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Arriuez que nous fumes ? Kebec on nous raconta la mort de six prisonniers que les Sauuages tenoient, laquelle est arriu?e pour l'yurongnerie que les Europeans ont icy apport?. Le Ministre Anglois, qui au reste n'estoit point de la mesme Religion que ses o?ailles, car il estoit Protest?t ou Lutherien, les Kers sont Caluinistes, ou de quelque autre Religion plus libertine, aussi ont-ils tenu six mois en prison ce pauure Ministre dedans nostre maison: lequel m'a racont? que les Montagnards vouloient traitter la paix auec les Hiroquois, & que celuy qui tenoit les prisonniers luy auoit promis qu'on ne les feroit point mourir: neantmoins ce miserable estant yure d'eau de vie, qu'il auoit traitt? auec les Anglois pour des Castors, appella son frere, & luy commanda d'aller donner vn coup de cousteau ? l'vn des Hiroquois & le tuer, ce qu'il fit. Voyla les pens?es de la paix euano?ies; on parle de la mort des autres. Le Ministre entendant cela dit ? ce Sauuage qu'il n'auoit point tenu sa parole faisant mourir ce prisonnier. C'est toy, r?pond le Sauuage, & les tiens qui l'ont tu?, car si tu ne nous donnois point d'eau de vie, ny de vin, nous ne ferions point cela. Et de fait depuis que ie suis icy ie n'ay veu que des Sauuages yures, on les entend crier & tempester iour & nuict, ils se battent & se blessent les vns les autres, ils tuent le bestial de madame Hebert: & quand ils sont retournez ? leur bon sens, ils vous disent, Ce n'est pas nous qui auons fait cela, mais toy qui nous donne cette boisson: ont ils cuu? leur vin, ils sont entr'eux aussi grands amis qu'auparauant, se disans l'vn l'autre tu es mon frere, ie t'ayme, ce n'est pas moy qui t'ay bless?, mais la boisson qui s'est seruy de mon bras. I'en ay veu de tous meurtris par la face; les femmes mesmes s'enyurent, & crient comme des enrag?es? ie m'attend bien qu'ils tueront l'vn de ces iours quelques Fran?ois, ce qu'ils ont d?ja pens? faire, & pass? huict heures du matin il ne fait pas bon les aller voir sans armes, quand ils ont du vin. Quelques vns de nos gens y estant allez apres le disner, vn Sauuage les voulut assommer ? coups de haches: mais d'autres Sauuages qui n'estoient pas yures vindrent au secours. Quand l'vn d'eux est bien yure, les autres le lient par les pieds & par les bras, s'ils le peuuent attraper. Quelques-vns de leurs Capitaines sont venus prier les Fran?ois de ne plus traitter d'eau de vie, ny de vin, disans qu'ils seroient cause de la mort de leurs gens. C'est bien le pis quand ils en voyent deuant eux d'autres autant yures qu'ils s?auroient estre. Mais finissons le discours de ces Hiroquois; on fit parler au Capitaine Anglois s'il en vouloit quelquesvns, comme il entendit qu'il falloit faire quelque present, il r?pondit que non, & qu'ils en fissent ce qu'ils voudroient. Voicy donc comme ils les traitterent.

Upon our arrival in Kebec, we heard of the death of six prisoners held by the Savages, the result of the drunkenness which has been introduced here by the Europeans. The English Clergyman, who was not of the same Faith as his people,--for he was a Protestant or Lutheran, and the Kers are Calvinists or of some other more libertine Religion ,--told me that the Montagnards wanted to negotiate a peace with the Hiroquois, and that the one who was in charge of the prisoners had promised him that they would not be killed. Nevertheless, this wretch being drunk with brandy, which he had procured from the English in exchange for Beavers, called his brother and commanded him to go and strike one of the Hiroquois with a knife and kill him, which he did. Thus all thoughts of peace vanished. They were talking about killing the others. The Minister, hearing this, said to the Savage that in killing this prisoner he had not kept his word. "It is thou," answered the Savage, "and thine, who killed him; for, if thou hadst not given us brandy or wine, we would not have done it." And, in fact, since I have been here, I have seen only drunken Savages; they are heard shouting and raving day and night, they fight and wound each other, they kill the cattle of madame Hebert; and, when they have returned to their senses, they say to you, "It is not we who did that, but thou who gavest us this drink." When they have slept off their drunkenness, they are as good friends with each other as ever, saying to each other: "Thou art my brother, I love thee; it is not I who wounded thee, but the drink which used my arm." I have seen some of them with very badly bruised faces; even the women get drunk, and shriek like furies. I expect that they will kill some of us French People one of these days, as they have already thought of doing; and after eight o'clock in the morning it is not safe to go to see them without arms, if they have any wine. Some of our men going to see them after dinner, a Savage tried to kill them with his hatchet, but other Savages who were not drunk came to their assistance. When one of them is very drunk, the others tie him by his feet and arms, if they can catch him. Some of their Captains have come to plead with the French not to sell them brandy or wine, saying that they would be the cause of the death of their people. It is by far the worst when they see before them others as drunk as they can be. But let us end the talk about these Hiroquois. The English Captain was asked if he wanted some of them. As he supposed he would have to make them a present, he answered, "no," and said that they might do with them what they pleased. Now this is the way they were treated:

Ils leurs auoient arrach? les ongles auec les dents si tost qu'ils furent pris: Ils leurs couperent les doigts le iour de leur supplice, puis leurs lierent les deux bras ensemble par le poignet de la main auec vn cordeau, & deux hommes de part & d'autre, le tiroient tant qu'ils pouuoient, ce cordeau entroit dans la chair & brisoit les os de ces pauures miserables, qui crioient horriblement. Ayans les mains ainsi accommod?es on les attacha ? des potteaux, & les filles & les femmes donnoient des presents aux hommes ? fin qu'ils les laissassent tourmenter ? leur gr? ces pauures victimes. Ie n'assistay point ? ce supplice, ie n'aurois peu supporter cette cruaut? diabolique; mais ceux qui estoient presens me dirent, si tost que nous fumes arriuez, qu'ils n'auoient iamais veu rien de semblable. Vous eussiez veu ces femmes enrag?es, crians, hurlans, leur appliquer des feux aux parties les plus sensibles, & les plus vergogneuses, les picquer auec des aleines, les mordre ? belle dents, comme des furies, leurs fendre la chair auec des cousteaux; bref exercer tout ce que la rage peut suggerer ? vne femme. Elles iettoient sur eux du feu, des cendres bruslantes, du sable tout ardent, & quand les suppliciez iettoi?t quelques cris, tous les autres crioient encor plus fort, ? fin qu'on n'entendit point leurs gemissemens, & qu'on ne fut touch? de compassion. On leur couppa le haut du front auec vn cousteau, puis on enleua la peau de leur teste, & ietta-on du sable ardent sur le test d?couuert. Maintenant il y a des Sauuages qui portent ces peaux couuertes de leurs cheueux & moustaches par brauade; on voit encor plus de deux cent coups d'aleines dans ces peaux: bref ils exercerent sur eux toutes les cruautez que i'ay dit cy dessus parlant de ce que i'auois veu ? Tadoussac, & plusieurs autres, dont ie ne me souuiens pas maintenant. Quand on leur represente que ces cruautez sont horribles & indignes d'vn homme, ils r?pondent, Tu n'as point de courage de laisser viure tes ennemis, quand les Hiroquois nous prennent, ils nous en font encor pis, voyla pourquoy nous les traittons le plus mal qu'il nous est possible. Ils firent mourir vn Sagamo Hiroquois, homme puissant & courageux, il chantoit dans ses tourmens. Quand on luy vint dire qu'il falloit mourir: il dit, comme tout ioyeux, Allons i'en suis content, i'ay pris quantit? de Montagnards, mes amis en prendront encor, & vengeront bien ma mort. L? dessus il se mit ? raconter ses pro?esses, & dire adieu ? ses parents, ses amis, & aux alliez de sa nation, au Capitaine Flamand qui va traicter des peaux au pa?s des Hiroquois par la merd du Nord. Apres qu'on luy eut coup? les doits, bris? les os des bras, arrach? la peau de la teste, qu'on l'eut rosty & brusl? de tous costez, on le d?tacha, & ce pauure miserable s'en courut droit ? la riuiere, qui n'estoit pas loin de l?, pour se rafraischir: ils le reprirent, luy firent encor endurer le feu vne autrefois, il estoit tout noir, tout grill?, la graisse fondoit & sortoit de son corps, & auec tout cela il s'enfuit encor pour la seconde fois, & l'ayans repris, ils le bruslerent pour la troisiesme; en fin il mourut dans ces tourmens: comme ils le voyoient tomber, ils luy ouurirent la poitrine, luy arrachant le coeur, & le donnant ? manger ? leurs petits enfans, le reste estoit pour eux. Voyla vne estrange barbarie. Maintenant ces pauures miserables sont en crainte, car les Hiroquois sont tous les iours aux aguets pour surprendre les Montagnards, & leur en faire autant. C'est pourquoy nostre Capitaine voulant enuoyer quelqu'vn aux Hur?s, n'a iamais peu trouuer aucun Sauuage qui y voul?t aller. C'est assez parl? de leur cruaut?; disons deux mots de leur simplicit?. Vn Sauuage venant voir c?t hyuer le Capitaine Anglois, & voyant que tout estoit couuert de neige, eut compassion de son frere qui est enterr? aupres de l'habitation des Fr??ois; voyla pourquoy il luy dit, Monsieur vous n'auez point piti? de mon pauure frere, l'air est si beau, & le Soleil si chaud, & neantmoins vous ne faites point oster la neige de dessus sa fosse pour le r?chauffer vn petit. On eut beau luy dire que les corps morts n'auoient aucun sentiment, il fallut d?couurir cette fosse pour le contenter.

