Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume IV.djvu/48

 CARTIER of Pavia, and that of St. Elmo at Naples, are still visited by travellers, and for many years a Carthusian community occupied as a convent the baths of Diocletian at Rome. They de- A Carthusian Monk. clined rapidly at the close of the last century, and have not recovered in this. Since the sup- pression of religious houses in Italy the order is confined chiefly to the Grand Chartreuse and its filiations in France. CARTIER, Sir George Itlenne, a Canadian statesman, of the family of Jacques Cartier, born at St. Antoine, Sept. 6, 1814, died in Eng- land, May 20, 1873. He was educated at the seminary of St. Sulpice, Montreal, studied law, and in 1835 commenced practice in that city. In politics he became a follower of M. Papi- neau, and when the rebellion of 1837 broke out in Lower Canada, a price of $2,000 was set on his head. He however escaped arrest, and in time an amnesty cast oblivion over the offence, and he lived to be entertained by Queen Vic- toria at Windsor castle. He was elected to the house of assembly from the county of Ver- cheres in 1848. In 1856 he was appointed provincial secretary, and soon became attor- ney general. In November, 1857, he became leader of the Lower Canada section of the government, J. A. Macdonald being governor. After the provinces were confederated, and distinctions were conferred upon Canadians who had taken part in that change, Cartier considered himself slighted iu, being only cre- ated a commander of the batit while his col- league was knighted. Sir Jo^in Macdonald then advised the bestowal on Cartier of a higher title than that conferred on himself, and obtained for him a baronetcy. , In August, 1858, Cartier became premier, with Macdonald for his chief Upper Canada colleague. He as- sisted in carrying the abolition of the feudal tenure in Lower Canada ; in making the legis- lative council elective, and in that reactionary measure which in 1867 reverted to the prac- tice of crown nomination; in bringing about the codification of the laws of Lower Canada, and in judicial decentralization ; and in origi- nating and carrying out the confederation of British America. With the exception of an interval of about a year, he had held some cab- inet office since 1858. In 1872 his health failed, and he visited Europe, without, how- ever, resigning his office of minister of militia. CARTIER, Jacques, a French navigator, born at Saint Malo, Dec. 31, 1494, died about 1555. Under the auspices of Francis L, he was in- trusted with the command of an expedition to explore the western hemisphere. He sailed from Saint Malo, April 20, 1534, with two ships of 60 tons each, and a crew of 120 men, and in 20 days reached the E. coast of Newfound- land ; thence steering N. he entered the straits of Belle Isle, and took possession of the coast of Labrador by planting a cross. He next turned S. and followed the W. coast of New- foundland to Cape Ray, when he was borne W. by unfavorable weather toward the Magda- len islands. After visiting them, he continued W., landed at the mouth of the Miramichi, whence he went with some of his men to ex- plore the bay of Chaleurs, and a few days later sailed with his two ships, to land again a little further N. in the bay of Gasp6, which he mis- took for the outlet of a large river. He there had friendly intercourse with the savages, and inspired them with such confidence that one of their chiefs permitted two of his sons to go with him to France, on condition that he would bring them back the following year. There he planted another wooden cross, to which was attached a shield bearing the arms of his king, and the words, Vive le roi de France I He next proceeded N. E., doubled the E. point of Anti- costi, and entering the channel which separates the island from the continent, sailed up that branch of the St. Lawrence to Mont Joly, not being aware, however, of the existence of the river. Returning, he reached Saint Malo, Sept. 5, 1534, after an absence of less than six months. This successful voyage encouraged the king to new efforts; three well furnished ships were fitted out for another expedition, which was joined by some of the young nobility of France, and Cartier was appointed commander, being designated in the commission as " captain and pilot of the king." About the middle of May, 1535, Cartier assembled his 'companions and men on Whit-Sunday, and repaired to the ca- thedral, where a solemn mass was celebrated, at which the whole company received the eu- charist and the bishop's blessing. The squad- ron, consisting of La Grande Hermine, a vessel of 120 tons, La Petite Hermine, of 60, and L'Eme'rillon, a smaller craft, sailed May 19, car- rying several young gentlemen as volunteers, and two chaplains. Storms soon separated the three vessels, which after a rough voyage arrived successively at their place of rendezvous, the inlet of Blanc Sablon, in the straits of Belle