they are killed on the spot without any further Formality These poor blind Wretches are moreover engag'd in several other Superstitions which the Devil makes use of to Ensnare ' em They believe there are many living Creatures which have Rational Souls They have a very unaccountable Veneration for certain Bones of Elks Beavers and other Beasts and therefore never give them to their Dogs but lay 'em up in Repositories with a great deal of Care These they never throw into Rivers but with a great reluctancy They say That the Souls of these Animals observe how they deal by their Bodies and consequently advertise both the Living and Dead of that kind thereof so that if they treat 'em ill they must not expect that those sorts of Beasts will ever suffer themselves to be taken by them either in this or the other World We may affirm that the Corruption of Sin has o'râ—shaded the Souls of these unhappy Creatures with a strange Blindness and an entire Insensibility for all sorts of Religion in a manner that nothing is to be found like it in all History 'T is true they have several Superstitious Observations which they cleave to with a great deal of Obstinacy but nevertheless they have not the least Principle or Motive of Religion Their Zeal is only Frenzy and Infatuation for when they have an Argument struck home to 'em they sit down sullenly and answer not a Word When our Mysteries are propos'd to 'em they commonly hear 'em with the same indifference that they talk of their own Whimsies I have met with some who seem'd to digest this Truth That there is a chief Being who has made all the rest Nevertheless this does but only glance upon their Minds for they commonly receive little or no Impression by it but soon relapse into their wonted Drowsiness and accustom'd Sottishness CHAP. XIV Of the great Difficulties met with in keeping the Salvages from Praying by Rote THE great stupidity of these Barbarians proceeds chiefly from their not caring to be well instructed They never come to us but out of pure Fancy or Curiosity either as we are Strangers or that we treat 'em well or flatter 'em or on account of the benefit their Sick receive by us or else through hopes to get something by us in Trade Or lastly because we being Europeans they look upon us as more Valiant than themselves and therefore hope to be defended by us against their Enemies They are taught Prayers indeed but they repeat 'em like so many Children at School without the least attention For the most part they that have learnt longest and been Catechiz'd oftnest are very wavering except a very few They will throw down their Books of a sudden and return to the Woods and their former Superstitions upon the least Freak that takes them in the Head I cannot tell whether their Predecessors have been acquainted with any Deity or not but sure I am that their Language which is otherwise very Expressive is so very Barren in that that they have no word to express God or any the least of our Mysteries This is the greatest difficulty we meet with in their Conversion There is also another pretty considerable Obstacle in the Converting of these People which is that the greatest part of 'em have several Wives and in the Northern Country they change 'em as often as they think fit They cannot comprehend how it is possible for a Man to be subject to the Bonds of Marriage Dont you see cry they when we urge our Arguments most home to 'em how little Reason you have for what you stick so much for My Wife is not pleas'd to live with me neither am I at ease to live with her My Neighbour such a one perhaps may like hâ—r better and I may like his who does not much care for him Therefore why should you oblige us for to live like Doggs and Catts together when only changing one with another we live at quiet Another great Hindrance proceeds from their Custom never to contradict any body for they hold that every Man ought to be left to his own Opinion without molestation wherefore they always either believe or seem to believe what you say which frequently baffles us in our Endeavours All this comes from an innate blockishness and indifference as to every thing but more especially for matters of Religion which they mind least of all A Man must not go to America that has a mind to become a Martyr for his Faith These Salvages never Murder any body upon that score they leave every one at liberty to believe what he pleases They are only eâ—amour'd with the outward Ceremonies of our Church These Barbarians engage in Wars only on account of their Common Interest They kill no body at home except upon particular Quarrels proceeding severally from Lust Drunkenness Revenge or Infatuation by a Dream or some other extravagant Vision They are altogether against taking away a Man's Life upon account of difference in Opinion The Brutâ— generally presides in their Inclinations They are naturally Gluttons and know no greater Happiness than what they find in the pleasure of Eating and Drinking This brutish Humour may be observ'd to run thro' all their Diversions for they never have any of this kind but what begin and end with Feasts The Spirit of Revenge likewise to which they are much addicted is no common Obstacle to Christianity They have a great deal of Softness and good Nature for their own Nation but are Cruel and Revengeful to the highest degree towards their Enemies They are naturally Unconstant and Foul-mouth'd great Jesters and immoderate Lechers In fine among all the Virtues they can any way pretend to there is not one that savours in the least either of Religion or Morality And this without doubt is another Cause that renders their Conversion tâ—e more difficult To gain any thing upon them or to dispose 'em the better for Instruction the only way were to be very familiar with them and to Converse frequently among ' em This could not easily be effected 'till the Colonieâ— were considerably augmented After they have been among us for some few Weeks they always preâ—end to be oblig'd to go a Hunting for Sustenance and that without dispute extreamly debauches 'em from the Faith They must therefore be fix'd to some particular Abodes and brought to Till and Cultivate the Ground and to Work at their several Trades like thâ— Europeans before there can be any good wrought upon ' em For by this means their Manners would of course be civiliz'd and they renderâ—d more tractable I intend hereafter to speak of other Nations of the South who seem better dispos'd to receive the Gospel than these of the North and of the shallow River of St. Laurence CHAP. XV. The manner of the Salvages making their Feasts THEY have Feasts of Parting of Acknowledgment of War of Peace of Death of Marriage and of Health They spend both Night
Back He had wrapp'd up in it the Bones of a Man who had been very considerable amongst them for whose Memory they had still a wonderful Respect The Priest's Girdle which was made of Red and White Wooll with 2 Loops at the end serv'd him to fasten it whilst he carry'd it up and down in Triumph calling it Louis Chinnen which signifies as I since understand the Robe of him who is nam'd the Sun After they had for some time us'd my Chasuble as an Ornament to cover the Bones of their Dead at the celebrating their most solemn Rites they made a Present of it to a People in Alliance with them who liv'd 4 or 500 Leagues distant towards the West but were come in Embassie and had danc'd the Calumet The day after my arrival Aquipaguetin who was Head of a Great Family put me on a Robe which was made of the Skins of the Belliâ—s of Wild Bulls He gave me a second made of ten large Castor-Skins Then he shew'd me six or seven of his Wives for Poligamy is in fashion here he told them as I afterwards understood That they were to esteem me as one of their Sons After this he set a Bark-Dish before me in which were Bremes and other White Fish for me to regale withal He gave Orders to those about him to give me the Title that was due to the Rank which I was to hold amongst my New Kindred Farther This new Father of mine observing that I could not well rise without two or three to help me order'd a Stove to be made which he caus'd me to enter stark naked with four Savages who before they began to sweat