ON THE GOOD THINGS WHICH ARE FOUND AMONG THE SAVAGES.
IF we begin with physical advantages, I will say that they
possess these in abundance. They are tall, erect, strong, well
proportioned, agile; and there is nothing effeminate in their
appearance. Those little Fops that are seen elsewhere are only
caricatures of men, compared with our Savages. I almost believed,
heretofore, that the Pictures of the Roman Emperors represented
the ideal of the painters rather than men who had ever existed,
so strong and powerful are their heads; but I see here upon the
shoulders of these people the heads of Julius Cæsar, of Pompey, of
Augustus, of Otho, and of others, that I have seen in France, drawn
upon [101] paper, or in relief on medallions.
Pour l'esprit des Sauuages, il est de bõne trempe, ie croy que les
ames sont toutes de mesme estoc, & qu'elles ne different point
substantiellemẽt; c'est pourquoy ces barbares ayans vn corps bien fait,
& les organes bien rangez & bien disposez, leur esprit doit operer auec
facilité: la seule education & instruction leur mãque, leur ame est vn
sol tres bon de sa nature, mais chargé de toutes les malices qu'vne
terre delaissée depuis la naissance du mõde peut porter. Ie compare
volõtiers nos Sauuages auec quelques villageois, pource que les vns &
les autres sont ordinairement sans instruction; encore nos Paysans
sont-ils precipuez en ce point: & neantmoins ie n'ay veu personne
iusques icy de ceux qui sont venus en ces contrées, qui ne confesse &
qui n'aduoüe franchement que les Sauuages ont plus d'esprit que nos
paysans ordinaires.
As to the mind of the Savage, it is of good quality. I believe
that souls are all made from the same stock, and that they do not
materially differ; hence, these barbarians having well formed
bodies, and organs well regulated and well arranged, their minds
ought to work with ease. Education and instruction alone are
lacking. Their soul is a soil which is naturally good, but loaded
down with all the evils that a land abandoned since the birth of
the world can produce. I naturally compare our Savages with certain
villagers, because both are usually without education, though our
Peasants are superior in this regard; and yet I have not seen any
one thus far, of those who have come to this country, who does not
confess and frankly admit that the Savages are more intelligent
than our ordinary peasants.
De plus, si c'est vn grand bien d'estre deliuré d'vn grand mal, nos
Sauuages sont heureux, car les deux tyrans qui donnent la gehenne &
la torture à vn grand nombre de nos Europeans, ne regnent [102] point
dans leurs grands bois, i'entends l'ambition & l'auarice; Comme ils
n'ont ny police, ny charges, ny dignitez, ny commandement aucun, car
ils n'obeyssent que par bien-veillance à leur Capitaine; aussi ne se
tuẽt ils point pour entrer dãs les honneurs, d'ailleurs comme ils se
contentent seulement de la vie, pas un d'eux ne se donne au Diable pour
acquerir des richesses.
Moreover, if it is a great blessing to be free from a great evil,
our Savages are happy; for the two tyrants who provide hell and
torture for many of our Europeans, do not reign [102] in their
great forests,--I mean ambition and avarice. As they have neither
political organization, nor offices, nor dignities, nor any
authority, for they only obey their Chief through good will toward
him, therefore they never kill each other to acquire these honors.
Also, as they are contented with a mere living, not one of them
gives himself to the Devil to acquire wealth.
Ils font profession de ne se point fascher, non pour la beauté de la
vertu, dõt ils n'ont pas seulemẽt le nom mais pour leur contentement &
plaisir, ie veux dire, pours s'affranchir des amertumes que cause la
fascherie. Le Sorcier me disoit vn iour, parlant d'vn de nos François,
il n'a point d'esprit, il se fasche, pour moy rien n'est capable de
m'alterer; que la famine nous presse, que mes plus proches passent en
l'autre vie, que les Hiroquois nos ennemis massacrent nos gens, ie ne
me fasche iamais, ce qu'il dit n'est pas article de foy; car comme
il est plus superbe qu'aucun Sauuage, aussi l'ay ie veu plus souuent
alteré que pas vn d'eux; vray est que bien souuent il se retenoit, & se
commãdoit auec violence, notamment [103] quand ie mettois au iour ses
niaseries. Ie n'ay iamais veu qu'vn Sauuage prononcer cette parole,
_Ninichcatihin_, ie suis fasché encore; ne la profera il qu'vne fois:
mais i'aduertis qu'on prit garde à luy, car quand ces Barbares se
faschent, ils sont dangereux & n'ont point de retenuë.
