Chapter II (1)

OF THE SAVAGES BAPTIZED THIS YEAR, AND SOME BURIALS.

IT seems that our Lord wishes to authorize the purity of the
immaculate Conception of his holy Mother, by the [24] great
assistance he gives to those who honor this chief dignity of the
Virgin. I sent last year to Your Reverence the formula of a vow
which we made according to your advice in all our Residences, on
the eighth of December, a day dedicated to this sacred Conception.
We concealed this act of devotion, and Your Reverence has published
it, using the same words in which we made the vow, and in which we
will pledge ourselves again, God helping, every year on the same
day. The blessings that heaven has bestowed upon our insignificant
labors, since that time, are so evident that I would like to urge
upon all our Fathers of Old France, yea even of all the world, and
all the good souls who cherish the conversion of these Tribes, to
ally themselves with us through these holy vows, uniting all the
fasts, all the prayers, all the sufferings, all the most secret
acts of virtue, of those who will enter into this alliance, to be
presented to the Divinity in honor of and as an act of thanks for
the immaculate Conception of the holy Virgin, in order to obtain
through her mediation the application of the blood of her Son [25]
to our poor Savages, the entire abnegation and love for +JESUS+
on the Cross, with a truly Christian death, to those who procure
their salvation and to all those associated in the practice of this
act of devotion, the formula of which is given at the end of last
year's Relation. I wrote in that Relation that we had baptized
twenty-two persons; this year, since these vows were presented to
God, we have baptized more than a hundred, and, before that, very
few. In all, since the departure of the Ships up to the present, we
have made one hundred and fifteen Savages children of the Church.
Furthermore, God has given us great openings for the salvation of
these Tribes, making them resolve upon two points which show that
the faith has entered into their souls. The first is, that they
are not vexed at us for baptizing their sick children; indeed,
they even summon us to do this. The second is, that the more aged
ones are likewise beginning to wish to die Christians, asking for
baptism when they are sick, in order not to go down into the fires
with which they are threatened. In short, we have obtained what we
hardly dared to ask for, so greatly [26] do we see them alienated
from their former inclinations; that is, the promise to give us
some little girls, but I will speak of this in its place. All these
favors have come from heaven, through the merits of the holy Virgin
and of her glorious Spouse, since the vows which I have mentioned.
Let us come down to particulars, and follow the order of time of
these Baptisms.

Le neufiesme de Decembre, iustement le lendemain de la feste de la Conceptiõ: Le sieur Iean Nicolet, Truchement pour les Algonquins aux trois Riuieres, vint donner aduis aux Peres, qui demeuroient en la Residence de la Conception, scize au mesme lieu, qu'vn ieune Algonquin se trouuoit mal, & qu'il seroit à propos de le visiter. Les Peres se transportent incontinent en sa Cabane, demandant permission à son pere de l'instruire, Dieu sembloit auoir disposé les cœurs de ces Barbares, que nous luy auions presentez, faisant nos vœux le iour precedent. Ce pauure Barbare se monstre fort content du bien qu'on procuroit à son fils: le Pere Buteux l'instruit, & pource que le malade estant Algonquin n'entendoit qu'à demy la langue Montagnese, dont se [27] seruoit le Pere, vne femme Sauuage bien versee en ces deux langues, seruoit d'interprete, faisant couler par sa bouche la foy & les veritez Chrestiennes dans l'ame de ce pauure ieune garçon, sans les retenir pour soy: iustement à la façon de ces canaux, ou de ces aqueducs, qui versent les sources d'eau toutes entieres, sans rien reseruer pour eux. Enfin le douziesme du mois, voyant que leur malade abaissoit, ils le baptiserent apres l'auoir instruit, & luy donnerent nom Claude; il mourut bien tost apres, prononcant les saincts noms de +IESVS+ & de +MARIE+, ses parens demanderent aux Peres, s'ils ne seroient pas bien contents qu'on mist ce corps aupres des François; C'est bien nostre desir, repartent-ils. Nous luy ferõs vn honneur, leur dismes nous, que nous denierions au plus grãd Capitaine du mõde, s'il n'estoit Chrestiẽ. Hastez vous donc de preparer ce qui est necessaire pour l'enterrer à vostre mode, dirent-ils, puis qu'il est à vous. Il se fit vn beau conuoy de tous nos François, apres lesquels venoient les Sauuages deux à deux, auec vne modestie qui ne sentoit rien du Barbare. A l'issuë de l'enterrement le pere du defunct [28] fit vn festin aux Sauuages, pendant lequel, comme il ne mangeoit point selon leur coustume; tantost il chantoit, maintenant il discouroit; I'ay perdu l'esprit, disoit-il, la mort de mon fils me tire hors de moy-mesme; ie me suis veu autrefois entre les mains de nos ennemis, tout prest d'estre mis en pieces, & d'estre déchiré à belles dents, iamais ie ne perdy courage, il ne faut pas que ie le perde maintenant; i'ay dequoy me consoler, puis que mon fils, s'il eust vescu, n'auroit pas manqué de tirer vengeance des Hiroquois. Et se tournant vers les Peres, Vous auez de beaucoup allegé ma douleur, rendans les derniers honneurs à mon fils. Voila la harangue de ce pauure Barbare, sur les funerailles de son fils, qui a bien d'autres pensées maintenant dans le ciel.