ty'd their Prepuces about with certain Strings made of the Bark of a White Wood. This Stove was cover'd with the Skins of Wild Bulls and in it they put Flints and other Stones re-hot They order'd me by Signs to hold my Breath time after time as long as I could which I did as well as those that were with me As for the undecent Parts I had only a Handkerchief to cover me As soon as the Savages that were with me had let go their Breath which they did with a great force Aquipaguetin began to sing with a loud and thundring Voice the others seconded him and laying their Hands on my Body began to rub it and at the same time to weep bitterly I was like to fall in a Swoon and so was forc'd to quit the Stove At my coming out I was scarce able to take up my Habit of St. Francis to cover me withal I was so weak However they continu'd to make me sweat thrice a Week which at last restor'd me to my pristine Vigour so that I found my self as well as ever CHAP. LV. The Author is like to be famish'd They admire his Compass and an Iron-Pot which he has He makes a Dictionary and instructs them in Points of Religion in relation to Polygamy and Celebacy MAny a melancholy Day did I pass amongst these Savages Aquipaguetin who adopted me gave me nothing to eat but a few wild Oats five or six times a Week and the Roes of dry'd Fish All this Trash the Women boil'd up in an Earthen-Pot Besides he sent me into a Neighbouring Isle with his Wives Children and Servants where I was to Hough and Dig with a Pick-axe and Shovel which I had recover'd from those that robb'd us Here we planted Tobacco and some European Pulse which I brought from thence and were highly priz'd by Aquipaguetin This Man to make himself the more considerable amongst those of his Tribe would often Assemble the Ancients of his Village and in presence of them send for my Compass which I had still by me Upon my turning the Needle with a Key he took occasion to tell them and with Truth enough That by the Guidance of that Machine it was that we Europeans travell'd the whole World Nay being an able Spoaksman he possess'd them farther That we were Spirits and that we were capable of bringing Things to pass that were altogether out of their Power At the end of his Discourse which was very pathetick all the Elders wept over me admiring in me what they could not comprehend I had an Iron-Pot about three foot round which had the Figure of a Lion on it which during our Voyage serv'd us to bake our Victuals This Vessel was not so apt to break as our ordinary Kettles which are more brittle for which reason it was not being likely to meet with Braziers to furnish us with new upon occasion that we took this with us This Pot the Barbarians durst never so much as touch without covering their Hands â—irst in something of Castor-Skin And so great a Terrour was it to the Women that they had it hung abroad upon the Bough of a Tree for they durst not come or sleep in the Cabin when it was there We would have made a present of it to some of their Chiefs but none of them would either accept or make use of it because they thought that there was a Spirit hid within that would certainly kill them These People are all of them subject to the like Superstition Their Juglers impose whatever they think fit upon their Belief 'T was some time I spent amongst 'em before I cou'd make my self be understood But hunger beginning to press me hard I set about making a Dictionary in their Tongue the which I did by means of their Children with whom I made my self as familiar as possible to inform my self by their Prattle When once I had got the Word Tahetchiaben which signifies in their Language How call you this I began to be soon able to talk of such things as are most familiar This Difficulty was hard to surmount at first because there was no Interpreter that understood both Tongues For Example If I had a Mind to know what To run was in their Tongue I was forc'd to mend my pace and indeed actually run from one end of the Cabin to t'other till they understood what I meant and had told me the Word which I presently set down in my Dictionary The Principal of them observing the great Inclination I had to learn their Language wou'd often tell me Vatchison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gagahé Spirit thou takest a great deal of Pains Put Black to White One Day they told me the Names of all the Parts of a Human Body However I forbore setting down several immodest Terms which these People scruple not to use every Foot Observing it they wou'd often cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gagahé 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gagagé Spirit Spirit set down that Word as well as the rest Thus wou'd they divert themselves with me and often say to one another When we ask Father Louis any thing for they had heard our Canow-Men call me so he does not answer us But when he has lookt upon the White for they have no Word for Paper he then talks and makes
carry on the Missions and to Convert other Nations to the Christian Religion Indeed these Monks do actually expose their Lives and are inur'd to all manner of Fatigues on purpose to propagate the Gospel throughout all the Regions of the World A Remonstrance was formerly made by our Monks that it was requisite that the Christian Religion and the authority of publick Justice shou'd be maintain'd by a good Garrison settl'd in some convenient place of Northern America which might keep in Subjection the Country for the space of above Eight Hundred Leagues along the Banks of St. Lawrence River There is no place convenient for Landing but at the mouth of the said River so that the chief Mart being once settl'd their Commerce might by that means be very much promoted and even render'd extremely Advantagious which might also be improv'd by the power of the Prince who might make himself Master of it and might enlarge his Dominions with the extent of a large River To these may be annex'd many spacious Countries which might be possess'd in this vast Continent on the Banks of the great River Meschasipi which is infinitely more convenient than that of St. Lawrence for the Establishing of New Colonies by reason that all sorts of Grain may be there reap'd twice a Year and even in some places thrice not to mention a very many other Advantages to which it may be added that a great number of People who wou'd come to visit these New Colonies might by that means be render'd Tributary Indeed I shall be always ready to contribute as far as it lies in my power toward the promoting of so noble an Enterprize and even to spend the remainder of my Life in that Service But in order to bring the Matter to a happy conclusion it wou'd be requisite First That the Princes or States who design to reap the benefit of our Discoveries shou'd cause Justice to be administer'd in those New Dominions with a great deal of exactness The beginnings of Colonies are always carry'd on with much difficulty which makes it necessary to prevent Robberies Murders Debauches Blasphemies and all other Crimes that are but too common among the Europeans who inhabit America Secondly It wou'd be expedient to cause a Fort to be built at the Mouth of St. Lawrence's River and more especially on that of Meschasipi which are the Landing places for the Vessels and to maintain a sufficient number of Men for the Defence of these Forts In the mean while the Inhabitants might go out in Parties and employ themselves in clearing the Lands Twenty or Twenty Five Leagues round about There they might get in three Crops every Year and yet spend some time in taming Wild Oxen which may be afterward serviceable on many occasions Besides other Profits that might arise from the above-mention'd Mines and the Sugar-Canes which are found there in much greater quantities than in the American Islands the reason is because there are more spacious Tracts of Land proper for the Planting of these Sugar-Canes on which may be sown divers sorts of Grain these will not thrive nor come to maturity in those Islands The Climate of the Territories situated between the frozen Seas and the Gulph of Mexico is much more temperate along the River Meschasipi than in the said Islands the Air being very near