On the twelfth of November we at last began to go into the country, leaving our Shallops and Canoes, and some other baggage, in the Island with the long name, which we left at low tide, crossing the meadow which separated us from the mainland. Up to this time we had journeyed through a country where fish abound, always upon the water or on Islands. From this time on, we were going to invade the Kingdom of wild beasts, I mean a country far broader in extent than all France. [241] Les Sauuages passent l'hyuer dedans ces bois, courans çà & là, pour y chercher leur vie; au commencement des neiges ils cherchent le Castor dans des petits fleuues, & le Porc-espic dans les terres quand la neige est profonde ils chassent à l'Orignac & au Caribou, comme i'ay dit. [241] The Savages pass the winter in these woods, ranging here and there to get their living. In the early snows, they seek the Beaver in the small rivers, and Porcupines upon the land; when the deep snows come, they hunt the Moose and Caribou, as I have said. Nous auons fait dans ces grands bois, depuis le 12. Nouembre de l'an 1633. que nous y entrasmes, iusques au 22. d'Auril de ceste année 1634. que nous retournasmes aux riues du grand fleuue de sainct Laurens, vingt-trois stations, tantost dans des valées fort profondes, puis sur des montagnes fort releuées; quelque fois en plat pays, & tousiours dans la neige: ces forests où i'ay esté sont peuplées de diuerses especes d'arbres, notamment de Pins, de Cedres, & de Sapins. Nous auons trauersé quantité de torrens d'eau, quelques fleuues, plusieurs beaux lacs & estangs marchans sur la glace; mais descendons en particulier & disons deux mots de chaque station, la crainte que i'ay d'estre long me fera retrancher quãtité de choses que i'ay iugé assez legeres, [242] quoy qu'elles puissent donner quelque iour à ces memoires. We made in these vast forests, from the 12th of November of the year 1633, when we entered them, to the 22nd of April of this year 1634, when we returned to the banks of the great river saint Lawrence, twenty-three halts,--sometimes in deep valleys, then upon lofty mountains, sometimes in the low flat country; and always in the snow. These forests where I was are made up of different kinds of trees, especially of Pines, Cedars and Firs. We crossed many torrents of water, some rivers, several beautiful lakes and ponds, walking upon the ice. But let us come down to particulars, and say a few words about each station. My fear of becoming tedious will cause me to omit many things that I have considered trifling, [242] although they might throw some light upon these memoirs.