ACADIA--STE. CROIX ISLAND--PORT ROYAL
Soon after the period mentioned at the close of the previous chapter,
Pierre du Gua, Sieur de Monts, Governor of Pont, a native of the ancient
province of Saintonge, who had served under Henry IV, obtained a
commission as "Lieutenant genéral au pays de Cadie, du 40° au 46°," on
the condition that his energies should be especially directed to the
propagation of the Catholic faith.
De Monts was a Huguenot; nevertheless he agreed to take with him to
America a number of Catholic priests, and to see that they were
respected and obeyed. Champlain was not satisfied with the choice of a
Protestant to colonize a country which he had intended to make solely
Catholic, and he states, "that those enterprises made hastily never
succeed."
De Monts was not a stranger to America. He had first visited the country
with Chauvin in 1600, but when he left Tadousac he was so discouraged
that he determined, in the event of his becoming master of the
situation, to attempt colonization only in Acadia, or on the eastern
borders of the Atlantic running towards Florida.
It was well known in France that Acadia was the richest and most
fertile part of the New World. Excellent harbours and good soil were
found there. Fish abounded near its coasts; its forests were numerous
and dense. An opinion existed that there were numerous mines, rich in
copper, coal and gypsum. This country was also the favourite of the
Normans, Britons and Basques, who for a hundred years had pursued their
callings as fishermen or traders without interruption.
De Monts, however, was unable to bear the expense of this undertaking
alone, and he consequently formed a company, composed of merchants of
Rouen, La Rochelle and other towns. To further the enterprise Henry IV
diminished the duty on merchandises exported from Acadia and Canada, and
granted to the company the exclusive privilege of fur trading for a
period of ten years, "from Cape de Raze to the 40°, comprising all the
Acadian coast, Cape Breton, Baie des Chaleurs, Percé Island, Gaspé,
Chisedec, Miramichi, Tadousac and Canada River, from either side, and
all the bays and rivers which flow within these shores."
Acadia of that day was not confined to the peninsula of our own time,
called Nova Scotia. It included that part of the continent which extends
from the river St. John to the Penobscot. These boundaries were the
cause of long quarrels and fierce and bloody wars between England and
France until they were finally settled by the Treaty of Utrecht. In the
early part of April, 1604, the king's proclamation confining the fur
trade to de Monts and his associates was published in every harbour of
France. Four ships were lying at anchor at Havre de Grâce, ready to
sail, and one hundred and twenty passages had been secured in two of the
ships. Pont-Gravé commanded one of the vessels of one hundred and twenty
tons burthen, and another vessel of one hundred and fifty tons was under
the charge of de Monts, who had taken on board Jean de Biencourt, Sieur
de Poutrincourt, a gentleman of Picardy, Samuel Champlain, some Catholic
priests and some Protestant ministers. Poutrincourt was going to America
with the intention of residing there with his family. He was a good
Catholic and a loyal subject. Champlain was attached to de Monts'
expedition as geographer and historian.
The rendezvous had been fixed at Canseau, but de Monts proceeded
directly to Port au Mouton on the Acadian coast, where he decided to
await the arrival of Pont-Gravé. In the meantime Champlain explored the
country from Port au Mouton to Port Sainte Marguerite, now called St.
Mary's Bay. This occupied a whole month. He also named Cape Négré, Cape
Fourchu and Long Island. Champlain reported to de Monts that St. Mary's
Bay was a suitable place to establish a settlement, and, following this
advice, the lieutenant-general proceeded with Champlain to this bay, and
further explored the Bay of Fundy, or French Bay. They soon perceived
the entrance to another splendid port, which is now known as Annapolis
Bay, or Port Royal.
Notwithstanding the authority of Lescarbot, Champlain was the first to
give this place the name of Port Royal, for he says himself, "I have
named this harbour Port Royal." When de Monts named the place La Baie
Française, Champlain did not hesitate to give to his chief the merit
which he deserved.
Three rivers flow into this splendid harbour: the Rivière de l'Equille,
so called from a little fish of the size of our _éperlan_ or _lançon_,
which is found there in large quantities; the river named St. Antoine by
Champlain, and a stream called de la Roche by Champlain, and de
l'Orignac by Lescarbot.
