After the burial we had the funeral feast, giving some Indian cornmeal mixed with prunes to these simple people, to induce them to call upon us when they or their children were sick. In short, they went away very much pleased, as they showed us then, and more particularly two days later.
Le Pere Buteux retournant de dire la Messe de l'habitation, comme il visitoit les Cabanes des Sauuages, il rencontra le corps mort du petit Iean Baptiste qu'on [132] enueloppoit comme l'autre, ses parents, quoy que malades, luy promirent de l'apporter chés nous. On m'a desia fait recit (dit la mere) de l'honneur & du bon traictement que vous faictes à nos enfans, mais ie ne [26] veux point qu'on deueloppe le mien. Là dessus le Pere du premier trespassé luy dist, on ne fait point de mal à l'enfant on ne luy oste point ses robbes, on regarde seulement s'il est dedans le pacquet, & si nous ne sommes point trompeurs, elle acquiesça & presenta son fils pour estre porté dans nostre Chapelle, dans laquelle le Pere Buteux nous l'amena en la compagnie de ses parens & des autres Sauuages; nous l'enterrasmes auec les mesmes ceremonies que l'autre, & eux luy donnerent aussi ses petits meubles pour passer en l'autre monde, nous fismes encores le festin qu'ils font à la mort de leurs gens, bien ioyeux de voir ce peuple s'affectionner petit à petit, aux sainctes actions de l'Eglise Chrestienne & Catholique.
Father Buteux, as he was visiting the Cabins of the Savages on his return from saying Mass at the settlement, saw the dead body of little Jean Baptiste, which they were wrapping up like the other. His parents, although sick, promised to bring him to us. "They have already told me," (said the mother) "of the honor and kind treatment you show to our children, but I do not [26] wish mine to be unrolled." Thereupon, the Father of the one who had died first said to her, "They do no harm to the child; they do not take off any of its clothes; they only look to see if it is inside the parcel, and if we are deceiving them." She acquiesced, and presented her son to be carried into our Chapel, into which Father Buteux brought him to us, together with his relatives and other Savages. We buried him with the same ceremonies as the other, and they gave him also his belongings, to pass with him into the other world. We again held the feast that is made at the death of their people, very happy to see them, little by little, acquiring an affection for the holy offices of the Christian and Catholic Church.
Le quatorziesme de Iuillet ie baptizay le sixiesme, c'estoit vne petite Algonquine aagée d'enuiron vn an, ie ne l'eusse pas si tost fait Chrestienne, n'estoit qui ses parens s'en vouloient aller vers leur pays. Or iugeant auec Monsieur du Chesne, que cet enfant trauaillé d'vne fieure ethique, estoit en [27] danger de mort, ie luy conferay ce Sacrement, elle fut appellée Marguerite, on la nommoit en Sauuage Memichtigouchiouiscoueou, c'[e]st à dire, femme d'vn European, son Pere se nomme en Algonquain Pichibabich, c'est à dire Pierre, & sa mere Chichip, c'est à dire vn Canard, ils m'ont promis que si cette pauure petite recouure sa santé qu'ils me l'apporteroient, pour la mettre entre les mains de l'vne de nos Françoises, comme ce peuple est errant, ie ne sçai maintenant où elle est, ie crois [134] qu'elle n'est pas loing du Paradis, si elle n'y est desia.
On the fourteenth of July, I baptized the sixth, a little Algonquin girl about a year old. I would not have made this child a Christian so soon, had it not been that its parents wished to go to their own country. Now, believing with Monsieur du Chesne that this child, who was suffering from hectic fever, was in [27] danger of death, I administered this Sacrament. She was called Marguerite; her Savage name was Memichtigouchiouiscoueou, meaning, "wife of a European;" her Father was called in Algonquain, Pichibabich, that is to say, "Stone," and her mother Chichip, meaning "a Duck." They have promised me that if this poor little child recovers its health, they will bring it to me, to be placed in the hands of one of our French Women. As this is a wandering tribe, I do not know now where she is; but I believe she is not far from Paradise, if she is not already there.
