year which cast a shadow on the colony, that of Anne Hébert, and of her
husband, Étienne Jonquest, who survived his wife only a few weeks.

The mission at Three Rivers was placed under the charge of Father Le
Caron, and from this date it was the object of the most pastoral
solicitude of the Récollets.




CHAPTER VII

FUR TRADE


The earliest reference by Champlain to the fur trade in Canada, is
contained in his relation of his voyage to Tadousac in the year 1603.
During this journey he encountered a number of Indians in a canoe, near
Hare Island, among whom was an Algonquin who appeared to be well versed
in the geography of the country watered by the Great Lakes. As a proof
of his knowledge, he gave to Champlain a description of the rapids of
the St. Lawrence, of Niagara Falls and Lake Ontario. When questioned as
to the natural resources of the country, he stated that he was
acquainted with a people called the good Iroquois (Hurons) who were
accustomed to exchange their peltry for the goods which the French had
given to the Algonquins. We have in this statement proof that the French
were known to the inhabitants of New France before the year 1603.

In the year 1608, trading was conducted with the Indians at Tadousac,
but in 1610 it was alternately at Tadousac, and near Cape de la Victoire