Chapter XIII (4)

"Great Lord, you who have made heaven and earth, you know all, you
can do all. I promise you with all my heart (I could not lie to
you) I promise you wholly, that, if it pleases you to give us food,
I will obey you cheerfully, that I will surely believe in you. I
promise [277] you without deceit that I will do all that I shall be
told ought to be done for love of you. Help us, for you can do it;
I will certainly do what they shall teach me ought to be done for
your sake. I promise it without pretence, I am not lying, I could
not lie to you; help us to believe in you perfectly, for you have
died for us. Amen."

Ils firent tous ceste priere, & l'Apostat & le Sorcier aussi bien que les autres, c'est à Dieu de iuger de leurs cœurs, ie leur dis après cela qu'ils s'en allassent à la chasse auec confiance, ce qu'ils firent, la plus part témoignans par leur visage & par leurs paroles qu'ils auoient pris plaisir en ceste action; mais auant que d'en voir le succez couchons en leur langue ces deux Oraisons, afin qu'on voye l'œconomie de leurs paroles, & leur façon de s'énoncer.

They all offered this prayer, the Apostate and the Sorcerer as well
as the others; God alone can judge of their hearts. After this I
told them that they should go to the chase with confidence, as
they did, the greater part showing by their faces and words that
they had taken pleasure in this act. But, before finding out what
success they had, let us couch in their language these two Prayers,
in order that you may see the arrangement of their words, and their
way of expressing themselves.

_Nou_K_himame missi ca_ K_hichitaien missi,_
Mon Capitaine tout qui as fait tout,

K_hesteritamen missi, ouia batamen chaoueriminan_.
qui sçais tout, qui vois, aye pitié de nous.

_Iesus oucouchichai missi ca nitaouitát_
Iesus Fils out qui a faict

[278] _Niran ca outchi, arichiirinicasouien, niran_
de nous qui à cause es fait hõme de nous

_ca outchi, iriniouien iscouechich, niran ca_
qui à cause es né d'vne fille de nous, qui

_outchi nipien, niran ca outchi ouascou_k_hi,_
à cause es mort de no⁹, qui à cause au ciel

_itoutaien; egou_ K_hisitaie, nitichenicassouini_k_i,_
es allé ainsi tu disois en mon nom

K_hegoueia netou tamagaouian niga chaoueri_K_an,_
quelque chose si ie suis requis i'ẽ auray pitié,

k_hitaia mihitin naspich ou mitchimi,_
ie te prie entierement la nourriture

_a richiriniou miri, ca ouitapouetasc,_
à ce peuple dõne qui veux croire en toy,

_ca ouipamitasc, arichiriniou_ k_hiticou_
qui te veux obeyr, ce peuple te dit

_naspich, ouitchihien_ k_higatapouetatin_
entièrement, si tu m'ayde ie te croyray

_naspich_, k_higa pamtatim naspich, Nou_k_himame_
parfaitemẽt ie t'obeïray entieremẽt mon Capitaine

_chaoueritamitaouitou, oui_
aye pitié de ce que ie dis, si tu

_michoutchi nipousin, iterimien_
veux en contrechãge ma mort penser

_ouirouau mag iriniouisonan, egou inousin._
quant à eux qu'ils viuent, ainsi soit-il.

_Noukhimame missi ca Khichitaien missi_,
My Captain all who hast made, all

_Khesteritamen missi, ouia batamen chaoueriminan_.
who knowest, all who seest, have pity on us.

_Jesus oucouchichai missi ca nitaouitât_
Jesus, the Son all who has made

[278]_Niran ca outchi, arichiirinicasouien, niran_
of us who because art made man, of us

_ca outchi, iriniouien iscouechich, niran ca_
who because art born of a maiden, of us who

_outchi nipien, niran ca outchi ouascoukhi,_
because hast died, of us who because to heaven

_itoutaien; egou Khisitaie, nitichenicassouiniki,_
art gone; thus thou saidst, in my name

_Khegoueia netou tamagaouian niga chaouerikan,_
any thing if I am asked on it I will have pity,

_khitaia mihitin naspich ou mitchimi,_
I pray thee wholly the food

_a richiriniou miri, ca ouitapouetasc,_
to these people give, who wish to believe in thee,

_ca ouipamitasc, arichiriniou khiticiou_
who wish to obey thee; these people say to thee

_naspich, ouitchihien khigatapouetatin_
wholly, if thou aidest me I will believe thee

_naspich, khiga pamtatim naspich, Noukhimame_
perfectly I will obey thee entirely my Captain

_chaoueritamitaouitou oui_
have pity upon what I say, if thou

_michoutchi nipousin, iterimien_
wish in exchange my death take care

_ouironau mag iriniouisonan, egou inousin._
as to them that they may live, so be it.

Voicy celle qu'ils prononcerent.

[279] _Khicheou_K_himan ca_ k_hichitaien ouascou,_
Grand Capitaine qui as faict le Ciel

_mag asti, missi_ k_hi_k_histeriten, missi_ K_hipicoutan_,
& la Terre tout tu sçais toute chose, tu fais bien

k_hititin naspich, tanté_
ie te dis entierement comment

_bona ou_k_hiran? khititin naspich, oui miriatchi_
pourrois-je mẽtir? ie te dis sãs feintise si tu no⁹ veux dõner

_nimitchiminan, ochitau_
nostre nourriture tout

_tapoué_ k_higa pamitatin, ochitau,_
expres asseurement ie t'obeïray tout

_tapoué_ K_higa tapouetatin,_ K_hititin_
expres, en verité ie te croiray, ie te le dis

_naspich, niga tin missi,_ K_hé eitigaouané;_
entieremẽt, ie feray tout ce qu'õ me dira

k_hir_ k_he, outchi_ K_hian, ouitchihinan,_
de toy à cause ie le feray ayde nous

k_higa_ k_hi ouitchi hinan, naspich niga_
tu nous peux ayder absolument ie feray

_tin missi_, k_hé eitigaouané_ k_hir_ K_he, outchi_
tout ce qu'on me dira de toy à cause

k_hian, Khititin naspich; nama_
ie le feray ie te le dis sans feintise, ie ne

_ni_k_hirassin, nama_ k_hinita_ k_hirassicatin,_
mens pas, ie ne te sçaurois mentir,

_ouitchihinan_ k_higai tapouetatinan naspich;_
ayde nous affin que nous te croyons parfaictemẽt,

[280] _ouichihinan mag missi irinioua_k_hi_
ayde nous puis de tous les hõmes

_ouetchi nipouané. Egou inousin._
à cause tu es mort, ainsi soit-il.

