Champlain now resolved to recross the ocean, and to take with him his young wife, who had spent four years in Quebec.  Emery de Caen was given the command of the settlement in the absence of Champlain.  On August 18th two ships sailed from Tadousac, having on board Champlain, Helene Boulle, Font-Grave, Guillaume de Caen, Father Piat, Brother Sagard, J.B.  Guers, Joubert, and Captain de la Vigne.  At Gaspe, Raymond de la Ralde and a pilot named Cananee joined the party.  The voyage was brief and pleasant to Champlain’s party, but Cananee’s ship was captured by the Turks, and its commander was put to a cruel death.[20]

FOOTNOTES: 

[18] His correct name was Dume dit Leroy.  He made a single voyage to Quebec, and he had on board Jean Baptiste Guers, delegate of the Duke of Montmorency.  Dume was born at St. Gomer de Fly, Beauvais.  A member of his family who resided at Havre de Grace was one of the chief consignees of the company of St. Christophe in the West Indies.

[19] Thierry-Desdames arrived at Quebec in 1622, as underclerk of the company, which position he occupied until 1628.  We lose trace of him after that date, but we find him again in 1639 at Miscou Island, where he served as captain.  He was a good Catholic, charitable, and a friend of the Jesuits.

[20] Cananee was one of the most famous French navigators of his time.  From 1608 to 1624 he used to fish on the banks of Miscou and in the gulf.  He was at first captain and co-proprietor of the Mouton, a vessel of one hundred and twenty tons, but some years later, he commanded the Ste. Madeleine, a ship of fifty tons.  It was this vessel that the Turks captured on the coast of Bretagne.  Cananee was a fervent Catholic.

CHAPTER VIII

CHAMPLAIN, THE JESUITS AND THE SAVAGES

The first inhabitants of the settlement of New France were the interpreters, clerks, and workmen, employed by the merchants.  They were termed the winterers, in opposition to the captains and sailors who visited the colony for the purpose of trading only.  The interpreters present an interesting feature in the life of the new colony.  Their functions rendered it necessary for them to reside for an indefinite period with an Indian tribe, in order to qualify themselves to act as interpreters for their countrymen during trade, or for the missionaries while catechising or providing other religious exercises.  A daily intercourse with the Indians was absolutely essential in order to induce them to keep their appointments with the traders at the established rendezvous.  The interpreters had seldom any other occupation, although some of them acted as clerks, and thereby received a larger salary, in addition to a certain number of beaver skins which they could exchange for goods.