Pendant que ces pauures captifs chantoient & dançoient, il y en auoit de nostre equipage qui se rioient voyans cette barbarie: mais ô mon Dieu quel triste subiet de rire! c'est la verité que le cœur me fendoit. Ie ne pensois nullement venir en Canada quand on m'y a enuoyé; ie ne sentois aucune affection particuliere pour les Sauuages, si bien à faire l'obeïssance, quand on m'eust deu enuoyer encor plus loin mille fois: mais ie puis dire que quand i'aurois eu de l'auersion de ce païs, voyant ce que i'ay desia veu ie serois touché, eussé-ie le cœur de bronze. Pleut à Dieu que ceux qui peuuent assister ces pauures ames, & contribuer quelque chose à leur salut, fussent icy seulement pour trois iours; ie ne croy pas que l'affection [32] de les secourir ne saisit puissamment [26] leur ame. Qu'on ne s'estonne point de ces barbaries, auant que la foy fut receuë en Allemagne, en Espagne, en Angleterre, ces peuples n'estoient pas plus polis. L'esprit ne manque pas aux Sauuages de Canada, si bien l'education & l'instruction. Ils sont dé-ja las de leurs miseres, & nous tendent les bras pour estre assistez. Il me semble que les nations qui ont vne demeure stable se conuertiroient aisement, ie puis dire des Hurons tout ce que nous en a escrit il y a quelque temps le Pere d'vn ieune-homme des Paraquais, sçauoir est, qu'il y a grandement à souffrir parmy eux, mais qu'il s'y peut faire de grands fruicts, & que si les consolations de la terre y manquent, celles du Paradis s'y goustent desia, il ne faut que sçauoir la langue, & si le Pere Brebeuf n'eût point esté contraint par les Anglois de s'en retourner [27] d'icy, lesquels s'estoient emparez du fort des François, il auroit desia bien aduancé la gloire de Dieu en ce pays là. Pour les nations étranges & vagabondes, comme sont celles où nous sommes demeurans à Kebec, il y aura plus de difficulté; Le moyen à mon aduis de les ayder, c'est de dresser des seminaires, & prẽdre leurs enfans qui sont bien éueillez & fort gentils: on instruira les peres par le moyen des enfans, voire-mesme, il y en a desia quelques vns d'entr'eux qui commencent à cultiuer la terre, & semer du bled d'Inde, leur vie facheuse & tres-miserable leur ennuye: mais en vn mot, la promesse du Pere Eternel à son Fils s'effectuera tost ou tard. Dabo tibi gentes hæreditatem tuam, & possessionem tuam terminos terræ. On a fait de grands fruicts dans les Indes Orientales, & dans l'Amerique meridionale, [34] quoy [28] qu'on ait trouué en ces païs là non seulemẽt des vices à combattre, mais encor des superstitions estranges, ausquelles ces peuples estoient plus attachez qu'à leur propre vie. En la nouuelle France il n'y a que les pechez à destruire, & encor en petit nombre: car ces pauures gens si éloignez de toutes delices, ne sont pas adonnez à beaucoup d'offenses. De superstition ou faulse religion, s'il y en a quelques endroits, c'est bien peu. Les Canadiens ne pensent qu'à viure & à se venger de leurs ennemis; ils ne sont attachez au culte d'aucune Diuinité. Ils peuuent prẽdre plusieurs femmes, cependant ils n'en ont qu'vne; i'ay ouy parler d'vn seul qui en a deux, encor luy en fait-on reproche. Il est vray que celuy qui sçauroit leur langue les manieroit comme il voudroit, c'est à quoy ie me vais appliquer, mais i'aduanceray [29] fort peu cette année, pour les raisons que i'écriray en particulier à vostre Reuerence. Mais retournons à la suite de nostre voyage.
