CHAPTER XVIII. 



1642-1644. 

 VILLEMARIE. 



Infancy op Montreal. — The Flood. — Vow of Maisonneuve. — 

 Pilgrimage. — D'Ailleboust. — The Hotel-Dieu. — Piety. — 

 Propagandism. — War. — Hurons and Iroquois. — Dogs. — 

 Sally op the French. — Battle. — Exploit of Maison- 

 neuve. 



Let us now ascend to the island of Montreal. 

 Here, as we have seen, an association of devout 

 and zealous persons had essayed to found a mission- 

 colony under the protection of the Holy Virgin; 

 and we left the adventurers, after their landing, 

 bivouacked on the shore, on an evening in May. 

 There was an altar in the open air, decorated with 

 a taste that betokened no less of good nurture than 

 of piety ; and around it clustered the tents that 

 sheltered the commandant, Maisonneuve, the two 

 ladies, Madame de la Peltrie and Mademoiselle 

 Mance, and the soldiers and laborers of the expe- 

 dition. 



In the morning they all fell to their work, Mai- 

 sonneuve hewing down the first tree, — and labored 

 with such good- will, that their tents were soon 



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