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Updated: May 23, 2025
"Now the devil take this thing for a half-baked, back-stairs, second-hand kitchen gentleman," hissed M. Radisson, pushing in. "Here, my fine fellow," says he with a largesse of vails his purse could ill afford, "here, you sauce-pans, go tell Madame Radisson her husband is here!"
"Ah, Pierre, you have done finely for us all!" And there oozed over my Lady Kirke's countenance as fine a satisfaction as ever radiated from the face of a sweating cook. "How?" asks Pierre Radisson, pursing his lips. "Sir John hath dined twice with His Royal Highness " "The Duke is Governor of the Company, and Sir John is a director." "Ta-ta, now there you go, Pierre!" smirks my lady.
Though opposed by the Monopolists of Quebec, he secures Ships for a Voyage to Hudson Bay Here he encounters a Pirate Ship from Boston and an English Ship of the Hudson's Bay Company How he plays his Cards to win against Both Rivals A clever man may be a dangerous rival. Both France and England recognized this in Radisson. The Hudson's Bay Company distrusted him because he was a foreigner.
Radisson had sprained his ankle; and the long portages by the banks of the ice-laden, rain-swollen rivers were terrible. The rocks were slippery as glass with ice and moss. The forests of this region are full of dank heavy windfall that obstructs the streams and causes an endless succession of swamps.
Their coup was a complete triumph for Radisson. Both of his rivals were prisoners, and the French flag flew undisputed over Port Nelson. Spring brought the Indians down to the bay with the winter's hunt. The sight of threescore Englishmen captured by twenty Frenchmen roused the war spirit of the young braves. They offered Radisson two hundred beaver skins to be allowed to massacre the English.
As they were about to embark, coureurs came in from the woods with news that more than a thousand Iroquois were on the war-path, boasting that they would exterminate the French. Somewhere along the Ottawa a small band of Hurons had been massacred. The Indians with Groseillers and Radisson were terrified. A council of the elders was called.
"Not much to boast in the way of a fleet," taunts Ben. "Those are the two smallest we have," quickly explains Radisson. Gillam's face went blank, and M. Radisson's eyes closed to the watchful slit of a cat mouse-hunting. "Come! Come!" exclaims Ben, with a sudden flare of friendliness, "I am no baby-eater! Put a peg in that! Shiver my soul if this is a way to welcome friends!
"Mrs de Tonty went away last year; she did not return; we see you going away to-day, father, with your wife, your children and all the Frenchwomen as well as that of M. Radisson, who is going down with you; that reveals to us that you abandon us. "We are angry for good and ill-disposed if the women go away.
In the spring of 1669, on the recommendation of the king, the Admiralty lent the ship Wavero to the adventurers that Radisson might sail to Hudson Bay. In his eagerness Radisson set out too early.
It was as dangerous to turn back as to go on. If they deserted their merchandise, they would have nothing to trade with the Indians; but when Radisson succeeded in extricating himself, he was so badly strained that he could not go forward another step. There was no sense in risking both their lives on the rotten ice. He urged Groseillers to go on. Groseillers dared not hesitate.
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