the discovery of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and | France, and thus become the instruments of dihe also pushed on northward by the coast of La-viding the dominions of the New World among brador, almost to the entrance of Hudson Bay." —vol. i. pp. 27-31.

"In the year 1534, Philip Chabot, admiral of France, urged the king to establish a colony in the New World, by representing to him in glow-was ing colors the great riches and power derived by the Spaniards from their transatlantic possessions. Francis 1., alive to the importance of the design, soon agreed to carry it out. JACQUES CARTIER, an experienced navigator of St. Malo, was recommended by the admiral to be intrusted with the expedition, and was approved of by the king. On the 20th of April, 1534, Cartier sailed from St. Malo with two ships of only sixty tons burden each, and 120 men for their crews. He directed his course westward, inclining rather to the north; the winds proved so favorable, that on the twentieth day of the voyage he had made Cape Bonavista in Newfoundland. But the harbors of that

all made for Newfoundland, where the lead-tered the Indian's canoe, and presented bread and er's vessel arrived first, on the 7th of July. wine, which they ate and drank together. They On the 26th her consorts joined her. We then parted in all amity. proceed in Mr. Warburton's own glowing language; for to abridge in such a case would be unpardonable.

with his boats pushed up the north shore against "After this happy interview, Jacques Cartier the stream, till he reached a spot where a little river flowed into a 'goodly and pleasant sound,' forming a convenient haven. He moored his vessels here for the winter on the 18th of September, and gave the name of St. Croix to the stream, in honor of the day on which he first entered its 500 Indians, came to welcome his arrival with generous friendship. In the angle formed by the tributary stream and the Great River stood the town of Stadacona, the dwelling-place of the chief; thence an irregular slope ascended to a lofty height of table-land: from this eminence a bold headland frowned over the St. Lawrence, forming a rocky wall 300 feet in height. The waters of the Great River, here narrowed to less than a mile in breadth, rolled deeply and rapidly past into the broad basin beyond. When the white men first stood on the summit of this bold headland, above their port of shelter, most of the country was fresh from the hand of the Creator; save the three small barks lying at the mouth of the stream, and the Indian village, no sign of human habitations met their view. Far as the eye could reach the dark forest spread over hill and valley, mountain and plain; up to the craggy peaks, down to the blue water's edge; along the gentle slopes of the rich Isle of Bacchus, and even from projecting rocks, and in fissures of the lofty precipice, the deep green mantle of the summer foliage hung its graceful folds. In the dim distance, north, south, east, and west, where mountain rose above mountain in tumultuous variety of outline, it was still the same; one vast leafy vale concealed the virgin face of nature from the stranger's sight. On the eminence commanding this scene of wild but magnificent beauty a prosperous city now stands: the patient industry of man has felled that dense forest, tree by tree, for miles and miles around; and where it stood, rich fields rejoice the eye; the once silent waters of the Great River below, now surge against hundreds of stately ships; commerce has enriched this spot; art adorned it; a memory of glory endears it to every British heart. But the name QUEBEC still remains unchanged; as the savage first pronounced it to the white stranger, it stands to-day among the proudest records of our country's story."-pp. 42-53.

Having taken in supplies of fuel and water, they sailed in company to explore the Gulf of St. Lawrence. A violent storm arose on the 1st of August, forcing them to seek shelter. They hap-waters; Donnacona, accompanied by a train of pily found a port on the north shore, at the entrance of the Great River, where, though difficult of access, there was a safe anchorage. Jacques Cartier called it St. Nicholas, and it is now almost the only place still bearing the name he gave. They left their harbor on the 7th, coasting westward along the north shore, and on the 10th came to a gulf filled with numerous and beautiful islands. Cartier gave this gulf the name of St. Lawrence, having discovered it on that Saint's festival day. On the 15th of August, they reached a long rocky island toward the south, which Cartier named l'Isle de l'Assumption, now called Anticosti. Thence they continued their course, examining carefully both shores of the Great River, and occasionally holding communication with the inhabitants, till, on the 1st of September, they entered the mouth of the deep and gloomy Saguenay. The entrance of this great tributary was all they had leisure to survey; but the huge rocks, dense forests, and vast body of water, forming a scene of sombre magnificence such as had never before met their view, inspired them with an exalted idea of the country they had discovered. Still passing to the south-west of the St. Lawrence, on the 6th they reached an island abounding in delicious filberts, and on that account named by the voyagers Isle aux Coudres. Cartier being now so far advanced into an unknown country, looked out anxiously for a port where his vessels might winter in safety. He pursued his voyage till he came upon another island, of great extent, fertility, and beauty, covered with woods and thick-clustering vines. This he named Isle de Bacchus it is now called Orleans. On the 7th of September, Donnacona, the chief of the country, came with twelve canoes filled by his train, to hold converse with the strangers, whose ships lay at anchor between the island and the north shore of the Great River. The Indian chief approached the smallest of the ships with only two canoes, fearful of causing alarm, and began an oration, accompanied with strange and uncouth gestures. After a time he conversed with the Indians who had been seized on the former voyage, and now acted as interpreters. He heard from them of their wonderful visit to the great nation over the salt lake, of the wisdom and power of the white men, and of the kind treatment they had received among the strangers. Donnacona appeared moved with deep respect and admiration; he took Jacques Cartier's arm and placed it gently over his own bended neck, in token of confidence and regard. The admiral cordially returned these friendly demonstrations. He en