They had pulled out their nails with their teeth as soon as they were taken. They cut their fingers off on the day of their torture; then they tied their two arms together at the wrist with a cord, and two men pulled it as hard as they, could at both ends, the cord entering into the flesh and breaking the bones of these poor, wretches, who cried out in a horrible manner. Thus having their hands tied, they were bound to posts, and the girls and women gave presents to the men to be allowed to torment the poor victims to their heart's content. I did not remain during this torture, I could not have endured such diabolical cruelty; but those who were present told me, as soon as we arrived, that they had never seen anything like it. "You should have seen those furious women," they said, "howling, yelling, applying the fire to the most sensitive and private parts of the body, pricking them with awls, biting them with savage glee, laying open their flesh with knives; in short, doing everything that madness can suggest to a woman. They threw fire upon them, burning coals, hot sand; and, when the sufferers cried out, all the others cried still louder, in order that the groans should not be heard, and that no one might be touched with pity. The upper part of their forehead was cut with a knife, then the scalp was raised, and hot sand thrown upon the exposed part." Now there are some Savages who wear, through bravado, these scalps covered with hair and moustaches. One can still see over two hundred dents made by the awls in these scalps. In short, they practiced upon them all the cruelties that I have above related in speaking of what I had seen at Tadoussac, and many others, which do not occur to me at present. When they are told that these cruelties are horrible and unworthy of a man, they answer you: "Thou hast no courage in allowing thine enemies to live; when the Hiroquois capture us, they do still worse; this is why we treat them as cruelly as we can." They killed an Hiroquois Sagamore, a powerful and courageous man who sang while being tortured. When he was told that he must die, he said, as if overjoyed, "Good, I am very much pleased; I have taken a great many of the Montagnards, my friends will take still more of them, and they will avenge my death." Thereupon he began to tell about his prowess, and to say farewell to his relatives, to his friends and to the allies of his tribe, to the Flemish Captain who goes to trade for furs in the country of the Hiroquois by the Northern sea. After they had cut off his fingers, broken the bones of his arms, torn the scalp from his head, and had roasted and burned him on all sides, he was untied and the poor creature ran straight to the river, which was not far from there, to refresh himself. They captured him again, and made him endure the fire still another time; he was blackened, completely scorched, and the grease melted and oozed out of his body, yet with all this he ran away again for a second time, but, having captured him again, they burned him a third time; at last he died during these tortures. When they saw him fall, they opened his chest, pulled out his heart and gave it to the little children to eat; the rest was for them. This is a very strange species of barbarism. Now these poor wretches live in fear because the Hiroquois are always on the watch for the Montagnards to do as much for them. That is why our Captain, wishing to send some one to the Hurons, could never find any Savage who would go. This is enough about their cruelty; let us say a few words about their simplicity. A Savage coming to see the English Captain this winter, and seeing that everything was covered with snow, felt compassion for his brother who was buried near the French settlement. Hence he said to the Captain: "Monsieur, you have no pity for my poor brother; the air is so beautiful and the Sun so warm, but nevertheless you do not have the snow taken off his grave to warm him a little." It was in vain that he was told that dead bodies have no feeling; it was necessary to clear away the snow from the grave to satisfy him.

Voicy vne chose qui m'a consol?, vn certain Sauuage nomm? la Nasse, qui demeuroit aupr?s de nos Peres, & cultiuoit la terre; voyant que les Anglois le molestoient, s'estoit retir? dans des Isles o? il auoit continu? ? cultiuer la terre; entendant que nous estions de retour, nous est venu voir, & nous a promis qu'il reuiendra ? se cabaner aupres de nous, qu'il nous donnera son petit fils; ce sera nostre premier pensionnaire, nous luy apprendrons ? lire, & ? escrire; ce bon homme dit que les Sauuages ne font pas bien, qu'il veut estre nostre frere, & viure comme nous; madame Hebert nous a dit qu'il y a long temps qu'il souhaittoit nostre retour.

Here is something that has consoled me: A certain Savage named la Nasse, who lived near our Fathers and cultivated the land, seeing that the English molested him, withdrew to the Islands, where he continued to cultivate the land; hearing that we had returned, he came to see us and has promised that he will come back and build his cabin near us, and that he will give us his little boy. This will be our first pupil; we shall teach him to read and write. This good man told us that the Savages do not act right; that he wished to be our brother, and live as we do. Madame Hebert told us that he has wished for our return for a long time.

Plusieurs Sauuages nous demandent des nouuelles du R. Pere Lallemant, du Pere Masse, & du Pere Brebeuf, qu'ils appellent fort bien par leur nom, & s'enquestent s'ils ne retourneront point l'ann?e qui vient: ces bonnes gens ont confiance en nous, en voicy vn exemple.

