Chapter M: DC XXXIV (2)

Ayant donc ceste commodité, ie me mets à trauailler sans cesse, ie fay des coniugaisons, declinaisons, quelque petite syntaxe, vn dictionnaire, auec vne peine incroyable, car il me falloit quelquefois demander vingt questions pour auoir la cognoissance d'vn mot, tant mon maistre peu duit à enseigner varioit. O que ie suis obligé à ceux qui m'enuoierent l'an passé du Petum. Les Sauuages l'aiment déreglement. A toutes les difficultez que ie rencõtrois, i'en donnois vn bout à mõ maistre pour le rendre plus attentif. Ie [34] ne sçaurois assez rendre graces à Nostre Seigneur de cet heureux rencontre. En tant d'années qu'on a esté en ces païs, on n'a iamais rien pû tirer de l'interprete ou truchement nommé Marsolet, qui pour excusé disoit qu'il auoit iuré qu'il ne donneroit rien du lãgage des Sauuages à qui que ce fût. Le Pere Charles Lallemant le gagna, ie pense auoir ce qu'il luy bailla, mais cela ne m'eut de rien seruy, l'œconomie de la langue toute differente de celles d'Europe n'est point declarée là dedans. Que Dieu soit beny pour vn iamais, sa prouidence est adorable, & sa bonté n'a point de limites.

Now, having gained this advantage, I begin to work incessantly.
I make conjugations, declensions and some little syntax, and a
dictionary,[24] with incredible trouble, for I was compelled
sometimes to ask twenty questions to understand one word, so
changeable was my master's way of teaching. Oh, how grateful I am
to those who sent me some Tobacco last year. The Savages love it to
madness. Whenever we came to a difficulty, I gave my master a piece
of tobacco, to make him more attentive. I [34] never can thank our
Lord enough for this fortunate circumstance. In all the years that
we have been in this country no one has ever been able to learn
anything from the interpreter named Marsolet,[35] who, for excuse,
said he had sworn that he would never teach the Savage tongue to
any one whomsoever. Father Charles Lallemant won him, and I think
I have acquired what he learned from him, but I could not make use
of it at all; the construction of the language, entirely different
from that of the European languages, is not declared therein.
May God be praised forever; his providence is adorable, and his
goodness unbounded.

Il m'a fallu auant que de sçauoir vne langue faire des liures pour l'apprendre, & quoy que ie ne les tienne pas si corrects, si est-ce que maintenant de l'heure que ie parle, quand ie compose quelque chose, ie me fay bien entendre aux Sauuages; le tout [35] gist à composer souuent, à apprendre quantité de mots, à me faire à leur accent, & mes occupations ne me le permettent pas: ie pensois m'en aller cét hyuer prochain auec eux dans les bois, mais ie preuoy qu'il me sera impossible, lié comme ie suis: si mon maistre ne m'eust point quitté, dans peu de mois i'aurois bien auancé.

Before knowing a language, it was necessary for me to make the
books from which to learn it; and, although I do not hold them
to be so correct, yet now, at the time when I am writing, when I
compose anything I make myself understood very well by the Savages.
It all [35] lies in composing often, in learning a great many
words, in acquiring their accent; and my occupations do not permit
it. I was thinking of going with them next winter into the woods,
but I foresee that it will be impossible, tied as I am. If my
teacher had not left me, I should have made considerable progress
in a few months.

I'ay remarqué dans l'estude de leur langue qu'il y a vn certain barragoin entre les François & les Sauuages, qui n'est ny François, ny Sauuage, & cependant quand les François s'en seruent, ils pensent parler Sauuage, & les Sauuages en l'vsurpant croyent parler bon François. I'en escriuy quelques mots l'an passé, que ie qualifiois de mots de Sauuages le pesant ainsi. Par exẽple le mot d'_Ania_, dont i'ay encore fait mention cy-dessus, est vn mot barbare, les Sauuages s'en seruent à tout bout [36] de champ parlant aux François, & les François parlant aux Sauuages, & tous s'en seruent pour dire mon frere, mais en vray Sauuage de Montagnaits, _Nichtais_, c'est à dire mõ frere aisné, _Nichim_, mon cadet: le mot de _Sagamo_ ne s'vsurpe icy que par quelques-vns, pour dire Capitaine, le vray mot c'est _Oukhimau_, ie croy que ce mot de _Sagamo_ vient de l'Acadie, il y en a quantité d'autres semblables. Au commencement qu'on entre en vn pays, on escrit plusieurs choses, les pensant vrayes sur le rapport d'autruy, le temps découure la verité.

I have noticed in the study of their language that there is a
certain jargon between the French and the Savages, which is neither
French nor Savage; and yet when the French use it, they think they
are speaking the Savage Tongue, and the Savages, in using it,
think they are speaking good French. I wrote a few words of it last
year that I characterized as Savage words, believing them to be so.
For example, the word, _Ania_, which I have mentioned above, is an
alien word,[36] the Savages making use of it on every [36] occasion
in speaking to the French, and the French in speaking to the
Savages, and all use it to say "my brother;" but in the real Savage
Tongue of the Montagnaits, _Nichtais_ means "my eldest brother,"
_Nichim_ "my youngest;" the word _Sagamo_ is used by only a few
here to say "Captain." The correct word is _Oukhimau_; I believe
this word, _Sagamo_, comes from Acadia;[37] there are many others
like it. When a person first visits a country, he writes a great
many things upon the word of others, believing them to be true;
time reveals the truth.

On m'a discouru de plusieurs façons de faire de ces nations, nous aurons assez de temps pour voir ce qui en est.

I have been told many different things about the customs of these
tribes; we shall have time enough to learn how true they are.

