Chapter M: DC. XXXII (2)

The 4th of July we weighed anchor to land at a place four leagues
from Kebec; but the wind was so furious that we thought we would
be wrecked in the port. Before reaching Kebec we came to an Island
called saint Lawrence,[10] in the middle of this great river,
which is fully seven leagues in length; the western end of it
is only about one league distant from the French settlement. We
cast anchor near the middle of this Island, intending to land;
but the wind and tide struck our ship with so much force that the
cable broke like a thread, leaving the anchor in the water. At a
quarter of a league distant another anchor was cast, and the cable
broke just as the first one did. In the midst of this struggle,
as the violence of the winds redoubled, the cable [33] fastening
the boat to the stern of our ship also broke, and in an instant
our boat disappeared. Three days later some Savages came and told
us where it had grounded. If it had been driven upon the rocks,
as it was upon the mud, it would have been broken into a hundred
pieces. If this hurricane had fallen upon us an hour earlier, in a
very dangerous place, our Pilots say it would have been all over
with us. At length, when we were about three-quarters of a league
from the end of our pilgrimage, the third anchor was cast, and it
stopped us. A French barque that we had met at Tadoussac, and which
came with us, lost two anchors as we did.

En fin le 5. de Iuillet qui estoit vn Lundy, deux mois & 18. iours depuis le 18. d'Auril que nous partimes, [34] nous arriuames au port tant desiré. Nous moüillames l'ancre deuant le fort que tenoient les Anglois; nous vimes au bas du fort la pauure habitation de Kebec toute bruslée. Les Anglois qui estoient venus en ce païs cy pour piller, & non pour edifier, ont bruslé, non seulement la plus grande partie d'vn corps de logis, que le Pere Charles Lallement auoit fait dresser, mais encor toute cette pauure habitation, en laquelle on ne voit plusque des murailles de pierres toutes bouleuersées; cela incommode fort les François, qui ne sçauent où se loger. Le lendemain on enuoya sommer le Capitaine Thomas Ker, François de nation, né à Dieppe, qui s'est retiré en Angleterre, & qui auec Dauid & Louys Ker ses freres, & vn nommé Iacques Michel aussi Dieppois, tous huguenots, s'estoient venus ietter sur ces pauure païs, où ils ont fait de grãds [35] degasts, & empesché de tres-grands biẽs. Ce pauure Iacques Michel plein de melancholie, ne se voyant point recompensé des Anglois, ou plustost des François reniez & anglisez, comme il pretendoit, pressé en outre d'vn remors de conscience d'auoir assisté ces nouueaux Anglois contre ceux de sa patrie, mourut subitement quelque temps apres la prise de ce païs cy. Il fut enterré à Tadoussac. I'ay appris icy que les Sauuages le deterrerent, & firent toute sorte d'ignominie à son corps, le mirent en pieces, le donnerent à leurs chiens: voyla le salaire des perfides, ie prie Dieu qu'il ouure les yeux aux autres. Monsieur Emery de Caën auoit desia enuoyé de Tadoussac vne chalouppe, auec vn extraict des Commissions & Lettres Patentes des Roys de France & d'Angleterre, par lesquelles il estoit commandé au Capitaine Anglois de [36] rẽdre le fort dans huict iours. Les Lettres veuës, il fit réponse qu'il obeïroit quand il auroit veu l'original. On luy porta donc le lendemain de nostre arriuee, cependant nous allames celebrer la saincte Messe en la maison la plus ancienne de ce païs cy, c'est la maison de madame Hebert, qui s'est habituée aupres du fort, du viuant de son mary; elle a vne belle famille, sa fille est icy mariée à vn honneste Frãçois, Dieu les benit tous les iours, il leur a donné de tres-beaux enfans, leur bestial est en tres-bon point, leurs terres leurs rapportent de bon grain; c'est l'vnique famille de François habituée en Canada. Ils cherchoient les moyens de retourner en France, mais ayans appris que les François retournoient à Kebec, ils commencerent à reuiure. Quand ils virent arriuer ces pauillons blancs sur les mats de nos vaisseaux, ils ne sçauoient [37] à qui dire leur contentement: mais quand ils nous virent en leur maison pour y dire la saincte Messe, qu'ils n'auoient point entẽduë depuis trois ans, bon Dieu, quelle ioye! les larmes tomboient des yeux quasi à tous, de l'extreme cõtentement qu'ils auoiẽt. O que nous chãtames de bon cœur le _Te Deum laudamus_, c'estoit iustement le iour de l'octaue de sainct Pierre & S. Paul. Le _Te Deum_ chanté i'offris à Dieu le premier Sacrifice à Kebec. L'Anglois ayant veu les Patentes signées de la main de son Roy, promit qu'il sortiroit dans la huictaine, & de fait il commença à s'y disposer, quoy qu'auec regret: mais ses gens estoient tous bien aises du retour des François, on ne leur donnoit que six liures de pain au poids de France, pour toute leur semaine. Ils nous disoient que les Sauuages les auoient aidé à viure la pluspart du tẽps. [38] Le Mardy suiuant 13. de Iuillet, ils remirent le fort entre les mains de monsieur Emery de Caën, & de monsieur du Plessis Bochart son Lieutenant. Et le mesme iour firent voile dans deux nauires qu'ils auoient à l'ancre. Dieu sçait si nos François furent ioyeux, voyans déloger ces François Anglisez, qui ont fait tant de maux en ces miserables contrées, & qui sont cause que plusieurs Sauuages ne sont pas baptisez, notamment aux Hurons où la Foy produiroit maintenant des fruicts dignes de la table de Dieu, si ces ennemis de la verité, de la vraye vertu, & de leur patrie, ne se fussent point iettez à la trauerse. Dieu soit beny de tout; c'est à nos François de penser à leur conseruation, & à mettre en peu de temps ce païs cy en tel estat, qu'ils ayent fort peu affaire des viures de France, ce qui leur sera bien aisé s'ils veullent trauailler. Les Anglois [39] délogeans nous sommes rentrez dans nostre petite maison. Nous y auons trouué pour tous meubles deux tables de bois telles quelles, les portes, fenestres, chassis, tous brisez & enleuez, tout s'en va en ruine, c'est encor pis en la maison des Peres Recolets; nous auons trouué nos terres défrichées couuertes de pois, nos Peres les auoient laissées à l'Anglois couuertes de fourment, d'orge, & de bled d'Inde, & cependant ce Capitaine Thomas Ker a vendu la recolte de ces pois, refusant de nous les donner pour les fruicts qu'il auoit trouué sur nos terres; nostre Seigneur soit honoré pour iamais; quand on est en vn mauuais passage il s'en faut tirer comme on peut; c'est beaucoup qu'vn tel hoste soit sorty de nostre maison, & de tout le païs; nous auons maintenant prou dequoy exercer la patience, ie me trompe, c'est [40] Dieu mesme qui porte la Croix qu'il nous donne: car en verité elle nous semble petite, quoy qu'il y ait dequoy souffrir. Retournons aux Sauuages, & en disons encor deux petits mots.

