18 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



to riches and resources, both for gold and silver as well as for other 

 necessaries of life, and all that "without so much pain and work as 3'ou 

 have generally. Please take this meagre budget of news in good part, 

 Sir, as coming from 



Your most affectionate servant. 



Des Combes. 

 From Brest, in Canada, this 13th February, 1608. 



PEEMISSION". 



Leon Savine, master printer, is allowed to print the present copy 

 of letter, with interdiction to any others in such case required. 



Doue this 19th February, 1609. 



De Villars. 



Critical remarks upon the Volume. 



There can be no question of the genuineness of the book. The 

 printing and paper prove that it was really issued about the time stated 

 on the title page and the imprimatur is an additional guarantee, for 

 no one could dare in those days to trifle "wdth an oflieial license. The 

 authenticity of the letter is another question; for there is no mention 

 in any of the records of the persons named in it. Neither the writer, 

 the Sieur de Combes; nor the Commandant, the Sieiir du Dongeon; 

 nor the Sieur de Fougères; nor the Sieur de Bricant can be found in 

 the annals of this country; and yet the Sieur du Dongeon was a royal 

 officer and is represented as writing to the King for reinforcements. 

 IN'o trace of such correspondence exists in the voluminous records of the 

 French Government, and the officers of the Canadian Archives have 

 examined them carefully and have copied or calendared the most 

 important. 



The narrative of the voyage is plainly fabulous. Maida Island 

 and Isle Verde are imaginary islands which existed solely in the maps; 

 but the vessels took shelter there. The Azores have always been Portu- 

 guese and Portuguese was and is spoken there. As Portugal was then 

 under the power of Spain it is not surprising that they met a Spanish 

 fleet, although no one who had been there would have divided the 

 allegiance of the Azores group and said that most of them belonged 



