CHAPITRE XI.

CHAPITRE XI.20DE LA LANGUE DES SAUUAGES MONTAGNAIS.I'ESCRIUY l'an passé, que leur langue estoit tres-riche & tres-pauure; toute pleine d'abondance & de disette; la pauureté paroist en mille articles. Tous les mots de pieté, de deuotion, de vertu; tous les termes dont on se sert pour expliquer les biens de l'autre [vie]; le langage des Theologiens, des Philosophes, des Mathematiciens, des Medecins, en vn mot de tous les hommes doctes; toutes les paroles qui concernent la police & le gouuernement d'vne ville, d'vne Prouince, d'vn Empire; tout ce qui touche la iustice, la recompense & le chastimẽt, les noms d'vne infinité d'arts, qui sont en nostre Europe, d'vne infinité de fleurs [175] d'arbres & de fruits, d'vne infinité d'animaux de mille & mille inuentions, de mille beautez & de mille richesses; tout cela ne se trouue point ny dãs la pensée, ny dans la bouche des Sauuages, n'ayans ny vraye religion ny connoissance des vertus, ny police, ny gouuernement, ny Royaume, ny Republique, ny sciences, ny rien de tout ce que ie viens de dire, & par consequent, toutes les paroles, tous les termes, tous les mots & tous les noms qui touche ce monde de biens & de grandeurs, doiuent estre defalquez de leur dictionaire; voila vne grande disette. Tournons maintenant la medaille, & faisons voir que cette langue regorge de richesses.

20DE LA LANGUE DES SAUUAGES MONTAGNAIS.

I'ESCRIUY l'an passé, que leur langue estoit tres-riche & tres-pauure; toute pleine d'abondance & de disette; la pauureté paroist en mille articles. Tous les mots de pieté, de deuotion, de vertu; tous les termes dont on se sert pour expliquer les biens de l'autre [vie]; le langage des Theologiens, des Philosophes, des Mathematiciens, des Medecins, en vn mot de tous les hommes doctes; toutes les paroles qui concernent la police & le gouuernement d'vne ville, d'vne Prouince, d'vn Empire; tout ce qui touche la iustice, la recompense & le chastimẽt, les noms d'vne infinité d'arts, qui sont en nostre Europe, d'vne infinité de fleurs [175] d'arbres & de fruits, d'vne infinité d'animaux de mille & mille inuentions, de mille beautez & de mille richesses; tout cela ne se trouue point ny dãs la pensée, ny dans la bouche des Sauuages, n'ayans ny vraye religion ny connoissance des vertus, ny police, ny gouuernement, ny Royaume, ny Republique, ny sciences, ny rien de tout ce que ie viens de dire, & par consequent, toutes les paroles, tous les termes, tous les mots & tous les noms qui touche ce monde de biens & de grandeurs, doiuent estre defalquez de leur dictionaire; voila vne grande disette. Tournons maintenant la medaille, & faisons voir que cette langue regorge de richesses.

CHAPTER XI.ON THE LANGUAGE OF THE MONTAGNAIS SAVAGES.I WROTE last year that their language was very rich and very poor, full of abundance and full of scarcity, the latter appearing in a thousand different ways. All words for piety, devotion, virtue; all terms which are used to express the things of the other life; the language of Theologians, Philosophers, Mathematicians, and Physicians, in a word, of all learned men; all words which refer to the regulation and government of a city, Province, or Empire; all that concerns justice, reward and punishment; the names of an infinite number of arts which are in our Europe; of an infinite number of flowers, [175] trees, and fruits; of an infinite number of animals, of thousands and thousands of contrivances, of a thousand beauties and riches, all these things are never found either in the thoughts or upon the lips of the Savages. As they have no true religion nor knowledge of the virtues, neither public authority nor government, neither Kingdom nor Republic, nor sciences, nor any of those things of which I have just spoken, consequently all the expressions, terms, words, and names which refer to that world of wealth and grandeur must necessarily be absent from their vocabulary; hence the great scarcity. Let us now turn the tables and show that this language is fairly gorged with richness.

ON THE LANGUAGE OF THE MONTAGNAIS SAVAGES.

I WROTE last year that their language was very rich and very poor, full of abundance and full of scarcity, the latter appearing in a thousand different ways. All words for piety, devotion, virtue; all terms which are used to express the things of the other life; the language of Theologians, Philosophers, Mathematicians, and Physicians, in a word, of all learned men; all words which refer to the regulation and government of a city, Province, or Empire; all that concerns justice, reward and punishment; the names of an infinite number of arts which are in our Europe; of an infinite number of flowers, [175] trees, and fruits; of an infinite number of animals, of thousands and thousands of contrivances, of a thousand beauties and riches, all these things are never found either in the thoughts or upon the lips of the Savages. As they have no true religion nor knowledge of the virtues, neither public authority nor government, neither Kingdom nor Republic, nor sciences, nor any of those things of which I have just spoken, consequently all the expressions, terms, words, and names which refer to that world of wealth and grandeur must necessarily be absent from their vocabulary; hence the great scarcity. Let us now turn the tables and show that this language is fairly gorged with richness.

22Premierement ie trouue vne infinité de noms propres parmy eux, que ie ne puis expliquer en nostre françois, que par circumlocutions.

First, I find an infinite number of proper nounsamong them, which I cannot explain in our french, except by circumlocutions.

