Chapter IV: Nicolet's Subsequent Career and Death

It is not difficult to imagine the interest which must have been awakened in the breast of Champlain upon the return of Nicolet to Quebec. With what delight he must have heard his recital of the particulars of the voyage! How he must have been enraptured at the descriptions of lakes of unknown extent; of great rivers never before heard of--never before seen by a Frenchman! How his imagination must have kindled when told of the numerous Indian nations which had been visited! But, above all, how fondly he hoped one day to bring all these distant countries under the dominion of his own beloved France! But the heart thus beating quick with pleasurable emotions at the prospects of future glory and renown, soon ceased its throbs. On Christmas day, 1635, Champlain died. In a chamber of the fort in Quebec, "breathless and cold, lay the hardy frame which war, the wilderness, and the sea had buffeted so long in vain."

The successor of Champlain was Marc Antoine de Bras-de-fer de Chasteaufort. He was succeeded by Charles Huault de Montmagny, who reached New France in 1636. With him came a considerable reinforcement; "and, among the rest, several men of birth and substance, with their families and dependents." But Montmagny found the affairs of his colony in a woful condition. The "Company of One Hundred" had passed its affairs into the hands of those who were wholly engrossed in the profits of trade. Instead of sending out colonists, the Hundred Associates "granted lands, with the condition that the grantees should furnish a certain number of settlers to clear and till them, and these were to be credited to the company." The Iroquois, who, from their intercourse with the Dutch and English traders, had been supplied with firearms, and were fast becoming proficient in their use, attacked the Algonquins and Hurons--allies of the French, interrupting their canoes, laden with furs, as they descended the St. Lawrence, killing their owners, or hurrying them as captives into the forests, to suffer the horrors of torture.

At a point to which was given the name of Sillery, four miles above Quebec, a new Algonquin mission was started; still, in the immediate neighborhood of the town, the dark forests almost unbroken frowned as gloomily as when, thirty years before, Champlain founded the future city. Probably, in all New France, the population, in 1640, did not much exceed two hundred, including women and children. On the eighteenth of May, 1642, Montreal began its existence. The tents of the founders were "inclosed with a strong palisade, and their altar covered by a provisional chapel, built, in the Huron mode, of bark." But the Iroquois had long before become the enemies of the French, sometimes seriously threatening Quebec. So, upon the Island of Montreal, every precaution was taken to avoid surprise. Solid structures of wood soon defied the attacks of the savages; and, to give greater security to the colonists, Montmagny caused a fort to be erected at the mouth of the Richelieu, in the following August. But the end of the year 1642 brought no relief to the Algonquins or Hurons, and little to the French, from the ferocious Iroquois.

It was not long after Nicolet's return to Quebec, from his visit to "the People of the Sea," and neighboring nations, before he was assigned to Three Rivers by Champlain, where he was to continue his office of commissary and interpreter; for, on the ninth of December, 1635, he "came to give advice to the missionaries who were dwelling at the mission that a young Algonquin was sick; and that it would be proper to visit him."[93] And, again, on the seventh of the following month, he is found visiting, with one of the missionaries, a sick Indian, near the fort, at Three Rivers.[94] His official labors were performed to the great satisfaction of both French and Indians, by whom he was equally and sincerely loved. He was constantly assisting the missionaries, so far as his time would permit, in the conversion of the savages, whom he knew how to manage and direct as he desired, and with a skill that could hardly find its equal. His kindness won their esteem and respect. His charity seemed, indeed, to know no bounds.[95] As interpreter for one of the missionaries, he accompanied him from Three Rivers on a journey some leagues distant, on the twelfth of April, 1636, to visit some savages who were sick; thus constantly administering to their sufferings.[96]

Notwithstanding the colonists of New France were living in a state of temporal and spiritual vassalage, yet the daring Nicolet, and others of the interpreters of Champlain, although devout Catholics and friendly to the establishment of missions among the Indian nations, were not Jesuits, nor in the service of these fathers; neither was their's the mission work, in any sense, which was so zealously prosecuted by these disciples of Loyola. They were a small class of men, whose home--some of them--was the forest, and their companions savages. They followed the Indians in their roamings, lived with them, grew familiar with their language, allied themselves, in some cases, with their women, and often became oracles in the camp and leaders on the war-path. Doubtless, when they returned from their rovings, they often had pressing need of penance and absolution. Several of them were men of great intelligence and an invincible courage. From hatred of restraint, and love of wild and adventurous independence, they encountered privations and dangers scarcely less than those to which the Jesuit exposed himself from motives widely different:--he, from religious zeal, charity, and the hope of paradise; they, simply because they liked it. Some of the best families of Canada claim descent from this vigorous and hardy stock.[97]

