Chapter IV (2)

Au reste, ce tambour est de la grandeur d'vn tambour de basque, il est composé d'vn cercle large de trois ou quatres doigts, & de deux peaux roidement estenduës de part & d'autre: ils mettent dedans des petites pierres ou [68 i.e., 67] petits callious pour faire plus de bruit: le diametre des plus grands tambours est de deux palmes ou enuiron, ils le nomment _chichigouan_, & le verbe _nipigahiman_, signifie ie fais ioüer ce tambour: ils ne se battent pas comme font nos Europeans: mais ils le tournent & remuent, pour faire bruire les caillous qui sont dedans, ils en frappent le terre, tantost du bord, tantost quasi du plat, pendant que le sorcier fait mille singeries auec cest instrument. Souuent les assistans ont des batons en mains, frappant tous ensemble sur des bois, ou manches de haches qu'ils ont deuant eux, ou sur leurs _ouragans_, c'est à dire, sur leurs plats d'escorce renuersés: Auec ces tintamarres, ils ioignent leurs chants & leurs cris, ie dirois volontiers leurs hurlements, tant ils s'efforcent par fois, ie vous laisse à penser la belle musique: ce miserable sorcier auec lequel mon hoste, & le renegat, m'ont fait hiuerner contre leurs promesses, m'a pensé faire perdre la teste auec ses tintamarres: car tous les iours à l'entrée de la nuict, & bien souuent sur la minuict, d'autrefois [68] sur le iour il faisoit l'enragé. I'ay esté vn assez long temps malade parmy eux, mais quoy que ie le priasse de se moderer, de me donner vn peu de repos, il en faisoit encore pis, esperant trouuer sa guerison dans ces bruits qui augmentoient mon mal.

As to this drum, it is the size of a tambourine, and is composed
of a circle three or four finger-lengths in diameter, and of two
skins stretched tightly over it on both sides; they put inside
some little pebbles or [68 i.e., 67] stones, in order to make
more noise; the diameter of the largest drums is of the size of
two palms or thereabout; they call it _chichigouan_, and the verb
_nipagahiman_ means, "I make this drum sound." They do not strike
it, as do our Europeans; but they turn and shake it, to make the
stones rattle inside; they strike it upon the ground, sometimes
its edge and sometimes its face, while the sorcerer plays a
thousand apish tricks with this instrument. Often the spectators
have sticks in their hands and all strike at once upon pieces of
wood, or upon hatchet handles which they have before them, or upon
their _ouragans_; that is to say, upon their bark plates turned
upside down. To this din they add their songs and their cries, I
might indeed say their howls, so much do they exert themselves at
times; I leave you to imagine this beautiful music. This miserable
sorcerer with whom my host and the renegade made me pass the
winter, contrary to their promise, almost made me lose my head with
his uproar; for every day,--toward nightfall, and very often toward
midnight, at other times [68] during the day,--he acted like a
madman. For quite a long time I was sick among them, and although I
begged him to moderate a little and to give me some rest, he acted
still worse, hoping to find his cure in these noises which only
made me worse.

Ils se seruent de ces chants, de ce tambour, & de ces bruits, ou tintamarres en leurs maladies, ie le declaray assez amplement l'an passé, mais depuis ce temps là, i'ay veu tant faire de sottises, de niaiseries, de badineries, de bruits, de tintamarres à ce malheureux sorcier pour se pouuoir guerir, que ie me lasserois d'escrire & ennuierois vostre reuerence, si ie luy voulois faire lire la dixiesme partie de ce qui m'a souuent lassé, quasi iusques au dernier poinct. Par fois cest homme entroit comme en furie, chantant, criant hurlant, faisant bruire son tambour de toutes ses forces: cependant les autres hurloient comme luy, & faisoient vn tintamarre horrible auec leurs bastõs, frappans sur ce qui estoit deuant eux: ils faisoient danser des ieunes enfans, puis des filles, puis des femmes; il baissoit [69] la teste, souffloit sur son tambour: puis vers le feu, il siffloit comme vn serpent, il ramenoit son tambour soubs son menton, l'agitant & le tournoyant: il en frappoit la terre de toutes ses forces, puis le tournoyoit sur son estomach: il se fermoit la bouche auec vne main renuersée, & de l'autre, vous eussiez dit qu'il vouloit mettre en pieces ce tambour, tant il en frappoit rudement la terre: il s'agitoit, il se tournoit de part & d'autre, faisoit quelques tours à l'entour du feu, sortoit hors la cabane, tousiours hurlant & bruyant: il se mettoit en mille postures; & tout cela pour se guerir. Voila comme ils traictent les malades. I'ay quelque croyance qu'ils veulent coniurer la maladie, ou espouuanter la femme du Manitou, qu'ils tiennent pour le principe & la cause de tous les maux, comme i'ay remarqué cy dessus.

They make use of these songs, of this drum, and of this noise or
uproar, in their sicknesses. I explained it quite fully last year;
but since that time I have seen so much foolishness, nonsense,
absurdity, noise, and din made by this wretched sorcerer in
order to cure himself, that I should become weary in writing and
would tire your reverence, if I should try to make you read the
tenth part of what has often wearied me almost beyond endurance.
Occasionally this man would enter as if in a fury, singing, crying
and howling, making his drum rattle with all his might; while the
others howled as loudly as he, and made a horrible din with their
sticks, striking upon whatever was before them; they made the
little children dance, then the girls, then the women; he lowered
[69] his head and blew upon his drum, then blew toward the fire; he
hissed like a serpent, drew his drum under his chin, shaking and
turning it about; he struck the ground with it with all his might,
then turned it upon his stomach; he closed his mouth with the back
of one hand, and then with the other; you would have said that he
wanted to break the drum to pieces, he struck it so hard upon the
ground; he shook it, he turned it from one side to the other, and,
running around the fire several times, he went out of the cabin,
continuing to howl and bellow; he struck a thousand attitudes, and
all this was done to cure himself. This is the way they treat their
sick. I am inclined to think that they wish to conjure the disease,
or to frighten the wife of Manitou, whom they hold as the origin
and cause of all evils, as I have said above.

