Sometimes a word, or a dream, or a fancy, or even the smallest sense of inconvenience, is enough to cause them to illtreat, or set ashore, and I dare say to murder one,—as happened last year to a poor Algonquain, who was abandoned in a rapid by his own nephew; and, not a month ago, a poor young man, also an Algonquain, having fallen into the fire, was killed near our village by his own Tribesmen, for fear he might [133] be an inconvenience in the canoe. What makes me believe they killed him is that it is the custom among them; that the Hurons said so; and that, the evening before, he ate heartily a good quantity of what we gave him; besides, two Algonquains assured us that they had a mind to brain him with one or two blows of an axe. Your Reverence has seen or known of similar cases in your winter's stay among the Savages. In a word, he who thinks of coming here must make up his mind to many obvious dangers and to great fatigues. I attribute, nevertheless, all these extraordinary difficulties to the sickness among our Savages. For we know very well how sickness alters the disposition and the inclinations even of the most sociable. I know not at what price our French and the Montagnais [134] will have become rid of it. I know, indeed, that the greater part of the Montagnais who were at the three Rivers when we embarked were sick, and that many of them died; and also that almost no one who returned by canoe from trading, was not afflicted with this contagion. It has been so universal among the Savages of our acquaintance that I do not know if one has escaped its attacks. All these poor people have been much inconvenienced by it, particularly during the Autumn, as much in their fishing as in their harvesting. Many crops are lying beneath the snow; a large number of persons are dead; there are still some who have not recovered. This sickness began with violent fever, which was followed by a sort of measles or smallpox, different, [135] however, from that common in France, accompanied in several cases by blindness for some days, or by dimness of sight, and terminated at length by diarrhœa which has carried off many and is still bringing some to the grave.
Parmy ces peines & dangers, nous auons de grandes obligations à la prouidence & bonté paternelle de nostre Seigneur: car ny par les chemins, ny dedans le Pays, pas vn de nous n'a esté pris de ce mal, ny cedé à la faim, ou perdu l'appétit. Quelques-vns ont eu du depuis quelque legere atteinte de maladie, mais cela s'est passé en peu de iours. Nostre Seigneur soit loüé à iamais, & la tres-immaculée Vierge, auec son tres-chaste Espoux, de cette singuliere faueur, qui nous a beaucoup aidé pour authoriser nostre Foy parmy ces Peuples.
Among these troubles and dangers, we owe much to the care and fatherly goodness of our Lord; for neither on the journey hither, nor while in this Country, has one of us been taken with this sickness, nor yielded to hunger, nor lost appetite. Some have had since then light attacks of sickness, but they have passed away in a few days. Our Lord be forever praised, and the most immaculate Virgin with her most chaste Spouse, for this singular favor, which has aided us much in giving authority to our Faith among these Peoples.
[136] I'arriué aux Hurons le cinquiesme d'Aoust, iour de nostre Dame des Neiges; ayant demeuré trente iours par les chemins, en continuel trauail, excepté vn iour de repos que nous prismes au pays des Bissiriniens. Tous les autres, excepté Robert le Coq & Dominique, demeurerent bien dauantage, quoy que d'ordinaire le voyage ne soit que de 20. iours ou enuiron. Ie pris terre au port du village de Toanché [90] ou de Teandeouïata, où autresfois nous estions habituez; mais ce fut auec vne petite disgrace, nostre Seigneur nous voulant faire cognoistre dés l'entrée, qu'il nous appelle icy afin d'y endurer. Mes Sauuages s'oublians des caresses que ie leur avois fait, & de l'assistance que ie leur auois rendu, pendant leurs maladies, & outre cela des belles paroles & promesses qu'ils m'auoient faites, apres m'auoir [137] debarqué, auec quelques ornemens d'Eglise, & quelque autre petit equipage, m'abandonnerent là tout seul, sans viures, ny sans cabane, & reprindrent leur route vers leurs villages, distans de quelques sept lieuës; le mal estoit, que le village de