sdames' barque, hoping to meet a French
vessel at Gaspe. One month later Desdames returned, and confirmed the
news that the English vessels had devastated the Acadian coast, and
burnt the habitations. Neither Desdames nor his party had seen any
French vessel in the gulf, but they had met Iuan Chou, a friend of
Champlain, who had agreed to give hospitality to twenty persons,
including Pont-Grave, by whom he was greatly esteemed. The latter was
still suffering from gout, and it was with some reluctance that he
agreed to leave his position as first clerk, empowered by Guillaume de
Caen to take care of the merchandise. Des Marets, who was Pont-Grave's
grandson, accepted his position in the interim.

Before leaving Quebec Pont-Grave desired Champlain to read publicly the
commission which he had received from Guillaume de Caen. After grand
mass on June 17th Champlain read Pont-Grave's commission and his own in
the presence of all the people, and he added some words, by which it was
easily understood that the king's authority had to be superior to
Guillaume de Caen's commissions. Pont-Grave replied at once: "I see that
you believe in the nullity of my commission!" "Yes," replied Champlain,
"when it comes in conflict with the king's and the viceroy's authority."
This petty dispute had no serious consequence, as it was evident that
Pont-Grave, being only the first clerk of Guillaume de Caen, had no
other authority than to take care of the peltry and merchandise
belonging to his chief.

Before turning their attention to Canada Guillaume and Emery de Caen had
belonged to a large company trading with the East Indies. Both were
Calvinists. Sagard writes that Guillaume was polite, liberal, and of
good understanding. This testimony seems somewhat exaggerated, as we
have many proofs of his niggardliness. His nephew Emery was frank,
liberal and open to conviction, and was always kindly disposed towards
the Jesuits. Guillaume de Caen was the commodore of the fleet equipped
by his associates. His greatest fault appears to have been that he
neglected Champlain and the colony, and for that reason he should share
the responsibility of not having prevented the capitulation of Quebec.
However, it is scarcely fair to say of him that he worked directly
against the French in New France. After the capitulation of 1629,
Cardinal Richelieu wrote of him to the French ambassador in London:
"Please examine his actions. Being a Huguenot, and having bee