"The Governor Of Quebec Desired Mr Baily To Treat The Jesuit Civilly, On
Account Of The Great Amity Between The Two Crowns.
Mr Baily resolved to
keep the priest till ships came from England.
He brought a letter, also,
for Capt Groseilliers, which gave jealousy to the English of his
corresponding with the French. His son-in-law lived in Quebec, and had
accompanied the priest part of the way, with three other Frenchmen, who,
being afraid to venture among strange Indians, returned.... Provisions
running short, they were agreed, on the 17th Sept, they were all to depart
for Point Comfort, to stay there till the 22d, and then make the best of
their way for England. In this deplorable condition were they when the
Jesuit, Capt Groseilliers, & another papist, walking downwards to the
seaside at their devotions, heard seven great guns fire distinctly. They
came home in a transport of joy, told their companions the news, and
assured them it was true. Upon which they fired three great guns from the
fort to return the salute, though they could ill spare the powder upon such
an uncertainty." The ship "Prince Rupert" had arrived, with Captain Gillam,
bringing the new Governor, William Lyddel, Esq.
Groseilliers and Radisson, after remaining for several years under the
Hudson's Bay Company, at last in 1674 felt obliged to sever the connection,
and went over again to France. Radisson told his nephew in 1684 that the
cause was "the refusal, that showed the bad intention of the Hudson's Bay
Company to satisfy us." Several influential members of the committee of
direction for the Company were desirous of retaining them in their employ;
among them the Duke of York, Prince Rupert their first Governor, Sir James
Hayes, Sir William Young, Sir John Kirke, and others; but it is evident
there was a hostile feeling towards Radisson and his brother-in-law on the
part of several members of the committee, for even after his successful
expedition in 1684 they found "some members of the committee offended
because I had had the honour of making my reverence to the King and to his
Royal Highness."
From 1674 to 1683, Radisson seems to have remained stanch in his allegiance
to Louis XIV.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 22 of 424
Words from 5760 to 6133
of 117345