Toanché auoit changé depuis mon depart, & que ie ne sçauois pas bonnement en quel endroit il estoit situé, & que ce riuage n'estant plus hanté, ie ne pouuois pas bien m'asseurer du chemin, & que quand ie l'eusse sceu, ny ma foiblesse ne m'eust pas permis de porter tout mon petit bagage à la fois, ny le hazard du lieu d'en faire à deux. C'est pourquoy ie priois mes Sauuages de m'accompagner iusques au village, ou au moins de coucher en ce bord pour cette nuiét, & garder mes hardes tandis que i'irois prendre langue. Mais leurs oreilles estoient sourdes [138] à mes prieres, & à mes remonstrances. Pour toute consolation ils me dirent que quelqu'vn me viendroit trouuer là. Il fallut auoir patience: ils partent, & ie me prosterne aussitost à genoux, pour remercier Dieu, nostre Dame, & sainct Ioseph, des faueurs & des graces que i'auois receu durant le voyage. Ie saluay l'Ange tutelaire du Pays, & m'offris à nostre Seigneur, auec tous nos petits trauaux, pour le salut de ces pauures Peuples, prenant esperãce que Dieu ne m'abandonneroit point [92] là, puis qu'il m'auoit conserué & conduit auec tant de faueurs. Apres ayant consideré que cet abbord estoit desert, & que i'y pourrois bien demeurer longtemps, auant qu'aucun du village m'y vinst trouuer; ie caché mes pacquets dedans les bois, & prenant auec moy ce que i'auois de plus precieux, ie m'en allé chercher le [139] village, que ie rencontré heureusemẽt enuiron à trois quarts de lieuës, ayant en passant veu auec attendrissement & ressentiment le lieu où nous auions habité, & celebré le S. sacrifice de la Messe trois ans durant, cõuerty en vn beau champ; comme aussi la place du vieux village, où excepté vne cabane rien ne restoit que les ruines des autres. Ie vis pareillement l'endroit où le pauure Estienne Brulé auoit esté barbarement & traistreusement assommé; ce qui me fit pẽser que quelque iour on nous pourroit bien traitter de la sorte, & desirer au moins que ce fust en pourchassant la gloire de N. Seig. Dés aussi-tost que ie fus apperceu au village, & qu'on eust crié, voyla Echom reuenu, c'est ainsi qu'ils me nommẽt, tout le monde sortit pour me salüer & bienueigner, chacun m'appellant par mon nom, & me [140] disant: Quoy Echom, mon nepueu, mon frere, mon cousin, es tu donc reuenu? Mais sans m'arrester, parce que la nuict s'approchoit, ie prends logis, & m'y estant bien peu de temps rafraischy, ie sors aussi-tost auec vne bande de ieunes gens volontaires, pour aller reprendre mon petit bagage. Il estoit vne heure de nuict quand nous fusmes de retour au village. Ie me logeay chez vn nommé Aouandoïé, lequel est, ou au moins a esté vn des plus riches des Hurons. Ce que ie fis à dessein, par ce qu'vn autre moins fort eust pû estre incommodé du grand nombre [94] de François que i'attendois, & qu'il falloit nourrir iusques à ce que nous fussions tous assemblez, & que nostre cabane fust faite. Vous pouuez vous loger où vous voulez, car ceste Nation entre toutes les autres, est fort hospitaliere enuers toute sorte [141] de personnes, mesmes enuers les Estrangers: & vous y demeurez tant qu'il vous plaist, tousiours bien traité à la façon du pays, & au partir de là vous en voyla quitte pour vn, ho, ho, ho, outoécti, ou vn grand mercy, au moins par entre-eux. Car des François ils attendent quelque recompense, à discretion toutesfois. Il est bien vray que tous ne sont pas également hospitaliers, il y a du plus & du moins. Mon hoste est des premiers en ceste vertu, & peut-estre est-ce pour ce sujet que Dieu l'a cõblé iusques à present de benedictiõs temporelles, & l'a preserué entre tous ses Concitoyens. Car leur village nommé Teandeouïhata, ayant esté bruslé par deux fois, il n'y a eu en toutes les deux fois, que sa seule maison exempte de l'embrasement. Quelques vns attribuent cela au fort; pour moy ie le rapporte à vne [142] cause plus noble; & si ie me souuiens d'vn bon trait, soit de prudence, soit d'humanité, dont il se seruit au premier embrasement; car l'enuie s'estant allumée contre luy, & quelques-vns voulant perdre sa cabane, que le feu auoit espargnée, aussi tost il fait mettre chaudiere haute, appreste vn bon festin, conuie tout le village, & les ayant assemblez, leur fait ceste harangue. Mes freres, i'ay vn tres-sensible déplaisir de l'accident qui est arriué; mais qu'y ferions nous, c'en est fait. Pour moy ie ne sçay pas ce que i'ay fait au Ciel, pour auoir esté espargné entre tous les autres. Or pour vous tesmoigner mon déplaisir, & le desir que i'ay de [96] participer à la calamité commune, voyla deux quaisses de bled (elles tenoient pour le moins cent ou six vingts boisseaux) i'en donne vne de bon cœur à tout le [143] village. Cette action appaisa l'enuie, & esteignit les mauuais desseins que l'on couuoit desia contre luy. C'est faire sagement, que de perdre vne partie pour sauuer le reste.
