similarly occupied in Virginia and Massachusetts, in New York, and along the banks of the Hudson. The kings of France claimed territorial jurisdiction over an immense tract, extending all the way from the St Lawrence to Florida, under the title of "Nouvelle France" —a name which was first assigned by Verrazzani, although not adopted into general use until the time of Henry IV. Other Governments, as those of the English and Dutch, also claimed jurisdiction over portions of that vast domain. In course of time, as we have seen, settlements came to be formed. The kings of Europe made grants, based on their respective claims of discovery, to enterprising individuals and companies. Sometimes these grants were very extensive indeed, including portions of the continent stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Care was not taken to be particular about boundaries, or about the titles of the sovereigns who made the grants, or about the grants previously made by other potentates. The consequence was, that whenever the European Governments went to war with each other, the uncertainty and hostile claims relative to boundaries became convenient causes of dispute, and led to bloodshed among their American subjects. They attacked and destroyed each other's stations and villages, under the pretext that their occupants were intruders and trespassers. Moreover, the trading operations of the French, Dutch, and English brought them into collision in dealing with the same Indian tribes. They tried to outbid each other, in order to secure advantages in traffic, and to form alliances with the savages. The Europeans, in their eagerness to extend their dealings with the natives, and to strengthen their alliances with them, forgot their own substantial interests so far as to supply the savages with fire-arms and ammunition, and did not scruple to furnish them freely with intoxi

cating liquors, thus occasioning them infinite injury and degradation.

Excepting, however, in times of war in Europe, the different nations do appear to have entertained some respect for claims founded upon actual priority of occupation or settlement. But, as has been already stated, priority of discovery was always a convenient excuse for ag-. gression.

To illustrate what has been said about the uncertainty of boundaries, it may be mentioned that James I. of England made grants, between the years 1606 and 1621 to several distinct companies, authorising them to establish settlements-plantations-between lat. 34° and 48° N. On November 3, 1621, the same King made a grant of New England, defined to lie between lat. 40° and lat. 48° N. This space included Acadia and nearly all Canada. Later still the English Government made special grants extending to the St Lawrence, in utter disregard of the French claims, founded both upon prior discovery and actual settlement.

Again, afterwards, when the French had pushed their discoveries westward beyond Lake Michigan, and southward into the valleys of the Ohio and Mississippi, it was claimed that the English had no rights to the west of the Alleghany Mountains, it being impossible to dispute their title to the territory lying east of that range. These adverse claims were not even adjusted when the European nations came to make peace with each other. In short, it seemed as if there was an intentional neglect of the important question of boundaries, in order that they might, whenever they saw fit, convert their American settlements into battlefields. So far as the savages themselves were concerned, we shall see that the Iroquois supported the pretensions of the English, while the French colonists had as allies

the Hurons, Algonquins, Abenaquis, and other Canadian tribes.

NOTE.-Many details illustrative of the religious and social state of the colony about the time of Champlain's death might have been included in the foregoing chapter but for the necessity of curtailing its length. Some incidents, showing the manner of life and the personal trials and sufferings of the Jesuit priests, will be mentioned further on. These, of course, from their superior culture and intelligence, acquired great influence in all the affairs of the colony. They numbered then about fifteen persons. Champlain's wife was not merely the first French lady seen in the country, but, during her stay of four years, she was the only one. The impression made on the then rude colonists and on the wondering savages by her prepossessing appearance and her gentle manners has been already alluded to. Registers began to be kept in Quebec about the year 1621. The first baptism entered was that of one Eustache Martin, son of "Master Abraham Martin," from whose christian name was derived that of the tract near the city known as the Plains of Abraham. The first wedding was that of one Couillard and a daughter of the earliest emigrant, Louis Hebert.

Some animals, cows, sheep, swine, &c., had been imported as early as 1608. In 1623, it is recorded that two thousand bundles of fodder were brought from the pasture grounds at Cap Tourmente to Quebec for winter use.

