are in the great St. Lawrence river, told us that game swarmed
there; bustards, geese, ducks, teal, and other birds. They assured
us also that there were apples in those islands, very sweet but
very small; and that they had eaten plums which would not be in any
way inferior to our apricots in France if the tree were cultivated.
The Savages spoil everything, for, when they come to a fruit tree,
they cut it down to get the fruit.
Le 31. vn Sauuage surnommé Brehault, pource qu'il parloit fort haut,
reuenant de la chasse demãda le couuert chez nous pour vne nuict, & à
[21] souper par consequent. On luy donna des pois, & à ses deux enfans
qui l'accompagnoyent: il mangeoit auec si grand appetit, que pour
exploitter dauãtage il quitta vne cueiller d'estain qu'on luy auoit
presentée, & prit la grande cueiller du pot, s'en seruant pour manger:
Et pource que le plat n'estoit pas assez profond il puisoit dans la
marmite, de laquelle il se seruoit pour écuelle, sans garder autre
ciuilité que celle que son grand appetit luy fournissoit. Ie le laissay
faire quelque temps. Apres qu'il eut bien mangé, il s'en va prendre
de l'eau auec la mesme cueiller du pot, beuuant cela auec plaisir,
& reiettant son reste dans le seau. voila toute l'honnestete qu'ils
sçauent.
On the 31st, a Savage, surnamed Brehault on account of his loud
voice, in coming back from the hunt asked us for a night's lodging
and consequently for his supper. We gave peas both to him and to
his two children who were with him. He ate so ravenously, that to
make the best of the occasion, he threw aside the pewter spoon that
had been given to him, and took the great pot-ladle to eat with;
and, as his dish was not big enough, he dipped into the saucepan,
and even used it as a ladle, observing no other law of politeness
than what his great appetite suggested to him. I let him go on for
some time. After he had eaten well, he dipped some water out with
the same pot-ladle, drinking it with great relish and throwing back
into the pail what was left. This is all the manners they have.
I'en ay veu quantité d'autres cherchans quelque chose pour puiser
de l'eau, prendre vn petit poeslon, dont le dessous est comme celuy
d'vne [22] marmite, & boire brauement auec cela, & auec autant de
contentement qu'on boiroit en Frãce d'vn vin fort excellent dans
vn verre de crystal: les vaisseaux les plus gras leur sõt les plus
agreables, pource qu'il n'y a rien qu'ils aiment tant que la graisse,
ils boiuent chaud ordinairement, & mangent à terre: ceux qui maintenant
nous cognoissent ne font plus ces grosses inciulitez deuant nous.
I have seen many others, looking for something with which to dip
water, take a little kettle, the bottom of which is like that of
a [22] saucepan, and drink cheerfully from it and with as much
satisfaction as you would in France drink excellent wine from a
crystal glass. The most greasy vessels are the most agreeable to
them, for there is nothing they relish so much as grease; they
usually drink liquids hot and they eat from the ground. Those
who know us do not now indulge in such gross incivilities in our
presence.
Le premier iour de Nouembre feste de tous les Saints, aiant appris
qu'vn pauure miserable Sauuage mãgé d'vn chancre ou des écroüelles,
estoit dãs vne meschante cabane delà le grand fleuue de S. Laurens,
abandonné de tout le monde, horsmis de la fẽme qui l'assistoit le mieux
qu'elle pouuoit, nous fismes ce que nous peûmes pour le faire apporter
prés de nostre maison, afin de le pouuoir secourir selon le corps &
selon l'ame: [23] le Pere de Nouë & nostre Frere le furent voir, ils en
eurent grande compassion. Ie priay nostre truchement frãcois d'induire
les Sauuages à nous l'apporter: car nous ne pouuions l'aller querir;
il en parla a l'vn d'eux en ma presence, qui demanda ce qu'on luy
donneroit, on luy dit qu'on luy donneroit à manger, ie luy fis dire
qu'il estoit grandement ingrat, que cet homme estoit de sa nation, &
que nous qui n'en estions pas, le vouliõs secourir, & cependant qu'il
luy refusoit ce peu d'assistance. A cela point d'autre response, sinon
qu'il s'en alloit bien-tost à la chasse, & qu'il n'auoit pas le loisir
de mener la son canot.
