Chapter M: DC XXXIV (4)

Vne chose me semble plus qu'intolerable, c'est qu'on est pesle-mesle, fille, femme, homme, garçõs tous ensemble dans vn trou enfumé; & plus on s'auance en la cognoissance [93] de la langue, plus on entend de salatés. Dieu veuille que les yeux n'en soient point offensez, on me dit que non. Ie ne pensois pas que les Sauuages eussent la bouche si puante comme ie le vay remarquant tous les iours. Coucher sur la terre couuerte d'vn peu de branches de pin, n'auoir qu'vne écorce entre la neige & vostre teste, traisner vostre bagage sur des montagnes, se laisser rouler dans des vallons espouuãtables, ne manger qu'vne fois en deux ou trois iours quand il n'y a point de chasse, c'est la vie qu'il faut mener en suiuant les Sauuages. Il est vray que si la chasse est bonne, la chair ne vous est point épargnée: sinon il faut estre en danger de mourir de faim, ou de bien souffrir. Vn de nos François qui a demeuré auec eux cét hyuer passé, nous a dit qu'il n'auoit mangé en deux iours qu'vn petit bout de [94] chandelle qu'il auoit porté par mesgarde dans sa pochette. Voila peutestre mon traittement pour l'hyuer prochain, car si ie veux sçauoir la langue, il faut de necessité suiure les Sauuages. Ie crains neantmoins que nostre famille accreuë ne me retienne cette année, mais il y faut aller tost ou tard, i'y voudrais desia estre, tant i'ay de mal au cœur de voir ces pauures ames errãtes sans aucun secours faute de les entendre. On ne peut mourir qu'vne fois, le plustost n'est pas tousiours le pire. Changeons de propos: Il faut que ie remarque icy vne iniure que les Sauuages donnent aux François, c'est qu'ils aiment ce qu'ils ont: quand vous refusez quelque chose à vn Sauuage, aussi-tost il vous dit _Khisakhitan_: tu aime cela, _sakhita, sakhita_, aime le, aime le, comme s'ils vouloient dire qu'on est attaché à ce qu'on aime, & qu'on [95] le prefere à leur amitié.

One thing seems to me more than intolerable. It is their living
together promiscuously, girls, women, men, and boys in a smoky
hole. And the more progress one makes in the knowledge [93] of
the language, the more vile things one hears. May it please God
that one's eyes be not offended; I am told that they are not.
I did not think that the mouth of the Savage was so foul as I
notice it is everyday. To sleep on the earth, covered with a few
branches of pine, nothing but the bark between the snow and your
head; to drag your baggage over the mountains, to let yourself
roll down into frightful valleys; to eat only once in two or
three days, when there is no hunting,--that is the life you must
lead in following the Savages. It is true that, if the hunting is
good, there is no lack of meat; if not, one must be in danger of
dying from starvation, or of enduring great suffering. One of our
Frenchmen, who lived with them last winter, told us that during
two days he ate nothing but a small piece of [94] candle, that he
had accidentally carried in his pocket. This is the treatment that
I shall perhaps have next winter; because, if I wish to learn the
language, I must necessarily follow the Savages. I fear, however,
that our growing family may keep me here this year; but sooner or
later I must go. I would like to be there already, I am so sick at
heart to see these poor straying souls, without any help because of
our inability to understand them. We can die but once; the soonest
is not always the worst. Let us change the subject; I must speak
here of the charge which the Savages make against the French. It
is that they love what is theirs; when you refuse anything to a
Savage, he immediately says _Khisakhitan_, "Thou lovest that,"
_sakhita, sakhita_, "Love it, love it;" as if they would say that
we are attached to what we love, and that we [95] prefer it to
their friendship.

