66
CONTENANT VN IOURNAL DES CHOSES QUI N'ONT
PEU ESTRE COUCHÉES SOUS LES
CHAPITRES PRECEDENS.
SI ce Chapitre estoit le premier dans ceste relation,
il donneroit quelque lumiere à tous les suiuans:
mais ie luy ay donné le dernier rang, pource
qu'il se grossira tous les iours iusques au depart des
vaisseaux, par le rencontre des choses plus remarquables
qui pourront arriuer, n'estant qu'vn memoire
en forme de Iournal, de tout ce qui n'a peu estre logé
dans les Chapitres precedens.
CONTAINING A JOURNAL OF THINGS WHICH COULD
NOT BE SET FORTH IN THE PRECEDING
CHAPTERS.
IF this Chapter were the first in this relation, it
would throw some light upon all the following
ones; but I have given it the last place, because
it will continue to increase every day until the departure
of the ships, through the occurrence of more
noteworthy events which may happen. It is only a
memoir, in the form of a Journal, of all the things
that could not be given in the preceding Chapters.
Apres le depart de nos François qui sortirent de la
rade de Kebec, le 16. d'Aoust de l'an passé 1633. pour
tirer à Tadoussac, & de là en France, cherchant [210]
l'occasion de conuerser auec les sauuages, pour apprendre
leur langue; ie me transportay delà le grand
fleuue de sainct Laurens dans vne cabane de fueillages,
& allois tous les iours à l'escole dans celles des
sauuages, qui nous enuironnoient, alleché par l'esperance
que i'auois, sinon de reduire le Renegat à
son deuoir, du moins de tirer de luy quelque cognoissance
de sa langue: ce miserable estoit nouuellement
arriué de Tadoussac, où il s'estoit mõstré fort contraire
aux François, la faim qui pressoit l'Apostat &
ses freres, les fit monter à Kebec pour trouuer dequoy
viure: estãs donc occupez à leur pesche, i'estois
fort souuent en leur cabane, inuitant par fois le Renegat
68
de venir vne autre fois hyuerner auec nous
dans nostre maisonnette, il s'y fust aysément accordé
n'estoit qu'il auoit pris femme d'vne autre nation
que la sienne, & qu'il ne la pouuoit pas renuoyer pour
lors: voyant donc qu'il ne me pouuoit pas suiure, ie
luy iettay quelque propos de passer l'hyuer auec luy,
mais sur ces entrefaictes vne furieuse tempeste nous
ayant battu en ruine certaine nuict, le [211] Pere de
Noüe, deux de nos hommes, & moy, dans nostre cabane,
ie fus saisy d'vne grosse fiéure, qui me fit chercher
nostre petite maisonnette pour y trouuer la
santé.
After the departure of our French,—who left the
roadstead of Kebec on the 16th of August of last
year, 1633, to sail for Tadoussac and thence to
France,—in order to have [210] opportunity of conversing
with the savages, and thus learning their
language, I crossed the great saint Lawrence river to
a cabin of branches, and went every day to school in
those of the savages, who were encamped around
me,—allured by my hopes, if not of bringing the
Renegade to a sense of his duty, at least of drawing
from him some knowledge of the language. This
poor wretch had newly arrived from Tadoussac,
where he had shown great repugnance to the
French. The famine which afflicted this Apostate
and his brothers caused them to come up to Kebec in
search of food. Now, as they were occupied in fishing,
I was very often in their cabin, and occasionally
invited the Renegade to come again and pass the winter
with us in our little house. He would very
readily have agreed to this, had he not taken a wife
from another nation than his own, and he could not
send her away then. Therefore, seeing that he could
not follow me, I threw out some hints about passing
the winter with him; but during these negotiations,
a furious tempest having one night swept down upon
us, [211] Father de Noüe, two of our men, and myself,
in our cabin, I was seized with a violent fever,
which made me go back to our little home to recover
my health.
L'Apostat ayant veu mon inclination traicta de
mon dessein auec ses freres, il en auoit trois, l'vn
nommé Carigonan, & surnommé des François l'Espousée,
pource qu'il fait le grand comme vne espousée,
c'est le plus fameux sorcier, ou manitousiou, (c'est
ainsi qu'ils appellent ces iongleurs) de tout le pays,
c'est celuy dont i'ay fort parlé cy-dessus: l'autre se
nómme Mestigoït, ieune homme âgé de quelque trente-cinq
ou quarante ans, braue Chasseur, & d'vn bon
naturel: le troisiesme se nommoit Sasousinat, c'est le
plus heureux de tous: car il est maintenant au Ciel,
estãt mort bon Chrestien, comme ie l'ay fait voir au
Chapitre second. Le sorcier ayant appris du Renegat
que ie voulois hyuerner auec les Sauuages, me
vint voir sur la fin de ma maladie, & m'inuita de
prendre sa cabane, me donnant pour raison qu'il aymoit
les bons, pource qu'il estoit bon, qu'il auoit
[212] tousiours esté bon dés sa tendre ieunesse: il me
demanda si Iesus ne m'auoit parlé de la maladie qui
le trauailloit: viens, me disoit-il, auec moy, & tu me
feras viure maintenant: ie suis en danger de mourir:
70
or comme ie le cognoissois comme vn homme tres-impudent,
ie l'éconduy le plus doucement qu'il me
fut possible, & tirant à part l'Apostat, qui taschoit de
m'auoir de son costé, ayant tesmoigné au Pere de
Noüe quelque desir de retourner à Dieu, ie luy dy
que i'hyuernerois volontiers auec luy, & auec son
frere Mestigoït, à condition que nous n'irions point
de la le grand fleuue, que le sorcier ne seroit point
en nostre compagnie, & que luy qui entend bien la
langue Françoise m'enseigneroit: ils m'accorderent
tous deux ces trois conditions, mais ils n'en tindrent
pas vne.
The Apostate, seeing how I was inclined, discussed
my plan with his brothers. There were three
of them; one named Carigonan, and surnamed by
the French the Married Man, because he made a
great deal of the fact that he was married. He was
the most famous sorcerer, or manitousiou, (thus they
call these jugglers) of all the country; it is he of
whom I have spoken above. The other was called
Mestigoït, a young man about thirty-five or forty
years of age, a brave Hunter, and endowed with a
good disposition. The third was called Sasousinat,
who is the happiest of all, for he is now in Heaven,
having died a good Christian, as I stated in the
second Chapter. The sorcerer, having learned from
the Renegade that I wished to pass the winter with
the Savages, came to see me toward the end of my
sickness, and invited me to share his cabin,—giving
me as his reason that he loved good men, because
he himself was good, and had [212] always been so
from his early youth. He asked me if Jesus had not
spoken to me about the disease which tormented him.
"Come," said he, "with me, and thou wilt make me
live now, for I am in danger of dying." But as I
knew him for a very impudent fellow, I refused him
as gently as I could; and, taking the Apostate aside,
who also wished to have me, as he had shown to
Father de Noüe that he had some desire to return to
God, I told him that I would be glad to winter with
him and with his brother Mestigoït, on condition
that we should not go across the great river, that the
sorcerer should not be of our party, and that he, who
understood the French language well, would teach
me. They both agreed to these three conditions, but
they did not fulfill one of them.
Le iour du départ estant pris, ie leur donnay pour
mon viure vne barrique de galette, que nous empruntasmes
au magazin de ces Messieurs, vn sac de
farine, & des espics de bled d'Inde, quelques pruneaux,
& quelques naueaux, [213] ils me presserent
fort de porter vn peu de vin, mais ie n'y voulois
point entendre, craignant qu'ils ne s'enyurassent:
toutesfois m'ayans promis qu'ils n'y toucheroient
point sans ma permission, & les ayant asseuré qu'au
cas qu'ils le fissent, que ie le ietterois dans la mer, ie
suiuy l'inclination de ceux qui me conseillerent d'en
porter vn petit barillet; ie promis en outre à Mestigoït
que ie le prenois pour mon hoste: car l'Apostat
n'est pas Chasseur, & n'a aucune conduite, que ie
luy ferois quelque present au retour, comme i'ay
fait: c'est l'attente de ces viures qui leur fait desirer
d'auoir vn François auec eux.
On the day of our departure I gave them, for my
support, a barrel of sea biscuit, which we borrowed
from the storehouse of those Gentlemen, a sack of
flour, some ears of Indian corn, some prunes, and some
parsnips. [213] They urged me very strongly to
take a little wine, but I did not wish to yield to
them, fearing they would get drunk. However, having
promised me they would not touch it without my
permission, and having assured them that, if they did,
I would throw it into the sea, I followed the advice
of those who counseled me to carry a little barrel of
it. Also I promised Mestigoït that I would take him
for my host, for the Apostate is not a Hunter, and
has no management; but I promised to make him a
present upon our return, which I did. It was the expectation
of this food which made them wish to have
a Frenchman with them.
Ie m'embarquay donc en leur chalouppe, iustement
le 18. d'Octobre, faisant profession de petit écolier à
mesme iour que i'auois autrefois fait profession de
maistre de nos écoles, estãt allé prendre congé de
72
Monsieur nostre Gouuerneur, il me recommãda tres-particulieremẽt
aux Sauuages, mon hoste luy repartit,
si le Pere meurt ie mourray auec luy, & iamais plus
on ne me reuerra en ce pays icy, nos Frãçois me tesmoignoient
[214] tout plein de regret de mon depart,
veu les dangers esquels on s'engage en la fuitte de
ces Barbares. Les Adieu faits de part & d'autre,
nous fismes voile enuiron les dix heures du matin,
i'estois seul de François auec vingt Sauuages, comptant
les hommes, les femmes, & les enfans, le vent
& la marée nous fauorisans, nous allasmes descendre
au delà de l'Isle d'Orleans dans vne autre Isle nommée
des Sauuages Ca ouahascoumagakhe, ie ne sçay si la
beauté du iour se respandoit dessus ceste Isle, mais ie
la trouuay fort agreable.
So I embarked in their shallop on the 18th of October
precisely, making profession as a little pupil on
the same day that I had previously begun the profession
of master of our schools. When I went to take
leave of Monsieur our Governor, he recommended
me very particularly to the Savages; and my host
answered him, "If the Father dies, I will die with
him, and you will never see me in this country
again." Our French people showed [214] the most
profound regret at my departure, knowing the dangers
that one encounters in following these Barbarians.
When all our Farewells were said, we set sail
about ten o'clock in the morning. I was the only
Frenchman, with twenty Savages, counting the men,
women and children. The wind and tide were favorable,
and we turned to go down past the Island of
Orleans to another Island called by the Savages Ca
ouahascoumagakhe; I know not whether it was the
beauty of the day which spread over this Island, but
I found it very pleasant.
Si tost que nous eusmes mis pied à terre, mon hoste
prend vne harquebuse qu'il a acheté des Anglois, &
s'en va chercher nostre souper: cependant les femmes
se mettent à bastir la maison où nous deuions loger.
Or l'Apostat s'estãt pris garde que tout le monde
estoit occupé, s'en retourna à la chalouppe qui estoit à
l'anchre, prit le petit barillet de vin & en beut auec
tel excez, que s'estãt enyuré comme vne souppe,
il tomba dedans l'eau, & se pensa noyer: enfin il en
sortit apres auoir bien barbotté, il s'en vint vers le
lieu où on dressoit la cabane, [215] criant & hurlant
comme vn demoniaque, il arrache les perches, frappe
sur les écorces de la cabane, pour tout briser: les
femmes le voyant dans ces fougues s'enfuyent dans
le bois, qui deçà qui delà, mon Sauuage que ie nomme
ordinairemẽt mon hoste, faisoit boüillir dans vn
chauderon quelques oyseaux qu'il auoit tuez: cet
yurogne suruenãt rompt la cramaillere, & renuerse
74
tout dans les cendres: à tout cela pas vn ne fait mine
d'estre fasché, aussi est ce folie de se battre contre vn
fol, mon hoste ramasse ses petits oyseaux, les va luy-mesme
lauer à la riuiere, puise de l'eau, & remet la
chaudiere sur le feu, les femmes voyant que cét
homme enragé couroit ça & là sur le bord de l'Isle,
écumant comme vn possedé, viennent viste prendre
leurs écorces, & les emportent en vn lieu écarté, de
peur qu'il ne les mette en pieces comme il auoit commencé:
à peine eurent-elles le loysir de les rouler
qu'il parut aupres d'elles tout forcené, & ne sçachant
sur qui descharger sa fureur: car elles disparurent
incontinent à la faueur de la nuict qui commençoit à
nous cacher, il s'en vint [216] par le feu qui se descouuroit
par sa clarté, & voulant mettre la main sur
la chaudiere pour la renuerser vne autre fois, mon
hoste son frere, plus habile que luy, la prit & luy ietta
au nez toute boüillante comme elle estoit, ie vous
laisse à penser quelle contenance tenoit ce pauure
homme, se voyant pris à la chaude, iamais il ne fut si
bien laué, il changea de peau en la face, & en tout
l'estomach, pleust à Dieu que son ame eust changé
aussi bien que son corps: il redouble ses hurlemens,
arrache le reste des perches, qui estoient encor debout:
mon hoste m'a dit depuis qu'il demandoit vne
hache pour me tuer, ie ne sçay s'il la demanda en
effect, car ie n'entendois pas son langage, mais ie
sçay bien que me presentant à luy pour l'arrester il
me dit, parlant François, Retirez-vous, ce n'est pas
à vous à qui i'en veux, laissez-moy faire, puis me tirant
par la sotane, Allons, disoit-il, embarquons-nous
dans un canot, retournons en vostre maison, vous ne
cognoissez pas ces gens cy, ce qu'ils en font, c'est
76
pour le ventre, ils ne se soucient pas de vous, mais
de vos viures, [217] à cela ie répondois tout bas à part
moy, in vino veritas.
As soon as we had set foot on land, my host took
an arquebus he had bought from the English, and
went in search of our supper. Meanwhile the women
began to build the house where we were to
lodge. Now the Apostate, having observed that
every one was busy, returned to the boat that was
lying at anchor, took the keg of wine, and drank from
it with such excess, that, being drunk as a lord, he
fell into the water and was nearly drowned. Finally
he got out, after considerable scrambling, and started
for the place where they were putting up the cabin.
[215] Screaming and howling like a demon, he
snatched away the poles and beat upon the bark of
the cabin, to break everything to pieces. The
women, seeing him in this frenzy, fled to the woods,
some here, some there. My Savage, whom I usually
call my host, was boiling in a kettle some birds he
had killed, when this drunken fellow, coming upon
the scene, broke the crane and upset everything into
the ashes. No one seemed to get angry at all this,
but then it is foolish to fight with a madman. My
host gathered up his little birds and went to wash
them in the river, drew some water and placed the
kettle over the fire again. The women, seeing that
this madman was running hither and thither on the
shores of the Island, foaming like one possessed, ran
quickly to get their bark and take it to a place of security,
lest he should tear it to pieces, as he had begun
to do. They had scarcely had time to roll it up,
when he appeared near them completely infuriated,
and not knowing upon what to vent his fury, for
they had suddenly disappeared, thanks to the darkness
which had begun to conceal us. He approached
[216] the fire, which could be seen on account of its
bright light, and was about to take hold of the kettle
to overturn it again; when my host, his brother,
quicker than he, seized it and threw the water into
his face, boiling as it was. I leave you to imagine
how this poor man looked, finding himself thus
deluged with hot water. He was never so well
washed. The skin of his face and whole chest
changed. Would to God that his soul had changed
as well as his body. He redoubled his howls, and
began to pull up the poles which were still standing.
My host has told me since that he asked for an ax,
with which to kill me; I do not know whether he
really asked for one, as I did not understand his
language; but I know very well that, when I went
up to him and tried to stop him, he said to me in
French, "Go away, it is not you I am after; let me
alone;" then pulling my gown, "Come," said he,
"let us embark in a canoe, let us return to your
house; you do not know these people here; all they
do is for the belly, they do not care for you, but for
your food." [217] To this I answered in an undertone
and to myself, in vino veritas.
La nuict s'auançant bien fort ie me retiray dedans
le bois pour fuir l'importunité de cet yurongne, &
pour prendre quelque repos; comme ie faisois mes
prieres aupres d'vn arbre, la femme qui faisoit le ménage
de mon hoste me vint trouuer, & ramassant
quelques feüilles d'arbres tombées, me dit; couche
toy là, & ne fais point de bruit, puis m'ayant ietté
vne écorce pour me couurir, elle se retira: voila donc
mon premier giste à l'enseigne de la Lune qui me
découuroit de tous costez, me voila passé Cheualier
dés le premier iour de mon entrée en ceste Academie,
la pluye suruenant vn peu auant minuict, me
donna quelque apprehension d'estre moüillé, mais
elle ne dura pas long temps: le lendemain matin ie
trouuay que mon lict, quoy qu'on ne l'eut point remué
depuis la creation du monde, n'estoit point si
dure qu'il m'empeschat de dormir.
As the night was coming on rapidly, I retired into
the woods, to escape being annoyed by this drunkard,
and to get a little rest. While I was saying my
prayers near a tree, the woman who managed the
household of my host came to see me; and, gathering
together some leaves of fallen trees, said to me,
"Lie down there and make no noise," then, having
thrown me a piece of bark as a cover, she went away.
So this was my first resting place at the sign of the
Moon, which shone upon me from all sides. Behold
me an accomplished Chevalier, after the first day of
my entrance into this Academy. The rain coming
on, a little before midnight, made me fear that I
might get wet, but it did not last long. The next
morning I found that my bed, although it had not
been made up since the creation of the world, was
not so hard as to keep me from sleeping.
Le iour suiuant ie voulu ietter le barillet & le reste
du vin dans la riuiere, comme ie leurs auois dit que
ie ferois, [218] au cas qu'on en abusast, mon hoste
me saisissant par le milieu du corps, s'écria eca toute,
eca toute, ne fais pas cela, ne fais pas cela, ne vois tu
pas que Petrichtich (c'est ainsi qu'ils nomment le Renegat
par derision) n'a point d'esprit, que c'est vn
chien, ie te promets qu'on ne touchera plus au barillet
que tu ne sois present: ie m'arrestay auec resolution
d'en faire largesse, afin de me deliurer de la
crainte qu'vn peu de vin ne nous fit boire beaucoup
d'eau: car s'ils se fussent enyurez pendant que nous
faisions voile, c'estoit pour nous perdre.
The next day I wanted to throw the barrel, with
what was left of the wine, into the river, as I had
told them I would do, [218] in case any one abused
it; but my host, seizing me around the waist, cried
out, eca toute, eca toute, "Do not do that, do not do
that. Dost thou not see that Petrichtich" (it is thus
they call the Renegade in derision) "does not know
anything, that he is a dog? I promise thee that we
will never touch the barrel unless thou art present."
I yielded, and made up my mind to distribute it
liberally, in order to free myself of the fear that a
little wine might make us drink a great deal of water;
for, if they were to get drunk while we were
sailing, we would be lost.
78
Nous voulions sortir le matin de ceste Isle; mais la
marée se retirant, plustost que nous ne pensions, nostre
Chalouppe s'échoüa: si bien qu'il fallut attendre la
marée du soir, en laquelle nous nous embarquasmes,
& voguans à la faueur de la Lune aussi bien que du
vent, nous abordasmes vne autre Isle nommée Ca
ouapascounagate. Comme nous arriuasmes sur la minuict,
nos gens ne prirent pas la peine de nous bastir
vne maison, si bien que nous couchasmes au mesme
lict, & logeasmes à la mesme enseigne que la nuict
precedente, [219] abriez des arbres & du ciel.
We intended leaving this Island in the morning;
but the tide fell sooner than we expected, and
stranded our Boat. Hence we had to wait for the
evening tide, upon which we embarked, and sailed
away by the aid of the Moon as well as of the wind.
We reached another Island, called Ca ouapascounagate.
As we arrived about midnight, our people did not
take the trouble to make a house; and we slept in
the same bed and lodged at the same sign as the
night before, [219] under the shelter of the trees and
sky.
Le lendemain nous quittasmes ceste Isle pour entrer
dans vne autre appellée Ca chibariouachcate, nous
la pourrions nommer l'Isle aux Oyes blanches, car i'y
en vis plus de mille en vne bande.
The next day we left this Island to go to another
one, called Ca chibariouachcate; we might have called it
the Island of the white Geese, for I saw there more
than a thousand of them in one flock.
Le iour d'apres nous la voulions quitter, mais nous
fusmes contraints pour le mauuais temps de relascher
au bout de ceste mesme Isle, elle est deserte comme
tout le pays, c'est à dire qu'elle n'a des habitans
qu'en passant, ce peuple n'ayant point de demeure
assurée: elle est bordée de rochers si gros, si hauts,
& si entrecouppez & peuplée neantmoins de Cedres &
de Pins si proprement, qu'vn Peintre tiendroit à faueur
d'en auoir la veüe pour tirer l'idée d'vn desert
affreux pour ses precipices, & tres agreable pour la
varieté de quantité d'arbres qu'on diroit auoir esté
plantez par la main de l'art plustost que de la Nature.
Comme elle est entre-taillée de bayes pleines
de vases, il s'y retire si grande quantité de gibier &
de plusieurs especes que ie n'ay point veu en France,
qu'il le faut quasi voir pour le croire.
The following day we tried to leave, but the bad
weather compelled us to land again at the end of
this same Island. It is a solitude, like all the country;
that is, it has only temporary inhabitants, for
these people have no fixed habitation. It is bordered
by rocks so massive, so high, and so craggy,
and is withal covered so picturesquely with Cedars
and Pines, that a Painter would consider himself
favored to view it, in order to derive therefrom an
idea of a desert frightful in its precipices and very
pleasing in the variety and number of its trees,
which one might say had been planted by the hand
of art rather than of Nature. As it is indented by
bays full of mud, there hides here such a quantity
and variety of game, some of which I have never seen
in France, that it must be seen in order to be believed.
[220] Sortans de ceste Isle au gibier nous nauigeasmes
tout le iour & vinsmes descendre sur la nuict
80
dans vne petite Islette nommé Atisaoucanich etagoukhi,
c'est à dire lieu où se trouue la teinture, ie me doute
que nos gens luy donnerent ce nom, pource qu'ils y
trouuerent de petites racines rouges, dont ils se
seruent pour teindre leurs Matachias. I'appellerois
volontiers ce lieu l'Islette mal-heureuse: car nous y
souffrismes beaucoup huict iours durant que les tempestes
nous y retindrent prisonniers. Il estoit nuict
quand nous l'abordasmes, la pluye & les vents nous
attaquoient, & ce pendant à peine peut on trouuer cinq
ou six perches pour seruir de poultres à nostre bastiment,
qui fut si petit, si estroit, & si decouuert, & par
vn temps si fascheux, voulant euiter vne incommodité
on tomboit dans deux autres, il se falloit racourcir,
ou se rouler en herisson, sur peine de se brusler la
moitié du corps pour nostre souper, & pour nostre
disner tout ensemble: car nous n'auions point mangé
depuis le matin, mon hoste fit ietter à chacun vn morceau
de la galette que ie luy auois [221] donnée, m'aduertissant
que nous mangerions sans boire, car l'eau
de ce grand fleuue commence en ce lieu d'estre salée,
le lendemain nous recueillismes de l'eau de pluye,
tombée dans des roches fort sales, & la beusmes auec
autant de plaisir qu'on boit le vin d'Aï en France.
[220] Leaving this Island of game, we sailed all
day and toward nightfall landed at a small Island,
called Atisaoucanich etagoukhi, that is, place where
dyes are found; I am inclined to think that our
people gave it that name, for they found there some
little red roots which they use in dyeing their
Matachias.1 I would like to call it the Isle of misfortune;
for we suffered a great deal there during
the eight days that the storms held us prisoners. It
was night when we disembarked; the rain and wind
attacked us, and in the meantime we could scarcely
find five or six poles to serve as beams for our
house,—which was so small, so narrow, and so exposed
for such weather as this, that in trying to
avoid one discomfort we fell into two others. We
had to shorten ourselves, or roll up like hedgehogs,
lest we scorch the half of our bodies. For our supper,
and dinner as well, because we had eaten nothing
since morning, my host threw to each one a
piece of the biscuit I had [221] given him, informing
me that we were not to drink anything with our
food, as the water of this great river began to be
salty in this place. The next day we collected some
rainwater, which had fallen into dirty rocks, and
drank it with as much enjoyment as they drink the
wine of Aï in France.
Ils auoient laissé nostre Chaloupe à l'anchre dans
un grand courant de marée, ie les aduerty qu'elle
n'estoit pas bien, & qu'il la falloit mettre à l'abry
derriere l'Islette; mais comme nous n'attendions
qu'vn bon vent pour partir, ils n'en tindrent conte.
La nuict la tempeste redoublant, on eust dit que les
vents deuoient deraciner nostre Islete, mon hoste se
doutant de ce qui arriua éueille l'Apostat, & le presse
de le venir ayder à sauuer nostre Chaloupe, qui s'alloit
82
perdre: or soit que ce miserable fust paresseux,
ou qu'il eust peur des ondes, iamais il ne se voulut
leuer, donnant pour tout réponse, qu'il estoit las: dans
ce retardement les vents rompent l'amare, ou la corde
de l'anchre, & en vn instant font disparoistre nostre
Chaloupe, mon hoste voyant ce beau [222] ménage,
me vint dire Nicanis, mon bien-aymé, la Chalouppe
est perduë, les vents qui l'ont enleuée la briseront
contre les roches qui nous enuironnent de tous costez.
Qui n'eust entré en verue contre ce Renegat, dont la
negligence nous iettoit dans des peines inexplicables,
veu qu'il y auoit quantité de paquets dans nostre
bagage, & beaucoup d'enfans à porter. Mon hoste
cependant, tout barbare & tout sauuage qu'il est, ne
se troubla point à cet accident, ains craignant que
cela ne m'attristast, il me dit, Nicanis, mon bien-aymé,
n'es-tu point fasché de ceste perte, qui nous
causera de grands trauaux? ie n'en suis pas bien
ayse, luy repartis-ie, ne t'en attriste point, me fit-il:
car la fascherie ameine la tristesse, & la tristesse
ameine la maladie, Petrichtich n'a point d'esprit, s'il
m'eust voulu secourir ce malheur ne fust point suruenu,
voyla tous les reproches qu'on luy fit. Veritablement
cela me confond, que l'interest de la fanté arreste
la cholere, & la fascherie d'vn Barbare, & que
la loy de Dieu, que son bon plaisir, que l'espoir de
ses grandes recompenses, que la crainte de ses [223]
chastimens, que nostre propre paix & consolation ne
puisse seruir de bride à l'impatience & à la cholere
d'vn Chrestien.
They had left our Shallop at anchor in a strong
tidal current. I told them it was not safe, and that
it ought to be placed under shelter behind the Island;
but, as we were only waiting for a good breeze in
order to depart, they did not heed me. During the
night the tempest increased, so that it seemed as if
the winds were uprooting our Island. Our host,
foreseeing what might occur, roused the Apostate,
and urged him to come and help him save our Shallop,
which threatened to go to pieces. Now either
this wretch was lazy, or he was afraid of the billows;
for he did not even try to get up, giving as his only
reason that he was tired. During this delay, the
wind broke the fastening, or cable of the anchor, and
in an instant carried away our Shallop. My host,
seeing this fine [222] management, came and said to
me, "Nicanis, my well-beloved, the Shallop is lost;
the winds, which have loosened it, will break it to
pieces against the rocks which surround us on all
sides." Who would not have been vexed at that
Renegade, whose negligence caused us untold trials,
considering that we had a number of packages among
our baggage, and several children to carry? Yet my
host, barbarian and savage that he is, was not at all
troubled at this accident; but, fearing it might discourage
me, he said to me, "Nicanis, my well-beloved,
art thou not angry at this loss, which will
cause us so many difficulties?" "I am not very
happy over it," I answered. "Do not be cast down,"
he replied, "for anger brings on sadness, and sadness
brings sickness. Petrichtich does not know anything;
if he had tried to help me, this misfortune would
not have happened." And these were all the reproaches
he made. Truly, it humiliates me that considerations
of health should check the anger and
vexation of a Barbarian; and that the law of God, his
good pleasure, the hope of his great rewards, the
fear of his [223] chastisements, our own peace and
comfort, cannot check the impatience and anger of a
Christian.
Au malheur susdit en suruint vn autre, nous auions
outre la Chaloupe vn petit Canot d'écorce, la marée
se grossissant plus qu'à l'ordinaire par le souffle des
84
vents nous le déroba, nous voila prisonniers plus que
iamais, ie ne vis ny larmes ny plaintes, non pas
mesme parmy les femmes, sur le dos desquelles ce
desastre tomboit plus particulierement, à raison
qu'elles sont comme les bestes de voiture, portant ordinairement
le bagage des Sauuages, au contraire
tout le monde se mit à rire.
The above misfortune was soon followed by
another. In addition to the Shallop, we had a little
bark Canoe, and the tide, rising higher than usual
through the force of the wind, robbed us of that;
and there we were, more than ever prisoners. I
neither saw tears nor heard complaints, not even
among the women, upon whose shoulders this disaster
fell more particularly, as they are like beasts of
burden, usually carrying the baggage of the Savages;
on the contrary, everybody began to laugh.
Le iour venu, car ce fut la nuict que la tempeste
commit ce larcin, nous courusmes tous sur les riues
du fleuue, pour apprendre par nos yeux des nouuelles
de nostre pauure Chaloupe, & de nostre Canot, nous
vismes l'vn & l'autre échoüez fort loing de nous, la
Chaloupe parmy des roches, & le Canot au bord du
bois de la terre continente, chacun pensoit que tout
estoit en pieces: si tost que la mer se fut retirée les
[224] vns courrent vers la Chaloupe, les autres vers
le Canot, chose estrange; rien ne se trouua endommagé,
i'en demeuray tout estonné: car de cent vaisseaux
fussent-ils d'vn bois aussi dur que le bronze, à
peine s'en sauueroit-il pas vn dans ces grands coups
de vent & sur des roches.
When morning came, for it was at night when the
tempest committed this theft, we all ran along the
edge of the river, to learn with our own eyes some
news of our poor Shallop and our Canoe. We saw
both of them stranded a long distance from us, the
Shallop among the rocks and the Canoe along the
edge of the woods of the mainland. Every one
thought they were all in pieces; as soon as the sea
had receded [224], some ran toward the Shallop, and
others toward the Canoe. Wonderful to relate, nothing
was harmed; I was amazed, for out of a hundred
ships made of wood as hard as bronze, scarcely one
would have been saved in those violent blasts of wind,
and upon those rocks.
Pendant que les vents nous tenoient prisonniers
dans ceste malheureuse Islete, vne partie de nos
gens s'en allerent visiter quelques Sauuages qui
estoient à cinq ou six lieuës de nous, si bien qu'il ne
resta que les femmes & les enfans, & L'hiroquois dans
nostre cabane. La nuict vne femme estant sortie s'en
reuint toute effarée criant qu'elle auoit oüy le Manitou,
ou le diable, voila l'allarme dans nostre camp, tout
le monde remply de peur garde vn profond silence,
Ie demanday d'où procedoit ceste épouuente: car ie
n'auois pas entendu ce qu'auoit dit ceste femme, eca
titou, eca titou, me dit on, Manitou, tais-toy, tais-toy,
c'est le diable: ie me mis à rire, & me leuant en pied
86
ie sors de la cabane, & pour les asseurer i'appelle en
leur langage le Manitou, criant tout haut que ie [225]
ne le craignois pas, & qu'il n'oseroit venir où i'estois:
puis ayant fait quelques tours dans nostre Islete, ie
rentray, & leur dis, ne craignez point, le diable ne
vous fera aucun mal tant que ie seray auec vous, il
craint ceux qui croyent en Dieu, si vous y voulez
croire il s'enfuïra de vous. Eux bien estonnez, me
demandent si ie ne le craignois point, ie repars pour
les deliurer de leur peur, que ie n'en craignois pas
vne centaine, ils se mirent tous à rire, se rasseurans
petit à petit: or voyant qu'ils auoient ietté de l'anguille
dans le feu i'en demanday la raison, tais-toy,
me firent-ils, nous donnons à manger au diable afin
qu'il ne nous fasse point de mal.
While the wind held us prisoners in this unhappy
Island, a number of our people went to visit some
Savages who were five or six leagues from us, so that
there only remained in our cabin the women and children,
and the Hiroquois. During the night, a woman
who had gone out, returned, terribly frightened, crying
out that she had heard the Manitou, or devil. At
once all the camp was in a state of alarm, and everyone,
filled with fear, maintained a profound silence.
I asked the cause of this fright, for I had not heard
what the woman had said; eca titou, eca titou, they
told me, Manitou, "Keep still, keep still, it is the
devil." I began to laugh, and rising to my feet,
went out of the cabin; and to reassure them I
called, in their language, the Manitou, crying in a
loud voice that I [225] was not afraid, and that he
would not dare come where I was. Then, having
made a few turns in our Island, I reëntered, and said
to them, "Do not fear, the devil will not harm you
as long as I am with you, for he fears those who believe
in God; if you will believe in God, the devil will
flee from you." They were greatly astonished, and
asked me if I was not afraid of him at all. I answered,
to relieve them of their fears, that I was not
afraid of a hundred of them; they began to laugh,
and were gradually reassured. Now seeing that they
had thrown some eels in the fire, I asked them the
reason for it. "Keep still," they replied; "we are
giving the devil something to eat, so that he will not
harm us."
Mon hoste à son retour ayant sceu ceste histoire,
me remercia fort de ce que i'auois rasseuré tous ses
gens, me demandant si en effet ie n'auois point de
peur du Manitou, ou du diable, & si ie le cognoissois
bien, que pour eux qu'ils le craignoient plus que la
foudre; Ie luy répondis, que s'il vouloit croire, &
obeïr à celuy qui a tout fait, que le Manitou n'auroit
nul pouuoir sur luy: pour nous qu'estans assistez de
celuy que [226] nous adorions, le diable auoit plus de
peur de nous, que nous n'auions de luy; il s'estonna,
& me dit qu'il eust bien voulu que i'eusse eu cognoissance
de sa langue: car figurez vous que nous nous
faisions entendre l'vn l'autre plus par les yeux, &
par les mains, que par la bouche.
