Chapter 4

Arriué que ie fus aux cabanes des Sauuages, ie vey leur secherie d'anguilles. Ce sont les femmes qui exercent ce mestier. Elles vuidẽt ce poisson, le lauent fort bien, l'ouurant nõ par le ventre, mais par le dos, puis le pendent à la fumée, l'ayant faict au prealable esgoutter sur des perches hors de leurs cabanes. Elles le tailladent en plusieurs endroits, afin que la fumée le desseche plus aisement. La quantité d'anguilles qu'ils prennent en ce temps là est incroyable: ie ne voyois autre chose dedans & [10] dehors leurs cabanes. Les François & eux en mangẽt incessamment pendant ce temps-là, & en gardent quãtité pour le iours qu'on ne mange point de chair, ientens les François; car les Sauuages n'ont point d'autres mets pour l'ordinaire que celuy-là, iusques à ce que les neges soient grãdes pour la chasse de l'Orignac. Cõme i'allois de cabane en cabane, vn petit garçon aagé d'enuiron douze ans s'en vint droict à moy. Ie l'auois caressé l'ayant trouué quelques iours au parauant en quelque endroit, me semblãt fort posé & modeste. M'ayant recogneu, il me dictAnia achtam achtam: Mon frere, viens, viens. Il me mene en la cabane de ses parens: i'y trouuay vne vieille femme qui estoit sa grãd'mere, il luy dit deux ou trois mots que ie n'entendis pas; & cette bonne vieille me presenta quatre anguilles boucanées. Ie n'osay les refuser, [11] de peur de la facher. Ie m'assis à platte terre aupres de son petit fils: ie tiray vn morceau de pain que i'auois porté auec moy pour mon disner, i'en donnay à ce petit garçon, à sa grand'mere, & à sa mere qui suruint. Ils me firent90rostir vne anguille auec vne petite broche de bois qu'ils picquent en terre aupres du feu, puis ils me la presenterent sur vn petit morceau d'escorce: ie la mangeay auec cet enfant, auquel ie demanday de l'eau: il m'en alla querir dans vne escuelle ou plat fait d'escorce. Si tost que i'eus beu, tous ceux qui estoient dans la cabane beurent apres moy. Pour seruiette ce petit garçon ayant manié cette anguille cuite qui estoit fort grasse, il se seruoit de ses cheueux, les autres frottent leurs mains à leurs chiens: cette bonne vieille voiant que ie cherchois où essuier les miennes, me donna de la poudre de [12] bois sec & pourry, c'est dequoy les meres nettoient leurs petits enfans, ils n'ont point d'autre linge. Apres que i'eu disné, cette bonne femme me fit vne harangue, me donna encore de l'anguille: elle me sembloit recõmander son fils, mais ie ne l'entendois pas. Ie tiray mon papier, & luy dis le mieux que ie pû que son fils me vint voir, & qu'il m'apportât les anguilles qu'elles m'auoyent dõné, ne les pouuãt apporter auec moy pour la difficulté du chemin, luy promettant quelque chose pour sa peine. Ie ne sçay s'ils entendirent mon baragoin, mais ie ne l'ay point veu depuis. Estant de retour au logis, & racontant au Pere de Nouë la difficulté du chemin, il me dist pour me consoler, qu'allant aux Hurons on rencontroit quarante endroits plus difficiles que celuy dont ie luy parlois. Dieu soit beny de tout. Si nos [13] Peres qui iront en ces pais là, ont de la peine, Dieu les sçaura fort bien recompenser. Voyant donc que ie perdois beaucoup de temps en ces allées & venues aux cabanes, ie cherchay vn autre moyẽ de tirer quelque chose de la langue, dont ie parleray tantost.

When I reached the cabins of the Savages, I saw their place for drying eels. This work is done entirely by the women, who empty the fish, and wash them very carefully, opening them, not up the belly but up the back; then they hang them in the smoke, first having suspended them upon poles outside their huts to drain. They gash them in a number of places, in order that the smoke may dry them more easily. The quantity of eels which they catch in the season is incredible. I saw nothing else inside and [10] outside of their cabins. They and the French eat them continually during this season, and keep a large quantity of them for the time when meat is not eaten; I mean the French, for the Savages usually have no other meat than this until the snow is deep enough for Moose hunting. As I went about from hut to hut, a little boy about twelve years old came straight up to me. A few days before, meeting him somewhere, I had given him a caress, as he seemed to me quite bright and modest. Having recognized me he said;Ania achtam achtam; "My brother, come, come." He conducted me to the hut of his parents, where I found an old woman who was his grandmother; he said two or three words to her which I did not understand, and this good old woman presented me with four smoked eels. I dared not refuse them [11] for fear of making her angry. I sat down upon the ground near her grandson, and took out a piece of bread that I had brought with me for my dinner; I gave some to the little boy, to his grandmother, and to his mother, who came in. They roasted an eel for me upon a little wooden spit, which they thrust intothe ground near the fire. They then presented it to me upon a small piece of bark. I ate it with the child, of whom I asked some water; he brought me some in a dipper or dish made of bark. As soon as I had drunk, all those in the cabin drank after me. The little boy, having handled the roasted eel, which was very greasy, used his hair as a napkin, and the others rubbed their hands on the dogs. The good old woman, seeing that I was looking for something upon which to wipe my hands, gave me some powder made of [12] dry and rotten wood. It is with this that the mothers clean their little children, for they have no other towels. After having dined, this simple woman made me a speech, and gave me some more eel: it seemed that she was commending her son to me, but I did not understand. I took out my paper, and told her as well as I could that her son should come to see me and bring the eels they had given me, as I could not carry them back with me on account of the difficulties of the road, promising her something for her trouble. I do not know whether they understood my jargon, but I have not seen them since. Having returned to our lodgings, and recounted to Father de Nouë the difficulties of the road, he told me, by way of consolation, that in going to the Hurons one would encounter forty places much more difficult then the one of which I spoke. God be blessed for all things. If our [13] Fathers who are going to those countries have trials, God will know very well how to compensate them. Seeing that a great deal of time was lost in going to and from the cabins, I sought another means of finding out something about the language, of which I shall soon speak.

