Chapter XIII (5)

On the fifth of February, we left our twelfth dwelling to proceed
to our thirteenth. I was very sick; the Sorcerer was killing me
with his cries, his howls, and his drum; he continually reproached
me with being proud, saying that the _Manitou_ had made me sick
as well as the others. "It is not," I said to him, "the _Manitou_
or devil that has caused this sickness, but bad food, which has
injured my stomach, and [300] other hardships that have weakened
me." All this did not satisfy him; he did not cease to attack me,
especially in the presence of the Savages, saying I had mocked the
_Manitou_, and that he had revenged himself upon me for my pride.
One day, when he was casting these slurs upon me, I sat upright,
and said, "That thou mayest know it is not thy _Manitou_ who
causes sickness and kills people, hear how I shall speak to him."
I cried out in their language, in a loud voice, "Come, _Manitou_;
come, demon; murder me if thou hast the power, I defy thee, I mock
thee, I do not fear thee; thou hast no power over those who believe
and love God; come and kill me if thy hands are free; thou art more
afraid of me than I am of thee." The Sorcerer was terrified and
said, "Why dost thou call him, since thou dost not fear him? it is
the same as calling him to kill thee." "Not at all," said I; "but
I am calling him to make you see that he has no power over those
who worship the true God, and to show [301] thee that he is not the
sole cause of sickness, as thou thinkest."

Le neufiesme du mesme mois de Feurier nous battismes la campagne, le Sorcier nonobstant ma maladie me vouloit faire porter du bagage à toute force, mais mon hoste eust pitié de moy, voire mesme m'ayant rencontré en chemin que ie n'en pouuois quasi plus, il prit de son bon gré ce que ie portois, & le mit sur sa traisne.

On the ninth of the same month of February we scoured the plains.
The Sorcerer, in spite of the fact that I was sick, would force me
to carry some of the baggage; but my host took pity on me, and,
having encountered me on the way when I was ready to sink from
exhaustion, he took what I carried, of his own free will, and
placed it upon his sledge.

Le quatorziesme & quinziesme nous fismes de longues traictes pour aller planter nostre cabane proche de deux petits Orignaux que mon hoste auoit tué: faisant chemin on reconneust la piste d'vn troisiesme, mon hoste fit arrester le camp pour l'aller descouurir; i'estois en l'arriere garde de nostre armée, c'est à dire que ie venois doucement derriere les autres quand tout à coup ie vis paroistre cét Elan qui couroit droit à moy, & mon hoste apres, qui luy donnoit la chasse, la neige estoit fort haute, voila pourquoy il ne fit qu'enuiron cinq cens pas deuant que d'estre mis à mort, nous cabanames aupres & en fismes curée.

On the fourteenth and fifteenth, we made long stages, to go and
plant our cabin near two small Moose that my host had killed.
Upon the way, as we discovered the tracks of a third, my host
interrupted the journey to go and look for it. I belonged to the
rear guard of our army; that is, I was coming up slowly behind the
others, when suddenly this Elk appeared, coming straight toward
me, and after it my host in hot pursuit. The snow was very deep,
and hence, ere it had gone five hundred steps, it was killed. We
encamped near there and made a feast of it.

[302] L'Apostat continuant icy ses blasphemes, me demandoit deuant ses freres pour les animer contre Dieu, pourquoy ie priois celuy qui n'entendoit ny ne voyoit rien, ie le repris fort vertement & luy imposay silence.

[302] The Apostate, continuing to blaspheme here, asked me, in the
presence of his brothers, in order to turn them against God, why
I prayed to him who neither saw nor heard anything. I rebuked him
very sharply and imposed silence upon him.

Le sixiesme iour de Mars nous changeasmes de demeure, le Sorcier, le Renegat, & deux ieunes chasseurs tirerent deuant nous droit aux riues du grand fleuue, l'occasion de cette separation fut que mon hoste braue chasseur ayant descouuert quatre Orignaux, & quantité de cabanes de Castors, ne pouuant luy seul en mesme temps chasser en tant d'endroits fort separez, le Sorcier mena ces ieunes chasseurs pour courre les Orignaux, & luy demeura pour les Castors: cette separation me fit du bien & du mal. Du bien, pource que ie fus deliuré du Sorcier, ie n'ay point de paroles pour declarer l'importunité de ce meschant homme. Du mal, pource que mon hoste ne prenant point d'Orignaux nous ne mangions que du boucan qui m'estoit fort contraire, que s'il prenoit des Castors on en faisoit seicherie, [303] excepté des petits que nous mangions, les plus beaux & les meilleurs estoient reseruez pour les festins qu'ils deuoient faire au Printemps, au lieu où ils s'estoient donnez le rendez-vous.

On the sixth day of March, we shifted our quarters. The Sorcerer,
the Renegade, and two young hunters, directed their steps before
us straight to the banks of the great river. The cause of this
separation was that my host, a good hunter, had discovered four
Moose, and a number of Beaver lodges; and not being able alone to
hunt in places so widely separated, the Sorcerer took these young
hunters to chase the Moose, and he remained for the Beavers. This
separation was fraught with both good and evil for me. With good,
because I was freed from the Sorcerer; I have no words to describe
the pertinacity of this wicked man. With evil, because my host did
not capture any Moose, and we had nothing to eat but smoked meat,
which was very distasteful to me; for, if he captured any Beavers,
they were smoked, [303] except the little ones, which we ate; the
finest and best ones were reserved for the feasts they were to give
in the Spring, at the place where they had appointed a rendezvous.

