[dawson] BREST ON THE QUEBEC LABRADOR 17 



plicity of its inhabitants brings on it the benediction of Heaven because 

 without excess of labour and without hard work to make a living, such 

 as we do in Europe, the}^ have all things in abundance. 



Now to show you the nature of those who reside here you must 

 know that they are very fine men, white as snow. They allow their 

 hair to grow down to the waist, men or women, with high foreheads, 

 the eyes burning like candles, tall in body and well proportioned. The 

 women also are very beautiful and pleasing, well formed and delicate, 

 so much that with the style of their dress, which is somewhat strange, 

 they seem to be nymphs or goddesses. They are very gentle and tract- 

 able, but would rather be killed than consent to their dishonour and 

 they only have connection with their husbands. As regards their man- 

 ner of living in other respects they are brutish, but they are commenc- 

 ing to be civilized and to adopt our ways and deportment, they are 

 easy to teach in the Christian Faith without showing much obstinacy 

 in their paganism, so much so that if some preacher were to visit them 

 I think that in a short time the whole of the Country would turn to 

 the Christian Faith without m.uch effort, and I tliink also by that 

 means the road would be open over all America for the conquest of 

 souls, which is more important than all the territories that can ever 

 be conquered. 



It should be known that we hold a large extent of country as 

 Frenchmen and that we have undertaken the conquest of the Atares, 

 which is one of the richest portions of Canada and where mines of 

 gold and silver are in great abundance, and which are very rich. All 

 along the river sides even are to be found something like small nug- 

 gets of fine gold, many precious stones, diamonds and other wealth. 

 The people there are cruel and warlike and give us much trouble. We 

 want badly some help from France, and I think Monsieur du Dongeon 

 has written to the King to that efi'ect, and I tell you that if we receive 

 help we shall have the upper hand of them, and will perform such 

 deeds that the memory will go down to posterity and the glory of French- 

 men will live for ever in all America. 



This is briefly what I can write you for the present, as I have 

 not been long enough in the country to know all its singularities, and 

 I beg that you may be satisfied with this little until time and experi- 

 ence have furnished me the means to add to my information and 

 enable me to describe to you at full length the merits of such a fine 

 conquest. I promise and assure you that, France being excepted, Can- 

 ada is one of the most beautiful and agreeable countries that you can 

 either see or desire, and I would dare even to prefer it to France as 



Sec. II., 190Ô. 2 