Secondement, ils ont de Verbes que ie nomme absolus, dont ny les Grecs, ny les Latins, ny nous, ny les langues d'Europe, dont ie ne me suis enquis, n'ont riẽ de semblable, par exemple ce VerbeNimitison, signifie absolument ie mange, sans dire quoy, car si vous determinez, la [176] chose que vous mangez, il se faut seruir d'vn autre Verbe.

Second, they have some Verbs which I call absolute, to which neither the Greeks, nor Latins, nor we ourselves, nor any language of Europe with which I am familiar, have anything similar. For example, the verbNimitisonmeans absolutely, "I eat," without saying what; for, if you determine the [176] thing you eat, you have to use another Verb.

Tiercement, ils ont des Verbes differents, pour signifier l'action enuers vne chose animée, & enuers vne chose inanimée, encore bien qu'ils conjoignent auec les choses animées, quelques nombres des choses sans ame, cõme le petun, les pommes, &c. donnons des exemples. Ie vois vn homme,Niouapaman iriniou, ie vois vne pierre,niouabatẽ, ainsi en Grec, en Latin, & en François, c'est vn mesme Verbe, pour dire ie vois vn homme, vne pierre, & toute autre chose. Ie frappe vn chiẽni noutinau attimou, ie frappe vn bois,ninoutinen misticou. Ce n'est pas tout: car si l'actiõ se termine à plusieurs choses animées, il faut vn autre Verbe, ie vois des hõmesniouapamaoueth irinioueth,ninoutinaoueth attimoueth, & ainsi de tous les autres.

Third, they have different Verbs to signify an action toward an animate or toward an inanimate object; and yet they join with animate things a number of things that have no souls, as tobacco, apples, etc. Let us give some examples: "I see a man,"Niouapaman iriniou; "I see a stone,"niouabatẽ; but in Greek, in Latin, and in French the same Verb is used to express, "I see a man, a stone, or anything else." "I strike a dog,"ni noutinau attimou; "I strike wood,"ninoutinen misticou. This is not all; for, if the action terminates on several animate objects, another Verb has to be used,—"I see some men,"niouapamaoueth irinioueth,ninoutinaoueth attimoueth, and so on with all the others.

En quatriéme lieu, ils ont des Verbes propres pour signifier l'action qui se termine à la personne reciproque, & d'autres encore qui se terminent aux choses qui luy appartiennent, & l'on ne pût se seruir des Verbes enuers les autres personnes non reciproques sans parler impropremẽt. Ie me fais entẽdre le Ver[be] [177]nitaouin, signifie, ie me sers de quelque chose,nitaouin agouniscouehon, ie me sers d'vn bonnet: que si ie viens à dire, ie me sers de son bonnet, sçauoir est du bonnet de l'homme, dont on parle, il24faut changer de verbe, & direNitaouiouan outagoumiscouhon: que si c'est vne chose animée il faut encor changer le verbe, par exemple, ie me sers de son chien,nitaouiouan õtaimai, & remarquez que tous ces verbes ont leurs meufs, leurs temps, & leurs personnes, & que leurs conjugaisons sont dissemblables s'ils different de terminaisons. Ceste abondance n'est point dãs les langues d'Europe, ie le sçay de quelques vnes, ie le coniecture des autres.

In the fourth place, they have Verbs suitable to express an action which terminates on the person reciprocal, and others still which terminate on the things that belong to him; and we cannot use these Verbs, referring to other persons not reciprocal, without speaking improperly. I will explain myself. The Verb [177]nitaouinmeans, "I make use of something;"nitaouin agouniscouehon, "I am using a hat;" but when I come to say, "I am using his hat," that is, the hat of the man of whom I speak, we must change the verb and say,Nitaouiouan outagoumiscouhon;but, if it be an animate thing, the verb must again be changed, for example, "I am using his dog,"nitaouiouan õtaimai. Also observe that all these verbs have their moods, tenses and persons; and that they are conjugated differently, if they have different terminations. This abundance is not found in the languages of Europe; I know it of some, and conjecture it in regard to others.

En cinquiesme lieu, ils se seruent d'autres mots sur la terre, d'autres mots sur l'eau pour signifier la mesme chose. Voicy comment, Ie veux dire, i'arriuay hier, si c'est par terre, il faut direnitagochinin outagouchi, si c'est par eau, il faut direnimichagan outagouchi: ie veux dire, i'ay esté mouillé de la pluye, si ç'a esté cheminant sur terre, il faut dire nikimiouanoutan, si c'est faisant chemin, par eaunikhimiouanutan, ie vay querir [178] quelque chose, si c'est par terre, il faut direninaten, si c'est par eauninahen: si c'est vne chose animée & par terre, il faut direninatau: si c'est vne chose animée & par eau, il faut direninahouau: si c'est vne chose animée qui appartienne à quelqu'vn, il faut direninahimouau: si elle n'est pas animéeniuahimouau, quelle varieté? nous n'auons en François pour tout cela qu'vn seul mot, ie vay querir, auquel on adiouste pour distinction par eau, ou par terre.

In the fifth place, they use some words upon the land, and others upon the water, to signify the same thing. As, for instance, I want to say, "I arrived yesterday;" if by land, I must say,nitagochinin outagouchi,—if by water, I must say,nimichagan outagouchi. I wish to say, "I was wet by the rain;" if it were in walking upon land, I must say, nikimiouanoutan,—if it were upon the water,nikhimiouanutan. "I am going to look for [178] something;" if upon land, I must say,ninaten,—if by water,ninahen; if it is an animate thing, and upon land, I must say,ninatau; if it be animate and in the water, I must say,ninahouau; if it is an animate thing that belongs to some one, I must say,ninahimouau; if it is not animate,niuahimouau. What a variety! We have in French only a single expression for all these things, "Ie vay querir," to which we add, in order to distinguish, "par eau," or "par terre."

