Here his ships lay at anchor till July 12, in order that he might carry on, in boats, the exploration of the shore.
On July 6, after hearing mass, the first boat with an exploring party set forth and almost immediately fell in with a great number of savages coming in canoes from the southern shore.

In all there were some forty or fifty canoes.

The Indians, as they leaped ashore, shouted and made signs to the French, and held up skins on sticks as if anxious to enter into trade.

But Cartier was in no mind to run the risk of closer contact with so numerous a company of savages.

The French would not approach the fleet of canoes, and the savages, seeing this, began to press in on the strangers.