As they came up to the Orator, the Warrior took the Head of Hair his Wife had brought, and presented it to him, which the said Orator receiv’d with both his Hands, and after having held it out towards the four Quarters of the World, he laid it down on the Ground, and then took the next, performing the same Ceremony, till he had gone over them all.
When the Ceremony was ended, they serv’d up the Sagamite, in the Nature of Hasty Pudding, which those Women had provided, and before any one touch’d it, the Master of the Ceremonies took some in a Vessel, which he carry’d as an Offering to those Heads of Hair. Then he lighted a Pipe of Tabacco, and blow’d the Smoke upon them. That being perform’d, they all fell to the Meat, Bits of the Woman that had been sacrific’d were served up to the two Boys of her Nation. They also serv’d up dry’d Tongues of their Enemies, and the whole concluded with Dancing and Singing after their Manner: After which, they went to other Cottages to repeat the same Ceremony.
There was no talk of our Design till those Rejoycings were over, and I began to conceive good Hopes of our Success. The two Murderers, Teissier and Larcheveque, who had both a Hand in the Death of Monsr. de la Sale, had promis’d to go along with us, provided Monsr. Cavelier would pardon them, and he had given them his Word so to do. In this Expectation we continu’d till the 25th, when our French Men, who had been at the War, repair’d to our Cottage, and we consulted about our Business.
Hiens and others of his Gang, disapproving of our Design, represented to us such Difficulties as they look’d upon to be unsurmountable, under which we must inevitably perish, or at least be oblig’d to return to the same Place. Hiens told us, that for his own Part, he would not hazard his Life to return into France, only to have his Head chopp’d off, and perceiving we answer’d Nothing to that, but that we persisted in our Resolution, It is requisite then, said he, to divide what Effects remain.
Hiens gives the others what he pleases, and seizes the rest of the Effects.Accordingly he laid aside, for F. Anastasius, Messieurs Cavelier, the Uncle and the Nephew,[110] thirty Axes, four or five Dozens of Knives, about thirty Pounds of Powder and the like Quantity of Ball. He gave each of the others two Axes, two Knives, two or three Pounds of Powder, with as much Ball, and kept the rest. As for the Horses, he kept the best and left us the three least. Monsieur Cavelier ask’d him for some Strings of Beads, which he granted, and seiz’d upon all the late Monsr. de la Sale’s Cloaths, Baggage and other Effects, besides above a thousand Livres in Money, which belong’d to the late Monsr. le Gros, who dy’d at our Dwelling of St. Lewis. Before our Departure, it was a sensible Affliction to us, to see that Villain walk about, in a scarlet Coat, with Gold Galons, which had belong’d to the late Monsr. de la Sale, and which, as I have said, he had seiz’d.
Mr. Cavelier and his Company part from the others.After that, Hiens and his Companions withdrew to their own Cottage, and we resolv’d not to put off our Departure any longer. Accordingly, we made ready our Horses, which much alarm’d the Natives, and especially the Chief of them, who said and did all he could to obstruct our Journey, promising us Wives, Plenty of Provisions, representing to us the immense Dangers, as well from Enemies, who surrounded them, as from the bad and impassable Ways and the many Woods and Rivers we were to pass. However, we were not to be moved, and only ask’d one Kindness of him, in obtaining of which, there were many difficulties, and it was, that he would give us Guides to conduct us to Cappa; but at length, after much Trouble and many Promises of a good Reward, one was granted, and two others went along with him.
All Things being thus order’d for our Departure, we took Leave of our Hosts, pass’d by Heins’s Cottage and embrac’d him and his Companions. We ask’d him for another Horse, which he granted. He desired an Attestation in Latin of Monsieur Cavelier, that he had not been concern’d in the Murder of Monsieur de la Sale, which was given him, because there was no refusing of it; and we set forward without Larcheveque and Meunier,French Men stay with the Indians. who did not keep their Word with us, but remain’d among those Barbarians, being infatuated with that Course of Libertinism they had run themselves into. Thus there were only seven of usOnly seven set out for Canada. that stuck together to return to Canada, viz. Father Anastasius, Messieurs Cavelier the Uncle and the Nephew, the Sieur de Marle, one Teissier, a young Man born at Paris, whose Name was Bartholomew and I, with six horses and the three Indians, who were to be our Guides; a very small Number for so great an Enterprize, but we put ourselves entirely into the Hands of Divine Providence, confiding in God’s Mercy, which did not forsake us.
After the first Day’s Journey we incamp’d on the Bank of the River, we had left not long before, lay there that Night, and the next Day, cut down Trees to make a Sort of Bridge or Planks to pass over it; handing over our Goods from one to another, and swimming over our Horses; which Work we were frequently oblig’d to repeat, and as often as we had afterwards Occasion to pass Rivers on our Way, which we held on till the 29th, every Day meeting with some Cottage, and at last, a Hamlet or Village, into which we went, and the Indian Inhabitants told us, they were call’d Nahordikhe,[111] and that they were Allies to the Cenis.
We barter’d with them for some Provisions, and their Chief offer’d to go with us as far as the Assonys,Nahordikhes and Assony. who were not farther off than about three Leagues, which he accordingly did; but it happening to rain when we came thither, and the Assonys having had no Notice before hand, we found but indifferent Reception.
However, we were conducted to the Chief’s Cottage; the Elders had Notice given them, they resorted thither, and when our Horses were unloaded, and our Goods plac’d in a Corner of the Cottage, which the Chief had allotted us, we gave them to understand, that our Intention was to go farther, to fetch Commodities to trade with them, at which they were pleas’d. They gave us to eat, and the Elders stay’d some Part of the Evening with us, which made us somewhat Uneasy, and oblig’d us to be upon our Guard; however the Night pass’d without any Disturbance.