USA > Vermont > Addison County > History of Addison county Vermont, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 5
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Cartier made a visit to Hochelaga, and returned thence to Stadacona. On the Isle of Orleans he erected a fort for protection during the approaching win- ter. Patiently waiting and watching for De la Roque, who had promised to follow him early in the season, they saw the arrival of winter and the closing of the river by ice without the vision of the hoped-for vessels.
In the spring following (1542) Cartier departed for France. He ran into the harbor of St. Johns and there met De la Roque, who was on his way to the St. Lawrence. From Cartier the viceroy heard the most discouraging ac- counts of the country, with details of the sufferings he and his men had en- dured during the preceding winter, both from the climate and the hostility of the Indians, followed by the navigator's advice that the whole expedition re- turn to France, or sail to some other portion of the continent. This De la Roque declined to do, and ordered Cartier to return to the St. Lawrence. Cartier disobeyed this order and sailed for France. This was his last voyage ; he died in 1555.
De la Roque, after his separation from Cartier, pushed on and ascended the river to above the site of Quebec, where he constructed a fort in which he spent the succeeding winter, undergoing extreme suffering from the climate. In the autumn of 1543 De la Roque returned to France, having accomplished nothing towards colonization, and learning but little of the country not already known.
This was the final breaking up of French attempts at colonization at that
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
time, and nothing more was done by that nation towards settling in the new country for nearly fifty years. De la Roque, however, in 1549, with his brothers and a number of adventurers, again sailed for the St. Lawrence, but as they were never heard of afterwards, it was supposed they were lost at sea.
From 1600 and on for a few years, one M. Chauvin, having obtained a broad patent which formed the basis of a trade monopoly, carried on an ex- tensive fur trade with the natives, resulting in establishing numerous small but thrifty settlements ; but the death of the organizer caused their abandonment.
The year 1603 was signalized by the initiatory steps that resulted in the final settlement of the French in the region of the St. Lawrence. M. Aylmer de Chastes, governor of Dieppe, stimulated by the commercial success that had followed the efforts of Chauvin and others, obtained a charter to establish set- tlements in New France, and organized a company of Rouen merchants, the existence of which becomes of paramount historic importance as having in- troduced to the field of his later great work Samuel de Champlain, discoverer of the lakes and the territory of which this history treats, and the real founder of New France, as well as the most illustrious of those who guided its destinies.
" Champlain was born in 1567, at Brouage, a seaport situated on the Bay of Biscay. Addicted to an intercourse with the sea by the associations of his- boyhood, near the most tempestuous waters of western Europe, he gratified his instincts by a connection at an early age with the Royal Marine of his native country. Although a Catholic by birth and sentiment, he followed in the civil wars of France the banner of Navarre. When that cause had triumphed he received a pension from the gratitude of his liberal but impoverished leader. Too active and ardent to indulge in the relaxations of peace, he conceived the design of a personal exploration of the colonial possessions of Spain, and to thus obtain a knowledge of their condition and resources, which was studiously veiled from the world by the jealous policy of that government. His scheme was sanctioned by the wise and sagacious head of the French administration. Through the influence of a relative in that service Champlain secured the com- mand of a ship in the Spanish West India fleet. This singular position, not, perhaps, in perfect accordance with modern conceptions of professional honor, occupied two years, and when he returned to France his mind was stored with the most valuable information, and his journal, laded with the results of the keen observation of the regions he had visited, was quaintly illustrated by his uncultivated pencil."1
Champlain must have been born with the uncontrollable instinct of investi- gation and desire for knowledge of the material world that has always marked the great explorers. He made a voyage (1599), landed at Vera Cruz, pene- trated to the city of Mexico and visited Panama. More, his journal shows that he conceived the idea of a ship canal across the isthmus by which "the voy-
1 Watson's Essex County.
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DISCOVERY AND OCCUPATION.
age to the South Sea might be shortened by more than fifteen hundred leagues."
At the request of De Chastes, Champlain was commissioned by the king lieutenant-general of Canada (a name derived, it is supposed, " from the Hu- ron word Kan-na-ta, signifying a collection of cabins, such as Hochelaga."1) He sailed from the port of Honfleur in March, 1603, in a single vessel, com- manded by a skilled navigator named Pont-Grevé.