92Le 13. du mesme mois d'Octobre le Sauuage nõmé Manitougache, surnommé des François La Nasse, nous vint voir auec quantité d'autres, qui nous firent depositaires & gardiens de leurs sacs & richesses. Ie demanday à l'vn d'eux son nom, il baissa la teste sans rien dire: vn François le demanda à vn autre, luy disantKhiga ichenicasson?comment t'appelles tu? Il respondit,namanikisteriten, ie n'en scay rien. I'ay depuis appris qu'ils ne veulent point dire leur nom deuant les autres, ie ne scay pourquoy. Si neãtmoins vous demandez à quelqu'vn [14] comme vn autre s'appelle, il vous le dira librement, mais il ne dira pas son nom. Il est vray que ie l'ay faict dire à quelques enfans, lesquels me demandans le mien, & voyans que ie le difois librement, ils me disoyent aussi le leur.

On the 13th of the same month of October the Savage named Manitougache, surnamed by the French La Nasse,26came to see us with a number of others, making us the trustees and guardians of their sacks and possessions. I asked one of them his name; he bowed his head, without saying a word. A Frenchman asked it of another, saying to him:Khiga ichenicasson?—"What is thy name?" He answered, "namanikisteriten,—I know nothing about it." I have since learned that they do not like to tell their names before others, I know not why. If, however, you ask some one [14] what another's name is, he will tell you very freely though he will not tell his own. It is true that I have had a number of children tell me, who asked me my name, and, seeing that I told them freely, they told me theirs also.

Le 24eestant allé dire la Messe à l'habitation de nos François, vn Capitaine des Sauuages vint voir le sieur Emery de Caen, & luy dict que les Algonquains estãs allez à la guerre contre les Hiroquois vn de leurs hommes auoit esté tué, & l'autre pris prisonnier. Ce qui auoit tellement espouuanté les Montagnaits, qu'ils s'en reuenoyent tous de la chasse du castor, & de l'ours, pour se cabaner pres du fort, crainte d'estre surpris de leurs ennemis. Ils se vouloyent r'assembler pour estre plus forts: mais ils craignoient la faim en quittant leur chasse. Ils demanderent donc [15] si on ne les secoureroit pas de viures au cas qu'ils demeurassent ensemble. La response fut qu'on ne vouloit riẽ donner à credit cette année là; ce à quoy ils s'attendoyent. On me racõta vne generosité de ce capitaine, estant enuoié pour espion vers les Hiroquois, il rencontra l'espion des ennemis: se voians teste à94teste, l'Hiroquois se croiant plus fort que le mõtagnaits, lui dit, Ne faisõs point tuer nos gens; mais luitons ensemble, & voions qui pourra emporter son cõpagnon. La proposition acceptée, ce capitaine qui pour lors estoit espiõ des Montagnaits, fatigua si fort son homme, que l'ayant terrassé, il le lia, le chargea sur son dos comme vn fagot, & l'emporta vers ses gens. Voila ce qu'on me dict de luy.

On the 24th, having gone to say Mass at the French settlement, a Captain of the Savages came to see sieur Emery de Caen, and told him that, the Algonquains having gone to war against the Hiroquois, one of their men had been killed and the other taken prisoner. This had so frightened the Montagnaits, that they all returned from the hunt for beavers and bears, to camp near our fort, for fear of being surprised by their enemies. They wanted to unite, that they might be stronger; but they feared famine in abandoning the chase. They asked us therefore [15] if we would supply them with food, in the event of their remaining together. The answer was that we would not give anything on credit that year; this was what they were relying upon. I was told about an act of generosity on the part of this captain. Having been sent as a spy upon the Hiroquois, he encountered the spy of the enemy, and seeing eachother face to face, the Hiroquois, believing himself stronger than the montagnaits savage, said to him: "Do not let us have our people killed, but let us wrestle and see which can carry his companion away." The proposal being accepted, this captain, who at that time was the spy of the Montagnaits, so tired out his man that, having thrown him down, he bound him, loaded him upon his back like a piece of wood, and carried him away to his people. This was what they told me about him.27