Ils chantent encore & font ces bruits en leurs sueries, ils croiroient que cette medecine, qui est la meilleure de toutes, celles qu'ils ont, ne leur seruiroit de rien, s'ils ne chantoient en suant: Ils plantent des bastons en terre faisants [60 i.e., 70] vne espece de petit tabernacle fort bas: car vn grand homme estant assis là dedans, toucheroit de sa teste le hault de ce todis, qu'ils entourent & couurent de peaux, de robes, de couuertures: Ils mettent dans ce four quantité de grosses pierres qu'il[s] ont faict chauffer, & rougir dans vn bon feu, puis se glissent tous nuds dans ces estuues, les femmes suent par fois aussi bien que les hommes: d'autrefois ils suent tous ensemble, hommes, & femme pesle & mesle: ils chantent, ils crient, ils hurlent dans ce four, ils haranguent: par fois le sorcier y bat son tambour. Ie l'escoutois vne fois comme il faisoit du prophete là dedans, s'escriant qu'il voyoit des Orignaux, que mon hoste son frere en tueroit, ie ne peus me tenir que ie ne luy disse, ou plustost à ceux qui estoient presens, & qui luy prestoient l'oreille comme à vn oracle, qu'il estoit bien croyable qu'on trouueroit quelque masle, puisque on auoit desia trouué & tué deux femelles, luy cognoissant où ie visois, me dit en grondant, il est [61 i.e., 71] croyable que cette robe noire n'a point d'esprit: Ils sont tellement religieux en ces crieries, & autres niaiseries, que s'ils font sueries pour se guerir, ou pour auoir bonne chasse, ou pour auoir beau temps, rien ne se feroit s'ils ne chantoient, & s'ils ne gardoient ces superstitions. I'ay remarqué que quand les hommes suent, ils ne se veulent point seruir des robes des femmes pour entourer leur sueries, s'ils en peuuent auoir d'autres: bref quand ils ont crié trois heures ou enuiron dans ces estuues, ils en sortent tous mouillés & trempés de leur sueur.

They sing and make these noises also in their sweating operations.
They believe that this medicine, which is the best of all they
have, would be of no use whatever to them if they did not sing
during the sweat. They plant some sticks in the ground, making
[60 i.e., 70] a sort of low tent, for, if a tall man were seated
therein, his head would touch the top of this hut, which they
enclose and cover with skins, robes, and blankets. They put in this
dark room a number of heavy stones which they have had heated and
made red-hot in a good fire, then they slip entirely naked into
these sweat boxes. The women occasionally sweat as well as the men.
Sometimes they sweat all together, men and women, pellmell. They
sing, cry and groan in this oven, and make speeches: occasionally
the sorcerer beats his drum there. I heard him once acting the
prophet therein, crying out that he saw Moose; that my host, his
brother, would kill some. I could not refrain from telling him,
or rather those who were present and listened to him as if to an
oracle, that it was indeed quite probable that they would find
a male, since they had already found and killed two females.
When he understood what I was driving at, he said to me sharply,
"Believe [61 i.e., 71] me, this black robe has no sense." They are
so superstitious in these uproars and in their other nonsense,
that if they have sweats in order to cure themselves, or to have
a good hunt, or to have fine weather, [they think] nothing would
be accomplished if they did not sing, and if they did not observe
these superstitions. I have noticed that, when the men sweat,
they do not like to use women's robes with which to enclose their
sweat boxes, if they can have any others. In short, when they have
shouted for three hours or thereabout in these stoves, they emerge
completely wet and covered with their sweat.

Ils chantent encore & battent le tambour en leur festins, comme ie declareray au chapitre de leurs banquets: ie leur ay veu faire le mesme en leurs conseils, y entremeslant d'autres iongleries: Pour moy ie me doute que le sorcier en inuente tous les iours de nouuelles pour tenir son monde en haleine: & pour se rendre recommandable: ie luy vis vn certain iour prẽdre vne espée, la mettre la pointe en bas, le manche en hault (car leurs espées [72] sont emmanchées à vn long baston) il mit vne hache proche de cette espée, se leu[a] debout, fit ioüer son tambour, chanta hurla à son accoustumée, il fit quelques mines de dancer, tourna à l'entour du feu: puis se cachant, il tira vn bonnet de nuict, dans lequel il y auoit vne pierre à esguiser, il la met dans vne cullier de bois, qu'on essuya exprés pour cest effect, il fit allumer vn flambeau d'escorce, puis donna de main en main le flambeau, la cueiller, & la pierre, qui estoit marquée de quelques raies, la regardans tous les vns apres les autres, philosophant à mon aduis sur cette pierre, touchant leur chasse, qui estoit le subiect de leur conseil ou assemblée.

They also sing and beat drums in their feasts, as I shall explain
in the chapter upon their banquets. I have seen them do the same
thing in their councils, mingling therein other juggleries. For
my part, I suspect that the sorcerer invents every day some new
contrivance to keep his people in a state of agitation, and to
make himself popular. One day I saw him take a javelin and turn
the point down and the handle up (for their javelins [72] have a
long stick for a handle); he placed a hatchet near this javelin,
stood up, pounded on his drum, uttered his usual howls, pretended
to dance, and walked around the fire. Then, concealing himself,
he drew out a nightcap, in which there was a whetstone which he
placed in a spoon made of wood, which had been wiped expressly for
this purpose; then he lighted a bark torch, and passed from hand
to hand the torch, the spoon, and the stone, which was marked with
stripes,--all examining it attentively, one after the other, and
philosophizing, as it seemed to me, over this stone, in regard to
their chase, which was the subject of their council or assembly.

