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Voyages of Samuel de Champlain, Vol. 2 by Samuel de Champlain

S >> Samuel de Champlain >> Voyages of Samuel de Champlain, Vol. 2




This was a great misfortune, and owing to the lack of foresight on the part
of the master, who was obstinate, but little acquainted with seamanship,
and trusting only his own head. He was a good carpenter, skilful in
building vessels, and careful in provisioning them with all necessaries,
but in no wise adapted to sailing them.

Pont Grave, having arrived at the settlement, received the evidence against
Champdore, who was accused of having run the barque on shore with evil
intent. Upon such information, he was imprisoned and handcuffed, with the
intention of taking him to France and handing him over to Sieur de Monts,
to be treated as justice might direct.

On the 15th of June, Pont Grave, finding that the vessels did not return
from France, had the handcuffs taken off from Champdore, that he might
finish the barque which was on the stocks, which service he discharged very
well.

On the 16th of July, the time when we were to leave, in case the vessels
had not returned, as was provided in the commission which Sieur de Monts
had given to Pont Grave, we set out from our settlement to go to Cape
Breton or to Gaspe in search of means of returning to France, since we had
received no intelligence from there.

Two of our men remained, of their own accord, to take care of the
provisions which were left at the settlement, to each of whom Pont Grave
promised fifty crowns in money, and fifty more which he agreed to estimate
their pay at when he should come to get them the following year. [189]

There was a captain of the savages named Mabretou, [190] who promised to
take care of them, and that they should be treated as kindly as his own
children. We found him a friendly savage all the time we were there,
although he had the name of being the worst and most traitorous man of his
tribe.

ENDNOTES:

181. _Vide antea_, pp. 25, 26.

182. _La gangue_. This is the technical word for the matrix, or substance
containing the ore of metals.

183. For 1605, read 1606.

184. Florida, as then known, extended from the peninsula indefinitely to
the north.

185. Seal Cove, which makes up between the south-west end of the Grand
Manan and Wood Island, the latter being South of Manan and is plainly
the island referred to in the text. This cove is open to the South
wind and the sea in a storm. Wood Island has a sandy shore with
occasional rocks.

186. _Port aux Coquilles_, the harbor of shells. This port was near the
northeastern extremity of Campobello Island, and was probably Head
Harbor, which affords a good harbor of refuge.--_Vide_ Champlain's Map
of 1612, reference 9.

187. By "harbor" is here meant Annapolis Bay. This wreck of the barque took
place on the Granville side of Digby Strait, where the tides rise from
twenty-three to twenty-Seven feet.

188. North-east. The text has _norouest_, clearly a misprint for _nordest_.

189. These two men were M. La Taille and Miquelet, of whom Lescarbot speaks
in terms of enthusiastic praise for their patriotic courage in
voluntarily risking their lives for the good of New France. _Vide
Histoire Nouvelle France_, Paris, 1612, pp. 545, 546.

190. _Mabretou_, by Lescarbot written Membertou.




CHAPTER XII.

DEPARTURE FROM PORT ROYAL TO RETURN TO FRANCE.--MEETING RALLEAU AT CAPE
SABLE, WHICH CAUSED US TO TURN BACK.


On the 17th of the month, in accordance with the resolution we had formed,
we set out from the mouth of Port Royal with two barques, one of eighteen
tons, the other of seven or eight, with the view of pursuing the voyage to
Cape Breton or Canseau. We anchored in the strait of Long Island,[191]
where during the night our cable broke, and we came near being lost, owing
to the violent tides which strike upon several rocky points in and about
this place. But, through the diligent exertions of all, we were saved, and
escaped once more.