Ie diray en passant que cette langue est fort pauure, & fort riche. Elle est pauure, pour autant que n'ayãs point de cognoissance de mille & [37] mille choses qui sont en l'Europe, ils n'ont point de noms pour les signifier. Elle est riche, pource qu'és choses dont ils ont cognoissance elle est fœconde, & grandement nombreuse, il me semble qu'ils ne la prononcent pas bien. Les Algonquains qui ne different des Montagnaits que cõme les Prouençaux des Normands, ont vne prononciation tout à fait gaye & gentille.

I shall say, in passing, that this language is very poor and very
rich. It is poor; because, having no knowledge of thousands and
[37] thousands of things which are in Europe, they have no names
to indicate them. It is rich, because in the things of which they
have a knowledge, it is fertile and plentiful; it seems to me that
they do not pronounce it well. The Algonquains, who differ from
the Montagnaits only as the Provençals from the Normans, have a
pronunciation that is altogether charming and agreeable.

Ie ne croy pas auoir ouy parler d'aucune langue qui procedast de mesme façon que celle-cy. Le Pere Brebeuf m'asseure que celle des Hurons est d'vne mesme œconomie. Qu'on les appelle Barbares tant qu'on voudra, leur langue est fort reglée, ie n'y suis pas encore grand maistre, i'en parleray quelque iour auec plus d'asseurance. Si ie n'auois peur d'estre trop long, ie mettrois icy vne grande & tout à fait estrange [38] difference entre les langues d'Europe & celles-cy.

I do not think that I have ever heard any language spoken which is
formed in the same manner as this. Father Brebeuf assures me that
the language of the Hurons is of the same construction. People may
call them Barbarians as much as they please, but their language
is very regular.[38] I am not yet a perfect master of it; I shall
speak of it some day with more assurance. If I were not afraid of
being tedious, I should note here a striking and radically strange
[38] difference between the languages of Europe and those of this
country.

Le 14. de Nouembre, le Sauuage la Nasse estant chez nous, ie luy fis parler de la Creation du monde, de l'Incarnation, & de la Passion du Fils de Dieu, nous passasmes bien auant dans la nuict, tout le monde s'endormoit horsmis luy. Estant de retour en sa cabane, il dit à Pierre, qu'il entendoit volontiers parler de cela.

On the 14th of November, the Savage la Nasse being with us, I
instructed him about the Creation of the world, the Incarnation,
and the Passion of the Son of God. We talked well into the night,
everyone being asleep except him. Returning to his cabin, he said
to Pierre that he was much pleased to listen to such talk.

Nous voiant vn iour prier Dieu apres le disner, il tira vn profond souspir, disant: O que ie suis malheureux de ce que ie ne sçay pas prier Dieu comme vous!

Seeing us praying to God one day after dinner, he sighed deeply,
saying: "Oh, how unhappy I am that I am not able to pray to God as
you do!"

Il a souuent dit à Pierre, enseigne vistement cét homme là, parlant de moy, afin que nous puissions entendre ce qu'il dit. Il vient le soir aux Litanies en nostre Chappelle quand il couche chez nous, & comme il respondoit auec nous _ora pro nobis_, [39] Pierre se riant de cela, luy demanda s'il entendoit bien ce qu'il auoit dit; Non, dit-il, mais ie croy que cela est bon, puis que ces Peres le disent en priant Dieu. Il nous a tesmoigné qu'il vouloit mourir auec nous, & qu'il ne s'en iroit point que nous ne la chassassions; s'il n'estoit chargé d'vne si grande famille, ie souhaitterois biẽ qu'il fut nostre domestique. Il est quasi assez instruict pour estre baptisé s'il tomboit en danger de mort; mais nous ne nous hasterons point, que nous ne sçachions bien parler. Comme i'instruisois son petit fils, il me dit, Instruis moy, ie retiendray plustost que luy, & ioignãt les mains, il disoit la benediction de table.

He has often said to Pierre: "Teach that man as soon as you can,"
speaking of me, "in order that we may be able to understand what
he says." In the evening when he sleeps with us, he attends the
Litanies in our Chapel; and as he was answering with us, _ora
pro nobis_, [39] Pierre, laughing at this, asked him if he had
thoroughly understood what he had said: "No," said he, "but I
believe it is good, since those Fathers say it in praying to God."
He has often given proof that he would be willing to die with us,
and says he will not go away from us unless we drive him. If he
were not burdened with so large a family, I would like very well
to have him for our domestic. He is sufficiently instructed to
be baptized, should he be in danger of death; but we shall not
make haste until we know how to speak the language well. As I was
instructing his grandson, he said to me: "Teach me; I shall retain
it better than he," and, joining his hands, he pronounced the
blessing at the table.

Ie luy dis vne fois que Dieu defendoit de trauailler certains iours, pource qu'il trauailloit vn Dimanche. Il me dit, Aduertis moy de ces [40] iours, & ie les garderay. Lisant les Commandemens de Dieu en sa cabane, quand ie vins à celuy qui recõmande aux enfans d'obeïr à leurs pere & mere, il se tourna vers les siens, & leur fit signe qu'ils escoutassent; Ayant entendu cet autre Commandement, Tu ne tueras point, il me dit qu'on l'auoit voulu inciter à tuer quelqu'vn; mais que voyant que c'étoit mal fait, qu'il ne l'auoit pas voulu faire. Voicy vn autre discours.

Once, while he was working on Sunday, I told him that God forbade
work upon certain days; he said: "Teach me those days, [40] and I
shall keep them." Reading the Commandments of God in his cabin,
when I came to that one which commands children to obey their
father and mother, he turned toward his, and signed to them to
listen. Having heard that other Commandment, "Thou shalt not kill,"
he told me some one had tried to incite him to murder; but, seeing
that it was an evil deed, he did not wish to do it. That was
another conversation.

