Father Pijart.[8] At the same time, two of our Frenchmen, coming
down from the Hurons. presented to us the letters of our Fathers
who are in that country; so we received cheering news from all
sides. On the one hand, the Father testified to us that Your
Reverence was sending us 4 of our Fathers, and 2 of our Brothers,
as a reinforcement, [92] and two other Fathers for the Residence of
St. Charles; that a vast number of people cherished this Mission,
and that Your Reverence, in the fulness of your heart, would every
year give as many Gospel workers as the Mission could support; the
zeal to come and suffer something in these countries for the glory
of our Lord, being almost incredible. On the other hand, the good
health of our Fathers among the Hurons, where they were reported
dead, and the good disposition of those Peoples to receive the
Christian truths, and the affection they bear us, make us bless the
holy Name of God, and render him thanks for so many blessings as he
is about to pour down upon this enterprise.
Le douziesme, Monsieur le Cheualier de la Roche-Iacquelin, commandant
le nauire nommé le Sainct [93] Iacques, vint moüiller l'ancre deuant
Kebec. Nostre Frere Pierre Feauté l'ayant remercié de sa bienueillance,
nous vint veoir en nostre petite Maison de nostre Dame des Anges. Le
lendemain nostre ioye s'accreut par la venuë du Père Claude Quantin &
de nostre Frere Pierre Tellier, portez dans le vaisseau du Capitaine de
Nesle.
On the twelfth, Monsieur the Chevalier de la Roche-Jacquelin,
commandant of the ship called "Sainct [93] Jacques," cast anchor
before Kebec. Our Brother Pierre Feauté,[9] having thanked him for
his kindness, came to see us in our little House of nostre Dame des
Anges. The next day our joy was increased by the arrival of Father
Claude Quantin[10] and of our Brother Pierre Tellier, who were
brought in the ship of Captain de Nesle.
Le vingtiesme, Monsieur le General nous rendit le Pere le Mercier,
qu'il amena dans sa barque; tous ces iours nous estoient des iours de
ioye & de contentement, voyant & nos François & nos Peres en bonne
santé, apres beaucoup de tourmente sur la mer.
On the twentieth, Monsieur the General conveyed to us Father
Mercier,[11] whom he had brought in his bark. All these days were
for us days of joy and contentment, seeing both our French and our
Fathers in good health after much suffering upon the sea.
Le vingt-deuxiesme de Iuillet se fit vne Assemblée ou vn Conseil entre
les François & les Hurons. Le Pere Buteux qui estoit descendu de
la Residence de la Conception, & moy [94] y assistasmes. Apres les
affaires communes, Monsieur de Champlain nostre Gouuerneur, recommanda
auec vne affection energigue nos Peres, & les François qui les
accompagnoient à ces Peuples; il leur fit dire, que s'ils vouloient
conseruer & accroistre l'amitié qu'ils ont auec les François, qu'il
falloit qu'ils receussent nostre creance, & adorassent le Dieu que
nous adorons; que cela leur seroit grandement profitable: car Dieu
pouuant tout, les benira, les protegera, leur donnera la victoire
contre leurs ennemis; que les François iront en bon nombre en leur
Pays; qu'ils épouseront leurs filles quand elles seront Chrestiennes:
qu'ils enseigneront à toute leur nation à faire des haches, des
cousteaux, & autres choses qui leur sont fort necessaires, & qu'à cet
effet ils deuroient dés l'an prochain [95] amener bon nombre de leurs
petits garçons, que nous les logerons bien, que nous les nourrirons,
& que nous les instruirons & cherirons comme s'ils estoient nos
petits Freres. Et pour autant que tous les Capitaines ne pouuoient
des descendre en bas, qu'ils tiendroient Conseil sur ce sujet en leur
Pays, auquel ils appelloient _Echom_, c'est ainsi qu'il[s] appellent
le Pere Brebeuf: & là dessus leur donnant vne lettre pour luy porter,
il adiousta: Voicy que i'informe le Pere de tous ces points. Il se
trouuera en vostre Assemblée, & vous fera vn present que ses Freres
luy enuoyent: là vous ferez paroistre si veritablement vous aymez les
François. I'auois suggeré ces pensées à Monsieur nostre gouuerneur
qu'il approuua; mais encore il les amplifia auec mille loüanges &
mille tesmoignages d'affectiõ enuers nostre [96] Compagnie. Monsieur
le General prit aussi la parole sur ce sujet, & fit tout son possible
pour donner à cognoistre à ces Peuples, l'estime que sont les grands
Capitaines de France des Peres qu'on leur enuoye; & tout cela pour les
disposer à recognoistre le Dieu des François, & de tout l'Vniuers.