On the 21st of the month there was a violent wind, which broke the irons of
our rudder between Long Island and Cape Fourchu, and reduced us to such
extremities that we were at a loss what to do. For the fury of the sea did
not permit us to land, since the breakers ran mountain high along the
coast, so that we resolved to perish in the sea rather than to land, hoping
that the wind and tempest would abate, so that, with the wind astern, we
might go ashore on some sandy beach. As each one thought by himself what
might be done for our preservation, a sailor said that a quantity of
cordage attached to the stern of our barque, and dragging in the water,
might serve in some measure to steer our vessel. But this was of no avail;
and we saw that, unless God should aid us by other means, this would not
preserve us from shipwreck. As we were thinking what could be done for our
safety, Champdore, who had been again handcuffed, said to some of us that,
if Pont Grave desired it, he would find means to steer our barque. This we
reported to Pont Grave, who did not refuse this offer, and the rest of us
still less. He accordingly had his handcuffs taken off the second time,
and at once taking a rope, he cut it and fastened the rudder with it in
such a skilful manner that it would steer the ship as well as ever. In this
way, he made amends for the mistakes he had made leading to the loss of the
previous barque, and was discharged from his accusation through our
entreaties to Pont Grave who, although Somewhat reluctantly, acceded to it.

The same day we anchored near La Baye Courante, [192] two leagues from Cape
Fourchu, and there our barque was repaired.

On the 23d of July, we proceeded near to Cape Sable.

On the 24th of the month, at two o'clock in the afternoon, we perceived a
shallop, near Cormorant Island, coming from Cape Sable. Some thought it was
savages going away from Cape Breton or the Island of Canseau. Others said
it might be shallops sent from Canseau to get news of us. Finally, as we
approached nearer, we saw that they were Frenchmen, which delighted us
greatly. When it had almost reached us, we recognized Ralleau, the
Secretary of Sieur de Monts, which redoubled our joy. He informed us that
Sieur de Monts had despatched a vessel of a hundred and twenty tons,
commanded by Sieur de Poutrincourt, who had come with fifty men to act as
Lieutenant-General, and live in the country; that he had landed at Canseau,
whence the above-mentioned vessel had gone out to sea, in order, if
possible, to find us, while he, meanwhile, was proceeding along the coast
in a shallop, in order to meet us in case we should have set out, supposing
we had departed from Port Royal, as was in fact the case: in so doing, they
acted very wisely. All this intelligence caused us to turn back; and we
arrived at Port Royal on the 25th of the month, where we found the
above-mentioned vessel and Sieur de Poutrincourt, and were greatly
delighted to see realized what we had given up in despair. [193] He told us
that his delay had been caused by an accident which happened to the ship in
leaving the boom at Rochelle, where he had taken his departure, and that he
had been hindered by bad weather on his voyage. [194]

The next day, Sieur de Poutrincourt proceeded to set forth his views as to
what should be done; and, in accordance with the opinion of all, he
resolved to stay at Port Royal this year, inasmuch as no discovery had been
made since the departure of Sieur de Monts, and the period of four months
before winter was not long enough to search out a site and construct
another settlement, especially in a large vessel, unlike a barque which
draws little water, searches everywhere, and finds places to one's mind for
effecting settlements. But he decided that, during this period, nothing
more should be done than to try to find some place better adapted for our
abode. [195]

Thus deciding, Sieur de Poutrincourt despatched at once some laborers to
work on the land in a spot which he deemed suitable, up the river, a league
and a half from the settlement of Port Royal, and where we had thought of
making our abode. Here he ordered wheat, rye, hemp, and several other kinds
of seeds to be sown, in order to ascertain how they would flourish. [196]

On the 22d of August, a small barque was seen approaching our settlement.
It was that of Des Antons, of St. Malo, who had come from Canseau, where
his vessel was engaged in fishing, to inform us that there were some
vessels about Cape Breton engaged in the fur-trade; and that, if we would
send our ship, we might capture them on the point of returning to
France. It was determined to do so as soon as some supplies, which were in
the ship, could be unloaded. [197]

This being done. Pont Grave embarked, together with his companions, who had
wintered with him at Port Royal, excepting Champdore and Foulgere de Vitre.
I also stayed with De Poutrincourt, in order, with God's help, to complete
the map of the coasts and countries which I had commenced. Every thing
being put in order in the settlement. Sieur de Poutrincourt ordered
provisions to be taken on board for our voyage along the coast of Florida.