And here is the one they repeated.

[279] _Khicheoukhiman ca khichitaien ouascou,_
Great Captain who hast made the Sky

_mag asti, missi khikhisteriten, missi_
and the Earth, all thou knowest, everything

_Khipicoutan, khititin naspich, tanté_
thou doest well I say to thee wholly how

_bona oukhiran? khititin naspich, oui miriatchi_
could I lie? I tell thee without pretence if thou wilt give us

_nimitchiminan, ochitau_
our food quite

_tapoué khiga pamitatin, ochitau,_
positively surely I will obey thee quite

_tapoué Khiga tapouetatin, Khititin_
certainly truly I will believe in thee, I tell it thee

_naspich, niga tin missi Khé eitigaouané;_
wholly, I will do all that they shall tell me

_khir khe, outchi Khian, ouitchihinan,_
of thee because I will do it, help us

_khiga khi ouitchi hinan, naspich niga_
thou canst help us absolutely I will do

_tin missi, khe eitigaouané khir Khe, outchi_
all that which they shall tell me of thee because

_khian, Khititin naspich; nama_
I will do it I tell it thee without pretence, I do not

_nikhirassin, nama khinita khirassicatin_,
lie, I could not to thee lie,

_ouitchihinan khigai tapouetatinan naspich;_ [280]
help us that we may believe thee perfectly,

_ouichihinan mag missi iriniouakhi_
help us then of all the men

_ouetchi nipouané. Egou inousin._
because thou art dead, Amen.

Nos chasseurs ayans fait leurs prieres s'en allerent, qui deça qui de là chercher dequoy manger, mon hoste & deux ieunes hommes s'en vont voir vne cabane de Castors, qu'ils auoient voulu quitter desesperans d'y rien prendre, il en prit trois pour sa part: l'estant allé voir apres midy, ie luy en vis prendre vn de mes yeux, ses compagnons en prirent aussi ie ne sçay pas combien, le Sorcier estant allé ce iour là à la chasse auec vn sien ieune neueu, prit vn Porc épic, & découurit la piste d'vn Orignac qui fut depuis tué à coup de fleches, contre l'attente de tous tant qu'ils estoient, n'y ayant que fort peu de neige, vn ieune Hiroquois, dont ie parleray cy apres, tua aussi vn fort beau Porc-epic; bref chacun prit quelque chose, il n'y eut que l'Apostat qui reuint les mains vuides, le soir mon hoste apportant trois Castors, comme il rentroit dans la cabane ie luy tendis la main, il s'en vint tout ioyeux vers moy recognoissant le [281] secours de Dieu, & demandant ce qu'il deuoit faire, ie luy dits _Nicanis_, mon bien-aymé, il faut remercier Dieu qui nous a assisté; voila bien dequoy, dit l'Apostat, nous n'eussions pas laissé de trouuer cela sans l'ayde de Dieu. A ces paroles ie ne sçais quels mouuemens ne sentit mõ coeur, mais si ce traistre m'eust donné vn coup de poignard, il ne m'eust pas plus attristé, il ne falloit que ces paroles pour tout perdre, mon hoste ne laissa point de me dire qu'il feroit ce que ie voudrois, & il se fust mis en deuoir, si le Sorcier ne se fust point ietté à la trauerse: car l'Apostat n'a point d'authorité parmy les Sauuages, ie voulu attendre le festin qu'on deuoit faire, où tous les Sauuages se deuoient trouuer; afin qu'ayant deuant leurs yeux les presens que nostre Seigneur leur auoit fait, ils fussent mieux disposez à recognoistre son assistance; mais comme ie vins à leur vouloir parler, le Renégat fasché de ce que luy seul n'auoit rien pris, non seulement ne me voulut pas ayder, ains au contraire il m'imposa silence me commandant tout nettement de me taire; non feray pas luy dis-ie, si vous estes [282] ingrat les autres ne le seront pas, le Sorcier voyant qu'on estoit assez disposé à m'écouter; croyant que si on me prestoit l'oreille il perdroit autant de son crédit, me dit d'vne façon arrogante, tais-toy, tu n'as point d'esprit, il n'est pas temps de parler, mais de manger; ie luy voulu demander s'il auoit des yeux, s'il ne voyoit pas manifestement le seruice de Dieu, mais il ne me voulut pas écouter; les autres qui estoient dans vn profond silence, voyans que le Sorcier m'estoit contraire, n'oserent pas m'inuiter à parler: si bien que celuy qui faisoit le festin se mit à le distribuer, & les autres à manger; voila mes pourceaux qui deuorent le gland sans regarder celuy qui leur abbat, c'est à qui se réioüira dauantage, ils estoient remplis de contentement & moy de tristesse, si fallut-il bien se remettre à la volonté de Dieu, l'heure de ce peuple n'est pas encore venuë.

