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I i'. K ii. <
lOINDIil)^
\).
BY
.). EDAIOND ROY
Trn.o^htti'i) ,fr f))i tltr F/f>tch
I!T
Q, M, WARD OI'vH- PKXNEK)
--^■piS/h -gi»<— •
I.E'.fS
PajNTKO BY Mrrcikr k '.'o,
l«91
u
•i
/,
'Iff
II Y
J. EDAlOxNl) l?()Y
Tr>(i)).lnirtl /nun th<- Frrnrh
r.v
G. 31. WARD (Mrs. PENNEE)
«8»--6$*<-.
LKVIS
Pkistkk bv Mkiuiki; .V ('
I8!)l
Fr^
^.il
TO THE I|EYEl\Ef(D JOSEI'Il LEMIEOX.
r<',is/,.I',irsl nf,T<i<l
oiisar
I known house with white walls and
1 11 OSS 1
r<M)f, tliat is liidd
(Ml uwiiy iM'iieHth tl
ic ([Uiver
in<; foliH<,^(^ of ever-gf(U'n hoec-h and fir ti-ecs.
Tlic clematis and tho nasturtiinii cliiul) al
it, niiii,<,diii<,' their varie^rjifcd tints with tl
soIkt ^^roon of tho. lio}) and tl
H)llt
le nn»re
<'n u^row wild j-oses utid s/nrf
le ivy
in tl
walled i(a fd
ini/ Jiiii/. Thei-e is no liixurv tIior«»
>iine
le
II.
severe
Sim
1)1 i( it J
i-ei,i;!is arc.und ; i( is i.neof th(jse t
iny
nests dreamt of hy }»hilos()j,hy .us a fitting home
for its votaries, and on its threshold may l>e
r(;
ad
itrvn f/oimiSj iixti/nii ijaii
Tl
lis little house is the preshyU'ry wl
leri'
dwells the parish-pri<>st of Tad
ousac
It
was
th(
diil
ere, .vtiiU; enjoying a sweet re
pose, that T first thought (►f writing these 1
ble j)ages.
1 (hMlieate them to 1
unn-
lim whose guesi 1 was
tor one day of my life and whose MU>\\ st
dent I was foi* ten years.
u-
^
ni
rADOUSAC
Airivul l>v infill. - First si^lii ot Tadoutaf. The Mumeluns.
Oriifin ni ilu- wonl Tiulmisiw. - I.Aiise :i I'Kaii.
h vv.is <'le\<'ii o'clock ill iiii^'lil, wIkmi oiii
steamer toUjhod 'I'julousuc whuif, ft»f its t<»iir,sf'
aloiii,' ilic S;iL>u<'ii;iy }i.ul I)f'<'ii ret art led I ty (lie
li«»a\ y t'oii",
A smiiky «'ual-uil ];unj) tliicu u lurid lii^lil:
on tlu* (U^Herted slion* and the slfcpiin^M'rh.x's of
tUo solitary landscajH' wok<' to life oil (»ur ari'iv-
al. Fi'om uiit tli«' dark niuht tluMc arose a
most umlioly roiifusion of noises, tlie caj.tain
•shoutintf his oi-ders to tiyhttMi the voih'H, the
stoam oni^n'ne laljorini;- and j>antiii<;\ the trucks,
for Luuh'iiL;' the mails, rattlinu' ajid creakinu'.
vSudderily shrill and })owerful \oices rose even
6
TADorsAr
liii^lifi- than t lie iili«»iuly dcufrnini; tunimil uiid
Itrokc nil tilt' i'jir from tlir liju'lit, from the ]»'ff,
fr»»m ;ilio\r, fiom Ix'low. At otic moment tliey
M'f'mcd to issiu> from (he very si(l<>s of iIm' lio.it,
.it UMotlirr (o 1»(' Itnnic on tjic (.-rosts of tin*
Wiivcs, to sj)rin;;- from the thickets (»f dwnrf tirs,
fiom tiic wvy hcich itself. The st,roIIer hv
iii;,'ht \\]\it stirs up tlic muddy water-s infested hv
s\vju-ms of Ncneiahlc old froi;s could not awaken
more dismal sounds than that indul,i^<'d in 1)V
the Tadousac troachnu*n. I^^m' it was these <'(mi-
tlemen who aroused the j»assen;^ers from their
sleej) l»y their r ierciji^' cries of Tailousac Hotel 1
Taditusac H( tel !
We had liardly entered tlie hotel coach
wluMi we found that we were crossin*,' a tottei-injr
bridy^e of planks at full ijallop. The elder lad
screamed with fri'dit, whilst our Jel
les
lu, in a thun
th
derinu- voice, exclaimed to us: // m vflri/ Mack
fonif/hf. I/' //on, hm whf'r
fiiL Evidently this (list
wl
7/on are, ynn h>>frufht-
iij,i,'uished < >achman
10 so jauntily sported his seedy old coat must
have been a native of tlie place. We made 1
am
TADOUHAC
talk Hii<i lu* t^»l<l US tluU tlu'iv luul U'en vorv
few Htrari^ers tJuit sumnuM' iiiul that tliiu«,^s liad
})fen f;(»iM<,nm vfiv hadly,
Nevei'llicless ;^r< at cx|K'nse had \n'vn <^*nn'
to, tlu' hoti'l liad Im^^'H newly <Ioih* U[» and the
servants wciv (ifst-iate.
Tlu»r«' wcrr hut alxait t'oi-t y lH)aru in a
lai-j^'o hotel whicli could eonvenienily t^iive in
some three hunched. Th(^ git^ater p. t ev'Mi of
these were transient Ix-arders, iK'in;^^ the .vi\os
of uentlenien wlio were }»way fishing oi, the up-
per Sat(uenay. He vS|)e<;ialIy inentioaed a j>oor
hwly, a millionaire, wlio every <hiy when t)ie sun
was at its hei^dit was cairied down to the shore
in a hand chair. All tliis was very sad, hut
sinee we were seeking traiujuillity, tliis state of
things just suited us, for it enahled us to take
a couple of days of real rest.
We'd wander'd to the eliff's extreniest ed^e
And from this vaiiUi(i(e-(fro\ind of rooky ledifc
The fierce, rude majesty, th horizon hold
Of the Slid Sugiieiiay we could hehold
The night was falling and the fadiiitf lit(ht
Threw solemn shadows o'er our eerie height
,s
r.viM,»i s AC
S\\>cll> ami liiiiiilx ilitl ut h(.iU tin miuikI
(»f ilir SI Kawirii'M' uuUm'm, oci'mi-bduiid,
I'asisiii); froiii •■i;;ht into Ihc ()isUni(')> drrtir,
H!;i.:K Suuiifiiiiv's (l('i'|i vMi(i'i> riillt'd iicur
H;t(l>i!i!U Ihc t'ctt o( I host' I. ill wnrlil fniiic «! catx's
\N tio^e- shii'luw -1 il;iiUI\ fu!', wliosc iiiiL;lii.\ sliapci
Siiuid (iiii liki ttn\isii( (.hIiIc'i in,\>t<r»
(iutirdiii;; llu' Siiyiionn\ s dark .-ulcrx
Tlu' iViiMlU'r liidcii sIciuiuT la,\ in sj},dil
Till' huitriius shedding niuiid ii lilodd red lit;(il
Whir'li, liko a lior^rooui* ('i'iiu.s<>n Itamif'i's hxw
Ttu' sciiitillatiiiji wavo!) ^axe liack to \ icw
lleav'ii's hliic arch licdiv K'd x\ illi luaiiy a slur
Ahovc (>ni heads sircti'h'd iutlnili'ls lar
A ftiifx doiiif above I he esliiiiI'V.
The ahiuf i«. a >ili;^liily lite uaiislai nii of the t'uil.iw iiitf lines
eoiii\Hwed \>\ I'nehotic, the \m1I known ('aiia<iiaii )>oi'i ;
Noiif< etioiis pal N enu!< siir nil coin d(' I'alaise
\ i''tif.id>l(' halcoii doii I'oti |MHixuil i'l I'.tist'
( "uiifeniphT dans sii Here et nidc inujcste.
Ihi nioine Tadonsstw' I'ltofizon lounni'titi'.
I>u hani de ce jiliiteau, dans eetle unit loin'mntr'
l/omhre elail soleiuielle ei la S('ene alisortianle ;
lei, le Saint Kanrenl i|n'oii enieiid 1: tniloinuT
\' lunenienl , et i|ni laisse a peine de\ iner
Ses lointuins \i\|KaiiTUX no^ i^s (lansi lej* it'tiehrcfi.
lA, \v St^fiK-nay iioir, a\ ee sos i>U's cdU'hics
t^iii, jetaiit des tlots d ondiro opiKpie au\ ulentours,
Sendilonl eoninie un ainax de fahulenws t^mi-s
rieines de jo lie sals mu'l faroiulu' iiiysfove,
Dresse li'i pour vjardcr la tt^in51>ieUKi^ aitero.
A n.n ]>ieds le liat'au honde de voyaji'i'Virs,
Doiit lesfanaiix, liiss;\nt leiirs saii),dunus rongeurs,
TADOUSAC
llius saiiM nil- CaiuKliaii l);u<l <»iic csfniiiu'
wh.Mi the )n(M>n t'oiuMl iiim in ,, wakin- .licaiii.
All. IK,' uikI h.^iiniii^; I.) {\tv «..a ^hnn's Huii^h
l»iit rvciy one, is not a jMH'(, and, Krin^i^
bclat^Ml travrllciy, w.- (hou^lil il woiihi l.r h.-l
tt-r f(M- IIS to a\va,it I lie
iiionmi;^' Iwtoii' j»aviiii(
our (•..iirt to i\\r Iwaiiiics of slr('|iin-,' Tudousac
i'o nia,k<' use of til,, cliissir I<\''Ih''|oh'm j.o,'-
tiral «'Xj)n.-;si<.ii. Tadoiisac lias '' a \ icw .-xin-i'sy-
iy made to ploas*^ tJic .-Vi' ". N.'sMcd in a liollou
of th.' sK'j'j) Lauirnlid.'s. it s.-.-nis likr a nest of
venhuv siiii(.iuhI( .1 hy l,;,.ak and hanvii Inl-
l<K'ks.
Tlic j.lati'aii on ulii.-h it, stands is on (mic
side hnrdpivd l»y tli<- ■^yrnt livci- whose \val<Ts
dash incossaiitly a-jfaiiist ( li.- rocky shore ; <.n th«'
oth<'r, hy the hiack Wiih-is of the .Sa,i,'iU'nav
which ,<>enlly die away as it v\eiv in a hay that is
Aihoi i|iie (l»'s iftlfiw <li' la l.riilfiiit<' oiitliinuiu-
Ihmy lii iH^naiiihiT., an loin, font hiiisilkT la lame
Ki jmiK, j.ar-ilcssus lout, iin h.jui (id ftoiK-
Kiiiniiiil ciiitrf (J a/(ii <!•• i>oints (r.,r cniistill, .
CiVnnnf iin (Lum- fLViii|Hc a ci- sntithr.' i smairt^
" Seul, et pivtaiil IVxvill, u la i iiuubun i.k'> ^ricvus
10
TADOUSAC
carpeted witli sand of suoli iimi\alle<l fineness
and softness that no othei- sIkoc can hear eom-
}>arisoii with this (»ne.
The hay itself is of so jjci-fect an osal in
shaj)e that one luii^iit well fancy sou»e niyste-
ri<»us artist h.-ul traced its outline on purpose
to jnake a (tontrvist with the rud<' outlines of
the suiToundin;^ peaks which scon to haxc heen
r(»U!j;hly liewu out with hatchets.
We are three hundr'ed miles from tht^ sea
and f<»i-ty leaii;u(^s more must he passed hefore
we can reach Quehec. The river is here twenty
fouj' miles wide, and, across its dark l)lu<' wati^rs,
we latch siiifht of the line of mountains on the
sou
th sh
ore an(S
1 can i^eT'ceive tlie roofs of th
acouna am
tl
III tne sun
1 11
liirht.
iviere-<
lu-L
1
jOUU llOUSt'S ir
list<
nuig
Away in the St-Tiawrence itself may l>e
seen the I'ocky sIkm'cs of Ked Island (He- Mouge),
fertile in shij>wi'ecks, and the flat shores of
Tlari' Island (lie au\ Tjicvres). hoth islands
looking \('ry nnich like ships at anch<»i-. ( >n
calm days, when the sea is like a nurror, these
TADOUSAC.
11
islands shm.i t., 1h> sjuin-fuo- ft,,,,, t|ic Ik.som, ..f
tlio w.ifors and to iviiuiin susp.M.d.Ml in tli.- air.
Ti. the riulit arc tlu- gorges of ihr Sai^Mie-
ii.iy, a stran.nc .sort of ...stuarv «»r arm of tho sea,
an ahyss iiollowvd out iM'twccn two rliains of
l».'invn mountains xv|„mv only a few stunted
>>nvh and j)ino trees ^^row and Nvl.id, river is so
nild ar.d dreary-looking tl.at one American
writer has called it "the river of death " ; wjiijst
aiu.ther, more classically ami less gl.n.nnly dis-
posed, has cojnpared it to the rivei-s Styx and
Acheron.
"This river is as l)eautiful ;vs the Seine,
almost as laj.!.! as the Rhone and deejKM-, in
many places, than the sea '" wrote a Jesuit mis-
sionary of form n- tim m. It is even said that
its impetuous torrent sensibly afieets the St
Lawrence at low water and even at the distance*
of many nn'les is powerful enough to (;hange
the course of ships (i). iJefore venturi».g to
ero.ss it.. Jacques Cl^artier waited a whole idght
at anchor under the .shelter of Hare Jsland."
(1) BoHchptte
TADOUSAC
*»
;*
'* llaviiiii afiivoiaUlc, wiiidanil tlu'tidelM-inj;
lialf lii.'di,' ChiUiiplain ui-i»te(n. '"oii account of
the Sa!j;ucuiiv curn
nts wliicli i»ii''lit drive y«n
ill anodicr dirccUuii, raise your aiiclior and set
sail, <loul)lc C..W Point (Poii»tc auv Vachcs),
vour s(»un(Hn,u-iiiic in. y<»ur haiul always, liavc
liicc lioats atliand so that, havin.i; doui>-
■t yourself out of tlie
1 w o o
le<l C
It
(»\V
N>iiit vdu tan jj:<
I lU'i'en
ts of the Sa-ucnav, if it is calm, and tlius
enter the said poi-t
lieinu- in the jxM-t, carry a <ioo<
1 and
lor to
land, stick the wing of tlic tiuk(! of the anchor
well into the sand, place a piece of sv»«kI os»m-
I have at hand some piles which
tl
ic wiuiX am
O DI'C
you can tlu-ust deep down in the sand to ]
vent the vessel from dragging its autthor. Th*'
lan.l winds are to be feared. Th.'y cm.' from
the Saguenay in septal
N\
hich do not last long,
l)ut arc violent and nnpetuous
I
or a
Ion" while this river was
fabul
ously
repi-esenteil as a sort of inonstei- that ilevoured
(1) 1(>i>L>- : '.Livciiticri!,
T.N DOUHAC
13
sucli inannfM's us we?-** hold .mioui^Ii to vnitun,"
(Ml it. It, was said to \>o tilled with eddies and t<.
be suhjeet to daii^rerciis teinjiests and w))iil-
M-inds. Fisjierrneu's l).)ats wt're said to lia\.'
been eauidit by ,i,'i,u'anl ic water-spouts and piti-
lessly .i-nslied a,i,'ainst tlu^ inhospitaVilf sIkm-cs
whi<-b wej-e stecj), shelt.M-Iess and liai-lK.iless.
'riietta(b"ni;eonipani('s that had be<'ti estab
lished here nM.tribut.'d to l<»'e})in,o' up these
le.^rends, sin<r«' they wished to monopolize this
innn«'nse t.en'it<M'v.
For th<' last sixty years people liave got
<»v('i- all this alarm and the mysterious river has
been brought into subjeetion. Kverythin«.'
about it is known now except its unfathomabh-
• h'pths. Tn many plaeos it has been soun<l.'d t<.
thcde])th ot';i:}U fathoms and yet no bottom
has been found.
The iJay of Tadousae Ii«'s on tin; left shore
of the river. The old writers ha\e repeatefj
•Mieaftei' the (.ther thai it. was a ,u-ood sized
port where twenty IInc men-of-war eonid take
shelter. The capacity of this l,.iy has be,'.i
u
TADOUSAC
neatly ♦'xa<'<'f rated and, at the most, five or
six moderate sized vessels could anchoi' there,
and we (turselves liave seen in it notliin<r huirer
tl
lan e<»astini; schooners
At
nu
ihtfall
(-»r
when the wind 1)1owh too fresli from the olhnj
ti
lese vesst
(Is put
111 am
I tak
eon hoard theii* J)ro-
A isiou of water. ( )ther vessels a^ain cast an-
chor in Water Creek (anse a, leau), a fine little
creek separated fi'om the main l)ay hy a narrow^
peninsula. The pass<'nger steam hoat lands tour-
ists in this cT'eek. The (lover-nment has con-
structed a quay here and ke«^ps it in ^o<»d or-
der, bestowiiiij^ special attention on it
on
tl
le
eve (»f election time.
Tliesetwo haj-1)ors are well protected {ii^'ainst
the t(Mnpests hy th(> high, round-hcsaded, Ineast-
sha})ed hills which shut them in to the north.
TIm' winds )nost t,o he feared aic those that ))low
from thc! river, ])ut when the long Lark flats
(hattui'e aux Allouettes), which terminate the
Saguenay shore, are not covered hy the sea,
they form a j>owcrful bulwark.
Tadousac uwess its name to the hilla which
TADOUHAC
15
suiTuuiid it, .1)1(1 was tlius culle<l l>v the Mont.i!'-
iiais Indians whti rcsidod tluMCd).
No words can })aint tlie c-ahn tnuujuillity
of Tfulousac. The lianilct is only f?'<*(|U<'nttKl by
lo\('rs of j)«'ac«' and (juit't, wJiilst tliose, "who arc
in searcli of a spot wIxmc tliey can let time sli])
away leisurely, need liav«^ no f<>ai' of Iwinjjj here
molested l)y tlic intrusive idlers wIk* fre(|uciit
inoic fa.'-liiona})lc wat<*rin<:;-plaees.
The cli(r itself utVci-s e\cry advantage for
seclusion fioin intruders, since it abounds in
little cosy, sheltered iMMiks wlicnce niaffniticent
views are to l>c (t)»tained. The waxes hrcsik at
(1) Acconliiiv; III M'^r l.iiHii'lic tln' Cici' or Imliiiii \M»r<I was
l'i)finisht(k, jiluml cf 'I'oliidsli, iiijiplo. Othcis iinuiii piTtcii'l that
TiMlonwivc is <lt'rixc<l from llif Moiit.iHriiais word Shnsfiitkn, flnrc
iij' Ijitbuh-rti. This (-■l.\ii)ol()','-y apiH-ars t,.) iis us unlikely to hf or-
rt,rt siiiot! the alMj\f nu-ntioneil xi'a caidinah urc ran; on tho!sc
shores. Aftoniiii;; to the Je.Miit Father Jeroiiie I,aleiiiaiit (in his
latioii I(i4<;), the rinliaiis sometinios ealled the jxtrl Satfilf;i<
Thcvet, ill his work (Iranil /nxiitnirf, writes T/tnilin/xcov.
The Kni^lish write t.lie word Ta<lousae; ilie Fieiuh rail it Tiulmis-
sac, atid this latter way of s]>e)liiit; the iiuine is to he found in all
the oil! M S. Tile hw^v iinxleriidietionaries ^'i\e iwtli Tadvutisac
and Tudoumc.
10
T\r)nrsAr
youi' f(M>t, tlu' shore is lovely, whilst pure water
and u;o<Mi huthiiii:; -ne to he liad at wiM.
Tadousac offers i^reat aclNantayes also to
more sol)er-inin(le<l (<»ufist.s who are in search
of tlie unknown, as well as to the jiale anti(iuary
wlio W(»nl(l fain investigate ohsolete f«»rnis of
(■i\ ilization and e.\]>l(»re what<ner I'uinshis wan-
dei'iniu; steps may lead him across.
"^riiis was the eorner of the earth where the
i^'icneli founded their fii'st estahlisliments on
Canjidian soil. This was the eentr-*' wlienee
the first missionary Jesuit V\-ith(M-s went fortli
to eonsert and ciNili/.e the rejifions of tli<> Sai;vie-
nay and the mysterious North. One after the
otlier the watei-s of this ))ay haxc heen visited
hy t he julventurous (Muharkat ions of Cai'tier, the
discoNcrer, the swift, liiL;ht harks of the I*>as(jue
and Ihetoii llil)usti<n"s, tlie ships <»f C'hauviii,
Pontgia\<'' and Cliami)lain. This was tlie first
por't tMitercMJ hy the Fi'ench colonists l)efore tfieir
arriv.d at th(^ rock of t.^uehec, and it was from
Uovr that Drinllettes, Dahlon, Alhanel, set out
for the distant shores of I^iike Mistjissins and
Hudson Hav.
TT
Uln Ta.lo„s.o „o. a hu-^, ^.y. Th. I...
ll)IK<
liaiis of j.rpliisturio
lArOty
ia.'.., >«..e f,„. , ,.,„^, tune tl„. four «,,.,.,. „,„li„.
;-l.-»t,, ,1„. ,„„st f,,.,,„e„to,l, I,,.. ,.e,„,.in„l su-
'■"'-'■y-Hl i-till n„tl,i„,, „„,,„„.„,, ,„.^,„._
"'''•■ ■'^'■•■'"•■'••"' "'""«•■• Tl,e „H„.,. ,,1„,.,. ,„,,,.
:;.■"«■„ w 1„. ,.,,,„|„„s een.,,„.s. T,ul„u»,„., „„
i- '>.>nle,.s „f t„.„ ,,,.,, t ,;„.,,_ ,,,^ ,^,^..^,
'''"■''■•"■-" "* " "'^' l'«'"i"J,' .-.■.ion, tl„. ri,-s.
1-i- rl„-rt «•„. ,.nu.,-,.,| l,y tl,.. ,,:„,„,,„,„ ,,,. ^
II"'; -••■■<■ sHilii.K "P «u. .St. Lhw,,.„<.,, «.;.
;""' '" *'';■ ^^'''1 -'"»-l« "f the North l,a,l
; '->l>l"-a,H,l tl,„,„.l, their i„,essa„t c-.ptur,.
i:.< uu«,». l«-,in,e o„ee more wimt it h,„l !„-„, . .[
».l.l country s,.,t s„rro„,„|,.,l l.v ,„ou„.,.ins
"mJ pn.cii>,e<.s, Co„„„f.rc,. „r tr.ule i» ,«, ,en»i.
18
TADOL'SAC
tive as tin* niaj^Mctic nrcdlc, as (.'ajuifious as a
l»annu«'t.(M' ; it. isshiftin;; and fi'iatic It isoiilv
Jiifricultur*' tliat niaki^s a jxioph^ aiul luiilds up
lai'ii** cities. Cliamplaiii well midcrstiMMl this
when, ai^aiiist the upiiiioii of his associates, he
deserted Tadousac ami founded (^)iiel)('r at the
fuM of tlie ro<!k of Stadacoiia. Chaiii[>hiiu had
to cotiteiid all his life with the i innpaiiic-^ of
^I'jispihg mei'ehaiits, who siiatclied the t >i>ls
fiinn the liaiidsof the f(;w colonists he had l)eeii
fthle with j^'reatditliculty to<,'et toijether, foihaile
the workmiMi to sell thc'ir pi'odiiec! to any one
hut those in these said eonipauies' eiMj)loy, t(»
buy elsewh(!re than in their slioj)s, oi- l<» trafhe
in any way without their permission. (Mianiplain
in spit;e of all these dillieulties found(Hl a i^reat
country, where his name has ))een always held
in honor, while the names of Afonts, Pontijrav*'
and Caen have fallen into oblivion.
Durino: a centui'V tlie l>as(|ues eovei-ed the
Waters of the (Udf of St. Lawrence with their
Tenturous l)arks. They disappeared, like the
whales which they ha.d pursued, s\ ithout lea\ing
■m
TADOUSAC
19
any t r.u-fM'xccpt that their iiauics had Ixfii Lri\«'ii
to some f<'\v' <l(»s<'!-l and luiknowri islamls. 'I'hc
same fato lias iK^tanoii all I he icceiN in«j; httuses
Of t'a<'t<nit^s (h)tt/e<l alnnit thr nuitli tjoast <»f the
Lower St. fjiiw relicts : P<»rt Brest, oiiee so well
known, F<»rt Pontcliartrain, tli(? tiadin^' jmsts
of Mingan, St,-l\l(Klet, Seven Islands and many
othet's whose names ev(m have now eseaped
from nxMnory. The sea, tired of yieldini^ up its
t easures, has tiowo<l l)ack ai^ain avor the foi-
tunes won from it.
The fur-trade had spread far and wide tho
fame of Tadousac.
Lot us try to th^si'til)e what this tradinfj
villam' ^^"^^ \ikt\ f(»r formerly it was famous,
and it has pleased gooijraphers, writin«j;' from
the seohision of their studious homes, to class
it among the hirge cities.
The vast territory to whicli, in primiti\('
times, was given the name of the kingdom of
the Saguejuiy was iidial)iled hy a dozen or s<i
of savage Indian nations, scattered and noma-
dic tribes, living on the pr<Mluce of their chase
L'O
TAI>UUSAC
111
til
ic woiMis or DM till' ;;^'n';l
til
Lt lak
I'S.
'n
M'S»*
liiili.iiis wcic (Icsii^uutcd i^^ciicrally liy the «;tMU»-
rif iiaiiK' ut' Moiitii/jfiiais and ui<' a pait of tlic
ureal Al^^'umiuiii family. riicy wj-ic not all t»f
tlir sumc
vloKil,
iioi (Ik
1 111
•y SI
H'il
k (1
1 til
M' saiiu*
t(»i»iiii<'. I>ut lia\ iHn uiiiti'd aj^^aiiist the mva-
diiii,' iiatiniis i»f the soutli, tlu.'ir loni^ alliaiire
h;ul led tu their lia\ iii«r the same maimers and
i'Ustoms.
Jt
is the inslim-t of self j)reser%ation
that caus(\s the liomoircneoilsnc^ss of nations.
o
'I'he narrow stri{) of land that strtitel
les
aloni^ the hanks of the St. f>awr(Mii'e from
Murray Uay (Malhaie) to the little islands
ealled .Ier<Miiiah (.[«'i*»'mie) was the d(tmain of
the
Tad
ousaeians.
The trihe of llw lletsia-
mites was on their left and se[)ara^ed them fr<»m
the country inhahited by the Ks<|uimaux, a
slraii<xe sort of race who ]ia\ c jiexer taken
kindly to Christian <-i\ ili/ation.
Proeeedinu U[> the ri\er Sa^iienay, on
neai'inu Terres Rompues, miijht he seen the
Jirst wiLTwams of the Chieout imian>
Tl
lese
latter had taken up their (juarters on the peniii-
I'AlMM'SAr
siila wliicli li.is i»'t{iiiH'<| llicii iianic. ndiiml
t,li«i hi'iijlit.s iit'lln' wrstrni Iwink <>t' t Iw Sa'^iin-
r>«y livfd tin- LiflN- Mistfissins uiul tlw l*nj»iiia-
c'liois. 'I'lu« fnniiii- well' a htaiwli of the (Jrcat
Mistiissins wlidsc Imntiiii; j^iourMls cxli'iidctl
nnrtliwanl to llir still undt'lniiiiiu'd i»\i;ioM
i»f liakr .Mistassii'i, an iimiiciisc inland lake <tr
S<'
a, \\licr«> our ancestors liad t'staMislnncnts, l»ut
wlicrc we iii .i not yet lia«l the couiaLM' toixMie-
tmte. 'I'Ih^ word J\ijtt»nn'/iitls si«;iiHi<'s >rrr
smifiiiff and the <;entle and syni[»at liei ic nature
of th<' little tril)e heaiini; that name has hcen
aserilxHl to the wjiole Monta^n;>,is hraneh of
Indians. ( )n the conlines of the Papiiuu-hois
tei'i'itoiy li\ed t he ( )unesea|)i in a eounti-y su
Miiseralile and so iiiaeoessil»h> that it is only
al)out tliiity years a^o that, the inissi<»iuiries
succeeded in \ isit iny' I his t rilx' for t he lirst time.
'J'he l)ol<l tra\eller who could penet rate unharm-
ed into tlie somhre marhle caNcrn w1um"(» tlie
(rreat Spirit dwelt al the liead of [iak(^ Mistas-
sini readied the Irihe of the < >nfhestii;-ouets,
tlieu that of t,h(> C'aiihoo l^(o|)lc ^(Jens du (^ari
1>om) and the ()(lei' Nat ion. ( Nat ion dc la Lou-
TADOUSAC
tn') the Inst re;j;i(>ii tliat was waslicd l>y the
waves of t)ie North Sea (Hiulson lUiy).
Havinuj pasvj/d licyoiid the Chi(!<>utiini j>e-
ninsiila we eome «ni the Pi('k«>u«raiiiiaiis, ;i (piict
iiMwlest |)<'>ple whose liglit eanoes plou^^h the
traiKjiiil waters of Lake St .John. And, in a
westerly direction, a})ove the Ahsapmoucliouan
i-ataracts rises tlie encampment of the Chamoii-
chouanists and the luits of the; Indian tisliermen
of lake Nikon ha.
No ti'ace of government or of civil or ve-
liud'Uis laws is to })e fou?id ainonij these triln's.
They wtM'e dispersed by the sea-shore, ahynijj the
riv<Ms and lakes of the interior or in the depths
t>f the f<»rests whence they procured their ncun-
ishnicnt. The waters of the sea and the lakes
yiehlcd them pltMity of iisli, the wo(m1s i^;\\e them
plenty of iraine of various sorts. They delighted
in takinu; their fiKnl half raw and they slept on
the mossy heds oi- on tlu' sands of the shore.
Art)nnd them was the juimo'val forest. Tlu-y
i>ath(M'ed from it a few evergreen pine tree
lujinehes to oi-nament theii- dwellings. The
tlexihle hark of the lurch tree furnished tlu-m
TADOIJSAC
23
witli cIc.tliiMjy, uU'iisii.s, material for tlu-ir swift
l)ark ea/MK's, mid everythiii;:,' wlKMvwitJi t<. con-
struct tlicir- liahitatioris.
Tlic Ircjuuis hihI lluroiis, in));il)itin<r tli(.
l'<'itil«' I'lains toti.r west and the s<.utl., were
sta},le, stationary nations. Tlicy hiiilt viila^-es
wliicl) they fortified a^^ainst theiieneuiieH ; they
tilled the^aotind and oathered in a ^^(mkIIv har-
xest of Indian «<.rn. The Monta-nais were not
liushandmen. I n thr winter they wandered
thrrm<,d» the f..,v,st in -rronps c«»nsistinrr ,,f two
<•!• three families, ^tayini; their c<.urse wherever
""'.^' ""'' ^^'fJ' .i^: I Jnu.tin^^ TS.e sunnner
always fnund I hem -ai the watei--side at Tadou
sac. Tluvc-HiversorQuehec. They would there
subsist <.n smoked nx.ose or whaffisli th<'v
eaiio-ht. If they .amc to a fruit tree tliey
Nvould cut it down in oider too-ather the fruit.
(J{e!. K;:;:',). Th.-y we.v tall. strai,i;hl, stron«(,
well proportioned, a.,dle, and h;ul nothing' o£l
""■''••><<■ 'tlx.iit t-'.em. \.» nation under hc^aveii
NV.is droller o.' fond<>rof Jokin- and fun. Their
life passed in eatin.ii;, lau-hint;, Lanterincr each
othei- and j.M-rin- at tlu- neijrldx.rino- iril^'s.
21
TADOUSAC
Th(\y werv thonuii^'hly "^'uod fellows. " Tlio
Ifuions \v(M'<' ])i(»tVsse(l thicN-es ;iihI like tho
SiKirtans of old tuu.t^dit i]w tr;ul«^ to their eliil-
(lieii. The Mont.i<,Mi.iis, on t lie coiitnu-y, prided
themselves on their disinterestedness.
The ifurons and the fro(|Uois had re<rular
forms of government. It is sai<l (hat the for-
mer were Lcoverned )>v women, the latter l)v
old men ; whieh quite explains the inconstancy
and levity of the former as Avell as theand)ilion
and astute policy of the hitter. The iMontaijnais
leadini;- a noma<lie life ha<l nonee<l of a stable.
lioNcrnment. However they ijave themselves
war chiefs or captains, whom they ol>eypd wIumi
it j)leaspd them to do so. Some of these chiefs
<>htained the c<ymn»and by ri,i.,dit of hirth, others
by l)ein,i,' elected to it. For example, if the son
of a ea})tain managed well and was natui-ally
elo(|uent, he su<'ceeded his father witliout anv
opposition. In (trder to pay !i tribute of hono»-
to the virtue and ctuiraL^e of a renowned chief,
tile nomination of his successor would some-
times be deferred for scxiMal yeais. A was
usually the i-elations of tln' deceased ehief who
TADOU.SAr-
25
iiaiiM'<l liis succt'issdi-, W hen tho Way ot t-lr-c-
i'um iiniv«>«l, tlie caiKiidate was stri}>j»«'(l of his
apparel ami th«' family »)f (lie (h'ceiused chief re-
|)laee(l this hy new garmontP. Tt was the family
of the »l«»oease<l also whofe^isted the electors ami
fmally the dead chief's wife cr(»wned the newly
elected (»ne who theiehy assunie<l even the very
n.iuic of his j)i"edece8soi' (i).
Tliese chiefs possessed a luoie or less ticti-
tioiis j)o\\er, hut it was not the same with the
foitunatc Indian wlio had (list in<;uislu'<l liimself
hv the luaveiv lu* ha<l shown duiin*' sonn;
encountci" with the tuiemv. This latter assumed
«;;ieat. aifs of conse(|uence and }»ecame really
a rulini^f po\\ er, under the name of war-captain.
The Tadousac war captains liave always h;ul a
hiiih reiiutation an«l historv has n^otnled th<'
names of many amonjirst them. Loiter on wt;
shall si'c how one of them, hv ajj allianee con-
ti'acted in a most unexiK'cted manner, has left his
mai'k on tlie connnencements of the colony.
Like all nomads, the Montaixnais hM»ke<l
(1) |{«'lntioiiN of It'iTiO p.ossiiii.
I
!()
'lAUOUHAC
down oM otlici- nations and j>ii(lo«l t licniHch cs
on hciny: the only nohilit v of tlx* <oniitiv, for
had tlu'V n(»t lilt' most spli'ndid linnt in!_j i^ionnds
in tlic w<)rld for tlirii- domain? Tlins tli«>s»' un-
disciplined nu'ri, who .ipjiarcnt-ly ti»ok no cuo
ahovit- anvthini', \v(MV for a li)n<' tinH' tlu' domi-
natinuf ra('f\ attainiiiLT tu this disijnct ion iMthcr
l)y means of tlwir alliances, or throu<^h the nu-
merous tifVshoots of their Irii);- that had heeii
))lanti'd ill tlm most distant forests, l»y their
\vanilerinsj; groups of hunter's.
Tht^ Montaijnais had made Tadousae tlu;
favorite .centre or i^reat smmnei" station of all
the northern nations. Ki-<»m north to south,
from «>a.st to west, all the Indian^ assi'ml)led at
Tadousae. It \N"as tlier** that the most iieauti-
ful Canadian furs \\(M'e tradt^d fi>r, and amonu;
these fuis it was the niarttm that held the tirst
place.
The canoes of the \i}»issin,<^sand the 'I'emis-
c,imini;s, nf thei Uound IlcNids (Tetes-d*' l>oule)
and the White Fish (Poisson^ IManes) apprtiach-
«n1 this shore side by side with those of the
Micinacs, the Al>'na[uis and the Ktchcmiiis,
i
TADOUNAC
27
They hartn-cd l>cuv(ir;in(l nttn- skins t'nraiiows.
Tli«! Ilurons ht(.u<;h(, iih'hI, IimIj.-ih mm and
(<.l)acc() which tlify exchaiiLjcd for di-cr skins.
Such were the xarious (iih(\s \vh(» inhahircd
the niystcrious Sa^^'ucnay and the environs of
Tad.msac a< the time tJiat Cartier first landed
on its shore.
jij.wi.iiiiiip,i«niiwi
mmmmm
III
.'a-,.i<Mnnl.ior. Tli,. o*t:»l,Iish.npnf fo,,.,,!,. | hv Cha.nplnin -
Th?('anr( <,f Kit.- IVU.ilt . Cl.nn.i.l.iin. Tlw Has-jifs, tu.nl.v
siiiMi'.-n. - Their sinu-^'liii}; tiaile.
It is ill thn i-('l;iti,Mi (.f his sec. MX 1 \'<.v;mc
of<lis,.,,N,.,.y, inaileiii ir,;{r,, thai, Juc4ii(.s-(Vu'
ti.T speaks of th(^ Si-u(.nay as a"(i,M.|., iiairow
fiv(n' of \(My (iaiijrorcms navigation." Haviu.^^
cisi anrhor at its mouth, he was nearly losiriij
l'i>^ .i^.-ilh'V (I). At tlie tini.'. of th(^ St Malo na"^
vi,i,'at..v*s«'xpo(liti.,n in 15K), \u^ had .ve,.iv«.,l
• vvi.ivss onlcrs Ut cxploiv this )nyst(M-ioas liv.'c,
Nvheiv, aoconlin;,' to the infonnati(Mi furnisluMl
l).v the Indians who had Ikmmi ta,k(>n to France,
th(>ro Nv.Mv to l)'«f.Mind " g.'eat ridies and a vciy "
fiiK' .ountiy (■>). •' Cartiei- had no love for this
Si-.ienayshoiv <M his rock without any s.a
or
(I) f'lilior's \ovar.'< c 1. ISl!, |>. 2 ».
('-') iliiil p. 7n.
TA1>UU«AC
L'D
f
"t-.r..|, «lii<l. l„.||,„„«l,M„„n„.,.„l„.Kt,,nv,.,|
"'";»'" l'.v (l.Kl, a,„l t.|,,.,-,.f,„v II,.. Usk „f visit.
w.«..,„.|l „, l!„|„.,,,,,. Tl„. hu,,„.,- ,.n...„.,l,..l
''l»-'"l-«-iwitl, ,.i,,)„, l,a,.ks ,na,„„.,l l,v 7(»
"■•■' "■ ""'•"fl'l'>'««l«.,-ksf„u,Kl,.,.,.,li,;,.|,..
.Sa«,„.„ay w.,,.,s ami .Mghl „f ,1,.. ..x,„.,li(i„„
»<•.•,■ ,l,ow„e,l „, An,„n« ,,1„.„, „;«)„ w,.,-,.
■'""'/^""■"-''"•""'"■''•."■"Ia„™,„a,„«l L,.vas-
-»-• t.n,„ C„„s.,a„e... H„l„,nar.. ,,i|,„, J,,,,..
,^.'''' "• ''■ •^■""^""^'«.i.S wl.„ a«,„„,,a„i,.,l
'"'". ■•'•tu,„«l l,ac.k ,„„vi„,,,<l tl.at "tl.is riv,.,-
' """■" *■ ' ^"^'■'"■'.VS for ii. ll.at ,,ku.,. a sf,,,,,,
'-iir,.„l ,-uns. an,l a l,.r,-il,l,. tide ri.s„s ,•., •' "
T" ,-,.a<.l. (.'atLay, l,y ,,.,„s.si„j, „„. Anu-.-i.-a,!
I^viu , was tlu. ,l,va,„ a,„l a,ul,iti„„ „f all llu-s,.
liarily i)i,i,i(.(,,s ,,f the sea.
Tl.nv Mists „„ ,l,.tail,.,l ace- ,t „f this
^••.ya,«,■ n,a,l« l.y H,„l„.,va|. Aco„r,li,„- to ,,!„.
vers,.,,. «l,i,.|, Hakluyt l,as ...iv,,,, „f it, t(„. ,...
P ..nn« ,,a,-ty that left I-Vauce-lioy „„ the Hfth
ot .lun.. ,-,.tun,e,l at the e,«l „f al„,ut „i„e ,|ay»
(2) Le Roiuier j). Si,
;iu
TADOUHAC
It «'iiiiiio< In- sn}t|»>s('«l thill ill so .slioil spiKM' of
t.iiiic KolxTval (')Mii(l li.'ivt' )K'iit'l i';it<>(l as far ris
t,(t tlic lu'ad of Lak*' St .lohii, as soiiip aiitiiois
\V(ml(l lia\t' lis ln'li»'Nr. A.;j;ji!ii, what. sriiKi' t-aii
iIkmt !)(' ill I ho liilitulous stoiy so ifravcly it-
lat«Ml tliat K(»lK'j\al Mr\«'r irt iiiiu>«l from his
Sa<;u<Miay (>x]>«>(iition and that in all prohahilil y
t hi' \i'stii;«'s of an tdd cnt rrnchnicnt that have
luMMi «hsc«»\rri'd on t lu^ horiU'i'S of the Mistassini
point out the spot wIhmc hii pcrishi'd (i)?
On tlio arrival of (/hamjtlain, Tadonsai*
oincri^es fi'oni its tirst infancy, and the h'/jjonds
surroiindini!; its cradhi vanish from sio;ht. (/ham-
plain i»'lat<^s to us how di' I'onttjrjivr of St, Malo,
nicrcliant, who ha«l lonu; hctMi tfalllckinm' for furs
with tht' Cvanadian huUans, toiincd th»* piojoct
of eslal>lishin!j; a monopoly of tliis t»a«h'. In
oi(Um* to aid liim in puttins^ his ])roj(H't iido
«'X(H'uti»»n lu» tix«'<l on tliecaptain of a Norman
vessel, Sij'urC^hauvin. This man, who thoroughly
(I) Osjj-o(Hrs Till' MnrHiinc I'mrinri')!, c*\. 1>>S.'!. II has l)oeu
V>ri>\e*l that in ir>l4, a .vfar af(t»f Ins Sikgiifiitty \ovajfe, Koberval
vas in France,
mm
t\\)0\:hm'
;il
uiMlcrs
t « M >« I
iiiiN lU'ilioii,
li;ul
H»\V«'I
fill f
rii'iK
Is tit
colirl wlirii' lie llJul Ji rciliiill ililllH'lM*' t liloiij^'li
t lit' s<'r\ ices lie li;ul rnulrrcd iluriii;jj IIm* lute
wais. ('iiainin uhlaiiMMl llio exclusive piivi
l('i(«' svliicli (Ic I'uiili^iJivr liud siiliritrd, on (•••n-
(lit ion (if inliiiiiit in;^' tlic country un<l founding
an cstaljlislnnent, tlu-r*'. 'I'licse two ni<>n eni-
l.ark.-«| at llonlleur in ir»i»!>.
arconipanic(
.1 l.v
several artisans and otlu'is, an<l tlu'V landed at
tlie|>ort. of Tadousac. I)e I*<>nt;;ra\ «' wished
lo connnence an estahlislnnent lii<^dier up the
St I^awrence, Init, (Jhauvin decided otherwise
an<l chose to establish the hase of Ids o]iera-
tions at Tadousac. }|e had a hous«^ huilt there
f<inr fathoms (i) l<»n;j:, three wide aiul ei^ht- feet
hi;;h, which house wuseovei-ed with planks and
had a chiniiu*y in the i;ii(hlh'. It was huilt
like a ^uar-d-house, sun'ouinled iry hui'dles and
a tn^nch i\u<^ in the sand (:.'). A little sti-ea»n
(1) Cfi(inii>lain'n Wnrkx p. (HKi. ('liiuuin'H li.'i))ila(ioii in iniiikHl
1)11 ('luiinpUiin's ijia|> of TiuiouKiic (KXtS),
(2) A fathom is 9. yarr's.