"The Jesuits from the first had cherished the plan of a seminary for Huron boys at Quebec. The governor and the company favored the design; since not only would it be an efficient means of spreading the faith and attaching the tribe to the French interest, but the children would be pledges for the good behavior of the parents, and hostages for the safety of missionaries and traders in the Indian towns. In the summer of 1636, Father Daniel, descending from the Huron country, worn, emaciated, his cassock patched and tattered, and his shirt in rags, brought with him a boy, to whom two others were soon added; and through the influence of the interpreter, Nicolet, the number was afterward increased by several more. One of them ran away, two ate themselves to death, a fourth was carried home by his father, while three of those remaining stole a canoe, loaded it with all they could lay their hands upon, and escaped in triumph with their plunder."[98]

Nicolet frequently visited Quebec. Upon one of these occasions he had a narrow escape. He found the St. Lawrence incumbered with ice. Behind him there came so great a quantity of it that he was compelled to get out of his canoe and jump upon one of the floating pieces. He saved himself with much difficulty and labor. This happened in April, 1637.[99] On the twenty-seventh of the same month Nicolet was present at Quebec, on the occasion of a deputation of Indians from Three Rivers waiting upon the governor, asking a favor at his hands promised by Champlain. He was consulted as to what the promise of the former governor was.[100]

In June, he was sent, it seems, up from the fort at Three Rivers to ascertain whether the Iroquois were approaching. He went as far as the river Des Prairies--the name for the Ottawa on the north side of the island of Montreal.[101] In August, the enemy threatened Three Rivers in force. The French and Indians in the fort could not be decoyed into danger. However, a boat was sent up the St. Lawrence, conducted by Nicolet. The bark approached the place where the Iroquois were, but could not get within gun-shot; yet a random discharge did some execution. The enemy were judged to be about five hundred strong. Although the fort at Three Rivers was thus seriously threatened, no attack was made.[102]

On the seventh of October, 1637, Nicolet was married at Quebec to Marguerite Couillard, a god-child of Champlain.[103] The fruit of this marriage was but one child--a daughter. Nicolet continued his residence at Three Rivers, largely employed in his official duties of commissary and interpreter, remaining there until the time of his death.[104] In 1641, he, with one of the Jesuit fathers, was very busy in dealing with a large force of Iroquois that was threatening the place.[105]

About the first of October, 1642, Nicolet was called down to Quebec from Three Rivers, to take the place of his brother-in-law, M. Olivier le Tardiff, who was General Commissary of the Hundred Partners, and who sailed on the seventh of that month for France. The change was a very agreeable one to Nicolet, but he did not long enjoy it; for, in less than a month after his arrival, in endeavoring to make a trip to his place of residence to release an Indian prisoner in the possession of a band of Algonquins, who were slowly torturing him, his zeal and humanity cost him his life.[106] On the 27th of October,[107] he embarked at Quebec, near seven o'clock in the evening, in the launch of M. de Savigny, which was headed for Three Rivers. He had not yet reached Sillery, when a northeast squall raised a terrible tempest on the St. Lawrence and filled the boat. Those who were in it did not immediately go down; they clung some time to the launch. Nicolet had time to say to M. de Savigny, "Save yourself, sir; you can swim; I can not. I am going to God. I recommend to you my wife and daughter."[108]

The wild waves tore the men, one after another, from the boat, which had capsized and floated against a rock, and four, including Nicolet, sank to rise no more.[109] M. de Savigny alone cast himself into the water, and swam among the waves, which were like small mountains. The launch was not very far from the shore, but it was pitch dark, and the bitter cold had covered the river banks with ice. Savigny, feeling his resolution and his strength failing him, made a vow to God, and a little after, reaching down with his feet, he felt the bottom, and stepping out of the water, he reached Sillery half dead. For quite a while he was unable to speak; then, at last, he recounted the fatal accident which, besides the death of Nicolet--disastrous to the whole country--had cost him three of his best men and a large part of his property. He and his wife suffered this great loss, in a barbarous country, with great patience and resignation to the will of God, and without losing any of their courage.[110]