of the same Temperature as in Spain Italy and Provence and the Soil is extremely fruitful The Men and Women always go there with their Heads uncover'd and are of a more advantageous size than the Europeans As for the Sentiments of these Barbarous People concerning the Heaven and Earth if it be demanded who was the Creator of them There are some Old Men among them of a more quick apprehension who make Answer That for the Heaven they know not how it was made nor by whom first created Indeed if we had ever been there say they we might have come to some knowledge of it But thou seemest it to be void of discretion continue they to ask what we think of a place so far advanc'd above our Heads where 't is impossible for Men to ascend How woulds't thou have us speak of a thing that no Man has ever seen It plainly appears that thou art destitute of Vnderstanding to propose to us such sort of Questions But say they can'st thou by Scripture of which thou talkest so much shew us a Man who has come down from the top and the manner how he ascended When we reply'd That our Souls being separated from our Bodies are endu'd with admirable Agility and that they fly up to Heaven in the twinkling of an Eye to receive the Recâ—mpence of their Works from the great Creator of the World These Savages who shew a great deal of indifference to every thing that is told 'em and are very subtil in making a shew of admitting whatever is propos'd to 'em being urg'd usually answer to this effect That is very well for those of your Country but we Americans do not go to Heaven after death We only pass to the Countâ—y of Souls where our People are employ'd in Hunting fat Beasts and where they live more peaceably than we do in the places where we now have our abode All that thou hast told us tends to the advantage of those Men whose Habitation is beyond the great lake For so these Wretches call the Sea Then proceeding in their Discourse they add that as for their parts they are created after a different manner from the Europeans Hence it appears that he who Plants and he who Waters does little or nothing towards the Conversion of the People and that 't is God who gives the increase Therefore from him alone is to be expected that happy moment when these ignorant People will be ready to embrace the Christian Faith As for their Opinion concerning the Earth they make use of the Name of a certain Genius whom they call Micâ—boche who has cover'd the whole Earth with Water as they imagine and relate innumerable fabulous Tales some of which have a kind of Analogy with the Universal Deluge These Barbarians believe that there are certain Spirits in the Air between Heaven and Earth who have a power to foretell future Events and others who play the part of Physicians curing all sorts of Distempers Upon which account it happens that these Savages are very Superstitious and consult their Oracles with a great deal of exactness One of these Masters-Jugglers who pass for Sorcerers among them one day caus'd a Hut to be erected with ten thick Stakes which he fix'd very deep in the Ground and then made a horrible noise to Consult the Spirits to know whether abundance of Snow wou'd fall ere long that they might have good game in the Hunting of Elks and Beavers Afterward he bawl'd out aloud from the bottom of the Hut that he saw many Herds of Elks which were as yet at a very great distance but that they drew near within seven
had another opportunity of persecuting us afâ—esh He had so dexterously manag'd the matter with the Warriours of his Party that it was one Day impracticable for us to encamp near the young Chief Narhâ—toba who protected us but were forc'd to go and place our selves with our Canow and Effects at the end of the Camp Then it was that these Barbarians gave us to understand that the aforesaid Captain was fully resolv'd to have our â—eads This oblig'd us to have recourse once more to our Chest and to take out twenty Knives and some Tobacco which we distributed among them with an Air that sufficiently testify'd our Discontent The unreasonable Wretch look'd earnestly upon his Followers one after another as if he were in doubt what to do and consequently to demand their Advice whether he ought to receive our Present or refuse it But whilst we were inclining our Necks and delivering him the Ax the young Commander who seem'd to be our Protector and it may be really was came and snatch'd us by the Arm and all in a rage hurry'd us away to his Cabin His Brother too taking up some Arrows broke 'em in our sight to assure us by that Action that he would protect our Lives at the hazard of his own The next Day they left us alone in our Canow without putting any of their Men a-board to assist us as they had hitherto done However they kept all in the reer of us After rowing four or five Leagues another of their Captains came up to us and made us land As soon as we got on shoar he fell to cutting of Grass which he made into three little Heaps and bade us sit down upon them Then he took a piece of Cedar which was full of little round Holes into one of which he thrust a Stick of a harder Substance than the Cedar and began to rub it about pretty fast between the Palms of his Hands till at length it took fire The use he put it to was to light the Tobacco in his Great Pipe and after he had wept some time over us and laid his Hands on our Heads he made me smoak in a Calumet or Pipe of Peace and then aâ—quainted us by Signs that within sixteen Days we should be at home CHAP. LI. Ceremonies us'd by the Savages when they share their Prisoners Continuation of our Iourney by Land HAving thus travell'd nineteen Days in our Canow by Water we arriv'd at length within five or six Leagues of the Fall to which we had formerly given the Name of St. Anthony as we came to understand afterwards Here the Barbarians order'd us to land in a Creek of the River Meschasipi after which they held an Assembly to consult what they were to do with us In short they separated and gave us to three of their Chiefs instead of three of their Sons which had been kill'd in the War Then they seiz'd our Canow and took away all our Equipage The Canow they pull'd to pieces for fear it might assist us to return to their Enemies Their own they hid amongst the Alders to use again when they should have occasion to hunt that way So that though we might have gone conveniently enough quite up into their Country by Water yet were we oblig'd by their Conduct to travel no less than sixty Leagues a-foot Our ordinary Marches were from break of Day till ten at Night And when we met with any Rivers we swam them themselves who for the most part are of an extraordinary size carrying our Clothes and Equipage on their Heads and the Canow-men who were less than me upon their Shoulders because they could not swim As I us'd to come out of the Water which was often full of Ice for we travell'd still North I was hardly able to stand upon my Legs In these Parts the Frosts continue all night even at this time of the Year so that our Legs were all over Blood being cut by the Ice which we broke by degrees in our Passage as we waded o'er the Lakes and Rivers We never eat but once in four and twenty Hours and then nothing but a few Scraps of Meat dry'd in the Smoak afâ—er their Fashion which they afforded us with abundance of regâ—et I was so weak that I often lay me down resolving rather to die than follow these Savages any farther who travell'd at a rate so extraordinary as far surpasses the Strength of any European However to hasten us they sometimes set fire to the dry Grass in the Meadows through which we pass'd so that our Choice was march or burn I had a Hat which I had taken with me to fence me from the Sun during the Heats of the Summer This would often fall from my Head into the Fire because it was not over-fit and the Fire so very near The Barbarians would snatch it out again and lend me a hand to save me from the Flames which they had kindled as well to hasten our March as I have said as to give notice to their People of their return I must here acknowledge that had it not been for du Gay who did all he could to encourage me through the whole Course of this tiresome March I had certainly sunk under the