While these poor captives were dancing and singing, there were some men of our crew who laughed when they saw this exhibition of barbarism. But oh, my God, what a sad subject for laughter! it made my heart ache. I thought nothing of coming to Canada when I was sent here; I felt no particular affection for the Savages, but the duty of obedience was binding, even if I had been sent a thousand times further away; but I may say that even if I had had an aversion to this country, seeing what I have already seen, I should be touched, had I a heart of bronze. Would to God that those who can aid these poor souls and contribute something to their salvation could be here, if only for three days. I believe that a longing to help them would seize powerfully upon [26] their souls. But let no one be astonished at these acts of barbarism. Before the faith was received in Germany, Spain, or England, those nations were not more civilized. Mind is not lacking among the Savages of Canada, but education and instruction. They are already tired of their miseries, and stretch out their hands to us for help. It seems to me that the tribes which have stationary homes could be easily converted. I can say of the Hurons all that was written to us a while ago by the Father of a young Paraguayan: to wit, that much suffering must be endured among them, but that great results may be expected; and that, if the consolations of the earth are lacking there, those of Paradise may already be enjoyed. It is only necessary to know the language; and, if Father Brebeuf had not been compelled by the English to leave [27] here, they having taken possession of the French fort, he would already have advanced the glory of God in that country. As to the strange and wandering tribes like those near Kebec, where we live, there will be more difficulty. The means of assisting them, in my opinion, is to build seminaries, and to take their children, who are very bright and amiable. The fathers will be taught through the children. Even now there are some among them who have begun to cultivate the soil and sow Indian corn, having become weary of their difficult and miserable way of living. But, in a word, the promise of the Eternal Father to his Son will remedy this sooner or later: Dabo tibi gentes hæreditatem tuam, & possessionem tuam terminos terræ. Great fruits have been obtained in the East Indies and in south America, although [28] there have been found in those countries not only vices to combat, but also strange superstitions, to which the people were more attached than to their lives. In new France there are only sins to destroy, and those in a small number; for these poor people, so far removed from all luxury, are not given to many offenses. If there are any superstitions or false religions in some places, they are few. The Canadians think only of how to live and to revenge themselves upon their enemies. They are not attached to the worship of any particular Divinity. They are permitted to take a number of wives, but they do not take more than one. I have heard of one man only who had two, and he was censured for it.[8] In truth, any one who knew their language could manage them as he pleased. Therefore I will apply myself, but I shall make [29] very little progress this year, for reasons which I shall write in detail to your Reverence. But let us come back to the continuation of our voyage.
Quelque temps auparauant que nous leuassions les ancres de Tadoussac, il s'éleua vn grain, comme parlent les mattelots, ou vne tempeste si furieuse, qu'elle nous ietta bien auãt dans le peril, quoy que nous fussions en la maison d'asseurance: c'est ainsi que i'appelle la baie de Tadoussac. Les tonnerres grondoient horriblemẽt, les vents furieux firent tellemẽt plier nostre vaisseau, que si ce grain eût continué, il l'eust renuersé sans dessus dessous; mais cette furie ne dura pas, & ainsi nous échapasmes ce danger.
Some time before we weighed anchor in Tadoussac there rose a squall, as the sailors say, or a storm so furious that it threw us into great peril, although we were in the house of safety; it is thus that I call the bay of Tadoussac. The thunder grumbled terribly, furious winds made our vessel roll so that, if this squall had continued, it would have turned us upside down; but the fury of the storm abated, and thus we escaped this danger.
