^1 '.'kA - 'vl K ^v^i v.. ^ C -•! tNOVA FRAN CIA: • O R, T H E ' ' i'^A;\^v>H , DESCRIPTION Of that Part of > N E W FRAN C E, Which is one Continent with Vi R G i n i a. _ DESCRIBED In the Three late VOYAGES and PLANTATION made by Monf. de MontSy Monf. du Pont-Gravey and Monf. de Poutrincourty into the Countries called by the Frenchmen^ 5 La Cad I a, lying to the South- Weft of Cape Breton. TOGETHER WITH .. 4-,. . , . ..'S, ' An excellent feveral TREATY of all the Commodities of the faid Countries, and Manners of the natural Inhabitants of the fame. Tranflatd out V /^^ F k e n c h /«/o E n o n s h, <^ P. E. •J r>'!j!!.nrt*- ■ 1' ' I : -r 'ft'5' ■'•' < u\: ■ • .iff 1.. . ■ j'< - i -It • " i ; > ,. »».i .- / • ■■ <-i i-,JM VM ^ /'l 1 tj'.'i' f."-! .«/ ( ', t '.V .'S J . 1 • TT' ' ' -.. • f - T> r. ...rj"^»'jiL' ■ ,fi-.-.' 1 ' \ 1 j'-'.^i^rflr ,-!«!. ' Jitn ,,. .'. . /<^'> ■ .^W : '""ii^ « .-. 1^ ' W" •<> flv- • : "^-Jtbih'-' .• - tft r'JOi/-»i«< '• •nu ;>.. 1 . it :t.) ' '*: r. '.ttij ', 1 1,, ; *.. -frj •!.•) f. ,' . ■ > ,- : . '••*|-. 'j. ."_ - ' ..!. 796 N F A F R A N C I A: THE Three late Voyages and Plantation of Monf! Je MontSj of Monil du PonuGrave^ and of MonH de Poutrincourt^ into the Gauntries, called by the Frenchmen^ La C a d i a, lying to the South- Weft \ of Cape Br B TON. i >i ^ * t-i < TOGETHER WITH An excellent feveral Treaty of all the Commodities of the faid Countries, and Manners of the natural Inhabita^s of the fame. C H A P. I. 7be Patent of the French Kinr to MonJ. de Monts, for the inhabiting of the Cottntries of L^ Cidk, Cina.di, anJ other Places in "New Ttarcc. HE N R Y, by the grace of God, king of Franee and Navarre. To our dear and well beloved the lord of Morits, one of the ordinary gentlemen of our chamber, greeting. As our greateft care and labour is, and hath always been, fince our coming to this crown, to maintain and conferve it m the ancient dignity, great- nefs, and fplendor thereof, to extend and amplify, as much as lawfully may be done, the bounds and limits of the fame i we being, of a long time, informed of the fltuation and condition of the lands and territories of 2La Cadia, moved above all things, with a Angular zeal, and devout and conftant refolution, which we have taken, with the help and afliftance of God, author, diftributor, and prote^or of all kingdoms and eftates, to caufe the peo- ple, which do inhabit the country, men (at this prefent time) barbarous atheifts, without faith or religion, to be converted to Chriftianicy, and to the belief and pro* •>. I... ;v .\ feflion of our faith and religion : and to draw them from the ignorance and unbe- lief wherein they are. Having alfo of a long time known, by the relation of the fea-captains, pilots, merchants, and others, who of long time have haunted, frequented, and trafficked with the people that are found in the faid places, how fruitfui, com- modious, and profitable may he unto us, to our eftates and fubjecls, the dwelling, r r.ireflion,and habitation of thofe countries, for the great and apparent profit which may be drawn by the greater frequentation and habitude which may be had with the people that are found there, and the traf- fick and commerce which may be, by that means, fafely treated and negociated. We then, for theic caufes, fully truftingon your great wifdom, and in the knowledge and experience that you have of the quality, condition, and fituation of the faid country of La Cadia ; for the divers and fundry navigations, voyages, and frcquentations, that ■« // DefcripttGn of Ncnv France. 797 that yo'.i have made into thofe parts, and others near and bordering upon it : affiiring ourHlvcs that this our relbhition and inten- tion, being committed unto you, you will attentively, diligently, and no Itls coura- geoiilly and valorouHy, execute and bring to Inch perfedtion as we defire, have ex- prtlly appointed and edabliflied you, and by thcfe prefcnts, figned with ourown hands do commit, ordain, make, conftitutc, and ertabiilh you, our lieutenant-general, lor to reprcfent our pcrlon, in the countries, territories, coaftsand confines of ha Cadia. To begin from the 40th degree unto the 46th i and in the fame diftance, or part of it, as far as may be done, to eftablifli, extend, and make to be known our name, might, and authority. And under the fame to fubjeft '"ibmit, and bring to obe- {liencc all the people of the faid land and the borderers thereof : and by the means thereof, and all lawful ways, to call, make, inftrud, provoke, and incite them to the knowledge of God, and to the light of the taith and Chriftian religion, to cllablirti it there : and in the exercife and profefllon of the fame, keep and conferve the laid people, and all other inhabitants in the faid places, and there to command in peace, red and tranquility, as well by fca as by land : to ordain, decide, and caufe to Ik executed all that which you fhall judge fit and ncccffary to bu- done, for to maintain, keep, and conferve, the faid places un- der our power and authority, by the forms, >way: and means prcfcribcd by our laws. And for to have there a care of the fame with you, to appoint, ellablilh, and con- ftitute all officers, as well in the affairs of war, as for judice ano policy, for the firll time, and from thenceforward to name and prefent them unto us 1 ibr to be difpofed by us, and to give letters, titles, and fuch provifoes as Ihall \x neceffary : and, ac- cording to the occurrenaes of affairs, your- felf, with the advice of wife and capable men, to prefcribc under our good plea- lure, laws, llatutcs and ordinances con- formable, as much as may be jwlTible, unto ours, efpecially in things and matters that arc not provided by thcin •, to treat and contraft to the fime effeft, peace, alliance, and confederacy, good amity, correfpond- ency , and communication with the faid peo- ple and their princes, or others, having power or command over them ; to enter- tain, keep, and carefully to obfcrve, the treaties and alliances wherein you (hall co- venant with them : upon condition that they themfelves perform the fame of their part. And for want thereof to make open wars againft them, to conftrain and bring them to fuch reafon, as you Ihall think needful, for the honour, obedience, Vol. II. and fervice of God, and the eftablilhment, maintenance, aiid coiilervation of our (aiil authority amongft them -, at Icaft, to haunt and frequent by you, and all our fubjeifts with them, in all afTumncc, liberty, frc- quentation, and communication, there to negociate and trafBck lovingly and peace- ably v to give and grant unto them fa- vours and privileges, charges, and honours. Which entire power aforefaid, we will likewife and ordain, that you have over all our faid fubjedls that will go that voy- age with you and inhabit there, fraffick, negociate, and remain in the faid placfs, to retain, take, rcfervc, and appropriate unto you, what you will and Ihall lee to be moft commodious lor you, and proper to your charge, quality and ufe of the laid lands, to diltributc fuch parts and portions thereof, to give and attribute unto them fuch titles, honours, rights, powers, and faculties, as you Ihall fee necelTary, accord- ing to the qualities, conditions, and merits, of the pcrfons of the fame country, or others : chiefly to populate, to manure, and to make the laid lands to be inhabited, as fpecdily, carefully and flcilfully, as time, places, and commodities may permit. To make thereof, or caufe to bt made to that end, difcovery, and view along the mari- time coalls and other countries of the main land, which ynu fhall order and prefcribe in the aforefaid fpace of the 40th degree to the 46th dc' for them that let out in Alarcb for the new the new found lands, which are ordinarily carried liindi. ^'''^ ^" '^''•'^ "•" '""■thern wind, fit to go to thofe lands. And having taken their Theifleof couife to the fouth ot the ifle of Sahlon, or .W/oi or Sand, fur to Ihun tl.e laid ice, they al- moft nil from Caribdis into Scy'.la, going to flrikc towards the faid ifle, during the thick inilh that are Irequent in that fea. In the e:id, tiie lixth of May, they came to a ciiMin port, where they found captain RoJ/igiicl ol New-haven ; who did Winds good in Sun J. truck tor fkiiis witii the favase, to tlie kinii's g,.., contrary which was the Port r/tf R.Jfigml. ,^ ., ....iihitions, caufe tliat liis lliiji was confifcated. This port was calleii he Von dii Roffignol, hav- ing (in this his hard toitune) this only good, that a ^ood and lit harbour or port, ill tliole coalts beareth his name. From thence coalling and difcovering the lands, they arrived at another port. If port du ^'^^y *'"''' which they named l.e Port du Afcutisn. Motitton ; by reafon that a mutton or wea- ther, having leaped overboard and drowned himfelf, came aboard again, , and was ta- ken and eaten as good prize. By fuch Capitol of accidents, many names have anciently Rmi. been given on the fudden, and without any great deliberation. So the capitol of Rome had its name ; becaufe tiiat in dig- ing there, a dead man's head was found. Milan. So the city oi Milan hath been called Me- diolanum, that is to fay, half wool ; for that the Gauls, calling the foundation thereof, found a low half covered with wool i ami fo of fundry others. Being at the port du Moulton, they ca- b.aned and lodged themfelvcs after the favage fafliion, expedting news of the other lliip, wherein was the vi(Stu.als, and other iiecelfary provifion for the food and enter- tainment of them that were to winter there •, being about an hundred in num- ber. In this p(jrt they tarried a month in great perplexity, for fear they had tliat fome finiller acciilent had happeneil to tiie faid other Ihip, who let out the tentli ol March \ wherein was Monf de Pont of Honjleur, and the faid Capt. Mortl. And this was lb much the more im- portant, for that ot the coming ol the faid lliij) tlependcd the whole luccefs ot the bufinefs. For even upon this long tarrying, it was in qucftion, whether they lliould return into France or no. Monl. de Poutrincourt was of advice, that it was better to die there; whereto the faid Monf de Mcnts confirmed himfelf In the mean while, many went a hunting, others to fifli - ing, tor to llore the kitchen. Near the faid Moutton port, thereis aplaceforepleniflied with rabbets and conies, that they almnlt Store of did eat nothing elfe. During that time, *•''""'■■' Monl. Champlein was fent with a fliallop to fcek fartiier off a fitter place to retire themfelvcs ; at which exploit he tarried fo long, that deliberating upon the return th;y tiiought to leave him behind, for there was no more viiftuals ; and they fervcd themfdvcs with that, that was found in the faid Roffignol's Ihip •, with- out which they had been forced to return into France, and fo to break a fair enterprize at the very birth and beginning thereof, or to ftarve, having ended the hunting of conies, which could not ftill continue. Now the caufcs of the ftay of the (iiid Monf. du /,./, and Capt. Afore/, were two; the Oi . ' at wanting a cock-boat, they em- plo) ', their time in the building of one, in the land where they arrived firli, which was the Englijh port ; the other, that be- jp«^/^ ing come at Campfeau port, they found port. there four fhips ot Bajkes, or men of St. Cump/,aa John de Luz, that did truck with the port, favages, contrary to t!ie faid inhibitions, from whom they took their goods, and brought the matters to the laid Monf. de Mottts, who ufed them very gently. Three weeks being expired, and the faid Monf. de Monts having no news of the Ihip he looked for, he deliberated to fend along the coaft to feek for them ; and for that purpofe difpatched fome favages, to whom he gave a Frenchman for company with letters. The faid fa- vages prom ifed to return at the time pre- fixed, being eight days, whereof they failed not. But as the fociety of man and wite, agreeing well together, is a pow- erful 8oo A Dcfaiption of New France. rrliil tiling ■, lo tlulV lavagts Ix-fori- their il(|>.irtiirc, had a cair ol thiir wivts and i!HKln.n, and rci|iiiral viduals tor thcin, wliirh was {^raiitdt. And having hoillal lip fills within tlw days alter, tluy found tlidlithattluy iinightlor, at a jiLuc called I c fiity iks IJlcs, who were thenifelves in no Ills fear or grief for the faid Monf. iti, than he of them, becaufe they tmmd not, during their voyage, thole marks and figns that were agreeil upon be- tween them •, which was.that Monf. de Monts fhould iiave left at Cauipft'ttu loinc crols on a tree, or letter there fixeil ; which he dill not, having far ovirlhot the laiild/w//)- feau, l)y reafon that for the laid iced banks, he took his way Ibriuwhat tar on the loutli, as we have faiil. So iiaviiig nad the let ters, tile faid Monf. du Pout, ami cap- t.ijn MoreU gave up the victuals and pro- vilioii that thiy had brought lor them that fhould winter there, and lb r turned b.itL towards the great river ot Caiuda, for t!