CHAPTER XI.

Transcriber's Note.

A list of the changes made can be found at the end of the book.

Formatting and special characters are indicated as follows:

_italic_

=bold=

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THE JESUIT RELATIONS AND ALLIED DOCUMENTS

VOL. VII

The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents

TRAVELS AND EXPLORATIONS OF THE JESUIT MISSIONARIES IN NEW FRANCE

1610-1791

THE ORIGINAL FRENCH, LATIN, AND ITALIAN TEXTS, WITH ENGLISH

TRANSLATIONS AND NOTES; ILLUSTRATED BY PORTRAITS, MAPS, AND

FACSIMILES

EDITED BY

REUBEN GOLD THWAITES

Secretary of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin

Vol. VII

QUEBEC, HURONS, CAPE BRETON: 1634-1635

CLEVELAND: =The Burrows Brothers Company=, PUBLISHERS, M DCCCXCVII

COPYRIGHT, 1897

BY

THE BURROWS BROTHERS CO

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

_The Imperial Press, Cleveland_

EDITORIAL STAFF

Editor REUBEN GOLD THWAITES

Translator from the French JOHN CUTLER COVERT

Assistant Translator from the French MARY SIFTON PEPPER

Translator from the Latin WILLIAM FREDERIC GIESE

Translator from the Italian MARY SIFTON PEPPER

Assistant Editor EMMA HELEN BLAIR

Bibliographical Adviser VICTOR HUGO PALTSITS

CONTENTS OF VOL. VII

PREFACE TO VOLUME VII 1

DOCUMENTS:--

XXIII. Relation de ce qui s'est passé en La Novvelle France, en

l'année 1634 [Chapters x.-xiii., completing the document].

_Paul le Jeune_; Maison de N. Dame des Anges, en Nouvelle France,

August 7, 1634 5

XXIV. Lettre à Monseigneur le Cardinal. _Paul le Jeune_; Kebec,

August 1, 1635 237

XXV. Relation de ce qui s'est passé en la Novvelle France, en l'année

1635 [Chapters i., ii.]. _Paul le Jeune_; Kebec, August 28, 1635 247

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DATA: Volume VII 305

NOTES 309

[Illustration]

ILLUSTRATION TO VOL. VII

I. Photographic facsimile of title-page, Le Jeune's _Relation_ of 1635

250

PREFACE TO VOL. VII

Following is a synopsis of the documents contained in the present

volume:

XXIII. The first installment (chaps. i.-ix.) of Le Jeune's _Relation_

of 1634, written to the provincial at Paris, was given in Vol. VI. of

our series. In the concluding portion herewith presented, the superior

of the Quebec mission continues his account of the Montagnais. He

describes their clothing and ornaments; then their language, which,

though deficient in expressions for abstract ideas, he praises for its

fullness and richness in vocabulary and grammatical forms. He offers

to the provincial numerous reasons why he made so little progress in

learning the tongue while he wintered among them--his own defective

memory; the malice of a medicine man, whom he had opposed; the perfidy

of the interpreter Pierre, who refused to teach him; his sufferings

from hunger and illness; and the inherent difficulties of the language

itself. All these points are elaborated, with many details, the result

being a vivid picture of savage life, and of the hardships, danger,

and suffering endured by this heroic missionary while wandering with

the savages through the forests and mountains along the southern shore

of the River St. Lawrence. At last, after almost six months of this

wretched life, and many hair-breadth escapes from death, Le Jeune, ill

and exhausted, reaches his humble home, the mission house on the St.

Charles. In the closing chapter he recounts, in the form of a journal,

the events of the summer of 1634 at Quebec; the arrival of the French

fleet, with Father Buteux and the colonists of Sieur Robert Giffard;

the departure of Brébeuf, Daniel, and Davost for the Huron mission,

and their hardships on the voyage; the foundation of new settlements

above Quebec,--at St. Croix island (not to be confounded with the site

of De Monts's colony), and Three Rivers. He announces his intention to

go, with Buteux, to Three Rivers; and closes with an appeal for more

missionaries, who shall be competent to learn the Indian dialects.

XXIV. In this letter to Cardinal Richelieu (dated August 1, 1635), Le

Jeune congratulates him on his efforts to root out the Huguenot heresy;

thanks him for his kindness, and for evidences of affection for the

Jesuit mission in Canada; and urges the great man to aid the Company

of New France in their colonizing enterprise, for on their success

depends that of the mission. The cardinal is reminded how many poor

French families might be provided with homes if sent to the New World,

where land is abundant; he is also informed that some savages have been

converted to the faith.

XXV. This document is known as Le Jeune's _Relation_ of 1635.

Heretofore the superior of Quebec has been the sole author of the

annual report of the Jesuit mission in New France. But with the arrival

of new missionaries the work was greatly broadened, and hereafter we

shall find the _Relation_ a composite, arranged by the superior from

the several individual reports forwarded to him by his assistants in

the field, often with the addition of a general review from his own

pen. Of such a character is the present _Relation_, which, like its

successors, is for convenience designated by the name of the superior

who forwarded it to the provincial at Paris, for publication.

The 112 introductory pages are by Le Jeune, dated Kebec, August 28,

1635; of these, we have space in this volume for but 51 pages (chaps,

i., ii.). Commencing with p. 113 (original pagination), we shall find

a report from Brébeuf, dated Ihonatiria (in the Huron country), May

27, 1635. Then will appear, commencing on p. 207, an undated report

from Perrault, for 1634-35, describing the island of Cape Breton and

the characteristics of its people; and, commencing on p. 220, a number

of brief, unaccredited extracts from letters by various members of the

missionary staff.

In his opening letter, addressed to the provincial, Le Jeune

anticipates most hopefully the growth and prosperity of Canada in the

hands of the French, but is especially rejoiced at the great interest

which the mission has aroused in France. There, many pious laymen are

aiding the enterprise with their efforts and money; many priests desire

to join the Canadian mission; and many nuns are eagerly awaiting some

opportunity to labor among the Indian women and children for their

conversion to the Christian faith. Le Jeune advises these sisters not

to come to Canada until they are suitably provided with a house and

means of support: and he appeals to the ladies of France to furnish

this aid for the nuns. He then describes the condition and extent of

the mission, which now has six residences at various points, all the

way from Cape Breton to Lake Huron. At the oldest of these, Notre

Dame des Anges, near Quebec, center their plans for educational work.

He wishes here to establish a college for French children, and is

beginning a seminary for the instruction of Indian youth. He describes

the importance of the Huron mission, and states that he has received

promises of funds for its extension. He recounts the work of himself

and his brethren in the French settlements, especially mentioning the

comfort they gave to the sick and dying during an epidemic of scurvy

at the new settlement at Three Rivers. He then gives detailed accounts

of the religious experiences and deaths of various Indian converts;

and relates the tragic death of the two Montagnais with whom he had

spent the preceding winter,--Carigonan, "the sorcerer," and his brother

Mestigoit, in whose cabin they all lived.

R. G. T.

MADISON, WIS., April, 1897.

XXIII (concluded)

LE JEUNE'S RELATION, 1634

PARIS: SEBASTIEN CRAMOISY, 1635

Chaps. x.-xiii., and Index, completing the document; Chaps. i.-ix.

appeared in Volume VI.

[164] CHAPITRE X.

DE LEURS HABITS & DE LEURS ORNEMENTS.

C'ESTOIT la pensée d'Aristote, que le mõde auoit fait cõme trois pas,

pour [165] arriuer à la perfection qu'il possedoit de son temps. Au

premier les hommes se contentoient de la vie, ne recherchants purement

& simplement que les choses necessaires & vtiles pour sa conseruation.

Au second ils ont conjoint le delectable auec le necessaire, & la

bienseance auec la necessité. On a trouué premierement les viures,

puis les assaisonnements, on s'est couuert au cõmencement contre

la rigueur du temps, & par apres on a donné de la grace & de la

gentillesse aux habits, on a fait des maisons aux premiers siecles

simplement pour s'en seruir, & par apres on les a fait encore pour

estre veuës. Au troisiéme pas les hommes d'esprit voyans que le monde

iouyssoit des choses necessaires & douces pour la vie, ils se sont a

donnez à la contemplation des choses naturelles, & à la recherche des

sciences, si bien que la grande Republique des hommes s'est petit à

petit perfectionnée, la necessité marchant deuant, la bien-seance & la

douceur venant apres, & les sciences tenant la dernier rang.

[164] CHAPTER X.

ON THEIR CLOTHES AND ORNAMENTS.

IT was the opinion of Aristotle that the world had made three

steps, as it were, to [165] arrive at the perfection which it

possessed in his time. At first men were contented with life,

seeking purely and simply only those things which were necessary

and useful for its preservation. In the second stage, they united

the agreeable with the necessary, and politeness with necessity.

First they found food, and then the seasoning. In the beginning,

they covered themselves against the severity of the weather, and

afterward grace and beauty were added to their garments. In the

early ages, houses were made simply to be used, and afterward they

were made to be seen. In the third stage, men of intellect, seeing

that the world was enjoying things that were necessary and pleasant

in life, gave themselves up to the contemplation of natural objects

and to scientific researches; whereby the great Republic of men has

little by little perfected itself, necessity marching on ahead,

politeness and gentleness following after, and knowledge bringing

up the rear.

Or ie veux dire que nos Sauuages Montagnais & errans, ne sont encore

[166] qu'au premier degré des trois que ie viẽs de toucher, ils ne

pensent qu'à viure, ils mãgent pour ne point mourir, ils se couurent

pour banir le froid, non pour paroistre, la grace, la bienseance,

la connoissance des arts, les sciences naturelles, & beaucoup moins

les veritez surnaturelles, n'ont point encore de logis en cét

hemisphere, du moins en ces contrées. Ce peuple ne croit pas qu'il y

ait autre science au monde, que de viure & de mãger, voila toute leur

Philosophie. Ils s'estõnent de ce que nous faisons cas de nos liures,

puisque leur connoissance ne nous donne point dequoy bannir la faim,

ils ne peuuent comprendre ce que nous demandons à Dieu en nos prieres.

Demande luy, me disoient-ils, des Originaux, des Ours & des Castors,

dis luy que tu en veux manger; & quand ie leur disois que ce la estoit

peu de chose, qu'il y auoit biẽ d'autres richesses à demãder, ils se

rioyent, que pourrois tu, me repondoient-ils souhaitter de meilleur,

que de manger tõ saoul de ces bonnes viandes? Bref ils n'ont que la

vie, encore ne l'ont-ils pas toute entiere, puisque la famine les tuë

assez souuent.

Now I wish to say that our wandering Montagnais Savages are yet

only [166] in the first of these three stages which I have just

touched upon. Their only thought is to live, they eat so as not to

die; they cover themselves to keep off the cold, and not for the

sake of appearance. Grace, politeness, the knowledge of the arts,

natural sciences, and much less supernatural truths, have as yet

no place in this hemisphere, or at least in these countries. These

people do not think there is any other science in the world, except

that of eating and drinking; and in this lies all their Philosophy.

They are astonished at the value we place upon books, seeing that

a knowledge of them does not give us anything with which to drive

away hunger. They cannot understand what we ask from God in our

prayers. "Ask him," they say to me, "for Moose, Bears, and Beavers;

tell him that thou wishest them to eat;" and when I tell them that

those are only trifling things, that there are still greater riches

to demand, they laughingly reply, "What couldst thou wish better

than to eat thy fill of these good dishes?" In short, they have

nothing but life; yet they are not always sure of that, since they

often die of hunger.

[167] Iugez maintenant qu'elle peut-estre la gentillesse de leurs

habits, la noblesse & la richesse de leurs ornements, vous prẽdriez

plaisir de les voir en cõpagnie: pendant l'Hiuer toutes sortes d'habits

leurs sont propres, & tout est commun tant aux femmes comme aux hommes:

il n'y a point de difformité en leurs vestemens, tout est bon, pourueu

qu'il soit biẽ chaud. Ils sont couuerts propremẽt, quand ils le sont

commodement; dõnez leur vn chaperon, vne homme le portera aussi bien

qu'vne femme, il n'y a habit de fol dont ils ne se seruent sagement,

s'ils s'en peuuent seruir chaudement: ils ne sont point comme ces

Seigneurs qui s'attachent à vne couleur. Depuis qu'ils prattiquent nos

Europeans, ils sont plus bigarrez que des Suisses. I'ay veu vne petite

fille de six ans vestuë de la casaque de son pere, qui estoit vn grand

homme, il ne falut point de Tailleur pour luy mettre cét habit dans

sa iustesse, on le ramasse à l'entour du corps, & on le lie comme vn

fagot. L'vn a vn bonnet rouge, l'autre vn bõnet verd, l'autre vn gris,

tous faits, nõ à la mode de la Cour, mais à la mode de la commodité.

