Chapter 14

"In the fourth place, what are these poor souls hunting during the night?" "They hunt for the souls of Beavers, Porcupines, Moose, and other animals, using the soul of the snowshoes to walk upon the soul of the snow, which is in yonder country; in short, they make use of the souls of all things, as we here use the things themselves." "Now, when they have killed the soul of a Beaver, or of another animal, does that soul die entirely, or has it another soul which goes to some [62] other village?" My sorcerer was nonplused by this question; and as he is quick-witted, he dodged the question, seeing that he was going to involve himself if he answered me directly; for if he had answered me that the soul would die entirely, I would have told him that when they first killed the animal its soul would have diedat the same time; if he had answered that this soul had a soul which went away into another village, I would have shown him that every animal would have, according to his doctrine, more than twenty, indeed more than a hundred souls, and that the world would have to be full of these villages to which they withdrew, and yet no one had ever seen one of them. Recognizing that he was about to entangle himself, he said to me, "Be silent, thou hast no sense; thou askest things which thou dost not know thyself; if I had ever been in yonder country, I would answer thee."

En fin ie luy dis que les Europeans nauigeoient par tout le monde, ie leur declaray, & leur fis voir par vne figure ronde, quel estoit le pays où le soleil se couche à leur regard, l'asseurant qu'on n'auoit point trouué ce grand village, que tout cela n'étoit que resueries, que les ames des hommes seulement estoiẽt [63] immortelles, & que si elles estoient bõnes, elles s'en alloient au ciel, que si elles estoient meschantes, elles descendoient dans les enfers pour y estre brulées à iamais, & que chacun receuroit selon ses œuures. En cela, dit-il, vous mentez vous autres, d'assigner diuers endroicts pour les ames, elles vont en vn mesme pays, du moins les nostres: car deux ames de nos cõpatriotes sont reuenuë autresfois de ce grand village, & no9ont appris tout ce que ie t'ay dit, puis elles s'en retournerent en leur demeure: ils appellent la voye lactée,Tchipaï mesKenau, le chemin des ames, pource qu'ils pensent que les ames se guindent par cette voye pour aller en ce grand village.

At last, I told them that the Europeans navigated the whole world. I explained to them and made them see by a round figure what country it was where the sun sets according to their idea, assuring them that no one had ever found this great village, that all that was nothing but nonsense; that the souls of men alone were [63] immortal; and, that if they were good, they would go to heaven, and if they were bad they would descend into hell, there to burn forever; and that each one would receive according to his works. "In that," he said, "you lie, you people, in assigning different places for souls,—they go to the same country, at least, ours do; for the souls of two of our countrymen once returned from this great village, and explained to us all that I have told thee, then they returned to their dwelling place." They call the milky way,Tchipaï meskenau, the path of souls, because they think that the souls raise themselves through this way in going to that great village.

Ils ont en outre vne grande croyãce à leurs songes,182s'imaginans que ce qu'ils ont veu en dormant doit arriuer, & qu'ils doiuent executer ce qu'ils ont resué: ce qui est vn grand malheur, car si vn Sauuage songe qu'il mourra s'il ne me tuë, il me mettra à mort à la premiere rencontre à l'escart. Nos Sauuages me demandoiẽt quasi tous les matins, n'as-tu point veu de Castors, ou d'Orignac [64] en dormant: & cõme ils voyoiẽt que ie me mocquois des songes, ils s'estonnoient, & me demandoient à quoy crois-tu donc, si tu ne crois a tes songes? ie crois en celuy qui a tout fait, & qui peut tout; tu n'as point d'esprit, comment peus-tu croire en luy, si tu ne le vois pas? Ie serois trop long de rapporter toutes les badineries sur ces sujects, reuenons à leurs superstitions qui sont sans nombre.

They have, besides, great faith in their dreams, imagining that what they have seen in their sleepmust happen, and that they must execute whatever they have thus imagined. This is a great misfortune, for if a Savage dreams that he will die if he does not kill me, he will take my life the first time he meets me alone. Our Savages ask almost every morning, "Hast thou not seen any Beavers or Moose, [64] while sleeping?" And when they see that I make sport of their dreams, they are astonished and ask me, "What does thou believe then, if thou dost not believe in thy dream?" "I believe in him who has made all things, and who can do all things." "Thou hast no sense, how canst thou believe in him, if thou hast not seen him?" It would take too long to relate all their silly ideas upon these subjects; let us return to their superstitions, which are numberless.

Les Sauuages sont grands chanteurs, ils chantent comme la pluspart des nations de la terre par recreation, & par deuotion; c'est à dire en eux par superstition: Les airs qu'ils chantent par plaisir sont ordinairement graues & pesants, il me semble qu'ils ont par fois quelque chose de gay, notamment les filles: mais pour la pluspart, leurs chansons sont massiues, pour ainsi dire, sombres, & malplaisantes: ils ne sçauent que c'est d'assembler des accorts pour composer vne douce harmonie. Ils proferent peu de paroles en chantant, variants les tons, & non la lettre. I'ay souuent ouy mon Sauuage faire vne longue chanson de ces trois mots Kaie,nir, khigatoutaouim, [65] & tu feras aussi quelque chose pour moy: Ils disent que nous imitons les gazoüillis des oyseaux en nos airs, ce qu'ils n'improuuent pas, prenans plaisir quasi tous tant qu'ils sont à chanter, ou à ouïr chanter, & quoy184que ie leur die que ie n'y entendois rien, ils m'inuitoient souuent à entonner quelque air, ou quelque priere.

