This was the dream of all French explorers, and of Champlain inparticular, and his interest was at once excited by anything that lookedtoward the Pacific. Now Vignan had prepared himself with just the neededinformation. He said that during his winter with the Indians he had madethe very discovery needed; that he had ascended the river Ottawa, whichled to a body of salt water so large that it seemed like an ocean; that hehad just seen on its shores the wreck of an English ship, from whicheighty men had been taken and slain by the savages, and that they had withthem an English boy whom they were keeping to present to Champlain.This tale about the English ship was evidently founded on the recentcalamities of Henry Hudson, of which Vignan had heard some garbledaccount, and which he used as coloring for his story. The result was thatChamplain was thoroughly interested in the tale, and that Vignan wascross-examined and tested, and was made at last to certify to the truthof it before two notaries of Rochelle. Champlain privately consulted thechancellor de Sillery, the old Marquis de Brissac, and others, who allassured him that the matter should be followed up; and he resolved to makeit the subject of an exploration without delay. He sailed in one vessel,and Vignan in another, the latter taking with him an ardent youngFrenchman, Albert de Brissac.
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