in and
acquainted him with the details of the plot. Champlain also listened to
the man's account and promised to observe secrecy, although he took
precautions to frustrate the scheme by inviting the leader and the four
conspirators to an entertainment on board Captain Le Testu's barque.

The men accepted the invitation, and as soon as they were on board they
were seized and held in custody until the following day. The deposition
of each man was then taken by Champlain in the presence of the pilot and
sailors, and set down in writing, after which the "worthies" were sent
to Tadousac, where Champlain requested Pont-Grave to guard them for a
time. Some days after the men were returned to Quebec, where they were
placed on trial for attempted murder.

The jury was composed of Champlain, Pont-Grave, Le Testu, Bonnerme, the
mate and the second mate, and some sailors. The verdict was unanimous.
Duval was condemned to death on the spot as the instigator of the plot,
and the others were also sentenced to death, but their sentence was to
be carried out in France. Duval was strangled at Quebec, and his head
was placed on a pike which was set up in the most conspicuous part of
the fort. This was the second example of capital punishment in New
France. The first case recorded was at Charlesbourg Royal, or Cap-Rouge,
near Quebec, in the winter of 1542-3, when Michel Gaillon, one of
Roberval's companions, was put to death.

Champlain was invested with executive, legislative and judiciary powers,
but the founder of Quebec never abused the authority intrusted to him.
From this time every one fulfilled his duty day by day, and Champlain
was able to continue his work in peace.

The habitation was composed of three buildings of two stories, each one
of three fathoms long and two and a half wide. The storehouse was six
fathoms long and three wide, with a cellar six feet deep. There was a
gallery around the buildings, at the second story. There were also
ditches fifteen feet wide and six deep. On the outer side of the ditches
Champlain constructed several spurs, which enclosed a part of the
dwelling, at the point where he placed a cannon. Before the habitation
there was a square four fathoms wide and six or seven long, looking out
upon the river bank. Surrounding the habitation were very good gardens,
and an open space on the north side, some hundred and twenty paces long
and fifty or sixty wide.

During the first weeks after his installa