Ces pauures ignorants chantent aussi dans leurs peines, dans leurs difficultez, dans leurs perils & dangers: pendant le temps de nostre famine, ie n'entendois par ces cabanes, notãment la nuict, que chants, que cris, battements de tambours, & autres bruits: & demandant ce que c'estoit, mes gens me disoient qu'ils faisoient [73] cela pour auoir bonne chasse, & pour trouuer à manger, leurs chants & leurs tambours passent encore dans les sortileges que font les sorciers.

These poor wretches sing also in their sufferings, in their
difficulties, in their perils and dangers. During the time of our
famine, I heard nothing throughout these cabins, especially at
night, except songs, cries, beating of drums and other noises; when
I asked what this meant, my people told me that they did [73] it
in order to have a good chase, and to find something to eat. Their
songs and their drums also play a part in the witchcraft of the
sorcerers.

Il faut que ie couche icy, ce que ie leurs vis faire le douxiesme Feurier, comme ie recitois mes heures sur le soir, le sorcier se mit à parler de moy _aïamtheou_, il fait ses prieres, dit-il: puis prononçant quelques paroles, que ie n'entendis pas, il adiousta _Niganipahau_; ie le tueray aussi tost: la pensée me vint qu'il parloit de moy, veu qu'il me haïssoit pour plusieurs raisons, comme ie diray en son lieu: mais notamment pource ce que ie taschois de faire veoir que tout ce qu'il faisoit n'estoit que badinerie & puerilité: Sur cette pensée qu'il me vouloit oster la vie, mon hoste me va dire, n'as tu point de poudre qui tuë les hommes? pourquoy, luy dis-ie, ie veux tuer quelqu'vn, me respond il? ie vous laisse à penser si i'acheuay mon office sans distraction, veu que ie sçauois fort bien qu'ils n'auoient garde de faire mourir aucun de leurs gens, & que le sorcier m'auoit menacé de mort [74] quelques iours auparauant, quoy qu'en riant, me dit il apres: mais ie ne m'y fiois pas beaucoup, voyant donc ces gens en action, ie r'entre dans moy-mesme, suppliant nostre Seigneur de m'assister, & de prendre ma vie au moment & en la façon, qu'il luy plairoit: neantmoins pour me mieux disposer à ce sacrifice, ie voulus voir s'ils pensoient en moy, ie leur demanday donc où estoit l'homme qu'ils vouloient faire mourir, ils me repartent qu'il estoit vers Gaspé à plus de cens lieuës de nous. Ie me mis à rire, car en verité ie n'eusse iamais pensé qu'ils eussent entrepris de tuer vn homme de cens lieuës loin. Ie m'enquis pourquoy ils luy vouloient oster la vie. On me respondit que cest homme estoit vn sorcier Canadien, lequel ayant eu quelque prise auec le nostre, l'auoit menacé de mort, & luy auoit donné la maladie, qui le trauailloit depuis vn long temps, & qui l'alloit estouffer dans deux iours, s'il ne preuenoit le coup par son art: ie leurs dis que Dieu auoit deffendu de tuer, & que nous autres, ne faisions mourir personne: cela n'empescha point [75] qu'ils ne poursuiuissent leur pointe. Mon hoste preuoiant le grand bruit qui se deuoit faire, me dit, tu auras mal à la teste, va-t en en l'autre cabane voisine: non, dit le sorcier, il n'y a point de mal qu'il nous voye faire. On fit sortir tous les enfans & toutes les femmes, horsmis vne qui s'assit aupres du sorcier: Ie demeuray donc spectateur de leurs mysteres, auec tous les Sauuages des autres cabanes qu'on fit venir: Estans tous assis, voicy vn ieune homme qui apporte deux paux ou pieux fort pointus, mon hoste prepare le sort composé de petits bois formez en langue de serpẽt des deux costez, de fers de flesches, de morceaux de cousteaux rompus, d'vn fer replié comme vn gros hameçon, & d'autres choses semblables, on enuelopa tout cela dans vn morceau de cuir: Cela fait, le sorcier prend son tambour, tous se mettent à chanter & hurler, & faire le tintamarre que i'ay remarqué cy dessus: apres quelques chansons, la femme qui estoit demeurée se leue, & tourne tout à l'entour de la cabane par dedans, passant par deriere le [76] dos de tous tant que nous estions. S'estant rassisse, le magicien prend ces deux pieux, puis designant certain endroit, commence à dire; voila sa teste (ie crois qu'il entendoit de l'homme qu'il vouloit tuer) puis de toutes ces forces, il plante ces pieux en terre, les faisant regarder vers l'endroict, où il croioit qu'estoit ce Canadien. Là dessus mon hoste va ayder son frere, il fait vne assez grande fosse en terre auec ces pieux: cependant les chants & autres bruits continuoient incessemment. La fosse faite, les pieux plantez, le valet du sorcier, i'entens l'Apostat, va querir vne espée, & le sorcier en frappe l'vn de ces paux, puis descend dans la fosse, tenant la posture d'vn homme animé qui tire de grands coups d'espée & de poignard; car il auoit l'vn & l'autre dans cette action d'homme furieux & enragé. Le sorcier prend le sort enuelopé de peau, le met dans la fosse, & redouble les coups d'espée à mesme temps qu'on redoubloit le tintamarre.

