Saturday, November 24, 2012

David Niven and the Search for the North-west Passage

Cropped screenshot of David Niven from the tra...
Cropped screenshot of David Niven from the trailer for the film The Toast of New Orleans. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Although they were supposedly still looking for a route to the Orient by travelling down the St. Lawrence and into the Great Lakes, the truth is that the French were so enamoured of their new land that by 1611 the Jesuits had set up shop.

They were quickly followed by the first settlers.

Many babies later New France was thriving.

 

If the British were having sex and making babies in those days it wasn't happening in the New World.

They were too busy channeling their inner David Niven.

Against all odds, (and all reason), they continued to search for a north-west passage to China.

 

Talk about British bull doggedness in the face of impossible odds ...  

 

Anyway, while all of this activity was happening on our side of the ocean, Europe was self-destructing.

 
The 30 Years War, (1618-1648), which pitted Catholics against Protestants, raged on, with a particularly nasty stretch fought at sea after 1629 between Britain and France.

In 1631, when it was safe to venture out on the water again there were two more voyages to search for the north-west passage. 
 
They were so terrible that no more attempts were made for 100 years.

 
Britain had other royal fish to fry, er, behead anyway.

 

 

 

Enhanced by ZemantaThis is the 4th in my series of blogs called, 'Canadian history as I see it.



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6 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

No sex please, we're British!

Plowing Through Life (Martha) said...

Hahaha...love it, Francie! I guess the British were more interested in conquering the world than cozying up with their partner.

Kay G. said...

David Niven wrote a couple of books that are really very funny.
"The Moon Is A Balloon" and "Bring On The Empty Horses".
Oh dear, I will have to do a post about him now, all your fault!

momto8 said...

oh my gosh...I love the way you teach!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm surprised there are any of us left!

Jane said...

Sounds like the French knew a good thing when they saw it!