CHAMPLAIN ON THE WAR-PATH.
(A.D. 1609.)
This passage is taken from “Voyages de la Nouvelle France,
par le Sieur de Champlain,” Paris, 1632, as translated in
O’Callaghan’s “Documentary History of the State of New York,”
vol. iii. p. 3.
Parkman gives a full account of Champlain’s adventures, in the
latter half of his “Pioneers of France in the New World,” from
p. 165 onward.
CHAMPLAIN ON THE WAR-PATH.
[This narrative is of great interest, as showing the mode of
early Indian warfare, and the way in which the French at once
modified it by teaching them the use of fire-arms. It also
illustrates the way in which the French explored the interior
of the country, even before the English had colonized the coasts,
thus giving rise to that dispute out of which grew the series
of French and Indian wars. Samuel de Champlain first sailed for
America in 1603, and was the founder and governor of Quebec.]
I LEFT the rapid[332] of the said River of the Iroquois on the 2d of
July (1609). All the savages[333] began carrying their canoes, arms,
and traps over land, about a league and a half, to avoid the current
and force of the rapid. This was quickly effected.
They immediately launched the canoes into the water, two men in each
with their baggage, whilst one of the men went by land about a league
and a half, which was the probable extent of said rapid, though not so
violent as at the foot, except at some points where rocks obstructed
the river, which is no more than three to four hundred paces wide.
After the rapid was passed, though not without trouble, all the Indians
who had gone by land over a pretty good road and level country, though
covered with timber, re-embarked in their canoes. My men were also on
land, and I on the water, in a canoe. They reviewed all their force,
and found twenty four canoes with sixty men. After having completed
their review, we continued our journey as far as an island, three
leagues long, covered with the finest pines I ever beheld. They hunted,
and caught some wild animals there. Passing thence about three leagues
farther on, we camped, in order to rest for the night.
Illustration: CHAMPLAIN.
Forthwith some began to cut down timber, others to pull off bark to
cover lodges to shelter them, others to fell large trees with which
to barricade their lodges on the shore. They know so well how to
construct these barricades, that five hundred of their enemies would
find considerable difficulty in forcing them, in less than two hours,
without great loss. They do not fortify the side of the river along
which their canoes are ranged, so as to be able to embark, should
occasion require.
After they had camped, they despatched three canoes with nine good men,
as is their custom at all their encampments, to reconnoitre within two
or three leagues, if they see any thing; after which they retire. They
depend the whole night on the exploration of the vanguard, which is a
bad habit of theirs; for sometimes their enemies surprise them asleep,
and kill them, without [their] having an opportunity of recovering
their feet to defend themselves.
Remarking that, I remonstrated with them against the error they
committed; told them to watch, as they saw us do, all night, and to
have outposts to spy and see if they could perceive any thing, and not
to live in that style, like cattle. They told me they couldn’t watch,
and that they labored all day hunting. So that, when they go to war,
they divide their force into three: to wit, one party, scattered in
divers places, hunting; another forms the main body, which is always
under arms; and another party as a vanguard, to scout along the river,
and see whether they will not discover some trail or mark indicating
the passage of friends or enemies. This they ascertain by certain marks
the chiefs of one nation give to those of another, which are not always
alike, notifying each other from time to time when they alter any. By
this means, they recognize whether those who have passed are friends or
enemies.
The hunters never hunt in advance of the main body, or the scouts, so
as not to create any alarm or disorder, but in the rear, and in the
direction where they do not apprehend enemies. They thus continue until
they are two or three days’ journey from the foe, when they advance
stealthily by night, all in a body, except the scouts, and retire by
day into the picket-fort, where they repose, without wandering abroad,
making any noise, or building a fire, even for cooking, during that
time, so as not to be discovered, should their enemies happen to pass.
The only fire they make is to smoke. They eat dried Indian meal, which
they steep in water, like porridge. They prepare this meal for use when
they are pinched, and when they are near the enemy, or when retreating.
After these attacks, they do not amuse themselves hunting, retreating
precipitately....
