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Voyages of Samuel de Champlain, Vol. 1

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ENDNOTES:

147. _Saut de St Louis_, about three leagues above Montreal.

148. _Isle au Lieure_ Hare Island, so named by Cartier from the great
number of hares which he found there. Le soir feusmes à ladicte ysle,
ou trouuasmes grand nombre de lieures, desquelz eusmes quantité: & par
ce la nommasmes l'ysle es lieures.--_Brief Récit_, par Jacques
Cartier, 1545, D'Avezac ed p. 45.

The distances are here overestimated. From Hare Island to the northern
shore the distance is four nautical miles, and to the southern six.

149. The point nearest to Hare Island is Cape Salmon, which is about six
geographical miles from the Isle au Coudres, and we should here
correct the error by reading not one but two leagues. The author did
not probably intend to be exact.

150. _Isle au Coudre.--Vide Brief Récit_, par Jacques Cartier, 1545,
D'Avezac ed. p. 44; also Vol. II. of this work, p. 172. Charlevoix
says, whether from tradition or on good authority we know not, that
"in 1663 an earthquake rooted up a mountain, and threw it upon the
Isle au Coudres, which made it one-half larger than before."--
_Letters to the Duchess of Lesdiguieres_, London, 1763, p. 15.

151. This was probably about two leagues from the Isle aux Coudres, where
is a small stream which still bears the name La Petite Rivière.

152. _Isle d'Orléans.--Vide_ Vol. II. p. 173.

153. On Champlain's map of the harbor of Quebec he calls this "torrent" le
grand saut de Montmorency, the grand fall of Montmorency. It was named
by Champlain himself, and in honor of the "noble, high, and powerful
Charles de Montmorency," to whom the journal of this voyage is
dedicated. The stream is shallow, "in some places," Charlevoix says,
"not more than ankle deep." The grandeur or impressiveness of the
fall, if either of these qualities can be attributed to it, arises
from its height and not from the volume of water--_Vide_ ed. 1632, p.
123. On Bellm's Atlas Maritime, 1764, its height is put down at
_sixty-five feet_. Bayfield's Chart more correctly says 251 feet above
high water spring tides--_Vide_ Vol. II of this work, note 308.

154. _Nous vinsmmes mouiller l'ancre à Quebec, qui est vn destroict de
laditt riuiere de Canadas_. These words very clearly define the
meaning of Quebec, which is an Indian word, signifying a narrowing or
a contraction.--_Vide_ Vol. II. p. 175, note 309. The breadth of the
river at this point is underestimated It is not far from 1320 feet, or
three-quarters of a mile.




CHAPTER VI.

OF THE POINT ST. CROIX AND THE RIVER BATISCAN.--OF THE RIVERS, ROCKS,
ISLANDS, LANDS, TREES, FRUITS, VINES, AND FINE COUNTRY BETWEEN QUEBEC AND
THE TROIS RIVIÈRES.

On Monday, the 23d of this month, we set out from Quebec, where the river
begins to widen, sometimes to the extent of a league, then a league and a
half or two leagues at most. The country grows finer and finer; it is
everywhere low, without rocks for the most part. The northern shore is
covered with rocks and sand-banks; it is necessary to go along the southern
one about half a league from the shore. There are some small rivers, not
navigable, except for the canoes of the savages, and in which there are a
great many falls. We came to anchor at St. Croix, fifteen leagues distant
from Quebec; a low point rising up on both sides. [155] The country is fine
and level, the soil being the best that I had seen, with extensive woods,
containing, however, but little fir and cypress. There are found there in
large numbers vines, pears, hazel-nuts, cherries, red and green currants,
and certain little radishes of the size of a small nut, resembling truffles
in taste, which are very good when roasted or boiled. All this soil is
black, without any rocks, excepting that there a large quantity of slate.
The soil is very soft, and, if well cultivated, would be very productive.

On the north shore there is a river called Batiscan, [156] extending a
great distance into the interior, along which the Algonquins sometimes
come. On the same shore there is another river, [157] three leagues below
St. Croix, which was as far as Jacques Cartier went up the river at the
time of his explorations. [158] The above-mentioned river is pleasant,
extending a considerable distance inland. All this northern shore is very
even and pleasing.

On Wednesday, [159] the 24th, we set out from St. Croix, where we had
stayed over a tide and a half in order to proceed the next day by daylight,
for this is a peculiar place on account of the great number of rocks in the
river, which is almost entirely dry at low tide; but at half-flood one can
begin to advance without difficulty, although it is necessary to keep a
good watch, lead in hand. The tide rises here nearly three fathoms and a
half.

