III.

First Visit to North America

In 1603, Champlain made his first visit to North America as a royal geographer on a fur trading expedition. Jacques Cartier had previously explored parts of North America for France but his mission to establish a colony in Canada had failed because of scurvy and the harsh winters. Champlain’s expedition sailed to Tadoussac, at the mouth of the Saguenay River, which had long been a trading centre for the indigenous peoples living along the St Lawrence. From Tadoussac, Champlain ventured far up the Saguenay, up the St Lawrence River to Montreal Island, and up the river that would be named the Richelieu. He also gathered information from the Montagnais people about the geography of the north-eastern section of North America and used this information to draw a remarkably accurate map. It showed a large bay to the north (Hudson Bay) and water to the west, which Champlain later discovered was the Great Lakes. This western body of water was so large that he believed it must connect with the Pacific Ocean, forming the fabled North West Passage. Champlain was also told about a pleasant land to the south with a mild climate, and was shown a metal, which he thought might be silver.