On the ninth of December, the very next day after the feast of the
Conception, sieur Jean Nicolet,[29] Interpreter for the Algonquins
at the three Rivers, came to inform the Fathers who lived in the
Residence of the Conception, situated at the same place, that a
young Algonquin was sick, and it would be well to visit him. The
Fathers immediately hastened to his Cabin, and asked his father's
permission to instruct him; God seemed to have prepared the hearts
of these Barbarians, whom we had presented to him in our vows the
day before. This poor Barbarian appeared very glad at the good
that was being done to his son; Father Buteux instructed him; and,
as the sick man was an Algonquin, and only half understood the
Montagnese tongue, which [27] the Father used, a Savage woman, well
versed in both these languages, served as interpreter, allowing the
faith and Christian truths to flow from her lips into the soul of
this poor young man without retaining them for herself,--precisely
like those canals or aqueducts which discharge whole fountains
of water, without reserving any for themselves. Finally, on the
twelfth of the month, seeing their patient was sinking, they
baptized him, after having given him instruction, and named him
Claude; he died shortly afterwards, pronouncing the holy names of
+JESUS+ and +MARY+. His parents asked the Fathers if they would not
like to have his body placed near the French. "That is indeed our
desire," they answered. "We will show him an honor," we told them,
"that we would refuse to the greatest Captain in the world, if he
were not a Christian." "Hasten then and prepare what is necessary
to bury him in your way," they said, "since he is yours." A fine
escort was formed, consisting of all our Frenchmen; and after them
came the Savages, two by two, with a modesty which savored in no
wise of Barbarians. After the burial, the father of the dead man
[28] gave a feast to the Savages, during which,--as he did not
eat, according to their custom, now singing, now talking,--he said,
"I have lost my courage, the death of my son has undone me; at
other times I have seen myself in the hands of our enemies, about
to be cut to pieces and torn by their teeth, and I have never
lost courage; I ought not to lose it now, for I have something to
console me, since my son, if he had lived, would not have failed
to wreak vengeance upon the Hiroquois." And turning towards the
Fathers, "You have greatly soothed my grief, by rendering the last
honors to my son." Such was the discourse of this poor Barbarian at
the obsequies of his son, whose thoughts are now quite different in
heaven.

Le vingt-deuxiesme du mesme mois, les mesmes Peres ressentirent l'effect des bontez de la saincte Vierge, au baptesme d'vn ieune garçon âgé d'enuiron dix ans: cét enfant ne vouloit point du tout ouïr parler de nostre creance, s'imaginant qu'estre baptizé, & mourir incontinent apres, estoit la mesme chose. Et en effect [29] comme nous ne confions pas aisément ces eaux sacrées, sinon à ceux qu'on voit n'en deuoir point abuser pour estre voisins de la mort, ces Barbares ont eu pour vn temps cette pensée, que le Baptesme leur estoit fatal. Nous auions beau leur representer que nous estions tous baptisez, & que nous viuions plus long temps qu'eux: Ces eaux, disoient-ils, sont bonnes pour vous, mais non pas pour nous. Les Peres voyans ces resistances, s'addressent à nostre commune Mere, & luy demandent cette ame pour son Fils. Chose estrange! l'enfant non seulement ne les fuit plus, mais il demande d'estre porté en leur maison. Le Pere Quentin à ces paroles, le prend, l'embrasse, l'apporte tout languissant en sa chambre, où il fut baptizé, & nommé André par Monsieur de Malapart, son parrain. Ce pauure petit estoit d'vne humeur si douce & si facile, qu'il se rendoit aymable à tout le monde: voila pourquoy le Pere Buteux l'ayant autrefois demandé à sa mere; Ie n'ay garde, fit-elle, de te le donner, ie l'ayme comme mon cœur. C'est vne prouidence bien particuliere du bon Dieu, que cette mere fust absente pendant [30] son instruction & son baptesme. Car il est croyable qu'elle y auoit apporté de l'empeschement, suiuant l'erreur qui les a tenu long-temps, que ce qui nous donne la vie leur cause la mort; on eut bien de la peine d'auoir le corps de ce petit innocent apres sa mort, comme ie vay dire tout maintenant.

On the twenty-second of the same month, the same Fathers
experienced the effects of the goodness of the holy Virgin, in the
baptism of a young boy about ten years of age. This child did not
wish to hear us speak of our belief at all, imagining that to be
baptized and to die immediately after was the same thing. And, in
fact, [29] as we do not readily bestow these sacred waters except
upon those who we see are not going to abuse them, on account of
their proximity to death, these Barbarians for a while had this
idea that Baptism was fatal to them. We explained clearly to them
that we were all baptized, and that we lived longer than they did.
"These waters," they said, "are good for you, but not for us."
Our Fathers, seeing this resistance, addressed themselves to our
common Mother, and asked from her this soul for her Son. Wonderful
thing! the child not only no longer avoids them, but he asks to be
brought to their house. At these words, Father Quentin takes him in
his arms, and carries him, weak and languid, into his own room,
where he is baptized and named André, by Monsieur de Malapart,[65]
his godfather. This poor child was of a disposition so sweet and
gentle, that he made himself loved by every one; hence when Father
Buteux once asked his mother for him, "I have no intention," said
she, "of giving him to thee, I love him as my own heart." It is a
very special providence of the good God that this mother was absent
during [30] his instruction and baptism. For it is probable that
she would have thrown some impediments in the way, in accordance
with the error so long prevalent among them, that what gives life
to us gives death to them. There was considerable trouble in
getting the body of this little innocent after his death, as I am
now going to relate.

