The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents Volume 57

The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents

—————

Travels and Explorations

of the Jesuit Missionaries

in New France

1610—1791

THE ORIGINAL FRENCH, LATIN, AND ITALI-

IAN TEXTS, WITH ENGLISH TRANSLA-

TIONS AND NOTES; ILLUSTRATED BY

PORTRAITS, MAPS, AND FACSIMILES

EDITED BY

Reuben Gold Thwaites

Secretary of the State historical Society of Wisconsin

COMPUTERIZED TRANSCRIPTION BY

Tomasz Mentrak

Vol. LVII

Lower Canada, Iroquois, Ottawas

1672—1673

CLEVELAND: The Burrows Brothers

Company, PUBLISHERS, M DCCC XCIX

THE JESUIT RELATIONS

AND

ALLIED DOCUMENTS

Vol. LVII

[Page iii]

The edition consists of sev-

en hundred and fifty sets

all numbered.

No.________

The Burrows Brothers Co.

[Page iv]

EDITORIAL STAFF

Editor	Reuben Gold Thwaites

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Electronic Transcription	Tomasz Mentrak

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CONTENTS OF VOL..

Preface To Volume LVII		9
Documents:—
CXXIX.	Lettres de quelques Missionaires du Canada à M. le Comte de Frontenac. Henri Nouvel, Ste. Marie du Sault, May 29, 1673; Jacques Bruyas, Tionnontoguen, June 12, 1673; Julien Garnier, Tsonnontouanan, July 6, 1673; Jean de Lamberville, Techiroguen, September 9, 1673.		19
CXXX.	Relation de ce qui s’est passé en la Nouuelle France, Les années1672. et 1673. [Letters from the following missionaries, edited or synopsized by Jean de Lamberville, and subsequently revised by Claude Dablon:] Pierre Chaumonot, Jacques Bruyas, François Boniface, Pierre Milet, Jean de Lamberville, Estienne de Carheil, Julien Garnier, Gabriel Druillettes, Pierre Bailloquet, Jacques Marquette, Louis André, and Claude Jean Allouez. [First installment.]		33



Bibliographical Data; Volume LVII			307
Notes			315

[Page vii]

[INSERT GRAPHIC HERE]

ILLUSTRATIONS TO VOL. .

I.	Facsimile of handwriting of Jean de Lamberville, S. J., selected from his draft of Relation of 1672-73; original “detached duplicate” MS. in St. Mary’s College archives, Montreal	Facing36
II.	Facsimile of handwriting of Claude Dablon, S. J., selected from his emendations to MS. Relation of 1672-73; original in St. Mary’s College archives, Montreal	Facing180
III.	Facsimile of a page from Louis André’s Preceptes, phrases et mots, from the original MS. in St. Mary’s College archives, Montreal	Facing 318

[Page viii]

PREFACE TO VOL. LVII

Following is a synopsis of the documents contained in this volume:

CXXIX. During the summer of 1673, some of the missionaries Write to the new governor, Count de Frontenac, giving him information about the various Indian tribes and their relations to the French. Nouvel writes (May 29) from Sault Ste. Marie, saying that the tribes of that region are well disposed toward Christianity ; but that their friendship to the French is endangered by both the Iroquois and the English, who are endeavoring to secure the Algonkin fur trade. The English have established a fortified post at Hudson Bay, and are making liberal presents to the natives of their neighborhood. Nouvel and his fellow-priests are doing all in their power to retain the savages in loyalty to the French.

Bruyas writes (June 12) from a Mohawk village that his colleague, Boniface, is conducting to Quebec a large party of Iroquois Christians, who wish to find an asylum there ; and that others of their tribes-men will soon follow their example.

A letter (dated July 6) from Garnier states that the Senecas, among whom he is laboring, are peaceful and obedient; they intend not to molest the Algonkins, and will send an embassy to Frontenac. They desire to trade at Montreal, rather than at Albany, and to receive French settlers in their country.[Page 9]

Jean de Lamberville sends Frontenac a report (dated September 9) of matters at Onondaga. All the Iroquois are delighted with the new governor, whose liberality and affable manner have quite won their hearts. He has asked the Iroquois to send some of their children to be educated at Quebec; the Father reports that they will consider this proposal which Garakontié will urge upon them. Lamberville also thanks Frontenac for his recommendation of the Jesuits to the Iroquois. He mentions, in closing, a report that the Dutch have recaptured their settlements on the Hudson.

CXXX. The MS. of the Relation of 1672-73 was sent to Europe as usual, although it was not published until 1861 (see Bibliographical Data for the present volume). The main portion of the document is herewith presented; the remainder will appear in Vol. LVIII. Especial interest attaches to this Relation, as here published; for it was written by Jean de Lamberville, and corrected by the superior, Dablon. We are enabled to present, for the first time, both the original and all emendations thereon, — distinguishing them by using different styles of type, as indicated at the beginning of the document.

Beginning with the Huron colony near Quebec, considerable space is devoted to the pious life and saintly death of their captain, Pierre Atironta. The charity and zeal of a certain pious widow are recounted at length. The Iroquois who have come to live with the Hurons are fully as fervent as the latter; and their women refuse to go back to their native land, preferring their present religious opportunities. They even urge their pagan relatives to embrace the faith, and to share their own exile for its sake. These same Iroquois women give the Huron elders [Page 10] valuable presents to secure the recall of a family who have been banished from the village on account of drunkenness, and consequent misbehavior of the man to the Iroquois strangers. The people of the village regularly bring their children to Chaumonot to be punished for whatever faults they may have committed; in consequence, “the little savages are so well behaved that one can now do with them whatever one wishes.”

A Huron chief returns to the village, who had long been absent among the Iroquois; he receives a warm welcome, and valuable presents. A council reinstates him in his dignity as chief; and he soon attains, by his eloquence and liberality, great authority in his village, which he uses to discourage drunkenness and all wrong-doing. The missionaries are delighted at his attitude, since drunkenness is “ the sole enemy that remains for us to fight among our Christian Savages. ’ ’ Their proverbial addiction to theft has been eradicated; they do not even know blasphemous words; they have forgotten their old superstitions; and the marriage tie is as strong among them “ as among the best Christians in Europe.” The Huron youth behave even more modestly and decently than do the French. All these great results are due to their forced migration to the French settlements. “ Who would ever have said that, in order to make the Huron nation Christian, it would have to be exterminated? ” The writer expresses his belief that the Iroquois also can be Christianized only by bringing them into the vicinity of the French. That undertaking has already been begun, a considerable number of Iroquois families having mi- grated to this Huron village. One of these strangers [Page 11] tells the Father in charge of them that this new life is “ a change from Hell into a little Paradise.” A certain Huron, Louis Taondechoren, has a great longing to become himself a missionary to the pagan Indians; opportunity for such work is afforded him by Frontenac’s expedition to the Iroquois country, where Louis greatly aids the Fathers, especially Lamberville.

