Part 6

All considered, this country here is very fine. As soon as we had entered into our little home, the 13th of July, we began to work and dig the earth, to sow purslane and turnips, and to plant lentils, and everything grew very well; a very short time afterwards we gathered our salad. But the misfortune was that our seeds were spoiled, I mean a part of them; namely, those sent to monsieur du Plessis: for those our Brother brought us grew very well. You would be astonished to see the great number of ears of [63] rye which were found among our peas; they are longer and more grainy than the most beautiful I have ever seen in France.

Vendredy dernier 20. d'Aoust, iour de sainct Bernard, estant allé voir vn malade à nostre bord, c'est à dire à nostre vaisseau, pour aller de là saluër monsieur de la Rade, & le Capitaine Morieult nouuellement arriuez, ie pensay estre noyé auec deux François qui estoient auec moy dans vn petit cauot de Sauuage, dont nous nous seruons. La marée estoit violente, celuy qui estoit derriere dans ce cauot le voulant détascher du nauire la marée le fit tourner, & le cauot & nous aussi, nous voyla tous trois emportez par la furie de l'eau, au milieu de cette grande riuiere de sainct Laurens. Ceux du nauire crie sauue, sauue, au secours, mais il n'y auoit point là de chalouppe, nous attrapons le [64] cauot, comme ie vy qu'il tournoit si fort que l'eau me passoit de beaucoup par dessus la teste, & que i'estouffois, ie quittay ce cauot pour me mettre à nager, ie n'ay iamais bien sceu ce mestier, & il y auoit plus de 24. ans que ie ne l'auois exercé: à peine auoy-ie auancé de trois brasses, que ma sotane, m'enueloppant la teste & les bras, ie m'en allois à fond, i'auois desia donné ma vie à nostre Seigneur, sans luy demander qu'il me retirast de ce danger, croyant qu'il valloit mieux le laisser faire, i'acceptois la mort de bon cœur; bref i'estois desia à demy estouffé, quand vne chalouppe qui estoit sur le bord de la riuiere, & deux Sauuages accoururent dans leur cauot, il ne paroissoit plus qu'vn petit bout de ma sotane, on me retira par là, & si on eût encor tardé vn _Pater_, i'estois mort, i'auois perdu tout sentiment, pour ce que l'eau m'estouffoit, [65] ce n'estoit point d'apprehension, ie m'estois resolu à mourir dans les eaux, dés le premier iour que ie mis le pied dans le vaisseau, & i'auois prou exercé cette resignation dans les tempestes que nous auons passé sur mer, le iugement me dura tant que i'eu des forces, & me semble que ie me voyois mourir, ie croiois qu'il y eut plus de mal à estre noyé qu'il n'y en a: bref nous fumes tous trois sauuez, i'en suis resté indisposé de l'estomach, i'espere que ce ne sera rien, la volonté de Dieu soit faite, cela ne m'estonne point. Deux Anglois s'estant noyez dans ces cauots faits d'écorces, qui sont extrememẽt volages, le Capitaine Ker fit faire vne petit bateau de bois pour passer de nostre maison au fort, car il y a vne riuiere entre deux; ie croiois que ce bateau nous demeureroit, celuy qui s'en est saisi l'auoit promis au Pere de Nouë, [66] mais depuis il s'est rauisé, s'il nous l'eut donné cela ne seroit pas arriué; patience, il importe peu où on meure, mais si bien comment.

