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. Having examined this place and found it fit for the
purpose, the captain proposed returning to the ships to bring them to
this port; but we were met, when coming out of the river, by one of the
chiefs of Stadacona, accompanied by many men, women, and children. This
chief made a long oration to us, all the women dancing and singing for
joy up to the knees in water. The captain caused the canoe to come along
side of his boat, and presented them all with some trifles, such as
knives, glass beads, and the like, with which they were so much
delighted that we could hear them singing and dancing when we were three
leagues off.

After returning to the ships, the captain landed again on the island to
examine and admire the beauty, variety, and luxuriance of its trees and
vegetables. On account of the great number of vines which it produced
everywhere in profusion, he named it the Island of Bacchus, but it is
now called the Isle of Orleans. It is in length twelve leagues,
exceedingly pleasant and fruitful, and everywhere covered with trees,
except in some places where there are a few huts of fishers, around
which some small patches are cleared and cultivated. We departed with
our ships next day, and on the 14th of September we brought them up to
Port St Croix, and were met on the way by the lord Donnacona,
accompanied by our two savages, Taignoagny and Domagaia, with 25 canoes
full of natives; all of whom came to our ships with every sign of mirth
and confidence, except our own two savages, who would on no account come
on board though repeatedly invited, on which we began to suspect some
sinister intentions. On the next day, the captain went on shore to give
directions for fixing certain piles or stakes in the water for the
greater security of our ships, and Donnacona with a considerable number
of the natives came to meet him; but our two savages kept aloof under a
point or nook of land at some distance, and would on no account join our
company. Understanding where they were, our captain went towards them,
accompanied by some of our men; and, after the customary salutations,
Taignoagny represented that Donnacona was much dissatisfied because the
captain and his men were always armed, while the natives were not. To
this the captain answered, that he was sorry this should give offence;
but as they two who had been in France knew that this was the custom of
their country, he could not possibly do otherwise. Yet Donnacona
continued to converse with our captain in the most friendly manner, and
we concluded that Taignoagny and Domagaia had invented this pretence of
their own accord; more especially as Donnacona and our captain entered
into the strictest bonds of friendship, on which all the natives set up
three horrible yells, after which the companies separated, and we went
on board. On the following day, we brought the two largest of our ships
into the harbour within the mouth of the small river, in which there are
three fathoms water at flood tide, and only half a fathom at the ebb.
The pinnace, or smallest vessel, was left at anchor without the harbour,
as we intended to use her for exploring the Hochelega.[46] As soon as
our ships were placed in safety, we saw Donnacona coming towards us,
accompanied by Taignoagny, Domagaia, and above 500 natives, men, women,
and children. Donnacona and ten or twelve of the principal persons came
on board the captains ship, where they were courteously received by the
captain and all of us, and many gifts of small value were given them.
Then Taignoagny informed our captain, that Donnacona was dissatisfied
with our intention of exploring the Hochelega, and would not allow any
one to go with us. The captain said in reply, that he was resolved to go
there if possible, as he had been ordered by his sovereign to penetrate
the country in that direction as far as was practicable: That if
Taignoagny would go along with him, as he had promised, he should be
well used, and should be rewarded to his satisfaction on their return.
This was refused by Taignoagny, and the whole of the savages immediately
retired.

[Footnote 46: The native name of the river St Lawrence is Hoshelega or
Hochelega, sometimes called the river of Canada. - E.]

Next day, the 17th September, Donnacona and his company came back to us,
bringing many eels and other fishes, which they procure in great
abundance in the river. On their arrival at the ships, all the savages
fell a dancing and singing as usual, after which Donnacona caused all
his people to stand off on one side; then, making our captain and all
our people stand within a circle which he drew on the sand, he made a
long oration, holding a female child of ten or twelve years old by the
hand, whom he presented to our captain at the end of his speech; upon
which all his people set up three loud howls, in token of joy and
friendship, at least so we understood them. Donnacona afterwards
presented two boys successively, who were younger than the girls,
accompanied by other ceremonies, among which were very loud shrieks or
yells as before. For these presents our captain gave many hearty thanks.
Then Taignoagny told the captain that one of the boys was his own
brother, and that the girl was daughter to a sister of Donnacona; and
that the presents had been given on purpose to induce him not to go to
Hochelega. To this the captain answered, that he would certainly return
the children, if that were the purpose of the gift; as he could on no
account desist from going where he had been commanded by his king. But
Domagaia, the other savage who had been in France, told the captain that
the children had been presented as a token of friendship and security,
and that he Domagaia was willing to accompany us to Hochelega. On this
high words arose between Taignoagny and Domagaia, by which we inferred
that the former was a crafty knave, and intended to do us some
treacherous act of mischief as indeed sufficiently appeared from his
former conduct. The captain sent the children to our ships, whence he
caused two swords and two brass basons to be brought, which he presented
to Donnacona, who was much gratified and expressed great thankfulness,
commanding all his people to sing and dance. The chief then expressed a
desire to have one of our cannons fired off, as our two savages had told
him many wonderful things respecting them. He accordingly ordered twelve
cannons, loaded with ball, to be fired off into the woods close by, at
which all the savages were greatly astonished, as if heaven had fallen
upon them, and ran away howling, shrieking and yelling, as if all hell
had broke loose. Before we went on board, Taignoagny informed us that
our people in the pinnace, which we had left at anchor without the
harbour, had slain two men by a shot from one of their cannons, on which
all the natives had fled away. This we afterwards found to be false, as
our men had not fired any that day.

