Voyages of Samuel de Champlain V3 by Samuel de Champlain

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CHAMPLAIN'S VOYAGES.

VOYAGES
OF
SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN.

TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH
BY CHARLES POMEROY OTIS, PH.D.

WITH HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS,
AND A
MEMOIR
By THE REV. EDMUND F. SLAFTER, A.M.

VOL. III.

1611-1618

HELIOTYPE COPIES OF TEN MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

Editor:

THE REV. EDMUND F. SLAFTER, A.M.

PREFACE

The present volume completes the work proposed by the Prince Society of a
translation into English of the VOYAGES OF CHAMPLAIN. It includes the
journals issued in 1604, 1613, and 1619, and covers fifteen years of his
residence and explorations in New France.

At a later period, in 1632, Champlain published, in a single volume, an
abridgment of the issues above mentioned, containing likewise a
continuation of his journal down to 1631. This continuation covers thirteen
additional years. But it is to be observed that the events recorded in the
journal of these later years are immediately connected with the progress
and local interests of the French colony at Quebec. This last work of the
great explorer is of primary importance and value as constituting original
material for the early history of Canada, and a translation of it into
English would doubtless be highly appreciated by the local historian. A
complete narrative of these events, however, together with a large amount
amount of interesting matter relating to the career of Champlain derived
from other sources, is given in the Memoir contained in the first volume of
this work.

This English translation contains not only the complete narratives of all
the personal explorations made by Champlain into the then unbroken forests
of America, but the whole of his minute, ample, and invaluable descriptions
of the character and habits, mental, moral, and physical of the various
savage tribes with which he came in contact. It will furnish, therefore, to
the student of history and the student of ethnology most valuable
information, unsurpassed in richness and extent, and which cannot be
obtained from any other source. To aid one or both of these two classes in
their investigations, the work was undertaken and has now been completed.

E. F. S.

BOSTON, 91 BOYLSTON STREET,
April 5, 1882.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

PREFACE
VOYAGE OF CHAMPLAIN IN 1611
DEDICATION TO HENRI DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDE
VOYAGE MADE IN 1613
DEDICATION TO THE KING
CHAMPLAIN'S PREFACE
EXTRACT FROM THE LICENSE OF THE KING
VOYAGE MADE IN 1615
VOYAGE MADE IN 1618
EXPLANATION OF TWO GEOGRAPHICAL MAPS OF NEW FRANCE

ILLUSTRATIONS.

LE GRAND SAULT ST. LOUIS
DRESS OF THE SAVAGES
FORT OF THE IROQUOIS
DEER TRAP
DRESS OF THE SAVAGES
CHAMPLAIN'S LARGE MAP OF NEW FRANCE, 1612
CHAMPLAIN'S SMALL MAP OF NEW FRANCE, 1613

INDEX

THE VOYAGES

OF SIEUR DE CHAMPLAIN,

Of Saintonge, Captain in ordinary to the
King in the Marine;

OR,

_A MOST FAITHFUL JOURNAL OF OBSERVATIONS made in the, exploration of New
France, describing not only the countries, coasts, rivers, ports, and
harbors, with their latitudes, and the various deflections of the Magnetic
Needle, but likewise the religious belief of the inhabitants, their
superstitions, mode of life and warfare; furnished with numerous
illustrations_.

Together with two geographical maps: the first for the purposes of
navigation, adapted to the compass as used by mariners, which, deflects to
the north-east; the other in its true meridian, with longitudes and
latitudes, to which is added the Voyage to the Strait north of Labrador,
from the 53d to the 63d degree of latitude, discovered in 1612 by the
English when they were searching for a northerly course to China.

PARIS.

JEAN BERJON, Rue St Jean de Beauvais, at the Flying Horse, and at his store
in the Palace, at the gallery of the Prisoners.

M. DC. XIII.

_WITH AUTHORITY OF THE KING_.

CHAPTER I.

DEPARTURE FROM FRANCE TO RETURN TO NEW FRANCE.--THE DANGERS AND OTHER
EVENTS WHICH OCCURRED UP TO THE TIME OF ARRIVAL AT THE SETTLEMENT.

