in the mouth against the Squinancie and against the biting of serpents It hath long leaues drawing in colour to a dark greene and produceth a black roote from which liquor is drawen as well as from the leaf Strabo saith that the like case hapned to the army that Aelius Gallus brought into Arabia by the commission of Augustus the Emperor And the like also chanced to king S. Lewes his armie in Egypt as the Lord de Ioinuille reporteth Other effects of bad waters are seene neere vnto vs to wit in Sauoy where the women more than men because they are of a colder constitution haue commonly swellings in their throats as bigge as bottels Next to waters the aire is also one of the fathers and ingenderes of this sicknes in boggy and watrish places and opposit to the South which is most often rainy But there is yet in New France another bad quality of the aire by reason of lakes that be thicke there and of the great rottennes in the woods whose odour the bodies hauing drawen vp during the raines of Autumne and winter easily are ingendred the corruptions of the mouth and swelling in the legges before spoken and a cold entreth vnsensibly into it which benummeth the limbes stifneth the sinewes constraineth to creepe with cruches and in the end to keepe the bed And for as much as the windes doe participate with the aire yea are an aire running with a more vehement force than ordinary and in this quality haue great power ouer the health and sicknesses of men we will speake some thing of it not for all that straying ourselues from the sequell of our historie The Easterly winde called by the Latins Subsolanus is held for the healthfullest of all and for that cause wise builders giue aduice to set their buildings towards the aspect of the East The opposit to it is the winde called Fauorinus or Zephirus which our Sea-men doe name West which in these parts is milde fructifying The Southern winde called Auster by the Latines is in Affrica hot and drie But in crossing the Mediterranian sea it gathereth a great moistnes which maketh it stormy and putrifying in Prouence and Languedoc The opposite to it is the Northern winde otherwise called Boreas Bize Tramontane which is colde and drie chaseth the cloudes and sweepeth the airie region It is taken for the holsommest next to the East winde But these qualities of the winde found and noted in these parts make not one generall rule thorow ouer all the earth For the North-winde beyond the Equinoctiall line is not colde as in these parts nor the South-winde hot because that by a long crossing they borrow the qualities of the regions thorow which they passe besides that the South-winde at his first issue is cooling according to the report of those that haue trauelled in Affrica In like maner there be regions in Perou as in Lima and the plaines where the North-winde is vnholsome and noysome And thorow all that coast which is aboue 500. leagues in length they take the South-winde for a sound and fresh cooling winde and which more is most milde and pleasant yea also that it doth neuer raine by it according to that which Ioseph Acosta writeth of it cleane contrary to that we see in this our part of Europe And in Spaine the East-winde which we haue said to be sound the same Acosta saith that it is noisome and vnsound The winde called Circius which is the North-west is so stormie and boistrous in the Westerly shores of Norwege that if there be any which vndertaketh any voyage that way when that winde bloweth he must make account to be lost and cast away And this winde is so colde in that region that it suffereth not any tree small or great to grow there So that for want of wood they must serue thēselues with the bones of great fishes to seeth or rost their meats which discommodity is not in these parts In like sort we haue had experience in New France that the North-winds are not for health And the North-east which are the colde strong sharpe and stormy Aquilons yet worse which our sicke folkes and they that had wintred there the former yeare did greatly feare because that likely some of them drooped away when that winde blew for indeed they had some sensible feeling of this winde As we see those that bee subiect to ruptures endure great pangs when that the South-winde doth blow And as we see the very beasts to prognosticate by some signes the change of weather This noisome qualitie of winde proceedeth in my iudgement from the nature of the countrie thorow which it passeth which as we haue said is full of lakes and those very great which be as it were standing and still waters Whereto I adde the exhalation of the rottennesse of woods that this winde bringeth and that in so much greater quantitie as the North-west part is great large and spacious The seasons are also to be marked in this disease which I haue not seene nor heard of that it beginnes to work neither in the spring time Summer nor Autumne vnlesse it be at the end of it but in Winter And the cause thereof is that as the growing heat of the Spring maketh the humours closed vp in the winter to disperse themselues to the extremities of the body and so cleareth it from melancholy and from the noisome humors that haue beene gathered in Winter so the Autumne as the Winter approcheth draweth them inward and doth nourish this melancholie and blacke humor which doth abound specially in this season and the Winter being come sheweth foorth his effects at the costs and griefe of the poore patients Galen yeldeth a reason for the same saying that the humors of the bodie hauing beene parched by the burning of the Summer that which may rest of it after the heat is expulsed becommeth foorthwith colde and drie That is to say colde by the priuation of the heat and drie in as much as in the drying of these humors all the moistnesse that was therein hath been consumed And thereby it commeth that sickenesses are bred in this season and the farther one goeth the weaker nature is and the vntemperate coldnesse of the aire being entred into a bodie alreadie thereto disposed doth handle it as it were at a becke and at will without pitie I would adde willingly to all the foresaid causes the bad foode of the sea which in a long voiage brings much corruption in mans bodie For one must of necessity after foure or fiue daies liue of salt meate or to bring sheepe aliue and store of poultry but this is but for Masters and Commanders in ships and we had none in our voyage but for to reserue and multiplie in the land whither we did go The mariners then and passengers doe suffer discommoditie as well in the bread as in meat and drinke the biskit
that vntill we came neere the Açores we had the winde fit enough and afterward we had almost alwaies either South-west or Norweast little North and South which were not good for vs but to saile with the bowline For Easterly windes we had none at all but once or twice which continued nothing with vs to speake of Sure it is that the Westerly windes doe raigne much a long that sea Whether it be by a certaine repercussion of the East winde which is stiffe and swift vnder the Equinoctiall line wherof we haue spoken else-where or because that this Western land being large and great also the winde that issueth from thence doth abound the more Which commeth especially in Summer when the sunne hath force to draw vp the vapors of the earth for the windes come from thence issuing from the dennes and Caues of the same And therefore the Poets doe faine that Aeolus holdeth them in prisons from whence hee draweth them and giueth them liberty when it pleaseth him But the spirit of God doth confirm it vnto vs yet better when he saith by the mouth of the Prophet that Almighty God among other his maruels draweth the windes out of his treasures which be the Caues whereof I speake For the word treasure fignifieth in Hebrew secret and hidden place He bringeth foorth the cloudes from the earthes furthest parts the lightnings with the raines he makes and them impartes on some in his anger on others for pleasures The windes he draweth foorth out of his deepe treasures And vpon this consideration Christopher Columbus a Genwaie first nauigator of these last ages vnto the Ilands of Amerika did iudge that there was some great land in the West hauing obserued sailing on the sea that continuall windes came from that part Continuing then our course we had some other stormes hindrances procured by windes which we almost had alwaies contrary by reason we set out too late but they that set out in March haue commonly good windes because that then the East Noreast and Northern windes doe raigne which are fit and prosperous for these voiages These tempests were very often foretold vs by Porpeses which did haunt about our ship by thousands sporting themselues after a very pleasant maner Some of them did pay for their so neer eapproaching For some men waited for them at the beke head which is the forepart of the ship with harping Irons in their hands which met with them sometimes and drew them in abord with the helpe of the other sailers which with iron hookes which they call Gaffes tied at the end of a long powle pulled them vp We haue taken many of them in that sort both in going and comming which haue done vs no harme There bee two sorts of them some which haue a blunt and bigge nose others which haue it sharpe we tooke none but of these last but yet I remember to haue seene in the water some of the short-nosed ones This fish hath two fingers bredth of fat at the least on the backe When it was cut in two we did wash our hands in his hot blood which they say comforteth the sinewes He hath a maruelous quantity of teeth along his Iawes and I thinke that he holdeth fast that which he once catcheth Moreouer the inward parts haue altogether the taste of hoggs flesh and the bones not in forme of fish bones but like a foure footed creature The most delicate meat of it is the finne which he hath vpon the backe and the taile which are neither fish nor flesh but better then that such as also is in substance of taile that of the Beuers which seemeth to be scailed These Porpeses be the onely fishes we tooke before we came to the great bancke of Morues or Codfish But far off we saw other great fishes which did shew out of the water aboue halfe an akers length of their backes and did thrust out in the aire aboue a speares height of great pipes of water thorow the holes they had vpon their heads But to returne to our purpose of stormes during our voiage we had some which made vs strike downe saile and to stand our armes a crosse caried at the pleasure of the waues and tossed vp and downe after a strange maner If any coffer or chest was not well made fast it was heard to rowle from side to side makeing a foule noise Sometimes the kettle was ouerturned and in dyning or supping our dishes and platters flew from one ende of the table to the other vnlesse they were holden very fast As for the drinke one must cary his mouth and the glasse according to the motion of the ship Briefely it was a sport but somewhat rude to them that cannot beare this iogging easily For all that the most of vs did laugh at it for there was no danger in it at least euident being in a good ship and strong to withstand the waues We had also sometimes calmes very tedious and wearisome during which we washed our selues in the sea we danced vpon the decke we climbed vp the maine top we sang in muficke Then when a little small cloude was percerued to issue from vnder the Horizon we were forced to giue ouer those exercises for to take heed of a gust of winde which was wrapped in the same cloud which dissoluing it selfe grumbling snorting whistling roaring storming and buzing was able to ouer turne our ship vp-side downe vnlesse men had beene ready to execute that which the Master of the ship which was Captaine Foulques a man very vigilant commanded them There is no harme in shewing how these gusts of winde otherwise called stormes are formed and from whence they proceed Plinie speaketh of them in his naturall history and saith that they be exhalations light vapours raised from the earth to the colde region of the aire and not being able to passe further but rather forced to returne backe they sometimes meet sulphury and firy exhalations which compasse them about and binde so hard that there come thereby a great combat motions and agitation between the sulphury heat and the airy moistnesse which being constrained by the stronger enemy to run away it openeth it selfe maketh it selfe waie whistleth roareth and stormeth briefely becometh a winde which is great or lesser according that the sulphury exalation which wrappeth it breaketh it selfe and giueth it way sometimes all at once as we haue shewed before and sometimes with longer time according to the quantity of the matter wherof it is made and according as either more or lesse it is moued by his contrary qualities But I cannot leaue vnmentioned the wonderful courage and assurance that good sailers haue in these windie conflicts stormes and tempests when as a ship being caried and mounted vpon mountaines of waters and from thence let downe as it were into the profound depthes of the world they clime among the tacklings and
