Chapter 9

The second piece of bad news was brought by a young Savage who came from another quarter, who told us that a Savage of a more distant cabin had died of hunger, and that his people were greatly terrified at not finding anything to eat; when he saw us suffering from the same scarcity, he was frightened still more. The third news was that our people had discovered the trail of several Savages, who were nearer to us than we thought, for they were coming to hunt upon our very grounds, taking away our game and our lives at the same time. These three pieces ofnews discouraged our Savages greatly, the alarm spread everywhere, and all walked with bowed heads. I do not know how I looked, but they seemed to me very much emaciated, very sad and mournful. If the Apostate had consented [292] to help me influence and win over the Sorcerer, this was the time to do it; but his mute devil tied his tongue.

Il faut que ie remarque en ce lieu le peu d'estime que font de luy les Sauuages, il est tombé dans vne grande confusion, voulant éuiter vn petit reproche, il a quitté les Chrestiens & le Christianisme, ne pouuãt souffrir quelques brocards des Sauuages, qui se gaussoient par fois de luy de ce qu'il estoit Sedentaire, & non vagabond comme eux, & maintenãt il est leur ioüet & leur fallot, il est esclaue du Sorcier, deuant lequel il n'oseroit branler, ses freres & les autres Sauuages m'ont dit souuent qu'il n'auoit point d'esprit, que c'estoit vn busart, qu'il ressembloit à vn chien, qu'il mourroit de faim si on ne le nourrissoit, qu'il s'égaroit dans les bois comme vn European, les femmes en font leur entretien, si quelque enfant pleuroit n'ayant pas dequoy manger, elles luy disoient, tais-toy, tais-toy, ne pleure point,Petrichtrich, c'est ainsi qu'on le nomme par mocquerie, rapportera vn Castor, & tu mangeras; quand elles [293] l'entendoient reuenir, allez voir, disoiẽt elles aux enfans, s'il n'a point tué vne Orignac se gaussant de luy comme d'vn mauuais chasseur, qui est vn grand blasme parmy les Sauuages: car ces gens là ne sçauroient trouuer ou retenir des femmes, l'Apostat en a desia eu quatre ou cinq à la faueur de ses freres, toutes l'ont quitté, celle qu'il auoit cét hyuer me disoit qu'elle le quitteroit au Prin-temps, & si elle eust esté de ce païs, elle l'auroit quitté dés lors; i'apprends qu'en effect elle l'a quitté.

I must here speak of the little esteem the Savages have for him. He has fallen into great embarrassment, in trying to avoid a slight reproach. He gave up Christians and Christianity, because he could not suffer the taunts of the Savages, who jeered at him occasionally because he was Sedentary and not wandering, as they were; and now he is their butt and their laughingstock. He is a slave to the Sorcerer, in whose presence he would not dare to move. His brothers and the other Savages have often told me that he has no sense, that he is a buzzard, that he resembles a dog, that he would die of hunger if they did not feed him, that he gets lost in the woods like a European; the women make fun of him,—if some child cries because it does not have enough to eat, they say to it, "Hush, hush, do not cry,Petrichtrich(they call him this in sport) will bring back a Beaver, and then thou shalt have something to eat." When they [293] hear him return, "Go and see," they say to their children, "if he has not killed a Moose;" thus making sport of him for being a poor hunter, a great reproach among the Savages. Because such men cannot find wives or retain them, the Apostate, with the help of his brothers, has already had four or five, all of whom have left him. The one he has had this winter told me she would leave him in the Spring, and, if she had belonged to this part of thecountry, she would have left him then. I hear that she has, in fact, deserted him.

174Certain iour nos chasseurs estans tous dehors, il se tint vn conseil des femmes dans nostre cabane: or comme elles ne croyoient pas que ie les peusse entendre, elles parloient tout haut, & tout librement, déchirant en pieces ce pauure Apostat, l'occasion estoit que le iour precedent il n'auoit rien rapporté à sa femme d'vn festin où il auoit esté inuité, & qui n'estoit pas à tout manger, ô le gourmand, disoient-elles, qui ne donne point à manger à sa femme! encore s'il pouuoit tuer quelque chose, il n'a point d'esprit, il mange tout [294] comme vn chien: il y eut vne grande rumeur entre les femmes sur ce sujet: car comme elles ne vont point ordinairement aux festins, elles seroient bien affligées, si leurs marys perdoient la bonne coustume qu'ils ont de rapporter leurs restes à leurs familles, le Renegát suruenant pendant que cés femmes le depeignoient, elles sceurent fort bien dissimuler leur ieu, luy témoignant vn aussi bon vsage qu'à l'ordinaire, voire mesme celle qui en disoit plus de mal, luy donna vn bout de petun, qui estoit pour lors vn grand present.

On a certain day, when our hunters had gone out, a council of women was held in our cabin. Now as they did not think I could understand, they spoke aloud and freely, tearing this poor Apostate to pieces. The occasion for this was, that the day before he had not carried anything home to his wife from a feast to which he had been invited, and which was not an eat-all feast. "Oh, the glutton," they said, "who gives his wife nothing to eat! If he could only kill something! He has no sense; he eats everything [294] like a dog." There was great excitement among the women over this subject, for, as they do not usually go to the feasts, they would be very sorely afflicted if their husbands lost the good habit they have of bringing home the remains to their families. The Renegade coming in while these women were drawing this picture of him, they knew very well how to put a good face on the matter, showing countenances as smiling as usual, even to such an extent that the one who had said the worst things about him, gave him a bit of tobacco, which was then a great present.

