Chapter XI (1)

ON THE LANGUAGE OF THE MONTAGNAIS SAVAGES.

I WROTE last year that their language was very rich and very poor,
full of abundance and full of scarcity, the latter appearing in a
thousand different ways. All words for piety, devotion, virtue;
all terms which are used to express the things of the other life;
the language of Theologians, Philosophers, Mathematicians, and
Physicians, in a word, of all learned men; all words which refer
to the regulation and government of a city, Province, or Empire;
all that concerns justice, reward and punishment; the names of an
infinite number of arts which are in our Europe; of an infinite
number of flowers, [175] trees, and fruits; of an infinite number
of animals, of thousands and thousands of contrivances, of a
thousand beauties and riches, all these things are never found
either in the thoughts or upon the lips of the Savages. As they
have no true religion nor knowledge of the virtues, neither public
authority nor government, neither Kingdom nor Republic, nor
sciences, nor any of those things of which I have just spoken,
consequently all the expressions, terms, words, and names which
refer to that world of wealth and grandeur must necessarily be
absent from their vocabulary; hence the great scarcity. Let us now
turn the tables and show that this language is fairly gorged with
richness.

Premierement ie trouue vne infinité de noms propres parmy eux, que ie ne puis expliquer en nostre françois, que par circumlocutions.

First, I find an infinite number of proper nouns among them, which
I cannot explain in our french, except by circumlocutions.

Secondement, ils ont de Verbes que ie nomme absolus, dont ny les Grecs, ny les Latins, ny nous, ny les langues d'Europe, dont ie ne me suis enquis, n'ont riẽ de semblable, par exemple ce Verbe _Nimitison_, signifie absolument ie mange, sans dire quoy, car si vous determinez, la [176] chose que vous mangez, il se faut seruir d'vn autre Verbe.

Second, they have some Verbs which I call absolute, to which
neither the Greeks, nor Latins, nor we ourselves, nor any language
of Europe with which I am familiar, have anything similar. For
example, the verb _Nimitison_ means absolutely, "I eat," without
saying what; for, if you determine the [176] thing you eat, you
have to use another Verb.

Tiercement, ils ont des Verbes differents, pour signifier l'action enuers vne chose animée, & enuers vne chose inanimée, encore bien qu'ils conjoignent auec les choses animées, quelques nombres des choses sans ame, cõme le petun, les pommes, &c. donnons des exemples. Ie vois vn homme, _Niouapaman iriniou_, ie vois vne pierre, _niouabatẽ_, ainsi en Grec, en Latin, & en François, c'est vn mesme Verbe, pour dire ie vois vn homme, vne pierre, & toute autre chose. Ie frappe vn chiẽ _ni noutinau attimou_, ie frappe vn bois, _ninoutinen misticou_. Ce n'est pas tout: car si l'actiõ se termine à plusieurs choses animées, il faut vn autre Verbe, ie vois des hõmes _niouapamaoueth irinioueth_, _ninoutinaoueth attimoueth_, & ainsi de tous les autres.

Third, they have different Verbs to signify an action toward an
animate or toward an inanimate object; and yet they join with
animate things a number of things that have no souls, as tobacco,
apples, etc. Let us give some examples: "I see a man," _Niouapaman
iriniou_; "I see a stone," _niouabatẽ_; but in Greek, in Latin,
and in French the same Verb is used to express, "I see a man, a
stone, or anything else." "I strike a dog," _ni noutinau attimou_;
"I strike wood," _ninoutinen misticou_. This is not all; for, if
the action terminates on several animate objects, another Verb
has to be used,--"I see some men," _niouapamaoueth irinioueth_,
_ninoutinaoueth attimoueth_, and so on with all the others.

En quatriéme lieu, ils ont des Verbes propres pour signifier l'action qui se termine à la personne reciproque, & d'autres encore qui se terminent aux choses qui luy appartiennent, & l'on ne pût se seruir des Verbes enuers les autres personnes non reciproques sans parler impropremẽt. Ie me fais entẽdre le Ver[be] [177] _nitaouin_, signifie, ie me sers de quelque chose, _nitaouin agouniscouehon_, ie me sers d'vn bonnet: que si ie viens à dire, ie me sers de son bonnet, sçauoir est du bonnet de l'homme, dont on parle, il faut changer de verbe, & dire _Nitaouiouan outagoumiscouhon_: que si c'est vne chose animée il faut encor changer le verbe, par exemple, ie me sers de son chien, _nitaouiouan õtaimai_, & remarquez que tous ces verbes ont leurs meufs, leurs temps, & leurs personnes, & que leurs conjugaisons sont dissemblables s'ils different de terminaisons. Ceste abondance n'est point dãs les langues d'Europe, ie le sçay de quelques vnes, ie le coniecture des autres.

In the fourth place, they have Verbs suitable to express an action
which terminates on the person reciprocal, and others still which
terminate on the things that belong to him; and we cannot use these
Verbs, referring to other persons not reciprocal, without speaking
improperly. I will explain myself. The Verb [177] _nitaouin_
means, "I make use of something;" _nitaouin agouniscouehon_, "I am
using a hat;" but when I come to say, "I am using his hat," that
is, the hat of the man of whom I speak, we must change the verb
and say, _Nitaouiouan outagoumiscouhon_; but, if it be an animate
thing, the verb must again be changed, for example, "I am using
his dog," _nitaouiouan õtaimai_. Also observe that all these verbs
have their moods, tenses and persons; and that they are conjugated
differently, if they have different terminations. This abundance
is not found in the languages of Europe; I know it of some, and
conjecture it in regard to others.

