Chapter VI: Preface: To Vol. VIII (5)

Quant à ce qui concerne les mœurs, les Hurons sont lascifs, quoy qu'en deux chefs moins que plusieurs Chrestiens, qui rougiront [176] vn iour deuant eux. Vous n'y verrez point de baisers, ny de caresses deshonnestez; & dans le mariage vn homme y demeurera les deux & trois ans entiers, sans cognoistre sa femme, tandis qu'elle est nourrice. Ils sont gourmands iusques à rendre gorge: vray est que cela n'est pas souuent, mais seulement en quelques festins superstitieux. Encore ne s'y trouuent-ils pas volontiers; & d'ailleurs ils supportent beaucoup mieux la faim que nous; si bien qu'apres auoir ieusné les deux ou trois iours entiers, vous en verrez encore ramer, porter, chanter, rire, gausser, cõme s'ils auoiẽt biẽ disné. Ils sont fort faineants, menteurs, larrons, importuns demandeurs. Quelques-vns les estiment vindicatifs; mais pour moy ie crois que ce vice est plus notable ailleurs qu'icy. On y voit reluire d'assez belles vertus [177] morales. Vous y remarquez en premier lieu vne grande amour & vnion, qu'ils sont soigneux de cultiuer par le moyen de leurs mariages, de leurs presens, de leurs festins, & de leurs frequentes visites. Au retour de leur pesche, de leur chasse, & de leur traitte, ils s'entredonnent beaucoup: s'ils y ont pris quelque chose d'exquis, ou mesme s'ils l'ont acheté, ou si on le leur a donné, ils en font festin à tout le village: l'hospitalité enuers toute sorte d'estrãgers y est remarquable. Ils leur presentẽt en ces festins ce qu'ils ont preparé de meilleur, & cõme i'ay desia dit, ie ne sçay si ailleurs il se recontre rien de pareil en ce sujet. Il me semble auoir leu dans les vies [des] Peres, qu'vne armée Payenne se conuertit, voyant la charité & l'hospitalité d'vne ville Chrestienne, dont les habitans s'efforçoient à l'enuy de [178] caresser & festoyer les Estrangers. Iugeant bien que ceux-là deuoient professer la vraye Religion, & adorer le vray Dieu Pere commun de tous, qui auoient vn cœur si benin, & faisoient indifferemment tant de bien à toute sorte de personnes. Nous auons aussi esperance que nostre Seigneur donnera en fin la lumiere de sa cognoissance, & communiquera l'ardeur de ses graces à cette Nation, qu'il semble y auoir disposée par la pratique de cette belle vertu. Ils ne refusent iamais la porte à vn Estranger; & l'ayans receu vne fois en leur maison, ils luy font part de ce qu'ils y ont de meilleur: ils ne luy donnent iamais son congé; & quand il le prend de soy-mesme, il en est quitte pour vn simple grand-mercy. Cela me fait esperer, que si vne fois il plaist à Dieu de les illuminer, ils correspondront parfaictement [179] aux graces & aux inspirations de son Fils. Et puis qu'il est venu comme Estranger en sa propre maison, ie me promets que ces bonnes gens le receuront à toutes heures en leur cœur, sans le faire attendre à la porte par trop de dureté; sans luy rien espargner en toute l'estenduë de leurs affections: sans le trahir & le chasser dehors par quelque faute signalée, & sans rien pretendre en son seruice que son honneur & sa gloire: qui est tout ce qu'on peut souhaitter de fidelité en vne ame, pour le bon vsage & sainct employ des faueurs du Ciel.

As regards morals, the Hurons are lascivious, although in two
leading points less so than many Christians, who will blush [176]
some day in their presence. You will see no kissing nor immodest
caressing; and in marriage a man will remain two or three years
apart from his wife, while she is nursing. They are gluttons, even
to disgorging; it is true, that does not happen often, but only
in some superstitious feasts,--these, however, they do not attend
willingly. Besides, they endure hunger much better than we,--so
well that after having fasted two or three entire days you will see
them still paddling, carrying loads, singing, laughing, bantering,
as if they had dined well. They are very lazy, are liars, thieves,
pertinacious beggars. Some consider them vindictive; but, in my
opinion, this vice is more noticeable elsewhere than here. We see
shining among them some rather noble moral [177] virtues. You note,
in the first place, a great love and union, which they are careful
to cultivate by means of their marriages, of their presents, of
their feasts, and of their frequent visits. On returning from their
fishing, their hunting, and their trading, they exchange many
gifts; if they have thus obtained something unusually good, even
if they have bought it, or if it has been given to them, they make
a feast to the whole village with it. Their hospitality towards
all sorts of strangers is remarkable; they present to them in
their feasts the best of what they have prepared, and, as I have
already said, I do not know if anything similar, in this regard,
is to be found elsewhere. I think I have read, in the lives of the
Fathers, that a Pagan army was converted on seeing the charity and
hospitality of a Christian town, the inhabitants of which vied with
each other in [178] caressing and feasting the Strangers,--judging
well that those must profess the true Religion and worship the true
God, the common Father of all, who had hearts so benign and who
did so much good to all sorts of persons, without distinction. We
have also hope that our Lord will give at last the light of his
knowledge, and will communicate the fire of his graces, to this
Nation, which he seems to have disposed thereto by the practice of
this noble virtue. They never close the door upon a Stranger, and,
once having received him into their houses, they share with him the
best they have; they never send him away, and, when he goes away of
his own accord, he repays them by a simple "thank you." This makes
me hope that, if once it pleases God to illumine them, they will
respond perfectly [179] to the grace and inspiration of his Son.
And, since he has come as a Stranger into his own house, I promise
myself that these good people will receive him at all hours into
their hearts without making him wait too long on account of their
hardness, without withholding from him anything in the whole range
of their affections, without betraying him or driving him outside
by any serious fault, and without claiming anything in his service
other than his honor and glory; which is all the fidelity one can
ask in a soul for the good use and holy employment of the favors of
Heaven.