They make a pretence of never getting angry, not because of the
beauty of this virtue, for which they have not even a name, but
for their own contentment and happiness, I mean, to avoid the
bitterness caused by anger. The Sorcerer said to me one day,
speaking of one of our Frenchmen, "He has no sense, he gets angry;
as for me, nothing can disturb me; let hunger oppress me, let my
nearest relation pass to the other life, let the Hiroquois, our
enemies, massacre our people, I never get angry." What he says
is not an article of faith; for, as he is more haughty than any
other Savage, so I have seen him oftener out of humor than any of
them; it is true also that he often restrains and governs himself
by force, especially [103] when I expose his foolishness. I have
only heard one Savage pronounce this word, _Ninichcatihin_, "I am
angry," and he only said it once. But I noticed that they kept
their eyes on him, for when these Barbarians are angry, they are
dangerous and unrestrained.
Qui fait profession de ne se point fascher, doit faire profession de
patience; les Sauuages nous passent tellemẽt en ce poinct, que nous
en deurions estre confus: ie les voyois dans leurs peines, dans leurs
trauaux souffrir auec allegresse. Mon hoste admirant la multitude du
peuple que ie luy disois estre en France, me demandoit si les hommes
estoient bons, s'ils ne se faschoient point, s'ils estoiẽt patients.
Ie n'ay rien veu de si patient qu'vn Sauuage malade; qu'on crie, qu'on
tempeste, qu'õ saute, qu'on dãse, il ne se plaint quasi iamais. Ie me
suis trouué auec eux en des dangers de grandement souffrir; ils me
disoient nous serõs quelquefois deux iours, quelque fois trois sans
manger, faute de viure, prends courage, _Chihiné_, aye l'ame dure
resiste à la peine & au trauail, garde toy de la tristessé, autrement
tu seras malade; regarde que nous ne laissons pas de rire, [104] quoy
que nous mangions peu, vne chose presque seule les abbat, c'est quand
ils voyent qu'il y a de la mort; car ils la craignẽt outre mesure;
ostez cette apprehension aux Sauuages, ils supporteront toute sortes de
mespris & d'incommoditez, & toutes sortes de trauaux & d'injures fort
patiemmẽt: Ie produiray plusieurs exemples de tout cecy dans la suitte
du temps, que ie reserue à la fin de ces chapitres.
Whoever professes not to get angry, ought also to make a profession
of patience; the Savages surpass us to such an extent, in this
respect, that we ought to be ashamed. I saw them, in their
hardships and in their labors, suffer with cheerfulness. My host,
wondering at the great number of people who I told him were in
France, asked me if the men were good, if they did not become
angry, if they were patient. I have never seen such patience as is
shown by a sick Savage. You may yell, storm, jump, dance, and he
will scarcely ever complain. I found myself, with them, threatened
with great suffering; they said to me, "We shall be sometimes two
days, sometimes three, without eating, for lack of food; take
courage, _Chihiné_, let thy soul be strong to endure suffering and
hardship; keep thyself from being sad, otherwise thou wilt be sick;
see how we do not cease to laugh, [104] although we have little to
eat." One thing alone casts them down,--it is when they see death,
for they fear this beyond measure; take away this apprehension from
the Savages, and they will endure all kinds of degradation and
discomfort, and all kinds of trials and suffering very patiently.
Later, I shall give several examples of this, which I am reserving
for the end of these chapters.