On the 29th of August, we set out from Port Royal, as did also Pont Grave
and Des Antons, who were bound for Cape Breton and Canseau, to seize the
vessels which were engaging in the fur-trade, as I have before stated.
After getting out to sea, we were obliged to put back on account of bad
weather. But the large vessel kept on her course, and we soon lost sight of
her.

ENDNOTES:

191. Petit Passage, leading into St. Mary's Bay.

192. _La Baye Courante_, the bay at the mouth of Argyl or Abuptic River,
sometimes called Lobster Bay.--_Vide Campbell's Yarmouth County_.
N.S., p. 13. The anchorage for the repair of the barque near this bay,
two leagues from Cape Fourchu, was probably near Pinckney Point, or it
may have been under the lee of one of the Tusquet Islands.

193. Lescarbot, who with De Poutrincourt was in this vessel, the "Jonas,"
gives a very elaborate account of their arrival and reception at Port
Royal. It seems that, at Canseau, Poutrincourt, supposing that the
colony at Port Royal, not receiving expected succors, had possibly
already embarked for France, as was in fact the case, had despatched a
small boat in charge of Ralleau to reconnoitre the coast, with the
hope of meeting them, if they had already embarked. The "Jonas" passed
them unobserved, perhaps while they were repairing their barque at
Baye Courante. As Ralleau did not join the "Jonas" till after their
arrival at Port Royal, Poutrincourt did not hear of the departure of
the colony till his arrival. Champlain's dates do not agree with those
of Lescarbot, and the latter is probably correct. According to
Lescarbot, Poutrincourt arrived on the 27th, and Pont Grave with
Champlain on the 31st of July. _Vide His. Nou. France_, Paris, 1612,
pp. 544, 547.

194. Lescarbot gives a graphic account of the accident which happened to
their vessel in the harbor of Rochelle, delaying them more than a
month: and the bad weather and the bad seamanship of Captain Foulques,
who commanded the "Jonas," which kept them at sea more than two months
and a half.--_Vide His. Nou. France_, Paris. 1612, p. 523, _et seq._

195. Before leaving France, Poutrincourt had received instructions from the
patentee, De Monts to seek for a good harbor and more genial climate
for the colony farther south than Mallebarre, as he was not satisfied
either with St. Croix or Port Royal for a permanent abode.--_Vide
Lescarbot's His. Nou. France_, Paris, 1612, p. 552.

196. By reference to Champlain's drawing of Port Royal, it will be seen
that the place of this agricultural experiment was on the southern
side of Annapolis River, near the mouth of Alien River, and on the
identical soil where the village of Annapolis now stands.

197. It appears that this fur-trader was one Boyer, of Rouen, who had been
delivered from prison at Rochelle by Poutrincourt's lenity, where he
had been incarcerated probably for the same offence. They did not
succeed in capturing him at Canseau.--_Vide His. Nou. France_, par
Lescarbot, Paris, 1612, p. 553.




CHAPTER XIII.

SIEUR DE POUTRINCOURT SETS OUT FROM PORT ROYAL TO MAKE DISCOVERIES.--ALL
THAT WAS SEEN, AND WHAT TOOK PLACE AS FAR AS MALLEBARRE.


On the 5th of September, we set out again from Port Royal.

On the 7th, we reached the mouth of the river St. Croix, where we found a
large number of savages, among others Secondon and Messamouet. We came
near being lost there on a rocky islet, on account of Champdore's usual
obstinacy.

The next day we proceeded in a shallop to the Island of St. Croix, where
Sieur de Monts had wintered, to see if we could find any spikes of wheat
and other seeds which we had planted there. We found some wheat which had
fallen on the ground, and come up as finely as one could wish; also a large
number of garden vegetables, which also had come up fair and large. It gave
us great satisfaction to see that the soil there was good and fertile.

