Chapter IV (1)

ON THE BELIEF, SUPERSTITIONS, AND ERRORS OF THE MONTAGNAIS SAVAGES.

I HAVE already reported that the Savages believe that a certain one
named Atachocam had created the world, and that one named Messou
had restored it.[16] I have questioned upon this subject the famous
Sorcerer and the old man with whom I passed [44] the Winter; they
answered that they did not know who was the first Author of the
world,--that it was perhaps Atahocham, but that was not certain;
that they only spoke of Atahocam as one speaks of a thing so far
distant that nothing sure can be known about it; and, in fact, the
word "Nitatahokan" in their language means, "I relate a fable, I am
telling an old story invented for amusement."

Pour le Messou, ils tiennent qu'il a reparé le monde qui s'estoit perdu par le deluge d'eau, d'où appert qu'ils ont quelque traditiõ de cette grande inondation vniuerselle qui arriua du temps de Noë, mais ils ont remply cette verité de mille fables impertinentes. Ce Messou allant à la chasse ses loups Ceruiers dont il se seruoit au lieu de chiens, estans entrez dans vn grand lac ils y furent arrestez. Le Messou les cherchant par tout, vn oyseau luy dit qu'il les voyoit au milieu de ce lac, il y entre pour les retirer, mais ce lac venant à se desgorger couurit la terre, & abisma le monde, le Messou bien estõné, enuoya le corbeau chercher vn morceau de terre pour rebastir cet element, mais il [45] n'en peut trouuer, il fist descendre vne Loutre dãs l'abisme des eauës, elle n'en peut rapporter, enfin il enuoya vn rat musqué, qui en rapporta vn petit morceau, duquel se seruit le Messou, pour refaire cette terre où nous sommes, il tira des flesches aux troncs des arbres, lesquelles se conuertirent en brãches, il fist mille autres merueilles, se vengea de ceux qui auoient arresté ses Loups Ceruiers, épousa vne Ratte musquée, de laquelle il eust des enfans qui ont repeuplé le monde, voila cõme le Messou a tout restably. Ie touchay l'an passé cette fable, mais desirant rassembler tout ce que ie scay de leur creance, i'ay vsé de redittes. Nostre Sauuage racõtoit au Pere Brebœuf que ses compatriotes croyent qu'vn certain Sauuage auoit receu du Messou le don d'immortalité dans vn petit pacquet, auec vne grande recommandation de ne la point ouurir, pendãt qu'il le tint fermé il fust immortel, mais sa femme curieuse & incredule, voulut voir ce qu'il y auoit dans ce present, l'ayant deployé, tout s'enuola, & depuis les Sauuages ont esté sujets à la mort.

As to the Messou, they hold that he restored the world, which was
destroyed in the flood; whence it appears that they have some
tradition of that great universal deluge which happened in the
time of Noë, but they have burdened this truth with a great many
irrelevant fables. This Messou went to the chase, and his Lynxes,
which he used instead of dogs, having gone into a great lake, were
held there. The Messou, seeking them everywhere, was told by a
bird that it had seen them in the midst of this lake. He went in,
to get them out; but the lake overflowed, covering the earth and
swallowing up the world. The Messou, very much astonished, sent a
raven in search of a little piece of ground, with which to rebuild
this element [the earth], but he [45] could not find any; he made
an Otter descend into the abyss of waters, but it could not bring
back any; at last he sent a muskrat, which brought back a little
morsel, and the Messou used this to rebuild this earth which we
inhabit. He shot arrows into the trunks of trees, which made
themselves into branches; he performed a thousand other wonders,
avenged himself upon those who had detained his Lynxes, and married
a muskrat, by whom he had children who have repeopled this world.
So this is the way in which the Messou restored all things. I
touched upon this fable last year, but, desiring to recapitulate
all I know about their beliefs, I have repeated many things. Our
Savage related to Father Brebœuf that his people believe that a
certain Savage had received from Messou the gift of immortality in
a little package, with a strict injunction not to open it; while
he kept it closed he was immortal, but his wife, being curious and
incredulous, wished to see what was inside this present; and having
opened it, it all flew away, and since then the Savages have been
subject to death.[17]

[46] Ils disent en outre, que tous les animaux de chaque espece ont vn frere aisné, qui est cõme le principe & cõme l'origine de tous les indiuidus, & ce frere aisné est merueilleusement grand puissãt. L'aisné des Castors, me disoiẽt-ils, est peut-estre aussi gros que nostre Cabane, quoy que ses Cadets (i'entẽds les Castors ordinaires) ne soient pas tout à faict si gros que nos moutons; or ces aisnez de tous les animaux sont les cadets du Messou, le voila bien apparẽté, le braue reparateur de l'Vniuers, est le frere aisné de toutes les bestes. Si quelqu'vn void en dormant l'aisné ou le principe de quelques animaux, il fera bonne chasse, s'il void l'aisné des Castors, il prẽdra des Castors, s'il void l'aisné des Eslans, il prendra des Eslans, iouyssans des cadets par la faueur de leur aisné qu'ils ont veu en songe. Ie leur demanday où estoient ces freres aisnez, nous n'en sommes pas bien asseurez, me disoient-ils, mais nous pensons que les aisnés des oyseaux sont au ciel, & que les aisnez des autres animaux sont dans les eauës. Ils reconnoissent deux principes des saisons, l'vn [47] s'appelle _Nipinou_k_he_, c'est celuy qui ramene le Printemps & l'Esté. Ce nom vient de _Nipin_, qui en leur langue signifie le Printemps. L'autre s'appelle Pipounoukhe du nom de Pipoun, qui signifie l'Hiuer, aussi rameine il la saison froide. Ie leurs demandois si ce Nipinoukhe & Pipounoukhe estoient hõmes ou animaux de quelque autre espece, & en quel endroict ils demeuroient ordinairement; & ils me respondirent qu'ils ne sçauoient pas bien cõme ils estoient faicts, encor qu'ils fussent biẽ asseurez qu'ils estoiẽt viuants; car ils les entendent, disent-ils, parler ou bruire, notãment à leur venuë, sans pouuoir distinguer ce qu'ils disent; pour leur demeure, ils partagent le mõde entre-eux, l'vn se tenant d'vn costé, l'autre de l'autre, & quand le temps de leur station aux deux bouts du mõde, est expiré l'vn passe en la place de l'autre se succedans mutuellement; Voila en partie la fable de Castor & de Pollux. Quand Nipinoukhe reuient, il ramene auec soy la chaleur, les oyseaux, la verdure, il rend la vie & la beauté au mõde, mais Pipounoukhe rauage tout, [48] estant accompagné de vents froids, de glaces, de neiges, & des autres appanages de l'Hiuer; Ils appellent cette succession de l'vn à l'autre _Achitescatoueth_, c'est à dire ils passent mutuellement à la place l'vn de l'autre.