En sixiesme lieu, vn seul de nos adiectifs en François se conioint auec tous nos substantifs, par exemple, nous disons le pain est froid, le petun est froid, ce fer est froid; mais en nostre Sauuage ces adiectifs changent selon les diuerses especes des substantifs,tabiscau assini, la pierre est froide,tacabisisiou nouspouagan, mon petunoir est froid,takhisioukhichtemau,26ce petun est froid,tacascouan misticou, le bois est froid, si c'est quelque grande piecetacascouchan misticou, le bois est froid,siicatchiou attimou, ce chien a froid; voila vne estrange abondance.

In the sixth place, a single one of our adjectives in French is associated with all our substantives. For example, we say, "the bread is cold, the tobacco is cold, the iron is cold;" but in our Savage tongue these adjectives change according to the different kinds of substantives,—tabiscau assini, "the stone is cold;"tacabisisiou nouspouagan, "my tobacco pipe is cold;"takhisiou khichtemau, "this tobacco is cold;"tacascouan misticou, "the wood is cold." If it is a large piece,tacascouchan misticou, "the wood is cold;"siicatchiou attimou, "this dog is cold;" and thus you see a strange abundance.

Remarquez en passant, que tous ces [179] adiectifs, voire mesme que tous les noms substantifs se conjuguent comme les verbes Latins impersonnels, par exemple,tabiscau assini, la pierre est froide,tabiscaban, elle estoit froide,cata tabiscan, elle sera froide, & ainsi du resteNoutaoui, c'est vn nom substantif, qui signifie mon pere,noutaouiban, c'estoit mon pere, ou bien deffunct mon pereCata noutaoui, il sera mon pere, si on pouuoit se seruir de ces termes.

Observe, in passing, that all these [179] adjectives, and even all the nouns, are conjugated like Latin impersonal verbs. For example,tabiscau assini, "the stone is cold;"tabiscaban, "it was cold;"cata tabiscan, "it will be cold;" and so on.Noutaoui, is a noun which means, "my father;"noutaouiban, "it was my father, or my deceased father;"Cata noutaoui, "it will be my father," if such expressions could be used.

En septiesme lieu ils ont vne richesse si importune qu'elle me iette quasi dans la creance que ie seray pauure toute ma vie en leur langue. Quand vous cognoissez toutes les parties d'Oraison des langues qui florissent en nostre Europe, & que vous sçauez comme il les faut lier ensemble, vous sçauez la langue, il n'en est pas de mesme en la langue de nos Sauuages, peuplez vostre memoire de tous les mots qui signifient chaque chose en particulier, apprenez le noeud ou la Syntaxe qui les allie, vous n'estes encor qu'vn ignorant, vous pourrez bien auec cela vous faire entendre des Sauuages, quoy que non pas tousiours, mais vous ne les entendez [180] pas: la raison est, qu'outre les noms de chaque chose en particulier ils ont vne infinité de mots qui signifient plusieurs choses ensemble: si ie veux dire en Françoîs le vent pousse la neige, suffit que i'aye cognoissance de ces trois mots, du vent, du verbe, ie pousse, & de la neige, & que ie les sçache conioindre, il n'en est pas de mesme icy. Ie sçay comme on dit le ventroutin,28comme on dit il pousse vne chose noble comme est la neige en l'estime des Sauuages, c'estrakhineou, ie sçay comme on dit la neige, c'estcouné, que si ie veux conioindre ces trois motsRoutin rakhineou couné, les Sauuages ne m'entendront pas, que s'ils m'entendent ils se mettront à rire, pource qu'ils ne parlent pas comme cela, se seruans de ce seul motpiouan, pour dire le vent pousse ou fait voler la neige: de mesme le verbenisiicatchinsignifie i'ay froid, ce nomnissitaisignifie mes pieds, si ie disnisiicat chin nissitaipour dire i'ay froid aux pieds, ils pourront bien m'entendre, mais ie ne les entẽdray pas quãd ils dirõtNitatagouasisin, qui est le propre mot pour dire i'ay froid aux pieds: & ce qui [181] tuë vne memoire, ce mot n'est parent, ny allié, ny n'a point d'affinité en sa consonance auec les deux autres, d'où prouiẽt que ie les fais souuẽt rire en parlant, en voulant suiure l'œconomie de la langue Latine, ou Françoise, ne sçachant point ces mots qui signifient plusieurs choses ensemble? D'icy prouient encore, que bien souuent ie ne les entends pas, quoy qu'ils m'entendent: car ne se seruans pas des mots qui signifient vne chose simple en particulier, mais de ceux qui en signifient beaucoup à la fois, moy ne sçachant que ces premiers, & non encor à demy, ie ne les sçaurois entendre s'ils n'ont de l'esprit pour varier & choisir les mots plus communs, car alors ie tasche de m'en demesler.