Pierre Pastedechouan nous a rapporté que sa grand'mere prenoit plaisir à raconter l'estonnement qu'eurent les Sauuages voyans arriuer le vaisseau des François qui aborda le premier en ces pays cy, ils pensoient que ce fust vne Isle mouuante, ils ne sçauoient que dire des grãdes voiles qui la faisoiẽt marcher, leur estonnement redoubla voyans quãtité d'hommes sur le tillac. Les femmes [41] commencerent à leur dresser des cabanes, ce qu'elles font ordinairement quand de nouueaux hostes arriuent, & quatre canots de Sauuages se hazarderent d'abborder ces vaisseaux, ils inuitent les François à venir dans les cabanes qu'on leur preparoit, mais ils ne s'entendoient pas les vns les autres. On leur donna vne barique de pain ou biscuit, l'ayant emporté & reuisité, n'y trouuant point de goust, ils la ietterent en l'eau: en vn mot ils estoient dans le mesme estonnement qui fut iadis le Roy de Calecut à l'abbord du premier nauire European qu'il veit prés de ses terres; car ayant enuoyé quelques personnes pour recognoistre quels gens amenoit ceste grande maison de bois, les messagers rapporterent à leur maistre que c'estoiẽt des hommes prodigieux & espouuentables; qu'ils s'habilloient de [42] fer, mangeoient des os, & beuuoiẽt du sang; ils les auoient veu couuerts de leurs cuirasses, manger du biscuit & boire du vin. Nos Saunages disoient que les François beuuoient du sang, & mangeoient du bois, appellant ainsi le vin, & le biscuit.

Pierre Pastedechouan has told us that his grandmother used to
take pleasure in relating to him the astonishment of the Natives,
when they saw for the first time a French ship arrive upon their
shores. They thought it was a moving Island; they did not know what
to say of the great sails which made it go; their astonishment
was redoubled in seeing a number of men on deck. The women [41]
at once began to prepare houses for them, as is their custom when
new guests arrive, and four canoes of Savages ventured to board
these vessels. They invited the Frenchmen to come into the houses
which had been made ready for them, but neither side understood the
other. They were given a barrel of bread or biscuit. Having brought
it on shore they examined it; and, finding no taste in it, threw
it into the water. In a word, they were as much astonished as was
the King of Calecut, in olden times, when he saw the first European
ship nearing his shores; for, having sent some one to investigate
the character and appearance of the men brought by that great
house of wood, the messengers reported to their master that these
men were prodigious and horrible; that they were dressed in [42]
iron, ate bones, and drank blood. They had seen them covered with
their cuirasses, eating biscuits, and drinking wine. Our Savages
said the Frenchmen drank blood and ate wood, thus naming the wine
and the biscuits.

Or comme ils ne pouuoient entendre de quelle nation estoient nos gens, ils leurs donnerent vn nom, qui est tousiours demeuré depuis aux François _ouemich-tigouchiou_, c'est à dire vn homme qui trauaille en bois, ou qui est en vn canot ou vaisseau de bois: ils voyoient nostre nauire fait de bois, leurs petits canots n'estans bastis que d'escorce.

Now as they were unable to understand to what nation our people
belonged, they gave them the name which has since always clung to
the French, _ouemich-tigouchiou_; that is to say, a man who works
in wood, or who is in a canoe or vessel of wood. They saw our
ships, which were made of wood, their little canoes being made only
of bark.

Le 20. de Nouembre nostre Sauuage, c'est ainsi que i'appelleray ce bon Manitougache, surnommé la Nasse, se mit à faire vne cabane de bois dans le bastiment que nous ont bruslé les Anglois tout auprés [43] de nostre petite maison, il fit luy-mesme de la planche auec vne hache, couppant certains arbres aisez à refendre: il alla brusler vne vieille challouppe qu'il auoit veu échoüée & abandonnée dans vne Isle, & du clou qu'il en retira, il se fit auec ses planches vne petite maisonnette ou cabane assez passable; les autres Sauuages la venoient voir, & nos François aussi, loüans son inuention. Ie luy donnay vn nom de Iesus en papier pour le mettre dedãs en quelque endroit, il l'attacha au plꝰ beau lieu.

On the 20th of November, our Savage,--it is thus that I shall
designate this good Manitougache,--surnamed la Nasse, began
building a wooden cabin near our little house, on the site of
the one which the [43] English had burned down. He himself made
boards with a hatchet, cutting certain kinds of wood that are
easily split. He burned an old boat, that he had seen stranded and
abandoned upon an Island; and, with the nails which he obtained,
he made a very fair little house or cabin with his boards. The
other Savages came to see it, and we Frenchmen also, praising his
ingenuity. I gave him the name of Jesus on a paper, to put inside
of it somewhere, and he hung it up in the best place.

Il arriua vne chose plaisante à vn Sauuage qui le venoit voir: ce bon homme regardoit cette maisonnette de bois, & ne sçauoit par où entrer, ne pouuant trouuer la porte, il tourne & retourne à l'entour de cette cabane, & croyant qu'il n'y auoit point d'entrée, il s'en alla comme il estoit venu, on dira qu'il deuoit [44] frapper, ce n'est point la coustume des Sauuages, ils entrent par tout sans dire mot, ny sans vous salüer: leurs cabanes ne fermẽt point, y entre qui veut, ils n'ont qu'vne vieille peau qui leur sert de porte; on n'entend point neantmoins parler de larrons parmy eux, cela est fort rare i'entend des Montagnaits: car les Hurons font mestier de dérober, aussi font ils de meilleures cabanes, estans sedentaires, & non vagabons & errans comme ceux de ce pays-cy. I'apprend que ces Hurons tiennent vn homme pour auoir de l'esprit qui esquiue la main du larron, ou qui sçait dérober sans estre recognu: que s'il est surpris, battez-le tãt que vous voudrez, il ne vous dira rien: il souffre patiemment ce chastiment, non en punition du larcin, mais de sa lourdise, s'estant laissé surprendre.