A ce discours vn Capitaine repartit, qu'ils ne manqueroient pas de
rendre ceste lettre, & de tenir Conseil sur les Articles proposez.
Qu'au reste que toute leur Nation aymoit tous les François, & qu'il
sembloit neantmoins, que les François n'aymoient qu'vne seule de leurs
Bourgades, puisque tous ceux qui montoient en leur Pays la prenoient
pour leur demeure. On leur respondit, que iusques icy ils n'auoient eu
qu'vn petit nombre de nos François, & que s'ils embrassoient nostre
creance, qu'ils en auroient [97] en toutes leurs Bourgades.
On the twenty-second of July, there was held an Assembly or
Council between the French and the Hurons. Father Buteux, who
had come down from the Residence of the Conception, and I [94]
participated therein. After public affairs, Monsieur de Champlain,
our Governor, very affectionately recommended our Fathers, and the
French who accompanied them, to these Tribes; he told them, through
an interpreter, that if they wished to preserve and strengthen
their friendship with the French, they must receive our belief
and worship the God that we worshiped; that this would be very
profitable to them, for God, being all-powerful, will bless and
protect them, and make them victorious over their enemies; that the
French will go in goodly numbers to their Country; that they will
marry their daughters when they become Christians; that they will
teach all their people to make hatchets, knives, and other things
which are very necessary to them; and that for this purpose they
must next year [95] bring many of their little boys, whom we will
lodge comfortably, and will feed, instruct and cherish as if they
were our little Brothers. And that, inasmuch as all the Captains
could not come down there, they should hold a Council upon this
matter in their Country, to which they should summon _Echom_,--it
is thus they call Father Brebeuf;[12] and then, giving them a
letter to bear to him, he added, "Here I inform the Father of all
these points. He will be in your Assembly, and will make you a
present that his Brothers send him; there you will show whether you
truly love the French." I suggested these thoughts to Monsieur our
governor, and he approved them; but he also amplified them with a
thousand praises and a thousand proofs of affection towards our
[96] Society. Monsieur the General also said a few words upon this
subject, and did all he could to let these Peoples know the high
estimation in which the great Captains of France hold these Fathers
that they send over to them; and all this was done to dispose them
to recognize the God of the French and of the whole Universe. To
this discourse a Chief replied that they would not fail to deliver
this letter, and to hold a Council upon the Matters proposed. That,
as to the rest, their whole Nation loved all the French; and yet,
notwithstanding this, the French loved only one of their Villages,
since all those who had come up to their Country selected that as
their dwelling place. They were answered that, up to the present,
they had had only a few of our Frenchmen; and that, if they
embraced our belief, they would have some of them [97] in all their
villages.
Au sortir du Conseil nous allasmes veoir ceux qui voudroient embarquer
le P. le Mercier & le Pere Pijart auec leur petit bagage, pour les
porter en leur Pays: le Pere Brebeuf m'en auoit assigné quelquesvns
dans ses lettres, mais plusieurs se presentoient; ils regardoient les
Pères attentiuement, les mesuroient de leurs yeux, ils demandoient
s'ils n'estoient point meschants, s'ils rameroient bien, ils les
prenoient par les mains, & leur faisoient signe qu'il faudroit bien
remuer l'auiron.
At the conclusion of the Council, we went to see those who were
to take on board Father le Mercier and Father Pijart, with their
little baggage, to convey them into their Country; Father Brebeuf
had designated certain ones to me in his letter, but several
presented themselves. They gazed attentively at the Fathers,
measured them with their eyes, asked if they were ill-natured, if
they paddled well; then took them by the hands, and made signs to
them that it would be necessary to handle the paddles well.
En fin le vingt-troisiesme du mesme mois de Iuillet nos Sauuages bien
contens, embarquerent nos deux Peres, & vn ieune garçon François,
qui a desia passé vne année dans le pays: iamais ie ne vy personnes
plus ioyeuses que ces bons Peres, on les fit mettre pieds nuds à
l'entrée [98] de leur nauire d'escorce, de peur de les gaster, ils s'y
mettent gayement, portans vn œil, & vn visage tout ioyeux, dans les
souffrances qu'ils vont rencontrer. Ie me represente vn S. André volant
à la Croix; on les separa en trois canots; celuy qui portoit le Pere
Pijart estant le premier prest tira droit au bord, c'est à dire au
vaisseau de Monsieur le Cheualier, pour luy donner le dernier adieu, &
le remercier encore vne fois, des courtoisies fort particulieres qu'il
auoit receu de luy, passant dans son nauire depuis la France iusques
à Tadoussac. Apres l'auoir salüé Monsieur le Cheualier fit ietter des
pruneaux dãs son canot pour les Sauuages qui le menoient, & fit tirer
trois volées de canon par honneur. Ces pauures Barbares tressailloiẽt
d'aise, mettant la main sur leur bouche en signe d'estonnement.
