N. E. Dionne - The Makers of Canada: Champlain

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[Illustration]

_THE MAKERS OF CANADA_

CHAMPLAIN

BY

N.E. DIONNE

TORONTO
MORANG & CO., LIMITED
1912

_Entered according to Act of the Parliament of Canada in the year 1905,
by Morang & Co., Limited, in the Department of Agriculture._

CONTENTS

_CHAPTER I_ Page
CHAMPLAIN'S FIRST VOYAGE TO AMERICA 1

_CHAPTER II_
ACADIA--STE. CROIX ISLAND--PORT ROYAL 17

_CHAPTER III_
THE FOUNDING OF QUEBEC 39

_CHAPTER IV_
CHAMPLAIN'S VOYAGES OF 1610, 1611, 1613 59

_CHAPTER V_
THE RECOLLETS AND THEIR MISSIONS 81

_CHAPTER VI_
WAR AGAINST THE IROQUOIS, 1615 101

_CHAPTER VII_
FUR TRADE 119

_CHAPTER VIII_
CHAMPLAIN, THE JESUITS AND THE SAVAGES 143

_CHAPTER IX_
THE COMPANY OF NEW FRANCE OR HUNDRED ASSOCIATES 167

_CHAPTER X_
THE CAPITULATION OF QUEBEC, 1629 187

_CHAPTER XI_
THE LAST EVENTS OF 1629 199

_CHAPTER XII_
QUEBEC RESTORED 211

_CHAPTER XIII_
THE JESUIT MISSIONS IN NEW FRANCE 227

_CHAPTER XIV_
THE GROWTH OF QUEBEC 243

_CHAPTER XV_
CONCLUSION 261

CHRONOLOGICAL APPENDIX 283

INDEX 289

INTRODUCTION

In undertaking to write a biography of Samuel Champlain, the founder of
Quebec and the father of New France, our only design is to make somewhat
better known the dominant characteristics of the life and achievements
of a man whose memory is becoming more cherished as the years roll on.

Every one will admire Champlain's disinterested actions, his courage,
his loyalty, his charity, and all those noble and magnificent qualities
which are rarely found united in one individual in so prominent a
degree. We cannot overpraise that self-abnegation which enabled him to
bear without complaint the ingratitude of many of his interpreters, and
the servants of the merchants; nor can we overlook, either, the charity
which he exercised towards the aborigines and new settlers; the
protection which he afforded them under trying circumstances, or his
zeal in promoting the honour and glory of God, and his respect for the
Recollet and Jesuit fathers who honoured him with their cordial
friendship. His wisdom is evidenced in such a practical fact as his
choice of Quebec as the capital of New France, despite the rival claims
of Montreal and Three Rivers, and his numerous writings reveal him to us
as a keen and sagacious observer, a man of science and a skilful and
intrepid mariner. As a cosmographer, Champlain added yet another laurel
to his crown, for he excelled all his predecessors, both by the ample
volume of his descriptions and by the logical arrangement of the
geographical data which he supplied. The impetus which he gave to
cartographical science can scarcely be overestimated.

Naturalist, mariner, geographer, such was Samuel Champlain, and to a
degree remarkable for the age in which he lived. It is, perhaps,
unnecessary to dwell upon the morality of the virtuous founder. The
testimony of the Hurons, who, twenty years after his death, still
pointed to the life of Champlain as a model of all Christian virtues, is
sufficient, and it is certain that no governor under the old regime
presented a more brilliant example of faith, piety, uprightness, or
soundness of judgment. A brief outline of the character of Champlain has
been given in order that the plan of this biography may be better
understood. Let us now glance at his career more in detail.

Before becoming the founder of colonies, Champlain entered the French
army, where he devoted himself to the religion of his ancestors. This
was the first important step in his long and eventful career. A martial
life, however, does not appear to have held out the same inducements as
that of a mariner. An opportunity was presented which enabled him to
gratify his tastes, when the Spanish government sent out an armada to
encounter the English in the Gulf of Mexico. Champlain was given the
command of a ship in this expedition, but his experience during the war
served rather as an occasion to develop his genius as a mariner and
cosmographer, than to add to his renown as a warrior.