Que diray-je de leur estrange patience dans leur pauureté, disette & maladies? Nous auons veu cette année les villages entiers sur la litiere, nourris d'vn peu de sagamité insipide, & cependant pas vn mot pour se plaindre, pas vn mouuement [180] d'impatience. Ils reçoiuent bien plus constamment la nouuelle de la mort, que ces Messieurs & Dames de la Chrestienté, à qui on en oseroit ouurir la bouche. Nos Sauuages l'entendent non seulement sans desespoir, mais sans se troubler, sans pallir ou blesmir tant soit peu. Nous auons sur tout admiré la constance de nos nouueaux Chrestiens: le penultiéme qui est mort, nommé Ioseph _Oatij_ a demeuré sur la dure l'espace de quatre ou cinq mois, tant deuant qu'apres son Baptesme, si décharné qu'il n'auoit que les os; dãs vne cabane si chetiue, que les vents y souffloient de tous costez, couuert pendant les froidures de l'hyuer d'vne peau fort legere, de bestes noires ou d'escurieux noirs, nourry fort pauuremẽt. On ne l'a cependant iamais ouy faire aucune plainte. Nostre Seigneur Iesus-Christ soit à iamais [181] loüé. C'est sur ces dispositions & fondemens, que nous esperons auec la grace de Dieu bastir l'edifice de la Religiõ Chrestienne parmy ce peuple, qui desia d'ailleurs nous est grandemẽt affectiõné, & a vne grãde opinion de nous. C'est à nous maintenãt à correspõdre à nostre vocatiõ, & à la voix de N. S. qui nous dit, _videte regiones, quoniam albæ sunt iam ad messẽ_. Il est vray, mon R. P. que _messis multa, operarij pauci_, & de plus nous nous trouuõs fort foibles pour vne si grãde entreprise; au moins moy; & partant ie supplie nostre R. P. Prouincial & V. R. de nous enuoyer du secours. Sur quoy ie m'escrierois volõtiers au bon Dieu, _mitte quem missurus es_; car pour nous, nous sõmes des enfans qui ne faisons que begayer. Cependant nous confians en la bonté de N. Seign. & non en nos propres forces & industries, voicy ce que [182] nous auons fait pour la conuersion de ce Peuple, depuis nostre arriuée. Premierement nous-nous sommes employez en l'estude de la langue, qui à cause de la diuersité de ses mots composez est quasi infinie. On ne peut neantmoins rien faire sans cét estude. Tous les François qui sont icy s'y sont ardemment portez, ramenant l'ancien vsage d'escrire sur des escorces de bouleau faute de papier. Les P. Dauost & Daniel y ont trauaillé par dessus tous. Ils y sçauẽt autant de mots que moy, & peut-estre plus. Mais ils n'ont pas encore la prattique pour les former & assembler promptement; quoy que le Pere Daniel s'explique desia passablement. Pour moy qui y fais leçon à nos François, si Dieu ne m'assiste extraordinairement, encor me faudra-il aller long temps à l'escole des Sauuages, telle est la fecondité [183] de leur langue. Cela n'empesche pas que ie n'entende quasi tout ce qu'ils disent, & que ie ne leur face assez comprendre mes conceptions, mesmes dans l'explication de nos plus ineffables mystres. Apres cela, nous nous sommes employez à la visite, sollicitation & instruction des malades, qui ont esté comme i'ay dit en tres-grand nombre; ç'a esté dãs ce pieux exercice que nous auons acquis des ames à nostre Seigneur, iusques au nombre de treize. La premiere fut vne petite fil[l]ette de ce village aagée seulement de quatre ou cinq mois, elle mourut vn quart d'heure après son baptesme, auquel elle fut nõmée Iosephe, pour accomplir vn vœu que i'auois faict de donner ce nom au premier que nous regenererions des sainctes eaux, en recognoissance de tant de faueurs que nous auons receu & receuons [184] par l'entremise de ce grand Sainct. Ce fut le sixiesme Septembre 1634. La deuxiesme, fut vne autre petite fille d'enuirõ deux ans, que nous baptisames le lendemain; elle mourut l'onziesme du mesme mois & an, ayant esté nommée Marie.

What shall I say of their strange patience in their poverty, famine,
and sickness? We have seen this year whole villages prostrated,
their food a little insipid sagamité; and yet not a word of
complaint, not a movement [180] of impatience. They receive
indeed the news of death with more constancy than those Christian
Gentlemen and Ladies to whom one would not dare to mention it.
Our Savages hear of it not only without despair, but without
troubling themselves, without the slightest pallor or change of
countenance. We have especially admired the constancy of our
new Christians. The next to the last one who died, named Joseph
_Oatij_, lay on the bare ground during four or five months, not
only before but after his Baptism,--so thin that he was nothing
but bones; in a lodge so wretched that the winds blew in on all
sides; covered during the cold of winter with a very light skin
of some black animals, perhaps black squirrels, and very poorly
nourished. He was never heard to make a complaint, however. May our
Lord Jesus Christ be ever [181] praised. It is on such dispositions
and foundations that we hope, with the grace of God, to build the
edifice of the Christian Religion among these people, who, besides,
are already affectionately inclined toward us and have a great
opinion of us. It is now our part to correspond to our vocation,
and to the voice of Our Savior, who says to us, _videte regiones,
quoniam albæ sunt iam ad messem_. It is true, my Reverend Father,
that _messis multa, operarii pauci_, and, besides, we are very
weak for so great an enterprise, at least I am, and therefore
I beseech our Reverend Father Provincial and Your Reverence to
send us help. For this I could cry willingly to the good God,
_mitte quem missurus es_; as for us, we are children, who can only
stammer. Yet see what we, trusting in the goodness of Our Lord,
and not in our own strength and skill, [182] have done for the
conversion of this People since our arrival. In the first place, we
have been employed in the study of the language, which, on account
of the diversity of its compound words, is almost infinite. One
can, nevertheless, do nothing without this study. All the French
who are here have eagerly applied themselves to it, reviving the
ancient usage of writing on birch-bark, for want of paper.
Fathers Davost and Daniel have worked at it, beyond all; they know
as many words as I, and perhaps more; but they have not yet had
practice in forming and joining them together promptly, although
Father Daniel already explains himself passably well. As for me,
who give lessons therein to our French, if God does not assist me
extraordinarily, I shall yet have to go a long time to the school
of the Savages, so prolific is [183] their language. That does not
prevent me from understanding almost all they say, and from making
them fairly understand my meaning, even in the explanation of our
most ineffable mysteries. In addition, we have employed ourselves
in visiting, entreating, and instructing the sick, who have been,
as I have said, very numerous. It has been in this pious exercise
that we have won souls for our Lord, to the number of thirteen.
The first was a little girl of this village, only four or five
months old; she died a quarter of an hour after her baptism, in
which she was named Josepha, to fulfill a vow I had made to give
this name to the first that we should regenerate with the holy
waters,--in gratitude for so many favors that we have received and
are receiving [184] by the interposition of that great Saint. This
was on the sixth of September, 1634. The second was another little
girl, about two years of age, whom we baptized on the next day. She
died on the eleventh of the same month and year, having been named
Marie.

