Chapter M: DC. XXXII (1)

_By Royal License._

[3] Brieve Relation dv Voyage de la Novvelle France.

MON R. PERE, Estant aduerti de vostre part, le dernier iour de Mars, qu'il falloit au plustost m'embarquer au Haure de grace, pour tirer droit à la Nouuelle France: l'aise & le contentement que i'en resenti en mon ame fut si grand, que de vingt ans ie ne pense pas en auoir eu vn pareil, ny qu'aucune lettre m'ait esté tant agreable. Ie sorti de Dieppe le lendemain, & passant à Roüen, nous [4] nous ioignimes de compagnie le Pere de Nouë, nostre Frere Gilbert & moy. Estans au Haure nous allasmes saluër monsieur du Pont, neueu de Monseigneur le Cardinal, lequel nous donna vn escrit signé de sa main, par lequel il témoignoit que c'estoit la volonté de mondit Seigneur que nous passassions en la Nouuelle France. Nous auons vne singuliere obligation à la charité de de monsieur le Curé du Haure, & des Meres Vrsulines; Car comme nous n'auions point preueu nostre depart, si le Pere Charles Lallemant à Roüen, & ces honnestes personnes au Haure ne nous eussent assistez dans l'empressement, où nous nous trouuions, sans doute nous estions mal. Du Haure nous tirames à Honfleur, & le iour de Quasimodo 18. d'Auril nous fimes voile.

[3] Brief Relation of the Journey to New France.[1]

MY REVEREND FATHER: Having been notified by you on the last day of
March that I should embark as early as possible at Havre de grace,
to sail directly for New France, the joy and happiness that I felt
in my soul was so great that I believe I have experienced nothing
like it for twenty years, nor has any letter been so welcome to
me. I left Dieppe the next day, and, going to Roüen, [4] Father de
Nouë, our Brother Gilbert, and I united in one company. Being in
Havre, we went to pay our respects to monsieur du Pont, nephew of
Monseigneur the Cardinal, who gave us a passport[2] signed by his
own hand, in which he said that it was the wish of the Cardinal
that we should go to New France. We are under peculiar obligations
to the benevolence of monsieur the Curé of Havre, and of the
Ursuline Mothers:[3] for, as we had not foreseen our departure, if
Father Charles Lallemant, of Roüen, and these good people in Havre,
had not assisted us in the hasty preparations we were obliged to
make, we should, without doubt, have been very badly off. From
Havre we went to Honfleur, and on Low Sunday,[4] April 18th, we set
sail.

Nous eumes au commencement [5] vn tres-beau temps, & en dix iours nous fimes enuiron six cens lieuës, mais à peine en peumes nous faire deux cens les trente trois iours suiuans. Ces bons iours passez nous n'eumes quasi que tempestes, ou vent contraire, hormis quelques bonnes heures qui nous venoient de temps en temps. I'auois quelquefois veu la mer en cholere des fenestres de nostre petite maison de Dieppe: mais c'est bien autre chose de sentir dessous soy la furie de l'Ocean, que de la contempler du riuage; nous estions des trois & quatre iours à la cappe, comme parlent les mariniers, nostre gouuernail attaché, on laissoit aller le vaisseau au gré des vagues & des ondes, qui le portoient par fois sur des montagnes d'eau, puis tout à coup dans des abysmes; vous eussiez dit que les vents estoient déchainez contre nous; à tous coups [6] nous craignions qu'ils ne brisassent nos mats, ou que le vaisseau ne s'ouurit: & De fait il se fit vne voye d'eau laquelle nous auroit coulé à fond, si elle fût arriuée plus bas, ainsi que i'entendois dire. C'est autre chose de mediter de la mort dans sa cellule deuant l'image du Crucifix, autre chose d'y penser dans vne tempeste, & deuant la mort mesme. Ie vous diray neantmoins ingenuëment, qu'encor que la nature desire sa conseruation, que neantmoins au fond de l'ame ie sentois autant ou plus d'inclination à la mort qu'à la vie; ie me mettois deuant les yeux que celuy qui m'auoit conduit dessus la mer, auoit de tres-bons desseins; & qu'il le falloit laisser faire; ie n'osois luy rien demander pour moy, sinon de luy presenter ma vie pour tout l'equipage. Quand ie me figurois que peut-estre dans peu d'heures, ie me verrois au milieu des [7] vagues, & par aduanture dans l'épaisseur d'vne nuict tres-obscure, i'auois quelque consolation en cette pensée, m'imaginant que là où il y auroit moins de la creature, qu'il y auroit plus du Createur, & que ce seroit là proprement mourir de sa main: mais ma foiblesse me fait craindre, que peut-estre si cela fust arriué i'eusse bien changé de pensée & d'affection.

We had fine weather at first, [5] and made about six hundred
leagues in ten days; but we could hardly cover two hundred on
the following thirty-three days. After this fine weather we had
little but storms and contrary winds, except a few pleasant hours
which were vouchsafed us from time to time. I had sometimes seen
the angry sea from the windows of our little house at Dieppe; but
watching the fury of the Ocean from the shore is quite different
from tossing upon its waves. During three or four days we were
close-reefed, as sailors say, our helm fastened down. The vessel
was left to the will of the billows and the waves, which bore it at
times upon mountains of water, then suddenly down into the depths
of the sea. You would have said that the winds were unchained
against us. Every moment [6] we feared lest they should snap our
masts, or that the ship would spring a leak; and, in fact, there
was a leak, which would, as I heard reported, have sunk us if it
had been lower down. It is one thing to reflect upon death in
one's cell, before the image on the Crucifix; but quite another to
think of it in the midst of a tempest and in the presence of death
itself. But I say to you honestly, that, although nature longs for
its preservation, nevertheless, in the depths of my soul, I felt
quite as much inclination to death as to life; I kept constantly
before my eyes, that he who had brought me upon the sea had some
good purpose, and that he must be allowed to do as he pleases. I
dared not ask of him anything for myself, unless it were to offer
up my life for all on the ship. When I realized that in a few hours
I might see myself in the midst of the [7] waves, and perhaps in
the depths of the blackest night, I found some consolation in the
thought that there, where there would be less of the creature,
there would be more of the Creator, and that it would be really
dying by his hand. But my weakness makes me fear that perhaps, if
that had really happened, my thoughts and inclinations might have
been greatly changed.

