CHAPTER XXVI. [i.e., xxiv.]
WHY WE STAYED AT SAINT SAUVEUR; THE GOOD QUALITIES OF THE PLACE.
NOW here in this Port of St. Sauveur a great contention arose between the Sailors and our company, or us other passengers, because the charter party and contract, drawn up in France, stipulated that the Sailors should be held at anchor in a Port of Acadie, which we should name to them, and should remain there for the space of three months; the sailors maintained that they had arrived at a Port of Acadie, and that therefore the said term of three months should begin to run from the time of this arrival. It was explained to them [221] that the Port was not the one that had been designated to them by the name of Kadesquit, and therefore the time would not begin to be counted until they were there. The Pilot obstinately opposed this, maintaining that a ship had never gone as far as Kadesquit, and that he had no intention of becoming a discoverer of new routes; there was also some mistake about the name Acadie meaning Norambegue,[8] which strengthened the dispute; reasons here, reasons there; nothing but argument, a bad augury for the future.
Sur ces contestes, des Sauuages nous firent de la fumée. Ce signal veut dire, qu'on les aille recognoistre, si on a besoin d'eux, ce qu'on fit. Le Pilote par occasion leur dit, que les Peres de Port Royal estoyent en son nauire. Les Sauuages repliquerent, [268] qu'ils verroyent bien volõtiers celuy qu'ils [222] auoyent cogneu y auoit deus ans, à Pentegoet. Ce cogneu, estoit le P. Biard qui les alla incontinent trouuer, & s'informãt d'eux touchant la route de Kadesquit, leur signifia, qu'il s'y vouloit habituer. Mais (dirent-ils) si tu veux te loger en ces quartiers, que ne demeures tu plustost icy auecques nous, qui auons bien vne autant belle & bonne place que Kadesquit? Et commencerent à luy raconter les loüanges de leur demeure, asseurants qu'elle estoit si saine, & si agreable, que quand les Sauuages sont malades autrepart, ils se font porter en ce lieu, & y guerissent. Ces benedictions n'esmouuoyent pas beaucoup le P. Biard, parce qu'il sçauoit assez que les Sauuages ne manquoyẽt point de ce en quoy quasi tout chacun abonde; c'est de sçauoir priser ses denrées. Mais ils sceurẽt [223] biẽ bander la machine pour l'enleuer. Car (dirent-ils) il faut que tu viennes: d'autant que Asticou nostre Sagamo est malade à la mort, & si tu ne viens il mourra sans baptesme, & n'ira pas au ciel. Tu en seras la cause, car pour luy il voudroit bien estre baptisé. Ceste raison ainsi naifuement deduicte, fit estonner le P. Biard, & luy persuada totalement de s'y en aller, veu mesmes qu'il n'y auoit que trois lieuës à faire: & que pour tout il n'y entreuenoit pas plus grande perte de temps, que d'vne apres disnée; ainsi il se mit dans vn de leurs cauots auec le sieur de la Mote Lieutenant, & Simon l'interprete, & s'en allerent.
During these quarrels, the Savages signaled to us with smoke. This means that we can go and find them if we need them, which we did. The Pilot incidentally remarked to these Savages that the Port Royal Fathers were in his ship. They answered that they would like very much to see the one with whom they [222] had become acquainted two years before at Pentegoet. This was Father Biard, who went immediately to see them, and in asking about the route to Kadesquit, said he wished to go there to live. "But" (said they) "if thou wishest to stay in these regions, why dost thou not rather remain here with us, who have truly as good and beautiful a place as Kadesquit?" And they began to sing the praises of their home, assuring him that it was so healthy, and so agreeable, that when the Savages are sick in other parts, they have themselves brought to this place and here recover. These blessings did not affect Father Biard much, for he knew that the Savages did not lack that with which almost every one is abundantly provided, namely, the ability to praise their own wares. But they knew [223] well how to use their machinations against him to carry him off. "For," (said they) "it is necessary that thou comest, since Asticou,[16] our Sagamore, is sick unto death; and if thou dost not come he will die without baptism, and will not go to heaven. Thou wilt be the cause of it, for he himself wishes very much to be baptized." This argument, so naïvely deduced, astonished Father Biard, and fully persuaded him to go there, especially as it was only three leagues away, and in all there would result no greater loss of time than one afternoon; so he got into one of their canoes with sieur de la Mote, Lieutenant, and Simon the interpreter, and went off.