At last, on the twenty-third of the same month of July, our
Savages, well pleased, embarked our two Fathers and a young French
boy who has already passed a year in the country. I never saw
persons more joyful than were these good Fathers; they had to go
barefooted into the [98] bark ships, for fear of spoiling them,
and they did this gayly, with glad eyes and faces, notwithstanding
the sufferings they were about to encounter. I was reminded of St.
Andrew flying to the Cross. They were taken in three different
canoes; the one that carried Father Pijart being the first ready,
it went directly alongside, that is, of the ship of Monsieur the
Chevalier, to say to him his last adieus and to thank him once
more for very especial courtesies received from him while crossing
in his ship from France to Tadoussac. After having saluted him,
Monsieur the Chevalier had some prunes thrown into his canoe for
the Savages who were taking him, and had the cannon fired off
three times in his honor. These poor Barbarians were thrilled
with delight, placing their hands over their mouths as a sign of
astonishment.
[99] Le Pere le Mercier vint apres dans son canot, pour recognoistre
les obligations qu'il a à Monsieur le General, & prendre congé de luy;
il ne sçauoit en quels termes nous tesmoigner le soin qu'il a des
nostres, qui passent auec luy dans son vaisseau. Apres les adieux, on
ietta aussi des prunes à ses conducteurs, le canon du vaisseau & de la
barque, faisant entendre aux Sauuages, qu'ils deuoient auoir grand soin
de ceux que nos Capitaines François honoroient auec tant d'affection.
[99] Father le Mercier came afterward in his canoe, to acknowledge
the obligations he was under to Monsieur the General, and to take
leave of him; the latter did not know how to express the interest
he felt in those of our society who had come over with him in
his ship. After the farewells, they also threw some prunes to
his boatmen, the cannon of the ship and of the bark making these
Savages understand that they must take good care of those whom our
French Captains honored with so much affection.
Il arriua vne chose plaisante en ces entrefaites, le Pere Buteux en
mesme temps remontoit aux trois Riuieres dans vn canot, les Sauuages
qui le conduisoient, voyans l'accueil qu'on faisoit aux Peres, & aux
Sauuages qui alloient aux Hurons, tirerent comme auoient fait [100]
les deux autres canots au vaisseau où estoit Monsieur le General, &
Monsieur le Cheualier. Le Pere Buteux leur crie, Ce n'est pas là où il
faut aller, ie ne vay pas aux Hurons. Il n'importe, puis qu'on faisoit
là du bien à ceux qui portoient nos Peres, ceux-cy en vouloient gouster
aussi bien que les autres; aussi leur fit on la mesme courtoisie.
In the midst of these ceremonies a laughable incident occurred.
Father Buteux was starting at the same time to return to the three
Rivers in a canoe; the Savages who were taking him, seeing the
honors bestowed on the Fathers and the Savages who were going to
the Hurons, turned, as [100] the other two canoes had done, to the
ship where Monsieur the General and Monsieur the Chevalier were.
Father Buteux called to them, "You must not go there; I am not
going to the Hurons." It did not matter; since favors had there
been bestowed upon those who were taking our Fathers, these wished
to taste some of them, as well as the others; so they were shown
the same courtesy.
Le premier iour d'Aoust le Pere Buteux m'escriuit des trois Riuieres,
ou il estoit allé, comme i'ay dit, que les Sauuages Montaignais auoient
esleu vn nouueau Capitaine, celuy qu'ils auoient auparauant nõmé
Capitanal estant mort dés l'Automne passé: ce Capitanal estoit vn homme
de bon sens, grand amy des François; assemblant les Principaux de sa
Nation à la mort, il leur enioignit de conseruer cette bonne [101]
intelligence auec ses amis, leur disant que pour preuue de l'amour
qu'il nous portoit, qu'il desiroit encore apres sa mort demeurer auec
nous, & sur l'heure il se fit rapporter de delà le grand fleuue où il
estoit, pour mourir auprés de la nouuelle Habitation. Il demanda aussi
qu'il fust porté en terre par les mains de nos François, ausquels il
destina vn petit present; bref il supplia, qu'on luy donnast sepulture
auprés de ses amis. Tout cela luy fut accordé, Monsieur de Champlain
a fait mettre vne petite closture à l'entour de son tombeau, pour le
rendre remarquable. Si nous eussions esté pour lors aux trois Riuieres,
ie ne doute point qu'il ne fust mort Chrestien: I'ay vn grand regret à
la mort de cét homme: car il auoit témoigné en plein Conseil, que son
dessein estoit d'arrester ceux [102] de sa Nation aupres du fort de la
riuiere d'Anguien; il m'en auoit aussi donné parole en particulier, il
estoit aymé des siens & des François: c'est ce Capitaine qui rauit il y
a deux ans tous ses auditeurs en vne Harangue, dont ie fis mention pour
lors. S'il viuoit encore, il fauoriseroit sans doute ce que nous allons
entreprendre ce Printemps, pour les pouuoir rendre sedentaires petit à
petit.