My host, upon his return, having learned this story,
thanked me very much for giving courage to his people,
and asked me if I really had no fear of the
Manitou, or devil, and if I knew him very well; as
for them, they feared him more than a thunderbolt.
I answered that, if he would believe and obey him
who had made all, the Manitou would have no power
over him; that for ourselves, being helped by him
whom [226] we adored, the devil had more fear of us
than we had of him. He was astonished, and told me
that he would be very glad if we knew his language,
for you must be aware that we were making each
other understand more through our eyes and hands
than through our lips.
Ie dressay quelques prieres en leur langue, auec
l'ayde de l'Apostat: or comme le Sorcier n'estoit pas
encore venu, ie les recitois le matin, & auant nos repas,
eux-mesmes m'en faisans souuenir, & prenans
88
plaisir à les ouīr prononcer; si ce miserable Magicien
ne fust point venu auec nous ces Barbares auroient
pris grand plaisir de m'écouter: mon hoste me faisoit
mille questions, me demandant pourquoy nous mouriõs,
où alloient nos ames, si la nuit estoit vniuerselle
par tout le monde, & choses semblables, se monstrant
fort attentif à mes réponses. Changeons de
discours.
I arranged a few prayers in their language, with
the help of the Apostate. Now, as the Sorcerer had
not yet come, I repeated them in the morning and
before our meals, they themselves reminding me of
them, and taking pleasure in hearing them pronounced;
if the wretched Magician had not come
with us, these Barbarians would have taken great
pleasure in listening to me. My host asked me a
thousand questions,—why we died, where our souls
went, if night was universal all over the world, and
similar things,—and was very attentive to my answers.
Let us change the subject.
Ie remarquay en ce lieu cy, que les ieunes femmes
ne mangent point dans le plat de leurs marys: i'en demanday
la raison, le Renegat me dit que les ieunes
[227] filles à marier, & les femmes qui n'auoient
point encore d'enfans, n'auoient rien en maniement,
& qu'on leur faisoit leur part comme aux enfans, de
là vient que sa femme mesme me dit vn iour, Dis à
mon mary qu'il me donne bien à manger: mais ne
luy dis pas que ie t'ay prié de luy dire.
I observed in this place that the young women
did not eat from the same dish as their husbands.
I asked the reason, and the Renegade told me that
the young [227] unmarried women, and the women
who had no children, took no part in the management
of affairs, and were treated like children.
Thence it came that his own wife said to me one day,
"Tell my husband to give me plenty to eat, but do
not tell him that I asked you to do so."
Pendant certaine nuict, tout le monde estant dans
vn profond sommeil, ie me mis à entretenir ce pauure
miserable Renegat, ie luy fis voir qu'estant en nostre
maison, rien de tout ce que nous auions ne luy manquoit,
qu'il y pouuoit passer sa vie doucement, & qu'en
quittant Dieu il s'estoit ietté dans vne vie de beste,
qui enfin abboutiroit à l'enfer, s'il n'ouuroit les yeux,
que l'eternité estoit bien longue, & que d'estre à iamais
compagnon des diables, c'estoit vn long terme.
Ie voy bien, me fit-il, que ie ne fais pas bien; mais mon
malheur est que ie n'ay pas l'esprit assez fort pour
demeurer ferme dans vne resolution, ie croy tout ce
qu'on me dit; quand i'ay esté auec les Anglois, ie
me suis laissé aller à leurs discours; quand ie suis auec
les Sauuages ie fais comme eux; [228] quand ie suis
auec vous ie tiens vostre creance pour veritable, pleut
90
à Dieu que ie fusse mort quand i'estois malade en
France, ie serois maintenant sauué, tant que i'auray
des parens ie ne feray iamais rien qui vaille: car
quand ie veux demeurer auec vous, mes freres me
disent que ie pouriray demeurant tousiours en vn endroit,
cela est cause que ie quitte tout pour les suiure.
Ie luy apportay toutes les raisons, & luy fis toutes les
offres que ie peus pour l'affermir: mais son frere le
Sorcier qui sera bien tost auec nous renuersera tous
mes desseins, car il manie comme il veut ce pauure
Apostat.
One night, when every one had sunk into a deep
sleep, I began to talk to this poor miserable Renegade.
I showed him that while he was in our house
he had lacked for nothing of whatever we had, and
that he might have spent his life there peacefully;
that in forsaking God he had rushed into the life of a
brute, which would finally end in hell if he did not
open his eyes; that eternity was very long, and to be
a companion of devils forever was a long term. "I
see clearly," he replied, "that I am not doing right;
but my misfortune is that I have not a mind strong
enough to remain firm in my determination; I believe
all they tell me. When I was with the English, I allowed
myself to be influenced by their talk; when I
am with the Savages, I do as they do; [228] when I am
with you, it seems to me your belief is the true one.
Would to God I had died when I was sick in France,
and I would now be saved. As long as I have any
relations, I will never do anything of any account;
for when I want to stay with you, my brothers tell
me I will rot, always staying in one place, and that
is the reason I leave you to follow them." I urged
all the reasons and made him all the offers I could to
strengthen him; but his brother, the Sorcerer, who
will soon be with us, will upset all my plans, for he
does whatever he wills with this poor Apostate.
Le trentiesme iour d'Octobre nous sortismes de
ceste malheureuse Islete, & vinsmes aborder sur la
nuict dans vne autre Isle qui porte vn nom quasi aussi
grand comme elle est, car elle n'a pas demy lieuë de
tour, & voicy comme nos Sauuages me dirẽt qu'elle
se nommoit, Ca pacoucachtechokhi chachagou achiganikhi,
Ca pakhitaouananiouikhi, ie croy qu'ils forgent ces noms
sur le champ, ceste Isle n'est quasi qu'vn grand rocher
affreux, comme elle n'a point de fontaine d'eau douce
nous fusmes contrains de [129 i.e., 229] boire des
eauës de pluyes fort sales que nous ramassions dans
des fondrieres, & sur des roches; on ietta le voile de
nostre chalouppe sur des perches quand nous y arriuasmes,
& nous nous mismes à l'abry là dessous,
nostre lict estoit blanc & verd, c'est à dire qu'il y
auoit si peu de branches de pin dessous nous, que nous
touchiõs la neige en plusieurs endroits, laquelle auoit
commencé depuis trois iours à couurir la terre d'vn
habit blanc.
On the thirtieth day of October, we went away
from this unhappy Island, and toward nightfall disembarked
at another Island which bears a name almost
as big as it is, for it is not half a league in circumference;
and this is what our Savages tell me it
is called, Ca pacoucacktechokhi chachagou achiganikhi,
Ca pakhitaouananiouikhi; I believe they forge these
names upon the spot. This Island is nothing but a
big and frightful rock; as there was no spring of
fresh water, we had to [129 i.e., 229] drink very
dirty rainwater that we collected in the bogs and
upon the rocks. The sail of our shallop was thrown
over some poles, on our arrival at this place, and
this formed our shelter; our beds were white and
green, I mean there were so few pine branches
under us that in several places we touched the snow,
which three days before had begun to cover the
earth with a white mantle.
Nous trouuasmes en ce lieu la cabane d'vn Sauuage,
que nostre hoste cherchoit, nommé Ekhennabamate,
il apprit de luy que son frere le Sorcier estoit
92
passé depuis peu, & qu'ayant eu le vent contraire, il
n'estoit pas loing, il n'attendit pas qu'il fut iour tout
à fait pour le suiure, son Canot poussé par trois rameurs
alloit comme le vent: bref le beau premier
iour de Nouembre dedié à la memoire de tous les
Saincts, il nous ramena ce Demon, i'entends ce Sorcier.
Ie fus bien estonné quand ie le vis: car ie ne
l'attendois pas, me figurant que mon hoste estoit allé
à la chasse, fut-il ainsi, & que ceste miserable proye
[230] luy eust eschappé des mains.
We found here the cabin of a Savage, named
Ekhennabamate, whom our host was seeking. He
learned from him that his brother, the Sorcerer, had
passed, a short time before; and that, having the
wind against him, he had not gone far. He did not
wait until broad daylight to follow him; his Canoe,
paddled by three men, went like the wind; and, in
short, on the first of November, a beautiful day, dedicated
to the memory of all the Saints, he brought
back this Demon, I mean the Sorcerer. I was very
much surprised when I saw him, for I was not expecting
him, imagining that my host had gone hunting;
would that he had, and that this miserable prey
[230] had escaped from his hands.
Si tost qu'il fut arriué ce n'estoient plus que festins
dans nos cabanes, nous n'auions plus que fort
peu de viures de reste, ces Barbares les mangeoient
auec autant de paix & d'asseurance, comme si les animaux
qu'ils deuoient chasser eussent esté renfermez
dans vne estable.
As soon as he came, there was nothing but feasting
in our cabins; we had only a little food left, but
these Barbarians ate it with as much calmness and
confidence as if the game they were to hunt was shut
up in a stable.
Mon hoste faisant vn iour festin à son tour, les conuiez
me firent signe que ie haranguasse en leur langue,
ils auoiẽt enuie de rire: car ie prononce le Sauuage
comme vn Alemant prononce le François, leur voulant
donner ce contentement, ie me mis à discourir,
& eux à s'éclatter de rire: eux bien aises de gausser,
& moy bien ioyeux d'apprendre à parler: Ie leur dis
pour conclusion, que i'estois vn enfant, & que les enfans
faisoient rire leurs peres par leur begayement:
mais qu'au reste ie deuiendrois grand dans quelques
années, & qu'alors sçachant leur langue ie leur ferois
voir qu'eux-mesmes sont enfans en plusieurs choses,
ignorans de belles veritez, dont ie leur parlerois, &
sur l'heure mesme ie leur demãday si la Lune estoit
[231] aussi hautemẽt logée que les Estoilles, si elle
estoit en mesme Ciel, où alloit le Soleil quãd il nous
quittoit, quelle figure auoit la terre, (si ie sçauois leur
94
langue en perfection ie leur proposerois tousiours
quelque verité naturelle deuant que de parler des
points de nostre creãce: car i'ay remarqué que ces
curiositez les rendent attentifs) pour ne m'éloigner
de mon discours, l'vn d'eux prenant la parole apres
m'auoir ingenuëment confessé qu'ils ne pouuoient répondre
à ces questions, me dit: mais comment pourrois-tu
toy mesme cognoistre ces choses, puis que nous
les ignorons? ie tiray aussi tost vn petit cadran que
i'auios dans ma pouche, ie l'ouure, & luy mettant en
main, ie luy dis: nous voyla dans la nuict profonde,
le Soleil ne nous paroist plus, dis moy maintenãt enuisageant
ce que ie te presente, en quelle part du
monde il est; designe moy le lieu où il se doit demain
leuer, où il se doit coucher, où il sera en son midy,
marque moy les endroits du Ciel, où il ne va iamais:
mon homme répondit des yeux me regardant sans dire
mot: ie prens le cadran & luy fais [232] voir en peu
de mots tout ce que ie venois de proposer, adioustant
en suitte; hé bien comment se peut-il faire que ie
cognoisse ces choses, & que vous les ignoriez? i'ay
bien d'autres veritez plus grandes à vous dire quand
ie sçauray parler. Tu as de l'esprit, me dirent-ils,
tu sçauras bien tost nostre langue, ils se sont trompez.
One day, when my host had a feast in his turn,
the guests made me a sign that I should make them a
speech in their language, as they wanted to laugh;
for I pronounce the Savage as a German pronounces
French. Wishing to please them, I began to talk,
and they burst out laughing, well pleased to make
sport of me, while I was very glad to learn to talk.
I said to them in conclusion that I was a child, and
that children made their fathers laugh with their
stammering; but in a few years I would become
large, and then, when I knew their language, I
would make them see that they themselves were children
in many things, ignorant of the great truths of
which I would speak to them. Suddenly I asked
them if the Moon was [231] located as high as the
Stars, if it was in the same Sky; where the Sun went
when it left us; what was the form of the earth.
(If I knew their language perfectly I would always
propose some natural truth, before speaking to them
of the points of our belief; for I have observed that
these curious things make them more attentive.)
Not to let me wander from my speech, one of them
beginning to speak, after having frankly confessed
that they could not answer these questions, said to
me: "But how canst thou thyself know these
things, since we do not know them?" I immediately
drew out a little compass that I had in my pocket,
opened it, and, placing it in his hand, said to him,
"We are now in the darkness of night, the Sun no
longer shines for us; tell me now, while you look at
what I have given you, in what part of the world it
is; show me the place where it must rise to-morrow,
where it will set, where it will be at noon; point out
the places in the Sky where it will never be." My
man answered with his eyes, staring at me without
saying a word. I took the compass and explained [232]
to him with a few words all that I had just asked
about, adding, "Well, how is it that I can know these
things and you do not know them? I have still
other greater truths to tell you when I can talk."
"Thou art intelligent," they responded; "thou wilt
soon know our language." But they were mistaken.
Ce que i'escris dans ce iournal n'a point d'autre
suitte, que la suitte du temps, voila pourquoy ie passeray
souuent du coq à l'asne, comme on dit, c'est à
dire que quittant vne remarque ie passeray à vne
autre qui ne luy a point de rapport, le temps seul
seruant de liaison à mon discours.
What I write in this journal has no other order except
that of time, and hence I shall frequently be
telling cock-and-bull stories, as the saying is; that
is, I shall pass from one observation to another which
has no connection with it, time alone serving as a
link to the parts of my discourse.
Comme l'arc & la fleche semble des armes inuentées
par la Nature, puis que toutes les Nations de la
terre en ont trouué l'vsage, de mesme vous diriez
96
qu'il y a de certains petits ieux que les enfans trouuent
sans qu'on leur enseigne; les petits Sauuages ioüent
à se cacher aussi bien que les petits François, ils font
quantité d'autres traits d'enfance, que i'ay remarqué
en nostre Europe, entre autres i'ay veu les petits Parisiens [233]
ietter vne balle d'arquebuse en l'air, &
la receuoir auec vn baston vn petit creusé, les petits
Sauuages montagnards font le mesme, se seruans
d'vn petit faisseau de branches de Pin, qu'ils reçoiuent
ou picquent en l'air auec vn baston pointu: les petits
Hiroquois ont le mesme passe-temps iettans vn osselet
percé qu'ils enlassent en l'air dans vn autre petit
os: vn ieune homme de ceste nation me le dit, voyant
ioüer les enfans montagnards.
As the bow and arrow seem to be weapons invented
by Nature, since all the Nations of the earth have
made use of them, so you might say there are certain
little games that children find out for themselves
without being taught. The little Savages play at
hide-and-seek as well as the little French children.
They have a number of other childish sports that
I have noticed in our Europe; among others, I have
seen the little Parisians [233] throw a musket ball
into the air and catch it with a little bat scooped out;
the little montagnard Savages do the same, using a
little bunch of Pine sticks, which they receive or
throw into the air on the end of a pointed stick.
The little Hiroquois have the same pastime, throwing
a bone with a hole in it, which they interlace in
the air with another little bone. I was told this by
a young man of that nation as we were watching the
montagnard children play.
Mõ Sauuage & le Sorcier son frere, ayãt appris
qu'il y auoit quãtité de Mõtagnais és enuirõs du lieu
où ils vouloiẽt hyuerner, prirent resolution de passer
du costé du Nord, craignans que nous ne nous affamassions
les vns les autres: les voyla donc resolus
d'aller où m'auoit promis mon hoste & le Renegat;
mais à peine auiõs nous fait trois lieuës sur le grand
fleuue pour le trauerser, que nous rencontrasmes
quatre canots qui nous ramenerent au Sud, disans
que la chasse n'estoit pas bonne du costé du Nord, si
bien que ie fus contraint de demeurer auec le sorcier,
& d'hyuerner au delà de la grande riuiere, quoy que
ie peusse [234] alleguer au contraire. Ie voyois bien
les dangers dans lesquels ils me iettoient, mais ie ne
voyois point d'autre remede que de se confier en
Dieu, & le laisser faire.
My Savage and the Sorcerer, his brother, having
learned that there were a great many Montagnais
near the place where they wished to pass the winter,
decided to turn Northward, lest we should starve
each other. They decided to go to the place where
my host and the Renegade had promised me they
would go; but we had scarcely made three leagues
in crossing the great river, when we met four canoes
which turned us back to the South, saying the hunting
was not good up North. So I was obliged to remain
with the sorcerer, and to winter beyond the
great river, in spite of all I could [234] urge to the
contrary. I realized well the dangers into which
they were throwing me, but I saw no other remedy
than to trust in God and leave all to him.
Si tost que les nouueaux Sauuages venus dans ces
quatre canots eurent mis pied à terre, mon hoste leur
fit vn bãquet d'anguilles boucanées, car nous n'auions
98
déja plus de pain. A peine ces conuiés furent-ils
de retour en leur cabane, qu'ils dresserent vn festin
de pois qu'ils auoient acheté passans à Kebec, mais
afin que vous voyez les excez de ce peuple, au sortir
de ce banquet, on vint à vn troisiesme, que le sorcier
auoit preparé, composé d'anguilles, & de la farine que
i'auois donnée à mon hoste: cet homme me pressa
fort d'estre de la partie, il auoit fait faire vn retranchemẽt
dans nostre cabane auec des peaux, & des couuertures,
tous les conuiez entrerent là dedans, on me
donna ma part dans vne petite écuelle, mais comme
ie n'estois pas encor tout à fait accoustumé à manger
de leur boüillies si sales & si fades, apres en auoir
gousté i'en voulu donner le reste à la parẽte de mon
hoste, [235] aussi tost on me dit Khita, Khita, mange
tout, mange tout, acoumagouchan, c'est vn festin à tout
manger, ie me mis à rire, & leur dis qu'ils ioüoient à
se faire creuer, veu qu'ayans desia esté à deux festins,
ils en faisoient vn troisiesme à ne rien laisser, mon
hoste m'entendant me dit, que dis tu Nicanis? Ie
dis que ie ne sçaurois tout manger, donne moy, ce
fit-il, ton écuelle ie t'ayderay, luy ayant presenté il
auala tout ce qui estoit dedans en deux tours de gueule,
tirant vne langue longue de la main pour la lecher au
fond & par tout, afin qu'il n'y restast rien.
As soon as these new Savages, who had come in the
four canoes, had landed, my host made them a banquet
of smoked eels, for we were already out of
bread. Hardly had these guests returned to their
cabin, when they made a feast of peas which they
had bought in passing through Kebec. But that you
may understand the excesses of these people, [I will
add that] in emerging from this banquet, they went
to a third, prepared by the sorcerer, composed of eels,
and of the flour I had given to my host. This man
gave me a hearty invitation to be one of the party.
He had made a little apartment in our cabin with
skins and blankets, and all the guests entered this
place. They gave me my share in a little bark plate;
but, as I was not altogether accustomed to eating
their mixtures, so dirty and insipid, after having
tasted it, I wanted to give the rest to one of the relations
of my host; [235] but they immediately cried
out, Khita, Khita, "Eat all, eat all," acoumagouchan.
"It is an eat-all feast." I began to laugh, and told
them they were playing a game of "burst themselves
open," seeing they had already had two feasts, and
were making a third at which nothing was to be left.
My host, hearing me, said, "What art thou saying,
Nicanis?" "I am saying that I cannot eat all."
"Give it to me," he answered, "give me thy plate,
I will help thee." Having presented it to him, he
gulped down all it contained in two swallows, thrusting
out a tongue as long as your hand to lick the bottom
and sides, so that nothing might remain.
Quand ils furent saouls quasi iusqu'à creuer, le Sorcier
prit son tambour & inuita tout le monde à chanter,
celuy là chantoit le mieux qui heurloit le plus
fort; à la fin de leur tintamarre les voyans d'vne humeur
assez gaye, ie leur demanday permission de parler,
cela m'estant accordé, ie commençay à leur déclarer
l'affection que ie leur portois, vous voyez, disois-ie,
de quel amour ie fuis porté en vostre endroit, i'ay
100
non seulement quitté mon pays, qui est beau, & bien
agreable pour venir dans vos [236] neiges & dans vos
grands bois; mais encore ie m'esloigne de la petite
maison que nous auons en vos terres pour vous suiure
& pour apprendre vostre langue. Ie vous chery plus
que mes freres puis que ie les ay quittez pour vostre
amour, c'est celuy qui a tout fait qui me donne
ceste affection enuers vous, c'est luy qui creé le premier
homme d'où nous sommes tous issus, voyla pourquoy
n'ayans qu'vn mesme pere nous sommes tous
freres, & nous deuons tous recognoistre vn mesme
Seigneur & vn mesme Capitaine, nous deuons tous
croire en luy, & obeïr à ses volontez, Le Sorcier m'arrestant
dit tout haut, quand ie le verray, ie croiray
en luy, autrement non, le moyen de croyre en celuy
qu'on ne void pas? Ie luy répondis, quand tu me dis
que ton pere, ou l'vn de tes amis a tenu quelque discours,
ie croy ce qu'il a dit, me figurant qu'il n'est
point menteur, & ce pendant ie n'ay iamais veu ton
pere: de plus tu crois qu'il y a vn Manitou & tu ne
l'as pas veu. Tu crois qu'il y a des Khichicouakhi,
ou des Genies du iour, & tu ne les a pas veus: d'autres
les ont veus, me dit-il, Tu ne me sçaurois dire, luy
reparty-ie, [237] ny quand, ny comment, ny en quelle
façon, ou en quel endroit on les a veus, & moy ie te
puis dire commẽt se nommoient ceux qui ont veu le
Fils de Dieu en terre, quand il l'ont veu, & en quel
lieu, ce qu'ils ont faict, & en quels pays ils ont esté.
Ton Dieu, me fit-il, n'est point venu en nostre pays,
voila pourquoy nous ne croyons point en luy, fais
que ie le voye, & ie croiray en luy. Escoute moy &
tu le verras, luy repliquay-ie, Nous auons deux sortes
de veuë, la veuë des yeux du corps, & la veuë des
102
yeux de l'ame, ce que tu vois des yeux de l'ame peut
estre aussi certain que ce que tu vois des yeux du corps:
Non, dit-il, ie ne vois rien sinon des yeux du corps,
si ce n'est en dormãt, mais tu n'approuue pas nos
songes. Escoute moy iusqu'au bout, luy fis-ie, Quand
tu passe deuant vne cabane delaissée, que tu vois encor
toutes les perches en rond, que tu vois l'aire de
la cabane tapissée de branches de Pin, quand tu vois
le fouyer qui fume encore, n'est-il pas vray que tu
cognois asseurément, & que tu vois bien qu'il y a eu
là des Sauuages? & que ces perches & tout le [238]
reste que vous laissez quand vous decabanez, ne se
sont point rassemblées par cas fortuit? ouy, me dit-il,
or ie dis le mesme quand tu vois la beauté & la
grandeur de ce monde, que le Soleil tourne incessamment
sans s'arrester, que les saisons retournent en
leur temps, & que tous les Astres gardent si bien leur
ordre, tu vois bien que les hommes n'ont point fait
ces merueilles, & qu'ils ne les gouuernent pas, il faut
donc qu'il y ait quelqu'vn plus noble que les hommes
qui ait basty & qui gouuerne ceste grande maison:
or c'est celuy là que nous appellons Dieu, qui void
tout, & que nous ne voyons pas maintenant; mais
nous le verrons apres la mort, & nous serons bien-heureux
à iamais auec luy si nous l'aymons & si nous
luy obeïssons. Tu ne sçais ce que tu dis, me repart-il,
apprends à parler & nous t'entendrons.
When they were full almost to bursting, the Sorcerer
took his drum and invited everyone to sing.
The best singer was the one who howled the loudest.
At the end of this uproar, seeing that they were in a
very good humor, I asked permission to talk. This
being granted, I began to affirm the affection I had
for them, "You see," I said, "what love I bear you;
I have not only left my own country, which is beautiful
and very pleasant, to come into your [236]
snows and vast woods, but I have also left the little
house we have in your lands, to follow you and learn
your language; I cherish you more than my brothers,
since I have left them for love of you; it is he
who has made all who has given me this affection
for you, it is he who created the first man from
whom we have all descended; hence see how it is
that, as we have the same father, we are all brothers,
and ought all to acknowledge the same Lord and the
same Captain; we ought all to believe in him, and
obey his will." The Sorcerer, stopping me, said in
a loud voice, "When I see him, I will believe in him,
and not until then. How believe in him whom we
do not see?" I answered him: "When thou tellest
me that thy father or one of thy friends has said something,
I believe what he has said, supposing that he
is not a liar, and yet I have never seen thy father:
also, thou believest that there is a Manitou, and thou
hast never seen him. Thou believest that there are
Khichicouakhi, or Spirits of light, and thou hast not
seen them." "Others have seen them," he answered.
"Thou couldst not tell," said I, [237] "neither when,
nor how, nor in what way, nor in what place they
were seen; and I, I can tell thee the names of those
who have seen the Son of God upon earth,—when
they saw him, and in what place; what they have
done, and in what countries they have been." "Thy
God," he replied, "has not come to our country, and
that is why we do not believe in him; make me see
him and I will believe in him." "Listen to me and
thou wilt see him," said I. "We have two kinds of
sight, the sight of the eyes of the body, and the sight
of the eyes of the soul. What thou seest with the
eyes of the soul may be just as true as what thou
seest with the eyes of the body." "No," said he, "I
see nothing except with the eyes of the body, save
in sleeping, and thou dost not approve our dreams."
"Hear me to the end," I said. "When thou passest
a deserted cabin, and seest yet standing the circle of
poles, and the floor of the cabin covered with Pine
twigs, when thou seest the hearth still smoking, is it
not true that thou knowest positively, and that thou
seest clearly, that Savages have been there, and that
these poles and all the [238] rest of the things that you
leave when you break camp, are not brought together
by chance?" "Yes," he answered. "Now I say
the same. When thou seest the beauty and grandeur
of this world,—how the Sun incessantly turns
round without stopping, how the seasons follow each
other in their time, and how perfectly all the Stars
maintain their order,—thou seest clearly that men
have not made these wonders, and that they do not
govern them; hence there must be some one more
noble than men, who has built and who rules this
grand mansion. Now it is he whom we call God,
who sees all things, and whom we do not see; but
we shall see him after death, and we shall be forever
happy with him, if we love and obey him." "Thou
dost not know what thou art talking about," he answered,
"learn to talk and we will listen to thee."
Là dessus ie priay l'Apostat de déduire mes raisons
& de les expliquer en Sauuage: car i'en voyois de
fort attentifs: mais ce miserable Renegat, craignant
de deplaire à son frere, ne voulut iamais ouurir la
bouche. Ie le prie, [239] ie le coniure auec toute
douceur, en fin ie redouble ma voix, & le menace de
104
la part de Dieu, luy protestant qu'il seroit responsable
de l'ame de la femme de son frere le Sorcier, laquelle
ie voyois fort malade, & pour laquelle i'estois entré
en discours, esperant que si les Sauuages goustoient
mes raisons, qu'ils me permettroient aisément de
l'instruire; ce coeur de bronze ne flechit iamais, ny à
mes prieres, ny à mes menaces; Ie prie Dieu qu'il
luy fasse misericorde, mon hoste me voyant parler
d'vn accent assez haut, me dit, Nicanis ne te fasche
point, auec le temps tu parleras comme nous, & tu
nous enseigneras ce que tu sçais, nous te presterons
l'oreille plus volontiers qu'à cet opiniastre qui n'a
point d'esprit, auquel nous n'auons nulle creance,
voila les eloges qu'il donnoit à ce Renegat. Ie luy
repliquay, si ceste femme se portoit bien ie serois
consolé, mais elle est pour mourir dans peu de iours,
& son ame faute de cognoistre Dieu sera perduë, que
si ton frere me vouloit prester sa parole ie l'instruirois
en peu de temps, sa réponse fut que ie le laissasse,
& que ie sçauois bien que c'estoit [240] vn lourdaut,
pour conclusion on dit les mots qui terminent le festin,
& chacun se retira, moy bien dolent de voir ceste ame
se perdre en ma presence sans la pouuoir secourir:
car le Sorcier ayant commencé à leuer le masque &
l'Apostat à m'éconduire en sa cõsideration, toutes les
esperances que ie pouuois auoir d'ayder ceste femme
malade d'instruire les autres commencerent à s'éuanoüir,
i'ay souuent souhaitté qu'vn Sainct fust en ma
place pour operer en Sainct, les petites ames crient
beaucoup & font peu, il se faut contenter de la bassesse:
poursuiuons nostre voyage.
Thereupon I asked the Apostate to enumerate my
reasons and to explain them in the Savage tongue, for
I saw that they were very attentive; but this miserable
Renegade, fearing to displease his brother,
would not even open his mouth. I begged him, [239]
I conjured him with all gentleness; finally I spoke
harshly, and threatened him in the name of God, insisting
that he would be responsible for the soul of
the wife of his brother, the Sorcerer, who I perceived
was very sick, and for whose sake I had begun this
discourse, hoping that if the Savages approved of my
explanations, they would readily allow me to instruct
her. This heart of bronze melted neither at my
prayers nor at my threats. I pray God that he may
be merciful to him. My host, seeing me speaking
earnestly to him, said, "Nicanis, do not get angry;
in time thou wilt speak as we do, and thou wilt
teach us what thou knowest, we will listen to thee
more willingly than to this stubborn fellow who has
no sense and in whom we have no faith." These
were the eulogies he passed upon the Renegade. I
replied to him that, if this woman were well, I would
feel consoled; but that she was going to die in a few
days, and her soul, not knowing God, would be lost;
if his brother wished to lend me his tongue I would
instruct her in a little while. His answer was that I
should leave him alone, for I knew very well that
he was [240] a blockhead. In conclusion, they pronounced
the words which ended the feast, and we all
withdrew; I very sad at seeing this soul lost in my
presence, without being able to help it. For the
Sorcerer having begun to lift the mask, and the
Apostate to refuse me his consideration, all the hopes
I had of helping this sick woman, and of teaching
the others, commenced to vanish. I have often
wished that a Saint were in my place, to act the Saint;
small souls cry out a great deal, and do very little,
but one must be content with one's own insignificance.
Let us continue our voyage.
Le douziesme de Nouembre nous commençasmes
en fin d'entrer dedans les terres, laissans nos Chalouppes
106
& nos Canots, & quelqu'autre bagage dans
l'Isle au grand nom, de laquelle nous sortismes de
mer basse, trauersans vne prairie qui la separe du
continent: iusques icy nous auons fait chemin dans
le pays des poissons, tousiours sur les eauës, ou dans
les Isles, doresnauant nous allons entrer dans le Royaume
des bestes sauuages, ie veux dire de beaucoup
plus d'estẽduë que toute la Frãce.
On the twelfth of November we at last began to
go into the country, leaving our Shallops and Canoes,
and some other baggage, in the Island with the long
name, which we left at low tide, crossing the meadow
which separated us from the mainland. Up to
this time we had journeyed through a country where
fish abound, always upon the water or on Islands.
From this time on, we were going to invade the
Kingdom of wild beasts, I mean a country far broader
in extent than all France.
[241] Les Sauuages passent l'hyuer dedans ces bois,
courans çà & là, pour y chercher leur vie; au commencement
des neiges ils cherchent le Castor dans
des petits fleuues, & le Porc-espic dans les terres
quand la neige est profonde ils chassent à l'Orignac &
au Caribou, comme i'ay dit.
[241] The Savages pass the winter in these woods,
ranging here and there to get their living. In the
early snows, they seek the Beaver in the small rivers,
and Porcupines upon the land; when the deep snows
come, they hunt the Moose and Caribou, as I have
said.
Nous auons fait dans ces grands bois, depuis le 12.
Nouembre de l'an 1633. que nous y entrasmes, iusques
au 22. d'Auril de ceste année 1634. que nous retournasmes
aux riues du grand fleuue de sainct Laurens,
vingt-trois stations, tantost dans des valées fort
profondes, puis sur des montagnes fort releuées; quelque
fois en plat pays, & tousiours dans la neige: ces
forests où i'ay esté sont peuplées de diuerses especes
d'arbres, notamment de Pins, de Cedres, & de Sapins.
Nous auons trauersé quantité de torrens d'eau, quelques
fleuues, plusieurs beaux lacs & estangs marchans
sur la glace; mais descendons en particulier & disons
deux mots de chaque station, la crainte que i'ay
d'estre long me fera retrancher quãtité de choses que
i'ay iugé assez legeres, [242] quoy qu'elles puissent
donner quelque iour à ces memoires.
We made in these vast forests, from the 12th of
November of the year 1633, when we entered them,
to the 22nd of April of this year 1634, when we returned
to the banks of the great river saint Lawrence,
twenty-three halts,—sometimes in deep valleys,
then upon lofty mountains, sometimes in the
low flat country; and always in the snow. These
forests where I was are made up of different kinds
of trees, especially of Pines, Cedars and Firs. We
crossed many torrents of water, some rivers, several
beautiful lakes and ponds, walking upon the ice.
But let us come down to particulars, and say a few
words about each station. My fear of becoming tedious
will cause me to omit many things that I have
considered trifling, [242] although they might throw
some light upon these memoirs.
A nostre entrée dans les terres nous estions trois
cabanes de compagnie, il y auoit dixneuf personnes
en la nostre, il y en auoit seize en la cabane du Sauuage
108
nommé Ekhennabamate, & dix dans la cabanne
des nouueaux venus. Ie ne conte point les Sauuages
qui estoient à quelques lieuës de nous, nous faisions
en tout quarante cinq personnes, qui deuions estre
nourris de ce qu'il plairoit à la saincte Prouidence du
bon Dieu de nous enuoyer; car nos prouisions tiroient
par tout à la fin.
