Monsr.
Colbert Having Delayed Us A Long Time With Sundry Excuses, One Day Hee
Explained Himself, Saying I Should Bring My Wife Over Into France If I
Expected That A Full Confidence Should Bee Put In Mee.
I represented unto
him that it was nott a thing fully in my power to doe, my wife's father
refusing to give me the Liberty of bringing her over into france; but I
promiss'd him to use my best endeavors to that effect.
In the meantime
Monsr. Colbert intimated that hee would have my Brother-in-Law & myself
make a voyadge unto Canada, to advise with the Governour what was best ther
to bee done, assuring us that hee would write unto him in our behalf.
Wee undertook the voyadge, but being arriv'd at Quebeck, wee found that
jelosy & interest which some Persons had over those that had the absolute
command, at that time, of the Trade in Canada, & whos Creatures were
Imploy'd for new Discoverys, ordered things so that the Count De Frontinac,
the Governor, took no care to perform what wee had ben promis'd hee should
have don for us; so that finding myself slighted, I left my Brother-in-Law
with his familly in Canada, & returned back again for France, intending to
serve at sea in the fleet. Accordingly I there passed the Campaigns above
mention'd untill wee suffer'd shippwreck at the Isle D'ane, from which
being escaped, I returned with the rest of the Army unto Brest, in the
moneth of July, having lost all my Equipage in this disaster. The Vice
Admirall & the Intendant wrote to Court in my favour, & upon the good
character they were pleas'd to give of me, I receav'd a gratuity of 100
Louis D'ors upon the King's account, to renew my Equipage; & these
Gentlemen also were pleased to tell me I should ere long have the command
of a Man of Warr; but thinking that could not so easily bee, I desired
leave to make a turn over into England under pretext of visitting my wife &
to make a farther Tryall of bringing her over into france, whereupon I had
my pass granted, with a farther gratuity of 100 Louis D'ors towards the
charges of my voyage. I was comanded to make what dispatch possible might
bee, & espetially to mind the business of bringing my wife along with me, &
then I shold not doubt of having good Imployments.
I set forwards, & arrived in London the 4th of July, & amongst other
discours told my father-in-Law, Sir John Kirk, of what great importance it
was unto me of making my fortune in france to take my wife along with me
thither; notwithstanding, hee would by no means give his consent thereunto,
but desired me to write to my friends in France concerning some pretention
hee had against the Inhabitants of Canada, [Footnote: John Kirke and his
elder brothers, Sir David, Sir Lewis, and others, held a large claim
against Canada, or rather France, dating back to 1633, which amounted in
1654, including principal and interest, to over - L. 34.000.] which I did. I
endeavor'd also, during my stay at London, both by myself & by Friends, to
try if the Gentlemen of the Company might conceave any better thoughts of
me, & whether I might not by some means or other be restor'd unto their
good liking; but all my endevors proved in vaine. I found no likelyhood of
effecting what I so much desir'd, therefore I return'd into France &
arrived at Brest the 12th of 8ber, 1679.... Having inform'd the Vice
Admirall & the Intendant of the litle Successe I had in my voyadge, & that
it was not through any neglect of myne, they order'd me to goe give an
Account of it unto the Marquis De Signelay, which I did; & telling him I
could not prevaile to bring my wife over along with me, hee revil'd me, &
told me hee knew very well what an Inclination I had still for the English
Intrest, saying with all that I must not expect any confidence should bee
put in me, nor that I shold not have the least Imployment, whilst my wife
stay'd in England.
Neverthelesse, hee promis'd to speak to his Father, Monsieur Colbert,
touching my affaires, which hee also performed; & afterwards waiting upon
him, hee spake unto me much after the same rate his sonn, the Marquis De
Signelay had don before, as to what concerned my wife, & order'd me to goe
unto monsieur Bellinzany, his chief agent for the businesse of Trade, who
would farther inform me of his intentions. Meeting with Monsieur Belinzany,
hee told me that monsieur Colbert thought it necessary that I should
conferr with monsieur De La Chesnay, [Footnote: M. Du Chesneau was
appointed 30 May, 1675, Intendant of Justice, Police, and Finance of
Canada, Acadia, and Isles of Newfoundland.] a Canada Merchant who mannadg'd
all the Trade of thos parts, & who was then at Paris, that with him some
mesures should bee taken to make the best advantage of our Discoveries &
intreagues in the Northern parts of Canada, to advance the Beaver Trade, &
as much as possible might bee to hinder all strangers from driving that
trade to the prejudice of the French Collonies. The said monsr. Belinzany
also told me I could not more oblige monsr. Colbert, nor take any better
cours to obtaine his friendship by any servis whatsoever, than by using all
my skill & industry in drawing all the natives of thos Northern parts of
America to traffick with & to favor the French, & to hinder & disswade them
from trading with strangers, assuring me of a great reward for the servis I
should render the state upon this account, & that Mr. De La Chesiiay would
furnish me in Cannada with all things necessary for executing what
dessignes wee should conclude upon together to this intent.
According to these Instructions I went unto Mr. De La Chesnay. Wee
discours'd a long time together, & after severall inquiry's of the state of
the countrys that I had most frequented, having communicated unto him my
observations, hee propos'd unto me to undertake to establish a treaty for
the Beaver trade in the Great Bay where I had ben some years before upon
the account of the English.
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