On the day of saint François Xavier, our pretended Magician began

in the evening to beat his drum and to utter his howls as usual;

for he did not fail to give us this entertainment every night at

our first sleep. I saw that every one was asleep, and, knowing that

this poor man made all this racket in order to cure himself, I

entered into conversation with him. I began by expressing a great

deal of affection [259] for him, and by heaping praises upon him,

as bait to draw him into the nets of truth. I made him understand

that if a mind as capable of great things as his was, should know

God, that all the Savages, influenced by his example, would like to

know him also. He immediately began to soar, and to talk about the

power, the authority, and the influence he had over the minds of

his fellow-savages. He said that since his youth they had given him

the name, _Khimouchouminau_, meaning, "our sire and our master;"

that everything was done according to his opinion, and that they

all followed his advice. I helped in this self-praise as well

as I could, for he has indeed some good qualities for a Savage. I

finally told him that I was surprised that a man of judgment could

not realize that there was little connection between this uproar

and health. "When thou hast screamed and beaten thy drum with all

thy might, what good does it do except to make thy head dizzy? No

Savage is sick, whose ears they do not deafen with this drum, to

keep him from dying; yet hast thou ever seen it dispel death? I am

going to make a proposal [260] to thee, listen to me patiently,"

I said to him. "Beat thy drum for ten days, sing and make all the

others sing as much as thou wilt, do all thou canst to recover thy

health, and if thou art not cured in that time confess that thy

din, howls and songs cannot restore thee to health. Now abstain

ten more days from all these superstitions; give up thy drum, and

all these wild noises; ask of the God whom I adore that he give

thee knowledge of himself; reflect, and believe that thy soul must

pass to a life other than this; endeavor to interest thyself in

its welfare as thou dost in the welfare of thy body; and when thou

shalt have passed these last ten days in this way, I will withdraw

for three days to pray in a little cabin that shall be made farther

back in the woods. There I will pray my God to give thee health of

body and of soul; thou alone shalt come to see me at the time I

shall indicate, and thou shalt say with all thy heart the prayers I

will teach thee--promising God that, if it pleases him to restore

thee thy health, thou wilt call together all the Savages of the

place, and in [261] their presence thou wilt burn thy drum and

all the other silly stuff that thou usest to bring them together,

saying to them that the God of the Christians is the true God,

that they must believe in him and obey him. If thou promise this

truthfully and from thy heart, I hope that thou wilt be delivered

from thy disease, for my God is all-powerful."

Or comme cét homme est tres desireux de recouurer sa santé, il ouurit

les oreilles, & me dit, ton discours est fort bon, i'accepte les

conditions que tu me donne; mais commence le premier, retire toy en

oraison, & dis à ton Dieu qu'il me guarisse, car c'est par là qu'il

faut commencer, & puis ie feray tout ce que tu m'as prescrit: ie ne

cõmenceray point, luy reparty-ie, car si tu estois guary, pendant que

ie prierois tu attribuerois ta santé à ton tambour, que tu n'aurois

pas quitté; & non pas au Dieu que i'adore, lequel seul te peut guarir;

non, me dit-il, ie ne croiray pas que cela vienne de mon tambour, i'ay

chanté & fait tout ce que ie sçauois, & n'ay peu sauuer la vie à pas

vn; moy-mesme estãt malade ie fais ioüer pour me guarir tous [262]

les ressorts de mon art, & me voila plus mal que iamais; i'ay employé

toutes mes inuentions pour sauuer la vie à mes enfans, notamment au

dernier qui est mort depuis peu, & pour conseruer ma femme qui vient de

trespasser, tout cela ne m'a point reüssi, & partant si tu me guaris,

ie n'attribueray point ma santé à mon tambour, ny à mes chansons. Ie

luy répondis que ie ne pouuois pas le guarir; mais que mon Dieu pouuoit

tout, qu'au reste il ne falloit point faire de marché auec luy, ny luy

prescrire des conditions comme il faisoit, disant qu'il me guarisse

premierement, & puis ie croiray en luy: dispose toy, luy fis ie, de

ton costé, & sa bonté ne te manquera pas, que s'il ne te donne la santé

du corps, il te donnera la santé de l'ame qui est incomparablement plus

à priser. Ne me parle point de l'ame, me repart-il, c'est de quoy ie

ne me soucie pas: voila (me monstrant sa chair) ce que i'ayme, c'est

le corps que ie cheris, pour l'ame ie ne la voy point, en arriue ce

qui pourra. As tu de l'esprit, luy fis-ie? tu parle comme les bestes,

les chiens n'ayment que les corps; celuy qui a fait le Soleil [263]

pour t'éclairer, n'a-il rien preparé de plus grand à ton ame, qu'à

l'ame d'vn chien? Si tu n'ayme que ton corps tu perdras le corps &

l'ame, si vne beste pouuoit parler elle ne parleroit que de son corps

& de sa chair, n'as-tu rien par dessus les bestes qui sont faites pour

te seruir? n'ayme-tu que la chair & le sang? ton ame est-elle l'ame

d'vn chien que tu la traite auec vn tel mépris? peut estre que tu

dis vray, me répond-il, & qu'il y a quelque chose de bon en l'autre

vie: mais nous autres en ce pays-cy n'en sçauons rien, que si tu me

rends la santé ie feray ce que tu voudras. Ce pauure miserable ne

peut iamais releuer sa pensée plus haut que la terre: ne voyant donc

aucune disposition en cét esprit superbe, qui croyoit pouuoir obliger

Dieu, s'il croyoit en luy, ie le quittay pour lors, & me retiray pour

reposer, car il estoit bien auant dans la nuit.

Now as this man is very desirous of recovering his health, he

opened his ears, and said to me, "Thy discourse is very good, I

accept the conditions that thou givest; but thou begin first, go

away and pray, and tell thy God to cure me, for with that we must

begin; then I will do all that thou hast prescribed for me." "I

shall not begin it," I replied to him, "for if thou get back thy

health while I would be praying, thou wouldst be attributing thy

recovery to thy drum, which thou wouldst not have given up, and

not to the God whom I adore, who alone can cure thee." "No," he

replied, "I shall not think it has come from my drum; I have sung

and have done all I could, yet I have not been able to save the

life of one man; I myself am sick, and to cure myself have made

use of all [262] the resources of my art; and behold I am worse

than ever. I have used all my inventions to save the lives of my

children, especially of the last one who died only a short time

ago, and to save my wife, who has just passed away, yet all this

has not succeeded; so if thou curest me I shall not attribute my

health to my drum nor to my songs." I answered him that I could

not cure him, but that my God could do all, and besides we must

not make bargains with him, nor prescribe to him the conditions

upon which he was to act, saying, "Let him cure me first, and then

I will believe in him." "Prepare thyself," I continued, "on thy

part, and his goodness will not fail thee; for, if he does not

give thee health of the body, he will give thee health of the soul,

which is of incomparably higher value." "Do not speak to me about

the soul," he replied, "that is something that I give myself no

anxiety about; it is this (showing his flesh) that I love, it is

the body I cherish; as to the soul, I do not see it, let happen

to it what will." "Hast thou any reason?" I asked, "thou speakest

like a brute, dogs love only their bodies; he who has made the Sun

[263] to shine upon thee, has he not prepared something better for

thy soul than for the soul of a dog? If thou lovest only the body,

thou wilt lose both thy body and thy soul. If a brute could talk,

it would talk about nothing but its body and its flesh; hast thou

nothing above the brute, which is made to serve thee? Dost thou

love only flesh and blood? Thy soul, is it only the soul of a dog,

that thou dost treat it with such contempt?" "Perhaps thou sayest

truly," he replied, "and there is something good in the other

life; but we here in this country know nothing about it. If thou

restorest my health, I will do what thou wishest." This poor wretch

is never able to raise his thoughts above earth. Seeing then no

inclination in this haughty spirit, who thought he was obliging God

by believing in him, I gave him up for the time being, and retired

to rest, for it was well along into the night.

Le 3. de Decembre nous cõmençasmes nostre quatriesme station, ayans

délogé sans trompette, mais non pas sans tambour: car le Sorcier

n'oublioit iamais le sien, nous plantasmes nostre camp proche d'vn

fleuue large & rapide, [264] mais peu profond, ils le nomment _Ca

pititetchiouetz_, il se va dégorger dans le grand fleuue de sainct

Laurens, quasi vis à vis de Tadoussac, nos Sauuages n'ayans point icy

de viandes pour faire des festins, ils faisoient des banquets de fumée,

s'inuitans les vns les autres, dans leurs cabanes, & faisans la ronde à

vn petit plat de terre remply de Tabac, chacun en prenoit vne cornetée

qu'il reduisoit en fumée, remettant la main au plat s'il vouloit

petuner dauantage: l'affection qu'ils portent à ceste herbe est au

delà de toute créance, ils s'endormẽt le cabanet en la bouche, ils se

leuent par fois la nuit pour petuner, ils s'arrestent souuent en chemin

pour le mesme sujet, c'est la premiere action qu'ils font rentrant

dans leurs cabanes: ie leur ay battu le fusil pour les faire petuner

en ramants dans vn canot, ie leur ay veu souuent manger le baston de

leur calumet, n'ayans plus de petun, ie leur ay veu racler & pulueriser

vn calumet de bois pour petuner, disons auec compassion qu'ils passent

leur vie dans la fumée, & qu'ils tombent à la mort dans le feu.

On the 3rd of December we began our fourth station, having broken

camp without trumpets, but not without drums, for the Sorcerer

never forgot his. We pitched our camp near a broad and rapid, [264]

but rather shallow river, which they called _Ca pititetchiouetz_;

it flows into the great river saint Lawrence, almost opposite

Tadoussac. Our Savages, having no food for a feast here, made a

banquet of smoke; each inviting the others to his cabin, they

passed around a little earthen plate containing Tobacco, and every

one took a pipeful, which he reduced to smoke, returning his hand

to the dish if he wanted to smoke any more. The fondness they have

for this herb is beyond all belief. They go to sleep with their

reed pipes in their mouths, they sometimes get up in the night to

smoke; they often stop in their journeys for the same purpose, and

it is the first thing they do when they reënter their cabins. I

have lighted tinder, so as to allow them to smoke while paddling a

canoe; I have often seen them gnaw the stems of their pipes when

they had no more tobacco, I have seen them scrape and pulverize a

wooden pipe to smoke it. Let us say with compassion that they pass

their lives in smoke, and at death fall into the fire.

[265] I'auois porté du petun auec moy, non pour mõ vsage, car ie n'en

prends point, i'en donnay largement selon que i'en auois à plusieurs

Sauuages; m'en reseruant vne partie pour tirer de l'Apostat quelque

mot de sa langue; car il ne m'eust pas dit vne parole qu'en le payãt

de ceste monnoye, quand nos gens eurent consommé ce que ie leur auois

donné, & ce qu'ils auoient en leur particulier, ie n'auois plus de

paix, le Sorcier me pressoit auec vne importunité si audacieuse, que ie

ne le pouuois souffrir, tous les autres sembloient me vouloir manger,

quand ie leur en refusois: i'auois beau leur dire qu'ils n'auoient

point de consideration, que ie leur en auois plus donné trois fois

que ie ne m'estois reserué; vous voyez, leur disois-ie, que i'ayme

vostre langue, & qu'il faut que ie l'achepte auec cét argent, que s'il

me manque on ne m'enseignera pas vn mot, vous voyez que s'il me faut

vn verre d'eau, il faut que i'en aille chercher bien loing, ou que

ie dõne vn bout de petun à vn enfant pour m'en aller querir; vous me

dites que le petun rassasie, si la famine qui nous presse cõtinuë, i'en

[266] veux faire l'experience, laissez moy ce peu que i'ay de reserue,

il me fut impossible de resister à leur importunité, il fallut tirer

iusques au bout, ce ne fut pas sans estonnement de voir des personnes

si passionnées pour de la fumée.

[265] I brought some tobacco with me, but not for myself, as I

do not use it. I have given liberally, according to my store,

to several Savages, saving some to draw from the Apostate a few

words of his language, for he would not say a word if I did not

pay him with this money. When our people had consumed what I had

given them, and what they had of their own, I had no more peace.

The Sorcerer was so annoying in his demands for it, that I could

not endure him; and all the others acted as if they wanted to

eat me, when I refused them. In vain I told them that they had

no consideration, that I had given them more than three times as

much as I had reserved for myself. "You see," I said to them,

"that I love your language and that I must buy it with this money,

for if it is lacking no one will teach me a word; you see if I

have to have a glass of water, I must go a long way to get it,

or I must give a bit of tobacco to a child to get it for me; you

tell me that tobacco satisfies hunger; if the famine which now

presses us continues, I wish [266] to experiment with it, so leave

me the little I have in reserve." It was impossible to resist

their teasing, and I had to draw out the last bit, not without

astonishment at seeing people so passionately fond of smoke.

