CHAPTER VII.

CANADA AND ACADIA, 1600 TO 1748.

1. In order that I may have the more space for the history of English rule in Canada, and still more for an account of affairs since the confederation of 1867, the account of French rule (the following) will be condensed as much as possible consistent with a proper recital of all the facts. We have seen how Champlain founded Quebee in 1608. He found the

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country in possession of a powerful aboriginal nation, called the Algonquins. During the first winter which he passed at his newly established post, he engaged in the work of concluding a treaty with the natives, in which he was successful. Indians agreed to assist Champlain in conducting an expedition through the country of the Iroquois, and the powerful Indian nation with which the newly made friends of Champlain were in constant war, on the conditions that the French would lend a helping hand in their general cause. In agreeing to their proposals, Champlain seemed not to have dreamed of provoking a war with the Iroquois, but, in the spring of 1609, when he, with two of his countrymen and a strong guard of his Indian allies, penetrated their country, he was met with a bold front. In the battle which followed the enemy was routed, being awed at the havoc made by the unknown instruments of destruction in the hands of the French. When Champlain returned from this expedition he met sad news. The merchants of France had declaimed against the monopoly of the fur trade vested in De Monts, by which the commission of the latter was revoked, and Champlain was recalled. On reaching France he gave a full and satisfactory account of the new country to the king, but was unable, even through persistent urgency, to obtain a renewal of the monopoly. But his zeal for extending his colony was not checked by this refusal. He formed a league with some traders of Rochelle, in 1610, and returned to America with considerable reinforcement and with fresh supplies.

2. Upon his return to the newly founded colony, he again set out with a party of Algonquins against the Iroquois, in which he repeated his former success. 'Before taking leave

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of his allies he prevailed on them to allow one of their young men to accompany him to France, while, at the same time, a Frenchman remained to learn the language of the Indians. Having again visited France, in 1611, he returned with the Indian youth, whom he designed to employ as interpreter between the French and their allies. While awaiting an appointment which he had made with his savage friends, he passed the time in selecting a place for a new settlement, higher up the river than Quebec. After a careful survey, he fixed upon a spot on the southern border of a beautiful island, inclosed by the divided channel of the St. Lawrence, cleared a considerable space, inclosed it by an earthen wall, and sowed some grain. From an eminence in the vicinity, which he named Mont Royal, the place has since been called Montreal.”1 3. But the great pioneer again found it necessary to visit his native country, this time for the purpose of laying secure foundation for the execution of his gigantic plans of colonization, which he recommended to his Indian allies. "He was so fortunate," says Marcus Willson, "as almost immediately to gain the favor of the Count de Soissons, who obtained the title of Lieutenant General of New France, and who, by a formal agreement, delegated to Champlain all the functions of that high office. The count dying soon after, the Prince of Conde succeeded to all the privileges of the deceased, and transferred them to Champlain, on terms equally liberal. As his commission included a monopoly of the fur trade, the merchants were, as usual, loud in their complaints; but he endeavored to remove their principal objections, by allowing such as chose to accompany him to engage freely in the trade, on condition that each should furnish six men to assist in his projects of discovery, and contribute a twentieth of the profits to defray the expenses of settlement.” But, on Champlain's return to New France, he was diverted from his grand scheme by an effort to discover the long-hopedfor passage to China in the north-west. "A Frenchman," says the same author, "who had spent a winter among the northern savages, reported that the river of the Algonquins (the Ottawa) issued from a lake which was connected with the North Sea, that he had visited its shores, had there seen the wreck of an English vessel, and that one of the crew was still living with the Indians. Eager to ascertain the truth of the statement,

1 Tuttle's History of the Countries of America.

Champlain determined to devote a season to the prosecution of this grand object, and, with only four of his countrymen, among whom was the author of the report and one native, he commenced his voyage by the dangerous and almost impassable route of the Ottawa river." This party, after travelling to within eight days' journey of the lake upon which the shipwreck was said to have occurred, discovered the falsity of the Frenchman's report through the testimony of the friendly tribe with whom he had previously lived, and, fearing just punishment, he confessed that all he had said was untrue. His motive in making the statement was to give notoriety to himself, believing that the party could not penetrate the country and discover his deception.