God, who in His providence disposes of the lives of men according to His
divine wisdom, directed the steps of Champlain towards the shores of the
future New France. If the mother country had not completely forgotten
this land of ours, discovered by one of her greatest captains, she had,
at least, neglected it. The honour of bringing the king's attention to
this vast country, which was French by the right of discovery, was
reserved for the modest son of Brouage.

While Pierre du Gua, Sieur de Monts, was wasting his years and expending
large sums of money in his fruitless efforts to colonize the island of
Ste. Croix and Port Royal, Champlain's voyage to Acadia and his
discovery of the New England coast were practically useful, and in
consequence Champlain endeavoured to assure de Monts that his own
efforts would be more advantageously directed to the shores of the St.
Lawrence, for here it was obvious that the development of the country
must commence.

Champlain's next step was to found Quebec. With this act began our
colonial history, the foundation of a Canadian people with its long line
of heroic characters distinguished by their simplicity and by their
adherence to the faith of their fathers. Quebec was founded, but nothing
more was accomplished at the moment owing to the lack of means. The
trials of Champlain now commenced. Day by day he had to contend against
his own countrymen. The attractions of fur trading were too great for
the merchants to induce them to settle down and develop the country
around them, and they were unwilling to fulfil their promises or to act
in accordance with the terms of their patents.

During the next twenty years Champlain crossed the ocean eighteen times.
Each voyage was made in the interest of the colony, and he sought by
every means in his power, by prayers and petitions, to obtain the
control of the commerce of the country so as to make it beneficial to
all. In spite of his extraordinary exertions and the force of his will,
he foresaw the fatal issue of his labours.

The settlers were few in number, bread and provisions were scarce, and
the condition of the infant colony was truly deplorable. At this
distressing period a British fleet arrived in the harbour of Quebec.
What was to be done? The rude fortress of St. Louis could not withstand
the assault of an armed fleet, even if it were well defended. But
Champlain had no ammunition, and he, therefore, adopted the only course
open to him of capitulating and handing over the keys of the fort to the
commander, Kirke. Champlain then left Quebec and returned to France.
Bitter was this journey to him, for it was like passing into exile to
see the familiar heights of Quebec fade into the distance, the city of
his foundation and the country of his adoption.

We have an idea of his sorrow during the three years that England
maintained supremacy in Canada, for he says that the days were as long
as months. During his enforced sojourn in France, Champlain exerted all
his energies to revive interest in the abandoned colony. His plan was to
recover the country by all means. Finally success crowned his efforts,
and the treaty of St. Germain-en-Laye gave back to France the young
settlement. Champlain recrossed the sea and planted the lily banner of
France upon the heights of Cape Diamond.

In the year 1635 Champlain was taken ill, and died on Christmas Day,
after having devoted forty years of his life to the promotion of the
religion and commercial interests of the land of his ancestors, but he
bequeathed to the Canadian people the priceless heritage of Quebec, and
the memory of a pure and honest heart.

Before Champlain's death, however, Quebec had commenced to develop. On
the Beauport coast might be seen the residences of many of the settlers
who arrived from the province of Perche in 1634. On the shores of the
river Lairet, the Jesuits had built a convent, where the young Indians
received instruction; and agriculture had received some attention.
Robert Giffard had established a colony at Beauport which formed the
nucleus of a population in this section of the country. Near Fort St.
Louis the steeple of Notre Dame de la Recouvrance gave witness that
Champlain had fulfilled his promise to build a church at Quebec if the
country was restored to her ancient masters.

The colony was now entering upon an era of prosperity, and that harmony
and happiness which Champlain had longed for in his life, and which
occupied his thoughts even in death, were destined to be realized.

N.E.D.

CHAPTER I

CHAMPLAIN'S FIRST VOYAGE TO AMERICA

Samuel Champlain, the issue of the marriage of Antoine Champlain and
Marguerite Le Roy, was born at Brouage, now Hiers Brouage, a small
village in the province of Saintonge, France, in the year 1570, or
according to the _Biographie Saintongeoise_ in 1567. His parents
belonged to the Catholic religion, as their first names would seem to
indicate.

When quite young Samuel Champlain was entrusted to the care of the
parish priest, who imparted to him the elements of education and
instilled his mind with religious principles. His youth appears to have
glided quietly away, spent for the most part with his family, and in
assisting his father, who was a mariner, in his wanderings upon the sea.
The knowledge thus obtained was of great service to him, for after a
while he became not only conversant with the life of a mariner, but also
with the science of geography and of astronomy. When Samuel Champlain
was about twenty years of age, he tendered his services to Marshal
d'Aumont, one of the chief commanders of the Catholic army in its
expedition against the Huguenots.

