CHAPTER XXI. [i.e., xviii.]
THE VOYAGE TO QUINIBEQUI, AND THE RETURN TO PORT ROYAL.
WE remarked a little while ago that this visit to St. John river was only a diversion from the greater expedition to the Armouchiquois to get some corn. Now when we had thus come to terms with the Maloüins, we unfurled our sails to the wind and turned towards the land of the Armouchiquois. Before departing, sieur du Pont and Merveille begged Father Biard to consent to remain with them; but he answered [175] that for the present he could not do it, as it would not be right to leave sieur de Biencourt in such a dangerous voyage; and that it was important to him in his mission to study the people and location of the places, and, little by little, to familiarize the minds of the Savages with the sight, uses, and ways of Christianity, visiting them and giving them some taste of piety, although it might be only in passing by. But that he hoped, with God's blessing, when this journey was over, to come and pass the Winter with them, and with their aid to compose his Catechism. For this he begged sieur du Pont to prepare himself, questioning the Savages about the fitness of words which might correspond to those of our language and Religion. And in order that he might be able to do it properly, he left him quite an ample explanation of the [176] principal articles of our holy Faith.
[220] Nous arriuasmes à Kinibequi sur la fin d'Octobre. Kinibequi est vne riuiere proche des Armouchiquoys à quarante trois degrez, & deux tiers d'eleuation, & au Suroüest de Port Royal, à soixante dix lieües, ou enuiron. Elle a deux emboucheures bien grandes, distantes l'vne de l'autre au moins deux lieües, elle a aussi plusieurs bras, & Isles, qui la decoupent. Au reste, belle & grande riuiere, mais nous n'y vismes point de bonnes terres, non plus qu'à la riuiere S. Iean. On dit toutesfois qu'en haut, loin de la mer, elles y sont fort belles, & le sejour aggreable, & que les peuples y labourent. Nous ne montasmes pas plus auant de trois lieües, nous tournoyames par tant de vireuoltes, & sautames tant de precipices, [177] que grand miracle de Dieu fut que ne perismes plusieurs fois. Aucuns de nos gens s'escrierent par deux diuerses fois, que nous estions perdus; mais ils crierent auant le temps; Nostre Seigneur en soit beny. Les Sauuages nous emmielloyent de l'esperance d'auoir du bled; puis ils changerent la promesse du bled en trocque de castors.
We arrived at Kinibequi[41] towards the end of October. Kinibequi is a river near the Armouchiquois, in latitude forty-three and two-thirds degrees, and Southwest of Port Royal about seventy leagues or thereabouts. It has two quite large mouths, one distant from the other at least two leagues; it is also cut up by numerous arms and branches. Besides, it is a great and beautiful river; but we did not see good soil there any more than at the St. John river. They say, however, that farther up, away from the sea, the country is very fine and life there agreeable, and that the people till the soil. We did not go farther up than three leagues; we whirled about through so many eddies, and shot over so many precipices, [177] that several times it was a great miracle of God that we did not perish. Some of our crew cried out at two different times that we were lost: but they cried too soon, blessed be Our Lord. The Savages cajoled us with the hope of getting corn; then they changed their promise of corn to that of trade in beaver skins.
Or pendant qu'on faisoit ceste trocque, le P. Biard s'en estoit allé en vne Isle proche, auec vn garçõ pour celebrer la saincte Messe. Les Sauuages à l'occasion de la traicte qui se deuoit faire, se ietterent fort auidement, & à la foule dans nostre barque; de curiosité (comme i'estime) pource qu'ils ne voyent pas souuẽt tels spectacles. Nos gens auoient peur, que ce ne fust malice, & que soubs couleur de trocque, ils ne se voulussent [178] saisir de la barque: aussi s'estoyent ils armez, & barricadez, à fin de n'estre surprins voyant donc, que nonobstant leurs menaces, & crieries, ils ne cessoyent d'entrer à la file, & que ja ils estoyent [222] bien trente sur le tillac, ils cuiderent que tout à faict c'estoit à bon jeu, qu'on les vouloit surprendre: & ja couchoiẽt en iouë pour tirer. Mõsieur de Biencourt a souuent dit, & souuent repeté despuis, qu'il eut plusieurs fois sur la langue de crier, tuë, tuë: Mais que ceste consideration le retint, que le Pere Biard estoit à terre, qui ne falliroit d'estre massacré si lon meffaisoit à aucun Sauuage. Ceste consideration obligea le P. Biard, & nous sauua trestous: car si lon eust commẽcé la charge, il n'est pas croyable, qu'on eust iamais peu eschapper la chaude chole & furieuse poursuite des Sauuages dedãs vne [179] riuiere, qui a tant de tours, & retours, & souuent bien estroicts, & perilleux: outre que de cent ans après ceste coste n'eust peu estre reconciliable, ny hospitaliere aux François, tant les Sauuages eussẽt eu ceste offense dessus le cœur. Dieu doncques nous sauua par ceste consideration. Et de là tous Capitaines retiendront de n'estre point trop subits aux executions de perilleuse suite. Or les Sagamos s'apperceuans d'eux mesmes de la iuste apprehension, où leurs gens poussoient nos François, se prindrent à les retirer hastiuement, & mirent ordre à la confusion.
