Maggio 1536, nel qual luogo le navi rimasero in secco." The "one place" in the River St. Lawrence, "deep and swift running," means, of course, that part directly opposite the Lower Town, and no doubt it appeared, by comparison, "very narrow" to those who had hitherto seen the noble river only in its grandest forms. The town of Stadacona stood on that part of Quebec which is now covered by the suburbs of St. Roch, with part of those of St. John, looking toward the St. Charles. The area, or ground adjoining, is thus described by Cartier, as it appeared three centuries ago: "terra Tanta buona, quanto sia possibile di vedere, e e molto fertile, piena di bellissimi arbori della sorte di quelli di Francia, come sarebbeno quercie, olmi, frassine, najare, nassi, cedri, vigne, specie bianchi, i quali producono il frutto cosi grosso come susine damaschini, e di molte altre specie d'arbori, sotto de quali vi nasce e cresce cosi bel canapo come quel di Francia, e nondimeno vi nasce senza semenza, e senza opera umana o lavoro alcuno."--Jacques Cartier, in Ramusio, tom. iii., p. 443, 449, 450. The exact spot in the River St. Charles where the French passed the winter is supposed, on good authority, to have been the site of the old bridge, called Dorchester Bridge, where there is a ford at low water, close to the Marine Hospital. That it was on the east bank, not far from the residence of Charles Smith, Esq., is evident from the river having been frequently crossed by the natives coming from Stadacona to visit the French.--_Picture of Quebec_, p. 43-46; 1834.] [Footnote 84: It received this name, according to La Potherie, in compliment to Charles des Boues, grand vicar of Pontoise, founder of the first mission of Recollets in New France. The River St. Charles was called Coubal Coubat by the natives, from its windings and meanderings.--Smith's _Canada_, vol. i., p. 104.] [Footnote 85: "Quebec en langue Algonquine signifie _retrecissement_. Les Abenaquis dont la langue est une dialecte Algonquine, le nomment Quelibec, qui veut dire _ce qui est ferme_, parceque de l'entree de la petite riviere de la Chaudiere par ou ces sauvages venaient a Quebec, le port de Quebec ne paroit qu'une grande barge."--Charlevoix, vol. i., p. 50. "Trouvant un lieu le plus etroit de la riviere que les habitans du pays nomment Quebec;" "la pointe de Quebec, ainsi appellee des sauvages."--Champlain, vol. i., p. 115, 124. Others give a Norman derivation for the word: it is said that Quebec was so called after Caudebec, on the Seine.