Le vingt-septiesme, Monsieur de Maupertuis donna le nom de Marie à vne petite fille âgée de deux ans, que les Peres baptizerent; elle estoit fille de defunct Capitanal, Capitaine des Sauuages, homme vaillant, & fort sage pour vn Barbare. Il auoit laissé trois enfans à sa femme, vn garçon âgé d'enuiron dix-sept ans, & deux petites filles: la plus petite de ces filles est au ciel, le garçon est mort tres-miserablement, comme ie diray cy apres. A mesme temps qu'il mourut, le petit André trespassa: or comme ils estoient parens, on les enterra dans vn mesme sepulchre, au desceu de nos Peres, qui en ayant eu le vent se vindrent plaindre à la grande mere d'André, de ce qu'on auoit enterré ce petit baptizé sans les aduertir. Le Pere Buteux prie qu'on leur rende le corps pour le placer auec nous: vn Sauuage [31] luy repart, Va-t'en, on ne t'entend pas; c'est vne réponse que nous font par fois les Sauuages, quand on les presse de faire vne chose qui ne leur agrée pas. Il est vray que nous ne parlõs encore qu'en begayant, mais neantmoins quand nous leur disons quelque chose conforme à leurs desirs, iamais ils ne nous font ces reproches. Le Pere voyant cela va querir l'Interprete, on luy répond que l'affaire est faite, que l'enfant est enterré auec le fils du Capitanal, & que la femme du Capitanal s'offenseroit, si on foüilloit en la fosse de son fils. Le Pere la va trouuer, la prie de laisser tirer du sepulchre le corps de ce petit enfant, elle ne répond aucun mot: vn Capitaine se trouuant là dessus, prend la parole. Hé bien, dit-il, les deux corps sont à toy, porte les auec les François: mais ne les separe point, car il s'entr'ayment. Si sont-ils bien loing l'vn de l'autre, fit le Pere, l'vn a esté baptisé, & l'autre non, & par consequent l'vn est bien heureux, & l'autre gemit dans les flammes. Ne tient-il qu'à cela pour estre ensemble, & pour estre bien heureux, fit ce Sauuage, tu n'as point d'esprit, déuelope celuy qui n'est pas baptisé, & luy iette [32] tant d'eau sur la teste que tu voudras, & puis les enterre en mesme sepulchre. Le Pere se sousrit, & luy fit entendre que cela ne seruiroit de rien. Ce Barbare en fin acquiesça, & nos Peres tirerẽt le petit André du sepulchre profane, & le mirent en terre saincte. _Vnus assumetur, & alter relinquetur._ Apres l'enterrement la mere de celuy qui estoit mort sans Baptesme, voyant qu'on auoit rebuté son fils, cõme le corps d'vne ame damnée, pleuroit à chaudes larmes. Ah mon fils, disoit-elle, que ie suis marrie de ta mort: le Pere alors qui auoit veu les Iongleurs soufflans ce ieune garçon en sa maladie; luy dit, voila la guerison que ces badins promettoient à ton fils: ta petite fille est malade, donne toy bien de garde de les appeller, ny de la faire chanter. Iamais, dit-elle, ils n'en approcheront, si elle empire ie vous appelleray: quelque temps apres les Peres la iugeant bien malade, la baptiserent au grand contentement de la mere.

On the twenty-seventh, Monsieur de Maupertuis[66] gave the name
Marie to a little girl two years old, whom the Fathers baptized;
she was the daughter of the late Capitanal, Captain of the
Savages,--a brave man and very wise for a Barbarian.[67] He had
left his wife with three children, a boy of about seventeen years,
and two little girls; the smaller of these girls is in heaven,
the boy died very pitiably, as I shall tell hereafter. At the
same time that he died, little André passed away; now, as they
were relations, they were buried in the same grave, without our
Fathers knowing it; they, when they had heard about it, went to
André's grandmother to complain that this little baptized boy had
been buried without their knowledge. Father Buteux begged them to
give him the body to place in our cemetery; a Savage [31] answered
him, "Go away, we do not understand thee." This is an answer that
the Savages occasionally make to us, when we urge them to do
something that does not suit them. It is true that, as yet, we
speak only stammeringly; but, still, when we say something which
conforms to their wishes they never use these reproaches. The
Father, seeing this, went in search of the Interpreter; he is told
that the affair is ended, that the child is buried with Capitanal's
son, and that Capitanal's wife would be offended if we were to
ransack the grave of her son. The Father goes to see her, and begs
her to allow them to take the body of this little child out of the
grave; she answers not a word; a Captain who is present begins to
talk. "Oh well," says he, "the two bodies belong to thee, take
them to the French; but do not separate them, for they are fond of
each other." "Yet they are quite distant from each other," said
the Father; "the one has been baptized and the other has not, and
consequently the one is happy and the other groans in the flames."
"If that is all it depends upon to be together and to be happy,"
said this Savage, "thou hast no sense; take up the one who has
not been baptized, and throw [32] as much water on his head as
thou wishest, and then bury them in the same grave." The Father
smiled, and gave him to understand that that would avail nothing.
This Barbarian finally acquiesced; and our Fathers took little
André from the profane grave, and placed him in holy ground. _Unus
assumetur, et alter relinquetur._ After the burial, the mother of
the one who died without Baptism, seeing her son had been discarded
like the body of a lost soul, shed bitter tears. "Ah, my son," she
said, "how sorry I am for thy death." Then the Father, who had seen
the Jugglers blowing upon this youth in his sickness, said to
her, "Behold the cure that these triflers promised to thy son; thy
little girl is sick, be careful not to summon them nor have them
sing to her." "Never," said she, "shall they come near her; if she
grows worse, I will call you." Some time afterward the Fathers,
deeming her very sick, baptized her, to the great satisfaction of
the mother.

