Wikibooks: Canadian History/New France

• Format: Book
• Language: English
• Subjects: Jaques; Newfoundland; Prince Edward Island
• Online Access: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Canadian_History/New_France

= Jacques Cartier = Jaques Cartier departed on his first voyage in 1534. He was in search of a passage to East Asia around North America. After twenty days at sea he arrived on the coast of Newfoundland. There he entered the Straight of Belle Island explored the Bay of St. Lawrence crossed to the Magdalene Islands and circled Prince Edward Island. In the Chaleur Bay he met fifty Micmac and returned to their village to celebrate and trade. Disappointed that the bay was not the route to China as Cartier had hoped he continued onwards. Along the coast of Quebec Cartier surprised a fishing party of two hundred Hurons headed by Chief Dannaconna. The Hurons welcomed Cartier and he returned to their village. At that point Cartier decided to sail back to France and bring Donnaconna’s two sons with him Domagaia and Taignagny. The following year Cartier set forth once more spurred by rumors of a large river further west. Perhaps this was the route to Asia that evaded him the year before. Cartier sailed to the Huron Village of Stadacona in present day Quebec. Dadaconna greeted him affably but refused him passage further west. Three Huron medicine men disguised themselves as devils and warned him to travel no further. Cartier laughed and continued heedlessly. Soon he reached Hochilaga another Huron village. Extensive festivities followed. A few days later Cartier decided the St. Lawrence was not the route to China and returned to Stadaconna for the winter. Over the winter Cartier’s men became very ill from scurvy. Out of one hundred and ten men less than ten were strong enough to look for food. Afraid that the natives might attack them if they discovered that the French were ill Cartier ordered his men to make a lot of noise as they traveled through the forest. This he wagered would make it sound as if the number of hunters were greater. If not for Domagaia Cartier and his men would probably have perished. Domaigaia after eating the bark and needles of a white cedar became healthy once more. He shared this news with ...