12 THROUGH CANADA 



of France. Volunteers and pressmen, Huguenot 

 divines and Catholic priests gave further mixed 

 colour to the motley group whom Champlain joined 

 on that memorable voyage. This princif)le of 

 indiscriminate selection adopted by the first pioneers, 

 militated more than anything else against the 

 success of early French colonization. La Roche 

 set forth on one of these expeditions with forty 

 convicts whom he landed on Sable Island to starve 

 and murder each other. Only twelve survived, who 

 were saved from the inevitable fate of their com- 

 panions by a passing ship. Bad citizens of the Old 

 World cannot make good colonists of the New. 

 Thieves, ruffians, and unscrupulous adventurers only 

 succeeded in laying the foundation of the troubles 

 which merchants and reformers encountered at a 

 later date, and which made the early colonization of 

 Canada both tragic and abortive. 



Whilst De Monts vainly attempted to rule this 

 first mixed colony, and treachery and disease were 

 rapidly exterminating its settlers, Champlain began 

 his explorations. He founded Quebec, and had his 

 first experience of the severity of a Canadian winter. 

 He saw the St. Lawrence struggling against the 

 incursions of the Frost King, who had already 

 exercised undisputed sway along the cliffs, where 

 ice stalactites hung in innumerable lance points. 

 The forest flaunted its sable robes, and the earth, held 

 in an iron grip, drove the grizzly bear into deeper 