The greater part of this Relation is comprised in two main divisions-the reports of the Iroquois and of the Ottawa missions. Beginning with the former, letters from Bruyas and Boniface give an account of the work among the Mohawks. These savages — having concluded a peace with the Mohicans, and consequently being able to trade freely with the Dutch at Albany-now continually indulge in brandy; their excess is so great that an epidemic fever results among them, which causes many deaths. The prevalent intemperance checks the efforts of the missionaries to win new Christians; but they are able to recover some of the backsliders, and to keep them in the line of duty. Bruyas’s field, the village of Tionnontoguen, is especially difficult: Boniface’s work, in two villages five leagues distant from the former, has been more successful; although these villages are small, they contain more true Christians than do any others. During the year, he has baptized thirty adults in his Chapel. Various instances of the piety and devotion of these neophytes, and the holy deaths of some, are recounted. The conversion of one of these occurs at the La Prairie Indian settlement, and leads to a considerable migration of Iroquois thither. Their pagan tribesmen are angry at this, and complain to Bruyas that “ the black [Page 12] gowns seem intent upon making a desert of their country, and completely ruining their villages; ” but the Father succeeds in appeasing the malcontents. It is even probable that many of them will also go to live among the French.

Milet describes his work during the last year, at Oneida. He has baptized thirty-four persons, of whom sixteen died; he relates the details of some conversions and of some ‘pious deaths. His success is partly due to the good effects of the medicines that he has given to the sick, partly to the fear of hell which many experience. Over forty unbaptized persons have confessed to him their sins, thus giving him opportunity for special personal instruction; and many refuse to attend superstitious feasts. As usual, it is the women who show most devotion and courage in religion. This gives the missionaries hope that the children will be reared in the faith, — thus, in the future, strengthening the now feeble church.

From Onondaga, Lamberville writes to his superior. He laments the lack of spiritual perception, and even of reasoning capacity, displayed by the Iroquois; he thinks that it needs, for their conversion, “ to win them by presents, and to keep them in subjection-by the fear of arms.” The missionaries possess neither gold nor steel, and therefore can do little with the savages. Still, he counts for the past year “ over thirty who now pray in Heaven for the salvation of their countrymen.” The Christians of this church are “ completely exempt from the vice of intemperance.” The shining virtues of Garakontié are eulogized. Upon examining his conscience, “ he cannot find that he has committed any sin; ” and, “ he added, with a smile: ‘ As to [Page 13] marriage, you well know my wife’s ill temper. Had I not been truly a Christian, I would have sent Her away Long ago, as the Iroquois do, that I might take another.’ ” He exhorts his Christian tribesmen, and at Albany “ prays with a saintly Effrontery in the midst of the preaching of the Dutch, when he happens to be with those Gentlemen on a Sunday. ” His Christian zeal arouses enmity among the pagans, and he is the abject of many slanders; but his people generally refuse to listen to these reports, and maintain his authority among them. Another Onondaga convert is cruelly persecuted for her faith by her husband, but escapes to La Prairie, where she lives most piously. Lamberville continues, with detailed accounts of certain conversions and pious deaths at Onondaga. The Father laments his poverty, since he cannot supply the sick with medicines and food; ” it would be a bait wherewith to secure nearly all the dying.”

The Cayuga mission is reported by Carheil, who has baptized fifty-five persons during the year, mostly children. Until this year, he has been compelled to administer all baptisms as secretly as possible; but the prejudices of the people against this rite seem to be diminishing, and mothers even bring their children to him to receive it. But he has little success with the adults; “ except when they are in danger of death, I find none who are susceptible to any of the inclinations necessary for baptism.”

A more encouraging account comes from the Senecas, in a letter written by Julien Garnier, — who, with Raffeix, is laboring in that mission. They preach freely, and without molestation, even the infidels listening attentively. The converts show [Page 14] fervent piety, and are always ready to maintain their faith against the attacks of the pagans, Garnier asks for another missionary, to serve at St. Jacques (Gandagaro). He has during the year baptized fifty- five persons, and Raffeix has conferred that sacrament upon thirty-eight.

The mission to the Ottawas is now on Lake Huron and Green Bay, for the Algonkin tribes have been driven by the Sioux from the shores of Superior. This facilitates the work of the missionaries, who this year have met with unusual success, having baptized over four hundred persons. At Sault Ste. Marie, the Indians have begun to plant Indian corn. A church has recently been erected, which is well frequented by the savages, who there pray “ to Jesus, the God of war,” as one of their chiefs entitles him. A church has been built at De Pere also, which excites much religious fervor among the Wisconsin tribes. The Kiskakons at the Sault have been urged by the Ottawas of Manitoulin Island to dwell with them, — where, according to Dablon, “ polygamy and Juggleries seem to have dedicated most of the Cabins to hell. ” But “ those instruments of the Demon ” fail to draw away the Kiskakons from their loyalty to the Church. Druillettes, who is in charge at the Sault, also cares for the Mississaguas, dwelling on the north shore of Lake Huron. They receive him most hospitably and kindly. To the twenty converts already there he adds twenty-three newly baptized; and the elders beg him to return soon to continue their instruction.

A chapter is devoted to “ marvels that God wrought at Ste. Marie du Sault.” These include, besides the cure of various diseases through prayer and holy [Page 15] water, the successful raid of an Algonkin band against the Sioux, — the former not even receiving any wound or other injury, — this also in answer to their prayers. Among the Kiskakons, — who, as a tribe, have embraced the Christian faith, “ the children hardly ever die; ” and those who die prove to be “ the children of those who were addicted to polygamy, or of their nearest relatives. ” Many Christians have been marvelously aided in temporal matters, or saved from death. These wonders have greatly impressed the minds of the savages; in consequence, the numbers of the baptized are increasing, and the medicine-men often renounce their superstitions. But, if God grants such success, he “ makes the Missionaries pay very dearly for it.” Father Nouvel has several times narrowly escaped death, — once at the hands of an angry medicine-man; and for all there are many hardships. The mission of the Apostles, among the northern islands in Lake Huron, “ formerly affording much consolation to the missionaries, has this year yielded almost nothing but thorns and difficulties to Father Bailloquet, who has charge of it; ” this is due to “ the malice of some old men,” who wish to get rid of the Father. He, too, has imperiled his life by his zeal; and has often been driven from the cabins. The few who profess the faith show, however, great constancy therein, and refuse to yield to the superstitious customs around them.

A report from the mission of St. Ignace is made by Marquette, in a letter to the superior, Dablon. There the remnant of the Tobacco tribe of Hurons have settled, and are under Marquette’s spiritual care. They are becoming more tractable, but “ God [Page 16] alone can give firmness to their fickle minds. ’ ’ In general, they manifest much esteem for the Father, and respect for the faith. In the autumn, most of his savages go hunting; those who remain ask his sanction for their dances. The chapel services are well attended, despite the severe cold. Marquette visits his parishioners in their fields, at a considerable distance from the village. He has baptized only two adults. In obedience to his superior’s orders, the Father is preparing to undertake a journey of exploration toward the South Sea.

