Att the brake of day we cooked what could accommodate us, and flung the

rest away. The greatest marke of our victory was that we had 10 heads &

foure prisoners, whom we embarqued in hopes to bring them into our

countrey, and there to burne them att our owne leasures for the more

satisfaction of our wives. We left that place of masacre with horrid cryes.

Forgetting the death of our parents, we plagued those infortunate. We

plucked out their nailes one after another. The next morning, after we

slept a litle in our boats, we made a signe to begone. They prayed to lett

off my peece, which made greate noise. To fullfill their desire, I lett it

of. I noe sooner shott, butt perceived seaven boats of the Iroquoits going

from a point towards the land. We were surprised of such an incounter,

seeing death before us, being not strong enough to resist such a company,

ffor there weare 10 or 12 in every boat. They perceiving us thought that we

weare more in number, began in all hast to make a fort, as we received from

two discoverers that wee sent to know their postures. It was with much adoe

that those two went. Dureing we perswaded our wildmen to send seaven of our

boats to an isle neare hand, and turne often againe to frighten our

adversaryes by our shew of our forces. They had a minde to fortifie

themselves in that island, but we would not suffer it, because there was

time enough in case of necessity, which we represent unto them, making them

to gather together all the broaken trees to make them a kind of barricado,

prohibiting them to cutt trees, that thereby the ennemy might not suspect

our feare & our small number, which they had knowne by the stroaks of their

hattchetts. Those wildmen, thinking to be lost, obeyed us in every thing,

telling us every foot, "Be chearfull, and dispose of us as you will, for we

are men lost." We killed our foure prisoners because they embarassed us.

They sent, as soone as we weare together, some fourty, that perpetually

went to and againe to find out our pollicy and weaknesse.

In the meane time we told the people that they weare men, & if they must,

die altogether, and for us to make a fort in the lande was to destroy

ourselves, because we should put ourselves in prison; to take courage, if

in case we should be forced to take a retreat the Isle was a fort for us,

from whence we might well escape in the night. That we weare strangers and

they, if I must say so, in their countrey, & shooting ourselves in a fort

all passages would be open uppon us for to save ourselves through the

woods, was a miserable comfort. In the mean time the Iroquoits worked

lustily, think att every step we weare to give them an assault, but farr

deceived, ffor if ever blind wished the Light, we wished them the obscurity

of the night, which no sooner approached but we embarqued ourselves without

any noise, and went along. It's strang to me that the ennemy did not

encounter us. Without question he had store of prisoners and booty. We left

the Iroquoits in his fort and the feare in our breeches, for without

apprehension we rowed from friday to tuesday without intermission. We had

scarce to eat a bitt of sault meat. It was pitty to see our feete & leggs

in blood by drawing our boats through the swift streames, where the rocks

have such sharp points that there is nothing but death could make men doe

what we did. On the third day the paines & labour we tooke forced us to an

intermission, ffor we weare quite spent. After this we went on without any

encounter whatsoever, having escaped very narrowly. We passed a sault that

falls from a vast height. Some of our wildmen went underneath it, which I

have seene, & I myselfe had the curiosity, but that quiver makes a man the

surer. The watter runs over the heads with such impetuosity & violence that

it's incredible. Wee went under this torrent a quarter of a mille, that

falls from the toppe above fourty foot downwards.

Having come to the lake of the Castors, we went about the lake of the

castors for some victuals, being in great want, and suffered much hunger.

So every one constituts himselfe; some went a hunting, some a fishing. This

done, we went downe the river of the sorcerers, which brought us to the

first great lake. What joy had we to see ourselves out of that river so

dangerous, after we wrought two and twenty dayes and as many nights, having

not slept one houre on land all that while. Now being out of danger, as

safe from our enemy, perhaps we must enter into another, which perhaps may

give practice & trouble consequently. Our equipage and we weare ready to

wander uppon that sweet sea; but most of that coast is void of wild beasts,

so there was great famine amongst us for want. Yett the coast afforded us

some small fruits. There I found the kindnesse & charity of the wildmen,

ffor when they found any place of any quantity of it they called me and my

brother to eat & replenish our bellys, shewing themselves far gratfuller

then many Christians even to their owne relations.

I cannot forgett here the subtilty of one of these wildmen that was in the

same boat with me. We see a castor along the watter side, that puts his

head out of the watter. That wildman no sooner saw him but throwes himself

out into the watter and downe to the bottom, without so much time as to

give notice to any, and before many knewed of anything, he brings up the

castor in his armes as a child, without fearing to be bitten. By this we

see that hunger can doe much.

Afterwardes we entered into a straight which had 10 leagues in length, full

of islands, where we wanted not fish. We came after to a rapid that makes

the separation of the lake of the hurrons, that we calle Superior, or

upper, for that the wildmen hold it to be longer & broader, besids a great

many islands, which maks appeare in a bigger extent. This rapid was

formerly the dwelling of those with whome wee weare, and consequently we

must not aske them if they knew where they have layed. Wee made cottages

att our advantages, and found the truth of what those men had often [said],

that if once we could come to that place we should make good cheare of a

fish that they call _Assickmack_, which signifieth a white fish. The beare,

the castors, and the Oriniack shewed themselves often, but to their cost;

indeed it was to us like a terrestriall paradise. After so long fastning,

after so great paines that we had taken, finde ourselves so well by

chossing our dyet, and resting when we had a minde to it, 'tis here that we

must tast with pleasur a sweet bitt. We doe not aske for a good sauce; it's

better to have it naturally; it is the way to distinguish the sweet from

the bitter.

But the season was far spent, and use diligence and leave that place so

wished, which wee shall bewaile, to the coursed Iroquoits. What hath that

poore nation done to thee, and being so far from thy country? Yett if they

had the same liberty that in former dayes they have had, we poore ffrench

should not goe further with our heads except we had a strong army. Those

great lakes had not so soone comed to our knowledge if it had not ben for

those brutish people; two men had not found out the truth of these seas so

cheape; the interest and the glorie could not doe what terror doth att the

end. We are a litle better come to ourselves and furnished. We left that

inn without reckoning with our host. It is cheape when wee are not to put

the hand to the purse; neverthelesse we must pay out of civility: the one

gives thanks to the woods, the other to the river, the third to the earth,

the other to the rocks that stayes the ffish; in a word, there is nothing

but _kinekoiur_ of all sorts; the encens of our Encens (?) is not spared.

The weather was agreable when we began to navigat upon that great extent of

watter, finding it so calme and the aire so cleare. We thwarted in a pretty

broad place, came to an isle most delightfull for the diversity of its

fruits. We called it the isle of the foure beggars. We arrived about 5 of

the clocke in the afternone that we came there. We sudainly put the kettle

to the fire. We reside there a while, and seeing all this while the faire

weather and calme. We went from thence att tenne of the clocke the same

night to gaine the firme lande, which was 6 leagues from us, where we

arrived before day. Here we found a small river. I was so curious that I

inquired my dearest friends the name of this streame. They named me it

_pauabickkomesibs_, which signifieth a small river of copper. I asked him

the reason. He told me, "Come, and I shall shew thee the reason why." I was

in a place which was not 200 paces in the wood, where many peeces of copper

weare uncovered. Further he told me that the mountaine I saw was of nothing

else. Seeing it so faire & pure, I had a minde to take a peece of it, but

they hindred me, telling my brother there was more where we weare to goe.

In this great Lake of myne owne eyes have seene which are admirable, and

cane maintaine of a hundred pounds teem will not be decayed. [Footnote: "Of

a hundred pounds teem." This sentence seems somewhat obscure. The writer

perhaps meant to say that he had seen masses of copper not less than a

hundred pounds weight.]

From this place we went along the coasts, which are most delightfull and

wounderous, for it's nature that made it so pleasant to the eye, the

sperit, and the belly. As we went along we saw banckes of sand so high that

one of our wildmen went upp for curiositie; being there, did shew no more

then a crow. That place is most dangerous when that there is any storme,

being no landing place so long as the sandy bancks are under watter; and

when the wind blowes, that sand doth rise by a strang kind of whirling that

are able to choake the passengers. One day you will see 50 small mountaines

att one side, and the next day, if the wind changes, on the other side.

This putts me in mind of the great and vast wildernesses of Turkey land, as

the Turques makes their pylgrimages.

Some dayes after we observed that there weare some boats before us, but

knewed not certainely what they weare. We made all the hast to overtake

them, fearing the ennemy no more. Indeed the faster we could goe the better

for us, because of the season of the yeare, that began to be cold & freeze.

They weare a nation that lived in a land towards the South. This nation is

very small, being not 100 in all, men & women together. As we came neerer

them they weare surprized of our safe retourne, and astonied to see us,

admiring the rich marchandises that their confederates brought from the

ffrench, that weare hattchetts and knives and other utensils very

commodious, rare, precious, and necessary in those countreys. They told the

news one to another whilst we made good cheere and great fires. They

mourned for the death of [one] of their comrades; the heads of their ennemy

weare danced. Some dayes [after] we separated ourselves, and presented

guiftes to those that weare going an other way, for which we received great

store of meate, which was putt up in barrills, and grease of bears &

Oriniacke.

After this we came to a remarquable place. It's a banke of Rocks that the

wild men made a sacrifice to; they calls it _Nanitoucksinagoit_, which

signifies the likenesse of the devill. They fling much tobacco and other

things in its veneration. It is a thing most incredible that that lake

should be so boisterous, that the waves of it should have the strength to

doe what I have to say by this my discours: first, that it's so high and

soe deepe that it's impossible to claime up to the point. There comes many

sorte of birds that makes there nest here, the goilants, which is a white

sea-bird of the bignesse of pigeon, which makes me believe what the wildmen

told me concerning the sea to be neare directly to the point. It's like a

great Portail, by reason of the beating of the waves. The lower part of

that oppening is as bigg as a tower, and grows bigger in the going up.

There is, I believe, 6 acres of land. Above it a shipp of 500 tuns could

passe by, soe bigg is the arch. I gave it the name of the portail of St

Peter, because my name is so called, and that I was the first Christian

[Footnote: "The first Christian that ever saw it." French Jesuits and

fur-traders pushed deeper and deeper into the wilderness of the northern

lakes. In 1641 Jacques and Raynbault preached the Faith to a concourse of

Indians at the outlet of Lake Superior. Then came the havoc and desolation

of the Iroquois war, and for years further exploration was arrested. At

length, in 1658, two daring traders penetrated to Lake Superior, wintered

there, and brought back the tales they had heard of the ferocious Sioux,

and of a great western river on which they dwelt. Two years later the aged

Jesuit Mesnard attempted to plant a mission on the southern shore of the

lake, but perished in the forest by famine or the tomahawk. Allouez

succeeded him, explored a part of Lake Superior, and heard in his turn of

the Sioux and their great river, the "Messipi."--Introduction to Parkman's

_Discovery of the Great West_. There can be no doubt but that the "two

daring traders who in 1658 penetrated to Lake Superior," and dwelt on the

great river, were Radisson and Des Groseilliers, who repeated their journey

a few years after, described in this narrative. The "Pictured Rocks" and

the "Doric Rock" were so named in Governor Cass's and Schoolcraft's

_Travels_ in 1820.] that ever saw it. There is in that place caves very

deepe, caused by the same violence. We must looke to ourselves, and take

time with our small boats. The coast of rocks is 5 or 6 leagues, and there

scarce a place to putt a boat in assurance from the waves. When the lake is

agitated the waves goeth in these concavities with force and make a most

horrible noise, most like the shooting of great guns.

