CONTAINING A JOURNAL OF THINGS WHICH COULD NOT BE SET FORTH IN THE
PRECEDING CHAPTERS.
IF this Chapter were the first in this relation, it would throw
some light upon all the following ones; but I have given it
the last place, because it will continue to increase every day
until the departure of the ships, through the occurrence of more
noteworthy events which may happen. It is only a memoir, in the
form of a Journal, of all the things that could not be given in the
preceding Chapters.
Apres le depart de nos François qui sortirent de la rade de Kebec, le
16. d'Aoust de l'an passé 1633. pour tirer à Tadoussac, & de là en
France, cherchant [210] l'occasion de conuerser auec les sauuages,
pour apprendre leur langue; ie me transportay delà le grand fleuue de
sainct Laurens dans vne cabane de fueillages, & allois tous les iours à
l'escole dans celles des sauuages, qui nous enuironnoient, alleché par
l'esperance que i'auois, sinon de reduire le Renegat à son deuoir, du
moins de tirer de luy quelque cognoissance de sa langue: ce miserable
estoit nouuellement arriué de Tadoussac, où il s'estoit mõstré fort
contraire aux François, la faim qui pressoit l'Apostat & ses freres,
les fit monter à Kebec pour trouuer dequoy viure: estãs donc occupez à
leur pesche, i'estois fort souuent en leur cabane, inuitant par fois
le Renegat de venir vne autre fois hyuerner auec nous dans nostre
maisonnette, il s'y fust aysément accordé n'estoit qu'il auoit pris
femme d'vne autre nation que la sienne, & qu'il ne la pouuoit pas
renuoyer pour lors: voyant donc qu'il ne me pouuoit pas suiure, ie
luy iettay quelque propos de passer l'hyuer auec luy, mais sur ces
entrefaictes vne furieuse tempeste nous ayant battu en ruine certaine
nuict, le [211] Pere de Noüe, deux de nos hommes, & moy, dans nostre
cabane, ie fus saisy d'vne grosse fiéure, qui me fit chercher nostre
petite maisonnette pour y trouuer la santé.
After the departure of our French,--who left the roadstead of Kebec
on the 16th of August of last year, 1633, to sail for Tadoussac and
thence to France,--in order to have [210] opportunity of conversing
with the savages, and thus learning their language, I crossed the
great saint Lawrence river to a cabin of branches, and went every
day to school in those of the savages, who were encamped around
me,--allured by my hopes, if not of bringing the Renegade to a
sense of his duty, at least of drawing from him some knowledge of
the language. This poor wretch had newly arrived from Tadoussac,
where he had shown great repugnance to the French. The famine which
afflicted this Apostate and his brothers caused them to come up to
Kebec in search of food. Now, as they were occupied in fishing,
I was very often in their cabin, and occasionally invited the
Renegade to come again and pass the winter with us in our little
house. He would very readily have agreed to this, had he not taken
a wife from another nation than his own, and he could not send her
away then. Therefore, seeing that he could not follow me, I threw
out some hints about passing the winter with him; but during these
negotiations, a furious tempest having one night swept down upon
us, [211] Father de Noüe, two of our men, and myself, in our cabin,
I was seized with a violent fever, which made me go back to our
little home to recover my health.
L'Apostat ayant veu mon inclination traicta de mon dessein auec ses
freres, il en auoit trois, l'vn nommé Carigonan, & surnommé des
François l'Espousée, pource qu'il fait le grand comme vne espousée,
c'est le plus fameux sorcier, ou _manitousiou_, (c'est ainsi qu'ils
appellent ces iongleurs) de tout le pays, c'est celuy dont i'ay fort
parlé cy-dessus: l'autre se nómme Mestigoït, ieune homme âgé de quelque
trente-cinq ou quarante ans, braue Chasseur, & d'vn bon naturel: le
troisiesme se nommoit Sasousinat, c'est le plus heureux de tous: car
il est maintenant au Ciel, estãt mort bon Chrestien, comme ie l'ay
fait voir au Chapitre second. Le sorcier ayant appris du Renegat que
ie voulois hyuerner auec les Sauuages, me vint voir sur la fin de ma
maladie, & m'inuita de prendre sa cabane, me donnant pour raison qu'il
aymoit les bons, pource qu'il estoit bon, qu'il auoit [212] tousiours
esté bon dés sa tendre ieunesse: il me demanda si Iesus ne m'auoit
parlé de la maladie qui le trauailloit: viens, me disoit-il, auec
moy, & tu me feras viure maintenant: ie suis en danger de mourir: or
comme ie le cognoissois comme vn homme tres-impudent, ie l'éconduy
le plus doucement qu'il me fut possible, & tirant à part l'Apostat,
qui taschoit de m'auoir de son costé, ayant tesmoigné au Pere de
Noüe quelque desir de retourner à Dieu, ie luy dy que i'hyuernerois
volontiers auec luy, & auec son frere Mestigoït, à condition que nous
n'irions point de la le grand fleuue, que le sorcier ne seroit point
en nostre compagnie, & que luy qui entend bien la langue Françoise
m'enseigneroit: ils m'accorderent tous deux ces trois conditions, mais
ils n'en tindrent pas vne.
The Apostate, seeing how I was inclined, discussed my plan with
his brothers. There were three of them; one named Carigonan, and
surnamed by the French the Married Man, because he made a great
deal of the fact that he was married. He was the most famous
sorcerer, or _manitousiou_, (thus they call these jugglers) of all
the country; it is he of whom I have spoken above. The other was
called Mestigoït, a young man about thirty-five or forty years
of age, a brave Hunter, and endowed with a good disposition. The
third was called Sasousinat, who is the happiest of all, for he is
now in Heaven, having died a good Christian, as I stated in the
second Chapter. The sorcerer, having learned from the Renegade
that I wished to pass the winter with the Savages, came to see
me toward the end of my sickness, and invited me to share his
cabin,--giving me as his reason that he loved good men, because
he himself was good, and had [212] always been so from his early
youth. He asked me if Jesus had not spoken to me about the disease
which tormented him. "Come," said he, "with me, and thou wilt make
me live now, for I am in danger of dying." But as I knew him for
a very impudent fellow, I refused him as gently as I could; and,
taking the Apostate aside, who also wished to have me, as he had
shown to Father de Noüe that he had some desire to return to God,
I told him that I would be glad to winter with him and with his
brother Mestigoït, on condition that we should not go across the
great river, that the sorcerer should not be of our party, and that
he, who understood the French language well, would teach me. They
both agreed to these three conditions, but they did not fulfill one
of them.
Le iour du départ estant pris, ie leur donnay pour mon viure vne
barrique de galette, que nous empruntasmes au magazin de ces Messieurs,
vn sac de farine, & des espics de bled d'Inde, quelques pruneaux,
& quelques naueaux, [213] ils me presserent fort de porter vn peu
de vin, mais ie n'y voulois point entendre, craignant qu'ils ne
s'enyurassent: toutesfois m'ayans promis qu'ils n'y toucheroient point
sans ma permission, & les ayant asseuré qu'au cas qu'ils le fissent,
que ie le ietterois dans la mer, ie suiuy l'inclination de ceux qui
me conseillerent d'en porter vn petit barillet; ie promis en outre à
Mestigoït que ie le prenois pour mon hoste: car l'Apostat n'est pas
Chasseur, & n'a aucune conduite, que ie luy ferois quelque present au
retour, comme i'ay fait: c'est l'attente de ces viures qui leur fait
desirer d'auoir vn François auec eux.
On the day of our departure I gave them, for my support, a barrel
of sea biscuit, which we borrowed from the storehouse of those
Gentlemen, a sack of flour, some ears of Indian corn, some prunes,
and some parsnips. [213] They urged me very strongly to take a
little wine, but I did not wish to yield to them, fearing they
would get drunk. However, having promised me they would not touch
it without my permission, and having assured them that, if they
did, I would throw it into the sea, I followed the advice of those
who counseled me to carry a little barrel of it. Also I promised
Mestigoït that I would take him for my host, for the Apostate is
not a Hunter, and has no management; but I promised to make him a
present upon our return, which I did. It was the expectation of
this food which made them wish to have a Frenchman with them.
Ie m'embarquay donc en leur chalouppe, iustement le 18. d'Octobre,
faisant profession de petit écolier à mesme iour que i'auois autrefois
fait profession de maistre de nos écoles, estãt allé prendre congé de
Monsieur nostre Gouuerneur, il me recommãda tres-particulieremẽt aux
Sauuages, mon hoste luy repartit, si le Pere meurt ie mourray auec
luy, & iamais plus on ne me reuerra en ce pays icy, nos Frãçois me
tesmoignoient [214] tout plein de regret de mon depart, veu les dangers
esquels on s'engage en la fuitte de ces Barbares. Les Adieu faits de
part & d'autre, nous fismes voile enuiron les dix heures du matin,
i'estois seul de François auec vingt Sauuages, comptant les hommes, les
femmes, & les enfans, le vent & la marée nous fauorisans, nous allasmes
descendre au delà de l'Isle d'Orleans dans vne autre Isle nommée des
Sauuages _Ca ouahascoumaga_k_he_, ie ne sçay si la beauté du iour se
respandoit dessus ceste Isle, mais ie la trouuay fort agreable.
So I embarked in their shallop on the 18th of October precisely,
making profession as a little pupil on the same day that I had
previously begun the profession of master of our schools. When I
went to take leave of Monsieur our Governor, he recommended me
very particularly to the Savages; and my host answered him, "If
the Father dies, I will die with him, and you will never see me
in this country again." Our French people showed [214] the most
profound regret at my departure, knowing the dangers that one
encounters in following these Barbarians. When all our Farewells
were said, we set sail about ten o'clock in the morning. I was the
only Frenchman, with twenty Savages, counting the men, women and
children. The wind and tide were favorable, and we turned to go
down past the Island of Orleans to another Island called by the
Savages _Ca ouahascoumagakhe_; I know not whether it was the beauty
of the day which spread over this Island, but I found it very
pleasant.
Si tost que nous eusmes mis pied à terre, mon hoste prend vne
harquebuse qu'il a acheté des Anglois, & s'en va chercher nostre
souper: cependant les femmes se mettent à bastir la maison où nous
deuions loger. Or l'Apostat s'estãt pris garde que tout le monde estoit
occupé, s'en retourna à la chalouppe qui estoit à l'anchre, prit le
petit barillet de vin & en beut auec tel excez, que s'estãt enyuré
comme vne souppe, il tomba dedans l'eau, & se pensa noyer: enfin il
en sortit apres auoir bien barbotté, il s'en vint vers le lieu où on
dressoit la cabane, [215] criant & hurlant comme vn demoniaque, il
arrache les perches, frappe sur les écorces de la cabane, pour tout
briser: les femmes le voyant dans ces fougues s'enfuyent dans le bois,
qui deçà qui delà, mon Sauuage que ie nomme ordinairemẽt mon hoste,
faisoit boüillir dans vn chauderon quelques oyseaux qu'il auoit tuez:
cet yurogne suruenãt rompt la cramaillere, & renuerse tout dans les
cendres: à tout cela pas vn ne fait mine d'estre fasché, aussi est
ce folie de se battre contre vn fol, mon hoste ramasse ses petits
oyseaux, les va luy-mesme lauer à la riuiere, puise de l'eau, & remet
la chaudiere sur le feu, les femmes voyant que cét homme enragé couroit
ça & là sur le bord de l'Isle, écumant comme vn possedé, viennent viste
prendre leurs écorces, & les emportent en vn lieu écarté, de peur qu'il
ne les mette en pieces comme il auoit commencé: à peine eurent-elles
le loysir de les rouler qu'il parut aupres d'elles tout forcené,
& ne sçachant sur qui descharger sa fureur: car elles disparurent
incontinent à la faueur de la nuict qui commençoit à nous cacher, il
s'en vint [216] par le feu qui se descouuroit par sa clarté, & voulant
mettre la main sur la chaudiere pour la renuerser vne autre fois, mon
hoste son frere, plus habile que luy, la prit & luy ietta au nez toute
boüillante comme elle estoit, ie vous laisse à penser quelle contenance
tenoit ce pauure homme, se voyant pris à la chaude, iamais il ne fut si
bien laué, il changea de peau en la face, & en tout l'estomach, pleust
à Dieu que son ame eust changé aussi bien que son corps: il redouble
ses hurlemens, arrache le reste des perches, qui estoient encor debout:
mon hoste m'a dit depuis qu'il demandoit vne hache pour me tuer, ie ne
sçay s'il la demanda en effect, car ie n'entendois pas son langage,
mais ie sçay bien que me presentant à luy pour l'arrester il me dit,
parlant François, Retirez-vous, ce n'est pas à vous à qui i'en veux,
laissez-moy faire, puis me tirant par la sotane, Allons, disoit-il,
embarquons-nous dans un canot, retournons en vostre maison, vous ne
cognoissez pas ces gens cy, ce qu'ils en font, c'est pour le ventre,
ils ne se soucient pas de vous, mais de vos viures, [217] à cela ie
répondois tout bas à part moy, _in vino veritas_.
