Original - North Central Michigan College Library

the upper end of the island of Montreal; and itis not till after passing these that the voyagemay be properly said to be commenced. AtSt. Anne's the men go to confession, and atthe same time offer up their vows; for thesaint from whom this parish derives its nameand to whom its church is dedicated, is thepatroness of the Canadians in all their travels10by water.There is still a further custom to be observedon arriving at St. Anne's, and which is thatof distributing eight gallons of rum to eachcanoe (a gallon for each man) for consumptionduring the voyage; nor is it less according tocustom to drink the whole of this liquor uponthe spot. The saint, therefore, and the priestwere no sooner dismissed than a scene of intoxicationbegan in which my men surpassed,ifpossible, the drunken Indian in singing, righting,and the display of savage gesture and conceit.In the morning we reloaded the canoes10 Peter Pond, a Connecticut Yankee who went outto the western country as a trader in 1773, thus quaintlydescribes this aspect of the journey: "As you Passthe End of the Island of Montreal to Go in a SmallLake Cald the Lake of the [Two] Mountains tharestans a Small Roman Church Aganst a Small Raped.This Church is Dedacated to St. Ann who Protects allVoigers. Heare is a small Box with a Hole in the topfor ye Reseption of a Little Money for the Hole Fatheror to say a small Mass for those Who Put a small Sumin the Box. Scars a Voiger but stops hear and Puts inhis mite and By that Meanes thay Suppose thay areProtected." Wis. Hist. Colls., XVIII, 326. Editor.18