L'autre aura [168] vn chapeau que si les bords l'empeschent, ils les

couppent.

[167] Judge now how elegant must be their garments, how noble and

rich their ornaments. You would enjoy seeing them in company.

During the Winter all kinds of garments are appropriate to them,

and all are common to both women and men, there being no difference

at all in their clothes; anything is good, provided it is warm.

They are dressed properly when they are dressed comfortably. Give

them a hood, and a man will wear it as well as a woman; for there

is no article of dress, however foolish, which they will not wear

in all seriousness if it helps to keep them warm, in this respect

being unlike those Lords who affect a certain color. Since they

have had intercourse with our Europeans, they are more motley than

the Swiss. I have seen a little six-year-old girl dressed in the

greatcoat of her father, who was a large man; yet no Tailor was

needed to adjust it to her size, for it was gathered around her

body and tied like a bunch of fagots. One has a red hood, another

a green one, and another a gray,--all made, not in the fashion of

the Court, but in the way best suited to their convenience. Another

will wear [168] a hat with the brim cut off, if it happens to be

too broad.

Les femmes ont pour robbe vne camisolle ou vn capot, ou vne casaque,

ou vne castelogne, ou quelque peau dont ils s'enueloppent, se lians

en autãt d'endroits qu'il est necessaire, pour fermer les aduenuës au

vent? L'vn porte vn bas de cuir, l'autre de drap, pour le present ils

couppent leurs vieilles couuertures ou castellongnes, pour faire des

mãches & des bas de chausses. Ie vous laisse à penser si cela est bien

vuidé & bien tiré; en vn mot ie reïtere ce que i'ay desia dit, leur

proprieté est leur commodité, & comme ils ne se couurent que contre

l'injure du tẽps, si tost que l'air est chaud, ou qu'ils entrènt dans

leurs Cabanes, ils iettent leurs atours à bas, les hõmes restãs tous

nuds, à la reserue d'vn brayer qui leur cache ce qui ne peut estre

veu sans vergongne. Pour les femmes elles quittent leur bonnet, leurs

manches & bas de chausses, le reste du corps demeurant couuert. Voila

l'equipage des Sauuages, pour le present qu'ils communiquent auec nos

François.

The women have for dress a long shirt, or a hooded cloak, or a

greatcoat, or a blanket, or some skins tied in as many places as

may be necessary to keep out the wind. A man will wear one stocking

of leather, and another of cloth; just now they are cutting up

their old coverings or blankets, with which to make sleeves or

stockings; and I leave you to imagine how neatly and smoothly

they fit. In a word, I repeat what I have already said,--to them

propriety is convenience; and, as they only clothe themselves

according to the exigencies of the weather, as soon as the air

becomes warm or when they enter their Cabins, they throw off their

garments and the men remain entirely naked, except a strip of cloth

which conceals what cannot be seen without shame. As to the women,

they take off their bonnets, sleeves and stockings, the rest of

the body remaining covered. In this you have the clothing of the

Savages, now during their intercourse and association with our

French.

Ce peuple va tousi[o]urs teste nuë, hormis [169] dans les plus grands

froids, encore y en a-il plusieurs qui ne se couurient iamais, ce qui

me fait conjecturer que fort peu se seruoient de bõnets, auant qu'ils

communiquassent auec nos Europeãs, aussi n'en sçauroient ils faire,

ains ils les traittent tous faits, ou du moins les font tailler à nos

François. Voila pour leur coiffure, qui n'est autre que leurs cheueux,

tant aux hommes qu'aux femmes, & mesme aux enfans; car ils sont testes

nuës dans leur maillot.

These people always go bareheaded, except [169] in the most severe

cold, and even then some of them go uncovered, which makes me think

that very few of them used hats before their intercourse with our

Europeans; nor do they know how to make them, buying them already

made, or at least cut, from our French people. So for their head

gear they have nothing but their hair, both men and women and even

the children, for they are bareheaded in their swaddling clothes.

Leurs robbes sont faictes de peaux d'Elans, d'Ours, & d'autres animaux.

Les plus riches en leur estime sont faites des peaux d'vne espece de

petit animal noir, qui se trouue aux Hurons, il est de la grandeur d'vn

Lapin, le poil est doux & luisant, il entre bien vne soixantaine de ces

peaux dans vne robbe, ils attachẽt les queuës de ces animaux aux bas,

pour seruir de franges, & les testes au haut pour seruir d'vne espece

de rebord. La figure de leur robbe est quasi quarrée, les femmes les

peignent, tirant des raïes du haut en bas, ces raïes sont également

distantes & larges, enuiron de deux pouces vous diriez du passement.

Their clothes are made of the skin of Elk, Bears, and other

animals. The ones that they value the most are made of the skins

of a kind of little black animal found in the Huron country; it

is about the size of a Rabbit, the skin is soft and shiny, and it

takes about sixty of them to make a robe. The tails of the animals

are fastened to the bottom, to serve as fringe; and the heads

above, to make a sort of border. These robes are nearly square in

shape; the women paint colored stripes on them from top to bottom,

which are about as wide as two thumbs, and are equally distant from

each other, giving the effect of a kind of lace-work.

[170] Les hommes portent leurs robbes en deux façons: quand il fait

vn peu chaud ils ne s'en enueloppent point, mais ils la portent sur

vn bras, & sous l'autre, ou bien estendu sur leur dos, retenue par

deux petites cordes de peaux, qu'ils lient dessus leur poictrine;

ce qui n'empesche pas qu'ils ne paroissent quasi tous nuds. Quand

il fait froid, ils la passent tous, hommes & femmes, sous vn bras &

dessus l'epaule de l'autre, puis la croisent & s'en enueloppent assez

commodémẽt contre le froid, mais maussadement; car s'estans liez sous

la poictrine, ils la retroussent, puis ils se lient & se garrottẽt

vers la ceinture, ou vers le milieu du corps, ce retroussement leur

faisant vn gros ventre ou vne grosse pance, dans laquelle ils mettent

leurs petites besongnes. I'ay veu representer vn Caresme prenant sur vn

theatre en France, on luy bastit vn ventre iustement comme en portent

nos Sauuages & Sauuagesses pendant l'Hiuer.

[170] The men wear their robes in two ways. When it is a little

warm they do not put these around them, but carry them over one arm

and under the other; or else stretched across the back, and held in

place by two little leather strings which they tie over the chest.

This does not prevent them from appearing almost naked. When it

is cold they all, men and women, wear the robe under one arm and

over the shoulder of the other, then crossed; and thus they wrap

themselves up comfortably, though awkwardly, against the cold; for

when this garment is tied below the chest, they turn it up, fasten

and tie it down near the belt or middle of the body, these folds

forming a big belly or large flap in which they carry their little

belongings. I once saw a Merry-andrew in a theatre in France, whose

belly was built out exactly like those affected by our Savage Men

and Women in Winter.

Or comme ces robbes ne couurent point leurs bras, il se font des

manches de mesme[s] peaux, & tirent dessus ces rayes dõt i'ay parlé,

quelquefois de lõg, [171] quelquefois en rond: ces manches sont fort

larges par haut, couurant les épaules, & se venans quasi ioindre

derriere le dos, deux petites cordes les tiennent liées deuant &

derriere, mais auec si peu de grace, qu'il n'y a fagot d'espine qui ne

soit mieux trouffé qu'vne femme emmitouflée dedans ces peaux. Remarquez

qu'il n'y a point de distinction, de l'habit d'vn homme à celuy d'vne

femme, sinon que la femme est tousiours couuerte de sa robbe, & les

hommes la quittent ou la portent à la legere, quand il fait chaud comme

i'ay dit.

Now as these robes do not cover their arms, they make themselves

sleeves of the same skin, and draw upon them the stripes of which

I have spoken, sometimes lengthwise, [171] sometimes around. These

sleeves are quite broad at the top, covering the shoulders and

almost uniting at the back,--two little strings fastening them in

front and behind, but so clumsily that a bundle of thorn-sticks are

better put together than the women are muffled up in these skins.

Observe that there is no difference between the garments of a man

and those of a woman, except that the woman is always covered with

her robe, while the men discard theirs or wear them carelessly, in

warm weather, as I have said.

Leurs bas de chausses sont de poil [peau] d'Orignac passée sans poil,

c'est la nature & non l'art, qui en a trouué la façon, ils sont tout

d'vne venuë, suffit que le pied & la jambe y passent, pour estre biẽ

faits, ils n'ont point l'inuention d'y mettre des coins, ils sont

faits comme des bas à botter, retenus sous le pied, auec vne petite

cordelette. La cousture qui n'est quasi qu'vn faux fil, ne se treuue

pas derriere les jambes, mais entre-deux; les cousans, ils laissent

passer vn rebord de la peau mesme, qu'ils découpent en frange, apres

laquelle ils attachent par [172] fois quelques matachias; ces bas sont

assez longs, notamment pardeuant; car ils laissent vne piece qui passe

bien haut, & qui couure vne grande partie de la cuisse, au plus haut

de cette piece sont attachées de petites cordes, qu'ils lient à vne

ceinture de peau, qu'ils portẽt tous dessus leurs chairs.

Their stockings are made of Moose skin, from which the hair has

been removed, nature and not art setting the fashion for them; they

are considered well made if the feet and legs go into them, no

ingenuity being used in making corners; they are made like boots,

and are fastened under the foot with a little string. The seam,

which is scarcely more than basted, is not at the back of the leg,

but on the inside. When they sew them, they leave an edge of the

skin itself, which they cut into fringe, occasionally fastening

to this [172] a few matachias.[1] These stockings are quite long,

especially in front, for they leave a piece which reaches quite

high, and covers a great part of the thigh; to the upper edge of

this piece are fastened small cords, tied to a leather belt which

they all wear next to their skin.

Leurs souliers ne sont pas durs comme les nostres, aussi n'ont-ils pas

l'industrie de taner le cuir: nos gands de cerf, sont d'vne peau plus

ferme ou du moins aussi ferme que leurs peaux d'Orignac, dont ils font

leurs souliers, encore faut il qu'ils attendent que ces peaux ayent

seruy de robbes, & qu'elles soient toutes grasses, autrement leurs

souliers se retireroient à la moindre approche du feu, ce qu'ils ne

laissent pas de faire tous gras qu'ils soient quãd on les chauffe vu

peu de trop prés. Au reste, ils boiuent l'eau comme vne éponge, si biẽ

que les Sauuages ne s'en feruẽt pas contre cét Element, mais bien cõtre

la neige & contre le froid. Ce sont les femmes qui sont cousturieres &

cordonnieres, il ne leur coute rien pour apprendre ce mestier, encore

moins pour auoir des [173] lettres de maistrise; vn enfant qui sçauroit

vn peu coudre en seroit à la premiere veuë, tant il y a d'inuention.

Their shoes are not hard like ours, for they do not know enough

to tan the leather. Our deerskin gloves are made of skin which is

firmer, or at least as firm, as their Moose skins of which they

make their shoes. Also they have to wait until these hides have

been used as robes, and until they are well oiled, otherwise their

shoes would shrink at the first approach to the fire, which they do

anyhow, well oiled as they are, if they are brought too near the

heat. Besides, they absorb water like a sponge, so that the Savages

cannot use them in this Element, but they are very serviceable

against snow and cold. It is the women who are the seamstresses and

shoemakers; it costs them nothing to learn this trade, and much

less to procure [173] diplomas as master workmen; a child that

could sew a little could make the shoes at the first attempt, so

ingeniously are they contrived.

