B. Plate forme où estoit le canon.
C. Le magasin.
D. Logemẽt du sieur de Pontgraué & Champlain.
E. La forge.
F. Palissade de pieux.
G. Le four.
H. La cuisine.
O. Petite maisonnette où l'on retiroit les vtansiles de nos
barques; que de puis le sieur de Poitrincourt fit rebastir et & y
logea le sieur Boulay quand le sieur du Pont s'en riuint en France.
P. La porte de l'abitation.
Q. [K] Le cemetiere.
R. La riuiere.]
XII
RELATIO RERUM GESTARUM
in Nova-Francica Missione, Annis 1613 & 1614
LYONS: CLAUDE CAYNE, 1618
SOURCE: We follow the general style of O'Callaghan's Reprint No. 6.
The Title and Tabula Rerum are the work of that Editor. The Text is
from the original volume of Annuæ Litteræ Societatis Iesu, Anni CIↃ IↃC
XII, pp 562-605, in the Riggs Library, Georgetown, D. C. The bracketed
pagination is that of the Annuæ; that in Roman, of O'Callaghan.
RELATIO
RERVM GESTARUM
IN
Novo-Francica Missione
ANNIS 1613 & 1614.
[Illustration]
_Ex Annvis Litteris Societatis_ IESV _impressis_
LVGDVNI, APVD CLAVDIVM CAYNE, TYPOGRAPHVM.
CIↃ IↃC XIIX
A RELATION
OF OCCURRENCES
IN THE
Mission of New France
DURING THE YEARS 1613 AND 1614.
_From the Published Annual Letters of the
Society of_ JESUS
LYONS, CLAUDE CAYNE, PRINTER.
1618
[iii] Tabvla Rervm
Pag.
I _QUID sit Nova Francia_ 1
II _De climate_ 2
III _De moribus gentivm_ 4
IV _De prima exploratione Novæ Franciæ_ 4
V _De situ, flvviis et incolis_ 5
VI _De promontorijs, de quinqve Francorvm domicilijs_ 8
_De ortu domicilij Sancti Saluatoris ad ostivm amnis Pentegoetij_ 9
VII _Appvlvnt nostri ad Portvm Regalem_ 16
VIII _De laboribus nostrorvm_ 17
IX _De rebvs angvstis_ 25
X _Patres radices legvnt et pisces ad svstentvm domicilij_ [iv] 36
XI _Saussæus ex Francia solvit ad novas missionis sedes collocandas
et Sancti Saluatoris domicilivm inchoat_ 37
XII _De impetu Anglorum in missionem Sancti Saluatoris et de ruina
Sanctæ Crucis et Regii Portis arcium_ 41
XIII _Patres in Virginiam et inde in Angliam deportati_ 53
XIV _Svmma rervm in Novo-Francica missione gestarvm_ 59
[iii] Table of Contents.
Page.
I _WHAT New France is_ 1
II _Climate_ 2
III _Customs of the people_ 4
IV _First exploration of New France_ 4
V _Location, rivers, and inhabitants_ 5
VI _The capes; the five settlements of the French_ 8
_Origin of the settlement of St. Sauveur at the mouth of the
river Pentegoët_ 9
VII _Our fathers land at Port Royal_ 16
VIII _Labors of our fathers_ 17
IX _Their hardships_ 25
X _The Fathers gather roots and fish for the support of the
colony_ [iv] 36
XI _La Saussaye leaves France for the purpose of establishing new
missionary stations, and begins the settlement of St. Sauveur_ 37
XII _Attack of the English upon the mission of St. Sauveur, and
destruction of the forts of Ste. Croix and Port Royal_ 41
XIII _The Fathers are carried to Virginia and thence to England_ 53
XIV _Summary of occurrences, in the mission of New France_ 59
[562] In Novam Franciam, sev Canadiam Missio.
