they at last, with great labor, reached the island of Allumette, at a
distance of two hundred and twenty-five miles. Often it was impossible to
carry their canoes past waterfalls, because the forests were so dense, so
that they had to drag the boats by ropes, wading among rocks or climbing
along precipices. Gradually they left behind them their armor, their
provisions, and clothing, keeping only their canoes; they lived on fish
and wild fowl, and were sometimes twenty-four hours without food.
Champlain himself carried three French arquebuses or short guns, three
oars, his cloak, and many smaller articles; and was harassed by dense
clouds of mosquitoes all the time. Vignan, Brissac, and the rest were
almost as heavily loaded. The tribe of Indians whom they at last reached
had chosen the spot as being inaccessible to their enemies; and thought
that the newcomers had fallen from the clouds.

When Champlain inquired after the salt sea promised by Vignan, he learned
to his indignation that the whole tale was false. Vignan had spent a
winter at the very village where they were, but confessed that he had
never gone a league further north. The Indians knew of no such sea, and
craved permission to torture and kill him for his deceptions; they called
him loudly a liar, and even the children took up the cry and jeered at
him. They said, "Do you not see that he meant to cause your death? Give
him to us, and we promise you that he shall not lie any more." Champlain
defended him from their attacks, bore it all philosophically, and the
young Brissac went back to France, having given up hope of reaching the
salt sea, except, as Champlain himself coolly said, "in imagination." The
guardians of the St. Lawrence had at least exerted their spell to the
extent of saying, Thus far and no farther. Vignan never admitted that he
had invented the story of the Gougou, and had bribed the Indians who acted
the part of devils,--and perhaps he did not,--but it is certain that
neither the giantess nor the god Cudraigny has ever again been heard from.