[46] They also say that all animals, of every species, have an
elder brother, who is, as it were, the source and origin of all
individuals, and this elder brother is wonderfully great and
powerful. The elder of the Beaver, they tell me, is perhaps as
large as our Cabin, although his Junior (I mean the ordinary
Beaver) is not quite as large as our sheep. Now these elders of all
the animals are the juniors of the Messou. Behold him well related,
this worthy restorer of the Universe, he is elder brother to all
beasts. If any one, when asleep, sees the elder or progenitor of
some animals, he will have a fortunate chase; if he sees the elder
of the Beavers, he will take Beavers; if he sees the elder of the
Elks, he will take Elks, possessing the juniors through the favor
of their senior whom he has seen in the dream. I asked them where
these elder brothers were. "We are not sure," they answered me,
"but we think the elders of the birds are in the sky, and that the
elders of the other animals are in the water." They recognize two
progenitors of the seasons; one [47] is called _Nipinoukhe_, it is
this one that brings the Spring and Summer. This name comes from
_Nipin_, which in their language means Springtime. The other is
called Pipounoukhe, from the word Pipoun, which means Winter; it
therefore brings the cold season. I asked them if this Nipinoukhe
and Pipounoukhe were men, or if they were animals of some other
species, and in what place they usually dwelt; they replied that
they did not know exactly what form they had, but they were quite
sure they were living, for they heard them, they said, talking
or rustling, especially at their coming, but they could not tell
what they were saying. For their dwelling place they share the
world between them, the one keeping on one side, the other upon
the other; and when the period of their stay at one end of the
world has expired, each goes over to the locality of the other,
reciprocally succeeding each other. Here we have, in part, the
fable of Castor and Pollux. When Nipinoukhe returns, he brings
back with him the heat, the birds, the verdure, and restores life
and beauty to the world; but Pipounoukhe lays waste everything,
[48] being accompanied by the cold winds, ice, snows, and other
phenomena of Winter. They call this succession of one to the other
_Achitescatoueth_; meaning that they pass reciprocally to each
others' places.

De plus, ils croyent qu'il y a certains Genies du jour, ou Genies de l'air, ils les nomment _Khichi_k_ouai_ du mot _Khichi_k_ou_, qui veut dire le jour & l'air. Les Genies, ou K_hichi_k_ouai_, connoissent les choses futures, ils voyẽt de fort loing, c'est pourquoy les Sauuages les consultent, non pas tous mais certains iongleurs, qui sçauent mieux bouffonner & amuser ce peuple que les autres. Ie me suis trouué auec eux quand ils consultoient ces beaux Oracles, voicy ce que i'en ay remarqué.

Furthermore, they believe that there are certain Genii of light,
or Genii of the air, which they call _Khichikouai_ from the word
_Khichikou_, which means "light" or "the air." The Genii, or
_Khichikouai_, are acquainted with future events, they see very far
ahead; this is why the Savages consult them, not all [the savages]
but certain jugglers, who know better than the others how to impose
upon and amuse these people. I have chanced to be present when they
consulted these fine Oracles, and here is what I have observed.

Sur l'entrée de la nuict, deux ou trois jeunes hommes dresserent vn tabernacle au milieu de nostre Cabane, ils plãterent en rond six pieux fort auãt dans terre, & pour les tenir en estat, ils attacherent au haut de ces pieux vn grand cercle, qui les enuironnoit tous; cela fait ils entourerent cet Edifice de Castelognes, laissant le haut du tabernacle [49] ouuuert, c'est tout ce que pourroit faire vn grand homme, d'atteindre de la main au plus haut de cette tour ronde, capable de tenir 5 ou 6 hommes debout. Cette maisõ estãt faite, on esteint entierement les feux de la cabane, iettant dehors les tisons, de peur que la flãme ne donne de l'espouuãte à ces Geniés ou K_hichi_k_ouai_, qui doiuent entrer en ce tabernacle, dans lequel vn ieune iongleur se glissa par le bas, retroussant à cét effect la couuerture qui l'enuirõnoit, puis la rabbattãt quand il fut entré, car il se faut bien donner de garde qu'il n'y ait aucune ouuerture en ce beau palais, sinon par le haut. Le jongleur entré, commença doucement à fremir, comme en se plaignãt, il esbranloit ce tabernacle sans violence au cõmencement, puis s'animant petit à petit, il se mit à siffler d'vne façon sourde, & comme de loin: puis à parler comme dans vne bouteille, à crier comme vn chat-huant de ce pays-cy, qui me semble auoir la voix plus forte que ceux de France, puis à hurler, chanter, variant de tõ à tous coup, finissant par ces syllabes, _ho ho, hi hi, gui gui nioué_, & autres [50] semblables cõtrefaisant sa voix en sorte qu'il me sembloit oüir ces marionnettes que quelques bateleurs fõt voir en France: Il parloit tãtost Mõtagnais, tantost Algonquain, retenãt tousiours l'accent Algonquain, qui est gay, cõme le Prouençal. Au commencement, cõme i'ay dit, il agitoit doucement cét edifice, mais cõme il s'alloit tousiours animant, il entra dans vn si furieux enthousiasme, que ie croyois qu'il deust tout briser, esbranlant si fortement, & auec de telles violences sa maison, que ie m'estonnois qu'vn homme eust tant de force: car, comme il eut vne fois cõmencé à l'agiter, il ne cessa point que la consulte ne fust faite, qui dura enuiron trois heures: Comme il changeoit de voix, les Sauuages s'escrioient au commencemẽt _moa, moa_, escoute, escoute: puis inuitãs ces Geniés, ils leurs disoiẽt, _Pitou_k_hecou_, _Pitou_K_hecou_, entrez, entrez. D'autrefois cõme s'ils eussent respondu aux hurlements du jongleur, ils tiroient ceste aspiration du fond de la poitrine, _ho, ho_. I'estois assis comme les autres regardant ce beau mystere auec defence de parler: mais cõme ie ne leur [51] auois point voüé d'obeïssance, ie ne laissois pas de dire vn petit mot à la trauerse: tantost ie les priois d'auoir pitié de ce pauure jongleur, qui se tuoit dans ce tabernacle: d'autrefois ie leur disois qu'ils criassent plus haut & que leurs Geniés estoient endormis.