On the first day of August, Father Buteux wrote me from the three
Rivers,--where he had gone, as I have said,--that the Montaignais
Savages had elected a new Captain, the one whom they had formerly
called Capitanal having died the previous Autumn. This Capitanal
was a man of good sense, and a great friend of the French.
Assembling the Principal Men of his Nation at the time of his
death, he charged them to preserve this good [101] understanding
with his friends, telling them that, as a proof of the love he
bore us, he would like, even after death, to live with us; and he
straightway had himself carried from beyond the great river, where
he was, to die near the new Settlement. He also asked to be borne
to the grave by the hands of our French, for whom he designated a
little present; in short, he begged that he might be buried near
his friends. All this was granted him; Monsieur de Champlain has
had a little enclosure placed around his grave, to distinguish it.
If we had then been at three Rivers, I do not doubt that he would
have died a Christian. I was very sorry when this man died; for he
had shown in open Council that his purpose was to have the people
[102] of his Nation settle near the fort of the Anguien river;[13]
he had spoken to me also about this in private. He was loved by his
people and by the French; it was this Captain who delighted all his
hearers by a Speech he made two years ago, which I mentioned at the
time. If he still lived, he would without doubt favor what we are
going to undertake this Spring, to be able to make them, little by
little, a sedentary people.
Comme ainsi soit que ces pauures Barbares soient dés long temps
accoustumez à estre faineants, il est difficile qu'ils s'arrestent à
cultiuer la terre, s'ils ne sont secourus. Nous auons donc dessein de
voir, si quelque famille veut quitter ses courses; s'il s'en trouue
quelqu'vne, nous employerons au renouueau trois hommes à planter du
bled d'Inde, proche de la nouuelle Habitation [103] des trois Riuieres,
où ce peuple se plaist grandement. Si cette famille s'arreste pendant
l'hyuer, nous la nourrirons de bled de nostre recolte & de la sienne;
car elle mettra aussi la main à l'œuure: si elle ne s'arreste point
nous retirerons nostre part, & la laisserons aller.
As it happens that these poor Barbarians have been for a long
time accustomed to be idlers, it is hard for them to locate and
cultivate the soil unless they are assisted. Our plan now is to see
if some family is not willing to give up these wanderings; if one
be found, we will in the spring employ three men to plant Indian
corn near the new Settlement [103] at the three Rivers, with which
these people are greatly pleased. If this family settles there
during the winter, we will maintain them with corn from our harvest
and from theirs, for they will also work; if they do not stay with
us, we will withdraw our assistance and let them go.
Ce seroit vn grand bien, & pour leurs corps, & pour leurs ames, & pour
le trafique de ces Messieurs, si ces Nations estoient stables, & si
elles se rẽdoient dociles à nostre direction; ce qu'elles feront comme
i'espere auec le temps. S'ils sont sedentaires, & s'ils cultiueut la
terre, ils ne mourront pas de faim comme il leur arriue souuent dans
leurs courses; on les pourra instruire aisément, & les Castors se
multiplieront beaucoup; ces animaux sont plus feconds que nos brebis de
France, [104] les femelles portent iusques à cinq & six petits chaque
année: mais les Sauuages trouuans vne cabane tuent tout, grands &
petits, & masles & femelles: il y a danger qu'en fin ils n'exterminent
tout à fait l'espece en ces Pays, comme il en est arriué aux Hurons,
lesquels n'ont pas vn seul Castor, allans traitter ailleurs les
pelleteries qu'ils apportẽt au Magazin de ces Messieurs. Or on fera
en sorte que nos Montaignais, auec le temps, s'ils s'arrestent, que
chaque famille prenne son cartier pour la chasse, sans se ietter sur
les brisees de ses voisins: de plus on leur conseillera de ne tuer que
les masles, & encore ceux qui seront grands. S'ils goustent ce conseil,
ils auront de la chair & des peaux de Castor en tres-grande abondance.