Le neufiesme de Ianuier, vn Sauuage nous venant visiter nous dit, qu'vn homme & vne femme du lieu dont il venoit estoient morts de faim, & que plusieurs n'en pouuoient plus, le pauure homme ieusna le iour de sa venuë aussi bien que nous, pource qu'il ny auoit rien à manger, encore fallut-il attendre iusques au lendemain à dix heures de nuit, que mon hoste rapporta deux Castors qui nous firent grand bien.

On the ninth of January, a Savage, who came to visit us, said that a man and a woman of the place from which he had come had starved to death, and that several others were on the verge of starvation. The poor man fasted the day of his arrival as well as we, for there was nothing to eat; and we had to wait until ten o'clock of the next night, when my host brought in two Beavers, which were a great blessing to us.

[295] Le iour suiuant nos gens tuerent le second Orignac, ce qui causa par tout vne grande ioye, il est vray qu'elle fut vn peu troublée par l'arriuée d'vn Sauuage, & de deux ou trois femmes, & d'vn enfant176que la famine alloit bien tost égorger, s'ils n'eussent fait rencontre de nostre cabane, ils estoient fort hideux, l'homme particulierement plus que les femmes, dont l'vne auoit accouché depuis dix iours dans les neiges, & dans la famine, ayant passé plusieurs iours sans manger.

[295] On the following day our people killed thesecond Moose, at which there was general rejoicing. True, it was a little marred by the arrival of a Savage, and of two or three women and a child, whom famine would have slaughtered, if they had not happened to come to our cabin. They looked most hideous, the man especially, more so than the women, one of whom had given birth to a child ten days before in the snow, and, in the famine, had passed several days without eating.

Mais admirez s'il vous plaist l'amour que ces barbares se portent les vns aux autres, on ne demanda point a ces nouueaux hostes pourquoy ils venoient sur nos limites, s'ils ne sçauoient pas bien que nous estions en aussi grand danger qu'eux, qu'ils nous venoient oster le morceau de la bouche; ains au contraire on les receut, non de paroles, mais d'effect, sans courtoisie exterieure, car les Sauuages n'en ont point, mais non pas sans charité: on leur ietta de grandes pieces de l'Orignac nouuellement tué, [296] sans leur dire autre parole,mitisoukoumangez, aussi leur eust on fait grand tort d'appliquer pour lors leurs bouches à autre vsage: pendant qu'ils mangeoient on prepara vn festin, auquel ils furent traictez à grand plat, ie vous en réponds: car la portion qu'on leur donna à chacun, sortoit beaucoup hors de leursouragansqui sont tres capables.

But admire, if you please, the love these barbarians have for each other. These new guests were not asked why they came upon our boundaries, if they were not well aware that we were in as great straits as they were, and that they were coming to take the morsel out of our mouths. On the contrary, they were received, not with words, but with deeds; without exterior ceremony, for of this the Savages have none, but not without charity. They threw them large pieces of the Moose which had just been killed, [296] without saying another word but,mitisoukou, "eat;" and indeed it would have been very wrong to ask them then to use their mouths for any other purpose. While they were eating, a feast was prepared, at which they were treated generously, I assure you; for the portion given to each one of them more than filled theirouragans, which are very large.

Le seiziesme du mesme mois nous battismes la campagne, & ne pouuans arriuer au lieu où nous pretendions, nous ne fismes que gister dans vne hostelerie que nous dressasmes à la haste, & le lendemain nous poursuiuismes nostre chemin passans sur vne montagne si haute, qu'encore que nous ne montassions point iusques au sommet, qui me paroissoit armé d'horribles rochers, neantmoins le Sorcier me dit, que si le Ciel obscurcy d'vn broüillard eust esté serain nous eussions veu à mesme tẽps Kebec & Tadoussac, esloignez178l'vn de l'autre de quarante lieuës pour le moins, ie voyois au dessous de moy auec horreur des precipices, qui me [297] faisoient trembler, i'apperceuois des montagnes au milieu de quelques plaines qui me paroissoient comme des petites tours, ou plustost comme de petits chasteaux, quoy qu'en effect elles fussent fort grandes & fort hautes: figurez vous quelle peine ont ces barbares de traisner si haut leur bagage, i'auois de la peine à monter, i'en trouuois encore plus à descendre: car quoy que ie m'esloignasse des precipices, neantmoins la pante estoit si roide, qu'il estoit fort aisé de rouler à bas, & de s'aller fendre la teste contre vn arbre.

On the sixteenth of the same month, we rambled about the country; and, not being able to find the place we wanted, we could only lodge in a hostelry that we erected in haste; the next day we pursued our journey, passing over a mountain so high, that even though we did not ascend to its summit, which seemed to be fortified with horrible rocks, yet the Sorcerer told me that if the Sky, which was obscuredby a cloud, had been clear, we might have seen at the same time, both Kebec and Tadoussac, distant from each other at least forty leagues. I saw with horror precipices beneath me, which made [297] me tremble. In the midst of some plains, I saw mountains which seemed to me like little towers, or rather diminutive castles, although in reality they were very large and very high. Imagine how hard it is for these barbarians to drag their baggage so high. I had trouble in getting up, but still more in coming down; for, although I was going away from the precipices, yet the slope was so steep that it was very easy to roll down and break one's head against a tree.

