THE old proverb is true that the Gods sell us all things for work. This may be recognized in many of the ordinary events of life, but especially in the matter of which we are about to speak, and for which we have a subject in the incomparable virtues of sieur de Poutrincourt, whose more than Herculean labors have for a long time deserved a very ample fortune, which he might have succeeded in acquiring during our late struggles, had he not been too entirely devoted to the party which he had embraced. For the King, holding him besieged in person in Beaumont castle, [4] wished to give him the County thereof to attach him to his service. Refusing the gift at this time, he nevertheless accepted it freely soon afterwards, when he learned that his Majesty had embraced the faith of the Roman Catholic Church. It is true that our late King Henry the Great had rendered him one service; that is, he had testified with his own lips that he was one of the most honorable and valiant men in his kingdom. Again, after our recent wars, being naturally attracted to difficult enterprises and shunning a life of idleness, he sought some occasion to more effectually show his courage, to honor his Prince, and to glorify his country. This he did by meeting sieur de Monts,[13] who, in the year 1603, undertook the voyage to New and Western France beyond the sea; and by associating himself with him, to find a suitable place where he could settle down, and there render service to God and the King. To this end he has labored continually ever since, and would have already greatly advanced the work, had not his amiable nature been imposed upon by dishonest men, who have been the cause of great losses to him in time and money. But, as he was a Gentleman not to be conquered by hardships, and fearing no dangers, he might have been sure of prompt advancement in his work had he not been hindered by the greed of those who robbed him of the fat of his lands, without making any settlement there. These people, eager to get the Beaver skins of that country, go there for no other purpose; and so compete with each other, that they have caused every Beaver skin (which is the chief traffic [5] of these regions) to be worth here to-day ten livres, when they might have been sold for one-half that price, if the traffic therein had been limited to one person. In this way the Christian Religion might have also been established there; and it certainly would have been greatly advanced, if such a course had been pursued. Also for the sake of Religion and of permanent colonization, from which France can derive both profit and glory, it is well that those who settle there should enjoy fully and wholly the advantages guaranteed by them; since no one does anything in this direction for the sake of the leaders of the enterprise, who, at the risk of their lives and their fortunes, have discovered coasts and interior lands where no Christian had ever been. There is another consideration which I do not wish to set down in writing, and which alone ought to obtain the above-mentioned privileges to those who present and offer themselves to settle and defend the province, and indeed to give assistance to the entire French colony over there. There has always been a complaint that affairs of general importance are ruined by giving too much attention to the consideration of personal interests. It is to be feared this may be the case in the affairs of the new World, if we neglect them, and do not encourage those who, with an unchangeable purpose, take great risks for the welfare, the honor, and the glory of France, and for the exaltation of the name of God, and of his Church.
[6] VOYAGE EN LA TERRE-NEUVE.
I'ay rapporté en mon histoire de la Nouvelle France ce qui est des deux premiers voyages faits outre mer par le sieur de Poutrincourt. Ici i'ay à écrire ce qui s'est ensuiui és voyages subsequens. Depuis quelques années une succession lui est echeuë a cause de Dame Iehanne de Salazar sa mere, qui est la Baronnie de Sainct Iust en Champagne. Les rivieres de Seine & d'Aulbe rendent le lieu de cette Baronnie autant agreable, que fort & avantageux à la defense. Là au commencement de Février mil six cens dix il fit partie de son equippage, y ayant chargé vn bateau de meubles, viures, & munitions de guerre, voire tellement chargé qu'il n'y restoit que deux doigts de bord hors de l'eau. Cependant la riviere estoit enflée & ne se pouuoit plus tenir en son lict à cause des longues pluies hivernales. Les flots le menaçoient souuent, les perils y estoient presens, mesmement és passages de Nogent, Corbeil, Sainct Clou, Ecorche-veau, & autres où des bateaux perirent à sa veuë, sans qu'il fust aucunement emeu d'apprehension. En fin il parvint à Dieppe, & apres quelque sejour il se mit en mer le 26. [130] dudit mois de Février. Plusieurs en cette ville là benissoient son voyage, & prioient Dieu pour la prosperité d'icelui. La saison estoit rude, & les vents le plus souvent contraires. Mais on peut bien appeller vn [7] voyage heureux, quand en fin on arrive à bon port. |a Forbans, ce sont Pyrates.