have been honoured throughout the Earth and in which the Reverend Fathers the Jesuits have been pleased to mingle themselves But they have built on our foundation or rather we have had the advantage of their helping hand to carry on the Work whilst we act in concert and perfect Unity to advance the glory of God and his Holy Gospel which is our only aim For which reason also it was that the Recollects of Paris in Mission at Quebec called the Jesuits to their assistance that they might labour together to so good an end But 't is observable that when the English after having kept it Four Years had restored Canada to the French the Father Jesuits who had more interest than us returned thither whereas we were prevented by little intrigues and underhand dealings which could not but be very grievous to us since in all other parts of the Christian World we had preceded the Jesuits in our Missions But in New France alone could not be allowed the Consolation so much as to continue our Labour with them and so much the rather because the mutual Charity which was not in the least impared between the two Societies made us apt to believe that the Father Jesuits who abound in Goodness and Merit were as really concerned at the injustice that was done us as the Letters which they were pleased to write to us on that occasion did import Were I to set forth the many difficulties our Religious met with before they could be restored to their Missions in Canada and all the little Intrigues of some People who left no Stone unturned to obstruct it no less than another Volume would be sufficient to contain them But at last after about Thirty Years the Deputies of Canada who were impatient of their return told some of them more than they desired to know or indeed than Common Charity will permit me to report They said further that they were resolved to have some or other of them put into the Cure at Quebec and other Principal-Places of the Country That their Consciences were too much hamper'd to have to do with the same People as well in Spirituals as Temporals there being none there to whom they could disburden their Consciences but the Iesuits That therefore in case our Recollects should refuse it they were resolve to provide themselves elsewhere Messeurs of the Company of Canada being instructed by their Deputies talked much to the same purpose particularly Mounsieur Rose the Director Messeurs Margonne Des Porters Beruhier and others whose express words speaking to our Recollects were these 'T would have been much better Fathers that you had returned to Canada rather than any others 'T is a great injustice that has been done you and the Country and we know whence it comes but present your Address with your Reasons and it will be remedyed Tâ—e Secretary of the Company said yet more Formerly Fathers I was against you but I have begged Gods pardon for it I was surprized but now am satisfy'd that I was in the wrong would to God that you had long since returned to Canada to have supplyed the Cure there the People want you mightily and can't have peace of Conscience without you Father Zachary Moreau a Recollect who dyed the death of the Just in my arms at our Convent of St. German en Laye and Paul Hâ—â—et who was my Father and Master of the Fasts at our Convent of Montergir told the Gentlemen of the Canada Company that in case they should permit us to return thither they would not pretend to meddle with any of the Curial Functions for â—ear of making some People jealous at least if the Reverend Fathers the Jesuits did not think â—it to return the Civilities which they had received from the ancient Fathers of our Order when in the year 1625. Father Ioseph le Caron Superior of our Convent at Quebec not only admitted but even invited them that there might be the better understanding between the two Societies to exercise with us by turns the Offices of the Cure of Quebec But all this signified nothing for the Company meerly to amuse them sent them back to the Council of Quebec which was made up of none but what were Creatures of the Jesuits as the Governor the Superior of the Mission â—he Syndic some of the Inhabitanâ—s whom they eâ—sily gained to theâ—r Party the Father Provincial of the Jâ—suits and Faâ—her Allemant Superior of the profession House who waâ— then in France and Superior of the Missions but all this caballing could prolong our retuâ—n but for a while The Reader may believe that if the case of the Reverend Fathers the Jesuits had been ours and ours theirs we should not have failed to have received and backed their Requeâ—t and used our utmost interest in their behalf as we did formerly when we stood up against the whole Country for the admission of the Jesuites into Canada and afterwards supported them upon their arrival in 1625. when the Governour and Inhabitants were against their reception And Charity which should be simplâ— and without guile makes us apt to believe that these Reverend Fathers did not want good will but Interest and Power in the Council of Quebec to return us the like curtesie as themselves were pleased to assure us in their Letter the year following Be it as it will you may imagine that the Resolutions taken this bout were not much in our favour for Monsieur de Lauzon Director General of the Company who notwithstanding all his fair promises had often underhand obstructed our return to Canada and was now gone Governour thither did not â—orget to continue the many good Offices hitherto done us We were no less mistaken in the Marquiss of Denouville who after I had made my great discovery was sent thither in the same quality and had made us much the same promises for the incouraging our discovery as did Monsieur Lauzon but was pleased likewise to forget them though he had particular Orders from Court to support our interest But he was soon recalled from his Government and the Count de Frontenac put in his room who has been since the true Father of the Recollects whom he has supported in their Missions at Canada as I have said at large in the description of my Louisiana and more in thâ— preceding Volume CHAP. XXXVIII Thoughts which a Missionary ought to have when he meets but with little incouragement in his Labours T Is held by the whole Christian World as a constant Truth and one of the first Principles of our Faith and Holy Religion that the Calling and true and sincere Conversion of People and Nations is the great work of the Mercy and Power of God and of the triumphant Efficacy of his Grace and Holy Spirit If this be true of those unbelieving and Idolatrous Nations which yet are Civilized and ruled and governed by good Laws and consequently have their Reason as we may say prepared to receive the
matters of Religion tho' in those of Trade and Profit they are very subtle and expert They are nevertheless Superstitious to the greatest Degree imaginable CHAP. XII Means whereby the Salvages may be converted Who are those among them that Baptism ought to be refus'd to OUR Ancient Missionary Recollects of Canada and those who have succeeded them in that Work have always own'd as I must do with them that it is impossible to convert the Salvages without first endeavouring to make them Men before we think of making them Christians It is absolutely necessary therefore for the thorough civilizing of them that Christians of Europe be mixt with them and they habituated to our Conversation all which however cannot possibly be effected unless our Colonies be considerably augmented in those Parts But here it must be acknowledg'd that the Canada Company are the greatest Obstacle to this Design for they seeking only to enrich themselves and having no regard to so pious a Work as the Conversion of stray'd Souls would never yet suffer any particular Establishments to settle in this Country nor permit the Missionaries to fix the Salvages to any Place without which it is impossible ever to convert these Infidels Thus the Covetousness of those who would needs grow rich all of a sudden has very much retarded the Propagating of the Christian Faith among these Salvages The ill Example likewise set by these Christian Traders has occasion'd no small Prejudice to our Religion By all this it may appear that a Mission among these Populous Nations is both troublesome and hazardous and it must be granted likewise that to effect this great Work no small number of Years would be sufficient they being a People so extreamly Ignorant and Dull For this reason therefore except in some few Cases not a little dubious likewise one would not venture to administer the Sacraments to Adults who perhaps seem only to be converted and this I presume has been the Cause that in so many Years Mission so little Progress has been made though so great Pains has been taken Thus it is certain that the Christian Religion will never be in any wise advanc'd among the Salvages if due care be not taken to fortifie the Colonies with a great number of Inhabitants both Artificers and Labourers Trading also with the Salvages must be allow'd indifferently to all the Europeans Moreover these Barbarians must be fixt and settled and new moulded