Last Friday, August 20th, the day of saint Bernard, having gone to see a sick person on board, that is to say, on our vessel, and going thence to greet monsieur de la Rade[15] and Captain Morieult, newly I arrived, I thought I would be drowned, with two Frenchmen who were with me in a little Native canoe which we use. The tide was very violent; the person who was behind in this canoe wishing to detach it from the ship, the tide gave him a turn, also the canoe and ourselves, and behold us all three carried away by the fury of the waves to the middle of the great saint Lawrence river. Those in the ship cried, "Save them, save them, help!" but there was no shallop there. We caught hold of the [64] canoe; as I felt that it was whirling about so rapidly that the water came a great way over my head, and that I was suffocating, I let go of the canoe to swim. I never knew this exercise very well, and it was over 24 years since I had tried it. I had made scarcely sixteen feet[16] when, my cassock winding around my head and my arms, I felt that I was going to the bottom. I had already given my life to our Lord, without asking him to rescue me from this danger; believing it better to let his will be done, I accepted death cheerfully; in short, I was already half drowned, when a boat that was on the shore of the river, and two Savages in their canoe, hastened towards us. Nothing was seen of me but a little end of my cassock; they dragged me out by that, and if they had been one _Pater_ later I would have been dead. I was so choked by the water that I had lost all feeling; [65] it was not fear, for I was resigned to die in the water from the first day I had put my foot on the vessel, and I had strengthened this resignation a great deal in the tempests which we had upon the ocean. My faculties remained as long as I had any strength left, and it seemed to me that I saw myself dying; I thought there was more pain in drowning than there is. To be brief, we were all three saved. I still feel some indisposition in my stomach, which is not to be wondered at, but I hope that it will be nothing; may the will of God be done. Two Englishmen having been drowned in those bark canoes, which are very frail, Captain Ker had a little wooden boat made for passing from our house to the fort, because there is a river between the two; I thought this boat would remain with us. The person who took possession of it promised it to Father de Nouë, [66] but he has since changed his mind; if he had given it to us, this would not have happened. Patience; it matters but little where we die, but a great deal, how.

Demain 25. d'Aoust ie dois baptiser vn petit enfant Hiroquois qu'on doit porter en France pour ne retourner iamais plus en ces païs cy, on l'a donné à vn François qui en a fait present à monsieur de la Rade. C'est assez, nous sommes si empressez que ie n'ay gardé aucun ordre en ce narré, V.R. m'excusera s'il luy plaist, ie la supplie de secourir ces pauures peuples qui sont en bon nombre, les Canadiens, Montagnards, Hurons, Algonquains, la Nation des Ours, la Nation du Petun, la Nation des Sorciers, & quantité d'autres: Ie vy arriuer les Hurons, ils estoient plus de 50. cauots, il faisoit fort beau voir cela sur la riuiere, ce sont de grands hommes bien faits, & tres-dignes de [67] compassion, pour ne cognoistre pas l'Autheur de vie dont ils ioüissent, & pour n'auoir iamais oüy parler de celuy qui a donné sa vie, & répandu son sang pour eux.

To-morrow, on the 25th of August, I am to baptize a little Hiroquois child who is to be taken to France, never to return to this country; he was given to a Frenchman, who made a present of him to monsieur de la Rade. Enough of this, we are in such a hurry that I have not observed any order in this narrative; Your Reverence will excuse me, if you please. I beseech you to give succor to these poor people who are in goodly numbers, the Canadians, Montagnards, Hurons and Algonquains, the Nation of the Bear,[17] the Tobacco Nation,[18] The Nation of the Sorcerers,[19] and many others. I saw the Hurons arrive; in their 50 canoes and more, they made a very fine sight upon the river. They are large, well-made men, and are to be [67] pitied because they do not know the Author of the life they enjoy, and have never heard of him who gave his life and shed his blood for them.

Ie pensois conclure ce petit narré le 24. d'Aoust: mais ce ne sera qu'apres le baptesme de ce petit enfant. Ie viens donc de le baptiser, monsieur Emery de Caën est son Parrain, madame Coullart fille de madame Hebert est sa Marraine, il a nom Louys, aussi a-il esté baptisé le iour de sainct Louys. Ce pauure petit qui n'a enuiron que quatre ans pleuroit incessamment deuant le baptesme, & s'enfuioit de nous, ie ne le pouuois tenir: si tost que i'eu commencé les ceremonies, il ne dit pas vn mot, il me regardoit attentiuement, & faisoit tout ce que ie luy faisois faire. Ie croiois qu'il fut Hiroquois, mais i'ay appris qu'il est de la Nation de feu [68] son Pere & sa Mere, & luy ont esté pris en guerre par les Algonquains, qui ont bruslé les parents, & donné l'enfant à nos François.

I expected to end this little narrative on the 24th of August, but it will not be until after the baptism of this little child. I have just baptized him. Monsieur Emery de Caën is his Godfather; Madame Coullart, daughter of Madame Hebert, his Godmother. His name is Louys and he was baptized on saint Louys's day. This poor little one, who is only about four years old, cried all the time before his baptism, and ran away from us; I could not hold him. As soon as I began the ceremony, he did not say a word; he looked at me attentively and did everything that I would have him do. I believed that he was an Hiroquois, but I have learned that he belongs to the fire Nation;[20] [68] his Father and his Mother and he were taken in war by the Algonquains, who burned the parents and gave the child to the French.