Au reste nous auons trouué l'hyuer dans l'esté, c'est à dire dans le mois de May & vne partie de Iuin, les vents, & la bruine nous glaçoient, le Pere de Nouë a eu les pieds & les mains gelées, adioustez vne douleur de teste ou de cœur qui ne me quitta quasi iamais le premier mois; vne grande soif, pour ce que nous ne mangions que choses salées, & il n'y auoit point de fontaine d'eau douce dans nostre vaisseau. Nos cabanes estoient [8] si grãdes, que nous n'y pouuions estre ny debout, ny à genoux, ny assis, & qui pis est, l'eau pendant la pluie me tomboit par fois sur la face. Toutes ces incõmoditez estoient communes aux autres, les pauures mattelots enduroient bien dauantage. Tout cela est passé, Dieu mercy, ie n'eusse pas voulu estre en France. Tous ces petits trauaux ne nous ont point encor, comme ie croy, donné la moindre tristesse de nostre depart. Dieu ne se laisse iamais vaincre; si on luy donne des oboles, il donne des mines d'or, encor me semble-il que ie me suis mieux porté que le Pere de Nouë, lequel a esté fort longtemps sans quasi pouuoir manger; pour nostre Frere, il est comme ces animaux Amphibies, il se porte aussi bien sur la mer que sur la terre.

But, to speak of other things, we found winter in summer; that is
to say, in the month of May and a part of June, the winds and the
fogs chilled us; Father de Nouë's feet and hands were frozen; and,
besides this, I had pains in my head or heart, which scarcely left
me at all during the first month; and a keen thirst, because we
ate nothing but salted food, and there was no fresh water upon our
vessel. The size of our cabins was [8] such that we could not stand
upright, kneel, or sit down; and, what is worse, during the rain,
the water fell at times upon my face. All these discomforts were
shared by the others; but the poor sailors suffered many more. All
that is past; thank God, I would not have wished to be in France.
All these little afflictions have not as yet, I believe, caused us
the least sadness over our departure. God never suffers himself
to be vanquished; if you give him mites, he gives mines of gold.
Still, it seems to me that I get along better than Father de Nouë,
who, for a long time, was hardly able to eat; as to our Brother, he
is like the Amphibious animals; he is just as much at home on the
sea as on the land.

Le iour de la Pentecoste, comme i'estois prest de prescher, ce que ie faisois [9] ordinairement les Dimanches, & bonnes Festes, vn de nos mattelots se mit à crier moluë, moluë, il auoit ietté sa ligne, & en tiroit vne grande. Il y auoit desia quelques iours que nous estions sur le banc, mais on n'auoit quasi rien pris. Ce iour là on en prit tant qu'on voulut. C'estoit vn plaisir de voir vne si grande tuerie, & tant de ce sang répãdu sur le tillac de nostre nauire. Ce rafraichissement nous vint fort à propos, apres de si longues bourrasques.

On Pentecost day, just as I was ready to preach, as I usually [9]
did on Sundays and great Fête days, one of our sailors began to cry
out, "codfish! codfish!" He had thrown in his line and had brought
out a large one. We had already been on the banks several days, but
had caught very little. On that day we drew in as many as we liked.
It was a pleasure to see so great a slaughter, and so much of this
blood shed upon the deck of our ship. These fresh supplies were
very welcome to us after such continuous storms.

Le Mardy d'apres, premier iour de Iuin, nous vimes les terres, elles estoient encor toutes couuertes de neiges, l'hyuer tousiours grand en ces païs, & l'a esté extremément cette année. Quelques iours auparauant, sçauoir est le 15. & 18. de May, estans encor éloignez des terres enuiron deux cens lieuës, nous auions rencontré deux glaces d'vne enorme grandeur [10] flottantes dans la mer, elles estoient plus longues que nostre vaisseau, & plus hautes que nos masts, le Soleil donnant dessus vous eussiez dit estre des Eglises, ou plustost des montagnes de crystal: à peine auroy-ie creu cela si ie ne l'auois veu. Quand on en rencontre quantité, & qu'vn nauire se trouue embarrassé là dedans, il est bien tost mis en pieces.

On the following Tuesday, the first day of June, we saw land. It
was still covered with snow, for the winter, always severe in this
country, was extremely so this year. Some days before, to wit,
the 15th and 18th of May, being still distant from land about two
hundred leagues, we had encountered two icebergs of enormous size,
[10] floating upon the sea. They were longer than our ship and
higher than our masts, and as the sunlight fell upon them you would
have said they were Churches, or rather, mountains of crystal. I
would hardly have believed it if I had not seen it. When a great
number of them are encountered, and the ship finds itself caught
among them, it is very soon broken into pieces.

Le Ieudy 3. de Iuin nous entrames dans le païs par l'vn des plus beaux fleuues du monde, la grand Isle de terre neuue le ferme en son emboucheure, luy laissant deux endroits, par où il se dégorge dans la mer, l'vn au Nord, & l'autre au Sud: nos entrames par celuy-cy qui est large enuiron de 13. ou 14. lieuës. Si tost que vous estes entrez, vous découurez vn golfe de 15O. lieuës de largeur; en montant plus haut au lieu où cette grande riuiere commence à s'estressir, elle a [11] bien encor de largeur 37. lieuës: où nous sommes à Quebec, esloignez plus de 200. lieuës de l'emboucheure, elle a bien encor demie lieuë.

