of these parishes, to try to find in each of them one or two girls disposed to go voluntarily for the sake of settlement in life.’  Such was the quality of the female emigration to Canada.  The girls were drawn from reputable institutions, or from good peasant families, under the auspices of the cures.  During their journey to Canada they were under the care and direction of persons highly respected for their virtues and piety, such as Madame Bourdon, widow of the late attorney-general of New France, or Mademoiselle Etienne, who was appointed governess of the girls leaving for Canada by the directors of the general hospital of Paris.  When young women arrived in Canada, they were either immediately married or placed for a time in good families.

The paternal policy of the minister and the intendant was favoured by the disbanding of the Carignan companies.  In 1668 the regiment was recalled to France; four companies only were left in Canada to garrison the forts.  The officers and soldiers of the companies withdrawn were entreated to remain as settlers, and about four hundred decided to make their home in Canada.  They were generously subsidized.  Each soldier electing to settle in the colony received one hundred livres, or fifty livres with provisions for one year, at his choice.  Each sergeant received one hundred and fifty livres, or one hundred livres with one year’s provisions.  The officers also were given liberal endowments.  Among them were:  Captains de Contrecoeur, de Saint-Ours, de Sorel, Dugue de Boisbriant, Lieutenants Gaultier de Varennes and Margane de la Valtrie; Ensigns Paul Dupuis, Becard de Grandville, Pierre Monet de Moras, Francois Jarret de Vercheres.

The strenuous efforts of Colbert and Talon could not but give a great impulse to population.  The increase was noticeable.  In November 1671 Talon wrote: 

His Majesty will see by the extracts of the registers of baptisms that the number of children this year is six or seven hundred; and in the coming years we may hope for a substantial increase.  There is some reason to believe that, without any further female immigration, the country will see more than one hundred marriages next year.  I consider it unnecessary to send girls next year; the better to give the habitants a chance to marry their own girls to soldiers desirous of settling.  Neither will it be necessary to send young ladies, as we received last year fifteen, instead of the four who were needed for wives of officers and notables.

In a former chapter the population of Canada in 1665 was given as 3215 souls, and the number of families 533.  In 1668 the number of families was 1139 and the population 6282.  In three years the population had nearly doubled and the number of families had more than doubled.