Le sixiesme du mesme mois, nous délogeasmes pour la cinquiesme fois, il

m'arriua vne disgrace au départ, au lieu de prẽdre le vray chemin, ie

me iettay dans vn autre que nos chasseurs auoient fort battu, ie vay

donc fort loing sans prendre garde que ie me perdois, ayant fait une

longue traitte, ie m'apperceu que mon chemin se diuisoit en cinq ou six

autres, qui tiroient qui deçà, qui delà, me voila demeuré tout court,

il y auoit vn petit enfant qui m'auoit suiuy, ie ne l'osois quitter,

car auss[i]-tost il se mettoit à pleurer, i'enfilay tantost l'vn,

tantost l'autre de ces sentiers, & voyant qu'ils tournoient çà & là,

& qu'ils n'estoient marquez que d'vne sorte de raquette, ie concluds

que ces chemins ne conduisoient point au lieu où mes Sauuages alloient

cabaner, ie ne sçauois que faire du petit garçon: car s'estant apperceu

de nostre erreur il ne m'osoit [267] perdre de veuë sans se pasmer;

d'ailleurs n'ayant qu'enuiron six ans il ne me pouuoit pas suiure,

car ie doublois mes pas: ie m'aduisay de luy laisser mon manteau pour

marque que ie retournerois, si ie trouuois nostre vray chemin, luy

faisant signe qu'il m'attendist, car nous ne nous attendions pas l'vn

l'autre: ie iettay donc mon manteau sur la neige, & m'en reuay sur

mes brisées criant de temps en temps pour me faire entendre de nos

gens, si tant est que le bon chemin ne fust pas loing de moy; ie crie,

i'appelle dans ces grands bois, personne ne répond, tout est dans vn

profond silence, les arbres mesme ne faisoient aucun bruit, car il ne

faisoit point de vent: le froid estoit si violent que ie m'attendois

infailliblemẽt de mourir la nuit au cas qu'il me la fallust passer

sur la neige, n'ayant ny hache ny fusil pour faire du feu; ie vay,

ie viens, ie tourne de tous costez, ie ne trouue rien qui ne m'égare

dauantage: la derniere chose que l'homme quitte c'est l'esperance,

ie la tenois tousiours par vn petit bout, me figurant à toute heure

que i'allois trouuer mon chemin; mais enfin apres [268] auoir bien

tourné, voyant que les creatures ne me pouuoient donner aucun secours,

ie m'arrestay pour presẽter mes petites prieres au Createur dont ie

voyois ces grands bois tout remplis aussi bien que le reste du monde:

il me vint vne pensée que ie n'estois pas perdu, puis que Dieu sçauoit

bien où i'estois, & ruminant ceste verité en mon esprit, ie tire

doucement vers le fleuue que i'auois trauersé au sortir de la cabane,

ie crie, i'appelle de rechef, tout le monde estoit desia bien loing;

ie commençois desia à laisser cheoir de mes mains le petit filet de

l'esperance que i'auois tenu iusques alors, quand i'aduisay quelques

vestiges de raquette derriere des broussailles, ie m'y transporte, _&

vidi vestigia virorum, & mulierum & infantium_, en vn mot ie trouue ce

que i'auois cherché fort long-temps, au commencement ie n'estois pas

asseuré que c'estoit là vn bon chemin, voila pourquoy ie me diligentay

de le recognoistre: estant desia bien auancé ie trouue l'Apostat qui

nous venoit chercher, il me demanda où estoit ce petit enfant, ie luy

repars que ie l'auois laissé [269] aupres de mon manteau: i'ay, me

dit-il, trouué vostre manteau & l'ay reporté à la nouuelle cabane; mais

ie n'ay point veu l'enfant: me voila bien estonné, de l'aller chercher,

c'estoit me perdre vne autre fois; ie prie l'Apostat d'y aller, il fit

la sourde oreille, ie tire droit à la cabane pour en donner aduis, où

enfin i'arriuay tout brisé & tout moulu pour la difficulté & pour la

longueur des chemins que i'auois fait sans trouuer hostellerie que des

ruisseaux glacez: si tost que les Sauuages me virent ils me demandent

où estoit le petit garçon, crians que ie l'auois perdu, ie leur raconte

l'histoire, les asseurants que ie luy auois laissé tout exprez mon

manteau pour l'aller retrouuer, mais ayant quitté ce lieu là, ie ne

sçauois où l'aller chercher, veu mesmement que ie n'en pouuois plus,

n'ayant point mangé depuis le grand matin, & deux ou trois bouchées de

boucan tant seulement, on me donna pour reconfort vn peu d'eau glacée,

que ie fis chauffer dans vn chaudron fort sale, ce fut tout mon souper:

car nos chasseurs n'ayans rien pris il fallut ieusner ce iour là.

[270] Pour l'enfant, deux femmes m'ayans ouy depeindre l'endroit où ie

l'auois laissé, coniecturant où il auoit tiré, l'allerent chercher,

& le trouuerent. Il ne faut pas s'estonner si vn François se perd

quelquesfois dans ces forests, i'ay veu de nos plus habiles Sauuages

s'y esgarer plus d'vn iour entier.

On the sixth of the same month we broke camp for the fifth time.

I had a mishap at our departure, for, instead of taking the right

road, I started upon another that had been well beaten down by our

hunters, and so I went some distance without perceiving that I was

lost. After a long stage, I observed that the way divided into five

or six others, which led in several directions. So I was brought

to a standstill. There was a little child who had followed me, and

whom I did not dare to leave, for it would at once begin to cry. I

followed first one and then another of these paths; and seeing that

they wound here and there, and that they were marked by only one

kind of snowshoe, I concluded that these ways did not lead to the

place where my Savages were going to encamp. I did not know what to

do with the little boy; for, having found out our mistake, he did

not dare [267] lose me out of his sight without going into spasms;

and besides, as he was only about six years old, he could not keep

up with me as I increased my speed. I decided to leave him my

cloak, to show that I intended to return, if I found the right way,

making him a sign that he should wait, for we did not understand

each other. So I threw my cloak upon the snow, and retraced my

steps, crying out from time to time to make myself heard by our

people, in case the right road was not far away from me. I shout

and halloo in these great forests, but no one answers; the silence

is profound, for even the trees do not rustle, as there is no

wind. The cold was so severe that I was sure I would die during

the night, if I had to pass it upon the snow, having neither axe

nor tinder with which to make a fire. I go, I come, I turn on all

sides; but I find nothing which does not confuse me still more. The

last thing that a man abandons is hope; I continued to hold on to

it by the little end, imagining every moment that I was going to

find my way; but at last, after [268] many windings, seeing that

human beings could give me no help, I stopped in order to offer my

little prayers to the Creator, with whom I saw these great woods

all filled as well as the rest of the world. The thought came into

my mind that I was not lost, since God knew where I was; and,

turning over this truth in my mind, I slowly approached the river

I had crossed on leaving the cabin. I cried out, I called again,

but everybody was already far away. I was beginning to loosen my

hold upon the little thread of hope that I had held up to that

time, when I perceived some snowshoe tracks behind the brushwood.

I betook myself thither, _et vidi vestigia virorum, et mulierum et

infantium_. In a word, I found what I had so long been seeking. At

first I was not sure this was a good road, hence I reconnoitred

it very carefully. When I had advanced some distance, I met the

Apostate, who was coming in search of us. He asked me where the

little child was; and I replied that I had left it [269] near my

cloak. "I have found your cloak," he said, "and have carried it to

the new cabin; but I have not found the child." This was a great

shock to me; to go in search of it would be to lose myself a second

time. I prayed the Apostate to go, but he turned a deaf ear to my

entreaties. I started directly for the cabin, to advise them of

the matter, and finally reached it, sore all over and bruised from

the hardships and length of the journey, which I had made without

finding other hostelry than the frozen brooks. As soon as the

Savages saw me, they asked where the little boy was, crying out

that I had lost him. I told them the story, assuring them that I

had left my cloak with him purposely, that I might go back and find

him; but, as he had left that place, I did not know where to look

for him, especially as I had no more strength left, having eaten

nothing since early morning, and then only two or three mouthfuls

of smoked meat. They comforted me with a little frozen water, which

I melted in a very dirty kettle, and this was all the supper I had;

for our hunters had not taken anything, so we had to fast that

day. [270] As to the child, two women having heard me describe the

place where I had left it, guessing where it had wandered, went in

search of and found it. You must not be astonished if a Frenchman

sometimes loses himself in these forests; for I have known some of

our cleverest Savages to wander about in them more than a whole day.

Le 20. de Decembre, quoy que les Sauuages ne se mettent pas

ordinairement en chemin pendant le mauuais temps si fallut-il

decabanner durant la pluye, & desloger à petit bruit sans desieuner, la

fin [faim] nous faisoit marcher, mais le mal est, qu'elle nous suiuoit

par tout où nous allions; car nous ne trouuions par tout, ou fort peu,

ou point de chasse: En ceste station, qui fut la sixiesme, le Renegat

me vint dire que les Sauuages estoient fort espouuantez, & mon hoste

m'abordant tout pensif, me demanda si ie ne sçauois point quelque

remede à leur mal-heur, il n'y a pas, me disoit-il, assez de neige pour

tuer l'Orignac, des Castors, & des Porcs-espics, nous n'en trouuõs

quasi point, que ferons nous? ne sçais tu point ce qui nous doit

arriuer? ne sens tu point dans toy-mesme ce qu'il [271] faut faire?

Ie luy voulus dire que nostre Dieu estoit tres-bon, & tres-puissant,

qu'il falloit que nous eussions recours à sa misericorde, mais cõme ie

ne parlois pas bien, ie priay l'Apostat de me seruir de truchement; ce

miserable est possedé d'vn diable muet, iamais il ne voulut parler.

On the 20th of December, although the Savages do not usually

take the road in bad weather, yet we had to break up during the

storm, and move away quietly without any breakfast, for hunger

drove us onward; the trouble is it followed us everywhere we went,

for we found no game anywhere, or at least very little of it. At

this station, which was the sixth, the Renegade came to tell me

that the Savages were greatly terrified; and my host, addressing

me seriously, asked if I did not know some remedy for their

misfortune. "There is not," said he, "enough snow to kill Moose,

Beavers, and Porcupines; we find almost no game; what shall we do?

Dost thou not know what may happen to us? Dost thou not see within

thyself what [271] ought to be done?" I wanted to tell him that our

God was very good and very powerful, and we ought to have recourse

to his mercy; but as I did not speak well, I begged the Apostate to

be my interpreter, but this wretch is possessed of a mute devil, he

never wants to talk.

Le 24. Decembre, veille de la naissance de nostre Sauueur, nous

decampasmes pour la septiesme fois, nous partismes sans manger, nous

cheminasmes vn assez long temps; nous trauaillasmes à faire nostre

maison, & pour nostre souper N. S. nous donna vn Porc-espic gros comme

vn cochon de lait, & vn liéure, c'estoit peu pour dix-huict ou vingt

personnes que nous estions, il est vray, mais la saincte Vierge & son

glorieux Espoux sainct Ioseph, ne furent pas si bien traictez à mesme

iour dans l'estable de Bethleem.

On the 24th of December, the evening before the birth of our

Savior, we broke up for the seventh time. We departed without

eating, and journeyed for a long, long time, then worked at

house-building; and for our supper Our Lord gave us a Porcupine

as large as a sucking pig, and a hare. It was not much for our

eighteen or twenty people, it is true; but the holy Virgin and her

glorious Spouse, saint Joseph, were not so well treated on the same

day in the stable at Bethle[h]em.

Le lendemain iour de resiouyssance parmy les Chrestiens, pour l'enfant

nouueau né, fust pour nous vn iour de ieusne, on ne me donna rien

du tout à manger; la faim qui fait sortir le loup du bois, m'y fit

entrer plus auant, pour chercher [272] des petits bouts d'arbres que ie

mãgeois auec delices, des femmes ayant ietté aux chiens par mesgarde

ou autrement, quelques rongneures de peaux dont on fait les cordes des

raquettes, ie les ramassay, & en fis vn bon disner, quoy que les chiens

mesmes, quand ils auoient tant soit peu à manger, n'en voulussent

pas gouster: I'ay souuent mangé, notamment ce mois cy, des raclures

d'escorces, des rongneures de peaux, & autres choses semblables, &

cependant ie ne m'en suis point trouué mal.