Le mesme iour le Sauuage Manitougache, autrement La Nasse (c'est celuy dont i'escriuis à V.R. l'an passé, [16] qu'il se vouloit venir cabaner aupres de nous, comme il a fait depuis) retournant de la chasse aux ours, s'en vint souper & coucher chez nous. Ayant bien mangé, il commence en riant à frapper doucement son ventre tout nud, disant,taponé nikïspoun, en vérité ie suis saoul. voila comme ils remercient leurs hostes de la bonne chere qu'on leur a faict: quand ils disentnikispoun, ie suis saoul, c'est à dire qu'on les a bien traittez. Il portoit auec soy vn fort grand bouclier fort lõg & fort large: il me couuroit tout le corps aisemẽt, & m'alloit depuis les pies iusques à la poictrine: ils le releuẽt & s'en couurent entieremẽt, il estoit fait d'vne seule piece de bois de cedre fort leger: ie ne scay comme ils peuuent doler vne si grande & si large planche auec leurs couteaux: il estoit vn petit plié ou courbé pour mieux couurir le corps, & afin que [17] les coups de fleches ou de masses venans à le fendre, n'emportassent la piece, il l'auoit cousu hault & bas auec de la corde faite de peau: ils ne portent point ces boucliers au bras, ils passent la corde qui les soustient sur l'espaule droicte, abriant le costé gauche: & quand ils ont tiré leur coup, ils ne font que retirer le costé droict pour se mettre à couuert.

The same day the Savage Manitougache, otherwise La Nasse, (it is he of whom I wrote to Your Reverence last year, [16] that he wanted to come and settle near us, as he has since done), returning from the bear hunt, came to sup and sleep with us. Having eaten well, he began to laugh and gently strike his naked belly, saying,taponé nikïspoun, "in truth, I am full." This is the way they thank their hosts for the good treatment they have received. When they saynikispoun, "I am full," that is to say that they have been handsomely entertained. He carried with him a great shield, very long and very wide. It easily covered my whole body, and reached from my feet to my chest. They raise it up and entirely cover themselves with it. It is made of one single piece of very light cedar. I do not know how they can plane so large and so wide a plank with their knives; it was a little bent or curved, the better to cover the body; and, in order that [17] if an arrow or blow should split it, it might still hold together, it was sewed at the top and bottom with a leather string. They do not carry these shields upon their arms; they pass the cord which holds them over the right shoulder, protecting the left side, and whenthey have cast their missile they have only to withdraw the right side to put themselves under cover.

96Ie diray icy que les Sauuageais aimẽt fort la sagaimité, le mot de Sagamiteou en leur langue signifie proprement de l'eau, ou du brouët chaud: maintenant ils estendent sa signification à toute sorte de potage, de bouillie, & choses semblables. La sagamité qu'ils aiment beaucoup, est faite de farine de bled d'Inde: au defaut de cette farine nous leur en auõs quelquefois donné de la nostre de France, laquelle estant bouillie auec de l'eau, ne fait que de la colle. Ils ne [18] laissent pas de la manger auec appetit, notamment si on y met vn peu de pimi, c'est à dire de l'huile, c'est leur sucre, ils en mettent dans les fraises & framboises quand ils en mangent, à ce qu'on m'a dict: & leurs plus grãds festins sont de graisse ou d'huile. Ils mordent par fois dans vn morceau de graisse blãche figée comme nous mordrions dans vne pomme: voila leur bonne chere. On m'a dict encor qu'autant qu'on leur apportât des chaudieres de France, ils faisoyent cuire leur chair dans des plats d'escorce, qu'ils appellentouragana. Ie m'estonnois comme ils pouuoyent faire cela, car il n'y a rien si aisé à bruler que cette escorce. On me respõdit qu'ils mettoyent leur chair & de l'eau dans ces plats, puis qu'ils mettoyẽt cinq ou six pierres dans le feu, & quand l'vne estoit toute bruslante, ils la iettoyent dans ce beau potage, [19] & en la retirant pour la remettre au feu, ils en mettoyẽt vne autre toute rouge en sa place, & ainsi continuoyent ils iusques à ce que leur viãde fût cuite. Pierre le Sauuage, dont ie parleray cy apres, m'a asseuré que quelques-vns ayant perdu ou rompu leur chaudiere, se seruoyent encor de cette ancienne coustume, & que la chair n'estoit point si long temps à cuire qu'on s'imagineroit bien.