\e tr.ide ol fkins and furrj. Monf i.'i; I'iKl, (;0 rill to ( U K/i.i.i, (o tv.ulc lor turti. CHAP. JII. TZv /(■rtt'/^/T of Port du .Mouttoii : T/m' uccidt-iit rf a man loft in the laoods for the {"pace (f fixtccn da\'s : Bay Frantoifc, or I'rentli Bay : Port-Royai : The "/•/■:• T o/L'Kquillc: yl lopptr-mine: The mifhiif of gohicn-mines : Of dui- ;; omh : Tiirky /tones . A' i'liiit .*'/. .Man bin. lilur. LI- Nciv France in the end being _ _ containedintwofhips, they weighed andiors from port du Mmtton, to employ their time, and to difcovcr lands as much as might be before winter. We came to C,i/>e de i>it/ilt, or the Sandy Cape ; and hoin thence we failed to the bay of St. Alary, where our men lay at anchor fifteen days, whilll the lands anil pafHiges, as well by lea as by river might be defcried rri:i place and known. riiis bay is a very fair place to to mh,ibit. inhabit, becaufe that one is readily carried .Vlino; of thither without lioubling. There are mines iron anj of iron and filver, but in no great abun- dance, according to the trial made thereof in France. Having foiourned there lome twelve or thirteen days, a llraiigc accident happened, fuch as I will tell you. There was a certain churchman of a good family in J'aris, that had a defire to perform the voyage with Monf. de Monts, and that .igainll tiie liking of his friends, who fent cxprefly to Honfl'^ur to divert him thereof, and to bring him back to Paris. The of a man fliips lying at anchor in the faid bay of loit ill the St. A/ijrv, he put himfelf in company with fome that went to fport themfelves in the woods. It eame to pafs, that having (laid to drink at a brook, he forgot his I'word, and followed on his way with his com- pany ; which when he perceived, he re- turned back to feek it -, but having found it, forgetful from what part he came, and not confidering whether he fhould go eaft or weft, or otherwife (for there was no path) he took his way quite contrary, turning his brick from his company -, and fo long travelled that he found himfelf at the lea fliore, where no (hips were to be leen, 'lor they were at the other fide of a nook of land far reaching into the lea). 1 le imagined that he was forfakcn, and began to bewail his fortune upon a rock. Tlie night being come, every one being \ccidir.t w oo;ls lo-.irtccn (lays. retired, he is found wanting •, he was alkcil for of thole that had been in the woods \ they report in what manner he departed from them, and that fince they had no news of him. Whereupon a p.io- teltant was charged to have killed liiin, becaufe they quarrelled fometimcs format- ters of religion. I'inally, they founded a trumpet thorough the foreft, they lliiit oft" the cannon divers times but in vain i for the roaring of the fea, ftronger than all, that did expel bark the found of the laid cannons and trumpets. Two, three and four days pafs, he appeaieth not. In the mean while, the time haftens to de- part ; lb having tarried fo long that he- was then held for dead, they weighed anchors to go further, and to lie the depth of a bay that h.ath fomc.j.o leagues length, and 14 (yea 18) of breadth, which was named La Baye Franfoife, or the French-bay. In this bay is the palTage to come into l.n Bmr a port, wherciiito our men entereil, anil ^V""! '• made fome abode-, during the which they had the pleafure to hunt an i llan, or ftag, that crofted a great lake of the lea, which maketh this port, and did fwim but eafily. 'J'his port is invironed with mountains on the north fide : towards the fouth be fmall hills, which (with the faid mountains) do pour out a thoufand brooks, which make that place pleafanter than any other place in the world : there arc very fair falls of waters, fit to make mills of all Ibrts. At the eaft is a river between the faid mountains and hills, in' the which, (hips may fail fifteen leagues and more ; and m all this diftance, is nothing of both fides tlic river but fair meadows ; which river v.-;is named L'Eqiiilk, becaufe that the firft Y'? "^'"■ fifh taken therein was an equille. But the o'^'-^f'^- faid port for th» beauty thereof was call- ed Pert Royal. Monf de Poutrincourt, PortRyyal having A Dejcription of New France. 8ot A copper aiine. Thingi fihl to be provided ill new pLiiitoti- • lib. having Jbiind this place to be to his liking, tlcnianiltd it, with the lands thereunto adjoyning, of M( l.dtMonts, to whom the King hail by commiflion, before in- ferred, graiitril the diftribiition of the lands of New-France, from the 40th de- gree to the 4')th. Which place was granted to the faid Monf. de Poutrimourty who fince hath had lettirs oi confirmation for the (;ime of his ma|( lly \ intending to re- tire himfelf thither with his family, and tlu re to ellablilh the Chrillian and IVencb name, as much as his power fhall ilretcli, and (joil grant him the means to accom- nlilli it. The faid port containtth eight liigiiesof circuit, bclidesthe river of /.'A- qutlle. Ihere arc within it two iflis very fair and pleafant \ the one at the mouth ol the laiil river, which I deem to be of the greatiuls of the city of Heauvais \ the other at the fide of the mouth of another river, as broad as the river of Oife, or Afnrne, entering within the faid port ; the faid ifle being almoll of the grcatnefs of the other ; and they both are woody. In this port, and right over-againft the former ifle, we dwelt three years after this voyage. We will ipeak thereof more at large hereafter. From Pert Royal, they failed to the copper mine, whereof we have fpoken be- fore elfe-whcrc. It is a high rock between two bays of the fea i wherein the copper is conjoined with the (tone, very fair and very pure, fuch as is that, which is called Rozette copper. Many goldfmiths have feen of it in France, which do fay, that under the copper mine there might be a golden mine ; which is very probable : for if thofe excrements that nature expelleth forth be fo pure, namely, fmall pieces that are found upon the gravel at the foot ot the rock, when it is Tow water, there is no doubt that the metal which is in the bowels of the earth is much more perfect -, but this is a work that requireth time. The lirlt mining and working is to have bread, wine and cattle, as we have faid elfe-where. Our felicity confifteth not in mines, elpaially of gold and filver, the which iervc for nothing in the tillage of the ground, nor to handicrafts u(e. Contrarywile, the abundance of them is but a charge ami burthen, that keepeth man in perpetual unquiet, and the more he hath thereof, the lefs reft enjoyeth he, and his life lelTer allured unto him. Before the voyages of Peru, great riches might have been letup in a fmall place ;in- fteadot that, in this ouruge, by theabund- ance of gold and filver, the fame is come at no value or eftecm : one hath need of huge chelh and coffers to put in that, which a fmall budget might have con- t lined : one might have travelled with a purfe in one's fleevc, and now a doak- VOL. II. bag and a horle mult expredy be hail for that purpoie. «» We may jiiitly ciirfe the ♦' hour, that the greedy av;iricc jlid carry " the Spaniard into the weft, for the wo- " ful events that have enl'ued thereof. For " when I conlidcr, that by hisKrecdinefshe " luith kimlledaiid maintained the war tho- " rough all Chriftendom,and his only ftudy " h.ith been how to deftroy his neighbours »' (and not the Turk) I cannot think that " any other but the tievil hath been the " author of their voy.iges. And let not " the pretence of religi(jn l)c alledgcd unto " me i for (as we have faid elle- where) *• they have killed all the offspring of the " country with the moil inhuman tor- •' ments tiiat the devil hath l)een able " to excogitate. And by tlnir cruelties " have renuircd the name of God odious, ** and a name of offence to thofc poor " people; and hi!Ve continually and daily " blalphemed him in the midft of the " Cientile.s, as the prophet reproacheth to •' the people of Ifrael : witnefs him that " had rather be damned, than to go the " paradile of the Spaniards" Ihe Romans (whole covetouhu fs hath been unfatiablej have made cruel wars to the nations of the earth, but the Spanijh cruelties are not to be found out in their hiftories. They have contented themfelvcs to ranfack the nations which they have overcome, anil not to deprive them of their lives. An ancient heathenifh author^ making trial of his poetical humour, findeth no greater crime in them, but that if they found out or dilcovercd fome people that had gold, they took them for their ene- mies. The verfes of this author have lb good a grace, that I muft needs infert them here, though I intend not to alledge much latin. Orbemjam latum Komanus vithr habebut, i^ti mare, qua terra, quit JiJus currit utrumque. Nee fatiatus erat, gravidis freta pul/a carinis Jam peragrabantur : _fiqnis finus abditus ultra. Si qua foret tellus qua fulvum mitteret aurum, Hoftis erat : fatifquein trijiia bellaparatis ^icrebantur opes. Petronius Arbiter. But thedodtrine of the wife fon ofSiracb U-acheth us a contrary thing. For know- ing that the riches which are digged up, even from as deep as Pluto's dens, are that which fome one hath faid, irrita- menta malorum, he declared, that man to be happy that hath not run after gold, and hath not put his hope injilverand treafures % adding, that he ought to be efteemed to havi done inniiicrful things among all his people, 9 S and 802 iJwmoi.J TiMk>- y7 Deftription of New France. flWr/ to hf ihf exomtiU efglory^ vihUb hath l)ttn lemPlfd tygolti, atid rmained perfKI. Anil fo ny a contrary li niV, the l.unc to br unluppy that lioth «)thirwilV. Now to return to our mines. Among theic copper rocks, there arc found lomc- tiines Imall rocki covered with diamomis fixid to them : I will not afliirc them tor Hne, hit that is very pleafing to the fight. There are alio certain Ihining blue llonev, whicii are ot no lei's value or worth thin 'Tid'Ky (loius. Monf. de Champdore, uv.r guide for the navigations in thole KUiiuries, having cut within a rock one o( tiiolc rtoncs, at his riturn trom Nnv- hiiHce, he brake it in two, and uavr onr part ol it to Monl. de Monti, the other to Monl. de Poulrimourt, which they made to Ik- put in gold, ami were tound worthy to be prelcntal, the one lo the king, by the laid Pciitnmotirt, the other to the tjuccn by the laid Je Monti, anil wen very well accepted. I remcmlH rthat a uolilliuith ilid oiler fifteen crowns to mi.mi.de PoutriMiourl lor that lieprel'ented to his ni.iji.fty. rJKre be many other le- crets, rare and fairthin^s within theBround of thole countries, which are yet unknown unto us, and will come to the knowKi.^c and evidence by inlubiting the province. I CHAP. IV. 77r iicfcrlption of the river St. John, and of the ijlc St, Croix. river. V inc.-. Abiiml- ancc of lilhci. H.\ V I N G viewed the faid mine, the company palled to the other fide of the /i't-wfit bay, .uulwcnt towards the bot- tom of the fame ; then turning back came to the river of iV. John, fo called, as I think, becaufc they arrived thither the four and twentieth day ol June, wiiicli is St. John Biiptijl's day. There is a fair port, but tile entry or mouth is danger- ous to them that know not the bcft ways, becaufc that before the coming in, there is a long bank of rocks, which are not feen nor difcovered but only at low water, which do I'erve as lor defence to this port, within which, when one hath gone about a league there is found a violent fall of the faid ri- ver, which lallcth down from the rocks, when that the fca doth ebb, with a mar- /elous nolle ; for being fometimes at an .mchor at fea, we have heard it from a- bove twelve leagues off; but at full fea one may pafs it with great (hips. This river is one of the faireft that may be feen, havingftorcof illands, andfwarming with tillus. This laft year, 1608, the faid Monf. de Champdore, with one of the faid Monl. ds Mcnt'& men, hath been fome fifty leagues up the faid river, and do wit- nels that there is great quantity of vines a- Jong the (hore, but the g'rapes are not fo big as tiiey be in the country of the Ar- mouchiquoh ; there are alfo onions, and ma- ny other forts of good herbs. As for the trees they are the faireft that may be feen. When we were there we faw great num- ber of cedar trees. Concerning fiflies the faid Chtimpdore hath related unto us, that putting the kettle over the fire, they had taken fifh fulRcient for their dinner before that tlir water was hot. Moreover this river, Itrctching itfelf far within the lands of the favages, doth marvcloully Ihorten the long travels by means thereof. For in fix days they go to Giifl}epe, coming to the bay or gulpli oiChaieur, or heat wlien they are at the end of it, in carrying tlieir canoes fome few leagues ; and by the lame river, in eight days, they go to Tadeufar, by a branch of the fame which comtth from the north weft, in fuch fort, that in Port Royal one may have, within fifteen or eighteen days news from the Frenrb- men dwelling in the great river of Canada, by thefe ways, which could not be done in one month by lea, nor without dan- ger. Le.iving St. John'i river, they came The inc of following the coaft, twenty leagues from st. (.'