IMPORTANCE OF CENTRAL BRITISH AMERICA. 411 
“In 1663 the Indians of the Bay du Nord (Hudson’s Bay) re- 
turned to Quebec in further quest of Frenchmen, and M. Davaugour 
sent thither Sieur de la Couture with five men, who proceeded over- 
land to the said Bay, possession whereof he took in the King’s name, 
noted the latitude, planted a cross, and deposited at the foot of a 
large tree his Majesty’s arms engraved on copper, and laid between 
two sheets of lead, the whole being covered with some bark of 
trees.”’ | 
In 1671 Pere Albanel was despatched overland to Hudson’s Bay 
by the Intendant Talon, (vid the Saugenay River); and in the same 
year (1671) Sieur de St. Lusson was sent by Mr. Talon to Sault St. 
Marie, where he made a treaty with ‘seventeen Indian nations.” 
The Intendant in his report states that the place Sieur de St. Lusson 
reached is not supposed to be 300 leagues from the extremities 
of the countries bordering on the Vermilion or South Sea. He 
continues: ‘‘The countries bordering on the Western ocean ap- 
pear to be no farther from those discovered by the French, accord- 
ing to the calculation of the distance made from the reports of the 
Indians; and by the maps there does not appear to be more than 
1500 leagues of navigation remaining to Tartary, China and Japan,” 
Even at so early a period in the history of Canada did the French 
look forward to establishing communication, overland, with the 
“ South Seas,’ to command the trade of Western Asia; and in another 
half century the French government were so impressed with the 
idea of an overland route to the Pacific that they sent instructions 
to Quebec to have the exploration effected. 
Du Chesneau writes in 1681: ‘They (the English) are still at 
Hudson’s Bay, on the north, and do great damage to our fur trade.” 
In 1683 M de la Barre writes to M. de Seignelay: “The English 
of Hudson’s Bay have this year attracted many of our northern 
Indians, who for this reason have not come to trade to Montreal. 
When they learned by expresses, sent them by Du L’hut on his ar- 
rival at Missilimakinak,* that he was coming, they sent him word to 
come quickly and they would unite with him to prevent all the others 
going thither any more. If I stop that Pass (Lake Superior to 
James Bay), as I hope, and as it is necessary to do, as the English 
of that Bay excite against us the savages, whom Sieur du L’hut 
alone can quieten, I shall enter into arrangements with those of 
' * Michillimakinak, Green Bay, and Lake Huron. 