Something very amusing happened to a Savage who came to see it.
This simple man examined the little wooden house, and not knowing
where to enter, being unable to find the door, he went round and
round it, and, thinking there was no entrance, went away as he
came. One would say that he ought [44] to have knocked; but this
is not the custom of the Savages. They enter everywhere without
saying a word, or without any greeting. Their houses are not
closed; all can enter who will, as they have only an old skin which
serves as a door. Nevertheless, we never hear of thieves among
them, or very seldom.--I mean among the Montagnaits; but the Hurons
make a business of thieving. They also make better houses, being
sedentary, and not leading a vagabond and wandering life like those
of this country. I learn that the Hurons consider a man very clever
who can escape the hand of a thief, or who knows how to steal
without being caught. But, if he be discovered, you may whip him as
much as you like and he will say nothing. He suffers his punishment
patiently, not as a penalty for his crime, but for his awkwardness
in being caught.

Le 27. du mesme mois de Nouembre, [45] l'hyuer qui auoit desia paru comme de loin, de temps en temps, nous assiegea tout à fait. Car ce iour & les autres suiuans, il tomba tant de neige, qu'elle nous déroba la veuë de la terre pour cinq mois.

On the 27th of the same month of November, [45] the winter, which
had already appeared in the distance from time to time, completely
besieged us, for on that and the following days the snow fell so
heavily that it deprived us of the sight of the earth for five
months.

Voicy les qualitez de l'hyuer, il a esté beau & bon, & bien long. Il a esté beau, car il a esté blanc comme neige, sans crottes & sans pluye. ie ne sçay s'il a pleu trois fois en quatre ou cinq mois, mais il a souuent neigé.

I shall tell you what sort of winter we have had here. It has been
beautiful, and good, and very long. It was beautiful because it was
as white as snow, without mud and without rain. I do not know that
it has rained three times in four or five months, but it has often
snowed.

II a esté bon, car le froid y a esté rigeoureux; on le tient pour l'vn des plus fascheux qui ait esté depuis lõg temps. Il y auoit par tout quatre ou cinq pieds de neige, en quelques endroicts plus de dix, deuant nostre maison vne montagne: Les vents la rassemblans, & nous d'autre costé la releuans, pour faire vn petit chemin deuant nostre porte, elle faisoit cõme vne muraille toute blanche, plus [46] haute d'vn ou deux pieds que le toict de la maison. Le froid estoit par fois si violent, que nous entendions les arbres se fendre dans le bois, & en se fendans faire vn bruit comme des armes à feu. Il m'est arriué qu'en escriuant fort prés d'vn grand feu, mon encre se geloit, & par necessité il falloit mettre vn réchaut plein de charbons ardens proche de moin escritoire, autrement i'eusse trouué de la glace noire, au lieu d'encre.

It was good, because the cold has been severe; it is considered one
of the most rigorous winters that they have had for a long time.
There was everywhere four or five feet of snow, in some places,
over ten, before our house, a mountain: the wind drifting it, and
we, on the other hand, shovelling it away to make a little path
before our door. It rose like a wall, all white, higher [46] by one
or two feet than the roof of our house. The cold was at times so
violent that we heard the trees split in the woods, and in breaking
make a noise like that of firearms. It happened to me that while
writing very near a big fire, my ink froze; and I had to place a
little pan full of hot coals near my inkstand, otherwise I should
have found black ice instead of ink.

Cette rigueur demesurée n'a duré que dix iours ou enuiron, non pas continuels, mais à diuerses reprises, le reste du temps, quoy que le froid surpasse de beaucoup les gelées de France, il n'y a rien d'intolerable, & ie puis dire qu'on peut icy plus aisément trauailler dans les bois, qu'on ne fait en France, où les pluyes de l'hyuer sont fort importunes. Mais il se faut armer de bonnes mitaines, [47] si on ne veut auoir les mains gelées: Nos Sauuages neantmoins s'en venoient quelquefois chez nous à demy nuds, sans se plaindre du froid: ce qui m'apprend que si la nature s'habituë à cela, la nature & la grace pourront bien nous donner assez de cœur & de force pour le supporter ioieusement; s'il y a du froid, il y a du bois.

This extreme cold lasted only ten days or thereabout, not
continuously, but at different times. The rest of the time,
although the cold greatly exceeds that of France, it is not at
all intolerable; and I can say that it is easier to work here in
the woods than it is in France, where the winter rains are so
penetrating. But one must be provided with good mittens, [47]
unless he wants to have his hands frozen; and yet our Savages
visited us sometimes half-naked, without complaining of the cold.
This teaches me that, if nature can accustom itself to this cold,
nature and grace can very well give us the heart and strength to
support it cheerfully. If there is cold, there is wood.

I'ay dit que l'hyuer a esté long; depuis le 27. de Nouembre iusques à la fin d'Auril la terre a tousiours esté blanche de neige: & depuis le 29. du mesme mois de Nouemb. iusques au 23. d'Auril, nostre petite riuiere a tousiours esté glacée; mais en telle sorte, que cent carosses auroient passé dessus sans l'ébranler: les glaces sont de telle espaisseur, que quand on vint à les rompre, proche de Kebec, pour mettre vne barque à l'eau, le sieur du Plessis me dit qu'estant à terre, c'estoit [48] tout ce qu'il pouuoit faire d'atteindre au haut d'vne glace auec la fourchette d'vn mousquet qu'il tenoit en sa main. Tout cela ne doit espouuanter personne. Chacun dit icy, qu'il a plus enduré de froid en France, qu'en Canada: le Scorpion porte son contrepoison: dans les païs plus subiects aux maladies, il se trouue plus de remedes: si le mal est present, la medecine n'est pas loing.

I have said that the winter has been long; from the 27th of
November up to the end of April, the ground was all the time white
with snow; and from the 29th of the same month of November up to
the 23rd of April, our little river was frozen, but in such a way
that a hundred wagons could have passed over it without shaking
it. The ice is of such thickness that, when they were breaking
it near Kebec, to launch a bark, sieur du Plessis told me that,
being on land, it was [48] all he could do to reach the top of a
piece of ice with the rest of a musket that he held in his hand.
All this should not astonish any one. All who are here say that
they have suffered more from cold in France than in Canada. The
Scorpion carries its own antidote: in the countries most subject to
sickness, more remedies are found: if disease is there, medicine is
not far away.

