Voyages of Samuel de Champlain, vol 3 | Page 6

at the great fall on the
twenty-eighth of May. But I found none of the savages who had
promised me to be there on this day. I entered at once a poor canoe,
together with the savage I had taken to France and one of my own men.
After examining the two shores, both in the woods and on the river
bank, in order to find a spot favorable for the location of a settlement,
and to get a place ready for building, I went some eight leagues by land
along the great fall and through the woods, which are very open, as far

as a lake, [4] whither our savage conducted me. Here I observed the
country very carefully. But in all that I saw, I found no place more
favorable than a little spot to which barques and shallops can easily
ascend, with the help of a strong wind or by taking a winding course, in
consequence of the strong current. But above this place, which we
named La Place Royale, at the distance of a league from Mont Royal,
there are a great many little rocks and shoals, which are very dangerous.
Near Place Royale there is a little river, extending some distance into
the interior, along the entire length of which there are more than sixty
acres of land cleared up and like meadows, where grain can be sown
and gardens made. Formerly savages tilled these lands, [5] but they
abandoned them on account of their wars, in which they were
constantly engaged. There is also a large number of other fine pastures,
where any number of cattle can graze. There are also the various kinds
of trees found in France, together with many vines, nut and plum trees,
cherries, strawberries, and other kinds of good fruit. Among the rest
there is a very excellent one, with a sweet taste like that of plantains, a
fruit of the Indies, as white as snow, with a leaf resembling that of
nettles, and which creeps up the trees and along the ground like ivy. [6]
Fish are very abundant, including all the varieties we have in France,
and many very good ones which we do not have. Game is also plenty,
the birds being of various kinds. There are stags, hinds, does, caribous,
[7] rabbits, lynxes, [8] bears, beavers, also other small animals, and all
in such large numbers, that while we were at the fall we were
abundantly supplied with them.
After a careful examination, we found this place one of the finest on
this river. I accordingly forthwith gave orders to cut down and clear up
the woods in the Place Royale, [9] so as to level it and prepare it for
building. The water can easily be made to flow around it, making of it a
little island, so that a habitation can be formed as one may wish.
There is a little island some twenty fathoms from Place Royale, about a
hundred paces long, where a good and strong settlement might be made.
There are also many meadows, containing very good and rich potter's
clay, as well adapted for brick as for building purposes, and
consequently a very useful article. I had a portion of it worked up, from

which I made a wall four feet thick, three or four high, and ten fathoms
long, to see how it would stand during the winter, when the freshets
came down, although I thought the water would not reach up to it, the
ground there being twelve feet above the river, which was very high. In
the middle of the river there was an island about three-quarters of a
league around, where a good and strong town could be built. This we
named _Isle de Sainte Hélène_. [10] This river at the fall is like a lake,
containing two or three islands, and bordered by fine meadows.
On the first day of June, Pont Gravé arrived at the fall, having been
unable to accomplish anything at Tadoussac. A numerous company
attended and followed after him to share in the booty, without the hope
of which they would have been far in the rear.
Now, while awaiting the savages, I had two gardens made, one in the
meadows, the other in the woods, which I had cleared up. On the 2d of
June I sowed some seeds, all of which came up finely, and in a short
time, attesting the good quality of the soil.
We resolved to send Savignon, our savage, together with another, to
meet his countrymen, so as to hasten their arrival. They hesitated about
going in our canoe, of which they were distrustful, it being a very poor
one. They set out on the 5th. The next day four or five barques arrived
as an