Finally, after having instructed our good Joseph in the Sacrament of Extreme Unction, we administered it to him; and on that very day, Holy Saturday, his soul left the body and went to celebrate [20] Easter in Heaven. One of his sons-in-law, when he saw him very low, remained near him to see how we would bury him after death, wishing us to give him his Castelogne [blanket] and his tobacco pouch, for use in the other world; but, when he went to carry the news of this death to the wife of the deceased, we buried the latter according to the custom of the Catholic Church, showing as much honor as we could in the funeral ceremonies. Monsieur de Champlain, in order to give proof of the love and honor we bear those who die in the Christian Faith, had his people leave their work, and sent them to us to attend the services; we followed as closely as possible the ceremonies of the Church, which was very acceptable to the relatives of this new Christian. There was one thing, however, which displeased them; when we came to put the body in the grave, they noticed that there was a little water in the bottom, caused by the snow melting just then and dropping into it; this struck their imagination, and as they are [21] superstitious, saddened them a little. It will not be difficult to combat such errors, when we know their language well. These are, as far as I know, the first adult Savages in these countries who have been baptized and died firm in the faith.
Le troisiesme Sauuage baptisé cette année, estoit vn enfant âgé de trois à quatre mois seulement, son Pere estant en cholere contre sa femme, fille de nostre bon Ioseph, soit pource qu'elle le vouloit quitter, ou qu'il estoit touché de quelque ialousie, il print l'enfant & le ietta contre terre pour l'assommer: Vn de nos François suruenant là dessus, & se souuenant que nous leurs auions recommandé de conferer le Baptesme aux enfans qu'ils verroient en danger de mort, au cas qu'ils ne nous peussent appeller, il prit de l'eauë & le baptiza: ce pauure petit neantmoins ne mourut pas du coup, sa mere le reprit & l'emporta auec soy dans les Isles quittant son mary, qui nous a dit depuis qu'il croit que son fils est mort, sa mere estant tombée dans vne maladie qu'il iuge mortelle.
The third Savage baptized this year was a child only three or four months old: the Father, being angry at his wife, daughter of our good Joseph, either because she wanted to leave him, or because he had a touch of jealousy, took the child and threw it against the ground, to kill it. One of our Frenchmen happening along just then, and remembering that we had recommended them to administer Baptism to children whom they saw in danger of death, in case they could not call us took some water and baptized it; this poor little child did not die immediately, however; its mother took it and carried it away with her to the Islands, leaving her husband, who has since told us that he believes his child is dead, as its mother had been taken with a disease which he thought was mortal.
Le quatriesme estoit fils d'vn Sauuage [22] nommé Khiouirineou, sa mere s'appelloit Ouitapimoueou, ils auoiẽt donné nom à leur petit Itaouabisisiou ses parens me promirent qu'ils nous l'apporteroient pour l'enterrer en nostre cimetiere au cas qu'il mourut, & qu'ils nous le donneroient pour l'instruire s'il guerissoit, car il estoit malade, faisans ainsi paroistre le contentement qu'ils auoient que leur petit fils receut le sainct Baptesme: Ie le baptisay donc, & luy donnay le nom de Iean Baptiste, ce iour estant l'octaue de ce grand Sainct. Le sieur du Chesne Chirurgien [128] de l'habitation, qui vient volontiers auec moy par les Cabanes, pour nous aduertir de ceux qu'il iuge en danger de mort fut son parrain.
The fourth was the son of a Savage [22] named Khiouirineou, the mother's name was Ouitapimoueou, and they had named their little child Itaouabisisiou. His parents had promised me that they would bring him to us to be buried in our cemetery, if he died; and, if he recovered,—for he was very sick,—they would give him to us to be educated, thus showing their satisfaction that their little son should receive holy Baptism. So I baptized him and gave him the name Jean Baptiste, that day being the octave of this great Saint. Sieur du Chesne, Surgeon of the colony, who willingly comes with me through the Cabins, to advise us of those whom he considers in danger of death, was his godfather.