The Savages are great singers: they sing, as do most of the nations of the earth, for recreation and for devotion, which, with them, means superstition. The tunes which they sing for pleasure are usually grave and heavy. It seems to me that occasionally they sing something gay, especially the girls, but for the most part, their songs are heavy, so to speak, sombre and unpleasant; they do not know what it is to combine chords to compose a sweet harmony. They use few words in singing, varying the tones, and not the words. I have often heard my Savage make a long song with these three words,Kaie,nir,khigatoutaouim, [65] "And thou wilt also do something for me." They say that we imitate the warbling of birds in our tunes, which they do not disapprove, as they nearly all take pleasure both in singing and in hearing others sing: and although I told them that Idid not understand anything about it, they often invited me to sing some song or prayer.

Pour leurs chãts superstitieux, ils s'en seruent en mille actions, le sorcier & ce viellard, dont i'ay parlé, m'en donnerent la raison: deux Sauuages, disoient ils, estans jadis fort desolés, se voyans à deux doigts de la mort faute de viure, furent aduertis de chanter, & qu'ils seroient secourus; ce qui arriua, car ayans chanté, ils trouuerent à manger: de dire qui leur donna cest aduis, & comment, ils n'en sçauent rien: quoy que s'en soit, depuis ce temps là toute leur religion consiste quasi à chanter, se seruans des mots les plus barbares qu'ils peuuent rencontrer: Voicy vne partie des paroles qu'ils chanterent en vne longue superstition qui dura plus de quatre heures,Aiasé manitou, aiasé manitou, aiasé manitou, ahiham, hehinham,[67 i.e., 66]hanhan, heninakhé hosé heninaKhé, enigouano bahano anihé ouibini naninaouai nanahouai nanahouai aouihé ahahé aouihé: Pour conclusion,ho! ho! ho!Ie demanday que vouloient dire ces parolles, pas vn ne m'en peut donner l'interpretation: car il est vray que pas vn d'eux n'entend ce qu'il chante, sinon dans leurs airs, qu'ils chantent pour se recréer.

As for their superstitious songs, they use them for a thousand purposes, for which the sorcerer and that old man, of whom I have spoken, have given me the reason. Two Savages, they told me, being once in great distress, seeing themselves within two finger-lengths of death for want of food, were advised to sing, and they would be relieved; and so it happened, for when they had sung, they found something to eat. As to who gave them this advice, and how it was given, they know nothing; however, since that time all their religion consists mainly in singing, using the most barbarous words that come into their minds. The following are some of the words that they sang in a long superstitious rite which lasted more than four hours:Aiasé manitou, aisé manitou, aiasé manitou, ahiham, hehinham,[67 i.e., 66]hanhan, heninakhé hosé heninakhé, enigouano bahano anihé ouibini naninaouai nanahouai nanahouai aouihé ahahé aouihé; concluding withho! ho! ho!I asked what these words meant, but not one could interpret them to me; for it is true that not one of them understands what he is singing, except in the tunes which they sing for recreation.

Ils joignent leurs tambours à leurs chants, ie demanday l'origine de ce tambour, le veillard me dit, que peut estre quelqu'vn auoit eu en songe qu'il estoit bon de s'en seruir, & que de là l'vsage s'en estoit ensuiuy. Ie croirois plustost qu'ils auroient tiré cette superstition des peuples voisins, car on me dit (ie ne sçay s'il est vraiy) qu'ils imitent fort les Canadiens qui habitent vers Gaspé, peuple encore plus superstitieux que celuy-cy.

They accompany their songs with drums. I asked the origin of this drum, and the old man told me that perhaps some one had dreamed that it was a good thing to have, and thus it had come into use. I thought it most probable they had derived this superstition from the neighboring tribes; for I am told (I do not know how true it is) they imitate to a great degree the Canadians who live toward Gaspé, a tribe still more superstitious than those of this country.

Au reste, ce tambour est de la grandeur d'vn tambour186de basque, il est composé d'vn cercle large de trois ou quatres doigts, & de deux peaux roidement estenduës de part & d'autre: ils mettent dedans des petites pierres ou [68 i.e., 67] petits callious pour faire plus de bruit: le diametre des plus grands tambours est de deux palmes ou enuiron, ils le nommentchichigouan, & le verbenipigahiman, signifie ie fais ioüer ce tambour: ils ne se battent pas comme font nos Europeans: mais ils le tournent & remuent, pour faire bruire les caillous qui sont dedans, ils en frappent le terre, tantost du bord, tantost quasi du plat, pendant que le sorcier fait mille singeries auec cest instrument. Souuent les assistans ont des batons en mains, frappant tous ensemble sur des bois, ou manches de haches qu'ils ont deuant eux, ou sur leursouragans, c'est à dire, sur leurs plats d'escorce renuersés: Auec ces tintamarres, ils ioignent leurs chants & leurs cris, ie dirois volontiers leurs hurlements, tant ils s'efforcent par fois, ie vous laisse à penser la belle musique: ce miserable sorcier auec lequel mon hoste, & le renegat, m'ont fait hiuerner contre leurs promesses, m'a pensé faire perdre la teste auec ses tintamarres: car tous les iours à l'entrée de la nuict, & bien souuent sur la minuict, d'autrefois [68] sur le iour il faisoit l'enragé. I'ay esté vn assez long temps malade parmy eux, mais quoy que ie le priasse de se moderer, de me donner vn peu de repos, il en faisoit encore pis, esperant trouuer sa guerison dans ces bruits qui augmentoient mon mal.

