S60 NATURz\L AND CIVIL 



explore the southern lake, which the Indiant 

 informed him opened a communication with the 

 warlike nation of the Iroquoise. Taking with 

 him a party of the natives, and two Frenchmen^ 

 he went up the river now called Sorel, and ex- 

 plored both the southern lakes. To the largest 

 of these he gave his own name, Champlain, by 

 "which it is still known. To the other he gave 

 the name St. Sacrament, but which has since 

 been called Lake George. On the shore of the 

 latter, Champlain with his company was dis- 

 covered by a party of the Iroquoise. Between 

 these Indians and those at Hochelaga, a war had 

 long subsisted, and a skirmish now took place. 

 The Frenchmen v/ere armed with musquets, 

 and Champlain killed two of the Iroquoise him- 

 self, wuth that weapon. This was probably the 

 first time the Iroquoise had ever seen the effect 

 of the European arms, and the victory over 

 them seems to have been compleat. The whole 

 party were put to flight, and the scalps of fifty 

 of them were taken and carried in triumph to 

 Quebec. 



In the fall Champlain returned to France, 

 and caitie again to Quebec in 1610 ; but so 

 slow was the progress of his colony that it was 

 not till 1626 that Quebec began to assume the 

 Appearance of a city, or had any other fortifica- 

 tions than those of wood. That year the for- 

 tress was rebuilt of stone ; and preparations 

 were made to defend the place not only against 

 the natives, but lest some of the European ves- 

 sels should approach, and attempt to carry the 

 works. Nor were the preparations needless : A 

 war had broken out between Charles I. king of 