After having explored the harbour, Champlain traversed La Baie Française
to see whether he could discover the copper mine mentioned by Prévert of
St. Malo, and he soon arrived at a place which he named the Cape of Two
Bays, or Chignecto, and perceived the High Islands, where a copper mine
was found.
On May 20th an expedition started from the Port of Mines, in search of a
place suitable for a permanent settlement. Proceeding towards the
south-west they stopped at the entrance of a large river, which was
named St. John, as it was on St. John's day that they arrived there. The
savages called the river Ouigoudi. "This river is dangerous," writes
Champlain, "if one does not observe carefully certain points and rocks
on the two sides. It is so narrow at its entrance and then becomes
broader. A certain point being passed it becomes narrower again, and
forms a kind of fall between two large cliffs, where the water runs so
rapidly that a piece of wood thrown in is drawn under and not seen
again. But by waiting till high tide you can pass this fall very easily.
Then it expands again to the extent of about a league in some places
where there are three islands."
Champlain did not explore the river further, but he ascertained a few
days later that the Indians used the river in their journeys to
Tadousac, making but a short portage on the way.
As preparations had shortly to be made for winter quarters, de Monts
decided to proceed southwards, and the party at length came to a number
of islands at the entrance of the river Ste. Croix, or Des Etchemins.
One of these islands was chosen for their establishment, and named Ste.
Croix, "because," says Lescarbot, "they perceived two leagues above this
island two streams flowing into the channel of the river, presenting the
appearance of a cross." De Monts at once commenced to fortify the place
by forming a barricade on a little inlet, which served as a station on
which he set up a cannon; it was situated halfway between the mainland
and the island of Ste. Croix. Some days afterwards all the French who
were waiting in St. Mary's Bay disembarked on the island. They were all
eager and willing to work, and commenced to render the place habitable.
They erected a storehouse and a residence for de Monts, and built an
oven and a hand-mill for grinding wheat. Some gardens were also laid
out, and various kinds of seeds were sown, which flourished well on the
mainland, though not on the island, which was too sandy.
De Monts was anxious to ascertain the location of a mine of pure copper
which had been spoken of, and accordingly he despatched Champlain, with
a savage named Messamouet, who asserted that he could find the place. At
about eight leagues from the island, near the river St. John, they found
a mine of copper, which, however, was not pure, though fairly good.
According to the report of the miner, it would yield about eighteen per
cent. Lescarbot says that amidst the rocks, diamonds and some blue and
clear stones could be found as precious as turquoises. Champdoré, one of
the carpenters, took one of these stones to France, and had it divided
into many fragments and mounted by an artist. De Monts and Poutrincourt,
to whom they were presented, considered these gems so valuable that they
offered them to the king. A goldsmith offered Poutrincourt fifteen crown
pieces for one of them.
Agriculture did not flourish on the island of Ste. Croix, which is about
half a league in circumference. The rays of the sun parched the sand so
that the gardens were entirely unproductive, and there was a complete
dearth of water. At the commencement there was a fair quantity of wood,
but when the buildings were finished there was scarcely any left; the
inhabitants, consequently, nearly perished from cold in the winter. All
the liquor, wine and beer became frozen, and as there was no water the
people were compelled to drink melted snow. A malignant epidemic of
scurvy broke out, and of seventy-nine persons thirty-five died from the
disease and more than twenty were at the point of death.
This disease proved one of the obstacles to rapid colonization in New
France. It was epidemic, contagious and often fatal. It is a somewhat
remarkable fact that the epidemic was prevalent amongst the French only
when they were established on the soil, being rarely discovered on
ship-board. Jacques Cartier had experienced the horrors of this disease
in the winter of 1535-6, when out of his one hundred and ten men
twenty-five died, and only three or four remained altogether free from
attack. During the year 1542-3, Roberval saw fifty persons dying of the
disease at Charlesbourg Royal. At Ste. Croix the proportion of deaths
was still greater, thirty-five out of seventy-nine. There was a
physician attached to de Monts' party, but he did not understand the
disease, and therefore could not satisfactorily prescribe for it. De
Monts also consulted many physicians in Paris, but he did not receive
answers that were of much service to him.
At the commencement of the seventeenth century scientific men
distinguished scurvy on land from scurvy on sea. They laboured under the
false impression that the one differed from the other. Champlain called
the disease _mal de terre_. It is certain, however, that the symptoms
did not vary in either case, as we may ascertain from the descriptions
furnished by Jacques Cartier and Champlain.
