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This trip was preliminary to a second journey, which 

 took place a few days afterwards. As a rule the Inten- 

 dant did not proceed to Montreal until March ; but 

 owing to his presence being indispensable to the organi- 

 zation of the Ohio expedition, Bigot arranged with 

 Duquesne that he would be in Montreal about the loth 

 of February, and he had to start some days previous 

 to keep this engagement. Some officers of the garrison 

 were to accompany him, and several ladies desirous of 

 rejoining their husbands were included in the invita- 

 tion. Mesdames Daine, Pean, de Lotbiniere, de Kepen- 

 tigny, Marin, the wife of an ensign, doubtless a relative 

 of the Captain of the name in command of the expedi- 

 tion, and du Simon, wife of a merchant. Franquet, 

 whose duties took him to Montreal, was one of the 

 number ; during the journey Madame Marin was 

 assigned as his compagnon de voyage. 



The baggage was sent to the Intendant's Palace six 

 days before leaving, so that it could be leisurely for- 

 warded, the travellers taking only what was required 

 for the journey. Franquet describes the court-yard on 

 the mornino- of the 8th, when the start was made. The 

 carioles of the guests had two horses ; they were 

 driven in tandem fashion, the roads being to narrow 

 to admit any other arrangement. It, indeed, would have 

 been impossible, on two sleighs meeting, tor two pairs 

 of horses to have passed in the deep snow. The carioles 

 of the servants had one horse ; there was a full staff of 

 attendants with a complete battevie de cuisine. 



An early dinner was given at the Palace, with all 

 the deliberation and ceremony, as if no start was to be 

 made. On the first afternoon they reached Pointe-aux- 

 Trembles, a drive of nineteen miles. 



Here Bigot gave supper, and after supper there was 

 faro. They started at seven the following morning, 

 having taken coffee with some biscuits. At Cap Saute, 

 twelve miles distant, they breakfasted, and made a halt 

 of two hours ; in the afternoon they reached Sainte- 