Upon our entrance into these regions, there were
three cabins in our company,—nineteen persons being
in ours, sixteen in the cabin of the Savage named
Ekhennabamate, and ten in that of the newcomers.
This does not include the Savages who were encamped
a few leagues away from us. We were in
all forty-five persons, who were to be kept alive on
what it should please the holy Providence of the good
God to send us, for our provisions were altogether
getting very low.
Voicy l'ordre que nous gardions leuans le camp,
battans la campagne, & dressans nos tentes & nos
pauillons. Quand nos gens remarquoient qu'il n'y
auoit plus de chasse à quelques trois ou quatre lieuës
à l'entour de nous, vn Sauuage qui cognoissoit mieux
le chemin du lieu où nous allions, crioit à pleine
teste, en vn beau matin hors de la cabane, Escoutez
hommes ie m'en vais marquer le chemin pour decabaner
demain au point du iour, il prenoit vne hache
& marquoit quelques arbres qui [243] nous guidoient:
on ne marque le chemin qu'au commencement de
l'hyuer: car quand tous les fleuues & les torrens sont
glacez & que la neige est haute on ne prend pas ceste
peine.
This is the order we followed in breaking up our
camps, in tramping over the country and in erecting
our tents and pavilions. When our people saw
that there was no longer any game within three or
four leagues of us, a Savage, who was best acquainted
with the way to the place where we were going,
cried out in a loud voice, one fine day outside the
cabin, "Listen, men, I am going to mark the way
for breaking camp to-morrow at daybreak." He took
a hatchet and marked some trees which [243] guided
us. They do not mark the way except in the beginning
of winter; for, when all the rivers and torrents
are frozen, and the snow is deep, they do not take
this trouble.
Quand il y a beaucoup de pacquets, ce qui arriue
lors qu'ils ont tué grand nombre d'Eslans, les femmes
en vont porter vne partie iuīqu'au lieu où l'on doit
camper le iour suiuant; quand la neige est haute, ils
font des traisnées de bois qui se fend, & qui se leue
comme par fueilles assez minces & fort longues, ces
traisnées sont fort estroites à raisõ qu'elles se doiuent
tirer entre vne infinité d'arbres fort pressez en quelques
endroits, mais en recompense elles sont fort
longues. Voyant vn iour celle de mon hoste dressée
contre vn arbre, à peine peus ie atteindre au milieu
estendant le bras autant qu'il me fut possible. Ils
110
lient leur bagage là dessus, & auec vne corde qui leur
vient passer sur l'estomach, ils traisnent sur la neige
ces chariots sans rouës.
When there are a number of things to be carried,
as often happens when they have killed a great many
Elk, the women go ahead, and carry a part of them
to the place where they are to camp the following
day. When the snow is deep, they make sledges of
wood which splits, and which can be peeled off like
leaves in very thin, long strips. These sledges are
very narrow, because they have to be dragged among
masses of trees closely crowded in some places; but,
to make up for this, they are very long. One day,
seeing that of my host standing against a tree, I
could scarcely reach to the middle of it, stretching
out my arm as far as I could. They fasten their baggage
upon these, and, with a cord which they pass
over their chests, they drag these wheelless chariots
over the snow.
Pour ne m'éloigner dauantage de mon chemin, si
tost qu'il est iour chacun se prepare pour déloger, on
commence [244] par le desieuner s'il y a dequoy; car
par fois on part sans desieuner, on poursuit sans disner
& on se couche sans souper, chacun fait son pacquet
le mieux qu'il peut, les femmes battent la cabane
pour faire tomber la glace & la neige de dessus
les écorces qu'elles roulent en faisseaux, le bagage
estant plié ils iettent sur leur dos ou sur leurs reins
de longs fardeaux qu'ils supportent auec vne corde,
qui passe sur leur front, soubs laquelle ils mettent vn
morceau d'écorce de peur de se blesser; tout le monde
chargé on monte à cheual sur des raquettes qu'on se
lie aux pieds afin de ne point enfoncer dans la neige,
cela fait on marche en campagne & en montagnes,
faisant passer deuant les petits enfans qui partent
bien tost & n'arriuent par fois que bien tard, ces
pauures petits ont leur pacquet, ou leur traisne pour
s'accoustumer de bonne heure à la fatigue, & tascheon
de leur donner de l'emulation à qui portera ou
traisnera dauantage, de vous depeindre la difficulté
des chemins, ie n'ay ny plume ny pinceau qui le
puisse faire, il faut auoir veu cét obiect pour le cognoistre,
& [245] auoir gousté de ceste viande pour en
sçauoir le goust, nous ne faisions que monter & descendre,
il nous falloit souuent baisser à demy corps
pour passer soubs des arbres quasi tombez, & monter
sur d'autres couchez par terre, dont les branches nous
faisoient quelques fois tomber assez doucement, mais
tousiours froidement, car c'estoit sur la neige. S'il
112
arriuoit quelque dégel, ô Dieu quelle peine! il me
sembloit que ie marchois sur vn chemin de verre qui
se cassoit à tous coups soubs mes pieds: la neige congelée
venant à s'amollir tomboit & s'enfonçoit par
esquarres ou grandes pieces, & nous en auions bien
souuent iusques aux genoux, quelquefois iusqu'à la
ceinture, que s'il y auoit de la peine à tomber, il y
en auoit encor plus à se retirer: car nos raquettes se
chargeoient de neiges & se rendoient si pesantes, que
quand vous veniez à les retirer il vous sembloit qu'on
vous tiroit les iambes pour vous démembrer. I'en ay
veu qui glissoient tellement soubs des souches enseuelies
soubs la neige, qui ne pouuoient tirer ny iambes
ny raquettes sans secours: or figurez vous [246] maintenant
vne personne chargée comme vn mulet, & iugez
si la vie des Sauuages est douce.
But not to wander farther from my subject, as
soon as it is day each one prepares to break camp.
They begin [244] by having breakfast, if there is
any; for sometimes they depart without breakfasting,
continue on their way without dining, and go to
bed without supping. Each one arranges his own
baggage, as best he can; and the women strike the
cabin, to remove the ice and snow from the bark,
which they roll up in a bundle. The baggage being
packed, they throw it upon their backs or loins in
long bundles, which they hold with a cord that
passes over their foreheads, beneath which they place
a piece of bark so that it will not hurt them. When
every one is loaded, they mount their snowshoes,
which are bound to the feet so that they will not sink
into the snow; and then they march over plain and
mountain, making the little ones go on ahead, who
start early, and often do not arrive until quite late.
These little ones have their load, or their sledge, to
accustom them early to fatigue; and they try to stimulate
them to see who will carry or drag the most.
To paint to you the hardships of the way, I have
neither pen nor brush that could do it; they must be
experienced in order to be appreciated, and [245] this
dish must be tried to know how it tastes. We did
nothing but go up and go down; frequently we had to
bend halfway over, to pass under partly-fallen trees,
and step over others lying upon the ground whose
branches sometimes knocked us over, gently enough
to be sure, but always coldly, for we fell upon the
snow. If it happened to thaw, Oh God, what suffering!
It seemed to me I was walking over a road of
glass, which broke under my feet at every step. The
frozen snow, beginning to melt, would fall and break
into blocks or big pieces, into which we often sank
up to our knees, and sometimes to our waists. If
there was pain in falling, there was still more in pulling
ourselves out, for our raquettes were loaded with
snow, and became so heavy that, when we tried to
draw them out, it seemed as if somebody were tugging
at our legs to dismember us. I have seen some
who slid so far under the logs buried in the snow,
that they could not pull out either their legs or their
snowshoes without help. Now imagine [246] a person
loaded like a mule, and judge how easy is the life
of the Savage.
En France dans la difficulté des voyages encor
trouue-on quelques villages pour se rafraischir, &
pour se fortifier; mais les hostelleries que nous rencontrions,
& où nous beuuions, n'estoient que des
ruisseaux, encor falloit il rompre la glace pour en tirer
de l'eau; il est vray que nous ne faisions pas de
longues traites, aussi nous eust il esté tout à fait impossible.
In the discomforts of a journey in France, villages
are found where one can refresh and fortify one's
self; but the inns that we encountered and where we
drank, were only brooks; we even had to break the
ice in order to get some water. It is true that we
did not make long stages, which would indeed have
been absolutely impossible for us.
Estans arriuez au lieu où nous deuions camper, les
femmes alloient couper les perches pour dresser la cabane,
les hommes vuidoient la neige, comme ie l'ay
plus amplement déduit au Chapitre precedent: or il
falloit trauailler à ce bastiment, ou bien trembler de
froid trois grosses heures sur la neige en attendant
qu'il fut fait, ie mettois par fois la main à l'œuure
pour m'échauffer, mais i'estois pour l'ordinaire tellement
glacé que le feu seul me pouuoit dégeler; les
114
Sauuages en estoient estonnez: car ils suoient soubs
le trauail, leur témoignant quelquefois que i'auois
grãd [247] froid, ils me disoient, donne tes mains que
nous voyons si tu dis vray, & les trouuans toutes glacées,
touchez de compassion ils me donnoient leurs
mitaines échauffées, & prenoient les miennes toutes
froides: iusque là que mõ hoste apres auoir experimenté
cecy plusieurs fois, me dit Nicanis n'hyuerne
plus auec les Sauuages, car ils te tuëront; il vouloit
dire, comme ie pense, que ie tõberois malade & que
ne pouuant estre traisné auec le bagage, qu'on me feroit
mourir, ie me mis à rire, & luy reparty qu'il me
vouloit épouuenter.
When we reached the place where we were to encamp,
the women went to cut the poles for the cabin,
and the men to clear away the snow, as I have stated
more fully in the preceding Chapter. Now a person
had to work at this building, or shiver with cold for
three long hours upon the snow, waiting until it was
finished. Sometimes I put my hand to the work to
warm myself, but usually I was so frozen that fire
alone could thaw me. The Savages were surprised
at this, for they often sweat under the work. Assuring
them now and then that I was very [247] cold,
they would say to me, "Give us thy hands that we
may see if thou tellest the truth;" and, finding them
quite frozen, touched with compassion, they gave me
their warm mittens and took my cold ones. This
went so far, that my host, after having tried it several
times, said to me, "Nicanis, do not winter any
more with the Savages, for they will kill thee." I
think he meant that I would fall ill, and, as I could
not be dragged along with the baggage, they would
kill me; I began to laugh, and told him that he was
trying to frighten me.
La cabane estant faite, ou sur la nuit, ou vn peu deuant,
on parloit de disner & de souper tout ensemble:
car sortant le matin apres auoir mangé vn petit morceau,
il falloit auoir patience qu'on fut arriué & que
l'hostellerie fust faite pour y loger, & pour y manger,
mais le pis estoit que ce iour là nos gens n'allans
point ordinairement à la chasse, c'estoit pour nous vn
iour de ieusne aussi bien qu'vn iour de trauail. C'est
trop retarder venons à nostre station.
The cabin finished, either toward nightfall or a
little before, they began to talk about dinner and
supper all in one, for as we had departed in the
morning after having eaten a small morsel, we had
to have patience to reach our destination and to wait
until the hotel was erected, in order to lodge and eat
there. But, unfortunately, on this particular day, our
people did not usually go hunting; and so it was for
us a day of fasting as well as a day of work. We have
delayed long enough, let us come to our station.
Nous quittasmes les riues du grand fleuue le 12. de
Nouembre, comme i'ay [248] desia dit, & vinsmes cabaner
pres d'vn torrent, faisans chemin à la façon
que ie viens de dire, chacun portant son fardeau.
Tous les Sauuages se mocquoient de moy de ce que
ie n'estois pas bon cheual de male, me contentant de
porter mon manteau qui estoit assez pesant, vn petit
sac où ie mettois mes menuës necessitez & leurs gausseries,
qui ne me pesoient pas tant que mon corps,
voila ma charge: mon hoste & l'Apostat portoient
sur des bastons croisez en forme de brancard la
116
femme du Sorcier qui estoit fort malade, ils la mettoient
sur la neige en attendant que la cabane fut
faite, où elle passoit plus de trois heures sans feu, &
sans iamais se plaindre, & sans monstrer aucun signe
d'impatience, ie me mettois plus en peine d'elle qu'elle
mesme: car ie criois souuent qu'on fit faire pour le
moins vn peu de feu aupres d'elle, mais la réponse
estoit qu'elle se chaufferoit la cabane estant faite: ces
barbares sont faits à ces souffrances, ils s'attẽdent bien
que s'ils tombent malades qu'on les traittera à mesme
monnoye. Nous seiournasmes trois iours en ceste
station, pendant lesquels [249] voicy vne partie des
choses que i'ay marqué dans mon memoire.
We left the banks of the great river on the 12th of
November, as I have [248] said, and pitched our
camp near a torrent, traveling in the way I have just
described, each one carrying his pack. All the Savages
made sport of me because I was not a good
pack horse, being satisfied to carry my cloak, which
was heavy enough; a small bag in which I kept my
little necessaries; and their sneers, which were not
as heavy as my body; and this was my load. My
host and the Apostate carried upon poles, crossed in
the form of a stretcher, the wife of the Sorcerer, who
was very sick; they placed her on the snow, while
waiting for the cabin to be made, and there she passed
more than three hours without fire, and did not once
complain nor show any sign of impatience. I was
more troubled about her than she was about herself,
for I often appealed to them to make at least a little
fire near her; but the answer was that she would get
warm when the cabin was made. These savages are
hardened to such sufferings; they expect if they fall
sick to be paid in the same coin. We sojourned three
days at this station; and the following [249] are some
of the things I noted down in my memoirs during
this time.
C'est icy que les Sauuages consulterent les genies
du iour, en la façon que i'ay couché au Chapitre quatriesme:
or comme ie m'estois ris de ceste superstition,
& qu'à toutes les occasions qui se rencontroient, ie faisois
voir que les mysteres du Sorcier n'estoient que
ieux d'enfans, m'efforçant de luy rauir ses oüailles pour
les rendre auec le temps à celuy qui les a rachetées au
prix de son sang, cét homme forcené fit le iour d'apres
ceste consulte, que ie vay décrire.
It was here that the Savages consulted their genii
of light, in the manner I have described in Chapter
four. Now as I had always shown my amusement
at this superstition, and on all possible occasions
had made them see that the mysteries of the
Sorcerer were nothing but child's play,—endeavoring
to carry off his flock so that, in time, I might
deliver them up to him who had bought them with
his blood,—this unscrupulous man, the day afterward,
went through with the performance I am going
to describe.
Mõ hoste ayãt inuité au festin tous les Sauuages nos
voisins, comme ils estoiẽt desia venus, & assis à l'entour
du feu & de la chaudiere, attendans l'ouuerture
du banquet, voila que le Sorcier qui estoit couché vis
à vis de moy se leue tout à coup, n'ayant point encor
parlé depuis la venuë des conuiez, il paroist tout furieux,
se iettant sur vne des perches de la cabane
pour l'arracher, il la rompt en deux pieces, il roule
les yeux en la teste, regardant çà & là comme vn
homme hors de soy, puis enuisageant les [250] assistans,
il leur dit Iriniticou nama Nitirinisin, ô hommes
118
i'ay perdu l'esprit, ie ne sçay où ie suis, esloignez de
moy les haches & les espées, car ie suis hors du sens.
A ces paroles tous les Sauuages baissent les yeux en
terre, & ie les leue au ciel, d'où i'attendois secours,
me figurant que cét homme faisoit l'enragé pour se
vanger de moy, en m'ostant la vie, ou du moins pour
m'épouuenter, afin de me reprocher par apres que
mon Dieu me manquoit au besoin, & de publier parmy
les siens, qu'ayant si souuent témoigné que ie ne
craignois pas leur Manitou, qui les fait trembler, ie pallissois
deuant vn homme. Tant s'en faut que la peur
qui dans les dangers d'vne mort naturelle me faisoit
quelquefois rentrer dans moy-mesme, me saisit pour
lors, qu'au contraire i'enuisageois ce forcené auec autant
d'asseurance que si i'eusse eu vne armée à mes
costez, me representant que le Dieu que i'adorois
pouuoit lier les bras aux fols & aux enragez aussi bien
qu'aux demons: qu'au reste si sa Majesté me vouloit
ouurir les portes de la mort, par les mains d'vn
homme qui faisoit l'endiablé, que [251] sa Prouidence
estoit tousiours aymable. Ce Thrason redoublant ces
fougues fit mille actions de fol, d'ensorcelé, de demoniaque,
tantost il crioit à pleine teste, puis il demeuroit
tout court comme épouuanté: il faisoit mine
de pleurer, puis il s'éclattoit de rire comme vn diable
follet; il chantoit sans regles ny sans mesures, il
sifloit comme vn serpent, il hurloit comme vn loup,
ou comme vn chien, il faisoit du hibou & du chathuan,
tournant les yeux tout effarez dedans sa teste,
prenant mille postures, faisant tousiours semblant de
chercher quelque chose pour la lancer, i'attendois à
tous coups qu'il arrachast quelque perche pour m'en
assommer, ou qu'il se iettast sur moy, ie ne laissay
120
pas neantmoins pour luy monstrer que ie ne m'estonnois
pas de ses diableries, de faire toutes mes actions
à l'ordinaire de lire, d'écrire, de faire mes petites prieres,
& l'heure de mon sommeil estant venuë ie me
couchay & reposay aussi paisiblement dans son sabbat
comme i'eusse fait dans vn profond silence, i'estois
déja aussi accoustumé de m'endormir à ses cris, & à
ses bruits de [252] tambour, qu'vn enfant aux chansons
de sa nourisse.
My host having invited all the neighboring Savages
to the feast, when they had come and seated
themselves around the fire and the kettle, waiting for
the banquet to be opened, lo, the Sorcerer, who had
been lying down opposite me, suddenly arose, not
yet having uttered a word since the arrival of the
guests. He seemed to be in an awful fury, and
threw himself upon one of the poles of the cabin to
tear it out; he broke it in two, rolled his eyes around
in his head, looked here and there like a man out of
his senses, then facing those [250] present, he said to
them, Iriniticou nama Nitirinisin, "Oh, men, I have
lost my mind, I do not know where I am; take the
hatchets and javelins away from me, for I am out of
my senses." At these words all the Savages lowered
their eyes to the ground, and I raised mine to
heaven, whence I expected help,—imagining that
this man was acting the madman in order to take revenge
on me, to take my life or at least to frighten
me, so that he could reproach me afterwards that my
God had failed me in time of need, and to proclaim
among his people, that I, who had so often testified
that I did not fear their Manitou, who makes them
tremble, had turned pale before a man. So far was
I from being seized by fear which, in the dangers of
a natural death, makes me shrink within myself, that,
on the contrary, I faced this furious man with as
much assurance as if I had had an army at my side,
reflecting that the God whom I adored could bind the
arms of fools and madmen as well as those of demons;
that besides, if his Majesty wished to open to
me the portals of death by the hands of a man who
was acting the devil, [251] his Providence was always
loving and kind. This Thraso [braggart], redoubling
his furies, did a thousand foolish acts of a lunatic
or of one bewitched; sometimes he would cry out
at the top of his voice, and then would suddenly stop
short, as if frightened; he pretended to cry, and then
burst into laughter like a wanton devil; he sang
without rules and without measure, he hissed like a
serpent, he howled like a wolf, or like a dog, he
screeched like an owl or a night hawk,—rolling his
eyes about in his head and striking a thousand attitudes,
always seeming to be looking for something to
throw. I was expecting every moment he would
tear up one of the poles with which to strike me down,
or that he would throw himself upon me; but in order
to show him that I was not at all astonished at
these devilish acts, I continued, in my usual way,
to read, write and say my little prayers; and when
my hour for retiring came, I lay down and rested as
peacefully through his orgies, as I would have done
in a profound silence; I was already as accustomed
to go to sleep in the midst of his cries and the sound
of his [252] drum, as a child is to the songs of its
nurse.
Le lendemain au soir à mesme heure il sembla vouloir
entrer dans les mesmes fougues, & donner vne
autrefois l'alarme au camp, disant qu'il perdoit l'esprit,
le voyant desia demy fol, il me vint vne pensée
qu'il pourroit estre trauaillé de quelque fiévre chaude,
ie l'aborde & luy prens le bras pour luy toucher l'artere,
il me regarde affreusemẽt, faisant de l'estõné,
comme si ie luy eusse apporté des nouuelles de l'autre
monde, il roule les yeux çà & là comme vn insensé:
luy ayant touché le poulx & le front ie le trouuay
frais comme vn poisson, & aussi éloigné de la fiévre
comme i'estois de France, cela me confirma dans mon
opinion qu'il faisoit de l'enragé pour m'estonner, &
pour tirer à compassion tous ses gens qui dans nostre
disette luy donnoient ce qu'ils pouuoient auoir de
meilleur.
The next evening, at the same hour he seemed disposed
to enter into the same infuriated state, and to
again alarm the camp, saying that he was losing his
mind. Seeing him already half-mad, it occurred to
me that he might be suffering from some violent fever;
I went up to him and took hold of his arm to
feel the artery; he gave me a frightful look, seeming
to be astonished, and acting as if I had brought
him news from the other world, rolling his eyes here
and there like one possessed. Having touched his
pulse and forehead, I found him as cool as a fish, and
as far from fever as I was from France. This confirmed
me in my suspicion that he was acting the
madman to frighten me, and to draw down upon himself
the compassion of all our people, who in our
dearth, were giving him the best they had.
Le 20. du mesme mois de Nouembre ne se trouuans
plus de Castors, ny de Porcs-espics en nostre
quartier, nous tirasmes pays, & ce fut nostre deuxiesme
station, on porta la femme du Sorcier [253]
sur vn brancart, & la mit-on, comme i'ay desia dit,
dessus la neige en attendant que nostre palais fût
dressé, ce pendant ie m'approchay d'elle luy témoignant
beaucoup de compassion: il y auoit desia quelques
122
iours que ie taschois de gagner son affection, afin
qu'elle me prestast plus volontiers l'oreille, cognoissant
bien qu'elle ne pouuoit pas viure long-temps, car
elle estoit comme vne squelette, n'ayant quasi plus la
force de parler, quand elle appelloit quelqu'vn la
nuit, ie me leuois moy mesme, & l'éueillois, ie luy
faisois du feu, ie luy demandois ce dont elle auoit besoin,
elle me cõmandoit de petites chosettes, comme
de fermer les portes ou boucher quelque trou de la
cabane qui l'incõmodoit, apres ces menus discours &
offices de charité, ie l'aborday, & luy demãday si elle
ne vouloit pas bien croire en celuy qui a tout faict, &
que son ame apres sa mort seroit bien-heureuse. Au
commencement elle me répondit qu'elle n'auoit point
veu Dieu, & que ie luy fisse voir, autrement qu'elle
ne pouuoit croire en luy, elle auoit tiré ceste réponse
de la bouche de sõ mary, Ie luy repartis qu'elle [254]
croyoit plusieurs choses qu'elle ne voyoit pas, & qu'au
reste son ame seroit bruslée pour vne eternité si elle
n'obeïssoit à celuy qui a tout fait; elle s'adoucit petit
à petit, & me témoigna qu'elle luy vouloit obeïr, ie
n'osois l'entretenir long temps, mais seulement par
reprises, ceux qui me voyoient me crians que ie la
laissasse.
On the 20th of the same month of November, finding
no more Beavers and Porcupines in our quarter,
we resumed our journey, this being our second station.
The Sorcerer's wife was carried [253] upon a
stretcher, and they placed her, as I have already said,
upon the snow until our palace was erected. Meanwhile
I approached her, showing how greatly I sympathized
with her; already for some days I had been
trying to gain her affection, that she might more willingly
listen to me; I knew that she could not live
long, as she was like a skeleton, hardly having
strength enough to talk. When she called some one
in the night, I arose and awoke him, I made fires for
her, I asked her if she was in need of anything; she
had me do little things for her, such as closing the
door, or stopping up a hole in the cabin which annoyed
her. After these little conversations and acts
of charity, I approached and asked her if she did not
want to believe in him who has made all, so that her
soul after death would be blest. At first she answered
that she had not seen God, and that I should make
her see him, otherwise she could not believe in him.
She got this answer from the lips of her husband. I
told her that she [254] believed in a great many
things she had not seen, and besides, her soul would
be burned through eternity if she did not obey him
who has made all. She softened, little by little, and
testified to me that she wished to obey him. I did
not dare confer with her long, and only at intervals,
for those who saw me would cry out that I should
leave her alone.
Sur le soir estãs tous dãs nostre nouuelle cabane, ie
m'approchay d'elle, l'appellant par son nom, iamais
elle ne me voulut parler en la presence des autres,
ie priay le Sorcier de luy dire qu'elle me répondist, &
de m'ayder à l'instruire, luy representant qu'il ne pouuoit
arriuer que du bien de ceste action, il me répond
non plus que la malade, ie m'addresse à l'Apostat le
pressant auec de tres humbles prieres de me prester
sa parole, point de répõse; ie retourne à la malade,
124
ie l'appelle, ie luy parle, ie luy demande si elle ne
vouloit pas aller au Ciel, à tout cela pas vn mot: Ie
solicite de rechef le Sorcier son mary, ie luy promets
vne chemise & du petun, pourueu qu'il dise à sa femme
qu'elle m'écoute, comment veux-tu, me dit-il, que
nous [255] croyõs en ton Dieu ne l'ayãs iamais veu?
ie t'ay desia respondu à cela, luy fis-je, il n'est pas
temps de disputer, cette ame se va perdre pour vn
iamais si tu n'en as pitié: Tu vois bien que celuy qui
a faict le Ciel pour toy, te veut donner de plus grands
biens, que d'aller manger des escorces en vn village
qui ne fut iamais, mais aussi te punira il seuerement
si tu ne crois en luy, & si tu ne luy obeis. Ne pouuant
tirer aucune raison de ce miserable homme, ie
pressay encor vne fois la malade, mon hoste me l'entendant
nommer par son nom me tança, tais toy me
dit-il, ne la nomme point, elle est desia morte, son
ame n'est plus dans son corps. C'est vne grande verité
que personne ne va à Iesvs-Christ que son
pere ne luy tende la main, c'est vn grãd present que
la foy, quãd ces pauures Barbares voyẽt qu'vn pauure
malade ne parle plus, ou qu'il tombe en syncope, ou
en quelque phrenesie, ils disent que son esprit n'est plus
dans son corps, si le malade retourne en son bon sens,
c'est l'èsprit qui est de retour: en fin quand il est
mort il n'en faut plus parler, ny le nommer en aucune
façon: pour conclurre ce point, il [256] me fallust retirer
sans rien faire.
Toward evening, when we were all in our new
cabin, I approached and called her by name. She
never would talk with me in the presence of the
others. I begged the Sorcerer to tell her to answer
me, and to help me teach her, showing him that
nothing but good could come of this action. He
would not answer me any more than the invalid. I
addressed the Apostate, urging him with very humble
prayers to lend me his voice, but no answer; I return
to the sick woman, I call her by name, I speak
to her, I ask her if she does not wish to go to Heaven;
to all this not a word. I again beg her husband,
the Sorcerer; I promise him a shirt and some tobacco,
if he will tell his wife to listen to me. "How canst
thou ask us," he said, "to [255] believe in thy God,
never having seen him?" "I have already answered
that question for thee," I returned; "this is no time
to argue, this soul is going to be forever lost if thou
dost not have pity. Thou seest well that he who has
made the Heavens for thee, wishes to give thee greater
blessings than to go about eating bark in a village
which never existed; but he will also severely punish
thee if thou dost not believe in him and obey him."
Not being able to draw any answer from this miserable
man, I again urged the sick woman. My host,
hearing me call her by name, chided me, saying,
"Keep still, do not name her; she is already dead,
her soul is no longer in her body." It is a great
truth that no one goes to Jesus Christ until the
father extends to him the hand. How wonderful a
gift is this faith! When these simple Barbarians see
that a poor invalid no longer speaks, or that he has
fainted, or been seized by a frenzy, they say that the
spirit is no longer in the body; and, if the invalid returns
to his senses, it is the spirit which has returned.
Finally, when he is dead, they must no longer speak
of him, nor name him in any way. To finish this
story, [256] I had to retire without accomplishing
anything.
On tint conseil en ce lieu de ce qu'on deuoit faire
pour trouuer à manger, nous estions desia reduits à
telle extremité que ie fa[i]sois vn bon repas d'vne peau
d'anguille boucannée, que ie iettois aux chiens quelques
iours auparauant. Deux choses me toucherent
126
ici le cœur: jettant vne fois vn os, ou vne arreste
d'anguille aux chiens, vn petit garçon fut plus habile
que le chien, il se jetta sur l'os & le rongea & mangea:
vne autre fois vn enfant ayant demandé à manger,
comme on luy eust respõdu qu'il n'y en auoit point,
ce pauure petit s'en prit à ses yeux, les larmes rouloient
sur sa face grosses commes des pois, & ses souspirs
& ses sanglots me touchoient de compassion, encor
taschoit il de se cacher: c'est vne leçon qu'on fait
aux enfans de se monstrer courageux dans la famine.
They took counsel in this place as to what they
should do to get something to eat. We were already
reduced to such extremities that I made a good meal
on a skin of smoked eel, which a few days before I
had thrown to the dogs. Here two incidents occurred
which touched my heart. Once when I threw
a bone or remnant of an eel to the dogs, a little boy,
more nimble than they, threw himself upon the bone,
and gnawed and bit into it. Another time, a child
having asked for something to eat, when he was told
there was nothing at all, the poor little fellow's eyes
filled, and tears as big as peas rolled down his
cheeks, and his sighs and sobs filled me with pity,
although he tried to suppress them. One lesson they
teach their children is to be brave in time of famine.
Le 28. du mesme mois, nous decampasmes pour la
troisiesme fois, il neigeoit fort, mais la necessité nous
pressant le mauuais temps ne peut nous arrester. Ie
fus bien estonné en cette troisiesme demeure que ie
ne vis point apporter la malade, ie n'osois demander
ce qu'elle [257] estoit deuenuë, car ils ne veulent pas
qu'on parle des morts: sur le soir i'accostay le Renegat,
ie luy demanday parlant François où estoit ceste
pauure femme, s'il ne l'auoit point tuée, voyant
qu'elle s'en alloit mourir, cõme il auoit autrefois
assommé à coups de bastons vne pauure fille qui tiroit
à la mort, ainsi que luy mesme l'auoit raconté à nos
François. Non, dit-il, ie ne l'ay pas tuée: qui donc,
luy fis ie, est-ce le ieune Hiroquois? Nenny, me répond-il,
car il est party de grand matin: c'est donc
mon hoste, ou le Sorcier son mary; car elle parloit
encor quand ie suis sorty ce matin de la cabane, il
baissa la teste, m'aduoüãt tacitement que l'vn des
deux l'auoit mise à mort: vn vieillard m'a ceneãtmoins
dit depuis, qu'elle mourut de sa mort naturelle
vn peu apres que ie fus party, ie m'en rapporte
à ce qui en est, quoy que s'en soit ayant refusé de recognoistre
le Fils de Dieu pour son Pasteur pendant
128
sa vie, il n'est que trop probable qu'il ne l'a pas recogneuë
pour vne de ses oüailles, après sa mort.
On the 28th of the same month, we broke camp
for the third time. It was snowing hard; but, with
necessity urging us on, the bad weather could not stop
us. I was surprised, in this third halt, not to see
them bring the invalid; but I did not dare ask what
[257] had become of her, for they do not want any
one to mention the dead. In the evening, I went to
the Renegade, and asked him in French where this
poor woman was,—if he had not killed her, seeing
her about to die, as he had once before killed with
blows from a club a poor girl who was on the point
of death, which he himself had related to our French.
"No," said he, "I have not killed her." "Who has
then," said I, "is it the young Hiroquois?" "No,
no," he answered, "for he went away very early this
morning." "It is then my host, or the Sorcerer her
husband, for she was still able to talk when I left the
cabin this morning." He bowed his head, admitting
tacitly that one of them had put her to death. But,
since then, an old man has told me that she died a
natural death a little while after I departed. I am
unable to say which is correct; but, at all events, as
she refused to recognize the son of God as her Shepherd
during her life, it is no more than probable that
he refused to recognize her as one of his flock after
death.
I'ay remarqué iusques icy de trois sortes de medecines
naturelles parmy les [258] Sauuages, l'vne c'est
leur suërie, dont i'ay parlé cy-dessus, l'autre consiste
à se taillader legerement la partie du corps qui leur
fait mal, la mettant toute en sang qu'ils font sortir
de ces decoupeures en assez grande abondance, ils se
seruirent vne fois de mon canif pour taillader la teste
d'vn enfant de dix iours. La troisiesme de ces medecines
est composée de racleure d'écorces interieures
de bouleau, du moins cet arbre me sembloit tel, ils
font boüillir ces racleures dans de l'eau, qu'ils boiuent
par apres pour se faire vomir, ils m'ont souuent voulu
donner ceste potion pendant que i'estois malade,
mais ie ne la iugeois pas à mon vsage.
Up to the present I have observed three kinds of
natural medicines among the [258] Savages. One of
these is their sweat-box, of which I have spoken
above; the second consists in making a slight gash in
the part of the body where the pain is, covering it
with blood which they make issue from these cuts
quite abundantly. They once made use of my penknife
to cut the head of a child ten days old. The
third of these medicines is composed of the scrapings
of the inside bark of the birch, at least it seems to be
this tree. They boil these scrapings in water, which
they afterwards drink to make them vomit. They
often wanted me to drink this potion when I was
sick, but I did not think it would agree with me.