We set out from Honfleur on the first day of March. The wind was favorable
until the eighth, when we were opposed by a wind south-southwest and
west-northwest, driving us as far as latitude 42 deg., without our being able
to make a southing, so as to sail straight forward on our course.
Accordingly after encountering several heavy winds, and being kept back by
bad weather, we nevertheless, through great difficulty and hardship, and by
sailing on different tacks, succeeded in arriving within eighty leagues of
the Grand Bank, where the fresh fishery is carried on. Here we encountered
ice thirty or forty fathoms high, or more, which led us to consider what
course we ought to take, fearing that we might fall in with more during the
night, or that the wind changing would drive us on to it. We also concluded
that this would not be the last, since we had set out from France too early
in the season. We sailed accordingly during that day with short sail, as
near the wind as we could. When night came, the fog arose so thick and
obscure that we could scarcely see the ship's length. About eleven o'clock
at night, more ice was seen, which alarmed us. But through the energy of
the sailors we avoided it. Supposing that we had passed all danger, we met
with still more ice, which the sailors saw ahead of our vessel, but not
until we were almost upon it. When all had committed themselves to God,
having given up all hope of avoiding collision with this ice, which was
already under our bowsprit, they cried to the helmsman to bear off; and
this ice which was very extensive drove in such a manner that it passed by
without striking our vessel, which stopped short, and remained as still as
if it had never moved, to let it pass. Although the danger was over, our
blood was not so quickly cooled, so great had been our fear, and we praised
God for delivering us from so imminent a peril. This experience being over,
we passed the same night two or three other masses of ice, not less
dangerous than the former ones. There was at the same time a dripping fog,
and it was so cold that we could scarcely get warm. The next day we met
several other large and very high masses of ice, which, in the distance,
looked like islands. We, however, avoided them all, and reached the Grand
Bank, where we were detained by bad weather for the space of six days. The
wind growing a little milder, and very favorable, we left the banks in
latitude 44 deg. 30', which was the farthest south we could go. After sailing
some sixty leagues west-northwest, we saw a vessel coming down to make us
out, but which afterwards wore off to the east-northeast, to avoid a large
bank of ice, which covered the entire extent of our line of vision.
Concluding that there was a passage through the middle of this great floe,
which was divided into two parts, we entered, in pursuance of our course,
between the two, and sailed some ten leagues without seeing anything,
contrary to our conjecture of a fine passage through, until evening, when
we found the floe closed up. This gave us much anxiety as to what was to be
done, the night being at hand and there being no moon, which deprived us of
all means of returning to the point whence we had come. Yet, after due
deliberation, it was resolved to try to find again the entrance by which we
had come, which we set about accomplishing. But the night coming on with
fog, rain, snow, and a wind so violent that we could scarcely carry our
mainsail, every trace of our way was lost. For, as we were expecting to
avoid the ice so as to pass out, the wind had already closed up the
passage, so that we were obliged to return to the other tack. We were
unable to remain longer than a quarter of an hour on one tack before taking
another, in order to avoid the numerous masses of ice drifting about on all
sides. We thought more than twenty times that we should never escape with
our lives. The entire night was spent amid difficulties and hardships.
Never was the watch better kept, for nobody wished to rest, but to strive
to escape from the ice and danger. The cold was so great, that all the
ropes of the vessel were so frozen and covered with large icicles that the
men could not work her nor stick to the deck. Thus we ran, on this tack and
that, awaiting with hope the daylight. But when it came, attended by a fog,
and we saw that our labor and hardship could not avail us anything, we
determined to go to a mass of ice, where we should be sheltered from the
violent wind which was blowing; to haul everything down, and allow
ourselves to be driven along with the ice, so that when at some distance
from the rest of the ice we could make sail again, and go back to the
above-mentioned bank and manage as before, until the fog should pass away,
when we might go out as quickly as possible. Thus we continued the entire
day until the morning of the next day, when we set sail, now on this tack
now on that, finding ourselves everywhere enclosed amid large floes of ice,
as if in lakes on the mainland. At evening we sighted a vessel on the other
side of one of these banks of ice, which, I am sure, was in no less anxiety
than ourselves. Thus we remained four or five days, exposed to these risks
and extreme hardships, until one morning on looking out in all directions,
although we could see no opening, yet in one place it seemed as if the ice
was not thick, and that we could easily pass through. We got under weigh,
and passed by a large number of _bourguignons_; that is, pieces of ice
separated from the large banks by the violence of the winds. Having reached
this bank of ice, the sailors proceeded to provide themselves with large
oars and pieces of wood, in order to keep off the blocks of ice we met. In
this way we passed this bank, but not without touching some pieces of ice,
which did no good to our vessel, although they inflicted no essential
damage. Being outside, we praised God for our deliverance. Continuing our
course on the next day, we encountered other pieces, in which we became so
involved that we found ourselves surrounded on all sides, except where we
had entered. It was accordingly necessary to turn back, and endeavor to
double the southern point. This we did not succeed in doing until the
second day, passing by several small pieces of ice, which had been
separated from the main bank. This latter was in latitude 44 deg. 30'. We
sailed until the morning of the next day, towards the northwest, north-
northwest, when we met another large ice bank, extending as far as we could
see east and west. This, in the distance, seemed like land; for it was so
level that it might properly be said to have been made so on purpose. It
was more than eighteen feet high, extending twice as far under water. We
calculated that we were only some fifteen leagues from Cape Breton, it