Le treiziesme du mesme mois nous fismes nostre dix-huictiesme demeure proche d'vn fleuue dont les eaux me sembloient sucrées apres la saleté des neiges fonduës que nous beuuions és stations precedentes dans vn chauderon gras & enfumé, ie commençay à ressentir en ce lieu l'incommodité du coucher sur la terre bien froide pendant l'hyuer & fort humide au Printemps, car le costé droit sur lequel ie reposois s'estourdit tellement par la froidure qu'il n'auoit quasi plus de sentiment: or craignant de ne remporter que la moitié de moy-mesme dans nostre petite maison, l'autre demeurante paralytique, ie promis vne chemise & vne petite robbe à vn enfant pour vn meschãt bout de peau d'Orignac que sa mere me donna, ceste peau non passée estoit bien aussi dure que la terre, mais non pas si humide, [304] i'en fis mon lict qui se trouua si court que la terre qui auoit iusques alors pris possession de tout mon corps en retint encore la moitié.

On the thirteenth of the same month, we made our eighteenth station
near a river, whose waters seemed to me sweet as sugar after the
dirt of the melted snow that we drank at former stations, out of a
greasy and smoky kettle. I began here to experience the discomfort
of sleeping upon the ground, which was cold in winter and damp in
Spring; for my right side, upon which I lay, became so benumbed
from cold that it scarcely had any sense of feeling. Now fearing I
would only carry half of myself back to our little house, the other
being paralyzed, I promised a shirt and a little gown to a child,
for a miserable piece of Moose skin, which his mother gave me; this
undressed skin was about as hard as the ground, but not as damp.
[304] Of this I made my bed, which was so short that the ground,
which had up to that time taken possession of all my body, still
kept the half of it.

Depuis le depart du Sorcier, mon hoste prenoit plaisir à me faire des questions, notamment des choses naturelles, il me demanda vn iour comme la terre estoit faite, & m'apportant vne écorce & vn charbon, il me la fit décrire, ie luy despeins donc les deux Hemispheres, & apres luy auoir tracé l'Europe, l'Asia, & l'Affrique, ie vins à nostre Amerique, luy monstrant comme elle est vne grande Isle, ie luy d'écriuy la coste de l'Acadie, la grande Isle de Terre-neufue, l'entrée & golfe de nostre grand fleuue de sainct Laurens, les peuples qui habitent ses riues, le lieu où nous estions pour lors, ie montay iusques aux Algonquains, aux Hiroquois, aux Hurons, à la nation neutre, &c. luy designant les endroits plus & moins peuplez, ie passay à la Floride, au Perou, au Brasil, &c. luy parlant en mon jargon de ces contrées le mieux qu'il m'estoit possible, il m'interrogea [305] plus particulierement des païs dont il a connoissance, puis m'ayans escouté fort patiemment, il s'escria prononçant vne de leurs grandes admirations _Amonitatinanioui_k_hi_! Ceste robbe noire dit vray! parlant à vn vieillard qui me regardoit, puis se tournant deuers moy il me dit, _nicanis_, mon bien aymé tu nous donne en verité de l'admiration, car nous connoissons la plus part de ces terres & de ces peuples, & tu les a descrit comme ils sont, i'insiste là dessus, comme tu vois que ie dis vray parlant de ton pays, aussi dois-tu croire que ie ne ments pas parlant des autres, ie le croy ainsi, me repartit-il, ie poursuy ma pointe, comme ie suis veritable en parlant des choses de la terre, aussi tu dois te persuader que ie ne voudrois pas mentir quand ie te parle des choses du Ciel, & partant tu dois croire ce que ie t'ay dit de l'autre vie: il s'arresta vn peu de temps tout court, puis ayant vn peu pensé à part soy, Ie te croiray, dit-il quand tu sçauras bien parler, nous auons maintenant trop de peine à nous faire entendre.

After the departure of the Sorcerer, my host took pleasure in
asking me questions, especially about the things of nature. One
day he asked me how the earth was made; and, bringing me a piece
of bark and some charcoal, he had me describe it. So I drew for
him the two Hemispheres; and, after having traced Europe, Asia and
Africa, I came to our America, showing him that it is an immense
Island. I described for him the coast of Acadia, the great Island
of Newfoundland, the entrance and gulf of our great river saint
Lawrence, the people who inhabit its banks, the place where we
then were. I went up as far as the Algonquains, the Hiroquois,
the Hurons, to the neutral nation, etc., showing him the places
more and less populous. I passed to Florida, to Peru, to Brazil,
etc., speaking to him in my jargon the best I could about these
countries. He asked me [305] more particularly about the countries
of which he had some knowledge. Then having listened to me
patiently, he exclaimed, using one of their words expressive of
great admiration, _Amonitatinaniouikhi!_ "This black robe tells
the truth," speaking to an old man who was looking at me; and
turning toward me, he said, "_nicanis_, my well-beloved, thou dost
indeed cause our wonder; for we are acquainted with the greater
part of these lands and tribes, and thou hast described them as
they are." Thereupon I urge, "As thou seest I tell the truth in
speaking of thy country, thou shouldst also believe that I do not
lie in speaking of the others." "I do believe thus," he replied. I
followed up my point: "As I am truthful in speaking about things of
the earth, also thou shouldst persuade thyself that I am not lying
when I speak to thee about the things of Heaven; and therefore thou
oughtst believe what I have told thee about the other life." He
paused a few moments, and then, having reflected a little, said, "I
will believe thee when thou shalt know how to speak; but we have
now too much trouble in understanding each other."