In the seventh place, they have so tiresome an abundance that I am almost led to believe that I shall remain poor all my life in their language. When you know all the parts of Speech of the languages of our Europe, and know how to combine them, you know the languages; but it is not so concerning the tongue of our Savages. Stock your memory with all the words that stand for each particular thing, learn the knot or Syntax that joins them together, and you are still only an ignoramus; with that, you can indeed make yourself understood by the Savages, although not always, but you will not be able to understand [180] them. The reason for this is, that, besides the names of each particular thing, they have an infinite number of words which signify several things together. If I wish to say in French, "the wind drives the snow," it is enough for me to know these three words, "the wind," the verb "drive," and "the snow," and to know how to combine them; but it is not so here. I know how they say "the wind,"routin; how they say "it drives somethingnoble," as the snow is in the Savage estimation,—the word for this israkhineou; I know how they say "snow," it iscouné. But, if I try to combine these three words,Routin rakhineou couné, the Savages will not understand me; or, if they understand, will begin to laugh, because they do not talk like that, merely making use of a single word,piouan, to say "the wind drives or makes the snow fly." Likewise the verbnisiicatchin, means "I am cold;" the nounnissitai, means "my feet;" if I saynisiicat chin nissitai, to say "my feet are cold," they will indeed understand me; but I shall not understand them when they sayNitatagouasisin, which is the proper word to say, "my feet are cold." And what [181] ruins the memory is, that such a word has neither relation, nor alliance, nor any affinity, in its sound, with the other two; whence it often happens that I make them laugh in talking, when I try to follow the construction of the Latin or French language, not knowing these words which mean several things at once. From this it happens, also, that very often I do not understand them, although they understand me; for as they do not use the words which signify one thing in particular, but rather those that mean a combination of things, I knowing only the first, and not even the half of those, could not understand them if they did not have sufficient intelligence to vary and choose more common words, for then I try to unravel them.

C'est assez pour monstrer l'abondance de leur langue, si ie la sçauois parfaitement i'en parlerois auec plus d'asseurance; ie croy qu'ils ont d'autres richesses que ie n'ay peu encor découurir iusques icy.

This is enough to show the richness of their language; if I were thoroughly acquainted with it, I would speak with more certainty. I believe they have other riches which I have not been able to discover up to the present.

I'oubliois à dire que nos Montagnais n'ont pas tant de lettres en leur Alphabeth, que nous en auons au30nostre, ils confondent le B. & le P. ils confondent [182] aussi le C. le G. & le K. c'est à dire que deux Sauuages prononçans vn mesme mot, vous croiriez que l'vn prononce vn B. & que l'autre prononce vn P. que l'vn dit vn C. ou vn K. & l'autre vn G. ils n'ont point les lettres F, L, V consonante, X. Z. ils prononcent vn R. au lieu d'vn L. ils diront Monsieur du Pressi pour Monsieur du Plessi, ils prononcent vn P. au lieu d'vn V. consonante, Monsieur Olipier pour Monsieur Oliuier; mais comme ils ont la langue assez bien penduë, ils prendroient bientost nostre prononciation si on les instruisoit, notamment les enfans.

I forgot to say that the Montagnais have not somany letters in their Alphabet as we have in ours; they confound B and P, and [182] also C, G, and K; that is, if two Savages were to pronounce the same word, you would think that one was pronouncing a B, and the other a P, or that one was using a C or K, and the other a G. They do not have the letters F, L, consonant V, X, and Z. They use R instead of L, saying Monsieur du Pressi for Monsieur du Plessi;2they utter the sound of P instead of consonant V, Monsieur Olipier instead of Monsieur Olivier. But, as their tongues are quite flexible, they will soon acquire our pronunciation if they are instructed, especially the children.

Le P. Brebeuf m'a dit que les Hurons n'ont point de M. dequoy ie m'estonne: car ceste lettre me semble quasi naturelle, tant l'vsage en est grand.

Father Brebeuf tells me that the Hurons have no M, at which I am astonished, for this letter seems to me almost natural, so extensively is it used.

Que si pour conclusion de ce Chapitre V. R. me demande si i'ay beaucoup auancé dans la cognoissance de ceste langue pendant mon hyuernement auec ces Barbares, ie luy diray ingenuëment que non: en voicy les raisons.

Now if, as conclusion of this Chapter, Your Reverence asks me if I made much progress in the knowledge of this language during the winter I spent with these Barbarians, I answer frankly, "no;" and here are the reasons.

Premierement, le deffaut de ma memoire que ne fut iamais bien excellente, [183] & qui se va deseichant tous les iours. O l'excellent homme pour ces pays icy que le Pere Brebeuf, sa memoire tres-heureuse, sa douceur tres-aymable, feront de grands fruicts dedans les Hurons.

First, my defective memory, which was never very good, [183] and which continues to wither every day. Oh, what an excellent man for these countries is Father Brebeuf! His most fortunate memory, and his amiability and gentleness, will be productive of much good among the Hurons.

Secondement, la malice du sorcier qui defendoit par fois qu'on m'enseignast.

Second, the malice of the sorcerer, who sometimes prevented them from teaching me.

Tiercement, la perfidie de l'Apostat, qui contre sa promesse, & nonobstant les offres que ie luy faisois, ne m'a iamais voulu enseigner, voire sa déloyauté est venuë iusques à ce point de me donner exprez vn mot d'vne signification pour vn autre.

Third, the perfidy of the Apostate, who, contrary to his promise, and notwithstanding the offers I made him, was never willing to teach me,—his disloyalty even going so far as to purposely give me a word of one signification for another.

32En quatriesme lieu, la famine a esté long temps nostre hostesse, ie n'osois quasi en sa presence interroger nos Sauuages, leur estomach n'est pas de la nature des tonneaux qui resonnẽt d'autant mieux qu'ils sont vuides, il ressemble au tambour, plus il est bandé mieux il parle.

In the fourth place, famine was for a long time our guest; and I scarcely ventured in her presence to question our Savages, their stomachs not being like barrels which sound all the louder for being empty; they resemble the drum,—the tighter it is drawn, the better it talks.