Le 3. de Decembre nous commençasmes à changer de chaussure, & nous seruir de raquettes: quand ie vins à mettre ces grands patins tout plats à mes pieds, ie m'imaginois qu'à tous coups ie donnerois du nez dans la neige: mais l'experience m'a fait voir que Dieu pouruoit commodement toutes les nations des choses qui leur sont necessaires: ie marche fort librement auec ces raquettes; Pour les Sauuages, cela ne les empesche [49] ny de sauter comme des daims, ny de courir cõme des cerfs.

On the 3rd of December we began to change our footgear, and to use
raquettes;[39] when I first put these great flat skates on my feet,
I thought that I should fall with my nose in the snow, at every
step I took. But experience has taught me that God provides for
the convenience of all nations according to their needs. I walk
very freely now on these raquettes. As to the Savages, they do not
hinder them [49] from jumping like bucks or running like deer.

Ils font des souliers de peaux d'El'an pour s'ẽ seruir sur ces raquettes. Ils n'ont pas l'inuention de durcir ou tanner le cuir, aussi n'en ont ils que faire. L'esté ils vont pieds nuds, l'hyuer il faut que leurs souliers soyent d'vne peau maniable, autrement ils gasteroyent leurs raquettes: ils les font larges, & fort amples, pour les garnir de nippes ou de vieux haillons contre le froid; si nous auions quelques peaux de France un peu plus douces que les grosses ampaignes de vache, cela nous feroit vn bien incomparable, notamment sur le renouueau, quand les neges viennent à se fondre sur le midy; car les souliers des Sauuages boiuent l'eau comme vne esponge, & ces peaux venues de France tiendroyẽt le pied sec.

They make shoes of Elk skins, which they use with their raquettes.
They have not ingenuity enough to harden or tan leather; therefore
they use none. In the summer, they go barefooted; in the winter,
their shoes must be of a pliable skin, otherwise they would spoil
their raquettes. They make them broad and very ample, in order to
line them inside with a layer of old rags against the cold. If
we had some French leather here a little softer than the hard,
untanned cowhide, it would be of incomparable service to us,
especially in the spring, when the snow begins to melt toward the
south. For the shoes of the Savages take water like a sponge, and
those leathers from France would keep the feet dry.

[50] Le 5e de Decembre il fit de grands vents, ce qui est arriué par plusieurs fois. Le Nordest est icy violẽt, il emporta certain iour vne partie de la couuerture d'vn bastiment du fort. Le Pere de Nouë reuenant ce iour là d'y celebrer la saincte Messe, nous dit qu'ils estoient contraints luy & vn ieune garcõ qui l'accompagnoit, de se tenir l'vn l'autre de peur que le vent ne les enleuast.

[50] On the 5th of December there was a very strong wind, which has
happened several times. The Northeastern is violent here; one day
it tore away a part of the roof of a house at the fort. Father de
Nouë, returning that day from celebrating holy Mass, said that he
and the young man accompanying him were compelled to hold on to
each other, for fear that the wind would carry them away.

Passant vers ce mesme temps dans le bois où estoient cabanez quantité de Sauuages, ie trouuay vn corps mort, enseueli par les Sauuages: il estoit esleué fort haut sur des fourches de bois, accompagné de ses robes & autres richesses, couuert d'vne escorce (c'est leur drap mortuaire.) Ie demanday quand on l'enterreroit, ils me respondirent, quand il ne neigeroit plus; la neige tomboit pour lors en abondance.

About this time, in going into the woods where there were a number
of Savages encamped, I found a dead body which the Savages had
enshrouded; it was raised high upon wooden scaffolds, and near it
were its clothes and other belongings, covered with bark (that
is their mourning cloth). I asked when they would bury it. They
answered me: "When it stops snowing." The snow was then falling
very fast.

[51] A l'occasion de ce rencontre quelqu'vn me dit qu'vn Sauuage estant mort, les autres frappent sur la cabane crians oué, oué, oué, &c. & comme i'en demãdois la raison à vn Sauuage, il me dict que c'estoit pour faire sortir l'esprit de la cabane.

[51] At the time of this occurrence some one told me that, when a
Savage dies, the others strike on his cabin, crying: "oué, oué,
oué," etc. And when I asked a Savage the reason for this, he told
me that it was to make the spirit come out of the cabin.

Le corps du mort ne sort point par la porte ordinaire de la cabane, ils leuent l'escorce voisine du lieu où il est mort, & le tirent par là. Ie demanday pourquoy: ce Sauuage me repartit que la porte ordinaire estoit la porte des viuãs, & non des morts: & par consequent que les morts n'y deuoient point passer. Or comme il croioit m'auoir bien satisfait, & qu'il se mocquoit, ie luy demanday, si quãd il auoit tué vn Castor, il le faisoit entrer & sortir par la porte cõmune? ouy, dit-il: elle est donc, luy dis-ie, la porte des morts aussi bien que des viuans: il repart qu'vn Castor estoit [52] vne beste: alors ie repliquay en riant, vostre porte est donc la porte des bestes, aussi bien que vous l'appellez la porte des viuans; il s'écria, asseurément cela est vray, & se mit a rire.

The body of the dead man is not taken out of the common door of the
cabin. They raise the bark from the spot where he died, and take
it out through that. I asked why; the Savage answered me that the
common door was the door of the living, and not of the dead, and
consequently the dead ought not to pass there. Now, as he believed
that he had perfectly satisfied me, and as he was laughing at me, I
asked him if, when he had killed a Beaver, he made it enter and go
out by the common door. "Yes," said he. "It is then," said I, "the
door for the dead as well as for the living." He replied that a
Beaver is [52] an animal. Then I answered him, laughing, "Your door
then is a door for animals, and you call it a door for the living."
He cried out, "Certainly, that is true," and began to laugh.