Ils les font fort amples & fort capables, notamment l'Hiuer, pour

les garnir contre le froid, ils se seruent ordinairement d'vne peau

de Lieure, ou d'vne piece de quelque couuerture, pliée en deux &

trois doubles. Ils mettent auec cela du poil d'Orignac, & puis ayans

enueloppé leurs pieds de ces haillons, ils chauffent leurs souliers,

& par fois deux paires l'vne dessus l'autre, ils les lient & les

arrestent sur le coudepié, auec vne petite corde, qui regne tout à

l'entour des coins du Soulier. Pendant les neiges nous nous seruons

tous, François & Sauuages de cette forte de chaussure, afin de pouuoir

marcher sur des Raquettes; l'Hiuer passé nous reprenons nos souliers

François, & eux vont pieds nuds.

They make them large and capacious, especially in the Winter. In

order to furnish them against the cold, they generally use a Rabbit

skin, or a piece of an old blanket folded two or three times; with

this they put some Moose hair; and then, having wrapped their feet

in these rags, they put on their shoes, occasionally wearing two

pairs, the one over the other. They tie them over the instep with a

little string which is wound about the corners of the Shoe. During

the snows we all, French and Savages, have made use of this kind

of foot gear, in order to walk upon our Snowshoes; when the Winter

had passed, we resumed our French shoes, and the Savages went

barefooted.

Voila non pas tout ce qui se peut dire de leurs habits & de leurs

ornements, mais ce que i'en ay veu, & qui me vient pour l'heure en la

pensée; i'oubliois à dire, que ceux qui peuuent auoir ou troquer des

chemises de nos François, s'en feruent à la nouuelle façon: car au lieu

[174] de les mettre comme nous par dessous, ils les mettent par dessus

tous leurs habits, & comme iamais ils ne les essuyent, elles sont en

moins de rien grasses comme des torchons de cuisine, c'est ce qu'ils

demandent, car l'eau, disent-ils, coule là dessus, & ne penetre pas

iusqu'à leurs robbes.

This is not all that can be said about their clothes and ornaments,

but it is all that I have seen and that I recall to mind just now;

I forgot to say that those who can have or buy our French shirts

wear them in the new fashion; for, instead [174] of wearing them

under, as we do, they put them on over all their clothes,--and, as

they never wash them, they are in no time as greasy as dish-cloths;

but this is just as they wish them to be, for the water, they say,

runs over them and does not penetrate into their clothes.

CHAPITRE XI.

DE LA LANGUE DES SAUUAGES MONTAGNAIS.

I'ESCRIUY l'an passé, que leur langue estoit tres-riche & tres-pauure;

toute pleine d'abondance & de disette; la pauureté paroist en mille

articles. Tous les mots de pieté, de deuotion, de vertu; tous les

termes dont on se sert pour expliquer les biens de l'autre [vie]; le

langage des Theologiens, des Philosophes, des Mathematiciens, des

Medecins, en vn mot de tous les hommes doctes; toutes les paroles qui

concernent la police & le gouuernement d'vne ville, d'vne Prouince,

d'vn Empire; tout ce qui touche la iustice, la recompense & le

chastimẽt, les noms d'vne infinité d'arts, qui sont en nostre Europe,

d'vne infinité de fleurs [175] d'arbres & de fruits, d'vne infinité

d'animaux de mille & mille inuentions, de mille beautez & de mille

richesses; tout cela ne se trouue point ny dãs la pensée, ny dans la

bouche des Sauuages, n'ayans ny vraye religion ny connoissance des

vertus, ny police, ny gouuernement, ny Royaume, ny Republique, ny

sciences, ny rien de tout ce que ie viens de dire, & par consequent,

toutes les paroles, tous les termes, tous les mots & tous les noms

qui touche ce monde de biens & de grandeurs, doiuent estre defalquez

de leur dictionaire; voila vne grande disette. Tournons maintenant la

medaille, & faisons voir que cette langue regorge de richesses.

CHAPTER XI.

ON THE LANGUAGE OF THE MONTAGNAIS SAVAGES.

I WROTE last year that their language was very rich and very poor,

full of abundance and full of scarcity, the latter appearing in a

thousand different ways. All words for piety, devotion, virtue;

all terms which are used to express the things of the other life;

the language of Theologians, Philosophers, Mathematicians, and

Physicians, in a word, of all learned men; all words which refer

to the regulation and government of a city, Province, or Empire;

all that concerns justice, reward and punishment; the names of an

infinite number of arts which are in our Europe; of an infinite

number of flowers, [175] trees, and fruits; of an infinite number

of animals, of thousands and thousands of contrivances, of a

thousand beauties and riches, all these things are never found

either in the thoughts or upon the lips of the Savages. As they

have no true religion nor knowledge of the virtues, neither public

authority nor government, neither Kingdom nor Republic, nor

sciences, nor any of those things of which I have just spoken,

consequently all the expressions, terms, words, and names which

refer to that world of wealth and grandeur must necessarily be

absent from their vocabulary; hence the great scarcity. Let us now

turn the tables and show that this language is fairly gorged with

richness.

Premierement ie trouue vne infinité de noms propres parmy eux, que ie

ne puis expliquer en nostre françois, que par circumlocutions.

First, I find an infinite number of proper nouns among them, which

I cannot explain in our french, except by circumlocutions.

Secondement, ils ont de Verbes que ie nomme absolus, dont ny les Grecs,

ny les Latins, ny nous, ny les langues d'Europe, dont ie ne me suis

enquis, n'ont riẽ de semblable, par exemple ce Verbe _Nimitison_,

signifie absolument ie mange, sans dire quoy, car si vous determinez,

la [176] chose que vous mangez, il se faut seruir d'vn autre Verbe.

Second, they have some Verbs which I call absolute, to which

neither the Greeks, nor Latins, nor we ourselves, nor any language

of Europe with which I am familiar, have anything similar. For

example, the verb _Nimitison_ means absolutely, "I eat," without

saying what; for, if you determine the [176] thing you eat, you

have to use another Verb.

Tiercement, ils ont des Verbes differents, pour signifier l'action

enuers vne chose animée, & enuers vne chose inanimée, encore bien

qu'ils conjoignent auec les choses animées, quelques nombres des choses

sans ame, cõme le petun, les pommes, &c. donnons des exemples. Ie vois

vn homme, _Niouapaman iriniou_, ie vois vne pierre, _niouabatẽ_, ainsi

en Grec, en Latin, & en François, c'est vn mesme Verbe, pour dire ie

vois vn homme, vne pierre, & toute autre chose. Ie frappe vn chiẽ _ni

noutinau attimou_, ie frappe vn bois, _ninoutinen misticou_. Ce n'est

pas tout: car si l'actiõ se termine à plusieurs choses animées, il

faut vn autre Verbe, ie vois des hõmes _niouapamaoueth irinioueth_,

_ninoutinaoueth attimoueth_, & ainsi de tous les autres.

Third, they have different Verbs to signify an action toward an

animate or toward an inanimate object; and yet they join with

animate things a number of things that have no souls, as tobacco,

apples, etc. Let us give some examples: "I see a man," _Niouapaman

iriniou_; "I see a stone," _niouabatẽ_; but in Greek, in Latin,

and in French the same Verb is used to express, "I see a man, a

stone, or anything else." "I strike a dog," _ni noutinau attimou_;

"I strike wood," _ninoutinen misticou_. This is not all; for, if

the action terminates on several animate objects, another Verb

has to be used,--"I see some men," _niouapamaoueth irinioueth_,

_ninoutinaoueth attimoueth_, and so on with all the others.

En quatriéme lieu, ils ont des Verbes propres pour signifier l'action

qui se termine à la personne reciproque, & d'autres encore qui se

terminent aux choses qui luy appartiennent, & l'on ne pût se seruir

des Verbes enuers les autres personnes non reciproques sans parler

impropremẽt. Ie me fais entẽdre le Ver[be] [177] _nitaouin_, signifie,

ie me sers de quelque chose, _nitaouin agouniscouehon_, ie me sers

d'vn bonnet: que si ie viens à dire, ie me sers de son bonnet, sçauoir

est du bonnet de l'homme, dont on parle, il faut changer de verbe,

& dire _Nitaouiouan outagoumiscouhon_: que si c'est vne chose animée

il faut encor changer le verbe, par exemple, ie me sers de son chien,

_nitaouiouan õtaimai_, & remarquez que tous ces verbes ont leurs

meufs, leurs temps, & leurs personnes, & que leurs conjugaisons sont

dissemblables s'ils different de terminaisons. Ceste abondance n'est

point dãs les langues d'Europe, ie le sçay de quelques vnes, ie le

coniecture des autres.

In the fourth place, they have Verbs suitable to express an action

which terminates on the person reciprocal, and others still which

terminate on the things that belong to him; and we cannot use these

Verbs, referring to other persons not reciprocal, without speaking

improperly. I will explain myself. The Verb [177] _nitaouin_

means, "I make use of something;" _nitaouin agouniscouehon_, "I am

using a hat;" but when I come to say, "I am using his hat," that

is, the hat of the man of whom I speak, we must change the verb

and say, _Nitaouiouan outagoumiscouhon_; but, if it be an animate

thing, the verb must again be changed, for example, "I am using

his dog," _nitaouiouan õtaimai_. Also observe that all these verbs

have their moods, tenses and persons; and that they are conjugated

differently, if they have different terminations. This abundance

is not found in the languages of Europe; I know it of some, and

conjecture it in regard to others.

En cinquiesme lieu, ils se seruent d'autres mots sur la terre, d'autres

mots sur l'eau pour signifier la mesme chose. Voicy comment, Ie veux

dire, i'arriuay hier, si c'est par terre, il faut dire _nitagochinin

outagouchi_, si c'est par eau, il faut dire _nimichagan outagouchi_:

ie veux dire, i'ay esté mouillé de la pluye, si ç'a esté cheminant sur

terre, il faut dire nikimiouanoutan, si c'est faisant chemin, par eau

_nikhimiouanutan_, ie vay querir [178] quelque chose, si c'est par

terre, il faut dire _ninaten_, si c'est par eau _ninahen_: si c'est vne

chose animée & par terre, il faut dire _ninatau_: si c'est vne chose

animée & par eau, il faut dire _ninahouau_: si c'est vne chose animée

qui appartienne à quelqu'vn, il faut dire _ninahimouau_: si elle n'est

pas animée _niuahimouau_, quelle varieté? nous n'auons en François

pour tout cela qu'vn seul mot, ie vay querir, auquel on adiouste pour

distinction par eau, ou par terre.

In the fifth place, they use some words upon the land, and others

upon the water, to signify the same thing. As, for instance,

I want to say, "I arrived yesterday;" if by land, I must say,

_nitagochinin outagouchi_,--if by water, I must say, _nimichagan

outagouchi_. I wish to say, "I was wet by the rain;" if it were

in walking upon land, I must say, nikimiouanoutan,--if it were

upon the water, _nikhimiouanutan_. "I am going to look for [178]

something;" if upon land, I must say, _ninaten_,--if by water,

_ninahen_; if it is an animate thing, and upon land, I must

say, _ninatau_; if it be animate and in the water, I must say,

_ninahouau_; if it is an animate thing that belongs to some one, I

must say, _ninahimouau_; if it is not animate, _niuahimouau_. What

a variety! We have in French only a single expression for all these

things, "Ie vay querir," to which we add, in order to distinguish,

"par eau," or "par terre."

En sixiesme lieu, vn seul de nos adiectifs en François se conioint auec

tous nos substantifs, par exemple, nous disons le pain est froid, le

petun est froid, ce fer est froid; mais en nostre Sauuage ces adiectifs

changent selon les diuerses especes des substantifs, _tabiscau

assini_, la pierre est froide, _tacabisisiou nouspouagan_, mon

petunoir est froid, _ta_k_hisiou_ k_hichtemau_, ce petun est froid,

_tacascouan misticou_, le bois est froid, si c'est quelque grande piece

_tacascouchan misticou_, le bois est froid, _siicatchiou attimou_, ce

chien a froid; voila vne estrange abondance.

In the sixth place, a single one of our adjectives in French is

associated with all our substantives. For example, we say, "the

bread is cold, the tobacco is cold, the iron is cold;" but in our

Savage tongue these adjectives change according to the different

kinds of substantives,--_tabiscau assini_, "the stone is cold;"

_tacabisisiou nouspouagan_, "my tobacco pipe is cold;" _takhisiou

khichtemau_, "this tobacco is cold;" _tacascouan misticou_, "the

wood is cold." If it is a large piece, _tacascouchan misticou_,

"the wood is cold;" _siicatchiou attimou_, "this dog is cold;" and

thus you see a strange abundance.