I shall say here that the Savages are very fond of sagamité.28The word "Sagamiteou" in their language really means water, or warm gruel. Now they have extended its meaning to signify all sorts of soups, broths, and similar things. This "sagamité," of which they are very fond, is made of cornmeal; if they are short of that, we sometimes give them some of our French flour, which, being boiled with water, makes simple paste. They do [18] not fail to eat it with appetite, especially when we place in it a little "pimi;" that is to say, oil, for that is their sugar. They use it with their strawberries and raspberries when they eat them, as I am told, and their greatest feasts are of fat or of oil. They sometimes bite into a piece of solid white grease as we would bite into an apple; this is their high living. I have been told that, before kettles were brought to them from France, they cooked their meat in bark dishes which they calledouragana. I wondered how they could do that, for there is nothing easier to burn than this bark. I was answered that they put their meat and water into these dishes, then they place five or six stones in the fire; and, when one is burning hot, they throw it into this fine soup, [19] and, withdrawing it to place it in the fire again, they put another one which is red-hot in its place, and thus continue until their meat is cooked. Pierre, the Savage, of whom I shall speak hereafter, assured me that some of them, having lost or broken their kettles, still resorted to this old custom, and that it did not take so long to cook the meat as one would imagine.

98Le 27. d'Octobre veille de sainct Simon & sainct Iude nous vismes vne eclipse de lune, qui me confirma dans la remarque que ie fis l'an passé que vous auiez en France le iour six heures & vn peu dauantage, plustost que noꝰ: car l'Almanach disoit que cette eclipse deuoit arriuer en France sur la minuict, & nous la vîmes sur les six heures du soir; dont ie conclus que la difference du commencement de nos iours & de nos nuicts [20] est de six heures: si bien que maintenant vous estes dans la profondeur de la nuict au temps que i'escris cecy sur les six heures du soir.

On the 27th of October, the eve of saint Simon and saint Jude, we saw an eclipse of the moon, which confirmed the observations which I made last year, that in France it is daylight a little over six hours sooner than it is here. For the Almanac had announced that the eclipse would commence at midnight in France, and we saw it about six o'clock in the evening. Therefore I concluded that the difference in the beginning of our days and our nights [20] is six hours; so that now you are in the middle of night, while I am writing this about six o'clock in the evening.

Le 28equelques chasseurs François retournans des isles qui sont dãs le grand fleuue S. Laurens nous dirẽt qu'il y auoit du gibier à foison, des outardes, des oyes, des canards, des sarcelles, & autres oyseaux. Ils nous asseurerent encore qu'il y auoit des pommes dans ces isles, fort douces, mais fort petites, & qu'ils auoyent mangé des prunes qui ne cederoient point à nos abricots de France si ces arbres estoient cultiuez. Les Sauuages gastent tout, car rencontrans vn arbre fruictier, ils l'abbattent pour auoir le fruict.

On the 28th, some French hunters, returning from the islands which are in the great St. Lawrence river, told us that game swarmed there; bustards, geese, ducks, teal, and other birds. They assured us also that there were apples in those islands, very sweet but very small; and that they had eaten plums which would not be in any way inferior to our apricots in France if the tree were cultivated. The Savages spoil everything, for, when they come to a fruit tree, they cut it down to get the fruit.

Le 31. vn Sauuage surnommé Brehault, pource qu'il parloit fort haut, reuenant de la chasse demãda le couuert chez nous pour vne nuict, & à [21] souper par consequent. On luy donna des pois, & à ses deux enfans qui l'accompagnoyent: il mangeoit auec si grand appetit, que pour exploitter dauãtage il quitta vne cueiller d'estain qu'on luy auoit presentée, & prit la grande cueiller du pot, s'en seruant pour manger: Et pource que le plat n'estoit pas assez profond il puisoit dans la marmite, de laquelle il se seruoit pour écuelle, sans garder autre ciuilité que celle que son100grand appetit luy fournissoit. Ie le laissay faire quelque temps. Apres qu'il eut bien mangé, il s'en va prendre de l'eau auec la mesme cueiller du pot, beuuant cela auec plaisir, & reiettant son reste dans le seau. voila toute l'honnestete qu'ils sçauent.

On the 31st, a Savage, surnamed Brehault on account of his loud voice, in coming back from the hunt asked us for a night's lodging and consequently for his supper. We gave peas both to him and to his two children who were with him. He ate so ravenously, that to make the best of the occasion, he threw aside the pewter spoon that had been given to him, and took the great pot-ladle to eat with; and, as his dish was not big enough, he dipped into the saucepan, and even used it as a ladle, observing no other law of politeness than what his great appetite suggested to him. I let him go on for some time. After he hadeaten well, he dipped some water out with the same pot-ladle, drinking it with great relish and throwing back into the pail what was left. This is all the manners they have.

I'en ay veu quantité d'autres cherchans quelque chose pour puiser de l'eau, prendre vn petit poeslon, dont le dessous est comme celuy d'vne [22] marmite, & boire brauement auec cela, & auec autant de contentement qu'on boiroit en Frãce d'vn vin fort excellent dans vn verre de crystal: les vaisseaux les plus gras leur sõt les plus agreables, pource qu'il n'y a rien qu'ils aiment tant que la graisse, ils boiuent chaud ordinairement, & mangent à terre: ceux qui maintenant nous cognoissent ne font plus ces grosses inciulitez deuant nous.

