The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents Volume 9

PREFACE TO VOL. IX

Following is a synopsis of the second installment of Document XXVI., contained in the present volume:

XXVI. A resumé of the contents of the first two chapters of Part I. of Le Jeune's Relation of 1636, was given in Vol. VIII. of our series. In chapters iii.-xi., which close this portion of the document, Le Jenne continues his narrative of conversions and baptisms. One of these converts was a son of Carigoúan, the " sorcerer " who had so tormented the superior. The annalist describes the wretched deaths of Carigoúan and his brothers, Mestigoït and Pierre (" the Apostate "), which he regards as the righteous judgments of an offended Deity. Several other savages have also died miserably, in their sins and impenitence; and Le Jenne has met with much annoyance from the medicine men, whose tricks are described in some details

Considerable space is then devoted to explaining, for the benefit of sundry impatient patrons of the mission, in France, the difficulties necessarily encountered in the conversion of the natives; satisfaction is expressed at the progress that has, nevertheless, been made in this work. The number of baptisms is greatly increasing, especially as the Indians are, since the coming of the missionaries, in wholesome dread of the fires of hell. [page 1]

Le Jeune hopes much from the hospital for the Indians, which some pious friends at home are proposing to establish in Canada. He also anticipates good results from the education, in the French manner, of several little native girls who have been given him for that. purpose; these, he expects, will become the wives of Frenchmen or of baptized savages, and thus exert a great influence in civilizing their countrymen. He also desires to establish at Quebec a seminary for the youth of both races -the native schools at Notre Dame des Anges being too remote from the settlement, to be available for the children of the colonists.

The writer recounts various minor superstitions current among the natives, also some of their legends concerning the Manitou.

The versatile superior next describes with admiration the skill with which the beaver constructs its dwelling. He mentions the attempt made by Montmagny, the governor, to domesticate the native elk; and hopefully anticipates the time when this animal may be trained as a beast of burden, thus greatly aiding the labors of both the missionaries and the colonists. He also has a plan for a " park," in which beavers may be enclosed and raised on a large scale, for both their skins and their flesh.

Turning easily from natural history to social and economic conditions, the superior surveys the present state of Canada: he congratulates the Hundred Associates on their efforts to support the colony; describes the fortifications, new buildings, and other improvements at the French settlements; mentions the rapidly-increasing population; and praises the peace, simplicity, and honesty that prevail in the community. [page 3] Severe penalties are imposed, he says, for drunkenness, blasphemy, and failure to attend mass; the chapel of the Jesuits has been considerably enlarged; and the officials and prominent families set an edifying example of piety and devotion. Various questions propounded by intending immigrants are answered, regarding the situation resources, and opportunities of this new land; and eminently practical and sensible advice is proffered to those who wish to settle in New France. The annalist discusses at length, and justifies, the handling of peltries by the Jesuits, which had aroused in France much hostile criticism.

The Relation concludes by the usual recital, in journal form, of the more important events of the past year. The sale of intoxicating liquors to the Indians had been forbidden, under severe penalties. The death and burial of Champlain are described; also Indian councils held at Three Rivers and Quebec, and various conversations between the missionaries and the savages. Fathers Ragueneau, Du Marché, and Jogues arrive from France, and Garnier and Chastellain are sent as reinforcements to the Huron mission. The Algonkins, having been rebuked for their atrocious cruelty toward an Iroquois prisoner, as a peace offering present to the French a woman of that nation, who is forthwith sent to France for education. Daniel and Davost return from the Huron country with some Indian boys for the Jesuit seminary; on the way, they are delayed by the savages resident at Allumettes Island, but propitiate them with gifts of tobacco. Apropos of these Huron children, Le Jenne naively remarks, " It is a Providence Of God that Father Daniel is not bringing as many [page 3] of them as he hoped to," since at Quebec they have neither lodging, food, nor clothing for many besides those already on their hands. The superior ends by giving a list of the various missions in New France, and of the priests and brethren employed therein.

The second part of the Relation of 1636 consists of Brébeuf's report of the Huron mission; it will occupy all of Vol. X. Bibliographical Data for this Relation were given in Vol. VIII.

R. G. T.

Madison, Wis., June, 1897.

[51] CHAPTER III.

CONTINUATION OF THE SAME SUBJECT.

S the Savages like the three Rivers better than [52] Kébec, they stop there oftener, and in greater numbers. This is why the Fathers who have been living this year in our Residence of the Conception have baptized more people than did those who remained at Kébec, where these Barbarians do not stay so long. We have not failed, however, to gather some fruit among them, as we have induced them to give us some of their children, of whom I shall speak hereafter, and as some of them have received holy Baptism. I do not separate them from the others who received this Sacrament at the Conception, speaking of all according to the time when they entered the Church.

On the ninth of February, a Savage named Attikamegou, and surnamed " the Prince" by our Frenchmen, having camped quite near nostre Dame des Anges, sent posthaste for one of our Fathers to baptize a little boy of his, who was dying. The Father took a little water with him, fearing he might not find any in their bark house, as the cold had frozen the brooks and rivers. He hurried as fast as he could, (53] and finally, all out of breath, arrived at the place where lay the child, who was on the verge of death. His father begged that he should be made a Christian before his death; his mother opposed this, saying quite harshly that she did not [page 7] wish him to be baptized, and that all those who were baptized would die. She was told that all the French were baptized, and named some of her own tribe who also had been, and who nevertheless enjoyed perfect health; that, if some Savages died after baptism, it did not result from the Sacrament, but from the disease, which would not fail to kill them even if they were not baptized, as she could see in the cases of some who died without receiving this Sacrament. Her husband chided her: " Is it baptism, " said he, " that makes thy son die now? And yet he lies there dying. I wish him to be a Christian. " The mother continued to object, while the child was approaching nearer to death, being hardly able to breathe. The Father, on his part, urged the mother, assuring her that baptism not only did not make one die, but on the contrary sometimes restored the life of the body [54] and the life of the soul together; and that, if she would believe God could perform this wonder, her son might recover. Instantly, upon hearing this suggestion, the woman begins to open her ears: " If thou canst cure him, " she replies, " baptize him; if not, do not touch him." " As for me," says the father of the child, " I believe that he who has made all can cure him." " If thy wife had the same belief," said some one, " thou wouldst soon see thy son alive. " He began to urge her: " Thou hast no sense; thou fearest that baptism will make him die, and thou seest he is dying without baptism; he who has made all, and can do all, is strong enough to restore him to life; and, even if he does not restore him, he will at least have pity on his soul." " Let them baptize him then," said the mother. " Take courage," replied her husband, [page 9] "and consider well if thou believest; for, if thou liest in thy heart, God will not cure thy child. " " I believe," said she, "let them baptize him." The Father found himself in a rather difficult position; for he understood perfectly that this woman gave consent to the baptism of her child only in the hope of his recovery; and that, consequently, if the child died, which all were expecting, [55] she would be certain to greatly decry this Sacrament. Nevertheless, as he could not see him die before his eyes, he resolved to baptize him,—asking the parents, in case he recovered, to give him to us when he grew larger, to instruct him. At this request the mother again became obstinate. " I see plainly that he wishes to have my son; he shall not have him." Her husband, turning toward the Father, said, " Dost thou ask my son for all time, or simply to instruct him? " " I only want him to instruct him, and not that until he is six or seven years old." " Baptize him, thou canst have him; " and, urging his wife, he assured her that they would restore her her child when he should be well instructed, in case God granted him health. The Savages who were there were surprised that there should be any discussion about a child who was in the throes of death. " There he lies dying, and you are debating as to who shall have him." " In fact," said his father, " he is dead if baptism does not restore him. " They were again assured that, if they believed that God was powerful enough and good enough to restore life to their child, he would do it. At last the mother herself presents him for baptism, as an evidence of [56] her faith and of her hope. The child is baptized on the instant, without ceremony and without giving him a [page 11] name, because the malady did not permit more. Strange to say, the Father who baptized him had no sooner finished pronouncing the holy words, pouring a little water upon this poor infant's head, which his mother uncovered, than he opened his eyes, began to breathe, to stretch, and to move about in his little portable cradle. His mother, completely beside herself, offered him the breast, which he could not take before; he took it now without difficulty, and before the Father departed from the Cabin he had entirely recovered. Some Savages hastening in, the father of the child told them what had occurred, and they were struck dumb with amazement. Now this little Christian is fine-looking and plump, the joy of his parents and the admiration of those who saw him in his sickness.

