they had been exposed, and the discouraging
character of their prospects, led to a unanimous determination to
abandon the station and return to France as soon as possible.[49]

At the very time that Cartier, in Canada, was occupied in preparations
for the reembarkation of the people who had wintered at Cap-Rouge,
Roberval, in France, was completing his arrangements for departure from
Rochelle with three considerable ships. In these were embarked two
hundred persons, consisting of gentlemen, soldiers, sailors, and
colonists, male and female, among whom was a considerable number of
criminals taken out of the public prisons. The two squadrons met in the
harbor of St. John's, Newfoundland, when Cartier, after making his
report to Roberval, was desired to return with the outward-bound
expedition to Canada. Foreseeing the failure of the undertaking, or, as
some have alleged, unwilling to allow another to participate in the
credit of his discoveries, Cartier disobeyed the orders of his superior
officer. Various accounts have been given of this transaction, according
to some of which, Cartier, to avoid detention or importunity, weighed
anchor in the night-time and set sail for France.

Roberval resumed his voyage westward, and by the close of July had
ascended the St. Lawrence to Cap-Rouge, where he at once established his
colonists in the quarters recently vacated by Cartier.

It is unnecessary to narrate in detail the incidents which transpired in
connection with Roberval's expedition, as this proved a signal failure,
and produced no results of consequence to the future fortunes of the
country. It is sufficient to state that, although Roberval himself was a
man endowed with courage and perseverance, he found himself powerless to
cope with the difficulties of his position, which included
insubordination that could be repressed only by means of the gallows and
other extreme modes of punishment; disease, which carried off a quarter
of his followers in the course of the ensuing winter; unsuccessful
attempts at exploration, attended with considerable loss of life; and
finally famine, which reduced the surviving French to a state of abject
dependence upon the natives for the salvation of their lives. Roberval
had sent one of his vessels back to France, with urgent demands for
succor; but the King, instead of acceding to his petition, despatched
orders for him to return home. It is stated, on somewhat doubtful
authority, that Cart