Le 26. du mesme mois ie baptisay Marie _Oquiaendis_ mere du Capitaine de ce village, ayeule de l'autre Marie. Celle-cy vit encore, & attribuë sa guerisõ à la vertu du S. Baptesme, le publiant par tout. En effet elle estoit quasi aux abois, & dés qu'elle fut lauée de ces sacrées eaux, elle commença à se mieux porter. Le 20. d'Octobre, ie partis pour aller à la Nation du Petun: en ce voyage Dieu me fit la faueur de baptifer & enuoyer au Ciel trois petits enfans, l'vn desquels entre autres alloit ietter les derniers souspirs quãd i'arriuay dãs sa cabane, où à peine eus-je le loisir [185] de l'ondoyer. Au retour du voyage, ie trouuay que le P. Daniel auoit baptisé Ioseph _Ioutaya_, qu'on croyoit deuoir expirer sur le chãp. Ie l'auois instruit auparauãt. Il a suruécu long temps, tousiours languissant, & faisant beaucoup d'actes de vertu. Nous l'auons assisté corporellement & spirituellement; si bien que luy & toute sa cabane n'attribuoient la prolongatiõ de sa vie, qu'au double secours qu'il a receu de nostre part. En fin estant mort heureusement dãs la cõfession & inuocatiõ du vray Dieu, & dans la repentãce de ses pechez, nous l'enterrasmes solẽnellement comme il l'auoit desiré. Nous auõs admiré le soin, la charité & la perseuerãce de sa fẽme, dãs les deuoirs & seruices qu'elle luy rẽdoit pendãt vne fort longue, fort salle, & fort puãte maladie. Elle & toute sa cabane (où nous en auons déja baptisé trois) nous est demeurée [186] fort affectionnée, & ils m'ont protesté plusieurs fois qu'ils seroient tous à la vie, à la mort, & au delà en nostre disposition. Mais nous ne les iugeons pas encore assez instruits. C'est en ceste cabane où demeure le premier Huron que i'aye iamais baptizé qui fut l'an mil six cens vingt-neuf, auant nostre depart de ce Pays. C'estoit vn petit enfant tenu pour mort, lequel sembla renaistre & reuiure doublement dans les eaux viuifiantes du sainct Baptesme. Il vit encore aagé d'enuiron cinq ans, & est fort gentil.

On the 26th of the same month, I baptized Marie _Oquiaendis_, the
mother of the Captain of this village, grandmother of the other
Marie. She is still living, and attributes her recovery to the
virtue of Holy Baptism, publishing it everywhere. In truth, she
was almost gone; and as soon as she was washed with the sacred
waters she began to improve. On the 20th of October, I set out to
go to the Tobacco Nation.[40] In this journey God granted me the
favor of baptizing and sending to Heaven three little children,
one of whom, among others, was about to give forth his last breath
when I reached the lodge and had scarcely time [185] to sprinkle
him. When I returned from the journey I found that Father Daniel
had baptized Joseph _Joutaya_, who was believed to be at the point
of death. I had instructed him previously. He survived a long
time, in a languishing condition, and doing many acts of virtue.
We helped him both bodily and spiritually; so well that he and all
his family attributed the prolongation of his life to nothing but
the double assistance he had received from us. At last, having
happily died in the confession and invocation of the true God, and
in repentance for his sins, we solemnly interred him as he had
desired. We admired the care, the charity, and the perseverance
of his wife in the duties and services she rendered to him during
a long, very dirty, and very disgusting sickness. She and all her
house, (where we have already baptized three) have continued [186]
warmly attached to us; and they have often protested to me that
they will all be, in life, in death, and beyond, at our service.
But we do not judge them yet sufficiently instructed. It is this
cabin where lives the first Huron I ever baptized, which was in the
year one thousand six hundred and twenty-nine, before our departure
from this Country. It was a little child, looked upon as dead,
who seemed to be born and live again in a double sense, in the
life-imparting waters of holy Baptism. He still lives, being about
five years of age, and is very gentle.

Le vingt-vniesme d'Octobre fut baptizé Ioseph _Sondaarouhané_, aagé d'enuiron quarante ou cinquante ans; il auoit vne grande bonté & douceur naturelle, & m'estoit de longue main affectionné; il rendit son bienheureux esprit à Dieu le vingtiesme Nouembre. Le mesme [187] iour fut baptisé Ioachim _Tsindacaiendoua_, vieillard de 80. ans. C'estoit vn des Hurons du meilleur naturel que i'aye connu, le lendemain il quitta cette vie pour en commencer vne meilleure, comme nous croyons: nous l'enterrasmes solemnellement en vn lieu separé. Cette ceremonie attira sur nous les yeux de tout le village, & causa à plusieurs le desir qu'on honorast leur sepulture de cette façon, notamment à Ioseph _Ioutaia_, cy dessus mentionné: lequel apres les obseques acheuées me dit qu'il eust esté bien aise que nous eussions passé au trauers de sa cabane en l'estat que nous estions habillez, pour nous veoir du lieu où la maladie le tenoit attaché: car on luy en auoit fait tant de cas, qu'il declara authentiquement vouloir estre enterré de nos mains, ce qui fut fait.