En cinquiesme lieu, ils se seruent d'autres mots sur la terre, d'autres mots sur l'eau pour signifier la mesme chose. Voicy comment, Ie veux dire, i'arriuay hier, si c'est par terre, il faut dire _nitagochinin outagouchi_, si c'est par eau, il faut dire _nimichagan outagouchi_: ie veux dire, i'ay esté mouillé de la pluye, si ç'a esté cheminant sur terre, il faut dire nikimiouanoutan, si c'est faisant chemin, par eau _nikhimiouanutan_, ie vay querir [178] quelque chose, si c'est par terre, il faut dire _ninaten_, si c'est par eau _ninahen_: si c'est vne chose animée & par terre, il faut dire _ninatau_: si c'est vne chose animée & par eau, il faut dire _ninahouau_: si c'est vne chose animée qui appartienne à quelqu'vn, il faut dire _ninahimouau_: si elle n'est pas animée _niuahimouau_, quelle varieté? nous n'auons en François pour tout cela qu'vn seul mot, ie vay querir, auquel on adiouste pour distinction par eau, ou par terre.

In the fifth place, they use some words upon the land, and others
upon the water, to signify the same thing. As, for instance,
I want to say, "I arrived yesterday;" if by land, I must say,
_nitagochinin outagouchi_,--if by water, I must say, _nimichagan
outagouchi_. I wish to say, "I was wet by the rain;" if it were
in walking upon land, I must say, nikimiouanoutan,--if it were
upon the water, _nikhimiouanutan_. "I am going to look for [178]
something;" if upon land, I must say, _ninaten_,--if by water,
_ninahen_; if it is an animate thing, and upon land, I must
say, _ninatau_; if it be animate and in the water, I must say,
_ninahouau_; if it is an animate thing that belongs to some one, I
must say, _ninahimouau_; if it is not animate, _niuahimouau_. What
a variety! We have in French only a single expression for all these
things, "Ie vay querir," to which we add, in order to distinguish,
"par eau," or "par terre."

En sixiesme lieu, vn seul de nos adiectifs en François se conioint auec tous nos substantifs, par exemple, nous disons le pain est froid, le petun est froid, ce fer est froid; mais en nostre Sauuage ces adiectifs changent selon les diuerses especes des substantifs, _tabiscau assini_, la pierre est froide, _tacabisisiou nouspouagan_, mon petunoir est froid, _ta_k_hisiou_ k_hichtemau_, ce petun est froid, _tacascouan misticou_, le bois est froid, si c'est quelque grande piece _tacascouchan misticou_, le bois est froid, _siicatchiou attimou_, ce chien a froid; voila vne estrange abondance.

In the sixth place, a single one of our adjectives in French is
associated with all our substantives. For example, we say, "the
bread is cold, the tobacco is cold, the iron is cold;" but in our
Savage tongue these adjectives change according to the different
kinds of substantives,--_tabiscau assini_, "the stone is cold;"
_tacabisisiou nouspouagan_, "my tobacco pipe is cold;" _takhisiou
khichtemau_, "this tobacco is cold;" _tacascouan misticou_, "the
wood is cold." If it is a large piece, _tacascouchan misticou_,
"the wood is cold;" _siicatchiou attimou_, "this dog is cold;" and
thus you see a strange abundance.

Remarquez en passant, que tous ces [179] adiectifs, voire mesme que tous les noms substantifs se conjuguent comme les verbes Latins impersonnels, par exemple, _tabiscau assini_, la pierre est froide, _tabiscaban_, elle estoit froide, _cata tabiscan_, elle sera froide, & ainsi du reste _Noutaoui_, c'est vn nom substantif, qui signifie mon pere, _noutaouiban_, c'estoit mon pere, ou bien deffunct mon pere _Cata noutaoui_, il sera mon pere, si on pouuoit se seruir de ces termes.

Observe, in passing, that all these [179] adjectives, and even all
the nouns, are conjugated like Latin impersonal verbs. For example,
_tabiscau assini_, "the stone is cold;" _tabiscaban_, "it was
cold;" _cata tabiscan_, "it will be cold;" and so on. _Noutaoui_,
is a noun which means, "my father;" _noutaouiban_, "it was my
father, or my deceased father;" _Cata noutaoui_, "it will be my
father," if such expressions could be used.

En septiesme lieu ils ont vne richesse si importune qu'elle me iette quasi dans la creance que ie seray pauure toute ma vie en leur langue. Quand vous cognoissez toutes les parties d'Oraison des langues qui florissent en nostre Europe, & que vous sçauez comme il les faut lier ensemble, vous sçauez la langue, il n'en est pas de mesme en la langue de nos Sauuages, peuplez vostre memoire de tous les mots qui signifient chaque chose en particulier, apprenez le noeud ou la Syntaxe qui les allie, vous n'estes encor qu'vn ignorant, vous pourrez bien auec cela vous faire entendre des Sauuages, quoy que non pas tousiours, mais vous ne les entendez [180] pas: la raison est, qu'outre les noms de chaque chose en particulier ils ont vne infinité de mots qui signifient plusieurs choses ensemble: si ie veux dire en Françoîs le vent pousse la neige, suffit que i'aye cognoissance de ces trois mots, du vent, du verbe, ie pousse, & de la neige, & que ie les sçache conioindre, il n'en est pas de mesme icy. Ie sçay comme on dit le vent _routin_, comme on dit il pousse vne chose noble comme est la neige en l'estime des Sauuages, c'est _ra_k_hineou_, ie sçay comme on dit la neige, c'est _couné_, que si ie veux conioindre ces trois mots _Routin ra_k_hineou couné_, les Sauuages ne m'entendront pas, que s'ils m'entendent ils se mettront à rire, pource qu'ils ne parlent pas comme cela, se seruans de ce seul mot _piouan_, pour dire le vent pousse ou fait voler la neige: de mesme le verbe _nisiicatchin_ signifie i'ay froid, ce nom _nissitai_ signifie mes pieds, si ie dis _nisiicat chin nissitai_ pour dire i'ay froid aux pieds, ils pourront bien m'entendre, mais ie ne les entẽdray pas quãd ils dirõt _Nitatagouasisin_, qui est le propre mot pour dire i'ay froid aux pieds: & ce qui [181] tuë vne memoire, ce mot n'est parent, ny allié, ny n'a point d'affinité en sa consonance auec les deux autres, d'où prouiẽt que ie les fais souuẽt rire en parlant, en voulant suiure l'œconomie de la langue Latine, ou Françoise, ne sçachant point ces mots qui signifient plusieurs choses ensemble? D'icy prouient encore, que bien souuent ie ne les entends pas, quoy qu'ils m'entendent: car ne se seruans pas des mots qui signifient vne chose simple en particulier, mais de ceux qui en signifient beaucoup à la fois, moy ne sçachant que ces premiers, & non encor à demy, ie ne les sçaurois entendre s'ils n'ont de l'esprit pour varier & choisir les mots plus communs, car alors ie tasche de m'en demesler.

