They have three hundred leagues to make over a route full of horrors, as it is described by the Hurons; on their way down, they hide meal every two days, to eat on their return, and these hiding-places are the only hotels they have. If they fail to find them, or if some one robs them, for they are the worst kind of thieves, they must get along without eating. If they do find their provisions, they cannot feast very sumptuously upon them. In the morning they mix a little of this meal with water, and each one eats about a bowlful of it; upon this they ply their paddles all day, and at nightfall they eat as [334] they did at break of day. This is the kind of life that our Fathers must lead until they reach the country of these barbarians. When they arrive, they will build themselves a bark house, and there they will live on wheat, and cornmeal, and, in certain seasons, on fish. As for meat, there being no hunting where they are, they will not eat it six times a year, unless they eat their dogs, as the people do, who raise these animals as they do sheep in France; their drink will be water. So these are the delicacies of the country for well people and sick,—bread, wine, different kinds of meat, fruit, and a thousand refreshing viands found in France not yet having been introduced into these countries.
La mõnoye dõt ils acheteront leurs viures, leur bois, leur maisõ d'écorce, & autres necessités, sont des petits canons ou tuiaux de verre, des couteaux, des alesnes, des castelognes, des chaudieres, des haches: & choses semblables, c'est l'argent qu'il faut porter auec soy: si la paix se fait entre les Hurons, & les Hiroquois, ie preuoy vne grande porte ouuerte à l'Euangile, [33 i.e., 335] nous disons alors auec ioye & [224] auec tristesse messis, quidem multa operarij vero pauci: car on ver[r]a la disette de personnes qui entendent les langues. I'apprend qu'en 25 ou 30 lieuës de pays qu'occupent les Hurons, d'autres en mettent bien moins; il se trouue plus de trente mille ames, la nation neutre est bien plus peuplée, les Hiroquois le sont grandement, les Algonquains ont vn pays de fort grande estenduë. Ie ne souhaitterois maintenant que cinq ou six de nos Peres en chaqu'vne de ces nations, & cependant ie n'oserois les demander quoy que pour vn qu'on desire, il s'en presente dix toute prests de mourir dans ces trois: mais i'apprend que tout ce que nous auons en France pour cette mission est peu: comme donc prendrons nous les enfans, notamment de ces nations peuplées, pour les nourrir & les instruire, las! faut il que les biens de la terre, empeschent les biens du Ciel! que n'auons nous tant seulement les mies de pain qui tombent de la table des riches du monde, pour donner à ces petits enfans! Ie ne me plains [336] point, ie ne demande rien à qui que ce soit: mais ie ne puis tenir mes sentiments, quand ie voy que la fange (que sont autres choses les biens d'icy bas) empesche que Dieu ne soit conneu & adoré de ces peuples. Et si quelqu'vn trouue estrange que ie parle en cette sorte, qu'il vienne, qu'il ouure les yeux, qu'ils voyent ces peuples crier apres le pain de la parole de Dieu, & s'il n'est touché de compassion, & s'il ne crie plus haut que moy, ie me condam[ne]ray à vn perpetuel silence.
The money with which they will buy their food, wood, bark house, and other necessaries, is little beads or tubes of glass, knives, awls, blankets, kettles, hatchets, and similar things; this is the money they must carry with them. If peace is negotiated between the Hurons and Hiroquois, I foresee a splendid opening for the Gospel. [33 i.e., 335] We can say then with joy and with sadness, messis, quidem multa operarii vero pauci, for we shall see few persons who understand these languages. I learn that in the 25 or 30 leagues of country which the Hurons occupy,—others estimate it at much less,—there are more than thirty thousand souls. The neutral nation is much more populous, the Hiroquois largely so, and the Algonquains have a country of very great extent. I would like to have now only five or six of our Fathers in each of these nations; and yet I would not dare to ask for them, although for one that we desire ten would volunteer, all ready to die in these countries. But I learn that all we have in France for this mission is little; how then shall we take the children, especially those of these populous nations, to maintain and instruct them? Alas, must it be that the goods of this world are a barrier to the blessings of Heaven? Oh, that we had only the crumbs of bread that fall from the tables of the rich of the world, to give to these little children! I do not [336] complain, I ask nothing from any one whomsoever; but I cannot restrain my emotion when I see that dirt (for what else is wealth here below?) prevents these people from knowing and adoring God. And if any one thinks it strange that I speak in this way, let him come, let him open his eyes, let him see these people crying for the bread of the word of God; and, if he is not touched with compassion, and if he does not cry louder than I do, I will condemn myself to perpetual silence.
