[114] When last year, one thousand six hundred and thirty-four, we arrived at the three Rivers, where the trading post was, we found ourselves in several difficulties and perplexities. For, on the one hand, there were only eleven Huron canoes to embark our ten additional persons who were intending to go into their Country. On the other, we were greatly in doubt whether any others would descend this year, considering the great loss they had experienced in war with the Hiroquois, named Sonontrerrhonons,[21] last Spring, and the fear they had of a new invasion. This placed us much in doubt whether we ought to take advantage of the opportunity which was presented, or wait for a better one.
En fin tout bien consideré nous [115] resolusmes de tenter fortune, iugeans qu'il importoit du tout, d'auoir vn pied dans le Pays, afin d'en ouurir la porte, qui sembloit estroittement fermée à la Foy. Cette resolution fut encore plus aisée que l'execution, qui [70] parauanture eust esté impossible sans le soin, la faueur & la liberalité de Monsieur du Plessis Bochard General de la flotte: car incõtinent après son arriuée, qui fut le cinquiesme Iuillet 1634. il fit tenir Conseil auec les Bissiriniens, ausquels il proposa le dessein qu'il auoit d'enuoyer quelques-vns auec eux, & de nous ioindre aux Hurons. Ils en firẽt plusieurs difficultez, & l'vn des Capitaines de l'Isle nommé la Perdrix par dessus tous; neantmoins les raisons & les presens les gagnerent.
At last, after full consideration, we [115] resolved to try our fortune, judging that it was of vital importance to have a footing in the Country in order to open the door which seemed firmly closed to the Faith. This resolution was far easier than the execution of it, which perchance would have been impossible without the care, the favor, and the liberality of Monsieur du Plessis Bochard, General of the fleet. For immediately after his arrival, which was on the fifth of July, 1634, he held a Council with the Bissiriniens, to whom he proposed the plan he had of sending some men with them, and of joining us to the Hurons. They made several objections, and one of the Chiefs of the Island, named "the Partridge" [la Perdrix],[22] more than all the rest; nevertheless, arguments and presents won them over.
Le lendemain matin l'Assemblée se fit de rechef, par le commandement [116] de Monsieur du Plessis Bochard, où les Bissiriniens & les Hurons se trouuerent. Le mesme dessein leur fut representé; mais pour respect les vns des autres ils resolurẽt tous ensemble de n'embarquer aucun François, & n'y eut pour lors aucune raison qui les peust fléchir. Surquoy nostre entreprise sembloit encore estre rompuë pour ce coup; mais au depart de l'Assemblée vn des Attiguenongha, me tirant à quartier, me dit que ie l'allasse veoir en sa cabane. Là il me fait entendre que luy & son camarade en embarqueroient trois; ie respons que nous ne pouuions aller moins de cinq, sçauoir nous trois, & deux de nos hommes.
The next morning, the Assembly met again, by the command [116] of Monsieur du Plessis Bochard, and both the Bissiriniens and the Hurons were present. The same plan was again presented to them; but out of respect for one another they all agreed not to embark any Frenchmen; and no arguments could, for the time being, move them. Thereupon our enterprise seemed again cut off, by this action. But, at the close of the Assembly, one of the Attiguenongha,[23] drawing me aside, asked me to visit him in his cabin. There he gave me to understand that he and his companion would embark three of us. I replied that we could not go unless five went, namely, we three and two of our men.
Sur cela les Arendarhonons s'estant eschauffez à nous embarquer, nous trouuasmes place pour six; si bien que nous resolusmes de [117] partir, & laisser les deux petits garçons que nous deuions mener iusqu'à quelque autre occasion: aussi tost nous distribuasmes nos pacquets, & fismes des presens à vn chacun pour les encourager, & le lendemain septiéme du mois, Mr du Plessis Bochard leur en fit encore d'autres, en consideration seulement de ce qu'ils nous embarquoiẽt, & les festoya tous ensemble d'vn festin de [72] trois grandes chaudieres. Mais la contagion qui a couru l'année passée parmy tous ces Peuples, auec de grands rauages, ayant en vn instant saisi plusieurs de nos Sauuages, & remply tout le reste de peur, nous causa derechef vne grande confusion, & nous mit en de grandes peines, veu qu'il falloit partir sur le champ. Nos six canots estans reduits à trois, & nos deux Peres & moy nous trouuans desembarquez; [118] il me falloit chercher de nouueaux hommes; reprendre nostre petit equipage; deliberer qui s'embarqueroit, & qui demeureroit; choisir entre nos pacquets ceux que nous porterions, & donner ordre pour le reste, & tout cela en moins de demye-heure, où il eust esté besoin des iournées entieres. Neantmoins recognoissans bien que nostre embarquement estoit vn coup de partie pour le Ciel, nous pensasmes qu'il falloit y faire tous nos efforts, pour resister à ceux de l'ennemy commun du salut des hommes, que nous ne doutions nullement s'estre meslé dans cét affaire. I'y fis tout mõ pouuoir, nous redoublasmes les presens, nous diminuasmes nostre petit bagage, & prismes seulement ce qui concernoit le sainct Sacrifice de la Messe, & ce qui estoit absolument necessaire pour la vie. Monsieur [119] du Plessis y interposa son authorité, Monsieur Oliuer & Monsieur Coullart leur industrie, & tous les François leur affection. Cependant ie vis par plusieurs fois tout renuersé & desesperé, iusqu'à ce que i'eus particulierement recours à nostre Seigneur Iesvs, pour l'vnique gloire duquel nous entreprenions ce penible voyage, & que i'eus fait vn vœu au glorieux sainct Ioseph nouueau Patriarche des Hurons. Car aussi-tost ie vis tout se calmer, & nos Sauuages si contens, que ceux qui embarquerent [74] le Pere Daniel l'auoient desia mis dans leur canot, & sembloit qu'ils l'alloiẽt emmener, sans auoir encore receu la paye ordinaire. Mais ledit Pere voyant qu'ils n'auoient point de capots comme les autres, sort du canot, m'en aduertit, & ie leur en fais donner.
