dans vne chalouppe, qu'enuoyoit le Capitaine Bontemps pour donner aduis
de sa venuë à Tadoussac. Or comme on a veu ceste année les glaces
espouuantables sur la mer; vne entre autres de trente à quarante
lieuës, d'autres disent de soixante lieuës d'estenduë; vn Pilote m'a
asseuré qu'ils la costoierent trois iours & trois nuits ayans vn assez
bon vent en poupe, & qu'en quelques endroits elle auoit des campagnes
toutes rases, & en d'autres elle se releuoit en collines, & en hautes
montagnes. De plus on a veu quelques vaisseaux Turcs, au sortir [108]
de la Manche, & quelques nauires degradez voguer en mer çà & là sans
vergues & sans voiles, qu'on croit auoir esté pris de ces infideles,
lesquels abandonnent souuent les vaisseaux qu'ils rauissent, apres
auoir enleué tout ce qui est dedans. Comme disie tous ces bruits
couroient, nous auions tous perdu l'esperance de veoir le Capitaine
Bontemps, la saison de voguer icy se passant; c'est pourquoy sa venuë
inesperée a causé d'autant plus de ioye, qu'on eust esté marry qu'vn
si braue Capitaine & vn si bel equipage se fust perdu. Le Pere de Quen
nous raconta l'occasion de leur retardement, & nous donna sujet de
loüer Dieu, qui les a tiré des ombres de la mort, les sauuant d'vn
naufrage qui sembloit ineuitable.
On the seventeenth of the same month of August, Father de Quen[15]
arrived at Kebec in a shallop which Captain Bontemps sent to give
the news of his arrival at Tadoussac. Now as frightful icebergs
have been seen this year upon the sea,--among others, one from
thirty to forty, others say sixty leagues in extent, so large that
a Pilot has assured me that he coasted along it for three days and
three nights having a fair wind astern, and that in some places it
had level plains, in others it rose into hills and high mountains:
and since some Turkish vessels had been seen sailing out [108] of
the English Channel, and some damaged ships floating here and there
on the sea without masts and without sails,--which are believed to
have been captured by those infidels, who often abandon ships which
they plunder, after having robbed them of all they contain:[16] now
as all these reports were being circulated, we had all lost hope
of seeing Captain Bontemps, the season for sailing to this country
having passed. It was this that made his unexpected arrival give
us all the more joy, for we would have been sorry if so brave a
Captain and so fine a crew had been lost. Father de Quen related
to us the cause of their delay, and gave us reason to thank God,
who drew them back from the shades of death, saving them from a
shipwreck which seemed inevitable.
Le vingt-sixiesme du mesme mois [109] vn ieune homme qui est passé
en la Nouuelle France, comme Soldat volontaire dans le vaisseau
commãdé par Monsieur le Cheualier de la Roche Iacquelin, a abiuré
publiquement les erreurs de Caluin, & embrassé les veritez Chrestiennes
& Catholiques. Monsieur le Cheualier le voyant d'vn assez bon naturel,
& l'ayant disposé à nous prester l'oreille, prit la peine luy-mesme de
l'amener en nostre petite Maison, où par apres il m'est venu trouuer
plusieurs fois luy tout seul, pour conferer auec moy; en fin apres luy
auoir éclaircy les principaux points de nostre creance, il a voulu
reporter à l'Ancienne France, le thresor de la verité que Dieu luy a
fait trouuer en la Nouuelle.
On the twenty-sixth of the same month [109] a young man who came
over into New France as a volunteer Soldier, in the ship commanded
by Monsieur the Chevalier de la Roche Jacquelin, publicly abjured
the errors of Calvin, and embraced the Christian and Catholic
truths. Monsieur the Chevalier, seeing he had a very good
disposition, and having inclined him to lend us an ear, himself
took the trouble to bring him to our little House, where he
afterwards came to see me several times alone, to confer with me.
Finally, after having enlightened him upon the principal points of
our belief, he desired to carry back to Old France the treasure of
truth which God had led him to find in the New.
Le vingt-septiesme du mesme mois, nous auons veu sur les neuf [110]
heures du soir ou enuiron vne grande éclypse de Lune, laquelle à mon
aduis n'aura paru en France que sur les deux ou trois heures apres
minuit.
