Voyage #2
I set sail for a second voyage on May 19 of the following year with three ships and 110 men. Reaching the St. Lawrence, he sailed up-river for the first time, and reached the Iroquoian capital of Stadacona, where Chief Donnacona ruled. I had left my main ships in a harbor close to Stadacona, and used my smallest ship to continue on to Hochelaga, arriving on October 2, 1535. Hochelaga was far more impressive than the small and squalid village of Stadacona, and a crowd of over a thousand came to the river edge to greet me. We could proceed no further, as the river was blocked by rapids. I was so certain that these rapids were the only things in my way of finally discovering the northwest passage, but I had to give up. Ready to return to France in early May 1536, I decided to take Chief Donnacona to France, so that he might tell the tale of a country further north, called the "Kingdom of Saguenay", said to be full of gold, rubies and other treasures. After an difficult trip down the St. Lawrence and a three-week Atlantic crossing, my men and I arrived in Saint-Malo on July 15, 1536, concluding the second, 14 month voyage, which was my most profitable voyage.