Ceste conclusion ouye, le P. Biard s'en alla trouuer ledit Capitaine, & luy representa, qu'ils restoyent trente personnes, & qu'il estoit impossible que tant de gens peussent estre entassez dans vn si petit vaisseau, tant s'en faut qu'ils peussent dans iceluy faire cent cinquante lieües, & trauerser des bayes de dix & douze lieuës, comme il leur conuenoit faire, auant que trouuer aucũ nauire François, auquel ils se peussent refugier: que cela estoit manifestement [250] nous ietter à la mort, & au desespoir. L'Anglois respondit, q̃ la Saussaye ne le croyoit pas ainsi: mais que si on vouloit descharger ladicte chaloupe, qu'il en ouuriroit [22]bien vn moyen: qu'il conduiroit à la Virginie les artisants qui voudroyent y venir sous promesse, qu'on ne les forceroit point en leur Religion, & que, apres vn an de seruice, on les feroit repasser en France. Trois accepterent ceste offre.
When this decision was heard, Father Biard went to see the Captain, and represented to him that there remained thirty persons, and that it was not possible for so many people to crowd into so small a vessel, and still less possible that they could therein make one hundred and fifty leagues, and cross bays of ten and twelve leagues, which would be necessary before they found any French ship in which they could take refuge: that such a thing was plainly [250] throwing ourselves into the jaws of death and of despair. The Englishman answered that la Saussaye did not think so, but if they wished to lighten the said boat he would find a means of doing so; that he would take to Virginia the workmen who wished to go there, under promise that they would not force them in the matter of Religion, and that, after one year of service, they would send them back to France. Three accepted this offer.
Pareillement le sieur de la Mote dés le commencement auoit consenti de s'en aller à la Virginie auec ledit Capitaine Anglois, qui l'honnoroit beaucoup, parce qu'il l'auoit trouué l'espée au poing, & voyoit en luy plusieurs autres bõnes qualitez, ce qui profitoit de beaucoup à toute nostre troupe. On luy auoit aussi permis de mener auec soy aucuns, qui de mesme [251] seroyent asseurez sous sa faueur. Le Capitaine Flory se resolut pareillement de tenter la mesme fortune, parce qu'on luy donnoit esperance qu'il y pourroit recouurer son nauire. Le P. Biard pria, que quatre qu'ils estoyent, sçauoir est deux Iesuites, & deux autres fussent portez au Isles de Pencoit, & que là on les recommandast aux pescheurs Anglois, qui y sont d'ordinaire, à celle fin que par leur moyen ils peussent repasser en France, ce que le Capitaine Anglois luy octroya fort volontiers.
Sieur de la Mote likewise had from the first consented to go to Virginia with the English Captain, who honored him greatly, because he had found him sword in hand, and saw in him many other good qualities, which proved a great advantage to all our company. He was, moreover, permitted to take with him some who were [251] to enjoy the same favor as he did. Captain Flory also decided to try the same fortune, because he was encouraged to hope that he might thus recover his ship. Father Biard begged that four of them, namely two Jesuits and two others, might be taken to the Pencoit Islands and recommended to the English fishermen, who are usually there, that they might, with their help, return to France. This the English Captain granted very willingly.
En ceste façon la chaloupe se trouua conpetemment deschargée, & toute nostre troupe fut diuisée en trois egales bandes: Car quinze estoyent auec la Pilote: quinze restoyent auec les Anglois; & quinze entroyent dans la chaloupe accordée. De ces quinze [252] le P. Enemond Massé en estoit l'vn, car le choix ayant esté baillé à la troupe de ceux, qui deuoyent entrer dans la chaloupe à ce qu'ils peussent eslire de tous les trois Iesuites celuy qu'ils aimeroient mieux pour leur faire compagnie; ce fut luy, qu'ils agreerent le plus.
Thus the boat was sufficiently lightened, and our whole company was arranged in three equal divisions; for fifteen were with the Pilot, fifteen with the English, and fifteen had embarked in the boat left to them. Of this fifteen, [252] Father Enemond Massé was one, for, it having been granted to the company who were to go in that boat to choose the one of the three Jesuits whom they preferred to accompany them, it was he whom they favored the most.
[24] Ceste chaloupe donc fut deliurée entre les mains de la Saussaye, & dudit P. Enemond Massé, Iesuite, que le Capitaine Anglois hõnora beaucoup. Il la liura quelque peu amonitionnée de viures, & autres prouisions. Mais nos pauures gens furent bien en peine, quand il la fallut conduire: car ils n'estoyent pour tout, que deux, ou trois mariniers, & iceux n'auoyent ny carte, ny cognoissance des lieux. En ceste destresse Dieu les secourut fort à poinct: car le Pilote, qui auoit mis ses gens en [253] seurté, desireux de sçauoir en quel estat estoit le reste de la troupe, se desguisa en Sauuage & s'en vint espier sur les lieux. L'Ange de Dieu le conduisit par le bon endroit; car il rencontra tout à propos ceste chaloupe, qui s'en alloit, & ne sçauoit comment ceste bonne fortune parut de si bon augure aux rencontres, qu'ils s'asseurerent dés lors, que Dieu leur vouloit faire misericorde, mesmes que pour surcroit de grace, ils firent vne fort belle pesche de gros Aumars ou Canchres de mer, & les Sauuages leur donnerent liberalement force oyseaux, & poissons, & de tout ce qu'ils auoyent auec grande signification de compassion.
