CHAPTER II.

DISCOVERY AND HISTORY.

THE genius and courage of Columbus haying opened a new world to the enterprise of Europe, his example was speedily followed by other navigators, second only to himself in the importance of their discoveries.

Foremost among these, John Cabot and his son Sebastian, Italians in the service of Henry VII. of England, first essaying the dangers of the more northern seas, were rewarded by the discovery of Newfoundland, in 1497, which was named by them Nova Vesta; they examined the coast as far as 67° 50' N. latitude, and entered and explored some part of the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

It is probable that they also first entered the strait since known as Hudson's Strait, although Gaspar Cortereal was the first to land on the coast of Labrador, in 1499 or 1500. But, in 1506 and 1508, the French navigators Denys and Aubert traced the

coasts more particularly, and the value of the fisheries having become generally known, the number of European ships engaged in them nine years after amounted to fifty.

To the two Italian navigators already mentioned, Columbus and Cabot, was now to be added a third; for, in 1522, one by name Verazani, under the patronage of Francis the First of France, discovered much of the continent hitherto unknown, and taking possession of it for his sovereign, gave it the name of "Nouvelle France."

In 1535 Jacques Cartier, of St. Malo, discovered the river St. Lawrence, which he ascended to Hochelaga,* a town of the native Indians, where he established a fort, which he named Mont Royal, where the city of Montreal now stands.

Cartier had been engaged in the cod fishery, and was therefore considered by Philippe Chabot, then admiral of France, a fit person to lead such an expedition. His choice was in a great measure justified by the result. He sailed on his first expedition the 20th of April, 1534, with "two ships of

* Pronounced by the Hurons; Hoh-el-lāga.

threescore tons apiece burthen, and sixty well appointed men in each." Having reached Newfoundland in twenty days, and passed through the Straits of Belleisle, he crossed the Gulf of St. Lawrence, to a bay which he named "Des Chaleurs," on account of the great heat of the summer, and from thence proceeded to "Gaspé " or "Gachepé" Bay, when having taken possession of the country by erecting a cross, and persuaded two of the natives to return with him, he left it and arrived in France in the September following.

The next year he obtained a new commission, and sailed with three vessels, on the 19th May, 1535. Having been separated by a storm, the fleet was united again in July on the coast of Newfoundland, and proceeding westward, came to a "goodly great gulf, full of islands, passages and entrances, towards what wind soever you please to bend." It was the 10th of August, and being the festival of St. Lawrence, he gave it the name of that saint, which has since been applied not only to the whole gulf but the river as well.

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He entered the Saguenay, and proceeded thence up the river until he arrived at the Isle of Orleans, named by him, from the luxuriance of the vegetation generally, and especially of the vines, the Isle of Bacchus. Here he was visited by Donnacona, pompously styled by him the "Lord of Canada," whose residence was at Stadacona, a fort situated on the site of the present city of Quebec. Leaving his vessels in the safe harbour of Port de St. Croix, on the river St. Charles, and having learned that there existed up the river a town of much greater importance, he determined, regardless of the distance and lateness of the season, to attempt to reach it. For this purpose he took the smallest of his vessels, the Hermerillon, and two long boats,: with provisions and ammunition.

He was everywhere well received and assisted by the natives. The chief of the district of Hochelai, now Richelieu, visited him, and gave him one of his own children, about seven years old. After some difficulties, incident to their ignorance of the best channel, they arrived, on the 2nd of October, about six miles below the town.

The natives received them with every demonstration of joy, and Cartier distributed presents among them.

The next day, passing through large fields of Indian corn, he entered Hochelaga, for so the town was named. He found it circular in form, composed of three rows of palisades or pickets, well joined together; it contained fifty cabins or lodges, each fifty feet long by fifteen broad, formed of wood covered with bark.

The fort had but one entrance; and, as well as the lodges, was surrounded by galleries, for the discharge of missiles. The lodges formed a circle, in the centre of which the fire was kindled.*

From the town Cartier proceeded to the mountain in its vicinity; he found the ground tilled all around, and giving evidence of its fertility. The splendid panorama of thirty leagues radius, which lay expanded beneath him as he stood on the eastern summit, excited his admiration and gratified his ambition. He named the hill Mont Royal, in honour of the king his master;

The description of this town accords closely with those given of the Indian towns on the north-west coast.