[306] Il m'a fait mille autres questions, du Soleil, de la rondeur de la terre, des Antipodes, de la France, & fort souuent il me parloit de nostre bon Roy, il admiroit quand ie luy disois que la France estoit remplie de Capitaines, & que le Roy estoit le Capitaine de tous les Capitaines, il me prioit de le mener en France pour le voir, & qu'il luy feroit des presens, ie me mis à rire luy disant que toutes leurs richesses n'estoient que pauureté à comparaisson des grandeurs du Roy, Ie veux dire, me fit-il, que ie feray des presens à ceux de sa suitte, pour luy ie me contenteray de le voir, il racontoit par apres aux autres ce qu'il m'auoit ouy dire. Il me demanda vne autrefois s'il y auoit de grands saults dans la mer, c'est à dire des cheutes d'eau, il y en a beaucoup dans les fleuues de ce païs cy, vous verrez vne belle riuiere coulant fort doucement tomber tout à coup dans vn lit plus bas, les terres ne s'abbaissant pas également, mais comme par degrez en certains endroits, nous voyons vn de ces sauts proche de Kebec nommé le saut de [307] Montmorency, c'est vne riuiere qui vient des terres, & qui se precipite de fort haut dans le grand fleuue de sainct Laurens, les riues qui le bornent estans fort releuées en cét endroit: Or quelques Sauuages croyoient que la mer a de ces cheutes d'eau dans lesquelles se perdent quantité de nauires ie luy ostay cét erreur, ces inegalitez ne se retrouuans point dans l'Ocean.

[306] He asked me a thousand other questions,--about the Sun, the
roundness of the earth, the Antipodes, France, and he frequently
spoke to me about our good King. He was surprised when I told him
that France was full of Captains, and that the King was the Captain
of all the Captains. He begged me to take him to France to see him,
and to make him some presents. I began to laugh, telling him that
all their riches were nothing but poverty compared to the splendors
of the King. "I mean," said he, "that I will make presents to his
followers; as to him, I will be content to see him." He recounted
afterwards to the others what he had heard me say. Another time
he asked me if there were any great falls in the sea, that is,
waterfalls. There are a great many in the rivers of this country.
You will see a beautiful river flowing along peacefully; and
all at once it will fall into a lower bed, as the land does not
slope gradually, but as if by steps in certain places. We see
one of these falls near Kebec; it is called the "falls of [307]
Montmorency." They are formed by a river which comes from the
interior, and falls from a very high level into the great river
saint Lawrence, the banks enclosing it being considerably elevated
at this place. Now some of the Savages believe that the sea has
these waterfalls, and that a great many ships are lost in them. I
removed this error by telling them that these inequalities are not
found in the Ocean.

Le vingt-troisiesme de Mars nous repassames le fleuue _Capititetchioueth_, que nous auions passé le troisiesme de Decembre.

On the twenty-third of March, we again crossed the river
_Capititetchioueth_, over which we had passed on the third of
December.

Le trentiesme du mesme mois, nous vinsmes cabaner sur vn fort beau lac, en ayant passé vn autre plus petit en nostre chemin, ils estoient encore autant glacez qu'au milieu de l'hyuer, mon hoste me consoloit icy me voyant fort foible & fort abbatu, ne t'attriste point, me disoit-il, si tu t'attriste tu seras encore plus malade, si ta maladie augmente tu mourras, considere que voicy vn beau pays, ayme-le, si tu l'ayme, tu t'y plairas, si tu t'y plais tu te resioüiras, si tu te resioüis tu guariras, ie [308] prenois plaisir d'entendre le discours de ce pauure barbare.

On the thirtieth of the same month, we encamped upon a very
beautiful lake, having passed another smaller one on our way, both
of them still frozen over as hard as in the middle of winter.
Here my host, seeing that I was very weak and cast down, consoled
me, saying, "Do not be sad: if thou art sad, thou wilt become
still worse; if thy sickness increases, thou wilt die. See what a
beautiful country this is; love it: if thou lovest it, thou wilt
take pleasure in it, and if thou takest pleasure in it thou wilt
become cheerful, and if thou art cheerful thou wilt recover." I
[308] took pleasure in listening to the conversation of this poor
barbarian.

Le premier iour d'Auril nous quittasmes ce beau lac & tirasmes à grande erre vers nostre rendez vous, nous passames la nuit dans vn meschant trou enfumé & dés le matin continuasmes nostre chemin faisant plus en ces deux iournées que nous n'auions faict en cinq, Dieu nous fauorisa d'vn beau temps: car il gela bien fort, & l'air fut serain, s'il eust fait vn degel comme les iours precedens, & que nous eussions enfoncé dans la neige, comme quelques fois il nous est arriué, ou il m'eust fallu traisner, ou ie fusse demeuré en chemin tant i'estois mal. Il est bien vray que la nature a plus de force qu'elle ne s'en fait accroire, ie l'experimentay en ceste iournée en laquelle i'estois si foible, que m'asseant de temps en temps sur la neige pour me reposer, tous les membres me trembloient, non pas de froid, mais par vne debilité qui me causoit vne sueur au front. Or comme i'estois alteré voulant puiser de l'eau dans vn torrent [309] que nous rencontrasmes, la glace que ie cassois auec mon baston tomba dessous moy, & fit vn grand escarre: quand ie me vis auec mes raquettes aux pieds sur ceste glace flottante sur vne eau fort rapide, ie sautay plustost sur le bord du torrent, que ie n'eu consulté si ie le deuois faire, & la nature qui suoit de foiblesse trouua assez de force pour sortir de ceste grande eau n'en voulant pas tant boire à la fois, ie n'eus que la peur d'vn peril qui fut plustost esuité que recognu.

On the first day of April, we left this beautiful lake, and drew
rapidly toward our rendezvous. We passed the night in a miserable
smoky hole, and in the morning continued on our way, going farther
in these two days than we had previously gone in five. God favored
us with fine weather, for there was a hard frost, and the air was
clear. If it had thawed as on the preceding days, and we had sunk
down in the snow, as sometimes happened, either they would have
had to drag me, or I would have remained on the way, so ill was I.
It is true that nature has more resistance than she makes believe;
I experienced this that day, when I was so weak that, if I sat down
upon the snow occasionally to rest myself, my limbs would tremble,
not from cold, but from a weakness which caused the perspiration
to come out upon my forehead. Now, as I was thirsty, I tried to
drink some water from a torrent [309] that we were passing. The
ice, which I broke with my club, fell under me and separated into a
big cake. When I saw myself with my snowshoes on my feet, upon this
ice, floating in a very rapid current, I leaped to the edge of the
torrent before consulting as to whether I ought to do it or not,
and nature, which perspired from weakness, found strength enough
to escape from this mass of water, not wishing to drink so much of
it at once; I had nothing but the fear of a peril which was sooner
escaped than realized.