.,, that place, to a great river, which is pro- twenty perly fea, where they fortified themfelves 'l-'-ig^cs in a little idand feated in the midft of this 't"]"./^!. river, which the faid Champdore had been \„. to difcover and view -, and feeing it ftrorg by nature, and of eafy defence and keep- ing, befidcs that the feafon began to Hide away, and therefore it was behoveful to provide of lodging, without running any farther, they relolved to make their abode there. I will not fift out curioully the rea- fons of all parts upon the refolution of this their dwelling ; but I will always be of opinion, that whofoever goes into a coun- try to poflefs it, muft not ftay in the ides, there tbbcaprifonen tor, before all things the culture and tillage of the ground muft be regarded ; and I would fain know how one (hould till and manure it, if it behov- eth at every hour in the morning, at noon and the evening, to crofs a great pafliige of water, to go for things requifite from the firm land. And if one feareth the e- nemy, how (hall he that huHundeth the land, or otherwife bufy in necefiary affairs, favc himfclf, if he be purfued •» for one findeth I I I A Defiription of New France. 803 findftli not always a boat in hand in time ol np« (I, nor two mfn toroniluCt it; Ixliilcs, our lite requiring many comnKKlitics, .in illindisnotfit lortobegin tljctUablilhnicnt andfcrat of au)lony,unld"stlKri-bi'airraits anil ilrcams ol (Wiit water tor to ilrink, and to lupply otlicr ncafTariis in lioiil- hold, wliich is not ill I'lnjll illaml^ \ tiu-rc net-dcth wocxl tor tuci, wluih alto is not there y but aKivi all, tlurc nni(l W- llul- ters Irom thf luntlul winds and cold, whicli IS hardly toundin a fmallcontinrnt, cnvironnl with water on all tides. Ni ver- thclefs the loinpany fojoiirned there in the midtl ot a broad river, where the north ■wind and north well blowethat will \ and becaule, that two leagues higher there be brwjks that come crot's-wir- to tall within this 1 irge branch ot" the (i-a, the ille ot the h'rtnihmtH\ retreat was called St. CVis/.r, twenty live leagues diftantlrom/*or/-A!t>y- al. Whillt that they begin to cut down cedars, and other trees ot the laid ille, to make neceflary buildings, let us return to feck out mailer Nicholas //uin, loft in the wootls, which long time fiiitc is holden for dead. As they began to vifit and fearch the ifland, Monf. de CbampJire, of whom wc dial 1 henceforth make mention, bccaufc he dwelt four years in ihofc parts, con- ducing the voyages made there, was lent back to the bay of St. Mtiry, with a mine- finder, that had been carried thither lor to get tome mines of filver and iron, which Jj,^"^^'°f they did; and as they had crolTed the i/! A/rt. V ^'ff'^ bay, they entered into the faid bay where tia- of Si. Mary, by a narrow ftrcight or pal- fage, which is between the land of Port- Royalt and an illand called tiic Lcng ijle., where after fomc abode, they going a fi th- ing, the faid yliibri perceived them, and began with a feeble voice to call as loud as Tie could ; and tor to help his voice he advifed himiclf to do as Ariadne did here- tofore to Thefeus ; Candidaque impofui longa velamina virga. Scilicet cblitos admonitura mei : for he put his handkercheif and his hat on a llatTs end, which made him better to be known ; for as one of them heard the voice, and aflced the reft of the com- pany if it might be the faid Monf. /iu- pri, they mocked and laughed at it, but after they had fpied the moving of the handkerchief ana of the hat, then they began to think that it might be he ; and coming near, they knew pcrfeftly it was himfelt, and took him in their bark with great joy and contentment, the fixteenth day after he had loft himfelf. Divers in this latter age have ftufTed their books and lol) mail w.a:. found again. Lung ifle. hillories wiili many mir.icli«, wiirrnn \% not to Iv tiKiiul lb great ciiife ot adiuir.i- tion as is tills i tor durini' tlieli fixteui days he ted liiniKit but by, t know not wii,.t, Imall tiuirt, like unto cherries, without,. Kirnel, yn not to ili iie.itc, wIikIi arc liaiiely loiiiid 111 tiiole \vi)Oi.ls. And in- deeil 111 tJK I'c lall voy.ijjcs a l"|VTial yrace and favour ol 1 jod hatji Ix-en cviddit in many occuirrnces, which we will nuiik as occafion Ih.ill be ortim!. 'llie poor //«- /-;■/, I call linn lo by nafonof liisatHK.lioM, w.is, as one may e.ifily think, niarveloul ly wr.ikeiiid ; tlxy g.ive him 1o than any other. Do not alkdge unto m- tin: hiltory of the miid of Confolana, in the country ot Poi^Uii, whuh was two years without eutinir, tome fix year« agoj nor ol another near Berne in Swifferland, which loft, not yet full ten years ago, the delirc and appetite of eating, during all her life-time i and other like examples j for they be accidents happened by tlie dil- ordenng of nature \ and concerning that which Pliny reciteth, lib. vii. cap. i. that in the remotell parts of the Indies, in the inferior parts of the fountain an I fpriny of the river Ganges, rhere is a nation of /ijlotns, tliat is to fay, mouthlefs people, th.it live but with the only odi-ur and exhalation of certain roots, flowers, and fruits, which they alUiine tlirou|!;li their notes; I would hardly believe it, but would think rather that in frntlling th.y might bite very well of tlic faid roots and fruits ; as alio thofe that James y^tirticr mcntioneth to have no mouths, and to e.it nothiiif;, by the report of the lavage Do- nacona, whom he brought into France to make recital thereof to the king, with o- ther things as void of common I'enfc and credit as that. But imagine it were true, fuch people have their nature difpofed to this manner of living, and this cafe is not alike. For the faid Aubri wanted no fto- mach, nor appetite, and hath lived fix- tecn days, partly nouriftied by fome nutri- tive force, which is in the air of that coun- try, and partly by thofe fmall fruits before fpoken of, God havinggivcn him ftrength to endure this long want of food, preferv- ing him from the Hep of death : which I find ftrange, and is fo indeed. But in the hiftories * of our times there be found things of greater marvel ; among other things, of one Henry de Hajfeld, merchant, trafticking from the low countries to Berg, m • Jthn H'itr in his treatif« Dt J.jiiiiUt Ommtiit. 8o4 A Defcription of New France. m in iVtrziv/v, who having Iieard a belly-god preacher' ipcaking ill ot the miraculous tails, as though it wtre not in God's po- wer to do that which hehathdone in times palt, provoked by it, did elTay to taft, iiiul abrtained himlllf three days from eat- ing ; at the end wliercof, being pinched witii hunger, tookjaniorlll of bread, mean- ing to Iwallow It down with a glal's of beer, but all that iluck fo in his throat, that ho remained forty ilays and forty nights without cither eating or drinking ; that time being ended, he vomited out by the moutli that which he had eaten and drunk, whicii all that while remained in his throat. So long an abftinencc weak- ned him in fuch fort , that it was needful to i'uftain and reftore iiim with milk. The governor of the country having undcr- Itood this wonder, called him before him, and enquired of the truth of the matter -, whereof being incredulous, would make new trial of it, and having made him carefully to be kept in a chamber, found the tiling to be true. This man is praifed tor great piety, efpecially towards the poor. Some time after being come tor his private affairs to Brufeh in Brabant, a creditor of his, to bereave him of his due, accufed him of herefy, and fo caufcd liim to be burned in the year 1545. And fince one of the canons of the city of Liege, making trial of his ftrength in fafling, having continued the f^'me even to the feventeenth day, felf himfelf fo weakened, thatunlefs he had been fudden- ly fuccoured by a good reftorative, he had quite perifhed. A young maid of Buchold, in the ter- ritory of Munjier, in JVeftphalia, afflifted with grief of mind, and unwilling to flir or go abroad from home, was beaten by her mother for the fame, which re- doubled her dolour, in fuch fort, that hav- ing loft her natural relV, was four months without either drinking or eating, faving that fometimes (he did chew Ibme roafted apple, and walhedJier mouth with a little Ptifan. The ecclefiaflical hiftories*, among a great number of faflers, make mention of three holy hermits, all named Simeon, which did live in llrange aufterity and long falls, as of eight days, and fifteen days continuance, yea longer, not having for .ill their dwelling but a column or hermit- age where they dwelt and led their lives, byreafon whereof they were named Stelites, that is to fay Columnaries, as dwelling on pillars. Bur all thefe before alledged, had part- ly relblved themfelves to fuch falls, and partly h.id by little and little accuftotftcd themfelves to it, fo that it was not very ftrange for them to fail lb long, which was not in him of whom we fpeak, and therefore his fafl is the more to be admired by lb much as that he had not in any wife difpofed himfelf thereto, and had not ufed thtle long aufteritics. After he had been cherifhed, and they fojourned yet fome time, to order the bu- finefs, and to view the lands round about the ille St. Croix, motion was made to fend back the (hips into France before winter, and lb they that went not thither to winter prepared themfelves for the return. 'I'he mean while the favages from about all their confines came to fee the manners of the Frencbmen,and lodged themfelves wil- lingly near them lalfo in certain variances which happened amongft themfelves, they did make Monf. de Monts judge of their debates, which is a beginning of vo- luntary fubjeftion, from whence a hope may be conceived, that thefe people will foon conform themfelves to our manner of living. Amongft other things happened before „,, , the departing of the faid Ihips, it chanced (^^r, au- one day, that a favage called Bituani, thority in finding good rclifli in the kitchen of the marriage, faid Monf. de Monts, fettled himfelf therein, doing there fome fervice •, and yet did make love to a maid, by way of marriage, the which not being able to have with the good liking and confent of her father, he ravilhed her, and took her to wife. Thereupon a great quarrel enfucth, and in the end the maid was taken away from him, and returned to her father's. A very great debate was like to follow, were it not that Bituani complainingto the faid Monf. de Monts for this injury, the others came to defend their caule, laying, to wit, the father alTifted with his f.iends, that he would not give his daughter to a man, unlefs he had Ibm^, means by his in- duftry to nourifli and maintain both her and the children thatfhould proceed of the marriage -, as for him he faw not any thing he could do, that he loitered about the kit- chen of the faid Monf. de Monts, not excercifing himfelf in hunting j finally, that he Ihould not have the maid, and ought to content himfelf with that which was paft. The fiud Monf. de Monts having heard both parties, told them, that he detained him not, and that the faid Bitu- ani was a diligent fellow, and (hould go a hunting tomakeproof of what he could do. But yet for all that they did not re- ftore the maid unto him, until he fhewed effedlually that which the faid Monf. de E'vagriu!, lib. i. chap. j. of the ccclefialligal Jiiftory. BanniKs upon the Martyal. Rom. ix. Janu. v-/ Defer iption of New France. Storf nf faliiion. Bc.ivcr^. €•••171 arc hcaii.bce; linielets, or (iich tr:ni;i:.. (if MoiUs lia>l promifcd oFhim. Finally, hegoeili a filniiig, lakcth great ilorc of r.ilmons, the maid 13 reddivcral him, and the next day following he came, cloatiud with a fair new gown of bf.ivers, well let on with A/j/iii'/&/(/J*,tothe lort wliieh was then a building for the freiuhmen, bring- ing his wife with him, as triumphing tor the vlclory, having gotten lu r as it were by dint of fword, wnom he hath ever fince loved dearly, contrary to the cullom of the ether favag; s, giving us to underlUmd th; Lthtrly authority, and the hufband's indullry; a thing which I have much ad- mired, feeing, that in our Chrilliancinui.li, by I kncAv not whatabule, men have lival many age.