In the seventh place, they have so tiresome an abundance that I
am almost led to believe that I shall remain poor all my life
in their language. When you know all the parts of Speech of the
languages of our Europe, and know how to combine them, you know the
languages; but it is not so concerning the tongue of our Savages.
Stock your memory with all the words that stand for each particular
thing, learn the knot or Syntax that joins them together, and
you are still only an ignoramus; with that, you can indeed make
yourself understood by the Savages, although not always, but you
will not be able to understand [180] them. The reason for this is,
that, besides the names of each particular thing, they have an
infinite number of words which signify several things together.
If I wish to say in French, "the wind drives the snow," it is
enough for me to know these three words, "the wind," the verb
"drive," and "the snow," and to know how to combine them; but it
is not so here. I know how they say "the wind," _routin_; how they
say "it drives something noble," as the snow is in the Savage
estimation,--the word for this is _rakhineou_; I know how they
say "snow," it is _couné_. But, if I try to combine these three
words, _Routin rakhineou couné_, the Savages will not understand
me; or, if they understand, will begin to laugh, because they do
not talk like that, merely making use of a single word, _piouan_,
to say "the wind drives or makes the snow fly." Likewise the verb
_nisiicatchin_, means "I am cold;" the noun _nissitai_, means "my
feet;" if I say _nisiicat chin nissitai_, to say "my feet are
cold," they will indeed understand me; but I shall not understand
them when they say _Nitatagouasisin_, which is the proper word to
say, "my feet are cold." And what [181] ruins the memory is, that
such a word has neither relation, nor alliance, nor any affinity,
in its sound, with the other two; whence it often happens that I
make them laugh in talking, when I try to follow the construction
of the Latin or French language, not knowing these words which mean
several things at once. From this it happens, also, that very often
I do not understand them, although they understand me; for as they
do not use the words which signify one thing in particular, but
rather those that mean a combination of things, I knowing only the
first, and not even the half of those, could not understand them if
they did not have sufficient intelligence to vary and choose more
common words, for then I try to unravel them.

C'est assez pour monstrer l'abondance de leur langue, si ie la sçauois parfaitement i'en parlerois auec plus d'asseurance; ie croy qu'ils ont d'autres richesses que ie n'ay peu encor découurir iusques icy.

This is enough to show the richness of their language; if I were
thoroughly acquainted with it, I would speak with more certainty.
I believe they have other riches which I have not been able to
discover up to the present.

I'oubliois à dire que nos Montagnais n'ont pas tant de lettres en leur Alphabeth, que nous en auons au nostre, ils confondent le B. & le P. ils confondent [182] aussi le C. le G. & le K. c'est à dire que deux Sauuages prononçans vn mesme mot, vous croiriez que l'vn prononce vn B. & que l'autre prononce vn P. que l'vn dit vn C. ou vn K. & l'autre vn G. ils n'ont point les lettres F, L, V consonante, X. Z. ils prononcent vn R. au lieu d'vn L. ils diront Monsieur du Pressi pour Monsieur du Plessi, ils prononcent vn P. au lieu d'vn V. consonante, Monsieur Olipier pour Monsieur Oliuier; mais comme ils ont la langue assez bien penduë, ils prendroient bientost nostre prononciation si on les instruisoit, notamment les enfans.

I forgot to say that the Montagnais have not so many letters in
their Alphabet as we have in ours; they confound B and P, and [182]
also C, G, and K; that is, if two Savages were to pronounce the
same word, you would think that one was pronouncing a B, and the
other a P, or that one was using a C or K, and the other a G. They
do not have the letters F, L, consonant V, X, and Z. They use R
instead of L, saying Monsieur du Pressi for Monsieur du Plessi;[2]
they utter the sound of P instead of consonant V, Monsieur Olipier
instead of Monsieur Olivier. But, as their tongues are quite
flexible, they will soon acquire our pronunciation if they are
instructed, especially the children.

Le P. Brebeuf m'a dit que les Hurons n'ont point de M. dequoy ie m'estonne: car ceste lettre me semble quasi naturelle, tant l'vsage en est grand.

Father Brebeuf tells me that the Hurons have no M, at which I
am astonished, for this letter seems to me almost natural, so
extensively is it used.

Que si pour conclusion de ce Chapitre V. R. me demande si i'ay beaucoup auancé dans la cognoissance de ceste langue pendant mon hyuernement auec ces Barbares, ie luy diray ingenuëment que non: en voicy les raisons.

Now if, as conclusion of this Chapter, Your Reverence asks me if
I made much progress in the knowledge of this language during the
winter I spent with these Barbarians, I answer frankly, "no;" and
here are the reasons.

Premierement, le deffaut de ma memoire que ne fut iamais bien excellente, [183] & qui se va deseichant tous les iours. O l'excellent homme pour ces pays icy que le Pere Brebeuf, sa memoire tres-heureuse, sa douceur tres-aymable, feront de grands fruicts dedans les Hurons.

First, my defective memory, which was never very good, [183] and
which continues to wither every day. Oh, what an excellent man for
these countries is Father Brebeuf! His most fortunate memory, and
his amiability and gentleness, will be productive of much good
among the Hurons.

Secondement, la malice du sorcier qui defendoit par fois qu'on m'enseignast.

Second, the malice of the sorcerer, who sometimes prevented them
from teaching me.