Le danger passé ie poursuiuis mon chemin assez lentement, aussi ne pouuois-ie pas estre bien fort, car outre la maladie qui ne m'auoit point quitté parfaitement depuis le dernier iour de Ianuier, ie ne mangeois ces derniers iours que trois bouchées de boucan le matin, & cheminois quasi tout le reste du iour sans autre rafraichissement qu'vn peu d'eau quand i'en pouuois rencontrer. Enfin i'arriuay apres les autres sur les riues du grand fleuue, & trois iours apres nostre [310] arriuée, sçauoir est le quatriesme du mesme mois d'Auril nous sismes nostre vingt-troisiesme station allant planter nostre cabane dans l'Isle où nous auions laissé nostre Chalouppe, nous y fusmes tres-mal logez: car outre que le Sorcier s'estoit remis auec nous, nous estions si remplis de fumée que nous n'en pouuions plus, d'ailleurs le grand fleuue estant icy falé, & l'Isle n'ayant aucune fontaine nous ne beuuions que des eaux de neige, ou de pluye encore tres sale. Ie ne fis pas long sejour en ce lieu, mon hoste voyant que ie ne guerissois point, prit resolution de me remener en nostre maisonnette, le Sorcier l'en voulut detourner, mais ie rompis ses menées, i'obmets mille particularitez pour tirer à la fin.

The danger passed, I pursued my way quite slowly; indeed I was not
likely to be very strong, for, besides the malady from which I had
been suffering since the last day of January, and which had not
entirely left me, during these last days I had not been eating more
than three mouthfuls of smoked meat in the morning, and would walk
nearly all the rest of the day without any other refreshment than
a little water, when I could get any. At last I arrived after the
others upon the banks of the great river, and, three days later,
[310] namely, on the fourth of the same month of April, we made our
twenty-third station, going to erect our cabin on the Island where
we had left our Shallop. Here we were very badly lodged; for, in
addition to the presence of the Sorcerer who had returned to us,
we were so full of smoke that we could stand no more; besides, as
the water of the great river was salty here, and as there was no
spring in the Island, we could only drink snow or rainwater, and
that very dirty. I did not make a long stay in this place. My host,
seeing that I was not getting well, decided to take me back to our
little house; the Sorcerer wished to dissuade him from this, but I
broke up his conspiracies. I am omitting a thousand particulars in
order to get to the end.

Le cinquiesme du mois d'Auril, mon hoste, l'Apostat, & moy, nous embarquasmes dans vn petit canot pour tirer à Kebec fur le grand fleuue, apres auoir pris congé de tous les Sauuages: or comme il faisoit encore froid nous ne fusmes pas loin que [311] nous trouuasmes vne petite glace formée pendant la nuict, qui feruoit de superficie aux eaux, voyant qu'elle s'estendoit fort loing, nous donnons dedans, l'Apostat qui estoit deuant, la brifant auec son auiron: or soit qu'elle fut trop trenchante, ou l'écorce de nostre gòndole trop foible, il se fit vne ouuerture qui donna entrée à l'eau dans nostre canot & à la crainte dans nostre cœur, nous voila aussi tost tous trois en action, mes deux Sauuages de ramer, & moy de ietter l'eau, nous tirons à force de rames dans vne Isle que nous rencontrasmes fort à propos, & mettant pied à terre les Sauuages empoignent leur canot, le tirent de l'eau, le renuerfent, battent leur fusil, font du feu, recousent l'escorce fenduë, y appliquent de leur bray, qui est vne espece d'encens qui decoule des arbres, remettent le canot à l'eau, nous nous rembarquons & continuons nostre chemin: ie leur dy voyant ce peril que s'ils croyoient rencontrer souuent de ces glaces tranchantes, [312] qu'il valloit mieux retourner d'où nous estions partis, & attendre que le temps fut plus chaud, il est vray me fit mon hoste que nous auons pensé perir, si l'ouuerture eust esté vn peu plus grande c'estoit fait de nous, poursuiuons neantmoins nostre chemin ces petites glaces ne m'estonnent pas. Sur les trois heures du soir nous apperceusmes deuant nous vn banc de glaces espouuentables qui nous bouchoit le chemin, s'estendant au trauers de ce fleuue à plus de quatre lieuës loin: nous fusmes vn peu estonnez, mes gens ne laissent pas pourtant de les aborder ayant remarqué vne petite esclaircie, ils se glissent là dedans faisant tournoyer nostre petite gondole, tantost d'vn costé & puis tantost de l'autre pour gaigner tousjours païs, en fin nous trouuasmes ces glaces si fort serrées qu'il fut impossible d'auancer ny de reculer, car le mouuement de l'eau nous enferma de toutes parts, au milieu de ces glaces s'il y fut suruenu vn vent vn peu violent nous estions froissez & brisez & [313] nous & nostre canot comme le grain entre les deux pierres du moulin, car figurez-vous que ces glaces sont plus grandes & plus espaisses que les meules & la tremuë tout ensemble, mes Sauuages nous voyant si empressez sautent de glaces en glaces comme vn ecririeux d'arbres en arbres, & les repoussant auec leurs auirons font passage au canot dans lequel i'estois tout seul plus prest de mourir par les eaux que de maladie, nous combattismes en cette sorte iusques à cinq heures du soir que nous prismes terre: ces barbares sont tres habiles en ces rencontres, ils me demandoient par fois dans la plus grande presse des glaces si ie ne craignois point, veritablement la nature n'ayme point à ioüer à ce jeu là, & leurs sauts de glaces en glaces me sembloient des sauts perilleux & pour eux & pour moy, veu mesmes que leür pere, à ce qu'ils me disoient, s'est autrefois noyé en semblable occasion. Il est vray que Dieu dont la bonté est par tout aymable, se trouue aussi bien dessus les eaux [314] & parmy les glaces que dessus la terre, nous eschappasmes encore de ce danger qui ne leur sembla pas si grand que le premier.

