after the death of the king in 1547, sailed a second time for Canada, with a large and valuable expedition, accompanied by a great number of emigrants, who were destined never to see the country in which they had intended to settle. They all perished, the fleet of vessels being wrecked on the passage.

CHAMPLAIN.

SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN, a name rendered illustrious in our annals from his services in not only founding the ancient city of Quebec, but in establishing Canada; in spreading civilization, repelling the attacks of the hordes of Indians, and thus saving the lives of the early French settlers; in exploring the country and its valuable resources, and thus bringing its name conspicuously before not only his own nation, but many others.

He was of a noble family of Brouage, in the Province of Saintonge, in France. He commanded a vessel, in which he made a voyage to the East Indies, about the year 1600, and acquired a high reputation as an able and experienced officer. After an absence of two years and a half, he returned to France, at a time when it was resolved to prosecute the discoveries which had been commenced in Canada by Cartier. The Marquis de la Roche, and Chauvin, Governors of Canada, had endeavored to establish a colony, and the latter was succeeded by De Chatte, who engaged Champlain in his service in 1603. Champlain sailed March 16, accompanied by Pontgravé, who had made many voyages to Tadoussac, at the entrance of the Saguenay into the St. Lawrence. After their arrival at this place, 25th May, they in a light batteau ascended the St. Lawrence to the Falls of St. Louis, which bounded the discoveries of Cartier in 1535. This was in the neighborhood of Hochelaga; but that Indian settlement was not now in existAfter making many inquiries of the natives, and exploring much of the country along the St. Lawrence, he sailed for France in August. On his arrival in September, he found that De Chatte was dead, and his commission as Lieutenant-General of Canada given to the Sieur De Monts. This nobleman engaged him, as his pilot, in another voyage to the New World.

ence.

Champlain sailed upon his second voyage March 7, 1604, and arrived at Acadie, May 6. After being employed about a month in the long boat, visiting the coast, in order to find a proper situation

for a settlement, he pitched upon a small island about twenty leagues to the westward of St. John's River, and about half a league in circumference. To this island De Monts, after his arrival at the place, gave the name of St. Croix. It lies in the river of the same name, which divides the United States from the Province of New Brunswick. During the winter, Champlain was occupied in exploring the country, and he went as far as Cape Cod, where he gave the name of Malebarre to a point of land, on account of the imminent danger of running aground near it with his bark. Next year, he pursued his discoveries, though he did not pass more than ten or twelve leagues beyond Malebarre.

In 1607, he was sent out on another voyage to Tadoussac, accompanied by Pontgravé. In July, 1608, he laid the foundation of Quebec. He was a man, who did not embarrass himself with commerce, and who felt no interest in traffic with the Indians, which proved so profitable to many engaged in it. Being entrusted with the charge of establishing a permanent colony, he examined the most elegible places for settlement, and selected a spot upon the St. Lawrence, at the confluence of this river and the small river of St. Charles, about four hundred and ten miles from the sea. The river in this place was very much contracted, and it was on this account that the natives called it Quebec; (although various surmises are advanced by historians and others as to the origin of the name.) Here he arrived on the 3rd of July. He erected barracks, cleared the ground, sowed wheat and rye, and laid the foundation of the "Gibraltar of America." The toil of subduing the wilderness was not very acceptible to all his company; for some of them conspired to put their leader to death, and to embark at Tadoussac for France. The attempt to destroy him was to be made by poison and by a train of gunpowder; but, the apothecary having discovered the scheme, one of the conspirators was hanged, and others were condemned to the galleys. During the winter his people were afflicted with the scurvy. Champlain sought after the medicine which had been so successfully used by Cartier; but the tree, which was called Auneda, was not now to be found. From this circumstance it was concluded that the tribe of Indians, with which Cartier was acquainted, had been exterminated by their enemies.

In the summer of the year 1609, when the Hurons, Algonquins, and others, were about to march against their common enemy, the Iroquois, Champlain very readily joined them; for he had a keen taste for adventures; and he hoped, by a conquest, to impress all the Indian tribes with strong ideas of the power of the French, and to secure an alliance with them. He did not foresee that he should force the Iroquois, who lived in what is now called the State of New York, to seek the protection of the English and Dutch. He embarked on the river Sorel, which was then called

the Iroquois, because these savages usually descended by this stream into Canada. At the Falls of Chambly he was stopped, and was obliged to send back his boat. Only two Frenchmen remained with him. He ascended with his allies in the Indian canoes to the lake, to which he gave his own name, which it retains to the present day. The savages whom he accompanied, hoped to surprise the Iroquois in the villages, but they met them unexpectedly upon the lake. After gaining the land, it was agreed to defer the battle till the next day, as the night was now approaching. In the morning of 30th July, Champlain placed a party with his two Frenchmen in a neighbouring wood, so as to come upon the enemy in flank. The Iroquois, who were about two hundred in number, seeing but a handful of men, were sure of victory. But as soon as the battle began, Champlain killed two of their chiefs, who were conspicuous by their plumes, by the first discharge of his firelock, loaded with four balls. The report and the execution of the fire-arms filled the Iroquois with inexpressible consternation. They were quickly put to flight, and the victorious allies returned to Quebec with fifty scalps.