:)'2
TADUU8AC
ran lower down. Tlicy U't't sixteen nun to pass
tlic winter tlu'i'e. \\ hen their |>eoj»le " Nscrc
made warm an«l t^omt'ortahh' for the s\ inter, "
(Miauvin and tie l*ont<,Mav(i ji^tuined to P'rani-e.
I'he wiiitei' eominjjj on, these ]>oor t'oi'saken men
soon leai'iied the «lilleren«'e ot" tenijM-rat ure Iw-
twetMi Kranei' and Tadcaisa*- ; it was, says (/ham-
plain, like the tMtiirt ot" kin,i< Petaiilt, wh«>re
each one vvaiittid to he head. Idle and disconr-
ai(ed, they soon at<' u}) (he ))rovisions that liad
heen left them ; they wen^ seour^^ed with illness
and they would have di<'d of starvation, had not
the Indians taken them totheirowneahins. KJev
tMi of them perished miserahly. This first e.\j)eri-
ment di I not disecmra^'c Chaiivin who in i (iOO
pursued his trathe with ^^ood results. In l()Ol
h«^ was aUout to tinisli his year's eam[taii(n, an
e(|ually profitably one, when he was seized at
Tailousae with an illness that sent him to a
better world.
From that time forth, the reputation of
Tiulousac spread abroad. Lewis Kolx^rts, in his
Coimmrcial Dictionary printed in Loudon, in
TADOUHAC
33
!()()(), rcl;it<!s that llic ])(>rt of ^r(^st on tlu> Lh-
hrador (.-uast, was tlur principal })ost. of JS'«iw
< rancf
th
(1<
)f
i<; rcsKKMK'J^ or a iiovciiioi", an alnionn
and several otlirc otficials ; that the French
Ijpoiight thence ^'reat quantities of c(kI, of whah--
)one aiK
I wliale-oil, as well as l>ea\er skins and
other \aluahle fui's. He adds tiiat the French
also kept up a fort at Tadousac, in order to
trade with the Indians for peltry. The "• Rela-
tions " and various travellers spoke a ^oo<l deal
about Tadousac and the; geoj^i'aphers, from their
w ritiiiijf tables, pi'onounced it to be a town.
Some autliors, Ablx* Lan<,det du Fr-esnoy, fi>r
instance, even set forth that there was jurisdic-
ti(»n established there. All thes(; exaggera-
tions succeeded in cxasp(>rating Charlevoix.
"Thegreater numbei'ofourgeographers,"hesays,
(I) " have marked a town at this port, but there
has never been than Uiore one French house; and
a few cabins belonging to Indians who came
th(»r(i at the trading-season and who afterwards
(1) III vol. p. or..
M
TADOUHAr
«'}ii'rii»<l oil" llioir (]\v<>lliti)j;M, as |H>o|>lr rairy nlf
ihr Itool lis after Ji fair. "
'I'lic n.ivi'jMt', Norman aiul Ilt'rtni) sailnrH
«'»>nt iIImUamI in no small (lrv;n'r to sjucailin^ the
fami^ of Tadoiisac. I'' com tinx* immcmoriaJ
tlu'sc hardy maiiners, Itravin;^ (,h(» unknown
ooeaii, had lislicd on the hanks and ruasi of
Newfonndland ; for «'ent»iii('s h«'f«»r«' the ilhis-
t lions pihit of St Malo first lari<le«l on the slioi-es
of the St Lawrence, eoasters from Rayonne,
hiepjK', llonlh'ur, Ma\"r<» (h' <Jra<'<' and !>« Ktv
chelle hail \isi(ed these rej^ions in jnn'siiit of
whales and also walruses, monster' eetaeeous
animals, of whii'h the seals <»f «(ur <la\s are hut
deujenei'ate ai»d hastard descendants. These,
nM»n lijul «nci j^ivcn nanu's to many of the jxuts
they fTtM|utMvt<'d lM>fore captain Jae<pn>s (^artier
evtM' t<iuehed at them, wiites Lescarhot. '' The
^reat }»r«ttils, ' says tho eonimentat,or of the
Juf/t'ini'nfs «rOh'ro}i, " which the inhahitants of
Capherton " (C\ipe ihetiin) '* !,ear Bayonn*', and
the. Hasipu's of (JuieniMMV:i?i'/.ed from the whaie-
lishery,andthe facility they acipiiieil in it, dtx'oy-
TADOUHAr
35
•(I unii ciiHrrd (linn (<» Im-coiih' mu vnit iirotis tluit
tl
wy sini;^'lil tln's«" uiiiiiia
Is all
<»\ cr t lie i»c(';in in
all flu* loiiLjil imIcs ami laliliMlrs of llii* \vt»rM,
l''nr (his piii'jiosr (lu'V t'oriiicily (i((»M| iiii( vthsi'Ih
ill mhIit (o ;^'(t ill srarcli of I lie liaiinls of (licsii
iiioMs(<»rs. h was llins (lia(, a iHimlird yrars
i>rfoi«^ Cliris(oj)lu'r OoIuiiiImis crossi'd the on'un.
III
icHo iiianiHTs luul diHcoxpnMl (inal am
l(
Li((l<
('(k! I>aiik, (Ham' <l»'s Monu's), N<'\vfoun(llaml,
( 'a|ilM'r(on and iJaccalaos (uliicli in tlirir Ian
mia<,'r niraiis rtn]), Canada or New I'^tancr,
wluM*' (iHTi' an- iiianv '''as al»(»iiiidin" iii
\\
hal
«'S.
in fa((, CartiiM' rccouidH (lia( ('\«'n so far
C
as ivaiiada inanv ^v
hal
t'S.
I.ol|
loiscs aiKl
sra-
hoisos ai"«' (o Im' found. ( 'hafh'voix tells ii.s
(hat, h«'in<; on hoard I In* /A /v/s in 1 7U-^) and
havini: anclioicd at Tadoiisac he saw tlifn* foiu'
w
hales w liich wnc nearly as loii^ as the v(^ss(^l.
Als<», all tiie old historians w rit<; that the l>as-
(pies met, with ureal siu-eess in eaplurini; theso
eetacea in the waters that ha* he 'I'adousac. They
left traeesof haviiijL^ dwi'lt there in \ arious phioes^
M\
Tvnoi HSr
A ImiIo Iowim \\\i\\\ <{n>iM» IhIuhkI (Hi' Void')
Im Hh'»»j\h' tMliuul (111' sni HnMunc), wlii'tf, in Hit>
<iuM' of I 'luul«M <n\. (lUfihl Mljll Itc Mt'f'ii llu>
nMUJUU"* of o\ I'MM iinil wIluli'M liltN In tlu> Miifj;
ilnK'n IhImuMs <o«> iIh'm' i^i !i niiMtjuc IIiuImm,
(n!\\i>';n» lU'\'^<pn' ) I 'lwnM)»lMU» mimI I .owcmi Ih>(
{\ y MO n'porl \\o\\ (lie HiiHipu'M \\»'n< wliiilc
li'^hinjj; \> itl\ ll<«' Kf^»'oumuiii'< iu m itrcK «liirli
In^nr^- tlxMi n.-nno. ,\h«u\( IwcInc puIom Mlfvc
r;ul<»U!^ar \\\i\\ tilsu Im' HM't \>i<li ('M|t(> nnsijut'
(rh.'ilfuH 'uiN H!>'-«pu'mV LmmIIv. i( wmm iIh'
1o\.n*l«'»' of QtH'K'«' lunifM'lf \; ho i^Mxclhr iimum'
of Now Hisr.-n !<' tiu' m{igi\i<i<'»'n( l>Msin fonnctl
l>\ {]\o Uo;n\|>n'' UiUn (I'olo do nrtMiprt'). <Ih'
iMitr;uu'o of (l\o rn or St Chnilfs. l.-i ('MUMi-ilirit'
;uu! rrt]v' l>i;nn«>n«l (<'m|> OiiuuMhl). I i ro(ln'ri«'
s.»\s "In \ho >i\ «'r there .'\««' .« ijicMt nnni
IxM of w haU^s. The IvjiMpios hiui ;i pcnn.ini'iil
iislunvi sjjx>un*l tl<<'«'<* .some xojns tigo, mihI. h.Ml
thov not ;MU»IS«hI (Ium\is«'1\0s hv sr<i('(l\ iMilN
iuijotTjiU the )H'lts fi^nn TjuhMiHU*' and its en
> in»t\r. *.ho\ would )\ol ha\<' snl>sn«nnMi( 1\ found
thnn>olM*s tlojnivt^l of tl\oir j»n>|M'i'ty.'"
V\>nu«onv Hi tracts vSMunuMoo, J'l»o w halo-
I AIMM'MA*'
isi
IImIm'I V liMil nl 1 1 it'lixl (Ii<' I'lt'fjiM"^ ♦'» Hm Hulf
of Hf li»iwr<'ii< »>. Iiiii fii (Ih"m imI\ ' ii) inoim j'h !»«•
• lilititiM, Imviii/' iiM'l. will) IndidH!-), tli'-y ''nn
liii>l|i(>i| III ttMflf will) llntri III* i'tMM, iiJwMyM a
jU'i'i'imc' t iimiiiM'lil \ . (lit llM'Vf<*«,w ii» flii>< {rniVv
II iiiiicli iiiiMo U'imIv (KmI (tiorihiMc v> ny uf 'ii
»i«'liing < iMMii'ti'h I'M (liiMi l»v ' 'M.I iM'(iiM{ 'Icir
wlmJr llMlu'tv 'rii''ii tKiHif iiMil Im'^'h Iff* »i»i«l
n III Mill I iilli'il unlil IIm' mm I, III III' <lc I '' ii 1 1 j/tHV*'.
'I'lif I" hildiMliiiH'iil m|' 11 iiMiMMpMly w»i,>' ii'il, III?* I V
III liiiil fiiviil in I III' Mij/|(t hT rtlMI'ilMM ii )M(i|v|oiii
)'(' |m llir r»<'r(l«i|ii mF <I(< It I'lMHj/ lif»'.
'I'imIo\im)m wii'i i:l Hi)i,f. fiuM' ill'- H'»mI»/
\n\\<- iir' llio iiMtiMMli* trilM''^ <»♦' ^ 'MtuMhi wlio, i-vf-r'y
Mpiiiij/, IimmI riifMl Um'I'*' I'i mi't flic A n(M»r 1/ »»,f»
;i(n! HifJiiri iMiir'iiMM'H iiii'l l»(U't«'» »iwn,y io fit* in
llii'ir l»<(i\('i imd mill* "II '■'kiiiM, 'r>i'' SnyiM-n/iy
mnilcM WMM iilriMuiy l»«l<l in ^rcuf. ♦'kU'Ith l»y
l^jnioju'Mii iinlinnH.
Tlir ciiHtotuH (»!' CM)! i!n'>'' K.'.uitl !»♦• I linn^jf
I'd III 11 iii'HiMM'l. A M<M'<iiim nuiflif't l\tt'rf'fnrc
iK'/ii'lv ai'oHi' Ml M'»<?K wl.cM (If !''intijrav«', «mi
it'l lulling In TiMloiiKae, (itiiinmi* «•'! fofhr Ua**
(|ni's llial llii'V •MMilfl III' !(»!!^<'f Jr.uK- uifh thi-
ll
I ^
hi
wmm
;i.s
TADOUHAC
Itidi.-iiis wilJioul. lii-st ohtainiii^' the privilog*' (.f
S.I (loiiij;- fn.iii (Ic Monts, who hud inherited
Cluiuvins niou. •[)(»!%'. The !>ji.s({ues uiul^'r the
couinijuid of cnptaiii J Jaiacht;, an old whale-
(isli'M'. little accustonied to tJi«.' iT-stiictions ini-
]-os<'d hy letteis-paten. tin-d unceremoniously
on dc Pont^nu c's vessels, wounded two of his
uu'ii and killed a thiid. They wei-e about t<i
spike the i^ams of tle'intrudei- whu had rome to
distuth tiieui in their operations, when Cham--
J)lain airised. Mo((; diplonuitie than de Pont-
,i;iav('\ Chaniplain eoneludeil an armistice with
the itisur^'ents and it was mutually a^jve<l
to ivfer tfie settlement of th<; dispute to tl»e
kin;4. Two years afterwards, in 1010, the rujin)r
h;i\inu' spi'ead in {\w French sea-jiorts that tlie
kinj;- had rescinded de Mont's ])riN ileges, the
«,'reed of the merchants for l»ea^er skins was so
,i<reat, says L<*scai-l)ot (i), that tliree tpiarters of
thcni, tlunkiny; to ,<<et the ivolden lleece without
sirikiuL;' a hlow, did not even succeed in ob-
taining' woolen ileeces, so great was the auaiber
(1) Rook V, chap. V,
TADOUSAC
39
I
of ('(»in|>etitoi"s. Chjuiipl.iin, foi' li^s p;ut, tells
us that there was so ;^reat a numoer of sliijis
at T.idousao that tliere was hut little trading'.
Many, he mUls, will lon<jj i-eiueiuhei- their i'-sses.
However, this unfortunate year «li(l not dis-
coura«![e any <me. Tn Kill, Tadousae was still
(■«.v< red with snow when thret^ sliips c;ust anehor
here. The elironicler says, that, hy arrixini;
t^ije 'u;*st, they ho}>ed to reap ampler }>roHts, hut
tho Iivdians awaited the arri\al of more ships
in ordi-r to l)uy and sell on Ix.'tter terms.
' Thrs those people weit; mistaken, remarks
Cliar.iplain, who thou^^ht to do ^reat things hy
arriving" the first : for the natives are now t«K>
eunning and clexer. '
The jjasijues, hein^' cut oil' from tradinj.',
<»rti;ani/.ed a snmji^^ling eamj>ai<^n whieh they er«n-
tinued to in ," on most actively on these shores
until tl)' c'i?v......neon out of the ITth century.
In \^y.^ viiiiiplaiii arriving at TfUlousac puh-
licl* read • '•. In' commission mul gave orders
that the kin.g'sarins an«! letters-patent shoidd l)e
attached t<» a post in full \ iew of the puMic, so
40
TADOUSAO
that no one could plt'tul ignoivuu'o of them.
Sieui's (le, la Moincrie and la Ti-einblaye,
aIthou<,di pronji.^ing to conform to thes<; oi'dei-s, -
continual to trade away their merchandise for
the pelts furnished them ])\ tiie natives. At
one time Chaniplain would surprise La liochelle
vessels in <;ivinfy the dians " a quantity of tire-
ai'uis, with po\vd(>r, , 'uder, tilings nu>st
pei-nicious (o )>la<'e in liu • ids of these infidels
wlio miglit make use of them against us some
time or other. ' At another time it was the
Spaniartls who \v(Mit to Tadousac in oi-der to
spy out the comiianvs transactions. The snmir-
glers from I^a llochelle and elsewher-e had, at
that time, their ])ost of observation on (*reen
Island (fleA'crte). In 1621, de Caen and de
Monts fitted (Hit a vessel in the jx^rt of Tiidousac
and went in }>ursuit of them, Imi, says Chain-
plain, the birds had flown two (hvfs previously.
All that remained was an inti'cnchment of pali-
sades. This wjisat onee burnt. From thetimeof
lhej»ilot Jean Alphon.se, (J rcen I slaiid had already
been .'alle«l the island of war. And cxerv vear.
TADOU.SAC
41
u.uler pretence „f Hsl.in^^ for wl.Ues, tin. ]{.,s
ques, Spaniards or Norn.ans n.ana^^^ed in son.e
way to exchan.i((» their n.e,vl,an.lise for pelts
TV
Cliumiilain nui'ls ihc Imlians. How an uiitiiiiuiiuU' iilliunce
j:rt'\s out of a visit of couitt'Hv. - The foiiinler of tiif coIoiin as
a tlu'oloj;iaM. Tlif first oiu> to liifak his itipc. Tl\f hroihirs
K.'itk. The (loath of cajitaiii Daniel at Tiuloiis-ac. His fune-
ral .
Ohjiiiii>liiii> ;u i . . (1, uiul, as wo liavt' said,
\inv asi(l(» tlf \«'il roiii'i'aliiij;" the ofiuiii of
Tadoiisai'. Tu fact . \\ •> tlic tifst liistoriaii of
tliis /t'n'(( liir(>(/)iif<(, aiul ii<> «>ii»' has s|M)k('U
Ix'ttPi' of it tliaii ho. His (U'Scii})tions arc
always s'> t'aitlit'ul and so exact that on perusing-
thcni Tadousac is easily n'<;o,u:ni/.cd.
Such as Ta<lousac theii was, sucli is it at
the ]>i'esent day. Let. us open Chani}»laiHV
joui'nal at the pa«,'e i-ecoi-din^' tlie day wiieii he
entered tl\e haihof of Tadousac, May 'J 1th,
1G0.'>, and jeud what he says :
'* Tad«»usac is a small hay, at the entrance
of the river Sagueiiay, wliere tiiere is a current
wmmm
'l■AJ)<^l^SAC
i:\
'»(• ils
'»twat.r and a ti.l. most .vn.arka),). f.. ...
sw,Hr..ss a.ul .l.ptl,, au<l wlte.v, a, .in.os, lU.rv
''^••^^' ^■'"'''"^' ^^'"'K <-HUsin.^ ,j.,v;.,( <.„1,1. Tl.is
l-'<"rra,l.>Msa.- is sM.all an.i nM,hl „u]y hnU\
so..u.t..nortuHxvv.ss.ls;l,uf Mu-nMs plont v
-^ '-;.(..•(„ M., ..,,,(, s},ol(.,v(l fruM, ,h. Sa-
^unnay nvvn a)<M,;. a liitl,. nM.untain al,n,,M <,n
fn* l.onh.,.s <,f tl.,sca. IJesu|<.s tin. tlH.v a,v
n^^'Ji ....Huaains, uiu>,e then, is Init Jittlr soil
'>ut plenty rocks and sands uhere ;:rou- u.,.,d^
'•t P'nr, cypress, fir and several sorts of trees of
little vs-orth. There is a little pond near the said
P>rt siHHn. l.y numntains covered with wo<.d.
At the entraiice of the port th(M-e are two head-
J^tnds : the one to the west strctc-hin- a lea<rue
mto the sea, called St Mathieu or T.irk Point
(aux Allouettes) ; and the otlier, to the south-
oust, projecting a <,i,arter of a leai^ue, cM.llcd
1 ..i.vt of all the Devils, (,) so nan.ed fron, its
Kreat danger. The S., S 8 J], ;uid S S VV., winds
l>l'>vv strai.irht into (j,e port. Point St Mathieu
(1) Xo«- .allfd CoH I'oii.t (i'oinle auv \ a<hes.)
wmmmm
wmm
■■
■i
44
TADOUHAC
aiul Point of all the Vh'xlU are noaily a h'a<;iu'
a])art ; both of t)»('ui are dry at low wate!-. "
All the historians since Chani}»lain have
e(»i)ietl from hini, hut none; among them have had
his powers of observation or his correct eye.
Tl»e short descrijitiim, which he «,Mves of the Sa-
o-uonay after having gone up it for about rtfteen
leaiiiu's, can be read more than once. How
exactly true is what he says of '' this land of
mountains and rocks, the grejiter pai-t of wdiich
is covered with wikkIs of fir, cyi)i"ess and birch,
a most un}>leasant soil of land, v regular desert
uniidiabitable for animalsandbii-ds. " With what
astonishing exactitude again, with nothing to
go upon except the simple accounts given
by the 1 ndians, did he trace tlie itinerary of
the mysterious <lepth.s between Tadousac and
J ludson's Bav.
•r'
From IG0:{ t(» 1031, Ohamplain chronicles
the principal events of this distant post, a daily
chronicle always enlivened with typical details.
One seeujs to be living the very life led in those
primitive times. The scenes whicb he describes
mmmmmmmmm^l^'f''''^
TADOl'SAC
45
ill so iiaivi! and duinniii^r a style, .'iro so life-like
that wo feel more like havin-r Ikmmi ourselves
aet(Mvs in them than we have n now Iwuncf mens
postliunums spectato.'s of thein. On elosin,<,'
the book the readcn- is astonished at having' tra^
veiled so far, in so short a time, arul without any
fatigue.
This P.n'nt St Mathieu which 1 s,>.. yonder
fMdin<,r away into the somewhat misty morninir
horizon, T remember having approached in a
little Biscay boat rowed by four xigorous boat-
nuui, and having there landed on a little risinj/
shaded by cypress and fir. T remend)er calling to
mind the superb i-ecepti.)n ^^iven to Champlain,
May 27tli 160.3, by the great sagam(» Anadabi-
.j<>u, surrounded by aln.ut a hundred Indians,
and how the interpreters, his fellow countrymen,'
••elated to him what they had seen in France :
the 8i)lendid chateaux, the palaces, the p<.wei- of
the great king who was sending him aid against
the Iroquois. And the great sagamo and his
warriors brandishing the skulls of the eneh.ies
tliey had just vanquished in a great light,
IT)
T.VDOl'SAC
after li.i\ iiii,' (laiHod uiid siiutkcd for a luii<f
V liilr, nlVrir<l (o I 'hamjtlaiii a suix'tl) frast of C'a
na«lian rlk venison, ft was on this liurk Point,
tl\iKi!ii;anini|)ioniptu feast, that was eonsunnnat
tHl that allianee between tlu' Al<;(>ntjnins and the
Fit'iieh, wliieli wastoexereise soijjieatatnnnueruci
iMithedestinies of New I'^ranee. Inijooildeed, this
toni^iie of lonely land was a witness of one <f
the most inijMtitant political e\ents of tiie
FnMH'h eia. A most decisive step was heio
tak»'n, f«tr it was here that was conceittMl the,
plan of the i^Tcat stiUi;i,de with the Ti'oijiiois,
\\hirh eommeneed that lonij; iamj)ai,un which
was to t-ost so much blood and so many saeiitiees
to our ancestors. < )n«' iniglit ahnost think that a
sti-ani.re destiny had so wilh'd it that «tn the
siuftiny- hanks at the Saj^'uenays nn»uth, the
date of the lirst French establishment in ( anada
and that of the doath-warrant of the colony
should be inscrilH'd side bv side, (i)
(\) No r«'liiiii''t' stiould t>t' i>l:\ci'<t <tii miidts like Onj;i»ihI wtio
)»!a<r this stviif of UU<i at t'oiiitc Honk- and ^pi-ak of l.t's<'i\rliut
tniHfi- pn-jst'iit tit 1hi');reat council, \\lu'it.'as he had not then vwv
t>ei'ii in (\tnada.
t
TADOUHAC
47
And till til,, inorn.w of this cnjssirijL,' of l\w.
Kuhicon, I sec tl„- lM<li.iMs <M,il,;,rkii.^' in (heir
li,i,'h(, .-allocs "inadr of Inrdi hark slivfi-tl,,.,,,.,!
iusUU' ],y littl,. l„„,,,s of wliil,. <.,.,lar," (lu-r.
liu.din.o in the sandy cn-ck ,.f Tadiuisac. Tlioy
HIT .'oniin- as diplomats in old Kuiopc mitrhl
Imvp don.., toivtiun the. visit wJiidi Cl.anij.iaiii
1i;kI made them.
One of thfir clii^fs is clinntin^r ,i ],„,-
wailino sonx in the styN' of Ossians verses, fl,.
ivconnts tlu- ,|....<js of valor and prowess (»f the
last, (•anii)ai,!4n, (Ji(. nuniher of encnies who hit
the dust, their vaN.r an<l th«'ir inis<|eeds. |].,in«;r
••'•ul<l not have het.tersun;^ <,|„,,se ,leeds. The old
men, s(.ated in :f scmijI eerele on tlie shore, from
timet,,, tim.. inl,.rrupt tlie orat«.r hy .ruttural
sounds e.|uivaleiit t.» hear ! h,.ar .' of'„ur own
days. At ,.aeh verse the women and the <ri,.|,s,
vyit,hdishev,.||,.dhair,performafrantiedanee,l,^t-
tin.ir fall some ].aF-tieIe of their elothin<,^ at e\erv
step, so that at the ,.nd of the "cnnplaint "
they an. as slightly elotln-d as the fair Amphv-
trite issuin.i,' fn.in the l),.s,.m of the waters.
The furious ])assi,.nate dances ,,f tho elassical
48
TADOUSAC
l»jicoli;iiitt's wvn' not to 1m^ coiupurcd with tin;
.stijinj^c wrird ♦•vitlutions jx'ifoi'iiM'd tlwit day
oil tlu' T;ulousac mjumIs.
'J'liis carnival lia\ in<^ (MhUmI, tin- |)«'n««tia,
tfatin^ and sctious niin<i t}f Chaniplain losi; to
lii^luT foiisidi'iationH. lie fell, iiiirasy al)out
tli(3 souls and the n*li.i,Mon of iIm's*^ childnMi of
!!!«ture. Heretofore when tlie kinj^ had ^iven the
monopoly of the Tadousac tradin<^ to Chauvin,
CMianiplain had dejjlored that tins speculator
was of the " r<'foiine(l " S(M;t. It was interest-
inn t«> listen to him, (piestioniiiLj the saganio
Ana«ial)ijou.
The lattei-, in all confidence and simplicity,
explained to him his ideas as to the formation of
man, how (lod, .ifter ha^'iul; inadi; a numher of
ari'ows, stuck them into the ji^nmrd, whence
there issued m«Mi and women.
Chamj)lain, on his side, would relate tlu^
IJihlo tradition concerning the ci-eation of
Adam and Pive, speaking of the unity of God
and the mystery of the Trinity,
The Indian, after having listened to hin»
meditatively, after a while ef>ntinucs ;
lAIiOtSAf
W
Uo Iwwl hm.d say thai in ,,|<|,.|, iinH,s five
I'l.-h -oin- towards tlu. sr-Uin- sun inrt (I,m1
face to fuc.. and l.r asKvd thnn : VVImmv an-
ym^oin-? WV arr ^.uin- to seek our livin..
'•^'1>I'''*I tlu. five trav(.Il.,-.s. A.mKIuI said |7.
thuM you can tiiid it licit..
The travellers passed andd^Hl, taki.i.r a
stone, struck two .,f these ohstin.ate n'^en
with u and they were immediately turned („
stone. Wluue a,re you ;r„in^r '^ ,,^,1 he ai^^ain
udressin- the three remaining men ? W'e ,,,^,
going to seek our living. (U> no further, you
can find a living here. They stopped a n.on.Vnt
'tMd, seeing that nothing cmne of it, eontir.ued
their way. (J.mI then taking two sticks struck
tw<, of Mu> traNelhMvs and they were immediate-
ly turned into sticks. The last n.an ren.ained
completely stupitied. Where are yon ..oin-.
Hsked (UhI of him? Tarn seeking a Hvin^
Jhe exan.pleof his f<,ur <.onn.ades nwule him
reflect a httle. He stop, kmI and listene<l t!!
what (UkI had to say and (iod then gave him
meat and he luid a very heait,\ meal.
On another occHsion, continued the great
l-W.»l
mmm
wmmmiimmimmmmmmmmmmmm
50
rAWOUSAC
cliirF wl<o liiul ii'Av heroin.' iiarrulous, <5<>«l
nsk.n! ;i iiKiu V. li(. luul i»l<'iity t..l>;trc.. \v}iciv
v;,is hl^ l.ilx- i \\r 'J^'isr it lo <1'><1 \vlio Ht'lvf
haviiii; sm..k("il ;i -uo.l <lral l>f..kc tli. pip.- int..
sov.M'iil y)i«v(>s. \\liy(li«l \.ui!»ir;ik m\ jmjh' ?
you s(M' I liav no otli.T, And tl-xl took oiio
wliicli lu- 1>M,(1 :iM(l uav,- it to liiin, s;iyiii,t; : Tlu'tv
is one whirl. I -ivc y.'U, r;ury it to y<uir .utvat
sa-iuno iunl tell iiini to k.'.']. it. If he takes
jyooil caiv of it, he will want for notlnii.y.
neither l»e. nor any ot' hi> conipauioiis. S . l(>ii,<;'
as he kejit that i)ii.e th<' Inchaiis wanted for
nolhiuj;. lUit one dav h.' lo->t it, and fi'oni that
time f.M-th ihe lnd:an-> have s\ilVered fr»»ni
famine.
The primitive udialnlanisof Canada had no
ooodeliee.r and seareely any notions of omoii and
^^vil exeept wliat referred to those tw.. points.
Perhaps, it is lliis stcuy <»f thi- .L-reat sa,uan\o's
pipe Nvhieh has oi\en rise to the eonnnon
expression amoiiu Oana(Hans. //>' hnn hrob't, Ins
pipt' (11 a eassr sa pipe), to iudicati' tluit a man
has luei with some ill luck.
ytaiiw i.A.<». I
- ..t-^i ■■ mMmumitmmmci.m»m wiJMiT.,
TADulT.SAC
( 'lij)Mi]»l;iin, serious and Ljiavc, «'V('ii while
iioiiiiy <lowii iii his iiieiiioirs (he t'al>les that wci-e
r<'(i»uiiti'(l ti> him hy {he Tadousar eliief, <1<k's
not t'(»fjjfe< to lutle «louii Hkevvise the lessons
tVoM! the catetrhisin which hejuaxe him in rt'turn.
All this hii^ly displeases tlu* saceastie
Lesearlxit who maintains that the IJihle tra
tlitioiis were t|uit<! int'oinprehensihle to the
Indians, even stij)j>osin;L!: that tho nanatoi's of
them had s|)«»ken'the lan;LrUfi^e in perfection.
liefore the king' had ^i\t*n the monopoly of
the Tadousac ttade to individual companies, nu
)n('r«)us \(sssels used U> come and anch(»r in that
port. An old man used to r<'l'ite to Fathei l^alle-
niant that he had seen as manv as tweniv
vessels at a time (0. lior^eron, in his tr-eaty
on navigation, j>ul»Iished in 1029, says the same
thing. The " IJelatittns '" of \^\'2i') thus recount
the manner in which the con){>anies, heing jea-
lous of their piivilege, cariie*! «.n their trade.
Si) so(»n as the ti'a<linj4: was assured t.o the
{\ssociat ion, to the exclusion tf all othiUN. tlie
(1) • Helaiions " of 162»3.
"^"^^""mmmmmimmmiflmi
;)L'
•lADUUSAC
Hchiti
(1
th
loiis siivs (iKTc wore no Ioniser in<»it' than
l.uu Ncsscls l!» 1m' seen and IIm'}' lM'|on;^'r<l to
tin' associ.'itioii. lOxcn ihrsc wi-rc (Mily st»(Mi
at the IwiiiiHiiuu of.luiu'. 'J'Ih'so
oiK'c a year,
two vrsscls 1)coiil;1u all llic iiKMxliandist' wliioli
the association traded away to tlic Indians, i. «•.,
Lfjcat -coats, blankets, ni^ht -caps, liats, shirts,
cloths, hatchets, arrow heads, awls, swoi'ds,
instiumcnts with which to hreak the i(;o iii
winttM-, kni\cs, iron pots, dried plums, jj;rapes,
ind
iaii coiii, peas, hiscuits aii(
d tol
)acco.
1
n
oxchani:;e the Indians ])roii;4;ht tin* skins of the
Can/idian elk, the lynx, tlie fox, the otter, the
niarttMuthc nnisk-rat, hut principally the heaver
which was the most j)rizpd. In one year alone
22,000 skins wc^re shijiped. ( Jenerally the car^o
consisted of from 1 "> to 20,000 atajnstole each*.
The conj])any employed forty peisons and more,
whilst the i-rews of the two vessels nunilM.M'etl
ir.o
n\en.
All tl
lese
had to ]»e fed
ai u
1 ti
u>ir
wa<.'es paid, so that th
e ex}M'ns<-s wei'e eonsi-
tlerahle. Some of these men ha«l lOG livres 1
"Ten francs iiuiko ii i»i«*t<.il.
TADOUSAC
53
;'^;--10UIiv,.s. An f,.r.,-p,...t.., ,„, ,00 ,,i..
tolov; Mv 11 „.II .. -1 I
SK
'^s, as V i
kins.
■" ^'- '"-'iClil to ..o-rtain nmnl.T „f
„ "•;"^>«-,.||l,. ;,n,„.,|.,v„l,«l,,„„nv;,.ty
'■"■,'•■*■;'"■'"■- ^'^ ^-^<!u-s„-.w„M.|.,.,l,,'|„.„
«.T.v,.,l,uTa,l..usao,a,,,lf,,H,,,,„,,,,,,,,,,,.,|,^,;
»ta,,,l,,,, i,, .,,,,,„,,,,, I,,. ,,,f,,,^^^^_-^^^^. J
''.'"';■''/',"'"■'""■"""■ '^"^ -asai, ,.,,;
•II l-l'-v.Is, a,„l,l„. ,„„„...,,,„,„„„„,, „„,
'""'■;"" l'"^"'"<"' t"tl..M,.,.a s |«.„,„f,,
"" """;l'<''iv.'r <„ ,„..,., ,1„. v,...,.|. C|,.,|,..,|
;;' '■■^V'"' "ll 'l-.^'''-^' and l,i,,,..„.s w,.,...
y «-.t. ti,..i,. „,..,. ,,,,„,.,, ,„„ ,,^^,.;
«y-, .',v,.|„-„«..s a„.l ,.l,..,.ks pai,„«l l,la,.|<
-ml. - r..., „f, I,,.,-,. ,W,.s,,ai„t,.,l,,., I. ,■„,.„,.,,
;";;'"■ «'■'"."' f"ii-'i'- «i--i. ti„.v as. .,,
*'>■■«'-;.•<-..;... ri,,.,a,..,. .,...,. „,:,,,,,,. ,i,.
l"-""«l'"l-vn,„,l„.|„.i,„.i|,als,.,,i„„. Tl,..v,.a,-
54
TADOII.SAC
that C}iani})l{iin liad laid the f<m!i(lations (if the
<'a})i(al of New France, lie had tounneiKcd a
habitation at Tadousae. Not a siriij^le vt'ssel
Avetit u|) the ri\-er before ha\ iiii; anchored in
this harbor. Tt was there that de Pontgrave
and his assistants ]>assed the winter when the
necessities of his trading niad<'. it advisabU'.
(^>uebec was then only a ])ied-a-terre «>r teinpo
nwy place.
F(M' nearly twenty-five years, one company
had succ«.'eded another in the lucrative mono-
poly of Tadousac amidst divers vicissitudes.
Ohau\in had died, leaving his powers to de
Ch.ist(;s. De Monts and de Caen had succeeded
them. <juarelling oNcr the l)ooty vvhen<'\er they
had some I'espite from tin' Basques, who weni
hardy coJitrabandists.
Champlain exerted his great powers of con-
ciliation to try to make i)eace In'twecn these two
grasping traders. Th<' port of Tadousac beheld
more than <tne a<*rinjoni«nis scene
bet
ween the
•rews of the rival ti-alHckers. ('ailed on to
jirbitrate between them, tl
le
fatl
ler o
f tl
le eo-
TADOL'HAO
55
litnv would not allow hiniselt' to sh(»\v aiiv \nv-
fcriMice for tlie one oi' the otluT, since he li;i»l
to do justic*?. " So ;is n(»t to he an eye witness
i>f de Ci-UMi s Jiets of \ iojein-f lie tells us how, on
onfn>ec;ision. he ])i-efen"ed<;(»inL; uptheSasxuenay.
\Vh»'n tlu'ir conunon enemies, tiie r>;is<|U«'s,
were overeonu*, or wIumi the nwunuT of divid-
ing' the j)i-otits (»f ti-adini;' had hrcn settled,
therearose nuestions of relij^don Ix-tween Hn<;\ie
nots and Cut holies and thesr weir hy no means
the least, perplexinir sultjects of disai^reement.
Durini;" tilt' sunime?' uf MriN. |)avid Kn-tk'
a l)ie|H)e apitstate, w li<» lia<l noneovn to the
ser\ ice of the Hn^lish, undfitook to i-eeonrih;
the discordant jtarties hy ta.kin<4 j>ossession of
Tadousac where he hnriil all the priN ateers and
hi'uke up the mill-s((tnes whieli de Caen had
M''|J?li;Lrently left there inst»\id of sending them
to (^U('l)ee. "They would ha^(• heen as well at
DiepjK' as ;it, Tadoiisae, f«'marks (.'lianiplain. for
what eonid we do with lliem lliere f
The followinLT year Kertk returned to tlie
chai*.i,'e. It was fi'oMi Ta<|i>usae t liai he sent his
^im
mmmm
mmmmmmm
Mi
56
TADOUSAC
two lnutlicis to C)iHin|)Iain siiiinnoiui)^ hioi to
j^iv«mp tln'foi't of QuelK'c. The littlf <;[aiTisoiifor-
gotttMi l.iy the traders, half-staivecl, with iiowIhmv
to l(M»k foi'succor, laid down tlieir arms and tlirir
foiKjUcroi' sent them to Tadoii.sac. Kertk, elated
with his <'asy victory, had a t/eiib put iij) ado»-ii-
ed with vtM'dure and, in this tent surrounded bv
his captains, he celehrated his victoiy.
The Kertks had formerly l>een wine-mer-
chants at Bordeaux and Cognac and knew no-
thing of the sea. They had been brought on this
expedition by a Fi-ench deserter, ca[)tain .Jac(pie>s
Michel, a Dieppe Huguenot. Displeased at the
Keitks taking to themselves all the me?"it, he
was threatenitig to take fnnn them what he
had procured for then», when he suddeidy was
seizeil with a gr-eat drowsiness. After liaving
been thirty-iive hours without, speaking he gave
up his soul, nM>st fortunately for the Kertks but
not so foi'tunately for himself, if, as Champlain
do<'s not doubt, he went to h<>ll.
an(
" r left my country, he said to C hamplain,
Idid wondr^rs toseivea foi-eigner ; ne>er again
TADOUHAC^
•U
\
simll I ))(• l»!ip)»y fur I sliall always Iw IwUl iti
iKM'ror l)y »'\('iy one. 1 havp iu» h()|K' <»f iH^tuni
ii)<' to Kivmco wluTc T have alicadv been h(^l<l
u)) to i«'j)i-ol)atioii. Sinct' T am thus tii^atcd oii
all hands, 1 am (hivtMi to df^spair and t'orccd to
do worse de(5ds than 1 have evei* done hefofe."
This wi-eteh(Hl man, says the Inflation of
Ifi.'U, had, on the e\e of l\is (h;at]», uttered trr-
T'ihle blaspliemicis ai^aiiist Gt»d and aijainsl St.
F'^natius, deelai'inu; that he* wIsIkmI h«? miijht
It' luui'jf if, h'fore the next eveninj^, lie liad nt)t
i;i\<'n a ei»uj)l(> of sla])s in the face to one of the
-lesuits who had been ca]>tnred l»y tlie Kiii^lish,
at the same time usinji; most injurious lan<j;uai;e
eoncerninjjf the Father. He was soon after
taken with a malady which rendei'ed him nnron-
scious and of whieh he di«'d likt' a dos.r the next
day. 'I'Ik' surgeons, of wliom tliere were a jjjieat
many, did not treat him ri'.,ditly, for they ^fiivo
him sleej)in,u; mixtures wlirn h«' was ali'eady in
a state of lethari;y.
.Michel s character* was \ injent and iras-
cihle and he ha<l alieadv liad a Ncry animated
58
TADOIJHAC
(Hi.in-('l witli tlic! .lesuit Katlicr Biohuut' at tlio
)»'H( of Taiiousaf. Onf day, David K«'i-lk had
thus adth'cssod thcs .K'suits : " (lent Icincji, y<mr
l)Hsin<'ss ill Canada has \)vvn t<> (iiijoy the
j))'o])(',rty of Moiis. do (Jaeu wlioni you liave
disjK>ss(»ss(Ml of it."
Excuse nu', sii-, replied lUclm'uf, we canif.
hero from pure love of (!od, and we have ex-
posed our lives in overy way for the sake of
eouN'ertiii^ the Indians, "
" Yes, yes, of course, f«»r th«' sake of con-
verting the Indians, hut you really njean eoii-
\'ei'ting tlie In^aseis, exclaimed Michel.
" — That is untrue, s.iid Bie))icuf.
'* Michel raisetl his hand as if to strike
him ; lUit for the respect T owe to the genei'al T
would slaj) your face for having giv(Mi me the
lie.
!>rel)(euf, who was of hercidean ]»rt»portions
k«>])t CO tl : " Excuse m'', said he. hut I <lid not
intend gi\ing you the Wo ; I should he verv
sorry to do sx 1 1 is an exj>rc^sion that wi^ make
use of in our scliofils, wIkmi a doulKful (juestion
TADOUISAC
r)9
is |)i»»|)«>.s«'(l to us, and wr. takr jki oH'ciitT al
it, t luM'cFoi'o I hti^f of you U) j)ar(l(m mr aiul t<»
lu'lirNti that I had no intfutiou of olliMidiii;^
'llw P'athci's cxcust's did not calm down
Michel and his an<^(M" was s(» ijfi'i'at tliat soni(j
|M'oj)l(' say it caused his death.
The deatli of this uidia|>])y turn-coat ;;;ave
uiorej)Ieasuie tliau it caused i-e.^ret; nevertlu'Iess
lie was l)U!ied at Tadousac with all the honois
due ti^* his hi'avery and his i-ank. Louis Kertk
had a cotlin niad»! for liini wjierein the, 1) tdy
was plact'd, and a drawn sword was laid on the
c )Nc'r. Two huiidre;! n»yn at arms landed from
ihc vessels in order to escoit the mortal remains
which were car'ried on the shoulders of the
mariiu^ otHeors. At tht^ head of the c )rtt5i^(f
marched amaiifully-arme(U);Niiini^a,iound shield
and a <nitlass, and a blackened )>ike was hintken
and thrown on the cotlin. V\ hen tlu; corpse had
been lowered into t,he <^ra\e an<l the minister
had said the last ])i'ayers, the soMiers tired two
volleys, vyhilst 90 guns were fjred by the ve.^sels
iiJiJJIiHPIMr|l^ipC.
l»0
'lAfKH'SAC
vliirli wvvc iUH*li<u'«!(l ill (he |) »il (1) ;iiiil liud
tlirir flajLjs iit Imlf-masI liigli." As suuii as llic
o'nMiinnv was tinislu'd, I'vciv <>n«' r«*tuni('<l ud
h»;inl. ** Tln> luomiu'iij^' did it<tt last !or>u, adds
Ciiaiiiplaiti ; on thi' oMitiai'V ncxf'i' was tlicrc
moiv ivjoicinij, ])rin(M pally <mi lioard (uu* of tlic
vossrls, wIktc til. i'<' \svn} a \r\\ harrcls (»f
Spanish wine, lie was tliiis pai<l out fdi- all he
ha<! d<nu'. "
AfttT tli<' d('j)aitur«' of tlu; Kngiish, tlir
Indians dw^ up jioor Jacciucs Miclicl's body and
tivaUnl it with tin-. ^'i-(N-it<5st indignity. They
hunv^ it to a titT and, aft(M- )ia\ing cut iti pieces,
guvr it to t.JM'ir doi^s to eat. (-'. *' liehold the
n-waixl of traitors, I pray (lod to open tlu^ eiycs
»»f the othei's, adds Fathej" Ic Jeuiu;, after ha\ inir
ivvountrd these ahoniinations. " {•■',)
\n Ifi.'U, " Tlie Company of r)no Hundreil
AssiK'iates "' (('cuts Assoeics) fitted out another
(1) The ve-wfls were aiKliorfd at Moulin H;m(l<; an'l »hr\ y;a\c
th«Mn-»i'lvt's (hf trouhio af yuiiii; to Tivlousac in urdir Im luiry
him. (UiMnliiTi'. )
{■*) llclation of KVU.
