Chapter II

[9] ON THE WEATHER, SEASONS, AND TEMPERATURE OF NEW FRANCE.

THIS country being, as we have said, parallel to our France,
that is, in the same climate and latitude, by a principle of
Astrology it ought to have the same physical forces, deviations
and temperatures; for it does not vary in those particulars any
more than, for example, Grenoble, Vienne, and Bourdeaux, Paris and
Cornoaille,[10] Marseilles and Bayonne, vary among us; that is,
only as one place is farther to the East than the other; also, its
days are of the same length, its astral conditions the same, it
has the same seasons and temperature. It is true that new France
extends three degrees [10] farther south than ours does, which
stops at Fontarabie,[11] that is, at the 42nd parallel; while New
France extends at least to the 39th, and farther, if it pleases his
Majesty not to give up anything that his predecessor, Francis I.,
had acquired.

Neantmoins, quoy qu'en disent les Astrologues, si faut-il aduouër que ce païs là (parlant vniuersellement, & cõme il est à ceste heure) est plus froid que n'est nostre Frãce, & qu'il y a diuersité grande quant aux temps & saisons de l'vn à l'autre: Dequoy les causes n'en estãs au ciel, il les faut rechercher en terre. Ie tesmoignerai fidelem[~e]t des effects lesquels i'ay experim[~e]té deux ans & demy continuels; Ie dirois trois ans & demy, n'estoit que i'ay consumé presqu'vn an à diuerses reprinses en nauigations faictes loin du Continent. Le lieu [11] de ma plus longue demeure a esté Port Royal, presque à 45. degrez de hauteur polaire. Là donc la neige nous arriuoit sur la fin de Nouembre, & ne se fondoit iamais entierement dedans les bois, que sur la fin de Feurier, s'il n'arriuoit, comme souuent, quelque grosse pluye, ou quelque fort vent de Midy qui la fondist. Mais elle n'estoit pas si tost fonduë qu'il en tomboit d'autre. Hors des bois, & au descouuert elle n'y croupit guiere plus qu'en Frãce, mais il y nege plus souuent que d'ordinaire en France: la plus haute nege, que i'y aye veu ç'a esté d'vn pied & demy, encore non pas. Quand le Norouest (qu'icy nous appellõs Galerne) se met en ses fougues, le froid y est intolerable, mais cela ne dure que huict, ou dix iours pour le plus, puis le temps s'adoucit pour vn espace, cõme en France; [12] & ne seroit on non plus empesché de trauailler à quelque mestier, voire d'aller & venir, qu'en France; si lon y estoit accommodé, comme en France. Mais ce n'a esté qu'vne extreme pauureté de tout ce que i'y ay veu. Des miserables cabanes ouuertes en plusieurs endroits: nostre viure pois, & febues, encores bi[~e] escharsement; nostre boire l'eau pure: les hardes, & habits de nos gens tous frippez; nos prouisions, d'aller au bois du iour à la iournée, nos medicaments, vn verre de vin aux bonnes festes; nos restaurans, quelque peu de chasse, ou de gibier par bonnes auentures; le lieu inhabité, les chemins sans vestige aucun, la chaussure du pied propre pour le foyer. Allez auec cela & dittes qu'il ne fait point d'hyuer en Canada. Mais au moins ne dittes, que les eaux n'y soyent fort [13] bonnes, & l'air fort salubre: car c'est de vray chose merueilleuse comme nonobstant toutes ces miseres nous nous sommes tousiours fort bien portés, estans tousiours pour le moins vingt en nombre; Et si en trois ans n'en sont morts de maladie que deux tant seulement, vn de S. Malo, & vn autre Breton: encores ce dernier mourut plus à faute d'auoir vn peu de pain & de vin pour se restaurer, (tout cela nous estant failly) que non pour atrocité de symptome; ou cruauté de maladie.