As soon as we had set foot on land, my host took an arquebus he
had bought from the English, and went in search of our supper.
Meanwhile the women began to build the house where we were to
lodge. Now the Apostate, having observed that every one was busy,
returned to the boat that was lying at anchor, took the keg of
wine, and drank from it with such excess, that, being drunk as a
lord, he fell into the water and was nearly drowned. Finally he
got out, after considerable scrambling, and started for the place
where they were putting up the cabin. [215] Screaming and howling
like a demon, he snatched away the poles and beat upon the bark of
the cabin, to break everything to pieces. The women, seeing him in
this frenzy, fled to the woods, some here, some there. My Savage,
whom I usually call my host, was boiling in a kettle some birds
he had killed, when this drunken fellow, coming upon the scene,
broke the crane and upset everything into the ashes. No one seemed
to get angry at all this, but then it is foolish to fight with a
madman. My host gathered up his little birds and went to wash them
in the river, drew some water and placed the kettle over the fire
again. The women, seeing that this madman was running hither and
thither on the shores of the Island, foaming like one possessed,
ran quickly to get their bark and take it to a place of security,
lest he should tear it to pieces, as he had begun to do. They
had scarcely had time to roll it up, when he appeared near them
completely infuriated, and not knowing upon what to vent his fury,
for they had suddenly disappeared, thanks to the darkness which had
begun to conceal us. He approached [216] the fire, which could be
seen on account of its bright light, and was about to take hold of
the kettle to overturn it again; when my host, his brother, quicker
than he, seized it and threw the water into his face, boiling as
it was. I leave you to imagine how this poor man looked, finding
himself thus deluged with hot water. He was never so well washed.
The skin of his face and whole chest changed. Would to God that his
soul had changed as well as his body. He redoubled his howls, and
began to pull up the poles which were still standing. My host has
told me since that he asked for an ax, with which to kill me; I do
not know whether he really asked for one, as I did not understand
his language; but I know very well that, when I went up to him and
tried to stop him, he said to me in French, "Go away, it is not you
I am after; let me alone;" then pulling my gown, "Come," said he,
"let us embark in a canoe, let us return to your house; you do not
know these people here; all they do is for the belly, they do not
care for you, but for your food." [217] To this I answered in an
undertone and to myself, _in vino veritas_.
La nuict s'auançant bien fort ie me retiray dedans le bois pour fuir
l'importunité de cet yurongne, & pour prendre quelque repos; comme
ie faisois mes prieres aupres d'vn arbre, la femme qui faisoit le
ménage de mon hoste me vint trouuer, & ramassant quelques feüilles
d'arbres tombées, me dit; couche toy là, & ne fais point de bruit,
puis m'ayant ietté vne écorce pour me couurir, elle se retira: voila
donc mon premier giste à l'enseigne de la Lune qui me découuroit de
tous costez, me voila passé Cheualier dés le premier iour de mon
entrée en ceste Academie, la pluye suruenant vn peu auant minuict, me
donna quelque apprehension d'estre moüillé, mais elle ne dura pas long
temps: le lendemain matin ie trouuay que mon lict, quoy qu'on ne l'eut
point remué depuis la creation du monde, n'estoit point si dure qu'il
m'empeschat de dormir.
As the night was coming on rapidly, I retired into the woods, to
escape being annoyed by this drunkard, and to get a little rest.
While I was saying my prayers near a tree, the woman who managed
the household of my host came to see me; and, gathering together
some leaves of fallen trees, said to me, "Lie down there and make
no noise," then, having thrown me a piece of bark as a cover, she
went away. So this was my first resting place at the sign of the
Moon, which shone upon me from all sides. Behold me an accomplished
Chevalier, after the first day of my entrance into this Academy.
The rain coming on, a little before midnight, made me fear that I
might get wet, but it did not last long. The next morning I found
that my bed, although it had not been made up since the creation of
the world, was not so hard as to keep me from sleeping.
Le iour suiuant ie voulu ietter le barillet & le reste du vin dans la
riuiere, comme ie leurs auois dit que ie ferois, [218] au cas qu'on en
abusast, mon hoste me saisissant par le milieu du corps, s'écria _eca
toute, eca toute_, ne fais pas cela, ne fais pas cela, ne vois tu pas
que _Petrichtich_ (c'est ainsi qu'ils nomment le Renegat par derision)
n'a point d'esprit, que c'est vn chien, ie te promets qu'on ne touchera
plus au barillet que tu ne sois present: ie m'arrestay auec resolution
d'en faire largesse, afin de me deliurer de la crainte qu'vn peu de vin
ne nous fit boire beaucoup d'eau: car s'ils se fussent enyurez pendant
que nous faisions voile, c'estoit pour nous perdre.
The next day I wanted to throw the barrel, with what was left of
the wine, into the river, as I had told them I would do, [218] in
case any one abused it; but my host, seizing me around the waist,
cried out, _eca toute, eca toute_, "Do not do that, do not do
that. Dost thou not see that _Petrichtich_" (it is thus they call
the Renegade in derision) "does not know anything, that he is a
dog? I promise thee that we will never touch the barrel unless
thou art present." I yielded, and made up my mind to distribute it
liberally, in order to free myself of the fear that a little wine
might make us drink a great deal of water; for, if they were to get
drunk while we were sailing, we would be lost.
Nous voulions sortir le matin de ceste Isle; mais la marée se retirant,
plustost que nous ne pensions, nostre Chalouppe s'échoüa: si bien qu'il
fallut attendre la marée du soir, en laquelle nous nous embarquasmes, &
voguans à la faueur de la Lune aussi bien que du vent, nous abordasmes
vne autre Isle nommée _Ca ouapascounagate_. Comme nous arriuasmes sur
la minuict, nos gens ne prirent pas la peine de nous bastir vne maison,
si bien que nous couchasmes au mesme lict, & logeasmes à la mesme
enseigne que la nuict precedente, [219] abriez des arbres & du ciel.
We intended leaving this Island in the morning; but the tide fell
sooner than we expected, and stranded our Boat. Hence we had to
wait for the evening tide, upon which we embarked, and sailed away
by the aid of the Moon as well as of the wind. We reached another
Island, called _Ca ouapascounagate_. As we arrived about midnight,
our people did not take the trouble to make a house; and we slept
in the same bed and lodged at the same sign as the night before,
[219] under the shelter of the trees and sky.
Le lendemain nous quittasmes ceste Isle pour entrer dans vne autre
appellée _Ca chibariouachcate_, nous la pourrions nommer l'Isle aux
Oyes blanches, car i'y en vis plus de mille en vne bande.
The next day we left this Island to go to another one, called _Ca
chibariouachcate_; we might have called it the Island of the white
Geese, for I saw there more than a thousand of them in one flock.
Le iour d'apres nous la voulions quitter, mais nous fusmes contraints
pour le mauuais temps de relascher au bout de ceste mesme Isle, elle
est deserte comme tout le pays, c'est à dire qu'elle n'a des habitans
qu'en passant, ce peuple n'ayant point de demeure assurée: elle est
bordée de rochers si gros, si hauts, & si entrecouppez & peuplée
neantmoins de Cedres & de Pins si proprement, qu'vn Peintre tiendroit
à faueur d'en auoir la veüe pour tirer l'idée d'vn desert affreux pour
ses precipices, & tres agreable pour la varieté de quantité d'arbres
qu'on diroit auoir esté plantez par la main de l'art plustost que de la
Nature. Comme elle est entre-taillée de bayes pleines de vases, il s'y
retire si grande quantité de gibier & de plusieurs especes que ie n'ay
point veu en France, qu'il le faut quasi voir pour le croire.
The following day we tried to leave, but the bad weather compelled
us to land again at the end of this same Island. It is a solitude,
like all the country; that is, it has only temporary inhabitants,
for these people have no fixed habitation. It is bordered by rocks
so massive, so high, and so craggy, and is withal covered so
picturesquely with Cedars and Pines, that a Painter would consider
himself favored to view it, in order to derive therefrom an idea
of a desert frightful in its precipices and very pleasing in the
variety and number of its trees, which one might say had been
planted by the hand of art rather than of Nature. As it is indented
by bays full of mud, there hides here such a quantity and variety
of game, some of which I have never seen in France, that it must be
seen in order to be believed.
[220] Sortans de ceste Isle au gibier nous nauigeasmes tout le
iour & vinsmes descendre sur la nuict dans vne petite Islette
nommé _Atisaoucanich etagoukhi_, c'est à dire lieu où se trouue la
teinture, ie me doute que nos gens luy donnerent ce nom, pource qu'ils
y trouuerent de petites racines rouges, dont ils se seruent pour
teindre leurs _Matachias_. I'appellerois volontiers ce lieu l'Islette
mal-heureuse: car nous y souffrismes beaucoup huict iours durant que
les tempestes nous y retindrent prisonniers. Il estoit nuict quand
nous l'abordasmes, la pluye & les vents nous attaquoient, & ce pendant
à peine peut on trouuer cinq ou six perches pour seruir de poultres
à nostre bastiment, qui fut si petit, si estroit, & si decouuert, &
par vn temps si fascheux, voulant euiter vne incommodité on tomboit
dans deux autres, il se falloit racourcir, ou se rouler en herisson,
sur peine de se brusler la moitié du corps pour nostre souper, & pour
nostre disner tout ensemble: car nous n'auions point mangé depuis le
matin, mon hoste fit ietter à chacun vn morceau de la galette que ie
luy auois [221] donnée, m'aduertissant que nous mangerions sans boire,
car l'eau de ce grand fleuue commence en ce lieu d'estre salée, le
lendemain nous recueillismes de l'eau de pluye, tombée dans des roches
fort sales, & la beusmes auec autant de plaisir qu'on boit le vin d'Aï
en France.
[220] Leaving this Island of game, we sailed all day and toward
nightfall landed at a small Island, called _Atisaoucanich
etagoukhi_, that is, place where dyes are found; I am inclined to
think that our people gave it that name, for they found there some
little red roots which they use in dyeing their _Matachias_.[1]
I would like to call it the Isle of misfortune; for we suffered
a great deal there during the eight days that the storms held us
prisoners. It was night when we disembarked; the rain and wind
attacked us, and in the meantime we could scarcely find five or
six poles to serve as beams for our house,--which was so small, so
narrow, and so exposed for such weather as this, that in trying to
avoid one discomfort we fell into two others. We had to shorten
ourselves, or roll up like hedgehogs, lest we scorch the half of
our bodies. For our supper, and dinner as well, because we had
eaten nothing since morning, my host threw to each one a piece of
the biscuit I had [221] given him, informing me that we were not
to drink anything with our food, as the water of this great river
began to be salty in this place. The next day we collected some
rainwater, which had fallen into dirty rocks, and drank it with as
much enjoyment as they drink the wine of Aï in France.
Ils auoient laissé nostre Chaloupe à l'anchre dans un grand courant de
marée, ie les aduerty qu'elle n'estoit pas bien, & qu'il la falloit
mettre à l'abry derriere l'Islette; mais comme nous n'attendions qu'vn
bon vent pour partir, ils n'en tindrent conte. La nuict la tempeste
redoublant, on eust dit que les vents deuoient deraciner nostre Islete,
mon hoste se doutant de ce qui arriua éueille l'Apostat, & le presse
de le venir ayder à sauuer nostre Chaloupe, qui s'alloit perdre: or
soit que ce miserable fust paresseux, ou qu'il eust peur des ondes,
iamais il ne se voulut leuer, donnant pour tout réponse, qu'il estoit
las: dans ce retardement les vents rompent l'amare, ou la corde de
l'anchre, & en vn instant font disparoistre nostre Chaloupe, mon hoste
voyant ce beau [222] ménage, me vint dire _Nicanis_, mon bien-aymé,
la Chalouppe est perduë, les vents qui l'ont enleuée la briseront
contre les roches qui nous enuironnent de tous costez. Qui n'eust
entré en verue contre ce Renegat, dont la negligence nous iettoit dans
des peines inexplicables, veu qu'il y auoit quantité de paquets dans
nostre bagage, & beaucoup d'enfans à porter. Mon hoste cependant, tout
barbare & tout sauuage qu'il est, ne se troubla point à cet accident,
ains craignant que cela ne m'attristast, il me dit, _Nicanis_, mon
bien-aymé, n'es-tu point fasché de ceste perte, qui nous causera de
grands trauaux? ie n'en suis pas bien ayse, luy repartis-ie, ne t'en
attriste point, me fit-il: car la fascherie ameine la tristesse, & la
tristesse ameine la maladie, _Petrichtich_ n'a point d'esprit, s'il
m'eust voulu secourir ce malheur ne fust point suruenu, voyla tous les
reproches qu'on luy fit. Veritablement cela me confond, que l'interest
de la fanté arreste la cholere, & la fascherie d'vn Barbare, & que
la loy de Dieu, que son bon plaisir, que l'espoir de ses grandes
recompenses, que la crainte de ses [223] chastimens, que nostre propre
paix & consolation ne puisse seruir de bride à l'impatience & à la
cholere d'vn Chrestien.