I have seen many others, looking for something with which to dip water, take a little kettle, the bottom of which is like that of a [22] saucepan, and drink cheerfully from it and with as much satisfaction as you would in France drink excellent wine from a crystal glass. The most greasy vessels are the most agreeable to them, for there is nothing they relish so much as grease; they usually drink liquids hot and they eat from the ground. Those who know us do not now indulge in such gross incivilities in our presence.

Le premier iour de Nouembre feste de tous les Saints, aiant appris qu'vn pauure miserable Sauuage mãgé d'vn chancre ou des écroüelles, estoit dãs vne meschante cabane delà le grand fleuue de S. Laurens, abandonné de tout le monde, horsmis de la fẽme qui l'assistoit le mieux qu'elle pouuoit, nous fismes ce que nous peûmes pour le faire apporter prés de nostre maison, afin de le pouuoir secourir selon le corps & selon l'ame: [23] le Pere de Nouë & nostre Frere le furent voir, ils en eurent grande compassion. Ie priay nostre truchement frãcois d'induire les Sauuages à nous l'apporter: car nous ne pouuions l'aller querir; il en parla a l'vn d'eux en ma presence, qui demanda ce qu'on luy donneroit, on luy dit qu'on luy donneroit à manger, ie luy fis dire qu'il estoit grandement ingrat, que cet homme estoit de sa nation, & que nous qui n'en estions pas, le vouliõs secourir, & cependant qu'il luy refusoit ce peu d'assistance. A cela point d'autre response, sinon qu'il s'en alloit102bien-tost à la chasse, & qu'il n'auoit pas le loisir de mener la son canot.

On the first day of November, all Saints' day, having learned that a poor miserable Savage, eaten by a malignant ulcer or scrofulous affection, was in a wretched hut beyond the great St. Lawrence, abandoned by everybody except his wife, who was caring for him the best she could, we did all in our power to have him brought near our house, in order that we might help him both in regard to his body and his soul. [23] Father de Nouë and our Brother went to see him, and they were filled with compassion for him. I begged our french interpreter to persuade the Savages to bring him to us, for we could not go and fetch him. He spoke to one of them in my presence, who asked what he would be given for it. He was told that he would be given something to eat. I had them tell him that he was very ungrateful; that the sick man was of his tribe, and that we who were not of it wished to help him, and still he refused him that little assistance. For this he made no other excuse than that he was going very soon tothe hunt, and that he had no time to take his canoe there.

I'ay remarqué que les Sauuages font tres-peu d'estat d'vn homme de la santé duquel ils desesperent, voire mesme ils les tuënt par fois, où les laissent dãs les bois pour s'en deffaire, [24] ou pour ne les voir languir.

I have observed that the Savages care but little for men whose condition is so low that life is despaired of; indeed they sometimes kill them, or leave them in the woods to get rid of them, [24] or to avoid seeing them gradually fail.

Le 5. du mesme mois de Nouembre, vn grand ieune Sauuage s'en vint chez nous retournant de la chasse aux castors, criant qu'il mouroit de faim, il apportoit quantité de racines, entr'autres force oignons de martagons rouges, dont il y a icy tres-grand nõbre, nous luy donnasmes quelque chose, & goustasmes de ces oignons, ils sont tres-bons à manger, il n'y fit point d'autre saulce que de les faire boüillir dans l'eau sans sel, car les Sauuages n'en mangent point, quoy que maintenant ils s'y accoustument fort bien.

On the 5th of the same month of November, a tall young Savage, returning from beaver hunting, called upon us, crying out that he was dying of hunger. He brought a number of roots, among them several bulbs of the red lily variety, of which there are a great many here. We gave him something, and tasted these bulbs, which are very good to eat;29he made no other sauce than to boil them in a little water without salt, which the Savages do not use, although they are now accustoming themselves to it very well.

Le huictiesme Manitougache surnommé la Nasse, & toute sa famille composée de deux ou trois ménages, se vindrent cabaner auprés de nostre maison, ils nous dirent que deux ou trois cabanes de Sauuages auoient esté deuorées par de grands animaux incognus, [25] qu'ils croioient que c'étoient des Diables, & que les Montagnaits ayant peur, ne vouloient point aller à la chasse du costé du Cap de Tourmente, & de Tadoussac, ces mõstres ayans paru de ce costé là. On soupçonna par apres que les Sauuages auoient fait courir ce bruit, pour tirer de l'autre costé de la riuiere.

On the eighth, Manitougache, surnamed la Nasse, and all his family, consisting of two or three households, came and encamped near our house. They told us that two or three families of Savages had been devoured by large unknown animals, [25] which they believed were Devils; and that the Montagnaits, fearing them, did not wish to go hunting in the neighborhood of Cape de Tourmente and Tadoussac, these monsters having appeared in that neighborhood.30It was afterward suspected that the Savages had spread this report, to draw them from the other side of the river.