Towards nightfall, two or three young men erected a tent in the
middle of our Cabin; they stuck six poles deep into the ground in
the form of a circle, and to hold them in place they fastened to
the tops of these poles a large ring, which completely encircled
them; this done, they enclosed this Edifice with Castelognes,[18]
leaving the top of the tent [49] open; it is all that a tall man
can do to reach to the top of this round tower, capable of holding
5 or 6 men standing upright. This house made, the fires of the
cabin are entirely extinguished, and the brands thrown outside,
lest the flame frighten away the Genii or _Khichikouai_, who are
to enter this tent; a young juggler slipped in from below, turning
back, for this purpose, the covering which enveloped it, then
replaced it when he had entered, for they must be very careful that
there be no opening in this fine palace except from above. The
juggler, having entered, began to moan softly, as if complaining;
he shook the tent at first without violence; then becoming
animated little by little, he commenced to whistle, in a hollow
tone, and as if it came from afar; then to talk as if in a bottle;
to cry like the owls of these countries, which it seems to me
have stronger voices than those of France; then to howl and sing,
constantly varying the tones; ending by these syllables, _ho ho,
hi hi, gui gui, nioué_, and other [50] similar sounds, disguising
his voice so that it seemed to me I heard those puppets which
showmen exhibit in France. Sometimes he spoke Montagnais, sometimes
Algonquain, retaining always the Algonquain intonation, which, like
the Provençal, is vivacious. At first, as I have said, he shook
this edifice gently; but, as he continued to become more animated,
he fell into so violent an ecstasy, that I thought he would break
everything to pieces, shaking his house with so much force and
violence, that I was astonished at a man having so much strength;
for, after he had once begun to shake it, he did not stop until the
consultation was over, which lasted about three hours. Whenever he
would change his voice, the Savages would at first cry out, _moa,
moa_, "listen, listen;" then, as an invitation to these Genii, they
said to them, _Pitoukhecou, Pitoukhecou_, "enter, enter." At other
times, as if they were replying to the howls of the juggler, they
drew this aspiration from the depths of their chests, _ho, ho_. I
was seated like the others, looking on at this wonderful mystery,
forbidden to speak; but as I [51] had not vowed obedience to them,
I did not fail to intrude a little word into the proceedings.
Sometimes I begged them to have pity on this poor juggler, who
was killing himself in this tent; at other times I told them they
should cry louder, for the Genii had gone to sleep.

Quelques vns de ces Barbares s'imaginẽt que ce jongleur n'est point là dedans, qu'ils est transporté sans sçauoir ny ou, ny cõment. D'autres disent que son corps est couché par terre, que son ame est au haut de ce tabernacle, où elle parle au commencement, appellant ces Geniés, & iettant par fois des estincelles de feu. Or pour retourner à nostre consultation, les Sauuages, ayant ouy certaine voix que contrefit le jongleur, pousserẽt vn cris d'allegresse, disants qu'vn de ces Geniés estoit entré: Puis s'addressants à luy, s'escrioient, _Tepouachi, tepouachi_, appelle, appelle; sçauoir est tes compagnõs; là dessus le jongleur faisant du Geniés, changeant de ton & de voix les appelloit: cependant nostre sorcier qui estoit presẽt prit son tambour, & chantant auec le iongleur qui estoit dans le tabernacle, les autres [52] respondoient: On fit dancer quelques ieunes gens, entr'autres l'Apostat qui n'y vouloit point entendre, mais le sorcier le fit bien obeïr.

Some of these Barbarians imagined that this juggler was not inside,
that he had been carried away, without knowing where or how. Others
said that his body was lying on the ground, and that his soul was
up above the tent, where it spoke at first, calling these Genii,
and throwing from time to time sparks of fire. Now to return to our
consultation. The Savages having heard a certain voice that the
juggler counterfeited, uttered a cry of joy, saying that one of
these Genii had entered; then addressing themselves to him, they
cried out, _Tepouachi, tepouachi_, "call, call;" that is, "call
thy companions." Thereupon the juggler, pretending to be one of
the Genii and changing his tone and his voice, called them. In the
meantime our sorcerer, who was present, took his drum, and began
to sing with the juggler who was in the tent, and the others [52]
answered. Some of the young men were made to dance, among others
the Apostate,[12] who did not wish to hear of it, but the sorcerer
made him obey.