Tiercement, la perfidie de l'Apostat, qui contre sa promesse, & nonobstant les offres que ie luy faisois, ne m'a iamais voulu enseigner, voire sa déloyauté est venuë iusques à ce point de me donner exprez vn mot d'vne signification pour vn autre.

Third, the perfidy of the Apostate, who, contrary to his promise,
and notwithstanding the offers I made him, was never willing to
teach me,--his disloyalty even going so far as to purposely give me
a word of one signification for another.

En quatriesme lieu, la famine a esté long temps nostre hostesse, ie n'osois quasi en sa presence interroger nos Sauuages, leur estomach n'est pas de la nature des tonneaux qui resonnẽt d'autant mieux qu'ils sont vuides, il ressemble au tambour, plus il est bandé mieux il parle.

In the fourth place, famine was for a long time our guest; and I
scarcely ventured in her presence to question our Savages, their
stomachs not being like barrels which sound all the louder for
being empty; they resemble the drum,--the tighter it is drawn, the
better it talks.

En cinquiesme lieu, mes maladies m'ont fait quitter le soing des langues de la terre pour penser au langage de l'autre vie où ie pensois aller.

In the fifth place, my attacks of illness made me give up the care
for the languages of earth, to think about the language of the
other life whither I was expecting to go.

[184] En sixiesme lieu enfin la difficulté de ceste langue qui n'est pas petite, comme on peut coniecturer de ce que i'ay dit, n'a pas esté vn petit obstacle pour empescher vue pauure memoire comme la mienne d'aller bien loing. Ie iargonne neantmoins, & à force de crier ie me fais entendre.

[184] In the sixth place, and finally, the difficulty of this
language, which is not slight, as may be guessed from what I have
said, has been no small obstacle to prevent a poor memory like
mine from advancing far. Still, I talk a jargon, and, by dint of
shouting, can make myself understood.

Vn point me toucheroit viuement, n'estoit que i'estime qu'il ne faut pas marcher deuant Dieu, mais qu'il faut le fuiure, & se contenter de sa propre bassesse; c'est que ie ne croy quasi pas pouuoir iamais parler les langues des Sauuages auec autant de liberté qu'il seroit necessaire pour leur prescher, & répondre sur le champ sans broncher à leurs demandes & à leurs obiections, estant notamment occupé comme i'ay esté iusques à present. Vray que Dieu peut faire d'vne roche vn enfant d'Abraham. Qu'il soit beny à iamais par toutes les langues des nations de la terre.

One thing would touch me keenly, were it not that we are not
expected to walk before God, but to follow him, and to be contented
with our own littleness; it is that I almost fear I shall never
be able to speak the Savage tongues with the fluency necessary to
preach to them, and to answer at once, without stumbling, their
demands and objections, being so greatly occupied as I have been up
to the present. It is true that God can make from a rock a child
of Abraham. May he be forever praised, in all the tongues of the
nations of the earth!

[185] CHAPITRE XII.

DE CE QU'IL FAUT SOUFFRIR HYUERNANT AUEC LES SAUUAGES.

EPICTETE dit que celuy qui veut aller aux bains publics, se doit au prealable figurer toutes les insolences qui s'y commettent, afin que se trouuant engagé dans la risée d'vn tas de canailles, qui luy laueront mieux la teste que les pieds, il ne perde rien de la grauité & de la modestie d'vn homme sage. Ie dirois volontiers le mesme à qui Dieu donne les pensées, & les desirs de passer les mers, pour venir chercher & instruire les Sauuages: c'est en leur faueur que ie coucheray ce Chapitre, afin qu'ayant cogneu l'ennemy qu'ils auront en teste, ils ne s'oublient pas de se munir des armes necessaires pour le combat, notamment d'vn patience de fer ou de bronze, ou plustost d'vne patience toute d'or, pour supporter, fortement & amoureusement les grands trauaux qu'il faut souffrir parmy ces peuples. Commençons [186] par la maison qu'ils doiuent habiter s'il[s] les veulent suiure.

[185] CHAPTER XII.

WHAT ONE MUST SUFFER IN WINTERING WITH THE SAVAGES.

EPICTETUS says that he who intends to visit the public baths must
previously consider all the improprieties that will be committed
there; so that, when he finds himself surrounded by the derision
of a mob of scoundrels who would rather wash his head than his
feet, he may lose none of the gravity and modesty of a wise man. I
might say the same to those in whom God inspires the thought and
desire to cross over the seas, in order to seek and to instruct the
Savages. It is for their sake that I shall pen this Chapter, so
that, knowing the enemy they will encounter, they may not forget
to fortify themselves with the weapons necessary for the combat,
especially with patience of iron or bronze, or rather with a
patience entirely of gold, in order to bear bravely and lovingly
the great trials that must be endured among these people. Let us
begin [186] by speaking of the house they will have to live in, if
they wish to follow them.

Pour conceuoir la beauté de cest edifice, il en faut décrire la structure; i'en parleray auec science: car i'ay souuent aydé à la dresser. Estans donc arriuez au lieu où nous deuions camper; les femmes armées de haches s'en alloient çà & là dans ces grandes forests coupper du bois pour la charpente de l'hostellerie où nous voulions loger, ce pendant les hommes en ayans designé le plan, vuidoient la neige auec leurs raquilles, ou auec des pelles qu'ils font & portent exprez pour ce fujet: figurez vous donc vn grand rond, ou vn quarré dans la neige, haute de deux, de trois, ou de quatre pieds, selon les temps, ou les lieux où on cabane; ceste profondeur nous faisoit vne muraille blanche, qui nous enuironnoit de tous costez, excepté par l'endroit où on la fendoit pour faire la porte: la charpente apportée, qui consiste en quelque vingt ou trente perches, plus ou moins, selon la grandeur de la cabane, on la plante, non sur la terre, mais sur le haut de la neige, puis on iette sur ces perches qui s'approchent [187] vn petit par en haut, deux ou trois rouleaux d'écorces cousuës ensemble, commençant par le bas, & voila la maison faite, on couure la terre, comme aussi ceste muraille de neige qui regne tout à l'entour de la cabane, de petites branches de pin, & pour derniere perfection, on attache vne méchante peau à deux perches pour seruir de porte, dont les iambages font la neige mesme. Voyons maintenant en détail toutes les commoditez de ce beau Louure.