On the first day of November, all Saints' day, having learned that
a poor miserable Savage, eaten by a malignant ulcer or scrofulous
affection, was in a wretched hut beyond the great St. Lawrence,
abandoned by everybody except his wife, who was caring for him the
best she could, we did all in our power to have him brought near
our house, in order that we might help him both in regard to his
body and his soul. [23] Father de Nouë and our Brother went to see
him, and they were filled with compassion for him. I begged our
french interpreter to persuade the Savages to bring him to us,
for we could not go and fetch him. He spoke to one of them in my
presence, who asked what he would be given for it. He was told that
he would be given something to eat. I had them tell him that he
was very ungrateful; that the sick man was of his tribe, and that
we who were not of it wished to help him, and still he refused him
that little assistance. For this he made no other excuse than that
he was going very soon to the hunt, and that he had no time to
take his canoe there.
I'ay remarqué que les Sauuages font tres-peu d'estat d'vn homme de la
santé duquel ils desesperent, voire mesme ils les tuënt par fois, où
les laissent dãs les bois pour s'en deffaire, [24] ou pour ne les voir
languir.
I have observed that the Savages care but little for men whose
condition is so low that life is despaired of; indeed they
sometimes kill them, or leave them in the woods to get rid of them,
[24] or to avoid seeing them gradually fail.
Le 5. du mesme mois de Nouembre, vn grand ieune Sauuage s'en vint chez
nous retournant de la chasse aux castors, criant qu'il mouroit de
faim, il apportoit quantité de racines, entr'autres force oignons de
martagons rouges, dont il y a icy tres-grand nõbre, nous luy donnasmes
quelque chose, & goustasmes de ces oignons, ils sont tres-bons à
manger, il n'y fit point d'autre saulce que de les faire boüillir
dans l'eau sans sel, car les Sauuages n'en mangent point, quoy que
maintenant ils s'y accoustument fort bien.
On the 5th of the same month of November, a tall young Savage,
returning from beaver hunting, called upon us, crying out that
he was dying of hunger. He brought a number of roots, among them
several bulbs of the red lily variety, of which there are a great
many here. We gave him something, and tasted these bulbs, which are
very good to eat;[29] he made no other sauce than to boil them in a
little water without salt, which the Savages do not use, although
they are now accustoming themselves to it very well.
Le huictiesme Manitougache surnommé la Nasse, & toute sa famille
composée de deux ou trois ménages, se vindrent cabaner auprés de nostre
maison, ils nous dirent que deux ou trois cabanes de Sauuages auoient
esté deuorées par de grands animaux incognus, [25] qu'ils croioient que
c'étoient des Diables, & que les Montagnaits ayant peur, ne vouloient
point aller à la chasse du costé du Cap de Tourmente, & de Tadoussac,
ces mõstres ayans paru de ce costé là. On soupçonna par apres que les
Sauuages auoient fait courir ce bruit, pour tirer de l'autre costé de
la riuiere.
On the eighth, Manitougache, surnamed la Nasse, and all his family,
consisting of two or three households, came and encamped near our
house. They told us that two or three families of Savages had been
devoured by large unknown animals, [25] which they believed were
Devils; and that the Montagnaits, fearing them, did not wish to go
hunting in the neighborhood of Cape de Tourmente and Tadoussac,
these monsters having appeared in that neighborhood.[30] It was
afterward suspected that the Savages had spread this report, to
draw them from the other side of the river.