NOVA FRANCIA, Brasiliæ ac Peruuio continens ad Boream vastissima regio,
Aquitanico Galliæ littori ad occasum obuersa, directas ab Occidente
in Orientem, & contrà, lineas cum [563] nostra Francia communes
habet; ab eaque non ita longo maris traiectu octingentarum, aut is
vbi latissimus est, mille leucarum dirimitur interuallo. Ex huiusmodi
oppositu & vicinitate nostratis Frãciæ, Nouam Franciam maiores eam
appellarunt; cui nomenclationi & illa altera, rei maximè congruens,
accessit ex euentu causa, quòd eam terrarum adhuc incognitam oram primi
mortalium Franci nostrates deprehenderunt, crebrísque nauigationibus,
centum eóque ampliùs abhinc annis, frequentarunt. Canadiæ verò nomen,
quod vulgò vniuersam in eam regionem confertur, eius modò plagæ
Septemtrionalis proprium est, quæ CANADÆ fluminis, & nobilis sinus,
cui à Sancto Laurentio nomen est, copiosis aquis alluitur. Enimuerò
vniuersæ Nouæ Franciæ amplitudo, nunc, ad Floridæ confinia, multò licet
quam nuper contractior, vndequadragesimo tamen gradu, versùs Austrum,
determinatur: vltráque nostratis Franciæ latitudinem non paucis leucis
porrigitur: exinde autem ignotis adhuc finibus in Aquilonem, sicut
& immẽsis tractibus in Sinicum mare ad Occidentem excurrit: quà
denique Eurum spectat, nostro Aquitanico Oceano, Britannicóque, ipsi
linearum parallelis obiecto, definitur.
[562] The Mission in New France, or Canada.
NEW FRANCE, an immense region adjoining Brazil and Peru on the
North, and opposite the coast of Aquitaine in a westerly direction,
is situated between the same parallels of latitude as [563] is our
France; and is separated from it by the very moderate voyage of
800 leagues, or, where the ocean is broadest, of 1,000 leagues.
Because it is thus opposite and near to our France, our ancestors
called it New France; and for this nomenclature another especially
appropriate reason occurred in the good fortune by which our
French fellow-countrymen were the first to take possession of this
hitherto unknown region, and visited it in frequent voyages more
than a hundred years ago. But the name of Canada, which is commonly
given to this entire country, belongs only to that Northern region
which is washed by the abundant waters of the river CANADA,[48]
and of the noble gulf which is called St. Lawrence. Indeed, the
whole territory of New France, although now much more confined
than formerly, towards the frontiers of Florida, is nevertheless
bounded on the South by the thirty-ninth parallel, and extends many
leagues beyond the breadth of our France. Moreover, it stretches
with yet unknown limits towards the North, and in vast expanses to
the Chinese sea on the West; finally it is bounded Eastward by our
Aquitanian and Breton Ocean, lying opposite and between the same
parallels.
CAELI eadem omnino, quæ nostri Gallici temperatio, ex ea ratione
Climatis eiusdem, quam indicauimus, inesse illi regioni debet, vti
reuera inest. Soli autem quin par quoque sit ratio, nihil prohiberet,
si iugis adesset campestris terræ cultura: & perpetuarum ferè siluarum
abesset densa opacitas. [564] Nam opima omnino vniuersi terreni
viscera, facilè prodit ingens arborum amplitudo, atque proceritas:
summam quoque glebam vbertate multa pinguem, tota planitie camporum,
hilariter herbescens terræ viriditas ostendit.
THERE ought to be in that region the same sort of Climate in every
respect as that of our France, from the fact, as we pointed out,
of its similar situation, and this is actually the case. Moreover,
there is no reason why the soil should not be equally fertile, if
the cultivation of the plains were long continued upon the uplands,
and if it were not for the dense shades of the almost unbroken
forests. [564] For the subsoil of the whole country is very rich,
as trees of immense size and height readily demonstrate. That the
surface-soil is also endued with great fertility is shown by the
pleasing luxuriance of the vegetation over all the plains.