On the fifth of the month of April, my host, the Apostate, and I
embarked in a little canoe to go to Kebec upon the great river,
after having taken leave of all the Savages. Now, as it was still
cold, we had not gone far when [311] we found that a little ice had
formed during the night, which covered the surface of the water;
seeing that it extended quite far, we entered it, the Apostate,
who was in front, breaking it with his paddle. But either it
was too sharp, or the bark of our gondola too thin; for it made
an opening which let the water into our canoe and fear into our
hearts. So behold us all three in action, my two Savages paddling,
and I baling out the water. We drew with all the strength of our
paddles to an Island which we very fortunately encountered. When
we set foot upon shore, the Savages seized the canoe, drew it out
of the water, turned it upside down; lighted their tinder, made a
fire, sewed up the slit in the bark; applied to it their resin, a
kind of gum that runs out of trees; placed the canoe again in the
water, and we reëmbarked and continued our journey. In view of
this danger, I told them that, if they expected to encounter much
of this sharp ice, [312] it would be better to return whence we
had come, and wait until the weather was warmer. "It is true,"
replied my host, "that we came near perishing; if the hole had
been a little larger it would have been all over with us. But let
us pursue our way, this little ice does not frighten me." Towards
the third hour of the evening we saw before us a horrible bank of
ice which blocked our way, extending across the great river for a
distance of more than four leagues. We were a little frightened,
but my people approached it nevertheless, as they had noticed a
small opening in it; they glided into this, turning our little
gondola first to one side and then to the other, in order to always
make some headway. At last we found these masses of ice so firmly
wedged together, that it was impossible either to advance or
recede, for the movement of the water closed us in on all sides. In
the midst of this ice, if a sharp wind had arisen, we would have
been crushed and broken to pieces, [313] we and our canoe, like the
grain of wheat between two millstones; for imagine these blocks of
ice, larger and thicker than the millstone and hopper together. My
Savages, seeing our predicament, leaped from one piece of ice to
another, like squirrels from tree to tree; and, pushing it away
with their paddles, made a passage for the canoe, in which I sat
alone, nearer dying from water than from disease. We struggled
along in this way until five o'clock in the evening, and then we
landed. These barbarians are very skillful in such encounters.
They asked me from time to time, in the greatest danger, if I were
not afraid; truly nature is not fond of playing at such games, and
their leaps from ice to ice seemed to me to be full of peril both
for them and for me, especially as their father, as I have been
told, was drowned under similar circumstances. It is true that God,
whose goodness is everywhere adorable, is found as well upon the
waters, [314] and among the ice, as upon the land. We escaped also
from this danger, which did not seem to them as great as the first.

Arriuez que nous fusmes à terre nostre maison fut de nous coucher au pied d'vn arbre, nous mangeasmes vn peu de boucan, beusmes vn peu d'eau de neige fonduë, ie fis mes petites prieres & me couchay aupres d'vn bon feu qui contrequarra la gelée & le froid de la nuict.

When we reached land, our house was the foot of a tree, where we
lay down, after having eaten a bit of smoked meat and drunk a
little melted snow-water. I repeated my little prayers, and rested
beside a good fire which counteracted the frost and cold of the
night.

Le lendemain nous nous embarquasmes de bonne heure, la marée qui nous auoit amené ces armées de glaces les porta la nuict d'vn autre costé, nous fismes donc quelque chemin deliurés de cette importunité, mais le vent s'animant & nostre petite gondole, commençant à dancer sur les vagues nous nous iettasmes incontinant à terre. I'auois prié mes gens de prendre auec eux des escorces pour nous faire la nuict vne cabane & des viures pour quelques iours n'estant pas asseurez du retardement que le mauuais temps nous pourroit apporter, ils ne firent [315] ny l'vn ny l'autre, si bien, qu'il fallut coucher à l'air, & manger en quatre iours les viures d'vne iournée, ils s'attendoient d'aller à la chasse, mais les neiges se fondans ils ne pouuoient courre, le temps faisant mine de s'appaiser nous nous rembarquasmes, mais à peine auions nous faict trois lieuës que le vent se renforcant nous va ietter dans des glaces que la marée nous ramenoit, & nous d'enfiler viste vn petit ruisseau, de sauter tous trois sur ces grandes glaces qui estoient aux bords, & de gagner la terre, nos Sauuages portant sur les espaules nostre nauire d'écorce.

The next day we embarked early. The tide, which had brought us
these legions of icebergs, had carried them during the night to the
other side, so we were for some distance free from this annoyance;
but the wind arose, and as our little gondola began to dance upon
the waves, we turned shoreward and hurriedly landed. I had begged
my people to take with them some pieces of bark, with which to make
a cabin to cover us at night, and food enough for several days, as
we were not sure that the bad weather might not cause us delays.
They did neither [315] one thing nor the other, so we had to lie
out in the open air, and make one day's food last four; they had
expected to go hunting, but, as the snow was melting, they could
not pursue the game. The weather promising to clear up, we embarked
again, but scarcely had we gone three leagues when the wind,
growing stronger, cast us upon the ice which the tide was bringing
back, and caused us to glide quickly through a little stream, and
all three to leap upon these great blocks of ice which were along
its edge, and thus to gain land, our Savages carrying our bark ship
upon their shoulders.