our Sauages concerning their eies they haue them neither blue nor greene but blacke for the most part like to their haires and neuerthelesse their eies are not small as they of the ancient Scythians but of a decent greatnesse And I may say assuredly and truely that I haue seene there as faire boies and girles as any can be in France For as for the mouth they haue no bigge moorish lippes as in Africa and also in Spaine they are well limmed well boned and well bodied competently strong and neuerthelesse we had many in our company who might haue wrestled well enough with the strongest of them but being hardned there would be made of them very good men for the warre which is that wherein they most delight Moreouer among them there is none of those prodigious men whereof Pliny maketh mention which haue no noses in their faces or no lips or no tong Item which are without mouth without nose hauing but two small holes wherof one of them serueth for to breath the other serueth in stead of a mouth Item which haue dogges heads and a dogge for king Item which haue their heads on the brest or one onely eie in the middest of the forehead or a flat broad foot to couer their heads when it raineth and such like monsters There is none also of them which our Sauage Agohanna told captaine Iames Quartier that hee had seene in Saguenay whereof we haue spoken heeretofore If there be any blinde with one eie or lame as it hapneth sometimes it is a casuall thing and commeth of hunting Being well composed they cannot chuse but be nimble and swift in running We haue spoken heeretofore of the nimblenesse of the Brasilians Margaias and Ou-etacas but all nations haue not those bodily dispositions They which liue in mountains haue more dexteritie than they of the vallies because they breath a purer and cleerer aire and that their food is better In the vallies the aire is grosser and the lands fatter and consequently vnholesommer The nations that be between the Tropikes haue also more agilitie than the others participating more with the firie nature than they that are farther off This is the cause why Pliny speaking of the Gorgones and Iles Gorgonides which are those of Cap Verd saith that the men are there so light of foote that scarse one may follow them by the eye-sight in such maner that Hanno the Carthaginian could not catch any one of them He maketh the like relation of the Troglodytes a nation of Guinee whom hee saith are called Therothoens because they are as swift in hunting vpon the land as the Ichthyophages are prompt in swiming in the sea who almost are as seldome wearie therein as a fish And Maffeus in his Histories of the Indies reporteth that the Naires so the nobles and warriours are called of the kingdome of Malabaris are so nimble and so swift as it is almost incredible and doe handle so well their bodies at will that they seeme to haue no bones in such sort that it is hard to come to skirmish against such men forasmuch as with this agilitie they aduance and recoile as they list But for to make themselues such they helpe nature and their sinewes are stretched out euen from seuen yeeres of age which afterward are anointed and rubbed with oile of Sesamum That which I say is knowen euen in beasts for a Spanish Genet or a Barbe is more liuely and light in running than a Roossin or Germain Curtall an Italian horse more than a French horse Now although that which I haue said be true yet for all that there be nations out of the Tropikes who by exercise and Art come to such agilitie For the holy Scripture maketh mention of one Hazael an Israelite of whom it witnesseth that he was as light of foot as a Roe bucke of the fields And for to come to the people of the North the Heruli are renouned for being swift in runing by this verse of Sidonius Cursu Herulus iaculis Hunnus Francusque natatu And by this swiftnesse the Germans sometimes troubled very much Iulius Caesar So our Armouchiquois are as swift as grey hounds as we haue said heertofore and the other Sauages are little inferior vnto them and yet they do not force nature neither doe they vse any Art to run well But as the ancient Gaulois being addicted to hunting for it is their life and to warre their bodies are nimble and so little charged with fatte that it doth not hinder them from running at their will Now the Sauages dexteritie is not knowen onely by running but also in swimming which they all can doe but it seemes that some more than others As for the Brasilians they are so naturall in that trade that they would swimme eight daies in the sea if hunger did not presse them and they feare more that some fish should deuoure them than to perish through wearinesse The like is in Florida where the men will follow a fish in the sea and will take it vnlesse it be too bigge Ioseph Acosta saith so much of them of Peru. And as for that which concerneth breathing they haue a certaine Art to suppe vp the water and to cast it out againe by which meanes they will remaine easily in it a long time The women likewise haue a maruellous disposition to that exercise for the History of Florida maketh mention that they can passe great riuers in swimming holding their children with one arme and they climbe very nimbly vp the highest trees of the countrey I will affirme nothing of the Armouchiquois nor of our Sauages because I tooke no heed to it but it is very certaine that all can swim very cunningly For the other parts of their bodies they haue them verie perfect as likewise the naturall senses For Membertou who is aboue an hundred yeeres old did see sooner a shaloupe or a Canow of the Sauages to come afarre off vnto Port Royall than any of vs and it is said of the Brasilians and other Sauages of Peru hidden in the mountaines that they haue the smelling so good that in smelling of the hand they know if a man be a Spaniard or a French man And if he be a Spaniard they kill him without remission so much doe they hate him for the harmes that they haue receiued of them Which the abouesaid Acosta doth confesse when he speaketh of leauing the Indians to liue according to their ancient policie reprouing the Spaniards in that And therefore saith he this is a thing preiudiciall vnto vs because that they take occasion to abhor vs note that he speaketh of them who doe obey them as men who in all things whether it be in good whether it be in euill haue alwaies beene and still are contrary vnto them CHAP. XI Of the Paintings Markes Incisions and Ornaments of their body IT is no maruell if the Ladies of our time do paint themselues
is their hatred euen against the dead And for to end this chapter as we began it they neuer make any Tabagie or feast but that there is a dance after it And afterward if the Sagamos be disposed according to the state of their affaires he will make an oration of one two or three houres continuance and at euery demonstration asking the aduice of the companie if they approoue his proposition euery one will crie out aloud Hé e e e in signe of allowing and ratifying of the same Wherein they giue him very attentiue audience as wee haue seene many times And also when that Monsieur De Poutrincourt did feast our Sauages Memberton after dancing made an oration with such vehemencie that he made the world to woonder shewing the curtesies and witnesses of friendship that they receaued of the Frenchmen what they might hope of them heereafter and how much their presence was profitable yea necessarie vnto them because that they did sleepe in securitie and had no feare of their enemies c. CHAP. XVI Of the disposition of their bodies and of their Physike and Cheirurgie WE haue said in the last Chapter that dancing is profitable for the preseruation of health Also it is one of the causes why our Sauages do delight so much in it But they haue yet some other preseruatiues which they vse very often that is to say sweates whereby they preuent sicknesses For they be sometimes touched with this Phthisie wherewith the men of Captain Iames Quartier and Monsieur De Monts were annoied which notwithstanding is but seldome But when it hapneth they haue in Canada the tree called Annedda which I terme the tree of life for the excellencie thereof wherewith they heale themselues and in the countrie of the Armouchiquois they haue Sassafras and in Florida Esquine The Souriquois which haue none of these kinds of woods doe vse sweats as we haue said and they haue their Aoutmoins for Phisitions who for that purpose doe digge in the ground and make a pit which they couer with wood and bigge flatte stones ouer it then they put fire to it by a hole and the wood being burned they make a raft with poles which they couer with all the skinnes and other couerings which they haue so as no aire entereth therein they cast water vpon the said stones which are fallen in the pit and doe couer them then they pu themselues vnder the same raft and with motions the Aoutmoin singing and the others saying as in their dances Het het het they put themselues into a sweat If they happen to fall into sicknesse for one must die in the end the Aoutmoin doth blow with exercisings vpon the member grieued doth licke it and sucke it and if that be not sufficient he letteth the patient bloud scotching his flesh with the point of a knife or some thing else If they doe not heale them alwaies one must consider that our Physicians doe not alwaies cure their patients neither In Florida they haue their Iarvars who continually carry a bagge full of hearbs and drugges hanging about their necks to cure the sicke which are for the most part sicke of the Pox and they blowe vpon the parts affected vntill they draw the very bloud from it The Brasilians Phisitions are named among them Pagés they be not their Caraibes or Southsaiers who in sucking as aforesaid they endeuour themselues to heale diseases But they haue one sickenesse which is vncureable which they call Pians proceeding of lecherie which notwithstanding little children sometimes haue euen as them in these our parts that be full of pock-holes which commeth vnto them as I thinke from the corruption of their Parents This contagion doth conuert it selfe into boiles broader then the thombe which disperse themselues throughout all the bodie and euen as farre as the face and being touched therewith they beare the marks thereof all their life time fowler then lepers as well Brasilians as other nations As for the sicke bodie his diet they giue him not any thing vnlesse he asketh for it and without taking any other care of them they cease not to make their noise and hurly burlies before them drinking skipping and singing according to their custome As for the wounds Aoutmos of our Souriquois and their neighbours doe licke and sucke them vsing the Beuers kidney whereof they put a slice vpon the wound and so doth heale it selfe with that The ancient Germans saith Tacitus not hauing yet the Art of Cheirurgie did the like They bring saith he their wounds to their Mothers and to their Wiues who are not afraid neither to number them nor to sucke them yea they bring them vittails to the campe and exhort them to fight valiantly so that sometimes armies readie to runne away haue beene restored by the prayers of the women opening their breasts to their husbands And afterwards they willingly vsed the womens aduices and counsels wherein they esteeme some holy thing to be And among the Christians many not caring for God no longer then they receaue good gifts of him doe seeke for the healing of their diseases by charmes and helpe of Witches So among our Sauages the Aoutmoin hauing some sore in cure inquireth often of his diuell to know whether he shall heale or no and hath neuer no answer but doubtfully by if or and. There bee some of them which sometimes doe make incredible cures as to heale one that hath his armes cut off Which notwithstanding I know not why I should finde it strange when I consider what Monsieur de Busbeque writeth in his discourse of his Embassie into Turkie the fourth Epistle Comming neere vnto Buda the Basha sent some of his houshold Seruants to meete vs with many Haraldes and officers But among the rest a faire troupe of yong men on horse-backe remarkable for the nouelty of their order They had their heads bare and shauen vpon the which they had made a long bloudie slash and thrust diuers feathers of birds within the wound from whence the very pure bloud did trickle downe but insteed of shrinking at it they went lifting vp their heads with a laughing countenance Before me marched some foote men one of them had his armes naked and hanging down on his sides both which armes aboue the Elbowe was thrust quite through with a knife that stucke fast in them Another was naked from his head to the nauell hauing the skinne of his-backe so iagged vp and downe in two places achwart which he had made to passe an hatchet of armes which he did carry in scarffe wise as we would doe a cuttleaxe I saw another of them who had fixed vpon the crowne of his head a horse shooe with many nailes and of so long continuance that the nailes were so fixed and fast in the flesh that they stirred not Wee entred into Buda in this pompe and were brought into the Bashas house with whom I
