But before going ashore, let us say a word about the way in which the Jesuits lived during the voyage. For although these are things of little consequence, they are, nevertheless, necessary to close the mouth of falsehood. The truth then is this: First, that they had no servant during the entire voyage, [141] except their own hands and feet: if their linen was to be washed, their clothes cleaned and patched, if other needs had to be provided for, they had the privilege of doing it themselves, as well as the least. Secondly, they did not meddle with any one's authority, or make any pretense of having control or rights over the ship: sieur de Biencourt was in everything, sole and absolute master: and this kind of submissiveness they always continued afterward at port Royal. Their usual exercises were singing divine service Sundays and holidays, with a little exhortation or sermon: every morning and evening, they assembled the whole crew for prayer, and during Lent for exhortation, only three times a week. Their conversation was such, that captain Jean d'Aune [142] and the pilot, David de Bruges, both of the Pretended Religion,[31] have often expressed their approval of it to sieur de Potrincourt; and frequently since then, in Dieppe and other places, have affirmed that they then found the Jesuits quite different from what they had previously been pictured to them, namely, honest and courteous men, of good conduct and pure consciences.
CHAPITRE XV. [i.e., xiv.]
L'ESTAT, AUQUEL ESTOIT LE SIEUR DE POTRINCOURT LORS DE CEST'ARRIUÉE, & SON VOYAGE AUX ETECHEMINS.
[184] LA ioye de l'arriuée fut grãde d'vn costé, & d'autre. Grande aux arriuants à cause de leur desir, & de l'ennuy supporté en vne si longue nauigation: [143] mais bien plus redoublée au sieur de Potrincourt, qui auoit esté en de grandes peines, & apprehensions durant tout l'Hyuer. Car ayant eu auec soy vingt & trois personnes, sans prouisions suffisantes pour les nourrir, il auoit esté contrainct d'en cõgedier aucuns pour s'en aller auec les Sauuages, viure auec eux: aux autres le pain auoit manqué six, ou sept sepmaines durant, & sans l'assistance des mesmes Sauuages, ie ne sçay si tout ne leur eust miserablement failly. Or le secours, que nous leur apportions n'estoit quasi que, comme l'on dit, vn verre d'eau à vn bien alteré. Premierement parce que nous estions trente-six, en nostre equipage, lesquels adioustez à 23. hõmes, qu'il y auoit, cinquãte neuf bouches se retrouuoyent tous les iours à sa table. Et Membertou le Sauuage [144] par dessus, auec sa fille, & sa sequelle. En apres nous auions demeuré quatre mois sur mer: & par ainsi nos prouisions estoyent fort diminuées, veu mesmement, que nostre vaisseau estoit fort petit, sçauoir est de cinquante, ou soixante tonneaux, & plus prouisionné pour la pesche, que pour autre chose. A cest'occasion donc ce fut à [186] Monsieur de Potrincourt de penser plustost comm'il renuoyeroit promptement ceste si grande famille, de peur qu'elle ne consumast tout, que non pas de procurer la trocque, & la pesche, esquelles neantmoins gisoit tout l'espoir de ressource pour vn secõd voyage. Si ne pouuoit-il s'empescher totalement de trocquer; car il falloit faire de l'argent, & pour payer les gages de ses seruiteurs, & pour estant en France, aller, & venir.
CHAPTER XV. [i.e., xiv.]
SIEUR DE POTRINCOURT'S CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THEIR ARRIVAL, AND HIS JOURNEY TO THE ETECHEMINS.
OUR arrival caused great joy on both sides—great on the part of those arriving, because of their longings, and the tediousness of so long a voyage; [143] but more than double was that of sieur de Potrincourt, who had been in great distress and apprehension during the entire Winter. For having had with him twenty-three people, without sufficient food to nourish them, he had been obliged to send some off among the Savages, to live with them: the others had had no bread for six or seven weeks, and without the assistance of these same Savages, I do not know but that they would all have perished miserably. Now the succor that we brought them, was little else, as the saying is, than a glass of water to a very thirsty man. First, because there were thirty-six of us in our company, and these, added to the 23 men that he had, made fifty-nine mouths every day at his table; and Membertou the Savage [144] beside, with his daughter and crew. After living four months upon the sea, our provisions were very much diminished, especially as our vessel was quite small, being only fifty or sixty tons burden, and provisioned more for fishing than anything else. For this reason, then, it was left to Monsieur de Potrincourt to think how he could promptly send back such a large family, lest everything should be consumed, rather than to secure traffic and fish, in which, however, lay all hope of resources for a second voyage. But he could not entirely refrain from doing some trading; for he had to make money, both to pay the wages of his servants, and for journeys here and there when in France.
[145] A ces fins doncques il partit dans ce sien nauire, quelque iours apres auec quasi toutes ses gens, pour aller en vn port des Etechemins, appellé la Pierre Blanche, à 22. lieuës de Port Royal droict à l'Oüest. Il esperoit de trouuer là quelque secours de viures au moyen des nauires François qu'il sçauoit y trafiquer. Le P. Biard l'y voulut accompagner, à fin de recognoistre le pays, & disposition des Nationaires, ce qui luy fut accordé. Ils y trouuerent quatre vaisseaux François, vn appartenãt au sieur de Monts, vn Rochelois, vn Maloüin, ou de S. Malo, de du Pont Graué, auquel commandoit vn sien parent appellé Capitaine la Salle, duquel nous parlerons tãtost; & vne barque aussi Maloüine, il se faut souuenir de ces quatre vaisseaux pour bien entendre ce qui suit.
[145] For these purposes then, he departed some days afterward in his ship, with nearly all his crew, to go to one of the Etechemins' ports, called Pierre Blanche, 22 leagues from Port Royal, directly to the West. He hoped to find there some help in food supplies from the French ships which he knew were in the habit of trading in that place. Father Biard wished to accompany him, to study the country and character of the Natives, and his wish was granted. They found there four French ships, one belonging to sieur de Monts, one from La Rochelle, one Maloüin or St. Malo ship, belonging to Pont Gravé, commanded by a relation of his named Captain la Salle, of whom we shall speak by and by, and also a Maloüine barque; these four vessels must be well remembered, in order to understand what follows.