GENS ea distinctis lingua & sede multis populis continetur, nulla
vsquam consiliorum aut fortunarum communione deuinctis: nulla nec lege,
nec arte; nullo nisi piscatus, & venatus vitæ subsidio instructis:
vix vlla Numinis cogitatione, aut salutis cura informatis: ad omne
opus ignauis: stupidis ad artes, quæ ingenio aut memoria nitantur: in
summa, belluinis pænè hominibus constat ea natio. Populus cum longinquo
propinquóve populo vix habet commercium, nisi quod bello inferendo, aut
defendendo potest interuenire. Immo, neque idem populus, eadem loci
regione, ac tugurioram vicinitate iunctus, fermè vnquam coire solet,
nisi vt de armis, aduersùm communes hostes capita conferat. Exterarum
verò nationum Francicam vnam ferè suos in portus admittunt, Fibrinis,
atque huiusmodi pellibus suis distrahendis, necessariáque veste, ac
supellectile permutandis.
THE people comprise many tribes diverse in language and situation,
united by no mutual purposes or interests; possessing neither laws
nor arts, and knowing no other means of gaining a livelihood than
by fishing and hunting; having almost no conception of Deity or
concern for salvation; indolent in every occupation, and dull in
those pursuits which depend upon talent or memory. On the whole,
the race consists of men who are hardly above the beasts. One
tribe hardly ever has intercourse with another, either distant or
near, except such as may arise in the prosecution of offensive or
defensive warfare. Even the members of the same tribe, united by
a common location and the vicinity of their dwellings, are seldom
accustomed to meet together, except to take measures concerning war
against a common enemy. Of foreign nations, the French are almost
the only people whom they admit to their harbors, for the sake of
disposing of their Beaver skins and other peltries, in exchange for
necessary clothing and utensils.
HANC noui orbis partem ex Francis nauarchis primi explorarunt Britones,
anno quarto post millesimum quingentesimum; de qua vbi renunciauerant,
eius repetendæ nauigationis, vel comites, vel æmulatores habuerunt
deinceps frequentissimè, tum Normannos, turn cæteros Gallici Oceani
accolas. Vndeuicesimo pòst anno, Ioannes Verazanus [565] Florentinus,
vicesimo item, ac tricesimo quarto Iacobus Quartierus Gallus, Brito,
cum imperio missi ab Francisco Primo, Gallorum Rege, ipsius auspiciis
occupatam regionem illam, eius posterorumque Regum iurisdictioni
vindicarunt, cuius possessionem, per interualla sussectæ aliæ atque
aliæ Francorum expeditiones, in hanc vsque diem Gallorum Regibus
asserere perseuerarunt. De nostris verò missi quoque sunt anno
superiore, qui Henrici Quarti auctoritate populos, Francico nomini
amicitia & Societate iunctos, ac reliquos etiam Canadios, Euangelij
tanto sanctiore fœdere, Christo regum regi deuincirent. Quo de negotio
antè quàm instituamus dicere, præter ea quæ generatim complexi sumus,
necesse est de loco ac gente sigillatim quædam capita enucleatiùs
explicemus.
AMONG French navigators, the Bretons first explored this part of
the new world in 1504;[49] and after they brought back reports
of it, they had in subsequent voyages thither, many companions
or rivals,--not only the Normans, but also other dwellers on the
Sea-coast of France. In the nineteenth and also in the twentieth
year thereafter, John Verazano, [565] a Florentine; and, in the
thirty-fourth year thereafter, Jacques Quartier, a Frenchman of
Brittany, were sent as commanders by Francis I., King of France;
and, by the occupation of this region under his authority, brought
it under the jurisdiction of that King, and also of his successors.
Various French expeditions, sent out at intervals, continue to this
day to maintain that possession for the Kings of France. Some of
our brethren were also sent last year in order, by the authority of
Henry IV., to unite the tribes joined in friendship and Alliance
with the French, and also the remaining Canadians, by the far
holier tie of the Gospel, to Christ, the king of kings. Before we
begin to speak concerning this undertaking, we must, in addition to
our general description, explain more fully some matters concerning
the country and people.