Arriués aux cabanes d'Asticou, nous le trouuames malade voirement; mais non pas à mort, car ce n'estoit qu'vn rheume, qui le tourmentoit: partant l'asseurance de [224] ses forces nous donna beau loisir [270] d'aller visiter ce lieu tant vanté, & meilleur que Kadesquit pour vn'habitation Françoise. Et de vraye nous ne trouuasmes point, que les Sauuages eussent eu mauuaise raison de le haut louër, car nous mesmes nous en esmerueillions; & en ayants porté les nouuelles aux principaux de nostre equipage: & eux encores l'estants venu recognoistre tous vnanimẽt consentirent, qu'il falloit s'arrester là, & ne point chercher mieux, veu mesmement, qu'il sembloit que Dieu le nous disoit par les heureux rencontres, qui nous estoyent arriués, & par vn euident miracle, qu'il fit en la guerison d'vn enfant, de laquelle nous parlerons autre-part.
When we arrived at Asticou's cabins, we found him truly sick, but not unto death, for it was only a cold that troubled him; so having assured ourselves of [224] his good condition, we had plenty of leisure to go and visit this place, so greatly boasted about and so much better for a French settlement than Kadesquit. And in truth we found that the Savages were not wrong in praising it so highly, for we ourselves were wonderfully astonished; and having carried the news to the chiefs of our company, and they having come to view the place, all unanimously agreed that we ought to stay there and not look for anything better, especially as it seemed as if God told us to do so through the fortunate events which had happened to us, and through an evident miracle which he performed in the restoration of a child, of which we shall speak elsewhere.
Ce lieu, est vne iolie colline esleuée doucement dessus la mer, & baignée à ses costés de deux [225] fontaines; la terre y est essartée à vingt, ou vingt & cinq arpẽs, herbuë en quelques endroits presque à la hauteur d'vn homme. Son aspect est au Midy & Orient, quasi à l'emboucheure de Pentegoet, & où se deschargẽt plusieurs agreables, commodes, & poissonneuses riuieres, le terroir y est noir, gras, & fertile; Le Port & Haure sont des plus beaux, qu'on puisse voir, & en endroit propre pour commander à toute la coste; le Haure specialement est asseuré comm'vn estang. Car outre qu'il est reparé de la grande Isle des Mõts deserts, il l'est encores de certaines petites Islettes, qui rompent les flots & les vents, & fortifient son entrée. Il n'y a flotte, de laquelle il ne soit capable, ny si haut nauire, qui ne puisse s'approcher de terre pour descharger, iusques à la longueur d'vn chable. Sa situation [226] est à quarante quatre degrés, & vn tiers d'eleuation; position moins encores boreale, que celle de Bourdeaux.
This place is a beautiful hill, rising gently from the sea, its sides bathed by two [225] springs; the land is cleared for twenty or twenty-five acres, and in some places is covered with grass almost as high as a man. It faces the South and East, and is near the mouth of the Pentegoet, where several broad and pleasant rivers, which abound in fish, discharge their waters; its soil is dark, rich and fertile; the Port and Harbor are as fine as can be seen, and are in a position favorable to command the entire coast; the Harbor especially is as safe as a pond. For, besides being strengthened by the great Island of Mount desert, it is still more protected by certain small Islands which break the currents and the winds, and fortify the entrance. There is not a fleet which it is not capable of sheltering, nor a ship so deep that could not approach within a cable's length of the shore to unload. It is situated [226] in latitude forty-four and one-third degrees, a position still less northerly than that of Bourdeaux.
[272] Or estants descendus en ce dit lieu, & y ayans planté la Croix, nous commençames à trauailler, & auec le trauail commencerent aussi nos contestations, second signal, & prodige de nos mal-heurs. La cause de ces contestations estoit d'autãt que la Saussaye, nostre Capitaine, s'amusoit trop à cultiuer la terre, & tous les principaux le pressoyent de ne point distraire en cela les ouuriers, ains de vacquer sans respit aux alogement & fortification, ce qu'il ne vouloit pas faire. De ceste cõtention en sourdirent des autres iusques à ce que l'Anglois nous mit trestous de bon accord, ainsi que vous ouyrez tout maintenant.
Now having landed at this place and planted here the Cross, we began to work; and with the beginning of work also began the quarrels, a second sign and augury of our ill luck. The cause of these dissensions was principally that la Saussaye, our Captain, amused himself too much in cultivating the land, while all the chiefs of the enterprise were urging him not to employ the laborers for that purpose, but to get to work without delay upon the houses and fortifications, which he did not wish to do. From these disputes sprang others, until the English brought us all to an understanding with each other, as you will hear immediately.