[21] CHAPITRE II.

274[21] CHAPITRE II.DE LA CONUERSION & DE LA MORT DE QUELQUES SAUUAGES.VINGT-DEVX sauuages ont estÃ© baptisez ceste annÃ©e, si nous auions la cognoissance des langues, ie croy que la foy prendroit de grands accroissemens: nous n'osons encor confier le baptesme qu'Ã ceux que nous voyons en danger de mort, ou Ã des enfans qui nous sont asseurez: Car ne pouuant encore plainement instruire ces Barbares, ils mÃ©priseroÃ®ent bien-tost nos saincts Mysteres, s'ils n'en auoient qu'vne legere cognoissance. Il est bien vray que si ce peuple estoit curieux de sÃ§auoir, comme sont toutes les nations policÃ©es, que quelques-vns [22] d'entre nous ont vne assez grande cognoissance de leur lÃ£gue, pour les instruire: mais comme ils sont profession de viure, & non pas de sÃ§auoir; leur plus grand soucy est de boire & de manger, & non pas de cognoistre. Quand vous leur parlez de nos veritez, ils vous Ã©coutent paisiblement; mais au lieu de vous interroguer sur ce sujet, ils se iettent incontinent sur les moyens de trouuer dequoy viure, monstrans leur estomach tousiours vuide, & tousiours affamÃ©. Que si on sÃ§auoit haranguer comme eux, & qu'on se trouuast en leurs assemblÃ©es, ie croy qu'on y seroit bien puissant, la bontÃ© de Dieu sera tout reussir en son temps: venons Ã nos Neophytes. Le 16. d'Aoust de l'annÃ©e passÃ©e 1634. vn peu apres le depart des vaisseaux, ie baptisay276Ã la mort vn ieune garÃ§on aagÃ© d'enuiron 12. ou 14. ans, les [23] Saunages le nommoientAkhikouch, nous luy auions destinÃ© le nom de DieudonnÃ©. Monsieur du Plessis Bochard General de la flotte l'auoit amenÃ© des trois Riuieres tout malade, & nous l'auoit donnÃ© pour luy sauuer si on pouuoit la vie du corps, & luy donner celle de l'ame: il n'a vescu chez nous que le temps necessaire pour estre sommairement instruit.

274

DE LA CONUERSION & DE LA MORT DE QUELQUES SAUUAGES.

VINGT-DEVX sauuages ont estÃ© baptisez ceste annÃ©e, si nous auions la cognoissance des langues, ie croy que la foy prendroit de grands accroissemens: nous n'osons encor confier le baptesme qu'Ã ceux que nous voyons en danger de mort, ou Ã des enfans qui nous sont asseurez: Car ne pouuant encore plainement instruire ces Barbares, ils mÃ©priseroÃ®ent bien-tost nos saincts Mysteres, s'ils n'en auoient qu'vne legere cognoissance. Il est bien vray que si ce peuple estoit curieux de sÃ§auoir, comme sont toutes les nations policÃ©es, que quelques-vns [22] d'entre nous ont vne assez grande cognoissance de leur lÃ£gue, pour les instruire: mais comme ils sont profession de viure, & non pas de sÃ§auoir; leur plus grand soucy est de boire & de manger, & non pas de cognoistre. Quand vous leur parlez de nos veritez, ils vous Ã©coutent paisiblement; mais au lieu de vous interroguer sur ce sujet, ils se iettent incontinent sur les moyens de trouuer dequoy viure, monstrans leur estomach tousiours vuide, & tousiours affamÃ©. Que si on sÃ§auoit haranguer comme eux, & qu'on se trouuast en leurs assemblÃ©es, ie croy qu'on y seroit bien puissant, la bontÃ© de Dieu sera tout reussir en son temps: venons Ã nos Neophytes. Le 16. d'Aoust de l'annÃ©e passÃ©e 1634. vn peu apres le depart des vaisseaux, ie baptisay276Ã la mort vn ieune garÃ§on aagÃ© d'enuiron 12. ou 14. ans, les [23] Saunages le nommoientAkhikouch, nous luy auions destinÃ© le nom de DieudonnÃ©. Monsieur du Plessis Bochard General de la flotte l'auoit amenÃ© des trois Riuieres tout malade, & nous l'auoit donnÃ© pour luy sauuer si on pouuoit la vie du corps, & luy donner celle de l'ame: il n'a vescu chez nous que le temps necessaire pour estre sommairement instruit.

[21] CHAPTER II.OF THE CONVERSION AND OF THE DEATH OF SOME SAVAGES.TWENTY-TWO savages have been baptized this year. If we were acquainted with the languages, I believe the faith would be widely extended. We dare not yet trust baptism to any except those whom we see in danger of death, or to children who are assured to us; for, not yet being able to fully instruct these Barbarians, they would soon show a contempt for our holy Mysteries, if they had only a slight knowledge of them. It is quite true that, if these people were as desirous of learning as are all civilized nations, some [22] of us have a good enough knowledge of their language to teach them. But as they make living, and not knowledge, their profession, their greatest anxiety is about eating and drinking, and not about learning. When you speak to them of our truths, they listen to you patiently; but instead of asking you about the matter, they at once turn their thoughts to ways of finding something upon which to live, showing their stomachs always empty and always famished. Yet if we could make speeches as they do, and if we were present in their assemblies, I believe we could accomplish much there. The goodness of God will ensure success in all things in his own time; let us turn to our Neophytes. On the 16th of August of last year, 1634, shortly after the departure of our vessels, I baptized,when he was dying, a young boy about 12 or 14 years of age. The [23] Savages called himAkhikouch; we had chosen for him the name DieudonnÃ©. Monsieur du Plessis Bochard, Commandant of the fleet, had brought him to us from the three Rivers, very sick; and had given him to us that we might, if possible, save the life of the body, at the same time giving him that of the soul. He lived with us only long enough to be hastily instructed.

OF THE CONVERSION AND OF THE DEATH OF SOME SAVAGES.