The savages of Sillery, at the report of Nicolet's shipwreck, ran to the place, and not seeing him any where, displayed indescribable sorrow. It was not the first time he had exposed himself to danger of death for the good of the Indians. He had done so frequently. Thus perished John Nicolet, in the waters of the great river of Canada--the red man and the Frenchman alike mourning his untimely fate.[111]

Twelve days after the shipwreck, the prisoner to the Algonquins, for whose deliverance Nicolet started on his journey, arrived at Sillery--the commander at Three Rivers, following the order of the governor, having ransomed him. He was conducted to the hospital of the place to be healed of the injuries he had received from his captors. They had stripped the flesh from his arms, in some places to the bone. The nuns at the hospital cared for him with much sympathy, and cured him so quickly that in a month's time he was able to return to his country. All the neophytes showed him as much compassion and charity as the Algonquins had displayed of cruelty. They gave him two good, Christianized savages to escort him as far as the country of a neighboring tribe of his own, to the end that he might reach his home in safety.[112]

After the return of the French to Quebec, the Jesuits, as previously mentioned, were commissioned with the administration of spiritual affairs in New France. Some of these turned their attention to the Europeans; the rest were employed in missions among the savages. In the autumn of 1635, the residences and missions of Canada contained fifteen Fathers and five Brothers of the Society of Jesus. At Quebec, there were also formed two seculars--ecclesiastics. One of these was a brother of Nicolet.[113] He had come from Cherbourg to join him upon the St. Lawrence; and, during his residence in the colony, which was continued to 1647, he was employed in visiting French settlements at a distance from Quebec.[114] Another brother--Pierre--who was a navigator, also resided in Canada, but left the country some time after Nicolet's death.[115] The widow of Nicolet was married at Quebec, in 1646, to Nicholas Macard.

Nicolet's discoveries, although not immediately followed up because of the hostility of the Iroquois and the lack of the spirit of adventure in Champlain's successor, caused, finally, great results. He had unlocked the door to the Far West, where, afterward, were seen the fur-trader, the _voyageur_, the Jesuit missionary, and the government agent. New France was extended to the Mississippi and beyond; yet Nicolet did not live to witness the progress of French trade and conquest in the countries he had discovered.

The name of the family of Nicolet appears to have been extinguished in Canada, with the departure of M. Gilles Nicolet, priest, already mentioned; but the respect which the worthy interpreter had deserved induced the people of Three Rivers to perpetuate his memory. The example had been given before his death. We read in the _Relation_ of 1637 that the river St. John, near Montreal (now the river Jesus), took its name from _John_ Nicolet. To-day Canada has the river, the lake, the falls, the village, the city, the college, and the county of Nicolet.[116] From the United States--especially from the Northwest--equal honor is due.

"History can not refrain from saluting Nicolet as a disinterested traveler, who, by his explorations in the interior of America, has given clear proofs of his energetic character, and whose merits have not been disputed, although subsequently they were temporarily forgotten." The first fruits of his daring were gathered by the Jesuit fathers even before his death; for, in the autumn of 1641, those of them who were among the Hurons received a deputation of Indians occupying "the country around a rapid, in the midst of the channel by which Lake Superior empties into Lake Huron," inviting them to visit their tribe. These "missionaries were not displeased with the opportunity thus presented of knowing the countries lying beyond Lake Huron, which no one of them had yet traversed;" so Isaac Jogues and Charles Raymbault were detached to accompany the Chippewa deputies, and view the field simply, not to establish a mission. They passed along the shore of Lake Huron, northward, and pushed as far up St. Mary's strait as the "Sault," which they reached after seventeen days' sail from their place of starting. There they--the first white men to visit the Northwest after Nicolet--harangued two thousand of that nation, and other Algonquins. Upon their return to the St. Lawrence, Jogues was captured by the Iroquois, and Raymbault died on the twenty-second of October, 1642--a few days before the death of Nicolet.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 93: "Le neufiesme de Decembre, iustement le lendemain de la feste de la Conception, le sieur Iean Nicolet, Truchement pour les Algonquins aux Trois Riuieres, vint donner aduis aux Peres, qui demeuroient en la Residence de la Conception sise au mesme lieu, qu'vn ieune Algonquin se trouuoit mal, et qu'il seroit a prospos de le visiter."--Le Jeune, _Relation_, 1636, p. 8.]