Ie luy demanday encor pourquoy ils enterroient les robes des morts auec eux: Elles leur appartiennent, respondit-il, pourquoy leur osteroit-on?

I asked him also why they buried the clothes of the dead with them.
"They belong to them," said he, "why should we take them away from
them?"

Si vous les pressez, ils ne s'opiniastrent point, ils suiuent vne certaine routine dans leurs superstitions, dõt ils ne peuuent rendre aucune raison. Voila pourquoy ils sõt les premiers à s'en mocquer, quand vous leur faites voir qu'elles sont ridicules. Il est vray que i'en ay veu quelques-vns extrémement attachez à leurs songes.

If you press them, they are not very obstinate. They follow a
certain routine in their superstitions, for which they can give no
reason. This is why they are the first to laugh when you make them
understand that their customs are ridiculous. True, I have seen
some who are very much attached to their dreams.

Ils font diuerses sortes de festins: i'en sçay quelques particularitez, mais i'attendray vne autre année [53] pour en parler auec plus d'asseurance. Aux festins des morts ils iettent le reste dans le feu: aux autres festins, c'est à manger tout, & faut creuer plustost que de rien laisser.

They have different kinds of feasts. I know some special features
of them, but shall wait until another year, [53] that I may speak
of them with more certainty. At the feasts for the dead, they
always throw what is left into the fire. At other feasts the rule
is to eat all, and it is better to burst than to leave anything.

Quasi tous les Sauuages ont vn petit Castipitagan, ou sac à petum; les vns sont faits d'vne peau de rat musqué, en telle sorte que l'animal semble tout entier: il n'a qu'vne petite ouuerture par la teste par où ils l'ont écorché: les autres sont faits d'autres animaux; il y en a qui ont vne partie du bras & la main de quelque Hiroquois qu'ils ont tué: cela est si biens vuidé que les ongles restẽt toutes entieres: vous diriez vraiemẽt vne main solide, quand ils l'ont remply de petum, ou autre chose ie n'en ay point veu, mais on m'a asseuré que cela estoit ainsi.

Nearly all the Savages have a little Castipitagan or tobacco pouch.
Some are made from the skin of the muskrat, in such a way that the
animal seems quite entire, there being only a little opening at the
head made in skinning it. Others are made of other animals. Some
of them carry a part of an arm or a hand of a Hiroquois whom they
have slain, which is so skillfully prepared that the nails remain
entire. You would really think it was a solid hand, when they fill
it with tobacco or something else. I have not seen any of these,
but I have been assured that it is so.

Quelquefois pour monstrer qu'ils [54] ont du courage, vn Sauuage se liera le bras nud auec vn autre, puis mettant entre leurs deux bras sur la chair vn morceau de tondre allumé, ils le laissent consommer iusques au bout, se bruslans iusques aux os: celuy qui retire le bras, & secouë le feu, est tenu pour moins courageux: ie n'ay point veu cette barbarie; on m'a dit qu'vn François estant aux Hurons pensa perdre le bras, voulant ioüer à ce beau ieu contre vn Sauuage.

Sometimes, in order to show that they [54] have courage, a Savage
will bind his bare arm to that of another; then putting between the
two arms, upon the flesh, a piece of lighted tinder, they leave it
until it is entirely consumed, burning themselves to the bone. The
man who withdraws his arm and shakes off the fire is considered
lacking in courage. I have not seen this act of barbarism. I am
told that a Frenchman who was among the Hurons, came very near
losing his arm in trying to play at this fine game with a Savage.

Il est vray que les Sauuages sont fort patiens, mais l'ordre qu'ils gardent en leurs exercices les ayde à cõseruer la paix dans leurs mesnages: les femmes sçauent ce qu'elles doiuent faire, & les hommes aussi: & iamais l'vn ne se mesle du mestier de l'autre: les hommes font le corps de leurs canots, les femmes cousent l'écorce auec de l'osier, ou vn petit bois semblable: Les hommes font le [55] bois des raquettes, les femmes la tissure: Les hommes vont à la chasse & tuënt les animaux, les femmes les võt querir, les écorchent & passent les peaux: ce sont elles qui vont querir le bois qu'ils bruslẽt, bref ils se mocqueroient d'vn homme qui hors d'vne grande necessité feroit quelque chose qui deust estre fait par vne femme. Nostre Sauuage voyant le Pere de Nouë apporter du bois, se mit à rire, disant, En vérité c'est vne femme; voulant donner à entendre qu'il faisoit l'office d'vne femme: mais quelque temps après la sienne tombant malade, & n'ayant personne en sa cabane qui le pût soulager, il fût contraint d'en aller querir luy mesme, vray est qu'il n'y alla que sur la nuict pour n'estre veu.

It is true that the Savages are very patient, but the order which
they maintain in their occupations aids them in preserving peace
in their households. The women know what they are to do, and the
men also; and one never meddles with the work of the other. The men
make the frames of their canoes, and the women sew the bark with
willow withes or similar small wood. The men shape the [55] wood of
the raquettes, and the women do the sewing on them. Men go hunting,
and kill the animals; and the women go after them, skin them, and
clean the hides. It is they who go in search of the wood that is
burned. In fact, they would make fun of a man who, except in some
great necessity, would do anything that should be done by a woman.
Our Savage, seeing Father de Nouë carrying wood, began to laugh,
saying: "He's really a woman;" meaning that he was doing a woman's
work. But a short time afterward, his wife falling sick, and having
no one in his cabin who could assist him, he was compelled to go
out himself in search of supplies; but in truth he went only at
night, when no one could see him.[40]

Vn vieillard auoit songé, ou plustost veu, à ce qu'il disoit, vne quantité d'Hiroquois, qui se dispersans çà [56] & là cherchoient les Montagnaits: les autres Sauuages consultent là dessus ce qu'il falloit faire, quelques-vns dirent qu'il falloit prendre aduis de ces gens qui parlẽt à Dieu, entendant parler de nous autres. Ce songe s'en alla en fumée.