Fatigues of it having neither Spirits nor Strength left to support me CHAP. LII A great Contest arises amongst the Savages about dividing our Merchandise and Equipage as also my Sacerdotal Ornaments and little Chest. AFter having travell'd about sixty Leagues a-foot and undergone all the Fatigues of Hunger Thirst and Cold besides a thousand Outrages daily done us in our Persons after we had march'd Night and Day without ceasing wading thro' Lakes and Rivers and sometimes swam As we now began to approach the Habitations of the Barbarians which are situated in Morasses inaccessible to their Enemies they thought it a proper time to divide the Merchandise which they had taken from us Here they had like to have fallen out and â—ut one another's Throats about the Roll of Martinico-Tobacco which might still weigh about fifty Pound These People value this Commodity far beyond what we do Silver or Gold They have very good of their own growth but this was so well dress'd and made up into such beautiful Rings that they were perfectly charm'd with it The most reasonable amongst them made us understand by Signs that they would give their Canow-men several Castor-Skins in return for what they had taken But others looking upon us as Slaves because they said we had furnish'd Arms to their Enemies maintain'd that they were no ways oblig'd to make any return for the Things they had taken The reason why they divided the Spoil here was because this Band was compos'd of two or three different People So that those that liv'd at a distance were apprehensive lest the others who were just at home might detain all the Merchandise which they had taken in the first Villages they should come at and therefore were resolv'd to
which I have already mention'd And of this he assur'd me more than once before his departure from the Illinois The Savages wou'd never have suffer'd us to have made this Voyage without one of the three being left with them And my self was the Man they pitch'd upon to stay by the Advice of the great Captain Ouasicoude whilst the two Canow-Men were at Liberty to proceed on their Voyage But Michael Ako who was apprehensive of the many Hardships he was like to meet with in this Expedition cou'd never be prevail'd upon to consent to it So that seeing he began to relish the Barbarian's way of living I desir'd their Chief that I might have leave to accompany the Picard in his stead who accordingly granted my Request Our whole Equipage consisted in fifteen or twenty Charges of Powder a Fusil a little sorry Earthen Pot which the Barbarians gave us a Knife between us both and a Garment of Castor Thus were we equipt for a Voyage of 250 Leagues but our greatest Trust was in Providence As we were carrying our little Canow to the Fall of St. Anthony of Padua we perceiv'd five or six Savages who were got there before us One of them was got up into an Oak over against the great Fall of Water where he was weeping most bitterly having fasten'd to one of the Branches of the Tree a Robe of Castor which was White within-side and garnish'd with Porcupine The poor Wretch had offer'd it in Sacrifice to the Fall which indeed of it self is terrible and hath something in it very astonishing However it doth not come near that of Niagara I cou'd hear him say as he was addressing himself to the Cascade with Tears starting in his Eyes Thou art a Spirit grant that Those of my Nation may pass here without any Disaster That we may meet with a great many Wild-Bulls and that we may be so happy as to vanquish our Enemy and take a great many Slaves whom when we have made them suffer according to their Merits we will bring hither and slay in thy Presence The Mâ—ssâ—nacks 't is so they call the Nation of the Outtouagamis have slain some of our Kindred Grant we may be able to revenge our selves upon 'em for that Affront The last part of his Request hapned to be fulfill'd sooner I believe than he expected For as they return'd from Hunting the Wild-Bulls they attack'd their Enemy kill'd a good many of them and carry'd off several Slaves whom they put to death before the Fall after the most barbarous and inhumane manner in the World as we shall see in the Second Volume Now if after such a barbarous Ceremony as I have been describing it happen but once that the Success answers the Request 't is sufficient to render them obstinate in their superstitious Custom tho' it miscarry a hundred times for once that it hiâ—s As for the Castor-Robe which was thus offer'd as a sort of Sacrifice one of our Europeans made bold with it at his return and wou'd have been glad of having more frequent Opportunities of profiting by their Devotions When we had got about a League below the Fall the Picard miss'd his Powder-Horn and remembring he had left it there was forc'd to go back and fetch it At his Return I shew'd him a huge Serpent as big as a Man's Leg and seven or eight Foot long He was working himself insensibly up a steep and craggy Rock to get at the Swallow's Nests which are there in great Numbers And at the Bottom of the Mountain we saw the Feathers of those he had already devour'd We pelted him so long with Stones till at length he fell into the River His Tongue which was in form of a Launce was of an extraordinary length His Hiss might be heard a great way and the Noise of it seiz'd us with Horror The poor Picard dreamt of him at Night and was in a great Agony all the while He told me I had done him a sensible Kindness in waking him for tho' he was a Man intrepid enough yet he was all in a sweat with the fright of his Dream I have likewise my self been often disturb'd in my sleep with the Image of him so great an Impression did the sight of this Monster make upon our Spirits As we were falling down the River Meschasipi with extraordinary Swiftness because the Current is very rapid in this place by reason 't is so near the Fall we found some of the Savages of our Band in the Islands of the River where they had set up their Cabins and were well provided with Bulls-Flesh They offer'd us very freely of what they had But about two Hours after our landing we thought we shou'd have been all murder'd Fifteen or sixteen Savages came into the middle of the place where we were with their greaâ— Clubs in their Hands The first thing they did was to over-set the Cabin of those that had invited us Then they took away all their Victuals and what Bearâ—s-Oil they could find in their Bladders or elsewhere with which they rubb'd themselves all over from Head to Foot We took 'em at first for Enemies and the Picard was very near sticking the first that came in with his Sword At the first surprize I began to lay hold of the two Pocket-Pistols that du Gay had left me but by good luck I contain'd my self or otherwise without doubt there had been an end of us for their Companions would not have fail'd to have reveng'd upon us the Death of those we had kill'd We knew not what these Savages were at first but it apâ—ear'd they were some of those that we had left above at the Fall of St. Anthony One of them who call'd himself my Uncle told me That those who had given us Victuals had done basely to go and forestal the others in the Chace and that according to the Laws and Customs of their Country 't was lawful for them to plunder them since they had been the cause that the Bulls wére all run away before the Nation could get together which was â— great Injury to the Publick For when they are all met they make a great Slaughter amongst the Bulls for they surround them so on every side that 't is impossible for them to escape CHAP. LX. The Hunting of the Tortoise The Author 's Canow is carry'd off by a sudden blast of Wind which was like to have reduc'd him and his Companions to great Streights IN about threescore Leagues rowing we had kill'd but one Wild-Goat which we did as he was crossing the River The Heats were now grown so excessive that our Provisions would be spoil'd in twenty four Hours This put us upon Hunting the Tortoise but 't was with much difficulty that we could take any for being very quick of Hearing they would throw themselves into the Water upon the least noise However we took one at last which was much larger than any we had seen His Shell was thin
