for revisiting France, where fresh dissensions had arisen in regard to the Company's rights and privileges. His chief purpose was to again urge at home an appeal for a more generous support in behalf of his undertakings. The Recollets, also, having found themselves utterly unequal to the occupation of their immense and constantly increasing field of missionary work, had determined to appeal for aid to some of the religious communities of France; and, with this view, deputed Sagard and a priest to sail for Europe in the suite of the governor. Before his departure Champlain nominated the younger De Caen commandant at Quebec during his absence, and gave instructions that the works in progress should be prosecuted with the utmost vigour, especially the completion of the Fort St Louis. These preparations being made, he set sail on the 15th of August 1624, accompanied by his wife* and the two Recollet deputies. * This amiable person's sojourn at Quebec had continued about four years, when she decided upon availing herself of this opportunity of quitting the colony and returning to her native land. We cannot regard as unimportant, even in a historical point of view, the circumstances attendant upon her visit. She was the first lady to set foot upon the soil of Canada, and, in the then rude state of things, must have found herself exposed, during her residence there, to the endurance of many inconveniences amounting to actual hardships in the case of one who had been tenderly nurtured in the midst of the refinements of polite society in Paris. Animated by devotion to her husband, and the pious desire to make herself useful in teaching religion to Indian children, she had encountered the trials of an ocean voyage, followed by the privations which one in her position must have experienced from the rigorous winters and various deficiencies, and even dangers, incidental to colonial life at Quebec in those days. It was during her sojourn, in September 1622, that a fleet of thirty canoes, manned by Iroquois, approached as near as possible to the Fort, into which all the women and children in the place fled for refuge, Champlain and most of his men being absent at the time; and, although the barbarians contented themselves with making a feeble attack upon the Recollet establishment near St Charles river, The people left at Quebec under the charge of Emery de Caën were reduced, by the departure of Champlain and his suite, to fifty souls. CHAPTER VIII. COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE COMPANY-JESUIT MISSIONARIES SENT OUT-CHAMPLAIN'S NEW COMMISSION-SCARCITY AT QUEBEC- 58. CHAMPLAIN, detained in France two years, unceasingly and courageously advocated the claims of his colony, in spite of the interested opposition he encountered, as well as the condition of public affairs, which, at that time, were not auspicious to his objects. His highly honourable disposition would not permit him to have recourse to any concealment which was easily repulsed, the incident was calculated to inspire Madame Champlain with a lively sense of the insecurity of her position. Her husband and her favourite brother, Eustache Boullé, who was then employed in the Company's affairs, were necessarily often absent on the business of the Colony, and it was only in regard to such occasions, when left without their society, that she herself ever alluded to disadvantages to which she may have felt herself subjected. On consulting such records of her life as we have had access to, we find no other cause of complaint emanating from one who was remarkable for her gentle and uncomplaining nature. We are left to conjecture what were the direct effects of her influence and teachings upon the youthful Indian mind and habits. But we may safely assume that the example of her devotion and courage was not lost, since, in after years, not a few accomplished and delicate ladies came out from France to make Canada the theatre of their noble self-sacrifice in behalf of religion and the service of the colony. She survived her husband many years, having retired, soon after his decease in 1635, to an Ursuline establishment in her native country, where she died in 1654. E or excuses in behalf of the Company's neglect to fulfil its obligations. With the very same causes of complaint which, three years before, had led to the suppression of the previous Company's charter and privileges in the interests of the colonists, he probably expected a similar result to follow on his present representations, supported by those of Le Caron and Sagard. Apart from certain considerations affecting religion, the principal points on which those representations were grounded were as follows:-That the Company had neglected, or were unable, to maintain the fort and establishment at Quebec on a proper footing, and had not erected new forts when necessary; that husbandmen, artizans, and labourers were not encouraged by it, or imported into the country; that it had not sufficiently contributed to the means of employing officers and soldiers for the defence of the colony and its allies; and, finally, that it failed to provide adequately for the support of a corps of religious missionaries, so that those already on duty in the colony were forced to have recourse to other sources of aid in their work. In regard to these various matters, Champlain, on the occasion of his present visit to France, could not succeed in obtaining much relief. But his endeavours certainly prepared the way for the important changes which were effected about three years afterwards. 