An old man had dreamed, or rather seen, as he said, a large number
of Hiroquois who were dispersing here [56] and there, and searching
for the Montagnaits. The other Savages consulted thereupon as to
what they should do, some saying that it would be well to take the
advice of those people who spoke to God, meaning us. This dream
passed away in smoke.

Comme ie demandois à Pierre Pastedechouan comment on disoit en sa langue où sont tes freres, vne femme Sauuage suruenant là dessus, il ne me vouloit pas respondre, me donnant pour raison qu'il attristeroit ceste femme, & qu'il la feroit pleurer, à cause que ses freres estoient morts; On ne parle plus des morts parmy nous, me dit-il, voire mesme les parents du defunct ne se seruent iamais des choses dont le mort se seruoit pendant sa vie.

When I asked Pierre Pastedechouan how to say in his language:
"Where are thy brothers?" as a woman Savage was passing by, he was
loath to answer; giving me as a reason that it would make her sad,
and make her cry because her brothers were dead. "We do not speak
any more of the dead among us," said he, "indeed, the relatives of
the dead never use anything that was used by the dead man during
his lifetime."

Le 15. du mesme mois de Decembre, quantité d'Alguonquains nous estans venus voir, l'vn d'eux me [57] voyãt escrire, print vne plume, & voulu faire le mesme: mais voyant qu'il ne faisoit rien qui vaille, & que ie sousriois, il se mit a souffler sur ce qu'il auoit escrit, pensant le faire en aller comme de la poudre. Ie leur fis dire à tous que nous estiõs venus pour les instruire, ils respondirent que ie faisois bien d'apprendre la langue, & quand ie la sçaurois, q̃ tout seroit facile de part & d'autre.

On the 15th of the same month of December, a large number of
Alguonquains having come to see us, one of them seeing [57] me
writing, took a pen and wanted to do the same; but seeing that
he did not accomplish much, and that I was smiling, he began to
blow upon what he had written, thinking that he could blow it away
like powder. I had them all told, that we came to teach them. They
answered that I was doing well to learn their language; and that,
when I should know it, everything would be easy on both sides.

Le 19. la neige estant desia fort haute, les Sauuages prirent huict élans, ou orignaux. Vers ce temps-là l'vn d'eux nommé Nassitamirineou, & surnommé des François Brehault, leur dit qu'il auoit songé qu'il falloit manger tous ces Orignaux, & qu'il sçauoit bien prier Dieu, & qu'il luy auoit parlé, que telle estoit sa volonté, qu'on mangeast tout, & qu'on n'en donnast rien, si on en vouloit prendre d'autres: les Sauuages le creurent, & n'en donnerent pas vn [58] morceau aux François. On me raconta cecy en la presence du songeur, il n'aduoüoit pas tout, neantmoins la chose semble bien probable, car ayãt cabané auprés de nous, & nous ayant ouy parler de Dieu, il estoit homme pour en parler par aprés, & faire de l'entendu parmy ses gens.

On the 19th, the snow being already very deep, the Savages
captured eight elks or moose. About that time one of them, named
Nassitamirineou, and surnamed by the French Brehault, told them
that he had dreamed that they must eat all of those Moose; and that
he knew very well how to pray to God, who had told him that it
was his will that they should eat all, and that they should give
none of them away, if they wanted to capture others. The Savages
believed him, and did not give a [58] piece to the Frenchmen. This
was related to me in the presence of the dreamer. He did not admit
all, yet it seemed very probable; for having settled near us, and
having heard us speaking of God, he was just the man to talk about
it afterward, and to play the learned among his people.

Le 21. de Decembre, le bon Dieu nous dõna deux petits pensionnaires, Manitougache nous en ayant presenté vn petit à qui il auoit sauué la vie, nous l'acceptasmes; & comme nous estions en crainte qu'il ne s'ennuyast tout seul, nous pensions à en trouuer encor vn autre pour luy tenir compagnie. Au mesme temps voila vne fẽme qui entre chez nous auec son petit fils aagé d'enuiron sept ans, nous le regardions, disans l'vn à l'autre, voila iustement ce qu'il nous faudroit. Ie prends la parole & [59] m'addresse à sa mere, luy demandant si elle ne voudroit pas bien nous dõner son enfant, que nous le nourririons le mieux qu'il nous seroit possible. Helas, dit-elle, i'estois venuë icy pour prier Manitougache de voꝰ le presenter, & vous supplier de l'accepter. Dieu sçait si nous fusmes cõtens. ô que sa prouidence est admirable!

On the 21st of December, God sent us two little pensioners,
Manitougache having presented to us a little one whose life he
had saved, and whom we accepted; and, as we were afraid that he
would be lonesome, we thought to try and find another to keep him
company. At the same time, a woman came bringing her little son,
about seven years old. When we saw him, we said to each other,
"This is just what we wanted." I at once asked [59] the mother, if
she would not like to give us her child, saying that we would care
for it as best we possibly could. "Ah," said she, "I came here to
beg Manitougache to give him to you and to beg you to take him."
God knows how happy we were! Oh, how admirable is his providence!