Le trente-vniesme vne fille âgée d'enuiron seize ans fut baptisée, & nommée Anne par vn de nos François. Le Pere Buteux l'instruisant luy dit, que si estant Chrestienne elle venoit à mourir, son [33] ame iroit au Ciel dãs les ioyes eternelles. A ce mot de mourir elle eut vne si grande frayeur, qu'elle ne voulut plus iamais prester l'oreille au Pere: on luy enuoya le Sieur Nicolet truchement, qui exerce volontiers semblables actions de charité, elle l'escoute paisiblement; mais comme ses occupations le diuertissent ailleurs, il ne la pouuoit visiter si souuent: c'est pourquoy le Pere Quentin s'efforça d'apprendre les premiers rudimens du Christianisme en Sauuage, afin de la pouuoir instruire: cela luy reüssit si bien, que cette pauure fille ayant pris goust à cette doctrine salutaire, desira le Baptesme, que le Pere luy accorda. La grace a plusieurs effects; on remarqua que cette fille fort desdaigneuse & altiere de son naturel, deuint fort douce & traittable estant Chrestienne.

On the thirty-first a girl about sixteen years old was baptized and
named Anne by one of our Frenchmen. Father Buteux while instructing
her, told her that, if she were a Christian, when she came to die
her [33] soul would go to Heaven to joys eternal. At this word,
"to die," she was so frightened that she would no longer listen to
the Father. Sieur Nicolet, the interpreter, who willingly performs
such acts of charity, was sent to her, and she listened to him
quietly; but, as his duties called him elsewhere, he could not
visit her very often. Hence Father Quentin tried to learn the first
rudiments of Christianity in the Savage tongue, in order to be able
to instruct her; he succeeded in this so well that the poor girl,
having tasted this wholesome doctrine, desired Baptism, which the
Father granted her. Grace produces many results; it was remarked
that this girl, naturally very disdainful and proud, grew very
gentle and tractable on becoming a Christian.

Le septiesme de Ianuier de cette année mil six cens trente six, le fils d'vn grand Sorcier ou Iongleur fut faict Chrestien, son pere s'y accordant apres de grandes resistances qu'il en fit: car comme nos Peres éuentoient ses mines, & le decreditoient, il ne pouuoit les supporter en sa Cabane. Cependant comme [34] son fils tiroit à la mort, ils prierent le sieur Nicolet de faire son possible pour sauuer cette ame: ils s'en vont donc le Pere Quentin & luy en cette maison d'écorce, pressent fortement ce Sauuage de consentir au baptesme de son petit fils: comme il faisoit la sourde oreille, vne bonne vieille luy dit: Quoy pense-tu que l'eau que ietteront les Robes noires sur la teste de ton enfant, le fasse mourir? Ne vois tu pas qu'il est déja mort, & qu'à peine peut-il respirer? Si ces gens là te demandoient ta Pourcelaine, ou tes Castors, pour les offices de charité qu'ils veulent exercer enuers ton fils, tu aurois quelque excuse; mais ils donnent & ne demandent rien, tu sçay le soin qu'ils ont des malades, laisse les faire; si ce pauure petit meurt ils l'interreront mieux que tu ne sçaurois faire. Le malade fut donc baptizé, & nommé Adrien par le sieur du Chesne, Chirurgien de l'habitation; il mourut quelque temps apres. Le Pere Buteux le demanda pour l'enseuelir à nostre façon. Non, non, dirent les parens: tu ne l'auras pas tout nud, attends que nous l'ayons paré, & puis nous te le donnerons. Ils luy peignent la face de [35] bleu, de noir & de rouge; ils le vestent d'vn petit Capot rouge, puis l'enfourrent de deux peaux d'Ours, & d'vne robe de peau de Chat sauuage, & par dessus tout cela d'vn grand drap blanc, qu'ils auoient acheté au Magazin, ils accommodent ce petit corps dans tout ce bagage, en forme d'vn paquet bien lié de tous costez, & le mettent entre les mains du Pere, qui baise doucement ces sacrées dépoüilles pour témoigner aux Sauuages l'estime que nous faisons d'vn petit Ange baptizé. On l'enterra au Cimetiere de nos François, auec solemnité: ce qui plaist fort à ces Barbares, & qui les induit bien souuent à permettre qu'on face Chrestiens leurs enfans.

On the seventh of January of this year one thousand six hundred
and thirty-six, the son of a great Sorcerer or Juggler was made
a Christian, his father consenting to it after having offered
a great deal of opposition; for, as our Fathers were revealing
his schemes and throwing discredit upon him, he could not endure
them in his Cabin. However, as [34] his son was on the verge of
death, they begged sieur Nicolet to do all he could to save this
soul. So they went, Father Quentin and he, to his bark house, and
strongly urged this Savage to consent to the baptism of his little
son; as he turned a deaf ear, a good old woman said: "What! dost
thou think the water the black Robes will throw upon the head of
thy child will make him die? Dost thou not see that he is already
dead, and that he can hardly breathe? If these people were asking
thy Porcelain or thy Beavers, for the charitable acts which they
exercise towards thy son, thou wouldst have some excuse; but they
give and ask nothing; thou knowest how they care for the sick, let
them go on; if this poor little one dies, they will bury him better
than thou couldst." So the sick child was baptized and named Adrien
by sieur du Chesne,[68] Surgeon of the settlement; he died some
time afterwards. Father Buteux asked for him, to bury him in our
way. "No, no," said the parents, "thou canst not have him naked;
wait until we have adorned him, and then we will give him to thee."
They painted his face [35] blue, black, and red; they dressed him
in a little red Cloak, and lined it with two Bear skins and a robe
of wild Cat skin, and over all placed a large white sheet which
they had bought at the Store. They arranged the little body in all
this paraphernalia, in the form of a package tied closely on all
sides, and placed it in the hands of the Father, who gently kissed
these sacred remains, to show the Savages how greatly we esteemed
a little baptized Angel. It was buried in our French Cemetery,
with solemnity. This greatly pleases these Barbarians, and often
influences them to allow their children to be made Christians.