TWENTY-TWO savages have been baptized this year. If we were acquainted with the languages, I believe the faith would be widely extended. We dare not yet trust baptism to any except those whom we see in danger of death, or to children who are assured to us; for, not yet being able to fully instruct these Barbarians, they would soon show a contempt for our holy Mysteries, if they had only a slight knowledge of them. It is quite true that, if these people were as desirous of learning as are all civilized nations, some [22] of us have a good enough knowledge of their language to teach them. But as they make living, and not knowledge, their profession, their greatest anxiety is about eating and drinking, and not about learning. When you speak to them of our truths, they listen to you patiently; but instead of asking you about the matter, they at once turn their thoughts to ways of finding something upon which to live, showing their stomachs always empty and always famished. Yet if we could make speeches as they do, and if we were present in their assemblies, I believe we could accomplish much there. The goodness of God will ensure success in all things in his own time; let us turn to our Neophytes. On the 16th of August of last year, 1634, shortly after the departure of our vessels, I baptized,when he was dying, a young boy about 12 or 14 years of age. The [23] Savages called himAkhikouch; we had chosen for him the name DieudonnÃ©. Monsieur du Plessis Bochard, Commandant of the fleet, had brought him to us from the three Rivers, very sick; and had given him to us that we might, if possible, save the life of the body, at the same time giving him that of the soul. He lived with us only long enough to be hastily instructed.

Le 3. de Nouembre de la mesme annÃ©e, le Pere Charles l'Allemant baptisa vn ieune Sauuage aagÃ© d'enuirÃµ vingt cinq ans, nommÃ© de ceux de sa nationMatchonon, surnommÃ© des FranÃ§ois Martin, il receut le nom de Ioseph en son baptesme. Les iugemens de Dieu sont Ã©pouuantables, ce pauure miserable a fait vne mort horrible. C'est celuy dont ie parle au Chapitre deuxiesme de la Relation de l'an passÃ©, lequel eust volontiers [24] diuerty s'il eust peu le bon FranÃ§ois Sasousmat de receuoir la Foy, & qui disputant certain iour contre le Pere Brebeuf, profera ce blaspheme, qui luy a fait perdre la vie du corps, & peut-estre de l'ame. Tu nous conte, que c'est par la conduite de ton Dieu, que nous trouuons dequoy manger, dis luy qu'il m'empesche tant qu'il pourra de prendre des Castors, & des Elans, & tu verras que ie ne laisseray pas d'en práº½dre malgrÃ© luy. Vn de nos FranÃ§ois saisy d'vn grand zele, entendant ceste impietÃ©, fut tout prest de se ietter sur luy, & l'auroit bien battu n'eust estÃ© la presence du Pere. Ce pauure impie n'a onques depuis ce blaspheme, tuÃ© ny Castor ny Elan. Il s'en alla au dessus des trois Riuieres, oÃ¹ la maladie le terrassa. Le Pere Brebeuf montant aux Hurons l'an passÃ© le rencontra, & le278voyant dans [25] vn estat pitoyable luy demanda combien il auoit tuÃ© d'animaux depuis son blaspheme; le pauure homme demeura tout confus: le Pere en eut compassion, & luy dit qu'il m'Ã©criroit ce rencontre, & qu'il se promettoit bien qu'on le secoureroit s'il vouloit demander Ã Dieu pardon, & receuoir sa creance; quelque temps apres que i'eu receu la lettre du Pere, nous nous en allasmes le Pere Buteux & moy en la nouuelle habitation des trois Riuieres, pour commencer la Residence de la Conception: nous trouuasmes ce blasphemateur nud comme vn ver, tout malade, couchÃ© sur la terre, n'ayant pour toutes richesses qu'vne mÃ©chante Ã©corce, vne cabane de Sauuages qui estoient lÃ luy refusant le couuert. Son frere l'auoit amenÃ© proche de l'habitation de nos FranÃ§ois, & l'auoit quittÃ© lÃ , [26] nous luy demandasmes s'il ne recognoissoit pas la vengeance de Dieu, n'ayant peu rien prendre depuis son impietÃ©, Ie n'ay garde, fit-il, d'auoir peÃ» rien prendre, car i'ay tousiours estÃ© malade. Mais ne vois tu pas que c'est Dieu qui t'a chastiÃ© par ceste maladie? Peut-estre que tu dis vray, me respond-il. Ie luy voulu dire que son frere n'auoit point de compassion de luy, il l'excusa bien Ã propos. Que veux tu qu'il face, comment me traisnera-il dans ce bois, oÃ¹ il va chercher sa vie? Mais encor si ta nation auoit pitiÃ© de toy? Que ne dis-tu Ã ces Sauuages qu'ils te reÃ§oiuent en leur cabane, ou bien qu'ils te donnent vn peu d'Ã©corce pour en faire vne petite? Il n'osa iamais leur parler tant ils sont honteux de s'importuner les vns les autres: mais il me dit tout bas que ie leur demandasse: ie le fis tout sur l'heure en sa presence: au [27] commencement ils ne me donnerent aucune response, en fin vne femme me dit,280qu'ils s'en alloient biáº½ tost cabaner en vn autre endroit, & qu'ils n'auoient point trop d'escorce pour eux. Bref ce mal-heureux voyant que la barque qui nous auoit amenÃ© retournoit Ã Kebec, me pria de luy faire porter. Car nous ne le pouuiÃµs pas loger, nostre maison en ce premier commencement n'estoit que quelques busches de bois iointes les vnes auprÃ©s les autres, enduites par les ouuertures d'vn peu de terre, & couuertes d'herbes, nous auions en tout douze pieds en carrÃ© pour la Chapelle, & pour nostre demeure, attendant qu'vn bastiment de charpente qu'on dressoit fust acheuÃ©. Voyant donc qu'il estoit impossible de le secourir, ie prie qu'on le reÃ§oiue dans la barque, ce qui fut fait; on l'apporte Ã Kebec, oÃ¹ les [28] Sauuages le delaisseráº½t. Le Pere l'Allemant le voyant abandonnÃ© le fait venir en nostre maison, ce qu'il souhaitoit grandement; Tous les iours vn de nos Freres le pansoit, & le Pere l'instruisoit pour le rendre capable du baptesme. Or comme on le iugeoit en danger de mort le Pere le baptisa, & l'a fait nourrir & panser tout l'hyuer. Retournant sur le Printemps des trois Riuieres, ie fus bien aise de le voir, esperant qu'il m'instruiroit en la cognoissance de sa langue, & que ie luy enseignerois plus Ã loisir les veritez de nostre creance. A peine estois-je arriuÃ© que son frere suruint, luy bien ioyeux de voir me demande permission de s'en aller auec luy aux trois Riuieres, ie l'en dÃ©tournay le plus qu'il me fut possible, preuoyant bien sa ruine s'il retournoit parmy les Sauuages: ie luy promets toute [29] assistance s'il vouloit demeurer: Non, me fit-il, ie desire d'aller voir la haut mes parens. Or comme ie cognois bien le genie de ces Barbares, ie luy dis que les Sauuages le ietteroient bientost282hors de leurs cabanes, qu'ils ne luy donneroient gueres Ã manger, & en fin se lassans de luy, qu'ils le tueroient. Il se mit Ã rire, me disant qu'ils n'en viendroient pas lÃ . Ie le menace que s'il s'en va, que nous ne le receurons plus iamais; il n'y eut pas moyen de l'arrester. Estant aux trois Riuieres, le Pere Buteux qui estoit lÃ , luy voulut faire recognoistre le mal qu'il luy pouuoit arriuer de nous auoir quittÃ©; il s'en mocqua; il le menaÃ§a des iugemens de Dieu, il repartit qu'il endureroit aussi bien les feux dans l'enfer, qu'il auoit souffert le froid pendant l'hyuer. Au commencement les Sauuages le tenoient [30] dans leurs cabanes, mais venans Ã s'en lasser ils le placáº½t dehors, le voila abbriÃ© du Ciel & d'vne escorce, on ne luy donne plus qu'vn peu de poisson, & peu souuent: luy se doutÃ£t quasi de ce que ie luy auois predit; car il n'ignore pas les coustumes de sa nation, dit au Pere Buteux qui s'en reuenoit faire vn tour Ã Kebec, Ton frere m'a dit que si ie sortois de vostre maison, qu'il ne m'y receuroit iamais, i'y voudrois bien estre maintenant, dis-luy, que s'il m'y veut receuoir, qu'il en Ã©criue Ã quelque FranÃ§ois, & que ie m'y feray transporter Ã la premiere occasion. Le Pere estÃ£t arriuÃ©, & m'ayant donnÃ© cet aduis, nous-nous transportasmes incontinent au fort de Kebec pour chercher quelque occasion de le mander, desirans sauuer ce pauure miserable, puis qu'il portoit le charactere de Chrestien: mais [31] Ã´ iuste & Ã©pouuantable vengeance du grand Dieu! nous trouuasmes en chemin vn Montagnais, qui nous dit qu'incontinent apres le depart du Pere Buteux, vn Sauuage auoit donnÃ© vn coup de hache Ã ce deplorable homme páº½dant la nuict, qui luy auoit fait voler la ceruelle de284la teste. Voila comme il est passÃ© en l'autre monde.