[Footnote 94: "Le septiesme de Ianuier de cette annee mil six cens trente six, le fils d'vn grand Sorcier ou Iongleur fut faict Chrestien, son pere s'y accordant apres de grandes resistances qu'il en fit: car, comme nos Peres euentoient ses mines, et la decreditoient, il ne pouuoit les supporter en sa Cabane. Cependant comme son fils tiroit a la mort, ils prierent le sieur Nicolet de faire son possible pour sauuer cette ame: ils s'en vont donc le Pere Quentin et luy en cette maison d'ecorce, pressent fortement ce Sauuage de consentir au baptesme de son petit fils."--Le Jeune, _Relation_, 1636, p. 10.]

[Footnote 95: Le trente-vniesme [of December, 1635], vne fille agee d'enuiron seize ans fut baptisee, et nommee Anne par vn de nos Francois. Le Pere Buteux l'instruisant luy dit, que si estant Chrestienne elle venoit a mourir, son ame iroit au Ciel dans les ioyes eternelles. A ce mot de mourir, elle eut vne si grande frayeur, qu'elle ne voulut plus iamais prester l'oreille au Pere; on luy enuoya le Sieur Nicolet truchement, qui exerce volontiers semblables actions de charite; elle l'escoute paisiblement; mais comme ses occupations le diuertissent ailleurs, il ne la pouuoit visiter si souuent: c'est pourquoy le Pere Quentin s'efforca d'apprendre les premiers rudimens du Christianisme en Sauuage, afin de la pouuoir instruire. Cela luy reuessit si bien, que cette pauure fille ayant pris goust a cette doctrine salutaire, desira le Baptesme que le Pere luy accorda. La grace a plusieurs effects: on remarqua que cette fille, fort dedaigneuse et altiere de son naturel, deuint fort douce et traittable, estant Chrestienne.--Ibid.

"Il [Nicolet] ... continua sa charge de Commis et Interprete [at Three Rivers] auec vne satisfaction grande des Francois et des Sauuages, desquels il estoit esgalement et vniquement ayme. Il conspiroit puissamment, autant que sa charge le permettoit, auec nos Peres, pour la conuersion de ces peuples, lesquels il scauoit manier et tourner ou il vouloit d'vne dexterite qui a peine trouuera son pareil."--Vimont, _Relation_, 1643, p. 4.

Compare, also, _Relation_, 1637, p. 24.]

[Footnote 96: "Le deuxieme iour d'Auril, le Pere Quentin fit vn voyage a quelques lieues des Trois Riuieres [Three Rivers], pour quelques malades, dont on nous auoit donne aduis. Le fruict qu'il en rapporta fut d'auoir expose plusieurs fois sa vie pour Dieu, parmy les dangers des glaces et du mauuais temps. Il se contenta de leur donner quelque instruction, sans en baptiser aucun, ne les voyant ny en peril de mort, ny suffisamment instruits. Le sieur Iean Nicolet luy seruit de truchement, auec sa charite et fidelite ordinaire, dont nos Peres tirent de grands seruices en semblables occasions."--Le Jeune, _Relation_, 1636, pp. 57, 58.]

[Footnote 97: Adapted from Parkman's "Jesuits in North America," pp. 165, 166.]

[Footnote 98: Parkman's "Jesuits in North America," pp. 167, 168, citing the _Relations_ of 1637 and 1638. Father Le Jeune (_Relation_, 1636, p. 75) says: "Comme i'ecry cecy le vingt-huictieme d'Aoust, voila que le Pere Buteux me mande le depart du Pere Ioques, l'arriuee d'vne autre troupe de Hurons, de qui le sieur Nicolet a encore obtenu trois ieunes garcons, sur le rapport que leur ont fait leurs compagnons du bon traittement que Monsieur le General et tous les autres Francois leur auoient fait."]

[Footnote 99: Le Jeune, _Relation_, 1637, p. 78.]

[Footnote 100: Ib., p. 81.]

[Footnote 101: Ib., p. 84.]

