The Makers of Canada: Champlain | Page 8

were lying at anchor at Havre de Grâce, ready to sail,
and one hundred and twenty passages had been secured in two of the
ships. Pont-Gravé commanded one of the vessels of one hundred and
twenty tons burthen, and another vessel of one hundred and fifty tons
was under the charge of de Monts, who had taken on board Jean de
Biencourt, Sieur de Poutrincourt, a gentleman of Picardy, Samuel
Champlain, some Catholic priests and some Protestant ministers.
Poutrincourt was going to America with the intention of residing there

with his family. He was a good Catholic and a loyal subject. Champlain
was attached to de Monts' expedition as geographer and historian.
The rendezvous had been fixed at Canseau, but de Monts proceeded
directly to Port au Mouton on the Acadian coast, where he decided to
await the arrival of Pont-Gravé. In the meantime Champlain explored
the country from Port au Mouton to Port Sainte Marguerite, now called
St. Mary's Bay. This occupied a whole month. He also named Cape
Négré, Cape Fourchu and Long Island. Champlain reported to de
Monts that St. Mary's Bay was a suitable place to establish a settlement,
and, following this advice, the lieutenant-general proceeded with
Champlain to this bay, and further explored the Bay of Fundy, or
French Bay. They soon perceived the entrance to another splendid port,
which is now known as Annapolis Bay, or Port Royal.
Notwithstanding the authority of Lescarbot, Champlain was the first to
give this place the name of Port Royal, for he says himself, "I have
named this harbour Port Royal." When de Monts named the place La
Baie Française, Champlain did not hesitate to give to his chief the merit
which he deserved.
Three rivers flow into this splendid harbour: the Rivière de l'Equille, so
called from a little fish of the size of our _éperlan_ or _lançon_, which
is found there in large quantities; the river named St. Antoine by
Champlain, and a stream called de la Roche by Champlain, and de
l'Orignac by Lescarbot.
After having explored the harbour, Champlain traversed La Baie
Française to see whether he could discover the copper mine mentioned
by Prévert of St. Malo, and he soon arrived at a place which he named
the Cape of Two Bays, or Chignecto, and perceived the High Islands,
where a copper mine was found.
On May 20th an expedition started from the Port of Mines, in search of
a place suitable for a permanent settlement. Proceeding towards the
south-west they stopped at the entrance of a large river, which was
named St. John, as it was on St. John's day that they arrived there. The
savages called the river Ouigoudi. "This river is dangerous," writes

Champlain, "if one does not observe carefully certain points and rocks
on the two sides. It is so narrow at its entrance and then becomes
broader. A certain point being passed it becomes narrower again, and
forms a kind of fall between two large cliffs, where the water runs so
rapidly that a piece of wood thrown in is drawn under and not seen
again. But by waiting till high tide you can pass this fall very easily.
Then it expands again to the extent of about a league in some places
where there are three islands."
Champlain did not explore the river further, but he ascertained a few
days later that the Indians used the river in their journeys to Tadousac,
making but a short portage on the way.
As preparations had shortly to be made for winter quarters, de Monts
decided to proceed southwards, and the party at length came to a
number of islands at the entrance of the river Ste. Croix, or Des
Etchemins. One of these islands was chosen for their establishment,
and named Ste. Croix, "because," says Lescarbot, "they perceived two
leagues above this island two streams flowing into the channel of the
river, presenting the appearance of a cross." De Monts at once
commenced to fortify the place by forming a barricade on a little inlet,
which served as a station on which he set up a cannon; it was situated
halfway between the mainland and the island of Ste. Croix. Some days
afterwards all the French who were waiting in St. Mary's Bay
disembarked on the island. They were all eager and willing to work,
and commenced to render the place habitable. They erected a
storehouse and a residence for de Monts, and built an oven and a
hand-mill for grinding wheat. Some gardens were also laid out, and
various kinds of seeds were sown, which flourished well on the
mainland, though not on the island, which was too sandy.
De Monts was anxious to ascertain the location of a mine of pure
copper which had been spoken of, and accordingly