On the 3rd of November of the same year, Father Charles l'Allemant baptized a young Savage about twenty-five years old, called by the people of his nationMatchonon, surnamed by the French, Martin; at baptism he received the name of Joseph. The judgments of God are terrible; this poor wretch met with a horrible death. It was of him I spoke in the second Chapter of the Relation of last year. He would gladly, [24] if he had been able, have diverted the good FranÃ§ois Sasousmat from receiving the Faith; and, while one day disputing with Father Brebeuf, he uttered this blasphemy, which caused him to lose the life of the body and perhaps that of the soul: "Thou tellest us that it is through the guidance of thy God that we find something to eat; tell him that he may oppose, with all his power, my taking Beavers and Elks; and you will see that I shall not fail to take them, in spite of him." One of our Frenchmen, seized with great zeal, hearing this impiety, was ready to leap upon him, and would have beaten him soundly, had it not been for the presence of the Father. This poor, impious wretch has not, since this blasphemy, killed either Beaver or Elk. He went up beyond the three Rivers, where illness prostrated him. Father Brebeuf, when he was going up to theHurons last year, encountered him, and seeing him in [25] a pitiful state, asked him how much game he had killed since his blasphemy; the poor man was covered with confusion. The Father took pity on him, and said that he would write to me about this meeting; and that he trusted that, if he wished to ask God's forgiveness, and embrace his faith, he would be succored. Some time after I had received the Father's letter, we, Father Buteux and I, went to the new settlement of the three Rivers, to begin the Residence of the Conception. We found this blasphemer as naked as a worm, very sick, lying upon the ground, his only possession being a wretched piece of bark,â€”a cabin of Savages who were encamped there having refused him shelter. His brother had brought him to a place near the French settlement, and had left him there. [26] We asked him if he did not see that it was the vengeance of God, that he had not captured anything since his impious act. "I have not been able," said he, "to capture anything, for I have been sick all the time." "But dost thou not see that it is God who has punished thee by this sickness?" "Perhaps thou sayest the truth," he answered me. I tried to tell him that his brother had no pity on him, and he excused him very readily,â€”"What wouldst thou have him do; how will he drag me about in the forest where he is going to seek his living?" "But thy people, have they no pity on thee? Why dost thou not ask these Savages to take thee into their cabin, or else to give thee a small piece of bark, to make a little one for thyself?" He did not even dare ask them, they are so ashamed to beg from each other; but he told me in a low voice to ask them to do it; I did so immediately inhis presence. At [27] first, they gave me no answer; but finally a woman said that they were going elsewhere to camp, and they had none too much bark for themselves. In short, this unhappy man, seeing that the bark which brought us was returning to Kebec, begged me to have him carried there, for we could find no place for him; our house in this early stage was only some logs of wood, fitted to each other, plastered over the cracks with a little clay, and covered with grass; we had in all twelve feet square for the Chapel and for our living room, awaiting the completion of a frame building which was being constructed. So, realizing that it was impossible for us to help him, I begged them to take him in the bark, which they did, and carried him to Kebec, where the [28] Savages deserted him. Father l'Allemant, seeing him abandoned, had him come to our house, the very thing he desired; one of our Brothers dressed his sores every day and the Father instructed him, in order to prepare him for baptism. Now, as they supposed that he was in danger of death, the Father baptized him, and they fed and nursed him all winter. When I returned in the Spring from the three Rivers, I was very glad to see him, hoping he would instruct me in the knowledge of his language, and that I could teach him more at leisure the truths of our belief. I had hardly arrived when his brother came along, and he [the sick man], overjoyed to see him, asked me to let him go with him to the three Rivers; I did all I could to dissuade him, foreseeing his certain ruin if he returned among the Savages, and promised all [29] assistance if he would stay. "No," said he, "I want to go up the river to see my relatives." Now, as I know the characterof these Barbarians very well, I told him that the Savages would soon throw him out of their cabins; that they would give him nothing to eat, and, at last becoming tired of him, they would kill him. He began to laugh, saying to me that they would not go so far as that. I threatened that, if he went away, we would not take him back again; but there was no way of stopping him. When he reached the three Rivers, Father Buteux, who was there, tried to make him see the evil that might result from his having left us, but he merely laughed at him; the Father threatened him with the judgments of God; he answered that he could as well endure the fires in hell as he had borne the cold during the winter. At first the Savages kept him [30] in their cabins; but, getting tired of him, they put him out, and there he lay, under the shelter of the Sky and a piece of bark; they gave him only a little fish, and that not often. So he almost began to fear what I had predicted for him, as he was not ignorant of the customs of his nation. He said to Father Buteux, who was returning to Kebec to make a visit, "Thy brother told me that, if I left your house, he would never take me back again. I would like very much to be there now; tell him that if he will receive me, he may write to some Frenchman, and I will have myself taken there at the first opportunity." When the Father arrived and reported this to me, we immediately betook ourselves to the fort at Kebec, to seek some opportunity to send for him, wishing to save this poor wretch since he bore the mark of a Christian; but [31] oh, just and terrible vengeance of the great God! On our way we met a Montagnais, who told us that, immediately after the departure of FatherButeux, a Savage had given this wretched man a blow from an axe, during the night, which dashed his brains out of his head. So thus he passed into the other world.