I must set down here what I saw them do on the twelfth of February.
As I was reciting my hours, toward evening, the sorcerer began to
talk about me: _aiamtheou_, "He is making his prayers;" then,
pronouncing some words which I did not understand, he added:
_Niganipahau_, "I will kill him at once." The thought occurred to
me that he was speaking of me, seeing that he hated me for several
reasons, as I shall state in the proper place; but especially
because I tried to show that all he did was mere nonsense and
child's play. Just as I was thinking that he wanted to take my
life, my host said to me, "Hast thou not some powder that kills
men?" "Why?" I asked. "I want to kill some one," he answered me.
I leave you to imagine whether I finished my prayers without any
distraction; for I knew very well that they were disinclined to
kill any of their own people, and that the sorcerer had threatened
me with death [74] some days before,--although only in jest, as
he told me afterward; but I did not have much confidence in him.
Now seeing these people bustling about, I retired within myself,
supplicating our Lord to help me, and to take my life at the moment
and in whatever manner would be pleasing to him. Nevertheless, to
better prepare myself for this sacrifice, I wished to learn if they
had me in mind, and so I asked them where the man was that they
wished to kill; they answered me that he was in the neighborhood of
Gaspé, more than a hundred leagues away from us. I began to laugh,
for in truth I had never dreamed that they would undertake to kill
a man a hundred leagues away. I inquired why they wished to take
his life. They answered that this man was a Canadian sorcerer,
who, having had some trouble with ours, had threatened him with
death and had given him the disease from which he had suffered
so long, and which was going to consume him in two days, if he
did not prevent the stroke by his art. I told them that God had
forbidden murder, and that we never killed people; that did not
prevent them [75] from pursuing their purpose. My host, foreseeing
the great commotion which was about to take place, said to me,
"Thou wilt have the headache; go off into one of the other cabins
near by." "No," said the sorcerer, "there will be no harm in his
seeing what we do." They had all the children and women go out,
except one who sat near the sorcerer; I remained as a spectator
of their mysteries, with all the Savages of the other cabins, who
were summoned. All being seated, a young man comes bearing two
pickets, or very sharply-pointed sticks; my host prepares the
charm, composed of little pieces of wood shaped at both ends like
a serpent's tongue, iron arrow-points, pieces of broken knives,
bits of iron bent like a big fishhook, and other similar things;
all these are wrapped in a piece of leather. When this is done, the
sorcerer takes his drum, all begin to chant and howl, and to make
the uproar of which I spoke above; after a few songs, the woman
who had remained arises, and goes all around the inside of the
cabin, passing behind the [76] backs of the people who are there.
When she is reseated, the magician takes these two stakes; then,
pointing out a certain place, begins by saying, "Here is his head,"
(I believe he meant the head of the man whom he wished to kill);
then with all his might he drives these stakes into the ground,
inclining them toward the place where he believed this Canadian
was. Thereupon my host comes to assist his brother; he makes a
tolerably deep ditch in the ground with these stakes; meanwhile
the songs and other noises continue incessantly. The ditch made
and the stakes planted, the servant of the sorcerer, I mean the
Apostate, goes in search of a sword, and the sorcerer strikes with
it one of these pickets; then he descends into the ditch, assuming
the posture of an excited man who is striking heavy blows with the
sword and poniard; for he has both, in this act of a furious and
enraged man. The sorcerer takes the charm wrapped in skin, puts it
in the ditch, and redoubles his sword-cuts at the same time that
they increase the uproar.

En fin ce mystere cessa, il retire l'espée & le poignard tout ensanglanté, les iette deuant les autres Sauuages; on recouure [77] viste la fosse, & le magicien tout glorieux, dit que son homme est frappé, qu'il mourra bien tost, demande si on n'a point entendu ses cris: tout le monde dit que non, horsmis deux ieunes hommes ses parens, qui disent auoir ouy des plaintes fort sourdes, & comme de loing. O qu'ils le firent aise, se tournant vers moy, il se mit a rire, disant, voyez cette robe noire qui nous vient dire qu'il ne faut tuer personne: Comme ie regardois attentiuement l'espée & le poignard; il me les fit presenter, regarde, dit-il, qu'est cela; c'est du sang, repartis-je, de qui? de quelque Orignac ou d'autre animal, ils se mocquerent de moy, disants que c'estoit du sang de ce Sorcier de Gaspé; comment, dis je, il est à plus de cent lieuës d'icy? il est vray font-ils, mais c'est le Manitou, c'est à dire le Diable, qui apporte son sang pardessous la terre. Or si c'est hõme est vrayement Magicien, ie m'en rapporte, pour moy i'estime qu'il n'est ny Sorcier ny Magicien, mais qu'il le voudroit bien estre: tout ce qu'il faict selon ma pensée n'est que badinerie, [78] pour amuser les Sauuages, il voudroit bien auoir communication auec le Diable ou Manitou, mais ie ne crois pas qu'il en ait: si bien me persuaday-je, qu'il y a eu icy quelque Sorcier, ou quelque Magicien s'il est vray ce qu'ils disent des maladies & des guerisons, dont ils me parlent: c'est chose estrange, que le Diable qui apparoist sensiblement aux Ameriquains Meridionaux, & qui les bat & les tourmente de telle sorte, qu'ils se voudroient bien deffaire d'vn tel hoste, ne se communique point visiblement ny sensiblement à nos Sauuages, selon ce que ie crois. Ie sçais qu'il y a des personnes d'opinion contraire, croyans aux rapports de ces Barbares, mais quand ie les presse, ils m'aduoüent tous, qu'ils n'ont rien veu de tout ce qu'ils disent, mais seulement qu'ils l'ont oüy dire à d'autres.

Finally, this mystery ends, and he draws out the sword and the
poniard all covered with blood, and throws them down before the
other Savages; the ditch [77] is hurriedly covered up, and the
magician boastfully asserts that his man is struck, that he will
soon die, and asks if they have not heard his cries; they all say
"no," except two young men, relatives of his, who say they have
heard some very dull sounds, and as if far away. Oh, how glad they
make him! Turning toward me, he begins to laugh, saying, "See this
black robe, who comes here to tell us that we must not kill any
one." As I am looking attentively at the sword and the poniard,
he has them presented to me. "Look," he says, "what is that?" "It
is blood," I answer, "of what? Of some Moose or other animal."
They laugh at me, saying that it is the blood of that Sorcerer of
Gaspé. "How?" I answer them, "he is more than a hundred leagues
away from here." "It is true," they reply, "but it is the Manitou;
that is, the Devil, who carries his blood under the earth." Now if
this man is really a Magician, I leave you to decide; for my part,
I consider that he is neither Sorcerer nor Magician, but that he
would like very much to be one. All that he does, according to my
opinion, is nothing but nonsense [78] to amuse the Savages. He
would like to have communication with the Devil or Manitou, but I
do not think that he has. Yet I am persuaded that there has been
some Sorcerer or Magician here, if what they tell me is true about
diseases and cures which they describe to me; it is a strange
thing, in my opinion, that the Devil, who is visible to the South
Americans, and who so beats and torments them that they would like
to get rid of such a guest, does not communicate himself visibly
and sensibly to our Savages. I know that there are persons of
contrary opinion, who believe in the reports of these Barbarians;
but, when I urge them, they all admit that they have seen nothing
of that of which they speak, but that they have only heard it
related by others.

