we might have had any inclination to stop, and that had been our
intention from last year. All the inhabitants desired it very much,
and invited us there, saying that we would be, as it were, in the
center of the Nation, and adding other motives and reasons which
pleased us well. Even on the road I entertained this thought, and
only laid it aside a long time after my arrival here,--so long,
indeed, that we left for a considerable space of time the baggage
of Father Daniel at this village of la Rochelle, with the Captain
who [149] had received him into his canoe,--intending to carry the
rest thither, and to abide there. But, having taken into account
that they were intending this Spring to change the location of the
place, as they have already done, we did not wish to build a cabin
for one winter. Besides, although it is a desirable thing to gather
more fruit, and to have more listeners in our assemblies, which
would make us choose the large villages rather than the small,
nevertheless, for a beginning we have thought it more suitable
to keep in the shadow, as it were, near a little village where the
inhabitants are already disposed to associate with the French, than
to put ourselves suddenly in a great one, where the people are
not accustomed to our mode of doing things. To do otherwise would
have been to expose new men, ignorant of the language, to a [150]
numerous youth, who by their annoyances and mockery would have
brought about some disturbance. Besides, if we had gone elsewhere
the people of this village would have thought themselves still in
disgrace with the French, and perhaps would have abandoned trade
with them,--especially as during this last Winter Le Borgne,[30]
of the Island, spread the report that Monsieur de Champlain did
not wish us to remain there, on account of the death of Brulé,
and that he was demanding four heads; and it is probable that,
if we had not been here, and if we had not remained as pledges,
several, fearing to be arrested for their own faults or for those
of others, would not have returned again to the trade. Besides,
these good people have claimed that we ought to remain among them
if it were true that we loved them; "for," said they, [151] "if
you go elsewhere, not only shall we have cause to fear on our own
account, but for the whole Country besides, our interests being
bound together. But, now that you take us for your hosts, we have
no longer to fear as we would; for if you had chosen another place,
and if some wicked person had done you harm, not only the French
but the Hurons also would have blamed us for it." I might bring
forward some other reasons and considerations which are not to be
despised,--as, for example, it would be a more convenient place,
as well for fish and game as for embarking. But the principal
reason is the first I mentioned. Among the villages that wished to
have us, the people of _Oënrio_[31] have entreated us most. This
little village, quite near [152] ours, used to be a part of the
one in which we were formerly; but we have not judged it expedient
for us to stop there this time, simply having recognized it to be
best that from this village and from ours one should be formed at
some other place, both for their common interests and for our own
special functions and ministrations. We made, not long ago, some
presents to both of them at the same time, for this purpose. Our
presents have great influence among them, nevertheless they have
not yet decided the question. Having, therefore, determined to stay
where we are, the question of building a cabin arose. The cabins
of this country are neither Louvres nor Palaces, nor anything like
the buildings of our France, not even like the smallest cottages.
They are, nevertheless, somewhat [153] better and more commodious
than the hovels of the Montagnais. I cannot better express the
fashion of the Huron dwellings than to compare them to bowers or
garden arbors,--some of which, in place of branches and vegetation,
are covered with cedar bark, some others with large pieces of ash,
elm, fir, or spruce bark; and although the cedar bark is best,
according to common opinion and usage, there is, nevertheless,
this inconvenience, that they are almost as susceptible to fire as
matches. Hence arise many of the conflagrations of entire villages;
and, without going farther than this year, we have seen in less
than ten days two large ones entirely consumed, and another, that
of Louys, partially burned. [154] We have also once seen our own
cabin on fire; but, thank God, we extinguished it immediately.
There are cabins or arbors of various sizes, some two brasses in
length, others of ten, others of twenty, of thirty, of forty; the
usual width is about four brasses, their height is about the same.
There are no different stories; there is no cellar, no chamber, no
garret. It has neither window nor chimney, only a miserable hole in
the top of the cabin, left to permit the smoke to escape. This is
the way they built ours for us.