being the 26th day of the month. These numerous encounters with ice
troubled us greatly. We were also fearful that the passage between Capes
Breton and Raye would be closed, and that we should be obliged to keep out
to sea a long time before being able to enter. Unable to do anything else,
we were obliged to run out to sea again some four or five leagues, in order
to double another point of the above-mentioned grand ice bank, which
continued on our west-southwest. After turning on the other tack to the
northwest, in order to double this point, we sailed some seven leagues, and
then steered to the north-northwest some three leagues, when we observed
another ice bank. The night approached, and the fog came on so that we put
to sea to pass the remainder of the night, purposing at daybreak to return
and reconnoitre the last mentioned ice. On the twenty-seventh day of the
month, we sighted land west-northwest of us, seeing no ice on the north-
northeast. We approached nearer for the sake of a better observation, and
found that it was Canseau. This led us to bear off to the north for Cape
Breton Island; but we had scarcely sailed two leagues when we encountered
an ice bank on the northeast. Night coming on, we were obliged to put out
to sea until the next day, when we sailed northeast, and encountered more
ice, bearing east, east-southeast from us, along which we coasted heading
northeast and north for more than fifteen leagues. At last we were obliged
to sail towards the west, greatly to our regret, inasmuch as we could find
no passage, and should be obliged to withdraw and sail back on our track.
Unfortunately for us we were overtaken by a calm, so that it seemed as if
the swell of the sea would throw us upon the ice bank just mentioned, and
we got ready to launch our little boat, to use in case of necessity. If we
had taken refuge on the above-mentioned ice it would only have been to
languish and die in misery. While we were deliberating whether to launch
our boat, a fresh breeze arose to our great delight, and thus we escaped
from the ice. After we had sailed two leagues, night came on, with a very
thick fog, causing us to haul down our sail, as we could not see, and as
there were several large pieces of ice in our way, which we were afraid of
striking. Thus we remained the entire night until the next day, which was
the twenty-ninth, when the fog increased to such an extent that we could
scarcely see the length of the vessel. There was also very little wind. Yet
we did not fail to set sail, in order to avoid the ice. But, although
expecting to extricate ourselves, we found ourselves so involved in it that
we could not tell on which side to tack. We were accordingly again
compelled to lower sail, and drift until the ice should allow us to make
sail. We made a hundred tacks on one side and the other, several times
fearing that we were lost. The most self-possessed would have lost all
judgment in such a juncture; even the greatest navigator in the world. What
alarmed us still more was the short distance we could see, and the fact
that the night was coming on, and that we could not make a shift of a
quarter of a league without finding a bank or some ice, and a great deal of
floating ice, the smallest piece of which would have been sufficient to
cause the loss of any vessel whatever. Now, while we were still sailing
along amid the ice, there arose so strong a wind that in a short time the
fog broke away, affording us a view, and suddenly giving us a clear air and
fair sun. Looking around about us, we found that we were shut up in a
little lake, not so much as a league and a half in circuit. On the north we
perceived the island of Cape Breton, nearly four leagues distant, and it
seemed to us that the passage-way to Cape Breton was still closed. We also
saw a small ice bank astern of our vessel, and the ocean beyond that, which
led us to resolve to go beyond the bank, which was divided. This we
succeeded in accomplishing without striking our vessel, putting out to sea
for the night, and passing to the southeast of the ice. Thinking now that
we could double this ice bank, we sailed east-northeast some fifteen
leagues, perceiving only a little piece of ice. At night we hauled down the
sail until the next day, when we perceived another ice bank to the north of
us, extending as far as we could see. We had drifted to within nearly half
a league of it, when we hoisted sail, continuing to coast along this ice in
order to find the end of it. While sailing along, we sighted on the first
day of May a vessel amid the ice, which, as well as ourselves, had found it
difficult to escape from it. We backed our sails in order to await the
former, which came full upon us, since we were desirous of ascertaining
whether it had seen other ice. On its approach we saw that it was the son
[1] of Sieur de Poutrincourt, on his way to visit his father at the
settlement of Port Royal. He had left France three months before, not
without much reluctance, I think, and still they were nearly a hundred and
forty leagues from Port Royal, and well out of their true course. We told
them we had sighted the islands of Canseau, much to their satisfaction, I
think, as they had not as yet sighted any land, and were steering straight
between Cape St. Lawrence and Cape Raye, in which direction they would not
have found Port Royal, except by going overland. After a brief conference
with each other we separated, each following his own course. The next day
we sighted the islands of St. Pierre, finding no ice. Continuing our course
we sighted on the following day, the third of the month, Cape Raye, also
without finding ice. On the fourth we sighted the island of St. Paul, and
Cape St. Lawrence, being some eight leagues north of the latter. The next
day we sighted Gaspe. On the seventh we were opposed by a northwest wind,
which drove us out of our course nearly thirty-five leagues, when the wind
lulled, and was in our favor as far as Tadoussac, which we reached on the
13th day of May.[2] Here we discharged a cannon to notify the savages, in
order to obtain news from our settlement at Quebec. The country was still
almost entirely covered with snow. There came out to us some canoes,
informing us that one of our pataches had been in the harbor for a month,
and that three vessels had arrived eight days before. We lowered our boat
and visited these savages, who were in a very miserable condition, having
only a few articles to barter to satisfy their immediate wants. Besides
they desired to wait until several vessels should meet, so that there might
be a better market for their merchandise. Therefore they are mistaken who
expect to gain an advantage by coming first, for these people are very
sagacious and cunning.