Le 9. ie m'en allay voir ces nouueaux hostes; comme i'estois dans leur
cabane, i'entendois chanter deux hommes sans sçauoir où ils estoient,
ie regarde dans toute la cabane, ie ne les voy point & cependãt ils
estoient tout au milieu, renfermés comme dans vn four, où ils se
mettent pour se faire suer. Ils dressent vn petit tabernacle fort
bas, entouré d'ecorces, & tout couuert de leurs robbes de peaux: ils
font chauffer cinq ou six cailloux qu'ils mettent dans ce four où ils
entrent tous nuds, [26] ils chantent là dedans incessamment, frappans
doucement les costez de ces estuues. Ie les veis sortir tous moüillez
de leur sueur: voila la meilleure de leurs medecines.
On the 9th I went to see these newcomers; and while in their cabin
I heard two men singing, but I could not tell where they were. I
looked all around in the cabin, but did not see them, and yet they
were there in the very middle of it, shut up as in an oven, where
they had placed themselves to have a sweat. They make a little low
tent of bark, and cover it with their fur robes; then they heat
five or six stones and put them into this oven, which they enter
entirely naked. [26] They sing all the time while in there, gently
striking the sides of these stoves. I saw them come out all wet
with perspiration; this is the best of their medicines.[31]
Le 12. de Nouembre, l'hyuer fit ses approches, commençant à nous
assieger de ses glaces. Ayant esté fort long temps ce iour là dans vne
grande cabane de Sauuages, où il y auoit plusieurs hommes, femmes,
enfans de toutes façons, ie remarquay leur admirable patience, s'il y
auoit tant de familles ensemble en nostre France, ce ne seroiẽt que
disputes, que querelles, & qu'iniures; les meres ne s'impatientent
point apres leurs enfans, ils ne sçauent que c'est que de iurer, tout
leur serment consiste en ce mot _taponé_, en verité, point de ialousie
les vns enuers les autres, ils s'entr'aident & secourent grandement,
pource qu'ils esperent le reciproque, [27] cet espoir manquant, ils ne
tiennent compte de qui que ce soit.
On the 12th of November, winter made its first appearance,
beginning to besiege us with its ice. Having spent a long time on
that day in one of the large cabins of the Savages, where there
were a number of men, women, and children of all kinds, I noticed
their wonderful patience. If so many families were together in
our France, there would be nothing but disputes, quarrels, and
revilings. The mothers do not get impatient with their children,
they do not know what it is to swear, their only oath consisting of
this one word _taponé_, "in truth;"[32] there is no jealousy among
them; they aid and relieve each other very generously, because they
expect a return of the favor. [27] If this expectation fail, they
respect the person no longer, whoever he may be.
Tout ainsi qu'vn homme en Europe se compose & s'habille honnestement
quand il veut aller en quelque honneste maison; de mesme les Sauuages
se font peindre la face quãd ils font quelques visites. Le fils de
Manitougache voulant aller à l'habitation, ie vy sa mere qui le
graissoit & le peignoit de rouge, elle en fit autant à son mary: ils
trouuent cela si agreable, que les petits enfans ne pensent pas estre
beaux, s'ils ne sont barboüillez: i'en voiois vn qui frottoit ses
doigts sur vne hache roüillée, puis se faisoit des rayes au visage
auec cette roüillure, ie fis vne petite croix auec vn peu d'encre
sur le front d'vn petit garçon, il se tenoit bien braue, & les autres
trouvoient cela fort beau. Ou que le iugement des hommes est foible!
les vns logẽt la beauté [28] où les autres ne voient que la laideur.
Les dents les plus belles en France sont les plus blanches, aux Isles
des Maldiues la blancheur des dents est vne difformité, ils se les
rougissent pour estre belles: & dans la Cochinchine, si i'ay bonne
memoire, ils les teignent en noir. Voyez qui a raison.
Just as a man in Europe arranges his toilet with care when he
is going to pay a visit to some respectable family, so these
Savages have their faces painted when they make visits. The son
of Manitougache wishing to go to our settlement, I saw his mother
grease him and paint him red; she did the same to her husband.
