eans, the first to winter
in the northern part of this continent. A fearful experience it was.
When the cold was at its worst, and the vessels moored in the St.
Charles River were locked fast in ice and burled in snow-drifts, that
dreadful scourge of early explorers, the scurvy, attacked the
Frenchmen. Soon twenty-five had died, and of the living but three or
four were in health. For fear that the Indians, if they learned of
their wretched plight, might seize the opportunity of destroying them
outright, Cartier did not allow any of them to approach the fort. One
day, however, chancing to meet one of them who had himself been ill
with the scurvy, but now was quite well, he was told of a sovereign
remedy, a decoction of the leaves of a certain tree, probably the
spruce. The experiment was tried with success, and the sick Frenchmen
recovered.

{62}

At last the dreary winter wore away, and Cartier prepared to return
home. He had found neither gold nor a passage to India, but he would
not go empty-handed. Donnaconna and nine of his warriors were lured
into the fort as his guests, overwhelmed by sturdy sailors, and carried
on board the vessels. Then, having raised over the scene of this cruel
treachery the symbol of the Prince of Peace, he set sail for France.

In 1541 Cartier made another, and last, voyage to Canada. On reaching
Stadacone he was besieged by savages eagerly inquiring for the chiefs
whom he had carried away. He replied that Donnaconna was dead, but the
others had married noble ladies and were living in great state in
France. The Indians showed by their coldness that they knew this story
to be false. Every one of the poor exiles had died.

On account of the distrust of the natives, Carder did not stop at
Stadacone, but pursued his way up the river. While the bulk of his
party made a clearing on the shore, built forts, and sowed turnip-seed,
he went on and explored the rapids above Hochelaga, evidently still
hoping to find a passage to India. Of course, he was disappointed. He
returned to the place {63} where he had left his party and there spent
a gloomy winter, destitute of supplies and shunned by the natives.

All that he had to show for his voyage was a quantity of some shining
mineral and of quartz crystals, mistaken for gold and diamonds. The
treachery of the second voyage made the third a failure.

Thus ended in disappointment and gloom the career of France's great
pioneer, whose d