CHAPITRE IV.

The third means of making ourselves welcome to these people, would be to erect here a seminary for little boys, and in time one for girls, under the directionof some brave mistress, whom zeal for the glory of God, and a desire for the salvation of these people, will bring over here, with a few Companions animated by the same courage. May it please his divine Majesty to inspire some to so noble an enterprise, and to divest them of any fear that the weakness of their sex might induce in them at the thought of crossing so many seas and of living among Barbarians.

A ce dernier voyage des femmes enceintes sont venuës, & ont aisemẽt surmonté ces difficultez, comme auoient [42] faict d'autres auparauant. Il y a aussi du plaisir d'appriuoiser des ames Sauuages, & les cultiuer pour receuoir la semence du Christianisme. Et puis l'experience nous rend certains, que Dieu qui est bon & puissant enuers tous, au respect neantmoins de ceux qui s'exposent genereusemẽt & souffrent volontiers pour son seruice, il a des caresses assaisonnées de tant de suauitez, & les secoure parmy leurs dangers d'vne si prompte & paternelle assistance, que souuent ils ne sentent point leurs trauaux, ains leurs peines leur tournent à plaisir, & leurs perils à consolation singuliere: Mais ie voudrois tenir icy où nous sommes les enfans des Hurons. Le Pere Brebœuf nous faict esperer que nous en pourrons auoir, s'il entre auec nos Peres dans ces pays bien peuplez, & si on trouue dequoy fonder ce seminaire. La raison pourquoy ie ne voudrois pas prẽdre les enfans du pays dans le pays mesme, mais en vn autre endroict, c'est pour autant que ces Barbares ne peuuent supporter qu'on chastie leurs enfants, non pas mesme de paroles, ne pouuans rien refuser à vn [43] enfant qui pleure, si bien qu'à la moindre fantaisie ils nous les enleueroient deuant qu'ils fussent instruicts; mais si on tient icy les petits Hurõs, ou les enfans des peuples plus esloignez,154il en arriuera plusieurs biens: car nous ne serõs pas importunés ny destournés des peres en l'instruction des enfants; cela obligera ces peuples à bien traitter, ou du moins à ne faire aucun tort aux François qui seront en leur pays. Et en dernier lieu nous obtiendrons, auec la grace de Dieu nostre Seigneur, la fin pour laquelle nous venons en ce pays si esloigné, sçauoir est la conuersion de ces peuples.

In the last voyage there came some women who were pregnant, and they easily surmounted these difficulties, as others had [42] done before them. There is also some pleasure in taming the souls of the Savages, and preparing them to receive the seed of Christianity. And then experience makes us feel certain that God, who shows his goodness and power to all, has, nevertheless, for those who expose themselves freely and suffer willingly in his service, favors seasoned with so much sweetness, and succors them in the midst of their dangers with so prompt and paternal assistance, that often they do not feel their trials, but their pain is turned to pleasure and their perils to a peculiar consolation. But I would like to keep here, where we are, the children of the Hurons. Father Brebœuf leads us to hope that we shall have some, if he goes with our Fathers into those well-peopled countries, and if there is anything with which to found a seminary. The reason why I would not like to take the children of one locality [and teach them] in that locality itself, but rather in some other place, is because these Barbarians cannot bear to have their children punished, nor even scolded, not being able to refuse anything to a [43] crying child. They carry this to such an extent that uponthe slightest pretext they would take them away from us, before they were educated. But if the little Hurons, or the children of more distant tribes, are kept here, a great many advantages will result, for we would not be annoyed and distracted by the fathers while instructing the children; it will also compel these people to show good treatment to the French who are in their country, or at least not to do them any injury. And, lastly, we shall obtain, by the grace of God our Lord, the object for which we came into this distant country; namely, the conversion of these nations.

156CHAPITRE IV.DE LA CREANCE, DES SUPERSTITIONS, & DES ERREURS DES SAUUAGES MONTAGNAIS.I'AY desia mandé, que les Sauuages croyoient qu'vn certain nõmé Atachocam auoit creé le monde, & qu'vn nommé Messou l'auoit reparé. I'ay interrogé là dessus ce fameux Sorcier & ce vieillard, auec lesquelles i'ay passé [44] l'Hyuer, ils m'ont respondu, qu'ils ne sçauoient pas qui estoit le premier Autheur du mõde, que c'estoit peut-estre Atahochã, mais que cela n'estoit pas certain qu'ils ne parloient d'Atahocam, que comme on parle d'vne chose si esloignée, qu'õ n'en peut tirer aucune asseurance, & de fait le mot Nitatahokan en leur lãgue, signifie, ie racõte vne fable, ie dis vn vieux conte fait à plaisir.

156

DE LA CREANCE, DES SUPERSTITIONS, & DES ERREURS DES SAUUAGES MONTAGNAIS.

I'AY desia mandé, que les Sauuages croyoient qu'vn certain nõmé Atachocam auoit creé le monde, & qu'vn nommé Messou l'auoit reparé. I'ay interrogé là dessus ce fameux Sorcier & ce vieillard, auec lesquelles i'ay passé [44] l'Hyuer, ils m'ont respondu, qu'ils ne sçauoient pas qui estoit le premier Autheur du mõde, que c'estoit peut-estre Atahochã, mais que cela n'estoit pas certain qu'ils ne parloient d'Atahocam, que comme on parle d'vne chose si esloignée, qu'õ n'en peut tirer aucune asseurance, & de fait le mot Nitatahokan en leur lãgue, signifie, ie racõte vne fable, ie dis vn vieux conte fait à plaisir.

