Savage and started for Kebec; and he brought back without delay the
news that sieur de Champlain had arrived, and that Father Brebeuf
was coming as fast as possible to our little house. We hastened
to thank our Lord. In the meantime, behold, Father [124] Brebeuf
enters. God knows whether we received and embraced him with glad
hearts. Several Savages were with us, and, seeing our joy at this
happy meeting, cried out, according to their custom when they
are pleased, _chteé! chteé!_ rejoicing with us over the arrival
of the Father, who, after having honored our Lord in our little
chapel, told us that father Masse was at Tadoussac and that Father
Daniel and Father Davost were also coming to see us from the grand
Chibou.[46] He brought me such a quantity of letters that I was
overcome upon seeing the souvenirs and testimonials of affection of
so many estimable people. _Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quæ
retribuit mihi_: Blessed be he forevermore, if it be his will that
in return for these benefits we should drink of his cup; _fiat,
fiat_, that would be too great honor for us. But I entreat him [225
i.e., 125] to apply one single drop of what he drank, especially to
those who have helped us so much, to the associates of the Company
of New France, of whom God wishes to make use for his glory,[47]
to Your Reverence, to all your Province, and to all those who
coöperate in the salvation of so many poor lost souls; a little
drop of this divine cup will enrich us all; and as my prayers are
too weak to obtain so great a blessing, I beg Your Reverence to
interpose yours, and those also of so many saintly souls who are
under your charge. But let us pass on.
Ayant sçeu l'arriuée de Monsieur de Champlain, ie l'allay salüer.
Arriuant au fort, ie veis vne escoüade de soldats François armez de
piques & de mousquets qui s'ẽ approchoiẽt tambour battant: si tost
qu'ils y furent entrez, Monsieur de Caën remit [226 i.e., 126] les
clefs du fort entre les mains de Monsieur du Plessis Bochard, qui les
remit le lendemain entre celles de Monsieur de Champlain, pour entrer
dans la conduite des vaisseaux, selon l'ordonnance de Monseigneur le
Cardinal.
Having learned of the arrival of Monsieur de Champlain, I went to
greet him. Arriving at the fort, I saw a squad of French soldiers,
armed with pikes and muskets, who approached, beating their drums.
As soon as they had entered, Monsieur de Caën gave [226 i.e.,
126] the keys of the fort to Monsieur du Plessis Bochard,[34]
who delivered them the next day to Monsieur de Champlain, to take
command of the ships according to the decree of Monseigneur the
Cardinal.
Ie remerciay le mieux qu'il me fut possible Mõsieur de Champlain de la
charité qu'il auoit exercée enuers nos Peres qui a esté très-grande,
cõme me témoignoit le Pere Brebeuf.
I thanked Monsieur de Champlain, as well as I could, for the
kindness shown by him to our Fathers, for it was very great, as
Father Brebeuf has testified to me.[48]
Le 24. de May, dixhuict canots de Sauuages estans descendus à Kebec,
le sieur de Champlain se doutãt qu'ils pourroient passer iusques aux
Anglois, qui auoient trois vaisseaux à Tadoussac, & vne barque biẽ haut
dans la riuiere, s'en alla dans les Cabanes de ces Sauuages, & leur fit
parler fort à propos par le sieur Oliuier, truchement, honneste homme,
& bien propre pour ce [227 i.e., 127] pays-cy. Il leur dit donc par la
bouche de cét interprete, que les François les auoient tousiours aimez
& defendus, que luy les auoit secourus en personne dans leurs guerres:
qu'il auoit grandement chery le Pere du Capitaine auquel il parloit;
lequel fut tué à ses costez en vn combat où luy-mesme fut blessé d'vn
coup de fleche, qu'il estoit homme de parole; que nonobstant les
incommoditez des mers, il les estoit reuenu voir cõme ses freres:
qu'eux ayant desiré & demandé qu'on fit vne habitation de François en
leur pays pour les defendre contres les incursions de leurs ennemis,
qu'il auoit eu dessein de leur accorder, & que cela seroit desia mis
en execution sans le détourbier des Anglois: qu'au reste il estoit
pour le present occupé à la reparation des ruines qu'auoient fait ces
mauuais hostes: qu'il ne manquera pas de leur [228 i.e., 128] donner
contentement si tost qu'il aura pourueu aux affaires plus pressantes;
que les Peres (parlant de nous autres) demeureroient parmy eux, & les
instruiroient, cõme aussi leurs enfans. Cependant, nonobstant les
grandes obligations qu'ils auoient aux François, ils estoient descendus
en intentiõ d'aller voir des voleurs qui venoient pour dérober les
François, qu'ils auisassent bien à ce qu'ils feroient, que ces voleurs
estoient passagers, & que les François demeuroient au pays comme leur
appartenant. Voila vne partie du discours que leur fit tenir le sieur
de Champlain, autant que i'ay peu sçauoir, par le rapport qui m'en a
esté fait par ceux qui estoient presents.