They arrived at the mouth of the St. Lawrence some time in May, and as- cended the river as far as Stadacona, where they anchored. From this point Champlain sent Pont-Grevé upon an expedition up the river to above the La- chine Rapids. At Hochelaga he found, instead of the palisaded city described by Cartier, nothing indicating that the locality had ever been thickly popu- lated. A few scattered bodies of Indians, of a different nation from those met by Cartier, who evinced the greatest wonder and interest in the new-comers, were all that he saw. These natives gave Pont-Grevé much information rela- tive to the regions of the south and west, and other intelligence of a nature to fill the mind of the explorer with the wildest dreams of conquest and empire.
Without enacting more extended measures towards colonization and set- tlement than making a few brief expeditions of exploration, Champlain in the autumn returned to France; he found that in his absence his patron, De Chas- tes, had died, and that the concessions and privileges of the latter had been transferred to M. Pierre de Gast, the Sieur de Monts. Though a Protestant, the latter had secured additional favors from the royal hand, covering broad commercial rights, with vice-regal authority over a section of the new country extending from Philadelphia, or its site, on the south, to the forty-sixth parallel on the north, and from the sea shore on the east to an indefinite limit on the west.
Again, in the spring of 1604, Champlain sailed with four vessels, bringing with him a number of people intended to colonize the grants. They landed first at Nova Scotia, and remained there long enough to establish the begin- ning of a settlement, and, towards autumn, De Monts returned to France and left Champlain to explore the coast to the south as far as his grant extended. Champlain remained for some time at this point, pushing forward his settle- ment, and exploring the surrounding country, carrying out his employer's in- structions to the extent of sailing along the coast as far south as Cape Cod. In 1607 he returned to France.
Expressing to De Monts his belief that the better site for establishing the seat of the proposed new empire would be a point on the St. Lawrence River, some distance from the sea coast, he was sent with Pont-Grevé and a number of colonists, in 1608, to Stadacona, and there founded Quebec (a name of Indian derivation). There houses were built and agricultural operations begun.
' Lossing.
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
In 1609 Champlain, who had secured the friendship of the Montagnais In- dians, or Montagners, engaged to assist them in an expedition against their enemies, the Iroquois. It is probable that he was partly incited to his action by desire to extend his knowledge of the country, and to widen his sphere of influence. They were joined by a number of Hurons and Algonquins, and in May proceded in canoes up the Sorel to the Chambly Rapids.
The Indians had told Champlain that the country they wished to conquer was thickly settled ; that to reach it they must pass by a waterfall, thence into another lake, from the head of which there was a carrying-place to a river, which flowed towards the sea coast. This course of their intended march is clearly understood to-day as leading up Lake Champlain to Ticonderoga, thence up the outlet of Lake George past the falls, thence through Lake George to the Hudson River.
I left the rapid of the said river of the Iroquois, says Champlain in his journal, on the 2d of July. All the savages began carrying their canoes, arms and traps, overland about a league and a half, to avoid the current and force of the rapid. This was quickly effected.
They immediately launched the canoes into the water, two men in each with their baggage, whilst one of the men went by land about a league and a half, which was the proba- ble extent of said rapid, though not so violent as at the foot, except at some points where rocks obstructed the river, which is no more than three or four hundred paces wide. After the rapid was passed, though not without trouble, all the Indians who had gone by land over a pretty good road and level country, though covered with timber, re-embarked in their canoes. My men were also on land and on the water in a canoe. They reviewed all their force and found twenty-four canoes with sixty men. After having completed the review, we continued our journey as far as an island three leagues long, covered with the finest pines I ever beheld. They hunted and caught some wild animals there. Passing thence about three leagues far- ther on, we camped in order to rest for the night.
Forthwith some began to cut down timber ; others to pull off bark to cover lodges to shel- ter them ; others to fall large trees with which to barricade their lodges on the shore. They know so well how to construct these barricades, that five hundred of their enemies would find considerable difficulty in forcing them in less than two hours, without loss. They do not fortify the side of the river along which their canoes are ranged, so as to be able to embark should occasion require.