In order to have some conception of the beauty of this edifice, its
construction must be described. I shall speak from knowledge, for
I have often helped to build it. Now, when we arrived at the place
where we were to camp, the women, armed with axes, went here and
there in the great forests, cutting the framework of the hostelry
where we were to lodge; meantime the men, having drawn the plan
thereof, cleared away the snow with their snowshoes or with shovels
which they make and carry expressly for this purpose. Imagine now
a great ring or square in the snow, two, three or four feet deep,
according to the weather or the place where they encamp. This depth
of snow makes a white wall for us, which surrounds us on all sides,
except the end where it is broken through to form the door. The
framework having been brought, which consists of twenty or thirty
poles, more or less, according to the size of the cabin, it is
planted, not upon the ground but upon the snow; then they throw
upon these poles, which converge [187] a little at the top, two or
three rolls of bark sewed together, beginning at the bottom, and
behold, the house is made. The ground inside, as well as the wall
of snow which extends all around the cabin, is covered with little
branches of fir; and, as a finishing touch, a wretched skin is
fastened to two poles to serve as a door, the doorposts being the
snow itself. Now let us examine in detail all the comforts of this
elegant Mansion.

Vous ne sçauriez demeurer debout dans ceste maison, tant pour sa bassesse, que pour la fumée qui suffoqueroit, & par consequent il faut estre tousiours couché ou assis sur la platte terre, c'est la posture ordinaire des Sauuages: de sortir de hors, le froid, la neige, le danger de s'égarer dans ces grãds bois, vous font rentrer plus vite que le vent, & vous tiennent en prison dans vn cachot, qui n'a ny clef ny serrure.

You cannot stand upright in this house, as much on account of its
low roof as the suffocating smoke; and consequently you must always
lie down, or sit flat upon the ground, the usual posture of the
Savages. When you go out, the cold, the snow, and the danger of
getting lost in these great woods drive you in again more quickly
than the wind, and keep you a prisoner in a dungeon which has
neither lock nor key.

Ce cachot, outre la posture fascheuse qu'il y faut tenir sur vn lict de terre, a quatre grandes incommoditez, le froid, le chaud, la fumée & les chiens: [188] Pour le froid vous auez la teste à la neige, il n'y a qu'vne branche de pin entre deux, bien souuent rien que vostre bonnet, les vents ont liberté d'entrer par mille endroicts: car ne vous figurez pas que ces écorces soient iointes comme vn papier colé sur vn chassis, elles ressemblent bien souuent l'herbe à mille pertuis, sinon que leurs trous & leurs ouuertures sont vn peu plus grandes, & quand il n'y auroit que l'ouuerture d'en haut, qui sert de fenestre & de cheminée tout ensemble, le plus gros hyuer de France y pourroit tous les iours passer tout entier sans empressement. La nuict estant couché ie contemplois par ceste ouuerture & les Estoilles & la Lune, autant à découuert que si i'eusse esté en pleine campagne.

This prison, in addition to the uncomfortable position that
one must occupy upon a bed of earth, has four other great
discomforts,--cold, heat, smoke, and dogs. [188] As to the cold,
you have the snow at your head with only a pine branch between,
often nothing but your hat, and the winds are free to enter in a
thousand places. For do not imagine that these pieces of bark are
joined as paper is glued and fitted to a window frame; they are
often like the plant mille-pertuis,[3] except that their holes and
their openings are a little larger; and even if there were only the
opening at the top, which serves at once as window and chimney,
the coldest winter in France could come in there every day without
any trouble. When I lay down at night I could study through this
opening both the Stars and the Moon as easily as if I had been in
the open fields.

Or cependant le froid ne m'a pas tant tourmenté que la chaleur du feu, vn petit lieu, comme sont leurs cabanes s'échauffe aisément par vn bon feu, qui me rotissoit par fois & me grilloit de tous costez, à raison que la cabane estant trop estroitre, ie ne sçauois comment me deffendre de son ardeur, d'aller à droite ou a gauche, vous ne sçauriez: [189] car les Sauuages qui vous sont voisins occupent vos costez, de reculer en arriere, vous rencontrez ceste muraille de neige, ou les écorces de la cabane qui vous bornent, ie ne sçauois en quelle posture me mettre, de m'estendre, la place estoit si estroite que mes iambes eussent esté à moitié dans le feu; de me tenir en ploton, & tousiours racourcy cõme ils font, ie ne pouuois pas si long temps qu'eux: mes habits ont esté tout rostis & tout bruslez. Vous me demanderez peut estre si la neige que nous auions au dos ne se fondoit point quand on faisoit bon feu: ie dis que non, que si par fois la chaleur l'amolissoit tant soit peu, le froid la durcissoit en glace. Or ie diray neantmoins que le froid ny le chaud n'ont rien de [in]tolerable, & qu'on trouue quelque remede à ces deux maux.

Nevertheless, the cold did not annoy me as much as the heat from
the fire. A little place like their cabins is easily heated by a
good fire, which sometimes roasted and broiled me on all sides, for
the cabin was so narrow that I could not protect myself against the
heat. You cannot move to right or left, [189] for the Savages, your
neighbors, are at your elbows; you cannot withdraw to the rear,
for you encounter the wall of snow, or the bark of the cabin which
shuts you in. I did not know what position to take. Had I stretched
myself out, the place was so narrow that my legs would have been
halfway in the fire; to roll myself up in a ball, and crouch down
in their way, was a position I could not retain as long as they
could; my clothes were all scorched and burned. You will ask me
perhaps if the snow at our backs did not melt under so much heat. I
answer, "no;" that if sometimes the heat softened it in the least,
the cold immediately turned it into ice. I will say, however, that
both the cold and the heat are endurable, and that some remedy may
be found for these two evils.

