e beaver skins, as they expected. Kirke and the
Lutheran minister took for their own use the nicest volumes of the
library, and three or four pictures. The Recollets had filled a leather
bag with the ornaments of their church, and had hidden it underground,
far in the woods, thinking that they might return sooner or later.

On the Sunday following the capitulation, July 22nd, Louis Kirke hoisted
the English flag over one of the bastions of the fort, and in order to
render the official possession of Quebec more imposing, he placed his
soldiers in ranks along the ramparts, and at a precise hour a volley was
fired from English muskets. In the afternoon, Champlain, the Jesuits,
and the greater number of the French took passage on the _Flibot_ for
Tadousac, leaving behind the families of Couillard, Martin, Desportes,
Hebert, Hubou, Pivert, Duchesne the surgeon, some interpreters and
clerks, and Pont-Grave who was too sick to leave his room. It was
understood that all those who desired to return to France should start
on the day fixed by Kirke.

The fate of the colony was thus decided. Those who had any authority, by
reason of their character or their official mission, were compelled to
leave. The others were at liberty to remain, especially the
interpreters, who would be useful in trading with the Indians. Before
Champlain's departure, some had taken his advice. Would they remain in
Quebec under a new regime, with nothing to hope for? Who was this
victorious Kirke, so captivating in appearance? Perhaps a lion clothed
with the skin of a lamb! They knew the Kirke brothers had been guilty of
burning the habitation at Cape Tourmente. Knowing that they were
Protestants, they could not expect sympathy on the score of religion. A
danger existed from every point of view. Nevertheless, Champlain advised
many of them to remain at Quebec in order to save their property. The
only objection was that they would be obliged to observe their religion
for an indefinite time without the ministrations of their priests.

Three years were to elapse before a French vessel again appeared at
Quebec, with authority to hoist the white flag of France. Champlain's
advice was not prejudicial to any one, at least not in temporal matters.
This small nucleus became the great tree whose branches and leaves
extend to-day over the whole American continent. If France had seen the
complete depopulation of Canada, perhaps the king would not have made
the same e