Louys iadis Amantacha nous est venu voir, & nous a promis qu'il viendroit l'année suiuante, pour s'en retourner auec le Pere Brebeuf en son païs; il a de l'esprit, & m'a témoigné qu'il auoit de bons sentimens de Dieu; cette Nation est rusée, ie ne sçaurois qu'en dire: mille recommandations aux saincts sacrifices de vostre R. & aux prieres de toute sa Prouince.

De V.R.

Tres-humble & obeïssant seruiteur selon Dieu, PAVL LE IEVNE.

_Du milieu d'vn bois de plus de 800. lieuës d'estenduë, à Kebec ce 28. d'Aoust 1632._

Louys, formerly Amantacha,[21] came to see us and promised that he would come back next year, to return with Father Brebeuf to his country; he is rather intelligent and showed me that he had a correct conception of God. I could not tell you how cunning this Nation is. I recommend myself a thousand times to the holy sacrifices of your Reverence and to the prayers of your whole Province.

Of Your Reverence,

The very humble and obedient servant, in God, PAUL LE JEUNE.

_From the midst of a forest more than 800 leagues in extent, at Kebec, this 28th of August, 1632._

[69] Privilege dv Roy.

NOVS Barthelemy Iacquinot, Prouincial de la Compagnie de IESVS, en la Prouince de France, suiuant le Priuilege qui nous a esté octroyé par les Roys tres-Chrestiens, Henry III. le 10. May 1583. Henry IV. le 20. Decembre 1606. & Louys XIII. à present regnant le 14. Feurier 1612. pae lequel il est defendu à tous Imprimeurs, ou Libraires, de n'imprimer ou faire imprimer aucun liure de ceux qui sont composez par quelqu'vn de nostredite Compagnie, sans permission des Superieurs d'icelle. Permettons à SEBASTIEN CRAMOISY Libraire Iuré Bourgeois de Paris, de pouuoir imprimer pour six ans, _Brieue Relation du voyage de la Nouuelle France_, &c. En foy de quoy nous auons signé la presente le 15. Nouembre 1632.

B. IACQVINOT.

[69] Royal License.

WE, Barthelemy Jacquinot, Provincial of the Society of JESUS, in the Province of France, in accordance with the License which has been granted us by the most Christian Kings, Henry III. the l0th of May 1583, Henry IV. the 20th of December 1606; and Louys XIII. now reigning, the 14th of February 1612, by which it is prohibited to all Printers or Booksellers to print or cause to be printed any book of those which are composed by any of our said Society, without the permission of the Superiors of the same: We permit SEBASTIEN CRAMOISY,[22] Bookseller under Oath, Citizen of Paris, to print for six years, _Brieve Relation du voyage de la Nouvelle France_, etc. In attestation of which we have signed the present the 15th of November 1632.

B. JACQUINOT.

XXI

LE JEUNE'S RELATION, 1633

PARIS: SEBASTIEN CRAMOISY, 1634

SOURCE: Title-page and text reprinted from original of "H. 55" edition, in John Carter Brown Library, Providence, R. I.

A PARIS,

Chez SEBASTIEN CRAMOISY, ruë S. Iacques, aux Cicognes.

M. DC. XXXIV.

_AVEC PRIVILEGE DV ROY._]

RELATION OF WHAT OCCURRED IN NEW FRANCE IN THE YEAR 1633.

Sent to the REV. FATHER BARTH. JACQUINOT

Provincial of the Society of JESUS, in the province of France.

_By Father Paul le Jeune of the same Society, Superior of the Residence of Kebec._

PARIS,

SEBASTIEN CRAMOISY, rue St. Jacques, At the Sign of the Storks.

M. DC XXXIV.

_BY ROYAL LICENSE._

[3] Relation de ce qvi s'est passé en la Novvelle France en l'annee 1633.