Ils s'entraiment les vns les autres, & s'accordent admirablement
bien; vous ne voyez point de disputes, de querelles, d'inimitiez, de
reproches parmy eux, les hõmes laissent la disposition du mesnage
aux femmes sans les inquieter; elles coupent, elles tranchent, elles
donnent comme il leur plaist, sans que le mary s'en fasche. Ie n'ay
iamais veu mon hoste demãder à vne ieune femme estourdie qu'il tenoit
auec soy, que deuenoiẽt les viures, quoy qu'ils diminuassẽt assez
viste. Ie n'ay iamais oüy les femmes se plaindre de ce que l'on ne les
inuitoit aux festins, que les hommes mangeoient les bons morceaux,
qu'elles trauailloient incessamment, allans querir le bois pour le
chauffage: faisants les Cabanes, passans les peaux, & s'occupans en
[105] d'autres œuures assez penibles, chacun fait son petit affaire
doucement, & paisiblement sans dispute. Il est vray neantmoins qu'ils
n'ont point de douceur ny de courtoisie en leurs paroles, & qu'vn
François ne sçauroit prendre l'accent, le ton & l'aspreté de leur voix
à moins que de se mettre en cholere, eux cependant ne s'y mettrent pas.
They are very much attached to each other, and agree admirably. You
do not see any disputes, quarrels, enmities, or reproaches among
them. Men leave the arrangement of the household to the women,
without interfering with them; they cut, and decide, and give away
as they please, without making the husband angry. I have never seen
my host ask a giddy young woman that he had with him what became of
the provisions, although they were disappearing very fast. I have
never heard the women complain because they were not invited to the
feasts, because the men ate the good pieces, or because they had to
work continually,--going in search of the wood for the fire, making
the Houses, dressing the skins, and busying themselves in [105]
other very laborious work. Each one does her own little tasks,
gently and peacefully, without any disputes. It is true, however,
that they have neither gentleness nor courtesy in their utterance;
and a Frenchman could not assume the accent, the tone, and the
sharpness of their voices without becoming angry, yet they do not.
Ils ne sont point vindicatifs entr'eux, si bien enuers leurs ennemis.
Ie coucheray icy vn exẽple capable de confondre plusieurs Chrestiens.
Dans les pressures de nostre famine, vn ieune Sauuage d'vn autre
quartier nous vint voir, il estoit aussi affamé que nous; le iour
qu'il vint fut vn iour de ieusne pour luy & pour nous, car il ny
auoit dequoy manger: le lendemain nos chasseurs ayãs pris quelques
Castors, on fit festin auquel il fut très biẽ traitté, on luy dit en
outre qu'õ auoit veu les pistes d'vn Orignac, & qu'on l'iroit chasser
le lendemain; on l'inuita à demeurer, & qu'il en auroit sa part, luy
respõdit qu'il ne pouuoit estre dauantage; s'estant doncques enquis du
lieu où étoit la beste, il s'ẽ retourna: Nos Chasseurs ayans trouué &
tué le lendemain [106] cest Elan, l'enseuelirent dãs la neige, selon
leur coustume, pour l'enuoyer querir au iour suiuãt. Or pendãt la nuict
mon ieune Sauuage cherche si biẽ, qu'il trouue la beste morte, & en
enleue vne bõne partie sans dire mot, le larcin connu par nos gens,
ils n'entrerent point en des furies, ne donnerent aucune malediction
au voleur; toute leur cholere fut de se gausser de luy, & cependãt
c'estoit presque nous oster la vie, que de nous dérober nos viures, car
nous n'en pouuions recouurer. A quelque temps de là, ce voleur nous
vint voir, ie luy voulus representer la laideur de son crime, mon hoste
m'imposa silence, & ce pauure hõme rejettant son larcin sur les chiens,
nõ seulement fut excusé, mais encore receu pour demeurer auec nous dans
vne mesme Cabane. Il s'en alla donc querir sa femme, qu'il apporta sur
son dos, car elle a les iambes sans mouuement; & vne ieune parente
qui demeure auec luy apporta son petit fils, & tous quatre prirent
place en nostre petit todis, sans que iamais on leur aye reproché ce
larcin, ains au contraire on leur a tesmoigné tres-bõ visage, & les
a-on traittez comme [107] ceux de la maison. Dites à vn Sauuage, qu'vn
autre Sauuage a dit pis que pendre de luy, il baissera la teste, & ne
dira mot: s'ils se rencõtrent par apres tous, ils ne feront nõ plus de
semblant de cela, comme si riẽ n'auoit esté dit, ils se traitteront
comme freres, ils n'ont point de fiel enuers leur nation.