after our Manners and Laws Colleges also might be Establish'd among 'em by the Zeal of well affected Europeans wherein the young Salvages might be Educated and Instructed in the Light of the Gospel These in Conjunction with the Missionaries might work Wonders on their Companions in a very short time Without doubt the fortifying of the Temporal and Spiritual Authority in these new Colonies were the only Way to bring this design about But on the contrary we may there observe Men only given to Gain and Commerce and who at the same time have little or no regard to call down the Blessing of God upon them by employing themselves to the Advancement of his Glory God is often pleas'd to experience his Servants Love by Means most sensible and amongst them those chiefly who busie themselves about the Salvation of Souls But nevertheless the Hazards Troubles Sufferings and the very Sacrificing their Lives would be welcome to them if by thus devoting themselves to the safety of their Neighbours they might see their Undertakings crown'd with Success It is impossible when we consider the great Number of People mention'd in this Relation and the little Progress hitherto made in their Conversion that we should not admire at the Unsearchable Judgments of God and cry out with the Apostle O the Profound Riches of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! A vast number of secular Priests very learn'd and several others of our Order have labour'd indefatigably at this great Work but it seems God has a Mind to convince us that the Conversion of Souls is only the Effect of his Grace which has not yet been in our Power to lay any Claim to in that Degree He contents himself therefore to see us labour under a Dependence on his Power He is Witness of our Wishes and Endeavors He hears our Prayers receives our Vows and accepts our most ardent Supplications that he would be pleas'd through Mercy to draw forth these miserable Wretches from the Abyss of Darkness and Ignorance Yet he is still dispos'd to let the Workmen prepare the Vine while they are to expect the Fruit only from his Hands God no doubt will bring all about in the time he has prescrib'd by his Providence and without Question will prove a just Rewarâ—er of those who shall continue faithful Labourers in this great Work however he does not yet think convenient to flatter our Ambition with Success I must observe here with a great deal of Concern that there is no common difference between our Modern Missions into America and those which our Recollects have formerly begun in this New World and continu'd ever since in South America particularly in Peru. They there converted every day Millions of Souls but now in Canada we have the greatest Reason to reproach it as an ungrateful barren and unfruitful Land There alone is to be met with an unconceivable Blindness Blockish Insensibility and a prodigious Remoteness from its Maker as likewise an entire Opposition to the Mysteries of our Faith Whole Ages would scarce be sufficient to prepare those Barbarians for the Benefits of the Gospel and to augment our Misfortune God has permitted this Country to be under the Power of a Company of Merchants who have greater regard to their Wordly Interest than any such good Works The Missionary-Recollects our Predecessors never granted the Sacrament of Baptism to the Salvages 'till they were well satisfied of them for fear that Sacred Mystery might be profan'd by those Barbarians Nay even to this Day we may perceive that those People are not well dispos'd to receive the Christian Religion seeing they have hardly any Idea of Religion at all and seem to be wholly incapable of the most common Reasonings which bring other Men to the knowledge either of a true Deity or a false These poor blind Creatures look upon all our Mysteries of Faith as Tales and Dreams They have Naturally a great many Vices and are very much addicted to several Superstitions which have no meaning at all in 'em They have many barbarous and brutal Usages amongst them They would suffer themselves to be Baptiz'd six times a Day for a Glass of Aqua vitae or a Pipe of Tobacco They frequently offer their Infants to the Font but that without any manner of Motive or Zeal Those whom one had Converted in a whole Winter as it happen'd I had instructed a few while I was at the Fort of Frontenac do not discover any greater knowledge of matters of Religion than the rest which has occasion'd many dreadful
Doctrine and precepts of the Gospel and Christian Religion how much more ought Apostoliâ—k Men to acknowledge and revere this Sovereign and immediate Operation of the spirit of God in regard of those Nations who have no notion of Religion true or fâ—lse who live without Precept Order or Law without God and without Worship whose Reason is wholly buried in matter and uncapable of the most common Arguments of Faith and Religion Such are the People of Canada all along the River St. Laurence and in general all the other Nations of whom I have made mention in my Louisiana in the preceeding Volume and in this which I am now finishing The Missionaries then must acknowledge with the profoundest Humility that the work of Converting so many blinded Nations is beyond their Force that it appertains alone to the Father of Spirits as St. Paul says who holds the heart of Man in the palm of his hand to remove the veil that covers their eyes to enlighten their understanding and disperse the thick clouds of darkness in which they are inveloped to new mold their inclinations and soften their hearts to civilize and make them susceptible of the Laws which Reason suggests and subject them to those which Religion prescribes in a word to inlighten their minds and lead them by virtue of his Grace into the knowledge of love and truth This is the Foundation of the true Apostle-ship in regard to the Natives of Canada and my other Discoveries and indeed twelve hundred leagues farther up The great Points of Simplicity of Faith of Humility Grace and the Unction of the holy Spirit which I shall always have engraven in my Heart ought then to animate those whom it hath pleased God to call to publish the Gospel amongst these numerous Nations for whose Salvation I shall be ever ready to expose my life and all that I have most â—recious in this World even to the Death But before we hazard the Sacrificing our selves to this end we are to lay it down for our Principle that no one can be effectually drawn to Iesus Christ the Son of God if the Father of Lights draw him not by the virtue of his Victorious Grace That his Invisible Spirit moves and inspires when it pleases and where That the very Moments proper for the dispensation of his Grace are known to God and are in his power as the Father and Master of our Destiny and that having called all Men to Faith in the Fulness of his bounty which is common to all he gives them in his appointed time such natural and interior Graces as are sufficient to lead them to the Truth the work is not altogether of him that runs nor of him that wills but of him chiefly that touches and inlightens thro' the Effect of his great Mercy That therefore with greater reason the work and the glory of it is not his that Preaches or his that Plants or thaâ— Waters these are but weak and feeble Instruments but his indeed who gives the increase That Faith is the gift of God That the Sacrifice of all Nature can not merit by any right so much as the first Grace of Vocation so far is it from falling within the Compass of our mâ—rit That Men labour in vain to erect the Spiritual building of Faith if God be not on their side to prepare and dispose the Work An humble Simplicity ought therefore to run through and be as it were the very Soul of all the Apostolick labours of the Missionaries who have either gone before or shall come after me for the winning of Souls to Jesus Christ in the many vast Discoveries which I have made in Canada and amongst the other Nations of my Louisiana and the drawing them to their Ministry through this spirit of dependency as simple Organs and mere instruments of his Charity to whom alone ought to be given the glory of the Conversion of the little flock and if at any time the progress we makâ— be not answerable to our zealous endeavours then ought we with the profoundest submission and resignation to the will of God to rest highly satisfied within our felves when we can say we have done our part and what was expected of us in our Ministry tho after all we must own our selves to be unprofitable Servants I beg of God upon my bended knees with my hands lifted up to Heaven as I am now finishing this 3 d Volume of my Discoveries that he would be pleased to imprint yet deeper in my heart those humble and submissive thoughts which I ought to have to his Orders and those of my Superiours touching the Salvation of those several Natiâ—ns which have been buried so many Ages in the darkness of Ignorance that he would enable me to Sacrifice the best of my days to so good an end freely resigning my self to the holy dispensation of his Providence whether Life or Death and that I may be so happy as to leave behind