Nooks and Corners of the New England CoastDrake, Samuel Adams
History
Nooks and Corners of the New England Coast
Drake, Samuel Adams
New England -- Description and travel
Between Dog and Brown's Mountain on its eastern shore the Sound has
forced its way for six or seven miles up into the centre of the island.
At the southern foot of Dog Mountain is Fernald's Cove and Point, the
supposed scene of the attempted settlement by the colony of Madame the
Marchioness De Guercheville. Mr. De Costa has christened Brown's
Mountain with the name of Mansell, from Sir Robert Mansell, vice-admiral
in the times of James I. and Charles I. The whole island was once called
after the knight, but there is a touch of retributive justice in
recollecting that the English, in expelling the French, have in turn
been expelled from its nomenclature.
Turning now to what Prescott calls "historicals" for enlightenment on
the subject of the colonization of Mount Desert, it appears that upon
the return of De Monts to France he gave his town of Port Royal to Jean
de Poutrincourt, whose voyage in 1606 along the coast of New England
will be noticed in future chapters. The projects of De Monts having been
overthrown by intrigue, and through jealousy of the exclusive rights
conferred by his patent, Madame De Guercheville, a "very, charitable and
pious lady" of the court,[13] entered into negotiation with Poutrincourt
for the founding of Jesuit missions among the savages. Finding that
Poutrincourt claimed more than he could conveniently establish a right
to, Madame treated directly with Du Guast, who ceded to her all the
privileges derived by him from Henry IV. The king, in 1607, confirmed
all except the grant of Port Royal, which was reserved to Poutrincourt.
The memorable year of 1610 ended the career of Henry, in the Rue de la
Ferronerie. In 1611 the fathers, Père Biard and Enemond Masse, of the
College d'Eu, came over to Port Royal with Biencourt, the younger
Poutrincourt. During the next year an expedition under the auspices of
Madame De Guercheville was prepared to follow, and, after taking on
board the two Jesuits already at Port Royal, was to proceed to make a
definitive settlement somewhere in the Penobscot.
The colonists numbered in all about thirty persons, including two other
Jesuit fathers, named Jacques Quentin and Gilbert Du Thet.[14] The
expedition was under the command of La Saussaye. In numbers it was about
equal to the colony of Gosnold.
La Saussaye arrived at Port Royal, and after taking on board the
fathers, Biard and Masse, continued his route. Arriving off Menan, the
vessel was enveloped by an impenetrable fog, which beset them for two
days and nights. Their situation was one of imminent danger, from which,
if the relation of the Père Biard is to be believed, they were delivered
by prayer. On the morning of the third day the fog lifted, disclosing
the island of Mount Desert to their joyful eyes. The pilot landed them
in a harbor on the east side of the island, where they gave thanks to
God and celebrated the mass. They named the place and harbor St.
Sauveur.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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