59. Some changes, however, did occur at this time in the organisation of the existing Company. Montmorency, disgusted with the perpetual dissensions which prevailed amongst its members, sold his interest in the concerns of New France, together with his vice-royalty, to his nephew, the Duc de Ventadour. This nobleman was influenced in the transaction by religious motives and a desire to aid in promoting the conversion of the savages. He therefore listened favourably to the appeal of Le Caron and Sagard, and not only approved of their plan of applying to the Jesuits for assistance to carry on the missions in Canada, but contributed from his private resources to their support. He also obtained the King's sanction of his assumption of the vice-royalty and the employment of Jesuits, who were objectionable in the eyes of those members of the Company who were Huguenots. These entertained no objections to the poor Recollets, but dreaded the influence of Jesuits, because, having friends at court, they could always make their remonstrances reach the ears of the King and his advisers. A.D. 1625. The 60. Under the auspices of Ventadour, it was immediately arranged that several Jesuit priests and brothers should go out to Canada, to be followed by others according as their services might be required. Jesuit order in France, which received the application for assistance through the Recollets of Paris, placed no obstacles in the way, but, on the contrary, responded in a manner which evinced their satisfaction at the demand. Five of the order,* together with an additional Recollet priest, embarked for Quebec on board of one of M. de Caën's vessels, in the spring, and arrived at their destination in June 1625. Champlain, however, who on principle disapproved of the intermixture of Catholics and Huguenots as coadjutors in attempts to establish colonial settlements, was desirous that some further provisions should be adopted in regard to religious matters. He caused his own representations * Amongst these were the noted Charles Lallemant, subsequently the intimate friend and spriritual adviser of Champlain, and Jean de Brebœuf, a man of commanding presence and gigantic stature, the most remarkable, perhaps, of the Canadian missionaries, amongst whom he was distinguished by his superior tact, intellect, and extraordinary services, as well as his tragical death on the 16th of March 1649. In the course of ten years from 1625, the number of Jesuit missionaries sent out to Canada was fifteen, who were in addition to the Recollet priests and brothers. on the subject, together with those of Le Caron, to reach the King. The De Caëns made no scruple of employing Catholics and Huguenots indiscriminately in the navigation of their ships, or in the business of the peltry traffic with the Indians on the St Lawrence. Champlain and Le Caron represented that, on occasions, the other employés were unfairly dealt with by the Huguenots, both on board ship and on shore; and especially that, through an improperly exercised influence, the Indians themselves. were rendered less amenable to the instructions of their Catholic preceptors, and that, from these sources unnecessary evils proceeded.* In consequence of these representations the King gave orders directing De Caëns to place a Catholic in command of their vessels trading to Canada. 61. During his stay in France, Champlain's authority as local governor at Quebec was confirmed by the renewal of his commission, and thus strengthened, so far as this could be done by mere words, unaccompanied by material means of exercising it. The new commission invested him in explicit terms with authority "to build forts, to appoint officers for the administration of justice, to cause the King's ordinances to be observed, to make war and peace with the savages, to discover a way by the West to the realm of China and the East Indies;" . . . and finally, "to exercise all the powers of a viceroy in behalf of His Most Christian Majesty." † * The De Caëns themselves were on friendly terms with Champlain, as has been already stated. The latter expressed himself, nevertheless, dissatisfied with the elder De Caen's indifference about many things which he, at any rate, regarded as important, and as falling within the range of De Caën's duty. It is improbable that he and De Caën ever discussed religious questions between themselves on abstract grounds. His confidence in Emery de Caën was exemplified by his making the latter his deputy at Quebec during his own absence from 1624 to 1626. The contrast presented, on comparing the terms of this document with the extremely feeble state of his command at Quebec, at the very |