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Voyages of Samuel de Champlain, Vol. 2

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44. He here doubtless refers to North Creek, at the north-eastern extremity
of St. Mary's Bay.

45. Now Weymouth Harbor, on the south-eastern shore of St. Mary's Bay, at
the mouth of Sissibou River, and directly opposite Sandy Cove, near the
iron mine mentioned above.

46. The distance across the bay at this point, as here stated, is nearly
accurate.

47. This is clearly a mistake; the true latitude at the Petit Passage is
44° 23'. It may here be remarked that Champlain's latitudes are very
inaccurate, often varying more than half a degree; doubtless owing to
the imperfection of the instruments which were employed in taking them.

48. They had been occupied in this exploration about three weeks, Lescarbot
says a month, but this is an overstatement. By a careful examination of
the text, it will appear that they departed from Port Mouton on the
19th of May, and that several days after their return, not less than
nine, they were again in St. Mary's Bay, on the 16th of June. They had
been absent, therefore, about twenty-one days. The latitude of Port
Mouton, stated a little below to be 44°, is in fact 43° 57'.

49. This bay, still retaining its ancient appellation, was so named by
Champlain on his first visit. "Ceste baye fut nommée la baye Saincte
Marie."--_Champlain's Voyages_, 1632, Quebec ed., Vol. V. p. 716.

50. Nicholas Aubry, a young Parisian of good family, "vn certain homme
d'Église," as Lescarbot says, probably not long in holy orders, had
undertaken this voyage with De Monts to gratify his desire to see the
New World, though quite against the wishes of his friends, who had sent
in vain to Honfleur to prevent his embarkation. After the search made
by De Monts, with the sounding of trumpets and the discharge of cannon,
they left St. Mary's Bay, having given up all expectation of his
recovery. Some two weeks afterward, an expedition was Sent out to
St. Mary's Bay, conducted by De Champdoré, an experienced pilot, with a
mineralogist, to search for silver and iron ore. While Some of the
party were on a fishing excursion, they rescued him, as stated in the
text. The safe return of the young and too venturesome ecclesiastic
gave great relief to De Monts, as Lescarbot says a Protestant was
charged to have killed him, because they quarrelled sometimes about
their religion.--_Vide Histoire de Nouvelle-France_, par Mare
Lescarbot, Paris, 1612, Qvat. Liv. p. 453.

51. The partridge-berry, Mitchella, a trailing evergreen, bearing scarlet
berries, edible but nearly tasteless, which remain through the winter.
It is peculiar to America, and this is probably the first time it was
noticed by any historical writer.

52. He was on the western side of Digby Neck, at its southern extremity,
near the Petit Passage on the shore of the Bay of Fundy.





CHAPTER III.

DESCRIPTION OF PORT ROYAL AND THE PECULIARITIES OF THE SAME.--ISLE HAUTE.--
PORT OF MINES.--BAYE FRANÇOISE.-THE RIVER ST. JOHN, AND WHAT WE OBSERVED
BETWEEN THE PORT OF MINES AND THE SAME.--THE ISLAND CALLED BY THE SAVAGES
MANTHANE.--THE RIVER OF THE ETECHEMINS, AND SEVERAL FINE ISLANDS THERE.--
ST. CROIX ISLAND, AND OTHER NOTEWORTHY OBJECTS ON THIS COAST.

Some days after, Sieur de Monts decided to go and examine the coasts of
Baye Françoise. For this purpose, he set out from the vessel on the 16th of
May,[53] and we went through the strait of Long Island.[54] Not having
found in St. Mary's Bay any place in which to fortify ourselves except at
the cost of much time, we accordingly resolved to see whether there might
not be a more favorable one in the other bay. Heading north-east six
leagues, there is a cove where vessels can anchor in four, five, six, and
seven fathoms of water. The bottom is sandy. This place is only a kind of
roadstead.[55] Continuing two leagues farther on in the same direction, we
entered one of the finest harbors I had seen along all these coasts, in
which two thousand vessels might lie in security. The entrance is eight
hundred paces broad; then you enter a harbor two leagues long and one
broad, which I have named Port Royal.[56] Three rivers empty into it, one
of which is very large, extending eastward, and called Rivière de
l'Équille,[57] from a little fish of the size of an _esplan?_, which is
caught there in large numbers, as is also the herring, and several other
kinds of fish found in abundance in their season. This river is nearly a
quarter of a league broad at its entrance, where there is an island [58]
perhaps half a league in circuit, and covered with wood like all the rest
of the country, as pines, firs, spruces, birches, aspens, and some oaks,
although the latter are found in small numbers in comparison with the other
kinds. There are two entrances to the above river, one on the north, the
other on the south side of the island. That on the north is the better, and
vessels can there anchor under shelter of the island in five, six, seven,
eight, and nine fathoms. But it is necessary to be on one's guard against
some shallows near the island on the one side, and the main land on the
other, very dangerous, if one does not know the channel.

