Noukhimame missi ca Khichitaien missi,
My Captain all who hast made, all
Khesteritamen missi, ouia batamen chaoueriminan.
who knowest, all who seest, have pity on us.
Jesus oucouchichai missi ca nitaouitât
Jesus, the Son all who has made
[278] Niran ca outchi, arichiirinicasouien, niran
of us who because art made man, of us
ca outchi, iriniouien iscouechich, niran ca
who because art born of a maiden, of us who
outchi nipien, niran ca outchi ouascoukhi,
because hast died, of us who because to heaven
itoutaien; egou Khisitaie, nitichenicassouiniki,
art gone; thus thou saidst, in my name
Khegoueia netou tamagaouian niga chaouerikan,
any thing if I am asked on it I will have pity,
khitaia mihitin naspich ou mitchimi,
I pray thee wholly the food
a richiriniou miri, ca ouitapouetasc,
to these people give, who wish to believe in thee,
ca ouipamitasc, arichiriniou khiticiou
who wish to obey thee; these people say to thee
naspich, ouitchihien khigatapouetatin
wholly, if thou aidest me I will believe thee
naspich, khiga pamtatim naspich, Noukhimame
perfectly I will obey thee entirely my Captain
chaoueritamitaouitou oui
have pity upon what I say, if thou
michoutchi nipousin, iterimien
wish in exchange my death take care
ouironau mag iriniouisonan, egou inousin.
as to them that they may live, so be it.
Voicy celle qu'ils prononcerent.
[279] KhicheouKhiman ca khichitaien ouascou,
Grand Capitaine qui as faict le Ciel
mag asti, missi khikhisteriten, missi
& la Terre tout tu sçais toute chose,
Khipicoutan, khititin naspich, tanté
tu fais bien ie te dis entierement comment
bona oukhiran? khititin naspich, oui
pourrois-je mẽtir? ie te dis sãs feintise si
miriatchi nimitchiminan, ochitau
[156] tu no⁹ veux dõner nostre nourriture tout
tapoué khiga pamitatin, ochitau,
expres asseurement ie t'obeïray tout
tapoué Khiga tapouetatin, Khititin
expres, en verité ie te croiray, ie te le dis
naspich, niga tin missi, Khé eitigaouané;
entieremẽt, ie feray tout ce qu'õ me dira
khir khe, outchi Khian, ouitchihinan,
de toy à cause ie le feray ayde nous
khiga khi ouitchi hinan, naspich niga
tu nous peux ayder absolument ie feray
tin missi, khé eitigaouané khir Khe, outchi
tout ce qu'on me dira de toy à cause
khian, Khititin naspich; nama
ie le feray ie te le dis sans feintise, ie ne
nikhirassin, nama khinita khirassicatin,
mens pas, ie ne te sçaurois mentir,
ouitchihinan khigai tapouetatinan naspich;
ayde nous affin que nous te croyons parfaictemẽt,
[280] ouichihinan mag missi iriniouakhi
ayde nous puis de tous les hõmes
ouetchi nipouané. Egou inousin.
à cause tu es mort, ainsi soit-il.
And here is the one they repeated.
[279] Khicheoukhiman ca khichitaien ouascou,
Great Captain who hast made the Sky
mag asti, missi khikhisteriten, missi
and the Earth, all thou knowest, everything
Khipicoutan, khititin naspich, tanté
thou doest well I say to thee wholly how
bona oukhiran? khititin naspich, oui
could I lie? I tell thee without pretence if
miriatchi nimitchiminan, ochitau
thou wilt give us our food quite
tapoué khiga pamitatin, ochitau,
positively surely I will obey thee quite
tapoué Khiga tapouetatin, Khititin
certainly truly I will believe in thee, I tell it thee
naspich, niga tin missi Khé eitigaouané;
wholly, I will do all that they shall tell me
khir khe, outchi Khian, ouitchihinan,
of thee because I will do it, help us
khiga khi ouitchi hinan, naspich niga
thou canst help us absolutely I will do
tin missi, khe eitigaouané khir Khe, outchi
all that which they shall tell me of thee because
khian, Khititin naspich; nama
I will do it I tell it thee without pretence, I do not
nikhirassin, nama khinita khirassicatin,
lie, I could not to thee lie,
ouitchihinan khigai tapouetatinan naspich;
help us that we may believe thee perfectly,
[280] ouichihinan mag missi iriniouakhi
help us then of all the men
ouetchi nipouané. Egou inousin.
because thou art dead, Amen.
