THE POLITY AND GOVERNMENT OF THE SAVAGES.
THERE can be no more polity than there is Commonwealth, [50] since
polity is nothing else than the regulation and government of the
Commonwealth. Now these Savages not having a great Commonwealth,
either in number of people, since they are few; nor in wealth,
since they are poor, only living from hand to mouth; nor in ties
and bonds of union, since they are scattered and wandering; cannot
have great polity. Yet they cannot do without it since they are men
and brethren. So what they have is this. There is the Sagamore, who
is the eldest son powerful family, and consequently also its chief
and leader. All the young people of the family are at his table and
in his retinue; it is also his duty to provide dogs for the chase,
canoes for transportation, provisions and reserves for bad weather
and expeditions. The young people [51] flatter him, hunt, and serve
their apprenticeship under him, not being allowed to have anything
before they are married, for then only can they have a dog and a
bag; that is, have something of their own, and do for themselves.
Nevertheless they continue to live under the authority of the
Sagamore, and very often in his company; as also do several others
who have no relations, or those who of their own free will place
themselves under his protection and guidance, being themselves weak
and without a following. Now all that the young men capture belongs
to the Sagamore; but the married ones give him only a part, and if
these leave him, as they often do for the sake of the chase and
supplies, returning afterwards, they pay their dues and homage in
skins and [52] like gifts. From this cause there are some quarrels
and jealousies among them as among us, but not so serious. When,
for example, some one begins to assert himself and to act the
Sagamore, when he does not render the tribute, when his people
leave him or when others get them away from him; then as among us,
also among them, there are reproaches and accusations, as that such
a one is only a half Sagamore, is newly hatched like a three-days'
chicken, that his crest is only beginning to appear; that he is
only a Sagamochin, that is, a Baby Sagamore, a little dwarf. And
thus you may know that ambition reigns beneath the thatched roofs,
as well as under the gilded, and our ears need not be pulled much
to learn these lessons.
[53] Ces Sagamies se partagent la region, & sont quasi distribuees par
bayes, ou riuieres. Par exemple, en la riuiere de Pentegoet vn Sagamo;
vn autre à celle de S. Croix; vn autre à celle de S. Iean, &c. Quand
ils se visitent c'est au recepuant de bien-veigner, & faire tabagie
à ses hostes, autant de iours qu'il peut; les hostes luy font des
presents: mais c'est à la charge que le visité reciproque, quand ce
vient au départ, si le visitant est Sagamo, autrement non.
[53] These Sagamies divide up the country and are nearly always
arranged according to bays or rivers. For example, for the
Pentegoet river there is one Sagamore; another for the Ste. Croix;
another for the St. John, etc. When they visit each other it is the
duty of the host to welcome and to banquet his guests, as many days
as he can, the guests making him some presents; but it is with the
expectation that the host will reciprocate, when the guest comes to
depart, if the guest is a Sagamore, otherwise not.
C'est l'Esté principalem[~e]t qu'ils font leurs visites, & tiennent
leurs Estats: ie veux dire, que plusieurs Sagamos s'assemblent, &
consultent par entr'eux de la paix, & de la guerre, des traictés
d'amitié, & du bien commun. Il n'y a que lesdits Sagamos, qui ayent
voix en chapitre, & qui harenguent, ne fussent quelques vieux, &
renommés [54] _Autmoins_, qui sont comme leurs Prestres, car ils les
honnorent fort, & leur donn[~e]t seance la mesme qu'aux Sagamos.
Il arriue quelque fois, qu'vn mesme est tout ensemble & _Autmoin_
& _Sagamo_, & lors il est grandement redouté. Tel a esté le renõmé
Membertou, qui se fit Chrestien, ainsi que vous ouyrez bien tost. En
ces assemblées donc, s'il y a quelques nouuelles d'importance, comme
que leurs voisins leurs veul[~e]t faire la guerre, ou qu'ils ayent tué
quelqu'vn, ou qu'il faille renouueller alliance, &c. Lors messagers
volent de toutes parts pour faire la plus generale assemblée, qu'ils
peuuent de tous les confederez qu'ils appellent _Ricmanen_, qui sont
quasi tous ceux de mesme langue. Neantmoins souuent la confederation
s'est[~e]d plus loin, que ne faict la langue, & contre [55] ceux de
mesme langue, s'esleuant quelquefois des guerres. En ces assemblees
ainsi vniuerselles se resout ou la paix, ou trefue, ou guerre, ou rien
du tout, ainsi qu'arriue souuent és deliberations, où y a plusieurs
testes sans ordre, & subordinatiõ, d'où lon se depart plus confus
souuent & des-vny qu'on n'y estoit venu.
