[&axoxc] DOCHET (ST. CROIX) ISLAND 185 
TRANSLATION. 
CHAPTER III. 
. . . . St. Croix Island, and other noteworthy objects on this coast. 
. + . . Wwe entered a river almost half a league in breadth at its mouth,‘ 
sailing up which a league or two we found two islands: one very small? near 
the western bank: and the other® in mid-river, having a circumference of 
perhaps eight or nine hundred paces,* with rocky sides three or four fathoms ° 
high all around, except in one small place,® where there is a sandy point and 
clayey earth adapted for making brick and other needful articles. There is 
another place affording a shelter for vessels from eighty to a hundred tons: 
but it is dry at low tide.‘ The island is covered with firs, birches, maples and 
oaks. It is by nature very well situated, except in one place, where for about 
forty paces it is lower than elsewhere:® this, however, is easily fortified, the 
banks of the main land being distant on both sides some nine hundred to a 
thousand paces.” Vessels could pass up the river only at the mercy of the 
cannon on this island, and we deemed the location the most advantageous, not 
only on account of its situation and good soil, but also on account of the inter- 
course which we proposed with the savages of these coasts and of the interior, 
as we should be in the midst of them. We hoped to pacify them in the course 
of time and put an end to the wars which they carry on with one another, so 
as to derive service from them in future, and convert them to the Christian 
faith. This place was named by Sieur de Monts Saint Croix Island." Farther 
on there is a great bay, in which are two islands, one high and the other flat ;** 

2 Now the St. Croix, with its mouth at Joes Point (Fig. 2). 
? Now Little Dochet (Fig. 2). 
5 Now Dochet, the subject of this Monograph (Fig. 2). 
* The distance is about exact, as the island was at that time. 
° The fathom was rather more than ours, being nearly seven feet (com- 
pare the scales on Wright’s map, Fig. 12). 
$ This point no doubt would be that shown on Champlain’s map (Fig. 8) 
as mounted with two cannon. Here as comparison with the modern map will 
show (Fig. 14), the rocks are wanting and there is a sandy beach. 
7 This is Treats Cove (Fig. 3), altered considerably from its appearance at 
the time of Champlain, but still forming such a harbour as he describes. I 
have been told by a former resident of the island, that, before the sand was 
removed between the main island and the Chapel Nubble, this was a most 
charming harbour, protected by high banks all around. Compare Wright’s 
map (Fig. 12), where it is very clearly shown. The bottom is of sand, and so 
smooth that small vessels can lie in perfect safety upon it as the tide falls. 
* Oaks are not now found among the few trees on the island, though 
Wright found one tree in 1797 (see later, page 204). The others here mentioned 
still occur on the island (compare page 139). 
° This refers, I believe, to the part of the island on the south-west shore, 
where it slopes almost to the water’s edge. 
7” In a general way these distances are about correct, though Champlain’s 
own map (Fig. 8), being for a Special reason (elsewhere explained, page 156), 
much distorted in this respect, makes it much less. 
“1 This name was suggested by the meeting of the rivers above the island 
in the form of a cross, as earlier (page 144) explained. 
7 Oak Bay, with the lofty Cooksons Island, some 300 feet in height, and the 
low sandy Little Island. (Fig. 2). 