(S> Relation of Ui:{:!. .Many wrilors hav<' coiifoMiHlpc) >a|*(oiii
J.v^^lK•!* .Mi" IhI with out; of the lirolhfrs Kcrlk,
v»«..lf,„.,l„. T,uI,.„«,u..„m1.., 1,u, ,I„. tVa,. „f
'"'."■""- "'"' ""• ':"«ii»^ ."H,l,. (1„. nt ;„ ;.,
_->,»<•..,,«, U„. ,.„lmnc„ „f ,!„, li,.^. ,,„„ (.|„,|,,,„^,
''""""" I"-''*;"" .,f ,,l„.,,.„ _v, a,„l ,|„. t,™l,.,.s
ladoiisuc liidiuhs.
The Tmlousu.' iniiliii'-. TiaM-iim- post. (»r Ihi- kind's furminijr
o\it of (In- tnulinu i>inl iIk- xulifiirnui^*. Siirvfvor Nonimn-
ilin's i>\ph>r!ili(>h.M.
I'^roin till' |K'iiiMl <»f the l''i»'inh i-c t.ikiii;,' of
t lie (.'tiimtr'y until that of tin- tiiiJil ct'ssioii to
Kiii^land. the trade of Tadousac passed tlirouyli
many j»lias('s. At first, the \arions eonipanies
liad tlie nionop<»ly of tradin*,'. vVs soon as the
navigation was open, their vessels hastened from
F?'am;e to Tjulousue, in seaii;h of tlie pelts tliat
had )>een eolU'rted at t}»e dith-rent {)osts dotted
aloni; tlie river and which had Ikhmi l)rou.uht
there hy various haiks. In hit"), after haviiii,'
liattled foj- it a lon<; time, the .colonists oUtaineil
free tradinj;. Having formed themstO\es into
an association under tlu' name of " The ('tMn-
munity of the 1 idinhitants. ' (La couimunaute
i\i's liihitants.) they t(»ok the direction of the
Tadousac factory ur recei\ iny; house. In IGti^,
the t lading; at tins j»«tst ifa\ e 40,000 livrea*
* A livre is worth nearly u franc.
S(
a
t«
m
til
cr
ti'
..f
•lAlJOl'SAf
(;.{
{irotitaiid tlictotiil ainount m- \ aliirof th<'ii'truns-
jictions was 'J.")(),()(>U Ii\irs. 'I'Iumc vvorf 'J2, 100
|MHiii(ls wi'ij^lil of skill- t'XpMitrd, uitliont cuuiit-
iii;; .■)00 elk skins. !''a<*li spiiiiLr il><' tVi*;al<'
hrluiiifiii;;' 1<» tlir '" (^inimuiiily ot I nliaMtaiits,
vlsit«'(l TadMUsaf. Uissoi, r>iiui-<l()M, «l<- Tilly,
(uKh'tVov, R«'|M>Mt i^Miy. ('ouillaid <!•• Lrspinay.
w«>rt' aiiiuns^ the j»iin< i)»al diicclftis (»t' tlM> (^mi-
JMunity. la Uio.'K a hnhli frcflMMitcr, armed
w illi sixt«»<Mi jKUiis, )M*n»'t rated to tlw>s»' sIkh's
ill nnU'i- to trade with tlic Indians.
(Cents Ass(teies), who re;LJi'ettedha\ iiii; eoncetU-d
so many jn-i\ ilejjjes to the eolitnists, had sfiit oin
an aetive, |K»rseveiin,y: aLfent, wln» eomnieneed
to watcli tlie eommcreial ojicrat ions of t!ie r<»m-
niunitv eloselx'. A\\ ad\oeat<'. conneeted with
tli<^ Paris l*arliament, J'eronnt dc Mesnii was
eiat'ty nnd liad as miieli penetration as a deter-
tive-ottieer. lie end«'d liy aeeiisiiii; the direetors
of haviui^ G4l,7t)0 livres nnseeiut'd. As those
aIi-hu fell the hhime t»f this were the lii'Kt
p<'o)>h' of the fountiv, they employed n iojenee
to lake hijn witluhaw Ids aceusatioiis. His
' ''""''' ""'-''■"v^^f'^npi
mmmmmmm
i\\
TAHUUSAC
pajK'rs were sri/cd and lie Imil tn nnhark fur
Franc*'. 'I'lic inrnutrijil which I'doniM <lc Mcsnil
]»rcscM(c<l til I he kin ysl ill exists. It is \ injcnl ami
ai;i;i'cssi\c, Imh iint'ottunally the docnmentaiv
])rt»(>f whicii oujuht (<» h.i\e ;u'coiii|»aiiied his
slalenients is not n«>\\ to lie tiaiiid, it' it e\ci'
existed.
It lieeaiiie ensl ouiaiv t<»se|j the |ni\ileo(>
ot' t radiiiy- at Tadoiisae at )»ul»lic ;met ion. The
money leali/ed i>y this sale went to pay the
ex|»ens(>s of l<«'ej>inu np the colony. We tind, in
I ().*).■{. a iUu'd uf |»art neishijiconcerninjn 'ra<l(Uisac
trading; hetween i>oiiis ('onillattl and Messieurs
l\os«'e, (In llaniel and ( 'o, iej>iesented li\ llwir
ay,-ent, (Jorinain l,e I'.arhier. < )n nc(,il„.r I Dth,
1 tinS, ;i decree of the Sn[)erior ("oun« il of <^)nel»ec
a«lji»dued the jiost of Tadonsac t<» Sieui- I )« -
inaure. In h>(>.'{. (Jovt'iiior d A \auii;< air thought
pr<>]MM'. on his i.wn {)ri\ate aut horil v and c(»n-
t rary to tin' cust<an, tn confirm this |)rivile^e
for two consecutive v« irs to the folhtwinir
sj'ventecn individuals: dela Tess^^rie, des Cartes,
Le (Jardeur, (iourdeau, Le (lardeur de '''illv,
Desprez, Juciiereau. d«' la Im'iI*', ilissot,
'l,\|M)rs AC
65
I );ini<>ui's, (^li.iii'itii, Madi}, Marsollrt , L*' (lar
(l<Mir (!<' V'illi<M's, ( 'hurt in. I*, hcnis, lioiinlon
and .1 iicIk'ic.ui dc St I )<nis.
This <hs|>l«'asiMl tlic iiihahitaiits ver-y iiiuc!»,
III t hrii |)(>t it i<tii lo t h<'( '(tiiiHil thrypl«'a<l<'(l that.
M<»ns. «l'A\a,u^<»iif h.-nl no ii_L(ht. t«» alionatc this
|mlilic j>iu|><Mt y. Thcif ( (Uiij>laint was hxjkrd <»u
a,s just, ami < )<t . Iih, I*)!)*), 1 he Cnum-ii aiumlN'il
the I(';is(» jL;i\ en itv <l A \ aii^juiir. 'Phis dcfision,
hu\\('\«'r. was uf mi advatit.ajL(«' to th<'m, th«'
kinii; Ijfivin;^ ah'cady, in ih<' j»riTcdiii;i iintiilhof
April, (hsposcd ut' thn Tafluusac liadiii;^ in
fa\»>i of tJir W tst Inthaii ('ompaiiy \vhi<'h had
Itccn t'oiiiifd twi "years" pi-«>\ ioiisly. This
nt'W »-oiuj)any was 1<» enjoy their j»iivile«;e in
tin? same v/ay as (he " OoininiiMity of I nhahi
taiits" \uu\ heen a<'(;ust<»in< I t(Ml<(, I hat is to say,
on roMdili(»n of defrayini^ tht^ annual exponses
of the count ty u). In I (m t the (utuipany t»f tho
one hnndrtMJ associates whilst, ^ivin;^ ;ij) their
monopoly, reserstd to t.hemselvcs the Tadousae
t lading until ilieir linal dissolution. Imu a mo-
(I) Kil. *v; <»iil t. 1, \\ t!l.
66
TADOUSAC
liH'ilt (lie '* I lilwihitailts " )i;wl Iio|M's (»t once
iiioir l.iyiii^' li'iiuls «tji (his f}ut(H'V, \'<*v in l(»7r>
we s(>t> (li.it tlir SujM'iioi' (.'ouiicil luul intiiiiii(
t'(l an (trdt'i- (u (linn to fissciiihWi (hut tli«*y
mii^lit know hnw to dispose of it. This doiuaiii,
r«'|)ntt'<l to contain the lu'st huiitin^j; an<l tisljin^
places of all Nortli America, was iievet- attain
to fall tindei- *h<» <'oiiti-oI of tlie colonists. Tlu'
kin^ took it hack foi- his own iM'nefit, first farm
inif it out to ()n(liet(«! an<l his |»artn«M's, aiul
aftt'i'wartls ^vvvy twenty years ren<iwin^ the
leas«' to the faiinei's of th(; excisj; (i^ahelle) who
suec<M'«le(l one anothei- in France. Krom that
time foi'th the 'r.'idousao tradini;, which inchul
e<i the exclusive liyht of (rallickini; with the
Indians on the north of the Lowt-r St. Law
rence, was known nnder tin- i,'eneial name of
" KinjL,'"s |)«»maia" (l)omaine <ln Koi) and
Iw'came an intei^ral j)art of tlu^ *' (/omhined
Faims of France" ( Fermes K('iinis.)
These farmers wished to make th<Mnos(
out of llie inmicjise tcii'itory which liad falh'ii
to them. Their- claim extended e\en to tlie
s;»uth (<ii»)iv of the river. Tlie inhahitants of
■MP
TA DOCS AC
67
II
(his i<'<;ii»n oppuscj siicli t it'sjwissiii;^ most
I'rMM-j^i't.cally until tlir iimntli of Juiii', MiS"),
\nIh'M tlw'ii- own r\ii]\\ of triuiini; with th«*
hidiujis \\;is iH'co^ni /.<'»!. 'Ilu'sr farmrrs t<M»for
.1 lonj^ tiuM' opjMiscd all cntcrprisrs whicli in
any way could (hinia;L(r tin'ii niotinpolv. In M»S1,
Frontenac refused jtcrniission to Ka<lisson to
cstahlisli ii'a<lin,y[ j)o,sts alonjirthenortJHMii mouth
of the St. liaw rrnrc, for fcai* of th<ir- intci-fcrin;^
with the Tadousac trade.
Tliis conntt y was always nin; h |Mizf«i l>y
tin- ront.rchan^lists. In I "07. Haudot forhad
evory ono, r\rn the Itidians from r|s«'wh<*r»'., to
trade or hnnt within the 'Padousiic limits.
In ITO'.t he renewed this juohiliition. ^i\ in;.j
[teriiiission to the 'i'adousae suh-farmei-s to
jtillai^e the Kieneh who mii^ht Im- found "feastiniLC
the Indians " «»r t raHiekini; with them. In i7t)l,
and in 1720, thcise same severe orders were
renewed.
It is Worthy of remark that when the
tratlu' of Itrandy was forhidden in t Im* e«»lony,
uinler most severe penalties, it \sas allowed at
tlu! Tatlousac post, allluaigh the Uvuliiiij there
(hS
TAFHHISA(^
was undi'i- iIm' immU i(»l of tlic < JosrrmiM'iil (i).
Tlu' lai<4;c t'iiniicfs did not always work
aloiH'. alflioUijIi (licy had a r(';;"nlarly a}»|»niiilfd
(liit'tlor lit llif domain in llic colony to collcrt
tlicii' dut's oi- ta\<>s. La Podici'ic l«'lls us tlial
tlnMT was a couijtany ot' nici-cliants at (.^>iu'1hh'
wln» aniuially |>ai(l a fcitain ]ii'ic(' for l)cin<^
alone allowed to t radc with the Sa^uenay In-
dians CD.
Tlic sid> fai'Mit'i's were nunieicMis ; Louis
r.cij^ei'on lia,d the lease of 'I'adousae for six
Veai-s (:i). C'uyiH't, to- ards tlu' end of ilie
I'^ieneh doniinalion, ti"uled to eonsidoahle |)r(»-
tit at this post, aeeonliui; to l)iL,'ot (i).
In I7'>t), the widow T'ournel .farmed t he
Tadousae t(«ii-itory. 'I'hree years ]>re\iously
(1) hitlor of AuIk It <li' la ClK-siiayi", (.»<■(. 2ttl\, l(i!);i.
(■J) Moii.x Muniuttf, ill tn>. icportsoii llu' ;ircliivi'« of I'iiris, poinls
out a iiii'iiioraiKliiiii of Mi>iis Uixcrin tlat^-tlNox. I'.iih, Itis.i, in
which hi' (It'scrilK's wliiii the Tadoixiu- lr;wU' ivally is, wiial is
ln'iiiif iloHc to destroy iiaiulllif iiicaiis iic(>eshar\ tt) li«' lakfii lo
pl-i-stTM' it for Iht kill',;.
(1\) ('..llt'ciion of (^iH'lu'f , vol. I'J, :!i(l scries, 17.11.
(4) Loiter lo the iniiii.ster, Oct. Htli, l7iy.
mm
lADOr.SAC
cu
I l<tc.|ti,irl iiiforiiM'd till' ;,iiiiist<'i that iik 'itir
luul wislii'd to I'ariM this )»;ut of tin' <lislri<t.
The liiiiii.s wit hill wliich tlir pfiviic;^!- ot'
'radtMisHC ti;uhii;4 were allowed ti> Im" carried on
wcif i'oi a lon<' tiiii)- a soin-cc of dillicult.v. In
tciidaiit I Iofi|iiait jiiil an end li» this in 17-"»'J.
The [>i'(M'edin,!4 ycac, i'ie r'e (■iiit.iei, (ienei-al
('Oiitraetiic of the miiteid fafuiini^ '>t l''iiinee, had
<l('inand«Mi the authoiizal ion of his ext'lusi\«'
rii^'hts «»f t(•a(hn;^^ huntinu and tishinu. thron;^di
out tlu> whole I'oval domain, from the He an\
('Oiidr«'!S as far as tw«» leat(ues l>e|ow Se\en
Islands (Sej)t lies) as well Jis in the depemlen
eies of the j>osts of 'radoiisH*:, (/hieoutimi, Lake
St .lolm, NikohaiJ, Mistassini, l*aj>iiwi<*liois,
Naskapis, Hivcr Moisie, Seven Islands, ineludin;^
the lands atidseifrnioi-y of Murray i>ay(,\!all)aie)
under pain of n lMHJO louis' fine foi- all infraet ions.
The lutendant, follow in^ the special in^^t ructions
he Iwul received fioin the kin*;, ;;a\e oiders to
Aultert de la C^hesnaye to make an exact siir\ey
ami map of the domain, from Itelow lie au\
C^•udres (o river Moisie as far Itack a-- ji extenei-
"~!?»i»i,nijijpm
vpn*
'mmmmmmmmm
,0
I > \U\\ ( \i'
<'\\ to (Itr Iuj;Ii I >I\iI. .mil In illdw up i it'iniit
o| Ills »t|uM"«»l joM'. in ilu> liinu ol n |iMini:>l
Mo'.l tlollu)o«l \n' I Mil ( Ut||>' VV I'M' ('HtMl lit
Mi'U'. «|r i Mil' iii.iN I' It) (ln' liMiii ot ,1 |itiiniiil
N«>( »>ul\ X\;l'- !lO <•> (ilKc lioli' t»|" Mil illlllM>l|M«<
tiMTJliMN and iiu'.iNim' It . ImiI In' w iim mImu mi
HUti'l) <tt inilio;H(> (Id' riNciM (li.H I'lill into Hio
>*^'lU'UiM(a\ . \\\i\\ t lir tiiiiMiiiin llii'N liiKt' i'litni
tho»r HtMtisM's to (hnr inoiidi;*, («• nuiiK liow Im
th«'\ .u-*- uaxiuahio in •^Ivij*';. liuMtn ««i i'.iiiim'm,
( h«> (j«lls anil rapiiU vxhcn' pmlinirM (H (Mrr\'in^
|»IjUVs wi'n^ lijul n^roMiNi' !»», I lio sj( iwil ion ami
t>\l«M\l ottlu' laKt'>, till' iiaiiir of I ho'to lal<«'N
M\d liMM-s an»l tlw» ftmiu ni's tjicy cimshihI. tln>
«v«it^*l>Hshm«'n(N aiul s(or«' Iious<»n \vlu'n< Ira^linjj;
witli [\u' \i\\\\:\\\s wjiN variitMJ on, (ln« s«>al luiiit
inj;, thos,»hiu>ntvslnni;. (lu't'onmM tvstaMislnm'iitM,
\\ hoix^ tra«Jinu \\;h\ lH'«»n »'nni«Hl «m ami of wliitji
s<»n\«' vos(iitf»s nMuaimnl, (Ik* nam«'s of llu» liuliau
trilnvs >\ J\o inl\al>ito«l thosi» «'(»un(ji»»s or fio
HUtM»(<Hl thtMU for tiaiir, tln'ir muiilMM ami
o\orv tl»in>i in tl«»tail \s lurh rouM sitm* to spo
oifv th«' <^\t<'ni of du'si' tiMfitorii's ami uiaki'
known ihoir julvant^iift's
I AlMM'NAl
71
AiiIhmI, t|r III ( 'lixMiiiiyn M«'l Mill iiM \tin nt'lH
Mimi ^lny I'Uli, I V.T', Init, Imv inj/ Ifmh n lui l<(^
III l.lllli llivci (l/i. I'i'lilr |{i\|i«i«') wlii'li Ik'i/iii
llln^ llIM |)M|IIM'V, I Im' III ■> )' VMI , .I'|I<<|>|| I<I|IH«'MI
NitniiiiM)liii, wiiM ii|i|iuiitl<''l III M'|ilti<< Initi
N"iriiiMiiiliM |M'iM'h ii»< <l '00 iiiilr t ii. I III- N.
K. "if l/)il<i' Si .Idliii, liiiilii I iliiiii Miiy »M<»«l«'»ii
iii\i'\iii liiui yi'l <liiiM , mimI miMir I lit' iiiohI t'liifli
III) iinil ilrliii|«<i| iiiM|t III I III. ii'{/i')ii IImiI Wf
r\oii yi'l |n»hni«H'., 'Ml I In iiim.|i wr «'uii nff
iikiiIhmI. im!i iiiiIi'm i.iiIm- n r; <»( i^nUf si
.lujiii, I III' fi laMii(liiM*-iil ii\' n Moil'-.. I*<II<'Im-i
wlii<'li Ml in I 'Hill iiiH-y |mtI«m|| V iiiiiidMt I.IiikoIiI imI<'
iiml llir H|>|M>(iiuin r oF vvlii<|i ^'iv'i'M r'i>m »«» )i,il
NOI'Im III' fnillMHlir Mll|i|>tisil iOtlH. " \N llM Wil'. lllirt
MullH. i'l'ill'lll'l lIlllM ll\ lll^' lljliIlM III t IiIh (iiHtillll.
ami iiliiiusi iiLuri'Mhilili* ii'.^ioii ? VV linl. Hintim':
iIphI^m can liii li.iM' liiul, awliH Mimim. Arthur
hiiinH (I). V\'(iM III' a I i»i,|»|HT, ji |ihil«»H«i|)l»»'T', u
lii'i'iiiil ? Nu I rjulil ioiH'iili;.'lihiiMiiMoii I Im- hmKj***! ;
wr must iitiilciii Miiry,«'lvf's will) (uiinirin^ tlx-
ImiIiIim'sh uikI ciiiira^c of n uiiim wIhi Aitn cHiiuhlc
(1) I.I' HiiiriH-niiy • AkihI \nit\nt* IX.
72
TADOUHAC
of liviiii(.'i,l)S(»lult'ly aloiu! in siicli Ji st;i(t' of exile,
exposed to nijiny daii^eis and feeliui; ahle to
i)ra\'e tliciii all.
On May L'.'Jid, 1 7.i.'», Intendant Horquart,
))asinu: Ids decisions on Noi inandi'i's ohsei-va-
tions, detiiutively fixed the limits of the Saiijue-
nay tenitoiy and trading ^lounds of Tadousae.
'file Kiuifs Domain. (|)(>niaint^ du Koi) as they
then called this vast extent of jjjroiind, the
supcrtieies of which was at least 72,000 miles,
reaclu'd from the lower extremity of tlie K)h>u-
lements seii^niorv to Cape Conuoian, ])elow tlie
River Moisie, that is to say, it was ahoiit 'M)0
miles in len,ii;th. A strai,i,'ht. lijie drav. ii from
each of these extrc^nities toward the north is
the demarcation of the easteiii and w«>steru
limits of the reserve;. On one side were the
hi«;h lands di\ idinijj the wat<M-s of the rivera St.
Maui'iceand Hatiscan from tliose which fall into
Lake St. John ; on the other side were the still
unknown re<ifions where dwelt the Naskapis and
the Rsijuimaux. Twelve principal trading depots
were tlu'n in full operation within this net-
work, of which TadtMisac was the centre and
TADOUSAC
:;{
tin' iJillyiii^ }«»iii(. 'I'lirsc limits air imn'li (Im*
saiiM' as t.l»us«' i!i(iicat.»'(l in llic <»llifial (»r'(l«'r of
\{\hf< iM'stowiii;^' tlu' rinlit <it" tra(liii<^ in Taduu-
sHc oil Sii'tir Dcniaiirc,
To tijo cast, a concession that had Ix'cn
made Fch. 'J.SUi, ICtil, hy the roiupany of New-
Franc*' to Fr-aneois P»issot, Sieni- de la Hi\iei-e,
hjwl ahcjuiv made a l)rcMch in th»' domain. Al
the s<»lioitation of ('artier, tlu^ lieirs Hissot re-
nounced their rii^dits to the |)orti(»n of land
extending fi-om lie aux (Kufs to (\ii-moran }*t,
four or five leai(u<'s helow Ki\er Moisie. To the
west, the seijfniorv of Malhaie had foiin«M-lv
1 Ml coiicchUhI to Mons llazcur, Imt tlic latter
had sold it l)ack to the kinjjj at a <^o(kI price (D.
This seigniory was thciKreforward united to the
domain and was only tletachcd from it after
the Comjuest. The extreme northern limit had
always preoccupied the i,'(»vernment of the
C(»lony. Sv veral times had they sent t(» take
possession of a certain portion of land, hut the
Kiii^lisli vvh(» were trading at Hudson's l*ay did
(1) '!<>.(i«Kl livi-es, title On. -ilMli, IT-M.
7»
TMXH'HAf
not U'lifNc ill rciiuuriciii^ tlicir own claiiii^. In
ITl.'l, tlu' niinistt'i' wiotr to Mons dc \';iu(ln'uil
I hilt hi' was o'ltaiii ihr l'iM;^lisli would liaidly
ifi\«' np l.ak«' NiMiiiskau on account ot' (hrir
tivulc with nupt'll/s I.aiul. He insistrtl on the
lU'ot'ssitv »»t' k«'«'j»in;4 the Mistassins un account
of tlic Tadousai tivuhni;. Lake Ncniiskaii and
\\iv Mistjissins were I'clained, tlioUi(h theie was
some fi<j;litin;;' ai. mt tlic tract ot i^i-ound in
disput<>. This ext,feiiu^ limit vNhich was iIhmi
conti^sted is slillh 'in;' contested to tliis \vv\
day.
In th»' mandat.e tixin«i; the limits of tlu'
trading tenitoi-y of Tadousac, }I<»(;(|uait renew-
ihI tlie prohihitions made hy his ju'edecessors.
He evtMi went beyond them, for no one \n as
t»» approach nearer than ten leagues to tlio
eontines marked out.
W <' here see witli wliat jealous care the
farmers of the domain })rotectt(l their mojio-
{M>ly. No one had any right to pa.ss o\ei tlieir
land: ex«'ept tlie government otlicials when
<»n each change of farmers they were s<'nt to
value the huildiiigs and furnishings of the |K>sts.
TAIMU'HAC
< ;>
Tlio missiuliiirirs, lioufStT, h.ul tH-c rntl'Jinrt'
nv«»rywlu'r-(\ It, was Mvy much tt) tli«' ji'I\ iiihi;,M'
ot thn Ir-iuli'i's that (he missiu/ijicii's liy tli'<'\
•M'cisr (»t ( lifir laiiiisl rv sli(tul(l ('((licet, the In
• lijiiis ill ;l,'1"<'Uj)s;uhI thus keep t hcui at a (list, nice
from the Hiulsdiis Wny liaihiiLr |M»sts. In i he
M|)iin(;<jf 17-5, Mons. {\v T'\\\\ uiude a voyair*'
ti ('hiei»ul iiui, hut it wa^^ (uil\' in (tider l,(»
examine what wihkI.s were tit lor furuishiiii;
luasts tor the kiiii^'s navy.
Ill a hook <'Utall(;il ; CotfJ^sf m Am nni^
j)uhHslicil ill 17'")7, r>l .John Mitchell (leelar^vj
that in N. Am«M'ica the Kreiich had only rii^ht
to the rock of C^Juehec and the factory or tr-ad-
iii^ post of Ta(h>usac. At th<; con(|Ucst the
rock of Quelx'c as well as the faetory of Ta-
dousac passed into tho hands of the Kiij^lish.
Tho kin;.j's domain reuuiined a reserved spot
adjud;;;ed to the highost ])iddcr as it li;id heen
for a hundred year-s previously. The fai'iners of
it continued tt* exclude^ stran_u;c:rs from their
domain and to keep hidden its resources, hoth
in order to keep up t.heir monopoly and to foil
G
'lADOlTSAC
till ;it t«'iii|»tN ill i<>iii|)('ti(ion \v luMiovcr' llic lr;is«'
li;i(l tn 1m' rciH'wtMl. This is why it is only lit'ty
ywirs since tiu' Sa;,MU'jmy district luis hcjLjiin to
l)«* cnloiii/t'd.
In tilt' hu'Ljrr TjuhtusHc hotel, a feu yiNirs
a;.'o. IlK'ir miLjht still Iw seen in the LfiU'tlcns
the last v«'sti!,'«'s of the l)uil(lin<j[s whieh hid
iM'lons^t'd to the old eonipiiiiy of the Kini^'s
Posts. TIh'V huN'e disaj>j)ea)-ed, as ha\e also dis-
appeared the jioweifnl tiadefs and the Montat(-
nais Indians w ho foi uieily met eaeh other, at
that jKist, ev«M"y suninief.
VI
Thi'TiwIouMjic
iUut .ll'HIlil.H. (
"•i-iHioimrH-s. nuK'i..-..„..s,u,.|c.uhul
"!'• i«>ir)-i7«L'.
>"'• himdivd and «ixt
X^i. Kl'i-ololH
y »«t'\ on yt'fis of
•11>'>sl|^..
1»» tlio first (rliarts t|
pivdouiin.itrd, intlicr
l«M<; \V(.,V twui(l,.;ts(|,..it
•<!A?l(.n;^r,.,i,it<Ml(<,tlH'Fn.|urli
-vi.l...-c.,-.s of C,,„,„,i,„ ,„i, ^ ,„„ ^,_,,
""■'•"', ^ 'r "''■■■' "f '•"'•>"■>•'■"« "a. ,u. .f,,„,.
< Hm.l,t. („„■ „„H,,V, l,„w,.,„. „„. ,.,„„,.,.(„„
"f ti.e >mt,v..s was l,ut a i.-Wm,. wl,i,.|, ,,,,,,,1
t" .Mask tl,..,.- n„.,-cantile .lesi^-,,,. w,„ j,, ,„„
'"f "';. "";'"«"■ "' »™ ''»■ I".."., ..,v,.„,„„.„;
(•m,n.st.„« HuK,„.„„ts with tl,„ e,askof.s|,n.a,l
tl... true faitl, a„ t|,„,s« „,.« nations ?
Clian.plain t,„„,inat..s l,is ,.,...i(a| „f t|„.
hrst „tt«,n,,t t., foun,l an ,.s,al,li,,|„n,.nt ,a
I julousac an,l its n.ise.al,!,, fai|„„, ,,y ,,,; , .
That wind, was l.lan,™!,!,. i„ this ,.„„.,,„.is; «;.
".c-',vinK t„ a man „f ,„n,,a,v rWi^non U,,'.
-•■•".""'^•^.m, of s|,»,uli„^, ,|„. Catlmii,. .\M„sl„|i,.
nn.l U,„nan faith, which th.so heretics hol.l
^wiffs^s^mmfmsms^mmmmmmmm
78
T\I)Ol'SAC
ill liorior iind (ItMostntioii. This is the fault I
iiuil with (Kr iindri-lakiiij^'.
Tlic ('jdii'iiit'i-ai vice royally of thr Calltolii'
coininaiHh'i- (!<• Chastt> did not. jin'\<Mit t,lu>. first
ii-jvlcfs from impoi'tiiiL;' iht^ lainciitahlc old-
world ([uarrels into tlir i'vv bint! of AiiuM'ira.
I)o ('acii's rivw. jtai'tiy Hu,ii;u»'iiot, nartiy Catho-
lir, disputed for flit' pre t'lniuciu-c in the port of
Tadoiisac. Win ii en l)oa,rd tif his shij>. iKj Cai'ii
iitadc, his »o-i-cliH;i()nists siiii^' Marot's psalms in
his t;al>iii or on the j»itop. in the plarc of Imukm",
whilst- the Catholics s\t rr n Irj^at^-d t,<> the fore
j)art of the \essel wldi/h lhe\ shared with the
('I linn ion sailoi's.
This allowiiiLf ihe natiscs to lia\e i-o<^ni-
zaiire of these disputes was indc . a Hue way
».f exerutitii; the kiiij^'s ordeis lo r.itholieize
t ln'ni.
J I is! Vi i""!^ are not aj^reed as to wlu'r«5 the
first mas> was e(>lel)rated in ('anad.i. Moiis,
fj^aiis Krei'het.te, holdini^ with ;ui old tradition
'.shich speaks of this eeremony as lia\in;^f taken
plaeemi the spot wher<' now stands the silla^e
iwiiPiiiiiwi
TADOUSAC
79
of Ta.|„u.sa<s ]uis nv rit Um, sohk' fino v nrsos on this
l.'upl.). ^^ '■ u,|| I.,,, .,.,,. K.t.s,>,.ukf..rh!M,sHf.
An.l then., I.,.„i.afh M... roi.l ^reen shaiie,
The parish tciii|,|f iv.irs its lu.wl
<>i, il,a( saii.t' fiuor'tl siwt, 'I is snUl,
Where on the altar, .veurs au:n.
Till- Sji\i..ur's preciouH I.Io.kI did flow.
VVh.'ii, to thi: H.Miiid of pious son>,'
Horn*! h.v the ectiocs fur ulon;,'
Til.. >aoimtain.s with the rounded crest
SI ntrhiiiK- afar from K^i.s( U> West;
l!\ Hrctoii pries! with whit.nVI hair
The siu-rillce woh offered there,
Whilst, mid ihes,. so,.„..s so wild and M..VT
Knelt ('artier and his hurdv <kw
Th.y wh.. Ium! come to win the land
An-jfatherd on th.- lo.-k.v stand,
Fur from their native shorv.s, or d<ar,
KnriivU^I h.v the nioiiniaiiis drear;
I think. I see then, kn.-ehi,^ •;„.i '
Their he^Mls ure howM, ,uvn fo.eheads hare
Their ••lothe.s sUIl «t"f .»ith (riwi nprav
And yet fervently t:. s, <iv,ons pra^ . "
off.riiiK to him, now d^U'llin^f there!
The hoIfM-aiist of praise and prayr.
As iMvviou,sly,iJu> ,iIh,v,> is H fo(.|,|o attempt
lyivv a f.v.. transiati.M. of F,.,.du.((o, t}.(. p.^.ts
ImoH. We lice adjoin tJu; o,,V|„aI Fn-nrl, .-
"^i^^mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmsmmmmm
■■■■■■
f
^0
•lAKorsAC
DtTriri'i' nous, duiis 1 omhrc, mi jK'lit sanctiMirf,
Tl'llll'lr piirnissiill (Ic '•'■! <>liS>'Ur ((UltOII,
Dn'SSiiit son humhlc s<imI tn lit ii uh'mk' oil <lit,-f>f.
\>ii.liHif8 centw &n» jwhhCs, sur 'in aut,*-! rustinUc',
i'l'iidiinl i|n<' If rffrain >!> '|mi1i|IH' vieux i-iinUt/\l«'.
Klonnait U's cclios 'If ccx nionls in'omm.-*,
IK'viint Carrier et, wh har<li« uuuinH, \. . .'
Pour ftrnu'ln*!- cen hords aU\ pi innti(<< sfix n^'cs
I'our la ])n'niii'iv fois sur < rw fan<t's rivaire*',
In viiuv jnvtrc hn-tim. liunihle inc^iliatfur,
Olfiii ;iii l>ifu \i\aiit !<• sanu <\\> Hr<U'mittiuv,
.It' vous \r\\s. la. tous iiiicmliU" a^rciiouilkx,
i;uil( s milling liptons. dans vns sarraux Houilli/s
Kl raidis sous I'dnl'mn dcs mcrs U'niptt,i'".i«t'S,
All luilii'si dc (••• iir.|uc ftu\ en upi's montucuwH,
An fund do co flcsort, loin du nioiidc (•:)niui,
Offraiil t\ rKi,(Miu-l, tote liiiHHf It front lui,
Sur Ic sinil rcilout('' dun inondo oin i ml »t>* poitvs
!/hol(Hans(i' .livin i(ui fait Ivs aiat'x fortrs.
Tin- tir,,t iiiissiiiiuu-it's (if the l>ll<i(li^,^
Oi.loiiy wciv l{i'c»llets. nil Mii_Y --''th, 1 ♦)!.">,
(Miuuiplaiii landed at Tad-msar, l»niviriu,!4 with
]iini t'our «>t' llu'Sf r.'Iitriou'^- Fatlu'fs J«'an
Dolhrau, |)('ius Jainay, .l(>s''l>li l<' ('iiroti and
thr lay liiulh.r, i';iciHt|n<' I )u|.l«'SHis. 'Dk' ves-
s.l cuutiniit'd 111 Qiu'Imm' a t'cw days aft,(>r\vanls
and ilu'iv lli«' l-'athcrs li»'ld cmiu;!! and dcridrd
oil })la(inL; I in' Katlit'rs in dirt'ciont parts of llu'
i
TADOUSAC
t<l
ciiuutiy. FiitluT .I.-iiuay ivin;iiiM*<l ut C^iu'Ihh*
wlu'iKM' Ih" s('i\<(l 'I'lir«M» l{iv«M*s, t«» I''.it liti- h'
Ciiuii wjirt assigned the Huron eountiv w li»»re
tli(^ Fremli had not y<;t j»«"tu'tia<«*<I, ancl
l*'atli«'r* |)<»llM>au went t(t Tadousa*- to instiuct
th« ISIontagnais and othtM- In<han trilM's ;is far
as tho ;;;ilt' of St. I^iwroiice (i). They had a \ ast
fu'ld : 'ir)0 Ifai^ucs of country in a straiirht lino.
Fatlicr I)oll)eau, in J)ecendH*r «»f the same
yi'Hi went to Tadousat: an«l there huilt himself
a oahin with a kind of cha|H'l attaehtnl .s<» that
he could assendtle the Fivncn and Indians and
|M'rfonn the olheeK of the Church. He not oidy
oeeupied hininelf with tlio convei-sion of the
Montaj^nais, hut \n* Inue the jfosjxd to the l»*'t-
siamites, the l'aj»inaohois and th«' Ks({uiniaux.
Whilst C/hamplain wjts eidat<;i!i;; the field
of American <^e<>^iaj»hy U* tlie west, Fathcj" |)oI-
Imniu, says (larneau C^) was doini^ his mission
ary work amonjj; the Montai^nais of 'ra<lousac,
(1) I. I.t'i'li'i'i'tj: Klahlintit'infnttlrln Fvi,
12) 24-2I
82
TADUUSAC;
Liid als<» tiMVfi-siiiif tht^ in«Miul,;iin<ius uiul pic
tur<}st|ii<.i (listri<-t of the. S.i;^'iu,'u<iy, to visit the
Hi^tsi.imit<':.s iiiid otlwr Indiau ti'ilx's to tlic
iiofih of i\h'. i^ulf Si LauKMico. .Many ytsii-s
aftcrwai-ds, ti-accs wci-t" found of his passjiL^o
anionL' tlicsc tfilH-ss (i).
< )ii his ar-rival from l''ian<'i*, in hi I 7, (lie
llt'collcl Kriai- J'aul Hiu*t said mass at Ta
doiisHf, in a i!ha])el made: of folia'^c, wliilst two
sailoi's stood near liim \va\in:^ i^rccn hrant-hi's
to keep the mosijuitiM's away (-i).
l''i'oin IGl-S to Hi'Jl*, tilt' mission of Ta
dousac fell to tht^ sharT of ]'\ith(M' L»' ( 'aron. A
chiff nanu'd (Mioumin adopted him as a, luMthcr
and invited him to lare his cahin. Choumin
li) h'rencli, lialsiii^ (i;rap(') had i"«vtuved this
name th!'ou;^li lii^ fondness for the juice of tJiat.
flint, lie was also called h' ('<(if*-l, (the junior)
lnH-ause he kept his clothes \eiy clean and did
(I) I,.i I'otherii", i>. •»)»■}.
{•i) riukmiiii (Thi' l'ii>,„;-rx III' h'l-ntirr in Ihr Si'ir Wi>dif p. »IS)
wnHtliiil ihi.H wxs ilu' llisi iii.tss i-fli'tmitftl al tliin pi;i<f. In ull
priilw»liili(y, how»'v«i', Kiillnr hollifim iiiiihI liftn* wiiti iuaHHtlier«
At nil i-artii'i' (tiite.
TADOUSAC
sa
his best tit iiiiilatc l''r»'ii«'|i in;mn»'rs. lie iiiudc
himself us«'t'ul to the inissiniiai y Ity lu'l|>iii;.'
him to i;i\«' i;r«'jil,«M' solidity to the lioust- wliich
the i{«*colh'ts liad (.•omm<'ii(.'t*d. on ;i |»it'<r ol*
jl(r«mnd wliirji had hci'n ^i\«Mi tJH'm the {u«'<*>'«l
in^ycar l»y lh(» Company of As.sotiati s. His wife
ha*. iii<i |>r(!seMted iiim withasoii, Choumiu e«»ii
Heiiteil to the child heini; hapt i/.ed on condition
that he shoidd l)e named Kathcr .losepii. I'al hei-
le (^aron thou/^ht it Ix^st to confocm wit h ( 'hou
min s notions of ci\ ility ^'l
I'aikman iclatcs tiie fii^lit I'Xjierienced l»y
tiu' Kecollct Kathei- (Jervais Mohief, when,
foi- the first time, lie saw a l);'nd of In<lians
(h'essed foi- dancin^^ at 'Padousac He thouL.d»t
he had met witli a hand of tlemons. Hisfii«;ht
increased still uioi-e when, ha\ in<( Imm*!i iri\ited
to a hant|UPt <;iven to two hundr-ed iru«»sts, he
found himself in [trescme of four lar^e jM»ts till
ed with tish and pieces i»f l>eai' flesh, the tla\or
of which was heii;ht«Mied with peas, prunes. ti;;s
jXrapes and )>iscuits. These messes w-ic l»«Mnt;
(1) FerlaiKl. *-»<>:M.
ioaiaHcsaEn^npsasRsaBB
St
TADOUSAC
stii-ii'<l witli fi .small nav l»y wjiy <>t" skill"t or
liullc. As he <liii M<it siM'iii iiM'lincil lodo honor
tM> tlic fond s<'t. lu't'orfi liiin, liis hosts tried t
o
tfiMiit his at)
'1
ipi*
'titc \)
)V ";i\ini,' him a larije
lice
of hj-ar's-fat, a (ii l»it usually reser\e<l for i^n'at
j)ei"S(ma<;es. TIm' i/ood KatluT could not manage
it and had tu i/iNc up the attempt.
The Kt'«-oll»*t FiiiUer ). Cart»ii was the
lirst iiislruet<»r of the Moutai^nais. U iiderstand-
inj^ well tlie Indian lan^uaj^es, he ha«l prepared
studies ill the Hui<»n, Ali.'oiujuin and M<.n-
taunais dialects which were i)resented U> the
P
kinu
The firhiflnus of t}n' Jft^n'tts take no notice
of the apostolic lal>ois of tiu' Ileeoilets in tlu'
Tadousac rci^ion and i^'ather (Miarles f^illeinant
inalics a mistake in sayini;, in ItllMV, that, dur-
in;^ t ht ten years the Uecollets luul Imhmi lisiiiij
in the country, they had iu»t Ikch ahle to tind
an iulorpreter to teach tluMii the Indian laii-
aire
'J'l
lis remar
'III
i.''»t \i
rue rise
to tl
le im-
i>rossi«tn that lh<' -on-^ of St riaiu-is liail not
mmmmmmmm
T.\lM»ii8A(]
85
*-'''mo,K.e.l any .Mission u<.,k, f,>r want of sum-
m that n>;„on I, is, hou.v.r ..oto.ious that
r";;'"/" ^ thn,. ..nvulln tin. .-olonv;
••• 'i;H.oll,.ts l,,ul n.solut..iy s.i to work a.ul
t "^t. tlH.y w..,.. tlu, H,-s( tolMvu- .I..Mi,|in^s of
tlH' gospel to thr ,no,v .listant triln's.
However Ihis M.ay l„, ,|.. ./.suits whon.
<'•«• H.volh.ts had sunnuo.HMl to th.-ir assist
|Uuv. ,.,h|..,1 |,v .vphu-in^. thn... |;,.fo,v Mu^y
'•-' p- -^ foot, in Qn.U.. an al.onnnahl.
'"■^'"''''■"^^J)»'-"^'i »"-'» ^-iroulafHl fn.n. hous.
to .ous. in th. ...own., town, in wl.i.). pan,
I'i'l^'t tlu, J,,suits w.„., aecusod of h.-tvin^ insti
Katcd Havaillacscriiu," wh.-n that fanatirkiil,.!
F.mr.uonthsaft.T th.-i, anival th,. J,,/,-.
(1) t/AntiCnftoH.
' U .<■„/ ,,„• ,,,.,„ ,, ^,,„^^,. ^,;, ^,^^^,^^ ^^^ ^^^_,^^^^.^_^
ilipili
86
TADOUHAC
Coffnti (H was Itmiit l»v til*' liaiiy'iMiiu. 'I'lio
inlt'i'prctcrs olistiti.itclv n't'ii^rd i(} iiiMfiu't,
tlic suns of l<4natins ifi tlic Indian (lialccts,
lK'in<4 inij»t'll«(l to adopt tliis coursf ritluM'
(lirouuli inst iiiclions to tliat clUM-t l^}l^■ill<^ Immmi
^i\('n l»y llu' traders, oi- throiii^li t h<>if tear of
HtM'int,' tlu'ir own ini)M>i"tan<(' losscnt'il. It was
only, durin;^ tin- wintci' of \i\'M\. thai Marsolct,,
(lie ii'I«>lM*ati'tl Mo!itai;nais intn-jiff^ttM-, yit'ldrd
to tlicir solicitations and impartt'd to tlir
l''atli<Ms snnicicnt know Icd^^'c of the natixc lan-
<,Mia:L'«'s to cnaMc ilicui to hcconn' master-^ in
their turn. Tin' J{»'colli'ts, luinu' '"in ofdiT that
had no |ti"i\at(> rcsoinccs. hail n<'\<M- In-cn al)l(!
to di> more than sketch <»iit i,'iiiantic plans.
The Jesuits, who wciH' skilful ofi^Mni/ci-s, and
(1) Tlu' .It'Muit I'lilior (''>iiiiM wnslltiirv itw F^inrUi's ronfrKsor.