Le vingt neufiesme nous acheuasmes de descendre ceste montagne portant nostre maison sur la pante d'vne autre où nous allasmes: voila le terme de nostre pelerinage, nous commencerons d'oresnauant à tourner bride & à tirer vers l'Isle où nous auons laissé nostre Chaloupe, nous vismes icy les sources de deux petits fleuues, qui se vont rendre dans vn fleuue aussi grand au dire de nos Sauuages, que le fleuue de S. Laurens, ils l'appellentOueraouachticou.

On the twenty-ninth, we finished our descent of this mountain, and carried our house up the slope of another to which we were going. As this was the end of our pilgrimage, we shall begin hereafter to turn back and direct our course toward the Island where we had left our Shallop. We saw here the sources of two little rivers, which flow into a river as large, our Savages say, as the St. Lawrence; they call itOueraouachticou.

[298] Ceste douziesme demeure nous a deliuré de la famine, car les neiges se trouuant hautes assez pour arrester les grandes iambes de l'Elan, nous eusmes dequoy manger. Au commencement ce n'estoient que festins & que danses, mais cela ne dura pas, car on se mit bientost à faire seicherie passant de la famine dans la bonne nourriture, ie me portay bien: mais passant de la chair fraische au boucan ie tombay malade, & ne recouuray point entierement la santé que trois semaines apres mon retour en nostre petite maisonnette. Il est vray que depuis le commencement180de Feurier iusques en Auril nous eusmes tousiours dequoy manger, mais d'vn boucan si dur & si sale & en si petite quantité, horsmis quelques iours d'abondance qui se passoient en festins que nos Sauuages contoient ces derniers, mois aussi bien que les precedens entre les mois & les hyuers de leurs famines. Ils me disoient que pour estre traicté mediocrement & sans patir, il nous falloit vn Elan gros comme vn boeuf en deux iours, tant à raison du [299] nombre que nous estions, comme aussi qu'on mange beaucoup de chair quand on n'a ny pain ny autre chose pour faire durer la viande, adioustez qu'ils sont grands disneurs, & que la chair d'Elan ne demeure pas long-temps dans l'estomach.

[298] This twelfth station delivered us from famine; for the snow was deep enough to impede the long legs of the Elk, and we had something to eat. At first, there was nothing but feasts and dancing; but this did not last long, as they soon began to dry the meat. Passing thus from starvation to good food, I felt very well; but when we changed from fresh meat to smoked, I fell ill, and did not entirely recover my health until three weeks after my return to our little house. It is true that from the beginning of February until April we always had something toeat; but it was smoked meat, so hard and so dirty, and in so small quantities, except a few days of plenty which passed in feasting, that our Savages counted these last months as well as the preceding ones, among the months and winters of their famines. They told me that, to live moderately well and without suffering, they had to have an Elk as large as an ox every two days, both because [299] we were rather numerous, and also because people eat a great deal of meat when they have neither bread nor anything else to make the food hold out; add to this that they are great diners, and that Elk meat does not remain long in the stomach.

Ie me suis oublié de dire ailleurs que les Sauuages content les années par les hyuers, pour dire quel aage as-tu, ils disent combien d'hyuers as-tu passé? ils content aussi par les nuicts comme nous faisons par les iours, au lieu que nous disons, il est arriué depuis trois iours, ils disent depuis trois nuicts.

I have forgotten to say elsewhere that the Savages count the years by winters. To say, "How old art thou?" they say, "How many winters hast thou passed?" They count also by nights, as we do by days; instead of saying, "It happened three days ago," they say, "three nights ago."

Le cinquiesme de Feurier nous quittasmes nostre douziesme demeure pour aller faire la treiziesme, ie me trouuois fort mal, le Sorcier me tuoit auec ses cris, ses hurlemens, & son tambour, il me reprochoit incessamment que ie faisois l'orgueilleux, & que leManitoum'auoit fait malade aussi bien que les autres. Ce n'est pas, luy disois-je, leManitouou le diable qui m'a causé ceste maladie, mais la mauuaise nourriture qui m'a gasté l'estomach, & les [300] autres trauaux qui m'ont debilité, tout cela ne le contentoit point, il ne laissoit pas de m'attaquer, notamment en la presence des Sauuages, disant que ie m'estois mocqué duManitou, & qu'il s'estoit vangé de moy comme d'vn182superbe. Vn iour comme il me faisoit ces reproches ie me leue en mon seant, ie luy dis, afin que tu sçache que ce n'est point tonManitouqui cause les maladies & qui tuë les hommes, escoute comme ie luy parleray, ie m'escrie en leur langue grossissant ma voix, approcheManitou, vien demon, massacre moy si tu as le pouuoir, ie te deffie, ie me mocque de toy, ie ne te crains point, tu n'as point de pouuoir sur ceux qui croyent & qui ayment Dieu, viens & me tuë si tu as les mains libres, tu as plus de peur de moy que ie n'ay de toy, le Sorcier fut espouuenté, & me dit pourquoy l'appelle tu? puis que tu ne le crains pas, c'est signe que tu l'appelle afin qu'il te tuë, non pas luy dis-je, mais ie l'appelle afin que tu ayes cognoissance qu'il n'a point de puissance sur ceux qui adorent le vray Dieu, & pour te faire [301] voir qu'il n'est pas la seule cause des maladies comme tu crois.