Nevertheless, whatever the Astrologers may say, it must be
confessed that that country (generally speaking, and as it is at
present) is colder than our France, and that they differ greatly
from each other in regard to weather and seasons. The causes
thereof not being in the sky, we must seek them upon the earth.
I shall show accurately some experiments I made continuously for
two years and a half, I might say three years and a half, only I
consumed nearly a year at various times in voyages away from the
Mainland. The place [11] where I remained the longest was Port
Royal, almost on the 45th parallel of north latitude. Now at that
place the snow came towards the end of November, and it never
entirely thawed in the woods until about the last of February,
unless, as often happened, a heavy rain, or strong South wind
came to melt it. But no sooner did this snow melt than more fell.
Outside the woods, and in the open places, it did not last any
longer than it does in France, but it snows oftener there than
it usually does in France. The deepest snow I have seen in that
country was not quite a foot and a half. When the Northwest wind
(which we call here Galerne) lashes itself into a fury, the cold
there is insufferable, but it lasts only eight or ten days at the
most, then the weather becomes milder for a while, as it is in
France, [12] and people would no longer be prevented from going on
with their work, or even from going back and forth, as in France,
if they had the same accommodations we have here. But whatever I
saw here was extreme poverty. Some wretched cabins, open in many
places; our food, peas and beans, rather scarce in quantity; our
drink, pure water; the clothes of our people all in rags; our
supplies found in the woods from day to day; our medicine a glass
of wine on great holidays; our restoratives, perchance a trifle
from the chase of a little feathered game; the place uninhabited,
no footprints upon the paths, our shoes only fit for the fireside.
After this, go and say there is no winter in Canada. But at least
do not say that the water there is not [13] excellent, and the air
not healthful; for it is certainly wonderful that, notwithstanding
all these discomforts, we always kept our health, being never less
than twenty in number, and that in three years only two of us died
of disease, one a man from St. Malo and the other a Breton; yet the
latter died more for want of a little bread and wine to restore him
(there being a dearth of all those things) than from the gravity of
the symptoms or malignancy of the disease.

Que si nous nous souuenons comme Iacques Quartier perdit quasi toutes ses gens, la fois qu'il hiuerna premierem[~e]t en ces pays; & comme de mesme le sieur de Monts en perdit bien la moitié la premiere année de S. Croix, & l'an suiuant, qui fut le premier de port Royal, encores sentit-il grãd [14] dechet, moindre toutesfois, & puis moindre la troisiesme année. De mesmes aussi que depuis à Kebec la premiere année plusieurs fur[~e]t troussés, & non pas tant à la seconde. Cest amas de mesmes accidents nous pourra seruir à recognoistre les causes des maladies & de la santé, que tant diuersement nous auons senti. La maladie commune a esté le Scorbut, qu'on appelle maladie de la terre, les iambes, cuisses & face enflent; les leures se pourrissent, & leur suruiennent de grandes excroissances, l'haleine est courbe, auec vne fascheuse toux, les bras meurtris, & le cuir tacheté, toute la personne languit auec grand ennuy, & douleur, sans rien pouuoir aualer, sinon quelque peu de liquide. Le sieur Champlain philosophant sur cecy, attribue la cause de ces maladies aux vapeurs [15] que ceux-là boiuent, qui labourent, renuersent, & habitent premierement ces terres, lesquelles n'ont iamais esté descouuertes du soleil. Son dire n'est pas impertinent, ny sans exemples: neantmoins on peut opposer, que les mariniers, qui ne vont qu'à la coste pour pescher, & ne defrichent aucunes terres, ny ne les habitent: nonobstant souuent tombent en ce mal, & sur tous les Bretõs. Car il semble que ce mal les va triant d'entre tous les autres. Item, que nous, qui nous sommes bien portés, comme i'ay dit, renuersions neantmoins prou de terres, & les euentions, & si n'auons nous iamais sceu que c'estoit de ce mal, horsmis vn peu moy, qui au secõd hyuer, que i'y ay passé deuins fort enfle auec vne fieure, & alteratiõ incroyable: Mais i'eus tousiours les genciues, & leures entieres, & [16] mon mal se perdit en dix, ou douze iours. Ie croy bien, que cela y seruoit de beaucoup, que nostre logis n'estoit point nouueau, & que tout estant essarté à l'entour de nostre habitatiõ dés long t[~e]ps, nous auions l'air pur & libre. Et c'est à mon aduis ce que Champlain a principalement voulu dire.