At tht lime <>t tliiii kiiiif's iis-4ivs,siiiatioii tlu' Kaltici' piitilii^hol an
I'xpiuiiatoi \ li'ttiT (li'tiit il(?tlara(iiin') coMrfriiintf the dcx'tniic of
till' .lt'.s\iits (Kilo), jumI ili'fvtKliiij,- lii.s Order f rum the iiccuHiilioiis
iiiadc against lliciii. Ttiis uiM)1<);.>y met with (^mitriU'dictot's wlio
|iMlitisln il il)f AiiH (\iltiin, (tvyr/iita'iitii nf(h«'t\pl;iii.il >iy letter,
iiivvliii li iIm\ Iritfl (<n>n)ve lli;it the .Iisiiits wrre tlic iimtijrritorHof
the n'i;ici<li' of lleiir\ l\'. !>« i( not iisluiiishin^ to And ttiis
l>:iiiiplili't diH>emmHif<i ill t^»nfln'f from tin- \vr\ llrMi ','
iiPiiiiiMPiiPin
taimu'sac
87
»"kI U.OUMS ;it flM'ir disposal, titt<M| nut v,.ss,.Is
'-»>nn^.outt<.tlM.stil!f.vl,K. <.oIuMVNv|.a,.v,.r
7"''' '"•< ^><i'-'-wis<. Ik. I.n.u,v<lo,;;u-c.ou,.. of
Mm. Nv<.;ikiH>,ss or wai.t of ^.no«l uiiJ shovvu In-
tlir cuiiipaiiies.
'HM'tirst <'nort.s of tho Jesuits w,..(.,li,v<t.
'•*' <*-^'^'«'^ tlM. farofr nations of tln« I^akos
H.Mun^rsttl.Mlurons. AlfhouKh tl.o Ta,lo„suJ
JiHlians woro tli,. first whom the Fron.^h had
niH with when uoi,,.;,. uj, the rivrr in (heir v.-s-
sols, the uoo<I ti<hM;(softhr^^os,„.l w,Tr only
iH.n.e to thn., aft<w havini,^ Ixvn prnaclu.! to
several otfwr tril,0H(,). Th(, ^o,.\ Taihrrs h;ul
f<n-es(.,n that tho contr. of ihofutmv (Vt„adian
"•ni.nv was to tht- W'rst. Horaa, (Jn-rly's fa.nous
pl.nusc ,s hut a faint ,,aro<ly of an of.scur,. n.is^
si(.nary's ich^i.
The T.'wloiisac Indians wore nonuuls and
<»•<• .iesuits ronsichMcd that it w;,,s in.possihio to
mstruot thnn till thny |..,an„. staliona.y
(•) Rt'lfttioiTs ot Kill. p. .■.(»,
,s.s
TAIJOUMAC
" Olio rmniot pxpoct iiukIi fium tht-m until
then, tlu'V wruto (H,
"T'Mliiy we luav iusliuct tlicni, tumori'MVV
liUMUr'r may force them to sock tlieir liviiii; in
tlir woimIs. If we luideil.ike to follow them,
we (>U''lii to have us maiiv FathtM-s as they have
I'ahiiis. There are not ten Fathers (»ut of a
huinh-etl who eouM ^m» tliroui^h what wo wouUl
hare to endure, wei'e wi» to follow them. We
shouM lia\(» mucli work to «lo, and very little
iTiHid would result from it, until we can suceeinl
in makins^ this trihe remain in one j)lace. VV«
i-annot make them till the ground, for they
know nothin'' about husl»andrv Ilesides, where
c«»uld their crops l)e hnlLjed? <hily in their ca-
l»ins ]>uilt of haik, where the vi^y Hrst frost
would destroy them. Thev '•''•^ '>• '"i<^<' ^^ho live
from haiul to mouth. < )ur only plan would be,
sen«linji; amouL'st them men who were thorou<j;h-
ly (Tonversaiit with the manner of ))rinLjinL( the
Ujround under cultivation. If such \\\y'\\ l^^■(Ml
(1) UolaMoii^iof l(i;!l, j), l_'
TA noes AC
.S9
iuiioiii^st tliciii, tilliii;^ the cjrnuinl, |»tM-h.i|ts tlu;
.Mi»Mtfi;LCii<us ImliiiMs iiii;;ht. s«»tt,l(! down. This is
a inatt«'r r«'nuiriu«jj ^rrat <'Oiisi(l«M';iti(Ui. WIm-ii
HM'ii liji\r iilways livod in i(ll«'iu»ss how can we
hahitiiatc IIkmii to \\w rtid)' lal)ot*s atlciidaiit on
(•ultivatin;^ tlic ;;rouiid ? We rntx ^^'\ on easily
«»noin;h with the indiaiis of the intt'fioi', such
as the llun»ns and the AI]Ljon<|uins, for they
are sUitionafy and i^roiijied in i-e^ular \ illa;^'es,
l)Ut, as foj- tlie Tadousac Indians, our chances
of succtiss with tlicni would lie vciv shi;ht ".
l*'our y«^ars aftej- tlie letakiiii; of (,^ue]>ec
fi'on\ the Kertkstljc Jesiuts had ah'eady twenty
six re[)^•(^sentati^es of theii- Order and six resi-
denctn* in tlie now colony. As early as IOlM),
one of their" nienilM-r had <;onc 300 leai(ncs from
Quelx'c, to the \(My ccMii re of th<' coirtinent, in
onler to e\ani;»'h/e the llui'ons. In \{\'M\,
Fathei's Hrehceuf, Mercier, Pijai-t, (Jhasleliain,
(Jarnier, .loLjucs were exercisint; their aposto-
lat" in that, aii-eady MourislunL( mission. At
Thn'e Uivers, h'athei's IJutcux and (hi Mai-c!i<'
were taking charge of the Al;:i;on(jnins and tlic
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90
TAI>OU.SAC
Whit«' Fish (Poissons IJlaues). Qu^^Im'C Ii.ul two
r(^<^ul;u' Jcisuit, establislniieiiis : Our Lady of
Aii.L((i]s (Notre-Daine df^s Alices) and our Lady
of H!^l[) (Notrc-l^aiTKMle Rocouvrancf). QuclKiC
was tim liejul-quarters of the resorvf ai'iny of
Jesuits and it was tlici-e that the young recruits
were formed for mission woi'k. There was a
Jesuit resi(hMi(*e <»n the f<»sjfgy island of Miseou
neai' BaydesOhah)urs,as likewiseou Cape Breton
Island. The success acliieved \)y tlie disci})h>s
of Loyola in Parai^^uav liad inspired the Cana-
dian Jesuits with the ideaof founding estahlish-
miMits in New France similar to thost; in the
fornier counti"y. It liad heen a comparati\(^ly
easy task organizing the Ifuron nation, for
Kw a
Iread
y 1'
d
)oss(^sse(t some sdi
t of
a goveru-
m(
lit, hut it was a far miMediHicult task estah-
th
madic tiihes wliose
iisnmg order among me noi
huntinji-iirrounds end>raced the shores of the
jower
St, 1
iawrence. A ^ooil LCentleman, w)iose
zeal, ha<l heen stirred up oy the perusal of the;
llelations. cjime most opjxirt unely to the succor
of t he good l*\i(hers and Sillery was founded.
This village was huill as an outpost of the
TADOUSAC
91
luiddinj^ cnliniy of Qiiehoc, iind it was licfo tliat
tlic Jesuits Uiod to ooUecrt tlicir waiidciiii"^
Huck. Thi)S(> tirst gatlieiHul in enlisted otluM's in
tlie eaus(?. A famous Tadousac eaptain or ehief,
having been converted, estal)lislied hin»s<>lf at
.Sillerv, and althougli bis subjei'ts, \vb(> of .ill
the Indians were the least inclined to become
(/bristians, absolutely refused tofollow their chief
to his new (juarters, they ended by asking to
have a missionarv sent to them. If the mount-
ain will not come to Mahomet, Mahonnrt
must go to th(^ mountain, says a proverb that
dates fi'om long ago. .Since the Tadousac 1 n<lians
would not leave their country, the Jesuits went
there t(t tlunn. In the month of May, 1641,
Father Paul le Jeune, Father de Quen and
Marsollet the interpreter, embarked for Tadou-
sac (0. This was the commencement of the
Jesuits' missionary Avork in that legion and for
nearly one huncb-eil and fifty years, from K) 1 1
in \1>^'2, tliey unceasingly exercised the iiiost
arduous apostolate.
(I) Ueliitiouy of ion i». :>*^: llcUtioiis of lOr.-„',
92
TADOUSAC
" This is such a mispriil)le CDUiitfy, wrote
F.illiei- (le Qiu'n, that tliore is liuidly snlVifient
oartli foi- tliC! purposes of sepulture. Tt is all
hai'ren, hare rock. Ilo\ve\-er, it would do <j;<»od
to every one if the company, wliose Heet s[)euds
some mo'iths hero every ye; r, would ))ui]d a
house, as Mons de Plessis-I>ochai't liad commenc-
ed doing. Then the Fathers could come here
eveiy spring and remain till the vessels depart-
ed. I would not advise the French to lemain
there (.'ui"ing the winter. The Indians go away
during that season, leaving their locks to the
cold, the snow and the ice".
It was to this poor and desolate land that
Father de Quen came year aftei* vear for moi-c
than 11 vears (1) so that by culti\atin<i: it dur-
ing the summei- it might bear fruit in the
winter c^). So soon as tlu^ river was frei; from
ice, the Fndians ca.ne to (.(Quebec to fetch him
in their canoc^. Thev const ructcul a retired ca-
(1) U)3i-in,--j.
{■!) lU'lulioiis of Kill.
Ill I I oowiiiKMwiB i ii m i li" ' ^
TADOUHAC
!>:{
'UNO ,is a (.'liaiii' U u -I ■ fi .1
1 '• II w.i. then; that ho said hi\
mass «'V(wv dud • '
•^ <'.tv, thus suun.j^. (1h. ir,.,„| sml
'^"">'^^tf)escatt.re,l nati,,,., of tuA/
::i: ' ''- p... „.. ,-::
f'" ^>udd luinself a house -m T i
., ^ '«• ii')us(, at ladousac (I). His
wish was arcoiMDhshnd h^ u • ,
of i< , ^n^nsiud. ^oliuwinir the example
"I <'uniac'he and Hill,M-v .,„j ^T ^
l,\. 1 , ,. ^^'"<'v and ot nianv 'n-eat
"•uut. ,„ Ins „„ss„„, I„ ,i„., v,.,,,.. f,„- ,|„. livst
V ucl lui 1„.,„. Hastily ,..„„.,n„.t»l i.v ,|„.
!— .c I, wh,. ,vo,.e u„I„,uli.,, tlu, v,.sel,, '
iha|,s.,„e y,.,„. l„.ia- was l„.„u«ht f ,
ime
) Uclations of 1(542,
0) Relations
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
u
TA DO UK AC
<!(' l;i IN'lUu'it; came tliere from Qufboe, slio was
g(»(lin<)tlHM- to tAV(» little TiidiaDs in this inipi'o-
vised (;ha])ol. '^i'wo la'suliiK? nuns who hiul ar
rived from France with Fatiier U; Jeune hap-
pened to be there at the same time and tli'y
all olfered fervent thanks<;ivin«^ to (lod. Never
had tlie Saijiienay nomads seen sucli a spectacle.
(Still greater was their astonisluniait when, in
1647, the chapel wasend>ellished by some little
drii«;get hangings and was (iiidowed with a bell
tocall them to theservices. The hangings were of
a wavy patternand the more superstitious among
the Indians did not fail to suspect that s<»mo
spell or sorcery w^as attached to them. As for
the bell all of thern took the greatest delight
in listening to its sc>und. They themselves
hung it as skilfully as a French .artisan could
have done. Each of them wanted to ring it
himself, t(j see if would speak as well for him
as for the Father.
From KVll, the Jesuits had never missed
sending one or two of their Fathers lo Tadou-
aac e\ cry year to pass the summer there, aiding
I . I i» i i.M ' "l |»wwiW^W Wy'<WW"'» »l|'W»y*<»IW»MIWI
TADOUSAC
95
•Ht |)(ut and Work
tlic bVench wli„ landed at tl
iii^' tor th,. salvation oUhv India'r.s who (Kx-kod
t!ie,.e. "Attheappn.ul. 0^)-. wint.r, wrot
I anuahst of the onlcr, when t)
o
ffit
s ^(iwn vestuKMil, in nvdw t
H' (.'ouiltiy })id;
white rol)(> and uIumi tlje littl
to foi-iu on the ed«'«'s of tl
«> Hssunie a
the India
e <Tystal,s l)e<'in
le rixcrs and str-cains.
lis separate in every direeti(
It
I search of the elk, the deer, the .-aril
>n and j/o
X'ar and tin* in
>OII.
11
le
!a\'er
l-:ac}
reetion, hut oidy in the one
sopiirating from the otl
1 L'oes in hi
s <nvn di
a'a-eed u
f
ere with eaeh .)ther in their hunt
pon before
lers, so as not to irder-
Tl
le Fathers then all rt t
P'efore tlieir departure the
'hief
ingexeu?-sions.
iirned to Quehee ".
missionaries seleeted
s i>t pr/iyer" from amon^,' the, 1
i)ett
struet.'d of the Indians and these/ ehiefs
cliarged with recallinix to tl
er ni-
were
))retl
H-en, the noti
le mi»ids of tl
leir
ons o
1
.f rel
x'-oii imparted to tliem d
i,L(i(.n whieh had
urni
tl
Calenchirs were ontnisted to thesr^ I
i« summer.
that tJiey might k
)o
now when the Su/id
giques so
ays and
teast-days fell, so as to ke,.p Hien. holy. It
was tliey wl
10 were t(. deri<le any dillieult
les
I)()
TAD0U8AC
tliiU ini<^lit ai"is(', to di(!tat(' wluit pi'aycM's wci-e
to V)« recitod duriii;,' ilhu'ss, in tini*' of trial, oi-
Nvlu'ii the rliase was not productive, or aifaiu
wlion rivers and lake.s were to he crossed. These
imj»rovised duet's of prayei-s liad sometimes
more zeal tlian common sense, like all newly-
etjuvei'ted peoj>le.
"One day, records the annalist of the mis
sion, Hieur de Joinville, who has writtiMi the
life «>f St Louis, l)einjLi: overtaken at sea l>y a
^'reat tempest, his soldiers and sailors who
thou<,dit themselves in danger of perishing,
thr(^w themselves at his feet and asked him to
give them ahsolution of their sins. lUit, said he,
tlo you think, I have the necessary pow<'rs ?
Who else ^an have them since there is no priest
on hoard? On receiving this reply, he i-aised his
voice : Well tlien, I ahsolvt^ you with all the
powers T possess, I do not know whether I
have any, l)Ut if I have you are ahsohed. JJy
acting thus lie showed extraordinary simplicity,
not unmixed with great ignorance. The Tadou-
sac Indians in this tirst winter fell into similar
r,\f)rt(i.SAc
97
'■'■'■'";■ ''.""''■"« -"'v-» i"ii„.,i,.,„i,s„f,„..
"M-nly tak,.,, will, h l„„,,i„,, ,„ |„„„: ,„^,^^
'"'■-f«.l..'...w,.„Ml„.„u.,-l,U„. ..,.,■,. ,i„s«.i,h
all ll„. ,.xo,..s „f ,„,,,„, .„.,,„,t„,|. .\„ „|,|
w.-.n.-H, l„.,ml ,.„„f,.«M„„s. Ast„M,„sowl,„),a,|
""""""'"' '^ "^"-""Ifa"!!, Il„.yl,a,|,„„,„f,,,
' "• "" i'"'''''b a„.i i„. |,i,ii„,,i, .,,„„,,:
<'n.M;,,„u,.ll,„,a;;i,„.,l„ ,„issi„„a,-v's s,„.,„W
r'""; ;, ^ '■"""■" ""■ f"li.nviM.; s,,nn«, i,.
l"™-.lthe,u=,.,„„„„ni„.s,. .,„„|,„ I,,., „.,,•„;.
ous J)erf< (nuances. '^
suu, wLovvas tlH- n.ost frequently sent „n tl.;
iu,l<.usacn.ission. ilis nmne is cmstuntly hein..
.HetwithtHHuifMltohini During thisdoeade
Ins occasional fellow n.issioncs w.,v Kat.},ors
iJuteux, l)ruill,;t(..s, Lyonne, P>aillo<,uct.
Fron, the tin,e (,f his first sojourn at Ta-
•Ousucin U4l, Father de Quen had ardently
desired t<. ponetrate int<, the deptlis of the 8a
Muonay district and visit the fndians of the
northern tribes ; hut he had always hoen p.e
98
TAIM>USA<I
V(>ii((mI <loin<j; si>, tlir(MiL,^li (lieir ;i|)j»r(>lu'nsi(ui of
tlic s«n'r('ts of (ln'ii hunlini,' ^n'ouiids Ixmul;
Itctrayt'd. It was only in .hil\ h>17, tluit Im'
could stai't oil a joutiKiy to I lie Pon-upiiic
( Pore Kl)ic) I liln'. lie ascciKJfd tlic SauMitMiay
and the ia[>ids of tht' Kixcr ("hicoutimi, tia
Nci'srd
th
fit'al l\«')io<:aiiii lake and was tlw
first Fjvtu'liinaM wlioseadvcntuious l)arl< ]tl(m;4:li
«'(! (lie waters (»f Lake St .loliii. In \C)~>'J lie
atrain nia<
l(> tl
11' jouiiicy. It uas
I'^Mtl
\VV (l<
(,i>uon likewise who eoniuiented ihe iSetsianiite
mission.
I''atliei' ('Jiailes Alhanel Uec.une (lie re;L'ulai'
sueeessoj- of l'\itlier de (^>tien in the Tadoiisae
Monla^nais mission. He wa^ the tlrst iiiis-
SKdiai'V w lio ei»
imiieiiecd t(» follow the Indiai
IS
in their winicr hunt iiii;' eanijiainns (i). ['"roiii
1 ().")() to 1 (»•)() he dwelt in these j>arts, sonu--
tiiiies i;oinLi' alon;^ the horders of the ri\(:'r,
soiiuUiiiMVs pluni;'in<4" into the woods, sometimes
taking up liisahode at Tadoiisae itself with the
(1) Journal uf ilic Jc!>uit.s, p. 144.
TA Dor HAT
09
t«-^v l<.vn<-l, wl.oM, tlM,. rival. r..,n,.a,.M.,s |,;u|
'•«'t;uM..(l u, (hn'.w.n.ploy for I i... u intrr to |„ok
HfU'rthcirintnvsts. Durin^Mluu i,.,<.n,f I (ir,; 1,,.
vcntunMl wIM, a I.untiM,ir-,,arly o,. tlu-soiM).
sl.on. of Mh. rivr aiHl rrarh.-d t Im> Not n-- 1 );,„.,.
""•""tHins. h, M,os,,riii-of Mi.W), iM.for.. \rn^ -
in^' Tadousar, Faflu-r All.and had ,nani.-,ja
^enchniari nain.-d Franrois P(.!lrti..r to an In-
«iian Christian w.nian vvithout jMihlishin- any
l)unr>s or notifvin- the parents, t hr hishoj., ,,r
•iM'.^mvn-nor. This aOair n.a<lr a -n-at sensation,
Hi.d tlie Father was sent, away to (h.' Ottawa
mission.
•"^•'I'vin- the Tadousa.- mission lia«i heen a
lal.>r,.f love to Father A ll.anel : tor t,-n vears of
J>iN life he had hestowe<| all his eareon itfand for
1-N sake had made many a saeriMee. Yet,
obedient to the ridr of his Ord.-r. he left it
promptly and hastened in othr.r and unkn.nvn
shores. St I-natii.s says: ''A ,J,.suif must
msen.l.le a soldi,.r under marchin- orders."
Father AUnxmA returne<l to Tadousac uftiM- ten
years' absence ; hut, alas ! he found everythin.
'^'
100
TAI)Oi;SAC
iliunijcd. TIm' cliuicli lie had S(» Ion;,' ;j;(jV('i .m'«I,
lliti mission lu- iwwl hift so Houiisliiiig, tutw wnr
hut shadows of tht'ir fonncr solv(\s. Famine,
sit'kn«'ss and an im|)lacal)le tmcmy iiad dispers-
ed the IlMH) catcehnmens wliouj h<! had deli<;ht
ed lo instruet. Solitude i-ei^^ned onecMnoie on
the rooks of Tadousae, and the Fatlnu- found
harely one hun(h"erl wan look! iii; 1 ndians to jjr|-cet
his rctufn.
(!i'(^at events had happeiuMl since the day
when Fathei' Albauel had for the first tinn'
al>andoned the slioi-es of Tachuisac. In U)()()
innnediatcly after his departure, Fatliers Druil
lett-es and Freniin (i) liad l>een s»nt to icplaee
liim. Tlu^ tiad(us looked on tliem with an e\il
eye and in an underhand way liad dctne all they
could to hinder them from coming. The Fatheis
therefore had to I'etraee theii* steps almost im-
metliately. The following year, the iniplaeal)l(!
.lro«iuois laiuled at Tadousae, sui'prisiid the
Fi'<Mich who were occupied witli their fishing
and iinexpeetant of evil, killed three of their
(1) Journal yf the Jesuits, p. *285
■ ^■ 1— W W ^ iii i m w
TADOUSAf!
01
'"""»"''■ .•UMl.Wt„ut(lrsfructi<.M wit I, l,n. I, Hn.
HM.Iswunl. Th.y spHn.,1 uuihh.^. Tl... ,,ost
-^-^<' <..• iH.t >ry was .Irstroy..!, M... ,.|,„,v|.
>"'•""•'« tl... s„rvlv<Ms of the. inh.tl.itHnts nun.-
'»'"n.ii,' al, .ut on,. l,u,H|,,.d souls mnl.u-k.ul for
g»''l>.'r, Turlousuc was left in ruins (J). Tf, was
Hfl.'rthisamlacious attack and on ihnr way
'.u-k to tlu.ir own rountry that <„ Ir.Mmoi;
'<;"-« ^'"^Hi.h Seneschal, Jean .Ic Lau/on, ..n
the Island of Orleans.
^ Fo.- nearly two y,.ars after this <lJsaster,
iu(l..usac remained minhahited, nntil, in the
xvnn<r of 1(>(:;{, p,,^,.,, „,,i||ettes was a-^ain sc-nt
< "''-e. The l.ulians, who were kopt away fron,
the r,ver shore by fear of the eaen.y, had dis-
P<M'scd into the depths of the woods nv had
sou-ht refu;«. with tribes who resided further
fn.n, the (hdf. In the course, .f las adventurous
journeys, Father Hailjo.juet had pen.Hmted
into the country of the Papinachois, a nation
situated to the north of Tadou^ac. Thi. was in
tlwyoar 1GG4. The .h-suits chose , he latter
(■2) Journal of the Jesuits, p. -iOti.
\0-2
TADOUSAC
]>lii('(' as (I'cii- jil.tci' of ivfuLC*' aiul i( \va,s
llitMK'c th.\! tlic iiiissionai'ics stui'U'd out in
search of tlicir sca(t<M<'(l flocks. TatluM's Druil-
Ictlcs. r>ail!(t(juci and l!iM)i-i Xoiivfl succi^cdcd
(>;u'li ot'iK !• (lici'c until HM')^. \\'«> hear of
thcni on th(> v'u^\\\ side (.f (he river, at l^ake St
Jolni, at the I'et siainites, at the mission of Lake
l>ar*nal)y in the l'a|iinatli(»is country. 'J'liese
nn'ssions were unih'r the care of tlie ,J«'suit
r'athei- Louis de I Jeaulieu when Ih'shojide Laval
landed at, Tadousac in l()(>S toijive eouHrination
to the few Indians who still dwelt tlu'i-«' <m-
M lioin peace h.ui ai^ain attr-acted Ut the spot.
Tlu^ teuiph' that had cost sucii pains to eonstruct
liavin^- heen redueed to ashes, the Bishop had
to he received in a hark chaju?] (i).
Alhanei liad passed the winter of KlOO in
tlie forest bordering lii\iere dir Loup, Notre-
l>anie Au Porta<.;e and (rreen Island (lle-Verto)
and. in the sjjrini; <»f lt)7(.), he was preparin;;-
t<» return to (^)uohee n\ hen he received orders to
}Xo to Tadonsae and administer the last sacra-
(1) IJilalidii of IOCS.
TADUU8A(^
lO.i
monts to Uin sick, ;is ;.lsn i,. l,u,-v d,,. si,.fin,s
of ail <'i,i(|,Miiic ihaf, was ra;,MMo' t}„.,v. As h*.
was pn„-,'<>(liM^r al.,n<( Um' t,.,rM, <-<)as(, in a<-aii.«.
in seaivh ..f his disprrs..,! Hurk, h,- ,n,l uKl, .,m
Indian from tin- <-('l(.l,f;i.l('(i Nnrlli I'.av * ( fJaic
<1m N,,r,l) Nv),„ told l,i„, 1„- h.id hirns(-lf srrn a
f'rcnrh vessel in Ids ,,\\ ,, .•(.inil rv.
All,.uir| .|nesli.,nrd liin. rh,so\y, desirino-
n<»Miiii,- so inticli as to advance info H.rir uncx^
ploi'cd counti-y,
Foi- a l..n,u. (JHi,. i,J„. niissionai-ics and }r<>.
v.'rnorsof Xeu Fran.v l.a.l l.ccn anxious "to
prnctratc tiics.^ mysterious f(M'«'sts and rea<;li
the famous sea, Tlu^ Kn-h'sli had the sam.-
<l<vsire, and which nation was the first to take
possession is still a .lehated p.,int, with no p<,s.
sibility af any decision hciiii,^ cojue tod). On
Juno L>4th, iniO. an Kn-h'sh.nan arrived in
C^ud)cc with Twenty Ahciuupiis. lie had h^ft
K(Mic])cc, ..rossed the Alle,^r|,anies and dc-stvud-
Ifudsoii's \\i\\.
(1) SCO a MTV int.MTsfin- study on this |.oi„t l,v Mums I'aul ,1,.
Dazes : Tlw S ort lie rn Frontier (La Front i.>rr' \onl)
W"
mmmtfiffm
\0i
TADOUSAC
s(l tlio (^luiudit'i*^ as far as (lie St Lawrcmn' in
seiirch of a )>assag('. to tlw N«>i-tli Sea, Moris, dc
MontniJiijfny si'iii liim to 'I'adousai;, whence they
sliipped him lo l^^ni^land. He re})lied to the
Jesuits who ({uestioned him, tliat l)y ,i^oin,i( np
tho Sa<>;u(Miay lie was sure of I'eaehin;^' llie sea.
liut the Fathers then tliought the Tiakt' HuJ-on
route was the more eertain (D. In Ki'iT, the
Procureur Oeneral Jean r>()urdi>n, in lOOl th(>
missionary Fath(M-s l>al>lon and I )ruilh»ttes, in
IGC).'}, tlie notary Pieri'e I )u(iuet, had vaiidy
attempted tlie joui'ney. Meanwliile t,h(» Indians
had l)een incessantly interrogated, and e\(>ry
missionary had eonnnuiuc-ated whatever iid'oi'-
nuition lie iiad t>at.hei'(Hl. The Kelation of KifjS
ifives the details of six dilT'ei'ent route
w
hi<h
would tinally lead to this myst-erious sea,
" routes that were fai- uutre ditlieult to follow
tlian the hiL(h-road from Paris to Oi'leaiis ".
Tl
le so
lut
ion o
f tl
us
pi
oiiiem was o
f th
hii(hest importam-e. If the Kni^dish were once
allowed to esta,l)lish themscKcs on the foLjify
(1) Utlalion ir,4(i, p. SO.
TADOUSAO
105
shores of the Bay there was mo hope of seen Hn<,'
the tfa<lin«,^ with the northern nations who
su})|)h"e(l the factories or trachn;,' posts of Three
Rivers and Tadousac. What, his predeeessors
had failed to do, Fath(>r Alhanel aeeoniplished.
Ten years previously, June 1st lOfil, the
missionary Dahlon and Sieurde hi Valliere had
set out from Tad^-usac and niountin*,^ the Ha
^'m>nay, T.ake St John and tlie Assamaehou-
anne, had arrived at Lake Nikc.uha on the
lii,<,diest irrounds (i), a hundred lea«,'ues from tlie
river and jialf way to N(,rth liay {P.aie du
Nord). Father Alhane! took a westei-ly dirve-
tion. Having set out from Tad.uisae, Au,irust
'"^Mi ir)71, lie j)enetrated as far as Lake St J<.hn
where he wint(!re(i. June 1st, 1G72, he left his
winter-fjuarters and, }»ythe\vay of Hiviere-aux-
Sahles and a succession of ponds or little lakes
not yet named, arrived at the ^vhuI Mistassini
Lake oii the eighteenth day. On the 'jnth ..f
the month, he at len.ufth came to the celebrated
northei-n sea. By the vnd of July he was
(1) Relation of 1001, Joiiriiul des Ji-stiifes, p. 'M).
mmm
10<)
TADOL'SAC
.'ipiaiii at Tadousao wlKric- tlic I'l-cinhiiitMi of the
trading-post lielj)e(l him to tclchiated tlie aiuii-
versaiy of his departure. Fath<'r Alhaiiel had
traversed tSOO k'agues on foot and in canoes,
had passed 200 watei'fulls and MJO ra|»ids, and
all in tlie space of h^ss tlian sixty davs (i).
Until tlu'n, says t)ie Relation, tins jonrnc'y had
l)een sup[)osed to he ini})ossil>le for the Freticli
who had already undeitaken it three t inies and
iinahle to overeonici the ohstaeles they met- with
had found themselves oljJiged to ahandon the
(MitrepT'ise, despairing of success ". To h'ather
All>anel helongs the glory of ha\ing accouijdish-
e<l the ex } led it ion that had occuj)ied his thoughts
for ei<jhteen vears.
Father Alhanel's journey terminates the
era of discovery in the regions to tlie north of
Tadousac. Tt is now a country that is well
known, oven th(tugh not thoioughly explor«'d,
and we shall now s«>e the Jesuits, still keeping
Tadousac as their rallying-point, ext»Miding a
I
hi
(1) Tliis would appear iinpos>4il)(e, Iml we ll<'l:ilion of 1(17'.?, p.
48.
I
lanMWWMaiaiB
TADUUHAC
107
iH't-vv(M'k of cstahlislmu'iits hikI tniiponu y mis-
sions over- tiie coimtry wliose dark xvi\ tUoy had
torn asimdf'r. W(, si.all sc,. (1... traders, "ca-vr
f.M- hooty, following, the intrepid missionarrcs,
and the fa.'tory or tradii.n- l,uildi,i,- roariiii;
its lH';i,d side l,y side wilh (h,. rustic cliapcl.
Father Al))anf'rs successor, Father Fran-
cois de Crepi,.ul, (hiriii-- his I hirty-one years'
apostohite. from 1G71 to 1702, had to serve the
wh<ae of this vast ni-iou. Hotting ,,„t h-nm
Hte Croix of Tadousac, and going to tlie North,
he would come to ilie missions of St- Francis-
Xavier <.f Cliicoutimi and Hi Charh's of Meta-
hetchouajj, to the extreme Kast he would arrive
at the sources of the Assamacliouanne and at
the establishment of St Ignatius of Xikoul.a,
to the W(>st he would find the the i)ost of the
Holy Family, in the centre of Mistassini Lake,
lietui'ning to his starting-point and going
/dong the north shore of the river he would
eome successively to Our Lady of (h>od Desire
(Notre-Dame du F>on Desir) of tlie Bergeronnes,
to L'Fscoumain, to Hetsiamites, to Oui* Lady of
tlie AssuuJption of the .Jeremiah Isl/mds (ilets
1 OS
TADOUSAC
.It'i-('iuie) to the mission of Tli<^ («iiar(li;iii Aiii,'ol
aininijLi the Oniiwuuiois, to tluit of tlic Lake St
Ranial»y td the head of llie Hi\('i- Stc Mar-
i^ucM'ite.
Kiiiht assistants (tame succossivcly to the
aid of tli(^ missionary. They Nveic Fath(M's ,Iean-
r»a{»tiste liouchei', Jean Moiain, Aiitoine Silvy,
n
onav(M\ture
F:i\
)re
Antoiiie Dalmas, Loui^
Aiuh'e, Pierre JNIai-est, Jean Chardon. Silvy,
hahnasand Marest went as far as lludson's
I'ay. Fathei- Mai'est was made prisoner by tiie
KnoHsli and taken to Plymouth, l^'ather l>ahMas
was killed hy tlie Indians of Fort Ste Anne.
Tliis was the ordy martyr whom tlie .lesuits
gave to the nussions in the Noi'th.
After the depai'ture of the Fatiier Franeois
de Crepieul, the missions of those distant I'egioiis
aj)j)eai' to have heen someiwhat abandoned. The
Jesuit Father Laure, who seems to ha\e heen
Ids lij-st regular successor, declares in his Jour-
nal that on an-ivinsj; at (^hicoutimi, ho is tak-
nit^ possession of th(^ missions which ha\e heen
newly estal)lish(>d afli>r an interregnum of
TAD(HJSAC
UD
twenty vv.irs. Futj,f,r Lnu.-o died ;it, tJu, El,„u-
l.M.iontsi.i ir.'JS and was i-ri,laced tuo years
ut'teiwatds }>y FatluM- ,I(!ai.-I^>tiste AlaiU'iee.
V'.ithiM' Mau.ic(; died at Tadousac, Afarel, i>Utli,
174f), and in tlie autumn f.f that same yvj,
FatlK.r Claude4^odfroi C<„iuai-t receiv..d ..nlers
to go th(«re and continue his pi-edeeessor"s work.
Father OiMjuai-t, in Ids turn, died July Itli, 1 765,
■md the missionary wlio intended liim at Chi-
eoutimi, Father Jean-Baptiste dv la Brosse,
was the twenty-tirst nn'ssionary of his order in
that re<,don.
Chicoutind, und(!r tlie rei.<(n of Fathers
Laure and CVxiuar't, apj)ears to ha\'e taken tJie
l.'ad of Tadousac. ''The Jesuits are now in
possession of this mission whieli is at. Cliieou-
timi ", says hi Pothei-ie ^,y Charl.Hoix eo.i.plains
of the soliUuU' (.f Tadousac; where there V i-e
neith(;r men noi- beasts to he seen vi).
During (.ne hunth-ed and foi-ty-two years,
the missions ,,f Tadousac and the Sagucwiay
(1) V. 208.
(••J) (1721).
110
TADOUSAC
were utidor the apostolic cajv of the disciples
of St Ignatius «)f L(>yola, and, durijig that cen-
tury -ind a luilf, the history of Tadousae contains
littlt! cls(! than a record of the AVorks which
these i^•lthe!•s pcj-fornied. Since the year 17^*.■3
secular priests have ivplaced the Jesuits.
„■ itt,iii-.*r*».-«mj)»i«a.--\4JC*/- 'ii.ij* ■ f •r'ft.vv i4,':,^'iff''?t.sJi\«fftft*jM
(; (lisciplcy
L^ that con
fic contains
irks wliicli
year 17<*^."3
uits.
VII
Kvploratioiis of thf .Fcsuit iniNsifnuiiicH. Tluir fliploniacv.- lluw
IIh'.v iHcaiiK' valuahlo luixiliarics to the sjov eminent.
The work of the Jesuit missionaries was not
coiilined to evan<(elizing the Tmlians, hut wuh
(»f a twofold nature. Apostles and soldiei-s, the
Jesuits penetrated everywhere, seekin*,' (»ut tlie
most obscure haujits in order there to lay down
their lives iu the naiin' of Had and of th«^ KiuL'
of France. To the same extent tliev relied on
the Htate, the. State n^lied <>n them. As mis-
sionaries, th(>y worked foj- tlie conv<n-si<»n of
the tt ilics, as political a;<j;eiits they watc})ed their
cointTts closely, keepini; them away fr(»m the
Kuijlisli and iin}>artiiijL,f the results of theij- ol)-
servatioiis. They did not live for themselves,
they li\t'(l f..i- their relii(i(»n and their country.
Kvcrv Indian \vhon> they converted l>ecame an
ally of France. All tlie Indian tribes, from
Aeadiji, to Mississippi, have lieen i*nder their
tw(»-folfl influence, When the gloiy of the
French name was at stake, tlie mission;iry, the
tmrn
112
TADOUSAC
"WJinior jiiul i1h> tivul(>i' uctod in unisoii. It
Would ,s«'«Mii as if this alliance crmcutcii by
tlii'if having shafo'd such uunioi'ouH perilous
missions rojxised on too s(»li(l a basis to be
easily s(;vered. Nevei'theless, as soon as the
couinion enemy had disappeared, these heroes
who had previously been so united, indulged in
discussions wotthy of a less civilized a<jfe, and by
these discussions often destroyed the fruits of
many a victory they had to«fether i,'ained at the
cost of *friMit sacritices.
To the Jjidian chief who wished to close
tlie road to the Nortli Sea, Father Alb;iii»'l
n^plied : " It is not for the sake of purchasin;^'
a passai^e across this ri\('r and your lake that
T wished to make you two pi-esents. Since the
Fr(mch have delivered vour country from thr
incursions of your enemies the Inxjuois, tln^y
well deserve full liberty to i^o and come across
this land which they ha\e ac({uircd by theii
arms. Besides, (lod, whom you yourselves say
is the master of all since it is lie who has
created everything and wlio governs everything,
■|'Alior,SA(
ll.i
;•' l"^^'^ ^><'"ly .v.-ryvvl.,.,,. I „,,, ,^.j,j, "^ ,
'<--^^<'<i, ,1.. r.vn,.!n.,an savs ,.; vo.,, .uui " I
w.sl,fnrnuuili,.s,nufaM.ily,uhotHl<;MlMM(.n,..H
f<M-(lu.rn.a.t,M-,H;Kl hav. nvours. ,., l.i.u i,.
••;"l;tl 'unship n.usi n<.l !,<. only .-hKJ.Iv an,l <;f
th.s vv<.H(l, 1mi( n.nst ...ntinu. aft.,- ,i.,,ti, and
^';^^<' ^'x'"- ^'Uition in il,.av.n. TluMvfn,v
ul>an.|..n your ,losi^a„nradin;. wit), tlu. I^luro'
if
peans ulu, c-airy <>n tLci,. trad,^ in Mm' iv-n'on ,
tho North S.a, where th,.y do not j.rav to ( ;.K|
^^'•-^t y.„,,,,j,, „^,^^, ^,^^^_.^^ towards" Lak. St
•'"•". ^^I'^.v yon will always line! son,. />W:
/v^Vlo nistruetand l)aj)ti/.e yuu d).
it ^V'^sthusinM.,.y<.arof.,.ace,l(;71,inthe
<l"Ttl.s ot the Saguenay wo<„ls, FaMwr Alhan.-l
mnented the uni,>n of Chunh and Stat., a,dvo-
OHfinn:th.Mnterest,sof thetwoinono an.l the
same harangue.
(1) R«'liiiion of j(;72, p. 4S.
HI
TADOUHAO
Ainoii^ the llmoii and Iroquois Lrilx's,
tlu; .Jcsuits'lwul luariy glorious missions whicli
tlicy haptizdd with tlnir hlood— missioiH wortliy
of ajiostlesandtnart yrs. Tlie clmrch of Tadoiisau
WHS more humble. Tliouifh sho has never bona
tried l)y fire and swonl, history records tliat
j>rotracted journeyir)<^s and prodifjfious hd)ors
were accoiniilislied by the Jesuits wlu) were the
d
(lisc(tvei'ers am
1»
om^crs (»
f tl
U!se reiTions.
Tl
ley
wert; th»' first \,n ])on{!ti'ate into thost' distant
solitudes so rei>lete with mystery and of w hi('h
so many awi' inspirin,:^ U;;.,^'iuls vyere rehited.
The Saj^U(Miay and the re^dons to the north
were they better known tlian thiy are at the
])r"<3sent day? It must, not \n\ for<(otten that, in
those ])rimitiye times when a roa<l to Japan
vvas beingsoardently soun'htfor, it wasatTadou-
sae that the <'xpediti«)ns of 1071 and H')Sl were
orijjini/ed ati<[ i1 was thence that the disco-
vering parties set forth in s(^•lrch of the celebrat-
ed Nortli Sea, which they eventually reached.
It is to the labors of the Jesuits that we are
indelited for our kn iwled^'e of those iv'dons,
npi
TA OOUHAC
115
HM(I lUriv laliors luiv., l,wn ivlutcl |,y (I,e
''.itluMs uifl, ,i„ uniourit, „f iiuiiiilitv' tluif,
'••'i''«l <'Mly he (M|i,HlhM| |,y tli('ir(l(not,.<lnrss.
When the (vipital of New Fnuu^e was
Imrely em(M-<rinu £,,,,„ its extreiiu, iMfnncy, the
JeMuits Hh-emly hjul liussicms estu»>lishe«l alu„^r
the Haorueimy .uul on the .shores of Lake St
.iohn. At thf3 end of the hist oeiitury when
Mirhaux, the naturah'st, was advanein- n<M(h-
ward.w, ny the >fay of Mistassini and Rupert,
he was following' in the tj-aees of Father Al'
haneh The Jesuit Father Laur.., who lived at
Tado«.s,ic from 1720 to 17:^, has left a n.ap of
the Saguenay territory wliieh is still a marvel
t<> geographers through tlie ahundam-.. and
rigorous exactness of its details. In Ciiarlevoix's
book, we are surprise<l to find a map of these
countries in which Lake Mistassiid is niarke.l
with all its bays and its numerous little islands,
all of whieh hitter bear completely French
names such as : St Joseph's, Jloly Cross, St
Ambroiso, St John (ties Saint Jf)seph, Sainte-
Croix, Saint-Ambroiso, Saint Jean). On a pe-
11(3
TADOUSAG
iihisiila scpiii'Jil.irig Lakes AUkuu-I and i>Hintliin
from Lak<> Mistassini, the house of |)orval is
)uai-keil. 'I'lie fivers l>oui'l»oii, Ked Caf}) (a la
Can)e Rougf], and Feilje Nomclle discharge
tlu^msehes into tliis inland sea
In ITOl', t,li(> missionary Fatliei- C^'/'pieul
tells us that oiu! Nicolas went to the (Jrand
Lake Mistassini aceonipanie<l by ten l*\-(Mich-
nien and two Moiita^^nais Indians in oi'drr to
rebuild liis house and reconsti'uct the o-encral
cemetery and the infants' cemetery. From the
time of l^ither Albanel's journey tiie Jesuits
had a mission on Lake Mistassini whieli they
served regularly and even they liatl founded an
estaljlishment' on Lake Nikou))a after Father
Dablon's exj)edition in IHlU.
And now, at the end of this nineteentli
century, tliese r(\ij:ions are ayain unknosvn ! A
surv(^y<H' wlio had _L(one up nearly to the source
of the old des Sables river whence lie believed
h(^ eould pei'coive Lake Mistassini has I'clated
his exploit.s, and, in certain quarters, this sim[)le
fact has been .•^pokcn of as aghu'ious discovery.
1
TADOUSAC
1 I
It was hy inejins uf ilieso verv iiia}>,s Ihai
the surveyors found tlu-ir way U> iJu' unkni.un
'Virion, when in i >i2S the Canadian -overn-
I'HMit -;ent an e.x|)|.„i„.- party to oxannne the
LakeHt J„1hi valley, an o!,l trapp.M- havin-
revealed its existence and s].nken <.t its marvel's
to the astonished deputies, It w^s the Kelati<,ns
of tjiese j.ioiieers that furnished those -entle-
luen with juost of tJieir information.
The ]>riniitive liuh'ans, fearin.ir that their
Jnintin-^rpounds rni.L^d.t ],e aj-propriated, had
ivp'''^«ented to tlie missionaries that tlie interior
of the Sa-uenay country was barren and ni<,unt-
ainous, covered with perpetual snow and of a
most umpleasant aspect. An echo of thes^ first
accounts of the district may he found in Champ-
Iain and in Nome of the write.-s who succct'ded
him. The tra<Hn-,ompanies, like (he Tmlians,
liad n(. desire to enc.,ura,i,re the estahlishment oi-
invite the «'omp<'tition of any newcomers iii
the haunts they fnvpiented for (he fur trad-
Hud they had always son^d.i l,<, pivw^nt Un,
MS
TADOUHAC
luucli luMiig known i)y strangers alMuit those
countri(^s.