The next day, a day of rejoicing among Christians on account of the

newborn child, was for us a day of fasting. I was given nothing at

all to eat. Hunger, which makes the wolf come out of the woods,

made me go farther in to seek [272] the little ends of the trees,

which I ate with delight. Some women, having thrown to the dogs,

either unintentionally or otherwise, some bits of hide from which

they make the strings for their snowshoes, I gathered them up and

made a good dinner of them; although the dogs themselves, when they

have ever so little else to eat, will not touch them. I have often

eaten, especially during that month, scrapings of bark, bits of

leather, and similar things, and yet they have never made me ill.

Le mesme iour de Noël ie m'en allay sur le soir visiter nos voisins,

nous n'estions plus que deux cabanes, celle du Sauuage Ekhenneabamate

auoit tiré d'vn autre costé depuis cinq ou six iours, à raison qu'il

n'y auoit pas assez de chasse pour nourrir tout le monde, ie trouuay

deux ieunes chasseurs tout tristes, pour n'auoir rien pris ce iour là,

ny le precedent, ils estoient comme tous les autres maigres & defaits,

taciturnes & fort pensifs, comme gens qui ne pouuoient mourir qu'à

regret, cela me toucha le cœur, apres leur auoir dit quelque parole

de consolation, & donné quelque [273] esperance de chose meilleure,

ie me retiray en ma cabane pour prier Dieu, l'Apostat me demãda quel

iour il estoit? il est auiourd'huy la feste de Noël, luy respondis-je;

Il fut vn peu touché, & se tournant vers le Sorcier, il luy dit, qu'à

tel iour estoit né le Fils de Dieu que nous adorions nommé IESVS:

Remarquant en luy quelque estonnement, ie luy dis que Dieu vsoit

ordinairement de largesse en ces bons iours, & que si nous auions

recours à luy qu'il nous assisteroit infailliblement; à cela point de

parole, mais aussi point de contrarieté: prenant donc l'occasion au

poil, ie le priay de me tourner en sa langue deux petites Oraisons,

dont i'en dirois l'vne, & les Sauuages l'autre. Esperant que nous

serions secourus, l'extremité où nous estions reduits luy fit accorder

que de bond, que de volée ce que ie demandois. Ie composay sur l'heure

deux petites prieres, qu'il me tourna en Sauuage, me promettant en

outre qu'il me seruiroit d'interprete si i'assemblois les Sauuages,

me voila fort content. Ie recommande l'affaire à N.S. & le lendemain

matin ie dresse vn petit Oratoire, ie pends aux [274] perches de la

cabane vne seruiette que i'auois portée, sur laquelle i'attachay vn

petit Crucifix & vn Reliquaire, que deux personnes fort Religieuses

m'ont enuoyé: ie tire encore quelque Image de mon Breuiaire, cela fait

ie fais appeller tous les Sauuages de nos deux cabanes, & ie leur fais

entendre tant par mon begayemẽt, que par la bouche d'vn Renegat, que la

crainte de mourir de faim faisoit parler, qu'il ne tiendroit qu'à eux

qu'ils ne fussent secourus, ie leur dis que nostre Dieu est la bonté

mesme, que rien ne luy estoit impossible, qu'encore bien qu'on l'eust

mesprisé, que si neantmoins on croyoit, & si on esperoit en luy d'vn

bon cœur, qu'il se monstreroit fauorable: Or comme ces pauures gens

n'auoient plus d'esperance en leurs arcs, ny en leurs flesches, ils me

tesmoignerẽt vn grand contentement de ce que ie les auois assemblez,

m'asseurant qu'ils feroient tout ce que ie leur commanderois; ie prens

mon papier & leurs lis l'Oraison que ie desirois qu'ils fissent, leur

demandant s'ils estoient contens d'addresser au Dieu que i'adorois ces

paroles de tout leur cœur, & sans feintise; ils me [275] respondent

tous _nimiroueritenan, nimiroueritenan_, nous en sommes cõtens, nous

en sõmes contens. Ie me mets le premier à genoux, & eux tous auec moy,

iettans les yeux sur nostre petit Oratoire, le seul Sorcier demeuroit

assis, mais luy ayant demandé s'il n'en vouloit pas estre aussi bien

que les autres, il fit comme il me voyoit faire, nous estions testes

nuës, ioignans tous les mains & les esleuans vers le Ciel, ie commençay

donc à faire ceste Oraison tout haut en leur langue.

In the evening of this same Christmas day I went to visit

our neighbors. We were now only two cabins, as the Savage

Ekhenneabamate had gone off in another direction five or six days

before, because there had not been enough game for all of us. I

found there two young hunters, in deep distress at not having

captured anything that day, nor the one before. They were like all

the others, wasted and thin, silent and very sad, like people who

parted with life regretfully. It made my heart bleed to see them.

After having said a few words of consolation, and cheered them

with the [273] hope of better things, I withdrew into my cabin to

pray to God. The Apostate asked me what day it was. "To-day is the

Christmas festival," I answered him. He was slightly touched, and,

turning toward the Sorcerer, said that on this day was born the

son of God, called JESUS, whom we adored. Observing that he showed

some wonder, I told him that God was generally very bountiful

on these days; and, if we had recourse to him, he would surely

help us. To this there was not a word, neither was there any

opposition. So seizing the opportunity, I begged him to translate

for me two little Prayers into his language, and I would say one of

them and the Savages the other. Hoping that we would be succored,

the extremity to which we were reduced made him grant, in pure

recklessness, what I asked. I immediately composed two little

prayers, which he turned into Savage, promising me besides that he

would serve me as interpreter if I would call the Savages together,

so I was very happy. I commended the matter to Our Lord and the

next morning I erected a little Oratory. I hung to the [274] poles

of the cabin a napkin I had brought with me; to this I attached a

small Crucifix and a Reliquary that two very Religious persons had

sent me, also I took from my Breviary one of the Pictures. When

this was done, I had all the Savages from our two cabins called,

and made them understand, partly through my stammering and partly

through the lips of the Renegade, whom the fear of dying from

hunger made speak, that it depended upon them alone whether or not

they should be relieved. I told them that our God was goodness

itself, that nothing was impossible to him; that even though a

person had despised him, yet if he believed in him and hoped in

him with a sincere heart, he would show himself favorable. Now as

these poor people had no more hope in their bows or arrows, they

showed much gladness that I had thus called them together, assuring

me they would do all I commanded them. I took my paper and read

to them the Prayer I wished them to offer, asking if they were

content to address to the God whom I adored these prayers from

their hearts, and without dissimulation. They all [275] responded,

_nimiroueritenan, nimiroueritenan_, "We are satisfied, we are

satisfied." I knelt down first and the others followed, fixing our

eyes upon our little Oratory. The Sorcerer alone remained seated;

but, when I asked him if he did not wish to be like the others, he

did as he saw me do. We were bareheaded, our hands all clasped and

raised toward Heaven; and in this attitude I began to repeat the

following Prayer aloud in their language.

Mon Seigneur qui auez tout fait, qui voyez tout, & qui cognoissez tout,

faites nous misericorde. O +IESVS+, fils du Tout-puissant, qui auez

pris chair humaine pour nous, qui estes né pour nous d'vne Vierge, qui

estes mort pour nous, qui estes resuscité & monté au Ciel pour nous,

vous auez promis que si on demandoit quelque chose en vostre nom que

vous l'accorderiez: ie vous supplie de tout mon cœur de donner la

nourriture à ce pauvre peuple, qui veut croire en vous, & qui vous

veut obeïr, ce peuple vous promet entierement que si vous le secourez

qu'il croira parfaitement en vous, & qu'il vous obeïra [276] de tout

son cœur, Mon Seigneur, exaucez ma prieré, ie vous presente ma vie pour

ce peuple tres content de mourir à ce qu'ils viuent, & qu'ils vous

cognoissent. Ainsi soit-il.

"My Lord, you who have made all, who see all and who know all, have

pity upon us. O +JESUS+, son of the All-powerful, you who have

taken human flesh for us, who were born of a Virgin for us, who

have died for us, who were resurrected and ascended into Heaven

for us, you have promised that if anything is asked in your name,

you will grant it. I beseech you with all my heart to give food

to these poor people, who wish to believe in you and to obey you.

These people promise you faithfully that, if you will help them,

they will believe entirely in you, and that they will obey you

[276] with all their hearts. My Lord, hearken to my prayer; I offer

you my life for these people, content to die that they may live and

acknowledge you. Amen."

A ces paroles de mourir pour eux que ie proferois pour gagner leur

affection, quoy qu'en effect ie le disois de bon cœur, mon hoste

m'arresta & me dit; retranche ces paroles, car nous t'aymons tous, & ne

desirons pas que tu meure; ie vous veux témoigner, leur repartis-ie,

que ie vous ayme, & que ie donnerois volontiers ma vie pour vostre

salut, tant c'est chose grande que d'estre sauué. Apres que i'eus faict

ceste Oraison, chacun d'eux à mains iointes, teste nuë, & les genoux

en terre, comme i'ay remarqué, profera la suiuante, que ie prononçois

deuant-eux fort posément.

At these words, "to die" for them, which I used to gain their

affection, although really I said it with a sincere heart, my

host stopped me and said, "Take back those words, for we all love

thee, and do not wish thee to die for us." "I wish to show you,"

I answered, "that I love you, and that I would willingly give my

life for your salvation, so great a thing is it to be saved." After

I had offered this Prayer, all of them with hands joined, heads

bare, and knees upon the ground, as I have observed, repeated the

following, which I pronounced to them with great solemnity.

Grand Seigneur qui auez fait le ciel & la terre, vous sçauez tout, vous

pouuez tout, ie vous promets de tout mon cœur (ie ne sçaurois vous

mentir) ie vous promets entierement, que s'il vous plaist nous donner

nostre nourriture, que ie vous obeïray cordiallement, que ie croiray

asseurément en vous, ie vous [277] promets sans feintise, que ie feray

tout ce qu'on me dira deuoir estre fait pour vostre amour, aydez nous,

vous le pouuez faire, ie feray asseurément ce qu'on m'enseignera deuoir

estre fait pour l'amour de vous, ie le promets sans feintise, ie ne

ments pas, ie ne sçaurois vous mentir, aydez nous à croire en vous

parfaictement, puis que vous estes mort pour nous. Ainsi soit il.

"Great Lord, you who have made heaven and earth, you know all, you

can do all. I promise you with all my heart (I could not lie to

you) I promise you wholly, that, if it pleases you to give us food,

I will obey you cheerfully, that I will surely believe in you. I

promise [277] you without deceit that I will do all that I shall be

told ought to be done for love of you. Help us, for you can do it;

I will certainly do what they shall teach me ought to be done for

your sake. I promise it without pretence, I am not lying, I could

not lie to you; help us to believe in you perfectly, for you have

died for us. Amen."

Ils firent tous ceste priere, & l'Apostat & le Sorcier aussi bien que

les autres, c'est à Dieu de iuger de leurs cœurs, ie leur dis après

cela qu'ils s'en allassent à la chasse auec confiance, ce qu'ils

firent, la plus part témoignans par leur visage & par leurs paroles

qu'ils auoient pris plaisir en ceste action; mais auant que d'en voir

le succez couchons en leur langue ces deux Oraisons, afin qu'on voye

l'œconomie de leurs paroles, & leur façon de s'énoncer.

They all offered this prayer, the Apostate and the Sorcerer as well

as the others; God alone can judge of their hearts. After this I

told them that they should go to the chase with confidence, as

they did, the greater part showing by their faces and words that

they had taken pleasure in this act. But, before finding out what

success they had, let us couch in their language these two Prayers,

in order that you may see the arrangement of their words, and their

way of expressing themselves.

_Nou_K_himame missi ca_ K_hichitaien missi,_

Mon Capitaine tout qui as fait tout,

K_hesteritamen missi, ouia batamen chaoueriminan_.

qui sçais tout, qui vois, aye pitié de nous.

_Iesus oucouchichai missi ca nitaouitát_

Iesus Fils out qui a faict

[278] _Niran ca outchi, arichiirinicasouien, niran_

de nous qui à cause es fait hõme de nous

_ca outchi, iriniouien iscouechich, niran ca_

qui à cause es né d'vne fille de nous, qui

_outchi nipien, niran ca outchi ouascou_k_hi,_

à cause es mort de no⁹, qui à cause au ciel

_itoutaien; egou_ K_hisitaie, nitichenicassouini_k_i,_

es allé ainsi tu disois en mon nom

K_hegoueia netou tamagaouian niga chaoueri_K_an,_

quelque chose si ie suis requis i'ẽ auray pitié,

k_hitaia mihitin naspich ou mitchimi,_

ie te prie entierement la nourriture

_a richiriniou miri, ca ouitapouetasc,_

à ce peuple dõne qui veux croire en toy,

_ca ouipamitasc, arichiriniou_ k_hiticou_

qui te veux obeyr, ce peuple te dit

_naspich, ouitchihien_ k_higatapouetatin_

entièrement, si tu m'ayde ie te croyray

_naspich_, k_higa pamtatim naspich, Nou_k_himame_

parfaitemẽt ie t'obeïray entieremẽt mon Capitaine

_chaoueritamitaouitou, oui_

aye pitié de ce que ie dis, si tu

_michoutchi nipousin, iterimien_

veux en contrechãge ma mort penser

_ouirouau mag iriniouisonan, egou inousin._

quant à eux qu'ils viuent, ainsi soit-il.