After they had camped, they dispatched three canoes with good men, as is their custom at all their encampments, to reconnoitre within two or three leagues, if they see anything, after which they retire. They depend the whole night on the exploration of the van guard, which is a bad habit of theirs. For sometimes their enemies surprise asleep, and kill them without having an opportunity of recovering their feet to defend themselves.
Remarking that, I remonstrated with them against the error they committed ; told them to watch, as they saw us do,1 all night, and to have out-posts to spy and see if they could per- ceive anything ; and not to live in that style, like cattle. They told me they couldn't watch, and that they labored all day hunting. So that when they go to war they divide their force into three, to-wit : one party, scattered in divers places, hunting ; another forms the main body, which is always under arms ; and another party as a van guard, to scout along the river and see whether they will not discover some trail or mark indicating the passage of friends or enemies. This they ascertain by certain marks the chiefs of one nation give to those of an- other, which are not always alike; notifying each other from time to time when they alter any.
1 Champlain was accompanied by two other Frenchmen.
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DISCOVERY AND OCCUPATION.
By this means they recognize whether those who have passed are friends or enemies. The hunters never hunt in advance of the main body or the scouts, so as not to create any alarm or disorder ; but in the rear and in the direction where they do not apprehend enemies. They thus continue until they are two or three days' journey from the foe, when they advance stealthily by night, all in a body, except the scouts, and retire by day into the picket fort where they repose, without wandering abroad, making any noise or building a fire, even for cooking, during that time, so as not to be discovered, should their enemies happen to pass. The only fire they make is, to smoke. They eat dried Indian meal which they steep in water like por- ridge. They prepare this meal for use when they are pinched, and when they are near the enemy, or when retreating ; after their attacks they do not amuse themselves hunting, retreat- ing precipitately.
We left next day, continuing our route along the river as far as the mouth of the lake. Here a number of beautiful but low islands, filled with very fine woods and prairies, a quan- tity of game and wild animals, such as stags, deer, fawns, roebucks, bears and other sorts of animals that come from the mainland to the said islands. We caught a quantity of them. There is also quite a number of beavers, as well in the river as in several other streams which fall into it. These parts, though agreeable, are not inhabited by any Indians, in consequence of their wars. They retire from the rivers as far as possible, deep into the country, in order not to be so soon discovered.
Next day we entered the lake, which is of considerable extent ; some fifty or sixty leagues, where I saw four beautiful islands, ten, twelve and fifteen leagues in length formerly inhabited, as well as the Iroquois rivers, by Indians, but abandoned since they have been at war the one with the other. Several rivers, also, discharge into the lake, surrounded by a number of fine trees similar to those we have in France, with a quantity of vines handsomer than any I ever saw ; a great many chestnuts, and I had not yet seen except the margin of the lake, where there is a large abundance of fish of divers species.
Continuing our route along the west side of the lake, contemplating the country, I saw on the east side very high mountains capped with snow. I asked the Indians if these parts were inhabited ? They answered me yes, and that they were Iroquois, and that there were in those parts beautiful valleys, and fields fertile in corn as good as I had ever eaten in the country, with an infinitude of other fruits, and that the lake extended close to the mountains, which were, according to my judgment, fifteen leagues from us. I saw others to the south, not less high than the former ; only that they were without snow. .
At nightfall we embarked in our canoes to continue our journey, and as we advanced very softly and noiselessly, we encountered a war party of Iroquois on the 29th of the month, about ten o'clock at night, at the point of a cape which puts into the lake on the west side. They and we began to shout, each seizing his arms. We withdrew towards the water and the Iro- quois repaired on shore, and arranged all their canoes, the one beside the other, and began to hew down trees with villainous axes, which they sometimes got in war, and others of stone, and fortified themselves very securely.
Our party, likewise, kept their canoes arranged the one along side the other, tied to poles so as not to run adrift, in order to fight all together should need be. We were on the water about an arrow-shot from their barricades.