up with wild Bull-Skins yet they knew me and carry'd me with my two Men into one of their Officer's Cottages They did call their Council which met to the number of Thirty or thereabouts wearing their Gowns in a stately manner made up with all sorts of Skins twisted about their Arms with the Calumet in their Hands They gave order that we shou'd be entertain'd according to their own Fashion while they did smoak without eating After we had done eating I told them by a Canadian that was my interpreter that their Warriors had brought 12 Outtaouacts as Slaves tho' they were their Confederates and Onontio's Friends 't is the Name they give to the Vice-roy of Canada breaking thereby the Peace and proclaiming War against Canada And the better to oblige them to deliver up to us the Outtaouacts who by good Fortune were still alive we flung in the middle of the Assembly two Collars of Porcelain that Captain Talon had given us This is the only way among them to enter upon any Affair The next Day the Council met and the Iroquoâ—â— answer'd me with some other Collars of Porcelain and told me That those who had made these Men Slaves were young Warriors without Consideration That we might assure Onontio who was then Count Frontenac that that their Nation wou'd always respect him in all things That they shou'd live with him as true Children with their Father and that they wou'd deliver up the Men who had been taken Teganeot one of the chiefest who spoke for the whole Nation in the Council presented me with some Skins of Otter Martin and Beaver to the value of thirty Crowns I took his Present with one Hand and deliver'd it with the other to his Son whom he lov'd tenderly I told him that I made him that Present that he might Exchange it with some Merchandizes of Europe and that the Bare-feet will accept of no Present at all not out of Contempt but because we are disinterested in all things assuring him I wou'd acquaint the Governour of his Friendship The Iroquois was surpriz'd that I did not accept of his Present and seeing besides that I gave a little Looking-Glass to his Son he said to those of this Nation that the other Canadians were not of that Temper And they sent us several Fowls as an acknowledgment of their Gratitude for the care we took to teach their Children some Prayers in their own Tongue After the Promises the Savages gave us to live in good correspondency with us we took our leave of them and got ourselves ready in order to continue our Voyage CHAP. LXXII The Author sets out from the Tsonnontouans Iroquois and comes to Fort Frontenac I Must confess it is a great Pleasure for one to come out of Slavery or the Hands of Savages and to reflect upon past Miseries especially when he returns among Friends to rest himself after so many Hardships and Troubles We had still about fourscore Leagues to go upon the Lake Ontario before we cou'd arrive at Fort Catarokoui or Frontenac but we were all the Way very merry I had help'd Picard du Gay and Michael Ako my fellow-Travellers with some Skins to make amends for the Hardship and Pains they suffer'd in that Voyage We had much ado to row off our Canow it being much bigger than that we made use of when we set out from the Issati and Nadouessians but nevertheless we came in four Days to the Fort and kill'd in our way some Bustards and some Teals We wanted then neither Powder nor Shot and therefore we shot at random all that we met either small Birds or Turtles and Wood-Pigeons which were then coming from foreign Countries in so great Numbers that they did appear like Clouds I observ'd upon this Occasion and many other times during our Voyage a thing worthy of Admiration The Birds that were flying at the Head of the others keep often back to ease and help those among them that are tir'd which may be a Lesson to Men to help one another in time of need Father Luke Buisset and Sergeant la Fleur who had the Command in the Fort in the absence of M. la Salle receiv'd us in the House of our Order that we had built together They were much surpriz'd to see us having been told that the Savages had hang'd me with St. Francis's Rope two Years ago All the Inhabitants of Canada and the Savages that we had encourag'd to live near Fort Frontenac to till the Ground made me an extraordinary reception and shew'd much Joy to see me again The Savages put their Hand upon their Mouth and repeated often this Word Otkon meaning that the Bare-foot must be a Spirit having travell'd so far thro' so many Nations that wou'd have kill'd them if we had been there Tho' we were very kindly us'd in this Fort yet my Men had a great Mind to return into Canada and having escap'd so many Dangers together I was willing to make an End of the Voyage with them therefore we took leave of Father Luke Buisset and of all our Friends that liv'd in that Fort and went for Quebec CHAP. LXXIII The Author sets out from Fort Frontenac and passes over the rapid Stream which is call'd The Long Fall He is kindly receiv'd at Montreal by Count Frontenac WE set out from the Fort sooner than I thought not being able to keep any longer my Men and in our way took a more exact View of the Mouth of the Lake Ontario or Frontenac This Place is call'd Thousand Islands because there are so many of them that 't is impossible to tell them The Stream is here very rapid but its Swiftness is prodigiously increas'd by the great Quantity of Waters that come from the other Lakes abovemention'd and a great many Rivers that run into this in the place call'd The Long Fall which makes it as dreadful as the great Fall of Niagara But besides this great Quantity of Waters and the Declivity of the Chanel which makes the Current so rapid there are also on the Banks and in the middle of the River of St. Laurence about eight or ten Leagues below the said Lake great Rocks which appear above-Water which stopping the Stream of the River makes as great a Noise as the great Fall of Niagara This dreadful Encounter of Water that beaâ—s so furiously against these Rocks continues about two Leagues the Waters spurt up ten or twelve Yards high and appear like huge Snow-Balls Hail and Rain with dreadful Thunder and a Noise like Hissing and Howling of fierce Beasts And I do certainly believe that if a Man continu'd there a considerable time he wou'd become Deaf without any Hope of Cure My Men refusing to carry by Land the Canow and the Skins they had got I was forc'd to adventure with them which I did willingly having formerly pass'd these Streams in a Canow I trusted my self again to the same GOD who had deliver'd me from so many great
remained for some while fluttering in the Air not finding Ground whereon to put her Foot But that the Fishes moved with Compassion for her immediately held a Consultation to deliberate which of them should receive her The Tortoise very officiously offered its Back on the Surface of the Water The Woman came to rest upon it and fixed her self there Afterwards the Filthiness and Dirt of the Sea gathering together about the Tortoise there was formed by little and little that vast Tract of Land which we now call America They add that this Woman grew weary of her Solitude wanting some body for to keep her Company that so she might spend her time more pleasantly Melancholy and Sadness having seiz'd upon her Spirits she fell asleep and a Spirit descended from above and finding her in that Condition approach'd and knew her unperceptibly From which Approach she conceived two Children which came forth out of one of her Ribs But these two Brothers could never afterwards agree together One of them was a better Huntsman than the other they quarrelled every day and their Disputes grew so high at last that one could not bear with the other One especially being of a very wild Temper hated mortally his Brother who was of a milder Constitution who being no longer able to endure the Pranks of the other he resolved at last to part from him He retired then into Heaven whence for a Mark of his just Resentment he causeth at several times his Thunder to rore over the Head of his unfortunate Brother Some time after the Spirit descended again on that Woman and she conceived a Daughter from whom as the Salvages say were propagated these numerous People which