They had left our Shallop at anchor in a strong tidal current. I
told them it was not safe, and that it ought to be placed under
shelter behind the Island; but, as we were only waiting for a
good breeze in order to depart, they did not heed me. During the
night the tempest increased, so that it seemed as if the winds
were uprooting our Island. Our host, foreseeing what might occur,
roused the Apostate, and urged him to come and help him save our
Shallop, which threatened to go to pieces. Now either this wretch
was lazy, or he was afraid of the billows; for he did not even try
to get up, giving as his only reason that he was tired. During this
delay, the wind broke the fastening, or cable of the anchor, and
in an instant carried away our Shallop. My host, seeing this fine
[222] management, came and said to me, "_Nicanis_, my well-beloved,
the Shallop is lost; the winds, which have loosened it, will break
it to pieces against the rocks which surround us on all sides."
Who would not have been vexed at that Renegade, whose negligence
caused us untold trials, considering that we had a number of
packages among our baggage, and several children to carry? Yet my
host, barbarian and savage that he is, was not at all troubled at
this accident; but, fearing it might discourage me, he said to me,
"_Nicanis_, my well-beloved, art thou not angry at this loss, which
will cause us so many difficulties?" "I am not very happy over it,"
I answered. "Do not be cast down," he replied, "for anger brings
on sadness, and sadness brings sickness. _Petrichtich_ does not
know anything; if he had tried to help me, this misfortune would
not have happened." And these were all the reproaches he made.
Truly, it humiliates me that considerations of health should check
the anger and vexation of a Barbarian; and that the law of God,
his good pleasure, the hope of his great rewards, the fear of his
[223] chastisements, our own peace and comfort, cannot check the
impatience and anger of a Christian.
Au malheur susdit en suruint vn autre, nous auions outre la Chaloupe
vn petit Canot d'écorce, la marée se grossissant plus qu'à l'ordinaire
par le souffle des vents nous le déroba, nous voila prisonniers
plus que iamais, ie ne vis ny larmes ny plaintes, non pas mesme
parmy les femmes, sur le dos desquelles ce desastre tomboit plus
particulierement, à raison qu'elles sont comme les bestes de voiture,
portant ordinairement le bagage des Sauuages, au contraire tout le
monde se mit à rire.
The above misfortune was soon followed by another. In addition
to the Shallop, we had a little bark Canoe, and the tide, rising
higher than usual through the force of the wind, robbed us of
that; and there we were, more than ever prisoners. I neither saw
tears nor heard complaints, not even among the women, upon whose
shoulders this disaster fell more particularly, as they are like
beasts of burden, usually carrying the baggage of the Savages; on
the contrary, everybody began to laugh.
Le iour venu, car ce fut la nuict que la tempeste commit ce larcin,
nous courusmes tous sur les riues du fleuue, pour apprendre par nos
yeux des nouuelles de nostre pauure Chaloupe, & de nostre Canot,
nous vismes l'vn & l'autre échoüez fort loing de nous, la Chaloupe
parmy des roches, & le Canot au bord du bois de la terre continente,
chacun pensoit que tout estoit en pieces: si tost que la mer se fut
retirée les [224] vns courrent vers la Chaloupe, les autres vers le
Canot, chose estrange; rien ne se trouua endommagé, i'en demeuray tout
estonné: car de cent vaisseaux fussent-ils d'vn bois aussi dur que le
bronze, à peine s'en sauueroit-il pas vn dans ces grands coups de vent
& sur des roches.
When morning came, for it was at night when the tempest committed
this theft, we all ran along the edge of the river, to learn with
our own eyes some news of our poor Shallop and our Canoe. We
saw both of them stranded a long distance from us, the Shallop
among the rocks and the Canoe along the edge of the woods of the
mainland. Every one thought they were all in pieces; as soon as
the sea had receded [224], some ran toward the Shallop, and others
toward the Canoe. Wonderful to relate, nothing was harmed; I was
amazed, for out of a hundred ships made of wood as hard as bronze,
scarcely one would have been saved in those violent blasts of wind,
and upon those rocks.
Pendant que les vents nous tenoient prisonniers dans ceste malheureuse
Islete, vne partie de nos gens s'en allerent visiter quelques Sauuages
qui estoient à cinq ou six lieuës de nous, si bien qu'il ne resta que
les femmes & les enfans, & _L'hiroquois_ dans nostre cabane. La nuict
vne femme estant sortie s'en reuint toute effarée criant qu'elle auoit
oüy le _Manitou_, ou le diable, voila l'allarme dans nostre camp, tout
le monde remply de peur garde vn profond silence, Ie demanday d'où
procedoit ceste épouuente: car ie n'auois pas entendu ce qu'auoit dit
ceste femme, _eca titou, eca titou_, me dit on, _Manitou_, tais-toy,
tais-toy, c'est le diable: ie me mis à rire, & me leuant en pied ie
sors de la cabane, & pour les asseurer i'appelle en leur langage le
_Manitou_, criant tout haut que ie [225] ne le craignois pas, & qu'il
n'oseroit venir où i'estois: puis ayant fait quelques tours dans
nostre Islete, ie rentray, & leur dis, ne craignez point, le diable ne
vous fera aucun mal tant que ie seray auec vous, il craint ceux qui
croyent en Dieu, si vous y voulez croire il s'enfuïra de vous. Eux bien
estonnez, me demandent si ie ne le craignois point, ie repars pour les
deliurer de leur peur, que ie n'en craignois pas vne centaine, ils
se mirent tous à rire, se rasseurans petit à petit: or voyant qu'ils
auoient ietté de l'anguille dans le feu i'en demanday la raison,
tais-toy, me firent-ils, nous donnons à manger au diable afin qu'il ne
nous fasse point de mal.
While the wind held us prisoners in this unhappy Island, a number
of our people went to visit some Savages who were five or six
leagues from us, so that there only remained in our cabin the
women and children, and the _Hiroquois_. During the night, a woman
who had gone out, returned, terribly frightened, crying out that
she had heard the _Manitou_, or devil. At once all the camp was
in a state of alarm, and everyone, filled with fear, maintained a
profound silence. I asked the cause of this fright, for I had not
heard what the woman had said; _eca titou, eca titou_, they told
me, _Manitou_, "Keep still, keep still, it is the devil." I began
to laugh, and rising to my feet, went out of the cabin; and to
reassure them I called, in their language, the _Manitou_, crying
in a loud voice that I [225] was not afraid, and that he would not
dare come where I was. Then, having made a few turns in our Island,
I reëntered, and said to them, "Do not fear, the devil will not
harm you as long as I am with you, for he fears those who believe
in God; if you will believe in God, the devil will flee from you."
They were greatly astonished, and asked me if I was not afraid of
him at all. I answered, to relieve them of their fears, that I was
not afraid of a hundred of them; they began to laugh, and were
gradually reassured. Now seeing that they had thrown some eels
in the fire, I asked them the reason for it. "Keep still," they
replied; "we are giving the devil something to eat, so that he will
not harm us."
Mon hoste à son retour ayant sceu ceste histoire, me remercia fort
de ce que i'auois rasseuré tous ses gens, me demandant si en effet
ie n'auois point de peur du _Manitou_, ou du diable, & si ie le
cognoissois bien, que pour eux qu'ils le craignoient plus que la
foudre; Ie luy répondis, que s'il vouloit croire, & obeïr à celuy qui
a tout fait, que le _Manitou_ n'auroit nul pouuoir sur luy: pour nous
qu'estans assistez de celuy que [226] nous adorions, le diable auoit
plus de peur de nous, que nous n'auions de luy; il s'estonna, & me dit
qu'il eust bien voulu que i'eusse eu cognoissance de sa langue: car
figurez vous que nous nous faisions entendre l'vn l'autre plus par les
yeux, & par les mains, que par la bouche.
My host, upon his return, having learned this story, thanked me
very much for giving courage to his people, and asked me if I
really had no fear of the _Manitou_, or devil, and if I knew him
very well; as for them, they feared him more than a thunderbolt. I
answered that, if he would believe and obey him who had made all,
the _Manitou_ would have no power over him; that for ourselves,
being helped by him whom [226] we adored, the devil had more fear
of us than we had of him. He was astonished, and told me that he
would be very glad if we knew his language, for you must be aware
that we were making each other understand more through our eyes and
hands than through our lips.
Ie dressay quelques prieres en leur langue, auec l'ayde de l'Apostat:
or comme le Sorcier n'estoit pas encore venu, ie les recitois le matin,
& auant nos repas, eux-mesmes m'en faisans souuenir, & prenans plaisir
à les ouīr prononcer; si ce miserable Magicien ne fust point venu auec
nous ces Barbares auroient pris grand plaisir de m'écouter: mon hoste
me faisoit mille questions, me demandant pourquoy nous mouriõs, où
alloient nos ames, si la nuit estoit vniuerselle par tout le monde, &
choses semblables, se monstrant fort attentif à mes réponses. Changeons
de discours.
I arranged a few prayers in their language, with the help of the
Apostate. Now, as the Sorcerer had not yet come, I repeated them
in the morning and before our meals, they themselves reminding me
of them, and taking pleasure in hearing them pronounced; if the
wretched Magician had not come with us, these Barbarians would
have taken great pleasure in listening to me. My host asked me a
thousand questions,--why we died, where our souls went, if night
was universal all over the world, and similar things,--and was very
attentive to my answers. Let us change the subject.
Ie remarquay en ce lieu cy, que les ieunes femmes ne mangent point dans
le plat de leurs marys: i'en demanday la raison, le Renegat me dit que
les ieunes [227] filles à marier, & les femmes qui n'auoient point
encore d'enfans, n'auoient rien en maniement, & qu'on leur faisoit leur
part comme aux enfans, de là vient que sa femme mesme me dit vn iour,
Dis à mon mary qu'il me donne bien à manger: mais ne luy dis pas que ie
t'ay prié de luy dire.
I observed in this place that the young women did not eat from the
same dish as their husbands. I asked the reason, and the Renegade
told me that the young [227] unmarried women, and the women who had
no children, took no part in the management of affairs, and were
treated like children. Thence it came that his own wife said to me
one day, "Tell my husband to give me plenty to eat, but do not tell
him that I asked you to do so."
Pendant certaine nuict, tout le monde estant dans vn profond sommeil,
ie me mis à entretenir ce pauure miserable Renegat, ie luy fis voir
qu'estant en nostre maison, rien de tout ce que nous auions ne luy
manquoit, qu'il y pouuoit passer sa vie doucement, & qu'en quittant
Dieu il s'estoit ietté dans vne vie de beste, qui enfin abboutiroit à
l'enfer, s'il n'ouuroit les yeux, que l'eternité estoit bien longue,
& que d'estre à iamais compagnon des diables, c'estoit vn long terme.
Ie voy bien, me fit-il, que ie ne fais pas bien; mais mon malheur
est que ie n'ay pas l'esprit assez fort pour demeurer ferme dans vne
resolution, ie croy tout ce qu'on me dit; quand i'ay esté auec les
Anglois, ie me suis laissé aller à leurs discours; quand ie suis auec
les Sauuages ie fais comme eux; [228] quand ie suis auec vous ie
tiens vostre creance pour veritable, pleut à Dieu que ie fusse mort
quand i'estois malade en France, ie serois maintenant sauué, tant que
i'auray des parens ie ne feray iamais rien qui vaille: car quand ie
veux demeurer auec vous, mes freres me disent que ie pouriray demeurant
tousiours en vn endroit, cela est cause que ie quitte tout pour les
suiure. Ie luy apportay toutes les raisons, & luy fis toutes les offres
que ie peus pour l'affermir: mais son frere le Sorcier qui sera bien
tost auec nous renuersera tous mes desseins, car il manie comme il veut
ce pauure Apostat.
One night, when every one had sunk into a deep sleep, I began to
talk to this poor miserable Renegade. I showed him that while he
was in our house he had lacked for nothing of whatever we had,
and that he might have spent his life there peacefully; that in
forsaking God he had rushed into the life of a brute, which would
finally end in hell if he did not open his eyes; that eternity was
very long, and to be a companion of devils forever was a long term.
"I see clearly," he replied, "that I am not doing right; but my
misfortune is that I have not a mind strong enough to remain firm
in my determination; I believe all they tell me. When I was with
the English, I allowed myself to be influenced by their talk; when
I am with the Savages, I do as they do; [228] when I am with you,
it seems to me your belief is the true one. Would to God I had
died when I was sick in France, and I would now be saved. As long
as I have any relations, I will never do anything of any account;
for when I want to stay with you, my brothers tell me I will rot,
always staying in one place, and that is the reason I leave you to
follow them." I urged all the reasons and made him all the offers
I could to strengthen him; but his brother, the Sorcerer, who will
soon be with us, will upset all my plans, for he does whatever he
wills with this poor Apostate.