En fin apres mille cris & hurlements, apres mille chants, aprés auoir dancé & bien esbranlé ce bel edifice, les Sauuages croyãs que les Geniés ou K_ichi_k_ouai_ estoient entrez, le sorcier les consulta: il leur demanda de sa santé (car il est malade) de celle de sa fẽme qui l'estoit aussi. Ces Geniés, ou plustost le jongleur qui les contrefaisoit, respondit que pour sa fẽme elle estoit desia morte que c'en estoit fait, i'en eusse bien dit autant que luy, car il ne falloit estre ny prophete, ny sorcier pour deuiner cela; d'autãt que la pauure creature auoit la mort entre les dents: pour le sorcier, ils dirẽt qu'il verroit le Printemps. Or cognoissãt sa maladie, qui est vne douleur de reins, ou pour mieux dire, vn appanage de ses lubricitez & paillardises, car il est sale au dernier poinct, ie luy dis voyant qu'il estoit sain d'ailleurs, & qu'il beuuoit & mangeoit fort biẽ, que non seulement il verroit le printemps, mais encore l'Esté, si quelque autre accident [53] ne luy suruenoit, ie ne me suis pas trompé.

At last, after a thousand cries and howls, after a thousand songs,
after having danced and thoroughly shaken this fine edifice, the
Savages believing that the Genii or _Kichikouai_ had entered, the
sorcerer consulted them. He asked them about his health, (for he is
sick), and about that of his wife, who was also sick. These Genii,
or rather the juggler who counterfeited them, answered that, as to
his wife, she was already dead, that it was all over with her. I
could have said as much myself, for one needed not to be a prophet
or a sorcerer to guess that, inasmuch as the poor creature was
already struck with death; in regard to the sorcerer, they said
that he would see the Spring. Now, knowing his disease,--which was
a pain in the loins, or rather an infirmity resulting from his
licentiousness and excesses, for he is vile to the last degree,--I
said to him, seeing that he was otherwise healthy, and that he
drank and ate very heartily, that he would not only see the spring
but also the Summer, if some other accident [53] did not overtake
him, and I was not mistaken.

Apres ces interogations, on demanda à ces beaux oracles s'il y auroit bien tost de la neige, s'il y en auroit beaucoup, s'il y auroit des Eslans ou Orignaux, & en quel endroict ils estoient, ils repartirent ou plutost le iongleur, contrefaisant tousiours sa voix, qu'ils voyoient peu de neige & des orignaux fort loing, sans determiner le lieu, ayãt bien cette prudence de ne se point engager.

After these interrogations, these fine oracles were asked if there
would soon be snow, if there would be much of it, if there would
be Elks or Moose, and where they could be found. They answered, or
rather the juggler, always disguising his voice, that they saw a
little snow and some moose far away, without indicating the place,
having the prudence not to commit themselves.

Voila comme se passa cette consulte, apres laquelle se voulut arrester le iongleur: mais comme il estoit nuict, il sortit de son tabernacle, & de nostre cabane si vistement, qu'il fust dehors auant quasi que ie m'en apperçeusse. Luy & tous les autres Sauuages qui estoient venus des autres Cabanes à ces beaux mysteres, estans partis, ie demanday à l'Apostat, s'il estoit si simple de croire que ces Geniés entrassent & parlassent dans ce tabernacle, il se mit à iurer sa foy, qu'il a perduë & reniée, que ce n'estoit point le iongleur qu'il parloit, ains ces K_hichi_k_ouai_ ou Genies [54] du iour, & mon hoste me dit, entre toy mesme dans le tabernacle, & tu verras que ton corps demeurera en bas, & ton ame montera en hault: I'y voulu entrer, mais comme i'estois seul de mõ party, ie preueu qu'ils m'auroient faict quelque affront, & comme il n'y auoit point de tesmoins, ils se seroient vantez, que i'aurais recogneu & admiré la verité de leurs mysteres.

So this is what took place in this consultation, after which I
wished to get hold of the juggler; but, as it was night, he made
his exit from the tent and from our little cabin so swiftly,
that he was outside almost before I was aware of it. He and all
the other Savages, who had come from the other Cabins to these
beautiful mysteries, having departed, I asked the Apostate if
he was so simple as to believe that the Genii entered and spoke
in this tent. He began to swear his belief, which he had lost
and denied, that it was not the juggler who spoke, but these
_Khichikouai_ or Genii [54] of the air, and my host said to me,
"Enter thou thyself into the tent, and thou wilt see that thy body
will remain below, and thy soul will mount on high." I did want to
go in; but, as I was the only one of my party, I foresaw that they
might commit some outrage upon me, and, as there were no witnesses
there, they would boast that I had recognized and admired the truth
of their mysteries.

Or j'auois grande enuie de sçauoir de quelle nature ils faisoient ces Geniés, l'Apostat n'en sçauoit rien. Le sorcier voyant que i'esuantois ses mines, & que i'improuuois ses niaiseries, ne me le vouloit point enseigner, si bien qu'il fallut que ie me seruisse d'industrie: Ie laissay escouler quelques sepmaines, puis le jettant sur ce discours, ie luy parlois comme admirant sa doctrine, luy disant qu'il auoit tort de m'esconduire, puisque à toutes les questions qu'il me faisoit de nostre croyance, ie luy respõdois ingenument, sans me faire tirer l'oreille: En fin il se laissa gagner à ses propres loüanges, & me descouurit les secrets de l'escole: voicy la fable qu'il me raconta, touchant la nature [55] & l'essence de ces Geniés.

Now I had a great desire to know the nature of these Genii; the
Apostate knew nothing about them. The sorcerer, seeing that I was
discovering his mines, and that I disapproved of his nonsense, did
not wish to explain anything to me, so that I was compelled to make
use of my wits. I allowed a few weeks to pass; then, springing this
subject upon him, I spoke as if I admired his doctrine, saying to
him that it was wrong to refuse me, since to all the questions
which he asked me in regard to our belief, I answered him frankly
and without showing any reluctance. At last he allowed himself to
be won over by this flattery, and revealed to me the secrets of the
school. Here is the fable which he recounted to me touching the
nature [55] and the character of these Genii.

