tombee fur l'vn de fes yeux.) Si ie ne fuis \sc. me
fais] Chreftien, c'eft fait de moy, ie ne verray pas le
Printemps prochain, ie mourray cet Hyuer dedans
les bois, Vnus affumetur, alter relinquetur: le choix
& le rebut que Dieu fait des hommes eft dans les
tenebres, auffi bien que dans l'equite.
[140] Pay parle cy-deffus du Baptefme d'vn nom-
me Emery Tchames. Ce bon Neophyte fe retire
ordinairement aTadouffac; s'il continue comme il a
commence, il aidera puiffamment fes Compatriotes
a fe ranger fous les drappeaux de la verite. Ie Pay
veu fouuent, dit le Pere, vne demie heure entiere
apres les prieres communes, priant Dieu les mains
jointes, & les genoux en terre, pofture tres-penible
aux Sauuages; auec vne telle ferueur, qu'on voyoit
bien que fon cceur alloit plus vifte que fes levres.
La nuidt me promenant a l'entour des cabanes, ie
Pay par fois apperceu dans cette pofture, fans qu'il
euft conoiffance que ie le regardaffe. Son oraifon
f aite en fecret, eftoit bien connue de celuy qui change
des pierres en des enfans d' Abraham quand il luy
plaift, Dieu l'6prouua par vne maladie, qui luy donna
fujet de fe fortifier en la Foy. Le Diable prit fon
temps, il le voulut troubler dans fon fommeil. II
1642] RELA TION OF 1642 225
minds of some of them. The Father wished to bap-
tize some young boys of the band, who were well
instructed and who had desired that Sacrament ; but
they drew back just as they were about to be made
Children of God. One of them returned soon after,
incited thereto by his companions, who threatened
him with Hell. The other was more hardened. " I
shall die," he said, " if I get baptized. Since I have
been wishing for it, my eye has commenced to pain
me " (one of his eyes had become inflamed). If I
become a Christian, it is all over with me. I shall
not see next Spring. I shall die next Winter in the
woods." Unns assumetur, alter relinquetur. God's
selection and rejection of men are accomplished in
secret, as well as in equity.
[140] I have already spoken of the Baptism of one
Emery Tchames. That good Neophyte usually lives
at Tadoussac. If he continue as he has begun, he
will greatly assist his Countrymen to range them-
selves under the banners of truth. " I have often
seen him," says the Father, " spend a full half -hour
after the prayers in common, praying to God with
clasped hands and on his knees, — a position that is
very painful for Savages, — with such fervor that it
was easy to see that his heart went faster than his
lips. While walking around the cabins at night, I
have sometimes found him in that position, without
his being aware that I was observing him." His
prayer, said in secret, was well known to him who
changes stones into children of Abraham when it
pleases him. God tried him by means of an illness,
that gave him occasion to fortify himself in the
Faith. The Devil chose his own time; he wished
226 LES RELA TIONS DES JESUITES [Vol. 22
vid en f onge vne perf onne qui luy dif oit ; Fais vn
feftin a tout manger: fi tu veux guerir, mets des
plumes d'Aigles fur ton corps en la facon que ie te
diray : tu es mort fi tu n'obei's; fur tout ne prie plus,
c'eft la priere qui te fait malade. [141] Ce bon
homme fut bien etonne a fon reueil. Les Sauuages
n'ont point de plus forte creance que les fonges, ce
font leurs Oracles, aufquels ils obeiffent comme a
vne fouueraine Diuinite. II raconte a fa femme ce
qu'il a veu; II n'importe, fait-il, que ie meure, iamais
ie ne reprendray ce que i'ay quitte ; c'eft le Diable
qui me veut tromper, i'6prouueray s'il a du pouuoir
fur moy. Quand ie verrois la mort deuant mes yeux,
ie n'obeiray iamais a ce qu'il m'a commande, ie veux
eftre fidelle a Dieu, a la vie, & a la mort. Vn fonge
en France n'eft qu'vn fonge, mais c'eft icy vn poinct
de Theologie, ou vn article de Foy : il faut vne grace
bien forte pour le faire meprifer. Enfin ce bon Neo-
phyte guerit: N. Seigneur luy ayat rendu la fante, il
mena fes deux enfans en la cabane du Pere, les ex-
horta fortement a bien viure, a fe rendre obeiffans,
& a f e faire inftruire pour le Baptefme. Ie ne vous
contrains point, difoit-il, d'embraffer la Foy, cela fe
doit faire auec vne frache volote ; mais fi vous voulez
cofoler voftre pere, entrez dans le chemin du Ciel ou
ie fuis a prefent: i'ay de la peine a vous voir dans
les tromperies du Diable, d^pefchez vous d'eftre en-
fas de Dieu; [142] ie fcay bien qu'on vous fera long-
temps demander le Baptefme, pour la crainte qu'on
a que vous ne vous mariez a quelque Infidele, mais
ie penfe auoir affez d'authorit6 fur vous pour empef-
cher ce coup.