Le trentiesme iour d'Octobre nous sortismes de ceste malheureuse
Islete, & vinsmes aborder sur la nuict dans vne autre Isle qui
porte vn nom quasi aussi grand comme elle est, car elle n'a pas
demy lieuë de tour, & voicy comme nos Sauuages me dirẽt qu'elle se
nommoit, _Ca pacoucachtecho_k_hi_ _chachagou achigani_k_hi_, _Ca
pa_k_hitaouananioui_k_hi_, ie croy qu'ils forgent ces noms sur le
champ, ceste Isle n'est quasi qu'vn grand rocher affreux, comme elle
n'a point de fontaine d'eau douce nous fusmes contrains de [129 i.e.,
229] boire des eauës de pluyes fort sales que nous ramassions dans des
fondrieres, & sur des roches; on ietta le voile de nostre chalouppe sur
des perches quand nous y arriuasmes, & nous nous mismes à l'abry là
dessous, nostre lict estoit blanc & verd, c'est à dire qu'il y auoit
si peu de branches de pin dessous nous, que nous touchiõs la neige
en plusieurs endroits, laquelle auoit commencé depuis trois iours à
couurir la terre d'vn habit blanc.
On the thirtieth day of October, we went away from this unhappy
Island, and toward nightfall disembarked at another Island
which bears a name almost as big as it is, for it is not half a
league in circumference; and this is what our Savages tell me
it is called, _Ca pacoucacktechokhi chachagou achiganikhi, Ca
pakhitaouananiouikhi_; I believe they forge these names upon the
spot. This Island is nothing but a big and frightful rock; as there
was no spring of fresh water, we had to [129 i.e., 229] drink very
dirty rainwater that we collected in the bogs and upon the rocks.
The sail of our shallop was thrown over some poles, on our arrival
at this place, and this formed our shelter; our beds were white
and green, I mean there were so few pine branches under us that in
several places we touched the snow, which three days before had
begun to cover the earth with a white mantle.
Nous trouuasmes en ce lieu la cabane d'vn Sauuage, que nostre hoste
cherchoit, nommé Ek_hennabamate_, il apprit de luy que son frere le
Sorcier estoit passé depuis peu, & qu'ayant eu le vent contraire, il
n'estoit pas loing, il n'attendit pas qu'il fut iour tout à fait pour
le suiure, son Canot poussé par trois rameurs alloit comme le vent:
bref le beau premier iour de Nouembre dedié à la memoire de tous les
Saincts, il nous ramena ce Demon, i'entends ce Sorcier. Ie fus bien
estonné quand ie le vis: car ie ne l'attendois pas, me figurant que
mon hoste estoit allé à la chasse, fut-il ainsi, & que ceste miserable
proye [230] luy eust eschappé des mains.
We found here the cabin of a Savage, named _Ekhennabamate_, whom
our host was seeking. He learned from him that his brother, the
Sorcerer, had passed, a short time before; and that, having the
wind against him, he had not gone far. He did not wait until broad
daylight to follow him; his Canoe, paddled by three men, went like
the wind; and, in short, on the first of November, a beautiful day,
dedicated to the memory of all the Saints, he brought back this
Demon, I mean the Sorcerer. I was very much surprised when I saw
him, for I was not expecting him, imagining that my host had gone
hunting; would that he had, and that this miserable prey [230] had
escaped from his hands.
Si tost qu'il fut arriué ce n'estoient plus que festins dans nos
cabanes, nous n'auions plus que fort peu de viures de reste, ces
Barbares les mangeoient auec autant de paix & d'asseurance, comme si
les animaux qu'ils deuoient chasser eussent esté renfermez dans vne
estable.
As soon as he came, there was nothing but feasting in our cabins;
we had only a little food left, but these Barbarians ate it with as
much calmness and confidence as if the game they were to hunt was
shut up in a stable.
Mon hoste faisant vn iour festin à son tour, les conuiez me firent
signe que ie haranguasse en leur langue, ils auoiẽt enuie de rire:
car ie prononce le Sauuage comme vn Alemant prononce le François,
leur voulant donner ce contentement, ie me mis à discourir, & eux
à s'éclatter de rire: eux bien aises de gausser, & moy bien ioyeux
d'apprendre à parler: Ie leur dis pour conclusion, que i'estois
vn enfant, & que les enfans faisoient rire leurs peres par leur
begayement: mais qu'au reste ie deuiendrois grand dans quelques années,
& qu'alors sçachant leur langue ie leur ferois voir qu'eux-mesmes sont
enfans en plusieurs choses, ignorans de belles veritez, dont ie leur
parlerois, & sur l'heure mesme ie leur demãday si la Lune estoit [231]
aussi hautemẽt logée que les Estoilles, si elle estoit en mesme Ciel,
où alloit le Soleil quãd il nous quittoit, quelle figure auoit la
terre, (si ie sçauois leur langue en perfection ie leur proposerois
tousiours quelque verité naturelle deuant que de parler des points
de nostre creãce: car i'ay remarqué que ces curiositez les rendent
attentifs) pour ne m'éloigner de mon discours, l'vn d'eux prenant la
parole apres m'auoir ingenuëment confessé qu'ils ne pouuoient répondre
à ces questions, me dit: mais comment pourrois-tu toy mesme cognoistre
ces choses, puis que nous les ignorons? ie tiray aussi tost vn petit
cadran que i'auios dans ma pouche, ie l'ouure, & luy mettant en main,
ie luy dis: nous voyla dans la nuict profonde, le Soleil ne nous
paroist plus, dis moy maintenãt enuisageant ce que ie te presente, en
quelle part du monde il est; designe moy le lieu où il se doit demain
leuer, où il se doit coucher, où il sera en son midy, marque moy les
endroits du Ciel, où il ne va iamais: mon homme répondit des yeux me
regardant sans dire mot: ie prens le cadran & luy fais [232] voir en
peu de mots tout ce que ie venois de proposer, adioustant en suitte; hé
bien comment se peut-il faire que ie cognoisse ces choses, & que vous
les ignoriez? i'ay bien d'autres veritez plus grandes à vous dire quand
ie sçauray parler. Tu as de l'esprit, me dirent-ils, tu sçauras bien
tost nostre langue, ils se sont trompez.
One day, when my host had a feast in his turn, the guests made me
a sign that I should make them a speech in their language, as they
wanted to laugh; for I pronounce the Savage as a German pronounces
French. Wishing to please them, I began to talk, and they burst out
laughing, well pleased to make sport of me, while I was very glad
to learn to talk. I said to them in conclusion that I was a child,
and that children made their fathers laugh with their stammering;
but in a few years I would become large, and then, when I knew
their language, I would make them see that they themselves were
children in many things, ignorant of the great truths of which I
would speak to them. Suddenly I asked them if the Moon was [231]
located as high as the Stars, if it was in the same Sky; where the
Sun went when it left us; what was the form of the earth. (If I
knew their language perfectly I would always propose some natural
truth, before speaking to them of the points of our belief; for I
have observed that these curious things make them more attentive.)
Not to let me wander from my speech, one of them beginning to
speak, after having frankly confessed that they could not answer
these questions, said to me: "But how canst thou thyself know
these things, since we do not know them?" I immediately drew out
a little compass that I had in my pocket, opened it, and, placing
it in his hand, said to him, "We are now in the darkness of night,
the Sun no longer shines for us; tell me now, while you look at
what I have given you, in what part of the world it is; show me
the place where it must rise to-morrow, where it will set, where
it will be at noon; point out the places in the Sky where it will
never be." My man answered with his eyes, staring at me without
saying a word. I took the compass and explained [232] to him with
a few words all that I had just asked about, adding, "Well, how is
it that I can know these things and you do not know them? I have
still other greater truths to tell you when I can talk." "Thou art
intelligent," they responded; "thou wilt soon know our language."
But they were mistaken.
Ce que i'escris dans ce iournal n'a point d'autre suitte, que la suitte
du temps, voila pourquoy ie passeray souuent du coq à l'asne, comme on
dit, c'est à dire que quittant vne remarque ie passeray à vne autre
qui ne luy a point de rapport, le temps seul seruant de liaison à mon
discours.
What I write in this journal has no other order except that of
time, and hence I shall frequently be telling cock-and-bull
stories, as the saying is; that is, I shall pass from one
observation to another which has no connection with it, time alone
serving as a link to the parts of my discourse.
Comme l'arc & la fleche semble des armes inuentées par la Nature, puis
que toutes les Nations de la terre en ont trouué l'vsage, de mesme vous
diriez qu'il y a de certains petits ieux que les enfans trouuent sans
qu'on leur enseigne; les petits Sauuages ioüent à se cacher aussi bien
que les petits François, ils font quantité d'autres traits d'enfance,
que i'ay remarqué en nostre Europe, entre autres i'ay veu les petits
Parisiens [233] ietter vne balle d'arquebuse en l'air, & la receuoir
auec vn baston vn petit creusé, les petits Sauuages montagnards font
le mesme, se seruans d'vn petit faisseau de branches de Pin, qu'ils
reçoiuent ou picquent en l'air auec vn baston pointu: les petits
Hiroquois ont le mesme passe-temps iettans vn osselet percé qu'ils
enlassent en l'air dans vn autre petit os: vn ieune homme de ceste
nation me le dit, voyant ioüer les enfans montagnards.
As the bow and arrow seem to be weapons invented by Nature,
since all the Nations of the earth have made use of them, so you
might say there are certain little games that children find out
for themselves without being taught. The little Savages play at
hide-and-seek as well as the little French children. They have a
number of other childish sports that I have noticed in our Europe;
among others, I have seen the little Parisians [233] throw a musket
ball into the air and catch it with a little bat scooped out; the
little montagnard Savages do the same, using a little bunch of Pine
sticks, which they receive or throw into the air on the end of a
pointed stick. The little Hiroquois have the same pastime, throwing
a bone with a hole in it, which they interlace in the air with
another little bone. I was told this by a young man of that nation
as we were watching the montagnard children play.
Mõ Sauuage & le Sorcier son frere, ayãt appris qu'il y auoit quãtité
de Mõtagnais és enuirõs du lieu où ils vouloiẽt hyuerner, prirent
resolution de passer du costé du Nord, craignans que nous ne nous
affamassions les vns les autres: les voyla donc resolus d'aller
où m'auoit promis mon hoste & le Renegat; mais à peine auiõs nous
fait trois lieuës sur le grand fleuue pour le trauerser, que nous
rencontrasmes quatre canots qui nous ramenerent au Sud, disans que
la chasse n'estoit pas bonne du costé du Nord, si bien que ie fus
contraint de demeurer auec le sorcier, & d'hyuerner au delà de la
grande riuiere, quoy que ie peusse [234] alleguer au contraire. Ie
voyois bien les dangers dans lesquels ils me iettoient, mais ie ne
voyois point d'autre remede que de se confier en Dieu, & le laisser
faire.
My Savage and the Sorcerer, his brother, having learned that there
were a great many Montagnais near the place where they wished to
pass the winter, decided to turn Northward, lest we should starve
each other. They decided to go to the place where my host and the
Renegade had promised me they would go; but we had scarcely made
three leagues in crossing the great river, when we met four canoes
which turned us back to the South, saying the hunting was not good
up North. So I was obliged to remain with the sorcerer, and to
winter beyond the great river, in spite of all I could [234] urge
to the contrary. I realized well the dangers into which they were
throwing me, but I saw no other remedy than to trust in God and
leave all to him.
Si tost que les nouueaux Sauuages venus dans ces quatre canots eurent
mis pied à terre, mon hoste leur fit vn bãquet d'anguilles boucanées,
car nous n'auions déja plus de pain. A peine ces conuiés furent-ils
de retour en leur cabane, qu'ils dresserent vn festin de pois qu'ils
auoient acheté passans à Kebec, mais afin que vous voyez les excez de
ce peuple, au sortir de ce banquet, on vint à vn troisiesme, que le
sorcier auoit preparé, composé d'anguilles, & de la farine que i'auois
donnée à mon hoste: cet homme me pressa fort d'estre de la partie, il
auoit fait faire vn retranchemẽt dans nostre cabane auec des peaux, &
des couuertures, tous les conuiez entrerent là dedans, on me donna ma
part dans vne petite écuelle, mais comme ie n'estois pas encor tout à
fait accoustumé à manger de leur boüillies si sales & si fades, apres
en auoir gousté i'en voulu donner le reste à la parẽte de mon hoste,
[235] aussi tost on me dit K_hita_, K_hita_, mange tout, mange tout,
_acoumagouchan_, c'est vn festin à tout manger, ie me mis à rire, &
leur dis qu'ils ioüoient à se faire creuer, veu qu'ayans desia esté
à deux festins, ils en faisoient vn troisiesme à ne rien laisser,
mon hoste m'entendant me dit, que dis tu _Nicanis_? Ie dis que ie ne
sçaurois tout manger, donne moy, ce fit-il, ton écuelle ie t'ayderay,
luy ayant presenté il auala tout ce qui estoit dedans en deux tours de
gueule, tirant vne langue longue de la main pour la lecher au fond &
par tout, afin qu'il n'y restast rien.