MON R. PERE,

Les lettres qu'on enuoie en ces païs cy, font comme des fruicts bien rares & bien nouueaux: on les reçoit auec contentement, on les regarde auec plaisir: on les sauoure comme des fruicts du Paradis terrestre. Il y auoit vn an que V.R. ne nous auoit parlé; ce peu de mots qu'il luy a pleu nous coucher sur le papier, nous semblent [4] des paroles de l'autre monde, aussi sont elles pour moy, ie les prẽds cõme des paroles du ciel. C'est assez dict pour tesmoigner les sentimens qu'a eu mon ame à la veuë de ses lettres. Et afin que la ioye possedast entieremẽt nostre cœur, il ne falloit point d'autres messagers pour les apporter, que ceux qui sont venus. On estoit icy en doubte si Monsieur de Champlain, ou quelque autre de la part de Messieurs de la Compagnie de la Nouuelle France, ou bien si le sieur Guillaume de Caen deuoit venir, comme il en auoit l'an passé dõné parole publiquement dans nostre vaisseau au sortir de France. Chacun defendoit son party, & produisoit ses raisons probables auec respect & modestie, quand tout d' vn coup Mõsieur de Champlain, auec les ordres de Monseigneur le Cardinal est venu terminer le differend en faueur de la [5] Compagnie de la Nouuelle France, ce iour nous a esté l'vn des bõs iours de l'anneé, nous sommes entrez dãs de fortes esperances qu'en fin apres tãt de bourrasques Dieu vouloit regarder nos pauures Sauuages de l'œil de sa bonté & de sa misericorde; puis qu'il donnoit cœur à ces Messieurs de poursuiure leur pointe malgré les contrastes que les demons, l'enuie, & l'auarice des hommes leur ont suscitez. Ie ne sçay comme cela se fait, mais ie sçay bien que puis qu'ils s'interessent en la gloire de Dieu, en la publication de l'Euangile, en la conuersion des ames, nous ressentons ie ne sçay quel interest d'affection dãs leurs affaires, en telle sorte que si nos souhaits auoyent lieu, ils recueilleroyent plus en vn mois, qu'ils n'ont perdu en tant d'années que leurs desseins ont esté trauersez. Aussi sont ils nos Peres, puis qu'ils nourrissent icy [6] vne partie de nous autres; & nous departent à tous leur affection abõdamment. I'espere que dans quelques années ils verront des fruicts du Ciel, & de la terre sortir du grain qu'ils ont semé auec tant de peine. C'est la coniecture qu'on pourra tirer des petites remarques que ie vay briéuement tracer.

[3] Relation of what occurred in New France in the year 1633.

MY REVEREND FATHER:

The letters that are sent to this country are like very rare and very fresh fruits; they are received with joy, are regarded with pleasure, and are relished as fruits of the terrestrial Paradise. It had been a year since Your Reverence had spoken to us, and the few words which you were pleased to place upon paper seemed to us [4] like words from the other world. Thus they are for me; I receive them as messages from heaven. Enough has been said to show the sentiments which were awakened in my soul at the sight of your letters. And in order that joy should take complete possession of our hearts, no other messengers were needed to bring them than those who came. We were in doubt whether Monsieur de Champlain, or some one else in behalf of the Gentlemen of the Company of New France, or whether sieur Guillaume de Caen was to come, as he had last year announced in our ship as we were leaving France. Each one defended his side, and presented his probable reasons respectfully and modestly; when all at once Monsieur de Champlain arrived with the orders of Monseigneur the Cardinal, and ended the dispute in favor of the [5] Company of New France.[23] That day was one of the good days of the year; we have been filled with strong hopes that at last, after so many storms, God would look upon our poor Savages with a merciful and kindly eye, as he has given courage to those Gentlemen to carry out their purpose in spite of the opposition that demons, envy, and the avarice of men, have aroused against them. I know not how it happens, but I do know well that since they interest themselves in the glory of God, in the spread of the Gospel, in the conversion of souls, we feel an inexplicable and affectionate interest in their affairs; so much so that, if things would go according to our wishes, they would gain more in one month than they have lost in all the years that their plans have been thwarted. They are also our Fathers, since they provide here [6] for a part of us, and bestow their affection abundantly upon us. I hope that in a few years they will see the fruits of Heaven and of earth growing from the seeds which they have planted with so much trouble. This is the inference that may be drawn from the few observations which I am about briefly to record.

