voir en ces contrées, des Damoiselles fort delicates, des petits enfans tendrelets sortir d'vne prison de bois, comme le iour sort des tenebres de la nuict, & ioüir apres tout d'vne aussi douce santé, nonobstant toutes les incommoditez qu'on reçoit dans ces maisons flotantes, comme si on s'estoit proumené au cours dans vn carosse. Voila comme ce iour nous fut doublement vn iour de feste & de réioüissance: mais entrons en discours. Ie distribueray tout ce que i'ay à dire cette année en quelques Chapitres, que i'abregeray ou estendray selon le loisir que Dieu m'en donnera. [1] Relation of what occurred in New France, in the year 1636. MY REVEREND FATHER, Since it is necessary to pay the annual tribute which is exacted from us not only by Your Reverence but also by many persons of virtue, merit, and rank, who continue to interest themselves in the affairs of New France as in those of God, I shall begin by referring to the joy with which our Lord filled our hearts on the arrival of the fleet. Some were doubtful whether we would see the Vessels this year, on account of the great preparations for war which were being made in old France;[49] but [2] those who were wisest could not doubt it, as knowing the affection of the King for his new Possessions, which are destined to become one of the bright jewels in his Crown; and, moreover, not ignorant that Monseigneur the Cardinal,--being the Head of this honorable Company, the support of families that come over to these lands, the Father of this new Country, and the powerful Genius who is to bring about, under the favor and authority of his Majesty, the designs of God for the conversion of this new world,--would not fail to show what place this holy undertaking holds in his heart. Another anxiety kept us between fear and hope, arising from the change of Governor. Monsieur de Champlain having left us in the last year of his Administration, to go to Heaven, we were anxious as to what zeal his successor would have for this infant Church. But, when the Ships appeared, all these fears were dissipated; the number of the vessels showed us that the affairs of New France rank [3] among the chief concerns of the Mother country, and that the interest of the Gentlemen of the Company continues daily to increase; and the first acts of Monsieur de Montmagny, our Governor, have made us hope everything that can be expected from a spirit filled with piety, with firmness, and with discretion.[50] I was told once that the earliest act which our great King performed, at the time of his birth, was a presage of his great piety; for the first use he made of his innocent hands was to clasp them, as if he were trying to pray to God, and the first movement of his eyes directed his sight toward heaven. If first actions are prognostications of those to