XVII.
A breife declaration what beaver skinnes Captaine David Kirke and his Companie brought from Canida, in the yeare 1629. and how the Forte of Kabecke was surrendred.
That the sayd Captaine Kirke and his companie brought from Canida, the voyage aforesaide but the number of 6253. beaver skinnes.
Deposed upon oath
by Capt'aines David and
Thos. Kirke, Jn°. Lowe
and Th. Wade their factors
and pursers fol. I.
That of the saide 6253. beaver skinns they gott and acquired by trade with the natives of Canada 4540.
Deposed upon oath by
the same parties fol. I. as
also Jacques Reinard Sr.
de Espines, Lieutenant
to Monsr. de Cane, hath
deposed ad 15. interrogator.
fol'. 5. that he beleaveth
they traded for 4000.
beavers and all the other
Frenchmen depose that
the English traded there
for beavers skines.
That Captaine Kirke and his companie had not from the French above the number off 1713 beaver skinnes which with those had in trade as aforesaid maketh upp the number of 6253 skinnes.
Deposed by the said
Captaines David and Thomas
Kirke, John Lowe and
Thomas Wade, fol. I.[839]
Note 839: [(retour) ]
Dans le n. 13 du Vol. V, qui ne diffère pas essentiellement du n. 12, on lit de plus: and M. Champlain governor of the Fort deposeth but of 2500. or 3000. beavers that were therein, fol. 3.
That the time when the Fort of Keibecke was surrendred to Captaine Kirke, the French men in the same were in greate want of victualles havinge lived two months before uppon nothinge but bitter rootes.
Deposed by Samuell
Shamplin, Leieutenant
Goverener, fol. 19, ad. 4,
Nicolas Blundell, fol. 22
and Eustacie Boule, Fol. 23.
That the French delivered to Captaine Kirke in exchange for victualls and for theire bringinge into England and sendinge them into France, at his chardges all the beaver skinnes which he had from them.
Proved per contractum,
fol. 24. [840]
Note 840: [(retour) ]
Le n. 13 porte: Proved per contractum made at the takeinge in of the Forte, fol. 8, 9.
That Captaine Kirke fedd for the space off three or fower months off the French, 100 persons and that those victualls in trucke which the natives would have gayned him more beavor skinnes then att those which he had from the French to the number of 1000.
Deposed by Captaine
David Kirke, fol. 27. ad.
9 and 10. Interr.
And whereas there may seeme to be some difference betweene the depositions of the English and French, touchinge the number of beaver skinnes, that difference is thus to be reconsiled, namely that it is to be understood, that the English speake only off such beavers as came to the companies accompt, and the French speake off the whole number of skinnes that they had when the forte was surrendred, not naminge or expressinge what part off the same they themselves enjoyed by the permission off the English hid or imbeazilled, for it is evident by their owne depositions that by the content of the English, some of them had one garment and others two garments of beaver a peece, and Monsr. Shamplin and Monsr, Pountgrave had 227 beavers off those found in the Forte all which by estimation cannot be lesse then a thousand skinnes besides one; Monsr. Culliart now residing in 16/1428Canida, had 250 of the said beavers which the English paid him for, as by his receipt may appeare and the Frenchmen themselves did privately convay away some beavers and hidd others the number whereof cannot be discovered by reason that by the articles of agreement they were permitted to carry out of the forte what beaver skinnes and others comodities they had, nither is it considered what at such a time both the French and English off the ordinarie people might convay away as pilladg which is impossible for the adventurers to finde out.
(Sur le dos est écrit.)
Breviat of ye businesse of Kebeck as was brought me by one of ye Canada companie, ye 2. (12) of May, 1631. with a note of the Beaver skinnes taken and bought by Capt. Kerke in Canada.
(State Paper Office, Colonial Papers, vol. VI, art. 12.)