On the twenty-seventh of the same month, we saw, towards nine [110]
o'clock in the evening or thereabout, a great eclipse of the Moon,
which in my opinion did not appear in France until two or three
hours after midnight.
Mais il est temps d'arrester ma plume, laquelle ne pourra pas cette
année respondre à plusieurs lettres, qu'vne barque qui descend à
Tadoussac nous apportera apres le depart des vaisseaux. Il arriue par
fois, soit par oubliance ou autrement, qu'on nous rend les lettres
quand la flotte a desia fait voile, ce qui fait qu'on ne peut enuoyer
les responses la mesme année. Pour nos Francois, & pour nos Peres qui
sont au pays des Hurons, on ne doit attendre la response des lettres
qu'on leur enuoye de France que deux ans apres: voire mesme si on nous
donne icy les lettres qu'on leur adresse [111] pour leur faire tenir,
apres le depart des Hurons qui ne descendent à Kebec qu'vne fois l'an,
les responses ne seront portées en France qu'au bout de trois ans.
I'ay donné cét aduis tout exprés, pour nous excuser enuers plusieurs
personnes qui nous font l'honneur de nous escrire, & qui ne voyent
point de réponses la mesme année, & quelques-fois n'en voyent point
du tout, les lettres ou les responses se perdans dans vne si grande
longueur de temps & de chemin. Ie prie Dieu que celles-cy arriuent à
bon port auec toute la flotte, elles porteront à vostre Reuerence,
pour derniere conclusion, vne supplication tres-humble de se souuenir
à l'Autel, & à l'Oratoire de nos pauures Sauuages, & de nous tous qui
sommes ses enfans, & de moy particulierement [112] qui en ay plus de
besoin que les autres, & qui me diray auec vostre permission, ce que ie
suis,
MON R. P.
Elle nous permettra, s'il luy plaist, d'implorer les prieres de
tous nos Peres & de tous nos Freres de sa Prouince, ce que nous
faisons encore tous tant que nous sommes, moy qui suis
_En la Residence de nostre Dame des Anges, proche Kebec, en la
Nouuelle France, ce 28. d'Aoust 1635._
Vostre tres-humble, & tres-obligé seruiteur en nostre Seigneur,
PAVL LE IEVNE.
ET
P. Charles l'Allemant.
P. Iean Brebeuf.
P. Iean Daniel.
P. Ambroise d'Auost.
P. Anne de Noüe.
P. Enemond Masse.
P. Antoine Richard.
P. François Mercier.
P. Charles Turgis.
P. Charles du Marché.
P. Claude Quantin.
P. Iacques Buteux.
P. Iean de Quen.
P. Pierre Pijart.
Et nos Freres Gilbert Burel, Iean Liegeois, Pierre le Tellier, Pierre
Feauté.
But it is time to drop my pen, which will not be able this year to
answer several letters that a bark which goes down to Tadoussac
will bring us after the departure of the ships. It sometimes
happens, either from forgetfulness or for some other reason, that
they deliver the letters after the fleet has already set sail, so
that we cannot send the answers the same year. As to our Frenchmen
and our Fathers who are in the country of the Hurons, answers to
letters sent from France should not be expected until two years
afterwards; indeed, even if letters addressed to them are given to
us here [111] to hold for them, after the departure of the Hurons,
who come down to Kebec only once a year, the answers will not
be carried to France until the end of three years. I have given
this information purposely, so as to excuse ourselves to persons
who have done us the honor of writing to us, and who do not get
their answers the same year, and sometimes do not get them at all,
the letters or the replies being lost in so great a lapse of time
and so long a journey. I pray God that these may arrive safely,
together with all the fleet; they will bear to your Reverence, as
a final conclusion, a very humble supplication to remember, at the
Altar and in the Oratory, our poor Savages, and all of us who are
your children,--especially me, [112] who have more need of it than
the others, and who will call myself, with your permission, what I
am,
MY REVEREND FATHER,
You will permit me, if you please, to implore the prayers of
all our Fathers and of all our Brothers in your Province,--as,
moreover, do all of us,--I who am,
_At the Residence of nostre Dame des Anges, near Kebec, in
New-France, this 28th of August, 1635._
Your very humble and greatly obliged servant in our Lord,
PAUL LE JEUNE.