It is principally in Summer that they pay visits and hold their
State Councils; I mean that several Sagamores come together
and consult among themselves about peace and war, treaties of
friendship and treaties for the common good. It is only these
Sagamores who have a voice in the discussion and who make the
speeches, unless there be some old and renowned [54] _Autmoins_,
who are like their Priests, for they respect them very much and
give them a hearing the same as to the Sagamores. It happens
sometimes that the same person is both _Autmoin_ and _Sagamore_,
and then he is greatly dreaded. Such was the renowned Membertou,
who became a Christian, as you will soon hear. Now in these
assemblies, if there is some news of importance, as that their
neighbors wish to make war upon them, or that they have killed some
one, or that they must renew the alliance, etc., then messengers
fly from all parts to make up the more general assembly, that
they may avail themselves of all the confederates, which they
call _Ricmanen_, who are generally those of the same language.
Nevertheless the confederation often extends farther than the
language does, and war sometimes arises against [55] those who have
the same language. In these assemblies so general, they resolve
upon peace, truce, war, or nothing at all, as often happens in
the councils where there are several chiefs, without order and
subordination, whence they frequently depart more confused and
disunited than when they came.
Leurs guerres ne se font quasi que de langue à langue, ou de pays à
pays, & tousiours par surprinse & trahison. Ils ont l'arc & le pauois,
ou targue, mais ils ne se mett[~e]t iamais en bataille rãgée, au moins
de ce que i'en ay peu apprendre. Et de vray ils sont de leur naturel
paoureux & coüards, quoi qu'ils ne cessent de se vanter, & facent
leur possible d'estre censés, & auoir le nom de Grand coeur. _Meskir
Kameramon_, Grand coeur chez eux, c'est toute vertu.
Their wars are nearly always between language and language, or
country and country, and always by deceit and treachery. They have
the bow and the shield, or buckler, but they never place themselves
in a line of battle, at least from what I have been able to learn.
And, in truth, they are by nature fearful and cowardly, although
they are always boasting, and do all they can to be renowned and to
have the name of "Great-heart." _Meskir Kameramon_, "Great-heart,"
among them is the crowning virtue.
[56] Si les offenses ne sont pas de peuple à peuple, ains entre
compatriotes, & combourgeois, lors ils se battent par entr'eux pour les
petites offenses, & leur façon de cõbat, est cõm'icy celle des femmes,
de se voler aux cheueux: saisis par là, ils se luitt[~e]t & secoüent
d'vne terrible façon, & s'ils sont fort esgaux, ils demeureront tout
vn iour voire deux sans se quitter iusques à ce qu'on les separe, & de
vray pour la force du corps, & bras, ils nous sont esgaux, le prenant
de pareil à pareil, & si sont plus adextres à la luicte, & plus agiles
à courir: mais ils n'entendent point à l'escrime des poings. I'ay veu
vn de nos petits garçons faire fuir deuant soy vn Sauuage plus grãd
que luy d'vn pied: quãd se mettant en posture de noble combattant,
il fermoit le pouce sur les doigs, luy disant, Approche: [57] mais
aussi, quand le Sauuage pouuoit le happer par le tronc du corps, il luy
faisoit crier mercy.
[56] If the offenses are not between tribes, but between
compatriots and fellow-citizens, then they fight among themselves
for slight offenses, and their way of fighting is like that of
women here, they fly for the hair; holding on to this, they
struggle and jerk in a terrible fashion, and if they are equally
matched, they keep it up one whole day, or even two, without
stopping until some one separates them; and certainly in strength
of body and arms they are equal to us, comparing like to like; but
if they are more skillful in wrestling and nimble running, they do
not understand boxing at all. I have seen one of our little boys
make a Savage, a foot taller than himself, fly before him; placing
himself in the posture of a noble warrior, he placed his thumb over
his fingers and said, "Come on!" [57] However, when the Savage was
able to catch him up by the waist, he made him cry for mercy.
Reueuant à mon propos les petites offenses querelles sont facilement
appaisees par les Sagamos & communs amis. Et certes ils ne s'offensent
guieres, qu'on sçache. Ie dy qu'on sçache. Car nous n'en auons rien
veu, ains tousiours vn grand respect, & amour entr'eux. Ce qui nous
donoit vn grãd creue-coeur lors que nous tournions les yeux sur nostre
misere. Car de voir vne assemblee de François sans reproches, mespris,
enuies, & noises de l'vn à l'autre, c'est autant difficile, que de voir
la mer sans ondes, ne fust dedans les Cloistres & Conuents, où la grace
predomine à la nature.
Returning to my subject. The little offenses and quarrels are
easily adjusted by the Sagamores and common friends. And in truth
they are hardly ever offended long, as far as we know. I say, as
far as we know, for we have never seen anything except always great
respect and love among them; which was a great grief to us when we
turned our eyes upon our own shortcomings. For to see an assembly
of French people without reproaches, slights, envy, and quarrels
with each other, is as difficult as to see the sea without waves,
except in Monasteries and Convents, where grace triumphs over
nature.
Les grandes offenses, comme si [58] quelqu'vn auoit tué vn autre, s'il
luy auoit desrobé sa femme, &c. C'est à l'offensé de les venger de sa
propre main: ou s'il est mort, c'est à ses plus proches parents, ce
qu'arriuant personne ne s'en remuë, ains tous demeurent contents sur ce
mot, _habenquedouïc_, il n'a pas commencé, il le luy a rendu: quittes
& bons amis. Que si le delinquant, repentant de sa faute desire faire
sa paix, il est receu d'ordinaire à satisfaction, moyennant presents &
autres reparatiõs conuenables.