NOVA Francia Gallis adeuntibus gemino littore patet; altero, quod
angusta fronte Oceano nostro, & Orienti obtenditur: altero, quod
productiore tractu ad Floridæ vsque confinia Austro obiacet. Istud
latus portubus, atque ostiis fluminum frequens est, quibus commodè
penetrari possit in regionis mediterranea, & hàc ferè Galli terras
illas ineunt: illud verò, Franciæ nostræ obiectum littus, quoniam
oppositu ingentis insulæ, quam Nouam Terram appellant, importuosum pænè
est, ea regione nostrates non subeunt. Eius orbis vastissimã planitiem
ingentissimi aluei, aquis copiosissimum flumen irrigat, directo limite
ab vltimo pænè occasu ad ortum, quoad angusto freto ad insulam Terræ
[566] Nouæ, ipsiúsque insulæ oppositu, eius ostia in Austrinum littus
inflectantur. Ei fluuio gentile nomen est _Sacqué_, Sanctum Laurentium
Galli appellarunt; cuius caput ampliùs quingentis inde leucis indigenæ
ab lacu in trecentas patente leucas repetunt. In hunc amnium principem
alij amnes nobiles ab Aquilone influunt, nempe Saguenaiüm, Tergeminus
amnis, seu tres amnes, simul coëuntes, Algomequium, & cæteri non
pauci. Saguenaij quingentarum, Tergemini quadringentarum leucarum
nauigatio longè porrigitur in Boream. E montibus, ad ripam Austrinam
Saquéi amnis, transuersi feruntur in Meridianum Oceani littus alij
quoque fluuij celebres; vnde populis, atque illius tractus regionibus
plerisque gentilia ducta sunt nomina; sed eorum nonnullis sui moris
appellationes Franci posteà indiderunt. Fluuij autem sunt hi ad Austrum
conuersi, Sanctus Ioannes, Pentegoëtius, Quinibequius, Choüacoetius,
Norembega, quem postremum amnem Champlænius eumdem ac Pentegoetium
esse contendit. Populi trans Saquéum, Sanctúmve-Laurentium, versùs
Aquilonem, non procul illius ostiis, sunt Canadij & Excomminquij: longè
verò ab his, eadem Boreali ripa, versùs occasum, è regione Floridæ,
incolunt Algomeguij, atque Ochasteguij. Cis Sanctum-Laurentium, in
Australi ora degunt item Canadij, ad ipsum magni amnis flexum, ab
Euro in Austrum declinãtis. Post eos ad Occasum vergũt Souriquij,
Acadiæ regionis incolæ: deinde ad Pentegoetium, seu Norembegam
fluuium, Pentegoetij: [567] ad horum dextram, Occasum spectantium,
circa _Quebecum_ arcem, Montagnetij: post Pentegoetios recto tractu
Eteminquij, ad amnem Quinibequium: inde Almochiquij ad flumen
Choüacoetium, latissimis campis diffusi: denique inter Floridam,
& Sacquéum magnum amnem, Iroquij campestribus, montosisque locis
latissimè habitant. Reliquos Nouæ Franciæ populos multos, præsertim
trans magnum Sacquéum amnem, Aquilonares, Galli nostrates non nisi
ex auditione norunt. Ex notis autem, amicos, ac pæne Socios habent
Souriquios, Eteminquios, Montagnetios, Almochiquios, Algomequios, &
Ochasteguios: istis capitales hostes Iroquios, hostili quoque in se
animo experiuntur, eo maximè nomine, quòd Iroquiis Galli cum ipsorum
hostibus bellum intulerint. Horum quidem populorum soli agriculturam,
inscienter tamen, exercent Almochiquij, Iroquij, & Ochasteguij,
miliumque Indicum, & fabam Brasilicam ferunt.
