prise. Preparations were then made for the dispatch of an expedition on a larger scale than any that had yet left France for America.

A.D. 1604.

25. Early in the spring of 1604, De Monts set sail with four vessels, well manned, and equipped with all means requisite, both for carrying on the fur trade and for starting a colony at any place that might be judged suitable. He had under him Champlain and Pontegravé, also a French nobleman named Poutrincourt, who was going out to settle with his family in America, and the subsequently celebrated historian Lescarbot. Two of the ships were specially intended for the fur traffic, and, in the first instance to scour the coasts and inlets, for the purpose of driving away or capturing all persons found illegally trading with the natives. The other two ships had on board the intending colonists; amongst whom were soldiers and workpeople, priests, ministers, and some gentlemen volunteers. This expedition did not steer for Canada, but for that part of New France then called Acadia (Nova Scotia), De Monts being under the impression that he should there find localities more favourable for settlement than by ascending the St Lawrence. But it carried with it those whom Lescarbot justly styled "the hope of Canada;” for besides De Monts, there were Champlain and Pontegravé, and probably many of inferior grade, whose participation in this attempt to found an Acadian colony must have greatly assisted in rendering their future services more valuable elsewhere.*

* The details of proceedings of the Acadian expedition, from the time of their arriving on the coast in 1604 until its virtual destruction in 1613, are deeply interesting, although out of place in this history. A good deal of time was lost in deciding upon a place of landing. They coasted along till they reached the Bay of Fundy, when, warned by the approach of winter, De Monts made a somewhat hasty and very unfortunate selection of a spot for winter quarters, where there was a deficiency of wood

26. The effort at colonisation in Acadia may be said to have been sustained under many vicissitudes during about nine years until the year 1613; but long before this the attention and services of Champlain and Pontegravé were withdrawn. De Monts lost his charter in 1606, about which time Champlain having, in conjunction with Pontegravé, made a number of maritime excursions from Port-Royal, and some geographical discoveries, during the previous two years, became urgent for the renewal of attempts up the river St Lawrence, which he never ceased to represent as offering a more favourable field for enterprise than the shores of Acadia. In 1607, therefore, De Monts procured the restoration of his charter for the space of one year; and, following Champlain's suggestions, turned his attention to Canada. Two vessels were

A.D. 1607.

and water, and where disease carried off more than one-third of his people. Early in spring they re-embarked, and sailed southward along the coast now belonging to Maine and Massachusetts. Finding no place judged suitable for disembarking, they returned northward to Acadia, where they found Pontegravé arrived from France with forty additional colonists. After this happy meeting, the expedition steered for that part of the coast where the town Annapolis is situated, then named Port-Royal. The spot had been visited and named the previous season; and Poutrincourt had been so delighted with its appearance that he had desired a grant of it, and to settle there. The emigrants were landed, and a settlement commenced, which soon became prosperous, under the auspices of Poutrincourt and Lescarbot. The place was, however, abandoned after about three years, and again re-occupied by Frenchmen in 1610. The assassination of Henry IV. in that year removed the best friend and supporter of the company's schemes, and occasioned a second abandonment. Afterwards, when the place was again occupied as a settlement, an English colonial captain, named Argall, in 1613, made a sort of piratical attack upon Port-Royal, and effected its complete destruction. In the meantime, in course of the previous nine years, the events at Port-Royal had led to the taking up of several other locations, which received from time to time small accessions of emigrants from France, and which, notwithstanding the disasters that befell the principal place, were never wholly depopulated; and thus originated the colony of Acadia, of which De Monts and Poutrincourt may be regarded as the founders.

A. D. 1608.

fitted out and dispatched in April 1608. Arriving at Tadoussac in June, Champlain left his colleague there to traffic with the natives, while he continued his route up the river, until he came to the place where Cartier and his companions had wintered in 1535.