After visiting the island, we returned to our barque, which was one of
eighteen tons, on the way catching a large number of mackerel, which are
abundant there at this season. It was decided to continue the voyage along
the coast, which was not a very well-considered conclusion, since we lost
much time in passing over again the discoveries made by Sieur de Monts as
far as the harbor of Mallebarre. It would have been much better, in my
opinion, to cross from where we were directly to Mallebarre, the route
being already known, and then use our time in exploring as far as the
fortieth degree, or still farther south, revisiting, upon our homeward
voyage, the entire coast at pleasure.

After this decision, we took with us Secondon and Messamouet, who went as
far as Choueacoet in a shallop, where they wished to make an alliance with
the people of the country, by offering them some presents.

On the 12th of September, we set out from the river St. Croix.

On the 21st, we arrived at Choueacoet, where we saw Onemechin, chief of the
river, and Marchin, who had harvested their corn. We saw at the Island of
Bacchus [198] some grapes which were ripe and very good, and some others
not yet ripe, as fine as those in France; and I am sure that, if they were
cultivated, they would produce good wine.

In this place. Sieur de Poutrincourt secured a prisoner that Onemechin had,
to whom Messamouet [199] made presents of kettles, hatchets, knives, and
other things. Onemechin reciprocated the same with Indian corn, squashes,
and Brazilian beans; which was not very satisfactory to Messamouet, who
went away very ill-disposed towards them for not properly recognizing his
presents, and with the intention of making war upon them in a short time.
For these nations give only in exchange for something in return, except to
those who have done them a special service, as by assisting them in their
wars.

Continuing our course, we proceeded to the Island Cape, [200] where we
encountered rather bad weather and fogs, and saw little prospect of being
able to spend the night under shelter, since the locality was not favorable
for this. While we were thus in perplexity, it occurred to me that, while
coasting along with Sieur de Monts, I had noted on my map, at a distance of
a league from here, a place which seemed suitable for vessels, but which we
did not enter, because, when we passed it, the wind was favorable for
continuing on our course. This place we had already passed, which led me
to suggest to Sieur de Poutrincourt that we should stand in for a point in
sight, where the place in question was, which seemed to me favorable for
passing the night. We proceeded to anchor at the mouth, and went in the
next day. [201]

Sieur de Poutrincourt landed with eight or ten of our company. We saw some
very fine grapes just ripe, Brazilian peas, [202] pumpkins, squashes, and
very good roots, which the savages cultivate, having a taste similar to
that of chards. [203] They made us presents of some of these, in exchange
for little trifles which we gave them. They had already finished their
harvest. We saw two hundred savages in this very pleasant place; and there
are here a large number [204] of very fine walnut-trees, [205] cypresses,
sassafras, oaks, ashes, and beeches. The chief of this place is named
Quiouhamenec, who came to see us with a neighbor of his, named Cohoueepech,
whom we entertained sumptuously. Onemechin, chief of Choueacoet, came also
to see us, to whom we gave a coat, which he, however, did not keep a long
time, but made a present of it to another, since he was uneasy in it, and
could not adapt himself to it. We saw also a savage here, who had so
wounded himself in the foot, and lost so much blood, that he fell down in a
swoon. Many others surrounded him, and sang some time before touching him.
Afterwards, they made some motions with their feet and hands, shook his
head and breathed upon him, when he came to himself. Our surgeon dressed
his wounds, when he went off in good spirits.

* * * * *

CHAMPLAIN'S EXPLANATION OF THE ACCOMPANYING MAP.

LE BEAU PORT. [Note: _Le Beau Port_ is Gloucester.]

_The figures indicate fathoms of water_.

_A_. Place where our barque was.
_B_. Meadows.
_C_. Small island. [Note: Ten-Pound Island. It is forty rods long and
thirty feet high. On it is a U. S. Light, fifty feet above the
sea-level.]
_D_. Rocky cape.