_Noukhimame missi ca Khichitaien missi_,

My Captain all who hast made, all

_Khesteritamen missi, ouia batamen chaoueriminan_.

who knowest, all who seest, have pity on us.

_Jesus oucouchichai missi ca nitaouitât_

Jesus, the Son all who has made

[278]_Niran ca outchi, arichiirinicasouien, niran_

of us who because art made man, of us

_ca outchi, iriniouien iscouechich, niran ca_

who because art born of a maiden, of us who

_outchi nipien, niran ca outchi ouascoukhi,_

because hast died, of us who because to heaven

_itoutaien; egou Khisitaie, nitichenicassouiniki,_

art gone; thus thou saidst, in my name

_Khegoueia netou tamagaouian niga chaouerikan,_

any thing if I am asked on it I will have pity,

_khitaia mihitin naspich ou mitchimi,_

I pray thee wholly the food

_a richiriniou miri, ca ouitapouetasc,_

to these people give, who wish to believe in thee,

_ca ouipamitasc, arichiriniou khiticiou_

who wish to obey thee; these people say to thee

_naspich, ouitchihien khigatapouetatin_

wholly, if thou aidest me I will believe thee

_naspich, khiga pamtatim naspich, Noukhimame_

perfectly I will obey thee entirely my Captain

_chaoueritamitaouitou oui_

have pity upon what I say, if thou

_michoutchi nipousin, iterimien_

wish in exchange my death take care

_ouironau mag iriniouisonan, egou inousin._

as to them that they may live, so be it.

Voicy celle qu'ils prononcerent.

[279] _Khicheou_K_himan ca_ k_hichitaien ouascou,_

Grand Capitaine qui as faict le Ciel

_mag asti, missi_ k_hi_k_histeriten, missi_ K_hipicoutan_,

& la Terre tout tu sçais toute chose, tu fais bien

k_hititin naspich, tanté_

ie te dis entierement comment

_bona ou_k_hiran? khititin naspich, oui miriatchi_

pourrois-je mẽtir? ie te dis sãs feintise si tu no⁹ veux dõner

_nimitchiminan, ochitau_

nostre nourriture tout

_tapoué_ k_higa pamitatin, ochitau,_

expres asseurement ie t'obeïray tout

_tapoué_ K_higa tapouetatin,_ K_hititin_

expres, en verité ie te croiray, ie te le dis

_naspich, niga tin missi,_ K_hé eitigaouané;_

entieremẽt, ie feray tout ce qu'õ me dira

k_hir_ k_he, outchi_ K_hian, ouitchihinan,_

de toy à cause ie le feray ayde nous

k_higa_ k_hi ouitchi hinan, naspich niga_

tu nous peux ayder absolument ie feray

_tin missi_, k_hé eitigaouané_ k_hir_ K_he, outchi_

tout ce qu'on me dira de toy à cause

k_hian, Khititin naspich; nama_

ie le feray ie te le dis sans feintise, ie ne

_ni_k_hirassin, nama_ k_hinita_ k_hirassicatin,_

mens pas, ie ne te sçaurois mentir,

_ouitchihinan_ k_higai tapouetatinan naspich;_

ayde nous affin que nous te croyons parfaictemẽt,

[280] _ouichihinan mag missi irinioua_k_hi_

ayde nous puis de tous les hõmes

_ouetchi nipouané. Egou inousin._

à cause tu es mort, ainsi soit-il.

And here is the one they repeated.

[279] _Khicheoukhiman ca khichitaien ouascou,_

Great Captain who hast made the Sky

_mag asti, missi khikhisteriten, missi_

and the Earth, all thou knowest, everything

_Khipicoutan, khititin naspich, tanté_

thou doest well I say to thee wholly how

_bona oukhiran? khititin naspich, oui miriatchi_

could I lie? I tell thee without pretence if thou wilt give us

_nimitchiminan, ochitau_

our food quite

_tapoué khiga pamitatin, ochitau,_

positively surely I will obey thee quite

_tapoué Khiga tapouetatin, Khititin_

certainly truly I will believe in thee, I tell it thee

_naspich, niga tin missi Khé eitigaouané;_

wholly, I will do all that they shall tell me

_khir khe, outchi Khian, ouitchihinan,_

of thee because I will do it, help us

_khiga khi ouitchi hinan, naspich niga_

thou canst help us absolutely I will do

_tin missi, khe eitigaouané khir Khe, outchi_

all that which they shall tell me of thee because

_khian, Khititin naspich; nama_

I will do it I tell it thee without pretence, I do not

_nikhirassin, nama khinita khirassicatin_,

lie, I could not to thee lie,

_ouitchihinan khigai tapouetatinan naspich;_ [280]

help us that we may believe thee perfectly,

_ouichihinan mag missi iriniouakhi_

help us then of all the men

_ouetchi nipouané. Egou inousin._

because thou art dead, Amen.

Nos chasseurs ayans fait leurs prieres s'en allerent, qui deça qui de

là chercher dequoy manger, mon hoste & deux ieunes hommes s'en vont

voir vne cabane de Castors, qu'ils auoient voulu quitter desesperans

d'y rien prendre, il en prit trois pour sa part: l'estant allé voir

apres midy, ie luy en vis prendre vn de mes yeux, ses compagnons

en prirent aussi ie ne sçay pas combien, le Sorcier estant allé ce

iour là à la chasse auec vn sien ieune neueu, prit vn Porc épic, &

découurit la piste d'vn Orignac qui fut depuis tué à coup de fleches,

contre l'attente de tous tant qu'ils estoient, n'y ayant que fort peu

de neige, vn ieune Hiroquois, dont ie parleray cy apres, tua aussi vn

fort beau Porc-epic; bref chacun prit quelque chose, il n'y eut que

l'Apostat qui reuint les mains vuides, le soir mon hoste apportant

trois Castors, comme il rentroit dans la cabane ie luy tendis la main,

il s'en vint tout ioyeux vers moy recognoissant le [281] secours de

Dieu, & demandant ce qu'il deuoit faire, ie luy dits _Nicanis_, mon

bien-aymé, il faut remercier Dieu qui nous a assisté; voila bien

dequoy, dit l'Apostat, nous n'eussions pas laissé de trouuer cela sans

l'ayde de Dieu. A ces paroles ie ne sçais quels mouuemens ne sentit

mõ coeur, mais si ce traistre m'eust donné vn coup de poignard, il

ne m'eust pas plus attristé, il ne falloit que ces paroles pour tout

perdre, mon hoste ne laissa point de me dire qu'il feroit ce que ie

voudrois, & il se fust mis en deuoir, si le Sorcier ne se fust point

ietté à la trauerse: car l'Apostat n'a point d'authorité parmy les

Sauuages, ie voulu attendre le festin qu'on deuoit faire, où tous

les Sauuages se deuoient trouuer; afin qu'ayant deuant leurs yeux

les presens que nostre Seigneur leur auoit fait, ils fussent mieux

disposez à recognoistre son assistance; mais comme ie vins à leur

vouloir parler, le Renégat fasché de ce que luy seul n'auoit rien pris,

non seulement ne me voulut pas ayder, ains au contraire il m'imposa

silence me commandant tout nettement de me taire; non feray pas luy

dis-ie, si vous estes [282] ingrat les autres ne le seront pas, le

Sorcier voyant qu'on estoit assez disposé à m'écouter; croyant que si

on me prestoit l'oreille il perdroit autant de son crédit, me dit d'vne

façon arrogante, tais-toy, tu n'as point d'esprit, il n'est pas temps

de parler, mais de manger; ie luy voulu demander s'il auoit des yeux,

s'il ne voyoit pas manifestement le seruice de Dieu, mais il ne me

voulut pas écouter; les autres qui estoient dans vn profond silence,

voyans que le Sorcier m'estoit contraire, n'oserent pas m'inuiter à

parler: si bien que celuy qui faisoit le festin se mit à le distribuer,

& les autres à manger; voila mes pourceaux qui deuorent le gland sans

regarder celuy qui leur abbat, c'est à qui se réioüira dauantage, ils

estoient remplis de contentement & moy de tristesse, si fallut-il bien

se remettre à la volonté de Dieu, l'heure de ce peuple n'est pas encore

venuë.

Our hunters having finished their prayers, went away, some here,

some there, to look for something to eat. My host and two young

men went off to a Beaver lodge, which they were about to give up,

hopeless of taking any thing, when he, on his part, took three;

in the afternoon, when I went to find him, I saw him, with my own

eyes, take one; and his companions captured some also, but I do

not know how many. The Sorcerer, having gone hunting on this

same day with one of his young nephews, caught a Porcupine, and

discovered the tracks of a Moose, which has since been killed with

arrows, contrary to the expectations of all the people, for there

was only a little snow. A young Hiroquois, of whom I shall speak

hereafter, also killed a very fine Porcupine. In short, everyone

took something, except the Apostate, who returned empty-handed.

In the evening, when my host returned to the cabin, carrying

three Beavers, I extended to him my hand. He approached joyfully,

recognizing the [281] help of God, and asked what he should do. I

said to him, "_Nicanis_, my well-beloved, we must thank God who has

helped us." "What for indeed?" said the Apostate, "we could not

have failed to find that without the aid of God." At these words I

cannot tell what emotions surged in my heart; but if this traitor

had given me a sword-thrust, he could not have saddened me more;

these words alone were needed that all might be lost. My host did

not fail to tell me that he would do what I wished; and he might

have fulfilled his duty, had not the Sorcerer interposed. For, as

the Apostate had no authority among the Savages, I intended to

await the banquet they would have, where all the Savages would be

assembled; so that, having before their eyes the gifts our Lord

had made them, they would be better disposed to recognize his

assistance. But when I was about to speak to them, the Renegade,

angry at being the only one who had not taken something, not only

would not help me, but even imposed silence upon me, abruptly

commanding me to keep still. "I will not do it," I said to him, "if

you are [282] ungrateful, the others are not." The Sorcerer, seeing

they were rather disposed to listen to me, and believing that, if

they gave me their attention, he himself would lose so much of his

authority, said to me, arrogantly, "Hold thy tongue, thou hast no

sense; this is no time to talk, but to eat." I tried to ask him if

he had no eyes, if he did not plainly see the help of God, but he

would not listen to me. The others, who were maintaining a profound

silence, seeing that the Sorcerer was hostile to me, did not dare

ask me to speak; so the one who prepared the banquet began to

distribute it, and the others to eat. Then behold my pigs devouring

the acorns, regardless of him who shook them down. They vied with

each other in their happiness; they were filled with joy, and I

with sadness; we must yield to the will of God, for the hour of

this people is not yet come.

Cecy se passa le Lundy, le Mercredy suiuant mon hoste & vn ieune

chasseur tuerent à coups de fleches l'Orignac dont ils auoient veu les

traces, ils en virent d'autres depuis, mais comme [283] il y auoit

fort peu de neige ils n'en peurent iamais approcher à la portée de

leurs arcs si tost qu'ils eurẽt ceste proye ils la mirent en pieces, en

apportant vne bonne partie dans nos cabannes, & enseuelissans le reste

soubs la neige; voila tout le monde en ioye, on fait vn grand banquet

où ie fus inuité, voyant les grandes pieces de chair qu'on donnoit à

vn chacun, ie demanday à l'Apostat si c'estoit vn festin à mãger tout,

& m'ayant dit qu'ouy, il est impossible, luy reparty-ie, que ie mange

tout ce qu'on m'a donné, si faut-il bien, me répondit-il, que vous le

mangiez, les autres sont assez empeschez à manger leur part, il faut

que vous mangiez la vostre: ie luy fais entẽdre que Dieu deffendoit

ces excez, & que ie ne le cõmettrois point y allast-il de la vie, ce

mechant blasphemateur pour animer les autres contre moy, leur dit que

Dieu estoit fasché de ce qu'ils auoient à manger: Ie ne dis pas cela,

luy repliquay-ie en Sauuage, mais bien qu'il deffend de manger auec

excez, le Sorcier me repart, ie n'ay iamais plus grand bien sinon quand

ie suis saoul. Or comme ie ne pouuois venir à [284] bout de ma portion,

i'inuite vn Sauuage mon voisin d'en prendre vne partie, luy donnant du

petun en recompense de ce qu'il mangeoit pour moy, i'en iette vne autre

partie secrettement aux chiens, les Sauuages s'en estans doutez par la

querelle qui suruint entre ces animaux, se mirent à crier contre moy,

disans que ie cõtaminois leur festin, qu'ils ne prendroient plus rien,

& que nous mourrions de faim, les femmes & les enfans ayans sceu cela,

me regardoient par apres comme vn tres-meschant homme, me reprochant

auec dedain que ie les ferois mourir, & veritablement si Dieu ne nous

eust donné rien de long temps, i'estois en danger d'estre mis à mort

pour auoir commis vn tel sacrilege: voila, iusques où s'estend leur

superstition, pour obuier à cét inconuenient: les autres fois on me fit

ma part plus petite, & encore me dit on que ie n'en mãgeasse sinon que

ce que ie voudrois, qu'eux mangeroient le reste, mais sur tout que ie

me donnasse bien de garde de rien ietter aux chiens.