The position of the settlement was soon proved to be untenable, and de
Monts was certainly to blame for this unhappy state of affairs. Why did
he abandon Port Royal, where he had found abundant water? Champlain,
however, defends the action of his chief.
"It would be very difficult," he says, "to ascertain the character of
this region without spending a winter in it, for, on arriving here in
summer, everything is very agreeable in consequence of the woods, fine
country, and the many varieties of good fish which are found." We must
not forget, however, that the climate of this island differed very
little from that of Tadousac, which had greatly disappointed de Monts,
and that his sole object in settling in a more southern latitude was to
avoid the disagreeable consequences of the climate.
Champlain made a plan of the island of Ste. Croix, indicating the
buildings constructed for the habitation of the settlers. We observe
many isolated tenements forming a large square. On one side was the
residence of Champlain, of Champdoré and d'Orville, with a large garden
opposite. Near d'Orville's residence was a small building set apart for
the missionaries. On the other side may be seen the storehouse, de
Monts' dwelling, a public hall where the people spent their leisure, and
a building for Boulay and the workmen. In an angle of the large square
were the residences of Genestou, Sourin, de Beaumont, La Motte, Bourioli
and Fougeray. A small fort is shown at one end of the island, approached
by a pathway. The chapel of the priest Aubry was located near the cannon
of the fort. Such was the plan of the first Acadian settlement. Much
expense had been incurred for a very poor result.
De Monts was the directing spirit of the colony, and in spite of his
noble attempts, he realized that his efforts were fruitless and that he
would have to try another place for a permanent settlement. By the
direction of his chief, Champlain accordingly undertook to explore the
seacoast of Norembega.
De Monts has found a defender in Moreau, who held that Ste. Croix was
only intended for winter quarters. If this had been his intention, we
can scarcely believe that he would have incurred so great an expense in
building a number of houses. Lescarbot, whose testimony is most
valuable, says: "When we go into a country to take possession of land we
don't stop on islands to imprison ourselves. If that island had been
supplied with rivers or streams, if the soil had been favourable to
agriculture, it would have been half wrong." But this island lacked the
very first element essential to life, fresh water.
Towards the middle of May, 1605, every one's attention was directed
towards France, as the ships which had been expected for over a month
had not yet arrived. De Monts then determined to send his party to Gaspé
in two large boats to join Pont-Gravé. At this juncture, however,
Pont-Gravé arrived at Ste. Croix with his crew, comprising forty men.
De Monts and Pont-Gravé held a consultation and decided to seek a more
suitable place for a settlement, rather than to return to France. De
Monts was still under the impression that the best plan was to attempt
to settle in the vicinity of Florida, although the result of Champlain's
exploration along the coast of the Norembega[5] was considered
unsatisfactory.
Let us now examine what Champlain had accomplished during the month of
September, 1604.
He left Ste. Croix on September 5th, in a _patache_, with twelve sailors
and two savages as guides. On the first day he covered twenty-five
leagues and discovered many islands, reefs and rocks. To another island,
four or five leagues in length, he gave the name of Ile des Monts
Déserts[6], which name has been preserved. On the following day
Champlain met some hunting Indians of the Etchemin tribe, proceeding
from the Pentagouet River to the Mount Desert Islands. "I think this
river," says Champlain, "is that which several pilots and historians
call Norembègue, and which most have described as large and extensive,
with very many islands, its mouth being in latitude 43°, 43', 30''....
It is related also that there is a large, thickly-settled town of
savages, who are adroit and skilful, and who have cotton yards. I am
confident that most of those who mention it have not seen it, and speak
of it because they have heard persons say so, who know no more about it
than they themselves.... But that any one has ever entered it there is
no evidence, for then they would have described it in another manner, in
order to relieve the minds of many of this doubt."
Champlain's description is written from personal knowledge, because he
had seen the Pentagouet River.[7] The country which it passes through is
agreeable, but there was no town or village, and no appearance of
either, with the exception of a few deserted cabins of the Souriquois or
Micmacs.