On the twenty-first of October, was baptized Joseph
_Sondaarouhané_, about forty or fifty years of age. He had great
goodness and natural sweetness, and had been attached to me
for a long time. He yielded up his blessed spirit to God, on
the twentieth of November. On the same [187] day was baptized
Joachim _Tsindacaiendoua_, an old man of 80 years. He was one of
the best-natured Hurons I have ever known. The next day he left
this life, to begin a better one, as we believe; we interred him
solemnly in a separate place. This ceremony attracted upon us
the eyes of the whole village, and caused several to desire that
we should honor their burial in the same way,--notably Joseph
_Joutaia_, the one above-mentioned, who, after the obsequies were
over, told me that he would have been very glad if we had passed
through his cabin in the style in which we were dressed, so that he
might see us from the place in which sickness kept him bound; for
they had talked so much to him about the matter that he declared of
his own will that he wished to be interred by our hands, which was
done.

[188] Puisque ie suis retombé sur le propos de cét homme, ie diray vne chose memorable qui luy arriua apres son Baptesme. Le Diable luy apparut vn iour en forme d'vn sien frere decedé. Entrant dans sa cabane, il ne le salüa pas, & s'asseyant de l'autre cofté du feu, vis à vis de nostre nouueau Chrestien, il demeura long-temps sans parler. En fin prenant la parole, il luy dit, Quoy donc mon frere, vous nous voulez quitter? Nostre Ioseph, qui n'estoit pas encore assez duit en cette milice, respondit: non, mõ frere, ie ne vous veux pas quitter, ie ne vous quitteray point; & dit-on qu'alors ce faux frere commença à le caresser. Toutesfois il a depuis protesté plusieurs fois qu'il desiroit aller au Ciel.

[188] Since I have referred to this man's decision, I will tell
a memorable thing which happened to him after his Baptism. The
Devil appeared to him in the form of one of his deceased brothers.
Entering his cabin without any salutation, he sat down on the other
side of the fire opposite our new Christian, and remained a long
time without speaking. At last beginning to speak, he said to him,
"How now, my brother, do you wish to leave us?" Our Joseph, who was
not yet sufficiently equipped for this warfare, replied, "No, my
brother, I don't wish to leave you; I will not leave you," and it
is said this false brother then began to caress him. Still, he has
since declared several times that he desired to go to Heaven.

Le vingt-septiesme de Nouembre Martin Tsicok, vieillard desia [189] fort aagé, & d'vne humeur fort douce, fut baptisé. Ce bon hõme ne cessa d'inuoquer Iesus & Marie depuis son baptesme iusques au 15. Decembre qu'il mourut. Ie commençay à l'instruire par cette verité: que nos ames apres la mort alloient toutes en Enfer ou en Paradis: Que le Paradis estoit vn lieu remply de delices & de contentemens: & au contraire, l'Enfer, vn lieu de feux, de peines & de tourmens eternels. Qu'au reste, il auisast, tandis qu'il estoit encore en vie, auquel de ces deux lieux il vouloit aller, & demeurer pour iamais. Alors ce bon vieillard se tournant vers sa femme, Ma femme, luy dit-il, ne vaut-il pas bien mieux aller au Ciel? I'ay peur de ces effroyables feux d'enfer: sa femme fut de mesme aduis; & ainsi il presta volontiers l'oreille aux instructiõs qu'on luy dõna.

On the twenty-seventh of November, Martin Tsicok, already a very
[189] old man and of a very gentle disposition, was baptized. This
good man did not cease to invoke Jesus and Mary from his baptism
until the 15th of December, when he died. I began to instruct
him with this truth, that our souls after death all go to Hell
or to Paradise; that Paradise is a place full of delights and
contentment, and on the contrary that Hell is a place of fires, of
pains, and eternal torments; that, besides, he should think, while
he was yet in life, to which of these places he desired to go and
dwell forever. Then this good old man, turning to his wife, said to
her, "My wife, is it not indeed better to go to Heaven? I am afraid
of those horrible fires of hell." His wife was of the same opinion,
and thus he willingly listened to the instructions we gave him.

Le dixneufiesme Ianuier, ie partis [190] pour aller en la maison de Louys de saincte Foy, distante de nostre village de sept ou huict lieuës. Ie n'auois peû ny deu y aller plustost, pour ce qu'il estoit allé en la Nation neutre querir son Pere, qui y estoit demeuré perclus.

On the nineteenth of January, I set out [190] for the house of
Louys de saincte Foy, distant from our village seven or eight
leagues. I had been neither able nor willing to go sooner, as he
had gone to the neutral Nation[41] to seek his father, who had
remained there, a cripple.

En ce voyage, passant par _Onnentissati_, i'allay voir vn nommé _oukhahitoüa_, qui auoit l'an passé embarqué vn de nos hommes: le trouuant à l'extremité, ie l'instruisis, il creut, il detesta sa vie passée, il fut baptisé sous le nom de François, & deux iours apres quitta ce monde pour s'enuoler au Ciel.

On this journey passing through _Onnentissati_,[42] I went to see
a man named _oukhahitoüa_, who last year embarked one of our men.
Finding him dying, I instructed him; he believed, he detested his
past life, he was baptized under the name of François, and two days
later quitted this world to fly to Heaven.

Le vingt-neufiesme de Mars nous baptisames solemnellement en nostre petite Chapelle Ioseph Oatij: François petit Pré luy seruit de Parain, plusieurs y assisterent. Il y auoit long-temps que nous l'instruisions; c'est pourquoy il respondit [191] luy-mesme aux interrogations que ie luy faisois en langue Huronne. Ce bon ieune homme estoit d'vne complexion fort valetudinaire; nous l'auions gaigné par vne continuelle assistance, qui l'auoit remis par deux fois: de sorte que tres-volontiers il remit entre nos mains le soin de son ame, laquelle alla heureusement à Dieu le quatorziesme Auril, apres auoir esté fortifiée du Sacrement d'extreme-Onction.

On the twenty-ninth of March, we solemnly baptized in our little
Chapel Joseph Oatij; François petit Pré[43] was his Godfather,
and many were present. We had been instructing him a long time,
and hence he replied [191] personally to the questions I put to
him in the Huron tongue. This good young man was of a very sickly
constitution; we had gained him by continual assistance, which
had twice saved his life; so that he willingly put in our hands
the care of his soul, which went happily to God on the fourteenth
of April, after having been fortified by the Sacrament of extreme
Unction.

