 This
is the twenty-third in a continuing series of entries from the Voyages
of Samuel de Champlain, first published in 1613. To view Part I,
click here. For Champlain's
account of the discovery of the lake that bears his name, click
here...
Original
translation from the French by Charles Pomeroy Otis, Ph.D.
Republished by the Prince Society, Boston: 1878.
The voyages to the great river St.
Lawrence,
made by Sieur de Champlain,
Captain in ordinary to the King in the Marine,
from the year 1608 to that of 1612
CHAPTER VI.
THE SCURVY AT QUEBEC. HOW THE WINTER PASSED. DESCRIPTION OF THE
PLACE. ARRIVAL AT QUEBEC OF SIEUR DES MARAIS, SON-IN-LAW OF PONT
GRAVÉ.
The
scurvy began very late; namely, in February, and continued until the
middle of April. Eighteen were attacked, and ten died; five others
dying of the dysentery. I had some opened, to see whether they were
tainted, like those I had seen in our other settlements. They were
found the same. Some time after, our surgeon died. [323] All this
troubled us very much, on account of the difficulty we had in
attending to the sick. The nature of this disease I have described
before.
It is my opinion that this disease proceeds only from eating
excessively of salt food and vegetables, which heat the blood and
corrupt the internal parts. The winter is also, in part, its cause;
since it checks the natural warmth, causing a still greater
corruption of the blood. There rise also from the earth, when first
cleared up, certain vapors which infect the air: this has been
observed in the case of those who have lived at other settlements;
after the first year when the sun had been let in upon what was not
before cleared up, as well in our abode as in other places, the air
was much better, and the diseases not so violent as before. But the
country is fine and pleasant, and brings to maturity all kinds of
grains and feeds, there being found all the various kinds of trees,
which we have here in our forests, and many fruits, although they
are naturally wild; as, nut-trees, cherry-trees, plum-trees, vines,
raspberries, strawberries, currants, both green and red, and several
other small fruits, which are very good. There are also several
kinds of excellent plants and roots. Fishing is abundant in the
rivers; and game without limit on the numerous meadows bordering
them. From the month of April to the 15th of December, the air is so
pure and healthy that one does not experience the slightest
indisposition. But January, February, and March are dangerous, on
account of the sicknesses prevailing at this time, rather than in
summer, for the reasons before given; for, as to treatment, all of
my company were well clothed, provided with good beds, and well
warmed and fed, that is, with the salt meats we had, which, in my
opinion, injured them greatly, as I have already stated. As far as I
have been able to see, the sickness attacks one who is delicate in
his living and takes particular care of himself as readily as one
whose condition is as wretched as possible. We supposed at first
that the workmen only would be attacked with this disease; but this
we found was not the case. Those sailing to the East Indies and
various other regions, as Germany and England, are attacked with it
as well as in New France. Some time ago, the Flemish, being attacked
with this malady in their voyages to the Indies, found a very
strange remedy, which might be of service to us; but we have never
ascertained the character of it. Yet I am confident that, with good
bread and fresh meat, a person would not be liable to it.
On the 8th of April, the snow had all melted; and yet the air was
still very cold until April, [324] when the trees begin to leaf out.
Some of those sick with the scurvy were cured when Spring came,
which is the season for recovery. I had a savage of the country
wintering with me, who was attacked with this disease from having
changed his diet to salt meat; and he died from its effects, which
clearly shows that salt food is not nourishing, but quite the
contrary in this disease.
On the 5th of June, a shallop arrived at our settlement with Sieur
des Marais, a son-in-law of Pont Gravé, bringing us the tidings that
his father-in-law had arrived at Tadoussac on the 28th of May. This
intelligence gave me much satisfaction, as we entertained hopes of
assistance from him. Only eight out of the twenty-eight at first
forming our company were remaining, and half of these were ailing.
On the 7th of June, I set out from Quebec for Tadoussac on some
matters of business, and asked Sieur des Marais to stay in my place
until my return, which he did.
Immediately upon my arrival, Pont Gravé and I had a conference in
regard to some explorations which I was to make in the interior,
where the savages had promised to guide us. We determined that I
should go in a Shallop with twenty men, and that Pont Gravé should
stay at Tadoussac to arrange the affairs of our settlement; and this
determination was carried out, he spending the winter there. This
arrangement was especially desirable, since I was to return to
France, according to the orders sent out by Sieur de Monts, in order
to inform him of what I had done and the explorations I had made in
the country.
After this decision, I, set out at once from Tadoussac, and returned
to Quebec, where I had a shallop fitted out with all that was
necessary for making explorations in the country of the Iroquois,
where I was to go with our allies, the Montagnais.
ENDNOTES:
323. His name was Bonnerme.--_Vide antea_, p. 180.
324. Read May instead of April.
This is
the conclusion of Volume II, Part XXIII, Chapter 6 of Voyages
1608-1612
Click here for Voyages, Volume II, Part XXIV, Chapter 7
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