_E_. Place where we had our shallop calked. [Note: This peninsula is now
called Rocky Neck. Its southern part and the causeway which connects
it with the main land are now thickly settled.]
_F_. Little rocky islet, very high on the coast. [Note: This is Salt
Island.]
_G_. Cabins of the savages and where they till the soil.
_H_. Little river where there are meadows. [Note: This is the small stream
that flows into Fresh-Water Cove.]
_I_. Brook.
_L_. Tongue of land covered with trees, including a large number of
sassafras, walnut-trees, and vines. [Note: This is now called Eastern
Point, is three quarters of a mile long, and about half a mile in its
greatest width. At its southern extremity is a U. S. Light, sixty feet
above the sea-level. The scattering rocks figured by Champlain on its
western shore are now known as Black Bess.]
_M_. Arm of the sea on the other side of the Island Cape. [Note: Squam
River, flowing into Annisquam Harbor.]
_N_. Little River.
_O_. Little brook coming from the meadows.
_P_. Another little brook where we did our washing.
_Q_. Troop of savages coming to surprise us. [Note: They were creeping
along the eastern bank of Smith's Cove.]
_R_. Sandy strand. [Note: The beach of South-East Harbor.]
_S_. Sea-coast.
_T_. Sieur de Poutrincourt in ambuscade with some seven or eight
arquebusiers.
_V_. Sieur de Champlain discovering the savages.

NOTES: A comparison of his map with the Coast Survey Charts will exhibit
its surprising accuracy, especially when we make allowance for the fact
that it is merely a sketch executed without measurements, and with a very
brief visit to the locality. The projection or cape west of Ten-Pound
Island, including Stage Head, may be easily identified, as likewise Fort
Point directly north of the same island, as seen on our maps, but
north-west on that of Champlain, showing that his map is oriented with an
inclination to the west. The most obvious defect is the foreshortening of
the Inner Harbor, which requires much greater elongation.

* * * * *

The next day, as we were calking our shallop, Sieur de Poutrincourt in the
woods noticed a number of savages who were going, with the intention of
doing us some mischief, to a little stream, where a neck connects with the
main land, at which our party were doing their washing. As I was walking
along this neck, these savages noticed me; and, in order to put a good face
upon it, since they saw that I had discovered them thus seasonably, they
began to shout and dance, and then came towards me with their bows, arrows,
quivers, and other arms. And, inasmuch as there was a meadow between them
and myself, I made a sign to them to dance again. This they did in a
circle, putting all their arms in the middle. But they had hardly
commenced, when they observed Sieur de Poutrincourt in the wood with eight
musketeers, which frightened them. Yet they did not stop until they had
finished their dance, when they withdrew in all directions, fearing lest
some unpleasant turn might be served them. We said nothing to them,
however, and showed them only demonstrations of gladness. Then we returned
to launch our shallop, and take our departure. They entreated us to wait a
day, saying that more than two thousand of them would come to see us. But,
unable to lose any time, we were unwilling to stay here longer. I am of
opinion that their object was to surprise us. Some of the land was already
cleared up, and they were constantly making clearings. Their mode of doing
it is as follows: after cutting down the trees at the distance of three
feet from the ground, they burn the branches upon the trunk, and then plant
their corn between these stumps, in course of time tearing up also the
roots. There are likewise fine meadows here, capable of supporting a large
number of cattle. This harbor is very fine, containing water enough for
vessels, and affording a shelter from the weather behind the islands. It is
in latitude 43 deg., and we gave it the name of Le Beauport. [206]

The last day of September we set out from Beauport, and, passing Cap
St. Louis, stood on our course all night for Cap Blanc. [207] In the
morning, an hour before daylight we found ourselves to the leeward of Cap
Blanc, in Baye Blanche, with eight feet of water, and at a distance of a
league from the shore. Here we anchored, in order not to approach too near
before daylight, and to see how the tide was. Meanwhile, we sent our
shallop to make soundings. Only eight feet of water were found, so that it
was necessary to determine before daylight what we would do. The water sank
as low as five feet, and our barque sometimes touched on the sand, yet
without any injury, for the water was calm, and we had not less than three
feet of water under us. Then the tide began to rise, which gave us
encouragement.