CHAPTER IV.ON THE BELIEF, SUPERSTITIONS, AND ERRORS OF THE MONTAGNAIS SAVAGES.I HAVE already reported that the Savages believe that a certain one named Atachocam had created the world, and that one named Messou had restored it.16I have questioned upon this subject the famous Sorcerer and the old man with whom I passed [44] the Winter; they answered that they did not know who was the first Author of the world,—that it was perhaps Atahocham, but that was not certain; that they only spoke of Atahocam as one speaks of a thing so far distant that nothing sure can be known about it; and, in fact, the word "Nitatahokan" in their language means, "I relate a fable, I am telling an old story invented for amusement."

ON THE BELIEF, SUPERSTITIONS, AND ERRORS OF THE MONTAGNAIS SAVAGES.

I HAVE already reported that the Savages believe that a certain one named Atachocam had created the world, and that one named Messou had restored it.16I have questioned upon this subject the famous Sorcerer and the old man with whom I passed [44] the Winter; they answered that they did not know who was the first Author of the world,—that it was perhaps Atahocham, but that was not certain; that they only spoke of Atahocam as one speaks of a thing so far distant that nothing sure can be known about it; and, in fact, the word "Nitatahokan" in their language means, "I relate a fable, I am telling an old story invented for amusement."

Pour le Messou, ils tiennent qu'il a reparé le monde qui s'estoit perdu par le deluge d'eau, d'où appert qu'ils ont quelque traditiõ de cette grande inondation vniuerselle qui arriua du temps de Noë, mais ils ont remply cette verité de mille fables impertinentes. Ce Messou allant à la chasse ses loups Ceruiers dont il se seruoit au lieu de chiens, estans entrez dans vn grand lac ils y furent arrestez. Le Messou les cherchant par tout, vn oyseau luy dit qu'il les voyoit au milieu de ce lac, il y entre pour les retirer, mais ce lac venant à se desgorger couurit la terre, & abisma le monde, le Messou bien estõné, enuoya le corbeau chercher vn morceau de terre pour rebastir cet element,158mais il [45] n'en peut trouuer, il fist descendre vne Loutre dãs l'abisme des eauës, elle n'en peut rapporter, enfin il enuoya vn rat musqué, qui en rapporta vn petit morceau, duquel se seruit le Messou, pour refaire cette terre où nous sommes, il tira des flesches aux troncs des arbres, lesquelles se conuertirent en brãches, il fist mille autres merueilles, se vengea de ceux qui auoient arresté ses Loups Ceruiers, épousa vne Ratte musquée, de laquelle il eust des enfans qui ont repeuplé le monde, voila cõme le Messou a tout restably. Ie touchay l'an passé cette fable, mais desirant rassembler tout ce que ie scay de leur creance, i'ay vsé de redittes. Nostre Sauuage racõtoit au Pere Brebœuf que ses compatriotes croyent qu'vn certain Sauuage auoit receu duMessou le don d'immortalité dans vn petit pacquet, auec vne grande recommandation de ne la point ouurir, pendãt qu'il le tint fermé il fust immortel, mais sa femme curieuse & incredule, voulut voir ce qu'il y auoit dans ce present, l'ayant deployé, tout s'enuola, & depuis les Sauuages ont esté sujets à la mort.

As to the Messou, they hold that he restored the world, which was destroyed in the flood; whence it appears that they have some tradition of that great universal deluge which happened in the time of Noë, but they have burdened this truth with a great many irrelevant fables. This Messou went to the chase, and his Lynxes, which he used instead of dogs, having gone into a great lake, were held there. The Messou, seeking them everywhere, was told by a bird that it had seen them in the midst of this lake. He went in, to get them out; but the lake overflowed, covering the earth and swallowing up the world. The Messou, very much astonished, senta raven in search of a little piece of ground, with which to rebuild this element [the earth], but he [45] could not find any; he made an Otter descend into the abyss of waters, but it could not bring back any; at last he sent a muskrat, which brought back a little morsel, and the Messou used this to rebuild this earth which we inhabit. He shot arrows into the trunks of trees, which made themselves into branches; he performed a thousand other wonders, avenged himself upon those who had detained his Lynxes, and married a muskrat, by whom he had children who have repeopled this world. So this is the way in which the Messou restored all things. I touched upon this fable last year, but, desiring to recapitulate all I know about their beliefs, I have repeated many things. Our Savage related to Father Brebœuf that his people believe that a certain Savage had received from Messou the gift of immortality in a little package, with a strict injunction not to open it; while he kept it closed he was immortal, but his wife, being curious and incredulous, wished to see what was inside this present; and having opened it, it all flew away, and since then the Savages have been subject to death.17

