Toute la nuit ce ne fust que haranguer, chanter, danser; car telle est la vie de toutes ces gens lorsqu'ils sont en troupe. Or comme nous presumions probablement que leurs chants et danses estoyent invocations du diable, pour contrecarrer l'empire de ce maudict tyran, je fis que nos gens chantassent [65] quelques hymnes eclesiastiques, comme le Salve, l'Ave Maris stella et autres. Mais comme ils furent une fois en train de chanter, les chansons spirituelles leur manquant, ils se jetterent aux autres qu'ils sçavoyent. Estant encores à la fin de celles cy, comme c'est le naturel du François de tout imiter, ils se prindrent à contrefaire le chant et danse des Armouchiquois, qui estoyent à la rive, les contrefaisant si bien en tout, que, pour les escouter, les Armouchiquois se taysoient; et puis nos gens se taysans, reciproquement eux recommençoyent. Vrayment il y avoit beau rire: car vous eussiés dict que c'estoyent deux chœurs qui s'entendoient fort bien, et à peine eussiés vous pû distinguer le vray Armouchiquois d'avec le feinct.
All night there was continual haranguing, singing and dancing, for such is the kind of life all these people lead when they are together. Now as we supposed that probably their songs and dances were invocations to the devil, to oppose the power of this cursed tyrant, I had our people sing [65] some sacred hymns, as the Salve, the Ave Maris Stella, and others. But when they once got into the way of singing, the spiritual songs being exhausted, they took up others with which they were familiar. When they came to the end of these, as the French are natural mimics, they began to mimic the singing and dancing of the Armouchiquois who were upon the bank, succeeding in it so well that the Armouchiquois stopped to listen to them; and then our people stopped and the others immediately began again. It was really very comical, for you would have said that they were two choirs which had a thorough understanding with each other, and scarcely could you distinguish the real Armouchiquois from their imitators.
Le matin venu, nous poursuyvions notre route contremont. Eux, nous ayans accompagnez, nous dirent que si nous voulions du piousquemin (c'est leur bled), que nous debvions avec facilité prendre à droicte, et non avec grand travail et danger aller contremont; que prenant à droicte par le bras qui se monstroit, en peu d'heures, nous arriverions vers le grand sagamo [38] Meteourmite, qui nous fourniroit de tout; qu'ils nous y serviroient de guides, car aussy bien s'en alloyent ils le visiter.
In the morning we continued our journey up the river. The Armouchiquois, who were accompanying us, told us that if we wanted any piousquemin (corn), it would be better and easier for us to turn to the right and not, with great difficulty and risk, to continue going up the river; that if we turned to the right through the branch which was just at hand, in a few hours we would reach the great sagamore Meteourmite, who would furnish us with all we wanted; that they would act as our guides, since they themselves were going to visit him.
Il est à presumer, et en avons de grands indices, qu'ils ne nous donnoyent ce conseil sinon en intention [66] de nous prendre aux filets, et avoir bon marché de nous à l'ayde de Meteourmite, lequel ils sçavoient estre ennemy des Anglois, et le conjecturoient l'estre de tous estrangers. Mais, Dieu mercy, leurs embusches se tournerent contre eux.
It is to be supposed, and there were strong indications of it, that they gave us this advice only with the intention [66] of ensnaring us, and making an easy conquest of us by the help of Meteourmite, whom they knew to be the enemy of the English, and whom they supposed to be an enemy of all foreigners. But, thank God, their ambuscade was turned against themselves.
Cependant nous les creusmes; aussy partie d'eux s'en alloyent devant nous, partie après, partie aussy avec nous dedans la barque. Neantmoins Monsieur de Biancourt se tenoit tousiours sur ses gardes, et souvent faisoit marcher la chaloupe devant avec la sonde. Nous n'avions pas faict plus de demy lieue, quand, venus en un grand lac le sondeur nous crie: "Deux brasses d'eau, qu'une brasse, qu'une brasse partout." Aussy tost: Ameine, ameine, lasche l'anchre. Où sont nos Armouchiquois? où sont-ils? point. Ils nous avoyent trestous insensiblement quittés. O les traistres! ô que Dieu nous a bien aydés! Ils nous avoyent conduicts aux pieges. "Revire, revire." Nous retournons sur nostre route.
However, we believed them; so a part of them went ahead of us, part behind, and some in the barque with us. Nevertheless Monsieur de Biancourt was always on his guard, and often sent the boat on ahead with the sounding-lead. We had not gone more than half a league when, reaching a large lake, the sounder called out to us: "Two fathoms of water; only one fathom, only one fathom everywhere," and immediately afterward, "Stop! stop! cast anchor." Where are our Armouchiquois? Where are they? Not one. They had all silently disappeared. Oh, the traitors! Oh, how God had delivered us! They had led us into a trap. "Veer about, veer about." We retrace our path.
Cependant Meteourmite ayant esté adverty de nostre venue, nous courroit au devant, et quoyqu'il nous vist tourner bride, si est-ce qu'il nous poursuyvit. Bien valut à Monsieur de Biancourt d'etre plus sage que plusieurs de son esquipage, qui ne crioyent lors que de tout tuer. Car ils estoyent en grande cholere et en non moindre crainte; mais la cholere faisoit plus de bruit.
Meanwhile, Meteourmite having been informed of our coming, came to meet us, and, although he saw our prow turned about, yet he followed us. It was well that Monsieur de Biancourt was wiser than many of his crew, whose sole cry was to kill them all. For they were as angry as they were frightened: but their anger made the most noise.