to
our ships, except that sometimes we had strife and contention with
certaine naughtie people, full sore against the will of the others. Wee
vnderstood of Donnacona and of others, that the said riuer is called the
riuer of Saguenay, and goeth to Sagnenay, being somewhat more then a
league farther Westnorthwest, and that 8 or 9 dayes journeys beyond, it
will beare but small boats. (M148) But the right and ready way to Saguenay
is vp that way to Hochelaga, and then into another that commeth from
Saguenay, and then entreth into the foresaid riuer, and that there is yet
one moneths sayling thither. (M149) Moreouer, they told vs and gave vs to
vnderstand, that there are people clad with cloth as we are, very honest,
and many inhabited townes, and that they haue great store of Gold and red
Copper: (M150) and that about the land beyond the said first riuer to
Hochelaga and Saguenay, is an Iland enuironed round about with that and
other riuers, and that beyond Saguenay the said riuer entereth into two or
3 great lakes, and that there is a Sea of fresh water found, and as they
haue heard say of those of Sanguenay, there was neuer man heard of that
found out the end thereof: for, as they told vs, they themselues were
neuer there. Moreouer they told vs, that where we had left our Pinnesse
when wee went to Hochelaga, there is a riuer that goeth Southwest, from
whence there is a whole moneths sayling to goe to a certaine land, where
there is neither yce nor snow seene, where the inhabitants doe continually
warre one against another, where there is great store of Oranges, Almonds,
Nuts, and Apples, with many other sorts of fruits, and that the men and
women are clad with beasts skinnes euen as they: we asked them if there
were any gold or red copper, they answered no. I take this place to be
toward Florida, as farre as I could perceiue and vnderstand by their
signes and tokens.

Chap. 13. Of a strange and cruell disease that came to the people of
Stadacona, wherewith because we did haunt their company, we were so
infected, that there died 25 of our company.

In the moneth of December, wee vnderstood that the pestilence was come
among the people of Stadacona, in such sort, that before we knew of it,
according to their confession, there were dead aboue 50: whereupon we
charged them neither to come neere our Fort, nor about our ships, or vs.
And albeit we had driuen them from vs, the said vnknowen sicknes began to
spread itselfe