[46] Ils disent en outre, que tous les animaux de chaque espece ont vn frere aisné, qui est cõme le principe & cõme l'origine de tous les indiuidus, & ce frere aisné est merueilleusement grand puissãt. L'aisné des Castors, me disoiẽt-ils, est peut-estre aussi gros que nostre Cabane, quoy que ses Cadets (i'entẽds les Castors ordinaires) ne soient pas tout à faict si gros que nos moutons; or ces aisnez de tous les animaux sont les cadets du Messou, le voila bien apparẽté, le braue reparateur de l'Vniuers, est le frere aisné de toutes les bestes. Si quelqu'vn void en dormant l'aisné ou le principe de quelques animaux, il fera160bonne chasse, s'il void l'aisné des Castors, il prẽdra des Castors, s'il void l'aisné des Eslans, il prendra des Eslans, iouyssans des cadets par la faueur de leur aisné qu'ils ont veu en songe. Ie leur demanday où estoient ces freres aisnez, nous n'en sommes pas bien asseurez, me disoient-ils, mais nous pensons que les aisnés des oyseaux sont au ciel, & que les aisnez des autres animaux sont dans les eauës. Ils reconnoissent deux principes des saisons, l'vn [47] s'appelleNipinoukhe, c'est celuy qui ramene le Printemps & l'Esté. Ce nom vient deNipin, qui en leur langue signifie le Printemps. L'autre s'appelle Pipounoukhe du nom de Pipoun, qui signifie l'Hiuer, aussi rameine il la saison froide. Ie leurs demandois si ce Nipinoukhe & Pipounoukhe estoient hõmes ou animaux de quelque autre espece, & en quel endroict ils demeuroient ordinairement; & ils me respondirent qu'ils ne sçauoient pas bien cõme ils estoient faicts, encor qu'ils fussent biẽ asseurez qu'ils estoiẽt viuants; car ils les entendent, disent-ils, parler ou bruire, notãment à leur venuë, sans pouuoir distinguer ce qu'ils disent; pour leur demeure, ils partagent le mõde entre-eux, l'vn se tenant d'vn costé, l'autre de l'autre, & quand le temps de leur station aux deux bouts du mõde, est expiré l'vn passe en la place de l'autre se succedans mutuellement; Voila en partie la fable de Castor & de Pollux. Quand Nipinoukhe reuient, il ramene auec soy la chaleur, les oyseaux, la verdure, il rend la vie & la beauté au mõde, mais Pipounoukhe rauage tout, [48] estant accompagné de vents froids, de glaces, de neiges, & des autres appanages de l'Hiuer; Ils appellent cette succession de l'vn à l'autreAchitescatoueth, c'est à dire ils passent mutuellement à la place l'vn de l'autre.

[46] They also say that all animals, of every species, have an elder brother, who is, as it were, the source and origin of all individuals, and this elder brother is wonderfully great and powerful. The elder of the Beaver, they tell me, is perhaps as large as our Cabin, although his Junior (I mean the ordinary Beaver) is not quite as large as our sheep. Now these elders of all the animals are the juniors of the Messou. Behold him well related, this worthy restorer of the Universe, he is elder brother to allbeasts. If any one, when asleep, sees the elder or progenitor of some animals, he will have a fortunate chase; if he sees the elder of the Beavers, he will take Beavers; if he sees the elder of the Elks, he will take Elks, possessing the juniors through the favor of their senior whom he has seen in the dream. I asked them where these elder brothers were. "We are not sure," they answered me, "but we think the elders of the birds are in the sky, and that the elders of the other animals are in the water." They recognize two progenitors of the seasons; one [47] is calledNipinoukhe, it is this one that brings the Spring and Summer. This name comes fromNipin, which in their language means Springtime. The other is called Pipounoukhe, from the word Pipoun, which means Winter; it therefore brings the cold season. I asked them if this Nipinoukhe and Pipounoukhe were men, or if they were animals of some other species, and in what place they usually dwelt; they replied that they did not know exactly what form they had, but they were quite sure they were living, for they heard them, they said, talking or rustling, especially at their coming, but they could not tell what they were saying. For their dwelling place they share the world between them, the one keeping on one side, the other upon the other; and when the period of their stay at one end of the world has expired, each goes over to the locality of the other, reciprocally succeeding each other. Here we have, in part, the fable of Castor and Pollux. When Nipinoukhe returns, he brings back with him the heat, the birds, the verdure, and restores life and beauty to the world; but Pipounoukhe lays waste everything, [48] being accompanied by the cold winds,ice, snows, and other phenomena of Winter. They call this succession of one to the otherAchitescatoueth; meaning that they pass reciprocally to each others' places.

162De plus, ils croyent qu'il y a certains Genies du jour, ou Genies de l'air, ils les nommentKhichikouaidu motKhichikou, qui veut dire le jour & l'air. Les Genies, ou Khichikouai, connoissent les choses futures, ils voyẽt de fort loing, c'est pourquoy les Sauuages les consultent, non pas tous mais certains iongleurs, qui sçauent mieux bouffonner & amuser ce peuple que les autres. Ie me suis trouué auec eux quand ils consultoient ces beaux Oracles, voicy ce que i'en ay remarqué.

Furthermore, they believe that there are certain Genii of light, or Genii of the air, which they callKhichikouaifrom the wordKhichikou, which means "light" or "the air." The Genii, orKhichikouai, are acquainted with future events, they see very far ahead; this is why the Savages consult them, not all [the savages] but certain jugglers, who know better than the others how to impose upon and amuse these people. I have chanced to be present when they consulted these fine Oracles, and here is what I have observed.