* * * * *

CHAMPLAIN'S DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING MAP.

PORT AU MOUTON.

_The figures indicate fathoms of water_.

_A_. Place where vessels lie.
_B_. Place where we made our camp.
_C_. A pond.
_D_. An island at the entrance to the harbor, covered with wood.
_E_. A river very shallow.
_F_. A pond.
_G_. A very large brook coming from the pond F.
_H_. Six little islands in the harbor.
_L_. Country, containing only copse and heath of very small size.
_M_. Sea-shore.

NOTE.--The wanting letter L should probably be placed where the trees are
represented as very small, between the letters B and the island F.

* * * * *

We ascended the river some fourteen or fifteen leagues, where the tide
rises, and it is not navigable much farther. It has there a breadth of
sixty paces, and about a fathom and a half of water. The country bordering
the river is filled with numerous oaks, ashes, and other trees. Between the
mouth of the river and the point to which we ascended there are many
meadows, which are flooded at the spring tides, many little streams
traversing them from one side to the other, through which shallops and
boats can go at full tide. This place was the most favorable and agreeable
for a settlement that we had seen. There is another island [59] within the
port, distant nearly two leagues from the former. At this point is another
little stream, extending a considerable distance inland, which we named
Rivière St. Antoine. [60] Its mouth is distant from the end of the Bay of
St. Mary some four leagues through the woods. The remaining river is only a
small stream filled with rocks, which cannot be ascended at all on account
of the small amount of water, and which has been named Rocky Brook. [61]
This place is in latitude [62] 45°; and 17° 8' of the deflection of the
magnetic needle.

* * * * *

CHAMPLAIN'S DESCRIPTION OF THE MAP

PORT ROYAL

_The figures indicate fathoms of water_.

_A_. Our habitation. [Note: On the present site of Lower Granville.]

_B_. Garden of Sieur de Champlain.
_C_. Road through the woods that Sieur de Poutrincourt had made.
_D_. Island at the mouth of Équille River.
_E_. Entrance to Port Royal,
_F_. Shoals, dry at low tide.
_G_. River St. Antoine. [Note: The stream west of river St. Antoine is the
Jogging River.]
_H_. Place under cultivation for sowing wheat. [Note: The site of the
present town of Annapolis.]
_I_. Mill that Sieur de Poutrincourt had made.
_L_. Meadows overflowed at highest tides.
_M_. Équille River.
_N_. Seacoast of Port Royal.
_O_. Ranges of mountains.
_P_. Island near the river St. Antoine.
_Q_. Rocky Brook. [Footnote: Now called Deep Brook.]
_R_. Another brook. [Note: Morris River.]
_S_. Mill River. [Note: Allen River.]
_T_. Small lake.
_V_. Place where the savages catch herring in the season.
_X_. Trout brook. [Note: Trout Brook is now called Shäfer's Brook, and the
first on the west is Thorne's, and the second Scofield's Brook.]
_Y_. A lane that Sieur de Champlain had made.