At length, on the 5th of July, which was Monday,--two months
and 18 days since the 18th of April, when we sailed,--[34] we
reached the much desired port. We cast anchor in front of the fort
which the English held; we saw at the foot of this fort the poor
settlement of Kebec all in ashes. The English, who came to this
country to plunder and not to build up, not only burned a greater
part of the detached buildings which Father Charles Lallement
had had erected, but also all of that poor settlement of which
nothing now is to be seen but the ruins of its stone walls. This
greatly inconveniences the French, who do not know where to lodge.
The next day Captain Thomas Ker was summoned, a man of French
nationality, born at Dieppe, who had gone over to England, and
who, with David and Louys Ker, his brothers,[11] and one Jacques
Michel, also born at Dieppe, all huguenots, had thrown themselves
upon this poor country, where they have done great [35] damage and
have prevented the doing of much good. This poor Jacques Michel,
full of sadness at not having been rewarded as he desired, by the
English,--or rather by the renegade and anglicized French,--also a
prey to conscience at having assisted these new Englishmen against
his own countrymen, died suddenly, some time after the surrender
of this country. He was buried at Tadoussac. I have learned here
that the Savages exhumed his body, and showed it every imaginable
indignity, tore it to pieces and gave it to their dogs; but such
are the wages of traitors. I pray God that he may open the eyes of
the others. Monsieur Emery de Caën had already sent a boat from
Tadoussac with an extract from the Commissions and Letters Patent
of the Kings of France and of England,[12] by which the English
Captain was commanded [36] to surrender the fort in eight days.
Having seen the Letter, he answered that he would obey when he had
seen the original. It was therefore brought to him the day after
our arrival; and in the meantime we celebrated the holy Mass in the
oldest house in this country, the home of madame Hebert,[13] who
had settled near the fort during the lifetime of her husband. She
has a fine family, and her daughter is married here to an honest
Frenchman. God is blessing them every day; he has given them very
beautiful children, their cattle are in fine condition, and their
land produces good grain. This is the only French family settled
in Canada. They were seeking some way of returning to France;
but, having learned that the French were coming back to Kebec, they
began to regain courage. When they saw our ships coming in with
the white flags upon the masts, they knew not [37] how to express
their joy. But when they saw us in their home, to celebrate the
holy Mass, which they had not heard for three years, good God! what
joy! Tears fell from the eyes of nearly all, so great was their
happiness. Oh, with what fullness of heart we sang the _Te Deum
laudamus_; it happened to be, very appropriately, the day of the
octave of saint Peter and St. Paul. After singing the _Te Deum_, I
offered to God the first Sacrifice in Kebec. The Englishman, having
seen the Patents signed by the hand of his King, promised that he
would go away within a week, and in fact, he began preparations
for going, although with regret; but his people were all very glad
of the return of the French, for they had been given only six
pounds of bread, French weight, for an entire week. They told us
that the Savages had helped them to live during the greater part
of the time. [38] On the following Tuesday, the 13th of July, they
restored the fort to the hands of monsieur Emery de Caën, and
monsieur du Plessis Bochart, his Lieutenant; and on the same day
set sail in the two ships that they had anchored here. God knows
if our French People were happy, seeing the dislodgment of these
Anglicized Frenchmen, who have done so much injury to these poor
countries, and who have prevented many Savages from being baptized,
especially among the Hurons, where the Faith would now produce
fruits worthy of the table of God, if these enemies of the truth,
of real virtue and of their country, had not thrown themselves
in the way. God be blessed for all; it is the duty of our French
people to think of their preservation, and to put this country,
in a short time, in such a condition that they will not have to
depend upon supplies from France, which will be easy enough to
do if they will only work. The English [39] dislodged, we again
entered our little home. The only furniture we found there was two
wooden tables, such as they were; the doors, windows, sashes, all
broken and carried away, and everything going to ruin. It is still
worse in the house of the Recolet Fathers. We found our cleared
lands covered with peas; our Fathers had left them to the English
covered with wheat, barley, and Indian corn; and meantime this
Captain Thomas Ker has sold the full crop of peas, refusing to give
them to us for the harvest he had found upon our lands. Our Lord be
forever honored; when a person is in dire distress, he must deliver
himself as best he can. It is a great deal that such a guest has
left our house and the entire country. We have now enough to try
our patience, but I am mistaken, it is [40] God himself who carries
the Cross which he gives us; for, in truth, it seems very little to
us, although there may be something to suffer. Let us go back to
the Savages, and say a few words more about them.