On Thursday, June 3rd, we passed into the country through one
of the most beautiful rivers in the world. The great Island of
newfoundland intercepts it at its mouth, leaving two openings
whereby it can empty into the sea, one to the North and the other
to the South. We sailed in through the latter, which is about 13
or 14 leagues wide. Upon entering, you discover a gulf 150 leagues
wide; going farther up, where this grand river begins to narrow,
it is [11] even there 37 leagues wide. Where we are, in Quebec,
distant over 200 leagues from its mouth, it is still half a league
wide.

A l'entrée de ce golfe nous vimes deux rochers, l'vn paroissoit rond, l'autre quarré; vous diriez que Dieu les a planté au milieu des eaux comme deux colombiers pour seruir de lieu de retraitte aux oyseaux, qui s'y retirent en si grande quantité, qu'on marche dessus eux: & si on ne se tient bien ferme, ils s'éleuent en si grand nombre, qu'ils renuersent les personnes: on en rapporte des chalouppes ou petits bateaux tous pleins quand le temps permet qu'on les aborde: les François les ont nommez les Isles aux oyseaux. On vient dans ce Golfe pour pescher des baleines, nous y en auons veu quantité, pour pescher aussi des moluës. I'y ay veu grand nombre de loups marins, nos gens [12] en tuerent quelques-vns. Il se trouue dans cette grande riuiere nommée de S. Laurens, des marsoins blancs & non ailleurs; les Anglois les appellent des baleines blanches, pource qu'elles sont fort grandes à comparaison de marsoins; ils montent iusques à Quebec.

At the entrance of this gulf we saw two rocks, one appearing to be
round, the other square. You would say that God had thrown them
into the midst of the waters, like two dovecotes, as a retreat for
the birds that withdraw there in such multitudes that you would
almost tread upon them; and if you do not obtain a good foothold,
they rise up in such numbers that they may knock you over. Boats,
or little skiffs, full of them are brought back to the ships, when
the weather permits approach to these islands, which the French
have named the Isles of birds.[5] Ships come into this Gulf on
whaling expeditions. We have seen a great many fishing also for
cod. I saw here a number of seals, and our people [12] killed some
of them. In this great river, which, is called the St. Lawrence,
white porpoises are found, and nowhere else. The English call them
white whales, because they are very large compared with the other
porpoises; they go up as far as Quebec.[6]

Le iour de la Saincte Trinité nous fumes contraints de relascher à Gaspay; c'est vne grande baie d'eau qui entre dans ce païs; c'est icy où nous mimes pied à terre pour la premiere fois depuis nostre depart. Iamais homme apres vn long voyage n'est rentré dans son païs auec plus de contentement que nous entrions au nostre; c'est ainsi que nous appellions ces miserables contrées. Nous y trouuames deux vaisseaux, l'vn de Honfleur, l'autre de Biscaye, qui estoient venus pour la pesche des moluës. Nous priames ceux de Honfleur de [13] nous dresser vn autel pour dire la Saincte Messe dans leur cabane. Ce fut à qui y mettroit la main, tant ils estoiẽt aises: aussi leur disoy-ie en riant, qu'en bastissant leur cabane ils ne pensoiẽt pas bastir vne Chapelle. Comme ie vins à l'Euangile qui se lit ce iour-là à la Messe, & qui estoit le premier que ie prononçois en ces terres, ie fus bien estonné entendant ces paroles du Fils de Dieu à ses Disciples, _Data est mihi omnis potestas in cælo & in terra, euntes ergo docete omnes gentes baptisantes eos in nomine Patris_, &c. _Ecce ego vobiscum_ &c. Ie pris bon augure de ces paroles, quoy que ie visse bien qu'elle ne s'addressoient pas à vne personne si miserable que moy; aussi m'est-il aduis que ie viens icy comme les pionniers, qui marchent les premiers pour faire les tranchées, & par apres les braues soldats viennent assieger, & prendre la place.

On the day of Holy Trinity, we were compelled to stop at Gaspay,[7]
a large body of water extending into this country. It was here that
we trod land for the first time since our departure. Never did man,
after a long voyage, return to his country with more joy than we
entered ours; it is thus we call these wretched lands. We found
here two ships, one from Honfleur and the other from Biscaye, which
had come to fish for cod. We begged the people from Honfleur to
[13] raise an altar for us, that we might celebrate the Holy Mass
in their cabin; and there was a strife among them as to who should
work upon it, so greatly were they pleased. So I said to them,
laughingly, that in building their cabin they did not think they
were building a Chapel. When I came to the Gospel appointed for
that day in the Mass, and which was the first that I had read in
these lands, I was very much astonished in hearing these words of
the Son of God to his Disciples, _Data est mihi omnis potestas in
cælo & in terra, euntes ergo docete omnes gentes baptisantes eos in
nomine Patris_, etc. _Ecce ego vobiscum_, etc. I took these words
as a good omen, although I clearly saw that they were not addressed
to so poor a person as I. But it is my opinion that I come here
like the pioneers, who go ahead to dig the trenches; after them
come brave soldiers, who besiege and take the place.

[14] Apres la Messe nous entrames dans les bois, il y auoit encor quantité de neige, si ferme qu'elle nous portoit. Le matin il gela assez fort, comme i'allois lauer mes mains à vn torrent d'eau qui decouloit des montagnes, ie trouuay les bords tous glacez. Nos gens tuerent icy quelques perdrix fort grises, & aussi grosses que nos poulles de France. Ils tuerent aussi quelques lieures plus pattus que les nostres, & encor vn peu blancs, car les lieures en ce païs cy sont tous blancs, pendant les neiges, & pendant l'esté ils reprennent leur couleur semblable à celle des lieures de l'Europe.

[14] After Mass we went into the woods; the snow was still very
deep, and so strong that it bore our weight. In the morning there
was a hard frost; and, when I went to wash my hands in the torrent
of water which flowed down from the mountains, I found the edges of
it completely frozen. Here our people killed a number of large gray
partridges, as large as our chickens in France. They also killed
some hares, larger-footed than ours, and still a little white; for
in this country the hares are all white, while the snow lasts, and
during the summer they resume their color like that of the European
hares.