L'inconftance des manages, & la facility de fe
1642] RELA TION OF 1642 227
to attack him in his sleep. He saw, in a dream, a
person who said to him. " Prepare an eat-all feast;
if thou wilt be cured, put Eagles' feathers on thy
body, in the manner that I shall tell thee; thou art
a dead man if thou dost not obey. Above all, pray
no more; it is prayer that has made thee ill." [141]
The good man was greatly astonished when he
awoke. The Savages have no stronger belief than
dreams ; they are their Oracles, which they obey as
a sovereign Divinity. He related to his wife what
he had seen. " No matter if I have to die," he said;
" I will never return to what I have abandoned. It
is the Devil who seeks to deceive me. I will find
out whether he has any power over me. Even if I
saw death before my eyes, I would never do what he
has commanded me ; I will be faithful to God, in life
and unto death." In France, a dream is only a
dream; but here it is a point of Theology, or an
article of Faith, — it requires great grace to set it at
naught. Finally, this good Neophyte was cured.
When Our Lord had restored him to health, he
brought his two children into the Father's cabin, and
urgently exhorted them to lead a good life, to be
obedient, and to be instructed for Baptism. " I do
not compel you," he said, " to embrace the Faith, for
that must be done of your own free will. But, if
you wish to please your father, enter into the road to
Heaven, in which I now am. I am sorry to see you
under the spells of the Devil; hasten to become
children of God. [142] I know well that you will be
kept for a long time asking for Baptism, owing to
the fear of your marrying Infidels ; but I think that
I have sufficient authority over you to prevent such
an act."
228 LES RELATIONS DES J&SUITES [Vol.22
repudier les vns les autres, font vn grand obftacle a
la Foy de Iefus-Chrift ; on n'ofe baptifer les ieunes
gens, quoy qu'ils foient tres-bien difpofez, pource
que l'experience nous apprend que la couftume de
quitter vne femme ou vn mary fafcheux, eft puiffante.
Vne bonne femme auoit vne fille agee d'enuiron
quinze ans ; la fille eftoit mieux inftruite que la mere,
pource qu'elle auoit plus de memoire. Le Pere don-
na le Baptefme a la mere, & le refufa a la fille ; mais
c' eftoit chofe agreable de voir la fille feruir quafi de
Maraine a fa mere ; car cette bonne vieille ne f e fou-
uenoit quafi plus des reponfes qu'elle deuoit faire.
