180 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
theless the company stopped there in the middle of a big river where the 
north and northwest winds sweep at their will. And since two leagues above 
there are rivers which form a cross at their discharge into this large arm of 
the sea, this island of the refuge of the French was called Saincte Croix;' it is 
twenty-five leagues beyond Port Royal. 
Now whilst they began to cut and fell the cedars and other trees of the 
said island in order to construct the necessary buildings, let us return to 
seek Master Nicolas Aubri, who had been lost in the woods, and long since 
believed to be dead.* 
When the island was being cleared, the sieur Champdoré was sent to 
St. Marys Bay with a mining expert who had been brought with them to 
take samples from the mine of silver and iron, which they did. : 
The poor Aubri was wonderfully wasted, as one would suppose. 
They gave him food by degrees, and took him to the company at Isle St. 
Croix, whence everyone was completely overjoyed and relieved, and parti- 
cularly the Sieur de Monts, who was touched by this as by nothing else. . 
Now afiter having feasted him* and remained some time to arrange mat- 
ters and to explore the country around Isle Saincte Croix, they spoke of send- 
ing the ships back to France before the winter and at the same time arranged 
for the return of those who had mot come there tio winter.’ In the meantime 
the Indians from all the neighbourhood came to see the outfit of the French, 
and placed themselves voluntarily near them; even in certain disputes mak- 
ing the sieur de Monts judge of their discussions, which is a commencement 
of a voluntary submission from which one may take hope that these people 
will adopt entirely our mode of life. 
Amongst other things which happened before the departure of the vessels, 
it came about one day that an Indian named Bituani, who had found the 
kitchen of Sieur de Monts attractive, and had established himself there, 
rendering some service, in the meantime made love to a girl with a view 
of having her in Serpe Soe but ie wbeing able to bring this about with the 


that the island was a suitable site for a settlement. It must be remembered 
that it was only after experiencing the winter of 1604-1605 that its disadvan- 
tages as a site of a settlement were, or could be, known. 
1 Had we not this statement of Lescarbot the origin of the name Sainte 
Croix applied to this island would have remained uncertain, but with it there 
is no doubt. (Compare earlier, page 144.) 
2 The priest (as Champlain says he was), who was lost at St. Mary’s 
Bay some two weeks earlier, as related both by Champlain and Lescarbot. 
He was found by Champdoré on his arrival at St. Mary’s Bay. 
3 Evidently this was the same expedition mentioned by Champlain, when 
he says that de Monts sent the barque to notify the remainder of the party 
who were in St. Mary’s Bay, etc. (Compare earlier, page 165.) 
# Viz., Nicholas Aubri. 
5 Sieur de Poutrincourt and others. 
5 They encamped apparently at the foot of the island, (later, page 182), 
and for them doubtless the chapel, built after the Indian fashion, (Fig. 8, 14), 
was intended (compare later note 4, page 182). Indian relics have been 
faund on the island, notably a number of wampum beads, now in possession 
of Rev. Jos. Lee, of Red Beach, Maine. 