-, during which the fatherly au- tiiority hath Lx-en defpifed and ll t at nauglir , until that the ecclelialtical conventions h..vc o-pened their eyis, and known that the lame was even againll nature itfelf, and that our kings by laws and etlicls have re- eltabliflied in his iorce this I'atlierly autho- rity, whi;:h notwithftanding in fpiritual that tlu' thing whicli is g(itten with pain, marriages and vows of religion hath no ou'>;ht to be much clicnlhed. Hy this action we fee the two moft con- fuier.ible points in matter of marriage to be obfeiveil among thefe people, guided only by the law of nature, that is to fay. yet recovered his ancient glory, and hath in thisrefped, his prop but upon the courts of parliament's orders, the which often- times have conflraincd the detainers of children, to reftore them to their parents. 8oq ^he fa hers au- liority in narriage. C H A P. v. Jrfdription (J tbc ijliUrl of 6i. V.xo'xx cj'ittidi d : ll.'c cnti^'-pi izc r,f Mo'if. iMonti d'.tiicuh and "••:-:ro:ii. Uc Dc'irip tioii ol :iK' iilc'of.-V. Bl'. FO R K wc fpcak of the fliip's re- turn into h'raiicc, it is meet to tell you how hard the ill{;of^'/. CVw'.v is tobefound oiit, to th-in that were never there ; lor there are fo many ides and great bays to go by, before one be at it, tiiat I wonder how ever one miglu pierce fo far tor to lind it. Tiiere arc tliree or four moun- tains, imminent above the others, on the fides; but on the north fide, from whence the river runi; th down, there is but a iliarp-pouiied one, above two leagues dif- tant. i'h.; woods of the main land are fair, and adnfir.ible high and well grown, as in like manner is the grafs. There arc riglit over agiinft the iiland frelh water- brooks, very pleafant and agreeable, where divers of Monf. de Mon.'s's men did their bufinefs, and built there certain cabins. As for tlic nature of the ground it is moft excellent and moft abundantly fruitiul; for the faid Monf de Monts having caufed there tome piece of ground to be tilled, and the fame lowed witii rye, tor I have feen there no wheat, he was not able to tarry for t'lc maturity thereof to reap it; and notwithttanding, the grain, fallen, hath grown and increafed fo won- derfully, that two years after we reaped antl dill gather of it, as fair, big, and weighty, as any in France, which the foil had brought forth withoutany tillage, and yet at this prefent it doth continue Itill to multiply every year. The faid iiland con- taineth fome half a league of circuit, and at the end of it on the fea fide, there is a mount or fmall hill, which is, as it were, a little ifle fevered from the other, where Vol. II. Monf. (!e Af!i,'.*''< cannon was placed ; there i^ .ilfo a little cliapel buih after the lavage tathion ; attheiuot of which chapel th( re is iurii Itore ol miilcles as is won- Score of derful, which may be gathered at low wa- niuklo. ter, but rhey are Imall; 1 believe that MoTif. (/• Monts'-i people did not forget to chufe a.il take the biggeft, and Ktt there but the fmall ones to grow and increafe. As for the cxercifeand occupations of our Frenchmen., during the time of tlieir abode there, we will mention it briefly, ha\ing firft conducted back our fliips into France. The lea and maritime charges in fuch entcrprizcs as that of Monf. de Mouts, be to great, that he who hath not a good ftock and foundation fliall eafily link un- der liich a burden -, .and for to fupply, in fome tort, thofe cxpences, one is forced to fufl^er and bear infinite difcommodities, and put himfelf indangcrto bedifcredited among unknown people, and which is worfe, in a land which is unmanured, and all overgrown with forefts ; wherein this action is the more generous, by fo much as the peril is more evidently dangerous : and notwithfianding all this, fortune is not left unattempted, and to tread down to many thorns that ftop t!ic way. Monf. de MoHts\ thips returning into France, he remaineth in a detblate place, with one bark and one boat only, and though he is promifed to be fent for home at the end of the year, who may alTure himfelf of /Eulus\ and Neptune's fideUty, two evil, furious, unconftant and unmerciful mat- ters ? beholii the eftate whereunto the laid Monf". de Monti reduced himfelf, hav- 9 T iug 8o6 A Defci'iption of New France. The re- turn of M JfP-jUfin iiurt into ing !vid no help of tlu- king, as have had all tliolV voyages that havcbscn litrctofore d. Icrilxil, txccpt tlie lite lord marquis de b Roihc"^, and yrt it is he that hath done inort- than all the reft, not having yit loft his hold: but in the end ' fear he Hiall be lonftrained to give over and forfake all, to the great flianie and reproach ot the I'renih name, which by this means is made ridiculous and a by-word to other nations -, for, as thovigh one woulil ot fet purp.ofe oppofe iiimlelf to the converfion of tliefj poor wefterly people, and to the fettin^; i'orward of the glory of God and the kn-gs, there be men ftart up llill of (irtiriic and e)n.yt men wliich would not give a ftroke.or dra-.v' their fwords forthe king's fcrvice, as Monf. Jg Poutrin- icurl, ftiewed one day to his majeftyi men which would not endure the leaft labour in the world for the honour of God, which do hiix'cr that any prolit be drawn trom the very province itl'elf, to furnilh to tiiat which is necilVary to theeftabliihment of fucii a work, ciuifuig rather tliat Englijh- vicn and Hollcndns reap the profit thereof, t!ian Frenchmefi, and leeking to nuke the name of God unknown in thofe parts ot the world ; and luch men, which have no fear of Gud, for if they had any they would he zealous of his name, are heard, believed, and carry away tilings at their pleafurc. Now let us prepare and hoift up fails. Monf. de Peidrimotiri made the voyage into thefe parts \\ ith fome men of good iort, not to winter theie, but as it were to find out a land that might like him ; which he having done, had no need to fojourn there any longer. So then the Ihips being ready for the return, he Ihip- ped himfelf, and tliofe of his company, in one of them. The mean while the lame was from all fides in tiiele parts, ot the woiiders made in OjJeiui, then befieged by llieir highnefs of Flanders, already three years palled. The voyage was not with- out Itorms and great perils ; tor amongft others, I will rtcite two or three which might be placed among miracles, were it not that the fea accidents are frequent enough, not that I will, for all that, dark- en the fpeeial favour tiiat God hath al- ways fhewed in thel'c voyages. The firft is of a guft of wind, which in the midft of their n.ivigation came by n^ht inftantly to ftrike in the fails, with fuch a violent boiftcroufnefs, tiiat it ovc rturned the Ihip, in fuch manner, that of the one part the kctl vv;is on the face ot the water, and the fail Iwimming upon it, without any means or time to right it, or to loofe the tack! r. On the fuddcn the fea is all on fire, and the mariners themlilves all wet, and did feem to be all compalled with tlames, lit furious was the feaj the tailors c.iU this fire St. Goiidrans fire; and by ill fortune, in this fudden furprife, there was not a knife to be tbund tor to cut the cables or tke fail. The poor fliip during this cafualty, rem.iined overturned, carried continually, one while upon moun- tains of waters, then another while funken down even to hell. Briefly every one did prepare to drink more than his belly full, to all his friends, when a new blaft of wind came, which rent the fail in a thou- fand pieces, ever after unprofitable to any ufe. Happy fail! having by his ruin laved all this people ; for if it had been a new one, they had been caft away, and never news had been heard of them. But God iloth often try his people, andbring- eth them even to death's door, to tlie end they may know his powerful might and fear him. So the lliip began to tfir, and rife again by little antl little j and well it was tor them that the was deep keel'd, tor if it had been a fly boat with a flat bottom and broad belly, it iiad been quite over- turned upfidc down, but the ballaft, wliich remained beneath, did help to ftir her up- right. The fecond was at Crtfquet, an ifle or rock in the tbrm ot a calk, between France and England, on which there is no dwelling, being come within tliree leagues of the fame, there was fome jea- loully between the mailers of the Ihip, an evil which oftentimes delfroyeth both men and fair enterprises, the one faying that they might double well enough the faid Cafqttet, another that they could not, and that it behoved to caft a little from the right courfe for to pafs under the ifland. In this cafe the worft was that one knew not the hour of the day, becaufe it was dark by realbnof mifts, and by confequence they knew not if it did ebb or flow ; for if it had been flood, they had eafily dou- bled it; but it chanced that it was turning water, and by that means the ebb did hin- der it ; lb that approaching the faid rock, they law no hope to fave themfelves, and that they neceflarily muft go ftrike againtl it. Then every one began to pray to God, to crave pardon one of another, and, for their laft comfort, to bewail one another. Mereupon captain Rojfignol, whofe (liip was taken in iVifTO France, as we have faid before, tircw out a great knife, to kill therewith captain Timothy, governor of this prefent voyage, faying to him, doft thou not content thyfelf to have undone me, but wilt thou needs yet caft me here away? but he was held and kept from do- ing that he was about to do ; and in very truth it was in him great folly, yea great madriefs, to go about to kill a man that was going to die, and he, that went to give the blow, in the fame peril. In the end A Defcription of New France. 807 Their re- turn to end as they went to ftrike upon the rock Monf. de Poutrincourt, who had already yielded his Ibiil and recommenilcd his family toGod, afkcd of him that was at the top if there were any hopes, who told there was none : then he bad fonie to help him to change the fails, which two or three only did, and already was there no more water but to turn the fhip, when the mercy and lavour of God came to ^elp them, and turned the fhip from the perils wherein they faw themfelvts. Some had put ofF their doublets for to feek to fave themfelves by climbingupon the rock, but the fear was all the h.uni they had for that time, faving that few iio'.irs after, being arrived near to a rock called Le nid a L'a^le, the eagle's neft, they iliought to go board it, thinking in the darknefs of the mill it had been a fliip, from whence b?ing again efcaped, they arrived at Newhaven, the place from whence they firll fet out. The laid Monf. de Poutrincourt having left his armours and provilions of war in the ifle of St. Croix, irt the keeping of the faid Monf. de Monts, as a gage and token of the good will he had to return hither. But I may yet fet down here a marvel • lous danger, from which the fame veffe! was preferved, a little after the departing from St. Croix, and this by a fad accident which God turned to good : for a certain tippling fellow being by night ftealingly come down to the bottom ot the fliip tor to drink his belly full, and to fill his bottle with wine, he found that there was but too mach to drink, and that the faid fhip was already half lull of w.iter, in fuch fort, that the peril was imminent, and they had inlinite pains to (tanch her by pumping. In the end, being come about they found a great leak, by the keel, which they ftopt with all dilis;ence. CHAP. VI. T/je liuilJings of the ijle St. Croix. Uiihioivn fickncfs, &c. at. Cioi.\ The T'^URING the forefaid navigation, buildings Y^ Monf. de Alonts\ people did work mthriilcof .(i^Qyt thg (-0ft^ which he feated at the end of the ifland oppofite to the place where he had lodg(.d his cannon : which was wifely confkltred, 10 the entl to command the ri- ver 11]) and down : but there was an incon- venience ; the faid icrt did lie towards the noith, and without any flielter, but of the trees that were on the ille (hore, which all alwut he commanded to be kept, and not cut down. And out of the fame fort was the Swit/ers lodginrr, [\rcat and large, and other fmall lotlgini^-, reprefenting, as it were, a lliburb. Some had houfed them- felves on t!ie hrm land, near the brook. But within the tort was Monf. (/i'M?