Le 9. ie m'en allay voir ces nouueaux hostes; comme i'estois dans leur cabane, i'entendois chanter deux hommes sans sçauoir où ils estoient, ie regarde dans toute la cabane, ie ne les voy point & cependãt104ils estoient tout au milieu, renfermés comme dans vn four, où ils se mettent pour se faire suer. Ils dressent vn petit tabernacle fort bas, entouré d'ecorces, & tout couuert de leurs robbes de peaux: ils font chauffer cinq ou six cailloux qu'ils mettent dans ce four où ils entrent tous nuds, [26] ils chantent là dedans incessamment, frappans doucement les costez de ces estuues. Ie les veis sortir tous moüillez de leur sueur: voila la meilleure de leurs medecines.

On the 9th I went to see these newcomers; and while in their cabin I heard two men singing, but I could not tell where they were. I looked all around in the cabin, but did not see them, and yet theywere there in the very middle of it, shut up as in an oven, where they had placed themselves to have a sweat. They make a little low tent of bark, and cover it with their fur robes; then they heat five or six stones and put them into this oven, which they enter entirely naked. [26] They sing all the time while in there, gently striking the sides of these stoves. I saw them come out all wet with perspiration; this is the best of their medicines.31

Le 12. de Nouembre, l'hyuer fit ses approches, commençant à nous assieger de ses glaces. Ayant esté fort long temps ce iour là dans vne grande cabane de Sauuages, où il y auoit plusieurs hommes, femmes, enfans de toutes façons, ie remarquay leur admirable patience, s'il y auoit tant de familles ensemble en nostre France, ce ne seroiẽt que disputes, que querelles, & qu'iniures; les meres ne s'impatientent point apres leurs enfans, ils ne sçauent que c'est que de iurer, tout leur serment consiste en ce mottaponé, en verité, point de ialousie les vns enuers les autres, ils s'entr'aident & secourent grandement, pource qu'ils esperent le reciproque, [27] cet espoir manquant, ils ne tiennent compte de qui que ce soit.

On the 12th of November, winter made its first appearance, beginning to besiege us with its ice. Having spent a long time on that day in one of the large cabins of the Savages, where there were a number of men, women, and children of all kinds, I noticed their wonderful patience. If so many families were together in our France, there would be nothing but disputes, quarrels, and revilings. The mothers do not get impatient with their children, they do not know what it is to swear, their only oath consisting of this one wordtaponé, "in truth;"32there is no jealousy among them; they aid and relieve each other very generously, because they expect a return of the favor. [27] If this expectation fail, they respect the person no longer, whoever he may be.

Tout ainsi qu'vn homme en Europe se compose & s'habille honnestement quand il veut aller en quelque honneste maison; de mesme les Sauuages se font peindre la face quãd ils font quelques visites. Le fils de Manitougache voulant aller à l'habitation, ie vy sa mere qui le graissoit & le peignoit de rouge, elle en fit autant à son mary: ils trouuent cela si agreable, que les petits enfans ne pensent pas estre beaux, s'ils ne sont barboüillez: i'en voiois vn qui frottoit ses doigts sur vne hache roüillée, puis se faisoit des rayes au visage auec cette roüillure, ie fis vne106petite croix auec vn peu d'encre sur le front d'vn petit garçon, il se tenoit bien braue, & les autres trouvoient cela fort beau. Ou que le iugement des hommes est foible! les vns logẽt la beauté [28] où les autres ne voient que la laideur. Les dents les plus belles en France sont les plus blanches, aux Isles des Maldiues la blancheur des dents est vne difformité, ils se les rougissent pour estre belles: & dans la Cochinchine, si i'ay bonne memoire, ils les teignent en noir. Voyez qui a raison.

Just as a man in Europe arranges his toilet with care when he is going to pay a visit to some respectable family, so these Savages have their faces painted when they make visits. The son of Manitougache wishing to go to our settlement, I saw his mother grease him and paint him red; she did the same to her husband. They find this so agreeable that the little children do not think they are beautiful unless their faces are smeared over with something. I sawone rubbing his fingers upon a rusty axe, and then making streaks upon his face with the rust. I made a small cross with some ink upon the brow of a little boy; he acted very proud, and the others considered him quite beautiful. Oh, how weak are the judgments of men! Some place beauty [28] where others see nothing but ugliness. The most beautiful teeth in France are the whitest; in the Maldive Islands whiteness of teeth is considered a deformity, they paint them red to be beautiful; and in Cochin China, if my memory serves me, they paint them black. Which is right?

Le 13. Manitougache nostre hoste & voisin nous vint dire qu'on auoit veu quantité d'Hiroquois qui auoiẽt paru iusques auprés de Kebec. Tous les Montagnaits trembloient de peur. Celuy-cy nous demanda si sa femme & ses enfans ne pourroient pas bien venir coucher chez nous, nous luy respondismes que luy & ses fils seroient les tres-bien venus, mais que les filles & femmes ne couchoient point dans nos maisons, voire mesme qu'elles n'y entroient point en France, & qu'aussi-tost que nous serions fermez, que la porte ne leur seroit [29] plus ouuerte. Il enuoya donc tout son train, tous les ieunes gens aux cabanes voisines de Kebec, où l'on disoit que l'on enuoyeroit quelques harquebusiers pour les garder. Pour luy estant inuité du Capitaine des Sauuages de prendre sa cabane iusques à ce que l'effroy fust passé, il fit response que s'il deuoit mourir, qu'il vouloit mourir aupres de nous, & ainsi ayant mis ses gens en asseurance, il nous reuint trouuer.