Let us recall how Jacques Quartier lost almost all his people,
the first winter he passed in this country; and also how sieur
de Monts lost about half of his the first winter at Ste. Croix,
and the following one, which was the first at port Royal, he also
experienced great [14] loss, but not so much, and the third year
still less. Likewise at Kebec, afterwards, several died the first
year, and not so many the second. This collection of incidents
will serve to show us the causes of sickness and of health, which
we have experienced so differently. The common disease was Scurvy,
which is called land disease. The limbs, thighs, and face swell;
the lips decay, and great sores come out upon them; the breath
is short, and is burdened with an irritating cough; the arms are
discolored, and the skin covered with blotches; the whole body
sinks under exhaustion and languor, and nothing can be swallowed
except a little liquid. Sieur de Champlain, philosophizing upon
this, attributes the cause of these diseases to the dampness
[15] inhaled by those who plow, spade, and first live upon this
ground, which has never been exposed to the sun. His statements
are plausible and not without examples; but they may be confronted
by the fact that sailors, who only go to the coast to fish, and
do not clear the land at all, nor live upon it, often fall ill of
this malady, and especially the Bretons, for it seems to pick them
out from all the others. Also, that we, who were well as I have
said, worked a great deal in the soil and out in the open air, yet
we scarcely knew what this evil was, except I myself, to a slight
degree, during the second winter, when I became very much bloated
from fever and extreme weakness; but my gums and lips were not
affected, and [16] my illness passed off in ten or twelve days. I
believe it was a great benefit to us that our dwelling was not new,
and that, the space around the settlement having been cleared for a
long time, we had a free and pure circulation of air. And I believe
that this is principally what Champlain meant.

I'en ay ouy d'autres, qui philosophoyent autrement, & non sans Physique. Ceux-cy opinoyent, que le demeurer acroupy pendant vn long, & sombre hyuer, tel qu'est celuy de Canada, auoit causé ce mal aux nouueaux habitans. Que de toutes les gens du sieur de Monts, qui premierement hyuernerent à Saincte Croix, onze seulement demeurerent en santé. C'estoyent les chasseurs, qui en gaillards compagnons aimoyent mieux la picorée, que l'air du foyer; [17] courir vn estang, que de se renuerser paresseusement dans vn lict, de pestrir les neiges en abbattant le gibier, que non pas de deuiser de Paris & de ses rotisseurs aupres du feu. Aussi de vray quãd à nous autres, qui auons tousiours esté sains à Port Royal; la disette, en laquelle auons esté, nous a affranchi de deux grands maux; sçauoir d'excés au boire, & au manger; & de faineantise. Car tousiours nous auions quelque bõ exercice: nostre estomach d'autre part n'estoit point surchargé. Certes ie croy que ceste oppiate nous a beaucoup serui.

I have heard of others, who argued differently, and not without
Logic. They believed that living inactive during a long and gloomy
winter, like that of Canada, had been the cause of this disease
among the new inhabitants. Of all sieur de Monts's people who
wintered first at Sainte Croix, only eleven remained well. These
were a jolly company of hunters, who preferred rabbit hunting, to
the air of the fireside; [17] skating on the ponds, to turning
over lazily in bed; making snowballs to bring down the game, to
sitting around the fire talking about Paris and its good cooks.
Also, as to us who were always well at Port Royal, our poverty
certainly relieved us of two great evils, that of excessive eating
and drinking, and of laziness. For we always had good exercise of
some kind, and on the other hand our stomachs were not overloaded.
I certainly believe that this medicine was of great benefit to us.

Reprenons nostre tasche des temps, & saisons. I'ay remarqué vne fois les deux iours de Feurier 26. & 27. estre aussi beau, doux, & printaniers qu'on en voye point en France enuiron ce temps-là; neantmoins le troisiesme iour [18] suiuant il negea quelque peu, & le froid reuint. En esté quelque fois le chaud y est autant, ou plus intolerable qu'en France: mais il ne dure pas. Bien tost le temps se broüille. Les arbres y fueill[~e]t plus tard qu'en France pour l'ordinaire, & qu'ils n'ont fait ceste presente année 1614. Car arriuant en Picardie sur la fin d'Auril, ie n'y ay pas trouué la saison plus auancée. Encores me sembloit-il qu'en Canada tout poussoit d'auantage. Et parlant vniuersellement, le temps, & saison de ce pays-là, est du tout ressemblant à celuy que nous auons experimenté ceste dicte année icy, à Paris, & en Picardie, horsmis quant aux brumes & broüillars, ausquels ledit pays est plus subject. A Port Royal nous n'en auions gueres l'Esté, sinon prés la coste de mer; mais aux Etechemins & à Pentegoet ces [19] broüées tiennent souuent en Esté les trois & quatre iours, c'est chose fort melancholique, & nous a donné apprehension qu'elle ne permettroit point que nos moissons peussent meurir; neantmoins nous auons trop d'arguments au contraire. Car à Port Royal, qui est plus froid, & inegal, elles meurissent, & en ay l'experience de trois ans. Item Champlain asseure qu'à S. Croix, qui est en ceste mesme coste, (en vn endroit fort frilleux & nuageux) toutesfois leurs bleds, & semailles vindrent à maturité.

