Chapter XI (2)

Now if you were to ask me what my feelings were in the terrors of
death, and of a death so lingering as is that which comes from
hunger, I will say that I can hardly tell. Nevertheless, in order
that those who read this Chapter may not have a dread of coming
over to our assistance, I can truly say that this time of famine
was for me a time of abundance. When I realized that we began to
hover between the hope of life and the fear of death, I made up
my mind that God had condemned me to die of starvation for my
sins; and, a thousand times kissing the hand that had written
my sentence, I awaited the execution of it with a peace and joy
which may be experienced, but cannot be described. I confess that
one suffers, and that he must reconcile himself to the Cross; but
God glories in helping a soul when it is no longer aided by his
creatures. Let us continue on our way.

[199] Apres ceste famine nous eusmes quelques bons iours, la neige qui n'estoit que trop haute pour auoir froid, mais trop basse pour prendre l'Orignac, s'estant grandement accreuë sur la fin de Ianuier, nos Chasseurs prirent quelques Orignaux, dont ils firent seicherie: or soit que mon intemperance, ou que ce boucan dur comme du bois, & sale comme les ruës fut contraire à mon estomach, ie tombay malade au beau commencement de Feurier, me voila donc contraint de demeurer tousiours couché sur la terre froide, ce n'estoit pas pour me guerir des tranchées fort sensibles qui me tourmentoient, & qui me contraignoient de sortir à toute heure iour & nuict, m'engageant à chaque sortie dedans les neiges iusques aux genoux, & parfois quasi iusques à la ceinture, notamment au commencement que nous nous estions cabanez en quelque endroit, ces douleurs sensibles me durerent enuiron huict ou dix iours, comme aussi vn grand mal d'estomach, & vne foiblesse de coeur qui se répandoit par tout le corps, ie guary de ceste maladie, non pas tout à fait: car ie ne fis [200] que traisner iusques à la my-Caresme que le mal me reprit. Ie dis cecy pour faire voir le peu de secours qu'on doit attendre des Sauuages quand on est malade: estant vn iour pressé de la soif ie demanday vn peu d'eau, on me répondit qu'il n'y en auoit point & qu'on me donneroit de la neige fonduë si i'en voulois: comme ce breuuage estoit contraire à mon mal, ie fis entendre à mon hoste que i'auois veu vn lac nõ pas loing de là, & que i'en eusse bien voulu auoir vn peu d'eau, il fit la sourde oreille à cause que le chemin estoit vn peu fascheux, si bien que non seulement ceste fois; mais encore en tous les endroits que quelque fleuue ou quelque ruisseau estoit vn peu trop esloigné de nostre cabane, il falloit boire de ceste neige fonduë dans vne chaudiere, dont le cuiure estoit moins épais que la saleté: qui voudra sçauoir l'amertume de ce breuuage qu'il le tire d'vn vaisseau sortant de la fumée & qu'il en gouste.

[199] After this famine, we had some good days. The snow, which had
been only too deep to be cold, but too shallow to take the Moose,
having greatly increased toward the end of January, our Hunters
captured some Moose, which they dried. Now either on account of my
lack of moderation, or because this meat, dried as hard as wood and
as dirty as the street, did not agree with my stomach, I fell sick
in the very beginning of February. So behold me obliged to remain
all the time lying upon the cold ground; this did not tend to cure
me of the severe cramps that tormented me and compelled me to go
out at all hours of the day and night, plunging me every time in
snow up to my knees and sometimes almost up to my waist, especially
when we had first begun our encampment in any one place. These
severe attacks lasted about eight or ten days, and were accompanied
by a pain in the stomach, and a weakness in the heart, which spread
through my whole body. I recovered from this sickness, but not
entirely, for I was [200] only dragging myself around at mid-Lent,
when I was again seized with this disease. I tell the following in
order to show how little help may be expected from the Savages when
a person is sick. Being very thirsty one day, I asked for a little
water; they said there was none, and that they would give me some
melted snow if I wanted it. As this drink was bad for my disease, I
made my host understand that I had seen a lake not far from there,
and that I would like very much to have some of that water. He
pretended not to hear, because the road was somewhat bad; and it
happened thus not only this time, but at any place where the river
or brook was a little distance from our cabin. We had to drink this
snow melted in a kettle whose copper was less thick than the dirt;
if any one wishes to know how bitter this drink is, let him take
some from a kettle just out of the smoke and taste it.

