d Champagne. Cartier, anxious to follow the king's
wishes, could wait no longer and, at length, he set out with his five
ships, leaving Roberval to prepare other ships at Honfleur and follow
as he might. From first to last the relations of Cartier and Roberval
appear to need further explanation than that which we possess. Roberval
was evidently the nominal head of the enterprise and the feudal lord of
the countries to be claimed, but Cartier seems to have been restless
under any attempt to dictate the actual plan to be adopted, and his
final desertion of Roberval may be ascribed to the position in which he
was placed by the divided command of the expedition.

The expedition left St Malo on May 23, 1541, bearing in the ships food
and victuals for two years. The voyage was unprosperous. Contrary winds
and great gales raged over the Atlantic. The ships were separated at
sea, and before they reached the shores of Newfoundland were so hard
put to it for fresh water that it was necessary to broach the cider
casks to give drink to the goats and the cattle which they carried. But
the ships came together presently in safety in the harbour of Carpunt
beside Belle Isle, refitted there, and waited vainly for Roberval. They
finally reached the harbour of the Holy Cross at Stadacona on August 23.

The savages flocked to meet the ships with a great display of joy,
looking eagerly for the return of their vanished Donnacona. Their new
chief, Agouhanna, with six canoes filled with men, women, and children,
put off from the shore. The moment was a difficult one. Donnacona and
all his fellow-captives, except only one little girl, had died in
France. Cartier dared not tell the whole truth to the natives, and he
contented himself with saying that Donnacona was dead, but that the
other Indians had become great lords in France, had married there and
did not wish to return. Whatever may have been the feeling of the tribe
at this tale, the new chief at least was well pleased. 'I think,' wrote
Cartier, in his narrative of this voyage, 'he took it so well because
he remained lord and governor of the country by the death of the said
Donnacona.' Agouhanna certainly made a great show of friendliness. He
took from his own head the ornament of hide and wampum that he wore and
bound it round the brows of the French leader. At the same time he put
his arms about his neck with every sign of affection.

When the customary ceremonies of eating and drinking