Le huictiÃ©me du mesme mois de Nouembre Monsieur Giffart baptisa vn petit enfant sauuage aagÃ© d'enuiron six mois, le croyant si prÃ©s de la mort qu'on n'auroit peu nous appeller, il surueseut encor quelque temps, sa femme allaictoit ce pauure petit, & en auoit vn soin comme s'il eust estÃ© son propre enfant. Certaine nuict s'Ã©ueillant toute pleine d'Ã©tonnement & de ioye, elle dit Ã son mary, qu'elle croyoit que ce petit Ange estoit passÃ© au [32] Ciel: Non, repart-il, ie le viens tout maintenant de veoir, il vit encore. Ie vous supplie, replique-elle d'y regarder encore vne fois, ie ne puis croire qu'il ne soit mort, d'autant que ie viens de voir tout maintenant dans mon sommeil vne grande troupe d'Anges qui le venoient querir. Ils le visitent donc, & le trouuent trÃ©passÃ©, bien ioyeux d'auoir aydÃ© Ã mettre au Ciel vne ame qui benira Dieu dans toute l'estendue de l'eternitÃ©. Le sixiÃ©me iour de Ianuier de cette annÃ©e mil six cens trente cinq, le Pere Lallemant laua des eaux du sainct Baptesme vne petite fille aagÃ©e d'enuiron neuf Ã dix ans, qu'vne famille FranÃ§oise Ã©leue en sa maison: cette enfant ayant fait prier le Pere de luy donner l'entrÃ©e en l'Eglise, l'examina sur sa croyance, & la voyant suffisamment instruite, cognoissant d'ailleurs qu'elle [33] n'auoit aucuns parens qui la peussent retirer des mains de nos FranÃ§ois, il en fit vn present au petit Iesus le iour des Roys: elle a touiours continuÃ© depuis Ã bien faire, fuyant tellement les Sauuages, qu'on ne luy sÃ§auroit faire parler.

On the eighth of the same month, November, Monsieur Gissart8baptized a little savage child, aged about six months, believing him so near death that we could not be summoned; yet he lived on for some time. His wife nursed this poor little child, and cared for it as if it had been her own. One night, awakening full of astonishment and joy, she said to her husband that she believed this little Angel had gone to [32] Heaven; "No," he replied, "I have just now been to see it, and it still lives." "I beg you," she answered, "to go and look again; I cannot believe that it is not dead, as I have just seen in my sleep a great troop of Angels coming to take it." So they went to see it again, and found that it had passed away. They were very glad that they had helped send to Heaven a soul that will bless God throughout all eternity. On the sixth day of January of this year, one thousand six hundred and thirty-five, Father Lallemant applied the waters of holy Baptism to a little girl about nine or ten years of age, who is being reared in the house of a French family. This child had some one ask the Father to admit her into the Church; he examined her in regard to her belief, and, seeing her sufficiently instructed, knowing besides that she [33] had no relatives who could take her from the hands of our French people, he made a present of her to the little Jesus on Epiphany; she has continued to do well since then, fleeing from the Savages, so that she cannot be induced to speak to them.