Their wilde-boares are very leane and vnfleshie and they haue a fearefull grunting and crie But there is in them a strange deformity which is that they haue a hole vpon the backe through which they blow and breath Those three be the biggest beasts of Brasill As for small ones they haue seuen or eight sorts of them by the taking whereof they liue and also of mans flesh and are better and more prouident husbands then ours For one cannot find them vnprouided but rather hauing alwaies vpon the Boucan that is to say a wooden grate somewhat high built vpon foure forks some venison or fish or mans flesh and with that they liue merrily and without care Now leauing there those Anthropophages Brasilians let vs returne to our New France where the Men there are more humane and liue but with that which God hath giuen to Man not deuouring their like Also wee must say of them that they are truely noble not hauing any action but is generose whether we consider their hunting or their employment in the warrs or that one search out their domesticall actions wherein the women doe exercise themselues in that which is proper vnto them and the men in that which belongeth to armes and other things befitting them such as we haue said or will speake of in due place But heere one must consider that the most parte of the world haue liued so from the beginning and by degrees men haue beene ciuilized when that they haue assembled themselues and haue formed common-wealths for to liue vnder certaine lawes rule and policie CHAP. XXII Of Hawking SEeing that wee hunt on the land let vs not ouerstray our selues least if wee take the sea wee lose out fowles for the wise man saith that in vaine the net is spred before the eies of all that haue wings If hunting then be a noble exercise wherein the very Muses themselues take delight by reason of silence and solitarinesse which brings foorth faire conceits in the minde in such sort that Diana saith Pliny doth not more frequent the mountaines then Minerva If I say hunting be a noble exercise hauking is farre more noble because it aymeth at an higher subiect which doth participate of Heauen seeing that the inhabitants of the aire are called in the sacred Scripture Volucres coeli the foules of the aire Moreouer the exercise therof doth belong but to kings to the nobles aboue which their brightnesse shineth as the Sunnes brightnesse doth aboue the starres And our Sauages being of a noble heart which maketh no account but of hunting and martiall affaires may very certainly haue right of vsage ouer the birds that their land doth affoord them Which they doe likewise but with much difficulties because they haue not as we haue the vse of guns They haue enough and too many birds of pray as Eagles Laynards Faulcons Tiercelets Sparow-haukes and others which I haue specified in my farewell to New France but they haue neither the vse nor industrie to bring them to seruice as the French Gentlemen and therefore they loose much good fowle hauing no other meanes to seeke after them or to take them but onely with the Bowe and arrowes with which instruments they doe like vnto them who in France shoote at the Geay in time of middle-lent or creepe along the grasse and go to assaile the Outardes or wild Geese which doe graze in the Spring time and in Summer along the medowes Sometimes also they carrie themselues softly and without making any noise in their canowes and light vessels made with barkes of trees euen to the shores where the Malards and other water fowle are and there strike them downe But the greatest abundance they haue come from certaine Ilands where such quantitie of them are to wit of Malards Margaux Roquettes Outards or wilde Geese Curlies Cormorants and others that it is a woonderfull thing yea that which captaine Iames Quartier reciteth will seeme to some altogether vncredible When we were vpon our returne into France being yet beyond Campseau wee passed by some of those Ilands where in the space of a quarter of an houre we laded our barke with them wee had no need but to strike downe with staues and not to go about to gather vntill one were wearie a striking If any man doth aske why they flie not away one must consider that they be birds onely of two three or fower moneths old which haue beene there hatched in the spring time and haue not yet wings great enough to take slight though they be well fleshie and in good plight As for the dwelling of Port Royall we had many of our men that furnished vs with them and particularlie one of Monsieur de Monts his houshold seruants called François Addeni whose name I insert heere to the end he be had in memorie beecause he alwaies prouided for vs abundantly with it During the winter he made vs to liue onely of Mallards Cranes Hernes Woodcocks Partriges Blackbirds some other kinds of that country birds But in the spring time it was a sport to see the gray Geese and the bigge Outardes a kinde of wilde Geese to keepe their Empire and dominion in our meddowes and in Autumne the white Geese of which some did alwaies remaine for a pawne then the sea Larks flying in great flocks vpon the shores of the waters which also very often were paied home Touching the birds of pray some of our men tooke from the nest an Eagle from the top of a Pine-apple tree of the monstrousest height that euer I saw any tree which Eagle Monsieur de Poutrincourt did breed for to present her to the king but she brake her ties seeking to take her flight and lost her selfe in the sea comming home The Sauages of Campseau had six of them pearched neere to their cabins at our comming thither which wee would not trucke for because they had pulled off their tailes to to feather their arrowes There bee such a quantitie of them in those parts that often they did eat our pigeons and it did behooue vs to looke narrowly to them The birds that were knowen vnto vs I haue enrowled them as I haue said in my farwell to New France but I haue omitted many of them because I knew not their names There also may be seene the description of a little small bird which the Sauages doe call Niridau which liueth but with flowers and she did come noising in my eares passing inuisibly so small is shee when in the morning I went to take a walke in my garden There will be seene also the discription of certaine flies shining in the euening in the spring time which doe flie vp and downe the woods in such a multitude that it is woonder For the birds of Canada I also refer the Reader to the report of Captaine Iames Quartier The Armouchiquois haue the same birdes whereof there are many which are not knowen vnto
made by sea Then the said Monsieur De Monts hoised vp sailes and leaueth the said Monsieur Du Pont as his Lieutenant and deputie in these parts who wanting no diligence according to his nature in making perfect that which was needfull for to lodge both himselfe and his people which was all that might be done for that yeare in that country For to goe farre from home in the Winter and after so long a toile there was no reason And as for the tillage of the ground I beleeue they had no fit time to doe it For the said Monsieur Du Pont was not a man to be long in rest nor to leaue his men idle if there had beene any meanes for it The Winter being come the Sauages of the country did assemble themselues from farre to Port Royal for to truck with the Frenchmen for such things they had some bringing Beauers skinnes and Otters which are those whereof most account may be made in that place and also Ellans or Stagges whereof good buffe may be made Others bringing flesh newly killed wherewith they made many good Tabagies or feasts liuing merily as long as they had wherewithall They neuer wanted any bread but wine did not continue with them till the season was ended For when we came thither the yeare following they had been aboue three Moneths without any wine and were very glad of our comming for that made them to take againe the taste of it The greatest paine they had was to grinde the corne to haue bread which is very painfull with hand-mils whereall the strength of the bodie is requisite And therefore it is not without cause that in old time bad people were threatned to be sent to the Mill as to the painefullest thing that is to which occupation poore slaues were set to before the vse of water and winde-mils was found out as the Prophane histories make mention and the same of the comming of the people of Israel out of the land of Aegypt where for the last scourge that God will send to Pharao he declareth by the mouth of Moises that about midnight he will passe thorow Aegypt and euery first borne shall die there from the first borne of Pharao that should sit vpon his throne to the first borne of the maide Seruant which grindeth at the Mill. And this labor is so great that the Sauages although they be very poore cannot beare it and had rather to be without bread then to take so much pains as it hath beene tried offering them halfe of the grinding they should doe but they chused rather to haue no corne And I might well beleeue that the same with other things hath beene great meanes to breed the sicknesse spoken of in some of Monsieur Du Pont his men for there died some halfe a dosen of them that winter True it is that I finde a defect in the buildings of our Frenchmen which is they had no ditches about them whereby the waters of the ground next to them did runne vnder their lower-most roomes which was a great hindrance to their health I adde besides the bad waters which they vsed that did not runne from a quicke spring but from the neerest brooke The winter being passed the sea nauigable Monsieur Du Pont would needes atchieue the enterprise begun the yeere before by Monsieur De Monts and to goe seeke out a Port more Southerly where the aire might be more temperate according as he had in charge of the said Monsieur De Monts He furnished then the barke which remained with him to that effect But being set out of the port and full readie hoisted vp failes for Malebarre he was forced by contrarie winde twice to put backe againe and at the third time the said Barke strake against the rockes at the entire of the said Port. In this disgrace of Neptune the men were saued with the better part of prouision and merchandise but as for the Barke it was rent in peeces And by this mishap the voyage was broken and that which was so desired intermitted For the habitation of Port Royall was not iudged good And notwithstanding it is on the North and North-west sides well sheltered with mountaines distant some one league some halfe a league from the Port and the