La veille de nostre depart de Tadoussac, vindrent nouuelles que les prisonniers Hiroquois auoient esté mis à mort à Kebec, & que ceux de Tadoussac deuoient le lendemain passer le pas: ie me remets à plaider leur cause, & promets de donner ce qu'il faudroit pour les nourrir passant en France, voire de trouuer personnes qui les receuroiẽt si tost qu'ils y seroient arriuez; ie me confiois en la charité de plusieurs honnestes personnes qui n'auroient pas refusé vne aumosne pour racheter les corps de ces miserables des supplices qu'ils ont enduré, & leur ame de la damnation eternelle. I'aborde donc monsieur [41] du Plessis nostre Lieutenant, ie luy fay apprehender l'affaire. On fait des aumosnes en France pour retirer des emprisonnez pour des debtes, & pourquoy ne trauaillera-on point pour ces pauures esclaues de Satan? Ie luy fay mes offres, que nous donnerions tout ce que nous pourrions: il embrasse l'affaire, & la propose le soir entre ceux qui mangeoient en la table de nostre Capitaine: on repart qu'il faudroit de grands presens pour leur sauuer la vie, monsieur du Plessis dit qu'on donneroit ce qu'on pourroit, & qu'au reste il ne faudroit pas grande chose, qu'on pourroit demander ces trois prisonniers Hiroquois comme en eschange d'vn François qu'ils ont tué il y a quelques années, ou à tout le moins en demander deux, & qu'asseurément on les auroit: le truchement qui leur auoir parlé m'auoit asseuré que la chose estoit [42] facile: là dessus on forme mille difficultez, & l'vn de la compagnie s'écria qu'il falloit qu'ils mourussent, qu'il les estrangleroit plustost, que c'estoient des coquins, & que parlãt à vn Sauuage de Kebec il luy auoit dõné aduis de les faire mourir. Si la mort de ces miserables apportoit quelque profit à la traicte des peaux, qu'on vient faire en ce païs cy, ce zele de mort auroit quelque couleur; mais leur vie & leur mort ne fait rien pour la traicte. O qu'il importe beaucoup de bien choisir les personnes qu'on enuoye en ce païs cy! Il est vray que monsieur Emery de Caën n'approuua point cette cruauté. Quoy que ç'en soit le vent nous estant fauorable le iour suiuant nous fimes voile, & laissames-là ces trois pauures abandonnez entre les mains de leurs ennemis, qui en traitterent deux d'vn horible façon, car ils n'ont point tué [43] le plus ieune à ce qu'on nous a dit.

On the eve of our departure from Tadoussac, news came that the
Hiroquois prisoners had been put to death at Kebec, and that those
at Tadoussac must share the same fate the next day. I undertook to
plead their cause, and promised to give what would be necessary to
feed them during their passage to France, even to find some one
to receive them as soon as they would reach there. I trusted
to the charity of many good people who would not withhold alms
to rescue the bodies of these poor creatures from the sufferings
they endured, and their souls from eternal damnation. So I
approached monsieur [41] du Plessis, our Lieutenant, and explained
the situation to him. Alms are given in France to restore men to
liberty who are imprisoned for debt, and why should not something
be done for these poor slaves of Satan? I promised him that we
would give all that we could. He took up the subject, and in the
evening presented it to those who ate at our Captain's table. They
answered that it would require large gifts to save their lives.
Monsieur du Plessis said that they [the French] would give what
they could, and that, besides, large gifts were unnecessary, as
the three Hiroquois prisoners could be demanded in exchange for
one Frenchman who had been killed a few years ago, or at least
two could be demanded, and they would be surely given up. The
interpreter who had talked to them assured me that it was an easy
[42] matter. Thereupon a thousand objections were urged, and one of
the company cried out that the captives ought to die; that he would
rather strangle them, that they were rascals, and that in talking
to a Savage in Kebec, he [the Savage] had advised him to have them
killed. If the death of these poor wretches brought profits to the
fur trade which people come here to carry on, there would be some
reason for this eagerness for their death; but neither their life
nor their death could affect it. Oh, how important it is that those
sent to this country should be carefully chosen! It is true that
monsieur Emery de Caën did not approve of this cruelty. However,
the wind being favorable to us on the following day, we spread our
sails, and left these poor abandoned creatures there in the hands
of their enemies, who disposed of two of them in a horrible manner,
for, as we were told, [43] they did not kill the youngest.

Arriuez que nous fumes à Kebec on nous raconta la mort de six prisonniers que les Sauuages tenoient, laquelle est arriuée pour l'yurongnerie que les Europeans ont icy apporté. Le Ministre Anglois, qui au reste n'estoit point de la mesme Religion que ses oüailles, car il estoit Protestãt ou Lutherien, les Kers sont Caluinistes, ou de quelque autre Religion plus libertine, aussi ont-ils tenu six mois en prison ce pauure Ministre dedans nostre maison: lequel m'a raconté que les Montagnards vouloient traitter la paix auec les Hiroquois, & que celuy qui tenoit les prisonniers luy auoit promis qu'on ne les feroit point mourir: neantmoins ce miserable estant yure d'eau de vie, qu'il auoit traitté auec les Anglois pour des Castors, appella son frere, & luy commanda d'aller donner vn [44] coup de cousteau à l'vn des Hiroquois & le tuer, ce qu'il fit. Voyla les pensées de la paix euanoüies; on parle de la mort des autres. Le Ministre entendant cela dit à ce Sauuage qu'il n'auoit point tenu sa parole faisant mourir ce prisonnier. C'est toy, répond le Sauuage, & les tiens qui l'ont tué, car si tu ne nous donnois point d'eau de vie, ny de vin, nous ne ferions point cela. Et de fait depuis que ie suis icy ie n'ay veu que des Sauuages yures, on les entend crier & tempester iour & nuict, ils se battent & se blessent les vns les autres, ils tuent le bestial de madame Hebert: & quand ils sont retournez à leur bon sens, ils vous disent, Ce n'est pas nous qui auons fait cela, mais toy qui nous donne cette boisson: ont ils cuué leur vin, ils sont entr'eux aussi grands amis qu'auparauant, se disans l'vn l'autre tu es mon frere, ie t'ayme, ce n'est pas [45] moy qui t'ay blessé, mais la boisson qui s'est seruy de mon bras. I'en ay veu de tous meurtris par la face; les femmes mesmes s'enyurent, & crient comme des enragées? ie m'attend bien qu'ils tueront l'vn de ces iours quelques François, ce qu'ils ont déja pensé faire, & passé huict heures du matin il ne fait pas bon les aller voir sans armes, quand ils ont du vin. Quelques vns de nos gens y estant allez apres le disner, vn Sauuage les voulut assommer à coups de haches: mais d'autres Sauuages qui n'estoient pas yures vindrent au secours. Quand l'vn d'eux est bien yure, les autres le lient par les pieds & par les bras, s'ils le peuuent attraper. Quelques-vns de leurs Capitaines sont venus prier les François de ne plus traitter d'eau de vie, ny de vin, disans qu'ils seroient cause de la mort de leurs gens. C'est bien le pis quand ils en voyent deuant [46] eux d'autres autant yures qu'ils sçauroient estre. Mais finissons le discours de ces Hiroquois; on fit parler au Capitaine Anglois s'il en vouloit quelquesvns, comme il entendit qu'il falloit faire quelque present, il répondit que non, & qu'ils en fissent ce qu'ils voudroient. Voicy donc comme ils les traitterent.