Now, while this trading was going on, Father Biard had gone, with a boy to an Island near by, to celebrate holy Mass. The Savages, on account of the trading to take place, crowded very eagerly into our barque; from curiosity (I think) because they did not often see such sights. Our people were afraid that this was only a trick, and that under the pretense of trading they wanted [178] to get possession of the barque; therefore they armed and barricaded themselves not to be taken unawares. Seeing then that, notwithstanding their threats and cries, they continued to file in, and there were already about thirty of them upon the deck, they decided that it was all in good earnest and that they were trying to take them by surprise, so they had already taken aim to shoot. Monsieur de Biencourt has often said, and often repeated since then, that several times he had at his tongue's end the words, "Kill, kill." But that he was restrained by the consideration that Father Biard was on shore, and that he would not escape being massacred if harm were done to any of the Savages. This consideration was a blessing to Father Biard, and saved us all: for if the attack had been begun it is not to be supposed that they could ever have escaped the passionate wrath and furious pursuit of the Savages, in a [179] river which has so many turns and windings, and which is often very narrow and dangerous; besides, this coast could not have become hospitable or reconciled towards the French for a hundred years afterwards, so much would the Savages have taken the offense to heart. So on this account God saved us; hence, all Captains should restrain themselves from rash and perilous conduct. Now the Sagamores, themselves perceiving to what a state of just apprehension their people had driven the French, began to draw them off hastily and to bring order out of the confusion.
Ce peuple ne monstre point d'estre meschant, quoy qu'il aye deffaict les Anglois, qui vouloient habiter parmy eux l'an 1608. & 1609. ils s'excusoient à nous de ce faict, & nous racontoient les outrages, [180] qu'ils auoyent receu desdicts Anglois, & nous flattoient: disans qu'ils nous aymoient bien, parce qu'ils sçauoient, que nous ne fermions point nos portes aux Sauuages comme les Anglois & que nous ne les chassions pas de nostre table à coups de baston, ny ne les faisions point mordre à nos chiens. Ils ne sont [224] point larrons comme les Armouchiquoys, & sont les plus grands harangueurs du monde. Ils ne font rien sans cela. Le P. Biard les alla voir par deux fois: & (ce qu'il faisoit par tout) pria Dieu en leur presence, & leur mõstra des images, & marques de nostre creance, lesquelles ils baisoient volontiers, faisants faire le signe de la saincte Croix à leurs enfans, qu'ils luy offroyent, à fin qu'il les benist: & oyoient auec attention grande, & respect ce qu'on leur annonçoit. Le mal [181] estoit, qu'ils ont vne langue toute diuerse, & falloit qu'vn Sauuage seruist de truchemant, lequel sçachant bien peu de la Religion Chrestiẽne, se bailloit neantmoins du credit enuers les autres Sauuages: & à voir sa contenance, & ouyr son long parler, il faisoit grãdement du Docteur: si bien ou mal, ie m'en rapporte.