4. Champlain, having once more visited France, and returned to the colony with additional forces, and being ever ready to engage in warlike enterprises with his Indian allies, planned, connection with them, another expedition against the Iroquois. This time it was determined to march against them in the lake region. The party started from Montreal, and traversed the course of the Ottawa for some distance, thence overland to Lake Huron, where they were reinforced by some Huron bands, who regarded the Iroquois as a common enemy. On the banks of Lake George they found the Iroquois in their fortifications. "The Iroquois at first advanced and met their assailants in front of the fortifications, but the whizzing balls from the fire-arms soon drove them within the ramparts, and, finally, from all the outer defences. They continued, however, to pour forth showers of arrows and stones, and fought with such bravery that, in spite of all the exertions of the few French and their allies, it was found impossible to drive them from their stronghold." In the first assault Champlain lost some of his native warriors, and he was himself severely wounded. twice. After several days spent in fruitless attempts to dislodge the Iroquois, the French and Indians were compelled to retire; but, from the dishonesty and indisposition of his allies, Champlain was obliged to spend the winter in the country of the Hurons, being unable to obtain guides and facilities to make the return journey. But in the following spring (1615) he was enabled to leave that region. He sailed for France soon after, and reached his native country in September of the same year. "The interests of the colony were now for some time much neglected, owing to the unsettled state of France during the minority of Louis XIII., and it was not until 1620 that

Champlain was enabled to return, with a new equipment, fitted out by an association of merchants. During his absence the settlements had been considerably neglected, and after all that had been done for the colony there remained when winter set in not more than sixty inhabitants, of all ages."

5. In the spring of 1621 the association of merchants which had fitted out the last expedition was deprived of all its privileges. De Caen was sent out as governor of the colony, and the power of Champlain was for a time suspended. "The violent and arbitrary proceedings of the new governor, however, caused much dissatisfaction, in consequence of which a great part of the population connected with the European traders took their departure. De Caen soon after returning to France, the powers of government again fell into the hands of Champlain, who turned his attention to discoveries and settlements in the interior." Champlain, soon after his restoration, negotiated a treaty between the Iroquois and Hurons, which, for a short time only, put a stop to the war between those nations. From 1622 to 1627, and even later, the progress of the colony in New France was checked by the war between the Catholics and Protestants in Europe, which extended also to America. In the latter year, however, war broke out between England and France, and two Calvinists,-refugees from France,―David and Lewis Kirk, enlisted in the British service, and engaged in an expedition against the French settlements in America. The squadron, under the command of these men, sailed to the mouth of the St. Lawrence, captured several vessels, and cut off all communication between New France and the mother country. Port Royal and other French settlements in that vicinity soon fell into the hands of the English, and, in July, 1629, Sir David Kirk demanded the surrender of Quebec. The post, being weakened, yielded, and now the French possessions in America fell into the hands of the English. But these events had scarcely taken place in the New World when, in the Old, articles of peace had been signed which promised the restitution of all the conquests made previous to April 14, 1829; and, by the final treaty of March, 1632, France was restored to a possession of her American colonies, not only of New France, but of all Acadia.

6. No sooner was the French authority peacefully reëxtended over New France, than Champlain was reinvested with his former jurisdiction, which he worthily maintained till his death, in 1636. He was succeeded by Montmagny, whose

situation was rendered critical by the dangerous attitude of the Indians. The war with the indomitable Iroquois had broken out with greater fury than ever. The French, being themselves weakened, were unable to render their Algonquin friends any assistance; hence they were humbled; the Hurons were also sorely pressed, and of course the French settlements were in danger. The governor, however, succeeded in effecting another treaty, and for a time it was observed in comparative peace. During this partial peace on the borders the missionaries formed establishments not only at Quebec and Montreal, but penetrated far into the interior, establishing missionary posts, collecting the natives in villages, and converting them to the Catholic faith by thousands. Upwards of three thousand Hurons are recorded to have been baptized at one time, and though it was easier to make converts than to retain them, yet many were for a time reclaimed from their savage habits, and very favorable prospects were opened. But this period of repose was soon ended, the Iroquois having, in 1648, again determined to renew the war, and, as it is asserted, without any known cause or pretext whatever.

7. However, the blow was effectual, and the fury of the invincible Iroquois was felt throughout Canada. "The frontier settlements of the French were attacked with the most fatal precision, and their inhabitants, without distinction of age or sex, involved in indiscriminate slaughter. The Hurons were everywhere defeated; and their country, lately so peaceable and flourishing, became a land of horror and of blood. The whole Huron nation, with one consent, dispersed, and fled for refuge in every direction. A few afterwards reluctantly united with their conquerors; the greater number sought an asylum among the Chippewas of Lake Superior; while a small remnant sought the protection of the French at Quebec. The Iroquois having completely overrun Canada, the French were virtually blockaded in the three forts of Quebec, Three Rivers, and Montreal; and, almost every autumn, bands of hostile invaders swept away the limited harvests raised in the immediate vicinity of these places. Yet again this fierce people, as if satiated with blood, began of their own accord to make overtures of peace, and to solicit the missionaries to teach them the Christian doctrine. In 1656 a French settlement, connected with a mission, was actually established in the territory of the Onondagas. This establishment, however, was of short continuance, for, as the other confederate tribes disapproved of the measure, the French were