NEVER was the coming of the high tide more opportune to a stranded ship to free it from the shallow waters, and place it again upon the high sea with its prow turned toward home, than was the meeting of the Jesuit partners with sieur Robin, to arrange for the equipment of his vessel for Canada, and to deliver it from the bars among which it was entangled. For he was the son of a gentleman and you may judge that he did not have millions at command; [138] his father also did not want to hear about the voyages beyond the sea, having quite recently undertaken the great salt enterprise, which required so great a capital and investment, as every one knows. I say this because the factionist writer, misjudging the blessings of God, lays it at the door of the Jesuits that sieur de Biencourt did not depart sooner from Dieppe to new France; it was, however, just the contrary, since it was for their sake that money was found to unfurl the sails to the wind, which could not have been done without it. So they left their moorings the twenty-sixth of January, 1611, with all the more joy since the disputes and delays had caused so much vexation. Yet they departed too soon for such a late arrival, for four months were consumed in the voyage; and first they went to land [139] at Campseau, on account of which they were compelled thereafter to keep near the shore, with stops at several places. Along this coast to Port Royal, it is about one hundred and twenty leagues. En nostre route nous eusmes le rencontre du sieur Champlain, qui tiroit à Kebec parmy les glaces sur la fin du moys d'Auril. Ces glaces estoyent monstrueuses, car en aucuns endroits la mer en estoit toute couuerte, autant qu'on pouuoit estendre la veuë. Et pour passer à trauers, falloit les rompre auec barres & leuiers apposez aux escobilles, ou bec du nauire; elles estoyent d'eau douce & auoyent esté charriées plus de cent lieuës auant en haute, & pleine mer par la grande riuiere S. Laurens. En aucuns endroits apparoissoyent des hauts, & prodigieux glaçons nageants, & flottans, esleuez de [140] trente & quarante brasses, gros, & larges cõme si vous ioigniez plusiears chasteaux ensemble, & comme vous diriés, si l'Eglise nostre Dame de Paris auec vne partie de son Isle, maisons, & palais alloit flottant dessus l'eau. Les Holãdois en ont bien veu de plus enormes & prodigieux à Spitbergen, & au destroit de Vbaïgats, si ce qu'ils en ont publié est veritable. Nous arriuasmes à port Royal le 22. de Iuin de la mesme annee 1611. le S. iour de la Pentecoste.