Le iour suiuant nous nous remimes sous voile, & le 18. de Iuin nous moüillames à Tadoussac; c'est vne autre baie d'eau, ou vne anse fort petite, aupres de laquelle se trouue vn fleuue nommé Sagué qui se iette dans la grande riuiere de S. Laurens, ce fleuue [15] est aussi beau que la Seine, quasi aussi rapide que le Rosne, & plus profond que plusieurs endroits de la mer, car on dit qu'il a bien 80. brasses de profondeur aux endroits où il est le moins profond. Comme nous allions dire la Saincte Messe à terre, l'vn de nos soldats tua vn grand aigle aupres de son aire, il auoit la teste & le col tout blanc, le bec & les pieds iaunes, le reste du corps noiratre, il estoit gros comme vn coq d'Inde. Nous auons icy seiourné depuis le 14. Iuïn, iusques au 3. de Iulliet, c'est à dire 19. iours. Il faisoit encor grand froid quand nous y arriuames, mais auant que d'en partir nous y auons ressenty de grandes chaleurs; & ce pendant ce n'estoit que le printemps, puisque les arbres estoient seulement fleuris. En fort peu de temps les feüilles, les boutons, les fleurs & les fruits paroissent icy, & meurissent, i'entends les fruicts [16] sauuages, car il n'y en a point d'autres. Or c'est icy que i'ay veu des Sauuages pour la premiere fois. Si tost qu'ils apperceurent nostre vaisseau ils firent des feux, & deux d'entr'eux nous vindrent aborder dans vn petit cauot fait d'escorce fort proprement. Le lendemain vn Sagamo auec dix ou douze Sauuages nous vint voir; il me sembloit, les voyant entrer dans la chambre de nostre Capitaine, où i'estois pour lors, que ie voyois ces masques qui courent en France à Caresme-prenant. Il y en auoit qui auoient le nez peint en bleu, les yeux, les sourcils, les iouës peintes en noir, & le reste du visage en rouge; & ces couleurs sont viues & luisantes comme celle de nos masques: d'autres auoient des rayes noires, rouges & bleuës, tirées des oreilles à la bouche: d'autres estoient tous noirs hormis le haut du front, & les parties voisines [17] des oreilles & le bout du menton, si bien qu'on eut vrayement dit qu'ils estoient masquez. Il y en auoit qui n'auoient qu'vne raye noire, large d'vn ruban, tirée d'vne oreille à l'autre, au trauers des yeux, & trois petites rayes sur les iouës. Leur couleur naturelle est cõme celle de ces gueux de France qui sont demy rostis au Soleil, & ie ne doute point que les Sauuages ne fussent tres-blãcs s'ils estoiẽt bien couuerts. De dire comme ils sont vestus, il est bien difficile; les hommes quand il fait vn peu chaud vont tous nuds, hormis vne piece de peau qu'ils mettent au dessous du nombril iusques aux cuisses. Quand il fait froid, ou bien à l'imitation des Europeans, ils se couurent de peaux de Castor, d'Ours, de Renard, & d'autres tels animaux, mais si maussadement, que cela n'empesche pas qu'on ne voye la pluspart de leurs corps. [18] I'en ay veu de vestus de peau d'Ours, iustement comme on peint S. Iean Baptiste. Cette peau veluë au dehors, leur alloit sous vn bras & sur l'autre, & leur battoit iusques aux genoux, ils estoient ceints au trauers du corps d'vne corde de boyau. Il y en a de vestus entierement, ils ressemblent tous à ce Philosophe de la Grece, qui ne portoit rien sur soy qu'il n'eut fait. Il ne faut pas employer beaucoup d'années pour apprendre tous leurs mestiers. Ils vont tous teste nuë hommes & femmes; ils portent les cheueux longs; ils les ont tous noirs, graissez, & luisans; ils les lient par derriere, sinon quand ils portent le dueil. Les femmes sont honnestement couuertes; elles ont des peaux iointes sur les espaules auec des cordes, & ces peaux leurs battent depuis le col iusques aux genoüils; elles se ceignent aussi d'vne corde, le reste du corps la teste, les [19] bras & les iambes sont descouuertes: il y en a neantmoins qui portent des manches, des chausses, & des souliers, mais sans autre façon que celle que la necessité leur a appris. Maintenant qu'ils traittent des capots, des couuertures, des draps, des chemises auec les François, il y en a plusieurs qui s'en couurent, mais leurs chemises sont aussi blanches & aussi grasses que des torchons de cuisine, ils ne les blanchissent iamais. Au reste ils sont de bonne taille, le corps bien fait, les membres tres-bien proportionnez, & ne sont point si massifs que ie les croyois; ils ont vn assez bon sens; ils ne parlent point tous ensemble, ains les vns apres les autres, s'écoutans patiemment. Vn Sagamo ou Capitaine disnãt vn iour en la chambre du nostre, voulant dire quelque chose, & ne trouuant point le loisir pource qu'on parloit tousiours, [20] en fin pria la compagnie qu'on luy donnast vn peu de temps pour parler à son tour, & tout seul, comme il fit.

