Michel was absent from home several times during his life. There was of course the three times he was taken prisoner. One of his absences date in 1684 with the Lefebvre de La Barre's expedition among the Iroquois. Our ancestor is at Fort Frontenac (now Kingston), where he is captain of the ship "The General". He also had to order the militia during the French and the Iroquois wars.

 

He made three voyages for the fur trade. These processes were often leave of absence granted by the Governor to a less fortunate or generally to a lord in recognition of services rendered to the colony. His first leave was granted in spring 1685 and the second in 1688. The third is postponed when he was taken prisoner in May 1692. However, he takes the path of Michilimackinac in the spring of 1694. This is a trip that normally takes one to five weeks.

 

These trips can last from five to six months. Here's a little history about what happened to the trip of the year 1685. During the spring he gets authorization from the Governor to go for a trip to Michilimackinac for the fur trade. On May 24, he hired François Brunet. The next day he is at the notary to do his will. Then he buys goods for trade from the merchant Jean B. Migeon and left Montreal for Michilimackinac. He trades with the Indians and afterwards he takes the path to return. Michel is in Montreal before winter. On February 3, 1686, he is in Boucherville for the Baptism of Augustin Hebert.