On the 24th of May, eighteen canoes of Savages having descended to
Kebec, sieur de Champlain, suspecting that they might go on to the
English, who had three vessels at Tadoussac and a bark far up the
river, went into the Cabins of these Savages, and made to them a
very suitable address through sieur Olivier the interpreter,[49]
who is an excellent man and well fitted for this [227 i.e., 127]
country. He said to them through the lips of this interpreter that
the French had always loved and defended them, that he had assisted
them in person in their wars; that he had greatly cherished the
Father of the Captain to whom he was talking, who was killed at
his side in a battle where he himself was wounded by an arrow;[50]
that he was a man of his word, and that, notwithstanding the
discomforts of the sea voyage, he had returned to see them again,
as if they were his brothers; as they had expressed a wish that
a French settlement should be made in their country, to defend
them against the incursions of their enemies, he contemplated
granting this desire, and it would already have been granted but
for the obstacles created by the English; he was, moreover, then
engaged in repairing the ruins that these wicked guests had left
behind them; that he would not fail to satisfy them [228 i.e.,
128] all as soon as he attended to the more urgent affairs; that
the Fathers (speaking of us), would remain among them and would
instruct them as well as their children. Yet, notwithstanding the
great obligations that they [the Savages] were under to the French,
they had descended the river with the intention of going to see
the thieves who came to pillage the French. He said they should
consider well what they were doing; that these robbers were only
birds of passage, while the French would remain in the country as
it belonged to them. This is a part of the discourse that sieur de
Champlain delivered to them, as far as I have been able to learn,
from the report made to me by those present.
Pendant cette harangue, le Capitaine & ses gens escoutoient fort
attentiuement, luy entr'autres paroissoit profondement pensif, tirant
[229 i.e., 129] de son estomach cette aspiration de temps en temps,
pendant qu'on luy parloit, _hám! hám! hám!_ comme approuuant le
discours du truchement: lequel estant acheué, ce Capitaine prend la
parole pour respōdre, mais auec vne rhetorique aussi fine & deliée,
qu'il en scauroit sortir de l'escolle d'Aristote, ou de Ciceron. Il
gagna au commencemẽt de son discours la bienueillance de tous les
François par vne profonde humilité, qui paroissoit auec bonne grace
dans ses gestes & dans ses paroles.
During this speech, the Captain and his men listened very
attentively. He, among others, appeared to be in deep thought,
drawing [229 i.e., 129] from his stomach from time to time this
aspiration, while they were speaking to him, _hám! hám! hám!_ as
if approving the speech of the interpreter, which, when finished,
this Captain arose to answer, but with a keenness and delicacy of
rhetoric that might have come out of the schools of Aristotle or
Cicero. He won, in the beginning of his discourse, the good will
of all of the French by his profound humility, which appeared with
exceeding grace in his gestures and in his language.
Ie ne suis, disoit-il, qu'vn pauure petit animal qui va rampant sur
la terre: Vous autres François vous estes les grands du monde, qui
faites tout trembler. Ie ne scay comme i'ose parler deuant de si
grands Capitaines: si i'auois quelqu'vn derriere moy qui me suggerast
ce que ie dois dire, ie parlerois plus hardimẽt. [230 i.e., 130] Ie me
trouue estonné, ie n'ay iamais eu d'instruction, mon pere m'a laissé
fort ieune, si ie dis quelque chose ie le vais recueillant çà & là à
l'aduanture, c'est ce qui me fait trembler.
