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many voyageurs as the North West Company. As late as 1821, the firm of MeTavish, McGillivray and Company had a trading post at the mission of Lake of Two Mountains, managed by Alex. Fisher as bourgeois and Gabriel Franchère, fils, as clerk. Greffe de Griffin. The reader may perhaps feel some curiosity, as to the nature of the articles of engagement of these emp'oyees. They were drawn up nearly in the following printed form ; only the salary varied according to the nature of the individual services, Some were engaged as ‘‘ devant ” that is to say for the bow of the canoe, others amidships or ‘“ milieu ”, others for the helm or ‘ gouvernail ”, and finally others as ‘“hyvernants”, “clerks ”, “interpreters ” ‘“ guides ” and ‘“foremen”, The term of the voyage was generally for the season of navigation just commenced or about to commence, The clerks and ‘“hyvernants ” were engaged for one or three years. I submit one of the engagements as drawn up by Griffin.

‘“ Before the undersigned notaries, residing in the City of ‘Montreal, in the Province of Lower Canada.

“ Was present J. Bte Navarre, de la Chenaye, who, by these ‘“ presents, did and doth of his own will bind himself to Mr. “ Chas. Oakes Ermatinger, of Sault Ste Marie, F. W. Erma- ‘“ tinger hereto present and accepting for him, to start on demand ‘ from this city, as ‘“ hyvernant ”, on one of his canoes or bateaux “ upon a voyageWto Lake Superior, including the wintering there, ‘ or to any other spot in the Indian Countries, as requested, for “ the period of one year, to be free upon his return to Montreal. ‘“ Eight days ‘corvée ” to be given by him at his post, and the ‘ time of the engag-ment to run from departure.

‘“ And to carefully guard, both on the way and at the said place, ‘ all eflects, merchandise, provisions, skins, utensils, and all things “ necessary for the voyage, to serve, obey, and faithfully carry ‘ out all lawful and proper orders of said sieur Bourgeois or his ‘representative, to have an eye for his benefit, as well as to ‘“ avoid aught hurtful to him, warning him according to know- ‘ ledge avquired, and generally to fulfill all the obligations of 'a “ god hyvernant ; absence or the abandonment of service to

‘“entail lo:s of wages, besides the penalties inflicted by the

‘“ ordinances. The said engagement is so made for and in con- ‘“ sideration of the sum of four hundred livres or shillings, old “ currency of this Province, yearly wages, which said bourgeois

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“ promises to pay and deliver to the said engagé or hired party “one month after his return to this city, besides an ordinary “equipment when starting.

‘“ He acknowledges receipt at the time of engagement of eight ‘“ dollars paid in advance.

“ Thus, etc, promising, etc, binding himself, etc., renouncing, ‘ete

‘“ Done and passed at the said City of Montreal, in the year “ one thousand eight hundred and thirteen, the thirtieth April, ‘etc, etc.”