Volume 5 — [3] Relation of what occurred in New France in the year 1633. (continued 3)

Nous finissons par le Pater noster que i'ay composé, quasi en rimes en leur langue, que ie leur fais chanter: & pour derniere conclusion, ie leur fais donner chacun vne escuellée de pois qu'ils mangent de bon appetit: quand ils sont beaucoup, i'en donne seulement à ceux qui ont bien respondu. C'est vn plaisir de les entendre chanter dans les bois ce qu'ils ont appris: les femmes mesme le chantent, & me viennent par fois escouter par la fenestre de ma classe, qui nous sert aussi de refectoir, de despense, de tout. I'estois prest d'aller par les cabanes assembler tous les enfans, mais la venuë de mõsieur Champlain qui nous a amené du monde, m'occuppe pour quelque temps: si tost que ie me seray dégagé de la plus grande presse, ie commenceray [113] cét exercice, ie prie Dieu, pour lequel ie l'entreprens, de le benir.

We finish with a Pater noster that I have composed almost in rhyme, in their language, which I have them sing; and, in conclusion, I have each one of them given a bowlful of peas, which they enjoy very much. When there are many of them, I give only to those who have answered well. It is a pleasure to hear them sing in the woods what they have learned. The women sing also, and come occasionally to listen at the windows of my class room, which serves also as a refectory, pantry, and everything else. I was ready to go to the cabins, to gather in all the children; but the arrival of monsieur Champlain, who brought us some visitors, occupied me for some time. As soon as I am freed from the more pressing duties, I shall again take up [113] this work, praying God, for whom I do it, to bless what I am about to undertake.

Mes escoliers me viennent trouuer d'vne demie lieuë loing pour apprendre ce qui leur est nouueau: il y en a desia quelques-vns qui scauent fort bien qu'il n'y a qu'vn Dieu, que Dieu a tout faict, qu'il s'est faict hõme pour nous, qu'il luy faut obeïr, & que ceux qui ne croiront pas en luy iront dans les feux, & ceux qui luy obeïront iront dans le ciel.

My pupils come to me from a distance of half a league to learn what is so new to them. A number of them know already that there is but one God, that God made all; that he made himself man for us; that we must obey him; and that those who do not believe in him will go into the fire, and that those who obey him will go to heaven.

Quand ie leur parle du Fils de Dieu, ils me demandent si Dieu est marié, puis qu'il a vn fils; ce sont les hommes qui font ceste question. Ils s'estonnent quand ie leur dis que Dieu n'est ny homme ny femme: ils demandent comme il est donc fait: ie responds qu'il n'a ny chair, ny os, qu'il ressemble à l'ame. Il y en eut vn qui me fit rire, car il repartit; il est [114] vray, l'ame n'a point d'os, ny de chair, l'ay veu la mienne, elle n'en auoit point; ie voulus l'instruire là dessus, mais ils n'ont point de paroles pour signifier vne chose puremẽt spirituelle, ou s'ils en ont ie ne les scay pas. Ie ne vay encore qu'à tastõs, & ce qui me donne plus de regret ne les pouuant entendre, c'est que ie preuoy bien que mon ignorance sera de longue durée, tãt pour ce qu'ils n'arrestẽt point en vn lieu, que pour-autant que mes soings vont estre plus partagez qu'ils n'estoient. Dieu pouruoira à tout, il est plus grand que nostre cœur.

When I talk to them about the son of God, they ask me if God is married, as he has a son. It is the men that ask that question. They are astonished when I tell them that God is neither a man nor a woman, they ask how he is made then; I answer that he has neither flesh nor bones, and that he is like the soul. One of them made me laugh, for he replied: "It is [114] true the soul has neither bones nor flesh, I saw mine, and it had neither." I wished to instruct him thereupon; but they have no words to express the purely spiritual ideas, or, if they have, I do not know them. Thus far, I am only feeling my way; and what causes me the most regret is that, not being able to understand them, I perceive that my ignorance will be of long duration, inasmuch as they do not remain long in one locality, and because my cares are going to be more numerous than they have been. God will provide for all; he is greater than our courage.

Au reste le fruict qu'on peut recueillir de ceste mission sera grand, s'il plaist à Dieu: Si les Peres qui sont destinez pour les Hurons, natiõ stable, peuuent entrer dans le pays; & que les guerres ne troublent point ces peuples: il est croyable que dans [115] vne couple d'années, on verra qu'il n'y a nation si barbare qui ne soit capable de recognoistre & honorer son Dieu. On s'estonne que depuis tant d'années qu'on viẽt en la Nouuelle France, on n'entend rien dire de la conuersion des Sauuages, il faut défricher, labourer, & semer, deuant que de receuillir. Qui des Religieux qui ont esté icy a iamais sçeu parfaitement la langue d'aucune nation de ces contrées? fides ex auditu, la foy entre par l'aureille. Comment peut vn muet prescher l'Euangile? Au temps que le Pere Brebeuf commençoit à se faire entendre, la venuë des Anglois le contraint de quitter ces pauures peuples, que luy dirent à son depart: Escoute, Tu nous as dit que tu auois vn Pere au Ciel qui auoit tout fait, & que celuy qui ne luy obeïssoit pas, estoit ietté dans des feux. Nous t'auons demandé d'estre instruicts: [116] & tu t'en vais, que ferons nous? Vn Capitaine l'abordant luy dit Eschom, ie ne suis pas baptisé, & tu t'en vais, mon ame sera donc perduë, que feray-ie à cela? Tu dis que tu reuiendras; va-t'en donc, & prends courage, reuiens deuant que ie meure. Vn vieillard d'vn autre village que celuy où habitoit le Pere l'entendant parler des choses dernieres, de la recompense des bons, & du chastimẽt des meschans, luy dit, eschom, les gens de ton village ne vallent rien; voila de meschans hommes, ils ne nous communiquent point ce que tu leur dis: & cependant cela est si important, qu'il en faut parler au Conseil de tout le pays. Sont-ce pas là des indices d'vne heureuse moisson? Le Diable preuoit bien ce fruict, car de l'heure que ie parle, il fait ce qu'il peut pour empescher la venuë des Hurons; & par consequent pour fermer [117] la porte à l'Euangile, & à ceux qui l'annoncent.

However, the fruit which may be gathered from this mission will be great, if it please God. If the Fathers who are assigned to go to the Hurons, a stationary tribe, are able to enter the country, and if war does not trouble these people, probably in [115] two years it will be seen that there is not a nation so barbarous as not to recognize and honor God. Some are astonished that they hear nothing about the conversion of Savages during the many years that we have been in New France. It is necessary to clear, till, and sow, before harvesting. Who of the Religious who have been here have ever known perfectly the language of any tribe in these countries? Fides ex auditu, faith enters by the ear. How can a mute preach the Gospel? When Father Brebeuf was beginning to make himself understood, the arrival of the English compelled him to leave these poor people, who said to him, at his departure: "Listen, thou hast told us that thou hast a Father in Heaven who made all, and that he who did not obey him was cast into the flames. We have asked thee to instruct us; [116] when thou goest away, what shall we do?" A Captain, approaching, said to him: "Eschom,44 I am not baptized and thou art going away; my soul will be lost. What can I do for it? Thou sayest thou wilt return. Go then, and have courage; return before I die." An old man, in a village other than that where the Father lived, hearing him speak of the end of all things, of the reward of the good, and of the punishment of the wicked, said to him: "eschom, the people of thy village are worthless; they are wicked men; they do not tell us what you tell them, and, nevertheless, it is so important that we ought to talk of it at the Council of the whole land." Are not these indications of a very gratifying harvest? The Devil foresees this harvest; for, while I am speaking, he is doing all in his power to prevent the Hurons from coming and consequently to shut [117] them out from the Gospel and from those who bring it to them.

Pour ces peuples errants & vagabonds, parmy lesquels Dieu m'a dõné mon departement, quoy que mes souhaits me fissent pancher du costé des nations stables & permanentes, le fruict sera plus tardif, il viendra neantmoins en son temps, i'y voy de bonnes dispositions. Premierement la crainte qu'ont les Algonquains de leurs ennemis les Hiroquois, leur fait abandonner leur pays: & comme ils l'aiment naturellement, ils demandent instãment qu'on aille faire vne habitation parmy eux, ayãs dessein de fermer vn bourg à l'entour du fort qu'on dressera là, & de se ramasser là dedans: ce que Messieurs de la Compagnie de ceste Nouuelle France auront bien agreable. Secondement qui scauroit parfaitement leur langue, il seroit tout-puissant [118] parmy eux, ayant tant soit peu d'eloquence. Il n'y a lieu au monde où la Rhetorique soit plus puissante qu'en Canadas: & neantmoins elle n'a point d'autre habit que celuy que la nature luy a baillé: elle est toute nuë & toute simple, & cependant elle gouuerne tous ces peuples, car leur Capitaine n'est esleu que pour sa langue: & il est autant bien obey, qu'il l'a bien penduë, ils n'ont point d'autres loix que sa parole. Il me semble que Ciceron dit qu'autrefois toutes les nations ont esté vagabondes, & que l'eloquence les a rassemblées: qu'elle a basti des villes & des citez. Si la voix des hommes a tant de pouuoir, la voix de l'esprit de Dieu sera-elle impuissante? Les Sauuages se rendent aisément à la raison, ce n'est pas qu'ils la suiuent tousiours, mais ordinairement ils ne repartent rien contre vne raison qui [119] leur conuainc l'esprit.

For these wandering and vagabond people, among whom God has given me my work, although my wishes cause me to prefer the stable and permanent tribes, the harvest will be later, but it will come in its own time; I see favorable indications of it. In the first place, the fear that the Algonquains have of their enemies, the Hiroquois, makes them abandon their country; and, as they naturally love it, they are earnestly requesting that some of us settle among them, having planned to enclose a village around the fort which they will build there, and to gather all of their forces therein, which the Gentlemen of the Company of New France will consider with favor. Secondly, he who knew their language well would be all-powerful [118] among them, however little eloquence he might have. There is no place in the world where Rhetoric is more powerful than in Canada, and, nevertheless, it has no other garb than what nature has given it; it is entirely simple and without disguise; and yet it controls all these tribes, as the Captain is elected for his eloquence alone, and is obeyed in proportion to his use of it, for they have no other law than his word. I think it is Cicero who says that all nations were once vagabond, and that eloquence has brought them together; that it has built villages and cities. If the voice of men has so much power, will the voice of the Spirit of God be powerless? The Savages listen to reason readily,—not that they always follow it, but generally they urge nothing against a reason which [119] carries conviction to their minds.

