The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents 1

The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents 1

The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents,

Vol. VII, by Various

 

 

TRAVELS AND EXPLORATIONS OF THE JESUIT MISSIONARIES IN NEW FRANCE 1610-1791

 

THE ORIGINAL FRENCH, LATIN, AND ITALIAN TEXTS; WITH ENGLISH

TRANSLATIONS AND NOTES; ILLUSTRATED BY PORTRAITS, MAPS, AND

FACSIMILES

 

EDITED BY

 

REUBEN GOLD THWAITES

Secretary of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin

 

Vol. VII

QUEBEC, HURONS, CAPE BRETON: 1634-1635

 

CLEVELAND: =The Burrows Brothers Company=, PUBLISHERS, M DCCCXCVII

 

 

 

 

COPYRIGHT, 1897

BY

THE BURROWS BROTHERS CO

 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

 

_The Imperial Press, Cleveland_

 

 

 

 

EDITORIAL STAFF

 

 

Editor REUBEN GOLD THWAITES

 

Translator from the French JOHN CUTLER COVERT

 

Assistant Translator from the French MARY SIFTON PEPPER

 

Translator from the Latin WILLIAM FREDERIC GIESE

 

Translator from the Italian MARY SIFTON PEPPER

 

Assistant Editor EMMA HELEN BLAIR

 

Bibliographical Adviser VICTOR HUGO PALTSITS

 

 

 

 

CONTENTS OF VOL. VII

 

 

PREFACE TO VOLUME VII 1

 

DOCUMENTS:--

 

XXIII. Relation de ce qui s'est passé en La Novvelle France, en

l'année 1634 [Chapters x.-xiii., completing the document].

_Paul le Jeune_; Maison de N. Dame des Anges, en Nouvelle France,

August 7, 1634 5

 

XXIV. Lettre à Monseigneur le Cardinal. _Paul le Jeune_; Kebec,

August 1, 1635 237

 

XXV. Relation de ce qui s'est passé en la Novvelle France, en l'année

1635 [Chapters i., ii.]. _Paul le Jeune_; Kebec, August 28, 1635 247

 

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DATA: Volume VII 305

 

NOTES 309

 

 

 

 

[Illustration]

 

ILLUSTRATION TO VOL. VII

 

I. Photographic facsimile of title-page, Le Jeune's _Relation_ of 1635

250

 

 

 

 

PREFACE TO VOL. VII

 

 

Following is a synopsis of the documents contained in the present

volume:

 

XXIII. The first installment (chaps. i.-ix.) of Le Jeune's _Relation_

of 1634, written to the provincial at Paris, was given in Vol. VI. of

our series. In the concluding portion herewith presented, the superior

of the Quebec mission continues his account of the Montagnais. He

describes their clothing and ornaments; then their language, which,

though deficient in __EXPRESSION__s for abstract ideas, he praises for its

fullness and richness in vocabulary and grammatical forms. He offers

to the provincial numerous reasons why he made so little progress in

learning the tongue while he wintered among them--his own defective

memory; the malice of a medicine man, whom he had opposed; the perfidy

of the interpreter Pierre, who refused to teach him; his sufferings

from hunger and illness; and the inherent difficulties of the language

itself. All these points are elaborated, with many details, the result

being a vivid picture of savage life, and of the hardships, danger,

and suffering endured by this heroic missionary while wandering with

the savages through the forests and mountains along the southern shore

of the River St. Lawrence. At last, after almost six months of this

wretched life, and many hair-breadth escapes from death, Le Jeune, ill

and exhausted, reaches his humble home, the mission house on the St.

Charles. In the closing chapter he recounts, in the form of a journal,

the events of the summer of 1634 at Quebec; the arrival of the French

fleet, with Father Buteux and the colonists of Sieur Robert Giffard;

the departure of Brébeuf, Daniel, and Davost for the Huron mission,

and their hardships on the voyage; the foundation of new settlements

above Quebec,--at St. Croix island (not to be confounded with the site

of De Monts's colony), and Three Rivers. He announces his intention to

go, with Buteux, to Three Rivers; and closes with an appeal for more

missionaries, who shall be competent to learn the Indian dialects.

 

XXIV. In this letter to Cardinal Richelieu (dated August 1, 1635), Le

Jeune congratulates him on his efforts to root out the Huguenot heresy;

thanks him for his kindness, and for evidences of affection for the

Jesuit mission in Canada; and urges the great man to aid the Company

of New France in their colonizing enterprise, for on their success

depends that of the mission. The cardinal is reminded how many poor

French families might be provided with homes if sent to the New World,

where land is abundant; he is also informed that some savages have been

converted to the faith.

 

XXV. This document is known as Le Jeune's _Relation_ of 1635.

Heretofore the superior of Quebec has been the sole author of the

annual report of the Jesuit mission in New France. But with the arrival

of new missionaries the work was greatly broadened, and hereafter we

shall find the _Relation_ a composite, arranged by the superior from

the several individual reports forwarded to him by his assistants in

the field, often with the addition of a general review from his own

pen. Of such a character is the present _Relation_, which, like its

successors, is for convenience designated by the name of the superior

who forwarded it to the provincial at Paris, for publication.

 

The 112 introductory pages are by Le Jeune, dated Kebec, August 28,

1635; of these, we have space in this volume for but 51 pages (chaps,

i., ii.). Commencing with p. 113 (original pagination), we shall find

a report from Brébeuf, dated Ihonatiria (in the Huron country), May

27, 1635. Then will appear, commencing on p. 207, an undated report

from Perrault, for 1634-35, describing the island of Cape Breton and

the characteristics of its people; and, commencing on p. 220, a number

of brief, unaccredited extracts from letters by various members of the

missionary staff.

 

In his opening letter, addressed to the provincial, Le Jeune

anticipates most hopefully the growth and prosperity of Canada in the

hands of the French, but is especially rejoiced at the great interest

which the mission has aroused in France. There, many pious laymen are

aiding the enterprise with their efforts and money; many priests desire

to join the Canadian mission; and many nuns are eagerly awaiting some

opportunity to labor among the Indian women and children for their

conversion to the Christian faith. Le Jeune advises these sisters not

to come to Canada until they are suitably provided with a house and

means of support: and he appeals to the ladies of France to furnish

this aid for the nuns. He then describes the condition and extent of

the mission, which now has six residences at various points, all the

way from Cape Breton to Lake Huron. At the oldest of these, Notre

Dame des Anges, near Quebec, center their plans for educational work.

He wishes here to establish a college for French children, and is

beginning a seminary for the instruction of Indian youth. He describes

the importance of the Huron mission, and states that he has received

promises of funds for its extension. He recounts the work of himself

and his brethren in the French settlements, especially mentioning the

comfort they gave to the sick and dying during an epidemic of scurvy

at the new settlement at Three Rivers. He then gives detailed accounts

of the religious experiences and deaths of various Indian converts;

and relates the tragic death of the two Montagnais with whom he had

spent the preceding winter,--Carigonan, "the sorcerer," and his brother

Mestigoit, in whose cabin they all lived.