Our hunters having finished their prayers, went away, some here,
some there, to look for something to eat. My host and two young
men went off to a Beaver lodge, which they were about to give up,
hopeless of taking any thing, when he, on his part, took three;
in the afternoon, when I went to find him, I saw him, with my own
eyes, take one; and his companions captured some also, but I do
not know how many. The Sorcerer, having gone hunting on this
same day with one of his young nephews, caught a Porcupine, and
discovered the tracks of a Moose, which has since been killed with
arrows, contrary to the expectations of all the people, for there
was only a little snow. A young Hiroquois, of whom I shall speak
hereafter, also killed a very fine Porcupine. In short, everyone
took something, except the Apostate, who returned empty-handed.
In the evening, when my host returned to the cabin, carrying
three Beavers, I extended to him my hand. He approached joyfully,
recognizing the [281] help of God, and asked what he should do. I
said to him, "_Nicanis_, my well-beloved, we must thank God who has
helped us." "What for indeed?" said the Apostate, "we could not
have failed to find that without the aid of God." At these words I
cannot tell what emotions surged in my heart; but if this traitor
had given me a sword-thrust, he could not have saddened me more;
these words alone were needed that all might be lost. My host did
not fail to tell me that he would do what I wished; and he might
have fulfilled his duty, had not the Sorcerer interposed. For, as
the Apostate had no authority among the Savages, I intended to
await the banquet they would have, where all the Savages would be
assembled; so that, having before their eyes the gifts our Lord
had made them, they would be better disposed to recognize his
assistance. But when I was about to speak to them, the Renegade,
angry at being the only one who had not taken something, not only
would not help me, but even imposed silence upon me, abruptly
commanding me to keep still. "I will not do it," I said to him, "if
you are [282] ungrateful, the others are not." The Sorcerer, seeing
they were rather disposed to listen to me, and believing that, if
they gave me their attention, he himself would lose so much of his
authority, said to me, arrogantly, "Hold thy tongue, thou hast no
sense; this is no time to talk, but to eat." I tried to ask him if
he had no eyes, if he did not plainly see the help of God, but he
would not listen to me. The others, who were maintaining a profound
silence, seeing that the Sorcerer was hostile to me, did not dare
ask me to speak; so the one who prepared the banquet began to
distribute it, and the others to eat. Then behold my pigs devouring
the acorns, regardless of him who shook them down. They vied with
each other in their happiness; they were filled with joy, and I
with sadness; we must yield to the will of God, for the hour of
this people is not yet come.

Cecy se passa le Lundy, le Mercredy suiuant mon hoste & vn ieune chasseur tuerent à coups de fleches l'Orignac dont ils auoient veu les traces, ils en virent d'autres depuis, mais comme [283] il y auoit fort peu de neige ils n'en peurent iamais approcher à la portée de leurs arcs si tost qu'ils eurẽt ceste proye ils la mirent en pieces, en apportant vne bonne partie dans nos cabannes, & enseuelissans le reste soubs la neige; voila tout le monde en ioye, on fait vn grand banquet où ie fus inuité, voyant les grandes pieces de chair qu'on donnoit à vn chacun, ie demanday à l'Apostat si c'estoit vn festin à mãger tout, & m'ayant dit qu'ouy, il est impossible, luy reparty-ie, que ie mange tout ce qu'on m'a donné, si faut-il bien, me répondit-il, que vous le mangiez, les autres sont assez empeschez à manger leur part, il faut que vous mangiez la vostre: ie luy fais entẽdre que Dieu deffendoit ces excez, & que ie ne le cõmettrois point y allast-il de la vie, ce mechant blasphemateur pour animer les autres contre moy, leur dit que Dieu estoit fasché de ce qu'ils auoient à manger: Ie ne dis pas cela, luy repliquay-ie en Sauuage, mais bien qu'il deffend de manger auec excez, le Sorcier me repart, ie n'ay iamais plus grand bien sinon quand ie suis saoul. Or comme ie ne pouuois venir à [284] bout de ma portion, i'inuite vn Sauuage mon voisin d'en prendre vne partie, luy donnant du petun en recompense de ce qu'il mangeoit pour moy, i'en iette vne autre partie secrettement aux chiens, les Sauuages s'en estans doutez par la querelle qui suruint entre ces animaux, se mirent à crier contre moy, disans que ie cõtaminois leur festin, qu'ils ne prendroient plus rien, & que nous mourrions de faim, les femmes & les enfans ayans sceu cela, me regardoient par apres comme vn tres-meschant homme, me reprochant auec dedain que ie les ferois mourir, & veritablement si Dieu ne nous eust donné rien de long temps, i'estois en danger d'estre mis à mort pour auoir commis vn tel sacrilege: voila, iusques où s'estend leur superstition, pour obuier à cét inconuenient: les autres fois on me fit ma part plus petite, & encore me dit on que ie n'en mãgeasse sinon que ce que ie voudrois, qu'eux mangeroient le reste, mais sur tout que ie me donnasse bien de garde de rien ietter aux chiens.

This happened on Monday. On the Wednesday following, my host and a
young hunter killed with arrows the Moose whose tracks we had seen;
they saw others afterwards, but, as [283] there was so little snow,
they could never approach within arrow-shot of them. As soon as
they had captured this game, they divided it up, bringing a large
part of it to our cabins, and burying the rest under the snow.
Now every one was happy, and a great banquet was made, to which I
was invited. Seeing the big pieces of meat they gave to each one,
I asked the Apostate if this was an eat-all feast. He answered,
"yes;" and I said to him, "It is impossible for me to eat all they
have given me." "Indeed you must," he answered, "you must eat
it all; the others have to eat all theirs, and you must eat all
yours." I made him understand that God forbids such excess, and I
would not commit it even if my life depended upon it. This wicked
blasphemer, to arouse the others against me, said that God was
angry because they had something to eat. "I did not say that," I
replied to him in Savage, "but that he prohibits eating to excess."
The Sorcerer answered me, "I am never so well off as when I am
full." Now as I could not come to the [284] end of my portion, I
invited one of my neighboring Savages to take a part of it, giving
him some tobacco as a reward for what he would eat for me. I threw
another piece of it, secretly, to the dogs. The Savages began to
suspect something, from the fight that afterwards took place among
these animals; and commenced to cry out against me, saying that
I was contaminating their feast, that they would capture nothing
more, and that we would die of hunger. When the women and children
heard of this afterward, they looked upon me as a very bad man,
reproaching me disdainfully, and saying that I would be the cause
of their death; and truly, if God had not granted us anything for
a long time, I would have been in danger of being put to death for
having committed such a sacrilege, to such an extent does their
superstition go. To prevent the recurrence of this misfortune,
after that they gave me only a small portion; and they also told me
that I should not eat any more than I wanted to, that they would
eat the rest, but above all I should take care not to throw any to
the dogs.

