prisonniers que les Sauuages tenoient, laquelle est arriuée pour
l'yurongnerie que les Europeans ont icy apporté. Le Ministre Anglois,
qui au reste n'estoit point de la mesme Religion que ses oüailles,
car il estoit Protestãt ou Lutherien, les Kers sont Caluinistes, ou
de quelque autre Religion plus libertine, aussi ont-ils tenu six mois
en prison ce pauure Ministre dedans nostre maison: lequel m'a raconté
que les Montagnards vouloient traitter la paix auec les Hiroquois, &
que celuy qui tenoit les prisonniers luy auoit promis qu'on ne les
feroit point mourir: neantmoins ce miserable estant yure d'eau de vie,
qu'il auoit traitté auec les Anglois pour des Castors, appella son
frere, & luy commanda d'aller donner vn [44] coup de cousteau à l'vn
des Hiroquois & le tuer, ce qu'il fit. Voyla les pensées de la paix
euanoüies; on parle de la mort des autres. Le Ministre entendant cela
dit à ce Sauuage qu'il n'auoit point tenu sa parole faisant mourir
ce prisonnier. C'est toy, répond le Sauuage, & les tiens qui l'ont
tué, car si tu ne nous donnois point d'eau de vie, ny de vin, nous ne
ferions point cela. Et de fait depuis que ie suis icy ie n'ay veu que
des Sauuages yures, on les entend crier & tempester iour & nuict, ils
se battent & se blessent les vns les autres, ils tuent le bestial
de madame Hebert: & quand ils sont retournez à leur bon sens, ils
vous disent, Ce n'est pas nous qui auons fait cela, mais toy qui nous
donne cette boisson: ont ils cuué leur vin, ils sont entr'eux aussi
grands amis qu'auparauant, se disans l'vn l'autre tu es mon frere, ie
t'ayme, ce n'est pas [45] moy qui t'ay blessé, mais la boisson qui
s'est seruy de mon bras. I'en ay veu de tous meurtris par la face; les
femmes mesmes s'enyurent, & crient comme des enragées? ie m'attend
bien qu'ils tueront l'vn de ces iours quelques François, ce qu'ils ont
déja pensé faire, & passé huict heures du matin il ne fait pas bon les
aller voir sans armes, quand ils ont du vin. Quelques vns de nos gens
y estant allez apres le disner, vn Sauuage les voulut assommer à coups
de haches: mais d'autres Sauuages qui n'estoient pas yures vindrent au
secours. Quand l'vn d'eux est bien yure, les autres le lient par les
pieds & par les bras, s'ils le peuuent attraper. Quelques-vns de leurs
Capitaines sont venus prier les François de ne plus traitter d'eau
de vie, ny de vin, disans qu'ils seroient cause de la mort de leurs
gens. C'est bien le pis quand ils en voyent deuant [46] eux d'autres
autant yures qu'ils sçauroient estre. Mais finissons le discours de
ces Hiroquois; on fit parler au Capitaine Anglois s'il en vouloit
quelquesvns, comme il entendit qu'il falloit faire quelque present, il
répondit que non, & qu'ils en fissent ce qu'ils voudroient. Voicy donc
comme ils les traitterent.