"I am," said he, "only a poor little animal, crawling about on
the ground; you Frenchmen are the great of the earth, who make
all tremble. I do not know how I dare to talk before such great
Captains. If I had some one behind me who would suggest what I
ought to say, I would speak more boldly. [230 i.e., 130] I am
bewildered; I have never had any instruction; my father left me
very young; if I say anything, I go seeking it here and there, at
hazard, and it is that which makes me tremble.
Tu nous dis que les François nous ont tousiours aimez, nous le sçauons
bien, & nous mentirions si nous disions le contraire. Tu dis que tu as
tousiours esté veritable, aussi t'auõs-nous tousiours creu. Tu nous as
assisté en nos guerres, nous t'en aimons tous dauantage, que veux-tu
qu'on responde? tout ce que tu dis est vray.
"Thou tellest us that the French have always loved us; we know it
well, and we would lie if we said the contrary. Thou sayest that
thou hast always been true, and we have always believed thee. Thou
hast assisted us in our wars, we love thee all the more for it;
what dost thou wish that we should answer? All that thou sayest is
true.
Tu dis que les François sont venus habiter à Kebec pour nous defẽdre, &
que tu viendras en nostre pays pour nos proteger. Ie me souuiens bien
d'auoir ouy dire à nos peres que quand vous estiez là bas à Tadoussac,
les Montagnaits vous allerent voir, & vous inuiterent à nostre deceu
de monter çà haut, où nos peres [231 i.e., 131] vous ayant veu, vous
aimerent, & vous prierent d'y faire vostre demeure.
"Thou sayest that the French have come to live at Kebec to defend
us, and that thou wilt come into our country to protect us. I
remember well to have heard our fathers say that, when you were
below at Tadoussac, the Montagnaits went to see you and invited
you, unknown to us, to ascend [the river] above here, where our
fathers, [231 i.e., 131] having seen you, loved you, and prayed you
to make your home there.
Pour l'habitation que tu dis que nous auons demandé aux trois riuieres,
ie ne suis qu'vn enfant, ie n'ay point de memoire, ie ne sçay si ie
l'ay demandée: vous autres vous auez vostre Massinahigan, (c'est à
dire, vous auez cognoissance de l'escriture,) qui vous fait souuenir
de tout: mais quoy que c'en foit, tu seras tousiours le bien venu.
Remarquez la prudence de cét homme, à faire voir que non seulemẽt les
Sauuages, mais encor que les François desirent cette habitatiõ; il
poursuiuit son discours, disant: Quand tu viendras là haut auec nous,
tu trouueras la terre meilleure qu'icy: tu feras au commencement vne
maison cõme cela pour te loger (il designoit vne petite espace de la
main:) c'est à dire tu feras vne [232 i.e., 132] forteresse, puis tu
feras vne autre maison comme cela, designant vn grand lieu, & alors
nous ne serons plus des chiens qui couchẽt dehors: nous entrerons dans
cette maison, il entendoit vn bourg fermé: En ce temps-là on ne nous
soupçonnera plus d'aller voir ceux qui ne vous aiment pas: tu semeras
des bleds, nous ferons comme toy, & nous n'irons plus chercher nostre
vie dãs les bois nous ne serons plus errans & vagabonds.
"As to the settlement thou sayest we have asked for at the three
rivers, I am only a child; I have no recollection, I do not know
that I have asked for it! You, you have your Massinahigan; (that is
to say, you have a knowledge of writing), which makes you remember
everything. But, however that may be, thou wilt always be welcome."
Note the discretion of this man, to make it plain that not only
the Savages, but the French, desire this settlement. He continued
his discourse, saying, "When thou shalt come up there with us thou
wilt find a land better than this; thou wilt make, to begin with, a
house like this to live in" (he indicated a little space with his
hand); "that is to say, thou wilt make a [232 i.e., 132] fortress.
Then thou wilt make another house like that," designating a large
space, "and then we shall no longer be dogs who sleep outside, we
shall go into that house." He meant to say an enclosed village.