Remarquez en passant, que tous ces [179] adiectifs, voire mesme que

tous les noms substantifs se conjuguent comme les verbes Latins

impersonnels, par exemple, _tabiscau assini_, la pierre est froide,

_tabiscaban_, elle estoit froide, _cata tabiscan_, elle sera froide, &

ainsi du reste _Noutaoui_, c'est vn nom substantif, qui signifie mon

pere, _noutaouiban_, c'estoit mon pere, ou bien deffunct mon pere _Cata

noutaoui_, il sera mon pere, si on pouuoit se seruir de ces termes.

Observe, in passing, that all these [179] adjectives, and even all

the nouns, are conjugated like Latin impersonal verbs. For example,

_tabiscau assini_, "the stone is cold;" _tabiscaban_, "it was

cold;" _cata tabiscan_, "it will be cold;" and so on. _Noutaoui_,

is a noun which means, "my father;" _noutaouiban_, "it was my

father, or my deceased father;" _Cata noutaoui_, "it will be my

father," if such expressions could be used.

En septiesme lieu ils ont vne richesse si importune qu'elle me iette

quasi dans la creance que ie seray pauure toute ma vie en leur langue.

Quand vous cognoissez toutes les parties d'Oraison des langues qui

florissent en nostre Europe, & que vous sçauez comme il les faut lier

ensemble, vous sçauez la langue, il n'en est pas de mesme en la langue

de nos Sauuages, peuplez vostre memoire de tous les mots qui signifient

chaque chose en particulier, apprenez le noeud ou la Syntaxe qui les

allie, vous n'estes encor qu'vn ignorant, vous pourrez bien auec cela

vous faire entendre des Sauuages, quoy que non pas tousiours, mais

vous ne les entendez [180] pas: la raison est, qu'outre les noms de

chaque chose en particulier ils ont vne infinité de mots qui signifient

plusieurs choses ensemble: si ie veux dire en Françoîs le vent pousse

la neige, suffit que i'aye cognoissance de ces trois mots, du vent,

du verbe, ie pousse, & de la neige, & que ie les sçache conioindre,

il n'en est pas de mesme icy. Ie sçay comme on dit le vent _routin_,

comme on dit il pousse vne chose noble comme est la neige en l'estime

des Sauuages, c'est _ra_k_hineou_, ie sçay comme on dit la neige, c'est

_couné_, que si ie veux conioindre ces trois mots _Routin ra_k_hineou

couné_, les Sauuages ne m'entendront pas, que s'ils m'entendent ils se

mettront à rire, pource qu'ils ne parlent pas comme cela, se seruans

de ce seul mot _piouan_, pour dire le vent pousse ou fait voler la

neige: de mesme le verbe _nisiicatchin_ signifie i'ay froid, ce nom

_nissitai_ signifie mes pieds, si ie dis _nisiicat chin nissitai_ pour

dire i'ay froid aux pieds, ils pourront bien m'entendre, mais ie ne les

entẽdray pas quãd ils dirõt _Nitatagouasisin_, qui est le propre mot

pour dire i'ay froid aux pieds: & ce qui [181] tuë vne memoire, ce mot

n'est parent, ny allié, ny n'a point d'affinité en sa consonance auec

les deux autres, d'où prouiẽt que ie les fais souuẽt rire en parlant,

en voulant suiure l'œconomie de la langue Latine, ou Françoise, ne

sçachant point ces mots qui signifient plusieurs choses ensemble? D'icy

prouient encore, que bien souuent ie ne les entends pas, quoy qu'ils

m'entendent: car ne se seruans pas des mots qui signifient vne chose

simple en particulier, mais de ceux qui en signifient beaucoup à la

fois, moy ne sçachant que ces premiers, & non encor à demy, ie ne les

sçaurois entendre s'ils n'ont de l'esprit pour varier & choisir les

mots plus communs, car alors ie tasche de m'en demesler.

In the seventh place, they have so tiresome an abundance that I

am almost led to believe that I shall remain poor all my life

in their language. When you know all the parts of Speech of the

languages of our Europe, and know how to combine them, you know the

languages; but it is not so concerning the tongue of our Savages.

Stock your memory with all the words that stand for each particular

thing, learn the knot or Syntax that joins them together, and

you are still only an ignoramus; with that, you can indeed make

yourself understood by the Savages, although not always, but you

will not be able to understand [180] them. The reason for this is,

that, besides the names of each particular thing, they have an

infinite number of words which signify several things together.

If I wish to say in French, "the wind drives the snow," it is

enough for me to know these three words, "the wind," the verb

"drive," and "the snow," and to know how to combine them; but it

is not so here. I know how they say "the wind," _routin_; how they

say "it drives something noble," as the snow is in the Savage

estimation,--the word for this is _rakhineou_; I know how they

say "snow," it is _couné_. But, if I try to combine these three

words, _Routin rakhineou couné_, the Savages will not understand

me; or, if they understand, will begin to laugh, because they do

not talk like that, merely making use of a single word, _piouan_,

to say "the wind drives or makes the snow fly." Likewise the verb

_nisiicatchin_, means "I am cold;" the noun _nissitai_, means "my

feet;" if I say _nisiicat chin nissitai_, to say "my feet are

cold," they will indeed understand me; but I shall not understand

them when they say _Nitatagouasisin_, which is the proper word to

say, "my feet are cold." And what [181] ruins the memory is, that

such a word has neither relation, nor alliance, nor any affinity,

in its sound, with the other two; whence it often happens that I

make them laugh in talking, when I try to follow the construction

of the Latin or French language, not knowing these words which mean

several things at once. From this it happens, also, that very often

I do not understand them, although they understand me; for as they

do not use the words which signify one thing in particular, but

rather those that mean a combination of things, I knowing only the

first, and not even the half of those, could not understand them if

they did not have sufficient intelligence to vary and choose more

common words, for then I try to unravel them.

C'est assez pour monstrer l'abondance de leur langue, si ie la sçauois

parfaitement i'en parlerois auec plus d'asseurance; ie croy qu'ils ont

d'autres richesses que ie n'ay peu encor découurir iusques icy.

This is enough to show the richness of their language; if I were

thoroughly acquainted with it, I would speak with more certainty.

I believe they have other riches which I have not been able to

discover up to the present.

I'oubliois à dire que nos Montagnais n'ont pas tant de lettres en leur

Alphabeth, que nous en auons au nostre, ils confondent le B. & le P.

ils confondent [182] aussi le C. le G. & le K. c'est à dire que deux

Sauuages prononçans vn mesme mot, vous croiriez que l'vn prononce vn B.

& que l'autre prononce vn P. que l'vn dit vn C. ou vn K. & l'autre vn

G. ils n'ont point les lettres F, L, V consonante, X. Z. ils prononcent

vn R. au lieu d'vn L. ils diront Monsieur du Pressi pour Monsieur du

Plessi, ils prononcent vn P. au lieu d'vn V. consonante, Monsieur

Olipier pour Monsieur Oliuier; mais comme ils ont la langue assez

bien penduë, ils prendroient bientost nostre prononciation si on les

instruisoit, notamment les enfans.

I forgot to say that the Montagnais have not so many letters in

their Alphabet as we have in ours; they confound B and P, and [182]

also C, G, and K; that is, if two Savages were to pronounce the

same word, you would think that one was pronouncing a B, and the

other a P, or that one was using a C or K, and the other a G. They

do not have the letters F, L, consonant V, X, and Z. They use R

instead of L, saying Monsieur du Pressi for Monsieur du Plessi;[2]

they utter the sound of P instead of consonant V, Monsieur Olipier

instead of Monsieur Olivier. But, as their tongues are quite

flexible, they will soon acquire our pronunciation if they are

instructed, especially the children.

Le P. Brebeuf m'a dit que les Hurons n'ont point de M. dequoy ie

m'estonne: car ceste lettre me semble quasi naturelle, tant l'vsage en

est grand.

Father Brebeuf tells me that the Hurons have no M, at which I

am astonished, for this letter seems to me almost natural, so

extensively is it used.

Que si pour conclusion de ce Chapitre V. R. me demande si i'ay beaucoup

auancé dans la cognoissance de ceste langue pendant mon hyuernement

auec ces Barbares, ie luy diray ingenuëment que non: en voicy les

raisons.

Now if, as conclusion of this Chapter, Your Reverence asks me if

I made much progress in the knowledge of this language during the

winter I spent with these Barbarians, I answer frankly, "no;" and

here are the reasons.

Premierement, le deffaut de ma memoire que ne fut iamais bien

excellente, [183] & qui se va deseichant tous les iours. O l'excellent

homme pour ces pays icy que le Pere Brebeuf, sa memoire tres-heureuse,

sa douceur tres-aymable, feront de grands fruicts dedans les Hurons.

First, my defective memory, which was never very good, [183] and

which continues to wither every day. Oh, what an excellent man for

these countries is Father Brebeuf! His most fortunate memory, and

his amiability and gentleness, will be productive of much good

among the Hurons.

Secondement, la malice du sorcier qui defendoit par fois qu'on

m'enseignast.

Second, the malice of the sorcerer, who sometimes prevented them

from teaching me.

Tiercement, la perfidie de l'Apostat, qui contre sa promesse, &

nonobstant les offres que ie luy faisois, ne m'a iamais voulu

enseigner, voire sa déloyauté est venuë iusques à ce point de me donner

exprez vn mot d'vne signification pour vn autre.

Third, the perfidy of the Apostate, who, contrary to his promise,

and notwithstanding the offers I made him, was never willing to

teach me,--his disloyalty even going so far as to purposely give me

a word of one signification for another.

En quatriesme lieu, la famine a esté long temps nostre hostesse, ie

n'osois quasi en sa presence interroger nos Sauuages, leur estomach

n'est pas de la nature des tonneaux qui resonnẽt d'autant mieux qu'ils

sont vuides, il ressemble au tambour, plus il est bandé mieux il parle.

In the fourth place, famine was for a long time our guest; and I

scarcely ventured in her presence to question our Savages, their

stomachs not being like barrels which sound all the louder for

being empty; they resemble the drum,--the tighter it is drawn, the

better it talks.

En cinquiesme lieu, mes maladies m'ont fait quitter le soing des

langues de la terre pour penser au langage de l'autre vie où ie pensois

aller.

In the fifth place, my attacks of illness made me give up the care

for the languages of earth, to think about the language of the

other life whither I was expecting to go.

[184] En sixiesme lieu enfin la difficulté de ceste langue qui n'est

pas petite, comme on peut coniecturer de ce que i'ay dit, n'a pas esté

vn petit obstacle pour empescher vue pauure memoire comme la mienne

d'aller bien loing. Ie iargonne neantmoins, & à force de crier ie me

fais entendre.

[184] In the sixth place, and finally, the difficulty of this

language, which is not slight, as may be guessed from what I have

said, has been no small obstacle to prevent a poor memory like

mine from advancing far. Still, I talk a jargon, and, by dint of

shouting, can make myself understood.

Vn point me toucheroit viuement, n'estoit que i'estime qu'il ne faut

pas marcher deuant Dieu, mais qu'il faut le fuiure, & se contenter

de sa propre bassesse; c'est que ie ne croy quasi pas pouuoir iamais

parler les langues des Sauuages auec autant de liberté qu'il seroit

necessaire pour leur prescher, & répondre sur le champ sans broncher à

leurs demandes & à leurs obiections, estant notamment occupé comme i'ay

esté iusques à present. Vray que Dieu peut faire d'vne roche vn enfant

d'Abraham. Qu'il soit beny à iamais par toutes les langues des nations

de la terre.

One thing would touch me keenly, were it not that we are not

expected to walk before God, but to follow him, and to be contented

with our own littleness; it is that I almost fear I shall never

be able to speak the Savage tongues with the fluency necessary to

preach to them, and to answer at once, without stumbling, their

demands and objections, being so greatly occupied as I have been up

to the present. It is true that God can make from a rock a child

of Abraham. May he be forever praised, in all the tongues of the

nations of the earth!

[185] CHAPITRE XII.

DE CE QU'IL FAUT SOUFFRIR HYUERNANT AUEC LES SAUUAGES.