Upon our arrival in Kebec, we heard of the death of six prisoners
held by the Savages, the result of the drunkenness which has been
introduced here by the Europeans. The English Clergyman, who was
not of the same Faith as his people,--for he was a Protestant
or Lutheran, and the Kers are Calvinists or of some other more
libertine Religion (they held this poor Minister a prisoner in
our house for six months),--told me that the Montagnards wanted
to negotiate a peace with the Hiroquois, and that the one who was
in charge of the prisoners had promised him that they would not
be killed. Nevertheless, this wretch being drunk with brandy,
which he had procured from the English in exchange for Beavers,
called his brother and commanded him to go and strike [44] one
of the Hiroquois with a knife and kill him, which he did. Thus
all thoughts of peace vanished. They were talking about killing
the others. The Minister, hearing this, said to the Savage that
in killing this prisoner he had not kept his word. "It is thou,"
answered the Savage, "and thine, who killed him; for, if thou hadst
not given us brandy or wine, we would not have done it." And, in
fact, since I have been here, I have seen only drunken Savages;
they are heard shouting and raving day and night, they fight and
wound each other, they kill the cattle of madame Hebert; and, when
they have returned to their senses, they say to you, "It is not
we who did that, but thou who gavest us this drink." When they
have slept off their drunkenness, they are as good friends with
each other as ever, saying to each other: "Thou art my brother, I
love thee; it is not [45] I who wounded thee, but the drink which
used my arm." I have seen some of them with very badly bruised
faces; even the women get drunk, and shriek like furies. I expect
that they will kill some of us French People one of these days, as
they have already thought of doing; and after eight o'clock in the
morning it is not safe to go to see them without arms, if they have
any wine. Some of our men going to see them after dinner, a Savage
tried to kill them with his hatchet, but other Savages who were not
drunk came to their assistance. When one of them is very drunk, the
others tie him by his feet and arms, if they can catch him. Some of
their Captains have come to plead with the French not to sell them
brandy or wine, saying that they would be the cause of the death of
their people. It is by far the worst when they see before [46] them
others as drunk as they can be. But let us end the talk about these
Hiroquois. The English Captain was asked if he wanted some of them.
As he supposed he would have to make them a present, he answered,
"no," and said that they might do with them what they pleased. Now
this is the way they were treated:
Ils leurs auoient arraché les ongles auec les dents si tost qu'ils
furent pris: Ils leurs couperent les doigts le iour de leur supplice,
puis leurs lierent les deux bras ensemble par le poignet de la main
auec vn cordeau, & deux hommes de part & d'autre, le tiroient
tant qu'ils pouuoient, ce cordeau entroit dans la chair & brisoit
les os de ces pauures miserables, qui crioient horriblement. Ayans
les mains ainsi accommodées on les attacha à des potteaux, & les
filles & les femmes donnoient des presents aux hommes [47] à fin
qu'ils les laissassent tourmenter à leur gré ces pauures victimes.
Ie n'assistay point à ce supplice, ie n'aurois peu supporter cette
cruauté diabolique; mais ceux qui estoient presens me dirent, si tost
que nous fumes arriuez, qu'ils n'auoient iamais veu rien de semblable.
Vous eussiez veu ces femmes enragées, crians, hurlans, leur appliquer
des feux aux parties les plus sensibles, & les plus vergogneuses, les
picquer auec des aleines, les mordre à belle dents, comme des furies,
leurs fendre la chair auec des cousteaux; bref exercer tout ce que
la rage peut suggerer à vne femme. Elles iettoient sur eux du feu,
des cendres bruslantes, du sable tout ardent, & quand les suppliciez
iettoiẽt quelques cris, tous les autres crioient encor plus fort, à
fin qu'on n'entendit point leurs gemissemens, & qu'on ne fut touché
de compassion. On leur [48] couppa le haut du front auec vn cousteau,
puis on enleua la peau de leur teste, & ietta-on du sable ardent sur le
test découuert. Maintenant il y a des Sauuages qui portent ces peaux
couuertes de leurs cheueux & moustaches par brauade; on voit encor
plus de deux cent coups d'aleines dans ces peaux: bref ils exercerent
sur eux toutes les cruautez que i'ay dit cy dessus parlant de ce que