Nous voila donc logez à vne pointe de terre exposée à tous vents, nous mettons nostre canot derriere nous pour nous abrier, & comme nous craignions la pluye ou la neige mon hoste iette vne meschante peau sur des perches, & voila nostre maison faicte. Les vents furent si violens toute la nuict qu'ils nous penserent enleuer nostre canot, le lendemain la [316] tempeste continuant dessus l'eau, mes gens n'ayant dequoy manger vont à la chasse par vn tres mauuais temps, le Renegat ne prit rien, mon hoste rapporta vn perdreau qui nous seruit de deieusner, de disner, & de soupper, vray que i'auois mangé quelques fueilles de fraisiers, que la terre nouuellement descouuerte de neige en quelques endroits me donna, nous passasmes donc cette iournée sans faire chemin, la nuict les tempestes, les foudres de vent, & le froid nous assaillirent auec telle furie qu'il fallut ceder à la force, nous estions couchez à platte terre, car ils n'auoient pas pris la peine de la couurir de branches de pin, nous nous leuasmes tout glassez pour entrer dans le bois & emprunter des arbres l'abry contre le vent & le couuert contre le Ciel, nous fismes vn bon feu, & nous nous endormismes sur la terre encore toute humide pour auoir seruy de lict à la neige peut-estre la nuict precedente, Dieu soit beny sa prouidence est adorable, nous mettions ce [317] iour & ceste nuict dans le catalogue des iours & des nuicts mal-heureux, & ce nous fut vn temps de bon-heur, car si ces tempestes & ces vents ne nous eussent tenus prisonniers sur terre pendant qu'ils escartoient les glaces les poussant à val la riuiere, elles se fussent reserrées au trauers des Isles où nous deuions passer, & nous eussent faict mourir de trop boire ecrasant nostre canot, ou de trop peu manger, nous arrestans dans quelque Isle deserte. Bref si nous fussions eschappez c'eust esté à grand peine, de plus i'estois si debile & si malade quand ie m'embarquay, que si i'eusse preueu les trauaux du chemin i'aurois creu deuoir mourir cent fois, & neantmoins Nostre Seigneur commença à me fortifier dans ces difficultez, en sorte que i'ayday mes Sauuages à ramer notamment sur la fin de nostre voyage.

Now we were lodged upon a point of land exposed to all the winds.
As a shelter, we placed our canoe back of us, and fearing rain or
snow, my host threw a wretched skin upon some poles, and lo, our
house was made. The winds were so boisterous all night that they
nearly blew away our canoe. The next day the [316] storm continuing
upon the water, and my people having nothing to eat, they went
hunting during most wretched weather. The Renegade did not capture
anything; but my host brought back a young partridge, which served
as breakfast, dinner, and supper. True, I had eaten some leaves of
the strawberry plant that I had found upon the ground, from which
the snow had recently melted in some places. So we passed this day
without resuming our journey. That night the storm, gusts of wind,
and the cold, assailed us with such fury that we had to surrender
to these forces, and get up half-frozen (for we had been lying
upon the bare ground, not having taken the trouble to cover it
with pine branches) and go into the woods to borrow from the trees
their shelter against the wind and their covering against the Sky.
Here we made a good fire and went to sleep upon ground still damp
from snow which had probably covered it the night before. God be
praised, his providence is adorable! We set this [317] day and this
night down in the calendar of wretched days and nights, yet it was
for us a period of good fortune. For, if these tempests and winds
had not held us prisoners upon the land while they were clearing
away the ice and driving it down the river, it would have been
massed across the way to the Islands by which we must pass; and we
would have had to die from too much drink crushing our canoe, or
from too little food, caused by having to stop in some deserted
Island. In short, if we had escaped it would have been with great
difficulty. Moreover, I was so weak and sick when I embarked, that
if I had foreseen the hardships of the way I would have expected to
die a hundred times; yet Our Lord began to strengthen me in these
trials, so that I aided my Savages to paddle, especially toward the
end of our journey.

Le iour qui suiuit ces tempestes paroissant encor animé de vents, mon hoste & l'Apostat s'en allerent à la chasse, vne heure apres leur depart le [318] Soleil paroist beau, l'air serein, les vents s'appaisent, les vagues cessent, la mer se calme, en vn mot il abonit pour parler en matelot, me voila bien en peine de vouloir suiure mes Sauuages à la trace pour les appeller, c'estoit mettre vn tortuë apres des leuriers, ie iette les yeux au Ciel comme au lieu de refuge les abbaissant vers la terre ie vy mes gens courir comme des cerfs sur l'orée du bois, tirans vers moy, aussi-tost ie me leue portant nostre petit bagage vers la riuiere, mon hoste arriuant _eco, eco, pousitau, pousitau_, viste, viste, embarquons nous, embarquons nous, plustost fait qu'il n'est dit, le vent & la marée nous fauorisent, nous allons à rames & à voile, nostre petit vaisseau d'escorce fendant les ondes d'vne vitesse incomparable, nous arriuasmes en fin sur les dix heures du soir à la pointe de la grande Isle d'Orleans, il n'y auoit plus que deux lieuës iusques à nostre petite maison, mes gens n'auoient point mangé tout le iour, ie leur donne courage, nous nous [319] efforçons de passer outre, mais le courant de la marée qui descendoit encor estant fort rapide, il fallut attendre le flot pour trauerser la grande riuiere, nous entrasmes cependant dans vne anse de terre, & nous nous endormismes sur le sable aupres d'vn bon feu que nous allumasmes.

The day after these tempests being still rather windy, my host
and the Apostate went hunting. An hour after their departure the
[318] Sun shone out brightly, the air became clear, the winds died
away, the waves fell, the sea became calm,--in a word, it mended,
as the sailors say. Then I was in great perplexity about following
my Savages to call them back, for it would have been like a turtle
pursuing a greyhound. I turned my eyes to Heaven as to a place of
refuge; and, when I lowered them, I saw my people running like deer
along the edge of the wood straight toward me. I immediately arose,
and started for the river, bearing our little baggage. When my host
arrived, _eco, eco, pousitau, pousitau_, "Quick, quick, let us
embark, let us embark!" No sooner said than done; the wind and tide
favored us, we glided on with paddle and sail, our little bark ship
cutting the waves with incomparable swiftness. We at last arrived
about ten o'clock in the evening at the end of the great Island of
Orleans, from which our little house was not more than two leagues
distant. My people had eaten nothing all day; I encouraged them. We
[319] tried to go on, but the current of the tide, which was still
ebbing, being very rapid, we had to await the flood to cross the
great river. Therefore we went into a little cove, and slept upon
the sand, near a good fire that we lighted.