riuer L'Equille So we see how that enterprises take not effect according to the desires of men and are accompanied with many perils So that one must not woonder if the time be long in establishing of Colonies specially in lands so remote whose nature and temperature of aire is not knowen and where one must fell and cut downe forrests and be constrained to take heed not from the people that we call Sauages but from them that terme themselues Christians and yet haue but the name of it cursed and abhominable people woorse then woolues enemies to God and humane nature This attempt then being broken Monsieur Du Pont knew not what to doe but to attend the succour and supplie that Monsieur De Monts promised parting from Port Royall at his returne into France to send him the yeere following Yet for all euents he built an other Barke and a Shaloup for to seeke French shippes in the places where they vse to dry fish such as Campseau Port English Port Misamichis Port the Baie of Chaleur or heat the Baie of Morues or Coddes and others in great number according as Monsieur De Monts had done the former yeere to the end to ship himselfe in them and to returne into France in case that no shippe should come to succour him Wherein he did wisely for he was in danger to heare no newes from vs that were appointed to succeed him as it shall appeare by the discourse following But in the meane while wee must consider that they which in these voyages haue transported themselues in these parts haue had an aduantage ouer those that would plant in Florida which is in hauing that refuge beforesaid of French shippes that frequent the New found lands for fishing not being forced to build great shippes nor to abide extreme famines as they haue done in Florida whose voyages haue beene lamentable for that respect and these by reason of the sicknesses that haue persecuted them but they of Florida haue had a blessing for that they were in a milde and fertill countrey and more friendly to mans health then New France spoken of else where If they haue suffered famines there was great fault in them for not hauing tilled the ground which they found plaine and champion Which before all other thing is to be done of them that will lodge themselues so farre from ordinarie succour But the Frenchmen and almost all nations at this day I meane of those that be not borne and brought vp to the manuring of the ground haue this badde nature that they thinke to derogate much from their dignitie in addicting themselues to the
cordes not only to the maine top and to the very height of the maine mast but also without ladder steps to the top of another mast fastened to the first held onely with the force of their armes and feet winding about the highest tacklings Yea much more that if in this great tossing and rowling it chanceth that the maine saile which they call Paphil or Papefust be vntied at the higher ends he who is first commanded will put himselfe stradling vpon the maine yard that is the tree which crossed the maine mast and with a hammer at his girdle and halfe a dosen nailes in his mouth will tie againe and make fast that which was vntied to the perill of a thousand liues I haue sometimes heard great account made of a Switzers bouldnesse who after the siege of Laon and the citie being rendered to the Kings obedience climbed and stood stradling vpon the thwart branch of the crosse of our Ladies church steeple of the said towne and stood there forked wise his feet vpward But that in my iudgement is nothing in regard of this the said Switzer being vpon a firme and solide body and without motion and this contrariwise hanging ouer an vnconstant sea tossed with boistrous windes as we haue sometimes seene After we had left these Pirats spoken of before we were vntill the 18. of Iune tossed with diuers and almost contrary windes without any discouery but of one ship far off from vs which we did not boord and yet notwithstanding the very sight thereof did comfort vs. And the same day we met a ship of Honfleur wherein Captaine La Roche did command going for New-found-landes who had no better fortune vpon the sea then we The custome is at sea that when some particular ship meeteth with the King his ship as ours was to come vnder the lee and to present herselfe not side by side but bias wise Also to pull down her flagge as this Captain La Roche did except the flagge for shee had non no more had we being not needfull in so great a voyage but in approaching the land or when one must fight Our sailers did cast then their computation on the course that we had made For in euery ship the Master the Pilot and Masters Mate doe write downe euery day of their courses and windes that they haue followed for how many houres and the estimation of leagues The said La Roche did account that they were then in the Fourty fiue degrees and within a hundred leagues of the Bancke Our Pilot called Master Oliuer Fleuriot of Saint Maloe by his computation said that we were within 60. leagues of it And Captaine Foulques within 120. leagues I beleeue he gaue the best iudgement We receiued much contentment by the meeting of this ship and did greatly encourage vs seeing wee did begin to meete with ships seeming vnto vs that wee did enter in a place of acquaintance But by the way a thing must be noted which I haue found admirable and which giueth vs occasion to play the Philosophers For about the same 18. day of Iune wee found the sea-water during three daies space very warme and by the same warmth our wine also was warme in the bottome of our ship yet the aire was not hotter then before And the 21. of the said moneth quite contrarie we were 2. or 3. daies so much compassed with mistes and coldes that we thought our selues to be in the moneth of Ianuary and the water of the sea was extreame colde Which continued with vs vntill we came vpon the said Bancke by reason of the said mistes which outwardly did procure this colde vnto vs. When I seeke out the cause of this Antiperistase I attribute it to the Ices of the North which come floating downe vpon the coast and sea adioyning to New-found-land and Labrador which wee haue said else-where is brought thither with the sea by her naturall motion which is greater there then else-where because of the great space it hath to runne as in a gulfe in the depth of America where the nature and situation of the vniuersall earth doth beare it easily Now these Ices which sometimes are seene in banckes of tenne leagues length and as high as Mountaines and hils and thrice as deepe in the waters holding as it were an Empire in this sea driue out farre from them that which is contrary to their coldnesse and consequently doe binde and close on this side that small quantity of milde temperature that the Summer may bring to that part where they come to seat and place themselues Yet for all that I will not deny but this region in one and the selfe-same paralell is somewhat colder then those of our part of Europe for the reasons that we will aleage heereafter when we shall speake of the fowlnesse of seasons Such is my opinion being ready to heare another mans reason And being mindefull heereof I did of purpose take heed of the same at my returne from New France and found the same warmenesse of water or very neere though it was in the Moneth of September within fiue or six daies sailing on this side of the said bancke whereof we will now intreate CHAP. XII Of the great Bancke of Morues or Coddes of the Sound our comming to the said Bancke the description thereof the fishing of New-found-land-fish and of birds the greedinesse of birds called by Frenchmen Hap-foyes that is to say liuer-catchers diuers perils the fauours of God the causes of frequent and long mistes in the Western sea Land-markes the sight of it maruellous odours the boording of two Shaloupes the landing at the Port du Moutton the comming into Port Royall of two Frenchmen remaining there alone amongst the Sauages BEfore wee come to the Bancke spoken of before which is the great Bancke where the fishing of greene Cod-fishes is made so are they called when they are not dry for one must goe alande for the drying of them the sea-faring-men besides the computation they make of their course haue warnings when they come neere to it by birds which are knowen euen as one doth them of these our parts returning backe into France when one is within 100. or 120. leagues neere it The most frequent of these birds towards the said Bancke be Godes Fouquets and other called Happe-foyes for a reason that we will declare anone When these birds then were seene which were not like to them that we had seene in the middest of the great sea we began to thinke our selues not to be farre from the said Bancke Which made vs to sound with our lead vpon a Thursday the 22. of Iune but then we found no bottom The same day in the euening we cast againe with better successe for we found bottome at 36. fadams The said sound is a peece of lead of seuen or eight pound waight made piramidall wise fastened at one or diuers lines and
beginning from one of the lakes which doe meet at the streame of her course and so I thinke so that it hath two courses the one from the East towards France the other from the West towards the South sea which is admirable but not without the like example found in our Europe For the riuer which commeth downe to Trent and to Verone proceedeth from a lake which produceth another riuer whose course is bent opposite to the riuer of Lins which falleth into the riuer Danube So the Nile issueth from a lake that bringeth foorth other riuers which discharge themselues into the great Ocean Let vs returne to our tillage for to that must we apply our selues it is the first mine that must be sought for which is more worth than the treasures of Atabalipa And he that hath corne wine cattell wollen and linnen leather iron and afterward Codde-fish he needeth no other treasures for the necessaries of life Now all this is or may be in the land by vs described vpon the which Monsieur De Poutrincourt hauing caused a second tillage to be made in fifteene daies after his arriuall thither he sowed it with our French corne as well wheat and rie as with hempe flax turnep seed redish cabidges other seeds And the eight day following hee saw that his labour had not beene in vaine but rather a faire hope by the production that the ground had already made of the seedes which she had receaued Which being shewed to Monsieur Du Pont was vnto him a faire subiect to make his relation in France as a thing altogether new there The 20. day of August was already come when these faire shewes were made and the time did admonish them that were to goe in the voyage to make râ—â—dy Whereunto they began to giue order so that the 25 day of the same moneth after many peales of ordinance they waighed anker to come to the mouth of the Port which is commonly the first daies iourny Monsieur De Monts being desirous to reach as farre into the South as he could and seeke out a place very fit to inhabite beyond Malebarre had requested Monsieur De Poutrincourt to passe farther than yet he had done and to seeke a conuenient Port in good temperature of aire making no greater account of Port Royall than of S. Croix in that which concerneth health Whereunto the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt being willing to condescend would not tarry for the spring time knowing he should haue other employments to exercise himselfe withall But seeing his so wings ended and his field greene resolued himselfe to make this voyage and discouery before winter So then he disposed all things to that end and with his Barke ankered neere to the Ionas to the end to get out in company Whilest they lay there for a prosperous winde the space of three daies there was a Whale of meane bignesse which the Sauages doe call Maria who came euery day into the Port with the morning floud playing there within at her pleasure and went away backe againe with the ebbe And then taking some leasure I made in French verses a farewell to the said Monsieur Du Pont and his company which I haue placed among the Muses of New France The 28. day of the said moneth each of vs tooke his course one one way and the other another diuersly to Gods keeping As for Monsieur Du Pont he purposed by the way to set vpon a