Ceux d'Oënrio & de nostre village s'y sont employez, au moyen de
quelque present que nous leur fismes. Nous n'auons pas manqué
d'exercice pour la faire acheuer, tant [155] à cause de la maladie
vniuerselle de quasi tous les Sauuages, qu'à cause de la cooperation
de ces deux villages. Car encore que l'ouurage ne fust pas grand;
toutesfois ceux de nostre village, regardans ceux d'Oënrio, qui sous
esperance de nous attirer à eux à la longue, ne faisoiẽt que s'amuser
sans rien auãcer. Nous estions quasi au mois d'Octobre auant que nous
fussions à couuert. Pour le dedans nous l'auons accõmodé nous mesmes;
en sorte que bien que ce ne soit pas grand' chose, les Sauuages ne
laissent de la venir veoir, & la voyant de l'admirer. Nous l'auons
separée en trois. La premiere partie du costé de la porte, sert
d'antichambre, de briseuent, & de magazin pour nos prouisions de bled,
à la façon des Sauuages. La seconde est, celle que nous habitons, & où
est nostre cuisine, nostre [156] menuiserie, nostre moulin, ou lieu
à battre le bled, nostre Refectoire, nostre salle, & nostre chambre.
Aux deux costez à la façon des Hurons sont deux establies, qu'ils
nomment _Endicha_, sur lesquelles sont des quaisses pour mettre nos
habits & autres petites commoditez; mais au dessous, au lieu que les
Hurons y logent leur bois, nous y auons pratiqué de petites cabanes
pour nous coucher, & retirer quelque chose de nos hardes, hors de la
main larronnesse des Hurons. Pour eux ils couchent auprés du feu: mais
cependant eux & nous n'auons que la terre pour chalit; pour paillasse
& pour matelats quelque escorce, ou quelque branchage couuert d'vne
nate de ionc; car pour les linceuls & couuertes, nos habits & quelques
peaux en font l'office. La troisiesme partie de nostre cabane est
encore [157] diuisée en deux, par le moyen d'vn ouurage de menuiserie,
qui luy donne assez bonne grace, & qui se fait admirer icy pour sa
nouueauté. En l'vne est nostre petite Chapelle, où nous celebrons
tous les iours la saincte Messe, & nous y retirons de iour pour prier
Dieu. Il est vray que le bruit qu'on fait quasi continuellement nous
en empesche d'ordinaire, horsmis le matin & le soir, que tout le
monde est retiré, & nous contraint de gaigner le dehors pour faire
nos prieres. En l'autre partie nous y mettons nos vtensiles. Toute la
cabane n'a que six brasses de longueur, & enuiron trois & demie de
large. Voyla comme nous sommes logez, non sans doute si bien que nous
n'ayons dedans ce logis assez bonne part à la pluye, à la neige, &
au froid. Cependant, comme i'ay dict, on ne laisse pas de nous venir
[158] visiter par admiration; principalement depuis que nous auons eu
deux portes de menuiserie, & que nostre moulin & nostre horloge ont
commencé à ioüer. On ne sçauroit dire les estonnemens de ces bonnes
gens, & combien ils admirent l'esprit des François. Mais ils ont tout
dit, quand ils ont dit qu'ils sont _ondaki_, c'est à dire des Demons:
& nous releuions bien ce mot à leur profit, quand nous leur disons.
Or ça mes freres, vous auez veu cela; & l'auez admiré, & vous pensez
auoir raison, voyant quelque chose d'extraordinaire, de dire _ondaki_;
qu'il faut que ceux qui font tant de merueilles soient des Demons. Et
qu'y a t'il d'admirable, comme la beauté du Ciel & du Soleil? qu'y
a-t'il d'admirable, comme de voir tous les ans les arbres quasi morts
durant l'Hyuer, tous nuds & défigurez, reprendre [159] sans mãquer à
chaque Printemps vne nouuelle vie & vn nouuel habit? Le bled que vous
semez pourrit, & de sa pourriture va poussant de si beaux tuyaux, &
de meilleurs espics? Et ce pendant vous ne dites point, Il faut que
celuy qui a fait tãt de beautez, & qui nous estalle tous les ans deuant
les yeux tant de merueilles, soit quelque excellent _oki_; & quelque
intelligẽce sureminẽte, &c. Il n'est venu persõne qui n'aye voulu
tourner le moulin; neantmoins nous ne nous en seruons point, d'autãt
que nous auõs par veu experiẽce que nos Sagamités sont meilleures
estant pilées dedans des mortiers de bois, à la façon des Sauuages, que
broyées dedans le moulin. Ie croy que c'est à cause que le moulin fait
la farine trop fine. Pour ce qui est de l'horloge, il y auroit mille
choses à dire. Ils croyent tous [160] que c'est quelque chose viuante;
car ils ne se peuuent imaginer comment elle sonne d'elle mesme, & quand
elle vient à sonner, ils regardent si nous sommes tous là, & s'il n'y a
pas quelqu'vn de caché, pour luy donner le branle.
