Or pendant qu'on faisoit ceste trocque, le P. Biard s'en estoit allé en vne Isle proche, auec vn garçõ pour celebrer la saincte Messe. Les Sauuages à l'occasion de la traicte qui se deuoit faire, se ietterent fort auidement, & à la foule dans nostre barque; de curiosité (comme i'estime) pource qu'ils ne voyent pas souuẽt tels spectacles. Nos gens auoient peur, que ce ne fust malice, & que soubs couleur de trocque, ils ne se voulussent [178] saisir de la barque: aussi s'estoyent ils armez, & barricadez, à fin de n'estre surprins voyant donc, que nonobstant leurs menaces, & crieries, ils ne cessoyent d'entrer à la file, & que ja ils estoyent [222] bien trente sur le tillac, ils cuiderent que tout à faict c'estoit à bon jeu, qu'on les vouloit surprendre: & ja couchoiẽt en iouë pour tirer. Mõsieur de Biencourt a souuent dit, & souuent repeté despuis, qu'il eut plusieurs fois sur la langue de crier, tuë, tuë: Mais que ceste consideration le retint, que le Pere Biard estoit à terre, qui ne falliroit d'estre massacré si lon meffaisoit à aucun Sauuage. Ceste consideration obligea le P. Biard, & nous sauua trestous: car si lon eust commẽcé la charge, il n'est pas croyable, qu'on eust iamais peu eschapper la chaude chole & furieuse poursuite des Sauuages dedãs vne [179] riuiere, qui a tant de tours, & retours, & souuent bien estroicts, & perilleux: outre que de cent ans après ceste coste n'eust peu estre reconciliable, ny hospitaliere aux François, tant les Sauuages eussẽt eu ceste offense dessus le cœur. Dieu doncques nous sauua par ceste consideration. Et de là tous Capitaines retiendront de n'estre point trop subits aux executions de perilleuse suite. Or les Sagamos s'apperceuans d'eux mesmes de la iuste apprehension, où leurs gens poussoient nos François, se prindrent à les retirer hastiuement, & mirent ordre à la confusion.

Now, while this trading was going on, Father Biard had gone, with a boy to an Island near by, to celebrate holy Mass. The Savages, on account of the trading to take place, crowded very eagerly into our barque; from curiosity (I think) because they did not often see such sights. Our people were afraid that this was only a trick, and that under the pretense of trading they wanted [178] to get possession of the barque; therefore they armed and barricaded themselves not to be taken unawares. Seeing then that, notwithstanding their threats and cries, they continued to file in, and there were already about thirty of them upon the deck, they decided that it was all in good earnest and that they were trying to take them by surprise, so they had already taken aim to shoot. Monsieur de Biencourt has often said, and often repeated since then, that several times he had at his tongue's end the words, "Kill, kill." But that he was restrained by the consideration that Father Biard was on shore, and that he would not escape being massacred if harm were done to any of the Savages. This consideration was a blessing to Father Biard, and saved us all: for if the attack had been begun it is not to be supposed that they could ever have escaped the passionate wrath and furious pursuit of the Savages, in a [179] river which has so many turns and windings, and which is often very narrow and dangerous; besides, this coast could not have become hospitable or reconciled towards the French for a hundred years afterwards, so much would the Savages have taken the offense to heart. So on this account God saved us; hence, all Captains should restrain themselves from rash and perilous conduct. Now the Sagamores, themselves perceiving to what a state of just apprehension their people had driven the French, began to draw them off hastily and to bring order out of the confusion.

Ce peuple ne monstre point d'estre meschant, quoy qu'il aye deffaict les Anglois, qui vouloient habiter parmy eux l'an 1608. & 1609. ils s'excusoient à nous de ce faict, & nous racontoient les outrages, [180] qu'ils auoyent receu desdicts Anglois, & nous flattoient: disans qu'ils nous aymoient bien, parce qu'ils sçauoient, que nous ne fermions point nos portes aux Sauuages comme les Anglois & que nous ne les chassions pas de nostre table à coups de baston, ny ne les faisions point mordre à nos chiens. Ils ne sont [224] point larrons comme les Armouchiquoys, & sont les plus grands harangueurs du monde. Ils ne font rien sans cela. Le P. Biard les alla voir par deux fois: & (ce qu'il faisoit par tout) pria Dieu en leur presence, & leur mõstra des images, & marques de nostre creance, lesquelles ils baisoient volontiers, faisants faire le signe de la saincte Croix à leurs enfans, qu'ils luy offroyent, à fin qu'il les benist: & oyoient auec attention grande, & respect ce qu'on leur annonçoit. Le mal [181] estoit, qu'ils ont vne langue toute diuerse, & falloit qu'vn Sauuage seruist de truchemant, lequel sçachant bien peu de la Religion Chrestiẽne, se bailloit neantmoins du credit enuers les autres Sauuages: & à voir sa contenance, & ouyr son long parler, il faisoit grãdement du Docteur: si bien ou mal, ie m'en rapporte.