En cinquiesme lieu, mes maladies m'ont fait quitter le soing des langues de la terre pour penser au langage de l'autre vie où ie pensois aller.

In the fifth place, my attacks of illness made me give up the care for the languages of earth, to think about the language of the other life whither I was expecting to go.

[184] En sixiesme lieu enfin la difficulté de ceste langue qui n'est pas petite, comme on peut coniecturer de ce que i'ay dit, n'a pas esté vn petit obstacle pour empescher vue pauure memoire comme la mienne d'aller bien loing. Ie iargonne neantmoins, & à force de crier ie me fais entendre.

[184] In the sixth place, and finally, the difficulty of this language, which is not slight, as may be guessed from what I have said, has been no small obstacle to prevent a poor memory like mine from advancing far. Still, I talk a jargon, and, by dint of shouting, can make myself understood.

Vn point me toucheroit viuement, n'estoit que i'estime qu'il ne faut pas marcher deuant Dieu, mais qu'il faut le fuiure, & se contenter de sa propre bassesse; c'est que ie ne croy quasi pas pouuoir iamais parler les langues des Sauuages auec autant de liberté qu'il seroit necessaire pour leur prescher, & répondre sur le champ sans broncher à leurs demandes & à leurs obiections, estant notamment occupé comme i'ay esté iusques à present. Vray que Dieu peut faire d'vne roche vn enfant d'Abraham. Qu'il soit beny à iamais par toutes les langues des nations de la terre.

One thing would touch me keenly, were it not that we are not expected to walk before God, but to follow him, and to be contented with our own littleness; it is that I almost fear I shall never be able to speak the Savage tongues with the fluency necessary to preach to them, and to answer at once, without stumbling, their demands and objections, being so greatly occupied as I have been up to the present. It is true that God can make from a rock a child of Abraham. May he be forever praised, in all the tongues of the nations of the earth!

[185] CHAPITRE XII.34DE CE QU'IL FAUT SOUFFRIR HYUERNANT AUEC LES SAUUAGES.EPICTETE dit que celuy qui veut aller aux bains publics, se doit au prealable figurer toutes les insolences qui s'y commettent, afin que se trouuant engagé dans la risée d'vn tas de canailles, qui luy laueront mieux la teste que les pieds, il ne perde rien de la grauité & de la modestie d'vn homme sage. Ie dirois volontiers le mesme à qui Dieu donne les pensées, & les desirs de passer les mers, pour venir chercher & instruire les Sauuages: c'est en leur faueur que ie coucheray ce Chapitre, afin qu'ayant cogneu l'ennemy qu'ils auront en teste, ils ne s'oublient pas de se munir des armes necessaires pour le combat, notamment d'vn patience de fer ou de bronze, ou plustost d'vne patience toute d'or, pour supporter, fortement & amoureusement les grands trauaux qu'il faut souffrir parmy ces peuples. Commençons [186] par la maison qu'ils doiuent habiter s'il[s] les veulent suiure.

34DE CE QU'IL FAUT SOUFFRIR HYUERNANT AUEC LES SAUUAGES.

EPICTETE dit que celuy qui veut aller aux bains publics, se doit au prealable figurer toutes les insolences qui s'y commettent, afin que se trouuant engagé dans la risée d'vn tas de canailles, qui luy laueront mieux la teste que les pieds, il ne perde rien de la grauité & de la modestie d'vn homme sage. Ie dirois volontiers le mesme à qui Dieu donne les pensées, & les desirs de passer les mers, pour venir chercher & instruire les Sauuages: c'est en leur faueur que ie coucheray ce Chapitre, afin qu'ayant cogneu l'ennemy qu'ils auront en teste, ils ne s'oublient pas de se munir des armes necessaires pour le combat, notamment d'vn patience de fer ou de bronze, ou plustost d'vne patience toute d'or, pour supporter, fortement & amoureusement les grands trauaux qu'il faut souffrir parmy ces peuples. Commençons [186] par la maison qu'ils doiuent habiter s'il[s] les veulent suiure.

[185] CHAPTER XII.WHAT ONE MUST SUFFER IN WINTERING WITH THE SAVAGES.EPICTETUS says that he who intends to visit the public baths must previously consider all the improprieties that will be committed there; so that, when he finds himself surrounded by the derision of a mob of scoundrels who would rather wash his head than his feet, he may lose none of the gravity and modesty of a wise man. I might say the same to those in whom God inspires the thought and desire to cross over the seas, in order to seek and to instruct the Savages. It is for their sake that I shall pen this Chapter, so that, knowing the enemy they will encounter, they may not forget to fortify themselves with the weapons necessary for the combat, especially with patience of iron or bronze, or rather with a patience entirely of gold, in order to bear bravely and lovingly the great trials that must be endured among these people. Let us begin [186] by speaking of the house they will have to live in, if they wish to follow them.

WHAT ONE MUST SUFFER IN WINTERING WITH THE SAVAGES.

EPICTETUS says that he who intends to visit the public baths must previously consider all the improprieties that will be committed there; so that, when he finds himself surrounded by the derision of a mob of scoundrels who would rather wash his head than his feet, he may lose none of the gravity and modesty of a wise man. I might say the same to those in whom God inspires the thought and desire to cross over the seas, in order to seek and to instruct the Savages. It is for their sake that I shall pen this Chapter, so that, knowing the enemy they will encounter, they may not forget to fortify themselves with the weapons necessary for the combat, especially with patience of iron or bronze, or rather with a patience entirely of gold, in order to bear bravely and lovingly the great trials that must be endured among these people. Let us begin [186] by speaking of the house they will have to live in, if they wish to follow them.