They are not vindictive among themselves, although they are toward
their enemies. I will here give an example that ought to confound
many Christians. In the stress of our famine, a young Savage from
another quarter came to see us, who was as hungry as we were. The
day on which he came was a day of fasting for him and for us, for
there was nothing to eat. The next day, our hunters having taken
a few Beavers, a feast was made, at which he was well treated;
he was told besides that the trail of a Moose had been seen, and
that they were going to hunt for it the next day; he was invited
to remain and to have his share of it; he answered that he could
stay no longer, and, having inquired about the place where the
animal was, he went away. Our Hunters, having found and killed this
Elk the [106] next day, buried it in the snow, according to their
custom, to send for it on the following day. Now, during the night,
my young Savage searched so well, that he found the dead beast,
and took away a good part of it without saying a word. When the
theft became known to our people, they did not get into a rage and
utter maledictions against the thief,--all their anger consisted
in sneering at him; and yet this was almost taking away our life,
this stealing our food when we were unable to obtain any more. Some
time afterward, this thief came to see us; I wanted to represent to
him the seriousness of his offence, but my host imposed silence;
and when this poor man attributed his theft to the dogs, he was
not only excused, but even received to live with us in the same
Cabin. Then he went for his wife, whom he carried upon his back,
for her legs are paralyzed; a young female relative who lives with
him brought his little son; and all four took their places in our
little hut, without ever being reproached for this theft; on the
contrary they were received very kindly, and were treated as if
[107] belonging to the family. Tell a Savage that another Savage
has slandered him, and he will bow the head and not say a word;
if they meet each other afterward, they will pretend not to know
anything about it, acting as if nothing had been said. They treat
each other as brothers; they harbor no spite against those of their
own nation.
Ils sont fort liberaux entr'eux, voire ils font estat de ne riẽ aimer,
de ne point s'attacher aux biẽs de la terre, afin de ne se point
attrister s'ils les perdẽt. Vn chiẽ dechira n'a pas longtemps vne belle
robe de Castor à vn Sauuage, il estoit le premier à s'en rire; l'vne
de leurs grãdes injures parmy eux, c'est de dire cét homme aime tout,
il est auare: si vous leur refusez quelque chose, voicy leur reproche,
comme ie remarquay l'an passé, _Khisakhitan_ _Sa_K_hita_, tu aime cela,
aime le tant que tu voudras: ils n'ouurent point la main à demy quand
ils donnent, ie dis entr'eux, car ils sont ingrats au possible enuers
les estrangers. Vous leur verrez nourrir leurs parents, les enfans de
leurs amis, des femmes vefues, des orphelins, des vieillards, sans
iamais leur rien reprocher, leur donnans abondamment [108] quelquefois
des Originaux tous entiers; c'est veritablement vne marque d'vn bon
cœur, & d'vne ame genereuse.
They are very generous among themselves and even make a show of
not loving anything, of not being attached to the riches of the
earth, so that they may not grieve if they lose them. Not long ago
a dog tore a beautiful Beaver robe belonging to one of the Savages,
and he was the first one to laugh about it. One of the greatest
insults that can be offered to them, is to say, "That man likes
everything, he is stingy." If you refuse them anything, here is
their reproach, as I remarked last year: _Khisakhitan Sakhita_,
"Thou lovest that, love it as much as thou wilt." They do not open
the hand half-way when they give,--I mean among themselves, for
they are as ungrateful as possible toward strangers. You will see
them take care of their kindred, the children of their friends,
widows, orphans, and old men, never reproaching them in the least,
giving them abundantly, [108] sometimes whole Moose. This is truly
the sign of a good heart and of a generous soul.