«/j's lodg- ing, made with very fair and arriticial car- pentry wcrk, with the banner of France upon the tame. At another part was the llorehoull.-, wherein confitted the fafety and life of eveiy one, likewife made fair with carpentry work and covered with reed*. Right over-againft the f aid ftorehoufc, were the lodgings and houfes of thefe gentlemen, Monf. D'oruiile, Monf. Cbiimplein, Monf. Champdore, and other men of reckoning. Oppofite to Monf de Monti's faid lodging there was a gallery covered tor to exercife themfelves, either in play, or tor the work- men in time of rain. And between the faid fort and the platform, where lay the cannon, all was full of gardens, whereunto every one exercifed himfelf willingly. AH autumn quarter was pafled on thefe works, and it was well for them to have lodged themfelves, anil to manure the ground of the ifland before winter ; whilft that in thefe parts pamphlets were fet out under the name of mailer Guillaume, Huffed with all forts of news : by the which, amongd other things, this prognofticaror did fay, Monf. de Monts did pull out thorns in Ca- nada: and all well confidered, it may well be termed the pulling outof thorns, to take in hand fuch enterprizis, full of toils and continual perils, with cares, vexations, and difcommodities. But virtue and courage that overcometh all thefe things, makes thofe thorns to be but gilliflowers and rofcs, to them that rcfolve themfelVesin thefe he- roical adlions to make themfelves praife- worthy and famous in the memory of men, defpifing the vain pleafures of delicate and effeminated men, good fornothing but to coffer themfelves in a chamber. The mod urgent things being done, and Three dif- hoary fnowy father being come, that is to commodi- fay, winter, then they were forced to keep '"^^ '""'"' within doors, and to live every one at his 5 "cm>. own home : during which time, our men had three ipecial difcommodities in this ifland, viz. want of wood (for that which was in the faid ifle, was fpent in buildings) lackof frefli water, and the continual watch, made by night, fearing foine furprifc from th(<> 8o8 yl Dcfcriptiori of New France. hi? ihc (hv.-'ges, that liad loilged themftlvcs at tlicfooiot the r.iiil iflaiiil, or fomc other eiK-my : for the malethction and rage of m.iny Chrilhans is tuch, tliat one miiil take had of ihem mucli more than oi intidtrls. A ihiny which grievethnie to fpeak: wo )ld to Ctod I were a liar in tiiis relpsft, and tliat I had no caiilc to Ipcak it! wiien they liad ntrdof watiT or wood, they were con - (trained to crol's over the iivcr,whichisrhri':e 1 i-r rivci as broad on every fide as the river ^xame, of,?;..'/. It was a thing painiul and tedious, in fmii fort that it was needflil to keep the huat a whole day, before one miyht jjet necelVa- i:t>. In the mean while, tlie cold and Ihows came upon them, and the ice lb (Iron;^, that the cytler was frozen in the villtis, and every one liis nieafure was given him out by weight. As for wine, it was ditbibutcd but at certain days of the week. Many ivile (luggifli companions drank fnow water, not willing to take the Unknown pains to (Tofs the river. Briefly, the un- fickr.cilb. knov.n fu kneffi-s, like to thofe I'efcribcd iin:o lis by "j.unci ':^iarl\cr in his relation, airdled us i for remedies there were none !o be found : in the mean while, the poor Ui.k cre.'Hires di.i liir.~:ilh, pining away by liitlc ;.-,r want of fweet meals, r.s milk or fpocii-mea' lor to fuflain dieir llomachs, which could not receive the hard meats, by rca.bn of let, proceedir.g from a rotten fltfli vvhicli grew and over-abounded within their mouths -, and when one thought to root it our, it did grow again in one night's fpace 11101C abund.u-.tly than before. As for the tree called JaneJtia, mentioned by tlu'taid f^uiiiier, the fav.-.gesof thefe lands know it not -, in that ic was mofl pitiful to behold every one, very few excepted, in this mifery, and the miferable fick folks to the, as It were full of life, without any pofTbility to be fuccoured. There died of this ficknefs thirty-fix, and thirty-fix or forty more, that were llricken with it, re- covered themfclves by the help of the fpring, as foon as the comfortable fealbn appealed. But the deadly fealbn for that Danger- ficknefs is in the end oi January, the months of February and March, wherein moll commonly the fick do die, every one in his turn, according to the time they have be- gun to be fick : in fuch fort, that he which began to be ill in February and March, may efcape, but he that fhall over-haflc himfclf, and lietake hiin to his bed in Be- icmber and January, lie is in danger to die in February, March, or the beginning of ylpril, which time being pafled, lie is in good iiope, and as it were affured of his fafety. Notwithftanding fome have felt fome touch thereof, having been fharply handled with it. Monl. de Mor.ts being returned into moiith: Frau-e, did confiilt with our doflors of phylic upon the fiekncl's which, iii my opinion, they foiin.f \ < i y iilw and unknown, for I do not fee, that wlien we went away, our apothecary was charged with any or- lier lor tlic cure thereof : notwithftanding it feeineth that IJippQcra.'cs hith had certain knowledge of it, or at lealf oi' (bir.e thac w.is very like to it. For in the b>H)k Je iiiU'i i.h ajfr.^f. he fpeaketh of a ceitain ma- lady, where the belly, and afterward tlie (pl.'ii du Iweli a:id li.'.rden ittcif, and leel grievous and (li.irp gripes -, the (kin be- comcth black and pale, drawing towards the colour of a green pomegranate ; the ears and gums do render and yield a bad ("cent, the (aid gums disjoining themfelves from the teeth •, the legs full of blifters, the limbs are weakened, i^c. But efpccially the northerly people, are N'onlinly more ("abjedt to it than ot!ur more lixitherlv r'-'^^r''" nations : witnefs, the IFLwdcrs, Frirfiaul ^'rf? men, and otiicrs tlicrcabout, amonglt whom liiiiari- tf the laid HoI'muIu i do write in their tiavi- .v.-.' gations, that going to the F.jJ}-hh'.'::s\'.\M-\y F'-"':"- of them were t.;!; 'ii with the fame dileafc, being upon the coalt of Gu'trey ; a danger- 0.13 coall, bearing a pcfliferous air a hun- dred ie. g'les fiir in the ia.i : and the fame, 1 mean tile //.."i/./itrj, b ing, in the year i Lo6, gone upon the road of S/r.in, to keep the latr.e coaft, and to annoy th.e Spa- ):ij7j r.avy, were conltrai.ned to withdraw themfelves by rcalbii of tliis difeafe, hav- ing tall into the lea two and-twcnty of their dead. And if one will hear the witntls of Olaus Afii^nu.', writing of the northerly nations, of which part him.felf was, let him hearken to his report, which is this : There is, faith he, yet another tnart'uil fuk- iiefs ( hat is, a ficknefs that affiicleth them ivbn follow the "-Kvars) ti'hith tenncnteth and afni^eth them that are befiegcd, fuch I'.koje limhi thickened by a certain fiefljy heavinef\ and by a corrupted blood, "which is betzveea the flejh and thejlin, dilating itfelf like wax ; they fnk zvith the leaft iinpnjnon made en them liitb the finger ; and dtsjoineth the teeth as ready to fallout ; chan^eth the white colour of the fkin into blew, and catfetb a benumb- ing, vu'.'.u a di'lnfe to t.ike phxfuk ; a>hi that dijeaje is called in the vulgar tongue of the country Sorbet, in Greek Ka.yjl>x, ter- adveniure, becaufe of this putrifying Jrftnefs which is under the jkin, which feemcth to proceed of indigejling and fait meats, a>.d to be continued by thecdd exhalation of the zvalls : but It fljall not have fo much force icbere the hotifes are inward wainfcolted ivifh boards. If tt continue longer, ii mtift b: driven out by taking every day wormwoor., as one ex- ^ r. cili pellethcut the root rf the /lone, by a decoHion '^"■'' •>"■ of Hale beer drauK with 'butter. The fame ""•' '^""'■■ author do:h yci fay, in artother place, a thing ii A Defcription of New France. 809 frurvj pit- ;0t to Jiiid aft- tf I thing much to be noted : In the bei^mnng^ faith he, they fufta'm the fiege with force, but in the end, the foldier being by continuance weakened^ they take away the povijiotu jrom the invaders by artificial means, fub- (ilties, andambu/hments, efpecially the Jleep, which they carry away, and make them to grafs in grajfy places of their boufes^ for fear that through want of frefh meats they fall into the lotbfimeft ficknefs of all fick- Sfhit, oTiieffes, called in the country language Sorbiit, l/jut is to fay, a wounded Jlomacb, dried by cruel torments and long anguifhes ; for the cold and indigefling meats, greedily taken, feem to be the true caufe of this ficknefs. I have delighted myfelf to recite here the very words of this author, becaufe he fpeaketh thereof as being (kilful, and fets lorth fufficiently enough the land difcafeof l^evj France, faving that he maketh no mention of the ftifflning of the hams, nor of a fuperfluoiis flefh which groweth and aboundeth within the mouth ; and that if one think to take it away it incrcafeth ftill ; but well fpeaketh he of the bad llomach. For Monf. de Poutrincourt made a negro to be opened, that died of that ficknefs all other water-birds : for in being an over- curious obfcrvator of thefe things, one might tall into the danger of ftarving, and die for hunger. They place yet among the meats that are to be ihunned, biflcet, beans, and pulfc, the often uflng of milk, cheefe -, the grofs and harfli wine, and that which is too fmall, white wine, and the ufe of vinegar *, beer which is not well fod- den, nor well fcummed, and that hath not hops enough ; alfo waters that run through L'ad wa> rotten wood, and thofe of lakes and bogs •, '"^'^ ftill and corrupted waters, fuchasare much in Holland and Friefland, where is obferv'd that they of Amflerdam are more fubjedb to p.ilfies and ftiffening of finews than they of Rotterdam, for the abovefaid caufe of ftill and fleepy waters ; which, bclides, do in- gender dropfies, dyfentcries, fluxes, quar- tan agues, and burning fevers ; fweilings, ulcers of the lights, Ihortnefs of breath, ruptures in children, fwelling in the veins, fores in the legs : finally, they wholly be- long to the difeafc whereof we fpeak, be- ing drawn by the fpleen, where they leave all their corruption. Sometimes this ficknefs doth alfo come in our voyage, who was found to have the by a vice, which is even in waters of run- Ciufes of thefaiddi feafc. .Mr ;oiif. inward parts very found, except the fto- mach, that had wrinkles as though they were ulcered. And as for the caufe proceeding from fait meats, it is very true, there are many other caufes concurring which feed and entertain this ficknefs : amongft which I will place in general the bad food, comprehending with it the drinks ; then, the vice of the air of the country, and after, the evil difpofition of the body : leaving the phyficians to fift it out more curioufly. Whereunto Hippo- crates laith, that the phyfician ought alfo carefully to take heed, in confidering the feafons, the winds, the afpcds of the fun, the waters, the Kind itfclf, the nature and fituation of it, tlie nature of men, their manner of living and exercife. Whatfoor) As for the food •, this ficknefs is caufed caiifi-s the by cold meats, without juice, grofs and •''^- corrupted. One muft then take heed of fait meats, fmoky, mufty, raw, and of an evil foent, llkewife of dried filhes, 3.