Proud indeed is the sound of that name to England, and in the pride that it awakens there is nothing to gall or wound our defeated adversaries. The conquest of Canada, the capture of Quebec were achieved by British valor, not yielded by French cowardice. The conduct, indeed, of our opponents on the occasion was such as to raise the merit of our success to the highest attainable point, whilst the courage and skill of the conqueror was

"The chief Donnacona and the French continued in friendly intercourse, day by day exchanging good offices and tokens of regard. But Jacques Cartier was eager for further discoveries: the two Indian interpreters told him that a city of much larger size than Stada cona lay further up the river, the capital of a great country: it was called in the native tongue Hochelaga; thither he resolved to find his way. The Indians endeavored vainly to dissuade their dangerous guests from this expedition; they represented the distance, the lateness of the season, the danger of the great lakes and rapid currents; at length they had recourse to a kind of masquerade or pantomime, to represent the perils of the voyage, and the ferocity of the tribes inhabiting that distant land. The interpreters earnestly strove to dissuade Jacques Cartier from proceeding on his enterprise, and one of them refused to accompany him. The brave Frenchman would not hearken to such dissuasions, and treated with equal con

of their neighbors; unlike other tribes, they cul-
tivated the ground, and remained stationary.
Three miles from Hochelaga, there was a lofty
hill, well tilled, and very fertile; thither Jacques
Cartier bent his way after having examined the

town. From the summit he saw the river and
the country for thirty leagues around, a scene of
singular beauty. To this hill he gave the name
of Mont Royal, since extended to the large and
fertile island on which it stands, and to the city
Time has now swept away all trace of
below.
Hochelaga: on its site the modern capital of Can-
ada has arisen; 50,000 people of European race,
and stately buildings of carved stone, replace the
simple Indians and the huts of the ancient
towns."-vol. i. p. 58.

The destruction of the ancient town, however, does not lie at the door of the French settlers. In fact, the tale of its ruin is unknown. After a time it vanishes from history without remark. It ceases to be mentioned for a while, and then, when inquired after, is found no longer in existence.

Jacques Cartier returned safe to France, carrying with him the chief Donnacona, whom he had treacherously entrapped, having unjustly suspected him of sinister designs. The prisoner was, however, soon reconciled to his fate by the kind treatment and great distinction which he experienced. But his death in France raised suspicions in the minds of his countrymen, which, though carefully concealed, destroyed for ever their confidence in the French.

tempt the verbal and pantomimic warnings of the alleged difficulties. As a precautionary measure, to impress the savages with an exalted idea of his power as a friend or foe, he caused twelve cannon, loaded with bullets, to be fired in their presence against a wood: amazed and terrified at the noise, and the effect of this discharge, they fled howling and shrieking away. Jacques Cartier sailed for Hochelaga on the 19th of September. The voyage presented few of the threatened difficulTo trace the fortunes of the French adties; the country on both sides of the Great River was rich and varied, covered with stately timber, venturers and the colony which they foundand abounding in vines. The place ed, from the departure of Jacques Cartier on where the French first landed was, probably, his first voyage, to the capture of Quebec about eleven miles from the city of Hochelaga, by the British in 1629, would be a tedious below the rapid of St. Mary. On the day after and unprofitable task. Such narratives lose his arrival Jacques Cartier proceeded to the town. all interest when stripped of their details. ...The road was well beaten, and bore evidence It is painful as well as tiresome to read of a of being much frequented; the country through which it passed was exceedingly rich and fertile. series of mistakes and mishaps, of domestic Hochelaga stood in the midst of great fields of In- quarrels, party contests, and petty wars, dian corn; it was of a circular form, containing when deprived of those striking facts and about fifty large huts, each fifty paces long, and heroic exploits which alone render such subfrom fourteen to fifteen wide, all built in the shape jects bearable. This portion of his work has of tunnels, formed of wood, and covered with been admirably executed by the author. He birch bark; the dwellings were divided into sevhas indeed contrived to throw a charm over eral rooms, surrounding an open court in the centhe incidents of a border struggle, and to tre, where the fires burned. Three rows of palisades encircled the town, with only one entrance; give a wholesome interest to the minutiae of above the gate, and over the whole length of the a court intrigue. One circumstance strikes outer ring of defence, there was a gallery, ap- us as worthy of remark. The French Huproached by flights of steps, and plentifully pro- guenots were anxious to have made Canada vided with stones, and other missiles, to resist at their refuge, but their intention was frustack. This was a place of considerable impor-trated by the jealousy of Romanism. It were tance in those remote days, as the capital of a vain as endless to speculate on the possible great extent of country, and as having eight or ten villages subject to its sway. The inhabitants consequences of this desire, had it been carspoke the language of the great Huron nation, ried out. and were more advanced in civilization than any