The J ('suits, wlio liad n«>n(M>f tliese notions,
tell UN, in ihv Relations, all they had s«Mm,
concealing neither the fertility of the land, n<ir
the mildness of the <'lxTnat,e. Their accounts of
their traxi^ls, pi-intcHl and s[)read lK)th in 1'' ranee
and in tlie colony (i), \ver<i splendid guides to
the future colonists in search of suitahhi phices
to st>ttle. The Concjuest interfered with their
work of preparation. In the (irst instance, it
had IxH^n necessary to people the valley ot the
St Lawrence, ami then the g(»vernnieni having
foundetl the military estahlishments on the
Uichelieu had concentrated its energies in the
direction of the (rrejit Lakes and tlie Mississippi
where it was of gwat consetpuMioe that ollicially
organized groiipings should connect the colony
of Louisiana. When Quel)ec fell, th(5 valley of
La l'»eauce ha<l oidv been cleared ahout tweiitv
(1) Durlnji: the oci iipatioii of the roiintry hy the KiciicJi, many
Cnuiiliiui familios j»(>ssesso<l cojiifs of tho l?r1aM(»iiH of tho .U'suils,
as inny bj seen )>y roforrinif to tlu; invent Dries of their posses-
sions.
mmi
TADOHKAC
10
yoHi-s. Besides, it was fdinnl u(>c<;s.sMrv i<» nd-
vaiK'o towards tliesouDi ,uid llu' west in onU-r
to resist the (•Tjcroaehriieiits of the Au^do-Sjixen
raee. 'Hie north h;ul he.Mi reserved to us fruni
all et(^rriit,y. To meet the neeessities (.f the
times, tlje advaneed [losts <>f the Mistassini and
Nikoidtii. would amply sulhc(! as rallying' points
for t)ie fiuhans who were tempted t(» tr;ide
with the En<rlish vessels eojitinually arrivin<r
ill Hudson's Bay.
However this may ]»e, let us hear how
Father Dablon speaks of Lak<^ St John : • This
lake has a fitie asj)eet, lie writes in IGGl, witJi
a few scattered islands towards its mouth ;
aftei- which it gently rolls its waters over a line
sand, boundin.i< it all round, the shapes of the
lake ])ein,^ somewliat (tval ; it is ahout seven
or eight leajijues in diameter. It seems as if
crowned hy a })eautiful forest, which shadows
its shores, nut], from whichever side we l»M»k at
it, we heliold a venhmt expanse like a natural
Mjnphitheatre of twenty mih^s in cireumferenee.
It is nf)t very deep considerins,' the i^reat. num-
mm
1 20
TADOU.SAf
ber uf rivcis s\liit'h tl<»\v into it,, and Mhicli
iiiusl iticiTas*' irs Aoiiinui siii('(' it (lisflia,i'i;('s
ils(^lf l>y <>n]y Knc (Uitlct, the Ki\(>i* Sai^inMiay,
of' Mliicli it is (he soui'r'c '. " I'll is is a iH'autiful
spitl, the land is 1<'\(>1 and appears In l)0 ,u''""'>
ihei'c IxMii:^ sonu- finf nioadow land ; llu^ (»tt(?r
tli<' Canadian cliv, (lie I)ra\crand more ospt'ciuUy
t he ]Hii't'npin<^ art! luM'f found in lari^c iiumbors",
writ(\s All)an(rl, ten yt^ai-s latci'. Tliis last niis-
siiHiat'y speaks as follows of Mistassini, Neniis-
kaii and the slope, towards tlio North Sea :
" This country is not mountainous, the climate
is milder than <>lsewhere, tlie land is ijjood ami
A'ery productis-e, so tlwit it could su}>]>ort a larije
[iopulat.i<)n if it were iirojxuly hi'ou^ht under
cultivation, '{"hei'e a,re vast })lains ai,M*eeal)ly
intersperscvl with water . , . , A j;reat juistake lias
been niad»; by those who represent this country
as uinnhabitable, (^'thei' on account of the
oxcessixe cold, of the snow and ice, or of the
scarcity of wood for building' pnr[>os(^s or foi'
fuel. They cannot ha\i> seen the \ast, thick
forests, the beautiful plains and far-stretching
I
TADOrSAC
121
ini'adcws wliirl. ]>uv,Wr tho .-ivcrs in various
places and w liidi air- eovorwl with all kinds of
pastuiv. On the 1511, of June I },uv,' myself
seen wild n.ses as l,(Mn(.ifi,] and fra<(rant as any
t«» be found at C^uehee, the seas,,n appearing to
me to he forwarder than there, wliilst the air
is mild and pleasant. There was no ni^rhf wlien
I was there, the evenin.i,' twilight last'in- until
the early dawn ".
Thi'se hardy (Explorers, these wond<M'fuI
instruments in the han<ls of Divine Providence
for tilt spread of civilization and of their own
languay<', had ])een formed in a severe school.
Many uf them had abandoned theircollege chairs
and their professorshij)s of literature and th(!
abstruse sciences, jji (,rder t<. }t\uu'^n>. into the
deepest i-ecesses of tin; lorcvsts and becomt; the
hundilest of teachers. W'lien tht^y passed throu;;h
any country, they nnuh' a study of all its vo...
sources. . was Lafit.-iu who discovoivfl the ijin-
s«^n,n^. It was (^har-les Lemoine, whilst on a mis-
sion t<. the lro<iuois, who Hrst jnade known the
famous salt-sprin,i(s of ( >nonda<i:a wliich the
122
TADOUSAC
Tiidiaiis iK'lieved to be haunted i)v a wicked
spirit. The mines of I^nke Superior were also
dcserihed }>y tlu; Jesuits. They <j[atht red sim-
ples or niedieirial lierhs, catalogued them and
made drawings of them. Father de Beaulieu,
one of tlie most learned mathematicians of his
tinje, a missionary at Tadousac. after having
hunted and shot all dav, w<mld amuse himself
in the evenings l)y dissecting the game in order
to l>ecome a<;quainted with its anatomy ; liis
only luminary being th«i torch's smoky glare.
"The Tlurons and other sedentary tri)>es
art!, as it were, the a.rist-ocracy of the country,
says Sagard. The Algonquin tribes compose
the middle class, whilst the lowest class is
represented by the Montagnais ". The art of
tilling the ground had to })e shewn to these
nomadic tribes l)y means of example and these
holy missionaries hful themselves to undertake
the manual lal>or of clearing the land and bring-
ing it into cultivation.
These evangeliivil }>ioneers founded tlieir
agri<'ultui'al estabHslim<Mit on the Ixu'ders of
M«i
TADOUSAC
123
Lake 8t John, at the mouth of the Uivej- Meta-
iKHohnuun. From tlie piimon hI forest thev took
three liuiulred aci-es, which they converted into
a superb fanii, w hfsre cereals grew as well ;is in
the fertile vallf^y of the St Lawrei.ee. L, [S2,s,
the exploring j)arty ^:cnt hy tlie Canadian
goveninieiit discovered on tJu; al)ove-inentioned
spot the traces of fujTow.s which had \)ov). made
by the ploughs of (],o missionaries in tlu; land
they had cleared. They were, liidden undei- the
spruce-trees, aspens, iir-tr<;es and birches wjiich
had grown them, but grass still grew thov in
abundance. The orchards, wjiidi s.,mc old tra(.-
pers we'll reuKunbered liaving sexMi tluMv, had
disapi)eared. Only two plum-trees and a few
goose))erry brushes T-(unainded ;is \('stig(>s (,f
former <ndtivation.
To supply this distant farm with retjui
sites, the Jesuits had f,)und means of opening
a i-oad betwen Quebec and Lake Ht Jolm, and
it was along tids j-oad that they sent up their
cattle to market. It is said that it t<.ok only
tliree days to accomj>lish the joui'fi(;y between
mmm
iL'l
TAUOUSAC
tlio two plnrc's. Th«u^xist.eiH«' of this idUiili luju]
at'i'itss 1 1ll" forest, Jiloiiij tlu> iiiountain <^ui'm«H
tiud tJii-(»ui^h the valU'vs lias \)vv}i doiilitod l»y
luaJiy authorities, hut tradition speaks so jtosi
t-ively of it tliat it is diilicult not lo l)elicve
tlu? roal evisted. Those wlio dist lu.vit these
h\ict'J>fI'>'''y tales ai-e referred to the indii-utions
<»1' tlus ro;i,d marked on the map eni^Tvived by
Jiollin in 1744. On tliis map, whieh is inserted
at tlie (i4tli page of Charlevoix, third Nolume, a
r.»ad is marked between two chains of mount-
ains, whieh road led to Lake St Charles behind
Quebec and commenced on the Saijuenav near
Arise vSt Jean <i) (8t John's Creek).
(1) t'n()l isr2 tlic (irst oolniiists of Mic Hiiifuenay valley liad no
oUior coiiiMmnicfitioii by laiul with the ('h.irlevoix parishes tlian
by m'jaiis of y [nitii leailiiiji from Aiist'St .lean to M;iU>aie (Murray
B'vv ). Mil!, in I he cwurso of that year, soiiu* liidiatis having point-
e I out tliat a roa-l enuld ea-^ih he ojK-oeil h^tweei) Hale Si Paul
and la Orande B:iie, the route wa>i explored anfl, the statement
of tJie Indians heiniif verified, a road was markeil out.
We have nowliere been able (o find liy what riifht I he .leMiit^
hild their landed pro]»erty at Metabetehouan. DoubtleMs, this
domain wa.-! liehl vutder the ^'rant nuule b\ tlu' kin;,' to the
C')nii>any of .(esus, of a league of (j;roun<l wherever there existt-il
a fort or a fu\fd establi'^lnnent.
mF
TAIJUUSAC
!'.»
Tt is not known wiicn the .Jesuits uhautlon-
ed thoir Lal«! St John scttlonent, hut, tur m,,iv
than three .{Uiirtei's of a century, the iv-iilac
piesenee of reiMe.se ntatives of the ()r(hM- is prov -
(Ml hy the roo;i.sters of Ohicoutimi an.l Tad.u.satr.
From 10!)I to IGlMj, for example, Father IJuna-
venture Fabre styles himself "Missionary uf
St (Jliarles of Metal)etcliouan of the Lake St
John which falls into the Ohicoutimi river".
As early as IGHO (i) the (lo\enior Jean <h>
L.uizon, in the name of the Company of New
France, had }y[vei\ to tlie Jesuits a })iece
of land at Tadousac, as a freeliold, which
land they were to select wherev«3r they found
it most suitable for huildin^,' a churcjj and a
priest's residence and for makin<,r a cenietrrv.
This <,aft was confirmed hy tlie kin<(, May li'th,
I07S. On this piece of hind which consisted of
six sijuare ar])8nts (-), the nnssionaries huilt the
(1) July l.st.
(2) Ilepoii of thc> ootniiussioii iianu'd in i787.
An aQM'Ht is uii ol.l Vreiu'h Lin,| m-isiin- ami is < juiv.-vlt'ot to
a little less than 2 cun-es: i) rooJs.
^F-mim
^wm
12G
TADOUSAC
odificas iiecossary for \V(>r;.lii[» and comineiicfMl
an a,i,nicultiiral estahlislmiciit of wliich tin'
v('sti»^es still <;xi.st iuxi which is known in th«
country hy tlio uaino of f/ie JohuIi's tjardt'ti
{Jarditi (li'in Ji'Hnite.s). Tlu^ old inliabitants still
tell woiidors of tho orcliard and the fiuit-ti'ee.s
wldch grew tliere. up to some lifty years ago.
Tt is a fact worthy of remark that
wluM'<'ver the Jesuits dwelt, oven temporaiily,
in this regi<m, they attempted some sort of cul
tivation beside the rustic temple and the lunnble
presbytery. «
'Die rugged i-hain of the Lauren tides i-uns
along the iiorth sli<jre of the Lower »St Lawrence
from the extremity of tho Lal)ra(](»r peninsuhi
as far as ah )ut ten leagues hiilow (^ue}):M:; whei-e
it abruptly turns inland. Koran unbrokcMi course
of more than a hundred leagues, tlie peaks of
these mountains hide their iiaughty heads in
the clouds and their rocky sides, incessantly
battered by the waves, ))r(^seIit an inaccessible
fac(i to Wvii storm-tossed maiiner.
■pi
TADOUHAC
127
The slopes of tliese rocks tJiat ar,^ towards
the sea have, hen? and there, narr-ow defil.'s iii
winch tlie c(k\ or herring rtshercan(hT his nets.
The nortli sl(»pe of the Laurentian in<.untair>H
of)ens on to an excessi\ely wild country in-
terspei-sed with rivers which Ion- remain ice-
))ound. This vast empire (»ut of which twenty
provinces could \yo made has hut scant l»erl)a<,'e
and a few dwarfed trees hardly pr.Klucing where-
withal to feed sonje few flat-faced Ks(|uimaux
families.
It was in these sea-i^irt regions, barren and
shadeless, that tlie Indians fnmi tlie interior
formerly pitched their tents during the summer,
and it was here that tlu^ missionaries from Ta-
dousac came to meet thein.
The missionaries, in trying to cnsite an
agricultural establishment in the Lake 8t John
valley, did a very meritoiious work. Tliey want-
ed to gather together the scattered remains of
the non.achc tribes, and lead them away fro.n
where theyfound butameagresubsistence. They
strove to habituate them to a more stationary
IL'H
TADUUHAC
lit'ii nil lovely luiids juiiidst. fon'sts UM^iiiii;;; with
Jill sorts of <'iiin(', w lirn- 1 wtMil V l.ii'ii*' t rihcs liad
t'oniuM-ly tlwclt at ciisp. For a loni; tim<', then,
the post of 'riulousju- was tlcst-i ted. Tlir i,'r«'aU'r
pai'Uof tlu' M(tiita;j;iiais triin' had alfaiidoiuul it
ill ordci- t(» ;^rou|> theiiisclvcs around tlic «>stul)-
lislmuMits iu tin- intrrior.
VVc have \h'av f^ivtMi a roiii;h skftcli of a part
of what tlu! Jesuits uu(U'rt.ook in \\u\ aiuit-iit
kiiijiiloin i>f till! Sa«au'i)av. Truly Nvas it an
arduous task to he jiorforiiu'd \>y a mere hand-
ful of men amidst the silence of the wjmmIs, and
its jweomplishment rcujuiit'd the exercise of
a<lmiral)le self-ahne^jation and unbounded de-
votednessi. Valuahleauxiliaries totheState, they
certaiidy did en()U;^h to have had a prominent
place in the l)udget of the colony on account of
the invaliial)le Hervioes they had rendered
Alas ! large reniiine rations were not to he
l>esto\ved on these hardy workers in the field.
Apart from the piece ^f land ufiveu them by
Tjauzon in 1056, am! the Iv!nta))Htchoiiau domain
which they cultivated with tlieir ow n hands we
tai)0(;hac'
J L'U
Imv. shcNvu tl.ut tJ„. Jesuits, for the support
of a n.issionary at T/ulousa,. only nxvivrd an-
nually fnon the Stato tin. ,su.u ..f six },u.i«ln',j
Itvrr, (I), wj.icl, ropres(Mits in -.ur UM.rn.'y (,f tin-
pn'sont tin... tl,,. .nnnnous sun.of onohun.lnMl
(lollai's,
Tht^y l.avo },(,<.,. accused of tradiuir vvitli
the Im)ia».s. Accordin- to our l,elief, tl.is accu-
Hatioii cannot l,e borne out as r,-;,.ards th(. niis-
M.onari.vs iu the Sa^^ucnay district ; we ..urselves
c-rtamly have found no traces of such tmtHcr ;
they had to play a most painful part in this
(ornerof th(5 continent, and they perfr.nned their
sclt-appoint(,d task with tlie ^M-eatest disiiiter-
estedness, inakin,<< the hestof everythin<<.
One of their nuniher, Frani^oisde CVcj.ievd,
has uiv-en us a very touching narrative of these
missions. He did nr.t write it out of vain-glory,
but for the instruction and greater coiisohition
of those who sliould come after him.
"The life of a Mtmtagnais missionarv, he
says, is a long and cruel mnrtyrdom, entad'ing
(1) (iuebetMolleetion of iiiaHuscripty, IJI-vol. p. 137.
i;u)
TAIHH'SA(J
nearly iiicrssanf iu<M-ti(icalion jind trials df
|)a(i(Mu<» ; it is ind<'«Ml a life of jMMiaiuM' and lin
iiiilialioM paitirnlariy in tin* liuls nf tlir Indians
.\\\k\ when (ra\rllint; with iImmh.
"'I'Ik' huls ai<' niado <•!' Imj'cIi bai-k and
j>()los, suiTiumdod hy luam'lu's »»t' tin- lir lirr (o
<(>\(M lln'smtw and I'm/en ^iMund.
" 'l'li<» inissionarv s|)<'ndH n(>arly all lln' day
s(\'it«Hi or kncclinjLi:, (»xj>os<m1 Io jx r[«'t.ual snH.Kc
in (In' wiiitiM- time.
" lie often )M'rs|»if('s dnrini,' tlic day and
iirniM'ally sutlers fiom I lie eold during' t lie ni^iit.
lie sleejis w itliorit undl'essini(, on tin fio/eii
earth, sometimes on the snow with 1m,( a few
hl'Mlielies of trees to cover hini.
" He eats from a \essel wlii<h is seMom
washed or cleaned, it hcim^ more fre(|nenllv
<'ith«M- wiped with a dirty piece of skin from
some animal or licked l»y the doijs. Me eals
w hen there Happens to he anything; to rat atid
when somelhini;' haj>pens tit he oiVered him.
S>m<M imt»s the meat is hut ha.lf-eo(>ked, s<»me
times il is \vv\ toutdi, (VsptHMally the meat, whith
hjvs been smul^ed ami driod in the chiiimey,
TADOUMAO
I :? I
WhHtn.,,usl,(,lH.n.iHjM<.,o|<.,li,.H,Ha),„to,ur
K<<'H«r;i.lly ||M|,. iuonyj) <,f i(,",
Tliisisalnicnvital, Ml<ct.lM-,l fro,,, lif.- lor
'^f'- n.fun,,a(ion of ,1h. ,,ovic.s,,n.,,am.x |,o'un-
<icrtal<«> (his i-oii;.rli lif,..
N<,w l."t us Mcr. Low .i.r.^rfuliv Mu-sr, „„.,.
I>.»re with IhrHP l.anlsl,i,,.s of wl,,:.), M,,y |,,,i
lull ^-""wl...|.r. )„.for(vi^oi,.;^t,<>on..ount<.rtJ,r.M,
A ""^^•-"•"M,rya<vo,r,,.an.yi„^r a I, „„♦,„.,, art,- i,,
<»•'• '.,MKl,|.orl,oo(i of Ta.|onsa. is „ow sprakir... •
''H.v>,rypIacf,H<.rvos us as a l.osl.lry, l,uiltn,
th- snow, wh.„. „..iMH.r luvarl, win., ^alt, sam-o
"-'•••;^"nl, istolM.found, l.ul,onlyav,.,y.oo<i
"|»I><'ti(.e. Tl... missionary lo.l^.cs alwavs in^hr
Man..U.(,si,.|ry, 11 n. Is always th. vuuMkmI .waif
'"Ki-i"., .vl,i,-|, |.,.,1 l>a,sr.xiM(..c|sinc.M),. 1,,.,^,,
"m;< <.f il„^ wo,>|,|, a.Ml vn.-. Arlam's dayshas
nevor bo,., shak.n up -..ept by sohm. .arth-
M"'^»<^-'--M-r. A ;.. r.i appetite „,ak.shin) find a
»>'< of MninktMl .Moaf, d,yas|.afhr.r,as (Mi< -^e..
^atmgasayoun;( oarfrid.;,.. KaU.,,,. ,,},^,,.,,^
for liuu sweet ,s]oep. Uod k,,.,.s hin, in -.,o<l
wm^
132
TADOUSAC
he.'illli, jukI his lt>j4,s and oars in conjunction
with the oars of his l>oat-cunipanions bj-in^' him
to tiio end of his journey in lime iov liiin to
undertake anothei- one innnediately ''.
Tiiis same Cn'pieuK whose hiinoatable de-
scri[)tion of a niissifjnary's life we have just
lieard, ends his account, of his f'wst winter pass-
ed at Tadousac \>y tellinj^ liis superior : "• The
LTieatest favor T can ask of you is to irrant me
the same happiness next year, during wlncli ]
liope that God may give me courage t<» rc'p.iir
by fresh suf!'eiings the faults I have committed
tins year ".
Father Henri Nouvel, retLuning fr<»ni a
mission among the Papinachois, one of the most
<lilhcult of the north coast, intones a song of
triumj)h : M<i;/iii./ic(tf. Doinhw-inecvni, rf i>.r<ilfi -
III /IS noiiioti I'jtiti in idipHntu (D,
All these missionaiies of the Tadousac
region have left j(»urnals of their travels. TIk?
Relations of the Jesuits printed at Quebec
contain some t\\ent»- of them, from ItJH to
\
(I) Rclalion of 1004.
TADOUSAC
i:y.\
I
1672. The .sunn- ci.um<,'eous tone is t(. Im' found
ill ;ill of them.
Cei-Uiiiil) most WM.iideifui str<Mi<,'th was
necessni-y to emilile tli«\se men to continue such
,i,noatitie efforts for seveivil years, ]>ut the Jesuits
knew mhiiirahly well Jiow to inspirit tlH> mem-
bers of th(nr (,)i-(ier.
Those (Irstined for tlie missions eoimneneed
tueu' piH^juralion lon.i,' previously t(. tlicir d(^-
p;»,rture for the scene of their labors. Tliey had
t<' cojisider beforehand what amount of wo.k
and hardship tliey would liave t<. encounter,
find when once tiieir saeritice w;is made and
their resolution taken, nothing eou],l make
them <|uail or go l)ack from Nvhat they luid un-
dertaken. They had l)een formed t«. their task
i)v ;, ngorous discipline and that discii>line
k<ipt . w.ni on the alei-t. The instructions wliich
h':\,t.yj' le Jeune had prepared f(jr the use of the
mis. ^oJU)F'ies.'>f liisortler are well wortli i)eiusij)g.
They xviii gi;*, us t)ie l>est insight nito tlie
source of the vigor displaye<l by these athletes,
■ind will ujake us understand how thi'v ac(p)ir-
iMW!^,illJJU.WIIi.
"fl?f^
i;u
TADOUSAC
ed sucli inliueiice over the nations to wIkjiii
they were sent.
*' Reckon up boforehanfl all the hibors, the
liai'dships, tlu; perils wliieh nuist i)e encountered
(luriu;^ your joui-neyings, writes blither la
Jeune(i), so t. ' you '^say ht^prej'ared for wliat-
cver may lui: .. Love tlie Indians well !
Never let }(»urs{;L waited for when you ai'e
to embark in a canoe. Provide? yourself with a
gun and with a burning mirror so as to l>e able
to strike; a light for your companions on the
road, in day time, to light tlu^ir pipes, at night
time when j)reparing their cal>ins. Such little
services as these will win their lieaits.
"Force yourselves to eat Hrf(/a)>nfi\ how-
pvei' dirty or insipid it may be. Jieai' with
every thing. Refuse nothing \\hich they offiM"
you, for fear of displeasing tliem. Force your-
s 'h'cs to eat at daybre:vk. You must be (juick
in embarking anil disembai'king. '^ruck up your
habits so ;is not to carry any water or sand
(1) Relations of 16;f7.
mfHF'
I'A f )OU»AC
1.3r,
into the canoes, (io burc-foot and ljare-le.vfr«.,l
Do not speak too nuicli dunno; y,,ur' joui-iifvs.
Do not (|uesti.Mi them too much ulw.ut their
language. You will lean, nothing, and it bothers
them. Silenc<^ is a useful })ossession at those
times. Try U, be always joyous. Eac!; ,»ne of
you will be furnished with half a gross of awls,
two or three doz.'ii of small knives, a hmulred
or so of fish-hooks and some driiddng cujx^ so
as to feast the Indians. 8tri\'e to carry some-
thing at the portages (carrying-pjaces). How-
ever little you carry, even slu.uld it b<. oidy a
pot, the Indians are pleased that you should do
it. Do not be ceremonious with them. Take
care that your hats do not interfere with any
one in the canoes. It would be better to wear
y<mr night caps. Do not begin by rowing,
unless y(m intend r<. wing all the time. When
in their own country, the Indians will retain
the same opinion of you as they have formed
on tlie jourjiey. If y<,u have passed for Ix^'ng
tiresome and diHlcult to please, you will ha\e
much trouble in changing their opinion of y.,u.
It is perfectly incredible how they remend)f;r
136
TADOUSAC
and n'lnark tho slij^'litcst t'uult or error. (Jive
every one a ^jockI reco})ti<»n. They care^notliin';-
about your philosophy .uicl theolonry. If you
can tr<) naked and cari'V a liorse's load, as they
do, you will he ]o(»ke(l on hy iheni as a j^n-eat
and learned man ".
it \v;is thus ihat tlie Jesuits formed their
missionaries (!>an any sueh sulitly nunute and
ckiverly coi.it)ine<l instructions l)e found emana-
ti no- from anv dii)lomatie hureau vvhatevei- ?
I na i i i ia i _,ua!yMjiH" ' ■ ' ' ' ■ wwM iina i uMM i iimi ngmui I II' ii liij„j i yj»ii»
VITT
Of th.. pii.nitiv.. S.t-,u.,.ay (■lHnrtu>.. The Tiwloinac <\
lapol.
Althou^^i iho Jcsuils i.».,k.Ml iij,oM the
north-shorft missions as mnvxihlr church'H, s\q
havp sfMMi vvliat puiijs tlu'v expc.ulcd ..„ .urost-
in<( tlie svanderin.s/s .,f tho I,i,ii,tu tril»os u.id
chajigiiiii: tlunr uomadic liahits into more settled
ones. After "having Umg followed then, in their
hunting excursions through the forest, where
tin- Fathers said Mass. sometimes on a f,;lh.d
tree (i), .s<»metimes (»n the side of a canoe, tlie
sails often serving as a canopy, tliey l)egan here
find there to lay the foundations of rustic
churches near the ]Hor(^ frerpiented traihng-
posts. At tirst tliese were but long ca})ins of
bark or foliage, much like those which the Tn-
dians of Tadousac had put up in {{][•> w}k.,i
Father deQuen arrived. The trad<'rs ..f this
(1) lUlatiou of ICGii
\:)H
TA 1)013 SAC
j)ost h;ul afterwards reserved i\ room in {\u''\v
factory wlioiv- tlm U1<\sh<^<1 Sacrament c<>nU\ hv
install<Ml. W»!! have alic-uly seen with what joy
the arthiss cluhh'tMi ot" tlie foresl h;nl recei\<(l
the druu;^('t han^in^s aii<l tJu; bell which hud
IxMMi s*»ntr from l''ranc(* in W»I7. In h")")!;, (he
('omj)any of the Oih' Iliindced Assctciates ^ave
the Jesuits a |)ie.c<' of land at 'l'a.(lousac on
which to <'onsti'Uct a church and a, r(>si(h'nce.
An entry in tlie .Journal kcjit, l>y the I'^athers
at Quebec tells us Lljat in I tl'd) tlic |)rojected
ercictions wore about com}»let(!d. " NovemlxM-
iMst, writes tlio annaUst (1), I'^atluir AUtanel set
out to winter at Tadousac witli (Uiillaume Hoi
\ in and Mons. Pelletier on tlu; one hand and
tww sailors «)n the otlier. It was an i xperinuMit.
we were inakinj,'' t() see wiietiier it would do to
rejH'at it, since we had mner before done any-
thin«>; of the soit : (Uiilhunne Boivin was at oui*
cost, but not Fran(;ois Pelletier, althouijh under
our nauui". This Mrst Tadousac c!ui.j"cli was
(1)1). 20.8
mmt^mmft'tmm-w'^mmmniiigg^
TADOU.SAC
l.'iii
'»'"1' ^>^ s'Mi.r. M„n(rc;il hud us y<-t only u
• •liurcli Imilt, of sv<)o<J.
Dnrin- (),(. iii,ursl(.„ uuuh-hy llu-lnHjiKMs
'•n Tudnusuc slio.vs \n 1 (11)1, Uuh" first rhnwh
'ii>jM%'irK tr> l.;.N,. I,,.,... iniru.ulously prctecK^d,
l>ut Hltl.ou-h it then ('scuj,r(| ruin it, xvus .!<!
stroy^Hltuurycurs attorwunls l,y u <-uhumt.ous
••<'"f!Hun.l,,nii, us M.'.ro (I,. I'hu-un.ution tolls
us (I). " h is u NTi-y grmt loss, 8Jioa<i(is. l.r.-u.jsc
"I was a reti-cul for tl„. traders, un,| a rofn-o
for- tlu.' Froncli and ihv [ndians. For this roason
iheii' is ho apix-araru-.^ r.f the on.' or the other
ht'in.or left to the incursions of tho encrnv. I
tliirik it will have to !,<. l.uiK a-ain \u'xi
Tho pious desire of tin's holy recluse did
not so soon 7ne<;t with its fuliihnent. In IGf.s,
when Bishop Laval made his pastoral visit
and stopped at Tadousac, the church ha<l
notyet heen rehuiltaml the Tndiajis, to their
Kreat re^ivt, were ol)li-ed to receise tlie Chief
of Prayer in a hark (;al)in.
(1) Letter 71.
1 1(1
TADUrSAC
Tlir f;ii-in('i's of ilu* iradiii*^' post, 1h)\\('\(M',
(lid i»(»t l<'iijL( (It'liiy i-iiisini^ tlui clniroli from its
ruins <'\ TIk' clmich was a powerful help t(»
tluMu ill i'loupiu'^' the Indians around tlicir
trading fa<-tory.
Notes left, by the niissionari(^s tells us tliat
in dilVereni places (ui tli(^ coast, iliey Imd erect-
e«l elnirelies in which t.o assonhle the natives.
On arri\in;L;' in the (Julf tlieso churches w<'re to
Ix^ met with at tlie Jeromiali islands (ilets .iert'-
mie) at Px'tsiamitos and at Sevon Islands
(Sept-lles). Tlu' missions of I^ako Ht John and
Mistassini had their residences, oratories and
cemet<M"ios.
Tn 107'"), tlie J ntlians gave the missionaries
elk, l)(»a\('tand utter skins, as well as necklaces
made of poicelain, in oixler that they mij^dd
conunence huildinu' a chap(>l at Lake St John.
The following summer, }*ierre de Becart,
sieur de Gran(hille, went to the i^ake and
selectetl a \mHi' of land, at th<' entrance of tlie
(n In 1071.
'
m mnmr-wm iifmmfffffilllitfgl
TADOUSAC
111
Ak'taljotchouaii river, us tli.} iinist Ji<l\ai)tii<,'.M)Us
spot for ost;il)lisliiii;r a tmdinj,' post. H« li;ul a
«'liap<;l put. up UN vvt'll us a Ik.uso, and it was
lusrc tliat tli(^ lirst ctosh was planted on iIksso
shores. "'J^ie annotator of the old re^dster
sn,y,s ; by his authority and liis exainphi he <;on-
trilmted to liurryiu,!^' on the works durin.L? ail
the tirM(! tliat he stayr-d ;it that place. To
m lace him, ho left Mons. de la Montague wIki
did not spare liimself in any way and remained
there tilhdl was tinished <jn Sept(unl)t>r 12th.
Charles Cadieu and Joseph dn iJuisson ji.-lped
on the works v(>ry much during' the ten or
twelve days tln^y were thtn-e ".
As far l>ack as 1071, the trad.'rs had huilfc
a liouse at ('hicoutimi. In the sunmier tliat the
(!sta)>lish]nent of St Charles de Areta]>etchouau
was begun, Sieur de (iraiidville caused cjno. Jean
Langlois to build at Chicoutimi another cliapel
30 feet long, with a room for the j)riest and a
little siiciisty. '' He pointt;d out the place
where it was to stand, JuneL^ith, am] lielped it
onby liis efforts, good management and ex; ■ j Je
■wnm
I 12
TADOUHAC
tor lu! I»iiii.s(!lt WDi'ki'ii ul it, tVom liiuo Ut I iiiir,
and lie (li<l tlu' s.iiim for tins cciiKjtery wliirli
was tinislu'd So])t<!ini)L'r 7lli. M<'.Hsieurs dc
Maine and la ValletMlid not eiLlicispan.- tlicin
selves in any way ".
Moiis. Ha/.ir*!! to whom t}«f><jfraiit liad Uooti
made of the Sa^i^iienay tradim^-tac^tories lia<l
l)een at the expense <»f all these erections, lie
also cause<l a ehuj'cli, whidi he had jU'ondsed,
to be l)ui]tforthe Papinachois, to which church
Ca])taiji de Courville, of tlie bark .S'/f ijnth«ritif\
also contributed huyely liv his exertions and
his authority.
It was, in IGl^l^, that, thi-ou^Ii the exertions
ot* Father de Crepieul, a little housi^ dedicated
to St Nielutlas was tinished at Lake Mistassini.
There was aUo a church there -v if h <■ )iisiderabk'
dependencies.
Tt would a})peai that, later on, the Jesuits
reimbursed Mons. Ba/ire for the expense he had
been put to in the construction of the Lake St
John chapel, but iIk? house was a gift bestowed
personally by M<»U8. Aubeit do la Chenaye,
T.MXIUSAC
I VA
For k.'..),i„^r up thcsr inis.si.,Ms scHtt.-nMl
over an imnuMjsn tract of country, for construct-
in«( and dccoratin.-,' t\u>se cluirclns uhicli wrro
hidden away in lli-, df.pths of the \v,„,ds, the
Jesuits liad ncitficr tithe nor fees, nor cajntatioii
inon<'y. The kin^r |,;i(| ^.iv,,,, then; considcnil)lc
hmded i.roi)erty in AarioiM parts of the country,
tht^ revenues of which estates were to he enV
j)loyed either for the conversion (.f the heathen
in i^vvw.m] or for certain trihes in particular oi-
lo aid in the instruction ..f the ch-hh-en of (he
colony. These seirrniories ,,| landed «.stat(^s,
wljicii ace now cstiniat.ed as hein,i,' wortli more
ti»an .1 niilhon, were then I Mit very little (explor-
ed. The (piit-rciits paid hy the c.»py-hol<lers
of these lands harely covered the Hrst expenses
and the annual dishursenients neoessai*y for the
fultilnient of the ohlij^r.-itioiis in)j)Os«Ml on the
lord of the manor (chatelain) by the feudal
system.
We have already seen that tlie remunera-
tion ,i,dven by the metropolitan to the Ta<lousac
missionary was so small that it hardly C(|ualled
the present pay of a beadle.
•i.''-"«»W.<MIWBIP
lil
TAUOUSAd
TIk^ <f.)(»(l h'allK*r-s, howdver, found means
U) uxUw'i'si many an illustrious ]>(<rs(M)ai;t'. in
(iH'ir work, as also many a liuml)l«'r moniln'r
of tho Chunli. Alms tlowed inlo their hands
from J iJ I directions. Kach ycai, the Indians,
the rich merchants of the eohniy, pious ladies,
tho farnjers of the trading, gave l.irgely to the
)uissions.
TIk' list of of tiie IxMieifaetoi's of tho 8ague-
nay «'hurehes is long. The Jesuits hav«^ pi'esorv-
Q{\ records of all tliat was given them. One
can follow closely the offerings of all tlu'se
j)ious souls during more than a century. They
arc: recoi'<led in the; uiai-gins of the. mission i-e-
gisters, in the dusty hooks and yellow leaves
which still (\scape the ravages of time. Sonic-
times in L.itin, sometimes in French, W(; read
the acknowle<lgnients of the gifts, the niojc
iuo*lest of which are recorded as well as the
more valuahle <tnes. Not one is forirotten.
' p"
M'ho can lind fault with tljest; a[H>stles for
having i)ati<ntly n<tted down daily the fact
that a poor (rapper had given a plane or a
TADor.s vr
] in
Kii'ilot, Jin (uiknowii hi.ii.u. s..i,m' W.nk/ No
'N'tail is irksome n\ hen if .'orKvins s., distunf
HIl OJXtcll.
The C^hcIm'c ScmiuHry p« »ssp hh^s in ii,y
anhivcs 11,.. oldest re^.isU.,. ot' Hiose n,issi.,ns.
\t must have conic into tlu-ir [.os.session when,
Ht t,li{; eoninuMieenient of tiiis .(^nlurv, one of
t}uMlinM't..rs (.f that institution w.-i.t on ih.-
• lortiiern missions. It is preservcl us a preeious
treasure. This n-ister ox<;en.ls as far hack a.
the year 16!)r), nearly to tlic f,>un(lation of the
mission. The following one is missinir and it is
not known what lias heeomeof it. In the Rrchives
at Chic(.utirni, however, is to ]„. f<,un<l a re.sum/
that takes us t(» somewhere about the Con(juest.
At the Caidinal's palace the archix ist has in
charg(^ the registtM-s since 1 7r,l>. Father (;.«piart
who cojumenced this hist series luis inscribed on
thelirst pag(^ th.^ following touching aj)p(.al :
" I pray all tho.se who shall in future writhe in
this book, (»f their cliarity t,o remember him
who has CO uniencea it, b.»th i.i their holy
Racrilice.s and their prayei-s".
1 iC
TADOrSAC
Till' otl't'i'iii^s cuiiic fruui various soiircos,
as w'.i havo said. The Tiuliaiis mnei" failed t<t
coiit-rihiito a larj^jo share yearly. In lOIG, tlie
Tad(»usa<; Christians gave an alms (»t' eiKuii^h
l);3aver-skiiis to Imy in France four \>'wi\ ot"
carpeting that must liave cost GO livi'cs of
h'l-eiicli money. With tliese alms, tlu> Fathers
were also able to procun; two large wooden
candlesticks, two blank Ijooks, one in which to
register the baptisms, the other for registering
tJje man-iages ami death.s. They also received
four middle-sized jtictures, a large cloth and the
bell weighing 1-0 lbs which was hung in 1(117.
These poor denizens of the woods jravf? tl
le
first fruits of their chase : beaver's fat, lean or
black, otters, caj'iboo and (?lk skins, martens,
Mpotted skins raw or dressed, goblets and neck-
laeesof porcelain. The spottedskins mad«; suixM-b
altar fronts and the missionaries were very proud
of them.
One Indian would offer twenty l)eavei*s in
satisfaction for some fault. Another would give
a tent consiNting of eight «.aiiboo skins wh(>re-
with to c«>\er IIm' Papinacliois church. In ItiTO,
' ~.:swg.im^mMw» ^
TADOUSAC
J 47
^'l><' Ai,<.on,,ui,i Indians Hvom Tluve-J|iv<M-s <.uve
't rol,. of six heaver-skii.s for ti.e f^^ke Ht .£,}„»
cl»Hp.l. Louis Mista^u.^ one .ky offe,.. two
>eHvers and a dressed skiu in order to repair
the scandal he has caused hy l.Hvi,.;, l.is !<..{.
tnnate wife. Here is an<,tl,er one who lays two
otter skins at the Fathers feet in reparation of
'•Hvu.g cut down a cross on the river. This s(.rt
of penance was ^ ery efficacious.
So.netin.es fun,.ral om.riM.i,^s are the more
numerous. A chief presents two rohes to the
I^Hke chapel, in ren.e.nhrance of his twodcceas-
•Hl },rothers wlu, were huried in the cen.etery
A poor nmther at her chip's funeral would
cover the coflin with p.-esents. Thf,se off(.riM.^s
'W-^^ very numerous. Widows would offer <.n the
< eath of their husbands the guns of which
the deceased had made use when lmntiu<. At
'another time, a whole trilx. would iAak^ some
puhhc offering to the church in order that an
•'xiK.htion nnght k. fortunate. The Pa,,ina<.hois
>v.shu,g to have a l,ell an<l the /./... ./' //J
^Sauitu, bring fox skins.
ll.s
TADUUHAC
The, inissioiiuiics nuiiiltt'd tlu'^^«' pi'csciiits
t<» tli(^ fanners of l,lie trading', wlio, in rctuiti
furnished tliein with wood, nails, agrietjltural
ini}»lenieMts, eaijuMiter's tools, church ornaments,
or provisi<»ns. Monsieur l>a/,ire, a grtsit Quebec
merchant, to wjiopi foi- a loJi.ij; tinu; tlu^ riglit «)f
tradin;^ luid been concechHl, (iistin;<uishe(l liim-
s<'lf by liis generosity. Wo have already seen
him largely contributing to tlie erection of
churclies in the tlistricts of Tadousac, Chioou-
tinn and St Charles of Lake St Jolin. Among
the signal benefactors, we find the nanies of
Messicmrs Juclu'reau de St Denis, de la Fertt'",
de hi Chenaye, liiverin, de (rrandvilh^ de la
Chevrotiere, de Vilray, la Ville, a superior
orticer of tlie chancellery in France and director
of the royal faiin Tho, names of the hund)le
workmen who woiked at the erection of tliese
lustic chapels ai'e entered with the same exac-
titude as those of the moredistinguslieddonoi's.
MachMiioiselle Bazire, foi" nearly twenty
years, worked with her own hands at tlu; chuivh
linen of the SaguiMiay sanctuaries. We would
never (Mid wer(> we to mention a1J tlie pious
f -M^Mmiimmimmmmnmm^ ■
TA nous AC
149
I rrturn
i-ultural
finuMiis,
Qiu'Ikh'
riL!;lil- of
-d hiin-
\y neon
•tion of
Chicou-
Among
lUiies of
a F(M-t<'',
>, (le la
superior
director
huni)>le
of these
lie exac-
l donors,
twenty
?, churoli
e would
»o pious
W(nuen wlio g«>iierously fojjowod lier e\aiii])l«!.
Tli<^ Trsuline and Hospital nuns (jf Que hoc
and iMnie d'Aillehoust kept tiie linen in repair,
made the llowers destined for the decoration of
the sanctuniies, prepared delicacies for the sick
and made clothing for the poor. Sinndar alms
too arrived even from France. The Augustinian
and Benedictine nuns from Arras, the Ursu-
lines from Amiens, the Ladies of Peace, sent
boxes of heads, trinkets, statues, pictu?-es and
relics. A touching incident is recorded: l)urin<r
more than fifteen yeai-s Father de Crcpieul's
mother and brothers armually sent ten crowns
to the Saguenay missi(»n.
The Jesuit leathers of the Quebec house
sent a gr(\'it nund)er of j^ictures and crucifixes to
these churches. We have counted more than
sixty pictures sent between 1078 and 1690,
witliout speaking of rejnvsentations where St
Francis-Xavier and .St Ignatius are the princi-
pal figures. S(inie of these i)ictui-es arc on
canvass, others on co[)pe?', witli handsome gilt
frames.
Kach church had its bclJ iov callin<' the
^fm
150
TADOUSAC
f.iitliful to prayer, Wc see Mons. DomlKHirg,
in 1G87, givin*( the cabin-bell from his vessel
for a new ehapel. In the autuni of lOSO, the
vessel VArcJuDi.f/e St Mirhfl went ashore and
tlu)se on board _<(a\e the ship's l)f>ll to the north-
ern missions. Similar gifts were made three or
four times.
Certainly, with all these donations, there
must have been considerable treasure in the
Saguenay churches. We here give a list of
what belonged to the chapel when Father F.
Orepieul came to take charge of the Tadousac
mission in 1071, an inventory having l>een
made exj)ressly :
An oil painting tlwit could servtNisan altar
frontal, on which were depicted all the instru-
ments of the Passion.
A complete set of altar-furniture in vajie-
gated silk, consisting of a higly-tinished cha-
suble, an altai'-frontal, veil, bours(^, a humeral
vvi\y a carpet, a larg(* supei'-frontal, two large
pieces of hangings witli curtains and fringes.