Le iour de sainct François Xauier, nostre pretendu
Magicien ayant sur le soir battu son tambour, & bien
hurlé à l'ordinaire, car il ne manquoit point de nous
donner ceste aubade toutes les nuits à nostre premier
sommeil, voyant que tout le monde estoit endormy,
& cognoissant que ce pauure homme faisoit ce tintamare
pour sa guarison. I'entray en discours auec
luy, ie commençay par vn témoignage de grand
amour [259] en son endroit, & par des loüanges que
ie luy iettay comme vne amorce pour le prendre
dans les filets de la verité. Ie luy fis entendre que si vn
esprit capable des choses grandes comme le sien cognoissoit
Dieu, que tous les Sauuages induis par son
exemple le voudroient aussi cognoistre, aussi tost il
prit l'essor, & se mit à declarer la puissance, l'authorité
& le credit qu'il a sur l'esprit de ses compatriotes,
il dit que dés sa ieunesse les Sauuages luy donnerent
130
le nom de Khimouchouminau, c'est à dire nostre
ayeul & nostre maistre, que tout passe par ses aduis,
& que chacun suit ses conseils, ie l'aydois à se loüer
le mieux que ie pouuois: car il est vray qu'il a de
belles parties pour vn Sauuage: enfin ie luy dis que
ie m'estonnois qu'vn homme de iugement ne peut recognoistre
le peu de rapport qu'il y a entre ce tintamare
& la santé. Quand tu as bien crié & bien battu
ton tambour, que fait ce bruit sinon de t'estourdir
la teste, pas vn Sauuage n'est malade, qu'on ne luy
batte les oreilles de ce tambour, afin qu'il ne meure
point, en as-tu veu de dispensez de la mort; ie te
veux faire [260] vne proposition: Escoute moy patiemment,
luy dis-ie, bas ton tambour dix iours durant,
chante & faits chanter les autres tant que tu voudras,
fais tout ce qui sera en ton possible pour recouurer ta
santé, si tu n'en guary dans ce temps-là, confesse que
ton tintamare, que tes hurlemens, & que tes chansons
ne te sçauroient remettre en santé, abstiens toy
dix autres iours de toutes ces superstitions, quitte
ton tambour, & tous ces bruits dereglez, demande au
Dieu que i'adore, qu'il te donne sa cognoissance,
pense & crois que ton ame doit passer à vne autre vie
que celle-cy, efforce toy d'aymer son bien cõme tu
ayme le bien de ton corps, & quand tu auras passé ces
dix autres derniers iours en ceste façon, ie me retireray
trois iours durant en oraison dans vne petite cabane
qu'on fera plus auant dans le bois, là ie prieray
mon Dieu qu'il te donne la santé du corps & de l'ame,
toy seul me viendras voir au temps que ie diray, &
tu feras de tout ton cœur les prieres que ie t'enseigneray;
promettant à Dieu que s'il luy plaist de te
rendre la santé, tu appelleras tous les Sauuages de ce
132
lieu, & en [261] leur presence tu brusleras ton tambour,
& toutes les autres badineries dont tu te sers
pour les amasser, que tu leur diras que le Dieu des
Chrestiens est le vray Dieu, qu'ils croyẽt en luy, &
qu'ils luy obeïssent, si tu promets cecy veritablement
& de cœur, i'espere que tu seras deliuré de ta maladie,
car mon Dieu est tout puissant.
On the day of saint François Xavier, our pretended
Magician began in the evening to beat his drum and
to utter his howls as usual; for he did not fail to give
us this entertainment every night at our first sleep.
I saw that every one was asleep, and, knowing that
this poor man made all this racket in order to cure
himself, I entered into conversation with him. I began
by expressing a great deal of affection [259] for
him, and by heaping praises upon him, as bait to
draw him into the nets of truth. I made him understand
that if a mind as capable of great things as his
was, should know God, that all the Savages, influenced
by his example, would like to know him also.
He immediately began to soar, and to talk about the
power, the authority, and the influence he had over
the minds of his fellow-savages. He said that since
his youth they had given him the name, Khimouchouminau,
meaning, "our sire and our master;" that
everything was done according to his opinion, and
that they all followed his advice. I helped in this
self-praise as well as I could, for he has indeed some
good qualities for a Savage. I finally told him that
I was surprised that a man of judgment could not realize
that there was little connection between this
uproar and health. "When thou hast screamed and
beaten thy drum with all thy might, what good does
it do except to make thy head dizzy? No Savage is
sick, whose ears they do not deafen with this drum,
to keep him from dying; yet hast thou ever seen it
dispel death? I am going to make a proposal [260]
to thee, listen to me patiently," I said to him. "Beat
thy drum for ten days, sing and make all the others
sing as much as thou wilt, do all thou canst to recover
thy health, and if thou art not cured in that time
confess that thy din, howls and songs cannot restore
thee to health. Now abstain ten more days from all
these superstitions; give up thy drum, and all these
wild noises; ask of the God whom I adore that he give
thee knowledge of himself; reflect, and believe that
thy soul must pass to a life other than this; endeavor
to interest thyself in its welfare as thou dost in the
welfare of thy body; and when thou shalt have
passed these last ten days in this way, I will withdraw
for three days to pray in a little cabin that shall
be made farther back in the woods. There I will
pray my God to give thee health of body and of soul;
thou alone shalt come to see me at the time I shall indicate,
and thou shalt say with all thy heart the prayers
I will teach thee—promising God that, if it pleases
him to restore thee thy health, thou wilt call together
all the Savages of the place, and in [261] their
presence thou wilt burn thy drum and all the other silly
stuff that thou usest to bring them together, saying
to them that the God of the Christians is the true
God, that they must believe in him and obey him.
If thou promise this truthfully and from thy heart, I
hope that thou wilt be delivered from thy disease,
for my God is all-powerful."
Or comme cét homme est tres desireux de recouurer
sa santé, il ouurit les oreilles, & me dit, ton discours
est fort bon, i'accepte les conditions que tu me
donne; mais commence le premier, retire toy en
oraison, & dis à ton Dieu qu'il me guarisse, car c'est
par là qu'il faut commencer, & puis ie feray tout ce
que tu m'as prescrit: ie ne cõmenceray point, luy reparty-ie,
car si tu estois guary, pendant que ie prierois
tu attribuerois ta santé à ton tambour, que tu
n'aurois pas quitté; & non pas au Dieu que i'adore,
lequel seul te peut guarir; non, me dit-il, ie ne croiray
pas que cela vienne de mon tambour, i'ay chanté
& fait tout ce que ie sçauois, & n'ay peu sauuer la
vie à pas vn; moy-mesme estãt malade ie fais ioüer
pour me guarir tous [262] les ressorts de mon art, &
me voila plus mal que iamais; i'ay employé toutes
mes inuentions pour sauuer la vie à mes enfans, notamment
au dernier qui est mort depuis peu, & pour
conseruer ma femme qui vient de trespasser, tout cela
ne m'a point reüssi, & partant si tu me guaris, ie n'attribueray
point ma santé à mon tambour, ny à mes
chansons. Ie luy répondis que ie ne pouuois pas le
guarir; mais que mon Dieu pouuoit tout, qu'au reste
il ne falloit point faire de marché auec luy, ny luy
prescrire des conditions comme il faisoit, disant qu'il
me guarisse premierement, & puis ie croiray en luy:
134
dispose toy, luy fis ie, de ton costé, & sa bonté ne te
manquera pas, que s'il ne te donne la santé du
corps, il te donnera la santé de l'ame qui est incomparablement
plus à priser. Ne me parle point de
l'ame, me repart-il, c'est de quoy ie ne me soucie
pas: voila (me monstrant sa chair) ce que i'ayme,
c'est le corps que ie cheris, pour l'ame ie ne la voy
point, en arriue ce qui pourra. As tu de l'esprit,
luy fis-ie? tu parle comme les bestes, les chiens
n'ayment que les corps; celuy qui a fait le Soleil
[263] pour t'éclairer, n'a-il rien preparé de plus grand
à ton ame, qu'à l'ame d'vn chien? Si tu n'ayme que
ton corps tu perdras le corps & l'ame, si vne beste
pouuoit parler elle ne parleroit que de son corps & de
sa chair, n'as-tu rien par dessus les bestes qui sont
faites pour te seruir? n'ayme-tu que la chair & le
sang? ton ame est-elle l'ame d'vn chien que tu la
traite auec vn tel mépris? peut estre que tu dis vray,
me répond-il, & qu'il y a quelque chose de bon en
l'autre vie: mais nous autres en ce pays-cy n'en sçauons
rien, que si tu me rends la santé ie feray ce que
tu voudras. Ce pauure miserable ne peut iamais releuer
sa pensée plus haut que la terre: ne voyant
donc aucune disposition en cét esprit superbe, qui
croyoit pouuoir obliger Dieu, s'il croyoit en luy, ie
le quittay pour lors, & me retiray pour reposer, car il
estoit bien auant dans la nuit.
Now as this man is very desirous of recovering his
health, he opened his ears, and said to me, "Thy
discourse is very good, I accept the conditions that
thou givest; but thou begin first, go away and pray,
and tell thy God to cure me, for with that we must begin;
then I will do all that thou hast prescribed for
me." "I shall not begin it," I replied to him, "for if
thou get back thy health while I would be praying,
thou wouldst be attributing thy recovery to thy
drum, which thou wouldst not have given up, and not
to the God whom I adore, who alone can cure thee."
"No," he replied, "I shall not think it has come
from my drum; I have sung and have done all I
could, yet I have not been able to save the life of
one man; I myself am sick, and to cure myself have
made use of all [262] the resources of my art; and
behold I am worse than ever. I have used all my inventions
to save the lives of my children, especially
of the last one who died only a short time ago, and
to save my wife, who has just passed away, yet all
this has not succeeded; so if thou curest me I shall
not attribute my health to my drum nor to my songs."
I answered him that I could not cure him, but that
my God could do all, and besides we must not make
bargains with him, nor prescribe to him the conditions
upon which he was to act, saying, "Let him
cure me first, and then I will believe in him." "Prepare
thyself," I continued, "on thy part, and his
goodness will not fail thee; for, if he does not give
thee health of the body, he will give thee health of
the soul, which is of incomparably higher value."
"Do not speak to me about the soul," he replied,
"that is something that I give myself no anxiety
about; it is this (showing his flesh) that I love, it is
the body I cherish; as to the soul, I do not see it, let
happen to it what will." "Hast thou any reason?" I
asked, "thou speakest like a brute, dogs love only
their bodies; he who has made the Sun [263] to shine
upon thee, has he not prepared something better for
thy soul than for the soul of a dog? If thou lovest
only the body, thou wilt lose both thy body and thy
soul. If a brute could talk, it would talk about
nothing but its body and its flesh; hast thou nothing
above the brute, which is made to serve thee? Dost
thou love only flesh and blood? Thy soul, is it only
the soul of a dog, that thou dost treat it with such
contempt?" "Perhaps thou sayest truly," he replied,
"and there is something good in the other
life; but we here in this country know nothing about
it. If thou restorest my health, I will do what thou
wishest." This poor wretch is never able to raise
his thoughts above earth. Seeing then no inclination
in this haughty spirit, who thought he was obliging
God by believing in him, I gave him up for the
time being, and retired to rest, for it was well along
into the night.
Le 3. de Decembre nous cõmençasmes nostre quatriesme
station, ayans délogé sans trompette, mais non
pas sans tambour: car le Sorcier n'oublioit iamais le
sien, nous plantasmes nostre camp proche d'vn fleuue
large & rapide, [264] mais peu profond, ils le nomment
Ca pititetchiouetz, il se va dégorger dans le grand
136
fleuue de sainct Laurens, quasi vis à vis de Tadoussac,
nos Sauuages n'ayans point icy de viandes pour faire
des festins, ils faisoient des banquets de fumée, s'inuitans
les vns les autres, dans leurs cabanes, & faisans
la ronde à vn petit plat de terre remply de Tabac,
chacun en prenoit vne cornetée qu'il reduisoit
en fumée, remettant la main au plat s'il vouloit petuner
dauantage: l'affection qu'ils portent à ceste herbe
est au delà de toute créance, ils s'endormẽt le cabanet
en la bouche, ils se leuent par fois la nuit pour petuner,
ils s'arrestent souuent en chemin pour le mesme
sujet, c'est la premiere action qu'ils font rentrant
dans leurs cabanes: ie leur ay battu le fusil pour les
faire petuner en ramants dans vn canot, ie leur ay
veu souuent manger le baston de leur calumet, n'ayans
plus de petun, ie leur ay veu racler & pulueriser vn
calumet de bois pour petuner, disons auec compassion
qu'ils passent leur vie dans la fumée, & qu'ils tombent
à la mort dans le feu.
On the 3rd of December we began our fourth station,
having broken camp without trumpets, but not
without drums, for the Sorcerer never forgot his.
We pitched our camp near a broad and rapid, [264]
but rather shallow river, which they called Ca pititetchiouetz;
it flows into the great river saint Lawrence,
almost opposite Tadoussac. Our Savages, having
no food for a feast here, made a banquet of smoke;
each inviting the others to his cabin, they passed
around a little earthen plate containing Tobacco,
and every one took a pipeful, which he reduced to
smoke, returning his hand to the dish if he wanted
to smoke any more. The fondness they have for
this herb is beyond all belief. They go to sleep
with their reed pipes in their mouths, they sometimes
get up in the night to smoke; they often stop
in their journeys for the same purpose, and it is the
first thing they do when they reënter their cabins.
I have lighted tinder, so as to allow them to smoke
while paddling a canoe; I have often seen them gnaw
the stems of their pipes when they had no more tobacco,
I have seen them scrape and pulverize a wooden
pipe to smoke it. Let us say with compassion
that they pass their lives in smoke, and at death fall
into the fire.
[265] I'auois porté du petun auec moy, non pour
mõ vsage, car ie n'en prends point, i'en donnay largement
selon que i'en auois à plusieurs Sauuages; m'en
reseruant vne partie pour tirer de l'Apostat quelque
mot de sa langue; car il ne m'eust pas dit vne parole
qu'en le payãt de ceste monnoye, quand nos gens
eurent consommé ce que ie leur auois donné, & ce
qu'ils auoient en leur particulier, ie n'auois plus de
paix, le Sorcier me pressoit auec vne importunité si
audacieuse, que ie ne le pouuois souffrir, tous les
autres sembloient me vouloir manger, quand ie leur
en refusois: i'auois beau leur dire qu'ils n'auoient
point de consideration, que ie leur en auois plus donné
trois fois que ie ne m'estois reserué; vous voyez,
138
leur disois-ie, que i'ayme vostre langue, & qu'il
faut que ie l'achepte auec cét argent, que s'il me
manque on ne m'enseignera pas vn mot, vous voyez
que s'il me faut vn verre d'eau, il faut que i'en aille
chercher bien loing, ou que ie dõne vn bout de petun
à vn enfant pour m'en aller querir; vous me dites
que le petun rassasie, si la famine qui nous presse cõtinuë,
i'en [266] veux faire l'experience, laissez moy
ce peu que i'ay de reserue, il me fut impossible de
resister à leur importunité, il fallut tirer iusques au
bout, ce ne fut pas sans estonnement de voir des personnes
si passionnées pour de la fumée.
[265] I brought some tobacco with me, but not for
myself, as I do not use it. I have given liberally,
according to my store, to several Savages, saving
some to draw from the Apostate a few words of his
language, for he would not say a word if I did not
pay him with this money. When our people had
consumed what I had given them, and what they had
of their own, I had no more peace. The Sorcerer
was so annoying in his demands for it, that I could
not endure him; and all the others acted as if they
wanted to eat me, when I refused them. In vain I
told them that they had no consideration, that I had
given them more than three times as much as I had
reserved for myself. "You see," I said to them,
"that I love your language and that I must buy it
with this money, for if it is lacking no one will teach
me a word; you see if I have to have a glass of water,
I must go a long way to get it, or I must give a
bit of tobacco to a child to get it for me; you tell me
that tobacco satisfies hunger; if the famine which
now presses us continues, I wish [266] to experiment
with it, so leave me the little I have in reserve."
It was impossible to resist their teasing, and I had
to draw out the last bit, not without astonishment
at seeing people so passionately fond of smoke.
Le sixiesme du mesme mois, nous délogeasmes pour
la cinquiesme fois, il m'arriua vne disgrace au départ,
au lieu de prẽdre le vray chemin, ie me iettay
dans vn autre que nos chasseurs auoient fort battu,
ie vay donc fort loing sans prendre garde que ie me
perdois, ayant fait une longue traitte, ie m'apperceu
que mon chemin se diuisoit en cinq ou six autres, qui
tiroient qui deçà, qui delà, me voila demeuré tout
court, il y auoit vn petit enfant qui m'auoit suiuy, ie
ne l'osois quitter, car auss[i]-tost il se mettoit à pleurer,
i'enfilay tantost l'vn, tantost l'autre de ces sentiers,
& voyant qu'ils tournoient çà & là, & qu'ils
n'estoient marquez que d'vne sorte de raquette, ie
concluds que ces chemins ne conduisoient point au lieu
où mes Sauuages alloient cabaner, ie ne sçauois que
faire du petit garçon: car s'estant apperceu de nostre
erreur il ne m'osoit [267] perdre de veuë sans se pasmer;
d'ailleurs n'ayant qu'enuiron six ans il ne me
pouuoit pas suiure, car ie doublois mes pas: ie m'aduisay
de luy laisser mon manteau pour marque que ie
retournerois, si ie trouuois nostre vray chemin, luy faisant
140
signe qu'il m'attendist, car nous ne nous attendions
pas l'vn l'autre: ie iettay donc mon manteau
sur la neige, & m'en reuay sur mes brisées criant de
temps en temps pour me faire entendre de nos gens,
si tant est que le bon chemin ne fust pas loing de
moy; ie crie, i'appelle dans ces grands bois, personne
ne répond, tout est dans vn profond silence,
les arbres mesme ne faisoient aucun bruit, car il ne
faisoit point de vent: le froid estoit si violent que ie
m'attendois infailliblemẽt de mourir la nuit au cas
qu'il me la fallust passer sur la neige, n'ayant ny
hache ny fusil pour faire du feu; ie vay, ie viens, ie
tourne de tous costez, ie ne trouue rien qui ne m'égare
dauantage: la derniere chose que l'homme quitte
c'est l'esperance, ie la tenois tousiours par vn petit
bout, me figurant à toute heure que i'allois trouuer
mon chemin; mais enfin apres [268] auoir bien tourné,
voyant que les creatures ne me pouuoient donner
aucun secours, ie m'arrestay pour presẽter mes petites
prieres au Createur dont ie voyois ces grands bois tout
remplis aussi bien que le reste du monde: il me vint
vne pensée que ie n'estois pas perdu, puis que Dieu
sçauoit bien où i'estois, & ruminant ceste verité en
mon esprit, ie tire doucement vers le fleuue que i'auois
trauersé au sortir de la cabane, ie crie, i'appelle
de rechef, tout le monde estoit desia bien loing; ie
commençois desia à laisser cheoir de mes mains le
petit filet de l'esperance que i'auois tenu iusques
alors, quand i'aduisay quelques vestiges de raquette
derriere des broussailles, ie m'y transporte, & vidi vestigia
virorum, & mulierum & infantium, en vn mot ie
trouue ce que i'auois cherché fort long-temps, au commencement
ie n'estois pas asseuré que c'estoit là vn
142
bon chemin, voila pourquoy ie me diligentay de le
recognoistre: estant desia bien auancé ie trouue l'Apostat
qui nous venoit chercher, il me demanda où
estoit ce petit enfant, ie luy repars que ie l'auois laissé
[269] aupres de mon manteau: i'ay, me dit-il, trouué
vostre manteau & l'ay reporté à la nouuelle cabane;
mais ie n'ay point veu l'enfant: me voila bien estonné,
de l'aller chercher, c'estoit me perdre vne autre
fois; ie prie l'Apostat d'y aller, il fit la sourde oreille,
ie tire droit à la cabane pour en donner aduis, où enfin
i'arriuay tout brisé & tout moulu pour la difficulté
& pour la longueur des chemins que i'auois fait sans
trouuer hostellerie que des ruisseaux glacez: si tost
que les Sauuages me virent ils me demandent où
estoit le petit garçon, crians que ie l'auois perdu, ie
leur raconte l'histoire, les asseurants que ie luy auois
laissé tout exprez mon manteau pour l'aller retrouuer,
mais ayant quitté ce lieu là, ie ne sçauois où
l'aller chercher, veu mesmement que ie n'en pouuois
plus, n'ayant point mangé depuis le grand matin, &
deux ou trois bouchées de boucan tant seulement, on
me donna pour reconfort vn peu d'eau glacée, que ie
fis chauffer dans vn chaudron fort sale, ce fut tout
mon souper: car nos chasseurs n'ayans rien pris il
fallut ieusner ce iour là. [270] Pour l'enfant, deux
femmes m'ayans ouy depeindre l'endroit où ie l'auois
laissé, coniecturant où il auoit tiré, l'allerent chercher,
& le trouuerent. Il ne faut pas s'estonner si vn
François se perd quelquesfois dans ces forests, i'ay veu
de nos plus habiles Sauuages s'y esgarer plus d'vn
iour entier.
On the sixth of the same month we broke camp
for the fifth time. I had a mishap at our departure,
for, instead of taking the right road, I started upon
another that had been well beaten down by our
hunters, and so I went some distance without perceiving
that I was lost. After a long stage, I observed
that the way divided into five or six others,
which led in several directions. So I was brought
to a standstill. There was a little child who had
followed me, and whom I did not dare to leave, for it
would at once begin to cry. I followed first one and
then another of these paths; and seeing that they
wound here and there, and that they were marked
by only one kind of snowshoe, I concluded that these
ways did not lead to the place where my Savages
were going to encamp. I did not know what to do
with the little boy; for, having found out our mistake,
he did not dare [267] lose me out of his sight
without going into spasms; and besides, as he was
only about six years old, he could not keep up with
me as I increased my speed. I decided to leave him
my cloak, to show that I intended to return, if I
found the right way, making him a sign that he
should wait, for we did not understand each other.
So I threw my cloak upon the snow, and retraced my
steps, crying out from time to time to make myself
heard by our people, in case the right road was not
far away from me. I shout and halloo in these great
forests, but no one answers; the silence is profound,
for even the trees do not rustle, as there is no wind.
The cold was so severe that I was sure I would die
during the night, if I had to pass it upon the snow,
having neither axe nor tinder with which to make a
fire. I go, I come, I turn on all sides; but I find
nothing which does not confuse me still more. The
last thing that a man abandons is hope; I continued
to hold on to it by the little end, imagining every
moment that I was going to find my way; but at
last, after [268] many windings, seeing that human
beings could give me no help, I stopped in order to
offer my little prayers to the Creator, with whom I
saw these great woods all filled as well as the rest of
the world. The thought came into my mind that I
was not lost, since God knew where I was; and,
turning over this truth in my mind, I slowly approached
the river I had crossed on leaving the cabin.
I cried out, I called again, but everybody was
already far away. I was beginning to loosen my
hold upon the little thread of hope that I had held
up to that time, when I perceived some snowshoe
tracks behind the brushwood. I betook myself
thither, et vidi vestigia virorum, et mulierum et infantium.
In a word, I found what I had so long
been seeking. At first I was not sure this was a
good road, hence I reconnoitred it very carefully.
When I had advanced some distance, I met the Apostate,
who was coming in search of us. He asked me
where the little child was; and I replied that I had
left it [269] near my cloak. "I have found your
cloak," he said, "and have carried it to the new cabin;
but I have not found the child." This was a
great shock to me; to go in search of it would be to
lose myself a second time. I prayed the Apostate
to go, but he turned a deaf ear to my entreaties. I
started directly for the cabin, to advise them of the
matter, and finally reached it, sore all over and
bruised from the hardships and length of the journey,
which I had made without finding other hostelry
than the frozen brooks. As soon as the Savages
saw me, they asked where the little boy was, crying
out that I had lost him. I told them the story, assuring
them that I had left my cloak with him purposely,
that I might go back and find him; but, as he had left
that place, I did not know where to look for him, especially
as I had no more strength left, having eaten
nothing since early morning, and then only two or
three mouthfuls of smoked meat. They comforted
me with a little frozen water, which I melted in a
very dirty kettle, and this was all the supper I had;
for our hunters had not taken anything, so we had
to fast that day. [270] As to the child, two women
having heard me describe the place where I had left
it, guessing where it had wandered, went in search
of and found it. You must not be astonished if a
Frenchman sometimes loses himself in these forests;
for I have known some of our cleverest Savages to
wander about in them more than a whole day.
Le 20. de Decembre, quoy que les Sauuages ne se
mettent pas ordinairement en chemin pendant le mauuais
144
temps si fallut-il decabanner durant la pluye, &
desloger à petit bruit sans desieuner, la fin [faim] nous
faisoit marcher, mais le mal est, qu'elle nous suiuoit
par tout où nous allions; car nous ne trouuions par
tout, ou fort peu, ou point de chasse: En ceste station,
qui fut la sixiesme, le Renegat me vint dire que les
Sauuages estoient fort espouuantez, & mon hoste m'abordant
tout pensif, me demanda si ie ne sçauois point
quelque remede à leur mal-heur, il n'y a pas, me disoit-il,
assez de neige pour tuer l'Orignac, des Castors,
& des Porcs-espics, nous n'en trouuõs quasi point, que
ferons nous? ne sçais tu point ce qui nous doit arriuer?
ne sens tu point dans toy-mesme ce qu'il [271]
faut faire? Ie luy voulus dire que nostre Dieu estoit
tres-bon, & tres-puissant, qu'il falloit que nous eussions
recours à sa misericorde, mais cõme ie ne parlois
pas bien, ie priay l'Apostat de me seruir de truchement;
ce miserable est possedé d'vn diable muet, iamais
il ne voulut parler.
On the 20th of December, although the Savages
do not usually take the road in bad weather, yet we had
to break up during the storm, and move away quietly
without any breakfast, for hunger drove us onward;
the trouble is it followed us everywhere we went, for
we found no game anywhere, or at least very little of
it. At this station, which was the sixth, the Renegade
came to tell me that the Savages were greatly
terrified; and my host, addressing me seriously, asked
if I did not know some remedy for their misfortune.
"There is not," said he, "enough snow to kill
Moose, Beavers, and Porcupines; we find almost no
game; what shall we do? Dost thou not know what
may happen to us? Dost thou not see within thyself
what [271] ought to be done?" I wanted to tell him
that our God was very good and very powerful, and
we ought to have recourse to his mercy; but as I did
not speak well, I begged the Apostate to be my interpreter,
but this wretch is possessed of a mute
devil, he never wants to talk.
Le 24. Decembre, veille de la naissance de nostre
Sauueur, nous decampasmes pour la septiesme fois,
nous partismes sans manger, nous cheminasmes vn
assez long temps; nous trauaillasmes à faire nostre
maison, & pour nostre souper N. S. nous donna vn
Porc-espic gros comme vn cochon de lait, & vn liéure,
c'estoit peu pour dix-huict ou vingt personnes que
nous estions, il est vray, mais la saincte Vierge & son
glorieux Espoux sainct Ioseph, ne furent pas si bien
traictez à mesme iour dans l'estable de Bethleem.
On the 24th of December, the evening before the
birth of our Savior, we broke up for the seventh
time. We departed without eating, and journeyed
for a long, long time, then worked at house-building;
and for our supper Our Lord gave us a Porcupine
as large as a sucking pig, and a hare. It was
not much for our eighteen or twenty people, it is
true; but the holy Virgin and her glorious Spouse,
saint Joseph, were not so well treated on the same
day in the stable at Bethle[h]em.
Le lendemain iour de resiouyssance parmy les
Chrestiens, pour l'enfant nouueau né, fust pour nous
vn iour de ieusne, on ne me donna rien du tout à
manger; la faim qui fait sortir le loup du bois, m'y
146
fit entrer plus auant, pour chercher [272] des petits
bouts d'arbres que ie mãgeois auec delices, des
femmes ayant ietté aux chiens par mesgarde ou autrement,
quelques rongneures de peaux dont on fait
les cordes des raquettes, ie les ramassay, & en fis vn
bon disner, quoy que les chiens mesmes, quand ils
auoient tant soit peu à manger, n'en voulussent pas
gouster: I'ay souuent mangé, notamment ce mois cy,
des raclures d'escorces, des rongneures de peaux, &
autres choses semblables, & cependant ie ne m'en
suis point trouué mal.
The next day, a day of rejoicing among Christians
on account of the newborn child, was for us a day
of fasting. I was given nothing at all to eat. Hunger,
which makes the wolf come out of the woods,
made me go farther in to seek [272] the little ends
of the trees, which I ate with delight. Some women,
having thrown to the dogs, either unintentionally or
otherwise, some bits of hide from which they make
the strings for their snowshoes, I gathered them up
and made a good dinner of them; although the dogs
themselves, when they have ever so little else to eat,
will not touch them. I have often eaten, especially
during that month, scrapings of bark, bits of leather,
and similar things, and yet they have never made
me ill.
Le mesme iour de Noël ie m'en allay sur le soir visiter
nos voisins, nous n'estions plus que deux cabanes,
celle du Sauuage Ekhenneabamate auoit tiré d'vn
autre costé depuis cinq ou six iours, à raison qu'il n'y
auoit pas assez de chasse pour nourrir tout le monde,
ie trouuay deux ieunes chasseurs tout tristes, pour
n'auoir rien pris ce iour là, ny le precedent, ils
estoient comme tous les autres maigres & defaits, taciturnes
& fort pensifs, comme gens qui ne pouuoient
mourir qu'à regret, cela me toucha le cœur,
apres leur auoir dit quelque parole de consolation, &
donné quelque [273] esperance de chose meilleure, ie
me retiray en ma cabane pour prier Dieu, l'Apostat
me demãda quel iour il estoit? il est auiourd'huy la
feste de Noël, luy respondis-je; Il fut vn peu touché,
& se tournant vers le Sorcier, il luy dit, qu'à tel iour
estoit né le Fils de Dieu que nous adorions nommé
Iesvs: Remarquant en luy quelque estonnement, ie
luy dis que Dieu vsoit ordinairement de largesse en
ces bons iours, & que si nous auions recours à luy
qu'il nous assisteroit infailliblement; à cela point de
parole, mais aussi point de contrarieté: prenant donc
148
l'occasion au poil, ie le priay de me tourner en sa
langue deux petites Oraisons, dont i'en dirois l'vne,
& les Sauuages l'autre. Esperant que nous serions
secourus, l'extremité où nous estions reduits luy fit
accorder que de bond, que de volée ce que ie demandois.
Ie composay sur l'heure deux petites prieres,
qu'il me tourna en Sauuage, me promettant en outre
qu'il me seruiroit d'interprete si i'assemblois les Sauuages,
me voila fort content. Ie recommande l'affaire
à N.S. & le lendemain matin ie dresse vn petit
Oratoire, ie pends aux [274] perches de la cabane vne
seruiette que i'auois portée, sur laquelle i'attachay vn
petit Crucifix & vn Reliquaire, que deux personnes
fort Religieuses m'ont enuoyé: ie tire encore quelque
Image de mon Breuiaire, cela fait ie fais appeller
tous les Sauuages de nos deux cabanes, & ie leur fais
entendre tant par mon begayemẽt, que par la bouche
d'vn Renegat, que la crainte de mourir de faim faisoit
parler, qu'il ne tiendroit qu'à eux qu'ils ne fussent
secourus, ie leur dis que nostre Dieu est la bonté
mesme, que rien ne luy estoit impossible, qu'encore
bien qu'on l'eust mesprisé, que si neantmoins on croyoit,
& si on esperoit en luy d'vn bon cœur, qu'il se
monstreroit fauorable: Or comme ces pauures gens
n'auoient plus d'esperance en leurs arcs, ny en leurs
flesches, ils me tesmoignerẽt vn grand contentement
de ce que ie les auois assemblez, m'asseurant qu'ils feroient
tout ce que ie leur commanderois; ie prens
mon papier & leurs lis l'Oraison que ie desirois qu'ils
fissent, leur demandant s'ils estoient contens d'addresser
au Dieu que i'adorois ces paroles de tout leur
cœur, & sans feintise; ils me [275] respondent tous
nimiroueritenan, nimiroueritenan, nous en sommes cõtens,
nous en sõmes contens. Ie me mets le premier
150
à genoux, & eux tous auec moy, iettans les yeux sur
nostre petit Oratoire, le seul Sorcier demeuroit assis,
mais luy ayant demandé s'il n'en vouloit pas estre
aussi bien que les autres, il fit comme il me voyoit faire,
nous estions testes nuës, ioignans tous les mains & les
esleuans vers le Ciel, ie commençay donc à faire ceste
Oraison tout haut en leur langue.
In the evening of this same Christmas day I went
to visit our neighbors. We were now only two cabins,
as the Savage Ekhenneabamate had gone off in
another direction five or six days before, because
there had not been enough game for all of us. I
found there two young hunters, in deep distress at
not having captured anything that day, nor the one
before. They were like all the others, wasted and
thin, silent and very sad, like people who parted
with life regretfully. It made my heart bleed to see
them. After having said a few words of consolation,
and cheered them with the [273] hope of better
things, I withdrew into my cabin to pray to God.
The Apostate asked me what day it was. "To-day
is the Christmas festival," I answered him. He was
slightly touched, and, turning toward the Sorcerer,
said that on this day was born the son of God, called
JESUS, whom we adored. Observing that he showed
some wonder, I told him that God was generally very
bountiful on these days; and, if we had recourse to
him, he would surely help us. To this there was not
a word, neither was there any opposition. So seizing
the opportunity, I begged him to translate for me two
little Prayers into his language, and I would say one
of them and the Savages the other. Hoping that we
would be succored, the extremity to which we were
reduced made him grant, in pure recklessness, what
I asked. I immediately composed two little prayers,
which he turned into Savage, promising me besides
that he would serve me as interpreter if I would call
the Savages together, so I was very happy. I commended
the matter to Our Lord and the next morning
I erected a little Oratory. I hung to the [274]
poles of the cabin a napkin I had brought with me;
to this I attached a small Crucifix and a Reliquary
that two very Religious persons had sent me, also I
took from my Breviary one of the Pictures. When
this was done, I had all the Savages from our two cabins
called, and made them understand, partly through
my stammering and partly through the lips of the
Renegade, whom the fear of dying from hunger
made speak, that it depended upon them alone whether
or not they should be relieved. I told them that
our God was goodness itself, that nothing was impossible
to him; that even though a person had despised
him, yet if he believed in him and hoped in him with
a sincere heart, he would show himself favorable.