The next day we again set sail, and on the 18th of June we cast
anchor at Tadoussac. This is another bay or very small cove, near
which there is a river named Sagué [Saguenay], which empties into
the great river St. Lawrence. This river [15] is as beautiful as
the Seine, about as rapid as the Rosne [Rhone], and deeper than
many places in the sea, for it is said to be 80 fathoms deep in its
shallowest places. As we were on our way to say the Holy Mass on
the shore, one of our soldiers killed a great eagle near its eyrie.
Its head and neck were entirely white, the beak and feet yellow,
the rest of the body blackish; it was as large as a Turkey-cock. We
sojourned here from the 14th of June to the 3rd of July; that is to
say, 19 days. It was still very cold when we arrived, but before
leaving we felt excessive heat; and yet it was only the spring,
since the trees had only just begun to put forth their foliage. In
a very short time the leaves, the buds, the flowers, and the fruit
appear here and ripen; I mean the wild [16] fruit, as there is no
other. It was here that I saw Savages for the first time. As soon
as they saw our vessel, they lighted fires, and two of them came
on board in a little canoe very neatly made of bark. The next day
a Sagamore, with ten or twelve Savages, came to see us. When I saw
them enter our Captain's room, where I happened to be, it seemed
to me that I was looking at those maskers who run about in France
in Carnival time. There were some whose noses were painted blue,
the eyes, eyebrows, and cheeks painted black, and the rest of the
face red; and these colors are bright and shining like those of
our masks; others had black, red, and blue stripes drawn from the
ears to the mouth. Still others were entirely black, except the
upper part of the brow and around [17] the ears, and the end of
the chin; so that it might have been truly said of them that they
were masquerading. There were some who had only one black stripe,
like a wide ribbon, drawn from one ear to the other, across the
eyes, and three little stripes on the cheeks. Their natural color
is like that of those French beggars who are half-roasted in the
Sun, and I have no doubt that the Savages would be very white if
they were well covered. To describe how they were dressed would be
difficult indeed. All the men, when it is a little warm, go naked,
with the exception of a piece of skin which falls from just below
the navel to the thighs. When it is cold, or probably in imitation
of the Europeans, they cover themselves with furs of the Beaver,
Bear, Fox, and other animals of the same kind, but so awkwardly,
that it does not prevent the greater part of their bodies from
being seen. [18] I have seen some of them dressed in Bear skin,
just as St. John the Baptist is painted. This fur, with the hair
outside, was worn under one arm and over the other, hanging down
to the knees. They were girdled around the body with a cord made
of a dried intestine. Some are entirely dressed. They are like the
Grecian Philosopher who would wear nothing that he had not made. It
would not take a great many years to learn all their crafts. All go
bareheaded, men and women; their hair, which is uniformly black, is
long, greasy, and shiny, and is tied behind, except when they wear
mourning. The women are decently covered; they wear skins fastened
together on their shoulders with cords, these hang from the neck
to the knees. They girdle themselves also with a cord, the rest of
the body, the head, the [19] arms and the legs being uncovered. Yet
there are some who wear sleeves, stockings, and shoes, but in no
other fashion than that which necessity has taught them. Now that
they trade with the French for capes, blankets, cloths, and shirts,
there are many who use them; but their shirts are as white and as
greasy as dishcloths, for they never wash them. Furthermore, they
have good figures, their bodies are well made, their limbs very
well proportioned, and they are not so clumsy as I supposed them to
be. They are fairly intelligent. They do not all talk at once, but
one after the other, listening patiently. A Sagamore, or Captain,
dining in our room one day, wished to say something; and, not
finding an opportunity, because they were all talking at the same
time, [20] at last prayed the company to give him a little time to
talk in his turn, and all alone, as he did.

Or comme dans les grandes estenduës de ces païs cy, il y a quantité de nations toutes barbares, aussi se font-elles la guerre les vnes les autres fort souuent. A nostre arriuée à Tadoussac les Sauuages reuenoient de la guerre contre les Hiroquois, & en auoient pris neuf, ceux de Quebec en tenoient six, & ceux de Tadoussac trois. Monsieur Emery de Caën les fut voir, il desiroit sauuer la vie au plus ieune, ie plaiday fort pour tous trois, mais on me dit qu'il falloit de grands presens, & ie n'en auois point. Arriuez donc que nous fumes aux cabanes des Sauuages, qui sont faites de perches, & couuertes d'écorces assez grossierement, le faiste n'est point couuert pour receuoir le iour par là, & donner [21] yssuë à la fumée. Nous entrames dans celle du Capitaine de guerre qui estoit longuette; il y auoit trois feux au milieu, les vns éloignez des autres de cinq ou six pieds. Estans entrez nous nous assimes de part & d'autre à plate terre, couuerte de petite branches de sapin; ils n'ont point d'autres sieges. Cela fait, on fit venir les prisonniers qui s'assirent les vns aupres des autres; le plus âgé auoit plus de 60. ans, le second enuiron 30. le troisiesme estoit vn ieune garçon de 15. à 16. ans. Ils se mirent tous à chanter, pour montrer qu'ils ne craignoiẽt point la mort, quoy que tres-cruelle; leur chant me semble fort desagreable, la cadence finissoit tousiours par ces aspirations reïterées oh! oh! oh! ah! ah! ah! hem! hem! hem! _&c._ Apres qu'ils eurent bien chanté, on les fit dancer les vns apres les autres, le plus âgé se leue le premier, & commance [22] à marcher du long de la cabane tout nud, hors mis, comme i'ay dit, vn morceau de peau qui luy couuroit ce que la nature a caché. Il frappoit des pieds la terre en marchant, & chantoit incessamment. Voyla toute sa dance, pendant laquelle tous les autres Sauuages qui estoient dans la cabane frappoient des mains ou se battoient la cuisse, tirans cette aspiration du fond de l'estomach a--ah, a--ah, a--ah, & puis quand le prisonnier s'arrestoit, ils crioient o--oh! o--oh! o--oh! & l'vn se rasseant, l'autre se mettoit à dancer. Monsieur de Caën demanda quand on les feroit mourir, ils respondirent le lendemain. Ie les fut voir encor, & ie trouuay trois pieux de bois dressez, où on les deuoit executer: mais il vint nouuelle de Quebec qu'on traittoit de paix auec les Hiroquois, & qu'il faudroit peut-estre rendre les prisonniers, ainsi [23] leur mort fut retardée. Il n'y a cruauté semblable à celle qu'ils exercent contre leurs ennemis. Si tost qu'ils les ont pris ils leurs arrachent les ongles à belles dents; ie vis les doigts de ces pauures miserables qui me faisoient pitié, & vne playe assez grande au bras de l'vn d'eux, on me dit que c'estoit vne morsure de celuy qui l'auoit pris, l'autre auoit vne partie du doigt emporté, & ie luy demanday si le feu luy auoit fait cela, ie croyois que ce fust vne bruslure, il me fit signe qu'on luy auoit emporté la piece auec les dents. Ie remarquay la cruauté mesme des filles & des femmes, pendant que ces pauures prisonniers dançoiẽt: car comme ils passoient deuant le feu, elles soufloient & poussoient la flamme dessus eux pour les brusler. Quand ils les font mourir ils les attachent à vn poteau, puis les filles aussi bien que les hommes leur appliquent [24] des tisons ardents & flambans aux parties les plus sensibles du corps, aux costez, aux cuisses, à la poitrine, & en plusieurs autres endroits: ils leurs leuent la peau de la teste, puis iettent sur le crane ou le test découuert, du sablon tout bruslant; ils leurs percent les bras au poignet auec des bastons pointus, & leurs arrachent les nerfs par ces trous. Bref ils les font souffrir tout ce que la cruauté & le Diable leur met en l'esprit. En fin pour derniere catastrophe ils les mangent & les deuorent quasi tout crus. Si nous estions pris des Hiroquois, peut-estre nous en faudroit-il passer par là, pour autant que nous demeurons auec les Montagnards leurs ennemis. Ils sont si enragez contre tout ce qui leur fait du mal, qu'ils mangent les poux & toute autre vermine qu'ils trouuẽt sur eux, non pour aucun goust qu'ils y ayent; mais seulement, [25] disent-ils, pour se vanger & pour manger ceux qui les mangent.