Deux Sauuages consultans ces Geniés en mesme temps, mais en deux diuers tabernacles, l'vn d'eux, homme tres-meschant, qui auoit tué trois hõmes à coup de haches par trahison, fust mis à mort par les Geniés, lesquels se transportans dans le tabernacle de l'autre Sauuage pour luy oster la vie, aussi bien qu'à son compagnon, ils se trouuerent eux mesmes surpris; car ce iongleur se defendit si bien, qu'il tua l'vn de ces K_hichi_k_ouai_, ou Geniés, & ainsi l'on a sçeu comme ils estoient faicts, car ce Geniés demeura sur la place. Ie luy demanday donc de quelle forme il estoit, il estoit gros comme le poing, me fit-il, son corps est de pierre, & vn peu long; Ie conceu qu'il estoit faict en cone, gros par vn bout, s'allant tousiours appetissant vers l'autre. Ils croiẽt que dans ce corps de pierre il y a de la chair & du sang, car la hache dont ce Genié fust tué resta ensanglantée. Ie m'enquestay s'ils auoient des pieds & des ailes, & m'ayant dict que non, & comment donc, leur fis-ie, peuuent ils entrer ou voler dans ces tabernacles, [56] s'ils n'ont ny pieds ny aisles, le sorcier se mit à rire, disant pour solution, en verité ceste robe noire n'a point d'esprit, voila comme ils me payent quand ie leurs fais quelque obiectiõ à laquelle ils ne peuuent respondre.

Two Savages having consulted these Genii at the same time, but
in two different tents, one of them, a very wicked man who had
treacherously killed three men with his hatchet, was put to death
by the Genii, who, crossing over into the tent of the other Savage
to take his life, as well as that of his companion, were themselves
surprised; for this juggler defended himself so well that he killed
one of these _Khichikouai_ or Genii; and thus it was found out how
they were made, for this One remained in the place where he was
killed. Then I asked him what was his form. "He was as large as
the fist," he replied; "his body was of stone, and rather long."
I judged that he was cone-shaped, large at one end, and gradually
becoming smaller towards the other. They believe that in this
stone body there is flesh and blood, for the hatchet with which
this Spirit was killed was bloody. I inquired if they had feet and
wings, and was told they had not. "Then how," said I, "can they
enter or fly into these tents, [56] if they have neither feet nor
wings?" The sorcerer began to laugh, saying in explanation, "In
truth, this black robe has no sense." This is the way they pay me
back when I offer some objections to something which they cannot
answer.

Comme ils faisoient grand cas du feu que iettoit ce iongleur hors de son tabernacle, ie leur dis, nos François en ietteroient mieux que luy, car il ne faisoit voler que des estincelles de quelque bois pourry qu'il porte auec soy, comme ie me persuade, & si i'eusse eu de la resine, ie leur eusse faict sortir des flammes. Ils me contestoient qu'il estoit entré sans feu dans cette maison, mais de bonne fortune, ie luy auois veu donner vn gros charbon ardant qu'il demanda pour petuner.

As they made a great deal of the fire which this juggler threw out
of his tent, I told them that our Frenchmen could throw it better
than he could; for he only made a few sparks fly from some rotten
wood which he carried with him, as I am inclined to think, and if
I had had some resin I could have made the flames rise for them.
They insisted that he entered this house without fire; but I had
happened to see some one give him a red-hot coal which he asked to
light his pipe.

Voila leur creance touchant les principes des choses bonnes: Ce qui m'estonne, c'est leurs ingratitudes, car quoy qu'ils croyent que le Messou a reparé le monde, que Nipinoukhé & PipounouKhe rameinent les saisons, que leur KhichiKouai leurs apprẽnent où il y a des Eslans, ou Orignaux, & leurs rendent milles autres bõs offices: si est ce que ie n'ay peu iusques icy recognoistre [57] qu'ils leur rendent aucun honneur: i'ay seulement remarqué que dans leurs festins, ils iettent par fois quelques cuillerées de gresse dãs le feu, prononcant ces parolles _Papeouekou, Papeoue_K_ou_, faites nous trouuer à manger, faites nous trouuer à manger: ie crois que cette priere s'addresse à ces Genies, ausquels ils presentent cette gresse comme la chose la meilleure qu'ils ayent au monde.

So that is their belief touching the foundations of things good.
What astonishes me is their ingratitude; for, although they believe
that the Messou has restored the world, that Nipinoukhé and
Pipounoukhe bring the seasons, that their Khichikouai teach them
where to find Elks or Moose, and render them a thousand other good
offices,--yet up to the present I have not been able to learn [57]
that they render them the slightest honor. I have only observed
that, in their feasts, they occasionally throw a few spoonfuls
of grease into the fire, pronouncing these words: _Papeouekou,
Papeouekou_; "Make us find something to eat, make us find something
to eat." I believe this prayer is addressed to these Genii, to whom
they present this grease as the best thing they have in the world.

Outre ces principes des choses bonnes, ils recognoissent vn Manitou, que nous pouuons appeller le diable, ils le tiennent comme le principe des choses mauuaises, il est vray qu'ils n'attribuent pas grande malice au Manitou, mais à sa femme, qui est vne vraye diablesse: le mary ne hait point les hommes, il se trouue seulement aux guerres, & aux combats, & ceux qu'il regarde sont à couuert, les autres sont tués: voila pourquoy mon hoste me disoit, qu'il prioit tous les iours ce Manitou de ne point ietter les yeux sur les Hiroquois leurs ennemis, & de leur en donner tousiours quelqu'vn en leurs guerres. Pour la femme du Manitou, elle est [58] cause de toutes les maladies qui sont au mõde, c'est elle qui tuë les hommes, autrement ils ne mouroient pas, elle se repaist de leur chair, les rongeant interieurement, ce qui faict qu'on les voit amaigrir en leurs maladies: elle a vne robe des plus beaux cheueux des hommes & des femmes qu'elle tuë, elle paroist quelquefois comme vn feu, on l'entend bien bruire comme vne flamme, mais on ne sçauroit distinguer son langage: d'icy procedent à mon aduis ces cris & ces hurlemens, & ces batements de tambours qu'ils font alentour de leurs malades, voulans comme empescher cette diablesse de venir dõner le coup de la mort: ce qu'elle faict si subtilement, qu'on ne s'en peut defendre, car on ne la voit pas.