Le trentiesme du mesme mois de Decembre, nous decabanasmes, faisans [285] chemin nous passasmes sur deux beaux lacs tout glacez; nous tirions vers l'endroit où estoit la cache de nostre Orignac, qui ne dura guere en ceste huictiesme demeure.

On the thirtieth of the same month of December, we broke camp, and
in the course of our [285] journey we passed over two beautiful
lakes covered with ice. We turned toward the place where our Moose
was hidden, which would not last long in this eighth station.

Le Sorcier me demanda si en vérité i'aymois l'autre vie que ie luy auois figuré remplie de tous biens, ayant répondu que ie l'aymois en effect; & moy, dit-il, ie la haï: car il faut mourir pour y aller, & c'est dequoy ie n'ay point d'enuie, que si i'auois la pensée & la creance que cette vie est miserable, & que l'autre est pleine de delices, ie me tuërois moy-mesme pour me deliurer de l'vne, & ioüir de l'autre: Ie luy repars que Dieu nous defendoit de nous tuer, ny de tuer autruy; & que si nous nous faisions mourir nous descendrions dans la vie de malheur, pour auoir contreuenu à ses cormmandemens: Hé bien, dit il, ne te tuë point toy-mesme, mais moy ie te tuëray pour te faire plaisir, afin que tu ailles au Ciel, & que tu ioüisse des plaisirs que tu dis: Ie me sousris, luy repliquant que ie ne pouuois pas consentir qu'on m'ostast la vie sans pecher: Ie vois bien, me fit-il, en se moquant [286] que tu n'as pas encore enuie de mourir non plus que moy, non pas repliquay-ie en cooperant à ma mort.

The Sorcerer asked me if I really did love the other life, that I
had described as so full of all blessings; having replied that I
did, indeed, love it, "And I," said he, "I hate it, for to go there
one must die, and that is something I have no desire to do; and yet
if I thought and believed that this life was miserable, and that
the other was full of delights, I would kill myself, to be freed
from the one and to enjoy the other." I answered that God forbade
us to kill ourselves, or to kill any one else, and if we destroyed
ourselves we would go down into a life of misery, for having acted
contrary to his commands. "Oh well," said he, "thou needst not kill
thyself; but I will kill thee, to please thee, that thou mayest
go to Heaven, and enjoy the pleasures that thou tellest about." I
smiled, and replied to him that I could not without sin agree to
have my life taken. "I see plainly," said he, sneeringly, [286]
"that thou hast not yet the desire to die any more than I have."
"None," said I, "to bring about my own death."

En ce mesme temps nos chasseurs ayans poursuiuy vn Orignac, & ne l'ayans peu prendre, l'Apostat se mit à blasphemer, disant aux Sauuages, le Dieu qui est marry quand nous mangeons, est maintenant bien ayse de ce que nous n'auons pas dequoy disner: & voyant vue autre fois qu'on apportoit quelques Porcs-espics, Dieu, disoit-il, se va fascher de ce que nous nous saoulerons. O langue impie que tu seras chastié! esprit brutal que tu seras confus, si Dieu ne te fait misericorde! que les Anges & les sainctes Ames redoublent autant de fois leur Cantique d'honneur & des loüanges, que cét athée le blasphemera; ce pauure miserable ne laisse pas par fois d'auoir quelques craintes de l'enfer, qu'il tasche d'étouffer tant qu'il peut, comme ie le menaçois vn iour de ces tourmens, peut estre, me fit-il, que nous autres n'auons point d'ame, ou que nos ames ne sont pas faites comme les vostres, ou qu'elles ne vont point en mesme [287] endroit: qui est iamais venu de ce pays là pour nous en dire des nouuelles? ie luy reparty qu'õ ne pouuoit voir le Ciel sans cognoistre qu'il y a vn Dieu, qu'on ne peut conceuoir qu'il y a vn Dieu, sans conceuoir qu'il est iuste, & par consequent qu'il rend à vn chacun selon ses œuures, d'où s'ensuiuent de grandes recompenses, ou de grands chastimens: cela est bon, repliqua-il, pour vous autres que Dieu assiste, mais il n'a point soin de nous: car quoy qu'il fasse, nous ne laisserons pas de mourir de faim, ou de trouuer de la chasse; iamais cét esprit hebeté ne peut conceuoir que Dieu gouuerne la grande famille du monde, auec plus de cognoissance & plus de soin qu'vn Roy ne gouuerne son Royaume, & vn pere de famille sa maison; ie serois trop long de rapporter tout ce que ie luy dis sur ses blasphemes & sur ses resueries.

At this time, our hunters having followed a Moose, and not having
been able to capture it, the Apostate began to blaspheme, saying to
the Savages, "The God who is sorry when we eat, is now very glad
that we have not anything to dine upon." And another time, seeing
them bringing some Porcupines, "God," said he, "will be angry
because we are going to fill ourselves up." Oh, blasphemous tongue,
how wilt thou be chastised! Oh, brutal spirit, how wilt thou be
confounded, if God does not take pity on thee! May the Angels and
holy Spirits redouble their Songs of honor and of praise, as many
times as this atheist will blaspheme them! This poor wretch does
not fail at times to have some fear of hell, which he tries to
suppress as much as he can. As I was threatening him with these
torments one day, "Perhaps," he replied, "we people here have no
souls, or perhaps they are not made like yours, or it may be that
they do not go to the same [287] place. Who has ever come back
from that country to bring us news of it?" I answered him that one
cannot see the Sky, without recognizing that there is a God; that
one cannot conceive that there is a God, without conceiving that
he is just, and that consequently he renders to each one according
to his works, whence it follows that there are great rewards or
great punishments. "That's all very well," said he, "for you others
whom God helps; but he has no interest in us, for, whatever he may
do, we still die of hunger unless we find game." Never will this
besotted mind be able to conceive that God rules the great family
of the world with more wisdom and more care than a King governs his
Kingdom, and the father of a family his household. I would be too
tedious if I reported all I said to him about his blasphemies and
dreams.