When the League had done its work and the army was disbanded in 1598,
Champlain returned to Brouage, and sought a favourable opportunity to
advance his fortune in a manner more agreeable, if possible, to his
tastes, and more compatible with his abilities. In the meantime
Champlain did not remain idle, for he resolved to find the means of
making a voyage to Spain in order "to acquire and cultivate
acquaintance, and make a true report to His Majesty (Henry IV) of the
particularities which could not be known to any Frenchmen, for the
reason that they have not free access there." He left Blavet at the
beginning of the month of August, and ten days after he arrived near
Cape Finisterre. Having remained for six days at the Isle of Bayona, in
Galicia, he proceeded towards San Lucar de Barameda, which is at the
mouth of the river Seville, where he remained for three months. During
this time he went to Seville and made surveys of the place. While
Champlain was at Seville, a _patache_, or advice boat, arrived from
Porto Rico bearing a communication addressed to the king of Spain,
informing him that a portion of the English army had put out to sea with
the intention of attacking Porto Rico.

The king fitted out twenty ships to oppose the English, one of which,
the _Saint Julien_, was commanded by Provencal, Champlain's uncle.
Champlain proposed to join the expedition under his uncle, but Provencal
was ordered elsewhere, and General Soubriago offered the command of the
_Saint Julien_ to Champlain, which he gladly accepted.

The armada set sail in the beginning of January, 1599, and within six
days, favoured by a fresh breeze, the vessels sighted the Canary
Islands. Two months and six days later the armada drew near to the
island called La Desirade, which is the first island approached in this
passage to the Indies. The ships anchored for the first time at Nacou,
which is one of the finest ports of the Guadeloupe. After having passed
Marguerite Island and the Virgins, Champlain proceeded to San Juan de
Porto Rico,[1] where he found that both the town and the castle or
fortress had been abandoned, and that the merchants had either made
their escape or had been taken prisoners. The English army had left the
town and had taken the Spanish governor with them, as he had surrendered
on the condition that his life should be spared.

On leaving Porto Rico the general divided the galleons into three
squadrons, and retained four vessels under his own command. Three were
sent to Porto Bello, and three, including Champlain's vessel, to New
Spain. Champlain arrived at Saint Jean de Luz eight days afterwards,
although the place is fully four hundred leagues from Porto Rico. This
fortress bore the name of San Juan d'Ulloa. Fifteen days afterwards we
find Champlain setting sail for Mexico, situated at a distance of over
one hundred leagues from San Juan.

Champlain was evidently very much interested in this country, and his
description is that of an enthusiast: "It is impossible to see or desire
a more beautiful country than this kingdom of New Spain, which is three
hundred leagues in length, and two hundred in breadth.... The whole of
this country is ornamented with very fine rivers and streams ... the
land is very fertile, producing corn twice in the year ... the trees are
never devoid of fruit and are always green." The voyage to Mexico
occupied a month, and Champlain gave an animated description of the city
of Mexico, of its superb palaces, temples, houses and buildings, and
well laid streets, as well as of the surrounding country.

After leaving Mexico, Champlain returned to San Juan de Luz, and from
there sailed in a _patache_ to Porto Bello, "the most pitiful and evil
residence in the world." The harbour, however, was good, and well
fortified. From Porto Bello to Panama, which is on the sea, the distance
is only seventeen leagues, and it is interesting to read Champlain's
description:--

"One may judge that if the four leagues of land which there are from
Panama to this river were cut through, one might pass from the South
Sea to the ocean on the other side, and thus shorten the route by more
than fifteen hundred leagues; and from Panama to the Straits of Magellan
would be an island, and from Panama to the New-found-lands would be
another island, so that the whole of America would be in two islands."

It is thus seen that the idea of connecting the Atlantic ocean with the
Pacific by cutting through the Isthmus of Panama is not a modern one, as
it was promulgated by Champlain over three hundred years ago.