As to this drum, it is the size of a tambourine, and is composed of a circle three or four finger-lengths in diameter, and of two skins stretched tightly over it on both sides; they put inside some little pebbles or [68 i.e., 67] stones, in order to make more noise; the diameter of the largest drums is of the size of two palms or thereabout; they call itchichigouan, and the verbnipagahimanmeans, "I make this drum sound." They do not strike it, as do our Europeans; but they turn and shake it, to make the stones rattle inside; they strike it upon the ground, sometimes its edge and sometimes its face, while the sorcerer plays a thousand apish tricks with this instrument. Often the spectators have sticks in their hands and all strike at once upon pieces of wood, or upon hatchet handles which they have before them, or upon theirouragans; that is to say, upon their bark plates turned upside down. To this din they add their songs and their cries, I might indeed say their howls, so much do they exert themselves at times; I leave you to imagine this beautiful music. This miserable sorcerer with whom my host and the renegade made me pass the winter, contrary to their promise, almost made me lose my head with his uproar; for every day,—toward nightfall, and very often toward midnight, at other times [68] during the day,—he acted like a madman. For quite a long time I was sick among them, and although I begged him to moderate a little and to give me some rest, he acted still worse, hoping to find his cure in these noises which only made me worse.

Ils se seruent de ces chants, de ce tambour, & de ces bruits, ou tintamarres en leurs maladies, ie le declaray assez amplement l'an passé, mais depuis ce temps là, i'ay veu tant faire de sottises, de niaiseries,188de badineries, de bruits, de tintamarres à ce malheureux sorcier pour se pouuoir guerir, que ie me lasserois d'escrire & ennuierois vostre reuerence, si ie luy voulois faire lire la dixiesme partie de ce qui m'a souuent lassé, quasi iusques au dernier poinct. Par fois cest homme entroit comme en furie, chantant, criant hurlant, faisant bruire son tambour de toutes ses forces: cependant les autres hurloient comme luy, & faisoient vn tintamarre horrible auec leurs bastõs, frappans sur ce qui estoit deuant eux: ils faisoient danser des ieunes enfans, puis des filles, puis des femmes; il baissoit [69] la teste, souffloit sur son tambour: puis vers le feu, il siffloit comme vn serpent, il ramenoit son tambour soubs son menton, l'agitant & le tournoyant: il en frappoit la terre de toutes ses forces, puis le tournoyoit sur son estomach: il se fermoit la bouche auec vne main renuersée, & de l'autre, vous eussiez dit qu'il vouloit mettre en pieces ce tambour, tant il en frappoit rudement la terre: il s'agitoit, il se tournoit de part & d'autre, faisoit quelques tours à l'entour du feu, sortoit hors la cabane, tousiours hurlant & bruyant: il se mettoit en mille postures; & tout cela pour se guerir. Voila comme ils traictent les malades. I'ay quelque croyance qu'ils veulent coniurer la maladie, ou espouuanter la femme du Manitou, qu'ils tiennent pour le principe & la cause de tous les maux, comme i'ay remarqué cy dessus.

They make use of these songs, of this drum, and of this noise or uproar, in their sicknesses. I explainedit quite fully last year; but since that time I have seen so much foolishness, nonsense, absurdity, noise, and din made by this wretched sorcerer in order to cure himself, that I should become weary in writing and would tire your reverence, if I should try to make you read the tenth part of what has often wearied me almost beyond endurance. Occasionally this man would enter as if in a fury, singing, crying and howling, making his drum rattle with all his might; while the others howled as loudly as he, and made a horrible din with their sticks, striking upon whatever was before them; they made the little children dance, then the girls, then the women; he lowered [69] his head and blew upon his drum, then blew toward the fire; he hissed like a serpent, drew his drum under his chin, shaking and turning it about; he struck the ground with it with all his might, then turned it upon his stomach; he closed his mouth with the back of one hand, and then with the other; you would have said that he wanted to break the drum to pieces, he struck it so hard upon the ground; he shook it, he turned it from one side to the other, and, running around the fire several times, he went out of the cabin, continuing to howl and bellow; he struck a thousand attitudes, and all this was done to cure himself. This is the way they treat their sick. I am inclined to think that they wish to conjure the disease, or to frighten the wife of Manitou, whom they hold as the origin and cause of all evils, as I have said above.