do occupy now one of the greatest parts of the Universe How fabulous soever this History is yet one may perceive in it some Glimpse of Truth The Sleep of that Woman with the Birth of her two Sons hath some resemblance to the Sleep of Adam during which God took â—ut one of his Ribs and therewith formed Eve The Disunion of the two Brothers is the Image of the implacable Hatred of Cain to Abel The Retreat of him who retir'd to Heaven doth represent the Death of Abel and the Thunderclaps from Heaven denote well enough the Curse which God pronounced against that miserable Cain who was the Murtherer of his Brother It is a lamentable thing to consider with how many Whimsies the Devil intoxicates the Minds of these poor Salvages Although they esteem all Souls Corporeal for they understand nothing else by their Otkon Atahauta or Manitou but I know not what sort of a Material Spring which gives Life and Motion to all Things Yet they nevertheless pretend to believe the Immortality of the Soul and another Life after this in which they are to roul in all sorts of Pleasures and where they are to find especially Hunting in Perfection Fishing in Abundance Indian Corn in great Quantities for those that sow it for there are those among them that do not Tobacco and a thousand other both Curiosities and Necessaries They hold that the Soul does not immediately leave the Body after Death wherefore they always bury along with it a Bow Arrows Indian Corn and fat Meat to the end say they that the Dead may subsist thereupon 'till they can arrive in the Country where the Souls reside As they afford Souls to all living Creatures so they think that after Death Men continue to hunt the Souls of Beavers Elks Foxes Otters Sea-wolfs and other Animals They believe likewise that the Souls of those Rackets that they make use of to keep them from sinking into the Snow in Winter time will be of the same use to 'em in the other World as also the Souls of Bows and Arrows to kill Beasts withal They have also the same Thoughts concerning Fishing in a manner that according to their Opinion these Souls have likewise the same Occasion for Arms for that Sport The Bodies which they bury Seven or Eight Foot deep have no other need of these Arms and Provision which they put into the Grave with them than to serve them for their Voyage into the other World They imagine that these Souls walk visibly in their Villages for a certain time and that they partake of all their Feasts and Merriments and therefore they always assign them their several Portions Many of these People carry their Superstition to that Degree as to have several General Feasts for the Dead accompany'd with Songs dreadful Cries Banquets Dances and Presents of different sorts For this purpose they drag Corps out of the Villages and even the Bones of those whose Flesh is consum'd all which they call Bundles of Souls They transport them from one Tomb to another set out with Skins of Beasts Collars of Porcelain and other such Riches of their Country They believe that all this contributes mightily towards the Happiness of the Dead I shall not trouble my self here to relate the several Particulars of their Belief upon this Subject the different places and Employs which they assign their Dead the manner after which they believe they subâ—â—â—t their Wars Peace Policy and Laws These 〈…〉 so many extravagant and ridiculous Traditions founded upon Fables which their Ancestors have invented and to which they give so great Credit that they easily pass from one Generation to another for Articles of Faith There is some reason to suspect that the Salvages of America have originally descended from the Iews whereof some few might probably have been cast by Shipwrack upon these Shores for in effect there is a great resemblance between them in several things They build their Huts in form of Pavilions like the Iews They anoint themselves with Oyl and are zealous Observers of Dreams They bewail their Dead with great Lamentations and Noise Their Women wear Mourning for their Husbands a whole Year during which time they forbear Dances and Feasts and have a kind of Fryars Hood on their Heads And most commonly the Father or Brother of the Deceas'd takes care of the Widow As to the rest they seem to have a particular Curse entail'd upon them by God Almighty like the Iews for they are Brutish and Opiniated to the highest Degree They have no fix'd and settled Abode They are very unchast and have moreover such dull Pates that whenever they are told that their Souls are immortal they will presently ask what they shall eat in the other World Besides we may trace the Belief of the Iews according to the Revelation of Moses in what we have already touch'd upon concerning these Salvages Opinion of the beginning of the World But to speak freely these Barbarians seem to me to have no Idea at all of a Deity They believe indeed another World where they expect to enjoy the same Pleasures and Delights they have had here They are a sort of People subject to no Restraint Laws nor any Form of Government or Policy They are extreamly blockish in
black Tobacco which they love mightily theirs is not so well prepar'd nor so strong as that of Martenico of which sort mine was I gave them to understand I gave it them to Smoak and not the Dead Man because he had no need of it Some of the Salvages there present heard what I said very seriously and attentively concerning the other State and appeared very ready to listen to me but the rest said in their Country Dialect Tepatoui that is behold what is good In the mean time they fell to smoaking in good earnest without concerning themselves any further about being benefited by my Discourse I took notice that the Tears which they shed for the Dead and the Ceremonies they used upon that account by rubbing his Corps with Bears Oil and the like things were more the effect of Custom and Ancient Prescription to which they are tyed by Traditions that seem to have something of Judaism in them than any proper Application of theirs to these Usages I do not absolutely despair of the Salvation of these Barbarians but do believe that God will find proper means for the enlightning them in the glorious Light of the Gospel since this Holy Doctrine must be preached to all the Nations of the Earth before our Blessed Saviour comâ—â—â—o Judge the Quick and the Dead CHAP. XXIX Of the Superstition of the Savages and their ridiculous Beliefs I Know long since that all the Arts and Endeavouâ—s used by Man for the Conversion of Infidels will signifie nothing till such time as it shall please God to bless their undertakings to that end How shall they believe who have not heard says the Apostle Paul How shall they understand without a Preacher And who shall Preach if there be none sent The sound of the Apostles is gone through all the Earth and their wordâ— have reached to the utmost bounds of the World I heartily wish that the sound of the Apostles successors would bring to Life those vast numbers of Savages which I have seen in my Travels they have laboured there a long time but generally speaking no considerable Progress hath been made therein to this day these blinded People are so wedded to their Superstitious ways Some of these Barbarians are more Superstitious than others especially the Older sort of them and the Women maintain the Traditions of their Ancestors with a strange oâ—â—â—ionativeness when I told them they were void of Understanding to believe such Dreams and idle Fancies and that they ought not to be wedded to Follies of this kind They wou'd say to me Of what Age art thou Thou dost not seem to be above Five and Thirty or Forty Years Old and dost thou pretend to know things better than we who are Old Men Fie thou knowest not what thou fayest thou may'st know what has past in thy own Country added these Old Dotards For thy Ancestors have told thee of them but thou canst not know what hath passed in ours before the Spirits that is to say the Europeans came hither I made answer to these Barbarians that we know all by the Scriptures which the great Author of Life hath given us by his Son that this Son Suffered Death that he might deliver all Men from a place of Everlasting Burnings from which