Quant à la nourriture, ils partagent le malade comme les autres; s'ils prennent de la chair fresche, ils luy en donnent sa part s'il en veut, s'il ne la mange, [201] pour lors on ne se met pas en peine de luy en garder vn petit morceau quand il voudra manger, on luy donnera de ce qu'il y aura pour lors en la cabane, c'est à dire du boucan & non pas du meilleur: car ils le reseruent pour les festins, si bien qu'vn pauure malade est contraint bien souuent de manger parmy eux, ce qui luy feroit horreur dans la santé mesme s'il estoit auec nos François. Vne ame bien alterée de la soif du Fils de Dieu, ie veux dire des souffrances, trouueroit icy dequoy se rassasier.

As to the food, they divide with a sick man just as with the
others; if they have fresh meat they give him his share, if he
wants it, but if he does not eat it [201] then, no one will take
the trouble to keep a little piece for him to eat when he wants it;
they will give him some of what they happen to have at the time in
the cabin, namely, smoked meat, and nothing better, for they keep
the best for their feasts. So a poor invalid is often obliged to
eat among them what would horrify him even in good health if he
were with our Frenchmen. A soul very thirsty for the Son of God, I
mean for suffering, would find enough here to satisfy it.

Il me reste encore à parler de leur conuersation, pour faire entierement cognoistre ce qu'on peut souffrir auec ce peuple. Ie m'estois mis en la compagnie de mon hoste & du Renegat, à condition que nous n'hyuerneriõs point auec le Sorcier, que ie cognoissois pour tres-meschant homme, ils m'auoient accordé ces conditions, mais ils furent infidelles, ne gardans ny l'vne ny l'autre: ils m'engagerent donc auec ce pretendu Magicien, comme ie diray cy apres; or ce miserable homme, & la fumée m'ont esté les deux plus grands tourmens [202] que i'aye enduré parmy ces Barbares: ny le froid, ny le chaud, ny l'incommodité des chiens, ny coucher à l'air, ny dormir sur vn lict de terre, ny la posture qu'il faut tousiours tenir dans leurs cabanes, se ramassans en peloton, ou se couchans, ou s'asseans sans siege & sans mattelas, ny la faim, ny la soif, ny la pauuerté & saleté de leur boucan, ny la maladie, tout cela ne m'a semblé que ieu à comparaison de la fumée & de la malice du Sorcier, auec lequel i'ay tousiours esté en très mauuaise intelligence pour les raisons suiuantes.

It remains for me yet to speak of their conversation, in order to
make it clearly understood what there is to suffer among these
people. I had gone in company with my host and the Renegade, on
condition that we should not pass the winter with the Sorcerer,
whom I knew as a very wicked man. They had granted my conditions,
but they were faithless, and kept not one of them, involving me in
trouble with this pretended Magician, as I shall relate hereafter.
Now this wretched man and the smoke were the two greatest trials
[202] that I endured among these Barbarians. The cold, heat,
annoyance of the dogs, sleeping in the open air and upon the bare
ground; the position I had to assume in their cabins, rolling
myself up in a ball or crouching down or sitting without a seat or
a cushion; hunger, thirst, the poverty and filth of their smoked
meats, sickness,--all these, things were merely play to me in
comparison to the smoke and the malice of the Sorcerer, with whom I
have always been on a very bad footing, for the following reasons:--

Premierement, pource que m'ayant inuité d'hyuerner auec luy, ie l'auois éconduy, dequoy il se ressentoit fort, voyant que ie faisois plus d'estat de mon hoste, son cadet, que de luy.

First, because, when he invited me to winter with him, I refused;
and he resented this greatly, because he saw that I cared more for
my host, his younger brother, than I did for him.

Secondement, pource que ie ne pouuois assouuir sa cõuoitise, ie n'auois rien qu'il ne me demandast, il m'a fait fort souuent quitter mon manteau de dessus mes espaules pour s'en couurir: or ne pouuant pas satisfaire à toutes ses demandes, il me voyoit de mauuais oeil, voire mesme quand ie luy eusse donné tout le peu que i'auois, ie n'eusse peu gagner [203] son amitié: car nous auions bien d'autres sujets de diuorce.

Second, because I could not gratify his covetousness. I had nothing
that he did not ask me for, often taking my mantle off my shoulders
to put it on his own. Now as I could not satisfy all his demands,
he looked upon me with an evil eye; indeed, even if I had given him
all the little I had, I could not have gained [203] his friendship,
because we were at variance on other subjects.

