au at length received some consolation and compensation for
all his labours, when a bull was issued by the pope, granting a jubilee
to New France, which was celebrated at Quebec on July 29th, 1618, and
was the first of its kind. For the celebration of this religious
festival, the Recollets had built some huts, which were used as
stations, and French and Indians proceeded from one of those improvised
chapels to the other, singing the psalms and hymns of the church. In the
year 1618, the Recollets in New France were only three in number:
Fathers Le Caron and d'Olbeau, and Friar Modeste Guines.

During the winter of 1617-18 the missionaries were called upon to decide
a difficult question. Two Frenchmen had disappeared in 1616, and the
discovery of their bones proved that they had been murdered. A diligent
search was instituted which led to the detection of the murderer, who
acknowledged his crime. The question of punishment, however, was
difficult from the fact that a clerk named Beauchesne, who had been
invested with extensive civil power by Champlain, was in the habit of
receiving gifts from the Indians. It was consequently considered
dangerous to do anything that would displease the Indians, as they were
known to be terrible in their vengeance. The Recollets had strongly
protested against this method of receiving gifts, which placed the
settlement in a false position towards the Indians. It was finally
decided to release the prisoner and to accept as hostages two young
Indians. When the matter was brought before Champlain, he approved of
the course adopted, and stated that it was not a wise policy to be too
severe.

This affair, which at one time appeared likely to produce disagreeable
consequences, passed over without event, and some time after a party of
Indians visited Quebec for the purpose of effecting a complete
reconciliation. Thus, when Champlain left for France in 1618, the colony
was secure.

Father Huet, who accompanied Champlain, was charged with many important
missions, one of which related to the administration of baptism to the
Indians. They were quite willing to be baptized, but they had no idea of
the nature of the sacrament, and although they promised to keep their
vows before the ceremony, they soon returned to their old superstitions.
Their want of sincerity was a trial to Father Huet, and he desired to
have the opinion of the Doctors of the Sorbonne to guide him in his
future actions.

During t