This happened on Monday. On the Wednesday following, my host and a

young hunter killed with arrows the Moose whose tracks we had seen;

they saw others afterwards, but, as [283] there was so little snow,

they could never approach within arrow-shot of them. As soon as

they had captured this game, they divided it up, bringing a large

part of it to our cabins, and burying the rest under the snow.

Now every one was happy, and a great banquet was made, to which I

was invited. Seeing the big pieces of meat they gave to each one,

I asked the Apostate if this was an eat-all feast. He answered,

"yes;" and I said to him, "It is impossible for me to eat all they

have given me." "Indeed you must," he answered, "you must eat

it all; the others have to eat all theirs, and you must eat all

yours." I made him understand that God forbids such excess, and I

would not commit it even if my life depended upon it. This wicked

blasphemer, to arouse the others against me, said that God was

angry because they had something to eat. "I did not say that," I

replied to him in Savage, "but that he prohibits eating to excess."

The Sorcerer answered me, "I am never so well off as when I am

full." Now as I could not come to the [284] end of my portion, I

invited one of my neighboring Savages to take a part of it, giving

him some tobacco as a reward for what he would eat for me. I threw

another piece of it, secretly, to the dogs. The Savages began to

suspect something, from the fight that afterwards took place among

these animals; and commenced to cry out against me, saying that

I was contaminating their feast, that they would capture nothing

more, and that we would die of hunger. When the women and children

heard of this afterward, they looked upon me as a very bad man,

reproaching me disdainfully, and saying that I would be the cause

of their death; and truly, if God had not granted us anything for

a long time, I would have been in danger of being put to death for

having committed such a sacrilege, to such an extent does their

superstition go. To prevent the recurrence of this misfortune,

after that they gave me only a small portion; and they also told me

that I should not eat any more than I wanted to, that they would

eat the rest, but above all I should take care not to throw any to

the dogs.

Le trentiesme du mesme mois de Decembre, nous decabanasmes, faisans

[285] chemin nous passasmes sur deux beaux lacs tout glacez; nous

tirions vers l'endroit où estoit la cache de nostre Orignac, qui ne

dura guere en ceste huictiesme demeure.

On the thirtieth of the same month of December, we broke camp, and

in the course of our [285] journey we passed over two beautiful

lakes covered with ice. We turned toward the place where our Moose

was hidden, which would not last long in this eighth station.

Le Sorcier me demanda si en vérité i'aymois l'autre vie que ie luy

auois figuré remplie de tous biens, ayant répondu que ie l'aymois en

effect; & moy, dit-il, ie la haï: car il faut mourir pour y aller,

& c'est dequoy ie n'ay point d'enuie, que si i'auois la pensée & la

creance que cette vie est miserable, & que l'autre est pleine de

delices, ie me tuërois moy-mesme pour me deliurer de l'vne, & ioüir

de l'autre: Ie luy repars que Dieu nous defendoit de nous tuer, ny de

tuer autruy; & que si nous nous faisions mourir nous descendrions dans

la vie de malheur, pour auoir contreuenu à ses cormmandemens: Hé bien,

dit il, ne te tuë point toy-mesme, mais moy ie te tuëray pour te faire

plaisir, afin que tu ailles au Ciel, & que tu ioüisse des plaisirs que

tu dis: Ie me sousris, luy repliquant que ie ne pouuois pas consentir

qu'on m'ostast la vie sans pecher: Ie vois bien, me fit-il, en se

moquant [286] que tu n'as pas encore enuie de mourir non plus que moy,

non pas repliquay-ie en cooperant à ma mort.

The Sorcerer asked me if I really did love the other life, that I

had described as so full of all blessings; having replied that I

did, indeed, love it, "And I," said he, "I hate it, for to go there

one must die, and that is something I have no desire to do; and yet

if I thought and believed that this life was miserable, and that

the other was full of delights, I would kill myself, to be freed

from the one and to enjoy the other." I answered that God forbade

us to kill ourselves, or to kill any one else, and if we destroyed

ourselves we would go down into a life of misery, for having acted

contrary to his commands. "Oh well," said he, "thou needst not kill

thyself; but I will kill thee, to please thee, that thou mayest

go to Heaven, and enjoy the pleasures that thou tellest about." I

smiled, and replied to him that I could not without sin agree to

have my life taken. "I see plainly," said he, sneeringly, [286]

"that thou hast not yet the desire to die any more than I have."

"None," said I, "to bring about my own death."

En ce mesme temps nos chasseurs ayans poursuiuy vn Orignac, & ne

l'ayans peu prendre, l'Apostat se mit à blasphemer, disant aux

Sauuages, le Dieu qui est marry quand nous mangeons, est maintenant

bien ayse de ce que nous n'auons pas dequoy disner: & voyant vue

autre fois qu'on apportoit quelques Porcs-espics, Dieu, disoit-il,

se va fascher de ce que nous nous saoulerons. O langue impie que

tu seras chastié! esprit brutal que tu seras confus, si Dieu ne

te fait misericorde! que les Anges & les sainctes Ames redoublent

autant de fois leur Cantique d'honneur & des loüanges, que cét athée

le blasphemera; ce pauure miserable ne laisse pas par fois d'auoir

quelques craintes de l'enfer, qu'il tasche d'étouffer tant qu'il peut,

comme ie le menaçois vn iour de ces tourmens, peut estre, me fit-il,

que nous autres n'auons point d'ame, ou que nos ames ne sont pas faites

comme les vostres, ou qu'elles ne vont point en mesme [287] endroit:

qui est iamais venu de ce pays là pour nous en dire des nouuelles? ie

luy reparty qu'õ ne pouuoit voir le Ciel sans cognoistre qu'il y a vn

Dieu, qu'on ne peut conceuoir qu'il y a vn Dieu, sans conceuoir qu'il

est iuste, & par consequent qu'il rend à vn chacun selon ses œuures,

d'où s'ensuiuent de grandes recompenses, ou de grands chastimens: cela

est bon, repliqua-il, pour vous autres que Dieu assiste, mais il n'a

point soin de nous: car quoy qu'il fasse, nous ne laisserons pas de

mourir de faim, ou de trouuer de la chasse; iamais cét esprit hebeté ne

peut conceuoir que Dieu gouuerne la grande famille du monde, auec plus

de cognoissance & plus de soin qu'vn Roy ne gouuerne son Royaume, & vn

pere de famille sa maison; ie serois trop long de rapporter tout ce que

ie luy dis sur ses blasphemes & sur ses resueries.

At this time, our hunters having followed a Moose, and not having

been able to capture it, the Apostate began to blaspheme, saying to

the Savages, "The God who is sorry when we eat, is now very glad

that we have not anything to dine upon." And another time, seeing

them bringing some Porcupines, "God," said he, "will be angry

because we are going to fill ourselves up." Oh, blasphemous tongue,

how wilt thou be chastised! Oh, brutal spirit, how wilt thou be

confounded, if God does not take pity on thee! May the Angels and

holy Spirits redouble their Songs of honor and of praise, as many

times as this atheist will blaspheme them! This poor wretch does

not fail at times to have some fear of hell, which he tries to

suppress as much as he can. As I was threatening him with these

torments one day, "Perhaps," he replied, "we people here have no

souls, or perhaps they are not made like yours, or it may be that

they do not go to the same [287] place. Who has ever come back

from that country to bring us news of it?" I answered him that one

cannot see the Sky, without recognizing that there is a God; that

one cannot conceive that there is a God, without conceiving that

he is just, and that consequently he renders to each one according

to his works, whence it follows that there are great rewards or

great punishments. "That's all very well," said he, "for you others

whom God helps; but he has no interest in us, for, whatever he may

do, we still die of hunger unless we find game." Never will this

besotted mind be able to conceive that God rules the great family

of the world with more wisdom and more care than a King governs his

Kingdom, and the father of a family his household. I would be too

tedious if I reported all I said to him about his blasphemies and

dreams.

Le quatriesme de Ianuier de ceste année mil six cens trente quatre,

nous allasmes faire nostre habitation depuis nostre depart des riues du

grand fleuue cherchant tousiours à viure. I'obiectay en cét endroit au

Sorcier qu'il n'estoit [288] pas bon Prophete, car il m'auoit asseuré

les deux dernieres fois que nous auions decabané, qu'il neigeroit

abondamment aussi tost que nous aurions changé de demeure, ce qui se

trouua faux, i'ay rapportay cecy à mon hoste pour luy oster vne partie

de la creance qu'il a en cét homme qu'il adore, il me répondit que le

Sorcier ne m'auoit pas asseuré qu'il neigeroit, mais qu'il en auoit

seulement quelque pensée; non, dis-ie, il m'a asseuré qu'il voyoit

venir la neige, & qu'elle tomberoit aussi-tost que nous aurions cabané,

_Khi_k_hirassin_, me fit-il, tu as menty, si tost que vous leur dites

quelque chose qu'ils ne veulent point accorder ils vous payent de

ceste monnoye.

On the fourth of January of this year one thousand six hundred

and thirty-four, we started to make our [ninth] settlement since

our departure from the banks of the great river, always seeking

something upon which to live. In this place I reproached the

Sorcerer with not being [288] a good Prophet, for he had assured

me, the last two times when we had broken camp, that it would snow

abundantly as soon as we had changed our dwelling place, which had

proved to be untrue. I reported this to my host, in order to take

away some of the belief that he has in this man, whom he adores. He

answered that the Sorcerer had not assured me that it would snow,

but simply that he thought it would. "No," said I, "he assured me

that he saw the snow coming, and that it would fall as soon as we

had settled down." _Khikhirassin_, he replied, "Thou hast lied." As

soon as you tell them something they do not wish to agree to, they

pay you in this coin.

La veille des Rois, mon hoste me dit qu'il auoit fait vn songe qui luy

donnoit bien de l'apprehension; i'ay veu, dit-il, en dormant que nous

estions reduits en la derniere extremité de la faim, & celuy que tu

nous dis qui a tout fait, m'a asseuré que tu tomberas dans vne telle

langueur, que ne pouuant plus mettre vn pied deuant l'autre tu mourras

seul delaissé au milieu des bois, ie [289] crains que mon songe ne soit

que trop veritable: car nous voila autant que iamais dans la necessité

faute de neige: i'eu quelque pensée que ce songeur me pouuoit bien

ioüer quelque mauuais traict, & m'abandonner tout seul pour faire du

Prophete; voila pourquoy ie me seruy de ses armes, opposant _altare

contra altare_, songe contre songe: & moy, luy dis-ie, i'ay songé tout

le contraire, car i'ay veu dans mon sommeil deux Orignaux, dont l'vn

estoit desia tué, & l'autre encore viuant, bon, dit le Sorcier, voila

qui va bien, aye esperance, tu raconte de bonnes nouuelles, en effect

i'auois fait ce songe quelques iours auparauant, hé bien, dis ie à mon

hoste, lequel de nos deux songes sera trouué veritable, tu dis que nous

mourrons de faim, & moy ie dis que non, il se mit à rire. Alors ie luy

dis que les songes n'estoient que des mensonges, que ie ne m'appuyois

point là dessus, que mon esperance estoit en celuy qui a tout fait,

que ie craignois neantmoins qu'il ne nous chastiast, veu qu'aussi tost

qu'ils auoient à mãnger, ils se gaussoient de [290] luy notamment

l'Apostat, il n'a point d'esprit, dirent-ils, ne prends pas garde à luy.

On the eve of Epiphany my host told me that he had had a dream

which caused him much anxiety. "I have seen in my sleep," said he,

"that we were reduced to the last extremity of hunger; and that he

who thou hast told us has made all, assured me that thou wouldst

fall into such a stupor, that, not being able to put one foot

before the other, thou wouldst die alone abandoned in the midst of

the woods; I [289] fear that my dream will be only too true, for

we are now in as great need as ever for lack of snow." I had an

idea that this dreamer might play some bad trick on me and abandon

me, to prove himself a Prophet. For this reason I made use of his

weapons, opposing _altare contra altare_, dream against dream.