En trois[i]esme lieu, voyant qu'il faisoit du Prophete, amusant ce peuple par mille sottises qu'il inuente à mon aduis tous les iours, ie ne laissois perdre aucune occasion de le conuaincre de niaiserie & puerilité, mettant au iour l'impertinence de ses superstitions: or c'estoit luy arracher l'ame du corps par violence: car comme il ne sçauroit plus chasser, il fait plus que iamais du Prophete & du Magicien pour conseruer son credit, & pour auoir les bons morceaux, si bien qu'esbranlant son authorité qui se va perdant tous les iours, ie le touchois à la prunelle de l'œil, & luy rauissois les delices de son Paradis, qui sont les plaisirs de la gueule.

In the third place, seeing that he acted the Prophet, amusing these
people by a thousand absurdities, which he invented, in my opinion,
every day, I did not lose any opportunity of convincing him of
their nonsense and childishness, exposing the senselessness of his
superstitions. Now this was like tearing his soul out of his body;
for, as he could no longer hunt, he acted the Prophet and Magician
more than ever before, in order to preserve his credit, and to get
the dainty pieces. So that in shaking his authority, which was
diminishing daily, I was touching the apple of his eye and wresting
from him the delights of his Paradise, which are the pleasures of
his jaws.

En quatriesme lieu, se voulant recrer à mes dépens, il me faisoit par fois escrire en sa langue des choses sales, m'assurant qu'il n'y auoit rien de mauuais, puis il me faisoit prononcer ces impudences, que ie n'entendois pas deuant les Sauuages: quelques femmes m'ayans aduerty de ceste malice, ie luy dis que ie ne salirois plus mon papier ny ma [204] bouche, de ces vilaines paroles, il ne laissa pas de me commander de lire en la presence de toute la cabane, & de quelques Sauuages qui estoient suruenus, quelque chose qu'il m'auoit dicté, ie luy répondis que l'Apostat m'en donnat l'interpretation, & puis que ie lirois, ce Renegat refusant de le faire, ie refusay aussi de lire, le Sorcier me le commande auec empire, c'est à dire auec de grosses paroles, ie le prie au commencement auec grande douceur de m'en dispenser: mais comme il ne vouloit pas estre éconduit deuant les Sauuages, il me presse fort & me fait presser par mon hoste qui fit du fasché: enfin recognoissant que mes excuses n'auoiẽt plus de lieu, ie luy parle d'vn accent fort haut, & apres luy auoir reproché ses lubricitez, ie luy addresse ces paroles: Me voicy en ton pouuoir, tu me peux massacrer, mais tu ne sçaurois me contraindre de proferer des paroles impudiques: elles ne sont pas telles, me dit-il, Pourquoy donc, luy dis-je, ne m'en veut-on pas donner l'interpretation? il sortit de ceste meslée fort vlceré.

In the fourth place, wishing to have sport at my expense, he
sometimes made me write vulgar things in his language, assuring
me there was nothing bad in them, then made me pronounce these
shameful words, which I did not understand, in the presence of the
Savages. Some women having warned me of this trick, I told him I
would no longer soil my paper nor my [204] lips with these vile
words. He insisted, however, that I should read before all those
of the cabin, and some Savages who had come thither, something he
had dictated to me. I answered him that, if the Apostate would
interpret them to me, I would read them. That Renegade refusing to
do this, I refused to read. The Sorcerer commanded me imperiously,
that is, with high words, and I at first begged him gently to
excuse me; but as he did not wish to be thwarted before the
Savages, he persisted in urging me, and had my host, who pretended
to be vexed, urge me also. At last, aware that my excuses were of
no avail, I spoke to him peremptorily, and, after reproaching him
for his lewdness, I addressed him in these words: "Thou hast me in
thy power, thou canst murder me, but thou canst not force me to
repeat indecent words." "They are not such," he said. "Why then,"
said I, "will they not interpret them to me?" He emerged from this
conflict very much exasperated.

En cinquiesme lieu, voyant que mon [205] hoste m'aymoit, il eut peur que cet amour ne le priuast de quelque friand morceau, ie taschay de luy oster ceste apprehension, témoignant publiquement que ie ne viuois pas pour manger, mais que ie mangeois pour viure, & qu'il importoit peu quoy qu'on me donnast, pourueu que i'en eusse assez pour ne point mourir: il me repartit nettement, qu'il n'estoit pas de mon aduis, mais qu'il faisoit profession d'estre friand, d'aymer les bons morceaux, & qu'on l'obligeoit fort quand on luy en presentoit: or iaçoit que mon hoste ne luy donnast aucun sujet de craindre en cet endroit, si est ce qu'il m'attaquoit quasi en tous les repas, comme s'il eut eu peur de perdre la preseance, ceste apprehension augmentoit sa haine.