Besides these foundations of things good, they recognize a Manitou,
whom we may call the devil. They regard him as the origin of evil;
it is true that they do not attribute great malice to the Manitou,
but to his wife, who is a real she-devil. The husband does not
hate men. He is only present in wars and combats, and those whom
he looks upon are protected, the others are killed. So for this
reason, my host told me that he prayed this Manitou every day
not to cast his eyes upon the Hiroquois, their enemies, and to
always give them some of them in their wars. As to the wife of the
Manitou, she is [58] the cause of all the diseases which are in the
world. It is she who kills men, otherwise they would not die; she
feeds upon their flesh, gnawing them upon the inside, which causes
them to become emaciated in their illnesses. She has a robe made of
the most beautiful hair of the men and women whom she has killed;
she sometimes appears like a fire; she can be heard roaring like
a flame, but her language cannot be understood. From this, in my
opinion, come those cries and howls, and those beatings of the drum
which they make around their sick, as if to prevent this she-devil
from giving the deathblow, which she does so secretly that no one
can defend himself therefrom, for he does not see her.

Deplus, les Sauuages se persuadent que non seulement les hommes & les autres animaux: mais aussi que toutes les autres choses sont animées, & que toutes les ames sont immortelles, ils se figurent les ames comme vn ombre de la chose animée, n'ayans iamais ouy parler d'vne chose purement spirituelle, ils se representent l'ame de l'hõme, [59] comme vne image sombre & noire, où comme vne ombre de l'homme mesme, luy attribuant des pieds, des mains, vne bouche, vne teste, & toutes les autres parties du corps humain. Voila pourquoy ils disent que les ames boiuent & mangent, aussi leurs dõnent-ils à manger quand quelqu'vn meurt, iettant la meilleure viãde qu'ils ayent dãs le feu, & souuẽt ils m'ont dit qu'ils auoient trouué le matin de la viande rongée la nuict par les ames. Or m'ayans declaré ce bel article de leur croyance, ie leurs fis plusieurs interogations. Premierement, ou alloient ces ames apres la mort de l'homme, & des autres creatures; elles vont, dirent ils, fort loin, en vn grãd village situé où le Soleil se couche: Tout vostre pays, leur dis-je (sçauoir est l'Amerique) est vne grande Isle, comme vous tesmoignez l'auoir appris: comment est ce que les ames des hommes, des animaux, des haches, des cousteaux, des chaudieres; bref les ames de tout ce qui meurt, ou qui s'vse, peuuent passer l'eau pour s'en aller à ce grand village que vous placez où le soleil se couche, trouuent [60] elles des vaisseaux tous prests pour s'embarquer & trauerser les eaux? non pas, mais elle vont à pied, me dirent-ils, passants les eaux à gay en quelque endroict: & le moyen, leur fis-ie, de passer à gay le grand Ocean que vous sçauez estre si profond, car c'est cette grãde mer qui enuironne vostre pays, tu te trompe, respondent-ils, où les terres sont conjointes en quelque endroict, ou bien il y a quelque passage guayable par où passent nos ames: & de faict nous apprenons que l'on n'a peu encore passer du costé du Nord, c'est à cause (leur repartis-ie) des grãds froids qui sont en ces mers, que si vos ames prẽnent cette route elles seront glacées & toutes roides de froid, deuant qu'elles arriuent en leurs villages.

Furthermore, the Savages persuade themselves that not only men and
other animals, but also all other things, are endowed with souls,
and that all the souls are immortal;[17] they imagine the souls
as shadows of the animate objects; never having heard of anything
purely spiritual, they represent the soul of man [59] as a dark
and sombre image, or as a shadow of the man himself, attributing
to it feet, hands, a mouth, a head, and all the other parts of
the human body. Hence this is the reason that they say the souls
drink and eat, and therefore they give them food when any one
dies, throwing the best meat they have into the fire; and they
have often told me that the next morning they find meat which has
been gnawed during the night by the souls. Now, having declared to
me this fine article of their faith, I propound to them several
questions. "First, where do these souls go, after the death of man
and other creatures?" "They go," they say, "very far away, to a
large village situated where the Sun sets." "All your country," I
say to them (meaning America), "is an immense Island, as you seem
to know; how is it that the souls of men, of animals, of hatchets,
of knives, of kettles,--in short, the souls of all things that die
or that are used, can cross the water to go to this great village
that you place where the sun sets? do they [60] find ships all
ready to embark them and take them over the water?" "No, they go
on foot," they answer me, "fording the water in some places." "And
how," I respond; "can they ford the great Ocean which you know is
so deep, for it is this great sea which surrounds your country?"
"Thou art mistaken," they answer; "either the lands are united in
some places, or there is some passage which is fordable over which
our souls pass; and, indeed, we know that no one has yet been able
to pass beyond the North coast." "It is because (I answer them) of
the great cold in those seas, so that if your souls take this route
they will be frozen and all stiff from cold, before they reach
their villages."

Secondement ie leur demande, que mangeoient ces pauures ames, faisant vn si long chemin, elles mangent des escorces, dirent-ils, & du vieux bois qu'elles trouuent dans les forests, ie ne m'estonne pas, leur respõdis-je, si vous auez si peur de la mort, & si vous la fuiez tant, il n'y a guere de plaisir d'aller manger du vieux bois & des escorces en l'autre vie.

Secondly, I ask them, "What do these poor souls eat, making so
long a journey?" "They eat bark," they said, "and old wood which
they find in the forests." "I am not astonished," I replied, "that
you are so afraid of death, that you shun it so greatly; there
is hardly any pleasure in going and eating old wood and bark in
another life."

