Parts of the " Sabertache " appeared in the " Biblio- theque Canadienne " and the " Encyclopedic Cana- dienne." The greater part is unpublished, but has been consulted by scholars interested in Cana- dian history, both in America and Europe. Mr. Viger was first president of the National society of St. John the Baptist, and was also for several years lieutenant-colonel of militia. His published works are " Relation de la mort de Louis XV., roi de France " (Montreal, 1812) ; " Observations en amelioration des lois des chemins telles qu'en force dans le Bas-Canada en 1825 " ; " Rapports sur les chemins, rues, ruelles, ponts de la cite et paroisse de Montreal, avec notes" (1841); " Archeologie religieuse du diocese de Montreal " ; and " Sou- venirs historiques sur la seigneurie de Laprairie" (1857). His best writings have been for reviews.
VIGIER, George (ve-zhe-ay), Central Ameri-
can traveller, b. in Havana, Cuba, about 1710 ; d. in
Bordeaux, France, in 1779. He was for several
years a merchant in Havana, afterward founded a
mercantile house in San Juan, Nicaragua, and, be-
fore returning to France, explored the province.
He wrote " Notes et esquisses de voyage a travers
le Nicaragua " (Bordeaux, 1768); "Description des
antiquites et des mines dans la province de Nica-
ragua" (1772) ; and " Manuel du commercant dans
les Antilles et PAmerique Centrale " (1775).
VIGNAN, Nicolas, French soldier, b. in Sain-
tonge about 1587; d. in Canada about 1630. He
went to New France with Baron de Poutrin-
court in 1606, participated in Samuel de Cham-
plain's second voyage of discovery, and in 1610
volunteered to join the Indians on their homeward
journey and winter among them. He embarked
in the Algonquin canoes, passed up Ottawa river,
and was seen no more for a twelvemonth. In 1612
he reappeared in Paris, bringing a tale of won-
ders, averring that at the sources of the Ottawa
he had found a great lake ; that he had crossed it,
and discovered a river flowing northward ; that
he had descended this river and reached the shores
of the sea ; that there he had seen the wreck of an
English ship, whose crew, escaping to land, had
been killed by the Indians ; and that this sea was
distant from Montreal only seventeen days by
canoe. The clearness, consistency, and apparent
simplicity of his story convinced Champlain, who
had heard of a voyage of the English to the
northern seas, coupled with rumors of wreck and
disaster (evidently the voyage of Henry Hudson
in 1610-'12, when he discovered Hudson straits).
The Marechal de Brissac, the President Jeannin,
and other persons of eminence about the court
urged Champlain to pursue a discovery that prom-
ised such important results, and in consequence,
early in the spring of 1613, Champlain crossed the
Atlantic again and sailed up St. Lawrence river,
accompanied by Vignan as a guide. On 27 May
he left the island of St. Helen, opposite Montreal,
with Vignan, three soldiers, and one Indian in two
canoes. They crossed the Lake of Two Mountains,
and advanced up Ottawa river as far as the rapids
of Carrillon. Carrying their canoes across the rap-
ids, they passed the cataracts of the Chaudiere, the
lake of the same name, left the river at the Fall of
the Chats, and crossed to Lake Coulonge, up which
they sailed to Tessouat, the village of a powerful
Ottawa chief. Here Champlain learned that Vig-
nan had remained the whole winter of 1610-'ll at
Tessouat, and that the map he had made of his
pretended discoveries was valueless. Vignan fell
on his knees, owned his treachery, and begged for
mercy. Vanity, the love of notoriety, and the
hope of reward seem to have been his induce-
ments, yet, but for this alleged discovery, Cham-
plain would not have been given the means of re-
turning to New France, and thus Vignan's treach-
ery was greatly beneficial to the exploration and
colonization of Canada. Champlain pardoned Vig-
nan for these reasons, and the party returned to
Montreal, where Vignan engaged in business and
afterward rendered efficient services as an inter-
preter. He died amonp: the Ottawas.
VIGNAUD, Jean Henry (veen-yo), author, b.
in New Orleans, La., 27 Nov., 1830. He is de-
scended from an ancient Creole family, received his
education in his native city, and was a teacher in
the public schools of New Orleans in 1852-'6, be-
ing at the same time connected with " Le Courrier,"
of New Orleans, and other publications. In 1857
he established in the town of Thibodeaux, La., a
daily entitled " L'Union de Lafourchu," which he
edited till 1860, when he aided in founding in New
Orleans a weekly review, " La renaissance Louisi-
anaise," which did much to encourage the study of
French literature in the state. In 1861 he pub-
lished " L'Anthropologie," a work partly scientific
but mainly philosophical. He became a captain in
the 6th Louisiana regiment, Confederate army, in
June, 1861, and was captured in New Orleans in
April, 1862. In March, 1863, he was appointed as-
sistant secretary of the Confederate diplomatic
commission in Paris. At the same time he was a
contributor to the " Memorial diplomatique," and
in charge of the theatrical criticisms in several
dailies. In 1869 he became secretary of the Rou-
manian legation in Paris, and in 1872 he was offi-
cially connected with the Alabama commission in
Geneva, for which he translated nearly all the pa-
Bers presented to that tribunal in behalf of the
r nited States. In 1873 he was U. S. delegate at
the International diplomatic metric conference, re-
ceived the appointment, 14 Dec. 1875, of second
secretary of the U. S. legation in Paris, in 1882 was
U. S. delegate at the International conference for
the protection of sub-marine cables, and on 11 April,
1882, was promoted first secretary of legation at
Paris. Mr. Vignaud has contributed memoirs to
the Institute of France and other learned societies,
and since 1869 has been secretary of the Societe
savante, of Paris. He has in preparation a " His-
tory of the Formation of the American Union " and
a " History of the Discovery and Occupation of the
Territory of the United States."
VIGNE, Charles de la (veen), French soldier, b. in southern France about 1530; d. in Fort Caroline, Fla., 20 Sept., 1565. He accompanied Jean de Ribaut in his expedition to Florida in 1562, and in 1564 returned thither- with Rene de Laudonniere and assisted in building Fort Caroline. He afterward proved a stanch supporter of the governor during the mutinies that nearly brought about the ruin of the first colony in Florida. During the winter he made a voyage of discovery to Cape Canaveral and induced the Indians of the coast to supply the colony with fish. After Ribaut's arrival in August, 1565. he was one of the few that supported Laudonniere in the council of war and opposed Ribaut's plan for attacking the Spaniards by sea. Ribaut having prevailed, La Vigne became chief of the night-watch that was charged to guard the fort, but through carelessness neglected to post sentries. When Menendez de Aviles approached at early dawn of 20 Sept., he easily carried the fort and slaughtered its defenders, La Vigne being among the first killed, and Laudonniere escaping with only a few men to the ships. La Vigne wrote an interesting account of the foundation of the French colony in Florida, which