As soon as these new Savages, who had come in the four canoes, had
landed, my host made them a banquet of smoked eels, for we were
already out of bread. Hardly had these guests returned to their
cabin, when they made a feast of peas which they had bought in
passing through Kebec. But that you may understand the excesses
of these people, [I will add that] in emerging from this banquet,
they went to a third, prepared by the sorcerer, composed of eels,
and of the flour I had given to my host. This man gave me a hearty
invitation to be one of the party. He had made a little apartment
in our cabin with skins and blankets, and all the guests entered
this place. They gave me my share in a little bark plate; but, as
I was not altogether accustomed to eating their mixtures, so dirty
and insipid, after having tasted it, I wanted to give the rest to
one of the relations of my host; [235] but they immediately cried
out, _Khita, Khita_, "Eat all, eat all," _acoumagouchan_. "It is an
eat-all feast." I began to laugh, and told them they were playing
a game of "burst themselves open," seeing they had already had two
feasts, and were making a third at which nothing was to be left.
My host, hearing me, said, "What art thou saying, _Nicanis_?" "I
am saying that I cannot eat all." "Give it to me," he answered,
"give me thy plate, I will help thee." Having presented it to him,
he gulped down all it contained in two swallows, thrusting out a
tongue as long as your hand to lick the bottom and sides, so that
nothing might remain.
Quand ils furent saouls quasi iusqu'à creuer, le Sorcier prit son
tambour & inuita tout le monde à chanter, celuy là chantoit le mieux
qui heurloit le plus fort; à la fin de leur tintamarre les voyans d'vne
humeur assez gaye, ie leur demanday permission de parler, cela m'estant
accordé, ie commençay à leur déclarer l'affection que ie leur portois,
vous voyez, disois-ie, de quel amour ie fuis porté en vostre endroit,
i'ay non seulement quitté mon pays, qui est beau, & bien agreable
pour venir dans vos [236] neiges & dans vos grands bois; mais encore
ie m'esloigne de la petite maison que nous auons en vos terres pour
vous suiure & pour apprendre vostre langue. Ie vous chery plus que
mes freres puis que ie les ay quittez pour vostre amour, c'est celuy
qui a tout fait qui me donne ceste affection enuers vous, c'est luy
qui creé le premier homme d'où nous sommes tous issus, voyla pourquoy
n'ayans qu'vn mesme pere nous sommes tous freres, & nous deuons tous
recognoistre vn mesme Seigneur & vn mesme Capitaine, nous deuons tous
croire en luy, & obeïr à ses volontez, Le Sorcier m'arrestant dit tout
haut, quand ie le verray, ie croiray en luy, autrement non, le moyen de
croyre en celuy qu'on ne void pas? Ie luy répondis, quand tu me dis que
ton pere, ou l'vn de tes amis a tenu quelque discours, ie croy ce qu'il
a dit, me figurant qu'il n'est point menteur, & ce pendant ie n'ay
iamais veu ton pere: de plus tu crois qu'il y a vn _Manitou_ & tu ne
l'as pas veu. Tu crois qu'il y a des _Khichicoua_k_hi_, ou des Genies
du iour, & tu ne les a pas veus: d'autres les ont veus, me dit-il, Tu
ne me sçaurois dire, luy reparty-ie, [237] ny quand, ny comment, ny
en quelle façon, ou en quel endroit on les a veus, & moy ie te puis
dire commẽt se nommoient ceux qui ont veu le Fils de Dieu en terre,
quand il l'ont veu, & en quel lieu, ce qu'ils ont faict, & en quels
pays ils ont esté. Ton Dieu, me fit-il, n'est point venu en nostre
pays, voila pourquoy nous ne croyons point en luy, fais que ie le voye,
& ie croiray en luy. Escoute moy & tu le verras, luy repliquay-ie,
Nous auons deux sortes de veuë, la veuë des yeux du corps, & la veuë
des yeux de l'ame, ce que tu vois des yeux de l'ame peut estre aussi
certain que ce que tu vois des yeux du corps: Non, dit-il, ie ne vois
rien sinon des yeux du corps, si ce n'est en dormãt, mais tu n'approuue
pas nos songes. Escoute moy iusqu'au bout, luy fis-ie, Quand tu passe
deuant vne cabane delaissée, que tu vois encor toutes les perches en
rond, que tu vois l'aire de la cabane tapissée de branches de Pin,
quand tu vois le fouyer qui fume encore, n'est-il pas vray que tu
cognois asseurément, & que tu vois bien qu'il y a eu là des Sauuages?
& que ces perches & tout le [238] reste que vous laissez quand vous
decabanez, ne se sont point rassemblées par cas fortuit? ouy, me
dit-il, or ie dis le mesme quand tu vois la beauté & la grandeur de
ce monde, que le Soleil tourne incessamment sans s'arrester, que les
saisons retournent en leur temps, & que tous les Astres gardent si
bien leur ordre, tu vois bien que les hommes n'ont point fait ces
merueilles, & qu'ils ne les gouuernent pas, il faut donc qu'il y ait
quelqu'vn plus noble que les hommes qui ait basty & qui gouuerne ceste
grande maison: or c'est celuy là que nous appellons Dieu, qui void
tout, & que nous ne voyons pas maintenant; mais nous le verrons apres
la mort, & nous serons bien-heureux à iamais auec luy si nous l'aymons
& si nous luy obeïssons. Tu ne sçais ce que tu dis, me repart-il,
apprends à parler & nous t'entendrons.
When they were full almost to bursting, the Sorcerer took his drum
and invited everyone to sing. The best singer was the one who
howled the loudest. At the end of this uproar, seeing that they
were in a very good humor, I asked permission to talk. This being
granted, I began to affirm the affection I had for them, "You
see," I said, "what love I bear you; I have not only left my own
country, which is beautiful and very pleasant, to come into your
[236] snows and vast woods, but I have also left the little house
we have in your lands, to follow you and learn your language; I
cherish you more than my brothers, since I have left them for love
of you; it is he who has made all who has given me this affection
for you, it is he who created the first man from whom we have all
descended; hence see how it is that, as we have the same father,
we are all brothers, and ought all to acknowledge the same Lord
and the same Captain; we ought all to believe in him, and obey his
will." The Sorcerer, stopping me, said in a loud voice, "When I
see him, I will believe in him, and not until then. How believe
in him whom we do not see?" I answered him: "When thou tellest
me that thy father or one of thy friends has said something, I
believe what he has said, supposing that he is not a liar, and yet
I have never seen thy father: also, thou believest that there is a
_Manitou_, and thou hast never seen him. Thou believest that there
are _Khichicouakhi_, or Spirits of light, and thou hast not seen
them." "Others have seen them," he answered. "Thou couldst not
tell," said I, [237] "neither when, nor how, nor in what way, nor
in what place they were seen; and I, I can tell thee the names of
those who have seen the Son of God upon earth,--when they saw him,
and in what place; what they have done, and in what countries they
have been." "Thy God," he replied, "has not come to our country,
and that is why we do not believe in him; make me see him and I
will believe in him." "Listen to me and thou wilt see him," said I.
"We have two kinds of sight, the sight of the eyes of the body, and
the sight of the eyes of the soul. What thou seest with the eyes of
the soul may be just as true as what thou seest with the eyes of
the body." "No," said he, "I see nothing except with the eyes of
the body, save in sleeping, and thou dost not approve our dreams."
"Hear me to the end," I said. "When thou passest a deserted cabin,
and seest yet standing the circle of poles, and the floor of the
cabin covered with Pine twigs, when thou seest the hearth still
smoking, is it not true that thou knowest positively, and that thou
seest clearly, that Savages have been there, and that these poles
and all the [238] rest of the things that you leave when you break
camp, are not brought together by chance?" "Yes," he answered.
"Now I say the same. When thou seest the beauty and grandeur of
this world,--how the Sun incessantly turns round without stopping,
how the seasons follow each other in their time, and how perfectly
all the Stars maintain their order,--thou seest clearly that men
have not made these wonders, and that they do not govern them;
hence there must be some one more noble than men, who has built
and who rules this grand mansion. Now it is he whom we call God,
who sees all things, and whom we do not see; but we shall see him
after death, and we shall be forever happy with him, if we love and
obey him." "Thou dost not know what thou art talking about," he
answered, "learn to talk and we will listen to thee."
Là dessus ie priay l'Apostat de déduire mes raisons & de les expliquer
en Sauuage: car i'en voyois de fort attentifs: mais ce miserable
Renegat, craignant de deplaire à son frere, ne voulut iamais ouurir
la bouche. Ie le prie, [239] ie le coniure auec toute douceur, en fin
ie redouble ma voix, & le menace de la part de Dieu, luy protestant
qu'il seroit responsable de l'ame de la femme de son frere le Sorcier,
laquelle ie voyois fort malade, & pour laquelle i'estois entré en
discours, esperant que si les Sauuages goustoient mes raisons, qu'ils
me permettroient aisément de l'instruire; ce coeur de bronze ne
flechit iamais, ny à mes prieres, ny à mes menaces; Ie prie Dieu qu'il
luy fasse misericorde, mon hoste me voyant parler d'vn accent assez
haut, me dit, _Nicanis_ ne te fasche point, auec le temps tu parleras
comme nous, & tu nous enseigneras ce que tu sçais, nous te presterons
l'oreille plus volontiers qu'à cet opiniastre qui n'a point d'esprit,
auquel nous n'auons nulle creance, voila les eloges qu'il donnoit à ce
Renegat. Ie luy repliquay, si ceste femme se portoit bien ie serois
consolé, mais elle est pour mourir dans peu de iours, & son ame faute
de cognoistre Dieu sera perduë, que si ton frere me vouloit prester
sa parole ie l'instruirois en peu de temps, sa réponse fut que ie le
laissasse, & que ie sçauois bien que c'estoit [240] vn lourdaut, pour
conclusion on dit les mots qui terminent le festin, & chacun se retira,
moy bien dolent de voir ceste ame se perdre en ma presence sans la
pouuoir secourir: car le Sorcier ayant commencé à leuer le masque &
l'Apostat à m'éconduire en sa cõsideration, toutes les esperances que
ie pouuois auoir d'ayder ceste femme malade d'instruire les autres
commencerent à s'éuanoüir, i'ay souuent souhaitté qu'vn Sainct fust en
ma place pour operer en Sainct, les petites ames crient beaucoup & font
peu, il se faut contenter de la bassesse: poursuiuons nostre voyage.
Thereupon I asked the Apostate to enumerate my reasons and to
explain them in the Savage tongue, for I saw that they were very
attentive; but this miserable Renegade, fearing to displease his
brother, would not even open his mouth. I begged him, [239] I
conjured him with all gentleness; finally I spoke harshly, and
threatened him in the name of God, insisting that he would be
responsible for the soul of the wife of his brother, the Sorcerer,
who I perceived was very sick, and for whose sake I had begun this
discourse, hoping that if the Savages approved of my explanations,
they would readily allow me to instruct her. This heart of bronze
melted neither at my prayers nor at my threats. I pray God that he
may be merciful to him. My host, seeing me speaking earnestly to
him, said, "_Nicanis_, do not get angry; in time thou wilt speak as
we do, and thou wilt teach us what thou knowest, we will listen to
thee more willingly than to this stubborn fellow who has no sense
and in whom we have no faith." These were the eulogies he passed
upon the Renegade. I replied to him that, if this woman were well,
I would feel consoled; but that she was going to die in a few days,
and her soul, not knowing God, would be lost; if his brother wished
to lend me his tongue I would instruct her in a little while. His
answer was that I should leave him alone, for I knew very well that
he was [240] a blockhead. In conclusion, they pronounced the words
which ended the feast, and we all withdrew; I very sad at seeing
this soul lost in my presence, without being able to help it. For
the Sorcerer having begun to lift the mask, and the Apostate to
refuse me his consideration, all the hopes I had of helping this
sick woman, and of teaching the others, commenced to vanish. I have
often wished that a Saint were in my place, to act the Saint; small
souls cry out a great deal, and do very little, but one must be
content with one's own insignificance. Let us continue our voyage.
Le douziesme de Nouembre nous commençasmes en fin d'entrer dedans les
terres, laissans nos Chalouppes & nos Canots, & quelqu'autre bagage
dans l'Isle au grand nom, de laquelle nous sortismes de mer basse,
trauersans vne prairie qui la separe du continent: iusques icy nous
auons fait chemin dans le pays des poissons, tousiours sur les eauës,
ou dans les Isles, doresnauant nous allons entrer dans le Royaume des
bestes sauuages, ie veux dire de beaucoup plus d'estẽduë que toute la
Frãce.
On the twelfth of November we at last began to go into the country,
leaving our Shallops and Canoes, and some other baggage, in the
Island with the long name, which we left at low tide, crossing the
meadow which separated us from the mainland. Up to this time we
had journeyed through a country where fish abound, always upon the
water or on Islands. From this time on, we were going to invade
the Kingdom of wild beasts, I mean a country far broader in extent
than all France.
[241] Les Sauuages passent l'hyuer dedans ces bois, courans çà & là,
pour y chercher leur vie; au commencement des neiges ils cherchent le
Castor dans des petits fleuues, & le Porc-espic dans les terres quand
la neige est profonde ils chassent à l'Orignac & au Caribou, comme i'ay
dit.