Upon our arrival in Kebec, we heard of the death of six prisoners
held by the Savages, the result of the drunkenness which has been
introduced here by the Europeans. The English Clergyman, who was
not of the same Faith as his people,--for he was a Protestant
or Lutheran, and the Kers are Calvinists or of some other more
libertine Religion (they held this poor Minister a prisoner in
our house for six months),--told me that the Montagnards wanted
to negotiate a peace with the Hiroquois, and that the one who was
in charge of the prisoners had promised him that they would not
be killed. Nevertheless, this wretch being drunk with brandy,
which he had procured from the English in exchange for Beavers,
called his brother and commanded him to go and strike [44] one
of the Hiroquois with a knife and kill him, which he did. Thus
all thoughts of peace vanished. They were talking about killing
the others. The Minister, hearing this, said to the Savage that
in killing this prisoner he had not kept his word. "It is thou,"
answered the Savage, "and thine, who killed him; for, if thou hadst
not given us brandy or wine, we would not have done it." And, in
fact, since I have been here, I have seen only drunken Savages;
they are heard shouting and raving day and night, they fight and
wound each other, they kill the cattle of madame Hebert; and, when
they have returned to their senses, they say to you, "It is not
we who did that, but thou who gavest us this drink." When they
have slept off their drunkenness, they are as good friends with
each other as ever, saying to each other: "Thou art my brother, I
love thee; it is not [45] I who wounded thee, but the drink which
used my arm." I have seen some of them with very badly bruised
faces; even the women get drunk, and shriek like furies. I expect
that they will kill some of us French People one of these days, as
they have already thought of doing; and after eight o'clock in the
morning it is not safe to go to see them without arms, if they have
any wine. Some of our men going to see them after dinner, a Savage
tried to kill them with his hatchet, but other Savages who were not
drunk came to their assistance. When one of them is very drunk, the
others tie him by his feet and arms, if they can catch him. Some of
their Captains have come to plead with the French not to sell them
brandy or wine, saying that they would be the cause of the death of
their people. It is by far the worst when they see before [46] them
others as drunk as they can be. But let us end the talk about these
Hiroquois. The English Captain was asked if he wanted some of them.
As he supposed he would have to make them a present, he answered,
"no," and said that they might do with them what they pleased. Now
this is the way they were treated:

