Mortagne, November 1634 My father has returned from New France, where he stayed in the region of Québec. He told us all about this city that was founded in 1608 by Monsieur de Champlain. Now, there is nearly nothing left and less than one hundred men live there. Most of them are busy rebuilding. They are building some sort of temporary shelters for the colonists who are beginning to arrive. All the expenses are paid for by the Compagnie des Cent-Associés, who will make a great profit from the commerce of furs and cod; it is therefore up to them to lodge and feed the workers. My father met a missionary, Father Paul Le Jeune, who convinced him to come and settle in the seigneurie of Notre-Dame-des-Anges. My father does not know how to work the land. He is not a farmer, but a carpenter. If we leave, he will work with other carpenters to rebuild the buildings at the seigneurie of the Jesuits. Mortagne, January 1635 Having learned that several neighbours and friends were going to settle in New France, mother accepted to go as well. We have therefore sold our house and will have to leave it. I love our great stone house, circled with a garden where my mother and sisters grow vegetables. We have two pigs that we keep in a smal pen. We will not eat them this winter... we sold them with the house. The house has two rooms that are big enough : a kitchen and a room. In the kitchen stands a table, two benches built by father, and the hearth where mother cooks our meals. Since I have grown, this is where I sleep, on a straw mattress that I lay each evening on the great chest near the hearth. The room has two beds : a large one for my parents, and a small one for my sisters. Nicolas sleeps on the chest nearest the room door. Each one of us has a canvas blanket. We go to bed at sunset and wake at sunrise. Only in winter do we light the whale oil lamps. I am very sad thinking that we will have to leave all this... Mortagne, April 1635 The house has been in turmoil for several days now. We are putting all our belongings, furniture and clothes in large wooden chests that my father built. They will be hauled to Dieppe by a man who lives in Mortagne and who lent us his cart and quarterhorses. I drew up the list of the things that I will be watching during our voyage on the Atlantic sea : 2 salting-tubs ; 2 flower boxes; 2 large cups; 6 porringers ; 8 to 10 tin plates; 1 earthenware jug containing rosewater; 2 bushels of cooked pears; 1 bushel of plums. With the money from the sale of the house, and with our kitchen table and benches, beds and chests filled with our straw mattresses and blankets, we have all we need to live confortably in New France. |
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Last update: August 17, 2001 © Museum of New France – Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation |
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