Thereupon the Arendarhonons[24] became eager to embark us; we found place for six, and so we resolved to [117] set out, and leave until some other time the two little boys we were to take. We began to distribute our baggage, and made presents to each one, to encourage them; and on the morrow, the seventh of the month, Monsieur du Plessis Bochard gave them still others, on the single consideration that they would embark us, and feasted all of them at a great feast of three large kettles. But the contagion which spread among all these Tribes last year, with great destruction, having suddenly seized several of our Savages, and filled the rest with fear, again threw us into confusion, and put us to great trouble, seeing that we had to set out immediately. Our six canoes being reduced to three, and our two Fathers and I being disembarked, [118] I had to find new men, to unload our slender baggage, to decide who should embark and who should remain, to choose among our packages those we were to carry, and to give orders as to the rest,—and all this in less than half an hour, when we would have needed entire days. Nevertheless, recognizing clearly that our embarkment was a decisive stroke for Heaven, we thought it necessary to put forth our utmost energies to resist the efforts of the common enemy of man's salvation, who, we doubted not, was mixed up in this matter. I therefore did everything I could; we doubled the presents, we reduced the amount of our baggage, and took only what belonged to the holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and what was absolutely necessary for life. Monsieur [119] du Plessis interposed his authority, Monsieur Oliver and Monsieur Coullart their ingenuity, and all the Frenchmen their affection. Yet several times I was completely baffled and desperate, until I had special recourse to our Lord Jesus, for whose glory alone we were undertaking this painful journey, and until I had made a vow to glorious saint Joseph, the new Patriarch of the Hurons. Immediately I saw everything become quiet, and our Savages so satisfied that those who embarked Father Daniel had already placed him in their canoe, and it seemed as if they were going to take him without even receiving the ordinary pay. But the Father, seeing that they had not cloaks like the others, stepped out of the canoe, told me about it, and I had some given to them.
En fin donc apres auoir briéuement [120] remercié Mr du Plessis, luy auoir recommandé l'embarquement du reste de nos gens, si l'occasion se presentoit, & luy auoir dit adieu, & à tous nos François: Ie m'embarquay auec le Pere Antoine Daniel, & vn de nos hommes; les deux autres venoient auec les Algonquains. Monsieur du Plessis honora nostre depart de plusieurs canonnades, afin de nous rendre encore plus recommandables à nos Sauuages. Ce fut le septiesme Iuillet. Le P. Ambroise Dauost s'embarqua huict iours apres auec deux autres de nos gens. Le reste suiuit huict iours apres, pour prendre sa part des fatigues d'vn voyage tres fascheux, non seulement à raison de sa longueur, & de la mauuaise chere qu'on y fait, mais encore pour les circuits qu'il faut faire de Kebec iusques icy par les Bissiriniens & la petite Nation; ie [121] croy qu'il y en a pour plus de trois cens lieuës. Il est vray que le chemin est plus court par le Saut de S. Louys, & par le Lac des Hiroquois, mais la crainte des ennemis, & le peu de commodité qui s'y rencontre, en rẽd le passage desert. De deux difficultez ordinaires, la premiere est celle des sauts & portages. Vostre Reuerence a desia assez veu de sauts d'eau vers Kebec, pour sçauoir ce qui en est: toutes les riuieres de ces Pays en sont pleines, & notamment la riuiere de S. Laurens, depuis qu'on a passé celle des Prairies. Car de là en auant elle n'a plus son lit égal, mais se brise en plusieurs endroits, [76] roulant & sautant effroyablement, à guise d'vn torrent impetueux, & mesmes en quelques endroits elle tombe tout à coup de haut en bas, de la hauteur de plusieurs brasses. Ie me souuenois [122] en passant des Catadoupes du Nil, à ce qu'en disent nos Historiens. Or quand on approche de ces cheutes ou torrens, il faut mettre pied à terre, & porter au col à trauers les bois, ou sur de hautes & facheuses roches, tous les pacquets & les canots mesmes. Cela ne se fait pas sans beaucoup de trauail, car il y a des portages d'vne, de deux & de trois lieuës, ioint qu'il faut en chacun faire plusieurs voyages, si on a tãt soit peu de pacquets. En quelques endroits, qui ne sont pas moins rapides que ces portages; mais neantmoins plus aisez à l'abord, les Sauuages entrans dans l'eau, trainent & conduisent à la main leurs canots, auec d'extremes peines & dangers; car ils en ont par fois iusques au col, si bien qu'ils sont contraints de quitter prise, & se sauuer comme ils peuuent de la rapidité de l'eau, qui emporte & [123] leur arrache le canot. Cela est arriué à vn de nos François, qui demeura seul dans le canot, tous les Sauuages l'ayans laissé aller au gré du torrent mais son adresse & sa force luy sauuerent la vie, & le canot aussi, auec tout ce qui estoit dedans. I'ay supputé le nombre des portages, & ie trouue que nous auons porté trente cinq fois, & traisné pour le moins cinquante. Ie me suis quelquefois meslé d'aider à mes Sauages: mais le fond de la riuiere est de pierres si tranchantes, que ie ne pouuois marcher long-temps estant nuds pieds.