The people of Oënrio and of our village were employed at this,
by means of presents given them. It has cost us much exertion to
secure its completion, not only [155] on account of the epidemic,
which affected almost all the Savages, but on account of the
coöperation of these two villages; for although the work was not
great, yet those of our village followed the example of those of
Oënrio, who, in hopes of finally attracting us to their village,
simply amused themselves without advancing the work; we were almost
into October before we were under cover. As to the interior, we
have suited ourselves; so that, even if it does not amount to
much, the Savages never weary of coming to see it, and, seeing
it, to admire it. We have divided it into three parts. The first
compartment, nearest the door, serves as an antechamber, as a
storm door, and as a storeroom for our provisions, in the fashion
of the Savages. The second is that in which we live, and is our
kitchen, our [156] carpenter shop, our mill, or place for grinding
the wheat, our Refectory, our parlor and our bedroom. On both
sides, in the fashion of the Hurons, are two benches which they
call _Endicha_, on which are boxes to hold our clothes and other
little conveniences; but below, in the place where the Hurons
keep their wood, we have contrived some little bunks to sleep in,
and to store away some of our clothing from the thievish hands of
the Hurons. They sleep beside the fire, but still they and we have
only the earth for bedstead; for mattress and pillows, some bark
or boughs covered with a rush mat; for sheets and coverings, our
clothes and some skins do duty. The third part of our cabin is also
[157] divided into two parts by means of a bit of carpentry which
gives it a fairly good appearance, and which is admired here for
its novelty. In the one is our little Chapel, in which we celebrate
every day holy Mass, and we retire there daily to pray to God. It
is true that the almost continual noise they make usually hinders
us,--except in the morning and evening, when everybody has gone
away,--and compels us to go outside to say our prayers. In the
other part we put our utensils. The whole cabin is only six brasses
long, and about three and a half wide. That is how we are lodged,
doubtless not so well that we may not have in this abode a good
share of rain, snow, and cold. However, as I have said, they never
cease coming [158] to visit us from admiration, especially since
we have put on two doors, made by a carpenter, and since our mill
and our clock have been set to work. It would be impossible to
describe the astonishment of these good people, and how much they
admire the intelligence of the French. But they have said all when
they have said they are _ondaki_, that is, Demons; and indeed we
make profitable use of this word when we talk to them: "Now, my
brothers, you have seen that and admired it, and you think you are
right, when you see something extraordinary, in saying _ondaki_,
to declare that those who make so many marvels must be Demons. And
what is there so wonderful as the beauty of the Sky and the Sun?
What is there so wonderful as to see every year the trees almost
dead during the Winter, all bare and disfigured, resume [159]
without fail, every Spring, a new life and a new dress? The corn
that you plant rots, and from its decay spring up such beautiful
stalks and better ears. And yet you do not say, 'He who made so
many beauties, and who every year displays before our eyes so many
marvels, must be some beneficent _oki_, and some supereminent
intelligence,'" etc. No one has come who has not wished to turn the
mill; nevertheless we have not used it, inasmuch as we have learned
by experience that our Sagamités[32] are better pounded in a wooden
mortar, in the fashion of the Savages, than ground within the mill.
I believe it is because the mill makes the flour too fine. As to
the clock, a thousand things are said of it. They all think [160]
it is some living thing, for they cannot imagine how it sounds of
itself; and, when it is going to strike, they look to see if we are
all there and if some one has not hidden, in order to shake it.