Several Savages ask us news of the Reverend Father Lallemant, of Father Masse, and of Father Brebeuf, whom they very readily call by their names, and inquire if they will not return next year. These simple creatures have confidence in us; here is an example of it.

Ie suis deuenu regent en Canada, i'auois l'autre iour vn petit Sauuage d'vn cost?, & vn petit Negre ou Maure de l'autre, ausquels i'apprenois ? cognoistre les lettres. Apres tant d'ann?es de regence, me voyla enfin retourn? ? l'A, B, C. mais auec vn contentement & vne satisfaction si grande, que ie n'eusse pas voulu changer mes deux escoliers pour le plus bel auditoire de France: ce petit Sauuage est celuy qu'on nous laissera bien tost tout ? fait, ce petit Neigre a est? laiss? par les Anglois ? cette famille Fr??oise qui est icy, nous l'auions pris pour l'instruire & le baptiser, mais il n'entend pas encor bien la langue, voyla pourquoy nous attendrons encor quelque temps. Quand on luy parla du baptesme il nous fit rire, sa maistresse luy demandant s'il vouloit estre Chrestien, s'il vouloit estre baptis?, & qu'il seroit comme nous, il dit qu'o?y: mais il demanda si on ne l'escorcheroit point en le baptisant, ie croy qu'il auoit belle peur: car il auoit veu escorcher ces pauures Sauuages. Comme il vit qu'on se rioit de sa demande, il repartit en son patois, comme il peut, Vous dites que par le baptesme ie seray comme vous, ie suis noir & vous estes blancs, il faudra donc m'oster la peau pour deuenir comme vous: l? dessus on se mit encor plus ? rire, & luy voyant bien qu'il s'estoit tromp?, se mit ? rire comme les autres. Quand ie luy dy qu'il prit sa couuerture, & qu'il s'en retournast chez son maistre iusques ? ce qu'il entendit mieux la langue, il se mit ? pleurer, & ne voulut iamais reprendre sa couuerture, ie luy dy qu'il s'en allast au fort auec le Pere de Nou? qui s'y en alloit, il obe?t, mais on le rendit en passant ? son maistre qui ne s'en peut pas long temps passer, autrement nous l'aurions retenu auec nous. Sa maistresse luy demandant pourquoy il n'auoit point rapport? sa couuerture, il r?pondit, Moy point baptis?, point couuerture: ils disoient viens baptise toy, & moy point baptis?, moy point baptis?, point retourn?, point couuerture. Il vouloit dire, que nous luy auions promis le baptesme, & qu'il ne vouloit point retourner qu'il ne l'e?t receu, ce sera dans quelque temps, s'il plaist ? Dieu.

I have become teacher in Canada: the other day I had a little Savage on one side of me, and a little Negro or Moor on the other, to whom I taught their letters. After so many years of teaching, behold me at last returned to the A, B, C., with so great content and satisfaction that I would not exchange my two pupils for the finest audience in France. This little Savage is the one who will soon be left entirely with us. The little Negro was left by the English with this French family which is here. We have taken him to teach and baptize, but he does not yet understand the language well; therefore we shall wait some time yet. When we talked to him about baptism, he made us laugh. His mistress asking him if he wanted to be a Christian, if he wanted to be baptized and be like us, he said "yes;" but he asked if he would not be skinned in being baptized. I think he was very much frightened, for he had seen those poor Savages skinned. As he saw that they laughed at his questions, he replied in his patois, as best he could: "You say that by baptism I shall be like you: I am black and you are white, I must have my skin taken off then in order to be like you." Thereupon all began to laugh more than ever, and, seeing that he was mistaken, he joined in and laughed with the others. When I told him to take his blanket and return to his master until he should understand our language better, he began to cry, and refused to take his blanket again. I told him to go away to the fort with Father de Nou?, who was going there. He obeyed, but he was restored on the way to his master, who cannot do long without him; otherwise we would have retained him with us. His mistress, asking him why he had not brought back the blanket with him, he answered: "Me not baptized, no blanket. They said: 'Come, baptize thee,' and me not baptized; and me not baptized, no return, no blanket." He meant that we had promised him the baptism, and that he did not wish to return until he had received it; that will be in a short time, if it please God.