i'auois veu à Tadoussac, & plusieurs autres, dont ie ne me souuiens pas
maintenant. Quand on leur represente que ces cruautez sont horribles
& indignes d'vn homme, ils répondent, Tu n'as point de courage de
laisser viure tes ennemis, quand les Hiroquois nous prennent, ils
nous en font encor pis, voyla pourquoy nous les traittons le plus mal
qu'il nous est possible. Ils firent mourir vn Sagamo Hiroquois, homme
puissant & courageux, il chantoit [49] dans ses tourmens. Quand on luy
vint dire qu'il falloit mourir: il dit, comme tout ioyeux, Allons i'en
suis content, i'ay pris quantité de Montagnards, mes amis en prendront
encor, & vengeront bien ma mort. Là dessus il se mit à raconter ses
proüesses, & dire adieu à ses parents, ses amis, & aux alliez de sa
nation, au Capitaine Flamand qui va traicter des peaux au païs des
Hiroquois par la merd du Nord. Apres qu'on luy eut coupé les doits,
brisé les os des bras, arraché la peau de la teste, qu'on l'eut rosty &
bruslé de tous costez, on le détacha, & ce pauure miserable s'en courut
droit à la riuiere, qui n'estoit pas loin de là, pour se rafraischir:
ils le reprirent, luy firent encor endurer le feu vne autrefois, il
estoit tout noir, tout grillé, la graisse fondoit & sortoit de son
corps, & auec tout cela il s'enfuit encor pour la seconde fois, & [50]
l'ayans repris, ils le bruslerent pour la troisiesme; en fin il mourut
dans ces tourmens: comme ils le voyoient tomber, ils luy ouurirent
la poitrine, luy arrachant le cœur, & le donnant à manger à leurs
petits enfans, le reste estoit pour eux. Voyla vne estrange barbarie.
Maintenant ces pauures miserables sont en crainte, car les Hiroquois
sont tous les iours aux aguets pour surprendre les Montagnards, &
leur en faire autant. C'est pourquoy nostre Capitaine voulant enuoyer
quelqu'vn aux Hurõs, n'a iamais peu trouuer aucun Sauuage qui y voulût
aller. C'est assez parlé de leur cruauté; disons deux mots de leur
simplicité. Vn Sauuage venant voir cét hyuer le Capitaine Anglois, &
voyant que tout estoit couuert de neige, eut compassion de son frere
qui est enterré aupres de l'habitation des Frãçois; voyla pourquoy [51]
il luy dit, Monsieur vous n'auez point pitié de mon pauure frere, l'air
est si beau, & le Soleil si chaud, & neantmoins vous ne faites point
oster la neige de dessus sa fosse pour le réchauffer vn petit. On eut
beau luy dire que les corps morts n'auoient aucun sentiment, il fallut
découurir cette fosse pour le contenter.
They had pulled out their nails with their teeth as soon as they
were taken. They cut their fingers off on the day of their torture;
then they tied their two arms together at the wrist with a cord,
and two men pulled it as hard as they, could at both ends, the
cord entering into the flesh and breaking the bones of these poor,
wretches, who cried out in a horrible manner. Thus having their
hands tied, they were bound to posts, and the girls and women gave
presents to the men [47] to be allowed to torment the poor victims
to their heart's content. I did not remain during this torture, I
could not have endured such diabolical cruelty; but those who were
present told me, as soon as we arrived, that they had never seen
anything like it. "You should have seen those furious women," they
said, "howling, yelling, applying the fire to the most sensitive
and private parts of the body, pricking them with awls, biting them
with savage glee, laying open their flesh with knives; in short,
doing everything that madness can suggest to a woman. They threw
fire upon them, burning coals, hot sand; and, when the sufferers
cried out, all the others cried still louder, in order that the
groans should not be heard, and that no one might be touched with
pity. The upper [48] part of their forehead was cut with a knife,
then the scalp was raised, and hot sand thrown upon the exposed
part." Now there are some Savages who wear, through bravado, these
scalps covered with hair and moustaches.[14] One can still see over
two hundred dents made by the awls in these scalps. In short, they
practiced upon them all the cruelties that I have above related in
speaking of what I had seen at Tadoussac, and many others, which do
not occur to me at present. When they are told that these cruelties
are horrible and unworthy of a man, they answer you: "Thou hast
no courage in allowing thine enemies to live; when the Hiroquois
capture us, they do still worse; this is why we treat them as
cruelly as we can." They killed an Hiroquois Sagamore, a powerful
and courageous man who sang [49] while being tortured. When he was
