To keep our table joyous and well provided, an order was established at the board of the said M. de Poutrincourt, which was called the Order of Good Cheer, originally proposed by Champlain.  To this Order each man of the said table was appointed Chief Steward in his turn, which came round once a fortnight.  Now, this person had the duty of taking care that we were all well and honourably provided for.  This was so well carried out that though the epicures of Paris often tell us that we had no Rue aux Ours over there, as a rule we made as good cheer as we could have in this same Rue aux Ours, and at less cost.  For there was no one who, two days before his turn came, failed to go hunting or fishing, and to bring back some delicacy in addition to our ordinary fare.  So well was this carried out that never at breakfast did we lack some savoury meat of flesh or fish, and still less at our midday or evening meals; for that was our chief banquet, at which the ruler of the feast or chief butler, whom the savages called Atoctegic, having had everything prepared by the cook, marched in, napkin on shoulder, wand of office in hand, and around his neck the collar of the Order, which was worth more than four crowns; after him all the members of the Order carrying each a dish.  The same was repeated at dessert, though not always with so much pomp.  And at night, before giving thanks to God, he handed over to his successor in the charge the collar of the Order, with a cup of wine, and they drank to each other.  I have already said that we had abundance of game, such as ducks, bustards, grey and white geese, partridges, larks, and other birds; moreover moose, caribou, beaver, otter, bear, rabbits, wild-cats, racoons, and other animals such as the savages caught, whereof we made dishes well worth those of the cook-shop in the Rue aux Ours, and far more; for of all our meats none is so tender as moose-meat (whereof we also made excellent pasties) and nothing so delicate as beaver’s tail.  Yea, sometimes we had half a dozen sturgeon at once, which the savages brought us, part of which we bought, and allowed them to sell the remainder publicly and to barter it for bread, of which our men had abundance.  As for the ordinary rations brought from France, they were distributed equally to great and small alike; and, as we have said, the wine was served in like manner.

The results of this regime were most gratifying.  The deaths from scurvy dropped to seven, which represented a great proportionate decrease.  At the same time, intercourse with the Indians was put on a good basis thereby.  ‘At these proceedings,’ says Lescarbot, ’we always had twenty or thirty savages—­men, women, girls, and children—­who looked on at our manner of service.  Bread was given them gratis, as one would do to the poor.  But as for the Sagamos Membertou, and other chiefs who came from time to time, they sat at table eating and drinking like ourselves.  And we were glad to see them, while, on the contrary, their absence saddened us.’