Ils ont pensé qu'il entendoit, principalement quand pour rire quelqu'vn
de nos François s'escrioit au dernier coup de marteau, c'est assez
sonné, & que tout aussi tost elle se taisoit. Ils l'appellent le
Capitaine du iour. Quand elle sonne ils disent, qu'elle parle, &
demandent quand ils nous viennent veoir, combien de fois le Capitaine
a desia parlé. Ils nous interrogent de son manger. Ils demeurent les
heures entieres, & quelquesfois plusieurs, afin de la pouuoir ouyr
parler. Ils demandoient au commencement ce qu'elle disoit; on leur
respondit deux [161] choses, qu'ils ont fort bien retenuës; l'vne
que quand elle sonnoit à quatre heures du soir pendant l'hyuer, elle
disoit, Sortez, allez vous en, afin que nous fermions la porte; car
aussi tost ils leuent le siege, & s'en vont: l'autre qu'à midy elle
disoit _yo eiouahaoua_, c'est à dire, sus dressõs la chaudiere, & ils
ont encore mieux retenu ce langage. Car il y a de ces écornifleurs, qui
ne manquent point de venir à cette heure là, pour participer à nostre
Sagamité. Ils mangent à toutes heures, quand ils ont dequoy. Cependant
d'ordinaire ils ne font que manger deux chaudieres par iour, sçauoir
est, au matin & au soir. Partant ils sont bien aises pendant le iour de
prendre part à la nostre.
They think it hears, especially when, for a joke, some one of our
Frenchmen calls out at the last stroke of the hammer, "That's
enough," and then it immediately becomes silent. They call it the
Captain of the day. When it strikes, they say it is speaking;
and they ask when they come to see us how many times the Captain
has already spoken. They ask us about its food; they remain a
whole hour, and sometimes several, in order to be able to hear
it speak. They used to ask at first what it said. We told them
two [161] things that they have remembered very well; one, that
when it sounded four o'clock of the afternoon, during winter, it
was saying, "Go out, go away that we may close the door," for
immediately they arose, and went out. The other, that at midday
it said, _yo eiouahaoua_, that is, "Come, put on the kettle;" and
this speech is better remembered than the other, for some of these
spongers never fail to come at that hour, to get a share of our
Sagamité. They eat at all hours, when they have the wherewithal,
but usually they have only two meals a day, in the morning and in
the evening; consequently they are very glad during the day to take
a share with us.
A propos de leurs admirations, i'en pourrois icy coucher plusieurs
faites au sujet de la pierre d'aymant; en laquelle ils regardoient s'il
y auoit [162] de la colle, & d'vne lunette à onze facettes, qui leur
representoit autant de fois vn mesme obiet, d'vne petite phiole dans
laquelle vne pulce paroist comme vn hanneton, du verre triangulaire,
des outils de menuiserie. Mais sur tout de l'escriture; car ils ne
pouuoient conceuoir comme ce qu'vn de nous, estãt au village leur
auoit dit & couché en mesme temps par escrit; vn autre qui cependant
estoit dans la maison bien esloignée, le disoit incontinent en voyant
l'escriture. Ie crois qu'ils en ont fait cent experiences. Tout cela
sert pour gaigner leurs affections, & les rendre plus dociles, quand il
est question des admirables & incomprehensibles mysteres de nostre Foy.
Car la croyance qu'ils ont de nostre esprit & de nostre capacité, fait
que sans replique ils croyent ce qu'on leur annonce.
Speaking of their expressions of admiration, I might here set down
several on the subject of the lodestone, into which they looked
to see if there was [162] some paste; and of a glass with eleven
facets, which represented a single object as many times; of a
little phial in which a flea appears as large as a beetle; of the
prism, of the joiner's tools; but above all of the writing, for
they could not conceive how, what one of us, being in the village,
had said to them, and put down at the same time in writing,
another, who meanwhile was in a house far away, could say readily
on seeing the writing. I believe they have made a hundred trials of
it. All this serves to gain their affections, and to render them
more docile when we introduce the admirable and incomprehensible
mysteries of our Faith; for the belief they have in our
intelligence and capacity causes them to accept without reply what
we say to them.