Sur la minuit le flot retournant nous nous embarquasmes, la Lune nous éclairant, le vent & la marée nous faisoient voler, mon hoste n'ayant pas voulu tirer du costé que ie luy dis, nous pensasmes nous perdre dans le port, car comme nous vinsmes pour entrer dans nostre petite riuiere nous la trouuasmes encore toute glacée, nous voulusmes approcher du riuage, mais le vent y auoit rangé vn grand banc de glace, qui se choquoient les vnes les autres nous menaçoient de mort si nous les abordions, si bien qu'il fallut tourner bride, mettre le cap au vent & se roidir contre la marée, c'est icy que ie vy les vaillances de mon hoste, il s'estoit [320] mis deuant comme au lieu le plus important dans les grands perils, ie le voyois au trauers de l'obscurité de la nuict qui nous donnoit de l'horreur & augmentait nostre danger, bander ses nerfs, se roidir contre la mort, tenir nostre petit canot en estat dans des vagues capables d'engloutir vn grand vaisseau, ie luy crie _Nicanis ouabichtigoueia_K_hi ouabichtigoueia_k_hi_, mon bien-aymé à Kebec, à Kebec, tirons là. Quand nous vismes à doubler le saut au Matelot, c'est le detour de nostre riuiere dans le grand fleuue, vous l'eussiez veu ceder à vne vague, en couper vne autre par le milieu, éuiter vne glace, en repousser vne autre, combattre incessamment contre vn furieux vent de Nordest qu'il auoit en teste.

Toward midnight, the tide again arising, we embarked. The Moon
shone brightly, and wind and tide made us fly. As my host would
not take the direction I advised, we very nearly perished in the
port; for, when we came to enter our little river, we found it
still covered with ice. We tried to approach the banks, but the
wind had piled up great masses of ice there, striking and surging
against each other, which threatened us with death if we approached
them. So we had to veer around and turn our prow to the wind and
work against the tide. It was here I saw the valor of my host.
He had [320] placed himself in front, as the place where the
greatest danger was to be found. I saw him through the darkness
of the night, which filled us with terror while augmenting our
peril, strain every nerve and struggle against death, to keep
our little canoe in position amid waves capable of swallowing up
a great ship. I cried out to him, _Nicanis ouabichtigouciakhi
ouabichtigouciakhi_, "My well-beloved, to Kebec, to Kebec, let us
go there." When we were about to double the Sailor's leap, that is,
the bend where our river enters the great river, you might have
seen him ride over one wave, cut through the middle of another,
dodge one block of ice, and push away another, continually fighting
against a furious Northeast wind which we had in our teeth.

Ayans éuité ce danger nous voulumes aborder la terre, mais vne armée de glaces animée par la fureur des vents nous en deffendoit l'entrée: nous allõs donc iusques deuant le fort costoyant le riuage, cherchant dans les tenebres [323 i.e., 321] vn petit iour ou vne petite eclaircie parmy ces glaces; mon hoste ayant apperceu vn rerin on detour qui est au bas du fort, où les glaces ne branloiẽt point pour estre à l'abry du vent, en detourne auec son auiron trois on quatre furieuses qu'il rencontre, & vous iette là dedans, il saute viste hors du Canot, craignant le retour des glaces, criant _Capatau_, desembarquons nous; le mal estoit que les glaces estoient si hautes & si épaisses sur le riuage, qu'à peine y pouuois-ie atteindre auec les mains; ie ne sçauois à quoy m'aggraffer pour sortir du Canot, & monter sur ces riues glacées; ie prends mon hoste par le pied d'vne main, & de l'autre vn coing de glace que ie rencontre, & ie me iette en sauueté, vn auec les deux autres, vn lourdaut deuient habille homme en ces occasions: estant sorty du Canot, ils l'enleuent par les deux bouts, & le mettent en lieu d'asseurance: cela fait nous nous regardons tous trois, & mon hoste reprenant son haleine, me dit, _nicanis_ k_hegat nipiacou_, mon grand amy, nous auons pensé mourir: il auoit encore horreur, de la grandeur du peril. Il est vray que [324 i.e., 322] s'il n'eust eu des bras de Geant (il est homme grand & puissant) & vne industrie non commune, ny aux François ny aux Sauuages, ou vne vague nous eust englouty, ou le vent nous eust renuersé, ou vne glace nous eust escrasé; disons plustost que si Dieu n'eust esté nostre Nocher, les ondes qui battent les riues de nostre demeure auroient esté nostre sepulchre. De verité quiconque habite parmy ces peuples, peut bien dire auec le Roy Prophete, _anima mea in manibus meis semper_: depuis peu vn de nos François s'est noyé en semblable occasion, & encore moindre, car il ny auoit plus de glaces.