"As for me," I replied, "I have dreamed just the opposite; for in

my sleep I saw two Moose, one of which was already killed and the

other still living." "Good," said the Sorcerer, "that's very nice;

have hope, thou tellest us good news." In truth, I had had this

dream some days before. "Well, then," I said to my host, "which of

our two dreams will be found to be true? Thou sayest we shall die

of starvation, and I say we shall not." He began to laugh. Then

I told him that dreams were nothing but lies, that I placed no

dependence upon them; that my hope was in him who has made all, and

yet I feared he would chastise us, seeing that, as soon as they had

something to eat, they mocked [290] him, especially the Apostate.

"He doesn't know anything," they said, "do not pay any attention to

him."

Le iour que les trois Rois adorerent nostre Seigneur, nous receusmes

trois mauuaises nouuelles; La premiere, que le ieune Hyroquois estãt

allé à la chasse le iour precedent n'estoit point retourné, & comme

on sçauoit bien que la faim l'ayant affoibly il ne se pouuoit pas

beaucoup éloigner, on creut qu'il estoit mort, ou demeuré en quelque

endroit si debile pour n'auoir dequoy manger, que la faim & le froid le

tuëroient, en effect il n'a plus paru depuis, quelques vns ont pensé

qu'il pourroit bien s'estre efforcé de retourner en son pays; mais que

la plus part asseurent qu'il est mort en quelque endroit sur la neige,

c'estoit l'vn des trois prisonniers à Tadoussac, dont i'ay parlé és

premieres lettres que i'ay enuoyé de ce païs-cy, ses deux compatriotes

furent executez à mort auec des cruautez nompareilles, pour luy comme

il estoit ieune on luy sauua la vie à la requeste du sieur Emery de

Can, que nous priasmes d'interceder [291] pour luy, ce pauure ieune

homme s'en souuenoit fort bien, il auoit grande enuie de demeurer en

nostre maison; mais le Sorcier á qui il appartenoit ne le voulut iamais

donner ny vendre.

On the day that the three Kings adored our Lord, we received three

pieces of bad news. The first was that the young Hyroquois, who had

gone hunting the day before, had not returned; and, as they were

very well aware that hunger had weakened him so that he could not

go far, they thought he was dead, or lying somewhere so weak from

lack of food that hunger and cold would kill him. In fact, he has

never yet appeared; some thought he might have tried to return to

his own country, but the greater part are sure he is lying dead

somewhere upon the snow. He was one of the three prisoners at

Tadoussac, of whom I spoke in the first letters I sent from these

countries;[4] his two compatriots were executed with unparalleled

cruelties, but his life was saved because he was young, at the

request of sieur Emery de Can, whom we begged to intercede [291]

for him. This poor young man had very kind memories of me, and had

a great desire to live in our house; but the Sorcerer, to whom he

belonged, would neither give nor sell him.

La seconde mauuaise nouuelle nous fut apportée par vn ieune Sauuage qui

venoit d'vn autre cartier, lequel nous dit qu'vn Sauuage d'vne autre

cabane plus esloignée estoit mort de disette, que ses gens estoient

fort épouuentez ne trouuans pas de quoy viure, & nous voyant dans la

mesme necessité, cela l'estonnoit encore dauantage. La troisiesme fut

que nos gens découurisent la piste de plusieurs Sauuages qui nous

estoient plus voisins que nous ne pensions, car ils venoient chasser

iusques sur nos marches, enleuans nostre proye & nostre vie tout

ensemble; ces trois nouuelles abbatirent grandement nos Sauuages,

l'alarme estoit par tout, on ne marchoit plus que la teste baissée, ie

ne sçay comme i'estois fait, mais ils me paroissoiẽt tous fort maigres,

fort pensif, & fort mornes, si l'Apostat m'eust voulu [292] ayder à

porter & à gagner le Sorcier, c'estoit bien le temps; mais son diable

muet luy lioit sa langue.

The second piece of bad news was brought by a young Savage who

came from another quarter, who told us that a Savage of a more

distant cabin had died of hunger, and that his people were greatly

terrified at not finding anything to eat; when he saw us suffering

from the same scarcity, he was frightened still more. The third

news was that our people had discovered the trail of several

Savages, who were nearer to us than we thought, for they were

coming to hunt upon our very grounds, taking away our game and our

lives at the same time. These three pieces of news discouraged

our Savages greatly, the alarm spread everywhere, and all walked

with bowed heads. I do not know how I looked, but they seemed to

me very much emaciated, very sad and mournful. If the Apostate had

consented [292] to help me influence and win over the Sorcerer,

this was the time to do it; but his mute devil tied his tongue.

Il faut que ie remarque en ce lieu le peu d'estime que font de luy

les Sauuages, il est tombé dans vne grande confusion, voulant éuiter

vn petit reproche, il a quitté les Chrestiens & le Christianisme, ne

pouuãt souffrir quelques brocards des Sauuages, qui se gaussoient

par fois de luy de ce qu'il estoit Sedentaire, & non vagabond comme

eux, & maintenãt il est leur ioüet & leur fallot, il est esclaue du

Sorcier, deuant lequel il n'oseroit branler, ses freres & les autres

Sauuages m'ont dit souuent qu'il n'auoit point d'esprit, que c'estoit

vn busart, qu'il ressembloit à vn chien, qu'il mourroit de faim si on

ne le nourrissoit, qu'il s'égaroit dans les bois comme vn European, les

femmes en font leur entretien, si quelque enfant pleuroit n'ayant pas

dequoy manger, elles luy disoient, tais-toy, tais-toy, ne pleure point,

_Petrichtrich_, c'est ainsi qu'on le nomme par mocquerie, rapportera

vn Castor, & tu mangeras; quand elles [293] l'entendoient reuenir,

allez voir, disoiẽt elles aux enfans, s'il n'a point tué vne Orignac se

gaussant de luy comme d'vn mauuais chasseur, qui est vn grand blasme

parmy les Sauuages: car ces gens là ne sçauroient trouuer ou retenir

des femmes, l'Apostat en a desia eu quatre ou cinq à la faueur de ses

freres, toutes l'ont quitté, celle qu'il auoit cét hyuer me disoit

qu'elle le quitteroit au Prin-temps, & si elle eust esté de ce païs,

elle l'auroit quitté dés lors; i'apprends qu'en effect elle l'a quitté.

I must here speak of the little esteem the Savages have for him.

He has fallen into great embarrassment, in trying to avoid a

slight reproach. He gave up Christians and Christianity, because

he could not suffer the taunts of the Savages, who jeered at him

occasionally because he was Sedentary and not wandering, as they

were; and now he is their butt and their laughingstock. He is a

slave to the Sorcerer, in whose presence he would not dare to move.

His brothers and the other Savages have often told me that he has

no sense, that he is a buzzard, that he resembles a dog, that he

would die of hunger if they did not feed him, that he gets lost

in the woods like a European; the women make fun of him,--if some

child cries because it does not have enough to eat, they say to

it, "Hush, hush, do not cry, _Petrichtrich_ (they call him this in

sport) will bring back a Beaver, and then thou shalt have something

to eat." When they [293] hear him return, "Go and see," they say to

their children, "if he has not killed a Moose;" thus making sport

of him for being a poor hunter, a great reproach among the Savages.

Because such men cannot find wives or retain them, the Apostate,

with the help of his brothers, has already had four or five, all

of whom have left him. The one he has had this winter told me she

would leave him in the Spring, and, if she had belonged to this

part of the country, she would have left him then. I hear that she

has, in fact, deserted him.

Certain iour nos chasseurs estans tous dehors, il se tint vn conseil

des femmes dans nostre cabane: or comme elles ne croyoient pas que

ie les peusse entendre, elles parloient tout haut, & tout librement,

déchirant en pieces ce pauure Apostat, l'occasion estoit que le iour

precedent il n'auoit rien rapporté à sa femme d'vn festin où il

auoit esté inuité, & qui n'estoit pas à tout manger, ô le gourmand,

disoient-elles, qui ne donne point à manger à sa femme! encore s'il

pouuoit tuer quelque chose, il n'a point d'esprit, il mange tout [294]

comme vn chien: il y eut vne grande rumeur entre les femmes sur ce

sujet: car comme elles ne vont point ordinairement aux festins, elles

seroient bien affligées, si leurs marys perdoient la bonne coustume

qu'ils ont de rapporter leurs restes à leurs familles, le Renegát

suruenant pendant que cés femmes le depeignoient, elles sceurent fort

bien dissimuler leur ieu, luy témoignant vn aussi bon vsage qu'à

l'ordinaire, voire mesme celle qui en disoit plus de mal, luy donna vn

bout de petun, qui estoit pour lors vn grand present.

On a certain day, when our hunters had gone out, a council of

women was held in our cabin. Now as they did not think I could

understand, they spoke aloud and freely, tearing this poor Apostate

to pieces. The occasion for this was, that the day before he had

not carried anything home to his wife from a feast to which he

had been invited, and which was not an eat-all feast. "Oh, the

glutton," they said, "who gives his wife nothing to eat! If he

could only kill something! He has no sense; he eats everything

[294] like a dog." There was great excitement among the women over

this subject, for, as they do not usually go to the feasts, they

would be very sorely afflicted if their husbands lost the good

habit they have of bringing home the remains to their families.

The Renegade coming in while these women were drawing this picture

of him, they knew very well how to put a good face on the matter,

showing countenances as smiling as usual, even to such an extent

that the one who had said the worst things about him, gave him a

bit of tobacco, which was then a great present.

Le neufiesme de Ianuier, vn Sauuage nous venant visiter nous dit, qu'vn

homme & vne femme du lieu dont il venoit estoient morts de faim, & que

plusieurs n'en pouuoient plus, le pauure homme ieusna le iour de sa

venuë aussi bien que nous, pource qu'il ny auoit rien à manger, encore

fallut-il attendre iusques au lendemain à dix heures de nuit, que mon

hoste rapporta deux Castors qui nous firent grand bien.

On the ninth of January, a Savage, who came to visit us, said that

a man and a woman of the place from which he had come had starved

to death, and that several others were on the verge of starvation.

The poor man fasted the day of his arrival as well as we, for there

was nothing to eat; and we had to wait until ten o'clock of the

next night, when my host brought in two Beavers, which were a great

blessing to us.

[295] Le iour suiuant nos gens tuerent le second Orignac, ce qui causa

par tout vne grande ioye, il est vray qu'elle fut vn peu troublée par

l'arriuée d'vn Sauuage, & de deux ou trois femmes, & d'vn enfant que

la famine alloit bien tost égorger, s'ils n'eussent fait rencontre de

nostre cabane, ils estoient fort hideux, l'homme particulierement plus

que les femmes, dont l'vne auoit accouché depuis dix iours dans les

neiges, & dans la famine, ayant passé plusieurs iours sans manger.

[295] On the following day our people killed the second Moose, at

which there was general rejoicing. True, it was a little marred by

the arrival of a Savage, and of two or three women and a child,

whom famine would have slaughtered, if they had not happened to

come to our cabin. They looked most hideous, the man especially,

more so than the women, one of whom had given birth to a child ten

days before in the snow, and, in the famine, had passed several

days without eating.

Mais admirez s'il vous plaist l'amour que ces barbares se portent les

vns aux autres, on ne demanda point a ces nouueaux hostes pourquoy ils

venoient sur nos limites, s'ils ne sçauoient pas bien que nous estions

en aussi grand danger qu'eux, qu'ils nous venoient oster le morceau

de la bouche; ains au contraire on les receut, non de paroles, mais

d'effect, sans courtoisie exterieure, car les Sauuages n'en ont point,

mais non pas sans charité: on leur ietta de grandes pieces de l'Orignac

nouuellement tué, [296] sans leur dire autre parole, _mitisou_k_ou_

mangez, aussi leur eust on fait grand tort d'appliquer pour lors leurs

bouches à autre vsage: pendant qu'ils mangeoient on prepara vn festin,

auquel ils furent traictez à grand plat, ie vous en réponds: car la

portion qu'on leur donna à chacun, sortoit beaucoup hors de leurs

_ouragans_ qui sont tres capables.

But admire, if you please, the love these barbarians have for each

other. These new guests were not asked why they came upon our

boundaries, if they were not well aware that we were in as great

straits as they were, and that they were coming to take the morsel

out of our mouths. On the contrary, they were received, not with

words, but with deeds; without exterior ceremony, for of this the

Savages have none, but not without charity. They threw them large

pieces of the Moose which had just been killed, [296] without

saying another word but, _mitisoukou_, "eat;" and indeed it would

have been very wrong to ask them then to use their mouths for any

other purpose. While they were eating, a feast was prepared, at

which they were treated generously, I assure you; for the portion

given to each one of them more than filled their _ouragans_, which

are very large.