[163] Reste maintenant à dire quelque chose du pays, des meurs &
coustumes des Hurons, de la disposition qu'ils ont à la Foy, & de nos
petits trauaux.
[163] It remains now to say something of the country, of the
manners and customs of the Hurons, of the inclination they have to
the Faith, and of our insignificant labors.
Quant au premier, le peu de papier & de loisir que nous auons,
m'oblige à vous dire en peu de mots ce qui pourroit faire vn iuste
volume. Le pays des Hurons n'est pas grand, sa plus longue estenduë
se peut trauerser en trois ou quatre iours, l'assiette en est belle,
la plus part toute en plaines. Il est environné & entrecoupé d'vne
quantité de tres-beaux lacs, ou plustost mers, d'où vient que celuy
qui leur est au Nord, & au Nord-nordouest, est appellé mer douce.
Nous passõs par là en venāt des Bissiriniens. Le sol de ce pays
est tout sablonneux, quoy que non esgalement. Cependant il produit
quantité de tres-bon bled d'Inde, & peut-on [164] dire, que c'est
le grenier de la plus part des Algonquains. Il y a vingt Bourgades,
qui disent enuiron trente milles ames, sous vne mesme langue, &
encore assez facile à qui a quelque maistre. Elle a distinction de
genres, de nombre, de temps, de personnes, de mœuds, & en vn mot
tres-parfaite & tres accomplie, contre la pensée de plusieurs. Ce qui
me resioüit, c'est que i'ay appris que cette langue est commune à
quelques douze autres Nations toutes sedentaires & nombreuses. Sçauoir
est aux _Conkhandeenrhonons, khionontaterrhonons, Atiouandaronks,
Sonontoerrhonons, Onontaerrhonons, Oüioenrhonons, Onoiochrhonons,
Agnierrhonons, Andastoerrhonons, Scahentoarrhonõs, Rhiierrhonons, &
Ahouenrochrhonons_. Les Hurons sont amis de tous ces peuples, excepté
des _Sonontoerrhonons, Onontaerrhonons, Oüioenrhonons, Onoiochrhonons_
[165] _& Agnierrhonons_, que nous comprenons tous sous le nom
d'Hiroquois. Encore ont ils desia la paix auec les _Sonontoerrhonons_,
depuis qu'ils furent par eux défaits l'année passée an Printemps.
As to the first, the little paper and leisure we have compels me
to say in a few words what might justly fill a volume. The Huron
country is not large, its greatest extent can be traversed in
three or four days. Its situation is fine, the greater part of it
consisting of plains. It is surrounded and intersected by a number
of very beautiful lakes or rather seas, whence it comes that the
one to the North and to the North-northwest is called "fresh-water
sea" [mer douce].[33] We pass through it in coming from the
Bissiriniens. The soil of this country is quite sandy, although not
equally so. However, it produces a quantity of very good Indian
corn, and one may [164] say that it is the granary of most of the
Algonquains. There are twenty Towns, which indicate about 30,000
souls speaking the same tongue, which is not difficult to one
who has a master. It has distinction of genders, number, tense,
person, moods; and, in short, it is very complete and very regular,
contrary to the opinion of many. I am rejoiced to find that this
language is common to some twelve other Nations, all settled and
numerous; these are, the _Conkhandeenrhonons, khionontaterrhonons,
Atiouandaronks, Sonontoerrhonons, Onontaerrhonons, Oüioenrhonons,
Onoiochrhonons, Agnierrhonons, Andastoerrhonons, Scahentoarrhonons,
Rhiierrhonons_, and _Ahouenrochrhonons_.[34] The Hurons are
friends of all these people, except the _Sonontoerrhonons_,
_Onontaerrhonons_, _Oüioenrhonons_, _Onoiochrhonons_ [165] and
_Agnierrhonons_, all of whom we comprise under the name Hiroquois.
But they have already made peace with the _Sonontoerrhonons_, since
they were defeated by them a year past in the Spring.