Ils chantent encore & font ces bruits en leurs sueries, ils croiroient que cette medecine, qui est la meilleure de toutes, celles qu'ils ont, ne leur seruiroit de rien, s'ils ne chantoient en suant: Ils plantent des bastons en terre faisants [60 i.e., 70] vne espece de190petit tabernacle fort bas: car vn grand homme estant assis là dedans, toucheroit de sa teste le hault de ce todis, qu'ils entourent & couurent de peaux, de robes, de couuertures: Ils mettent dans ce four quantité de grosses pierres qu'il[s] ont faict chauffer, & rougir dans vn bon feu, puis se glissent tous nuds dans ces estuues, les femmes suent par fois aussi bien que les hommes: d'autrefois ils suent tous ensemble, hommes, & femme pesle & mesle: ils chantent, ils crient, ils hurlent dans ce four, ils haranguent: par fois le sorcier y bat son tambour. Ie l'escoutois vne fois comme il faisoit du prophete là dedans, s'escriant qu'il voyoit des Orignaux, que mon hoste son frere en tueroit, ie ne peus me tenir que ie ne luy disse, ou plustost à ceux qui estoient presens, & qui luy prestoient l'oreille comme à vn oracle, qu'il estoit bien croyable qu'on trouueroit quelque masle, puisque on auoit desia trouué & tué deux femelles, luy cognoissant où ie visois, me dit en grondant, il est [61 i.e., 71] croyable que cette robe noire n'a point d'esprit: Ils sont tellement religieux en ces crieries, & autres niaiseries, que s'ils font sueries pour se guerir, ou pour auoir bonne chasse, ou pour auoir beau temps, rien ne se feroit s'ils ne chantoient, & s'ils ne gardoient ces superstitions. I'ay remarqué que quand les hommes suent, ils ne se veulent point seruir des robes des femmes pour entourer leur sueries, s'ils en peuuent auoir d'autres: bref quand ils ont crié trois heures ou enuiron dans ces estuues, ils en sortent tous mouillés & trempés de leur sueur.

They sing and make these noises also in their sweating operations. They believe that this medicine, which is the best of all they have, would be of no use whatever to them if they did not sing duringthe sweat. They plant some sticks in the ground, making [60 i.e., 70] a sort of low tent, for, if a tall man were seated therein, his head would touch the top of this hut, which they enclose and cover with skins, robes, and blankets. They put in this dark room a number of heavy stones which they have had heated and made red-hot in a good fire, then they slip entirely naked into these sweat boxes. The women occasionally sweat as well as the men. Sometimes they sweat all together, men and women, pellmell. They sing, cry and groan in this oven, and make speeches: occasionally the sorcerer beats his drum there. I heard him once acting the prophet therein, crying out that he saw Moose; that my host, his brother, would kill some. I could not refrain from telling him, or rather those who were present and listened to him as if to an oracle, that it was indeed quite probable that they would find a male, since they had already found and killed two females. When he understood what I was driving at, he said to me sharply, "Believe [61 i.e., 71] me, this black robe has no sense." They are so superstitious in these uproars and in their other nonsense, that if they have sweats in order to cure themselves, or to have a good hunt, or to have fine weather, [they think] nothing would be accomplished if they did not sing, and if they did not observe these superstitions. I have noticed that, when the men sweat, they do not like to use women's robes with which to enclose their sweat boxes, if they can have any others. In short, when they have shouted for three hours or thereabout in these stoves, they emerge completely wet and covered with their sweat.

Ils chantent encore & battent le tambour en leur festins, comme ie declareray au chapitre de leurs banquets:192ie leur ay veu faire le mesme en leurs conseils, y entremeslant d'autres iongleries: Pour moy ie me doute que le sorcier en inuente tous les iours de nouuelles pour tenir son monde en haleine: & pour se rendre recommandable: ie luy vis vn certain iour prẽdre vne espée, la mettre la pointe en bas, le manche en hault (car leurs espées [72] sont emmanchées à vn long baston) il mit vne hache proche de cette espée, se leu[a] debout, fit ioüer son tambour, chanta hurla à son accoustumée, il fit quelques mines de dancer, tourna à l'entour du feu: puis se cachant, il tira vn bonnet de nuict, dans lequel il y auoit vne pierre à esguiser, il la met dans vne cullier de bois, qu'on essuya exprés pour cest effect, il fit allumer vn flambeau d'escorce, puis donna de main en main le flambeau, la cueiller, & la pierre, qui estoit marquée de quelques raies, la regardans tous les vns apres les autres, philosophant à mon aduis sur cette pierre, touchant leur chasse, qui estoit le subiect de leur conseil ou assemblée.

They also sing and beat drums in their feasts, as Ishall explain in the chapter upon their banquets. I have seen them do the same thing in their councils, mingling therein other juggleries. For my part, I suspect that the sorcerer invents every day some new contrivance to keep his people in a state of agitation, and to make himself popular. One day I saw him take a javelin and turn the point down and the handle up (for their javelins [72] have a long stick for a handle); he placed a hatchet near this javelin, stood up, pounded on his drum, uttered his usual howls, pretended to dance, and walked around the fire. Then, concealing himself, he drew out a nightcap, in which there was a whetstone which he placed in a spoon made of wood, which had been wiped expressly for this purpose; then he lighted a bark torch, and passed from hand to hand the torch, the spoon, and the stone, which was marked with stripes,—all examining it attentively, one after the other, and philosophizing, as it seemed to me, over this stone, in regard to their chase, which was the subject of their council or assembly.

Ces pauures ignorants chantent aussi dans leurs peines, dans leurs difficultez, dans leurs perils & dangers: pendant le temps de nostre famine, ie n'entendois par ces cabanes, notãment la nuict, que chants, que cris, battements de tambours, & autres bruits: & demandant ce que c'estoit, mes gens me disoient qu'ils faisoient [73] cela pour auoir bonne chasse, & pour trouuer à manger, leurs chants & leurs tambours passent encore dans les sortileges que font les sorciers.