Now as these poor people had no more hope in their
bows or arrows, they showed much gladness that I
had thus called them together, assuring me they
would do all I commanded them. I took my paper
and read to them the Prayer I wished them to offer,
asking if they were content to address to the God
whom I adored these prayers from their hearts, and
without dissimulation. They all [275] responded,
nimiroueritenan, nimiroueritenan, "We are satisfied, we
are satisfied." I knelt down first and the others followed,
fixing our eyes upon our little Oratory. The
Sorcerer alone remained seated; but, when I asked
him if he did not wish to be like the others, he did
as he saw me do. We were bareheaded, our hands
all clasped and raised toward Heaven; and in this attitude
I began to repeat the following Prayer aloud
in their language.
Mon Seigneur qui auez tout fait, qui voyez tout, &
qui cognoissez tout, faites nous misericorde. O Iesvs,
fils du Tout-puissant, qui auez pris chair humaine
pour nous, qui estes né pour nous d'vne Vierge,
qui estes mort pour nous, qui estes resuscité & monté
au Ciel pour nous, vous auez promis que si on demandoit
quelque chose en vostre nom que vous l'accorderiez:
ie vous supplie de tout mon cœur de donner la
nourriture à ce pauvre peuple, qui veut croire en vous,
& qui vous veut obeïr, ce peuple vous promet entierement
que si vous le secourez qu'il croira parfaitement
en vous, & qu'il vous obeïra [276] de tout son cœur,
Mon Seigneur, exaucez ma prieré, ie vous presente
ma vie pour ce peuple tres content de mourir à ce
qu'ils viuent, & qu'ils vous cognoissent. Ainsi soit-il.
"My Lord, you who have made all, who see all and
who know all, have pity upon us. O Jesus, son of
the All-powerful, you who have taken human flesh
for us, who were born of a Virgin for us, who have
died for us, who were resurrected and ascended into
Heaven for us, you have promised that if anything
is asked in your name, you will grant it. I beseech
you with all my heart to give food to these poor
people, who wish to believe in you and to obey you.
These people promise you faithfully that, if you
will help them, they will believe entirely in you, and
that they will obey you [276] with all their hearts.
My Lord, hearken to my prayer; I offer you my life
for these people, content to die that they may live
and acknowledge you. Amen."
A ces paroles de mourir pour eux que ie proferois
pour gagner leur affection, quoy qu'en effect ie le
disois de bon cœur, mon hoste m'arresta & me dit; retranche
ces paroles, car nous t'aymons tous, & ne desirons
pas que tu meure; ie vous veux témoigner,
leur repartis-ie, que ie vous ayme, & que ie donnerois
volontiers ma vie pour vostre salut, tant c'est chose
grande que d'estre sauué. Apres que i'eus faict ceste
Oraison, chacun d'eux à mains iointes, teste nuë, &
les genoux en terre, comme i'ay remarqué, profera
152
la suiuante, que ie prononçois deuant-eux fort posément.
At these words, "to die" for them, which I used to
gain their affection, although really I said it with a
sincere heart, my host stopped me and said, "Take
back those words, for we all love thee, and do not wish
thee to die for us." "I wish to show you," I answered,
"that I love you, and that I would willingly
give my life for your salvation, so great a thing is it
to be saved." After I had offered this Prayer, all of
them with hands joined, heads bare, and knees upon
the ground, as I have observed, repeated the following,
which I pronounced to them with great solemnity.
Grand Seigneur qui auez fait le ciel & la terre, vous
sçauez tout, vous pouuez tout, ie vous promets de tout
mon cœur (ie ne sçaurois vous mentir) ie vous promets
entierement, que s'il vous plaist nous donner
nostre nourriture, que ie vous obeïray cordiallement,
que ie croiray asseurément en vous, ie vous [277] promets
sans feintise, que ie feray tout ce qu'on me dira
deuoir estre fait pour vostre amour, aydez nous, vous
le pouuez faire, ie feray asseurément ce qu'on m'enseignera
deuoir estre fait pour l'amour de vous, ie le
promets sans feintise, ie ne ments pas, ie ne sçaurois
vous mentir, aydez nous à croire en vous parfaictement,
puis que vous estes mort pour nous. Ainsi
soit il.
"Great Lord, you who have made heaven and
earth, you know all, you can do all. I promise you
with all my heart (I could not lie to you) I promise
you wholly, that, if it pleases you to give us food, I
will obey you cheerfully, that I will surely believe
in you. I promise [277] you without deceit that I
will do all that I shall be told ought to be done for
love of you. Help us, for you can do it; I will certainly
do what they shall teach me ought to be done
for your sake. I promise it without pretence, I am
not lying, I could not lie to you; help us to believe
in you perfectly, for you have died for us. Amen."
Ils firent tous ceste priere, & l'Apostat & le Sorcier
aussi bien que les autres, c'est à Dieu de iuger de
leurs cœurs, ie leur dis après cela qu'ils s'en allassent
à la chasse auec confiance, ce qu'ils firent, la plus part
témoignans par leur visage & par leurs paroles qu'ils
auoient pris plaisir en ceste action; mais auant que
d'en voir le succez couchons en leur langue ces deux
Oraisons, afin qu'on voye l'œconomie de leurs paroles,
& leur façon de s'énoncer.
They all offered this prayer, the Apostate and the
Sorcerer as well as the others; God alone can judge
of their hearts. After this I told them that they
should go to the chase with confidence, as they did,
the greater part showing by their faces and words
that they had taken pleasure in this act. But, before
finding out what success they had, let us couch
in their language these two Prayers, in order that
you may see the arrangement of their words, and
their way of expressing themselves.
NouKhimame missi ca Khichitaien missi,
Mon Capitaine tout qui as fait tout,
Khesteritamen missi, ouia batamen chaoueriminan.
qui sçais tout, qui vois, aye pitié de nous.
Iesus oucouchichai missi ca nitaouitát
Iesus Fils out qui a faict
[278] Niran ca outchi, arichiirinicasouien, niran
de nous qui à cause es fait hõme de nous
154
ca outchi, iriniouien iscouechich, niran ca
qui à cause es né d'vne fille de nous, qui
outchi nipien, niran ca outchi ouascoukhi,
à cause es mort de no⁹, qui à cause au ciel
itoutaien; egou Khisitaie, nitichenicassouiniki,
es allé ainsi tu disois en mon nom
Khegoueia netou tamagaouian niga chaoueriKan,
quelque chose si ie suis requis i'ẽ auray pitié,
khitaia mihitin naspich ou mitchimi,
ie te prie entierement la nourriture
a richiriniou miri, ca ouitapouetasc,
à ce peuple dõne qui veux croire en toy,
ca ouipamitasc, arichiriniou khiticou
qui te veux obeyr, ce peuple te dit
naspich, ouitchihien khigatapouetatin
entièrement, si tu m'ayde ie te croyray
naspich, khiga pamtatim naspich, Noukhimame
parfaitemẽt ie t'obeïray entieremẽt mon Capitaine
chaoueritamitaouitou, oui
aye pitié de ce que ie dis, si tu
michoutchi nipousin, iterimien
veux en contrechãge ma mort penser
ouirouau mag iriniouisonan, egou inousin.
quant à eux qu'ils viuent, ainsi soit-il.
Noukhimame missi ca Khichitaien missi,
My Captain
all
who
hast made,
all
Khesteritamen missi,
ouia batamen chaoueriminan.
who knowest,
all
who seest,
have pity on us.
Jesus oucouchichai missi ca nitaouitât
Jesus, the Son
all
who
has made
[278] Niran ca outchi, arichiirinicasouien, niran
of us
who
because
art made man,
of us
ca outchi, iriniouien iscouechich, niran ca
who because
art born
of a maiden,
of us
who
outchi nipien, niran ca outchi ouascoukhi,
because
hast died,
of us
who
because
to heaven
itoutaien; egou Khisitaie, nitichenicassouiniki,
art gone;
thus
thou saidst,
in my name
Khegoueia netou tamagaouian niga chaouerikan,
any
thing
if I am asked
on it
I will have pity,
khitaia mihitin naspich ou mitchimi,
I pray thee
wholly
the
food
a richiriniou miri, ca ouitapouetasc,
to
these people
give,
who
wish to believe in thee,
ca ouipamitasc, arichiriniou khiticiou
who
wish to obey thee;
these people
say to thee
naspich, ouitchihien khigatapouetatin
wholly,
if thou aidest me
I will believe thee
naspich, khiga pamtatim naspich, Noukhimame
perfectly
I will obey thee
entirely
my Captain
chaoueritamitaouitou oui
have pity upon what I say,
if thou
michoutchi nipousin, iterimien
wish in exchange
my death
take care
ouironau mag iriniouisonan, egou inousin.
as to
them
that they may live,
so
be it.
Voicy celle qu'ils prononcerent.
[279] KhicheouKhiman
ca
khichitaien
ouascou,
Grand Capitaine
qui
as faict
le Ciel
mag asti, missi
khikhisteriten,
missi
&
la Terre
tout
tu sçais
toute chose,
Khipicoutan,
khititin
naspich, tanté
tu fais bien
ie te dis
entierement
comment
bona oukhiran?
khititin naspich, oui
pourrois-je mẽtir?
ie te dis
sãs feintise
si
miriatchi nimitchiminan, ochitau
156
tu no⁹ veux dõner
nostre nourriture
tout
tapoué
khiga
pamitatin, ochitau,
expres
asseurement
ie t'obeïray
tout
tapoué
Khiga
tapouetatin,
Khititin
expres,
en verité
ie te croiray,
ie te le dis
naspich, niga tin missi,
Khé
eitigaouané;
entieremẽt,
ie feray
tout
ce
qu'õ me dira
khir khe,
outchi
Khian,
ouitchihinan,
de toy
à cause
ie le feray
ayde nous
khiga
khi
ouitchi hinan, naspich niga
tu nous
peux
ayder
absolument
ie feray
tin missi,
khé
eitigaouané
khir Khe,
outchi
tout
ce qu'on
me dira
de toy
à cause
khian,
Khititin naspich; nama
ie le feray
ie te le dis
sans feintise,
ie ne
nikhirassin,
nama
khinita
khirassicatin,
mens pas,
ie ne te
sçaurois
mentir,
ouitchihinan
khigai
tapouetatinan naspich;
ayde nous
affin que
nous te croyons
parfaictemẽt,
[280] ouichihinan mag missi iriniouakhi
ayde nous
puis
de tous
les hõmes
ouetchi nipouané. Egou inousin.
à cause
tu es mort,
ainsi
soit-il.
And here is the one they repeated.
[279] Khicheoukhiman ca
khichitaien
ouascou,
Great Captain
who
hast made
the Sky
mag
asti,
missi
khikhisteriten,
missi
and
the Earth,
all
thou knowest,
everything
Khipicoutan,
khititin
naspich,
tanté
thou doest well
I say to thee
wholly
how
bona oukhiran?
khititin
naspich,
oui
could I lie?
I tell thee
without pretence
if
miriatchi
nimitchiminan,
ochitau
thou wilt give us
our food
quite
tapoué
khiga
pamitatin,
ochitau,
positively
surely
I will obey thee
quite
tapoué
Khiga
tapouetatin,
Khititin
certainly
truly
I will believe in thee,
I tell it thee
naspich,
niga tin
missi
Khé
eitigaouané;
wholly,
I will do
all
that
they shall tell me
khir khe,
outchi
Khian,
ouitchihinan,
of thee
because
I will do it,
help us
khiga
khi ouitchi hinan,
naspich
niga
thou canst help us
absolutely
I will do
tin
missi,
khe
eitigaouané
khir Khe,
outchi
all
that which
they shall tell me
of thee
because
khian,
Khititin
naspich;
nama
I will do it
I tell it thee
without pretence,
I do not
nikhirassin,
nama
khinita
khirassicatin,
lie,
I could not
to thee
lie,
ouitchihinan
khigai
tapouetatinan
naspich;
help us
that
we may believe thee
perfectly,
[280] ouichihinan
mag
missi
iriniouakhi
help us
then
of all
the men
ouetchi
nipouané.
Egou
inousin.
because
thou art dead,
Amen.
Nos chasseurs ayans fait leurs prieres s'en allerent,
qui deça qui de là chercher dequoy manger, mon
hoste & deux ieunes hommes s'en vont voir vne cabane
de Castors, qu'ils auoient voulu quitter desesperans
d'y rien prendre, il en prit trois pour sa part:
l'estant allé voir apres midy, ie luy en vis prendre vn
de mes yeux, ses compagnons en prirent aussi ie ne
sçay pas combien, le Sorcier estant allé ce iour là à la
chasse auec vn sien ieune neueu, prit vn Porc épic, &
158
découurit la piste d'vn Orignac qui fut depuis tué à
coup de fleches, contre l'attente de tous tant qu'ils
estoient, n'y ayant que fort peu de neige, vn ieune
Hiroquois, dont ie parleray cy apres, tua aussi vn fort
beau Porc-epic; bref chacun prit quelque chose, il
n'y eut que l'Apostat qui reuint les mains vuides, le
soir mon hoste apportant trois Castors, comme il rentroit
dans la cabane ie luy tendis la main, il s'en vint
tout ioyeux vers moy recognoissant le [281] secours
de Dieu, & demandant ce qu'il deuoit faire, ie luy
dits Nicanis, mon bien-aymé, il faut remercier Dieu
qui nous a assisté; voila bien dequoy, dit l'Apostat,
nous n'eussions pas laissé de trouuer cela sans l'ayde de
Dieu. A ces paroles ie ne sçais quels mouuemens ne
sentit mõ coeur, mais si ce traistre m'eust donné vn
coup de poignard, il ne m'eust pas plus attristé, il ne
falloit que ces paroles pour tout perdre, mon hoste ne
laissa point de me dire qu'il feroit ce que ie voudrois,
& il se fust mis en deuoir, si le Sorcier ne se fust point
ietté à la trauerse: car l'Apostat n'a point d'authorité
parmy les Sauuages, ie voulu attendre le festin qu'on
deuoit faire, où tous les Sauuages se deuoient trouuer;
afin qu'ayant deuant leurs yeux les presens que
nostre Seigneur leur auoit fait, ils fussent mieux disposez
à recognoistre son assistance; mais comme ie
vins à leur vouloir parler, le Renégat fasché de ce
que luy seul n'auoit rien pris, non seulement ne me
voulut pas ayder, ains au contraire il m'imposa silence
me commandant tout nettement de me taire; non feray
pas luy dis-ie, si vous estes [282] ingrat les autres
ne le seront pas, le Sorcier voyant qu'on estoit assez
disposé à m'écouter; croyant que si on me prestoit
l'oreille il perdroit autant de son crédit, me dit d'vne
160
façon arrogante, tais-toy, tu n'as point d'esprit, il
n'est pas temps de parler, mais de manger; ie luy
voulu demander s'il auoit des yeux, s'il ne voyoit pas
manifestement le seruice de Dieu, mais il ne me voulut
pas écouter; les autres qui estoient dans vn profond
silence, voyans que le Sorcier m'estoit contraire,
n'oserent pas m'inuiter à parler: si bien que celuy
qui faisoit le festin se mit à le distribuer, & les autres
à manger; voila mes pourceaux qui deuorent le gland
sans regarder celuy qui leur abbat, c'est à qui se réioüira
dauantage, ils estoient remplis de contentement
& moy de tristesse, si fallut-il bien se remettre à la
volonté de Dieu, l'heure de ce peuple n'est pas encore
venuë.
Our hunters having finished their prayers, went
away, some here, some there, to look for something
to eat. My host and two young men went off to a
Beaver lodge, which they were about to give up,
hopeless of taking any thing, when he, on his part,
took three; in the afternoon, when I went to find
him, I saw him, with my own eyes, take one; and his
companions captured some also, but I do not know
how many. The Sorcerer, having gone hunting on
this same day with one of his young nephews, caught
a Porcupine, and discovered the tracks of a Moose,
which has since been killed with arrows, contrary to
the expectations of all the people, for there was only
a little snow. A young Hiroquois, of whom I shall
speak hereafter, also killed a very fine Porcupine. In
short, everyone took something, except the Apostate,
who returned empty-handed. In the evening,
when my host returned to the cabin, carrying three
Beavers, I extended to him my hand. He approached
joyfully, recognizing the [281] help of God,
and asked what he should do. I said to him, "Nicanis,
my well-beloved, we must thank God who has
helped us." "What for indeed?" said the Apostate,
"we could not have failed to find that without the aid
of God." At these words I cannot tell what emotions
surged in my heart; but if this traitor had given me a
sword-thrust, he could not have saddened me more;
these words alone were needed that all might be
lost. My host did not fail to tell me that he would
do what I wished; and he might have fulfilled his
duty, had not the Sorcerer interposed. For, as the
Apostate had no authority among the Savages, I intended
to await the banquet they would have, where
all the Savages would be assembled; so that, having
before their eyes the gifts our Lord had made them,
they would be better disposed to recognize his assistance.
But when I was about to speak to them, the
Renegade, angry at being the only one who had not
taken something, not only would not help me, but
even imposed silence upon me, abruptly commanding
me to keep still. "I will not do it," I said to
him, "if you are [282] ungrateful, the others are
not." The Sorcerer, seeing they were rather disposed
to listen to me, and believing that, if they gave
me their attention, he himself would lose so much
of his authority, said to me, arrogantly, "Hold thy
tongue, thou hast no sense; this is no time to talk, but
to eat." I tried to ask him if he had no eyes, if he did
not plainly see the help of God, but he would not
listen to me. The others, who were maintaining a
profound silence, seeing that the Sorcerer was hostile
to me, did not dare ask me to speak; so the one
who prepared the banquet began to distribute it, and
the others to eat. Then behold my pigs devouring
the acorns, regardless of him who shook them down.
They vied with each other in their happiness; they
were filled with joy, and I with sadness; we must
yield to the will of God, for the hour of this people
is not yet come.
Cecy se passa le Lundy, le Mercredy suiuant mon
hoste & vn ieune chasseur tuerent à coups de fleches
l'Orignac dont ils auoient veu les traces, ils en virent
d'autres depuis, mais comme [283] il y auoit fort peu
de neige ils n'en peurent iamais approcher à la portée
de leurs arcs si tost qu'ils eurẽt ceste proye ils la
mirent en pieces, en apportant vne bonne partie dans
nos cabannes, & enseuelissans le reste soubs la neige;
voila tout le monde en ioye, on fait vn grand banquet
où ie fus inuité, voyant les grandes pieces de chair
qu'on donnoit à vn chacun, ie demanday à l'Apostat
si c'estoit vn festin à mãger tout, & m'ayant dit
qu'ouy, il est impossible, luy reparty-ie, que ie mange
tout ce qu'on m'a donné, si faut-il bien, me répondit-il,
que vous le mangiez, les autres sont assez empeschez
à manger leur part, il faut que vous mangiez la
vostre: ie luy fais entẽdre que Dieu deffendoit ces
excez, & que ie ne le cõmettrois point y allast-il de la
vie, ce mechant blasphemateur pour animer les autres
162
contre moy, leur dit que Dieu estoit fasché de ce qu'ils
auoient à manger: Ie ne dis pas cela, luy repliquay-ie
en Sauuage, mais bien qu'il deffend de manger auec
excez, le Sorcier me repart, ie n'ay iamais plus grand
bien sinon quand ie suis saoul. Or comme ie ne pouuois
venir à [284] bout de ma portion, i'inuite vn Sauuage
mon voisin d'en prendre vne partie, luy donnant
du petun en recompense de ce qu'il mangeoit pour
moy, i'en iette vne autre partie secrettement aux
chiens, les Sauuages s'en estans doutez par la querelle
qui suruint entre ces animaux, se mirent à crier contre
moy, disans que ie cõtaminois leur festin, qu'ils ne
prendroient plus rien, & que nous mourrions de faim,
les femmes & les enfans ayans sceu cela, me regardoient
par apres comme vn tres-meschant homme, me
reprochant auec dedain que ie les ferois mourir, &
veritablement si Dieu ne nous eust donné rien de
long temps, i'estois en danger d'estre mis à mort pour
auoir commis vn tel sacrilege: voila, iusques où s'estend
leur superstition, pour obuier à cét inconuenient:
les autres fois on me fit ma part plus petite, & encore
me dit on que ie n'en mãgeasse sinon que ce que ie
voudrois, qu'eux mangeroient le reste, mais sur tout
que ie me donnasse bien de garde de rien ietter aux
chiens.
This happened on Monday. On the Wednesday
following, my host and a young hunter killed with arrows
the Moose whose tracks we had seen; they saw
others afterwards, but, as [283] there was so little
snow, they could never approach within arrow-shot
of them. As soon as they had captured this game,
they divided it up, bringing a large part of it to our
cabins, and burying the rest under the snow. Now
every one was happy, and a great banquet was made,
to which I was invited. Seeing the big pieces of
meat they gave to each one, I asked the Apostate if
this was an eat-all feast. He answered, "yes;" and
I said to him, "It is impossible for me to eat all they
have given me." "Indeed you must," he answered,
"you must eat it all; the others have to eat all
theirs, and you must eat all yours." I made him understand
that God forbids such excess, and I would
not commit it even if my life depended upon it.
This wicked blasphemer, to arouse the others against
me, said that God was angry because they had something
to eat. "I did not say that," I replied to him
in Savage, "but that he prohibits eating to excess."
The Sorcerer answered me, "I am never so well off
as when I am full." Now as I could not come to the
[284] end of my portion, I invited one of my neighboring
Savages to take a part of it, giving him some
tobacco as a reward for what he would eat for me. I
threw another piece of it, secretly, to the dogs. The
Savages began to suspect something, from the fight
that afterwards took place among these animals; and
commenced to cry out against me, saying that I was
contaminating their feast, that they would capture
nothing more, and that we would die of hunger.
When the women and children heard of this afterward,
they looked upon me as a very bad man, reproaching
me disdainfully, and saying that I would
be the cause of their death; and truly, if God had not
granted us anything for a long time, I would have
been in danger of being put to death for having committed
such a sacrilege, to such an extent does their
superstition go. To prevent the recurrence of this
misfortune, after that they gave me only a small
portion; and they also told me that I should not eat
any more than I wanted to, that they would eat the
rest, but above all I should take care not to throw
any to the dogs.
Le trentiesme du mesme mois de Decembre, nous
decabanasmes, faisans [285] chemin nous passasmes
sur deux beaux lacs tout glacez; nous tirions vers
l'endroit où estoit la cache de nostre Orignac, qui ne
dura guere en ceste huictiesme demeure.
On the thirtieth of the same month of December,
we broke camp, and in the course of our [285] journey
we passed over two beautiful lakes covered with
ice. We turned toward the place where our Moose
was hidden, which would not last long in this eighth
station.
Le Sorcier me demanda si en vérité i'aymois l'autre
vie que ie luy auois figuré remplie de tous biens, ayant
répondu que ie l'aymois en effect; & moy, dit-il,
164ie la haï: car il faut mourir pour y aller, & c'est dequoy
ie n'ay point d'enuie, que si i'auois la pensée &
la creance que cette vie est miserable, & que l'autre
est pleine de delices, ie me tuërois moy-mesme pour
me deliurer de l'vne, & ioüir de l'autre: Ie luy repars
que Dieu nous defendoit de nous tuer, ny de tuer autruy;
& que si nous nous faisions mourir nous descendrions
dans la vie de malheur, pour auoir contreuenu
à ses cormmandemens: Hé bien, dit il, ne te tuë point
toy-mesme, mais moy ie te tuëray pour te faire plaisir,
afin que tu ailles au Ciel, & que tu ioüisse des
plaisirs que tu dis: Ie me sousris, luy repliquant que
ie ne pouuois pas consentir qu'on m'ostast la vie sans
pecher: Ie vois bien, me fit-il, en se moquant [286]
que tu n'as pas encore enuie de mourir non plus que
moy, non pas repliquay-ie en cooperant à ma mort.
The Sorcerer asked me if I really did love the
other life, that I had described as so full of all blessings;
having replied that I did, indeed, love it, "And
I," said he, "I hate it, for to go there one must die,
and that is something I have no desire to do; and
yet if I thought and believed that this life was miserable,
and that the other was full of delights, I would
kill myself, to be freed from the one and to enjoy
the other." I answered that God forbade us to kill
ourselves, or to kill any one else, and if we destroyed
ourselves we would go down into a life of misery,
for having acted contrary to his commands. "Oh
well," said he, "thou needst not kill thyself; but I
will kill thee, to please thee, that thou mayest go to
Heaven, and enjoy the pleasures that thou tellest
about." I smiled, and replied to him that I could
not without sin agree to have my life taken. "I see
plainly," said he, sneeringly, [286] "that thou hast
not yet the desire to die any more than I have."
"None," said I, "to bring about my own death."
En ce mesme temps nos chasseurs ayans poursuiuy
vn Orignac, & ne l'ayans peu prendre, l'Apostat se
mit à blasphemer, disant aux Sauuages, le Dieu qui
est marry quand nous mangeons, est maintenant bien
ayse de ce que nous n'auons pas dequoy disner: &
voyant vue autre fois qu'on apportoit quelques Porcs-espics,
Dieu, disoit-il, se va fascher de ce que nous
nous saoulerons. O langue impie que tu seras chastié!
esprit brutal que tu seras confus, si Dieu ne te
fait misericorde! que les Anges & les sainctes Ames
redoublent autant de fois leur Cantique d'honneur &
des loüanges, que cét athée le blasphemera; ce
pauure miserable ne laisse pas par fois d'auoir quelques
craintes de l'enfer, qu'il tasche d'étouffer tant
qu'il peut, comme ie le menaçois vn iour de ces tourmens,
peut estre, me fit-il, que nous autres n'auons
point d'ame, ou que nos ames ne sont pas faites comme
166
les vostres, ou qu'elles ne vont point en mesme [287]
endroit: qui est iamais venu de ce pays là pour nous
en dire des nouuelles? ie luy reparty qu'õ ne pouuoit
voir le Ciel sans cognoistre qu'il y a vn Dieu, qu'on
ne peut conceuoir qu'il y a vn Dieu, sans conceuoir
qu'il est iuste, & par consequent qu'il rend à vn chacun
selon ses œuures, d'où s'ensuiuent de grandes recompenses,
ou de grands chastimens: cela est bon,
repliqua-il, pour vous autres que Dieu assiste, mais il
n'a point soin de nous: car quoy qu'il fasse, nous ne
laisserons pas de mourir de faim, ou de trouuer de la
chasse; iamais cét esprit hebeté ne peut conceuoir que
Dieu gouuerne la grande famille du monde, auec
plus de cognoissance & plus de soin qu'vn Roy ne
gouuerne son Royaume, & vn pere de famille sa maison;
ie serois trop long de rapporter tout ce que ie
luy dis sur ses blasphemes & sur ses resueries.
At this time, our hunters having followed a Moose,
and not having been able to capture it, the Apostate
began to blaspheme, saying to the Savages, "The God
who is sorry when we eat, is now very glad that we
have not anything to dine upon." And another
time, seeing them bringing some Porcupines, "God,"
said he, "will be angry because we are going to fill
ourselves up." Oh, blasphemous tongue, how wilt
thou be chastised! Oh, brutal spirit, how wilt thou
be confounded, if God does not take pity on thee!
May the Angels and holy Spirits redouble their
Songs of honor and of praise, as many times as this
atheist will blaspheme them! This poor wretch
does not fail at times to have some fear of hell,
which he tries to suppress as much as he can. As I
was threatening him with these torments one day,
"Perhaps," he replied, "we people here have no
souls, or perhaps they are not made like yours, or it
may be that they do not go to the same [287] place.
Who has ever come back from that country to bring
us news of it?" I answered him that one cannot see
the Sky, without recognizing that there is a God;
that one cannot conceive that there is a God, without
conceiving that he is just, and that consequently
he renders to each one according to his works,
whence it follows that there are great rewards or
great punishments. "That's all very well," said he,
"for you others whom God helps; but he has no interest
in us, for, whatever he may do, we still die of
hunger unless we find game." Never will this besotted
mind be able to conceive that God rules the
great family of the world with more wisdom and
more care than a King governs his Kingdom, and the
father of a family his household. I would be too tedious
if I reported all I said to him about his blasphemies
and dreams.
Le quatriesme de Ianuier de ceste année mil six
cens trente quatre, nous allasmes faire nostre habitation
depuis nostre depart des riues du grand fleuue
cherchant tousiours à viure. I'obiectay en cét endroit
au Sorcier qu'il n'estoit [288] pas bon Prophete,
car il m'auoit asseuré les deux dernieres fois que nous
auions decabané, qu'il neigeroit abondamment aussi
tost que nous aurions changé de demeure, ce qui se
trouua faux, i'ay rapportay cecy à mon hoste pour
luy oster vne partie de la creance qu'il a en cét homme
qu'il adore, il me répondit que le Sorcier ne m'auoit
pas asseuré qu'il neigeroit, mais qu'il en auoit seulement
quelque pensée; non, dis-ie, il m'a asseuré qu'il
voyoit venir la neige, & qu'elle tomberoit aussi-tost
que nous aurions cabané, Khikhirassin, me fit-il, tu
as menty, si tost que vous leur dites quelque chose
168
qu'ils ne veulent point accorder ils vous payent de
ceste monnoye.
On the fourth of January of this year one thousand
six hundred and thirty-four, we started to make
our [ninth] settlement since our departure from the
banks of the great river, always seeking something
upon which to live. In this place I reproached the
Sorcerer with not being [288] a good Prophet, for
he had assured me, the last two times when we had
broken camp, that it would snow abundantly as soon
as we had changed our dwelling place, which had
proved to be untrue. I reported this to my host, in
order to take away some of the belief that he has
in this man, whom he adores. He answered that the
Sorcerer had not assured me that it would snow, but
simply that he thought it would. "No," said I, "he
assured me that he saw the snow coming, and that it
would fall as soon as we had settled down." Khikhirassin,
he replied, "Thou hast lied." As soon as you
tell them something they do not wish to agree to,
they pay you in this coin.
La veille des Rois, mon hoste me dit qu'il auoit
fait vn songe qui luy donnoit bien de l'apprehension;
i'ay veu, dit-il, en dormant que nous estions reduits
en la derniere extremité de la faim, & celuy que tu
nous dis qui a tout fait, m'a asseuré que tu tomberas
dans vne telle langueur, que ne pouuant plus mettre
vn pied deuant l'autre tu mourras seul delaissé au milieu
des bois, ie [289] crains que mon songe ne soit
que trop veritable: car nous voila autant que iamais
dans la necessité faute de neige: i'eu quelque pensée
que ce songeur me pouuoit bien ioüer quelque mauuais
traict, & m'abandonner tout seul pour faire du
Prophete; voila pourquoy ie me seruy de ses armes,
opposant altare contra altare, songe contre songe: &
moy, luy dis-ie, i'ay songé tout le contraire, car i'ay
veu dans mon sommeil deux Orignaux, dont l'vn
estoit desia tué, & l'autre encore viuant, bon, dit le
Sorcier, voila qui va bien, aye esperance, tu raconte
de bonnes nouuelles, en effect i'auois fait ce songe
quelques iours auparauant, hé bien, dis ie à mon hoste,
lequel de nos deux songes sera trouué veritable, tu
dis que nous mourrons de faim, & moy ie dis que non,
il se mit à rire. Alors ie luy dis que les songes n'estoient
que des mensonges, que ie ne m'appuyois point
là dessus, que mon esperance estoit en celuy qui a
tout fait, que ie craignois neantmoins qu'il ne nous
chastiast, veu qu'aussi tost qu'ils auoient à mãnger, ils
se gaussoient de [290] luy notamment l'Apostat, il n'a
point d'esprit, dirent-ils, ne prends pas garde à luy.
On the eve of Epiphany my host told me that
he had had a dream which caused him much anxiety.
"I have seen in my sleep," said he, "that we
were reduced to the last extremity of hunger; and
that he who thou hast told us has made all, assured
me that thou wouldst fall into such a stupor,
that, not being able to put one foot before the other,
thou wouldst die alone abandoned in the midst of the
woods; I [289] fear that my dream will be only too
true, for we are now in as great need as ever for lack
of snow." I had an idea that this dreamer might play
some bad trick on me and abandon me, to prove himself
a Prophet. For this reason I made use of his
weapons, opposing altare contra altare, dream against
dream. "As for me," I replied, "I have dreamed
just the opposite; for in my sleep I saw two Moose,
one of which was already killed and the other still living."
"Good," said the Sorcerer, "that's very nice;
have hope, thou tellest us good news." In truth, I
had had this dream some days before. "Well,
then," I said to my host, "which of our two dreams
will be found to be true? Thou sayest we shall die of
starvation, and I say we shall not." He began to
laugh. Then I told him that dreams were nothing
but lies, that I placed no dependence upon them;
that my hope was in him who has made all, and yet
I feared he would chastise us, seeing that, as soon as
they had something to eat, they mocked [290] him,
especially the Apostate. "He doesn't know anything,"
they said, "do not pay any attention to him."
Le iour que les trois Rois adorerent nostre Seigneur,
nous receusmes trois mauuaises nouuelles; La
170premiere, que le ieune Hyroquois estãt allé à la
chasse le iour precedent n'estoit point retourné, &
comme on sçauoit bien que la faim l'ayant affoibly il
ne se pouuoit pas beaucoup éloigner, on creut qu'il
estoit mort, ou demeuré en quelque endroit si debile
pour n'auoir dequoy manger, que la faim & le froid
le tuëroient, en effect il n'a plus paru depuis, quelques
vns ont pensé qu'il pourroit bien s'estre efforcé
de retourner en son pays; mais que la plus part
asseurent qu'il est mort en quelque endroit sur la
neige, c'estoit l'vn des trois prisonniers à Tadoussac,
dont i'ay parlé és premieres lettres que i'ay enuoyé
de ce païs-cy, ses deux compatriotes furent executez à
mort auec des cruautez nompareilles, pour luy comme
il estoit ieune on luy sauua la vie à la requeste du
sieur Emery de Can, que nous priasmes d'interceder
[291] pour luy, ce pauure ieune homme s'en souuenoit
fort bien, il auoit grande enuie de demeurer en
nostre maison; mais le Sorcier á qui il appartenoit ne
le voulut iamais donner ny vendre.