Let us return to our discourse upon the weather and seasons.
I noticed once, that two February days, the 26th and 27th, were
as beautiful, mild, and spring-like as are those in France about
that time; nevertheless, the third day [18] after, it snowed a
little and the cold returned. Sometimes in summer the heat is as
intolerable, or more so than it is in France; but it does not last
long, and soon the sky begins to be overcast. The foliage appears
upon the trees later than it usually does in France, yet it has not
done so this year, 1614, for when I arrived in Picardie towards the
end of April, I did not find the season any more advanced there.
Indeed it seemed to me that in Canada everything sprouted sooner.
And, speaking in general, the weather and season over there are
just like what we have experienced here this year in Paris and
Picardie, except for the drizzling rains and fogs, which are more
common in that country. At Port Royal we had scarcely any during
the Summer, except near the coast. But among the Etechemins and
at Pentegoet, these [19] fogs often continue for three and four
days, a very discouraging thing, and we were afraid they would keep
our crops from ripening; nevertheless, we have too many arguments
to the contrary. For at Port Royal, which is colder, and more
changeable, they ripened, and I had a three years' experience
there. Also, Champlain asserts that at Ste. Croix, which is upon
this same coast (in a very chilly and cloudy location) their wheat
and other crops always ripened.

Voire, mais quelle peut estre la cause de ces frimas, & de ce plus grand froid, que nous ne sentons d'ordinaire en France? Car il y a bien à considerer, veu mesmes que la Norembegue, où estoit nostre habitation de S. Sauueur, est autant Australe, que nos Prouinces, [20] qui le sont le plus, la Gui[~e]ne, Languedoc, & Dauphiné. Si n'en faut-il point assigner la cause aux montagnes. Car nous n'en voyons point là de fort hautes, telles que sont nos Seuenes, Mesain, la Chartreuse, & vne grande partie d'Auuergne, Velay, Dauphiné & Prouence, & seroit hors de toute apparence que ce peu de haut pays, qu'on remarque en la Norembegue, peust causer si grandes alterations en si vaste est[~e]duë de Prouince; mesmes que le grand froid de ce pays là ne vient pas du costé où plus y a de haut pays, qui est le Nordest, (ainsi que vous pouués apperceuoir en la charte) ains du Noroüest, qui est tout plat.

But in truth what can be the cause of these hoar-frosts and
cold, so much greater than we usually have in France? For, it is
well to consider it, since even Norembegue, where our settlement
of St. Sauveur was located, is as far South, as our most Southern
Provinces, [20] Guienne, Languedoc, and Dauphiné. But we cannot
assign the cause to the mountains, for we have not seen any very
high ones there, such as our Sevenes, Mesain, Chartreuse, and a
large part of Auvergne, Velay, Dauphiné and Provence; and it would
be out of all question that so slight an elevation as is to be seen
in Norembegue, could cause so great a variation in such a vast
extent of country; also the great cold of that country does not
come from the coast, where the greatest elevations are to be found,
which is the Northeast (as you can see from the chart), but from
the Northwest, which is entirely flat.

