In the meantime Talon was in no way idle.  He had to organize the means of conveying provisions, ammunition, tools, and supplies of every description for the maintenance of the troops and the furtherance of the work.  Under his supervision a flotilla of over fifty boats plied between Quebec and the river Richelieu.  It was also his business to take care of the incoming soldiers and labourers and to see that those who had contracted disease during their journey across the ocean received proper nursing and medical attendance.

From the moment of his arrival he had lost no opportunity of acquiring information on the situation in the colony.  There is a curious anecdote that illustrates the manner in which he sometimes contrived to gain knowledge by concealing his identity.  On the very day of his landing he went alone to the Hotel-Dieu, and asking for the superioress, introduced himself as the valet de chambre of the intendant, pretending to be sent by his master to assure the good ladies of the hospital of M. Talon’s kindly disposition and desire to bestow on them every favour in his gift.  One of the sisters present at the interview—­Mere de la Nativite, a very bright and clever woman—­was struck by the extreme distinction of manner and speech of the so-called valet, and, with a meaning glance at the superioress, told the visitor that unless she was mistaken he was more than he pretended to be.  On his asking what could convey to her that impression, she replied that by his bearing and language she could not but feel that the intendant himself was honouring the Hotel-Dieu with a visit.  Talon could do no less than confess that she was right, showing at the same time that he appreciated the delicate compliment thus paid to him.  From that day he was a devoted and most generous friend to the Hotel-Dieu of Quebec.

One of the first problems with which the intendant had to deal in discharging the duties of his office was the dualism of administrative authority.  It has been mentioned that Colbert had founded a new trading company, known as the West India Company.  This corporation had been granted wide privileges over all the French possessions in America, including feudal ownership and authority to administer justice and levy war.  The company was thus invested with the right of appointing judicial officers, magistrates, and sovereign councils, and of naming, subject to the king’s sanction governors and other functionaries; it had full power to sell the land or make grants in feudal tenure, to receive all seigneurial dues, to build forts, raise troops, and equip war-ships.  The company’s charter had been granted in 1664, and of course Canada, as well as the other French colonies in the New World, was included in its jurisdiction.  The situation of this colony was therefore very peculiar.  In 1663 the king had cancelled the charter of the One Hundred Associates and had taken back the fief of Canada; but a year later he had granted it again