[241] The Savages pass the winter in these woods, ranging here and
there to get their living. In the early snows, they seek the Beaver
in the small rivers, and Porcupines upon the land; when the deep
snows come, they hunt the Moose and Caribou, as I have said.
Nous auons fait dans ces grands bois, depuis le 12. Nouembre de l'an
1633. que nous y entrasmes, iusques au 22. d'Auril de ceste année 1634.
que nous retournasmes aux riues du grand fleuue de sainct Laurens,
vingt-trois stations, tantost dans des valées fort profondes, puis sur
des montagnes fort releuées; quelque fois en plat pays, & tousiours
dans la neige: ces forests où i'ay esté sont peuplées de diuerses
especes d'arbres, notamment de Pins, de Cedres, & de Sapins. Nous auons
trauersé quantité de torrens d'eau, quelques fleuues, plusieurs beaux
lacs & estangs marchans sur la glace; mais descendons en particulier &
disons deux mots de chaque station, la crainte que i'ay d'estre long me
fera retrancher quãtité de choses que i'ay iugé assez legeres, [242]
quoy qu'elles puissent donner quelque iour à ces memoires.
We made in these vast forests, from the 12th of November of the
year 1633, when we entered them, to the 22nd of April of this
year 1634, when we returned to the banks of the great river saint
Lawrence, twenty-three halts,--sometimes in deep valleys, then upon
lofty mountains, sometimes in the low flat country; and always in
the snow. These forests where I was are made up of different kinds
of trees, especially of Pines, Cedars and Firs. We crossed many
torrents of water, some rivers, several beautiful lakes and ponds,
walking upon the ice. But let us come down to particulars, and say
a few words about each station. My fear of becoming tedious will
cause me to omit many things that I have considered trifling, [242]
although they might throw some light upon these memoirs.
A nostre entrée dans les terres nous estions trois cabanes de
compagnie, il y auoit dixneuf personnes en la nostre, il y en auoit
seize en la cabane du Sauuage nommé Ekhennabamate, & dix dans la
cabanne des nouueaux venus. Ie ne conte point les Sauuages qui estoient
à quelques lieuës de nous, nous faisions en tout quarante cinq
personnes, qui deuions estre nourris de ce qu'il plairoit à la saincte
Prouidence du bon Dieu de nous enuoyer; car nos prouisions tiroient par
tout à la fin.
Upon our entrance into these regions, there were three cabins
in our company,--nineteen persons being in ours, sixteen in the
cabin of the Savage named Ekhennabamate, and ten in that of the
newcomers. This does not include the Savages who were encamped a
few leagues away from us. We were in all forty-five persons, who
were to be kept alive on what it should please the holy Providence
of the good God to send us, for our provisions were altogether
getting very low.
Voicy l'ordre que nous gardions leuans le camp, battans la campagne, &
dressans nos tentes & nos pauillons. Quand nos gens remarquoient qu'il
n'y auoit plus de chasse à quelques trois ou quatre lieuës à l'entour
de nous, vn Sauuage qui cognoissoit mieux le chemin du lieu où nous
allions, crioit à pleine teste, en vn beau matin hors de la cabane,
Escoutez hommes ie m'en vais marquer le chemin pour decabaner demain
au point du iour, il prenoit vne hache & marquoit quelques arbres qui
[243] nous guidoient: on ne marque le chemin qu'au commencement de
l'hyuer: car quand tous les fleuues & les torrens sont glacez & que la
neige est haute on ne prend pas ceste peine.
This is the order we followed in breaking up our camps, in tramping
over the country and in erecting our tents and pavilions. When our
people saw that there was no longer any game within three or four
leagues of us, a Savage, who was best acquainted with the way to
the place where we were going, cried out in a loud voice, one fine
day outside the cabin, "Listen, men, I am going to mark the way for
breaking camp to-morrow at daybreak." He took a hatchet and marked
some trees which [243] guided us. They do not mark the way except
in the beginning of winter; for, when all the rivers and torrents
are frozen, and the snow is deep, they do not take this trouble.
Quand il y a beaucoup de pacquets, ce qui arriue lors qu'ils ont tué
grand nombre d'Eslans, les femmes en vont porter vne partie iuīqu'au
lieu où l'on doit camper le iour suiuant; quand la neige est haute,
ils font des traisnées de bois qui se fend, & qui se leue comme par
fueilles assez minces & fort longues, ces traisnées sont fort estroites
à raisõ qu'elles se doiuent tirer entre vne infinité d'arbres fort
pressez en quelques endroits, mais en recompense elles sont fort
longues. Voyant vn iour celle de mon hoste dressée contre vn arbre, à
peine peus ie atteindre au milieu estendant le bras autant qu'il me fut
possible. Ils lient leur bagage là dessus, & auec vne corde qui leur
vient passer sur l'estomach, ils traisnent sur la neige ces chariots
sans rouës.
When there are a number of things to be carried, as often happens
when they have killed a great many Elk, the women go ahead, and
carry a part of them to the place where they are to camp the
following day. When the snow is deep, they make sledges of wood
which splits, and which can be peeled off like leaves in very thin,
long strips. These sledges are very narrow, because they have to be
dragged among masses of trees closely crowded in some places; but,
to make up for this, they are very long. One day, seeing that of my
host standing against a tree, I could scarcely reach to the middle
of it, stretching out my arm as far as I could. They fasten their
baggage upon these, and, with a cord which they pass over their
chests, they drag these wheelless chariots over the snow.
Pour ne m'éloigner dauantage de mon chemin, si tost qu'il est iour
chacun se prepare pour déloger, on commence [244] par le desieuner
s'il y a dequoy; car par fois on part sans desieuner, on poursuit
sans disner & on se couche sans souper, chacun fait son pacquet le
mieux qu'il peut, les femmes battent la cabane pour faire tomber la
glace & la neige de dessus les écorces qu'elles roulent en faisseaux,
le bagage estant plié ils iettent sur leur dos ou sur leurs reins de
longs fardeaux qu'ils supportent auec vne corde, qui passe sur leur
front, soubs laquelle ils mettent vn morceau d'écorce de peur de se
blesser; tout le monde chargé on monte à cheual sur des raquettes
qu'on se lie aux pieds afin de ne point enfoncer dans la neige, cela
fait on marche en campagne & en montagnes, faisant passer deuant
les petits enfans qui partent bien tost & n'arriuent par fois que
bien tard, ces pauures petits ont leur pacquet, ou leur traisne pour
s'accoustumer de bonne heure à la fatigue, & tascheon de leur donner
de l'emulation à qui portera ou traisnera dauantage, de vous depeindre
la difficulté des chemins, ie n'ay ny plume ny pinceau qui le puisse
faire, il faut auoir veu cét obiect pour le cognoistre, & [245] auoir
gousté de ceste viande pour en sçauoir le goust, nous ne faisions que
monter & descendre, il nous falloit souuent baisser à demy corps pour
passer soubs des arbres quasi tombez, & monter sur d'autres couchez
par terre, dont les branches nous faisoient quelques fois tomber assez
doucement, mais tousiours froidement, car c'estoit sur la neige. S'il
arriuoit quelque dégel, ô Dieu quelle peine! il me sembloit que ie
marchois sur vn chemin de verre qui se cassoit à tous coups soubs mes
pieds: la neige congelée venant à s'amollir tomboit & s'enfonçoit par
esquarres ou grandes pieces, & nous en auions bien souuent iusques aux
genoux, quelquefois iusqu'à la ceinture, que s'il y auoit de la peine
à tomber, il y en auoit encor plus à se retirer: car nos raquettes
se chargeoient de neiges & se rendoient si pesantes, que quand vous
veniez à les retirer il vous sembloit qu'on vous tiroit les iambes
pour vous démembrer. I'en ay veu qui glissoient tellement soubs des
souches enseuelies soubs la neige, qui ne pouuoient tirer ny iambes ny
raquettes sans secours: or figurez vous [246] maintenant vne personne
chargée comme vn mulet, & iugez si la vie des Sauuages est douce.
But not to wander farther from my subject, as soon as it is day
each one prepares to break camp. They begin [244] by having
breakfast, if there is any; for sometimes they depart without
breakfasting, continue on their way without dining, and go to bed
without supping. Each one arranges his own baggage, as best he can;
and the women strike the cabin, to remove the ice and snow from the
bark, which they roll up in a bundle. The baggage being packed,
they throw it upon their backs or loins in long bundles, which they
hold with a cord that passes over their foreheads, beneath which
they place a piece of bark so that it will not hurt them. When
every one is loaded, they mount their snowshoes, which are bound
to the feet so that they will not sink into the snow; and then
they march over plain and mountain, making the little ones go on
ahead, who start early, and often do not arrive until quite late.
These little ones have their load, or their sledge, to accustom
them early to fatigue; and they try to stimulate them to see who
will carry or drag the most. To paint to you the hardships of the
way, I have neither pen nor brush that could do it; they must be
experienced in order to be appreciated, and [245] this dish must be
tried to know how it tastes. We did nothing but go up and go down;
frequently we had to bend halfway over, to pass under partly-fallen
trees, and step over others lying upon the ground whose branches
sometimes knocked us over, gently enough to be sure, but always
coldly, for we fell upon the snow. If it happened to thaw, Oh God,
what suffering! It seemed to me I was walking over a road of glass,
which broke under my feet at every step. The frozen snow, beginning
to melt, would fall and break into blocks or big pieces, into
which we often sank up to our knees, and sometimes to our waists.
If there was pain in falling, there was still more in pulling
ourselves out, for our raquettes were loaded with snow, and became
so heavy that, when we tried to draw them out, it seemed as if
somebody were tugging at our legs to dismember us. I have seen some
who slid so far under the logs buried in the snow, that they could
not pull out either their legs or their snowshoes without help. Now
imagine [246] a person loaded like a mule, and judge how easy is
the life of the Savage.
En France dans la difficulté des voyages encor trouue-on quelques
villages pour se rafraischir, & pour se fortifier; mais les
hostelleries que nous rencontrions, & où nous beuuions, n'estoient que
des ruisseaux, encor falloit il rompre la glace pour en tirer de l'eau;
il est vray que nous ne faisions pas de longues traites, aussi nous
eust il esté tout à fait impossible.
In the discomforts of a journey in France, villages are found
where one can refresh and fortify one's self; but the inns that
we encountered and where we drank, were only brooks; we even had
to break the ice in order to get some water. It is true that we
did not make long stages, which would indeed have been absolutely
impossible for us.
Estans arriuez au lieu où nous deuions camper, les femmes alloient
couper les perches pour dresser la cabane, les hommes vuidoient la
neige, comme ie l'ay plus amplement déduit au Chapitre precedent: or
il falloit trauailler à ce bastiment, ou bien trembler de froid trois
grosses heures sur la neige en attendant qu'il fut fait, ie mettois par
fois la main à l'œuure pour m'échauffer, mais i'estois pour l'ordinaire
tellement glacé que le feu seul me pouuoit dégeler; les Sauuages en
estoient estonnez: car ils suoient soubs le trauail, leur témoignant
quelquefois que i'auois grãd [247] froid, ils me disoient, donne tes
mains que nous voyons si tu dis vray, & les trouuans toutes glacées,
touchez de compassion ils me donnoient leurs mitaines échauffées, &
prenoient les miennes toutes froides: iusque là que mõ hoste apres
auoir experimenté cecy plusieurs fois, me dit _Nicanis_ n'hyuerne
plus auec les Sauuages, car ils te tuëront; il vouloit dire, comme ie
pense, que ie tõberois malade & que ne pouuant estre traisné auec le
bagage, qu'on me feroit mourir, ie me mis à rire, & luy reparty qu'il
me vouloit épouuenter.
When we reached the place where we were to encamp, the women went
to cut the poles for the cabin, and the men to clear away the snow,
as I have stated more fully in the preceding Chapter. Now a person
had to work at this building, or shiver with cold for three long
hours upon the snow, waiting until it was finished. Sometimes I put
my hand to the work to warm myself, but usually I was so frozen
that fire alone could thaw me. The Savages were surprised at this,
for they often sweat under the work. Assuring them now and then
that I was very [247] cold, they would say to me, "Give us thy
hands that we may see if thou tellest the truth;" and, finding them
quite frozen, touched with compassion, they gave me their warm
mittens and took my cold ones. This went so far, that my host,
after having tried it several times, said to me, "_Nicanis_, do not
winter any more with the Savages, for they will kill thee." I think
he meant that I would fall ill, and, as I could not be dragged
along with the baggage, they would kill me; I began to laugh, and
told him that he was trying to frighten me.
La cabane estant faite, ou sur la nuit, ou vn peu deuant, on parloit
de disner & de souper tout ensemble: car sortant le matin apres auoir
mangé vn petit morceau, il falloit auoir patience qu'on fut arriué &
que l'hostellerie fust faite pour y loger, & pour y manger, mais le
pis estoit que ce iour là nos gens n'allans point ordinairement à la
chasse, c'estoit pour nous vn iour de ieusne aussi bien qu'vn iour de
trauail. C'est trop retarder venons à nostre station.