On the fifth of February, we left our twelfth dwelling to proceed to our thirteenth. I was very sick; the Sorcerer was killing me with his cries, his howls, and his drum; he continually reproached me with being proud, saying that theManitouhad made me sick as well as the others. "It is not," I said to him, "theManitouor devil that has caused this sickness, but bad food, which has injured my stomach, and [300] other hardships that have weakened me." All this did not satisfy him; he did not cease to attack me, especially in the presence of the Savages, saying I had mocked theManitou, and that he had revenged himself upon me for my pride. One day, when he was casting these slurs upon me, I sat upright, and said, "That thou mayest know it is not thyManitouwho causes sickness and kills people, hear how I shall speak to him." I cried out in their language, in a loud voice, "Come,Manitou; come, demon; murder me if thou hast the power, I defy thee, I mock thee, I do not fear thee; thou hast no power over those who believe and love God; come and kill me if thy hands are free; thou art more afraid of me than I am of thee." The Sorcerer was terrified and said, "Why dost thou call him, since thou dost not fear him? it is the same as calling him to kill thee." "Not at all," said I; "but I am calling him to make you see that he has no power over those who worship the true God, and to show [301] thee that he is not the sole cause of sickness, as thou thinkest."

Le neufiesme du mesme mois de Feurier nous battismes la campagne, le Sorcier nonobstant ma maladie me vouloit faire porter du bagage à toute force, mais mon hoste eust pitié de moy, voire mesme m'ayant rencontré en chemin que ie n'en pouuois quasi plus, il prit de son bon gré ce que ie portois, & le mit sur sa traisne.

On the ninth of the same month of February we scoured the plains. The Sorcerer, in spite of the fact that I was sick, would force me to carry some of the baggage; but my host took pity on me, and, having encountered me on the way when I was ready to sink from exhaustion, he took what I carried, of his own free will, and placed it upon his sledge.

Le quatorziesme & quinziesme nous fismes de longues traictes pour aller planter nostre cabane proche de deux petits Orignaux que mon hoste auoit tué: faisant chemin on reconneust la piste d'vn troisiesme, mon hoste fit arrester le camp pour l'aller descouurir; i'estois en l'arriere garde de nostre armée, c'est à dire que ie venois doucement derriere les autres quand tout à coup ie vis paroistre cét Elan qui couroit droit à moy, & mon hoste apres, qui luy donnoit184la chasse, la neige estoit fort haute, voila pourquoy il ne fit qu'enuiron cinq cens pas deuant que d'estre mis à mort, nous cabanames aupres & en fismes curée.

On the fourteenth and fifteenth, we made long stages, to go and plant our cabin near two small Moose that my host had killed. Upon the way, as we discovered the tracks of a third, my host interrupted the journey to go and look for it. I belonged to the rear guard of our army; that is, I was coming up slowly behind the others, when suddenly this Elk appeared, coming straight toward me, and after it my host in hot pursuit. The snow was very deep, and hence, ere it had gone five hundred steps, it was killed. We encamped near there and made a feast of it.

[302] L'Apostat continuant icy ses blasphemes, me demandoit deuant ses freres pour les animer contre Dieu, pourquoy ie priois celuy qui n'entendoit ny ne voyoit rien, ie le repris fort vertement & luy imposay silence.

[302] The Apostate, continuing to blaspheme here, asked me, in the presence of his brothers, in order to turn them against God, why I prayed to him who neither saw nor heard anything. I rebuked him very sharply and imposed silence upon him.

Le sixiesme iour de Mars nous changeasmes de demeure, le Sorcier, le Renegat, & deux ieunes chasseurs tirerent deuant nous droit aux riues du grand fleuue, l'occasion de cette separation fut que mon hoste braue chasseur ayant descouuert quatre Orignaux, & quantité de cabanes de Castors, ne pouuant luy seul en mesme temps chasser en tant d'endroits fort separez, le Sorcier mena ces ieunes chasseurs pour courre les Orignaux, & luy demeura pour les Castors: cette separation me fit du bien & du mal. Du bien, pource que ie fus deliuré du Sorcier, ie n'ay point de paroles pour declarer l'importunité de ce meschant homme. Du mal, pource que mon hoste ne prenant point d'Orignaux nous ne mangions que du boucan qui m'estoit fort contraire, que s'il prenoit des Castors on en faisoit seicherie, [303] excepté des petits que nous mangions, les plus beaux & les meilleurs estoient reseruez pour les festins qu'ils deuoient faire au Printemps, au lieu où ils s'estoient donnez le rendez-vous.

