( III ) 



The common queftions they afk us, fays Mafk 

 Lefcarbot, are, " Are there any treafures to be 

 found in that country ? Any gold and filler ? But 

 nobody enquires whether the people are difpofed to 

 hear and relifh the doctrines of Chriftianity. It is, 

 however, certain, that there are mines here, but 

 fchefe muft be wrought with induftry, labour, and 

 patience. The beft mine I know is corn and wine, 

 together with the raifing of cattle ; he who poffefTes 

 thefe things has money ; bin we do not live by 

 mines. The mariners who come in queft of firfi 

 from all parts of Europe, above eight or nine hun- 

 dred leagues from their own country, find the beft 

 bf mines, without blowing up rocks, digging into 

 the entrails of the earth, or living in the obfcurity 

 of the infernal regions. — They find, I fay, the beft 

 of mines in the bottom of the waters, and in the 

 trade of furs and fkins, by which they make good 

 money, 9 ' 



Net only a bad character has been given to New 

 France without knowing it \ but even thofe who 

 imagined they mould draw advantages from it, have 

 not purfued the meafures proper for that purpofe. 

 In the flrft place, they were a very long time ill 

 fixing themfelves they cleared lands without hav- 

 ing well examined them, they fowed them, and 

 built houfes on them, and afterwards frequently de- 

 fer ted them, without knowing why, and went to 

 fettle eifewhere. This inconftancy has contributed 

 more than any thing to make us lofe Acadia, and 

 prevent us from drawing any advantage from it, 

 during the time we were in poffeiTion of that fine 

 peninfula. The author, already cited, who was a 

 witnefs of this our wavering and irrefolute conduct * 

 fcruples not to upbraid thofe with it who were the 

 •moft culpable.- vi It is thus v " fays he, 4< that we 



have 



