Biencourt de Poutrincourt, Jean de, Baron de Saint Just (1557-1615). Had won distinction as a soldier in the service of France; and in 1604 sailed with De Monts and Champlain to Acadia. Was so charmed with Port Royal that he determined to make it his home. De Monts made him a grant of the lands about Annapolis Basin, which the king confirmed. Went back to France and brought out his family to the new settlement. Accompanied Champlain in his exploration of the Bay of Fundy. Jesuit missionaries were sent out to Port Royal, whom Poutrincourt, although a good Roman Catholic, found far from congenial. Their relations became more and more strained, and when Poutrincourt sailed to France in 1613, the Jesuits succeeded in having him thrown into prison. Regained his liberty and returned to Acadia, but found Port Royal in ashes. Returned to France and fell in the attack on Méry. Index: Ch Goes with De Monts to Acadia, 19; lieutenant of De Monts at Port Royal, 34; joins Champlain in exploration and erects crosses on coast (Massachusetts), 35; returns to France, 37. Bib.: Parkman, Old Régime. See also Lescarbot; Champlain; De Monts.
Bienville, Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, sieur de (1680-1768). Son of Charles Le Moyne, and brother of Iberville. Accompanied Iberville to Hudson Bay in 1697, and took part in the capture of Fort Nelson and the defeat of the English fleet. The following year sailed with his brother to the mouth of the Mississippi, where they laid the foundations of the colony of Louisiana. After the death of Iberville, became governor of the colony, and remained there for thirty-five years. Founded the city of New Orleans, and laboured unceasingly to advance the interests of Louisiana. Index: F Joins war party against Schenectady, 235. Bib.: King, Jean Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville; Reed, The First Great Canadian; Margry, Découvertes des Français. See also Iberville.
Bierce. Mc Plans attack on Windsor, 446; lands at Windsor, 447; retreats, 447.
Big Mouth (Grande Gueule). F Onondaga orator, 184, 221.
Biggar, James L. R Graduate of Victoria College, 144.
Bignon. Ch Crown lawyer in proceedings re Champlain's will, 265.
Bigot, François. Born at Bordeaux, Jan. 30, 1703; son of Louis-Amable Bigot. Through his influence at court, obtained several lucrative offices in New France, which he turned to his own personal advantage. Arrived at Louisbourg in 1739. After the capture of Louisbourg in 1745, returned to France, where serious charges of misappropriating public funds had been brought against him, but his influence at court was still powerful enough to extricate him from this scrape, and to secure him the office of intendant of New France, 1748. Sailed for Quebec and arrived the same year. There elaborated a system of peculation, by which every branch of the public service was laid under tribute to enrich himself and his creatures, helping thereby to bring about the final loss of the colony. Returned to France after the conquest of Canada; thrown into the Bastille, and released only to be banished from France. Index: WM Intendant, appearance and character, 32; made profit of famine, 53; gambling habits, 54; reprimanded by minister, 88; hostility to Bougainville, 88; makes his headquarters at Beauport, 88; letter to Bougainville, 165. Hd Disliked, 52. Bib.: Roy, Intendants de la Nouvelle-France (R. S. C., 1903); Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe.
Billings, Elkanah (1820-1876). Born in township of Gloucester, Ontario. Studied law, called to the bar, 1845, and practised in Ottawa. Appointed paleontologist of the Geological Survey of Canada, 1856, and in the same year established the Canadian Naturalist. Bib.: Morgan, Cel. Can.; Cyc. Am. Biog.; Ami, Brief Biographical Sketch of Elkanah Billings.
Billings, Joseph. Born in England, 1758. Accompanied Captain Cook on his last voyage on the Discovery; and afterwards entered the Russian navy. Commanded an expedition to the north-west boundaries of Asia in 1785, and in 1786-1794 explored the coasts of Siberia and Alaska. Index: D Visits Unalaska, Nodiak, and Prince William Sound, 1790, 26. Bib.: Dict. Nat. Biog.
Bindon. Dr Montreal merchant, treasonable proceedings of, 84.