At this time Spain was in great need of a good transportation service at
the isthmus. The treasures of Peru were sent to Europe by the Panama
route to Porto Bello, from where the ships sailed to the old continent.
The route between the Pacific coast and the Gulf of Mexico was
exceedingly bad. Sometimes the merchants forwarded European goods to
Panama, having them transported to Chagres. Here they were landed in
boats and conveyed to Cruces. From Cruces to Panama mules were employed
for the remainder of the journey. It was, however, the route taken by
travellers visiting Peru, Chili, New Granada, Venezuela, and other
Spanish possessions on the Pacific coast. The most regular connection
between the two oceans was from Fort Acapulco to Vera Cruz, through
Mexico. If Spain had adopted a better line of communication with her
western territories in the New World she might have derived vast
treasure from that source. In the year 1551 Lopez de Gomara, the author
of a "History of Indies," a work written with care and displaying
considerable erudition, proposed to unite the two oceans by means of
canals at three different points, Chagres, Nicaragua and Tehuantepec.
Gomara's proposals were not acted upon, and the honour of carrying out
the project was reserved for France. Ferdinand de Lesseps, who succeeded
in connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea, was the man who,
after the lapse of centuries, seriously interested his fellow-countrymen
in boring the Isthmus of Panama.

Champlain returned to San Juan de Luz, where he remained for fifteen
days, and he then proceeded to Havana, the rendezvous of the army and of
the fleet. Eighteen days later he embarked in a vessel bound for
Cartagena, where there was a good port, sheltered from all winds. Upon
his return to Havana Champlain met his general and spent four months in
collecting valuable information relating to the interesting island of
Cuba. From Havana he proceeded past the Bahama channel, approached
Bermuda Island, Terceira, one of the Azores, and sighted Cape St.
Vincent, where he captured two armed English vessels, which were taken
to Seville.

Champlain returned to France in March, 1601, having been absent on his
first voyage for a period of two years and two months, during which time
he collected much valuable information. He also published a small
volume containing plans, maps and engravings, fairly well executed for
the time, and now exceedingly scarce. The manuscript of this volume is
still preserved; it covers one hundred and fifteen pages with sixty-two
drawings, coloured and surrounded with blue and yellow lines. It appears
to have been written between the years 1601 and 1603.[2]

The first voyage of Champlain across the Atlantic, though important from
a military standpoint, did not suffice to satisfy the ambition of a man
whose thoughts were bent upon discovery and colonization. Champlain was
a navigator by instinct, and in his writings he gave to nautical science
the first place.

"Of all the most useful and excellent arts," he writes, "that of
navigation has always seemed to me to occupy the first place. For the
more hazardous it is, the greater the perils and losses by which it is
attended, so much the more is it esteemed and exalted above all others,
being wholly unsuited to the timid and irresolute. By this art we obtain
a knowledge of different countries, regions and realms. By it we
attract and bring to our own land all kinds of riches; by it the
idolatry of Paganism is overthrown and Christianity proclaimed
throughout all the regions of the earth. This is the art which won my
love in my early years and induced me to expose myself almost all my
life to the impetuous waves of the ocean, and led me to explore the
coasts of a portion of America, especially those of New France, where I
have always desired to see the lily flourish, together with the only
religion, Catholic, Apostolic and Roman."

After his return to France in the year 1601, Champlain received a
pension, together with the appointment of geographer to the king. Pierre
de Chauvin, Sieur de Tontuit, who had unsuccessfully endeavoured to
establish a settlement at Tadousac, died at this time, while Champlain
was residing in Paris. Here he had the good fortune to meet Aymar de
Chastes, governor of the town and chateau of Dieppe, under whose orders
he had served during the latter years of the war with the League.

De Chastes, who had resolved to undertake the colonization of Canada,
obtained a commission from the king, and formed a company, composed of
several gentlemen and the principal merchants of Rouen. Francois Grave,
Sieur du Pont, who had already accompanied Chauvin to Tadousac, was
chosen to return there and to examine the Sault St. Louis and the
country beyond.