Le 3. iour de Iuillet nous sortimes de Tadoussac, & nous allames moüiller à l'échaffaut aux Basques, c'est vn lieu ainsi appelé, à cause que les Basques [30] viennent iusques là pour prendre des baleines. Comme il estoit grand calme, & que nous attendions [36] la marée, ie mis pied à terre: ie pensay estre mangé des maringoins, ce sont petites mouches importunes au possible; les grands bois qui sont icy en engendrent de plusieurs especes; il y a des mouches communes, des mousquilles, des mouches luisantes, des maringoins, & des grosses mouches, & quantité d'autres: les grosses mouches piquent furieusement, & la douleur qui prouient de cette piqueure, & qui est fort cuisante, dure assez long temps, il y a peu de ces grosses mouches; les mousquilles sont extremement petites, à peine les peut-on voir, mais on les sent bien; les mouches luisantes ne font point de mal, vous diriez la nuict que ce sont des estincelles de feu; elles iettent plus de lumiere que les vers luisants [31] que i'ay veus en France: tenant vne de ces mouches & l'appliquant aupres d'vn liure ie lirois fort bien. Pour les maringoins c'est l'importunité mesme, on ne sçauroit trauailler notamment à l'air pendant leur regne, si on n'a de la fumée auprés soy pour les chasser: il y a des personnes qui sont contraintes de se mettre au lit venans des bois, tant ils sont offensez. I'en ay veu qui auoient le col, les ioües, tout le visage si enflé, qu'on ne leur voyoit plus les yeux; ils mettent vn homme tout en sang quand ils l'abordent; ils font la guerre aux vns plus qu'aux autres; Ils m'ont traité iusques icy assez doucement, ie n'enfle point quand ils me piquent, ce qui n'arriue qu'à fort peu de personnes si on y est accoustumé: si le païs estoit essarté & habité, ces bestioles ne s'y trouueroient point; car desia il s'en trouue fort [32] peu au fort de Kebec, à cause qu'on couppe les bois voisins.
The 3rd of July we left Tadoussac and went to cast anchor at the Basque scaffold,[9] a place so called because the Basques [30] go there to catch whales. As it was very calm and we were awaiting the tide, I went ashore. I thought I would be eaten up by the mosquitoes, which are little flies, troublesome in the extreme. The great forests here engender several species of them; there are common flies, gnats, fireflies, mosquitoes, large flies, and a number of others; the large flies sting furiously, and the pain from their sting, which is very piercing, lasts for a long time; there are but few of these large flies. The gnats are very small, hardly visible, but very perceptibly felt; the fireflies do no harm; at night they look like sparks of fire, casting a greater light than the glowworms [31] that I have seen in France; taking one of these flies and holding it near a book, I could read very easily. As to the mosquitoes, they are disagreeable beyond description. No one could work, especially in the open air, during their reign, unless there were smoke near by to drive them away. Some people are compelled to go to bed after coming from the woods, they are so badly stung. I have seen men whose neck, cheeks, and whole face were so swollen that you could not see their eyes. They cover a man completely with blood when they attack him; they war upon some people more than others. Thus far they have treated me kindly enough; I do not swell when they sting me, which is the case with very few people unless they are accustomed to them. If the country were cleared and inhabited, these little beasts would not be found here, for already there are but [32] few of them at the fort of Kebec, on account of the cutting down of the neighboring woods.
Le 4. de Iuillet nous leuames l'ancre pour aborder à quatre lieuës de Kebec: mais le vent estoit si furieux que nous pensames faire naufrage dans le port. [38] Auant que d'arriuer à Kebec on rencontre au milieu de cette grande riuiere vne Isle nommée de sainct Laurens, qui a bien sept lieuës de long: elle n'est esloignée du bout plus occidental que d'vne lieuë de la demeure des François. Enuiron le milieu de cette Isle on ietta l'ancre pour s'arrester: mais les vents & la marée poussoient nostre nauire auec vne telle impetuosité, que le cable se rompit comme vn filet, & l'ancre demeura dans l'eau. A vn quart de lieuë de là on en iette vne autre, le cable se rompt tout de mesme que le premier. Dedans ce trouble, comme les vents redoubloient, le cable qui [33] tenoit nostre batteau attaché derriere nostre nauire, se rompit aussi, & en vn instant nostre batteau disparut. A trois iours de là quelques Sauuages nous vindrent apporter nouuelle du lieu où il s'estoit allé échoüer; s'il eût rencontré des roches aussi bien qu'il rencontra de la vase, il se fût brisé en cent pieces. Si cette bourasque nous eût pris vne heure plustost, en vn endroit fort dangereux, nos Pilotes disoient que c'estoit fait de nous. En fin quand nous fumes enuiron trois quarts de lieuës du bout de nostre pellerinage, on ietta le troisiesme ancre qui nous arresta: vne barque Françoise que nous auions rencontré à Tadoussac, & qui venoit auec nous, perdit deux ancres aussi bien que nous.