EPICTETE dit que celuy qui veut aller aux bains publics, se doit au

prealable figurer toutes les insolences qui s'y commettent, afin que se

trouuant engagé dans la risée d'vn tas de canailles, qui luy laueront

mieux la teste que les pieds, il ne perde rien de la grauité & de la

modestie d'vn homme sage. Ie dirois volontiers le mesme à qui Dieu

donne les pensées, & les desirs de passer les mers, pour venir chercher

& instruire les Sauuages: c'est en leur faueur que ie coucheray ce

Chapitre, afin qu'ayant cogneu l'ennemy qu'ils auront en teste, ils

ne s'oublient pas de se munir des armes necessaires pour le combat,

notamment d'vn patience de fer ou de bronze, ou plustost d'vne patience

toute d'or, pour supporter, fortement & amoureusement les grands

trauaux qu'il faut souffrir parmy ces peuples. Commençons [186] par la

maison qu'ils doiuent habiter s'il[s] les veulent suiure.

[185] CHAPTER XII.

WHAT ONE MUST SUFFER IN WINTERING WITH THE SAVAGES.

EPICTETUS says that he who intends to visit the public baths must

previously consider all the improprieties that will be committed

there; so that, when he finds himself surrounded by the derision

of a mob of scoundrels who would rather wash his head than his

feet, he may lose none of the gravity and modesty of a wise man. I

might say the same to those in whom God inspires the thought and

desire to cross over the seas, in order to seek and to instruct the

Savages. It is for their sake that I shall pen this Chapter, so

that, knowing the enemy they will encounter, they may not forget

to fortify themselves with the weapons necessary for the combat,

especially with patience of iron or bronze, or rather with a

patience entirely of gold, in order to bear bravely and lovingly

the great trials that must be endured among these people. Let us

begin [186] by speaking of the house they will have to live in, if

they wish to follow them.

Pour conceuoir la beauté de cest edifice, il en faut décrire la

structure; i'en parleray auec science: car i'ay souuent aydé à la

dresser. Estans donc arriuez au lieu où nous deuions camper; les femmes

armées de haches s'en alloient çà & là dans ces grandes forests coupper

du bois pour la charpente de l'hostellerie où nous voulions loger, ce

pendant les hommes en ayans designé le plan, vuidoient la neige auec

leurs raquilles, ou auec des pelles qu'ils font & portent exprez pour

ce fujet: figurez vous donc vn grand rond, ou vn quarré dans la neige,

haute de deux, de trois, ou de quatre pieds, selon les temps, ou les

lieux où on cabane; ceste profondeur nous faisoit vne muraille blanche,

qui nous enuironnoit de tous costez, excepté par l'endroit où on la

fendoit pour faire la porte: la charpente apportée, qui consiste en

quelque vingt ou trente perches, plus ou moins, selon la grandeur de la

cabane, on la plante, non sur la terre, mais sur le haut de la neige,

puis on iette sur ces perches qui s'approchent [187] vn petit par en

haut, deux ou trois rouleaux d'écorces cousuës ensemble, commençant par

le bas, & voila la maison faite, on couure la terre, comme aussi ceste

muraille de neige qui regne tout à l'entour de la cabane, de petites

branches de pin, & pour derniere perfection, on attache vne méchante

peau à deux perches pour seruir de porte, dont les iambages font la

neige mesme. Voyons maintenant en détail toutes les commoditez de ce

beau Louure.

In order to have some conception of the beauty of this edifice, its

construction must be described. I shall speak from knowledge, for

I have often helped to build it. Now, when we arrived at the place

where we were to camp, the women, armed with axes, went here and

there in the great forests, cutting the framework of the hostelry

where we were to lodge; meantime the men, having drawn the plan

thereof, cleared away the snow with their snowshoes or with shovels

which they make and carry expressly for this purpose. Imagine now

a great ring or square in the snow, two, three or four feet deep,

according to the weather or the place where they encamp. This depth

of snow makes a white wall for us, which surrounds us on all sides,

except the end where it is broken through to form the door. The

framework having been brought, which consists of twenty or thirty

poles, more or less, according to the size of the cabin, it is

planted, not upon the ground but upon the snow; then they throw

upon these poles, which converge [187] a little at the top, two or

three rolls of bark sewed together, beginning at the bottom, and

behold, the house is made. The ground inside, as well as the wall

of snow which extends all around the cabin, is covered with little

branches of fir; and, as a finishing touch, a wretched skin is

fastened to two poles to serve as a door, the doorposts being the

snow itself. Now let us examine in detail all the comforts of this

elegant Mansion.

Vous ne sçauriez demeurer debout dans ceste maison, tant pour sa

bassesse, que pour la fumée qui suffoqueroit, & par consequent il faut

estre tousiours couché ou assis sur la platte terre, c'est la posture

ordinaire des Sauuages: de sortir de hors, le froid, la neige, le

danger de s'égarer dans ces grãds bois, vous font rentrer plus vite que

le vent, & vous tiennent en prison dans vn cachot, qui n'a ny clef ny

serrure.

You cannot stand upright in this house, as much on account of its

low roof as the suffocating smoke; and consequently you must always

lie down, or sit flat upon the ground, the usual posture of the

Savages. When you go out, the cold, the snow, and the danger of

getting lost in these great woods drive you in again more quickly

than the wind, and keep you a prisoner in a dungeon which has

neither lock nor key.

Ce cachot, outre la posture fascheuse qu'il y faut tenir sur vn lict

de terre, a quatre grandes incommoditez, le froid, le chaud, la fumée

& les chiens: [188] Pour le froid vous auez la teste à la neige, il

n'y a qu'vne branche de pin entre deux, bien souuent rien que vostre

bonnet, les vents ont liberté d'entrer par mille endroicts: car ne vous

figurez pas que ces écorces soient iointes comme vn papier colé sur vn

chassis, elles ressemblent bien souuent l'herbe à mille pertuis, sinon

que leurs trous & leurs ouuertures sont vn peu plus grandes, & quand

il n'y auroit que l'ouuerture d'en haut, qui sert de fenestre & de

cheminée tout ensemble, le plus gros hyuer de France y pourroit tous

les iours passer tout entier sans empressement. La nuict estant couché

ie contemplois par ceste ouuerture & les Estoilles & la Lune, autant à

découuert que si i'eusse esté en pleine campagne.

This prison, in addition to the uncomfortable position that

one must occupy upon a bed of earth, has four other great

discomforts,--cold, heat, smoke, and dogs. [188] As to the cold,

you have the snow at your head with only a pine branch between,

often nothing but your hat, and the winds are free to enter in a

thousand places. For do not imagine that these pieces of bark are

joined as paper is glued and fitted to a window frame; they are

often like the plant mille-pertuis,[3] except that their holes and

their openings are a little larger; and even if there were only the

opening at the top, which serves at once as window and chimney,

the coldest winter in France could come in there every day without

any trouble. When I lay down at night I could study through this

opening both the Stars and the Moon as easily as if I had been in

the open fields.

Or cependant le froid ne m'a pas tant tourmenté que la chaleur du feu,

vn petit lieu, comme sont leurs cabanes s'échauffe aisément par vn bon

feu, qui me rotissoit par fois & me grilloit de tous costez, à raison

que la cabane estant trop estroitre, ie ne sçauois comment me deffendre

de son ardeur, d'aller à droite ou a gauche, vous ne sçauriez: [189]

car les Sauuages qui vous sont voisins occupent vos costez, de reculer

en arriere, vous rencontrez ceste muraille de neige, ou les écorces de

la cabane qui vous bornent, ie ne sçauois en quelle posture me mettre,

de m'estendre, la place estoit si estroite que mes iambes eussent esté

à moitié dans le feu; de me tenir en ploton, & tousiours racourcy cõme

ils font, ie ne pouuois pas si long temps qu'eux: mes habits ont esté

tout rostis & tout bruslez. Vous me demanderez peut estre si la neige

que nous auions au dos ne se fondoit point quand on faisoit bon feu: ie

dis que non, que si par fois la chaleur l'amolissoit tant soit peu, le

froid la durcissoit en glace. Or ie diray neantmoins que le froid ny

le chaud n'ont rien de [in]tolerable, & qu'on trouue quelque remede à

ces deux maux.

Nevertheless, the cold did not annoy me as much as the heat from

the fire. A little place like their cabins is easily heated by a

good fire, which sometimes roasted and broiled me on all sides, for

the cabin was so narrow that I could not protect myself against the

heat. You cannot move to right or left, [189] for the Savages, your

neighbors, are at your elbows; you cannot withdraw to the rear,

for you encounter the wall of snow, or the bark of the cabin which

shuts you in. I did not know what position to take. Had I stretched

myself out, the place was so narrow that my legs would have been

halfway in the fire; to roll myself up in a ball, and crouch down

in their way, was a position I could not retain as long as they

could; my clothes were all scorched and burned. You will ask me

perhaps if the snow at our backs did not melt under so much heat. I

answer, "no;" that if sometimes the heat softened it in the least,

the cold immediately turned it into ice. I will say, however, that

both the cold and the heat are endurable, and that some remedy may

be found for these two evils.

Mais pour la fumée, ie vous confesse que c'est vn martyre, elle me

tuoit, & me faisoit pleurer incessament sans que i'eusse ny douleur

ny tristesse dans le coeur, elle nous terrassoit par fois tous tant

que nous estions dans la cabane, c'est à dire qu'il falloit mettre la

[190] bouche contre terre pour pouuoir respirer: car encor que les

Sauuages soient accoustumez à ce tourment, si est-ce que par fois il

redoubloit auec telle violence, qu'ils estoient contraincts aussi bien

que moy de se coucher sur le ventre, & de manger quasi la terre pour

ne point boire la fumée: i'ay quelquefois demeuré plusieurs heures en

ceste situation, notamment dans les plus grands froids, & lors qu'il

neigeoit: car c'estoit en ces temps là que la fumée nous assailloit

auec plus de fureur, nous saisissant à la gorge, aux naseaux, &

aux yeux: que ce breuuage est amer! que ceste odeur est forte! que

ceste vapeur est nuisible à la veuë! i'ay creu plusieurs fois que ie

m'en allois estre aueugle, les yeux me cuisoient comme feu, ils me

pleuroient ou distilloient comme vn alambic, ie ne voyois plus rien que

confusément, à la façon de ce bon homme, qui disoit, _video homines

velut arbores ambulantes_. Ie disois les Pseaumes de mon Breuiaire

comme ie pouuois, les sçachans à demy par coeur, i'attendois que la

douleur me donnast vn peu de relasche pour reciter les leçons, & quãd

[191] ie venois à les lire elles me sembloient écrites en lettres de

feu, ou d'écarlatte, i'ay souuent fermé mon liure n'y voyant rien que

confusion qui me blessoit la veüe.

But, as to the smoke, I confess to you that it is martyrdom. It

almost killed me, and made me weep continually, although I had

neither grief nor sadness in my heart. It sometimes grounded all

of us who were in the cabin; that is, it caused us to place our

[190] mouths against the earth in order to breathe. For, although

the Savages were accustomed to this torment, yet occasionally

it became so dense that they, as well as I, were compelled to

prostrate themselves, and as it were to eat the earth, so as not

to drink the smoke. I have sometimes remained several hours in

this position, especially during the most severe cold and when it

snowed; for it was then the smoke assailed us with the greatest

fury, seizing us by the throat, nose, and eyes. How bitter is this

drink! How strong its odor! How hurtful to the eyes are its fumes!

I sometimes thought I was going blind; my eyes burned like fire,

they wept or distilled drops like an alembic; I no longer saw

anything distinctly, like the good man who said, _video homines

velut arbores ambulantes_. I repeated the Psalms of my Breviary as

best I could, knowing them half by heart, and waited until the pain

might relax a little to recite the lessons; and when [191] I came

to read them they seemed written in letters of fire, or of scarlet;

I have often closed my book, seeing things so confusedly that it

injured my sight.

Quelqu'vn me dira que ie deuois sortir de ce trou enfumé, & prendre

l'air, & ie luy répondray, que l'air estoit ordinairement en ce

temps-là si froid, que les arbres qui ont la peau plus dure que celle

de l'homme, & le corps plus solide, ne luy pouuoient resister, se

fendans iusques au coeur faisans vn bruit comme d'vn mousquet en

s'éclatans: ie sortois neantmoins quelque fois de ceste taniere,

fuyant la rage de la fumée pour me mettre à la mercy du froid, contre

lequel ie taschois de m'armer, m'enueloppant de ma couuerture comme vn

Irlandois, & en cet equipage assis sur la neige, ou sur quelque arbre

abbatu, ie recitois mes Heures: le mal estoit que la neige n'auoit pas

plus de pitié de mes yeux que la fumée.