% New- foundland ^nih, and ftinking rays : briefly, from all melancholy meats, which are of hard digefting, are eafily corrupted, and breed a grofs and melancholy blood. I would not, for all that, be fo fcrupulous as the phyficians, which do put in the num- ber of grofs and melancholy meats, beeves- flclh, bears, wild boars and hogs-flelh, (they might as well add unto them beavers flefh, which notwithilanding we have found very good) as they do amongft fifties, tlie tons, dolphins, and all thofe that carry lard ; among the birds, the herns, ducks, and Vol. II. land cal'c ning fountains ; as if they be among or near bogs, or if they ilTue from a muddy ground, or from a place that hath not the fun's afpeft. So Pliny reciteth, that in the voyage which the prince Ccefar Germanicui made into Germany, having given order to his army to pafs the river of Rhine, to the end to get ftill forward in the country, he did fet his camp on the fea-fhore, upon the coaft of Friefland, in a place where was but one only fountain of frefh water to be found, which notwithftanding was fb pernicious, that all they that drank of ic loft their teeth in lefs than two years Ipace, and had their knees fo weak and disjointed that they could not bear themfelves: which is verily the ficknefs whereof we fpeak, which the phyficians do call Stomaccace, Sicmacca- that is to fay, mouths fore, and Scelotyrbi, ce, Suh which is as much to fay, as the fhaking 'yl"-- of thighs and legs. And it was not pofli- ble to find any remedy, but by the means of an herb called Britannica, or fcurvy- grafs, which befides is very good for the finews, againft the fores and accidents in the mouth : againft the fquinancy, and againft the biting of ferpents. It hath long leaves, drawing in colour to a dark green, and produccth a black root, from which liquor is drawn, as well as from the leaf. Strabo faith, that the like cafe happened to the army that ^lius Gallus brought into Arabia, by the commifljon of Auguflus the emperor. And the like alfo chanced to king S. Lewis's army in Egypt, as the lord de Joinville reporteth. Other cffedls of bad <) U waters *>I0 A UcJiriptloH of New France. waters are feen near unto us, to wir, in Sarov, wherj the women, more than men, Ijccaiile they arc ot a colder conllituticn, have commonly I'wellings in their throats as big as liottles. v\ h;it air Next to waters, the air is alfo one of the '■ .igiliiil fathers and ingenderers of this ficknefs, in liv.u.ii. bo[i;<;y .uul waterilh places, ami oppofite to the louth, which is often moll rainy. But there is yet in A'r» France another bad quality of the air, by reafon of lakes that be thick there, and of the great rottennefs in the wood?, wiioi'e odour the bodies having drawn up, during the rains of autumn and winter, e.ilily are engendered the corrup- tions of the mouth, and fwelling in the legs before fpoken, and a coiil entreth in- Icnliblyintoic, which bcnumbeth the limbs, Itiffeneth tlie iincws, conftraineth to cret p with crutches, and in the end to keep the bed. And for as much as the winds do partici- pate with the air, yea, arc an air running with a more vciiement force than ordinary, and in this quality have great power over the iie.iltii and fickncfles of men, we will ipeak fomething of it, not (for all that) (haying ourfelvcs from the fequci of our hillory. NVinds. The caftcrly wind, called by the Latins, Sub/olanui, is held for the healthfulleft of all, and for that caufe, wife builders give advice to fet their buildings towards the atpeft of the eaft. The oppofite to it is the wind called Favorinus, or Zephiriis, which our feamen doth name well, which in thefe parts is mild and frudifying. The llnithern wind, alkd yiiijler by the Latins, is in Africa hoc and dry : but in crolTing the Alcditerranean fea, it gathcreth a great moiftncfs, which makes it ftormy anil pu- trefying in Provence and Languedoc. Tiie o[)porue to it, is the northern -wind, other- wile called Boreas, Bize, Tramontane, which is cold and dry, chaceth the clouds and Iweepeth the airy region. It is taken for the wholfomed next to the eaft wind. But ■ thefe qualities of the wind found and noted in thefe parts, make not one general rule through over all the earth ; for the north wind beyond the cquinoflial line is not cold as in thefe parts, nor the fouth wind hot, bccaufe that by a long crofiing, they borrow the qualities of the regions through which they pafs : bcfides that, the fouth wind at his firft ifTue is cooling, according to the report of thofe that have travelled in Jfrica. In like manner, there be regions in Pent, as in Lima and the plains, where the north wind is unwholfome and noifome And thorough all that coaft, which is about 500 leagues in length, they take the fouth wind for a found and freih cooling wind, and which more is, moft mild and pleafiint : yea alio, that it doth never rain by ir, ac- cordini, to that whicii Jo/cpL Aafta wi iteth of it, clean contrary to that we fee in thii part of F.iirope. And in Spain the e.iit wind, which we have faid to be found, the fame Jcojhi faith, that it is noifome and iinlbund. The wind called Cinm, which is the north welt, is fo ftormy auvi boille- rous in the wefterly (hores of Norivay, that if there be any which undertaketh any voyage that way, when that wind bloweth, he muft make account to be lolt and call i away : and this winil is fo cold in that re- gion, that it fiillereth not any tree, fmall or great to grow thi're : lb that for want of wood they mull fcive themfelves with the bones of great lillies, to l^nh or roalt riieir meats, which difcommodity is not in thefe parts. In like fort, wc have had expt ; iencc in Nc'W France that the north winds are not for health : And the north eall (which arc the cold, ftrong, fliarp and (lormy /-/y///- loKs) yci worfe ; which our fick folks, and Sk.'. folk'; they that had wintered there the Jbrmer -'"J bcafts, year, did greatly fear, becaufe that likely '^' ''■••■' t^'^ lome or them drooped away, when that v.raihcr a wind blew, for indeed they had lome fen- coming, fible feeling of this wind : as we fee thofe that be fubjedl to ruptures endure great pangs when that the foiith wind doth blow : ami as we fee the very beads to prognolli- cate by fome figns the change of weather. This noifome quality of winds proceedcth (in my judgment) from the nature of the country through which it pifleth, which, as we have faid, is full of lakes, and thofe very great, whicii be, as it were, (landing and ftill waters. Whereto I add the ex- halation of the rottennefs of woods, that this wind bringeth, and that in fo much greater quantity, as the north weft part is great, large, and fpacious. The fcafons are alfo to be marked in Srafons. this difeafe, which I have not leen nor heard of, that it begins to work, neither in the fpring time, fummcr, nor autumn, unlcfs it be at the end of it, but in winter. And the caufe thereof is, that as the growing heat of the fpring maketh the humours doled up in the winter to difperfe them- felves to the extremities of the body, and fo cleareth it from melancholy, and from the noifome humours that have been ga- thered in winter •, fo the autumn, as the winter approacheth, draweth them inward, and doth nourifhthis melancholy and black humour, which doth abound efpecially in this feafon, and the winter being come flieweth forth his effefts at the colls and griefs of the poor patients. Galen yieldeth a realbn for the fame, faying that the hu- mours of the body, having been parched by the burning of the fummer, that which may reft of it, after the heat is cxpulfcd, bc- m '/ Defiription of New France. 8ri Had fond ar.il (III ccirMiiotli- tn-sct' the bead-. dthe and 'icr a tio.. of Loav. ^•x iKcomctli forthwith cold and dry •, that is to Liy, cold by the jiriv.ition of the henr, :incl dry in as much a-: in the drying of thcfe humours, all the moillncfs that was therein hath been confumed : and thereby it com- cth tii.it lickiiclll's arc bred in tliis fcafon, and the fartiicr one goeth the weaker nature is, .i!ui the intemperate cokinels of the air being entered into a body already thereto difpofcd, doth handle it, as it were, at a beck and at will, without pity. 1 would add willingly to all the forcfail caufes the Lad food of the fea, which in a long voyage brings much corruption ii] niAn's body. Kor one muft of necelTity, alter four or five ilays, live of fair meat, or bring flieep alive, and llore of poul- try ; buc this is but tor maflers and com- manders in fh ps : and we had none in our voyage but tor to referve and multiply in the land whither we did go. The mari- ners then and patTcngers do fufTcr difcom- modity as well in the bread as in the meat and drink \ the hifket becomcth dampifli and rotten, the fi flics that are given them alike, and the waters fbinking •, they which carry fwect meats, be it ticfh or fruits, and that lite good bread, goixt wine and good broths, do cafily avoid thole ficknelTts ; and I durd, in fome Ibit, be anfwerable unto them tor their healths, unlets they be very unhcakhful by nature. And when I confider that this dil'eafe is as well taken in Hcl!,;nd, I'.tefuwd, in Spain antl in Gtiimy, •as in Canada., I am brought to believe that the chief caule thereof is In that which I have faid, ami not peculiar nor particular to New France. After all thefe caufes and confiderations, it is good in every place to have a well dif- pofed body, tor to be in health and live long. For thole which naturally gather cold and g'ofs humours, and have the mafs ot their body pory : Itevi, they that be fubject to the oppilations of the fplecn. and they that utc not a itirring life, but fitting and without frequent motion, are more apt and lubjedl to thefe ficknetTcs. Therefore, a pliyfii-ian might fay that a ftudent is not lit for that country, that is to fay, he fhall not live there in health: nor thofe which over-toil in labours, nor melancholy people, men which have drowl'y dreaming fpirits, nor thole that be often vifited with agues, and luch other fort of people. Which I might eafily believe, becaufe that thefe things do heap much melancholy, cold, and fupcrfluous humours. Notwithftand- ing I have try'dthe contrary, both by my- I'elt and by others, againft the opinion of fome nf ours, yea, of S/t^amos f A fern- hcrton himfelf, who jilayeth the foorhfayer among the fivages, who, arriving in that country, taid, that I fliould never return into fraya; nor Monf. EnuUct, fometimrs cap- tain of Monf. de Pnit'lncciirt's regiment, who, for the moft part of ths time, l:;;tli had agt;es there, but he did fare w.ll. And they thtmfelves did advife our labourer, t) rake Init Im.ill l.diour in their work, w hi,-!> counfel rhey could very well obterv-c -, for I m.iy f.iy, :;nd that truly, that I never made to much botlily work, for th? plea- furc that I djd take in drefling and tilling my giirdcns, to inciofe and hedge ih.m, againft the gluttony of the hogs, to make knots, to draw out alleys, to build arbours, to tow wheat, rye, barley, oats, beans, peafe, garden herbs, and to water tiicm ; fo much defirc had 1 to know die goodnefs of the ground by my own experience. So that funimcrs days were unto me too fliorr, and viry ol'ten did I work by moon- light. Concerning the labour of the mind, I took a reap inable part of it ; for .at niglir, every one being retired, amongthepratingq, nodes, and huriiburlies, I w.is tliut up in my ftudy, reading or writing of Ibn^ething. Yea, I will not be afhamed to fpeak, tliat bcinor requeued by Monf. de Pciilrhianrt, our commander, to beflow fome hours of niy indufbry, in giving ChrilVian inflrudions to our finall cotnpany ; for not to live like beafls, an.l for to give to the favagc-s an example of our manner of life, I have done it according to the necefTity, and b-*- ing thereof rcquefted, every Si'udav, and fometimes extraordinarily, ahnoft 'durin"' all the lime we have been there -, and well was it for me that I had brought my bible, and fome books unawares ; for othervvife it had been very difficult for me, and had been caufe to excufe me of that work. It hath no: been without fruit, many witnefTing unto me, that they had never heard fo much good talk of God, not knowing before any principle of that which belongcth to ChrifUan dodrine : and fuch is the ftate wherein live the moft part of Cbrijlendom ; and if there were any edify- ing of one part, there was backbiting on the other, by reafon, that ufing a French liberty, I willingly fpake the truth : where- upon I remember the faying of the prophet jmos, Voey have hated, faith he, hm that reproved them in the gate, and have bad in abomination him tbatjpake in integrity. But, in the end, we became all good friends ; and amongtl thefe things God gave me al- ways a found and a perfeft health, always ■{■ Sngamcs is a fav.igc word which fignificth a lord, a nilcr. or a captain. 8l2 A Defer iption of 'Sqw F'rance. ti a good tafte i always merry and nimble, fiving that having once lain in the woods, ne.ir to a brook In fnowy weather, I was touched with a cramp, or Sciatica, in my thigh a fortnight's ipace, not lofing my appetite nor llomach for the fame •, tor in- deed I took, delight in that which 1 did, dcfiring to confine there my life, if it would pleafe God to blefs the voyages. I (hould be over tedious, if I fhould fet down lierc the difpofition of all perfons, and to fpe.ik concerning children that they arc more fiibji'd lo this fitkncfs than others, for thiU they have very often ulcers in the moiitli ;ind gums, becaufe of the thin fiib- ft.incc that abound in ilicir bodies : and alio tliat they gather many crude himiours by their diforder of living, and by the quantity of fruits they cat, being never fiUM with it, by which means they gather great quantity of watcrilh blood, and th^- fplecn being (lopped cannot foak up thofe moil- tures. And as for old folks that have their heat weakened, and cannot refill the fick- nefs, Ixing filled with crudities, and with a cold and moid temperature, which is the qunlity proper to ftir up and nourilh it : I will not take the phyfician's office in hand, fearing the ccnfuring rod : and notwith- ftanding, with their leave, not touching with their orders and receitsof /^rtw,/^/^*;. Rhubarb, and other ingredients, I will write here th;it which I think more ready at hand for the poor people, who have not the abi- lity and means to fend to Alexamlria, as well for the prefervation of their health, as for the remed) of this ficknefs. AHviccfnr It is a certain axiom. That a contrary iickr/.