Sa fille luy fuggeroit auec vne grande ioye de voir fa
mere Chreftienne, & vne trilteffe d'eftre priuee du
mefme bon-heur. Cette bonne femme eftant bapti-
fee difoit a fa fille, quand elle ne pouuoit affifter a
la Meffe pour fes infirmitez; [143] Mon enfant, va-
t'en dire au Pere qu'il prie pour moy en la Chapelle;
& que fi i'y pouuois aller, que ce feroit toute ma con-
folation. Les feftins a tout manger, les Sorciers, les
tambours, les chanfons & les dances fuperftitieufes
ne paroiffent quafi plus. Les pierres fortileges qui
rendent les hommes heureux au jeu, ou a la chaffe,
n'ont plus de credit que parmy quelques opinialtres,
qui ne les produifent qu'en cachette, craignans d'eftre
mocquez des fideles. lis apprehendent mefme de
chanter & de danfer en leurs feftins, de peur d'appro-
cher de leurs anciennes fuperltitions. Vn Neophyte
eftant prie de chanter & de dancer en vn banquet ou
il y auoit des Sauuages de quelques autres Nations,
fe leua debout, & dift ces paroles deuant que de com-
mencer; Vous fcauez tous que i'ay receu la Foy; c'elt
vn prefent de celuy qui a tout fait, que i'efpere de
1642] RELA TION OF 1642 229
The inconstancy of marriages and the facility with
which they divorce each other, are a great obstacle
to the Faith of Jesus Christ. We do not dare to
baptize the young people, though they may be very
well disposed, because experience teaches us that
the custom of abandoning a disagreeable wife or hus-
band has a strong hold on them. A good woman
had a daughter about fifteen years of age, who was
better instructed than her mother, because her mem-
ory was better. The Father administered Baptism
to the mother, and refused it to the daughter. But
it was pleasant to see the latter acting as a sort of
Godmother to her parent ; for the good old woman
could hardly remember the answers that she had to
give. Her daughter prompted her, — very joyfully,
because she saw her mother a Christian ; and sorrow-
fully, because she was deprived of the same happi-
ness. When this good woman was baptized, she
would say to her daughter, whenever her infirmities
prevented her from attending Mass: [143] "My
child, go and tell the Father to pray for me in the
Chapel; and that, if I could go there, it would be all
my consolation." Feasts at which all gorge them-
selves, Sorcerers, drums, superstitious songs and
dances, are almost no longer seen. The charmed
stones that make men lucky at play, or in the chase,
are held in esteem only by some stubborn persons,
who produce them in secret only, for fear of being
jeered at by the faithful. They are even afraid to
sing and dance at their feasts, lest they might be
drawn towards their former superstitions. A Neo-
phyte who was urged to sing and dance at a feast,
at which Savages of other Nations were present,
230 LES RELATIONS DES j£SUITES [Vol.22
confenier iufques au dernier foiipir de ma vie: ray-
mis bas toutes nos anciennes fuperftitions pour en
iouyr: ie les ay renuerfees, pour iamais plus ne les
redreff er : que fi vous me voyez maintenant chanter
par vne pure recreation, & pour bienueigner les nou-
ueaux hoftes qui nous font [144] venus voir; la deffus
il entonne fa chanfon.
Les Sauuages chantent pour 1' ordinaire les vns
apres les autres en leurs feftins; & pendant que l'vn
d'eux crie ou chante tant qu'il pent, les autres repon-
dent par vne forte refpiration, ne pouffans que cette
voix au fond de l'eflomach, Hd, h(5, h.6; frappans
auec leurs cueilliers ou auec des baftons fur leurs
plats d'ecorces, ou fur quelque autre chofe. lis gar-
dent vne affez bonne cadence, s'accordans bien dans
leurs chants & dans leurs dances. Apres que le Neo-
phyte dont ie viens de parler, eut acheue fa chanfon,
vn autre Chreftien entonna la fienne ; mais ayant
apperceu le Pere dans la cabane, il s' eerie au milieu
de f on chant ; Mon Pere, fi ce que ie fais eft mau-
uais, dites-le moy, ie le quitteray prefentement fans
paffer plus auant. Le Pere voyant bien qu'il n'y
auoit aucune fuperftition en ce banquet, luy permit
d'acheuer fa chanfon.
Pendant le fejour que fit le Pere a Tadouffac, quel-
ques canots de diuerfes Nations y aborderent bien
diuerfement difpofez pour la Foy. Quelques Algon-
quins de rifle extremement fuperbes, & par confe-
quent [145] fort eloignez de Dieu, apporterent du
detourbier a la publication de l'Euangile, les feftins a
tout manger, les tambours, les dances, les jeux recom-
mencerent a leur arriuee. Le Pere attaqua le Capi-
taine qui toleroit ces defordres, iufques a fe bander
1642J RELA TION OF 1642 231
stood up and, before commencing, said: " You all
know that I have received the Faith. It is a gift
from him who has made all things, and I hope to
retain it until I draw my last breath. I have aban-
doned all our old superstitions, in order to enjoy it;
I have cast them away, never to take them up again.
