the rapids
of the St. Lawrence. Returning to Tadousac, he determined to explore
Gaspesia, and proceeded to visit Perce and Mal Bay, where he met Indians
at every turn. He also was informed by Prevert, from St. Malo, who was
exploring the country, of the existence of a copper mine.

Champlain carefully noted all the information he had received, and after
his return to Tadousac he sailed again for France on August 16th, 1603,
and reached Havre de Grace, after a passage of twenty-one days. On his
arrival in France, he heard that Aymar de Chastes had died a few weeks
previously, on August 13th. This was a great loss to Canada, and
especially to Champlain, for he was convinced that the noble and
enterprising de Chastes was seriously disposed to colonize New France.
"In this enterprise," he says, "I cannot find a single fault, because it
has been well inaugurated." With the death of de Chastes, the project of
colonizing would undoubtedly have fallen through had not Champlain been
present to promote another movement in this direction. Champlain had an
interview with the king, and presented him with a map of the country
which he had visited, and placed in his hands a relation of his
voyage.[4] Henry IV was so favourably impressed that he promised to
assist Champlain in his patriotic designs.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] This island is only forty leagues in length and twenty in breadth,
and belonged to the Spanish from the date of its discovery by Ponce de
Leon in 1509, to 1598. When Champlain visited the island it had been
taken by George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland. During the same year Sir
John Berkeley commanded, but being unable to remain there, he deserted
the place, and joined Clifford near the Azores, when both went to
England, having lost about seven hundred men during their expedition.

[2] This volume is entitled _Brief Discours des choses plus remarquables
que Samuel Champlain de Brouage A reconneues aux Indes Occidentalles Au
voiage qu'il en a faict en icelles en l'annee_ VeIIIJ. XXIX, _et en
l'annee_ VIeJ, _comme ensuit_.

This manuscript was discovered by M. Feret, antiquarian, poet and
librarian, of Dieppe. The Hakluyt Society had it translated in 1859, and
published at London. In 1870 the Reverend Laverdiere, librarian of the
Laval University, of Quebec, had it printed in French, with the designs,
coloured for the most part, with the complete works of Champlain. This
manuscript is supposed to have been preserved by a