The 4th of July we weighed anchor to land at a place four leagues from Kebec; but the wind was so furious that we thought we would be wrecked in the port. Before reaching Kebec we came to an Island called saint Lawrence,[10] in the middle of this great river, which is fully seven leagues in length; the western end of it is only about one league distant from the French settlement. We cast anchor near the middle of this Island, intending to land; but the wind and tide struck our ship with so much force that the cable broke like a thread, leaving the anchor in the water. At a quarter of a league distant another anchor was cast, and the cable broke just as the first one did. In the midst of this struggle, as the violence of the winds redoubled, the cable [33] fastening the boat to the stern of our ship also broke, and in an instant our boat disappeared. Three days later some Savages came and told us where it had grounded. If it had been driven upon the rocks, as it was upon the mud, it would have been broken into a hundred pieces. If this hurricane had fallen upon us an hour earlier, in a very dangerous place, our Pilots say it would have been all over with us. At length, when we were about three-quarters of a league from the end of our pilgrimage, the third anchor was cast, and it stopped us. A French barque that we had met at Tadoussac, and which came with us, lost two anchors as we did.
En fin le 5. de Iuillet qui estoit vn Lundy, deux mois & 18. iours depuis le 18. d'Auril que nous partimes, [34] nous arriuames au port tant desiré. Nous moüillames l'ancre deuant le fort que tenoient les Anglois; nous vimes au bas du fort la pauure habitation de Kebec toute bruslée. Les Anglois qui estoient venus en ce païs cy pour piller, & non pour edifier, ont bruslé, non seulement la plus grande partie d'vn [40] corps de logis, que le Pere Charles Lallement auoit fait dresser, mais encor toute cette pauure habitation, en laquelle on ne voit plusque des murailles de pierres toutes bouleuersées; cela incommode fort les François, qui ne sçauent où se loger. Le lendemain on enuoya sommer le Capitaine Thomas Ker, François de nation, né à Dieppe, qui s'est retiré en Angleterre, & qui auec Dauid & Louys Ker ses freres, & vn nommé Iacques Michel aussi Dieppois, tous huguenots, s'estoient venus ietter sur ces pauure païs, où ils ont fait de grãds [35] degasts, & empesché de tres-grands biẽs. Ce pauure Iacques Michel plein de melancholie, ne se voyant point recompensé des Anglois, ou plustost des François reniez & anglisez, comme il pretendoit, pressé en outre d'vn remors de conscience d'auoir assisté ces nouueaux Anglois contre ceux de sa patrie, mourut subitement quelque temps apres la prise de ce païs cy. Il fut enterré à Tadoussac. I'ay appris icy que les Sauuages le deterrerent, & firent toute sorte d'ignominie à son corps, le mirent en pieces, le donnerent à leurs chiens: voyla le salaire des perfides, ie prie Dieu qu'il ouure les yeux aux autres. Monsieur Emery de Caën auoit desia enuoyé de Tadoussac vne chalouppe, auec vn extraict des Commissions & Lettres Patentes des Roys de France & d'Angleterre, par lesquelles il estoit commandé au Capitaine Anglois de [36] rẽdre le fort dans huict iours. Les Lettres veuës, il fit réponse qu'il obeïroit quand il auroit veu l'original. On luy porta donc le lendemain de nostre arriuee, cependant nous allames celebrer