Le vingt-deuxiesme du mesme mois, les mesmes Peres ressentirent l'effect des bontez de la saincte Vierge, au baptesme d'vn ieune garçon âgé d'enuiron dix ans: cét enfant ne vouloit point du tout ouïr parler de nostre creance, s'imaginant qu'estre baptizé, & mourir incontinent apres, estoit la mesme chose. Et en effect [29] comme nous ne confions pas aisément ces eaux sacrées, sinon à ceux qu'on voit n'en deuoir point abuser pour estre voisins de la mort, ces Barbares ont eu pour vn temps cette pensée, que le Baptesme leur estoit fatal. Nous auions beau leur representer que nous estions tous baptisez, & que nous viuions plus long temps qu'eux: Ces eaux, disoient-ils, sont bonnes pour vous, mais non pas pour nous. Les Peres voyans ces resistances, s'addressent à nostre commune Mere, & luy demandent cette ame pour son Fils. Chose estrange! l'enfant non seulement ne les fuit plus, mais il demande d'estre porté en leur maison. Le Pere Quentin à ces paroles, le prend, l'embrasse, l'apporte tout languissant en sa [252] chambre, où il fut baptizé, & nommé André par Monsieur de Malapart, son parrain. Ce pauure petit estoit d'vne humeur si douce & si facile, qu'il se rendoit aymable à tout le monde: voila pourquoy le Pere Buteux l'ayant autrefois demandé à sa mere; Ie n'ay garde, fit-elle, de te le donner, ie l'ayme comme mon cœur. C'est vne prouidence bien particuliere du bon Dieu, que cette mere fust absente pendant [30] son instruction & son baptesme. Car il est croyable qu'elle y auoit apporté de l'empeschement, suiuant l'erreur qui les a tenu long-temps, que ce qui nous donne la vie leur cause la mort; on eut bien de la peine d'auoir le corps de ce petit innocent apres sa mort, comme ie vay dire tout maintenant.
On the twenty-second of the same month, the same Fathers experienced the effects of the goodness of the holy Virgin, in the baptism of a young boy about ten years of age. This child did not wish to hear us speak of our belief at all, imagining that to be baptized and to die immediately after was the same thing. And, in fact, [29] as we do not readily bestow these sacred waters except upon those who we see are not going to abuse them, on account of their proximity to death, these Barbarians for a while had this idea that Baptism was fatal to them. We explained clearly to them that we were all baptized, and that we lived longer than they did. "These waters," they said, "are good for you, but not for us." Our Fathers, seeing this resistance, addressed themselves to our common Mother, and asked from her this soul for her Son. Wonderful thing! the child not only no longer avoids them, but he asks to be brought to their house. At these words, Father Quentin takes him in his arms, and carries him, weak and languid, into his own room, where he is baptized and named André, by Monsieur de Malapart,[65] his godfather. This poor child was of a disposition so sweet and gentle, that he made himself loved by every one; hence when Father Buteux once asked his mother for him, "I have no intention," said she, "of giving him to thee, I love him as my own heart." It is a very special providence of the good God that this mother was absent during [30] his instruction and baptism. For it is probable that she would have thrown some impediments in the way, in accordance with the error so long prevalent among them, that what gives life to us gives death to them. There was considerable trouble in getting the body of this little innocent after his death, as I am now going to relate.
