The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents 29

The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents 29

Having escaped this danger, we would have liked to land; but an

army of icebergs, summoned by the raging wind, barred our entrance.

So we went on as far as the fort, coasting along the shores, and

sought in the darkness [323 i.e., 321] a little gleam of light or a

small opening among these masses of ice. My host having perceived

a rerin, or turn, which is at the bottom of the fort, where the

ice did not move, as it was outside the current of wind, he turned

away with his paddle three or four dreadful masses of it which

he encountered, and dashed in. He leaped quickly from the Canoe,

fearing the return of the ice, crying, _Capatau_, "Let us land;"

the trouble was, that the ice was so high and densely packed

against the bank, that it was all I could do to reach to the top

of it with my hands; I did not know what to take hold of to pull

myself out of the Canoe, and to climb up upon these icy shores.

With one hand I took hold of my host's foot, and with the other

seized a piece of ice which happened to project, and threw myself

into a place of safety with the other two. A clumsy fellow becomes

agile on such occasions. All being out of the Canoe, they seized it

at both ends and placed it in safety; and, when this was done, we

all three looked at each other, and my host, taking a long breath,

said to me, _nicanis khegat nipiacou_, "My good friend, a little

more, and we would have perished;" he still felt horror over the

gravity of our danger. It is true that [324 i.e., 322] if he had

not had the arms of a Giant (he is a large and powerful man), and

an ingenuity uncommon among either Frenchmen or Savages, either a

wave would have swallowed us up, or the wind would have upset us,

or an iceberg would have crushed us. Or rather let us say, if God

had not been our Pilot, the waves which beat against the shores of

our home would have been our sepulchre. In truth, whoever dwells

among these people can say with the Prophet King, _anima mea in

manibus meis semper_. Only a little while ago one of our Frenchmen

was drowned, under like circumstances, yet less dangerous, for

there was no longer any ice.

 

Estant échappez de tant de périls, nous trauersâmes nostre riuiere sur

la glace, qui n'estoit point encore partie; & sur les trois heures

apres minuict, le Dimanche de Pasques fleurie 9. d'Auril, ie r'entray

dans nostre petite maisonnette, Dieu sçait auec quelle ioye de part &

d'autre, ie trouuay la maison remplie de paix & de benediction, tout

le monde en bonne santé par la grace de nostre Seigneur. Monsieur le

Gouuerneur sçachant mon retour, m'enuoya [323] deux des principaux

de nos François pour sçauoir de ma santé, son affection nous est

tres sensible; l'vn des chefs de l'ancienne famille du pays accourut

aussi pour se resioüyr de mon retour, ils auoient connu par le peu de

neige qu'il y a eu cét Hiuer, moins rigoureux que les autres, que les

Sauuages & moy par consequent estions pressez de la faim; c'est ce

qui en resioüit quelques-vns iusques aux larmes, me voyant reschappé

d'vn si grand danger; nostre Seigneur soit beny dans les temps & dans

l'eternité.

 

Having escaped so many perils, we crossed our river on the ice,

which was not yet broken; and three hours after midnight, on Palm

Sunday, April 9th, I reëntered our little house. God knows what

joy there was on both sides! I found the house filled with peace

and blessings, every one being in good health, by the grace of

our Lord. Monsieur the Governor, learning of my return, sent to

me [323] two of our most prominent Frenchmen, to inquire after my

health. His affection for us is indeed very evident. One of the

heads of the old family in the country[5] also hastened to express

his joy at my return. They knew by the small amount of snow that

had fallen that Winter, which was less severe than others, that

the Savages, and consequently I, would suffer greatly from famine;

and hence some even shed tears of joy at seeing me escaped from so

great a danger. Blessed be our Lord, in time and in eternity.

 

I'ay bien voulu d'escrire ce voyage, pour faire voir à V. R. les

grands trauaux qu'il faut souffrir en la suitte des Sauuages, mais ie

supplie pour la derniere fois ceux qui auroient enuie de les ayder, de

ne point prendre l'espouuente, non seulement pource que Dieu se faict

sentir plus puissamment dans la disette, & dans les delaissements des

creatures, mais aussi pource qu'il ne sera plus de besoin de faire ces

courses, quãd on aura la connoissance des langues, & qu'on les aura

reduites en preceptes: I'ay rapporté quelques particularitez [324]

qui se pouuoient obmettre, i'en ay passé beaucoup sous silence, qu'on

auroit peu lire auec plaisir, mais la crainte d'estre long, & mon peu

de loisir, me fait tomber dans le desordre; il est vray que i'escris

à vne personne, _quæ ordinabit me charitatem_, les autres qui verront

cette Relation par son entremise, me feront la mesme faueur. Ie dirois

volontiers ces deux mots, à quiconque lira ces escrits, _ama & fac quod

vis_, retournons à nostre journal.

 

I wanted to describe this journey, to show Your Reverence the

great hardships that must be endured in following the Savages; but

I entreat, for the last time, those who have any desire to help

them not to be frightened; not only because God makes himself more

powerfully felt in our time of need, and in the helplessness of his

creatures, but also because it will no longer be necessary to make

these sojourns when we shall know their languages and reduce them

to rules. I have reported some details [324] which might have been

omitted; and have passed over in silence much that would, perhaps,

have been read with pleasure; but the fear of being tedious, and

my little leisure, have caused some disorder in my work. It is true

that I am writing to a person, _quæ ordinabit me charitatem_; and

the others who through his agency see this Relation will do me the

same favor. I feel like saying these two words to whomsoever will

read these writings, _ama et fac quod vis_. Let us return to our

journal.