Ils leurs auoient arraché les ongles auec les dents si tost qu'ils furent pris: Ils leurs couperent les doigts le iour de leur supplice, puis leurs lierent les deux bras ensemble par le poignet de la main auec vn cordeau, & deux hommes de part & d'autre, le tiroient tant qu'ils pouuoient, ce cordeau entroit dans la chair & brisoit les os de ces pauures miserables, qui crioient horriblement. Ayans les mains ainsi accommodées on les attacha à des potteaux, & les filles & les femmes donnoient des presents aux hommes [47] à fin qu'ils les laissassent tourmenter à leur gré ces pauures victimes. Ie n'assistay point à ce supplice, ie n'aurois peu supporter cette cruauté diabolique; mais ceux qui estoient presens me dirent, si tost que nous fumes arriuez, qu'ils n'auoient iamais veu rien de semblable. Vous eussiez veu ces femmes enragées, crians, hurlans, leur appliquer des feux aux parties les plus sensibles, & les plus vergogneuses, les picquer auec des aleines, les mordre à belle dents, comme des furies, leurs fendre la chair auec des cousteaux; bref exercer tout ce que la rage peut suggerer à vne femme. Elles iettoient sur eux du feu, des cendres bruslantes, du sable tout ardent, & quand les suppliciez iettoiẽt quelques cris, tous les autres crioient encor plus fort, à fin qu'on n'entendit point leurs gemissemens, & qu'on ne fut touché de compassion. On leur [48] couppa le haut du front auec vn cousteau, puis on enleua la peau de leur teste, & ietta-on du sable ardent sur le test découuert. Maintenant il y a des Sauuages qui portent ces peaux couuertes de leurs cheueux & moustaches par brauade; on voit encor plus de deux cent coups d'aleines dans ces peaux: bref ils exercerent sur eux toutes les cruautez que i'ay dit cy dessus parlant de ce que i'auois veu à Tadoussac, & plusieurs autres, dont ie ne me souuiens pas maintenant. Quand on leur represente que ces cruautez sont horribles & indignes d'vn homme, ils répondent, Tu n'as point de courage de laisser viure tes ennemis, quand les Hiroquois nous prennent, ils nous en font encor pis, voyla pourquoy nous les traittons le plus mal qu'il nous est possible. Ils firent mourir vn Sagamo Hiroquois, homme puissant & courageux, il chantoit [49] dans ses tourmens. Quand on luy vint dire qu'il falloit mourir: il dit, comme tout ioyeux, Allons i'en suis content, i'ay pris quantité de Montagnards, mes amis en prendront encor, & vengeront bien ma mort. Là dessus il se mit à raconter ses proüesses, & dire adieu à ses parents, ses amis, & aux alliez de sa nation, au Capitaine Flamand qui va traicter des peaux au païs des Hiroquois par la merd du Nord. Apres qu'on luy eut coupé les doits, brisé les os des bras, arraché la peau de la teste, qu'on l'eut rosty & bruslé de tous costez, on le détacha, & ce pauure miserable s'en courut droit à la riuiere, qui n'estoit pas loin de là, pour se rafraischir: ils le reprirent, luy firent encor endurer le feu vne autrefois, il estoit tout noir, tout grillé, la graisse fondoit & sortoit de son corps, & auec tout cela il s'enfuit encor pour la seconde fois, & [50] l'ayans repris, ils le bruslerent pour la troisiesme; en fin il mourut dans ces tourmens: comme ils le voyoient tomber, ils luy ouurirent la poitrine, luy arrachant le cœur, & le donnant à manger à leurs petits enfans, le reste estoit pour eux. Voyla vne estrange barbarie. Maintenant ces pauures miserables sont en crainte, car les Hiroquois sont tous les iours aux aguets pour surprendre les Montagnards, & leur en faire autant. C'est pourquoy nostre Capitaine voulant enuoyer quelqu'vn aux Hurõs, n'a iamais peu trouuer aucun Sauuage qui y voulût aller. C'est assez parlé de leur cruauté; disons deux mots de leur simplicité. Vn Sauuage venant voir cét hyuer le Capitaine Anglois, & voyant que tout estoit couuert de neige, eut compassion de son frere qui est enterré aupres de l'habitation des Frãçois; voyla pourquoy [51] il luy dit, Monsieur vous n'auez point pitié de mon pauure frere, l'air est si beau, & le Soleil si chaud, & neantmoins vous ne faites point oster la neige de dessus sa fosse pour le réchauffer vn petit. On eut beau luy dire que les corps morts n'auoient aucun sentiment, il fallut découurir cette fosse pour le contenter.

They had pulled out their nails with their teeth as soon as they
were taken. They cut their fingers off on the day of their torture;
then they tied their two arms together at the wrist with a cord,
and two men pulled it as hard as they, could at both ends, the
cord entering into the flesh and breaking the bones of these poor,
wretches, who cried out in a horrible manner. Thus having their
hands tied, they were bound to posts, and the girls and women gave
presents to the men [47] to be allowed to torment the poor victims
to their heart's content. I did not remain during this torture, I
could not have endured such diabolical cruelty; but those who were
present told me, as soon as we arrived, that they had never seen
anything like it. "You should have seen those furious women," they
said, "howling, yelling, applying the fire to the most sensitive
and private parts of the body, pricking them with awls, biting them
with savage glee, laying open their flesh with knives; in short,
doing everything that madness can suggest to a woman. They threw
fire upon them, burning coals, hot sand; and, when the sufferers
cried out, all the others cried still louder, in order that the
groans should not be heard, and that no one might be touched with
pity. The upper [48] part of their forehead was cut with a knife,
then the scalp was raised, and hot sand thrown upon the exposed
part." Now there are some Savages who wear, through bravado, these
scalps covered with hair and moustaches.[14] One can still see over
two hundred dents made by the awls in these scalps. In short, they
practiced upon them all the cruelties that I have above related in
speaking of what I had seen at Tadoussac, and many others, which do
not occur to me at present. When they are told that these cruelties
are horrible and unworthy of a man, they answer you: "Thou hast
no courage in allowing thine enemies to live; when the Hiroquois
capture us, they do still worse; this is why we treat them as
cruelly as we can." They killed an Hiroquois Sagamore, a powerful
and courageous man who sang [49] while being tortured. When he was
told that he must die, he said, as if overjoyed, "Good, I am
very much pleased; I have taken a great many of the Montagnards,
my friends will take still more of them, and they will avenge my
death." Thereupon he began to tell about his prowess, and to say
farewell to his relatives, to his friends and to the allies of
his tribe, to the Flemish Captain who goes to trade for furs in
the country of the Hiroquois by the Northern sea. After they had
cut off his fingers, broken the bones of his arms, torn the scalp
from his head, and had roasted and burned him on all sides, he was
untied and the poor creature ran straight to the river, which was
not far from there, to refresh himself. They captured him again,
and made him endure the fire still another time; he was blackened,
completely scorched, and the grease melted and oozed out of his
body, yet with all this he ran away again for a second time, but,
[50] having captured him again, they burned him a third time; at
last he died during these tortures. When they saw him fall, they
opened his chest, pulled out his heart and gave it to the little
children to eat; the rest was for them. This is a very strange
species of barbarism. Now these poor wretches live in fear because
the Hiroquois are always on the watch for the Montagnards to do
as much for them. That is why our Captain, wishing to send some
one to the Hurons, could never find any Savage who would go. This
is enough about their cruelty; let us say a few words about their
simplicity. A Savage coming to see the English Captain this winter,
and seeing that everything was covered with snow, felt compassion
for his brother who was buried near the French settlement. Hence
[51] he said to the Captain: "Monsieur, you have no pity for my
poor brother; the air is so beautiful and the Sun so warm, but
nevertheless you do not have the snow taken off his grave to warm
him a little." It was in vain that he was told that dead bodies
have no feeling; it was necessary to clear away the snow from the
grave to satisfy him.