Vn Capitaine demandant secours à l'Anglois qui estoit icy pour aller en leurs guerres, l'Anglois voulant esquiuer, le payoit de raisons apparentes: sçauoir est qu'il auoit des malades, que ses gens ne s'accommoderoient pas bien auec les Sauuages. Et ce Capitaine refuta si pertinemment toutes ces defaites, que l'Anglois fut contraint de luy dire; iay besoin de mes gens, ie crains que les François ne nous viennent assaillir. Alors le Sauuage luy dit, Tu parle maintenant, nous t'entendons bien iusques icy, tu n'as ri ẽ dit: ils acquiescerent à cette raison, quand on leur fera voir la conformité de la loy de Dieu, auec la raison, ie ne croy pas qu'on trouue grande resistance en leur entendement: leur volonté qui est extrémement volage & changeante, appriuoisee par les graces de [120] celuy qui les appellera, se rengera en fin à son deuoir. En troisiesme lieu, ce peuple peut estre conuerty par des seminaires: mais voicy comment il faut esleuer à Kebec les enfans des Sauuages, qui seront plus haut en ceste autre habitation. On les aura à la fin, ils les donneront s'ils voyent qu'on ne les enuoye point en France. Pour les enfans de ce païs-cy il les faudra enuoyer là haut: La raison est que les Sauuages empeschent leur instruction, ils ne sçauroient supporter qu'on chastie vn enfant, quoy qu'il fasse, ils n'ont qu'vne simple reprehension: de plus c'est qu'ils pensent tellement vous obliger en vous donnant leurs enfans pour les instruire, nourrir, & habiller: qu'en outre ils vous demanderont plusieurs choses, & vous seront extrémement importuns, vous menaçant de retirer leur enfant si [121] vous ne leur accordez leur demande.

A Captain once asked the Englishman who was here to help them in their wars; the Englishman, wishing to evade him, answered with superficial reasons: to wit, that some of his men were sick, and that his people would not get along well with the Savages. And this Captain so pertinently refuted all his objections that the Englishman was compelled to say: "I need my men, I am afraid the French will come and attack us." Then the Savage said: "Now thou art talking, we understand thee well; thus far, thou hadst said nothing." They acquiesced in this reason. When they are made to see the conformity of the law of God with reason, I do not think that much opposition will be found in their minds. Their will, which is extremely volatile and changeable, when enlightened by the grace of [120] him who will call them, will at last be brought into the line of duty. In the third place, these people may be converted by means of seminaries; and how necessary it is to educate at Kebec the children of the Savages, who belong to settlements farther up the river. We shall have them [the children] at last; for they will give them, if they see that we do not send them to France. As to the children of this section, they must be sent up there. The reason is, that the Savages prevent their instruction; they will not tolerate the chastisement of their children, whatever they may do; they permit only a simple reprimand. Moreover, they think they are doing you some great favor in giving you their children to instruct, to feed, and to dress. Besides, they will ask a great many things in return, and will be very importunate in threatening to withdraw their children, if [121] you do not accede to their demands.

Le 14. de May, ie baptisay le petit Negre, duquel ie fis mention l'an passé: quelques Anglois l'ont amené de l'isle de Madagascar, autrement de Sainct Laurens, qui n'est pas loin du Cap de Bonne Esperance, tirant à l'Orient, c'est son païs bien plus chaud que celuy où il est maintenant. Ces Anglois le donnerent au Kers, qui ont tenu Kebec, & l'vn des Kers le vendit cinquante escus à ce qu'on m'a dit, à vn nommé le Bailly, qui en a fait present à ceste honneste famille qui est icy. Cet enfant est si content que rien plus, il m'a encor bien recreé en l'instruisant: car voulant recognoistre si les habitans de son païs estoient Mahometans, ou Payens; ie luy demandois s'il n'y auoit point de maison en son païs où on priast Dieu, s'il n'y auoit point de Mosquées, si on n'y parloit point [121 i.e., 122] de Mahomet. Il y a, dit-il, des Mosquées en nostre païs: Sont-elles grandes? luy repartis-ie, elles sont, répond-il, comme celles de ce païs-cy. Et luy disant qu'il n'y en auoit point en Frãce, ny en Canada. I'en ay veu, dit-il, entre les mains des François & des Anglois qui en ont porté en nostre païs, & maintenant on s'en sert pour tirer. Ie recognus qu'il vouloit dire des mousquets, & non des Mosquées; ie me sousris & luy aussi: il est grandement naïf, & fort attentif à la Messe & au Sermon. C'est le quatriesme que i'ay baptisé depuis mon arriuée; car Dieu ayant donné à Madame Coullart vn petit enfãt, ie luy ay administré ce Sacremẽt, ce que i'auois desia fait à 2 petits Sauuages.

On the 14th of May, I baptized the little Negro of whom I spoke last year. He was brought here by Englishmen from the island of Madagascar, otherwise Saint Lawrence, which is not far from the Cape of Good Hope, toward the East. It is a great deal warmer in his country than here. These Englishmen gave him to the Kers, who held Kebec; and one of the Kers sold him for fifty écus, I am told, to a person named le Bailly, who presented him to this estimable family that is settled here.45 This child could not be more contented than he is, and it has been a recreation for me to teach him. Wishing to know whether the inhabitants of his country were Mahometans or Pagans, I asked him if there were no houses there in which they prayed to God, if there were no Mosques, if they did not talk there [121 i.e., 122] of Mahomet. "There are," said he, "Mosques in our country." "Are they large?" I asked him. "They are," he answered, "like those of this country." On telling him that there were none in France nor in Canada, "I have seen some," said he, "in the hands of the French and English who brought them into our country, and now they use them to shoot with." I perceived that he meant to say muskets, and not Mosques; I smiled, and so did he. He is most ingenuous, and very attentive to Mass and to the Sermon. He is the fourth that I have baptized since my arrival; for, God having given a little child to Madame Coullart, I administered this Sacrament to him, as I had done before to 2 little Savages.

Le 19. on nous vint apporter nouuelle qu'vn vaisseau Anglois estoit entré à Tadoussac depuis quelques iours: Nous ne sçauions si c'étoit [123] vn courreur, ou s'il y auoit quelque trouble entre la France & l'Angleterre; chacun bastissoit sur ses cõiectures, & tout le monde se tenoit sur ses gardes. Le Dimanche suiuãt, iour de la Saincte Trinité, estant allé dire la Sainte Messe au fort, on me dit que si nous entendions tirer deux coups de canon, que nous nous retirassions promptement auec nos François dans la forteresse.

On the 19th, news was brought that an English vessel had entered Tadoussac a few days before; we did not know whether it was [123] a trading vessel, or whether there was some trouble between France and England. Each one formed his own conjectures, and every one was upon his guard. The following Sunday, day of Holy Trinity, having gone to say Holy Mass at the fort, I was told that, if we heard two cannon shots, we should promptly withdraw with our French people into the fortress.

Le lendemain 22. du mesme mois de May, nous oüysmes ioüer le canon de bon matin, sur l'incertitude de ce que ce pourroit estre.

The next day, on the 22nd of the same month of May, we heard the sound of the cannon very early in the morning.

Le Pere de Nouë prend nostre Sauuage, & s'en va à Kebec: & sans y tarder, nous rapporte nouuelle que le sieur de Champlain estoit arriué: que le Pere Brebeuf s'en venoit incontinent en nostre petite maison. Nous allasmes remercier nostre Seigneur. Cependant voicy le Pere [124] Brebeuf qui entre, Dieu scait si nous le receusmes & embrassasmes de bõ cœur. Quelques Sauuages estãs chez nous, & voyãs nostre ioye à cét heureux rencontre, s'écrierent selõ leur coustume quand ils admirent quelque chose: chteé! chteé! se resiouïssans auec nous de l'arriuée du Pere, lequel apres auoir salué nostre Seigneur en nostre petite chapelle, nous dit que le pere Masse estoit à Tadousac, que le Pere Daniel, & le Pere Dauost nous venoient voir du grand Chibou. Il m'apporta si grande quantité de lettres, que ie fus confus voyãt le souuenir & tesmoignage d'affection de tant d'honnestes personnes: Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quæ retribuit mihi: Qu'il soit beny pour vn iamais s'il veut, en recõnoissance de ses bien-faits: que nous beuuions son calice: fiat, fiat, ce nous sera trop d'honneur. Mais ie le prie d'appliquer [225 i.e., 125] en particulier vne seule goutte de celuy qu'il a beu pour ceux qui nous obligent tãt, pour les associez de la Compagnie de cette Nouuelle France, desquels Dieu se veut seruir pour sa gloire, pour V. R. pour toute sa Prouince, & pour tous ceux qui cooperent au salut de tant de pauures ames esgarées: Vne petite gouttelette de ce diuin calice nous enrichira tous: & puis que mes prieres sont trop foibles pour obtenir vn si grand bien, ie supplie V. R. d'interposer les siennes, & celles encore de tant d'ames sainctes qui sont dessous sa charge: Mais passons outre.

In the uncertainty as to what was going on, Father de Nouë took our Savage and started for Kebec; and he brought back without delay the news that sieur de Champlain had arrived, and that Father Brebeuf was coming as fast as possible to our little house. We hastened to thank our Lord. In the meantime, behold, Father [124] Brebeuf enters. God knows whether we received and embraced him with glad hearts. Several Savages were with us, and, seeing our joy at this happy meeting, cried out, according to their custom when they are pleased, chteé! chteé! rejoicing with us over the arrival of the Father, who, after having honored our Lord in our little chapel, told us that father Masse was at Tadoussac and that Father Daniel and Father Davost were also coming to see us from the grand Chibou.46 He brought me such a quantity of letters that I was overcome upon seeing the souvenirs and testimonials of affection of so many estimable people. Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quæ retribuit mihi: Blessed be he forevermore, if it be his will that in return for these benefits we should drink of his cup; fiat, fiat, that would be too great honor for us. But I entreat him [225 i.e., 125] to apply one single drop of what he drank, especially to those who have helped us so much, to the associates of the Company of New France, of whom God wishes to make use for his glory,47 to Your Reverence, to all your Province, and to all those who coöperate in the salvation of so many poor lost souls; a little drop of this divine cup will enrich us all; and as my prayers are too weak to obtain so great a blessing, I beg Your Reverence to interpose yours, and those also of so many saintly souls who are under your charge. But let us pass on.

Ayant sçeu l'arriuée de Monsieur de Champlain, ie l'allay salüer. Arriuant au fort, ie veis vne escoüade de soldats François armez de piques & de mousquets qui s'ẽ approchoiẽt tambour battant: si tost qu'ils y furent entrez, Monsieur de Caën remit [226 i.e., 126] les clefs du fort entre les mains de Monsieur du Plessis Bochard, qui les remit le lendemain entre celles de Monsieur de Champlain, pour entrer dans la conduite des vaisseaux, selon l'ordonnance de Monseigneur le Cardinal.