On the sixth day of March, we shifted our quarters. The Sorcerer, the Renegade, and two young hunters, directed their steps before us straight to the banks of the great river. The cause of this separation was that my host, a good hunter, had discovered four Moose, and a number of Beaver lodges; and not being able alone to hunt in places so widely separated, the Sorcerer took these young hunters to chase the Moose, and he remained for the Beavers. This separation was fraught with both good and evil for me. With good, because I was freed from the Sorcerer; I have no words to describe the pertinacity of this wicked man. With evil, because my host did not capture any Moose, and we had nothing to eat but smoked meat, which was very distasteful to me; for, if he captured any Beavers, they were smoked, [303] except the little ones, which we ate; the finest and best ones were reserved for the feasts they were to give in the Spring, at the place where they had appointed a rendezvous.

Le treiziesme du mesme mois nous fismes nostre dix-huictiesme demeure proche d'vn fleuue dont les eaux me sembloient sucrées apres la saleté des neiges fonduës que nous beuuions és stations precedentes186dans vn chauderon gras & enfumé, ie commençay à ressentir en ce lieu l'incommodité du coucher sur la terre bien froide pendant l'hyuer & fort humide au Printemps, car le costé droit sur lequel ie reposois s'estourdit tellement par la froidure qu'il n'auoit quasi plus de sentiment: or craignant de ne remporter que la moitié de moy-mesme dans nostre petite maison, l'autre demeurante paralytique, ie promis vne chemise & vne petite robbe à vn enfant pour vn meschãt bout de peau d'Orignac que sa mere me donna, ceste peau non passée estoit bien aussi dure que la terre, mais non pas si humide, [304] i'en fis mon lict qui se trouua si court que la terre qui auoit iusques alors pris possession de tout mon corps en retint encore la moitié.

On the thirteenth of the same month, we made our eighteenth station near a river, whose waters seemed to me sweet as sugar after the dirt of the melted snow that we drank at former stations, out of a greasy and smoky kettle. I began here to experience the discomfort of sleeping upon the ground, which was cold in winter and damp in Spring; for my right side, upon which I lay, became so benumbed from cold that it scarcely had any sense of feeling. Now fearing Iwould only carry half of myself back to our little house, the other being paralyzed, I promised a shirt and a little gown to a child, for a miserable piece of Moose skin, which his mother gave me; this undressed skin was about as hard as the ground, but not as damp. [304] Of this I made my bed, which was so short that the ground, which had up to that time taken possession of all my body, still kept the half of it.

Depuis le depart du Sorcier, mon hoste prenoit plaisir à me faire des questions, notamment des choses naturelles, il me demanda vn iour comme la terre estoit faite, & m'apportant vne écorce & vn charbon, il me la fit décrire, ie luy despeins donc les deux Hemispheres, & apres luy auoir tracé l'Europe, l'Asia, & l'Affrique, ie vins à nostre Amerique, luy monstrant comme elle est vne grande Isle, ie luy d'écriuy la coste de l'Acadie, la grande Isle de Terre-neufue, l'entrée & golfe de nostre grand fleuue de sainct Laurens, les peuples qui habitent ses riues, le lieu où nous estions pour lors, ie montay iusques aux Algonquains, aux Hiroquois, aux Hurons, à la nation neutre, &c. luy designant les endroits plus & moins peuplez, ie passay à la Floride, au Perou, au Brasil, &c. luy parlant en mon jargon de ces contrées le mieux qu'il m'estoit possible, il m'interrogea [305] plus particulierement des païs dont il a connoissance, puis m'ayans188escouté fort patiemment, il s'escria prononçant vne de leurs grandes admirationsAmonitatinaniouikhi! Ceste robbe noire dit vray! parlant à vn vieillard qui me regardoit, puis se tournant deuers moy il me dit,nicanis, mon bien aymé tu nous donne en verité de l'admiration, car nous connoissons la plus part de ces terres & de ces peuples, & tu les a descrit comme ils sont, i'insiste là dessus, comme tu vois que ie dis vray parlant de ton pays, aussi dois-tu croire que ie ne ments pas parlant des autres, ie le croy ainsi, me repartit-il, ie poursuy ma pointe, comme ie suis veritable en parlant des choses de la terre, aussi tu dois te persuader que ie ne voudrois pas mentir quand ie te parle des choses du Ciel, & partant tu dois croire ce que ie t'ay dit de l'autre vie: il s'arresta vn peu de temps tout court, puis ayant vn peu pensé à part soy, Ie te croiray, dit-il quand tu sçauras bien parler, nous auons maintenant trop de peine à nous faire entendre.

After the departure of the Sorcerer, my host took pleasure in asking me questions, especially about the things of nature. One day he asked me how the earth was made; and, bringing me a piece of bark and some charcoal, he had me describe it. So I drew for him the two Hemispheres; and, after having traced Europe, Asia and Africa, I came to our America, showing him that it is an immense Island. I described for him the coast of Acadia, the great Island of Newfoundland, the entrance and gulf of our great river saint Lawrence, the people who inhabit its banks, the place where we then were. I went up as far as the Algonquains, the Hiroquois, the Hurons, to the neutral nation, etc., showing him the places more and less populous. I passed to Florida, to Peru, to Brazil, etc., speaking to him in my jargon the best I could about these countries. He asked me [305] more particularly about the countries of which he had some knowledge. Then having listened to me patiently, he exclaimed, using one of their words expressive of great admiration,Amonitatinaniouikhi!"This black robe tells the truth," speaking to an old man who was looking at me; and turning toward me, he said, "nicanis, my well-beloved, thou dost indeed cause our wonder; for we are acquainted with thegreater part of these lands and tribes, and thou hast described them as they are." Thereupon I urge, "As thou seest I tell the truth in speaking of thy country, thou shouldst also believe that I do not lie in speaking of the others." "I do believe thus," he replied. I followed up my point: "As I am truthful in speaking about things of the earth, also thou shouldst persuade thyself that I am not lying when I speak to thee about the things of Heaven; and therefore thou oughtst believe what I have told thee about the other life." He paused a few moments, and then, having reflected a little, said, "I will believe thee when thou shalt know how to speak; but we have now too much trouble in understanding each other."