Here Champlain met two Souriquois chiefs, Bessabé and Cabahis, and
succeeded in making them understand that he had been sent by de Monts to
visit their country, and to assure them of the friendship of the French
for the Souriquois. Champlain continued his journey southwards, and two
days later he again met Cabahis, of whom he asked particulars as to the
course of the river Norembègue. The chief replied "that they had already
passed the fall, which is situated at about twenty leagues from the
mouth of the river Penobscot. Here it widens into a lake, by way of
which the Indians pass to the river Ste. Croix, by going some distance
overland and then entering the river Etchemin. Another river also enters
the lake, along which they proceed for some days until they gain another
lake and pass through it. Reaching the end of it they again make a land
journey of some distance until they reach another small river, the mouth
of which is within a league of Quebec." This little river is the
Chaudière, which the Indians follow to reach Quebec. On September 20th
Champlain observed the mountains of Bedabedec, and after having
proceeded for ten or twelve leagues further he decided to return to Ste.
Croix and wait until the following year to continue his explorations.
His opinion was that the region he had explored was quite as
unfavourable for a settlement as Ste. Croix.
On June 18th, 1605, de Monts, at the head of an expedition consisting of
Champlain, some gentlemen, twelve sailors and an Indian guide named
Panonias and his wife, set out from the island of Ste. Croix to explore
the country of the Armouchiquois, and reached the Pentagouet River in
twelve days. On July 20th they made about twenty leagues between
Bedabedec Point and the Kennebec River, at the mouth of which is an
island which they named _La Tortue_.
Continuing their journey towards the south they observed some large
mountains, the abode of an Indian chief named Aneda. "I was satisfied
from the name," says Champlain, "that he was one of his tribe that had
discovered the plant called _aneda_, which Jacques Cartier said was so
powerful against the malady called scurvy, which harassed his company as
well as our own when they wintered in Canada. The savages have no
knowledge at all of this plant, and are not aware of its existence,
although the above mentioned savage has the same name." This supposition
was unfounded, because if this Indian had been of the same origin as the
aborigines who acquainted Jacques Cartier with the virtue of the
_aneda_ plant in cases of scurvy, he would have understood the meaning
of the word. _Aneda_ is the Iroquois word for the spruce tree, but there
is no evidence to prove that Champlain was ever aware that it was a
specific. Had he known of its efficacy he would have certainly employed
it.
At Chouacouet de Monts and Champlain received visits from many Indians,
differing entirely from either the Etchemins or the Armouchiquois. They
found the soil tilled and cultivated, and the corn in the gardens was
about two feet in height. Beans, pumpkins and squash were also in
flower. The place was very pleasant and agreeable at the time, but
Champlain believed the weather was very severe in the winter.
The party proceeded still further south, in sight of the Cap aux Iles
(Cape Porpoise), and on July 17th, 1605, they came to anchor at Cape St.
Louis,[8] where an Indian chief named Honabetha paid them a visit. To a
small river which they found in the vicinity they gave the name of Gua,
in honour of de Monts. The expedition passed the night of the 18th in a
small bay called Cape St. Louis. On the 19th they observed the cape of a
large bay, which they distinguished by the title of Ste. Suzanne du Cap
Blanc, and on July 20th they entered a spacious harbour, which proved
to be very dangerous on account of shoals and banks; they therefore
named it Mallebarre.
Five weeks had now elapsed since the expedition had left Ste. Croix, and
no incident of importance had occurred. They had met many tribes of
Indians, and on each occasion their intercourse was harmonious. It is
true that they had not traversed more than three degrees of latitude,
but, although their progress was slow, their time was well spent. De
Monts was satisfied that it would be easier to colonize Acadia than this
American coast, and Champlain was still convinced that Port Royal was
the most favourable spot, unless de Monts preferred Quebec.
The expedition returned to Ste. Croix in nine days, arriving there on
August 3rd. Here they found a vessel from France, under the command of
Captain des Antons, laden with provisions, and many things suitable for
winter use. There was now a chance of saving the settlers, although
their position was not enviable.
De Monts was determined to try the climate of Port Royal, and to
endeavour to establish a settlement there. Two barques were fitted out
and laden with the frame work of the buildings at Ste. Croix. Champlain
and Pont-Gravé had set out before to select a favourable site around the
bay, well sheltered from the north-west wind. They chose a place
opposite an island at the mouth of the river de l'Equille, as being the
most suitable. Every one was soon busily engaged in clearing the ground
and in erecting houses. The plan of the settlement, says Champlain, was
ten fathoms long and eight fathoms wide, making the distance around
thirty-six fathoms. On the eastern side was a storehouse occupying the
width of it, with a very fine cellar, from five to six feet deep. On the
northern side were the quarters of Sieur de Monts, comfortably finished.
