In the evening of this same Christmas day I went to visit our neighbors. We were now only two cabins, as the Savage Ekhenneabamate had gone off in another direction five or six days before, because there had not been enough game for all of us. I found there two young hunters, in deep distress at not having captured anything that day, nor the one before. They were like all the others, wasted and thin, silent and very sad, like people who parted with life regretfully. It made my heart bleed to see them. After having said a few words of consolation, and cheered them with the [273] hope of better things, I withdrew into my cabin to pray to God. The Apostate asked me what day it was. "To-day is the Christmas festival," I answered him. He was slightly touched, and, turning toward the Sorcerer, said that on this day was born the son of God, called JESUS, whom we adored. Observing that he showed some wonder, I told him that God was generally very bountiful on these days; and, if we had recourse to him, he would surely help us. To this there was not a word, neither was there any opposition. So seizing the opportunity, I begged him to translate for me two little Prayers into his language, and I would say one of them and the Savages the other. Hoping that we would be succored, the extremity to which we were reduced made him grant, in pure recklessness, what I asked. I immediately composed two little prayers, which he turned into Savage, promising me besides that he would serve me as interpreter if I would call the Savages together, so I was very happy. I commended the matter to Our Lord and the next morning I erected a little Oratory. I hung to the [274] poles of the cabin a napkin I had brought with me; to this I attached a small Crucifix and a Reliquary that two very Religious persons had sent me, also I took from my Breviary one of the Pictures. When this was done, I had all the Savages from our two cabins called, and made them understand, partly through my stammering and partly through the lips of the Renegade, whom the fear of dying from hunger made speak, that it depended upon them alone whether or not they should be relieved. I told them that our God was goodness itself, that nothing was impossible to him; that even though a person had despised him, yet if he believed in him and hoped in him with a sincere heart, he would show himself favorable. Now as these poor people had no more hope in their bows or arrows, they showed much gladness that I had thus called them together, assuring me they would do all I commanded them. I took my paper and read to them the Prayer I wished them to offer, asking if they were content to address to the God whom I adored these prayers from their hearts, and without dissimulation. They all [275] responded, nimiroueritenan, nimiroueritenan, "We are satisfied, we are satisfied." I knelt down first and the others followed, fixing our eyes upon our little Oratory. The Sorcerer alone remained seated; but, when I asked him if he did not wish to be like the others, he did as he saw me do. We were bareheaded, our hands all clasped and raised toward Heaven; and in this attitude I began to repeat the following Prayer aloud in their language.
Mon Seigneur qui auez tout fait, qui voyez tout, & qui cognoissez tout, faites nous misericorde. O Iesvs, fils du Tout-puissant, qui auez pris chair humaine pour nous, qui estes né pour nous d'vne Vierge, qui estes mort pour nous, qui estes resuscité & monté au Ciel pour nous, vous auez promis que si on demandoit quelque chose en vostre nom que vous l'accorderiez: ie vous supplie de tout mon cœur de donner la nourriture à ce pauvre peuple, qui veut croire en vous, & qui vous veut obeïr, ce peuple vous promet entierement que si vous le secourez qu'il croira parfaitement en vous, & qu'il vous obeïra [276] de tout son cœur, Mon Seigneur, exaucez ma prieré, ie vous presente ma vie pour ce peuple tres content de mourir à ce qu'ils viuent, & qu'ils vous cognoissent. Ainsi soit-il.
"My Lord, you who have made all, who see all and who know all, have pity upon us. O Jesus, son of the All-powerful, you who have taken human flesh for us, who were born of a Virgin for us, who have died for us, who were resurrected and ascended into Heaven for us, you have promised that if anything is asked in your name, you will grant it. I beseech you with all my heart to give food to these poor people, who wish to believe in you and to obey you. These people promise you faithfully that, if you will help them, they will believe entirely in you, and that they will obey you [276] with all their hearts. My Lord, hearken to my prayer; I offer you my life for these people, content to die that they may live and acknowledge you. Amen."
A ces paroles de mourir pour eux que ie proferois pour gagner leur affection, quoy qu'en effect ie le disois de bon cœur, mon hoste m'arresta & me dit; retranche ces paroles, car nous t'aymons tous, & ne desirons pas que tu meure; ie vous veux témoigner, leur repartis-ie, que ie vous ayme, & que ie donnerois volontiers ma vie pour vostre salut, tant c'est chose grande que d'estre sauué. Apres que i'eus faict ceste Oraison, chacun d'eux à mains iointes, teste nuë, & les genoux en terre, comme i'ay remarqué, profera [152] la suiuante, que ie prononçois deuant-eux fort posément.