told that he must die, he said, as if overjoyed, "Good, I am
very much pleased; I have taken a great many of the Montagnards,
my friends will take still more of them, and they will avenge my
death." Thereupon he began to tell about his prowess, and to say
farewell to his relatives, to his friends and to the allies of
his tribe, to the Flemish Captain who goes to trade for furs in
the country of the Hiroquois by the Northern sea. After they had
cut off his fingers, broken the bones of his arms, torn the scalp
from his head, and had roasted and burned him on all sides, he was
untied and the poor creature ran straight to the river, which was
not far from there, to refresh himself. They captured him again,
and made him endure the fire still another time; he was blackened,
completely scorched, and the grease melted and oozed out of his
body, yet with all this he ran away again for a second time, but,
[50] having captured him again, they burned him a third time; at
last he died during these tortures. When they saw him fall, they
opened his chest, pulled out his heart and gave it to the little
children to eat; the rest was for them. This is a very strange
species of barbarism. Now these poor wretches live in fear because
the Hiroquois are always on the watch for the Montagnards to do
as much for them. That is why our Captain, wishing to send some
one to the Hurons, could never find any Savage who would go. This
is enough about their cruelty; let us say a few words about their
simplicity. A Savage coming to see the English Captain this winter,
and seeing that everything was covered with snow, felt compassion
for his brother who was buried near the French settlement. Hence
[51] he said to the Captain: "Monsieur, you have no pity for my
poor brother; the air is so beautiful and the Sun so warm, but
nevertheless you do not have the snow taken off his grave to warm
him a little." It was in vain that he was told that dead bodies
have no feeling; it was necessary to clear away the snow from the
grave to satisfy him.
Vn autre assistant aux Litanies que disoient quelques François, &
entendant qu'on disoit souuent ces paroles, _ora pro nobis_, comme il
ne les entendoit pas bien prononcer, il croyoit qu'on disoit, _carocana
ouabis_, c'est à dire du pain blanc, il s'estonnoit que si souuent on
reïterast ces paroles, _carocana ouabis_, du pain blãc, du pain blanc,
&c. Ils croyent que le tonnerre est vn oyseau, & vn Sauuage demandoit
vn iour à vn François si on n'en prenoit point en France, luy ayant dit
qu'ouy il le supplia de [52] luy en apporter vn, mais fort petit; il
craignoit qu'il ne l'espouuantast s'il eust esté grand.
Another who was present at the Litanies repeated by some Frenchmen,
hearing the frequent use of the words _ora pro nobis_, and not
hearing the pronunciation distinctly, thought they said _carocana
ouabis_, that is to say, "white bread;" he was astonished that they
should so often repeat the words _carocana ouabis_, "white bread,
white bread," etc. They believe that the thunder is a bird, and a
Savage one day asked a Frenchman if they did not capture them in
France; having told him yes, he begged him to [52] bring him one,
but a very little one; he feared that it would frighten him if it
were large.
Voicy vne chose qui m'a consolé, vn certain Sauuage nommé la Nasse,
qui demeuroit auprés de nos Peres, & cultiuoit la terre; voyant que
les Anglois le molestoient, s'estoit retiré dans des Isles où il auoit
continué à cultiuer la terre; entendant que nous estions de retour,
nous est venu voir, & nous a promis qu'il reuiendra à se cabaner aupres
de nous, qu'il nous donnera son petit fils; ce sera nostre premier
pensionnaire, nous luy apprendrons à lire, & à escrire; ce bon homme
dit que les Sauuages ne font pas bien, qu'il veut estre nostre frere, &
viure comme nous; madame Hebert nous a dit qu'il y a long temps qu'il
souhaittoit nostre retour.
Here is something that has consoled me: A certain Savage named la
Nasse, who lived near our Fathers and cultivated the land, seeing
that the English molested him, withdrew to the Islands, where he
continued to cultivate the land; hearing that we had returned, he
came to see us and has promised that he will come back and build
his cabin near us, and that he will give us his little boy. This
will be our first pupil; we shall teach him to read and write. This
good man told us that the Savages do not act right; that he wished
to be our brother, and live as we do. Madame Hebert told us that he
has wished for our return for a long time.