Some dayes afterwards we arrived to a very beautifull point of sand where

there are 3 beautifull islands, [Footnote: "Three beautiful islands." In

Cass's and Schoolcraft's _Travels_ (1820) through the chain of American

lakes these islands are called Huron Islands, and the bay beyond is marked

on their map "Keweena Bay."] that we called of the Trinity; there be 3 in

triangle. From this place we discovered a bay very deepe, where a river

empties its selfe with a noise for the quantitie & dept of the water. We

must stay there 3 dayes to wait for faire weather to make the Trainage,

which was about 6 leagues wide. Soe done, we came to the mouth of a small

river, where we killed some Oriniacks. We found meddows that weare squared,

and 10 leagues as smooth as a boord. We went up some 5 leagues further,

where we found some pools made by the castors. We must breake them that we

might passe. The sluce being broaken, what a wounderfull thing to see the

industrie of that animal, which had drowned more then 20 leagues in the

grounds, and cutt all the trees, having left non to make a fire if the

countrey should be dried up. Being come to the height, we must drague our

boats over a trembling ground for the space of an houre. The ground became

trembling by this means: the castor drowning great soyles with dead water,

herein growes mosse which is 2 foot thick or there abouts, and when you

think to goe safe and dry, if you take not great care you sink downe to

your head or to the midle of your body. When you are out of one hole you

find yourselfe in another. This I speake by experience, for I meselfe have

bin catched often. But the wildmen warned me, which saved me; that is, that

when the mosse should breake under I should cast my whole body into the

watter on sudaine. I must with my hands hold the mosse, and goe soe like a

frogg, then to draw my boat after me. There was no danger.

Having passed that place, we made a carriage through the land for 2

leagues. The way was well beaten because of the commers and goers, who by

making that passage shortens their passage by 8 dayes by tourning about the

point that goes very farr in that great lake; that is to say, 5 to come to

the point, and 3 for to come to the landing of that place of cariage. In

the end of that point, that goeth very farre, there is an isle, as I was

told, all of copper. This I have not seene. They say that from the isle of

copper, which is a league in the lake when they are minded to thwart it in

a faire and calme wether, beginning from sun rising to sun sett, they come

to a great island, from whence they come the next morning to firme lande

att the other side; so by reason of 20 leagues a day that lake should be

broad of 6 score and 10 leagues. The wildmen doe not much lesse when the

weather is faire.

Five dayes after we came to a place where there was a company of Christinos

that weare in their Cottages. They weare transported for joy to see us come

backe. They made much of us, and called us men indeed, to performe our

promisse to come and see them againe. We gave them great guifts, which

caused some suspicion, for it is a very jealous nation. But the short stay

that we made tooke away that jealousy. We went on and came to a hollow

river which was a quarter of a mile in bredth. Many of our wildmen went to

win the shortest way to their nation, and weare then 3 and 20 boats, for we

mett with some in that lake that joyned with us, and came to keepe us

company, in hopes to gett knives from us, which they love better then we

serve God, which should make us blush for shame. Seaven boats stayed of the

nation of the Sault. We went on half a day before we could come to the

landing place, and wear forced to make another carriage a point of 2

leagues long and some 60 paces broad. As we came to the other sid we weare

in a bay of 10 leagues about, if we had gone in. By goeing about that same

point we passed a straight, for that point was very nigh the other side,

which is a cape very much elevated like piramides. That point should be

very fitt to build & advantgeous for the building of a fort, as we did the

spring following. In that bay there is a chanell where we take great store

of fishes, sturgeons of a vast biggnesse, and Pycks of seaven foot long.

Att the end of this bay we landed. The wildmen gave thanks to that which

they worship, we to God of Gods, to see ourselves in a place where we must

leave our navigation and forsake our boats to undertake a harder peece of

worke in hand, to which we are forced. The men told us that wee had 5 great

dayes' journeys before we should arrive where their wives weare. We foresee

the hard task that we weare to undergoe by carrying our bundles uppon our

backs. They weare used to it. Here every one for himselfe & God for all.

We finding ourselves not able to performe such a taske, & they could not

well tell where to finde their wives, fearing least the Nadoneceronons had

warrs against their nation and forced them from their appointed place, my

brother and I we consulted what was best to doe, and declared our will to

them, which was thus: "Brethren, we resolve to stay here, being not

accustomed to make any cariage on our backs as yee are wont. Goe yee and

looke for your wives. We will build us a fort here. And seeing that you are

not able to carry all your marchandizes att once, we will keepe them for

you, and will stay for you 14 dayes. Before the time expired you will send

to us if your wives be alive, and if you find them they will fetch what you

leave here & what we have; ffor their paines they shall receive guifts of

us. Soe you will see us in your countrey. If they be dead, we will spend

all to be revenged, and will gather up the whole countrey for the next

spring, for that purpose to destroy those that weare the causers of their

death, and you shall see our strenght and vallour. Although there are

seaven thousand fighting men in one village, you'll see we will make them

runne away, & you shall kill them to your best liking by the very noise of

our armes and our presence, who are the Gods of the earth among those

people."

They woundered very much att our resolution. The next day they went their

way and we stay for our assurance in the midst of many nations, being but

two almost starved for want of food. We went about to make a fort of

stakes, which was in this manner. Suppose that the watter side had ben in

one end; att the same end there should be murtherers, and att need we made

a bastion in a triangle to defend us from an assault. The doore was neare

the watter side, our fire was in the midle, and our bed on the right hand,

covered. There weare boughs of trees all about our fort layed a crosse, one

uppon an other. Besides these boughs we had a long cord tyed with some

small bells, which weare senteryes. Finally, we made an ende of that fort

in 2 dayes' time. We made an end of some fish that we putt by for neede.

But as soone as we are lodged we went to fish for more whilst the other

kept the house. I was the fittest to goe out, being yongest. I tooke my

gunne and goes where I never was before, so I choosed not one way before

another. I went to the wood some 3 or 4 miles. I find a small brooke, where

I walked by the sid awhile, which brought me into meddowes. There was a

poole where weare a good store of bustards. I began to creepe though I

might come neare. Thought to be in Canada, where the fowle is scared away;

but the poore creatures, seeing me flatt uppon the ground, thought I was a

beast as well as they, so they come neare me, whisling like gosslings,

thinking to frighten me. The whistling that I made them heare was another

musick then theirs. There I killed 3 and the rest scared, which

neverthelesse came to that place againe to see what sudaine sicknesse

befeled their comrads. I shott againe; two payed for their curiosity. I

think the Spaniards had no more to fullfill then as kill those birds, that

thought not of such a thunder bolt. There are yett more countreys as

fruitfull and as beautifull as the Spaniards to conquer, which may be done

with as much ease & facility, and prove as rich, if not richer, for bread &

wine; and all other things are as plentifull as in any part of Europ. This

I have seene, which am sure the Spaniards have not in such plenty. Now I

come backe with my victory, which was to us more then tenne thousand

pistoles. We lived by it 5 dayes. I tooke good notice of the place, in

hopes to come there more frequent, but this place is not onely so.

There we stayed still full 12 dayes without any news, but we had the

company of other wild men of other countreys that came to us admiring our

fort and the workmanshipp. We suffered non to goe in but one person, and

liked it so much the better, & often durst not goe in, so much they stood

in feare of our armes, that weare in good order, which weare 5 guns, two

musquetons, 3 fowling-peeces, 3 paire of great pistoletts, and 2 paire of

pockett ons, and every one his sword and daggar. So that we might say that

a Coward was not well enough armed. Mistrust neverthelesse is the mother of

safety, and the occasion makes the thief. During that time we had severall

alarums in the night. The squerels and other small beasts, as well as

foxes, came in and assaulted us. One night I forgott my bracer, which was

wett; being up and downe in those pooles to fetch my fowles, one of these

beasts carried it away, which did us a great deal of wrong, and caused the

life to great many of those against whom I declared myselfe an ennemy. We

imagined that some wildmen might have surprized us; but I may say they

weare far more afrayd then we. Some dayes after we found it one half a mile

from the fort in a hole of a tree, the most part torne. Then I killed an

Oriniack. I could have killed more, but we liked the fowles better. If we

had both libertie to goe from our fort, we should have procured in a month

that should serve us a whole winter. The wildmen brought us more meate then

we would, and as much fish as we might eate.

The 12th day we perceived afarr off some 50 yong men coming towards us,

with some of our formest compagnions. We gave them leave to come into our

fort, but they are astonied, calling us every foot devills to have made

such a machine. They brought us victualls, thinking we weare halfe starved,

but weare mightily mistaken, for we had more for them then they weare able

to eate, having 3 score bussards and many sticks where was meate hanged

plentifully. They offred to carry our baggage, being come a purpose; but we

had not so much marchandize as when they went from us, because we hid some

of them, that they might not have suspicion of us. We told them that for

feare of the dayly multitud of people that came to see us, for to have our

goods would kill us. We therefore tooke a boat and putt into it our

marchandises; this we brought farre into the bay, where we sunke them,

biding our devill not to lett them to be wett nor rusted, nor suffer them

to be taken away, which he promised faithlesse that we should retourne and

take them out of his hands; att which they weare astonished, believing it

to be true as the Christians the Gospell. We hid them in the ground on the

other sid of the river in a peece of ground. We told them that lye that

they should not have suspicion of us. We made good cheere. They stayed

there three dayes, during which time many of their wives came thither, and

we traited them well, for they eat not fowle att all, scarce, because they

know not how to catch them except with their arrowes. We putt a great many

rind about our fort, and broake all the boats that we could have, for the

frost would have broaken them or wild men had stolen them away. That rind

was tyed all in length to putt the fire in it, to frighten the more these

people, for they could not approach it without being discovered. If they

ventured att the going out we putt the fire to all the torches, shewing

them how we would have defended ourselves. We weare Cesars, being nobody to

contradict us. We went away free from any burden, whilst those poore

miserable thought themselves happy to carry our Equipage, for the hope that

they had that we should give them a brasse ring, or an awle, or an needle.

There came above foure hundred persons to see us goe away from that place,

which admired more our actions [than] the fools of Paris to see enter their

King and the Infanta of Spaine, his spouse; for they cry out, "God save the

King and Queene!" Those made horrid noise, and called Gods and Devills of

the Earth and heavens. We marched foure dayes through the woods. The

countrey is beautifull, with very few mountaines, the woods cleare. Att

last we came within a league of the Cabbans, where we layed that the next

day might be for our entrey. We 2 poore adventurers for the honneur of our

countrey, or of those that shall deserve it from that day; the nimblest and

stoutest went before to warne before the people that we should make our

entry to-morow. Every one prepares to see what they never before have

seene. We weare in cottages which weare neare a litle lake some 8 leagues

in circuit. Att the watterside there weare abundance of litle boats made of

trees that they have hollowed, and of rind.

