184 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
pied by gardens in which each one exercised himself with a happy heart. 
Thus the autumn passed; and it was well for them to have lodged themselves, 
and to have cleared the island before the winter; whilst in these parts pam- 
phlets' were circulated under the name of Maitre Guillaume (Master Wil- 
liam), stuffed with all kinds of news,” by the which, amongst other things, this 
prophet said that Sieur de Monts did pull out ‘thorns in Canada.* And when all 
is said it is very truly pulling out thorns in taking in hand such enterprises 
full of continual perils and fatigues, of cares, anguish and discomforts. But 
the virtue and the courage which subdues everything makes these thorns but 
carnations and roses to those who are determined on heroic actions to com- 
mend themselves to the memory of men, and close their eyes to the pleasures: 
of those effeminates who are good only to guard the chamber. 
The most needful things having been done, the hoary father, that is to 
say, the winter, being come, made it necessary to keep to the house and 
each to live at his own home. During this time our people suffered three 
principal discomforts on the island, namely, lack of wood (for that which 
was on the island had been used for the buildings), want of fresh water, and 
the watching which was done at night through fear of some surprise by the 
Indians who were encamped at the foot of the island, or some other enemy. 
For the malediction and rage of many Christians is such that it is neces- 
sary to guard against them more than against infidels. This is something I 
say with regret, but I would that I lied in this regard and that I had no cause 
to speak it.* Now, when it was necessary to have fresh water or wood one 
had to pass the river which is more than thrice as large as the Seine on each 
side. It is a painful and tedious business. So that it was needful to keep 
the boat very often a whole day before obtaining the things needed Then 
the cold and snow arrived, and the freezing was so strong that the cider was 
frozen in the barrels, and it was necessary to portion out the share of each 
one by weight. As for the wine, it was only served out on certain days of 
the week. Many lazy fellows drank snow water without taking the trouble 
to cross the river.® In brief here came a certain unknown sickness like to 
those which Captain Jacques Cartier has described to us earlier, which for 

+ Levrets, that is, livrets. 
* This passage seems to show that the young gentlemen amused them- 
selves in winter, as the men of arctic expeditions do to this day, by issuing 
the equivalent of a newspaper, probably not printed but written out by 
hand. What would not we collectors of local literature be tempted to give 
for a complete set of the Master William, issued on Dochet Island in the winter 
of 1604-1605 ! 
* An equivalent for our ‘“ draw the teeth,” viz., to subdue ? 
* It is possible that Lescarbot here refers only to a possible attack by the 
English or some other Christian enemy, but his language seems rather to 
refer to some treachery or mutiny within the party itself, though there is no 
cther evidence of such a thing. After all, though we know the main facts 
about the settlement, we know little of the life of those seventy-seven men 
during that winter on the Island. 
° He must refer to a time When most of the men were incapacitated, and 
the few who could do the work needed rest between their toilsome voyages. 
* Showing bad discipline, and also implying a lack of concerted action in 
obtaining water. It is quite probable that with a rigid discipline and com- 