"Then we shall no longer be suspected of going to see those who do
not love you. Thou wilt sow wheat; we shall do as thou dost, and
we shall no longer go to seek our living in the woods; we shall no
longer be wanderers and vagabonds.
Voila le sieur de Caën qui a creu que i'auois enuoyé des Castors
vers les estrangers; i'ay enuoyé vers ce quartier là quelques peaux
d'Orignac, non pour traitter, mais pour coupper les bras à nos ennemis.
Tu scais que les Hiroquois ont de grãds bras, si ie ne leur couppois,
il y a longtemps que nous seriõs tous pris: i'enuoye des presents aux
nations qui [233 i.e., 133] leur sont voisines, afin qu'elles ne se
ioignent pas auec eux; ce n'est pas pour offenser les François, mais
pour nous conseruer.
"It was sieur de Caën, who believed that I had sent Beavers to the
foreigners; I sent to those quarters a few Moose skins, not in
trade, but to cut off the arms of our enemies. Thou knowest that
the Hiroquois have long arms; if I had not cut them, we should have
been taken by them long ago. I send presents to tribes who [233
i.e., 133] are their neighbors, to the end that they should not
unite with them; it is not to offend the French, but to preserve
ourselves.
Tu dis que nous voulons aller à l'Anglois, ie m'en vay dire à mes gẽs
qu'on n'y aille point: ie te promets que ny moy, ny ceux qui ont de
l'esprit n'iront pas: que s'il y a quelque ieune homme qui fasse vn
sault iusques là sans estre veu, ie n'y sçaurois que faire, tu scais
bien qu'on ne peut pas tenir la ieunesse. Ie le difendray à tous,
si quelqu'vn y va, il n'a point d'esprit: tu peux tout, mets des
chalouppes aux auenuës, & prends les Castors de ceux qui iront.
"Thou sayest that we wish to go to the English; I will tell my
men that they should not go there. I promise thee that neither I
myself, nor they who have any sense, will do that; but if there is
some young man who jumps over there without being seen, I shall not
know what to do; thou knowest well that youth cannot be restrained.
I shall forbid every one from going there. Any one who does so has
no sense. Thou canst do everything, place thy boats in the way and
capture the Beavers of those who attempt to go.
Tu nous dis que les Peres viuront parmy nous, & nous instruiront,
ce bon-heur sera pour nos enfans, nous qui sommes desia vieux, nous
mourrons ignorans, ce bien n'arriuera pas sitost que nous voudrions.
"Thou sayest that the Fathers will live among us, and will teach
us. This good fortune will be for our children; we, who are already
old, shall die ignorant. This blessing will not come as soon as we
should like to have it.
[234 i.e., 134] Tu dis que nous prenions garde à ce que nous ferons,
tu nous pinse au bras, & nous fremissons: tu nous pinse puis apres au
cœur, et tout le corps nous tremble. Nous ne voulõs point aller aux
Anglois, leur Capitaine a voulu faire alliance auec moy, & me tenir
pour son frere & ie n'ay pas voulu, ie me suis retiré disant, qu'il
estoit trop grand Capitaine. Ie me souuenois bien d'vne parole que tu
nous auois dit, que tu retournerois: ie t'attendois tousiours, tu as
esté veritable, tu le seras encore en nous venant voir en nostre pays:
ie n'ay qu'vne crainte, c'est qu'en ce commerce des François auec nos
gens, il n'y ait quelqu'vn de tué, & alors nous seriõs perdus: mais tu
scais que tout le monde n'est pas sage, les plus aduisez se tiendront
tousiours dans leur deuoir.
[234 i.e., 134] "Thou sayest that we must be careful what we do;
grasp us by the arm, and we shudder; grasp us afterward by the
heart, and the whole body trembles. We do not want to go to the
English; their Captain wanted to make an alliance with me and take
me for his brother, and I did not desire it; I withdrew, saying
that he was too great a Captain. I bethought myself well of a word
that thou hadst said to us, that thou wouldst return; therefore I
always awaited thee. Thou hast been truthful, thou wilt still be so
in coming to see us in our country. I have but one fear; it is that
in the association of the French with our people, some one may be
killed, then we would be lost; thou knowest all are not prudent,
but that the wiser ones will always do their duty.