The Company of Associates were bound to bring in two or three hundred settlers every year. In order to carry on the work of establishing settlers on the land, several subordinate companies or associations were formed in France about this time. One of the leaders in such enterprises was M. Giffard, a physician, who spent no less than thirty years of his life in promoting the advancement of the colony. In return for his services, the Company of Associates conferred on him an extensive tract as a seigniory at Beauport, near Quebec, where he employed artisans and labourers in clearing land and constructing a mansion for his own family. A village soon grew up there in consequence of these labours.

In course of this chapter there is scarcely an allusion made to the Iroquois. Nevertheless these continued to be persistent enemies both to the Canadian Indians and the French colonists. Incidents connected with their implacable hostility form a notable part of the subsequent history. When the Ursulines and the Hospital nuns-three of each order—came out with Madame de la Peltrie, the former were placed in a small building in the lower town, where they remained three years, till 1642, when their house and convent were built in the upper town. They immediately commenced teaching young Indian and French girls. The Hospital nuns

were accommodated at Sillery. From August 1639 to February 1640 the small-pox raged and occasioned much anxiety and labour to the nuns. In describing their first winter out of France, the Ursulines say of themselves "Although confined in a small hole, with insufficient air, we yet continue in health. If in France one eat only bacon and salt-fish, as we do here, one might be ill without a word said; but we are well, and sing better than in France. The air is excellent, and this is a terrestrial paradise, where the difficulties and troubles of life come so lovingly, that the more one is piqued, the more one's heart is filled with amiability."

CHAPTER XI.

COMPANY OF ASSOCIATES FAILS TO FULFIL ITS ENGAGEMENTS-CHAMPLAIN'S SUCCESSORS IROQUOIS INCURSIONS AND AUDACITYESTABLISHMENTS AT SILLERY AND QUEBEC-SETTLEMENT OF THE ISLAND OF MONTREAL - FORTIFICATIONS - EARLY TRIALS AND DISASTERS OF THE SETTLERS-GALLANT CONDUCT OF MAISONNEUVE-GENERAL ACCOUNT OF THE PROGRESS OF MONTREAL UP TO THE YEAR 1663-FATE OF MAISONNEUVE-INCURSIONS OF THE IROQUOIS THEIR DESIGNS AGAINST THE COLONY-DESTRUCTION OF THE HURON NATION-HEROISM OF DOLLARD AND HIS COMPANIONS.

A.D. 1636-63.

81. THE Company of One Hundred Associates soon began to relax in their efforts. Like their predecessors, they found their commercial gains much interfered with by merchants and adventurers, who not only denounced their exclusive privileges at the court of France, but, in the colony itself, set at defiance all endeavours to prevent them from trading with the natives. In France, the head official or Viceroy, though a personage of high rank, was unable to protect the Company in the enjoyment of their rights; nor could those who conducted their local business efficiently discharge their duties to the colony.

These duties, which included the security and defence of the inhabitants, as well as seeing that the conditions of the Company's charter were fulfilled in respect of the support of religion and the supply of necessaries to the colonists, came at length to be very inefficiently performed. Long before the time originally specified for the introduction of not less than four thousand emigrants, the settlement of the country by them resolved itself into the sending out of mere factors and servants to work out their commercial interests alone. In consequence, owing to their failure to sustain an adequate military force, and their neglect of the wants of the inhabitants, so far as these were dependent upon the care of the Associates, their chief officers were left to contend with difficulties similar to those which had formerly beset Champlain. Added to these evils were others growing out of internal dissensions and the hostile attacks of the Iroquois. Hence, between the time of the death of Champlain and the year 1663, when the Company's charter was abolished, the history of the colony is principally that of a struggle to sustain a precarious existence; for it will be seen that at any time during the greater part of that period, the colony, with all its inhabitants, might have perished, unable to bear up against the combined effects of neglect, scarcity, and some sudden assault of their ferocious adversaries. Before the year last mentioned, whether from death of members, resignation, or loss of interest in the concerns of New France, the number of Associates had dwindled to less than one half of their complement.

Although in this article it has been judged necessary to refer in a summary manner to the Company of Associates, nevertheless, during the period adverted to, the history of the colony is replete with other incidents which it is proper to describe more fully.

82. After Champlain, M. Chateaufort presided over the