Having learned of the arrival of Monsieur de Champlain, I went to greet him. Arriving at the fort, I saw a squad of French soldiers, armed with pikes and muskets, who approached, beating their drums. As soon as they had entered, Monsieur de Caën gave [226 i.e., 126] the keys of the fort to Monsieur du Plessis Bochard,34 who delivered them the next day to Monsieur de Champlain, to take command of the ships according to the decree of Monseigneur the Cardinal.

Ie remerciay le mieux qu'il me fut possible Mõsieur de Champlain de la charité qu'il auoit exercée enuers nos Peres qui a esté très-grande, cõme me témoignoit le Pere Brebeuf.

I thanked Monsieur de Champlain, as well as I could, for the kindness shown by him to our Fathers, for it was very great, as Father Brebeuf has testified to me.48

Le 24. de May, dixhuict canots de Sauuages estans descendus à Kebec, le sieur de Champlain se doutãt qu'ils pourroient passer iusques aux Anglois, qui auoient trois vaisseaux à Tadoussac, & vne barque biẽ haut dans la riuiere, s'en alla dans les Cabanes de ces Sauuages, & leur fit parler fort à propos par le sieur Oliuier, truchement, honneste homme, & bien propre pour ce [227 i.e., 127] pays-cy. Il leur dit donc par la bouche de cét interprete, que les François les auoient tousiours aimez & defendus, que luy les auoit secourus en personne dans leurs guerres: qu'il auoit grandement chery le Pere du Capitaine auquel il parloit; lequel fut tué à ses costez en vn combat où luy-mesme fut blessé d'vn coup de fleche, qu'il estoit homme de parole; que nonobstant les incommoditez des mers, il les estoit reuenu voir cõme ses freres: qu'eux ayant desiré & demandé qu'on fit vne habitation de François en leur pays pour les defendre contres les incursions de leurs ennemis, qu'il auoit eu dessein de leur accorder, & que cela seroit desia mis en execution sans le détourbier des Anglois: qu'au reste il estoit pour le present occupé à la reparation des ruines qu'auoient fait ces mauuais hostes: qu'il ne manquera pas de leur [228 i.e., 128] donner contentement si tost qu'il aura pourueu aux affaires plus pressantes; que les Peres (parlant de nous autres) demeureroient parmy eux, & les instruiroient, cõme aussi leurs enfans. Cependant, nonobstant les grandes obligations qu'ils auoient aux François, ils estoient descendus en intentiõ d'aller voir des voleurs qui venoient pour dérober les François, qu'ils auisassent bien à ce qu'ils feroient, que ces voleurs estoient passagers, & que les François demeuroient au pays comme leur appartenant. Voila vne partie du discours que leur fit tenir le sieur de Champlain, autant que i'ay peu sçauoir, par le rapport qui m'en a esté fait par ceux qui estoient presents.

On the 24th of May, eighteen canoes of Savages having descended to Kebec, sieur de Champlain, suspecting that they might go on to the English, who had three vessels at Tadoussac and a bark far up the river, went into the Cabins of these Savages, and made to them a very suitable address through sieur Olivier the interpreter,49 who is an excellent man and well fitted for this [227 i.e., 127] country. He said to them through the lips of this interpreter that the French had always loved and defended them, that he had assisted them in person in their wars; that he had greatly cherished the Father of the Captain to whom he was talking, who was killed at his side in a battle where he himself was wounded by an arrow;50 that he was a man of his word, and that, notwithstanding the discomforts of the sea voyage, he had returned to see them again, as if they were his brothers; as they had expressed a wish that a French settlement should be made in their country, to defend them against the incursions of their enemies, he contemplated granting this desire, and it would already have been granted but for the obstacles created by the English; he was, moreover, then engaged in repairing the ruins that these wicked guests had left behind them; that he would not fail to satisfy them [228 i.e., 128] all as soon as he attended to the more urgent affairs; that the Fathers (speaking of us), would remain among them and would instruct them as well as their children. Yet, notwithstanding the great obligations that they [the Savages] were under to the French, they had descended the river with the intention of going to see the thieves who came to pillage the French. He said they should consider well what they were doing; that these robbers were only birds of passage, while the French would remain in the country as it belonged to them. This is a part of the discourse that sieur de Champlain delivered to them, as far as I have been able to learn, from the report made to me by those present.

Pendant cette harangue, le Capitaine & ses gens escoutoient fort attentiuement, luy entr'autres paroissoit profondement pensif, tirant [229 i.e., 129] de son estomach cette aspiration de temps en temps, pendant qu'on luy parloit, hám! hám! hám! comme approuuant le discours du truchement: lequel estant acheué, ce Capitaine prend la parole pour respōdre, mais auec vne rhetorique aussi fine & deliée, qu'il en scauroit sortir de l'escolle d'Aristote, ou de Ciceron. Il gagna au commencemẽt de son discours la bienueillance de tous les François par vne profonde humilité, qui paroissoit auec bonne grace dans ses gestes & dans ses paroles.

During this speech, the Captain and his men listened very attentively. He, among others, appeared to be in deep thought, drawing [229 i.e., 129] from his stomach from time to time this aspiration, while they were speaking to him, hám! hám! hám! as if approving the speech of the interpreter, which, when finished, this Captain arose to answer, but with a keenness and delicacy of rhetoric that might have come out of the schools of Aristotle or Cicero. He won, in the beginning of his discourse, the good will of all of the French by his profound humility, which appeared with exceeding grace in his gestures and in his language.

Ie ne suis, disoit-il, qu'vn pauure petit animal qui va rampant sur la terre: Vous autres François vous estes les grands du monde, qui faites tout trembler. Ie ne scay comme i'ose parler deuant de si grands Capitaines: si i'auois quelqu'vn derriere moy qui me suggerast ce que ie dois dire, ie parlerois plus hardimẽt. [230 i.e., 130] Ie me trouue estonné, ie n'ay iamais eu d'instruction, mon pere m'a laissé fort ieune, si ie dis quelque chose ie le vais recueillant çà & là à l'aduanture, c'est ce qui me fait trembler.

"I am," said he, "only a poor little animal, crawling about on the ground; you Frenchmen are the great of the earth, who make all tremble. I do not know how I dare to talk before such great Captains. If I had some one behind me who would suggest what I ought to say, I would speak more boldly. [230 i.e., 130] I am bewildered; I have never had any instruction; my father left me very young; if I say anything, I go seeking it here and there, at hazard, and it is that which makes me tremble.

Tu nous dis que les François nous ont tousiours aimez, nous le sçauons bien, & nous mentirions si nous disions le contraire. Tu dis que tu as tousiours esté veritable, aussi t'auõs-nous tousiours creu. Tu nous as assisté en nos guerres, nous t'en aimons tous dauantage, que veux-tu qu'on responde? tout ce que tu dis est vray.

"Thou tellest us that the French have always loved us; we know it well, and we would lie if we said the contrary. Thou sayest that thou hast always been true, and we have always believed thee. Thou hast assisted us in our wars, we love thee all the more for it; what dost thou wish that we should answer? All that thou sayest is true.

Tu dis que les François sont venus habiter à Kebec pour nous defẽdre, & que tu viendras en nostre pays pour nos proteger. Ie me souuiens bien d'auoir ouy dire à nos peres que quand vous estiez là bas à Tadoussac, les Montagnaits vous allerent voir, & vous inuiterent à nostre deceu de monter çà haut, où nos peres [231 i.e., 131] vous ayant veu, vous aimerent, & vous prierent d'y faire vostre demeure.

"Thou sayest that the French have come to live at Kebec to defend us, and that thou wilt come into our country to protect us. I remember well to have heard our fathers say that, when you were below at Tadoussac, the Montagnaits went to see you and invited you, unknown to us, to ascend [the river] above here, where our fathers, [231 i.e., 131] having seen you, loved you, and prayed you to make your home there.

Pour l'habitation que tu dis que nous auons demandé aux trois riuieres, ie ne suis qu'vn enfant, ie n'ay point de memoire, ie ne sçay si ie l'ay demandée: vous autres vous auez vostre Massinahigan, (c'est à dire, vous auez cognoissance de l'escriture,) qui vous fait souuenir de tout: mais quoy que c'en foit, tu seras tousiours le bien venu. Remarquez la prudence de cét homme, à faire voir que non seulemẽt les Sauuages, mais encor que les François desirent cette habitatiõ; il poursuiuit son discours, disant: Quand tu viendras là haut auec nous, tu trouueras la terre meilleure qu'icy: tu feras au commencement vne maison cõme cela pour te loger (il designoit vne petite espace de la main:) c'est à dire tu feras vne [232 i.e., 132] forteresse, puis tu feras vne autre maison comme cela, designant vn grand lieu, & alors nous ne serons plus des chiens qui couchẽt dehors: nous entrerons dans cette maison, il entendoit vn bourg fermé: En ce temps-là on ne nous soupçonnera plus d'aller voir ceux qui ne vous aiment pas: tu semeras des bleds, nous ferons comme toy, & nous n'irons plus chercher nostre vie dãs les bois nous ne serons plus errans & vagabonds.

"As to the settlement thou sayest we have asked for at the three rivers, I am only a child; I have no recollection, I do not know that I have asked for it! You, you have your Massinahigan; (that is to say, you have a knowledge of writing), which makes you remember everything. But, however that may be, thou wilt always be welcome." Note the discretion of this man, to make it plain that not only the Savages, but the French, desire this settlement. He continued his discourse, saying, "When thou shalt come up there with us thou wilt find a land better than this; thou wilt make, to begin with, a house like this to live in" (he indicated a little space with his hand); "that is to say, thou wilt make a [232 i.e., 132] fortress. Then thou wilt make another house like that," designating a large space, "and then we shall no longer be dogs who sleep outside, we shall go into that house." He meant to say an enclosed village. "Then we shall no longer be suspected of going to see those who do not love you. Thou wilt sow wheat; we shall do as thou dost, and we shall no longer go to seek our living in the woods; we shall no longer be wanderers and vagabonds.

Voila le sieur de Caën qui a creu que i'auois enuoyé des Castors vers les estrangers; i'ay enuoyé vers ce quartier là quelques peaux d'Orignac, non pour traitter, mais pour coupper les bras à nos ennemis. Tu scais que les Hiroquois ont de grãds bras, si ie ne leur couppois, il y a longtemps que nous seriõs tous pris: i'enuoye des presents aux nations qui [233 i.e., 133] leur sont voisines, afin qu'elles ne se ioignent pas auec eux; ce n'est pas pour offenser les François, mais pour nous conseruer.