On the day that the three Kings adored our Lord,
we received three pieces of bad news. The first was
that the young Hyroquois, who had gone hunting the
day before, had not returned; and, as they were very
well aware that hunger had weakened him so that he
could not go far, they thought he was dead, or lying
somewhere so weak from lack of food that hunger
and cold would kill him. In fact, he has never yet
appeared; some thought he might have tried to return
to his own country, but the greater part are sure
he is lying dead somewhere upon the snow. He was
one of the three prisoners at Tadoussac, of whom I
spoke in the first letters I sent from these countries;4
his two compatriots were executed with unparalleled
cruelties, but his life was saved because he was
young, at the request of sieur Emery de Can, whom
we begged to intercede [291] for him. This poor
young man had very kind memories of me, and had a
great desire to live in our house; but the Sorcerer, to
whom he belonged, would neither give nor sell him.
La seconde mauuaise nouuelle nous fut apportée
par vn ieune Sauuage qui venoit d'vn autre cartier,
lequel nous dit qu'vn Sauuage d'vne autre cabane
plus esloignée estoit mort de disette, que ses gens
estoient fort épouuentez ne trouuans pas de quoy
viure, & nous voyant dans la mesme necessité, cela
l'estonnoit encore dauantage. La troisiesme fut que
nos gens découurisent la piste de plusieurs Sauuages
qui nous estoient plus voisins que nous ne pensions,
car ils venoient chasser iusques sur nos marches, enleuans
nostre proye & nostre vie tout ensemble; ces
trois nouuelles abbatirent grandement nos Sauuages,
l'alarme estoit par tout, on ne marchoit plus que la
172
teste baissée, ie ne sçay comme i'estois fait, mais ils
me paroissoiẽt tous fort maigres, fort pensif, & fort
mornes, si l'Apostat m'eust voulu [292] ayder à porter
& à gagner le Sorcier, c'estoit bien le temps; mais
son diable muet luy lioit sa langue.
The second piece of bad news was brought by a
young Savage who came from another quarter, who
told us that a Savage of a more distant cabin had died
of hunger, and that his people were greatly terrified
at not finding anything to eat; when he saw us suffering
from the same scarcity, he was frightened still
more. The third news was that our people had discovered
the trail of several Savages, who were nearer
to us than we thought, for they were coming to hunt
upon our very grounds, taking away our game and
our lives at the same time. These three pieces of
news discouraged our Savages greatly, the alarm
spread everywhere, and all walked with bowed heads.
I do not know how I looked, but they seemed to me
very much emaciated, very sad and mournful. If
the Apostate had consented [292] to help me influence
and win over the Sorcerer, this was the time to
do it; but his mute devil tied his tongue.
Il faut que ie remarque en ce lieu le peu d'estime
que font de luy les Sauuages, il est tombé dans vne
grande confusion, voulant éuiter vn petit reproche,
il a quitté les Chrestiens & le Christianisme, ne pouuãt
souffrir quelques brocards des Sauuages, qui se
gaussoient par fois de luy de ce qu'il estoit Sedentaire,
& non vagabond comme eux, & maintenãt il est leur
ioüet & leur fallot, il est esclaue du Sorcier, deuant
lequel il n'oseroit branler, ses freres & les autres Sauuages
m'ont dit souuent qu'il n'auoit point d'esprit,
que c'estoit vn busart, qu'il ressembloit à vn chien,
qu'il mourroit de faim si on ne le nourrissoit, qu'il
s'égaroit dans les bois comme vn European, les
femmes en font leur entretien, si quelque enfant
pleuroit n'ayant pas dequoy manger, elles luy disoient,
tais-toy, tais-toy, ne pleure point, Petrichtrich,
c'est ainsi qu'on le nomme par mocquerie, rapportera
vn Castor, & tu mangeras; quand elles [293] l'entendoient
reuenir, allez voir, disoiẽt elles aux enfans, s'il
n'a point tué vne Orignac se gaussant de luy comme
d'vn mauuais chasseur, qui est vn grand blasme parmy
les Sauuages: car ces gens là ne sçauroient trouuer
ou retenir des femmes, l'Apostat en a desia eu
quatre ou cinq à la faueur de ses freres, toutes l'ont
quitté, celle qu'il auoit cét hyuer me disoit qu'elle le
quitteroit au Prin-temps, & si elle eust esté de ce
païs, elle l'auroit quitté dés lors; i'apprends qu'en
effect elle l'a quitté.
I must here speak of the little esteem the Savages
have for him. He has fallen into great embarrassment,
in trying to avoid a slight reproach. He gave
up Christians and Christianity, because he could not
suffer the taunts of the Savages, who jeered at him
occasionally because he was Sedentary and not wandering,
as they were; and now he is their butt and
their laughingstock. He is a slave to the Sorcerer,
in whose presence he would not dare to move. His
brothers and the other Savages have often told me
that he has no sense, that he is a buzzard, that he resembles
a dog, that he would die of hunger if they
did not feed him, that he gets lost in the woods like
a European; the women make fun of him,—if some
child cries because it does not have enough to eat,
they say to it, "Hush, hush, do not cry, Petrichtrich
(they call him this in sport) will bring back a Beaver,
and then thou shalt have something to eat." When
they [293] hear him return, "Go and see," they say
to their children, "if he has not killed a Moose;"
thus making sport of him for being a poor hunter, a
great reproach among the Savages. Because such
men cannot find wives or retain them, the Apostate,
with the help of his brothers, has already had four
or five, all of whom have left him. The one he has
had this winter told me she would leave him in the
Spring, and, if she had belonged to this part of the
country, she would have left him then. I hear that
she has, in fact, deserted him.
174
Certain iour nos chasseurs estans tous dehors, il se
tint vn conseil des femmes dans nostre cabane: or
comme elles ne croyoient pas que ie les peusse entendre,
elles parloient tout haut, & tout librement,
déchirant en pieces ce pauure Apostat, l'occasion
estoit que le iour precedent il n'auoit rien rapporté à
sa femme d'vn festin où il auoit esté inuité, & qui
n'estoit pas à tout manger, ô le gourmand, disoient-elles,
qui ne donne point à manger à sa femme! encore
s'il pouuoit tuer quelque chose, il n'a point d'esprit,
il mange tout [294] comme vn chien: il y eut
vne grande rumeur entre les femmes sur ce sujet:
car comme elles ne vont point ordinairement aux
festins, elles seroient bien affligées, si leurs marys
perdoient la bonne coustume qu'ils ont de rapporter
leurs restes à leurs familles, le Renegát suruenant
pendant que cés femmes le depeignoient, elles
sceurent fort bien dissimuler leur ieu, luy témoignant
vn aussi bon vsage qu'à l'ordinaire, voire mesme celle
qui en disoit plus de mal, luy donna vn bout de petun,
qui estoit pour lors vn grand present.
On a certain day, when our hunters had gone out,
a council of women was held in our cabin. Now as
they did not think I could understand, they spoke
aloud and freely, tearing this poor Apostate to pieces.
The occasion for this was, that the day before he had
not carried anything home to his wife from a feast
to which he had been invited, and which was not an
eat-all feast. "Oh, the glutton," they said, "who
gives his wife nothing to eat! If he could only kill
something! He has no sense; he eats everything
[294] like a dog." There was great excitement among
the women over this subject, for, as they do not
usually go to the feasts, they would be very sorely
afflicted if their husbands lost the good habit they
have of bringing home the remains to their families.
The Renegade coming in while these women were
drawing this picture of him, they knew very well
how to put a good face on the matter, showing countenances
as smiling as usual, even to such an extent
that the one who had said the worst things about
him, gave him a bit of tobacco, which was then a
great present.
Le neufiesme de Ianuier, vn Sauuage nous venant
visiter nous dit, qu'vn homme & vne femme du lieu
dont il venoit estoient morts de faim, & que plusieurs
n'en pouuoient plus, le pauure homme ieusna le iour
de sa venuë aussi bien que nous, pource qu'il ny
auoit rien à manger, encore fallut-il attendre iusques
au lendemain à dix heures de nuit, que mon hoste
rapporta deux Castors qui nous firent grand bien.
On the ninth of January, a Savage, who came to
visit us, said that a man and a woman of the place
from which he had come had starved to death, and
that several others were on the verge of starvation.
The poor man fasted the day of his arrival as well as
we, for there was nothing to eat; and we had to wait
until ten o'clock of the next night, when my host
brought in two Beavers, which were a great blessing
to us.
[295] Le iour suiuant nos gens tuerent le second
Orignac, ce qui causa par tout vne grande ioye, il est
vray qu'elle fut vn peu troublée par l'arriuée d'vn
Sauuage, & de deux ou trois femmes, & d'vn enfant
176
que la famine alloit bien tost égorger, s'ils n'eussent
fait rencontre de nostre cabane, ils estoient fort hideux,
l'homme particulierement plus que les femmes,
dont l'vne auoit accouché depuis dix iours dans les
neiges, & dans la famine, ayant passé plusieurs iours
sans manger.
[295] On the following day our people killed the
second Moose, at which there was general rejoicing.
True, it was a little marred by the arrival of a Savage,
and of two or three women and a child, whom
famine would have slaughtered, if they had not happened
to come to our cabin. They looked most hideous,
the man especially, more so than the women,
one of whom had given birth to a child ten days
before in the snow, and, in the famine, had passed
several days without eating.
Mais admirez s'il vous plaist l'amour que ces barbares
se portent les vns aux autres, on ne demanda
point a ces nouueaux hostes pourquoy ils venoient sur
nos limites, s'ils ne sçauoient pas bien que nous
estions en aussi grand danger qu'eux, qu'ils nous venoient
oster le morceau de la bouche; ains au contraire
on les receut, non de paroles, mais d'effect,
sans courtoisie exterieure, car les Sauuages n'en ont
point, mais non pas sans charité: on leur ietta de
grandes pieces de l'Orignac nouuellement tué, [296]
sans leur dire autre parole, mitisoukou mangez, aussi
leur eust on fait grand tort d'appliquer pour lors leurs
bouches à autre vsage: pendant qu'ils mangeoient on
prepara vn festin, auquel ils furent traictez à grand
plat, ie vous en réponds: car la portion qu'on leur
donna à chacun, sortoit beaucoup hors de leurs ouragans
qui sont tres capables.
But admire, if you please, the love these barbarians
have for each other. These new guests were not
asked why they came upon our boundaries, if they
were not well aware that we were in as great straits
as they were, and that they were coming to take the
morsel out of our mouths. On the contrary, they
were received, not with words, but with deeds; without
exterior ceremony, for of this the Savages have
none, but not without charity. They threw them
large pieces of the Moose which had just been killed,
[296] without saying another word but, mitisoukou,
"eat;" and indeed it would have been very wrong to
ask them then to use their mouths for any other purpose.
While they were eating, a feast was prepared, at
which they were treated generously, I assure you;
for the portion given to each one of them more than
filled their ouragans, which are very large.
Le seiziesme du mesme mois nous battismes la campagne,
& ne pouuans arriuer au lieu où nous pretendions,
nous ne fismes que gister dans vne hostelerie
que nous dressasmes à la haste, & le lendemain nous
poursuiuismes nostre chemin passans sur vne montagne
si haute, qu'encore que nous ne montassions point
iusques au sommet, qui me paroissoit armé d'horribles
rochers, neantmoins le Sorcier me dit, que si
le Ciel obscurcy d'vn broüillard eust esté serain nous
eussions veu à mesme tẽps Kebec & Tadoussac, esloignez
178
l'vn de l'autre de quarante lieuës pour le moins,
ie voyois au dessous de moy auec horreur des precipices,
qui me [297] faisoient trembler, i'apperceuois
des montagnes au milieu de quelques plaines qui me
paroissoient comme des petites tours, ou plustost
comme de petits chasteaux, quoy qu'en effect elles
fussent fort grandes & fort hautes: figurez vous quelle
peine ont ces barbares de traisner si haut leur bagage,
i'auois de la peine à monter, i'en trouuois encore
plus à descendre: car quoy que ie m'esloignasse
des precipices, neantmoins la pante estoit si roide,
qu'il estoit fort aisé de rouler à bas, & de s'aller
fendre la teste contre vn arbre.
On the sixteenth of the same month, we rambled
about the country; and, not being able to find the
place we wanted, we could only lodge in a hostelry
that we erected in haste; the next day we pursued
our journey, passing over a mountain so high, that
even though we did not ascend to its summit,
which seemed to be fortified with horrible rocks, yet
the Sorcerer told me that if the Sky, which was obscured
by a cloud, had been clear, we might have
seen at the same time, both Kebec and Tadoussac,
distant from each other at least forty leagues. I
saw with horror precipices beneath me, which made
[297] me tremble. In the midst of some plains, I
saw mountains which seemed to me like little towers,
or rather diminutive castles, although in reality they
were very large and very high. Imagine how hard
it is for these barbarians to drag their baggage so
high. I had trouble in getting up, but still more in
coming down; for, although I was going away from
the precipices, yet the slope was so steep that it was
very easy to roll down and break one's head against
a tree.
Le vingt neufiesme nous acheuasmes de descendre
ceste montagne portant nostre maison sur la pante
d'vne autre où nous allasmes: voila le terme de
nostre pelerinage, nous commencerons d'oresnauant
à tourner bride & à tirer vers l'Isle où nous auons laissé
nostre Chaloupe, nous vismes icy les sources de deux
petits fleuues, qui se vont rendre dans vn fleuue
aussi grand au dire de nos Sauuages, que le fleuue de
S. Laurens, ils l'appellent Oueraouachticou.
On the twenty-ninth, we finished our descent of
this mountain, and carried our house up the slope of
another to which we were going. As this was the
end of our pilgrimage, we shall begin hereafter to
turn back and direct our course toward the Island
where we had left our Shallop. We saw here the
sources of two little rivers, which flow into a river
as large, our Savages say, as the St. Lawrence; they
call it Oueraouachticou.
[298] Ceste douziesme demeure nous a deliuré de
la famine, car les neiges se trouuant hautes assez
pour arrester les grandes iambes de l'Elan, nous
eusmes dequoy manger. Au commencement ce n'estoient
que festins & que danses, mais cela ne dura
pas, car on se mit bientost à faire seicherie passant de
la famine dans la bonne nourriture, ie me portay
bien: mais passant de la chair fraische au boucan ie
tombay malade, & ne recouuray point entierement
la santé que trois semaines apres mon retour en nostre
petite maisonnette. Il est vray que depuis le commencement
180
de Feurier iusques en Auril nous eusmes
tousiours dequoy manger, mais d'vn boucan si dur &
si sale & en si petite quantité, horsmis quelques iours
d'abondance qui se passoient en festins que nos Sauuages
contoient ces derniers, mois aussi bien que les
precedens entre les mois & les hyuers de leurs famines.
Ils me disoient que pour estre traicté mediocrement
& sans patir, il nous falloit vn Elan gros
comme vn boeuf en deux iours, tant à raison du [299]
nombre que nous estions, comme aussi qu'on mange
beaucoup de chair quand on n'a ny pain ny autre
chose pour faire durer la viande, adioustez qu'ils sont
grands disneurs, & que la chair d'Elan ne demeure
pas long-temps dans l'estomach.
[298] This twelfth station delivered us from famine;
for the snow was deep enough to impede the
long legs of the Elk, and we had something to eat.
At first, there was nothing but feasts and dancing;
but this did not last long, as they soon began to dry
the meat. Passing thus from starvation to good food,
I felt very well; but when we changed from fresh
meat to smoked, I fell ill, and did not entirely recover
my health until three weeks after my return to our
little house. It is true that from the beginning
of February until April we always had something to
eat; but it was smoked meat, so hard and so dirty,
and in so small quantities, except a few days of
plenty which passed in feasting, that our Savages
counted these last months as well as the preceding
ones, among the months and winters of their famines.
They told me that, to live moderately well and
without suffering, they had to have an Elk as large
as an ox every two days, both because [299] we were
rather numerous, and also because people eat a great
deal of meat when they have neither bread nor anything
else to make the food hold out; add to this that
they are great diners, and that Elk meat does not
remain long in the stomach.
Ie me suis oublié de dire ailleurs que les Sauuages
content les années par les hyuers, pour dire
quel aage as-tu, ils disent combien d'hyuers as-tu
passé? ils content aussi par les nuicts comme nous faisons
par les iours, au lieu que nous disons, il est arriué
depuis trois iours, ils disent depuis trois nuicts.
I have forgotten to say elsewhere that the Savages
count the years by winters. To say, "How old
art thou?" they say, "How many winters hast thou
passed?" They count also by nights, as we do by
days; instead of saying, "It happened three days
ago," they say, "three nights ago."
Le cinquiesme de Feurier nous quittasmes nostre
douziesme demeure pour aller faire la treiziesme, ie
me trouuois fort mal, le Sorcier me tuoit auec ses
cris, ses hurlemens, & son tambour, il me reprochoit
incessamment que ie faisois l'orgueilleux, & que le
Manitou m'auoit fait malade aussi bien que les autres.
Ce n'est pas, luy disois-je, le Manitou ou le diable qui
m'a causé ceste maladie, mais la mauuaise nourriture
qui m'a gasté l'estomach, & les [300] autres trauaux
qui m'ont debilité, tout cela ne le contentoit point, il
ne laissoit pas de m'attaquer, notamment en la presence
des Sauuages, disant que ie m'estois mocqué du
Manitou, & qu'il s'estoit vangé de moy comme d'vn
182
superbe. Vn iour comme il me faisoit ces reproches
ie me leue en mon seant, ie luy dis, afin que tu sçache
que ce n'est point ton Manitou qui cause les maladies
& qui tuë les hommes, escoute comme ie luy parleray,
ie m'escrie en leur langue grossissant ma voix, approche
Manitou, vien demon, massacre moy si tu as le
pouuoir, ie te deffie, ie me mocque de toy, ie ne te
crains point, tu n'as point de pouuoir sur ceux qui
croyent & qui ayment Dieu, viens & me tuë si tu as
les mains libres, tu as plus de peur de moy que ie
n'ay de toy, le Sorcier fut espouuenté, & me dit pourquoy
l'appelle tu? puis que tu ne le crains pas, c'est
signe que tu l'appelle afin qu'il te tuë, non pas luy
dis-je, mais ie l'appelle afin que tu ayes cognoissance
qu'il n'a point de puissance sur ceux qui adorent le
vray Dieu, & pour te faire [301] voir qu'il n'est pas
la seule cause des maladies comme tu crois.
On the fifth of February, we left our twelfth dwelling
to proceed to our thirteenth. I was very sick; the
Sorcerer was killing me with his cries, his howls, and
his drum; he continually reproached me with being
proud, saying that the Manitou had made me sick as
well as the others. "It is not," I said to him, "the
Manitou or devil that has caused this sickness, but
bad food, which has injured my stomach, and [300]
other hardships that have weakened me." All this
did not satisfy him; he did not cease to attack me,
especially in the presence of the Savages, saying I
had mocked the Manitou, and that he had revenged
himself upon me for my pride. One day, when he
was casting these slurs upon me, I sat upright,
and said, "That thou mayest know it is not thy Manitou
who causes sickness and kills people, hear how
I shall speak to him." I cried out in their language,
in a loud voice, "Come, Manitou; come, demon;
murder me if thou hast the power, I defy thee, I
mock thee, I do not fear thee; thou hast no power
over those who believe and love God; come and kill
me if thy hands are free; thou art more afraid of me
than I am of thee." The Sorcerer was terrified and
said, "Why dost thou call him, since thou dost not
fear him? it is the same as calling him to kill thee."
"Not at all," said I; "but I am calling him to make
you see that he has no power over those who worship
the true God, and to show [301] thee that he is not
the sole cause of sickness, as thou thinkest."
Le neufiesme du mesme mois de Feurier nous battismes
la campagne, le Sorcier nonobstant ma maladie
me vouloit faire porter du bagage à toute force,
mais mon hoste eust pitié de moy, voire mesme m'ayant
rencontré en chemin que ie n'en pouuois quasi
plus, il prit de son bon gré ce que ie portois, & le
mit sur sa traisne.
On the ninth of the same month of February we
scoured the plains. The Sorcerer, in spite of the
fact that I was sick, would force me to carry some
of the baggage; but my host took pity on me, and,
having encountered me on the way when I was
ready to sink from exhaustion, he took what I
carried, of his own free will, and placed it upon his
sledge.
Le quatorziesme & quinziesme nous fismes de
longues traictes pour aller planter nostre cabane
proche de deux petits Orignaux que mon hoste auoit
tué: faisant chemin on reconneust la piste d'vn troisiesme,
mon hoste fit arrester le camp pour l'aller descouurir;
i'estois en l'arriere garde de nostre armée,
c'est à dire que ie venois doucement derriere les
autres quand tout à coup ie vis paroistre cét Elan qui
couroit droit à moy, & mon hoste apres, qui luy donnoit
184
la chasse, la neige estoit fort haute, voila pourquoy
il ne fit qu'enuiron cinq cens pas deuant que
d'estre mis à mort, nous cabanames aupres & en
fismes curée.
On the fourteenth and fifteenth, we made long
stages, to go and plant our cabin near two small
Moose that my host had killed. Upon the way, as
we discovered the tracks of a third, my host interrupted
the journey to go and look for it. I belonged
to the rear guard of our army; that is, I was coming
up slowly behind the others, when suddenly this Elk
appeared, coming straight toward me, and after it my
host in hot pursuit. The snow was very deep, and
hence, ere it had gone five hundred steps, it was
killed. We encamped near there and made a feast
of it.
[302] L'Apostat continuant icy ses blasphemes, me
demandoit deuant ses freres pour les animer contre
Dieu, pourquoy ie priois celuy qui n'entendoit ny ne
voyoit rien, ie le repris fort vertement & luy imposay
silence.
[302] The Apostate, continuing to blaspheme here,
asked me, in the presence of his brothers, in order
to turn them against God, why I prayed to him who
neither saw nor heard anything. I rebuked him very
sharply and imposed silence upon him.
Le sixiesme iour de Mars nous changeasmes de demeure,
le Sorcier, le Renegat, & deux ieunes chasseurs
tirerent deuant nous droit aux riues du grand
fleuue, l'occasion de cette separation fut que mon
hoste braue chasseur ayant descouuert quatre Orignaux,
& quantité de cabanes de Castors, ne pouuant
luy seul en mesme temps chasser en tant d'endroits
fort separez, le Sorcier mena ces ieunes chasseurs pour
courre les Orignaux, & luy demeura pour les Castors:
cette separation me fit du bien & du mal. Du
bien, pource que ie fus deliuré du Sorcier, ie n'ay
point de paroles pour declarer l'importunité de ce
meschant homme. Du mal, pource que mon hoste ne
prenant point d'Orignaux nous ne mangions que du
boucan qui m'estoit fort contraire, que s'il prenoit des
Castors on en faisoit seicherie, [303] excepté des petits
que nous mangions, les plus beaux & les meilleurs
estoient reseruez pour les festins qu'ils deuoient faire
au Printemps, au lieu où ils s'estoient donnez le rendez-vous.
On the sixth day of March, we shifted our quarters.
The Sorcerer, the Renegade, and two young
hunters, directed their steps before us straight to the
banks of the great river. The cause of this separation
was that my host, a good hunter, had discovered
four Moose, and a number of Beaver lodges; and not
being able alone to hunt in places so widely separated,
the Sorcerer took these young hunters to chase
the Moose, and he remained for the Beavers. This
separation was fraught with both good and evil for
me. With good, because I was freed from the Sorcerer;
I have no words to describe the pertinacity of
this wicked man. With evil, because my host did
not capture any Moose, and we had nothing to eat
but smoked meat, which was very distasteful to me;
for, if he captured any Beavers, they were smoked,
[303] except the little ones, which we ate; the finest
and best ones were reserved for the feasts they were
to give in the Spring, at the place where they had
appointed a rendezvous.
Le treiziesme du mesme mois nous fismes nostre
dix-huictiesme demeure proche d'vn fleuue dont les
eaux me sembloient sucrées apres la saleté des neiges
fonduës que nous beuuions és stations precedentes
186
dans vn chauderon gras & enfumé, ie commençay à
ressentir en ce lieu l'incommodité du coucher sur la
terre bien froide pendant l'hyuer & fort humide au
Printemps, car le costé droit sur lequel ie reposois
s'estourdit tellement par la froidure qu'il n'auoit quasi
plus de sentiment: or craignant de ne remporter que
la moitié de moy-mesme dans nostre petite maison,
l'autre demeurante paralytique, ie promis vne chemise
& vne petite robbe à vn enfant pour vn meschãt
bout de peau d'Orignac que sa mere me donna, ceste
peau non passée estoit bien aussi dure que la terre,
mais non pas si humide, [304] i'en fis mon lict qui se
trouua si court que la terre qui auoit iusques alors
pris possession de tout mon corps en retint encore la
moitié.
On the thirteenth of the same month, we made our
eighteenth station near a river, whose waters seemed
to me sweet as sugar after the dirt of the melted snow
that we drank at former stations, out of a greasy and
smoky kettle. I began here to experience the discomfort
of sleeping upon the ground, which was cold in
winter and damp in Spring; for my right side, upon
which I lay, became so benumbed from cold that it
scarcely had any sense of feeling. Now fearing I
would only carry half of myself back to our little
house, the other being paralyzed, I promised a shirt
and a little gown to a child, for a miserable piece of
Moose skin, which his mother gave me; this undressed
skin was about as hard as the ground, but not
as damp. [304] Of this I made my bed, which was
so short that the ground, which had up to that time
taken possession of all my body, still kept the half
of it.
Depuis le depart du Sorcier, mon hoste prenoit
plaisir à me faire des questions, notamment des choses
naturelles, il me demanda vn iour comme la terre
estoit faite, & m'apportant vne écorce & vn charbon,
il me la fit décrire, ie luy despeins donc les deux Hemispheres,
& apres luy auoir tracé l'Europe, l'Asia, &
l'Affrique, ie vins à nostre Amerique, luy monstrant
comme elle est vne grande Isle, ie luy d'écriuy la
coste de l'Acadie, la grande Isle de Terre-neufue,
l'entrée & golfe de nostre grand fleuue de sainct Laurens,
les peuples qui habitent ses riues, le lieu où
nous estions pour lors, ie montay iusques aux Algonquains,
aux Hiroquois, aux Hurons, à la nation neutre,
&c. luy designant les endroits plus & moins peuplez,
ie passay à la Floride, au Perou, au Brasil, &c. luy
parlant en mon jargon de ces contrées le mieux qu'il
m'estoit possible, il m'interrogea [305] plus particulierement
des païs dont il a connoissance, puis m'ayans
188
escouté fort patiemment, il s'escria prononçant vne
de leurs grandes admirations Amonitatinaniouikhi!
Ceste robbe noire dit vray! parlant à vn vieillard qui
me regardoit, puis se tournant deuers moy il me dit,
nicanis, mon bien aymé tu nous donne en verité de
l'admiration, car nous connoissons la plus part de ces
terres & de ces peuples, & tu les a descrit comme ils
sont, i'insiste là dessus, comme tu vois que ie dis vray
parlant de ton pays, aussi dois-tu croire que ie ne
ments pas parlant des autres, ie le croy ainsi, me repartit-il,
ie poursuy ma pointe, comme ie suis veritable
en parlant des choses de la terre, aussi tu dois te persuader
que ie ne voudrois pas mentir quand ie te parle
des choses du Ciel, & partant tu dois croire ce que ie
t'ay dit de l'autre vie: il s'arresta vn peu de temps
tout court, puis ayant vn peu pensé à part soy, Ie te
croiray, dit-il quand tu sçauras bien parler, nous auons
maintenant trop de peine à nous faire entendre.
After the departure of the Sorcerer, my host took
pleasure in asking me questions, especially about the
things of nature. One day he asked me how the
earth was made; and, bringing me a piece of bark
and some charcoal, he had me describe it. So I drew
for him the two Hemispheres; and, after having
traced Europe, Asia and Africa, I came to our America,
showing him that it is an immense Island. I
described for him the coast of Acadia, the great Island
of Newfoundland, the entrance and gulf of our
great river saint Lawrence, the people who inhabit its
banks, the place where we then were. I went up as
far as the Algonquains, the Hiroquois, the Hurons,
to the neutral nation, etc., showing him the places
more and less populous. I passed to Florida, to
Peru, to Brazil, etc., speaking to him in my jargon
the best I could about these countries. He asked me
[305] more particularly about the countries of which
he had some knowledge. Then having listened to
me patiently, he exclaimed, using one of their words
expressive of great admiration, Amonitatinaniouikhi!
"This black robe tells the truth," speaking to an old
man who was looking at me; and turning toward me,
he said, "nicanis, my well-beloved, thou dost indeed
cause our wonder; for we are acquainted with the
greater part of these lands and tribes, and thou hast
described them as they are." Thereupon I urge,
"As thou seest I tell the truth in speaking of thy
country, thou shouldst also believe that I do not lie
in speaking of the others." "I do believe thus," he
replied. I followed up my point: "As I am truthful
in speaking about things of the earth, also thou
shouldst persuade thyself that I am not lying when I
speak to thee about the things of Heaven; and therefore
thou oughtst believe what I have told thee about
the other life." He paused a few moments, and
then, having reflected a little, said, "I will believe
thee when thou shalt know how to speak; but we have
now too much trouble in understanding each other."
[306] Il m'a fait mille autres questions, du Soleil,
de la rondeur de la terre, des Antipodes, de la France,
& fort souuent il me parloit de nostre bon Roy, il admiroit
quand ie luy disois que la France estoit remplie
de Capitaines, & que le Roy estoit le Capitaine
de tous les Capitaines, il me prioit de le mener en
France pour le voir, & qu'il luy feroit des presens, ie
me mis à rire luy disant que toutes leurs richesses
n'estoient que pauureté à comparaisson des grandeurs
du Roy, Ie veux dire, me fit-il, que ie feray des presens
à ceux de sa suitte, pour luy ie me contenteray
de le voir, il racontoit par apres aux autres ce qu'il
m'auoit ouy dire. Il me demanda vne autrefois s'il
y auoit de grands saults dans la mer, c'est à dire des
cheutes d'eau, il y en a beaucoup dans les fleuues de
190
ce païs cy, vous verrez vne belle riuiere coulant fort
doucement tomber tout à coup dans vn lit plus bas,
les terres ne s'abbaissant pas également, mais comme
par degrez en certains endroits, nous voyons vn de
ces sauts proche de Kebec nommé le saut de [307]
Montmorency, c'est vne riuiere qui vient des terres,
& qui se precipite de fort haut dans le grand fleuue
de sainct Laurens, les riues qui le bornent estans fort
releuées en cét endroit: Or quelques Sauuages croyoient
que la mer a de ces cheutes d'eau dans lesquelles
se perdent quantité de nauires ie luy ostay
cét erreur, ces inegalitez ne se retrouuans point dans
l'Ocean.
[306] He asked me a thousand other questions,—about
the Sun, the roundness of the earth, the Antipodes,
France, and he frequently spoke to me about
our good King. He was surprised when I told
him that France was full of Captains, and that the
King was the Captain of all the Captains. He
begged me to take him to France to see him, and to
make him some presents. I began to laugh, telling
him that all their riches were nothing but poverty
compared to the splendors of the King. "I mean,"
said he, "that I will make presents to his followers;
as to him, I will be content to see him." He recounted
afterwards to the others what he had heard
me say. Another time he asked me if there were
any great falls in the sea, that is, waterfalls. There
are a great many in the rivers of this country. You
will see a beautiful river flowing along peacefully;
and all at once it will fall into a lower bed, as the
land does not slope gradually, but as if by steps in certain
places. We see one of these falls near Kebec;
it is called the "falls of [307] Montmorency." They
are formed by a river which comes from the interior,
and falls from a very high level into the great river
saint Lawrence, the banks enclosing it being considerably
elevated at this place. Now some of the Savages
believe that the sea has these waterfalls, and
that a great many ships are lost in them. I removed
this error by telling them that these inequalities are
not found in the Ocean.
Le vingt-troisiesme de Mars nous repassames le
fleuue Capititetchioueth, que nous auions passé le troisiesme
de Decembre.
On the twenty-third of March, we again crossed
the river Capititetchioueth, over which we had passed
on the third of December.
Le trentiesme du mesme mois, nous vinsmes cabaner
sur vn fort beau lac, en ayant passé vn autre plus
petit en nostre chemin, ils estoient encore autant glacez
qu'au milieu de l'hyuer, mon hoste me consoloit
icy me voyant fort foible & fort abbatu, ne t'attriste
point, me disoit-il, si tu t'attriste tu seras encore plus
malade, si ta maladie augmente tu mourras, considere
que voicy vn beau pays, ayme-le, si tu l'ayme, tu t'y
plairas, si tu t'y plais tu te resioüiras, si tu te resioüis
tu guariras, ie [308] prenois plaisir d'entendre le
discours de ce pauure barbare.
On the thirtieth of the same month, we encamped
upon a very beautiful lake, having passed another
smaller one on our way, both of them still frozen over
as hard as in the middle of winter. Here my host,
seeing that I was very weak and cast down, consoled
me, saying, "Do not be sad: if thou art sad, thou
wilt become still worse; if thy sickness increases,
thou wilt die. See what a beautiful country this is;
love it: if thou lovest it, thou wilt take pleasure in
it, and if thou takest pleasure in it thou wilt become
cheerful, and if thou art cheerful thou wilt recover."
I [308] took pleasure in listening to the conversation
of this poor barbarian.