Le deuxiesme iour de Feurier la petite Sauuage qu'on porta en France l'an passÃ©, fut baptisÃ©e au Monastere des filles de la Misericorde, c'est Ã dire, en286l'Hospital de Dieppe: puis qu'elle estoit nÃ©e en la Nouuelle France, ie luy donneray place entre ceux de sa patrie, qui ont estÃ© faits enfans de Dieu ceste annÃ©e. On l'auoit mise en pension chez ces bonnes filles. Voicy ce que m'en Ã©crit leur Mere Superieure, aussi zelÃ©e & toute sa maison, pour le salut des pauures Sauuages, que pas vne autre. Nostre petite Canadienne deceda le iour de la Purification [34] de nostre Dame, de la petite verole qu'on ne pÃ»t faire sortir, quoy qu'on y apportast tous les remedes possibles: elle receut le baptesme demie heure auant sa mort, c'est quasi vn miracle que nous ne fusmes point surprises, Ã raison que comme elle estoit robuste pour son aage, elle ne paroissoit point si voisine de la mort comme elle estoit ses funerailles furent honorÃ©es de belles ceremonies, & de chants d'allegresse au lieu de l'Office des morts, puis que son decÃ©s auoit suiuy de si prÃ©s son baptesme. Ceste enfant se faisoit aimer d'vn chacun, elle estoit fort officieuse, tres-obeyssante, aussi exacte Ã ne point entrer aux lieux defendus qu'vne Religieuse; & quand on luy vouloit faire entrer, soit par mÃ©garde, ou pour faire preuue de son obeyssance, elle respondoit fort gentilement, Ie n'ay point permission, [35] la Mere Superieure ne le veut pas. Elle sÃ§auoit desia plusieurs leÃ§ons de son Catechisme, & entendoit beaucoup de la lÃ£gue FranÃ§oise; c'est pourquoy nous luy auions fait conceuoir les trois Articles principaux de nostre creance. Elle sÃ§auoit fort bien dire que le Manitou ne valoit rien, qu'elle ne vouloit plus retourner en Canada; mais qu'elle vouloit estre Chrestienne & baptisÃ©e, sÃ§achant bien qu'on ne pouuoit aller au Ciel sans cela. Nous prenions toutes grand plaisir en ces discours: pour trancher288court, suffit de dire qu'elle taschoit d'imiter tout le bien qu'elle voyoit faire selon sa capacitÃ©. Ce sont les propres termes de la Reuerende Mere Elizabeth de sainct FranÃ§ois Superieure de cÃ©t Hospital, l'vn des mieux reglez de l'Europe; il ne faut qu'entrer dans la sale des pauures, contempler [36] la modestie des filles qui les seruent, considerer leur charitÃ© dans les plus fascheuses maladies, ietter les yeux sur la nettetÃ© de ceste maison, pour en sortir tout affectionnÃ©, & donner mille loÃ¼anges Ã nostre Seigneur. Si vn Monastere semblable Ã celuy-lÃ , estoit en la Nouuelle France, leur charitÃ© feroit plus pour la conuersion des Sauuages, que toutes nos courses & nos paroles.

On the second day of February, the little Savage who was taken to France last year was baptized in the Convent of the sisters of Mercy, that is, in the Hospital of Dieppe; as she was born in New France, I will place her among those of her country who have been made children of God this year. She was placed as a boarder with these good sisters. Here is what the Mother Superior, who with her whole house cannot be excelled in zeal for the salvation of the poor Savages, has written me about her: "Our little Canadian girl died on the day of the Purification [34] of our Lady, of smallpox, which could not be cured, although all possible remedies were used; she was baptized half an hour before her death, and it was almost a miracle that we were not surprised, for she was strong for her age, and did not seem to be so near death as she was. Her funeral was honored with beautiful ceremonies, and with songs of gladness instead of the Service for the dead, as her death followed so closely upon her baptism. This child won the love of all; she was very obliging, very obedient, and as careful as a Nun not to enter forbidden places; and when it was desired to make her enter, either through inadvertence or to test her obedience, she answered very sweetly, 'I have not permission; [35] the Mother Superior does not wish it.' She already knew several of the lessons in her Catechism, and understood a great deal of the French language; it was through this that we had made her comprehend the three principal Articles of our belief. She could say very well that the Manitou was good for nothing; that she no longer wished to return to Canada, but that she desired to be a Christian and to be baptized, knowing well that no one could go to Heavenwithout that. We all enjoyed these talks: in a word, suffice it to say, that she tried to imitate, in so far as she was able, all the good that she saw done." These are the very words of the Reverend Mother Elizabeth of saint FranÃ§ois, Superior of this Hospital, one of the best regulated in Europe; it is only necessary to enter the hall of the poor patients, to see [36] the modesty of the sisters who serve them, to consider their kindness in the most annoying cases of sickness, to cast the eyes over the cleanliness of this house, to go hence full of affection and to offer a thousand praises to our Lord. If a Monastery like that were in New France, their charity would do more for the conversion of the Savages than all our journeys and our sermons.

