerfully to fare upon fresh fish and maple-sugar for a whole winter, when cut off from other supplies.

It was a common saying, “Keep an engage to his corn and tallow, he will serve you well—­give him pork and bread, and he soon gets beyond your management.”  They regard the terms of their engagement as binding to the letter.  An old trader, M. Berthelet, engaged a crew at Montreal.  The terms of agreement were, that they should eat when their bourgeois did, and what he did.  It was a piece of fun on the part of the old gentleman, but the simple Canadians believed it to be a signal instance of good luck that had provided them such luxurious prospects.  The bourgeois stuffed his pockets with crackers, and, when sure of being quite unobserved, would slily eat one.  Pipe after pipe passed—­the men grew hungry, but, observing that there were no preparations of a meal for the bourgeois, they bore their fast without complaining.

At length the matter became too serious—­they could stand it no longer.  In their distress they begged off from the bargain, and gladly compounded to take the customary rations, instead of the dainty fare they had been promising themselves with their master.

On arriving at Mackinac, which was the entrepot of the fur trade, a small proportion of the voyageur’s wages was advanced him, to furnish his winter’s outfit, his pipes and tobacco, his needles and thread, some pieces of bright-colored ribbons, and red and yellow gartering (quality binding), with which to purchase their little necessaries from the Indians.  To these, if his destination were Lake Superior, or a post far to the north where such articles could not be readily obtained, were added one or two smoked deer-skins for moccasins.