These people do not seem to be bad, although they drove away the English who wished to settle among them in 1608 and 1609.[41] They made excuses to us for this act, and recounted the outrages [180] that they had experienced from these English; and they flattered us, saying that they loved us very much, because they knew we would not close our doors to the Savages as the English did, and that we would not drive them from our table with blows from a club, nor set our dogs upon them. They are not thieves like the Armouchiquoys, and are the greatest speech-makers on earth. Nothing is done without speeches. Father Biard went to see them twice, and (as he did everywhere) prayed God in their presence, and showed them some pictures and tokens of our faith which they willingly kissed, having their children make the sign of the holy Cross, and presenting them to him for his blessing: they listened with great attention and respect to what was told them. The trouble [181] was, that they have an altogether different language, and a Savage had to serve as interpreter, who, knowing very little of the Christian Religion, nevertheless acquitted himself with credit in the eyes of the other Savages; and to look at his face and hear his talk, he played the Doctor very grandly; whether successfully or not, I cannot tell.
Nous fusmes à Kinibequi iusques au quatre, ou cinquiesme de Nouembre, saison ja trop auancée pour passer outre selon nostre premier dessein: c'est pourquoy le sieur de Biencourt se mit au retour d'autant qu'il pensoit estre moindre mal de souffrir l'Hyuer, & la disette à Port Royal, y estans bien logés, & chauffés, & attendãts la misericorde de Dieu; que non pas de risquer sur mer en vn temps de tempestes, parmy des Barbares & ennemis, ayants [182] encores de plus la faim à craindre; car nos prouisions commençoyẽt fort à faillir: ainsi donc nous adressasmes à Pẽtegoet pour nous en retourner à Port Royal.
We were at Kinibequi until the fourth or fifth of November, a season already too advanced to go on any farther, according to our first intention; hence sieur de Biencourt set out upon his return, thinking it the lesser evil to endure Winter and want at Port Royal, comfortably lodged and warm, awaiting God's mercy, than to risk passage upon the sea in this stormy season, being now among Barbarians and enemies, with [182] famine to fear besides; for our provisions began to be very scarce: therefore we turned towards Pentegoet, on our way back to Port Royal.
A Pentegoet nous trouuasmes vn'assemblee de quatre vingts cauots Sauuages, & vne chaloupe. C'estoit en tout enuiron trois cents ames. De là nous repassasmes à l'Isle S. Croix, où Platrier nous donna deux barils de pois, ou de febues: l'vn & l'autre nous fut vn bien grand present.
At Pentegoet we found an assemblage of eighty canoes of Savages, and a boat, in all about three hundred souls. Thence we passed on to the Island of Ste. Croix, where Platrier gave us two barrels of peas or beans; they both proved a very great boon to us.
[226] Icy le P. Biard supplia le sieur de Biencour de le faire passer à la riuiere S. Ieã à ce qu'il peust aller trouuer du Pont & trauailler au Catechisme, ainsi qu'ils auoyent conuenu au depart. Mais ledit sieur ne luy voulust point accorder sa requeste, sinon aux conditions, qu'il entretinst & nourrist auec soy les matelots, qui le conduiroyent [183] iusques au Printemps suiuant; Condition totalement impossible. Ainsi fallust qu'il laissast son Catechisme, & s'en reuinst auec les autres à Port Royal à son grand regret.
Here Father Biard begged sieur de Biencour to let him go on to the river St. John so that he could find du Pont and go to work on the Catechism, as they had agreed at his departure. But the said sieur was not willing to grant his request, unless on the condition that he would feed and keep with him, [183] until the following Spring, the sailors who would take him there; a Condition totally impossible. Therefore he had to give up his Catechism, and return with the others to Port Royal, much to his regret.
Tandis que nous estions en voyage aucun n'estoit resté dãs l'habitation de Port Royal, sinon le P. Enemond Massé, & vn ieune Parisien, appellé Valentin Pageau. Ledit Pere viuoit en Hermite bien austere, ne voyant aucun, sinon quelque fois deux, ou trois François qui labouroyent à deux lieuës de là: & si par fortune, quelque Sauuage passoit. Le P. Biard tomba peu apres son retour en vne legere maladie, mais lente, & chronique, qui donna subiect de charité audit Pere Enemond.
While we were away, no one had remained at the settlement of Port Royal except Father Enemond Massé and a young Parisian, called Valentin Pageau. The Father lived very austerely, in the manner of a Hermit, seeing no one, except occasionally two or three Frenchmen who were cultivating the land two leagues away, and perchance some Savage who was passing by. Shortly after his return, Father Biard fell ill of a light but slow and chronic malady, which gave to Father Enemond an occasion for charity.
