Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 4 (of 8): French Explorations and Settlements in North America and Those of the Portuguese, Dutch, and Swedes 1500-1700
History
Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 4 (of 8): French Explorations and Settlements in North America and Those of the Portuguese, Dutch, and Swedes 1500-1700
America -- Discovery and exploration; America -- History; United States -- History
Their stay here was brief, its chief feature being an interview with
the natives, whom they found cordial and highly intelligent. The
Indians made an accurate drawing, with a crayon furnished by Champlain,
of the outline of Massachusetts Bay, and indicated correctly their six
tribes and chiefs by as many pebbles, which they skilfully arranged for
the purpose.
Holding short interviews with the natives at different points,
threading their way among the islands which besprinkle the bay, many
of which, as well as ample fields on the mainland, were covered
with waving corn, they sailed into Boston Harbor. The next day they
proceeded along the south shore, and on the 19th entered and made
such survey as they could of the little bay of Plymouth, destined a
few years later to become the seat of the first permanent English
settlement in New England. Besides a description of the Indian methods
and implements of fishing, in which vocation he found them engaged,
and of the harbor and its surroundings, Champlain has left us a sketch
of the bay, to which he gave the name of Port St. Louis. This sketch
is certainly creditable, when we bear in mind that it was made without
surveys or measurements of any kind, and during a hasty visit of a
few hours. Leaving Plymouth Harbor, and keeping along the coast, they
made the complete circuit of the bay, and rounding the point of Cape
Cod they sailed in a southerly direction, and entered an insignificant
tidal inlet now known as Nauset Harbor. Here they lingered several
days, making inland excursions, gathering much valuable information
relating to the Indians, their mode of dress, ornamentation, the
structure of their dwellings, the preparation of their food, and the
cultivation of the soil. These particulars did not differ essentially
from what they had observed at Saco, on the coast of Maine, and
indicated clearly that the people belonged to the same great family.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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