On the 13th, Manitougache, our guest and neighbor, came to tell us that a great many Hiroquois had been seen near Kebec. All the Montagnaits trembled with fear. He asked if his wife and children could not come and lodge with us. We answered him that he and his sons would be very welcome, but that girls and women were not permitted to sleep in our houses, indeed, they never entered them in France; and that, just as soon as we could close our doors, they would not again be [29] opened to them. He then sent his whole party, all the young people, to cabins in the neighborhood of Kebec, where they were told that some arquebusiers would be sent to protect them. As to himself, having been invited by the Captain of the Savages to accept his cabin until the fright should have passed away, he answered that, if he had to die, he wanted to die near us; and, having thus placed his people in security, he returned to us.

Ce mesme iour Pierre Pastedechouan nous vint voir pour demeurer auec nous. Ie ne puis obmettre icy vn trait fort particulier de l'admirable bonté & prouidence de Dieu en nostre endroit. Ce ieune108homme a esté conduit en Frãce en son bas âge par les RR. Peres Recolets, il a esté baptisé à Angers Monsieur le Prince de Guimenée estoit sõ parrain, il parle fort biẽ Francois, & fort bon Sauuage, [30] ayant esté ramené en son pays on le remit entre les mains de ses freres pour reprendre les idées de sa langue qu'il auoit presque oubliées: ce pauure miserable est deuenu barbare comme les autres, & a tousiours continué dans ses barbaries pendant que les Anglois ont icy seiourné. Sçachant le retour de François, il vient voir le sieur Emery de Caën à Tadoussac, qui l'inuita de monter à Kebec, ce qu'il fit. Il le vouloit prendre pour son truchement, le faisant manger à sa table, luy témoignant vn fort bon visage. Moy cependant comme ie desirois grandement d'entrer dans la cognoissance de la langue, & voyant que ie n'auançois riẽ faute de maistre, ie deliberay de m'addresser à Dieu, esperant que nous aurions ce ieune homme pour quelque temps: nous nous mismes tous a solliciter cette affaire auprés de nostre Seigneur, ie sentois [31] vn si grand desir, ioinct auec vne si grande confiãce, qu'il me sembloit que nous l'auions desia contre toutes les apparences humaines: car comme on se vouloit seruir de luy au fort, on le traittoit fauorablement, veu d'ailleurs que ne respirant que la liberté, il abhorrait plustost nostre maison, qu'il ne l'aimoit. Dieu est plus fort que tous les hommes, il n'appartient qu'à luy de tirer le biẽ du mal. Ce pauure ieune homme estant trop à son aise ne s'y peut tenir, il mescontente le sieur de Caën vne & deux fois il est disgracié, & remis en faueur, cependant ie sollicite le sieur de Caën de nous l'enuoyer au cas qu'il ne se pût accommoder au fort, qu'il nous110obligeroit, & feroit du bien à ce pauure abandonné: luy qui nous faisoit l'hõneur que de nous aimer, s'y accorde aisément. Or ce pauure garçon se voiant decheu de l'amitié du sieur de [32] Caën se iette du costé du sieur du Plessis, c'estoit tomber pour luy de fiéure en chaud mal: car le sieur du Plessis cognoissant ses fripponneries, & desirant qu'il demeurast auec nous, le rebuta, luy promettant son amitié au cas qu'il voulust passer quelques mois en nostre maison pour se remettre dans les deuoirs d'vn bon Chrestien. Monsieur de Caën luy témoignoit le mesme: le voila donc exclus du fort. Il ne falloit plus qu'estre abãdonné en quelque façon des Sauuages. Il auoit espousé la fille de Manitougache, elle ayant receu quelque mescontentement de luy, le quitta là, ce sont les mariages des Sauuages, qui ne se lient que par vn lacs courant, il faut peu de chose pour les separer, si ce n'est qu'ils ayent des enfans, car alors ils ne se quittent pas si aisement.

