How did Cartier gather information on his voyages?
My method was that of a practical navigator and observer. I relied on careful soundings to gauge the depths of the channels, noting the lay of the land, the color of the water, and the presence of safe anchorages. My eyes were always on the horizon for headlands and inlets. Equally important was my interaction with the native peoples, whom I initially termed 'savages.' They shared their knowledge of the rivers and lands, offering furs and fish in trade. Their settlements and fortifications, like the palisades at Stadacona, provided strategic information, even as I strove to understand their ways.
Ask Jacques Cartier the follow-up →