La septiesme personne que nous auons mis au nombre des enfans de Dieu, par le Sacrement de Baptesme, c'est la mere du petit Sauuage, que nous auions nommé bien-venu; elle s'appelloit en Sauuage Ouroutiuoucoueu, & maintenant on l'appelle Marie, ce beau nom luy a esté donné, suiuant le vœu qu'auoit fait autresfois le R. Pere Charles l'Allement, que la premiere Canadienne que nous baptizerions, porteroit le nom de la saincte Vierge, & le premier Sauuage, celuy de [28] de son glorieux Espoux sainct Ioseph, nous n'auions point cognoissance de ce vœu, quand les autres ont esté baptizés. I'espere que dans fort peu de iours il sera entierement accomply: mais pour retourner à nostre nouuelle Chrestienne, l'ayant trouuée proche du fort de nos François, abandonnée de ses gens, pource qu'elle estoit malade, ie luy demanday qui la nourrissoit, elle me respondit que les François luy donnoient quelque morceau de pain, & que quelques vns reuenans de la chasse, luy iettoient par fois en passant vne tourterelle, si vous vous voulez cabaner, luy dis-je, proche de nostre maison, nous vous nourrirõs, & vous enseignerons le chemin du Ciel; Elle me repartit d'vne voix languissante, car elle estoit fort mal, helas! i'y voudrois bien aller, mais ie ne sçaurois plus marcher, aye pitié de moy, enuoye moy querir dans vn Canot. Ie ny manquay pas le lendemain matin 23. Iuillet ie la fis apporter proche de nostre maison; la pauure fẽme me demãdoit bien si elle n'entreroit point chez nous, elle s'attẽdoit que nous luy feriõs la mesme [29] charité que nous auions fait aux deux premiers baptizés, mais ie luy respõdis qu'elle estoit fẽme, & que nous ne pouuions [136] pas la loger dãs nôtre maisõnette qui est fort petite, que neãtmoins nous luy porterions à manger dans sa Cabane, & que tous les iours ie l'irois voir pour l'instruire, elle fut contente. Quand ie commençay à luy parler de la saincte Trinité, disant, que le Pere, & le Fls & le sainct Esprit, n'estoient qu'vn Dieu qui a tout fait: ie le sçay bien, me fit-elle, ie le crois ainsi; Ie fus tout estonné à cette repartie, mais elle me dit que nostre bon Sauuage Ioseph luy rapportoit par fois ce que nous luy disions, cela me consola fort, car en peu de temps elle fut suffisamment instruicte pour estre baptizée: i'estois seulement en peine de luy faire conceuoir vne douleur de sez pechez, les Sauuages n'ont point en leur langue, si bien en leurs mœurs, ce mot de peché: le mot de meschanceté & de malice signifie parmy eux vne action contre la pureté, à ce qu'ils m'ont dit: i'estois donc en peine de luy faire conceuoir vn deplaisir d'auoir offencé [30] Dieu, ie luy leus par plusieurs fois les Commandemens, luy disant que celuy qui à tout fait haïssoit ceux qui ne luy obeïssoient pas, & qu'elle luy dit qu'elle estoit bien marrie de l'auoir offencé: La pauure femme qui auoit bien retenu les deffences que Dieu a fait à tous les hommes de mentir, de paillarder, de desobeïr à ses parents, s'accusa tout seule de toutes ses offences par plusieurs fois: disant de soy mesme, celuy qui as tout fait aye pitié de moy, Iesvs, Fils de celuy qui peut tout, fais moy misericorde: ie te promets que ie ne m'enyureray plus ny que ie ne diray plus de paroles des honnestes, que ie ne mentiray plus, ie suis marrie de t'auoir fasché, i'en suis marrie de tout mon cœur, ie ne mens point, aye pitié de moy, si je retourne en santé, ie croiray tousiours [138] en toy, ie t'obeiray tousiours, si ie meurs aye pitié de mon ame; l'aiant donc veuë ainsi disposée, craignant d'ailleurs qu'elle ne mourust subitement, car elle estoit fort malade, ie luy demanday si elle ne vouloit pas bien estre baptizée, ie voudrois bien encore viure, me dit-elle, [31] ie cogneu qu'elle s'imaginoit que nous ne donnions point le baptesme qu'à ceux qui deuoient mourir incontinent apres; ie luy fist entendre que nous estions tous baptizés, & que nous n'estions pas morts, que le baptesme rendoit plutost la santé du corps, qu'il ne l'ostoit; baptise moy donc au plutost me fit elle: ie la voulus esprouuer, il estoit arriué quelques canots de Sauuages à Kebec, ie luy dis, voila vne compagnie de tes gens qui vient d'arriuer, si tu veux t'en aller auec eux, ils te receuront, & ie te feray porter en leurs cabanes; la pauure creature se mit à pleurer & à sanglotter si fort, qu'elle me toucha, me tesmoignant par ses larmes