* * * * *

After having explored this harbor, we set out to advance farther on in Baye
Françoise, and see whether we could not find the copper mine, [63] which
had been discovered the year before. Heading north-east, and sailing eight
or ten leagues along the coast of Port Royal,[64] we crossed a part of the
bay Some five or six leagues in extent, when we arrived at a place which we
called the Cape of Two Bays;[65] and we passed by an island a league
distant therefrom, a league also in circuit, rising up forty or forty-five
fathoms. [66] It is wholly surrounded by great rocks, except in one place
which is sloping, at the foot of which slope there is a pond of salt water,
coming from under a pebbly point, having the form of a spur. The surface of
the island is flat, covered with trees, and containing a fine spring of
water. In this place is a copper mine. Thence we proceeded to a harbor a
league and a half distant, where we supposed the copper mine was, which a
certain Prevert of St. Malo had discovered by aid of the savages of the
country. This port is in latitude 45° 40', and is dry at low tide. [67] In
order to enter it, it is necessary to place beacons, and mark out a
sand-bank at the entrance, which borders a channel that extends along the
main land. Then you enter a bay nearly a league in length, and half a
league in breadth. In some places, the bottom is oozy and sandy, where
vessels may get aground. The sea falls and rises there to the extent of
four or five fathoms. We landed to see whether we could find the mines
which Prevert had reported to us. Having gone about a quarter of a league
along certain mountains, we found none, nor did we recognize any
resemblance to the description of the harbor he had given us. Accordingly,
he had not himself been there, but probably two or three of his men had
been there, guided by some savages, partly by land and partly by little
streams, while he awaited them in his shallop at the mouth of a little
river in the Bay of St. Lawrence.[68] These men, upon their return,
brought him several small pieces of copper, which he showed us when he
returned from his voyage. Nevertheless, we found in this harbor two mines
of what seemed to be copper according to the report of our miner, who
considered it very good, although it was not native copper.

* * * * *

CHAMPLAIN'S DESCRIPTION OF THE MAP.

PORT DES MINES.

_The figures indicate fathoms of water_.

_A_. A place where vessels are liable to run aground.
_B_. A Small river.
_C_. A tongue of land composed of Sand.
_D_. A point composed of large pebbles, which is like a mole.
_E_. Location of a copper mine, which is covered by the tide twice a day.
_F_. An island to the rear of the Cape of Mines. [Note: Now called
Spencer's Island. Champlain probably obtained his knowledge of this
island at a subsequent visit. There is a creek extending from near
Spencer's Island between the rocky elevations to Advocate's Harbor, or
nearly so, which Champlain does not appear to have seen, or at least
he does not represent it on his map. This point, thus made an island
by the creek, has an elevation of five hundred feet, at the base of
which was the copper mine which they discovered.--_Vide_ note 67.]
_G_. Roadstead where vessels anchor while waiting for the tide.
_H_. Isle Haute, which is a league and a half from Port of Mines.
_I_. Channel.
_L_. Little River.
_M_. Range of mountains along the coast of the Cape of Mines.

* * * * *

The head [69] of the Baye Françoise, which we crossed, is fifteen leagues
inland. All the land which we have seen in coasting along from the little
passage of Long Island is rocky, and there is no place except Port Royal
where vessels can lie in Safety. The land is covered with pines and
birches, and, in my opinion, is not very good.

On the 20th of May,[70] we set out from the Port of Mines to seek a place
adapted for a permanent stay, in order to lose no time, purposing
afterwards to return, and see if we could discover the mine of pure copper
which Prevert's men had found by aid of the savages. We sailed west two
leagues as far as the cape of the two bays, then north five or six leagues;
and we crossed the other bay,[71] where we thought the copper mine was, of
which we have already spoken: inasmuch as there are there two rivers, [72]
the one coming from the direction of Cape Breton, and the other from Gaspé
or Tregatté, near the great river St. Lawrence. Sailing west some six
leagues, we arrived at a little river,[73] at the mouth of which is rather
a low cape, extending out into the sea; and a short distance inland there
is a mountain,[74] having the shape of a Cardinal's hat. In this place we
found an iron mine. There is anchorage here only for shallops. Four leagues
west south-west is a rocky point [75] extending out a short distance into
the water, where there are strong tides which are very dangerous. Near the
point we saw a cove about half a league in extent, in which we found
another iron mine, also very good. Four leagues farther on is a fine bay
running up into the main land;[76] at the extremity of which there are
three islands and a rock; two of which are a league from the cape towards
the west, and the other is at the mouth of the largest and deepest river we
had yet seen, which we named the river St. John, because it was on this
saint's day that we arrived there.[77] By the savages it is called
Ouygoudy. This river is dangerous, if one does not observe carefully
certain points and rocks on the two sides. It is 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.
[78] Then it expands again to the extent of about a league in some places,
where there are three islands. We did not explore it farther up.[79] But
Ralleau, secretary of Sieur de Monts, went there some time after to see a
savage named Secondon, chief of this river, who reported that it was
beautiful, large, and extensive, with many meadows and fine trees, as oaks,
beeches, walnut-trees, and also wild grapevines. The inhabitants of the
country go by this river to Tadoussac, on the great river St. Lawrence,
making but a short portage on the journey. From the river St. John to
Tadoussac is sixty-five leagues.[80] At its mouth, which is in latitude
45° 40', there is an iron mine.[81]

* * * * *

CHAMPLAIN'S DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING MAP.