Le dix-huictiesme du mesme mois de Feurier, le Pere Buteux & moy receumes au nombre ches Chrestiens, vne bonne femme Sauuage, qui fut solemnellement baptisÃ©e en nostre Chapelle de la Conception aux trois Riuieres. Elle s'appelloitOuetata Samakheou, & nous luy donnasmes le nom d'Anne. Les Sauuages s'en allans l'auoient delaissÃ©e auprÃ©s de nostre Habitation toute malade, & couchÃ©e sur la terre dure, [37] d'autres estans suruenus, nous la fismes entrer dans leur Cabane; ceux-cy dÃ©campans apres quelque seiour, nous la logeasmes encore dans vne autre qui resta seule: mais ceste Cabane s'en voulant aller apres les autres, nous priasmes les Sauuages de laisser quelques rouleaux de leur escorce pour faire vn mÃ©chant todis Ã ceste pauure creature; ils font la sourde oreille. Or comme nous ne pouuuions point faire entrer ceste femme dans le fort, oÃ¹ il n'y auoit que des hommes, & que d'ailleurs nous ne la voulions pas voir mourir deuant nos yeux par la rigueur du froid, n'ayans pas290dequoy luy faire vne maison, nous priasmes nos FranÃ§ois d'intimider ces Barbares, si cruels enuers leur nation; les voyla aussi-tost le pistolet au poing, qui se saisissent par force de quelques escorces; leur disant que ceste [38] femme mourroit ou gueriroit bien-tost, & qu'ils reprendroient ce qu'ils luy auroient prestÃ©; cela les fascha fort, mais neantmoins comme ceste violence estoit raisonnable, l'vn d'eux pour expier leur cruautÃ©, retourna du bois oÃ¹ ils s'estoient allez cabanner, & luy dressa luy mesme vne petite cabanne, oÃ¹ tous les iours nous luy portions Ã manger, & en suitte nous l'instruisions. CÃµiecturez, s'il vous plaist, la grande necessitÃ© qu'il y a icy d'vn Hospital, & quel fruit il pourroit produire. Trois choses me consoleráº½t fort, en luy dÃ©duisant les Articles de nostre creance. La 1. fut que luy voulant faire exercer quelque acte de douleur de ses pechez pour la disposer au baptesme; ie luy rapportay le nom de plusieurs offenses, la menaÃ§ant du feu d'enfer, si ayant commis ces crimes, elle n'estoit lauÃ©e des eaux Sacramentales; [39] ceste pauure malade Ã©pouuantÃ©e, commence Ã nommer tout haut ses offenses, disant, Ie n'ay point commis ces pechez que tu dis: mais bien ceux-lÃ , s'accusant de plusieurs choses bien vergongneuses. Ie luy dis qu'il suffisoit d'en demander pardon en son cÅ“ur sans les nommer, la Confession n'estant point necessaire qu'apres le Baptesme; elle ne laissa pas de poursuiure, & d'en crier mercy Ã celuy qui a tout fait. En second lieu, luy parlant vn iour de la mort apres son baptesme, elle se mit Ã pleurer, se faschant contre moy de ce que ie luy parlois d'vne chose si horrible; cela m'estonna vn petit, i'estois quasi faschÃ© de l'auoir baptisÃ©e, nous la recommandasmes Ã nostre Seigneur,292qui luy toucha le cÅ“ur: car l'estant retournÃ© voir, elle me fit plusieurs interrogations: Mon ame, disoit-elle, [40] aura-elle de l'esprit quand elle sera sortie de mon corps? verra-elle? parlera-elle? ie l'asseuray qu'en effet elle ne perdroit rien de ces facultez, qu'au contraire elle les auroit d'vne faÃ§on bien plus parfaite, & que si elle croyoit en Iesus-Christ sans feintise, qu'elle cognoistroit des merueilles, & iouyroit de tres-grands contentemens. Tu m'as dit que ie resusciteray quelque iour, seray-ie semblable, me dit-elle, Ã moy-mesme, Ã celle que ie suis maintenant, ou bien Ã vne autre? C'est toy-mesme, c'est ton propre corps qui reprendra vie, & qui sera beau comme le iour, si tu as eu la Foy; sinon il sera horrible, & tout difforme, & destinÃ© aux flammes eternelles. Que mangera mon ame apres ma mort? Ton ame n'est point corporelle, elle n'a point besoin des viandes d'icy bas, elle se repaistra [41] de plaisirs qu'on ne peut conceuoir. Que verray-ie si ie vay au Ciel? Tu verras ce qui se fait Ã§a bas, la bestise de ceux de ta nation qui ne veulent pas receuoir la Foy, la beautÃ© & la grandeur de celuy qui a tout fait, tu le prieras pour moy. Que luy diray-ie, me repart-elle? Dis luy qu'il me face misericorde, qu'il aye pitiÃ© de moy, & qu'il m'appelle bien-tost pour aller auec luy au Ciel. C'est donc, fit-elle, vne chose bien bonne d'estre, lÃ haut, puis que tu voudrois bien mourir pour y aller. Mais peut-estre que ie m'oublieray de ce que tu me dis. Non, tu ne t'en oublieras point, si tu crois en veritÃ© & sans mensonge. Que fera-on de mon corps quand ie seray morte? On le mettra dans vn beau cercueil, & tous les FranÃ§ois le porteront auec honneur au lieu oÃ¹ nous enterrons nos294morts. Dis moy encore [42] vn coup, mon ame aura elle de l'esprit quand elle sera sortie de son corps? Ouy elle en aura, elle verra, elle entendra, elle conceura fort bien, & parlera d'vne faÃ§on plus noble que ne font tes leures. Escoutant mes rÃ©ponses, son visage s'alloit espanoÃ¼issant. En fin elle me dit d'vn accent tout gay,Nitapoueten, nitapoueten, ie croy, ie croy, & pour preuue de ma creÃ£ce, tu ne me verras iamais craindre la mort; iusques icy ie tremblois quand tu m'en venois parler; mais doresnauant ie la souhaitteray pour aller veoir celuy qui a tout fait; ie luy disois tousiours en mes prieres, gueris moy, tu me peux guerir; ie luy diray cy-apres, ie ne me soucie plus de la vie, ie suis contente de mourir pour te veoir. Et en effect le reste du temps qu'elle a vescu apres ces demandes, ie n'ay iamais remarquÃ© en elle aucun petit indice [43] de la crainte de la mort. La troisiesme chose qui nous resioÃ¼it fort, fut qu'vn Sauuage nommÃ©Sakapouanla voulut diuertir de nostre creance, disant que nous estions des conteurs, & qu'il ne falloit pas nous croire, puis que nous ne sÃ§aurions monstrer ny faire veoir Ã personne ce que nous enseignons: ceste pauure Neophyte fortifiÃ©e de l'esprit de Dieu tint bon, & repartit fort bien, qu'elle croyoit que nous disions la veritÃ©, & ainsi elle est morte fort bonne Chrestienne. Pour le Sauuage qui vouloit mettre obstacle Ã sa creance, il ne la fit pas longue, Dieu en tira vne vengeance bien rigoureuse: ce miserable se trouuoit desia mal, bien-tost apres son impietÃ© il tomba en phrenesie & mourut insensÃ©. Nous l'auions assez bien instruit, mais les respects humains qui regnent puissamment [44] parmy ces peuples, l'ont empeschÃ© de professer la Foy. Il nous a dit plusieurs296fois, Ie croy bien que tout ce que vous dites est veritable, mais si ie vous obeÃ¯, quÃ£d ie me trouueray aux festins de mes Compatriotes, tout le monde se mocquera de moy, Fais sorte, me disoit-il qu'Outaouau(c'est l'vn des grands discoureurs d'entre les Sauuages) reÃ§oiue la Foy quand il viendra icy, & pour lors ie ne feray plus aucune difficultÃ© de vous croire.Outaouaul'a trouuÃ© mort & enterrÃ© Ã son retour.