A piece of vod linen to wrap up the above
named, a ]>ali. .V i-ensei', with its incense-l)oat
„;!(,'i'.i!'iUWi
TADOUSAO
151
find brass spoon. An altar-frontal of tloworcd
stuff to match the drugget. A }uim«M-al veil of
figured satin which hangs over tlui altar-picturo
of the ci-ucitixion. Four pictures painted on
copper with their fivainos. Two sinallei- pictures
on wood. A wooden crucifix for processions and
internients. Tw(j brass candlesticks. Two lar<'e
p.eces of Berganio tapestry. Two new window-
blinds. A fine pai)ei' spotted with crosses which
the Father sent to cover the altar. A surplice.
A square cap, A lai'ge coffer (i).
In time these treasui-es increased, and
the fiumble annalists of those days take a certain
})leasure in yearly enumerating them, going into
minutest details. First they mention the vest-
ments, the chasubles, the stoles, the manii)les,
the flowered bourses ornamented with gold or
silk braid, fine albs trinnned with lace, amices,
fine linen communion-cloths, corporals, purifi-
cators, flowered humeral veils bordered with
gold-braid, ciboi-iums, cruets, candle-sticks,
tapers, copper holy-wat<M- founts. The walls of
(1) Oft, 2{>th, IfiTl, M. S. at (^Mrl>oc Svminan.
?w^
'"BJIH
152
TAD0U8AC
the church are hunj^; with Bergamo tapestry,
red ratteen lace or splendid wild-beast skins.
To each chapel was attached a residence
and a garden. These presbyteries were by no
means princely, l)ut it appeal's that they always
contained a great collection of rude carpenter's
tools and agricultural implements.
The mission ofStCharlesof Metabetchouan
on Lake St John was the most favored. The
annalist complacently gives us a list of all the
tools deposited there, large and small planets of
all sorts, chisels, hold-fasts, gouges, bevelling
chisels, centre bits, hatchets, pairs of conipasses,
pincers, worxl-saws. They even possessed a
corn-mill made by an Englishman and which
Mons. de 8t (Jermain had procured for them.
Tn 1G81, M<msieur and Mademoiselle Bois-
seau, Mons. du Buisson, Monsieur and Made-
moiselle fie 8t Denis had given the animals for
the agiicultural establishment, Tn the spring
of I GOO, wh(Mi the Company of the North took
[)OSsession again of the farm royal, the Fathers
at the Lake farm killed " a cov\, a heifer, a
Lu'ge ox, a fat pig four years old, and hswl hIsu
'. ' jmwu i iB'jwiii i iuniiw ■
TADOUSAC
10;3
thirt^.n nrlnof. (i) of peas, so,„e Jndhm .,„■„
ami trench wl.eut, a ^rreut <iuuntity <,f pu.np-
kiris, swede, and white turnips ".
This fan,, was the Kldorad,, of th.. n.is
«iona,-ies. They there Iodised and fed seve,-al
<»](! women, widows and children. Charitable
souJs in Quchec'sent then, white or Spanish
NVM.e, cakes and l.iscu its, baskets .,f i^rapes of
ahnonds, of Bri,i.nc,He plun.s, rice, butter, and
cli-H^se which were served to the sick as dcM-
caoies.
At the end of the year I(>Sl', the house at
Chicoutinii was },urnt down and Father Dahnas
who had }>eeu residing there took, refuge at the
Lake farm.
hi 1728, a new church was erected on the
picturesque slopes of Chicoutinii and it was
there that the scattered reu.nants of the MV-ta-
betchouan neophytes were afterwards collected
together. Father Laure's journal tells us h<,w
the cross on the new steeple - was saluted with
33 martens by all the Indians and how they
(1) All old Froiich iiaasiurf,
Uii
TAOOUSAO
wcii'ft j)art.iculnrly cliai-ined with ilii! ax^k ". Tt
has been written soniewherc that this fhui-<-h
wjvs huilt on thx^ vi'vy spot wlierc. Jaciiics Cai'-
tier had encamped, when lie made his joiii-ney
to tlie Upper Saj/uenay. Tliis is pur«;1y le«;en-
dary, since neither facts n!>r any reHaUU- history
))ear out the assertion.
Mons. Arthur Jiiiies, in his lumk on tlie
.Saguenay, (i) writes :
" At a short distance from tlie saw-mill at
Chicoutimi there was still to be seen, a few
years aijo, the old mission chapel l)uilt by Father
Laure in 172S;it was bending beneath the
winght of years. It was 25 feet long by 15 wide
and was built on an etninence overlooking the
basin which is at the foot of the falls of the
Chicoutimi river. This relic had most touching
souvenirs attached to it. Strangers landing at
Chicoutimi wcmld hasten to see it, and those
who knew something of the old Canadian mis-
sions, whatever might be their owji form of
faith, did not forget to gather up fi-agments of
p, ln'>.
TADOUSAC
155
tlu? stont^s, i^c, l)el(>iijLfin)u; t«> the thajH'l, that
tluty inij^lit miry .away a .souvenir of it. Th«
toinbstoiH' (»f FatluM" Citiiuiut, wlindiedat Chi-
t'outinii, ill 1705, was ill in pico's, hut some
parts of thfi Latin inscri})tioii could still ])o dis-
tiii<^uishod (I). Si»ni(^ of thn s( a-ca])taiiis sooiiu'cl
particularly anxious to collect those remains of
a peri(Kl coniparatively recent, hut which
already seemed distant. The roijistors, the
church-l>ooks, the pictures, stones with in-
scriptions have been lost, for they were left at
the mercy of every one in the open chajK!!.
(I) This toiiib-Hlone l)ore the followinjf insciiiitioii: T re in '•win in
Dfi jiKh'chnn hl<" in xllfntio tnnrth' I'.rvi'clnt It. I'. C. (iod : Cor-
(/unrt e Siieii' J. prfuhjitcr Mmitniienx : Sj/lriciil : Miioiion: Ohiit
Shekuti imiii J \' noiui Jul : an /7'W.
(This note was foiuid in a iMivimscnjit hcloiiifini^ to .Moiisiciir
Fauc'hev, foniu'rl_\ jmrish-prifst of I.othini^re, aufl we arc imlf.'lit-
e<l to the kindness of )iis nejiiiew, JFons. Faiicher de St Maurice,
for itH reproduction).
In a niannsfript of h\it a few pages, recently discov ercd liy the
pari.sh-prii'st of ( "hicoutiini in tlie parish arcliivesand now depo-
sited at the Seniihary, it may )>e seen that, in 17!)'?, the remains of
Father ('ocpiart were exJiunied. This >vas done hy Monsieur
Jean .Juste Hoy, at Ihat time <lirecu>r of the t^uehec .Seminary,
to whom during? the holidays was entrusted the task of \ isitin<_r
the PiiufcKdu lioi (Royal tradin}:f-posts). (For this note, we are
indebted to the kindness of Ahhc^ Victor Huart),
1 :.(•,
TADOUSAC
Micluiux, a trl('))rat<'(l FrctK-h holanist, ut
tlu' (Mid of lust ('(Mitiny, witli n \ i«'Nv of inukiii;;
n collection of North Aiuoricun plants and
Mowers, went u]> tht; Sa<j;u(Miay as far Lako
Mistassitii, and \\v says of this first Chicoutinii
<!ha|)('l : " This building constructed of s(|uar-
cd while cedar tindx'i', f/nii/d orrifffufHlis, one
loji( restin;^' on another, was still in |L,'ood pre-
servation, and althou^di thes«^ lo^s had never
been covered over, either within or without, I
found them so perfectly intact that tliey had
not altered nor shrunk tlu^ thickness of half a
line duiin^' iM«)re tlian sixty years, Tn the j)re-
sent day we can see the site of this chapel, sur-
rounded by a wo(Mlen fenc(^ which has been [)ut
up by Mr. Price and within which he lias liad
all the sound W(M)d of tlie chapel })uried, so
that this last I'elic of one of the most modest
l)ut most inter<;stiny of our historical monu-
ments may not be exposed either to the incle-
mency of the season (»r the depradations of
man. iMiss Price has likewise made a se})ia
sketch of the old chaj)el and presented it to
the bishop's palace at Chic(»utimi,
TAnoL's.u;
I.")7
"Tilt! old liulifui (-(Miuacrv m.iy In- sr.-ii
iK'siilf. tlu! fenci' put up l.y M,- PHc./tIi.. cross
of tli.^ (»l(l ch.ipol is in tlio sacristy of the ncu
('liicoutimi cl.urch, hiuI tiio criiciHx is on the
altar of tlie convent there. L!istly, tlu; SHt-ristv
<loor, Hs also an oi«l (;upl)oar(l, formerly helonjj-
iii^' t<. tile eliap(!l, are preserved at th.> hisliop's
palace. This is now all that remain, of the
l)uil(hii,<,r which heretofoie, for nearly a cen-
tury, had sheltered the Montas^nais neophytes
who MOW have nearly entirely «lisai.p;-ir-
od (I).
More fortunate than her pnmder rival
at Chicoutimi the villa<,'(« of Tadousac has pte-
Herved her old cha})el.
It stands on the sunnnit of the steep
<lowjis that overlook the port. And its pointed
ste(;ple, which .so long served as a li,<,dit house
to the Saguenay mariner, still hears the cross
which the Jesuits planted on it.
(I) There fltiU xism in t,hu Paris archives, a UH'innv.uuUun m
inv.MKory con.vrnin- th. (.'hico.iiimi (.hapc). which wiMMtorv
Wii-f drawn up Oct, stii, 17;{;{.
158
TADOUSAO
Tt is one of th(! ojij'liest inonuiiuMjts of the
C^anudiaii niissioiis
The pi'iiuitivo Tudousai- cliui-cli was Imilt
in 1717, wluMi i\lons(»i^iu'ui' dv Pontbi'iaiit was
Bishop of t^iu'lu'c. On Mai'(;li "J 1st of tliat
y«»ai-, tlie cai-piMitcM" I'lancliai'd set out to jj^oaiid
S(|uai'(^ the timlMM- of wliich tlu' clnuvli was
built, acooi(liiij4 to tlie writt«Mi agnM'UJOut lie
had nitennl into. May lOth, the .Jesuit Father
Co(inart ])h'ssed the site where the new chuivh
w;is to ])c Imilt and hammered in the lirst.
peg (1). Ilazeur, the faiinei' of the pt>sts, had paid
the expenses of building the church at the
Jeremiah rslands. it. was to tins lnt«'ndant
Hoeipiart that 'I'adousac was indebted for tlie
})lanlvs, shingles and all the nails useil in the
construction of ii,^ sanctuary. Wishing to
acknowledge this muniticence, Fathei" Ootjuart
undertook, f(»r hiniseilf and his .successors, thai
Mass fthould be .said on St Aune's day, in
Mons. lloc(iuart's intentiiui, an long as the
church (vvisted. The following year, lloc(|uart
(1) FuMiL-r (."i)|ii;ul's .louniol
lADOl .SAO
159
h(>
••oMtiniKMl his jrlfts, und (Mi.lowod t.l.f^ inissioiuuy
Willi 300 iivrvs {uinu.illy for the use of th<'
chuivli. His suoccHHor, liitrMtiaut iii/^'ot, .lid
not wis!) to 1)0 out<loiu^ ill f^.'in'i-osity, and, in
Mic Hutunin of !71<), (I,.. FhM„ ,• mentions Ikiv-
in- iweived L'OO livivs will, which to linish
the rootin<f
Hy .}.nxv, L>(th, 17:)0, tin- church was coni-
ph'toly linishcd an<l was valiUHJ at .'UJOO livrcs
hy Mons (luillcmin, a nicini>(n'(»ftho Council at
l^ut3l)cc arifl Kin;,''s Cominissioncr. The new
farniei- of th.^ posts, Mons. Hazcur, who had n<.(
«\xpcndcd a c.tpjx.r on this edifice, found means
'►t' getting himself {.aid its full value as well as
thB price of vestments f(»r it. We may heallow-
i'd to imngine that IJigot received somegraliH-
cation on accuuift of (his extraonlimuy reim-
hursement.
Some years ago, whilst <ligging l«'ncath
the ciiapel walls, the discov ery was mmle of a
plate of lead ahout nix inches square on which
the following lines were naced :
Jj'an //^/\ A' //; inal, J/. Cnyih t, f funnier
■*■* — t<.m.^ ■-....-*.-.
160
TADOUSAC;
ti'idftdiit f"'</finf', h'. P. CoijHtiti, jrsii it( . iii'd />/<i<r.
,}. II. S. (I)
(Tr.iuslntion) 1 was phictd licic May Kith,
1747, l)y I^'hiIht ('(xjuart, Jt^suil, Moiis. Cu^rict
Inmiilj faniit'v of the posts, l*\ Ooit', <l<i-l:,
Michael Lavoye, iHiildcr of \\]v fliiircli.
Ji's}(s Sariour ofMtnt.
All that now i-entaifis to us as to the orijriu
of Mi«^ Tadoiisao chajM^l is this lemicn plate
lM5arinf( a routfh inserii)tioii traced by the p<tint
of a knife, and s<»uiefew notes inadi; by Kath«M'
C<M|iiart.
The old Tadousae chajiel has nothing
artistic or reuiarkahle in its a[>j\(^aranee. The
setekei" aftei" the arehiteetural Ix-auties <»r the
aroheolo^i.st will find neithei- slender towers nor
the majestic; poi'tieos nor tlie haimoniously dis-
posed areades to be found in ^'othic teinj)les.
These simple people, who lived by tlieii- hunting
rtiul their Hshing, attached no glory to raising
(i) .lesii Hoininl Sahator.
TADOU.SAC;
101
imposin;^ ediliccs. Cyapit;ils ;iimI jnlastcrs, fcs
t(«ms (»i- mouulin^s, {'duM tlicy, wvvr they, to 1«>
r(ini|)fii-«'(l with tlcxihlc Itiirli hui'k ujhI f i .itf I'ant
crdar wood? To tlj<> Iiidiuii who mad«' Ids
dw«'lli?ii( in his caiior turinMl oxcj- and whose
solo j)illow was fi'jMjiu'ntly tlu' sand of tlie sea-
shore, the most siinj)le edifice aj>j)eai-ed a niar-
\el, it' »»nly it were Imih in the I'Airopean nian-
ni'i'.
Tile Tadoiisac elujrch is a \ej'y sinijth^ sti'iu-
hu"e. It is in tlie shape«)t'a |>....allel<tijiani, tliirty
fe<'t lon<; and twcnty-tive wide. Two nanow
windows ojien on ejich lateral faee at the height
of a man from the i^roiiml. They lii^ht the navo
and sanctuary, this last. l)eit>jL,' Hnislted off in a
semi-circle t.owai'ds tlie east The fat^ade oNcr-
looks the i)ay. Vv<n\\ th«» [>ediment, in which is a
larjije window , t lie \ iew is siij)er)). The loof which
is \ery hi^i^h-pitclnud is surmounted hy a very
huinl)le tower whore hanys the Im*!! which luis
seen nearly three tent u lies of service, the saine
hell tho sound of which the Indians so lo\ cd in
1017 an<l whi(;h, after heini;; miraculously sav«'d
durin<4 tho contlagi'ation of 1001, lias (aitli\«Hl
102
TADOUSAC
all tlid riuis.situdes of the tinius. Tnulitioii attri-
butes this to tlie luuniHcence of tlie sun-king.
Tlie interior »jf the church is of primitive sim-
plicity and has n<> architectural ornamentation.
The walls, madt^ of stilid blocks of cedar, for-
merly w'hite-waslied, ai'(^ now covered with
connnon pajKninj^, in no way i<^calliiig the
drugf^et tapestry which was so enthusiastically
admired by the Tadousac Indians, two centuries
previously.
Ilavinu; been f(»r a long tim<' aban<l«med to
the care of th'^ pool* Tadousac lidhltinitx, who
had no otlu'r church, the synunetry of this old
chapel has been somewhat destroyed by various
ad<litions n«ade to the original structure, which
julditions miifht, in theii* «lav, have Ikm'ii of
some utility, but which the antiijuarian will
always dephu-e. Thus ihe former j)ointed gable,
desceiuling in a stiaight line to the pai"a}>"t, has
been ornamented with gently curved eaves.
This is out of taste. What can be said in favor
of the miserable gallery which overshadows the
nave or tht^ mcftn little sacristy which shuts oif
a part of the apse and spoils its graceful form 1
TADOUSAC
1()3
old
.rioiis
licli
M of
will
has
iiveH.
'iivor
stho
ts oif
II
Thcv have nwuh; a <;ieat mistake in trvinn' t
rosturo this old huihanfj; and givo it a iiiodn-
aspect. It Avould have been better not t(» iiavo
atteinptwl iej)airin<^ the ravages (»t' time.
But l<!t us rejoice that, as yet, no Nandal
lias exei-cised his hammer in (lestroyin<,( this
venerable (»l(l church (i).
Until IS.^"), the old chapel served as a
j)arish-chur<rh for the inhabitants of Tadousac.
On Christmas-day of tluit year, Mass was cele-
bratt'd for the tii*st-time in a lar<^'e church built
of stone at a few fe(»t distaiKut fi'om the humble
ediHc(! built by the ,jt»suil Father Coijuart.
►Since that perio<l, it is but onc(! a year, on St
Aiine's day, that the pric^st ascends the steps of
the old altai' before which so many generations
hav<; knelt, and wImmc the piaises of iUni have
(l) In 1»7!) H was j'itifiil III M'( the state of (li'<a> into which
the Ttuloiisuc <ltiii>e' hud failcK. A Mciilrful tfi'Mtliiimii.
Thoiiia« i». Kin^, iiiudu iiii tiu|ir.s( aitpnil to his ffUow-citizuiis ( f
Hrilish uriKiii. Ho imMishcil a i>aiin>hUt i\i whkh hi- aHkcd
them tonittkt' a siihsciiittion in aid of tlie restoration of this lelic
of the past. This zealous ant i(|uaiiairs appeal was iH'spoiide<l to.
He «>)lleeied sutficiuht money lo enah': him loeiear th;- ei-nielen
whieh was almost entirely neglectvu. August 7lf», !»«•', a erosi
eiifhtceii feet hi^h was ere'tt d there.
<1
104
TADOUSAC
IxH'u sung in tlie dialrctsof ;ill iho. tribes, t<» the
noitli and scuitli of tlie Lower St Lawreiu'c.
< )n St Anne's day, the whole paiisli Hocks to
the i-ustie sanetiiary to assist at the Mass wliieli
is said l)y tlie .Jesuits' sueeessors, for the inten-
tion of Intendant Hoe(|uai*t, in fultihnent ol"
tlie promise made two hun(h-ed and forty years
previously by Fathei- Co([uai't. The congrega-
tion throngs around the editice, the door of
which is left open to enable them to sv.ii the
))riest at the altar. And, on the blue wa\es of
the river, the fisliermen who are entering thi;
port respectfully uncover their heads on hear-
ing the silvery sound of the king's bell.
Tt is thus that the little chapel still raises
its head on the Tadousac dills, serving as a link
to unite one generation with anothei- and thus
t<» hand down in future ages the Instory of the
glorious mission work peiformed dining tw(t
centuries.
J^e he pi(»us [lilgi'im or incjiuring tonr-ist,
whoever lands on tlu^ Tad(»usac shore and visits
this venerabh' rr.in, should take care that tde
preciously guarded relics which are preserved
TADOrSAn
1 en
MUM-O .should ),,. shewn to hil!'. Ainoii;^. th.'S,",
tliciv art' suiiH' pjiiiitiiin^s of thr ('i^dit«'«'iith ccn-
turv wliicli iii(«iit Htlrntioii. A J^nttnifufiu,, nf
MiU'ii in thr Tii„i,h- is siir|,(.(j with tlu! name (»t"
I5euu\jiis and Ix-uis ihedate, 1747. This H.-au
v;us was t iir son (,f a ndchnitcd ctiiftavci- and has
h'ft s(MiH' pictun-s which aiv much thou.ulit <>f ;
'J'hc Mnrr'nn/r of LunU XVI n,„l A/un- Anfoi
ti'-ff^' and the /hrf/, of Louis XVI J. The pi.-tuiv
to the left lias no name si^nied, hut is vcrv (.Id
Tlic sui.Jcct is well known. It is a (iuai-(han
Ano;(.I conductin<<a diiid in tlic j.ath of virtue
and in-otectin<r Idni from a serpent. I n t he hack
^n-ound is seen a chateau hi^dited up. Prohahly
the i)ainter wislied to paraphrjise the verse of tiie
Sixteentli Psahn : l*,rjWi ikon mi/ (/niu</s in t},,j
ixttlix. ()ki/ tni/ fiK,t,sti'j,H hf not nntrcil. Ps : XVI.
Three little pictures representin*; Onr L,n'<l,
l,h«> nivsHfd Vin/in and .SV Clinrhs fiorronno
were give to the missionary Fatlier Maurice hy
the Jesuit Father I >upJessi.s, All these p;iint -
ings.latefrtjjn the first Jesuit missions, and were
l>i-..ui;hl from F»'anc,e, as was also the little Way
of the Cross jii-eser\>H.l in the<haj)el. Another
1 (>(')
TADOUSAC
of this t'liurch's treasiiips is an Jnfidif ./fsus in
wax, sjiid to have Ixhmi ])ii's<'iite<l \)\ Louis
XIV. This Ar//y<////*o is riclily (Ii-hss(>(| .irid lias
V(;i'V i«'«l ihct'lvs for his ajjrt'.
< Mj thr altai- arr two r«'li(|uari<'M liearin*^
thci dsiti" of ITtli, and the viA'u-s of St Clement
and Saint l^iudentia aiv- «'\|>os('d in tlu'hi.
in the suci'isty may Ix* scmmi some old
Wooden candlesticks, ron<fhly eaive*! with a
knifo, done hv the Jesuit Fathers. The massive
confessional with its lozenge-shaped gratings
was also Tuade hy the celehiated Father de la
Jirosse. \\'<> know th.it the .Jesuits <»fteii en)
ployed their Icisni'e time in doitig the Inunhlest
sorts of work. Thus Fathej- Maurice, in 17-IS,
gave the iirsl stroke of the axe to the j)iet!es of
wo )d which were to he em})ioyed in the con-
stjuction of thc! Chicoutinii chapel, h is he
who painted the altar-screen, the ceiling. an<l
the heautiful tabernacle ; lie likewise ma<le some
ornaments for the altai', ajid linished liie int^>-
rioi- of his house with liis Dwn hands foi- the
henetit, he writes, ot those who succeetl him,
asking them to pr.iy foi* iiim anti wishing thi-m
TADOUSAC
Ki
>(
a «(uit'tcr litV. [n 1744, we tiixi him ;i«;Hiu ,il
the Seven FsIjukIs, where he was seeiii;; to the
S(|U}iiiii<,' <>f tht^ tiiiihei- f«»r tjie chjij»el. He
went into the deptli.s of the forests and wieldrd
the axe in order to encou?'H;;;e his workmen and
to have the ettnsohition of has in^' j>ut his liand
to the work liimself (i).
All thtise i)ions souvenirs <»f tiie Tadousae
chapel are under (heehai-ge of the parish j)riest.
lie knows the value, of them an<l watches th<Mii
as carefully as ever the vi«,'ihint (lra<;on watch-
ed over the Oarden of the Hesperides. There is
nothin;^ remarkahle in the Tadousac cemeterv.
It is the (rod's acre (»f a eountry-j)arish. Some
epitaphs are in remembrance of Monta<inais
Indians. We have souj^ht vainly for the burial
place of Mons. de Ilochefort, the caj)tain of a
Prench fri«(ate, who ilitnl at tlu^ entrance of the
(Julf, in 1085, (Ml b(»ai'd one of the royal \esse|s
and who was interred in this cemelciy.
(i) Tin- hi;jh-iiltm' in the olil Tiidovisa'.^ chaiH'l is of n-ct'iit oriirin.
It wiis ifiveri by Mrw Coiiiiolly, Hit- \vif»' of a IIikIsdh lUy airtnt.
TX
F.illicr (If III l'.ifi«sc, - Iliston and l,« ^rfinls.
Tlu'iM' iirc s(nii«' iiunics vvliidi ihtcI oiilv lo
1m' iiKMitioncd (() I'vokc t lie ^fcutest <'M(liusiusin.
Tlicy seoin to vil)ratt' tiiiicfullv lik<' the souimI
of tlu' clurifMi that calls lo hattlc.
Jiion
.«,' til
^tl
ho h
ic riiaiiy apostles wlio have u\mio
thonisclvos ilhjstrious in the AiiU'iicaii missions,
tJuMv is always some on(! \vl»o lias left his mark
more parti(;ulaily <»n each nation, eacli tril)(».
L(\<;en<ls and souvenirs gather thick around
tliese p?'edestiii(>d heroes, each one of whom is
himself a i-ctsume of a whole period and of the
la)
H >r.
l>erf
oriuei
1 l.v t
wen
ly
or more o
f h
IS
eompaiuons. The Mitrmacs (»f Acadia lia\c kepi
tlie j)atriarch Maillai-d in (iternul remembrance,
the old Ahenaijuis tribes of Maine still recall
the memory of H.isla tlie martyr, iho planteis
of the Ti(»usiana hayous take ofF their liats
reverently at the name of the missionary Auhry,
TAlJurSAC
!(;:»
;uul the jiowrrt'ul nicr (Iwclliii^r on tlic Lowci
St liawionci' has not tori^^iUcii (In- Jesuit
KatlMT .It'jiii |i;i|,fist,. (!<' la iJicssr. Of all (jir
inissioiiaii»'s w ho lia\c cxciciscd tjicir aj>osth'-
shiiM.n tho San;u(!iiay sinMvs and in (he (liilf
re^^ioiis, it i,>. ]w, who has left hcliiiKJ jiim tin*
most livtily rcnu'inlnainc and who is l<M»k(Ml on
witli thf! <(r('atestv(Mmi'ation. His name icsounds
everywh.Mo, in tlic doj)tlis of Lakr St Jolni, on
the lon«'ly shoix-s of Lahrador, in thi- tioiuish-
inj[^ villa«<«'s l)ord('riiio; tJic river tV(»ni Cact»una,
to the distant conlines of (Jaspesia and New-
IJrunswic'k Iif> is still sjxiken of. Tlie lislicrnian
taking uj) his nets, tho woodman returning;
fati^auul witli jiis day's toil, the jn»»ther Iwsiile
her child's cradle, the hunter dui-in;i (he lon<r
evenin<,' halts durin;^' liis huntin</ excursions,
thase all relate wonderful lliin<'s ot tin* ''(xkI
Father. They all invoke him as a saint in time
of misfortune or when the stonn is raj-ini; on
the waters. l}y the bedsidi^ of the sick, the old
women (»ften reconnnend medicaments, the use
of which iiad heen iiuiiiht to their forefathers
by the l>elo\e<l and jiopular apostle.
170
TADOUHAC
Tli«' last .l»'.suil wliM piTiiflu'd IIm- <;(tsj)«'l
t<» tlu' stuivly i»(>|»ul;itiuu of tlic (iulf, l-'.-itlu'ide
la llrossc* foiins a soil of ki-ysluiic to tlu' arch
so lal)orioiislv (M*«'ft«*(l l)\ tlu^ sous ot Loyola
(luring' llic spai'c i>t" t\v«» cciiturit^s.
VV'«» }ti\(' l»olli the simph* history ami tl
<;il<l<'(l h'^'ciids of this |)oj)u)ar ln*ro.
10
v\ nativt' of Ma-^iiat, a hainh^l in thr lo\«'ly
(country <if .lauldrs in Ant^ouniois, llu' Jcsnit
l^^ithrr (Ic la ih'osst' canic to t hr colony of Ca-
nada five ycais ln'forc the Kni^lish C/oii(|iU'st.
At first he lillcd the orfice of comptroller in
I the Quebec coll
ejre WlHM'(
lik(
ewise ne was pi'o-
fessor of jthilosophy, hut nvIhmi the enemy camo
he was already evanj^elizin^ tlnv Ahena(|uis of
St Francis of the I^ake, a ti'ihe li\ini,' on the
holders of the 8t John river where he h;ul
previously passed a short time in 17-")"), tlu;
year of his arrival. Fiom 1701 to 17()() ho
resided sometimes at Montreal, sometimes at
St He.ny of Mascouche where he acted as mis-
sionary for nearly five years. I?y the ordei- of
Father (Jlapion he set out fron» St Henry de
Mascouche to repair to the Tadousac district
TADorSAC
171
Uierc t(» j^ivc tlu» fiiiishin^r tuinln's t.. llir Ihmu-
fifiil Mdntaicimis mission. Kiitli mid pids-
nit^'iMMl ill this tav<ii«'«l missinn, of wliidi Ihi
Imh-jumc ihr most i«-\(i«'(! of its iii.iny ;ij»ostlrs.
" May 5lli, 17<)«l, ut 'i o'c in tJic aftrnioon, Im'
"writes on the niar^'in of tlic ('lii<-oii(iiiii p.nisli
" rc^^ist cr I ;ur-iv('(l UH H missioimrv ni 'I'.uloii
"sac, l)«'iii;^r 12 v,'ais and !l monUis (.f a<'c
"liaviii;^ Imm'u a j.rirst I :; ycais, :? moiitlis and
•'L> days, liavinii Ix'CM in Canada II years, 10
" months and r> days, tliis country havin<,' l.ccn
"subject to the Kurdish rule for o years, M)
"months and 'J days ".
l)uiini,' an uninteiiuj>ted jK'iiod of sixteen
years Father dv la Brosse with mdefati^cahle
zeal traversed the Monta«(nais lnintin<; .<,'rounds
in every direction, erectin<r churches, l»uildin<,'
schools; and s|i(»Min;^' e(|ual zeal in teachiiii,'
eatechism, readin*,', writin*,' and sacie<l son<j.
To this very day, Father de la lirosse's teach-
in <)fs aie handed down from <'eneiation to <:ene-
ration in all the families of the trihe. The old
account-hooks of Quebec's oldest estal)lishe<l
j>riiit.er recoi-d the wonderful lomdMM' of hooks,
mammmmmm
TA not SAC
priiiKMs, tNitcrliisiiis, caldiidurs, winch lie an-.-mti'
I'd and )ia<] })uWlis)i('(I in <lii> MoDtai^niais and
Ah)'na(iiiis ididins, i\)v tlic use ufhis ncijihyti's.
He Iranslatcd l\u' i^'<i.sj)«'l into t)i<' Indian
dialects. Well \riscd in the .M<>nta;L>'nais Ian
;;na^t' 1m' tianslat<'d ini<» that idi ini all the
{''rcncli \\ri(in;as ot' liis jn'('(h'oe.s.s<»rs an<l i-oljcct
«'d tluMii all into <>nt' \<tlnni(', too^ftlirr with
\slial lie t'ound ;ili«^{wly written in the natiM-
t;on^iU'. All flitsc w rilinjis h<' ann(itat«'d aiid
oorftM'trd. In 1770 worn out Itv I'oui" V(iars
(>i im.-cssant lal>o?\ lu* ss'tlidirw f(»i' a time
to tlic island of (Micaiis, \\ hci*' ho worked
at his Montaijnais dictionary which he had
founncnccd on Ins ai
rival at 'I'achMisac,
!<■'
Ol'
lixc years more lie continued this I'etiediil in<"-
like nnd«M taking', in the nddst of the most
]»ei-iloiis journi'vni-^s ai
siijostolical lalxji's.
tl
le most arduous
The ()hlatc l"'athers, who aie now in eharu't
>» IS-
of the northern missions, are said still to j
s(^-<s the Montaijrnais di<tJonai'v at which l-'athcr
de la iho'^se \\i>rked for
so man\' vears.
Th
greater [»ari of i he reli<;ions hooks still in us«.'
TAD0U8AC
173
auitHi,i( i]u' iMontiigimis svcit \vii(t<'ii l>v )iiin,
'IMm* liil»Ii<»«;iii{)Ii(M's iii>\v \ if will) racli otlicr
ill scciiriiiu tli«' j)i'iiiiiii\(M'(litioiis nf tlu' liuniMr
inissioiwiry's works. TIk; iiichhishop's lihi-aiv ;it
Qii(»l)('c (•(Hitaiiis a (Mipy of dfla IJiussc'.s prinitT,
juintcd in 17^7. His caU'chiMa and ]»ray«'i-
l)!>ok art' cxtn'niely i-ai-c, oniy fi\e cojiic^ h.'iiig
known to «5xist.
The good Fatlicr df la. llrossc, of a ij^-.iy
disposition and j)osscssin;j; i-eady wit, indulgi'd
from tiiiic lo time in jest and clcNfr I'cjtai-h'cs.
Ilt^siirnt'd his catcicliisin vvitli his Indian iiaino
TshitHtlisiiJiiifitiL which n»i>ans litei-ally In'otmi or
hi-K.sh (i). In his compilation of his pfcdcccssors'
writin*,' he has inad<> inai'<;inal notes which arc
s(nnctiineH soiiu'wivat sovcic. lie excuses him-
self hy saying that he makes these remarks not
through ill nature nor to show his wit, Inil in
order t<» was 'i the readtM" against certain
errors to l..- net with. " 1 only make icmarks,
he adds, o,. faults of grammar, leaving aside
faults ill spelling which the heginners should
(i) {lUiiHK' is lln- Kii'iK li for linisli).
mK^rngmmm
171
TADOUSAC
s(,ii<l\ and which t iu* t'otilihli nn-^lcct ". Otnixsn
(trf<>i/rtip/iirii ciii hirifnritfrs Ktmh nt ff iitnan iit-
sipirnff's hci/liijii lit. h isutifortuiuite that Lit in,
that laiiLjuaLf*' so pr^MMuiniMit tor piain-sjH'akinLf,
(lui's not allow us to rt'jirod'ic ' this ini^enitnis
comparison intact. It was usficss foi- this ;;oo<[
Father to deny ha\in;^ any ;4icat clcvenioss,
t'of many auecdotos cfhis caustic wit aj'e n'oord
( )n one oc< asion '\licn he was stavin<r at
C'hicout inii, he met with some stran;j;ers, toiuvists
whose a|»|»eaiance and ways were anvthin*': hat
admir-e<l l»v the i-esidents at the jmst. Al)usiii<r
(»f the almost I) (Uiulless )il> 'I ty which i-(ji<j[iie()
in the estahlishment arc- which ca'i.-ed oNcry
one's dwcllim:; t(» Ue looked on as common '>n)-
|»erty, these m»ntlemen intruded e\(-|-v,\here
arc! at all hours 'i'ln'y cM-n carried tlieir want
of consideration so far as to make endless visits
to the nnssiiMuiry, on whom they intlicted a
serirs of the nxist stupid ijuestions imas^inahh*.
Kather de la. I5r<»,ss<', busily enir!V^'«'<l
with his studies and his lahdr;-!, had di'licately
hiiit«Ml to tlieui that he had luit little or no
TADOrsAC
1 P» —
11')
leisure, luit t.li<'se ^eiitlcincn |i;u"{l no lici-d to
what lit! said. He therefore, hit ujk.ii a plan
t'oi- ,L,^ettin*j; rid of his troublesouH^ visitors,
Iheroby showiiij,' tliat he had jus imieh satirical
wit in In's lnain iS unihoiinded ^^>odness in liis
heart : he wiote the following' Hues which he
fastened to his rlostd do(»r:
Wlu'ii 11 iiiiin's Umh\ "tiM roolly not wisw,
T indict Oh liini visits a.s loiif.-rs havp (lone;
I'd iiliiiosi ;\» lift (liat (lifv'd pill out my im es.
As lo s|Khil idle liiiK' ill |»ayii ;< nit or<.> (i).
Tliese \('rs(!s had th<' d«'sired »'llr(t on tin-
iiii|»orttinat.e \isit«»rs who, llMdiiii; themselves
Unwt^htHiie everywhei.', relieved Chicoutii'd
from their disa,!jjr«;eal)h an<l pernicious j)reseju-e.
Wind and rain have carried awav the leaf,
on which the vers*' was writ htt, hut (he \.'rse
itself fastened to ihcdooi of hisliUle preshy-
tery l.y I'^ather de la Urossi! at th'> »»ld post
of Chicoutimi has heeii transmitted in inoic
(i) A free traiixlutioii of Kathtr rli- la Urosso's lines;
Pour nil liinimi' occvi|»iS, Hon (to <^,\^\s «nniiyoux
ijMic df i-fiis <K'HoMi\ ri' iu sisito import itnc ;
.laiiiirraiH pre*iprantant (pi'on nii' .Tevui !ps ye\u
i^uo de venir ii.i, iioui- iii'eti pioinirer iiiu- '.
mm
irr.
TADOUSAC
than otic (>l<l family. Moiis. Joscpli Cliaiirs
TjicIk', an aiicrs((»r t»f nvIidiii was tlicii a trader
at onn tyf tlu' post^s, l»y iclatiiiLr tlli^' ancrdotx; in
liis work /''orcsfl'-rs if I'Di/oi/riirs, lias assured
its hciinjj liandrd dow n to jjostcrity.
i"'atln'i- dc la llrossc's predoci'ssor in the
Tad'UisMe mission. t!ie Jesuit Fatlier (^>(|ual•t,
also made tlu^ shor<'s of t.lni Ijower St Lawrenee
rt^souiu! witli the echoes of Iiis muse. In 17-")7,
his i)j'other who was May<u' and Ijieutenant
(huieral of I'oli'c in I'aiis, juH'sented to tho
kings ministers somi- stan/.as whicli tiu! mis
.' i<mai'y com})oscd in honor of Mons, ih' \'au
drtniil (i).
I''ather (\i' la Ihos^e left Ids mark distinct
ly on this land of the Saufu»Muiy ami }>articular
ly at Tadousac where* he had made his head-
([uartei's. }lis inHuence sjuead everywhere
that the caprices of conmuMve and tiade luul
caused posts to he established on tiie mu-th
shore. He niov(>d ahout incessantly anionir the
I'ude tisliei-men and the chiNh'eii oi the forest,
(i) Soo .Mtfiiii-rril" ih' i^ni'lii-r, mi|. Mil. .Vlim-li l-ili, 17;'>7
TAnursAC
( I
u<»Mf«'Ksiii<^ uiid l)!H»ti/.iii;^ t.licm .ind H'inliiii;^
tlM'Ui t,ln' (luitjiiu- (if (,li«* <m<' nu«' (J<m1. 1I«' is
t(» !)(• iiH't witli cverywhoj'p : at the ni'?x«'i'«>M-
Uf».s, at Kst;«)miiaiiis, at IIk; .Jercmiali islands, at
S»'vcM Islands wlic.ro lu' ostahlislicd a scliool
and at, his <»\vn fXjK'nst' relmilt tin cliuicli
which FatluM' ('<M|uait had aliandon«'<l «>n nv-
eourd of tlu» riinu's of th<' rii<lians : which
c'hmx'h had hecn )»urnt down by thr sohUtMs
durin;j; t lu- wai-. We nuH't liiui also at lietsiainitsi
wheni, during the winter whi<h he passecl there,
lie tau«^i»t the Indians to read and write, as
well AH U* sing liy note. One after theothtr he-
visite<l the ilista?it settlements «»f Chieoutind
and Lake St John and it was in (lu-i?- invstet i«ms
depths that he enconntereil a group of N'jiskapis
and had the honoi- of announcing the\N'«>rd to
them the first ; for no missionary hati previous
ly Ihhmi al)le to |M!notrate to this trilnv
The Naska{)is were vm'y Miu<*h »ttachc»| fo
tlieir sup«-ri*stitions an<l pag.tn usages i*hich
thev did not wish Ut aliandon. It was in \ain
that Father de la Rinsse used every argument
in oixler t(» convert them. When an Indian is
178
TADUUSAC
(l(Mi(l«*(l (Ml not uiulcrstiimliiiy; Hiiythiii^, im nwc
is so (leaf as he.
Oiw tine inofniiii,' a Muiitajjfuais, distin-
/^uishcd l>y his faith and /«'al, raiiu' to tho
Fatht'C and spoke i>t him. sointnvhat as follows.
'• Fatlier., the \aska)»is hav<' no lonj^<'i'
any oais ; hu! tliey still have got eyos.
'' W'cl! ! I'cplit'd llic Fatiicr. what must we
slu»w' to t hcst.' ji >oi" people?
1 myx'lf 'io not: know ; Init, it" you could
only [n'l'fi'ini soni ' iniia-lf h.'forc tlu'in, they
w'(»uld open their eye^ and ncc.
" l>ut I hivt! ri > p »wer I t p.'i[iiiin mirarh's ;
that, power heljiigs to (;i»d alone.
'•What you say is trui* : hut (Jod soaie'
tiuu^s l>estow's thai |)owt'i' : you ha\e often
spoken to us of mira"jle> p'tforaied \ty the
apostles and othec saints.
" It is t I'Ue 1 aiu an ap t-tle ; hut, for all
thai 1 am only a poor sinner. l>esidesyou know
what ( >ui- L Old i-eplied lo those who asked a
luiiaele of liiiii ; " <»od do(\'< not \<)U<'hsafe lui-
raeles io tho.s«' who ask for them ".
'I' A Do ISA (;
■"»
Til.. Ii„li;u, ivll...-lr.| H short tiiu,.,tM.|tlH'I.
r<»|>)ie<l.
•'<;(,<! <l<„,.s not voucl.sufc mii-a,-]r. f. (liosr
wh.. ask tor rJuM.i. if is tni.' ; lua }„■ von.-lisaf.N
iUinw .sontf.imes tn il.os,. wl.o ,|n not ask fur
tlu'iM. TIm' Naskiipis havr. not aske.l f,,r tli.-ni,
it is I ulioam askin«r for Mh'mi : i„ t|,at .-.■ts,'
I must depart : wil ! I w,|| start at nucr for
Tadousac. (J(kI will not \ou( lisafr a n.ira,-le in
the .mo wlio asks f.,r it ; l.ut H.. uil| vou.l.saf..
one totli.)s.'NvJio l)avc. ii.)t askrd f.„ ,,, hut who
Stan.] in n.M'd of il....That is right, that is
tiic way of it r'
Wluneupon this brave JiuHaji r.-turMc.| at
once to his cabin and gave his wife orders t..
tak.- (h.vvn the tent, and, carrying his r;in..e .,n
his should.M's, lu'hastene.i the rivej, ai.d, em-
barking with ail his family, started off f,'„. r,i^
dousac.
At that time there was a great <h.aight,
and fires rag(?d in (he forests ; the air was flirk
>nth xn>nkf ; i^wrs one feh as if some .ahimity
were im|..'n«h'ng. Towards n.H»n the f)am.>s
nnpelh.l by the wind and pl.-nt ifulb hy[ by
•wan
ISU
•l•AD()U^>iAC
the dry Iruvcs uixl hranclics, ('umiiiriKcd tn
cratkh' iimnii;^ the tall lit-trct's and mciwurd
the oal)iiis with (htstrialioii. T\w Mdiita^'nais
and Naskapis bcf^aii rcinoN in;; tlu'ii- hclon^dn^'s
out (tf tlx'ii' lud.s and vvtM«' hastonin^j towards
a swainpv ch'ajinu lu'ai tlic Lak<*, wh»Mi Fatlicr
dt' la Ih-ossc, who was in tiu; midst <it' llu-ni,
c'iumI out with a tont' of autlioiity wliii-.h ha<l
its ellc^ct on tlirni : " Lravc y<»ur <;al»ins an<i
youi' ^oods as they arc, touch u(»tliin^ ; follow
me!"
The Naskajiis, witl»out oonsidcrin;,' wliat
they were about, and the Monta.Ljnais, inspired
with unlindti'd oontiih'noe, aceon\j>anied tlie
Katlier towards the destructive element.
