The Jesuit Missions : A chronicle of the cross in the wilderness eBook

Thomas Guthrie Marquis
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 100 pages of information about The Jesuit Missions .

The Jesuit Missions : A chronicle of the cross in the wilderness eBook

Thomas Guthrie Marquis
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 100 pages of information about The Jesuit Missions .
a fierce gale arose, and the ship was driven out of its course and dashed to pieces on the rocky shores of Acadia near the island of Canseau.  Fourteen of the passengers, including Noyrot and a lay brother, Louis Malot, were drowned.  Lalemant escaped with his life, and took passage on a trading vessel for France.  This ship, too, was wrecked, near San Sebastian in the Bay of Biscay, and again Lalemant narrowly escaped death.

Meanwhile the English Adventurers were full of enthusiasm over the achievement of the Kirkes.  The work, however, was not yet finished.  The French trading-posts in Acadia and on the St Lawrence must be utterly destroyed.  By March 1629 a fleet much more powerful than the one of the previous year was ready for sea.  It consisted of the Abigail, Admiral David Kirke, the William, Captain Lewis Kirke, the George, Captain Thomas Kirke, the Gervase, Captain Brewerton, two other ships, and three pinnaces.  On the 25th of March it sailed from Gravesend, and on the 15th of June reached Gaspe Bay without mishap.  All save two of the vessels were now sent to destroy the trading-posts on the shores of Acadia, while David Kirke, with the Abigail and a sister ship, sailed for Tadoussac, which was to be his headquarters during the summer.  The raiders did their work and arrived at Tadoussac early in July.  Kirke then detached the William and the George and sent them to Quebec under the pilotage of French traitors.

At Quebec during the winter the inhabitants had lived on pease, Indian corn, and eels which they obtained from the natives; and when spring came all who had sufficient strength had gone to the forest to gather acorns and nourishing roots.  The gunpowder was almost exhausted, and the dilapidated fort could not be held by its sixteen half-starved defenders.  Accordingly Champlain sent the Recollet Daillon, who had a knowledge of the English language, to negotiate with the Kirkes the terms of capitulation; and Quebec surrendered without a shot being fired.  For the time being perished the hopes of the indomitable Champlain, who for twenty-one years had wrought and fought and prayed that Quebec might become the bulwark of French power in America.  On the 22nd of July the fleur-de-lis was hauled down from Fort St Louis to give place to the cross of St George.  The officers of the garrison were treated with consideration and allowed to keep their arms, clothing, and any peltry which they possessed.  To the missionaries, however, the Calvinistic victors were not so generous.  The priests were permitted to keep only their robes and books.

The terms of surrender were ratified by David Kirke at Tadoussac on the 19th of August, and on the following day a hundred and fifty English soldiers took possession of the town and fort.  Such of the inhabitants as did not elect to remain in the colony and all the missionaries were marched on board the waiting vessels [Footnote:  There were in all eighty-five persons in the colony, thirty of whom remained.  The rest were taken prisoners to England; these included the Jesuit fathers Ennemond Masse, Anne de Noue, and Jean de Brebeuf; the Recollet fathers Joseph Le Caron and Joseph de la Roche de Daillon; and several lay brothers of both orders.] and taken to Tadoussac, where they remained for some weeks while the English were making ready for the home voyage.

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The Jesuit Missions : A chronicle of the cross in the wilderness from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.