his Bref Discours and partly with the quest of suitable
employment. His avowed preference for the sea and the
reputation which he had already gained as a navigator
left no doubt as to the sphere of his future activities,
but though eager to explore some portion of America on
behalf of the French crown, the question of ways and
means presented many difficulties. Chief among these was
the fickleness of the king. Henry IV had great political
intelligence, and moreover desired, in general, to befriend
those who had proved loyal during his doubtful days. His
political sagacity should have led him to see the value
of colonial expansion, and his willingness to advance
faithful followers should have brought Champlain something
better than his pension and the title of Geographer. But
the problems of France were intricate, and what most
appealed to the judgment of Henry was the need of domestic
reorganization after a generation of slaughter which had
left the land desolate. Hence, despite momentary impulses
to vie with Spain and England in oversea expansion, he
kept to the path of caution, avoiding any expenditure
for colonies which could be made a drain upon the treasury,
and leaving individual pioneers to bear the cost of
planting his flag in new lands. In friendship likewise
his good impulses were subject to the vagaries of a
mercurial temperament and a marked willingness to follow
the line of least resistance. In the circumstances it is
not strange that Champlain remained two years ashore.

The man to whom he owed most at this juncture was Aymar
de Chastes. Though Champlain had served the king faithfully,