 

Le 31. de May, arriua vne chalouppe de Tadoussac, qui apportoit

nouuelle que trois vaisseaux de Messieurs les Associez estoient

arriuez, deux estoient dans le port, & le troisiéme au Moulin Baude,

c'est vn lieu proche de Tadoussac, que les François ont ainsi nommé:

on attendoit le quatriéme, dans lequel commandoit Monsieur du Plessis,

general de la flotte, qui vint bien-tost apres, & loüa grandement le

Capitaine Bontemps, pour s'estre rendu fort recommandable en la prise

du nauire Anglois, dont i'ay parlé cy-dessus; si tost que ces bonnes

nouuelles furent portées à Mõsieur de Champlain, comme il n'obmet

[325] aucune occasion de nous tesmoigner son affection, il nous en fit

donner aduis par homme exprés, nous enuoyans en outre les lettres du

R. P. Lallement qui m'escriuoit qu'il estoit arriué auec N. F. Iean

Ligeois en bonne santé, & qu'au premier vent il seroit des nostres, il

est aisé à conjecturer auec quelle ioye nous benismes & remerciasmes

nostre Seigneur de ces bonnes & si fauorables nouuelles; il arriua deux

iours apres dans la barque que commandoit Monsieur Castillon, qu'on dit

s'estre fort bien comporté en la prise de l'Anglois.

 

On the 31st of May, a shallop arrived from Tadoussac which bore

the news that three vessels of Messieurs the Associates had

arrived,--two being in that port, and the third at Moulin Baude,

a place near Tadoussac, thus named by the French.[6] They were

waiting for the fourth, commanded by Monsieur du Plessis, general

of the fleet, who came soon afterwards and bestowed high praise

upon Captain Bontemps for having shown very meritorious conduct in

the capture of the English ship, of which I have spoken above. As

soon as this good news was brought to Monsieur de Champlain, as he

never omits [325] any occasion to show his good will, he sent us

tidings thereof by a special messenger, sending us also the letters

of Reverend Father Lallement who wrote me that he had arrived

with Our Brother Jean Ligeois in good health, and that the first

breeze would bring him to us.[7] It is easy to guess with what joy

we blessed and thanked our Lord for this good and so favorable

news. He arrived two days later in the bark commanded by Monsieur

Castillon, who is said to have done good work in the capture of the

English.

 

Le quatriéme iour de Iuin Feste de la Pentecoste le Capitaine de Nesle

arriua à Kebec, dans son vaisseau estoit Mõsieur Giffard, & toute sa

famille, composée de plusieurs personnes qu'il ameine, pour habiter le

pays, sa femme s'est mõstrée fort courageuse à suiure son mary: elle

estoit enceinte quand elle s'embarqua; ce qui luy faisoit apprehender

ses couches, mais nostre Seigneur la grandement fauorisée, car huict

iours apres son arriuée, sçauoir est le Dimanche de la Saincte Trinité,

elle s'est deliurée fort heureusement d'vne fille qui se porte [326]

fort bien, & que le Pere Lallement baptisa le lendemain.

 

On the fourth day of June, the Feast of Pentecost, Captain de Nesle

arrived at Kebec; in his vessel was Monsieur Giffard and his whole

household, composed of many persons, whom he brought to settle

in this country.[8] His wife showed great courage in following

her husband; she was pregnant when she embarked, which made her

dread her accouchement; but our Lord was wonderfully kind to her,

for eight days after her arrival, that is, on the Sunday of holy

Trinity, she was delivered happily of a daughter who is doing [326]

very well and whom Father Lallement baptized the following day.

 

Le 24. du mesme mois, feste de S. Iean Baptiste, le vaisseau de

l'Anglois commandé par le Capitaine de Lormel, monta iusques icy,

& nous apporta le P. Iacques Buteux en assez bonne santé, Monsieur

le General nous honorant de ses lettres, me manda que ce bon Pere

auoit esté fort malade pendant la trauersée, & le Pere nous dit qu'il

auoit esté secouru & assisté si puissamment, & si charitablement de

Monsieur le General & de son Chirurgien, qu'il en restoit tout confus,

maintenant il se porte mieux que iamais il n'a fait.

 

On the 24th of the same month, feast of St. John the Baptist, the

English ship, commanded by Captain de Lormel, came up thus far, and

brought us Father Jacques Buteux[9] in fairly good health. Monsieur

the General, honoring us with his letters, sent me word that this

good Father had been very sick during the passage; the Father told

us that he had been so effectively nursed and assisted by Monsieur

the General and his Surgeon, that he felt overwhelmed by their

kindness; he feels better now than ever before.[10]

 

Le premier de Iuillet le P. Breboeuf & le P. Daniel partirent dans

vne barque, pour s'en aller aux trois Riuieres, au deuant des Hurons,

la barque alloit commencer vne nouuelle habitation en ce quartier

là, le P. Dauost qui estoit descendu de Tadoussac, pour l'assistance

de nos François, suiuit nos Peres trois iours apres, en la compagnie

de Monsieur le General, qui se vouloit trouuer à la traite auec ces

peuples. Ils attendoient là quelque temps les Hurons, qui ne sont point

descendus en si grand nombre cette année qu'à l'ordinaire, à raison que

les Hiroquois estans aduertis que cinq cens hommes de cette nation

tiroient en leur pays, pour leur faire la guerre, leurs allerent au

deuant au nombre de quinze cens dit on, & ayant surpris ceux qui les

vouloient surprendre: ils en ont tué enuiron deux cens, & pris plus

d'vne centaine de prisonniers, dont Louys Amantacha est du nombre; on

disoit que son pere estoit mis à mort, mais le bruit est maintenant

qu'il s'est sauué des mains de l'ennemy. On nous rapporte que ces

Hiroquois [327] triomphans ont renuoyé quelques Capitaines aux Hurons

pour traitter de paix, retenans par deuers eux les plus apparens, apres

auoir cruellement massacré les autres.