[136] I arrived among the Hurons on the fifth of August, the day of our Lady of the Snows, after being thirty days on the road in continual work, except one day of rest, which we took in the country of the Bissiriniens. All the others, except Robert le Coq and Dominique, took much longer; although usually the journey is only 20 days, or thereabout. I landed at the port of the village of Toanché or of Teandeouïata, where we had formerly lived; but it was with a little misfortune, our Lord wishing us to recognize from the beginning that he is calling us here to suffer. My Savages,—forgetting the kindness I had lavished upon them and the help I had afforded them in their sickness, and notwithstanding all the fair words and promises they had given me,—after having [137] landed me with some Church ornaments and some other little outfit, left me there quite alone, without any provisions and without shelter, and resumed their route toward their villages, some seven leagues distant. My trouble was that the village of Toanché[28] had changed since my departure, and that I did not know precisely in what place it was situated. The shore being no longer frequented, I could not easily ascertain my way; and, if I had known it, I could not from weakness have carried all my little baggage at once; nor could I risk, in that place, doing this in two trips. That is why I entreated my Savages to accompany me as far as the village, or at least to sleep on the shore for the night, to watch my clothes while I went to make inquiries. But their ears were deaf [138] to my prayers and my remonstrances. The only consolation they gave me was to tell me that some one would find me there. I was obliged to be patient; they went away, and I prostrated myself at once upon my knees to thank God, our Lady, and saint Joseph, for the favors and mercies I had received during the voyage. I saluted the tutelary Angel of the Country, and offered myself to our Lord, with all our little labors, for the salvation of these poor Peoples, taking hope that God would not abandon me there, since he had preserved and led me with so many favors. Then, having considered that this shore was deserted, and that I might indeed remain there a long time before any one in the village would come to find me, I hid my packages in the woods; and, taking with me what was most precious, I set out to find the [139] village, which fortunately I came upon at about three-quarters of a league,—having seen with tenderness and emotion, as I passed along, the place where we had lived, and had celebrated the Holy sacrifice of the Mass during three years, now turned into a fine field; and also the site of the old village, where, except one cabin, nothing remained but the ruins of the others. I saw likewise the spot where poor Estienne Brulé was barbarously and traitorously murdered, which made me think that perhaps some day they might treat us in the same manner, and to desire at least that it might be while we were earnestly seeking the glory of Our Lord. As soon as I was perceived in the village, some one cried out, "Why, there is Echom come again" (that is the name they give me); and at once every one came out to salute and welcome me, each calling me by name and [140] saying: "What, Echom, my nephew, my brother, my cousin, hast thou then come again?" But without stopping, for night was approaching, I found a place to lodge; and, having rested a short time, I quickly set out with a volunteer band of young people to bring my slender baggage. It was an hour after sunset when we returned to the village. I lodged with a man named Aouandoïé, who is, or at least was, one of the richest of the Hurons. I did this on purpose, because another with smaller means might have been inconvenienced with the large number of Frenchmen