Now, as in the wide stretches of territory in this country there
are a great many wholly barbarous tribes, so they very often make
war upon each other. When we arrived at Tadoussac the Savages were
coming back from a war against the Hiroquois, and had taken nine
of them: those of Quebec took six, and those of Tadoussac three.
Monsieur Emery de Caën went to see the captives, hoping to save the
life of the youngest one. I pleaded very earnestly for all three,
but was told that great presents were necessary, and I had none.
Having arrived at the cabins of the Savages, which are made of
poles, clumsily covered with bark, the top left uncovered for the
purpose of letting in light and of leaving [21] an opening for the
smoke to go out, we entered that of the war Captain, which was long
and narrow. There were three fires in the middle, distant from each
other five or six feet. Having entered, we sat down here and there
on the ground, which was covered with little branches of fir, for
they have no other seats. This done, they brought in the prisoners,
who sat down beside each other. The eldest was over 60, the second
about 30, and the third was a young boy from 15 to 16 years old.
They all began to sing, in order to show that they were not at all
afraid of death, however cruel it might be. Their singing seemed
to me very disagreeable; the cadence always ended with reiterated
aspirations, "oh! oh! oh! ah! ah! ah! hem! hem! hem!" _etc._ After
singing for some time, they were made to dance, one after the
other. The eldest one rose first, and began [22] to walk through
the room, entirely naked, except, as I have said, for a piece of
fur which covered what nature has hidden. He stamped his feet upon
the ground while marching, and sang continuously. This was all the
dance; and while it was going on all the other Savages in the hut
clapped their hands, or beat their thighs, drawing this aspiration
from the depths of their stomachs, "a--ah, a--ah, a--ah;" and
then when the prisoner stopped they cried, "o--oh, o--oh, o--oh;"
and, when the one reseated himself, the other took up the dance.
Monsieur de Caën asked when they would be killed. "To-morrow," they
answered. I went to see them again, and I found three wooden stakes
erected where they were to be executed; but news came from Quebec
that a treaty of peace was being negotiated with the Hiroquois,
and it would perhaps be necessary to surrender the prisoners, and
thus [23] their death was delayed. There is no cruelty comparable
to that which they practice on their enemies. As soon as the
captives are taken, they brutally tear off their nails with their
teeth; I saw the fingers of these poor creatures, and was filled
with pity, also I saw a large hole in the arm of one of them; I
was told that it was a bite of the Savage who had captured him;
the other had a part of a finger torn off, and I asked him if the
fire had done that, as I thought it was a burn. He made a sign to
show me that it had been taken off by the teeth. I noticed the same
cruelty among the girls and women, when these poor prisoners were
dancing; for, as they passed before the fire, the women blew and
drove the flame over in their direction to burn them. When the hour
comes to kill their captives, they are fastened to a stake; then
the girls, as well as the men, apply [24] hot and flaming brands
to those portions of the body which are the most sensitive, to
the ribs, thighs, chest, and several other places. They raise the
scalp from the head, and then throw burning sand upon the skull,
or uncovered place. They pierce the arms at the wrists with sharp
sticks, and pull the nerves out through these holes. In short, they
make them suffer all that cruelty and the Devil can suggest. At
last, as a final horror, they eat and devour them almost raw. If
we were captured by the Hiroquois, perhaps we would be obliged to
suffer this ordeal, inasmuch as we live with the Montagnards, their
enemies. So enraged are they against every one who does them an
injury that they eat the lice and other vermin that they find upon
themselves,--not because they like them, but only, [25] they say,
to avenge themselves and to eat those that eat them.

