With all these fine qualities, the Savages have another, more annoying than those of which we have spoken, but not so wicked; it is [120] their importunity toward strangers. I have a habit of calling these countries, "the land of importunity toward strangers," because the flies, which are the symbol and visible representation of it, do not let you rest day or night. During certain Summer months, they attack us with such fury, and so continually, that no skin is proof against their sting, and every one pays his blood as tribute. I have seen persons so swollen after being stung by them, that one would think they would lose their eyes, which can scarcely be seen; now all that is nothing, for this annoyance can be dispelled by means of smoke, which the flies cannot stand, but this remedy attracts the Savages,—if they know our dinner hour, they come purposely to get something to eat. They ask continually, and with such incessant urgency, that you would say that they are always holding you by the throat. If you show them anything whatever, however little it may be adapted to their use, they will say, "Dost thou love it? Give it to me."
Vn certain me disoit vn iour, qu'en son [121] pays on ne sçauoit point conjuguer le verbe do, au present, encore moins au preterit: les Sauuages ignorent tellemẽt cette coniugaison, qu'ils ne vous donneroient point la valeur d'vne obole, s'ils ne croient, pour ainsi dire, retirer vne pistole; ils sont ingrats au dernier point.
A certain man said to me one day, that in his [121] country they did not know how to conjugate the verb do, in the present, and still less in the past. The Savages are so ignorant of this conjugation, that they would not give you the value of an obole,[20] if they did not expect, so to speak, to get back a pistole; for they are ungrateful in the highest degree.
Nous auons icy tenu & nourry fort long temps nostre Sauuage malade, qui se vint ietter entre nos bras pour mourir Chrestien, cõme i'ay remarqué cy-dessus: tous ces cõpatriottes estoient estõnez du bon [258] traittement que nous luy faisions, ses enfants en sa consideration, apporterent vn peu de chair d'Elan; on leur demanda ce qu'ils vouloient en eschange, car les presents des Sauuages sont des marchez: ils demanderent du vin & de la poudre à Canon, on leur repart qu'on ne leur en pouuoit donner; que s'ils vouloient autre chose que nous eussions, on leur donneroit tres volontiers, on leur donna fort bien à manger, & pour conclusion ils remporterẽt leurs viandes, puisqu'on ne leur donnoit ce qu'ils demandoient, menaçant qu'ils viendroient requerir leur pere, ce qu'ils firent; mais le bon hõme ne voulut pas [122] nous quitter; de cét échantillon, iugez de la piece.
We have kept here and fed for a long time our sick Savage, who came and threw himself into our arms in order to die a Christian, as I have stated above. All his fellow-savages were astonished at the good treatment we gave him; on his account, his children brought a little Elk meat, and they were asked what they wished in exchange, for the presents of the Savages are always bargains. They asked some wine and Gunpowder, and were told that we could not give them these things; but that, if they wished something else that we had, we would give it to them very gladly. A good meal was given them, and finally they carried back their meat, since we did not give them what they asked for, threatening that they would come after their father, which they did; but the good man did not wish [122] to leave us. From this sample, judge of the whole piece.
Or ne pensez pas qu'ils se comportent ainsi entr'eux, au contraire, ils sont tres reconnoissants, tres liberaux, & nullement importuns enuers ceux de leur nation. S'ils se cõportent ainsi enuers nos François, & enuers les autres estrangers, c'est à mon aduis que nous ne voulons pas nous allier auec eux comme freres, ce qu'ils souhaitteroient grandement; mais ce seroit nous perdre en trois iours: cars ils voudroient que nous allassions auec eux manger de leurs viures tant qu'ils en auroient, & ils viendroiẽt aussi manger les nostres tãt qu'ils dureroiẽt: & quand il n'y en auroit plus, nous nous metterions tous à en chercher d'autres. Voila leur vie qu'ils passent en festins pendãt qu'ils ont dequoy; mais comme nous n'entendons rien à leur chasse, & que ce procedé n'est pas loüable, on ne veut pas leur prester l'oreille. C'est pourquoy ne nous tenants point comme de leur nation, ils nous traittent à la façon que i'ay dit. Si vn estrãger quel qu'il soit se iette de leur party, ils le traitteront comme eux. Vn ieune Hiroquois, auquel [123] ils [260] auoient donné la vie, estoit comme enfant de la maison; que si vous faites vostre mesnage à part mesprisants leurs loix, ou leurs coustumes ils vous succeront s'ils peuuent iusques au sang. Il n'y a mouche, ny guespe, ny taon, si importun qu'vn Sauuage.
Now do not think that they act thus among themselves; on the contrary, they are very grateful, very liberal, and not in the least importunate toward those of their own nation. If they conduct themselves thus toward our French, and toward other foreigners, it is because, it seems to me, that we do not wish to ally ourselves with them as brothers, which they would very much desire. But this would ruin us in three days; for they would want us to go with them, and eat their food as long as they had any, and then they would come and eat ours as long as it lasted; and, when there was none left, we would all set to work to find more. For that is the kind of life they live, feasting as long as they have something; but, as we know nothing about their mode of hunting, and as this way of doing is not praiseworthy, we do not heed them. Hence, as we do not regard ourselves as belonging to their nation, they treat us in the way I have described. If any stranger, whoever he may be, unites with their party, they will treat him as one of their own nation. A young Hiroquois whose [123] life they had spared, was like a child of their own family. But if you carry on your affairs apart from them, despising their laws or their customs, they will drain from you, if they can, even your blood. There is not an insect, nor wasp, nor gadfly, so annoying as a Savage.
Ie suis tantost las de parler de leurs desordres, disons quelque chose de leur saleté, & puis finissons ce chapitre.
I am rather tired of talking about their irregularities; let us speak of their uncleanness, and then end this chapter.
Ils sont sales en leurs habits, en leurs postures[1], en leurs demeures, & en leur manger, & cependant il n'y a aucune inciuilité parmy eux; car tout ce qui donne du contentement aux sens, passe pour honeste.