During Winter, When The
Whole Country Is Covered With Ice And Snow, They Take Great Numbers Of
Wild Beasts; Such
As stags, fauns, bears, martins, hares, foxes, and
many other kinds, the flesh of which they eat almost raw, being
Only
dried in the sun or in smoke, as they do their fish. So far as we were
acquainted with these people, it were an easy matter to civilize them
and to teach them any thing whatever: May God of his great mercy give a
blessing to this, in his good time. Amen!
SECTION III.
Wintering of Jacques Cartier in Canada in 1536, and return to France
in 1537.
The great river of Canada or Hochelega, begins at the sea or gulf of St
Lawrence below the Island of Assumption, or Anticosti. Over against the
high mountains of Hognedo and the Seven Islands, the breadth of this
river is from 35 to 40 leagues, being 200 fathoms deep in the mid
channel. The surest way to sail up this river is on the south side[53].
On the north side, at about seven leagues distance from the Seven
Islands, there are two considerable rivers which come from the hills of
Saguenay, and occasion several very dangerous shoals. At the entrance of
these rivers we saw vast numbers of whales and sea-horses; and near
these islands a small river runs in through marshy grounds, which is
frequented by immense numbers of water-fowl. From these Seven Islands to
Hochelega or Montreal, the distance is about 300 leagues[54]. The
original beginning of this great river may be considered as at the mouth
of the Saguenay river, which comes from high and steep hills, from
whence upwards is the province of Canada on the north side. That river
is high, deep, and straight, wherefore it is dangerous for any vessel to
navigate it. Beyond that river upwards is the province of Canada, in
which are abundance of people who inhabit villages or open towns. In
this river there are many islands great and small, among which is one
ten leagues long[55], full of large tall trees and many vines. This
island maybe passed on both sides, but the safest way is on its south
side. To the westwards, on the shore or bank of the river there is an
excellent and pleasant bay or creek, in which ships may safely ride.
Near this, one part of the river for about the third part of a league is
very narrow and deep with a swift current, opposite to which is a goodly
piece of high land on which a town stands. The country around is of
excellent soil and well cultivated. This place is called Stadacona, and
is the abode of Donnacona and of the two men we took in our first
voyage, Domagaia and Taignoagny. Before coming up to it there are four
other towns, named Ayraste, Starnatay, Tailla on a hill, and Scitadin.
And near Stadacona to the north is the harbour of St Croix, in which we
wintered from the 15th September 1535 to the 16th May 1536, during all
which time our ships remained dry. Beyond Stadacona, going up the river,
is the habitation of the people called Teguenondahi, on a high mountain,
and the valley or champain country of Hochelay, all of which for a great
extent on both sides of the river is as fine a plain as ever was seen.
There are mountains to be seen at a distance from the great river,
whence several rivers descend to join the Hochelay. All the country is
over-grown with many different kinds of trees and many vines, except
around the towns, where the inhabitants have grubbed up the trees to
admit of cultivating the ground, and for the purpose of building their
houses. This country abounds in stags, deer, bears, rabbits, hares,
martins, foxes, otters, beavers, weasels, badgers, and rats of vast
size, besides many other kinds of wild beasts, in the skins of which the
inhabitants clothe themselves, having no other materials. It abounds
also in a variety of birds, as cranes, swans, bustards, geese both white
and grey, ducks, thrushes, black-birds, turtles, wild-pigeons, linnets,
finches, redbreasts, stares, nightingales, and many others. No part of
the world was ever seen producing greater numbers and varieties of fish,
both these belonging to the sea and to fresh water, according to their
seasons. Among these many whales, porpoises, sea-horses, and a kind
named Adhothuis which we had never seen or heard of before. These are as
large as porpoises, as white as snow, having bodies and heads resembling
grey-hounds, and are accustomed to reside between the fresh and salt
water about the mouth of the Saguenay river.
[Footnote 53: Modern navigators prefer the north side, all the way from
the Seven Islands to the Isle of Orleans, where they take the southern
channel to Point Levi, at which place they enter the bason of
Quebec. - E.]
[Footnote 54: The distance does not exceed 135 marine leagues. - E.]
[Footnote 55: The Isle of Orleans, the only one which can be here
alluded to, is only 6 1/2 marine leagues in length; Cartier seems to use
the small French league of about 12 furlongs, and even not to have been
very accurate in its application. - E.]
After our return from Hochelega or the Isle of Montreal, we dwelt and
trafficked in great cordiality with the natives near our ships, except
that we sometimes had strife with certain ill-disposed people, much to
the displeasure of the rest. From Donnacona and others, we learnt that
the river of Saguenay is capable of being navigated by small boats for a
distance of eight or nine days journey; but that the most convenient and
best way to the country of Saguenay is to ascend the great river in the
first place to Hochelega, and thence by another river which comes from
Saguenay, to which it is a navigation of a month[56]. The natives
likewise gave us to understand that the people in that country of
Saguenay were very honest, were clothed in a similar manner to us
Frenchmen, had many populous towns, and had great store of gold and red
copper.
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