These poor wretches sing also in their sufferings, in their difficulties, in their perils and dangers. During the time of our famine, I heard nothing throughout these cabins, especially at night, except songs, cries, beating of drums and other noises; when I asked what this meant, my people told me that they did [73] it in order to have a good chase, and to find something to eat. Their songs and their drums also play a part in the witchcraft of the sorcerers.

Il faut que ie couche icy, ce que ie leurs vis faire le douxiesme Feurier, comme ie recitois mes heures sur le soir, le sorcier se mit à parler de moyaïamtheou, il fait ses prieres, dit-il: puis prononçant quelques194paroles, que ie n'entendis pas, il adioustaNiganipahau; ie le tueray aussi tost: la pensée me vint qu'il parloit de moy, veu qu'il me haïssoit pour plusieurs raisons, comme ie diray en son lieu: mais notamment pource ce que ie taschois de faire veoir que tout ce qu'il faisoit n'estoit que badinerie & puerilité: Sur cette pensée qu'il me vouloit oster la vie, mon hoste me va dire, n'as tu point de poudre qui tuë les hommes? pourquoy, luy dis-ie, ie veux tuer quelqu'vn, me respond il? ie vous laisse à penser si i'acheuay mon office sans distraction, veu que ie sçauois fort bien qu'ils n'auoient garde de faire mourir aucun de leurs gens, & que le sorcier m'auoit menacé de mort [74] quelques iours auparauant, quoy qu'en riant, me dit il apres: mais ie ne m'y fiois pas beaucoup, voyant donc ces gens en action, ie r'entre dans moy-mesme, suppliant nostre Seigneur de m'assister, & de prendre ma vie au moment & en la façon, qu'il luy plairoit: neantmoins pour me mieux disposer à ce sacrifice, ie voulus voir s'ils pensoient en moy, ie leur demanday donc où estoit l'homme qu'ils vouloient faire mourir, ils me repartent qu'il estoit vers Gaspé à plus de cens lieuës de nous. Ie me mis à rire, car en verité ie n'eusse iamais pensé qu'ils eussent entrepris de tuer vn homme de cens lieuës loin. Ie m'enquis pourquoy ils luy vouloient oster la vie. On me respondit que cest homme estoit vn sorcier Canadien, lequel ayant eu quelque prise auec le nostre, l'auoit menacé de mort, & luy auoit donné la maladie, qui le trauailloit depuis vn long temps, & qui l'alloit estouffer dans deux iours, s'il ne preuenoit le coup par son art: ie leurs dis que Dieu auoit deffendu de tuer, & que nous autres, ne faisions mourir personne: cela196n'empescha point [75] qu'ils ne poursuiuissent leur pointe. Mon hoste preuoiant le grand bruit qui se deuoit faire, me dit, tu auras mal à la teste, va-t en en l'autre cabane voisine: non, dit le sorcier, il n'y a point de mal qu'il nous voye faire. On fit sortir tous les enfans & toutes les femmes, horsmis vne qui s'assit aupres du sorcier: Ie demeuray donc spectateur de leurs mysteres, auec tous les Sauuages des autres cabanes qu'on fit venir: Estans tous assis, voicy vn ieune homme qui apporte deux paux ou pieux fort pointus, mon hoste prepare le sort composé de petits bois formez en langue de serpẽt des deux costez, de fers de flesches, de morceaux de cousteaux rompus, d'vn fer replié comme vn gros hameçon, & d'autres choses semblables, on enuelopa tout cela dans vn morceau de cuir: Cela fait, le sorcier prend son tambour, tous se mettent à chanter & hurler, & faire le tintamarre que i'ay remarqué cy dessus: apres quelques chansons, la femme qui estoit demeurée se leue, & tourne tout à l'entour de la cabane par dedans, passant par deriere le [76] dos de tous tant que nous estions. S'estant rassisse, le magicien prend ces deux pieux, puis designant certain endroit, commence à dire; voila sa teste (ie crois qu'il entendoit de l'homme qu'il vouloit tuer) puis de toutes ces forces, il plante ces pieux en terre, les faisant regarder vers l'endroict, où il croioit qu'estoit ce Canadien. Là dessus mon hoste va ayder son frere, il fait vne assez grande fosse en terre auec ces pieux: cependant les chants & autres bruits continuoient incessemment. La fosse faite, les pieux plantez, le valet du sorcier, i'entens l'Apostat, va querir vne espée, & le sorcier en frappe l'vn de ces paux, puis descend dans la fosse, tenant la198posture d'vn homme animé qui tire de grands coups d'espée & de poignard; car il auoit l'vn & l'autre dans cette action d'homme furieux & enragé. Le sorcier prend le sort enuelopé de peau, le met dans la fosse, & redouble les coups d'espée à mesme temps qu'on redoubloit le tintamarre.