[306] Il m'a fait mille autres questions, du Soleil, de la rondeur de la terre, des Antipodes, de la France, & fort souuent il me parloit de nostre bon Roy, il admiroit quand ie luy disois que la France estoit remplie de Capitaines, & que le Roy estoit le Capitaine de tous les Capitaines, il me prioit de le mener en France pour le voir, & qu'il luy feroit des presens, ie me mis à rire luy disant que toutes leurs richesses n'estoient que pauureté à comparaisson des grandeurs du Roy, Ie veux dire, me fit-il, que ie feray des presens à ceux de sa suitte, pour luy ie me contenteray de le voir, il racontoit par apres aux autres ce qu'il m'auoit ouy dire. Il me demanda vne autrefois s'il y auoit de grands saults dans la mer, c'est à dire des cheutes d'eau, il y en a beaucoup dans les fleuues de190ce païs cy, vous verrez vne belle riuiere coulant fort doucement tomber tout à coup dans vn lit plus bas, les terres ne s'abbaissant pas également, mais comme par degrez en certains endroits, nous voyons vn de ces sauts proche de Kebec nommé le saut de [307] Montmorency, c'est vne riuiere qui vient des terres, & qui se precipite de fort haut dans le grand fleuue de sainct Laurens, les riues qui le bornent estans fort releuées en cét endroit: Or quelques Sauuages croyoient que la mer a de ces cheutes d'eau dans lesquelles se perdent quantité de nauires ie luy ostay cét erreur, ces inegalitez ne se retrouuans point dans l'Ocean.

[306] He asked me a thousand other questions,—about the Sun, the roundness of the earth, the Antipodes, France, and he frequently spoke to me about our good King. He was surprised when I told him that France was full of Captains, and that the King was the Captain of all the Captains. He begged me to take him to France to see him, and to make him some presents. I began to laugh, telling him that all their riches were nothing but poverty compared to the splendors of the King. "I mean," said he, "that I will make presents to his followers; as to him, I will be content to see him." He recounted afterwards to the others what he had heard me say. Another time he asked me if there were any great falls in the sea, that is, waterfalls. There are a great many in the rivers of this country. You will see a beautiful river flowing along peacefully; and all at once it will fall into a lower bed, as the land does not slope gradually, but as if by steps in certain places. We see one of these falls near Kebec;it is called the "falls of [307] Montmorency." They are formed by a river which comes from the interior, and falls from a very high level into the great river saint Lawrence, the banks enclosing it being considerably elevated at this place. Now some of the Savages believe that the sea has these waterfalls, and that a great many ships are lost in them. I removed this error by telling them that these inequalities are not found in the Ocean.

Le vingt-troisiesme de Mars nous repassames le fleuueCapititetchioueth, que nous auions passé le troisiesme de Decembre.

On the twenty-third of March, we again crossed the riverCapititetchioueth, over which we had passed on the third of December.

Le trentiesme du mesme mois, nous vinsmes cabaner sur vn fort beau lac, en ayant passé vn autre plus petit en nostre chemin, ils estoient encore autant glacez qu'au milieu de l'hyuer, mon hoste me consoloit icy me voyant fort foible & fort abbatu, ne t'attriste point, me disoit-il, si tu t'attriste tu seras encore plus malade, si ta maladie augmente tu mourras, considere que voicy vn beau pays, ayme-le, si tu l'ayme, tu t'y plairas, si tu t'y plais tu te resioüiras, si tu te resioüis tu guariras, ie [308] prenois plaisir d'entendre le discours de ce pauure barbare.

On the thirtieth of the same month, we encamped upon a very beautiful lake, having passed another smaller one on our way, both of them still frozen over as hard as in the middle of winter. Here my host, seeing that I was very weak and cast down, consoled me, saying, "Do not be sad: if thou art sad, thou wilt become still worse; if thy sickness increases, thou wilt die. See what a beautiful country this is; love it: if thou lovest it, thou wilt take pleasure in it, and if thou takest pleasure in it thou wilt become cheerful, and if thou art cheerful thou wilt recover." I [308] took pleasure in listening to the conversation of this poor barbarian.