Vn autre assistant aux Litanies que disoient quelques François, & entendant qu'on disoit souuent ces paroles, _ora pro nobis_, comme il ne les entendoit pas bien prononcer, il croyoit qu'on disoit, _carocana ouabis_, c'est à dire du pain blanc, il s'estonnoit que si souuent on reïterast ces paroles, _carocana ouabis_, du pain blãc, du pain blanc, &c. Ils croyent que le tonnerre est vn oyseau, & vn Sauuage demandoit vn iour à vn François si on n'en prenoit point en France, luy ayant dit qu'ouy il le supplia de [52] luy en apporter vn, mais fort petit; il craignoit qu'il ne l'espouuantast s'il eust esté grand.

Another who was present at the Litanies repeated by some Frenchmen,
hearing the frequent use of the words _ora pro nobis_, and not
hearing the pronunciation distinctly, thought they said _carocana
ouabis_, that is to say, "white bread;" he was astonished that they
should so often repeat the words _carocana ouabis_, "white bread,
white bread," etc. They believe that the thunder is a bird, and a
Savage one day asked a Frenchman if they did not capture them in
France; having told him yes, he begged him to [52] bring him one,
but a very little one; he feared that it would frighten him if it
were large.

Voicy vne chose qui m'a consolé, vn certain Sauuage nommé la Nasse, qui demeuroit auprés de nos Peres, & cultiuoit la terre; voyant que les Anglois le molestoient, s'estoit retiré dans des Isles où il auoit continué à cultiuer la terre; entendant que nous estions de retour, nous est venu voir, & nous a promis qu'il reuiendra à se cabaner aupres de nous, qu'il nous donnera son petit fils; ce sera nostre premier pensionnaire, nous luy apprendrons à lire, & à escrire; ce bon homme dit que les Sauuages ne font pas bien, qu'il veut estre nostre frere, & viure comme nous; madame Hebert nous a dit qu'il y a long temps qu'il souhaittoit nostre retour.

Here is something that has consoled me: A certain Savage named la
Nasse, who lived near our Fathers and cultivated the land, seeing
that the English molested him, withdrew to the Islands, where he
continued to cultivate the land; hearing that we had returned, he
came to see us and has promised that he will come back and build
his cabin near us, and that he will give us his little boy. This
will be our first pupil; we shall teach him to read and write. This
good man told us that the Savages do not act right; that he wished
to be our brother, and live as we do. Madame Hebert told us that he
has wished for our return for a long time.

Plusieurs Sauuages nous demandent des nouuelles du R. Pere Lallemant, [53] du Pere Masse, & du Pere Brebeuf, qu'ils appellent fort bien par leur nom, & s'enquestent s'ils ne retourneront point l'année qui vient: ces bonnes gens ont confiance en nous, en voicy vn exemple.

Several Savages ask us news of the Reverend Father Lallemant, [53]
of Father Masse, and of Father Brebeuf, whom they very readily call
by their names, and inquire if they will not return next year.
These simple creatures have confidence in us; here is an example of
it.

Le 6. d'Aoust monsieur Emery de Caën nous estant venu voir en nostre petite maison, éloignée du fort vne bonne demie lieuë, il demeura à disner auec nous. Pendant que nous estions en table, voyla deux familles de Sauuages qui entrent iusqu'au lieu où nous estions, hommes, femmes, & petits enfans. La premiere porte de nostre maison estant ouuerte tout est ouuert, les Anglois ont brisé les autres: voyla pourquoy ces bonnes gens furent plustost dans la chambre où nous estions, qu'on ne s'en fut pris garde. Ils me vouloient prier de leur garder quelque bagage, ie remarquay [l]eur patience, car quoy qu'ils fussent [54] en chemin d'vn long voyage qu'ils alloient faire, iamais neantmoins ils ne nous interrompirent pendant le disner, ny apres tandis qu'ils me virent auec nostre Capitaine. Ils s'assirent de part & d'autre, & ie leur fis donner à chacun vn morceau de pain, ce qu'ils ayment fort: en fin monsieur de Caën estant party, l'vn d'eux m'aborde, & me dit, _Ania Kir Capitana?_ mon frere es tu Capitaine? Ils demandoient le superieur de la maison. Ils appellent leur Capitaine Sagamo, mais par la frequentation des Europeans, ils se seruent du mot de _Capitana_. Nostre Frere leur répondit, _eoco_, c'est à dire oüy. Là dessus il me fait vne harangue, me disant qu'ils s'en alloient à la chasse, ou à la pesche des Castors, & que ie leur gardasse leur equipage, qu'ils reuiendroient quand les fueilles tomberoiẽt des arbres. Ils me demanderent fort [55] souuent s'il n'y venoit point de larrons en nostre maison, & regardoiẽt fort bien les endroits où leur bagage seroit plus à couuert. Ie leur répondy que tout estoit chez nous en asseurance, & leur ayant monstré vne chambrette qui fermoit à clef, ils furent fort contents, mettant là dedans trois ou quatre paquets couuerts d'écorces d'arbres fort proprement, disans qu'il y auoit là dedans de grandes richesses. Ie ne sçay ce qu'il y a, mais au bout du conte toutes leurs richesses ne sont que pauureté, leur or & argent, leurs perles & diamans sont de petits grains blancs de porcelaine qui ne paroissent pas grãde chose. Ayant serré leur bagage ils me demanderent vn cousteau, ie leur en donnay vn, puis ils me demanderent vn peu de ficelle pour attacher apres vn fer de fleche, ou vn dard, qui a des dents comme vne cramaillere. Ils lancent ces [56] dards contre le Castor, & tiennent tousiours le bout de la ficelle, la laissant filer iusques au font de l'eau, où se retire le Castor blessé: lequel ayant perdu son sang s'affoiblit, & ils le retirent par cette ficelle, qu'ils ne quittent iamais qu'ils n'ayent leur proye. Leur ayant donc fait present d'vn morceau de ficelle, ils me dirent _Ania Capitana ouias amiscou_, mon frere le Capitaine, nous t'apporterons la chair d'vn Castor, & me firent bien entendre qu'elle ne seroit point bouquanée, ils sçauẽt bien que les François n'ayment point leur bouquan, c'est de la chair seichée à la fumée, ils n'ont point d'autre sel que la fumée pour conseruer leur viande.