The cabin finished, either toward nightfall or a little before,
they began to talk about dinner and supper all in one, for as we
had departed in the morning after having eaten a small morsel, we
had to have patience to reach our destination and to wait until
the hotel was erected, in order to lodge and eat there. But,
unfortunately, on this particular day, our people did not usually
go hunting; and so it was for us a day of fasting as well as a day
of work. We have delayed long enough, let us come to our station.
Nous quittasmes les riues du grand fleuue le 12. de Nouembre, comme
i'ay [248] desia dit, & vinsmes cabaner pres d'vn torrent, faisans
chemin à la façon que ie viens de dire, chacun portant son fardeau.
Tous les Sauuages se mocquoient de moy de ce que ie n'estois pas bon
cheual de male, me contentant de porter mon manteau qui estoit assez
pesant, vn petit sac où ie mettois mes menuës necessitez & leurs
gausseries, qui ne me pesoient pas tant que mon corps, voila ma charge:
mon hoste & l'Apostat portoient sur des bastons croisez en forme de
brancard la femme du Sorcier qui estoit fort malade, ils la mettoient
sur la neige en attendant que la cabane fut faite, où elle passoit plus
de trois heures sans feu, & sans iamais se plaindre, & sans monstrer
aucun signe d'impatience, ie me mettois plus en peine d'elle qu'elle
mesme: car ie criois souuent qu'on fit faire pour le moins vn peu de
feu aupres d'elle, mais la réponse estoit qu'elle se chaufferoit la
cabane estant faite: ces barbares sont faits à ces souffrances, ils
s'attẽdent bien que s'ils tombent malades qu'on les traittera à mesme
monnoye. Nous seiournasmes trois iours en ceste station, pendant
lesquels [249] voicy vne partie des choses que i'ay marqué dans mon
memoire.
We left the banks of the great river on the 12th of November, as
I have [248] said, and pitched our camp near a torrent, traveling
in the way I have just described, each one carrying his pack. All
the Savages made sport of me because I was not a good pack horse,
being satisfied to carry my cloak, which was heavy enough; a small
bag in which I kept my little necessaries; and their sneers, which
were not as heavy as my body; and this was my load. My host and the
Apostate carried upon poles, crossed in the form of a stretcher,
the wife of the Sorcerer, who was very sick; they placed her on the
snow, while waiting for the cabin to be made, and there she passed
more than three hours without fire, and did not once complain nor
show any sign of impatience. I was more troubled about her than
she was about herself, for I often appealed to them to make at
least a little fire near her; but the answer was that she would get
warm when the cabin was made. These savages are hardened to such
sufferings; they expect if they fall sick to be paid in the same
coin. We sojourned three days at this station; and the following
[249] are some of the things I noted down in my memoirs during this
time.
C'est icy que les Sauuages consulterent les genies du iour, en la façon
que i'ay couché au Chapitre quatriesme: or comme ie m'estois ris de
ceste superstition, & qu'à toutes les occasions qui se rencontroient,
ie faisois voir que les mysteres du Sorcier n'estoient que ieux
d'enfans, m'efforçant de luy rauir ses oüailles pour les rendre auec
le temps à celuy qui les a rachetées au prix de son sang, cét homme
forcené fit le iour d'apres ceste consulte, que ie vay décrire.
It was here that the Savages consulted their genii of light, in the
manner I have described in Chapter four. Now as I had always shown
my amusement at this superstition, and on all possible occasions
had made them see that the mysteries of the Sorcerer were nothing
but child's play,--endeavoring to carry off his flock so that, in
time, I might deliver them up to him who had bought them with his
blood,--this unscrupulous man, the day afterward, went through with
the performance I am going to describe.
Mõ hoste ayãt inuité au festin tous les Sauuages nos voisins, comme
ils estoiẽt desia venus, & assis à l'entour du feu & de la chaudiere,
attendans l'ouuerture du banquet, voila que le Sorcier qui estoit
couché vis à vis de moy se leue tout à coup, n'ayant point encor parlé
depuis la venuë des conuiez, il paroist tout furieux, se iettant sur
vne des perches de la cabane pour l'arracher, il la rompt en deux
pieces, il roule les yeux en la teste, regardant çà & là comme vn
homme hors de soy, puis enuisageant les [250] assistans, il leur dit
_Iriniticou nama Nitirinisin_, ô hommes i'ay perdu l'esprit, ie ne
sçay où ie suis, esloignez de moy les haches & les espées, car ie suis
hors du sens. A ces paroles tous les Sauuages baissent les yeux en
terre, & ie les leue au ciel, d'où i'attendois secours, me figurant que
cét homme faisoit l'enragé pour se vanger de moy, en m'ostant la vie,
ou du moins pour m'épouuenter, afin de me reprocher par apres que mon
Dieu me manquoit au besoin, & de publier parmy les siens, qu'ayant si
souuent témoigné que ie ne craignois pas leur _Manitou_, qui les fait
trembler, ie pallissois deuant vn homme. Tant s'en faut que la peur qui
dans les dangers d'vne mort naturelle me faisoit quelquefois rentrer
dans moy-mesme, me saisit pour lors, qu'au contraire i'enuisageois ce
forcené auec autant d'asseurance que si i'eusse eu vne armée à mes
costez, me representant que le Dieu que i'adorois pouuoit lier les
bras aux fols & aux enragez aussi bien qu'aux demons: qu'au reste si
sa Majesté me vouloit ouurir les portes de la mort, par les mains d'vn
homme qui faisoit l'endiablé, que [251] sa Prouidence estoit tousiours
aymable. Ce Thrason redoublant ces fougues fit mille actions de fol,
d'ensorcelé, de demoniaque, tantost il crioit à pleine teste, puis il
demeuroit tout court comme épouuanté: il faisoit mine de pleurer, puis
il s'éclattoit de rire comme vn diable follet; il chantoit sans regles
ny sans mesures, il sifloit comme vn serpent, il hurloit comme vn loup,
ou comme vn chien, il faisoit du hibou & du chathuan, tournant les yeux
tout effarez dedans sa teste, prenant mille postures, faisant tousiours
semblant de chercher quelque chose pour la lancer, i'attendois à tous
coups qu'il arrachast quelque perche pour m'en assommer, ou qu'il se
iettast sur moy, ie ne laissay pas neantmoins pour luy monstrer que ie
ne m'estonnois pas de ses diableries, de faire toutes mes actions à
l'ordinaire de lire, d'écrire, de faire mes petites prieres, & l'heure
de mon sommeil estant venuë ie me couchay & reposay aussi paisiblement
dans son sabbat comme i'eusse fait dans vn profond silence, i'estois
déja aussi accoustumé de m'endormir à ses cris, & à ses bruits de [252]
tambour, qu'vn enfant aux chansons de sa nourisse.
My host having invited all the neighboring Savages to the feast,
when they had come and seated themselves around the fire and the
kettle, waiting for the banquet to be opened, lo, the Sorcerer, who
had been lying down opposite me, suddenly arose, not yet having
uttered a word since the arrival of the guests. He seemed to be
in an awful fury, and threw himself upon one of the poles of the
cabin to tear it out; he broke it in two, rolled his eyes around
in his head, looked here and there like a man out of his senses,
then facing those [250] present, he said to them, _Iriniticou nama
Nitirinisin_, "Oh, men, I have lost my mind, I do not know where
I am; take the hatchets and javelins away from me, for I am out
of my senses." At these words all the Savages lowered their eyes
to the ground, and I raised mine to heaven, whence I expected
help,--imagining that this man was acting the madman in order to
take revenge on me, to take my life or at least to frighten me,
so that he could reproach me afterwards that my God had failed me
in time of need, and to proclaim among his people, that I, who had
so often testified that I did not fear their _Manitou_, who makes
them tremble, had turned pale before a man. So far was I from being
seized by fear which, in the dangers of a natural death, makes me
shrink within myself, that, on the contrary, I faced this furious
man with as much assurance as if I had had an army at my side,
reflecting that the God whom I adored could bind the arms of fools
and madmen as well as those of demons; that besides, if his Majesty
wished to open to me the portals of death by the hands of a man who
was acting the devil, [251] his Providence was always loving and
kind. This Thraso [braggart], redoubling his furies, did a thousand
foolish acts of a lunatic or of one bewitched; sometimes he would
cry out at the top of his voice, and then would suddenly stop
short, as if frightened; he pretended to cry, and then burst into
laughter like a wanton devil; he sang without rules and without
measure, he hissed like a serpent, he howled like a wolf, or like
a dog, he screeched like an owl or a night hawk,--rolling his eyes
about in his head and striking a thousand attitudes, always seeming
to be looking for something to throw. I was expecting every moment
he would tear up one of the poles with which to strike me down, or
that he would throw himself upon me; but in order to show him that
I was not at all astonished at these devilish acts, I continued, in
my usual way, to read, write and say my little prayers; and when
my hour for retiring came, I lay down and rested as peacefully
through his orgies, as I would have done in a profound silence; I
was already as accustomed to go to sleep in the midst of his cries
and the sound of his [252] drum, as a child is to the songs of its
nurse.
Le lendemain au soir à mesme heure il sembla vouloir entrer dans les
mesmes fougues, & donner vne autrefois l'alarme au camp, disant qu'il
perdoit l'esprit, le voyant desia demy fol, il me vint vne pensée qu'il
pourroit estre trauaillé de quelque fiévre chaude, ie l'aborde & luy
prens le bras pour luy toucher l'artere, il me regarde affreusemẽt,
faisant de l'estõné, comme si ie luy eusse apporté des nouuelles de
l'autre monde, il roule les yeux çà & là comme vn insensé: luy ayant
touché le poulx & le front ie le trouuay frais comme vn poisson, &
aussi éloigné de la fiévre comme i'estois de France, cela me confirma
dans mon opinion qu'il faisoit de l'enragé pour m'estonner, & pour
tirer à compassion tous ses gens qui dans nostre disette luy donnoient
ce qu'ils pouuoient auoir de meilleur.
The next evening, at the same hour he seemed disposed to enter into
the same infuriated state, and to again alarm the camp, saying that
he was losing his mind. Seeing him already half-mad, it occurred
to me that he might be suffering from some violent fever; I went
up to him and took hold of his arm to feel the artery; he gave me
a frightful look, seeming to be astonished, and acting as if I had
brought him news from the other world, rolling his eyes here and
there like one possessed. Having touched his pulse and forehead, I
found him as cool as a fish, and as far from fever as I was from
France. This confirmed me in my suspicion that he was acting the
madman to frighten me, and to draw down upon himself the compassion
of all our people, who in our dearth, were giving him the best they
had.
Le 20. du mesme mois de Nouembre ne se trouuans plus de Castors, ny de
Porcs-espics en nostre quartier, nous tirasmes pays, & ce fut nostre
deuxiesme station, on porta la femme du Sorcier [253] sur vn brancart,
& la mit-on, comme i'ay desia dit, dessus la neige en attendant
que nostre palais fût dressé, ce pendant ie m'approchay d'elle luy
témoignant beaucoup de compassion: il y auoit desia quelques iours
que ie taschois de gagner son affection, afin qu'elle me prestast plus
volontiers l'oreille, cognoissant bien qu'elle ne pouuoit pas viure
long-temps, car elle estoit comme vne squelette, n'ayant quasi plus la
force de parler, quand elle appelloit quelqu'vn la nuit, ie me leuois
moy mesme, & l'éueillois, ie luy faisois du feu, ie luy demandois
ce dont elle auoit besoin, elle me cõmandoit de petites chosettes,
comme de fermer les portes ou boucher quelque trou de la cabane qui
l'incõmodoit, apres ces menus discours & offices de charité, ie
l'aborday, & luy demãday si elle ne vouloit pas bien croire en celuy
qui a tout faict, & que son ame apres sa mort seroit bien-heureuse. Au
commencement elle me répondit qu'elle n'auoit point veu Dieu, & que ie
luy fisse voir, autrement qu'elle ne pouuoit croire en luy, elle auoit
tiré ceste réponse de la bouche de sõ mary, Ie luy repartis qu'elle
[254] croyoit plusieurs choses qu'elle ne voyoit pas, & qu'au reste son
ame seroit bruslée pour vne eternité si elle n'obeïssoit à celuy qui
a tout fait; elle s'adoucit petit à petit, & me témoigna qu'elle luy
vouloit obeïr, ie n'osois l'entretenir long temps, mais seulement par
reprises, ceux qui me voyoient me crians que ie la laissasse.
On the 20th of the same month of November, finding no more Beavers
and Porcupines in our quarter, we resumed our journey, this being
our second station. The Sorcerer's wife was carried [253] upon
a stretcher, and they placed her, as I have already said, upon
the snow until our palace was erected. Meanwhile I approached
her, showing how greatly I sympathized with her; already for some
days I had been trying to gain her affection, that she might more
willingly listen to me; I knew that she could not live long, as
she was like a skeleton, hardly having strength enough to talk.
