g wooden houses forming the Indian settlement. It stood just
below the slope of the mountain, and covered a space of almost two
acres. On the map of the modern city this village of Hochelaga would be
bounded by the four streets, Metcalfe, Mansfield, Burnside, and
Sherbrooke, just below the site of McGill University. But the visit of
Cartier is an event of such historic interest that it can best be
narrated in the words of his own narrative. We may follow here as
elsewhere the translation of Hakluyt, which is itself three hundred
years old, and seems in its quaint and picturesque form more fitting
than the commoner garb of modern prose.

Our captain [so runs the narrative], the next day very
early in the morning, having very gorgeously attired
himself, caused all his company to be set in order to
go to see the town and habitation of these people, and
a certain mountain that is somewhere near the city; with
whom went also five gentlemen and twenty mariners,
leaving the rest to keep and look to our boats. We took
with us three men of Hochelaga to bring us to the place.
All along as we went we found the way as well beaten
and frequented as can be, the fairest and best country
that can possibly be seen, full of as goodly great oaks
as are in any wood in France, under which the ground
was all covered over with fair acorns.

After we had gone about four or five miles, we met by
the way one of the chiefest lords of the city, accompanied
with many more, who, as soon as he saw us, beckoned and
made signs upon us, that we must rest in that place
where they had made a great fire and so we did. After
that we rested ourselves there awhile, the said lord
began to make a long discourse, even as we have said
above they are accustomed to do in sign of mirth and
friendship, showing our captain and all his company a
joyful countenance and good will, who gave him two
hatchets, a pair of knives and a cross which he made
him to kiss, and then put it about his neck, for which
he gave our captain hearty thanks. This done, we went
along, and about a mile and a half farther, we began to
find goodly and large fields full of such corn as the
country yieldeth. It is even as the millet of Brazil as
great and somewhat bigger than small peason [peas],
wherewith they live as we do with ours.

In the midst of those fields is the city of Hochelaga,
placed near and, as it were, joine