Returning to the sparseness of the [72] population, there are still some other reasons for it; this being the principal one, that in a life so irregular, so necessitous and so painful, a man's constitution cannot hold out unless it be very strong, and even then he is liable to accidents and irremediable injuries. Their wives, on account of their heavy work, are not very prolific, for at most they do not have children oftener than every two years, and they are not able to nourish their offspring if they have them oftener, as they nurse them for three years if they can.[19] Their confinement lasts hardly two hours; often the children are born on the march, and a little while afterward the mothers will go on with their work as before.
Ie me suis enquis souuent, combien grand pourroit estre le nombre de ce peuple: I'ay trouué par [73] la Relation des Sauuages mesmes, que dans l'enclos de la grande riuiere, dés les Terres Neufues iusques à [110] Chouacoët, on ne sçauroit trouuer plus de neuf ou dix mill'ames. Regardez la carte, & ie vous en donneray le denombrement. Tous les Souriquoys 3000. ou 3500. Les Eteminquois iusques à Pentegoët 2500. Dés Pentegoët iusques à Kinibequi, & de Kinibequi iusques à Chouacoët 3000. Les Montaguets 1000. Voila enuiron dix mill'ames, & ie crois que c'est pour le plus. Les autres peuples ne nous sõt pas cogneus. Aduisez combien veritablement, & emphatiquement a parlé le S. Esprit par la bouche d'Isaye de ces pauures Sauuages dispersez, soubs la metaphore propre & conuenable d'vn grãd vergier, ou parterre sauuagin, & forestier. Il ne fait que florir encores, sur le temps de la recolte, [74] dit-il, Il germe, quand il deuroit estre venu à maturité: Il le faut lors émonder, & tailler; C'est pourquoy ses fruicts sont delaissez aux oyseaux des montagnes & bestes de la terre: Les oyseaux jucheront sur luy tout l'Esté; & toutes les bestes de terre hyuerneront sur luy. Car certainement, ce pauure peuple, comme vn grand plan de sauuageons mal nez, & de mauuaise venuë, quand par le laps & experience des siecles, il deuroit estre venu à quelque perfection des arts, sciences, & raison: Qu'il en deuroit auoir produict fruict abondant en philosophie, police, mœurs, & commoditez de la vie; qu'il deuroit estre ja disposé à la maturité du S. Euangile, pour estre recueilly en la maisõ de Dieu: voila qu'on ne le voit sinon chetif & rare, donné la pasture des corbeaux, hiboux & cocus infernaux: & la curee maudite des renards, [75] ours, sangliers, & dragons spirituels. O Dieu de misericorde! n'aurez vous point pitié de ce desastre? Ne ietterez-vous point vos yeux de douceur sur ce pauure desert? [112] Benin, & pieux laboureur, faictes que la prophetie, qui suit se verifie en nous en nostre âge. En ce tẽps là present sera apporté au Seigneur des Armées par le peuple rompu, & deschiré, par le peuple terrible, apres qui n'en y a point d'autre; La nation attendãte, attendante, & mesprisee, de qui les fleuues ont gasté la terre; au lieu où est inuoqué le nom du Seigneur des Armées à la montagne de Sion. Ainsi soit-il.
I have often wondered how many of these people there are. I have found from [73] the Accounts of the Savages themselves, that in the region of the great river, from Newfoundland to Chouacoët, there cannot be found more than nine or ten thousand people. Look at the chart and I will give you the enumeration of them. The Souriquoys, in all, 3000, or 3500. The Eteminquois to Pentegoët, 2500. From Pentegoët to Kinibequi and from Kinibequi to Chouacoët, 3000. The Montaguets, 1000. This is about ten thousand souls, and I believe it is the highest number. The other tribes are not known to us. Consider how truly and emphatically the Holy Spirit has spoken through the mouth of Isaiah about these poor scattered Savages, under the fitting and appropriate comparison of a great orchard or garden, wild and uncultivated. He says: At the time of the harvest there are still nothing but buds, [74] At the time of the ripening, they are springing up: Then must he cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks: Therefore the fruits are left to the fowls of the mountain, and to the beasts of the earth; the fowls shall Summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. For in truth this people, who, through the progress and experience of centuries, ought to have come to some perfection in the arts, sciences and philosophy, is like a great field of stunted and ill-begotten wild plants, a people which ought to have produced abundant fruits in philosophy, government, customs, and conveniences of life; which ought to be already prepared for the completeness of the Holy Gospel, to be received in the house of God. Yet behold it wretched and dispersed, given up to ravens, owls, and infernal cuckoos, and to be the cursed prey of spiritual foxes, [75] bears, boars, and dragons. O, God of mercy! wilt thou not have pity upon this misery? Wilt thou not look upon this poor wilderness with a favoring eye? Kind and pious husbandman, so act that the prophecy which follows may be fulfilled upon us and in our time. In that time shall a present be brought unto the Lord of Hosts from a people rent, and torn in pieces, a terrible people, after which there hath been no other; A nation expecting, expecting, and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled; to the place of the name of the Lord of Hosts, the mount Sion. Amen.
CHAPITRE VII.
[76] DE LA MEDECINE DES SAUUAGES.
[114] IL est asseuré, que les disettes grandes suffoquent l'esprit, & l'oppressent de leur importun & tyrannique seruice, en sorte qu'à peine peut-il reuenir à soy iamais, ou se regaillardir en quelques gentiles considerations: non pas mesme songer aux autres moindres necessitez pour leur aller au deuant, ou les alleger; preoccupé tousiours & violenté par les plus fortes. Nous voyons cecy en nos pauures Sauuages, lesquels pour ne viure qu'au iour à la iournée, & par consequent tousiours asseruis à la crainte de la faim, premiere, & plus forte necessité de toutes, n'ont moyen de cultiuer leur esprit en la recherche des [77] sciences; non pas mesme de se pouruoir des ars, & industries pour l'aisance, & ameliorement de la vie, ny pour fournir aux autres defauts, quoy que bien pressants. A ceste cause donc ils manquent non seulement de toutes lettres & beaux artifices; ains aussi (chose miserable) de medecine, soit pour l'entretenement de leur santé, soit pour le secours de leurs maladies, sinon en ce peu que ie diray.
CHAPTER VII.
[76] ON THE MEDICINE OF THE SAVAGES.
IT is true that great poverty stifles the spirit, and overwhelms it with its importunate and despotic sway, so that it can seldom turn to itself, or revel in agreeable meditations, nor even dream of something better to prevent or lighten it, being always absorbed in and possessed by the greatest needs. We see this in our poor Savages, who live only from hand to mouth, and hence are always subject to the fear of hunger, first and strongest of all wants; they have no opportunity of developing their minds in the pursuit of [77] knowledge; not even of providing arts and trades for the relief and amelioration of life, nor to satisfy other wants however pressing. Now for this reason they not only lack all literature and fine arts, but also (unfortunately) medicine, whether for the preservation of their health, or for the cure of their diseases, except the little that I shall describe.