Ie supputois l'autre iour combien le Soleil se leue plustost sur vostre horison, que sur le nostre, & ie trouuois que vous auiez le iour six heures & vn peu dauantage plutost que nous. Nos Mariniers content ordinairement 17. lieu?s & demie pour vn degr? de l'equinoctial & tout autre grand cercle, & d'ailleurs font estat qu'il y a d'icy iusques ? vous 1000. lieu?s & dauantage, qui feront par consequent 57. degrez & 12. minutes d'vn grand cercle, sur lequel se doit conter le droit chemin qu'il y a d'icy ? vous. Supposant donc nostre latitude de 46. degrez & deux tiers, & celle de Dieppe de 49. & deux tiers, la supputation faite exactement par la resolution d'vn triangle qui se fait sur la terre entre nos deux lieux, & le pole, nous donnera 91. degrez & 38. minutes pour l'angle qui se fait au pole par nos deux meridiens, & par consequent pour la piece de l'equinoctial, qui est la mesure dudit angle, laquelle est iustement la difference de nos longitudes. Or ce nombre de degrez estant reduit en temps, contant vne heure pour chaque 15. degrez, nous aurons six heures & six minutes pour le temps que le Soleil se leue plustost chez vous que chez nous: si bien que quand vn Dimanche vous contez trois heures du matin, nous ne sommes encor qu'? neuf heures du Samedy au soir. I'escry cecy enuiron les huict heures du matin, & vous auez deux heures apres midy. Que si auec les Geographes pour vn degr? d'vn grand cercle on contoit 25. lieu?s, comme on fait ordinairement des lieu?s Fran?oises de moyenne grandeur, alors nos 1000. lieu?s ne feroient que 40. degrez de droit chemin d'icy ? vous, & par consequent la supputation faite comme dessus ne donneroit pour la difference de nos longitudes que 61. degrez & 34. minutes, c'est ? dire 4. heures & 6. minutes de temps.

I calculated the other day how much earlier the Sun rises on your horizon than it does on ours, and I found that you have daylight a little over six hours earlier than we do. Our Sailors usually count 17 leagues and a half for a degree of the equinoctial and all other great circles, and otherwise reach the conclusion that there are from here to you 1000 leagues and over, which will consequently make 57 degrees 12 minutes of a great circle upon which we ought to calculate a direct route from here to you. Suppose then our latitude to be 46 and two-thirds degrees and that of Dieppe 49 and two-thirds; the computation made exactly by the solution of a triangle which might be made upon the earth, between our two places and the pole, will give us 91 degrees and 38 minutes for the angle which is made at the pole by our two meridians, and consequently for the part of the equinoctial which is the measure of the said angle, and this is just the difference in our longitudes. Now, this number of degrees being reduced to time, counting one hour for every 15 degrees, we shall have six hours and six minutes earlier, for the time that the Sun rises with you than it does here; so that on Sunday when you count three o'clock in the morning, it is here still only nine o'clock on Saturday night. I am writing this about eight in the morning, and it is two in the afternoon where you are. So if, with the Geographers, for one degree of a great circle, we counted 25 leagues, as is generally done with the French leagues of medium size, then our 1000 leagues would only be forty degrees in a straight line from here to you; and consequently the computation, made as above, would give for the difference of our longitude only 61 degrees and 34 minutes,--that is to say, 4 hours and 6 minutes of time.

Au reste ce pa?s cy est tres-bon, si tost que nous sommes rentrez en nostre petite maison enuiron le 13. de Iuillet nous auons fo?y & besch? la terre, sem? du pourpier, des naueaux, plant? des faisoles, tout n'a point tard? ? leuer, nous auons bien tost apres recueilly de la salade, le mal estoit que nos graines estoient gast?es, ie dy d'vne partie, s?auoir est qu'on a enuoy? ? monsieur du Plessis: car celles que nostre Frere a apport?, ont tres-bien re?ssi, vous seriez estonn? de voir quelque nombre d'espics de seigle qui se sont trouuez parmy nos pois, elles sont plus longues & mieux gren?es que les plus belles que i'aye iamais veu en France.

All considered, this country here is very fine. As soon as we had entered into our little home, the 13th of July, we began to work and dig the earth, to sow purslane and turnips, and to plant lentils, and everything grew very well; a very short time afterwards we gathered our salad. But the misfortune was that our seeds were spoiled, I mean a part of them; namely, those sent to monsieur du Plessis: for those our Brother brought us grew very well. You would be astonished to see the great number of ears of rye which were found among our peas; they are longer and more grainy than the most beautiful I have ever seen in France.

Ie pensois conclure ce petit narr? le 24. d'Aoust: mais ce ne sera qu'apres le baptesme de ce petit enfant. Ie viens donc de le baptiser, monsieur Emery de Ca?n est son Parrain, madame Coullart fille de madame Hebert est sa Marraine, il a nom Louys, aussi a-il est? baptis? le iour de sainct Louys. Ce pauure petit qui n'a enuiron que quatre ans pleuroit incessamment deuant le baptesme, & s'enfuioit de nous, ie ne le pouuois tenir: si tost que i'eu commenc? les ceremonies, il ne dit pas vn mot, il me regardoit attentiuement, & faisoit tout ce que ie luy faisois faire. Ie croiois qu'il fut Hiroquois, mais i'ay appris qu'il est de la Nation de feu son Pere & sa Mere, & luy ont est? pris en guerre par les Algonquains, qui ont brusl? les parents, & donn? l'enfant ? nos Fran?ois.