Sur l'entrée de la nuict, deux ou trois jeunes hommes dresserent vn tabernacle au milieu de nostre Cabane, ils plãterent en rond six pieux fort auãt dans terre, & pour les tenir en estat, ils attacherent au haut de ces pieux vn grand cercle, qui les enuironnoit tous; cela fait ils entourerent cet Edifice de Castelognes, laissant le haut du tabernacle [49] ouuuert, c'est tout ce que pourroit faire vn grand homme, d'atteindre de la main au plus haut de cette tour ronde, capable de tenir 5 ou 6 hommes debout. Cette maisõ estãt faite, on esteint entierement les feux de la cabane, iettant dehors les tisons, de peur que la flãme ne donne de l'espouuãte à ces Geniés ou Khichikouai, qui doiuent entrer en ce tabernacle, dans lequel vn ieune iongleur se glissa par le bas, retroussant à cét effect la couuerture qui l'enuirõnoit, puis la rabbattãt quand il fut entré, car il se faut bien donner de garde qu'il n'y ait aucune ouuerture en ce beau palais, sinon par le haut. Le jongleur entré, commença doucement à fremir, comme en se plaignãt, il esbranloit ce tabernacle sans violence au cõmencement, puis s'animant petit à petit, il se mit à siffler d'vne façon sourde, & comme de loin: puis à164parler comme dans vne bouteille, à crier comme vn chat-huant de ce pays-cy, qui me semble auoir la voix plus forte que ceux de France, puis à hurler, chanter, variant de tõ à tous coup, finissant par ces syllabes,ho ho, hi hi, gui gui nioué, & autres [50] semblables cõtrefaisant sa voix en sorte qu'il me sembloit oüir ces marionnettes que quelques bateleurs fõt voir en France: Il parloit tãtost Mõtagnais, tantost Algonquain, retenãt tousiours l'accent Algonquain, qui est gay, cõme le Prouençal. Au commencement, cõme i'ay dit, il agitoit doucement cét edifice, mais cõme il s'alloit tousiours animant, il entra dans vn si furieux enthousiasme, que ie croyois qu'il deust tout briser, esbranlant si fortement, & auec de telles violences sa maison, que ie m'estonnois qu'vn homme eust tant de force: car, comme il eut vne fois cõmencé à l'agiter, il ne cessa point que la consulte ne fust faite, qui dura enuiron trois heures: Comme il changeoit de voix, les Sauuages s'escrioient au commencemẽtmoa, moa, escoute, escoute: puis inuitãs ces Geniés, ils leurs disoiẽt,Pitoukhecou,PitouKhecou, entrez, entrez. D'autrefois cõme s'ils eussent respondu aux hurlements du jongleur, ils tiroient ceste aspiration du fond de la poitrine,ho, ho. I'estois assis comme les autres regardant ce beau mystere auec defence de parler: mais cõme ie ne leur [51] auois point voüé d'obeïssance, ie ne laissois pas de dire vn petit mot à la trauerse: tantost ie les priois d'auoir pitié de ce pauure jongleur, qui se tuoit dans ce tabernacle: d'autrefois ie leur disois qu'ils criassent plus haut & que leurs Geniés estoient endormis.

Towards nightfall, two or three young men erected a tent in the middle of our Cabin; they stuck six poles deep into the ground in the form of a circle, and to hold them in place they fastened to the tops of these poles a large ring, which completely encircled them; this done, they enclosed this Edifice with Castelognes,18leaving the top of the tent [49] open; it is all that a tall man can do to reach to the top of this round tower, capable of holding 5 or 6 men standing upright. This house made, the fires of the cabin are entirely extinguished, and the brands thrown outside, lest the flame frighten away the Genii orKhichikouai, who are to enter this tent; a young juggler slipped in from below, turning back, for this purpose, the covering which enveloped it, then replaced it when he had entered, for they must be very careful that there be no opening in this fine palace except from above. The juggler, having entered, began to moan softly, as if complaining; heshook the tent at first without violence; then becoming animated little by little, he commenced to whistle, in a hollow tone, and as if it came from afar; then to talk as if in a bottle; to cry like the owls of these countries, which it seems to me have stronger voices than those of France; then to howl and sing, constantly varying the tones; ending by these syllables,ho ho, hi hi, gui gui, nioué, and other [50] similar sounds, disguising his voice so that it seemed to me I heard those puppets which showmen exhibit in France. Sometimes he spoke Montagnais, sometimes Algonquain, retaining always the Algonquain intonation, which, like the Provençal, is vivacious. At first, as I have said, he shook this edifice gently; but, as he continued to become more animated, he fell into so violent an ecstasy, that I thought he would break everything to pieces, shaking his house with so much force and violence, that I was astonished at a man having so much strength; for, after he had once begun to shake it, he did not stop until the consultation was over, which lasted about three hours. Whenever he would change his voice, the Savages would at first cry out,moa, moa, "listen, listen;" then, as an invitation to these Genii, they said to them,Pitoukhecou, Pitoukhecou, "enter, enter." At other times, as if they were replying to the howls of the juggler, they drew this aspiration from the depths of their chests,ho, ho. I was seated like the others, looking on at this wonderful mystery, forbidden to speak; but as I [51] had not vowed obedience to them, I did not fail to intrude a little word into the proceedings. Sometimes I begged them to have pity on this poor juggler, who was killing himself in this tent; at other times I toldthem they should cry louder, for the Genii had gone to sleep.

