evidently considered as an encroachment upon their rights as
proprietors. They exhibited symptoms of discontent, and during the night
they killed four Frenchmen who had imprudently stayed ashore. They were
buried near the cross. This the Indians immediately threw down, but
Poutrincourt ordered it to be restored to its former position.

On three different occasions the party attempted to pursue their
discoveries southwards, but they were prevented each time by a contrary
wind. They therefore resolved to return to Port Royal, which was
rendered imperative both by the approach of winter and the scarcity of
provisions. The result of the voyage was not altogether satisfactory.
Champlain had perhaps held a degree further south than on the former
occasion, but he had not discovered anything of importance.

On their return to Port Royal, the voyagers were received with great
ceremony. Lescarbot, a Parisian lawyer, who had arrived some time
before, and some other Frenchmen, went to meet them and conducted them
to the fort, which had been decorated with evergreens and inscriptions.
On the principal door they had placed the arms of France, surrounded
with laurel crowns, and the king's motto: _Duo protegit unus_. Beneath
the arms of de Monts was placed this inscription: _Dabit Deus his quoque
finem_. The arms of Poutrincourt were wreathed with crowns of leaves,
with his motto: _In via virtuti nulla est via_. Lescarbot had composed a
short drama for the occasion, entitled, _Le Théâtre de Neptune_.

The winter of 1606-07 was not very severe. The settlers lived happily in
spite of the scurvy, from which some of them died. Hunting afforded them
the means of providing a great variety of dishes, such as geese, ducks,
bears, beavers, partridges, reindeer, bustards, etc. They also organized
a society devoted to good cheer called, _Ordre du Bon Temps_, the