[235 i.e., 135] Voila à peu pres la response de ce Sauuage qui estonna
nos François, lesquels m'ont tesmoigné qu'il releuoit sa voix selon les
suiets qu'il traitoit, puis la rabbaissoit auec tant d'humilité, & vne
posture ou action si soubmise, qu'il gagnoit l'affection de tous ceux
qui le regardoient sans l'entendre.
[235 i.e., 135] This is about the answer of this Savage, who
astonished our French people. They told me how he raised his voice
according to the subjects he treated, then lowered it with so much
humility, and with such an attitude of submission, that he won the
hearts of all who looked at him, though they did not understand him.
La conclusion fut que le sieur de Champlain leur dit, quãd cette grãde
maison sera faite, alors nos garçõs se marieront à vos filles, & nous
ne serons plus qu'vn peuple: ils se mirẽt à rire; repartans: Tu nous
dis tousiours quelque chose de gaillard pour nous resiouyr, si cela
arriuoit nous serions bien-heureux. Ceux qui croient que les Sauuages
ont vn esprit de plomb & de terre, cognoistront par ce discours qu'ils
ne sont pas si massifs qu'on les pourroit depeindre.
The conclusion was that sieur de Champlain said to them: "When
that great house shall be built, then our young men will marry
your daughters, and we shall be one people." They began to laugh,
answering: "Thou always sayest something cheering to rejoice us. If
that should happen, we would be very happy." Those who think that
the Savages have dull and heavy intellects will recognize by this
speech that they are not so stupid as they may have been painted.
[236 i.e., 136] Ce Capitaine nous vint voir quelques iours apres en
nostre maison, mais ie n'eus pas le loisir de l'entretenir cõmme ie
desirois.
[236 i.e., 136] This Captain came to see us a few days later in our
house, but I did not have leisure to entertain him as I desired.
Le 29. le sieur de Champlain vint entendre la Messe en nostre petite
chapelle, nous le retinsmes à disner: de bonne fortune nostre Sauuage
nous auoit apporté vn petit morceau d'Ours, nous luy en presentasmes;
en ayant gousté il se mit à rire, & me dit si on sçauoit en Frãce que
nous mãgeons des Ours, on detourneroit la face de nostre haleine, &
cependant vous voyez combien la chair en est bonne et delicate.
On the 29th, sieur de Champlain came to hear Mass in our little
chapel and we kept him for dinner. As good luck had it, our Savage
had brought us a small piece of Bear, which we presented to him.
Having tasted it, he began to laugh, and said to me: "If they knew
in France that we were eating Bears, they would turn their faces
away from our breath, and yet you see how good and delicate the
meat is."
Apres le disner, i'allay salüer le Capitaine de Nesle dãs son vaisseau,
quantité de petits Sauuages me suiuoient. I'en pris seulement six ou
sept auec moy, ie les fis chanter leur _Pater_ en Sauuage dans le
Nauire: nos François y prenoient grand plaisir. [237 i.e., 137] Le bon
pour eux fut que le Capitaine de Nesle leur fit donner du Cascaracona,
& du toutouch pimi; c'est ainsi qu'ils appellent le biscuit & le
formage. Au depart comme le Capitaine eut fait tirer vn coup de canon
par honneur, ces enfans regardoient auec estonnement, & se monstroient
si constans, que si on leur vouloit payer leur chanson en mesme
monnoye, ils voudroient gagner leur vie en chantant.
After dinner, I went to greet Captain de Nesle in his ship, a
number of little Savages following me. I took but six or seven
with me, and had them sing their _Pater_ in the Savage Tongue
aboard the Ship. Our Frenchmen enjoyed it greatly. [237 i.e., 137]
The best of all for them [the little savages] was that Captain de
Nesle gave them some "Cascaracona," and some "toutouch pimi;" it
is thus they call biscuits and cheese. Upon our departure, as the
Captain had the cannon fired in our honor, the children looked on
with amazement, and showed themselves so happy that, if one would
pay for their songs in that way, they would like to gain their
livelihood by singing.