Quelques vns de ces Barbares s'imaginẽt que ce jongleur n'est point là dedans, qu'ils est transporté166sans sçauoir ny ou, ny cõment. D'autres disent que son corps est couché par terre, que son ame est au haut de ce tabernacle, où elle parle au commencement, appellant ces Geniés, & iettant par fois des estincelles de feu. Or pour retourner à nostre consultation, les Sauuages, ayant ouy certaine voix que contrefit le jongleur, pousserẽt vn cris d'allegresse, disants qu'vn de ces Geniés estoit entré: Puis s'addressants à luy, s'escrioient,Tepouachi, tepouachi, appelle, appelle; sçauoir est tes compagnõs; là dessus le jongleur faisant du Geniés, changeant de ton & de voix les appelloit: cependant nostre sorcier qui estoit presẽt prit son tambour, & chantant auec le iongleur qui estoit dans le tabernacle, les autres [52] respondoient: On fit dancer quelques ieunes gens, entr'autres l'Apostat qui n'y vouloit point entendre, mais le sorcier le fit bien obeïr.

Some of these Barbarians imagined that this juggler was not inside, that he had been carried away, without knowing where or how. Others said that his body was lying on the ground, and that his soul was up above the tent, where it spoke at first, calling these Genii, and throwing from time to time sparks of fire. Now to return to our consultation. The Savages having heard a certain voice that the juggler counterfeited, uttered a cry of joy, saying that one of these Genii had entered; then addressing themselves to him, they cried out,Tepouachi, tepouachi, "call, call;" that is, "call thy companions." Thereupon the juggler, pretending to be one of the Genii and changing his tone and his voice, called them. In the meantime our sorcerer, who was present, took his drum, and began to sing with the juggler who was in the tent, and the others [52] answered. Some of the young men were made to dance, among others the Apostate,12who did not wish to hear of it, but the sorcerer made him obey.

En fin apres mille cris & hurlements, apres mille chants, aprés auoir dancé & bien esbranlé ce bel edifice, les Sauuages croyãs que les Geniés ou Kichikouaiestoient entrez, le sorcier les consulta: il leur demanda de sa santé (car il est malade) de celle de sa fẽme qui l'estoit aussi. Ces Geniés, ou plustost le jongleur qui les contrefaisoit, respondit que pour sa fẽme elle estoit desia morte que c'en estoit fait, i'en eusse bien dit autant que luy, car il ne falloit estre ny prophete, ny sorcier pour deuiner cela; d'autãt que la pauure creature auoit la mort entre les dents: pour le sorcier, ils dirẽt qu'il verroit le Printemps. Or cognoissãt sa maladie, qui est vne douleur de reins, ou pour mieux dire, vn appanage de ses lubricitez & paillardises, car il est sale au dernier poinct, ie luy dis voyant qu'il estoit sain d'ailleurs, & qu'il168beuuoit & mangeoit fort biẽ, que non seulement il verroit le printemps, mais encore l'Esté, si quelque autre accident [53] ne luy suruenoit, ie ne me suis pas trompé.

At last, after a thousand cries and howls, after a thousand songs, after having danced and thoroughly shaken this fine edifice, the Savages believing that the Genii orKichikouaihad entered, the sorcerer consulted them. He asked them about his health, (for he is sick), and about that of his wife, who was also sick. These Genii, or rather the juggler who counterfeited them, answered that, as to his wife, she was already dead, that it was all over with her. I could have said as much myself, for one needed not to be a prophet or a sorcerer to guess that, inasmuch as the poor creature was already struck with death; inregard to the sorcerer, they said that he would see the Spring. Now, knowing his disease,—which was a pain in the loins, or rather an infirmity resulting from his licentiousness and excesses, for he is vile to the last degree,—I said to him, seeing that he was otherwise healthy, and that he drank and ate very heartily, that he would not only see the spring but also the Summer, if some other accident [53] did not overtake him, and I was not mistaken.

Apres ces interogations, on demanda à ces beaux oracles s'il y auroit bien tost de la neige, s'il y en auroit beaucoup, s'il y auroit des Eslans ou Orignaux, & en quel endroict ils estoient, ils repartirent ou plutost le iongleur, contrefaisant tousiours sa voix, qu'ils voyoient peu de neige & des orignaux fort loing, sans determiner le lieu, ayãt bien cette prudence de ne se point engager.

After these interrogations, these fine oracles were asked if there would soon be snow, if there would be much of it, if there would be Elks or Moose, and where they could be found. They answered, or rather the juggler, always disguising his voice, that they saw a little snow and some moose far away, without indicating the place, having the prudence not to commit themselves.

Voila comme se passa cette consulte, apres laquelle se voulut arrester le iongleur: mais comme il estoit nuict, il sortit de son tabernacle, & de nostre cabane si vistement, qu'il fust dehors auant quasi que ie m'en apperçeusse. Luy & tous les autres Sauuages qui estoient venus des autres Cabanes à ces beaux mysteres, estans partis, ie demanday à l'Apostat, s'il estoit si simple de croire que ces Geniés entrassent & parlassent dans ce tabernacle, il se mit à iurer sa foy, qu'il a perduë & reniée, que ce n'estoit point le iongleur qu'il parloit, ains ces Khichikouaiou Genies [54] du iour, & mon hoste me dit, entre toy mesme dans le tabernacle, & tu verras que ton corps demeurera en bas, & ton ame montera en hault: I'y voulu entrer, mais comme i'estois seul de mõ party, ie preueu qu'ils m'auroient faict quelque affront, & comme il n'y auoit point de tesmoins, ils se seroient vantez, que i'aurais recogneu & admiré la verité de leurs mysteres.