I must set down here what I saw them do on the twelfth of February. As I was reciting my hours, toward evening, the sorcerer began to talk aboutme:aiamtheou, "He is making his prayers;" then, pronouncing some words which I did not understand, he added:Niganipahau, "I will kill him at once." The thought occurred to me that he was speaking of me, seeing that he hated me for several reasons, as I shall state in the proper place; but especially because I tried to show that all he did was mere nonsense and child's play. Just as I was thinking that he wanted to take my life, my host said to me, "Hast thou not some powder that kills men?" "Why?" I asked. "I want to kill some one," he answered me. I leave you to imagine whether I finished my prayers without any distraction; for I knew very well that they were disinclined to kill any of their own people, and that the sorcerer had threatened me with death [74] some days before,—although only in jest, as he told me afterward; but I did not have much confidence in him. Now seeing these people bustling about, I retired within myself, supplicating our Lord to help me, and to take my life at the moment and in whatever manner would be pleasing to him. Nevertheless, to better prepare myself for this sacrifice, I wished to learn if they had me in mind, and so I asked them where the man was that they wished to kill; they answered me that he was in the neighborhood of Gaspé, more than a hundred leagues away from us. I began to laugh, for in truth I had never dreamed that they would undertake to kill a man a hundred leagues away. I inquired why they wished to take his life. They answered that this man was a Canadian sorcerer, who, having had some trouble with ours, had threatened him with death and had given him the disease from which he had suffered so long,and which was going to consume him in two days, if he did not prevent the stroke by his art. I told them that God had forbidden murder, and that we never killed people; that did not prevent them [75] from pursuing their purpose. My host, foreseeing the great commotion which was about to take place, said to me, "Thou wilt have the headache; go off into one of the other cabins near by." "No," said the sorcerer, "there will be no harm in his seeing what we do." They had all the children and women go out, except one who sat near the sorcerer; I remained as a spectator of their mysteries, with all the Savages of the other cabins, who were summoned. All being seated, a young man comes bearing two pickets, or very sharply-pointed sticks; my host prepares the charm, composed of little pieces of wood shaped at both ends like a serpent's tongue, iron arrow-points, pieces of broken knives, bits of iron bent like a big fishhook, and other similar things; all these are wrapped in a piece of leather. When this is done, the sorcerer takes his drum, all begin to chant and howl, and to make the uproar of which I spoke above; after a few songs, the woman who had remained arises, and goes all around the inside of the cabin, passing behind the [76] backs of the people who are there. When she is reseated, the magician takes these two stakes; then, pointing out a certain place, begins by saying, "Here is his head," (I believe he meant the head of the man whom he wished to kill); then with all his might he drives these stakes into the ground, inclining them toward the place where he believed this Canadian was. Thereupon my host comes to assist his brother; he makes a tolerably deep ditch in the ground with these stakes;meanwhile the songs and other noises continue incessantly. The ditch made and the stakes planted, the servant of the sorcerer, I mean the Apostate, goes in search of a sword, and the sorcerer strikes with it one of these pickets; then he descends into the ditch, assuming the posture of an excited man who is striking heavy blows with the sword and poniard; for he has both, in this act of a furious and enraged man. The sorcerer takes the charm wrapped in skin, puts it in the ditch, and redoubles his sword-cuts at the same time that they increase the uproar.

En fin ce mystere cessa, il retire l'espée & le poignard tout ensanglanté, les iette deuant les autres Sauuages; on recouure [77] viste la fosse, & le magicien tout glorieux, dit que son homme est frappé, qu'il mourra bien tost, demande si on n'a point entendu ses cris: tout le monde dit que non, horsmis deux ieunes hommes ses parens, qui disent auoir ouy des plaintes fort sourdes, & comme de loing. O qu'ils le firent aise, se tournant vers moy, il se mit a rire, disant, voyez cette robe noire qui nous vient dire qu'il ne faut tuer personne: Comme ie regardois attentiuement l'espée & le poignard; il me les fit presenter, regarde, dit-il, qu'est cela; c'est du sang, repartis-je, de qui? de quelque Orignac ou d'autre animal, ils se mocquerent de moy, disants que c'estoit du sang de ce Sorcier de Gaspé; comment, dis je, il est à plus de cent lieuës d'icy? il est vray font-ils, mais c'est le Manitou, c'est à dire le Diable, qui apporte son sang pardessous la terre. Or si c'est hõme est vrayement Magicien, ie m'en rapporte, pour moy i'estime qu'il n'est ny Sorcier ny Magicien, mais qu'il le voudroit bien estre: tout ce qu'il faict selon ma pensée n'est que badinerie, [78] pour amuser les Sauuages, il voudroit bien auoir communication auec le Diable ou Manitou, mais ie ne crois pas qu'il en ait: si bien me persuaday-je, qu'il y a eu icy quelque Sorcier, ou quelque Magicien s'il est vray ce200qu'ils disent des maladies & des guerisons, dont ils me parlent: c'est chose estrange, que le Diable qui apparoist sensiblement aux Ameriquains Meridionaux, & qui les bat & les tourmente de telle sorte, qu'ils se voudroient bien deffaire d'vn tel hoste, ne se communique point visiblement ny sensiblement à nos Sauuages, selon ce que ie crois. Ie sçais qu'il y a des personnes d'opinion contraire, croyans aux rapports de ces Barbares, mais quand ie les presse, ils m'aduoüent tous, qu'ils n'ont rien veu de tout ce qu'ils disent, mais seulement qu'ils l'ont oüy dire à d'autres.

