The Makers of Canada: ChamplainDionne, N.-E. (Narcisse-Eutrope)
History
The Makers of Canada: Champlain
Dionne, N.-E. (Narcisse-Eutrope)
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Champlain, Samuel de, 1574-1635
In order to consolidate his general scheme for the colonization of the
country, Champlain desired that the missionaries should settle
permanently among the Huron tribes. The Jesuits wished to go there, as
they believed they would find a field for their labours. They had
previously set before the people the light of the Catholic faith, but
these efforts had not been as successful as they had wished. Father de
Brebeuf, the apostle to the Hurons, having decided to return to his
former sphere of labours, left for the Huron country in 1634, prepared
to remain there as long as there was work to be done. He was destined to
live among the Hurons until they were finally dispersed by the Iroquois.
When Champlain arrived at Quebec, he summoned Emery de Caen to deliver
to Duplessis-Bochart the keys of the fort and habitation. Champlain's
arrival caused much rejoicing among the inhabitants, for he inspired
both their love and respect, and he was, perhaps, the only man who could
impress them with a belief in their future, and thus retain them in the
country. The arrival of a certain number of settlers during the years
1633-4, was also an encouragement for all. The restoration of Canada to
France caused some excitement in the maritime provinces of France,
especially in Normandy, as most of the settlers of New France up to this
date were from there. The exceptions were, Louis Hebert, a native of
Paris, and Guillaume Couillard, of St. Malo. Emigration soon extended to
other parts of the provinces, as the result of the discrimination of the
Relations of the Jesuits, which had been distributed in Paris and
elsewhere during the years 1632 and 1633. Several pious and charitable
persons began to take an interest in the missions of New France, and
forwarded both money and goods to help them.
Some nuns offered to go to Canada to look after the sick and to instruct
the young girls, and in the year 1633 a few families arrived in Quebec
with Champlain, who had defrayed their expenses.
In the year 1634 an association was formed in France for the purpose of
promoting colonization, and a group of about forty persons, recruited in
different parts of the province of Perche, were sent to Canada, with
Robert Giffard at their head. Giffard, it will be remembered, had
visited Quebec in the year 1627 as surgeon of the vessels sent out by
the company, but he had no intention of settling in the country. After
having built a log hut on the Beauport shore, he devoted his leisure to
hunting and fishing, game and fish being plentiful at that time, and
returned to France during the same year. He was appointed surgeon to
Roquemont's fleet during the following year, and as the vessels were
captured by the English, he, with the others on board, was compelled to
return to his mother country. This misfortune did not discourage the
former solitary inhabitant of Beauport, and he resolved to revisit the
country, but this time with a view of settling and of farming.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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