Pour conceuoir la beauté de cest edifice, il en faut décrire la structure; i'en parleray auec science: car i'ay souuent aydé à la dresser. Estans donc arriuez au lieu où nous deuions camper; les femmes armées de haches s'en alloient çà & là dans ces grandes forests coupper du bois pour la charpente de l'hostellerie où nous voulions loger, ce pendant les hommes en ayans designé le plan, vuidoient la neige auec leurs36raquilles, ou auec des pelles qu'ils font & portent exprez pour ce fujet: figurez vous donc vn grand rond, ou vn quarré dans la neige, haute de deux, de trois, ou de quatre pieds, selon les temps, ou les lieux où on cabane; ceste profondeur nous faisoit vne muraille blanche, qui nous enuironnoit de tous costez, excepté par l'endroit où on la fendoit pour faire la porte: la charpente apportée, qui consiste en quelque vingt ou trente perches, plus ou moins, selon la grandeur de la cabane, on la plante, non sur la terre, mais sur le haut de la neige, puis on iette sur ces perches qui s'approchent [187] vn petit par en haut, deux ou trois rouleaux d'écorces cousuës ensemble, commençant par le bas, & voila la maison faite, on couure la terre, comme aussi ceste muraille de neige qui regne tout à l'entour de la cabane, de petites branches de pin, & pour derniere perfection, on attache vne méchante peau à deux perches pour seruir de porte, dont les iambages font la neige mesme. Voyons maintenant en détail toutes les commoditez de ce beau Louure.

In order to have some conception of the beauty of this edifice, its construction must be described. I shall speak from knowledge, for I have often helped to build it. Now, when we arrived at the place where we were to camp, the women, armed with axes, went here and there in the great forests, cutting the framework of the hostelry where we were to lodge; meantimethe men, having drawn the plan thereof, cleared away the snow with their snowshoes or with shovels which they make and carry expressly for this purpose. Imagine now a great ring or square in the snow, two, three or four feet deep, according to the weather or the place where they encamp. This depth of snow makes a white wall for us, which surrounds us on all sides, except the end where it is broken through to form the door. The framework having been brought, which consists of twenty or thirty poles, more or less, according to the size of the cabin, it is planted, not upon the ground but upon the snow; then they throw upon these poles, which converge [187] a little at the top, two or three rolls of bark sewed together, beginning at the bottom, and behold, the house is made. The ground inside, as well as the wall of snow which extends all around the cabin, is covered with little branches of fir; and, as a finishing touch, a wretched skin is fastened to two poles to serve as a door, the doorposts being the snow itself. Now let us examine in detail all the comforts of this elegant Mansion.

Vous ne sçauriez demeurer debout dans ceste maison, tant pour sa bassesse, que pour la fumée qui suffoqueroit, & par consequent il faut estre tousiours couché ou assis sur la platte terre, c'est la posture ordinaire des Sauuages: de sortir de hors, le froid, la neige, le danger de s'égarer dans ces grãds bois, vous font rentrer plus vite que le vent, & vous tiennent en prison dans vn cachot, qui n'a ny clef ny serrure.

You cannot stand upright in this house, as much on account of its low roof as the suffocating smoke; and consequently you must always lie down, or sit flat upon the ground, the usual posture of the Savages. When you go out, the cold, the snow, and the danger of getting lost in these great woods drive you in again more quickly than the wind, and keep you a prisoner in a dungeon which has neither lock nor key.

Ce cachot, outre la posture fascheuse qu'il y faut tenir sur vn lict de terre, a quatre grandes incommoditez, le froid, le chaud, la fumée & les chiens: [188] Pour le froid vous auez la teste à la neige, il38n'y a qu'vne branche de pin entre deux, bien souuent rien que vostre bonnet, les vents ont liberté d'entrer par mille endroicts: car ne vous figurez pas que ces écorces soient iointes comme vn papier colé sur vn chassis, elles ressemblent bien souuent l'herbe à mille pertuis, sinon que leurs trous & leurs ouuertures sont vn peu plus grandes, & quand il n'y auroit que l'ouuerture d'en haut, qui sert de fenestre & de cheminée tout ensemble, le plus gros hyuer de France y pourroit tous les iours passer tout entier sans empressement. La nuict estant couché ie contemplois par ceste ouuerture & les Estoilles & la Lune, autant à découuert que si i'eusse esté en pleine campagne.

This prison, in addition to the uncomfortable position that one must occupy upon a bed of earth, has four other great discomforts,—cold, heat, smoke, anddogs. [188] As to the cold, you have the snow at your head with only a pine branch between, often nothing but your hat, and the winds are free to enter in a thousand places. For do not imagine that these pieces of bark are joined as paper is glued and fitted to a window frame; they are often like the plant mille-pertuis,3except that their holes and their openings are a little larger; and even if there were only the opening at the top, which serves at once as window and chimney, the coldest winter in France could come in there every day without any trouble. When I lay down at night I could study through this opening both the Stars and the Moon as easily as if I had been in the open fields.

