New France

It has been 4 months since I arrived here in Quebec and since then, it has been quite prosperous in regards to trading. Tomorrow, I am set off to return home to France and share the news of my findings and present the abundance of fur to King Henry IV. Although he was expecting gold and silver, I believe that my fur will be of satisfaction to him. Hopefully when I return  here in the future, the city of Quebec will continue to prosper and expand.

- Samuel de Champlain (leaves August of 1603)

Returns in 1608

Plague of the white man

For as long as we could remember our lives were simple and just great.One dreaded day we were visited by white men who at first seemed really nice and helpful to us but in reality, brought us nothing but trouble. They brought over many diseases that cause lots of our population to die out and they also brought us alcohol which ended up being disastrous itself due to the fact that it poisoned us and led to more of us dying and for our population to deplete.

-Okipowa of Huron tribe 

Guns!

Today, the white people came to us again wanting to trade. We gave them fur in return for more of these things they call “guns”. I think the official name for these weapons are “Flintlock Muskets”. These things shoot metal muskets faster than the eye can see. They have greater range, accuracy, and penetration than our bow and arrows, so now we prefer them in war. We can use these against other tribes we want to move out of our territory. Sadly though, the supply of these guns have caused for a higher immortality rate for us Natives. Another downside to them is that they take away the element of surprise, due to the loudness. We also use them for hunting our food. 

-Chikku from Huron tribe

Fur Trade!

The French supply us with tools and useful weapons to give us a great advantage in war. When they came to our land, they did not know how to cultivate on our soil so we fed them our crops in order for them to not starve to death. We grow an abundance of corn and fish that they depend on us to feed them. When they eventually got the hand of our technique, we readily lent them our tactics and they began cultivating on our lands and setting boundaries on their animals, giving our structure of agriculture and animal tending a new European twist. We did not have a problem with sharing our ideas with the French men, for they brought us no harm. We were able to get along for the most part without butting heads too many times.

-Tecumsah of Huron tribe

Lake Champlain

"After gaining the victory, our men amused themselves by taking a greater quantity of Indian corn and some meal from their enemies, also their armor, which they had left behind that they might run better. After feasting sumptuously, dancing and singing, we returned three hours after, with the prisoners. The spot where this took place is in latitude 43º and some minutes, and the lake was called Lake Champlain..."

-Samuel de Champlain 

Fighting with the Iroquois

"Now as we began to approach within two or three days' journey of the abode of their enemies, we advanced only at night, resting during the day...When it was evening, we embarked in our canoes to continue our course; and, as we advanced very quietly and without making any noise, we met on the 29th of the month the Iroquois, about ten o'clock at evening, at the extremity of a cape which extends into the lake on the western bank  They had come to fight. We both began to utter loud cries, all getting their arms in readiness. We withdrew out on the water, and the Iroquois went on shore, where they drew up all their canoes close to each other and began to fell trees with poor axes, which they acquire in war sometimes, using also others of stone. Thus they barricaded themselves very well....After arming ourselves with light armor, we each took an arquebuse, and went on shore. I saw the enemy go out of their barricade, nearly two hundred in number, stout and rugged in appearance. They came at a slow pace towards us, with a dignity and assurance which greatly amused me, having three chiefs at their head. Our men also advanced in the same order, telling me that those who had three large plumes were the chiefs, and that they had only these three, and that they could be distinguished by these plumes, which were much larger than those of their companions, and that I should do what I could to kill them. I promised to do all in my power, and said that I was very sorry they could not understand me, so that I might give order and shape to their mode of attacking their enemies, and then we should, without doubt, defeat them all; but that this could not now be obviated, and that I should be very glad to show them my courage and good-will when we should engage in the fight."

-Samuel de Champlain

The Iroquois

"...I set out accordingly from the fall of the Iroquois River on the 2d of July. All the Savages set to carrying their canoes, arms, and baggage overland, some half a league, in order to pass by the violence and strength of the fall, which was speedily accomplished. They then put them all in the water again, two men in each with the baggage; and they caused one of the men in each canoe to go by land some three leagues, the extent of the fall, which is not, however, so violent here as at the mouth, except in some places, where rocks obstruct the river, which is not broader than three hundred or four hundred paces. After we had passed the fall, which was attended with difficulty, all the savages, who had gone by land over a good path and level country, although there are a great many trees, re-embarked in their canoes. My men went also by land; but I went in a canoe. The savages made a review of all their followers, finding that there were twenty-four canoes, with sixty men. After the review was completed, we continued our course to an island, three leagues long, filled with the finest pines I had ever seen. Here they went hunting, and captured some wild animals. Proceeding about three leagues farther on, we made a halt, in order to rest the coming night..."

-Samuel de Champlain