Les deputez de tout le Pays sont allez à _Sonontoen_ pour cõfirmer
cette paix, & dit on que les _Onontaerhonons, Ouioenrhonons,
Ouiochrhonons & Agnierrhonons_, veulẽt entrer en ce party. Mais ce
n'est pas chose asseurée; que si cela est, voila vne belle grande porte
ouuerte à l'Euangile. On m'a voulu mener audit _Sonontoen_, mais ie
n'ay pas iugé à propos d'aller encore en aucune part, iusques à ce
que nous ayons icy mieux estably les fondemens de la Loy Euangelique,
& que nous y ayons tiré vn crayon, sur lequel les autres Nations qui
se conuertiront se puissent reigler. Ie voudrois bien n'aller en aucũ
lieu qu'on [166] ne nous recogneust aussi tost pour Predicateurs de
Iesus-Christ.
The deputies of the whole Country have gone to _Sonontoen_[35]
to confirm this peace, and it is said that the _Onontaerhonons_,
_Ouioenrhonons_, _Ouiochrhonons_ and _Agnierrhonons_ wish to
become parties to it. But that is not certain; if it were, a noble
door would be open to the Gospel. They wanted me to go to this
_Sonontoen_, but I did not judge it wise to go yet into any other
part, until we have better established here the foundation of the
Gospel Law, and until we have drawn a line by which the other
Nations that shall be converted may guide themselves. Indeed, I
would not go to any place where [166] we would not be immediately
recognized as Preachers of Jesus Christ.
Il est si clair & si euident, qu'il est vne Diuinité qui a fait le Ciel
& la terre, que nos Hurons ne la peuuent entierement mécognoistre. Et
quoy qu'ils ayent les yeux de l'esprit fort obscurcis des tenebres
d'vne longue ignorance, de leurs vices & pechez, si est-ce qu'ils en
voyent quelque chose. Mais ils se méprennent lourdement, & ayant la
cognoissance de Dieu, ils ne luy rendent pas l'honneur, ny l'amour, ny
le seruice qu'il conuient: car ils n'ont ny Temples, ny Prestres, ny
Festes, ny ceremonies aucunes.
It is so clear, so evident that there is a Divinity who has made
Heaven and earth, that our Hurons cannot entirely ignore it. And
although the eyes of their minds are very much obscured by the
darkness of a long ignorance, by their vices and sins, they still
see something of it. But they misapprehend him grossly, and, having
the knowledge of God, they do not render him the honor, the love,
nor the service which is his due. For they have neither Temples,
nor Priests, nor Feasts, nor any ceremonies.
Ils disent qu'vne certaine femme nommée _Eataentsic_, est celle qui a
fait la terre & les hommes. Ils luy baillent pour adioint vn certain
appellé _Iouskeha_, qu'ils disent estre son petit fils, auec lequel
elle gouuerne [167] le monde; cest _Ious_k_eha_ a soin des viuans &
des choses qui concernent la vie, & par consequent ils disent qu'il
est bõ: _Eataentsic_ a soin des ames, & parce qu'ils croyent qu'elle
fait mourir les hommes, ils disent qu'elle est meschante. Et ce sont
parmy eux des mysteres si cachez, qu'il n'y a que les vieillards qui en
puissent parler auec credit & authorité, pour estre creus. D'où vient
qu'vn certain ieune homme m'en ayant discouru, me dist en se ventant,
Ne suisie pas bien sçauant? Quelques vns me disent que la maison de ces
deux Diuinitez est au bout du monde vers l'Orient. Or chez eux le monde
ne passe point leur Pays, c'est à dire l'Amerique, d'autres les logent
au milieu.
They say that a certain woman named _Eataentsic_[36] is the one
who made earth and men. They give her an assistant, one named
_Jouskeha_, whom they declare to be her little son, with whom she
governs [167] the world. This _Jouskeha_ has care of the living,
and of the things that concern life, and consequently they say
that he is good. _Eataentsic_ has care of souls; and, because they
believe that she makes men die, they say that she is wicked. And
there are among them mysteries so hidden that only the old men,
who can speak with credit and authority about them, are believed.
Whence it comes that a certain young man, who was talking to me
about this, said boastingly, "Am I not very learned?" Some told me
that the house of these two Divinities is at the end of the world
to the East. Now with them the world does not pass beyond their
Country, that is, America. Others place their abode in the middle.