In the fifth place, seeing that my [205] host was greatly attached
to me, he was afraid that this friendliness might deprive him of
some choice morsel. I tried to relieve him of this apprehension
by stating publicly that I did not live to eat, but that I ate to
live; and that it mattered little what they gave me, provided it
was enough to keep me alive. He retorted sharply that he was not of
my opinion, but that he made a profession of being dainty; that he
was fond of the good pieces, and was very much obliged when people
gave them to him. Now although my host gave him no cause for fear
in this direction, yet he attacked me at almost every meal as if he
were afraid of losing his precedence. This apprehension increased
his hatred.

En sixiesme lieu, comme il voyoit que les Sauuages des autres cabanes me portoient quelque respect, cognoissant d'ailleurs que i'estois grand ennemy de ses impostures, & que si i'entrois dans l'esprit de ses oüailles, que ie le perdrois de fond en comble, il faisoit son possible pour me détruire, & pour me rendre ridicule en la creance de son peuple.

In the sixth place, when he saw that the Savages of the other
cabins showed me some respect, knowing besides that I was a great
enemy of his impostures, and that, if I gained influence among his
flock, I would ruin him completely, he did all he could to destroy
me and to make me appear ridiculous in the eyes of his people.

[206] En septiesme lieu, adioustez à tout cecy l'auersion que luy & tous les Sauuages de Tadoussac ont eu iusques icy des François depuis le commerce des Anglois, & coniecturez quel traictement ie peux auoir receu de ces Barbares, qui adorent ce miserable Sorcier, contre lequel le plus souuent i'auois guerre declarée. I'ay creu cent fois que ie ne sortirois iamais de ceste meslée que par les portes de la mort. Il m'a traité fort indignement, il est vray, mais ie m'estonne qu'il n'a pis fait, veu qu'il est idolatre de ces superstitiõs, que ie combattois de toutes mes forces. De raconter par le menu toutes ses attaques, ses risées, ses gausseries, ses mépris, ie ferois vn Liure pour vn Chapitre, suffit de dire qu'il s'attaquoit mesme par fois à Dieu pour me déplaire, & qu'il s'efforçoit de me rendre la risée des petits & des grands, me décriant dans les autres cabanes aussi bien que dans la nostre, il n'eut neantmoins iamais le credit d'animer contre moy les Sauuages nos voisins, ils baissoient la teste quand ils entendoient les benedictiõs qu'il me donnoit. Pour les domestiques incitez par [207] son exemple, & appuyez de son authorité, ils me chargeoient incessamment de mille brocards, & de mille injures, ie me suis veu en tel estat, que pour ne les aigrir, ou ne leur donner occasion de se fascher, ie passois les iours entiers sans ouurir la bouche. Croyez moy si ie n'ay rapporté autre fruict des Sauuages, i'ay pour le moins appris beaucoup d'injures en leur langue, ils me disoient à tout bout de champ _eca titou, eca titou nama_ k_hitirinisin_, tais toy, tais toy, tu n'as point d'esprit. _Achineou_, il est orgueilleux, _Moucachtechiou_, il fait du compagnon, _sasegau_ il est superbe, _cou attimou_ il ressemble à vn Chien, _cou mascoua_ il ressemble à vn Ours, _cou ouabouchou ouichtoui_ il est barbu comme vn Lieure, _attimonai ou_k_himau_ il est Capitaine des Chiens, _cou oucousimas ouchtigonan_ il a la teste faite comme vn citroüille, _matchiriniou_ il est difforme, il est laid, k_hichcouebeon_ il est yure; voila les couleurs dont ils me peignoient, & de quantité d'autres que i'obmets: le bon est qu'ils ne pensoient pas quelquesfois que ie les entendisse, & me voyans sous-rire ils demeuroient confus, du moins ceux qui ne chantoiẽt [208] ces airs que pour complaire au Sorcier: les enfans m'estoient fort importuns me faisans mille niches, m'imposans silence quand ie voulois parler. Quand mon hoste estoit au logis i'auois quelque relache, & quand le Sorcier s'absentoit i'estois dans la bonace maniant les grands & les petits quasi comme ie voulois. Voila vne bonne partie des choses qu'on doit souffrir parmy ces peuples: cecy ne doit épouuenter personne, les bons soldats s'animent à la veuë de leur sang & de leurs playes, Dieu est plus grand que nostre cœur, on ne tombe pas tousiours dans la famine, on ne rencontre pas tousiours des Sorciers, ou des iongleurs de l'humeur de celuy-cy: en vn mot si nous pouuions sçauoir la langue & la reduire en preceptes il ne seroit plus de besoin de suiure ces Barbares. Pour les nations stables, d'où nous attendons le plus grand fruict, nous pouuons auoir nostre cabane à part, & par consequent nous deliurer d'vne partie de ces grandes incommoditez: mais finissons ce Chapitre, autrement ie me voy en danger d'estre aussi importun que cet imposteur [209] que ie recommande aux prieres de tous ceux qui liront cecy, ie coucheray au Chapitre suiuant quelques entretiens que i'ay eu auec luy, lors que nous estions dans quelque tréue.