Nostre Sauuage voudroit bien viure auec nous comme frere, en vn mot il voudroit entrer en communauté de tout. Ie te donneray, dit-il, de tout ce que i'ay, & tu me donneras de tout ce que tu as: Ce seroit le moyen de manger en vn mois toutes les prouisions d'vne année, car ils ne cessent de manger tant qu'ils ont dequoy, n'en ayant plus, ils en cherchent, & en demandent auec importunité. Il est vray que ce bon homme voit bien que ceste procedure n'est pas bonne: & quand ie luy represente qu'il ne fait pas bien, prodiguant ses viures en peu de temps: ce n'est pas moy, dit-il, qui fait cela, c'est ma femme. Il s'estonne quand nous luy faisons manger d'vn morceau d'Ours ou d'Orignac six sepmaines apres qu'il nous l'a donné; car en ce temps-là on mangera deux & trois [96] & quatre ours en sa cabane, si on en prend autant.

Our Savage would like to live with us as a brother; in a word, he
would like to have us divide with him all that we have. "I will
give thee," said he, "of all that I possess, and thou shalt give me
of all that belongs to thee." In this way, we should eat in a month
all the provisions for a year, for they never stop eating as long
as they have anything. Having nothing more, they go in search of
something, and beg for it persistently. It is true that this simple
fellow realizes that this is not a good way, and, when I show him
that it is not well to use up his food so quickly, he says: "It is
not I who do that, it is my wife." He is astonished when we give
him a piece of Bear or Moose six weeks after he has given it to us,
for in that time they eat two, three, [96] and four bears in his
cabin, if they capture that many.

Le 13. de Feurier Dieu nous fit vne faueur fort signalée: Mon maistre nommé en sa langue comme i'ay desia souuent dit, Pierre Pastedechouan, s'en alla sans nous rien dire. Depuis qu'il estoit auec nous, il s'estoit vn peu remis: il se confessoit de tẽps en tẽps sãs se vouloir cõmunier quoy qu'on luy dit. Sa raison estoit que iamais il ne s'estoit cõmunié en son pays, si biẽ en France: mais i'estois là mieux disposé qu'icy, disoit-il. Comme il sentit approcher le Caresme, il nous fit plusieurs interrogations sans que nous prissiõs garde où elles buttoient: scauoir mõ à quel âge on estoit obligé de ieusner, si dans tout le Caresme on ne mangeroit point de chair, & choses semblables. La peur qu'il eut du ieusne, & la croyance qu'il auoit que [97] les gens de La Nasse auroient bõne chasse, fit qu'il s'en alla les trouuer sans nous en parler. Voyant mon secours perdu pour la langue, nous demandasmes derechef à Dieu qu'il luy pleust nous donner pour la seconde fois celuy qu'il nous auoit dõné pour la premiere. La Theologie de ce bon aueugle né n'est pas bonne, qui dit que Dieu n'exauce point les pecheurs, si fait bien quand il luy plaist. La Nasse ayant mangé toute sa chasse, & n'en trouuant plus dans les bois, la faim le pressa si fort, qu'il ne sçauoit de quel coste se tourner. Nostre Pierre se voyant dans le ieusne deuant que d'estre en Caresme, ayant pense perdre la vie sur vne glace qui coula dessous luy, & passé quatre iours sans quasi rien manger, nous reuient voir tout defait apres 15 iours d'absẽce, il ne nous dit point que la famine le ramenoit, aussi attribuay-ie [98] son retour à celuy qui nous le donnoit pour la seconde fois: Il demeura donc auec nous iusques à Pasques, m'aydant à conclurre ce que i'auois enuie d'acheuer de nostre Dictionnaire.