The next day we weare to embarque in them, and arrived att the village by

watter, which was composed of a hundred cabans without pallasados. There is

nothing but cryes. The women throw themselves backwards uppon the ground,

thinking to give us tokens of friendship and of wellcome. We destinated 3

presents, one for the men, one for the women, and the other for the

children, to the end that they should remember that journey; that we should

be spoaken of a hundred years after, if other Europeans should not come in

those quarters and be liberal to them, which will hardly come to passe. The

first was a kettle, two hattchetts, and 6 knives, and a blade for a sword.

The kettle was to call all nations that weare their friends to the feast

which is made for the remembrance of the death; that is, they make it once

in seaven years; it's a renewing of ffriendshippe. I will talke further of

it in the following discours. The hattchetts weare to encourage the yong

people to strengthen themselves in all places, to preserve their wives, and

shew themselves men by knocking the heads of their ennemyes with the said

hattchetts. The knives weare to shew that the ffrench weare great and

mighty, and their confederats and ffriends. The sword was to signifie that

we would be masters both of peace and warrs, being willing to healpe and

relieve them, & to destroy our Ennemyes with our armes. The second guift

was of 2 and 20 awles, 50 needles, 2 gratters of castors, 2 ivory combs and

2 wooden ones, with red painte, 6 looking-glasses of tin. The awles

signifieth to take good courage, that we should keepe their lives, and that

they with their hushands should come downe to the ffrench when time and

season should permitt. The needles for to make them robes of castor,

because the ffrench loved them. The 2 gratters weare to dresse the skins;

the combes, the paint, to make themselves beautifull; the looking-glasses

to admire themselves. The 3rd guift was of brasse rings, of small bells,

and rasades of divers couleurs, and given in this maner. We sent a man to

make all the children come together. When they weare there we throw these

things over their heads. You would admire what a beat was among them, every

one striving to have the best. This was done uppon this consideration, that

they should be allwayes under our protection, giving them wherewithall to

make them merry & remember us when they should be men.

This done, we are called to the Councell of welcome and to the feast of

ffriendshipp, afterwards to the dancing of the heads; but before the

dancing we must mourne for the deceased, and then, for to forgett all

sorrow, to the dance. We gave them foure small guifts that they should

continue such ceremonyes, which they tooke willingly and did us good, that

gave us authority among the whole nation. We knewed their councels, and

made them doe whatsoever we thought best. This was a great advantage for

us, you must think. Amongst such a rowish kind of people a guift is much,

and well bestowed, and liberality much esteemed; but not prodigalitie is

not in esteeme, for they abuse it, being brutish. Wee have ben useing such

ceremonyes 3 whole dayes, & weare lodged in the cabban of the chiefest

captayne, who came with us from the ffrench. We liked not the company of

that blind, therefore left him. He wondred at this, but durst not speake,

because we weare demi-gods. We came to a cottage of an ancient witty man,

that had had a great familie and many children, his wife old, neverthelesse

handsome. They weare of a nation called Malhonmines; that is, the nation of

Oats, graine that is much in that countrey. Of this afterwards more att

large. I tooke this man for my ffather and the woman for my mother, soe the

children consequently brothers and sisters. They adopted me. I gave every

one a guift, and they to mee.

Having so disposed of our buissinesse, the winter comes on, that warns us;

the snow begins to fall, soe we must retire from the place to seeke our

living in the woods. Every one getts his equipage ready. So away we goe,

but not all to the same place; two, three att the most, went one way, and

so of an other. They have so done because victuals weare scant for all in a

place. But lett us where we will, we cannot escape the myghty hand of God,

that disposes as he pleases, and who chastes us as a good & a common loving

ffather, and not as our sins doe deserve. Finaly wee depart one from an

other. As many as we weare in number, we are reduced to a small company. We

appointed a rendezvous after two months and a half, to take a new road & an

advice what we should doe. During the said terme we sent messengers

everywhere, to give speciall notice to all manner of persons and nation

that within 5 moons the feast of death was to be celebrated, and that we

should apeare together and explaine what the devill should command us to

say, and then present them presents of peace and union. Now we must live on

what God sends, and warre against the bears in the meane time, for we could

aime att nothing else, which was the cause that we had no great cheare. I

can say that we with our comrades, who weare about 60, killed in the space

of 2 moons and a halfe, a thousand moons [Footnote: The writer no doubt

meant that they killed so many that they had bear's grease enough to last

for a thousand moons.] we wanted not bear's grease to annoint ourselves, to

runne the better. We beated downe the woods dayly for to discover

novellties. We killed severall other beasts, as Oriniacks, staggs, wild

cows, Carriboucks, fallow does and bucks, Catts of mountains, child of the

Devill; in a word, we lead a good life. The snow increases dayly. There we

make raketts, not to play att ball, but to exercise ourselves in a game

harder and more necessary. They are broad, made like racketts, that they

may goe in the snow and not sinke when they runne after the eland or other

beast.

We are come to the small lake, the place of rendezvous, where we found some

company that weare there before us. We cottage ourselves, staying for the

rest, that came every day. We stayed 14 dayes in this place most miserable,

like to a churchyard; ffor there did fall such a quantity of snow and

frost, and with such a thick mist, that all the snow stoocke to those trees

that are there so ruffe, being deal trees, prusse cedars, and thorns, that

caused the darknesse uppon the earth that it is to be believed that the sun

was eclipsed them 2 months; ffor after the trees weare so laden with snow

that fel'd afterwards, was as if it had been sifted, so by that means very

light and not able to beare us, albeit we made racketts of 6 foot long and

a foot and a halfe broad; so often thinking to tourne ourselves we felld

over and over againe in the snow, and if we weare alone we should have

difficultie enough to rise againe. By the noyse we made, the Beasts heard

us a great way off; so the famine was among great many that had not

provided before hand, and live upon what they gett that day, never thinking

for the next. It grows wors and wors dayly.

To augment our misery we receive news of the Octanaks, who weare about a

hundred and fifty, with their families. They had a quarell with the hurrons

in the Isle where we had come from some years before in the lake of the

stairing hairs, and came purposely to make warres against them the next

summer. But lett us see if they brought us anything to subsist withall. But

are worst provided then we; having no huntsmen, they are reduced to famine.

But, O cursed covetousnesse, what art thou going to doe? It should be farr

better to see a company of Rogues perish, then see ourselves in danger to

perish by that scourg so cruell. Hearing that they have had knives and

hattchetts, the victualls of their poore children is taken away from them;

yea, what ever they have, those doggs must have their share. They are the

coursedest, unablest, the unfamous & cowarliest people that I have seene

amongst fower score nations that I have frequented. O yee poore people, you

shall have their booty, but you shall pay dearly for it! Every one cryes

out for hungar; the women become baren, and drie like wood. You men must

eate the cord, being you have no more strength to make use of the bow.

Children, you must die. ffrench, you called yourselves Gods of the earth,

that you should be feared, for your interest; notwithstanding you shall

tast of the bitternesse, and too happy if you escape. Where is the time

past? Where is the plentynesse that yee had in all places and countreys?

Here comes a new family of these poore people dayly to us, halfe dead, for

they have but the skin & boans. How shall we have strength to make a hole

in the snow to lay us downe, seeing we have it not to hale our racketts

after us, nor to cutt a litle woad to make a fire to keepe us from the

rigour of the cold, which is extreame in those Countreyes in its season.

Oh! if the musick that we heare could give us recreation, we wanted not any

lamentable musick nor sad spectacle. In the morning the husband looks uppon

his wife, the Brother his sister, the cozen the cozen, the Oncle the nevew,

that weare for the most part found deade. They languish with cryes &

hideous noise that it was able to make the haire starre on the heads that

have any apprehension. Good God, have mercy on so many poore innocent

people, and of us that acknowledge thee, that having offended thee punishes

us. But wee are not free of that cruell Executioner. Those that have any

life seeketh out for roots, which could not be done without great

difficultie, the earth being frozen 2 or 3 foote deepe, and the snow 5 or 6

above it. The greatest susibstance that we can have is of rind tree which

growes like ivie about the trees; but to swallow it, we cutt the stick some

2 foot long, tying it in faggott, and boyle it, and when it boyles one

houre or two the rind or skinne comes off with ease, which we take and drie

it in the smoake and then reduce it into powder betwixt two graine-stoans,

and putting the kettle with the same watter uppon the fire, we make it a

kind of broath, which nourished us, but becam thirstier and drier then the

woode we eate.

The 2 first weeke we did eate our doggs. As we went backe uppon our stepps

for to gett any thing to fill our bellyes, we weare glad to gett the boans

and carcasses of the beasts that we killed. And happy was he that could

gett what the other did throw away after it had ben boyled 3 or foure times

to gett the substance out of it. We contrived an other plott, to reduce to

powder those boanes, the rest of crows and doggs. So putt all that together

halfe foot within grounde, and so makes a fire uppon it, We covered all

that very well with earth, soe seeling the heat, and boyled them againe and

gave more froth then before; in the next place, the skins that weare

reserved to make us shoose, cloath, and stokins, yea, most of the skins of

our cottages, the castors' skins, where the children beshit them above a

hundred times. We burned the haire on the coals; the rest goes downe

throats, eating heartily these things most abhorred. We went so eagerly to

it that our gumms did bleede like one newly wounded. The wood was our food

the rest of sorrowfull time. Finaly we became the very Image of death. We

mistook ourselves very often, taking the living for the dead and the dead

for the living. We wanted strength to draw the living out of the cabans, or

if we did when we could, it was to putt them four paces in the snow. Att

the end the wrath of God begins to appease itselfe, and pityes his poore

creatures. If I should expresse all that befell us in that strange

accidents, a great volume would not centaine it. Here are above 500 dead,

men, women, and children. It's time to come out of such miseryes. Our

bodyes are not able to hold out any further.

After the storme, calme comes. But stormes favoured us, being that calme

kills us. Here comes a wind and raine that putts a new life in us. The snow

sails, the forest cleers itselfe, att which sight those that had strings

left in their bowes takes courage to use it. The weather continued so 3

dayes that we needed no racketts more, for the snow hardned much. The small

staggs are [as] if they weare stakes in it after they made 7 or 8 capers.

It's an easy matter for us to take them and cutt their throats with our

knives. Now we see ourselves a litle fournished, but yett have not payed,

ffor it cost many their lives. Our gutts became very straight by our long

fasting, that they could not centaine the quantity that some putt in them.

I cannot omitt the pleasant thoughts of some of them wildmen. Seeing my

brother allwayes in the same condition, they said that some Devill brought

him wherewithall to eate; but if they had seene his body they should be of

another oppinion. The beard that covered his face made as if he had not

altered his face. For me that had no beard, they said I loved them, because

I lived as well as they. From the second day we began to walke.