me an example truly Apostolical worthy the imitation of all Missionaries full of light and ability grace and virtue zeal and courage to hazard all things for the Conversion of Souls encounter the boldest difficulties and bear up under the greatest disappointments and mortifications for the fulfilling of their Ministery I pray God with all my heart that Missionaries of all Orders might spread themselves in their Missions from one Sea to the other that with me they might be of the number of the chosen Vessels ordained to carry the name of the Lord amongst the People and Nations that Inhabit the utmost parts of the Earth and that the Providence of Him that I adore would be pleased to strengthen his Church Militant with a greater number of Labourers who by their Ministry may enlarge the Vineyard and second the Endeavours of all the other Orders both Regular and Secular in the New Plantations of the Kingdom of Iesus Christ. Jane Williams AN ACCOUNT OF SEVERAL New Discoveries IN North-America AN ACCOUNT OF New-France M. Ioliet who was sent by Count Frontenac to discover a Way into the South-Sea brought an exact Account of his Voyage with a Map of it but his Canow being over-set at the Foot of the Fall of St. Louis in sight of Montroyal his Chest and his two Men were lost therefore the following Account contains only what he has remembred I set out from the Bay of Puans in the Latitude of 42 Degrees 4 Minutes and having travell'd about 60 Leagues to the Westward I found a Portage and carrying our Canow's over-land for half a League I embark'd with six Men on the River Misconsing which brought us into the Meschasipi in the Latitude of 42 Degrees and an half on the 15 th of Iune 1674. This Portage is but 40 Leagues from the Mississipi This River is half a League broad its Stream is gentle to the latitude of 38 Degrees for a River from the West-North-West which runs into it increase so much its Rapidity that we cou'd make
the Savages who now inhabit the Land surrounding this Bay had deseâ—ted their former Habitation because of some stinking in French Puans Waters towards the Sea that annoy'd them CHAP XI A short Description of the Upper Lake THis Superiour Lake runs from East to West and may have more than a Hundred and fifty Leagues in length Sixty in breadth and Five hundred in circuit We never went quite over it as we did over all the others I 've hitherto mention'd but we sounded some of its greatest Depths and it resembles the Ocean having neither Bottom nor Banks I shall not here stay to mention the infinite numbers of Rivers that discharge themselves into this prodigious Lake which together with that of Illinois and the Rivers that are swallow'd in them make up the source of that great River St. Laurence which runs into the Ocean at the Island of Assumption towards New-found-land We travell'd upon this River about Six hundred Leagues from its mouth to its Source I 've already observ'd That all these Lakes may well be call'd Fresh-water Seas They abound extreamly in White Fish greater than Carps which are extraordinary good nay at Twenty or Thirty Fathom Water there are Salmon-Trouts taken of Fifty or Sixty pound weight It were easie to build on the sides of these great Lakes an infinite number of considerable Towns which might have Communication one with another by Navigation for Five hundred Leagues together and by an inconceivable Commerce which would establish it self among ' em And to be sure the Soil if cultivated by Europeans would prove very fertile Those that can conceive the Largeness and Beauty of these Lakes may easily understand by the help of our Map what course we steer'd in making he great Discovery hereafter mention'd CHAP. XII What is the Predominant Genius of the Inhabitants of Canada THe Spaniards were the first who discover'd Canada but at their first arrival having found nothing considerable in it they abandon'd the Country and call'd it Il Capo di Nada that is A Cape of Nothing hence by corruption sprung the Word Canada which we use in all our Maps Since I left that Country I understand that all things continue very near as they were whilst I resided there Those who have the Government of Canada committed to their Care are mov'd with such a malignant Spirit as obliges all who do not approve their Design to moan secretly before God Men of Probity that are zealous for Religion find nothing there of what they expected but on the contrary such Repulses and and ill Usage that no body could have foreseen Several resort thither with a design to Sacrifice their Repose and Life to the Temporal and Spiritual Succour of an Infant-Church but the loss of Reputation and Honour are the Sacrifices they 're oblig'd to make Others go thither in the hopes of spending their Lives in Peace and perfect Concord whereas they meet with nothing but Jarrs Divisions and a Sea of Troubles In lieu of their fair Hopes they reap nothing but Crosses and Persecution and all for not pleasing the Humours of Two or Three Men who are the over-ruling Wits of that Country What an immense distance there is betwixt the Humour of these Men and our Flemish Sincerity I mean that Candour and Evenness of Mind which make up the true Character of a Christian and is observ'd every where else But without entring farther into any Particulars I leave the Judgment of all unto God and shall only say that we who are Flemings by Birth went to Canada without any other private Design having renounc'd our Native Country meerly for the Service of our Religion after having quitted all other Enjoyments for embracing a Religious Profession And therefore it was not a small Surprize to us upon our arrival in that Country to see our Sincerity and Uprightness of Heart so sorrily entertain'd There is a certain sort of People to whom every thing is suspicious and whom it is impossible to retrieve from under the first Impressions they 've receiv'd Though a Man were never so complaisant yet if he be not altogether of their Stamp or if he endeavours to represent Things fairly and rationally unto them tho' with wise and soft Remonstrances yet shall he pass among 'em for a Fellow of a turbulent Spirit Such Conduct as this does not savour of Christianity nor bespeaks any other Prospect than that of temporal Interest This Consideration mov'd me oft-times to say to the Three Flemish Monks I had brought to Canada with me That it had been much better for us who had quitted all our Enjoyments and exchang'd them for the Poverty of a Monastick Life to have gone in Mission among Strangers to preach Repentance to Infidels and propagate the Kingdom of our Saviour among the barbarous Nations And indeed kind Providence seconded my Good Intentions for the Reverend Father Germain Allart Recollect late Bishop of Vence in Provence sent me Orders to undertake the Discovery which I am about to relate CHAP. XIII A Description of my first Imbarkment in a Canow at Quebec the Capital City of Canada being bound for the South-West of New-France or Canada I Remain'd Two Years and a half at Fort Frontenac till I saw perfected the House of Mission that Father Luke Buisset and I had caus'd to be built there This engag'd us in Travels which inseparably attend New Establishments Accordingly we went in a Canow down the River St. Laurence and after a Hundred and twenty Leagues sailing arriv'd at Quebec where I retirâ—d into the Recollects Convent of St. Mary in order to prepare and sanctifie my self for commencing this Discovery And indeed I must frankly own that when at the foot of the Cross I pensively consider'd this important Mission weighing it in the Scales of Humaâ— Reason and measuring the weight of its Difficulties by Human Force it seem'd aâ—together terrible rash and inconsiderable But when I look'd up to GOD and view'd it as an effect of his Goodness in chusing me for so great a Work and as his Commandment directed to me by the mouth of my Superiours who are the Instruments and Interpreters of his Wiâ—l unto me These Thoughts I say presently inspir'd me with Courage and Resolution to undertake this Discovery with all the Fidelity and Constancy imaginable I perswaded my self that since it was the peculiar Work of God to open the hard Hearts of that barbarous People to whom I was sent to publish the Glad Tidings of his Gospel it were as easie for Him to compass it by a feeble Instrument such as I was as by the most worthy Person in the World Having thus prepar'd my self for the Voyage of my Mission and seeing that those who were expected from Europe to bear part in this Discovery were now arriv'd that the Pilot Seamen and Ship-Carpenters were in readiness and that the Arms Goods and Rigging for the Ships were all at hand I took with me from our Convent a