On the 17th of the month I set out from Tadoussac for the great fall,[3]
to meet the Algonquin savages and other tribes, who had promised the year
before to go there with my man, whom I had sent to them, that I might learn
from him what he might see during the winter. Those at this harbor who
suspected where I was going, in accordance with the promises which I had
made to the savages, as stated above, began to build several small barques,
that they might follow me as soon as possible. And several, as I learned
before setting out from France, had some ships and pataches fitted out in
view of our voyage, hoping to return rich, as from a voyage to the Indies.

Pont Grave remained at Tadoussac expecting, if he did nothing there, to
take a patache and meet me at the fall. Between Tadoussac and Quebec our
barque made much water, which obliged me to stop at Quebec and repair the
leak. This was on the 21st day of May.

ENDNOTES:

1. This was Charles de Biencourt, Sieur de Saint Just. He was closely
associated with his father, Sieur de Poutrincourt, in his colony at Port
Royal. _Vide_ Vol. I. p. 122, note 77.

2. They left Honfleur on the first day of March, and were thus seventy-four
days in reaching Tadoussac. The voyage was usually made in favorable
weather in thirty days.

3. The Falls of St. Louis, near Montreal, now more commonly known as the La
Chine Rapids.

CHAPTER II.

LANDING AT QUEBEC TO REPAIR THE BARQUE.--DEPARTURE FROM QUEBEC FOR THE
FALL, TO MEET THE SAVAGES, AND SEARCH OUT A PLACE APPROPRIATE FOR A
SETTLEMENT.

On going ashore I found Sieur du Parc, who had spent the winter at the
settlement. He and all his companions were very well, and had not suffered
any sickness. Game, both large and small, had been abundant during the
entire winter, as they told me. I found there the Indian captain, named
_Batiscan_, and some Algonquins, who said they were waiting for me, being
unwilling to return to Tadoussac without seeing me. I proposed to them to
take one of our company to the _Trois Rivieres_ to explore the place, but
being unable to obtain anything from them this year I put it off until the
next. Still I did not fail to inform myself particularly regarding the
origin of the people living there, of which they told me with exactness. I
asked them for one of their canoes, which they were unwilling to part with
on any terms, because of their own need of it. For I had planned to send
two or three men to explore the neighborhood of the Trois Rivieres, and
ascertain what there was there. This, to my great regret, I was unable to
accomplish, and postponed the project to the first opportunity that might
present itself.