There came 2 men from a strange countrey who had a dogg; the buissinesse

was how to catch him cunningly, knowing well those people love their

beasts. Neverthelesse wee offred guifts, but they would not, which made me

stubborne. That dogge was very leane, and as hungry as we weare, but the

masters have not suffered so much. I went one night neere that same cottage

to doe what discretion permitts me not to speake. Those men weare

Nadoneseronons. They weare much respected that no body durst not offend

them, being that we weare uppon their land with their leave. The dogg comes

out, not by any smell, but by good like. I take him and bring him a litle

way. I stabbed him with my dagger. I brought him to the cottage, where [he]

was broyled like a pigge and cutt in peeces, gutts and all, soe every one

of the family had his share. The snow where he was killed was not lost,

ffor one of our company went and gott it to season the kettles. We began to

looke better dayly. We gave the rendezvous to the convenientest place to

celebrat that great feast.

Some 2 moons after there came 8 ambassadors from the nation of

Nadoneseronons, that we will call now the Nation of the beefe. Those men

each had 2 wives, loadened of Oats, corne that growes in that countrey, of

a small quantity of Indian Corne, with other grains, & it was to present to

us, which we received as a great favour & token of friendshippe; but it had

been welcome if they had brought it a month or two before. They made great

ceremonys in greasing our feete and leggs, and we painted them with red.

They stript us naked and putt uppon us cloath of buffe and of white

castors. After this they weeped uppon our heads untill we weare wetted by

their tears, and made us smoake in their pipes after they kindled them. It

was not in common pipes, but in pipes of peace and of the warrs, that they

pull out but very seldom, when there is occasion for heaven and earth. This

done, they perfumed our cloaths and armour one after an other, and to

conclude did throw a great quantity of tobbacco into the fire. We told them

that they prevented us, for letting us know that all persons of their

nation came to visite us, that we might dispose of them.

The next morning they weare called by our Interpretor. We understood not a

word of their language, being quit contrary to those that we weare with.

They are arrived, they satt downe. We made a place for us more elevated, to

be more att our ease & to appeare in more state. We borrowed their Calumet,

saying that we are in their countrey, and that it was not lawfull for us to

carry anything out of our countrey. That pipe is of a red stone, as bigge

as a fist and as long as a hand. The small reede as long as five foot, in

breadth, and of the thicknesse of a thumb. There is tyed to it the tayle of

an eagle all painted over with severall couleurs and open like a fan, or

like that makes a kind of a wheele when he shuts; below the toppe of the

steeke is covered with feathers of ducks and other birds that are of a fine

collour. We tooke the tayle of the eagle, and instead of it we hung 12 Iron

bows in the same manner as the feathers weare, and a blade about it along

the staffe, a hattchett planted in the ground, and that calumet over it,

and all our armours about it uppon forks. Every one smoaked his pipe of

tobacco, nor they never goe without it. During that while there was a great

silence. We prepared some powder that was litle wetted, and the good powder

was precious to us. Our Interpreter told them in our name, "Brethren, we

have accepted of your guifts. Yee are called here to know our will and

pleasur that is such: first, we take you for our brethren by taking you

into our protection, and for to shew you, we, instead of the eagles' tayle,

have putt some of our armours, to the end that no ennemy shall approach it

to breake the affinitie that we make now with you." Then we tooke the 12

Iron off the bowes and lift them up, telling them those points shall passe

over the whole world to defend and destroy your ennemyes, that are ours.

Then we putt the Irons in the same place againe. Then we tooke the sword

and bad them have good courage, that by our means they should vanquish

their Ennemy. After we tooke the hattchett that was planted in the ground,

we tourned round about, telling them that we should kill those that would

warre against them, and that we would make forts that they should come with

more assurance to the feast of the dead. That done, we throw powder in the

fire, that had more strenght then we thought; it made the brands fly from

one side to the other. We intended to make them believe that it was some of

our Tobacco, and make them smoake as they made us smoake. But hearing such

a noise, and they seeing that fire fled of every side, without any further

delay or looke for so much time as looke for the dore of the cottage, one

runne one way, another an other way, ffor they never saw a sacrifice of

tobacco so violent. They went all away, and we onely stayed in the place.

We followed them to reassure them of their faintings. We visited them in

their appartments, where they received [us] all trembling for feare,

believing realy by that same meanes that we weare the Devils of the earth.

There was nothing but feasting for 8 dayes.

The time now was nigh that we must goe to the rendezvous; this was betwixt

a small lake and a medow. Being arrived, most of ours weare allready in

their cottages. In 3 dayes' time there arrived eighten severall nations,

and came privatly, to have done the sooner. As we became to the number of

500, we held a councell. Then the shouts and cryes and the encouragments

weare proclaimed, that a fort should be builded. They went about the worke

and made a large fort. It was about 603 score paces in lenght and 600 in

breadth, so that it was a square. There we had a brooke that came from the

lake and emptied itselfe in those medows, which had more then foure leagues

in lenght. Our fort might be seene afar off, and on that side most

delightfull, for the great many stagges that took the boldnesse to be

carried by quarters where att other times they made good cheare.

In two dayes this was finished. Soone 30 yong men of the nation of the

beefe arrived there, having nothing but bows and arrows, with very short

garments, to be the nimbler in chasing the stagges. The Iron of their

arrows weare made of staggs' pointed horens very neatly. They weare all

proper men, and dressed with paint. They weare the discoverers and the

foreguard. We kept a round place in the midle of our Cabban and covered it

with long poles with skins over them, that we might have a shelter to keepe

us from the snow. The cottages weare all in good order; in each 10, twelve

companies or families. That company was brought to that place where there

was wood layd for the fires. The snow was taken away, and the earth covered

with deale tree bows. Severall kettles weare brought there full of meate.

They rested and eat above 5 houres without speaking one to another. The

considerablest of our companyes went and made speeches to them. After one

takes his bow and shoots an arrow, and then cryes aloud, there speaks some

few words, saying that they weare to lett them know the Elders of their

village weare to come the morrow to renew the friendship and to make it

with the ffrench, and that a great many of their yong people came and

brought them some part of their wayes to take their advice, ffor they had a

minde to goe against the Christinos, who weare ready for them, and they in

like manner to save their wives & children. They weare scattered in many

Cabbans that night, expecting those that weare to come. To that purpose

there was a vast large place prepared some hundred paces from the fort,

where everything was ready for the receiving of those persons. They weare

to sett their tents, that they bring uppon their backs. The pearches weare

putt out and planted as we received the news; the snow putt aside, and the

boughs of trees covered the ground.

The day following they arrived with an incredible pomp. This made me thinke

of the Intrance that the Polanders did in Paris, saving that they had not

so many Jewells, but instead of them they had so many feathers. The ffirst

weare yong people with their bows and arrows and Buckler on their

shoulders, uppon which weare represented all manner of figures, according

to their knowledge, as of the sun and moone, of terrestriall beasts, about

its feathers very artificialy painted. Most of the men their faces weare

all over dabbed with severall collours. Their hair turned up like a Crowne,

and weare cutt very even, but rather so burned, for the fire is their

cicers. They leave a tuff of haire upon their Crowne of their heads, tye

it, and putt att the end of it some small pearles or some Turkey stones, to

bind their heads. They have a role commonly made of a snake's skin, where

they tye severall bears' paws, or give a forme to some bitts of buff's

horns, and put it about the said role. They grease themselves with very

thick grease, & mingle it in reddish earth, which they bourne, as we our

breeks. With this stuffe they gett their haire to stand up. They cutt some

downe of Swan or other fowle that hath a white feather, and cover with it

the crowne of their heads. Their ears are pierced in 5 places; the holes

are so bigg that your little finger might passe through. They have yallow

waire that they make with copper, made like a starr or a half moone, &

there hang it. Many have Turkeys. They are cloathed with Oriniack & staggs'

skins, but very light. Every one had the skin of a crow hanging att their

guirdles. Their stokens all inbrodered with pearles and with their own

porke-pick worke. They have very handsome shoose laced very thick all over

with a peece sowen att the side of the heele, which was of a haire of Buff,

which trailed above halfe a foot upon the earth, or rather on the snow.

They had swords and knives of a foot and a halfe long, and hattchetts very

ingeniously done, and clubbs of wood made like backswords; some made of a

round head that I admired it. When they kille their ennemy they cutt off

the tuffe of haire and tye it about their armes. After all, they have a

white robe made of Castors' skins painted. Those having passed through the

midle of ours, that weare ranged att every side of the way. The Elders came

with great gravitie and modestie, covered with buff coats which hung downe

to the grounde. Every one had in his hand a pipe of Councell sett with

precious jewells. They had a sack on their shoulders, and that that holds

it grows in the midle of their stomacks and on their shoulders. In this

sacke all the world is inclosed. Their face is not painted, but their heads

dressed as the foremost. Then the women laden like unto so many mules,

their burdens made a greater sheu then they themselves; but I supose the

weight was not equivolent to its bignesse. They weare conducted to the

appointed place, where the women unfolded their bundles, and slang their

skins whereof their tents are made, so that they had houses [in] less then

half an hour.

After they rested they came to the biggest cabbane constituted for that

purpose. There were fires kindled. Our Captayne made a speech of

thanksgiving, which should be long to writ it. We are called to the

councell of new come chiefe, where we came in great pompe, as you shall

heare. First they come to make a sacrifice to the french, being Gods and

masters of all things, as of peace, as warrs; making the knives, the

hattchetts, and the kettles rattle, etc. That they came purposely to putt

themselves under their protection. Moreover, that they came to bring them

back againe to their countrey, having by their means destroyed their

Ennemyes abroad & neere. So Said, they present us with guifts of Castors'

Skins, assuring us that the mountains weare elevated, the valleys risen,

the ways very smooth, the bows of trees cutt downe to goe with more ease,

and bridges erected over rivers, for not to wett our feete; that the dores

of their villages, cottages of their wives and daughters, weare open at any

time to receive us, being wee kept them alive by our marchandises. The

Second guift was, yet they would die in their alliance, and that to

certifie to all nations by continuing the peace, & weare willing to receive

and assist them in their countrey, being well satisfied they weare come to

celebrat the feast of the dead. The 3rd guift was for to have one of the

doors of the fort opened, if neede required, to receive and keepe them from

the Christinos that come to destroy them; being allwayes men, and the

heavens made them so, that they weare obliged to goe before to defend their

country and their wives, which is the dearest thing they had in the world,

& in all times they weare esteemed stout & true soldiers, & that yett they

would make it appeare by going to meet them; and that they would not

degenerat, but shew by their actions that they weare as valiant as their

fore ffathers. The 4th guift was presented to us, which [was] of Buff

Skins, to desire our assistance ffor being the masters of their lives, and

could dispose of them as we would, as well of the peace as of the warrs,

and that we might very well see that they did well to goe defend their owne

countrey; that the true means to gett the victory was to have a thunder.

They meant a gune, calling it _miniskoick_.