Le huictiesme du mesme mois de Ianuier, vne ieune fille vniquement aymée de ses parens, mais encor plus de Dieu, s'en alla au Ciel, apres auoir esté lauée dans le sang de l'Agneau. Ie remarqueray en cét endroit les folies que fit son pauure pere pour la pouuoir guerir. Son beau frere luy vint dire qu'il auoit songé que sa niepce gueriroit, si on la faisoit coucher sur vne peau de mouton, variée de diuerses figures; on en cherche aussi [36] tost, on en trouua, on peint dessus mille grotesques, des canots, des auirons, des animaux, & chose semblable: les Peres qui n'auoient pas encore instruit cette fille, sont instance que ce remede est inu[ti]le: mais il le faut éprouuer. La malade repose sur ces peintures, & n'en reçoit aucune reelle guerison. Vn autre Charlatan fut d'auis, que si on donnoit à la malade vn drap blanc pour cheuet, sur lequel on auroit figuré des hommes chantans & dançans, que la maladie s'en iroit. On se met incontinent en deuoir de peindre des hommes sur vn drap; mais ils ne firent que des marmousets, tant ils sont bons Peintres: ce remede ne succeda non plus que le premier. La pauure fille se couche sur ce drap, sans reposer, ny sans guerir. Que ne peut l'affection naturelle des peres & des meres enuers leurs enfans? Ces bonnes gens cherchoient par tout la santé de leur fille, horsmis en celuy qui la pouuoit donner. Ils consultent vne fameuse Sorciere, c'est à dire vne fameuse badine. Cette femme dit qu'elle auoit appris, soit du Manitou, soit d'vn autre, ie m'en rapporte, qu'il falloit tuer vn chien, & que les hommes le mangeassent [37] en festin. De plus, qu'il falloit faire vne belle robe de peau de Cerf, l'enrichir de leurs matachias rouges faits de brins de Porc épic, la donner à la malade, & qu'elle en gueriroit. Comme on preparoit ce festin, vn Sauuage songea, que pour la guerison de cette fille, il falloit faire vn banquet de vingt testes d'Elans: voila les parens de la fille bien en peine: car comme il n'y auoit gueres de neige, on ne pouuoit courre, encore moins prendre l'Eslan. Sur cette grande difficulté on consulte les Interpretes des songes, il fut conclud qu'il falloit changer ces vingt testes d'Orignac en vingt grãds pains tels qu'ils en achetent de nos François, & que cela auroit le mesme effect. Ils ne se tromperent pas, d'autant que ces pains & ce festin de chien, ne firent autre chose que remplir le ventre des Sauuages; c'est tout ce qu'auroient peu faire ces vingt testes d'Orignac: car pour guerir vn malade, ny les banquets, ny les belles robes ne seruent de rien.

On the eighth of the same month of January, a young girl
peculiarly loved by her parents, but still more so by God, went to
Heaven after having been washed in the blood of the Lamb. I will
notice in this place the follies her poor father committed, in
order to be able to cure her. His brother-in-law came to tell him
that he had dreamed his niece would recover, if they had her lie
upon a sheepskin painted with various figures; a search was made
for one [36] immediately, one was found, and they painted thereon
a thousand grotesque figures, canoes, paddles, animals, and such
things. The Fathers, who had not yet instructed this girl, urged
earnestly that this remedy was useless; but they must try it. The
patient rested upon these paintings, but received no real benefit.
Another Charlatan was of the opinion that, if they gave the sick
girl a white sheet as pillow, upon which had been drawn pictures
of men singing and dancing, the sickness would disappear. They
began immediately to paint men upon a sheet, but they made nothing
but monkeys, such good Painters are they; this remedy succeeded
no better than the first. The poor girl lay down upon this sheet
without resting, and without recovering. What cannot the natural
affection of fathers and mothers do for their children? These good
people sought everywhere the health of their daughter, except in
him who could have granted it. They consulted a famous Sorceress,
that is, a famous jester. This woman said she had learned,--whether
from Manitou or some one else, I cannot say,--that they would have
to kill a dog and that the men should make [37] a feast of it.
Furthermore, that they would have to make a beautiful robe of Deer
skin, trim it with their red matachias made of Porcupine quills,
and give it to the patient; and that she would thus recover.
While they were preparing this feast, a Savage dreamed that, for
the recovery of this girl, they would have to prepare a banquet of
twenty head of Elk. Now the girl's parents were placed in great
anxiety, for, as there was but little snow, they could not pursue
and much less capture the Elk. In this great difficulty, they
consulted the Interpreters of dreams; it was decided that they must
change the twenty head of Moose to twenty big loaves of bread, such
as they buy from our French, and that this would have the same
effect. They were not mistaken, inasmuch as this bread and this dog
feast did nothing but fill the stomachs of the Savages; and this is
all the twenty Moose heads could have done, for, to cure the sick,
neither banquets nor beautiful robes avail.