This boat was then given in charge of la Saussaye, and of Father Enemond Massé, Jesuit, whom the English Captain highly honored. He delivered it over to them with a small supply of food, and other provisions. But our poor men were in great trouble when they had to sail their vessel; for in all, there were only two or three sailors, and these had neither map nor knowledge of the country. In this distress God sent them relief in the very nick of time; for the Pilot, who had placed his men in [253] security, anxious to know how the rest of the company were faring, disguised himself as a Savage and went spying about the place. The Angel of God guided him through the right path, for he very opportunely encountered this boat, which was sailing off with no knowledge of navigation. This good luck seemed such a favorable omen to those in the boat, that they were sure from that time on that God would be merciful to them; and, as a superabundance of grace, they had great success in catching large Lobsters or Sea crabs, and the Savages generously gave them quantities of birds and fish and all other things they had, with great exhibitions of sympathy.
En ceste façõ ils se vindrẽt ioindre à la chaloupe des Matelots, & de compagnie gagnerent l'Isle de Menano. C'est'Isle est à l'emboucheure [254] de la Baye Françoise, & d'icelle iusques à l'Isle Longue, où falloit qu'ils trauersassent dix lieües de pleine mer fort fascheuses à cause des grandes marées, qui y courent, & bouillent: & de mal'heur, mauuais temps les retint icy huict, ou neuf iours. Leurs maux & apprehensions les firent recourir à Dieu par vœus, & prieres, qui furent exaucées, comme il parut par le beau [26]temps qui vint selon leur souhait: à la faueur duquel ils paruindrent à l'Isle Longue, où pour tenir leur promesse ils planterent vne Croix, celebrerent la Saincte Messe, & firent vne processiõ. Là aussi Dieu leur auoit preparé vn magasin: car ils y trouuerent vn bon monceau de sel, que le sieur de Biencourt y auoit autrefois delaissé, & pour l'employer ils firent vne fort bonne, & heureuse pesche. Ainsi prouisionnez [255] ils passerẽt au Cap Forchu, auquel lieu ils trouuerent le Sagamo Louys Membertou, qui fit grand accueil au P. Enemond Massé, & le vouloit retenir à toute force. Mais ledit Pere s'excusa sur la necessité de ne point delaisser sa compagnie. Le Sauuage leur fit à trestous Tabagie d'vn Orignac, ce qui leur fit grand bien, & en doublerent plus ioyeusement despuis le Cap de Sable. Estants ja proches du Port au Mouton, ils eurent au deuant d'eux quatre chaloupes de Sauuages, qui reuenoyent de la trocque. C'estoit Roland, & autres Sagamos, qui aussi tost recogneurent ledit P. Enemond, & luy firent leurs liberalitez bien grandes certes: demie Galette de pain à chacun des cõpagnons, & vne entiere à luy. C'estoit le monde renuersé, les Sauuages fournissoyent du pain, aux [256] François gratuitement. Ce pain sembloit de la Manne à nos tribulez: car de trois sepmaines ils n'en auoyent mangé. Et pour le comble de souhait, les Sauuages leur dirent, que non guieres loin de là y auoit deux nauires Frãçois, l'vn à Sezambre, & l'autre à Passepec. Ce qui fit diligenter nos Pelerins à ce qu'ils ne les perdissent.
Thus they fell in with the boat containing the Sailors, and in their company reached the Island of Menano. This Island is at the entrance [254] to French Bay, and thence they went as far as Long Island; in this passage they had to cross ten leagues of a very angry sea caused by the strong and violent currents which flow between, and unfortunately, bad weather kept them there eight or nine days. Their sorrows and apprehensions made them have recourse to God with vows and prayers, which were heard, as was evident from the beautiful weather which followed, according to their wish, and by means of which they reached Long Island. Here, in order to keep their promise, they planted a Cross, celebrated Holy Mass, and marched in procession. Here also God had prepared a storehouse; for they found in this place a good pile of salt, which sieur de Biencourt had previously left there, and to find use for it they caught a fine lot of fish. Thus provisioned, [255] they passed on to Cape Forchu, where they found the Sagamore, Louys Membertou, who gave Father Enemond Massé a hearty welcome and tried by all means to keep him there. But the Father excused himself, giving as his reason the necessity of remaining with his company. The Savage made Tabagie for them all with Moose Meat, which was a great blessing to them, and then they doubled Cape Sable more cheerfully. When they were in the neighborhood of Port au Mouton, they saw before them four boats filled with Savages, who were returning from the trading station. It was Roland and other Sagamores, who immediately recognized Father Enemond, and showed him a generosity truly wonderful; namely, by giving half a Sea Biscuit to each of his companions, and a whole one to him. Behold the world turned upside down, the Savages freely furnishing bread to the [256] French. This bread seemed like Manna to our afflicted (Frenchmen), for they had tasted none for three weeks. And to complete the fulfillment of their wish, the Savages told them that not far from there were two French ships, one at Sezambre and the other at Passepec. This caused our Pilgrims to hasten, that they might not fail to see them.