The
French King, at the same time, made Champlain governor, so that he
finished his life in the service of the colony he had founded.
Samuel de Chaplain, who must be regarded as the real founder of the
Canadian colony, was already a noted man when invited by De Chates (or
De Chastes), commandant of Dieppe, to take part in the enterprise for
colonizing New France. He had served in the French marine at the
Antilles, and also in the South of France against the Spaniards, and
De Chates had met him at court. He was a man of noble and virtuous
disposition, chivalrous, and inspired with a deep sense of religion,
and at that time about thirty-six years of age. It will also be seen
that Champlain was gifted with qualities which endeared him both to his
own followers and to the native Indians of Canada. He was of good
address--always able, when he desired it, to render himself acceptable
to the highest personages in France, so as to secure a willing attention
to his representations. Such was the man who, under the auspices of De
Chates and of M. de Monts, first made his appearance in New France, in
whose early annals he figured conspicuously upward of thirty years.
In 1603 Champlain, in conjunction with Pontegrave, made his first voyage
to the St. Lawrence. At Tadoussac they left their ships and ascended the
river in boats to the then farthest attainable point--the Sault St.
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