Pendant qu'on appliquoit ces beaux remedes, les Peres s'addressoient à Dieu pour le salut de cette pauure ame: ils venoient voir cette pauure fille; mais les [38] parens ne vouloient pas permettre qu'on luy parlast de nostre creance, s'imaginant que le Baptesme nuisoit au corps, quoy qu'il en fust de l'ame. Attendez, disoient-ils, quand nostre fille n'en pourra plus, quand nous aurons cherché tous les remedes, dont nous nous seruons, s'ils ne reüssissent, nous vous permettrons de l'instruire. Les Peres voyans cela desisterent pour vn temps de visiter la malade, traictant de la guerison de son ame auec Dieu. La mere de la fille se sentit portée à desirer qu'on la vinst instruire, son mary y contrarioit. Enfin, Dieu qui tient les cœurs de tous les hommes entre ses mains, amolit ceux de ces Barbares, pour le bien de leur enfant; non seulement ils n'ont plus d'auersion des Peres, mais au contraire ils les font inuiter, leur donnant asseurance que leur fille les écouteroit volontiers. Les Peres y volent aussi tost, le Pere Buteux prend la parole, déduit le mieux qu'il peut les principaux articles de nostre foy. Les parens, pour ayder le Pere qui n'a pas encore la perfection de la langue, & pour soulager leur enfant, reïteroient doucement, & expliquoient en termes plus significatifs [39] ce qu'on disoit à cette pauure ame, qui se montroit alterée de cette doctrine, comme vne terre seiche de la rosée du Ciel: on employe quelque temps à l'enseigner, tousiours auec le contentement des parens, & beaucoup plus de la malade. Pendant la nuict elle disoit par fois à sa mere, Ne sera-il pas bien tost iour, le Pere ne viendra-il pas de bon matin, puis s'addressant à Dieu, luy disoit. _Mißi ka, khichitaien chaouerimitou_, toy qui as tout fait, fais moy misericorde. _Khiranau, oue ka nipien khita pouetatin khisadkihitin_. Toy qui est mort pour nous, ie crois en toy, ie t'ayme, secours moy. Le Pere la visitant, elle luy disoit, Tu me réioüis quand tu me viens voir, i'ay retenu ce que tu m'as enseigné, & là dessus luy expliquoit fidelement. Le soir auant sa mort, vn sien oncle estant venu voir les Peres, & soupant auec eux, leur dit, Ma niepce est bien malade, vous la deuriez baptiser: on luy replique, qu'on la veut plainement instruire; Si toutesfois, luy dit-on, tu la voyois notablement baisser, appelle nous, & nous l'irons voir. Sur les dix ou onze heures de nuict, ce pauure Sauuage s'en vint au trauers de la neige, & d'vn [40] froid tres piquant, crier à pleine teste proche de l'habitation de nos François, qu'ils vinssent viste baptiser la malade, & qu'elle s'en alloit mourant. Les peres s'éueillent à ces cris bien étonnez, que ny les grands chiens qu'on détache la nuict, ny la rigueur du froid n'auoient point empesché ce bon homme de les venir appeller. Le sieur Nicolet, & le sieur de Launay les accompagnerent, celuy cy fut le Parrain, & la nomma Marie, son pere & sa mere, quoy que Barbares, témoignerent receuoir du contentement de cette action, & remercierent les Peres & nos François, d'auoir pris la peine de sortir pendant vne nuict si fascheuse, que le sieur Nicolet s'en trouua mal. La pauure fille n'eut qu'autant de paroles, qu'il en falloit pour accepter le baptesme, qu'elle auoit tant desiré: car si tost qu'elle l'eut receu elle entre en l'agonie, & bien tost apres s'en alla en Paradis, auec l'étolle d'innocence, dont le Ciel la venoit de couurir. Son oncle la voyant morte, fit appeller le Pere Buteux, & luy dit, Vous n'aymez pas seulement pendant la vie, mais encore apres la mort, ma niepce est à vous, enterrez la à vostre [41] mode. Faites vne grande fosse; car mon frere à qui la tristesse a dérobé la parole, veut loger auec elle son petit bagage: ils vouloient enterrer auec cette fille deux chiens, & plusieurs autres choses: pour les chiens, on leur dit que les François ne seroient pas bien aises qu'on logeast auec eux de si laides bestes; Permets nous donc, dirent-ils, de les enterrer prés de vostre Cimetiere; car la defuncte les aymoit, & c'est nostre coustume de donner aux morts, ce qu'ils ont aymé ou possedé pendant leur vie. On combat tant qu'on peut cette superstition, qui se va abolissant tous les iours; neantmoins on tolere en ces premiers commencemens beaucoup de choses, qui se détruiront d'elles mesmes auec le temps. Si on refusoit à ces pauures ignorans, de mettre dans la fosse de leurs trespassez leur petit equipage, pour aller en l'autre vie, disent-ils, ils nous refuseroient aussi l'abord de leurs malades, & ainsi plusieurs ames se perdroient, qu'on va petit à petit recueillant, iusques à ce que les iours de la grande moisson viennent. Ils enueloperent donc le corps mort de plusieurs robes, ils luy donnerent ses affiquets, ses [42] braueries, quãtité de porcelaine, qui sont les diamans & les perles du païs, & de plus on mit dans la fosse deux auirons, & deux grands sacs remplis de leurs richesses, & de diuers outils ou instrumens, dont se seruent les filles & les femmes. Pour conclusion le pere de cette fille tant aymée, voyant l'honneur qu'on rendoit à son enfant, & comme on luy auoit fait faire vn beau cercueil, ce qui plaist infiniment à ces Barbares, il se ietta sur le col du Pere Buteux, & luy dit _Nikanis_, mon bien-aymé, en verité ie cognois que tu m'ayme, & tous vous autres qui portez cét habit, vous cherissez nostre Nation. Puis apostrophant son enfant; Ma fille que tu es heureuse d'estre si bien logée: cét homme est l'vn des principaux de sa nation, sa femme s'est fait Chrestienne, comme nous dirons en son lieu, nous esperons qu'il mourra Chrestien, aussi bien que ses plus proches. Ainsi soit-il.