AND
Father Charles l'Allemant.
Father Jean Brebeuf.
Father Jean Daniel.
Father Ambroise d'Avost.
Father Anne de Noüe.
Father Enemond Masse.
Father Antoine Richard.[17]
Father François Mercier.
Father Charles Turgis.[18]
Father Charles du Marché.[19]
Father Claude Quantin.
Father Jacques Buteux.
Father Jean de Quen.
Father Pierre Pijart.
And our Brothers Gilbert Burel, Jean Liegeois,[20] Pierre le
Tellier, Pierre Feauté.
[113] Relation de ce qui s'est passé avx Hvrons, en l'année 1635.
_Enuoyée à Kebec au Pere le Ieune, par le P. Brebeuf._
MON R. PERE,
C'est pour vous rendre compte de nostre voyage en ce Pays des Hurons,
lequel a esté remply de plus de fatigues, de pertes & de cousts que
l'autre, mais aussi qui a esté suiuy & le sera, Dieu aidant, de plus de
benedictions du Ciel.
[113] Relation of what occurred among the Hurons in the year 1635.
_Sent to Kebec to Father le Jeune, Father Brebeuf._
MY REVEREND FATHER,
I send you an account of our journey into this Huron Country. It
has been filled with more fatigues, losses and expenses than the
other, but also has been followed, and will be, God aiding, by more
of Heaven's blessings.
[114] Dés que l'an passé mil six cens trente quatre, nous arriuasmes
aux trois Riuieres, où se faisoit la traitte, nous-nous trouuasmes
dans plusieurs difficultez & perplexitez. Car d'vn costé il n'y auoit
qu'onze canots de Hurons pour nous embarquer dix personnes que nous
estions de surcroist, & qui pretendions aller en leur Pays. D'autre
costé on estoit extremement en doute s'il en descendroit cette année
là d'autres, attendu le grand eschet qu'ils auoient receu en guerre
par les Hiroquois, nommez _Sonontrerrhonons_ au Printemps dernier, &
la crainte qu'ils auoient d'vne nouuelle armée. Cela nous mettoit fort
en doute, si nous deuions prendre l'occasion d'aller telle qu'elle
s'offroit, ou en attendre vne meilleure.
[114] When last year, one thousand six hundred and thirty-four, we
arrived at the three Rivers, where the trading post was, we found
ourselves in several difficulties and perplexities. For, on the
one hand, there were only eleven Huron canoes to embark our ten
additional persons who were intending to go into their Country.
On the other, we were greatly in doubt whether any others would
descend this year, considering the great loss they had experienced
in war with the Hiroquois, named _Sonontrerrhonons_,[21] last
Spring, and the fear they had of a new invasion. This placed us
much in doubt whether we ought to take advantage of the opportunity
which was presented, or wait for a better one.
En fin tout bien consideré nous [115] resolusmes de tenter fortune,
iugeans qu'il importoit du tout, d'auoir vn pied dans le Pays, afin
d'en ouurir la porte, qui sembloit estroittement fermée à la Foy. Cette
resolution fut encore plus aisée que l'execution, qui parauanture eust
esté impossible sans le soin, la faueur & la liberalité de Monsieur
du Plessis Bochard General de la flotte: car incõtinent après son
arriuée, qui fut le cinquiesme Iuillet 1634. il fit tenir Conseil auec
les Bissiriniens, ausquels il proposa le dessein qu'il auoit d'enuoyer
quelques-vns auec eux, & de nous ioindre aux Hurons. Ils en firẽt
plusieurs difficultez, & l'vn des Capitaines de l'Isle nommé la Perdrix
par dessus tous; neantmoins les raisons & les presens les gagnerent.
