place, which they named Plymouth, to preserve the name of the English
city from which they had sailed.




CHAPTER III

THE FOUNDING OF QUEBEC


After his return to France, as before described, Champlain had an
interview with de Monts, and laid before him the journal which he had
prepared of his explorations in America, together with plans of the
ports and coasts which he had minutely examined during his visits.
Champlain proposed to de Monts to continue his explorations, and
advanced some reasons for prosecuting an enterprise upon which a large
sum had been already expended, and which he was persuaded would
ultimately afford the means of repairing their fortunes. De Monts, owing
to the failure of his own efforts as a colonizer, was not at first
inclined to listen to Champlain's proposals, but he was finally
convinced of the wisdom of his suggestions, and appointed him lieutenant
of an expedition to Quebec for the purpose of trading with the Indians.
The expedition was to return to France during the same year. De Monts
obtained another commission from the king, dated at Paris, January 9th,
1608, which gave him the monopoly of the fur trade in the lands, ports
and rivers of Canada for a period of one year. Two vessels were equipped
for this expedition, the _Don de Dieu_, captain Henry Couillard, and
the _Lévrier_, captain Nicholas Marion. Champlain was given the command
of the former vessel, and Pont-Gravé was in command of the latter. The