Le cinquiesme fut baptizé le mesme iour, son Pere auoit tesmoigné au sieur Oliuier truchement, qu'il eut bien voulu qu'on eust fait à son fils ce qu'on fait aux petits enfans François, c'est à dire qu'on l'eust baptizé, le sieur Oliuier m'en ayant donné aduis i'allay voir l'enfant, ie differay le baptesme pour quelques iours, le trouuant encore plein de vie; en fin le P. Buteux & [23] moy l'estans retournez voir, nous appellasmes Monsieur du Chesne, qui nous dit que l'enfant estoit bien mal. ie demanday à son Pere s'il seroit content qu'on le baptizât, tres-cõtent (fit-il,) s'il meurt ie le porteray en ta maison, s'il retourne en santé il sera ton fils, & tu l'instruiras. Ie le nommé Adrian du nom de son Parrain, il se nommoit auparauant Pichichich, son Pere est surnommé des François Baptiscan, il s'appelle en Sauuage Tchimaouirineou, sa mere Matouetchiouanouecoueou. Ce pauure petit âgé d'enuiron 8. mois s'enuola au Ciel, la nuict suiuante son Pere ne manqua pas d'apporter son corps, amenant auec soy dix-huict ou vingt Sauuages, hommes, femmes & enfans, ils l'auoient enueloppé dans des peaux de Castor, & pardessus d'vn grand drap de toile, qu'ils auoient achepté au magazin, & encore pardessus d'vne grande escorce redoublée. Ie déueloppay ce pacquet, pour voir si l'enfant estoit dedans, puis ie le mis dans vn cercueil que nous luy fismes faire, ce qui agrea merueilleusement aux Sauuages: car ils croyent que l'ame [24] de l'enfant se doit seruir en l'autre monde de l'ame, de toutes les choses qu'on luy donne à son depart, ie leur dis bien [130] que cette ame estoit maintenant dedans le Ciel, & qu'elle n'auoit que faire de toutes ces pauuretez neãtmoins nous les laissasmes faire, de peur que si nous les eussions voulu empescher, ce que i'aurois peu faire, (car le Pere chanceloit defia,) les autres ne nous permissent pas de baptizer leurs enfans quand ils seroient malades, où du moins ne les apportassent point apres leur mort. Ces pauures gens furent rauis, voyants cinq Prestres reuestus de surplis honorer ce petit ange Canadien, chantant ce qui est ordonné par l'Eglise, couurans son cercueil d'vn beau parement, & le parsemant de fleurs: nous l'enterrasmes auec toute la solemnité qui nous fut possible.
The fifth was baptized the same day. His Father made known to sieur Olivier, the interpreter,[13] that he would be very glad if they would do to his son what was done to little French children; meaning that they should baptize him. Having been informed of this by sieur Olivier, I went to see the child, but deferred baptism for a few days, as the child was still full of vitality. At last, Father Buteux and [23] I, having gone to see him, called Monsieur du Chesne, who told us that the child was very sick. I asked his Father if he would like to have us baptize him. "I should be very glad" (he answered); "if he dies, I will carry him to thy house; if he recovers, he shall be thy son, and thou shalt instruct him." I named him Adrian, after his Godfather; before this he was called Pichichich; his Father has been surnamed by the French Baptiscan,—he was called, in Savage, Tchimaouirineou, his mother Matouetchiouanouecoueou. This poor little child of about eight months flew away to Heaven. The following night, his Father did not fail to bring the body, having with him eighteen or twenty Savages, men, women, and children. They had wrapped it in Beaver skins, and over that was a large piece of linen cloth, which they had bought at the store, and over all a great double piece of bark. I unrolled the parcel to see if the child was inside; then I laid it in a coffin which we had made for it, and this pleased the Savages wonderfully, for they believe that the soul [24] of the child will use in the other world of souls all the things that have been given to it at its departure. I told them indeed that the soul was now in Heaven, and that it had no concern whatever with these trifling things. Nevertheless we let them go on, for fear that, if we tried to prevent them,—which I might have done (for the Father already wavered)—the others would not permit us to baptize their children when they were sick, or at least would not call us after they died. These simple people were enchanted, seeing five Priests in surplices honoring this little Canadian angel, chanting what is ordained by the Church, covering the coffin with a beautiful pall, and strewing it with flowers. We buried him with all possible solemnity.
Tous les Sauuages assistoient à toutes les ceremonies, quand ce vint à le mettre en la fosse, sa mere y mit son berceau auec luy & quelques autres hardes selon leur coustume, & bien-tost apres tira de son laict dans vne petite [25] escuelle d'escorce qu'elle brusla sur l'heure mesme. Ie demanday pourquoy elle faisoit cela, vne femme me repartit, qu'elle donnoit à boire à l'enfant, dont l'ame beuuoit de ce laict. Ie l'instruisis là dessus, mais ie parle encores si peu qu'à peine me pût elle entendre.
All the Savages were present during the entire ceremony. When it came to lowering him into the grave, his mother placed his cradle therein, with a few other things, according to their custom; and soon after she drew some of her milk in a little [25] bark ladle, which she burned immediately. I asked why this was done, and a woman answered me that she was giving drink to the child, whose soul was drinking this milk. I instructed her upon this point, but I still speak the language so poorly that I scarcely made her understand me.
Apres l'enterrement nous fismes le festin des morts, donnans à manger de la farine de bled d'Inde, meslée de quelques pruneaux à ces bonnes gens, pour les induire à nous appeller quand eux ou leurs enfans seront malades. Bref ils s'en retournerent auec fort grande satisfaction, comme ils firent paroistre pour lors, & particulierement deux iours apres.