Allouez and André conduct the mission of St. Francis Xavier, at De Pere, and its neighborhood, — André caring for the savages residing at or near Green Bay, and Allouez for those up the Fox and Wolf Rivers. A letter from the former states that a fire in his cabin burned (December 22, 1672) his diary and writing materials. He describes his labors during the rest of that winter, at a fishing village on the bay. The natives at once build him a new cabin; it includes a Chapel, at which the women and children are assiduous attendants. The great obstacles to the missionary’s success are the dependence of these people upon dreams, and the belief of the warriors that prayer is not for them, but for women and children. André recounts various debates which he holds with the chiefs on this and like questions. One of them admits frankly, “ We care very little whether it be the devil or God that gives us food.” Notwithstanding his opposition to their false gods, André is able to say: “I have had no trouble this year with the savages; ” and, indeed, they endeavor to please him in various ways. Some even renounce their superstitions, and accept God as their only [Page 17] manitou. André does not ascribe this improvement to his own efforts during his three months’ stay; but “ God accomplished this, through the great numbers of sturgeon that were speared there, “which makes them conclude that their deity is worth nothing, since they secure abundance of fish without invoking him. The Father baptizes ten adults and nine children during his sojourn there. He then proceeds to the Suamico River, where there is a village of Pottawattomies. These savages entreat the Father to procure for them, by his prayers, success in their fishery. He refuses to do so unless they renounce their false deities, which they readily promise to do. One of them gives a feast, at which, as he assures André, he “ Impersonated God, and not the Devil. I told him that I knew that he was worthless, and had no esteem for prayer. He is called porceau [‘the hog’], and he is a true hog in his conduct.” The Father says, in reference to their answers to his inquiries about the superstitious observances at their feasts, “ But The savages are too great liars to be Believed. ” “ However,” he adds, “ I have no reason to doubt the sincerity of the girls,” who are always assiduous in attending and in learning the prayers. The children clean their faces, when André tells them to; and “ even the Young men came in the evening to pray, and not to see the girls, . . . hoping that God would give them sturgeon, and manifesting their belief that their dreams were folly.” At the close of his report, André adds some curious observations regarding the apparent tides in the Fox River. He ascribes these to the action of the wind.

R. G. T.

Madison, Wis., October, 1899. [Page 18]

CXXIX

FOUR MISSIONARY LETTERS, 1673

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Source: We follow the authenticated copies in the Dominion Archives, Department of Agriculture, at Ottawa. [Page 19]

Letters of some Canadian Missionaries to Monsieur the Count de Frontenac.

EXTRACT FROM THE LETTER OF FATHER NOUVEL,

JESUIT, WRITTEN FROM STE. MARIE DU SAULT TO

MONSEIGNEUR THE GOVERNOR, MAY 29, 1673.

Sit is important that you be informed of all notable occurrences in these parts, here is a faithful narrative of them.

The Savages among whom we live have never appeared to us more disposed to embrace Christianity than at present, because of the good treatment that they received last year from Monsieur de Courcelle, and the attentions of all the french with whom they live. Their trade has done much toward this, and the continuation of it is very important. We try as much as we can, conformably to what Monsieur the Governor and Monsieur the Intendant have written to us about it, to incline them to continue their intercourse with the French. But already we see that the establishment of the English on the great bay of the North, and the proximity of the Iroquois, with whom the Missisahis have pursued their winter hunting, will cause a decided prejudice against the colony. The English have already diverted a great many of the inland savages who visit lake Superior, and attracted them to themselves by their great liberality; and the iroquois have sent very considerable presents to all these nations, to confirm, they say, The Peace that [Page 21] Onnontio made, — but rather to get their peltries, with which the iroquois are expecting these tribes to respond to their presents. Some of the savages of these regions, who saw during the winter the Savages from the interior who made their trade last autumn with des groisiliers and the English, have assured us that two ships had arrived at that great bay,[i] And that they were annoyed by a third, which followed them, and from which they apprehended shipwreck. They added that about two hundred men were put ashore, and that in four days they had erected a large House, which they fortified with several pieces of cannon. The savages greatly praise their liberality. I learned yesterday that they are to hold a great council with all the neighboring nations around them. All these tidings trouble the savages attached to us, who are enjoying the peace that the victorious arms of the King have acquired for them, and the protection of Heaven that rising Christianity brings them; they have some fears lest all this be disturbed by these revolutions. We do not fail, thereupon, to give them the necessary encouragement to keep themselves closely united both with God and with the French, assuring them that in this union they have no reason to fear.

The Father who has Charge of the mission of St. françois Xavier writes me that the Tsonnontaoueronnon iroquois have brought 20 peace-presents to the Savages of his quarter; and that they have taken away two women, who had long been captives among the latter. These presents say that the Iroquois obey Onnontio as their common father; and that thus they have only gifts of peace, and are to love each other as brothers. There is no doubt that they [Page 23] are only using this bait either for the sake of their commerce with the Outaouacs, at the solicitation of the dutch, or to beguile them into a renewal of the war, if they succeed with the Andastogué, who are the only enemies that the iroquois now have Upon their hands.

[Unsigned.]

COPY OF THE LETTER WRITTEN FROM TIONNONTOGUEN

BY FATHER BRUYAS, JESUIT, JUNE 12, 1673, AD-

DRESSED TO MONSEIGNEUR THE GOVERNOR.

HAVE Long been Desiring an opportunity Like this, to present to you my very humble respects and those of all the Fathers who live in the Iroquois missions. I could not desire a more favorable one than that afforded by Father Boniface, who is taking to Quebec a large party of our christians; they will take refuge in your arms as in an asylum, where they hope to preserve their faith and be secure from their Enemies. It is not necessary to recommend to you these new Canadians. I am sure that they will not have reason to regret what they have given up; And that they will benefit in finding, at Quebec, the things necessary to Relieve their extreme poverty. Those who remain here will not delay to Follow them, Especially If they learn of the good reception that will have been given to their compatriots. We will urge them to this as much as we can, since Monsieur Talon has assured us that the King desires it, And that we could not do anything more conformable to his intentions. There is no other news in these quarters, Except that our neighbors, the Dutch, have not yet seen any ship [Page 25] land at Manathe; this makes them very uneasy, and causes stuffs to be so dear, that our Iroquois are resolved to provide themselves with these at Montreal. I hope to have the honor of writing to you through our ambassadors, who will soon depart to go to Kenté, to assure you of their obedience. Meanwhile, I Beg you to believe that I Am, with all possible respect, . . .

[Unsigned.]

COPY OF THE LETTER WRITTEN FROM TSONNONTOU-

ANAN BY FATHER GARNIER, JESUIT, TO MONSEIGNEUR

THE GOVERNOR, THE SIXTH OF JULY, 1673,

FTER presenting to you my very humble respects, And after assuring you that I fully share in the common joy of your safe arrival in the country, — Praying God that he will assist you with His spirit that all your designs may succeed to the advancement of His Holy Service, for the honor of the King and for the good of the whole country, — I Am also obliged to inform you of what takes place in this region regarding the Service of the King. As soon as I received your orders, brought by Sieur de la Salle,[ii] I made them known to the Savages of this nation, which comprises 3 villages, — two composed of the natives of the country, and the third of the remnants of several huron nations destroyed by the iroquois. All together may make 800 men capable of waging war upon their enemies. The principal men of each village have been deputed to go and see you at the place you have designated; they are well disposed to receive your orders, and to satisfy you in all things. They have made peace with all [Page 27] the nations against whom Monsieur de Courcelle forbade them to make war, since The King had taken those nations Under his protection; they have expressly recommended to all their Young men not to turn their weapons in that direction. Their leading purpose now is for commerce with Montreal, where they would willingly take their peltries If commodities could be bought cheaper there than at orange, where wares have gone up in price this year. They are also eagerly Desirous that the french should inhabit their country, — especially those who Are most useful to them, as blacksmiths and gunsmiths. These requests they will themselves present to you. I am, . . .

[Unsigned.]

COPY OF THE LETTER WRITTEN FROM TECHIROGUEN

BY FATHER DE LAMBERVILLE, JESUIT, TO MON-

SEIGNEUR THE GOVERNOR, SEPTEMBER 9, 1673.