The great offenses, as when [58] some one has killed another,
or stolen away his wife, etc., are to be avenged by the offended
person with his own hand; or if he is dead, it is the duty of the
nearest relatives; when this happens, no one shows any excitement
over it, but all dwell contentedly upon this word _habenquedouïc_,
"he did not begin it, he has paid him back: quits and good
friends." But if the guilty one, repenting of his fault, wishes
to make peace, he is usually received with satisfaction, offering
presents and other suitable atonement.
Ils ne sont nullement ingrats entr'eux, ils s'entredonnent tout. Nul
oseroit esconduire la priere d'vn autre, ny manger, sans luy faire
part de ce qu'il a. Vne fois que nous estions allés bien loin à la
pesche, passerent par là cinq ou six femmes, ou filles bien chargées &
lasses: nos gents par courtoisie, [59] leur donnerent de leur prinse,
ce qu'elles mirent cuire tout aussi tost dans vn chauderon, que nous
leur prestasmes, à peine le chauderon boüilloit, que voicy vn bruit,
que d'autres Sauuages estoyent là qui venoy[~e]t, alors nos pauures
femmes à s'enfuir viste dans les bois à tout leur chauderon demy cuit:
car elles auoyent bonne faim. La raison de la fuite estoit pour-autant
que si elles eussent esté veuës, il eust fallu par loy de ciuilité,
qu'elles eussent faict part aux suruenants de leur viande, qui n'estoit
point trop grande. L'on rit bien alors; & plus encores quand elles
apres auoir mangé, voyants lesdits Sauuages venus aupres de nostre feu,
firent semblant de n'y auoir pas touché, & de passer tout ainsi, que si
elles ne nous eussent point veu au parauant, elles dirent à nos gents
[60] tout bas où c'est qu'elles auoyent laissé le chauderon, & eux
comme bons compagnons, cognoissans le mystere sçeurent bien seruir aux
belles mines, & pour mieux aider au jeu, les pressoyent de s'arrester &
gouster vn peu de leur pesche, mais elles ne voulurent rien faire, tant
elles auoyent de haste, disants, _coupouba, coupouba_, grand mercy,
grand mercy. Nos g[~e]ts respondir[~e]t: Or allez de part Dieu, puis
qu'auez si grand haste.
They are in no wise ungrateful to each other, and share
everything. No one would dare to refuse the request of another, nor
to eat without giving him a part of what he has. Once when we had
gone a long way off to a fishing place, there passed by five or
six women or girls, heavily burdened and weary; our people through
courtesy [59] gave them some of our fish, which they immediately
put to cook in a kettle, that we loaned them. Scarcely had the
kettle begun to boil when a noise was heard, and other Savages
could be seen coming; then our poor women fled quickly into the
woods, with their kettle only half boiled, for they were very
hungry. The reason of their flight was that, if they had been seen,
they would have been obliged by a rule of politeness to share with
the newcomers their food, which was not too abundant. We had a good
laugh then; and were still more amused when they, after having
eaten, seeing the said Savages around our fire, acted as if they
had never been near there and were about to pass us all by as if
they had not seen us before, telling our people [60] in a whisper
where they had left the kettle; and they, like good fellows,
comprehending the situation, knew enough to look unconscious, and
to better carry out the joke, urged them to stop and taste a little
fish; but they did not wish to do anything of the kind, they were
in such a hurry, saying _coupouba, coupouba_, "many thanks, many
thanks." Our people answered: "Now may God be with you since you
are in such a hurry."
CHAPITRE VI.
DE LEURS MARIAGES & PETIT NOMBRE DE PEUPLE.
AV cõtraire de nous, ils font en leurs mariages, non que le pere
donne doüaire à sa fille pour la loger auec quelqu'vn; ains [61] que
le poursuiuant face de bons, & beaux presens au pere, à ce qu'il luy
donne sa fille pour espouse. Les presents seront proportionnément à la
qualité du pere, & beauté de la fille; des chiens, des castors, des
chauderons, & haches, &c. Mais la façon de courtiser, est bien sauuage:
car l'amoureux dés qu'il se professe pour tel, n'oseroit regarder la
fille, ny luy parler, ny demeurer aupres d'elle, sinon par occasion,
& lors il faut qu'il se commande de ne la point enuisager, ny donner
aucun signe de sa passion, autrement il seroit la mocquerie de tous,
& sa fauourie en rougiroit. Apres quelque temps, le père assemble la
par[~e]tée, pour auec eux deliberer de l'alliance. Si le recherchant
est de bon aage; s'il est bon, & dispos chasseur, sa race, son credit,
sa gaillardise; & s'il leur aggrée, ils luy [62] allongeront, ou
accourciront, ou conditionneront le temps, & façon de sa poursuitte,
ainsi qu'ils aduiseront, au bout duquel temps pour les nopces y aura
solemnelle Tabagie & festin, auec harangues, chants, & danses.