You now hear me sing merely for amusement, and
to welcome the new guests who have [144] come to
see us." Then he began his song.
The Savages generally sing one after the other, at
their feasts. While one is yelling or singing as loud
as he can, the others reply by a deep respiration,
uttering this sound only from the depths of their
chests, " Ho, ho, ho," — striking with their spoons or
with sticks on their bark plates, or on some other
object. They observe the cadence fairly well, keep-
ing good time in their songs and dances. After the
Neophyte of whom I have just spoken had finished
his song, another Christian began to sing. But, ob-
serving the Father in the cabin, he called out in the
middle of his chant : ' ' My Father, if what I am doing
is wrong, tell me, and I will stop at once without
going any further. ' ' As the Father saw very well
that there was no superstition in this feast, he
allowed him to finish his song.
During the Father's stay at Tadoussac, some
canoes put in there containing men of various Na-
tions, who are differently disposed towards the Faith.
Some Algonquins of the Island, who are very arro-
gant and consequently [145] very averse to God, dis-
turbed the preaching of the Gospel. Feasts at which
all gorge themselves, drums, dances, and games
began again on their arrival. The Father upbraided
232 LES RELATIONS DES /^SUITES [Vol.22
publiquement contre luy, les Sauuages de Tadouffac
fe fentans appuyez de l'au thorite & du zele du Pere,
barricaderent les portes de leurs cabanes, pour em-
pefcher la ieuneffe de commettre aucune infolence.
Ces Barbares ont vne couftume tres-abominable, fi
quelques guerriers, ou quelques ieunes gens paffent
en quelque quartier ou il y ait des Sauuages, il leur
eft permis d'aller vifiter la nuidt les cabanes, & d'a-
border les filles. Or iacoit que le plus fouuent tout
fe paffe en fimples difcours; comme il s'y commet
auffi des defordres, nous crions puiffamm ent contre
ces facons de faire : fi bien que les Chreftiens & les
Catechumenes, & mefrne encor ceux qui ont quelque
bone inclination pour la Foy, refiftent a cette impu-
dence. Or les Sauuages de Tadouffac n'ofans pas
defendre publiquement l'entr6e de leurs cabanes a la
ieuneffe Algonquine, faifoient ranger toutes les filles
[146] en vn quartier a part, commandans aux ieunes
Montagnais de coucher a l'entr6e des cabanes, qu'ils
f ermoient contre leurs couftumes ; car iour & nuidt
les cabanes font ouuertes, n'ayans le plus fouuent
qu'vne peau volante pour toute porte. lis attachoient
auffi des fonnettes aux autres endroits par ou on pou-
uoit entrer, afin que ce bruit reueillaft ceux qui fe-
roient dans la cabane, & que ces impudens fe voyans
decouuerts, s'en retournaffent fans paffer plus auant:
les autres canots qui vinrent du Sagne & d'autres
quartiers, apporterent des hommes bien plus mo-
deftes, des efprits plus pofez ; en vn mot des ames
aufquelles il femble qu'il ne manque qu'vn peu de
fecours temporel, pour eftre predeftin£es. Quelques-
vns d'eux ayans ouy parler des grands biens de l'au-
tre vie, & des horribles tourmens qui font preparez
1642] RELA TION OF 1642 233
the Captain who tolerated this disorderly conduct,
even going so far as publicly to side against him.