Latitude CHAP. XX. An Account of what hapned in our Passage from the Lake Erie unto the Lake Huron I Had often advis'd M. la Salle to make a Settlement upon the Streight between the Lake Erie and Ontario where the Fishery is more plentiful for that Settlement would have been very advantageous to us to maintain our Communication with Fort Frontenac I told him also that it were fit to leave in that Settlement the Smith he and M. la Motte had promis'd to the Iroquois and that it would be a means to engage that wild Nation into our Inteeest and to trade only with us whereby he would grow rich in a little time But M. la Salle and the Adventurers who were with him would not hearken to my Advice and told me that they would make no Settlement within 100 Leagues of their Fort lest other Europeans should get before them into the Country they were going to discover This was their Pretence but I soon observ'd that their Intention was to buy all the Furrs and Skins of the remotest Savages who as they thought did not know their Value and so inrich themselves in one single Voyage I endeavour'd also to perswade him to make a settlement upon this charming Streight for being in the midst of so many Nations of Savages we could not but have a good Trade amongst them This was the Argument I made use of but the main Reason which I kept to my self was to have an Opportunity to preach the Gospel to those ignorant Nations M. la Salle would by no means hearken to my Advice and told me he wonder'd at my Proposal considering the great Passion I had a few Months before for the Discovery of a New Country The Current of that Streight is very violent but not half so much as that of Niagara and therefore we sail'd up with a brisk Gale and got into the Streight between the Lake Huron and the Lake St. Claire this last is very shallow especially at its Mouth The Lake Huron falls into this of St. Claire by several Canals which are commonly interrupted by Sands and Rocks We sounded all of them and found one at last about one League broad without any Sands its depth being every where from three to eight Fathoms Water We sail'd up that Canal but were forced to drop our Anchors near the Mouth of the Lake for the extraordinary quantity of Waters which came down from the Superiour Lake and that of Illionois because of a strong North-West Wind had so much augmented the Rapidity of the Current of this Streight that it was as violent as that of Niagara The Wind turning Southerly we sail'd again and with the help of twelve Men who hall'd our Ship from the Shoar got safely the 23d of August into the Lake Huron We sung Te Deum a second time to return our Thanks to the Almighty for our happy Navigation We found in that Lake a large Bay the Banks of which the ancient Hurons inhabited They were converted to the Christian Religion by the first Franciscans that came into Canada but the Iroquois have in a great measure destroy'd that Nation CHAP. XXI An Account of our Navigation on the Lake Huron to Missilimakinak HAving thus travell'd above 300 Leagues from Quebec to the Lake Huron notwithstanding the rapid Currents and Lakes we went through we continuâ—d our Voyage from the Mouth of this Lake steering our Course North-North-East but the next Day finding our selves near the Land we steer'd North-North-West and cross'd a Bay call'd Sakinam which may be thirty Leagues broad The 24th we run the same Course but were becalm'd between some Islands where we found but two Fathoms Water which oblig'd us to make an easie sail part of the Night to look for a good Anchorage but in vain and the Wind turning then Westerly we bore to the North to avoid the Coast till the Day appear'd We sounded all the Night long because our Pilot though a very Understanding Man was somewhat negligent The 25th we lay becalm'd till Noon but then run North-West with a brisk Southerly Gale The Wind turning South West we bore to the North to double a Cape but then the Wind grew so violent that we were forc'd to lie by all the Night The 26th the Storm continuing we brought down our Main Yards and Top-Mast and let the Ship drive to the Mercy of the Wind knowing no place to run into to shelter our selves M. la Salle notwithstanding he was a Courageous Man began to fear and told us we were undone and therefore every body fell upon his Knees to say his Prayers and prepare himself for Death except our Pilot whom we could never oblige to Pray and he did nothing all that while but Curse and Sweaâ— against M. la Salle who as he said had brought him thither to make him perish in a nasty Lake and lose the Glory he had acquir'd by his long and happy Navigations on the Ocean However the Wind being somewhat abated we hoisted up our Sail and so we drove not above two Leagues The 27th in the Morning we continu'd our Course North-West with a South-East Wind which carry'd us the same Day to Missilimakinak where we anchor'd in a Bay at six Fathoms Water upon a slimy white Bottom That Bay is shelter'd by the Coast and a Bank from the South-West to the North but it lies expos'd to the South which is very violent in that Country Missilimakinak is a Neck of Land to the North of the Mouth of the Streight through which the Lake of the Illinois discharges it self into the Lake Huron That Canal is about three Leagues long and one broad About fifteen Leagues to the Eastward of Missilimakinak there is another Point at the Mouth of the Streight whereby the Superiour Lake runs into that of Huron which Streight is about five Leagues broad at its Mouth and about fifteen Leagues long but it grows narrow towards the Fall of St. Mary which is a rapid Stream interrupted by several Rocks However a Canow may go up by one side but it requires a great Fatigue and therefore the safest and easiest way is to make a Portage above the Fall to go and Trade with the Savages inhabiting the Banks of the Superiour Lake We lay between two different Nations of Savages those who inhabit the Point of Missilimakinak are call'd Hurons and the others who are about three or four Leagues more Northward are Outtaouatz Those Savages were equally surpriz'd to see a Ship in their Country and the Noise of our Cannon of which we made a general Discharge fill'd them with a great Apprehension We went to see the Outtaouatz and celebrated the Mass in their Habitation M. la Salle was finely dress'd having a Scarlet Cloak with a broad Gold Lace and most of his Men with their Arms attended him The Chief Captains of that People receiv'd us with great Civilities after their own way and some of them came on board with us
for their Chief that they dare not pass between Him and a Flambeau which is always carry'd before him in all Ceremonies These Chiefs have Servants and Officers to wait upon them They distribute Rewards and Presents as they think fit In short They have amongst them a Form of Political Government and I must own they make a tolerable use of their Reason They were altogether ignorant of Fire-Arms and all other Instruments and Tools of Iron and Steel their Knives and Axes being made of Flint and other sharp Stones whereas we were told that the Spaniards of New Mexico lived not above forty Leagues from them and supply'd them with all the Tools and other Commodities of Europe We found nothing among them that might be suspected to come from the Europeans unless it be some little Pieces of Glass put upon a Thread with which their Women use to adorn their Heads They wear Bracelets and Ear-Rings of fine Pearls which they spoil having nothing to bore them but with Fire They made us to understand that they have them in exchange for their Calumets from some Nations inhabiting the Coast of the Great Lake to the Southward which I take to be the Gulph of Florida I 'll say nothing here or at least very little concerning their Conversion reserving to discourse fully upon that Subject in a Third Volume wherein I promise my self to undeceive many People about the false Opinions they entertain on this Matter Where-ever the Apostles appear'd they converted so great a number of People that the Gospel was known and believ'd in a short time thro' most part of the then-known World But our Modern Missions are not attended with that Grace and Power and therefore we are not to expect those miraculous Conversions I have imparted to them as well as I cou'd the chief and general Truths of the Christian Religion But as I have observ'd already the Languages of those Nations having little or no Affinity one with another I cannot say that my Endeavours have been very successful tho' I learn'd the Language of the Issati or Nadoussians and understood indifferently that of the Illinois But the Truths of Christianity are so sublime that I fear neither my Words nor Signs and Actions have been able to give them an Idea of what I preach'd unto them GOD alone who knows the â—earts of Men knows also what Success my Endeavours have had The Baptism I have administer'd to several Children of whose Death I was morally assur'd is the only certain Fruit of my Mission But after all I have only discover'd the way for other Missionaries and shall be ready at all times to return thither thinking my self very happy if I can spend the rest of my Days in endeavouring my own and other Men's Salvation and especially in favour of those poor Nations who have been hitherto ignorant of their Creator and Redeemer But leâ—t I shou'd tire the Reader I reassume the Thread of my Discourse CHAP. XLIII An Account of the Fishery of the Sturgeons and of the Course we took for fear of