OFFICERS* ALLOWANCES. 73 



and easily satisfied body of men could be found 

 to fill similar circumstances. 



It was etiquette not to arrive at headquar- 

 ters before the date appointed. Occasionally a 

 canoe from some post would have made extra 

 good time coming out, probably gaining a day 

 or part of a day, and would camp back of some 

 point almost in sight of "The Fort." A noted 

 last place of call before reaching the fort was 

 called "Point a la Barbe." 



Here a general clean-up took place, from a 

 shave to clean linen and store clothes. As the 

 lake upon which the fort is built was the main 

 dropping-in thoroughfare from several parts of 

 the interior, often two or three canoe parties 

 would be at the "Point a la Barbe" at once. 



A start would be made from there together, 

 and when the rocky point which had hidden 

 them from view was rounded a "flee de joie" 

 was fired from each canoe, the paddle seized, 

 and in unison with the quick stroke of the 

 "paddle for the avenue," one of the usual 

 French canoe songs was sung by the voices of 

 the combined fleet till the rocky shores repro- 

 duced it from cliff to cliff. 



Almost with the firing of the first shot the 

 people at the post who were on the lookout ran 

 up the glorious old Hudson's Bay flag to the 

 flagstaff head, and an answering volley was re- 