qu'elle vouloit estre Chrestienne, & que ie ne la chassasse point: enfin voiant son mal redoubler, nous prismes resolution de la baptizer promptement; ie luy fist entendre qu'elle pourroit mourir la nuict, & que son ame s'en iroit dans les feux, si elle n'estoit baptizée: que si elle vouloit receuoir ce sacrement en nostre Chappelle, que ie l'y ferois apporter dans vne couuerture, elle tesmoigna qu'elle [32] en estoit contente: ie m'en vay, luy disie, preparer tout ce qu'il fault, prends courage, ie t'enuoieray bien-tost querir: la pauure femme n'eut pas la patience d'attendre, elle se traisne comme elle pût, se reposant à tous coups, en fin elle arriua à nostre maison esloignée de plus de deux cent pas de sa cabane, & se jetta par terre n'en pouuant plus, estant reuenuë à soy, ie la baptizay en presence de [140] nos Peres, & de tous nos hommes: elle me respondit brauement à toutes les demandes que ie luy feis, suiuant l'ordre de conferer ce Sacrement aux personnes qui ont l'vsage de raison: Nous la reportasmes dans sa cabane toute pleine de joie, & nous remplis de consolation voiant la grace de Dieu operer dans vne ame où le diable auoit fait sa demeure si long temps. Cecy arriua le premier iour d'Aoust.
The seventh person whom we have placed among the number of the children of God, through the Sacrament of Baptism, is the mother of the little Savage whom we named "bien-venu;" she is called, in Savage, Ouroutiuoucoueu, and now her name is Marie. This beautiful name was given to her in pursuance of a vow once made by Reverend Father Charles l'Allement, that the first Canadian Woman whom we should baptize should bear the name of the holy Virgin; and the first Savage, that [28] of her glorious Spouse, saint Joseph. We did not know about this vow, when the others were baptized; I hope that in a very few days it will be entirely fulfilled. But to return to our new Christian. When I found her near the French fort, abandoned by her people, because she was sick, I asked her who fed her; she answered that the French gave her a few morsels of bread, and that, on their return from the chase, they occasionally threw her a pigeon. "If you wish to stay near us," I said, "we will care for you, and will teach you the way to Heaven." She answered me in a weak voice, for she was very sick, "Alas! I would indeed like to go there, but I can no longer walk; have pity upon me, send some one in a Canoe to fetch me." I did not fail to do this; and on the next day, the 23rd of July, I had her brought near our house. The poor woman asked me if she were not to go inside, expecting us to show her the same [29] charity that the first two who had been baptized had received; but I told her that, as she was a woman, we could not lodge her in our house, which is very small; that we would, however, carry her something to eat to her Hut, and that every day I would go to see and teach her. She was satisfied with this. When I began to speak to her about the holy Trinity, saying that the Father, the son, and the holy Spirit, were only one God, who has made all things, "I know that well," she replied, "I believe it." I was greatly astonished at this answer, but she told me that our good Savage Joseph occasionally reported to her what we told him. This was a great consolation to me, for in a short time she was sufficiently instructed to be baptized. My only trouble was to make her feel sorrow for her sins. The Savages have not this word "sin" in their language, though they certainly have it in their customs. The word for wickedness and malice, among them, means a violation of purity, as they have told me. So I was puzzled to know how to make her understand sorrow at having offended [30] God. I read her the Commandments several times, telling her that he who made all things hates those who do not obey him; and that she should tell him she was very sorry for having offended him. The poor woman, who well remembered that God forbids all men to lie, to be wanton, to disobey their parents, accused herself over and over again of all these offences. She said of her own accord, "Thou who hast made all things, have mercy upon me; Jesus, son of him who hath all power, have compassion upon me. I promise thee that I will not get drunk any more, that I will not utter bad words any more, that I will not lie any more. I am sorry