But let us return to our narrative :—

"When the French received the news of the loss of Canada, opinion was much divided as to the wisdom of seeking to regain the captured settlement. Some thought its possession of little value in proportion to the expense it caused; while others deemed that the fur-trade and fisheries were of great importance to the commerce of France, as well as a useful nursery of experienced seamen. Champlain strongly urged the government not to give up a country where they had already overcome the principal difficulties of settlement, and where, through their means, the light of religion was dawning upon the darkness of heathen ignorance. His solicitations were successful, and Canada was restored to France at the same time with Acadia and Cape Breton, by the treaty of St. Germain-en-Laye. At this period," proceeds our author," the fort of Quebec, surrounded by a score of hastily-built dwellings and barracks, some poor huts on the island of Montreal, the like at Three Rivers and Tadoussac, and a few fishermen's log-houses elsewhere on the banks of the St. Lawrence, were the only fruits of the discoveries of Verazzano, Jacques Cartier, Roberval, and Champlain, the great outlay of La Roche and De Monts, and the toils and sufferings of their followers, for nearly a century."-p. 99.

We have no space to afford a due eulogium to the great and good Champlain, who stamped the first permanent impression upon New France. His name will ever be gratefully remembered in the land of his adoption, and honored by all good men throughout the world. He died in December, 1635.* And now commences the regular history of Canada, and here the author pauses to review the character and condition of the country when it became the abode of a race of European extraction. His account of the physical phenomena, general appearance, and natural productions of the country, with the manners and customs of its inhabitants, is extremely entertaining, though to some of our readers portions will probably be ready familiar, and some of the results arrived at may perhaps admit of question. There is, however, a racy vigor and a rude eloquence in this part of the work which well accord with the subject. After occupying five chapters with these interesting subjects, our author devotes three more to the

history of the British settlements, and then takes up the thread of his narrative again, saying:

"Having noticed the principal features of the origin and progress of the English colonies, the powerful and dangerous neighbors of the French settlement, in the New World, it is now time to return to the course of Canadian history subsequent to the death of the illustrious founder of Quebec."

Long and fierce was the struggle between the rival nations, imbittered by hereditary animosity, and sharpened by the love of gain as well as that of glory and power. The accession of Indian allies on either side gave a ferocity to the warfare hitherto unknown in the contest waged between England and France-a ferocity which spread from the barbarians to the colonists, and even infected the European commanders. Much was the suffering inflicted, many were the atrocities perpetrated on either side; and it was a happy result for both peoples which terminated the internecine hostility of New France and New England by placing them both under British rule. Strange that the victory which gave us the one deprived us of the other-strange that the success of Wolfe laid the foundation of the defeat of England-strange that the overthrow of Montcalm prepared the way for the triumph of France! That such, however, was the case, there can be no doubt. Let us, however, proceed.

"By the treaty of Utrecht in 1713, Louis the Magnificent ceded away for ever, with ignorant indifference, the noble province of Acadia, the inexhaustible fisheries of Newfoundland, and his claims to the vast but almost unknown regions of Hudson's Bay; his nominal sovereignty over the al-Iroquois was also thrown into the scale, and thus a dearly purchased peace restored comparative tranquillity to the remnant of his American empire."—vol. ii. p. 13.

In the same month, to the deep regret of all good men, death deprived his country of the brave, high-minded, and wise Champlain. He was buried in the city of which he was the founder; where, to this day, he is fondly and gratefully remembered among the just and good. Gifted with high ability, upright, active, and chivalrous, he was at the same time eminent for his Christian zeal and humble piety. The salvation of one soul," he often said, "is of more value than the conquest of an empire." -p. 101:

More than thirty years afterward the then Governor of Canada

"The Comte de la Gallisonière proposed that Monsieur du Quesne, a skillful engineer, should be appointed to establish a line of fortifications through the interior of the country, and at the same time urged the Government of France to send out 10,000 peasants to form settlements on the banks of the great lakes and southern rivers. By these means he affirmed that the English colonies would be restricted within the narrow tract lying eastward from the Alleghany Mountains, and in time laid open to invasion and ruin.