Le premier iour d'Auril nous quittasmes ce beau lac & tirasmes à grande erre vers nostre rendez vous, nous passames la nuit dans vn meschant trou enfumé & dés le matin continuasmes nostre chemin faisant plus en ces deux iournées que nous n'auions faict en cinq, Dieu nous fauorisa d'vn beau temps: car il gela192bien fort, & l'air fut serain, s'il eust fait vn degel comme les iours precedens, & que nous eussions enfoncé dans la neige, comme quelques fois il nous est arriué, ou il m'eust fallu traisner, ou ie fusse demeuré en chemin tant i'estois mal. Il est bien vray que la nature a plus de force qu'elle ne s'en fait accroire, ie l'experimentay en ceste iournée en laquelle i'estois si foible, que m'asseant de temps en temps sur la neige pour me reposer, tous les membres me trembloient, non pas de froid, mais par vne debilité qui me causoit vne sueur au front. Or comme i'estois alteré voulant puiser de l'eau dans vn torrent [309] que nous rencontrasmes, la glace que ie cassois auec mon baston tomba dessous moy, & fit vn grand escarre: quand ie me vis auec mes raquettes aux pieds sur ceste glace flottante sur vne eau fort rapide, ie sautay plustost sur le bord du torrent, que ie n'eu consulté si ie le deuois faire, & la nature qui suoit de foiblesse trouua assez de force pour sortir de ceste grande eau n'en voulant pas tant boire à la fois, ie n'eus que la peur d'vn peril qui fut plustost esuité que recognu.

On the first day of April, we left this beautiful lake, and drew rapidly toward our rendezvous. We passed the night in a miserable smoky hole, and in the morning continued on our way, going farther in these two days than we had previously gone in five. God favored us with fine weather, for there was a hard frost, and the air was clear. If it had thawed as on the preceding days, and we had sunk down in the snow, as sometimes happened, either they wouldhave had to drag me, or I would have remained on the way, so ill was I. It is true that nature has more resistance than she makes believe; I experienced this that day, when I was so weak that, if I sat down upon the snow occasionally to rest myself, my limbs would tremble, not from cold, but from a weakness which caused the perspiration to come out upon my forehead. Now, as I was thirsty, I tried to drink some water from a torrent [309] that we were passing. The ice, which I broke with my club, fell under me and separated into a big cake. When I saw myself with my snowshoes on my feet, upon this ice, floating in a very rapid current, I leaped to the edge of the torrent before consulting as to whether I ought to do it or not, and nature, which perspired from weakness, found strength enough to escape from this mass of water, not wishing to drink so much of it at once; I had nothing but the fear of a peril which was sooner escaped than realized.

Le danger passé ie poursuiuis mon chemin assez lentement, aussi ne pouuois-ie pas estre bien fort, car outre la maladie qui ne m'auoit point quitté parfaitement depuis le dernier iour de Ianuier, ie ne mangeois ces derniers iours que trois bouchées de boucan le matin, & cheminois quasi tout le reste du iour sans autre rafraichissement qu'vn peu d'eau quand i'en pouuois rencontrer. Enfin i'arriuay apres les autres sur les riues du grand fleuue, & trois iours apres nostre [310] arriuée, sçauoir est le quatriesme du mesme mois d'Auril nous sismes nostre vingt-troisiesme station allant planter nostre cabane dans l'Isle où194nous auions laissé nostre Chalouppe, nous y fusmes tres-mal logez: car outre que le Sorcier s'estoit remis auec nous, nous estions si remplis de fumée que nous n'en pouuions plus, d'ailleurs le grand fleuue estant icy falé, & l'Isle n'ayant aucune fontaine nous ne beuuions que des eaux de neige, ou de pluye encore tres sale. Ie ne fis pas long sejour en ce lieu, mon hoste voyant que ie ne guerissois point, prit resolution de me remener en nostre maisonnette, le Sorcier l'en voulut detourner, mais ie rompis ses menées, i'obmets mille particularitez pour tirer à la fin.

The danger passed, I pursued my way quite slowly; indeed I was not likely to be very strong, for, besides the malady from which I had been suffering since the last day of January, and which had not entirely left me, during these last days I had not been eating more than three mouthfuls of smoked meat in the morning, and would walk nearly all the rest of the day without any other refreshment than a little water, when I could get any. At last I arrived after the others upon the banks of the great river, and, three days later, [310] namely, on the fourth of the same month of April, we made our twenty-third station, going to erect our cabin on the Island where we had left our Shallop. Here we were very badly lodged; for, in addition to the presence of the Sorcererwho had returned to us, we were so full of smoke that we could stand no more; besides, as the water of the great river was salty here, and as there was no spring in the Island, we could only drink snow or rainwater, and that very dirty. I did not make a long stay in this place. My host, seeing that I was not getting well, decided to take me back to our little house; the Sorcerer wished to dissuade him from this, but I broke up his conspiracies. I am omitting a thousand particulars in order to get to the end.