for having angered thee, I am sorry with all my heart. I am not lying, have mercy upon me. If I recover, I will always believe in thee, I will always obey thee. If I die, have mercy upon my soul." As I saw her thus minded, and feared beside that she might die suddenly, for she was very ill, I asked her if she would not like to be baptized. "I would like to live longer," she replied. [31] I saw she imagined that we only gave baptism to those who were to die immediately afterwards. I made her understand that we were all baptized and we were not dead, that baptism restored health to the body rather than took it away. "Baptize me then as soon as possible," she answered. I wanted to try her. Some canoes of Savages having arrived at Kebec, I said to her: "Here is a company of thy people just arrived; if thou wishest to go away with them, they will receive thee, and I will have thee taken to their cabins." The poor creature began to weep and to sob so violently, that I was touched, proving to me by her tears that she wanted to be a Christian, and that she did not want me to drive her away. At last, when we saw that she was growing much worse, we decided to baptize her at once. I made her understand that she might die that night, and that her soul would go into the flames if she were not baptized; that if she wished to receive this sacrament in our Chapel, I would have her conveyed there in a blanket. She showed that she [32] was satisfied with this. "I am going away," I said to her, "to prepare what is necessary, take courage, I will send for thee soon." The poor woman did not have the patience to wait, but dragged herself along as well as she could, resting at every step, until at last she arrived at our house more than two hundred steps from her cabin, and threw herself upon the ground completely exhausted. When she recovered herself, I baptized her in the presence of our Fathers and of all our men. She answered confidently all the questions I put to her in following the order of the administration of this Sacrament to persons who have the use of their reason. We bore her, all full of joy, back to her own cabin; and we ourselves were greatly comforted at seeing the grace of God working in a soul where the devil has so long made his habitation. This happened the first day of August.
Le lendemain quelques François m'estant venus voir, l'allans visiter, ils la trouuerent tenant vn Crucifix en main, & l'apostrophant fort doucement! Toy qui est mort pour moy, fais moy misericorde, ie veux croire en [33] toy toute ma vie, aye pitié de mon ame; Ie rapporte expressement toutes ces particularitez, pour faire voir que nos Sauuages ne sont point si barbares qu'ils ne puissent estre faits enfans de Dieu: I'espere que là où le peché a regné, que la grace y triomphera, cette pauure femme veit encores plus proche du Ciel que de la santé.
The next day, some French people, who came to see me, went to visit her, and found her holding a Crucifix in her hand, and addressing it in a low voice: "Thou who hast died for me, be merciful to me; I wish to believe in [33] thee all my life; have pity upon my soul." I report all these details purposely, that you may see that our Savages are not so barbarous that they cannot be made children of God. I hope that there, where sin has reigned, grace will triumph. This poor woman is still living, nearer to Heaven than to health.
Ie concluerray ce Chapitre par vn chastiment assez remarquable d'vne autre Canadienne, qui ayant fermé l'oreille à Dieu pendant sa maladie, semble auoir esté rejettée à sa mort. Le Pere Brebœuf l'ayant esté voir, pour luy parler de receuoir la foy, elle se mocqua de luy, & mesprisa ses paroles: sa maladie l'ayant terrassée, & les Sauuages voulans decabaner, la porterent à cette honneste famille, habituée icy depuis vn assez long temps; mais n'ayãt pas où la loger, ces Barbares la trainerent au fort, si nous n'eussions esté si esloignez, asseurément ils nous l'auroient amenée; car ie me doute qu'ils la presentoiẽt à nos François, voyans que nous auions receu auec beaucoup d'amour les deux Sauuages morts Chrestiens. [34] [142] Monsieur de Champlain voyant qu'il estoit desia tard luy fist donner le couuert pour vne nuict, ceux qui estoient dans la chambre où on la mit furent contraints d'en sortir, ne pouuans supporter l'infection de cette femme.