While they were making use of these fine remedies, the Fathers
were addressing themselves to God for the salvation of this poor
soul; they came to see the wretched girl, but her [38] parents
would not permit them to talk to her about our belief, imagining
that Baptism injured the body, whatever it might do for the soul.
"Wait," said they; "when our daughter is completely exhausted, when
we have tried all the remedies of which we can avail ourselves,--if
they do not succeed, we will permit you to instruct her." The
Fathers, upon hearing this, desisted for a while from visiting
the sick girl, negotiating for the recovery of her soul with God.
The mother of the girl felt inclined to have her instructed, her
husband was opposed to this. At last, God, who holds the hearts
of all men in his hands, softened those of these Barbarians, for
the good of their child. Not only were they no longer averse
to the Fathers, but on the contrary they had them invited there,
assuring them that their daughter would listen to them willingly.
The Fathers immediately fly thither; Father Buteux begins to talk,
presenting as well as he can the principal articles of our faith.
The parents, to assist the Father, who is not yet well versed in
the language, and to soothe their child, repeat softly and explain
in clearer terms [39] what was said to this poor soul, which showed
itself as thirsty for this doctrine as the dry earth for the dew
from Heaven; some time was employed in instructing her, the parents
always contented, and the patient still more so. During the night,
she would sometimes say to her mother, "Will it not soon be day?
Will the Father not come early in the morning?" Then addressing
God, she would say to him: _Missi ka khichitaien chaouerimitou_,
"Thou who hast made all, have pity upon me." _Khiranau, oue ka
nipien khita pouetatin khisadkihitin._ "Thou who hast died for us,
I believe in thee, I love thee, help me." When the Father visited
her, she said to him, "Thou givest me joy when thou comest to see
me; I have remembered what thou hast taught me," and thereupon she
explained it to him accurately. The evening before her death, one
of her uncles, having come to see the Fathers and remaining to sup
with them, said, "My niece is very sick, you ought to baptize her."
They replied that they wished to instruct her sufficiently. "If,
however," they said to him, "thou see her perceptibly weakening,
call us, and we will go and see her." At ten or eleven o'clock at
night, this poor Savage came through the snow and the [40] piercing
cold, and cried out in a loud voice when he neared the French
settlement, that they should come quickly and baptize the sick
girl, for she was going to die. The fathers, awakened by these
cries, were indeed astonished that neither the great dogs that
are let loose at night, nor the rigor of the cold, had prevented
this good man from coming to call them. Sieur Nicolet and sieur
de Launay[69] accompanied them; the latter was Godfather and gave
her the name Marie. Her father and mother, although Barbarians,
showed that they were pleased at this act, and thanked the Fathers
and our Frenchmen for having taken the trouble to come out on a
night so bad that sieur Nicolet was made sick by it. The poor
girl had only words enough to accept the baptism which she had so
much desired; for, as soon as she had received it, she entered
into the pangs of death, and soon after went to Paradise, clad in
the robes of innocence with which Heaven had just covered her.
When her uncle saw that she was dead, he had Father Buteux called
and said to him, "You love, not only during life, but even after
death; my niece belongs to you, bury her in your [41] way. Make a
big grave, for my brother, whom grief has stricken dumb, wishes to
place with her her little belongings." They wished to bury with
this girl two dogs, and several other things. As to the dogs, they
were told that the French would not be pleased if such ugly beasts
were placed among them. "Permit us, then," said they, "to bury
them near your Cemetery; for the dead girl loved them, and it is
our custom to give to the dead what they loved or possessed when
they were living." We do all we can to oppose this superstition,
which is every day becoming less general; nevertheless, one
tolerates, in these first beginnings, many things which in time
will disappear of themselves. If these poor ignorant people were
refused the privilege of placing in the graves of their dead their
few belongings, to go with them to the other life, they say, they
would also refuse to allow us to approach their sick; and thus many
souls would be lost which we are gathering in little by little,
until the days of the great harvest come. So they enveloped the
dead body in several robes; they gave her her trinkets, [42] her
ornaments, a quantity of porcelain, which is the diamonds and
pearls of this country;[70] and besides this they put in the grave
two paddles, and two large bags filled with their wealth, and with
different utensils or instruments which the girls and women use.
Finally, the father of this girl, so dearly beloved,--seeing the
honor they were showing his child, and that they had made her a
beautiful coffin, a thing which gives infinite pleasure to these
Barbarians,--threw himself upon Father Buteux's neck and said,
"_Nikanis_, my well-beloved, in truth I recognize that thou lovest
me, and that all of you, who wear this gown, cherish our Nation."
Then apostrophizing his child: "My daughter, how happy thou art to
be so well lodged!" This man is one of the principal men of his
nation; his wife has become a Christian, as we shall relate in the
proper place. We hope that he will die a Christian as well as his
family. So may it be.