On the 13th of February God did us a very signal favor. My teacher,
named in his language, as I have often said already, Pierre
Pastedechouan, went off without giving us notice. Since he had
been with us, he had somewhat improved; he had been to confession
from time to time, but would not take communion, whatever might
be said to him. His reason was that he had never taken communion
in his country, though he had in France; "But I was," he said,
"more disposed to it there than here." As he felt that Lent was
approaching, he asked us a number of questions, the full tendency
of which we did not comprehend; namely, at what age it was
necessary to fast; if one should not eat meat at all during Lent,
and similar things. The fear he had of fasting, and his belief that
[97] the people of La Nasse would be lucky in their hunt, led him
to go to them without telling me. Seeing that I had lost my help
in learning the language, we again asked God to give us, if it
pleased him, for a second time, the one he had given us at first.
The Theology of that worthy man, blind from birth, who says that
God does not hearken to sinners except when it is agreeable to him,
is not good. La Nasse having eaten all his game, and finding no
more in the woods, was so pressed with hunger that he knew not on
which side to turn. Our Pierre found himself fasting before the
beginning of Lent; having nearly lost his life upon the ice, which
slipped from under him, he passed four days with scarcely anything
to eat and returned to us completely exhausted, after 15 days of
absence. He did not tell us that hunger brought him back, therefore
I attributed [98] his return to him who gave him to us for a second
time. He remained with us until Easter, helping me to finish what I
was very anxious to complete, our Dictionary.

Le Vendredy Sainct, il s'en voulut aller à la chasse auec nostre Sauuage qui estoit du retour, mais ie luy dis qu'il n'iroit point qu'il ne se fust acquitté du deuoir que doiuent rendre à Dieu tous les Chrestiens en ce tẽps-là; i'aduerty nostre Sauvage de ne le point receuoir en sa cõpagnie; ce qu'il fit. Il se confessa donc & se communia le iour de Pasques. Le lendemain nostre Sauvage retournant pour vendre au sieur de Caën vn ieune Eslan qu'il auoit pris tout vif (lequel mourut depuis) nostre homme l'accosta, & luy dit que nous ne l'auions retenu sinon pour prier Dieu le iour precedẽt, & que l'ayant [99] fait nous estions contens qu'il le suiuit: Il est vray que pour le contenter nous luy auions dit que s'estant acquitté de ses deuotiõs, il pourroit s'en aller à la chasse à la premiere occasion, ce qu'il a fait auec promesse de retourner, mais nous ne l'auõs point veu depuis. Dieu soit beny de tout: ie ne m'osois promettre tout ce que i'ay tiré de luy, i'en ay assez pour me rendre capable d'aller hyuerner parmy les Sauuages, auec profit.

On Good Friday, he wanted to go hunting with our Savage, who
had returned; but I told him that he should not go until he had
rendered to God the devotion that all Christians owed to him
at that time. I charged our Savage not to receive him in his
company, and he did not. Then he confessed and received his Easter
communion. The next day, our Savage returning to sell to sieur de
Caën a young Elk that he had taken alive (which died afterward),
our man accosted him, and said that we had only detained him that
he might pray to God on the preceding day; and that, having done
[99] so, we were willing that he should go with him. It is true
that, in order to please him, we told him that, if he performed his
devotions, he might go hunting upon the first opportunity; which
he did with the promise to return, but we have not seen him since.
But God be praised for all; I dared not promise myself all that I
have drawn from him; I have enough to fit me for going to pass the
winter among the Savages with profit.

La Nasse reuenant de la chasse nous dit que ce pauure ieune homme auoit trauersé les bois pour aller trouuer ses frères à Tadoussac: pour moy i'estime qu'il a la foy, i'en ay de tres-grands indices: mais comme c'est vne foy de crainte & de seruitude, & que d'ailleurs il est enchaisné par vne infinité de mauuaises habitudes, il a de la peine de quitter la liberté blasmable des Sauuages, [100] pour s'arrester sous le ioug de la loy de Dieu.

When La Nasse returned from hunting, he told us that this poor
young man had gone through the woods to find his brothers
at Tadoussac. For my part I think he has faith; I have seen
strong indications of it; but as it is a faith born of fear and
slavishness, and as, moreover, he is enchained by a multitude
of bad habits, he has great difficulty in abandoning the wicked
liberty of the Savages [100] and submitting to the yoke of the law
of God.