la saincte Messe en la maison la plus ancienne de ce païs cy, c'est la maison de madame Hebert, qui s'est habituée aupres du fort, du viuant de son mary; elle a vne belle famille, sa fille est icy [42] mariée à vn honneste Frãçois, Dieu les benit tous les iours, il leur a donné de tres-beaux enfans, leur bestial est en tres-bon point, leurs terres leurs rapportent de bon grain; c'est l'vnique famille de François habituée en Canada. Ils cherchoient les moyens de retourner en France, mais ayans appris que les François retournoient à Kebec, ils commencerent à reuiure. Quand ils virent arriuer ces pauillons blancs sur les mats de nos vaisseaux, ils ne sçauoient [37] à qui dire leur contentement: mais quand ils nous virent en leur maison pour y dire la saincte Messe, qu'ils n'auoient point entẽduë depuis trois ans, bon Dieu, quelle ioye! les larmes tomboient des yeux quasi à tous, de l'extreme cõtentement qu'ils auoiẽt. O que nous chãtames de bon cœur le Te Deum laudamus, c'estoit iustement le iour de l'octaue de sainct Pierre & S. Paul. Le Te Deum chanté i'offris à Dieu le premier Sacrifice à Kebec. L'Anglois ayant veu les Patentes signées de la main de son Roy, promit qu'il sortiroit dans la huictaine, & de fait il commença à s'y disposer, quoy qu'auec regret: mais ses gens estoient tous bien aises du retour des François, on ne leur donnoit que six liures de pain au poids de France, pour toute leur semaine. Ils nous disoient que les Sauuages les auoient aidé à viure la pluspart du tẽps. [38] Le Mardy suiuant 13. de Iuillet, ils remirent le fort entre les mains de monsieur Emery de Caën, & de monsieur du Plessis Bochart son Lieutenant. Et le mesme iour firent voile dans deux nauires qu'ils auoient à l'ancre. Dieu sçait si nos François furent ioyeux, voyans déloger ces François Anglisez, qui ont fait tant de maux en ces miserables contrées, & qui sont cause que plusieurs Sauuages ne sont pas baptisez, notamment aux Hurons où la Foy [44] produiroit maintenant des fruicts dignes de la table de Dieu, si ces ennemis de la verité, de la vraye vertu, & de leur patrie, ne se fussent point iettez à la trauerse. Dieu soit beny de tout; c'est à nos François de penser à leur conseruation, & à mettre en peu de temps ce païs cy en tel estat, qu'ils ayent fort peu affaire des viures de France, ce qui leur sera bien aisé s'ils veullent trauailler. Les Anglois [39] délogeans nous sommes rentrez dans nostre petite maison. Nous y auons trouué pour tous meubles deux tables de bois telles quelles, les portes, fenestres, chassis, tous brisez & enleuez, tout s'en va en ruine, c'est encor pis en la maison des Peres Recolets; nous auons trouué nos terres défrichées couuertes de pois, nos Peres les auoient laissées à l'Anglois couuertes de fourment, d'orge, & de bled d'Inde, & cependant ce Capitaine Thomas Ker a vendu la recolte de ces pois, refusant de nous les donner pour les fruicts qu'il auoit trouué sur nos terres; nostre Seigneur soit honoré pour iamais; quand on est en vn mauuais passage il s'en faut tirer comme on peut; c'est beaucoup qu'vn tel hoste soit sorty de nostre maison, & de tout le païs; nous auons maintenant prou dequoy exercer la patience, ie me trompe, c'est [40] Dieu mesme qui porte la Croix qu'il nous donne: car en verité elle nous semble petite, quoy qu'il y ait dequoy souffrir. Retournons aux Sauuages, & en disons encor deux petits mots.