| Ils ne furent gueres loin qu'ils rencontrerent vers le Casquet vn nauire de Forbansa, lesquels voyans ledit Sieur & ses gens bien resolus de se defendre si on les attaquoit, passerent outre. Le 6. de Mars ils rencontrerent vnze navires Flamens, & se saluerent l'vn l'autre de chacun vn coup de canon. Depuis le 8. iusques au 15. il y eut tempéte, durant laquelle vne fois ledit Sieur estant couché à la poupe, fut porté de son lict pardessus la table au lict de son fils. |b Su, c'est Midi.| Ce mauvais temps les fit chercher leur route plus au Sub, & virent deux iles des Essores, Corbes, & Flore, là où ils eurent le rafraichissement de quelques Marsoins qu'ils prindrent. Et comme l'on dit que de la guerre vient la paix, Ainsi apres ces tourmentes ils eurent des calmes iusques au iour de Pasques Fleuries plus facheux que les tourmentes: car quoy qu'on soit en repos, il n'y a pourtant sujet de contentement: car les vivres se mangent, & la saison de bien faire se passe: bref vn grand calme est fort mauvais sur la mer. Mais cela n'est point perpetuel: & quelquefois (selon l'inconstance d'Eole) apres le calme suit vn vent favorable, tantost vne tempéte, comme il survint vn peu apres (sçauoir le lendemain de Pasques) laquelle fit faire eau à la soute, qui est le magazin du pain, ou biscuit. |a Peril d'vn charpentier.| Occasion que le Charpentier du navire voulant aller remedier au mal avenu, d'autant qu'en faisant ce qui est de son art il troubloit les prieres publiques qui se faisoient du matin, ledit Sieur lui [132] commanda [8] de besongner par le dehors, là où estant allé il trouva le Gouvernail rompu (chose dangereuse) lequel voulant aller racoutrer, comme il estoit à sa besongnea, il tomba de son echaffaut dedans la mer. Et bien vint que le temps s'estoit ammoderé: car autrement c'estoit vn homme perdu. Mais il fut garenti par la diligence des matelots, qui lui tendirent vne corde, par laquelle il se sauva.
[6] VOYAGE TO THE NEW WORLD.
I related in my history of New France what happened in the first two voyages made by sieur de Poutrincourt to the lands beyond the sea. Here I shall give an account of what took place in the subsequent voyages. Some years ago an inheritance, the Barony of Sainct Just, in Champagne, fell to Sieur de Poutrincourt through his mother, Lady Jehanne de Salazar. The Seine and Aulbe rivers render the situation of this domain as beautiful as it is strong and eligible for defense. Here, in the beginning of February, one thousand six hundred and ten, he partly equipped his ship, loading it with furniture, provisions, and munitions of war; and, indeed, so freighted it down that the sides were only two finger-lengths out of the water. Meanwhile, the river had risen until it could no longer be confined in its bed, on account of the long winter rains. Often threatened by floods and by imminent perils in the passages from Nogent, Corbeil, Sainct Clou, Ecorche-veau and other places, where vessels were wrecked before his eyes, he was not in the least affected by fear. At last he arrived at Dieppe, and, after a sojourn there, he put to sea upon the 26th of this same month of February. Many people of that city wished him well in his voyage and prayed God for its success. The season was stormy, and contrary winds prevailed the greater part of the time. But we may indeed call a [7] voyage fortunate, which brings us at last safe into port. |a Forbans are pirates.| They were not far away when they met, in the direction of Casquet,[14] a ship of Forbansa, who, seeing that the Sieur and his crew were all ready to defend themselves if attacked, sailed on past them. On the 6th of March they met eleven Flemish ships, and they saluted each other by a discharge of cannon. From the 8th to the 15th there was a tempest, during which the Sieur, who was lying down on the poop, was thrown from his bed, over the table, to that of his son. |b South, that is, Meridian.| This bad weather made them turn their route more to the Southb, where they saw two of the Essores islands, Corbes and Flore; and there they had some fresh food by catching a few Porpoises. And as, according to the old saying, peace follows war, so, after these storms, there were calms more trying than the tempests, until Palm Sunday; for then, although there was rest, there was no satisfaction in it, for the food was being consumed and the good season was passing away; in short, a great calm is a very harmful thing upon the sea. But it does not last always; and sometimes (according to the fickle moods of Æolus) after the calm comes a favorable wind, sometimes a tempest; as happened shortly afterwards (namely, the day after Easter), and this caused a leak in the soute, which is the storeroom for bread or biscuit. Now the ship's carpenter, who went to repair the leak, while doing what his trade demanded, interfered with the public prayers which were being offered in the morning, and the Sieur commanded him [8] to do his work outside. |a Peril of a carpenter.| He obeyed, and there found the Rudder broken (which is a very dangerous thing); wishing to readjust it, while he was engaged in the work, he fella from his scaffolding into the sea. And it was well that the weather had moderated; for otherwise there would have been a man lost. But he was rescued by the efforts of the sailors, who threw him a rope by which he saved himself.
b Voy l'Hist. de la Nouv. France liv. 4. chap. 12.