Plusieurs Sauuages nous demandent des nouuelles du R. Pere Lallemant,
[53] du Pere Masse, & du Pere Brebeuf, qu'ils appellent fort bien par
leur nom, & s'enquestent s'ils ne retourneront point l'année qui vient:
ces bonnes gens ont confiance en nous, en voicy vn exemple.
Several Savages ask us news of the Reverend Father Lallemant, [53]
of Father Masse, and of Father Brebeuf, whom they very readily call
by their names, and inquire if they will not return next year.
These simple creatures have confidence in us; here is an example of
it.
Le 6. d'Aoust monsieur Emery de Caën nous estant venu voir en nostre
petite maison, éloignée du fort vne bonne demie lieuë, il demeura
à disner auec nous. Pendant que nous estions en table, voyla deux
familles de Sauuages qui entrent iusqu'au lieu où nous estions,
hommes, femmes, & petits enfans. La premiere porte de nostre maison
estant ouuerte tout est ouuert, les Anglois ont brisé les autres:
voyla pourquoy ces bonnes gens furent plustost dans la chambre où
nous estions, qu'on ne s'en fut pris garde. Ils me vouloient prier de
leur garder quelque bagage, ie remarquay [l]eur patience, car quoy
qu'ils fussent [54] en chemin d'vn long voyage qu'ils alloient faire,
iamais neantmoins ils ne nous interrompirent pendant le disner, ny
apres tandis qu'ils me virent auec nostre Capitaine. Ils s'assirent de
part & d'autre, & ie leur fis donner à chacun vn morceau de pain, ce
qu'ils ayment fort: en fin monsieur de Caën estant party, l'vn d'eux
m'aborde, & me dit, _Ania Kir Capitana?_ mon frere es tu Capitaine? Ils
demandoient le superieur de la maison. Ils appellent leur Capitaine
Sagamo, mais par la frequentation des Europeans, ils se seruent du mot
de _Capitana_. Nostre Frere leur répondit, _eoco_, c'est à dire oüy.
Là dessus il me fait vne harangue, me disant qu'ils s'en alloient à
la chasse, ou à la pesche des Castors, & que ie leur gardasse leur
equipage, qu'ils reuiendroient quand les fueilles tomberoiẽt des
arbres. Ils me demanderent fort [55] souuent s'il n'y venoit point de
larrons en nostre maison, & regardoiẽt fort bien les endroits où leur
bagage seroit plus à couuert. Ie leur répondy que tout estoit chez nous
en asseurance, & leur ayant monstré vne chambrette qui fermoit à clef,
ils furent fort contents, mettant là dedans trois ou quatre paquets
couuerts d'écorces d'arbres fort proprement, disans qu'il y auoit là
dedans de grandes richesses. Ie ne sçay ce qu'il y a, mais au bout du
conte toutes leurs richesses ne sont que pauureté, leur or & argent,
leurs perles & diamans sont de petits grains blancs de porcelaine
qui ne paroissent pas grãde chose. Ayant serré leur bagage ils me
demanderent vn cousteau, ie leur en donnay vn, puis ils me demanderent
vn peu de ficelle pour attacher apres vn fer de fleche, ou vn dard, qui
a des dents comme vne cramaillere. Ils lancent ces [56] dards contre le
Castor, & tiennent tousiours le bout de la ficelle, la laissant filer
iusques au font de l'eau, où se retire le Castor blessé: lequel ayant
perdu son sang s'affoiblit, & ils le retirent par cette ficelle, qu'ils
ne quittent iamais qu'ils n'ayent leur proye. Leur ayant donc fait
present d'vn morceau de ficelle, ils me dirent _Ania Capitana ouias
amiscou_, mon frere le Capitaine, nous t'apporterons la chair d'vn
Castor, & me firent bien entendre qu'elle ne seroit point bouquanée,
ils sçauẽt bien que les François n'ayment point leur bouquan, c'est de
la chair seichée à la fumée, ils n'ont point d'autre sel que la fumée
pour conseruer leur viande.
