Having escaped so many perils, we crossed our river on the ice, which was not yet broken; and three hours after midnight, on Palm Sunday, April 9th, I reëntered our little house. God knows what joy there was on both sides! I found the house filled with peace and blessings, every one being in good health, by the grace of our Lord. Monsieur the Governor, learning of my return, sent to me [323] two of our most prominent Frenchmen, to inquire after my health. His affection for us is indeed very evident. One of the heads of the old family in the country[5] also hastened to express his joy at my return. They knew by the small amount of snow that had fallen that Winter, which was less severe than others, that the Savages, and consequently I, would suffer greatly from famine; and hence some even shed tears of joy at seeing me escaped from so great a danger. Blessed be our Lord, in time and in eternity.
I'ay bien voulu d'escrire ce voyage, pour faire voir à V. R. les grands trauaux qu'il faut souffrir en la suitte des Sauuages, mais ie supplie pour la derniere fois ceux qui auroient enuie de les ayder, de ne point prendre l'espouuente, non seulement pource que Dieu se faict sentir plus puissamment dans la disette, & dans les delaissements des creatures, mais aussi pource qu'il ne sera plus de besoin de faire ces courses, quãd on aura la connoissance des langues, & qu'on les aura [210] reduites en preceptes: I'ay rapporté quelques particularitez [324] qui se pouuoient obmettre, i'en ay passé beaucoup sous silence, qu'on auroit peu lire auec plaisir, mais la crainte d'estre long, & mon peu de loisir, me fait tomber dans le desordre; il est vray que i'escris à vne personne, quæ ordinabit me charitatem, les autres qui verront cette Relation par son entremise, me feront la mesme faueur. Ie dirois volontiers ces deux mots, à quiconque lira ces escrits, ama & fac quod vis, retournons à nostre journal.
I wanted to describe this journey, to show Your Reverence the great hardships that must be endured in following the Savages; but I entreat, for the last time, those who have any desire to help them not to be frightened; not only because God makes himself more powerfully felt in our time of need, and in the helplessness of his creatures, but also because it will no longer be necessary to make these sojourns when we shall know their languages and reduce them to rules. I have reported some details [324] which might have been omitted; and have passed over in silence much that would, perhaps, have been read with pleasure; but the fear of being tedious, and my little leisure, have caused some disorder in my work. It is true that I am writing to a person, quæ ordinabit me charitatem; and the others who through his agency see this Relation will do me the same favor. I feel like saying these two words to whomsoever will read these writings, ama et fac quod vis. Let us return to our journal.
Le 31. de May, arriua vne chalouppe de Tadoussac, qui apportoit nouuelle que trois vaisseaux de Messieurs les Associez estoient arriuez, deux estoient dans le port, & le troisiéme au Moulin Baude, c'est vn lieu proche de Tadoussac, que les François ont ainsi nommé: on attendoit le quatriéme, dans lequel commandoit Monsieur du Plessis, general de la flotte, qui vint bien-tost apres, & loüa grandement le Capitaine Bontemps, pour s'estre rendu fort recommandable en la prise du nauire Anglois, dont i'ay parlé cy-dessus; si tost que ces bonnes nouuelles furent portées à Mõsieur de Champlain, comme il n'obmet [325] aucune occasion de nous tesmoigner son affection, il nous en fit donner aduis par homme exprés, nous enuoyans en outre les lettres du R. P. Lallement qui m'escriuoit qu'il estoit arriué auec N. F. Iean Ligeois en bonne santé, & qu'au premier vent il seroit des nostres, il est aisé à conjecturer auec quelle ioye nous benismes & remerciasmes nostre Seigneur de ces bonnes & si fauorables nouuelles; il arriua deux iours apres dans la barque que commandoit Monsieur Castillon, qu'on dit s'estre fort bien comporté en la prise de l'Anglois.
