in Canada are marked by conspicuous failure in colonizing work. The
trading Company--the Company of New France or of "One Hundred
Associates"--to which the country was handed over in 1633, thought of
the fur trade, of fisheries, of profits--of anything rather than
settlement, and never lived up to its promises to bring in colonists.
It made huge grants of land with a very light heart. In 1653 a grant was
made of the seigniory of Malbaie to Jean Bourdon, Surveyor-General of
the Colony. But Bourdon seems not to have thought it worth while to make
any attempt to settle his seigniory and, apparently for lack of
settlement, the grant lapsed. Even the Company of New France treasured
some idea that would-be land owners in a colony had duties to perform.

After thirty years France at length grew tired of the incompetence of
the Company and in 1663 made a radical change. The great Colbert was
already the guiding spirit in France and colonial plans he made his
special care. Louis XIV too was already dreaming of a great over-sea
Empire. The first step was to take over from the trading Company the
direct government of the colony. The next was to get the right men to do
the work in New France. An excellent start was made when, in 1665, Jean
Talon was sent out to Canada as Intendant. He had a genius for
organization. Though in rank below the Governor he, with the title of
Intendant, did the real work of ruling; the Governor discharged its
ceremonial functions. Talon had a policy. He wished to colonize, to
develop industry, to promote agriculture. In his capacious brain new and
progressive ideas were working. He brought in soldiers who became
settlers, among them the first real seigneur of Malbaie. An adequate
military force, the Carignan regiment, came out from France to awe into
submission the aggressive Iroquois, who long had made Montreal, and even
Quebec itself, unsafe by their sudden and blood-thirsty attacks.
Travelling by canoe and batteau the regiment went from Quebec up the