Ce n'est pas le mesme des Ameriquains Meridionaux, nos Europeans ont oüy le bruit, la voix & les coups que ruë le Diable sur ces pauures esclaues: & vn François digne de creance, [79] m'a asseuré l'auoir oüy de ses oreilles: surquoy on me rapporte vne chose tres remarquable, c'est que le Diable s'enfuit, & ne frappe point ou cesse de frapper ces miserables, quand vn Catholique entre en leur compagnie, & qu'il ne laisse point de les battre en la presence d'vn Huguenot, d'où vient qu'vn iour se voyans battus en la compagnie d'vn certain François, ils luy dirent, nous nous estonnons que le diable nous batte, toy estant auec nous, veu qu'il n'oseroit le faire quand tes compagnons sont presents. Luy se douta incontinent que cela pouuoit prouenir de sa religion, (car il estoit Caluiniste) s'adressant donc à Dieu, il luy promist de se faire Catholique si le diable cessoit de battre ces pauures peuples en sa presẽce: Le vœu fait, iamais plus aucun Demon ne molesta Amariquain en sa compagnie, d'où vient qu'il se fist Catholique, selon la promesse qu'il en auoit faicte; mais retournons à nostre discours. I'ay veu deux autrefois faire les mesmes sortileges à nostre Magicien pretendu, & [80] garda toutes les ceremonies susdites, horsmis qu'il changea de sort, car vne fois il se seruit de quatre bastons faits en forme de fuseaux à filer, sinon qu'ils estoient plus gros, & qu'ils auoient comme des dents en certains endroits: Il se seruit encore du bout de la queuë & du pied d'vn Porc épic, & quelques poils d'Orignac, ou de Porc épic, liez ensemble en petit faisseau: l'autrefois il se seruit encore de ces fuseaux, d'vn pied de Porc épic, ou d'vn autre animal, d'os de quelque beste, d'vn fer semblable, & celuy qu'õ attache à vne porte pour la tirer, & de quelques autres badineries: son valet le renegat luy tenant tout cela prest, & battant le tambour pendant que son Maistre estoit occupé dans la fosse. Voila vne partie des actions esquelles se retrouuent leurs chants, leurs cris, hurlemens & tintamarres.

Among the South Americans it is different. Our Europeans have
heard the noise, the voice, and the blows that the Devil deals to
these poor slaves, and a Frenchman, worthy of belief, [79] has
assured me that he heard it with his own ears. In regard to this,
a very remarkable thing is reported to me; it is that the Devil
takes flight, and does not strike or else ceases to strike these
wretches, when a Catholic enters their company, and that he does
not cease to strike them in the presence of a Huguenot. From this
it happened that, one day, seeing themselves being beaten in the
presence of a Frenchman, they said to him, "We are astonished that
the devil beats us when thou art with us, seeing that he does not
dare to do it when thy companions are here." It suddenly occurred
to him that this might come from his religion (for he was a
Calvinist); so, addressing himself to God, he promised to become
a Catholic if the devil ceased beating these poor people in his
presence. After this vow was made, never afterward did any Demon
molest an American in his company, on account of which he became a
Catholic according to his promise. But let us return to our story.
I have seen our pretended Magician perform the same witchcraft
on two other occasions. [80] He observed all the above mentioned
ceremonies, except that he changed the charm, for once he made use
of four sticks made in the shape of spindles, except that they were
heavier, and that they had something like teeth in certain places.
Also he used the end of the tail and the foot of a Porcupine, and
some hairs of the Moose and of the Porcupine, bound together in a
little sheaf. Another time he used these spindles also, and a foot
of the Porcupine or of another animal, the bone of some beast, an
iron similar to that which they fasten to a door to pull it open,
and some other absurd things. His servant, the renegade, held all
these things ready for him, and beat the drum while his Master was
occupied in the ditch. These are a part of their actions, among
which are mingled their songs, their cries, their howls and uproar.

Leur Religiõ, ou plustost superstitiõ, consiste encore à prier: mais, ô mon Dieu! quelles oraisons font ils? Le matin les petits enfans sortans de la Cabane, s'escrient à pleine teste, _Cacoua_k_hi_ [81] _Pa_k_hais Amiscoua_k_hi, Pa_k_hais Mousoua_K_hi, Pa_k_hais_: venez Porcs épics, venez Castors, venez Elans, voila toutes leurs prieres.

Their Religion, or rather their superstition, consists besides in
praying; but O, my God, what prayers they make! In the morning,
when the little children come out from their Cabins, they shout,
_Cacouakhi,_ [81] _Pakhais Amiscouakhi, Pakhais Mousouakhi,
Pakhais_, "Come, Porcupines; come, Beavers; come, Elk;" and this is
all of their prayers.

Les Sauuages eternuans, & quelquefois mesme en autre temps, disent pendant l'Hiuer, criants tout haut _Etouctaian miraouinam an Mirouscami_K_hi_, ie serois bien aise de voir le Printemps.

When the Savages sneeze, and sometimes even at other times, during
the Winter, they cry out in a loud voice, _Etouctaiau miraouinam an
Mirouscamikhi_, "I shall be very glad to see the Spring."