meeting some of our Men from Fort Crevecoeur WE embark'd the 24th of April as I have already said and our Provisions being â—pent some Days after we had nothing to live upon but the Game we kill d or the Fish we cou'd catch Stags wild-Goats and even wild Oxen are pretty scarce toward the Mouth of the River of the Illinois for this Nation comes as far as the Meschasipi to hunt them but by good chance we found a great quantity of Sturgeons with long Bills as we call d them from the Shape of their Head It was then the Season that these Fishes spawn and they come as near the Shoar as they can so that we kill'd as many as we wou'd with our Axes and Swords without spending our Powder and Shot They were so numerous that we took nothing but the Belly and other dainty Parts throwing off the rest As we came near the Mouth of the River of the Illinois my Men begun to be very affraid to meet with their Comrades of Fort Crevecoeur for having not yet exchang'd their Commodities as they were order'd and refus'd to go Northward at first as I desir'd them they had much reason to fear that they wou'd stop them and punish them for not having follow'd my Directions I was likewise afraid that by these Means our Voyage towards the Sea wou'd be discover'd there being some Reasons to keep it secret as I shall observe in another place and our farther Discovery stopt and therefore to prevent any such thing I advis'd them to row all the Night and rest our selves during the Day in the Islands which are so numerous in that River The Trees and Vines wherewith those Islands are cover'd are so thick that one can hardly Land and so we might lie there very safe it being impossible to discover us This Advice was approv'd and thereby we avoided any Rencounter for I did not doubt but our Men came now and then from Fort Crevecoeur to observe the Meschasipi and get Intelligence of us But when we found our selves pretty far from the the River of the Illinois we travell'd in the Day as we used to do in order to make our Observations and view the Country which does not appear so fertil nor cover'd with so fine Trees above the River of the Illinois as it is below down the Meschasipi to the Sea CHAP. XLIV A short Account of the Rivers that fall into the Meschasipi of the Lake of Tears of the Fall of St. Anthony of the wild Oats of that Country and several other Circumstances of our Voyage NO Rivers as I have already said run into the Meschasipi between the river of the Illinois and the Fall of St. Anthony from the Westward but the River Ottenta and another which falls into it within eight Leagues of the said Fall But on the Eastward we met with a pretty large River call'd Ouisconsin or Misconsin which comes from the Northward This River is near ' as large as that of the Illinois but I cannot give an exact account of the length of its Course for we left it about sixty Leagues from its Mouth to make a Porâ—age into another River which runs into the Bay of Puans as I shall observe when I come to speak of our return from Issati into Canada This River Ouisconsin runs into the Meschasipi about 100 Leagues above that of the Illinois Within five and twenty Leaguesafter we met another River coming from the Eastward nam'd by the Issati and Nadoussians Chebadeba that is The Black River I can say very little of it having observ'd only its Mouth but I judge from thence that it is not very considerable About thirty Leagues higher we found the Lake of Tears which we nam'd so because the Savages who took us as it will be hereafter related consulted in this place what they shou'd do with their Prisoners and those who were for murthering us
he would have an Opportunity to make more exact Observations than I had been able to do in 1680. because they design'd to go thither with a great Force to secure them from the Insults of the Savages The Voyage of the Sieur la Salle from that River of the Illinois to the Gulf of Mexico was made only Two Years after mine viz. in 1682. Besides after the Sieur la Salle had been so unadvis'd as to do me such an ill Office with respect to Father Hyacinth le Fevre who as I have said before in my Advertisement to my foregoing Volume procured my Banishment from France upon pretence that I was a Subject to the King of Spain after all that I say he could not imagine but that I would impart the Knowledge of our great Discoveries in America to those who would have more Charity for me than the said Father Hyacinth and the Sieur la Salle After all Men are only for a time and all their Intrigues shall have quite another Face before God Almighty's Tribunal By all this it appears that they never saw any thing but what I had seen before them and that most of their Relations are taken out of my Iournal which they have in their Hands by means of the said Reverend Fathers Hyacinth le Fevre and Valentine le Roux Therefore the Reader may depend upon the Truth of my History and all I relate of those vast Countries which I have viewed first of any European 'T is true I have had there many Monsters to overcome and Precipices to go over but through God Almighty's Assistance I have at last surmounted all There 's a Place in the Island of Montreal in Canada which is Twenty five Leagues in Circumference where the Sieur la Salle begun some Settlements which â—â—nce are increas'd to a great Village now ironically call'd China because while he liv'd there the Inhabitants had often heard him say That as soon as he had made himself Master of the Islands of St. Barbe in New Mexico he design'd to go to China and Japan through the Discoveries we have since made together without going over the Equinoctial Line and that he would find a Way to go to the South-Sea which bounds the Lands of our Louisiana as the Reader may see in the General Map of my former Volume And the Hopes which were the predominant Passion of this great Traveller during our Stay in the Fort of Frontenac did run upon nothing else but upon the great Design of possessing himself of the Mines and going to the Pacifick Sea contiguous to our Louisiana And those who understand my Maps will easily acknowledge the Truth of what I say There are several Authors skill'd in the Mathematicks and Geography who assure us that Japan is contiguous to the Lands of the Northern America and the Famous Monsieur Graevius one of the most Learned Historians of our Age having maturely consider'd our great Discovery did me the Honour in an Assembly of Men of Learning and distinguish'd Merit in this City of Utrecht to tell me That he thought in effect that Japan is no Island as they commonly make it but that the Lands of that vasts Empire border upon the Continent of our Louisiana To all these Opinions of Great Men I have added in the 37th Chapter of the foregoing Volume a Proof of that Truth drawn from the Savages who came upon an Embassie from the Western Lands to the Issati and Nadouessans where I liv'd as adopted Son to one of the first Captains of those Barbarians in whose great Hutt those Embassadors have assur'd me by an Interpreter That there was no such thing as the Streights of Anien as 't was generally believ'd Which is a good Argument that the vast Countries of the Northern America are contiguous to Japan I have said before That whatever Endeavours the English and Dutch the greatest Sailers in the Universe have used before to go to China and Japan through the Frozen Sea they could never bring it about But if the Sovereign Princes and States that have done me the Honour to employ me send us again into our vast Discoveries we will infallibly find an â—asie Passage from our Louisiana into the Pacifick Sea through great Rivers that carry Ships of great Burden which run beyond the famous River Meschasipi from whence it will be easie to go to China and Japan without sailing twice over the Equinoctial Line as they are oblig'd to do hitherto with the loss of a great many Men. Now to shew how far I believe the Possibility of bringing this laudable Undertaking about I readily offâ—r my self to return to our great Discoveries In which generous Design of promoting God's Glory I ought to shew my self no less zealous than our former Recollects have done in the Kingdom of Voxu in the Eastern Part of Japâ—n the King of which Country by means of their Sermons acknowledg'd the Religion of the True God caus'd above Eight hundred Idols to be burnt all over his Empire and sent a famous Embassie of a Hundred Gentlemen who embark'd on the 28th of October 1613. and landed in Spain the 10th of November 1614. under the Conduct of the Reverend Father Lewis de Sotello a Recollect who presented the Embassador of the said Kingdom of Japan to our most Catholick King and afterwards to His Holiness assuring them That his King and Subjects acknowledg'd the True God of the Christians and renounc'd Idolatry The Reader ought to take notice That in the Years 1540 and 1541 Spain had already conquer'd above a hundred Kingdoms and a vast Tract of Land three times as large as all Europe together whilst our Franciscan Friars the first and only Evangelical Labourers had submitted part of the Subjects of Japan to the Empire of Jesus Christ. I ought to shew no less Emulation for the accommplishing of our great Discoveries than did the famous Christopher Columbus who being accompanied by our Franciscans in 1492 and 1493 made the great Discovery of the West-Indies otherwise America The Short Cut to China and Japan by means of our Discoveries will be as much and more profitable to future Ages as any Discoveries that have been made hitherto in the East-Indies New Mexico West-Indies and Northern America And as through God Almighty's Grace I have Patents and Leave from my General and the Senior Superiors of my Order to return into all the Parts of America in quality of Missionary the Issue of my Return into so many vast Countries if the Higher Powers desire it will I hope in God make known to all the World the Uprightness of my Intentions And I may averr without any Vanity That if we can find at our Return as I am morally assur'd we shall a Short Cut to China and Japan This Discovery of mine which I hope to accomplish with God's Help will be one of the finest and the most memorable of this present and future Ages The Reader may also observe That the Settlements