Or cependant le froid ne m'a pas tant tourmenté que la chaleur du feu, vn petit lieu, comme sont leurs cabanes s'échauffe aisément par vn bon feu, qui me rotissoit par fois & me grilloit de tous costez, à raison que la cabane estant trop estroitre, ie ne sçauois comment me deffendre de son ardeur, d'aller à droite ou a gauche, vous ne sçauriez: [189] car les Sauuages qui vous sont voisins occupent vos costez, de reculer en arriere, vous rencontrez ceste muraille de neige, ou les écorces de la cabane qui vous bornent, ie ne sçauois en quelle posture me mettre, de m'estendre, la place estoit si estroite que mes iambes eussent esté à moitié dans le feu; de me tenir en ploton, & tousiours racourcy cõme ils font, ie ne pouuois pas si long temps qu'eux: mes habits ont esté tout rostis & tout bruslez. Vous me demanderez peut estre si la neige que nous auions au dos ne se fondoit point quand on faisoit bon feu: ie dis que non, que si par fois la chaleur l'amolissoit tant soit peu, le froid la durcissoit en glace. Or ie diray neantmoins que le40froid ny le chaud n'ont rien de [in]tolerable, & qu'on trouue quelque remede à ces deux maux.

Nevertheless, the cold did not annoy me as much as the heat from the fire. A little place like their cabins is easily heated by a good fire, which sometimes roasted and broiled me on all sides, for the cabin was so narrow that I could not protect myself against the heat. You cannot move to right or left, [189] for the Savages, your neighbors, are at your elbows; you cannot withdraw to the rear, for you encounter the wall of snow, or the bark of the cabin which shuts you in. I did not know what position to take. Had I stretched myself out, the place was so narrow that my legs would have been halfway in the fire; to roll myself up in a ball, and crouch down in their way, was a position I could not retain as long as they could; my clothes were all scorched and burned. You will ask me perhaps if the snow at our backs did not melt under so much heat. I answer, "no;" that if sometimes the heat softened it in the least, the cold immediately turned it into ice. I willsay, however, that both the cold and the heat are endurable, and that some remedy may be found for these two evils.

Mais pour la fumée, ie vous confesse que c'est vn martyre, elle me tuoit, & me faisoit pleurer incessament sans que i'eusse ny douleur ny tristesse dans le coeur, elle nous terrassoit par fois tous tant que nous estions dans la cabane, c'est à dire qu'il falloit mettre la [190] bouche contre terre pour pouuoir respirer: car encor que les Sauuages soient accoustumez à ce tourment, si est-ce que par fois il redoubloit auec telle violence, qu'ils estoient contraincts aussi bien que moy de se coucher sur le ventre, & de manger quasi la terre pour ne point boire la fumée: i'ay quelquefois demeuré plusieurs heures en ceste situation, notamment dans les plus grands froids, & lors qu'il neigeoit: car c'estoit en ces temps là que la fumée nous assailloit auec plus de fureur, nous saisissant à la gorge, aux naseaux, & aux yeux: que ce breuuage est amer! que ceste odeur est forte! que ceste vapeur est nuisible à la veuë! i'ay creu plusieurs fois que ie m'en allois estre aueugle, les yeux me cuisoient comme feu, ils me pleuroient ou distilloient comme vn alambic, ie ne voyois plus rien que confusément, à la façon de ce bon homme, qui disoit,video homines velut arbores ambulantes. Ie disois les Pseaumes de mon Breuiaire comme ie pouuois, les sçachans à demy par coeur, i'attendois que la douleur me donnast vn peu de relasche pour reciter les leçons, & quãd [191] ie venois à les lire elles me sembloient écrites en lettres de feu, ou d'écarlatte, i'ay souuent fermé mon liure n'y voyant rien que confusion qui me blessoit la veüe.

But, as to the smoke, I confess to you that it is martyrdom. It almost killed me, and made me weep continually, although I had neither grief nor sadness in my heart. It sometimes grounded all of us who were in the cabin; that is, it caused us to place our [190] mouths against the earth in order to breathe. For, although the Savages were accustomed to this torment, yet occasionally it became so dense that they, as well as I, were compelled to prostrate themselves, and as it were to eat the earth, so as not to drink the smoke. I have sometimes remained several hours in this position, especially during the most severe cold and when it snowed; for it was then the smoke assailed us with the greatest fury, seizing us by the throat, nose, and eyes. How bitter is this drink! How strong its odor! How hurtful to the eyes are its fumes! I sometimes thought I was going blind; my eyes burned like fire, they wept or distilled drops like an alembic; I no longer saw anything distinctly, like the good man who said,video homines velut arbores ambulantes. I repeated the Psalms of my Breviary as best I could, knowing them half by heart, and waited until the pain might relax a little to recite the lessons; and when [191] I came to read them they seemed written in letters of fire, or of scarlet; I have often closed my book, seeing things so confusedly that it injured my sight.

Quelqu'vn me dira que ie deuois sortir de ce trou enfumé, & prendre l'air, & ie luy répondray, que42l'air estoit ordinairement en ce temps-là si froid, que les arbres qui ont la peau plus dure que celle de l'homme, & le corps plus solide, ne luy pouuoient resister, se fendans iusques au coeur faisans vn bruit comme d'vn mousquet en s'éclatans: ie sortois neantmoins quelque fois de ceste taniere, fuyant la rage de la fumée pour me mettre à la mercy du froid, contre lequel ie taschois de m'armer, m'enueloppant de ma couuerture comme vn Irlandois, & en cet equipage assis sur la neige, ou sur quelque arbre abbatu, ie recitois mes Heures: le mal estoit que la neige n'auoit pas plus de pitié de mes yeux que la fumée.