Le vingt-septiesme, Monsieur de Maupertuis donna le nom de Marie à vne petite fille âgée de deux ans, que les Peres baptizerent; elle estoit fille de defunct Capitanal, Capitaine des Sauuages, homme vaillant, & fort sage pour vn Barbare. Il auoit laissé trois enfans à sa femme, vn garçon âgé d'enuiron dix-sept ans, & deux petites filles: la plus petite de ces filles est au ciel, le garçon est mort tres-miserablement, comme ie diray cy apres. A mesme temps qu'il mourut, le petit André trespassa: or comme ils estoient parens, on les enterra dans vn mesme sepulchre, au desceu de nos Peres, qui en ayant eu le vent se vindrent plaindre à la grande mere d'André, de ce qu'on auoit enterré ce petit baptizé sans les aduertir. Le Pere Buteux prie qu'on leur rende le corps pour le placer auec nous: vn Sauuage [31] luy repart, Va-t'en, on ne t'entend pas; c'est vne réponse que nous font par fois les Sauuages, quand on les presse de faire vne chose qui ne leur agrée pas. Il est vray que [254]nous ne parlõs encore qu'en begayant, mais neantmoins quand nous leur disons quelque chose conforme à leurs desirs, iamais ils ne nous font ces reproches. Le Pere voyant cela va querir l'Interprete, on luy répond que l'affaire est faite, que l'enfant est enterré auec le fils du Capitanal, & que la femme du Capitanal s'offenseroit, si on foüilloit en la fosse de son fils. Le Pere la va trouuer, la prie de laisser tirer du sepulchre le corps de ce petit enfant, elle ne répond aucun mot: vn Capitaine se trouuant là dessus, prend la parole. Hé bien, dit-il, les deux corps sont à toy, porte les auec les François: mais ne les separe point, car il s'entr'ayment. Si sont-ils bien loing l'vn de l'autre, fit le Pere, l'vn a esté baptisé, & l'autre non, & par consequent l'vn est bien heureux, & l'autre gemit dans les flammes. Ne tient-il qu'à cela pour estre ensemble, & pour estre bien heureux, fit ce Sauuage, tu n'as point d'esprit, déuelope celuy qui n'est pas baptisé, & luy iette [32] tant d'eau sur la teste que tu voudras, & puis les enterre en mesme sepulchre. Le Pere se sousrit, & luy fit entendre que cela ne seruiroit de rien. Ce Barbare en fin acquiesça, & nos Peres tirerẽt le petit André du sepulchre profane, & le mirent en terre saincte. Vnus assumetur, & alter relinquetur. Apres l'enterrement la mere de celuy qui estoit mort sans Baptesme, voyant qu'on auoit rebuté son fils, cõme le corps d'vne ame damnée, pleuroit à chaudes larmes. Ah mon fils, disoit-elle, que ie suis marrie de ta mort: le Pere alors qui auoit veu les Iongleurs soufflans ce ieune garçon en sa maladie; luy dit, voila la guerison que ces badins promettoient à ton fils: ta petite fille est malade, donne toy bien de garde de les appeller, ny de la faire chanter. Iamais, dit-elle, ils n'en approcheront, si elle empire ie [256] vous appelleray: quelque temps apres les Peres la iugeant bien malade, la baptiserent au grand contentement de la mere.
On the twenty-seventh, Monsieur de Maupertuis[66] gave the name Marie to a little girl two years old, whom the Fathers baptized; she was the daughter of the late Capitanal, Captain of the Savages,—a brave man and very wise for a Barbarian.[67] He had left his wife with three children, a boy of about seventeen years, and two little girls; the smaller of these girls is in heaven, the boy died very pitiably, as I shall tell hereafter. At the same time that he died, little André passed away; now, as they were relations, they were buried in the same grave, without our Fathers knowing it; they, when they had heard about it, went to André's grandmother to complain that this little baptized boy had been buried without their knowledge. Father Buteux begged them to give him the body to place in our cemetery; a Savage [31] answered him, "Go away, we do not understand thee." This is an answer that the Savages occasionally make to us, when we urge them to do something that does not suit them. It is true that, as yet, we speak only stammeringly; but, still, when we say something which conforms to their wishes they never use these reproaches. The Father, seeing this, went in search of the Interpreter; he is told that the affair is ended, that the child is buried with Capitanal's son, and that Capitanal's wife would be offended if we were to ransack the grave of her son. The Father goes to see her, and begs her to allow them to take the body of this little child out of the grave; she answers not a word; a Captain who is present begins to talk. "Oh well," says he, "the two bodies belong to thee, take them to the French; but do not separate them, for they are fond of each other." "Yet they are quite distant from each other," said the Father; "the one has been baptized and the other has not, and consequently the one is happy and the other groans in the flames." "If that is all it depends upon to be together and to be happy," said this Savage, "thou hast no sense; take up the one who has not been baptized, and throw [32] as much water on his head as thou wishest, and then bury them in the same grave." The Father smiled, and gave him to understand that that would avail nothing. This Barbarian finally acquiesced; and our Fathers took little André from the profane grave, and placed him in holy ground. Unus assumetur, et alter relinquetur. After the burial, the mother of the one who died without Baptism, seeing her son had been discarded like the body of a lost soul, shed bitter tears. "Ah, my son," she said, "how sorry I am for thy death." Then the Father, who had seen the Jugglers blowing upon this youth in his sickness, said to her, "Behold the cure that these triflers promised to thy son; thy little girl is sick, be careful not to summon them nor have them sing to her." "Never," said she, "shall they come near her; if she grows worse, I will call you." Some time afterward the Fathers, deeming her very sick, baptized her, to the great satisfaction of the mother.
