The Makers of Canada: Champlain | Page 3

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 Provençal, Champlain's uncle.
Champlain proposed to join the expedition under his uncle, but
Provençal 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 Désirade, 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,