Les defenseurs des influences tiennent icy bon dans leur Casematte, & auancent leurs armes defensiues estre tout, sçauoir est, [21] leurs causes incogneuës; disants qu'il y a ie ne sçay quoy au ciel, qui cause cest effect en ces terres: & semblablement le Drach, passant par la mer Occidentale de ces regions, à l'endroit de la nouuelle Albion, au dessous du destroict d'Auian, à 40. 42. & 44. d'eleuation Septentrionale, il y trouua si grand froid, qu'il fust contrainct de rebrousser chemin. De mesmes qu'au pays de Counibas, qui est en mesme latitude au dedans des terres, les Espagnols y ont trouué de grandes mõtagnes, & si grand froid, qu'ils n'y ont peu durer. Que ces pays là sont à nostre Oüest, d'où les plus horribles froidures procedent, & que ceste pourroit bien estre la cause de ces gelées, & gry-temps par vne continuation d'air. Mais pourquoy, & en la nouuelle Albion, & au pays de Connibas y glace-il si fort? On [22] n'en peut pas bien sçauoir la cause, disent-ils, & faut croire qu'il y a certaines influences, que nous ne descouurons pas. C'est bien certes bailler de fortes aisles au froid, le nous faire venir de quatre, ou cinq cens lieuës. Car ie croy qu'il y en a bien autant, voire plus, iusques à la nouuelle Albion: cependant nous voyõs que souuent vne seule lieuë de pays & encores moins, donne changement notable de chaud, & de froid, de clair & d'obscur, de sec & d'humide, & toutes autres telles variations ainsi qu'il est notoire. De plus cela est ridicule, apres auoir fait cinq cents lieuës pour trouuer le froid en son giste, & cauerne originaire, ne rencontrer sinon ie ne sçay quelles influ[~e]ces, qu'on ne peut nommer, & certaines impressions occultes. N'eussiez vous pas plustost fait desloger [23] ces aspects, impressions, & causes anonymes, & absconses que vous dites sur Canada mesme, ou dessous elle, ou dedans, que de les aller chercher si loing en vn pays où vous ne fustes iamais?

Here the defenders of silent forces hold themselves well
intrenched in their Fortress and simply advance their defensive
weapons, i.e., [21] their unknown causes, saying that there is
an inexplicable something in the sky which causes this effect
upon these lands: and also Drake, traversing the sea West of this
country, in the region of New Albion, below the strait of Auian, at
40°, 42°, and 44° North latitude, encountered such severe cold that
he was forced to turn back.[12] Likewise that in the Counibas[13]
country, which is in the same latitude in the interior of the
continent, the Spaniards found high mountains, and such severe
cold, that they could not remain there; that those countries,
from which comes the most severe cold, are West of us, and that
this might well be the cause of these frosts and fogs, through a
continuous current of air. But why, both in new Albion and in the
Connibas country, does it become so cold? We [22] cannot know the
cause thereof, they say, and must believe that there are certain
influences, which we do not discover. They must give the cold
rather strong wings to make it come to us from four or five hundred
leagues. For I believe there are as many and more than that, up to
new Albion; however, we often notice that a single league and even
less makes a noticeable difference in the heat and cold, light and
darkness, dryness and humidity, and all such other variations, so
much so that it is remarkable. Moreover, it is ridiculous, after
having gone five hundred leagues to find the cold in its native
lair, not to encounter anything except inexplicable influences,
which cannot be named, and certain mysterious agencies. Would you
not rather seek out [23] these aspects, agencies, and unknown and
hidden causes which you talk about, in Canada itself, either below
or within it, rather than to look for them so far away in a country
where you have never been?

Quant à nous, apres auoir prou disputé, nous n'auons trouué que deux causes de la disproportion qu'il y a entre ce pays là, & cestui-cy, quant au temps & saisons: l'vne est, que Canada est plus Aquatique: & l'autre quell'est inculte. Car premierement si vous regardez mesmes la charte Geographique, vous verrez ceste region estre fort entrecoupée de seins & bayes de mer, & ses terres eschancrées d'eau, ell'est outre plus fort arrousée de riuieres, & occupée de plusieurs estangs, & lacs, ce qui seroit vn grand ornement, & commodité du pays s'il estoit habité, mais aussi tout cela cause du [24] froid, & des bruisnes, mesmement aux bords de la mer, & riuieres. Or nous n'auons iamais demeuré autre part. Car nous ne sommes point entrés dedans les terres, sinon par les moyen de la mer & des riuieres. L'Acadie autrement ditte les Souriquoys, où est Port Royal, est quasi peninsule: aussi est elle plus frilleuse, & plus inegale, que n'est la Norambegue, laquelle sans doute est meilleure, & en toutes façons plus habitable, & plantureuse.

