Volume 7 — CHAPTER XIII. (continued 3)

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 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.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, & 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 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 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.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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."

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 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 & 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.