“Going from time to time to see the Sieur de Chastes,” writes Champlain, “judging that I might serve him in his design, he did me the honour to communicate something of it to me, and asked me if it would be agreeable to me to make the voyage, to examine the country, and to see what those engaged in the undertaking should do.  I told him that I was very much his servant, but that I could not give myself license to undertake the voyage without the commands of the king, to whom I was bound, as well by birth as by the pension with which His Majesty honoured me to enable me to maintain myself near his person, but that, if it should please him to speak to the king about it, and give me his commands, that it should be very agreeable to me, which he promised and did, and received the king’s orders for me to make the voyage and make a faithful report thereof; and for that purpose M. de Gesvres, secretary of his commandments, sent me with a letter to the said Du Pont-Grave, desiring him to take me in his ship and enable me to see and examine what could be done in the country, giving me every possible assistance.”

“Me voila expedie,” says Champlain, “I leave Paris and take passage on Pont-Grave’s ship in the year 1603, the 15th of the month of March.”  The voyage was favourable for the first fifteen days, but on the 30th a heavy storm arose, “more thunder than wind,” which lasted until April 16th.  On May 6th the vessel approached Newfoundland, and arrived at Tadousac[3] on the 24th.  Here they met with about one hundred Indians, under the command of Anadabijou, who were rejoicing on account of their recent victory over the Iroquois.  The chief made a long harangue, speaking slowly.  He congratulated himself upon his friendship with the French nation, and stated that he was happy to learn that the king was anxious to send some of his subjects to reside in the country and to assist them in their wars.  Champlain was also informed that the Etchemins, the Algonquins, and the Montagnais, to the number of about one thousand, had lately been engaged in warfare with the Iroquois, whom they had vanquished with the loss of one hundred men.

On June 9th following, Champlain witnessed the spectacle of a grand feast given by the Indians in commemoration of their victory.  The celebration consisted of dances, songs, speeches and games.  Tessoueat, the sagamo of the Ottawas, was the chief captain, and took a prominent part in the demonstration.

After a long description of these public festivities, Champlain gives ample details of the manners and customs of the Indians, especially of their superstitions.  The Indians believed that a God existed who was the creator of all things, but they had a curious manner of explaining the creation of man.  “When God had made everything,” they said, “He took a quantity of arrows and fixed them in the earth, whence came men and women, who have increased ever since.”  The sagamo said they believed in the existence of a God, a son, a mother and a sun; that God was the greatest of the four; that the son and the sun were both good; that the mother was a lesser person, and so was the father, who was less bad.