Pendant que ces pauures captifs chantoient & dançoient, il y en auoit de nostre equipage qui se rioient voyans cette barbarie: mais ô mon Dieu quel triste subiet de rire! c'est la verité que le cœur me fendoit. Ie ne pensois nullement venir en Canada quand on m'y a enuoyé; ie ne sentois aucune affection particuliere pour les Sauuages, si bien à faire l'obeïssance, quand on m'eust deu enuoyer encor plus loin mille fois: mais ie puis dire que quand i'aurois eu de l'auersion de ce païs, voyant ce que i'ay desia veu ie serois touché, eussé-ie le cœur de bronze. Pleut à Dieu que ceux qui peuuent assister ces pauures ames, & contribuer quelque chose à leur salut, fussent icy seulement pour trois iours; ie ne croy pas que l'affection de les secourir ne saisit puissamment [26] leur ame. Qu'on ne s'estonne point de ces barbaries, auant que la foy fut receuë en Allemagne, en Espagne, en Angleterre, ces peuples n'estoient pas plus polis. L'esprit ne manque pas aux Sauuages de Canada, si bien l'education & l'instruction. Ils sont dé-ja las de leurs miseres, & nous tendent les bras pour estre assistez. Il me semble que les nations qui ont vne demeure stable se conuertiroient aisement, ie puis dire des Hurons tout ce que nous en a escrit il y a quelque temps le Pere d'vn ieune-homme des Paraquais, sçauoir est, qu'il y a grandement à souffrir parmy eux, mais qu'il s'y peut faire de grands fruicts, & que si les consolations de la terre y manquent, celles du Paradis s'y goustent desia, il ne faut que sçauoir la langue, & si le Pere Brebeuf n'eût point esté contraint par les Anglois de s'en retourner [27] d'icy, lesquels s'estoient emparez du fort des François, il auroit desia bien aduancé la gloire de Dieu en ce pays là. Pour les nations étranges & vagabondes, comme sont celles où nous sommes demeurans à Kebec, il y aura plus de difficulté; Le moyen à mon aduis de les ayder, c'est de dresser des seminaires, & prẽdre leurs enfans qui sont bien éueillez & fort gentils: on instruira les peres par le moyen des enfans, voire-mesme, il y en a desia quelques vns d'entr'eux qui commencent à cultiuer la terre, & semer du bled d'Inde, leur vie facheuse & tres-miserable leur ennuye: mais en vn mot, la promesse du Pere Eternel à son Fils s'effectuera tost ou tard. _Dabo tibi gentes hæreditatem tuam, & possessionem tuam terminos terræ._ On a fait de grands fruicts dans les Indes Orientales, & dans l'Amerique meridionale, quoy [28] qu'on ait trouué en ces païs là non seulemẽt des vices à combattre, mais encor des superstitions estranges, ausquelles ces peuples estoient plus attachez qu'à leur propre vie. En la nouuelle France il n'y a que les pechez à destruire, & encor en petit nombre: car ces pauures gens si éloignez de toutes delices, ne sont pas adonnez à beaucoup d'offenses. De superstition ou faulse religion, s'il y en a quelques endroits, c'est bien peu. Les Canadiens ne pensent qu'à viure & à se venger de leurs ennemis; ils ne sont attachez au culte d'aucune Diuinité. Ils peuuent prẽdre plusieurs femmes, cependant ils n'en ont qu'vne; i'ay ouy parler d'vn seul qui en a deux, encor luy en fait-on reproche. Il est vray que celuy qui sçauroit leur langue les manieroit comme il voudroit, c'est à quoy ie me vais appliquer, mais i'aduanceray [29] fort peu cette année, pour les raisons que i'écriray en particulier à vostre Reuerence. Mais retournons à la suite de nostre voyage.

While these poor captives were dancing and singing, there were
some men of our crew who laughed when they saw this exhibition of
barbarism. But oh, my God, what a sad subject for laughter! it
made my heart ache. I thought nothing of coming to Canada when I
was sent here; I felt no particular affection for the Savages,
but the duty of obedience was binding, even if I had been sent a
thousand times further away; but I may say that even if I had had
an aversion to this country, seeing what I have already seen, I
should be touched, had I a heart of bronze. Would to God that those
who can aid these poor souls and contribute something to their
salvation could be here, if only for three days. I believe that a
longing to help them would seize powerfully upon [26] their souls.
But let no one be astonished at these acts of barbarism. Before
the faith was received in Germany, Spain, or England, those nations
were not more civilized. Mind is not lacking among the Savages of
Canada, but education and instruction. They are already tired of
their miseries, and stretch out their hands to us for help. It
seems to me that the tribes which have stationary homes could be
easily converted. I can say of the Hurons all that was written to
us a while ago by the Father of a young Paraguayan: to wit, that
much suffering must be endured among them, but that great results
may be expected; and that, if the consolations of the earth are
lacking there, those of Paradise may already be enjoyed. It is
only necessary to know the language; and, if Father Brebeuf had
not been compelled by the English to leave [27] here, they having
taken possession of the French fort, he would already have advanced
the glory of God in that country. As to the strange and wandering
tribes like those near Kebec, where we live, there will be more
difficulty. The means of assisting them, in my opinion, is to build
seminaries, and to take their children, who are very bright and
amiable. The fathers will be taught through the children. Even
now there are some among them who have begun to cultivate the
soil and sow Indian corn, having become weary of their difficult
and miserable way of living. But, in a word, the promise of the
Eternal Father to his Son will remedy this sooner or later: _Dabo
tibi gentes hæreditatem tuam, & possessionem tuam terminos terræ._
Great fruits have been obtained in the East Indies and in south
America, although [28] there have been found in those countries not
only vices to combat, but also strange superstitions, to which the
people were more attached than to their lives. In new France there
are only sins to destroy, and those in a small number; for these
poor people, so far removed from all luxury, are not given to many
offenses. If there are any superstitions or false religions in some
places, they are few. The Canadians think only of how to live and
to revenge themselves upon their enemies. They are not attached
to the worship of any particular Divinity. They are permitted to
take a number of wives, but they do not take more than one. I have
heard of one man only who had two, and he was censured for it.[8]
In truth, any one who knew their language could manage them as
he pleased. Therefore I will apply myself, but I shall make [29]
very little progress this year, for reasons which I shall write in
detail to your Reverence. But let us come back to the continuation
of our voyage.