Comme il y a plusieurs orphelins parmy ce peuple; car depuis qu'ils se
sont adonnez aux boissons de vin & d'eau de vie, ils meurent en grand
nõbre; ces pauures enfans sont dispersez dans les Cabanes de leurs
oncles, de leurs tantes, ou autres parents, ne pensez pas qu'on les
rabrouë, qu'on leur reproche qu'ils mãgent les viures de la maison,
rien de tout cela, on les traitte comme les enfans du pere de famille,
ou du moins peu s'en faut, on les habille le mieux qu'on peut.
As there are many orphans among these people,--for they die
in great numbers since they are addicted to drinking wine and
brandy,--these poor children are scattered among the Cabins of
their uncles, aunts, or other relatives. Do not suppose that
they are snubbed and reproached because they eat the food of the
household. Nothing of the kind, they are treated the same as the
children of the father of the family, or at least almost the same,
and are dressed as well as possible.
Ils ne sont point delicats en leurs viures, en leur coucher, & en leurs
habits, mais ils ne sont pas nets; Iamais ils ne se plaignent de ce
qu'on leur donne, qu'il soit froid, qu'il soit chaud, il n'importe,
quand la chaudiere est cuitte, on la partage sans attẽdre personne,
non pas mesme le maistre de la maison, on luy garde sa part qu'on luy
presente toute froide. Ie n'ay point oüy plaindre mon hoste de ce que
l'on ne l'attendoit pas, n'estant qu'à deux pas de la Cabane. Ils
couchẽt sur la terre bien souuent; à l'enseigne des [109] estoiles.
Ils passerõt vn iour, deux & trois iours sans manger, ne laissans pas
de ramer, chasser, & se peiner tant qu'ils peuuent. L'on verra dans la
suite de cette relation, que tout ce que i'ay dit en ce chapitre est
tres-veritable, & neãtmoins ie n'oserois asseurer que i'aye veu exercer
aucun acte de vraye vertu morale à vn Sauuage: Ils n'ont que leur seul
plaisir & contentement en veuë, adjoustez la crainte de quelque blasme,
& la gloire de paroistre bons chasseurs; voila tout ce qui les meut
dans leurs operations.
They are not fastidious in their food, beds, and clothes, but are
very slovenly. They never complain of what is given them; if it be
cold, if it be warm, it does not matter. When the food is cooked,
it is divided without waiting for any one, not even the master of
the house; a share is reserved for him, which is given to him cold.
I have never heard my host complain because they did not wait for
him, if he were only a few steps from the Cabin. They often sleep
upon the ground, at the sign of the [109] stars. They will pass
one, two, and three days without eating, not ceasing to row, hunt,
and fatigue themselves as much as they can. It will be seen in the
course of this relation, that all I have said in this chapter is
very true; and yet I would not dare to assert that I have seen one
act of real moral virtue in a Savage. They have nothing but their
own pleasure and satisfaction in view. Add to this the fear of
being blamed, and the glory of seeming to be good hunters, and you
have all that actuates them in their transactions.
CHAPITRE VI.
DE LEURS VICES & DE LEURS IMPERFECTIONS.
LES Sauuages estans remplis d'erreurs, les õt aussi de superbe &
d'orgueil. L'humilité naist de la verité la vanité de l'erreur & du
mensonge; ils sont vuides de la connoissance de la verité, & par
consequent tres remplis d'eux mesmes. Ils s'imaginent que par droit
de naissance ils doiuent ioüir de la liberté de asnons Sauuages, ne
rendant aucune subiection à qui que ce soit, sinon quand il leur
plaist: Ils m'ont reproché cent fois que nous [110] craignõs nos
Capitaines, mais pour eux qu'ils se mocquoient & se gaussoient des
leur: toute l'authorité de leur chef est au bout de ses leures, il est
aussi puissant qu'il est eloquent; & quand il s'est tué de parler & de
haranguer, il ne sera pas obey s'il ne plaist au Sauuages.