The farther we advanced, the finer the country became. After going some
five leagues and a half, we came to anchor on the northern shore. On the
Wednesday following, we set out from this place, where the country is
flatter than the preceding and heavily wooded, as at St. Croix. We passed
near a small island covered with vines, and came to anchor on the southern
shore, near a little elevation, upon ascending which we found a level
country. There is another small island three leagues from St. Croix, near
the southern shore. [160] We set out on the following Thursday from this
elevation, and passed by a little island near the northern shore. Here I
landed at six or more small rivers, up two of which boats can go for a
considerable distance. Another is some three hundred feet broad, with some
islands at its mouth. It extends far into the interior, and is the deepest
of all. [161] These rivers are very pleasant, their shores being covered
with trees which resemble nut-trees, and have the same odor; but, as I saw
no fruit, I am inclined to doubt. The savages told me that they bear fruit
like our own.

Advancing still farther, we came to an island called St. Éloi; [162] also
another little island very near the northern shore. We passed between this
island and the northern shore, the distance from one to the other being
some hundred and fifty feet; that from the same island to the southern
shore, a league and a half. We passed also near a river large enough for
canoes. All the northern shore is very good, and one can sail along there
without obstruction; but he should keep the lead in hand in order to avoid
certain points. All this shore along which we coasted consists of shifting
sands, but a short distance in the interior the land is good.

The Friday following, we set out from this island, and continued to coast
along the northern shore very near the land, which is low and abundant in
trees of good quality as far as the Trois Rivières. Here the temperature
begins to be somewhat different from that of St. Croix, since the trees are
more forward here than in any other place that I had yet seen. From the
Trois Rivières to St. Croix the distance is fifteen leagues. In this river
[163] there are six islands, three of which are very small, the others
being from five to six hundred feet long, very pleasant, and fertile so far
as their small extent goes. There is one of these in the centre of the
above-mentioned river, confronting the River of Canada, and commanding a
view of the others, which are distant from the land from four to five
hundred feet on both sides. It is high on the southern side, but lower
somewhat on the northern. This would be, in my judgment, a favorable place
in which to make a settlement, and it could be easily fortified, for its
situation is strong of itself, and it is near a large lake which is only
some four leagues distant. This river extends close to the River Saguenay,
according to the report of the savages, who go nearly a hundred leagues
northward, pass numerous falls, go overland some five or six leagues, enter
a lake from which principally the Saguenay has its source, and thence go to
Tadoussac. [164] I think, likewise, that the settlement of the Trois
Rivières would be a boon for the freedom of some tribes, who dare not come
this way in consequence of their enemies, the Iroquois, who occupy the
entire borders of the River of Canada; but, if it were settled, these
Iroquois and other savages could be made friendly, or, at least, under the
protection of this settlement, these savages would come freely without fear
or danger, the Trois Rivières being a place of passage. All the land that I
saw on the northern shore is sandy. We ascended this river for about a
league, not being able to proceed farther on account of the strong current.
We continued on in a skiff, for the sake of observation, but had not gone
more than a league when we encountered a very narrow fall, about twelve
feet wide, on account of which we could not go farther. All the country
that I saw on the borders of this river becomes constantly more
mountainous, and contains a great many firs and cypresses, but few trees of
other kinds.

ENDNOTES:

155. The Point of St. Croix, where they anchored, must have been what is
now known as Point Platon. Champlain's distances are rough estimates,
made under very unfavorable circumstances, and far from accurate.
Point Platon is about thirty-five miles from Quebec.

156. Champlain does not mention the rivers precisely in their order. On his
map of 1612, he has _Contrée de Bassquan_ on the west of Trois
Rivières. The river Batiscan empties into the St. Lawrence about four
miles west of the St. Anne--_Vide Atlas Maritime_, by Bellin, 1764;
_Atlas of the Dominion of Canada_, 1875.

157. River Jacques Cartier, which is in fact about five miles east of Point
Platon.

158. Jacques Cartier did, in fact, ascend the St. Lawrence as far as
Hochelaga, or Montreal. The Abbé Laverdière suggests that Champlain
had not at this time seen the reports of Cartier. Had he seen them he
would hardly have made this statement. Pont Gravé had been here
several times, and may have been Champlain's incorrect informant.
_Vide Laverdière in loco_.