Mais pour la fumée, ie vous confesse que c'est vn martyre, elle me tuoit, & me faisoit pleurer incessament sans que i'eusse ny douleur ny tristesse dans le coeur, elle nous terrassoit par fois tous tant que nous estions dans la cabane, c'est à dire qu'il falloit mettre la [190] bouche contre terre pour pouuoir respirer: car encor que les Sauuages soient accoustumez à ce tourment, si est-ce que par fois il redoubloit auec telle violence, qu'ils estoient contraincts aussi bien que moy de se coucher sur le ventre, & de manger quasi la terre pour ne point boire la fumée: i'ay quelquefois demeuré plusieurs heures en ceste situation, notamment dans les plus grands froids, & lors qu'il neigeoit: car c'estoit en ces temps là que la fumée nous assailloit auec plus de fureur, nous saisissant à la gorge, aux naseaux, & aux yeux: que ce breuuage est amer! que ceste odeur est forte! que ceste vapeur est nuisible à la veuë! i'ay creu plusieurs fois que ie m'en allois estre aueugle, les yeux me cuisoient comme feu, ils me pleuroient ou distilloient comme vn alambic, ie ne voyois plus rien que confusément, à la façon de ce bon homme, qui disoit, _video homines velut arbores ambulantes_. Ie disois les Pseaumes de mon Breuiaire comme ie pouuois, les sçachans à demy par coeur, i'attendois que la douleur me donnast vn peu de relasche pour reciter les leçons, & quãd [191] ie venois à les lire elles me sembloient écrites en lettres de feu, ou d'écarlatte, i'ay souuent fermé mon liure n'y voyant rien que confusion qui me blessoit la veüe.

But, as to the smoke, I confess to you that it is martyrdom. It
almost killed me, and made me weep continually, although I had
neither grief nor sadness in my heart. It sometimes grounded all
of us who were in the cabin; that is, it caused us to place our
[190] mouths against the earth in order to breathe. For, although
the Savages were accustomed to this torment, yet occasionally
it became so dense that they, as well as I, were compelled to
prostrate themselves, and as it were to eat the earth, so as not
to drink the smoke. I have sometimes remained several hours in
this position, especially during the most severe cold and when it
snowed; for it was then the smoke assailed us with the greatest
fury, seizing us by the throat, nose, and eyes. How bitter is this
drink! How strong its odor! How hurtful to the eyes are its fumes!
I sometimes thought I was going blind; my eyes burned like fire,
they wept or distilled drops like an alembic; I no longer saw
anything distinctly, like the good man who said, _video homines
velut arbores ambulantes_. I repeated the Psalms of my Breviary as
best I could, knowing them half by heart, and waited until the pain
might relax a little to recite the lessons; and when [191] I came
to read them they seemed written in letters of fire, or of scarlet;
I have often closed my book, seeing things so confusedly that it
injured my sight.

Quelqu'vn me dira que ie deuois sortir de ce trou enfumé, & prendre l'air, & ie luy répondray, que l'air estoit ordinairement en ce temps-là si froid, que les arbres qui ont la peau plus dure que celle de l'homme, & le corps plus solide, ne luy pouuoient resister, se fendans iusques au coeur faisans vn bruit comme d'vn mousquet en s'éclatans: ie sortois neantmoins quelque fois de ceste taniere, fuyant la rage de la fumée pour me mettre à la mercy du froid, contre lequel ie taschois de m'armer, m'enueloppant de ma couuerture comme vn Irlandois, & en cet equipage assis sur la neige, ou sur quelque arbre abbatu, ie recitois mes Heures: le mal estoit que la neige n'auoit pas plus de pitié de mes yeux que la fumée.

Some one will tell me that I ought to have gone out from this smoky
hole to get some fresh air; and I answer him that the air was
usually so cold at those times that the trees, which have a harder
skin than man, and a more solid body, could not stand it, splitting
even to the core, and making a noise like the report of a musket.
Nevertheless, I occasionally emerged from this den, fleeing the
rage of the smoke to place myself at the mercy of the cold, against
which I tried to arm myself by wrapping up in my blanket like an
Irishman; and in this garb, seated upon the snow or a fallen tree,
I recited my Hours; the trouble was, the snow had no more pity upon
my eyes than the smoke.

Pour les chiens que i'ay dit estre l'vne des incommoditez des maisons des Sauuages, ie ne sçay si ie les dois blasmer: car ils m'ont rendu par fois de bons [192] seruices, vray qu'ils tiroient de moy la mesme courtoisie qu'ils me prestoient, si bien que nous nous entr'aydions les vns les autres, faisans l'emblesme de _mutuum auxilium_, ces pauures bestes ne pouuans subsister à l'air, hors la cabane se venoient coucher tantost sur mes épaules, tantost sur mes pieds, & comme ie n'auois qu'vne simple castalogne pour me seruir de mattelas & de couuerture tout ensemble, ie n'estois pas marry de cet abry, leurs rendans volontiers vne partie de la chaleur que ie tirois d'eux: il est vray que comme ils estoient grands & en grand nombre, ils me pressoient par fois & m'importunoient si fort, qu'en me donnant vn peu de chaleur, ils me déroboient tout mon sommeil, cela estoit cause que bien souuant ie les chassois, en quoy il m'arriua certaine nuict vn traict de confusion & de risée: car vn Sauuage s'estant ietté sur moy en dormant, moy croyant que ce fust vn chien, rencontrant en main vn baston, ie le frappe m'écriant, _Aché, Aché_, qui sont les mots dont ils se seruent pour chasser les chiens, mon homme s'éueille bien estonné pensant que [193] tout fut perdu; mais s'estant pris garde d'où venoient les coups: tu n'as point d'esprit, me dit-il, ce n'est pas vn chien, c'est moy: à ces paroles ie ne sçay qui resta le plus estonné de nous deux, ie quittay doucement mon baston, bien marry de l'auoir trouué si pres de moy.