Le premier iour d'Auril nous quittasmes ce beau
lac & tirasmes à grande erre vers nostre rendez vous,
nous passames la nuit dans vn meschant trou enfumé
& dés le matin continuasmes nostre chemin faisant
plus en ces deux iournées que nous n'auions faict en
cinq, Dieu nous fauorisa d'vn beau temps: car il gela
192
bien fort, & l'air fut serain, s'il eust fait vn degel
comme les iours precedens, & que nous eussions enfoncé
dans la neige, comme quelques fois il nous est
arriué, ou il m'eust fallu traisner, ou ie fusse demeuré
en chemin tant i'estois mal. Il est bien vray que la
nature a plus de force qu'elle ne s'en fait accroire, ie
l'experimentay en ceste iournée en laquelle i'estois si
foible, que m'asseant de temps en temps sur la neige
pour me reposer, tous les membres me trembloient,
non pas de froid, mais par vne debilité qui me causoit
vne sueur au front. Or comme i'estois alteré voulant
puiser de l'eau dans vn torrent [309] que nous
rencontrasmes, la glace que ie cassois auec mon baston
tomba dessous moy, & fit vn grand escarre: quand
ie me vis auec mes raquettes aux pieds sur ceste
glace flottante sur vne eau fort rapide, ie sautay plustost
sur le bord du torrent, que ie n'eu consulté si ie
le deuois faire, & la nature qui suoit de foiblesse trouua
assez de force pour sortir de ceste grande eau n'en
voulant pas tant boire à la fois, ie n'eus que la peur
d'vn peril qui fut plustost esuité que recognu.
On the first day of April, we left this beautiful
lake, and drew rapidly toward our rendezvous. We
passed the night in a miserable smoky hole, and in
the morning continued on our way, going farther in
these two days than we had previously gone in five.
God favored us with fine weather, for there was a
hard frost, and the air was clear. If it had thawed
as on the preceding days, and we had sunk down in
the snow, as sometimes happened, either they would
have had to drag me, or I would have remained on
the way, so ill was I. It is true that nature has more
resistance than she makes believe; I experienced this
that day, when I was so weak that, if I sat down
upon the snow occasionally to rest myself, my limbs
would tremble, not from cold, but from a weakness
which caused the perspiration to come out upon my
forehead. Now, as I was thirsty, I tried to drink
some water from a torrent [309] that we were passing.
The ice, which I broke with my club, fell under me
and separated into a big cake. When I saw myself
with my snowshoes on my feet, upon this ice, floating
in a very rapid current, I leaped to the edge of
the torrent before consulting as to whether I ought
to do it or not, and nature, which perspired from
weakness, found strength enough to escape from this
mass of water, not wishing to drink so much of it at
once; I had nothing but the fear of a peril which was
sooner escaped than realized.
Le danger passé ie poursuiuis mon chemin assez
lentement, aussi ne pouuois-ie pas estre bien fort, car
outre la maladie qui ne m'auoit point quitté parfaitement
depuis le dernier iour de Ianuier, ie ne mangeois
ces derniers iours que trois bouchées de boucan
le matin, & cheminois quasi tout le reste du iour sans
autre rafraichissement qu'vn peu d'eau quand i'en
pouuois rencontrer. Enfin i'arriuay apres les autres
sur les riues du grand fleuue, & trois iours apres
nostre [310] arriuée, sçauoir est le quatriesme du
mesme mois d'Auril nous sismes nostre vingt-troisiesme
station allant planter nostre cabane dans l'Isle où
194
nous auions laissé nostre Chalouppe, nous y fusmes
tres-mal logez: car outre que le Sorcier s'estoit remis
auec nous, nous estions si remplis de fumée que nous
n'en pouuions plus, d'ailleurs le grand fleuue estant
icy falé, & l'Isle n'ayant aucune fontaine nous ne beuuions
que des eaux de neige, ou de pluye encore tres
sale. Ie ne fis pas long sejour en ce lieu, mon hoste
voyant que ie ne guerissois point, prit resolution de
me remener en nostre maisonnette, le Sorcier l'en
voulut detourner, mais ie rompis ses menées, i'obmets
mille particularitez pour tirer à la fin.
The danger passed, I pursued my way quite slowly;
indeed I was not likely to be very strong, for,
besides the malady from which I had been suffering
since the last day of January, and which had not entirely
left me, during these last days I had not been
eating more than three mouthfuls of smoked meat in
the morning, and would walk nearly all the rest of
the day without any other refreshment than a little
water, when I could get any. At last I arrived after
the others upon the banks of the great river, and,
three days later, [310] namely, on the fourth of the
same month of April, we made our twenty-third station,
going to erect our cabin on the Island where
we had left our Shallop. Here we were very badly
lodged; for, in addition to the presence of the Sorcerer
who had returned to us, we were so full of
smoke that we could stand no more; besides, as the
water of the great river was salty here, and as there
was no spring in the Island, we could only drink
snow or rainwater, and that very dirty. I did not
make a long stay in this place. My host, seeing
that I was not getting well, decided to take me back
to our little house; the Sorcerer wished to dissuade
him from this, but I broke up his conspiracies. I
am omitting a thousand particulars in order to get
to the end.
Le cinquiesme du mois d'Auril, mon hoste, l'Apostat,
& moy, nous embarquasmes dans vn petit canot
pour tirer à Kebec fur le grand fleuue, apres
auoir pris congé de tous les Sauuages: or comme il
faisoit encore froid nous ne fusmes pas loin que [311]
nous trouuasmes vne petite glace formée pendant
la nuict, qui feruoit de superficie aux eaux, voyant
qu'elle s'estendoit fort loing, nous donnons dedans,
l'Apostat qui estoit deuant, la brifant auec son auiron:
or soit qu'elle fut trop trenchante, ou l'écorce
de nostre gòndole trop foible, il se fit vne ouuerture
qui donna entrée à l'eau dans nostre canot & à la
crainte dans nostre cœur, nous voila aussi tost tous
trois en action, mes deux Sauuages de ramer, & moy
de ietter l'eau, nous tirons à force de rames dans vne
Isle que nous rencontrasmes fort à propos, & mettant
pied à terre les Sauuages empoignent leur canot, le
tirent de l'eau, le renuerfent, battent leur fusil, font
du feu, recousent l'escorce fenduë, y appliquent de
leur bray, qui est vne espece d'encens qui decoule des
arbres, remettent le canot à l'eau, nous nous rembarquons
& continuons nostre chemin: ie leur dy voyant
196
ce peril que s'ils croyoient rencontrer souuent de ces
glaces tranchantes, [312] qu'il valloit mieux retourner
d'où nous estions partis, & attendre que le temps fut
plus chaud, il est vray me fit mon hoste que nous
auons pensé perir, si l'ouuerture eust esté vn peu plus
grande c'estoit fait de nous, poursuiuons neantmoins
nostre chemin ces petites glaces ne m'estonnent pas.
Sur les trois heures du soir nous apperceusmes deuant
nous vn banc de glaces espouuentables qui nous
bouchoit le chemin, s'estendant au trauers de ce
fleuue à plus de quatre lieuës loin: nous fusmes vn peu
estonnez, mes gens ne laissent pas pourtant de les
aborder ayant remarqué vne petite esclaircie, ils se
glissent là dedans faisant tournoyer nostre petite gondole,
tantost d'vn costé & puis tantost de l'autre pour
gaigner tousjours païs, en fin nous trouuasmes ces
glaces si fort serrées qu'il fut impossible d'auancer ny
de reculer, car le mouuement de l'eau nous enferma
de toutes parts, au milieu de ces glaces s'il y fut suruenu
vn vent vn peu violent nous estions froissez &
brisez & [313] nous & nostre canot comme le grain
entre les deux pierres du moulin, car figurez-vous que
ces glaces sont plus grandes & plus espaisses que les
meules & la tremuë tout ensemble, mes Sauuages
nous voyant si empressez sautent de glaces en glaces
comme vn ecririeux d'arbres en arbres, & les repoussant
auec leurs auirons font passage au canot dans lequel
i'estois tout seul plus prest de mourir par les
eaux que de maladie, nous combattismes en cette
sorte iusques à cinq heures du soir que nous prismes
terre: ces barbares sont tres habiles en ces rencontres,
ils me demandoient par fois dans la plus grande
presse des glaces si ie ne craignois point, veritablement
198
la nature n'ayme point à ioüer à ce jeu là, &
leurs sauts de glaces en glaces me sembloient des
sauts perilleux & pour eux & pour moy, veu mesmes
que leür pere, à ce qu'ils me disoient, s'est autrefois
noyé en semblable occasion. Il est vray que Dieu
dont la bonté est par tout aymable, se trouue aussi bien
dessus les eaux [314] & parmy les glaces que dessus
la terre, nous eschappasmes encore de ce danger qui
ne leur sembla pas si grand que le premier.
On the fifth of the month of April, my host, the
Apostate, and I embarked in a little canoe to go to
Kebec upon the great river, after having taken leave
of all the Savages. Now, as it was still cold, we had
not gone far when [311] we found that a little ice had
formed during the night, which covered the surface
of the water; seeing that it extended quite far, we
entered it, the Apostate, who was in front, breaking
it with his paddle. But either it was too sharp, or the
bark of our gondola too thin; for it made an opening
which let the water into our canoe and fear into our
hearts. So behold us all three in action, my two Savages
paddling, and I baling out the water. We drew
with all the strength of our paddles to an Island which
we very fortunately encountered. When we set foot
upon shore, the Savages seized the canoe, drew it
out of the water, turned it upside down; lighted
their tinder, made a fire, sewed up the slit in the bark;
applied to it their resin, a kind of gum that runs out
of trees; placed the canoe again in the water, and
we reëmbarked and continued our journey. In view
of this danger, I told them that, if they expected to
encounter much of this sharp ice, [312] it would be
better to return whence we had come, and wait until
the weather was warmer. "It is true," replied my
host, "that we came near perishing; if the hole had
been a little larger it would have been all over with us.
But let us pursue our way, this little ice does not
frighten me." Towards the third hour of the evening
we saw before us a horrible bank of ice which
blocked our way, extending across the great river for
a distance of more than four leagues. We were a little
frightened, but my people approached it nevertheless,
as they had noticed a small opening in it; they
glided into this, turning our little gondola first to
one side and then to the other, in order to always
make some headway. At last we found these masses
of ice so firmly wedged together, that it was impossible
either to advance or recede, for the movement
of the water closed us in on all sides. In the midst
of this ice, if a sharp wind had arisen, we would
have been crushed and broken to pieces, [313] we
and our canoe, like the grain of wheat between
two millstones; for imagine these blocks of ice, larger
and thicker than the millstone and hopper together.
My Savages, seeing our predicament, leaped from
one piece of ice to another, like squirrels from tree
to tree; and, pushing it away with their paddles, made
a passage for the canoe, in which I sat alone, nearer
dying from water than from disease. We struggled
along in this way until five o'clock in the evening,
and then we landed. These barbarians are very
skillful in such encounters. They asked me from
time to time, in the greatest danger, if I were not
afraid; truly nature is not fond of playing at such
games, and their leaps from ice to ice seemed to
me to be full of peril both for them and for me, especially
as their father, as I have been told, was drowned
under similar circumstances. It is true that God,
whose goodness is everywhere adorable, is found as
well upon the waters, [314] and among the ice, as
upon the land. We escaped also from this danger,
which did not seem to them as great as the first.
Arriuez que nous fusmes à terre nostre maison fut
de nous coucher au pied d'vn arbre, nous mangeasmes
vn peu de boucan, beusmes vn peu d'eau de neige
fonduë, ie fis mes petites prieres & me couchay aupres
d'vn bon feu qui contrequarra la gelée & le froid de
la nuict.
When we reached land, our house was the foot of
a tree, where we lay down, after having eaten a bit
of smoked meat and drunk a little melted snow-water.
I repeated my little prayers, and rested beside a good
fire which counteracted the frost and cold of the night.
Le lendemain nous nous embarquasmes de bonne
heure, la marée qui nous auoit amené ces armées de
glaces les porta la nuict d'vn autre costé, nous fismes
donc quelque chemin deliurés de cette importunité,
mais le vent s'animant & nostre petite gondole, commençant
à dancer sur les vagues nous nous iettasmes
incontinant à terre. I'auois prié mes gens de prendre
auec eux des escorces pour nous faire la nuict vne cabane
& des viures pour quelques iours n'estant pas
asseurez du retardement que le mauuais temps nous
pourroit apporter, ils ne firent [315] ny l'vn ny
l'autre, si bien, qu'il fallut coucher à l'air, & manger
en quatre iours les viures d'vne iournée, ils s'attendoient
d'aller à la chasse, mais les neiges se fondans
ils ne pouuoient courre, le temps faisant mine de s'appaiser
nous nous rembarquasmes, mais à peine auions
nous faict trois lieuës que le vent se renforcant nous
va ietter dans des glaces que la marée nous ramenoit,
200
& nous d'enfiler viste vn petit ruisseau, de sauter
tous trois sur ces grandes glaces qui estoient aux
bords, & de gagner la terre, nos Sauuages portant
sur les espaules nostre nauire d'écorce.
The next day we embarked early. The tide,
which had brought us these legions of icebergs, had
carried them during the night to the other side, so
we were for some distance free from this annoyance;
but the wind arose, and as our little gondola began
to dance upon the waves, we turned shoreward and
hurriedly landed. I had begged my people to take
with them some pieces of bark, with which to make
a cabin to cover us at night, and food enough for several
days, as we were not sure that the bad weather
might not cause us delays. They did neither [315]
one thing nor the other, so we had to lie out in the
open air, and make one day's food last four; they had
expected to go hunting, but, as the snow was melting,
they could not pursue the game. The weather
promising to clear up, we embarked again, but
scarcely had we gone three leagues when the wind,
growing stronger, cast us upon the ice which the
tide was bringing back, and caused us to glide
quickly through a little stream, and all three to leap
upon these great blocks of ice which were along its
edge, and thus to gain land, our Savages carrying
our bark ship upon their shoulders.
Nous voila donc logez à vne pointe de terre exposée
à tous vents, nous mettons nostre canot derriere
nous pour nous abrier, & comme nous craignions la
pluye ou la neige mon hoste iette vne meschante peau
sur des perches, & voila nostre maison faicte. Les
vents furent si violens toute la nuict qu'ils nous penserent
enleuer nostre canot, le lendemain la [316] tempeste
continuant dessus l'eau, mes gens n'ayant dequoy
manger vont à la chasse par vn tres mauuais
temps, le Renegat ne prit rien, mon hoste rapporta
vn perdreau qui nous seruit de deieusner, de disner, &
de soupper, vray que i'auois mangé quelques fueilles
de fraisiers, que la terre nouuellement descouuerte de
neige en quelques endroits me donna, nous passasmes
donc cette iournée sans faire chemin, la nuict les tempestes,
les foudres de vent, & le froid nous assaillirent
auec telle furie qu'il fallut ceder à la force,
nous estions couchez à platte terre, car ils n'auoient
pas pris la peine de la couurir de branches de pin,
nous nous leuasmes tout glassez pour entrer dans le
bois & emprunter des arbres l'abry contre le vent &
le couuert contre le Ciel, nous fismes vn bon feu, &
nous nous endormismes sur la terre encore toute humide
pour auoir seruy de lict à la neige peut-estre la
nuict precedente, Dieu soit beny sa prouidence est
adorable, nous mettions ce [317] iour & ceste nuict
dans le catalogue des iours & des nuicts mal-heureux,
& ce nous fut vn temps de bon-heur, car si ces tempestes
& ces vents ne nous eussent tenus prisonniers
202
sur terre pendant qu'ils escartoient les glaces les poussant
à val la riuiere, elles se fussent reserrées au trauers
des Isles où nous deuions passer, & nous eussent
faict mourir de trop boire ecrasant nostre canot, ou
de trop peu manger, nous arrestans dans quelque Isle
deserte. Bref si nous fussions eschappez c'eust esté à
grand peine, de plus i'estois si debile & si malade
quand ie m'embarquay, que si i'eusse preueu les trauaux
du chemin i'aurois creu deuoir mourir cent fois,
& neantmoins Nostre Seigneur commença à me fortifier
dans ces difficultez, en sorte que i'ayday mes
Sauuages à ramer notamment sur la fin de nostre
voyage.
Now we were lodged upon a point of land exposed
to all the winds. As a shelter, we placed our canoe
back of us, and fearing rain or snow, my host threw
a wretched skin upon some poles, and lo, our house
was made. The winds were so boisterous all night
that they nearly blew away our canoe. The next
day the [316] storm continuing upon the water, and
my people having nothing to eat, they went hunting
during most wretched weather. The Renegade did
not capture anything; but my host brought back a
young partridge, which served as breakfast, dinner,
and supper. True, I had eaten some leaves of the
strawberry plant that I had found upon the ground,
from which the snow had recently melted in some
places. So we passed this day without resuming our
journey. That night the storm, gusts of wind, and
the cold, assailed us with such fury that we had to
surrender to these forces, and get up half-frozen (for
we had been lying upon the bare ground, not having
taken the trouble to cover it with pine branches) and
go into the woods to borrow from the trees their shelter
against the wind and their covering against the
Sky. Here we made a good fire and went to sleep
upon ground still damp from snow which had probably
covered it the night before. God be praised, his
providence is adorable! We set this [317] day and
this night down in the calendar of wretched days and
nights, yet it was for us a period of good fortune.
For, if these tempests and winds had not held us
prisoners upon the land while they were clearing
away the ice and driving it down the river, it would
have been massed across the way to the Islands by
which we must pass; and we would have had to die
from too much drink crushing our canoe, or from too
little food, caused by having to stop in some deserted
Island. In short, if we had escaped it would have
been with great difficulty. Moreover, I was so weak
and sick when I embarked, that if I had foreseen
the hardships of the way I would have expected to die
a hundred times; yet Our Lord began to strengthen
me in these trials, so that I aided my Savages to paddle,
especially toward the end of our journey.
Le iour qui suiuit ces tempestes paroissant encor
animé de vents, mon hoste & l'Apostat s'en allerent
à la chasse, vne heure apres leur depart le [318] Soleil
paroist beau, l'air serein, les vents s'appaisent, les
vagues cessent, la mer se calme, en vn mot il abonit
pour parler en matelot, me voila bien en peine de
vouloir suiure mes Sauuages à la trace pour les appeller,
c'estoit mettre vn tortuë apres des leuriers,
ie iette les yeux au Ciel comme au lieu de refuge les
abbaissant vers la terre ie vy mes gens courir comme
des cerfs sur l'orée du bois, tirans vers moy, aussi-tost
ie me leue portant nostre petit bagage vers la riuiere,
mon hoste arriuant eco, eco, pousitau, pousitau, viste,
viste, embarquons nous, embarquons nous, plustost
fait qu'il n'est dit, le vent & la marée nous fauorisent,
nous allons à rames & à voile, nostre petit vaisseau
d'escorce fendant les ondes d'vne vitesse incomparable,
nous arriuasmes en fin sur les dix heures du
soir à la pointe de la grande Isle d'Orleans, il n'y
auoit plus que deux lieuës iusques à nostre petite
204
maison, mes gens n'auoient point mangé tout le iour,
ie leur donne courage, nous nous [319] efforçons de
passer outre, mais le courant de la marée qui descendoit
encor estant fort rapide, il fallut attendre le flot
pour trauerser la grande riuiere, nous entrasmes cependant
dans vne anse de terre, & nous nous endormismes
sur le sable aupres d'vn bon feu que nous allumasmes.
The day after these tempests being still rather
windy, my host and the Apostate went hunting. An
hour after their departure the [318] Sun shone out
brightly, the air became clear, the winds died away,
the waves fell, the sea became calm,—in a word, it
mended, as the sailors say. Then I was in great
perplexity about following my Savages to call them
back, for it would have been like a turtle pursuing a
greyhound. I turned my eyes to Heaven as to a
place of refuge; and, when I lowered them, I saw my
people running like deer along the edge of the wood
straight toward me. I immediately arose, and started
for the river, bearing our little baggage. When
my host arrived, eco, eco, pousitau, pousitau, "Quick,
quick, let us embark, let us embark!" No sooner
said than done; the wind and tide favored us, we
glided on with paddle and sail, our little bark ship cutting
the waves with incomparable swiftness. We at
last arrived about ten o'clock in the evening at the
end of the great Island of Orleans, from which our
little house was not more than two leagues distant.
My people had eaten nothing all day; I encouraged
them. We [319] tried to go on, but the current of the
tide, which was still ebbing, being very rapid, we
had to await the flood to cross the great river. Therefore
we went into a little cove, and slept upon the
sand, near a good fire that we lighted.
Sur la minuit le flot retournant nous nous embarquasmes,
la Lune nous éclairant, le vent & la marée
nous faisoient voler, mon hoste n'ayant pas voulu
tirer du costé que ie luy dis, nous pensasmes nous
perdre dans le port, car comme nous vinsmes pour
entrer dans nostre petite riuiere nous la trouuasmes
encore toute glacée, nous voulusmes approcher du
riuage, mais le vent y auoit rangé vn grand banc de
glace, qui se choquoient les vnes les autres nous menaçoient
de mort si nous les abordions, si bien qu'il
fallut tourner bride, mettre le cap au vent & se roidir
contre la marée, c'est icy que ie vy les vaillances de
mon hoste, il s'estoit [320] mis deuant comme au lieu
le plus important dans les grands perils, ie le voyois
au trauers de l'obscurité de la nuict qui nous donnoit
de l'horreur & augmentait nostre danger, bander ses
nerfs, se roidir contre la mort, tenir nostre petit canot
en estat dans des vagues capables d'engloutir vn
grand vaisseau, ie luy crie Nicanis ouabichtigoueiaKhi
ouabichtigoueiakhi, mon bien-aymé à Kebec, à Kebec,
tirons là. Quand nous vismes à doubler le saut au
Matelot, c'est le detour de nostre riuiere dans le
grand fleuue, vous l'eussiez veu ceder à vne vague, en
couper vne autre par le milieu, éuiter vne glace, en
repousser vne autre, combattre incessamment contre
vn furieux vent de Nordest qu'il auoit en teste.
Toward midnight, the tide again arising, we embarked.
The Moon shone brightly, and wind and
tide made us fly. As my host would not take the
direction I advised, we very nearly perished in the
port; for, when we came to enter our little river, we
found it still covered with ice. We tried to approach
the banks, but the wind had piled up great masses
of ice there, striking and surging against each other,
which threatened us with death if we approached
them. So we had to veer around and turn our prow
to the wind and work against the tide. It was here
I saw the valor of my host. He had [320] placed
himself in front, as the place where the greatest
danger was to be found. I saw him through the darkness
of the night, which filled us with terror while
augmenting our peril, strain every nerve and struggle
against death, to keep our little canoe in position
amid waves capable of swallowing up a great ship.
I cried out to him, Nicanis ouabichtigouciakhi ouabichtigouciakhi,
"My well-beloved, to Kebec, to Kebec,
let us go there." When we were about to double
the Sailor's leap, that is, the bend where our river
enters the great river, you might have seen him ride
over one wave, cut through the middle of another,
dodge one block of ice, and push away another, continually
fighting against a furious Northeast wind
which we had in our teeth.
206
Ayans éuité ce danger nous voulumes aborder la
terre, mais vne armée de glaces animée par la fureur
des vents nous en deffendoit l'entrée: nous allõs donc
iusques deuant le fort costoyant le riuage, cherchant
dans les tenebres [323 i.e., 321] vn petit iour ou vne
petite eclaircie parmy ces glaces; mon hoste ayant
apperceu vn rerin on detour qui est au bas du fort,
où les glaces ne branloiẽt point pour estre à l'abry du
vent, en detourne auec son auiron trois on quatre furieuses
qu'il rencontre, & vous iette là dedans, il
saute viste hors du Canot, craignant le retour des
glaces, criant Capatau, desembarquons nous; le mal
estoit que les glaces estoient si hautes & si épaisses
sur le riuage, qu'à peine y pouuois-ie atteindre auec
les mains; ie ne sçauois à quoy m'aggraffer pour sortir
du Canot, & monter sur ces riues glacées; ie
prends mon hoste par le pied d'vne main, & de l'autre
vn coing de glace que ie rencontre, & ie me iette en
sauueté, vn auec les deux autres, vn lourdaut deuient
habille homme en ces occasions: estant sorty du Canot,
ils l'enleuent par les deux bouts, & le mettent
en lieu d'asseurance: cela fait nous nous regardons
tous trois, & mon hoste reprenant son haleine, me
dit, nicanis khegat nipiacou, mon grand amy, nous
auons pensé mourir: il auoit encore horreur, de la
grandeur du peril. Il est vray que [324 i.e., 322]
s'il n'eust eu des bras de Geant (il est homme grand &
puissant) & vne industrie non commune, ny aux François
ny aux Sauuages, ou vne vague nous eust englouty,
ou le vent nous eust renuersé, ou vne glace
nous eust escrasé; disons plustost que si Dieu n'eust
esté nostre Nocher, les ondes qui battent les riues de
nostre demeure auroient esté nostre sepulchre. De
208
verité quiconque habite parmy ces peuples, peut bien
dire auec le Roy Prophete, anima mea in manibus meis
semper: depuis peu vn de nos François s'est noyé en
semblable occasion, & encore moindre, car il ny auoit
plus de glaces.
Having escaped this danger, we would have liked
to land; but an army of icebergs, summoned by the
raging wind, barred our entrance. So we went on as
far as the fort, coasting along the shores, and sought
in the darkness [323 i.e., 321] a little gleam of light
or a small opening among these masses of ice. My
host having perceived a rerin, or turn, which is at
the bottom of the fort, where the ice did not move,
as it was outside the current of wind, he turned away
with his paddle three or four dreadful masses of it
which he encountered, and dashed in. He leaped
quickly from the Canoe, fearing the return of the ice,
crying, Capatau, "Let us land;" the trouble was, that
the ice was so high and densely packed against the
bank, that it was all I could do to reach to the top of it
with my hands; I did not know what to take hold of to
pull myself out of the Canoe, and to climb up upon
these icy shores. With one hand I took hold of my
host's foot, and with the other seized a piece of ice
which happened to project, and threw myself into a
place of safety with the other two. A clumsy fellow
becomes agile on such occasions. All being out of
the Canoe, they seized it at both ends and placed it
in safety; and, when this was done, we all three
looked at each other, and my host, taking a long
breath, said to me, nicanis khegat nipiacou, "My good
friend, a little more, and we would have perished;"
he still felt horror over the gravity of our danger.
It is true that [324 i.e., 322] if he had not had the
arms of a Giant (he is a large and powerful man),
and an ingenuity uncommon among either Frenchmen
or Savages, either a wave would have swallowed
us up, or the wind would have upset us, or an iceberg
would have crushed us. Or rather let us say,
if God had not been our Pilot, the waves which beat
against the shores of our home would have been our
sepulchre. In truth, whoever dwells among these
people can say with the Prophet King, anima mea in manibus
meis semper. Only a little while ago one of our
Frenchmen was drowned, under like circumstances,
yet less dangerous, for there was no longer any ice.
Estant échappez de tant de périls, nous trauersâmes
nostre riuiere sur la glace, qui n'estoit point encore
partie; & sur les trois heures apres minuict, le Dimanche
de Pasques fleurie 9. d'Auril, ie r'entray dans
nostre petite maisonnette, Dieu sçait auec quelle ioye
de part & d'autre, ie trouuay la maison remplie de
paix & de benediction, tout le monde en bonne santé
par la grace de nostre Seigneur. Monsieur le Gouuerneur
sçachant mon retour, m'enuoya [323] deux
des principaux de nos François pour sçauoir de ma
santé, son affection nous est tres sensible; l'vn des
chefs de l'ancienne famille du pays accourut aussi
pour se resioüyr de mon retour, ils auoient connu par
le peu de neige qu'il y a eu cét Hiuer, moins rigoureux
que les autres, que les Sauuages & moy par consequent
estions pressez de la faim; c'est ce qui en resioüit
quelques-vns iusques aux larmes, me voyant
reschappé d'vn si grand danger; nostre Seigneur soit
beny dans les temps & dans l'eternité.
Having escaped so many perils, we crossed our
river on the ice, which was not yet broken; and
three hours after midnight, on Palm Sunday, April
9th, I reëntered our little house. God knows what
joy there was on both sides! I found the house
filled with peace and blessings, every one being in
good health, by the grace of our Lord. Monsieur
the Governor, learning of my return, sent to me
[323] two of our most prominent Frenchmen, to inquire
after my health. His affection for us is indeed
very evident. One of the heads of the old family in
the country5 also hastened to express his joy at my
return. They knew by the small amount of snow
that had fallen that Winter, which was less severe
than others, that the Savages, and consequently I,
would suffer greatly from famine; and hence some
even shed tears of joy at seeing me escaped from so
great a danger. Blessed be our Lord, in time and
in eternity.
I'ay bien voulu d'escrire ce voyage, pour faire voir
à V. R. les grands trauaux qu'il faut souffrir en la
suitte des Sauuages, mais ie supplie pour la derniere
fois ceux qui auroient enuie de les ayder, de ne point
prendre l'espouuente, non seulement pource que Dieu
se faict sentir plus puissamment dans la disette, &
dans les delaissements des creatures, mais aussi pource
qu'il ne sera plus de besoin de faire ces courses, quãd
on aura la connoissance des langues, & qu'on les aura
210
reduites en preceptes: I'ay rapporté quelques particularitez
[324] qui se pouuoient obmettre, i'en ay
passé beaucoup sous silence, qu'on auroit peu lire
auec plaisir, mais la crainte d'estre long, & mon peu
de loisir, me fait tomber dans le desordre; il est vray
que i'escris à vne personne, quæ ordinabit me charitatem,
les autres qui verront cette Relation par son entremise,
me feront la mesme faueur. Ie dirois volontiers
ces deux mots, à quiconque lira ces escrits, ama
& fac quod vis, retournons à nostre journal.
I wanted to describe this journey, to show Your
Reverence the great hardships that must be endured
in following the Savages; but I entreat, for the
last time, those who have any desire to help them
not to be frightened; not only because God makes
himself more powerfully felt in our time of need,
and in the helplessness of his creatures, but also because
it will no longer be necessary to make these
sojourns when we shall know their languages and
reduce them to rules. I have reported some details
[324] which might have been omitted; and have
passed over in silence much that would, perhaps, have
been read with pleasure; but the fear of being tedious,
and my little leisure, have caused some disorder
in my work. It is true that I am writing to a person,
quæ ordinabit me charitatem; and the others who
through his agency see this Relation will do me the
same favor. I feel like saying these two words to
whomsoever will read these writings, ama et fac quod
vis. Let us return to our journal.
Le 31. de May, arriua vne chalouppe de Tadoussac,
qui apportoit nouuelle que trois vaisseaux de Messieurs
les Associez estoient arriuez, deux estoient dans le
port, & le troisiéme au Moulin Baude, c'est vn lieu
proche de Tadoussac, que les François ont ainsi nommé:
on attendoit le quatriéme, dans lequel commandoit
Monsieur du Plessis, general de la flotte, qui vint
bien-tost apres, & loüa grandement le Capitaine Bontemps,
pour s'estre rendu fort recommandable en la
prise du nauire Anglois, dont i'ay parlé cy-dessus; si
tost que ces bonnes nouuelles furent portées à Mõsieur
de Champlain, comme il n'obmet [325] aucune occasion
de nous tesmoigner son affection, il nous en fit
donner aduis par homme exprés, nous enuoyans en
outre les lettres du R. P. Lallement qui m'escriuoit
qu'il estoit arriué auec N. F. Iean Ligeois en bonne
santé, & qu'au premier vent il seroit des nostres, il
est aisé à conjecturer auec quelle ioye nous benismes
& remerciasmes nostre Seigneur de ces bonnes & si
fauorables nouuelles; il arriua deux iours apres dans
la barque que commandoit Monsieur Castillon, qu'on
dit s'estre fort bien comporté en la prise de l'Anglois.
On the 31st of May, a shallop arrived from Tadoussac
which bore the news that three vessels of Messieurs
the Associates had arrived,—two being in that
port, and the third at Moulin Baude, a place near
Tadoussac, thus named by the French.6 They were
waiting for the fourth, commanded by Monsieur du
Plessis, general of the fleet, who came soon afterwards
and bestowed high praise upon Captain Bontemps
for having shown very meritorious conduct in
the capture of the English ship, of which I have spoken
above. As soon as this good news was brought to
Monsieur de Champlain, as he never omits [325] any
occasion to show his good will, he sent us tidings
thereof by a special messenger, sending us also the
letters of Reverend Father Lallement who wrote me
that he had arrived with Our Brother Jean Ligeois
in good health, and that the first breeze would bring
him to us.7 It is easy to guess with what joy we
blessed and thanked our Lord for this good and so
favorable news. He arrived two days later in the
bark commanded by Monsieur Castillon, who is said
to have done good work in the capture of the
English.
Le quatriéme iour de Iuin Feste de la Pentecoste le
212
Capitaine de Nesle arriua à Kebec, dans son vaisseau
estoit Mõsieur Giffard, & toute sa famille, composée
de plusieurs personnes qu'il ameine, pour habiter le
pays, sa femme s'est mõstrée fort courageuse à suiure
son mary: elle estoit enceinte quand elle s'embarqua;
ce qui luy faisoit apprehender ses couches, mais
nostre Seigneur la grandement fauorisée, car huict
iours apres son arriuée, sçauoir est le Dimanche de
la Saincte Trinité, elle s'est deliurée fort heureusement
d'vne fille qui se porte [326] fort bien, & que le Pere
Lallement baptisa le lendemain.
On the fourth day of June, the Feast of Pentecost,
Captain de Nesle arrived at Kebec; in his vessel was
Monsieur Giffard and his whole household, composed
of many persons, whom he brought to settle in this
country.8 His wife showed great courage in following
her husband; she was pregnant when she embarked,
which made her dread her accouchement;
but our Lord was wonderfully kind to her, for eight
days after her arrival, that is, on the Sunday of holy
Trinity, she was delivered happily of a daughter
who is doing [326] very well and whom Father Lallement
baptized the following day.