CAME here from Onnontagué expressly to see Monsieur de La Salle and give him this letter. I am under the greatest obligations to you for the goodness that you have shown in writing me so courteously as you have been pleased to do in the Letter that Garakontié brought me. Both he and all the Iroquois Are delighted to have seen you and heard you speak. The presents that you gave them, together with your affability, completely won their hearts; And I can say that your procedure has not only had the same effect as that of Monsieur de Courcelle, who rendered himself formidable, But it has gained the affection of those who had conceived nothing but distrust and secret hostility.[iii] Garakontié told [Page 29] me that he could not yet give any answer to the proposition that you made, to educate some Iroquois children at Quebec, because that depends upon the five nations; he is to go to them this winter on an embassy, And incline them to give you Every Satisfaction after the advances that you have been pleased to make, and the winning way in which you have captivated their minds. I ought not to forget also, Monseigneur, to render you thanks for having so well recommended us to the Iroquois that, in the account Garakontié gave here of your speech, — which I send to the Reverend Father Superior, — He strongly insisted Upon this, that you declared your desire that we Be not disturbed by drunkards, or Insulted by any one whomsoever. I do not relate here all the favorable remarks that I have heard about your great affability. Monsieur de La Salle, who is in haste to depart, in order to carry you the news of the recapture of Manathe and orange by the dutch, and of a report which is current that they have 20 ships of war which are sailing toward Quebec,[iv] does not permit me to Write you more at length. I have only time to assure you that I Am, . . .

[Unsigned.] [Page 31]

CXXX

Relation of 1672-73

—————

Source: We follow the original MS. in the archives of St. Mary’s College, Montreal.

All of the document except the last two sections, is herewith given; the remainder will appear in Volume LVIII.

Lamberville’s text, as retained by Dablon, is here printed in roman; matter substituted or added by Dablon is also in roman, but enclosed in brackets; and matter stricken out by Dablon appears in italics. [Page 33]

RELATION

OF WHAT OCCURRED

MOST REMARKABLE

IN THE MISSIONS OF THE FATHERS

of The Society of Jesus

NEW FRANCE,

In the years 1672 and 1673.

[Page 35]

Of The mission of nostre Dame de foye, near

Quebec.

IERRE Atironta, Captain of the hurons, died on The sixteenth of December, one thousand six hundred and seventy-two, with strong indications of Predestination. During the six years that had elapsed since his return from the Iroquois country, where he was a captive, he had always been very fervent; he had Never been known to indulge in the excessive use of liquor, or in any other scandalous Sin.

Some time after his return he was admitted into The Holy family;[v] thereupon he redoubled his devotions, and was Usually in the Chapel before Daybreak, both winter and Summer, for the purpose of reciting his rosary and his other prayers.

This did not prevent him from assisting daily at Holy mass very devoutly and modestly; and sometimes, when several were said, he heard Them all.

He was always one of the first in the chapel and The last to go out. His modesty and devotion greatly edified The french.

[The good Christians of This Mission Persevere in Their fervor, which very much resembles that of the early Church. I relate only Two instances of this in order not to repeat anything that has already been written In other relations. I will Begin with the death of pierre atironta, Captain of the hurons, who returned six years ago from the country of the Iroquois, where He had suffered greatly during his [Page 37] Captivity; yet he had Never uttered any malediction against them, or showed any resentment, since then. He passed these last six years of his life in a state of most exemplary fervor; usually, both winter and summer, he went to the Chapel Before Daybreak, to recite Long prayers there. He came thither The first of all, and was The Last to leave. He heard all The Masses that were said, with a devotion and modesty that greatly edified The french.] He was never observed in The Church otherwise than on his knees, although that is a very uncomfortable posture for savages.

Although he was an old man When he returned from his Captivity, he did not Fail to learn by heart, in a very short time, all The huron prayers, which are quite Long; in consequence, he became The dogique of his Cabin, and took care to make his Servants recite the prayers aloud, night and morning.

Several months Before his death, he had acquired The habit of praying to God during the night, whenever he awoke; he, therefore, always kept his rosary at the head of his bed or suspended around his Neck.

He displayed his virtue most [His virtue especially shone] in his illnesses, which were very frequent, owing to the blows and other ill-treatment [that he had] Received from the Iroquois. Never was He heard to utter any malediction against that nation, at whose hands he had experienced such cruelties. [did he make any bitter complaints.] He had only these words on his lips: “Onnianni totioua ensisa a encihouenkouas Jesous,” — “It matters not that I suffer; it is well; I have something wherewith to offer satisfaction to the savior for my sins.”

In [During] his final illness, which lasted over four [Page 39] months, he was taken to The hospital. There he displayed his goodness and piety, especially with respect to a niece of his who was there at the same time. One night, she was seized with convulsions which, it seemed, must suffocate her. She called her uncle. He immediately arose, sick as he was, and joined the good nuns, who were already around the sick woman; and he would not leave her until the attack was over.

After his return to the Huron Village, he never failed, however sick he might feel, to go to mass every day, — but, as he daily became weaher and weaher, he was reduced to such a state that he could no longer move a foot to go and pray to God. Nevertheless his fervor, which did not flag, suggested an expedient to Him by which he could make up for the weakness in his Legs. This was to request his wife to raise him up into a standing position, and then to help Him with her hands to lift one foot after the other; and thus he was enabled to go to mass, there to unite his own pains to those of our lord which he offered in that holy sacrifice to the eternal Father. The poor man was frequently observed to drag himself to mass and to Church more by The efforts of his hands than by The movement of his feet; sometimes supporting himself on the poles of the Cabins that he passed on his way, sometimes on the stick that he carried, and at other times on some charitable persons who led Him, holding Him up by the arms. [sometimes dragging himself thither on his feet and hands, sometimes supporting himself on the poles of the Cabin, or on some person who helped Him to stand up, and to put one foot before The other. His wife, among others, aided him in this way frequently and with great Charity].

When it was no longer possible in any way to go and hear holy mass, he resolved to assist at it, at [Page 41] least in spirit, whenever it was said; and whatever pain he felt, [however violent were his sufferings,] he ceased not to say, during the entire [time of the] mass, The same prayers that he would have said had he really gone to hear It [assisted thereat] in the Chapel.

When his spiritual Father suggested to him some pious sentiment, he would say: “That is my subject for meditation for today. I will think only of that all this day.” He had set apart the days of the week so as to perform certain devotions appropriate to each separate day. [during the whole of this Day.” He had assigned to each Day of The week special devotions appropriate to it.] On Sunday, he said The rosary of the most holy Trinity, consisting of Thirty “Gloria patri’s;” on Monday, he said another for the dead; on tuesday, another in honor of the Angels, etc. [and so on.]

Above all, he was very punctual in saying The angelus Three times a day, in order to gain the Indulgences that had recently been granted.

When he was about to die, he said that what gave him most consolation was that he had been admitted to the holy family, in consequence of which [since he fully hoped that] the many good people who belonged to it would pray to God for Him after his death.

His Poor countrymen went to visit Him during his last illness, and were deeply Touched by his Patience. Although he endured great sufferings, — since his flesh was falling off in Shreds, and he was bathed in blood and in pus, through lack of Linen and other dressings, of which these poor people are destitute, — he gave no sign of Pain. A good Christian woman, who admired the gentleness and tranquillity of mind [Page 43] that this good man [he] retained amid his sufferings, told me some days after his death that, when she went to visit Him, She seemed to see The fortitude and patience of the savior represented by those of that poor savage.

