The Gaul is like the verdant willow-bush: The more you prune, the more it’s lithe and lush, Shooting a crown of branchy twigs all round, And draws new life and vigour from a wound. CHAPTER I. CARTIER AND THE ST. LAWRENCE “He told them of the river, whose mighty current gave Its freshness for a hundred leagues to ocean’s briny wave; He told them of the glorious scene presented to his sight What time he reared the cross and crown on Hochelaga’s height, And of the fortress cliff that keeps of Canada the key, And they welcomed back Jacques Cartier from his perils over sea.” —HON. T. D’ARCY MCGEE. Almost four hundred years ago, when bluff King Hal ruled over Merry England and Francis over Sunny France, there were strange stories told in the ports of the west of England and the north of France of lands away to the Westward. The voyage of Columbus was the talk of Europe, and while the Spaniards were joyfully telling how he had come to the edge of a great new world which would give them a new route to the marvellous East with all its treasures, John Cabot, of the port of Bristol, the pioneer of English adventurers, sailed off to the west and it is likely saw the continent itself as soon as did Columbus. Both Columbus and Cabot discovered islands first, Columbus on his way to the west, Cabot after he had passed along the coast. So, from the northern country of England, as well as from the southern land of Spain, the men of the seaports talked of nothing as much as the great land over the sea. It was but natural that the hardy mariners of the northern French ports should join in the search, and for nearly half a century vessels manned by the more adventurous spirits visited the cod banks of Newfoundland and brought back cargoes of fish. One can picture the interest that would be aroused in a port like Bristol in England or St. Malo or Dieppe in France when a vessel came back to harbour after an absence of many months and the mariners spun their tales of adventure to an eager audience. It was in this kind of an atmosphere, hearing these stories and wishing that he would grow old quickly so that he too could go and see these lands, that Jacques Cartier grew up. He was a clever and ambitious boy and when he became a master mariner had made such a reputation that the King sent for him to discuss the possibility of finding an opening in the coast of America in the vicinity of Newfoundland, which was then thought to be but a projection of the eastern coast of Asia. There is no doubt that Cartier had made trips to the fishing banks many times in company with his fellow fishermen of Brittany, whose enterprise is preserved to us in the name of Cape Breton.