[61] Tiercement. Que font ces ames estant arriuées au lieu de leur demeure? pendant le iour elles sont assises tenans leur deux coudes sur leur deux genoux, & leur testes entre leur deux mains, posture assés ordinaire aux Sauuages malades: pendant la nuict elles vont & viennent, elles trauaillent, elles vont à la chasse, ouy mais, repartis-ie, elles ne voient goutte la nuict, tu es vn ignorant, tu n'as point d'esprit, me firent ils, les ames ne sont pas comme nous, elles ne voyent goutte pendant le iour, & voyent fort clair pendant la nuict, leur iour est dans les tenebres de la nuict, & leur nuict dans la clarte du iour.

[61] Thirdly: "What do these souls do when they arrive at their
dwelling place?" "During the daytime, they are seated with their
two elbows upon their two knees, and their heads between their two
hands, the usual position of sick Savages; during the night, they
go and come, they work, they go to the chase." "Oh, but they cannot
see at all during the night," I rejoined. "Thou art an ignoramus,
thou hast no sense," they answered; "souls are not like us, they do
not see at all during the day, and see very clearly at night; their
day is in the darkness of the night, and their night in the light
of the day."

En quatriesme lieu, à quoy chassent ces pauures ames pendant la nuict? elles chassent aux ames des Castors, des Porcs epics, des Eslans, & des autres animaux, se seruãs de l'ame des raquettes, pour marcher sur l'ame de la neige, qui est en ce pays là: bref elles se seruent des ames de toutes choses, comme nous nous seruõs icy des choses mesmes. Or quant elles ont tué l'ame d'vn Castor, ou d'vn autre animal, ceste ame meurt elle tout a faict, ou bien a elle vne autre ame qui s'en aille en quelque [62] autre village? Mon sorcier demeura court à cette demande; & cõme il a de l'esprit, voyant qu'il s'alloit enferrer s'il me respõdoit directemẽt, il esquiua le coup: car s'il m'eut dit que l'ame mouroit entierrement, ie luy aurois dit que quand on tuoit premierement l'animal, son ame mouroit à mesme temps: s'il m'eust dit que ceste ame auoit vne ame qui s'en alloit en vn autre village, ie luy eusse fait voir que chaque animal auroit selon sa doctrine plus de vingt, voire plus de cent ames, & que le mõde deuoit estre remply de ces villages où elles se retirent, & que cepẽdãt on n'en voyoit aucun. Cognoissant dõc qu'il s'alloit engager, il me dit, tais toy, tu n'as point d'esprit, tu demande des choses que tu ne sçais pas toy-mesme, si i'auois esté en ces pays-là, ie te respondrois.

"In the fourth place, what are these poor souls hunting during the
night?" "They hunt for the souls of Beavers, Porcupines, Moose,
and other animals, using the soul of the snowshoes to walk upon
the soul of the snow, which is in yonder country; in short, they
make use of the souls of all things, as we here use the things
themselves." "Now, when they have killed the soul of a Beaver, or
of another animal, does that soul die entirely, or has it another
soul which goes to some [62] other village?" My sorcerer was
nonplused by this question; and as he is quick-witted, he dodged
the question, seeing that he was going to involve himself if he
answered me directly; for if he had answered me that the soul would
die entirely, I would have told him that when they first killed
the animal its soul would have died at the same time; if he had
answered that this soul had a soul which went away into another
village, I would have shown him that every animal would have,
according to his doctrine, more than twenty, indeed more than a
hundred souls, and that the world would have to be full of these
villages to which they withdrew, and yet no one had ever seen one
of them. Recognizing that he was about to entangle himself, he said
to me, "Be silent, thou hast no sense; thou askest things which
thou dost not know thyself; if I had ever been in yonder country, I
would answer thee."

En fin ie luy dis que les Europeans nauigeoient par tout le monde, ie leur declaray, & leur fis voir par vne figure ronde, quel estoit le pays où le soleil se couche à leur regard, l'asseurant qu'on n'auoit point trouué ce grand village, que tout cela n'étoit que resueries, que les ames des hommes seulement estoiẽt [63] immortelles, & que si elles estoient bõnes, elles s'en alloient au ciel, que si elles estoient meschantes, elles descendoient dans les enfers pour y estre brulées à iamais, & que chacun receuroit selon ses œuures. En cela, dit-il, vous mentez vous autres, d'assigner diuers endroicts pour les ames, elles vont en vn mesme pays, du moins les nostres: car deux ames de nos cõpatriotes sont reuenuë autresfois de ce grand village, & no⁹ ont appris tout ce que ie t'ay dit, puis elles s'en retournerent en leur demeure: ils appellent la voye lactée, _Tchipaï mesKenau_, le chemin des ames, pource qu'ils pensent que les ames se guindent par cette voye pour aller en ce grand village.

At last, I told them that the Europeans navigated the whole world.
I explained to them and made them see by a round figure what
country it was where the sun sets according to their idea, assuring
them that no one had ever found this great village, that all that
was nothing but nonsense; that the souls of men alone were [63]
immortal; and, that if they were good, they would go to heaven,
and if they were bad they would descend into hell, there to burn
forever; and that each one would receive according to his works.
"In that," he said, "you lie, you people, in assigning different
places for souls,--they go to the same country, at least, ours do;
for the souls of two of our countrymen once returned from this
great village, and explained to us all that I have told thee, then
they returned to their dwelling place." They call the milky way,
_Tchipaï meskenau_, the path of souls, because they think that the
souls raise themselves through this way in going to that great
village.

Ils ont en outre vne grande croyãce à leurs songes, s'imaginans que ce qu'ils ont veu en dormant doit arriuer, & qu'ils doiuent executer ce qu'ils ont resué: ce qui est vn grand malheur, car si vn Sauuage songe qu'il mourra s'il ne me tuë, il me mettra à mort à la premiere rencontre à l'escart. Nos Sauuages me demandoiẽt quasi tous les matins, n'as-tu point veu de Castors, ou d'Orignac [64] en dormant: & cõme ils voyoiẽt que ie me mocquois des songes, ils s'estonnoient, & me demandoient à quoy crois-tu donc, si tu ne crois a tes songes? ie crois en celuy qui a tout fait, & qui peut tout; tu n'as point d'esprit, comment peus-tu croire en luy, si tu ne le vois pas? Ie serois trop long de rapporter toutes les badineries sur ces sujects, reuenons à leurs superstitions qui sont sans nombre.