Le troisiesme d'Aoust Monsieur de Champlain retournant des trois Riuieres où il estoit allé apres le depart de nos Peres, nous dit qu'vn truchement François pour la nation Algonquine venant d'auec les [226] Hurons, auoit rapporté nouuelle que le Pere Brebeuf souffroit grãdement, que ses Sauuages estoient malades, qu'il ramoit incessamment pour les soulager: que le Pere Daniel estoit mort de faim, où en grand danger d'en mourir, à raison que les Sauuages qui l'ont embarqué quittans le chemin ordinaire où ils auoient faict les chaches [337] de leurs viures, auoient tiré dans les bois, esperant trouuer vne certaine nation qui leur dõneroit à manger, mais n'ayant point trouué ce peuple errant qui s'estoit transporté ailleurs, on conjecture qu'ils sont tous, Sauuages & François en danger de mort; veu mesmement qu'il n'y a point de chasse en ce quartier là, & que la pluspart de ces Barbares sont malades, Dieu soit beny de tout. Ceux qui meurent allants au martyre, ne laissent pas d'estre martyrs. Quand au Pere Dauost, il se porte bien; mais les Sauuages qui le menent luy ont desrobé vne partie de son bagage; i'ay desia dit qu'estre Huron & Larron, ce n'est qu'vne mesme chose; voila ce qu'a rapporté ce truchement. Les Peres nous escrirons l'an qui vient, s'il plaist à Dieu, toutes les particularitez de leur voyage, nous ne sçaurions pas auoir de leurs nouuelles deuant ce temps-là: si leur petit equipage est perdu ou volé, ils sont pour beaucoup endurer en ces contrée, si esloignées de tout secours.
On the third of August, Monsieur de Champlain, having returned from three Rivers, where he had gone after the departure of our Fathers, told us that a French interpreter for the Algonquin nation had come from the Hurons and brought the tidings that Father Brebeuf was suffering greatly; that his Savages were sick, and that he had to paddle continually, to relieve them; that Father Daniel had died of starvation, or was in great danger of dying, because the Savages who had taken him on board had left the usual route, where they had hidden [337] their food, and had turned off into the woods, hoping to find a certain tribe who would give them something to eat; but, not having found these wandering people, who had gone to some other place, they supposed that they all, Savages and French, were in danger of death, especially as there is no game in that quarter, and as the greater part of these Barbarians are sick. God be praised for all. Those who die on the way to martyrdom are surely martyrs. As to Father Davost, he is getting along very well, but the Savages who are taking him have stolen part of his baggage; I have already said that to be a Huron, and to be a Thief, is one and the same thing. So much for what this interpreter reported. The Fathers will write us next year, please God, all the particulars of their journey; but we cannot have news from them before that time. If their little outfit is lost or stolen, they will have to endure a great deal in those countries, so far from all help.
Le quatrième, Monsieur du Plessis descendit des trois Riuieres comme ie [338] l'allay saluër, il me dit qu'il nous amenoit vn petit Sauuage orphelin, nous en faisant present, pour luy seruir de pere; si tost qu'on aura moyen de recueillir ces pauures enfans, on en pourra auoir quelque nombre, qui seruiront par apres à la conuersion de leurs Compatriottes. Il [228] nous dit encore qu'on trauailloit fort & ferme au lieu nommé les trois Riuieres, si bien que nos François ont maintenant trois habitations sur le grand fleuue de sainct Laurens, vne à Kebec fortifiée de nouueau, l'autre à quinze lieuës plus haut dans l'Isle de saincte Croix, où Monsieur de Champlain a faict bastir le fort de Richelieu. La troisiéme demeure se bastit aux trois Riuieres, quinze autres lieuës plus haut, c'est à dire a trente lieuës de Kebec. Incontinent apres le depart des vaisseaux, le Pere Iacques Buteux & moy irons là demeurer pour assister nos François, les nouuelles habitations estant ordinairement dangereuses, ie n'ay pas veu qu'il fut à propos d'y exposer le Pere Charles Lallemant, ny autres, le Pere Buteux y vient auec moy [339] pour estudier à la langue.