RIVIÈRE ST. JEHAN.

_The figures indicate fathoms of water_.

_A_. Three islands above the falls. [Note: The islands are not close
together as here represented. One is very near the main land on one
shore, and two on the other.]
_B_. Mountains rising up from the main land, two leagues south of the
river.
_C_. The fall in the river.
_D_. Shoals where vessels, when the tide is out, are liable to run aground.
_E_. Cabin where the savages fortify themselves.
_F_. A pebbly point where there is a cross.
_G_. An island at the entrance of the river. [Note: Partridge Island.]
_H_. A Small brook coming from a little pond. [Note: Mill Pond.]
_I_. Arm of the sea dry at low tide. [Note: Marsh Creek, very shallow but
not entirely dry at low tide.]
_L_. Two little rocky islets. [Note: These islets are not now represented
on the charts, and are probably rocks near the shore from which the
soil may have been washed away since 1604.]
_M_. A small pond.
_N_. Two brooks.
_O_. Very dangerous shoals along the coast, which are dry at low tide.
_P_. Way by which the savages carry their canoes in passing the falls.
_Q_. Place for anchoring where the river runs with full current.

* * * * *

From the river St. John we went to four islands, on one of which we landed,
and found great numbers of birds called magpies,[82] of which we captured
many small ones, which are as good as pigeons. Sieur de Poutrincourt came
near getting lost here, but he came back to our barque at last, when we had
already gone to search for him about the island, which is three leagues
distant from the main land. Farther west are other islands; among them one
six leagues in length, called by the savages Manthane,[83] south of which
there are among the islands several good harbors for vessels. From the
Magpie Islands we proceeded to a river on the main land called the river of
the Etechemins,[84] a tribe of savages so called in their country. We
passed by so many islands that we could not ascertain their number, which
were very fine. Some were two leagues in extent, others three, others more
or less. All of these islands are in a bay,[85] having, in my estimation, a
circuit of more than fifteen leagues. There are many good places capable of
containing any number of vessels, and abounding in fish in the season, such
as codfish, salmon, bass, herring, halibut, and other kinds in great
numbers. Sailing west-north-west three leagues through the islands, we
entered a river almost half a league in breadth at its mouth, sailing up
which a league or two we found two islands: one very small near the western
bank; and the other in the middle, having a circumference of perhaps eight
or nine hundred paces, with rocky sides three or four fathoms high all
around, except in one small place, where there is a sandy point and clayey
earth adapted for making brick and other useful articles. There is another
place affording a shelter for vessels from eighty to a hundred tons, but it
is dry at low tide. The island is covered with firs, birches, maples, and
oaks. It is by nature very well situated, except in one place, where for
about forty paces it is lower than elsewhere: this, however, is easily
fortified, the banks of the main land being distant on both sides some nine
hundred to a thousand paces. Vessels could pass up the river only at the
mercy of the cannon on this island, and we deemed the location the most
advantageous, not only on account of its situation and good foil, but also
on account of the intercourse which we proposed with the savages of these
coasts and of the interior, as we should be in the midst of them. We hoped
to pacify them in the course of time, and put an end to the wars which they
carry on with one another, so as to derive service from them in future, and
convert them to the Christian faith. This place was named by Sieur de Monts
the Island of St. Croix. [86] Farther on, there is a great bay, in which
are two islands, one high and the other flat; also three rivers, two of
moderate size, one extending towards the east, the other towards the north,
and the third of large size, towards the west. The latter is that of the
Etechemins, of which we spoke before. Two leagues up this there is a
waterfall, around which the savages carry their canoes some five hundred
paces by land, and then re-enter the river. Passing afterwards from the
river a short distance overland, one reaches the rivers Norumbegue and
St. John. But the falls are impassable for vessels, as there are only rocks
and but four or five feet of water.[87] In May and June, so great a number
of herring and bass are caught there that vessels could be loaded with
them. The soil is of the finest sort, and there are fifteen or twenty acres
of cleared land, where Sieur de Monts had some wheat sown, which flourished
finely. The savages come here sometimes five or six weeks during the
fishing Season. All the rest of the country consists of very dense forests.
If the land were cleared up, grain would flourish excellently. This place
is in latitude 45° 20',[88] and 17° 32' of the deflection of the magnetic
needle.

* * * * *

CHAMPLAIN'S DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING MAP.