This result of the Sacrament has aided greatly in uprooting from the minds of these Barbarians the belief that death was in these health-giving waters, and that it was only necessary to be baptized to soon die. The Prince,—this is the surname of the child's father,—going afterwards [57] to the three Rivers, related this everywhere; so that the Father who had baptized him, upon entering one day a Cabin in which this man had been, was asked by those who lived there if he had any more of that water which had cured the son of Attikamegou, and if he would give some of it to a sick man who was there. Alas! he had enough of it, but the poor sick one could not drink it,—that is, the Father only seeing him in passing, had not leisure to instruct him, and on his return found him dead. But, to finish this subject,—the Prince, seeing his son recovered, said to his wife, " Take care of this child, and see that thou dost not prevent him [page 13] from being instructed some day; for the death which was to have killed him would fall upon thy head." The Father asked him if he would not like to have them administer to him the holy Rites in the Chapel at Kébec. " Do to him," said he, " all thou doest to the French children." The Father appointed a day for him to bring the boy, and advised him to choose a man and a woman from among the French to act as Godfather and Godmother to his child, explaining to him what these words meant. The man doubted if the French [58] would consent to do him this favor; but, having assured him that they would be very glad to do it, he invited sieur Olivier, Clerk and Interpreter, and Madame Hebout,[1] who willingly performed this act of charity. One Sunday morning these two poor Barbarians themselves brought their child to the Church of Kébec. The Father who had baptized him explained to our French, who had assembled to hear high Mass, how it had all happened; that the consecrated waters of Baptism had restored life to this little child, and that they had come themselves to present him to receive the holy Ceremonies that he had not been able to administer to him; that, furthermore, they promised some day to give him to be instructed; and, being asked again in the presence of all, they confirmed the promise they had made. At this point the bell is rung; one of our French women takes the little one and presents him; his Godfather and Godmother give him the name of François Olivier; they apply to him the consecrated Oils and administer the other holy Rites, to the great satisfaction of all our French, the happiness of the [59] father and mother being so great that joy beamed upon their faces. [page 15]

They had swaddled this little Christian in the French fashion; its mother, holding it, said to her husband: " I do not know what ails our little François Olivier; when he is dressed in the French way he laughs all the time, when he is dressed in our way he cries and grieves; when I hold him he is quite sad and mournful, and when a French woman holds him he acts as if he wants to jump all the time." She wished by these words to show her satisfaction at seeing her son become French, as it were. His father had still better ideas, for one day I heard him say to his wife that the Sorcerers had no longer any power over his son, and that through Baptism he had been placed under the protection of him who made all. He held this conversation apropos of two Sorcerers who had been fighting together, each reproaching the other that he had killed the other's parents by his arts. The Savages greatly fear these jugglers, and one of our Frenchmen has assured me that they usually kill those against whom they [60] aim their charms, and that nevertheless they have never been able to do anything to Christians. Now whether they have really some secret communication with the Devil, which I greatly doubt, or whether they have not,—having taken issue with one of these two Sorcerers, I defied him to kill me with his magic, assuring him that, as I was baptized and believed in God, I was beyond his reach. The father of little François Olivier was present when I said this: " Well then," said he, " my son being baptized, cannot he be put to death by these people?" " No," I answered him, " do not fear them. And even if they could, give them my word that I will forgive them for my death if they kill me by their sorceries; but [page 17] also, in case their enchantments are too weak to injure me, tell them that I pray them to throw themselves with me under the safeguard of him who holds all demons in check." The poor man had remembered this lesson well, and hence he was rejoicing with his wife because his son was out of the clutches of these human wolves. Another time he came to me trembling with fear lest some misfortune should happen to him, because, his wife having carried the child to [61] a banquet, where she was going in his place, a juggler took it from her and sang to it; then said aloud, to discredit us, that we were deceivers,—that Baptism had not cured this child, since there was no sign that it had been sick. I reassured him, and ridiculed this mountebank. Furthermore, the poor man has often shown me that he desired Baptism; I have given him some instruction, and to make him stationary I placed him in the company of some Frenchmen to cultivate the land, but he did not stick to it. Now as, a short time ago, he was in company with from thirty to forty Savages, who were going to war, I sounded him in the presence of his compatriots,—reproaching him with being afraid of them, and that out of regard for others he would not believe in God, although he had often assured me that he ought to believe in him. He answered me before all of them that he had had this desire, and that he had it still; that he would not be afraid to profess his belief before everybody. " But thou thyself," he replied, " thou hast deserted me on account of the difficulty I had with one of thy Frenchmen. " I was very glad to hear this response, for there is [62] nothing which so deters the Savages from professing the faith as the fear of being mocked [page 19] by their fellows. When we arrived at the three Rivers, while giving a feast to these warriors, I attacked him again; and he proved to me before all that he was neither a liar nor a child, and that he would be constant in our faith if he should embrace it. For this reason I spoke to him in private, and told him that, on his return from the war to which he was going, I would instruct him, if he wished to be instructed. "I would like it," he replied. "Go then, " I said to him, " into the Chapel and pray him who has made all to preserve thee, that thou mayest be baptized." He did so, and at his departure he begged me to look after his little François Olivier if he died in war, and to assist his wife; if he returns, I hope God will be merciful to him. I commend him to the prayers of those who shall read this; for if once God should effectually move some one of them who might be able properly to instruct the others, he would be a powerful help in attracting them to the knowledge of the truth.

On the seventeenth of March, a young Frenchman wintering with the Savages [63] baptized a little child which was going to die. God is admirable in his choice of some and his rejection of others. This young Frenchman, seeing that some Savages were coming to visit the three Rivers, wrote on a piece of bark to his brother that there were some sick people in the Cabin where he was, and that he should inform the Fathers of it, especially of a little boy who was going to die. The Fathers judged that it would be enough to carefully instruct this young man, or rather to rewrite for him, exactly, all that he had already been taught for the baptism of little children; this they did. The Son of God, who says that we [page 21] must suffer the little ones to come unto him, received this one. For, as this young Frenchman was reading the letters our Fathers had sent him, the father of the little sick boy asked him what they had written him. " The Fathers," he replied, " write me that they love thy son, that they are very sorry he is sick; and they instruct me how he should be baptized, in case he is in danger of dying; they also write me that, if the older persons are very sick, they will come here." The Savage replied, " I am very glad to have my son baptized. [64] Here is water; baptize him, for he is going to die. As soon as he is dead, I will send them his body, in order that they may honor it with a French burial. " The child was baptized, and the father kept his word, sending him to us after his death by some Savages, with his belongings. Whereupon our Fathers would have been at a loss to know whether he had been baptized, and whether they could put him in consecrated ground, if one of the Savages had not assured them of it, explaining what he had seen the young Frenchman do.

On the first day of April, Father Buteux baptized a little girl, whom he went to find about ten good leagues higher up than our French settlement. This was the occasion of it: Some Algonquins who had come to the Store to get Tobacco, came to see our Fathers before returning, and informed them that they had some persons in their Cabins who were very sick. At this Father Buteux, taking a young man who lives in our Residence, gave these Barbarians their breakfast, and then placed himself in their company. He had not gone far from the house before he met, as they [65] say, with his match. The roads here are much less used than in France, and very [page 23] much worse; sometimes they had to wear their snowshoes, sometimes take them off; they walked upon the great frozen River, which deprived them indeed of the sight of its waters, but not of the apprehension of the danger of being lost therein; for the Sun had begun to melt the ice, which in some places was no more than a finger-breadth in thickness. In other places, the snow beginning to melt in the middle of the day, they sank into it with their snowshoes; and these, becoming loaded with pieces of ice, made them suffer a species of torture in their legs. Yet they had to drag this plow from six o'clock in the morning until six at night, without unharnessing, except perhaps for a little quarter of an hour when they stopped to drink some water in a hostelry of ice. In truth, if God did not give other refreshments than these to people who are not accustomed to such journeys, the flesh would succumb. But it is wonderful how these days of hardship are days of peace, and how the body seems to forget its weakness when the spirit [66] tastes the strength of God. " I had no inclination," said the Father, " to repent having undertaken this journey, since I found content in this labor, and security in fear." At last, having arrived at the Cabins, he finds that his Savages had deceived him, for they had described as dying those who were hardly sick; he shows them, nevertheless, that he is very glad to see them out of danger, that he has come to instruct them, and that he would have better means of doing so if they would return towards the French settlement. Most of them were astonished at the trouble he had taken, and, rejoicing to see him, they made him a feast of Moose tongues and muzzles, which they had in abundance. The depth and hardness [page 25] of the snow this year has been the cause of death to a great many Elk, and has given life to many Savages. God did not will that the Father should return with empty hands; he had gone for grown persons, and he gave him the salvation of a little girl. For, as he was visiting the huts of these poor Barbarians, he perceived this child very low; he remembered that he had already [671 wished to baptize her before she had been taken into the woods, but, as the opportunity had slipped by, he had misgivings about it in his soul, asking her from our Lord for this purpose every day at the Altar. Now, seeing it hand the opportunity which he had not expected, he asked her grandmother's permission to baptize her. This good old woman answered, " You are good, you people, you take pity on the sick; thou hast indeed taken the trouble to come and visit us. Do all that thou deemest proper; I give her to thee." The young man who accompanied the Father gave her the name Marie, and the Father baptized her. After this act a Savage, knowing the Father intended to return, presented himself to conduct him; the Father was surprised at this courtesy, and the Barbarian told him that he and his son-in-law had been delegated by the other Savages to thank him, adding that he wished also to take with him the body of one of his sons who had been dead for two weeks, to be buried in the French Cemetery. The Father having thanked him, gave him to understand that this child, not having been baptized, could not be placed among the French. These simple [68] people insisted, however, and started on their way some distance ahead of the Father. All they gained by doing this was to come back again, after receiving very good treatment. [page 27]