Merchant of Rone named Boyer who contrary to the Kings inhibitions was in those parts to trucke with the Sanages notwithstanding he had beene deliuered out of prison in Rochell by the consent of Monsieur De Poutrincourt vnder promise he should not go thither but the said Boyer was already gone And as for Monsieur De Poutrincourt he tooke his course for the I le of S. Croix the Frenchmens first abode hauing Monsieur De Champdore for master and guide of his Barke But being hindered by the winde and because his barke did leake he was forced twice to put backe againe In the end hee quite passed the Bay Françoise and viewed the said I le where he found ripe Corne of that which two yeares before was sowed by Monsieur De Monts which was faire big waighty and well filled He sent vnto vs some of that Corne to Port Royall where I was requested to stay to looke to the house and to keepe the rest of the company there in concord Whereunto I did agree though it was referred to my will for the assurance that we had among our selues that the yeare following we should make our habitation in a warmer country beyond Malebarre and that we should all goe in company with them that should be sent to vs out of France In the meane while I employed my selfe in dressing the ground to make inclosures and partitions of Gardens for to sow Corne and kitchin hearbes We caused also a ditch to be made all about the fort which was very needfull to receaue the waters and moistnesse that before did run vnderneath among the rootes of trees that had beene fallen downe which paraduenture did make the place vnhealthfull I will not stand in describing heere what each of our other workmen and labourers did particularly make It sufficeth that we had store of Ioyners Carpenters Masons Stone-caruers Locke-smithes Taylers Boord-sawyers Mariners c. who did exercise their trades which in doing their duties were very kindly vsed for they were at their owne liberty for three houres laboura day The ouerplus of the time they bestowed it in going to gather mussels which are at low water in great quantity before the fort or Lapsters or Crabs which are in Port Royall vnder the Rockes in great abundance or Cockles which are in euery part in the Oase about the shores of the said Port All that kinde of fish is taken without net or boate Some there were that sometimes tooke wilde-fowle but not being skilfull they spoiled the game And as for vs our table was furnished by one of Monsieur De Monts men who prouided for vs in such sort that we wanted no fowle bringing vnto vs sometimes halfe a dosen of birdes called by French men Outards a kinde of wilde geese sometimes as many mallardes or wilde geese white and gray very often two or three dosen of larkes and other kindes of birds As for bread no body felt want thereof and euery one had three quarts of pure and good wine a day Which hath continued with vs as long as we haue beene there sauing that when they who came to fetch vs in stead of bringing commodities vnto vs helped vs to spend our owne as we shall haue occasion heereafter to deelare we were forced to reduce that portion to a pinte and notwithstanding there was very often some thing more of extrordinary This voyage for this respect hath beene the best voyage of all whereof
Poutrincourt besides all this being yet in care for them whom he had left there so they came againe for the third time into Port Fortunè where no Sauage was seene Vpon the first winde the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt weighed anker for the returne and being mindfull of the dangers passed he sailed in open sea which shortned his course but not without a great mischiefe of the rudder which was againe broken in such sort that being at the mercy of the waues they arriued in the end as well as they could among the Ilands of Norombega where they mended it And after their departure from the said Ilands they came to Menane an Iland about six leagues in length betweene S. Croix and Port Royall where they taried for the winde which being come somewhat fauourable parting from thence new mischances happened For the shaloup being tied at the Barke was stricken with a sea so roughly that with her nose shee brake all the hinder part of the said barke wherein Monsieur De Poutrincourt and others were And moreouer not being able to get to the passage of the said Port Royall the tide which runneth swiftly in that place carried them towards the bottom of Bay Françoise from whence they came not foorth easily and they were in as great danger as euer they were before for as much as seeking to returne from whence they came they saw themselues carried with the winde and tide towards the Coast which is high rockes and downe fales where vnlesse they had doubled a certaine point that threatned them of wrake they had beene cast away But God will in high enterprises trie the constancy of them that fight for his name and see if they will wauer He bringeth them to the doore of death and yet holdeth them by the hand to the end they fall not into the pit as it is written It is I it is I and there is none other God with me I kill and make a liue I wound and I heale and there is no body that may deliuer any out of my hand So we haue said heeretofore and seene by effect that although in those Nauigations a thousand dangers haue presented themselues notwithstanding not one man hath beene lost by the sea although that of them which doe onely go for fishing and to trade for skins many there be that perish there witnesse foure fisher men of S. Maloe that were swallowed vp in the waters being gone afishing when as we were vpon our returne into France God being willing that we should acknowledge to hold this benefit of him and to manifest by that meanes his glory to the end that sensibly men may see that it is he which is the author of these holy enterprises which are not made of couetonsnes nor by vniust effusion of blood but of a zeale to establish his name and his greatnesse among nations that haue no knowledge of him Now after so many heauenly fauours it is the part of them that haue receiued them to say as the Kingly Psalmist well beloued of God Yet neuerthelesse by thy right hand thou holdst me euer fast And with thy counsell dost me guide to glory at the last What thing is there that I can wish but thee in Heauen aboue And in the Earth there is nothing like thee that I can loue After many perils which I will not compare to them of Vlysses nor of Aeneas fearing to defile our holy voyages with prophane impurity Monsieur De Poutrincourt arriued in Port Royall the 14. day of Nouember where we receiued him ioyfully and with a solemnity altogether new in that part For about the time that we expected his returne with great desire and that so much the more that if any harme had happened him we had beene in danger to haue confusion among our selues I aduised my selfe to shew some iollity going to meet him as we did And for as much as it was in French verses made in haste I haue placed them with the Muses of Noua Francia by the title of Neptunes Theater whereunto I refer the Reader Moreouer to giue greater honour to the returne and to our action we did place ouer the gate of our Fort the Armes of France enuironed with Laurell Crownes whereof there is great store along the woods sides with the Kings poesie Duo protegit vnus And vnder the Armes of Monsieur De Monts with this inscription Dabit Deus his quoque finem And those of Monsieur De Poutrincourt with this other inscription Inuia virtuti nulla est via both of them also enuironed with garlands of Bayes CHAP. XVI The condition of the corne which they sowed the institution of the order of Bon temps the behauiour of the Sauages among the Frenchmen the state of winter why raines and fogges be rare in this season why raine is frequent betweene the tropicks snow profitable to the ground the state of Ianuary conformity of weather in the ancient and New France Why the spring is slow the tilling of gardens their Crop a water Mill a Manna of Herrings preparation for the returne Monsieur De Poutrincourts inuention the Sauages admiration Newes from France THe publike reioycing being finished Monsieur De Poutrincourt had a care to see his corne the greatest part whereof he had sowed two leagues off from our Fort vp the riuer L' Equille and the other part about our said Fort and found that which was first sowen very forward but not the last that had beene sowed the sixth and ten daies of Nouember which notwithstanding did grow vnder the snow during Winter as I haue noted it in my sowings It would be a tedious thing to particularise all that was done amongst vs during Winter as to tell how the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt caused many times coales to be made the forge-coale being spent That he caused waies to be made thorow the woods That we went thorow the Forests by the guide of the Compasse and other things of such nature But I will relate that for to keepe vs merry and cleanly concerning victuals there was an order established at the table of the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt which was named L' ordre de bon temps the order of good time or the order of mirth at first inuented by Monsieur Champlein wherein they who were of the same table were euery one at his turne and day which was in fifteene daies once Steward and Cater Now his care was that we should haue good and worshipfull fare which was so well obserued that although the Belly-Gods of these parts doe often reproch vnto vs that we had not La Rue aux Ours of Paris with vs we haue ordinarily had there as good cheare as we could haue at La Rue aux Ours and at farre lesser charges For there was none but two daies before his turne came was carefull to goe ahunting or fishing and brought some
to the end that they which will trauell on the seas may prouide themselues therewith As for the Hens and Weathers it was told vs that they died in the voyage which we easily beleeued but we desired at least to haue had the bones of them they told vs yet for a fuller answer that they thought we had been all dead See vpon what ground the consuming of our prouision was founded For all that we gaue good entertainment to the said Cheualier and his company which were no small number nor drinkers like to the late deceased Monsieur Le Marquis de Pisani Which made them like very well of our company for there was but Cider well watred in the ship wherein they came for their ordinary portion But as for the said Cheualier euen the very first day he spake of a returne Monsieur De Poutrincourt kept him some eight daies in delaies at the end whereof this man willing to goe away the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt put men in his Barke and detained him for some report that he had said that being come to Campseau he would hoise vp sailes and leaue vs there Fifteene daies after the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt sent a barke to Campseau with part of our workmen for to begin to pull downe the house In the beginning of Iune the Sauages about 400. in number went away from the dwelling that the Sagamos Membertou had newly made in forme of a towne compassed about with high pales for to goe to wars against the Armouchiquois which was at Choüakoct some 80. leagues distant from Port Royall from whence they returned victorious by the stratagems which I will declare in the discription that I haue made of this war in French verses The Sauages were neere two moneths in the assembling themselues thither The great Sagamos Membertou had made them to be warned during and before the Winter hauing sent vnto them men of purpose namely his two sonnes Actaudin and Actaudinech to appoint them there the randez-uous or place of meeting This Sagamos is a man already very old and hath seene Captaine Iames Qartier in that country at which time he was already married and had children and notwithstanding did not seeme to be aboue 50. yeares old He hath beene a very great warrier in his yong age and bloody during his life which is the cause why hee is said to haue many enemies and he is very glad to keepe himselfe neere the French men to liue in security During this gathering of people it behooued to make presents vnto him and gifts of Corne and Beanes yea of some barell of wine to feast his