There is [It is] a pious Custom now, in vogue among [that has been introduced among] these new Christians — namely, of visiting the sick frequently and Praying to God for them, after greeting and consoling Them. It was the deceased who introduced it. He Spent The last hours with the sick, reciting The Rosary for them, and, as he was captain, the whole village soon followed his example; and from that time the custom has been introduced in the village of going to Pray to God with the sick to console Them, as soon as it is Known that they are confined to their beds. [It was this good man of whom we speak who established It, and by his example caused It to be Adopted; for, as he was Captain, all The others soon became accustomed to imitate Him in that holy practice, to which he devoted much time, praying with the sick and visiting them every Day. Indisputably,]

The savages, as a rule, are too indulgent toward their children, and know not what it is to punish them. Our late captain never forgave his people a fault, and not only reproved his own children, but also any one who offended in his presence.

Another vice to which The savages are addicted is idleness. He was an Enemy to it; he worked continually, While in good health, either in the fields or in [he was a foe to idleness; he labored Incessantly, either In his fields or in] his house. And what is still more to his credit is, that work never caused him to abandon or abate his devotions; nor did the latter [Page 45] keep Him away from work. He added to his labors a number of Ejaculatory prayers, by which he offered his toil to God; and The good God so blessed his efforts that his field has been observed to be The largest and the most fertile of all those of his countrymen. [He conversed almost unceasingly with God through Ejaculatory prayers. so holy a life would necessarily be followed by a death which affords us all The evidence of his predestination — As we have, etc.]

An Iroquois woman Had gone to new Holland with a Rosary around her neck, and a crucifix at the end of it. A heretic upbraided her for honoring and Invoking The Blessed Virgin. “How could you,” she said, “make me believe that she who has given Birth to Jesus deserves no honors?” etc. After such boldness, The heretics felt An esteem and affection for Her, which they afterward manifested on Various occasions.

A good huron woman said to me not long ago, while giving me an Account of her conscience: “My Father, God has for some time past given me the grace of no longer Cherishing anything whatever. I am surprised at the Change that I observe in myself. Formerly, all the porcelain beads and all the corn that I owned never seemed sufficient to satisfy my avidity; the more I had, the more I wanted to have; I was never content. Now it is just The contrary. I no longer envy the rich; I rather feel compassion for Them, because they place Their affection in things that are of no use to them after a brief moment of this life.” One of her intimate friends told Her in confidence that it grieved her to leave The residence of nostre Dame de foy to go and dwell at nostre Dame de Lorrette,[vi] and she received the following answer: “I see very well that your regret at changing your village comes from The love that you bear to the Fields which you have here, and which [Page 47] you cannot transport so far. But consider, I beg you, whether our deceased relatives carried Theirs with them, when they left this world to go to heaven. Why should we not accustom ourselves to do that during our lives which we shall have to do after death?” This satisfied and appeased the discontented woman. If the sentiments of that heart detached from the goods of earth manifested themselves in mere words, they would not deserve much Praise. The works that result from them make Them still worthier of consideration. After bestowing alms several times from a chest of corn that I had placed in Her hands, she came to tell me that it was almost empty, but that I would find two other full ones in its place. She herself had given Them out of her own store. Is not hers a merciful heart? It is a pity that this charitable soul has not so much wealth as our great Ladies in France. Ah, how many monasteries and hospitals would She not found! How many thousands of Poor would she not assist!

This good creature frequently said to me: “Why was I not born in france? I would then have believed from my Childhood; I would have been well Brought up, and well educated in the fear of God; and perhaps I would never have offended Him.” And sometimes, addressing herself to her daughter, she said to her: “Take care, my daughter, not to resemble thy mother. Thou art under obligation to be much better than I, for thou hast had good teaching when Young, while I never had any.”

The wife of one of her nephews, who dwells with her, attacked Her with most insulting words. When she saw that the impetuous woman continued too Long to vent her ill-humor on her, she, instead of replying to the other, went out of her cabin, so as to remove from that Woman’s sight The object whose presence might continue to Irritate Her. A long time Afterward, she entered very quietly, without [Page 49] saying a word; and on The Following morning, as if what had happened The night before had been but a dream, she greeted the Other, and ordered her to prepare the dinner, without uttering a Word or making any complaint to the Niece about her impudence toward her. The niece was so affected by this kindness that at once all her gall Changed to honey; and she made it her duty to serve her aunt better than she had ever done before. Thus The good Christians, by Allowing themselves to be devoured as sheep are devoured by Wolves, convert the latter into lambs. Would to God that we, who have sucked in The faith with our mothers’ Milk, could at least once in our lives imitate The generous spirit of that poor savage woman!

Virtues, when Perfect in a soul, all Hold Together like The links of a Chain. I observed this in that good creature. She fell ill of a violent fever; I sent for a Surgeon to bleed Her, but he could not be found. As I urged that He be again Sent for, she said to me very Calmly: “Ah, I am not in such urgent need that he should be sent for. He will come when it pleases God.” She told me, When she was a little better, that she had expected to die — so ill had she been; and yet, to see The peace of mind with Which she suffered, and The little anxiety she displayed to have The surgeon hasten, you would have thought that she was suffering very little.

That good widow is charged with the duty of opening and closing The door of The Chapel, in The morning and at night. Whenever she sees any dirt in The Chapel, she at once sets to work to sweep it out. One day, while she was rendering this good service to The blessed virgin, she was tempted by vanity, for there were many people looking at her. She rejected the thought, saying to herself: “But what is there in sweeping out a Room to make one vain-glorious? Is it not The lowest menials in The house who [Page 51] are employed at it? That work should humiliate me rather than make me Proud; for it shows me that I am The lowest of the village, since I am set to perform The lowest of all services in honor of The Blessed Virgin. This Office suits me, not because I am better than The others, but because I am the vilest and most abject of all.”

The Iroquois whom our lord has drawn from Their own country to come here and openly profess The faith, are for The greater part the most fervent of our christians, An elder of Agnié came here this spring, with the design of taking back some women whose return was asked for by Their relatives, under the pretext of Instructing Them in The faith. The Dogique of the Agnié women replied in the name of all that if Their relatives wished to see these Women again in Their country, they needed no other stratagem than to embrace The faith for good, and be baptized. “For,” said she, “it is not likely that, if they refuse to be instructed by The Fathers, who are in Their country solely for that purpose, they will be willing to accept teaching from us, who are but Idiot women.” Thus the worthy old man had to return without having obtained anything.

Whenever any Opportunity presents itself of Sending Letters to Their country, these poor creatures hasten to have me Write to our Fathers, and beg Them to speak to Their relatives — whose names they make me Write down — to urge Them to become Christians. They dictate to me Short exhortations in Their Language to be Read aloud to Their relatives; they even send Them little presents, to induce Them to Listen to our fathers; they invite them to come and dwell here, promising Them that they will be better here than in Their own country. In a Word, they omit nothing that Christian charity suggests to Them to attract Their relatives and Countrymen to The faith. [Page 53]

Marie Tsaouente, The most notable of those who have come here, was not content with having a letter written to her Father, who is in their country, to come and join Her here to work out his salvation; but she also Added to the Words a present of a thousand porcelain beads, to attract Him hither. She placed them in The hands of an Iroquois Catechumen, who left Quebec to return to his country for the sole purpose of bringing here his whole family, that they might be instructed and baptized all together.