"It was sieur de Caën, who believed that I had sent Beavers to the foreigners; I sent to those quarters a few Moose skins, not in trade, but to cut off the arms of our enemies. Thou knowest that the Hiroquois have long arms; if I had not cut them, we should have been taken by them long ago. I send presents to tribes who [233 i.e., 133] are their neighbors, to the end that they should not unite with them; it is not to offend the French, but to preserve ourselves.

Tu dis que nous voulons aller à l'Anglois, ie m'en vay dire à mes gẽs qu'on n'y aille point: ie te promets que ny moy, ny ceux qui ont de l'esprit n'iront pas: que s'il y a quelque ieune homme qui fasse vn sault iusques là sans estre veu, ie n'y sçaurois que faire, tu scais bien qu'on ne peut pas tenir la ieunesse. Ie le difendray à tous, si quelqu'vn y va, il n'a point d'esprit: tu peux tout, mets des chalouppes aux auenuës, & prends les Castors de ceux qui iront.

"Thou sayest that we wish to go to the English; I will tell my men that they should not go there. I promise thee that neither I myself, nor they who have any sense, will do that; but if there is some young man who jumps over there without being seen, I shall not know what to do; thou knowest well that youth cannot be restrained. I shall forbid every one from going there. Any one who does so has no sense. Thou canst do everything, place thy boats in the way and capture the Beavers of those who attempt to go.

Tu nous dis que les Peres viuront parmy nous, & nous instruiront, ce bon-heur sera pour nos enfans, nous qui sommes desia vieux, nous mourrons ignorans, ce bien n'arriuera pas sitost que nous voudrions.

"Thou sayest that the Fathers will live among us, and will teach us. This good fortune will be for our children; we, who are already old, shall die ignorant. This blessing will not come as soon as we should like to have it.

[234 i.e., 134] Tu dis que nous prenions garde à ce que nous ferons, tu nous pinse au bras, & nous fremissons: tu nous pinse puis apres au cœur, et tout le corps nous tremble. Nous ne voulõs point aller aux Anglois, leur Capitaine a voulu faire alliance auec moy, & me tenir pour son frere & ie n'ay pas voulu, ie me suis retiré disant, qu'il estoit trop grand Capitaine. Ie me souuenois bien d'vne parole que tu nous auois dit, que tu retournerois: ie t'attendois tousiours, tu as esté veritable, tu le seras encore en nous venant voir en nostre pays: ie n'ay qu'vne crainte, c'est qu'en ce commerce des François auec nos gens, il n'y ait quelqu'vn de tué, & alors nous seriõs perdus: mais tu scais que tout le monde n'est pas sage, les plus aduisez se tiendront tousiours dans leur deuoir.

[234 i.e., 134] "Thou sayest that we must be careful what we do; grasp us by the arm, and we shudder; grasp us afterward by the heart, and the whole body trembles. We do not want to go to the English; their Captain wanted to make an alliance with me and take me for his brother, and I did not desire it; I withdrew, saying that he was too great a Captain. I bethought myself well of a word that thou hadst said to us, that thou wouldst return; therefore I always awaited thee. Thou hast been truthful, thou wilt still be so in coming to see us in our country. I have but one fear; it is that in the association of the French with our people, some one may be killed, then we would be lost; thou knowest all are not prudent, but that the wiser ones will always do their duty.

[235 i.e., 135] Voila à peu pres la response de ce Sauuage qui estonna nos François, lesquels m'ont tesmoigné qu'il releuoit sa voix selon les suiets qu'il traitoit, puis la rabbaissoit auec tant d'humilité, & vne posture ou action si soubmise, qu'il gagnoit l'affection de tous ceux qui le regardoient sans l'entendre.

[235 i.e., 135] This is about the answer of this Savage, who astonished our French people. They told me how he raised his voice according to the subjects he treated, then lowered it with so much humility, and with such an attitude of submission, that he won the hearts of all who looked at him, though they did not understand him.

La conclusion fut que le sieur de Champlain leur dit, quãd cette grãde maison sera faite, alors nos garçõs se marieront à vos filles, & nous ne serons plus qu'vn peuple: ils se mirẽt à rire; repartans: Tu nous dis tousiours quelque chose de gaillard pour nous resiouyr, si cela arriuoit nous serions bien-heureux. Ceux qui croient que les Sauuages ont vn esprit de plomb & de terre, cognoistront par ce discours qu'ils ne sont pas si massifs qu'on les pourroit depeindre.

The conclusion was that sieur de Champlain said to them: "When that great house shall be built, then our young men will marry your daughters, and we shall be one people." They began to laugh, answering: "Thou always sayest something cheering to rejoice us. If that should happen, we would be very happy." Those who think that the Savages have dull and heavy intellects will recognize by this speech that they are not so stupid as they may have been painted.

[236 i.e., 136] Ce Capitaine nous vint voir quelques iours apres en nostre maison, mais ie n'eus pas le loisir de l'entretenir cõmme ie desirois.

[236 i.e., 136] This Captain came to see us a few days later in our house, but I did not have leisure to entertain him as I desired.

Le 29. le sieur de Champlain vint entendre la Messe en nostre petite chapelle, nous le retinsmes à disner: de bonne fortune nostre Sauuage nous auoit apporté vn petit morceau d'Ours, nous luy en presentasmes; en ayant gousté il se mit à rire, & me dit si on sçauoit en Frãce que nous mãgeons des Ours, on detourneroit la face de nostre haleine, & cependant vous voyez combien la chair en est bonne et delicate.

On the 29th, sieur de Champlain came to hear Mass in our little chapel and we kept him for dinner. As good luck had it, our Savage had brought us a small piece of Bear, which we presented to him. Having tasted it, he began to laugh, and said to me: "If they knew in France that we were eating Bears, they would turn their faces away from our breath, and yet you see how good and delicate the meat is."

Apres le disner, i'allay salüer le Capitaine de Nesle dãs son vaisseau, quantité de petits Sauuages me suiuoient. I'en pris seulement six ou sept auec moy, ie les fis chanter leur Pater en Sauuage dans le Nauire: nos François y prenoient grand plaisir. [237 i.e., 137] Le bon pour eux fut que le Capitaine de Nesle leur fit donner du Cascaracona, & du toutouch pimi; c'est ainsi qu'ils appellent le biscuit & le formage. Au depart comme le Capitaine eut fait tirer vn coup de canon par honneur, ces enfans regardoient auec estonnement, & se monstroient si constans, que si on leur vouloit payer leur chanson en mesme monnoye, ils voudroient gagner leur vie en chantant.

After dinner, I went to greet Captain de Nesle in his ship, a number of little Savages following me. I took but six or seven with me, and had them sing their Pater in the Savage Tongue aboard the Ship. Our Frenchmen enjoyed it greatly. [237 i.e., 137] The best of all for them [the little savages] was that Captain de Nesle gave them some "Cascaracona," and some "toutouch pimi;" it is thus they call biscuits and cheese. Upon our departure, as the Captain had the cannon fired in our honor, the children looked on with amazement, and showed themselves so happy that, if one would pay for their songs in that way, they would like to gain their livelihood by singing.

Le dernier iour de May, la Nasse nostre Sauuage nous vint dire qu'vn de leurs gens auoit songé qu'il y auroit des François tuez. Or soit que le Diable leur ait donné ce sentimẽt, soit que de plusieurs songes il s'en rencontre quelqu'vn de veritable par cas fortuit. Quoy que c'en soit, le 2 iour de Iuin les Hiroquois tuerent deux de nos Frãçois, & en blesserent quatre autres, dont l'vn mourut [238 i.e., 138] bien-tost apres: voicy comme arriua ce malheur. Vne barque & vne chalouppe montoient dans le grand fleuue de S. Laurens, la chalouppe passa deuant; & pour aller plus viste, quelques mattelots mirent pied à terre pour la tirer, auec des amares ou des cordes: comme ils vindrent à doubler vne pointe de terre, trente ou 40. Hiroquois qui estoiẽt en embuscade viennent fondre dessus eux, auec des cris espouuẽtables: ils tuënt d'abbord les deux premiers qu'ils ont à la rencõtre à coups de haches: ils decochent vne gresle de fleches auec vne telle vistesse & promptitude, que nos François ne sçauoient de quel costé se tourner, n'ayans pas preueu ce coup là. Ils eurent bien la hardiesse de vouloir aborder la chalouppe auec leur canots, & n'eust esté qu'vn François les coucha en iouë auec son harquebuse, & que la [239 i.e., 139] barque qui n'estoit pas loin, équippa viste vne chalouppe pour venir au secours, ayãt entẽdu les cris du combat, il est croyable que pas vn n'en fut échappé. Les Hiroquois voyant cette harquebuse, & ceste autre chalouppe qui venoit au secours, s'enfuirent, écorchant au preallable les testes de ceux qu'ils auoient tuez, & remportans ces peaux par brauade.

On the last day of May, la Nasse, our Savage, came to tell us that one of their men had dreamed that some Frenchmen would be killed. Now, either because the Devil had given them this sentiment, or that among all their dreams there is now and then one that happens perchance to be true, however that may be, on the 2nd day of June the Hiroquois killed two of our Frenchmen and wounded four others, one of whom died [238 i.e., 138] shortly afterward. This catastrophe happened in this way: A bark and shallop were ascending the great river St. Lawrence; the latter went ahead, and, to hasten its speed, sailors went ashore to tow it with lines or cords. As they came to double a point of land, thirty or 40 Hiroquois, who were in ambush, fell upon them with horrible cries; they killed the two men first encountered, with blows from their hatchets, then discharged a storm of arrows so suddenly and unexpectedly that our Frenchmen did not know which way to turn, not having foreseen the attack. They even dared to try to board the shallop in their canoes; and, had it not been that a Frenchman took aim at them with his arquebus, and that the [239 i.e., 139] bark, which was not far away, speedily equipped a boat to come to the rescue, having heard the cries of the combat, it is probable that not one of them would have escaped. The Hiroquois, seeing the arquebus, and the other boat coming to their help, fled, first skinning the heads of those whom they had killed and bearing away the scalps by way of bravado.