I expected to end this little narrative on the 24th of August, but it will not be until after the baptism of this little child. I have just baptized him. Monsieur Emery de Ca?n is his Godfather; Madame Coullart, daughter of Madame Hebert, his Godmother. His name is Louys and he was baptized on saint Louys's day. This poor little one, who is only about four years old, cried all the time before his baptism, and ran away from us; I could not hold him. As soon as I began the ceremony, he did not say a word; he looked at me attentively and did everything that I would have him do. I believed that he was an Hiroquois, but I have learned that he belongs to the fire Nation; his Father and his Mother and he were taken in war by the Algonquains, who burned the parents and gave the child to the French.

Louys iadis Amantacha nous est venu voir, & nous a promis qu'il viendroit l'ann?e suiuante, pour s'en retourner auec le Pere Brebeuf en son pa?s; il a de l'esprit, & m'a t?moign? qu'il auoit de bons sentimens de Dieu; cette Nation est rus?e, ie ne s?aurois qu'en dire: mille recommandations aux saincts sacrifices de vostre R. & aux prieres de toute sa Prouince.

Tres-humble & obe?ssant seruiteur selon Dieu, PAVL LE IEVNE.

Louys, formerly Amantacha, came to see us and promised that he would come back next year, to return with Father Brebeuf to his country; he is rather intelligent and showed me that he had a correct conception of God. I could not tell you how cunning this Nation is. I recommend myself a thousand times to the holy sacrifices of your Reverence and to the prayers of your whole Province.

Of Your Reverence,

The very humble and obedient servant, in God, PAUL LE JEUNE.

Privilege dv Roy.

B. IACQVINOT.

Royal License.

B. JACQUINOT.

LE JEUNE'S RELATION, 1633

PARIS: SEBASTIEN CRAMOISY, 1634

A PARIS,

Chez SEBASTIEN CRAMOISY, ru? S. Iacques, aux Cicognes.

RELATION OF WHAT OCCURRED IN NEW FRANCE IN THE YEAR 1633.

Provincial of the Society of JESUS, in the province of France.

PARIS,

SEBASTIEN CRAMOISY, rue St. Jacques, At the Sign of the Storks.

Relation de ce qvi s'est pass? en la Novvelle France en l'annee 1633.

MON R. PERE,

Relation of what occurred in New France in the year 1633.

MY REVEREND FATHER:

The letters that are sent to this country are like very rare and very fresh fruits; they are received with joy, are regarded with pleasure, and are relished as fruits of the terrestrial Paradise. It had been a year since Your Reverence had spoken to us, and the few words which you were pleased to place upon paper seemed to us like words from the other world. Thus they are for me; I receive them as messages from heaven. Enough has been said to show the sentiments which were awakened in my soul at the sight of your letters. And in order that joy should take complete possession of our hearts, no other messengers were needed to bring them than those who came. We were in doubt whether Monsieur de Champlain, or some one else in behalf of the Gentlemen of the Company of New France, or whether sieur Guillaume de Caen was to come, as he had last year announced in our ship as we were leaving France. Each one defended his side, and presented his probable reasons respectfully and modestly; when all at once Monsieur de Champlain arrived with the orders of Monseigneur the Cardinal, and ended the dispute in favor of the Company of New France. That day was one of the good days of the year; we have been filled with strong hopes that at last, after so many storms, God would look upon our poor Savages with a merciful and kindly eye, as he has given courage to those Gentlemen to carry out their purpose in spite of the opposition that demons, envy, and the avarice of men, have aroused against them. I know not how it happens, but I do know well that since they interest themselves in the glory of God, in the spread of the Gospel, in the conversion of souls, we feel an inexplicable and affectionate interest in their affairs; so much so that, if things would go according to our wishes, they would gain more in one month than they have lost in all the years that their plans have been thwarted. They are also our Fathers, since they provide here for a part of us, and bestow their affection abundantly upon us. I hope that in a few years they will see the fruits of Heaven and of earth growing from the seeds which they have planted with so much trouble. This is the inference that may be drawn from the few observations which I am about briefly to record.

Et afin d'?uiter la confusion, ie suiuray l'ordre du temps: Mais au prealable il faut que ie die que nous auons pris vn singulier plaisir dans les deportem?s de nos Fran?ois hyuerans. Il n'en faut point mentir, i'eus quelque apprehension dans la trauerse que le libertinage ne passast la mer auec nous: mais le bon exemple des chefs qui commandoy?t icy, l'?loignement des d?bauches, le petit trauail que nous auons pris dans les predications, & administration des sacrements, les ont retenus tellement dans le debuoir, qu'encor bien que nous eussions des personnes de deux partis bien differents, neantmoins il sembloit que l'amour & le respect commandoit pour l'ordinaire & aux vns & aux autres. Plusieurs se sont confessez generalement de toute leur vie. Ceux qui n'auoyent quasi iamais parl? du ieusne que par ris?e, l'ont estroittement gard?, se rendans obe?ssans ? leur mere l'Eglise Chrestienne & Catholique.