At last, after full consideration, we [115] resolved to try our
fortune, judging that it was of vital importance to have a footing
in the Country in order to open the door which seemed firmly closed
to the Faith. This resolution was far easier than the execution
of it, which perchance would have been impossible without the
care, the favor, and the liberality of Monsieur du Plessis
Bochard, General of the fleet. For immediately after his arrival,
which was on the fifth of July, 1634, he held a Council with the
Bissiriniens, to whom he proposed the plan he had of sending some
men with them, and of joining us to the Hurons. They made several
objections, and one of the Chiefs of the Island, named "the
Partridge" [la Perdrix],[22] more than all the rest; nevertheless,
arguments and presents won them over.
Le lendemain matin l'Assemblée se fit de rechef, par le commandement
[116] de Monsieur du Plessis Bochard, où les Bissiriniens & les Hurons
se trouuerent. Le mesme dessein leur fut representé; mais pour respect
les vns des autres ils resolurẽt tous ensemble de n'embarquer aucun
François, & n'y eut pour lors aucune raison qui les peust fléchir.
Surquoy nostre entreprise sembloit encore estre rompuë pour ce coup;
mais au depart de l'Assemblée vn des _Attiguenongha_, me tirant à
quartier, me dit que ie l'allasse veoir en sa cabane. Là il me fait
entendre que luy & son camarade en embarqueroient trois; ie respons que
nous ne pouuions aller moins de cinq, sçauoir nous trois, & deux de nos
hommes.
The next morning, the Assembly met again, by the command [116] of
Monsieur du Plessis Bochard, and both the Bissiriniens and the
Hurons were present. The same plan was again presented to them; but
out of respect for one another they all agreed not to embark any
Frenchmen; and no arguments could, for the time being, move them.
Thereupon our enterprise seemed again cut off, by this action.
But, at the close of the Assembly, one of the _Attiguenongha_,[23]
drawing me aside, asked me to visit him in his cabin. There he gave
me to understand that he and his companion would embark three of
us. I replied that we could not go unless five went, namely, we
three and two of our men.
Sur cela les _Arendarhonons_ s'estant eschauffez à nous embarquer,
nous trouuasmes place pour six; si bien que nous resolusmes de [117]
partir, & laisser les deux petits garçons que nous deuions mener
iusqu'à quelque autre occasion: aussi tost nous distribuasmes nos
pacquets, & fismes des presens à vn chacun pour les encourager, & le
lendemain septiéme du mois, Mr du Plessis Bochard leur en fit encore
d'autres, en consideration seulement de ce qu'ils nous embarquoiẽt, &
les festoya tous ensemble d'vn festin de trois grandes chaudieres.
Mais la contagion qui a couru l'année passée parmy tous ces Peuples,
auec de grands rauages, ayant en vn instant saisi plusieurs de nos
Sauuages, & remply tout le reste de peur, nous causa derechef vne
grande confusion, & nous mit en de grandes peines, veu qu'il falloit
partir sur le champ. Nos six canots estans reduits à trois, & nos deux
Peres & moy nous trouuans desembarquez; [118] il me falloit chercher
de nouueaux hommes; reprendre nostre petit equipage; deliberer qui
s'embarqueroit, & qui demeureroit; choisir entre nos pacquets ceux que
nous porterions, & donner ordre pour le reste, & tout cela en moins de
demye-heure, où il eust esté besoin des iournées entieres. Neantmoins
recognoissans bien que nostre embarquement estoit vn coup de partie
pour le Ciel, nous pensasmes qu'il falloit y faire tous nos efforts,
pour resister à ceux de l'ennemy commun du salut des hommes, que nous
ne doutions nullement s'estre meslé dans cét affaire. I'y fis tout mõ
pouuoir, nous redoublasmes les presens, nous diminuasmes nostre petit
bagage, & prismes seulement ce qui concernoit le sainct Sacrifice de
la Messe, & ce qui estoit absolument necessaire pour la vie. Monsieur
[119] du Plessis y interposa son authorité, Monsieur Oliuer & Monsieur
Coullart leur industrie, & tous les François leur affection. Cependant
ie vis par plusieurs fois tout renuersé & desesperé, iusqu'à ce que
i'eus particulierement recours à nostre Seigneur +IESVS+, pour l'vnique
gloire duquel nous entreprenions ce penible voyage, & que i'eus fait
vn vœu au glorieux sainct Ioseph nouueau Patriarche des Hurons. Car
aussi-tost ie vis tout se calmer, & nos Sauuages si contens, que ceux
qui embarquerent le Pere Daniel l'auoient desia mis dans leur canot,
& sembloit qu'ils l'alloiẽt emmener, sans auoir encore receu la paye
ordinaire. Mais ledit Pere voyant qu'ils n'auoient point de capots
comme les autres, sort du canot, m'en aduertit, & ie leur en fais
donner.
