A--Piece of land which I ordered to be cleared. B--Small pond. C--Small island where I had a stone wall erected. D--Small stream where barques are lying. E--Prairies where Indians encamp when coming to this country. F--Mountains seen at a distance. G--Small pond. H--Mount Royal. I--Small stream. L--The "Saut." M--Place where the Indians from the north begin their "portage." N--Place where one of our men and an Indian were drowned. O--Small, rocky island. P--Other small island where birds build their nests. Q--"Heron" Island. R--Other islands of the "Saut." S--Small island. T--Round Islet. V--Other islet, half of which is covered with water. W--Other islet where water fowls are found. Y--Prairies. Z--Small river. 2--Rather fine and large island. 3--Places which appear bare at low water and where the current is very strong. 4--Prairies covered with water (swamps). 5--Rather low and marshy land. 6--Other small island. 7--Small rocks. S--Helen's Island. 9--Small island barren of trees. 10--Marshes in the "Grand Saut." Their adventurers afterward went up to the Sault which became the goal of many of the "free" traders and prospectors who coursed the St. Lawrence during the period, already described, of the temporary removal of the prohibition against private traders. Certain it is that as early as 1610 Lescarbot had remarked that of all the islands in the river St. Lawrence the most suitable for commerce was without contradiction that of Montreal. (Cf. "La Conversion des Sauvages Baptisés En Canada.") But it was reserved for Champlain in 1611 to put this notion into effect and to become the pioneer trader and the first harbour builder of Montreal. His own narration of the events of 1611 may serve to prove these claims. THE CHOICE OF MONTREAL AS A TRADING POST "In the year 1611, I took back my savage to those of his tribe, who were to come to Sault St. Louis, intending to get my servant whom they had as a hostage. I left Quebec, May 20 (21), and arrived at these great rapids[24] the 28th of the month. I immediately went in a canoe with the savage which I had taken to France and one of our men. After having looked on all sides, not only in the woods, but also along the river bank, to find a suitable place for the site of a settlement, and to prepare a place in which to build, I went eight leagues by land, along the rapids through the woods, which are rather open, and as far as the lake,[25] where our savages took me. There I contemplated the country very much in detail. But in all that I saw I did not find any place at all more suitable than a little spot which is just where the barks and shallops can come easily, either with a strong wind or by a winding course, because of the strength of the current. Above this place (which we named La Place Royale), a league from Mount Royal, there are a great many little rocks and shoals, which are dangerous."