They find this so agreeable that the little children do not think
they are beautiful unless their faces are smeared over with
something. I saw one rubbing his fingers upon a rusty axe, and
then making streaks upon his face with the rust. I made a small
cross with some ink upon the brow of a little boy; he acted very
proud, and the others considered him quite beautiful. Oh, how weak
are the judgments of men! Some place beauty [28] where others see
nothing but ugliness. The most beautiful teeth in France are the
whitest; in the Maldive Islands whiteness of teeth is considered
a deformity, they paint them red to be beautiful; and in Cochin
China, if my memory serves me, they paint them black. Which is
right?
Le 13. Manitougache nostre hoste & voisin nous vint dire qu'on auoit
veu quantité d'Hiroquois qui auoiẽt paru iusques auprés de Kebec. Tous
les Montagnaits trembloient de peur. Celuy-cy nous demanda si sa femme
& ses enfans ne pourroient pas bien venir coucher chez nous, nous luy
respondismes que luy & ses fils seroient les tres-bien venus, mais
que les filles & femmes ne couchoient point dans nos maisons, voire
mesme qu'elles n'y entroient point en France, & qu'aussi-tost que nous
serions fermez, que la porte ne leur seroit [29] plus ouuerte. Il
enuoya donc tout son train, tous les ieunes gens aux cabanes voisines
de Kebec, où l'on disoit que l'on enuoyeroit quelques harquebusiers
pour les garder. Pour luy estant inuité du Capitaine des Sauuages de
prendre sa cabane iusques à ce que l'effroy fust passé, il fit response
que s'il deuoit mourir, qu'il vouloit mourir aupres de nous, & ainsi
ayant mis ses gens en asseurance, il nous reuint trouuer.
On the 13th, Manitougache, our guest and neighbor, came to tell
us that a great many Hiroquois had been seen near Kebec. All the
Montagnaits trembled with fear. He asked if his wife and children
could not come and lodge with us. We answered him that he and his
sons would be very welcome, but that girls and women were not
permitted to sleep in our houses, indeed, they never entered them
in France; and that, just as soon as we could close our doors, they
would not again be [29] opened to them. He then sent his whole
party, all the young people, to cabins in the neighborhood of
Kebec, where they were told that some arquebusiers would be sent to
protect them. As to himself, having been invited by the Captain of
the Savages to accept his cabin until the fright should have passed
away, he answered that, if he had to die, he wanted to die near us;
and, having thus placed his people in security, he returned to us.
Ce mesme iour Pierre Pastedechouan nous vint voir pour demeurer auec
nous. Ie ne puis obmettre icy vn trait fort particulier de l'admirable
bonté & prouidence de Dieu en nostre endroit. Ce ieune homme a esté
conduit en Frãce en son bas âge par les RR. Peres Recolets, il a esté
baptisé à Angers Monsieur le Prince de Guimenée estoit sõ parrain, il
parle fort biẽ Francois, & fort bon Sauuage, [30] ayant esté ramené en
son pays on le remit entre les mains de ses freres pour reprendre les
idées de sa langue qu'il auoit presque oubliées: ce pauure miserable
est deuenu barbare comme les autres, & a tousiours continué dans ses
barbaries pendant que les Anglois ont icy seiourné. Sçachant le retour
de François, il vient voir le sieur Emery de Caën à Tadoussac, qui
l'inuita de monter à Kebec, ce qu'il fit. Il le vouloit prendre pour
son truchement, le faisant manger à sa table, luy témoignant vn fort
bon visage. Moy cependant comme ie desirois grandement d'entrer dans
la cognoissance de la langue, & voyant que ie n'auançois riẽ faute de
maistre, ie deliberay de m'addresser à Dieu, esperant que nous aurions
ce ieune homme pour quelque temps: nous nous mismes tous a solliciter
cette affaire auprés de nostre Seigneur, ie sentois [31] vn si grand
desir, ioinct auec vne si grande confiãce, qu'il me sembloit que nous
l'auions desia contre toutes les apparences humaines: car comme on
se vouloit seruir de luy au fort, on le traittoit fauorablement, veu
d'ailleurs que ne respirant que la liberté, il abhorrait plustost
nostre maison, qu'il ne l'aimoit. Dieu est plus fort que tous les
hommes, il n'appartient qu'à luy de tirer le biẽ du mal. Ce pauure