friends For he declared to Monsieur De Poutrincourt in these words I am the Sagamos of this country and am esteemed to be thy friend and of all the Normands for so call they the French men as I haue said and that you make good reckoning of me It would be a reproch vnto me if I did not shew the effects of this loue And notwithstanding whether it be through enuie or otherwise another Sagamos named Shkoudun who was a good friend to the French and vnfained reported vnto vs that Membertou did plot some thing against vs and had made an Oration to that purpose Which being vnderstood by Monsieur De Poutrincourt he sent suddenly for him to astonish him and to see if he would obey Vpon the first sending he came alone with our men not making any refusall Which was the cause that he was permitted to returne backe in peace hauing first beene kindly vsed and had some bottell of wine which he loueth because saith he that when he hath drunke of it he sleepeth well and hath no more feare nor care This Membertou told vs at our first comming thither that he would make the King a present of his Copper Mine because he saw we make account of Mines and that it is meet that the Sagamos be Curteous and liberall one towards the other For he being Sagamos esteemeth himselfe equall to the King and to all his Lieutenants And did say often to Monsieur De Poutrincourt that he was his great friend brother companion and equal shewing his equality by ioyning the two fingers of the hand that be called indices or demonstratiue fingers Now although this present which he would giue to his Maiesty was a thing that he cared not for notwithstanding that proceedeth from a generous and good minde of his which deserueth as great praises as if the thing had beene of greater value As did the Persian King who receiued with as good a will a handfull of water from a poore Country man as the greatest presents that had beene made vnto him For if Membertou had had more he would haue offered it liberally Monsieur De Poutrincourt being not willing to depart thence vntill he had seene the issue of his expectation that is to say the ripenesse of his Corne he deliberated after that the Sauages were gone to wars to make voyages along the Coast And because Chaualier was desirous to gather some Beuers he sent him in a small barke to the Riuer of S. Iohn called by the Sauages Oüigoudi and to the I le Saint Croix And he the said Monsieur De Poutrincourt went in a shaloup to the said Copper Mine I was of the said Cheualier his voyage we crossed the French Bay to goe to the said riuer where as soone as we arriued halfe a dosen Salmons newly taken were brought to vs we soiourned there foure daies during which we went into the Cabins of Sagamos Chkoudun where we saw some 80. or 100. Sauages all naked except their priuy members which were a making Tabagy that is to say abanquetting with the meale that the said Cheualier had trucked with them for their old skinnes full of lice for they gaue him nothing but that which they would cast away So made he there a trafficke which I little praise But it may be that the odour of lucre is sauory and sweet of what thing so euer it be and the Emperor Vespasian did not disdaine to receiue in his owne hands the tribute which came vnto him from the pissing vessels of Rome Being among those Sauages the Sagamos Chkoudun would needes giue vs the pleasure in seeing the order and gesture that they hold going to the warres and made them all to passe before vs which I reserue to speake of in the booke following The Towne of Oüigoudi so I call the dwelling of the said Chkoudun was a great inclosure vpon an hill compassed about with high and small trees tied one against another and within it many Cabins great and small one of which was as great as a Market hall wherin many housholds retired themselues And as for the same where they made their Tabagie it was somewhat lesse A good part of the said Sauages were of Gachepè which is the beginning of the
being at table with vs and eate very soberly but at home in their owne houses as the Brasilians they stretch out their bellies as much as they can and doe not leaue eating as long as there is any meat And if any of ours be at their Tabagie they will bid him doe as they doe Notwithstanding I see no gluttonie like to that of Hercules who alone did eate whole oxen and did deuoure one from a Paisan called Diadamas by reason whereof hee was called Butheues or Buphagos Oxe-eater And without going so far wee see in the Countries of these parts greater gluttonies then that which one would impute to the Sauages For in the diet of Ausbourg was brought to the Emperor Charles the fift a great whoreson which had eaten a calfe and a sheepe and yet was not full And I doe not know that our Sauages doe waxfatte or that they haue great bellies but that they are nimble and swift like to our ancient Gaullois and high Allemans or Germans who by their agilitie did trouble very much the Roman armies The food of the Brasilians are serpents crocodills toads and great lizards which they esteeme as much as wee doe capons leverets and conies They also make meale of white rootes which they call Maniel hauing the leaues of Paeoniamas and the tree of the height of the Elder tree Those rootes as bigge as the thigh of a Man which the woman doe crumble very small and eat them raw or else they make them to seeth well in a great earthen vessell sturring it alwaies as the comfit-makers doe make suger plummes They are of very good taste and of easie disgestion but they be not fitt to make bread because they dry and burne themselues and alwaies return into meale They haue also with this Mahis or Mais which groweth in two or three months after it is sowed and that is a great succour vnto them But they haue a cursed and an vnhumane costome to eat their prisoners after they haue well fatted them Yea a most horrible thing they giue them in marriage the fairest maidens they haue putting about their necks as many halters as they will keep him moons And when the time is expired they make wine of the said Mais and rootes wherewith they make themselues drunke calling all their friends Then he that hath taken him knocketh him on the head with a clubbe and deuideth him into peeces and make carbonnadoes of him which they eat with a singular pleasure aboue all meats in the world Furthermore all Sauages generally doe liue euery where in common the most perfect and most woorthy life of man seeing that he is a sociable creature the life of the ancient golden age which the holy Apostles would haue restored againe But being to establish the spirituall life they could not execute that good desire If it happens then that our Sauages haue venison or other food all the company haue part of it They haue this mutuall charity which hath beene taken away from vs since that Mine and Thine haue come into the world They haue also Hospitality a vertue peculiar to the ancient Gaulois according to the witnesse of Parthenius in his Erotigues of Caesar Saluian and others who did constraine trauellers and strangers to come into their houses and there to take their refreshing A vertue which seemeth to haue conserued her selfe onely with the Nobility and gentry for among the other sort we see her very weake and at the point of death Tacitus giueth the same praise to the Germans saying that with them all howses are opened to strangers and there they are in such assurance that as if they were sacred none dare doe them any injury Charity and Hospitality which are mentioned in the law of God who said to his people The stranger which soiourneth among you shall be vnto you as he which is borne among you and you shall loue him as your selues for you haue beene strangers in the land of Aegypt So doe our Sauages which sturred vp with an humane nature receiue all strangers except their enemies whom they accept in their commonalty of life But we haue spoken enough of eating let vs now speake of drinking I know not whether I ought to place among the greatest blindnesses of the West Indians to haue abundantly the most excellent fruit that God hath giuen vnto vs and they know not the vse thereof For I see that the ancient Romans were a long time as Pliny saith without either Vines or Vine-yards And our Gaulloas did make beere the vse whereof is yet frequent in all Gallia Belgica And this kind of drinke did the Aegyptians also vse in former times as saith Diodorus who attributeth the inuention thereof to Osiris Notwithstanding after that the vse of wine was come among the Romans the Guallois tooke so good a taste in it in the voyages that they made there with their Armies that they continued afterwards the same way And afterward the Italian Merchants did draw much money from the Gaullois with their wine that they brought thither But the Germans knowing their owne nature subiect to drinke more then is needfull would haue none brought to them for feare that being drunke they might be a pray to their enemies and contented themselues with beere And notwithstanding because the continuall drinking of water ingendreth crudities in the stomacke and thereby great indispositions the nations haue commonly found better the moderate vse of wine which hath beene giuen of God to reioyce the heart as bread for to strengthen him as the Psalmist saith And the Apostle S. Paul himselfe doth councell his Disciple Timothy to vse it by reason of his infirmity For wine saith Oribasius recreateth and quickneth our heat whereby by consequence the disgestures are made better and good bloud is engendred and good nourishment thorow all the parts of the body where the wine hath force to pierce and therefore they which be weakened by sicknesse doe recouer by it a stronger being and doe likewise renew by it an appetite to their meat It breaketh the sleame it purgeth collericke humours by the vrine and with his pleasant odour and liuely substance gladdeth the heart of man and giueth strength to the body Wine taken moderatly is the procurer of all those goodeffects but if it be drunke vnmeasuably it produceth effects quite contrary And Plato willing to shew foorth in one word the nature and property of wine That which warmeth saith he beth body and soule is that which is called wine The Sauages which haue no vse of wine nor of spices haue found out another meanes to warme the same stomake and in some sort to breake so many crudities proceeding from the fish that they eat which otherwise would extinguish their naturall heat it is the hearb which the Brasilians doe call Petun that is to say Tabacco the smoake whereof they take almost euery