At these words, "to die" for them, which I used to gain their affection, although really I said it with a sincere heart, my host stopped me and said, "Take back those words, for we all love thee, and do not wish thee to die for us." "I wish to show you," I answered, "that I love you, and that I would willingly give my life for your salvation, so great a thing is it to be saved." After I had offered this Prayer, all of them with hands joined, heads bare, and knees upon the ground, as I have observed, repeated the following, which I pronounced to them with great solemnity.
Grand Seigneur qui auez fait le ciel & la terre, vous sçauez tout, vous pouuez tout, ie vous promets de tout mon cœur (ie ne sçaurois vous mentir) ie vous promets entierement, que s'il vous plaist nous donner nostre nourriture, que ie vous obeïray cordiallement, que ie croiray asseurément en vous, ie vous [277] promets sans feintise, que ie feray tout ce qu'on me dira deuoir estre fait pour vostre amour, aydez nous, vous le pouuez faire, ie feray asseurément ce qu'on m'enseignera deuoir estre fait pour l'amour de vous, ie le promets sans feintise, ie ne ments pas, ie ne sçaurois vous mentir, aydez nous à croire en vous parfaictement, puis que vous estes mort pour nous. Ainsi soit il.
"Great Lord, you who have made heaven and earth, you know all, you can do all. I promise you with all my heart (I could not lie to you) I promise you wholly, that, if it pleases you to give us food, I will obey you cheerfully, that I will surely believe in you. I promise [277] you without deceit that I will do all that I shall be told ought to be done for love of you. Help us, for you can do it; I will certainly do what they shall teach me ought to be done for your sake. I promise it without pretence, I am not lying, I could not lie to you; help us to believe in you perfectly, for you have died for us. Amen."
Ils firent tous ceste priere, & l'Apostat & le Sorcier aussi bien que les autres, c'est à Dieu de iuger de leurs cœurs, ie leur dis après cela qu'ils s'en allassent à la chasse auec confiance, ce qu'ils firent, la plus part témoignans par leur visage & par leurs paroles qu'ils auoient pris plaisir en ceste action; mais auant que d'en voir le succez couchons en leur langue ces deux Oraisons, afin qu'on voye l'œconomie de leurs paroles, & leur façon de s'énoncer.
They all offered this prayer, the Apostate and the Sorcerer as well as the others; God alone can judge of their hearts. After this I told them that they should go to the chase with confidence, as they did, the greater part showing by their faces and words that they had taken pleasure in this act. But, before finding out what success they had, let us couch in their language these two Prayers, in order that you may see the arrangement of their words, and their way of expressing themselves.
NouKhimame missi ca Khichitaien missi,
Mon Capitaine tout qui as fait tout,
Khesteritamen missi, ouia batamen chaoueriminan.
qui sçais tout, qui vois, aye pitié de nous.
Iesus oucouchichai missi ca nitaouitát
Iesus Fils out qui a faict
[278] Niran ca outchi, arichiirinicasouien, niran
de nous qui à cause es fait hõme de nous
[154] ca outchi, iriniouien iscouechich, niran ca
qui à cause es né d'vne fille de nous, qui
outchi nipien, niran ca outchi ouascoukhi,
à cause es mort de no⁹, qui à cause au ciel
itoutaien; egou Khisitaie, nitichenicassouiniki,
es allé ainsi tu disois en mon nom
Khegoueia netou tamagaouian niga chaoueriKan,
quelque chose si ie suis requis i'ẽ auray pitié,
khitaia mihitin naspich ou mitchimi,
ie te prie entierement la nourriture
a richiriniou miri, ca ouitapouetasc,
à ce peuple dõne qui veux croire en toy,
ca ouipamitasc, arichiriniou khiticou
qui te veux obeyr, ce peuple te dit
naspich, ouitchihien khigatapouetatin
entièrement, si tu m'ayde ie te croyray
naspich, khiga pamtatim naspich, Noukhimame
parfaitemẽt ie t'obeïray entieremẽt mon Capitaine
chaoueritamitaouitou, oui
aye pitié de ce que ie dis, si tu
michoutchi nipousin, iterimien
veux en contrechãge ma mort penser
ouirouau mag iriniouisonan, egou inousin.
quant à eux qu'ils viuent, ainsi soit-il.