684 H. P. Biggar

Lescarbot's own voyage to Port Royal, of his life there during the winter of 1606- 1607 and of his return to France in the autumn of the latter year. Here, where he is recounting events in which he himself took part, Lescarbot is certainly at his best. His gaiety, ' his inquisitive mind, ^ his original way at looking at things, ^ all come out clearly in these chapters of his work. He evidently kept a diary _of his own in order to be able to reproduce so faith- fully the dates of the principal events. After describing what took place at Port Royal on their arrival and during the absence of de Poutrincourt on a voyage of discovery when he himself was left in charge of the colony, '" he gives a short description of this voy- age. ^ Champlain's account however is more complete for he formed part of the company. ' Lescarbot does not go into great detail as to the events of the winter. * He has told us elsewhere however that after the day's work was over, he himself used to re- tire to his study where he wrote or read. He had brought with him a small collection of books as well as his Bible out of which, indeed, at de Poutrincourt's request, he preached to the company every Sunday. ' In thus replacing the regular priest who had died before their arrival, '" Lescarbot seems to have thumbed his Bible 1 Hisloire, p. 563. " Nous ne laissions pourtant de riie la plusp.<irt." ^ Ibid., p. 556. "II me vint en memoire I'ancienne coutume des Chretiens, les- quels allans en voyage portoient avec eux le sacre pain de I'Eucharistie . . . ie de- manday ti on nous voudrait faire de meme," etc. ^ Ibid., pp. 545 et seqq., where are printed his verses "Adieu a la France." < Ibid., p. 545, " le lendemain de notre arrivee qui fut le troisieme jour d'avril ;" p. 558, "I'onzieme de May" and " le Samedi . . . trezieme de May;" p. 559, le sezieme jour de May;" p. 565, " Depuis que nous eumes quitte ces Forbans, nous fumes jusques au dix-huitieme de juin agitez de vents ;" p. 567, " Et le 21 dudit mois ;" p. 569, " ce qui occasionna de jetter la sonde par un jeudi vingt deuxieme de Juin ;" p. 575, " Le quatrieme de Juillet noz matelots . . . apparceurent des le grand matin les iles Sainct Pierre;" p. 584, "II arriva le Lundi dernier jour de Juillet et demeura . . . au Port Royal jusques au vingt huitieme d'Aoust," etc. = Ibid., p. 590. " I'estois demeure, ayant este de ce prie pour avoir I'ceil a la mai- son et maintenir ce qui y restoit de gens en Concorde." ^Ibid., pp. 589-617. ■ Laverdiere, (Euvres de Chamflain, Tome III., Chaps. XIII-XV. "^ Histoire, etc., pp. 61S-619. " Ce seroit chose longue de vouloir minuter tout ce qui se faisoit durant I'hiver." ^ Ibid., pp. 518-519. " Car chacun estant retire au soir, parmi les caquets, bruits et tintamares, i'estois enclos en mon etude lisant ou ecrivant quelque chose. Memes ie ne seray point honteux de dire qu' ayant este prie par le sieur de Poutrincourt notre chef de donner quelques heures de mon Industrie a enseigner Chretiennement notre petit peuple, pour ne vivre en betes, et pour donner exemple de notre faqon de vivre aux Sauvages, ie Pay fait . . . par chacun Dimanche, et quelquefois extraordinairement preque tout le temps que nous y avons este. Et bien me vint que i'avois porte ma Bible et quelques livres, sans y penser : Car autrement celam'eust fort fatigue, et eust este cause que ie m'en serois excuse." '^"Ibid. , p. 556. " N'y estant demeure qu'un Pretre en la demeure de la Xouvelle France lequel on nous dit estre mort quand nous arrivames la."