In the backyard were the dwellings of the workmen. At the corner of the
western side was a platform, upon which four cannon were placed, and at
the eastern corner a palisade was constructed in the shape of a
platform. There was nothing pretentious or elegant about these
buildings, but they were solid and useful.
The installation of the new settlement being now complete, de Monts
returned to France, leaving Pont-Gravé in command. During the absence of
de Monts, Champlain determined to pursue his discoveries along the
American coast, and in this design he was favoured by de Monts, as the
latter had not altogether abandoned his idea of settling in Florida. The
season, however, was too far advanced, and Champlain therefore stopped
at the river St. John to meet Schoudon, with whom he agreed to set out
in search of the famous copper mine. They were accompanied by a miner
named Jacques, and a Slavonian very skilful in discovering minerals. He
found some pieces of copper and what appeared to be a mine, but it was
too difficult to work. Champlain accordingly returned to Port Royal,
where several of the men were suffering from scurvy. Out of forty-five,
twelve died during the winter. The surgeon from Honfleur, named
Deschamps, performed an autopsy on some of the bodies, and found them
affected in the same manner as those who had died at Ste. Croix. Snow
did not fall until December 20th, and the winter was not so severe as
the previous one.
On March 16th, 1606, Champlain resumed his explorations, and travelled
eighteen leagues on that day. He anchored at an island to the south of
Manan. During the night his barque ran ashore and sustained injuries
which it required four days to repair. Champlain then proceeded to Port
aux Coquilles, seven or eight leagues distant, where he remained until
the twenty-ninth. Pont-Gravé, however, desired him to return to Port
Royal, being anxious to obtain news of his companions whom he had left
sick. Owing to indisposition, Champlain was obliged to delay his
departure until April 8th.
Champlain and Pont-Gravé intended to return to France during the summer
of 1606. Seeing that the vessels promised by de Monts had not arrived,
they set out from Port Royal to Cape Breton or Gaspé, in search of a
vessel to cross the Atlantic, but when they were approaching Canseau,
they met Ralleau, the secretary of de Monts, who informed them that a
vessel had been despatched under the command of Poutrincourt, with
fifty settlers for the country. They, therefore, returned to Port Royal,
where they found Poutrincourt, who as lieutenant-general of de Monts
intended to remain at Port Royal during the year.
On September 5th, Champlain left Port Royal on a voyage of discovery.
Poutrincourt joined the expedition, and they took with them a physician,
the carpenter Champdoré, and Robert Gravé, the son of François. This
last voyage, undertaken to please de Monts, did not result in anything
remarkable. They first paid a visit to Ste. Croix, where everything
remained unchanged, although the gardens were flourishing. From Ste.
Croix the expedition drifted southwards, and Champlain pointed out the
same bays, harbours, capes and mountains that he had observed before.
Schoudon, chief of the Etchemins, and Messamouet, captain of the
Micmacs, joined the party, and proceeded with them as far as Chouacouet,
where they intended to form an alliance with Olmechin and Marchim, two
Indian chiefs of this country.
On October 2nd, 1606, the expedition reached Mallebarre, and for a few
days they anchored in a bay near Cape Batturier, which they named Port
Fortuné (Chatham). Five or six hundred savages were found at this place.
"It would be an excellent place," says Champlain, "to erect buildings,
and lay the foundation of a state, if the harbour was somewhat deeper
and the entrance safer." Poutrincourt stopped here for some days, and
in the meantime visited all the surrounding country, from which he
returned much pleased.
According to a custom peculiar to the French since the days of Jacques
Cartier, de Monts had planted a large cross at the entrance of the
Kennebec River, and also at Mallebarre. Poutrincourt did the same at
Port Fortuné. The Indians seemed annoyed at this ceremony, which they
evidently considered as an encroachment upon their rights as
proprietors. They exhibited symptoms of discontent, and during the night
they killed four Frenchmen who had imprudently stayed ashore. They were
buried near the cross. This the Indians immediately threw down, but
Poutrincourt ordered it to be restored to its former position.