On the eighteenth of the same month of February, Father Buteux and I received among the number of Christians, a good Savage woman, who was solemnly baptized in our Chapel of the Conception at the three Rivers. She was calledOuetata Samakheou, and we gave her the name of Anne. When the Savages went away, they left her near our Settlement, very sick and lying upon the hard ground; [37] others arriving, we had her placed in their Cabin; and when these moved away, after a short sojourn, we had her placed in another, the only one remaining; as the people of this Cabin wished to follow the others, we begged them to leave a few rolls of their bark to make a miserable hut for this poor creature; but they turned a deaf ear. Now as we could not have this woman taken into the fort, where there were only men, and as on the other hand we did not wish to see her die before our eyes a victim to the cold, having nothing with which to make her a house, we beggedour French people to intimidate these Barbarians, who were so cruel towards their own people. So some of them came at once, pistol in hand, and took some of the bark by force, telling them that this [38] woman would soon either die or recover, and they would get back what they had loaned. They were very angry; but nevertheless, as this violence was reasonable, one of them, to atone for their cruelty, returned from the woods where he had gone to camp, and himself put up a little cabin for her, where every day we carried her food and then instructed her. Imagine, if you please, how great is the necessity for a Hospital here, and how much fruit it could produce. Three things consoled me greatly in expounding to her the Articles of our belief; the 1st was, that, wishing to make her perform some act of contrition for her sins, in order to prepare her for baptism, I called up the names of several offenses, threatening her with the fires of hell if, having committed these crimes, she were not washed in the waters of the Sacrament; [39] this poor, frightened, sick woman began to name her offenses aloud, saying, "I have not committed those sins that thou sayest, but I have these," accusing herself of several very shameful ones. I told her it would be enough for her to ask pardon in her heart without naming them, Confession not being necessary except after Baptism; but she did not cease, begging for mercy from him who has made all. In the second place, speaking with her about death, one day after her baptism, she began to cry, being angry at me for speaking to her of such a horrible thing; I was somewhat astonished at this, and almost sorry that I had baptized her. We recommended her to our Lord, who touched her heart; for, having returnedto see her, she asked me a number of questions: "Will my soul have any [40] sense when it leaves my body?" said she. "Will it see? Will it speak?" I assured her that indeed it would lose none of these faculties, but on the contrary would have them in a much more perfect way; and that, if she believed in Jesus Christ without dissembling, she would know wonders and would enjoy great consolation. "Thou hast told me that I shall come to life again some day; shall I be like myself," she said to me, "like what I am now, or like some one else?" "It is thyself, it is thy own body which will live again, and which will be as beautiful as the day, if thou hast had Faith; if not, it will be horrible, all deformed and destined to the eternal flames." "What will my soul eat after death?" "Thy soul has no body, it has no need of the food here below; it will feast upon [41] joys beyond conception." "What shall I see if I go to Heaven?" "Thou wilt see what is going on down here,â€”the foolishness of such of thy people as will not receive the Faith, the beauty and the grandeur of him who has made all; and thou wilt pray to him for me." "What shall I say to him?" she asked. "Tell him to be merciful to me, to have pity on me; and to call me soon, to be with him in Heaven." "Then," said she, "it is a good thing to be up there, since thou wishest to die to go there. But perhaps I shall forget what thou tellest me." "No, thou wilt not forget it, if thou dost really and truthfully believe." "What will they do with my body when I am dead?" "It will be placed in a beautiful coffin, and all the French will bear it with honor to the place where we bury our dead." "Tell me once [42] more, will my soulhave sense when it has left my body?" "Yes, it will; it will see, hear, understand readily, and will speak in a more noble way than thy lips." While listening to my answers, her face began to brighten; and at last she exclaimed, joyfully,Nitapoueten, nitapoueten, "I believe, I believe; and, as a proof of my belief, thou wilt never see me fear death; until now I was trembling when thou wert speaking of it to me, but from now on I shall wish for it, so that I may go and see him who has made all; I was saying always in my prayers 'Make me well, thou canst cure me;' but hereafter I shall say to him, 'I do not care to live any longer, I am content to die to see thee.'" And, in fact, the rest of the time she lived after these questions, I never noticed in her the least indication [43] that she was afraid to die. The third thing that gladdened us was, that when a Savage calledSakapouan, wishing to divert her from our belief, said that we were story-tellers and she must not believe us, since we could not show nor make any one see what we were teaching, this poor Neophyte, fortified by the spirit of God, held firm, and answered steadfastly that she believed we told the truth. Thus she died a very good Christian. As to the Savage who tried to shake her faith, he did not do so long, for God drew down upon him a most severe revenge; this wretch, who already felt ill, was seized with frenzy, soon after his act of impiety, and died a maniac. We had taught him well enough; but the fear of what others would say, which is a potent factor [44] among these people, prevented him from professing the Faith. He said to us several times, "I indeed believe that all you say is true; but if I obey you, when I go to the feasts of my People, they will all makesport of me." "Arrange it," said he to me, "so thatOutaouau" (this is one of the great orators among the Savages) "may receive the Faith when he comes here; and after that I will have no more difficulty in believing you."Outaouaufound him dead and buried at his return.

Le septiesme d'Auril le petit Sauuage que nous auions enuoyÃ© en France, & que le Pere Lallemant nous ramena, fut fait Chrestien, & baptisÃ© solemnellement par le mesme Pere. Monsieur de Champlain nostre Gouuerneur luy donna nom Bonauenture. Tous les matins venant donner le bon iour au Pere, [45] qui prenoit le soin de l'instruire, il ne manquoit pas de luy demander le baptesme; il fait maintenant fort bien Dieu mercy, se rendant fort docile. I'espere qu'il nous seruira grandement pour nostre Seminaire.

On the seventh of April, the little Savage whom we had sent to France, and whom Father Lallemant brought back to us, was made a Christian and solemnly baptized by the same Father. Monsieur de Champlain, our Governor, gave him the name Bonaventure. Every day, when he came to say good day to the Father, [45] who took care to instruct him, he never failed to ask him for baptism; he is doing very well now, thank God, and is becoming quite docile. I am hoping he will be of great service to us in our Seminary.

Le treiziesme de May ie baptisay le fils de ceste bonne femme, que i'auois fait Chrestienne & nommÃ© Marie l'an passÃ©, laquelle ie laissay malade proche de nostre Maison, m'en allant hyuerner aux trois Riuieres. Sa maladie se rengregeant le Pere Lallemant luy donna l'Extreme-Onction, & venant Ã mourir l'enterra solemnellement dans nostre Cimetiere. Elle laissa pour tout heritage sa maladie Ã son petit enfant, qu'vne fieure lente a faict passer au Ciel apres le baptesme; il portoit en sa langue le nom d'Aouetitin, qui luy fut changÃ© au nom de Pierre.