Nous auons sur tout admiré sa patience, & sa tranquillité d'esprit, principalement depuis le baptesme. A peine auions nous commencé à l'instruire, qu'il commença à dire fort souuent & de iour & de nuict; Iesus ayez pitié de moy. Marie & Ioseph secourez moy.

We especially admired his patience and tranquility of mind,
especially after his baptism. Scarcely had we begun to instruct him
when he began to say very often, both by day and by night, "Jesus,
have pity on me! Mary and Joseph, help me!"

Finalement le vingtiesme d'Auril, ie baptisay à Oënrio vne femme fort vieille. Elle deceda le vingt-quatriesme; [192] du commencement que ie l'abborday, & que ie luy demanday si elle vouloit aller au Ciel ou en Enfer: elle ne respondoit autre chose, sinon qu'elle iroit où son fils voudroit. Mais luy ayant esté dit que son pere feu Ioachim _Tsindacaiendoua_ estoit allé au Ciel: I'y veux donc aller, dit-elle.

Lastly, on the twentieth of April, I baptized at Oënrio a very old
woman, who died on the twenty-fourth. [192] At first, when I talked
to her, and asked her whether she wished to go to Heaven or to
Hell, she did not answer, except to say that she would go where her
son wished. But having told her that her father, the late Joachim
_Tsindacaiendoua_, had gone to Heaven, she said, "Then I wish to go
there!"

Ce sont là les fruicts que nous auons recueilly de nos visites, & instructions particulieres. Ie croy que la moisson eust esté plus grande, si i'eusse peu abandonner nostre village, & parcourir les autres. Plaise à nostre Seigneur accepter ces petites premices, & nous donner les forces & les moyens d'en faire dauantage. On en a instruit beaucoup d'autres, qui demandoient le Baptesme fort instãment. Mais ne les voyant pas en dãger de mort, nous les auons reseruez pour vne plus grãde instructiõ.

These, then, are the fruits that we have gathered from our visits
and private instructions. I believe the harvest would have been
greater if I could have left our village, and visited the others.
May it please our Lord to accept these few first fruits, and give
us strength and opportunities to gather more of them. We have
instructed many others, who asked very urgently for Baptism; but
not seeing them in danger of death, we have kept them back for
further instructions.

[193] Enuiron le mois de Decembre les neiges commencerent à prendre pied, & les Sauuages se rendirent sedentaires dans le village. Car tout l'Esté, & tout l'Automne, ils sont la plus-part ou dans des cabanes chãpestres à prendre garde à leurs bleds, ou sur le lac à la pesche, ou en traite; ce qui n'est pas vne petite incommodité pours les instruire. Les voyãt donc ainsi reünis, au commencemẽt de ceste année, nous resolusmes de prescher publiquement à tous, & leur faire cognoistre le sujet de nostre venuë en leur Pays, qui n'est pas pour leurs pelleteries, mais pour leur annoncer le vray Dieu, & son fils Iesus-Christ, Sauueur vniuersel de nos ames.

[193] About the month of December, the snow began to lie on the
ground, and the Savages settled down in the village. For, during
the whole Summer and Autumn, they are for the most part either in
their rural cabins, taking care of their crops, or on the lake
fishing, or trading; which makes it not a little inconvenient to
instruct them. Seeing them, therefore, thus gathered together at
the beginning of this year, we resolved to preach publicly to all,
and to acquaint them with the reason of our coming into their
Country, which is not for their furs, but to declare to them the
true God and his son, Jesus Christ, the universal Savior of our
souls.

Nous faisons cette Instruction ou Catechisme en nostre cabane: car nous n'auons point encore d'autre Eglise capable. C'est le plus souuent [194] que nous pouuons: car leurs festins, leurs danses, & leurs ieux, les occupent tellement, qu'on ne les assemble pas comme l'on veut.

We gave the Instruction or Catechism in our cabin, for we had as
yet no other suitable Church. This is often the most [194] we can
do; for their feasts, dances, and games so occupy them that we
cannot get them together as we would like.

La façon ordinaire que nous y tenons est cette-cy. Nous appellons le monde par le moyen du Capitaine du village, qui les assemble tous chez nous comme en Conseil, ou bien au son de la clochette. Ie me sers du surplis & du bonnet carré, pour donner plus de maiesté. Au commencement nous chantons à genoux le _Pater noster_ reduit en vers Hurons. Le P. Daniel comme autheur de cela chante vn couplet tout seul, & puis nous le rechantons tous ensemble, & ceux d'entre les Hurons, principalement les petits enfans qui le sçauent desia, prennent plaisir de chanter auec nous, & les autres d'escouter. Cela fait, comme vn chacun est assis, ie me leue, & fais [195] faire le signe de la Croix à tous, puis ayãt recapitulé ce que i'ay dit la derniere fois, i'explique quelque chose de nouueau. Apres cela nous interrogeons les ieunes enfans, & les filles, donnans ou vn petit canon de verre, ou de la racade à ceux qui l'ont merité. Les parents sont fort aises de veoir leurs enfans bien dire, & remporter quelque petit prix, dont ils se rendent dignes par le soin qu'ils ont de venir en particulier se faire instruire. Nous de nostre costé, pour leur donner plus d'emulation, faisons reprendre chaque leçon, par nos deux petits garçons François, qui s'entreinterrogent l'vn l'autre; ce qui rauit les Sauuages en admiration. En fin tout se conclud par le discours des Anciens, qui proposent leurs difficultez, & quelquesfois me [196] font escouter à mon tour le narré de leur creance.