Le seiziesme du mesme mois nous battismes la campagne, & ne pouuans

arriuer au lieu où nous pretendions, nous ne fismes que gister dans

vne hostelerie que nous dressasmes à la haste, & le lendemain nous

poursuiuismes nostre chemin passans sur vne montagne si haute,

qu'encore que nous ne montassions point iusques au sommet, qui me

paroissoit armé d'horribles rochers, neantmoins le Sorcier me dit, que

si le Ciel obscurcy d'vn broüillard eust esté serain nous eussions

veu à mesme tẽps Kebec & Tadoussac, esloignez l'vn de l'autre de

quarante lieuës pour le moins, ie voyois au dessous de moy auec horreur

des precipices, qui me [297] faisoient trembler, i'apperceuois des

montagnes au milieu de quelques plaines qui me paroissoient comme

des petites tours, ou plustost comme de petits chasteaux, quoy qu'en

effect elles fussent fort grandes & fort hautes: figurez vous quelle

peine ont ces barbares de traisner si haut leur bagage, i'auois de la

peine à monter, i'en trouuois encore plus à descendre: car quoy que

ie m'esloignasse des precipices, neantmoins la pante estoit si roide,

qu'il estoit fort aisé de rouler à bas, & de s'aller fendre la teste

contre vn arbre.

On the sixteenth of the same month, we rambled about the country;

and, not being able to find the place we wanted, we could only

lodge in a hostelry that we erected in haste; the next day we

pursued our journey, passing over a mountain so high, that even

though we did not ascend to its summit, which seemed to be

fortified with horrible rocks, yet the Sorcerer told me that if the

Sky, which was obscured by a cloud, had been clear, we might have

seen at the same time, both Kebec and Tadoussac, distant from each

other at least forty leagues. I saw with horror precipices beneath

me, which made [297] me tremble. In the midst of some plains, I

saw mountains which seemed to me like little towers, or rather

diminutive castles, although in reality they were very large and

very high. Imagine how hard it is for these barbarians to drag

their baggage so high. I had trouble in getting up, but still more

in coming down; for, although I was going away from the precipices,

yet the slope was so steep that it was very easy to roll down and

break one's head against a tree.

Le vingt neufiesme nous acheuasmes de descendre ceste montagne portant

nostre maison sur la pante d'vne autre où nous allasmes: voila le

terme de nostre pelerinage, nous commencerons d'oresnauant à tourner

bride & à tirer vers l'Isle où nous auons laissé nostre Chaloupe, nous

vismes icy les sources de deux petits fleuues, qui se vont rendre dans

vn fleuue aussi grand au dire de nos Sauuages, que le fleuue de S.

Laurens, ils l'appellent _Oueraouachticou_.

On the twenty-ninth, we finished our descent of this mountain, and

carried our house up the slope of another to which we were going.

As this was the end of our pilgrimage, we shall begin hereafter to

turn back and direct our course toward the Island where we had left

our Shallop. We saw here the sources of two little rivers, which

flow into a river as large, our Savages say, as the St. Lawrence;

they call it _Oueraouachticou_.

[298] Ceste douziesme demeure nous a deliuré de la famine, car les

neiges se trouuant hautes assez pour arrester les grandes iambes de

l'Elan, nous eusmes dequoy manger. Au commencement ce n'estoient que

festins & que danses, mais cela ne dura pas, car on se mit bientost

à faire seicherie passant de la famine dans la bonne nourriture,

ie me portay bien: mais passant de la chair fraische au boucan ie

tombay malade, & ne recouuray point entierement la santé que trois

semaines apres mon retour en nostre petite maisonnette. Il est vray

que depuis le commencement de Feurier iusques en Auril nous eusmes

tousiours dequoy manger, mais d'vn boucan si dur & si sale & en si

petite quantité, horsmis quelques iours d'abondance qui se passoient

en festins que nos Sauuages contoient ces derniers, mois aussi bien

que les precedens entre les mois & les hyuers de leurs famines. Ils

me disoient que pour estre traicté mediocrement & sans patir, il nous

falloit vn Elan gros comme vn boeuf en deux iours, tant à raison du

[299] nombre que nous estions, comme aussi qu'on mange beaucoup de

chair quand on n'a ny pain ny autre chose pour faire durer la viande,

adioustez qu'ils sont grands disneurs, & que la chair d'Elan ne demeure

pas long-temps dans l'estomach.

[298] This twelfth station delivered us from famine; for the

snow was deep enough to impede the long legs of the Elk, and we

had something to eat. At first, there was nothing but feasts and

dancing; but this did not last long, as they soon began to dry the

meat. Passing thus from starvation to good food, I felt very well;

but when we changed from fresh meat to smoked, I fell ill, and did

not entirely recover my health until three weeks after my return to

our little house. It is true that from the beginning of February

until April we always had something to eat; but it was smoked

meat, so hard and so dirty, and in so small quantities, except

a few days of plenty which passed in feasting, that our Savages

counted these last months as well as the preceding ones, among the

months and winters of their famines. They told me that, to live

moderately well and without suffering, they had to have an Elk as

large as an ox every two days, both because [299] we were rather

numerous, and also because people eat a great deal of meat when

they have neither bread nor anything else to make the food hold

out; add to this that they are great diners, and that Elk meat does

not remain long in the stomach.

Ie me suis oublié de dire ailleurs que les Sauuages content les années

par les hyuers, pour dire quel aage as-tu, ils disent combien d'hyuers

as-tu passé? ils content aussi par les nuicts comme nous faisons par

les iours, au lieu que nous disons, il est arriué depuis trois iours,

ils disent depuis trois nuicts.

I have forgotten to say elsewhere that the Savages count the years

by winters. To say, "How old art thou?" they say, "How many winters

hast thou passed?" They count also by nights, as we do by days;

instead of saying, "It happened three days ago," they say, "three

nights ago."

Le cinquiesme de Feurier nous quittasmes nostre douziesme demeure pour

aller faire la treiziesme, ie me trouuois fort mal, le Sorcier me

tuoit auec ses cris, ses hurlemens, & son tambour, il me reprochoit

incessamment que ie faisois l'orgueilleux, & que le _Manitou_ m'auoit

fait malade aussi bien que les autres. Ce n'est pas, luy disois-je, le

_Manitou_ ou le diable qui m'a causé ceste maladie, mais la mauuaise

nourriture qui m'a gasté l'estomach, & les [300] autres trauaux qui

m'ont debilité, tout cela ne le contentoit point, il ne laissoit pas

de m'attaquer, notamment en la presence des Sauuages, disant que ie

m'estois mocqué du _Manitou_, & qu'il s'estoit vangé de moy comme

d'vn superbe. Vn iour comme il me faisoit ces reproches ie me leue

en mon seant, ie luy dis, afin que tu sçache que ce n'est point ton

_Manitou_ qui cause les maladies & qui tuë les hommes, escoute comme ie

luy parleray, ie m'escrie en leur langue grossissant ma voix, approche

_Manitou_, vien demon, massacre moy si tu as le pouuoir, ie te deffie,

ie me mocque de toy, ie ne te crains point, tu n'as point de pouuoir

sur ceux qui croyent & qui ayment Dieu, viens & me tuë si tu as les

mains libres, tu as plus de peur de moy que ie n'ay de toy, le Sorcier

fut espouuenté, & me dit pourquoy l'appelle tu? puis que tu ne le

crains pas, c'est signe que tu l'appelle afin qu'il te tuë, non pas luy

dis-je, mais ie l'appelle afin que tu ayes cognoissance qu'il n'a point

de puissance sur ceux qui adorent le vray Dieu, & pour te faire [301]

voir qu'il n'est pas la seule cause des maladies comme tu crois.

On the fifth of February, we left our twelfth dwelling to proceed

to our thirteenth. I was very sick; the Sorcerer was killing me

with his cries, his howls, and his drum; he continually reproached

me with being proud, saying that the _Manitou_ had made me sick

as well as the others. "It is not," I said to him, "the _Manitou_

or devil that has caused this sickness, but bad food, which has

injured my stomach, and [300] other hardships that have weakened

me." All this did not satisfy him; he did not cease to attack me,

especially in the presence of the Savages, saying I had mocked the

_Manitou_, and that he had revenged himself upon me for my pride.

One day, when he was casting these slurs upon me, I sat upright,

and said, "That thou mayest know it is not thy _Manitou_ who

causes sickness and kills people, hear how I shall speak to him."

I cried out in their language, in a loud voice, "Come, _Manitou_;

come, demon; murder me if thou hast the power, I defy thee, I mock

thee, I do not fear thee; thou hast no power over those who believe

and love God; come and kill me if thy hands are free; thou art more

afraid of me than I am of thee." The Sorcerer was terrified and

said, "Why dost thou call him, since thou dost not fear him? it is

the same as calling him to kill thee." "Not at all," said I; "but

I am calling him to make you see that he has no power over those

who worship the true God, and to show [301] thee that he is not the

sole cause of sickness, as thou thinkest."

Le neufiesme du mesme mois de Feurier nous battismes la campagne, le

Sorcier nonobstant ma maladie me vouloit faire porter du bagage à toute

force, mais mon hoste eust pitié de moy, voire mesme m'ayant rencontré

en chemin que ie n'en pouuois quasi plus, il prit de son bon gré ce que

ie portois, & le mit sur sa traisne.

On the ninth of the same month of February we scoured the plains.

The Sorcerer, in spite of the fact that I was sick, would force me

to carry some of the baggage; but my host took pity on me, and,

having encountered me on the way when I was ready to sink from

exhaustion, he took what I carried, of his own free will, and

placed it upon his sledge.

Le quatorziesme & quinziesme nous fismes de longues traictes pour aller

planter nostre cabane proche de deux petits Orignaux que mon hoste

auoit tué: faisant chemin on reconneust la piste d'vn troisiesme,

mon hoste fit arrester le camp pour l'aller descouurir; i'estois en

l'arriere garde de nostre armée, c'est à dire que ie venois doucement

derriere les autres quand tout à coup ie vis paroistre cét Elan qui

couroit droit à moy, & mon hoste apres, qui luy donnoit la chasse, la

neige estoit fort haute, voila pourquoy il ne fit qu'enuiron cinq cens

pas deuant que d'estre mis à mort, nous cabanames aupres & en fismes

curée.

On the fourteenth and fifteenth, we made long stages, to go and

plant our cabin near two small Moose that my host had killed.

Upon the way, as we discovered the tracks of a third, my host

interrupted the journey to go and look for it. I belonged to the

rear guard of our army; that is, I was coming up slowly behind the

others, when suddenly this Elk appeared, coming straight toward

me, and after it my host in hot pursuit. The snow was very deep,

and hence, ere it had gone five hundred steps, it was killed. We

encamped near there and made a feast of it.

[302] L'Apostat continuant icy ses blasphemes, me demandoit deuant

ses freres pour les animer contre Dieu, pourquoy ie priois celuy qui

n'entendoit ny ne voyoit rien, ie le repris fort vertement & luy

imposay silence.

[302] The Apostate, continuing to blaspheme here, asked me, in the

presence of his brothers, in order to turn them against God, why

I prayed to him who neither saw nor heard anything. I rebuked him

very sharply and imposed silence upon him.

Le sixiesme iour de Mars nous changeasmes de demeure, le Sorcier, le

Renegat, & deux ieunes chasseurs tirerent deuant nous droit aux riues

du grand fleuue, l'occasion de cette separation fut que mon hoste braue

chasseur ayant descouuert quatre Orignaux, & quantité de cabanes de

Castors, ne pouuant luy seul en mesme temps chasser en tant d'endroits

fort separez, le Sorcier mena ces ieunes chasseurs pour courre les

Orignaux, & luy demeura pour les Castors: cette separation me fit du

bien & du mal. Du bien, pource que ie fus deliuré du Sorcier, ie n'ay

point de paroles pour declarer l'importunité de ce meschant homme. Du

mal, pource que mon hoste ne prenant point d'Orignaux nous ne mangions

que du boucan qui m'estoit fort contraire, que s'il prenoit des Castors

on en faisoit seicherie, [303] excepté des petits que nous mangions,

les plus beaux & les meilleurs estoient reseruez pour les festins

qu'ils deuoient faire au Printemps, au lieu où ils s'estoient donnez le

rendez-vous.

On the sixth day of March, we shifted our quarters. The Sorcerer,

the Renegade, and two young hunters, directed their steps before

us straight to the banks of the great river. The cause of this

separation was that my host, a good hunter, had discovered four

Moose, and a number of Beaver lodges; and not being able alone to

hunt in places so widely separated, the Sorcerer took these young

hunters to chase the Moose, and he remained for the Beavers. This

separation was fraught with both good and evil for me. With good,

because I was freed from the Sorcerer; I have no words to describe

the pertinacity of this wicked man. With evil, because my host did

not capture any Moose, and we had nothing to eat but smoked meat,

which was very distasteful to me; for, if he captured any Beavers,

they were smoked, [303] except the little ones, which we ate; the

finest and best ones were reserved for the feasts they were to give

in the Spring, at the place where they had appointed a rendezvous.