noteth that fishes which haue stones on their heads doe feare winter and retire themselues betimes of whose number is the Cod which hath within her braines two white stones made gundole wise and iagged about which haue not those that be taken towards Scotland as some learned and curious man hath tould me This fish is wonderfully greedy and deuoureth others almost as bigg as himselfe yea euen lobsters which are like bigge Langoustes and I maruell how he may digest those bigge and hard shells Of the liuers of Cods our New-found-land-men doe make oiles casting those liuers into barels set in the Sunne where they melt of themselues There is great trafficke made in Europe of the oile of the fish of New-found-land And for this only cause many go to the fishing of the whale and of the Hippopotames which they call the beast with the great tooth or the Morses of whom some thing we must say The Almighty willing to shew vnto Iob how wonderfull are his works wilt thou draw saith he Leuiathan with a booke and his tongue with a string which thou hast cast in the water By this Leuiathan is the whale meant and all fishes of that reach whose hugenesse and chiefely of the whale is so great that it is a dreadfull thing as wee haue shewed elsewhere speaking of one that was cast on the Coast of Brasill by the tide And Plinie saith that there be some found in the Indies which haue fower acres of ground in length This is the cause why man is to be admired yea rather God who hath giuen him the courage to assaile so fearefull a monster which hath not his equall on the land I leaue the maner of taking of her described by Oppian and S. Basil for to come to our French-men and chiefely the Basques who doe goe euery yeare to the great riuer of Canada for the Whale Commonly the fishing thereof is made in the riuer called Lesquemin towards Tadoussac And for to doe it they goe by skowtes to make watch vpon the tops of rockes to see if they may haue the sight of some one and when they haue discouered any foorth with they goe with fower shaloupes after it and hauing cunningly borded her they strike her with a harping iron to the depth of her lard and to the quicke of the flesh Then this creature feeling herselfe rudely pricked with a dreadfull boisterousnesse casteth herselfe into the depth of the sea The men in the meane while are in their shirts which vere out the cord whereunto the harping iron is tied which the whale carrieth away But at the shaloupe side that hath giuen the blow there is a man redy with a hatchet in hand to cut the said cord least perchance some accident should happen that it were mingled or that the Whales force should be too violent which notwithstanding hauing found the bottome and being able to goe no further she mounteth vp againe leasurely aboue the water and then againe she is set vpon with glaue-staues or pertuifanes very sharp so hotly that the salt-water pierceing within her flesh she looseth her force and remaineth there Then one tieth her to a cable at whose end is an anker which is cast into the sea then at the end of six or eight daies they goe to fetch her when time and opportunity permits it they cut her in peeces and in great kettles doe seeth the fat which melteth it selfe into oile wherewith they may fill 400. Hogs-heads sometimes more and somtimes lesse according to the greatnesse of the beast and of the tongue commonly they draw fiue yea six hogs-heads full of traine If this be admirable in vs that haue industry it is more admirable in the Indian people naked and without artificiall instruments and neuerthelesse they execute the same thing which is recited by Ioseph Acosta saying that for to take those great monsters they put themselues in a Canow or Barke made of the barkes of trees and bording the Whale they leape nimbly on her necke and there doe stand as it were on horse-backe attending the fit meanes to take her and seeing their opportunity the boldest of them putteth a strong and sharpe stafe which he carrieth with him into the gap of the Whales nostrils I call nostrill the condut or hole thorow which they breath foorth with he thrust it in far with another very strong stafe and maketh it to enter in as deepe as he can In the meane while the Whale beateth the sea furiously and raiseth vp mountaines of water diuing downe with great violence then mounteth vp again not knowing what to do through very rage The Indian notwithstanding remaineth still sitting fast and for to pay her home for this trouble fixeth yet another like stalke in the other nostrill making it to enter in in such wise that it stoppeth her winde quite and taketh away her breath and he commeth againe into his Canow which he holdeth tied at the side of the Whale with a cord then retireth himselfe on land hauing first tied his cord to the Whale which he vereth out on her which whilest she findeth much water skippeth heere and there as touched with griefe and in the end draweth to land where foorth with for the huge enormity of her body she remaineth on the shore not being able to mooue or stur herselfe any more And then a great number of Indians doe come to finde out the Conquerer for to reape the fruit of his conquest and for that purpose they make an end of killing of her cutting her and making morsels of her flesh which is bad enough which they drie and stampe to make powder of it which they vse for meat that serueth them a long time As for the Hippopotames or Morses we haue said in the voiages of Iames Quartier that there be great number of them in the Gulfe of Canada and specially in the I le of Brion and in the seuen Iles which is the riuer of Chischedec It is a creature which is more like to a Cow then to a horse But we haue named it Hippopotamus that is to say the horse of the riuer because Pliny doth so call them that be in the riuer Nilus which notwithstanding do not altogether resemble the horse but doth participate also of an oxe or a cow He is of haire like to the seale that is to say daple graie and somewhat towards the redde the skinne very hard a small head like to a Barbarie Cowe hauing two ranks of teeth on ech side betweene which there is two of them of ech part hanging from the vpper iaw downward of the forme of a young Elephants tooth wherewith this creature helpeth her selfe to climbe on the rocks Because of those teeth our Mariners doe call it La beste a La grand ' dent the beast with the great teeth His eares be short and his taile also he loweth as an Oxe and hath wings or finnes at his
winde and weather aâ—omming Seasons Galen Com. 35. lib. 1. de nat hum Bad foode and discommodities of the Sea Disposition of bodie Sagamos is a Sauage word which Signifieth a Lord a ruler or a Captaine The author his exercise in New France The labour of the minde The pietie of the Author of this Historie Amos. 5. verse 10. Of Children Of aged folkes Aduice for the sicknesses of New France Good Wine Hearbs in the spring time Stooues Stooues in gardens The countrie of the Armouchiquois 100. leagues distant from Port Royall The Sweatings of the Sauages Ecclesi 3. verse 12. and 22. Meanes of mirth Necessitie of hauing women into the country Tree of life Sasafras Monsieur Champlein is now this present yeare 1609. in Canada Monsieur De Monts his voiage for the discouery of new Lands Kinibeki 60. legues from Saint Croix Plin lib. 3. cap. 1. Fabulous tales of the riuer Norombega Pemtegoet Oiection Answer An other Fabulous report of the Riuer of Norombega Note this well The great Bancke of Newfoundland Banquereau banc Iacquet Kinibeks The bay of Marchin 1607. Chouakoet The ground manured Vines Malebarre The Armouchiquois traitours and theefes Shoulds stretching farre into the sea Violent death of a Frenchman of Saint Mallos The swiftnes of the Armouchiquois 1606. Monsieur DeMonts difficultie in his enterprise The mortalitie of the English in Virginia like that of the Frensh in New France Virginia is in 36. 37. 38. degrees of latitude Praise of the temper of Virginia Bad fare the chiefe cause of the sicknes Things needfull The second voyage made by Monsieur Du Pont-Grauè The arriuall of Monsieur Du Pont. 1605. Transmigration from S. Croix to Port Royal. New buildings The returne of Monsieur de Monts into France Traffike with the Sauages Beuers Otters and Stagges Tabaguia is a Sauage tearme signifying banket Hand Mils Exod. 11. ver 4. 5. The number of the dead Fault in their buildings The furniture of Monsieur Du Pont to go to the discouery of new lands The wracke of their Bark Causes of delay in establishing the dwelling place of the French men The comparing of these later voiages The blame of them who at this day despise the manuring of the ground Gods punishments The third voiage made by Monsieur de Poutrincourt Monsieur De Poutrincourt accepteth the voiage of New France The causes of the Authors voiage Psal 5. 4. The parting from Paris The praises of Rochell Croquans Signifying hookes why so called Negligence in the keeping of the Ionas Hyred workmen negligent The courage of Monsieur De Monts and his associates The frontiers ought to be furnished with good Souldiers The Ministers doe pray for the conuersion of the Sauages Math. 18. vers 12. 132. Custome of the ancient Christians carying the Eucharist in their voyages Saint Ambrose in his funerall oration for his brother Hardnesse to come foorth from a Port. Bad suspition of Captaine Foulques The diligence and care of Monss-De Poutrincourts * A place so called neere Rochell 13. of May. 1606. Meetings of ships Meeting of a Pirate or outlawed Neptunes sheepe Why is the sea stormie about the Açores Westerly windes ordinary in the Westerne Sea from whence the windes doe come Psal 135. Porpeses doe prognosticate storms The way to take them The description of the Porpese The Porpeses hot bloud doth comfort the sinewes A Beauers taile is dainty meate Stormes and their effects Calmes wearisome Whirlewinde what it is how it is made the effects thereof Plin. lib. 2. cap. 48. The maruellous assurance of the good Mariners in their sea-labours The boldnes of a Switzer at Laon. The 18. of Iune A ship An other ship The vailing of Marchands ships to a ship Royall Computatiof the voyage Sea water milke warme then colde Great cold The reason of this Antiperistase and the cause of the Ices of New-found-lande In the 16. chapter Second experience Warnings neere the great Bancke Birds called by Frenchmen Godes Fouquets Happefoies What the sound is and how it is cast The arriuall to the fish Bancke Of the word Bancke and description of the fishing Bancke The fishing of Cod. Happe-foyes Why so called Sea-dogges skinnes Excellent sawsiges made with the inwards of Codd Men saued vpon a banck of Ice The weather in those seas contrary then in ours The causes of mists on the West sea A small bancke A Mariner fallen by night in the sea Land markes The discouery of S. Peters Ilands Plain discovery of the Land Cap. Breton The Bay of Campseau Eight daies Gods fauour in danger Calme weather Maruellous odours cumming from the land The boording of two shalopes The Sauages goodly men Matachiaz be carkanets necklaces bracelets and wrought girdles During the mists at sea it is faire wether on land A discommoditie brings a commodity The care of the sauages for their wiues The departing of some of our company going aland The Sauages doe trauell much way in small time Mistes Calmes The perill of many Mariners Drunkennesse causeth diuers perils Port du Rossignoll Port au Mouton What growes in the land at Port au Monton Le Cap de Sable Long Iland The Bay S. Mary The arriuing to Port Royall Difficulties in comming in The beauty of the Port. Sagamos signifieth Captain Praises of the two Frenchmen left alone in the fort of Port-Royall The tilling of the ground The meeting with Monsieur Du Pont. Ioseph Acosta lib. 4. ca. 30. Land like to that which God promised to his people Deut 8. vers 7. 8. Deuter. 11. vers 10. Heereupon the 3. chap. A bundance of brookes Iron stones Mountaines of Brasse Lakes and brooks vpon the mountaines The forme of a Raine bow vnder a caue They trauell three leagues in the woods Country well watered Coniecture vpon the spring of the great Riuer of Canada Which is the first mine Sowing of corne 20 Of August Cause of the voyage made into the country of the Armou thiquois A whale in Port Royall Parting from Port Royall Faire Rie found at S. Croix Their meaning is to plant beyond Malebarre to the Southward A ditch profitably made What store of workemen and labourers in New France Their exercise and maner of life Mussels Lapsters Crabs Good prouision of wilde-fowle What quantity of bread and wine Preseruatiue against the sicknesse of New France A cleare and pure aire Allowance * A kinde of stagge or red Deere The liberall naâ—ure of the Sauages Châ—rcoale made in New France What earth is in the medowes Ellans in the Medowes Pemptegoet Kinibeki The bay of Marchin Confederacy The riuer of Olmechin Port De Choüakoet An Iland of vines The riuer of Olmechin The galantnesse of the Sauages Port de la Heve The Sauages doe paint their faces The Oration of Messamoet Messamoets affection to the French men The largesse and liberality of Messamoets The Sauages be liberall A Corne country beanes pumpions and grapes Bessabes Englishmen Asticou A very good Port. The agility of the Armouchiquois Happy people if