Some one will tell me that I ought to have gone out from this smoky

hole to get some fresh air; and I answer him that the air was

usually so cold at those times that the trees, which have a harder

skin than man, and a more solid body, could not stand it, splitting

even to the core, and making a noise like the report of a musket.

Nevertheless, I occasionally emerged from this den, fleeing the

rage of the smoke to place myself at the mercy of the cold, against

which I tried to arm myself by wrapping up in my blanket like an

Irishman; and in this garb, seated upon the snow or a fallen tree,

I recited my Hours; the trouble was, the snow had no more pity upon

my eyes than the smoke.

Pour les chiens que i'ay dit estre l'vne des incommoditez des maisons

des Sauuages, ie ne sçay si ie les dois blasmer: car ils m'ont rendu

par fois de bons [192] seruices, vray qu'ils tiroient de moy la mesme

courtoisie qu'ils me prestoient, si bien que nous nous entr'aydions les

vns les autres, faisans l'emblesme de _mutuum auxilium_, ces pauures

bestes ne pouuans subsister à l'air, hors la cabane se venoient coucher

tantost sur mes épaules, tantost sur mes pieds, & comme ie n'auois

qu'vne simple castalogne pour me seruir de mattelas & de couuerture

tout ensemble, ie n'estois pas marry de cet abry, leurs rendans

volontiers vne partie de la chaleur que ie tirois d'eux: il est vray

que comme ils estoient grands & en grand nombre, ils me pressoient par

fois & m'importunoient si fort, qu'en me donnant vn peu de chaleur, ils

me déroboient tout mon sommeil, cela estoit cause que bien souuant ie

les chassois, en quoy il m'arriua certaine nuict vn traict de confusion

& de risée: car vn Sauuage s'estant ietté sur moy en dormant, moy

croyant que ce fust vn chien, rencontrant en main vn baston, ie le

frappe m'écriant, _Aché, Aché_, qui sont les mots dont ils se seruent

pour chasser les chiens, mon homme s'éueille bien estonné pensant que

[193] tout fut perdu; mais s'estant pris garde d'où venoient les coups:

tu n'as point d'esprit, me dit-il, ce n'est pas vn chien, c'est moy:

à ces paroles ie ne sçay qui resta le plus estonné de nous deux, ie

quittay doucement mon baston, bien marry de l'auoir trouué si pres de

moy.

As to the dogs, which I have mentioned as one of the discomforts

of the Savages' houses, I do not know that I ought to blame them,

for they have sometimes rendered me good [192] service. True,

they exacted from me the same courtesy they gave, so that we

reciprocally aided each other, illustrating the idea of _mutuum

auxilium_. These poor beasts, not being able to live outdoors,

came and lay down sometimes upon my shoulders, sometimes upon my

feet, and as I only had one blanket to serve both as covering and

mattress, I was not sorry for this protection, willingly restoring

to them a part of the heat which I drew from them. It is true that,

as they were large and numerous, they occasionally crowded and

annoyed me so much, that in giving me a little heat they robbed me

of my sleep, so that I very often drove them away. In doing this

one night, there happened to me a little incident which caused some

confusion and laughter; for, a Savage having thrown himself upon me

while asleep, I thought it was a dog, and finding a club at hand, I

hit him, crying out, _Aché, Aché_, the words they use to drive away

the dogs. My man woke up greatly astonished, thinking that [193]

all was lost; but having discovered whence came the blows, "Thou

hast no sense," he said to me, "it is not a dog, it is I." At these

words I do not know who was the more astonished of us two; I gently

dropped my club, very sorry at having found it so near me.

Retournons à nos chiens, ces animaux estans affamez, d'autant qu'ils

n'auoient pas de quoy mãger non plus que nous, ne faisoient qu'aller

& venir, roder par tout dans la cabane: or comme on est souuẽt couché

aussi bien qu'assis dans ces maisons d'écorce, ils nous passoient

souuent & sur la face & sur le ventre, & si souuent, & auec telle

importunité, qu'estant las de crier & de les chasser, ie me couurois

quelque fois la face, puis ie leur donnois liberté de passer par où

ils voudroient: s'il arriuoit qu'on leur iettait vn os, aussitoit

s'estoit de courre apres à qui l'auroit, culbutans tous ceux qu'ils

rencontroient assis, s'ils ne se tenoient bien fermes; ils m'ont par

fois renuersé & mon écuelle d'écorce, & tout ce qui estoit dedans sur

ma sotane. Ie sousriois quand il y suruenoit quelque querelle parmy-eux

lors que [194] nous disnions: car il n'y auoit celuy qui ne tint son

plat à deux belles mains contre la terre, qui seruoit de table, de

siege & de lict, & aux hommes & aux chiens: c'est de là que prouenoit

la grãde incommodité que nous receuions de ces animaux, qui portoient

le nez dans nos écuelles plustost que nous n'y portions la main. C'est

assez dit des incommoditez des maisons des Sauuages, parlons de leurs

viures.

Let us return to our dogs. These animals, being famished, as they

have nothing to eat, any more than we, do nothing but run to and

fro gnawing at everything in the cabin. Now as we were as often

lying down as sitting up in these bark houses, they frequently

walked over our faces and stomachs; and so often and persistently,

that, being tired of shouting at them and driving them away, I

would sometimes cover my face and then give them liberty to go

where they wanted. If any one happened to throw them a bone, there

was straightway a race for it, upsetting all whom they encountered

sitting, unless they held themselves firmly. They have often upset

for me my bark dish, and all it contained, in my gown. I was amused

whenever there was a quarrel among them at [194] our dinner table,

for there was not one of us who did not hold his plate down with

both hands on the ground, which serves as table, seat, and bed

both to men and dogs. From this custom arose the great annoyance

we experienced from these animals, who thrust their noses into our

bark plates before we could get our hands in. I have said enough

about the inconveniences of the Savages' houses, let us speak of

their food.

Au commencement que ie fus auec eux, comme ils ne salent ny leurs

boüillons ny leurs viandes, & que la saleté mesme fait leur cuisine, ie

ne pouuois manger de leur salmigondies, ie me contentois d'vn peu de

galette & d'vn peu d'anguille bouccanée, iusques là que mon hoste me

tançoit de ce que ie mangeois si peu, ie m'affamay deuant que la famine

nous acceüillist, cependant nos Sauuages faisoient tous les iours des

festins, en sorte que nous nous vismes en peu de temps sans pain, sans

farine, & sans anguilles, & sans aucun moyen d'estre secourus: car

outre que nous estions fort auant dans les bois, & que nous fussions

morts mille fois deuant [195] que d'arriuer aux demeures des François,

nous hyuernions de là le grãd fleuue qu'on ne peut trauerser en ce

temps là pour le grand nombre de glaces qu'il charie incessamment, &

qui mettroient en pieces non seulement vne chalouppe, mais vn grand

vaisseau, pour la chasse, comme les neiges n'estoient pas profondes à

proportion des autres années, ils ne pouuoiẽt pas prendre l'Elan, si

bien qu'ils n'apportoient que quelques Castors, & quelques Porcs epics,

mais en si petit nombre, & si peu souuent, que cela seruoit plustost

pour ne point mourir que pour viure. Mon hoste me disoit dans ces

grandes disettes. _Chibiné_ aye l'ame dure resiste à la faim, tu seras

par fois deux iours, quelque fois trois ou quatre sans manger, ne te

laisse point abbattre, prẽd courage, quand la neige sera venuë nous

mangerons: nostre Seigneur n'a pas voulu qu'ils fussent si long temps

sans rien prendre; mais pour l'ordinaire nous mangions vne fois en deux

iours, voire assez souuent ayans mangé vn Castor le matin, le lendemain

au soir nous mangions vn Porc-epic gros comme [196] vn Cochon de laict:

c'estoit peu à dixneuf personnes que nous estions, il est vray; mais

ce peu suffisoit pour ne point mourir. Quand ie pouuois auoir vne peau

d'Anguille pour ma iournée sur la fin de nos viures, ie me tenois pour

bien déieuné, bien disné, & bien soupé.

When I first went away with them, as they salt neither their

soup nor their meat, and as filth itself presides over their

cooking, I could not eat their mixtures, and contented myself

with a few sea biscuit and smoked eel; until at last my host took

me to task because I ate so little, saying that I would starve

myself before the famine overtook us. Meanwhile our Savages had

feasts every day, so that in a very short time we found ourselves

without bread, without flour, without eels, and without any means

of helping ourselves. For besides being very far in the woods,

where we would have died a thousand times before [195] reaching

the French settlement, we were wintering on the other side of the

great river, which cannot be crossed in this season on account of

the great masses of ice which are continually floating about, and

which would crush not only a small boat but even a great ship. As

to the chase, the snows not being deep in comparison with those

of other years, they could not take the Elk, and so brought back

only some Beavers and Porcupines, but in so small a number and so

seldom that they kept us from dying rather than helped us to live.

My host said to me during this time of scarcity, "_Chibiné_, harden

thy soul, resist hunger; thou wilt be sometimes two, sometimes

three or four, days without food: do not let thyself be cast down,

take courage; when the snow comes, we shall eat." It was not our

Lord's will that they should be so long without capturing anything;

but we usually had something to eat once in two days,--indeed, we

very often had a Beaver in the morning, and in the evening of the

next day a Porcupine as big as [196] a sucking Pig. This was not

much for nineteen of us, it is true, but this little sufficed to

keep us alive. When I could have, toward the end of our supply of

food, the skin of an Eel for my day's fare, I considered that I had

breakfasted, dined, and supped well.

Au commencement ie m'estois seruy d'vne de ces peaux pour refaire vne

sotane de toille que i'auois sur moy, ayãt oublié de porter des pieces,

mais voyãt que la faim me pressoit si fort, ie mangeay mes pieces, &

si ma sotane eust esté de mesme estoffe, ie vous répond que ie l'eusse

rapportée bien courte en la maison: ie mangeois bien les vieilles

peaux d'Orignac, qui sont bien plus dures que les peaux d'Anguilles,

i'allois dans les bois brouter le bout des arbres & ronger les écorces

plus tendres, comme ie remarqueray dans le iournal. Les Sauuages qui

nous estoient voisins, souffroient encore plus que nous, quelques-vns

nous venans voir, nous disoient que leurs camarades estoient morts de

faim, i'en vy qui n'auoient mangé qu'vne fois en cinq iours, & qui se

tenoient bien heureux quand ils trouuoient de quoy [197] disner au bout

de deux, ils estoient faits comme des squelets, n'ayans plus que la

peau sur les os, nous faisions par fois de bons repas; mais pour vn bon

disner, nous nous passions trois fois de souper. Vn ieune Sauuage de

nostre cabane, mourant de faim, comme ie diray au Chapitre suiuant, ils

me demandoient souuent si ie ne craignois point, si ie n'auois point

peur de la mort, & voyans que ie me monstrois assez asseuré ils s'en

estonnoient, notamment en certain temps que ie les vis quasi tomber

dans le desespoir. Quand ils viennent iusques-là, ils ioüent pour ainsi

dire à sauue qui peut, ils iettent leurs écorces, & leur bagage, ils

abandonnent les vns les autres, & perdans le soin du public, c'est à

qui trouuera de quoy viure pour soy; alors les enfans, les femmes, en

vn mot ceux qui ne sçauroient chasser meurent de froid & de faim, s'ils

en fussent venus à ceste extremité ie serois mort des premiers.

At first, I had used one of these skins to patch the cloth gown

that I wore, as I forgot to bring some pieces with me; but, when I

was so sorely pressed with hunger, I ate my pieces; and if my gown

had been made of the same stuff, I assure you I would have brought

it back home much shorter than it was. Indeed, I ate old Moose

skins, which are much tougher than those of the Eel; I went about

through the woods biting the ends of the branches, and gnawing the

more tender bark, as I shall relate in the journal. Our neighboring

Savages suffered still more than we did, some of them coming to

see us, and telling us that their comrades had died of hunger. I

saw some who had eaten only once in five days, and who considered

themselves very well off if they found something [197] to dine

upon at the end of two days; they were reduced to skeletons,

being little more than skin and bones. We occasionally had some

good meals; but for every good dinner we went three times without

supper. When a young Savage of our cabin was dying of hunger, as

I shall relate in the following Chapter, they often asked me if

I was not afraid, if I had no fear of death; and seeing me quite

firm, they were astonished, on one occasion in particular, when I

saw them almost falling into a state of despair. When they reach

this point, they play, so to speak, at "save himself who can;"

throwing away their bark and baggage, deserting each other, and

abandoning all interest in the common welfare, each one strives to

find something for himself. Then the children, women, and for that

matter all those who cannot hunt, die of cold and hunger. If they

had reached this extremity, I would have been among the first to

die.