159. Read Tuesday.

160. Richelieu Island, so called by the French, as early as 1635, nearly
opposite Dechambeau Point.--_Vide Laurie's Chart_. It was called St
Croix up to 1633. _Laverdière in loco_ The Indians called it _Ka
ouapassiniskakhi_.--_Jésuit Relations_, 1635, p. 13.

161. This river is now known as the Sainte Anne. Champlain says they named
it _Rivière Saincte Marie_--_Vide_ Quebec ed. Tome III. p. 175; Vol.
II. p 201 of this work.

162. An inconsiderable island near Batiscan, not laid down on the charts.

163. The St. Maurice, anciently known as _Trois Rivièrs_, because two
islands in its mouth divide it into three channels. Its Indian name,
according to Père Le Jeune, was _Metaberoutin_. It appears to be the
same river mentioned by Cartier in his second voyage, which he
explored and reported as shallow and of no importance. He found in it
four small islands, which may afterward have been subdivided into six.
He named it _La Riuiere die Fouez.--Brief Récit_, par Jacques Cartier,
D'Avezac ed. p. 28. _Vide Relations des Jésuites_, 1635, p. 13.

164. An eastern branch of the St Maurice River rises in a small lake, from
which Lake St. John, which is an affluent of the Saguenay, may be
reached by a land portage of not more than five or six leagues.




CHAPTER VII.

LENGTH, BREADTH, AND DEPTH OF A LAKE--OF THE RIVERS THAT FLOW INTO IT, AND
THE ISLANDS IT CONTAINS.--CHARACTER OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTRY.--OF THE
RIVER OF THE IROQUOIS AND THE FORTRESS OF THE SAVAGES WHO MAKE WAR UPON
THEM.

On the Saturday following, we set out from the Trois Rivières, and came to
anchor at a lake four leagues distant. All this region from the Trois
Rivières to the entrance to the lake is low and on a level with the water,
though somewhat higher on the south side. The land is very good and the
pleasantest yet seen by us. The woods are very open, so that one could
easily make his way through them.

The next day, the 29th of June, [165] we entered the lake, which is some
fifteen leagues long and seven or eight wide. [166] About a league from its
entrance, and on the south side, is a river [167] of considerable size and
extending into the interior some sixty or eighty leagues. Farther on, on
the same side, there is another small river, extending about two leagues
inland, and, far in, another little lake, which has a length of perhaps
three or four leagues. [168] On the northern shore, where the land appears
very high, you can see for some twenty leagues; but the mountains grow
gradually smaller towards the west, which has the appearance of being a
flat region. The savages say that on these mountains the land is for the
most part poor. The lake above mentioned is some three fathoms deep where
we passed, which was nearly in the middle. Its longitudinal direction is
from east to west, and its lateral one from north to south. I think that it
must contain good fish, and such varieties as we have at home. We passed
through it this day, and came to anchor about two leagues up the river,
which extends its course farther on, at the entrance to which there are
thirty little islands. [169] From what I could observe, some are two
leagues in extent, others a league and a half, and some less. They contain
numerous nut-trees, which are but little different from our own, and, as I
am inclined to think, the nuts are good in their season. I saw a great many
of them under the trees, which were of two kinds, some small, and others an
inch long; but they were decayed. There are also a great many vines on the
shores of these islands, most of which, however, when the waters are high,
are submerged. The country here is superior to any I have yet seen.

The last day of June, we set out from here and went to the entrance of the
River of the Iroquois, [170] where the savages were encamped and fortified
who were on their way to make war with the former. [171] Their fortress is
made of a large number of stakes closely pressed against each other. It
borders on one side on the shore of the great river, on the other on that
of the River of the Iroquois. Their canoes are drawn up by the side of each
other on the shore, so that they may be able to flee quickly in case of a
surprise from the Iroquois; for their fortress is covered with oak bark,
and serves only to give them time to take to their boats.

