Narrative of a Voyage to the West Indies and Mexico in the Years 1599-1602Champlain, Samuel de
History
Narrative of a Voyage to the West Indies and Mexico in the Years 1599-1602
Champlain, Samuel de
Mexico -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800; West Indies -- Description and travel -- Early works to 1800
In the year 1618 Champlain continued to urge the associates to greater
activity and exertion, advising them to send out more men and materials
than by their articles they were strictly bound to do, as the troubles
which existed in France prevented the king from detaching any men for
that service. The colony would otherwise languish, and the advantages
they had already gained would be lost. The company objected, the
unsettled and changeable state of affairs in France, and that which had
happened to Mons. de Monts might well happen to them also; but
Champlain shewed them that matters were much changed, and the cases
widely different, that Mons. de Monts was but a private gentleman, who
had not influence enough to oppose hostility in the council of his
majesty; but now the company had a prince of the blood as chief and
protector, who was viceroy of the country to boot, and who could defend
them against all and every one, always under the king's good pleasure.
By dint of perseverance and solicitation he prevailed on the associates
to assemble, and come to an agreement as to the number of persons and
the necessary supplies which should be sent out. And a curious and
interesting list it is, compared with the requirements of modern Quebec.
"List of persons to be sent to, and supported at, the settlement of
Quebec for the year 1619:--
"There shall be eighty persons, including the chief, three
Recollets Fathers, clerks, officers, workmen, and labourers.
"Every two persons shall have a mattress, a paillasse, two
blankets, three pair of new sheets, two coats each, six shirts,
four pair of shoes, and one capote.
"For the arms:--Forty musquets, with their bandaliers, twenty-four
pikes, four arquebuses à rouet (wheel-lock) of four to five feet,
one thousand pounds of fine powder, one thousand pounds of powder
for cannon, six thousand pounds of lead, and a match-stump.
"For the men, a dozen scythes with their handles, hammers, and
other tools; twelve reaping-hooks, twenty-four spades, twelve
picks, four thousand pounds of iron, two barrels of steel, ten tons
of lime (none having been then found in this country), ten thousand
curved, or twenty thousand flat tiles, ten thousand bricks to build
an oven and chimneys, two mill-stones (the kind of stone fit for
that purpose was not discovered till some years afterwards).
"For the service of the table of the chief:--Thirty-six dishes, as
many bowls and plates, six saltcellars, six ewers, two basins, six
pots of six pints each, six pints, six chopines (about half a
pint), six demy-septiers (about two gallons), the whole of pewter;
two dozen tablecloths, twenty-four dozen napkins.
"For the kitchen:--A dozen of copper boilers (saucepans[?]) six
pair andirons, six fryingpans, six gridirons.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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