they are killed on the spot without any further Formality These poor blind Wretches are moreover engag'd in several other Superstitions which the Devil makes use of to Ensnare ' em They believe there are many living Creatures which have Rational Souls They have a very unaccountable Veneration for certain Bones of Elks Beavers and other Beasts and therefore never give them to their Dogs but lay 'em up in Repositories with a great deal of Care These they never throw into Rivers but with a great reluctancy They say That the Souls of these Animals observe how they deal by their Bodies and consequently advertise both the Living and Dead of that kind thereof so that if they treat 'em ill they must not expect that those sorts of Beasts will ever suffer themselves to be taken by them either in this or the other World We may affirm that the Corruption of Sin has o'râ—shaded the Souls of these unhappy Creatures with a strange Blindness and an entire Insensibility for all sorts of Religion in a manner that nothing is to be found like it in all History 'T is true they have several Superstitious Observations which they cleave to with a great deal of Obstinacy but nevertheless they have not the least Principle or Motive of Religion Their Zeal is only Frenzy and Infatuation for when they have an Argument struck home to 'em they sit down sullenly and answer not a Word When our Mysteries are propos'd to 'em they commonly hear 'em with the same indifference that they talk of their own Whimsies I have met with some who seem'd to digest this Truth That there is a chief Being who has made all the rest Nevertheless this does but only glance upon their Minds for they commonly receive little or no Impression by it but soon relapse into their wonted Drowsiness and accustom'd Sottishness CHAP. XIV Of the great Difficulties met with in keeping the Salvages from Praying by Rote THE great stupidity of these Barbarians proceeds chiefly from their not caring to be well instructed They never come to us but out of pure Fancy or Curiosity either as we are Strangers or that we treat 'em well or flatter 'em or on account of the benefit their Sick receive by us or else through hopes to get something by us in Trade Or lastly because we being Europeans they look upon us as more Valiant than themselves and therefore hope to be defended by us against their Enemies They are taught Prayers indeed but they repeat 'em like so many Children at School without the least attention For the most part they that have learnt longest and been Catechiz'd oftnest are very wavering except a very few They will throw down their Books of a sudden and return to the Woods and their former Superstitions upon the least Freak that takes them in the Head I cannot tell whether their Predecessors have been acquainted with any Deity or not but sure I am that their Language which is otherwise very Expressive is so very Barren in that that they have no word to express God or any the least of our Mysteries This is the greatest difficulty we meet with in their Conversion There is also another pretty considerable Obstacle in the Converting of these People which is that the greatest part of 'em have several Wives and in the Northern Country they change 'em as often as they think fit They cannot comprehend how it is possible for a Man to be subject to the Bonds of Marriage Dont you see cry they when we urge our Arguments most home to 'em how little Reason you have for what you stick so much for My Wife is not pleas'd to live with me neither am I at ease to live with her My Neighbour such a one perhaps may like hâ—r better and I may like his who does not much care for him Therefore why should you oblige us for to live like Doggs and Catts together when only changing one with another we live at quiet Another great Hindrance proceeds from their Custom never to contradict any body for they hold that every Man ought to be left to his own Opinion without molestation wherefore they always either believe or seem to believe what you say which frequently baffles us in our Endeavours All this comes from an innate blockishness and indifference as to every thing but more especially for matters of Religion which they mind least of all A Man must not go to America that has a mind to become a Martyr for his Faith These Salvages never Murder any body upon that score they leave every one at liberty to believe what he pleases They are only eâ—amour'd with the outward Ceremonies of our Church These Barbarians engage in Wars only on account of their Common Interest They kill no body at home except upon particular Quarrels proceeding severally from Lust Drunkenness Revenge or Infatuation by a Dream or some other extravagant Vision They are altogether against taking away a Man's Life upon account of difference in Opinion The Brutâ— generally presides in their Inclinations They are naturally Gluttons and know no greater Happiness than what they find in the pleasure of Eating and Drinking This brutish Humour may be observ'd to run thro' all their Diversions for they never have any of this kind but what begin and end with Feasts The Spirit of Revenge likewise to which they are much addicted is no common Obstacle to Christianity They have a great deal of Softness and good Nature for their own Nation but are Cruel and Revengeful to the highest degree towards their Enemies They are naturally Unconstant and Foul-mouth'd great Jesters and immoderate Lechers In fine among all the Virtues they can any way pretend to there is not one that savours in the least either of Religion or Morality And this without doubt is another Cause that renders their Conversion tâ—e more difficult To gain any thing upon them or to dispose 'em the better for Instruction the only way were to be very familiar with them and to Converse frequently among ' em This could not easily be effected 'till the Colonieâ— were considerably augmented After they have been among us for some few Weeks they always preâ—end to be oblig'd to go a Hunting for Sustenance and that without dispute extreamly debauches 'em from the Faith They must therefore be fix'd to some particular Abodes and brought to Till and Cultivate the Ground and to Work at their several Trades like thâ— Europeans before there can be any good wrought upon ' em For by this means their Manners would of course be civiliz'd and they renderâ—d more tractable I intend hereafter to speak of other Nations of the South who seem better dispos'd to receive the Gospel than these of the North and of the shallow River of St. Laurence CHAP. XV. The manner of the Salvages making their Feasts THEY have Feasts of Parting of Acknowledgment of War of Peace of Death of Marriage and of Health They spend both Night
