The Jesuit Missions : A Chronicle of the Cross in the Wilderness — John Shaqi
The Jesuit Missions : A Chronicle of the Cross in the WildernessMarquis, Thomas Guthrie
History
The Jesuit Missions : A Chronicle of the Cross in the Wilderness
Marquis, Thomas Guthrie
Jesuits -- Canada
Meanwhile the English Adventurers were full of enthusiasm
over the achievement of the Kirkes. The work, however,
was not yet finished. The French trading-posts in Acadia
and on the St Lawrence must be utterly destroyed. By
March 1629 a fleet much more powerful than the one of
the previous year was ready for sea. It consisted of the
Abigail, Admiral David Kirke, the William, Captain Lewis
Kirke, the George, Captain Thomas Kirke, the Gervase,
Captain Brewerton, two other ships, and three pinnaces.
On the 25th of March it sailed from Gravesend, and on
the 15th of June reached Gaspe Bay without mishap. All
save two of the vessels were now sent to destroy the
trading-posts on the shores of Acadia, while David Kirke,
with the Abigail and a sister ship, sailed for Tadoussac,
which was to be his headquarters during the summer. The
raiders did their work and arrived at Tadoussac early in
July. Kirke then detached the William and the George and
sent them to Quebec under the pilotage of French traitors.
At Quebec during the winter the inhabitants had lived on
pease, Indian corn, and eels which they obtained from
the natives; and when spring came all who had sufficient
strength had gone to the forest to gather acorns and
nourishing roots. The gunpowder was almost exhausted,
and the dilapidated fort could not be held by its sixteen
half-starved defenders. Accordingly Champlain sent the
Recollet Daillon, who had a knowledge of the English
language, to negotiate with the Kirkes the terms of
capitulation; and Quebec surrendered without a shot being
fired. For the time being perished the hopes of the
indomitable Champlain, who for twenty-one years had
wrought and fought and prayed that Quebec might become
the bulwark of French power in America. On the 22nd of
July the fleur-de-lis was hauled down from Fort St Louis
to give place to the cross of St George. The officers of
the garrison were treated with consideration and allowed
to keep their arms, clothing, and any peltry which they
possessed. To the missionaries, however, the Calvinistic
victors were not so generous. The priests were permitted
to keep only their robes and books.
The terms of surrender were ratified by David Kirke at
Tadoussac on the 19th of August, and on the following
day a hundred and fifty English soldiers took possession
of the town and fort. Such of the inhabitants as did not
elect to remain in the colony and all the missionaries
were marched on board the waiting vessels [Footnote:
There were in all eighty-five persons in the colony,
thirty of whom remained. The rest were taken prisoners
to England; these included the Jesuit fathers Ennemond
Masse, Anne de Noue, and Jean de Brebeuf; the Recollet
fathers Joseph Le Caron and Joseph de la Roche de Daillon;
and several lay brothers of both orders.] and taken to
Tadoussac, where they remained for some weeks while the
English were making ready for the home voyage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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