Finally, this mystery ends, and he draws out the sword and the poniard all covered with blood, and throws them down before the other Savages; the ditch [77] is hurriedly covered up, and the magician boastfully asserts that his man is struck, that he will soon die, and asks if they have not heard his cries; they all say "no," except two young men, relatives of his, who say they have heard some very dull sounds, and as if far away. Oh, how glad they make him! Turning toward me, he begins to laugh, saying, "See this black robe, who comes here to tell us that we must not kill any one." As I am looking attentively at the sword and the poniard, he has them presented to me. "Look," he says, "what is that?" "It is blood," I answer, "of what? Of some Moose or other animal." They laugh at me, saying that it is the blood of that Sorcerer of Gaspé. "How?" I answer them, "he is more than a hundred leagues away from here." "It is true," they reply, "but it is the Manitou; that is, the Devil, who carries his blood under the earth." Now if this man is really a Magician, I leave you to decide; for my part, I consider that he is neither Sorcerer nor Magician,but that he would like very much to be one. All that he does, according to my opinion, is nothing but nonsense [78] to amuse the Savages. He would like to have communication with the Devil or Manitou, but I do not think that he has. Yet I am persuaded that there has been some Sorcerer or Magician here, if what they tell me is true about diseases and cures which they describe to me; it is a strange thing, in my opinion, that the Devil, who is visible to the South Americans, and who so beats and torments them that they would like to get rid of such a guest, does not communicate himself visibly and sensibly to our Savages. I know that there are persons of contrary opinion, who believe in the reports of these Barbarians; but, when I urge them, they all admit that they have seen nothing of that of which they speak, but that they have only heard it related by others.

Ce n'est pas le mesme des Ameriquains Meridionaux, nos Europeans ont oüy le bruit, la voix & les coups que ruë le Diable sur ces pauures esclaues: & vn François digne de creance, [79] m'a asseuré l'auoir oüy de ses oreilles: surquoy on me rapporte vne chose tres remarquable, c'est que le Diable s'enfuit, & ne frappe point ou cesse de frapper ces miserables, quand vn Catholique entre en leur compagnie, & qu'il ne laisse point de les battre en la presence d'vn Huguenot, d'où vient qu'vn iour se voyans battus en la compagnie d'vn certain François, ils luy dirent, nous nous estonnons que le diable nous batte, toy estant auec nous, veu qu'il n'oseroit le faire quand tes compagnons sont presents. Luy se douta incontinent que cela pouuoit prouenir de sa religion, (car il estoit Caluiniste) s'adressant donc à Dieu, il luy promist de se faire Catholique si le diable cessoit de battre ces pauures peuples en sa presẽce: Le vœu fait, iamais plus aucun Demon ne molesta Amariquain en sa compagnie, d'où vient qu'il se fist Catholique, selon la promesse qu'il en auoit faicte; mais202retournons à nostre discours. I'ay veu deux autrefois faire les mesmes sortileges à nostre Magicien pretendu, & [80] garda toutes les ceremonies susdites, horsmis qu'il changea de sort, car vne fois il se seruit de quatre bastons faits en forme de fuseaux à filer, sinon qu'ils estoient plus gros, & qu'ils auoient comme des dents en certains endroits: Il se seruit encore du bout de la queuë & du pied d'vn Porc épic, & quelques poils d'Orignac, ou de Porc épic, liez ensemble en petit faisseau: l'autrefois il se seruit encore de ces fuseaux, d'vn pied de Porc épic, ou d'vn autre animal, d'os de quelque beste, d'vn fer semblable, & celuy qu'õ attache à vne porte pour la tirer, & de quelques autres badineries: son valet le renegat luy tenant tout cela prest, & battant le tambour pendant que son Maistre estoit occupé dans la fosse. Voila vne partie des actions esquelles se retrouuent leurs chants, leurs cris, hurlemens & tintamarres.

Among the South Americans it is different. Our Europeans have heard the noise, the voice, and the blows that the Devil deals to these poor slaves, and a Frenchman, worthy of belief, [79] has assured me that he heard it with his own ears. In regard to this, a very remarkable thing is reported to me; it is that the Devil takes flight, and does not strike or else ceases to strike these wretches, when a Catholic enters their company, and that he does not cease to strike them in the presence of a Huguenot. From this it happened that, one day, seeing themselves being beaten in the presence of a Frenchman, they said to him, "We are astonished that the devil beats us when thou art with us, seeing that he does not dare to do it when thy companions are here." It suddenly occurred to him that this might come from hisreligion (for he was a Calvinist); so, addressing himself to God, he promised to become a Catholic if the devil ceased beating these poor people in his presence. After this vow was made, never afterward did any Demon molest an American in his company, on account of which he became a Catholic according to his promise. But let us return to our story. I have seen our pretended Magician perform the same witchcraft on two other occasions. [80] He observed all the above mentioned ceremonies, except that he changed the charm, for once he made use of four sticks made in the shape of spindles, except that they were heavier, and that they had something like teeth in certain places. Also he used the end of the tail and the foot of a Porcupine, and some hairs of the Moose and of the Porcupine, bound together in a little sheaf. Another time he used these spindles also, and a foot of the Porcupine or of another animal, the bone of some beast, an iron similar to that which they fasten to a door to pull it open, and some other absurd things. His servant, the renegade, held all these things ready for him, and beat the drum while his Master was occupied in the ditch. These are a part of their actions, among which are mingled their songs, their cries, their howls and uproar.

Leur Religiõ, ou plustost superstitiõ, consiste encore à prier: mais, ô mon Dieu! quelles oraisons font ils? Le matin les petits enfans sortans de la Cabane, s'escrient à pleine teste,Cacouakhi[81]Pakhais Amiscouakhi, Pakhais MousouaKhi, Pakhais: venez Porcs épics, venez Castors, venez Elans, voila toutes leurs prieres.