On the 31st of May, a shallop arrived from Tadoussac which bore the news that three vessels of Messieurs the Associates had arrived,—two being in that port, and the third at Moulin Baude, a place near Tadoussac, thus named by the French.[6] They were waiting for the fourth, commanded by Monsieur du Plessis, general of the fleet, who came soon afterwards and bestowed high praise upon Captain Bontemps for having shown very meritorious conduct in the capture of the English ship, of which I have spoken above. As soon as this good news was brought to Monsieur de Champlain, as he never omits [325] any occasion to show his good will, he sent us tidings thereof by a special messenger, sending us also the letters of Reverend Father Lallement who wrote me that he had arrived with Our Brother Jean Ligeois in good health, and that the first breeze would bring him to us.[7] It is easy to guess with what joy we blessed and thanked our Lord for this good and so favorable news. He arrived two days later in the bark commanded by Monsieur Castillon, who is said to have done good work in the capture of the English.
Le quatriéme iour de Iuin Feste de la Pentecoste le [212] Capitaine de Nesle arriua à Kebec, dans son vaisseau estoit Mõsieur Giffard, & toute sa famille, composée de plusieurs personnes qu'il ameine, pour habiter le pays, sa femme s'est mõstrée fort courageuse à suiure son mary: elle estoit enceinte quand elle s'embarqua; ce qui luy faisoit apprehender ses couches, mais nostre Seigneur la grandement fauorisée, car huict iours apres son arriuée, sçauoir est le Dimanche de la Saincte Trinité, elle s'est deliurée fort heureusement d'vne fille qui se porte [326] fort bien, & que le Pere Lallement baptisa le lendemain.
On the fourth day of June, the Feast of Pentecost, Captain de Nesle arrived at Kebec; in his vessel was Monsieur Giffard and his whole household, composed of many persons, whom he brought to settle in this country.[8] His wife showed great courage in following her husband; she was pregnant when she embarked, which made her dread her accouchement; but our Lord was wonderfully kind to her, for eight days after her arrival, that is, on the Sunday of holy Trinity, she was delivered happily of a daughter who is doing [326] very well and whom Father Lallement baptized the following day.
Le 24. du mesme mois, feste de S. Iean Baptiste, le vaisseau de l'Anglois commandé par le Capitaine de Lormel, monta iusques icy, & nous apporta le P. Iacques Buteux en assez bonne santé, Monsieur le General nous honorant de ses lettres, me manda que ce bon Pere auoit esté fort malade pendant la trauersée, & le Pere nous dit qu'il auoit esté secouru & assisté si puissamment, & si charitablement de Monsieur le General & de son Chirurgien, qu'il en restoit tout confus, maintenant il se porte mieux que iamais il n'a fait.
On the 24th of the same month, feast of St. John the Baptist, the English ship, commanded by Captain de Lormel, came up thus far, and brought us Father Jacques Buteux[9] in fairly good health. Monsieur the General, honoring us with his letters, sent me word that this good Father had been very sick during the passage; the Father told us that he had been so effectively nursed and assisted by Monsieur the General and his Surgeon, that he felt overwhelmed by their kindness; he feels better now than ever before.[10]
Le premier de Iuillet le P. Breboeuf & le P. Daniel partirent dans vne barque, pour s'en aller aux trois Riuieres, au deuant des Hurons, la barque alloit commencer vne nouuelle habitation en ce quartier là, le P. Dauost qui estoit descendu de Tadoussac, pour l'assistance de nos François, suiuit nos Peres trois iours apres, en la compagnie de Monsieur le General, qui se vouloit trouuer à la traite auec ces peuples. Ils attendoient là quelque temps les Hurons, qui ne sont point descendus en si grand nombre cette année qu'à l'ordinaire, à raison que les Hiroquois estans aduertis [214] que cinq cens hommes de cette nation tiroient en leur pays, pour leur faire la guerre, leurs allerent au deuant au nombre de quinze cens dit on, & ayant surpris ceux qui les vouloient surprendre: ils en ont tué enuiron deux cens, & pris plus d'vne centaine de prisonniers, dont Louys Amantacha est du nombre; on disoit que son pere estoit mis à mort, mais le bruit est maintenant qu'il s'est sauué des mains de l'ennemy. On nous rapporte que ces Hiroquois [327] triomphans ont renuoyé quelques Capitaines aux Hurons pour traitter de paix, retenans par deuers eux les plus apparens, apres auoir cruellement massacré les autres.