All the inhabitants, without exception, were deeply affected on hearing the news of his demise, and a great number attended his funeral.  The funeral sermon was preached by Father Le Jeune.  Champlain was buried in a grave which had been specially prepared, and later on, a small chapel was erected to protect his precious remains.[28] This chapel was unfortunately burnt, as we have already mentioned, during the conflagration of June 14th, 1640.

The Jesuits’ Relations of 1636 give a full account of the last days of Champlain, which we here quote:  “On December 25th, the day of the birth of our Saviour upon earth, Monsieur de Champlain, our governor, was reborn in Heaven; at least we can say that his death was full of blessings.  I am sure that God has shown him this favour in consideration of the benefits he has procured for New France, where we hope some day God will be loved and served by our French, and known and adored by our savages.  Truly he had led a life of great justice, equity and perfect loyalty to his king and towards the gentlemen of the company.  But at his death he crowned his virtues with sentiments of piety so lofty that he astonished us all.  What tears he shed!  How ardent became his zeal for the service of God!  How great was his love for the families here—­saying that they must be vigorously assisted for the good of the country, and made comfortable in every possible way in these early stages, and that he would do it if God gave him health.  He was not taken unawares in the account which he had to render unto God, for he had long ago prepared a general confession of his whole life, which he made with great contrition to Father Lalemant, whom he honoured with his friendship.  The father comforted him throughout his sickness, which lasted two months and a half, and did not leave him until his death.  He had a very honourable burial, the funeral procession being formed of the people, the soldiers, the captains and the churchmen.  Father Lalemant officiated at this burial, and I was charged with the funeral oration, for which I did not lack material.  Those whom he left behind have reason to be well satisfied with him; for although he died out of France, his name will not therefore be any less glorious to posterity.”

Champlain left no posterity.  His wife spent only four years in Canada, after which she resided continually in Paris.  During her residence in New France, she studied the Algonquin language, and instructed the young Indians in catechism, and in this manner she won the friendship of the native tribes.  It was the fashion of the time for a lady of quality to wear at her girdle a small mirror, and the youthful Helene observed the custom.  The savages, who were delighted to be in her company, were oft time astonished to see their own image reflected on the crystalline surface of this mirror, and said, with their native simplicity:  “A lady so handsome, who cures our diseases, and loves us to so great an extent as to bear our image near her breast, must be superior to a human being.”  They, therefore, had a kind of veneration for her, and they would have offered their homage to her instead of to the Deity of whom they had only an imperfect knowledge.