27. Champlain landed, and having ascended some distance from the mouth of the St Charles towards the promontory now called Cape Diamond, judged the situation favourable for permanent settlement. Artisans, provisions, merchandise, arms, and tools were brought on shore, and a commencement made in the work of constructing wooden buildings and defences. At the same time preparations were made for cultivating the ground, and for testing the productiveness of the soil, by sowing various seeds brought from France. In these operations, begun on July 3, 1608, Champlain had in view the establishment of a fixed trading station for the advantage of the Company he represented, as well as the more immediate purpose of providing for the security and accommodation of his people during the ensuing winter. But on the site of these rude works the city of Quebec grew up in after times. Champlain is, therefore, entitled to be regarded as its founder, and the date last mentioned as that of its foundation.

During the autumn, the works were continued, Champlain himself superintending them with indefatigabie activity.* Pontegravé returned to France with the results of the season's traffic at Tadoussac.

28. Champlain's experience, previously acquired at Port

sans.

* At one time there was danger of the proceedings being brought to a premature close through a conspiracy devised by some discontented artiA few of these planned the murder of Champlain, after which the magazines of provisions and merchandise were to be plundered, and an escape effected to Spain on board one of the foreign vessels then in the river. Shortly before the time fixed for the execution of the plot, one of the conspirators, impelled by remorse for having entered into designs

Royal, doubtless was of service in giving effect to his forethought and energy as regards preparations for the winter; for it is recorded that the thirty persons composing his party were comfortably protected from the ordinary rigours of the climate. But there was one enemy against whose insidious approaches he could not guard-the scurvy, called by the French "mal de terre." In those days preventatives against that terrible disease were unknown. All Champlain's workpeople were afflicted with it, although they do not seem to have been exposed to any hardship, or to any hard work, beyond bringing in fuel from the contiguous forest. Only eight survived the comparatively short winter of 1608-9, which came to an end early in April.

29. On the return of spring, Champlain's activity of disposition did not suffer him to await the coming A.D. 1609. of Pontegravé from France. He set out at once up the St Lawrence. Meeting parties of Indians belonging to Algonquin and Huron tribes, he entered into friendly communication with them. Between these tribes and the Iroquois, or Five Nations, a state of warfare subsisted. Champlain, on his part, desired to secure the friendship of those natives who were to be the more immediate neighbours of the French on the St Lawrence, while the Algonquins and Hurons were equally solicitous about forming an alliance with the Europeans for the sake of aid against their enemies. An understanding was soon established. The Indians engaged to visit the French trading posts

against the life of the amiable Champlain, gave information which saved him and the infant colony. Four of the leaders were at once seized and placed in custody of Pontegravé; and, after an investigation, the principal conspirator was executed, while the other three were sent to France. The pretext made use of had been “hard work and poor fare." The loss of Champlain at that time would have been irreparable, as there was no one qualified to take his place.

with abundance of furs for the purposes of traffic, and promised to assist Champlain with facilities for exploring their country westward. On the other hand, Champlain undertook to help them in their conflicts with the Iroquois. In pursuance of this agreement, the French, under Champlain, first intervened in Indian warfare. Returning to Quebec, Champlain procured reinforcements and supplies for his establishment from Pontegravé, who had by this time arrived at Tadoussac from France. Before the end of May, he set out again on his way up the river to join his Indian allies, and to accompany them into the country of their enemies, the Iroquois.

CHAPTER VI.

CHAMPLAIN'S THREE EXPEDITIONS AGAINST THE IROQUOIS-DISCOVERY OF THE COURSE OF THE RIVER RICHELIEU, OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN, AND LAKE GEORGE-BATTLE WITH THE IROQUOIS, AND BARBAROUS TREATMENT OF PRISONERS-SECOND EXPEDITION, AND BATTLE WITH THE IROQUOIS-ESTABLISHMENT OF TRADING STATION NEAR SAULT ST LOUIS, AND CONFERENCES WITH THE INDIANS AFFAIRS OF THE COMPANY-ASCENT OF THE RAPIDS, AND VISIT TO THE OTTAWA REGION-CHAMPLAIN'S THIRD EXPEDITION AGAINST THE IROQUOIS -REPULSE AND RETREAT OF THE HURONS.

30. DURING the twenty-seven years following the foundation of Quebec, the history of the colony consists almost exclusively of the personal history of Champlain, its founder, upon whose own memoirs we are dependent chiefly for authentic information. They present details of romantic incidents, of courage, fortitude, and virtue, of