ieune homme estant trop à son aise ne s'y peut tenir, il mescontente
le sieur de Caën vne & deux fois il est disgracié, & remis en faueur,
cependant ie sollicite le sieur de Caën de nous l'enuoyer au cas qu'il
ne se pût accommoder au fort, qu'il nous obligeroit, & feroit du bien
à ce pauure abandonné: luy qui nous faisoit l'hõneur que de nous
aimer, s'y accorde aisément. Or ce pauure garçon se voiant decheu de
l'amitié du sieur de [32] Caën se iette du costé du sieur du Plessis,
c'estoit tomber pour luy de fiéure en chaud mal: car le sieur du
Plessis cognoissant ses fripponneries, & desirant qu'il demeurast auec
nous, le rebuta, luy promettant son amitié au cas qu'il voulust passer
quelques mois en nostre maison pour se remettre dans les deuoirs d'vn
bon Chrestien. Monsieur de Caën luy témoignoit le mesme: le voila
donc exclus du fort. Il ne falloit plus qu'estre abãdonné en quelque
façon des Sauuages. Il auoit espousé la fille de Manitougache, elle
ayant receu quelque mescontentement de luy, le quitta là, ce sont les
mariages des Sauuages, qui ne se lient que par vn lacs courant, il faut
peu de chose pour les separer, si ce n'est qu'ils ayent des enfans, car
alors ils ne se quittent pas si aisement.
On this same day, Pierre Pastedechouan came[33] to make his home
with us. I cannot omit here an incident especially exhibiting
the admirable kindness and providence of God in our behalf. This
young man had been taken to France in his childhood by the
Reverend Recolet Fathers. He had been baptized at Angers, Monsieur
the Prince of Guimenée being his godfather. He speaks French and
the Savage Tongue very well. [30] Having been brought back to his
country, he was again placed in the hands of his brothers, to
recover the use of his own language, which he had almost forgotten.
This poor wretch has become a barbarian like the others, and
persistently followed barbaric customs while the English were
here. Hearing of the return of the French, he visited sieur Emery
de Caën, at Tadoussac, who invited him to go to Kebec, which he
did. He intended to take him for his interpreter, having him eat
at his table, and treating him kindly. Meanwhile, I desired to
obtain a greater knowledge of the language; and seeing that I made
no progress, for want of a teacher, I had been thinking for some
time of asking God, hoping that we should have this young man
with us for a while. We all began to pray for this favor at the
throne of our Lord; I felt [31] so strong a desire, combined with
so great confidence, that it seemed to me we had him already, all
human appearances to the contrary notwithstanding; for, as they
wanted to make use of him at the fort, he was treated very kindly.
Besides, while breathing only liberty, he rather abhorred our house
than loved it. God is stronger than all men; it belongs only to
him to draw good out of evil. This poor young man, being in too
easy a position, could not stand his prosperity. He displeased
sieur de Caën; once and twice, he was disgraced, and restored to
favor. In the meantime, I solicited sieur de Caën to send him to
us, in the event that it was not agreeable to him to keep him
at the fort; that he would oblige us, and do a service to this
poor abandoned creature. He, who honored us with his affection,
granted our request readily; now this poor boy, seeing that he has
lost the friendship of sieur de [32] Caën, goes over to sieur du
Plessis.[34] This was but going from bad to worse. For sieur du
Plessis, knowing his knavish tricks, and desiring that he should
live with us, rejected him, promising him his friendship provided
that he would spend some months in our house, where he might resume
the duties of a good Christian. Monsieur de Caën treated him in
the same way; behold him thus excluded from the fort. Nothing was
lacking but that he should in some way be abandoned by the Savages
also. He had married the daughter of Manitougache; she, having
become somewhat dissatisfied with him, left him. Such are the
nuptial ties of the Savages, who bind themselves by only a loose
knot; but little is necessary to separate them, unless they have
children, for then they do not leave each other so easily.
