24 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



published in 1886 under the Quebec Government. In the church registers at the 

 City of Quebec, under date 1718, it appears that " in the course of that year several 

 Panis, being introduced from Louisiana, being slaves of Quebec families, were- 

 baptized." 



In 1730 and following years the Church registers of Three Rivers contain 

 records of baptisms and burials of several such slaves belonging to the principal 

 families of the town. 



November 4, 1756. — "Marie Judith, ag^e de trieze ans, a ete baptisee," 

 appears on the register of the parish church at Longue Pointe. 



January 22, 1757. — A record shows that a pani slave called Constant, belonging 

 to Madame de Saint Blain, was condemned to the punishment du carcan, and to be- 

 perpetually banished from Montreal. The mischievous character of this red woman 

 was fully equalled by a negro slave of Madame de Francheville, who, in 1734, caused 

 a great conflagration which destroyed part of Montreal. This negress was born in 

 Portugal, and purchased by her mistress in New England. She was subjected to 

 severe examination ("a la question ordinaire et extraordinaire"), when, it is stated, 

 she confessed her guilt. (15) These cases are mentioned together, as they seem tO' 

 be the only instances on the published records of such slaves being punished through 

 the courts of Quebec ; nor do panis appear on the Civil Court records, though their 

 darker companions' names are often to be found there. 



The carcan was an iron collar, placed around the neck, and connected by a chain 

 to a post or to a wall, so compelling the prisoner to stand for a stated time, often 

 for long, weary hours, in a strained position, and subject to ridicule. It was similar 

 to the English stocks. 



" La question extraordinaire " was the French name for the rack. These modes 

 of punishment were not abolished in France until 1832. 



We will now look at the records of the Montreal General Hospital, and we find, 

 in a table prepared by the Abbe Tanguay, of families possessing slaves of the nation 

 of the Panis that seventy-nine such slaves died in that hospital between 1754 and 

 1799. The birth, age and time of death of each are here given, and we have a record 

 full of interesting facts and suggestions. Each poor slave has his or her Christian 

 name, and the names were evidently given when the rite of baptism was performed. 

 Mons. De la Verandrie had two, Joseph and Marie. Saint Luc la Corne had his 

 Pani, Marie Joseph, who died in 1799, aged 100 years. 



Among the masters were some gentlemen of aboriginal stock, or connected witlt 

 Indian missions : M. Perthuis, interpreter of the Iroquois; De Quiensek, chief, and 

 De la Garde, missionary to the Algonquins. (16) 



Seigniorial, or well-known, families are represented in the masters, Descham- 

 bault, De Bleury, Chevalier de la Corne, De Veaudreuil, Benoit, Desriviers, Perigny,. 

 Reame, Decharme, Dames Deslignery and Monier, Messrs. De la Ronde, Delisle. 

 De Longueil, La Coste, Leschelle, Senneville, De Barne and Clignanceur. 



There is nothing in the record relating to the origin of these Panis except in 

 regard to the last two, when we find that M. Gamelin had Jacque Cesar and M. 

 Longueil had Marie both put down as Panis noirs, or black Indians of the plains, 

 who were of darker hue than those in wooded lands. This being a distinctive term,, 

 places them as derived from the Pawnee nation proper, as designated by Charlevois. 



The Montreal newspapers of 100 years ago had occasional advertisements as to- 

 runaway slaves, and these were adorned with wood cuts representing the lost chattel. 

 When a negro was wanted, he was shown running with naked body, save a cloth 

 around the waist. The Pani was represented standing erect, with a feather head- 



(15) Abbe Ferland's History of Canada, Cap. 29. 



(16) Holding captives as slaves was, as is well known, common with the Indians. The Cherokees and 

 Choctaws also had many negroes in bondage. There are some instances in Canada of red men holding bfacks 

 The most notable of these was Colonel Brant Thayendinagea, who had several, among thrr^be°ng his body 

 DuS'UancoVt ^^"'^^'"^' '^^"'^^ '° '" the writings of travellers such ks Colonel L^ndmann and the 



