French Pathfinders in North America

CHAMPLAIN

E ST. LAWRENCE A

e First Bitter Winter.-Champlain starts on an Exploration.-Discovery of Lake Champlain.-Fight with a Band of Iroquois.-Its Unfortunate Consequences.-Another Fight with Iroquoi

because he was in a subordinate capacity. Now we sh

rough our continent to China. When, in 1603, he explored the St. Lawrence as far as the rapids beyond Montreal, what he heard from the Indians about the great inland seas created in h

e vast fur-yielding region, so as to shut out intruders and secure the precious traffic to his countrymen. Let France, he argued, plant herself

as genuinely interested in christianizing the natives of America. Some of the most heroic spirits who came to our country

men in France to submit patiently to being shut out of a lucrative business by the government's granting the sole right to particular persons, how far more difficult must it have been for men who were on the coasts or rivers of the New World, who had already been engaged in the traffic, and who had opportunities

ly forests of New France which the watchful eye of the monopolist could not penetrate. O

aces in the world, a race that has inhabited the slopes of the Pyrenees, on both the Spanish and the French sides, so far back that nobody knows when it came thither; moreover, a sullen and vengeful race. They were also daring voyagers, and their fishing-vessels had been among the earliest t

promptly opening fire on Pontgravé with cannon and musketry. He was wounded, as well as two of his men, and a third was killed. Then they boarded his vessel and

e glad to come to terms, agreeing to go away and employ themselves in whale-fishing. Leaving the woun

deed a natural fortress. On this spot, between the water and the cliffs, where the Lower Town now stands, Champlain, in 1608, founded the city of Quebec. Its beginnings we

l cool determination. Through the agency of the man who had betrayed them, the four ringleaders were lured on board a small vessel with a promise of enjoying some wine which was said to have been sent from Tadoussac by their friends, the Basque

he rigors of a Canadian winter settled down on the little post. For neighbors the Frenchmen had only a band of Indians, half-starving and wholly wretched, as was the usual winter condition of the roving Algonquins, who never tilled the soil or ma

them sick, remained alive out of the twenty-eight. Thus this first winter at Quebec makes

his daring project of exploration, in the hope of finding a route to China. His plan was to march with a war-party of

s, and retired within to hold communion with the unseen powers, while the worshipers sat around in gaping awe. Soon a low muttering was heard, the voice of the medicine-man invoking the spirits. Then came the alleged answer, the lodge rocking to and fro in violent motion. Champlain could see that the sorcerer was shaking the poles. But the I

ht, for fear of suddenly encountering a band of the enemy, whom they hoped to surprise. Their plan was to traverse the length of Lake Champlain, then pass into Lake George and follo

arty saw the other and forthwith began to yell defiance. The Iroquois immediately landed and began to cut down trees and form a barricade, preferring to fight on shore. The Hurons remained in their canoes all

s covered with Indian robes, so that their presence was not suspected. The party landed without any opposition and made ready for the fray. Soon the Iroquois filed out from

f the

ened, and their steel-clad champion stepped to the front! It was an apparition that might well cause

nd wounded another. On this, our Indians set up such a yelling that one could not have heard a thunder-clap, and all the while the arrows flew thick on both sides. The Iroquois were greatly astonished and frightened to see two of their men killed so quickly, in spite of their arr

the mighty confederacy of the Five Nations, embracing the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas, was the deadly foe of the French. This circumstance

ch Hudson ascended the river since named for him. His exploration, made in t

nch, whereas they had not any. But the Dutch traders on the Hudson soon began to sell guns to the Iroquois; and thus one of

desperate stand within an inclosure of trees. His Indians snatched their weapons and raced for the scene, shouting to Champlain to follow, but leaving him and four of his men to find their way as best they could. They were soon lost in the dense woods.

fenders. One split Champlain's ear and tore through the muscles of his neck. Another inflicted a similar wound on one of his men. The Indians, seeing the Europeans' heads and breasts covered with steel, had aimed at their faces. But fire-arms soon changed the situation. The Frenchmen ran up close to the barricade, thrust their wea

d were taken prisoners. Thus the fiercest warriors of North America experienced a second disaster which could not but result in dee

blished a post, which afterward grew into a trading-station, at Montreal. Thu

named Le Caron. But Champlain was not to be baulked by this circumstance. He immediately started on the track of the larger party, with ten Indians and two Frenchmen, one of whom was his interpreter, Etienne Brulé. He went up the Ot