Nos chasseurs ayans fait leurs prieres s'en allerent, qui deça qui de là chercher dequoy manger, mon hoste & deux ieunes hommes s'en vont voir vne cabane de Castors, qu'ils auoient voulu quitter desesperans d'y rien prendre, il en prit trois pour sa part: l'estant allé voir apres midy, ie luy en vis prendre vn de mes yeux, ses compagnons en prirent aussi ie ne sçay pas combien, le Sorcier estant allé ce iour là à la chasse auec vn sien ieune neueu, prit vn Porc épic, & [158] découurit la piste d'vn Orignac qui fut depuis tué à coup de fleches, contre l'attente de tous tant qu'ils estoient, n'y ayant que fort peu de neige, vn ieune Hiroquois, dont ie parleray cy apres, tua aussi vn fort beau Porc-epic; bref chacun prit quelque chose, il n'y eut que l'Apostat qui reuint les mains vuides, le soir mon hoste apportant trois Castors, comme il rentroit dans la cabane ie luy tendis la main, il s'en vint tout ioyeux vers moy recognoissant le [281] secours de Dieu, & demandant ce qu'il deuoit faire, ie luy dits Nicanis, mon bien-aymé, il faut remercier Dieu qui nous a assisté; voila bien dequoy, dit l'Apostat, nous n'eussions pas laissé de trouuer cela sans l'ayde de Dieu. A ces paroles ie ne sçais quels mouuemens ne sentit mõ coeur, mais si ce traistre m'eust donné vn coup de poignard, il ne m'eust pas plus attristé, il ne falloit que ces paroles pour tout perdre, mon hoste ne laissa point de me dire qu'il feroit ce que ie voudrois, & il se fust mis en deuoir, si le Sorcier ne se fust point ietté à la trauerse: car l'Apostat n'a point d'authorité parmy les Sauuages, ie voulu attendre le festin qu'on deuoit faire, où tous les Sauuages se deuoient trouuer; afin qu'ayant deuant leurs yeux les presens que nostre Seigneur leur auoit fait, ils fussent mieux disposez à recognoistre son assistance; mais comme ie vins à leur vouloir parler, le Renégat fasché de ce que luy seul n'auoit rien pris, non seulement ne me voulut pas ayder, ains au contraire il m'imposa silence me commandant tout nettement de me taire; non feray pas luy dis-ie, si vous estes [282] ingrat les autres ne le seront pas, le Sorcier voyant qu'on estoit assez disposé à m'écouter; croyant que si on me prestoit l'oreille il perdroit autant de son crédit, me dit d'vne [160] façon arrogante, tais-toy, tu n'as point d'esprit, il n'est pas temps de parler, mais de manger; ie luy voulu demander s'il auoit des yeux, s'il ne voyoit pas manifestement le seruice de Dieu, mais il ne me voulut pas écouter; les autres qui estoient dans vn profond silence, voyans que le Sorcier m'estoit contraire, n'oserent pas m'inuiter à parler: si bien que celuy qui faisoit le festin se mit à le distribuer, & les autres à manger; voila mes pourceaux qui deuorent le gland sans regarder celuy qui leur abbat, c'est à qui se réioüira dauantage, ils estoient remplis de contentement & moy de tristesse, si fallut-il bien se remettre à la volonté de Dieu, l'heure de ce peuple n'est pas encore venuë.
Our hunters having finished their prayers, went away, some here, some there, to look for something to eat. My host and two young men went off to a Beaver lodge, which they were about to give up, hopeless of taking any thing, when he, on his part, took three; in the afternoon, when I went to find him, I saw him, with my own eyes, take one; and his companions captured some also, but I do not know how many. The Sorcerer, having gone hunting on this same day with one of his young nephews, caught a Porcupine, and discovered the tracks of a Moose, which has since been killed with arrows, contrary to the expectations of all the people, for there was only a little snow. A young Hiroquois, of whom I shall speak hereafter, also killed a very fine Porcupine. In short, everyone took something, except the Apostate, who returned empty-handed. In the evening, when my host returned to the cabin, carrying three Beavers, I extended to him my hand. He approached joyfully, recognizing the [281] help of God, and asked what he should do. I said to him, "Nicanis, my well-beloved, we must thank God who has helped us." "What for indeed?" said the Apostate, "we could not have failed to find that without the aid of God." At these words I cannot tell what emotions surged in my heart; but if this traitor had given me a sword-thrust, he could not have saddened me more; these words alone were needed that all might be lost. My host did not fail to tell me that he would do what I wished; and he might have fulfilled his duty, had not the Sorcerer interposed. For, as the Apostate had no authority among the Savages, I intended to await the banquet they would have, where all the Savages would be assembled; so that, having before their eyes the gifts our Lord had made them, they would be better disposed to recognize his assistance. But when I was about to speak to them, the Renegade, angry at being the only one who had not taken something, not only would not help me, but even imposed silence upon me, abruptly commanding me to keep still. "I will not do it," I said to him, "if you are [282] ungrateful, the others are not." The Sorcerer, seeing they were rather disposed to listen to me, and believing that, if they gave me their attention, he himself would lose so much of his authority, said to me, arrogantly, "Hold thy tongue, thou hast no sense; this is no time to talk, but to eat." I tried to ask him if he had no eyes, if he did not plainly see the help of God, but he would not listen to me. The others, who were maintaining a profound silence, seeing that the Sorcerer was hostile to me, did not dare ask me to speak; so the one who prepared the banquet began to distribute it, and the others to eat. Then behold my pigs devouring the acorns, regardless of him who shook them down. They vied with each other in their happiness; they were filled with joy, and I with sadness; we must yield to the will of God, for the hour of this people is not yet come.
