258 DISCOVERIES OF 



1668. 



rate, if it had not made at the time some noise 

 in the world, it would now be wholly undeserving 



of notice. 



To return to Grosseliez. Having explored the 

 country bordering on Nelson's River, he departed 

 for Canada, leaving his nephew Choiiart with five 

 men to winter there; but some disagreement arising 

 between him and his employers, he sent over his 

 brother-in-law to France, to lay before the govern- 

 ment a representation of the advantages vvhich 

 might be derived from an establishment on the 

 coast of Hudson's Bay. The project however w^as' 

 treated as visionary ; but so strongly convinced 

 was' Grosseliez of its great utility, that he set out 

 himself for Paris^ where he met with no better suc- 

 cess than his brother-in-law had done. The only 

 reason assigned for this indifference of the French 

 government, to form any establishment on the 

 shores of Hudson's Bay, is the dismal account 

 given of the climate, in Captain James's narrative, 

 which deterred them from attempting such a 

 project. Mr. Montague was at that time the 

 English minister at Paris ; and hearing of the pro- 

 posal of Grosseliez, and its rejection by the 

 French government, sent for him to explain his 

 views; they appeared so satisfactory to the 

 English minister that he gave him a letter to 

 Prince Rupert, with which he came over to 

 England. Here he met with a different reception 

 from that of his countrymen ; he was imme- 