On three different occasions the party attempted to pursue their
discoveries southwards, but they were prevented each time by a contrary
wind. They therefore resolved to return to Port Royal, which was
rendered imperative both by the approach of winter and the scarcity of
provisions. The result of the voyage was not altogether satisfactory.
Champlain had perhaps held a degree further south than on the former
occasion, but he had not discovered anything of importance.
On their return to Port Royal, the voyagers were received with great
ceremony. Lescarbot, a Parisian lawyer, who had arrived some time
before, and some other Frenchmen, went to meet them and conducted them
to the fort, which had been decorated with evergreens and inscriptions.
On the principal door they had placed the arms of France, surrounded
with laurel crowns, and the king's motto: _Duo protegit unus_. Beneath
the arms of de Monts was placed this inscription: _Dabit Deus his quoque
finem_. The arms of Poutrincourt were wreathed with crowns of leaves,
with his motto: _In via virtuti nulla est via_. Lescarbot had composed a
short drama for the occasion, entitled, _Le Théâtre de Neptune_.
The winter of 1606-07 was not very severe. The settlers lived happily in
spite of the scurvy, from which some of them died. Hunting afforded them
the means of providing a great variety of dishes, such as geese, ducks,
bears, beavers, partridges, reindeer, bustards, etc. They also organized
a society devoted to good cheer called, _Ordre du Bon Temps_, the
by-laws of which were definite, and were fixed by Champlain himself. The
Indians of the vicinity who were friendly towards the French colony were
in need of food, so that each day loaves of bread were distributed
amongst them. Their _sagamo_, named Membertou, was admitted as a guest
to the table of Poutrincourt. This famous Souriquois, who was very old
at that time--probably a hundred years, though he had not a single white
hair--pretended to have known Jacques Cartier at the time of his first
voyage, and claimed that in 1534 he was married, and the father of a
young family.
Lescarbot, who was an able man and a good historian, records the
particulars above related, besides many other interesting facts
concerning Port Royal which appear to have escaped Champlain's
observation. Lescarbot was an active spirit in the life of the first
French colony in Acadia. He encouraged his companions to cultivate their
land, and he worked himself in the gardens, sowing wheat, oats, beans,
pease, and herbs, which he tended with care. He was also liked by the
Indians, and he would have rejoiced to see them converted to
Christianity. Lescarbot was a poet and a preacher, and had also a good
knowledge of the arts and of medicine. Charlevoix says: "He daily
invented something new for the public good. And there was never a
stronger proof of what a new settlement might derive from a mind
cultivated by study, and induced by patriotism to use its knowledge and
reflections. We are indebted to this advocate for the best memoirs of
what passed before his eyes, and for a history of French Florida. We
then behold an exact and judicious writer, a man with views of his own,
and who would have been as capable of founding a colony as of writing
its history."
With the departure of Lescarbot and Champlain the best page of the
history of Port Royal is closed. The two men left on September 2nd,
1607, on board the _Jonas_, commanded by Nicholas Martin. They stopped
at Roscoff in Basse-Bretagne, and the vessel arrived at Havre de Grâce
in the early days of October.
Poutrincourt, his son Biencourt, and Lescarbot made a pilgrimage to Mont
St. Michel, and Champlain went to Brouage, his native country, having
sojourned in America for three years and five months.
FOOTNOTES:
[5] Norembega was the name applied at that time to a vast tract of
country whose limits were nearly unknown. There was a river and a cape
called Norembega. The river is now the Penobscot, and the cape is the
southern extremity of the Acadian peninsula.
[6] The Indians called this island _Pemetig_, which means _the island
which is ahead_. The French settled here in 1613, and founded St.
Sauveur on the north-eastern coast, in a splendid harbour which is
to-day known as Bar Harbour. The remains of many of the French who were
killed during the contest with the English, were interred at Point
Fernald. At the point nearest the mainland there is a bridge of seven
hundred feet in length, which communicates with the town of Trenton.
[7] Champlain called the river _Peimtegoüet_. This word means _the place
of a river where rapids exist_. The English have given their preference
to the word _Penobscot_, which comes from the Indian _Penaouasket, the
place where the earth is covered with stones_.
[8] The Pilgrim Fathers, the founders of New England, landed at this
place, which they named Plymouth, to preserve the name of the English
city from which they had sailed.