On the seventeenth of the same month of April, a young girl received holy Baptism, which she had ardently desired. Our Lord, having chastised very severely all those with whom I passed the winter, for not having tried to fulfill the promise they had made him to acknowledge him, consoled me in the conversion of two children of these Barbarians. One is the son of the dead Sorcerer, who was called Carigoúan;[2] of this child I shall speak at the proper time. The other is the girl who occasionally did me some little service when I was sick in the Cabin of one of her relations, getting me a little water or melting the snow for me to drink. This poor child, being left without father or mother, afflicted by a very grievous malady, was forsaken and looked upon with horror by the people of her own tribe. God willed that our Fathers, who were at the three Rivers, where she was, should repay her a hundredfold for the charity she had exercised [69] toward me, for they took care of her body and of her soul. They made her a Cabin at the Fort, and every day the Fathers gave her food, had her cared for, and instructed her. As she had a good mind (the Fathers wrote me), she understood readily and enjoyed the doctrine of the Son of God, showing an especial affection for the holy Virgin, whose name she wished to take at baptism. After a little while she seemed to improve, so much so that they talked of sending her back to the Savages. This poor girl dreaded this return worse than death. God, who wished to have her for himself, sent upon her a fever which reduced her so low that she saw clearly her life was at stake. Hence they administered baptism to her, which greatly comforted her; for when some one said to [page 29] her that she was going to die, " I know it well," she answered, " but I console myself that I shall go to Heaven." " Oh, how happy you will be," some one remarked to her, " to see him who has made all in his grandeur! " " Shall I not also see," said she, " the good MARY, mother of God? " and when she had been assured that she would see her, " I will tell her," she replied, " what I have always said to her with a sincere heart,—[70] Ou kaouia Jesus Khisadkihitin, I love you, O Mother of Jesus. " This good soul, washed in the blood of the Lamb, now prays for her Nation and for all those who succor it in any way whatsoever.

On the twenty-fourth of the same month, an Algonquain, wishing to die a Christian, was baptized and named Jacques. After his death, [which occurred] in the absence of our Fathers, the Captain of the Nation was won over by means of a dinner to reveal the place of his burial and to permit his remains to be disinterred; while this was being done, it had to be discontinued, on account of the complaints of some women, who cried loudly that their dead were being stolen. One must at times humor their weakness.

On the thirtieth of the same month, the same Fathers baptized two little children, a boy and a girl. When they asked the little boy's father if he did not approve of their doing to his child what they did to the children of the French, he answered very sagely, " I have found you so good and so charitable, that I do not believe you wish to do any harm to the child, having done good to the (711 father. In the beginning of this Moon, having brought to you the dead body of my oldest son, to bury him in your [page 31] way, you answered me that you could not do it because he was not a Christian; I do not wish the same thing to happen to this poor little one. Moreover, as the weather was bad and I could not return to my Cabin without danger of being lost in the ice which was breaking up, you kept me and my son-in. law for some days in your house and fed us, although we wished to return lest we be a burden to you. I do not believe that men who do so much good would do any harm to our children. Look, here is my son; do what you please with him." We did do him a service which he will enjoy through the lapse of all the centuries, and beyond them; for we conferred holy Baptism upon him, and the name Jacques, given by his Godfather, sieur Hertel.[3]

As to the little girl, her mother was very glad to offer her to God. Sieur Godefroy[4] named her Magdelaine. She was the daughter of one called Eroacki, who played the Captain among the Savages. This [72] poor wretch will groan in hell as long as his daughter will rejoice in Heaven. O how different are these two states! Forever damned, and forever saved! Forever a companion of Angels, and forever an associate of devils! We will speak of his death in the proper place.

On the third of May there was baptized a little Algonquain Savage, about nine years of age; he was called Jean. The Fathers who placed these memoirs in my hands did not write me the circumstances of this baptism; it is a great deal that his name is written in the book of life.

On the twenty-first of the same month Monsieur Gand[5], being on a journey to the three Rivers, gave the name Joseph to a young lad, about fifteen years [page 33] old. The Fathers had him come to their room every morning to give him nourishment for the body and for the soul, sending him back towards evening to his Cabin near the Fort. But, when this poor child could no longer walk, Father Quentin himself went after him and brought him in his arms, to the great edification of our French, who lauded [73] this act of charity. Father Buteux asked him, after his baptism, if he were well-pleased to be a Christian, and if he did not fear death. He answered that he was very glad that he was no longer a Savage, and that he did not wish to be called hereafter Miskouaskoutan, which was his old name, but that he should be called Joseph. " As to death, I fear it no more than that," showing the little end of his finger; " why should I fear it? since in dying I shall go to Heaven." Father Quentin, on going after him one morning, found him in the death throes. An old Savage woman said to him, " Take him away, since he is dead." He waited until he expired, then, taking him in his arms, he brought him to our house where, having laid him out, he was buried like the others. [page 35]

CHAPTER IV.

BAPTISMS OF SAVAGES, CONTINUED.

F anyone finds these stories a little tedious, I beg him to remember that to win some poor Savage to God, [74] and to the Church, is our sole business in this new world, and all the manna that we gather in these deserts; that we hunt for no other game in these vast forests, and fish for nothing else in these broad Rivers.

On the twenty-third of May, the mother of that so beloved girl, of whom I have spoken in Chapter second, followed her child to baptism, to death, to burial, and, as we believe, to Paradise. She was the wife of one named Mataouau, surnamed by the French, "big Olivier," who I have said had some standing among his people. He is great in three ways, great in body, a great talker, and a great juggler. He showed himself as well disposed to the baptism of his wife, as he had been opposed to allowing the baptism of his daughter. And as he had brought into play all the resources of his art to give the life of the body to the child, so he did not spare anything to give that of the soul to the mother. This woman, who had obtained her husband's permission to have her daughter made a Christian, did not wish to be one herself, and so abhorred the Fathers that she would make them no answer. Having [751 gone on some business to the three Rivers, I made her a visit; she recognized that I was not the [page 37] one who had instructed her daughter, and answered me. I mildly represented to her the danger into which she was throwing herself of being forever separated from her child, whom she loved so passionately that, in my opinion, she was sick from grief and sadness. " Thy daughter," I said to her, " is very happy, and thou wilt be forever unhappy; she is in Heaven, and thou wilt be at the bottom of the abyss. Thou sayest that thou lovest her, yet thou dost not wish to go with her; thou canst not follow her, if thou dost not believe and if thou art not baptized. " She began to weep. I added that if I were going to remain at the three Rivers I would see her often; but, as I had to go down to Kébec, I begged her to listen to my brother. She indeed did this, but not immediately. After my departure, the Fathers having visited her several times, gave her up for a while as a bad-tempered woman. Her husband took offense at this, and complained to the Interpreter, saying that it was wrong to let his wife die without baptism; that it was true that up to that time she had been out of her mind, but she had [76] returned to her senses, and the Fathers should try her again. Never was a complaint more agreeable to them. They visited this poor sick woman and instructed her during several days,—her husband always being present and saying a great deal of good to her about the Fathers, to make our belief more acceptable to her. "Thou knowest," he said to her, "that these people are great Captains, that all the French love them; that they are always doing good to our sick, that all winter, when we are hungry, they give food to those who have none; why then wilt thou not believe them?" "Yes, I will," she [page 39] answered, " they speak the truth." Whereupon Father Buteux asked her whether, if she was restored to health, she would promise to be faithful to the belief she wished to embrace. " Whether I live or whether I die, I will always believe in God," she answered. Being sufficiently instructed, her husband one day sent for the Fathers and all the relatives of the sick woman, as she was dying. Father Buteux, approaching her, wished to question her; but they .told him she had lost her speech since midnight, and that he should hasten to baptize her, [77] since she was dying. The Father looked at her, and told her to open her eyes as a sign of her belief, and as a proof that she desired holy Baptism. She immediately opened her eyes, looked at the Father, and said to him, " I believe in God, and I believe also what thou hast told me." This was more than could have been hoped for from a woman in the grasp of death. She was then baptized, and her sponsor gave her the name Michelle. As soon as she had been cleansed in this sacred bath, she spoke more freely, and, calling her husband, she begged him to send out many of the people who had come into the Cabin. " Shall I make the Fathers go out also?" he asked her.

No," she replied, " but all the others." After the Father had consoled her, he praised her husband for having loved his wife with a true love. " If I had not loved her," he answered, " I would not have urged her to believe in him who has made all; but I rejoice that she will see in Heaven him who is all good, being baptized in his name. " It is strange that these Barbarians find our truths very adorable,—I mean that many of them approve our belief,—and yet do not wish to receive it until they are dying; [page 41] they are afraid of being [78] mocked by their countrymen,—acting as a great many Christians do who think in the depths of their souls that it is a very great benefit to attend the Sacraments; but, as they are afraid of being considered devotees and of receiving little bites from scoffers or impious people, the fear of a little annoyance makes them lose the fruit of a very great good.

