[1] Relation of what occurred in New France on the Great River St. Lawrence, in the year one thousand six hundred thirty-four.
My Reverend Father,
The Letters of your Reverence, the evidences of your desire for the conversion of these people, the effects of your love for us, the coming of our Fathers whom you have been pleased to send this year for our reinforcement, the desires of so many of our society to come to these countries and sacrifice their lives and their labors for the glory of Our Lord: All this, added to the successful return of [2] our ships last year, and the fortunate arrival of those which have come this year, with the zeal which the Honorable associates of the Company of new France show for the conversion of these barbarous people,—all these blessings together, pouring down at once into our great forests through the arrival of Monsieur du Plessis, General of the fleet, who makes possible for us the enjoyment of some, and brings us good news of the others, overwhelm us with a satisfaction so great that it would be exceedingly difficult to express it well. God be forever praised for these blessings! If his goodness continues to be bestowed upon these Gentlemen, as we pray it may be with all our hearts, many souls plunged in a night of error, which has already lasted so long a time, will at last see the light of Christian truth. And our good King, Monseigneur the Cardinal, the Honorable Associates, the Marquis de Gamache,[9] a great supporter of our Mission, and a number of others, by whose favor the Blood of the son of God will some day be applied to these souls, will have the glory and the merit of having contributed to so blessed a work.
[3] Ie distingueray la Relation de ceste année par chapitres, à la fin desquels ie mettray vn iournal des choses qui n'ont autre liaison que la suitte du temps auquel elles sont arriuées. Tout ce que ie diray touchant les Sauuages, ou ie l'ay veu de mes yeux, ou ie l'ay tiré de la bouche de ceux du pays, nommément d'vn vieillard fort versé dans leur doctrine, & de quantité d'autres auec lesquels i'ay passé six mois peu de iours moins, les suiuant dans les bois pour apprendre leur langue. Il est bien vray que ces peuples n'ont pas tous vne mesme pensée touchant leur créance, ce qui fera paroistre vn iour de la contrarieté entre ceux qui traicteront de leurs façons de faire.
[3] I shall divide the Relation of this year into chapters, at the end of which I shall add a journal of things which have no other connection than the order of time in which they happened. All that I shall say regarding the Savages, I have either seen with my own eyes, or have received from the lips of natives, especially from an old man very well versed in their beliefs, and from a number of others with whom I have passed six months with the exception of a few days, following them into the woods to learn their language. It is, indeed, true that these people have not all the same idea in regard to their belief, which will some day make it appear that those who treat of their customs are contradicting each other.
CHAPITRE I.
DES BONS DEPORTEMENS DES FRANÇOIS.
NOUS auons passé cette année dans vne grande paix & dans vne tres-bonne intelligence auec nos François. La sage conduitte & la prudence de Monsieur de Champlain Gouuerneur de Kebec [4] & du fleuue sainct Laurens qui nous honore de sa bien-veillance, retenant vn chacun dans son deuoir, a fait que nos paroles & nos predicatiõs ayent esté bien receuës, & la Chappelle qu'il a fait dresser proche du fort à l'honneur de nostre Dame, a donné vne belle commodité aux François de frequenter les Sacremens de l'Eglise, ce qu'ils ont fait aux bonnes Festes de l'année, & plusieurs tous les mois auec vne grande satisfaction de ceux qui les ont assistez. Le fort a paru vne Academie bien reglée, Monsieur de Champlain faisant faire lecture à sa table le matin de quelque bon historien, & le soir de la vie des Saincts; le soir se fait l'examen de conscience en sa chambre & les prieres en suitte qui se recitent à genoux. Il fait sonner la salutation Angelique au commencement, au milieu & à la fin du iour suiuant la coustume de l'Eglise. En vn mot nous auons subiect de nous consoler voyans vn chef si zelé pour la gloire de Nostre Seigneur & pour le bien de ces Messieurs.