Hand and I fed above fifty Families of the Iroquoise of Ganneous therewith who with the Sieur de Salle I had brought to plant Indian Corn there and to have their Children instructed in the Christian Religion at Fort Frontenac The most considerable sort of Fishing among the Salvages is that of Eels which are very big Salmons and Salmon Trouts and Whitings The Iroquoise Aguier who are in the Neighbourhood of New York fish very often for Frogs which they catch in abundance and which they put whole into their Kettles without fleaing them for the seasoning their Pagamite which is Pap made of Indian Corn. Salmon Trouts are catch'd in several other parts of the Rivers which discharge themselves into the Lake of Frontenac and there are such great Numbers to be found there that they kill them with Sticks They catch Eels in the Night time when the Weather is calm and these Fishes came down in great quantities along the River St. Lawrence the Salvages put the thick Bark of a Birch-tree together with Earth upon the end of a Stake and then kindle a kind of a Flambeau which gives a very clear Light when a Man or two go into a Cannow with an Harping-Iron fixed between two Points of a little Fork As soon as they discover the Eels by the help of the Fire they fall to and kill a vaft Quantity of them because that the white Porpoises which pursued them drive them before them till at last they betake themselves to the Brink of the Rivers to which those great Porpoises cannot approach Salmons they catch with Harping-Irons and Whitings with Nets the Southern Nations which dwell upon the River Meschasipi are very subtil and have such lively and piercing Eyes that tho' the Fishes glide very swiftly in the Waters yet they fail not to kill them with their Darts which they vigorously thrust a little bâ—fore into the Water when they shoot out of their Bow Moreover they have long Poles with sharp Points which they dart from them with greatAccuracy because of their being so sharp sighted they also kill great Sturgeons and Trouts which are seven or eight foot under Water CHAP. XXVII Of the Vtensils used by the Salvages in their Huts Their extraordinary way of making a Fire Before the arrival of the Europeans in North America both the Northern and Southern Salvages made use of and do to this day use Earthen Pots especially such as have no Commerce with the Europeans from whom they may procure Kettels and other Moveables in stead of Hatchets and Knives they make use of sharp Stones which they fasten in a cleft piece of Wood with Leather Thongs and instead of Awls they make a certain sharp Bone to serve which is seated about Elks Talons they have no Fire Arms amongst them Bows and Arrows being their only Weapons Their way of making a Fire and which is new and unknown to us is thus they take a Triangular piece of Cedar-Wood of a Foot and an half long wherein they bore some Holes half through then they take a Switch or another small piece of hard Wood and with both their hands rub the strongest upon the weakest in the hole which is made in the Cedar and while they are thus rubbing they let fall a sort of Dust or Powder which turns into Fire This white Dust they roul up in a Pellet of Herbs dryed in Autumn and Rubbing them all together and then blowing upon the Dust that is in the Pellet the Fire kindles in a momeâ—t When the Salvages are about to make Wooden Disheâ— Porringers or Spoons they form the Wood to their purpose with their Stone Hatchets make it hollow with Coles out of the Fire and scrape them afterward with Beavers Teeth for to polish them The Northern Nations where usually they have hard Winters make use of Rackets in their Passage over the Snow The Salvages make them of Thongs of Leather as Broad as small Ribbons in a neater manner than our playing Hand-Rackets they have no Handles to them as those of our Tennis Courts but they are longer and larger They leave a vacancy in the middle as large as the Toes to the end the Salvages may walk easier with their Shoes they Travel further with these Rackets than they can without them And without the use of them they would sink into the Snow which is there seven or eight Foot deep and more some times in the Winter Season Nay in some places t is as high as the highest Houses in Europe for the Wind drives it violently into Nooks and hollow Places The Salvages who live in the Neighbourhood of the Europeans have now the use of Guns Hatchets Kettles Awls Knifes Fireforks and other Instruments as we have In order to sow Indian Corn they make Pick-Axes of Wood but 't is to supply the want of Iron ones They have Gourds or Callibasses wherein they put their Bear wild Cat and Turnsoll Oyls there is never a Man that has not a Skin or Sack to put his Pipe and his Tobacco in and the Salvage Women make Sacks for Indian Corn of Bullrushes or Linden Bark to put their Corn in They also make them of Nettle-peel the Bark of Linden and of other Roots whose names I do not know The Salvages make use of very small Thongs â—o sow their Shoes withal and have Mats made of Bull rushes to lye upon and for want of them they make use of the Barks of Trees their Women swaddle their Infans in the same manner as the European Women do yet with this difference that their Bonds arâ— made of a large Skins and a kind of Cotton together to prevent their being over-heated in their Swathing they tye them to a piece of Board after they have swaddled them and that with a Skin-band then they make the Board fast to the Branch of a Tree or some place in their Huts in such a manner that the Infants do not lye but are bolt upright with their Heads upwards and Feet downward and to the end their Urine may not incommode them they put a piece of the Birch-Tree in a commodious Place for that Purpose so as that their Urine may run down as in a Gutter and not touch the Body of the Child These Women take such great care of their Infants that they do not come near their Husbands at all but shun their Company 'till their Children have attained to the Age of three or four Years and may be fed as the rest It 's otherwise with the European Women because it is easie to supply the Defects of Mothers by the means of Cows Milk or other tame Animals but these shun the Company of Men while they are Nurses because if they once Conceive their Infants must necessarily Perish seeing for Example they cannot at five or fix Months Old eat of their dryed Meats or any other thing and this is it that doth oblige â—hem to do as they do to the end they may put their Children
Europeans there who Caressed him highly and made him good Cheer Then he went to the place where the Savages are who gave him a very kind Reception they kept there daily Feasts to which the Europeans were very often invited seeing thâ—re are no Wars nor Quarrellings in that Country Now after this Old Man had sufficiently admired all the parts of the Country he returned and gave a Relation of all his Adventures to his Country-men The Story being ended we asked the Savages whether they believed it who answered No that their Ancestors had told it but that perhaps they Lyed These People admit of some sort of Genius in all things they all believe there is a Master of Life as they call him but hereof they make various Applications some of them have a lean Raven which they carry always along wâ—th them and which they say is the Master of their Life others have an Owl and some again a Bone a Sea-Shell or some such thing when they hear an Owl Screech they tremble and take it for a bad Omen They give very much heed to their Dreams They enter into their Stoves to the end they may have a good time of it in hunting their Beavers and killing Wild Beasts they do not give the Bones of the Beavers nor Otters to their Dogs for which I have asked them the reason and have been answered that they have an Otkon or Spirit in the Woods who would tell it to the Beavers and Otters and from that time forward they should not be able to take any of them I asked them what this Spirit was answer has been made me that it was a Woman who knew all things and was Mistress of the Game of Hunting but the Reader must still remember what I have already said that the greatest part of them believe nothing at all of it As I was upon my Mission or Embassage as aforesaid a Savage Woman was by accident Poysoned the Hunters had brought her into her Hut and I went to see her after she was Dead I heard them talk near the Dead Corps and say that they had seen the tract of a Serpent upon the Snow that had come out of that Woman's Mouth and while they were very serious upon this Discourse a very Superstitioâ—s Old Woman said that she had seen the Spirit that had killed the Woman pass by her I have seen a Boy of about Ten years of Age who took upon him to be a Girl and was so wedded to this fantastical humour that he demeaned himself in every respect as if he had been so dressing him as the Maidens and doing the same works as they used to do A Savage whom we had drawn to the Fort and who was the principal Man of his Village told me one day that Onontio which is the name they give to the Governor-General of Canada who at that time was the Count de Frontenac would arrive that day at the time when the Sun should be in such a place for so they express themselves which came to pass precisely according to his words This Old Fellow whom they called Ganneouse Kaera that is to say the Bearded was the only Person of all the Savages that I have seen go with a Beard For generally all the People of North America pluck up all their Hairs by the Root while 't is yet but Down and therefore it is that they have no Beards I confess I could not but speak of it when I saw the Count de Frontenac arrive This Man had not learnt the News of any Person whatsoever He only told me when I asked him how he came to know this that he had learnt it of a Jugler who took upon him to foretel things to come but as I have already said the Savages are much wedded to their Dreams in the mean time their Predictions are more the effect of Chance than any Communication they have with Spirits CHAP. XXX The Obstacles that are to be met with in the Conversion of the Savages THere are many difficulties on the part of the Savages themselves that obstruct their Conversion but in general the difficulty doth arise from the indifference they have to all things whatsoever When we talk to them of