On the thirteenth of May, I baptized the son of the good woman whom I made a Christian and named Marie last year, and whom I had left sick near our House when I went to pass the winter at the three Rivers. As she was growing worse, Father Lallemant gave her Extreme Unction; and, when she died, buried her solemnly in our Cemetery. She left, as her only heritage, her disease to her little child, whom a slow fever sent to Heaven after his baptism; in his language he bore the name ofAouetitin, which was changed to that of Pierre.

[46] Le dix-neufiesme d'Aoust le Pere Lallemant a baptisÃ© vne fille aagÃ©e d'enuiron quatre ans; elle est nÃ©e au paÃ¯s des Bissiriniens; on la mene en France pour estre esleuÃ©e & instruite en la Foy Chrestienne.

[46] On the nineteenth of August, Father Lallemant baptized a girl about four years old, who was born in the country of the Bissiriniens.21She is being taken to France to be reared and educated in the Christian Faith.

298Le reste des personnes faites Chrestiennes depuis que nous n'auons escrit en France, ont estÃ© baptisÃ©es aux paÃ¯s des Hurons, comme V.R. pourra voir par la Relation que nos Peres m'ont enuoyÃ©e, que ie luy addresse. Ils ont entre autres conferÃ© ce Sacrement Ã vn bon homme, dont le Pere de NouÃ« qui l'a cogneu en ces paÃ¯s si esloignez, me parle en tres-bons termes. Nous auons, dit-il, tousiours creu que cet homme mourroit Chrestien, & que Dieu luy feroit misericorde; car il estoit fort portÃ© au bien, il faisoit volontiers l'aumosne secourant ses Compatriotes, voire mesme nous [47] autres qui estions estrangers. Retournant de la pesche il nous apportoit tousiours quelque poisson, non Ã la faÃ§on des autres Sauuages, qui ne donnent que pour auoir le reciproque, mais gratuitement; il nous venoit visiter vne fois ou deux la semaine, & apres s'estre entretenu quelque táº½ps auec nous, voyant que nous estions en bonne santÃ©, il s'en alloit tout content. Or comme il gardoit passablement la Loy que la nature a grauÃ© dans le cÅ“ur de tous les hommes, Dieu luy a donnÃ© auant son trespas, la cognoissance de la Loy de son fils.

The rest of the persons who have been made Christianssince we have written to France, were baptized in the Huron country, as Your Reverence can see by the Relation our Fathers have sent me, which I forward to you. Among others, they have conferred this Sacrament upon an honest fellow whom Father de NouÃ«, who knew him in that so distant country, recommended to me highly. "We have," said he, "always believed that this man would die a Christian, and that God would be merciful to him; for he had a very good disposition,â€”giving alms freely to aid his Countrymen, and even to us, [47] who were strangers. When he returned from fishing he always brought us some fish, not in the way the other Savages did, who give only that they may get something in return, but gratuitously; he came to see us once or twice every week, and, after having talked for some time with us, seeing that we were in good health, he would go away well satisfied." Now as he observed fairly well the Law which nature has graven upon the hearts of all men, God gave him before his death the knowledge of the Law of his son.

Ie rapporteray en ce lieu le chastiment manifeste que Dieu a tirÃ© du miserable Sorcier, & de son frere, dont i'ay parlÃ© bien amplement dans la Relation de l'an passÃ©. Ce mÃ©chant homme pour me dÃ©plaire [48] s'attaquoit par fois Ã Dieu comme i'ay dit. Il disoit certain iour aux Sauuages en ma presence, Ie me suis auiourd'huy bien mocquÃ© de celuy que la robbe noire nous dit qui a tout fait. Ie ne pÃ»s supporter ce blaspheme, ie luy dis tout haut, que s'il estoit en France on le feroit mourir. Au reste qu'il se mocquast de moy tant qu'il voudroit, que ie le souffrirois: mais300qu'il me tueroit & massacreroit plustost, que d'endurer qu'il se rist de mon Dieu oÃ¹ ie ferois present; qu'il ne porteroit pas loing ceste impudence, Dieu estant assez puissant pour le brusler, & le ietter dans les enfers, s'il continuoit ses blasphemes. Il ne tint iamais plus ces discours deuÃ£t moy; mais en mon absence, il ne relaschoit rien de ses boufonneries & de ses impietez. Dieu n'a pas manquÃ© de l'attraper; car l'annÃ©e n'estoit pas [49] encore expirÃ©e, que le feu s'estant mis en sa cabane, ie ne sÃ§ay par quel accident, il a estÃ© tout grillÃ©, rosty, & miserablement bruslÃ©, Ã ce que m'ont rapportÃ© les Sauuages, non sans estonnement.

I will relate in this place the manifest chastisement which God has drawn down upon the wretched Sorcerer and his brother, of whom I spoke very fully in the Relation of last year. This wicked man, in order to displease me, [48] occasionally made attacks upon God, as I have said. One day he said to the Savages in my presence, "I have to-day made a great deal of sport of the one whom the black robe tells us has made all things." I could not stand this blasphemy, and told him aloud that, if he were in France, they would put him to death; furthermore, that he might sneer at me as much as he pleased and I would endure it, but that he might better kill andmurder me than to expect me to suffer him to mock my God when I was present; that he would not continue much longer with this impertinence, for God was powerful enough to burn and cast him into hell, if he kept on with his blasphemies. He never again spoke in this way before me, but in my absence he did not in the least refrain from his scoffing and impious speeches. God did not fail to strike him; for the year had not [49] yet expired, when his cabin took fire, I know not how, and he was dreadfully scorched, roasted and burned, as it was related to me by the Savages, not without wonder.

Ils m'ont dit encor que MestigoÃ¼ lequel i'auois pris pour mon hoste a estÃ© noyÃ©; i'aurois bien plus souhaittÃ© que Dieu leur eust touchÃ© le cÅ“ur; i'ay estÃ© marry particulierement de mon hoste; car il auoit de bonnes inclinations; mais s'estant mocquÃ© en quelque compagnie de Sauuages des prieres que ie leur auois fait faire en nostre extremitÃ©, il a estÃ© enueloppÃ© dans la mesme vengeance, tombant dans vne maladie qui luy fit perdre l'esprit, si bien qu'il couroit Ã§Ã & lÃ tout nud comme vn fol; s'estant trouuÃ© de basse mer sur le bord du grand fleuue, la marÃ©e montante l'a etouffÃ© [50] dans ses eaux.

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