[GANONG ] DOCHET (ST. CROIX) ISLAND 173 
hanches, cuisses, espaules, aux bras & au col; la bouche leur deuenoit si 
infecte d’vne chair pourrie laquelle y surabondoit & renaissoit du iour au 
lendemain quand on la pensoit enleuer, qu’en peu de tenps trente-six en 
moururent: Il y en eut quarante ou enuiron lesquels en guerirent quand le 
Printemps fut reuenu. 
L’Hyuer passé, le sieur des Monts fit equipper la barque pour aller des- 
couvrir nouuelles terres où l’habitation peust estre plus saine qu'à S. Croix: 
il costoya plusieurs pays iusques à Malebarre, mais n'ayant trouué le lieu 
propre il s’en reuint à sa premiere habitation, attendant quelque nauire pours 
s’en retourner en France. Comme il estoit en ces termes, arriua le sieur du 
Pont-Graué de Honfleur auec vne compagnie de quelques quarante hommes 
pour le secourir: Ceste venué fit qu'ils aduiserent ensemble d’aller faire la 
demeure à vn Port que le sieur de Poitrincourt auoit demandé audit sieur de 
Monts pour y habiter à leur retour; & l’auoit appellé le Port-Royal, qui est 
dans la Baye Francoise. 
Ceste resolution prise, chacun desfaict son logis: on transporte tout à la 
nouuelle habitation. 
TRANSLATION. 
On the seventeenth of March in the year 1604, Sieur de Monts set out with 
two vessels from Havre de Grace to commence there the aforementioned 
settlement, and to winter there. Having arrived there after experiencing 
several storms at sea, he established his first settlement in the river of 
Canada? on the Isle St. Croix, where he built a fort which he provided with 
cannon, and with several framed buildings. Some constructed huts for them- 
selves after the Indian manner. In short, they cleared the island, explored 
several places in its neighbourhood, where they sowed seeds, and placed 
everything in the best order they could for passing the winter. Meanwhile 
the Sieur de Poutrincourt who had accompanied him in this voyage, returned 
to France with the two ships which carried several bales of beaver and other 
kinds of fur. 
The winter, which is very severe in that country, having set in, these new 
settlers suffered great hardships, especially for want of wood and fresh 
water, as they had but a single boat for passing the great river in search of 
these things, for their barque was not in repair. Then it was pitiful, for the 
ice and snow were so great there that the cider froze in the casks, and the 
wine was served only on certain days of the week. Many who drank of the 
snow water fell suddenly ill of diseases unknown in Europe, similar to those 
which they had who formerly accompanied Jacques Cartier. First their legs 
became thick and swollen, the muscles shrunken and black; then the disease 
crept up to the hips, thighs and shoulders, to the arms and neck; their mouths 
became so charged with rotten flesh which spread all over and grew afresh 
between night and morning when it was sought to remove it, that in a short 
time thirty-six of them died of it. There were about forty men who were 
cured of it when Spring returned. 
The winter being over, Sieur de Monts fitted out the barque to go to seek 
new lands where a settlement would be more healthful than at St. Croix. 

* This is an expression I do not understand, for the “ River of Canada”’ 
mes the St. Lawrence. Champlain could hardly have made such a mistake, 
which is evidence against his authorship of this account. 