Le 8. de Iuin, le Pere Masse arriua de Tadoussac, il réueilla nostre ioye, voyant qu'apres auoir esté si long temps malade sur la mer il se portoit bien. Il nous dit que Pierre Pastedechouan estoit plus meschant que iamais. Que les Anglois qui estoient à Tadoussac l'auoient perdu par l'yurognerie: O que celuy-là sera coupable deuant Dieu, qui a introduict l'heresie en ces contrées! Si ce Sauuage auoit de l'esprit, estant comme il est corrompu par ces miserables [240 i.e., 140] heretiques, il seroit vn puissant obstacle à la publication de la foy, encore n'y apportera-il que trop d'empeschement, si Dieu ne luy touche le cœur. Il fait paroistre par ses deportemens qu'il nous estoit donné pour tirer de luy les principes de sa lãgue, & non pas pour le bien de son ame, puis qu'il se bande contre son Dieu & contre la verité.

On the 8th of June, Father Masse arrived from Tadoussac, and caused us great joy, as he had been so long sick upon the sea, and is now well. He told us that Pierre Pastedechouan33 was more wicked than ever; that the English who were at Tadoussac had ruined him by drunkenness. Oh, how guilty before God will he be who has introduced heresy into this country! If this Savage were intelligent, corrupted as he is by these miserable [240 i.e., 140] heretics, he would be a powerful obstacle to the spread of the faith; even now, he will cause only too much injury to it, if God does not touch his heart. To judge from his conduct, it would seem that he was given to us to draw from him the principles of his language, and not for the welfare of his soul, as he now leagues against his God and against the truth.

Il fait icy des chaleurs si violentes en ce mois de Iuin, & vne si grãde seicheresse, que ie n'ay rien veu ny senty de semblable en France, tout brusle sur la terre, rien n'aduance par ce temps-là; & neantmoins il a gelé à glace en vn matin en la maison des Peres Recolets. La nuict fortifiant la fraicheur des bois, cause de ces gelées du matin; nous sommes voisins de cette maison, & cependant cela n'est point arriué chez nous, pource que nous auons vn plus grand air.

I have never experienced in France anything like the heat and the drought which we have had here during this month of June. Everything on the earth burns, and nothing prospers in such weather; and yet it froze one morning in the house of the Recolet Fathers. The night so intensifies the coolness of the woods as to cause these morning frosts. We are near that house, and yet it did not happen with us, because we are more exposed to the air.

[241 i.e., 141] Le 16 du mesme mois de Iuin, nous auons rendu l'vn de nos petits enfans à sa mere, vostre Reuerence nous ayant mandé qu'il n'y auoit pas encore dequoy establir vn seminaire: & par consequent n'ayant enuoyé ceux qu'elle destine pour auoir soin d'instruire les enfans que nous aurions peu auoir, craignant d'ailleurs que ceste femme ne retirast son fils en cachette, & s'enfuit dans les bois de peur qu'on ne fist passer en France: i'ay mieux aimé luy rendre franchement, afin de luy donner à cognoistre que si nous tenons des enfans, ce n'est point pour les dérober à leurs parẽts, ains pour leur propre bien: afin aussi qu'elle dise aux autres Sauuages qu'ils sont bien nourris auec nous, pour les induire à nous donner les leurs quand on aura moyen de les nourrir. Cette pauure femme me demanda pourquoy ie [242 i.e., 142] luy rendois son fils? & quand elle le rameneroit? Ie luy respondis que depuis la venuë des vaisseaux, ie l'auois tousiours veu en crainte qu'on ne l'enuoyast en France, nonobstāt les asseurances que ie luy auois baillé qu'il n'iroit point: & pour luy monstrer que nous estions veritables, cōme aussi pour luy oster toute crainte que nous luy remettions entre les mains: qu'aussi-tost que ie sçaurois la langue, & que nous seriōs bastis, que nous le reprendrions auec plusieurs autres. Au bout du compte la principale raison qui m'a induit à luy rendre, est que i'apprehendois qu'elle ne l'emmenast à nostre desceu: car alors elle eut forgé mille menteries parmy les Sauuages pour se couurir: & comme ie ne scay pas bien la langue, ie n'eusse peu nous iustifier: ce qui auroit induit les Sauuages à nous refuser leurs enfans quand il sera temps [243 i.e., 143] de les demander: ô que c'est vn grãd mal de ne pouuoir produire ses raisons! de ne parler qu'en begayant, & par signes!

[241 i.e., 141] On the 16th of the same month of June, we restored one of our little children to its mother, your Reverence having informed us that you did not yet have the means to establish a seminary here, and consequently had not sent those who had been appointed to look after the instruction of these children. Apprehending, moreover, that this woman might take away her child secretly, and fly with it to the woods, for fear that we might send it to France, I preferred to restore it to her freely, that she might understand that, if we kept children, it was not to hold them by force from their parents, but for their own good; also that she might say to the other Savages that the children were well fed with us, and so lead them to let us have theirs, when we have the means to care for them. This poor woman asked me why I [242 i.e., 142] gave up her child, and when she should bring it back. I answered that, since the arrival of the ships, I had always noticed that she was afraid we would send it to France, notwithstanding the assurances I had given her to the contrary. [We did this] to prove to her that we were true to our word, and also in order to relieve her of all apprehension that we might not restore it to her hands; that, as soon as I knew their language, and after we had built, we would take it again with many others. But, in fact, the principal reason which induced me to restore it to her is that I feared she might take it unknown to us; and then she would have forged a thousand lies among the Savages to excuse herself, and, as I do not know their language well, I should not have been able to justify ourselves! This would have caused the Savages to refuse their children to us when the time comes [243 i.e., 143] to ask them. Oh, what a great misfortune it is not to be able to give one's reasons, to speak only stammeringly and by signs.

Le 23. du mesme mois, le sieur du Plessis nous enuoya dire que douze ou quatorze canots de la nation des sorciers estoient descendus iusques à Saincte Croix, quinze lieuës ou enuiron au dessus de Kebec, quelques iours auparavant nous en auions veu descendre vne douzaine d'vne autre nation nommée la nation d'Iroquet, du nom de leur Capitaine; Dieu soit beny, puis que la crainte des Hiroquois ne les a point empesché de venir. Ces sorciers, c'est ainsi que les François appellent ceste natiõ, pource qu'elle fait vne particuliere profession de consulter leur Manitou, ou parler au diable. Ces sorciers, dis-ie, sont venus iusques à Kebec; l'vn deux regardant fort attentiuement [244 i.e., 144] vn petit François qui battoit vn tambour, & s'approchant fort prés pour le mieux considerer, ce petit garçon luy donna vn coup de l'vn de ses bastõs, & le fit saigner par la teste à bon escient; aussi-tost tous ceux de sa nation qui regardoient ce tambour, voyant ce coup, s'offencerent: ils s'en vont trouuer le truchement François, & luy disent: voila l'vn de tes gens qui a blessé l'vn des nostres, tu scais bien nostre coustume, fais nous des presens pour cette blessure. Cõme il n'y a point de police parmy les Sauuages, si l'vn d'eux en tuë ou blesse vn autre, s'il peut euader, il en est quitte pour quelques presẽs qu'il fait aux amis du defunct, ou de l'offensé. Nostre truchement luy repartit; toy-mesme tu sçais bien nos façons de faire, quãd quelqu'vn de nous fait mal, on le chastie: Cét enfant a blessé l'vn de vos gens, il sera [245 i.e., 145] tout maintenant foüetté en ta presence. On fait venir le petit garçon; quand les Sauuages veirent que c'estoit tout de bon qu'on despoüilloit ce petit batteur de Sauuages & de tambour, & que les verges estoient toutes prestes, ils commencerẽt à prier qu'on luy pardonnast, alleguans que c'estoit vn enfant, qu'il n'auoit point d'esprit, qu'il ne scauoit pas encor ce qu'il faisoit; mais comme on le vouloit chastier à toute force, l'vn d'eux se met tout nud, iette sa robe sur l'enfant, s'écriant à celuy qui le vouloit frapper; touche sur moy, si tu veux, mais tu ne le frapperas point: voila comme le pauure petit euada. Toutes les nations Sauuages de ces quartiers, & du Brasil, à ce qu'on nous témoigne, ne scauroient chastier ny voir chastier vn enfant: que cela nous donnera de peine dans le dessein que nous [246 i.e., 146] auons d'instruire la ieunesse!

On the 23rd of the same month, sieur du Plessis sent word to us that twelve or fourteen canoes of the tribe of sorcerers had gone down as far as Sainte Croix, fifteen leagues or thereabouts above Kebec.51 A few days before, we had seen a dozen belonging to another tribe called Iroquet, from the name of their Captain,52 also going down. God be blessed, since the fear of the Hiroquois did not prevent their coming. These sorcerers,—it is thus that the French call that tribe, because they make a special profession of consulting their Manitou, or talking to the devil,43—these sorcerers, I say, came as far as Kebec. One of them was looking very attentively [244 i.e., 144] at a little French boy who was beating a drum; and, going near to him so as to see him better, the little boy struck him a blow with one of his drumsticks, and made his head bleed badly. Immediately all the people of his tribe who were looking at the drummer, seeing this blow given, took offense at it. They went and found the French interpreter, and said to him: "Behold, one of thy people has wounded one of ours; thou knowest our custom well; give us presents for this wound." As there is no government among the Savages, if one among them kills or wounds another, he is, providing he can escape, released from all punishment by making a few presents to the friends of the deceased or the wounded one. Our interpreter said: "Thou knowest our custom; when any of our number does wrong we punish him. This child has wounded one of your people; he shall be [245 i.e., 145] whipped at once in thy presence." The little boy was brought in; and when they saw that we were really in earnest, that we were stripping this little pounder of Savages and drums, and that the switches were all ready, they immediately began to pray for his pardon, alleging that it was only a child, that he had no mind, that he did not know what he was doing; but, as our people were nevertheless going to punish him, one of the Savages stripped himself entirely, threw his blanket over the child, and cried out to him who was going to do the whipping: "Strike me, if thou wilt, but thou shalt not strike him;" and thus the little one escaped. All the Savage tribes of these quarters, and of Brazil, as we are assured, cannot chastise a child, nor see one chastised. How much trouble this will give us in carrying out our plans [246 i.e., 146] of teaching the young!

Le 24. du mesme mois, le Pere Daniel arriuant, nous apporta nouuelle de la venuë du Capitaine Morieult, dans le vaisseau duquel il auoit laissé le Pere Dauost à Tadoussac: ayant pris le deuant par le moyen d'vne barque qui montoit a Kebec.

On the 24th of the same month, Father Daniel,53 arriving, brought us news of the coming of Captain Morieult in the ship in which he had left Father Davost54 at Tadoussac; he having come up ahead, by means of a bark which was going on to Kebec.