On this same day, Pierre Pastedechouan came33to make his home with us. I cannot omit here an incident especially exhibiting the admirable kindness and providence of God in our behalf. This youngman had been taken to France in his childhood by the Reverend Recolet Fathers. He had been baptized at Angers, Monsieur the Prince of Guimenée being his godfather. He speaks French and the Savage Tongue very well. [30] Having been brought back to his country, he was again placed in the hands of his brothers, to recover the use of his own language, which he had almost forgotten. This poor wretch has become a barbarian like the others, and persistently followed barbaric customs while the English were here. Hearing of the return of the French, he visited sieur Emery de Caën, at Tadoussac, who invited him to go to Kebec, which he did. He intended to take him for his interpreter, having him eat at his table, and treating him kindly. Meanwhile, I desired to obtain a greater knowledge of the language; and seeing that I made no progress, for want of a teacher, I had been thinking for some time of asking God, hoping that we should have this young man with us for a while. We all began to pray for this favor at the throne of our Lord; I felt [31] so strong a desire, combined with so great confidence, that it seemed to me we had him already, all human appearances to the contrary notwithstanding; for, as they wanted to make use of him at the fort, he was treated very kindly. Besides, while breathing only liberty, he rather abhorred our house than loved it. God is stronger than all men; it belongs only to him to draw good out of evil. This poor young man, being in too easy a position, could not stand his prosperity. He displeased sieur de Caën; once and twice, he was disgraced, and restored to favor. In the meantime, I solicited sieur de Caën to send him to us, in the event that it was notagreeable to him to keep him at the fort; that he would oblige us, and do a service to this poor abandoned creature. He, who honored us with his affection, granted our request readily; now this poor boy, seeing that he has lost the friendship of sieur de [32] Caën, goes over to sieur du Plessis.34This was but going from bad to worse. For sieur du Plessis, knowing his knavish tricks, and desiring that he should live with us, rejected him, promising him his friendship provided that he would spend some months in our house, where he might resume the duties of a good Christian. Monsieur de Caën treated him in the same way; behold him thus excluded from the fort. Nothing was lacking but that he should in some way be abandoned by the Savages also. He had married the daughter of Manitougache; she, having become somewhat dissatisfied with him, left him. Such are the nuptial ties of the Savages, who bind themselves by only a loose knot; but little is necessary to separate them, unless they have children, for then they do not leave each other so easily.

Estant donc ainsi rebuté, il se vint ietter entre nos bras qui n'estoient [33] que trop ouuerts pour luy, nous luy procurasmes vn habit de Frãçois, que le valet de chambre du sieur du Plessis luy donna, bref nous luy fismes tout l'accueil qui nous fut possible, rendans mille graces au bon Dieu de ce qu'il luy auoit pleu exaucer nos prieres.

Being thus repulsed, he came and threw himself into our arms, which were only [33] too widely opened for him. We provided him with a suit of French clothes, that a valet de chambre of sieur du Plessis gave him. In short, we gave him as warm a welcome as was possible, returning a thousand thanks to the good God for having answered our prayers.

Ayant donc ceste commodité, ie me mets à trauailler sans cesse, ie fay des coniugaisons, declinaisons, quelque petite syntaxe, vn dictionnaire, auec vne peine incroyable, car il me falloit quelquefois demander vingt questions pour auoir la cognoissance d'vn mot, tant mon maistre peu duit à enseigner varioit. O que ie suis obligé à ceux qui m'enuoierent l'an112passé du Petum. Les Sauuages l'aiment déreglement. A toutes les difficultez que ie rencõtrois, i'en donnois vn bout à mõ maistre pour le rendre plus attentif. Ie [34] ne sçaurois assez rendre graces à Nostre Seigneur de cet heureux rencontre. En tant d'années qu'on a esté en ces païs, on n'a iamais rien pû tirer de l'interprete ou truchement nommé Marsolet, qui pour excusé disoit qu'il auoit iuré qu'il ne donneroit rien du lãgage des Sauuages à qui que ce fût. Le Pere Charles Lallemant le gagna, ie pense auoir ce qu'il luy bailla, mais cela ne m'eut de rien seruy, l'œconomie de la langue toute differente de celles d'Europe n'est point declarée là dedans. Que Dieu soit beny pour vn iamais, sa prouidence est adorable, & sa bonté n'a point de limites.

Now, having gained this advantage, I begin to work incessantly. I make conjugations, declensions and some little syntax, and a dictionary,24with incredible trouble, for I was compelled sometimes to ask twenty questions to understand one word, so changeable was my master's way of teaching. Oh,how grateful I am to those who sent me some Tobacco last year. The Savages love it to madness. Whenever we came to a difficulty, I gave my master a piece of tobacco, to make him more attentive. I [34] never can thank our Lord enough for this fortunate circumstance. In all the years that we have been in this country no one has ever been able to learn anything from the interpreter named Marsolet,35who, for excuse, said he had sworn that he would never teach the Savage tongue to any one whomsoever. Father Charles Lallemant won him, and I think I have acquired what he learned from him, but I could not make use of it at all; the construction of the language, entirely different from that of the European languages, is not declared therein. May God be praised forever; his providence is adorable, and his goodness unbounded.

Il m'a fallu auant que de sçauoir vne langue faire des liures pour l'apprendre, & quoy que ie ne les tienne pas si corrects, si est-ce que maintenant de l'heure que ie parle, quand ie compose quelque chose, ie me fay bien entendre aux Sauuages; le tout [35] gist à composer souuent, à apprendre quantité de mots, à me faire à leur accent, & mes occupations ne me le permettent pas: ie pensois m'en aller cét hyuer prochain auec eux dans les bois, mais ie preuoy qu'il me sera impossible, lié comme ie suis: si mon maistre ne m'eust point quitté, dans peu de mois i'aurois bien auancé.

Back to Index Next