whom I was expecting, and who had to be provided with food and shelter until we had all gathered together, and our cabin was ready. You can lodge where you please; for this Nation above all others is exceedingly hospitable towards all sorts [141] of persons, even toward Strangers; and you may remain as long as you please, being always well treated according to the fashion of the country. On going away, one acknowledges their hospitality by a ho, ho, ho, outoécti, or "many thanks!" at least among themselves; but from Frenchmen they expect some recompense, always at one's discretion. It is quite true that not all are equally hospitable, there are some more and some less so. My host is one of the first in this virtue; and perhaps it is on this account that God has crowned him until now with temporal blessings, and has preserved him among all his Fellow Countrymen; for their village, named Teandeouïhata, having been burned twice, each time his house alone escaped the conflagration. Some attribute this to chance; for myself, I ascribe it to a [142] nobler cause, and so I recall a fine trait, call it prudence or call it humanity, which he displayed on the occasion of the first conflagration. For jealousy having been enkindled against him, and some wishing to destroy his cabin that the fire had spared, at once he caused a large cauldron to be hung, prepared a good feast, invited the whole village, and, having assembled them, delivered this harangue: "My brethren, I am very deeply grieved at the misfortune that has happened; but what can we do about it? It is over. For myself, I know not what I have done for Heaven, to be spared before all others. Now, in order to testify to you my deep grief and my desire to share in the common misfortune, I have two bins of corn" (they held at least one hundred to one hundred and twenty bushels); "I give one of them freely to the whole [143] village." This action calmed their jealousy, and put an end to their wicked designs which they were already forming against him. It was a wise action, this losing a part to save the rest.
Ie me logeay donc chez cét homme, où ie demeuray auec nos deux Peres, & vn de nos gens, l'espace de plus d'vn mois & demy, iusques à ce que nous-nous transportasmes en nostre nouuelle cabane. Cependant ces pauures Sauuages nous faisoient toutes les caresses possibles, les vns portez par leur bon naturel, les autres par la consideration de quelques petits presens que ie leur auois fait, & l'esperance de quelques autres.
I lodged therefore with this man, and lived there with our two Fathers and one of our people, for the space of more than a month and a half, until we took possession of our new cabin. Yet these poor Savages lavished upon us all possible kindnesses,—some influenced by their good natural disposition; others, by a few trifling gifts I made them, and the hope of some others.
Ie departis le reste de nos gens en vne autre cabane, pour éuiter l'importunité & l'incommodité, si nous eussions esté tous en vn seul logis.
I distributed the rest of our people in another cabin, to avoid the annoyance and inconvenience of being all in one lodging.
[144] Le soir & le lendemain se passa en caresses, visites, salutations & applaudissemens de tous ceux du village. Les iours suiuans plusieurs des autres villages, qui estoient de ma cognoissance, me vindrent veoir, & remporterent tous en eschange de leur visite quelques petits presens; c'est peu de chose en détail, mais tout mis en gros fait beaucoup, & monte assez haut pour les lieux. Les vns me disoient; Quoy Echom? és tu donc reuenu? A la bonne heure, nous te souhaittions & demandions grandement, adioustans les raisons telles qu'ils iugeoient, & nous fusmes fort resioüis, quand on nous dist que tu estois à Kebec à dessein de remonter icy. D'autres disoient. Nous voyla bien aises. Les bleds ne mourront plus, [98] pendant ton absence nous n'auions eu que famine. Et en effet, ie croy qu'à nostre arriuée, [145] il n'y auoit que deux familles en tout le village, qui eussent prouision de bled. Tout le reste en alloit acheter ailleurs, ce qui estoit commun à plusieurs autres villages. Depuis nostre arriuée il y en a eu tres-grande abondance par tout le Pays, quoy qu'au Printemps il aye fallu semer par trois fois, à l'occasion des gelées blanches, & des vers.