On leur auoit assigné vn garçon pour les aider en leurs necessités; [184] & ils l'auoyent accommodé bien honnestement: mais il les quitta au gros des neges, & au cœur de l'Hyuer.
They had been given a boy to help them in their needs, [184] whom they had treated very kindly; but he left them in the depths of the snow and in the heart of Winter.
Les neges commencerent le 26. de Nouembre, & auec elles (ce qui faschoit le plus) le retranchement des viures. On ne donnoit à chaque personne pour toute la sepmaine, qu'enuiron dix onces de pain, demy liure de lard, trois escuelées de pois, ou de febues, & vne de pruneaux. Les Iesuites n'en eurent iamais plus, ny autrement qu'vn chacun de la troupe. Et est mensonge très-impudente ce que le Factieux allegue du contraire.
The snow began on the 26th of November, and with it (what grieved them the most) the cutting down of their rations. There was given to each individual for the entire week only about ten ounces of bread, half a pound of lard, three bowls of peas or beans, and one of prunes. The Jesuits never had more nor different things than the other members of the company and it is a very impudent lie which the Factionist alleges to the contrary.
[228] Pendant tout ce temps les Sauuages ne nous venoyẽt point voir, sinon rarement quelques vns de la maison de Membertou, pour nous apporter quelque present de leur chasse. C'estoit lors bonne [185] feste, & jouine: nos gens en reprenoient vn peu de courage. Ce qui faschoit le plus, estoit l'apprehension du temps, quand on consideroit l'estenduë lõgue des mauuais moys, qu'on auoit à passer.
During all this time the Savages did not come to see us, except rarely some of Membertou's family, to bring us some offering from the chase. Then there was great [185] feasting and hilarity, and our people would begin to feel a little encouraged. The most grievous thing was their dread of the season, when they considered the long duration of disagreeable months to be endured.
Les Iesuites taschoient, & en priué, & en public de consoler tous, & vn chacun parmy ceste misere. Et aduint, que le troisiesme Dimẽche apres Noël, auquel on lit l'Euangile Vinum non habent: Le P. Biard exhorta la Compagnie à bien esperer, & prendre la glorieuse vierge Marie pour aduocare enuers son misericordieux Fils, en toutes necessitez, & spirituelles, & corporelles, estant ainsi, que par son intercession iamais le vin de consolation ne manque à ceux qui l'ont pour hostesse & pour mere. Le seruice finy, le P. Biard s'addressant au sieur de Biẽcourt, & luy monstrant les compagnõs, [186] luy dit en riant: Vinum non habent. Le priant de leur en donner de ce peu qui restoit, adioustant, que le cœur luy disoit qu'on auroit bien tost secours, & au plus long, dans le moys qui couroit, sçauoir est, dans Ianuier: & que peut estre verroit-on, qu'il deuineroit sans y penser. Les Compagnons furent bien-aises, & se gaudissants apres auoir beu, disoyent: Or bien, nous voy-cy de bon courage, pour attendre si le Pere sera point Prophete. Et certes il le fut de bonne aduenture: car vn nauire nous arriua iustement huict iours apres, lequel il nous fallut aller querir assez loin.
The Jesuits tried, both privately and in public, to comfort all and every one during this season of misery. And it happened that on the third Sunday after Christmas, when the Gospel Vinum non habent is read, Father Biard exhorted the Company to be of good cheer, and to take the glorious virgin Mary for an advocate with her compassionate son in every need, spiritual and corporal, as through her intercession the wine of consolation would never be wanting to those who have her as a guest and a mother. The service ended, Father Biard addressed himself to sieur de Biencourt, and, pointing to his companions, [186] said laughingly, Vinum non habent: begging him to give them the little that remained, adding that his heart told him they would soon have succor,—at the farthest, during the present month, namely, in January; and perhaps it would be seen that he had unwittingly prophesied. His Companions were delighted, and, in their joy after drinking, said, "Now, truly, we have the courage to wait and see if the Father is a Prophet." And certainly he made a lucky hit, for a ship reached us just one week afterward, which we had to go a long way out to seek.