Le quatriesme de Ianuier de ceste année mil six cens trente quatre, nous allasmes faire nostre habitation depuis nostre depart des riues du grand fleuue cherchant tousiours à viure. I'obiectay en cét endroit au Sorcier qu'il n'estoit [288] pas bon Prophete, car il m'auoit asseuré les deux dernieres fois que nous auions decabané, qu'il neigeroit abondamment aussi tost que nous aurions changé de demeure, ce qui se trouua faux, i'ay rapportay cecy à mon hoste pour luy oster vne partie de la creance qu'il a en cét homme qu'il adore, il me répondit que le Sorcier ne m'auoit pas asseuré qu'il neigeroit, mais qu'il en auoit seulement quelque pensée; non, dis-ie, il m'a asseuré qu'il voyoit venir la neige, & qu'elle tomberoit aussi-tost que nous aurions cabané, _Khi_k_hirassin_, me fit-il, tu as menty, si tost que vous leur dites quelque chose qu'ils ne veulent point accorder ils vous payent de ceste monnoye.

On the fourth of January of this year one thousand six hundred
and thirty-four, we started to make our [ninth] settlement since
our departure from the banks of the great river, always seeking
something upon which to live. In this place I reproached the
Sorcerer with not being [288] a good Prophet, for he had assured
me, the last two times when we had broken camp, that it would snow
abundantly as soon as we had changed our dwelling place, which had
proved to be untrue. I reported this to my host, in order to take
away some of the belief that he has in this man, whom he adores. He
answered that the Sorcerer had not assured me that it would snow,
but simply that he thought it would. "No," said I, "he assured me
that he saw the snow coming, and that it would fall as soon as we
had settled down." _Khikhirassin_, he replied, "Thou hast lied." As
soon as you tell them something they do not wish to agree to, they
pay you in this coin.

La veille des Rois, mon hoste me dit qu'il auoit fait vn songe qui luy donnoit bien de l'apprehension; i'ay veu, dit-il, en dormant que nous estions reduits en la derniere extremité de la faim, & celuy que tu nous dis qui a tout fait, m'a asseuré que tu tomberas dans vne telle langueur, que ne pouuant plus mettre vn pied deuant l'autre tu mourras seul delaissé au milieu des bois, ie [289] crains que mon songe ne soit que trop veritable: car nous voila autant que iamais dans la necessité faute de neige: i'eu quelque pensée que ce songeur me pouuoit bien ioüer quelque mauuais traict, & m'abandonner tout seul pour faire du Prophete; voila pourquoy ie me seruy de ses armes, opposant _altare contra altare_, songe contre songe: & moy, luy dis-ie, i'ay songé tout le contraire, car i'ay veu dans mon sommeil deux Orignaux, dont l'vn estoit desia tué, & l'autre encore viuant, bon, dit le Sorcier, voila qui va bien, aye esperance, tu raconte de bonnes nouuelles, en effect i'auois fait ce songe quelques iours auparauant, hé bien, dis ie à mon hoste, lequel de nos deux songes sera trouué veritable, tu dis que nous mourrons de faim, & moy ie dis que non, il se mit à rire. Alors ie luy dis que les songes n'estoient que des mensonges, que ie ne m'appuyois point là dessus, que mon esperance estoit en celuy qui a tout fait, que ie craignois neantmoins qu'il ne nous chastiast, veu qu'aussi tost qu'ils auoient à mãnger, ils se gaussoient de [290] luy notamment l'Apostat, il n'a point d'esprit, dirent-ils, ne prends pas garde à luy.

On the eve of Epiphany my host told me that he had had a dream
which caused him much anxiety. "I have seen in my sleep," said he,
"that we were reduced to the last extremity of hunger; and that he
who thou hast told us has made all, assured me that thou wouldst
fall into such a stupor, that, not being able to put one foot
before the other, thou wouldst die alone abandoned in the midst of
the woods; I [289] fear that my dream will be only too true, for
we are now in as great need as ever for lack of snow." I had an
idea that this dreamer might play some bad trick on me and abandon
me, to prove himself a Prophet. For this reason I made use of his
weapons, opposing _altare contra altare_, dream against dream.
"As for me," I replied, "I have dreamed just the opposite; for in
my sleep I saw two Moose, one of which was already killed and the
other still living." "Good," said the Sorcerer, "that's very nice;
have hope, thou tellest us good news." In truth, I had had this
dream some days before. "Well, then," I said to my host, "which of
our two dreams will be found to be true? Thou sayest we shall die
of starvation, and I say we shall not." He began to laugh. Then
I told him that dreams were nothing but lies, that I placed no
dependence upon them; that my hope was in him who has made all, and
yet I feared he would chastise us, seeing that, as soon as they had
something to eat, they mocked [290] him, especially the Apostate.
"He doesn't know anything," they said, "do not pay any attention to
him."

Le iour que les trois Rois adorerent nostre Seigneur, nous receusmes trois mauuaises nouuelles; La premiere, que le ieune Hyroquois estãt allé à la chasse le iour precedent n'estoit point retourné, & comme on sçauoit bien que la faim l'ayant affoibly il ne se pouuoit pas beaucoup éloigner, on creut qu'il estoit mort, ou demeuré en quelque endroit si debile pour n'auoir dequoy manger, que la faim & le froid le tuëroient, en effect il n'a plus paru depuis, quelques vns ont pensé qu'il pourroit bien s'estre efforcé de retourner en son pays; mais que la plus part asseurent qu'il est mort en quelque endroit sur la neige, c'estoit l'vn des trois prisonniers à Tadoussac, dont i'ay parlé és premieres lettres que i'ay enuoyé de ce païs-cy, ses deux compatriotes furent executez à mort auec des cruautez nompareilles, pour luy comme il estoit ieune on luy sauua la vie à la requeste du sieur Emery de Can, que nous priasmes d'interceder [291] pour luy, ce pauure ieune homme s'en souuenoit fort bien, il auoit grande enuie de demeurer en nostre maison; mais le Sorcier á qui il appartenoit ne le voulut iamais donner ny vendre.