At the Beginning of the month of August, those poor strangers performed a noble act of Charity, in the following manner. A huron who, with his wife, was greatly addicted to drunkenness, had caused so much scandal and trouble to The whole village of nostre Dame de foy, that they were forced to Expel him, and forbid him to make his appearance in future among The Christians. They even pulled down his Cabin, to Which The children afterward set fire, so as to take away from Him every pretext for returning to The village. After that banishment, the poor wretch dwelt only in The brushwood and in The Fields, now on one side, now on The other. However, there was among his countrymen a Charitable creature, who secretly brought him food. Some time later, The Christian Iroquois women who came last year from Their country heard that The family of that drunkard had been Expelled from the village on account of his objurgations and ill- treatment of Themselves; and so they Resolved, in a little council that they held, to offer to the Elders presents of over four thousand porcelain beads, to obtain for the fugitive The favor of being allowed to return to the village. The porcelain beads were presented at The meeting of the elders. In the first place, they Praised The Christian generosity of the kind strangers Who, Instead of rejoicing at The punishment of Their foe, wished to purchase his [Page 55] Liberty and his recall to The settlement; then it was Decided that such kindness should not Be without fruit; and that, provided The Culprit would give evidence of sincere repentance, he should be granted what those good women begged for Him. He was sent for, and, on being found, was made to appear before The meeting. There He was reproached with his Debauchery, and with The scandal that he had so long occasioned. Then He was asked what his intentions for The future were. He was told that, had it not been for the poor Iroquois women who had begged for his pardon and for that purpose had tendered three porcelain Collars He Would Never have been admitted into any Cabin — so great was the horror inspired by his drunkenness; he was told, moreover, that it was his little child who had most excited the compassion of his benefactresses; for, had there been but Himself and his wife, those women would probably not have given themselves any trouble about them. Our drunkard listened to all these reproaches very attentively, and was greatly embarrassed. Then he replied as follows: “My uncles, I beg you to believe that I have not been angry that my Cabin was burned, and that afterward I was compeled to live in the midst of the Fields; for I am convinced that I well deserved such a punishment. And if out of consideration for these good Iroquois women who constitute themselves my advocates, you are pleased to grant me mercy, I promise you that I will Never relapse into my past misdeeds. If I do not keep my word, I beg you never to have pity on me again. I would like my wife to make in your Presence The same promises that I have made, for she is The chief Cause of our evil conduct.” Thereupon, it was deemed advisable to summon that creature before the council. She came, and was immediately reproached, as her husband had already been, with her excesses and The disorders that [Page 57] accompanied Them; and they did not fail to tell Her that her husband had publicly declared that it was she who had committed all The evil, although her sex should have made Her more circumspect. The woman was not Bewildered by these reprimands, and gave an answer that astonished The entire assembdy. “My uncles,” she said, “it is perfectly true that I am the sole cause of all The evil that is done in our household. You may rest assured that, such being the case, you will no longer be scandalized by us; for I am fully resolved to Change my mode of living, so that, after having Caused disorder in my family by my bad conduct, I may in future bring orderliness into it by a more regular life. I am a poor sinner, I admit; but I Nevertheless have The faith. When I was Expelled from the village, I was advised to withdraw to some country where I could live according to my fancy, with full Liberty to do everything I pleased. The Fear of being damned prevented me from doing so. I far prefer to live with beasts in The woods, with the hope that some day you will have The Kindness to receive us in The village, — or that, if we fall into some mortal illness during our banishment, we shall not be refused absolution for our sins when We ask to Confess. That is what keeps us near here, and prevents us front going away from nostre Dame de foy. Moreover, my uncles, I know very well that The person whom my husband and I have most deeply offended is The Blessed virgin, to whom This viliage is consecrated, and whose name it bears. We would like to be very rich, that we might make Her a fine present in order to appease Her. I have only Fifty sols. I give them to Her, to buy Wax or some other Thing that may be used in her Honor. I hope that she will be kind enough to accept this little offering, and then pardon us for all the bad example that we have given to this village.” This discourse touched [Page 59] The whole assembly, and produced such an effect on all The elders that the poor exiled family was restored to The village; they would not even accept for The public treasury The porcelain Collars that had been offered for that object by The Iroquois women, and Their presents were returned to them. From that time, The husband and wife have faithfully performed Their duties as Christians.

This year our hurons observed that, in The School which is kept in their village of nostre Dame de foy for the french children, those who are neglectful of Their duties are frequently punished; and they thought that, in order to bring up Their own children properly, it was necessary to chastise Them for Their faults, as is done with The french children. So The Captain has been in the habit of going around the village from time to time, Calling out aloud that the fathers and mothers are to tell Father hechon [i.e., Chaumonot-Ed.] their children’s faults, so that he may have them punished therefor, — The Boys by The french schoolmaster, and The girls by a good matron. On hearing The voice of the Captain, the good people bring Their children to the Father Who, after inquiring into Their faults, causes The Guilty to be punished. Such exemplary Punishment has made the little savages so well-behaved that one can now do with them whatever he wishes.

The example of the french Pupils — who every night, on leaving School, go to Sing at benediction in the Chapel of nostre Dame de foy, — has had the good effect that the little savages, in order to imitate Them, have learned to sing beautiful Hymns in Their own Language; and they sing them even in Their houses, in The streets, in The Fields, and wherever they happen to be. Thus these little creatures, Ignoring all the profane Songs of their Ancestors, have on their lips only the spiritual motets that [Page 61] the Father teaches them. The result is, that in a short time they learn with Pleasure the mysteries of our faith, and all The Prayers, which They are made to sing to various airs, Changing The Words and The Music as is done in The Church, on the return of the yearly festivals.

Among other Persons who have come from the Iroquois Country to profess The Christian faith in Freedom, we have had The of seeing once more one of our huron Captains, named Jacques Onnha‘tetaionk, with all His family, consisting of ten persons. This good man had been taken by Reverend Father Lemoine to Agnié; he was to aid Him by his example, in the conversion of that nation, But when he saw that drunkenness opposed many obstacles to the faith among those poor savages, fearing, also, that his Children might become addicted to the same debauchery, if they continued to have intercourse any longer with the Iroquois, — he resolved last Summer to come and join his countrymen, in order to live in greater Freedom as a Christian among them.

As soon as this Captain arrived at nostre Dame de foy, where the hurons dwell at present, they all strove to surpass one another in giving him warm welcome. Mothers of families Vied in bringing Him Loads of indian corn; some gave Him Chests full of it, while others, to out do Their companions in Liberality, gave Him presents of fine Fields of indian corn, almost ripe. A number of feasts were given in His honor. In order that he might be Acknowledged and reinstated in his Office of Captain, Each of The matrons brought Him porcelain Collars, to establish a fund for Him, — from which he might draw whatever was necessary to be Munificent, when the occasion presented itself; and to make reparation for The faults of his nephews, according to The obligations of his office. This done, The Council assembled; and when all were Present, [Page 63] I restored to Him, with a porcelain Collar, The Captains voice, which had so long been silent, at least for us. I spoke as follows: “It is not I — Echon — who restore thy voice to thee this day. It is he Who has preserved thee amid so many risks that thou hast Run among The Iroquois. It is Jesus who has so happily withdrawn thee from so treacherous a country, Who places once more in thy mouth The voice of a Christian Captain. It is not The voice of Echon [i.e., Brébeuf — Ed.], — restoring thee his own, to compel thee to speak only As he Himself would speak if he still conversed among us. Consider in thy mind all that The Savior would condemn, and what he would approve and Recommend, if he were in thy place; and endeavor to do the same. If thou do so, thou wilt be The Colleague of God’s Lieutenants, and thou wilt strengthen Their word, and you will thus become so thoroughly united that there will not be a single vice that you will not banish from The huron Colony, not a single virtue that you will not there practice.”