D'autrefois ie leur ay oüy demãder le Printemps, ou la deliurance du mauuais, & autres choses semblables; & tout cela se faict par desirs qu'ils expriment, criants tant qu'ils peuuent, ie serois bien aise que ce iour continuast, que le vent se changeast, &c. De dire à qui ces souhaits s'adressent, ie ne sçaurois, car eux mesmes ne le sçauent pas, du moins ceux à qui ie l'ay demandé ne m'en ont pû instruire.

At other times, I have heard them pray for the Spring, or for
deliverance from evils and other similar things; and they express
all these things in the form of desires, crying out as loudly as
they can, "I would be very glad if this day would continue, if the
wind would change," etc. I could not say to whom these wishes are
addressed, for they themselves do not know, at least those whom I
have asked have not been able to enlighten me.

I'ay remarqué cy-dessus qu'ils prient Le Manitou de ne point ietter les yeux sur leurs ennemis, afin qu'ils les puissent tuer: voila toutes les prieres & oraisons que i'ay oüy faire aux Sauuages, ie ne sçay s'ils en ont d'autres, ie [82] ne le crois pas. O que ie me fentois riche & heureux parmy ces Barbares, d'auoir vn Dieu à qui ie peusse adresser mes souhaits, mes prieres & mes vœux! & qu'ils sont miserables de n'auoir point d'autres desirs, que pour la vie presente! I'oubliois à dire icy, mais ie l'ay couché cy-dessus, qu'ils ont vne Image ou espece de sacrifice, car ils iettent au feu de la gresse qu'ils recueillent sur la chaudiere où cuit la viande, faisants cette priere _Papeoue_k_ou_, _Papeoue_k_ou_, faictes nous trouuer à manger, faictes nous trouuer à manger: ie crois qu'ils adressent cette oraison à leur _Khichekouai_, & peut-estre encore les autres; voicy vne superstition qui m'a bien ennuyé.

I have remarked above that they pray The Manitou not to cast his
eyes upon their enemies, in order that they may be able to kill
them. These are all the prayers and orisons which I have heard
the Savages make; I do not know whether they have others,--I [82]
do not think they have. Oh, how rich and happy I consider myself
among these Barbarians, to have a God to whom I can address my
desires, my prayers and my vows! And how miserable they are not to
have any other desires than for the present life! I was forgetting
to say here, although I have mentioned it above, that they have
an Imitation or kind of a sacrifice, for they throw upon the fire
grease which they skim from the kettle where the meat is cooking,
uttering this prayer, _Papcouekou, Papcouekou_, "make us find
something to eat, make us find something to eat." I believe that
they address this prayer to their _Khichckouai_, and perhaps to
others besides. The following is a superstition which greatly
annoyed me.

Le vingt-quatriesme de Nouembre, le Sorcier assembla les Sauuages & se retrancha auec des robes & des couuertures en vn quartier de la Cabane; en sorte qu'on ne le pouuoit voir, ny ses compagnons: il s'y trouua vne femme auec eux qui marquoit sur vn baston triangulaire long de demie picque, toutes les chansons qu'ils disoient, ie [83] priay vne femme de me dire ce qu'ils faisoient dans ces retranchemens, elle me respondit qu'ils prioient; mais ie croy qu'elle me fist cette respõse, pour ce que quand ie saisois oraison, eux me demandans ce que ie faisois, ie leurs disois, _Nataïamihiau missi ca_ K_hichitât_, ie prie celuy qui a tout faict: & ainsi quand ils chantoient, quand ils hurloient, battans leurs tambours & leurs bastons, ils me disoient qu'ils faisoient leurs prieres, sans me pouuoir expliquer à qui ils les addressoient. Le renegat m'a dit que ceste superstition, qui dura plus de cinq heures, se faisoit pour vn mort, mais comme il ment plus souuent qu'il ne dit vray, ie m'en rapporte à ce qui en est: ils appellent cette superstition _Ouechibouan_, en suitte de ces longues oraisons, le Sorcier donna le patron d'vn petit sac couppé en forme de jambe à vne femme pour en faire vn de cuir, qu'elle remplit à mon aduis de poil de Castor, car ie maniay cette jambe qui me sembla molasse, & pleine d'vn poil assez doux, ie demanday prou ce que c'estoit, [84] & pourquoy on faisoit ce petit sac tortu, mais iamais on ne me le voulut dire. Ie sçeu seulement qu'ils l'appelloient _Manitou_k_athi_, c'est à dire, jambe du Manitou, ou du Diable; elle fut long temps penduë dans la Cabane au lieu où s'asseoit le Sorcier; depuis on la donna à vn ieune homme pour la porter penduë au col, elle estoit des appartenances de ces longues prieres, que ie viens de cotter, mais ie n'ay peu sçauoir à quel dessein cela se faisoit.

On the twenty-fourth of November, the Sorcerer assembled the
Savages, and entrenched himself with some robes and blankets in
one quarter of the Cabin, so that neither he nor his companions
could be seen. There was a woman with them, who marked on a
triangular stick, half a spear in length, all the songs they
recited. I [83] begged a woman to tell me what they were doing in
this enclosure, and she answered me that they were praying; but
I believe she made this response because, when I prayed and they
asked me what I was doing, I told them, _Nataïamihiau missi ca
Khichitât_, "I am praying to him who made all things;" and so when
they sang, when they howled, and beat their drums and their sticks,
they told me that they were making prayers, without being able to
explain to me to whom they were addressed. The renegade told me
that this superstitious rite, which lasted more than five hours,
was performed for a dead person; but, as he lies oftener than he
tells the truth, I give it for what it is worth. They call this
superstition _Ouechibouan_. After these long orisons, the Sorcerer
gave the pattern of a little sack, cut in the form of a leg, to a
woman, to make one of leather. This she filled, I thought, with
Beaver hair, for I felt the leg and it seemed to me light and full
of soft hair. I asked often what it was, [84] and why they made
this little crooked sack, but they never told me. I only know that
they call it _Manitoukathi_; meaning, leg of the Manitou, or of the
Devil; for a long time it was hung in the Cabin, at the place where
the Sorcerer was seated; afterward, it was given to a young man to
wear hung from his neck. It was one of the accompaniments of these
long prayers, which I have just described; but I have not been able
to find out for what purpose it was used.