Some one will tell me that I ought to have gone out from this smoky hole to get some fresh air; and I answer him that the air was usually so cold at those times that the trees, which have a harder skin thanman, and a more solid body, could not stand it, splitting even to the core, and making a noise like the report of a musket. Nevertheless, I occasionally emerged from this den, fleeing the rage of the smoke to place myself at the mercy of the cold, against which I tried to arm myself by wrapping up in my blanket like an Irishman; and in this garb, seated upon the snow or a fallen tree, I recited my Hours; the trouble was, the snow had no more pity upon my eyes than the smoke.

Pour les chiens que i'ay dit estre l'vne des incommoditez des maisons des Sauuages, ie ne sçay si ie les dois blasmer: car ils m'ont rendu par fois de bons [192] seruices, vray qu'ils tiroient de moy la mesme courtoisie qu'ils me prestoient, si bien que nous nous entr'aydions les vns les autres, faisans l'emblesme demutuum auxilium, ces pauures bestes ne pouuans subsister à l'air, hors la cabane se venoient coucher tantost sur mes épaules, tantost sur mes pieds, & comme ie n'auois qu'vne simple castalogne pour me seruir de mattelas & de couuerture tout ensemble, ie n'estois pas marry de cet abry, leurs rendans volontiers vne partie de la chaleur que ie tirois d'eux: il est vray que comme ils estoient grands & en grand nombre, ils me pressoient par fois & m'importunoient si fort, qu'en me donnant vn peu de chaleur, ils me déroboient tout mon sommeil, cela estoit cause que bien souuant ie les chassois, en quoy il m'arriua certaine nuict vn traict de confusion & de risée: car vn Sauuage s'estant ietté sur moy en dormant, moy croyant que ce fust vn chien, rencontrant en main vn baston, ie le frappe m'écriant,Aché, Aché, qui sont les mots44dont ils se seruent pour chasser les chiens, mon homme s'éueille bien estonné pensant que [193] tout fut perdu; mais s'estant pris garde d'où venoient les coups: tu n'as point d'esprit, me dit-il, ce n'est pas vn chien, c'est moy: à ces paroles ie ne sçay qui resta le plus estonné de nous deux, ie quittay doucement mon baston, bien marry de l'auoir trouué si pres de moy.

As to the dogs, which I have mentioned as one of the discomforts of the Savages' houses, I do not know that I ought to blame them, for they have sometimes rendered me good [192] service. True, they exacted from me the same courtesy they gave, so that we reciprocally aided each other, illustrating the idea ofmutuum auxilium. These poor beasts, not being able to live outdoors, came and lay down sometimes upon my shoulders, sometimes upon my feet, and as I only had one blanket to serve both as covering and mattress, I was not sorry for this protection, willingly restoring to them a part of the heat which I drew from them. It is true that, as they were large and numerous, they occasionally crowded and annoyed me so much, that in giving me a little heat they robbed me of my sleep, so that I very often drove them away. In doing this one night, there happened to me a little incident which caused some confusion and laughter; for, a Savage having thrown himself upon me while asleep, I thought it was a dog, and finding a club at hand, I hit him, crying out,Aché, Aché, the words they use to drive away the dogs. My man woke up greatly astonished, thinking that [193] all was lost; but having discoveredwhence came the blows, "Thou hast no sense," he said to me, "it is not a dog, it is I." At these words I do not know who was the more astonished of us two; I gently dropped my club, very sorry at having found it so near me.

Retournons à nos chiens, ces animaux estans affamez, d'autant qu'ils n'auoient pas de quoy mãger non plus que nous, ne faisoient qu'aller & venir, roder par tout dans la cabane: or comme on est souuẽt couché aussi bien qu'assis dans ces maisons d'écorce, ils nous passoient souuent & sur la face & sur le ventre, & si souuent, & auec telle importunité, qu'estant las de crier & de les chasser, ie me couurois quelque fois la face, puis ie leur donnois liberté de passer par où ils voudroient: s'il arriuoit qu'on leur iettait vn os, aussitoit s'estoit de courre apres à qui l'auroit, culbutans tous ceux qu'ils rencontroient assis, s'ils ne se tenoient bien fermes; ils m'ont par fois renuersé & mon écuelle d'écorce, & tout ce qui estoit dedans sur ma sotane. Ie sousriois quand il y suruenoit quelque querelle parmy-eux lors que [194] nous disnions: car il n'y auoit celuy qui ne tint son plat à deux belles mains contre la terre, qui seruoit de table, de siege & de lict, & aux hommes & aux chiens: c'est de là que prouenoit la grãde incommodité que nous receuions de ces animaux, qui portoient le nez dans nos écuelles plustost que nous n'y portions la main. C'est assez dit des incommoditez des maisons des Sauuages, parlons de leurs viures.

Let us return to our dogs. These animals, being famished, as they have nothing to eat, any more than we, do nothing but run to and fro gnawing at everything in the cabin. Now as we were as often lying down as sitting up in these bark houses, they frequently walked over our faces and stomachs; and so often and persistently, that, being tired of shouting at them and driving them away, I would sometimes cover my face and then give them liberty to go where they wanted. If any one happened to throw them a bone, there was straightway a race for it, upsetting all whom they encountered sitting, unless they held themselves firmly. They have often upset for me my bark dish, and all it contained, in my gown. I was amused whenever there was a quarrel among them at [194] our dinner table, for there was not one of us who did not hold his plate down with both hands on the ground, which serves as table, seat, and bed both to men and dogs. From this custom arose the great annoyance we experienced from these animals, who thrust their noses into our bark plates before we could get our hands in. I have said enough about the inconveniences of the Savages' houses, let us speak of their food.

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