Le 21. de Mars, vn Sauuage mangeant chez nous à terre, selon leur coustume, s'arresta tout court, disant qu'il ne mangeroit pas dauantage, autrement qu'il mourroit: Ie luy demanday pourquoy, il me dit qu'il auoit veu vne lumiere brillãte tourner tout à l'entour du plat: ie voulus mettre la main sur le plat, il s'escria, K_higa nipin_, K_higa nipin_, tu mourras, tu mourras: Or comme ie commence à cognoistre leurs fantaisies, pour luy faire voir sa simplicité: ie prends vne cuillerée ou deux de ce qu'il mãgeoit, & en mangeay moy-mesme, il commence à me regarder comme tout estonné, & voyant que ie n'auois point de mal; i'en mãgeray aussi, fit-il, puis que tu en as mangé.

On the 21st of March, a Savage who was eating at our house, upon
the ground, according to their custom, stopped suddenly, saying
that he would eat no more,--if he did, he would die. I asked him
why, and he told me that he has seen a bright light revolve around
his plate. I was about to put my hand upon the plate, and he cried
out, _Khiga nipin, Khiga nipin_, "Thou wilt die, thou wilt die."
Now as I am becoming familiar with their fancies, to make him
understand his simplicity, I took a spoonful or two of what he was
eating, and ate it myself. He looked at me with astonishment, and,
seeing that I was not sick, "I will eat also," said he, "since thou
hast eaten of it."

On dit que quelques Basques ou Anglois leurs ont baillé l'apprehension [101] que les François les vouloient empoisonner. C'est pourquoy plusieurs vous inuitent de gouster le premier de ce que vous leur presentez. En quoy il arriua vne chose agreable à vn Sauuage fort adonné a boire: le sieur du Plessis luy ayãt fait presenter vn verre de vin, ou de sidre; il se tourne, & le donne à vn François pour en taster: ce François le tasta si bien, qu'il n'y laissa rien. Le Sauuage qui le voyoit faire, crioit prou _egouspé, egouspé_, c'est assez, c'est assez: mais l'autre tira iusques au bout, puis presenta le verre tout vuide au Sauuage, pour l'apprendre vne autre fois à quitter ces deffiances.

It is said that some Basques or Englishmen have communicated to
them the fear [101] that the French were seeking to poison them.
That is why many of the Savages invite you to first taste whatever
you give them. Apropos of this, a very amusing thing happened to
a Savage who was much addicted to drink. Sieur du Plessis having
presented him with a glass of wine, or of cider, he turned about,
and gave it to a Frenchman to taste; this Frenchman tasted it so
well, that there was none of it left. The Savage, who saw what he
was doing, cried out, _egouspé, egouspé_, "It is enough, it is
enough." But the other drank the last drop, giving the empty glass
to the Savage, as a lesson that, another time, he must be less
suspicious.

Le 22. nostre Pierre ayant pris vn Castor, vne Sauuage l'ayant écorché, nostre frere le prit & le laua: ceste femme voyant qu'il faisoit tomber à terre le sang de cét animal, s'écria, en verité cét homme n'a point [102] d'esprit, & se tournant vers Pierre, luy dit, tu ne prendras plus de Castors, on a respandu le sang du tien: c'est vne de leurs superstitions, qu'il ne faut point respandre à terre le sang pur du Castor, si on veut auoir bonne chasse, du moins Pierre nous le dit ainsi.

On the 22nd, our Pierre having caught a Beaver, a Savage skinned
and our brother washed it. This woman, seeing that he let some of
the blood of the animal fall to the ground, cried out: "In truth,
this man has no [102] sense;" and turning to Pierre she said:
"Thou wilt take no more Beavers, for the blood of thine has been
spilled." It is one of their superstitions that you must not spill
the pure blood of the Beaver upon the ground, if you wish to have
good hunting, at least Pierre has told us so.

