24 FOSSIL MEN. 



strange tribe, and the meaning was identical. We 

 may imagine, therefore, the Canadian potentate as 

 saying, " If you strangers understand this erection as 

 we do, namely, as the sign or totem of your tribe, then 

 we object to it, as indicating a claim on your part to 

 a territory which is ours of right." Whatever the 

 words of the chief, the end was that he and his retinue 

 were induced to go on board the ships, where they 

 were loaded with presents, and the chiefs two sons 

 were retained as hostages, and finally taken with 

 Cartier to France. There can be little doubt that 

 these people were not the Micmac or Malicete tribe 

 afterwards known to the French as Gaspesiens, but 

 that they were an outlying branch, or wandering party 

 of the Algonquin or Huron tribes of Canada. This 

 was the ultimatum of Carrier's first voyage ; for after 

 beating for some days against the west winds in the 

 strait between Gaspe and Anticosti, he was obliged to 

 bear away for Belle Isle and to return to France. 



Next year he returned, and with little difficulty 

 reached the entrance of the St. Lawrence, which his 

 Indian captives had already taught him to call the 

 Great River of Hochelaga, and the highway of Canada. 

 He found at the mouth of the Saguenay certain Cana- 

 dian fishermen in the pursuit of seals ; and farther up, 

 at Isle aux Coudres, so named by him from the 

 abundance of hazel-nuts, was another party engaged 

 in the more formidable sport of hunting the white 

 whale or Beluga of the St. Lawrence, the Adhotuis 

 of the natives, a strange and beautiful creature, which 