On the thirtieth of the same month, God performed a kind of miracle in the baptism of an Algonquin girl. The Fathers, having found her speechless and out of her senses, despaired of being able to instruct her. They addressed themselves to St. François Xavier, promising him to give his name to this poor creature if it pleased him to obtain for her the necessary strength to receive Baptism. Strange to say, this dying girl, whom her parents had already painted black, as if she were dead, returned to her senses. The Algonquin interpreter was called, she was instructed, she believed, she desired Baptism; it was given to her, and, in accordance with the promise made to this great Saint, the interpreter called her Françoise. As soon as she was freed from the burden of her sins, she went to sleep [79] on earth, to awake in Heaven. O what blessings! O what acts of grace! To see one's self at the same moment in the belief, in the desire, and in the enjoyment of a good that the eye has not seen, nor the mind conceived.

On the fifth day of June, a good Savage woman brought her little sick son to our Chapel at the three Rivers to receive holy Baptism; Monsieur Rousseau[6] named him Denys. This good mother had already given two children to God; these three souls will forever adore the three adorable persons, and, as we [page 43] hope, will secure the salvation of so good a mother.

On the sixth of June, Father de Quen baptized a stout young Savage, to whom Monsieur Gand gave the name Joseph; he was called in his language Echkanich, meaning "a little horn." This poor young man having fallen sick at the three Rivers, during the winter, and wishing to be with his relations who were ranging the woods near Kébec, another Savage, a relative, fastened him to his sledge, and dragged him for thirty leagues over the snow and ice. I leave you to imagine what restoratives [80] he gave to this poor invalid and in what hostelries he passed the nights. None but bodies of bronze can endure the hardships of the Savages. This poor wretch was brought, still alive, as far as Kébec. One of our Fathers went to see him, as greatly astonished at the enterprise of the one who was well as at the determination of the sick man. He gave them both something to eat; and, while they were attending to their bodies, the Father was thinking of the salvation of their souls. As he instructed them, he saw that the poor invalid took pleasure in hearing about the other life, knowing well that the present most miserable one was slipping from him. As to the well man, seeing himself deceived in the hope of meeting the sick man's relations at Kébec, he left him there in a wretched hut, and went to look for them in the woods. Meanwhile, the Father took care of this Savage, and above all asked our Lord in the holy sacrifice of the Mass which he offered for his salvation, that his Majesty would grant Baptism to this poor soul which seemed to enjoy his word. At the Altar, he was very confident that his prayer had been heard; but, on [81] going out, he thought almost the contrary. [page 45] For lo, there arrived the nearest relatives of this carcass, which had no longer aught but bones; and they, having fastened this dying bundle upon the sledges, took it with them into the depths of the forests. Those who saw him depart would not give him five days of life. However, he lived through the winter, his poor mother and relations dragging him through all the stations made by the Savages,—now over Mountains, now through Valleys, now upon frozen Rivers or Lakes, oftenest upon the snow and always in the woods. Spring came, and they brought him back to Kébec. The Father who had asked him of God was greatly astonished when he saw him, and approached him, to give him some instruction. This poor young man had only the sense necessary for the faith, namely, the ears; for he had lost his sight, and all his other senses were greatly dulled,—he was more like a skeleton than a man. He listened willingly to what was told him, his mother herself impressing it upon him and making him softly answer. In a word, he believed and gave proof of his belief, invoking sometimes one, sometimes another [82] Of the three persons of the holy Trinity, especially the holy Ghost, which he finally received through Baptism, which Father de Quen conferred upon him. He remained only five or six days upon earth after this favor; his Country was Paradise, to which he withdrew, leaving his body to his poor mother, who enveloped it in many robes, and, without giving us notice, went and placed it upon a high scaffold, to bury it afterwards according to their ancient custom. The Father who had instructed him, hearing that they had elevated this body, went to the Cabins of the Savages, and asked his mother and relatives [page 47] where they had put it. They uttered not a word. He went to see the Captain of this Nation, and begged him to restore to him the remains, saying that this young man was baptized, and that Monsieur the Governor would be angry if they did not place him in the Cemetery of the French. " Wait," said he to the Father, " I will make them give thee what thou desirest." He went straightway to see the relatives of the dead man, made them a fine speech, declaring the affection we bore to their Nation, the help we gave to their sick, and the honors we showed to their dead. At once [83] the mother yielded to our desire, and this Captain urged the young men to go and get the body and place it in our hands. As the Father was urging them, one of them replied, " Do not be in such haste; perhaps his soul has not yet left his body, it may be still at the top of his head." And yet he had been dead for two days. The Father, having received this trust, had the necessary arrangements made for the funeral, and notified Monsieur de Montmagny, our Governor, of all that had passed. This man of piety and courage, who had, three days before, upon his arrival in the Country, aided in giving a poor Savage admittance to the Church and to grace, as I have just related, left the outlines of the fortifications which he was marking out, and which he is now having built, to honor these funeral ceremonies with his presence. He himself bears a torch or a candle in his hand. Monsieur the Chevalier de l'Isle, his Lieutenant, does the same; Monsieur de Repentigny, Monsieur de sainct Jean, all gallant Gentlemen, a number of soldiers, and other persons, render the last rites to this [84] new Christian. Father Garnier and Father Chastelain [page 49] bore his body, which was followed by the Savages with much humility and in. Silence.[7] When they were lowering it into the grave, his relatives threw in, besides the robes with Which he was covered, a Blanket, a Cloak, a bag containing his little belongings, and a roll of bark. The Father insisted that these things were of no use to a soul which was in Heaven; but they replied that this was their custom, and that they would not take, at his death, anything that belonged to him. I leave you to imagine how astonished were our Frenchmen and women, who had just arrived and who were present at this burial, at this way of doing things. They looked with compassion on the living, and with a pious envy upon the dead, considering the former miserable and the latter blest.

The eleventh of the same month, day of saint Barnabas, was to us a day of rejoicing in every way, as I have testified at the beginning of this Relation. Monsieur our Governor, upon landing, consented to be Godfather to a Savage who had asked for baptism, and gave him the name Joseph. Father Chastellain, [85] as I have already said, upon disembarking began his apprenticeship in New France by this baptism. Having mentioned this act, I will only tell what I have omitted concerning this Neophyte, who was one of the best prepared for Heaven that I have ever seen. The Father, who instructed him, seeing he had a good disposition, and knowing that the faith was taking root in this soul, had a great desire to He employs our French Surgeons, takes care of himself, visits him, carries him refreshing food. But, as the malady was stronger than the remedies, this poor man said to him, "Nikanis, [page 51] my good friend, let us think of the soul; baptize me; as to the body, I see clearly that it must die." The Father deferred doing so in order to make him desire more ardently so great a blessing. Now it happened that, when he visited him one day, he found a juggler blowing upon him, crying, howling, striking his drum and making a thousand grimaces, according to their custom. He reproached both of them very severely, the sick man for having had recourse to any one else but God, the Charlatan for having intruded with his drumming upon a person who already believed in Jesus Christ. The latter [86] looked at the Father, without saying a word, and withdrew. The poor patient, addressing him, said, "Nikanis, why art thou angry? this man came to treat me according to the custom of our Nation; if there is any harm in it, it must be stopped, for we do not do these things with bad intentions." Those who were present added, speaking to the Father, " Thou hast no sense; thou dost what thou canst to cure this sick man, thou canst not succeed; the other wishes to aid thee, and thou art angry thereat. Two persons are not too many to cure so bad a disease. Do thy part, and let him do his; thus the matter must be arranged. " They acted exactly like the Philistines who wished to join together the Ark and Dagon. Jesus does not agree well with Belial. It is true, however, that these absurdities are more innocent than I thought in the beginning. The most simple believe that they are restored through these songs, without knowing how; others take them, so to speak, as one would take medicine; some think that these noises drive away the Manitou; and the Charlatans engage in these [page 53] apish tricks for their own [87] profit. Our patient allowed himself to be blown upon, to follow the custom of his Ancestors. He firmly promised me never again to have recourse to these remedies. But, do what they will, their relations procure these for them, against their own wish. Now, as they continued to explain to him the Christian truths, he urged the Father to make him a Christian and to take care of his soul. " Thou seest, " he said, " that I believe, and that, to obey thee, I will not have our Medicine Men come near me; I can now scarcely move; if I die without Baptism thou sayest that I will go into the fires that are never extinguished. Why dost thou delay so long? " The ships having meanwhile arrived, he was granted the accomplishment of his desire. After being baptized, he called the Father and said to him, "Nikanis, my soul is full of comfort; it has, nevertheless, one more desire,—that is, to see my relatives for the last time; they are up there at the three Rivers; dost thou see fit that I should go there? If thou dost not approve this, I will die here near thee; but thou hast some brothers up yonder; write them to take care of my soul, as thou hast done." The Father answered him that he would die on the way. " No," said he, " I shall not die; [88] 1 feel in my heart that I shall reach three Rivers, and make a short stay there, and then I shall die;" all this was true. The Father gave him some letters, and they placed him in a Canoe, his wife and children taking him away. When they arrived, he sent for Father Buteux, had him sit down near him, and handed him the letters that had been given him. The Father, learning through these letters that he was a Christian and godson of Monsieur the Governor [page 55], embraced him warmly, and promised him all assistance. His relations who had come to see him, wondered at these caresses and evidences of charity, which are not seen among them. Then, addressing the Father, he said, " Thy older brother has helped me at Kébec. " " We will do the same here," answered the Father, " but dost thou keep in mind what my brother has taught thee? " " Yes, indeed," said he; and, dropping a bark dish that he held in his hand, he began to indicate with his fingers the three persons of the holy Trinity, and to recite the first lessons of the Christian; if he forgot anything, his wife reminded him of it. " Truly, I could scarcely restrain my [89] tears, " writes the Father, "when I saw a man of forty years reared in the depths of Barbarism, speaking the language of the children of God, and reciting his Faith and his Catechism with the meekness of a child and the devotion of a mature person." He finally died on the thirtieth of June, after having passed a few days at three Rivers, as he had predicted; and his body was given to us for burial, not without making entreaty for it in an assembly which these Barbarians had purposely called together.

