g which
he was incessantly engaged in exploration show him at the height of his
powers, with health still unimpaired by exposure and with a soul that
courted the unknown. Moreover, this is the period for which we have his
own narrative in fullest detail.

Even were we seeking to set down every known fact regarding Champlain's
early life the task would not be long. Parkman, in referring to his
origin, styles him 'a Catholic gentleman,' with not even a footnote
regarding his parentage. [Footnote: It is hard to define Champlain's
social status in a single word. Parkman, besides styling him 'a Catholic
gentleman,' speaks of him elsewhere as being 'within the pale of the
noblesse.' On the other hand, the Biographie Saintongeoise says that he
came from a family of fishermen. The most important facts would seem
to be these. In Champlain's own marriage contract his father is styled
'Antoine de Champlain, Capitaine de la Marine.' The same document styles
Champlain himself 'Samuel de Champlain.' A petition in which he asks
for a continuation of his pension (circ. 1630) styles him in its opening
words 'Le Sieur de Champlain' and afterwards 'le dit sieur Champlain'
in two places, while in six places it styles him 'le dit sieur de
Champlain.' Le Jeune calls him 'Monsieur de Champlain.' It is clear that
he was not a noble. It is also clear that he possessed sufficient social
standing to warrant the use of de. On the title-page of all his
books after 1604 he is styled the 'Sieur de Champlain.'] Dionne, in a
biography of nearly three hundred pages, does indeed mention the names
of his father and mother, but dismisses his first twenty years in twenty
lines, which say little more than that he learned letters and religion
from the parish priest and a love of the sea from his father. Nor is it
easy to enlarge these statements unless one chooses to make guesses
as to whether or not Champlain's parents were Huguenots because he
was called Samuel, a favourite name with French Protestants. And this
question is not worth discussion, since no one has, or can, cast a doubt
upon the sincerity of his own devotion to the Catholic faith.

In short, Champlain by birth was neither a peasant nor a noble, but
issued from a middle-class family; and his eyes turned towards the
sea because his father was a mariner dwelling in the small seaport of
Brouage.

Thus when a boy Champlain doubtless had lessons in navigation, but he
did not become a sailor in th