The crazy venture: Montrealists disembark at Québec.

Since the beginnign of of July, 1641, Québec is in a state of shock caused by the arrival of workers and colonists determined to settle on the island of Montréal. They claim to be under the exclusive authority of Monsieur Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve. This latter, with a certain Demoiselle Jeanne Mance, will arrive shortly with two other ships of the convoy. They have been at sea since they left Dieppe in April.

This affair is creating rumours, the most credible being that Monsieur de Montmagny, our governor, will not allow these Montrealists to go into the region before next spring. They must pass the winter here. For this purpose he has granted some land to the workers, who are busy building a warehouse. This is where the tools and provisions will be kept that will be transported later to the island of Montréal, which they are already calling Ville-Marie!

There is already an expression circulating in our town that describes this project: "The crazy venture."

Illustration: National Archives of Canada.

There are no authentic portraits of the founder of Montreal, Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve. This is one of the many fakes that has circulated throughout the centuries.