territory, Champlain diligently examined the country, and studied the
manners, customs, mode of life, ceremonies, and form of the assemblies
of the natives, all of which he describes in his usual forcible and
plain style. He left Cahiague on the 20th May, and accompanied by many
of the Indians arrived, after forty days journey, at Sault St. Louis,
where he found Du Pont Grave, who had just arrived from France with two
ships, and who had despaired of again seeing him, having been told by
some natives that he was dead. From thence he proceeded to the main
settlement at Quebec. After three days sojourn there he went on to
Tadoussac, and from thence embarked with Du Pont Grave on the 3rd of
August. On the 10th September, 1616, he arrived at Honfleur, "where,"
he says, "we rendered thanks and praises to God for having preserved us
from the many perils and hazards to which we had been exposed, and for
having brought us back in safety to our country; to Him, then, be glory
and honour for ever! So be it."
In 1617 Champlain again visited his colony, where he found all in a
prosperous condition; he therefore returned to France in the fall of
the year, his presence in Paris being apparently more required than in
Quebec, from the cabals, intrigues, and suits in which the company was
continually engaged. The difficulties were materially increased by the
pretensions of the States of Brittany to liberty of trade with New
France, and which had been ratified by the Royal Council; but Champlain
bestired himself so actively, and pressed the associates to action so
strongly, that the permission was withdrawn, and the Bretons prohibited
from the traffic without the consent of the company.
In the year 1618 Champlain continued to urge the associates to greater
activity and exertion, advising them to send out more men and materials
than by their articles they were strictly bound to do, as the troubles
which existed in France prevented the king from detaching any men for
that service. The colony would otherwise languish, and the advantages
they had already gained would be lost. The company objected, the
unsettled and changeable state of affairs in France, and that which had
happened to Mons. de Monts might well happen to them also; but
Champlain shewed them that matters were much changed, and the cases
widely different, that Mons. de Monts was but a private gentleman, who
had not influence enough to oppose hostility in the council of his
majesty; but now the company had a prince of the blood as chief and
protector, who was viceroy of the country to boot, and who could defend
them against all and every one, always under the king's good pleasure.
By dint of perseverance and solicitation he prevailed on the associates
to assemble, and come to an agreement as to the number of persons and
the necessary supplies which should be sent out. And a curious and
interesting list it is, compared with the requirements of modern Quebec.
"List of persons to be sent to, and supported at, the settlement of
Quebec for the year 1619:--
"There shall be eighty persons, including the chief, three
Recollets Fathers, clerks, officers, workmen, and labourers.
"Every two persons shall have a mattress, a paillasse, two
blankets, three pair of new sheets, two coats each, six shirts,
four pair of shoes, and one capote.
"For the arms:--Forty musquets, with their bandaliers, twenty-four
pikes, four arquebuses a rouet (wheel-lock) of four to five feet,
one thousand pounds of fine powder, one thousand pounds of powder
for cannon, six thousand pounds of lead, and a match-stump.
"For the men, a dozen scythes with their handles, hammers, and
other tools; twelve reaping-hooks, twenty-four spades, twelve
picks, four thousand pounds of iron, two barrels of steel, ten tons
of lime (none having been then found in this country), ten thousand
curved, or twenty thousand flat tiles, ten thousand bricks to build
an oven and chimneys, two mill-stones (the kind of stone fit for
that purpose was not discovered till some years afterwards).
"For the service of the table of the chief:--Thirty-six dishes, as
many bowls and plates, six saltcellars, six ewers, two basins, six
pots of six pints each, six pints, six chopines (about half a
pint), six demy-septiers (about two gallons), the whole of pewter;
two dozen tablecloths, twenty-four dozen napkins.
"For the kitchen:--A dozen of copper boilers (saucepans[?]) six
pair andirons, six fryingpans, six gridirons.
"Shall also be taken out--Two bulls of one year old, heifers, and
as many sheep as convenient; all kinds of seeds for sowing.
"The commander of the settlement shall have charge of the arms and
ammunition which are actually there, and of those which shall
afterwards be sent, so long as he shall be in command: and the
clerk or factor who shall reside there shall take charge of all
merchandise, as well as of the furniture and utensils of the
company, and shall send a regular account of them, signed by him,
by the ships.
"Also shall be sent, a dozen mattresses complete, _like those of
families_, which shall be kept in the magazine for the use of the
sick and wounded, etc., etc.
"Signed at Paris the 21st day of December, 1618, and compared with
the original (on paper) by the undersigned natives, in the year
1619, the 11th day of January.
"GUERREAU.
"FORCY."