The 6th of August, monsieur Emery de Caën coming to see us in our
little house, distant a good half-league from the fort, remained to
dine with us. While we were at the table, two families of Savages,
men, women, and little children, approached the spot where we were.
The outside door of our house being open, all is open, the English
having broken the others; that is why these simple people were in
the room, where we were, before we were aware of it. They wanted
to ask me to keep some of their baggage for them. I noticed their
patience, for, although they had [54] started on a long journey
which they were going to make, nevertheless they did not interrupt
us once during the dinner, nor afterwards while they saw me with
our Captain. They sat down in one place or another, and I had a
piece of bread, of which they are very fond, given to each of them.
At last, monsieur de Caën having departed, one of them approached
me and said: _Ania Kir Capitana?_ "My brother, art thou Captain?"
They were asking for the superior of the house. They call their
Captain "Sagamore," but by associating with the Europeans they have
come to use the word _Capitana_. Our Brother answered them, _eoco_;
that is to say, "yes." Thereupon he made a speech to me, saying
that they were going hunting or fishing for Beavers, and that I
should keep their baggage; that they would return when the leaves
fell from the trees. They asked me very [55] often if thieves ever
came into our house, and very carefully scrutinized the places
where their baggage might be best concealed. I answered that
everything was safe in our house, and having shown them a little
room which could be locked, they seemed very happy, placing therein
three or four packages covered very neatly with the bark of trees,
telling me that they contained great riches. I do not know what is
there; but, at the best, all their riches are only poverty. Their
gold and silver, their diamonds and pearls, are little white grains
of porcelain which do not seem to amount to much. Having piled up
their baggage, they asked me for a knife, and I gave them one;
then they asked me for some string to tie to an iron arrow-point
or dart, with barbed teeth. They throw these [56] darts against
the Beavers, and hold the end of the string, letting it go to the
bottom of the water where the wounded Beaver dives; and, when it
has lost blood and become weak; they draw it back by this string,
of which they never let go until they have their prey. Having
then made them a present of the piece of string, they said to me:
_Ania Capitana ouias amiscou_: "My brother, the Captain, we will
bring thee the meat of a Beaver," and they gave me very clearly to
understand that it would not be smoked. They know very well that
the French people do not like their dried food: that is, their meat
dried in smoke, for they have no other salt than smoke to preserve
their meats.

Vn autre Sauuage, estant encor à Tadoussac, m'apporta deux bouteilles de vin pour luy garder dans ma cabane. Comme il tardoit long temps à les venir requerir, i'aduerty le Pere [57] de Nouë, & nostre Frere, que s'il s'addressoit à eux qu'ils me l'enuoyassent, ie craignois qu'il ne les prist pour moy: mais il ne se trompa point. Le soir comme ie disois mon breuiaire, il se vint asseoir aupres de moy, & attendit que i'eusse acheué, alors il me tira & me dit, _Ania Cabana_, mon frere allons à ta cabane, ie l'entendy bien, & luy rendy ses bouteilles qui luy auoient cousté de bonnes peaux. Ces exemples font voir la confiance qu'ils ont en nous: en verité qui sçauroit parfaittement leur langue, seroit puissant parmy eux.

Another Savage, while we were at Tadoussac, brought me two bottles
of wine to keep in my cabin. As he was very long in coming back
after them, I notified Father [57] de Nouë and our Brother that,
if he applied to them, they should send him to me. I feared that
he would take one of them for me; but he made no mistake. In the
evening, as I was saying my breviary, he came and sat down beside
me, and waited until I had finished. Then he pulled me and said:
_Ania Cabana_, "My brother, let us go to thy cabin." I understood
him very well, and restored him his bottles, which had cost him
some good furs. These examples show what confidence they have in
us. In fact, any one who knew their language perfectly would be
powerful among them.

Ie suis deuenu regent en Canada, i'auois l'autre iour vn petit Sauuage d'vn costé, & vn petit Negre ou Maure de l'autre, ausquels i'apprenois à cognoistre les lettres. Apres tant d'années de regence, me voyla enfin retourné à l'A, B, C. mais auec vn contentement & vne satisfaction si grande, [58] que ie n'eusse pas voulu changer mes deux escoliers pour le plus bel auditoire de France: ce petit Sauuage est celuy qu'on nous laissera bien tost tout à fait, ce petit Neigre a esté laissé par les Anglois à cette famille Frãçoise qui est icy, nous l'auions pris pour l'instruire & le baptiser, mais il n'entend pas encor bien la langue, voyla pourquoy nous attendrons encor quelque temps. Quand on luy parla du baptesme il nous fit rire, sa maistresse luy demandant s'il vouloit estre Chrestien, s'il vouloit estre baptisé, & qu'il seroit comme nous, il dit qu'oüy: mais il demanda si on ne l'escorcheroit point en le baptisant, ie croy qu'il auoit belle peur: car il auoit veu escorcher ces pauures Sauuages. Comme il vit qu'on se rioit de sa demande, il repartit en son patois, comme il peut, Vous dites que par le baptesme ie seray comme vous, ie [59] suis noir & vous estes blancs, il faudra donc m'oster la peau pour deuenir comme vous: là dessus on se mit encor plus à rire, & luy voyant bien qu'il s'estoit trompé, se mit à rire comme les autres. Quand ie luy dy qu'il prit sa couuerture, & qu'il s'en retournast chez son maistre iusques à ce qu'il entendit mieux la langue, il se mit à pleurer, & ne voulut iamais reprendre sa couuerture, ie luy dy qu'il s'en allast au fort auec le Pere de Nouë qui s'y en alloit, il obeït, mais on le rendit en passant à son maistre qui ne s'en peut pas long temps passer, autrement nous l'aurions retenu auec nous. Sa maistresse luy demandant pourquoy il n'auoit point rapporté sa couuerture, il répondit, Moy point baptisé, point couuerture: ils disoient viens baptise toy, & moy point baptisé, moy point baptisé, point retourné, point couuerture. Il [60] vouloit dire, que nous luy auions promis le baptesme, & qu'il ne vouloit point retourner qu'il ne l'eût receu, ce sera dans quelque temps, s'il plaist à Dieu.