We went up the River of the Iroquois some five or six leagues, but, because
of the strong current, could not proceed farther in our barque, which we
were also unable to drag overland, on account of the large number of trees
on the shore. Finding that we could not proceed farther, we took our skiff
to see if the current were less strong above; but, on advancing some two
leagues, we found it still stronger, and were unable to go any farther.
[172] As we could do nothing else, we returned in our barque. This entire
river is some three to four hundred paces broad, and very unobstructed. We
saw there five islands, distant from each other a quarter or half a league,
or at most a league, one of which, the nearest, is a league long, the
others being very small. All this country is heavily wooded and low, like
that which I had before seen; but there are more firs and cypresses than in
other places. The soil is good, although a little sandy. The direction of
this river is about southwest. [173]

The savages say that some fifteen leagues from where we had been there is a
fall [174] of great length, around which they carry their canoes about a
quarter of a league, when they enter a lake, at the entrance to which there
are three islands, with others farther in. It may be some forty or fifty
leagues long and some twenty-five wide, into which as many as ten rivers
flow, up which canoes can go for a considerable distance. [175] Then, at
the other end of this lake, there is another fall, when another lake is
entered, of the same size as the former, [176] at the extremity of which
the Iroquois are encamped. They say also that there is a river [177]
extending to the coast of Florida, a distance of perhaps some hundred or
hundred and forty leagues from the latter lake. All the country of the
Iroquois is somewhat mountainous, but has a very good soil, the climate
being moderate, without much winter.

ENDNOTES:

165. They entered the lake on St. Peter's day, the 29th of June, and, for
this reason doubtless, it was subsequently named Lake St. Peter, which
name it still retains. It was at first called Lake Angouleme--_Vide_
marginal note in Hakluyt. Vol. III. p. 271. Laverdière cites Thévet to
the same effect.

166. From the point at which the river flows into the lake to its exit, the
distance is about twenty-seven miles and its width about seven miles.
Champlain's distances, founded upon rough estimates made on a first
voyage of difficult navigation, are exceedingly inaccurate, and,
independent of other data, cannot be relied upon for the
identification of localities.

167. The author appears to have confused the relative situations of the two
rivers here mentioned. The smaller one should, we think, have been
mentioned first. The larger one was plainly the St Francis, and the
smaller one the Nicolette.

168. This would seem to be the _Baie la Vallure_, at the southwestern
extremity of Lake St. Peter.

169. The author here refers to the islands at the western extremity of Lake
St. Peter, which are very numerous. On Charlevoix's Carte de la
Rivière de Richelieu they are called _Isles de Richelieu_. The more
prominent are Monk Island, Isle de Grace, Bear Island. Isle St Ignace,
and Isle du Pas. Champlain refers to these islands again in 1609, with
perhaps a fuller description--_Vide_ Vol. II. p. 206.

170. The Richelieu, flowing from Lake Champlain to the St. Lawrence. For
description of this river, see Vol. II. p. 210, note 337. In 1535 the
Indians at Montreal pointed out this river as leading to Florida.--
_Vide Brief Récit_, par Jacques Cartier, 1545, D'Avezac ed.

171. The Hurons, Algonquins, and Montagnais were at war with the Iroquois,
and the savages assembled here were composed of some or all of these
tribes.

172. The rapids in the river here were too strong for the French barque, or
even the skiff, but were not difficult to pass with the Indian canoe,
as was fully proved in 1609.--_Vide_ Vol. II. p. 207 of this work.

173. The course of the Richelieu is nearly from the south to the north.

174. The rapids of Chambly.

175. Lake Champlain, discovered by him in 1609.--_Vide_ Vol. II. ch. ix.

176. Lake George. Champlain either did not comprehend his Indian
informants, or they greatly exaggerated the comparative size of this
lake.

177. The Hudson River--_Vide_ Vol. II. p. 218, note 347.



CHAPTER VIII.

ARRIVAL AT THE FALL.--DESCRIPTION OF THE SAME AND ITS REMARKABLE
CHARACTER.--REPORTS OF THE SAVAGES IN REGARD TO THE END OF THE GREAT RIVER.

Setting out from the River of the Iroquois, we came to anchor three leagues
from there, on the northern shore. All this country is low, and filled with
the various kinds of trees which I have before mentioned.

On the first day of July we coasted along the northern shore, where the
woods are very open; more so than in any place we had before seen. The soil
is also everywhere favorable for cultivation.