[Footnote 102: Ib., p. 89.]

[Footnote 103: See Ferland's "Cours d'Histoire du Canada," Vol. I., p. 326; also, his "Notes sur les Registres de Notre-Dame de Quebec," p. 30, notes; and Gravier's "Decouvertes et Etablissements de Cavalier de la Salle," p. 47.

Nicolet's wife was a daughter of Guillaume Couillard and Guillemette Hebert. Nicolet's marriage contract was dated at Quebec, October 22, 1637, several days subsequent to his nuptials. This was not an uncommon thing in New France in early days, but has not been allowed in Canada for about a century past. The contract was drawn up by Guitet, a notary of Quebec. There were present Francois Derre de Gand, Commissaire-General; Olivier le Tardif; Noel Juchereau; Pierre De la Porte; Guillaume Huboust; Guillaume Hebert; Marie Rollet aieule de la future epouse; Claude Racine; Etienne Racine.]

[Footnote 104: The presence of Nicolet at Three Rivers during all these years (except from March 19, 1638, to January 9, 1639) is shown by reference to the _Relations_, and to the church register of that place. See Appendix, I., as to the latter.]

[Footnote 105: Vimont, _Relation_, 1641, p. 41.]

[Footnote 106: "Monsieur Oliuier, Commis General de Messieurs de la Compagnie, estant venu l'an passe en France, le dit sieur Nicollet descendit a Quebec en sa place, auec vne ioye, et consolation sensible qu'il eut de se voir dans la paix et la deuotion de Quebec. Mais il n'en ioueit pas long-temps: car vn mois ou deux apres son arriuee, faisant vn voyage aux Trois Riuieres pour la deliurance d'vn prisonnier Sauuage, son zele luy cousta la vie, qu'il perdit dans le naufrage."--Vimont, _Relation_, 1643, p. 4.]

[Footnote 107: "I'adiousteray icy vn mot de la vie et de la mort de Monsieur Nicollet, Interprete et Commis de Messieurs de la Compagnie de la Nouuelle France; il mourut dix iours apres le Pere [Charles Raymbault, decede le 22 Octobre, 1642], il auoit demeure vingt-cinq ans en ces quartiers."--Vimont, _Relation_, 1643, p. 3. The incorrectness of this date as to the death of Nicolet will hereafter be shown.]

[Footnote 108: "Il [_Nicolet_] sembarqua a Quebec sur les sept heures du soir, dans la chalouppe de Monsieur de Sauigny, qui tiroit vers les Trois Riuieres; ils n'estoient pas encor arriuez a Sillery, qu'vn coup de vent de Nord Est, qui auoit excite vne horrible tempeste sur la grande riuiere, remplit la chalouppe d'eau et la coula a fond, apres luy auoir fait faire deux ou trois tours dans l'eau. Ceux qui estoient dedans n'allerent pas incontinent a fond, ils s'attacherent quelque temps a la challouppe. Monsieur Nicollet eut loisir de dire a Monsieur de Sauigny: Monsieur, sauuez-vous, vous scauez nager; ie ne le scay pas. Pour moy ie m'en vay a Dieu; ie vous recommande ma femme et ma fille."--Vimont, _Relation_, 1643, p. 4.

Nicolet's daughter afterwards married Jean-Baptiste le Gardeur de Repentigny, entering into a family which was one of the most considerable in French America. Her son, Augustin le Gardeur de Courtemanche,--"officier dans les troupes, se distingua, par de longs et utiles services dans l'ouest, fut un digne contemporain de Nicolas Perot, de meme qu'un honorable rejeton de son grandpere Nicolet."--Sulte's "Melanges d'Histoire et de Litterature," p. 446.]

[Footnote 109: It is reasonably certain that the day of Nicolet's death was October 27, 1642. Compare Margry, in _Journal General de l'Instruction Publique_, 1862. A recent writer says:

"Le 29 septembre 1642, aux Trois-Rivieres, le Pere Jean de Brebeuf baptista deux petites filles de race algonquine dont les parrains et marraines furent 'Jean Nicolet avec Perrette (nom indien), et Nicolas Marsolet (l'interprete), avec Marguerite Couillard, femme de M. Nicolet.'

