(Source : Nos Racines (Our Roots), booklet 5, page 88)
Samuel Champlain, as sketched by himself in an attempt to describe his reaction to an Iroquois ambush, in July of 1609. (Muncipal Library of Montréal.)
Seemingly, the creation of a permanent outpost at Cap-aux-Diamants has taken on a certain cachet in the fine circles of international explorers. To wit: monsieur Samuel de Champlain just survived an international assassination plot. The Spaniards may have inspired the plan concocted by locksmith Jean Duval, one of the five men implicated in the murderous endeavour.
According to our sources, Duval lured his accomplices with promises of a care-free future :
« Once Champlain dies, he purportedly said, they can have a field day by looting the supplies and merchandise brought in from France. With those in their possession, they can sail back to Spain on Basque and Spanish ships stationed in Tadoussac, there to live happily ever after ».
Fortunately, one remorseful accomplice allegedly revealed to Champlain the details of a plan to kill him, either by strangulation as he slept, or in the confusion of a false alarm in which he would have been shot accidentally !
After hearing all accomplices, Champlain formed a jury which recommended hanging only the locksmith.
« We decided it would be sufficient to put to death said Duval, based on the murderous motive, and also as an example for those who remained to behave henceforth and remain steadfast in their duties, and finally so the Spanish and Basques who lived here in large numbers would not make an emblem of the affair. »
Duval was hanged, and his head was skewered on a pike on the highest vantage point of the fort being constructed.