Le dernier iour de May, la Nasse nostre Sauuage nous vint dire qu'vn
de leurs gens auoit songé qu'il y auroit des François tuez. Or soit
que le Diable leur ait donné ce sentimẽt, soit que de plusieurs
songes il s'en rencontre quelqu'vn de veritable par cas fortuit. Quoy
que c'en soit, le 2 iour de Iuin les Hiroquois tuerent deux de nos
Frãçois, & en blesserent quatre autres, dont l'vn mourut [238 i.e.,
138] bien-tost apres: voicy comme arriua ce malheur. Vne barque & vne
chalouppe montoient dans le grand fleuue de S. Laurens, la chalouppe
passa deuant; & pour aller plus viste, quelques mattelots mirent pied à
terre pour la tirer, auec des amares ou des cordes: comme ils vindrent
à doubler vne pointe de terre, trente ou 40. Hiroquois qui estoiẽt en
embuscade viennent fondre dessus eux, auec des cris espouuẽtables: ils
tuënt d'abbord les deux premiers qu'ils ont à la rencõtre à coups de
haches: ils decochent vne gresle de fleches auec vne telle vistesse &
promptitude, que nos François ne sçauoient de quel costé se tourner,
n'ayans pas preueu ce coup là. Ils eurent bien la hardiesse de vouloir
aborder la chalouppe auec leur canots, & n'eust esté qu'vn François les
coucha en iouë auec son harquebuse, & que la [239 i.e., 139] barque qui
n'estoit pas loin, équippa viste vne chalouppe pour venir au secours,
ayãt entẽdu les cris du combat, il est croyable que pas vn n'en fut
échappé. Les Hiroquois voyant cette harquebuse, & ceste autre chalouppe
qui venoit au secours, s'enfuirent, écorchant au preallable les testes
de ceux qu'ils auoient tuez, & remportans ces peaux par brauade.
On the last day of May, la Nasse, our Savage, came to tell us that
one of their men had dreamed that some Frenchmen would be killed.
Now, either because the Devil had given them this sentiment, or
that among all their dreams there is now and then one that happens
perchance to be true, however that may be, on the 2nd day of
June the Hiroquois killed two of our Frenchmen and wounded four
others, one of whom died [238 i.e., 138] shortly afterward. This
catastrophe happened in this way: A bark and shallop were ascending
the great river St. Lawrence; the latter went ahead, and, to hasten
its speed, sailors went ashore to tow it with lines or cords. As
they came to double a point of land, thirty or 40 Hiroquois, who
were in ambush, fell upon them with horrible cries; they killed
the two men first encountered, with blows from their hatchets,
then discharged a storm of arrows so suddenly and unexpectedly that
our Frenchmen did not know which way to turn, not having foreseen
the attack. They even dared to try to board the shallop in their
canoes; and, had it not been that a Frenchman took aim at them with
his arquebus, and that the [239 i.e., 139] bark, which was not far
away, speedily equipped a boat to come to the rescue, having heard
the cries of the combat, it is probable that not one of them would
have escaped. The Hiroquois, seeing the arquebus, and the other
boat coming to their help, fled, first skinning the heads of those
whom they had killed and bearing away the scalps by way of bravado.
Le 8. de Iuin, le Pere Masse arriua de Tadoussac, il réueilla nostre
ioye, voyant qu'apres auoir esté si long temps malade sur la mer il se
portoit bien. Il nous dit que Pierre Pastedechouan estoit plus meschant
que iamais. Que les Anglois qui estoient à Tadoussac l'auoient perdu
par l'yurognerie: O que celuy-là sera coupable deuant Dieu, qui a
introduict l'heresie en ces contrées! Si ce Sauuage auoit de l'esprit,
estant comme il est corrompu par ces miserables [240 i.e., 140]
heretiques, il seroit vn puissant obstacle à la publication de la foy,
encore n'y apportera-il que trop d'empeschement, si Dieu ne luy touche
le cœur. Il fait paroistre par ses deportemens qu'il nous estoit donné
pour tirer de luy les principes de sa lãgue, & non pas pour le bien de
son ame, puis qu'il se bande contre son Dieu & contre la verité.