t refined Myne, ready to be put into the fornace. And on
the waters side we found certaine leaues of fine gold as thicke as a mans
nayle. And Westward of the said Riuer there are, as hath bene sayd, many
faire trees: and toward the water a goodly Medow full of as faire and
goodly grasse as euer I sawe in any Medowe in France: and betweene the
said Medow and the Wood are great store of Vines: (M175) and beyond the
said Vines the land groweth full of Hempe which groweth of it selfe, which
is as good as possibly may be seene, and as strong. And at the ende of the
sayd Medow within an hundred pases there is a rising ground, which is of a
kind of slate stone blacke and thicke, wherein are veines of mynerall
matter, which shewe like gold and siluer: and throughout all that stone
there are great graines of the sayd Myne. And in some places we haue found
stones like Diamants, the most faire, pollished and excellently cut that
it is possible for a man to see, when the Sunne shineth vpon them, they
glister as it were sparkles of fire.

How after the departure of the two shippes which were sent backe into
Britaine, and that the Fort was begun to be builded, the Captaine prepared
two boates to go vp the great Riuer to discouer the passage of the three
Saults or falles of the Riuer.

(M176) The said Captaine hauing dispatched two ships to returne to carry
newes, according as hee had in charge from the king, and that the Fort was
begun to be builded, for preseruation of their victuals and other things,
determined with the Vicount of Beaupre, and other Gentlemen, Masters, and
Pilots chosen for counsayle, to make a voyage with two boates furnished
with men and victuals to goe as farre as Hochelaga, of purpose to view and
vnderstand the fashion of the Saults of water, which are to be passed to
goe to Saguenay, that hee might be the readier in the spring to passe
farther, and in the Winter time to make all things needefull in a
readinesse for their businesse. (M177) The foresaid boates being made
ready, the Captaine and Martine de Painpont, with other Gentlemen and the
remnant of the Mariners departed from the sayd place of Charlesburg Royal
the seuenth day of September in the yeere aforesayd 1540. And the Vicount
of Beaupre stayed behind for the garding and gouernement of all things in
the Fort. And as they went vp the riuer, the Captaine went to see the Lord
of Hochelay, which dwelleth betweene Canada and Hochelaga: which in the