“The day before my departure, with a view to keeping my people as sober as I could during our stay, I directed Beau Pré to have the canoe put in order for the voyage, and to be ready with the men to take me over to the fort, where I was engaged to dine with General Brooke. I was glad to see them all at the appointed time tolerably sober, and after making a grand flourish along the river side with their paddles, they worked the canoe across to the fort in admirable style, to the very popular air of “Et en revenant du boulanger,” from which Mr. Moore took the idea of his Canadian boat-song of “Faintly as tolls the evening chime,” After passing the day very agreeably at the fort, and taking leave of the officers, I returned in the evening to Navarino, giving orders for the canoe and men to be all in readiness the next morning to receive the lading and take our departure.”
[A Canoe Voyage Up the Minnay Sotor, Featherstonhaugh, 1847]
George William Featherstonhaugh, FRS (1780–1866)