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CHAMPLAIN'S EXPLANATION OF THE ACCOMPANYING MAP.
THE ATTACK AT PORT FORTUNE.
The figures indicate fathoms of water.
A. Place where the French were making bread. B. The savages surprising the French, and shooting their arrows at them. C. French burned by the savages. D. The French fleeing to the barque, completely covered with arrows. E. Troops of savages burning the French whom they had killed. F. Mountain bordering on the harbor. G. Cabins of the savages. H. French on the shore charging upon the savages. I. Savages routed by the French. L. Shallop in which were the French. M. Savages around our shallop, who were surprised by our men. N. Barque of Sieur de Poutrincourt. O. The harbor. P. Small brook. Q. French who fell dead in the water as they were trying to flee to the barque. R. Brook coming from certain marshes. S. Woods under cover of which the savages came.
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Upon the occurrence of this noise and that of our men, the sentinel, on our vessel, exclaimed, "To arms! They are killing our men!" Consequently, each one immediately seized his arms; and we embarked in the shallop, some fifteen or sixteen of us, in order to go ashore. But, being unable to get there on account of a sand-bank between us and the land, we threw ourselves into the water, and waded from this bank to the shore, the distance of a musket-shot. As soon as we were there, the savages, seeing us within arrow range, fled into the interior. To pursue them was fruitless, for they are marvellously swift. All that we could do was to carry away the dead bodies and bury them near a cross, which had been set up the day before, and then to go here and there to see if we could get sight of any of them. But it was time wasted, therefore we came back. Three hours afterwards, they returned to us on the sea-shore. We discharged at them several shots from our little brass cannon; and, when they heard the noise, they crouched down on the ground to avoid the fire. In mockery of us, they beat down the cross and disinterred the dead, which displeased us greatly, and caused us to go for them a second time; but they fled, as they had done before. We set up again the cross, and reinterred the dead, whom they had thrown here and there amid the heath, where they kindled a fire to burn them. We returned without any result, as we had done before, well aware that there was scarcely hope of avenging ourselves this time, and that we should have to renew the undertaking when it should please God.
On the 16th of the month, we set out from Port Fortuné, to which we had
given this name on account of the misfortune which happened to us there.
This place is in latitude 41° 20', and some twelve or thirteen leagues from
Mallebarre. [226]
ENDNOTES:
210. Clearly a mistake. Champlain here says they "continued their course north," whereas, the whole context shows that they must have gone south.