Ils gardent par fois encore vn ieusne fort rigoureux, non pas tous, mais quelques vns qui ont enuie de viure long temps; mon hoste voyant que ie ne mangeois qu'vne fois pendant le Caresme, me dit que quelques vns d'entre eux ieusnoient pour auoir vne longue vie; mais m'adjousta qu'ils se retiroient tous seuls dans vne petite Cabane à part, & que là ils ne beuuoient ny mãgeoient quelquefois huict iours, quelquefois dix iours durant: d'autres m'ont dit qu'ils sortent comme des squelets de cette Cabane, & que par [85] fois on en rapporte à demy-morts, ie n'ay point veu de ces grands ieusneurs, si bien de grãds disneurs: vray est que ie n'ay point de peine à croire cét excez, car toutes les fausses religions sont pleines de puerilitez, ou d'excés, ou de saletez.

Now and then they observe a very rigorous fast,--not all of them,
but certain ones who desire to live a long time. My host, seeing
that I ate only once a day during Lent, told me that some of their
people fasted in order to have a long life; but he added that they
withdrew alone into a little Cabin apart from the others, and while
there they neither drank nor ate, sometimes for eight and at other
times for ten days; others have told me that they emerge from this
Cabin like skeletons, and that sometimes [85] they are brought out
half dead. I have not seen any of these great fasters, but I have
seen great diners. In truth I have no difficulty in believing in
these excesses, for all false religions are full of nonsense, of
excesses, or of uncleanness.

I'ay veu faire vne autre deuotion au Sorcier, laquelle, comme ie crois, n'appartient qu'à ceux de sa profession; on luy dresse vne petite Cabane esloignée d'vn jet de pierre ou de deux des autres, il se retire là dedans pour y demeurer seul huict iours, dix iours, ou plus ou moins: Or vous l'entendez iour & nuict crier, hurler, & battre son tambour; mais il n'est pas tellement solitaire, que d'autres ne luy aillent aider à chanter, & que les femmes ne le visitent, c'est là où il se commet de grandes saletez.

I have seen another devotion performed by the Sorcerer, which, I
believe, belongs only to those of his profession. They erect for
him a little Cabin distant from the others a stone's throw or two,
into which he retires to remain there alone eight or ten days, more
or less. Now day and night he can be heard crying, howling and
beating his drum; but he is not so solitary that others do not go
to help him sing, and that the women do not visit him, and it is
here that great licentiousness is carried on.

Les Sauuages sont encore fort Religieux enuers leurs morts; mon hoste, & le vieillard dont i'ay souuent faict mention, m'ont confirmé ce que i'ay des-ja escrit vne autrefois, que le corps mort du deffunct ne sort point par la [86] porte ordinaire de la Cabane, ains on leue l'escorce de l'endroict où l'hom[me] est mort, pour faire passer son cadaure.

The Savages are also very Religious in regard to their dead. My
host, and the old man of whom I have spoken, confirmed what I have
already written before, that the body of the deceased does not
go out through the [86] common door of the Cabin, but the bark
is raised at the place where the dead man is, in order to make a
passageway for the corpse.

De plus, disent ils, l'ame sort par la cheminée, ou par l'ouuerture qu'ils font au haut de leurs todis, ils frappent à coups de baston sur leurs Cabanes, afin que cette ame ne tarde point, & qu'elle ne s'accoste de quelque enfant, car elle le fairoit mourir: ils enterrent les robbes, les chaudieres, & autres meubles auec le trespassé, pource qu'ils l'ayment, & afin aussi qu'il se serue de l'ame de toutes ces choses en l'autre vie. Ils iettent comme i'ay des-ja dit, la meilleure viande qu'ils ayent au feu, pour en donner à manger à l'ame dit deffunct, qui mange l'ame de ces viandes: ils n'estendent point les corps de leur long comme nous faisons les enseuellissants, mais ils les accroupissent & accourcissent comme vne personne qui est assise sur les talons: ils couppent vn petit touffet de cheueux du deffunct, pour presenter à son plus proche parent. Je n'en sçay [87] pas la raison. Mais faisons vne autre liste de leurs superstitions & de leur ignorance, celles que ie viens de rapporter, concernent en quelque façon leur religion ridicule; les suiuantes le peuuent proprement appeller superstitions.

Furthermore, they say that the soul goes out through the chimney,
or at the opening which they make at the top of their huts. They
strike heavy blows with a stick upon the Cabins, that this soul may
not delay, and that it may not come near a child, for it would kill
it. They bury with the dead man his robes, his kettles, and other
belongings, because they love him, and also in order that he may
make use of the soul of all these things in the other life. They
throw, as I have already said, the best meat they have into the
fire, to give something to eat to the soul of the deceased, which
eats the soul of this food. They do not stretch out the bodies of
their dead lengthwise, as we do those of our dead, but they place
them in a crouching position like a person who is seated upon his
heels. They cut a little tuft of hair from the dead man to present
to his nearest relative. I do not know [87] why they do this.
But let us make another list of their superstitions and of their
ignorance, as what I have just reported concerns in some manner
their ridiculous religion: the following may properly be called
superstitions.