-flt;3 f^iif)- bg hcalcd by his contrary. This ficknefs proceeding from an indigeftion of crude, gi-nf;, cold and melancholy meats, which offend the ftomach, I think it good, fubmitting myfelf to better judgment and advice, to accompany them with good fauces, be it of butter, oil, or fat, all well fpiced, to correft as well the quality of the meat as of the body inwardly waxen cold. Let this be faid for crude and grofs meats, as beans, peafe, and fifli i for he that (hall eat good capons, good partridges, good ducks, and good rabbets, he may be af- fured of his health, orelfe his body is of a very bad conftitution. We have had fome fick that have, as it were, been raifed up from death to life ; for having eaten twice, or thrice of acoolicemadeof a cock, good wine taken according to the necelTity ot na- ture, is a fovercign prefer vative for all ficknelTcs, and particularly for this, Maf- ter Macqtiin and mafter Georges, worihip- ful merchants of Rochel, as alTociates to Monf. de Monts, did furnifh us with forty- five tons of wine, which did us very much good. And our fick folks themfcl vcs, hav- Good wine. ing their mouths fpoiled, and not being able to eat, have never loll their taAc of wine, which they took with a pipe. The fame hath prcfcrvcd many of them from death. The young buds of herbs in thcHeibsin fpring time be alfo very fovercign. Atid the ipring befides that reafon requires to believe it, 1 ""»«• have tried it, being my felf gone many times to gather fome tor our fick people, before that thofe of our garden might be ufcd, which reftorrd them to their tafte again, and comforted their weak llo- m.ichs. And as for that which conccmeth the extcritir pa'ts of the body, we have found great good in wearing wooden pantotfles, or pattens, with our (hoes, for to avoid the moiftneCs. The houfes need no opening, nor windows on the north-weft fide, being a wind very dangerous, but rather on the caft-fide, or the fouth. It is very good to have good bedding (and it was good for me to have carried things ncccflTary to this purpofe) and above all, to keep my fcif neat. I would like well the ufc of itoves. Stoves, iuch as they have in Germany ; by means whereof they feel no winter, btingat home but as much as they pltafe. Yea they have Stovcj in of them in many places in their gardens, B"dciu. which do fo temper the coldnefs of winter, that in this rough and (harp feafon, there one may fee orange-trees, lemon-trees, fig-trees, pomegranate-trees j and all fuch fort of trees bring forth fruit as good as in Provence : which is fo much the morecafy to do in this new land, for that it is all co- vered over with woods (except when one come in the Armouchiqucis country a hun- dred leagues further off than Port -Royal.) And in making of winter a fummer, one (hall difcover the land ; which not hav- ing any more thofe great obftaclcs thac hinder the fun to court her, and from warming it with his heat, without doubt it will become very temperate, and yield a moft mild air ; and well agreeing with our humour, not having theie,^ even at this time, cither cold or heat that is excef- five. The favages that know not Germany^ nor the cuftoms thereof, do teach us the fame lelTon, which being fubjcft to thofe fickne(res(as we have fcen in the voyage of James ^tarlier) ufe fweatings often, as it Thefwe«t. were every month ; and by this means ingsof the they prefcrve themfelves, driving out by f»*»E"- fweat all the cold and evil humours they might have gathered. But one fingular prefervative againft this perfidious ficknefs, which comcth fo ftealingly ; and which having once lodged itfelf within us, will not be put out } is to follow the counfel of him that is wife amongft the wife, who having confidered all the affliflions that . man Me inir A Defer iption of New France. 8'3 lbs in mm givM to himfdf during his life, Iiatli Itjtuul nothing better than to rejoin: bimjclf, and ilo good, and to take pUafure in bis cun tvrrki. Tiny that have ilonc fo in our coiiH)any, liavc found thciulclvc!) wvll liy it-, contr.uiwifc fomc always gunigiiig, repining, never content, idle, iiavc been Mcin-. of tound out by the fame diltML'. True it ii, mirth. thjt fof to enjoy mirth it is good to have the fwcetncfs ot frefli tneats, flefli, fiflus, milk, butter, oils, liiiits, and luch liktr, which we had not at will (I mean the com- mon fort ; for always fome one or other of the company diil furnifli Monf. ile Poutiincotirl's table, with wild- fowl, veni- fon or frcfii liHi.) And it we had had half a dozen kine, I believe that no body had died there. It refteth a prcfervativc neceflary for the actomplifliment of mirth j and to the end one may take pleafiire on the work of 1.1.-. iianils, is every one to have the honed ( oiiipany of his lawful wile j for without • that, the chear is never pertedt ; ones mind is .ilw.iysupon thatwhieh one lovesantl de- (in lU ; there is Hill fome forrow, the l)ody becomes lull of ill immours, and fo the iickntU doth breed. And lor the laft and fovcrcign remedy, TicbuJ ! lend back the patient to the tree ot litc''*« (lor lb one may well quality it) which yamrs iifuariier doth call /Iniiedda, yct> un- known in the coatt of Port- Royal, unlcfs i: be, pcrailvonfure the Sa/pifras, whcreof-'#i/'"' there is quantity in certain places. And it is an alfurcd thing, that the faid tree is very excellent. But Monf. ChampUin, who is now in the great river ot Canada, pafTing his winter, in the fame part where the faid f^mrtier did winter, hath charge to find it out, and to make provifion thereof. • •" ' ve». CI m Icni. CHAP. vir. 7hr efifcovrry of lands hy Mnnf. dr Moiits : FalmUin tala and rcpvts of tkc r'tier and feigned toivn ^'Norombcga : '"'The nfnting of the authors tbiit ha-ee written thereof : Fijh hanks in^e.\Niou\\i\\i.m\: Kinibeki : Chovncoet : Mal- Icbarre : Annouchiquois, ^c. Monf. ifthe rs. H E rough feafon being pafled, Monf. de Monts wearied with his bad dwelling at St, Croix, determined to feck out another port in a warmer country, and more to the fouth j and to that end made a pinnace to be armed and furnifhed with vidiiuals, to follow the coail, and difco- vering new countries, to feek out fome happier port in a more temperate air. And becaufe that in feeking, one cannot let tor- voyage for ward fo much as when in full fails one go- the aifto- gti^ jp (jpgn fgj J 3f,j tj^^t finding out bays new kind' an '' • IruitiJi . anil thicvfi Shoali ftrctching tar into the lea. The fwift nek o( the A) m^Ui hi- ^twis. a. th.it comm:inileth therein. This Marcbin W.IJ killeil the year th.it wc ilc|).irtci.l Iroiii NcwHtuice in 1607. F.irthcr is unorjitr bay callcii Cbovacaet, where, (in rcg.inl ot the former countries) is .1 great niiinbcr ot people i tor there they till tlic gruuml, and the region iTcginncth to be more tem- perate i iwnl tor proof of this, there is in this hinii (tore of vines j yea even tlicrc be idincis full of it, (which be more fubjeft to ihe injuries of the wind and cold) as wc Ihali (liy hereafter. There is bttwetn , Chovacorl and Mallebarre, many bays and ides •, and the coaft is fanily, with fhallow ground, drawing near to the faid Malle- barrt, fo that fcarce one may land tlicre with barks. The people that Iw from St. Johti's ri- ver to Kinibeki ("wherein are comprifcd the rivers of St. Croix and Norombe^^a) are called Etecbemins \ and from Kiiiibfki, as far as Alallebarre, and farther, they are called Armoticbiquois. They be traitors and thieves ; and one had need to take heed of them. Monf. ik Monts, having made foine Hay at Malleb.vre, victuals began to be ((;arce with him } and it was needful to think upon return, cfpecially feeing all the coaft fo troublefomc, that one could pafs no furdicr without peril, for fhoals that ftretch far into the Ccd, in fuch wife, that the farther one gocth from the land, lefler depth there is. But before departing, a carpenter of St. Maloes died cafually ; who going to fetch water with fome ket- tles i an Armoucbiitiois feeing fit opportu- nity to (leal one of thofe kettles, when that the Frenchman took no heed, took it, and ran away (peedily with his booty. The Malovine running after, was killed by this wicked people •, and although the fame had not happened, it was in vain to purfue after this thief ; for all thefe /Ir- moucbiquois are as fwift in running as grey- hounds ; as we will yet further fay in fpcak- iiig of the voyage that Monf. de Poutrin- court made in the fame country, in the year i6o6. It grieved fore Monf. de Monts, to fee fuch a thing ; and his men were earneft for revenge ("which they might do i for the other barbarians were not fo far from the Froicbman, but that a mufkec (hot might have feared them •, which they had already on reft, to level every one at his man) but the (aid Monf. de MontSj upon fome confiderations, which many other of this place and dignity might have mKTed to confider -, made every one to put down their mu(kets cocks, and left them alone, not having liiihcrto found a lit pi.ice to m.ike a fettled ilwelling. And lo the faid Monf. de Aluiils, caiifecj .ill thin«s to be in a rcadnieli tor the return to it. Croix, wIktc he hiiil left u good num- bcr of hia men, yet we.ik by the winter (itkne fs, of wiiole health he w.is careful. Many that know not what Ixlongeth to the lea, do think, that the letting of an habitation in an unknown land is eafy : but, by the dilcourle of this voyage, ami others that follow, they (hall find tli.it it is far eaficr tf) fay, than to do v and that Monf. de Monts, hath exploited many things this Brft year, in viewing all the coaft of this land, even to Mallebarre j which is four hundred leagues, following the fame coaft, and fearching to the bot- tom of the bays j bcfides the lalwur he forced to, in caufing houlcs to lie made at St. Croix J the care he h.id of thofe which he had brought thither, and of their return into France ; if any peril or ftiipvvret k fhould come to thofe that had promifecl him to fetch him at the end of the year. But one may run and takes pains to feel: ports and havens, where fortune favourttli ; yet (he is always like to herfelf. " It is " good for one to lodge himfelf in a fweet " mild climate, when one may chufe, " notwithftanding death follows us every The mor " where." I have heard of a pilot of New- tality of baven, that was with the Engliflmen in '''J' ^-"K- Virginia twenty-four years .igo ; that being ,,X^^ come thither, there died thirty, fix of them Vhat'ot'tire in three months. Neverthclcfs, Virginia l'>rNch m is taken to be in the 36th, 37th, and 38th '^'™ degrees of latitude, which is a good tern- ^ "":'• . perate country. Which confidering, 1 ,i™,em yet believe (as I have already faid beforej per ot //, . that fuch mortality comcth by the bad fare ; g'"i>"- and it is altogether needful to have in fuch a country, at thevery beginning, hoiifliold, and tame cartel of all forts ; and to carry ftore of fruit trees and grafts, tor to have there quickly recreation ncccfT-i-y to the health of them that delire to people the land. That if thefavages themfelvesbefub- je(ft to the ficknefs, whereof we have fpok- cn } I attribute that, to the fame caufe of evil fare. For they have nothing that may correft the vice of the meats which they take •, and arc always naked amongft the moiftures of the ground, which is the very means to gather quantities of cor- rupted humours -, which caufe thofe fick- ncfTes unto them, as well as to the ftrangers that go thither, although they be born to that kind of life. CHAP. 8i6 v/ Difaifition of New France. C H A W VIII. 