The speech being finished, they intreated us to be att the feast. We goe

presently back againe to fournish us with woaden bowls. We made foure men

to carry our guns afore us, that we charged of powder alone, because of

their unskillfullnesse that they might have killed their ffathers. We each

of us had a paire of pistoletts and Sword, a dagger. We had a role of

porkepick about our heads, which was as a crowne, and two litle boyes that

carryed the vessells that we had most need of; this was our dishes and our

spoons. They made a place higher & most elevate, knowing our customs, in

the midle for us to sitt, where we had the men lay our armes. Presently

comes foure elders, with the calumet kindled in their hands. They present

the candles to us to smoake, and foure beautifull maids that went before us

carrying bears' skins to putt under us. When we weare together, an old man

rifes & throws our calumet att our feet, and bids them take the kettles

from of the sire, and spoake that he thanked the sun that never was a day

to him so happy as when he saw those terrible men whose words makes the

earth quacke, and sang a while. Having ended, came and covers us with his

vestment, and all naked except his feet and leggs, he saith, "Yee are

masters over us; dead or alive you have the power over us, and may dispose

of us as your pleasur." So done, takes the callumet of the feast, and

brings it, So a maiden brings us a coale of fire to kindle it. So done, we

rose, and one of us begins to sing. We bad the interpreter to tell them we

should save & keepe their lives, taking them for our brethren, and to

testify that we short of all our artillery, which was of twelve gunns. We

draw our Swords and long knives to our defence, if need should require,

which putt the men in Such a terror that they knewed not what was best to

run or stay. We throw a handfull of powder in the fire to make a greater

noise and smoake.

Our songs being finished, we began our teeth to worke. We had there a kinde

of rice, much like oats. It growes in the watter in 3 or 4 foote deepe.

There is a God that shews himselfe in every countrey, almighty, full of

goodnesse, and the preservation of those poore people who knoweth him not

They have a particular way to gather up that graine. Two takes a boat and

two sticks, by which they gett the eare downe and gett the corne out of it.

Their boat being full, they bring it to a fitt place to dry it, and that is

their food for the most part of the winter, and doe dresse it thus: ffor

each man a handfull of that they putt in the pott, that swells so much that

it can suffice a man. After the feast was over there comes two maidens

bringing wherewithall to smoake, the one the pipes, the other the fire.

They offered ffirst to one of the elders, that satt downe by us. When he

had smoaked, he bids them give it us. This being done, we went backe to our

fort as we came.

The day following we made the principall Persons come together to answer to

their guifts. Being come with great solemnity, there we made our

Interpreter tell them that we weare come from the other side of the great

salted lake, not to kill them but to make them live; acknowledging you for

our brethren and children, whom we will love henceforth as our owne; then

we gave them a kettle. The second guift was to encourage them in all their

undertakings, telling them that we liked men that generously defended

themselves against all their ennemyes; and as we weare masters of peace and

warrs, we are to dispose the affairs that we would see an universall peace

all over the earth; and that this time we could not goe and force the

nations that weare yett further to condescend & submitt to our will, but

that we would see the neighbouring countreys in peace and union; that the

Christinos weare our brethren, and have frequented them many winters; that

we adopted them for our children, and tooke them under our protection; that

we should send them ambassadors; that I myself should make them come, and

conclude a generall peace; that we weare sure of their obedience to us;

that the ffirst that should breake the peace we would be their ennemy, and

would reduce them to powder with our heavenly fire; that we had the word of

the Christinos as well as theirs, and our thunders should serve us to make

warrs against those that would not submitt to our will and desire, which

was to see them good ffriends, to goe and make warrs against the upper

nations, that doth not know us as yett. The guift was of 6 hattchetts. The

3rd was to oblige them to receive our propositions, likewise the

Christinos, to lead them to the dance of Union, which was to be celebrated

at the death's feast and banquett of kindred. If they would continue the

warrs, that was not the meanes to see us againe in their Countrey. The 4th

was that we thanked them ffor making us a free passage through their

countreys. The guift was of 2 dozen of knives. The last was of smaller

trifles,--6 gratters, 2 dozen of awles, 2 dozen of needles, 6 dozens of

looking-glasses made of tine, a dozen of litle bells, 6 Ivory combs, with a

litle vermillion. Butt ffor to make a recompence to the good old man that

spake so favorably, we gave him a hattchett, and to the Elders each a blade

for a Sword, and to the 2 maidens that served us 2 necklaces, which putt

about their necks, and 2 braceletts for their armes. The last guift was in

generall for all the women to love us and give us to eat when we should

come to their cottages. The company gave us great Ho! ho! ho! that is,

thanks. Our wildmen made others for their interest.

A company of about 50 weare dispatched to warne the Christinos of what we

had done. I went myself, where we arrived the 3rd day, early in the

morning. I was received with great demonstration of ffriendshippe. All that

day we feasted, danced, and sing. I compared that place before to the

Buttery of Paris, ffor the great quantity of meat that they use to have

there; but now will compare it to that of London. There I received guifts

of all sorts of meate, of grease more then 20 men could carry. The custome

is not to deface anything that they present. There weare above 600 men in a

fort, with a great deale of baggage on their shoulders, and did draw it

upon light slids made very neatly. I have not seen them att their entrance,

ffor the snow blinded mee. Coming back, we passed a lake hardly frozen, and

the sun [shone upon it] for the most part, ffor I looked a while

steadfastly on it, so I was troubled with this seaven or eight dayes.

The meane while that we are there, arrived above a thousand that had not

ben there but for those two redoubted nations that weare to see them doe

what they never before had, a difference which was executed with a great

deale of mirth. I ffor feare of being inuied I will obmitt onely that there

weare playes, mirths, and bataills for sport, goeing and coming with cryes;

each plaid his part. In the publick place the women danced with melody. The

yong men that indeavoured to gett a pryse, indeavoured to clime up a great

post, very smooth, and greased with oyle of beare & oriniack grease. The

stake was att least of 15 foot high. The price was a knife or other thing.

We layd the stake there, but whoso could catch it should have it. The feast

was made to eate all up. To honnour the feast many men and women did burst.

Those of that place coming backe, came in sight of those of the village or

fort, made postures in similitud of warrs. This was to discover the ennemy

by signs; any that should doe soe we gave orders to take him, or kill him

and take his head off. The prisoner to be tyed [and] to fight in

retreating. To pull an arrow out of the body; to exercise and strike with a

clubbe, a buckler to theire feete, and take it if neede requireth, and

defende himselfe, if neede requirs, from the ennemy; being in sentery to

heark the ennemy that comes neere, and to heare the better lay him downe on

the side. These postures are playd while the drums beate. This was a

serious thing, without speaking except by nodding or gesture. Their drums

weare earthen potts full of watter, covered with staggs-skin. The sticks

like hammers for the purpose. The elders have bomkins to the end of their

staves full of small stones, which makes a ratle, to which yong men and

women goe in a cadance. The elders are about these potts, beating them and

singing. The women also by, having a nosegay in their hands, and dance very

modestly, not lifting much their feete from the ground, keeping their heads

downewards, makeing a sweet harmony. We made guifts for that while 14 days'

time. Every one brings the most exquisite things, to shew what his country

affoards. The renewing of their alliances, the mariages according to their

countrey coustoms, are made; also the visit of the boans of their deceased

ffriends, ffor they keepe them and bestow them uppon one another. We sang

in our language as they in theirs, to which they gave greate attention. We

gave them severall guifts, and received many. They bestowed upon us above

300 robs of castors, out of which we brought not five to the ffrench, being

far in the countrey.

This feast ended, every one retourns to his countrey well satisfied. To be

as good as our words, we came to the nation of the beefe, which was seaven

small Journeys from that place. We promised in like maner to the Christinos

the next spring we should come to their side of the upper lake, and there

they should meete us, to come into their countrey. We being arrived among

the nation of the beefe, we wondred to finde ourselves in a towne where

weare great cabbans most covered with skins and other close matts. They

tould us that there weare 7,000 men. This we believed. Those have as many

wives as they can keepe. If any one did trespasse upon the other, his nose

was cutt off, and often the crowne of his head. The maidens have all maner

of freedome, but are forced to mary when they come to the age. The more

they beare children the more they are respected. I have seene a man having

14 wives. There they have no wood, and make provision of mosse for their

firing. This their place is environed with pearches which are a good

distance one from an other, that they gett in the valleys where the Buffe

use to repaire, uppon which they do live. They sow corne, but their harvest

is small. The soyle is good, but the cold hinders it, and the graine very

small. In their countrey are mines of copper, of pewter, and of ledd. There

are mountains covered with a kind of Stone that is transparent and tender,

and like to that of Venice. The people stay not there all the yeare; they

retire in winter towards the woods of the North, where they kill a quantity

of Castors, and I say that there are not so good in the whole world, but

not in such a store as the Christinos, but far better.

Wee stayed there 6 weeks, and came back with a company of people of the

nation of the Sault, that came along with us loaden with booty. We weare 12

dayes before we could overtake our company that went to the lake. The

spring approaches, which [is] the fitest time to kill the Oriniack. A

wildman and I with my brother killed that time above 600, besides other

beasts. We came to the lake side with much paines, ffor we sent our wildmen

before, and we two weare forced to make cariages 5 dayes through the woods.

After we mett with a company that did us a great deale of service, ffor

they carryed what we had, and arrived att the appointed place before 3

dayes ended. Here we made a fort. Att our arrivall we found att least 20

cottages full.

One very faire evening we went to finde what we hide before, which we finde

in a good condition. We went about to execut our resolution, fforseeing

that we must stay that yeare there, ffor which wee weare not very sorry,

being resolved to know what we heard before. We waited untill the Ice

should vanish, but received [news] that the Octanaks built a fort on the

point that formes that Bay, which resembles a small lake. We went towards

it with all speede. We had a great store of booty which we would not trust

to the wildmen, ffor the occasion makes the thiefe. We overloaded our slide

on that rotten Ice, and the further we went the Sun was stronger, which

made our Trainage have more difficultie. I seeing my brother so strained, I

tooke the slide, which was heavier then mine, and he mine. Being in that

extent above foure leagues from the ground, we sunke downe above the one

halfe of the legge in the Ice, and must advance in spight of our teeth. To

leave our booty was to undoe us. We strived so that I hurted myselfe in so

much that I could not stand up right, nor any further. This putt us in

great trouble. Uppon this I advised my brother to leave me with his slide.

We putt the two sleds one by another. I tooke some cloathes to cover mee.

After I stripped myselfe from my wett cloathes, I layed myselfe downe on

the slide; my brother leaves me to the keeping of that good God. We had not

above two leagues more to goe. He makes hast and came there in time and

sends wildmen for me and the slids. There we found the perfidiousnesse of

the Octanaks. Seeing us in Extremitie, would prescribe us laws. We promised

them whatever they asked. They came to fetch me.

For eight dayes I was so tormented I thought never to recover. I rested

neither day nor night; at last by means that God and my brother did use,

which was by rubbing my leggs with hott oyle of bears and keeping my thigh

and leggs well tyed, it came to its former strenght. After a while I came

to me selfe. There comes a great company of new wildmen to seeke a nation

in that land for a weighty buissinesse. They desired me to goe a long, so I

prepare myselfe to goe with them. I marched well 2 dayes; the 3rd day the

sore begins to breake out againe, in so much that I could goe no further.

Those left me, albeit I came for their sake. You will see the cruelties of

those beasts, and I may think that those that liveth on fish uses more

inhumanities then those that feed upon flesh; neverthelesse I proceeded

forwards the best I could, but knewed [not] where for the most part, the

sun being my onely guide.

