AN OLD STORY OF THE NEW WORLD. 29 



the actual town, on going to which the traveller would 

 first pass over the low alluvial bank of the river for 

 some distance, and then ascend to a sandy terrace on 

 which the town was built, as Cartier describes it, at 

 the base of the mpuntain, on a level sandy plain, inter- 

 sected by a few small brooklets. This being premised, 

 we may give the account of the visit in the words of 

 the old voyager, as translated by Hakluyt, with a few 

 verbal emendations : 



" The captaine the next day very earely in the 

 morning, having attired himselfe, caused all his com- 

 pany to be set in order to go to see the towne and 

 habitation of those people, and a certaine mountaine 

 that is neere the citie; with whom went also five 

 gentlemen, and twenty mariners, leaving the rest to 

 keepe and looke to our boates : we tooke with us 

 three men of Hochelaga to bring us to the place. 

 All along as we went we found the way as well 

 beaten and frequented as can be, the fairest and best 

 country that possibly can be seene, full of as goodly 

 great okes as are in any wood in France, under which 

 the ground was all covered over with faire akornes. 

 After we had gone about foure or five miles, we met 

 by the way one of the chief est lords of the citie, ac- 

 companied with many moe, who so soone as he sawe 

 us beckned and made signes upon us, that we must 

 rest in that place where they had a great fire, and so 

 we did. Then the said lord began to make a long dis- 

 course, even as we have saide above, they are accus- 

 tomed to doe in signe of mirth and friendship, shewing 