At last, then, after having briefly [120] thanked Monsieur du Plessis, having entrusted to him the embarkation of the rest of our people, if opportunity presented itself, and having bid him and all our Frenchmen adieu, I embarked with Father Antoine Daniel and one of our men; the two others were coming with the Algonquains. Monsieur du Plessis honored our departure with several volleys, to recommend us still more to our Savages. It was the seventh of July. Father Ambroise Davost embarked eight days later, with two others of our people. The rest followed eight days after, to take their part in the fatigues of a journey extremely wearisome, not only on account of its length and of the wretched fare to be had, but also on account of the circuits that have to be made in coming from Kebec to this place by way of the Bissiriniens and the petite Nation; I [121] believe that they amount to more than three hundred leagues. It is true the way is shorter by the Saut de St. Louys and the Lake of the Hiroquois; but the fear of enemies, and the few conveniences to be met with, cause that route to be unfrequented. Of two ordinary difficulties, the chief is that of the rapids and portages. Your Reverence has already seen enough of the rapids near Kebec to know what they are. All the rivers of this Country are full of them, and notably the St. Lawrence after that of the Prairies[25] is passed. For from there onward it has no longer a smooth bed, but is broken up in several places, rolling and leaping in a frightful way, like an impetuous torrent; and even, in some places, it falls down suddenly from a height of several brasses. I remembered, [122] in passing, the Cataracts of the Nile, as they are described by our Historians. Now when these rapids or torrents are reached, it is necessary to land, and carry on the shoulder, through woods or over high and troublesome rocks, all the baggage and the canoes themselves. This is not done without much work; for there are portages of one, two, and three leagues, and for each several trips must be made, no matter how few packages one has. In some places, where the current is not less strong than in these rapids, although easier at first, the Savages get into the water, and haul and guide by hand their canoes with extreme difficulty and danger; for they sometimes get in up to the neck and are compelled to let go their hold, saving themselves as best they can from the rapidity of the water, which snatches [123] from them and bears off their canoe. This happened to one of our Frenchmen who remained alone in the canoe, all the Savages having left it to the mercy of the torrent; but his skill and strength saved his life, and the canoe also, with all that was in it. I kept count of the number of portages, and found that we carried our canoes thirty-five times, and dragged them at least fifty. I sometimes took a hand in helping my Savages; but the bottom of the river is full of stones, so sharp that I could not walk long, being barefooted.
La deuxiesme difficulté ordinaire est pour le viure; souuent il faut ieusner, si l'on vient à perdre les caches qu'on a faites en descendant, & quand on les [78] retrouue, on ne laisse pas d'auoir bon appetit apres s'y estre traicté. Car le manger ordinaire n'est que d'vn peu de bled d'Inde [124] cassé assez grossierement entre deux pierres, & quelquefois tout entier dans de l'eau pure. Cela n'est pas de grand goust. Quelquesfois on a du poisson, mais c'est hazard, excepté quand on passe quelque Nation où l'on en peut acheter. Adioustez à ces difficultez, qu'il faut coucher sur la terre nuẽ, ou sur quelque dure roche, faute de trouuer dix ou douze pieds de terre en quarré pour placer vne chetiue cabane; qu'il faut sentir incessammẽt la puanteur des Sauuages recreus, marcher dãs les eaux, dãs les fanges, dans l'obscurité & l'embaras des forests, où les piqueures d'vne multitude infinie de mousquilles & cousins vous importunent fort.