rsions are based and from which they draw their most striking details.

[Illustration: THE DISCOVERY OF LAKE CHAMPLAIN, 1609. From a drawing
by J. D. Kelly in the Chateau de Ramezay, Montreal.]

The discovery of Lake Champlain had its root in Champlain's promise to
the Algonquins {87} that he would aid them in their strife with the
Iroquois. In turn this promise was based upon the policy of
conciliating those savage tribes from whom the French derived their
supply of furs, and with whom throughout the St Lawrence basin they
most constantly came in contact.

It was the year which followed the founding of Quebec. Of the
twenty-eight who entered upon the first winter eight only had survived,
and half of these were ailing. On June 5 relief came in the person of
Des Marais, who announced that his father-in-law, Pontgrave, was
already at Tadoussac. Champlain at once set out to meet him, and it
was arranged that Pontgrave should take charge of the settlement for
the coming year, while Champlain fulfilled his promise to aid the
Algonquins in their war with the Iroquois. The full plan required that
Pontgrave should spend the winter in Canada, while Champlain, after his
summer campaign, was to return to France with a report of his
explorations.

The Indians had stated that the route to the land of the Iroquois was
easy, and Champlain's original design was to proceed in a shallop
capable of carrying twenty Frenchmen. Early in July he reached the
mouth {88} of the Richelieu, but on arriving at Chambly he found it
quite impossible to pass the falls with his shallop. Either the
expedition must be abandoned or the plan be radically changed, with the
consequence of incurring much greater risks. To advance meant sending
back the shallop with its crew and stores, embarking in a canoe, and
trusting wholly to the good faith of the savages. The decision was not
easy. 'I was much troubled,' says Champlain. 'And it gave me especial
dissatisfaction to go back without seeing a very large lake, filled
with handsome islands and with large tracts of fine land bordering on
the lake, where their enemies lived, according to their
representations. After duly thinking over the matter I determined to
go and fulfil my promise and carry out my desire. Accordingly I
embarked with the savages in their canoes, taking with me two men, who
went cheerfully. After making known my plan to Des Marais and others
in the shallop, I requested the fo