As to the dogs, which I have mentioned as one of the discomforts
of the Savages' houses, I do not know that I ought to blame them,
for they have sometimes rendered me good [192] service. True,
they exacted from me the same courtesy they gave, so that we
reciprocally aided each other, illustrating the idea of _mutuum
auxilium_. These poor beasts, not being able to live outdoors,
came and lay down sometimes upon my shoulders, sometimes upon my
feet, and as I only had one blanket to serve both as covering and
mattress, I was not sorry for this protection, willingly restoring
to them a part of the heat which I drew from them. It is true that,
as they were large and numerous, they occasionally crowded and
annoyed me so much, that in giving me a little heat they robbed me
of my sleep, so that I very often drove them away. In doing this
one night, there happened to me a little incident which caused some
confusion and laughter; for, a Savage having thrown himself upon me
while asleep, I thought it was a dog, and finding a club at hand, I
hit him, crying out, _Aché, Aché_, the words they use to drive away
the dogs. My man woke up greatly astonished, thinking that [193]
all was lost; but having discovered whence came the blows, "Thou
hast no sense," he said to me, "it is not a dog, it is I." At these
words I do not know who was the more astonished of us two; I gently
dropped my club, very sorry at having found it so near me.

Retournons à nos chiens, ces animaux estans affamez, d'autant qu'ils n'auoient pas de quoy mãger non plus que nous, ne faisoient qu'aller & venir, roder par tout dans la cabane: or comme on est souuẽt couché aussi bien qu'assis dans ces maisons d'écorce, ils nous passoient souuent & sur la face & sur le ventre, & si souuent, & auec telle importunité, qu'estant las de crier & de les chasser, ie me couurois quelque fois la face, puis ie leur donnois liberté de passer par où ils voudroient: s'il arriuoit qu'on leur iettait vn os, aussitoit s'estoit de courre apres à qui l'auroit, culbutans tous ceux qu'ils rencontroient assis, s'ils ne se tenoient bien fermes; ils m'ont par fois renuersé & mon écuelle d'écorce, & tout ce qui estoit dedans sur ma sotane. Ie sousriois quand il y suruenoit quelque querelle parmy-eux lors que [194] nous disnions: car il n'y auoit celuy qui ne tint son plat à deux belles mains contre la terre, qui seruoit de table, de siege & de lict, & aux hommes & aux chiens: c'est de là que prouenoit la grãde incommodité que nous receuions de ces animaux, qui portoient le nez dans nos écuelles plustost que nous n'y portions la main. C'est assez dit des incommoditez des maisons des Sauuages, parlons de leurs viures.

Let us return to our dogs. These animals, being famished, as they
have nothing to eat, any more than we, do nothing but run to and
fro gnawing at everything in the cabin. Now as we were as often
lying down as sitting up in these bark houses, they frequently
walked over our faces and stomachs; and so often and persistently,
that, being tired of shouting at them and driving them away, I
would sometimes cover my face and then give them liberty to go
where they wanted. If any one happened to throw them a bone, there
was straightway a race for it, upsetting all whom they encountered
sitting, unless they held themselves firmly. They have often upset
for me my bark dish, and all it contained, in my gown. I was amused
whenever there was a quarrel among them at [194] our dinner table,
for there was not one of us who did not hold his plate down with
both hands on the ground, which serves as table, seat, and bed
both to men and dogs. From this custom arose the great annoyance
we experienced from these animals, who thrust their noses into our
bark plates before we could get our hands in. I have said enough
about the inconveniences of the Savages' houses, let us speak of
their food.

Au commencement que ie fus auec eux, comme ils ne salent ny leurs boüillons ny leurs viandes, & que la saleté mesme fait leur cuisine, ie ne pouuois manger de leur salmigondies, ie me contentois d'vn peu de galette & d'vn peu d'anguille bouccanée, iusques là que mon hoste me tançoit de ce que ie mangeois si peu, ie m'affamay deuant que la famine nous acceüillist, cependant nos Sauuages faisoient tous les iours des festins, en sorte que nous nous vismes en peu de temps sans pain, sans farine, & sans anguilles, & sans aucun moyen d'estre secourus: car outre que nous estions fort auant dans les bois, & que nous fussions morts mille fois deuant [195] que d'arriuer aux demeures des François, nous hyuernions de là le grãd fleuue qu'on ne peut trauerser en ce temps là pour le grand nombre de glaces qu'il charie incessamment, & qui mettroient en pieces non seulement vne chalouppe, mais vn grand vaisseau, pour la chasse, comme les neiges n'estoient pas profondes à proportion des autres années, ils ne pouuoiẽt pas prendre l'Elan, si bien qu'ils n'apportoient que quelques Castors, & quelques Porcs epics, mais en si petit nombre, & si peu souuent, que cela seruoit plustost pour ne point mourir que pour viure. Mon hoste me disoit dans ces grandes disettes. _Chibiné_ aye l'ame dure resiste à la faim, tu seras par fois deux iours, quelque fois trois ou quatre sans manger, ne te laisse point abbattre, prẽd courage, quand la neige sera venuë nous mangerons: nostre Seigneur n'a pas voulu qu'ils fussent si long temps sans rien prendre; mais pour l'ordinaire nous mangions vne fois en deux iours, voire assez souuent ayans mangé vn Castor le matin, le lendemain au soir nous mangions vn Porc-epic gros comme [196] vn Cochon de laict: c'estoit peu à dixneuf personnes que nous estions, il est vray; mais ce peu suffisoit pour ne point mourir. Quand ie pouuois auoir vne peau d'Anguille pour ma iournée sur la fin de nos viures, ie me tenois pour bien déieuné, bien disné, & bien soupé.

