rters, de Monts
decided to proceed southwards, and the party at length came to a number
of islands at the entrance of the river Ste. Croix, or Des Etchemins.
One of these islands was chosen for their establishment, and named Ste.
Croix, "because," says Lescarbot, "they perceived two leagues above this
island two streams flowing into the channel of the river, presenting the
appearance of a cross." De Monts at once commenced to fortify the place
by forming a barricade on a little inlet, which served as a station on
which he set up a cannon; it was situated halfway between the mainland
and the island of Ste. Croix. Some days afterwards all the French who
were waiting in St. Mary's Bay disembarked on the island. They were all
eager and willing to work, and commenced to render the place habitable.
They erected a storehouse and a residence for de Monts, and built an
oven and a hand-mill for grinding wheat. Some gardens were also laid
out, and various kinds of seeds were sown, which flourished well on the
mainland, though not on the island, which was too sandy.

De Monts was anxious to ascertain the location of a mine of pure copper
which had been spoken of, and accordingly he despatched Champlain, with
a savage named Messamouet, who asserted that he could find the place. At
about eight leagues from the island, near the river St. John, they found
a mine of copper, which, however, was not pure, though fairly good.
According to the report of the miner, it would yield about eighteen per
cent. Lescarbot says that amidst the rocks, diamonds and some blue and
clear stones could be found as precious as turquoises. Champdore, one of
the carpenters, took one of these stones to France, and had it divided
into many fragments and mounted by an artist. De Monts and Poutrincourt,
to whom they were presented, considered these gems so valuable that they
offered them to the king. A goldsmith offered Poutrincourt fifteen crown
pieces for one of them.

Agriculture did not flourish on the island of Ste. Croix, which is about
half a league in circumference. The rays of the sun parched the sand so
that the gardens were entirely unproductive, and there was a complete
dearth of water. At the commencement there was a fair quantity of wood,
but when the buildings were finished there was scarcely any left; the
inhabitants, consequently, nearly perished from cold in the winter. All
the liquor, wine and beer became frozen, and as there was no water the
p