The savages still endeavoured to hinder us from going to Hochelega, and
devised the following stratagem to induce us not to go. They dressed up
three men like devils, in black and white dogs skins, having their faces
blackened, and with horns on their heads a yard long. These men were put
secretly into a canoe, while all the savages lay hid in the wood waiting
the tide to bring the canoe with the mock devils. On the approach of
that canoe, all the savages came out of the wood, but did not come so
near us as usual. Taignoagny came forwards to salute our captain, who
asked if he would have a boat sent to bring him on board; but he
declined to do so then, saying he would come on board afterwards. At
this time the canoe with the three devils made its appearance, and on
passing close by the ships, one of these men stood up and made a long
oration, without ever turning round to look at us. The boat floated past
us towards the land, on which Donnacona and all his people pursued them
and laid hold of the canoe, on which the three devils fell down as if
dead, when they were carried out into the wood, followed by all the
savages. We could hear them from our ships in a long and loud conference
above half an hour; after which Taignoagny and Domagaia came towards us,
holding their hands joined above their heads, and carrying their hats
under their upper garments, as if in great astonishment. Taignoagny,
looking up to heaven, exclaiming three times Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!
Domagaia in the same manner cried out, Jesus Maria! Jacques Cartier! On
seeing these gestures and ceremonies, our captain asked what was the
matter, and what had happened. They answered that they had very ill news
to tell, saying in French _Nenni est il bon_, or it is not good. On
being again asked what all this meant; they said, that their god
Cudruaigny had spoken in Hochelega, and had sent these three men to say
there was so much ice and snow in that country, that who ever ventured
there would surely die. On this we laughed mocking them, saying that
their god Cudruaigny was a fool, and knew not what he said; and desired
them to shew us his messengers, saying that Christ would defend them
from all cold if they believed in him. They then asked the captain if he
had spoken with Jesus; who answered no, but the priests had, who had
assured him of fair weather. They then thanked the captain for this
intelligence, and went into the wood to communicate it to the rest, who
all now rushed from the wood as if glad of the news, giving three great
shouts, and then fell to dancing and singing as usual. Yet our two
savages declared that Donnacona would not allow any one to accompany us
to Hochelega, unless some hostage was left for his safe return. The
captain then said, if they would not go willingly they might stay, and
he would go without them.

On the 19th of September, we hoisted sail in the pinnace accompanied by
two of our boats, the captain taking most of his officers and fifty
mariners along with him, intending to go up the river towards Hochelega
with the tide of flood. Both shores of the river, as far as the eye
could see, appeared as goodly a country as could be desired, all
replenished with fine trees, among which all along the river grew
numerous vines as full of grapes as they could hang, which, though quite
natural, seemed as if they had been planted. Yet, as they were not
dressed and managed according to art, their bunches were not so large,
nor their grapes so sweet as ours. We also saw many huts along the
river, inhabited by fishers, who came to us with as much familiarity and
kindness as if we had been their countrymen, bringing us great
quantities of fish and such other things as they had, for which we paid
them in trifles to their great contentment. We stopped at the place
named Hochelay, 25 leagues above Canada,[47] where the river becomes
very narrow with a rapid current, and very dangerous on account of
certain stones or rocks. Many canoes came off to us, in one of which
came the chief man of the place, who made us a long oration, explaining
by signs and gestures that the river became more dangerous the higher we
went, and advising us to take good care of ourselves. This chief
presented two of his own children to our captain, one of which only he
received, being a girl of 7 or 8 years old, returning the boy who was
too young, being only 2 or 3 years of age. The captain entertained this
chief and his company as well as he could, presenting them all with some
trifles, with which they returned to the shore well pleased. This chief
and his wife came down afterwards to Canada to visit their child, and
brought with them some small presents for our captain.

[Footnote 47: By Canada in the text, the lordship belonging to Donnacona
seems meant, which appears to have been what is now called the Isle of
Orleans. - E.]