Having arri\e(l at a ccrlain distance from
the cabins, the missionary took a stick and
traeeil a liiu' t»f demarcation, forbitldin^ the
fire t<t pass o\er it. Then he (juietly s«\*i,t(Ml
liimsclf on the (^M'ouiid I ndian fasliion.
lfa\ ing reached the pla('(^ hv Iwul indicat.etl
the flames seenunl t(» writh*' coin ulsively and
then extinguished themselves, as ii were, all
TAlmCHAr
IM
s»
'at ('(I
alon-r the liju' wliidi llir im;iii of (J,,,! ),;i,|
T\w Na^kapls, as tlir .M.Mita',Mi lis Indian
lia'l said, still had cvm's, tJu-y ojM-nMd tlp-ni and
iH'licvcd in tli«. Word thai was i.rcm hcd to
thoni (i).
Falhci- dc la |}r(.ss.>'s work w;is n..t, con-
fined to th«i missions iti the north oast. Fvuux
llu' tinio of tile sad diownirii; of the Ue.-oljft
Father Anil)i(»ise HouiiJar*}, who had ohar^r (.f
the faithfid on the ri^dit shore (.f tJu' St
Lawretiee, all that stretch <»f <-ountry had been
witlidut any teli^dous succor, so lo speak. In
1771, Father de la Hrosse iindertcM.k todivid(.
his time l)(^twe«Mi these unfortunate spiritual
orphans anct his own Montai^nais neophytes.
From that time foi-ward h«^ mi^dit he seen, <• very
year, alt.M-nately travellin^r alon^' th(i t wo shore.-s
of the river. The, French of Cacouna, He-Verto,
Trois-Pist<.les, lliniouski, the Miomacs of Unit,
dt>s Chaleurs and Uisti.L,'. niche, the .\cadians of
(I) Wf h.iM- I ik.-i, rilis n.ii^e recital from il„. /••,„■,•*/ .V,-*
y»tia<miisoi Mdiis. .1. t'. Ta<lio.
ISJ
TADOIHAC
rutii.iMMit III'*', ( 'arii'iuct, l*iti(U('m(Hu*li(', Ni|»is-
iii;;, Ni^Hsck, UicliJUouotDU, Tiacjuly, in tiinis
|»roliU?(l \t\ lii.s aj)i»stoli«; zenl. At Kisti;^(»uc;lM'
.uul .'it Poini('ni'»nclu', ho Wlr.sscd cliurtrlics. 'I'o
all, he taught tli»' cirmtMU** of ;^raiiiiuar ami
catiMliisiii. ll<' <(»iif«»ss('(l, niairit'il and l»aj)ti/,r(l
th<Mn all. W'hf'ii lie c »vihl not cuniply with tlx-
wishes of tiu'sj' sluM'p without .a pastor, Im'
would write to theui and his athnirahlc hitters
rerall the (Epistles addressed to tlie early Chris-
tian l»y tlu^ ajxHtles. If lie met with sonieehild
of preroeious intelli;,'en('e, he tau^dit him Latin,
direct ini; his studies from afar and interest in i;
himself in tlu- intelh-etual development of his
ni'ofi'iji'.
\\;\\\\\\* terminated Ids pastoral visit oti
th»» riy;ht shore, whei'e he had travelhnl hun-
(h'eds of leii^nes, ho would emhark on some
wr(^tehed l»irk and direct his course to the
wild shoi'i's of Lal)iad(»r and the Sa^uenay,
where he W(»uld stop at each jjost till he reached
'PadoL-ae and whei'e, with all his Indians whom
lie had appointed to mei't him, he would eelo-
hra.te (he fea^t of S( Anne. It w;i,s on this
TADOl-'HAC
1S3
shore on tlir iMItli July, that (lie MinniU's and
Ac;uliaiis tV<tiM (lie (Julf, (ho .Mitntaifnais from
th»? north, \\iv Al)rnat|nis fi-ttni tin- south, all
rni^'ht lw» srcn hastiMiin_<:t to jussist at the annual
|)ili,Minia^'(' whirh had Ix-cii or<;ani/.('(l hy tlxi
in(l<'fati;(al)l(' ruissionaiy.
Tln^ ain<»unt of work pcr-formcMl hy this
ziNilous rnissionat y, (lurinLf his sixteen yearts'
a[M»stolat«', is so extr-aor'dinai'y that ont^ nri«,drt
he led t,o helievc it had Keen exai'irei'ateil hv
roniauee or leu'«*>id, did not the i'e)L;isters of the
nuinei'ous |)laees he visited faithfully r'ecord his
}>assai;<'. He ha>^ himself left a recoi'd of his
wander-in<;s \vi-itter» in Latin, wher-ein lut simply
and unostentatiously states what he has done. A
cf»py of this itinerary is pieeiously pr*eserved in
the ar'ohi\es of the Quehee arehiepiseopal
palae*', hut unfor-t unately there ar-e Imt fra<,'
ments of it remairiin;,' and it hr'eaks off sudden-
ly five years hefor-(» tlie missionary's death.
►Such is tlie sinipU* history of this apostle
who riiod«;stly called hinrself '' t he 2 1st j>astor'
of the Montai,'nais Indians in the |»osts of the
king's domrins, of the Society of Jesus ".
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184
TA nous AC
FntlitM' (le la B''osse dierl at T;ul(>usac
its(^lt', April llth, 1782, and the next day the
parish-j.riest of De aux Coudros, JNIoiis. C<»m-
paiii, buiicd liim in the luission-oljapel where
sixteen years })revi«>usly he had for the first
time y)reaohed the gospel to the Montagnais.
Tn the flooring of the sanctuary above his
cofHii, an opening was made in the shape of a
C'i'oss, and for a long time aftei- his death, the
Indians who went up or down the Saguenay,
would never pass the port of Ta<lousac without
landinijf in or'der that they might {)ray in the
i;liai)el where the pious missionary's remains
were deposited. They would prostrate them-
selves above the grave and, with their lips
pressed to it, would speak to the Father as if he
were still li\ing. Then they would place their
ear against the opening to listen to the saint's
reply. In their artless faith and the siTnj)licity
of their hearts they believed that the go<Kl
Patlun* listened to them from his cofKn, that he
would re})ly to their «|uestions and that he would
}»i'esent their petitions to (tod.
In his life time, Father de la l>ro8se luwl
TADOUSAC
185
aeciuirod ;ui exti-aonliiKiry leimtatioii of sanc-
tity. He even passcul fui- haviiij,' the i^ift of
prophecy. Tliore is tlierefore notliin*,' astoiiisli-
ing that tlie siinple-niinded jxtpnlatioiis of those
primitive times have surrounded his death
witli legendary circumstances which are still
related ar-ound the winter hearth.
\Mien Father do. la Brosse died, say the
old tales, the l)ells in all the churches h(^ had
served from Bay des Chaleurs up to tlie heml
of the Saguenay rang out the tleath knell, with-
out human inters ention. By an inspiration
from on High all those who heai'd the tollin<'
said at once : " Our good Father de la Brosse
is dead, he said aright, when on his last visit to
us, he told us that we luul seen him for the last
time, that he would visit our mission non»ore"I
To makf^ the e\'ent still more solenui, it is
said that the missionary died precisely at mid-
nigld. It is easy to understand how this pass-
ing-bell sounding during the calm night must
have struck the native Indians with ast<»nish
ment. At least twenty witnesses aie cited
b^ai uig testimony to this occurrence. After all
186
TAIJOUSAC
Ofxl may liavc conimatided the aii<^<d of deatli
to sound tlH^ dejKirture of the; soul wliich was
ascondin«( to Him aftor ha\ing led so many
stray sheep into the ri<jrht j)atlj.
Again, why may not tl»e 1k>1Is of eertain
Canadian missions lia\(; l>ecn endowi^l, for one
day, witli thc! marv(;llous power of announ«ring
the d(^ath of apDor missiojiary, inthesanu; way
as tlie famous l)ell at Villela us<nl foi'merly to
ring untou<;h(id wh(Miever Spain was tlireatiMied
bv some misfortune and also ran*' out its mouir>
fui knell to ajinounce the death of F(U'dina,nd
the Catholic.
The legend goes on to sav that Father do
la lintsse prophecied the hour of liis death.
Ahlx'i Casgi-ain hax writ.t(Mi a n»ost touehing ao
c >unt of what he g.itluM'ed from the islanders
of lie aux Coudr.'s. We have great pleasure in
i;ivin<j: this accmnt to our I'eaders :
" On tlie evening of A]>ril llth, he says,
Mons. ('otnpain, then parish-priest of He aux
(^judres, was passing the evening alone in his
room. After having nv'ited his hreviary, said
his evening prayers ami r^nid his allotted portion,
TADOUSAC
1.S7
lu! was .|ui('tly studying l)y tlie liglit of his
l.un[), wluMi su(l(l(!iily,al)i)Ui midiiii^lit, thcsuund
of a bell struck on liis ear rinj^'inj^' amid the
sih^nce of the night. Filled with astonishment
lie at first tiiought himself tlie victim of a i
illusion, and approaching the window listened
attentively. It was indeed the ehapfO-h 11 ring-
ing a passing-hell. Mons. Compain went forth
from his presbytery and \\h\ bell continued to
ring. He entered the chai)el an<l found it
empty, but the bell continued still to rin<'on.
Then a voice sounded in his ear. I)id it
sound to the ear of the body, oi- to that of the
soul? Who knows! But the voice was distinct
and said as follows :
" Father de la Br-osse is dead, lu- has just
expired at Tadousac. The passing-bcill announetvs
his last sigh. To morrow, go the (Mid of the
islan<l. A canoe will come thei-e in s<'arch of
y(m aiul will take you to Tadousac wlujre you
will perform the rites of interment for him "'.
" The rumor had spread some time pre-
viously that, at the moment of Father de la
iss
TAUUUSAC
n.-()r-;(»'s (Isvith, tlic: chiircli ]);^lls of his missions
would Jin noil ivce his decc^asc.
" Thf^ next day Mons, (^nnpaiii was wait-
ing at th ', Iow(!r (^xt,l•en^itv of ihc Ihi aux Cyou-
di'tw, at th;^ sp >t wh(M*o he liafl l);*(»ti told to
wait.
" What had been passint^ all this time at
Tadousac { Fat,her dc la Jirossc had for sonu!
tinu" hiMMi on a mission there and was awaiting
t'l.' arrival of the Indians whom thii opening
of the navigation W(ndd soon see Hocking there
from tlui interior. Their canoes laden with furs
w,>uld <lescend the Saguenav followin*' the ice
as it came di)Wi\ the river.
" During simie few weeks the Tadousac
r»>ck was the centre of an activity and an
a 11 )unt of trading that contrasted strangely
with its s ►litary and desolate aspect during the
r 'st of the year. The sands of the shore were
overetl with long tiles of bark canoes. On the
hill-slope the cahiiHof tho Indians wei'e erected
o.i;^ ah )ve the other forming an irregular village
m >stly hvdonging to the Montagnais tribes.
The })ort of Tadousac was tlnui also tilled with
TADOUSAC
1)^!)
luaiiiiei-s frctni Ixwoiid tlw. st'a, wIki Umdicil
"■ Whilst tlir fui-tnul(M-s were iiuikiiii' tlicir
harvest iji(( for the l)e,n(;tit of tlu; great of this
woild, FatluM- (1«' la IJrossc was <ra(.hrriii"- in
liis liarvest for Heav(!ii fioin among tho little
OM<>s of this world.
" Tradition has preserved all the details of
his last iiioiiieuts, the circumstances of which
were, indeed, of a nature to strike every one.
" On the eve of his death, Fathei- de la
jJrosse appeared to Ix^ in perfect liealth. lie
was a large r<>])ust, white haired old man, with
an ascetic-looking face and inspired speech.
"During all the day h«' iiad been fulfilling
the duties of liis ministry, confessing, l)aptizing
and praying as usual in the Tadousac cliapel.
" At night-fall, Ik-, w(>nt to take a few
hours' recreation at the house of one of the
otiicers of the post. He was as gay and agreeable
as ever ; lie even played a few games of cards
with his hosts. Towards nine o'clock he prt^par-
ed to leave.
"After haxing s;iid good <'veHiii<^' to every
■I
1 1)0
TADOUHAC
oMc lie was silent f(»r ;i iiiomciit jiikI tlicn, in a
stilciim lone, said :
'* My frit'inls, I 1)1(1 you fait^wcll, t';uv\\ d!
until <'t<'i-iiity, for y(^u will not again sfc inr in
lif<^ This V(U'V r\«'ninit at niiilnii'lit / sJmll !»' a
<'or/isi'. At that \('»-y houi", you will lu^ar niy
chaju'l hell rin<; : it will aiinouni'C my dtsith. If
you do not 1h>1iov(; it you can conif and ascert-
;i,in tlu' fact for yi>urselvf;s. lUit T ask of you
not to touch Tuy body. To morrow, you vvill j^k
to He aux Coudres to fetch Mons. Oouipain to
e!ishi\»U(l me and perform the rit(;s of sepultuie.
You will fhid him waiting at the end of that
island. Do not fear to embark, whatever mav
he tlie weather. I answer for the safety of
tho!-
e who set out on this journey
th
''At first they thought that the Father
was jesting, but ho insisted on what he had
saiil wiih such an air of convictit>n and of au-
thority that there was no I'oom left for doubt.
'* One of the men eniployed sit the post
remonstrated with him, saying : " Fathci-, ytni
appear to be in perfect health aiul your face
TAlJOl'HAC
I'.ll
shows n<» sign of suiV«-rin<<. ilow (Ikmi can you
believe your end to he so ni^fh ?
" INly child, he icj.Hcil, hy the <'ii<l ..f the
day you will know that my \V(.i-ds aiv true.
And he left tln^ house.
"After his departure the company h<' IkuI
left remained ((uitc stu]»ellc<l, not Ix'iiii-- al)le to
helicv*! in tlie reality oi his projjhecy.
'' Tliose who ha<l watch(\s ]»laced them on
the taljle aad awaited the i-esult in jrH-at
anxiety. Ten o'clock struck, tlien eleven, then
midniglit, and then the chapeM>ell began to
sound.
" With one accord, they all rone and, im-
pelled by sudden fear, hastened to the chapel.
They entered.
" }iy the faint light of the sanctuary lamj.
tliey perceived Father de hi l:Jrosse's lilack robe
in the choir. He was stretched motionless on
the ground, his face bowed down on his clasp<Ml
hands which rented on the lowest altar step.
" H(; was dead.
" This sti-ange news sjiread like vsild-tire
through the mission. At daybreak the N\hole
^mmas
11)2
T.\I)UUHA(,'
]>M|>ulat ion of iiidiatis .likI whiles nishc! t'lthr
fliuptO. KfU'li oiH' wislu'd l<» jL^a/.i' oik-c iiioi-,' on
tlui suiiit wliu Wits st frtclicd Im'JuI'c I hem lifeless.
No one (lare(| (oiieli iiiiii. W il.li inin^^led f(^el-
in^s of p^rief and admiration tliey nja/.ed on liini,
pi'iiyed and in\(il\«Ml him. 'I'eaj-s iloucd fiom
every ey«'.
" hill in'' (he uliole dav, llie (;i'o\vd silent-
\y eame and went in tlie ehajtel, they not
lu'lnj.; al>h' to tear tlieniselves from the si^^dit
of (lie Itoly missionary who liad so often niado
that very sanetuai-y resound with his hrillant.
and touehini^ e.\h(»it.ations. The I nchans riMiiain-
eil thei'o niotionltiss for hours, one iln^^er |)ressed
to tlieii' lips, expressinij; hy this Lfesture thai,
no words couhl <lo justiee Lo their heartfelt
^M-ief.
** In the nieainvhile, on tliat vciy niorn-
\i)}X, 'i south-oast wind had sj.iun*;- up and ra^ed
with such violence: that (he rixcr was (:o\er<'d
with snowy-orested waves. Nohody dared to
launc;h a hoat on such a sea. On stiein*.;" this the
head-olVu'er of the post said to (ho.se near him ;
'* Art^ there sonit" three nien an»onu: vou
TADOUHAC
lO.'J
brave onou^'h to a((om)»atiy mo in acroniplish-
iii^' tlic last (It'sini of our ^'ood VnWwvl He
tiu'iiilHT what luisaid : <' f hiisvvmt for fhf SHf«'ty
of tliosc svlio H(^i, out, on tin's joiu-iioy ".
•' A caiio.. JM iMUnclicd ; t-hr four i.m-m wIk,
nu)f)ark in ii j.ut, out, to soa. li.inUy hav*-.
tlu'y left, Tadousac wIhmi, t,o tlu-ir (^xtrftino sur-
prise!, th^ wator l)(H-oiiios Hinooth Iwjfore rJifin.
" Whilst all aicMuid the t.fMiix'st raided
with fury, fh.« sra hcin- white with foamfau
iiivisibln hand ur;;^'d tlinn rapidly ah)ng, h<.
th.-it hy (dovon oVh.ck iti the morning they
roujuhKl (Joose Cape (Cap aux Oic.s) and canH!
in si«,d)t of He aux ('oudi-es.
'* M(.ns. Couipaiji was awaiting tJH'in at t lie
lower end, walking about tho ro<,'ks with a hook
in his hand. As soon oh they were within sound
of hisv(.icf', ho cried out to them :
*' Father de la Brosse is dead, you ha\ e
come to fetch me for his interment. The
canoe approached the shore, Mons. de Com],ain
embarked in it and, «>n the evening of that .sfune
day, he hmded at Tadousac ".
Such is the marvellous legend which is
I'.M
TADOfSAr
nOalrd l»y llu- \\r uux Ooiulrcs jx'oiih; uiid
whii'h is t'o|KNit»Hl constantly hy the colonists on
tljc Lower St [^awrencc.
Tt is said that/ old soldici's, who have a
ihonsand tiincs l)rav(>d dfiatli on the hattlo-
lield, wv\'\} wIhui thoy think ihcy may he
ol)lij^(»d to <Ho (jiiit^tiy in tlu'ir Ixids lil<<M»i'(liim?y
jM'oplc sufV«'rin<i; from ;i;out or hclph'ssly para-
lyzed. Knch t.hos«* who r«'a<i the life of sonu*
illustrious warrior lo\(> topictiin^ to (hrnisi^lvi's
that he will fall like a hero at the head (»f his
troops. The missionary and the soldiei- resernhh*
one another, they are of <»ne family. Their lift^
has Ikmmi similarly of devotedness and saeiifiee
and U'«j;end,s love to surround them with a halo
of f.cl<»'y' ^^ '^ l"ve this sweet ]M»pular lefjend
which makes Father de hi Hrosse di<i so vaK
liant, HO lovely, a tleath on the altar steps amidst
the solemn stillness of the night. It is just such
a death as we would dreain of for this apostle.
Alas ! whv is it tliat st(;rn reality must need
destroy the web woven hy poetical legendaries
and which t>ur ancestors have sotirmlv believed
in from their very childlKKKl 'i
TAIKM'HAC
vjn
Fjitlicf (h Ifi iJidssc (lid not (H(. ,if i,,i,l.
u'u^Ul lit Um; K()liiu«l(^ of llir, sHMctiuiry, ru.r (li«l
ho tell tlu! caiiof >n«Mi to ^'o on thrir way tVur-
Icssly and f)ravc tin' lonipcst in ordri to sock
tliu lit; aux ('oudrcs |)arisli-priest to fnsli nrnd
him. J!(-ro is how tlic aulhontic act of scpultun;
runs, tcMin<r us witli prosaic conciseness wlwit
was the •'imI of tlie niissionatv :
"April iL'tli, one (liousuid Heven liiindi('<l
and eij^dity-two, was l.uiied i , the ehurcJi of
this mission the hody of 'cun Uaj)ti',ltJ de la
Hrosse, missionary piieyr, of the Oomjyiny of
Jesus, who ilux] the pre\i' is day at 1 }). iive
ill tin; evening, ft.rtificd v.ith the sacraments of
Penance and Kxti-eme iriictioa. .v^cA lift v^-iirht
yearn. Were present Uluuics IJra.sard and
others, all <.f wljom dticiared thfvmselves unable
to sign this paper according to wliat is re<iuire<l
by the regulations.
(Signed) P. ,!. Compmv, Piiest (i).
(1) KxtraH from the roffister of l.aptiHiim, iiiairiajf.-H ami deal hs
of ilic Iiiiliansaml ofcherij r(,'sifliiiLt in the misttion of tht kirig'8
Uomuiii.
■n
106
TADOUSAC
No in.'itter, in spito of this y^'How Icfif
t.'ikrui fvi)U\ a dusty rojj^ister, the missionary
^V(>r•k of l^^aiJu'f dv la Brosso remains in all its
entireness. The (Ireai)iy legend, so long accre-
dited, is proved untrue, but time can jiever
destroy the me?nory of his works nor of liis
ardent ;i.})<wtolical zeal.
The following lines have endxidied the
legend we have given ahovt; and we thiidv oui-
readers will thank us for introducing theiu to
their notice.
They are ivuiu the eli^gantpen of Professor
Caven, of the Princu' of Wales' College, Char-
lottetown, Princ(! Edward Island ;
THK BKLl. OF DEATH
A Legend of Tailousui' and II*.' avix Coudrcs.
1 Fieix'c blew the stroiifjf south-eastorn j^ale,
Thi' sea in iiioiuitains rolled.
A pilarlesis tiUy-hutif;- wildly tossed,
The midiiitfht hour had tolled.
2 Is that a sea- ih this an hour,
With sky so wildly hlack,
To launch a hark so frail as that,
\v men of Tu<lousae 'I
MMk
SK^
•af
icf
tilt'
our
II to
^ssM^
TAUOUSAC
197
3 Strong thousih your .'timjs, brave though yotir )»eart«,
As arms an<l lit-aris oan hv,
That tiny skiff can iie\er live
III such a 8tonn-8wcj)t wa.
4 VVJion! .Saj,'ii(!ii.u's dark waters roll
To swt'll St Law rcmc tide,
Down t<» the hoach that stormy iiiy-ht
Four stalwart (ishei-s stride.
r> On throu>,'h tht- surf the frail lutat speeds,
And see, before her prow,
The K'iant waves sink down md croueh
As if in boma>,'e low.
6 Oalin as (he surface of a lake
Sunk deeji mid wooded hills
The tiaek spreads out before the boat,
The sail a fair breez fills.
7 While all around the angry waves
Hear hijj^h t heir foahjv scalps,
And frowning han^- like tojiplin:,'' oraj^s,
O'er pivsses throut,'h the Al])s.
8 Who sti!le<l (he waves on (hvUilee
Makes smooth that narrow track,
' T is faitli tliat, makes your hearts so Iwld,
Ye men of Tadoiisiwj ?
S) Fien-e blows the strong' south eastern-irule
Around the lowly pile
Where dwells the lonely missionev
Of woudres' );rass,\ isle,
1 IKS
TADOUSAC
lU His psalms an nnul his heads art; siiid ;
And by the lamp's piUf beam,
He Htudious culls from sainted pajre
Sweet, flowers on which to <lreiun.
11 Hut see he starts I stratiy:e acjcents come
Forth from tlu- llyini.'- rack:
"Funeral rites await your care,
Haste on to Tadou.sac '/
12 And from the church's lowly spire
Tolled forth the passitiif-liell,
And far upon the tempest win^'
Was borne the funeral knell.
i;{ That iiit,dit alony; St Lawrence tide
From every church's tower
The bells ranp; forth a re(|uiem
Swunf; by some imseen power.
14 The storm luus lulled and moniinjf's litfht
Pierces the sbiftitij{ mists,
That, hani;' like shattevefl regiments
Around the luountain i-rests.
15 From brief repose, the anxious priest
Forth on his mission s^veeds
O'er pathless plains, by hazel brake,
Where the lone bittern bree<ls.
16 At length upon the eastern shore
!'"ndcil his weary (rack.
Where wait tbi'hai<Iy fishermen,
The men from Tadousac.
■|'A»>'»USAC
\)9
17 " Heaven l.lcsn you " criod the hoJ.v man,
" I know your hijjh hehf-st,
(UmVs friend, and .voiir s and mini- hiw >i(,i\L'
To claim \m weilcfinied rt-st ".
18 rnnioor the boat; spread out (lie .sail,
And, o'er a peaceful track,
A pi in, in ea^'crHi^ht, the boat
Shoots home to TimIoui'Uvc.
HI Before the altar, where so oft
"e broke the Holy iheiul,
("laspinj^- the well-worn erueifix
The priest of (Jwl lay dea<!.
»i It was a, solemn si^ht, lliey say,
« To see the e(>ld ..aim farre
llituriied beneath the sanctuary lif,'ht
Within that holy place.
•21 Happ.v La Hrosse ! to thid for ju.lijre
Flim, whom from realms above
Thy voice had (tailed to dwell with men
A j)nsoner of love !
Tn tho peaceful hamlets borderin^jj the
rii^ht hank of the river St Lawrence, for many
a ilay will he recounted the simple le^eml of
tiie silver o^ohlet which Sieur Hioux had lent to
the <;ood Father- and which the latter had pro
mised, livitiii; ,)i- doiwl, to rt^turn to him. This
goblet was found one ilay on tlie floor of the
200
TAUOUSAC
lar^i^e liiill in tlu^ iiiuiior' house, witliout aiiylxwly
being ahle to say how it, liail eoinc there. For
many a day will the peasants of Tt'ois Piste »l(^s
show a look on the <^dge of the sea })earing tlie
inipj'iiss of the. knetis and the snoW-slioes of tlie
j)o[)ular missionary. l*'or many a day, too, will
tlui lie Verte folks speak of tin? miracles wliich
he aecomplislied in tli(nr midst. IA>r many a
long day will tlu> (Julf sailors, mingling liis mcv
nuM-y with tliat of a brave parisli-])riest, relat^i
liow he confoiMuhMl the lii'alH<u-<l dc la Mddf-
friut\ * whose frightful lanumtatiojis might bo
heard far out at sea.
Happy are the people who still belie\e in
these lovely and holy h^j^ends !
We do not know why it was lonij believed
that the remains of Fatlier de la Hrosse had
been removed from the Tiulousae ehapel and
placed in the Chicoutimi churcli. The oldest
inha)>itants of Tadousac, when (juestioned on
(i) Heo note at end of tli.ajitcr.
TADOUSAC
201
tlu^ suhjeet, ahv-ay,^ r,>niuhni\y allin„.,,l that
thoy iKul iHnrr iu.tnl oM!,i> tmnslaticn, and
they culd rmmnU^v as far h;Arl< as fifty yrars
'"• "u.rc. If surh an ovent Imd .akrn phu^o, it
could not hnv,, e.m-aped th.-ir attontit.n. In the
year (IHSS), rf>Hmrvh,>s w.'r>Mna<Ic whicli ivsult-
edinthr dis(;<)V(u-y of a .-r.^i,, ,,1,,.,,! i„ ihr
exact place when, the j>iiest stand.. a( (h.-t-oni-
niencenwMit of Mass. Since tradition informs u«
tliat th(^ ndssionary's l,o,ly was buried und(,r the
alfar-steps, oj.positc to the t.al>(M-n,.<-l<-, w,, worn
evid(M.tly staruh'n- in the. p.-csenc.. (,f th<^ veno-
••ahh'ren.ains of KatJier do la Hrosse. In this
cedar cthn, which was in toicrahl.. preserva-
tion, there remained only a few },ones which
immediately crumbled int(» <lust. For more
than a century the mortal remains of the
last Jesuit Sai^'uenay nnssionary had been
reposin^r in the Tadousac < hapel, It was on the
occasion of the discovery c»f this tomb that some
niwnbers of tlie cler^^y caused th<.> followin^r
inscription to be placed in the (>},oir of the <,!(!
sanctuary where it is still to be .se<'n :
202
T A nous AC
/>. 0. M. (I,
111
R. P. J. E-3 de la BROSSE,
dernier iiiisHiomiairi' jc^siiiti' do T(wlou>*ar,
MOUT KN oUKl'R l>K SAINTKTK
A i/a<;k I>K ~)S ANS
Infiiiiiti- //a US ht I'lKipillc ({,■ Tit((t>ii!<(u\
Qiieiti I'jti'cimi i>i'ile>( emaiji'lizantivin paa'oi.
Honi. I. l.'i
(i) Translation: To tlie niemoiy ot tJio Kov.
Father ,Ioa)i lijiptistp de la Brosse, last Jesuit
missionary of Tadousac, who di<Hl in (lir odour
of saiictitv, at. the a«je «>f 08 vcars and was
buriod in th«' chaptd of Tadoiisar, April I'itJj,
* Wf Ihink our Kti^lish and Anicricaji ri^adfiM will like to hoar
8oiueMiiiiKi'*i"it. this liiaiUii.til. ih' la Mrnli'd'hu- n'r M<m<h'li inex
wt" therefore take the fDUowinj,' a(?<'Ount of it from the (^hronicles
of the SI Lawrence by <he celehratcd ranadiaii liti( ratciir and
naturalist, .1. M. LeMoiiie h/«|. of Spt^nrer (iran^'e, neai (^iieltee
the author of many most interesting works hoih in Krencli and
♦
E,
I
I. 15
o Uo\ .
.N'snit
ihIouj'
1(1 was
Id hcivr
injilHi'itw,
'lironii'U'S
item' iiii'l
i.Micltoc
I'lU-ll illlll
TA1K)L?KAC
2o;<
Kiiirlish. " A l.K^al cicentne'x iKj(iouiit of the phtiioiiifnou ih us
follo'iH: All itwful sliipwrcck oikh' ncciuTHl at this jiUiro. A
fatlior iiiul mother, fiinoMU'st (•r<)w<l;iof tithtTb, hero fonml a watery
jfrave. Their infant noii, hy some minwviloiis iiiteri^sitioji of hirt
irmirdian atij^el, wa-s safelv svasheii ashore The darlin;.'- lio\ was
safely hiii(ie<l on the [U'hhi.N ))ea(-h, and soon made it \ocai with
bin jri'iL'f and moans for the loHs (if his best friends. |lis infant
wailinifs, lileiided with the swellini^' storm, struck I lie ears of s<ime
helated fisherman vvhose Ixial was jiiussinj; the entrunee of the
River Ma;;<leleiiie. Hence the name Lf liiailkiiit ili- la Mnijtli'ti'ine.
The noise is still heard in stormy weather and may he explained
either hy the fwtion of the snrf rolling: intd one of the many
hollow caverns alon^ the (laspc coast, anci which has astonished
all ohservers, or hy shehimv rocks oxjr wJilch it moans like an
uinmiet spirit. . . .The moanin;;s of the lUnillnid miuht he laused
hy the iwtion of hij;h winds on two lar^je pines which overhaul; a
neiifhhoritij? cape, and whose tioinks urate ominon.sly on one
another. .Ahh<^ Ferland, the Canadian liistorian, writes thus of the
Braillard :" Where is the (.'anadian sailor, familiar with this coast,
who has not hear<l of the jilaintive sounds aii<l iloli.ful cries
uttered hy the liraillaid de lit Maiidcleinr';. . . .Is it the soul of a
shipwrecked mariner askinj^ for Christian hurialr. . . Is if the
voice of the miinlerer condemned to expiate his < rime on the
very 8{>ot which witnessed its eommission? For it is well known
that CJasi>t5 wreckers have not alwa>s contented themselves with
rohhery and v>illa(ie or is this the «.. ehratod Devil's Land
mentioned hv the cosmo^jrapher Thcvet where, accoirlinj^ to him,
Hoherval (in ir)(i2) abandoned his niece la l)emo\ selle Marjjfuerite
with her lover and with her old Norman duenna':" ..Ahht^ Caw
l^rain tells a tale about the Braillard in which a had priest became,
throujrh Ki'iff, reduced to a skeleton, for hu\iiitf refu.sed to
christen a child, who suhserpiently die<l unhajui/.ed and wiw
heard to mojui constantly afterwards. The read<'r can make
choice of one of these e\))lanationH.
TllK TllAXSI.,AT0U.
X
AVhat hiis heooiuc of lluMihori^oncH.- TJic doom of the Maiiifloiig
What iikkIciii TaiJiiiiHiK in liko. The umhiLioii of tho Ta-
(lousm-iiiiis. Seii[»oi-f ;iii<l winter niivi;;alinii, - Spu-hathinn-
and tourists. A wrilk rfximl the ii('ij,dit)orlioo<l of Tadoiisac. •
The ciKToa<liiri<j saiidn. I'atalisiu. Tlu' Huiule niill and its
niarhk's.
Thero liave been throe ]if)inos, tuid tli(M'<'
have 1)0011 throo Ttulonsacs ; that of tht; Tjuliaiis,
tliat of the ti-adors aiul that of the settled co-
lonists. By a sti'aiige destiny this capital of an
innnense kingdom where twenty utitions es-
tahlished their temporary dwelling, this renown-
o<l trading-depot which attracted all the Vj\i-
ropejui fleets sent out to North America by the
okl country, was never more than ti simple
village in the past and is but a little handet at
present.
X "Relation" of I ('.46 tells us that form-
(M'ly there dwelt on the shores of this port 300
hunters and wtirriors who, with theii- families,
made a (/otal of about lifteen hundred souls.
During the tra< ling season some lOOU or 1200
TAD0U8AC
205
e MaiiU'lon.^
of the Ta-
railoiisac. -
lill and its
1(1 tll(M'<'
Tndiaiis,
/tlet I et )-
jr'll of ,'lll
j'ons es-
renowii-
the Eii-
L l)y the
simple
unlet iit
t forni-
ort .SCO
ami lies,
1 souls.
)r J2U0
Tmlians would laud on tliat shore (r). (^(mI'h
praises we)-(; sun- th<Mv in twenty different lan-
giiag(js (2).
Race succeeded race as one wave follows
another. To make n.oni for new comers destiny
decreed that wliol,^ t.-ilM>s should he varvwd off
by implacable «..pidemirs. In HITO, forexample,
the small-pox decimated Tadousac so that the
villa.ire was nearly entirely abandoned.
War did the rest. When Champlain arriv-
ed in tliis port, he found the Tndiaji natives
celebratin- a great victory they had just gained
over the Trocjuois. The Tadousacians by p(^r-
suading the French to take part in their" long-
standing tpiarrels nearly caused the loss of the
colony and they themselves finished by paving
dear for the vain glory of having gained some
passing victories. The Iroquois tracked them
mercilessly, in vain did they take n^fug.' in
the deepest recesses of their forests and, even
at the North s(^a, they were pursu.'d and mas-
(0 Oarneaii, v. f. p. 22U,
(i) lUlation nm.
liOC)
TADOUSAC
sacred, 'riiiccs (if 1 he savaujo Iioijiiois may l>o
f<Hiii<l (ivciywliete ill th(>s(! })art.s. Tlic sliorcs
(if Lake Hi John have them in eternal rennun-
hranee. Two miles ))efon^ < ouiing to St I'Vlicien,
one of the most distant parislies of that far-ofF
i'e;j;ion, tlie traveUer will })e siir|)iised to learn
that a peaceful little river which he is crossin<i;
bears the name of tlu; Inxjuois. t^uite recently
a great numlxM" of arrows and tomahawks were
found on its fei-tih^ hanks.
After having ascended tlu; river Assanm-
chouanne to its source, Father Druillettes had
to turn back. A band of li-oquois had gone on
ahead and were awaiting him. Father Albanel,
durin;r his great journey to the North sea in
1 072, also found v<?stiges of a f<)rt ami entrench-
ments made by the Tro(piois the year that they
had mass;icred twenty tril)es who had been
living peacefully and unsuspectingly in those
regions.
The Montagnais Indians had also other
bitter enemies in the tribi's fi-om (Jaspesia ;ind
also ill the .Vcadians, to both of vvljuin they
TAUOUSAO
•207
)<• shores
1 »<MU('in-
I'VlicH^n,
lit fiii-oir
to Icani
crossing
recently
vks were
AssaniM-
'ttes hm\
AUkuioI,
I sea in
iitreiich-
tiat they
wl been
ill those
o other
3sia and
111 they
^>'»'-""">'-^'-^ll''ttnHl(.). The Ks.,ui,naux, in their
turn, swanne.|,l(,w„ f.-on, th.'ir lonely htnds in
north Labrador and overwhelmed the Mon.
ta-nais, eausin^r their nearly comj^Iete ruin.
An ancient \v<rfnH\ say.s Miat the hon.eric
''«»H«'»'it, in which the Monta^nais w<.re over-
powered by the Esquimaux and fell never to
nso a,t.ain, was fou;,d,t on the Tadousa..- d<,ons,
to the sohunn acconipaninient of a tre-
mendous eartlujuake which shook these sln.res
t'> their v.ny f<,un.lations, precij.itatin- hi^h
;"^'«n.tan.s into the sea and CMnpletely d.ang-
in<jr (he face of the country.
An American writer (2) has (.nnposed a
book on this tragic cii-cumstance, entitled The
Doom o/Wrmne/ons. It is an (.bscure sort of
fiction, badly p„t together, nu.st in.probable
and not particularly well written. It is sold on
board the steamboats and at tlie railway
stations.
There fire now l)ut a few scattenul rein-
(1) Ili'lation i)f i()3o.
(2) Mr. W. n. Murray
20S
TAIKHJSAC;
iKUitH of tin" ^'rf>i;vt Clii'istian Mi>iita;,MiHis triln^
iTiiiaiuin^. Soiin" of tliciii liv«^ iil r»«'tsiaiiiitos
under the charLft* of i1h' < )I)lato Fathrrs : this is
tln'ir' jn'iiicipal ((Mitic. Orliers have pitclicd
tlicir tents on llif l)anks of Lake St .F»»liii. One,
hy o!Hi tlw'V are fallin*,' victitus to that teiTi)>I('
disease, jthf/iisis ; and they are slowly and
HtoiVally dyin;,' <»iit.
For the last tliirtv veai-s Tad(;iisae has had
i;(» other liistory tlian that of th»' patient, hard-
\vorkini( settlers who have heen tryin<^ to cul-
tivate successfully the sand and uni^rateful soil.
There aie some twenty-five farnieis Avho are
woi'kino; there, endurint^ ^^reat hardsliip and
straining every jierve to succeed. W Imat, rye,
barley, oats, peas, are sown there. Some of the
land is favorable t<» the ctdtivation of liay arul
g(M)d crops of potatoes are <Trown, the soil ])eing
adapted to them. It is during the first fortnight
in May that the crops are put in and they are
housed in the ])egiiining oi Septend)er. It is s;ud
that the crops are satisfactory when the seiisoii
is favorable.
Thii mission of Tadousac compt-ises an area
•'lis tribe
tsijuiiitas
s : thin is
j)it(lH'<l
•lin. ( )nr,
: torrililo
^vly and
has Ink I
!it, liaid-
( to Clll-
t'ful soil.
Avl»o are
iliip and
iat, i-yt^,
le of the
hay and
oil l>eing
ortiii;^ht
hey arc
It IM .S.'Ull
i an area
■I'AIIOIISAC
L'OII
-' M,«>l'l,un.s,,|ivi,|,,|i„t„|o; I, ,
"'"'"'■ ': """' "••- -Ht f,„. .„ui>, ;„■,;,, "
Kn.„t lanns al„„^- M„ „.,..|i,„ „f ,
'■'7' '';"■":- — .u,.a«,.,.us ,«'
Ululcl-Ukc (1,01,1. In IHHK f„,„ ■
The tix«l p„,„,l,„i„„ „f Th,1„„,,,,, ,,„„i
"f-.JUs„„lsl„.|,.„«i„;,t., 10(if,u„i|i„, („ ' ■
''''"'»'-'»'•■■ "un.lH.,- fun,, :th« ,,.„,;,„,„
Al»n,t, „1,,....„ ,u... ,H,.e.,,,i.,,| i„ ,,„... ,,,L;,„:
«-l. t.,„l„ ,„.„ Us n,„....„,,,u.,.. , J:;
«'•""'' '"'■'"■^ :''■" ""•>■ iK. call,., „„ „rt :
7''r. T'"' ^'- ''■•-""• "f the «s,,.,„.,....,i
was a n,s,.t..„tCusU.,„JI„„,, „„,,„,, „/,,;;■;,;;_
(>) In all there are 1>1 l.ousehol.l.s An eT,u.^ ,
population as follows: •r.farme.x r, „.' '"'"' '''^"'^"^ the
. po....naHter a„., U-le.rapl/o..;ul:^/ :^,::';^ l^^^"'-^^'-'^^
•> • < lunii i«iiri(lM ajfent.
i^l/gjitiummmgm^^iMtM^
210
TADOUSAG
(Icatli of that, ^ontli'maii ho was not. i'.'j)!aco(l.
T\w huiitiM'H form a most intcii^stiiig t-asti^ : wo
will sjM'ak of tlu'in furtluM- on.
Ai>art from the aiMiliinal saluKtii-hi'fvulintf,
Tadousae lias ii(» H|mcial industry, formerly
there was a saw-mill, which, it is said, was the
tirst of the kind over tistahlished on the shores
of the Sai^uenay, hut it exists no loii^^er-. Fia-
ro\isse, theencyelopedist, states that atTadousac
there is a considerahle trade in woolen mate
rials. We must humhly confess that we our-
selves hivve never seen a sinjjjle sheep there.
Nowhere can tliere ho found a more hos-
pital)lt\ art'ahle or courteous peopK^ than those
ofTailousac. The live upii^htly and honoiahly,
Ueijig content with little.
In sununer it is plea.sant enoujj^h liviijjnj
there, but in winter there is a teri-ihle feelinuf
of isolation. The mail arrives rcLjularly four
tinu^s a week, and may Ihj UK>ked on as the
oidy amusejuent or distraction that is to l)e
had.
\Vlien the Nortli wind blows oacli one
TADOUHAC
L'll
n'ti>»'M into his uHI WHn.u.,1 l.uuso uad Mu-rv
vrnifs fiatioiitlv.
The <li,„ate is u<,i ,„,.,.. ri-<.n,us at Ta-
•l.'usae than Hscwhrrr. W.. hav(. hofore us tho
UihU^ ot nH.t.M>r(,l„^n-.al ohscM vatioris f<»r tho
<"-Mf, th,,., mru.t.h.s of ISS!) and «.,, ,|„.,,. ,^.,,
<l«Ht Its av.M-a^^<. <<''Hj,e.-a(-ur<. can hoar fa^orahh^
comparison with that of many n.oro inla,Mi
lorjijitios.
In winter, the entrance t.) t}ie IMver Si
KU^^aay and the Hay .,f Tadousac an- as free
from ie<. as in thf. sunnner (i). When then' is
an east wir.d for several ,<w.seoutiv(, day, shoah
of ic(. come down whi(.h disap,>ear- when the
north-west wind commences tx)}>low. This i<(. is
not solid and hard Uke freshwater ice, hut
crumbles away easily in tlu^ rays of the sun.
Twice only, iu the n.en.ory of man, has the
Na;ruenny opposite Tadousac been covered with
a compact sheet of ice. 71,e first tin.e, about
twenty-four years a^M,, an ice-bridi^e formed
and lasted for a month and a half On a secomj
(I) In (hf. winfiT the Sajru,.„a.v is coy^.y,-,] with i.-,. as far aa th.
») 1 '>
<^ 1 I-l
TADOUHAC
oocHsion, alHuit iiftcoii y«Niis h^o, the cnUl sud-
denly f«)fiii('«l a pjitli fnmi <>n«> sliorc! to tlio
other, whifli path lasted about threi^ weeks.
Since tliHt tiuu; the phenouuMion has not recur-
red.
It has ot'tcMi occurred that vessels setting
out fron« Quel)cc hite in the autunni have h«HMi
caugljt in tlie i-iver-ice: and forced to take re-
fuge in TadiHisac iiarhor*, wliere they have pass-
ed llie winter in safety (i).
It is one (►f tlie gloricss of Tadousac that
in winter its superb l)ay is not covertnl with an
icy winding-she<'t, as is often the cjvse witli
numy higldy valuable* ports.
Those! wlio have tried to solve the problem
of winter-navigation on the river St Lawrence
have always looked on Tadousac Hay as the
great }K)rt of safety for iu>rthern navigatoi's.