Le premier iour d'Auril le Capitaine des Algonquains nous vint voir, & nous apporta de la chair d'Elan, ses gens en auoient tué dix, quoy qu'vn Sauuage vous donne pour vn grand mercy, (c'est vn mot qu'ils ont appris des François) il leur faut rendre quelqu'autre chose pour vn autre grand'mercy, autrement vous serez tenu pour vn ingrat. Ils reçoiuent assez volontiers sans donner: mais ils ne sçauent que c'est de donner sans receuoir. Il est vray que si vous les voulez suiure dãs les bois, ils vous nourriront sans vous riẽ demander, [103] s'ils croient que vous n'ayez riē: Mais s'ils s'apperçoiuẽt que vous ayez quelque chose, & qu'ils en ayẽt enuie, ils ne cesseront de vous presser que vous ne leur ayez donné.

On the first day of April, the Captain of the Algonquains came to
see us, and brought us some Elk meat, his people having killed ten
of these animals. Although the Savages will give you something for
a "thank you," (this is a word they have learned from the French),
you must make them some return for another "thank you," otherwise
you will be looked upon as ungrateful. They are willing enough to
receive without giving; but they do not know what it is to give
without receiving. It is true that, if you will follow them into
the woods, they will feed you without asking anything of you, [103]
if they think that you have nothing. But if they see that you have
something, and they want it, they will not stop asking you for it
until you have given it.

Pour retourner à ce Capitaine, ie luy demanday s'il auoit vn fils, & s'il ne vouloit point nous le dōner pour l'instruire; il me demanda combien ie voulois d'enfans, & que i'en auois desia deux: ie luy dis qu'auec le tẽps peutestre i'en nourrirois vingt, il s'étonna: Habilleras-tu bien, me dit-il, tant de mõde? Ie respondis que nous ne les prendrions pas que nous n'eussions le moyen de les habiller, il repart qu'il seroit bien content de nous donner le sien, mais que sa fẽme ne le voudroit pas. Les femmes ont icy vn grand pouuoir: qu'vn hõme vous promette quelque chose, s'il ne tient pas sa promesse, il pense s'estre bien excusé, quand il vous a [104] dit que sa femme ne l'a pas voulu: ie luy dis donc qu'il estoit le maistre, & qu'en France les femmes ne commandoient point à leurs maris: cela est bien, dit-il, mais pour mon fils ie suis assez sçauant pour l'instruire, ie luy apprẽdray à haranguer: instruits premierement les Montagnaits, si cela reüssit bien, nous te donnerons nos enfans.

To return to this Captain; I asked him if he had a son, and if
he would not give him to us to be educated. He asked me how many
children I wanted, and [said] that I already had two. I told him
that in time I should perhaps feed twenty. He was astonished.
"Wilt thou clothe so many as well?" asked he. I answered him that
we would not take them until we had the means to clothe them. He
replied that he would be very glad to give us his son, but that his
wife did not wish to do so. The women have great power here. A man
may promise you something, and, if he does not keep his promise, he
thinks he is sufficiently excused when he tells you [104] that his
wife did not wish to do it. I told him then that he was the master,
and that in France women do not rule their husbands. "That is very
well," said he, "but I know enough to instruct my son; I shall
teach him to make speeches. Instruct the Montagnaits first; if thou
succeedest well, then we will give thee our children."

Ie luy parlay de Dieu, il m'escoutoit fort attentiuement: Ie luy enseignay quelque petite priere en langage Montagnaits qu'il entend fort bien; il les prononçoit en sa langue, & me promit qu'il les diroit souuẽt. Or cõme le tẽps me pressoit d'aller reciter mon office, ie luy dis que i'allois prier Dieu: il me suiuit, entra dãs ma chambrette, & s'y tint iusques à ce que i'eusse acheué, me faisãt aprés plusieurs interrogations; bref il ne s'en retourna qu'à la nuict.

I talked to him about God, and he listened very attentively. I
taught him a little prayer in the Montagnaits language which he
understands very well. He repeated it in his tongue, and promised
me that he would say it often. Then, as the time had come for me
to go and recite my office, I told him that I was going to pray to
God. He followed me, entered my little room, and remained there
until I had finished, asking me a number of questions afterward. In
short, he did not go away until night.