There was some snow as yett on the ground, which was so hard in the

mornings that I could not percave any tracks. The worst was that I had not

a hattchett nor other arme, and not above the weight of ten pounds of

victualls, without any drink. I was obliged to proceed five dayes for my

good fortune. I indured much in the morning, but a litle warmed, I went

with more ease. I looked betimes for som old cabbans where I found wood to

make fire wherwith. I melted the snow in my cappe that was so greasy. One

night I finding a cottage covered it with boughs of trees that I found

ready cutt. The fire came to it as I began to slumber, which soone awaked

me in hast, lame as I was, to save meselfe from the fire. My racketts,

shoos, and stokens kept me my life; I must needs save them. I tooke them

and flung them as farr as I could in the snow. The fire being out, I was

forced to looke for them, as dark as it was, in the said snow, all naked &

very lame, and almost starved both for hungar and cold. But what is it that

a man cannot doe when he seeth that it concerns his life, that one day he

must loose? Yett we are to prolong it as much as we cane, & the very feare

maketh us to invent new wayes.

The fifth day I heard a noyse and thought it of a wolfe. I stood still, and

soone perceived that it was of a man. Many wild men weare up and downe

looking for me, fearing least the Bears should have devoured me. That man

came neere and saluts me, and demands whether it was I. We both satt downe;

he looks in my sacke to see if I had victualls, where he finds a peece as

bigg as my fist. He eats this without participation, being their usuall

way. He inquireth if I was a hungary. I tould him no, to shew meselfe stout

and resolute. He takes a pipe of tobacco, and then above 20 pounds of

victualls he takes out of his sack, and greased, and gives it me to eate. I

eat what I could, and gave him the rest. He bids me have courage, that the

village was not far off. He demands if I knewed the way, but I was not such

as should say no. The village was att hand. The other wildmen arrived but

the day before, and after a while came by boats to the lake. The boats

weare made of Oriniacks' skins. I find my brother with a company of

Christinos that weare arrived in my absence. We resolved to cover our

buissinesse better, and close our designe as if we weare going a hunting,

and send them before; that we would follow them the next night, which we

did, & succeeded, but not without much labor and danger; for not knowing

the right way to thwart the other side of the lake, we weare in danger to

perish a thousand times because of the crums of Ice. We thwarted a place of

15 leagues. We arrived on the other side att night. When we came there, we

knewed not where to goe, on the right or left hand, ffor we saw no body.

Att last, as we with full sayle came from a deepe Bay, we perceived smoake

and tents. Then many boats from thence came to meete us. We are received

with much Joy by those poore Christinos. They suffered not that we trod on

ground; they leade us into the midle of their cottages in our own boats,

like a couple of cocks in a Basquett. There weare some wildmen that

followed us but late. We went away with all hast possible to arrive the

sooner att the great river. We came to the seaside, where we finde an old

howse all demollished and battered with boulletts. We weare told that those

that came there weare of two nations, one of the wolf, the other of the

long-horned beast. All those nations are distinguished by the

representation of the beasts or animals. They tell us particularities of

the Europians. We know ourselves, and what Europ is, therefore in vaine

they tell us as for that.

We went from Isle to Isle all that summer. We pluckt abundance of Ducks, as

of all other sort of fowles; we wanted nor fish nor fresh meate. We weare

well beloved, and weare overjoyed that we promised them to come with such

shipps as we invented. This place hath a great store of cows. The wildmen

kill them not except for necessary use. We went further in the bay to see

the place that they weare to passe that summer. That river comes from the

lake and empties itselfe in the river of Sagnes, called Tadousack, which is

a hundred leagues in the great river of Canada, as where we weare in the

Bay of the north. We left in this place our marks and rendezvous. The

wildmen that brought us defended us above all things, if we would come

directly to them, that we should by no means land, and so goe to the river

to the other sid, that is, to the north, towards the sea, telling us that

those people weare very treacherous. Now, whether they tould us this out of

pollicy, least we should not come to them ffirst, & so be deprived of what

they thought to gett from us [I know not]. In that you may see that the

envy and envy raigns every where amongst poore barbarous wild people as att

Courts. They made us a mapp of what we could not see, because the time was

nigh to reape among the bustards and Ducks. As we came to the place where

these oats growes (they grow in many places), you would think it strang to

see the great number of ffowles, that are so fatt by eating of this graine

that heardly they will move from it. I have seene a wildman killing 3 ducks

at once with one arrow. It is an ordinary thing to see five [or] six

hundred swans together. I must professe I wondred that the winter there was

so cold, when the sand boyles att the watter side for the extreame heate of

the Sun. I putt some eggs in that sand, and leave them halfe an houre; the

eggs weare as hard as stones. We passed that summer quietly, coasting the

seaside, and as the cold began, we prevented the Ice. We have the

commoditie of the river to carry our things in our boats to the best place,

where weare most bests.

This is a wandring nation, and containeth a vaste countrey. In winter they

live in the land for the hunting sake, and in summer by the watter for

fishing. They never are many together, ffor feare of wronging one another.

They are of a good nature, & not great whore masters, having but one wife,

and are [more] satisfied then any others that I knewed. They cloath

themselves all over with castors' skins in winter, in summer of staggs'

skins. They are the best huntsmen of all America, and scorns to catch a

castor in a trappe. The circumjacent nations goe all naked when the season

permitts it. But this have more modestie, ffor they putt a piece of copper

made like a finger of a glove, which they use before their nature. They

have the same tenents as the nation of the beefe, and their apparell from

topp to toe. The women are tender and delicat, and takes as much paines as

slaves. They are of more acute wits then the men, ffor the men are fools,

but diligent about their worke. They kill not the yong castors, but leave

them in the watter, being that they are sure that they will take him

againe, which no other nation doth. They burne not their prisoners, but

knock them in the head, or slain them with arrows, saying it's not decent

for men to be so cruell. They have a stone of Turquois from the nation of

the buff and beefe, with whome they had warrs. They pollish them, and give

them the forme of pearle, long, flatt, round, and [hang] them att their

nose. They [find] greene stones, very fine, att the side of the same bay of

the sea to the norwest. There is a nation called among themselves neuter.

They speake the beefe and Christinos' speech, being friends to both. Those

poore people could not tell us what to give us. They weare overjoyed when

we sayd we should bring them commodities. We went up on another river, to

the upper lake. The nation of the beefe sent us guifts, and we to them, by

[the] ambassadors. In the midle of winter we joyned with a Company of the

fort, who gladly received us. They weare resolved to goe to the ffrench the

next spring, because they weare quite out of stocke. The feast of the dead

consumed a great deale of it. They blamed us, saying we should not trust

any that we did not know. They upon this asked if we are where the

trumpetts are blowne. We sayd yea, and tould that they weare a nation not

to be trusted, and if we came to that sea we should warre against them,

becaus they weare bad nation, and did their indeavour to tak us to make us

their slaves.

In the beginning of Spring there came a company of men that came to see us

from the elders, and brought us furrs to intice us to see them againe. I

cannot omitt [a] pleasant encounter that happened to my brother as we weare

both in a cottag. Two of the nation of the beefe came to see us; in that

time my brother had some trade in his hands. The wildmen satt neere us. My

brother shews unto them the Image which [re]presented the flight of Joseph

and holy mary with the child Jesus, to avoid the anger of herod, and the

Virgin and child weare riding the asse, and Joseph carrying a long cloake.

My brother shewing that animal, naming it _tatanga_, which is a buffe, the

wildmen, seeing the representation of a woman, weare astonished and weeps,

pulls their haire, and tumbles up and downe to the fire, so continued half

an houre, till he was in a sweat, and wetted with his tears the rest of the

wildmen that weare there. One of them went out of the cottage. My brother

and I weare surprized; thought they might have seene a vision, ffor

instantly the man putt his hands on his face, as if he should make the

signe of the crosse. Now as he came to himselfe, he made us understand,

ffor I began to know much of their speech, that first we weare Devills,

knowing all what is and what was done; moreover, that he had his desire,

that was his wif and child, whome weare taken by the nation of the beefe

foure years agoe. So he tooke the asse for the nation of the beefe, the

Virgin mary for the picture of his wife, and Jesus for his son, and Joseph

for himselfe, saying, "There am I with my long robe, seeking for my wife

and child."

By our ambassadors I came to know an other Lake which is northerly of their

countrey. They say that it's bigger then all the rest. The upper end is

allways frozen. Their ffish comes from those parts. There are people that

lives there and dare not trade in it towards the south. There is a river so

deepe and blacke that there is no bottome. They say that fish goes neither

out nor in to that river. It is very warme, and if they durst navigate in

it, they should not come to the end in 40 dayes. That river comes from the

lake, and the inhabitants makes warrs against the birds, that defends &

offends with theire bills that are as sharpe as sword. This I cannot tell

for truth, but told me. All the circumjacent neighbours do incourage us,

saying that they would venter their lives with us, for which we weare much

overjoyed to see them so freely disposed to goe along with us. Here nothing

but courage. "Brother, doe not lye, ffor the ffrench will not believe

thee." All men of courage and vallour, lett them fetch commodities, and not

stand lazing and be a beggar in the cabbane. It is the way to be beloved of

women, to goe and bring them wherewithall to be joyfull. We present guifts

to one and to another for to warne them to that end that we should make the

earth quake, and give terror to the Iroquoits if they weare so bold as to

shew themselves. The Christinos made guifts that they might come with us.

This was graunted unto them, to send 2 boats, to testifie that they weare

retained slaves among the other nations, although they furnish them with

castors. The boats ready, we embarque ourselves. We weare 700. There was

not seene such a company to goe downe to the ffrench. There weare above 400

Christinos' boats that brought us their castors, in hopes that the people

should give some marchandises for them. Att their retourne the biggest

boats could carry onely the man and his wife, and could scarce carry with

them 3 castors, so little weare their boats. In summer time I have seene

300 men goe to warrs, and each man his boat, ffor they are that makes the

least boats. The company that we had filled above 360 boats. There weare

boats that caryed seaven men, and the least two. It was a pleasur to see

that imbarquing, ffor all the yong women went in stark naked, their hairs

hanging down, yett it is not their coustoms to doe soe. I thought it their

shame, but contrary they thinke it excellent & old custome good. They sing

a loud and sweetly. They stood in their boats, and remained in that posture

halfe a day, to encourage us to come and lodge with them againe. Therefore

they are not alltogether ashamed to shew us all, to intice us, and

inanimate the men to defend themselves valliantly and come and injoy them.