Le 11. de May la sonde fut iettée, & se trouva fond à 80.b brasses: indice que l'on estoit sur le Banc des Moruës. Là ils s'arréterent pour auoir le rafraichissement de la pecherie soit des poissons, soit des oiseaux qui sont abondamment sur ledit Banc, ainsi que i'ay amplement décrit en madite Histoire de la Nouvelle France. |c Au méme liv. ch. 7.| Le Banc passé, apres auoir soutenu plusieurs vents contraires, en fin ils terrirent vers Pemptegoetc (qui est l'endroit que noz Geographes marquent soubs le nom de Norombega) & fit dire la Messe ledit Sieur en vne Isle qu'il nomma de l'Ascension, pour y estre arrivé ce iour là. De ce lieu ils vindrent à Sainte Croix premiere habitation de noz François en cette côte, là où ledit Sieur fit faire des prieres pour les trespassez qui y estoient enterrez dés le premier voyage du sieur de Monts en l'an 1603. & furent au haut de la riviere dudit lieu de Sainte Croix, où ils trouverent telle quantité de Harens à chaque marée, qu'il y en avoit pour nourrir toute vne grosse ville. En autres saisons il y vient d'autres poissons. Mais lors c'estoit le tour aux Harens. Là mesme il y a des arbres d'inestimable [9] beauté en hauteur & grosseur. |d Ceremonies de funerailles.| Sur cette méme côte, devant qu'arriver au Port Royald ils virent les ceremonies funebres d'un corps mort decedé en la terre des Etechemins. Le [134] defunct estoit couché sur vn ais appuyé de quatre fourches, & fut couvert de peaux. Le lendemain arrive là grande assemblée d'hommes, lesquels danserent à leur mode alentour du decedé. Vn des anciens tenoit vn long baton, où il y avoit pendues trois tétes de leurs ennemis; D'autres avoient d'autres marques de leurs victoires: & en cet etat chanterent & danserent deux ou trois heures, disans les loüanges du mort au lieu du Libera que disent les Chrétiens. |a Matachiaz, ce sont carquans, echarpes, & brasselets.| Apres chacun lui fit don de quelque chose, comme de peaux, chaudieres, pois, haches, couteaux, fleches, aMatachiaz & autres hardes. Toutes lesquelles ceremonies achevées, on le porta en sepulture en vne ile à l'écart loin de la terre ferme. Et au partir de là tira ledit Sieur au Port Royal lieu de son habitation.
b See History of New France book 4. ch. 12.
On the 11th of May, the sounding lead was cast, and bottom was found at 80b fathoms; a sign that they were upon the Codfish Banks. There they stopped to obtain fresh food, either fish or birds, which are abundant upon these Banks, as I have described fully in my History of New France. |c In the same book ch. 7.| When the Banks were passed, after having encountered several contrary winds, at last they landed in the neighborhood of Pemptegoet,c (the place that our Geographers designate by the name Norembega);[15] and the Sieur caused Mass to be said upon an Island, which he called Ascension, because they arrived there upon that day. Thence they came to Sainte Croix,[16] the first settlement of our French upon this coast, where the Sieur had prayers offered for the dead who had been buried there since the first voyage made by sieur de Monts, in the year 1603. Then they went up the river Sainte Croix, where they found such a great number of Herrings at every tide, that they had enough to feed a whole city. During the other seasons there are other kinds of fish, but at that time it was the Herring season. |d Funeral ceremonies.| Also there are trees there of [9] indescribable beauty, height, and grandeur. Upon this same coast, before reaching Port Royal,d they saw the funeral ceremonies over the corpse of a savage who had died in the land of the Etechemins. The body was resting upon a plank supported by four stakes and covered with skins. The next day, a great crowd of men arrived, who performed their customary dances around the corpse. One of the old men held a long pole, upon which were dangling three of their enemies' heads; others carried other trophies of their victories; and thus they continued to sing and dance for two or three hours, chanting the praises of the dead instead of the Libera of Christians. |a Matachiaz are necklaces, scarfs and bracelets.| Afterwards each one made him a gift of some kind, such as skins, kettles, peas, hatchets, knives, arrows, aMatachiaz,[17] and articles of apparel. When all these ceremonies were finished, they carried him for burial to an isolated island, far from the mainland. And, leaving there, the Sieur sailed for Port Royal, the place of his residence.