'Th,' itrrhiil of ^fonf. du Pont fo Sr. Croix : ntnrn f,/ Mwf. tie MontS I :t9 l-'niMcc : 7/;«' Funii/ior of tifjliiJ Moiif. Ju l\»iit for thv Ji/iWfry of nru> Lui.ii i lor the till.igc of the ground, I believe they h.id no fit time to do it •, lor the faid Monf. du Pont w.is not a man to be long in rell, nor to leave his nr.n idle, it ilierc had been any means lor it. The winti r king lome, the fivages of ^'■■»*«'' the country did alTemble thtiiilelvcs, Irom **"'' *^ til V tt'f t, lar to Port Rcyal, for to truck with the frenchmen, lor fuch things they hati ; fome bringing beavers fkins,anilotters(whichare i''-"-'^'"'''. thofe whereof molt account may be "'si''^ "ijc"* in that placed and alio cllain or flags, whereof good buff may Ix; m.ide ; others bringing tlefli newly killed, wherewith they made many gooil tabagies, or fealls, living merrily as long as they h.id where- withal. Thty never wanted any bread, but wine did not continue with them till the feafon was ended. I or when we came thither the year folluwiiig, they had ' "cn above three months without any wine, and were very glad of mir cimiing, for that made them to take again the taftc of if. The grcatcft pain they had, was tojrand- grind the corn to have bread, which isnilil». very painful with hand-mills, where all the ftrength of the b dy isrequifite: and there- fore it is is not without caufc, that in old time, b.id people were thrcatned to be fent to the mill, as to the painfullcft thing that is •, to which occupation poor flaves were fet to,bcfore the ufc of water and wind-mills was found out, as the prophane hiltories g make mtiition ; and the lame of the com- ming of the people of Ifrael out of the land A Defer iption of New France 817 Kdc vrrj, r9, and M lami of /Ftv/'/ • wJwrf, fortlw laftfmirge that(i, but they cluifcd i.jthcr to have no corn. And I iniglit well 'K.Iieve that the f.ime with other things, h.iili l>ccn great nie.ans to breed the fitknefs ipokcn of, in fome of Monf. du Ponl'i nun ; lor tlicrc died funic half a dozen of them that winter. True it is, that I finil a deleft in the build- ings of our IrencbmeH \ which is, they had no ditches about tlirm, whereby the waters of the ground next to them did run under their lowermoll rooms, which was a great hindrance to their health. I add belides the bail waters which they ufed, tii.it diti not run from a quick fpring, but from the ncarell brook. The winter being pafled, and the fea navigable, Monf. du Pmit would needs at- chicve the cnfcrpri/.t; lx.-gun the year bc- P,ui to go jorc by Monf. de Mortis, and to go leek .1... a.i,„ ^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ foiitherly, where the air miglit be more temperate, according as he had in charge ofthe laid Monf. de MotUs. He liiiniflied then the bark which remain- eil with him to that ctt'eft 1 but being let out or the port, and full rcndy, hoilted up fills for MalUbarrey he was forced by contrary winds twice to put Uick again ; anil at the third time, thefaid bark ftruck againft the rocks at the entry of the faid jiort. In this dilgracc of Neptune, the men wcrcfaved with the better part ot pro- vifion and merchandilc v but as for the bark it was rent in pieces. And by this mr,-hap the voyage w.is broken, and that which was fodelired intermitted ; lor the habitationof /V//iq>vj/wasnotjudgedgood j and notwithftanding it is on the north and north- weft fides, well flieltered with moun- tains, (lillantfome one league, fome half a league irom the port and the river L'Equille. So we fee how that entcrprifes take not ef- left according to the dcfires of men, and i'.rc accompanied with many perils ; fo that one muft not wonder if the time be long in eltablifhing ol colonies, efpecially in lands fo remote, whofe nature, and tem- perature of air is not known, and where one muft fell and cut down forrefts, and lie conftrained to take heed, not from the people that we call favages, but from them that term themfelves Chriftians ; and yet Vol. II. The fur- niiure of Monf. the difio new of lands hiivr iHit the name of it, ciirfcd and abo- minablr jH-opIc, worfc th.in wulvci, cne- niiri to Clod and human nature. Thii .ittrmpr then k-ing broken, Monf. du Foul knew not what to «lo, but to ar- tfnd the fuccour and (upply that Monf. de MoHii ^iroiiiifed, parting Irom Pvrt Hoyal at his return into Iruiue, lo fend him the year follr)wing. Yet lor all events he built another bark and a Shalop (or to (cek Frentb flii^is in the places where they life to dry fifli \ fuih as Cam/ /(.lu- Port, Englifi Port, Mi/amubis Port, the bay ot Chaleur (or heat) the bay of A^Iorves or CodiUs, and others in great number, ac- ((jrding as Monf. de Monti had done the former y( if •, to the end to (hip hinifcif in them, and to return into France, in cafe that no fliip (liould coiiic to fuccour him. W i.crein he did wilely, for lie w.is in dan- ger to hear no news from us, that were ap- pointed t -i fuccecd him, as it Ihall .ippeur by the difcourfc tbilowiiig. But in the mean while we muft confider Thr cnm- that they, which in thefe voyages have r=f'"t5 of tranfiKjrted themfelves intothcfe parts, have ""^'' ''"' had an advantage over thofc that would ^cs. plant in Florida \ which is, in having that refuge belorefaid, of French fliips that fre- quent the Newfoundland! Ibr hfhing, nnr being lorced to build great (hips, nor to abide extream famines, as they have done in Florida, whole voyages have been la- mentable for that refpccl, .ind thefe by reafon ot the ficknelTes that have pcrfecu- tcd them : but they of Florida have had a blelTing, tor that they were in a mild and fertile country, and more friendly to man's health then New France, fpokcn of elfc- wherc. If they have fufTercd famines, there was gre.it fault in them, for not having tilled the ground, which they found ' plain and champion ; which before all other things is to be done, of the.Ti th.at will lodge themfelves fo far from ordinary fuc- cour. But the Frenchmen, and almoft all nations at this day (I mean of thofe that be not born and brought up to the manuring of the ground^ have this bad nature } that they think to derogate much from their dignity in addifting themfelves to the til- lage of the ground, which notwithftand- ing is almoft the only vocatiorf where in- nocency remaincth. And thereby cometh that every one fliunning this noble labour, our (irft parents and antient kings exercifed, as alfo of the greateft captains of the world, feeking to make himfelf a gentleman at others cofts, or elfe willing only to learn the trade to deceive men, or to claw him- felf in the fun, God takcth away his blef- fing from us, and beateth us at this day, and hath done a long time with an iron rod { fo that in all parts the people lan- 9 Y guiffaeth 8i8 * A Defcriptlon of New France. guiflictli mifcrably, and we fee tlie realm luimbtr, groaning in tlieir poor cottu^es, ot France fwarming with beggars and va- not daring, or alhaincd, to fliew torch gabonds of ail kinds ; belides an infinite tiieir poverty and rnillry. CHAP. IX. ' 'Tk-Jiijl victhr aud acceptation of the voytij;c by Mouf. dc Poutrinccvart, tcgc- thcr li'ith the author, into New I'nmce : 'T/.'ivV departure from Paris to go to Rothcl. ABOUT the time of the before men- tioned fhipwreck, Monf. de Monts being in France, did think carefully upon the means how to prepare a new iiipply for iVfw France : which feemed hard and difl'cult to him, as well for the great charges that that adion required, as be- caufe that province had been fo difcredit- ed at his return, that the continuing of thefe voyages any longer did feem vain and unfruitful. Bcruics, there was feme real'oii to believe that no body would ad- ventirj himfelf thither : notwithlland- ing, knowing Monf. de Pcntritacurt^s, defile : to whom bi lore he had given part of the land, according to the power which the king liad given him) which was to in- habit in thofe parts ; and there to kttle his fannly and his fortune, together with the name ot God ; he wrote unto liim, and fent a man of jnirpofe to give him notice of the voyage that was in hand ; which til-; faid Monf de Pcutrincourt ac- cepted of, leaving all affairs, to attend on this action, though he had fuits in law of great weight, to the profecuting and de- fence whereof his prefencc was very re- quifite. And that at his firft voyage he had tried the malice of fomc, which du- ring his abfence proiecutcd againil liim with rigour -, and at his return gave over and became dumb. lie was no fooner come to Paris-, but tiiat he was foreed to dep.irt, not having fcarce time to provide for tilings necelTary ; and, I liaving iiad that good hap to be acquainted with him fome years before, aflied me if I would take part in that bufinefs -, whereunto I demanded a days refpite to anfwer him. Having well confulted with my felf, not fo much dcfirous to fee the country, for I Thccaufos knew well that there were woods, lakes of theau- and rivers ; and that one muft go overfeas (which I had before done in the ftreights) as to be able to give an eye judgment of the land, whereto my mind was before in- clined •, and to avoid a corrupted world I engaged my word unto him, being indu- ced thereto fpecialiy for the unjuftice done to me a little before, by fome prefidial judges, in favour of a parlbnagc of emi- ^ iliors voyage ncnt quality, whom I have always honour- ed and reverenced : which fentence at my return hath been recalled, by order and fentence of the court of parliament, for which I am particularly obHgrd to Moid". Serui)!, the king's advocate gener.d, to whom doth belong pro];: riy this eioge, attributed according to Uic !•. tter, to thi; moil wife ^-ul moll ni;!gniricint of all kirigs, Tbou hfljt loved jiijUcc and haled iniquity. bo it is that God awaketh us fomc- tim( s, to llir us up to g-.'uerous uClions ; fuch as be tlv.-fe voyage<:, whicli (as the world doth v.iry) fome will bKimc, otle." fome will approve. But wjthovit anfwer- ing any body in this rt IjxcT:, 1 care not what difcourfes idle men, or iliofe that cannot, or will not, h Ip n-?, may make, enjoying contentment in my kif; and being ready to reneer all f(. rvicu to God and to the king in thof remote lands, that bear the name of France, d either my fortune or condition call me thitlier, tor there to live in quitt and rtit, by an acceptable pleal- ing l.ibour, and ro fluni the hard and n.i- ferable lite, wheit.to I fee reduced tlie muit part of mm in this part ot the woiid. To return then to Monf. de Pcutrin- court : as he had difp.itclied Ibni" bufi- nefs, he inquired in fome churelies it fome learned pricll: miglit be ioujid out that would go with him ; to relieve and cafe him, wliom Monf de Moils had left tliere at his voyage, whom we thought lo be yet livin.g. But becauir it v/a.. the noly week, in which time they are employed, and wait on contellior.s and fhrivi, gs, there was none to be found ; fome excuf- ing themfelvcs upon tlie troubles and dif- commodities o; the fea, and the length of the voyage ; others defuring it tili .titer Eafter : which was caufe that none could be had out of Paris : but by rcafon the feafon haftid on •, for time and tide t.rry for no man, we wen' forced to c'lr -it. There re fled to find out fit and njeeffary workmen lor the voy.ige of Nrjj France^ whereunto fomc were fpecdily provided, and a price was agreed upon for their wa- ges, and money given betbrc hand in part thereof. A Dejcription of New France. tlicrcof, to bear their charges to Rachel, when.- thf rciulfzvous was, at the dwelling lioiifcs of niail.r Macquin, and mailer Georges, worlliij^llil merchants of the faid town, t!ie alTociates of Monf. cle Monts, which did provide our furniture and pro- vilion. Our meaner people being gone, three or four days after we took our way to Or- leans, upon Gocd-Fridtiy, for there to fo- lemnife and pafs our Eafter, where every one accomplifhed the duty ufual to all good Chrillians, in taking the fpiritual food ; that is to fay, the holy commu- nion, feeing we did undertake, and were going on a voyage. From thence we came down the river Loyre to Satimur, with our carriage -, and from Saumur wc went by 'I'ours and Maran to Rochel, by hackney horfes. 819 C H A P. X. Of ix:hat l-ajjld at Rochel, hcf'jrc ihcy J\t out on their 'coyigc. BE [ N' G come to Rochel, we found tlicre Mor.f. de Monts, and Monl". dc Paitriiicottrt, that were come poil, and our fliip ralkd the Jomis, of the burthen of 150 tuns, ready to pafs out of the chains ot the town, to tarry for wind and tide. 'I'he title I fay, becaufe that a great fhip laden, cannot come to lea from Rochel, but ill fpring tides, upon the new aud lull moon ; by realoii that in the town road th.'.re is r.o iulficient depth. In the mean while we nnule good chear, yea fo good, that we did loiig to be at lea to make diet; which we did but too foon, being once come thither -, for during two whole months we faw not a whit of land, as we will farther tell anon. But the workmen, through their good chear (for they had every one two Ihillings a day hire) did TFpvr.iir P^^y inarvellous pranks in St. Nicholas a ot A'o- tjiiai ter, whero they were lodged, which .