In two dayes we arrived att the River of the sturgeon, so called because of

the great quantity of sturgeons that we tooke there. Here we weare to make

our provissions to passe the lake some 14 dayes. In the said tearme wee

dryed up above a million of sturgeons. [Footnote: He no doubt meant to say,

above "un mille," or "above a thousand."] The women followed us close;

after our abode there two dayes they overtooke us. We had severall fals

allarums, which putt us in severall troubles. They woundred to have found

an Oryanck dead uppon the place, with a boullet in his body. There thousand

lyes weare forged. Therefore we goe from thence, but before we come to the

Longpoint whereof we spoak before, the wildmen called it _okinotoname_, we

perceive smoake. We goe to discover what it was, and by ill looke we found

it was a Iroquoits boat of seaven men, who doubtlesse stayed that winter in

the lake of the hurrons, and came there to discover somewhat. I cannot say

that they weare the first that came there. God graunt that they may be the

last. As they saw us, away they, as swift as their heels could drive. They

left their boat and all. They to the woods, and weare pursued, but in

vaine, ffor they weare gone before three houres. The pursuers came backe;

the one brings a gun, the one a hattchett, the other a kettle, and so

forth. The councell was called, where it was decreed to go backe and shooke

off to goe downe to the ffrench till the next yeare. This vexed us sore to

see such a fleete and such an opportunity come to nothing, foreseeing that

such an other may be not in tenne years. We weare to persuade them to the

contrary, but checked soundly, saying we weare worse then Ennemyes by

perswading them to goe and be slained. In this we must lett theire feare

passe over, and we back to the river of the sturgeons, where we found our

wives, very buissie in killing those creatures that comes there to

multiplie. We dayly heare some newe reporte. All every where ennemy by

fancy.

We in the meane time buissie ourselves in the good of our country, which

will recompence us badly ffor such toyle and labour. Twelve dayes are

passed, in which time we gained some hopes of faire words. We called a

councell before the company was disbanded, where we represented, if they

weare discouvers, they had not vallued the losse of their kettle, knowing

well they weare to gett another where their army layed, and if there should

be an army it should appeare and we in such an number, they could be well

afraid and turne backe. Our reasons weare hard and put in execution. The

next day we embarqued, saving the Christinos, that weare afraid of a sight

of a boat made of another stuff then theirs, that they went back as we came

where the Iroquoits' boat was. Our words proved true and so proceeded in

our way.

Being come nigh the Sault, we found a place where 2 of these men sweated, &

for want of covers buried themselves in the sand by the watter side to

keepe their bodyes from the flyes called maringoines, which otherwise had

killed them with their stings. We thwarted those 2 great lakes with great

pleasur, having the wind faire with us. It was a great satisfaction to see

so many boats, and so many that never had before commerce with the ffrench.

So my brother and I thought wee should be wellcomed. But, O covetousnesse,

thou art the cause of many evils! We made a small sayle to every boate;

every one strived to be not the last. The wind was double wayes favourable

to us. The one gave us rest, the other advanced us very much, which wee

wanted much because of the above said delay. We now are comed to the

cariages and swift streames to gett the lake of the Castors. We made them

with a courage, promptitud, and hungar which made goe with hast as well as

the wind. We goe downe all the great river without any encounter, till we

came to the long Sault, where my brother some years before made a

shipwrake. Being in that place we had worke enough. The first thing wee saw

was severall boats that the Ennemy had left att the riverside. This putt

great feare in the hearts of our people. Nor they nor we could tell what to

doe; and seeing no body appeared we sent to discover what they weare. The

discovers calls us, and bids us come, that those who weare there could doe

us no harme.

You must know that 17 ffrench made a plott with foure Algonquins to make a

league with three score hurrons for to goe and wait for the Iroquoits in

the passage att their retourne with their castors on their ground, hoping

to beat and destroy them with ease, being destitut of necessary things. If

one hath his gun he wants his powder, and so the rest. Att the other side

without doubt had notice that the travelers weare abroad, and would not

faile to come downe with a company, and to make a valiant deede and heroick

action was to destroy them all, and consequently make the ffrench tremble

as well as the wildmen, ffor the one could not live without the other; the

one for his commodities, the other ffor his castors; so that the Iroqoits

pretending to wait for us at the passage came thither fflocking. The

ffrench and wild company, to putt the Iroquoit in some feare, and hinder

his coming there so often with such confidence, weare resolved to lay a

snare against him. That company of souldiers being come to the farthest

place of that long sault without being discovered, thought allready to be

conquerors making cariage, having abroad 15 men to make discoveries, but

mett as many ennemyes. They assaulted each other, and the Iroquoits found

themselves weake, left there their lives and bodyes, saving 2 that made

their escape, went to give notice to 200 of theirs that made ready as they

heard the gunns, to help their foreguard. The ffrench seeing such great

odds made a retreat, and warned by foure Algonquins that a fort was built

not afar off, built by his nation the last yeare, they fled into it in an

ill houre. In the meane while the Iroquoits consulted what they should doe;

they sent to 550 Iroquoits of the lower nation and 50 Orijonot that weare

not afar off. Now they would asault the ffrench in their ffort, the ffort

not holding but 20 men. The hurrons could not come in and could not avoid

the shott of the ennemy. Then the ffrench pulled downe the fort, and closed

together they stoutly began to worke. Those that the ffrench had killed,

cutt their heads off & put them uppon long poles of their fort. This

skermish dured two dayes & two nights. The Iroquoits finds themselves

plagued, ffor the ffrench had a kind of bucklers and shelters. Now arrives

600 men that they did not think of in the least. Here is nothing but cryes,

fire, and flame day & night. Here is not to be doubted, the one to take the

other, the one to defend himselfe till death. The hurrons seeing such a

company submitted to the ennemyes, but are like to pay for their cowardise,

being in their hands weare tyed, abused, smitten, and burned as if they

weare taken by force, ffor those barbarous weare revenged on their boanes

as any was wounded or killed in the battaille.

In this great extremity our small company of one and twenty did resist 5

days against 800 men, and the two foremost dayes against 200 which weare

seaven dayes together without intermission, & the worst was that they had

no watter, as we saw, ffor they made a hole in the ground out of which they

gott but litle because they weare on a hill. It was to be pitied. There was

not a tree but was shot with buletts. The Iroquoits come with bucklers to

make a breach. The ffrench putt fire to a barill of powder, thinking to

shoake the Iroquoits or make him goe back; but did to their great

prejudice, for it fell againe in their fort, which made an end of their

combat. Uppon this the Ennemy enters, kills and slains all that he finds,

so one did not make an escape, saveing one that was found alive; but he

stayed not long, for in a short time after his fortune was as the rest; for

as he was brought to one of the Forts of the Irokoits, as he was bid to sit

down he finds a Pistolet by him, and takes it at adventure, not knowing

whether it was charged or no. He puts the end to the breast of him that

tyed him, and killd him in the presence of all his camerades; but without

any more adoe he was burnt very cruelly. All the French though dead were

tyed to posts along the River side, and the 4 Algonquins. As for the hurons

they were burnt at their discretion. Some neverthelesse escaped to bring

the certain newes how all passed. [Footnote: Frenchmen massacred at Long

Sault. See Introduction.] It was a terrible spectacle to us, for wee came

there 8 dayes after that defeat, which saved us without doubt. I beleeve

for certain that the Iroqoits lost many men, having to doe with such brave

and valiant souldiers as that company was. Wee visited that place and there

was a fine Fort; three were about the other two.

Wee went down the river without making any carriage, and wee adventured

very much. As Soon as wee were at the lower end many of our wildmen had a

mind to goe back and not to goe any further, thinking really that all the

French were killed. As for my Brother and I, wee did fear very much that

after such a thing the pride of the enemy would make them attempt anything

upon the habitations of mount Royall, which is but 30 leagues from thence.

Wee did advise them to make a ffort, or to put us in one of the enemies',

and to send immediately two very light boats, that could not be overtaken

if the enemy should discover them; and that being arrived at the

habitation, they should make them shoot the peeces of Ordnance, and that as

soon as the night should come wee would embarque our selves and should hear

the noise, or else wee should take councell of what wee should doe, and

stay for them at the height of the Isle of mount Royall; which was done

accordingly without any hazard, for all the enemies were gone dispairing of

our comeing down, and for what they had done and for what they had lost,

which by the report of some Hurons was more then four score men; and if the

French had had a Fort flanke & some water they had resisted the enemy

miraculously and forced them to leave them for want of powder and shott and

also of other provisions. They were furnished for the whole summer. Our two

boats did goe, but the rest were soe impatient that they resolved to follow

them, being willing to run the same hazard; and wee arrived the next

morning and were in sight when the peeces were shott off, with a great

deale of Joy to see so great a number of boats that did almost cover the

whole River.

Wee stayd 3 dayes at mont-Royall, and then wee went down to the three

Rivers. The wildmen did aske our advice whether it was best for them to goe

down further. We told them no, because of the dangers that they may meet

with at their returne, for the Irokoits could have notice of their comeing

down, and so come and lay in ambush for them, and it was in the latter

season, being about the end of August. Well, as soon as their businesse was

done, they went back again very well satisfyed and wee very ill satisfied

for our reception, which was very bad considering the service wee had done

to the countrey, which will at another time discourage those that by our

example would be willing to venture their lives for the benefit of the

countrey, seeing a Governor that would grow rich by the labours and hazards

of others.

Before I goe further I have a mind to let you know the fabulous beleafe of

those poore People, that you may see their ignorance concerning the soul's

immortality, being separated from the body. The kindred and the friends of

the deceased give notice to the others, who gather together and cry for the

dead, which gives warning to the young men to take the armes to give some

assistance and consolation to the deceased. Presently the corps is covered

with white skins very well tyed. Afterwards all the kindred come to the

cottage of the deceased and begin to mourn and lament. After they are weary

of making such musick the husbands or Friends of the deceased send their

wives for gifts to pacifie a little the Widdow and to dry her tears. Those

guifts are of skins and of what they can get, for at such a ceremony they

are very liberall. As soon as that is done and the night comes, all the

young men are desired to come and doe what they will to have done to them.