Le 24. du mesme mois, feste de S. Iean Baptiste,
le vaisseau de l'Anglois commandé par le Capitaine
de Lormel, monta iusques icy, & nous apporta le P.
Iacques Buteux en assez bonne santé, Monsieur le General
nous honorant de ses lettres, me manda que ce
bon Pere auoit esté fort malade pendant la trauersée,
& le Pere nous dit qu'il auoit esté secouru & assisté si
puissamment, & si charitablement de Monsieur le General
& de son Chirurgien, qu'il en restoit tout confus,
maintenant il se porte mieux que iamais il n'a
fait.
On the 24th of the same month, feast of St. John
the Baptist, the English ship, commanded by Captain
de Lormel, came up thus far, and brought us
Father Jacques Buteux9 in fairly good health. Monsieur
the General, honoring us with his letters, sent
me word that this good Father had been very sick
during the passage; the Father told us that he had
been so effectively nursed and assisted by Monsieur
the General and his Surgeon, that he felt overwhelmed
by their kindness; he feels better now than
ever before.10
Le premier de Iuillet le P. Breboeuf & le P. Daniel
partirent dans vne barque, pour s'en aller aux trois
Riuieres, au deuant des Hurons, la barque alloit commencer
vne nouuelle habitation en ce quartier là, le
P. Dauost qui estoit descendu de Tadoussac, pour
l'assistance de nos François, suiuit nos Peres trois
iours apres, en la compagnie de Monsieur le General,
qui se vouloit trouuer à la traite auec ces peuples.
Ils attendoient là quelque temps les Hurons, qui ne
sont point descendus en si grand nombre cette année
qu'à l'ordinaire, à raison que les Hiroquois estans aduertis
214
que cinq cens hommes de cette nation tiroient
en leur pays, pour leur faire la guerre, leurs allerent
au deuant au nombre de quinze cens dit on, & ayant
surpris ceux qui les vouloient surprendre: ils en ont
tué enuiron deux cens, & pris plus d'vne centaine de
prisonniers, dont Louys Amantacha est du nombre;
on disoit que son pere estoit mis à mort, mais le bruit
est maintenant qu'il s'est sauué des mains de l'ennemy.
On nous rapporte que ces Hiroquois [327] triomphans
ont renuoyé quelques Capitaines aux Hurons
pour traitter de paix, retenans par deuers eux
les plus apparens, apres auoir cruellement massacré
les autres.
On the first of July, Father Brebœuf and Father
Daniel left in a bark to go to three Rivers, there to
wait for the Hurons. This bark was destined to begin
a new settlement in that quarter. Father Davost, who
had come down from Tadoussac for the assistance of
our French, followed our Fathers three days later in
company with Monsieur the General, who wanted to
meet these people at the trading post.11 They waited
there some time for the Hurons, who did not come
down in so great numbers this year as usual; because
the Hiroquois, having been informed that five hundred
men of this nation were moving toward their
country to make war upon them, themselves went on
ahead to the number of fifteen hundred, it is said;
and, having surprised those who were to surprise
them, they killed about two hundred of them, and
took more than one hundred prisoners, Louys Amantacha12
being one of the number. They said his
father was put to death, but the report is now that he
escaped the hands of the enemy. We were told that
these triumphant [327] Hiroquois sent some Captains
to the Hurons to treat for peace, retaining the most
prominent ones in their possession after having cruelly
massacred the others.
Cette perte a esté cause que les Hurons sont venus
en petites trouppes, au commencement ils ne sont
descendus que sept Canots: Le Pere Brebœuf en
ayant eu nouuelle, les aborde, & fait tout ce qu'il
peut pour les engager à le receuoir, & ses compagnons,
& les porter en leur pays, ils s'y accordent volontiers.
Là dessus [328] vn Capitaine Algonquain,
nommé la Perdrix, qui demeure en ville, fit vne harangue,
par laquelle il recommandoit qu'on n'embarquast
aucun François: Voila les Hurons qui doiuent
passer par le pays de ce Capitaine, à leur retour entierement
refroidis: sur ces entrefaites arriue Monsieur
du Plessis, tout cecy se passoit en vn lieu nommé
les trois Riuieres, trente lieuës plus haut que Kebec;
comme il desiroit ardemment que nos Peres penetrassent
dans ces nations, il fit assembler les Algonquains
en Conseil, notamment ce Capitaine, pour luy
faire rendre raison de sa deffence; il en apporte plusieurs,
on luy satisfaict sur le chãp, il insistoit, comme
ie le conjecture, des lettres du Pere Brebœuf, sur le
216
desordre qui arriueroit, au cas que quelque François
mourut aux Hurons; on luy repart que les Peres
n'estans point en son pays, la paix entre les François,
& ses Compatriotes, ne seroit point rompue, quoy
qu'ils mourussent d'vne mort naturelle ou violente.
Voila les Algonquains contents: mais les Hurons
commencerent à s'excuser sur leur [329] petit nombre,
qui ne sçauroit passer tant de François sur la petitesse
de leurs Canots, & sur leurs maladies; en vn mot ils
eussent bien voulu embarquer quelques François bien
armez, mais non pas de ces longues robbes, qui ne
portent point d'arquebuses. Monsieur du Plessis
presse tant qu'il peut, prent nostre cause en main, on
trouue place pour quelques vns; vn certain Sauuage
s'adresse au Pere, & luy dit, fais moy traiter mon petun
pour de la porcelaine, & mon Canot estant deschargé;
ie prendray vn François, le Pere n'en auoit
point, mais Monsieur du Plessis sçachãt cela, & Monsieur
de l'Espinay acheterent ce petun; voila donc
place pour six personnes, quand se vint à s'embarquer,
les Sauuages qui estoient malades en effect,
disent qu'ils n'en sçauroient porter que trois, deux
ieunes hommes Frãçois, & vn Pere; les Peres promettẽt
qu'ils rameront, ils font des presents, Monsieur
du Plessis en fait aussi, insiste tant qu'il peut, ils
n'en veulent point receuoir dauantage.
This loss caused the Hurons to come in small
bands, only seven Canoes coming down at first.
When Father Brebœuf heard of their arrival, he
went to them, and did all he could to make them
promise to receive him and his companions, and take
them to their country; this they willingly granted.
Thereupon [328] an Algonquain Captain, called the
Partridge, who lives in the town, made a speech
recommending them not to take any Frenchmen on
board. Now these Hurons, who had to pass through
the country of this Captain on their return, became
very cold, and at this point Monsieur du Plessis arrived.
All this had occurred at a place called the
three Rivers, thirty leagues farther up the river than
Kebec. As he was very anxious to have our Fathers
penetrate into these nations, he had the Algonquains
assembled in Council, especially this Captain, to have
him explain the reason of his opposition. He brought
forth several arguments, which they answered for
him at once; he dwelt, as I judge from Father Brebœuf's
letters, upon the trouble that would occur in
case some Frenchman should die among the Hurons.
He was told that, as the Fathers would not be in his
country, the peace between the French and his Compatriots
would not be disturbed, whether their death
were a natural or a violent one. So now the Algonquains
were satisfied; but the Hurons began to excuse
themselves on account of the [329] small number
of their men, who could not carry so many Frenchmen;
also on account of their small Canoes and the
presence of sickness among them. In a word, they
would have been very willing to take on board some
Frenchmen who were well armed; but they did not
want these long robes, who carried no guns. Monsieur
du Plessis became urgent, pressing our cause
with all the power he had; they find a place for a
few. A certain Savage, addressing the Father, said,
"Arrange for me to trade my tobacco for porcelain;
and, my Canoe being unloaded, I will take one
Frenchman." The Father had none of this; but,
when Monsieur du Plessis and Monsieur de l'Espinay5
heard of it, they bought his tobacco, and this
made a place for six persons. When they came to
embark, the Savages, who were, in fact, sick, said
they could not carry more than three,—two young
Frenchmen, and one Father. The Fathers promised
that they would paddle; they made presents, and Monsieur
du Plessis made some also and urged them as
strongly as he could; they would not receive any
more.
Le Pere Brebœuf a recours à Dieu, [330] voicy
comme il parle en sa lettre: Iamais ie ne veys embarquement
tant balotté & plus trauersé par les menées,
comme ie croy de l'ennemy commun du salut des
hommes, c'est vn coup du Ciel que nous soyons passé
outre, & en effect du pouuoir du Glorieux sainct Ioseph,
auquel Dieu m'inspira dans le desespoir de
218
toutes choses, de promettre 20. sacrifices en son honneur;
ce veu fait, le Sauuage qui auoit embarqué Petit
Pré, l'vn de nos François, le quitta pour me
prendre, veu mesme que Monsieur du Plessis insistoit
fort que cela se fist. Et ainsi le Pere Brebœuf, le
Pere Daniel, & vn ieune homme nommé le Baron,
furent acceptez de ces Barbares qui les portent en
leur pays dans des Canots d'escorce. Restoient le
Pere Dauost, & cinq de nos François, ne demandez
pas si le Pere estoit triste: voyant partir ses compagnons
sans luy, & sans quasi rien porter des choses
necessaires pour leur vie, & pour leurs habits: De verité
ils ont monstré qu'ils auoient vn grand cœur! car
le desir d'entrer dans le pays de la Croix, leur fit quitter
leur petit bagage, pour ne point chercher [331]
leurs Sauuages qui se trouuoient mal, se contentants
des ornements de l'Autel, & se confiant du reste en
la prouidence de nostre Seigneur, leur depart de trois
Riuieres fut si precipité, qu'ils ne peurent pas nous
rescrire: mais estant arriuez au lõg Sault, à quelque
quatre vingts lieuës de Kebec, & rencontrant des Hurons
qui descendoient, ils nous enuoyerent quelques
lettres, dans l'vne desquelles le Pere Brebœuf ayant
raconté les difficultez de son embarquement, parle
ainsi: Ie prie V. R. de remercier, mais de bonne façon
Monsieur du Plessis, auquel apres Dieu nous deuons
grandement en nostre embarquement: car outre
les presents qu'il a fait aux Sauuages, tant publics que
particuliers, & la Porcelaine qu'il a traittée, il a tenu
autant de conseils que nous auons desiré, il nous a fourny
de viures au depart, & nous a honorez de plusieurs
coups de Canon; & le tout auec vn grand soing &
vn tesmoignage d'vne tres-particuliere affection.
Father Brebœuf has recourse to God; [330] this is
the way he speaks of it in his letter: "Never did I
see an embarkation about which there was so much
quibbling and opposition, through the tactics, as I believe,
of the common enemy of man's salvation. It
was by a Providential chance that we were taken, and
through the power of the Glorious saint Joseph, to
whom God inspired me to offer, in my despair of all
things, the promise of 20 masses in his honor. After
this vow was made, the Savage who had taken
on board Petit Pré, one of our Frenchmen, gave him
up to receive me, especially as Monsieur du Plessis
insisted strongly that this should be done." And
thus Father Brebœuf, Father Daniel, and a young
man named le Baron were accepted by these Barbarians,
who carried them into their country in bark Canoes.
There remained Father Davost and five of our
Frenchmen. Do not ask if the Father was sad at
thus seeing his companions depart without him, almost
without taking the necessaries of life, or their
clothing. In truth, they have shown that they possess
a generous heart! For the desire to go into the
country of the Cross made them leave their little baggage,
in order not to irritate [331] their Savages, who
were ill, contenting themselves merely with the Altar
ornaments, and trusting the rest to the providence
of our Lord. Their departure from three Rivers was
so hurried that they could not write to us; but when
they reached the long Sault, some twenty-four leagues
from Kebec, they encountered some Hurons who
were coming down the river, and sent us letters, in
one of which Father Brebœuf, having recounted the
difficulties of his embarkation, speaks thus: "I beg
Your Reverence to express our warmest thanks to
Monsieur du Plessis, to whom, after God, we are
greatly indebted for our embarkation. For—besides
the presents he made to the Savages, publicly and
privately, and the Porcelain he traded—he held as
many councils as we desired, furnished us with provisions
at our departure, and honored us with several
Cannon salutes; and all with great care, and an appearance
of very special interest in us."
220
Nous nous en allons à petites iournées bien sains,
quand à nous, mais nos Sauuages sont tous malades,
nous ramons [332] continuellement, & ce d'autant
plus que nos gens sont malades pour Dieu & pour les
ames racheptés du sang du Fils de Dieu, que ne
faut-il faire! tous nos Sauuages sõt tres-cõtents de
nous, & ne voudroiẽt pas en auoir embarqué d'autres;
ils disent tant de biẽ de nous à ceux qu'ils rẽcõtrent,
qu'ils leurs persuadent de n'en embarquer point
d'autres, Dieu soit beny. V. R. excuse à l'escriture
& l'ordre, & le tout: nous partons si matin, gistons si
tard, & ramons si continuellement, que nous n'auons
quasi pas le loisir de satisfaire à nos prieres; de sorte
qu'il m'a fallu acheuer la presente à la lueur du feu,
ce sont les propres paroles du Pere, qui adjouste en
vn autre endroit, que les peuples par où ils passent
sont quasi tous malades, & meurent en grand nombre.
Il y a eu quelque espece d'Epidimie cette année, qui
s'est mesme communiquée aux François, mais Dieu
mercy personne n'en est mort, c'estoit vne façon de
rougeolle, & vne oppression d'estomach; reuenons
aux trois Riuieres.
"We are going on by short stages, quite well, as
far as we are concerned; but our Savages are all sick.
We paddle [332] all the time, and do this the more
because our people are sick. What ought not to be
done for God, and for souls redeemed by the blood
of the son of God! All our Savages are very much
pleased with us, and would not have cared to take
others on board; they speak well of us to those whom
they meet, persuading them not to embark any others.
God be praised! Your Reverence will excuse
this writing, order and all; we start so early in the
morning, and lie down so late, and paddle so continually,
that we hardly have time enough to devote to our
prayers; indeed, I have been obliged to finish this by
the light of the fire." These are the exact words of
the Father, who adds in another place that the people
of the countries through which they pass are nearly
all sick, and are dying in great numbers. There has
been a sort of Epidemic this year, which has even
been communicated to the French; but, thank God,
no one has died of it; it is a sort of measles, and an
oppression of the stomach. Let us return to three
Rivers.
Ceux qui attendoient quelque autre occasion pour
s'embarquer, furent consolez [333] par la venuë de
trois Canots, dans lesquels Monsieur du Plessis fit embarquer
le Pere Dauost, & deux de nos François, auec
vne vigilance incomparable, comme m'escrit le Pere.
A quelque temps de là vindrent encore d'autres Hurons,
il plaça dans leurs Canots & hommes & bagage;
en vn mot tout ce qui restoit, si bien que trois
de nos Peres, & six de nos François, sont montez aux
Hurons.
Those who were awaiting some other occasion to
embark were consoled [333] by the coming of three
Canoes, in which Monsieur du Plëssis had Father
Davost and two of our Frenchmen embark, looking
out for their interests with wonderful care, as the Father
writes me. A short time after this, other Hurons
came; and he placed in their Canoes both men
and baggage, in a word, all that remained. So that
three of our Fathers and six of our Frenchmen have
gone up to the Hurons.
Ils ont trois cents lieuës à faire dans des chemins
222
qui font horreur à en ouyr parler les Hurons, auec
lesquels ils vous cachent de deux iours en deux iours
de leur farine pour manger au retour, il n'y a point
d'autres hostelleries que ces cachettes, s'ils manquent
à les retrouuer, ou si quelqu'vn les desrobe, car ils
sont larrons au dernier point, il se faut passer de
manger, s'ils les retrouuent; ils ne font pas pour cela
grande chere, le matin ils detrempent vn peu de cette
farine auec de l'eau, & chacun en mange enuiron vne
ecuellée; là dessus ils ioüent de leur auiron tout le
iour & sur la nuit: ils mangent comme [334] au point
du iour, c'est la vie que doiuent mener nos Peres
iusques à ce qu'ils soient arriués au païs de ces barbares,
où estants, ils se feront bastir vne maison d'escorce,
dans laquelle ils viuront du bled & de farine
d'inde, de poisson en certain temps: pour la chair,
comme il n'y a point de chasse ou ils sont, ils n'en
mangent pas six fois l'an, s'ils ne veulent manger
leurs chiens, comme fait le peuple qui en nourrit,
comme on fait des moutons en Frãce; leur boisson
c'est de l'eau. Voila les delices du païs, pour les
sains & pour les malades, le pain, le vin, les diuerses
sortes de viandes, les fruits, & mille raffraichissements
qui sõt en France, ne sont point encore entrés dans ces contrées.
They have three hundred leagues to make over a
route full of horrors, as it is described by the Hurons;
on their way down, they hide meal every two
days, to eat on their return, and these hiding-places
are the only hotels they have. If they fail to find
them, or if some one robs them, for they are the
worst kind of thieves, they must get along without
eating. If they do find their provisions, they cannot
feast very sumptuously upon them. In the morning
they mix a little of this meal with water, and each
one eats about a bowlful of it; upon this they ply
their paddles all day, and at nightfall they eat as [334]
they did at break of day. This is the kind of life
that our Fathers must lead until they reach the
country of these barbarians. When they arrive, they
will build themselves a bark house, and there they
will live on wheat, and cornmeal, and, in certain
seasons, on fish. As for meat, there being no hunting
where they are, they will not eat it six times a
year, unless they eat their dogs, as the people do,
who raise these animals as they do sheep in France;
their drink will be water. So these are the delicacies
of the country for well people and sick,—bread,
wine, different kinds of meat, fruit, and a thousand
refreshing viands found in France not yet having
been introduced into these countries.
La mõnoye dõt ils acheteront leurs viures, leur
bois, leur maisõ d'écorce, & autres necessités, sont des
petits canons ou tuiaux de verre, des couteaux, des
alesnes, des castelognes, des chaudieres, des haches:
& choses semblables, c'est l'argent qu'il faut porter
auec soy: si la paix se fait entre les Hurons, & les
Hiroquois, ie preuoy vne grande porte ouuerte à l'Euangile,
[33 i.e., 335] nous disons alors auec ioye &
224
auec tristesse messis, quidem multa operarij vero pauci:
car on ver[r]a la disette de personnes qui entendent les
langues. I'apprend qu'en 25 ou 30 lieuës de pays
qu'occupent les Hurons, d'autres en mettent bien
moins; il se trouue plus de trente mille ames, la nation
neutre est bien plus peuplée, les Hiroquois le
sont grandement, les Algonquains ont vn pays de
fort grande estenduë. Ie ne souhaitterois maintenant
que cinq ou six de nos Peres en chaqu'vne de ces nations,
& cependant ie n'oserois les demander quoy
que pour vn qu'on desire, il s'en presente dix toute
prests de mourir dans ces trois: mais i'apprend que
tout ce que nous auons en France pour cette mission
est peu: comme donc prendrons nous les enfans, notamment
de ces nations peuplées, pour les nourrir &
les instruire, las! faut il que les biens de la terre,
empeschent les biens du Ciel! que n'auons nous tant
seulement les mies de pain qui tombent de la table
des riches du monde, pour donner à ces petits enfans!
Ie ne me plains [336] point, ie ne demande
rien à qui que ce soit: mais ie ne puis tenir mes sentiments,
quand ie voy que la fange (que sont autres
choses les biens d'icy bas) empesche que Dieu ne soit
conneu & adoré de ces peuples. Et si quelqu'vn
trouue estrange que ie parle en cette sorte, qu'il
vienne, qu'il ouure les yeux, qu'ils voyent ces peuples
crier apres le pain de la parole de Dieu, & s'il n'est
touché de compassion, & s'il ne crie plus haut que
moy, ie me condam[ne]ray à vn perpetuel silence.
The money with which they will buy their food,
wood, bark house, and other necessaries, is little beads
or tubes of glass, knives, awls, blankets, kettles, hatchets,
and similar things; this is the money they
must carry with them. If peace is negotiated between
the Hurons and Hiroquois, I foresee a splendid
opening for the Gospel. [33 i.e., 335] We can
say then with joy and with sadness, messis, quidem
multa operarii vero pauci, for we shall see few persons
who understand these languages. I learn that
in the 25 or 30 leagues of country which the Hurons
occupy,—others estimate it at much less,—there are
more than thirty thousand souls. The neutral nation
is much more populous, the Hiroquois largely so, and
the Algonquains have a country of very great extent.
I would like to have now only five or six of our Fathers
in each of these nations; and yet I would not
dare to ask for them, although for one that we desire
ten would volunteer, all ready to die in these countries.
But I learn that all we have in France for this
mission is little; how then shall we take the children,
especially those of these populous nations, to maintain
and instruct them? Alas, must it be that the
goods of this world are a barrier to the blessings of
Heaven? Oh, that we had only the crumbs of bread
that fall from the tables of the rich of the world, to
give to these little children! I do not [336] complain,
I ask nothing from any one whomsoever; but I cannot
restrain my emotion when I see that dirt (for
what else is wealth here below?) prevents these
people from knowing and adoring God. And if any
one thinks it strange that I speak in this way, let
him come, let him open his eyes, let him see these
people crying for the bread of the word of God; and,
if he is not touched with compassion, and if he does
not cry louder than I do, I will condemn myself to
perpetual silence.
Le troisiesme d'Aoust Monsieur de Champlain retournant
des trois Riuieres où il estoit allé apres le
depart de nos Peres, nous dit qu'vn truchement François
pour la nation Algonquine venant d'auec les
226
Hurons, auoit rapporté nouuelle que le Pere Brebeuf
souffroit grãdement, que ses Sauuages estoient malades,
qu'il ramoit incessamment pour les soulager:
que le Pere Daniel estoit mort de faim, où en grand
danger d'en mourir, à raison que les Sauuages qui
l'ont embarqué quittans le chemin ordinaire où ils
auoient faict les chaches [337] de leurs viures, auoient
tiré dans les bois, esperant trouuer vne certaine nation
qui leur dõneroit à manger, mais n'ayant point
trouué ce peuple errant qui s'estoit transporté ailleurs,
on conjecture qu'ils sont tous, Sauuages &
François en danger de mort; veu mesmement qu'il
n'y a point de chasse en ce quartier là, & que la pluspart
de ces Barbares sont malades, Dieu soit beny de
tout. Ceux qui meurent allants au martyre, ne
laissent pas d'estre martyrs. Quand au Pere Dauost,
il se porte bien; mais les Sauuages qui le menent
luy ont desrobé vne partie de son bagage; i'ay desia
dit qu'estre Huron & Larron, ce n'est qu'vne mesme
chose; voila ce qu'a rapporté ce truchement. Les
Peres nous escrirons l'an qui vient, s'il plaist à Dieu,
toutes les particularitez de leur voyage, nous ne
sçaurions pas auoir de leurs nouuelles deuant ce
temps-là: si leur petit equipage est perdu ou volé, ils
sont pour beaucoup endurer en ces contrée[s], si esloignées
de tout secours.
On the third of August, Monsieur de Champlain,
having returned from three Rivers, where he had
gone after the departure of our Fathers, told us that
a French interpreter for the Algonquin nation had
come from the Hurons and brought the tidings that
Father Brebeuf was suffering greatly; that his Savages
were sick, and that he had to paddle continually,
to relieve them; that Father Daniel had died of
starvation, or was in great danger of dying, because
the Savages who had taken him on board had left the
usual route, where they had hidden [337] their food,
and had turned off into the woods, hoping to find a
certain tribe who would give them something to
eat; but, not having found these wandering people,
who had gone to some other place, they supposed
that they all, Savages and French, were in danger
of death, especially as there is no game in that quarter,
and as the greater part of these Barbarians are
sick. God be praised for all. Those who die on the
way to martyrdom are surely martyrs. As to Father
Davost, he is getting along very well, but the Savages
who are taking him have stolen part of his baggage;
I have already said that to be a Huron, and to
be a Thief, is one and the same thing. So much for
what this interpreter reported. The Fathers will
write us next year, please God, all the particulars of
their journey; but we cannot have news from them
before that time. If their little outfit is lost or stolen,
they will have to endure a great deal in those
countries, so far from all help.
Le quatrième, Monsieur du Plessis descendit des
trois Riuieres comme ie [338] l'allay saluër, il me dit
qu'il nous amenoit vn petit Sauuage orphelin, nous
en faisant present, pour luy seruir de pere; si tost
qu'on aura moyen de recueillir ces pauures enfans,
on en pourra auoir quelque nombre, qui seruiront
par apres à la conuersion de leurs Compatriottes. Il
228
nous dit encore qu'on trauailloit fort & ferme au lieu
nommé les trois Riuieres, si bien que nos François
ont maintenant trois habitations sur le grand fleuue
de sainct Laurens, vne à Kebec fortifiée de nouueau,
l'autre à quinze lieuës plus haut dans l'Isle de saincte
Croix, où Monsieur de Champlain a faict bastir le fort
de Richelieu. La troisiéme demeure se bastit aux
trois Riuieres, quinze autres lieuës plus haut, c'est à
dire a trente lieuës de Kebec. Incontinent apres le
depart des vaisseaux, le Pere Iacques Buteux & moy
irons là demeurer pour assister nos François, les nouuelles
habitations estant ordinairement dangereuses,
ie n'ay pas veu qu'il fut à propos d'y exposer le Pere
Charles Lallemant, ny autres, le Pere Buteux y vient
auec moy [339] pour estudier à la langue.
On the fourth, Monsieur du Plessis came down
from three Rivers. As I [338] went to greet him, he
told me that he had brought us a little orphan Savage,
making a present of him to us, to take the place
of his father. As soon as we shall have the means
for gathering in these poor children, we shall have a
number of them who will afterwards serve in the
conversion of their Compatriots. He also told us
that they were working with might and main in the
place called the three Rivers; so, indeed, our French
now have three settlements upon the great river
saint Lawrence,—one at Kebec, newly fortified; another
fifteen leagues farther up the river, on the Island
of sainte Croix, where Monsieur de Champlain
has had fort Richelieu built;13 the third colony is being
established at three Rivers, fifteen leagues still
higher up the river, that is to say thirty leagues from
Kebec. Immediately after the departure of the vessels,
Father Jacques Buteux and I will go there to
live, to assist our French. As new settlements are
usually dangerous, it has not seemed to me proper to
expose Father Charles Lallemant or others there.
Father Buteux goes there with me [339] to study the
language.
V. R. connoistra maintenant, que la crainte qu'ont
eu quelques vns que l'estranger ne vint vne autre
fois rauager le pays, & empescher la conuersion de
ces pauures Barbares n'est pas bien fondée; puis que
les familles s'habituent icy, puis qu'on y bastit des
forts & des demeures en plusieurs endroits, & que
Monseigneur le Cardinal fauorise cette entreprise
honorable deuant Dieu, & deuant les hommes. Cet
esprit capable d'animer quatre corps, à ce que i'apprend,
void de bien loing, ie le confesse, mais i'ay
quelque creance, qu'il n'attend point de nos Sauuages
qui entendent la parole de Dieu, & les veritez du
Ciel par son entremise, car c'est luy qui nous a honorez
de ses cõmandements; nous renuoyant en ces contrées
auec la bien-veillance de Messieurs les Associez:
Ie croy, dis-je, qu'il n'attend point de cette vigne,
qu'il arrouse de ses soings les fruicts qu'elle luy presentera
en terre, & qu'il les goustera vn iour dedans
230
les Cieux. Pleust à Dieu qu'il veist cinq ou six cens
Hurons, hommes [340] grands, forts, & bien faits,
prester l'oreille aux bonnes nouuelles de l'Euangile
qu'on leur va porter cette année: Ie me figure qu'il
honoreroit par fois la nouuelle France d'vn de ses regards,
& que cette veuë luy donneroit autant de contentement,
que ces grandes actions dont il remplit
l'Europe; car de procurer que le sang de Iesus-Christ
soit appliqué aux ames pour lesquelles il est
respandu, c'est vne gloire peu connuë des hommes,
mais enuiée des grandes intelligences du Ciel & de
la terre.
Your Reverence will now see that the fear some
people had that the foreigner would again come to
ravage the country, and prevent the conversion of
these poor Barbarians, is not well founded; since
households have been established here, since forts
and dwellings are being built in several places, and as
Monseigneur the Cardinal favors this enterprise, honorable
in the eyes of God and of man. That mind,—capable
of animating four bodies, according to what
I have heard,—sees far indeed, I confess; but I am
of the opinion that he does not expect from our Savages,
who hear the word of God and the truths
of Heaven through his agency,—for it is he who
has honored us with his commands, sending us again
into these countries under the care of Messieurs the
Associates,—I believe, I say, that he does not expect
from this vine, which he waters with his care, the
fruits which it will bear for him on earth, and which
he will enjoy one day in Heaven. God grant that he
may see five or six hundred Hurons,—large, [340]
strong, well-made men,—ready to listen to the good
news of the Gospel which is being carried to them
this year. I imagine that he would honor occasionally
new France by a look, and that this glance would
give him as much satisfaction as those great deeds
with which he is filling Europe; but to cause the
blood of Jesus Christ to be applied to the souls for
whom it was shed, is a glory little known among
men, but longed for by the great powers of Heaven
and earth.
Il est temps de sonner la retraitte, les vaisseaux
sont prests à partir, & cependant ie n'ay pas encore
releu ny interponctué cette grãde Relation, qui peut
suffir pour trois années: V. R. iugera par la necessité
que i'ay eu d'emprunter la main d'autruy, pour luy
escrire que ie n'ay pas tout le loisir que ie pourrois
desirer. Ie ne sçay cõme cela se fait, que les nouuelles
s'escriuent tousiours auec empressement, aussi
n'y recherche-on pas tant de politesse que la verité &
la naïfueté, mon cœur a plus parlé que mes lettres, &
n'estoit la pensée que i'ay, [341] qu'en escriuant à vne
personne, ie parle à plusieurs, il se respandroit bien
dauantage.
It is time to sound the retreat; the vessels are
ready to depart, and still I have not yet read over
nor repunctuated this long Relation, which ought to
be enough for three years. Your Reverence will understand,
through the necessity that has obliged me
to borrow the hand of another to write to you, that
I have not all the leisure I could desire. I do not
know how it happens that news is always written in
haste. Let no one seek herein elegance, so much
as truth and simplicity; my heart has spoken more
than my lips, and were it not for the feeling I have
[341] that, in writing to one person, I speak to many,
it would overflow still more.
Encore ce mot, puisque V. R. nous ayme si tendrement,
& que ses soins nous viennent si puissamment
secourir iusques au bout du mõde, dõnez nous, mon
R. P. s'il vous plaist des personnes capables d'apprendre
les langues, nous pensions nous y appliquer,
cette année, le Pere Lallemant, le Pere Buteux & moy,
cette nouuelle habitation nous separe. Qui sçait si
le Pere Daniel est encore en vie? & si le Pere Dauost
232
arriuera auec les Hurons: car ses Sauuages ayans
commencé à le derober, luy pourront bien iouër
vn autre plus mauuais traict. Depuis la mort d'vn
pauure miserable François massacré aux Hurons,
on a découuert que ces Barbares auoiẽt fait noyer le
R. P. Nicolas Recolect, tenu pour vn grand homme
de bien; tout cecy nous fait voir qu'il est besoing de
tenir icy le plus de Peres qu'on pourra; car si par exemple
le Pere Brebœuf & moy venions à mourir, tout
le peu que nous sçauons de la langue Huronne [342]
& Montagnaise se perdroit, & ainsi ce seroit tousiours
à recommencer & à retarder le fruict que l'on desire
recueillir de cette Mission, Dieu suscitera des personnes
qui auront compassion de tant d'ames, secourãs
ceux qui les viennent chercher parmy tant de dangers;
c'est en luy que nous remercions tous V. R. de
son affection si cordiale, & de son assistance, la suppliant
tres-humblement de se souuenir à l'Autel & à
l'Oratoire de ses enfans, & de ses subjets, notamment
de celuy qui en a plus de besoin; lequel se dira
confidemment ce qu'il est de tout son cœur.
Mon R. PERE.
Vostre tres-humble & tres-obeïssant
seruiteur en N. S. Iesvs-Christ.
PAVL LE IEVNE.
De la petite Maison de
N. Dame des Anges,
en la Nouuelle
France, ce 7, d'Aoust
1634.
V. R. Nous permettera, s'il luy plaist, d'implorer prieres
de tous nos Peres, & de tous nos freres de sa Prouince.
Nostre grand secours doit venir du Ciel.
One word more. Since Your Reverence loves us
so tenderly, and your kind care reaches out so effectively
to help us, even to the ends of the earth, give
us, my Reverend Father, if you please, persons capable
of learning these languages. We intended to
apply ourselves to this work this year, Father Lallemant,
Father Buteux, and I; but this new settlement
separates us. Who knows whether Father Daniel is
still living, whether Father Davost will reach the
Hurons? For, as his Savages have begun to rob
him, they may truly play a still worse game upon
him. Since the death of a poor unhappy Frenchman,
murdered by the Hurons, it has been discovered
that these Barbarians caused the drowning of
Reverend Father Nicolas, Recolect, considered a very
worthy man.14 All this convinces us that we must
retain here as many of our Fathers as we can; because
if, for example, Father Brebœuf and I should
happen to die, all the little we know of the Huron
[342] and Montagnais languages would be lost; and
thus they would always be beginning over again, and
retarding the fruits that they wish to gather from this
Mission. God will raise up persons who will have
pity upon so many souls, and who will succor those
who come to seek them in the midst of so many dangers.
It is he whom we thank for Your Reverence's
so cordial affection and assistance, very humbly supplicating
you to remember at the Altar and at the
Oratory your children and subjects,—especially the
one who is most in need of it, who will sign himself
confidently and from the depths of his heart, what
he is,
My REVEREND FATHER,
Your very humble and very obedient
servant in Our Lord Jesus Christ,
PAUL LE JEUNE.
From the little house
of N. Dame des Anges,
in New France,
this 7th of August,
1634.
Your Reverence will permit Us, if you please, to implore
the prayers of all our Fathers, and of all our brothers of
your Province. Our great help must come from Heaven.