The usual method that we follow is this: We call together the
people by the help of the Captain of the village, who assembles
them all in our house as in Council, or perhaps by the sound of
the bell. I use the surplice and the square cap, to give more
majesty to my appearance. At the beginning, we chant on our knees
the _Pater noster_, translated into Huron verse. Father Daniel,
as its author, chants a couplet alone, and then we all together
chant it again; and those among the Hurons, principally the
little ones, who already know it, take pleasure in chanting it
with us, and the others in listening. That done, when every one
is seated, I rise and make [195] the sign of the Cross for all;
then, having recapitulated what I said the last time, I explain
something new. After that we question the young children and
the girls, giving a little bead of glass or porcelain to those
who deserve it. The parents are very glad to see their children
answer well and carry off some little prize, of which they render
themselves worthy by the care they take to come privately to get
instruction. On our part, to arouse their emulation, we have each
lesson retraced by our two little French boys, who question each
other,--which transports the Savages with admiration. Finally the
whole is concluded by the talk of the Old Men, who propound their
difficulties, and sometimes [196] make me listen in my turn to the
statement of their belief.

Nous commençasmes nos Catechismes par cette verité memorable, que les ames qui sont immortelles, vont toutes apres la mort en Paradis ou en Enfer. Et c'est ainsi que nous les abordons, soit en public, soit en particulier. I'adioustay qu'ils auoiẽt le choix pendant la vie, de prendre party apres la mort icy ou là, où ils aduiseroient presentement. A quoy vn bon veillard m'ayant dit, Aille qui voudra dans les feux d'Enfer, pour moy ie desire aller au Ciel. Tous les autres le suiuirent, & vsans de la mesme response, nous prierent de leur en monstrer le chemin, & oster les pierres, les arbres & les halliers qui y sont, & qui pourroient les arrester.

We began our Catechizing by this memorable truth, that their souls,
which are immortal, all go after death either to Paradise or to
Hell. It is thus we approach them, either in public or in private.
I added that they had the choice, during life, to participate
after death in the one or the other,--which one, they ought now to
consider. Whereupon one honest old man said to me, "Let him who
will, go to the fires of Hell; I want to go to Heaven;" all the
others followed and making use of the same answer, begged us to
show them the way, and to take away the stones, the trees, and the
thickets therein, which might stop them.

Nos Hurons comme vous voyez ne sont pas si massifs qu'on croiroit biẽ, [197] ils me semblent auoir le sens cõmun assez bon, & ie les recognois vniuersellemẽt fort dociles. Il y en a neantmoins d'opiniastres, & attachez à leurs superstitiõs & mauuaises coustumes; ce sont notamment les vieillards: car horsmis ceux là, qui ne sont pas en grand nombre, tout le reste ne sçait rien en leur croyance. Nous en auons en nostre village deux ou trois de ce nombre. Ie suis souuent aux prises auec eux, où ie les conuaincs & les mets en contradiction, de telle sorte qu'ils aduoüent ingenuement leur ignorance, & les autres se mocquent d'eux; neantmoins ils ne se rendent pas, ayant pour tout refuge, que leur Pays n'est pas comme le nostre, qu'ils ont vn autre Dieu, vn autre Paradis, en vn mot d'autres coustumes.

Our Hurons, as you see, are not so dull as one might think them;
[197] they seem to me to have rather good common sense, and I
find them universally very docile. Nevertheless, some of them are
obstinate, and attached to their superstitions and evil customs.
These are principally the old people; for beyond these, who are not
numerous, the rest know nothing of their own belief. We have two
or three of this number in our village. I am often in conflict with
them; and then I show them they are wrong, and make them contradict
themselves, so that they frankly admit their ignorance, and the
others ridicule them; still they will not yield, always falling
back upon this, that their Country is not like ours, that they have
another God, another Paradise, in a word, other customs.

Ils nous racontent que cette femme nommé _Eataentsic_ tomba du Ciel [198] dedans les eaux, dont estoit couuerte la terre, & que peu à peu la terre se descouurit. Ie leur demande qui a creé ce Ciel, où cette femme n'a pû se tenir, & ils demeurent muets; comme aussi quãd ie les presse de me dire qui auoit produit la terre, veu qu'elle estoit au fond des eaux auparauant la cheute de ceste femme. Vn certain me demanda assez subtilement sur ce propos, où estoit Dieu auant la creation du monde. La response me fut plus facile, apres S. Augustin, qu'à eux l'intelligence de la question qu'ils me faisoient. Vn autre bon vieillard estant tombé malade, ne vouloit point oüyr parler d'aller au Ciel, disant qu'il desiroit aller où estoient ses ancestres. Quelques iours apres il se rendit, & me fit vn plaisant conte. Resioüys toy, me dit-il, car ie suis reuenu du pays des ames, & ie n'y en ay plus trouué, [199] elles sont toutes allées au Ciel. Il n'y a rien qui ne serue à salut, quand il plaist à Dieu, iusques aux songes.

They tell us how the woman, named _Eataentsic_, fell from Heaven
[198] into the waters with which the earth was covered; and that
little by little, the earth became bare. I ask them who created the
Heaven in which this woman could not stay, and they remain mute;
as also when I press them to tell me who formed the earth, seeing
that it was beneath the waters before the fall of this woman. One
man asked me very cunningly, in this connection, where God was
before the creation of the world. The reply was more easy for me,
following St. Augustine, than the grasp of the question put to me
was for them. Another good old man, having fallen sick, did not
wish to hear of going to Heaven, saying he desired to go where his
ancestors were. Some days afterwards, he came to me and told me a
pleasant story: "Rejoice," he said, "for I have returned from the
country of souls, and I have found none there any longer; [199]
they have all gone to Heaven." There is nothing which does not
serve for salvation when God pleases, not even dreams.

Deux choses entre autres nous ont fort aydé, pour si peu de profit que nous auons desia fait icy, par la grace de nostre Seigneur. La premiere est, comme i'ay desia dit, la santé que Dieu nous a conseruée parmy vne si grande & si vniuerselle contagion: car nos Hurons ont pensé que s'ils croyoient en Dieu, & le seruoient comme nous, il[s] ne mouroient pas en si grand nombre.

Two things among others have aided us very much in the little we
have been able to do here, by the grace of our Lord; the first is,
as I have already said, the good health that God has granted us in
the midst of sickness so general and so widespread. For our Hurons
have thought that, if they believed in God and served him as we do,
they would not die in so large numbers.