Voila ce qu'il faut preuoir auant que de se mettre à leur suitte:

car encor qu'ils ne soient pas tous les ans pressez de ceste famine,

ils en courent tous les [198] ans les dangers puis qu'ils n'ont

point à manger, ou fort peu, s'il n'y a beaucoup de neige & beaucoup

d'Orignaux, ce qui n'arriue pas tousiours.

So these are the things that must be expected before undertaking

to follow them; for, although they may not be pressed with famine

every year, yet they run the risk every [198] winter of not having

food, or very little, unless there are heavy snowfalls and a great

many Moose, which does not always happen.

Que si vous me demandez maintenant quels estoient mes sentimens dans

les afres de la mort, & d'vne mort si langoureuse comme est celle qui

prouient de la famine, ie vous diray que i'ay de la peine à répondre;

neantmoins afin que ceux qui liront ce Chapitre, n'apprehendent point

de nous venir secourir, ie puis asseurer auec verité que ce temps

de famine m'a esté vn temps d'abondance. Ayant recogneu que nous

commençions à floter entre l'esperance de la vie & la crainte de la

mort, ie fis mon conte que Dieu m'auoit condamné à mourir de faim pour

mes pechez, & baisant mille fois la main qui auoit minuté ma sentence,

i'en attendois l'execution auec vne paix & une ioye qu'on peut bien

sentir, mais qu'on ne peut décrire: ie confesse qu'on souffre, & qu'il

se faut resoudre à la Croix: mais Dieu fait gloire d'ayder vne ame

quand elle n'est plus secouruë des creatures. Poursuiuons nostre chemin.

Now if you were to ask me what my feelings were in the terrors of

death, and of a death so lingering as is that which comes from

hunger, I will say that I can hardly tell. Nevertheless, in order

that those who read this Chapter may not have a dread of coming

over to our assistance, I can truly say that this time of famine

was for me a time of abundance. When I realized that we began to

hover between the hope of life and the fear of death, I made up

my mind that God had condemned me to die of starvation for my

sins; and, a thousand times kissing the hand that had written

my sentence, I awaited the execution of it with a peace and joy

which may be experienced, but cannot be described. I confess that

one suffers, and that he must reconcile himself to the Cross; but

God glories in helping a soul when it is no longer aided by his

creatures. Let us continue on our way.

[199] Apres ceste famine nous eusmes quelques bons iours, la neige

qui n'estoit que trop haute pour auoir froid, mais trop basse pour

prendre l'Orignac, s'estant grandement accreuë sur la fin de Ianuier,

nos Chasseurs prirent quelques Orignaux, dont ils firent seicherie: or

soit que mon intemperance, ou que ce boucan dur comme du bois, & sale

comme les ruës fut contraire à mon estomach, ie tombay malade au beau

commencement de Feurier, me voila donc contraint de demeurer tousiours

couché sur la terre froide, ce n'estoit pas pour me guerir des

tranchées fort sensibles qui me tourmentoient, & qui me contraignoient

de sortir à toute heure iour & nuict, m'engageant à chaque sortie

dedans les neiges iusques aux genoux, & parfois quasi iusques à la

ceinture, notamment au commencement que nous nous estions cabanez en

quelque endroit, ces douleurs sensibles me durerent enuiron huict ou

dix iours, comme aussi vn grand mal d'estomach, & vne foiblesse de

coeur qui se répandoit par tout le corps, ie guary de ceste maladie,

non pas tout à fait: car ie ne fis [200] que traisner iusques à la

my-Caresme que le mal me reprit. Ie dis cecy pour faire voir le peu de

secours qu'on doit attendre des Sauuages quand on est malade: estant vn

iour pressé de la soif ie demanday vn peu d'eau, on me répondit qu'il

n'y en auoit point & qu'on me donneroit de la neige fonduë si i'en

voulois: comme ce breuuage estoit contraire à mon mal, ie fis entendre

à mon hoste que i'auois veu vn lac nõ pas loing de là, & que i'en eusse

bien voulu auoir vn peu d'eau, il fit la sourde oreille à cause que le

chemin estoit vn peu fascheux, si bien que non seulement ceste fois;

mais encore en tous les endroits que quelque fleuue ou quelque ruisseau

estoit vn peu trop esloigné de nostre cabane, il falloit boire de ceste

neige fonduë dans vne chaudiere, dont le cuiure estoit moins épais que

la saleté: qui voudra sçauoir l'amertume de ce breuuage qu'il le tire

d'vn vaisseau sortant de la fumée & qu'il en gouste.

[199] After this famine, we had some good days. The snow, which had

been only too deep to be cold, but too shallow to take the Moose,

having greatly increased toward the end of January, our Hunters

captured some Moose, which they dried. Now either on account of my

lack of moderation, or because this meat, dried as hard as wood and

as dirty as the street, did not agree with my stomach, I fell sick

in the very beginning of February. So behold me obliged to remain

all the time lying upon the cold ground; this did not tend to cure

me of the severe cramps that tormented me and compelled me to go

out at all hours of the day and night, plunging me every time in

snow up to my knees and sometimes almost up to my waist, especially

when we had first begun our encampment in any one place. These

severe attacks lasted about eight or ten days, and were accompanied

by a pain in the stomach, and a weakness in the heart, which spread

through my whole body. I recovered from this sickness, but not

entirely, for I was [200] only dragging myself around at mid-Lent,

when I was again seized with this disease. I tell the following in

order to show how little help may be expected from the Savages when

a person is sick. Being very thirsty one day, I asked for a little

water; they said there was none, and that they would give me some

melted snow if I wanted it. As this drink was bad for my disease, I

made my host understand that I had seen a lake not far from there,

and that I would like very much to have some of that water. He

pretended not to hear, because the road was somewhat bad; and it

happened thus not only this time, but at any place where the river

or brook was a little distance from our cabin. We had to drink this

snow melted in a kettle whose copper was less thick than the dirt;

if any one wishes to know how bitter this drink is, let him take

some from a kettle just out of the smoke and taste it.

Quant à la nourriture, ils partagent le malade comme les autres; s'ils

prennent de la chair fresche, ils luy en donnent sa part s'il en veut,

s'il ne la mange, [201] pour lors on ne se met pas en peine de luy

en garder vn petit morceau quand il voudra manger, on luy donnera de

ce qu'il y aura pour lors en la cabane, c'est à dire du boucan & non

pas du meilleur: car ils le reseruent pour les festins, si bien qu'vn

pauure malade est contraint bien souuent de manger parmy eux, ce qui

luy feroit horreur dans la santé mesme s'il estoit auec nos François.

Vne ame bien alterée de la soif du Fils de Dieu, ie veux dire des

souffrances, trouueroit icy dequoy se rassasier.

As to the food, they divide with a sick man just as with the

others; if they have fresh meat they give him his share, if he

wants it, but if he does not eat it [201] then, no one will take

the trouble to keep a little piece for him to eat when he wants it;

they will give him some of what they happen to have at the time in

the cabin, namely, smoked meat, and nothing better, for they keep

the best for their feasts. So a poor invalid is often obliged to

eat among them what would horrify him even in good health if he

were with our Frenchmen. A soul very thirsty for the Son of God, I

mean for suffering, would find enough here to satisfy it.

Il me reste encore à parler de leur conuersation, pour faire

entierement cognoistre ce qu'on peut souffrir auec ce peuple. Ie

m'estois mis en la compagnie de mon hoste & du Renegat, à condition

que nous n'hyuerneriõs point auec le Sorcier, que ie cognoissois pour

tres-meschant homme, ils m'auoient accordé ces conditions, mais ils

furent infidelles, ne gardans ny l'vne ny l'autre: ils m'engagerent

donc auec ce pretendu Magicien, comme ie diray cy apres; or ce

miserable homme, & la fumée m'ont esté les deux plus grands tourmens

[202] que i'aye enduré parmy ces Barbares: ny le froid, ny le chaud,

ny l'incommodité des chiens, ny coucher à l'air, ny dormir sur vn lict

de terre, ny la posture qu'il faut tousiours tenir dans leurs cabanes,

se ramassans en peloton, ou se couchans, ou s'asseans sans siege &

sans mattelas, ny la faim, ny la soif, ny la pauuerté & saleté de leur

boucan, ny la maladie, tout cela ne m'a semblé que ieu à comparaison de

la fumée & de la malice du Sorcier, auec lequel i'ay tousiours esté en

très mauuaise intelligence pour les raisons suiuantes.

It remains for me yet to speak of their conversation, in order to

make it clearly understood what there is to suffer among these

people. I had gone in company with my host and the Renegade, on

condition that we should not pass the winter with the Sorcerer,

whom I knew as a very wicked man. They had granted my conditions,

but they were faithless, and kept not one of them, involving me in

trouble with this pretended Magician, as I shall relate hereafter.

Now this wretched man and the smoke were the two greatest trials

[202] that I endured among these Barbarians. The cold, heat,

annoyance of the dogs, sleeping in the open air and upon the bare

ground; the position I had to assume in their cabins, rolling

myself up in a ball or crouching down or sitting without a seat or

a cushion; hunger, thirst, the poverty and filth of their smoked

meats, sickness,--all these, things were merely play to me in

comparison to the smoke and the malice of the Sorcerer, with whom I

have always been on a very bad footing, for the following reasons:--

Premierement, pource que m'ayant inuité d'hyuerner auec luy, ie

l'auois éconduy, dequoy il se ressentoit fort, voyant que ie faisois

plus d'estat de mon hoste, son cadet, que de luy.

First, because, when he invited me to winter with him, I refused;

and he resented this greatly, because he saw that I cared more for

my host, his younger brother, than I did for him.

Secondement, pource que ie ne pouuois assouuir sa cõuoitise, ie n'auois

rien qu'il ne me demandast, il m'a fait fort souuent quitter mon

manteau de dessus mes espaules pour s'en couurir: or ne pouuant pas

satisfaire à toutes ses demandes, il me voyoit de mauuais oeil, voire

mesme quand ie luy eusse donné tout le peu que i'auois, ie n'eusse

peu gagner [203] son amitié: car nous auions bien d'autres sujets de

diuorce.

Second, because I could not gratify his covetousness. I had nothing

that he did not ask me for, often taking my mantle off my shoulders

to put it on his own. Now as I could not satisfy all his demands,

he looked upon me with an evil eye; indeed, even if I had given him

all the little I had, I could not have gained [203] his friendship,

because we were at variance on other subjects.

En trois[i]esme lieu, voyant qu'il faisoit du Prophete, amusant ce

peuple par mille sottises qu'il inuente à mon aduis tous les iours,

ie ne laissois perdre aucune occasion de le conuaincre de niaiserie

& puerilité, mettant au iour l'impertinence de ses superstitions:

or c'estoit luy arracher l'ame du corps par violence: car comme il

ne sçauroit plus chasser, il fait plus que iamais du Prophete & du

Magicien pour conseruer son credit, & pour auoir les bons morceaux, si

bien qu'esbranlant son authorité qui se va perdant tous les iours, ie

le touchois à la prunelle de l'œil, & luy rauissois les delices de son

Paradis, qui sont les plaisirs de la gueule.

In the third place, seeing that he acted the Prophet, amusing these

people by a thousand absurdities, which he invented, in my opinion,

every day, I did not lose any opportunity of convincing him of

their nonsense and childishness, exposing the senselessness of his

superstitions. Now this was like tearing his soul out of his body;

for, as he could no longer hunt, he acted the Prophet and Magician

more than ever before, in order to preserve his credit, and to get

the dainty pieces. So that in shaking his authority, which was

diminishing daily, I was touching the apple of his eye and wresting

from him the delights of his Paradise, which are the pleasures of

his jaws.

