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3 CHRONICLES OF CANADA Edited by George M. Wrong and H. H. Langton In thirty-two volumes 3 THE FOUNDER OF NEW FRANCE BY CHARLES W. COLBY Part II The Rise of New France. 4 THE ORDER OF GOOD CHEER--PORT ROYAL, 1606-07 From a colour drawing by C. W. Jefferys. 5 THE FOUNDER OF NEW FRANCE A Chronicle of Champlain BY CHARLES W. COLBY TORONTO GLASGOW, BROOK & COMPANY 1920 Copyright in all Countries subscribing to the Berne Convention Press of The Hunter-Rose Co., Limited, Toronto 6 Table of Contents I. CHAMPLAIN'S EARLY YEARS II. CHAMPLAIN IN ACADIA III. CHAMPLAIN AT QUEBEC IV. CHAMPLAIN IN THE WILDERNESS V. CHAMPLAIN'S LAST YEARS VI. CHAMPLAIN'S WRITINGS AND CHARACTER 7 ILLUSTRATIONS THE ORDER OF GOOD CHEER--PORT ROYAL, 1606-7 PORTRAIT OF CHAMPLAIN ASCRIBED TO MONCORNET. (See Bibliographical Note, p. 154) c From Laverdière's 'Champlain' in M Gill University Library. COASTS EXPLORED BY CHAMPLAIN, 1604-7 Map by Bartholomew. CHAMPLAIN'S DRAWING OF THE HABITATION AT QUEBEC c From Laverdière's 'Champlain' in M Gill University Library. HENRI DE BOURBON, PRINCE DE CONDÉ, VICEROY OF NEW FRANCE c From Laverdière's 'Champlain' in M Gill University Library. THE DISCOVERY OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN, 1609 From a drawing by J. D. Kelly in the Château de Ramezay, Montreal. CHAMPLAIN'S ROUTE, 1615-16 Map by Bartholomew. 8 9 CHAPTER I. CHAMPLAIN'S EARLY YEARS Were there a Who's Who in History its chronicle of Champlain's life and deeds would run as follows: Champlain, Samuel de. Explorer, geographer, and colonizer. Born in 1567 at Brouage, a village on the Bay of Biscay. Belonged by parentage to the lesser gentry of Saintonge. In boyhood became imbued with a love of the sea, but also served as a soldier in the Wars of the League. Though an enthusiastic Catholic,wasloyaltoHenryofNavarre.OnthePeaceofVervins (1598) returned to the sea, visiting the Spanish West Indies and Mexico. Between 1601 and 1603 wrote his first book--the Bref Discours. In 1603 made his first voyage to the St Lawrence, which he ascended as far as the Lachine Rapids. From 1604 to 1607 was actively engaged in the attempt of De Monts to establish a French colony in Acadia, at the same time exploring the seaboard from Cape Breton to Martha's Vineyard. Returned to the St Lawrence in 1608 and founded Quebec. In 1609 discovered Lake Champlain, and fought his first battle with the Iroquois. In 1613 ascended the Ottawa to a point above Lac Coulange. In 1615 reached Georgian Bay and was induced to accompany the Hurons, with their allies, on an unsuccessful expedition into the country of the Iroquois. From 1617 to 1629 occupied chiefly in efforts to strengthen the colony at Quebec and promote trade on the lower St Lawrence. Taken a captive to London by Kirke in 1629 upon the surrender of Quebec, but after its recession to France returned (1633) and remained in Canada until his death, on Christmas Day 1635. Published several important narratives describing his explorations and adventures. An intrepid pioneer and the revered founder of New France. 10 Intosomesuchtermsasthesewouldthewriterofabiographicaldictionary crowd his notice of Champlain's career, so replete with danger and daring, with the excitement of sailing among the uncharted islands of Penobscot Bay, of watching the sun descend below the waves of Lake Huron, of attacking the Iroquois in their palisaded stronghold, of seeing English cannon levelled upon the houses of Quebec. It is not from a biographical dictionary that one can gain true knowledge of Champlain, into whose experience were crowded so many novel sights and whose soul was tested, year after year, by the ever-varying perils of the wilderness. No life, it is true, can be fitly sketched in a chronological abridgment, but history abounds with lives which, while important, do not exact from a biographer thekindofdetailthatfortheactionsofChamplainbecomespriceless.Kant and Hegel were both great forces in human thought, yet throughout eighty years Kant was tethered to the little town of Königsberg, and Hegel did not know what the French were doing in Jena the day after there had been fought just outside a battle which smote Prussia to her knees. The deeds of suchmenaretheirthoughts,theirbooks,andthesedonotmakeastory.The life of Champlain is all story. The part of it which belongs to the Wars of theLeagueislosttousfromwantofrecords.Butfortunatelywepossessin his Voyages the plain, direct narrative of his exploits in America--a source from which all must draw who would know him well. The method to be pursued in this book is not that of the critical essay. Nor will these pages give an account of Champlain's times with reference to ordinances regulating the fur trade, or to the policy of French kings and their ministers towards emigration. Such subjects must be touched on, but here it will be only incidentally. What may be taken to concern us is the spirited action of Champlain's middle life--the period which lies between his first voyage to the St Lawrence and his return from the land ofthe Onondagas. Not that he had ended his workin 1616.The unflagging efforts which he continued to put forth on behalf of the starving colony at Quebec demand all praise. But the years during which he was incessantly engaged in exploration show him at the height of his powers, with health still unimpaired by exposure and with a soul that courted the unknown. Moreover, this is the period for which we have his own narrative in fullest detail. 11 "PORTRAIT OF CHAMPLAIN ASCRIBED TO MONCORNET" (See c Bibliographical Note, p.154 From Laverdière's Champlain in M Gill University Library 12