Le trente-vniesme vne fille âgée d'enuiron seize ans fut baptisée, & nommée Anne par vn de nos François. Le Pere Buteux l'instruisant luy dit, que si estant Chrestienne elle venoit à mourir, son [33] ame iroit au Ciel dãs les ioyes eternelles. A ce mot de mourir elle eut vne si grande frayeur, qu'elle ne voulut plus iamais prester l'oreille au Pere: on luy enuoya le Sieur Nicolet truchement, qui exerce volontiers semblables actions de charité, elle l'escoute paisiblement; mais comme ses occupations le diuertissent ailleurs, il ne la pouuoit visiter si souuent: c'est pourquoy le Pere Quentin s'efforça d'apprendre les premiers rudimens du Christianisme en Sauuage, afin de la pouuoir instruire: cela luy reüssit si bien, que cette pauure fille ayant pris goust à cette doctrine salutaire, desira le Baptesme, que le Pere luy accorda. La grace a plusieurs effects; on remarqua que cette fille fort desdaigneuse & altiere de son naturel, deuint fort douce & traittable estant Chrestienne.
On the thirty-first a girl about sixteen years old was baptized and named Anne by one of our Frenchmen. Father Buteux while instructing her, told her that, if she were a Christian, when she came to die her [33] soul would go to Heaven to joys eternal. At this word, "to die," she was so frightened that she would no longer listen to the Father. Sieur Nicolet, the interpreter, who willingly performs such acts of charity, was sent to her, and she listened to him quietly; but, as his duties called him elsewhere, he could not visit her very often. Hence Father Quentin tried to learn the first rudiments of Christianity in the Savage tongue, in order to be able to instruct her; he succeeded in this so well that the poor girl, having tasted this wholesome doctrine, desired Baptism, which the Father granted her. Grace produces many results; it was remarked that this girl, naturally very disdainful and proud, grew very gentle and tractable on becoming a Christian.