In September, 1609, Champlain embarked with Pontgravé for France, leaving the colony under the care of a brave man, Peter Chauvin. But he was soon sent out again to the New World. He sailed from Honfleur, April 8, 1610, and arrived at Tadoussac on the 26th. He encouraged the Montagnais Indians, who lived at this place, to engage in a second expedition against the Iroquois. Accordingly, soon after his arrival at Quebec, they sent him about sixty warriors. At the head of these and others he proceeded up the river Sorel. The enemy were soon met, and after a severe engagement, in which Champlain was wounded by an arrow, were entirely defeated. He arrived at Quebec, from Montreal, June 19, and landed at Rochelle, August 11. After the death of Henry IV. the interest of De Monts, in whose service Champlain had been engaged, was entirely ruined, and the latter was obliged to leave a settlement, which he was commencing at Mont Royal, or Montreal, and to go again to France in 1611. Charles de Bourbon, being commissioned by the Queen Regent Governor of New France, appointed Champlain his lieutenant, with very extensive powers. He returned to Canada in 1612, was engaged in war with the Iroquois, and made new discoveries. His voyages across the Atlantic were frequent. He was continued Lieutenant-Governor under that distinguished nobleman, the Prince of Condé and' Montmorency. In 1615, his zeal for the spiritual interests of the Indians induced him to bring with him a number of Jesuit Fathers, some of whom assisted him in his warfare. He penetrated to Lake Ontario, and, being wounded while assisting the Hurons against their enemies, was obliged to pass a whole winter among them. When he returned to Quebec in July, 1616, he

was received as one risen from the dead. In July, 1629, he was obliged to capitulate, on account of the sparseness of his forces, and the exhausted state of his men through famine, to an English armament under Sir David Kertk. He was carried to France in an English ship; and there he found the public sentiment much divided with regard to Canada; some thinking it was not worth regaining, as it had cost the government vast sums without bringing any returns; others deeming the fishery and fur trade great national objects, especially as a nursery for seamen. Champlain exerted himself to effect the recovery of this country, and Canada was restored by the treaty of St. Germains, in 1632, with Acadie and Cape Breton.

In 1633 the company of New France resumed all their rights, and appointed Champlain the Governor. In a short time he was at the head of a new armament, furnished with a fresh recruit of Jesuits, settlers, as well as all kinds of necessaries for the welfare of the revived colony. His attention was now engrossed by the spiritual interests of the savages, whom it was his principle object to bring to the knowledge of the Christian religion. The number of ecclesiastical missionaries, exclusive of lay brothers, was now fifteen, the chief of whom were Le Jeuné, De Nonc, Masse, and Brebeuf. A mission was established among the Hurons; the colony was gaining an accession of numbers and strength, and an attempt was just commencing to establish a college in Quebec, when the Governor died, and was succeeded the next year by De Montmagny.

Champlain merited the title of the father of New France. Though he was credulous, he possessed an uncommon share of penetration and energy. His views were upright; and, in circumstances of difficulty, no man could make a better choice of measures. He prosecuted his enterprises with constancy, and no dangers could shake his firmness. His zeal for the interests of his country was ardent and disinterested; his heart was tender and compassionate towards the unhappy; and he was more attentive to the concerns of his friends, than to his own. He was a faithful historian, a voyager who observed everything with attention, skilful in geometry, and an experienced seaman. He appears to have been fond of good cheer; for, in the early part of his residence in Canada, he established with his associates an order, "De bon temps," which contributed not a little to the gratification of the palate. By this order every one of the same table was in his turn to be steward and caterer for a day. He was careful by hunting to make a suitable provision, and at supper, when the cook had made everything ready, he marched at the head of the company with a napkin over his shoulder, having also the staff of office, and wearing the collar of his order, and was followed by his associates, each of whom bore a dish. At the close of the banquet he pledged his

successor in a bumper of wine, and resigned to him the collar and staff. It may not be easy to justify Champlain in taking an active part in the war against the Iroquois. It is even supposed by some, that his love of adventures led him to arouse the spirit of the Hurons and to excite them to war. His zeal for the propogation of religion among the savages was so great, that he used to say "that the salvation of one soul was of more value than the conquest of an empire;" and that "kings ought not to think of extending their authority over idolatrous nations, except for the purpose of subjecting them to Jesus Christ."

He published an account of his first voyages in 1613, in 4to; and a continuation in 1620, in 8vo. He published an addition to these in 1632, in one volume, entitled, Les voyages de la Nouvelle France occidentale, dite Canada, in 4to. This work comprises a history of New France from the first discoveries of Verazzani to the year 1631. There is added to it a treatise on navigation, and on the duty of a good mariner, with an abridgment of the Christian doctrines, in the Huron and French languages.

ADMIRAL SIR DAVID KERTK.

KINKS

A FRENCH refugee in England, who entered into her naval service during the reign of Charles I. He had previously been a master mariner at Dieppe, in France. He is mentioned in our history as the commander of a very successful expedition against Canada during the French occupation of this country. The Duke of Buckingham, to gratify a private pique against Richelieu, had taken advantage of the hostility entertained for the French by the English, on account of the persecution of the Huguenots by the Cardinal, and induced the king to declare war against France. The resolution was accordingly taken to deprive him of his American dependencies. Kertk therefore was placed in charge of a formidable expedition, and, accompanied by his two brothers, sailed for Canada, or rather New France. He arrived at Tadoussac, then the only considerable trading place in the country, in the middle of the summer of 1628; and, after destroying the stores, &c., sent a summons to Champlain to surrender, which the latter, although his works and forces were in a very weak condition, refused to do. Kertk, thinking that Quebec was strongly fortified, and that Champlain had a large force within it, did not proceed