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Most of the ships that made the crossing in those 225 years were more or less of the same type-50 to 60 feet long and 16 to 18 feet wide, two or three masts, with half a dozen sails, and ordinarily crews of 15 to 20 men. Whatever number of passengers and animals taken on board for the trip would travel below-decks in the "open space" area of the lower deck.

The trips across the ocean and their accompanying difficulties did not vary much The crossing took from two to three months' depending on many aspects, the changing winds or lack of them, the treacherous fog, the capabilities of the crew and other things. The living conditions on board those sailing Vessels were very primitive. The extremes of either hot or cold were in evidence most of the times, the penetrating dampness within the confines of the steerage space, and in addition, there were oftentimes, shortages of food and water. The deadly threat of sickness and disease was ever present, with scurvy and dysentery as common occurrences. Many who did not have stamina, and even some that did, perished in transit and were buried at sea over the side, Amen!

On those long voyages drinking water, of course, was imperative to survival, but in time the water would become foul and then suspected as the cause of sickness and ensuing death. The French had devised a unique method of utilizing live frogs to what they believed was testing their drinking water. The procedure was simple and they thought effective. Drinking water was kept in barrels and stored at the bottom of the ship. Two barrels were on hand and kept in the "forecastle". (the living quarters of the crew, at the forward part of the main deck`), and from there the water was rationed out at certain times of the day. One of the two barrels was "open for use". and the second barrel was "stand-by" and into this second barrel a live frog was introduced When the first barrel became empty, then the second barrel was inspected to see if the frog was still alive. If the frog was still living, then the barrel was open for use and a new barrel was brought up from the storage room and the frog was transferred into the new standby" barrel. On the other hand, if the frog had died, then that barrel of water was declared unfit to drink, and that water was diverted to other usage'. The label frog was first applied to French sailors by English sailors, when it was learned that frogs were being used on French ships to test the drinking water Eventually the term was extended to all French people, and still later to all people of French-Canadian extraction.

The National Cartier-Brebeuf Park in Quebec City is the site of a full-size replica of the GRANDE-HERMINE-the ship that Jacques Cartier sailed to Quebec in 1636. Near the entrance to this historical park is a sort of Reception-Interpretation Center where the public can new, read, study and garner information from the well-versed guides. There are many secrets revealed here of navigation and explorations of the 16th century and the coming together of the European and North American Indian cultures.