I went in a canoe to the southern shore, where I saw a large number of
islands, [178] which abound in fruits, such as grapes, walnuts, hazel-nuts,
a kind of fruit resembling chestnuts, and cherries; also in oaks, aspens,
poplar, hops, ash, maple, beech, cypress, with but few pines and firs.
There were, moreover, other fine-looking trees, with which I am not
acquainted. There are also a great many strawberries, raspberries, and
currants, red, green, and blue, together with numerous small fruits which
grow in thick grass. There are also many wild beasts, such as orignacs,
stags, hinds, does, bucks, bears, porcupines, hares, foxes, bearers,
otters, musk-rats, and some other kinds of animals with which I am not
acquainted, which are good to eat, and on which the savages subsist. [179]

We passed an island having a very pleasant appearance, some four leagues
long and about half a league wide. [180] I saw on the southern shore two
high mountains, which appeared to be some twenty leagues in the interior.
[181] The savages told me that this was the first fall of the River of the
Iroquois.

On Wednesday following, we set out from this place, and made some five or
six leagues. We saw numerous islands; the land on them was low, and they
were covered with trees like those of the River of the Iroquois. On the
following day we advanced some few leagues, and passed by a great number of
islands, beautiful on account of the many meadows, which are likewise to be
seen on the mainland as well as on the islands. [182] The trees here are
all very small in comparison with those we had already passed.

We arrived finally, on the same day, having a fair wind, at the entrance to
the fall. We came to an island almost in the middle of this entrance, which
is a quarter of a league long. [183] We passed to the south of it, where
there were from three to five feet of water only, with a fathom or two in
some places, after which we found suddenly only three or four feet. There
are many rocks and little islands without any wood at all, and on a level
with the water. From the lower extremity of the above-mentioned island in
the middle of the entrance, the water begins to come with great force.
Although we had a very favorable wind, yet we could not, in spite of all
our efforts, advance much. Still, we passed this island at the entrance of
the fall. Finding that we could not proceed, we came to anchor on the
northern shore, opposite a little island, which abounds in most of the
fruits before mentioned. [184] We at once got our skiff ready, which had
been expressly made for passing this fall, and Sieur Du Pont Gravé and
myself embarked in it, together with some savages whom we had brought to
show us the way. After leaving our barque, we had not gone three hundred
feet before we had to get out, when some sailors got into the water and
dragged our skiff over. The canoe of the savages went over easily. We
encountered a great number of little rocks on a level with the water, which
we frequently struck.

There are here two large islands; one on the northern side, some fifteen
leagues long and almost as broad, begins in the River of Canada, some
twelve leagues towards the River of the Iroquois, and terminates beyond the
fall. [185] The island on the south shore is some four leagues long and
half a league wide. [186] There is, besides, another island near that on
the north, which is perhaps half a league long and a quarter wide. [187]
There is still another small island between that on the north and the other
farther south, where we passed the entrance to the fall. [188] This being
passed, there is a kind of lake, in which are all these islands, and which
is some five leagues long and almost as wide, and which contains a large
number of little islands or rocks. Near the fall there is a mountain, [189]
visible at a considerable distance, also a small river coming from this
mountain and falling into the lake. [190] On the south, some three or four
mountains are seen, which seem to be fifteen or sixteen leagues off in the
interior. There are also two rivers; the one [191] reaching to the first
lake of the River of the Iroquois, along which the Algonquins sometimes go
to make war upon them, the other near the fall and extending some feet
inland. [192]

On approaching this fall [193] with our little skiff and the canoe, I saw,
to my astonishment, a torrent of water descending with an impetuosity such
as I have never before witnessed, although it is not very high, there being
in some places only a fathom or two, and at most but three. It descends as
if by steps, and at each descent there is a remarkable boiling, owing to
the force and swiftness with which the water traverses the fall, which is
about a league in length. There are many rocks on all sides, while near the
middle there are some very narrow and long islands. There are rapids not
only by the side of those islands on the south shore, but also by those on
the north, and they are so dangerous that it is beyond the power of man to
pass through with a boat, however small. We went by land through the woods
a distance of a league, for the purpose of seeing the end of the falls,
where there are no more rocks or rapids; but the water here is so swift
that it could not be more so, and this current continues three or four
leagues; so that it is impossible to imagine one's being able to go by
boats through these falls. But any one desiring to pass them, should
provide himself with the canoe of the savages, which a man can easily
carry. For to make a portage by boat could not be done in a sufficiently
brief time to enable one to return to France, if he desired to winter
there. Besides this first fall, there are ten others, for the most part
hard to pass; so that it would be a matter of great difficulty and labor to
see and do by boat what one might propose to himself, except at great cost,
and the risk of working in vain. But in the canoes of the savages one can
go without restraint, and quickly, everywhere, in the small as well as
large rivers. So that, by using canoes as the savages do, it would be
possible to see all there is, good and bad, in a year or two.

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