Their Religion, or rather their superstition, consists besides in praying; but O, my God, what prayers they make! In the morning, when the little children come out from their Cabins, they shout,Cacouakhi,[81]Pakhais Amiscouakhi, Pakhais Mousouakhi, Pakhais, "Come, Porcupines; come, Beavers; come, Elk;" and this is all of their prayers.

Les Sauuages eternuans, & quelquefois mesme en autre temps, disent pendant l'Hiuer, criants tout hautEtouctaian miraouinam an MirouscamiKhi, ie serois bien aise de voir le Printemps.

When the Savages sneeze, and sometimes even atother times, during the Winter, they cry out in a loud voice,Etouctaiau miraouinam an Mirouscamikhi, "I shall be very glad to see the Spring."

D'autrefois ie leur ay oüy demãder le Printemps, ou la deliurance du mauuais, & autres choses semblables; & tout cela se faict par desirs qu'ils expriment, criants tant qu'ils peuuent, ie serois bien aise que ce iour continuast, que le vent se changeast, &c. De204dire à qui ces souhaits s'adressent, ie ne sçaurois, car eux mesmes ne le sçauent pas, du moins ceux à qui ie l'ay demandé ne m'en ont pû instruire.

At other times, I have heard them pray for the Spring, or for deliverance from evils and other similar things; and they express all these things in the form of desires, crying out as loudly as they can, "I would be very glad if this day would continue, if the wind would change," etc. I could not say to whom these wishes are addressed, for they themselves do not know, at least those whom I have asked have not been able to enlighten me.

I'ay remarqué cy-dessus qu'ils prient Le Manitou de ne point ietter les yeux sur leurs ennemis, afin qu'ils les puissent tuer: voila toutes les prieres & oraisons que i'ay oüy faire aux Sauuages, ie ne sçay s'ils en ont d'autres, ie [82] ne le crois pas. O que ie me fentois riche & heureux parmy ces Barbares, d'auoir vn Dieu à qui ie peusse adresser mes souhaits, mes prieres & mes vœux! & qu'ils sont miserables de n'auoir point d'autres desirs, que pour la vie presente! I'oubliois à dire icy, mais ie l'ay couché cy-dessus, qu'ils ont vne Image ou espece de sacrifice, car ils iettent au feu de la gresse qu'ils recueillent sur la chaudiere où cuit la viande, faisants cette prierePapeouekou,Papeouekou, faictes nous trouuer à manger, faictes nous trouuer à manger: ie crois qu'ils adressent cette oraison à leurKhichekouai, & peut-estre encore les autres; voicy vne superstition qui m'a bien ennuyé.

I have remarked above that they pray The Manitou not to cast his eyes upon their enemies, in order that they may be able to kill them. These are all the prayers and orisons which I have heard the Savages make; I do not know whether they have others,—I [82] do not think they have. Oh, how rich and happy I consider myself among these Barbarians, to have a God to whom I can address my desires, my prayers and my vows! And how miserable they are not to have any other desires than for the present life! I was forgetting to say here, although I have mentioned it above, that they have an Imitation or kind of a sacrifice, for they throw upon the fire grease which they skim from the kettle where the meat is cooking, uttering this prayer,Papcouekou, Papcouekou, "make us find something to eat, make us find something to eat." I believe that they address this prayer to theirKhichckouai, and perhaps to others besides. The following is a superstition which greatly annoyed me.

Le vingt-quatriesme de Nouembre, le Sorcier assembla les Sauuages & se retrancha auec des robes & des couuertures en vn quartier de la Cabane; en sorte qu'on ne le pouuoit voir, ny ses compagnons: il s'y trouua vne femme auec eux qui marquoit sur vn baston triangulaire long de demie picque, toutes les chansons qu'ils disoient, ie [83] priay vne femme de me dire ce qu'ils faisoient dans ces retranchemens, elle me respondit qu'ils prioient; mais ie croy qu'elle me fist cette respõse, pour ce que quand ie saisois oraison, eux me demandans ce que ie faisois, ie leurs disois,Nataïamihiau missi caKhichitât, ie prie celuy qui a206tout faict: & ainsi quand ils chantoient, quand ils hurloient, battans leurs tambours & leurs bastons, ils me disoient qu'ils faisoient leurs prieres, sans me pouuoir expliquer à qui ils les addressoient. Le renegat m'a dit que ceste superstition, qui dura plus de cinq heures, se faisoit pour vn mort, mais comme il ment plus souuent qu'il ne dit vray, ie m'en rapporte à ce qui en est: ils appellent cette superstitionOuechibouan, en suitte de ces longues oraisons, le Sorcier donna le patron d'vn petit sac couppé en forme de jambe à vne femme pour en faire vn de cuir, qu'elle remplit à mon aduis de poil de Castor, car ie maniay cette jambe qui me sembla molasse, & pleine d'vn poil assez doux, ie demanday prou ce que c'estoit, [84] & pourquoy on faisoit ce petit sac tortu, mais iamais on ne me le voulut dire. Ie sçeu seulement qu'ils l'appelloientManitoukathi, c'est à dire, jambe du Manitou, ou du Diable; elle fut long temps penduë dans la Cabane au lieu où s'asseoit le Sorcier; depuis on la donna à vn ieune homme pour la porter penduë au col, elle estoit des appartenances de ces longues prieres, que ie viens de cotter, mais ie n'ay peu sçauoir à quel dessein cela se faisoit.

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