So this is what took place in this consultation, after which I wished to get hold of the juggler; but, as it was night, he made his exit from the tent and from our little cabin so swiftly, that he was outside almost before I was aware of it. He and all the other Savages, who had come from the other Cabins to these beautiful mysteries, having departed, I asked the Apostate if he was so simple as to believe that the Genii entered and spoke in this tent. He began to swear his belief, which he had lost and denied, that it was not the juggler who spoke, but theseKhichikouaior Genii [54] of the air, and my host said to me, "Enter thou thyself into the tent, and thou wilt see that thy body will remain below, and thy soul will mount on high." I did want to go in; but, as I was the only one of my party, I foresaw that they might commit some outrage upon me, and, as there wereno witnesses there, they would boast that I had recognized and admired the truth of their mysteries.

Or j'auois grande enuie de sçauoir de quelle nature ils faisoient ces Geniés, l'Apostat n'en sçauoit rien.170Le sorcier voyant que i'esuantois ses mines, & que i'improuuois ses niaiseries, ne me le vouloit point enseigner, si bien qu'il fallut que ie me seruisse d'industrie: Ie laissay escouler quelques sepmaines, puis le jettant sur ce discours, ie luy parlois comme admirant sa doctrine, luy disant qu'il auoit tort de m'esconduire, puisque à toutes les questions qu'il me faisoit de nostre croyance, ie luy respõdois ingenument, sans me faire tirer l'oreille: En fin il se laissa gagner à ses propres loüanges, & me descouurit les secrets de l'escole: voicy la fable qu'il me raconta, touchant la nature [55] & l'essence de ces Geniés.

Now I had a great desire to know the nature of these Genii; the Apostate knew nothing about them. The sorcerer, seeing that I was discovering his mines, and that I disapproved of his nonsense, did not wish to explain anything to me, so that I was compelled to make use of my wits. I allowed a few weeks to pass; then, springing this subject upon him, I spoke as if I admired his doctrine, saying to him that it was wrong to refuse me, since to all the questions which he asked me in regard to our belief, I answered him frankly and without showing any reluctance. At last he allowed himself to be won over by this flattery, and revealed to me the secrets of the school. Here is the fable which he recounted to me touching the nature [55] and the character of these Genii.

Deux Sauuages consultans ces Geniés en mesme temps, mais en deux diuers tabernacles, l'vn d'eux, homme tres-meschant, qui auoit tué trois hõmes à coup de haches par trahison, fust mis à mort par les Geniés, lesquels se transportans dans le tabernacle de l'autre Sauuage pour luy oster la vie, aussi bien qu'à son compagnon, ils se trouuerent eux mesmes surpris; car ce iongleur se defendit si bien, qu'il tua l'vn de ces Khichikouai, ou Geniés, & ainsi l'on a sçeu comme ils estoient faicts, car ce Geniés demeura sur la place. Ie luy demanday donc de quelle forme il estoit, il estoit gros comme le poing, me fit-il, son corps est de pierre, & vn peu long; Ie conceu qu'il estoit faict en cone, gros par vn bout, s'allant tousiours appetissant vers l'autre. Ils croiẽt que dans ce corps de pierre il y a de la chair & du sang, car la hache dont ce Genié fust tué resta ensanglantée. Ie m'enquestay s'ils auoient des pieds & des ailes, & m'ayant dict que non, & comment donc, leur fis-ie, peuuent ils entrer ou voler dans ces tabernacles, [56] s'ils n'ont ny pieds ny aisles, le sorcier172se mit à rire, disant pour solution, en verité ceste robe noire n'a point d'esprit, voila comme ils me payent quand ie leurs fais quelque obiectiõ à laquelle ils ne peuuent respondre.

Two Savages having consulted these Genii at the same time, but in two different tents, one of them, a very wicked man who had treacherously killed three men with his hatchet, was put to death by the Genii, who, crossing over into the tent of the other Savage to take his life, as well as that of his companion, were themselves surprised; for this juggler defended himself so well that he killed one of theseKhichikouaior Genii; and thus it was found out how they were made, for this One remained in the place where he was killed. Then I asked him what was his form. "He was as large as the fist," he replied; "his body was of stone, and rather long." I judged that he was cone-shaped, large at one end, and gradually becoming smaller towards the other. They believe that in this stone body there is flesh and blood, forthe hatchet with which this Spirit was killed was bloody. I inquired if they had feet and wings, and was told they had not. "Then how," said I, "can they enter or fly into these tents, [56] if they have neither feet nor wings?" The sorcerer began to laugh, saying in explanation, "In truth, this black robe has no sense." This is the way they pay me back when I offer some objections to something which they cannot answer.

Comme ils faisoient grand cas du feu que iettoit ce iongleur hors de son tabernacle, ie leur dis, nos François en ietteroient mieux que luy, car il ne faisoit voler que des estincelles de quelque bois pourry qu'il porte auec soy, comme ie me persuade, & si i'eusse eu de la resine, ie leur eusse faict sortir des flammes. Ils me contestoient qu'il estoit entré sans feu dans cette maison, mais de bonne fortune, ie luy auois veu donner vn gros charbon ardant qu'il demanda pour petuner.

As they made a great deal of the fire which this juggler threw out of his tent, I told them that our Frenchmen could throw it better than he could; for he only made a few sparks fly from some rotten wood which he carried with him, as I am inclined to think, and if I had had some resin I could have made the flames rise for them. They insisted that he entered this house without fire; but I had happened to see some one give him a red-hot coal which he asked to light his pipe.

