“We slept on board the boat, and in the morning of the 14th took our departure from St. Charles, the Canadians measuring the strokes of their oars by songs, which were generally responsive betwixt the oarsman at the bow and those at the stern: sometimes the steersman sung, and was chorused by the men.*

* A few verses of one of their most favourite songs is annexed; and to show its frivolity to those unacquainted with the language, an imitation in English is added.

                I.
Derriere chez nous, ilya un etang,
        Ye, ye ment.
Trois canards s'en vont baignans,
Tous du lóng de la rivière,
Legerèment ma bergère,
        Legèrement ye ment.

                II.
Trois canards s'en vont baignans,
        Ye, ye ment.
Le fils du roi s'en va chassant,
Tous du lóng de la rivière,
Legèrement ma bergère,
        Legèrement, ye ment.

                III.
Le fils du roi s'en va chassant,
        Ye, ye ment.
Avec son grand fusil d'argent,
Tous du long de la rivière,
Legèrenient ma bergère,
        Legèrenient, ye ment.—&c. &c.


                I.
Behind our house there is a pond,
        Fal lal de ra.
There came three ducks to swim thereon;
All along the river clear,
Lightly my shepherdess dear,
        Lightly, fal de ra.

                II.
There came three ducks to swim thereon,
        Fal lal de ra.
The prince to chase them he did run
All along the river clear,
Lightly my shepherdess dear,
        Lightly, fal de ra.

                III.
The prince to chase them he did run,
        Fal lal de ra.
And he had his great silver gun,
All along the river clear,
Lightly my shepherdess dear,
        Lightly, fal de ra.—&c. &c.”
[Travels in the Interior of America 1809-1811, Bradbury, 1817, pp.12-13]