On the sixteenth of the same month two little Savages were changed into two little Angels. Sieur Jean Paul came to advise the Fathers of the dangerous illness of one of them. The Fathers went to the Cabins, made him a Christian, and, the name Jean Paul was given him by the one who had given notice of his sickness, and who wished to be his Godfather. He was only one year old; his father promised that he would make him a Frenchman, if he recovered. At the same time that they came to baptize this one, [page 57] Robert Hache,[8] a young man who lived with our Fathers at the three Rivers, [90] came to us exclaiming that we should hasten to baptize a child but eight days old, who was at the last gasp. Father Buteux ran thither, and upon the remonstrance made to the mother by the wife of Capitanal,[9] he obtained permission to baptize it, to name it Ignace, and to bury it shortly afterwards.

On the twenty-sixth of the same month, Monsieur the Chevalier de l'Isle became Godfather to a little Savage girl that one of our Fathers baptized at Kébec; he named her Marie, seeing her die almost immediately.

On the seventh of July, a Savage woman came to offer to our Fathers at the three Rivers, a little girl that she had, to be baptized, with the promise to have her instructed in the faith when she was large enough. Father Garnier, who was there waiting for the Hurons, to embark with them, baptized her solemnly in our Chapel. Sieur de la Treille[10] named her Marie.

On the eighth of the same month, a Savage of about forty years, wishing to pass the rest of his days under the law of God, was baptized by Father Charles [91] du Marché;[11] he was named Joseph by his Godfather, Monsieur de Repentigny. A long time ago, he had been cured of a disease, as he said, through the prayers one of the Fathers had offered for him, or rather had taught him. For the Father who had instructed him in the faith, upon visiting one of the Cabins of the Savages, was asked by a sick woman, " Teach me the words thou hast taught to Naaktuch," this was the man's name, " for he says they have helped him, and that, when his life has been in danger [page 59], he has been delivered by pronouncing these words." When the Savages, before his Baptism, happened to speak of our Religion, this poor man seemed to be cast down, seeing that some of them found fault with, and made sport of it. For some time the Father suspected him greatly of being deceitful, but at last he was convinced that he had a good heart. Sometimes he entered the Chapel all alone, and offered his prayer. One day he asked of his own accord for a picture, to remind himself of him who had died for us. The Father, seeing him show publicly before all those of his [92] Cabin that he wished to be a Christian, instructed him fully, and then granted him holy Baptism. His wife, seeing they were getting ready to baptize him, began to weep, saying that if they baptized him he would die immediately. When he heard her, he exclaimed, " Thou dost not know what thou art saying; keep still; I will not die from it, and, even if I should die, I wish to be baptized, to purify and wash my soul." Monsieur and Mademoiselle de Repentigny, and some other persons who were present, were greatly touched when the Father explained to them what he had said; but their sense of devotion was increased when they saw the pious manner in which he received Baptism. Having received it, he took the hand of the Father who had taught him, and of the one who had baptized him, as also that of Monsieur de Repentigny, and kissed them with great tenderness, thanking them for the good they had procured him. After the Baptism of this poor man, I was obliged to go away to meet the Hurons, in order to secure the embarkation of our Fathers who were appointed to go there. Being at the three Rivers, I [page 61] received a Letter from Father de Quen, who spoke in these terms [93] of this Neophyte, whom I had recommended to him. Joseph, formerly called Nahakhich, thought he was going to die to-day. He sent for me as I was about to say Vespers; I went to him promptly with sieur Hebert,[12] who assisted me greatly. He perseveres in his good intentions to believe; we have had him perform some acts of contrition, which he does willingly; he said that he did not wish to be burned with the wicked, that he always wished to believe what Father le Jeune told him; in saying this he wept. He has a great desire to see you, I say very great; I fear, however, that he will never see you again, except in the other world. As for me, your return would give me great comfort and relief; for as long as he is sick I shall have to go to see him frequently during the day; and what grieves me is, that I cannot speak. These are the very words of the Father, who, as well as the others, is very busy, and has many distractions; and this is why he has not advanced in the knowledge of the language as he would desire. In truth, it is a very sad thing to see a poor dying man ask for the bread of the Gospel, and only be able to give it to him in little crumbs, which are not [94] sufficient to satisfy him. Father du Marché, who delivered to me Father de Quen's Letters, added that this poor Savage wept pathetically; and that, according to the report of the interpreter, he exhorted one of his countrymen, with tears in his eyes, to believe in God and to embrace his holy faith. Finally he died, on the last day of July. The Savages had already placed his body in a Canoe to take it to the Falls of Montmorency, when Father Massé, coming upon the scene, stopped them and made them give it back to be buried with the Christians. Father de [page 63] Quen wrote me about his death. Joseph, said he, so much and so often commended, quitted this life on the day of our blessed Father and Founder, saint Ignace. I visited him three times every day; I served my apprenticeship by teaching him; and had him perform acts of faith and contrition, without borrowing any one else's language. At times, he made me repeat what I had had him say, to show me he had become fond of it. Monsieur de Repentigny, his Godfather, visited him often in his sickness, and sent him sometimes a few eggs, sometimes some Pigeons, occasionally some preserves. At the end, he rendered him the last offices, accompanying him to the grave, as also did [95] Mademoiselle his mother and Mademoiselle his wife,[13] and other members of his family. I will say thus much in praise of our French, they are willing to honor the obsequies and Baptisms of our Savages by their presence; this is greatly to the edification of these Barbarians who see that we make a great deal of those of their nation who receive our holy faith. Four Frenchmen bore his body: Monsieur de Courpon, Monsieur Gand, Monsieur de Castillon,[14] and a number of others were in the funeral procession, and were followed by the Savages who were then at Kébec.

On the fourteenth of the month of August, Father Antoine Daniel, coming down from the Huron Country, and passing by the petite Nation of the Algonquins,| baptized a poor Hiroquois prisoner whom the Savages were going to torture. Seeing that this man understood the Huron language well, he therefore made some presents to his guards, in order to be able to approach him and speak with him freely. He represented to him that his life was done; that after death his soul would have to suffer torments, incomparably greater than those he had already [page 65] experienced and would experience in his [96] body; that if, however, he would believe in him who has made all, he would escape these torments, and would enjoy the delights of Heaven. In a word, he instructed him and baptized him immediately, before he should be led to death. The Father told us that one evening, when he was near him, the Savages came and bound the prisoner so that he might not escape in the night; they tied him by the arms. and feet to two heavy pieces of wood, which fastened his poor body, stretched out upon the earth in such a position that he could not move. While one was binding him, another furnished light with a bark torch, purposely shaking this torch in order to scatter the sparks over this poor wretch, as naked as the hand, while he could not brush away these sparks, which stuck to his flesh and burned him with an intense pain. Yet he did not cry out, enduring this torment with a firmness worthy of admiration.

On the twenty-second of the same month, a Savage woman brought her little son to the Fort, asking for him some raisins or prunes. Seeing this little child very sick, I asked if she would not like to have him [97] baptized. She willingly agreed to it, and he was immediately carried to the Chapel. Monsieur the General was there, and consented to act as Godfather, giving him the name Theodore. He was solemnly baptized, in the presence of most of our French people.

These are all who have been baptized at the Residences nearest to Kébec, all the others having been made Christians among the Hurons. The Relation of those so distant Countries, which I send, will mention these baptisms, as well as many other very remarkable things. [page 67]

CHAPTER V.

ON THE MISERABLE DEATH OF SOME SAVAGES.