When she called some one in the night, I arose and awoke him, I
made fires for her, I asked her if she was in need of anything;
she had me do little things for her, such as closing the door, or
stopping up a hole in the cabin which annoyed her. After these
little conversations and acts of charity, I approached and asked
her if she did not want to believe in him who has made all, so that
her soul after death would be blest. At first she answered that she
had not seen God, and that I should make her see him, otherwise she
could not believe in him. She got this answer from the lips of her
husband. I told her that she [254] believed in a great many things
she had not seen, and besides, her soul would be burned through
eternity if she did not obey him who has made all. She softened,
little by little, and testified to me that she wished to obey him.
I did not dare confer with her long, and only at intervals, for
those who saw me would cry out that I should leave her alone.
Sur le soir estãs tous dãs nostre nouuelle cabane, ie m'approchay
d'elle, l'appellant par son nom, iamais elle ne me voulut parler en
la presence des autres, ie priay le Sorcier de luy dire qu'elle me
répondist, & de m'ayder à l'instruire, luy representant qu'il ne
pouuoit arriuer que du bien de ceste action, il me répond non plus que
la malade, ie m'addresse à l'Apostat le pressant auec de tres humbles
prieres de me prester sa parole, point de répõse; ie retourne à la
malade, ie l'appelle, ie luy parle, ie luy demande si elle ne vouloit
pas aller au Ciel, à tout cela pas vn mot: Ie solicite de rechef le
Sorcier son mary, ie luy promets vne chemise & du petun, pourueu qu'il
dise à sa femme qu'elle m'écoute, comment veux-tu, me dit-il, que nous
[255] croyõs en ton Dieu ne l'ayãs iamais veu? ie t'ay desia respondu
à cela, luy fis-je, il n'est pas temps de disputer, cette ame se va
perdre pour vn iamais si tu n'en as pitié: Tu vois bien que celuy qui
a faict le Ciel pour toy, te veut donner de plus grands biens, que
d'aller manger des escorces en vn village qui ne fut iamais, mais aussi
te punira il seuerement si tu ne crois en luy, & si tu ne luy obeis.
Ne pouuant tirer aucune raison de ce miserable homme, ie pressay encor
vne fois la malade, mon hoste me l'entendant nommer par son nom me
tança, tais toy me dit-il, ne la nomme point, elle est desia morte, son
ame n'est plus dans son corps. C'est vne grande verité que personne
ne va à +IESVS-CHRIST+ que son pere ne luy tende la main, c'est vn grãd
present que la foy, quãd ces pauures Barbares voyẽt qu'vn pauure malade
ne parle plus, ou qu'il tombe en syncope, ou en quelque phrenesie, ils
disent que son esprit n'est plus dans son corps, si le malade retourne
en son bon sens, c'est l'èsprit qui est de retour: en fin quand il
est mort il n'en faut plus parler, ny le nommer en aucune façon: pour
conclurre ce point, il [256] me fallust retirer sans rien faire.
Toward evening, when we were all in our new cabin, I approached and
called her by name. She never would talk with me in the presence
of the others. I begged the Sorcerer to tell her to answer me, and
to help me teach her, showing him that nothing but good could come
of this action. He would not answer me any more than the invalid.
I addressed the Apostate, urging him with very humble prayers to
lend me his voice, but no answer; I return to the sick woman, I
call her by name, I speak to her, I ask her if she does not wish to
go to Heaven; to all this not a word. I again beg her husband, the
Sorcerer; I promise him a shirt and some tobacco, if he will tell
his wife to listen to me. "How canst thou ask us," he said, "to
[255] believe in thy God, never having seen him?" "I have already
answered that question for thee," I returned; "this is no time to
argue, this soul is going to be forever lost if thou dost not have
pity. Thou seest well that he who has made the Heavens for thee,
wishes to give thee greater blessings than to go about eating bark
in a village which never existed; but he will also severely punish
thee if thou dost not believe in him and obey him." Not being able
to draw any answer from this miserable man, I again urged the sick
woman. My host, hearing me call her by name, chided me, saying,
"Keep still, do not name her; she is already dead, her soul is no
longer in her body." It is a great truth that no one goes to +JESUS
CHRIST+ until the father extends to him the hand. How wonderful a
gift is this faith! When these simple Barbarians see that a poor
invalid no longer speaks, or that he has fainted, or been seized by
a frenzy, they say that the spirit is no longer in the body; and,
if the invalid returns to his senses, it is the spirit which has
returned. Finally, when he is dead, they must no longer speak of
him, nor name him in any way. To finish this story, [256] I had to
retire without accomplishing anything.
On tint conseil en ce lieu de ce qu'on deuoit faire pour trouuer à
manger, nous estions desia reduits à telle extremité que ie fa[i]sois
vn bon repas d'vne peau d'anguille boucannée, que ie iettois aux chiens
quelques iours auparauant. Deux choses me toucherent ici le cœur:
jettant vne fois vn os, ou vne arreste d'anguille aux chiens, vn petit
garçon fut plus habile que le chien, il se jetta sur l'os & le rongea &
mangea: vne autre fois vn enfant ayant demandé à manger, comme on luy
eust respõdu qu'il n'y en auoit point, ce pauure petit s'en prit à ses
yeux, les larmes rouloient sur sa face grosses commes des pois, & ses
souspirs & ses sanglots me touchoient de compassion, encor taschoit
il de se cacher: c'est vne leçon qu'on fait aux enfans de se monstrer
courageux dans la famine.
They took counsel in this place as to what they should do to get
something to eat. We were already reduced to such extremities that
I made a good meal on a skin of smoked eel, which a few days before
I had thrown to the dogs. Here two incidents occurred which touched
my heart. Once when I threw a bone or remnant of an eel to the
dogs, a little boy, more nimble than they, threw himself upon the
bone, and gnawed and bit into it. Another time, a child having
asked for something to eat, when he was told there was nothing at
all, the poor little fellow's eyes filled, and tears as big as peas
rolled down his cheeks, and his sighs and sobs filled me with pity,
although he tried to suppress them. One lesson they teach their
children is to be brave in time of famine.
Le 28. du mesme mois, nous decampasmes pour la troisiesme fois, il
neigeoit fort, mais la necessité nous pressant le mauuais temps ne peut
nous arrester. Ie fus bien estonné en cette troisiesme demeure que ie
ne vis point apporter la malade, ie n'osois demander ce qu'elle [257]
estoit deuenuë, car ils ne veulent pas qu'on parle des morts: sur le
soir i'accostay le Renegat, ie luy demanday parlant François où estoit
ceste pauure femme, s'il ne l'auoit point tuée, voyant qu'elle s'en
alloit mourir, cõme il auoit autrefois assommé à coups de bastons vne
pauure fille qui tiroit à la mort, ainsi que luy mesme l'auoit raconté
à nos François. Non, dit-il, ie ne l'ay pas tuée: qui donc, luy fis
ie, est-ce le ieune Hiroquois? Nenny, me répond-il, car il est party
de grand matin: c'est donc mon hoste, ou le Sorcier son mary; car elle
parloit encor quand ie suis sorty ce matin de la cabane, il baissa la
teste, m'aduoüãt tacitement que l'vn des deux l'auoit mise à mort:
vn vieillard m'a ceneãtmoins dit depuis, qu'elle mourut de sa mort
naturelle vn peu apres que ie fus party, ie m'en rapporte à ce qui en
est, quoy que s'en soit ayant refusé de recognoistre le Fils de Dieu
pour son Pasteur pendant sa vie, il n'est que trop probable qu'il ne
l'a pas recogneuë pour vne de ses oüailles, après sa mort.
On the 28th of the same month, we broke camp for the third time. It
was snowing hard; but, with necessity urging us on, the bad weather
could not stop us. I was surprised, in this third halt, not to
see them bring the invalid; but I did not dare ask what [257] had
become of her, for they do not want any one to mention the dead. In
the evening, I went to the Renegade, and asked him in French where
this poor woman was,--if he had not killed her, seeing her about
to die, as he had once before killed with blows from a club a poor
girl who was on the point of death, which he himself had related
to our French. "No," said he, "I have not killed her." "Who has
then," said I, "is it the young Hiroquois?" "No, no," he answered,
"for he went away very early this morning." "It is then my host,
or the Sorcerer her husband, for she was still able to talk when I
left the cabin this morning." He bowed his head, admitting tacitly
that one of them had put her to death. But, since then, an old man
has told me that she died a natural death a little while after I
departed. I am unable to say which is correct; but, at all events,
as she refused to recognize the son of God as her Shepherd during
her life, it is no more than probable that he refused to recognize
her as one of his flock after death.
I'ay remarqué iusques icy de trois sortes de medecines naturelles parmy
les [258] Sauuages, l'vne c'est leur suërie, dont i'ay parlé cy-dessus,
l'autre consiste à se taillader legerement la partie du corps qui
leur fait mal, la mettant toute en sang qu'ils font sortir de ces
decoupeures en assez grande abondance, ils se seruirent vne fois de mon
canif pour taillader la teste d'vn enfant de dix iours. La troisiesme
de ces medecines est composée de racleure d'écorces interieures de
bouleau, du moins cet arbre me sembloit tel, ils font boüillir ces
racleures dans de l'eau, qu'ils boiuent par apres pour se faire vomir,
ils m'ont souuent voulu donner ceste potion pendant que i'estois
malade, mais ie ne la iugeois pas à mon vsage.
Up to the present I have observed three kinds of natural medicines
among the [258] Savages. One of these is their sweat-box, of which
I have spoken above; the second consists in making a slight gash
in the part of the body where the pain is, covering it with blood
which they make issue from these cuts quite abundantly. They once
made use of my penknife to cut the head of a child ten days old.
The third of these medicines is composed of the scrapings of the
inside bark of the birch, at least it seems to be this tree. They
boil these scrapings in water, which they afterwards drink to make
them vomit. They often wanted me to drink this potion when I was
sick, but I did not think it would agree with me.
Le iour de sainct François Xauier, nostre pretendu Magicien ayant
sur le soir battu son tambour, & bien hurlé à l'ordinaire, car il ne
manquoit point de nous donner ceste aubade toutes les nuits à nostre
premier sommeil, voyant que tout le monde estoit endormy, & cognoissant
que ce pauure homme faisoit ce tintamare pour sa guarison. I'entray
en discours auec luy, ie commençay par vn témoignage de grand amour
[259] en son endroit, & par des loüanges que ie luy iettay comme
vne amorce pour le prendre dans les filets de la verité. Ie luy fis
entendre que si vn esprit capable des choses grandes comme le sien
cognoissoit Dieu, que tous les Sauuages induis par son exemple le
voudroient aussi cognoistre, aussi tost il prit l'essor, & se mit à
declarer la puissance, l'authorité & le credit qu'il a sur l'esprit
de ses compatriotes, il dit que dés sa ieunesse les Sauuages luy
donnerent le nom de _Khimouchouminau_, c'est à dire nostre ayeul &
nostre maistre, que tout passe par ses aduis, & que chacun suit ses
conseils, ie l'aydois à se loüer le mieux que ie pouuois: car il est
vray qu'il a de belles parties pour vn Sauuage: enfin ie luy dis que
ie m'estonnois qu'vn homme de iugement ne peut recognoistre le peu de
rapport qu'il y a entre ce tintamare & la santé. Quand tu as bien crié
& bien battu ton tambour, que fait ce bruit sinon de t'estourdir la
teste, pas vn Sauuage n'est malade, qu'on ne luy batte les oreilles de
ce tambour, afin qu'il ne meure point, en as-tu veu de dispensez de la
mort; ie te veux faire [260] vne proposition: Escoute moy patiemment,
luy dis-ie, bas ton tambour dix iours durant, chante & faits chanter
les autres tant que tu voudras, fais tout ce qui sera en ton possible
pour recouurer ta santé, si tu n'en guary dans ce temps-là, confesse
que ton tintamare, que tes hurlemens, & que tes chansons ne te
sçauroient remettre en santé, abstiens toy dix autres iours de toutes
ces superstitions, quitte ton tambour, & tous ces bruits dereglez,
demande au Dieu que i'adore, qu'il te donne sa cognoissance, pense &
crois que ton ame doit passer à vne autre vie que celle-cy, efforce toy
d'aymer son bien cõme tu ayme le bien de ton corps, & quand tu auras
passé ces dix autres derniers iours en ceste façon, ie me retireray
trois iours durant en oraison dans vne petite cabane qu'on fera plus
auant dans le bois, là ie prieray mon Dieu qu'il te donne la santé du
corps & de l'ame, toy seul me viendras voir au temps que ie diray, & tu
feras de tout ton cœur les prieres que ie t'enseigneray; promettant à
Dieu que s'il luy plaist de te rendre la santé, tu appelleras tous les
Sauuages de ce lieu, & en [261] leur presence tu brusleras ton tambour,
& toutes les autres badineries dont tu te sers pour les amasser, que tu
leur diras que le Dieu des Chrestiens est le vray Dieu, qu'ils croyẽt
en luy, & qu'ils luy obeïssent, si tu promets cecy veritablement & de
cœur, i'espere que tu seras deliuré de ta maladie, car mon Dieu est
tout puissant.