From the 19th to the 28th of September, we sailed up this great river,
never losing an hour of time, finding the whole land on both sides as
pleasant a country as could be desired, full of fine tall trees, as oak,
elm, walnut, cedar, fir, ash, box, willow, and great store of vines
loaded with grapes, so that when any of our people went on shore, they
brought back as many as they could carry. There were likewise, cranes,
swans, geese, ducks, pheasants, partridges, thrushes, blackbirds,
finches, redbreasts, nightingales, sparrows, and many other birds like
those of France in vast abundance. On the 28th of September we came to a
wide lake, or enlargement of the river, 5 or 6 leagues broad and 12
long, which we called the Lake of _Angoulesme_[48], all through which we
went against the tide, having only two fathoms water. On our arrival at
the upper extremity of the lake, we could find no passage, as it seemed
entirely shut up, and had only a fathom and a half water, a little more
or less. We were therefore obliged to cast anchor here with our pinnace,
and went with our two boats to seek out some passage; and in one place
we found four or five branches which seemed to come from the river of
Hochelega into the lake; but at the mouths of these branches, owing to
the great rapidity of the currents, there were bars or shallows having
only six feet water. After passing these shallows, we had 4 or 5 fathoms
at flood tide, this being the season of the year when the water is
lowest; for at other times the tide flows higher by three fathoms. All
these four or five branches of the river surround five or six very
pleasant islands, which are at the head of the lake; and about 15
leagues higher up, all these unite into one. We landed on one of these
islands, where we met five natives who were hunting wild beasts, and who
came as familiarly to our boats as if they had always lived amongst us.
When our boats were near the shore, one of these men took our captain in
his arms, and carried him to the land with as much ease as if he had
been a child of five years old. We found that these people had taken a
great number of wild rats which live in the water, which are as large as
rabbits and very good to eat. They gave these to our captain, who gave
them knives and glass-beads in return. We asked them by signs if this
were the way to Hochelega, to which they answered that it was, and that
we had still three days sail to go thither.

[Footnote 48: Now called St Peters Lake, between which and _Trois
Rivieres_, the St Lawrence river is narrow with a rapid current. - E.]

Finding it impossible to take the pinnace any higher, the captain
ordered the boats to be made ready for the rest of the expedition,
taking on board as much ammunition and provisions as they could carry.
He departed with these on the 29th September, accompanied by Claudius de
Pont Briand, Charles de Pommeraye, John Govion, and John Powlet, with 28
mariners, intending to go up the river as far as possible. We sailed
with prosperous weather till the 2d of October, when we arrived at
Hochelega, which is 45 leagues above the head of the lake of Augoulesme,
where we left the pinnace. At this place, and indeed all the way up, we
met with many of the natives, who brought us fish and other provisions,
always dancing and singing on our arrival. To gratify them and keep them
our friends, the captain always rewarded them on these occasions with
knives, beads, and such trifles to their full satisfaction. On
approaching Hochelega above 1000 natives, men, women and children came
to meet us, giving us as friendly and hearty welcome as if we had been
of their own nation come home after a long and perilous absence, all the
men dancing in one place, the women in another, and the children in a
third; after which they brought us great abundance of fish and of their
bread made of maize, both of which they threw into our boats in
profusion. Observing their gentle and friendly dispositions, our captain
went on shore well accompanied, on which the natives came clustering
about us in the most affectionate manner, bringing their young children
in their arms, eager to have them touched and noticed by the captain and
others, and shewing every sign of mirth and gladness at our arrival.
This scene lasted above half an hour, when the captain got all the women
to draw up in regular order, to whom he distributed many beads and
baubles of tin, and gave some knives among the men. He then returned to
the boats to supper and passed the night on board, all the people
remaining on the shore as near as possible to the boats, dancing merrily
and shouting out _aguiaze_, which in their language is an expression of
joy and satisfaction.

Very early next morning, 3d October, having dressed himself splendidly,
our captain went on shore to see the town in which these people dwelt,
taking with him five of the principal officers and twenty men, all well
armed, leaving the remainder of the people to take care of the boats.
The city of Hochelega is six miles from the river side, and the road
thither is as well beaten and frequented as can be, leading through as
fine a country as can be seen, full of as fine oaks as any in France,
the whole ground below being strewed over with fine acorns. When we had
gone four or five miles we were met by one of the chief lords of the
city accompanied by a great many natives, who made us understand by
signs that we must stop at a place where they had made a large fire,
which we did accordingly. When we had rested there some time, the chief
made a long discourse in token of welcome and friendship, shewing a
joyful countenance and every mark of good will. On this our captain
presented him with two hatchets and two knives, and hung a cross from
his neck, which he made him kiss, with all which the chief seemed much
pleased. After this we resumed our march, and about a mile and a half
farther we found fine large fields covered with the corn of the country,
resembling the millet of Brasil, rather larger than small pease. In the
midst of these cultivated fields the city of Hochelega is situated, near
and almost joined to a great mountain, which is very fertile and
cultivated all round, to which we gave the name of _Mount Royal_[49].

