The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 2: Acadia, 1612-1614
History
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 2: Acadia, 1612-1614
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Indians of North America -- Canada; Jesuits -- Missions; Jesuits -- North America
when they met, in the direction of Casquet,[14] a ship of Forbans,
who, seeing that the Sieur and his crew were all ready to defend
themselves if attacked, sailed on past them. On the 6th of March
they met eleven Flemish ships, and they saluted each other by a
discharge of cannon. From the 8th to the 15th there was a tempest,
during which the Sieur, who was lying down on the poop, was thrown
from his bed, over the table, to that of his son. [_South, that
is, Meridian._] This bad weather made them turn their route more
to the South, where they saw two of the Essores islands, Corbes
and Flore; and there they had some fresh food by catching a few
Porpoises. And as, according to the old saying, peace follows war,
so, after these storms, there were calms more trying than the
tempests, until Palm Sunday; for then, although there was rest,
there was no satisfaction in it, for the food was being consumed
and the good season was passing away; in short, a great calm is a
very harmful thing upon the sea. But it does not last always; and
sometimes (according to the fickle moods of Æolus) after the calm
comes a favorable wind, sometimes a tempest; as happened shortly
afterwards (namely, the day after Easter), and this caused a leak
in the soute, which is the storeroom for bread or biscuit. Now the
ship's carpenter, who went to repair the leak, while doing what
his trade demanded, interfered with the public prayers which were
being offered in the morning, and the Sieur commanded him [8] to do
his work outside. [_Peril of a carpenter._] He obeyed, and there
found the Rudder broken (which is a very dangerous thing); wishing
to readjust it, while he was engaged in the work, he fell from his
scaffolding into the sea. And it was well that the weather had
moderated; for otherwise there would have been a man lost. But he
was rescued by the efforts of the sailors, who threw him a rope by
which he saved himself.
[_Voy l'Hist. de la Nouv. France liv. 4. chap. 12._]
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