When I first went away with them, as they salt neither their
soup nor their meat, and as filth itself presides over their
cooking, I could not eat their mixtures, and contented myself
with a few sea biscuit and smoked eel; until at last my host took
me to task because I ate so little, saying that I would starve
myself before the famine overtook us. Meanwhile our Savages had
feasts every day, so that in a very short time we found ourselves
without bread, without flour, without eels, and without any means
of helping ourselves. For besides being very far in the woods,
where we would have died a thousand times before [195] reaching
the French settlement, we were wintering on the other side of the
great river, which cannot be crossed in this season on account of
the great masses of ice which are continually floating about, and
which would crush not only a small boat but even a great ship. As
to the chase, the snows not being deep in comparison with those
of other years, they could not take the Elk, and so brought back
only some Beavers and Porcupines, but in so small a number and so
seldom that they kept us from dying rather than helped us to live.
My host said to me during this time of scarcity, "_Chibiné_, harden
thy soul, resist hunger; thou wilt be sometimes two, sometimes
three or four, days without food: do not let thyself be cast down,
take courage; when the snow comes, we shall eat." It was not our
Lord's will that they should be so long without capturing anything;
but we usually had something to eat once in two days,--indeed, we
very often had a Beaver in the morning, and in the evening of the
next day a Porcupine as big as [196] a sucking Pig. This was not
much for nineteen of us, it is true, but this little sufficed to
keep us alive. When I could have, toward the end of our supply of
food, the skin of an Eel for my day's fare, I considered that I had
breakfasted, dined, and supped well.

Au commencement ie m'estois seruy d'vne de ces peaux pour refaire vne sotane de toille que i'auois sur moy, ayãt oublié de porter des pieces, mais voyãt que la faim me pressoit si fort, ie mangeay mes pieces, & si ma sotane eust esté de mesme estoffe, ie vous répond que ie l'eusse rapportée bien courte en la maison: ie mangeois bien les vieilles peaux d'Orignac, qui sont bien plus dures que les peaux d'Anguilles, i'allois dans les bois brouter le bout des arbres & ronger les écorces plus tendres, comme ie remarqueray dans le iournal. Les Sauuages qui nous estoient voisins, souffroient encore plus que nous, quelques-vns nous venans voir, nous disoient que leurs camarades estoient morts de faim, i'en vy qui n'auoient mangé qu'vne fois en cinq iours, & qui se tenoient bien heureux quand ils trouuoient de quoy [197] disner au bout de deux, ils estoient faits comme des squelets, n'ayans plus que la peau sur les os, nous faisions par fois de bons repas; mais pour vn bon disner, nous nous passions trois fois de souper. Vn ieune Sauuage de nostre cabane, mourant de faim, comme ie diray au Chapitre suiuant, ils me demandoient souuent si ie ne craignois point, si ie n'auois point peur de la mort, & voyans que ie me monstrois assez asseuré ils s'en estonnoient, notamment en certain temps que ie les vis quasi tomber dans le desespoir. Quand ils viennent iusques-là, ils ioüent pour ainsi dire à sauue qui peut, ils iettent leurs écorces, & leur bagage, ils abandonnent les vns les autres, & perdans le soin du public, c'est à qui trouuera de quoy viure pour soy; alors les enfans, les femmes, en vn mot ceux qui ne sçauroient chasser meurent de froid & de faim, s'ils en fussent venus à ceste extremité ie serois mort des premiers.

At first, I had used one of these skins to patch the cloth gown
that I wore, as I forgot to bring some pieces with me; but, when I
was so sorely pressed with hunger, I ate my pieces; and if my gown
had been made of the same stuff, I assure you I would have brought
it back home much shorter than it was. Indeed, I ate old Moose
skins, which are much tougher than those of the Eel; I went about
through the woods biting the ends of the branches, and gnawing the
more tender bark, as I shall relate in the journal. Our neighboring
Savages suffered still more than we did, some of them coming to
see us, and telling us that their comrades had died of hunger. I
saw some who had eaten only once in five days, and who considered
themselves very well off if they found something [197] to dine
upon at the end of two days; they were reduced to skeletons,
being little more than skin and bones. We occasionally had some
good meals; but for every good dinner we went three times without
supper. When a young Savage of our cabin was dying of hunger, as
I shall relate in the following Chapter, they often asked me if
I was not afraid, if I had no fear of death; and seeing me quite
firm, they were astonished, on one occasion in particular, when I
saw them almost falling into a state of despair. When they reach
this point, they play, so to speak, at "save himself who can;"
throwing away their bark and baggage, deserting each other, and
abandoning all interest in the common welfare, each one strives to
find something for himself. Then the children, women, and for that
matter all those who cannot hunt, die of cold and hunger. If they
had reached this extremity, I would have been among the first to
die.

Voila ce qu'il faut preuoir auant que de se mettre à leur suitte: car encor qu'ils ne soient pas tous les ans pressez de ceste famine, ils en courent tous les [198] ans les dangers puis qu'ils n'ont point à manger, ou fort peu, s'il n'y a beaucoup de neige & beaucoup d'Orignaux, ce qui n'arriue pas tousiours.

So these are the things that must be expected before undertaking
to follow them; for, although they may not be pressed with famine
every year, yet they run the risk every [198] winter of not having
food, or very little, unless there are heavy snowfalls and a great
many Moose, which does not always happen.

Que si vous me demandez maintenant quels estoient mes sentimens dans les afres de la mort, & d'vne mort si langoureuse comme est celle qui prouient de la famine, ie vous diray que i'ay de la peine à répondre; neantmoins afin que ceux qui liront ce Chapitre, n'apprehendent point de nous venir secourir, ie puis asseurer auec verité que ce temps de famine m'a esté vn temps d'abondance. Ayant recogneu que nous commençions à floter entre l'esperance de la vie & la crainte de la mort, ie fis mon conte que Dieu m'auoit condamné à mourir de faim pour mes pechez, & baisant mille fois la main qui auoit minuté ma sentence, i'en attendois l'execution auec vne paix & une ioye qu'on peut bien sentir, mais qu'on ne peut décrire: ie confesse qu'on souffre, & qu'il se faut resoudre à la Croix: mais Dieu fait gloire d'ayder vne ame quand elle n'est plus secouruë des creatures. Poursuiuons nostre chemin.