The hist repoiT of the Que))ec (Jeographical So-
ciety contains a letter from the agent of the
(i) Amongst of hers wo may cite the Pride of Kmjlnnd which
Ciiptiiin iHC'onrs laii intu TadoiiHiw in Ihe inidilh* of (ho month of
Kelirnary, 1871. Th« s.-viuo uiiv i>jrat.or, in (he n\i(l<lK> of December,
1874, mil I ho hark lii'xcui' iiit^i the jHut of TiMlousac.
TADOITHAC
2\'A
>\d sud-
fco tho
wcoks.
)t reciir-
tve Vmmmi
ilko IH'-
.ve pass-
ao that
with ail
se with
prohknii
IWI'^llCd
as tho
igatoi's.
lioal So-
<>f the
'nd which
I month of
l^eceinber,
Minister nf Marine in thai, city, i„ which it is
said that th<^ gn^atcMl dhstarlo tc wintnr na
vigation on th<^ river St Lawrence i.s the ah-
H<Mice of harbors of refuge, in t,}ie ca.s(t of N(;,s.sel,s
IxMng overtaken )>y dark nights or sik.w storms,
Imt that Tmlousao would he an (jxceHent port
for vessels in distress, as they could anclu.r
tiiere during any kijj(i of weatlnn-.
Fath(M- Lacass(^, the Ohiate niissi.tfmry, who
has long dwelt on the c<»ast of Labrador, wIhmj
(juestioned l)y the (Canadian (iovernnxMit who
were desirous <tf ascertaining whether any winter
jK)rt was to be met with on the North shore, un-
hesitatingly repliefl that Providf^nce ]uul formed
Tadousac Hay ii>r that express purj^.s*;. [ri his
opinion, winter navigation will soon(!r or later
be established, and it is only a (piestion of tiine.
Often, he writes, (i) « hfM. trav.^lling on my
snow-shoes from one place to an(,ther al(»ng
those shores, I have contemplated the se;i which
in January and IAd,ruary is free i'rom ice and J
say to myself, if tlu.se who hold the ilestini(>s <.f
(I) .1 >'<i>>r proUucimj tj.dd aiuUilivr {liibvn>. m.i uml MU,wmg.
21 1
TADOUSAC
the country in thoir liaiids only .saw what T see
now, behol<l what efforts would they not
niak<^ to utilize these aflvanta<^es for estal)lisliin<]j
winter-navi<,'ati(>n ?
When Father Laeasse wrobe tliest^ Hues,
the press and the politicians were di8(;ussinjLr
what line it would he most advantag(?ous <o
a(lo])t for the projected railroad between Quel ^
and Lake Ht John. He ti>ok an animated part
in the debate, asking that Tadousac mi<jjht Im;
chosen as the terminus. Accordint; to him
n(»thiii,i!; could be easier than, when once the
road was opened to Lake St John, to continue
it to Oiiicoutimi and thence t(» Tadousac,
along the sides of the mountains and through
the valleys of tlie 8t Mari?aret river and the
l>aude mill. I>y adoy)ting this line, he add(?d
the interests of all will ])e protected and we
can enjoy a winter-port, an object of prime im-
portance for the prosperity of the country.
After having discussed distanccis, the
winds and currents, this iTitelligent and devoted
missionary, (tarried away by his enthusiasm,
predicted that one day Ttwlousac would become
TADOUSAC
215
1i
II OS,
tho NewA'ork of CanadaT " T.uk.usar, lie
\vi-it('s, is the terniiuus of the Athuitie hv sea,
and will be the terminus of the Paeitic by laud.
**The first vessels that bore our forefathers
hither luilted at Tad(»usao, M^> ,-i}d of the .wt
l)efore ,i,'oin,i,' uptho rivei's. Tadousae was then
the fii-st land ill ((-place from the old world. It
was there t hat for two eenturies the old and
new worlds inet : it was there that the first
Mass was celebrated in Canada and that the
C'reator of the world came in person to take
]M)Ssession of his domain. How admirable are
the ways of Providence ! It is there that, two
centuries and a half later, the new w«»rld will
hasten tt) meet the old. The ijuestion is asked,
where will be tlie capital city of the Domiinon,
I e, the town whi<."h will be the commercial
centre of a country lar<.,'er than Europe, ..f a
country count iiii,^ more than five million souls?
AV'ill it be Toronto ? Ottawa ? Montreal ? Que-
l)ec ? Halifax ? Those wdio will come after us,
urged thereto by what jx.liticians call the
force of circumstances, which vve call Cod's pro-
LMfi
TADOUSAC
viclence, will roj>ly with onc^ accord : T.'wlousnc
is the capital city of tho Domhiinn.
•'This is no moro droaiii. What was Chi-
cai^fo when our fathers were ^orn ? What was
Winnipeg, only a few years ago ?" (i)
Mr. Artlmr Biiies, who has just written a
book on the Ujiper Ottaiva, also predicts that
one day the valleys of the Haguenay and of the
►St Maurice will he united l)y a railway, with
three branch-lines leading respectively to the
Pacific on the west, to .lames' T^ay on the north,
and t,o the port of Tiulousac on the east (2).
As we see, the peaceful hamlet of Tadou-
sac has zealous julvocates, and many who are
worthy of credence predict for it a glorious
futur<>. How know we that these dreams will
not be realized ? Two centuries ago, wjis it not at
Tadousac that all the fur-trade of half North
America was carried on ?
VVei'e not canoes arriving on its sht»res
from Nij»issing, Temiscamingue, Abitibbi and
(I) ibiil i>. irft.
(i) p. 3<J5.
TADOUHAC
217
tlio e«^lel)nitofl North sea? Wljen enj,M.ieers
shall he (Ii«,'<j:iiisr the foundations for their steel
rails, they will Hnd traces of the old huntin<,'
])athM of extinct races.
Whilst waiting for the .isin;,' sun of these,
days, Tadousac contents itself with being one*
of the jnost channing watering-pl.aces to be
f«)und in Canada.
H would indeed be a pity to see its tine
sands defiled by the heavy engines of modern
civilization. Can one }>ossibly imagine that .uie
day all these villas, Jiow .so coqnettishly hidden
away in the cliils' windings, will l,e replaced
by dirty, foul sjjH^lling workshops, whose tall
chimneys will raise their heads prosaically
t(>wards the pure and limpid firmament?
Before the fulfilment of these predictions
made by the party of progress, befoie this e?i-
chanting liamlet of Tadousac disappears for-
ever from (.ur sight, let us examine it {is it now
stands, as the tourists and the sununcM- visitors
hav«^ fashioned it.
About twenty years ago some English
218
TAD0U5}AC
HliipowMors of Quebec niul Montreal, in search
of wateriiii^-places, discovered Tadousac. A
joint stock coinpany \f itli a capital of $iO,000
was formed to turn this lovely couiitiy to ac-
count (i).
A hu'fi^o hotel was built, and, thanks tt» ju-
dicious advertising, tourists flocked tliere from
all parts. Since then Tadousac has always
retairied its i^ootl name, ami no distinj^fiiisluMl
traveller, visiting the St Fjawrence liathini;
})laces, fails to pass at least some few ilays on
tliese enchatitinjL,' shores.
In the time of Loi-d Onfferin, who here.
built liimself a costly and han<lsome residence
oi)}>osite to the iJay, Tadousac rankcnl vety hit,di
amonjjj fashiona]>le resoi'ts. At the present titnc?
Tadousac is held in special esteem by artists
dui'ing their country repose, when they flee
from the iioisy crowd that frecpients ordinary
bathing-[)lacea.
The handet of Tadousac has only one hilly,
(0 Tiulounac Hotel iiii<i Sea-l)aUiiii«< (Jonipany (lSGr.-::0 Vict, oh,
98).
TADOUSAC
219
.suiuly street, wliic-h is fixMnu-iiTed Ijy the visit* .rs
oil the arrival or dejwirture of the hoats. Dur-
ing' the hathiii^-seasori, every one is to l)e seen
«)M tlie r,ay, whence there is a sphwulid view.
When tfie ti(]«^ njoes down, no houlcvard ean l)e
(.•mnpaivd with this pieturesqiie sliore, carpeted
by tine soft aand. At high water, the poi-t is
filled with little hoats and tin- rliythinicai
splashino of riie oars blends with tlu; most
charming boatijig-songs. In this lovely and
sheltered l)ay, a child can row a canoe, th(5 s('a
is always so calm. Childi-en of twelve may ]h'
seen sturdily rowing like old sailors.
The tourists' spacious hotel sunutundtHl by
ro'Muy verandahs is situated on the top of
the cliff. Smiling villas, lialf-hidden in gre<>n
thickets, surround it. in the midst of all these
sumptuous dwellings may be seen Father Co-
ipiart's chapel, a century old. How many
tourists who have set out oi/' the round Sagu*'-
nay ti-ip have stopped sevei-al days on the Ta-
dousac shores in order to examine morejuinute-
ly this relic of the past ! How many, who only
L'LM)
TAJXMIHAO
conn' 1(» thcow a yiassinjnr jrlujic*', li.ixc lin<,'«'!"«Hl
luiff t'»»r I'liiij, ill t.rju'lod by tlic hcauty «>t' tlir
lari(ls»'a|)»? !
Tlic ('ii\ir(»iis (if Tadoiisac arc l)arr<'M
nioiiLjli, liiil. i\w litllc (■(M'lM'i- wlu>r(i iho. liaiiilct
it.solf is sitnattHi is so lovely aiul tlio views from
it so licautiful tlial tluMoUfisi is pcifccily sa-
tislif'd.
'I'hose, how«'\«'r. \vh() arc soijicwhat. ai;
ijiiaiiitcd with the l\istory of the countiy, do
not fail to push on to liaiide mill to sec tlic
marhlcs mcntiomvl bv the old w liters.
A distance of thiHU's miles s(^})arates IJaiide
mill from Tadousac, an<l the road Iciulin*,' to
the former place is a rctfulai* des«»rt of sand.
On turninu; Cow Point, which sheltei's tlu^ po'"^'
from the sea-winds, one is surpi'ised to tind
that the i^rciMi, rouiulheaded mountains (ma-
inelons) (»n(? has loft ])ehind ar(^ succee(hHi hy a
desolate and Viarren plain, destitute of all ve-
getation, formerly tlnMc were good farms here
where wheat grew plentifully. 'J\» t)ie east of
(!!ow Pf>int is shinvn the plac(> where fonuerly
tht! Jobuit missionaries lia<.l their agricultural
TAIXH/HAC
221
i the
!unl('l
from
ly sa-
t lu-
^ the
II,' t<»
sand.
port
find
(nia-
hy a
1 ve-
here
<t of
lerly
tural
(vstal)lishmtMit. Only about, lifiy ytsirs a;,'o
flowrr platits, loso tr«'<',s, iind fruit-trees were
found in almndaiute at the sjxit, known hy tlie
nauM? of y/if .ff'Hiiif.H (lanhm. Now th(M*e in
nt.tliiii^r hit't there, and the shore has \ms\\ lialf-
wash«Hl hy the sea. Kverythini^ has disappeared.
The wind, u, most temp<;t,uous one, is inees-
santly sweeping over this sliore, (uirryin^ every-
thin<.,' l)efor(! it. (Jrass will not ;rrow where
Attila's horse lias tro<l. HtMe, <,'aps have he(;n
made, tnu^s hav<; been vioh>ntly twisted and
uproot(Hi, houses have h(^en swallowed up. Then
there remained nothin;,' hut sand, arid sand,
C(»verin<; the whole plain. The sand has invaded
the wh«)le shore, swallowinf^ it up ; Victor \\\\):^^
would say : a sepulchre has risen like a tide
from the depths of the earth and crt'pt onwards
towards the living. It is said that tlie wind
has already hollowed out about tw(Mity feet of
the shore and every year makes an average
inroadof another foot.
From the top of the rocks surrounding
Tadousac, these ravages of the wind and sea are
•)«)»>
TADOUfiAC
to Im? stHMi jduinly. An inliuhilaiit of tlio villaj;*'
j><»intH nut tlio spot where tlie iiltl house of his
juicestors used to stuiid. Only a few stoiios i*o-
iitaiti t,{} sliow wheit' it onee hIoimI, Tlioy had
had to ilcie, as (>th(M's had done Ixfoi-e tliein,
thev liitd had to al)andon the fields; vvluM'e their
life liad [)assed so sw<»,etiy and liapjnly ; vaiapoH
nbi y'roJK Jnif.
And the oood man in order Ui exy)lain
this plieiionienon of the sea in\;ulin_i,' tlie land,
whiih had hi'en imprudently sti'ipped of its
wood, told us that this misfortune /tat/ to /ki/i/hh
sinee it had \hH)n foretold.
\Vi' wer(; fjir from oxpoctiuf^ to mci^ot with
a ^lusulman fatalist in the peaceful handot of
Ta<lousae, but it ivas lorifft'Uy no douht. Kisimt.,
it is /(lie.
The road li^jwlini^ to liaude mill crosses the
<les(»late country we have been deseribin;^. The
spectacle, beheld bv the tourist on airivinjj; at
liis (h^stiiiation, is rioi, )f a njitur<^ to efface tlu^
impression produo d by the previous portion oi
his pilgrimagi\
TAI)0(J8A0
li23
('liurlevoix ivlat.'s (1,h(, <,ii airivin^r at
li.iu(l(. luiil in 1720, Ih" asked to so., it, and
that thoy sfn.wrci him so,,,,, .-ocks from which
issiH-d a strvam of vU^av watei-. '^ At hist thcro
is whorvwithal, said h.', to (;<mst,-iKt a wat«>r-
inill, l)ut it «hM>s not look much as if one Wf.uld
oyov 1m^ built ". Fathc- Charlevoix' i)r<Mlictioii
was not fullillrd. On these harren rocks a mill
luis heen huilt, hut its owner do,.s not appear
to have made his fortune, if one may juii^^e hy
the ruined dikes and the miserable look of the
whole establishment. The mill-stones are turiuHl
by the thread-like strfwim «.f water supplied by
the brook of liaude mill, which luook is often
dry. Yet such as at is, this mill sufKces to
ffrind the small amount of wheat grown on this
barren, ungrateful s(»il.
Whence comes the name of P.aude's mill
wliich has W.en given to this barren spot, since
the tirst foundations of New France were laid ?
Champlain and the writers who succeedwl t^i
him speak of the liaude mill, without tr<mblin«
themselves U, tell us its history. This place
TADOUSAC
wns foiiuerly tli(? roatlst(r{i(l of Tadousac/' Vor
tho ancli<>i'ag(* to l»e good, Haude mill must ho
in sight, writos the founder of tho colony. It is
a spring of water coining from tlie mountains ;
you should anchor near it ■'.
According to tlie tradition of the country
people, tlie left shorts of the stream whicli runs
to Baude's mill was formerly terminated hy a
long point of land stretching into the water
and forming a natural l)ay. Two isolated rocks
were at the end of this little peiiinsula and were
called V)y the sailors honhom.hw. and honnr ffniniP.
Jiande. We give the legend for what it is
worth.
Have the sea and wind eaten away this
tongue of land 1 Ditl it disappear in some cata-
clysm of nature ? This is a mystery. Tn the
o})ini(m of several geologists (i), the pliysiogno-
my of all this coast has been chajiged by the
violent shocks of the celebrated eartlu{uake of
1<)G3. — The histoj'ian Parkman rel-ates (2) that
(1) Ainonjr othti-8 Mr Sterry Hunt.
(2) Oil) Jli'tiliHf ill Cnnuiln p. 127.
TADOUSAC
L>L>r)
C." Vur
mist 1)0
ly. It is
mtains :
counti-y
Ich runs
0(1 l>y a
wjitor
r'(l focks
ml wofo
iefcnunc.
at it is
^ay this
iric eata-
T)i tho
ysiftgno-
l)y the
juako of
(2) that
some tishornu.„, wlu, were descending the ri...
ni a skirt; foinui their progress suddenly i,,.-
P-Ied ne.u- Tadousao, i,y . h.gh nunu.tain
covered with trees hen.g precipitated into tho
w.itor at a few yards froui tii^Mu.
However tins n.ay bo, tlu. Uaudo nn'!!
wliich was fonneriy so renowned as a place of
.'tiiel,orag(> no longer offers any .sl,e]tor to the
mariner.
That which has most contributerl to mak-
ing tho Baude mill known is that all (ho old
writers have stated that the n.cks surn.undin..
It are of maihle. Nothing further was nocossC
ry to stnnulate the greed of speculators Vn-
tortunately, it has been found, on closer ovanu-
nation, that the h^w white veins which n-ay bo
seen running through the sides of the rocks
arc not of a nature to repay tho cost of work-
ing. Thi8 marble easily crumbles on })einL'
exposed f^,. air and at most could only be
appli.-vl to a few ornaujontal purp« ses.
"hi. is ab..ut all that can U- seen .luring
an iMnir's excursion by the .ourist wlio ie
■pwi
226
TADOUSAC
anxious to become ao<[U{iintcd with the neigh-
})orl»oiHl of Tadousac. If he does not care to
traverse anew tlie lonely plain leading to Baude
mill, he has only to follow the rugged road
which winds along the stream turning the mill-
wheel. Its meanderings will lead him, some-
times through wood, sometimes bv mounVaiu
and valley, up to the sunnnit of the mount ''i
which ovei'looks tlie back part of Tvi i.'ac,
whence there is a spleiulid view of the
whole region. This is called (foiny round the
Concfiti,<io'n. Making this tour is like N'isitii.']:
the Park or th<^ iJois. Tt is the faslii<mab e
excursion of the place.
e neigh-
care to
to Bnude
jed road
the niill-
n, some-
loiiP.Vrtiu
K'Unt ■»!
of tlie
mud the
visiting:
liionab e
XI
We ca,inot take loave of Tadousuc, which
tor nearly three amturies was the great hunt-
ingand tisJnng centre of North A,)HMic.a, without
^I-ilong a lif.I. of H.e hunting and hslnn.
■^tdlt<. he found there. Alas! th.y nn- hut a
shadow of what formerly were to IxMnrt with •
yi't such sportsmen as are attracted hy thJ
'•"^rged and wild aspect of our northern ^oun-
tnes will not fail to visit this place formerly
so celebrated. Whilst their families c-an ren.ain
at the large Tad(,usac hotel, thev can go and
piss two or three weeks sahnon-hshing on the
nvers which discharge into the Waguenay
Hiiic-^ I87r,, there has l,een an' ichthyolo-d-
cal estnolishn.eni at Ta<lousac fo,- (1,. ^'pro
^Inctron of that royal denixen of our waters
fch« salmon. It is installed at J /,.s. /, rj^^J
ii."^
•2-26
TADOUSAC
precisely wlicre our grcjit ex}K)i"t<'r of Sa<jfuemiy
(inilxjr, Mr Price, had built the first yaNv-niill of
tliis rejLjioii.
There is no iiu.tre interestiiijL^ way of pass
iiiii; tlie time than that of visiting tills piscicul
tural t^stablisliineiit.
Tho sahiion for breeding purposes are
V, rv .. la nets at the tishing-j»hu;es, two miles
froia ...e establishment. One of these fisheries
is on the shore, opi)osite to the old farm of the
first Tadousac missionaries and is still called
//<<' J';>ii(its' Jwhery.
The fish for breeding are .set free in a pond
when^ the tide is let in by means of a grating
made of stakes high en<»ugh to pre^•ent the fish
escaping. The spawning-season generally lasts
from Oct. 20th to November 10th. When it is
approa(."hing, the colours of the salmon become
briirhter, the edtces of their lins become em-
pui-pled ind red spots are perceived on the
back of the tish. The males and females are
then separated from each othei' and i)laced in
Miiliiiil
iiiii
TADOUHAC
229
special reservoirs and the w.M-k of luanipula-
tion coninienceH.
Nothing i^ more simple to those wjio,
throurrh practice, have acquired • great skill in'
performing the maiiipulati(Mi. The operator
carefully takes holl ,»f the female, taking care
if the rtsh h^ very l,ig to wrap her up in a
cloth. He lightly passes the inside «»f his
thumb or of two fingers over the belly without
pressing too hard. Tf the eggs are mature
they will thus be exp«^lled, but, if they are not
(luite umture, a certain re^sistance is felt which
must not be overcome; the female slu.uld then
be put back into the res(U'voir- to await a uiorc
propitious time.
Naturalists calculate that each femah; pro-
duces al)out as many tliousands (»f ,.ggs as the
parent herself weighs pounds. Tin; olticial IknuI
of the establishment at Tad(.usac (i) says that
a female generally gives from 600 t(» 700 vnrK
per pounrl of her own w(Mght. A f(»mal«> of 20
lbs would thercifore yield 12,000 or more C't's
(1) M. L. CaU'llitT.
l':K)
TADOUSAC
The fecuiulatinii i.s jM'ifoniH'd ininuHliatrly
aftoi" tlie e;^:;s are laid. For t.liis j)iii'j)i»s<' a
mal(; is taken and the milt- is made t(» flow oti
tlu' t>;:^'gs ill th<? same maiiuei- and with the
si:)ie precautions as have htHni takt^i \\ilh the
I'emah'.
Wluui the manipulation is finished, the
silmon arc lhr-o\\n hack into the ])ond where
theyeontinue to do perfectly well. Towards
th<^ middlf of NovemU'r the gates of their
prison are opened and they return to the s(?a.
They say that some of tlie tish app(^ai' to
n',i(i"et leaving the temporary abode construct-
ed for them and sup[>orted through th(! patern-
al solicitude of 'li<* (io\ernment. For lon<j[ thev
return and wit'.i tluMr pointed sn<»uts seem to
he suwdling at tiie gtmtly slo[)ing (Mnhanknient
which separatcis tluivn from the moist cradU;
where tlie pasl,(^ was so tender and so i-egulai'ly
distrihuted.
When once the eggs are f(»rtili/<*d, they
are earefully pla,eed in ih(^ hatching a{>paratus
on hm'dles covered with a thin layer <»f gra
TADOUSAC
2.31
vcl ([). These hurdles are inserted in vvo<Hleii
troughs through which incessantly flows a
large thread of clea.-, li.npifl water conn-ng
from that lake which Chan.plaiji f<,und so
ehanningand which can l)e perceived in the
hollow of the mountain, two „r three arpents
from the piscicultural establishment.
This water is maintained at the tempera-
ture of :U degrees during the whole period .,f
incubation. It is during this p^iod that the
most constant and miruite precautious have to
be taken, in order to remove the bad (ur.rs «„
n'gulate the stream of water and to let nothir)g
impair its purity. Neither is it a small task
preserving the eggs from the diseases to which
they are liable and to protect them against tlie
pai-asites which try to prey (.11 them.
The space of from a month and a half to
two months must elapse before the eggs an;
hatcluMl and the young fry conmience'eating
six weeks afterwards. TIk^ spriiig-tinu; is the
1) In the aufn.mi of 1S.S.^, l,(;<<r,,w.O o-ys won. thus rlopoHited
ftt Tadotisrvr-,
TAD0U8A0
pen<Kl choHen i(>y (listnhutin^' those y*>unjL( fry
;in)oii<ij tho *rv(\sii tiihutaries of the Su«^U(uijiy
and certain lakes vvhi(;h flow into the river hy
gently descendiiig .stniams, so as to facilitate the
descent of the young salmon to the sea.
From 1875 to 1888, 10,003,000 of small
fiy have been sent out fron\ the piscicultural
estahlislnnent at Tadousac, and these have heea
dej)osited in twenty riveir
8ueh is the simple method employed in the
artiticial reproduction of salmon.
The destruction of tish in the water cour-
ses and lakes of C/anada, which formerly teem-
(hI with them, was progressing ra[»idly, owing to
the unintelligent way in whicli tishing was
carried an, hut by the aid of pisciculture the
iish that have been destroyed will now^ })e re-
j)laced.
The art of artificial breeding is still in its
infancy, it would appear, and most marvellous
results may be jK^complished lat(M' (^>n. The cross-
ing of dilh'rent species is being studied. The
c 'gs of trout have been successfully fecundated
TADOUSAC
23n
iU\<<; ivy
iver l)y
jtxte the
f .small
ultural
i'ft b<!en
I in tl
le
r cuur-
y toejD-
rt'illg to
Ig WilH
ire tlu!
be re-
1 iu its
vcllous
a eross-
. The
tiduted
.tli the n..h of sHhnon an<I suhn,.. e<,.s with
tho n.ih, fron, trout aod it is ascertMine<l that
species may l,e varied indefhutely s<. Ion<. as
only 'ish of the sa,ne family are operated ,m.
Lord Duffe.-in, (l.nernor (ieneral of Ca-
na( a, whose favorite resort was Tado„sa.
wi.shed to have experiments made with the
o^^^.nH.^, the famous Lake «t John sahnon
Unf(,rtunat.'ly the messeiic.(,r.s Hent by him at
.ureat expense to those shores in seareh of speei
mens of this n.yal inhabitant of the i.iJand sea
did not know how t<, manage. They an-ived in'
the Lake regi<.n when tlie onnnanish had
already ascended the rivers for milting and
never thought <,f following them. Lo,-d J)ufforin
liad disbursed 500 dollars for this expedition
which pr.Kluced no favorable result.
The (iovernor's idea was a g(M,d one The
o^muanish, which only frecpients fresh water^
has not as highly colored flesh nor so savory a
Havor as the congen<.rous salmon, which passes
freely from the salt water into the runnin.^
raer.. Crossing the oreed might improve it"
231
TADOUSAC
]5(?si(l('s tli(Me was jiiiotlnM' reason and i 'better
one ; tlu^ oiiarutnisJi is excellent eating for the
eoloiiists estal)lishe<l nii thc^ shores of Luke St
John. All ahuse, is math; of Hshin^ for it, parti-
(jularly since so many sjxn'tsnien ha\e lM»en
l>rou<;ht to these shores hy means of the railroad
and the tish may Ix^eome extinct or nearly so.
Why slioiild it not he artiriciallv bred at Ta
dousac in the same way as the salt-water sal-
UKm 1
This was Lord l)utt'ci-iii's way of lhinkin<^
and he was in the lij^lit.
Althou^jfh Tjidousac is the principal centre
of salmon r(i})roduction, and the olHcial super-
intendent place a certain amount of younj^
fry in the lake which feeds theii- artificial
streams, that is not the {>lace where sportsmen
eonii^regate for rtshinuj. They y)enotrate further
to the rivers wliera s ilm m ab )un<ls. At Ta-
d
(lousac
th(
e voumif salmon ijrrow in i^eace un
r>
itil
they are twelve or fouiteen inches long, then
they leap over the sluices, cross the pond of
the breedim^-fish and i^ain the sea. Fishiiiir
TAOOl'MAC
i>;in
iH!tt(;r
(»i- tlio
ike St
parti-
' iMH'n
lili'ond
rly so.
at Ta-
vr sal-
iiikiiig
{'(Mitre
supcir-
yoiiuj,'
'titit'ial
rtsmoii
turtluM'
Vt Ta-
) until
:, llu'M
1 «.f
(UK
F'ishiivg
. for tl.ni. in tl.(. reserved lake is ,mt allowed,
UU wImm. o„re they an' in the sea, who,.v,.r
oa.) niay take them. At this youn- a-(. they
take the fly as ,va,li|y as their fathers and
'"Others. |i„t this is poor sport, only lit for
»i'»vii;..s in tlie art, and eann..t I,,.. .."onipared
with the exeitement of veteran fishermen uhen
m th.. wil.l p tssBs of the Ste Maririu-rite o,- the
Manieoua-an, they feel a lar-e fish at tin; end
of th.-ir line ami tind work for their urist and
opportunity of shovvini,' their skill.
Does this mean that on the sliotvs of Ta-
dousa(^ fishermen in sh'ppers may !..■ met \vit,h
amusinj^r themselves hy massaerein- inofKensive
loaches as at Kamouraska, or ignoble hoofish
as at Rimouski ?
No, Tadousac fish-li,)oks are not haited for
smh small fry ; ih.ey are (h-stined for more
dignified exploits and w,- will try to deserihe
some of them.
The prinei])al and most interesting sp,)rt
is fishing for sc^a-trout in the wafers of the 8a-
guenay, at about tluw miles ,{,. . ., stream
2;j«
TADOUSAT
fr«)m Tadousac. Sohicitinu^H cnoii tli<'y may Ih'
rau'^'ljt (»n tlie very shore, in th<» Hay. lint
(luiiti^ tliy iiioiitliH of Juno and July, t) ».vr-
ticularly favor thfi extrrunty of th« rocky }»oint
s<^[)aratinj^ the iJay of Tadousac in two, called
rislct by the people of the place : they also
fi'ctjuont the banks along the left coast, Basipu;
Cove, P(»inte a la Cn)ix, ljal)oul(! Cove, Passc-
l*i(Mi'e Tslets. On the right bank they may
chieHy be ftnmd at Ans« a iJavid, Pointe Noire,
(/atharirm Bay and towards Isle aux Morts.
All who are armed with patience and with liiies
know those privileged spots, which c » be
visited one after the other in less than '»ur
in a barge. No Hy fisher wouhl deny himselt the
pleasure of breakfasting on a trout weighing
not less than from two to five pounds. For
those who prefer longer fishing (^xcursions splen-
did sea-trout, fishing is to be luui at tlu; Little
J>ergeronnes river, which rolls its swift waters
into the St Lawrt^nce about, twelve miles 1k'1(>w
Tadousac. This place can be reached either in
a yacht or barge, as likewise by land, or by the
TAUOl.SAO
L>a;
sm way, aiul tlio fishi„. ,V excollcnt for uImm.!
three iiiontlis.
The lusf, way fchnn^ whi-). w,. I.uve ih(li,;.it.
♦Hi IS tl.me miles I.mi^t,., ,„^,| ^^..-y fati^.uin- l,u<
yy satV for th.,s,. who, thou-h ]nsm^ lishi,,..,
t"<'.ir the sea, '^'
TIh; peaks which sur.vMuul Ta.lousHc have
^nyn'.,d< of pi(.tures.|ur little tishiu;- lakes
'"'I'i'^M away on their sid(^s, where enormous
quantities of tisl, n.ay |,o taken. We will
• uention the; pi-incipal ones.
At less than a niile's distance, .,., the
heights, we conu; first t<» lake Tadousac.
A barge will take you in an hour's run, ((»
the pretty Laboule p.M,d. Trout abound there
in vVugust and September. A path of a i.,ih''s
hMigth separates it from the Saguf-nay. ThoHe
in whom the line and the My have ,; ,1 entirely
dcMfcr.)yod all taste for things of this world may
pause f..r an instant in tlie little sandy cove
sheltered by Cape Laboule. Tn lGi)0, whe.i
Phipps came to besiege Quebec, it was there
that three French vessels, laden with money
i>:i.s
TAUOHSAC
for tlu> troops and otluT roynl })i-ojHMty, soui^lit
ii ])l;u'(' of si)i"('ty. The crow burird on tho
shoro four or tive tliousji'ul livrcs of spccir mid
hiiidtMl a l)att«MV of camion to defend tlieni.
Wlien the (niemy, on returnin*; fsoni tlieii- ex-
piulitioii, arrived opposite the S;ii;uenay, tliey
suspected tliat the French vessels \v(?re hidden
there and they attempteil to enter th<' rivei',
but they wert^ di i\ en i)ack into the oHin;j; hy
the cui'ients. Two days aftervvaids tlie French
vessels came out fi'oni theii' place of retrt'ai.
Dt) not sjiend your time in seaichin<^ for this
mruiey on the shore, as so many treasur<' -seekers
have IxMMi doing since that memojable date, for
the French vessels safely carri(^d to Quebec the
specie which they had ])uried !
Lakes Paradis, Sapin, Thojnas, (Jobril,
Franrois, Fontaine are reputed in this district
to be famous tislnn^-placc's, Tlu^y can lie reach-
ed in a C()nveyaiice or on foot. Tf possessed of
a moderate amount of skill in the manageinei«t
of (he line, trout may be caught from ten to
twenty live inehes long and weighing sometimes
as mucli as six pounds.
TADOUSAO
239
On retu mint; from t.lu'sc excursions, ye me-
lanrlioly and unsuccessful tisheiinen, wlio have
only withdrawn your line from the water to
chani^'e the <^'entle on your hook, seat yourselves
on the shore and console yourselves hy ^n/An^
into the ottini( at thesea-^ulls which ai-eskiinnnnjL?
over the limpid water. See how ihey manage
to catch the tish that are so shy of vour
hooks ! After havirii; hovered a moment with
their wings motionless, they sudd(Mdy plunj^'e
into the watei'and emer]ti;e from it with a streak
of silver in their beaks. IJ-.it hasten home if
they only skim the water in their hemllong
course, foi' it is a si<^n of approachin*; storm.
It is a ))arometer far surpassitig those mjule by
the most skilful hands.
Champlain I'ecounts enthusiiistically that
on Lark Point, that far stretching peninsula,
*' covei'ed with hirge-leaved parsley and wild
pf^as, with all sorts of shells, &c '', there
was so nuich game, " such an abundance of
wild ducks, teal, wild geese as well as larks,
curlews, thrushes, w (,>odcocks ', that on some
210
TAUOUSAC
(lays three or tVmr hunters would kill 'nore
than 300 (luzen hea<l, ami tliLs game pri.»ved fat
and very delicate eating.
Tu 1629 wlien Keitk took him toTtulousac
as a prisoner of war, Chamrioin t«H>k pl(;asui'e
in aooonipanying his coiuji. ror to tlie cluise.
He assures us that, durinij; the twelve days he
remained there, more than 20,000 la -ks, plov(»rs,
curlews and snipes were killed.
Certainly vsportsmen of the present day can
not hoiust of such },»henomenal hecatombs. No
matter, there is still sp«jrt to be had at Tmlou-
sac. In the autunni, the local Nimrods kill
divei-s, but in sunnner thev 1 "
*pi
duck.
pigeons, magpies,
lark
s, osnr
preyi
Tn th
neigliborhoixl of the lakes the shy aiul timid
[)artridge often falls a victim to fishermen who
havelKH^n tlisheartened by their want of succ<'ss
at sea. It is saitl that ptarmigan formerly
abounded at Lark Point. Father Le Jeune
relates, when he landed to say Mjuss at Ta(U>U'
sac in the month of June, 1032, a soldier* killful
a lai'ije eay:le neai* its evrie, The head and ne<!k
TAD0U8AC
2-il
Miore
vtid fat
loasui'e
cllJlHO.
ays lie
.>l()vors,
ilay can
t)s. Nr»
Ah kill
11 l)laek
III tho
d timid
leii will)
i success
'orniorlv
B Jeune
L Tadou-
er killed
iiid ueek
of this bird were white, its l)eak and feet
yellow, the rest of its body blackish, and it was
as large as a turkey cock.
In the course of the autunm the Tadousac
people shoot the hecscies, pigeons, tahwuis and
large wild geese, flocks of which tly in an
angular mass, looking like a black rent in the
pearly-grey sky.
There is no country so uninhabitable as
this, writes Charlevoix, gazing on the barren
hills and desolate banks whicli surround Ta-
dousac, and yet those who have planted their
tents here seem to like it.
— We are not rich, said one day a good
fellow who wfis accompanying us in our excu'--
sionSj but there is not a single beggar among
us. Every one can gain his livelihood in some
way or otlier.
— Yes, things are well enough in summer ;
tourists bring you in money. A little suffices
you. Their coming among you gives you an
«*^'^y. j<^y^>us time, even if it dotis not bring you
abundance. But, in winter, tlu^ long terrible
212
TADOUHAC
winter, wh.it can you <lo with yuui>4elv(5s in
tliisHulitudd ?
-Oh ! iti tlie winter, Sir, some of iifs na-
vigate, keeping along the sh'>re, cutting liro-
woo<l for Helling to the people on the south
shore, others of us, the greater number, go into
the forests and work in the nhtinfins (c^han-
tiers) (i) ; a sc(»re or so of us, couu'ng of
families who from father to son have always
been tishermen, remain at Tadousao to hunt
the seals.
It is in that w ly that we pay our debts
and earn enough to buy our seed-grain. Do not
fancy that visitoi-s alone would put brejwl in our
mouths !
Whilst at Montreal and Quebec you see
your lovely river imprisoned in ice l)antls, here
it is always blue and limpid. We can go aijout
in our canoes as in sununer time. The lartrest
frigates could anchor safely liere in the very
heart of the winter.
(I) Chant krs or shanties arc rough little winter wttlemeiits
In the woods, for cutting down timber.
taixjusac
'2i:\
Wlum t,li«' wat«<r is (•aim w*- vmiuni iinmr
oancms, as far as (.}.<■ oflin^r h,„| i(, j.^ t^i,,,,.^. (^|,.^^
Uu! s<;al,s love lo enu^'nwati; jimkui^' thecurrcrits
foriiuMl by t\u^ VtulwH roof, the Islet aux Murts,
and tliC! Hed I.slaii(l. Tlicce ai-e s(»tn«^ of these
animals, however, wlio pnifcr the rocky reefs
near the heacli. It is ahoiit All Saints that
xeul-huntin^ })e^iiis. The Hrst to arrive are the
yroHHetfUeH. Tn another inf)nt]i the fmi^H^'urs
replace them up t,o the middle of May. Then
tlie (/rtmf-tf'.tm return and reujain thnjugh May.
When these two sorts have left us to ;;<, doMu
the (iulf for hniedin^', us we are told, the more
-•enHible seals come to pass the sunnner with us.
Those are they wliom you may have seen
sunning themselv(»s on the s})ore when tlie tid«;
is low. And then, every year, the same thing
is repeated at the same epo<rli.
We are twent,y-Hve seal-hunters lu;i'e. Two
men get into a <'anoe and go out to the othng.
They must be men wlio ar^, skilful with their
oarsj for the currents are swift, and floes of
ice sometimes float down on uh that might up-
244
TADOUSAC
.sot US. Whilst one iiuiii is steering at t'.,; stern
tJie oth(;i' who is standing at the ]x)w takes
aim at tlie seal's head, and then finislies kill-
ing it with the harpoon Formerly a gcxnl
liunter made use of the harpoon only in killing
the seal, as is still the practice in killing poi*-
poiscis, but the seals are getting more shy and
unajjproachable, so the gun is preferable. A
go(Kl shot is worth four dollars. We sell the
skin for from one to tln-ee dollars according to
its V)eauty. Of the rest of the animal we make
oil, which is also valua})le. At <me time we sold
it fifty cents a gallon, but now it is (mly thirty-
live cents, the times being l)ad. In the winter
a canoe can bring to land from three to six
seals at each expedition ; in sunnner sometimes
as many as ten seals are killed between sunrise
and sunset.
The goiKlliunter keeps the shoulder and
bn^ist of the seal as choice morsels. The tongue,
flappers and heart are also mucli appreciated
as food. Some cooks excel in their way of pi-e-
paring this meat. After having soaked it for a
TADOUSAC
245
kes
iiig
[K)r-
and
A
the
g to
ijike
sold
irty-
titer
> six
iiues
tirisc
and
jguu,
iated
: pre-
for a
day ill cold watei" and then scalded it, it is well
I'oasted with slices of salt pork. The taste of it
seems strange at lirst, hut one gets accustoiiu'd
to it. One eats worse things tlian that in towns.
With these words, our liunter woundup
his recital.
On listening to this brave Tuan's conversa-
tion we could not help thinking of the old days
when its hunting and tishing hiul spread afar
the fame of Tadousac and had, jus it were, w<m
for it the name of being one of tlie principal
conmiercial centr<'s of all America.
Tadousac now possesses twenty-live hunters,
whereas three centuries ago the Bascpie vessels
which thronged thither for whale-tishing were
innumerable. At this present day when one of
these cetaceous monsters ha}>pens to make its
appearance on these shores, the newspapers
speak of the occurrence for many montiis.
In one single week in 1050, Couillard de
Lespinay killed 220 seals at Red Island (i),
the same number as are now taken in a whole
(i) Journal of Mil' Jtistiitw, p. 2(^1
240
TADOUSAC
wintei-. Tn one day at Murray J?ay he cau<^ht a
millirm ood-fisli (i).
Listly, lon^' hoforc acontoniporary onginoor
proposed to ^o and hunt the seal in theCJulf l)y
the aid of cannon, revolver and mitraiUeuse, a
Frenchman named Hilaire Brideau had tried
the same weapons with whales. In 1733 (2),
the Tntetidant of Canada j^'ave him {)ermissi(»n
to hunt whales from Hare Island as far as
Manic* magan, on }>oth shores of the liver, with
a fishing boat, huilt in the J3iscay fashion,
manned by (?ight sailors and having on board a
caiuion carrying balls t>f two or three pounds'
calibre, harpoons and 400 fathoms of cal)le. All
stranded whales bearing the marks of harjioons
or l)alls were to be looked on as belonging t-o
him. Now or never can we say with Virgil :
Omnia jam viil<j:ala
. . leiitunda via eHt, ((ua mu ({UCHiue posuim
Tolleie huino, victonjue vinim volitare per ora.
(0 Id. p. '2(Mi.
(•i) OrdoiiiKincf of March 17lh, vol. 'l, Iiitciidaiits' Res^istcrs.
END.
TAHLB ()!• CONTItNTS
PAOI
Arrival hy ni«-hr,..- Fi,-s, si,,,,t ofT..wlousa,..-TlK. Ma,uolo,.s.-
On^m of the word Tmlousuc. - l/A.is,. ,\ vy^x
11
''""timel"""^ '" "'* ' '"■''" "'• - '^''*' ""'"^"^ "' P..hi..fcorio
17
Hi
Ja..ques.Carlior. TJ.c.stal.lishn.ent founded by Chan.j.luin.-
Tho Cou.-,, of Kin,^ Tetault. ChaM.plain.- Th. li..s.,uos
hattl.v seamen.- Their sinu;;jrli„>. t,.a.li. , . . .^W
IV
Chan.plain n.eetn the Indians. -^How an unfortunate allian.r
Wfrew out of a visit of courte.sv - The fomi.lr.r ,vt tu > i
(W a theologian. The fiist n . . ♦, S ^"" "'i^'. "' ^"^' ''"'"'M
-nil. Jill niM one to hnak hin iniu'. - The
brothers Ke.tk. -The ..eath of Taptain l>a..iel at Tadou-
sa<-. -IJ IS funeral
42
^vr
'J\\ HUE O F C< > S'V K N IS
•_>H)
I'AOK
The TailouHw iru«liii>f. Timliii).' iM)st. of ih»- kiii^'V fanning'
out of the trudins; aii<l the suli-fiiruierH. -Siinevor Nor-
iiiiiiirlin'N e\|ilomtiotm. fl2
VI
Till' Tiulo\isac niissioiiiirii's. Iliivrnciidts sukI Culholirs. Ko-
rollfts iitiil .ItHiiitH. One 111 ii'li'i-d and si\i>-»<i-\ni ncuin
of iij)OHtl«>Hhi|>. I(ilfil78"2 77
VII
Kxploratioiw of lilt' .lesiiil mishioiiiiiit'K. Tlioir diploiiificy.—
How they hi-ejuiu' viiliiaMi.' ausiliiirieH to thv {{ovoniiiioil. Ill
VIII
Of the pijaiitive SaKUfiiay chiurheH.— The Tadousjioohaiwl. . 137
IX
Father de la Brosse, History and le)ren«l«< 1(>8
What hat. l»€coine of the ahorixeiies.— The doom of Manieloiis.
What UKxIeni Tadousac is like. The anihirion of the
TadouMicianH. Seu|>ort and winter navijiution. Sea
Itailiin^; antl tourists. -A walk around the neij^'hliorlKxxl
of Tatiousac.' -The fiieroaohinji san<ila.- FafaliMUi. The
Haude mill and its iiiarhlrs •j.Oi
250
Tahlr of Ooxtknts
XI
I'AUK
HtiT.tin;< an.l fi.Hhi.ijf. - I.-hthyoloirical i-stal.IiHhnu.i.t,.- Artlfl.
ml salinon-hmHliMif. -Seu-M-out. -Fishing ii. th»- lakes
— St'al-tishiii^
END.
.. ^' ff