The 6th of August, monsieur Emery de Caën coming to see us in our
little house, distant a good half-league from the fort, remained to
dine with us. While we were at the table, two families of Savages,
men, women, and little children, approached the spot where we were.
The outside door of our house being open, all is open, the English
having broken the others; that is why these simple people were in
the room, where we were, before we were aware of it. They wanted
to ask me to keep some of their baggage for them. I noticed their
patience, for, although they had [54] started on a long journey
which they were going to make, nevertheless they did not interrupt
us once during the dinner, nor afterwards while they saw me with
our Captain. They sat down in one place or another, and I had a
piece of bread, of which they are very fond, given to each of them.
At last, monsieur de Caën having departed, one of them approached
me and said: _Ania Kir Capitana?_ "My brother, art thou Captain?"
They were asking for the superior of the house. They call their
Captain "Sagamore," but by associating with the Europeans they have
come to use the word _Capitana_. Our Brother answered them, _eoco_;
that is to say, "yes." Thereupon he made a speech to me, saying
that they were going hunting or fishing for Beavers, and that I
should keep their baggage; that they would return when the leaves
fell from the trees. They asked me very [55] often if thieves ever
came into our house, and very carefully scrutinized the places
where their baggage might be best concealed. I answered that
everything was safe in our house, and having shown them a little
room which could be locked, they seemed very happy, placing therein
three or four packages covered very neatly with the bark of trees,
telling me that they contained great riches. I do not know what is
there; but, at the best, all their riches are only poverty. Their
gold and silver, their diamonds and pearls, are little white grains
of porcelain which do not seem to amount to much. Having piled up
their baggage, they asked me for a knife, and I gave them one;
then they asked me for some string to tie to an iron arrow-point
or dart, with barbed teeth. They throw these [56] darts against
the Beavers, and hold the end of the string, letting it go to the
bottom of the water where the wounded Beaver dives; and, when it
has lost blood and become weak; they draw it back by this string,
of which they never let go until they have their prey. Having
then made them a present of the piece of string, they said to me:
_Ania Capitana ouias amiscou_: "My brother, the Captain, we will
bring thee the meat of a Beaver," and they gave me very clearly to
understand that it would not be smoked. They know very well that
the French people do not like their dried food: that is, their meat
dried in smoke, for they have no other salt than smoke to preserve
their meats.
Vn autre Sauuage, estant encor à Tadoussac, m'apporta deux bouteilles
de vin pour luy garder dans ma cabane. Comme il tardoit long temps à
les venir requerir, i'aduerty le Pere [57] de Nouë, & nostre Frere, que
s'il s'addressoit à eux qu'ils me l'enuoyassent, ie craignois qu'il ne
les prist pour moy: mais il ne se trompa point. Le soir comme ie disois
mon breuiaire, il se vint asseoir aupres de moy, & attendit que i'eusse
acheué, alors il me tira & me dit, _Ania Cabana_, mon frere allons à ta
cabane, ie l'entendy bien, & luy rendy ses bouteilles qui luy auoient
cousté de bonnes peaux. Ces exemples font voir la confiance qu'ils
ont en nous: en verité qui sçauroit parfaittement leur langue, seroit
puissant parmy eux.
Another Savage, while we were at Tadoussac, brought me two bottles
of wine to keep in my cabin. As he was very long in coming back
after them, I notified Father [57] de Nouë and our Brother that,
if he applied to them, they should send him to me. I feared that
he would take one of them for me; but he made no mistake. In the
evening, as I was saying my breviary, he came and sat down beside
me, and waited until I had finished. Then he pulled me and said:
_Ania Cabana_, "My brother, let us go to thy cabin." I understood
him very well, and restored him his bottles, which had cost him
some good furs. These examples show what confidence they have in
us. In fact, any one who knew their language perfectly would be
powerful among them.