Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 14, 2025
He was not yet ready to quit the game, however, and Champlain with the aid of Pontgravé was able to convince him that a new venture in the St. Lawrence region might yield profits even without the protection of a monopoly. Thus out of misfortune and failure arose the plans which led to the founding of a permanent outpost of empire at Quebec.
The whole success of the plan depended upon the mutual confidence of De Monts and Champlain, both of whom unselfishly sought the advancement of French interests in America De Monts, the courageous capitalist and promoter; Champlain, the explorer whose discoveries were sure to enlarge the area of trading operations. Pontgravé sailed from Honfleur on April 5, 1608.
Champlain and Pontgrave returned to France, while Pierre Chauvin of Dieppe held Quebec in their absence. The King was at Fontainebleau, it was a few months before his assassination, and here Champlain recounted his adventures, to the great satisfaction of the lively monarch.
On board of one of them was the Breton merchant, Pontgrave, and with him a man of spirit widely different, a Catholic of good family, Samuel de Champlain, born in 1567 at the small seaport of Bronage on the Bay of Biscay.
"I think we can find a place for Pani, and between us all I fancy we can keep him so well employed he will not want to run away." About the middle of August the Sieur de Champlain and Captain François de Pontgrave sailed from Tadoussac for France.
At the beginning of March 1606 Pontgravé fitted out a barque of eighteen tons in order to undertake 'a voyage of discovery along the coast of Florida'; and on the 16th of the month a start was made. Favoured by good weather, he and Champlain would have reached the Hudson three years before the Dutch. But, short of drowning, every possible mischance happened.
At the time of De Monts' departure the outlook had been so doubtful that a provisional arrangement was made for the return of the colonists to France should no ship arrive at Port Royal by the middle of July. In this event Pontgravé was to take his people to Cape Breton or Gaspé, where they would find trading ships homeward bound.
Still she was deeply interested in the plans of the Récollet fathers, who were establishing missions among the Hurons and the Nipissings, and learning the languages. She gave generously of her allowance, and denied herself many things; would, indeed, have given up more had her husband allowed it. Captain Pontgrave came in to spend the winter, brave and cheerful, though he had lost his only son.
From 1608 till 1611 De Monts had two partners, named Collier and Legendre, both citizens of Rouen. It was with the money of these three that the post at Quebec had been built and equipped. Champlain was their lieutenant and Pontgravé the commander of their trading ships. After four years of experience Collier and Legendre found the results unsatisfactory.
The patent, costing nothing, was readily granted; and De Chastes, to meet the expenses of the enterprise, and forestall the jealousies which his monopoly would awaken among the keen merchants of the western ports, formed a company with the more prominent of them. Pontgrave, who had some knowledge of the country, was chosen to make a preliminary exploration.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking