Marguerite de la Roche was nineteen years old when she left France with Francois de la Roche, Sieur de Roberval to be part of the new colony founded not long before by Jacques Cartier. At some point during the crossing of the North Atlantic from France Roberval discovered that his relative (the exact connection is unknown though she is sometimes referred to as his niece) was having an affair with one of the gentlemen passengers.
Meeting Jacques Cartier
Being a very religious man Roberval was shocked when he found out and determined to do something about the situation at his first opportunity. After meeting with Jacques Cartier at Newfoundland and discovering that the latter had sailed away in the night instead of accompanying him back to his colony, Roberval continued his voyage, passing up the east coast of Newfoundland. By this time the lovers had become even more brazen and apparently had no control over their emotions.
Isle of Demons
Roberval had had enough by this time and as they were near the Isle of Demons he decided to effectively separate them by abandoning his relative on the island. This island had a history of bizarre happenings and was believed, due to the howling sounds coming from it, to be inhabited by demons. Marguerite was rowed ashore along with an old woman named Bastienne, who was her servant. Roberval left them with muskets and ammunition to stave off any wild animals and to hunt for food. The gentleman in question, whose name was not recorded, upon seeing his love abandoned, left the ship with a few supplies and joined her on the island. Roberval, relieved of the burden of their sin and glad the affair was settled, sailed away.
Marooned
Marguerite, her servant and her lover made the best of a bad situation and managed to survive on the island by hunting, fishing and using the supplies the gentleman had brought ashore. They built a cabin as the demons supposedly hovered about them making live miserable. Once the cabin was finished the demons were apparently not able to get inside and the trio were relatively safe. The man had brought ashore a considerable amount of supplies consisting of a gun, clothes and barrels of biscuits, cider, linen and other items of necessity.
In time Marguerite gave birth to a child but tragically not long afterwards the old servant woman passed away as did the infant. Before long her lover also died and Marguerite was left alone. Fortunately, Marguerite was made of stern stuff and was able to survive on the island. She is said to have shot three polar bears on one occasion and by ignoring the gibbering to the demons she retained her sanity.
Rescued
Marguerite lived on the island for two years and five months before a passing fisherman saw the smoke from her fire, sailed closer to shore and braving the legendary demons stepped ashore to rescue her. She was emaciated and ill but determined to live. The fisherman returned her to France where she told her story to Andre Thevet, an historian living in Nautron and disappeared from history.
The exact location of the island (some say islands) is unknown for they disappeared from maps in the 1700s and today they do not exist in the suggested location shown below. However, Roberval's pilot renamed the island Les Isles de la Demoiselle, in her honour.
Bibliography
Thomas B. Costain - The White and the Gold - 1954
Richard Howard - A New History of Canada - Vol. 1 - 1972
Encyclopedia Canadiana
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