On June 13th two hundred Hurons arrived at Sault St. Louis, so called from a young Frenchman named Louis, who was drowned in the rapids a few days before.  The Hurons were under the command of Ochateguin, Iroquet and Tregouaroti.  The latter was a brother of Savignon, the young Huron whom Champlain had taken with him to France.  The interview, which lasted some time, was most cordial.  The Indians said that they felt somewhat uneasy on seeing so many Frenchmen who were not specially united, and that they had desired to see Champlain alone, towards whom they were as kindly disposed as towards their own children.

Champlain questioned them on the sources of the great river, and on their own country.  Four of them declared that they had seen a large sea at a great distance from their village.  After exchanging their peltry with Champlain’s consent, some of the Hurons left to follow the war-path, while others returned to their own country.  This interview occurred on July 18th, 1611.  On the same day Champlain set out for Quebec, where he arrived on the nineteenth.  Here he found that certain necessary repairs had to be made.  He also planted some rose bushes, and caused some oak wood to be placed on board a vessel for shipment to France, as a specimen of the wood of the new colony, which he considered suitable not only for marine wainscoting, but also for windows and doors.

Champlain sailed from Quebec on July 20th, and arrived at La Rochelle on September 16th.  De Monts was at Pons, in Saintonge, at this time, and it was here that he received a visit from Champlain.  After listening to Champlain’s narrative of his proceedings, de Monts decided to proceed to court to arrange matters.  He held a conference with the merchants at Fontainebleau, but he found that they were unwilling to continue to support the enterprise.  He concluded a bargain with them for what remained in the Quebec settlement by the payment of a certain sum of money, and from that date de Monts’ company ceased to exist.  There was only one man who had faith in the future of the colony, and who remained staunch to its interests under all difficulties; this man was Champlain.

De Monts had shown great energy in opposing the impediments to the undertaking which were offered by the merchants of Rouen, St. Malo and La Rochelle, and as he hoped to regain the money which he had already expended, he considered that it was time to receive assistance from the king.  Louis XIII listened attentively to de Monts’ requests, but he did not accede to them.  De Monts, therefore, informed Champlain that he was compelled to abandon the enterprise.  This was the last interview between these two men.

Champlain was now left to his own resources for continuing his work.  His personal means were small, and far too slender to enable him to support a colony in its infancy.  The thought of abandoning the settlement was repugnant to him, not only on account of the years of labour he had bestowed upon it, but also because he felt that there was every chance of success with the aid of rich and powerful men.