At First The Inhabitants Of The Island Avoided Us, Till At
Length Our Two Savages Got Speech Of Some Of
Them, telling who they
were, on which the natives seemed much rejoiced, dancing and singing and
shewing many other ceremonies;
Many of their chief men came now to our
boats, bringing great numbers of eels and other fishes, likewise two or
three burdens of great millet or maize, and many very large
musk-melons. On the same day many canoes filled with natives, both men
and women, came to visit our two savages, all of whom were received in a
kindly manner by our captain, who gave them many things of small value
with which they were much gratified. Next day the lord of Canada came to
our ships with twelve canoes and many people; but causing ten of his
canoes to go back again, he came up to our ships with only two canoes
and sixteen men. The proper name of this person was Donnacona, but his
dignified name, as a lord or chief, was Agouhanna. On coming near the
smallest of our ships, he stood up in his canoe and made a long oration,
moving his body and limbs in an extraordinary manner, which among them
pass for signs of friendship and security. He then came up towards the
generals ship, in which were Taignoagny and Domagaia, with whom he
entered into conversation. These men related to him all that they had
seen in France, and what good treatment they had received in that
country, at all which Agouhanna seemed much pleased, and desired our
captain to hold out his arm for him to kiss. Our captain now went into
Agouhannas canoe, and made bread and wine be handed down to him, which
he offered to the chief and his followers, with which they were much
gratified. When all this was over, our captain came again on board, and
the chief went with his canoes to his own abode.
[Footnote 45: Obviously the Isle of Orleans. - E.]
The captain ordered all the boats to be made ready, in which we went up
the river against the stream for ten leagues, keeping close to the shore
of the island, at which distance we found an excellent sound with a
small river and haven, in which there is about three fathoms water at
flood tide. As this place seemed very pleasant and safe for our ships,
we brought them thither, calling it the harbour of St Croix, because
discovered on Holy Cross Day. Near this is a village named Stadacona, of
which Donnacona is lord, and where he resides. It stands on a piece of
as fine fertile ground as one would wish to see, full of as goodly trees
as are to be seen in France, such as oaks, elms, ashes, walnut-trees,
maples, cydrons, vines, and white thorns which bear fruit as large as
damson plumbs, and many other sorts of trees. Under these there grows
great abundance of fine tall hemp, which springs up spontaneously
without cultivation.
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