OME one has said that God has feet of wool and hands of lead. It seems to me that he has had the feet of a Deer and arms of iron or bronze, in the punishment of certain Savages. The Apostate, of whom I have spoken fully in past years, will lead the band. I [98] have often been astonished in thinking it over, how God has let his thunderbolts fall, so to speak, upon the three brothers with whom I passed the winter,[15] for having wickedly violated the promise they had made to acknowledge him as their sovereign, to love and to obey him as their Lord. They had had recourse to his goodness in their extreme famine; he had succored them, giving them food in abundance. Adhuc escæ, erant in ore ipsorum, et ira Dei ascendit super eos. They had not yet swallowed the morsel when God took them by the throat. Before the year had expired, the eldest, that wretched Sorcerer, who had given me a great deal of trouble, was burned alive in his own house. The second, who was my host, a man who had naturally a good disposition, but who, to please his brother, was willing to displease God, was drowned, having lost his mind, as I have already related. There remained the Apostate, the youngest of the three. I believe that the stamp of the Christian for a little while arrested divine justice. But, as he would not acknowledge it, the same thunderbolt, that struck [page 69] [99] his brothers, reduced him to ashes. That wretch died this year of hunger, abandoned in the woods like a dog. It is very remarkable that he did not have anything to eat, in their abundance; for perhaps not since ten years have the Savages killed so many Elk as they have this winter, the snow being in exactly the condition they desired for hunting them. I do not know the particulars of this accident; the Savages merely told us that they had found him starved to death in the woods. It was very reasonable that his impious mouth, which had so often blasphemed God, should lack food; and that God should condemn to this kind of death him who had seen poor sick persons die before his eyes, without ever consenting to aid me in giving them a piece of the bread of the word of God. In a word, the Apostate is dead. Whether he died an Apostate or not, I do not know, at least he died without any earthly help; I do not know whether he received any from Heaven; I would be very glad if it were so. Some one assuring me, not long ago, that he was pleased to hear of his death, reproached me for having this year again [100] invited him to come and see me, knowing well that he was a wicked man. I admit that he was a wicked man. I confess that last year, and again this year, I wrote to Tadoussac to have him come to me. I say even more; that, if it were in my power to free him from the irons and chains in which perhaps he now is, I would release him, that I might procure for him, in exchange for the wrongs he has done me, the greatest blessing that can be obtained for a reasonable creature, eternal salvation. Alas! is it then so small a thing that a soul be damned? All the great affairs of Conclaves, of the Courts of [page 71] sovereigns, of Palaces, and of Cabinets, are only child's play, in comparison with saving or losing a soul. But let us pass on.

A Savage woman having fallen sick at Kébec, one of our Fathers wished to instruct her; she pretended to listen to him. But, although they say the Savages sometimes deceive us, pretending to lend the ear to a doctrine which their heart does not relish, yet it is easy to recognize in a continued instruction whether or not the heart agrees with [101] the tongue. The Father never believed that she really wished to become a Christian. She saw with her own eyes the sudden recovery of the Prince's little son, of which I have spoken in Chapter III. This made her often ask for Baptism, that she also might be cured. The Father, who saw only concern for the body in this soul, did not wish to grant it to her, promising that, as soon as she was better instructed, they would baptize her. " Baptize me," she said, "and then thou shalt instruct me," but this was not the proper order. At last Attikamégou, the Savage called " the Prince, " wishing to go off into the woods to hunt, asked her if she would not remain, to be instructed; that our French would assist her, and that we would feed her; but she would never consent to this. Then she was thrown upon a sledge, to be taken away. The Father very positively forbade the Savage who dragged her to kill her, for it is thus they rid themselves of their burdens. Indeed, he did not kill her; but she herself, through despair or by accident,—let us say rather, through a just chastisement of God,—caused her own death. During a certain night, as there was a good fire in her Cabin and while every one was sleeping [102] soundly, this [page 73] woman, in trying to arise, fell into the flames and was instantly suffocated, drinking in this life the fire which she was about to find much hotter in the other. The Prince having come to see us, and having related this catastrophe, the Father who instructed her asked him if he knew the reason why this woman had not been willing to believe, nor to remain to be instructed. " She said," he replied, " that if she died among the French they would only give her a sheet after her death." "And what didst thou give her ? " he was asked. " I wrapped her in a Bear skin that you had given her, that was already half-rotten. I am sure," he continued, mockingly, " that her soul will not take the trouble to come back and inquire about it, for it would hardly prevent her from feeling the fires which burn unbelievers. "

Those who aid in the conversion of souls are not always saved; the first conversion one ought to make is that of one's self. Woe unto him who acts as a broom, cleaning the house but soiling itself. Thus a Savage has done this year. This wretch [103] has had his own son baptized, his daughter, his niece, and several others, and would not be baptized himself. Having fallen sick at the three Rivers, Father Buteux, upon visiting him, found a juggler beside him; he wished to make him leave the Cabin, but this Charlatan replied that he himself would listen to what he was going to teach the sick man. So the Father asked him if he did not wish to believe in God, who alone could cure him in this life, and make him happy in the other. "Yes indeed," he replied, " I believe that your Manitou is all-powerful; tell him to cure me, and I [page 75] will give thee ten Beavers. " " Thou knowest well, " replied the Father, " that we do not come to see the sick in order to get presents from them, but rather to give to them." " I know it very well, and therefore come and see me again about noon. " He wished to have himself sung to by this juggler; but the Father had the latter come to him privately and so frightened him that he did not sing nor blow upon this poor wretch, as he expected to do. The Father having returned to see him about noon, found that he had either been touched by the prayers of his children, who are in Heaven, or else that he was acting the hypocrite, for he promised wonders. But as [104] he was extremely proud, the faith could not enter nor make a long sojourn in his soul. Quomodo vos potestis credere, qui gloriam ab invicem accipitis. Pride places great barriers between God and the soul, and closes the door to Faith as well as to Charity. Some days afterward, he sent for the Father, and told him that he had been assured he would recover, if he would sleep with a hat on, begging him to give him one. When they tried to divert him from this superstition, this haughty spirit, impatient of contradiction, flew into a passion and uttered insults against the Fathers and against all the French, calling them liars and impostors. They tried to restore him to reason by gentleness; but he spitefully turned over, and would not answer a word. A little later, his brother, seeing he was nearing the end, said to a young French boy that he should inform the Fathers of it, but he forgot to do so. As death was rapidly approaching, another Savage came and rapped at the Fathers' door; but one of them was saying the holy Mass, and the other was otherwise [page 77] prevented, so he could find no one. He returned again, met Father Buteux, and took him [105] with him; but, as they were entering the Cabin, this proud man drew his last breath. These accidents in the eyes of men are only accidents, but in the sight of God they are great judgments. He had been regarded by the French as a wicked man, although toward the end of his days he had tried by some good deeds to efface this bad reputation. We have often observed that those who are naturally good, have been succored by God, while the lustful, the arrogant, and other such persons, have not enjoyed the same favors at death. I was told that it was this Savage who set on fire the Cabin of the Sorcerer, of whom I have just spoken, burning him alive to get rid of the annoyance he caused him by his disease, afterwards spreading the report, to cover up his cruelty, that this fire had been caused by the performance of another Sorcerer, with whom the former had had some quarrel, this report being so exaggerated that some one told me the fire had come up out of the ground.