And, in order to avoid all confusion, I shall follow the order of time. But, as a prefatory remark, I must say that we have felt a peculiar pleasure in the behavior of the French who are wintering here. I confess had some fear during our voyage that libertinage might cross the sea with, us; but the good example of the chiefs who were in command at this place, the distance from all debauchery, the little work which has been done in preaching, and in the administration of the sacraments, have held all strictly in the line of duty; and, although we had among us persons of two quite different parties, nevertheless it seemed that love and respect generally ruled both sides. A number made a general confession of their whole lives. Those who hardly ever spoke of fasting, except in jest, have observed it strictly, becoming obedient to their mother, the Christian and Catholic Church.

Mais venons au depart des vaisseaux de l'an pass?, pour suiure les mois qui se sont escoulez depuis ce t?ps l? que nous auisames le Pere de Nou? & moy, qu'il falloit chercher les moyens de s'addonner ? l'estude de la langue, sans la cognoissance de laquelle on ne peut secourir les Sauuages. Ie quittay donc tout autre soing, & commen?ay ? fueilleter vn petit Dictionnaire escrit ? la main, qu'on m'auoit d?n? en France; mais tout remply de fautes.

Le 12 d'Octobre voyant que i'auan?ois fort peu, apprenant auec beaucoup de peine des mots d?cousus, ie m'en allay visiter les cabanes des Sauuages ? desseing d'y aller souuent, & me faire l'oreille ? leur langue. Ils estoient cabanez ? plus d'vne grande lieu? loing de nostre maison, & de peur de m'?garer dans les bois ie pris vn long destour sur le bord du grand fleuue de Sainct Laurens. O que de peine ? trencher les roches de la pointe aux diamans! C'est vn lieu ainsi appell? de nos Fran?ois, pource qu'on y trouue quantit? de petits diamants assez beaux. Ces chemins sont affreux: i'allois des pieds & des mains, auec belle peur de me laisser t?ber. Ie passay par des endroits si estroits, que la mar?e montant, & m'empeschant de poursuiure mon chemin, ie ne pouuois retourner en arriere, tant le passage me sembloit dangereux. Ie grimpay au dessus des rochers, & m'agraffant ? vne branche qui arrestoit vn arbre abattu, cet arbre s'en vint rouler vers moy auec vne telle impetuosit?, que si ie n'eusse esquiu? son coup, il m'eut tout bris?, & iett? dans la riuiere.

On the 12th of October, seeing that I made very little progress, learning a few stray words with a great deal of trouble, I went to visit the cabins of the Savages, with the intention of going there often, and accustoming my ear to their tongue. They were encamped at a distance of more than a full league from our house, and through fear of getting lost in the woods, I made a long detour on the shores of the great Saint Lawrence river. Oh what a trial it was to climb the rocks on diamond point! The place is thus named by the French, because a quantity of very pretty little diamonds are found there. These roads are frightful; I went on my hands and knees, with great fear of falling. I passed through places so narrow, that when the tide arose and prevented me from continuing on my way, I could not turn back, the passage seemed to me so dangerous. I climbed upon the rocks and, seizing a branch which had arrested the fall of an uprooted tree, this tree came rolling toward me with so much force, that if I had not escaped the blow, it would have crushed and thrown me into the river.

Le 24e estant all? dire la Messe ? l'habitation de nos Fran?ois, vn Capitaine des Sauuages vint voir le sieur Emery de Caen, & luy dict que les Algonquains est?s allez ? la guerre contre les Hiroquois vn de leurs hommes auoit est? tu?, & l'autre pris prisonnier. Ce qui auoit tellement espouuant? les Montagnaits, qu'ils s'en reuenoyent tous de la chasse du castor, & de l'ours, pour se cabaner pres du fort, crainte d'estre surpris de leurs ennemis. Ils se vouloyent r'assembler pour estre plus forts: mais ils craignoient la faim en quittant leur chasse. Ils demanderent donc si on ne les secoureroit pas de viures au cas qu'ils demeurassent ensemble. La response fut qu'on ne vouloit ri? donner ? credit cette ann?e l?; ce ? quoy ils s'attendoyent. On me rac?ta vne generosit? de ce capitaine, estant enuoi? pour espion vers les Hiroquois, il rencontra l'espion des ennemis: se voians teste ? teste, l'Hiroquois se croiant plus fort que le m?tagnaits, lui dit, Ne fais?s point tuer nos gens; mais luitons ensemble, & voions qui pourra emporter son c?pagnon. La proposition accept?e, ce capitaine qui pour lors estoit espi? des Montagnaits, fatigua si fort son homme, que l'ayant terrass?, il le lia, le chargea sur son dos comme vn fagot, & l'emporta vers ses gens. Voila ce qu'on me dict de luy.