Thereupon the _Arendarhonons_[24] became eager to embark us; we
found place for six, and so we resolved to [117] set out, and
leave until some other time the two little boys we were to take.
We began to distribute our baggage, and made presents to each one,
to encourage them; and on the morrow, the seventh of the month,
Monsieur du Plessis Bochard gave them still others, on the single
consideration that they would embark us, and feasted all of them
at a great feast of three large kettles. But the contagion which
spread among all these Tribes last year, with great destruction,
having suddenly seized several of our Savages, and filled the
rest with fear, again threw us into confusion, and put us to
great trouble, seeing that we had to set out immediately. Our six
canoes being reduced to three, and our two Fathers and I being
disembarked, [118] I had to find new men, to unload our slender
baggage, to decide who should embark and who should remain, to
choose among our packages those we were to carry, and to give
orders as to the rest,--and all this in less than half an hour,
when we would have needed entire days. Nevertheless, recognizing
clearly that our embarkment was a decisive stroke for Heaven, we
thought it necessary to put forth our utmost energies to resist the
efforts of the common enemy of man's salvation, who, we doubted
not, was mixed up in this matter. I therefore did everything I
could; we doubled the presents, we reduced the amount of our
baggage, and took only what belonged to the holy Sacrifice of the
Mass, and what was absolutely necessary for life. Monsieur [119]
du Plessis interposed his authority, Monsieur Oliver and Monsieur
Coullart their ingenuity, and all the Frenchmen their affection.
Yet several times I was completely baffled and desperate, until
I had special recourse to our Lord +JESUS+, for whose glory alone
we were undertaking this painful journey, and until I had made a
vow to glorious saint Joseph, the new Patriarch of the Hurons.
Immediately I saw everything become quiet, and our Savages so
satisfied that those who embarked Father Daniel had already placed
him in their canoe, and it seemed as if they were going to take him
without even receiving the ordinary pay. But the Father, seeing
that they had not cloaks like the others, stepped out of the canoe,
told me about it, and I had some given to them.
En fin donc apres auoir briéuement [120] remercié Mr du Plessis, luy
auoir recommandé l'embarquement du reste de nos gens, si l'occasion
se presentoit, & luy auoir dit adieu, & à tous nos François: Ie
m'embarquay auec le Pere Antoine Daniel, & vn de nos hommes; les deux
autres venoient auec les Algonquains. Monsieur du Plessis honora
nostre depart de plusieurs canonnades, afin de nous rendre encore
plus recommandables à nos Sauuages. Ce fut le septiesme Iuillet. Le
P. Ambroise Dauost s'embarqua huict iours apres auec deux autres de
nos gens. Le reste suiuit huict iours apres, pour prendre sa part
des fatigues d'vn voyage tres fascheux, non seulement à raison de sa
longueur, & de la mauuaise chere qu'on y fait, mais encore pour les
circuits qu'il faut faire de Kebec iusques icy par les Bissiriniens &
la petite Nation; ie [121] croy qu'il y en a pour plus de trois cens
lieuës. Il est vray que le chemin est plus court par le Saut de S.
Louys, & par le Lac des Hiroquois, mais la crainte des ennemis, & le
peu de commodité qui s'y rencontre, en rẽd le passage desert. De deux
difficultez ordinaires, la premiere est celle des sauts & portages.