It would be a great blessing for their bodies, for their souls,
and for the traffic of these Gentlemen, if those Tribes were
stationary, and if they became docile to our direction, which they
will do, I hope, in the course of time. If they are sedentary, and
if they cultivate the land, they will not die of hunger, as often
happens to them in their wanderings; we shall be able to instruct
them easily, and Beavers will greatly multiply. These animals are
more prolific than our sheep in France, [104] the females bearing
as many as five or six every year; but, when the Savages find a
lodge of them, they kill all, great and small, male and female.
There is danger that they will finally exterminate the species
in this Region, as has happened among the Hurons, who have not a
single Beaver, going elsewhere to buy the skins they bring to the
storehouse of these Gentlemen. Now it will be so arranged that,
in the course of time, each family of our Montaignais, if they
become located, will take its own territory for hunting, without
following in the tracks of its neighbors; besides, we will counsel
them not to kill any but the males, and of those only such as are
large. If they act upon this advice, they will have Beaver meat and
skins in the greatest abundance.
Quant aux hommes que nous desirons employer pour l'assistance [105]
des Sauuages, Monsieur de Champlain nous a promis qu'il nous en
accommoderoit de ceux qui sont en l'habitation des trois Riuieres,
à raison que ne faisant point défricher pour nous là haut, nous n'y
tenons point d'hommes, mais deux Peres tant seulement qui ont soin
du salut de nos François. Nous satisferons pour les gages, & pour
la nourriture de ces ouuriers, à proportion du temps que nous les
occuperons à défricher & cultiuer auec les Sauuages: si i'en pouuois
entretenir vne douzaine, ce seroit le vray moyen de gaigner les
Sauuages: Nostre Seigneur pour lequel nous entrons dans ce dessein la
veille benir par sa bonté, & ouurir les oreilles à ce pauure Peuple
abandonné.
As to the men whom we wish to employ for the assistance [105] of
the Savages, Monsieur de Champlain has promised us that he would
let us have those who are at the settlement of the three Rivers;
for, as they have not cleared any land there for us, we do not
keep any workmen there, but merely two Fathers who care for the
religious needs of our French. We will arrange for the wages and
food of these workmen, according to the time we shall employ them
in clearing and cultivating the land with our Savages; if I had the
means of supporting a dozen, this would be the true way to gain the
Savages. May Our Lord, for whom we enter into this project, bless
it through his goodness, and open the ears of these poor abandoned
People.
Le dixiesme de ce mois le Pere Masse, & le Pere Buteux nous écriuent
[106] de la Residence de la Conception, que le bruit est la haut,
que les Hiroquois ont défait sept canots de la petite Nation des
Algonquains; si cela est la paix dont i'ay parlé cy-dessus est desia
rompuë: Car nos Montagnais alliez des Algonquains suiuront leur party.
On the tenth of this month, Father Masse and Father Buteux wrote
me [106] from the Residence of the Conception that it was reported
there that the Hiroquois had destroyed seven canoes of the petite
Nation of the Algonquains;[14] if this be true, the peace, of which
I have spoken above, is already broken, for our Montagnais allies
of the Algonquains will take sides with them.
On m'a rapporté, ie ne sçay s'il est vray, qu'vn certain Sauuage nommé
la Grenoüille, qui fait icy du Capitaine, a dit que les Hiroquois,
auec lesquels il auoit traitté la paix, les ont incité à tuer quelques
Hurons, & de prendre guerre auec eux.
I have heard a report, I do not know how true it is, that a certain
Savage named "the Frog" [la Grenoüille], who acts as Captain here,
has said that the Hiroquois, with whom he had made a treaty of
peace, have incited them to kill some of the Hurons, and to make
war against them.
Les plus auisez croient que c'est vne ruse de ceux qui traittent auec
ces Peuples, & qui s'efforcent par leur entremise, de diuertir les
Hurons de commerce qu'ils ont auec nos François; ce qui arriueroit,
si nos Montagnais leur faisoient la [107] guerre, & alors ils les
attireroient à leurs Habitations, d'où s'ensuiuroit vn tres-notable
detrimẽt pour Messieurs les Associez de la Compagnie de la Nouuelle
France.
Those best informed believe that this is a ruse of those who trade
with these Tribes, and who are striving to divert, through their
agency, the Hurons from their commerce with our French; which would
happen if our Montagnais made [107] war against them; and then they
[the traders] would attract them to their Settlements, and there
would result a very considerable injury to the Associated Gentlemen
of the Company of New France.