[Footnote 49: Montreal, whence the island and city of the same
name. - E.]

The city of Hochelega is circular, and encompassed all round with three
rows of ramparts made of timber, one within the other, "framed like a
sharp spire but laid across above, the middlemost is made and built as a
direct line but perpendicular, the ramparts are framed and fashioned
with pieces of timber laid along the ground, well and cunningly joined
together[50]." This inclosure is about two roods high, and has but one
gate of entrance, which is shut when necessary with piles, stakes, and
bars. Over the gate, and in many other parts of the wall, there are
scaffolds having ladders up to them, and on these scaffolds there are
large heaps of stones, ready for defending the place against an enemy.
The town consisted of about fifty large houses, each of them about fifty
paces long and twelve broad, all built of wood and covered with broad
strips of bark, like boards, nicely joined. These houses are divided
within into many rooms, and in the middle of each there is a court or
hall, in which they make their fire. Thus they live in communities, each
separate family having a chamber to which the husband, wife, and
children retire to sleep. On the tops of their houses they have garrets
or granaries, in which they store up the maize of which their bread is
made, which they call _caracouny_, and which is made in this manner.
They have blocks of wood hollowed out, like those on which we beat hemp,
and in these they beat their corn to powder with wooden beetles. The
meal is kneaded into cakes, which they lay on a broad hot stone,
covering it up with other heated stones, which thus serve instead of
ovens. Besides these cakes, they make several kinds of pottage from
their maize, and also of beans and pease, both of which they have in
abundance. They have also a variety of fruits, such as musk-melons and
very large cucumbers. They have likewise large vessels in all their
houses, as big as butts or large hogsheads, in which they store up their
fish for winter provision, having dried them in the sun during summer
for that purpose, and of these they lay up large stores for their
provision during winter. All their victuals, however, are without the
smallest taste of salt. They sleep on beds made of the bark of trees
spread on the ground, and covered over with the skins of wild beasts;
with which likewise their garments are made.

[Footnote 50: This description of the manner in which the ramparts of
Hochelega were constructed, taken literally from Hakluyt, is by no means
obvious or intelligible. Besides it seems rather ridiculous to dignify
the village of a horde of savages with the name of city. - E.]

That which they hold in highest estimation among all their possessions,
is a substance which they call _esurgny_ or _cornibotz_, which is as
white as snow, and which is procured in the following manner. When any
one is adjudged to death for a crime, or when they have taken any of
their enemies during war, having first slain the person, they make many
deep gashes on the buttocks, flanks, thighs, and shoulders of the dead
body, which is then sunk to the bottom of the river, in a certain place
where the _esurgny_ abounds. After remaining 10 or 12 hours, the body is
drawn up, and the _esurgny_ or _cornibotz_ is found in the gashes. Of
this they make beads, which they wear about their necks as we do chains
of gold and silver, accounting it their most precious riches. These
ornaments, as we have proved by experience, have the power to staunch
bleeding at the nose[51]. This nation devotes itself entirely to
husbandry and fishing for subsistence, having no care for any other
wealth or commodity, of which they have indeed no knowledge, as they
never travel from their own country, as is done by the natives of Canada
and Saguenay; yet the Canadians and the inhabitants of eight or ten
other villages on the river, are subject to the people of Hochelega.

[Footnote 51: It is impossible to give any explanation of this
ridiculous account of the _esurgny_, any farther than that the Frenchmen
were either imposed upon by the natives, or misunderstood them from not
knowing their language. In a subsequent part of the voyages of Cartier,
this substance is called _Esnoguy_. - E.]

When we came near the town, a vast number of the inhabitants came out to
meet us, and received us in the most cordial manner, while the guides
led us to the middle of the town, in which there is a large open square,
a good stones throw from side to side, in which they desired us by signs
to remain. Then all the women and girls of the place gathered together
in the square, many of whom carried young children in their arms; as
many of them as could get forwards came up and rubbed our faces, arms,
and bodies, giving every token of joy and gladness for having seen us,
and requiring us by signs to touch their children. After this, the men
caused the women to withdraw, and all sat down on the ground round about
us, as if they meant to represent some comedy or shew. The women came
back, each of them carrying a square matt like a carpet, which they
spread out on the ground and caused us to sit down on them. When this
was done, _Agouhanna_, the king or lord of the town, was brought into
the square on the shoulders of nine or ten men. He sat upon a large deer
skin, and was set down on one of the matts near our captain, all the
people signifying to us by signs that this was their king. Agouhanna was