River, which empties the waters of Nipissing into Lake Huron. On the way down, hunger again pinched his party, and they were forced to subsist on berries w

into the heart of the Huron country, between Lakes Huron and Ontario. Here he witnessed a degree of social advancement far beyond that of the shiftless Algonquins on the St. Lawrence. Here were people living in p

g their canoes until they came to Lake Simcoe. After crossing this there came another portage, after which the canoes were launched again on the waters of the river Trent. Down this they made their way until they came to a suitable spot for a great hunt. The Frenchmen watched the proceedings and took part in them with great zest. Five hundred men, forming

r canoes. Now they were on the enemy's soil and must move cautiously. For four days they filed silently through the woods, crossing the outlet of Lake Oneida, and

enchmen, opening fire, saved the Hurons from worse disaster. Then the attacking party moved on to the village. This Champlain found to be far more strongly defended than any he had ever seen among the Indians. There we

ly raking fire along the crowded galleries. Had the assailants confined themselves to this species of attack and heeded Champlain's warnings, the result would have been different. But their fury was ungovernable. Yelling their war-cry, they exposed themselves recklessly to the stones and arrows of the Iroquois. One, bolder than the rest, ran forward with firebrands to burn the palisade, and others followed wi

assault. Moreover, Champlain had lost much of his peculiar influence over them. They had fancied that, with him in front, success was sure. Now they saw that he could be wounded, and by Indian weapons, and they had experienced a defeat the blame of which they undoubtedly laid at his door. H

rior. For days he traveled in this way, enduring, he says, greater torment than he had ever before experienced, "for the pain of the w

es of his loss of prestige. The Hurons had promised him an escort to Quebec. But nobody was willing to undertake the journey. The great war-party broke up, the several bands going off to their wo

ut with them. For ten days twenty-five men had been at work, preparing for a huge "drive." They had built a strong enclosure, from the opening of which ran two diverging fences of posts interlaced with boughs, extending more than half a mile into the

ured him off, and he lost his way. The day was cloudy, there was

ut in the afternoon he came to a pond where there were some waterfowl along the shore. He shot some of these, kindled a fire, cooked his food, and ate with relish. It was

to the river, near which the hunters were encamped. This he did, and when he came in sight of the river, with a lighter heart he kindled his fire, cooked his supper, and bivouacked once more. The next day

y deer. When the hard cold came and the marshy country was solid with ice, they resumed their journey, with their sledges laden with venison. Champlain went on with them from village to village, until he

lcomed as one risen from the grave, for the Indians had reported hi

tined to spend his remaining years chiefly in nursing the feeble little colony at Quebec. He had not only to hold

ldiers or as traders bent on enriching themselves as quickly as possible and then returning to France. This was one of the greatest difficulties that Champlain had to contend with. The French at this time had little thought of anything else than developing a great trade

English. He actually spent some time in London as a prisoner, being treated with great considerati

5. At his funeral all the little community, Jesuits, officers, soldiers, tra

brave soldier and a true gentleman, unselfishly devoted to the work to which he had consecrated his l

presentatives of Canada, Great Britain, France, and the United States. It stands within the area once covered by Champlain's fort and

the fur-trade. The Saguenay, having its head-waters far to the north in the dreary region near Hudson Ba

ms of divination by which they believed that t

s with goods, the chief told him that the medicine-man, or conjurer, or "clairvoyant" as we should say, would try to get some information from the Manitou. Elaborate preparations were made. In a spacious tent, brightly light

several native tongues, sometimes raving, sometimes praying, ti

d announced that the Manitou had revealed to him that, just at noon on the next day, ther

ted hour a canoe (undoubtedly sent by the conjurer) came into view and was hailed by th

could pass by water, with only the short carry between Lake Geor

out of which the city of New York has grown. Next they reared a fort on an island a little below Albany; and, in 1623, they built Fort Orange, on the site of Albany. It soon became a most important point, bec

wide territory, and the supply of furs lasted long. As the French pushed furth

-arms, Indian open fighting was not very deadly. They might yell and screech and shoot arrows at eac

geurs and, later, among white men generally, as the e