Paris, 1604
| According to a conversation we had with Monsieur Samuel de Champlain, travelling
companion of Monsieur Pierre du Gua de Monts, it was June 26, 1604, that the mouth of an
immense river was discovered. Flowing from Canada, this watercourse flows into Baie
Française. As is the custom, they were inspired by the calendar in naming this watercourse the Saint-Jean. After sailing westward for two days they dropped anchor in front of a small island, which they named Sainte-Croix. They say that Monsieur du Gua de Monts, who was looking for a site to colonize, had finally found it. |
 Carte de Marc Lescarbot |
"Sieur de Monts, Monsieur de Champlain told us, started cultivating gardens right away. Several started clearing their property, and I mine, which is rather large, where I planted seeds as did the others who had any and they grew quite well. But as the island is only sand, almost everything withered in the heat of the sun; and we have no water for watering, only when it rains, which is not often."
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Last update: September 7, 2001 © Museum of New France – Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation |
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