This list was laid by Champlain before the Council of State, which
highly approved of it, acknowledging the zeal and goodwill of the
company, and refusing to listen to other proposals made by three of
their opponents of Brittany, La Rochelle, and St. Jean de Luz. "There
was also great talk," says Champlain, "of augmenting the population,
which nevertheless came to nothing. The year passed away and nothing
was done, nor in the following year either; so that people began again
to cry out and abuse the society, which made great promises, but
performed nothing." It appears that some of the associates were of the
"pretended Reformed religion," who, at heart, were strongly opposed to
the Roman Catholic religion being implanted in the settlement. From
this there arose so many divisions and broils, that what one party
desired, the other would not listen to; so that what with their
intestine discord and the prosecution of the Rochellois, who were
continually infringing on their privileges, the unfortunate company was
in a state of confusion, becoming daily "worse confounded."
However, the company having obtained other decisions of the council in
their favour, made fresh preparations, and got a vessel in readiness;
then set about quarrelling with Champlain, who was getting ready to
sail with his family, saying, that they had advised together; that the
Sieur du Pont-Grave should have the command in the settlement over
their people; and that he, Champlain, should employ himself in making
discoveries, which was his special business, and which he had engaged
to do. "In one word," he says, "they thought to keep the government to
themselves, and establish a sort of republic of their own, making use
of the commission of his majesty to accomplish their own ends, without
anybody being able to control them." All this was done at the
instigation of Boyer, before-mentioned, who, in all this chicanery,
lived by the discords which he fomented. But the associates reckoned
without their host. "They no longer considered their articles towards
the king, Monseigneur le Prince, and me," writes Champlain, "and they
esteem as nothing the contracts and promises which they have signed."
So he wrote first to the company, and then went to Rouen (the chief
seat of the company), with all his followers; there he produced their
articles, and showed them that, as lieutenant of the prince, he had the
right to command the settlement, and all the people there, or who might
be sent, saving their chief clerk and people of the magazine, so far as
trading affairs went; and as for discoveries, they were not to make
laws for him; that he should set about them whenever circumstances
should seem to him propitious, as he had done before; and that he was
not obliged to do anything that was not in the articles, and they said
nothing about discoveries. As for Du Pont-Grave, he was his friend, and
he respected him as a father; but that he would not suffer that which
by right belonged to him (Champlain) to be given to another; that the
pains, risks, and fortunes of life which he had incurred in the
discoveries of lands and people, of which they derived the benefit, had
gained him the honours which he possessed; that Du Pont-Grave and he
had always lived together in good friendship, and he wished to continue
on the same terms; but he would not make the voyage, save with the same
authority as before. Moreover, he would render the company liable for
all expenses, damages, and interests that might be occasioned by delay;
"and upon that," he adds, "I presented to them this letter from his
majesty:--
"BY THE KING.
"Dear and well-beloved:--On the report made to us that there has
hitherto been bad management in the establishment of the families
and workmen sent to the settlement of Quebec, and other places of
New France; We write to you this letter, to declare to you our
desire that all things should proceed better in future; and to tell
you, that it will give us pleasure that you should assist, as much
as you conveniently can, the Sieur Champlain in the things
requisite and necessary for the execution of the commands which he
has received from us, to choose experienced and trusty men to be
employed in the discovery, inhabiting, cultivating, and sowing the
lands; and do all the works which he shall judge necessary for the
establishment of the colonies which we desire to plant in the said
country, for the good of the service and the use of our subjects;
without, however, on account of the said discoveries and
settlements, your factors, clerks, and agents in the traffic of
peltry, being troubled or hindered in any way whatever during the
term which we have granted you. And fail not in this, for such is
our pleasure. Given at Paris the 12th day of March, 1618.
(Signed) "LOUIS.
(And below) "POTIER."
This letter, it might be supposed, would have settled the matter, but
the associates were stiff-necked; so Champlain made his protest and
proceeded to Paris. The vessel sailed without him, and Du Pont-Grave
commanded, and wintered that year at the settlement, while Champlain
pleaded his rights before the king and the Council of State. "Nous
voila a chicaner," says he; and with his characteristic activity and
energy, he followed the council to Tours, and, after many and long
debates, obtained a judgment, ordering that he should have the command,
not only at Quebec, but over all other settlements in New France, and
prohibiting the company from troubling or interfering with him in the
functions of his charge, under penalty of damages, fines, expenses,
etc.; "and which judgment," he adds, "I caused to be signified to the
associates in full Exchange at Rouen: they threw the blame on Boyer,
saying they had not consented, but I knew better." About this time
Monseigneur the Prince de Conde, with the king's permission, resigned
the viceroyalty of New France to the Duc de Montmorency, high-admiral
of France, who seems to have paid a round sum for the honour.[19]
Champlain was continued in the lieutenancy of the country, and was
ordered by the new viceroy to proceed to Quebec, to fortify himself
there as well as he could, and to let him know all that should occur,
so that he might take order accordingly. Monsieur Dolu, Grand
Audiencier of France, an able and well-meaning man, was named intendant
of the province, "who," says Champlain, "burned with ardour to do
something for the advancement of the glory of God, the good of the
country, and to place our society in a better position to do well than
heretofore. I saw him on the matter, and gave him a memoir for his
instruction."