Le cinquiesme du mois d'Auril, mon hoste, l'Apostat, & moy, nous embarquasmes dans vn petit canot pour tirer à Kebec fur le grand fleuue, apres auoir pris congé de tous les Sauuages: or comme il faisoit encore froid nous ne fusmes pas loin que [311] nous trouuasmes vne petite glace formée pendant la nuict, qui feruoit de superficie aux eaux, voyant qu'elle s'estendoit fort loing, nous donnons dedans, l'Apostat qui estoit deuant, la brifant auec son auiron: or soit qu'elle fut trop trenchante, ou l'écorce de nostre gòndole trop foible, il se fit vne ouuerture qui donna entrée à l'eau dans nostre canot & à la crainte dans nostre cœur, nous voila aussi tost tous trois en action, mes deux Sauuages de ramer, & moy de ietter l'eau, nous tirons à force de rames dans vne Isle que nous rencontrasmes fort à propos, & mettant pied à terre les Sauuages empoignent leur canot, le tirent de l'eau, le renuerfent, battent leur fusil, font du feu, recousent l'escorce fenduë, y appliquent de leur bray, qui est vne espece d'encens qui decoule des arbres, remettent le canot à l'eau, nous nous rembarquons & continuons nostre chemin: ie leur dy voyant196ce peril que s'ils croyoient rencontrer souuent de ces glaces tranchantes, [312] qu'il valloit mieux retourner d'où nous estions partis, & attendre que le temps fut plus chaud, il est vray me fit mon hoste que nous auons pensé perir, si l'ouuerture eust esté vn peu plus grande c'estoit fait de nous, poursuiuons neantmoins nostre chemin ces petites glaces ne m'estonnent pas. Sur les trois heures du soir nous apperceusmes deuant nous vn banc de glaces espouuentables qui nous bouchoit le chemin, s'estendant au trauers de ce fleuue à plus de quatre lieuës loin: nous fusmes vn peu estonnez, mes gens ne laissent pas pourtant de les aborder ayant remarqué vne petite esclaircie, ils se glissent là dedans faisant tournoyer nostre petite gondole, tantost d'vn costé & puis tantost de l'autre pour gaigner tousjours païs, en fin nous trouuasmes ces glaces si fort serrées qu'il fut impossible d'auancer ny de reculer, car le mouuement de l'eau nous enferma de toutes parts, au milieu de ces glaces s'il y fut suruenu vn vent vn peu violent nous estions froissez & brisez & [313] nous & nostre canot comme le grain entre les deux pierres du moulin, car figurez-vous que ces glaces sont plus grandes & plus espaisses que les meules & la tremuë tout ensemble, mes Sauuages nous voyant si empressez sautent de glaces en glaces comme vn ecririeux d'arbres en arbres, & les repoussant auec leurs auirons font passage au canot dans lequel i'estois tout seul plus prest de mourir par les eaux que de maladie, nous combattismes en cette sorte iusques à cinq heures du soir que nous prismes terre: ces barbares sont tres habiles en ces rencontres, ils me demandoient par fois dans la plus grande presse des glaces si ie ne craignois point, veritablement198la nature n'ayme point à ioüer à ce jeu là, & leurs sauts de glaces en glaces me sembloient des sauts perilleux & pour eux & pour moy, veu mesmes que leür pere, à ce qu'ils me disoient, s'est autrefois noyé en semblable occasion. Il est vray que Dieu dont la bonté est par tout aymable, se trouue aussi bien dessus les eaux [314] & parmy les glaces que dessus la terre, nous eschappasmes encore de ce danger qui ne leur sembla pas si grand que le premier.

On the fifth of the month of April, my host, the Apostate, and I embarked in a little canoe to go to Kebec upon the great river, after having taken leave of all the Savages. Now, as it was still cold, we had not gone far when [311] we found that a little ice had formed during the night, which covered the surface of the water; seeing that it extended quite far, we entered it, the Apostate, who was in front, breaking it with his paddle. But either it was too sharp, or the bark of our gondola too thin; for it made an opening which let the water into our canoe and fear into our hearts. So behold us all three in action, my two Savages paddling, and I baling out the water. We drew with all the strength of our paddles to an Island which we very fortunately encountered. When we set foot upon shore, the Savages seized the canoe, drew it out of the water, turned it upside down; lighted their tinder, made a fire, sewed up the slit in the bark; applied to it their resin, a kind of gum that runs out of trees; placed the canoe again in the water, and we reëmbarked and continued our journey. In view of this danger, I told them that, if they expected to encounter much of this sharp ice, [312] it would bebetter to return whence we had come, and wait until the weather was warmer. "It is true," replied my host, "that we came near perishing; if the hole had been a little larger it would have been all over with us. But let us pursue our way, this little ice does not frighten me." Towards the third hour of the evening we saw before us a horrible bank of ice which blocked our way, extending across the great river for a distance of more than four leagues. We were a little frightened, but my people approached it nevertheless, as they had noticed a small opening in it; they glided into this, turning our little gondola first to one side and then to the other, in order to always make some headway. At last we found these masses of ice so firmly wedged together, that it was impossible either to advance or recede, for the movement of the water closed us in on all sides. In the midst of this ice, if a sharp wind had arisen, we would have been crushed and broken to pieces, [313] we and our canoe, like the grain of wheat between two millstones; for imagine these blocks of ice, larger and thicker than the millstone and hopper together. My Savages, seeing our predicament, leaped from one piece of ice to another, like squirrels from tree to tree; and, pushing it away with their paddles, made a passage for the canoe, in which I sat alone, nearer dying from water than from disease. We struggled along in this way until five o'clock in the evening, and then we landed. These barbarians are very skillful in such encounters. They asked me from time to time, in the greatest danger, if I were not afraid; truly nature is not fond of playing at such games, and their leaps from ice to ice seemed to me to be full of peril both for them and for me, especiallyas their father, as I have been told, was drowned under similar circumstances. It is true that God, whose goodness is everywhere adorable, is found as well upon the waters, [314] and among the ice, as upon the land. We escaped also from this danger, which did not seem to them as great as the first.

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