On the 24th, having gone to say Mass at the French settlement, a Captain of the Savages came to see sieur Emery de Caen, and told him that, the Algonquains having gone to war against the Hiroquois, one of their men had been killed and the other taken prisoner. This had so frightened the Montagnaits, that they all returned from the hunt for beavers and bears, to camp near our fort, for fear of being surprised by their enemies. They wanted to unite, that they might be stronger; but they feared famine in abandoning the chase. They asked us therefore if we would supply them with food, in the event of their remaining together. The answer was that we would not give anything on credit that year; this was what they were relying upon. I was told about an act of generosity on the part of this captain. Having been sent as a spy upon the Hiroquois, he encountered the spy of the enemy, and seeing each other face to face, the Hiroquois, believing himself stronger than the montagnaits savage, said to him: "Do not let us have our people killed, but let us wrestle and see which can carry his companion away." The proposal being accepted, this captain, who at that time was the spy of the Montagnaits, so tired out his man that, having thrown him down, he bound him, loaded him upon his back like a piece of wood, and carried him away to his people. This was what they told me about him.

Le 27. d'Octobre veille de sainct Simon & sainct Iude nous vismes vne eclipse de lune, qui me confirma dans la remarque que ie fis l'an pass? que vous auiez en France le iour six heures & vn peu dauantage, plustost que no?: car l'Almanach disoit que cette eclipse deuoit arriuer en France sur la minuict, & nous la v?mes sur les six heures du soir; dont ie conclus que la difference du commencement de nos iours & de nos nuicts est de six heures: si bien que maintenant vous estes dans la profondeur de la nuict au temps que i'escris cecy sur les six heures du soir.

On the 27th of October, the eve of saint Simon and saint Jude, we saw an eclipse of the moon, which confirmed the observations which I made last year, that in France it is daylight a little over six hours sooner than it is here. For the Almanac had announced that the eclipse would commence at midnight in France, and we saw it about six o'clock in the evening. Therefore I concluded that the difference in the beginning of our days and our nights is six hours; so that now you are in the middle of night, while I am writing this about six o'clock in the evening.

Le 28e quelques chasseurs Fran?ois retournans des isles qui sont d?s le grand fleuue S. Laurens nous dir?t qu'il y auoit du gibier ? foison, des outardes, des oyes, des canards, des sarcelles, & autres oyseaux. Ils nous asseurerent encore qu'il y auoit des pommes dans ces isles, fort douces, mais fort petites, & qu'ils auoyent mang? des prunes qui ne cederoient point ? nos abricots de France si ces arbres estoient cultiuez. Les Sauuages gastent tout, car rencontrans vn arbre fruictier, ils l'abbattent pour auoir le fruict.

On the 28th, some French hunters, returning from the islands which are in the great St. Lawrence river, told us that game swarmed there; bustards, geese, ducks, teal, and other birds. They assured us also that there were apples in those islands, very sweet but very small; and that they had eaten plums which would not be in any way inferior to our apricots in France if the tree were cultivated. The Savages spoil everything, for, when they come to a fruit tree, they cut it down to get the fruit.

Le 31. vn Sauuage surnomm? Brehault, pource qu'il parloit fort haut, reuenant de la chasse dem?da le couuert chez nous pour vne nuict, & ? souper par consequent. On luy donna des pois, & ? ses deux enfans qui l'accompagnoyent: il mangeoit auec si grand appetit, que pour exploitter dau?tage il quitta vne cueiller d'estain qu'on luy auoit present?e, & prit la grande cueiller du pot, s'en seruant pour manger: Et pource que le plat n'estoit pas assez profond il puisoit dans la marmite, de laquelle il se seruoit pour ?cuelle, sans garder autre ciuilit? que celle que son grand appetit luy fournissoit. Ie le laissay faire quelque temps. Apres qu'il eut bien mang?, il s'en va prendre de l'eau auec la mesme cueiller du pot, beuuant cela auec plaisir, & reiettant son reste dans le seau. voila toute l'honnestete qu'ils s?auent.

On the 31st, a Savage, surnamed Brehault on account of his loud voice, in coming back from the hunt asked us for a night's lodging and consequently for his supper. We gave peas both to him and to his two children who were with him. He ate so ravenously, that to make the best of the occasion, he threw aside the pewter spoon that had been given to him, and took the great pot-ladle to eat with; and, as his dish was not big enough, he dipped into the saucepan, and even used it as a ladle, observing no other law of politeness than what his great appetite suggested to him. I let him go on for some time. After he had eaten well, he dipped some water out with the same pot-ladle, drinking it with great relish and throwing back into the pail what was left. This is all the manners they have.

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