Читать книгу A Canadian History for Boys and Girls - Emily Poynton Weaver - Страница 6
ОглавлениеEuropean Traders.
Though the people of Europe knew nothing of what lay beyond the great ocean to the west, they did know a little about the countries to the east. In those days people were more ready to travel by land than by water. For hundreds of years traders had brought gold, gems, and rich stuffs overland from India. But there were many difficulties and dangers in this long journey, and at last adventurous men began to seek a new way to the countries of the east. A Portuguese seaman sailed along the coast of Africa, rounded the cape of Good Hope, and thus found a way to India by sea.
Christopher Columbus.
Meanwhile, it had occurred to an Italian, Christopher Columbus, that India might be reached by sailing due west. But he had neither ships nor money, and several years passed before he could persuade anyone to help him to try his plan. At last, in 1492, Ferdinand and Isabella, the king and queen of Spain, gave him three small ships and promised to make him governor of any new countries he might discover. His troubles were not at an end, however. As they sailed over the unknown ocean, farther and farther from home, his men became so frightened and angry that they threatened to kill him. At length they reached one of the islands now called the West Indies, and Columbus carried back to Spain six Indians, a little gold, and some strange plants and animals. He was received with great honour, but was afterwards used ungratefully. He made three more voyages, but till the day of his death, in 1506, he thought that he had only found a new way to India, and had no idea that he had discovered a new continent.
John and Sebastian Cabot.
Other navigators now turned towards the west. In 1497, the year before Columbus first visited the mainland of America, John Cabot, a Venetian, who had settled at Bristol, explored some part of the coast of North America. Upon this England afterwards grounded a claim to a large part of the continent. With Cabot sailed his son Sebastian. He was then only twenty years of age, but in the following year he set out to search for a north-west passage to India.
French Explorers.
About this time vessels from France and other countries began to visit the shores of Newfoundland for the sake of the fisheries. Frenchmen also explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and in 1524 their king, Francis I, sent out an Italian, Verrazano, who sailed along part of the coast of North America, and gave to a great stretch of country the name of New France.
Jacques Cartier.
Ten years later Francis sent Jacques Cartier, a hardy Breton sailor, to seek a passage to Asia. He sailed through the Straits of Belle Isle and landed at Gaspé, where he set up a cross bearing the words, “Long live the King of France!” He took back with him two young savages. The next year Cartier again set sail for the New World from his native town, St. Malo. Before they started he and his crew confessed their sins in the cathedral, and were solemnly blessed by the bishop. This time he made his way far up the St. Lawrence, which the Indians called “the Great River of Hochelaga.”
Donnacona and His People.
An Indian village, Stadacona, stood at the foot of the rock now crowned by the buildings of Quebec. Its chief, Donnacona, was friendly; but when Cartier wished to go higher up the river, some of the Indians pretended to be bad spirits, thinking to frighten him from his purpose. But Cartier laughed at them, and pushed on. Soon he reached another Indian town, defended by a tall fence, called a palisade, and surrounded by fields of ripe corn. Behind it rose a great hill, which he named “Mont Royale.” The Indians had never seen white people before, and Cartier said they watched him as if he “had been going to act a play.” And he really did some very strange things. He touched and prayed over the sick, who had gathered round, and read aloud some portions of the gospels in French, which of course the Indians could not understand. But, to their delight, after the reading there was a great giving of presents and blowing of trumpets. The Frenchmen now returned to Stadacona, where they spent a miserable winter. They lived in constant dread of the Indians, whose friendship they had lost, and many fell sick and died. When spring came Cartier deceitfully beguiled Donnacona and nine other Indians on board his ship, and sailed away to France, where the poor savages soon died.
A gentleman of
Elizabeth’s reign.
Roberval.
Five years later Cartier agreed to help a French nobleman, the Sieur de Roberval, to found a colony in Canada. Cartier went on first, but again he and his men suffered much during the winter; and, when spring opened, they set sail for France. On the way they met Roberval. He ordered them to return to Canada, but they escaped in the night, and though Roberval went on, he soon had to come back. For many years after this no one tried to found a colony in Canada, but the fishermen still sailed regularly to Newfoundland.
Sir Humphrey Gilbert.
In the year 1583 Sir Humphrey Gilbert set up the royal banner of England on a hill overlooking St. John’s harbour, Newfoundland, and took possession of the island in the name of his queen, Elizabeth. But on his return voyage he was lost in a storm, and for forty years no settlement was made.
Beaver.
The Exiles of Sable Island.
By this time people had discovered that they could make much money by trading in the furs of the beavers and other wild animals, which were then so plentiful in Canada. In 1598 the Marquis de la Roche, another French nobleman, engaged to found a colony in return for the sole right of trading in furs. It was difficult to persuade people to go to Canada, however, and criminals were taken from the prisons to make up the required number. They were carried across the ocean in a ship so small that it was said they could wash their hands in the water from its sides. Forty of these men were landed on Sable Island, while their companions went to explore the neighbouring coasts. But the ships were driven back to France by terrible storms, La Roche was cast into prison by his enemies, and for five years the wretched exiles were left on their lonely island. They lived on wild cattle and berries. But they quarrelled and fought with one another, and when a ship was sent to rescue them, all but twelve had died or been killed. These twelve were taken before the king in their shaggy garments of fur, and in pity for their sufferings he pardoned all their offences, and gave them money to start in the fur trade.
Discoveries in the West.
In the meantime explorers made their way round Cape Horn, and the Spaniards took possession of Mexico and California. In 1578 Sir Francis Drake, an Englishman, followed them into the Pacific Ocean, doing their towns and ships as much damage as he could. He sailed northward along the west coast of America, claiming it for Elizabeth, but it is uncertain how far he went. Fourteen years afterwards Juan de Fuca, a Greek in the service of the Spaniards, visited the coast of what is now British Columbia; but for nearly two hundred years little was learned about that country.