Le vingtiesme du mesme mois Dieu fit paroistre sa bonté en la conuersion & au Baptesme d'vn Sauuage, dont nos Peres sembloient quasi auoir desesperé: ce ieune homme estant malade, le Pere Buteux [43] l'alla visiter: comme il y alloit grand nombre de personnes dans sa cabane, il l'inuita de venir faire vn tour en nostre maison, si sa maladie luy permettoit: il s'y transporte incontinent, apres quelques discours le Pere le iette sur les articles de nostre creance, mais auec peu de succés: car ayant espousé la fille d'vn des plus grands Charlatans du païs, il n'estoit pas pour se rendre à la premiere semonce: comme on le pressoit sur les biens de la vie future, s'il n'en vouloit pas iouïr, il repartit, qu'il ne pouuoit pas croire cela; car mon ame, disoit-il, apres ma mort n'aura point d'esprit, & par consequent ne sera pas capable de ces biens. Comment sçais tu, luy fit le Pere, que les ames apres leur trespas sont stupides, & sans connoissance; deux de nos hommes, replique-il, sont retournez autresfois apres leur mort, & l'ont dit à ceux de nostre nation. Ces ames qui retournerent auoient-elles de l'esprit? Non, fit-il. Tu te trompes, dit le Pere, car c'est auoir de l'esprit, de cognoistre qu'on n'a point d'esprit; mais laissons cette subtilité, est-ce pas auoir de l'esprit que d'estre bon chasseur? iamais les Sauuages ne nieront [44] cette proposition, car leur plus grande Philosophie & Theologie n'est pas en leur teste, mais en leurs pieds. Or est-il, poursuiuit le Pere, qu'il y a des ames des Sauuages qui chassent brauement aux ames des Castors & des Eslans, donc elles ont de l'esprit. A cét argument vn peu trop pressant pour vn Sauuage il ne respondit autre chose, sinõ que puis que ses gens n'alloient point au Ciel, qu'il n'y vouloit point aller; Vous autres, disoit-il, vous asseurez que vous allez là haut, allez y donc à la bonne heure, chacun aime sa nation, pour moy i'iray trouuer la mienne. Le Pere voyant bien qu'il s'opiniastreroit chãge de discours, l'interroge sur son mal; C'est, respond-il, vn meschant Algonquain qui m'a procuré cette maladie qui me tient dans le corps, pource que m'estant fasché contre luy, la peur qu'il eut que ie ne le tuasse l'a induit à traitter de ma mort auec le Manitou. Et comment sçais-tu cela? I'ay faict consulter le Manitou, qui m'a dit que ie me hastasse de faire des presens aux _Manitousiouekhi_, ce sont leurs Iongleurs, & qu'il preuiẽ droit mon ennemy, luy ostant la vie, & par ainsi que ie guerirois: mais [45] mõ malheur est que ie n'ay plus rien, i'ay donné ma Pourcelaine & mes Castors, & à faute de pouuoir continuer ces presens il faut que ie meure. Voila l'vnique vtilité de l'art de ces Iongleurs, c'est qu'ils tirent tout ce qu'ils peuuent des pauures malades, & quand ils n'ont plus rien ils les abandonnent. Les Iaponois ont des erreurs toutes semblables, ils croyent que les pauures ne pouuans rien donner aux Bonzes, ne sçauroient aller en Paradis. Les Chrestiens sont obligez d'adorer & de recognoistre la bonté de leur Dieu. Que la foy a de clarté pour estre vn flambeau obscur, & que nostre creance pour estre releuée par dessus les forces de la nature, s'accorde bien auec la raison! Les Theologiens disent bien à propos, qu'il faut auoir _piam motionem_, pour donner consentement aux propositions de nostre foy; il faut que la volonté s'amolisse, & qu'elle quitte sa dureté naturelle; ce qui se fait par vn doux soufle ou mouuement du S. Esprit, lequel nous induit à croire. Ie voy tous les iours des hommes conuaincus sur cette verité, que nostre creance est bonne, qu'elle est saincte, qu'elle est conforme à la raison, & apres [46] tout cela, ne voyant aucune conclusion de ces premices, ie m'escrie, Qu'auons nous faict à Dieu pour nous auoir donné la Foy, qui a tant de peine d'entrer en l'ame de ces pauures Sauuages! Mais pour retourner à nostre ieune homme, les Peres auoient comme desesperé de son salut; neantmoins comme la conuersion d'vne ame depend de celuy qui est tout-puissant, ils ne laissoient pas de le visiter, pour luy donner de fois à autre quelque crainte de l'enfer, ou quelque esperance de la vie eternelle. En fin ce pauure ieune homme fut touché tout à coup, cet entendement plein de tenebres commence à voir le iour, & sa volonté deuient soupple & obeyssante aux volontez de Dieu, comme vn enfant bien né aux desirs de ses parens. Les Peres entrans certain iour en sa Cabane il leur fait present d'vn morceau d'Eslan qu'on luy auoit donné: le Pere Buteux luy dit, Nous ne venons pas icy pour receuoir, mais pour te donner; nous ne cherchons pas tes biens, mais nous te voulons donner ceux du Ciel; si tu voulois croire en Dieu que tu serois heureux! Oüy, dit-il i'y veux croire, & ie veux aller auec luy; il disoit [47] cela les mains iointes, les yeux esleuez au Ciel, d'vn accent si deuot, auec vne posture si composée, que les Peres resterent tous remplis de ioye & d'estonnement, voyant que Dieu en fait plus en vn moment que tous les hommes en cent ans; aussi est-il le Dieu des cœurs. Voila ce cœur de pierre changé en vn cœur de chair, il escoute auidemẽt ce qu'il croioit déja, il est tout plein de regrets de ses resistances, il ne peut assez admirer la bonté de celuy qui l'a si doucement vaincu. Les Peres l'ayant veu si bien disposé, offrent pour luy le sacré sainct sacrifice de la Messe, & apres vne bonne instruction luy changerent en fin le nom sauuage d'_Amiskoueroui_ au nom de Nicolas, qui luy fut donné au sainct Baptesme. Dieu sçait prẽdre son temps quand il luy plaist. A l'heure qu'il fut touché, qu'il fut baptisé, & qu'il mourut, certains gauffeurs & badins qui demeuroient en sa Cabane, & qui auroiẽt faict leur possible pour le détourner du Christianisme estoient allez a la chasse, ils retournerent iustement deux heures apres sa mort, bien estonnez de ce qui c'estoit passé: mais _quis vt Deus_? Qui pourra détourner la bonté de Dieu, [48] non plus que ses foudres? _Non est qui se abscondat à calore eius._ Il n'y a cœur de bronze qui ne se liquefie, quand Dieu le veut brusler.