I have become teacher in Canada: the other day I had a little
Savage on one side of me, and a little Negro or Moor on the other,
to whom I taught their letters. After so many years of teaching,
behold me at last returned to the A, B, C., with so great content
and satisfaction [58] that I would not exchange my two pupils for
the finest audience in France. This little Savage is the one who
will soon be left entirely with us. The little Negro was left
by the English with this French family which is here. We have
taken him to teach and baptize, but he does not yet understand
the language well; therefore we shall wait some time yet. When we
talked to him about baptism, he made us laugh. His mistress asking
him if he wanted to be a Christian, if he wanted to be baptized and
be like us, he said "yes;" but he asked if he would not be skinned
in being baptized. I think he was very much frightened, for he had
seen those poor Savages skinned. As he saw that they laughed at
his questions, he replied in his patois, as best he could: "You
say that by baptism I shall be like you: I [59] am black and you
are white, I must have my skin taken off then in order to be like
you." Thereupon all began to laugh more than ever, and, seeing that
he was mistaken, he joined in and laughed with the others. When
I told him to take his blanket and return to his master until he
should understand our language better, he began to cry, and refused
to take his blanket again. I told him to go away to the fort with
Father de Nouë, who was going there. He obeyed, but he was restored
on the way to his master, who cannot do long without him; otherwise
we would have retained him with us. His mistress, asking him why
he had not brought back the blanket with him, he answered: "Me not
baptized, no blanket. They said: 'Come, baptize thee,' and me not
baptized; and me not baptized, no return, no blanket." He [60]
meant that we had promised him the baptism, and that he did not
wish to return until he had received it; that will be in a short
time, if it please God.

Ie supputois l'autre iour combien le Soleil se leue plustost sur vostre horison, que sur le nostre, & ie trouuois que vous auiez le iour six heures & vn peu dauantage plutost que nous. Nos Mariniers content ordinairement 17. lieuës & demie pour vn degré de l'equinoctial & tout autre grand cercle, & d'ailleurs font estat qu'il y a d'icy iusques à vous 1000. lieuës & dauantage, qui feront par consequent 57. degrez & 12. minutes d'vn grand cercle, sur lequel se doit conter le droit chemin qu'il y a d'icy à vous. Supposant donc nostre latitude de 46. degrez & deux tiers, & celle de Dieppe de 49. & deux tiers, la supputation faite exactement par la resolution [61] d'vn triangle qui se fait sur la terre entre nos deux lieux, & le pole, nous donnera 91. degrez & 38. minutes pour l'angle qui se fait au pole par nos deux meridiens, & par consequent pour la piece de l'equinoctial, qui est la mesure dudit angle, laquelle est iustement la difference de nos longitudes. Or ce nombre de degrez estant reduit en temps, contant vne heure pour chaque 15. degrez, nous aurons six heures & six minutes pour le temps que le Soleil se leue plustost chez vous que chez nous: si bien que quand vn Dimanche vous contez trois heures du matin, nous ne sommes encor qu'à neuf heures du Samedy au soir. I'escry cecy enuiron les huict heures du matin, & vous auez deux heures apres midy. Que si auec les Geographes pour vn degré d'vn grand cercle on contoit 25. lieuës, comme on fait ordinairement des [62] lieuës Françoises de moyenne grandeur, alors nos 1000. lieuës ne feroient que 40. degrez de droit chemin d'icy à vous, & par consequent la supputation faite comme dessus ne donneroit pour la difference de nos longitudes que 61. degrez & 34. minutes, c'est à dire 4. heures & 6. minutes de temps.

I calculated the other day how much earlier the Sun rises on your
horizon than it does on ours, and I found that you have daylight a
little over six hours earlier than we do. Our Sailors usually count
17 leagues and a half for a degree of the equinoctial and all other
great circles, and otherwise reach the conclusion that there are
from here to you 1000 leagues and over, which will consequently
make 57 degrees 12 minutes of a great circle upon which we ought
to calculate a direct route from here to you. Suppose then our
latitude to be 46 and two-thirds degrees and that of Dieppe 49 and
two-thirds; the computation made exactly by the solution [61] of a
triangle which might be made upon the earth, between our two places
and the pole, will give us 91 degrees and 38 minutes for the angle
which is made at the pole by our two meridians, and consequently
for the part of the equinoctial which is the measure of the said
angle, and this is just the difference in our longitudes. Now, this
number of degrees being reduced to time, counting one hour for
every 15 degrees, we shall have six hours and six minutes earlier,
for the time that the Sun rises with you than it does here; so
that on Sunday when you count three o'clock in the morning, it is
here still only nine o'clock on Saturday night. I am writing this
about eight in the morning, and it is two in the afternoon where
you are. So if, with the Geographers, for one degree of a great
circle, we counted 25 leagues, as is generally done with the [62]
French leagues of medium size, then our 1000 leagues would only be
forty degrees in a straight line from here to you; and consequently
the computation, made as above, would give for the difference of
our longitude only 61 degrees and 34 minutes,--that is to say, 4
hours and 6 minutes of time.