there had been no Redemption unless he had come into the World to free us from Sin and Death that all Mankind became Guilty and sinned in Adam The first Man c. These Savages who had admirable natural Wit readily retorted upon me Are you assured that we were here before you Europeans came into these Countries and being usually answered No we are not Then said they you do not then know all by the Scriptures they do not tell you every thing It s not to be doubted but much time is required to make them sensible of the falsity of their Superstitions and much more to perswade them of the Truths of the Gospel There is none but God alone that by the anointing of his Spirit and Grace can incline their Hearts and make known unto them the Truths appertaining to their Salvation but yet it does not follow hence that those who labour in the Gospel should give over their Endeavours this way The time will come when Men shall prefer the interests of Jesus Christ before their own and then there shall be but one Shepherd and one Fold all foreign Nations shall come in in the time of God's allotment for this grand Event There are many of the Savages who laugh at those things which their Old pretended Sages relate unto them and others that give credit to what they say 〈◊〉 I have already recounted the Sentiments they have concerning their Original and the Cure of their Diseases They have some notion of the Immortality of the Soul for say they there is a very delicious Country towards the West where there is rare Hunting and where they may kill as many Wild Beasts as they please 't is there say these poor blinded ones that Men's Souls go and they hope then to see them all again in that place but they are much more ridiculous in what they say concerning the Souls of Kettles Muskets Fire-Forks and other Arms which they place near the Sepulchres of their Dead that they may go with them and serve for their use in the Soul's Country as they do here One Day a Savage Maiden being Dead after she had been Baptized and the Mother happening to see one of her Slaves at the point of Death also she said my Daughter is gone alone inâ—o the Country of the Dead among the Europeans without Relations and without Friends Lo now it 's Spring time she must therefore sow Indian Corn and Gourds Baptize my Slave added she before he Dies that he may go also into that Country whither the Souls of the Europeans after their Deaths go to the end he may serve my Daughter there A Savage Woman being at the point of departure she cried I will not be Baptized for the Savages who die Christians are burnt in the Country of Souls by the Europeans and certain Savages said one day that we Baptized them to make them Slaves in the other World I have been asked by others if there was good Game for Hunting in that Country whither I would have their dying Infants to go after being Baptized and when I made answer that they live there without Eating or Drinking because they are fully satiated with the Contemplation of the great master of Life we will not go thither said they because we must not eat and when I have added that there would be no occasion for Food there they clapt their hands to their Mouths as a sign of admiration and said Thou art a great Lyar is there any thing can live without Eating A Saâ—age was pleased one day to relate unto us the following Story One of our Old Men said he happening to Die and being come to the Country of Souls he presently met with
Europeans there who Caressed him highly and made him good Cheer Then he went to the place where the Savages are who gave him a very kind Reception they kept there daily Feasts to which the Europeans were very often invited seeing thâ—re are no Wars nor Quarrellings in that Country Now after this Old Man had sufficiently admired all the parts of the Country he returned and gave a Relation of all his Adventures to his Country-men The Story being ended we asked the Savages whether they believed it who answered No that their Ancestors had told it but that perhaps they Lyed These People admit of some sort of Genius in all things they all believe there is a Master of Life as they call him but hereof they make various Applications some of them have a lean Raven which they carry always along wâ—th them and which they say is the Master of their Life others have an Owl and some again a Bone a Sea-Shell or some such thing when they hear an Owl Screech they tremble and take it for a bad Omen They give very much heed to their Dreams They enter into their Stoves to the end they may have a good time of it in hunting their Beavers and killing Wild Beasts they do not give the Bones of the Beavers nor Otters to their Dogs for which I have asked them the reason and have been answered that they have an Otkon or Spirit in the Woods who would tell it to the Beavers and Otters and from that time forward they should not be able to take any of them I asked them what this Spirit was answer has been made me that it was a Woman who knew all things and was Mistress of the Game of Hunting but the Reader must still remember what I have already said that the greatest part of them believe nothing at all of it As I was upon my Mission or Embassage as aforesaid a Savage Woman was by accident Poysoned the Hunters had brought her into her Hut and I went to see her after she was Dead I heard them talk near the Dead Corps and say that they had seen the tract of a Serpent upon the Snow that had come out of that Woman's Mouth and while they were very serious upon this Discourse a very Superstitioâ—s Old Woman said that she had seen the Spirit that had killed the Woman pass by her I have seen a Boy of about Ten years of Age who took upon him to be a Girl and was so wedded to this fantastical humour that he demeaned himself in every respect as if he had been so dressing him as the Maidens and doing the same works as they used to do A Savage whom we had drawn to the Fort and who was the principal Man of his Village told me one day that Onontio which is the name they give to the Governor-General of Canada who at that time was the Count de Frontenac would arrive that day at the time when the Sun should be in such a place for so they express themselves which came to pass precisely according to his words This Old Fellow whom they called Ganneouse Kaera that is to say the Bearded was the only Person of all the Savages that I have seen go with a Beard For generally all the People of North America pluck up all their Hairs by the Root while 't is yet but Down and therefore it is that they have no Beards I confess I could not but speak of it when I saw the Count de Frontenac arrive This Man had not learnt the News of any Person whatsoever He only told me when I asked him how he came to know this that he had learnt it of a Jugler who took upon him to foretel things to come but as I have already said the Savages are much wedded to their Dreams in the mean time their Predictions are more the effect of Chance than any Communication they have with Spirits CHAP. XXX The Obstacles that are to be met with in the Conversion of the Savages THere are many difficulties on the part of the Savages themselves that obstruct their Conversion but in general the difficulty doth arise from the indifference they have to all things whatsoever When we talk to them of the Creation of the World and of the Mysteries of the Christian Religion they say that we Speak Reason and applaud in general all that we declare unto them concerning the grand work of our Salvation they would think themselves guilty of a great Offence if they should give the least suspiâ—ion of their unbelief of what is proposed to them but after they have approved of all those Discourses that are made unto them concerning these matters they say That we ought also on our parts to have all imaginable deference for the Relations and all the Reasonings they give us touching themselves and what refers unto them And when we give in by way of Answer That what they tell us is not true they reply That they have acquiesced with all that we have told them and that 't is want of understanding to interrupt a Man when he Speaks and to tell him what he says is false Lo what is good say they all that thou hast