Chouart Groseillers had long since been created a nobleman for returning to France. In spite of the peace, this enigmatical declaration is found in the private papers of the King of France:
“Owing to the peace, the King of England has given positive orders that goods taken at Hudson Bay, must be paid for; but the French King relies on getting out of this affair.”
Iberville sailed away to fresh glories. A seigniory had been granted him along the Bay of Chaleurs. In 1699, he was created Chevalier of St. Louis. The rest of his years were passed founding the colony of Louisiana, and he visited Boston and New York harbors with plans of conquest in his mind, though as the Earl of Belomont reported “he pretended it was for wood and water.” In the war of the Barbadoes, Iberville had hoped to capture slaves for Louisiana, and he had transported hundreds, but yellow fever raged in the South and Iberville fell a victim to it on July 9, 1706, at Havana. He was, perhaps, the most picturesque type of Canada’s wildwood chivalry, with all its savage faults and romantic heroism.
And His Majesty, the King of France, well pleased with the success of his brave raiders sends out a dispatch that reads: “His Majesty declines to accept the white bear sent to him from Hudson Bay, but he will permit the fur traders to exhibit the animal.”
Notes on Chapter XIII.—The English side of the story related in this chapter is taken from the records of Hudson’s Bay House, London, and of the Public Records Office. The French side of the story, from the State Papers of the Marine Archives. Bacqueville de la Potherie, who was present in the fight of ’97, gives excellent details in his Historie de l’Amerique Septentrionale (1792). Jeremie, who was interpreter at York, wrote an account, to be found among other voyages in the Bernard Collection of Amsterdam. For side-lights from early writers, the reader is referred to Doc. Relatifs Nouvelle France; Oldmixon; Doc. Hist. N. Y.; Quebec Hist. So. Collection in which will be found Abbé Belmont’s Relation and Dollier de Casson’s.
It will be noticed that one of the conditions of surrender was that the English should be permitted to march out “match-lighted; ball in mouth.” The latter term needs no explanation. The ball was held ready to be rammed down the barrel. With reference to the term “match-lighted,” in the novel, “Heralds of Empire,” I had referred to “matches” when the argus-eyed critic came down with the criticism that “matches” were not invented until after 1800. I stood corrected till I happened to be in the Tower of London in the room given over to the collection of old armor. I asked one of the doughty old “beef eaters” to take down a musket of that period, and show me exactly what “match-lighted” must have meant. The old soldier’s explanation was this: In time of war, not flint but a little bit of inflammable punk did duty as “match-lighter.” This was fastened below the trigger like the percussion cap of a later day. The privilege of surrendering “match-lighted” meant with the punk below the trigger. I offer this explanation for what it is worth, and as he is the keeper of the finest collection of old armor in the world, the chances are he is right and that matches preceded 1800.
At first sight, there may seem to be discrepancies in the numbers on the English ships, but the 200 mariners were extra men, in addition to the 50 or 60 seamen on each frigate, and the 50 or 60 servants on each boat sent out to strengthen the forts.