Voila leur creance touchant les principes des choses bonnes: Ce qui m'estonne, c'est leurs ingratitudes, car quoy qu'ils croyent que le Messou a reparé le monde, que Nipinoukhé & PipounouKhe rameinent les saisons, que leur KhichiKouai leurs apprẽnent où il y a des Eslans, ou Orignaux, & leurs rendent milles autres bõs offices: si est ce que ie n'ay peu iusques icy recognoistre [57] qu'ils leur rendent aucun honneur: i'ay seulement remarqué que dans leurs festins, ils iettent par fois quelques cuillerées de gresse dãs le feu, prononcant ces parollesPapeouekou, PapeoueKou, faites nous trouuer à manger, faites nous trouuer à manger: ie crois que cette priere s'addresse à ces Genies, ausquels ils presentent cette gresse comme la chose la meilleure qu'ils ayent au monde.

So that is their belief touching the foundations of things good. What astonishes me is their ingratitude; for, although they believe that the Messou has restored the world, that Nipinoukhé and Pipounoukhe bring the seasons, that their Khichikouai teach them where to find Elks or Moose, and render them a thousand other good offices,—yet up to the present I have not been able to learn [57] that they render them the slightest honor. I have only observed that, in their feasts, they occasionally throw a few spoonfuls of grease into the fire, pronouncing these words:Papeouekou, Papeouekou; "Make us find something to eat, make us find something to eat." I believe this prayer is addressed to these Genii, to whom they present this grease as the best thing they have in the world.

Outre ces principes des choses bonnes, ils recognoissent vn Manitou, que nous pouuons appeller le diable, ils le tiennent comme le principe des choses mauuaises, il est vray qu'ils n'attribuent pas grande174malice au Manitou, mais à sa femme, qui est vne vraye diablesse: le mary ne hait point les hommes, il se trouue seulement aux guerres, & aux combats, & ceux qu'il regarde sont à couuert, les autres sont tués: voila pourquoy mon hoste me disoit, qu'il prioit tous les iours ce Manitou de ne point ietter les yeux sur les Hiroquois leurs ennemis, & de leur en donner tousiours quelqu'vn en leurs guerres. Pour la femme du Manitou, elle est [58] cause de toutes les maladies qui sont au mõde, c'est elle qui tuë les hommes, autrement ils ne mouroient pas, elle se repaist de leur chair, les rongeant interieurement, ce qui faict qu'on les voit amaigrir en leurs maladies: elle a vne robe des plus beaux cheueux des hommes & des femmes qu'elle tuë, elle paroist quelquefois comme vn feu, on l'entend bien bruire comme vne flamme, mais on ne sçauroit distinguer son langage: d'icy procedent à mon aduis ces cris & ces hurlemens, & ces batements de tambours qu'ils font alentour de leurs malades, voulans comme empescher cette diablesse de venir dõner le coup de la mort: ce qu'elle faict si subtilement, qu'on ne s'en peut defendre, car on ne la voit pas.

Besides these foundations of things good, they recognize a Manitou, whom we may call the devil. They regard him as the origin of evil; it is true that they do not attribute great malice to the Manitou, but to his wife, who is a real she-devil. The husband does not hate men. He is only present in wars and combats, and those whom he looks upon are protected, the others are killed. So for this reason, my host told me that he prayed this Manitou every day not to cast his eyes upon the Hiroquois, their enemies, and to always give them some of them in their wars. As to the wife of the Manitou, she is [58] the cause of all the diseases which are in the world. It is she who kills men, otherwise they would not die; she feeds upon their flesh, gnawing them upon the inside, which causes them to become emaciated in their illnesses. She has a robe made of the most beautiful hair of the men and women whom she has killed; she sometimes appears like a fire; she can be heard roaring like a flame, but her language cannot be understood. From this, in my opinion, come those cries and howls, and those beatings of the drum which they make around their sick, as if to prevent this she-devil from giving the deathblow, which she does so secretly that no one can defend himself therefrom, for he does not see her.

Deplus, les Sauuages se persuadent que non seulement les hommes & les autres animaux: mais aussi que toutes les autres choses sont animées, & que toutes les ames sont immortelles, ils se figurent les ames comme vn ombre de la chose animée, n'ayans iamais ouy parler d'vne chose purement spirituelle, ils se representent l'ame de l'hõme, [59] comme vne image sombre & noire, où comme vne ombre de l'homme mesme, luy attribuant des pieds, des mains, vne bouche, vne teste, & toutes les autres parties du corps176humain. Voila pourquoy ils disent que les ames boiuent & mangent, aussi leurs dõnent-ils à manger quand quelqu'vn meurt, iettant la meilleure viãde qu'ils ayent dãs le feu, & souuẽt ils m'ont dit qu'ils auoient trouué le matin de la viande rongée la nuict par les ames. Or m'ayans declaré ce bel article de leur croyance, ie leurs fis plusieurs interogations. Premierement, ou alloient ces ames apres la mort de l'homme, & des autres creatures; elles vont, dirent ils, fort loin, en vn grãd village situé où le Soleil se couche: Tout vostre pays, leur dis-je (sçauoir est l'Amerique) est vne grande Isle, comme vous tesmoignez l'auoir appris: comment est ce que les ames des hommes, des animaux, des haches, des cousteaux, des chaudieres; bref les ames de tout ce qui meurt, ou qui s'vse, peuuent passer l'eau pour s'en aller à ce grand village que vous placez où le soleil se couche, trouuent [60] elles des vaisseaux tous prests pour s'embarquer & trauerser les eaux? non pas, mais elle vont à pied, me dirent-ils, passants les eaux à gay en quelque endroict: & le moyen, leur fis-ie, de passer à gay le grand Ocean que vous sçauez estre si profond, car c'est cette grãde mer qui enuironne vostre pays, tu te trompe, respondent-ils, où les terres sont conjointes en quelque endroict, ou bien il y a quelque passage guayable par où passent nos ames: & de faict nous apprenons que l'on n'a peu encore passer du costé du Nord, c'est à cause (leur repartis-ie) des grãds froids qui sont en ces mers, que si vos ames prẽnent cette route elles seront glacées & toutes roides de froid, deuant qu'elles arriuent en leurs villages.