The good man thanked the Father on The spot, but without a present. This he gave at a feast where, to install himself in The dignity of Captain, he replied according to Their Custom with a porcelain Collar; he presented it to our Lady as a slight Contribution toward the building of her house of Lorette, which is to be Erected in the new huron village, on the same plan as that which came from Nazareth.[vii] He added two others: one for Monseigneur The Count de Frontenac, our Governor, to beg Him to continue the Paternal care that he had manifested for his unfortunate nation; The other he gave to the old huron women who were dependent on him in his Capacity of Captain to unite Them all together and kindle a Common fire for Them.

He was not satisfied with making his porcelain speak, [Page 65] to Reinstate him in his office of Captain. Many fine harangues which he delivered on various occasions have caused him to be acknowledged as such to a much greater extent. The first speech that I heard Him make in public was against drunkenness. So clearly did he depict the evils and misfortunes that this vice has caused among all the nations who are addicted to it, that, since he has so inveighed against that monster, — we have had no disorders in that respect in our village. One day, I was exhorting a young man to abandon that vice, and he replied: “Would I pay so Little heed to the words of my captain, who so often dissuades us from that sin, as to Allow myself to fall into it in future?” Some Young men, who returned from Hunting after The arrival of that captain, upon learning that he had a great horror of The Excessive use of liquor, and had induced all Their comrades to renounce it, At once took the resolution never to allow themselves to be carried away by it in future; and, in fact, since that time they have abstained from it. This shows what a powerful effect is produced, even among The most savage of men, by The good or The bad example of those who are in authority. May God be pleased to preserve The fervor and zeal of this good captain in extirpating drunkenness, which is The sole enemy that remains for us to fight among our christian savages. Theft, to which The hurons were exceedingly addicted before Their baptism, is now so rare among them that they would scruple to appropriate a double, a Nail, or a Pin which they might find in the street. No sooner do they pick up Anything than they bring It to me, that I may restore it to the person to whom it belongs. As for swearing, blaspheming, and cursing, which cause the damnation of so many Frenchmen, our huron savages do not even know The Terms for these. The Superstitions of their forefathers are entirely a’one away [Page 67] with, and are no longer spoken of, as if they had never existed. The stability of marriage, and conjugal constancy, which formerly, in Their own country, we Lad so much trouble in establishing and in causing to be observed, now reign to the same extent among them as among The best Christians in Europe. Luxury in fine clothes finds no entrance into their families. Superfluous expenses in feasts are never encountered in Their households; all Their banquets consist in a well-seasoned Kettle, filled in proportion to the number of guests. Sins of impurity, such as kisses and Lascivious looks, are not habitual among them; exposing The naked figure, which formerly in Their country was not considered Immodest or wicked, is now done away with, so that at present there is much more modesty and decency among The huron youth than among The french.

“Salutem ex inimicis nostris;” these poor people owe all this great Change in their customs to the loss of Their country and Their Transmigration into ours. How wonderful is God in his designs! “Notas facite in populis adinventiones ejus.” Who would ever have said that, in order to make the huron nation Christian, It would have to be exterminated? Formerly I wept at the overthrow and destruction of the hurons by The Iroquois, and now I Praise God for it; for I see clearly that, if the nation had remained flourishing as it was of old, we would not in a hundred years have gained so much ascendancy over Them, to adapt Them to our Christian customs, as we have gained in a few years. I have The same Opinion as regards the Iroquois. I am convinced that to make them good christians in their own country is a difficult thing, and one that will take a long time to accomplish; but if we could gradually detach Them from Their dwelling-place, and attract Them to Our huron Colonies, it would [Page 69] be very easy to make worthy Christians of them in a short time. Indeed, great expenses would not be necessary to attain this end. If we had clothing to give Them When they should come to us, until such time as they could become familiar with The Hunting-Grounds, so that they could procure it for themselves, we would soon gain a good part of those who have already some disposition for embracing The faith, — who, however, have not yet sufficient courage publicly to profess it in Their own country, owing to the serious obstacles they encounter there. A manifest proof of this lies in The coming of nearly Fifty persons, who started from a single Iroquois village on The faith of a promise given Them by Father Bruyas, on behalf of monsieur de Courcel and Monsieur Talon, that They would be in want of nothing when they should have reached here. Now, if The mere promise to take care of them here upon Their arrival has had such an effect upon Them, what will not its fulfillment do When It shall have become known in Their country? Beyond a doubt, it will bring us many others, provided that The prayers of good people, And the slight assistance which we lead Them to hope for, do not fail us.

I wish that The good souls who are Zealous for The salvation of these nations could see The devotion displayed here by The Iroquois as soon as they arrive. It would doubtless be a further inducement to redouble Their prayers, in order to obtain from the good God, for those who are still in The Iroquois country, The strength and courage to burst The bonds that retain them there and settle beside us. For unless our Lord, at the solicitation of good people, perform a little miracle to detach those Iroquois from The natural affection that they have for Their own country, they will never be able to make up their minds to abandon It, and to come and dwell among us. The experience with [Page 71] the Savages that We have had during several years has causes to observe that it is not more difficult for The richest personages in Europe to abandon Their great wealth and enter The Religious State, than it is for our Iroquois to quit Their relatives and friends, their fields, their Cabins filled With Indian Corn and small articles of furniture suited to their manner of living, in order to go and dwell in another Spot where they are not sure of finding a single one of all the things that they abandon. Therefore, Whenever we see any of those poor people coming to us, we should admire The effect of grace on them as much as we admire The power of The divine Inspiration which causes great lords to renounce Their estates and enter cloisters, to serve God therein. New, as those great conversions Usually Occur only after many good souls have prayed to God for Them, the Conversions of the Iroquois who come here to secure their salvation must, in the same manner, have been effected by the prayers of God’s servants.

Moreover, when these poor Iroquois have once broken the Bonds that kept Them attached do their own country, and have come to us, they find great peace of Mind and God grants Them much Inward consolation. One of Them told me, some days after his arrival, that, on comparing The quiet life that he led here with The manner of living of the Iroquois with Whom he had been, it seemed to Him that Hell had been changed into a little Paradise.

A Young warrior of The same nation, after residing for some time with The hurons of Quebec, formed almost the same opinion as The one of whom I have just spoken. He said, when he returned to his own country, that the manner in which the hurons lived Was so surprising and so different from that of other savages that he expected that The account he would give of it would be looked upon [Page 73] as a fable. This is The same warrior who, returning from hunting and passing by La prairie de La Magdelaine, where there is another huron Colony, was so touched by the good example of the hurons who compose It, that he resolved to become a Christian after he should have returned to his own country, ad brought back all his relatives to procure The blessing of the faith for Them; this he happily effected.

On hearing of this noble achievement, executed last summer by this warrior, another Iroquois of note, who was at nostre‘ Dame de foy with The hurons, resolved to do as much — namely, to return to his country ad solicit his relatives, and As many people as he could, to come here and embrace The faith. With that object he left Quebecq in the month Of august. May God be pleased to grant Him The same success as to him whom he has proposed to imitate!

