the Indians abruptly left the ship and went ashore.

Cartier must, indeed, have been perplexed, and perhaps
alarmed, at the conduct of the Stadacona natives. It was
his policy throughout his voyages to deal with the Indians
fairly and generously, to avoid all violence towards
them, and to content himself with bringing to them the
news of the Gospel and the visible signs of the greatness
of the king of France. The cruelties of the Spanish
conquerors of the south were foreign to his nature. The
few acts of injustice with which his memory has been
charged may easily be excused in the light of the
circumstances of his age. But he could not have failed
to realize the possibilities of a sudden and murderous
onslaught on the part of savages who thus combined a
greedy readiness for feasting and presents with a sullen
and brooding distrust.

Donnacona and his people were back again on the morrow,
still vainly endeavouring to dissuade the French from
their enterprise. They brought with them a great quantity
of eels and fish as presents, and danced and sang upon
the shore opposite the ships in token of their friendship.
When Cartier and his men came ashore, Donnacona made all
his people stand back from the beach. He drew in the sand
a huge ring, and into this he led the French. Then,
selecting from the ranks of his followers, who stood in
a great circle watching the ceremony, a little girl of
ten years old, he led her into the ring and presented
her to Cartier. After her, two little boys were handed