[19] In the beginning of 1620, the Duke de Montmorency was
created viceroy and lieutenant-general of New France and the
neighbouring islands and coasts, from Florida along the sea coast
to the Arctic circle; to the west, from Newfoundland to the Great
Lake, called the Freshwater Sea (Lake Superior), with all the
lands adjoining the rivers which flow into the St. Lawrence, or
Great River of Canada; the ports of Tadoussac and of Quebec,
etc., etc.
Champlain accordingly left Paris with his family, and everything
necessary for the voyage, but at Honfleur the company, grievously
annoyed at the overthrow of their plans, again made some difficulties
about the command which he was to exercise. He immediately wrote to the
viceroy and to the new intendant, Monsieur Dolu, who sent instantly
peremptory notice to the associates, "that the king and governor had
determined that Champlain should have the entire and absolute command
in the colony, and over all and everything in it, excepting always
their mere merchandise, of which their people might dispose; and if
they would not obey the orders of his majesty, Champlain was to stop
their ships till the said orders were executed;" which at last brought
them to their senses.
At the same time the king did Champlain the honour to write to him,
with his own hand, the following letter.
"Champlain,--Having been informed of the commands which you have
received from my cousin, the Duke, of Montmorency, admiral of
France, and my viceroy in New France, to proceed to the said
country and be his lieutenant, and care for all that shall present
itself for the good of my service, I have been pleased to write you
this letter to assure you, that the services that you may render me
on this occasion will be very agreeable to me, above all if you
maintain the said country in its obedience to me, causing the
people there to live, as much as you can, in conformity with the
laws of my kingdom, and taking requisite care for the Catholic
religion, in order, by that means, to attract the Divine
benediction on you, which will cause your undertakings and actions
to succeed, to the glory of God, whom I pray to have you in His
holy keeping.
7 "LOUIS.
(And below) "BRULART.
"Written at Paris, the 7th day of May 1620."
In the course of May 1620, Champlain at last again set sail for New
France with his family, and after being nearly two months at sea, cast
anchor in July opposite the mill of Baude, about a league from
Tadoussac, where, as usual, his first care was to return thanks to God
for the preservation of himself and his family, who had suffered much
from the perils of a bad voyage. He found there a vessel, on board of
which was his wife's brother, the Sieur Boulle, who was greatly
surprised at seeing his sister, marvelling how she had ventured to pass
the dangerous sea. Champlain also learned that the old opponents of the
company, the Rochelle people, had sent two vessels, of seventy and
eighty-five tons respectively, to trade, in spite of the king's
prohibition; that they had obtained a great quantity of peltry and
other merchandise, and, what was worse, had supplied the natives with
firearms and powder and ball.
Champlain is very bitter against the Rochellois (who were Protestants),
calling them "meschans larrons"--wicked rascals, "who came into the
country to suborn the savages, and hold very pernicious and bad
discourse about our religion, in order to render us odious!"
On the 11th of July Champlain left Tadoussac for Quebec, with his
family, three missionaries, whom he had brought out with him, his
brother-in-law, Boulle, and Guers, his commissary, and immediately on
arriving he proceeded to the chapel to give thanks to God. On the
morrow, after mass, "a sermon of exhortation" was preached by a
Recollet father, explaining to all their duty towards the king and the
Duke de Montmorency, and to Champlain as their lieutenant; after which
Guers, the commissary, read publicly the king's and the viceroy's
commissions, appointing Champlain to the sole command of the colony;
"which being done, every one cried 'Vive le roy,' the cannon was fired
in token of joy, and thus I took possession of the settlement and the
country."
Champlain, thus fairly installed in his government, immediately
bestirred himself to bring matters to some state of order, which,
during his absence in France, had fallen into confusion and
neglect,--the buildings almost in ruins, the gardens unenclosed, and
the land badly and scantily cultivated. In a short time, however, the
houses were rapidly and solidly restored, and the settlement resumed an
appearance of progress and prosperity. His next care was to erect a
fort on the heights which commanded the narrowest part of the river,
notwithstanding the objections which were made by the associates and
their agents. Guers, the commissary, was sent with six men to Trois
Rivieres, where Du Pont Grave and the clerks of the company were, to
see how affairs were going on in that quarter. The change of viceroy
and alteration of the arrangements were so displeasing to some of the
company's people, that Du Pont Grave resolved on returning to France
with some of the disaffected, and Champlain remained to govern his
little colony, which then consisted of sixty persons, men, women,
priests, and children, of whom ten men were employed in the religious
seminary, but at the expense of the mission. He continued to occupy
himself with building and fortifying with his accustomed activity, but
he was not permitted to remain long untroubled. In the spring of 1621 a
vessel arrived from France commanded by a Captain de May, who brought
letters announcing a complete change in the intentions of the viceroy
and in the affairs of the company, and which soon converted the
tranquillity of the settlement into something approaching to open
rebellion.