Meanwhile I urged on the repairs to our barque. When it was ready, a young
man from La Rochelle, named Tresart, asked me to permit him to accompany me
to the above-mentioned fall. This I refused, replying that I had special
plans of my own, and that I did not wish to conduct any one to my
prejudice, adding that there were other companies than mine there, and that
I did not care to open up a way and serve as guide, and that he could make
the voyage well enough alone and without my help.

The same day I set out from Quebec, and arrived at the great fall on the
twenty-eighth of May. But I found none of the savages who had promised me
to be there on this day. I entered at once a poor canoe, together with the
savage I had taken to France and one of my own men. After examining the two
shores, both in the woods and on the river bank, in order to find a spot
favorable for the location of a settlement, and to get a place ready for
building, I went some eight leagues by land along the great fall and
through the woods, which are very open, as far as a lake, [4] whither our
savage conducted me. Here I observed the country very carefully. But in all
that I saw, I found no place more favorable than a little spot to which
barques and shallops can easily ascend, with the help of a strong wind or
by taking a winding course, in consequence of the strong current. But above
this place, which we named _La Place Royale_, at the distance of a league
from Mont Royal, there are a great many little rocks and shoals, which are
very dangerous. Near Place Royale there is a little river, extending some
distance into the interior, along the entire length of which there are more
than sixty acres of land cleared up and like meadows, where grain can be
sown and gardens made. Formerly savages tilled these lands, [5] but they
abandoned them on account of their wars, in which they were constantly
engaged. There is also a large number of other fine pastures, where any
number of cattle can graze. There are also the various kinds of trees found
in France, together with many vines, nut and plum trees, cherries,
strawberries, and other kinds of good fruit. Among the rest there is a very
excellent one, with a sweet taste like that of plantains, a fruit of the
Indies, as white as snow, with a leaf resembling that of nettles, and which
creeps up the trees and along the ground like ivy. [6] Fish are very
abundant, including all the varieties we have in France, and many very good
ones which we do not have. Game is also plenty, the birds being of various
kinds. There are stags, hinds, does, caribous, [7] rabbits, lynxes, [8]
bears, beavers, also other small animals, and all in such large numbers,
that while we were at the fall we were abundantly supplied with them.

After a careful examination, we found this place one of the finest on this
river. I accordingly forthwith gave orders to cut down and clear up the
woods in the Place Royale, [9] so as to level it and prepare it for
building. The water can easily be made to flow around it, making of it a
little island, so that a habitation can be formed as one may wish.

There is a little island some twenty fathoms from Place Royale, about a
hundred paces long, where a good and strong settlement might be made. There
are also many meadows, containing very good and rich potter's clay, as well
adapted for brick as for building purposes, and consequently a very useful
article. I had a portion of it worked up, from which I made a wall four
feet thick, three or four high, and ten fathoms long, to see how it would
stand during the winter, when the freshets came down, although I thought
the water would not reach up to it, the ground there being twelve feet
above the river, which was very high. In the middle of the river there was
an island about three-quarters of a league around, where a good and strong
town could be built. This we named _Isle de Sainte Helene_. [10] This river
at the fall is like a lake, containing two or three islands, and bordered
by fine meadows.

On the first day of June, Pont Grave arrived at the fall, having been
unable to accomplish anything at Tadoussac. A numerous company attended and
followed after him to share in the booty, without the hope of which they
would have been far in the rear.

Now, while awaiting the savages, I had two gardens made, one in the
meadows, the other in the woods, which I had cleared up. On the 2d of June
I sowed some seeds, all of which came up finely, and in a short time,
attesting the good quality of the soil.

We resolved to send Savignon, our savage, together with another, to meet
his countrymen, so as to hasten their arrival. They hesitated about going
in our canoe, of which they were distrustful, it being a very poor one.
They set out on the 5th. The next day four or five barques arrived as an
escort for us, since they could do nothing at Tadoussac.

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