informed us touching those of thy Countrey is as thou hast related but it is not the same with us who are of another Nation and inhabit those Countries that are beyond the great Lake The Second obstacle in the way of the Conversion of the Savages proceeds from their great Superstition as we have already intimated The Third arises from their non-residence for while I was at Fort de Frontenac Father Luke Buisset and I had been busie for a great part of the Year to Teach several of the Children of these Savages our ordinary Prayers and also to Read them in their Iroquois Language their Parents assisted at the Service which was done in the Chappel they lifted up their Hands to Heaven fell down upon their Knees beat their Breasts and continued in our presence with much Respect seeming also to be Affected with our Ceremonies but this they only did beacause they believed they pleased us and had a design thereby to draw some European present from us But and if it happen so that they have a just design therein they quickly renounce it because they stay no longer in their Villages than while they Sow or Gather their Indian Corn which lasts but for a short time for they spend the rest of the Year in War and Hunting carrying their Families along with them and are absent Eight or Nine Months so that their Children who have begun to learn any thing forget all that has been taught them and quickly return to their Superstitions and ordinary way of Living again besides their Juglers and old Savages who are Superstitiously addicted to their Interests do all they can to malign our proceedings and induce their People to hate us for fear least they should give credit to those things that we endeavour to
in those Parts that we should never be able to preserve our Health I return'd them my hearty Thanks for their good Advices but told them I would not follow them since the Salvation of a great many Souls were concern'd in our Undertaking for whom I should be glad to lose my Life I added That I laugh'd at their pretended Devils and Monsters and that their Informations would oblige us to stand the more upon our Guard to avoid any Surprize And so having pray'd to God with them and given them some Instructions we parted from them and arriv'd to the Bay of Puans where our Fathers make a considerable Progress towards the Conversion of those Ignorant Nations The Name of this Bay sounds better in the Language of the Savages than in ours for according to the Word they make use of one may call it as well the Salted Bay as the Stinking Bay for they call the Sea after the same Name This oblig'd us to enquire whether there were in that Country any Salted Fountains as there is one among the Iroquois but we could find none therefore we think that this Name was given to this Bay because of the great quantity of Mud and Owze that is there from whence such Vapours arise that occasion the most dreadful Thunders that ever I heard in any Country This Bay is about thirty Leagues long and about eight broad that is to say in its greatest breadth for it grows narrower and forms a Cone at the extremity where one may easily observe that this Bay has its setled Tides just as the Sea This is not a proper place to enquire whether the Flowing and Ebbing of the Water of this Bay may be properly call'd a Tide or whether they are occasion'd by the Winds which never or very seldom fail to blow from the same Point upon the Moon 's ascending our Horizon but this I may say That in the greatest Calm the Waters in this Bay flow and ebb according to the Motion of the Moon tho' I will not deny but that the Winds which move the Waters towards the middle of the Lake may contribute to this effect We left this Bay to go into a River that discharges it self therein and found its Mouth very broad and deep It flows very gently but after we had advanc'd some Leagues into it we saw it was interrupted by several Rocks and rapid Streams and so shallow in some places that it would hardly bear our Canow's The bottom is full of Flints which are as so many Razors that cut the Canow's and made it impossible for our Men to walk therein to make the Câ—now's more light when the shallowness of the Water did not permit us to row away It is full of Bustard Ducks and Teals because of the Wild Oats in the Marshes thereabouts However we conquer'd those Difficulties and came to an Habitation of the Miamis Maskoutens and Kikabeux but before we arriv'd to their Village I had the Curiosity to taste the Mineral Water of a River near it and found a Simple of a wonderful Virtue against the Venom of the Serpents A Savage who knew it had shown it to Father Allouez who had often occasion to try its Virtues God having been pleas'd to provide that Country with that wonderful Antidote against the Serpents who are very dangerous in those Parts The Root of that Simple is very hot and tastes like Gun-powder they chew it and apply it upon the Part of the Body stung by the Serpents and this without any other Mystery cures the Wound and the Serpents have such an Antipathy with this Herb that they run away from any Man who has rubb'd his Body with the same It brings several Stalks about a foot high the Leaves are somewhat long the Flower is white and the whole looks like our Gilliflowers I took one into our Canow the better to examine it This Bay of Puâ—ons had been hitherto as one may say the Ultima Thulae of the French for they never durst advance further into the Country This Village as I have intimated consists of three several Nations viz. Miamis Maskoutens and Kikabeux The first are more civil than the other and better shap'd as well as more liberal They wear long Hair over their Ears which looks well enough They are accounted valiant Men amongst their Neighbours but are so cunning that they seldom return from their warlike Expeditions without Booty They are apt to learn any thing for they love to hear the Europeans talk and Father Allouez told me That they had such a violent desire to be instructed that they often disturb'd his Rest to ask him Questions about what he had told them the Day before The Maskoutens and Kikabeux are more clownish and there is as much difference between the Miamis and them as between our Boors and Citizens As the Rind of Birch-Trees are scarce in this Country they are oblig'd to make their Cabins with Rushes which serve as well for covering the same as for Walls It must be own'd that these Cabins are very convenient for they take them down when they please and carry them by small Parcels where-ever they will without any trouble When I arriv'd there I was very glad to see a great Cross set up in the middle of the Village adorn'd with several White Skins Red Girdles Bows and Arrows which that good People had offer'd to the Great Manitou to return him their Thanks for the care he had taken of them during the Winter and that he had granted them a prosperous Hunting Manitou is the Name they give in general to all Spirits whom they think to be above the Nature of Man Their Village is situated on a Hill from whence one may discover the largest Meadows in the World aâ—orn'd at certain distance with Groves and Woods The Soil is very fertile and produces a great quantity of Indian Corn. They preserve also Plums and Grapes As soon as we were arriv'd M. Ioliet and I desir'd the Eldest of the Savages to meet us and I told them that M. Ioliet was sent by the Governour of Canada to discover new Countries and I from God Almighty to teach them the Knowledge of their Creator who being absolute Master of all his Creatures will have all Nations to know him and that therefore to comply with his Will I did not value my Life which I freely expos'd to all manner of Dangers Concluding That we wanted two Guides to put us in our Way which we desir'd them to grant us We enforc'd our Compliment with some Presents that were kindly accepted by the Savages who answer'd us likewise with a Present viz. a Mat which was our Bed during our Voyage They granted us also two Guides to accompany us for some Days The next Day being the 10 th of Iune the two Miamis who were to conduct us imbark'd with us in sight of all the Inhabitants of the Village who cou'd not admire enough that seven Europeans shou'd