* * * * *
We left next day, continuing our route along the river as far as the
lake.[334] Here are a number of beautiful but low islands, filled with
very fine woods and prairies, a quantity of game and wild animals, such
as stags, deer, fawns, roebucks, bears, and other sorts of animals that
come from the mainland to the said islands. We caught a quantity of
them. There is also quite a number of beavers, as well in the river
as in several other streams which fall into it. These parts, though
agreeable, are not inhabited by any Indians, in consequence of their
wars. They retire from the rivers as far as possible, deep into the
country, in order not to be so soon discovered.
Next day, we entered the lake, which is of considerable extent, some
fifty or sixty leagues, where I saw four beautiful islands, ten, twelve,
and fifteen leagues in length, formerly inhabited, as well as the
Iroquois River, by Indians, but abandoned since they have been at war
the one with the other. Several rivers, also, discharge into the lake,
surrounded by a number of fine trees similar to those we have in France,
with a quantity of vines handsomer than any I ever saw; a great many
chestnuts; and I had not yet seen, except the margin of the lake, where
there is a larger abundance of fish of divers species. Among the rest
there is one called by the Indians of the country _chaousarou_,[335] of
divers lengths. The largest, I was informed by the people, are of eight
to ten feet. I saw one of five, as thick as a thigh, with a head as big
as two fists, with jaws two feet and a half long, and a double set of
very sharp and dangerous teeth. The form of the body resembles that
of the pike; and it is armed with scales that the thrust of a poniard
cannot pierce; and it is of a silver gray-color. The point of the snout
is like that of a hog. This fish makes war on all others in the lakes
and rivers, and possesses, as these people assure, a wonderful instinct;
which is, that, when it wants to catch any birds, it goes among the
rushes or reeds bordering the lake in many places, keeping the beak
out of the water without budging; so that when birds perch on the beak,
imagining it a limb of a tree, it is so subtle, that, closing the jaws
which it keeps half open, it draws the birds under water by the feet.
The Indians gave me a head of it, which they prize highly, saying, when
they have a headache, they let blood with the teeth of this fish at the
seat of the pain, which immediately goes away.
Continuing our route along the west side of the lake, contemplating
the country, I saw on the east side very high mountains capped with
snow. I asked the Indians if those parts were inhabited. They answered
me yes, and that they were Iroquois, and that there were in those parts
beautiful valleys, and fields fertile in corn as good as I had ever
eaten in the country, with an infinitude of other fruits; and that
the lake extended close to the mountains, which were, according to my
judgment, fifteen leagues from us. I saw others to the south, not less
high than the former; only that they were without snow. The Indians
told me it was there we were to go to meet their enemies, and that
they were thickly inhabited, and that we must pass by a waterfall,[336]
which I afterwards saw, and thence enter another lake[337] three or
four leagues long; and, having arrived at its head, there were four
leagues overland to be travelled to pass to a river[338] which flows
towards the coast of the Almouchiquois, tending towards that of the
Almouchiquois,[339] and they were only two days going there in their
canoes, as I understood since from some prisoners we took, who, by
means of some Algonquin interpreters who were acquainted with the
Iroquois language, conversed freely with me about all they had noticed.
Now, on coming within about two or three days’ journey of the enemy’s
quarters, we travelled only by night, and rested by day. Nevertheless,
they never omitted their usual superstitions to ascertain whether
their enterprise would be successful, and often asked me whether I had
dreamed, and seen their enemies. I answered No, and encouraged them,
and gave them good hopes. Night fell, and we continued our journey
until morning, when we withdrew into the picket-fort to pass the
remainder of the day there. About ten or eleven o’clock, I lay down,
after having walked some time around our quarters; and, falling asleep,
I thought I beheld our enemies, the Iroquois, drowning within sight of
us in the lake near a mountain; and being desirous to save them, that
our savage allies told me that I must let them all perish, as they were
good for nothing. On awaking, they did not omit, as usual, to ask me
if I had any dream. I did tell them, in fact, what I had dreamed. It
gained such credit among them, that they no longer doubted but they
should meet with success.