Capitanal's son, about eighteen years old, like this unfortunate man, [106] passed into the other world in a very pitiable way. He was the child of very good parents, for Savages; his Father died two years ago enjoying the reputation among his people of a wise and valiant Captain;[16] his mother is still living, being the most modest Savage woman I have yet seen; their son fell short of these good qualities. A year ago, Father Buteux and another of our Fathers, having met at a feast of the dead, which the Savages were holding near the grave of his father, were constrained to drive him away publicly, on [page 79] account of a brutal action he was about to commit before their eyes. Those present recognized his fault, and showed their appreciation of our Fathers' remonstrance. For these Savages have this good quality, that they never contradict the truth when they know it, although they do not always follow it. I do not know what this wretch did afterwards; but the following is his deplorable death. Falling sick, Father Buteux went to visit him, and asked his mother if she would not like to have him talk to her child; she replied that she would like it very much, but at present there was some obstacle to it in the Cabin, [107] and therefore he should return in a little while. This obstacle arose from two jugglers. Nevertheless, the Father wished to approach him; but these fine Physicians signaled him to peremptorily dismiss him, which he did. Scarcely had the Father gone out, when these impostors began to cry, howl, beat their drums, and make their usual uproar. When this is done, they approach the poor sick boy, make those who are too near him retire, and then exclaim to him, " Take courage, my child; we have found the cause of thy sickness; only close thy eyes, and let us do our work." The poor patient closes the lids as tightly as he can, while the jugglers, examining his body, draw from their bag a great butcher knife, and pretend to be opening his side and probing a wound; then they produce a little knife covered with blood, which they show to those present, exclaiming, " Behold the cause of the trouble; courage! the Manitou had placed this in thy body; behold thee relieved, dost thou not feel well? " " Yes, " replied the patient, " I am much better. " All those present were surprised, looking at [page 81] this knife [108] with wonder. Thereupon my Charlatans, to cover up their game and their deceit, make a plaster of ashes mixed with water, and apply it to the side they pretend to have opened, expressly forbidding the mother and child to touch this balm, which must cure him of all disease if its value is recognized. A Savage informs the Fathers of all these proceedings, and they hasten to the Cabin of the sick boy. Father Buteux urges the mother to tell him what they have done to her son. After some resistance, she discloses the secret; and the Father exposes the jugglers, for, having gently raised this fine plaster, he finds neither wound nor scar. Dost thou not see," he said to this poor mother, that these Manitosiouekhi[17] are abusing thee, making thee believe that this knife has come out of thy son's body, without leaving any trace thereof? " " That is just the wonder of it," she replied; " they have performed their operation so deftly that the body has been relieved and yet in no wise injured thereby. Canst thou deny that my son is better? Thou canst see it at a glance." In fact, either the invalid had some respite, or the imagination, which everywhere operates [109] powerfully, made him believe he was better; he even seemed to be gayer than usual. I believe the hope of a sure recovery, which these false Esculapii had inspired in him, had caused this deceptive joy. The Father contends, but in vain, that the absence of this bloody knife restores his health no more than its presence had made him sick; and, in order not to irritate the woman any more, he leaves her. The next morning she sent a Montagnés Captain to bear the news to the Fathers that her son had died during the night, without any one having [page 83] seen him expire; that she was very disconsolate, and would give them the corpse of him whom they had desired living; and that, although he had wished to be buried near his father, she would leave to them the entire disposition of his body. The Fathers answered that, as he had died a Barbarian, he could not be buried as a Christian. This was the bad end of a young man who had begun a bad life.

I would rather speak of the dews of Heaven than of its thunderbolts, and of the blessings of the goodness of God than of the severity of his justice. I leave this subject, to [110] begin a pleasanter one, after saying that a young Algonquin man received a like and even worse reward for having trusted to these jugglers; for, in fact, they cut open his throat in three places, to make it appear they had drawn therefrom three pieces of curved iron, which they placed in his hand. Our Fathers of the residence at the three Rivers visited him, but without profit; for in trying to make a compact with God for transitory health, he died and went away to begin an eternal torment. [page 85]

CHAPTER VI.

ON THE HOPES OF CONVERTING THIS PEOPLE.

MONG various propositions that have been made to me from Old France, some one asks me how it happens that in so many years so few persons have been baptized. It seems to me that the proposition ought to be reversed, and stated, 'How happens it that in so few years so many persons have been baptized? " The holy Scriptures, in speaking of Saul, say that he reigned only two years; and yet [111] it is certain that he bore the Scepter and the Crown a much longer time. In this regard, the holy Spirit estimates his virtue, and not the years of his Scepter and his Crown. I say the same; if you count how many years it has been since men came to New France in search of the spoils of animals, you will find it a long time. But if you ask how many years they have been preaching the holy Gospel, I answer that they have hardly yet begun; for, to speak correctly, we should only reckon from the time that the Gentlemen of the New Company reëntered Kébec. And if you go further back, you will -not be astonished that the faith made no progress in these countries, while a heretic had the principal administration of affairs here, and authority over those who might -have devoted themselves to that work. Now the time has been so short since then, that we have reason to offer a thousand praises to God for the progress that has been made in Religion, [page 87] in the first stammerings of a language which has to be learned, holding the trowel in one hand and the sword in the other,—that is to say, while doing a thousand other [112] things. Those who know what languages are, will rightly consider that to learn one without books and almost without an Interpreter, among wandering people, and in the midst of several other occupations, is not the work of a day. Is it nothing, in addition to that, to preach to our French, to hear Confessions, to administer the Sacraments, to visit the sick, to adjust little differences which are liable to occur, and to perform many other duties sufficient to keep one man constantly employed? It is my decisive opinion that for lack of a complete knowledge of the language we have not yet even begun to unfold the grandeurs of our belief. Themistocles said to the King of Persia that language was like a piece of beautiful tapestry, one must unroll it, in order to see its beauties. Certainly, one must speak in order to be understood; and this is what we cannot do yet, except as children. If nothing else were needed than to propose a few truths stammeringly, in order to fully convince the Savages, this would soon be done. But one must question and answer, satisfy inquiries, dispose of objections, and prepare one's hearers. In short, our [113] truths, which are newer to these Barbarians than the operations of Algebra would be to a person who could only count to ten, must almost make them forget their own language, when we use it to explain these to them. In the same way, are we far from being sufficiently familiar with it, in so short a time, for the explanation of mysteries so deep. And then they ask why it is that we have advanced so little in [page 89] the conversion of these Barbarians. Great affairs are usually concluded only in a long time. He who undertook the building of the Temple of saint Sophia, in Constantinople, ran away as soon as he had laid the foundations of this miracle of human ingenuity. He was often sought for, but in vain; at the end of three years this honest Architect reappeared. When the Emperor asked him why he went away, he answered that so great a piece of Mechanism could not be made in a short time,- that 'the foundations must be allowed to settle and solidify before loading them down; and that he feared his Majesty would not have had the patience needful for that. It is virtue that is necessary, not only to build a Church of stones, but still more for [114] a celestial Jerusalem. The souls which must be the materials of this edifice are not like the stones of which the Temple of Solomon was built, which were cut and placed in position without noise. These cry out only too much, they resist, and with two kinds of resistance, natural and acquired. To be a Barbarian and a good Christian, to live as a Savage and as a child of God, are two very different things. This metamorphosis is not accomplished by a word nor in a moment. A great many people in France imagine that all we have to do is to open our mouths and utter four words, and behold, a Savage is converted. And when they are here, and see these Barbarians in their resistance, they exclaim that it is time lost to preach to them the word of God. How can they be satisfied, and Heaven peopled, with these barbarians? If I were not already somewhat tedious, I would show that the greater number of Christians resist God more than do the Savages. Leave these beggars," say [page 91] some, " you are losing your labors, you are racking your brain for nothing." I would like to whisper a word into the ears of those people. How many times has either [115] your Confessor, or the Preachers, or some good Book, or your own conscience, reproved you for that secret sin you committed ten years ago? How many were the entreaties on the part of Heaven and of your good Angel, to make you give it up? Did you resist all these batteries and all these cannons? You who have been reared in the house of God, who have been stamped by his stamp, who believe that this monstrous sin displeases him, who do not doubt that his justice is terrible,—and you cry out that a poor Savage is a rascal, a beggar, an obstinate fellow; that it is losing time to teach him, when you see him grow restless at the first or second statement made to him of a doctrine so new to him and to all his ancestors. And inasmuch as you do not see him running with open arms to embrace these truths, which he does not yet believe, you despise him and condemn those who instruct him,—you, who have feet of lead in seeking the virtue which you believe to be adorable. Oh, that God may give you patience! Referunt fructum in patientia. The most hasty affairs are not the best conducted; [116] he who runs too fast is soon out of breath. Up to the present we have no reason to complain, thank God. For the future, we entertain good hopes, which I shall proceed briefly to explain.

In the first place, you will grant me that if there is any goodness in God, he will share it with his friends; that if he has ears, they are especially for his favorites. Voluntatem timentium se faciet. He does the will of those who fear him with love and [page 93] respect. Now is it not true that a vast number of pure souls entreat him incessantly for the conversion of these Peoples? I have mentioned some of them above; I know of several others. And all those of whom I have spoken, or of whom I have any knowledge, are only a few in comparison with the many others who wrestle for us, as Moses did for the people of Israel. Is not the holy Spirit, which causes this great void in these so pure wills, powerful enough to fill it? I conjure all these good souls to continue; their prayers are not without blessing. A sign that God wishes to give, is that he causes himself to be asked, [117] and asked with love, with ardor, and with perseverance. We feel the effects of this powerful assistance; if this blare of the trumpets of Heaven continue, the walls of Jericho will fall; they seem already to be shaking.

In the second place, the goodness of God, while raising some obstacles to the faith, little by little casts fear into these souls. Initium sa'pientiæ timor Domini. Many Savages, as well as we ourselves, were astonished at the chastisement of the Sorcerer and his accomplices. The death of the Apostate will not allay the fear that many have of mocking God. But I cannot sufficiently admire his mode of humbling the pride of the naughtiest among them, especially of a certain man named Oumastikoueiau, surnamed by the French la Grenoüille ["the Frog"].[18] This wicked man had more authority than the Captains, and his influence extended even among all these Tribes. His plans were laid to divert them entirely from commerce and friendship with the French. To this end he had negotiated peace with his enemies; but God, who knew the malice of his heart, crushed [page 95] him, and permitted the [118] most wicked of the Savages to be involved in his crimes. For in trying to open a way to the Foreigners through the lands of their enemies, whom he thought he had won over, they imbrued their hands in his blood, slaughtering him miserably, as well as all those whose pride had caused us the most trouble. When Goliath was slain, the army of the Philistines no longer had any strength. The death of these men renders the others more pliable and more disposed to grant us what we desire from them.

