of St John, and on June 25 reached St Croix Island. 'Not
finding any more suitable place than this island,' says
Champlain, the leaders of the colony decided that it
should be fortified: and thus was the French flag unfurled
in Acadia.

The arrangement of the settlement at St Croix was left
to Champlain, who gives us a drawing in explanation of
his plan. The selection of an island was mainly due to
distrust of the Indians, with whom, however, intercourse
was necessary. The island lay close to the mouth of a
river, now also called the St Croix. As the choice of
this spot proved most unfortunate, it is well to remember
the motives which prevailed at the time. 'Vessels could
pass up the river,' says Champlain, 'only at the mercy
of the cannon on this island, and we deemed the location
most advantageous, not only on account of its situation
and good soil, but also on account of the intercourse
which we proposed with the savages of these coasts and
of the interior, as we should be in the midst of them.
We hoped to pacify them in course of time and put an end
to the wars which they carry on with one another, so as
to derive service from them in future and convert them
to the Christian faith.'

De Monts' band was made up largely of artisans, who at
once began with vigour to erect dwellings. A mill and an
oven were built; gardens were laid out and many seeds
planted therein. The mosquitoes proved troublesome, but
in other respects the colonists had good cause to be