conuersion of these poore Westerly people and to the setting forward of the glorie of God and the Kings there be men start vp full of Auarice and Enuie men which would not giue a stroke or draw their swords for the Kings seruice as Monsieur De Poutrincourt shewed one daie to his Maiesty men which would not indure the least labour in the world for the honour of God which doe hinder that any profit be drawen from the very prouince it selfe to furnish to that which is necessarie to the establishment of such a worke hauing rather that Englishmen and Hollanders reape the profit thereof than Frenchmen and seeking to make the name of God vnknowen in those parts of the world And such men which haue no feare of God for if they had any they would be zealous of his name are heard are beleeued and carry things away at their pleasure Now let vs prepare and hoise vp sailes Monsieur De Poutrincourt made the voyage into these parts with some men of good sort not to winter there but as it were to seeke out his seat and finde out a land that might like him Which he hauing done had no neede to soiorne there any longer So then the Ships being readie for the returne he shipped himselfe and those of his company in one of them The meane while the fame was from all sides in these parts of the wonders made in Ostend then besieged by their Highnesse of Flanders alreadie three yeares passed The voyage was not without stormes and great perils for amongst others I will recite two or three which might be placed among miracles were it not that the Sea-accidents are frequent enough not that I will for all that darken the speciall fauour that God hath alwaies shewed in these voyages The first is of a gust of winde which in the middest of their nauigation came by night instantlie to strike in the sailes with such a violent boistrousnesse that it ouerturned the ship in such maner that of the one part the keele was on the face of the water and the saile swimming vpon it without any meanes or time to right it or to loose the tackles On the sudden the sea is all afire and the Mariners themselues all wet did seeme to bee all compassed with flames so furious was the Sea the Sailers call this fire Saint Goudrans fire and by ill fortune in this sudden surprise there was not a knife to be found for to cut the cables or the saile The poore ship during this casualtie remained ouerturned caried continually one while vpon Mountaines of waters then another while suncken downe euen to hell Briefely euery one did prepare to drinke more than his belly full to all his friends when a new blast of winde came which rent the saile in a thousand peeces euer after vnprofitable to any vse Happy saile hauing by his ruine saued all this people for if it had beene a new one they had beene cast away and neuer newes had beene heard of them But God doth often trie his people and bringeth them euen to deaths doore to the end they may know his powerfull might and feare him So the ship began to stur and rise againe by little and little And well was it for them that she was deepe keeled for if it had beene a fliboate with a flat bottome and broade belly it had beene quite ouerturned vp side downe but the ballast which remained beneath did helpe to stirre her vpright The second was at Casquet an I le or rocke in the forme of a Caske betweene France and England on which there is no dwelling being come within three leagues of the same there was some iealousie betweene the Masters of the ship an euill which oftentimes destroieth both men and faire enterprises the one saying that they might double well enough the said Casket an other that they could not and that it behooued to cast a little from the right course for to passe vnder the Iland In this case the worst was that one knew not the houre of the day because it was darke by reason of mistes and by consequent they knew not if it did ebbe or flow For if it had beene floud they had easily doubled it but it chanced that it was turning water and by that meanes the ebbe did hinder it So that approching the said rocke they saw no hope to saue themselues and that necessarily they must go strike against it Then euery one began to pray to God to craue pardon one of another and for their last comfort to bewaile one another Heereupon Captaine Rossignol whose Ship was taken in New France as we haue said before drew out a great knife to kill therewith Captaine Timothie Gouernor of this present voyage saying to him Doest thou not content thy selfe to haue vndone me but wilt thou needs yet cast me heere away but he was held and kept from doing of that he was about to doe And in very truth it was in him great folly yea rather madnesse to goe about to kill a man that was going to die and he that went to giue the blow in the same perill In the end as they went to strike vpon the rocke Monsieur De Poutrincort who had alreadie yeelded his soule and recommended his family to God asked of him that was at the top if there were any hope who told him there was none Then he bad some to helpe him to change the sailes which two or three onely did and already was there no more water but to turne the Ship when the mercy and fauor of God came to helpe them turned the ship from the perils wherein they saw themselues Some had put off their doublets for to seeke to saue themselues by climbing vpon the rocke but the feare was all the harme they had for that time sauing that some few houres after being arriued neere to a rocke called Le nid a L'aigle the Eagles nest they thought to goe bord it thinking in the darknesse of the mist it had been a Ship from whence being againe escaped they arriued at New hauen the place from whence they first set out The said Monsieur De Poutrincourt hauing left his armours and prouisions of war in the I le of Saint Croix in the keeping of the said Monsieur De Monts as a gage and token of the good will he had to returne thither But I may yet well set downe heere a maruellous danger from which the same vessell was preserued a little after the departing from Saint Croix and this by a bad accident which God turned to good For a certaine tipling fellow being by night stealingly come downe to the bottome of the ship for to drinke his belly full and to fill his bottle with wine hee found that there was but too much to drinke and that the said ship was alreadie halfe full of water in such sort that the perill was imminent and they had
infinite paines to stanch her by pomping In the end being come about they found a great leake by the keele which they stopped with all diligence CHAP. VI. The buildings of the I le Saint Croix The French-mens discommodities in the said place Vnknowen Sicknesses of their causes of the people that be subiect to it of diets bad waters aire windes lakes corruption of woods seasons disposition of bodies of yongue and old the Authors aduice vpon the gouernment of health and cure of the said diseases DVring the foresaid Nauigation Monsieur De Monts his people did worke about the Fort which hee seated at the end of the Iland opposite to the place where he had lodged his Canon Which was wisely considered to the end to command the riuer vp down But there was an inconuenience the said Fort did lie towards the North and without any shelter but of the trees that were on the I le shore which all about hee commanded to be kept and not cut downe And out of the same Fort was the Switzers lodging great and large and other small lodgings representing as it were a Suburbe Some had housed themselues on the firme land neere the brook But within the Fort was Monsieur De Monts his lodging made with very faire artificiall Carpentrie worke with the Banner of France vpon the same At another part was the store-house wherin consisted the safety life of euerie one likewise made with faire Carpentry worke and couered with reedes Right ouer against the said store-house were the lodgings and houses of these Gentlemen Monsieur D'oruille Monsieur Champlein Monsieur Champdorè and other men of reckoning Opposite to Monsieur De Monts his said lodging there was a gallerie couered for to exercise themselues either in play or for the workmen in time of raine And betweene the said Fort and the Platforme where lay the Canon all was full of gardens wherunto euerie one exercised himselfe willingly All Autumne quarter was passed on these works and it was well for them to haue lodged themselues and to manure the ground of the Iland before Winter whilest that in these parts pamphlets were set out vnder the name of Maistre Guillaume stuffed with all sorts of newes By the which amongst other things this Prognosticator did say that Monsieur De Monts did pull out thornes in Canada and all well considered it may well be termed the pulling out of thornes to take in hand such enterprises full of toiles and continuall perils with cares vexations and discommodities But vertue and courage that ouer commeth all these things makes those thornes to be but Gilliflowers and Roses to them that resoule themselues in these heroicall actions to make themselues praise-worthy and famous in the memorie of men despising the vaine pleasures of delicate and effeminated men good for nothing but to coffer themselues in a chamber The most vrgent things being done and hoarie snowie father being come that is to say Winter then they were forced to keepe within doores and to liue euery one at his owne home during which time our men had three speciall discommodities in this Hand videlicet want of wood for that which was in the said Ile was spent in buildings lacke of fresh water and the continuall watch made by night fearing some surprise from the Sauages that had lodged themselues at the foot of the said Iland or some other enemie For the malediction and rage of many Christians is such that one must take heed of them much more than of Infidels A thing which grieueth me to speak would to God I were a liar in this respect and that I had no cause to speake it When they had need of water or wood they were constrained to crosse ouer the riuer which is thrice as broad of euery side as the riuer of Seine It was a thing painfull and tedious in such sort that it was needfull to keepe the boat a whole day before one might get those necessaries In the meane while the cold and snowes came vpon them and the Ice so strong that the Sider was frozen in the vessels and euery one his measure was giuen him out by waight As for wine it was distributed but at certaine daies of the weeke Many idle sluggish companions dranke snow-water not willing to take the paines to crosse the riuer Briefly the vnknowen sicknesses like to those described vnto vs by Iames Quartier in his relation assailed vs. For remedies there was none to be found In the meane while the poore sicke creatures did languish pining away by little and little for want of sweet meats as milke or spoon-meat for to sustain their stomacks which could not receaue the hard meats by reason of let proceeding from a rotten flesh which grew and ouer-abounded within their mouths And when one thought to root it out it did grow againe in one nights space more abundantly than before As for the tree called Annedda mentioned by the said Quartier the Sauages of these lands know it not So that it was most pitifull to behold euery one very few excepted in this miserie and the miserable sicke folkes to die as it were full of life without any possibilitie to be succoured There died of this sicknesse 36 and 36 or 40 more that were stricken with it recouered themselues by the helpe of the Spring assoone as the comfortable season appeared But the deadly season for that sicknesse is in the end of Ianuarie the moneths of February and March wherein most commonly the sicke doe die euery one at his turne according to the time they haue begun to be sicke in such sort that hee which began to bee ill in Februarie and March may escape but hee that shall ouer-haste himselfe and betake him to his bed in December and Ianuarie hee is in danger to die in Februarie March or the beginning of Aprill which time being passed he is in good hope and as it were assured of his safetie Notwithstanding some haue felt some touch thereof hauing beene sharply handled with it Monsieur De monts being returned into France did consult with our Doctors of Physicke vpon the sicknesse which in my opinion they found very new vnknown for I doe not see that when we went away our Pothecarie was charged with any order for the cure thereof and notwithstanding it seemeth that Hippocrates hath had knowledge of it or at least of some that was very like to it For in the Booke De internis affect he speaketh of a certaine maladie where the belly and afterward the spleene doe swell and harden it selfe and feele grieuous and sharpe gripes the skinne becommeth blacke and pale drawing towards the colour of a greene Pomgranet the eares and gums doe render and yeeld a bad sent the said gums disioining themselues from the teeth the legs full of blisters the limbes are weakned c. But specially the Northerly people are more subiect to