As to us, after having sufficiently discussed the matter, we found
only two causes for the difference between the two countries, as
to weather and seasons; one is that Canada has more Water, and the
other that it is uncultivated. For, in the first place, if you
merely look at the chart, you will see that this region is very
much indented with gulfs and bays, and that its lands, hollowed out
by the waters, are much more intersected by rivers, and occupied
by a number of ponds and lakes, which would be a great ornament
and convenience to the country if it were inhabited; but all this
also causes the [24] cold and fogs, as well upon the borders of the
sea and rivers. Now we have never lived anywhere else, for we have
not penetrated into the country except through the sea and rivers.
Acadie, otherwise called the Souriquoys, where Port Royal is, is
almost a peninsula; also it is more chilly and more variable than
Norambegue, which without doubt is better and in every way more
habitable and fertile.

La seconde cause du froid est toute semblable, sçauoir est la sauuagine & friche du pays: car ce n'est tout qu'vne forest infinie: Partant le sol ne peut estre de lõg temps eschauffé par le soleil, soit pource qu'il a la crouste dure, n'estant iamais labouré, soit à cause des arbres, qui l'ombragent perpetuellement, soit parce que la nege, [25] & les eaux y croupissent long temps, sans pouuoir estre consumées. Par ainsi de ces terres ne se peuuent esleuer, que des vapeurs froides, mornes & relentes: & ce sont les bruines lors que le vent cesse, ce sont aussi nos gelées cuisantes, lors que l'agitation & le souffle les met en cholere. Là où si la terre estoit habitée, & cultiuée, outre que d'elle, & des logis des habitans monteroyent des exhalations, c'est à dire, des fumées chaudes, & seches: le soleil de plus la trouueroit disposée à sentir ses rayons, & dissipper le froid, & broüillars: ce qui nous estoit fort oculaire, & sensible. Car en ce peu que nous auions labouré, tousiours la nege s'y fondoit plustost qu'autre part, & de là d'ordinaire les broüees commençoyent à se dissiper, & peu à peu s'esuanouïr.

The second cause of the cold is very similar; namely, the wild
and primitive condition of the land; for this is only a boundless
forest, and so the soil cannot be readily warmed by the sun, either
because it has a hard crust, never having been ploughed, or on
account of the trees, which cast upon it a perpetual shade, or
because the snow [25] and water stagnate there for a long time with
no possibility of being consumed. Thus, from these lands nothing
can arise except cold, gloomy, and mouldy vapors; and these are
the fogs when the wind ceases, and our piercing cold when they are
put in motion and blown into a fury. Whereas, if the land were
inhabited and cultivated, from it and from the dwellings of the
inhabitants would arise exhalations, that is, warm and dry fumes;
furthermore, the sun would find it prepared to feel its rays, and
to scatter the cold and fogs; this was very evident to us from
actual observation. For upon the small part which we ploughed,
the snow always melted sooner than upon the other parts, and from
there, the fogs usually began to scatter, and little by little to
disappear.

CHAPITRE III.

[26] DES TERRES, DE LEURS PEUPLES, & DE CE QU'Y ABONDE.

LES terres, à mon aduis, principalement en la Norambegue, sont aussi bonnes qu'en France: cela cognoissez-vous à leur couleur noire, aux arbres hauts, puissants, & droicts, qu'elles nourrissent, aux herbes & foin aussi haut souuent qu'vn homme, & choses semblables. A S. Sauueur, nous auions semé à la my-Iuin des grains, des pepins, des poix, des febues, & toutes sortes d'herbes de jardinage. Trois mois apres, c'est à sçauoir, à la my-Sept[~e]bre, nous reuinsmes voir nostre labourage: le froment n'apparoissoit point (aussi auoit-il esté semé hors de saison,) l'orge estoit espié, mais non pas meur, les pois & faisoles bonnes parfaictement, mais encores vertes, les febues [27] n'estoyent qu'en fleur: tout le reste estoit admirablement bi[~e] venu, mesmement les oignons, & ciboules, les pepins auoyent ietté, les aucuns d'vn pied tout entier, les moindres d'vn demy pied.