At nightfall we embarked in our canoes to continue our journey, and, as
we advanced very softly and noiselessly, we encountered a war-party of
Iroquois, on the 29th of the month, about ten o’clock at night, at the
point of a cape which juts into the lake on the west side. They and we
began to shout, each seizing his arms. We withdrew towards the water;
and the Iroquois repaired on shore, and arranged all their canoes, the
one Beside the other, and began to hew down trees with villanous axes
which they sometimes got in war, and other of stone, and fortified
themselves very securely. Our party likewise kept their canoes arranged,
the one alongside the other, tied to poles so as not to run adrift, in
order to fight all together, should need be. We were on the water about
an arrow-shot from their barricades.
When they were armed and in order, they sent two canoes from the fleet,
to know if their enemies wished to fight; who answered they desired
nothing else, but that just then there was not much light, and that we
must wait for day to distinguish each other, and that they would give
us battle at sunrise. This was agreed to by our party. Meanwhile the
whole night was spent in dancing and singing, as well on one side as on
the other, mingled with an infinitude of insults and other taunts; such
as the little courage they had, how powerless their resistance against
their arms, and, that when day would break, they should experience
this to their ruin. Ours, likewise, did not fail in repartee, telling
they should witness the effect of arms they had never seen before;
and a multitude of other speeches, as is usual at a siege of a town.
After the one and the other had sung, danced, and parliamented[340]
enough, day broke. My companions and I were always concealed, for fear
the enemy should see us preparing our arms the best we could, being,
however, separated, each in one of the canoes belonging to the savage
_Montagnars_.[341]
After being equipped with light armor, we took each an arquebuse, and
went ashore. I saw the enemy leave their barricade. They were about two
hundred men, of strong and robust appearance, who were coming slowly
toward us, with a gravity and assurance which greatly pleased me, led
on by three chiefs. Ours were marching in similar order, and told me
that those who bore three lofty plumes were the chiefs, and that there
were but these three, and they were to be recognized by those plumes,
which were considerably larger than those of their companions, and that
I must do all I could to kill them. I promised to do what I could, and
that I was very sorry they could not clearly understand me, so as to
give them the order and plan of attacking their enemies, as we should
indubitably defeat them all,――but there was no help for that,――that I
was very glad to encourage them, and to manifest to them my good-will
when we should be engaged.
Illustration: CHAMPLAIN ON THE WAR-PATH.
The moment we landed, they began to run about two hundred paces towards
their enemies, who stood firm, and had not yet perceived my companions,
who went into the bush with some savages. Ours commenced calling me
in a loud voice, and, making way for me, opened in two, and placed
me at their head, marching about twenty paces in advance, until I was
within thirty paces of the enemy. The moment they saw me, they halted,
gazing at me, and I at them. When I saw them preparing to shoot at
us, I raised my arquebuse, and, aiming directly at one of the three
chiefs, two of them fell to the ground by this shot, and one of their
companions received a wound of which he died afterwards. I had put four
balls in my arquebuse. Ours, on witnessing a shot so favorable for them,
set up such tremendous shouts, that thunder could not have been heard;
and yet there was no lack of arrows on one side and the other.
The Iroquois were greatly astonished, seeing two men killed so
instantaneously, notwithstanding they were provided with arrow-proof
armor, woven of cotton thread and wood: this frightened them very much.
Whilst I was reloading, one of my companions in the bush fired a shot,
which so astonished them anew, seeing their chiefs slain, that they
lost courage, took to flight, and abandoned the field and their fort,
hiding themselves in the depths of the forest, whither pursuing them,
I killed some others. Our savages also killed several of them, and took
ten or twelve prisoners. The rest carried off the wounded. Fifteen or
sixteen of ours were wounded by arrows: they were promptly cured.
After having gained the victory, they amused themselves plundering
Indian corn and meal from the enemy, also their arms which they had
thrown away in order to run better. And having feasted, danced, and
sung, we returned three hours afterwards with the prisoners.
The place where this battle was fought is in forty-three degrees some
minutes latitude; and I named it Lake Champlain.