CHAPTER VII.

SETTLEMENT OF THE FRENCH IN CANADA AND

LOUISIANA.

Plan of Colonizing Canada.-La Roche.-Disastrous Issue.De Monts,-Champlain,-Marquette, and Jolyet.-Hennepin.

-Lahontan.-Charlevoix.

WHILE the English were founding along the American coast the most flourishing and prosperous colonies of the new world, the French were busily pursuing a different career. They were penetrating into the immense northern interior of America, ascending and descending those mighty rivers, and coasting the shores of those boundless lakes, which seem to convey to its most inland depths the character and the benefits of a maritime region. The heads of the French mission, both political and religious, engaged in this career, displayed really very great enterprise and address, and effected extensive discoveries with much less disaster than might have been expected to attend so new a line of discovery, beset with such great and singular perils.

The river St Lawrence, and generally the more northern tracts of America, formed the quarter to

which the French directed their special attention. The transactions in Florida, however in some respects glorious, were of too tragic a character, and the pretensions of Spain on that side too formidable, to make any farther attempts be felt as safe or eligible. The naval energies of England, and the tide of emigration produced by her religious dissensions, had enabled her to preoccupy all the middle regions of the continent. The early discoveries of Cartier had turned the eyes of France towards the St Lawrence, and established her claim to it according to that peculiar code by which Europeans have chosen to apportion among themselves the rest of mankind. Although CANADA had scarcely any measure of the smiling and luxuriant aspect of Florida, or even of Virginia, yet it opened into regions of vast extent; and the tracing to its distant fountains this sea-like abyss of waters presented more than common attraction to curiosity and adventure.

At this time, the only mode in which it was conceived that the regions of the newly-discovered world could be peopled, was by sovereign and exclusive companies. In fact, when we consider the perilous and doubtful character of those early adventures,—that fleets were to be equipped, towns built, wastes cultivated, and too probably war waged,—a much more than ordinary temptation was required. The want of rivalry, however, could not fail, according to universal experience, to have a most paralyzing effect on the energies of these companies. They, indeed, were likely to be bold and adventurous spirits who sought to range in such a sphere; yet favour rather than

merit formed too often the principles upon which the selection was made.

The first who, after the long interval which had now elapsed, undertook to colonize these northern regions, was a bold Breton, of good family, named De la Roche. He obtained from Henry IV. a patent of the same extensive character as those granted in England to Gilbert and Raleigh. He received the title of Lieutenant-General for the countries of Canada, Hochelaga, Newfoundland, Labrador, the river of the great bay (St Lawrence) Norimbega, and all the lands adjacent. He was to have the supreme command, both civil and military, and no one was to be permitted to trade, unless under his sanction. The King of France stipulated for himself absolutely nothing, not even that invariable article, a fifth part of the gold; but rumour had never ascribed to Canada this darling representative of wealth.

La Roche, in 1598, set out to take possession of the vast domain thus lavishly bestowed on him. So little ardour, however, did the nation feel, that he was obliged to draw upon the jails for a great proportion of the sailors. After a not unprosperous voyage, he reached Sable Island, near the coast of Nova Scotia, where he landed a party of his ill-conditioned crew. The choice is censured, this island being a mere collection of sand-hillocks, with only a few scattered shrubs, and the interior filled with a large lake or pond. La Roche, however, was groping in the dark, and might think his party better secured here than on the continent against the hostility of the natives. He proceeded, and made a survey of the opposite coast of Nova Sco

tia, and then returned to France, with the view of obtaining fresh recruits and supplies. Arriving in Britany, he incurred the enmity of the Duke de Mercoeur, whose power in that province was still almost sovereign, and who so far prepossessed the King, that De la Roche was deprived of the means of carrying his enterprise farther. The chagrin of this disappointment brought him to the grave. No one, mean time, concerned himself about the unfortunate expedition left at Sable Island, which was soon reduced to the utmost misery. From the planks of a shipwrecked Spanish vessel they formed to themselves some sort of shelter from the severity of the climate. Having soon consumed their scanty stock of provisions, they were reduced to a diet purely of fish; and as their clothes fell to rags, were obliged to recruit them by sewing together the skins of sea-wolves. At length some one put Henry in mind of the existence of this unhappy colony, and that no one had any idea of what had become of them. That humane prince instantly sent out a vessel to relieve whatever of its hapless remnant might still be found. Twelve only survived, who were brought home, and, with their shaggy and uncouth aspect, their dress of fish-skins, and their hair and beard grown to an enormous length, so moved that prince, that he granted a pardon for all their past offences, and dismissed each with a present of fifty crowns.*

This was no very encouraging outset; and for se

* His. Gen. des Voyages, xiv. 589-91.

veral years nothing was attempted beyond a traffic in furs, which proved very profitable. very profitable. Chauvin and Pontgrave, two of the principal fur-merchants, made even some faint attempts to settle a colony, which were seconded by a company formed at Dieppe, yet proved abortive.

A more splendid and vigorous attempt was made by De Monts, a gentleman of Saintonge, and a Calvinist. He was invested by the court with the same extensive and exclusive rights so lavishly bestowed on all who would engage in the arduous career of transatlantic adventure. He even obtained free permission to exercise his own religion; oddly combined, however, with an engagement to initiate the savages in the mysteries of pure Catholicism. He equipped an expedition really on a large scale, comprising no less than forty vessels. His commission extended from the fortieth to the fifty-fourth degree of north latitude, including thus the whole of New England not yet occupied by any other potentate. De Monts, with his officers, spent a long time in surveying the coast as far as Cape Cod, without well knowing where to fix ; and he is supposed not in the end to have made a happy choice. He settled on the little island of St Croix, fertile indeed, but which, in winter, afforded neither wood nor fresh water; and he removed afterwards to Port Royal, now Annapolis. This country, however, fulfilled none of those hopes of rapid wealth, under the influence of which most of the adventurers had been attracted thither. With difficulty it was made to yield the necessaries of life; and the fur-trade was very limited when compared with that which could