When it was day, we saw a very low, sandy shore, off which we were, and
more to the leeward. A shallop was sent to make soundings in the direction
of land somewhat high, where we thought there would be deep water; and, in
fact, we found seven fathoms. Here we anchored, and at once got ready the
shallop, with nine or ten men to land and examine a place where we thought
there was a good harbor to shelter ourselves in, if the wind should
increase. An examination having been made, we entered in two, three, and
four fathoms of water. When we were inside, we found five and six. There
were many very good oysters here, which we had not seen before, and we
named the place Port aux Huistres. [208] It is in latitude 42 deg.. Three
canoes of savages came out to us. On this day, the wind coming round in our
favor, we weighed anchor to go to Cap Blanc, distant from here five leagues
north a quarter north-east, and we doubled the cape.

On the next day, the 2d of October, we arrived off Mallebarre, [209] where
we stayed some time on account of the bad weather. During this time, Sieur
de Poutrincourt, with the shallop, accompanied by twelve or fifteen men,
visited the harbor, where some hundred and fifty savages, singing and
dancing according to their custom, appeared before him. After seeing this
place, we returned to our vessel, and, the wind coming favorable, sailed
along the coast towards the south.

ENDNOTES:

198. Richmond Island.--_Vide antea_, note 123. The ripe grapes which he saw
were the Fox Grape. _Vitis labrusca_, which ripens in September. The
fruit is of a dark purple color, tough and musky. The Isabella, common
in our markets, is derived from it. It is not quite clear whether
those seen in an unripe state were another species or not. If they
were, they were the Frost Grape, _Vitis cardifolia_, which are found
in the northern parts of New England. The berry is small, black or
blue, having a bloom, highly acid, and ripens after frosts. This
island, so prolific in grapes, became afterward a centre of commercial
importance. On Josselyn's voyage of 1638, he says: "The Six and
twentieth day, Capt. _Thomas Cammock_ went aboard of a Barke of 300
Tuns, laden with Island Wine, and but 7 men in her, and never a Gun,
bound for Richmond's Island, Set out by Mr. _Trelaney, of Plimouth_"--
_Voyages_, 1675, Boston, Veazie's ed., 1865, p. 12.

199. Messamouet was a chief from the Port de la Heve, and was accompanied
by Secondon, also a chief from the river St. John. They had come to
Saco to dispose of a quantity of goods which they had obtained from
the French fur-traders. Messamouet made an address on the occasion, in
which he stated that he had been in France, and had been entertained
at the house of Mons. de Grandmont, governor of Bavonne.--_Vide
His. Nou. France_, par Lescarbot, Paris, 1612, p. 559, _et seq._

Fidel and Che: a revolutionary friendship

After last week's fairly open theme, I thought I'd go with something a bit more structured this time. As I type this, I'm listening to Steeleye Span and thinking about the great ballad traditions of Britain and Ireland. What is a ballad? I suppose the most inclusive definition would be that it's a singable narrative poem: that covers a multitude but will do for the moment.

Ballads in English stretch back to the middle ages, with fine examples to be found among the Scottish border ballads and the English Robin Hood poems. These early ballads are among the best-known poems and stories in the language, and form part of the common heritage of English speakers everywhere. They gave rise to a tradition of ballad-making that endures down to the present day.

In fact, most poets since have tried their hand at the ballad at one time or another, and the result has been to deny any definition more specific than the one I ventured in my first paragraph. If you look around the internet, you'll come up with a wide selection of poems that are called ballads but have little in common formally. Stanza length varies from two to 10 or more lines, and all sorts of metrical and rhyming patterns are used. A good number will be singable in only the loosest possible sense, and at times the narrative tends to get lost in a mesh of more-or-less successful verbal embroidery.

