186 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
sieur de Pont not knowing the state of our French men thought to find there 
a settlement quite assured, with buildings ready; but because of the accidents 
of the strange malady of which we have spoken it was decided to change the 
location. The Sieur de Monts had strongly desired that the new settlement 
should be in forty degrees,’ that is to say six degrees nearer the Equator than 
the situation of St. Croix; but after having seen the coast as far) as Male- 
barre,? and with much care, without finding what he wanted, it was delib- 
erated whether to go to Port Royal to make the settlement, awaiting the 
means to make a more ample exploration. Thus each one busied himself to 
pack up his baggage. They demolished that which they had built with a 
thousand labours, except the store-house, which was a piece too large to 
transport,’ and in accomplishing this several voyages were made. All having 
arrived at Port Royal 
Such are the original narratives of the first settlement on St. Croix 
Island. They include the only extant original sources of information 
upon the subject, and all later writers have derived their facts from 
these alone. Since no one of the three is complete, but each supplies 
something lacking in the others, it will be useful to bring together 
here in synopsis the chief events of the settlement, forming a sort of 
composite of the narratives. 
On June 26 or 27, 1604, Sieur de Monts, accompanied by Sieur 
de Champlain and a few men in a small barque, entered Passama- 
quoddy Bay in search of a site for a. permanent settlement. The 
party, or more probably the Sieur de Champlain exploring in advance 
of the main party in a small boat, discovered the island which 
de Monts named Sainte Croix, following a suggestion given him by 
the curious cross-formed meeting of the waters above it. Finding : 
the situation charming, and all the physical features of the island 
favourable for settlement and defence against the Indians, and the 
season growing late, they determined to establish themselves there. 
They at once fortified a knoll or nubble at the south end of the island 
as a temporary protection, while the barque was sent to the Bay of 
St. Mary in Nova Scotia to bring up the vessel and the remainder of 
the party. On the arrival of the latter, work was vigorously com- 
menced upon clearing the island, erecting buildings, and making gar- 



1 His charter gave him rights of settlement as far south as 40°, viz., to the 
vicinity of the present City of Philadelphia. It is very surprising that he did 
not find, in his search along the coast as far as Marthas Vineyard, any place 
which seemed to him as favourable for settlement as Port Royal. The history 
of New England would have been somewhat different for a time had he 
found a site on Massachusetts Bay, or had he directed his voyage in 1604 to 
latitude 40° instead of to Canso. 
7 Cape Cod. 
> Apparently all the good woodwork, especially that brought from France, 
excepting that of the Magazine, was transported to Port Royal, while the 
rougher log buildings were left behind. 7 