The Savages of Tadoussac, feeling that they were
supported by the Father's authority and zeal, barred
the doors of their cabins to prevent the young men
from being guilty of any insolence. These Barba-
rians have a most abominable custom. Whenever
any warriors or any young men go into any place
where there are Savages, they are allowed to visit
the cabins at night, and to accost the girls. Now,
although in most instances they merely indulge in
conversation, still, as unseemly actions are also com-
mitted, we strongly inveigh against this custom ; so
that the Christians and Catechumens, and also those
who have a. leaning towards the Faith, oppose such
immodest conduct. Now, as the Savages of Tadous-
sac did not dare publicly to forbid entrance to their
cabins to the young Algonquin men, they made all
the girls retire [146] to a separate place, ordering the
young Montagnais men to sleep at the entrances of
their cabins, which they closed, contrary to their
custom, — for their cabins are open day and night,
having only a loosely hanging skin for a door. They
also fastened bells at other places by which an
entrance might be effected, so that those who were in
the huts would be awakened by the noise ; and the
profligate fellows, finding themselves discovered,
would retire without going any further. The other
canoes, which came from the Sagne and other places,
brought men much more modest, and with better
regulated minds, — in a word, with souls, which
seem to need only a little temporal aid in order to be
saved. Some of them who had heard of the great
234 LES RELATIONS DES JESUITES [Vol.22
aux Infideles, difoient au Pere ; Que ne venez-vous
nous inftruire en noftre pays? Vous faites plufieurs
iournees de chemin, pour courir apres des peuples
qui vous fuyent, qui font remplis de fuperftitions ; en
vn mot qui vous meprif ent, & qui vous haiff ent ; &
vous nous abandonnez, nous autres qui fommes quafi
a voftre porte, [147] qui vous honorons, & qui fou-
haittons embraffer ce que vous enfeignez. Fay des-
ja entendu quelque chofe de voftre creance, dift leur
Capitaine, Iefus m'a guery d'vne maladie qui m'al-
loit porter au tombeau. Vn Sauuage de Saindt
Iofeph proche de Kebec, s'eftant trouue auec moy il
y a deux ans, m'enfeigna qu'il falloit auoir recours
a luy dans nos befoins ; qu'il eftoit bon, & qu'il eftoit
tout-puiffant. Me voyat done a deux doigts de la
mort, ie le priay de m'affifter, il me guerit; & ceux
qui eftoient frappez du mefme mal que moy, & qui
ne l'inuoquerent pas, en moururent. Si on pouuoit
dreffer vne petite maifon a Tadouffac, comme i'ay
dit, tous les reliquats de ces petites Nations qui font
dans les terres, fe viendroient la faire inftruire, &
le commerce des Francois n'en feroit que meilleur.
Or iacoit qu'on ne puiffe pas bien aifement inftruire
ny recueillir les Sauuages fans ce petit accommode-
ment, le Pere ne laiffa pas neantmoins de les inuiter
a f e trouuer tous les ans a Tadouffac : & pour mieux
garder la couftume de ces peuples, il mit vn prefent
entre les mains d'vn Chreftien, pour eftre fait au nom
de tous [148] les Neophytes de Sainct. Iofeph: car
comme il a efte dit fouuentefois es Relations prece-
dentes, les prefens font les paroles de ce pays-cy.
Ce bon Neophyte diuifa le prefent en deux : & quand
tout le monde fut entre en la cabane ou fe deuoit
1642] RELATION OF 1642 235
blessings of the other life, and of the horrible
torments prepared for Infidels, said to the Father:
" Why do you not come and instruct us in our coun-
try? You have to travel several days, run after peo-
ple who flee from you, who are full of superstitions, —
in a word, who despise and hate you; while you
abandon us, who are almost at your door, [147] who
honor you, and who wish to embrace what you
teach." " I have already heard something about
your belief, ' ' said their Captain ; ' ' Jesus cured me
of an illness that was taking me to my grave. A
Savage of Saint Joseph, near Kebec, who was with
me two years ago, taught me that we should have
recourse to him in all our necessities; that he was
good and all-powerful. When I saw myself within
two finger-lengths of death, I begged him to assist
me. He cured me ; and all who had the same dis-
ease that I had, and who did not pray to him, died."
If we could build a small house at Tadoussac, as I
have already said, all the remnants of the smaller Na-
tions who live inland, will come there to be instructed
and the trade of the French will gain by it.
Now, although it is not easy to instruct or receive
Savages without this slight accommodation, never-
theless the Father invited them to come to Tadous-
sac every year ; and, the better to follow the custom
of these people, he placed a present in the hands of
a Christian, to be given in the name of all [148] the
Neophytes of Saint Joseph, — for, as already stated
in these Relations, presents constitute the speech of
this country. The good Neophyte divided the pres-
ent into two; and, when all had entered the cabin
where the Assembly was to be held, he commenced
236 LES RELATIONS DES JESUITES [Vol.22
tenir l'Affemblee, il commence fa harangue en ces
termes: II n'y a pas long-temps que nous n'auions
point d'yeux, nous etendions les mains comme des
aueugles ; & nous ne trouuions rien qui ne nous por-
taft dans des precipices, non feulement nos paupieres
eftoient fermees, mais nos oreilles eftoient auffi bouf-
ch6es, nous n'entendions rien de ce qui fe dit au Ciel.