So, what should a ballad be? Well, "proper" ballad stanzas are quatrains in which the first and third lines have four stresses and the second and third have three. The lines will rhyme A-B-C-B or A-B-A-B. It's as simple, and as difficult, as that. Here's an example, from Robert Burns's extremely singable Comin Thro' the Rye:

Gin a body meet a body
          Comin thro' the rye,
Gin a body kiss a body –
          Need a body cry.

Burns wrote a good number of ballads, and his lead was followed by many 19th-century poets. Two examples that I particularly like are Robert Browning's Confessions and Christina Rossetti's Up-Hill, but you can find ballads by just about any Romantic or Victorian poet if you look for them.

There is a long, strong tradition of ballads and ballad singers in Ireland, too. It is hardly surprising, then, that the great appropriator of tradition, WB Yeats, tried his hand at the form. At least four of his poems have the word "ballad" in the title; the pick of the bunch, for my money, is The Ballad of Father Gilligan, which may have benefited from having been written with a specific tune in mind.

Ballads continued to be written in the 20th century; perhaps the most unexpected exponents were Ezra Pound, with his Ballad of the Goodly Fere, and WH Auden. In fact, the ballad The Quarry is probably my favourite Auden poem.

And so, this week I invite a chorus of balladeering. You may choose to go the whole hog and write in ballad stanzas or you might prefer to take a more liberal view of the formal requirements. Either way, sing up and – as they say at all the best Irish sessions when calling for a bit of hush for the singer – one voice please.

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Obituary: Donald Westlake

The disputed Holocaust memoir, written by Herman Rosenblat, which was dropped from Penguin Group's publication schedule at the end of December is now set to appear as a work of fiction.

Rosenblat's memoir - which Oprah Winfrey called "the single greatest love story" she had heard in two decades in television - recounted how as a teenage boy in a Nazi concentration camp, he was kept alive by the food which was thrown to him by a young girl, Roma Radzicky. Penguin's US imprint Berkley Books had planned to publish the story, which sees Rosenblat reunited with Radzicky on a blind date years later, as Angel at the Fence: the True Story of a Love That Survived, next month.

But a Holocaust historian said it would have been impossible to approach the fence in the Schlieben concentration camp to throw food over it, concluding that this part of the story was made-up. Berkley initially defended the book, saying it was a work of memory, but then decided to cancel its planned publication, and demanded the return of the advance it had made to Rosenblat. A $25m film based on the book, to be called The Flower of the Fence, is still going ahead, with production due to start this year.

Publisher York House Press based in White Plains, New York, has entered into a tentative agreement with the film production company to publish a novel based on the film script early this spring. It said the book would be "grounded in fact", and would rise "to the proper levels of artistic value, ethical conduct and social responsibility".

A spokesperson for York House Press condemned the attacks which were made on the 80-year-old Rosenblat after the veracity of his story was questioned, describing them as a "savage" response to what was otherwise "a credible, heart-wrenching, and verifiable account" of his time in the concentration camp.

"No deliberate untruth is permissible, but beneath any fabrication is motivation and intent. We believe Mr. Rosenblat's motivations were very human, understandable and forgivable," the spokesperson said. "It is beyond our expertise to know how Holocaust survivors cope with their trauma. Do they deny, try to forget, rationalise or fantasise and promote fiction along with truth? Perhaps the coping mechanisms are as individual as the survivors themselves."

The president of the company producing the film, Harris Salomon from Atlantic Overseas Productions, said the book, "regardless of its shortcomings", would "challenge, educate and enlighten" readers about the horrors of the Holocaust. "The documented fact, acknowledged by his critics, is that Herman is a survivor of concentration camps," he said.

But Rosenblat's agent, Andrea Hurst, said that neither she nor Rosenblat were involved with this version of his story. "Usually book rights from films come out after the movie is released," she told guardian.co.uk. "I think the timing on this is very insensitive."

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