Cecy se passa le Lundy, le Mercredy suiuant mon hoste & vn ieune chasseur tuerent à coups de fleches l'Orignac dont ils auoient veu les traces, ils en virent d'autres depuis, mais comme [283] il y auoit fort peu de neige ils n'en peurent iamais approcher à la portée de leurs arcs si tost qu'ils eurẽt ceste proye ils la mirent en pieces, en apportant vne bonne partie dans nos cabannes, & enseuelissans le reste soubs la neige; voila tout le monde en ioye, on fait vn grand banquet où ie fus inuité, voyant les grandes pieces de chair qu'on donnoit à vn chacun, ie demanday à l'Apostat si c'estoit vn festin à mãger tout, & m'ayant dit qu'ouy, il est impossible, luy reparty-ie, que ie mange tout ce qu'on m'a donné, si faut-il bien, me répondit-il, que vous le mangiez, les autres sont assez empeschez à manger leur part, il faut que vous mangiez la vostre: ie luy fais entẽdre que Dieu deffendoit ces excez, & que ie ne le cõmettrois point y allast-il de la vie, ce mechant blasphemateur pour animer les autres [162] contre moy, leur dit que Dieu estoit fasché de ce qu'ils auoient à manger: Ie ne dis pas cela, luy repliquay-ie en Sauuage, mais bien qu'il deffend de manger auec excez, le Sorcier me repart, ie n'ay iamais plus grand bien sinon quand ie suis saoul. Or comme ie ne pouuois venir à [284] bout de ma portion, i'inuite vn Sauuage mon voisin d'en prendre vne partie, luy donnant du petun en recompense de ce qu'il mangeoit pour moy, i'en iette vne autre partie secrettement aux chiens, les Sauuages s'en estans doutez par la querelle qui suruint entre ces animaux, se mirent à crier contre moy, disans que ie cõtaminois leur festin, qu'ils ne prendroient plus rien, & que nous mourrions de faim, les femmes & les enfans ayans sceu cela, me regardoient par apres comme vn tres-meschant homme, me reprochant auec dedain que ie les ferois mourir, & veritablement si Dieu ne nous eust donné rien de long temps, i'estois en danger d'estre mis à mort pour auoir commis vn tel sacrilege: voila, iusques où s'estend leur superstition, pour obuier à cét inconuenient: les autres fois on me fit ma part plus petite, & encore me dit on que ie n'en mãgeasse sinon que ce que ie voudrois, qu'eux mangeroient le reste, mais sur tout que ie me donnasse bien de garde de rien ietter aux chiens.
This happened on Monday. On the Wednesday following, my host and a young hunter killed with arrows the Moose whose tracks we had seen; they saw others afterwards, but, as [283] there was so little snow, they could never approach within arrow-shot of them. As soon as they had captured this game, they divided it up, bringing a large part of it to our cabins, and burying the rest under the snow. Now every one was happy, and a great banquet was made, to which I was invited. Seeing the big pieces of meat they gave to each one, I asked the Apostate if this was an eat-all feast. He answered, "yes;" and I said to him, "It is impossible for me to eat all they have given me." "Indeed you must," he answered, "you must eat it all; the others have to eat all theirs, and you must eat all yours." I made him understand that God forbids such excess, and I would not commit it even if my life depended upon it. This wicked blasphemer, to arouse the others against me, said that God was angry because they had something to eat. "I did not say that," I replied to him in Savage, "but that he prohibits eating to excess." The Sorcerer answered me, "I am never so well off as when I am full." Now as I could not come to the [284] end of my portion, I invited one of my neighboring Savages to take a part of it, giving him some tobacco as a reward for what he would eat for me. I threw another piece of it, secretly, to the dogs. The Savages began to suspect something, from the fight that afterwards took place among these animals; and commenced to cry out against me, saying that I was contaminating their feast, that they would capture nothing more, and that we would die of hunger. When the women and children heard of this afterward, they looked upon me as a very bad man, reproaching me disdainfully, and saying that I would be the cause of their death; and truly, if God had not granted us anything for a long time, I would have been in danger of being put to death for having committed such a sacrilege, to such an extent does their superstition go. To prevent the recurrence of this misfortune, after that they gave me only a small portion; and they also told me that I should not eat any more than I wanted to, that they would eat the rest, but above all I should take care not to throw any to the dogs.
Le trentiesme du mesme mois de Decembre, nous decabanasmes, faisans [285] chemin nous passasmes sur deux beaux lacs tout glacez; nous tirions vers l'endroit où estoit la cache de nostre Orignac, qui ne dura guere en ceste huictiesme demeure.