"Le 7 octobre suivant eut lieu, a Quebec, le depart des navires pour la France. (_Relation_, 1643, p. 46.) Cette Relation ecrite vers la fin de l'ete de 1643, raconte ce qui s'est passe apres le depart des navires de 1642.

"Le sieur Olivier le Tardif partit pour la France cet automne, 1642, et fut remplace a Quebec, dans sa charge de commis-general de la compagnie des Cent-Associes, par son beau-frere Nicolet, qui descendit des Trois-Rivieres expressement pour cela (_Relation_, 1643, p. 4), par consequent entre le 29 septembre et le 7 octobre.

"Le 19 octobre, un sauvage d'une nation alliee aux Iroquois fut amene captif aux Trois-Rivieres par les Algonquins de ce lieu, qui le condamnerent a perir sur le bucher. (_Relation_, 1643, p. 46.) Les Peres Jesuites et M. des Rochers, le commandant du fort, ayant epuise tous les arguments qu'ils croyaient pouvoir employer pour induire ces barbares a ne pas faire mourir leur prisonnier, envoyerent un messager a Quebec avertir Nicolet de ce qui se passait et reclamer son assistance. (_Relation_, 1643, p. 4.)

"Ces pourparlers et ces demarches paraissent avoir occupe plusieurs jours.

"A cette nouvelle, Nicolet, n'ecoutant que son coeur, s'embarqua a Quebec, dans la chaloupe de M. Chavigny, vers les sept heures du soir. L'embarcation n'etait pas arrivee a Sillery, qu'un coup de vent du nord-est qui avait souleve une grosse tempete, la remplit d'eau et la coula a fond. M. de Chavigny seul se sauva. La nuit etait tres-noire et il faisait un froid apre qui avait couvert de 'bordages' les rives du fleuve. (_Relation_, 1643, p. 4.)

"Dans ses _Notes sur les registres de Notre-Dame de Quebec_, M. l'abbe Ferland nous donne le texte de l'acte qui suit: 'Le 29 octobre, on fit les funerailles de monsieur Nicollet et de trois hommes de M. de Chavigny, noyes dans une chaloupe qui allait de Quebec a Sillery; les corps ne furent point trouves.'

"M. de Chavigny demeurait a Sillery. Il est probable que Nicolet comptait repartir de la le lendemain, soit a la voile (en chaloupe) ou en canot d'ecorce, selon l'etat du fleuve, pour atteindre les Trois-Rivieres.

"Le captif des Algonquins ayant ete delivre par l'entremise de M. des Rochers, arriva a Quebec douze jours apres le naufrage de Nicolet (_Relation_, 1643, p. 4), le 9 novembre (_Relation_, 1643, p. 44), ce qui fixerait au 27 ou 28 octobre la date demandee.

"Comme ce malheur eut lieu a la nuit close, pendant une tempete, il est raisonable de supposer que la recherche des cadavres ne put se faire que le lendemain, surtout lorsque nous songeons que Sillery n'est pas Quebec, quoiqu'assez rapproche. Le service funebre dut etre celebre le troisieme jour, et non pas le lendemain de l'evenement en question.

"J'adopte donc la date du lundi 27 octobre comme celle de la mort de Nicolet.

"Il est vrai que la _Relation_ citee plus haut nous dit (p. 3) que le Pere Charles Raymbault deceda le 22 octobre, et que la mort de Nicolet eut lieu dix jours apres; mais l'acte du 29 octobre au registre de Quebec renverse ce calcul de dix jours qui nous menerait au 1er ou 2 novembre.

"La meme _Relation_ (p. 4) dit aussi que Nicolet perit un mois ou deux apres son arrivee a Quebec, tandis que nous voyons par ce que j'expose ci-dessus qu'il n'a guere ete plus de trois semaines absent des Trois-Rivieres avant de partir pour sa fatale expedition.

"La date du 27 octobre parait irrefutable."--M. Sulte, in _L'Opinion Publique_, Montreal, July 24, 1879.]