Le dernier iour de Iuin, le Truchement François qui a demeuré long-temps parmy ces sorciers, & qui en est reuenu nouuellemẽt, nous vint voir auec trois Sauuages ses hostes, nous leur donnasmes à mãger: Ils recognurent fort bien le Pere Brebeuf, ayant hyuerné auec luy aux Hurons: Nous les menasmes en nostre petite Chappelle, qui a commẽcé ceste année à s'embellir. L'an passé pour tableau de l'Autel c'estoit vn meschãt linceul, & deux petites images de carton: en vn mot il n'y auoit purement que ce qu'il falloit pour [247 i.e., 147] celebrer la Saincte Messe. Or comme on nous a enuoyé ceste année quelques petits ornemens, nous l'auons embellie le mieux que nous auons peu: ils regardoient tous fort attentiuement: iettans les yeux sur le ciel de l'Autel, ils veirẽt vn S. Esprit figuré par vne colombe, entourée de rayons: ils demanderent si cét oiseau n'estoit point le tonnerre, car ils croyent, comme ie remarquay l'an passé, que le tonnerre est vn oiseau; & quand ils voyent quelque beau panache ils demandent si ce ne sont point des plumes du tonnerre.

On the last day of June, the French Interpreter, who had been a long time among these sorcerers, and who but recently came from them, came to see us with three Savages who were his guests; we gave them something to eat; they recognized Father Brebeuf at once, having passed the winter with him among the Hurons.55 We took them into our little Chapel, which we have this year begun to decorate. Last year, for Altar-piece, we had nothing but an old sheet with two little card pictures upon it. In a word we had only what was absolutely necessary for the [247 i.e., 147] celebration of the Holy Mass. Now, as they have sent us this year a few little ornaments, we have decorated it as best we could. The Savages gazed at it with fixed attention; raising their eyes to the Altar ceiling, and seeing the Holy Spirit pictured as a dove, surrounded by rays of light, they asked if that bird was not the thunder; for they believe, as I wrote last year, that the thunder is a bird; and, when they see beautiful plumes, they ask if they are not the feathers of the thunder.

Ie leur fis demander s'ils seroient bien contens qu'on les allast instruire en leur pays, & qu'on leur donneroit l'explication des images que nous leur faisions voir; ils témoignerent qu'ils en seroient bien contens.

I asked if they would be glad to have some one go and teach them in their country, and give them an explanation of the pictures that we showed them. They said that they would be very glad.

Le second iour de Iuillet, vn de nos François fut assommé lauant la lessiue [248 i.e., 148] en vn ruisseau voisin du fort, on creut que c'estoit quelque Hiroquois; on court, on cherche, on ne trouue rien. Le Pere Brebeuf & le Pere de Nouë estoient proche de l'habitation, dans vne cabane de Hurons: ils accoururent au bruit, ils vont voir le pauure blessé, qui n'a point parlé, & n'a suruescu que deux iours depuis les coups receus: En fin deux Sauuages Montagnaits ont donné aduis aux François du meurtrier, qui a esté pris & cõduit au fort; où il a confessé qu'il auoit fait ce meurtre: c'est vn Sauuage de la petite nation. Voicy le suiect qui l'a porté à cette cruauté; Vn sien parent s'en allant à la guerre, luy recommanda de tuer vn certain Sauuage qu'il luy nommoit: ce miserable auoit souuẽt tasché de le surprẽdre, & de le massacrer: mais voyant qu'il n'en pouuoit venir à bout, l'autre se tenant tousiours [249 i.e., 149] sur ses gardes: il a deschargé sa cholere sur le premier François qu'il a trouué à l'escart.

On the second of July, one of our Frenchmen was struck down while washing some clothes [248 i.e., 148] in a brook near the fort. It was believed to have been the act of some Hiroquois; there was a great deal of running and searching, but nothing was found. Father Brebeuf and Father de Nouë were near the settlement in a cabin of the Hurons. On hearing the noise, they ran out and went to see the poor man who had been wounded; he was speechless and survived only two days after receiving the blows. Finally two Savages, Montagnaits, informed the French who the murderer was. He was seized and taken to the fort, where he confessed that he had committed the crime. He is a Savage of the petite nation.56 This is what led him to the act of cruelty: One of his relatives, upon going to war, recommended him to kill a certain Savage whom he named. This wretch had often tried to surprise and kill him; but, seeing that he had not accomplished it, the other being always [249 i.e., 149] on the lookout, he vented his wrath upon the first Frenchman whom he found alone.

Voila comme nos vies sont peu asseurées parmy ces Barbares: mais nous trouuons là dedans vne puissante consolation, qui nous met hors de toute crainte, c'est que mourans de la main des Barbares en venant procurer leur salut, c'est imiter en quelque façon nostre bon Maistre, à qui ceux-là mesme donnerent la mort, ausquels il venoit apporter la vie.

This shows you how unsafe our lives are among these Barbarians; but we find therein exceeding consolation, which relieves us from all fear; it is that dying at the hands of these Barbarians, whose salvation we come to seek, is in some degree following the example of our good Master, who was put to death by those to whom he came to bring life.

Le 3. du mesme mois, le Pere Dauost arriua de Tadoussac, il fut contrainct de se faire apporter dans vn canot par des Sauuages, voyant que le vaisseau auquel il estoit ne pouuoit monter faute de vent, craignãt d'ailleurs que les Hurons ne descendissent, & ne s'en retournassent sans luy en leur pays. Dieu soit glorifié [250 i.e., 150] pour iamais, qui nous a rassemblez tous en nostre petite maisonette, auec vne grande ioye & vn grãd desir de luy offrir nos vies pour son seruice.

On the 3rd of the same month Father Davost arrived from Tadoussac. He was forced to have himself brought down in a canoe by some Savages, as his vessel could not come up the river, because there was no wind; he also feared that the Hurons might come down, and return to their country without him. May God be forever [250 i.e., 150] praised, who has brought us together in our own little cottage, in great joy, and with a strong desire to give our lives to his service.

Le 4. Louys Amantacha Hurõ qui a esté baptisé en France, & instruit par nos Peres, & qui auroit fait merueille en son pays s'il n'eut esté pris des Anglois, se vint confesser & communier en nostre petite Chapelle. Il y auoit deux iours qu'il estoit descendu à Kebec, nous venant visiter dés le commencement de son arriuée, ie l'inuitay à penser vn petit à sa conscience, il me promit qu'il le feroit, aussi n'y a-il pas manqué.

On the 4th, Louys Amantacha,21 a Huron who was baptized in France, and taught by our Fathers, and who would have done wonders in his country if he had not been captured by the English, came to confession and communion at our little Chapel. Two days before, he had arrived at Kebec, coming to see us immediately. I asked him to think about his conscience a little; he promised me that he would, and he has kept his word.

Le 5. trois Capitaines de diuerses nations nous vindrent voir, nous leur mõstrasmes quelques tableaux, taschant de leur faire entendre ce qu'ils representoient, nous les fismes manger, puis ie leur fis present à [251 i.e., 151] chacun d'vn chappelet de rassade, ils estoient les plus contens du monde; ie leurs fis le meilleur accueil qui me fut possible scachant que nos Peres qui vont aux Hurons, deuoient passer par leur pays.

On the 5th, three Captains of different tribes came to see us. We showed them several pictures, trying to make them understand what they represented. We gave them something to eat and then I made each one [251 i.e., 151] a present of a rosary of glass beads. They were the happiest men in the world. I gave them as warm a reception as I could, knowing that our Fathers who were going to the Hurons would pass through their country.

Le 10. on nous donna aduis sur le soir qu'vn petit Sauuage estoit malade à la mort, il y auoit vne bonne demie lieuë de chemin à faire depuis nostre maison iusques à sa cabane. La nuict approchoit, la mort du dernier François a ietté quelque défiance dans l'esprit des autres, si bien qu'on se tient vn peu sur ses gardes: nonobstant cela, ie ne pouuois permettre que ce pauure petit fut abandonné: i'auois desir de l'aller baptiser moy-mesme, mais ayant esté indisposé, & ressenty quelques accés de fiéure depuis quelque tẽps: nos Peres trouuerent plus à propos que le Pere Brebeuf y allast. Il part [252 i.e., 152] donc auec le Pere de Nouë dans vn canot, ils rencontrerent vn François aupres des Cabanes, qui leur dit que ces Sauuages ne vouloient point monstrer leur enfant aux François, cela ne les arreste point, ils entrent dans la Cabane, & le Pere Brebeuf qui iargonne aussi bien que moy en Sauuage, leur fit entendre le mieux qu'il pût la cause de sa venuë: le Pere de Nouë courut incontinent vers le Truchement, pour le supplier de venir faire vn tour vers ce malade. Cõme il est fort honneste homme & bien vertueux, il quitte son soupper, & s'en vient trouuer les Peres, qui le supplient de declarer aux Sauuage pourquoy ils venoiẽt si tard: scauoir est qu'ils aimoient ce petit enfant, & que s'il mouroit sans baptesme, qu'il n'iroit point au Ciel: au contraire si on le baptisoit, qu'il seroit tousiours bien-heureux. Ils demandent en [253 i.e., 153] outre si ses parens ne seroient pas biẽ contens qu'on le baptisast: la mere respond que pour elle qu'elle en estoit tres-contente, que son mary estoit yure, & qu'il dormoit dans vne autre Cabane. Le Pere passe outre, & demande si au cas qu'il mourut, ils ne voudroiẽt pas bien l'apporter en nostre maison, pour l'enterrer en nostre Cimetiere: & s'il retournoit en santé, si elle ne voudroit pas bien nous le dõner pour l'instruire: elle respond que son fils estoit mort, & que s'il rechappoit, qu'aussi-tost qu'il pourroit marcher (car il n'a enuiron que six mois) qu'elle nous l'ameneroit. Vn Sauuage entẽdāt cela, courut voir le pere de l'enfant; & l'éueilla; luy ayant rapporté tout ce qu'auoient dit les Peres, il respōdit; encore que ie sois yure, i'entend biẽ tout ce que tu dis: va t'en, & dis à ces Peres qu'ils baptisent mõ fils? ie scay [254 i.e., 154] bien qu'ils ne luy feront point de mal; s'il meurt, c'est qu'il est mortel; s'il réchappe, ie leur donneray pour l'instruire. Le Messager rapporta la nouuelle, & le Pere Brebeuf enuoye querir de l'eau à la riuiere, cependant le Pere de Nouë & le Truchement se mettent à genoux, recitent l'Hymne Veni Creator; & le Pere Brebeuf baptise ce pauure petit, luy donnant le nom de François, en l'honeur de S. François Xauier: disant aux parens que d'oresnauant il le falloit nommer François, & que s'il mourroit, qu'il iroit tout droit au Ciel, où il seroit à iamais bien-heureux. Ces pauures gens témoignerent vn tres-grand contentement, reïterans souuent ce nom François, François: & faisans voir qu'ils auoiẽt pris vn singulier plaisir en cette action. L'vn des Sauuages de la Cabane se mit à dire que si le Sauuage qui a tué le [255 i.e., 155] François dernier mort estoit de leur nation qu'il auroyent prié le Capitaine des François de le faire mourir voulãt dõner vne preuue de l'amour qu'il portoit à tous les Frãçois. Enfin les Peres retournerent à dix heures du soir bien ioyeux, & comme ie demandois au Pere Brebeuf s'il n'estoit pas bien content d'auoir si bien conclud la iournée: helas! dit-il, ie viendrois tout exprés de France, & trauerserois tout l'Ocean pour gagner vne petite ame à N. Seigneur.