Enfin la parole a perce nos oreilles, & defille nos
yeux. Pleuft a Dieu que vous viffiez ce que nous
voyons, & ce que nous entendons, & ce que nous
admirons! Ces chofes font auffi etonnantes, qu'elles
font veritables. Ce n'eft pas moy qui les vous decla-
rera, ce fera le Pere qui eft venu icy pour vous in-
ftruire. Et afin que vos oreilles ne refiftent point a
fes paroles, il vous prefente par mes mains des poin-
50ns ou des alefnes, pour les percer la deffus, il tire
le premier prefent, & le iette deuant ceux qu'il inui-
toit a embraffer la Foy. Apres [149] cela, il conti-
nue fa harangue: Ce n'eft pas affez d'auoir les oreil-
les percees, & d'6couter ce qu'on vous dira; il faut
quitter vos anciennes couftumes & vos fuperftitions ;
car il ne faut pas mefler les chofes bonnes auec les
mauuaifes. Ie ne vous inuite a rien que nous n'ayons
fait; nous auos brufl6 tous nos chants, toutes nos
dances, toutes nos fuperftitions, & tout ce que le
Diable auoit enfeigne a nos anceftres, afin que vous
brufliez auffi les voftres auec autant de facilite. Voi-
cy du petun que le Pere vous prefente, que vous
mettrez en feu ; en le confommant, vous conf omme-
rez vos anciennes facons de faire, pour en prendre
de meilleures : & en dif ant cela, il tire quelques pains
de petun qui compofoient le fecond prefent.
Le Capitaine repondit auec vne grande modeftie ;
1642] RELA TION OF 1642 237
his harangue in these words : "It is not long since
we had no eyes ; we stretched out our hands like the
blind, and found nothing except what led us toward
precipices. Not only were our eyelids closed, but
our ears were also shut, and we heard nothing of
what is said in Heaven. Finally, the word pierced
our ears and opened our eyes. Would to God that
you could see what we see, and hear what we hear
and admire ! These things are as wonderful as they
are true. I shall not tell you of them; but the Fa-
ther will, who has come here to instruct you. And
in order that your ears may not refuse to hear his
words, he gives you by my hands some awls, with
which to pierce them." Thereupon he drew out the
first present, and threw it down before those whom he
invited to embrace the Faith. Then [149] he con-
tinued his harangue : " It is not enough to have your
ears pierced, and to listen to what will be said to you.
You must abandon your old customs and supersti-
tions ; for you cannot mix good things with bad. I
do not ask you to do anything that we have not our-
selves done. We have burned all our songs, all our
dances, all our superstitions and everything that the
Devil had taught our forefathers. In order that you
may also burn yours as easily, here is some tobacco
which the Father gives you, and to which you will
set fire. When you burn it, you will burn your old
customs, to adopt better ones." And, as he said
this, he drew out some cakes of tobacco, which
constituted the second present.
The Captain replied with great modesty : ' ' You
treat me like a person of consideration, although I
am but a little grain of dust. ' It is a Captain to
238 LES RELATIONS DES JJESUITES [Vol.22
Vous me traitez comme vne perfonne de confidera-
tion, cependant ie ne fuis qu'vn petit grain de pou-
dre. C'eft vn Capitaine a qui nous parlons. Vous
auez, dift-il, cette penf6e-la de moy, & vous vous
trompez, ie fuis vn homme en peinture. II y a long-
temps que ie vy, mais ie n'ay que cela, que ie fuis
viuant; ie n'ay point d'efprit, & ie ne preuoy pas
[150] quand i'en pourray auoir; ie voudrois que quel-
qu'vn m'en puft donner, afin de pouuoir reconnoiftre
les biens que le Pere & vous tous m'auez faits: Mes
oreilles font desja percees, ie me rends a fa femonce:
ie vay brufler toutes mes vieilles couftumes, mais ie