[206] In the seventh place, add to all these things the aversion
which he and all the Savages of Tadoussac had, up to the present
time, against the French, since their intercourse with the
English; and judge what treatment I might have received from these
Barbarians, who adore this miserable Sorcerer, against whom I was
generally in a state of open warfare. I thought a hundred times
that I should only emerge from this conflict through the gates of
death. He treated me shamefully, it is true; but I am astonished
that he did not act worse, seeing that he is an idolater of those
superstitions which I was fighting with all my might. To relate
in detail all his attacks, gibes, sneers, and contempt, I would
write a Book instead of a Chapter. Suffice it to say, that he
sometimes even attacked God to displease me; and that he tried
to make me the laughingstock of small and great, abusing me in
the other cabins as well as in ours. He never had, however, the
satisfaction of inciting our neighboring Savages against me; they
merely hung their heads when they heard the blessings he showered
upon me. As to the servants, instigated by [207] his example,
and supported by his authority, they continually heaped upon me
a thousand taunts and a thousand insults; and I was reduced to
such a state, that, in order not to irritate them or give them
any occasion to get angry, I passed whole days without opening my
mouth. Believe me, if I have brought back no other fruits from the
Savages, I have at least learned many of the insulting words of
their language. They were saying to me at every turn, _eca titou,
eca titou nama khitirinisin_, "Shut up, shut up, thou hast no
sense." _Achineou_, "He is proud;" _Moucachtechiou_, "He plays the
parasite;" _sasegau_, "He is haughty;" _cou attimou_, "He looks
like a Dog;" _cou mascoua_, "He looks like a Bear;" _cou ouabouchou
ouichtoui_, "He is bearded like a Hare;" _attimonai oukhimau_, "He
is Captain of the Dogs;" _cou oucousimas ouchtigonan_, "He has a
head like a pumpkin;" _matchiriniou_, "He is deformed, he is ugly;"
_khichcouebeon_, "He is drunk." So these are the colors in which
they paint me, and a multitude of others, which I omit. The best
part of it was that they did not think sometimes that I understood
them; and, seeing me smile, they became embarrassed,--at least,
those who sang [208] these songs only to please the Sorcerer. The
children were very troublesome, playing numberless tricks upon me,
and imposing silence when I wanted to talk. When my host was at
home, I had some rest; and, when the Sorcerer was absent, I was in
smooth water, managing both great and small just as I wished. So
these are some of the things that have to be endured among these
people. This must not frighten any one; good soldiers are animated
with courage at the sight of their blood and their wounds, and God
is greater than our hearts. One does not always encounter a famine;
one does not always meet Sorcerers or jugglers with so bad a temper
as that one had; in a word, if we could understand the language,
and reduce it to rules, there would be no more need of following
these Barbarians. As to the stationary tribes, from which we expect
the greatest fruit, we can have our cabins apart, and consequently
be freed from many of these great inconveniences. But let us finish
this Chapter; otherwise I see myself in danger of becoming as
troublesome as that impostor, [209] whom I commend to the prayers
of all those who will read this. I shall set down in the following
Chapter some conversations I had with him when we were enjoying a
truce.

CHAPITRE XIII.

CONTENANT VN IOURNAL DES CHOSES QUI N'ONT PEU ESTRE COUCHÉES SOUS LES CHAPITRES PRECEDENS.

SI ce Chapitre estoit le premier dans ceste relation, il donneroit quelque lumiere à tous les suiuans: mais ie luy ay donné le dernier rang, pource qu'il se grossira tous les iours iusques au depart des vaisseaux, par le rencontre des choses plus remarquables qui pourront arriuer, n'estant qu'vn memoire en forme de Iournal, de tout ce qui n'a peu estre logé dans les Chapitres precedens.