The letter of the viceroy was as follows.
"Monsieur Champlain,--For many reasons I have thought fit to
exclude the former company of Rouen and St. Malo from the trade
with New France, and to assist you and provide you with everything
necessary, I have chosen the Sieurs de Caen, uncle and nephew, and
their associates; one is a good merchant, the other a good naval
captain, who can aid you well, and make the authority of the king
respected in my government. I recommend you to assist him and those
who shall apply to you on his part, so as to maintain them in the
enjoyment of the articles which I have granted them. I have charged
the Sieur Dolu, intendant of the affairs of the country, to send
you a copy of the treaty by the first voyage, so that you may know
to what they are bound, in order that they may execute their
engagement, as, on my part, I desire to perform what I have
promised. I have taken care to preserve your appointments, as I
believe you will continue to serve the king well. Your most
affectionate and perfect friend,
"MONTMORENCY.
"From Paris, 2nd February, 1621."
The king also honoured him with a flattering letter in these terms:
"Champlain,--I have perceived by your letters of the 15th of
August, with what affection you work at your establishment, and
for all that regards the good of my service; for which, as I am
thankful to you, so I shall have pleasure in recognizing it to your
advantage whenever the occasion shall offer; and I have willingly
granted some munitions of war, which were required to give you
better means to subsist and to continue in that good duty, which I
promise myself from your care and fidelity.
"LOUIS.
"Paris, this 24th February, 1621."
The letters of the intendant, M. Dolu, informed him that he must stop
the trading of the clerks of the old company and seize all the
merchandise, on account of the claims which the king and Monsieur de
Montmorency had against them for not having fulfilled their engagement
of sending out people and "material," to which, by their articles, they
were bound. That, as for the Sieur de Caen, although he was of the
contrary religion, yet he gave hopes of becoming a Catholic, but that
Champlain was not to suffer the practice of his actual faith either by
sea or land. De Caen wrote that he had arrived with two vessels, well
armed and equipped with every necessary, and was the bearer of letters
from the viceroy and M. Dolu, enjoining Champlain to change or do
nothing without communicating to him (De Caen), who had force enough
with him, being also furnished with orders in his favour, to seize the
ships and merchandise of the old company, and in the mean time
Champlain was to take charge of the peltry, etc., till they could be
legally seized and taken.
The clerks of the company, however, were not disposed to give up their
property so easily, unless Champlain could shew some letter or order of
the king to that effect, which he could not do. He promised them not to
make any innovation until De Caen should arrive with the commands of
his majesty, which must be obeyed, and in the meantime Captain De May
should not be allowed to trade. This latter was despatched by Champlain
to inform De Caen of what had occurred, and of the state in which
matters were, and to beg him to send some men to reinforce him. De May
returned on the 3rd June, bringing ten men with him, and the
intelligence of the arrival of Du Pont Grave from France in a vessel of
one hundred and fifty tons, and sixty-five men, accompanied by all the
clerks of the old company. This singularly complicated matters, and
obliged Champlain to act with great circumspection, lest the people of
the old company, being in the majority, should turn the tables and
seize the vessel and cargo of De May. So he placed his brother-in-law,
Boulle, with De May and sixteen men, and plenty of provisions, arms,
and ammunition, in the little fort which he was building; continuing
the works, also, as fast as possible, so as to be in a fit state of
defence. "And then," says Champlain, "Nous parlerons a cheval!" He
removed into the village or town of the settlement, which was protected
by the fort, giving De May certain orders how to act in case of need.
On the 7th June the old company's clerks arrived, wherefore Champlain
made his men stand to their arms as a measure of precaution, and after
some debate, as De Caen had not arrived or forwarded his commission,
and as Champlain had no positive orders to the contrary, they were
allowed to proceed with their goods up the river to trade. The clerks
then asked for arms, and wished that the peltry already in the magazine
should be given up to them; but to both Champlain demurred, saying that
as they had not brought him any provisions or munitions for the
settlement, he must keep both weapons and skins, in order to defend
himself, or exchange the peltry for food in case of need. He thus with
great prudence kept matters in equilibrium for the moment, sending
again to De Caen to hasten his arrival with reinforcements and the
orders of the king.