On the day that the three Kings adored our Lord, we received three
pieces of bad news. The first was that the young Hyroquois, who had
gone hunting the day before, had not returned; and, as they were
very well aware that hunger had weakened him so that he could not
go far, they thought he was dead, or lying somewhere so weak from
lack of food that hunger and cold would kill him. In fact, he has
never yet appeared; some thought he might have tried to return to
his own country, but the greater part are sure he is lying dead
somewhere upon the snow. He was one of the three prisoners at
Tadoussac, of whom I spoke in the first letters I sent from these
countries;[4] his two compatriots were executed with unparalleled
cruelties, but his life was saved because he was young, at the
request of sieur Emery de Can, whom we begged to intercede [291]
for him. This poor young man had very kind memories of me, and had
a great desire to live in our house; but the Sorcerer, to whom he
belonged, would neither give nor sell him.

La seconde mauuaise nouuelle nous fut apportée par vn ieune Sauuage qui venoit d'vn autre cartier, lequel nous dit qu'vn Sauuage d'vne autre cabane plus esloignée estoit mort de disette, que ses gens estoient fort épouuentez ne trouuans pas de quoy viure, & nous voyant dans la mesme necessité, cela l'estonnoit encore dauantage. La troisiesme fut que nos gens découurisent la piste de plusieurs Sauuages qui nous estoient plus voisins que nous ne pensions, car ils venoient chasser iusques sur nos marches, enleuans nostre proye & nostre vie tout ensemble; ces trois nouuelles abbatirent grandement nos Sauuages, l'alarme estoit par tout, on ne marchoit plus que la teste baissée, ie ne sçay comme i'estois fait, mais ils me paroissoiẽt tous fort maigres, fort pensif, & fort mornes, si l'Apostat m'eust voulu [292] ayder à porter & à gagner le Sorcier, c'estoit bien le temps; mais son diable muet luy lioit sa langue.

The second piece of bad news was brought by a young Savage who
came from another quarter, who told us that a Savage of a more
distant cabin had died of hunger, and that his people were greatly
terrified at not finding anything to eat; when he saw us suffering
from the same scarcity, he was frightened still more. The third
news was that our people had discovered the trail of several
Savages, who were nearer to us than we thought, for they were
coming to hunt upon our very grounds, taking away our game and our
lives at the same time. These three pieces of news discouraged
our Savages greatly, the alarm spread everywhere, and all walked
with bowed heads. I do not know how I looked, but they seemed to
me very much emaciated, very sad and mournful. If the Apostate had
consented [292] to help me influence and win over the Sorcerer,
this was the time to do it; but his mute devil tied his tongue.

Il faut que ie remarque en ce lieu le peu d'estime que font de luy les Sauuages, il est tombé dans vne grande confusion, voulant éuiter vn petit reproche, il a quitté les Chrestiens & le Christianisme, ne pouuãt souffrir quelques brocards des Sauuages, qui se gaussoient par fois de luy de ce qu'il estoit Sedentaire, & non vagabond comme eux, & maintenãt il est leur ioüet & leur fallot, il est esclaue du Sorcier, deuant lequel il n'oseroit branler, ses freres & les autres Sauuages m'ont dit souuent qu'il n'auoit point d'esprit, que c'estoit vn busart, qu'il ressembloit à vn chien, qu'il mourroit de faim si on ne le nourrissoit, qu'il s'égaroit dans les bois comme vn European, les femmes en font leur entretien, si quelque enfant pleuroit n'ayant pas dequoy manger, elles luy disoient, tais-toy, tais-toy, ne pleure point, _Petrichtrich_, c'est ainsi qu'on le nomme par mocquerie, rapportera vn Castor, & tu mangeras; quand elles [293] l'entendoient reuenir, allez voir, disoiẽt elles aux enfans, s'il n'a point tué vne Orignac se gaussant de luy comme d'vn mauuais chasseur, qui est vn grand blasme parmy les Sauuages: car ces gens là ne sçauroient trouuer ou retenir des femmes, l'Apostat en a desia eu quatre ou cinq à la faueur de ses freres, toutes l'ont quitté, celle qu'il auoit cét hyuer me disoit qu'elle le quitteroit au Prin-temps, & si elle eust esté de ce païs, elle l'auroit quitté dés lors; i'apprends qu'en effect elle l'a quitté.

I must here speak of the little esteem the Savages have for him.
He has fallen into great embarrassment, in trying to avoid a
slight reproach. He gave up Christians and Christianity, because
he could not suffer the taunts of the Savages, who jeered at him
occasionally because he was Sedentary and not wandering, as they
were; and now he is their butt and their laughingstock. He is a
slave to the Sorcerer, in whose presence he would not dare to move.
His brothers and the other Savages have often told me that he has
no sense, that he is a buzzard, that he resembles a dog, that he
would die of hunger if they did not feed him, that he gets lost
in the woods like a European; the women make fun of him,--if some
child cries because it does not have enough to eat, they say to
it, "Hush, hush, do not cry, _Petrichtrich_ (they call him this in
sport) will bring back a Beaver, and then thou shalt have something
to eat." When they [293] hear him return, "Go and see," they say to
their children, "if he has not killed a Moose;" thus making sport
of him for being a poor hunter, a great reproach among the Savages.
Because such men cannot find wives or retain them, the Apostate,
with the help of his brothers, has already had four or five, all
of whom have left him. The one he has had this winter told me she
would leave him in the Spring, and, if she had belonged to this
part of the country, she would have left him then. I hear that she
has, in fact, deserted him.

Certain iour nos chasseurs estans tous dehors, il se tint vn conseil des femmes dans nostre cabane: or comme elles ne croyoient pas que ie les peusse entendre, elles parloient tout haut, & tout librement, déchirant en pieces ce pauure Apostat, l'occasion estoit que le iour precedent il n'auoit rien rapporté à sa femme d'vn festin où il auoit esté inuité, & qui n'estoit pas à tout manger, ô le gourmand, disoient-elles, qui ne donne point à manger à sa femme! encore s'il pouuoit tuer quelque chose, il n'a point d'esprit, il mange tout [294] comme vn chien: il y eut vne grande rumeur entre les femmes sur ce sujet: car comme elles ne vont point ordinairement aux festins, elles seroient bien affligées, si leurs marys perdoient la bonne coustume qu'ils ont de rapporter leurs restes à leurs familles, le Renegát suruenant pendant que cés femmes le depeignoient, elles sceurent fort bien dissimuler leur ieu, luy témoignant vn aussi bon vsage qu'à l'ordinaire, voire mesme celle qui en disoit plus de mal, luy donna vn bout de petun, qui estoit pour lors vn grand present.