NEW France presents to the French, as they approach it, two
coasts, one which borders with a narrow frontage upon our Ocean
to the East; and another far longer, which extends Southward to
the confines of Florida. The former side abounds in bays and
estuaries, by which one may readily penetrate into the interior;
by these routes the French usually enter these regions; but, since
the other coast, lying opposite our France, is rendered almost
inaccessible by the intervention of a great island which they call
Newfoundland, our people do not approach in that direction. The
immense plain in that quarter is watered by a river of vast size
and mighty volume, its course directly eastward from almost the
farthest west, until, by reason of the narrow strait at the island
of Newfoundland [566] and the opposition of the island itself, its
mouth is broadly curved towards the Southern coast. The native
name of that river is _Sacqué_;[50] the French have called it
St. Lawrence; its source the natives seek more than 500 leagues
distant, in a lake 300 leagues in width. Into this main stream
other noble rivers flow from the North, such as the Saguenay,[51]
the Three Rivers,[52]--or three rivers flowing together,--the
Algomequi,[53] and many others. These rivers are open for
navigation far Northward--the Saguenay five hundred leagues, the
Three Rivers four hundred leagues, From the mountains[54] upon the
Southern bank of the Sacqué River other notable streams flow across
to the Southern coast of the Ocean, and from these the native names
for most of the tribes and districts of that region are derived;
but upon some of them the French afterward conferred names after
their own fashion. The rivers flowing Southward are the St. John,
Pentegoët, Quinibequi, Choüacoet,[11] and Norembega, which last
stream Champlain[55] asserts to be the same as the Pentegoët. The
tribes across the Sacqué or St. Lawrence, towards the North, not
far from its mouth, are the Canadis[56] and Excomminquis;[10] but
at a distance from these, on the same Northern shore, toward the
west, in the direction of Florida, dwell the Algomeguis[57] and the
Ochasteguis.[58] Across the St Lawrence, on the Southern bank, the
Canadi live also, directly at the bend of the great river, which
turns from the East towards the South.[59] Beyond them, toward the
West, lie the Souriquois, inhabitants of the country of Acadia;[60]
thence, toward the Pentegoët or Norembega River, the Pentegoëts;[6]
[567] to their right, looking Westward, about the fortress at
_Quebec_,[59] the Montagnais; beyond the Pentegoëts; directly
toward the Quinibequi River, the Eteminquis; then the Almochiquois,
at the Choüacoet River, scattered over a very extensive region;
finally, between Florida and the great Sacqué River, the Iroquois
inhabit enormous tracts of both level and mountainous country.
Many of the remaining tribes of New France, especially those of
the North, across the great Sacqué River, our French countrymen
know only from hearsay. Among those whom they know, however, they
have secured as friends, and almost as allies, the Souriquois,
Eteminquis, Montagnais, Almochiquois, Algomequois, and Ochasteguis.
The Iroquois, who are deadly enemies of these tribes, prove
hostile to the French also, mainly because the latter have waged
war against them, in company with their enemies. Certain of these
tribes--the Almochiquois, Iroquois, and Ochasteguis--practice
agriculture, though unskillfully, and plant Indian corn and the
Brazilian bean.[61]
PROMONTORIA celebria Franciam Nouam ineuntibus Meridiano littore
occurrunt, Britonicum, ad ipsa ostia magni amnis, hoc est Sancti
Laurentij; ab hoc deinde Heuæum, Arietinum, Sabulosum, Bifidum,
Sanctus Ludouicus, Album, Sancta Helena. Eamdem oram à Promontorio
Britonico legentibus obuij fiunt portus, Campsæus, Sesambræus, Regius,
Pulcher. Mediterranea verò per Sacquéum amnem, & Canadiæ fines subire
volentibus, præteruehenda sunt, Britonicum, ad ostia eiusdem fluuij;
Sanctus-Laurentius; Episcopium, [568] Chatæum, & alia nonnulla
promontoria: Tadoussacus denique portus ad Saguenaij fluminis ostia
Sacqéum ineuntis.
NUMEROUS headlands meet those who approach New France by the
Southern coast: Breton, at the very mouth of the great river St.
Lawrence; next in order, La Hève, Mouton, Sable, Fourchu, St.
Louis, Blanc, Ste. Hélène.[62] Those who coast along the same shore
from Cape Breton meet the harbors called Campseau, Sesambre, Port
Royal, and Beaubassin.[63] But those who wish to journey inland,
beyond the borders of Canada, by way of the Sacqué river, must pass
Cape Breton, at the mouth of the St. Lawrence; Cap de l'Evêque,
[568] Cap Chat,[64] and some other headlands,--finally reaching
Tadoussac bay, at the mouth of the Saguenay river, where it enters
the Sacqué.