In the third place, the more the glory of the French continues to increase in these Regions, the more these Barbarians will respect them, and the more fear they will have of offending them. The Inhabitants of the East Indies, holding the Portuguese in great esteem, more readily received their belief; and the Savages, coming little by little to admire the power, ingenuity and morality of our French,—I tremble while writing these last words, so greatly do I fear being disappointed in this expectation,—will make much of their faith, and will more readily embrace it.

In the fourth place, if they begin [119] already to secure Baptism to their sick children, one must hope that some day they will desire for themselves what they consider good for others. I beg you to note this point and the one that follows. You see mothers themselves bringing their children to Baptism when they see them in danger of death; and some weep bitterly when they hear it said that their children are in the flames, for not having wished to believe, or that they are deprived of the pleasures of Heaven because they were not baptized. Is not this [page 97] a good beginning? It is such as I would not have dared to hope for in so short a time. We see in these acts how God hearkens to the prayers of those who entreat him for this Nation.

In the fifth place, we have a still surer indication that the seed of the Gospel is beginning to germinate in the hearts of these Barbarians. It is that many of them are very glad to die Christians; not, in truth, so much through love as through fear of falling into the fires with which they are threatened. This is surely not a little. Still [120] more, they are beginning to lose the dread they had of Baptism, and the belief that this Sacrament must cause them to die; they are confident their souls are cleansed by these holy waters; they desire to be buried with us. If this faith is not yet quite strong in their souls, it is something that it is beginning to grow there. I have seen those who have said to me, " I fully realize that I am to die; let us give up the body, and think of the soul. " Can that be said unless they have faith? All that we say is only idle fancy, some exclaim. You know what the truth is. Do not these thoughts show that light is beginning to dawn in their hearts? The godson of Monsieur the Governor, having gone to the three Rivers, asked Father Buteux if it were permitted to ask God for health, as if he wished to know whether it would not be better to leave that to him.

In the sixth place, the Hospital that we are encouraged to hope for, will have, we believe, powerful results.[19] It is certain that all the sick Savages will come [121] to die there. For to be sick among these Barbarians, and to have already one foot in the grave, is one and the same thing; of this they are [page 99] very well aware. Hence, I know none among them who do not prefer in sickness the poorest house of the French to the richest Cabin of the Savages. When they find themselves in comfortable beds, well fed, well lodged, well cared-for, do you doubt that this miracle of charity will win their hearts? We are very impatient indeed to see this wonder. But I beg those good sisters who are to have the care of them, not to cross over the sea until their House is in such a condition that they can exercise their duties. Simply to be here, is not all; they must accomplish something ; otherwise, it would be far better to be in France. As soon as buildings are erected, we shall send for them; but a large house cannot be built well in a short time, and by a few people. We are more desirous of seeing our sick in their hands than they are of nursing -them, although they burn with desire, so to speak. We see clearly that their Hospital will fill the Seminaries with boys and girls; for the children of those [122] who die there, will belong to them. I will say still more,—that, in succoring the fathers and mothers, it will be necessary to feed and clothe the children; it is precisely this that is requisite, that they may be instructed. Would to God that they were already charged with fifty little girls as boarders; they would soon have some brave Ursulines here, who would take these children, and would leave the sisters to their sick, who will give them enough to do; and thus both, in exercising the practical virtues, will have something to keep them busy here. And then they must have a good income, to feed and maintain persons who will use more clothes in one year than others would in three. In short, let them bear in [page 101] mind that they are leaving France, a Country full of comfort and politeness, to come to a Country of rudeness and barbarism.

In the seventh place, we have done so much for these poor unbelievers, that they have given us some of their daughters, which seems to me an act of God. These little girls, brought up as Christians and then married to [123] Frenchmen, or baptized Savages, will draw as many children from their Nation as we shall desire. All will lie in our succoring them, in giving them a dowry, in helping them to get married, which I do not think they will fail to secure; God is too good and too powerful. These children are being kept at the house of sieur Hebout [Hubou], who married the widow of the late Monsieur Hebert, first resident of Kébec. He has one of them himself, whom he feeds and supports. Sieur Olivier le Tardif keeps another of them in the same house, whom the Savages have given him; he pays her board, as we do that of the others who are in the same lodging. These little girls are dressed in the French fashion; they care no more for the Savages than if they did not belong to their Nation. Nevertheless, in order to wean them from their native customs, and to give them an opportunity of learning the French language, virtue, and manners, that they may after-wards assist their countrywomen, we have decided to send two or three to France, to have them kept and taught in the house of the Hospital Nuns, whom it is desired to bring over into New France. I beg all Societies that [124] ask me for them to have patience, and to believe that, if I do not satisfy their desire, it is because I have not the power. As to these first ones, it seems to me that the glory of our [page 103] Lord requires that they be taught in the house of the Sisters who will bring them back in such way as shall be prescribed to them. It does not seem best to separate them, lest they lose the knowledge of their own language. Oh, if we could only send a certain one who is to remain in the house of which I have spoken, what comfort I could give those who would get her! This child has nothing savage about her except her appearance and color; her sweetness, her docility, her modesty, her obedience, would cause her to pass for a young well-born French girl, fully susceptible of education. Her father gave her to us only for two years, on condition that she should not go to France. Ah, how I fear that this child will escape us! I pray God to give her so strong a desire to continue with the French, that her parents will never be able to take her away. Since I am speaking of the children who are being sent to France, I will also say that Monsieur Gand makes a present to Monsieur de Noyers, Secretary of State, of a [125] little Savage boy. I have great hopes that so good a hand will return him to us some day, so well educated that he will serve as an example to the people of his nation.

In the last place, I consider it very probable that, if we had a good building in Kébec, we would get more children through the very same means by which we despaired of getting them. We have always thought that the excessive love the Savages bear their children would prevent our obtaining them. It will be through this very means that they will become our pupils; for, by having a few settled ones, who will attract and retain the others, the parents, who do not know what it is to refuse their children, [page 105] will let them come without opposition. And, as they will be permitted during the first few years to have a great deal of liberty, they will become so accustomed to our food and our clothes, that they will have a horror of the Savages and their filth. We have seen this exemplified in all the children brought up among our French. They get so well acquainted with each other in their childish plays, that they do not look at the Savages except to flee from them, or [126] make sport of them. Our great difficulty is to get a building, and to find the means with which to support these children. It is true, we are able to maintain them at Nostre Dame des Anges; but as this place is isolated, so that there are no French children there, we have changed the plan that we formerly had to locate the Seminary there. Experience shows us that it must be established where the bulk of the French population is, to attract the little Savages by the French children. And, since a worthy and virtuous person has commenced by giving something for a Seminary, we are going to give up our attempts to clear some land, and shall make an effort to build at Kébec. I say an effort, for it is with incredible expense and labor that we build in these beginnings. What a blessing from God if we can write next year that instruction is being given in New France in three or four languages. I hope, if we succeed in getting a lodging, to see three classes at Kébec,—the first, of little French children, of whom there will be perhaps twenty or thirty Pupils; the second, of Hurons; the third, of Montagnés. We can have [127] the latter all winter. But I confidently expect that they will continue right on, after once having tasted the sweetness [page 107] of a life that is not always crying hunger, as do these Barbarians. Blessed are those who contribute from their means to this generous enterprise. There are many rich persons in the world, but few of them are chosen for these great works. To have the riches of the earth, is a blessing of the earth; to use them for Heaven, is a blessing of Heaven. To so use them as to gather up and apply the blood of Jesus Christ, this is to participate in the merits of the Apostles, to range one's self in the number of the most intimate friends of Jesus Christ.

These are some of our reasons for hoping that in the course of time we shall make something out of our wandering Savages. I say nothing of the sedentary ones, like the Hurons and other Tribes who live in villages and cultivate the land. If we have a grain of hope for the former, who are fickle and wandering, we have a pound, so to speak, for the latter, who live clustered together. The Relation sent to us from their country, which we forward to France, will [128] show how strongly inclined they are to the faith. [page 109]

Editor	Reuben Gold Thwaites

Translators.	\| Finlow Alexander [French]
	\| Percy Favor Bicknell [French]
	\| John Cutler Covert [French]
	\| William Frederic Giese [Latin]
	\| Crawford Lindsay [French]
	\| Mary Sifton Pepper [French & Italian]
	\| William Price [French]
	\| Hiram Allen Sober [French]
	\| John Dorsey Wolcott [Latin]

Assistant Editor	Emma Helen Blair

Bibliographical Adviser	Victor Hugo Paltsits

Electronic Transcription	Thom Mentrak

CONTENTS OF VOL. IX

Preface to Volume IX		1
Document—
XXVI.	Relation de ce qui s'est passé en la Novvelle France, en l'année 1636. [Chapters iii.-xi., completing Part 1. of the document.] Paul leJeune; Kébec, August 28, 1636	5
Notes		305