[105] Le 18. & le 20. d'Auril, il tonna fort & ferme auec de grands éclairs, & cependant la riuiere estoit encor glacée, & la terre couuerte de neige; ce qui fait voir qu'il y a de la chaleur en l'air, & que ces neiges & froids sont accidentels, & contre la nature du climat: noꝰ sommes parallelles à la Rochelle, cõme i'ay desia dit. Tous les François pourront tesmoigner qu'ils n'ont point veu dans le cœur de la France mois de May si chaud, que celuy qu'ils ont esprouué à Kebec.

[105] On the 18th and 20th of April, it thundered loudly and
violently, with sharp flashes of lightning, and yet the river
was still frozen, and the ground white with snow; this showed us
that there was heat in the air, and these snows and this cold
were accidental and contrary to the nature of the climate. We are
on a parallel with la Rochelle, as I have already said. All the
Frenchmen can testify that they have never seen in the heart of
France so warm a month of May as they have experienced in Kebec.

La chaleur est icy grande & brûlante; & cependant i'ay remarqué depuis que ie suis icy qu'il a gelé tous les mois de l'année. Ie ne m'estonne point de ces gelées: nous auons du costé du Nord vne chaisne de montagnes peut-estre de cent ou deux cens lieues d'estendue. Nous ne sommes pas éloignez de six lieuës de ces [106] monts prodigieux, & peutestre tousiours couuerts de neiges: Ie vous laisse à penser si les vents qui passent par là nous peuuent apporter beaucoup de chaleur. De plus nous sommes dans les bois de 800 ou mille lieuës. Nous habitons les bords de deux fleuues, dont l'vn engloutiroit les quatre beaux fleuues de France sans regorger. Voila les vrayes causes & alimens du froid. Si le pays estoit découuert iusques à ces montagnes; nous aurions peutestre l'vne des plus fœcondes vallées qui soient en l'vniuers: L'expérience nous fait voir que les bois engendrent les frimas & les gelées. Les terres de ceste famille qui est icy estant plus découuertes que les nostres, sont plustost déchargées de neiges, & moins sujettes à ces froids du matin. Les nostres aussi ne sentent point ces rigueurs si souuent, que celles de la [107] maison des RR. Peres Recolets qui sont plus referrez dans les bois.

The heat here is intense and burning, and yet I have observed
since I have been here that there has been frost every month of
the year. I am not surprised at these frosts. We have on the North
of us a chain of mountains, probably one or two hundred leagues in
extent. We are not distant six leagues from these [106] stupendous
mountains, probably always covered with snow.[42] I leave you to
decide whether the wind coming from that direction can bring much
heat. Besides, we are in a forest covering from 800 to a thousand
leagues. We live upon the banks of two rivers, one of which would
swallow up the four great rivers of France without overflowing.
Behold herein the real cause and source of the cold. If the country
were cleared as far as the mountains, we should probably have one
of the most fruitful valleys in the universe. Experience teaches
us that the woods engender cold and frosts. The lands owned by the
family living here, having been cleared more than ours, are sooner
freed from snow, and less subject to cold in the morning. Neither
do we feel these rigors so often as do those who live in the [107]
house of the Reverend Recolet Fathers, who are farther in the woods.