Le septiesme de Ianuier de cette année mil six cens trente six, le fils d'vn grand Sorcier ou Iongleur fut faict Chrestien, son pere s'y accordant apres de grandes resistances qu'il en fit: car comme nos Peres éuentoient ses mines, & le decreditoient, il ne pouuoit les supporter en sa Cabane. Cependant comme [34] son fils tiroit à la mort, ils prierent le sieur Nicolet de faire son possible pour sauuer cette ame: ils s'en vont donc le Pere Quentin & luy en cette maison d'écorce, pressent fortement ce Sauuage de consentir au baptesme de son petit fils: comme il faisoit la [258] sourde oreille, vne bonne vieille luy dit: Quoy pense-tu que l'eau que ietteront les Robes noires sur la teste de ton enfant, le fasse mourir? Ne vois tu pas qu'il est déja mort, & qu'à peine peut-il respirer? Si ces gens là te demandoient ta Pourcelaine, ou tes Castors, pour les offices de charité qu'ils veulent exercer enuers ton fils, tu aurois quelque excuse; mais ils donnent & ne demandent rien, tu sçay le soin qu'ils ont des malades, laisse les faire; si ce pauure petit meurt ils l'interreront mieux que tu ne sçaurois faire. Le malade fut donc baptizé, & nommé Adrien par le sieur du Chesne, Chirurgien de l'habitation; il mourut quelque temps apres. Le Pere Buteux le demanda pour l'enseuelir à nostre façon. Non, non, dirent les parens: tu ne l'auras pas tout nud, attends que nous l'ayons paré, & puis nous te le donnerons. Ils luy peignent la face de [35] bleu, de noir & de rouge; ils le vestent d'vn petit Capot rouge, puis l'enfourrent de deux peaux d'Ours, & d'vne robe de peau de Chat sauuage, & par dessus tout cela d'vn grand drap blanc, qu'ils auoient acheté au Magazin, ils accommodent ce petit corps dans tout ce bagage, en forme d'vn paquet bien lié de tous costez, & le mettent entre les mains du Pere, qui baise doucement ces sacrées dépoüilles pour témoigner aux Sauuages l'estime que nous faisons d'vn petit Ange baptizé. On l'enterra au Cimetiere de nos François, auec solemnité: ce qui plaist fort à ces Barbares, & qui les induit bien souuent à permettre qu'on face Chrestiens leurs enfans.
On the seventh of January of this year one thousand six hundred and thirty-six, the son of a great Sorcerer or Juggler was made a Christian, his father consenting to it after having offered a great deal of opposition; for, as our Fathers were revealing his schemes and throwing discredit upon him, he could not endure them in his Cabin. However, as [34] his son was on the verge of death, they begged sieur Nicolet to do all he could to save this soul. So they went, Father Quentin and he, to his bark house, and strongly urged this Savage to consent to the baptism of his little son; as he turned a deaf ear, a good old woman said: "What! dost thou think the water the black Robes will throw upon the head of thy child will make him die? Dost thou not see that he is already dead, and that he can hardly breathe? If these people were asking thy Porcelain or thy Beavers, for the charitable acts which they exercise towards thy son, thou wouldst have some excuse; but they give and ask nothing; thou knowest how they care for the sick, let them go on; if this poor little one dies, they will bury him better than thou couldst." So the sick child was baptized and named Adrien by sieur du Chesne,[68] Surgeon of the settlement; he died some time afterwards. Father Buteux asked for him, to bury him in our way. "No, no," said the parents, "thou canst not have him naked; wait until we have adorned him, and then we will give him to thee." They painted his face [35] blue, black, and red; they dressed him in a little red Cloak, and lined it with two Bear skins and a robe of wild Cat skin, and over all placed a large white sheet which they had bought at the Store. They arranged the little body in all this paraphernalia, in the form of a package tied closely on all sides, and placed it in the hands of the Father, who gently kissed these sacred remains, to show the Savages how greatly we esteemed a little baptized Angel. It was buried in our French Cemetery, with solemnity. This greatly pleases these Barbarians, and often influences them to allow their children to be made Christians.