When they were armed and in order, they sent two canoes from the fleet to know if their enemies wished to fight, who answered they desired nothing else ; but that just then there was not much light, and that we must wait for day to distinguish each other, and they would give us battle at sunrise. This was agreed to by our party. Meanwhile the whole night was spent in dancing and singing, as well on one side as on the other, mingled with an infinitude of in- sults and other taunts, such as the little courage they had ; how powerless their resistance 4
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HISTORY OF ADDITON COUNTY.
against their arms, and that when day would break they should experience this to their ruin. Ours, likewise, did not fail in repartee ; telling them they should witness the effects of arms they had never seen before ; and a multitude of other speeches, as is usual at a siege of a town. After the one and the other had sung, danced and parliamented enough, day broke. My companions and I were always concealed, for fear the enemy should see us preparing our arms the best we could, being, however, separated, each in one of the canoes belonging to savage Montagnars. After being equipped with light armor we took each an arquebus and went ashore. I saw the enemy leave their barricade ; they were about two hundred men, of strong and robust appearance, who were coming slowly towards us, with a gravity and assurance which greatly pleased me, led on by three chiefs. Ours were marching in similar order, and told me that those who bore three lofty plumes were the chiefs, and that there were but these three and they were to be recognized by those plumes, which were considerable longer than those of their companions, and that I must do all I could to kill them. I promised to do what I could, and that I was very sorry they could not clearly understand me, so as to give them the order and plan of attacking their enemies, as we should undoubtedly defeat them all ; but there was no help for that ; that I was very glad to encourage them and to manifest to them my good will when we should be engaged.
The moment we landed they began to run about two hundred paces towards their enemies who stood firm, and had not yet perceived my companions who went into the bush with some savages. Ours commenced calling me in a loud voice, and making way for me, opened in two and placed me at their head, marching about twenty paces in advance, till I was within thirty paces of the enemy. The moment they saw me they halted, gazing at me and I at them. When I saw them preparing to shoot at us, I raised my arquebus, and aiming directly at one of the three chiefs, two of them fell to the ground by this shot and one of their compan- ions received a wound of which he died afterwards. I had put four balls in my arquebus. Ours, on witnessing a shot so favorable for them, set up such tremendous shouts that thunder could not be heard ; and yet, there was no lack of arrows on one side and the other. The Iroquois were greatly astonished seeing two men killed so instantaneously, notwithstanding they were provided with arrow-proof armor of woven cotton thread and wood. This fright- ened them very much. Whilst I was re-loading, one of my companions in the bush fired a shot, which so astonished them anew, seeing their chiefs slain, that they lost courage, took to flight and abandoned the field and their fort, hiding themselves in the depths of the forest, whither pur- suing I killed some others. Our savages also killed several of them and took ten or twelve prisoners. The rest carried off the wounded. Fifteen or sixteen of ours were wounded by ar- rows ; they were promptly cured.
After having gained the victory they amused themselves plundering Indian corn and meal from the enemy; also their arms which they had thrown away in order to run the better. After having feasted, danced and sung, we returned three hours afterwards with the prisoners.
The place where this battle was fought is in forty-three degrees some minutes latitude, and I named it Lake Champlain.
Authorities differ with regard to the exact location of the scene of this bat- tle, the first of a long series that were to consecrate the locality with the blood of three contending powers. The prevailing opinion has been that it occurred near, if not directly upon, the promontory afterwards occupied by Fort Ticon- deroga ; but we are inclined to agree with Hon. John Strong, who places it on Sandy Point, directly opposite the town of Addison. After the battle, it is recorded, Champlain and his men retreated across the lake, where they re- mained until the latter part of the day before continuing their journey. This, if the view suggested be correct, would place them upon Chimney Point, in the
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DISCOVERY AND OCCUPATION.