Les Sauuages ne iettent point aux chiens les os des Castors, Porcs épics femmelles, du moins certains os determinez; bref ils p[r]ennent garde tres-soigneusement que les chiens ne mangent aucun os des oyseaux & des autres animaux qui se prennent au lacs, autrement ils n'en prendront plus qu'auec des difficultez incomparables: encore y a-il là dedans mille obseruations, car il n'importe que les vertebres ou le croupion de ces animaux soient données aux chiens, pour le reste il faut le jetter au feu; toutefois pour le Castor pris à la rets, c'est le meilleur de ietter ses os dans vn fleuue, c'est chose estrange qu'ils recueillent & ramassent ces os, & les conseruent auec tant de soin, que vous diriez que leur chasse seroit perduë s'ils auoient [88] contreuenu à leurs superstitions: comme ie me mocquois d'eux, & que ie leurs disois que les Castors ne sçauoient pas ce que l'on faisoit de leurs os; ils me respondirent, tu ne sçais pas prendre les Castors, & tu en veux parler: deuant que le Castor soit mort tout à faict, me dirent-ils, son ame vient faire vn tour par la Cabane de celuy qui le tuë, & remarque fort bien ce qu'on fait de ses os; que si on les donnoit aux chiens, les autres Castors en seroient aduertis: c'est pourquoy ils se rendroient difficiles à prendre, mais ils sont bien aises qu'on iette leurs os au feu, ou dans vn fleuue, la rets notamment qui les a pris en est bien contente. Ie leur dis que les Hiroquois au rapport de celuy qui estoit auec nous, iettoient les os de Castor aux chiens, & cependant qu'ils en prenoient fort souuent, & que nos François prenoient du gibier plus qu'eux (sans comparaison) & que neantmoins nos chiens en mangeoient les os, tu n'as point d'esprit, me firent-ils, ne vois tu pas que vous & les Hiroquois cultiuez la terre [89] & en recueillez les fruicts, & non pas nous, & partant que ce n'est pas la mesme chose: ie me mis à rire entendant cette response impertinente; le mal est que ie ne fais que beguayer, que ie prends vn mot pour l'autre, que ie prononce mal, & ainsi tout s'en va le plus souuent en risee; Que c'est vne grande peine de parler à vn peuple sans l'entendre. De plus, en leurs festins à manger tout, il faut bien prendre garde que les chiens n'en goustent tant soit peu, mais de cecy en vn autre chapitre.

The Savages do not throw to the dogs the bones of female Beavers
and Porcupines,--at least, certain specified bones; in short, they
are very careful that the dogs do not eat any bones of birds and
of other animals which are taken in the net, otherwise they will
take no more except with incomparable difficulties. Yet they make
a thousand exceptions to this rule, for it does not matter if the
vertebræ or rump of these animals be given to the dogs, but the
rest must be thrown into the fire. Yet, as to the Beaver which has
been taken in a trap, it is best to throw its bones into a river.
It is remarkable how they gather and collect these bones, and
preserve them with so much care, that you would say their game
would be lost if they [88] violated their superstitions. As I was
laughing at them, and telling them that Beavers do not know what is
done with their bones, they answered me, "Thou dost not know how to
take Beavers, and thou wishest to talk about it." Before the Beaver
was entirely dead, they told me, its soul comes to make the round
of the Cabin of him who has killed it, and looks very carefully to
see what is done with its bones; if they are given to the dogs,
the other Beavers would be apprised of it and therefore they would
make themselves hard to capture. But they are very glad to have
their bones thrown into the fire, or into a river; especially the
trap which has caught them is very glad of this. I told them that
the Hiroquois, according to the reports of the one who was with
us, threw the bones of the Beaver to the dogs, and yet they took
them very often; and that our Frenchmen captured more game than
they did (without comparison), and yet our dogs ate these bones.
"Thou hast no sense," they replied, "dost thou not see that you and
the Hiroquois cultivate the soil [89] and gather its fruits, and
not we, and that therefore it is not the same thing?" I began to
laugh when I heard this irrelevant answer. The trouble is, I only
stutter, I take one word for another, I pronounce badly; and so
everything usually passes off in laughter. What great difficulty
there is in talking with people without being able to understand
them. Furthermore, in their eat-all feasts they must be very
careful that the dogs do not taste even the least of it; but of
this in another chapter.

Ils croyent que la gresle a de l'esprit & de la connoissance, comme mon hoste faisoit festin pendant cet Hiuer, il dit à vn ieune homme, va t'en aduertir les Sauuages de l'autre Cabane qu'ils viennent quand ils voudront que tout est prest, mais ne porte point de flambeau, il estoit nuict & il gresloit fort & ferme: i'entends aussi les Sauuages sortans de leurs Cabanes, s'écrier à leurs gens, ne nous éclairez point, car il gresle. Ie demanday par apres la raison de cela, on me respõdit que la grêle auoit de l'esprit, & qu'elle haïssoit [90] la lumiere, ne venant ordinairement que sur la nuict: que si on portoit des flambeaux dehors, elle cesseroit, dont ils seroient bien marris, car elle sert à prendre l'Originac. Voila des gens biẽ entendus aux meteores, ie leur dis que la gresle n'estoit autre chose que l'eau de la pluye, qui se congeloit par la froidure, laquelle s'augmentât sur la nuict par l'eloignement du Soleil, il gresloit plustost qu'en plein midy: ils me repartirent à l'ordinaire, tu es vn ignorant, ne vois tu pas qu'il a faict froid tout le iour, & que la gresle a attendu la nuict pour venir; Ie voulus repartir que la nuée n'estoit pas encore disposée, mais on me dit _eca titou eca titou nama_ K_hitirinisin_, tais toi, tais toi, tu n'as pas d'esprit: voila la monnoye dont ils me payent, & dont ils payent bien souuent les autres sans s'alterer. Mon hoste coupoit par superstition le bout de la queuë de tous les Castors qu'il prenoit, & les enfiloit ensemble. Ie demanday pourquoy, le vieillard me dit, c'est vne resolution ou vne promesse qu'il a faict, afin de prendre beaucoup de Castors de sçauoir à qui il fait ce vœu [91] ny luy, ny moy ne le sçaurions dire.