So that when darknesse has covered the whole face of the Earth they come

all singing with staves in their hands for their armes, and after they are

set round the cabbin, begin to knock and make such a noise that one would

thinke they have a mind to tear all in peeces, and that they are possessed

of some Devills. All this is done to expell and frighten the soule out of

that poor and miserable body that she might not trouble his carcase nor his

bones, and to make it depart the sooner to goe and see their Ancestors, and

to take possession of their immortall glory, which cannot be obtained but a

fortnight towards the setting of the sun. The first step that she makes is

of seven dayes, to begin her course, but there are many difficulties, ffor

it is through a very thick wood full of thorns, of stones and flints, which

[brings] great trouble to that poor soule. At last having overcome all

those dangers and toyles she comes to a River of about a Quarter of a mile

broad where there is a bridge made onely of one planke, being supported by

a beame pointed at one end, which is the reason that planke rises and falls

perpetually, having not any rest nor stay, and when the soule comes near

the side of that river, she meets with a man of extraordinary stature, who

is very leane and holds a dagger of very hard wood and very keen in his

hands, and speakes these words when he sees the petitioning soule come

near: _Pale_, _pale_, which signifies, Goe, goe; and at every word the

bridge ballances, and rises his knife, and the traveller offering himselfe,

receives a blow by which he is cut in two, and each halfe is found upon

that moving, and according as he had lived they stay upon it; that is, if

his body was valiant the passage was soon made free to him, for the two

halfes come together and joyn themselves again. So passe to the other side

where she finds a bladder of bear's grease to grease herselfe and refresh

herselfe for that which she is to do, which being done she finds a wood

somewhat cleerer and a straight road that she must goe, and for 5 dayes

neither goe to the right nor to the left hand, where at last being arrived

she finds a very great and cleer fire, through which she must resolve to

passe. That fire is kindled by the young men that dyed since the beginning

of the world to know whether those that come have loved the women or have

been good huntsmen; and if that soule has not had any of those rare Vertues

she burnes and broiles the sole of her feet by going through the fire; but

quite contrary if she has had them qualityes, she passes through without

burning her selfe in the least, and from that so hot place she finds grease

and paint of all sorts of colour with which she daubs and makes herselfe

beautifull, to come to that place so wished for. But she has not yet all

done, nor made an end of her voyage; being so dress'd she continues her

course still towards the same pole for the space of two dayes in a very

cleer wood, and where there is very high and tall trees of which most be

oakes, which is the reason that there is great store of bears. All along

that way they do nothing else but see their enemies layd all along upon the

ground, that sing their fatall song for having been vanquished in this

world and also in the other, not daring to be so bold as to kill one of

those animalls, and feed onely upon the down of these beasts. Being

arrived, if I may say, at the doore of that imaginarie paradise, they find

a company of their ancestors long since deceased, by whom they are received

with a great deale of ceremony, and are brought by so venerable a company

within halfe a daye's journey of the place of the meeting, and all along

the rest of the way they discourse of things of this world that are passd;

for you must know they travell halfe a day without speaking one word, but

keepe a very deep silence, for, said they, it is like the Goslings to

confound one another with words. As soon as they are arrived they must have

a time to come to themselves, to think well upon what they are to speak

without any precipitation, but with Judgement, so that they are come where

all manner of company with drumms & dryd bumpkins, full of stones and other

such instruments. The elders that have brought her there cover her with a

very large white skin, and colour her leggs with vermillion and her feet

likewise, and so she is received amongst the Predestinates. There is a deep

silence made as soon as she is come in, and then one of the elders makes a

long speech to encourage the young people to go a hunting to kill some meat

to make a feast for entertainment of the soul of their countryman, which is

put in execution with a great deal of diligence and hast; and while the

meat is boyling or roasting, and that there is great preparations made for

the feast, the young maidens set out themselves with the richest Jewells

and present the beesome to the new-comer. A little while after the kettles

are filled, there is feasting every where, comedies acted, and whatsoever

is rare is there to be seene; there is dancing every where. Now remaines

nothing but to provide that poor soule of a companion, which she does

presently, for she has the choice of very beautifull women, and may take as

many as she pleases, which makes her felicity immortall.

By this you may see the silly beleefe of these poor People. I have seen

right-minded Jesuites weep bitterly hearing me speake of so many Nations

that perish for want of Instruction; but most of them are like the wildmen,

that thinke they offend if they reserve any thing for the next day. I have

seen also some of the same company say, "Alas, what pity 'tis to loose so

many Castors. Is there no way to goe there? The fish and the sauce invite

us to it; is there no meanes to catch it? Oh, how happy should I be to go

in those countreys as an Envoye, being it is so good a countrey." That is

the relation that was made me severall times by those wildmen, for I

thought they would never have done. But let us come to our arrivall againe.

The Governour, seeing us come back with a considerable summe for our own

particular, and seeing that his time was expired and that he was to goe

away, made use of that excuse to doe us wrong & to enrich himselfe with the

goods that wee had so dearly bought, and by our meanes wee made the country

to subsist, that without us had beene, I beleeve, oftentimes quite undone

and ruined, and the better to say at his last beeding, no castors, no ship,

& what to doe without necessary commodities. He made also my brother

prisoner for not having observed his orders, and to be gone without his

leave, although one of his letters made him blush for shame, not knowing

what to say, but that he would have some of them at what price soever, that

he might the better maintain his coach & horses at Paris. He fines us four

thousand pounds to make a Fort at the three Rivers, telling us for all

manner of satisfaction that he would give us leave to put our coat of armes

upon it, and moreover 6,000 pounds for the country, saying that wee should

not take it so strangely and so bad, being wee were inhabitants and did

intend to finish our days in the same country with our Relations and

Friends. But the Bougre did grease his chopps with it, and more, made us

pay a custome which was the 4th part, which came to 14,000 pounds, so that

wee had left but 46,000 pounds, and took away L. 24,000. Was not he a

Tyrant to deal so with us, after wee had so hazarded our lives, & having

brought in lesse then 2 years by that voyage, as the Factors of the said

country said, between 40 and 50,000 pistolls? For they spoke to me in this

manner: "In which country have you been? From whence doe you come? For wee

never saw the like. From whence did come such excellent castors? Since your

arrivall is come into our magazin very near 600,000 pounds Tournois of that

filthy merchandise, which will be prized like gold in France." And them

were the very words that they said to me.

Seeing ourselves so wronged, my brother did resolve to goe and demand

Justice in France. It had been better for him to have been contented with

his losses without going and spend the rest in halfe a year's time in

France, having L. 10,000 that he left with his wife, that was as good a

Houswife as he. There he is in France; he is paid with fair words and with

promise to make him goe back from whence he came; but he feeing no

assurance of it, did engage himselfe with a merchant of Rochell, who was to

send him a Ship the next spring. In that hope he comes away in a fisher

boat to the pierced Island, some 20 leagues off from the Isle d'eluticosty,

[Footnote: _Eluticosty_, Anticosti, an island at the mouth of the river St.

Lawrence.] the place where the ship was to come; that was to come whilst he

was going in a shallop to Quebucq, where I was to goe away with him to the

rendezvous, being he could not do anything without me; but with a great

deel of difficulty it proved, so that I thought it possible to goe tast of

the pleasures of France, and by a small vessell that I might not be idle

during his absence. He presently told me what he had done, and what wee

should doe. Wee embarked, being nine of us. In a few dayes wee came to the

pierced Island, where wee found severall shipps newly arrived; & in one of

them wee found a father Jesuit that told us that wee should not find what

wee thought to find, and that he had put a good order, and that it was not

well done to distroy in that manner a Country, and to wrong so many

Inhabitants. He advised me to leave my Brother, telling me that his designs

were pernicious. Wee see ourselves frustrated of our hopes. My Brother told

me that wee had store of merchandize that would bring much profit to the

french habitations that are in the Cadis. I, who was desirous of nothing

but new things, made no scruple.

Wee arrived at St. Peter, in the Isle of Cape Breton, at the habitation of

Monsr. Denier, where wee delivered some merchandizes for some Originack

skins; from thence to Camseau where every day wee were threatned to be

burned by the french; but God be thanked, wee escaped from their hands by

avoiding a surprize. And in that place my Brother told me of his designe to

come and see new England, which our servants heard, and grumbled and

laboured underhand against us, for which our lives were in very great

danger. Wee sent some of them away, and at last with much labour & danger

wee came to Port Royall, which is inhabited by the french under the English

Government, where some few dayes after came some English shipps that

brought about our designes, where being come wee did declare our designes.

Wee were entertained, and wee had a ship promissed us, and the Articles

drawn, and wee did put to sea the next spring for our discovery, and wee

went to the entry of Hudson's streight by the 61 degree. Wee had knowledge

and conversation with the people of those parts, but wee did see and know

that there was nothing to be done unlesse wee went further, and the season

of the yeare was far spent by the indiscretion of our master, that onely

were accustomed to see some Barbadoes Sugers, and not mountaines of Suger

candy, which did frighten him, that he would goe no further, complaining

that he was furnished but for 4 months, & that he had neither Sailes, nor

Cord, nor Pitch, nor Towe, to stay out a winter. Seeing well that it was

too late, he would goe no further, so brought us back to the place from

whence wee came, where wee were welcome, although with great losse of goods

& hope, but the last was not quite lost. Wee were promissed 2 shipps for a

second voyage. They were made fit and ready, and being the season of the

yeare was not yet come to be gone, one of them 2 shipps was sent to the

Isle of Sand, there to fish for the Basse [Footnote: This fishing

expedition was to the well-known Sable Island. In 1676 "The King granted

Medard Chouart, Sieur des Grozelliers, and Pierre Esprit, Sieur des

Radision, the privilege of establishing fisheries for white porpoises and

seal in the river St. Lawrence in New France."] to make Oyle of it, where

wee came in very bad weather, and the ship was lost in that Island, but the

men were saved. The expectation of that ship made us loose our 2nd voyage,

which did very much discourage the merchants with whom wee had to doe. They

went to law with us to make us recant the bargaine that wee had made with

them. After wee had disputed a long time it was found that the right was on

our side, and wee innocent of what they did accuse us. So they endeavoured

to come to an agreement, but wee were betrayed by our own Party. In the

meantime the Commissioners of the King of Great Brittain arrived in that

place, and one of them would have us goe with him to New Yorke, and the

other advised us to come to England and offer our selves to the King, which

wee did. Those of new England in generall made profers unto us of what ship

wee would if wee would goe on in our Designes; but wee answered them that a

scalded cat fears the water though it be cold.

Wee are now in the passage, and he that brought us, which was one of the

Commissioners called Collonell George Carteret, was taken by the

Hollanders, and wee arrived in England in a very bad time for the Plague

and the warrs. Being at Oxford, wee went to Sir George Carteret, who spoke

to his Majestie, who gave us good hopes that wee should have a ship ready

for the next spring, and that the king did allow us 40 shillings a week for

our maintenance, and wee had chambers in the Town by his order, where wee

stayed 3 months. Afterwards the King came to London and sent us to Windsor,

where wee stayed the rest of the winter. Wee are sent for from that place,

the season growing neare, and put into the hands of Sir Peter Colleton. The

ship was got ready something too late, and our master was not fit for such

a Designe. But the Hollanders being come to the River of Thames had stopp'd

the passage, soe wee lost that opportunity. So wee were put off till the

next yeare, & a little while after that same ship was sent to Virginia and

other places to know some news of the Barbadoes, and to be informed if that

Island was not in danger; which if it had been lost, had taken from the

English Ladyes the meanes or the pleasure of drinking french wine. Those of

Burdeaux & of Rochell were great loosers in the expectation of the ship,

that was not gone to the Isle of Sand, but to Holland. Wee lost our second

voyage, for the order was given to late for the fitting another ship, which

cost a great deale of money to noe purpose. The third yeare wee went out

with a new company in 2 small vessells, my Brother in one & I in another, &

wee went together 400 leagues from the North of Ireland, where a sudden

great storme did rise & put us asunder. The sea was soe furious 6 or 7

houres after that it did almost overturne our ship, so that wee were forced

to cut our masts rather then cutt our lives; but wee came back safe, God be

thanked, and the other, I hope, is gone on his voyage, God be with him. I

hope to embarke myselfe by the helpe of God this fourth yeare, & I beseech

him to grant me better successe then I have had hitherto, & beseech him to

give me Grace & to make me partaker of that everlasting happinesse which is

the onely thing a man ought to look after.

I have here put the names of severall Nations amongst which I have been for

the most part, which I think may extend to some 900 leagues by the

reckoning of my Travells.