A breife declaration what beaver skinnes Captaine David Kirke
and his Companie brought from Canida, in the yeare 1629. and
how the Forte of Kabecke was surrendred.
15/1427 That the sayd Captaine Kirke and his companie brought from
Canida, the voyage aforesaide but the number of 6253 beaver
skinnes.
Deposed upon oath
by Capt'aines David and
Thos. Kirke, Jn°. Lowe
and Th. Wade their factors
and pursers fol. I.
That of the saide 6253 beaver skinns they gott and acquired by
trade with the natives of Canada 4540.
Deposed upon oath by
the same parties fol. I. as
also Jacques Reinard Sr.
de Espines, Lieutenant
to Monsr. de Cane, hath
deposed ad 15 interrogator.
fol'. 5, that he beleaveth
they traded for 4000.
beavers and all the other
Frenchmen depose that
the English traded there
for beavers skines.
That Captaine Kirke and his companie had not from the French
above the number off 1713 beaver skinnes which with those had
in trade as aforesaid maketh upp the number of 6253 skinnes.
Deposed by the said
Captaines David and Thomas
Kirke, John Lowe and
Thomas Wade, fol. I.[839]
[Note 839: Dans le n. 13 du Vol. V, qui ne diffère pas essentiellement
du n. 12, on lit de plus: _and M. Champlain governor of the Fort
deposeth but of 2500. or 3000 beavers that were therein_, fol. 3.]
That the time when the Fort of Keibecke was surrendred to
Captaine Kirke, the French men in the same were in greate want
of victualles havinge lived two months before uppon nothinge
but bitter rootes.
Deposed by Samuell
Shamplin, Leieutenant
Goverener, fol. 19, ad. 4,
Nicolas Blundell, fol. 22
and Eustacie Boule, Fol. 23.
That the French delivered to Captaine Kirke in exchange for
victualls and for theire bringinge into England and sendinge
them into France, at his chardges all the beaver skinnes which
he had from them.
Proved per contractum,
fol. 24. [840]
[Note 840: Le n. 13 porte: _Proved per contractum made at the takeinge
in of the Forte_, fol. 8, 9.]
That Captaine Kirke fedd for the space off three or fower
months off the French, 100 persons and that those victualls in
trucke which the natives would have gayned him more beavor
skinnes then att those which he had from the French to the
number of 1000.
Deposed by Captaine
David Kirke, fol. 27. ad.
9 and 10. Interr.
And whereas there may seeme to be some difference betweene the
depositions of the English and French, touchinge the number of
beaver skinnes, that difference is thus to be reconsiled,
namely that it is to be understood, that the English speake
only off such beavers as came to the companies accompt, and the
French speake off the whole number of skinnes that they had
when the forte was surrendred, not naminge or expressinge what
part off the same they themselves enjoyed by the permission off
the English hid or imbeazilled, for it is evident by their owne
depositions that by the content of the English, some of them
had one garment and others two garments of beaver a peece, and
Monsr. Shamplin and Monsr, Pountgrave had 227 beavers off those
found in the Forte all which by estimation cannot be lesse then
a thousand skinnes besides one; Monsr. Culliart now residing in
16/1428 Canida, had 250 of the said beavers which the English paid him
for, as by his receipt may appeare and the Frenchmen themselves
did privately convay away some beavers and hidd others the
number whereof cannot be discovered by reason that by the
articles of agreement they were permitted to carry out of the
forte what beaver skinnes and others comodities they had,
nither is it considered what at such a time both the French and
English off the ordinarie people might convay away as pilladg
which is impossible for the adventurers to finde out.
(Sur le dos est écrit.)
Breviat of ye businesse of Kebeck as was brought me by one of
ye Canada companie, ye 2. (12) of May, 1631. with a note of the
Beaver skinnes taken and bought by Capt. Kerke in Canada.
(_State Paper Office, Colonial Papers_, vol. VI, art. 12.)