Il y a quantitè de iours en hyuer dont l'ardeur du Soleil se fait bien plus fortement ressentir qu'en France. Le premier iour que ie vey nostre riuiere prise, ie m'estonnay, car le temps estoit fort doux; & cherchant la raison de cela, celle-cy me vint en pensée. La riuiere se glace tousiours sur les bords, & quand la marée viẽt à monter, elle dètache ces glaces, & les ameine en haut. Or est-il que nõ pas loin de nous il y a vn fault, ou des rochers qui empeschent les glaces a la marée de passer plus outre. Ces glaces estant donc ramassées & pressées sur cette riuiere, qui est au milieu d'vn si grand bois, où le froid & la neige se conseruent aisément: elles se lient ensemble, & ainsi de mille & mille glaces il s'en fait vne qui se va grossissant tous les iours, & [108] qui fait vn grand pont sur toute la riuiere. La Lombardie n'est pas loin des Alpes dont le sommet est tousiours blanc de neige, & neantmoins ie ne sçay si l'Europe a quelque vallée plus agréable & plus fertile que cette contrée: i'en dy le mesme du lieu que nous habitons s'il estoit deserté & cultiue. Voila ma pensée touchant le pays: si ie me trompe ce n'est pas merueille, cela m'arriue assez souuent, tout gist à le deserter: mais ô mõ Dieu, que de peine à purger vne forest embarassee d'arbres tombez! ie dirois volontiers depuis le deluge.

There are many days in the winter when the heat of the Sun makes
itself felt a great deal more than it does in France. The first
day that I saw our river frozen, I was astonished, because it was
very mild weather; and, in seeking a reason for it, this came to
my mind. A river always freezes first along its banks; and, when
the tide rises, it loosens this ice and carries it higher up. Now,
not far from us there is a waterfall or some rocks, which prevent
the tidal ice from passing beyond them. This ice being thus
massed and pressed together in the river, which is in the midst
of so great a wood that the snow and cold are easily preserved,
it becomes consolidated; and thousands and thousands of blocks of
ice are frozen into one mass which goes on increasing every day,
[108] making a great bridge over the whole river. Lombardy is not
far from the Alps, the summits of which are always white with snow,
and yet I do not know that Europe has a more agreeable and more
fertile valley than that country. I would say the same of the place
in which we live, if it were cleared and cultivated. This is my
opinion touching this country; if I am mistaken, it is not strange,
as that happens to me often; everything depends upon clearing the
land. But oh, my God! What labor there will be in clearing a forest
encumbered with fallen trees, I might well say, since the deluge.

Le 23. du mesme mois d'Auril, nous veismes partir les glaces, cela est effroyable: on m'a dit qu'on en auoit veu passer devãt le fort lõgues d'vne demie lieuë; ce sont des ances d'eau glacée que la marée de la grãde riuiere va détachant. Sur nostre [109] petite riuiere les glaces n'y sõt pas si affreuses, & neantmoins ie leur ay veu emporter de gros morceaux de terre, arracher des souches, briser quelques arbres qu'elles entouroiẽt. On en voit marcher de tous droits dessus ces glaces au beau milieu de la riuiere, qui en vne seule marée paroist aussi belle & aussi claire, comme si elle n'auoit point esté glacée.

On the 23rd of the same month of April we saw the ice float
away; it is a frightful spectacle. I was told that pieces half
a league long were seen passing before the fort. These are the
banks of frozen water which the current of the great river goes on
loosening. Upon our [109] little river the ice is not so alarming;
nevertheless I have seen it carry away large pieces of earth, tear
up stumps, and crush the trees which it had enclosed. You can see
them [the trees] moving erect on these pieces of ice, in the very
middle of the river, which in a single tide appears as beautiful
and as clear as if it had never been frozen.

Le 7. de May, vn Sauuage estant venu voir la Nasse nostre voisin: cõme ie vey qu'il se portoit mal, ie l'aborday, & luy parlay de Dieu, l'exhortant à auoir recours à luy: il me respondit, Toy, tu cognois Iesus, prie le pour moy, car moy ie ne le cognois point, ie ne cognois que nostre Manitou. Ie luy dis qu'il prononçast souuẽt de cœur ces paroles, O Iesus qui estes bon, ayez pitié de moy, il mourut quelque temps apres.

On the 7th of May a Savage called to see la Nasse, our neighbor; as
I saw that he was not well, I addressed him, speaking to him of God
and exhorting him to have recourse to him. He answered me: "Thou
knowest Jesus, pray to him for me, for I do not know him; I know
only our Manitou." I told him to say these words often from his
heart: "Oh Jesus, who art good, have pity on me." He died a short
time afterward.

