[67] Monsieur de Biancourt se reprima, et ne faisant pas autrement mauvaise chere à Meteourmite, [40] apprit de luy qu'il y avoit une route par laquelle on pourroit passer; qu'à celle fin de ne la pas faillir, il nous donneroit de ses propres gens dedans nostre barque; qu'au reste vinssions à sa cabane, il tascheroit de nous donner contentement. Nous luy crusmes, et pensasmes nous en repentir; car nous passasmes des haults et destroicts si perilleux que ne cuidions quasi jamays en eschapper. D'effect, en deux endroits, aucuns de nos gens s'escrierent miserablement que nous estions trestous perdus. Mais, Dieu mercy, ils crierent trop tost.
[67] Monsieur de Biancourt restrained himself, and not otherwise showing any ill-will toward Meteourmite, learned from him that there was a route by which they could pass; that in order not to miss it, he would let us have some of his own people in our barque; that, besides, if we would come to his wigwam he would try to satisfy us. We trusted him, and thought we might have to repent it; for we traversed such perilous heights and narrow passes that we never expected to escape from them. In fact, in two places some of our men cried out in distress that we were all lost. But, thank God, they cried too soon.
Arrivés, Monsieur de Biancourt se mit en armes, pour en cet arroy aller veoir Meteourmite. Il le trouva en son hault appareil de majesté sauvagesque, seul dans une cabane bien nattée le haut et bas, et quelques quarante puissans jeunes hommes à l'entour de la cabane, en forme de corps de garde, chacun son pavois, son arc et flesches à terre au devant de soy. Ces gens ne sont point niais, nullement, et qu'on nous en croye.
When we arrived, Monsieur de Biancourt armed himself, and thus arrayed proceeded to pay a visit to Meteourmite. He found him in the royal apparel of savage majesty, alone in a wigwam that was well matted above and below, and about forty powerful young men stationed around it like a body-guard, each one with his shield, his bow and arrows upon the ground in front of him. These people are by no means simpletons, and you may believe us when we say so.
Pour moy, je receus, ce jour là, la plus grande part des caresses; car, comme j'estois sans armes, les plus honorables, laissans les soldats, se prindrent à moy avec mille significations d'amitié. Ils me conduysirent en la plus grande cabane de toutes; [68] elle contenoit bien 80 ames. Les places prinses, je me jettay à genoux, et ayant faict le signe de la croix, recitay mon Pater, Ave, Credo, et quelques oraisons; puis, ayant faict pause, mes hostes, comme s'ils m'eussent bien entendu, m'applaudirent en leur façon, s'escriant Ho! ho! ho! Ie leur donnay quelques croix et quelques images, leur en donnant à apprehender ce que je pouvois. Eux les baysoient [42] fort volontiers, faisoyent le signe de la Croix, et, chacun pour soy, s'efforçoyent à me presenter ses enfans, à ce que je les benisse et leur donnasse quelque chose. Ainsy se passa cette visite, et une autre que je fis depuis.
As for me, I received that day the greater part of the welcome; for, as I was unarmed, the most honorable of them, turning their backs upon the soldiers, approached me with a thousand demonstrations of friendship. They led me to the largest wigwam of all; [68] it contained fully eighty people. When they had taken their places, I fell upon my knees and repeated my Pater, Ave, Credo, and some orisons; then pausing, my hosts, as if they had understood me perfectly, applauded after their fashion, crying Ho! ho! ho! I gave them some crosses and pictures, explaining them as well as I could. They very willingly kissed them, made the sign of the Cross, and each one in his turn endeavored to present his children to me, so that I would bless them and give them something. Thus passed that visit, and another that I have since made.
Or Meteourmite avoit respondu à Monsieur de Biancourt, que pour le bled, ils n'en avoyent pas quantité; mais qu'ils avoyent aucunes peaux, s'il luy playsoit de troquer.
Now Meteourmite had replied to Monsieur de Biancourt that as to the corn he did not have much, but he had some skins, if we were pleased to trade with him.
Le matin doncques de la troque venu, je m'en allay en une isle voysine avec un garçon, pour là offrir l'hostie saincte de nostre reconciliation. Nos gens de la barque, pour n'estre surprins, soubs couleur de la troque, s'estoyent armez et barricadez, laissans place au milieu du tillac pour les Sauvages; mais en vain, car ils se jetterent tellement en foule et avec si grande avidité, qu'aussy tost ils remplirent tout le vaisseau, jà peslemeslés avec les nostres. On se mit à crier: Retire, retire-toy. Mais [69] à quel profit? Eux aussy crioyent de leur costé.
Then in the morning when the trade was to take place I went to a neighboring island with a boy, to there offer the blessed sacrament for our reconciliation. Our people in the barque, not to be taken by surprise under pretext of the trade, were armed and barricaded, leaving a place in the middle of the deck for the Savages; but in vain, for they rushed in in such crowds and with such greediness, that they immediately filled the whole ship, becoming all mixed up with our own people. Some one began to cry out, "Go back, go back." But [69] to what good? On the other hand, the savages were yelling also.