[Illustration: Cover art] [Frontispiece: Landing of the Loyalists, 1783 (Page 260)] [Illustration: Title page] ROMANCE OF EMPIRE CANADA BY BECKLES WILLSON AUTHOR OF 'THE GREAT FUR COMPANY,' 'LEDGER AND SWORD,' ETC. WITH TWELVE REPRODUCTIONS FROM ORIGINAL COLOURED DRAWINGS BY HENRY SANDHAM LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK, LTD. 35 PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C., & EDINBURGH 1907 TO MY SON GORDON {vii} PREFACE In the following pages is told the history of my native land, as a sagamore of the olden time might tell the legends of the past to the young braves of his tribe gathered round the lodge fire. Though primarily intended for youth, yet there is scarce any one of intelligence and spirit who may not find some entertainment in hearing of the doings of the valiant heroes, the bloodthirsty villains, the virtuous ladies who played their part in the Canadian drama, and then passed for ever away. Elsewhere I have given the story of Hudson's Bay,[1] and what is recounted here of fur-traders and fur-trading forts owes much, as the reader will expect, to my former book. [1] _The Great Fur Company_ 1899. {ix} CONTENTS CHAPTER I CARTIER UNFURLS THE FLAG OF THE LILIES CHAPTER II POUTRAINCOURT GOES FORTH TO ACADIA CHAPTER III OF THE DOINGS OF GALLANT CHAMPLAIN CHAPTER IV ROMANCE OF THE TWO DE LA TOURS CHAPTER V THE FOUNDING OF MONTREAL CHAPTER VI THE FURY OF THE IROQUOIS CHAPTER VII STRANGE DOINGS AT PORT ROYAL CHAPTER VIII THE COMING OF FRONTENAC {x} CHAPTER IX "QUEBEC FOR KING LOUIS" CHAPTER X KING LOUIS BUILDS A MIGHTY FORT CHAPTER XI HOW LOUISBURG SURRENDERED AND WAS GIVEN BACK CHAPTER XII THE ACADIANS ARE BANISHED FROM ACADIA CHAPTER XIII TERRIBLE FIGHTS OVER THE BORDER CHAPTER XIV HOW THE GALLANT WOLFE TOOK QUEBEC CHAPTER XV LEVIS AND THE NOBLES RETIRE TO OLD FRANCE CHAPTER XVI THE COMING OF THE LOYALISTS CHAPTER XVII HOW CANADA'S ENEMY WAS FOILED CHAPTER XVIII TRAITORS, REDCOATS, AND REDSKINS INDEX {xi} LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Landing of the Loyalists, 1783 ... Frontispiece Jacques Cartier and the Redskins "The Order of a Good Time," 1606 De la Tour refuses to yield his Allegiance, 1630 Maisonneuve covering the Retreat of his Followers, 1644 Dollard strikes his Last Blow, 1658 "My Guns will give my Answer," Frontenac, 1690 Heroic Defence by Madeleine de Verchères and her Brothers, 1692 Wolfe's Army scaling the Cliff at Quebec, 1759 Laura Secord intercepted by the Mohawk Scouts Meeting of the Nor'-Westers at Fort William, 1816 The Defeat of Louis Riel, Fish Creek, 1885. {1} THE ROMANCE OF CANADA CHAPTER I CARTIER UNFURLS THE FLAG OF THE LILIES