Le plus âgé que nous a donné Manitougache n'a ny pere ny mere, celuy-là nous est bien asseuré, nous luy auons donné nom Fortuné, en attendant qu'il soit capable d'estre baptisé. ô qu'il a rencontré vne bõne fortune! Estant à Tadoussac, cõme il estoit delaissé de tout le monde, vn Sauuage presenta vne harquebuse à nostre Pierre, luy disant, tuë ce miserable enfant, aussi bien n'aiãt point de parents, il sera toute sa vie abandonné d'vn chacun: Nostre [60] Sauuage entendant cela en eut compassion, il le retira, & l'a nourry iusques à present qu'il nous l'a donné. Nous auons appelle le plus ieune Bienuenu, celuy-cy a de l'esprit, il est d'vn naturel complaisant, & flatteur: Nous ne sommes pas si asseurez qu'il nous demeure, car les Sauuages sont extrémement changeãs & volages. Vn sien parent entendant qu'il nous estoit donné, s'y voulut opposer, disant que leur Capitaine auoit defendu qu'on ne donnast aucun enfant aux François: la mère de l'enfant suruient là dessus, & dit que le Capitaine n'a point nourry son fils, & par conseqẽt ce n'est pas à luy d'en disposer, si bien à elle qui en estoit la mère, & qui l'auoit tousiours éleué dés sa ieunesse. Le pere de l'enfant ayant sceu que son ancienne femme qu'il a quittée nous l'auoit donné, en a esté bien aise, disant qu'il seroit [61] très-bien auec nous. Celuy qu'on nous auoit promis l'an passé voudroit bien estre maintenant auec les deux autres: mais il n'est pas encore temps de s'ẽ charger, il ne faut point embrasser par dessus ses forces. C'est vn plaisir de voir ces deux enfans, ce sont mes petits escoliers, ils commẽcent à lire, ils sçauent prier Dieu en Latin, & en leur langue. Ils nous fõt quelquefois rire par leurs petits discours: deuant qu'ils mangent nous leur saisons dire le _Benedicite_. Voila pourquoy quand ils veulent mãger; ils s'en viennent nous dire, Mon Père, _Benedicite_: c'est à dire, donnez moy à disner. Comme ils voyoient donner à manger à vn petit chien, ils nous disoient qu'il n'auoit pas dit son _Benedicite_. Ie m'en vay, dit l'vn d'eux, le dire pour luy; comme nous rions, son compagnõ luy dit, _nama irinisionakhi attimoukhi_, les chiens n'ont point [62] d'esprit, ils ne disent pas leur _Benedicite_, c'est à faire aux hommes seulement; vous les entendriez allans & venans ruminer le _Pater noster_, en prononcer tantost vne partie, tantost l'autre; en quoy il arriua vn iour vn rencontre agreable. Le sieur Emery de Caën disnant en nostre maison, comme on seruoit sur table le peu que nous auions, l'vn de ces enfans regardant ce qu'on presentoit, & voyant bien que ce n'estoit pas pour luy, commence à dire par rencontre; _& ne nos inducas in tentationem_, cela fit rire toute la compagnie.

The oldest, the one given to us by Manitougache, has neither father
nor mother, and hence we are sure of keeping him. We have named
him Fortuné, until he can be baptized. Oh, what good fortune he
has met with! Being at Tadoussac, forsaken by every one, a Savage
gave an arquebus to our Pierre, telling him to kill this miserable
child, because, having no parents, he would be abandoned by every
one during his lifetime. Our [60] Savage, on hearing that, had pity
on the little one, took him, and fed him up to the time when he
gave him to us. We have called the younger one Bienvenu. He seems
intelligent, and of a pleasant and endearing nature. We are not so
sure that he will remain with us, because the Savages are extremely
fickle and capricious. One of his relatives, hearing that he had
been given to us, objected, saying that their Captain had forbidden
them to give any of their children to the French. Thereupon the
mother of the child interposed, declaring that the Captain had not
taken care of her child; and that, consequently, it did not belong
to him to dispose of it, but to her who was the mother, and who
had reared him since his infancy. The father of the child, having
learned that his former wife, who had left him, had given the child
to us, was greatly pleased, saying that it would fare [61] very
well with us. The one who was promised to us last year would like
very much now to be with these two others. But we cannot charge
ourselves with him now, we must not undertake more than we can
perform. It is a pleasure to see these two children; they are my
little pupils. They are beginning to read, and know how to pray to
God, in Latin and in their own language. Sometimes they make us
laugh by their childish prattle. Before eating we make them say the
_Benedicite_. Hence, when they want to eat, they come to us and
say, "My Father, _Benedicite_;" that is to say, "Give me something
to eat." When they saw a little dog given something to eat, they
told us that it had not said its _Benedicite_. "I am going," said
one of them, "to say it for him." As we laughed at this, his
companion said to him: _nama irinisionakhi attimoukhi_; that is,
"The dogs have no [62] mind, they do not say their _Benedicite_, it
is only for men to say that." You can hear them, going and coming,
humming the _Pater noster_, pronouncing first one part and then
another, in the course of which there happened the other day a very
amusing incident. Sieur Emery de Caën was dining at our house.
As we served upon the table the little that we had, one of the
children, looking at what was set forth and seeing very well that
it was not for him, began to say as it happened to occur to him:
_Et ne nos inducas in tentationem_, causing the whole company to
laugh.

Le second iour de Ianuier, ie vey quelques Sauuages qui s'efforçoient de passer dans leurs canots la grande riuiere de S. Laurens: ce fleuue ordinairement ne gele point au milieu: il charie ou porte d'horribles glaces, selon le cours & mouuement de la marée. Ces pauures gens abordoient [63] de grandes glaces flottantes, les sondoient auec leurs auirons montoiēt dessus, tiroient leurs canots aprés eux pour s'en aller prendre l'eau à l'autre costé de ces glaces; quoy qu'ils soient tres-habiles, il ne laisse pas de s'en noyer quelques-vns.

On the second day of January, I saw a number of Savages trying to
cross the great river St. Lawrence in their canoes. Usually this
river does not freeze in the middle; it drifts or floats immense
pieces of ice, according to the course and movement of the current.
These poor fellows approached [63] large pieces of the floating
ice, sounded them with their paddles, then mounted them, and drew
their canoes up after them, crossing over to reach the water on the
other side of the ice. Nimble as they are, not infrequently some of
them are drowned.