this interview that Canada first received the name of "New France." The next year Champlain revisited that country, and did not return to Europe till after the death of Henry the Great. He was however nominated lieutenant-governor of New France with unlimited powers, by the existing authorities of his country; and on his arrival to assume the office, he headed his savage allies in an engagement against the Iroquois, in the course of which he was wounded in two places, and compelled to leave the field, and to spend his winter among the Indians. In 1621, the Iroquois, by way of retaliating for the assistance which Champlain had rendered to the Hurons and Algonquins, attempted the entire expulsion of the French from Canada, but they proved unsuccessful in their endeavours.

In 1626, Quebec first assumed the appearance of a regular town. At this time religious disputes and animosities had arrived at a dreadful pitch. The majority of the colonists were Hugonots, and the remainder Roman Catholics. Until the year 1627 the government of the country was vested in Protestants, but was afterwards by order of Cardinal Richelieu, then prime minister of France, consigned to 100 persons of the Roman Catholic persuasion, called "the Company of One Hundred Associates," at the head of which was the Cardinal himself, with the Mareschal Defiat and other persons of eminence.

In 1629, Charles the First of England granted a commission to David Kertk and some of his valiant kinsmen, to conquer the French dominions in America; and the better to enable them to do this, he fitted out a fleet for the express purpose. Kertk conquered all the settlements below Quebec; and, on arriving opposite that city, desired Champlain to surrender it to the arms of England. Champlain, though conscious of his entire inability to defend it, sent a message to the British Officer, that they were determined to hold by the port to the last extremity. While Kertk was listening to this haughty reply, he received information that a French squadron had just entered the river, commanded by Roquemont and provided with supplies for the relief of Quebec. Kertk immediately tacked about, and, dropping down the river, soon fell in with the enemy; but the French commander, instead of avoiding him, gave him battle, and was defeated with the loss of his whole squadron. Kertk again made his appearance off Point Levi, and sent an officer on shore at Quebec to summon that city to surrender. Champlain, now reduced to great distress for want of supplies, and by no means able to resist the English force, surrendered the city by capitulation. The terms of this capitulation were very favourable to the French colony, and they were so punctually and honourably fulfilled by the English, that the greater part of the French chose to remain with their captors, rather than go, as had been stipulated, to France. "Thus was the Сс

VOL, I.

capital of New France subdued by the arms of England, just one hundred and thirty years before its final conquest by the celebrated Wolfe.-It did not however remain long in the hands of the English; for at the treaty of St. Germains in 1632, not only Canada, but also Acadia and Cape Breton were resigned to the French King, by his royal brother-in-law King Charles the First.

In 1633, the company of New France was reinstated in all its rights, and Champlain again assumed the reins of government. He met with much difficulty, in carrying many of his plans into execution; in consequence of the opposition of some tribes of Indians, which arose from his imprudent alliances against the Iroquois. In 1635 Champlain died at Quebec, a city of which he might justly be called the father, as he was the founder; and whose inhabitants mourned for his loss with a truly filial affection. He is called by the French Historian Charlevoix, "a true and faithful historian, an observant traveller, a judicious writer, an excellent geometrician, and a skilful mariner." Champlain was succeeded in the government of New France by M. De Montmagny.

In 1639, Madame De la Peltrie, a pious Catholic lady of fortune, went to Quebec, accompanied by three Ursulines and la Jeune Superieure of the Jesuit mission into Canada. This good lady founded the Ursuline Convent at Quebec, and is said to have had such a zeal for the comfort and conversion of the native Canadians, that she actu

ally cultivated the earth with her own hands, to increase her means of doing good.

In 1640, Maisonneuve, a gentleman of Champaigne, brought over several families to Montreal, the French King having vested the property of the whole island in thirty-five associates, of whom Maisonneuve was the chief. No event of any importance, relative to the settlement of Canada, took place from 1640 to 1685, at which period the whole white population of the country amounted only to 17,000 souls.

In 1709, a plan was formed by Lord Sunderland, then Secretary of State, for the subversion of the French power in Canada, Acadia, and Newfoundland, but it either did not succeed, or was not carried into effect. In the following year, Colonel Schugler sailed from New York to England, with a view to impress, on the minds of the British ministry, the necessity of adopting some vigorous measures for reducing Canada to the crown of Great Britain. He was accompanied by five Indian Chiefs, who gave assurances of their fidelity to Queen Anne, and earnestly solicited her assistance against their common enemies, the French.

In 1759, the gallant Wolfe effected the conquest of Quebec; but it was not until the close of 1760, that Canada became entirely subject to the British arms.

In 1763, a proclamation was issued by the King of Great Britain, declaring and describing the

boundaries of the Province of Quebec; and, immediately after, "in testimony of the royal sense and approbation of the conduct and bravery of the officers and soldiers of the army, and to reward the same," the Governors were empowered to grant lands, without fee or reward, to such reduced officers and disbanded soldiers as had served in America during the late war.

On the subjugation of Canada, the whole population amounted to 60,000 souls.

In 1763, only four years after the reduction of Quebec, the exports from Great Britain to Canada amounted to £8,623 15s. 11d.

In 1775, Montgomery and Arnold, the American Generals, made their unsuccessful attack upon Quebec.

In 1783, the year in which the Revolutionary War terminated, Lower Canada contained a population of 113,000 souls, and Upper Canada 10,000.