162 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
The Voyageurs Songs were composed during the old French Times 
representing Scenes in France. Latterly there have been no additions. 
The Tunes are very pretty and have a wonderful Effect in enlivening 
the Spirits of the Canadians and as they paddle in Tune beating Time 
with their Paddles it appears to ease their Labours. 
Thursday the 6th Sept. The Remainder of the Colonists em- 
barked to-day in five large Boats for the Red River and one smaller one 
which contained a few Passengers with the Remainder of the Sheep 
which were saved from drowning. (They had been placed on an 
Island in Hayes River opposite the Fort and by some strange Fatality 
the half were drowned and all the Rams). The Day was most unpro- 
pitious, cold North East Winds, foggy and incessant heavy Rain which 
must soon have drenched them to the very Skin. They had no Cover- 
ings to their Boats and altogether presented a Scene of Misery and a 
want of Comfort which pained the Heart. Their Situation is truly 
pitiable. After travelling so many thousand Miles from Switzerland 
to Dordrecht in Holland (where they embarked in the Lord Wellington, 
Captain [illegible], a Vessel belonging to Mr. Campion of Whitby), 
crossing the Atlantic, encountering all the Misery and Danger of Ice- 
bergs, arriving at York Fort after a passage of three Months, expecting 
te find all the Preparations for their Departure ready but having to 
wait fourteen Days and losing this Time, so precious, when the Season 
is so short; and then starting to encounter all the Miseries of a Journey 
of nearly two months exposed to all the Inclemencies of the Weather, 
Rain, Fogs, Damp, Dews, Cold and intense Frost, [with] the Aged, 
the little Children and delicate Females, only a few of the Men appear- 
ing to be sufficiently strong to bear such Hardships, and all this on a 
Route subject to peculiar difficulties. The first Party which started 
were obliged to leave half their Luggage behind; as one of the Boats 
had a Hole in her Bottom and was nearly going down. But after such 
Fatigues and dreadful Privations their Disappointment in Arriving at 
the Haven where they look for Comfort and Ease will be cruel. All 
their Hopes will be disappointed as they cannot reach the Forks of the 
Red River till the End of October, Winter in all its Severity will have 
set in and the poor Colonists will be exposed to every Suffering. The 
Prospectus which was distributed amongst them describes the Settle- 
ment as an Elysium, Houses ready for their Reception, &c., whilst in 
Fact, and it will hardly be credited, although fully £100,000 has been 
laid out expressly to establish the Colonists and although Colonists have 
been arriving every Year, there is still not a Block House or any Place 
to receive them and the only Alternative for them now is that the 