These people do not seem to be bad, although they drove away the English who wished to settle among them in 1608 and 1609.[41] They made excuses to us for this act, and recounted the outrages [180] that they had experienced from these English; and they flattered us, saying that they loved us very much, because they knew we would not close our doors to the Savages as the English did, and that we would not drive them from our table with blows from a club, nor set our dogs upon them. They are not thieves like the Armouchiquoys, and are the greatest speech-makers on earth. Nothing is done without speeches. Father Biard went to see them twice, and (as he did everywhere) prayed God in their presence, and showed them some pictures and tokens of our faith which they willingly kissed, having their children make the sign of the holy Cross, and presenting them to him for his blessing: they listened with great attention and respect to what was told them. The trouble [181] was, that they have an altogether different language, and a Savage had to serve as interpreter, who, knowing very little of the Christian Religion, nevertheless acquitted himself with credit in the eyes of the other Savages; and to look at his face and hear his talk, he played the Doctor very grandly; whether successfully or not, I cannot tell.

Nous fusmes à Kinibequi iusques au quatre, ou cinquiesme de Nouembre, saison ja trop auancée pour passer outre selon nostre premier dessein: c'est pourquoy le sieur de Biencourt se mit au retour d'autant qu'il pensoit estre moindre mal de souffrir l'Hyuer, & la disette à Port Royal, y estans bien logés, & chauffés, & attendãts la misericorde de Dieu; que non pas de risquer sur mer en vn temps de tempestes, parmy des Barbares & ennemis, ayants [182] encores de plus la faim à craindre; car nos prouisions commençoyẽt fort à faillir: ainsi donc nous adressasmes à Pẽtegoet pour nous en retourner à Port Royal.

We were at Kinibequi until the fourth or fifth of November, a season already too advanced to go on any farther, according to our first intention; hence sieur de Biencourt set out upon his return, thinking it the lesser evil to endure Winter and want at Port Royal, comfortably lodged and warm, awaiting God's mercy, than to risk passage upon the sea in this stormy season, being now among Barbarians and enemies, with [182] famine to fear besides; for our provisions began to be very scarce: therefore we turned towards Pentegoet, on our way back to Port Royal.

A Pentegoet nous trouuasmes vn'assemblee de quatre vingts cauots Sauuages, & vne chaloupe. C'estoit en tout enuiron trois cents ames. De là nous repassasmes à l'Isle S. Croix, où Platrier nous donna deux barils de pois, ou de febues: l'vn & l'autre nous fut vn bien grand present.

At Pentegoet we found an assemblage of eighty canoes of Savages, and a boat, in all about three hundred souls. Thence we passed on to the Island of Ste. Croix, where Platrier gave us two barrels of peas or beans; they both proved a very great boon to us.

[226] Icy le P. Biard supplia le sieur de Biencour de le faire passer à la riuiere S. Ieã à ce qu'il peust aller trouuer du Pont & trauailler au Catechisme, ainsi qu'ils auoyent conuenu au depart. Mais ledit sieur ne luy voulust point accorder sa requeste, sinon aux conditions, qu'il entretinst & nourrist auec soy les matelots, qui le conduiroyent [183] iusques au Printemps suiuant; Condition totalement impossible. Ainsi fallust qu'il laissast son Catechisme, & s'en reuinst auec les autres à Port Royal à son grand regret.

Here Father Biard begged sieur de Biencour to let him go on to the river St. John so that he could find du Pont and go to work on the Catechism, as they had agreed at his departure. But the said sieur was not willing to grant his request, unless on the condition that he would feed and keep with him, [183] until the following Spring, the sailors who would take him there; a Condition totally impossible. Therefore he had to give up his Catechism, and return with the others to Port Royal, much to his regret.