4.iO Notes on Aboriginal Antiquities, 



havino" been made from the earlier texts now lost, but some of 

 them are pretty evidently errors of translation. Our extracts re- 

 fer to the day following Cartier's arrival at the Island of Mont- 

 real, and his landing as is believed below the Current. 



" The Captaine the next day very earely in the morning, having 

 attired hiraselfe, caused all his company to be set in order to go 

 to see the towne and habitation of those people, and a certaine 

 mountaine that is neere the citie ; with whom went also five gen- 

 tlemen, and twentie Mariners, leaving the rest to keepe and looke 

 to our boates : we tooke with us three men of Hochelaga to bring 

 us to the place. All along as we went we found the way as well 

 beaten and frequented as can be, the fairest and best country that 

 possibly can be scene, full of as goodly great okes as are in any 

 wood in France, under which the ground was all covered over 

 with faire akornes. After we had gone about foure or five miles, 

 we met by the way one of the chiefest lords of the citie, accom- 

 panied with many moe, who so soone as he sawe us beckned and 

 made signes upon us, that W3 must rest us in that place where 

 they had a great fire, and so we did. Then the said lord began 

 to make a long discourse, even as we have saide above, they are 

 accustomed to doe in signe of mirth and friendship, shewing our 

 Captaine and all his company a joyfull countenance, and good 

 will ; who gave him two hatchets, a paire of knives and a crucifix 

 which he made him to kisse, and then put it about his necke, for 

 which he gave our Captaine heartie thankes. This done, we went 

 along, and about a mile and a halfe farther, we began to finde 

 goodly and large cultivated fieldes, full of such corne as the coun- 

 trie yeeldeth. It is even as the Millet of Bresil, as great and some 

 what bigger then small peason, wherewith they live even as we 

 doe with our wheal. In the midst of those fields is the citie of 

 Hochelaga, placed neere, and as it were joyned to a great moun- 

 taine* that is tilled round about, very fertill, on the top of which 

 you may see very farre, we named it Mount Roiall. The citie of 

 Hochelaga is round, compassed about with timber, with three 

 course of Rampires, one within another framed like a sharpe 

 spire, or pyramid, but laid acrosse above. The middle most of 

 them is perpendicular. The Rampires are framed and fashioned 

 with pieces of timber, layd along very well and cunningly joyned 

 togither after their fashion. This enclosure is in height about 

 two rods.f It hath but one gate or entrie thereat, which is shut 



* Literally — "which surrounds it, well cultivated and very fertile." 

 t French, — " deux lances." The drawing in Ramusio's translation 

 would give a height of about 16 feet. 