Furthermore, the Savages persuade themselves that not only men and other animals, but also all other things, are endowed with souls, and that all the souls are immortal;17they imagine the souls as shadows of the animate objects; never having heard of anything purely spiritual, they represent the soul of man [59] as a dark and sombre image, or as a shadow of the man himself, attributing to it feet,hands, a mouth, a head, and all the other parts of the human body. Hence this is the reason that they say the souls drink and eat, and therefore they give them food when any one dies, throwing the best meat they have into the fire; and they have often told me that the next morning they find meat which has been gnawed during the night by the souls. Now, having declared to me this fine article of their faith, I propound to them several questions. "First, where do these souls go, after the death of man and other creatures?" "They go," they say, "very far away, to a large village situated where the Sun sets." "All your country," I say to them (meaning America), "is an immense Island, as you seem to know; how is it that the souls of men, of animals, of hatchets, of knives, of kettles,—in short, the souls of all things that die or that are used, can cross the water to go to this great village that you place where the sun sets? do they [60] find ships all ready to embark them and take them over the water?" "No, they go on foot," they answer me, "fording the water in some places." "And how," I respond; "can they ford the great Ocean which you know is so deep, for it is this great sea which surrounds your country?" "Thou art mistaken," they answer; "either the lands are united in some places, or there is some passage which is fordable over which our souls pass; and, indeed, we know that no one has yet been able to pass beyond the North coast." "It is because (I answer them) of the great cold in those seas, so that if your souls take this route they will be frozen and all stiff from cold, before they reach their villages."

Secondement ie leur demande, que mangeoient ces178pauures ames, faisant vn si long chemin, elles mangent des escorces, dirent-ils, & du vieux bois qu'elles trouuent dans les forests, ie ne m'estonne pas, leur respõdis-je, si vous auez si peur de la mort, & si vous la fuiez tant, il n'y a guere de plaisir d'aller manger du vieux bois & des escorces en l'autre vie.

Secondly, I ask them, "What do these poor soulseat, making so long a journey?" "They eat bark," they said, "and old wood which they find in the forests." "I am not astonished," I replied, "that you are so afraid of death, that you shun it so greatly; there is hardly any pleasure in going and eating old wood and bark in another life."

[61] Tiercement. Que font ces ames estant arriuées au lieu de leur demeure? pendant le iour elles sont assises tenans leur deux coudes sur leur deux genoux, & leur testes entre leur deux mains, posture assés ordinaire aux Sauuages malades: pendant la nuict elles vont & viennent, elles trauaillent, elles vont à la chasse, ouy mais, repartis-ie, elles ne voient goutte la nuict, tu es vn ignorant, tu n'as point d'esprit, me firent ils, les ames ne sont pas comme nous, elles ne voyent goutte pendant le iour, & voyent fort clair pendant la nuict, leur iour est dans les tenebres de la nuict, & leur nuict dans la clarte du iour.

[61] Thirdly: "What do these souls do when they arrive at their dwelling place?" "During the daytime, they are seated with their two elbows upon their two knees, and their heads between their two hands, the usual position of sick Savages; during the night, they go and come, they work, they go to the chase." "Oh, but they cannot see at all during the night," I rejoined. "Thou art an ignoramus, thou hast no sense," they answered; "souls are not like us, they do not see at all during the day, and see very clearly at night; their day is in the darkness of the night, and their night in the light of the day."

En quatriesme lieu, à quoy chassent ces pauures ames pendant la nuict? elles chassent aux ames des Castors, des Porcs epics, des Eslans, & des autres animaux, se seruãs de l'ame des raquettes, pour marcher sur l'ame de la neige, qui est en ce pays là: bref elles se seruent des ames de toutes choses, comme nous nous seruõs icy des choses mesmes. Or quant elles ont tué l'ame d'vn Castor, ou d'vn autre animal, ceste ame meurt elle tout a faict, ou bien a elle vne autre ame qui s'en aille en quelque [62] autre village? Mon sorcier demeura court à cette demande; & cõme il a de l'esprit, voyant qu'il s'alloit enferrer s'il me respõdoit directemẽt, il esquiua le180coup: car s'il m'eut dit que l'ame mouroit entierrement, ie luy aurois dit que quand on tuoit premierement l'animal, son ame mouroit à mesme temps: s'il m'eust dit que ceste ame auoit vne ame qui s'en alloit en vn autre village, ie luy eusse fait voir que chaque animal auroit selon sa doctrine plus de vingt, voire plus de cent ames, & que le mõde deuoit estre remply de ces villages où elles se retirent, & que cepẽdãt on n'en voyoit aucun. Cognoissant dõc qu'il s'alloit engager, il me dit, tais toy, tu n'as point d'esprit, tu demande des choses que tu ne sçais pas toy-mesme, si i'auois esté en ces pays-là, ie te respondrois.

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