Quelque temps auparauant que nous leuassions les ancres de Tadoussac, il s'éleua vn grain, comme parlent les mattelots, ou vne tempeste si furieuse, qu'elle nous ietta bien auãt dans le peril, quoy que nous fussions en la maison d'asseurance: c'est ainsi que i'appelle la baie de Tadoussac. Les tonnerres grondoient horriblemẽt, les vents furieux firent tellemẽt plier nostre vaisseau, que si ce grain eût continué, il l'eust renuersé sans dessus dessous; mais cette furie ne dura pas, & ainsi nous échapasmes ce danger.

Some time before we weighed anchor in Tadoussac there rose a
squall, as the sailors say, or a storm so furious that it threw
us into great peril, although we were in the house of safety; it
is thus that I call the bay of Tadoussac. The thunder grumbled
terribly, furious winds made our vessel roll so that, if this
squall had continued, it would have turned us upside down; but the
fury of the storm abated, and thus we escaped this danger.

Le 3. iour de Iuillet nous sortimes de Tadoussac, & nous allames moüiller à l'échaffaut aux Basques, c'est vn lieu ainsi appelé, à cause que les Basques [30] viennent iusques là pour prendre des baleines. Comme il estoit grand calme, & que nous attendions la marée, ie mis pied à terre: ie pensay estre mangé des maringoins, ce sont petites mouches importunes au possible; les grands bois qui sont icy en engendrent de plusieurs especes; il y a des mouches communes, des mousquilles, des mouches luisantes, des maringoins, & des grosses mouches, & quantité d'autres: les grosses mouches piquent furieusement, & la douleur qui prouient de cette piqueure, & qui est fort cuisante, dure assez long temps, il y a peu de ces grosses mouches; les mousquilles sont extremement petites, à peine les peut-on voir, mais on les sent bien; les mouches luisantes ne font point de mal, vous diriez la nuict que ce sont des estincelles de feu; elles iettent plus de lumiere que les vers luisants [31] que i'ay veus en France: tenant vne de ces mouches & l'appliquant aupres d'vn liure ie lirois fort bien. Pour les maringoins c'est l'importunité mesme, on ne sçauroit trauailler notamment à l'air pendant leur regne, si on n'a de la fumée auprés soy pour les chasser: il y a des personnes qui sont contraintes de se mettre au lit venans des bois, tant ils sont offensez. I'en ay veu qui auoient le col, les ioües, tout le visage si enflé, qu'on ne leur voyoit plus les yeux; ils mettent vn homme tout en sang quand ils l'abordent; ils font la guerre aux vns plus qu'aux autres; Ils m'ont traité iusques icy assez doucement, ie n'enfle point quand ils me piquent, ce qui n'arriue qu'à fort peu de personnes si on y est accoustumé: si le païs estoit essarté & habité, ces bestioles ne s'y trouueroient point; car desia il s'en trouue fort [32] peu au fort de Kebec, à cause qu'on couppe les bois voisins.

The 3rd of July we left Tadoussac and went to cast anchor at the
Basque scaffold,[9] a place so called because the Basques [30] go
there to catch whales. As it was very calm and we were awaiting
the tide, I went ashore. I thought I would be eaten up by the
mosquitoes, which are little flies, troublesome in the extreme.
The great forests here engender several species of them; there
are common flies, gnats, fireflies, mosquitoes, large flies,
and a number of others; the large flies sting furiously, and the
pain from their sting, which is very piercing, lasts for a long
time; there are but few of these large flies. The gnats are very
small, hardly visible, but very perceptibly felt; the fireflies
do no harm; at night they look like sparks of fire, casting a
greater light than the glowworms [31] that I have seen in France;
taking one of these flies and holding it near a book, I could read
very easily. As to the mosquitoes, they are disagreeable beyond
description. No one could work, especially in the open air, during
their reign, unless there were smoke near by to drive them away.
Some people are compelled to go to bed after coming from the woods,
they are so badly stung. I have seen men whose neck, cheeks, and
whole face were so swollen that you could not see their eyes. They
cover a man completely with blood when they attack him; they war
upon some people more than others. Thus far they have treated me
kindly enough; I do not swell when they sting me, which is the case
with very few people unless they are accustomed to them. If the
country were cleared and inhabited, these little beasts would not
be found here, for already there are but [32] few of them at the
fort of Kebec, on account of the cutting down of the neighboring
woods.

Le 4. de Iuillet nous leuames l'ancre pour aborder à quatre lieuës de Kebec: mais le vent estoit si furieux que nous pensames faire naufrage dans le port. Auant que d'arriuer à Kebec on rencontre au milieu de cette grande riuiere vne Isle nommée de sainct Laurens, qui a bien sept lieuës de long: elle n'est esloignée du bout plus occidental que d'vne lieuë de la demeure des François. Enuiron le milieu de cette Isle on ietta l'ancre pour s'arrester: mais les vents & la marée poussoient nostre nauire auec vne telle impetuosité, que le cable se rompit comme vn filet, & l'ancre demeura dans l'eau. A vn quart de lieuë de là on en iette vne autre, le cable se romp[i]t tout de mesme que le premier. Dedans ce trouble, comme les vents redoubloient, le cable qui [33] tenoit nostre batteau attaché derriere nostre nauire, se rompit aussi, & en vn instant nostre batteau disparut. A trois iours de là quelques Sauuages nous vindrent apporter nouuelle du lieu où il s'estoit allé échoüer; s'il eût rencontré des roches aussi bien qu'il rencontra de la vase, il se fût brisé en cent pieces. Si cette bourasque nous eût pris vne heure plustost, en vn endroit fort dangereux, nos Pilotes disoient que c'estoit fait de nous. En fin quand nous fumes enuiron trois quarts de lieuës du bout de nostre pellerinage, on ietta le troisiesme ancre qui nous arresta: vne barque Françoise que nous auions rencontré à Tadoussac, & qui venoit auec nous, perdit deux ancres aussi bien que nous.