Porrò in tam immenso terrarum ambitu, frequentibus expeditionibus,
annis ampliùs centum, Franci domicilia omnino quinque constituerunt,
quorum primum posuit Iacobus Quartierus posteriore sua nauigatione, non
ad _Sanctæ Crucis_, quæ nunc est, importuosas angustias, & cautes: sed
in iis pænè vestigiis vbi nunc est Quebecum, Sancta Cruce quindenis
leucis citerius. Altertum Petrus du Gas, dominus de Monts, anno quarto
supra millesimum sexcentesimum erexit, in angusta insula, inter
Eteminquios, in Australi propemodum littore: cui domicilio ac insulæ
nomen _Sancta Crux_ indidit. Idem eodem anno, in quasi peninsula, oræ
Acadicæ, ad Regium Portum, eiusdem nominis exiguam arcem fossa & aggere
munitam exstruxit. Portus Regius, & portui cognominis arx, sunt in ea,
quam Franciam _Baïam_ vocant, centum quinquaginta leucis à Campsæo
promontorio, leucas octo intra continentem. _Baïa_ scilicet Francis,
sicut Hispanis, est amplior terræ sinus ad oram maris, aut fluminis
maioris, angulato orbiculatóve recessu, influenti aquæ ad interiora
continentis præbens aditum. In extremo Francico Sinu portus est
octingentorum passuum ostio peruius, duas leucas longus, vnam latus,
duûm millium capax maiorum nauium, cui ab nobilitate _Regius Portus_
nomen à Champlænio Franco est inditum. Tertiam sedem quarto pòst anno
condidit dominus de [569] Monts ad Quebecium cornu, in Australi ripa
Sacquéi amnis, è regione Aurelianæ insulæ, in Montagnetiorum solo;
quam arcem Champlænius, qui operi præfuit, Quebecum à soli nomine
appellauit, & eodem pænè loco Sanctam Crucem Iacobi Quartieri arcem
olim conditam fuisse obseruauit. Quinti & vltimi Francici domicilij
fundamenta Patres nostri iaciebant, ad ostium amnis Pentegoetij, cùm
ab irrumpentibus Anglis opere prohibiti, atque in captiuitatem contra
fas, & ius gentium abducti sunt. Iis ad hunc modum præmissis capitibus,
quæ alioqui moratura erant institutam rerum narrationem, ad susceptam à
Patribus nostris Canadicam expeditionem stylum conferamus.
Moreover, in this great extent of territory, by means of numerous
expeditions and in more than a century, the French have established
only five settlements;[65] the first of these was founded by
Jacques Quartier during his last voyage, not at the inaccessible
narrows and rocks of the place now called _Saincte Croix_,[66] but
in almost the very spot where now stands Quebec, fifteen leagues
on this side of Ste. Croix. Another was built by Pierre du Gas,
sieur de Monts, in the year 1604, upon a small island, among the
Eteminquis, close to their Southern shore, to which settlement and
island he gave the name of _Saincte Croix_. He also in the same
year, upon a sort of peninsula on the Acadian coast, near Port
Royal, erected a small fort of the same name, defended by a ditch
and a rampart. Port Royal, and the fort of the same name as the
harbor, are on what is called French _Bay_, one hundred and fifty
leagues from Cape Campseau, eight leagues from the sea. A _bay_
among the French, as among the Spanish, is a large indentation
in the land at the shore of the sea or of a great river, angular
or round in shape, giving the waters entrance to the interior
regions. At the head of French Bay is a harbor, reached by a
channel three-quarters of a mile long; it is two leagues long and
one wide, capable of receiving 2,000 large ships, and because of
its majestic appearance was named _Port Royal_ by the Frenchman
Champlain. A third settlement was founded by sieur de [569] Monts,
four years later, at the point of Quebec, on the Southern bank of
the Sacqué river, near the isle of Orleans,[67] in the territory of
the Montagnais; Champlain, who was in charge of the work, called
this fort Quebec, from the name of the district,[41] and observed
that in almost the same place Jacques Quartier's post of Ste.
Croix had in former days been built. Our Fathers were laying the
foundations of the fifth and last French settlement at the mouth of
the Pentegoët river, when they were prevented from prosecuting the
work by a descent of the English, and carried off into captivity,
contrary to justice and the law of nations. These details, which
otherwise would have delayed the orderly narrative of events,
having been thus first explained, let us devote our pen to the
Canadian expedition undertaken by our Fathers.