[Footnote 110: "Les vagues les arracherent tous les vns apres les autres de la chalouppe, qui flottoit renuersee contre vne roche. Monsieur de Sauigny seul se ietta a l'eau et nagea parmy des flots et des vagues qui resembloient a de petites montagnes. La Chalouppe n'estoit pas bien loin du riuage; mais il estoit nuict toute noire, et faisoit vn froid aspre, qui auoit desia glace les bords de la riuiere. Le dit sieur de Sauigny, sentant le coeur et les forces qui luy manquoient, fit vn voeu a Dieu, et peu apres frappant du pied il sent la terre, et se tirant hors de l'eau, s'en vint en nostre maison a Sillery a demy mort. Il demeura assez long-temps sans pouuoir parler; puis enfin il nous raconta le funeste accident, qui outre la mort de Monsieur Nicollet, dommageable a tout le pays, luy auoit perdue trois de ses meilleurs hommes et vne grande partie de son meuble et de ses prouisions. Luy et Mademoiselle sa femme ont porte cette perte signallee dans vn pays barbare, auec vne grande patience et resignation a la volonte de Dieu, et sans rien diminuer de leur courage."--Vimont, _Relation_, 1643, p. 4.]

[Footnote 111: "Les Sauuages de Sillery, au bruit du nauffrage de Monsieur Nicollet, courent sur le lieu, et ne le voyant plus paroistre, en tesmoignent des regrets indicibles. Ce n'estoit pas la premiere fois que cet homme s'estoit expose au danger de la mort pour le bien et le salut des Sauuages: il l'a faict fort souuent, et nous a laisse des exemples qui sont au dessus de l'estat d'vn homme marie, et tiennent de le vie Apostolique et laissent vne enuie au plus feruent Religieux de l'imiter."--Vimont, _Relation_, 1643, p. 4.]

[Footnote 112: "Douze iours apres leur naufrage, le prisonnier pour la deliurance duquel il [Nicolet] s'estoit embarque, arriua icy. Monsieur des Roches commandant aux Trois Riuieres, suiuant l'ordre de Monsieur le Gouuerneur, l'auoit rachete. Il mit pied a terre a Sillery, et de la fut conduit a l'Hospital pour estre panse des playes et blessures que les Algonquins luy auoient faites apres sa capture: ils luy auoient emporte la chair des bras, en quelques endroits iusques aux os. Les Religieuses hospitalieres le receurent auec beaucoup de charite, et le firent panser fort soigneusement, en sorte qu'en trois semaines ou vn mois, il fut en estat de retourner en son pays. Tous nos Neophytes luy tesmoignerent autant de compassion et de charite que les Algonquins de la haut luy auoient montre de cruaute: ils luy donnerent deux bons Sauuages Christiens, pour le conduire iusques aux pays des Abnaquiois, qui sont voisins de sa nation."--Vimont, _Relation_, 1643, pp. 4, 5.]

[Footnote 113: His name was Gilles Nicolet. He was born in Cherbourg, and came to Canada in 1635. He is one of the first "pretres seculiers"--that is, not belonging to congregations or institutes, such as the Jesuits and the Recollets--whose name appears on the Quebec parochial register.]

[Footnote 114: Those of the coast of Beaupre, between Beauport and Cape Tourmente. Ferland's "Cours d'Histoire du Canada," Vol. I., pp. 276, 277.]

[Footnote 115: Sulte's "Melanges d'Histoire et de Litterature," p. 446.]

[Footnote 116: Benjamin Sulte, in _L'Opinion Publique_, 1873. The writer adds: "La riviere Nicolet est formee de deux rivieres qui gardent chacune ce nom; l'une au nord est sort d'un lac appele Nicolet, dans le comte de Wolfe, township de Ham; l'autre, celle du sud ouest, qui passe dans le comte de Richmond, a donne le nom de Nicolet a un village situe sur ses bords, dans le township de Shipton. Ce village que les Anglais nomment 'Nicolet Falls' est un centre d'industrie prospere. La ville de Nicolet, ainsi que le college de ce nom, sont situes pres de la decharge des eaux reunies de ces deux rivieres au lac Saint-Pierre.

"Peu d'annees apres la mort de Jean Nicolet, les trifluviens donnaient deja son nom a la riviere en question, malgre les soins que prenaient les fonctionnaires civils de ne designer cet endroit que par les mots 'la riviere de Laubia ou la riviere Cresse.' M. de Laubia ne concede la seigneurie qu'en 1672, et M. Cresse ne l'obtint que plus tard, mais avant ces deux seigneurs, la riviere portait le nom de Nicolet, et l'usage en prevalut en depit des tentatives faites pour lui imposer d'autres denominations."]