Having escaped this danger, we would have liked to land; but an
army of icebergs, summoned by the raging wind, barred our entrance.
So we went on as far as the fort, coasting along the shores, and
sought in the darkness [323 i.e., 321] a little gleam of light or a
small opening among these masses of ice. My host having perceived
a rerin, or turn, which is at the bottom of the fort, where the
ice did not move, as it was outside the current of wind, he turned
away with his paddle three or four dreadful masses of it which
he encountered, and dashed in. He leaped quickly from the Canoe,
fearing the return of the ice, crying, _Capatau_, "Let us land;"
the trouble was, that the ice was so high and densely packed
against the bank, that it was all I could do to reach to the top
of it with my hands; I did not know what to take hold of to pull
myself out of the Canoe, and to climb up upon these icy shores.
With one hand I took hold of my host's foot, and with the other
seized a piece of ice which happened to project, and threw myself
into a place of safety with the other two. A clumsy fellow becomes
agile on such occasions. All being out of the Canoe, they seized it
at both ends and placed it in safety; and, when this was done, we
all three looked at each other, and my host, taking a long breath,
said to me, _nicanis khegat nipiacou_, "My good friend, a little
more, and we would have perished;" he still felt horror over the
gravity of our danger. It is true that [324 i.e., 322] if he had
not had the arms of a Giant (he is a large and powerful man), and
an ingenuity uncommon among either Frenchmen or Savages, either a
wave would have swallowed us up, or the wind would have upset us,
or an iceberg would have crushed us. Or rather let us say, if God
had not been our Pilot, the waves which beat against the shores of
our home would have been our sepulchre. In truth, whoever dwells
among these people can say with the Prophet King, _anima mea in
manibus meis semper_. Only a little while ago one of our Frenchmen
was drowned, under like circumstances, yet less dangerous, for
there was no longer any ice.

Estant échappez de tant de périls, nous trauersâmes nostre riuiere sur la glace, qui n'estoit point encore partie; & sur les trois heures apres minuict, le Dimanche de Pasques fleurie 9. d'Auril, ie r'entray dans nostre petite maisonnette, Dieu sçait auec quelle ioye de part & d'autre, ie trouuay la maison remplie de paix & de benediction, tout le monde en bonne santé par la grace de nostre Seigneur. Monsieur le Gouuerneur sçachant mon retour, m'enuoya [323] deux des principaux de nos François pour sçauoir de ma santé, son affection nous est tres sensible; l'vn des chefs de l'ancienne famille du pays accourut aussi pour se resioüyr de mon retour, ils auoient connu par le peu de neige qu'il y a eu cét Hiuer, moins rigoureux que les autres, que les Sauuages & moy par consequent estions pressez de la faim; c'est ce qui en resioüit quelques-vns iusques aux larmes, me voyant reschappé d'vn si grand danger; nostre Seigneur soit beny dans les temps & dans l'eternité.

Having escaped so many perils, we crossed our river on the ice,
which was not yet broken; and three hours after midnight, on Palm
Sunday, April 9th, I reëntered our little house. God knows what
joy there was on both sides! I found the house filled with peace
and blessings, every one being in good health, by the grace of
our Lord. Monsieur the Governor, learning of my return, sent to
me [323] two of our most prominent Frenchmen, to inquire after my
health. His affection for us is indeed very evident. One of the
heads of the old family in the country[5] also hastened to express
his joy at my return. They knew by the small amount of snow that
had fallen that Winter, which was less severe than others, that
the Savages, and consequently I, would suffer greatly from famine;
and hence some even shed tears of joy at seeing me escaped from so
great a danger. Blessed be our Lord, in time and in eternity.

I'ay bien voulu d'escrire ce voyage, pour faire voir à V. R. les grands trauaux qu'il faut souffrir en la suitte des Sauuages, mais ie supplie pour la derniere fois ceux qui auroient enuie de les ayder, de ne point prendre l'espouuente, non seulement pource que Dieu se faict sentir plus puissamment dans la disette, & dans les delaissements des creatures, mais aussi pource qu'il ne sera plus de besoin de faire ces courses, quãd on aura la connoissance des langues, & qu'on les aura reduites en preceptes: I'ay rapporté quelques particularitez [324] qui se pouuoient obmettre, i'en ay passé beaucoup sous silence, qu'on auroit peu lire auec plaisir, mais la crainte d'estre long, & mon peu de loisir, me fait tomber dans le desordre; il est vray que i'escris à vne personne, _quæ ordinabit me charitatem_, les autres qui verront cette Relation par son entremise, me feront la mesme faueur. Ie dirois volontiers ces deux mots, à quiconque lira ces escrits, _ama & fac quod vis_, retournons à nostre journal.

I wanted to describe this journey, to show Your Reverence the
great hardships that must be endured in following the Savages; but
I entreat, for the last time, those who have any desire to help
them not to be frightened; not only because God makes himself more
powerfully felt in our time of need, and in the helplessness of his
creatures, but also because it will no longer be necessary to make
these sojourns when we shall know their languages and reduce them
to rules. I have reported some details [324] which might have been
omitted; and have passed over in silence much that would, perhaps,
have been read with pleasure; but the fear of being tedious, and
my little leisure, have caused some disorder in my work. It is true
that I am writing to a person, _quæ ordinabit me charitatem_; and
the others who through his agency see this Relation will do me the
same favor. I feel like saying these two words to whomsoever will
read these writings, _ama et fac quod vis_. Let us return to our
journal.

Le 31. de May, arriua vne chalouppe de Tadoussac, qui apportoit nouuelle que trois vaisseaux de Messieurs les Associez estoient arriuez, deux estoient dans le port, & le troisiéme au Moulin Baude, c'est vn lieu proche de Tadoussac, que les François ont ainsi nommé: on attendoit le quatriéme, dans lequel commandoit Monsieur du Plessis, general de la flotte, qui vint bien-tost apres, & loüa grandement le Capitaine Bontemps, pour s'estre rendu fort recommandable en la prise du nauire Anglois, dont i'ay parlé cy-dessus; si tost que ces bonnes nouuelles furent portées à Mõsieur de Champlain, comme il n'obmet [325] aucune occasion de nous tesmoigner son affection, il nous en fit donner aduis par homme exprés, nous enuoyans en outre les lettres du R. P. Lallement qui m'escriuoit qu'il estoit arriué auec N. F. Iean Ligeois en bonne santé, & qu'au premier vent il seroit des nostres, il est aisé à conjecturer auec quelle ioye nous benismes & remerciasmes nostre Seigneur de ces bonnes & si fauorables nouuelles; il arriua deux iours apres dans la barque que commandoit Monsieur Castillon, qu'on dit s'estre fort bien comporté en la prise de l'Anglois.