Et afin d'éuiter la confusion, ie suiuray l'ordre du temps: Mais au prealable il faut que ie die que nous auons pris vn singulier plaisir dans les deportemẽs de nos François hyuerans. Il n'en faut point mentir, i'eus quelque apprehension dans la trauerse que le libertinage ne passast la mer auec nous: mais le bon exemple des chefs qui commandoyẽt icy, l'éloignement des débauches, le petit trauail que nous auons pris dans les predications, & administration des sacrements, les ont retenus tellement [7] dans le debuoir, qu'encor bien que nous eussions des personnes de deux partis bien differents, neantmoins il sembloit que l'amour & le respect commandoit pour l'ordinaire & aux vns & aux autres. Plusieurs se sont confessez generalement de toute leur vie. Ceux qui n'auoyent quasi iamais parlé du ieusne que par risée, l'ont estroittement gardé, se rendans obeïssans à leur mere l'Eglise Chrestienne & Catholique.

And, in order to avoid all confusion, I shall follow the order of time. But, as a prefatory remark, I must say that we have felt a peculiar pleasure in the behavior of the French who are wintering here. I confess had some fear during our voyage that libertinage might cross the sea with, us; but the good example of the chiefs who were in command at this place, the distance from all debauchery, the little work which has been done in preaching, and in the administration of the sacraments, have held all strictly [7] in the line of duty; and, although we had among us persons of two quite different parties, nevertheless it seemed that love and respect generally ruled both sides. A number made a general confession of their whole lives. Those who hardly ever spoke of fasting, except in jest, have observed it strictly, becoming obedient to their mother, the Christian and Catholic Church.

Mais venons au depart des vaisseaux de l'an passé, pour suiure les mois qui se sont escoulez depuis ce tẽps là que nous auisames le Pere de Nouë & moy, qu'il falloit chercher les moyens de s'addonner à l'estude de la langue, sans la cognoissance de laquelle on ne peut secourir les Sauuages. Ie quittay donc tout autre soing, & commençay à fueilleter vn petit Dictionnaire escrit à la main, [8] qu'on m'auoit dõné en France; mais tout remply de fautes.

But let us begin with the departure of our vessels last year, and follow the months which have glided away since then, when we, Father de Nouë and I, concluded that we must find some means of devoting ourselves to the study of the language, without a knowledge of which we cannot help the Savages. I then threw all other cares aside, and began to turn over the leaves of a little manuscript Dictionary [8] that had been given to me in France; but it was full of errors.[24]

Le 12 d'Octobre voyant que i'auançois fort peu, apprenant auec beaucoup de peine des mots décousus, ie m'en allay visiter les cabanes des Sauuages à desseing d'y aller souuent, & me faire l'oreille à leur langue. Ils estoient cabanez à plus d'vne grande lieuë loing de nostre maison, & de peur de m'égarer dans les bois ie pris vn long destour sur le bord du grand fleuue de Sainct Laurens. O que de peine à trencher les roches de la pointe aux diamans! C'est vn lieu ainsi appellê de nos François, pource qu'on y trouue quantité de petits diamants assez beaux. Ces chemins sont affreux: i'allois des pieds & des mains, auec belle peur de me laisser tõber. Ie passay par des endroits si estroits, que la marée montant, & m'empeschant de poursuiure mon [9] chemin, ie ne pouuois retourner en arriere, tant le passage me sembloit dangereux. Ie grimpay au dessus des rochers, & m'agraffant à vne branche qui arrestoit vn arbre abattu, cet arbre s'en vint rouler vers moy auec vne telle impetuosité, que si ie n'eusse esquiué son coup, il m'eut tout brisé, & ietté dans la riuiere.

On the 12th of October, seeing that I made very little progress, learning a few stray words with a great deal of trouble, I went to visit the cabins of the Savages, with the intention of going there often, and accustoming my ear to their tongue. They were encamped at a distance of more than a full league from our house, and through fear of getting lost in the woods, I made a long detour on the shores of the great Saint Lawrence river. Oh what a trial it was to climb the rocks on diamond point! The place is thus named by the French, because a quantity of very pretty little diamonds are found there.[25] These roads are frightful; I went on my hands and knees, with great fear of falling. I passed through places so narrow, that when the tide arose and prevented me from continuing on my [9] way, I could not turn back, the passage seemed to me so dangerous. I climbed upon the rocks and, seizing a branch which had arrested the fall of an uprooted tree, this tree came rolling toward me with so much force, that if I had not escaped the blow, it would have crushed and thrown me into the river.