Vostre Reuerence a desia assez veu de sauts d'eau vers Kebec, pour
sçauoir ce qui en est: toutes les riuieres de ces Pays en sont pleines,
& notamment la riuiere de S. Laurens, depuis qu'on a passé celle des
Prairies. Car de là en auant elle n'a plus son lit égal, mais se brise
en plusieurs endroits, roulant & sautant effroyablement, à guise
d'vn torrent impetueux, & mesmes en quelques endroits elle tombe tout
à coup de haut en bas, de la hauteur de plusieurs brasses. Ie me
souuenois [122] en passant des Catadoupes du Nil, à ce qu'en disent nos
Historiens. Or quand on approche de ces cheutes ou torrens, il faut
mettre pied à terre, & porter au col à trauers les bois, ou sur de
hautes & facheuses roches, tous les pacquets & les canots mesmes. Cela
ne se fait pas sans beaucoup de trauail, car il y a des portages d'vne,
de deux & de trois lieuës, ioint qu'il faut en chacun faire plusieurs
voyages, si on a tãt soit peu de pacquets. En quelques endroits, qui
ne sont pas moins rapides que ces portages; mais neantmoins plus aisez
à l'abord, les Sauuages entrans dans l'eau, trainent & conduisent à la
main leurs canots, auec d'extremes peines & dangers; car ils en ont par
fois iusques au col, si bien qu'ils sont contraints de quitter prise,
& se sauuer comme ils peuuent de la rapidité de l'eau, qui emporte &
[123] leur arrache le canot. Cela est arriué à vn de nos François, qui
demeura seul dans le canot, tous les Sauuages l'ayans laissé aller au
gré du torrent mais son adresse & sa force luy sauuerent la vie, & le
canot aussi, auec tout ce qui estoit dedans. I'ay supputé le nombre des
portages, & ie trouue que nous auons porté trente cinq fois, & traisné
pour le moins cinquante. Ie me suis quelquefois meslé d'aider à mes
Sa[u]uages: mais le fond de la riuiere est de pierres si tranchantes,
que ie ne pouuois marcher long-temps estant nuds pieds.
At last, then, after having briefly [120] thanked Monsieur du
Plessis, having entrusted to him the embarkation of the rest of our
people, if opportunity presented itself, and having bid him and
all our Frenchmen adieu, I embarked with Father Antoine Daniel and
one of our men; the two others were coming with the Algonquains.
Monsieur du Plessis honored our departure with several volleys,
to recommend us still more to our Savages. It was the seventh of
July. Father Ambroise Davost embarked eight days later, with two
others of our people. The rest followed eight days after, to take
their part in the fatigues of a journey extremely wearisome, not
only on account of its length and of the wretched fare to be had,
but also on account of the circuits that have to be made in coming
from Kebec to this place by way of the Bissiriniens and the petite
Nation; I [121] believe that they amount to more than three hundred
leagues. It is true the way is shorter by the Saut de St. Louys and
the Lake of the Hiroquois; but the fear of enemies, and the few
conveniences to be met with, cause that route to be unfrequented.
Of two ordinary difficulties, the chief is that of the rapids and
portages. Your Reverence has already seen enough of the rapids
near Kebec to know what they are. All the rivers of this Country
are full of them, and notably the St. Lawrence after that of the
Prairies[25] is passed. For from there onward it has no longer a
smooth bed, but is broken up in several places, rolling and leaping
in a frightful way, like an impetuous torrent; and even, in some
places, it falls down suddenly from a height of several brasses.
I remembered, [122] in passing, the Cataracts of the Nile, as they
are described by our Historians. Now when these rapids or torrents
are reached, it is necessary to land, and carry on the shoulder,
through woods or over high and troublesome rocks, all the baggage
and the canoes themselves. This is not done without much work; for
there are portages of one, two, and three leagues, and for each
several trips must be made, no matter how few packages one has. In
some places, where the current is not less strong than in these
rapids, although easier at first, the Savages get into the water,
and haul and guide by hand their canoes with extreme difficulty and
danger; for they sometimes get in up to the neck and are compelled
to let go their hold, saving themselves as best they can from the
rapidity of the water, which snatches [123] from them and bears off
their canoe. This happened to one of our Frenchmen who remained
alone in the canoe, all the Savages having left it to the mercy of
the torrent; but his skill and strength saved his life, and the
canoe also, with all that was in it. I kept count of the number of
portages, and found that we carried our canoes thirty-five times,
and dragged them at least fifty. I sometimes took a hand in helping
my Savages; but the bottom of the river is full of stones, so sharp
that I could not walk long, being barefooted.