southern part of the present town of Addison. Here it was, then, in Addison county, that the lake which was destined to be the theatre of such great events in the history of our country, was christened; for the wording of Champlain's journal clearly indicates that it was not until just after this battle that he named the lake, i. e., "The place where the battle was fought is in forty-three degrees some minutes latitude, and I named it Lake Champlain." 1
Thus came the first white man upon the soil of the territory of which we write, and thus, from the 30th day of July, 1609, dates the period of its his- tory. Previous to this date there is not even the uncertainties of tradition to tell us of its aboriginal occupants-though it undoubtedly did have at one time an Indian population, while the course of Otter Creek was from time immemo- rial, according to Indian tradition, a favorite pathway of travel. Champlain found the northern Indians, or the Montagners, engaged in a bloody war with the powerful Iroquois, and hence he says of the country bordering the 'lake : "These parts, though agreeable, are not inhabited by any Indians in conse- quence of their wars." How long these wars had been in progress it is impos- sible to state with any degree of accuracy; but certainly for a generation or more. The Algonquins, though the most numerous, lacked the strength of unity, their population being spread over so large an amount of territory, and they were thus generally getting the worst of the contest. It is little wonder then that they hailed with delight this new weapon which the white men brought, armed with which they could, for a time, win victory on any field.
Previous to the formation of the Iroquois Confederacy each of the five nations composing it was divided into five tribes. When the union was estab- lished, each tribe transferred one-fifth of its members to every other nation than its own. The several tribes thus formed were named as follows: Tortoise, Wolf, Bear, Beaver, Deer, Potato, Snipe, Heron. The Snipe and Heron cor- respond with the Great and Little Plover, and the Hawk with the Eagle of the early French writers. Some authors of repute omit the name of the Potato tribe altogether. These tribes were formed into two divisions, the second sub- ordinate to the first, which was composed of the four first named. Each tribe constituted what may be called a family, and its members, who were all con- sidered brothers and sisters, were also brothers and sisters of the members of all the other tribes having the same device. It will be seen that an indissolu- ble bond was thus formed by the ties of consanguinity, which was still further strengthened by the marriage relation. It was held to be an abomination for two persons of the same tribe to intermarry; every individual family must therefore contain members from at least two tribes. The child belonged to the tribe, or clan, of the mother, not to the father, and all rank, titles and posses-
1The Abenaqui Indians called the lake " Pe-ton-bon-que," that is, " The Waters that lie Be- tween," viz., them and the Iroquois. The Iroquois called it " Caniaderi-guar-unte," that is, " The Lake that is the Gate of the Country." The Dutch and English called it "Corlear," after the cele- brated Dutchman of Schenectady, who went down the lake in 1665, and was drowned near Fort Cassin.
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HISTORY OF ADDISON COUNTY.
sions passed through the female line. The chief was almost invariably suc- ceeded by a near relative, and always on the female side; but if these were unfit, then a council of the tribe chose a successor from among remoter kin- dred, in which case he was nominated by the matron of the late chief's house- hold. The choice was never made adverse to popular will. Chiefs and sa- chems held their offices only through courteous, winning behavior and their general good qualities and good conduct. There was another council of a popular character, in which any one took part whose age and experience qual- ified him to do so; it was merely the gathered wisdom of the nation. The young warriors also had their council; so, too, did the women. All the gov- ernment of this "remarkable example of an almost pure democracy in govern- ment "1 was exercised through councils, which were represented by deputies in the councils of the sachems. In this peculiar blending of individual, tribal, national and federal interests lies the secret of that immense power which for more than a century resisted the hostile efforts of the French; which caused them for nearly a century to be alike courted and feared by the contending French and English colonies, and enabled them to exterminate or subdue their neighboring Indian nations, until they were substantially dictators of the con- tinent, gaining them the title of " The Romans of the New World."
While the Iroquois Indians were superior in mental capacity and less im- provident than the Algonquins and other nations, there is little indication that they were ever inclined to improve the conditions in which they were found by the Europeans. They were closely attached to their warrior and hunter life ; hospitable to friends, but ferocious and cruel to their enemies; of no mean mental capacity, but devoting their energies to the lower, if not the lowest forms of enjoyment and animal gratification ; they had little regard for the mar- riage tie, and lasciviousness and unchastity were the rule; their dwellings, even among the more stationary tribes, were rude, their food gross and poor, and their domestic habits and surroundings unclean and barbaric; their dress was ordinarily of skins of animals, until the advent of the whites, and was primitive in character ; woman was degraded into a mere beast of burden; while they believed in a supreme being, they were powerfully swayed by superstition, in- cantations by "medicine men," dreams and the like ; their feasts were exhibi- tions of debauchery and gluttony.
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