On the fourth, Monsieur du Plessis came down from three Rivers. As I [338] went to greet him, he told me that he had brought us a little orphan Savage, making a present of him to us, to take the place of his father. As soon as we shall have the means for gathering in these poor children, we shall have a number of them who will afterwards serve in the conversion of their Compatriots. He also told us that they were working with might and main in the place called the three Rivers; so, indeed, our French now have three settlements upon the great river saint Lawrence,—one at Kebec, newly fortified; another fifteen leagues farther up the river, on the Island of sainte Croix, where Monsieur de Champlain has had fort Richelieu built;[13] the third colony is being established at three Rivers, fifteen leagues still higher up the river, that is to say thirty leagues from Kebec. Immediately after the departure of the vessels, Father Jacques Buteux and I will go there to live, to assist our French. As new settlements are usually dangerous, it has not seemed to me proper to expose Father Charles Lallemant or others there. Father Buteux goes there with me [339] to study the language.
V. R. connoistra maintenant, que la crainte qu'ont eu quelques vns que l'estranger ne vint vne autre fois rauager le pays, & empescher la conuersion de ces pauures Barbares n'est pas bien fondée; puis que les familles s'habituent icy, puis qu'on y bastit des forts & des demeures en plusieurs endroits, & que Monseigneur le Cardinal fauorise cette entreprise honorable deuant Dieu, & deuant les hommes. Cet esprit capable d'animer quatre corps, à ce que i'apprend, void de bien loing, ie le confesse, mais i'ay quelque creance, qu'il n'attend point de nos Sauuages qui entendent la parole de Dieu, & les veritez du Ciel par son entremise, car c'est luy qui nous a honorez de ses cõmandements; nous renuoyant en ces contrées auec la bien-veillance de Messieurs les Associez: Ie croy, dis-je, qu'il n'attend point de cette vigne, qu'il arrouse de ses soings les fruicts qu'elle luy presentera en terre, & qu'il les goustera vn iour dedans [230] les Cieux. Pleust à Dieu qu'il veist cinq ou six cens Hurons, hommes [340] grands, forts, & bien faits, prester l'oreille aux bonnes nouuelles de l'Euangile qu'on leur va porter cette année: Ie me figure qu'il honoreroit par fois la nouuelle France d'vn de ses regards, & que cette veuë luy donneroit autant de contentement, que ces grandes actions dont il remplit l'Europe; car de procurer que le sang de Iesus-Christ soit appliqué aux ames pour lesquelles il est respandu, c'est vne gloire peu connuë des hommes, mais enuiée des grandes intelligences du Ciel & de la terre.
Your Reverence will now see that the fear some people had that the foreigner would again come to ravage the country, and prevent the conversion of these poor Barbarians, is not well founded; since households have been established here, since forts and dwellings are being built in several places, and as Monseigneur the Cardinal favors this enterprise, honorable in the eyes of God and of man. That mind,—capable of animating four bodies, according to what I have heard,—sees far indeed, I confess; but I am of the opinion that he does not expect from our Savages, who hear the word of God and the truths of Heaven through his agency,—for it is he who has honored us with his commands, sending us again into these countries under the care of Messieurs the Associates,—I believe, I say, that he does not expect from this vine, which he waters with his care, the fruits which it will bear for him on earth, and which he will enjoy one day in Heaven. God grant that he may see five or six hundred Hurons,—large, [340] strong, well-made men,—ready to listen to the good news of the Gospel which is being carried to them this year. I imagine that he would honor occasionally new France by a look, and that this glance would give him as much satisfaction as those great deeds with which he is filling Europe; but to cause the blood of Jesus Christ to be applied to the souls for whom it was shed, is a glory little known among men, but longed for by the great powers of Heaven and earth.
Il est temps de sonner la retraitte, les vaisseaux sont prests à partir, & cependant ie n'ay pas encore releu ny interponctué cette grãde Relation, qui peut suffir pour trois années: V. R. iugera par la necessité que i'ay eu d'emprunter la main d'autruy, pour luy escrire que ie n'ay pas tout le loisir que ie pourrois desirer. Ie ne sçay cõme cela se fait, que les nouuelles s'escriuent tousiours auec empressement, aussi n'y recherche-on pas tant de politesse que la verité & la naïfueté, mon cœur a plus parlé que mes lettres, & n'estoit la pensée que i'ay, [341] qu'en escriuant à vne personne, ie parle à plusieurs, il se respandroit bien dauantage.