Le treiziesme du mesme mois nous fismes nostre dix-huictiesme demeure

proche d'vn fleuue dont les eaux me sembloient sucrées apres la

saleté des neiges fonduës que nous beuuions és stations precedentes

dans vn chauderon gras & enfumé, ie commençay à ressentir en ce lieu

l'incommodité du coucher sur la terre bien froide pendant l'hyuer &

fort humide au Printemps, car le costé droit sur lequel ie reposois

s'estourdit tellement par la froidure qu'il n'auoit quasi plus de

sentiment: or craignant de ne remporter que la moitié de moy-mesme dans

nostre petite maison, l'autre demeurante paralytique, ie promis vne

chemise & vne petite robbe à vn enfant pour vn meschãt bout de peau

d'Orignac que sa mere me donna, ceste peau non passée estoit bien aussi

dure que la terre, mais non pas si humide, [304] i'en fis mon lict qui

se trouua si court que la terre qui auoit iusques alors pris possession

de tout mon corps en retint encore la moitié.

On the thirteenth of the same month, we made our eighteenth station

near a river, whose waters seemed to me sweet as sugar after the

dirt of the melted snow that we drank at former stations, out of a

greasy and smoky kettle. I began here to experience the discomfort

of sleeping upon the ground, which was cold in winter and damp in

Spring; for my right side, upon which I lay, became so benumbed

from cold that it scarcely had any sense of feeling. Now fearing I

would only carry half of myself back to our little house, the other

being paralyzed, I promised a shirt and a little gown to a child,

for a miserable piece of Moose skin, which his mother gave me; this

undressed skin was about as hard as the ground, but not as damp.

[304] Of this I made my bed, which was so short that the ground,

which had up to that time taken possession of all my body, still

kept the half of it.

Depuis le depart du Sorcier, mon hoste prenoit plaisir à me faire des

questions, notamment des choses naturelles, il me demanda vn iour comme

la terre estoit faite, & m'apportant vne écorce & vn charbon, il me la

fit décrire, ie luy despeins donc les deux Hemispheres, & apres luy

auoir tracé l'Europe, l'Asia, & l'Affrique, ie vins à nostre Amerique,

luy monstrant comme elle est vne grande Isle, ie luy d'écriuy la coste

de l'Acadie, la grande Isle de Terre-neufue, l'entrée & golfe de nostre

grand fleuue de sainct Laurens, les peuples qui habitent ses riues,

le lieu où nous estions pour lors, ie montay iusques aux Algonquains,

aux Hiroquois, aux Hurons, à la nation neutre, &c. luy designant les

endroits plus & moins peuplez, ie passay à la Floride, au Perou,

au Brasil, &c. luy parlant en mon jargon de ces contrées le mieux

qu'il m'estoit possible, il m'interrogea [305] plus particulierement

des païs dont il a connoissance, puis m'ayans escouté fort

patiemment, il s'escria prononçant vne de leurs grandes admirations

_Amonitatinanioui_k_hi_! Ceste robbe noire dit vray! parlant à vn

vieillard qui me regardoit, puis se tournant deuers moy il me dit,

_nicanis_, mon bien aymé tu nous donne en verité de l'admiration, car

nous connoissons la plus part de ces terres & de ces peuples, & tu

les a descrit comme ils sont, i'insiste là dessus, comme tu vois que

ie dis vray parlant de ton pays, aussi dois-tu croire que ie ne ments

pas parlant des autres, ie le croy ainsi, me repartit-il, ie poursuy

ma pointe, comme ie suis veritable en parlant des choses de la terre,

aussi tu dois te persuader que ie ne voudrois pas mentir quand ie te

parle des choses du Ciel, & partant tu dois croire ce que ie t'ay dit

de l'autre vie: il s'arresta vn peu de temps tout court, puis ayant

vn peu pensé à part soy, Ie te croiray, dit-il quand tu sçauras bien

parler, nous auons maintenant trop de peine à nous faire entendre.

After the departure of the Sorcerer, my host took pleasure in

asking me questions, especially about the things of nature. One

day he asked me how the earth was made; and, bringing me a piece

of bark and some charcoal, he had me describe it. So I drew for

him the two Hemispheres; and, after having traced Europe, Asia and

Africa, I came to our America, showing him that it is an immense

Island. I described for him the coast of Acadia, the great Island

of Newfoundland, the entrance and gulf of our great river saint

Lawrence, the people who inhabit its banks, the place where we

then were. I went up as far as the Algonquains, the Hiroquois,

the Hurons, to the neutral nation, etc., showing him the places

more and less populous. I passed to Florida, to Peru, to Brazil,

etc., speaking to him in my jargon the best I could about these

countries. He asked me [305] more particularly about the countries

of which he had some knowledge. Then having listened to me

patiently, he exclaimed, using one of their words expressive of

great admiration, _Amonitatinaniouikhi!_ "This black robe tells

the truth," speaking to an old man who was looking at me; and

turning toward me, he said, "_nicanis_, my well-beloved, thou dost

indeed cause our wonder; for we are acquainted with the greater

part of these lands and tribes, and thou hast described them as

they are." Thereupon I urge, "As thou seest I tell the truth in

speaking of thy country, thou shouldst also believe that I do not

lie in speaking of the others." "I do believe thus," he replied. I

followed up my point: "As I am truthful in speaking about things of

the earth, also thou shouldst persuade thyself that I am not lying

when I speak to thee about the things of Heaven; and therefore thou

oughtst believe what I have told thee about the other life." He

paused a few moments, and then, having reflected a little, said, "I

will believe thee when thou shalt know how to speak; but we have

now too much trouble in understanding each other."

[306] Il m'a fait mille autres questions, du Soleil, de la rondeur de

la terre, des Antipodes, de la France, & fort souuent il me parloit de

nostre bon Roy, il admiroit quand ie luy disois que la France estoit

remplie de Capitaines, & que le Roy estoit le Capitaine de tous les

Capitaines, il me prioit de le mener en France pour le voir, & qu'il

luy feroit des presens, ie me mis à rire luy disant que toutes leurs

richesses n'estoient que pauureté à comparaisson des grandeurs du Roy,

Ie veux dire, me fit-il, que ie feray des presens à ceux de sa suitte,

pour luy ie me contenteray de le voir, il racontoit par apres aux

autres ce qu'il m'auoit ouy dire. Il me demanda vne autrefois s'il y

auoit de grands saults dans la mer, c'est à dire des cheutes d'eau, il

y en a beaucoup dans les fleuues de ce païs cy, vous verrez vne belle

riuiere coulant fort doucement tomber tout à coup dans vn lit plus

bas, les terres ne s'abbaissant pas également, mais comme par degrez

en certains endroits, nous voyons vn de ces sauts proche de Kebec

nommé le saut de [307] Montmorency, c'est vne riuiere qui vient des

terres, & qui se precipite de fort haut dans le grand fleuue de sainct

Laurens, les riues qui le bornent estans fort releuées en cét endroit:

Or quelques Sauuages croyoient que la mer a de ces cheutes d'eau dans

lesquelles se perdent quantité de nauires ie luy ostay cét erreur, ces

inegalitez ne se retrouuans point dans l'Ocean.

[306] He asked me a thousand other questions,--about the Sun, the

roundness of the earth, the Antipodes, France, and he frequently

spoke to me about our good King. He was surprised when I told him

that France was full of Captains, and that the King was the Captain

of all the Captains. He begged me to take him to France to see him,

and to make him some presents. I began to laugh, telling him that

all their riches were nothing but poverty compared to the splendors

of the King. "I mean," said he, "that I will make presents to his

followers; as to him, I will be content to see him." He recounted

afterwards to the others what he had heard me say. Another time

he asked me if there were any great falls in the sea, that is,

waterfalls. There are a great many in the rivers of this country.

You will see a beautiful river flowing along peacefully; and

all at once it will fall into a lower bed, as the land does not

slope gradually, but as if by steps in certain places. We see

one of these falls near Kebec; it is called the "falls of [307]

Montmorency." They are formed by a river which comes from the

interior, and falls from a very high level into the great river

saint Lawrence, the banks enclosing it being considerably elevated

at this place. Now some of the Savages believe that the sea has

these waterfalls, and that a great many ships are lost in them. I

removed this error by telling them that these inequalities are not

found in the Ocean.

Le vingt-troisiesme de Mars nous repassames le fleuue

_Capititetchioueth_, que nous auions passé le troisiesme de Decembre.

On the twenty-third of March, we again crossed the river

_Capititetchioueth_, over which we had passed on the third of

December.

Le trentiesme du mesme mois, nous vinsmes cabaner sur vn fort beau

lac, en ayant passé vn autre plus petit en nostre chemin, ils estoient

encore autant glacez qu'au milieu de l'hyuer, mon hoste me consoloit

icy me voyant fort foible & fort abbatu, ne t'attriste point, me

disoit-il, si tu t'attriste tu seras encore plus malade, si ta maladie

augmente tu mourras, considere que voicy vn beau pays, ayme-le, si tu

l'ayme, tu t'y plairas, si tu t'y plais tu te resioüiras, si tu te

resioüis tu guariras, ie [308] prenois plaisir d'entendre le discours

de ce pauure barbare.

On the thirtieth of the same month, we encamped upon a very

beautiful lake, having passed another smaller one on our way, both

of them still frozen over as hard as in the middle of winter.

Here my host, seeing that I was very weak and cast down, consoled

me, saying, "Do not be sad: if thou art sad, thou wilt become

still worse; if thy sickness increases, thou wilt die. See what a

beautiful country this is; love it: if thou lovest it, thou wilt

take pleasure in it, and if thou takest pleasure in it thou wilt

become cheerful, and if thou art cheerful thou wilt recover." I

[308] took pleasure in listening to the conversation of this poor

barbarian.

Le premier iour d'Auril nous quittasmes ce beau lac & tirasmes à grande

erre vers nostre rendez vous, nous passames la nuit dans vn meschant

trou enfumé & dés le matin continuasmes nostre chemin faisant plus en

ces deux iournées que nous n'auions faict en cinq, Dieu nous fauorisa

d'vn beau temps: car il gela bien fort, & l'air fut serain, s'il eust

fait vn degel comme les iours precedens, & que nous eussions enfoncé

dans la neige, comme quelques fois il nous est arriué, ou il m'eust

fallu traisner, ou ie fusse demeuré en chemin tant i'estois mal. Il est

bien vray que la nature a plus de force qu'elle ne s'en fait accroire,

ie l'experimentay en ceste iournée en laquelle i'estois si foible, que

m'asseant de temps en temps sur la neige pour me reposer, tous les

membres me trembloient, non pas de froid, mais par vne debilité qui me

causoit vne sueur au front. Or comme i'estois alteré voulant puiser

de l'eau dans vn torrent [309] que nous rencontrasmes, la glace que

ie cassois auec mon baston tomba dessous moy, & fit vn grand escarre:

quand ie me vis auec mes raquettes aux pieds sur ceste glace flottante

sur vne eau fort rapide, ie sautay plustost sur le bord du torrent,

que ie n'eu consulté si ie le deuois faire, & la nature qui suoit de

foiblesse trouua assez de force pour sortir de ceste grande eau n'en

voulant pas tant boire à la fois, ie n'eus que la peur d'vn peril qui

fut plustost esuité que recognu.

On the first day of April, we left this beautiful lake, and drew

rapidly toward our rendezvous. We passed the night in a miserable

smoky hole, and in the morning continued on our way, going farther

in these two days than we had previously gone in five. God favored

us with fine weather, for there was a hard frost, and the air was

clear. If it had thawed as on the preceding days, and we had sunk

down in the snow, as sometimes happened, either they would have

had to drag me, or I would have remained on the way, so ill was I.

It is true that nature has more resistance than she makes believe;

I experienced this that day, when I was so weak that, if I sat down

upon the snow occasionally to rest myself, my limbs would tremble,

not from cold, but from a weakness which caused the perspiration

to come out upon my forehead. Now, as I was thirsty, I tried to

drink some water from a torrent [309] that we were passing. The

ice, which I broke with my club, fell under me and separated into a

big cake. When I saw myself with my snowshoes on my feet, upon this

ice, floating in a very rapid current, I leaped to the edge of the

torrent before consulting as to whether I ought to do it or not,

and nature, which perspired from weakness, found strength enough

to escape from this mass of water, not wishing to drink so much of

it at once; I had nothing but the fear of a peril which was sooner

escaped than realized.