Chilled with the cold, huddled in the narrow holds of the little ships fast frozen in the endless desolation of the snow, the agonized sufferers breathed their last, remote from aid, far from the love of women, and deprived of the consolations of the Church.

Let those who realize the full horror of the picture think well upon what stout deeds the commonwealth of Canada has been founded.
Without the courage and resource of their leader, whose iron constitution kept him in full health, all would have been lost.

Cartier spared no efforts.

The knowledge of his situation was concealed from the Indians.

None were allowed aboard the ships, and, as far as might be, a great clatter of hammering was kept up whenever the Indians appeared in sight, so that they might suppose that Cartier's men were forced by the urgency of their tasks to remain on the ships.