Voyage #1
I embarked on my first voyage on April 20, 1534. I set sail under a commission from the king, hoping to discover a western passage to the wealthy markets of Asia. In the words of the commission, I was to "discover certain islands and lands where it is said that a great quantity of gold and other precious things are to be found". It took me twenty days to sail across the ocean. Starting on May 10 of that year, I explored parts of Newfoundland. One of my encounters with the natives took place on the shores of Gaspé Bay with a party of Iroquoians, where on July 24, I planted a 10 meter cross bearing the words "Long Live the King of France" and took possession of the territory in the name of the king. I returned to France in September 1534, sure that I had reached an Asian land.