They are not fastidious in their food, beds, and clothes, but are very slovenly. They never complain of what is given them; if it be cold, if it be warm, it does not matter. When the food is cooked, it is divided without waiting for any one, not even the master of the house; a share is reserved for him, which is given to him cold. I have never heard my host complain because they did not wait for him, if he were only a few steps from the Cabin. They often sleep upon the ground, at the sign of the [109] stars. They will pass one, two, and three days without eating, not ceasing to row, hunt, and fatigue themselves as much as they can. It will be seen in the course of this relation, that all I have said in this chapter is very true; and yet I would not dare to assert that I have seen one act of real moral virtue in a Savage. They have nothing but their own pleasure and satisfaction in view. Add to this the fear of being blamed, and the glory of seeming to be good hunters, and you have all that actuates them in their transactions.
CHAPITRE VI.
DE LEURS VICES & DE LEURS IMPERFECTIONS.
LES Sauuages estans remplis d'erreurs, les õt aussi de superbe & d'orgueil. L'humilité naist de la verité la vanité de l'erreur & du mensonge; ils sont vuides de la connoissance de la verité, & par consequent tres remplis d'eux mesmes. Ils s'imaginent que par droit de naissance ils doiuent ioüir de la liberté de asnons Sauuages, ne rendant aucune subiection à qui que ce soit, sinon quand il leur plaist: Ils m'ont reproché cent fois que nous [110] craignõs nos Capitaines, mais pour eux qu'ils se mocquoient & se gaussoient des leur: toute l'authorité de leur chef est au bout de ses leures, il est aussi puissant qu'il est eloquent; & quand il s'est tué de parler & de haranguer, il ne sera pas obey s'il ne plaist au Sauuages.
CHAPTER VI.
ON THEIR VICES AND THEIR IMPERFECTIONS.
THE Savages, being filled with errors, are also haughty and proud. Humility is born of truth, vanity of error and falsehood. They are void of the knowledge of truth, and are in consequence, mainly occupied with thought of themselves. They imagine that they ought by right of birth, to enjoy the liberty of Wild ass colts, rendering no homage to any one whomsoever, except when they like. They have reproached me a hundred times because we [110] fear our Captains, while they laugh at and make sport of theirs. All the authority of their chief is in his tongue's end; for he is powerful in so far as he is eloquent; and, even if he kills himself talking and haranguing, he will not be obeyed unless he pleases the Savages.
Ie ne crois pas qu'il y aye de nation sous le ciel plus mocqueuse & plus gausseuse que la nation des Montagnais, leur vie se passe à manger, à rire, & à railler les vns des autres, & de tous les peuples qu'ils cognoissent; ils n'ont rien de serieux, sinon par fois l'exterieur faisans parmy nous les graues & les retenus: mais entr'eux sont de vrais badins, de vrais enfans qui ne demandent qu'à rire. Ie les [c]achois quelquefois vn petit, notamment le Sorcier, les appellant des enfans, leurs tesmoignãs que ie ne pouuois asseoir aucun jugement asseuré sur toutes leurs responses; car si ie leur demandois d'vn, ils me disoient [244] d'autre, pour trouuer suiet de rire & de gausser: & par consequent ie ne pouuois connoistre quand ils parloient serieusement, ou quand ils se mocquoient. La conclusion ordinaire de leurs discours & de leurs entretiens, est en verité nous nous sommes [111] bien mocquez d'vn tel.