"Going from time to time to see the Sieur de Chastes," writes
Champlain, "judging that I might serve him in his design, he did me the
honour to communicate something of it to me, and asked me if it would be
agreeable to me to make the voyage, to examine the country, and to see
what those engaged in the undertaking should do. I told him that I was
very much his servant, but that I could not give myself license to
undertake the voyage without the commands of the king, to whom I was
bound, as well by birth as by the pension with which His Majesty
honoured me to enable me to maintain myself near his person, but that,
if it should please him to speak to the king about it, and give me his
commands, that it should be very agreeable to me, which he promised and
did, and received the king's orders for me to make the voyage and make a
faithful report thereof; and for that purpose M. de Gesvres, secretary
of his commandments, sent me with a letter to the said Du Pont-Grave,
desiring him to take me in his ship and enable me to see and examine
what could be done in the country, giving me every possible assistance."

"_Me voila expedie_," says Champlain, "I leave Paris and take passage on
Pont-Grave's ship in the year 1603, the 15th of the month of March." The
voyage was favourable for the first fifteen days, but on the 30th a
heavy storm arose, "more thunder than wind," which lasted until April
16th. On May 6th the vessel approached Newfoundland, and arrived at
Tadousac[3] on the 24th. Here they met with about one hundred Indians,
under the command of Anadabijou, who were rejoicing on account of their
recent victory over the Iroquois. The chief made a long harangue,
speaking slowly. He congratulated himself upon his friendship with the
French nation, and stated that he was happy to learn that the king was
anxious to send some of his subjects to reside in the country and to
assist them in their wars. Champlain was also informed that the
Etchemins, the Algonquins, and the Montagnais, to the number of about
one thousand, had lately been engaged in warfare with the Iroquois, whom
they had vanquished with the loss of one hundred men.

On June 9th following, Champlain witnessed the spectacle of a grand
feast given by the Indians in commemoration of their victory. The
celebration consisted of dances, songs, speeches and games. Tessoueat,
the _sagamo_ of the Ottawas, was the chief captain, and took a prominent
part in the demonstration.

After a long description of these public festivities, Champlain gives
ample details of the manners and customs of the Indians, especially of
their superstitions. The Indians believed that a God existed who was the
creator of all things, but they had a curious manner of explaining the
creation of man. "When God had made everything," they said, "He took a
quantity of arrows and fixed them in the earth, whence came men and
women, who have increased ever since." The _sagamo_ said they believed
in the existence of a God, a son, a mother and a sun; that God was the
greatest of the four; that the son and the sun were both good; that the
mother was a lesser person, and so was the father, who was less bad.

The Indians were convinced that their deity had held communication with
their ancestors. One day five Indians ran towards the setting sun where
they met God, who asked them, "Where are you going?" "We are going to
seek our life," they replied. Then God said, "You will find it here."
But they did not hear the divine word, and went away. Then God took a
stone and touched two of them, and they were immediately turned into
stones. Addressing the three other Indians, God asked the same question,
"Where are you going?" and He was given the same answer. "Do not go
further," said the divine voice, "you will find your life here." Seeing
nothing, however, they continued their journey. Then God took two sticks
and touched two of them, and they were at once turned into sticks. The
fifth Indian, however, paused, and God gave him some meat, which he ate,
and he afterwards returned to his countrymen.

These Indian tribes had their jugglers, whom they called _pilotois_,
from the Basques, or _autmoins_, which means a magician. These jugglers
exercised great sway over the Indians, who would not hesitate to kill a
Frenchman if the jugglers decided that it was necessary.

In spite of their superstitions Champlain believed that it would be an
easy task to convert the Indians to Christianity, especially if the
French resided near them. This desirable end was not to be attained
without great difficulty, as Champlain soon realized, for the
missionaries toiled for many years before their efforts were crowned
with success.

Champlain now proceeded to explore the river Saguenay for a distance of
twelve to fifteen leagues, and he thus describes the scenery:--

"All the land I have seen is composed of rocks, covered with fir woods,
cypress, birch, very unpleasing land, where I could not find a league of
plain land on each side." He also learned from the Indians of the
existence of Lake St. John, and of a salt sea flowing towards the north.
It was evidently Hudson Bay to which these northern tribes directed
Champlain's attention, and if they had not seen it themselves they had
probably heard of its existence from the Indians dwelling around the
southern or south-western shores of the bay, who came annually to
Nemiscau Lake to trade their furs. This lake was half way between Hudson
Bay and the river St. Lawrence. The Kilistinons and other Indians of the
north had regular communication with their _congeneres_ scattered along
the shores of the St. Maurice and the several rivers which flow into
Lake St. John.

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