On a certain day, when our hunters had gone out, a council of
women was held in our cabin. Now as they did not think I could
understand, they spoke aloud and freely, tearing this poor Apostate
to pieces. The occasion for this was, that the day before he had
not carried anything home to his wife from a feast to which he
had been invited, and which was not an eat-all feast. "Oh, the
glutton," they said, "who gives his wife nothing to eat! If he
could only kill something! He has no sense; he eats everything
[294] like a dog." There was great excitement among the women over
this subject, for, as they do not usually go to the feasts, they
would be very sorely afflicted if their husbands lost the good
habit they have of bringing home the remains to their families.
The Renegade coming in while these women were drawing this picture
of him, they knew very well how to put a good face on the matter,
showing countenances as smiling as usual, even to such an extent
that the one who had said the worst things about him, gave him a
bit of tobacco, which was then a great present.

Le neufiesme de Ianuier, vn Sauuage nous venant visiter nous dit, qu'vn homme & vne femme du lieu dont il venoit estoient morts de faim, & que plusieurs n'en pouuoient plus, le pauure homme ieusna le iour de sa venuë aussi bien que nous, pource qu'il ny auoit rien à manger, encore fallut-il attendre iusques au lendemain à dix heures de nuit, que mon hoste rapporta deux Castors qui nous firent grand bien.

On the ninth of January, a Savage, who came to visit us, said that
a man and a woman of the place from which he had come had starved
to death, and that several others were on the verge of starvation.
The poor man fasted the day of his arrival as well as we, for there
was nothing to eat; and we had to wait until ten o'clock of the
next night, when my host brought in two Beavers, which were a great
blessing to us.

[295] Le iour suiuant nos gens tuerent le second Orignac, ce qui causa par tout vne grande ioye, il est vray qu'elle fut vn peu troublée par l'arriuée d'vn Sauuage, & de deux ou trois femmes, & d'vn enfant que la famine alloit bien tost égorger, s'ils n'eussent fait rencontre de nostre cabane, ils estoient fort hideux, l'homme particulierement plus que les femmes, dont l'vne auoit accouché depuis dix iours dans les neiges, & dans la famine, ayant passé plusieurs iours sans manger.

[295] On the following day our people killed the second Moose, at
which there was general rejoicing. True, it was a little marred by
the arrival of a Savage, and of two or three women and a child,
whom famine would have slaughtered, if they had not happened to
come to our cabin. They looked most hideous, the man especially,
more so than the women, one of whom had given birth to a child ten
days before in the snow, and, in the famine, had passed several
days without eating.

Mais admirez s'il vous plaist l'amour que ces barbares se portent les vns aux autres, on ne demanda point a ces nouueaux hostes pourquoy ils venoient sur nos limites, s'ils ne sçauoient pas bien que nous estions en aussi grand danger qu'eux, qu'ils nous venoient oster le morceau de la bouche; ains au contraire on les receut, non de paroles, mais d'effect, sans courtoisie exterieure, car les Sauuages n'en ont point, mais non pas sans charité: on leur ietta de grandes pieces de l'Orignac nouuellement tué, [296] sans leur dire autre parole, _mitisou_k_ou_ mangez, aussi leur eust on fait grand tort d'appliquer pour lors leurs bouches à autre vsage: pendant qu'ils mangeoient on prepara vn festin, auquel ils furent traictez à grand plat, ie vous en réponds: car la portion qu'on leur donna à chacun, sortoit beaucoup hors de leurs _ouragans_ qui sont tres capables.

But admire, if you please, the love these barbarians have for each
other. These new guests were not asked why they came upon our
boundaries, if they were not well aware that we were in as great
straits as they were, and that they were coming to take the morsel
out of our mouths. On the contrary, they were received, not with
words, but with deeds; without exterior ceremony, for of this the
Savages have none, but not without charity. They threw them large
pieces of the Moose which had just been killed, [296] without
saying another word but, _mitisoukou_, "eat;" and indeed it would
have been very wrong to ask them then to use their mouths for any
other purpose. While they were eating, a feast was prepared, at
which they were treated generously, I assure you; for the portion
given to each one of them more than filled their _ouragans_, which
are very large.

Le seiziesme du mesme mois nous battismes la campagne, & ne pouuans arriuer au lieu où nous pretendions, nous ne fismes que gister dans vne hostelerie que nous dressasmes à la haste, & le lendemain nous poursuiuismes nostre chemin passans sur vne montagne si haute, qu'encore que nous ne montassions point iusques au sommet, qui me paroissoit armé d'horribles rochers, neantmoins le Sorcier me dit, que si le Ciel obscurcy d'vn broüillard eust esté serain nous eussions veu à mesme tẽps Kebec & Tadoussac, esloignez l'vn de l'autre de quarante lieuës pour le moins, ie voyois au dessous de moy auec horreur des precipices, qui me [297] faisoient trembler, i'apperceuois des montagnes au milieu de quelques plaines qui me paroissoient comme des petites tours, ou plustost comme de petits chasteaux, quoy qu'en effect elles fussent fort grandes & fort hautes: figurez vous quelle peine ont ces barbares de traisner si haut leur bagage, i'auois de la peine à monter, i'en trouuois encore plus à descendre: car quoy que ie m'esloignasse des precipices, neantmoins la pante estoit si roide, qu'il estoit fort aisé de rouler à bas, & de s'aller fendre la teste contre vn arbre.

