The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1899-02-18
A Legend Of the Atlantic
BY Thomas Wentworth Hisginson.


THOSE American travellers who lin
ger with delight among the mar
row lanes and picturesque, overhang-
ing roofs of Honheur, do not know what
a-strange tragedy took place on a voy-
age which began in that quaint old port
three centuries and half ago.
Three tall ships sailed from Honfleur
on August %, 1541, and on one of them,
La Grande Herminc-sO-Cal to dis
tinguish il from u smaller boat of that
name, which had previously sailed with
Cartier-were the Sieur de Roberyal,
his niece and her ''gouvernante." She
also had with her Huguenot nurse,
who had been with her from a child,
and cared for her devotedly. Roberval
naturally took with him, for future
needs, the best shipbuilder of st. Malo,
Etienne Gosselin. The voyage was
long, and tlhere is reason to think that
the Sieur d Roberyal was not good
aaiIor, !. hid az 20 ths a2onysrllante,' 7
eheInay have bsenBs helpless as the sea-
sick chaperon of yachting excursions.
Like them, she suffered the most inn
portnnt events TO pass unobserved, and
it was not till too late that she discoy-
cred, what more censorious old ladies
on board had already seen, that her
young charge fingered too often and
too long on the quarter deck when
Etienne Gosselin was planning ships
for the uncle. When she found it out
she was reused to just indignation;
but being, after all, but kindly dowa-
ger, with a heart softened by much
reading of the interminable tales of
Mime. de Scudery, she only remOnstrat-
ed with Marguerite, wept over her little
romance, and threatened to break the
sad news to the Sieur de Roberval, yet
never did so. Other ladies were less
Gonsiderate; it all broke suddenly upon
the angry uncle; the youth was put in
irons, and threatened with flogging,
deck again. But love laughs at lock-
smiths; Gosselin was relieved of his
irons in a day or two because he could
not be spared from his work in de-
signing the forthcoming ship, and as
both he and Marguerite were of a toll
erably determined nature, they in
Voked, through the old nurse, the aid
of a Huguenot minister on board, who
had before sailed with Cartier to take
charge of the souls of some Protestant
vagabonds on the ship, and who was
now making second trip for the same
reason. That night, after dark, he
Joined the lovers in marriage; within
- hours Roberval had heard of it, and
had vowed a vengeance quick and sure.
The next morning, under his orders,
the vessel lay to under he lee of a rocky
island, then known to the sailors as
"l'Isle des Demons" from the fierce
winds that ragged round it.. There was
no house there, no living person, no
tradition of any; only rocks, sand and
deep forests. With dismay, the ships
company heard that it was the firm
purpose of Roberval to put the offend
ing bride on shore, giving her only the
old nurse for company, and there to
leave hen with provisions for three
months, trusting to some other vessel
TO take the exiled woman away within
that time. The very ladies whose love
of scandal had first revealed to him the
alleged familarities, now besought
him with many tears to abandon the
thought of doom so terrible. Nainly
Mime. de Noailles implored mercy for
the young girl from a penalty such as
was. never imposed in any of Nine. de
Seudery's romances; yainly the Hugue-
not minister and the Catholic chaplain,
who had fought steadily on questions
OF doctrine during the whole voyage,
now united in appeals for pardon. At
least they implored him to let the Of
Tenders have a man servant or two with
them to protect them against wild
beasts or buccaneers. He utterly re-
fused until, at last wearied out. his
wild nature yielded to one of those
sudden impulses which were wont to
sweep over it, and he exclaimed: as
il that they need man servant, then?
Let this insolent caitiff, Gosselin, be re-
Iievcd of his irons and sent on shore.
Let him be my niece's servant, or, since