La seconde est l'assistance temporelle, qu'on a rendu aux malades. Ayans apporté pour nous quelques petits rafraichissemens, nous leur en donnions, à l'vn vn peu de prunes, à l'autre vn peu de raisins; aux autres quelque autre chose. Les pauures gens venoient [200] de fort loin pour en auoir tous leur part.

The second is the temporal assistance we have rendered to the sick.
Having brought for ourselves some few delicacies, we shared them
with them, giving to one a few prunes and to another a few raisins,
to others something else. The poor people came [200] from great
distances to get their share.

Nos François ayant assez heureusement reüssy à la chasse pendant l'Automne; nous en portions quelque morceau à tous les malades. Cela leur gagnoit le cœur. Veu principalemẽt, qu'ils mouroient n'ayãt ny chair ny poissõ, pour affaisõner leur sagamité. Adioustez que tous nos François se sont Dieu mercy comportez si vertueusement, & si paisiblemẽt dedãs & dehors, pẽdant toute cette année, qu'ils ont attiré la benediction du Ciel. Nous deuons aussi beaucoup au glorieux sainct Ioseph espoux de nostre Dame, & protecteur des Hurons, dont nous auons touché au doigt l'assistãce plusieurs fois. Ce fut vne chose remarquable, que le iour de sa feste, & durant l'Octaue, les commoditez nous venoient de toutes parts.

Our French servants having succeeded very well in hunting, during
the Autumn, we carried portions of game to all the sick. That
chiefly won their hearts, as they were dying, having neither flesh
nor fish to season their sagamité. Add that all our French have
borne themselves, thank God, so virtuously and so peaceably on
all sides, during the whole year, that they have drawn down the
blessing of Heaven. We owe much also to our glorious saint Joseph,
spouse of our Lady, and protector of the Hurons, who has rendered
us tangible aid several times. It was a remarkable thing that on
the day of his feast, and during the Octave, accommodations came to
us from all sides.

[201] Auant que de finir, ie diray seulement ce mot de Louys de saincte Foy, que i'aymerois mieux taire, n'estoit qu'il peut seruir pour reconnoistre plus iudicieusement cette Nation. C'est qu'il n'est pas tel qu'il deuroit estre, & que nous l'eussions souhaitté; neantmoins nous en auõs encore bonne esperance. Il fut pris l'année passée par les Hiroquois en la défaite commune, & emmené prisonnier. Il luy en a cousté vn doigt; ce coup de foüet deuroit estre bastant pour le remettre en son deuoir. Son Pere ne fut pas pris: il se sauua à la fuite, mais en fuyãt il patit à bon escient dedans les bois, où il demeura, à ce qu'il dit, trente iours, combattu de trois puissans ennemis; scauoir est du froid, car c'estoit au Printemps, & il estoit nud & sans feu: de la maladie, car il demeura comme perclus des deux iambes & [202] n'en est pas encore guery; & en fin de la faim. A propos de laquelle il raconte vne chose remarquable, si elle est vraye. Il dit qu'ayant demeuré dix ou douze iours sans manger, & priant Dieu, duquel il auoit ouy parler à son fils, il vit comme vn pot de grais tel qu'il en auoit veu à Kebec, remply d'vne très suaue liqueur, & oüyt vne voix, qui luy disoit, _Saranhes_, aye bon courage, tu n'en mourras pas; prens, boy de ce qui est dans ce pot afin de te fortifier: ce qu'il fit, & en fut merueilleusement soulagé. Que peu apres il rencontra en vn arbrisseau vn sachet de bled, dont il sustenta petitement sa vie, iusques à ce que quelques Sauuages de la Nation neutre, l'ayant fortuitement trouué, l'enleuerent en leur village.

[201] Before drawing to a close, I shall say only this one word
about Louys de saincte Foy, which I would prefer not to say were it
not that it may help to make this Nation more correctly known; it
is this,--he is not such as he ought to be, and as we had wished.
Nevertheless, we still have good hope. He was taken prisoner last
year by the Hiroquois, in the common defeat, and carried away a
captive. It cost him a finger. This severe stroke ought to suffice
to bring him back to duty. His Father was not taken; he escaped by
flight, but in fleeing he suffered in good earnest in the woods,
where he remained, according to his account, thirty days struggling
against three powerful enemies,--namely, cold, for it was Spring,
and he was naked and fireless; sickness, for his two legs were
powerless, and [202] he has not yet recovered; and, lastly, against
hunger, in reference to which he relates a remarkable story, if it
be true. He says that, having gone for ten or twelve days without
eating, and praying to God, of whom he had heard his son speak,
he saw what seemed a pot of grease, such as he had seen at Kebec,
full of a very savory liquor, and heard a voice that said to him,
"_Saranhes_, be of good cheer; thou wilt not die; take, drink
what is in the pot and strengthen thyself," which he did, and was
marvelously solaced by it. A little later, he found in a thicket
a small bagful of corn, with which he barely sustained life until
some Savages of the neutral Nation, having accidentally found him,
brought him to their village.

Cét homme m'a témoigné qu'il desiroit se conuertir, luy & toute sa [203] famille, & cooperer à ce que tout son village seruist à Dieu, comme nous. Mais c'est vn esprit deslié aussi bien que son fils, ie ne me fie pas encore en luy. Nostre esperance est en Dieu, & en nostre Seigneur Iesus-Christ, qui a respandu son sang pour le salut des Hurons, aussi bien pour le reste du monde.

This man has declared to me that he and his whole family were
desirous of being converted, [203] and of helping to bring the
entire village to God's service. But his is a crafty spirit, as
well as his son's, and I do not trust him yet. Our hope is in God,
and in our Lord Jesus Christ, who shed his blood for the salvation
of the Hurons, as well as for the rest of the world.

C'est sur cét appuy, & non sur nos industries, que nous esperons de veoir vn iour icy vne Chrestienté florissante. Les esprits certes y sont dociles & flexibles, ie ne voy que la liberté des femmes qu'ils changent à plaisir, & quelques superstitions difficiles à abolir. Car d'ailleurs ils n'ont point d'auersion de la Foy, ny de la Loy Chrestienne; ils recourent volontiers à Dieu en leurs [204] necessitez: viennent faire benir leurs bleds auant que de les semer, & demandent ce que c'est que nous desirons d'eux. Nous n'auons à apprehender que nos pechez & imperfections, & moy sur tous. Certes ie me sens extremement i[n]digne de cét employ; mais enuoyez nous des saincts, ou faites enuers Dieu nostre Seigneur, que nous soyons tels qu'il desire. Mille recommandations aux saincts sacrifices de vostre Reuerence, & de tous nos Peres & Freres.