En quatriesme lieu, se voulant recrer à mes dépens, il me faisoit par

fois escrire en sa langue des choses sales, m'assurant qu'il n'y auoit

rien de mauuais, puis il me faisoit prononcer ces impudences, que ie

n'entendois pas deuant les Sauuages: quelques femmes m'ayans aduerty

de ceste malice, ie luy dis que ie ne salirois plus mon papier ny ma

[204] bouche, de ces vilaines paroles, il ne laissa pas de me commander

de lire en la presence de toute la cabane, & de quelques Sauuages qui

estoient suruenus, quelque chose qu'il m'auoit dicté, ie luy répondis

que l'Apostat m'en donnat l'interpretation, & puis que ie lirois, ce

Renegat refusant de le faire, ie refusay aussi de lire, le Sorcier me

le commande auec empire, c'est à dire auec de grosses paroles, ie le

prie au commencement auec grande douceur de m'en dispenser: mais comme

il ne vouloit pas estre éconduit deuant les Sauuages, il me presse fort

& me fait presser par mon hoste qui fit du fasché: enfin recognoissant

que mes excuses n'auoiẽt plus de lieu, ie luy parle d'vn accent fort

haut, & apres luy auoir reproché ses lubricitez, ie luy addresse ces

paroles: Me voicy en ton pouuoir, tu me peux massacrer, mais tu ne

sçaurois me contraindre de proferer des paroles impudiques: elles ne

sont pas telles, me dit-il, Pourquoy donc, luy dis-je, ne m'en veut-on

pas donner l'interpretation? il sortit de ceste meslée fort vlceré.

In the fourth place, wishing to have sport at my expense, he

sometimes made me write vulgar things in his language, assuring

me there was nothing bad in them, then made me pronounce these

shameful words, which I did not understand, in the presence of the

Savages. Some women having warned me of this trick, I told him I

would no longer soil my paper nor my [204] lips with these vile

words. He insisted, however, that I should read before all those

of the cabin, and some Savages who had come thither, something he

had dictated to me. I answered him that, if the Apostate would

interpret them to me, I would read them. That Renegade refusing to

do this, I refused to read. The Sorcerer commanded me imperiously,

that is, with high words, and I at first begged him gently to

excuse me; but as he did not wish to be thwarted before the

Savages, he persisted in urging me, and had my host, who pretended

to be vexed, urge me also. At last, aware that my excuses were of

no avail, I spoke to him peremptorily, and, after reproaching him

for his lewdness, I addressed him in these words: "Thou hast me in

thy power, thou canst murder me, but thou canst not force me to

repeat indecent words." "They are not such," he said. "Why then,"

said I, "will they not interpret them to me?" He emerged from this

conflict very much exasperated.

En cinquiesme lieu, voyant que mon [205] hoste m'aymoit, il eut peur

que cet amour ne le priuast de quelque friand morceau, ie taschay de

luy oster ceste apprehension, témoignant publiquement que ie ne viuois

pas pour manger, mais que ie mangeois pour viure, & qu'il importoit

peu quoy qu'on me donnast, pourueu que i'en eusse assez pour ne point

mourir: il me repartit nettement, qu'il n'estoit pas de mon aduis, mais

qu'il faisoit profession d'estre friand, d'aymer les bons morceaux, &

qu'on l'obligeoit fort quand on luy en presentoit: or iaçoit que mon

hoste ne luy donnast aucun sujet de craindre en cet endroit, si est ce

qu'il m'attaquoit quasi en tous les repas, comme s'il eut eu peur de

perdre la preseance, ceste apprehension augmentoit sa haine.

In the fifth place, seeing that my [205] host was greatly attached

to me, he was afraid that this friendliness might deprive him of

some choice morsel. I tried to relieve him of this apprehension

by stating publicly that I did not live to eat, but that I ate to

live; and that it mattered little what they gave me, provided it

was enough to keep me alive. He retorted sharply that he was not of

my opinion, but that he made a profession of being dainty; that he

was fond of the good pieces, and was very much obliged when people

gave them to him. Now although my host gave him no cause for fear

in this direction, yet he attacked me at almost every meal as if he

were afraid of losing his precedence. This apprehension increased

his hatred.

En sixiesme lieu, comme il voyoit que les Sauuages des autres cabanes

me portoient quelque respect, cognoissant d'ailleurs que i'estois grand

ennemy de ses impostures, & que si i'entrois dans l'esprit de ses

oüailles, que ie le perdrois de fond en comble, il faisoit son possible

pour me détruire, & pour me rendre ridicule en la creance de son peuple.

In the sixth place, when he saw that the Savages of the other

cabins showed me some respect, knowing besides that I was a great

enemy of his impostures, and that, if I gained influence among his

flock, I would ruin him completely, he did all he could to destroy

me and to make me appear ridiculous in the eyes of his people.

[206] En septiesme lieu, adioustez à tout cecy l'auersion que luy &

tous les Sauuages de Tadoussac ont eu iusques icy des François depuis

le commerce des Anglois, & coniecturez quel traictement ie peux auoir

receu de ces Barbares, qui adorent ce miserable Sorcier, contre lequel

le plus souuent i'auois guerre declarée. I'ay creu cent fois que ie ne

sortirois iamais de ceste meslée que par les portes de la mort. Il m'a

traité fort indignement, il est vray, mais ie m'estonne qu'il n'a pis

fait, veu qu'il est idolatre de ces superstitiõs, que ie combattois

de toutes mes forces. De raconter par le menu toutes ses attaques,

ses risées, ses gausseries, ses mépris, ie ferois vn Liure pour vn

Chapitre, suffit de dire qu'il s'attaquoit mesme par fois à Dieu pour

me déplaire, & qu'il s'efforçoit de me rendre la risée des petits &

des grands, me décriant dans les autres cabanes aussi bien que dans la

nostre, il n'eut neantmoins iamais le credit d'animer contre moy les

Sauuages nos voisins, ils baissoient la teste quand ils entendoient

les benedictiõs qu'il me donnoit. Pour les domestiques incitez par

[207] son exemple, & appuyez de son authorité, ils me chargeoient

incessamment de mille brocards, & de mille injures, ie me suis veu en

tel estat, que pour ne les aigrir, ou ne leur donner occasion de se

fascher, ie passois les iours entiers sans ouurir la bouche. Croyez

moy si ie n'ay rapporté autre fruict des Sauuages, i'ay pour le moins

appris beaucoup d'injures en leur langue, ils me disoient à tout

bout de champ _eca titou, eca titou nama_ k_hitirinisin_, tais toy,

tais toy, tu n'as point d'esprit. _Achineou_, il est orgueilleux,

_Moucachtechiou_, il fait du compagnon, _sasegau_ il est superbe,

_cou attimou_ il ressemble à vn Chien, _cou mascoua_ il ressemble à

vn Ours, _cou ouabouchou ouichtoui_ il est barbu comme vn Lieure,

_attimonai ou_k_himau_ il est Capitaine des Chiens, _cou oucousimas

ouchtigonan_ il a la teste faite comme vn citroüille, _matchiriniou_

il est difforme, il est laid, k_hichcouebeon_ il est yure; voila les

couleurs dont ils me peignoient, & de quantité d'autres que i'obmets:

le bon est qu'ils ne pensoient pas quelquesfois que ie les entendisse,

& me voyans sous-rire ils demeuroient confus, du moins ceux qui ne

chantoiẽt [208] ces airs que pour complaire au Sorcier: les enfans

m'estoient fort importuns me faisans mille niches, m'imposans silence

quand ie voulois parler. Quand mon hoste estoit au logis i'auois

quelque relache, & quand le Sorcier s'absentoit i'estois dans la bonace

maniant les grands & les petits quasi comme ie voulois. Voila vne bonne

partie des choses qu'on doit souffrir parmy ces peuples: cecy ne doit

épouuenter personne, les bons soldats s'animent à la veuë de leur sang

& de leurs playes, Dieu est plus grand que nostre cœur, on ne tombe pas

tousiours dans la famine, on ne rencontre pas tousiours des Sorciers,

ou des iongleurs de l'humeur de celuy-cy: en vn mot si nous pouuions

sçauoir la langue & la reduire en preceptes il ne seroit plus de besoin

de suiure ces Barbares. Pour les nations stables, d'où nous attendons

le plus grand fruict, nous pouuons auoir nostre cabane à part, & par

consequent nous deliurer d'vne partie de ces grandes incommoditez: mais

finissons ce Chapitre, autrement ie me voy en danger d'estre aussi

importun que cet imposteur [209] que ie recommande aux prieres de

tous ceux qui liront cecy, ie coucheray au Chapitre suiuant quelques

entretiens que i'ay eu auec luy, lors que nous estions dans quelque

tréue.

[206] In the seventh place, add to all these things the aversion

which he and all the Savages of Tadoussac had, up to the present

time, against the French, since their intercourse with the

English; and judge what treatment I might have received from these

Barbarians, who adore this miserable Sorcerer, against whom I was

generally in a state of open warfare. I thought a hundred times

that I should only emerge from this conflict through the gates of

death. He treated me shamefully, it is true; but I am astonished

that he did not act worse, seeing that he is an idolater of those

superstitions which I was fighting with all my might. To relate

in detail all his attacks, gibes, sneers, and contempt, I would

write a Book instead of a Chapter. Suffice it to say, that he

sometimes even attacked God to displease me; and that he tried

to make me the laughingstock of small and great, abusing me in

the other cabins as well as in ours. He never had, however, the

satisfaction of inciting our neighboring Savages against me; they

merely hung their heads when they heard the blessings he showered

upon me. As to the servants, instigated by [207] his example,

and supported by his authority, they continually heaped upon me

a thousand taunts and a thousand insults; and I was reduced to

such a state, that, in order not to irritate them or give them

any occasion to get angry, I passed whole days without opening my

mouth. Believe me, if I have brought back no other fruits from the

Savages, I have at least learned many of the insulting words of

their language. They were saying to me at every turn, _eca titou,

eca titou nama khitirinisin_, "Shut up, shut up, thou hast no

sense." _Achineou_, "He is proud;" _Moucachtechiou_, "He plays the

parasite;" _sasegau_, "He is haughty;" _cou attimou_, "He looks

like a Dog;" _cou mascoua_, "He looks like a Bear;" _cou ouabouchou

ouichtoui_, "He is bearded like a Hare;" _attimonai oukhimau_, "He

is Captain of the Dogs;" _cou oucousimas ouchtigonan_, "He has a

head like a pumpkin;" _matchiriniou_, "He is deformed, he is ugly;"

_khichcouebeon_, "He is drunk." So these are the colors in which

they paint me, and a multitude of others, which I omit. The best

part of it was that they did not think sometimes that I understood

them; and, seeing me smile, they became embarrassed,--at least,

those who sang [208] these songs only to please the Sorcerer. The

children were very troublesome, playing numberless tricks upon me,

and imposing silence when I wanted to talk. When my host was at

home, I had some rest; and, when the Sorcerer was absent, I was in

smooth water, managing both great and small just as I wished. So

these are some of the things that have to be endured among these

people. This must not frighten any one; good soldiers are animated

with courage at the sight of their blood and their wounds, and God

is greater than our hearts. One does not always encounter a famine;

one does not always meet Sorcerers or jugglers with so bad a temper

as that one had; in a word, if we could understand the language,

and reduce it to rules, there would be no more need of following

these Barbarians. As to the stationary tribes, from which we expect

the greatest fruit, we can have our cabins apart, and consequently

be freed from many of these great inconveniences. But let us finish

this Chapter; otherwise I see myself in danger of becoming as

troublesome as that impostor, [209] whom I commend to the prayers

of all those who will read this. I shall set down in the following

Chapter some conversations I had with him when we were enjoying a

truce.

CHAPITRE XIII.

CONTENANT VN IOURNAL DES CHOSES QUI N'ONT PEU ESTRE COUCHÉES SOUS LES

CHAPITRES PRECEDENS.

SI ce Chapitre estoit le premier dans ceste relation, il donneroit

quelque lumiere à tous les suiuans: mais ie luy ay donné le dernier

rang, pource qu'il se grossira tous les iours iusques au depart des

vaisseaux, par le rencontre des choses plus remarquables qui pourront

arriuer, n'estant qu'vn memoire en forme de Iournal, de tout ce qui n'a

peu estre logé dans les Chapitres precedens.