It is not only among civilized nations thnt God raises up persons zealous for The spread of his glory and of his Kingdom. We also find some such among our poor savages — men who have no other wish than to win souls to God. Louis Taondechoren is one of them. This good huron had for several years entertained the project of going three hundred Leagues from here to the place whence he came, in order to preach The Gospel there; but The need that his wife and children had of His support led me always to dissuade Him from that design. Finally this Summer, — when he with The other hurons accompanied Monseigneur The Count de frontenac, our governor, on a journey to the Iroquois country, — he resolved of his own accord to do in that hostile land what he had so Long wished to do in his own. I have learned from a frenchman who saw Him at Onnontagué that he fills the office of preacher, both in public in The councils and in private [Page 75] visits to the Cabins; and that Father Lamberville, to whose lot that mission has fallen, says that lie is happy to have found such a vicar. We have no details as to The good that he does; next year, with God’s help, we shall Know everything.[viii] [Page 77]

Relation of what occurred in the Iroquois

missions in the years 1672 and 1673.

O convey information of what is going on in those missions to the persons who are possessed with Zeal for the salvation of souls, and who, being unable to transport themselves to this extremity of the world, contribute all the assistance within their Power toward procuring These nations The knowledge and possession of their Creator, I shall begin with what Father Bruyas, the superior of the Iroquois missions, writes me from Agnié, of which he has had Charge for the past year and where He and Father Boniface [what has been written to me from Agnié by Father Bruyas and Father Boniface, who] work jointly in the instruction of The Christians of that mission. And, inasmuch as they divide Their cares among the various villages of the country of Agnié, I shall divide The Contents of their two Letters into as many Chapters. In them it will be seen that there was some foundation for the statement in the last relation that the lower Iroquois were arousing great hopes for their conversion. [Page 79]

CHAPTER I.

OF THE MISSION OF SAINTE MARIE AMONG THE

LOWER IROQUOIS.

HEN the Agnieronnon Iroquois concluded peace with their enemies, they had not sufficient Prescience to foresee What disadvantages would befall them, and that The hatchet of the mahingan would be less redoubtable to them than the liberty of going as often as they pleased to trade for brandy in new holland. As soon as that baleful peace between them and the Loups was concluded at new orange, the Road was at once opened to them to go there at all times in Perfect safety, and afterward to become intoxicated daily during the greatest Heat of The summer. Formerly, they used to drink here only at intervals and at certain seasons; many had to band together and keep themselves in readiness to resist The enemy in case of attack. But since they have no Fear of being insulted by the Loups, drunkenness has become so continual that they cease to drink only on leaving the village; and some have even been known to carry their kegs of brandy to the place where they fish, situated at a distance of over twenty-five Leagues from here.

This general dissipation was quickly followed by a kind [This country has been greatly afflicted this year by a kind] of pestilence, which began in the month of june, and ceased only in september. It was a fever of so malignant a character that in less than Five days one would either recover, or succumb to its violence. “It was a very sad spectacle for us,” says [Page 81] Father Bruyas, “to see brought into the village from all sides the dead and dying, whom two or three days’ illness had either carried off or reduced to The last extremity. Most of those who were attacked by the disease felt such violent pains in the head that they lost Their reason. Father Boniface and I had a great deal to do while this General affliction lasted. The fatigue and continual watching, which gave us an opportunity of practicing Charity while endeavoring to relieve the poor dying people, seemed to us to be very Trifling in comparison with The anxiety that we felt at seeing many of those miserable people deprived of reason, and unable to make use of the last moment of Their lives to avert the greatest of all evils after their death. I had The happiness of Administering baptism to those whom I found in possession of Their faculties; when they observed that I would have liked to relieve them, they became very docile in listening to all that I told Them.

“Now, there is no reason to be astonished if the faith has made so little progress since that time, and if we have to deplore the frustration of the bright hopes that we had for the conversion of the Agniés of Tionnontoquen or sainte Marie.

“When I saw what little prospect there was here of making new Christians, [The disease finally coming to an end,] I applied myself chiefly to Instructing the old people, and to bringing back to The fold many of the sheep who had strayed from it, — I mean, many agniés who called themselves Christians, but were so only in name. Bad example and Profligacy had so corrupted Their morals, and they had so completely forgotten their duty, that they barely remembered that they had been baptized. God has granted me [Page 83] The grace of withdrawing a considerable number from Their evil ways, and of seeing at present a little Church, which is beginning to give as much edification as it formerly caused scandal. [full of fervor.] I know not when it will increase; but The Fear that I have of making Apostates of the savages renders me more cautious, until they have given me proofs of a sincere heart and of true repentance.

“I have conferred that favor upon a man and a woman. The former is an old man, sixty years of age, who at one time was a person of note, but whom a natural infirmity has caused to be so despised by the Agniez that they look upon Him As a slave. God chooses the humble, and has nothing but contempt for the proud. This good man is very assiduous at prayer, and endures with admirable patience The affliction that God has sent Him, in The hope that he will some day receive consolation. The other is only twenty-five years of age. She had Long resisted grace, which urged Her to abandon her Idolatry; but the dread that she felt that baptism would send her to Heaven sooner than she wished, caused her to have An aversion for that sacrament. The error still prevails, in The minds of many Iroquois, that baptism shortens life; and it is no slight obstacle to Their conversion.

“I also baptized four little children, at the request of Their parents — all the more willingly because it is a pledge on their part that they wish to go where Their children will be blessed.

“The Greatest gain that I have had has been among the sick. God has granted me the grace of preparing [I have prepared] twenty-two for death, most of whom in Jesus Christ, have very probably gone to [Page 85] enjoy the blessedness that the blood of Jesus Christ has earned for them. I hope that The coming year will be more fruitful; and that the good example of the Agniez of The mission of saint Pierre, who are being converted every day, will produce such an impression on the minds of those of sainte Marie that, in the end, these will imitate Them.” [Page 87]

CHAPTER 2.

OF THE MISSION OF GANDAOUAGUÉ, OR OF SAINT

PIERRE, IN THE COUNTRY OF AGNIÉ.

N the two villages that lie nearest to new holland, which are situated at a distance of about five Leagues from Tionnontoguen, a second mission has been established, the care of which has for the past four years been conferred upon [given to] Father Boniface. To this mission The name of saint Peter has been given, because, after his majesty’s arms had conquered The lower Iroquois, it was at Gandaouagué that the faith was embraced with more constancy than in any other district of Agnié. There it was, properly speaking, that a nascent Church was first seen; there The Christian courage of those who compose it has manifested itself more strikingly than in any other Place. [There the faith is embraced with more constancy, and there Christian courage manifests itself more strikingly, than in any other place.] Therefore we call It The first and Principal mission that we have among the Iroquois.

It is true, this Church exists in the two smallest villages in the whole Iroquois country; a single village of the Upper Iroquois is larger and more populous than the two of which I speak. But on the other hand it has, to a certain extent, The advantage over The other Iroquois missions that the small Tribe of Judah had over all the other tribes of Israel, who were much larger and more populous than that of Judah. “Notus in Judœa Deus.” I admit that considerable evil conduct and Infidelity still prevail at [Page 89] Gandaouagué, as well as elsewhere; nevertheless, in these two small villages there are more faithful ones who worship God in spirit and in truth, and more souls who are truly Christian