At length, on the 5th of July, which was Monday,—two months and 18 days since the 18th of April, when we sailed,—[34] we reached the much desired port. We cast anchor in front of the fort which the English held; we saw at the foot of this fort the poor settlement of Kebec all in ashes. The English, who came to this country to plunder and not to build up, not only burned a greater part of the detached buildings which Father Charles Lallement had had erected, but also all of that poor settlement of which nothing now is to be seen but the ruins of its stone walls. This greatly inconveniences the French, who do not know where to lodge. The next day Captain Thomas Ker was summoned, a man of French nationality, born at Dieppe, who had gone over to England, and who, with David and Louys Ker, his brothers,[11] and one Jacques Michel, also born at Dieppe, all huguenots, had thrown themselves upon this poor country, where they have done great [35] damage and have prevented the doing of much good. This poor Jacques Michel, full of sadness at not having been rewarded as he desired, by the English,—or rather by the renegade and anglicized French,—also a prey to conscience at having assisted these new Englishmen against his own countrymen, died suddenly, some time after the surrender of this country. He was buried at Tadoussac. I have learned here that the Savages exhumed his body, and showed it every imaginable indignity, tore it to pieces and gave it to their dogs; but such are the wages of traitors. I pray God that he may open the eyes of the others. Monsieur Emery de Caën had already sent a boat from Tadoussac with an extract from the Commissions and Letters Patent of the Kings of France and of England,[12] by which the English Captain was commanded [36] to surrender the fort in eight days. Having seen the Letter, he answered that he would obey when he had seen the original. It was therefore brought to him the day after our arrival; and in the meantime we celebrated the holy Mass in the oldest house in this country, the home of madame Hebert,[13] who had settled near the fort during the lifetime of her husband. She has a fine family, and her daughter is married here to an honest Frenchman. God is blessing them every day; he has given them very beautiful children, their cattle are in fine condition, and their land produces good grain. This is the only French family settled in Canada. They were seeking some way of returning to France; but, having learned that the French were coming back to Kebec, they began to regain courage. When they saw our ships coming in with the white flags upon the masts, they knew not [37] how to express their joy. But when they saw us in their home, to celebrate the holy Mass, which they had not heard for three years, good God! what joy! Tears fell from the eyes of nearly all, so great was their happiness. Oh, with what fullness of heart we sang the Te Deum laudamus; it happened to be, very appropriately, the day of the octave of saint Peter and St. Paul. After singing the Te Deum, I offered to God the first Sacrifice in Kebec. The Englishman, having seen the Patents signed by the hand of his King, promised that he would go away within a week, and in fact, he began preparations for going, although with regret; but his people were all very glad of the return of the French, for they had been given only six pounds of bread, French weight, for an entire week. They told us that the Savages had helped them to live during the greater part of the time. [38] On the following Tuesday, the 13th of July, they restored the fort to the hands of monsieur Emery de Caën, and monsieur du Plessis Bochart, his Lieutenant; and on the same day set sail in the two ships that they had anchored here. God knows if our French People were happy, seeing the dislodgment of these Anglicized Frenchmen, who have done so much injury to these poor countries, and who have prevented many Savages from being baptized, especially among the Hurons, where the Faith would now produce fruits worthy of the table of God, if these enemies of the truth, of real virtue and of their country, had not thrown themselves in the way. God be blessed for all; it is the duty of our French people to think of their preservation, and to put this country, in a short time, in such a condition that they will not have to depend upon supplies from France, which will be easy enough to do if they will only work. The English [39] dislodged, we again entered our little home. The only furniture we found there was two wooden tables, such as they were; the doors, windows, sashes, all broken and carried away, and everything going to ruin. It is still worse in the house of the Recolet Fathers. We found our cleared lands covered with peas; our Fathers had left them to the English covered with wheat, barley, and Indian corn; and meantime this Captain Thomas Ker has sold the full crop of peas, refusing to give them to us for the harvest he had found upon our lands. Our Lord be forever honored; when a person is in dire distress, he must deliver himself as best he can. It is a great deal that such a guest has left our house and the entire country. We have now enough to try our patience, but I am mistaken, it is [40] God himself who carries the Cross which he gives us; for, in truth, it seems very little to us, although there may be something to suffer. Let us go back to the Savages, and say a few words more about them.