They have, besides, great faith in their dreams, imagining that
what they have seen in their sleep must happen, and that they
must execute whatever they have thus imagined. This is a great
misfortune, for if a Savage dreams that he will die if he does not
kill me, he will take my life the first time he meets me alone. Our
Savages ask almost every morning, "Hast thou not seen any Beavers
or Moose, [64] while sleeping?" And when they see that I make sport
of their dreams, they are astonished and ask me, "What does thou
believe then, if thou dost not believe in thy dream?" "I believe
in him who has made all things, and who can do all things." "Thou
hast no sense, how canst thou believe in him, if thou hast not seen
him?" It would take too long to relate all their silly ideas upon
these subjects; let us return to their superstitions, which are
numberless.

Les Sauuages sont grands chanteurs, ils chantent comme la pluspart des nations de la terre par recreation, & par deuotion; c'est à dire en eux par superstition: Les airs qu'ils chantent par plaisir sont ordinairement graues & pesants, il me semble qu'ils ont par fois quelque chose de gay, notamment les filles: mais pour la pluspart, leurs chansons sont massiues, pour ainsi dire, sombres, & malplaisantes: ils ne sçauent que c'est d'assembler des accorts pour composer vne douce harmonie. Ils proferent peu de paroles en chantant, variants les tons, & non la lettre. I'ay souuent ouy mon Sauuage faire vne longue chanson de ces trois mots K_aie_, _nir_, k_higatoutaouim_, [65] & tu feras aussi quelque chose pour moy: Ils disent que nous imitons les gazoüillis des oyseaux en nos airs, ce qu'ils n'improuuent pas, prenans plaisir quasi tous tant qu'ils sont à chanter, ou à ouïr chanter, & quoy que ie leur die que ie n'y entendois rien, ils m'inuitoient souuent à entonner quelque air, ou quelque priere.

The Savages are great singers: they sing, as do most of the nations
of the earth, for recreation and for devotion, which, with them,
means superstition. The tunes which they sing for pleasure are
usually grave and heavy. It seems to me that occasionally they sing
something gay, especially the girls, but for the most part, their
songs are heavy, so to speak, sombre and unpleasant; they do not
know what it is to combine chords to compose a sweet harmony. They
use few words in singing, varying the tones, and not the words.
I have often heard my Savage make a long song with these three
words, _Kaie_, _nir_, _khigatoutaouim_, [65] "And thou wilt also do
something for me." They say that we imitate the warbling of birds
in our tunes, which they do not disapprove, as they nearly all take
pleasure both in singing and in hearing others sing: and although I
told them that I did not understand anything about it, they often
invited me to sing some song or prayer.

Pour leurs chãts superstitieux, ils s'en seruent en mille actions, le sorcier & ce viellard, dont i'ay parlé, m'en donnerent la raison: deux Sauuages, disoient ils, estans jadis fort desolés, se voyans à deux doigts de la mort faute de viure, furent aduertis de chanter, & qu'ils seroient secourus; ce qui arriua, car ayans chanté, ils trouuerent à manger: de dire qui leur donna cest aduis, & comment, ils n'en sçauent rien: quoy que s'en soit, depuis ce temps là toute leur religion consiste quasi à chanter, se seruans des mots les plus barbares qu'ils peuuent rencontrer: Voicy vne partie des paroles qu'ils chanterent en vne longue superstition qui dura plus de quatre heures, _Aiasé manitou, aiasé manitou, aiasé manitou, ahiham, hehinham,_ [67 i.e., 66] _hanhan, henina_k_hé hosé henina_K_hé, enigouano bahano anihé ouibini naninaouai nanahouai nanahouai aouihé ahahé aouihé_: Pour conclusion, _ho! ho! ho!_ Ie demanday que vouloient dire ces parolles, pas vn ne m'en peut donner l'interpretation: car il est vray que pas vn d'eux n'entend ce qu'il chante, sinon dans leurs airs, qu'ils chantent pour se recréer.

As for their superstitious songs, they use them for a thousand
purposes, for which the sorcerer and that old man, of whom I have
spoken, have given me the reason. Two Savages, they told me, being
once in great distress, seeing themselves within two finger-lengths
of death for want of food, were advised to sing, and they would be
relieved; and so it happened, for when they had sung, they found
something to eat. As to who gave them this advice, and how it
was given, they know nothing; however, since that time all their
religion consists mainly in singing, using the most barbarous
words that come into their minds. The following are some of the
words that they sang in a long superstitious rite which lasted
more than four hours: _Aiasé manitou, aisé manitou, aiasé manitou,
ahiham, hehinham,_ [67 i.e., 66] _hanhan, heninakhé hosé heninakhé,
enigouano bahano anihé ouibini naninaouai nanahouai nanahouai
aouihé ahahé aouihé_; concluding with _ho! ho! ho!_ I asked what
these words meant, but not one could interpret them to me; for it
is true that not one of them understands what he is singing, except
in the tunes which they sing for recreation.

Ils joignent leurs tambours à leurs chants, ie demanday l'origine de ce tambour, le veillard me dit, que peut estre quelqu'vn auoit eu en songe qu'il estoit bon de s'en seruir, & que de là l'vsage s'en estoit ensuiuy. Ie croirois plustost qu'ils auroient tiré cette superstition des peuples voisins, car on me dit (ie ne sçay s'il est vraiy) qu'ils imitent fort les Canadiens qui habitent vers Gaspé, peuple encore plus superstitieux que celuy-cy.

They accompany their songs with drums. I asked the origin of this
drum, and the old man told me that perhaps some one had dreamed
that it was a good thing to have, and thus it had come into use. I
thought it most probable they had derived this superstition from
the neighboring tribes; for I am told (I do not know how true it
is) they imitate to a great degree the Canadians who live toward
Gaspé, a tribe still more superstitious than those of this country.