On the sixteenth of the same month, we rambled about the country;
and, not being able to find the place we wanted, we could only
lodge in a hostelry that we erected in haste; the next day we
pursued our journey, passing over a mountain so high, that even
though we did not ascend to its summit, which seemed to be
fortified with horrible rocks, yet the Sorcerer told me that if the
Sky, which was obscured by a cloud, had been clear, we might have
seen at the same time, both Kebec and Tadoussac, distant from each
other at least forty leagues. I saw with horror precipices beneath
me, which made [297] me tremble. In the midst of some plains, I
saw mountains which seemed to me like little towers, or rather
diminutive castles, although in reality they were very large and
very high. Imagine how hard it is for these barbarians to drag
their baggage so high. I had trouble in getting up, but still more
in coming down; for, although I was going away from the precipices,
yet the slope was so steep that it was very easy to roll down and
break one's head against a tree.

Le vingt neufiesme nous acheuasmes de descendre ceste montagne portant nostre maison sur la pante d'vne autre où nous allasmes: voila le terme de nostre pelerinage, nous commencerons d'oresnauant à tourner bride & à tirer vers l'Isle où nous auons laissé nostre Chaloupe, nous vismes icy les sources de deux petits fleuues, qui se vont rendre dans vn fleuue aussi grand au dire de nos Sauuages, que le fleuue de S. Laurens, ils l'appellent _Oueraouachticou_.

On the twenty-ninth, we finished our descent of this mountain, and
carried our house up the slope of another to which we were going.
As this was the end of our pilgrimage, we shall begin hereafter to
turn back and direct our course toward the Island where we had left
our Shallop. We saw here the sources of two little rivers, which
flow into a river as large, our Savages say, as the St. Lawrence;
they call it _Oueraouachticou_.

[298] Ceste douziesme demeure nous a deliuré de la famine, car les neiges se trouuant hautes assez pour arrester les grandes iambes de l'Elan, nous eusmes dequoy manger. Au commencement ce n'estoient que festins & que danses, mais cela ne dura pas, car on se mit bientost à faire seicherie passant de la famine dans la bonne nourriture, ie me portay bien: mais passant de la chair fraische au boucan ie tombay malade, & ne recouuray point entierement la santé que trois semaines apres mon retour en nostre petite maisonnette. Il est vray que depuis le commencement de Feurier iusques en Auril nous eusmes tousiours dequoy manger, mais d'vn boucan si dur & si sale & en si petite quantité, horsmis quelques iours d'abondance qui se passoient en festins que nos Sauuages contoient ces derniers, mois aussi bien que les precedens entre les mois & les hyuers de leurs famines. Ils me disoient que pour estre traicté mediocrement & sans patir, il nous falloit vn Elan gros comme vn boeuf en deux iours, tant à raison du [299] nombre que nous estions, comme aussi qu'on mange beaucoup de chair quand on n'a ny pain ny autre chose pour faire durer la viande, adioustez qu'ils sont grands disneurs, & que la chair d'Elan ne demeure pas long-temps dans l'estomach.

[298] This twelfth station delivered us from famine; for the
snow was deep enough to impede the long legs of the Elk, and we
had something to eat. At first, there was nothing but feasts and
dancing; but this did not last long, as they soon began to dry the
meat. Passing thus from starvation to good food, I felt very well;
but when we changed from fresh meat to smoked, I fell ill, and did
not entirely recover my health until three weeks after my return to
our little house. It is true that from the beginning of February
until April we always had something to eat; but it was smoked
meat, so hard and so dirty, and in so small quantities, except
a few days of plenty which passed in feasting, that our Savages
counted these last months as well as the preceding ones, among the
months and winters of their famines. They told me that, to live
moderately well and without suffering, they had to have an Elk as
large as an ox every two days, both because [299] we were rather
numerous, and also because people eat a great deal of meat when
they have neither bread nor anything else to make the food hold
out; add to this that they are great diners, and that Elk meat does
not remain long in the stomach.

Ie me suis oublié de dire ailleurs que les Sauuages content les années par les hyuers, pour dire quel aage as-tu, ils disent combien d'hyuers as-tu passé? ils content aussi par les nuicts comme nous faisons par les iours, au lieu que nous disons, il est arriué depuis trois iours, ils disent depuis trois nuicts.

I have forgotten to say elsewhere that the Savages count the years
by winters. To say, "How old art thou?" they say, "How many winters
hast thou passed?" They count also by nights, as we do by days;
instead of saying, "It happened three days ago," they say, "three
nights ago."

Le cinquiesme de Feurier nous quittasmes nostre douziesme demeure pour aller faire la treiziesme, ie me trouuois fort mal, le Sorcier me tuoit auec ses cris, ses hurlemens, & son tambour, il me reprochoit incessamment que ie faisois l'orgueilleux, & que le _Manitou_ m'auoit fait malade aussi bien que les autres. Ce n'est pas, luy disois-je, le _Manitou_ ou le diable qui m'a causé ceste maladie, mais la mauuaise nourriture qui m'a gasté l'estomach, & les [300] autres trauaux qui m'ont debilité, tout cela ne le contentoit point, il ne laissoit pas de m'attaquer, notamment en la presence des Sauuages, disant que ie m'estois mocqué du _Manitou_, & qu'il s'estoit vangé de moy comme d'vn superbe. Vn iour comme il me faisoit ces reproches ie me leue en mon seant, ie luy dis, afin que tu sçache que ce n'est point ton _Manitou_ qui cause les maladies & qui tuë les hommes, escoute comme ie luy parleray, ie m'escrie en leur langue grossissant ma voix, approche _Manitou_, vien demon, massacre moy si tu as le pouuoir, ie te deffie, ie me mocque de toy, ie ne te crains point, tu n'as point de pouuoir sur ceux qui croyent & qui ayment Dieu, viens & me tuë si tu as les mains libres, tu as plus de peur de moy que ie n'ay de toy, le Sorcier fut espouuenté, & me dit pourquoy l'appelle tu? puis que tu ne le crains pas, c'est signe que tu l'appelle afin qu'il te tuë, non pas luy dis-je, mais ie l'appelle afin que tu ayes cognoissance qu'il n'a point de puissance sur ceux qui adorent le vray Dieu, & pour te faire [301] voir qu'il n'est pas la seule cause des maladies comme tu crois.