Les Montagnaits le tenoient pour [110] l'vn de leurs grands sorciers, ou consulteurs de Manitou: ie sçauray quelque iour si vrayement il y a de la diablerie en leur fait: pour le present ie ne puis dire autre chose que les vns disent que ouy, les autres que non: c'est à dire qu'il n'y a rien d'asseuré.

The Montagnaits held him as [110] one of their great sorcerers or
consulters of Manitou.[43] I shall know for certain, some day,
whether there is any jugglery in their doings or not. At present, I
can only say that some of them say "yes" and others "no." That is
to say that there is nothing sure.

I'estois l'an passé maistre de deux escoliers, ie suis deuenu riche, i'en ay maintenant plus de vingt. Aprés le depart de mon maistre, i'ay recueilly & mis en ordre vne partie de ce qu'il m'auoit enseigné, & que i'auois escrit çà & là, m'accommodant à son humeur, qui souuent ne me dictoit que ce qui luy venoit en fantaisie. Ayant donc rallié la pluspart de mes richesses, ie me suis mis à composer quelque chose sur le Catechisme, ou sur les principes de la foy; & prenant mon papier en main, i'ay commencé à appeller quelques enfans auec vne petite clochette. La premiere [111] fois i'en auois six, puis douze, puis quinze, puis vingt; & dauantage ie leur fais dire le _Pater_, _Aue_, & _Credo_, en leur langue: ie leur explique grossierement le mystere de la Sainte Trinité, & de l'Incarnation; & à tous bouts de champ ie leur demande si ie dis bien, s'ils entendent bien, ils me respondent tous, _eoco, eoco, ninisitoutenan_: ouy, ouy, nous entendons. Ie les interroge par apres s'il y a plusieurs Dieu, & laquelle des trois personnes s'est fait homme: ie forge des mots approchans de leur lãgue, que ie leur fais entendre. Nous commẽçons le Catechisme par ceste priere, apres auoir fait le signe de la Croix; _Noukhimami Iesus, ïagoua_ K_histinohimaonitou_ K_hi_K _hitouina caié_ K_hiteritamouïn. Ca cataouachichien Maria ouccaonia Iesu, cacataouachichien Ioseph aïamihitouinan_. Mõ Seigneur ou Capitaine Iesus; enseignez moy vos paroles & vostre volonté! [112] ô bonne Marie Mere de Dieu! ô bon Ioseph priez pour nous.

Last year I was master of two pupils; I have become rich, for I
now have more than twenty. After the departure of my teacher, I
gathered up and arranged in order a part of what he taught me, and
what I had written here and there, accommodating myself to his
humor, he often dictating only what happened to suit his fancy.
Having thus brought together the greater part of my riches, I
began to compose something in the way of a Catechism, or on the
principles of the faith. Taking my paper in hand, I began to call
a few children by ringing a little bell. At first [111] I had six,
then twelve, then fifteen, then twenty, and more. I have them say
the _Pater_, the _Ave_, and the _Credo_, in their language. I
explain to them, very crudely, the mysteries of the Holy Trinity
and of the Incarnation, and at every few words I ask them if I
speak well, if they can understand perfectly; they all answer me:
_eoco, eoco, ninisitoutenan_, "yes, yes, we understand." Afterwards
I ask them whether there are several Gods, and which of the three
persons became man. I coin words approximating to their language,
which I make them understand. We begin the Catechism by this
prayer, after having made the sign of the Cross: _Noukhimami Jesus,
ïagoua Khistinohimaonitou Khik hitouina caié Khiteritamouïn. Ca
cataouachichien Maria ouccaonia Jesu, cacataouachichien Joseph
aïamihitouinan_. "My Lord, or Captain, Jesus, teach me your words
and your will! [112] Oh, good Mary, Mother of God! Oh, good Joseph,
pray for us!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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