On the 10th, toward evening, we received news that a little Savage was sick unto death. It was a good half league from our house to his cabin. Night was approaching; the death of the last Frenchman had caused some fear in the minds of the others, so much so that we were on our guard. Notwithstanding that, I could not suffer this poor little one to be abandoned. I wished to go and baptize it myself; but, being indisposed, and having felt for some time a slight attack of fever, our Fathers thought it best that Father Brebeuf should go. So he started [252 i.e., 152] off with Father de Nouë in a canoe. They encountered a Frenchman near the Cabins, who said that these Savages did not want to show their child to the French. That did not stop them. They entered the Cabin, and Father Brebeuf, who can jargon as well as I can in Savage, made them understand as best he could the cause of his visit. Father de Nouë ran hurriedly to the Interpreter, to beg him to come and do a service for the sick. As he was a very honest and worthy man, he left his supper and joined the Fathers, who besought him to inform the Savages why they had come so late; that it was because they loved that little child, and that if it died without baptism it would not go to Heaven; on the contrary, if it were baptized it would be forever happy. They asked [253 i.e., 153] also if its parents would not be very glad to have it baptized. The mother answered that for her part she would be very well pleased, but that her husband was drunk, and asleep in another Cabin. The Father continued, and asked, if the child should die, if they would not bring it to our house and bury it in our Cemetery; and, if it were restored to health, if they would not give it to us to be educated. She answered that her son was dead; but that if he revived, as soon as he should be able to walk (for he was only about six months old) she would bring him to us. A Savage, who heard this, ran to the father of the child and aroused him; having reported to him all that the Fathers had said, he answered: "Though I am drunk, I understand very well all that thou sayest; go and bid those Fathers baptize my son; I know [254 i.e., 154] very well that they will do him no harm; if he dies, it is because he is mortal; if he recovers, I shall give him to them to be educated." The Messenger brought the news, and Father Brebeuf sent to the river for water, while Father de Nouë and the Interpreter knelt down, reciting the hymn Veni Creator; and Father Brebeuf baptized this poor little one, giving him the name of François, in honor of St. François Xavier, telling the parents that they must hereafter call him François, and that if he died he would go straight to Heaven, where he would be forever blest. These poor people gave evidence of their great happiness, often repeating the name "François, François," and showing that they had taken a great deal of pleasure in what we had done. One of the Savages in the Cabin said that if the Savage who had recently killed [255 i.e., 155] the Frenchman belonged to his tribe, he would have prayed the Captain of the French to kill him, wishing to give a proof of the love that they bore to all Frenchmen. In short, the Fathers returned home at ten o'clock at night very happy; and when I asked Father Brebeuf if he were not glad to have ended the day so well: "Ah!" said he, "I would come expressly from France, and cross the great Ocean, to reclaim one little soul for Our Lord."

Il m'adiousta que le Pere de l'enfant s'appelloit la Grenouille, alors ie le cognus fort bien, c'est vn Capitaine des Algonquains; il nous est venu voir, ie luy ay quelquefois parlé de Dieu, i'en fais mentiõ cy-dessus: c'est luy qui me demandoit combien ie voulois d'enfans, & qui s'estonna quand ie luy repartis que nous en voulions vingt, & bien dauantage [256 i.e., 156] quand nous les pourrions nourrir.

He added that the Father of the child was called "la Grenouille" [the Frog]. Then I knew him very well, as a Captain of the Algonquains. He had been to see us, and I had spoken to him sometimes of God. I have mentioned him above. It was he who asked me how many children I wanted, and who was astonished when I replied that we wanted twenty, and many more [256 i.e., 156] when we should be able to feed them.

Au reste, c'est chose estrange combien les Sauuages sont addonnés à l'yurongnerie, nonobstãt les defenses du sieur de Champlain, il y a tousiours quelqu'vn qui leur traite, ou vend quelque bouteille en cachette: si bien qu'on ne voit qu'yurongnes hurler parmy eux, se battre & se quereler. Le Truchement m'a dit que les Sauuages de la nation de celuy qui est prisonnier au fort pour auoir tué ce François, luy reprochoiẽt que c'estoit l'eau de vie, & non ce Sauuage, qui auoit cõmis ce meurtre; voulant dire qu'il estoit yure quand il fit ce coup: Tiens ton vin & ton eau de vie en prison, disent-ils, ce sont tes boissons qui font tout le mal, & non pas nous autres. Ils pensent s'estre bien excusez du mal qu'ils ont fait, quand ils disent qu'ils estoient yures: ie ne voudrois pas les croire aisément [257 i.e., 157] en ce poinct, car ils feignent fort bien cette manie quand ils veulent couurir leur malice.

Further, it is very strange how these Savages are given to drunkenness. In spite of the prohibition of sieur de Champlain, there is always some one who trades with them, or who will sell them a bottle now and then in secret. So that drunkards are continually seen among them, shouting, fighting, and quarreling. The Interpreter told me that the Savages of the tribe to which the prisoner in the fort belonged who had killed the Frenchman, told him reproachfully that it was brandy and not that Savage who had committed this murder, meaning to say that he was drunk when he struck the blow. "Put thy wine and thy brandy in prison," they say: "It is thy drinks that do all the evil, and not we." They believe themselves to be entirely excused from the crimes they commit, when they say that they were drunk. I do not readily believe [257 i.e., 157] in this, because they feign this madness very well when they wish to hide their malice.

Pour retourner à cét enfant nouuellement baptisé, il mourut le lendemain au soir: & le iour suiuant le Pere Brebeuf allant au fort, veit les Sauuages qui trauersoient le grand fleuue S. Laurens, pour le porter en terre à l'autre port. Ie croy qu'ils ne l'apporterent pas chez nous pour auoir plus de liberté de faire festin sur sa fosse, selõ leur coustume. Quasi à mesme temps vn ieune garçon huguenot qui a passé dans les vaisseaux, & qui deuoit retourner auec eux, s'est noyé tout deuant le fort, estrange effect de la prouidence & predestination du bon Dieu! vnus assumetur, alter relinquetur.

To return to this newly baptized child: it died the next evening; and on the following day Father Brebeuf, going to the fort, saw the Savages crossing the great St. Lawrence river, to bury it on the other side. I believe they did not bring it to us, because they wanted to enjoy more liberty in feasting over the grave, according to their custom. About the same time, a young huguenot boy who came over in the ship, and who was to return with them, was drowned right in front of the fort. Strange effect of the providence and the predestination of the good God! Unus assumetur, alter relinquetur.

Le Pere Brebeuf ne laissa point d'entrer dans la Cabane d'où on auoit tiré cét enfant mort. Il y en [258 i.e., 158] trouua encor vn autre malade: il parla de le baptiser, sa grand'mere respondit; ie suis contente que tu le baptise, pourueu que tu le guerisse. Le Truchement des Algonquains qui se fait bien entendre des Montagnaits se trouuant là, le Pere leur fit vn petit discours du Baptesme, & de ses effects: Vous ne recherchez, leur disoit-il, que le corps, & nous recherchons l'ame, qui est purifiée par ce Sacrement, faisant approprier leurs paroles le mieux qu'il pouuoit à nos mysteres. Le Baptesme guarit tousiours l'ame, ne fait point de mal au corps: ains au contraire luy rend souuent la santé. Ils demanderent combien il falloit d'eau pour baptiser: Le Pere respond qu'on n'auoit point d'esgard à la quantité. La conclusion fut que les parẽs prirent eux-mesmes l'enfant, & le disposerent pour receuoir cette benediction: [259 i.e., 159] mais le Pere iugeant qu'il n'estoit pas en dãger de mort, ne se voulut point haster.

Father Brebeuf lost no time in going to the Cabin from which they had taken the dead child. Here he [258 i.e., 158] found another sick child; he spoke of baptizing him, when the grandmother answered: "I shall be satisfied to have thee baptize him, provided that thou canst cure him." The Interpreter of the Algonquains, who makes himself readily understood by the Montagnaits, being present, the Father gave them a little talk upon Baptism and its effects. "You care only for the body," said he, "we care for the soul, which is purified by this Sacrament," adapting their words as best he could to our mysteries. "Baptism always cures the soul, and does no harm to the body, but on the contrary often restores it to health." They asked how much water it took for baptism. The Father answered that no attention was paid to the quantity. The result was that the parents themselves took the child, and prepared it to receive this blessing. [259 i.e., 159] But the Father, thinking that it was not in danger of death, did not wish to hasten matters.