ISLE DE SAINTE CROIX.

_The figures indicate fathoms of water_.

_A_. A plan of our habitation.
_B_. Gardens.
_C_. Little islet serving as a platform for cannon. [Note: This refers to
the southern end of the island, which was probably separated at high
tide, where a cannon may be seen in position.]
_D_. Platform where cannon were placed.
_E_. The Cemetery.
_F_. The Chapel.
_G_. Rocky shoals about the Island Sainte Croix.
_H_. A little islet. [Note: Little De Monts's Island, Sometimes called
Little Dochet's Island.]
_I_. Place where Sieur de Monts had a water-mill commenced.
_L_. Place where we made our coal.
_M_. Gardens on the western shore.
_N_. Other gardens on the eastern shore.
_O_. Very large and high mountain on the main land. [Note: This "mountain"
is now called Chamcook Hill. Its height is 627 feet. At the northern
end of the island on the right there is an extensive sandy shoal, dry
at low tide, of a triangular shape as formerly, and has apparently
changed very little since the days of Champlain.]
_P_. River of the Etechemins flowing about the Island of St. Croix.

* * * * *

ENDNOTES:

53. For May read June. It could not have been in May, since Champlain Set
out from Port Mouton on his exploring expedition on the 19th of May,
which must have been a month previous to this.

54. What is now called the Petit Passage, the narrow strait between Long
Island and Digby Neck.

55. Gulliver's Hole, about two leagues south-west of Digby Strait.

56. Champlain here names the whole harbor or basin Port Royal, and not the
place of habitation afterward so called. The first settlement was on
the north side of the bay in the present hamlet of Lower Granville, not
as often alleged at Annapolis.--_Vide_ Champlain's engraving or map of
Port Royal.

57. "Équille." A name, on the coasts between Caen and Havre, of the fish
called lançon at Granville and St. Malo, a kind of malacopterygious
fish living on sandy shores and hiding in the sand at low tide.--
_Littré_. A species of sand eel. This stream is now known as the
Annapolis River. Lescarbot calls it Rivière du Dauphin.

58. This island is situated at the point where the Annapolis River flows
into the bay, or about nine miles from Digby, straight. Champlain on
his map gives it no name, but Lescarbot calls it Biencourville. It is
now called Goat Island.

59. Lescarbot calls it Claudiane. It is now known as Bear Island. It was
Sometimes called Ile d'Hébert, and likewise Imbert Island. Laverdière
suggests that the present name is derived from the French pronunciation
of the last syllable of Imbert.

60. At present known as Bear River; Lescarbot has it Hebert, and
Charlevoix, Imbert.

61. On modern maps called Moose River, and sometimes Deep Brook. It is a
few miles east of Bear River.

62. The latitude is here overstated: it should be 44° 39' 30".

63. On the preceding year, M. Prevert of St. Malo had made a glowing report
ostensively based on his own observations and information which he had
obtained from the Indians, in regard to certain mines alleged to exist
on the coast directly South of Northumberland Strait, and about the
head of the Bay of Fundy. It was this report of Prevert that induced
the present search.

64. Along the Bay of Fundy nearly parallel to the basin of Port Royal would
better express the author's meaning.

65. Cape Chignecto, the point where the Bay of Fundy is bifurcated; the
northern arm forming Chignecto Bay, and the southern, the Bay of Mines
or Minas Basin.

66. Isle Haute, or high island.--_Vide Charlevoix's Map_. On Some maps this
name has been strangely perverted into Isle Holt, Isle Har, &c. Its
height is 320 feet.

67. This was Advocate's Harbor. Its distance from Cape Chignecto is greater
than that stated in the text. Further on, Champlain calls it two
leagues, which is nearly correct. Its latitude is about 45° 20'. By
comparing the Admiralty charts and Champlain's map of this harbor, it
will be seen that important changes have taken place since 1604. The
tongue of land extending in a south-easterly direction, covered with
trees and shrubbery, which Champlain calls a sand-bank, has entirely
disappeared. The ordinary tides rise here from thirty-three to
thirty-nine feet, and on a sandy shore could hardly fail to produce
important changes.

68. According to the Abbé Laverdière, the lower part of the Gulf was
sometimes called the Bay of St. Lawrence.

69. They had just crossed the Bay of Mines. From the place where they
crossed it to its head it is not far from fifteen leagues, and it is
about the same distance to Port Royal, from which he may here estimate
the distance inland.

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