Le huictiesme du mesme mois de Ianuier, vne ieune fille vniquement aymée de ses parens, mais encor plus de Dieu, s'en alla au Ciel, apres auoir esté lauée [260] dans le sang de l'Agneau. Ie remarqueray en cét endroit les folies que fit son pauure pere pour la pouuoir guerir. Son beau frere luy vint dire qu'il auoit songé que sa niepce gueriroit, si on la faisoit coucher sur vne peau de mouton, variée de diuerses figures; on en cherche aussi [36] tost, on en trouua, on peint dessus mille grotesques, des canots, des auirons, des animaux, & chose semblable: les Peres qui n'auoient pas encore instruit cette fille, sont instance que ce remede est inu[ti]le: mais il le faut éprouuer. La malade repose sur ces peintures, & n'en reçoit aucune reelle guerison. Vn autre Charlatan fut d'auis, que si on donnoit à la malade vn drap blanc pour cheuet, sur lequel on auroit figuré des hommes chantans & dançans, que la maladie s'en iroit. On se met incontinent en deuoir de peindre des hommes sur vn drap; mais ils ne firent que des marmousets, tant ils sont bons Peintres: ce remede ne succeda non plus que le premier. La pauure fille se couche sur ce drap, sans reposer, ny sans guerir. Que ne peut l'affection naturelle des peres & des meres enuers leurs enfans? Ces bonnes gens cherchoient par tout la santé de leur fille, horsmis en celuy qui la pouuoit donner. Ils consultent vne fameuse Sorciere, c'est à dire vne fameuse badine. Cette femme dit qu'elle auoit appris, soit du Manitou, soit d'vn autre, ie m'en rapporte, qu'il falloit tuer vn chien, & que les hommes le mangeassent [37] en festin. De plus, qu'il falloit faire vne belle robe de peau de Cerf, l'enrichir de leurs matachias rouges faits de brins de Porc épic, la donner à la malade, & qu'elle en gueriroit. Comme on preparoit ce festin, vn Sauuage songea, que pour la guerison de cette fille, il falloit faire vn banquet [262] de vingt testes d'Elans: voila les parens de la fille bien en peine: car comme il n'y auoit gueres de neige, on ne pouuoit courre, encore moins prendre l'Eslan. Sur cette grande difficulté on consulte les Interpretes des songes, il fut conclud qu'il falloit changer ces vingt testes d'Orignac en vingt grãds pains tels qu'ils en achetent de nos François, & que cela auroit le mesme effect. Ils ne se tromperent pas, d'autant que ces pains & ce festin de chien, ne firent autre chose que remplir le ventre des Sauuages; c'est tout ce qu'auroient peu faire ces vingt testes d'Orignac: car pour guerir vn malade, ny les banquets, ny les belles robes ne seruent de rien.
On the eighth of the same month of January, a young girl peculiarly loved by her parents, but still more so by God, went to Heaven after having been washed in the blood of the Lamb. I will notice in this place the follies her poor father committed, in order to be able to cure her. His brother-in-law came to tell him that he had dreamed his niece would recover, if they had her lie upon a sheepskin painted with various figures; a search was made for one [36] immediately, one was found, and they painted thereon a thousand grotesque figures, canoes, paddles, animals, and such things. The Fathers, who had not yet instructed this girl, urged earnestly that this remedy was useless; but they must try it. The patient rested upon these paintings, but received no real benefit. Another Charlatan was of the opinion that, if they gave the sick girl a white sheet as pillow, upon which had been drawn pictures of men singing and dancing, the sickness would disappear. They began immediately to paint men upon a sheet, but they made nothing but monkeys, such good Painters are they; this remedy succeeded no better than the first. The poor girl lay down upon this sheet without resting, and without recovering. What cannot the natural affection of fathers and mothers do for their children? These good people sought everywhere the health of their daughter, except in him who could have granted it. They consulted a famous Sorceress, that is, a famous jester. This woman said she had learned,—whether from Manitou or some one else, I cannot say,—that they would have to kill a dog and that the men should make [37] a feast of it. Furthermore, that they would have to make a beautiful robe of Deer skin, trim it with their red matachias made of Porcupine quills, and give it to the patient; and that she would thus recover. While they were preparing this feast, a Savage dreamed that, for the recovery of this girl, they would have to prepare a banquet of twenty head of Elk. Now the girl's parents were placed in great anxiety, for, as there was but little snow, they could not pursue and much less capture the Elk. In this great difficulty, they consulted the Interpreters of dreams; it was decided that they must change the twenty head of Moose to twenty big loaves of bread, such as they buy from our French, and that this would have the same effect. They were not mistaken, inasmuch as this bread and this dog feast did nothing but fill the stomachs of the Savages; and this is all the twenty Moose heads could have done, for, to cure the sick, neither banquets nor beautiful robes avail.