But he had not, as yet, stumbled upon the discovery of the mouth of the
St. Lawrence, up which the kingdom of the Hochelagans lay, on which we
are to fix our gaze. The news of his discoveries were received with
enthusiasm, and on the Friday in Pentecost week, May 19, 1535, we find
Jacques Cartier and his men sailing away from St. Malo, after having
confessed themselves and received the benedictions of the archbishop
and the godspeeds of their friends. The names of those accompanying
Cartier--"pilots, masters and seamen, and others"--are preserved in
the archives of St. Malo, numbering seventy-four, of whom several were
of some distinction and twelve at least were related to him by blood
or marriage, some led thither perhaps by the hope of trade. Two of the
names are those of Dom Guillaume le Breton and Dom Antoine. It has
been claimed the title Dom indicates that they were probably secular
priests, and acted as chaplains, according to the general custom when
the expedition was a royal mission. But this is not likely; in this
case Guillaume le Breton was the captain of the Emerillon. Among those
not mentioned in the list of Carrier's men were two young Indians,
Taignoagny and Agaya, whom Cartier had seized at Gaspé before leaving
to return to France, after his first voyages, and whose appearance
in France created unusual interest. These were now to be useful as
interpreters to the tribes to be visited. Cartier had however to regret
some of their dealings on his behalf. Charity begins at home and so it
did with these French-veneered Indians on mingling with their own.
The Royal Commission signed by Phillipe de Chabot, admiral of France,
and giving greeting "to the Captain and Master Pilot Jacques Cartier of
St. Malo," dated October 31, 1534, may here be quoted in part.
"We have commissioned and deputed, commission and depute you by the
will and command of the King to conduct, direct, and employ three
ships, equipped and provisioned each for fifteen months for the
accomplishment of the voyage to the lands by you already begun and
discovered beyond the Newlands; * * * the said three ships you shall
take, and hire the number of pilots, masters and seamen as shall seem
to you to be fitting and necessary for the accomplishment of this
voyage. * * * We charge and command all the said pilots, masters and
seamen, and others who shall be on the same ships, to obey and follow
you for the service of the King in this as above, as they would do to
ourselves, without any contradiction or refusal, and this under pains
customary in such cases to those who are found disobedient and acting
contrary."
[Illustration: JACQUES CARTIER'S SHIPS IN THE ST. LAWRENCE]
[Illustration: THE CLOSING PORTION OF JACQUES CARTIER'S LIST OF SEAMEN]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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