Le lendemain noꝰ l'allasmes voir le Pere de Nouë & moy, la crainte que nous auiõs qu'il ne mourut sans estre baptisé, nous fit partir par vn temps tout à fait violent: les vents & la pluye sembloient vouloir tout rompre, & tout noyer. Ie voulois aussi aller entendre de confession vn Bengalois qui auoit esté blessé, & qui me demandoit: c'eft vn ieune homme amené des Indes Orientales, & fait Chrestien en Frāce, qui a hyuerné icy auec nous. Ie le veis, & le cõsolay le mieux que ie pûs. Pour le petit Sauuage m'estant presenté à l'vne des portes de sa Cabane, on me dit aouesse, retire toy: mais ayans ouy ma voix, ils me dirent que ie passasse par l'autre porte: i'entre donc pendant que le Pere de Nouë cherchoit le [260 i.e., 160] Truchement. Vne femme m'arresta au premier pas, me disant, appitou, sieds toy là. Ie luy responds, ouy, ie veux voir l'enfant. attend, attend, me dit-elle, tu le verras. Le plus grãd sorcier d'entr'eux, à ce que me dit le Truchement, qui arriua bien-tost apres, chantoit & souffloit cét enfant pour le guerir. Ils auoient fait vn petit retrenchement où estoit l'enfāt, i'en voulus deux ou trois fois approcher, mais on ne me le voulut pas permettre. Les Sauuages m'arrestoient à tous coups. Attendant que ce beau medecin eut traité son malade, l'enfant estoit nud comme la main, couché dans vn petit berceau d'écorce, sur de la poudre de bois pourry. Il auoit vne grosse fiévre qui le brusloit, & ce charlatan pour le guerir battoit & tournoit vn instrument remply de petites pierres, fait iustement comme vn tambour de [261 i.e., 161] Basque. Il chantoit auec cela à gorge desployée: en vn mot luy & sõ cõpagnon pour oster la fieure a ce petit garçon faisoient vn bruit capable de la donner à vn hõme biẽ sain. Le sorcier s'approchoit du malade, le souffloit par tout le corps, à ce que ie pouuois coniecturer, car ie ne le voiois pas, mais i'entendois son souffle tiré du profond de l'estomach: il battoit ce tambour à ses oreilles, cependant il y auoit vn grand silence parmy les autres Sauuages qui estoient dans la mesme cabane. Sa medecine donnée il m'appelle, & me dit que ie visse l'enfant, & que ie luy en disse mon aduis: pour luy qu'il croioit qu'il avoit ie ne sçay quoy de noir dans le corps, & que c'estoit cela qui le faisoit malade, voila le resultat de ce grãd bruit. Ie m'approche, ie touche le poulx de l'enfant, ie luy trouue vne grosse fieure, & leurs dy qu'il auoit vne maladie [262 i.e., 162] que nous appellions la fieure, & qu'il le falloit laisser reposer, & non pas le tuer auec ce grand bruit qui augmentoit sa maladie, & qui depuis peu i'auois eu quelques accés de fiéure, & que le repos m'auoit guery. Le sorcier me repart, cela est bon pour vous autres, mais pour nous c'est ainsi que nous guerissons les malades. Helas que les hommes qui ne cognoissent pas Dieu sont ignorans, voire mesme dans les choses naturelles! Pour cōclure ce point, nous nous en retournasmes par eau comme nous estions venus, sans baptiser l'enfant, ne iugeant pas sa maladie mortelle, la fiebure quoy que bien grande estãt intermittente.

The next day Father de Nouë and I went to see the child. Our fear lest he should die without being baptized made us set out in the midst of very stormy weather; the wind and rain seemed bent on breaking and drowning everything. I also wanted to go and hear the confession of a Bengalese, who had been wounded, and had sent for me. He is a young man brought from the East Indies, who had been converted to Christianity in France, and has been passing the winter here with us. I saw him, and consoled him as best I possibly could. As to the little Savage, having presented myself at one of the doors of the Cabin, they said to me: aouesse, "go away." But, having heard my voice, they told me to come in by the other door; I went in, while Father de Nouë was seeking the [260 i.e., 160] Interpreter. A woman stopped me at the first step, saying, appitou, "sit thee down there." I answered her, "yes, I want to see the child." "Wait, wait," said she to me, "thou shalt see him." The greatest sorcerer they have among them, according to the Interpreter, who arrived shortly afterward, sang and blew upon the child to cure him. They had made a little retreat where the child was. Two or three times I tried to get near it, but was not permitted. The Savages stopped me every time. I waited until this fine doctor had treated his patient; the child, naked as one's hand, lay in a cradle of bark, upon pulverized rotten wood. He was burning with a high fever; and this charlatan, to cure him, was beating upon and whirling around an instrument full of little stones, made exactly like a [261 i.e., 161] tambourine. With all this he howled immoderately. In a word, he and his companion, in order to cure this little boy of a fever, made enough noise to give one to a healthy man. The sorcerer approached the patient, and blew all over the body, as I conjectured, for I could not see what he was doing, but I heard his breath drawn from the depths of his stomach. He beat the tambourine in the child's ears, during which there was great silence among the other Savages who were in the same cabin. His medicine having been given, he called me and told me I might then see the child, and that I should give him my opinion; as to him, he believed that the child had something or other black in his body, and it was that which made him sick. Behold the result of this great noise. I approach, I feel the pulse of the child, I discover a raging fever; and I tell him that he has a sickness [262 i.e., 162] which we call fever, that he must be left to rest, and not be killed by this great noise which makes him worse; that recently I had an attack of fever, and that rest had cured me. The sorcerer replied: "That is very good for you people; but, for us, it is thus that we cure our sick." Alas! how ignorant are they who do not know God, indeed even in natural things! To end this story, we returned by water as we came, without baptizing the child, believing that the disease was not mortal; the fever, although very high, being intermittent.

A quelques iours de là ie le retournay voir, ses parents nous ayans signifié qu'ils estoient bien aises que nous y allassions, i'y rencontray encor vn sorcier qui le souffloit, mais [263 i.e., 163] celuy cy n'entendoit pas si bien son mestier que l'autre, aussi est il plus ieune, il me laissa voir ses beaux mysteres, il battoit son tambour aux oreilles de ce pauure petit qui s'égorgeoit de pleurer, il luy souffloit sur la teste auec vn sifflement qu'il faisoit bruire entre ses dents: il tournoit son tambour deçà delà à ses costés, derrière son dos, puis le ramenoit sur l'enfant; En vn mot il se tuoit de bien faire, & ne faisoit rien qui vaille. Il n'entendoit rien à faire le iongleur à comparaison de l'autre. C'est chose estrãge que les Sauuages aient tãt de creance à ces charlatans! ie ne sçay comme le mensonge est plus adoré que la verité! Bref ce petit enfant se guerissant, son pere & sa mere nous sont venus voir, & l'õt apporté auec eux, nous remercians par cette visite de la peine que nous auions pris pour luy.

After a few days I returned to see him, his parents having made known to us that they would be very glad if we should come. Again I met a sorcerer who was blowing upon the body, but [263 i.e., 163] this one did not understand his trade so well as the other; he was also younger, and allowed me to see his beautiful mysteries. He beat his tambourine in the ears of this poor little child, who was almost choking with tears. He blew upon his head, with a whistling sound made between his teeth; he turned his tambourine on this side and that side of his ribs, behind his back, and then brought it again over the child. In a word, he nearly killed himself with exertion, but accomplished nothing of any account. He knew nothing at all about playing the juggler, compared with the other. Strange that the Savages have so much faith in these charlatans! I do not know why falsehood is worshipped more than truth. In short, this little child being cured, its father and mother came to see us and brought it with them, thanking us by this visit for the trouble we had taken for it.

[264 i.e., 164] I'en ay esté voir d'autres de puis au delà du grand fleuue Sainct Laurens, où vne partie des Sauuages s'estoient cabanés. Si ie continuë cet exercice les meres me tiendront biẽ tost pour medecin des petits enfans, car elles me disent desia leurs maladies, mais nous sommes appointés bien contraires: ils pensent seulement aux corps, & nous à l'ame.

[264 i.e., 164] Since then, I have been to see others beyond the great Saint Lawrence river, where a company of Savages were encamped. If I continue this business, the mothers will soon regard me as the little children's physician, for they already come to me with their ailments, but we have a much higher calling; they think only of the body, and we of the soul.

Le 27 de Iuillet Louys de Saincte Foy surnommé des Sauuages Amantacha, duquel i'ay parlé cy dessus, retourna vers le sieur de Champlain qui l'auoit enuoié au deuãt de la grosse trouppe de Hurons qu'on attendoit de iour en iour: il en estoit desia venu quelques canots en diuers iours tantost sept ou huit, & tantost dix ou douze à la fois, mais en fin le 28. de Iuillet il en est arriué cent quarãte ou enuiron tout à la fois qui portoient biẽ cinq cens Hurons, d'autres disent [265 i.e., 165] 700 auec leurs marchãdises. Les Sauvages de l'Isle & les Algõquains, qui sont deux nations qu'on rencontre venant des Hurons à Kebec, les auoient voulu dissuader de venir iusques aux François, disans qu'on leur iouëroit vn mauuais party à cause de la mort d'un nommé Bruslé qu'ils auoient tué, & qu'vn Algonquain de la petite nation aiant tué vn François, on l'auoit pris prisonnier, & que c'estoit fait de sa vie, qu'on en feroit autant à quelque Huron. Leur dessein estoit de tirer toute la marchandise de ces Hurons à très-bas prix pour la venir par apres traiter eux mesmes soit aux François, soit aux Anglois. Louys Amantacha se rencontrant là dessus asseura ceux de sa nation de la bienueillance des Frãçois, protestant qu'il estoit content qu'on le mit a mort au cas que les François ne leurs fissent vn tres-bon [266 i.e., 166] accueil. Que pour Bruslé qui auoit esté massacré, on ne le tenoit point pour François, puis qu'il auoit quitté sa nation pour se mettre au seruice de l'Anglois. Enfin il a si bien fait que six ou sept cens Hurons sont venus iusques à Kebec; vn plus grand nombre s'estoit mis en chemin, mais les vns s'en sont retournés pour la peur qu'on leur donnoit, les autres pour auoir ioüé & perdu leurs marchandises, car les Sauuages sont grands ioueurs, & quelques-vns d'entre eux ne viennent à la traite auec les François que pour iouër, d'autres pour voir, quelques vns pour dérober, & les plus sages & les plus riches pour trafiquer. Ie ne croy pas qu'il y ait nation sous le ciel plus portée au larcin que la Huronne, il faut tousiours auoir les yeux sur leurs pieds & sur leurs mains quãd ils entrent en quelque endroit. On dit qu'ils dérobent [267 i.e., 167] des pieds aussi bien que des mains. I'en regardois vn chés nous qui auoit ietté les yeux sur vn des outils de la menuiserie de nostre frere, la pensée me venant qu'il s'en pourroit saisir, ie le veillay tant que ie peu, mais il fut plus adroit à prendre que moy à regarder. Il cache l'outil si dextrement que ie ne luy vy faire aucune action. Voiant neantmoins la place vuide ie me doubtay de ce qui estoit, i'en donnay aduis au Pere Brebeuf qui entend assés bien leur langue: il accoste mon homme qui voulut nier le fait au commencement, mais en fin il cõfesse la debte, rend son larcin en riant, tant il estoit contrit de son peché. Le Pere de Nouë en surprit vn autre qui enleuoit vn petit morceau de fer blanc qui seruoit d'aiguille à vn meschant quadran que i'ay tracé, vn autre déroba vne lettre par la fenestre de la chambre du Pere Masse. [268 i.e., 168] prendre & n'estre point decouuert estant vne marque d'esprit parmy eux. L'vtilité n'est pas tousiours le seul obiet de leur larcin. Vn François aiant ouy dire que les Sauuages de cette nation estoient grands larrons, se moqua de leur subtilité, disant qu'il leur donnoit tout ce qu'ils luy prendroient: quelques vns l'allerent voir, il leur presenta à boire, pour toutes actions de graces ils luy enleuerent sa tace, mais si finement qu'il ne s'en prit point garde qu'ils ne fussent partis.