DE V. R.

De nostre petite Maison de S. Ioseph au village d'Ihonatiria
és Hurons ce 27. May 1635. iour auquel le S. Esprit descendit
visiblement sur les Apostres.

Tres-humble & tres-obeyssant
seruiteur en nostre Seigneur,

IEAN DE BREBEVF.

It is through this support, and not our own efforts, that we hope
one day to see here a flourishing Christianity. Indeed, their minds
are docile and flexible; I see only the liberty with which they
change their wives at pleasure, and some superstitions, difficult
to abolish, for in other respects they have no aversion to the
Faith nor to the Christian Law. They turn willingly to God in their
[204] necessities; they come to get their crops blessed, before
sowing them; and ask us what we desire of them. All we have to
fear is our own sins and imperfections, and I above all. In truth,
I feel myself extremely unworthy of this employment; but send
holy ones to us, or pray to God our Lord that we may be such as
he desires. A thousand entreaties for the holy sacrifices of your
Reverence and of all our Fathers and Brothers.

YOUR REVERENCE'S

From our little House of St. Joseph, in the village of Ihonatiria
in the Huron country, this 27th of May, 1635, the day on which the
Holy Spirit descended visibly upon the Apostles.

Very humble and obedient
servant in our Lord,

JEAN DE BREBEUF.

[205] MON R. PERE,

Depuis la presente escrite nous auõs baptisé vn enfãt malade, arriere petit neueu de feu Ioachim _Tsindacaiendoua_, & ce d'autant plus hardiment que ceste famille semble estre toute disposée à la Foy. Nostre Seigneur luy a rendu la santé auec admiration de ses parens, qui remarquerent qu'incontinent apres le baptesme, il reposa fort doucement. Cela seruira pour renuerser vne mauuaise opinion que le Diable va semant dans quelques esprits, ausquels il persuade qu'on ne guerit iamais apres le baptesme. C'est là vne des ruses du Diable contre nous; il en a bien d'autres dont il a fait l'essay desia en partie, mais N. Seigneur le confondra; c'est en luy en qui nous nous confions. Paraduenture V. R. sera-elle [206] biẽ aise de sçauoir que l'Hyuer a esté icy fort court, & fort moderé, le Pays est tel, qu'il porte assez pour la nourriture des habitans. Tout ce Printemps a esté grandement beau & sec, les bleds commencent à pâtir faute de pluye. Ie prie nostre Seigneur, qu'il luy plaise y remedier, & nous donner ce qui sera necessaire pour sa gloire, pour les heureux commencemens de ceste Chrestienté, & pour la benediction des petits trauaux que nostre Compagnie entreprend en ces terres éloignées, sous la protection des Fleurs de Lys, & de nostre Grand Roy, qui les fait fleurir auiourd'huy si glorieusement.

[205] MY REVEREND FATHER,

Since the above was written, we have baptized a sick child,
grandnephew of the late Joachim _Tsindacaiendoua_; and this the
more boldly, as this family seems to be disposed to the Faith. Our
Lord has restored his health, to the wonder of his parents, who
remarked that immediately after the baptism he rested very sweetly.
This will serve to overthrow a bad opinion that the Devil goes
about sowing in some minds, whom he persuades that they will never
get better after baptism. This is but one of the ruses of the Devil
against us; he has many others, which he has already attempted in
part; but Our Lord will confound him; it is in him that we put our
trust. Your Reverence will perhaps [206] be glad to hear that the
Winter here has been very short and moderate. The Country is such
that it bears sufficient for the nourishment of its inhabitants.
All this Spring has been extremely clear and dry; the crops are
beginning to suffer for want of rain. I pray our Lord that it may
please him to remedy this, and to give us what will be necessary
for his glory, for the happy beginnings of this Christianity, and
for the blessing of the insignificant labors that our Society is
undertaking in these distant lands, under the protection of the
Fleurs de Lys and of our Great King who to-day is causing them to
bloom so gloriously.

[207] Relation de qvelqves particularitez, du lieu & des Habitans de I'Isle du Cap Breton.

_Enuoyée par le P. Iulien Perrault, de la Compagnie de Iesus, à son Prouincial, en France, l'an 1634. & 35._

L'ISLE du Cap Breton est esloignée de nostre France d'enuiron neuf cens lieuës par mer. Elle en a soixante & dix ou quatre vingts de circuit. Les mõtagnes y sont fort hautes & en nombre, au pied desquelles [208] se voyent de grandes fondrieres & precipices affreux. La terre y est couuerte de toutes sortes d'arbres, comme de chaisnes, haistres, bouleaux, pins, sapins & autres.

[207] Relation of certain details regarding the Island of Cape
Breton and its Inhabitants.

_Sent by Father Julïen Perrault, of the Society of Jesus, to his
Provincial, in France, in the years 1634 and 35._[44]

THE Island of Cape Breton[45] is about nine hundred leagues
distant from our France by sea. It is seventy or eighty leagues
in circumference. The mountains here are very high and numerous,
at the foot of which [208] are seen great bogs and frightful
precipices. The land is covered with all sorts of trees, such as
oak, beech, birch, pine, hemlock, and others.

Le Chibou principale partie de ceste Isle, est vne grande Baye d'enuiron deux lieuës de large en son entré, qui va peu à peu s'estressissant le long de six ou sept lieuës, qu'elle comprend en estenduë. Sur le milieu, à main gauche en montant, au haut de la coste, qui regarde le Nor-oüest, est basti le fort de saincte Anne, à l'entrée du port, vis à vis d'vne petite Ance. L'assiete du lieu est si auantageuse, au rapport de ceux qui s'y cognoissent, qu'auec dix ou douze pieces de canon, on pourroit couler à fonds tous les vaisseaux ennemis qui s'y presenteroient.