Estant donc ainsi rebuté, il se vint ietter entre nos bras qui
n'estoient [33] que trop ouuerts pour luy, nous luy procurasmes vn
habit de Frãçois, que le valet de chambre du sieur du Plessis luy
donna, bref nous luy fismes tout l'accueil qui nous fut possible,
rendans mille graces au bon Dieu de ce qu'il luy auoit pleu exaucer nos
prieres.
Being thus repulsed, he came and threw himself into our arms, which
were only [33] too widely opened for him. We provided him with a
suit of French clothes, that a valet de chambre of sieur du Plessis
gave him. In short, we gave him as warm a welcome as was possible,
returning a thousand thanks to the good God for having answered our
prayers.
Ayant donc ceste commodité, ie me mets à trauailler sans cesse,
ie fay des coniugaisons, declinaisons, quelque petite syntaxe, vn
dictionnaire, auec vne peine incroyable, car il me falloit quelquefois
demander vingt questions pour auoir la cognoissance d'vn mot, tant mon
maistre peu duit à enseigner varioit. O que ie suis obligé à ceux qui
m'enuoierent l'an passé du Petum. Les Sauuages l'aiment déreglement.
A toutes les difficultez que ie rencõtrois, i'en donnois vn bout à mõ
maistre pour le rendre plus attentif. Ie [34] ne sçaurois assez rendre
graces à Nostre Seigneur de cet heureux rencontre. En tant d'années
qu'on a esté en ces païs, on n'a iamais rien pû tirer de l'interprete
ou truchement nommé Marsolet, qui pour excusé disoit qu'il auoit iuré
qu'il ne donneroit rien du lãgage des Sauuages à qui que ce fût. Le
Pere Charles Lallemant le gagna, ie pense auoir ce qu'il luy bailla,
mais cela ne m'eut de rien seruy, l'œconomie de la langue toute
differente de celles d'Europe n'est point declarée là dedans. Que Dieu
soit beny pour vn iamais, sa prouidence est adorable, & sa bonté n'a
point de limites.
Now, having gained this advantage, I begin to work incessantly.
I make conjugations, declensions and some little syntax, and a
dictionary,[24] with incredible trouble, for I was compelled
sometimes to ask twenty questions to understand one word, so
changeable was my master's way of teaching. Oh, how grateful I am
to those who sent me some Tobacco last year. The Savages love it to
madness. Whenever we came to a difficulty, I gave my master a piece
of tobacco, to make him more attentive. I [34] never can thank our
Lord enough for this fortunate circumstance. In all the years that
we have been in this country no one has ever been able to learn
anything from the interpreter named Marsolet,[35] who, for excuse,
said he had sworn that he would never teach the Savage tongue to
any one whomsoever. Father Charles Lallemant won him, and I think
I have acquired what he learned from him, but I could not make use
of it at all; the construction of the language, entirely different
from that of the European languages, is not declared therein.
May God be praised forever; his providence is adorable, and his
goodness unbounded.
Il m'a fallu auant que de sçauoir vne langue faire des liures pour
l'apprendre, & quoy que ie ne les tienne pas si corrects, si est-ce que
maintenant de l'heure que ie parle, quand ie compose quelque chose,
ie me fay bien entendre aux Sauuages; le tout [35] gist à composer
souuent, à apprendre quantité de mots, à me faire à leur accent, &
mes occupations ne me le permettent pas: ie pensois m'en aller cét
hyuer prochain auec eux dans les bois, mais ie preuoy qu'il me sera
impossible, lié comme ie suis: si mon maistre ne m'eust point quitté,
dans peu de mois i'aurois bien auancé.