the Creation of the World and of the Mysteries of the Christian Religion they say that we Speak Reason and applaud in general all that we declare unto them concerning the grand work of our Salvation they would think themselves guilty of a great Offence if they should give the least suspiâ—ion of their unbelief of what is proposed to them but after they have approved of all those Discourses that are made unto them concerning these matters they say That we ought also on our parts to have all imaginable deference for the Relations and all the Reasonings they give us touching themselves and what refers unto them And when we give in by way of Answer That what they tell us is not true they reply That they have acquiesced with all that we have told them and that 't is want of understanding to interrupt a Man when he Speaks and to tell him what he says is false Lo what is good say they all that thou hast informed us touching those of thy Countrey is as thou hast related but it is not the same with us who are of another Nation and inhabit those Countries that are beyond the great Lake The Second obstacle in the way of the Conversion of the Savages proceeds from their great Superstition as we have already intimated The Third arises from their non-residence for while I was at Fort de Frontenac Father Luke Buisset and I had been busie for a great part of the Year to Teach several of the Children of these Savages our ordinary Prayers and also to Read them in their Iroquois Language their Parents assisted at the Service which was done in the Chappel they lifted up their Hands to Heaven fell down upon their Knees beat their Breasts and continued in our presence with much Respect seeming also to be Affected with our Ceremonies but this they only did beacause they believed they pleased us and had a design thereby to draw some European present from us But and if it happen so that they have a just design therein they quickly renounce it because they stay no longer in their Villages than while they Sow or Gather their Indian Corn which lasts but for a short time for they spend the rest of the Year in War and Hunting carrying their Families along with them and are absent Eight or Nine Months so that their Children who have begun to learn any thing forget all that has been taught them and quickly return to their Superstitions and ordinary way of Living again besides their Juglers and old Savages who are Superstitiously addicted to their Interests do all they can to malign our proceedings and induce their People to hate us for fear least they should give credit to those things that we endeavour to
Teach them The Merchants who usually Traffick with the Savages out of a design to be Gainers thereby are oftentimes the cause of the small progress that is made in the Conversion of these People It 's long since that St. Augustine Speaking of them has Said Continua est in illis meditatio doli tritura mendacii They have no other intentions than to lye and deceive that they may grow quickly Rich and put off their Goods to good advantage there is no stratagem they will not make use of to get the Furrs from the Savages at a Cheap Rate they are stock'd with Frauds and Lyes to put off their effects with and to gain double by them if they can and this no doubt is a great means to alienate the Minds of the Savages from a Religion which they see accompanied with so many Cheats and Artifices in those who make a profession of it It may be also said that there are some Missionaries who are partly the â—ause of the small progress which the Preaching of the Gospel has ordinarily made amongst thâ—se Barbarians It 's very difficult to learn their Languages because they differ very much one from another and no affinity between them there is therefore much time required for the insinuating our Mysteries into them and without the holy Spirit do operate in an extraordinary manner for their Conversion there is but little fruit to be expected from all the Missions made among the Savages Besides the different methods that are made use of to instruct them contributes very much towards retarding tâ—eir Conversion some beginning with the sensitive part whilst others think it more proper to fall first upon that which is Spiritual there are diversities of Beliefs among Christians every one abounding in his own Sence and Believing that his Faith is the purest and his method the most effectual to the end therefore things may succeed well among these People it 's necessary there be an uniformity in their belief and manner of Teaching them as there is but one Truth and one Redeemer hence it comes also that these People seeing so much difference in the Faith of Christians and in their method of Teaching they know not which to take to and this without doubt is a means to retain them in their Ignorance and ordinary Blindness I make a great deal of difference between the Zeal and indefatigable labours of the Missionaries and the pretended success they are believed to have and of which they make so much boast in the World It 's not doubted but those who have entirely disengaged themselves from the love of all Temporal things and been Missionaries among the Natives of South America have made very great progresses in those Countries there are Forty or Fifty Provinces of our Order where Publick Service is performed where they have full Freedom to Preach the Gospel after having first routed out the Idolatry and abominable Superstitions which in times past reigned amongst them But it must be confess'd that those who have laboured in this work in North America have not made the same progress their method has been to endeavour first to Civilize those Barbarous People render them susceptible of some Government and to put a restraint as much as they could upon their Brutal Extravagances and then they laboured to Disabuse them of their old Superstitions and this is the way they have gone to prepare the way of Lord in the mean time it must be owned that they have made but very little progress therein These Barbarous Nations I know not by what fatality of Interest are still almost as much Savages as ever and so wedded to their old Maxims Prophane Usages Gormandizing Pride Revilings Cruelty and other abominable Vices that you are to seek to this day for any sentiments of Humanity amongst them and especially amongst the Iroquois where I have Lived a long time They are still the same People they were Forty Years ago and upwards and yet how many Books have been Published that Treat of the great Conversions they have made say they among the Iroquois and Hurons And they would assure us at the same time that those Barbarians had built as many Churches and Chapels as they had ruined before and say that the untameable Philistines had made a very great Progress in the Faith In the mean time Experience makes it appear to this very day that these People are the same as they were at all times being of a fierce and cruel Nature and above all Enemies to the good rules of Christianity I will not pretend to say in this place that the Missionaries have not faithfully discharged their Ministerial Function but I would rather believe there has been nothing wanting for the Instruction of the Savages either from the Zeal or Assiduity with which they have laboured amongst them But after all the Seed of the Word is fallen upon a Barren and Ungrateful Land upon the High-way or among the Thorns and if these People reject the Light and Salvation tendred to them it 's at least evident that they are hereby rendred inexcusable and God is justified in the Condemnation of these Barbarians However it be 't is yet much that they do Baptize Infants and some adult Persons before their Departure who Desire it but as for those who are in Health the number of Converts among them is very inconsiderable and that of those who persevere in the Christian Religion still much less especially if regard be had to the Travels of a great number of Labourers who have been imploy'd upon Missions thither these Three or Four-Score Years but after all the Cares and entire Sacrifice of a Missionarie's Life would have met with an happy recompence if they had had the Glory to Convert and save one single Soul The principal function of the Missionaries consists in Administring the Sacraments to such Persons as travel into those Parts on purpose to Trade with the Savages and indeed it may be truly affirm'd that as soon as the Traffick for Furs and Beaver-Skins begins to cease among them the Europeans retire from thence and are no longer to be found in the Country This Reflection was made by those Barbarians one day in the presence of Monsiâ—ur de Frontenac even in a full Council held at the three Rivers in Canada with respect to certain Missionaries who were not of our Order of St. Francis During the whole time thaâ— we had any store of Beaver-Skins and other Furrs said a Savage Câ—â—tain the Person who was wont to pray with us was constant in his attendance instructing our Children and teaching 'em to say their Prayers and Catechism he was our inseparable Companion and did us the honour sometimes to assist at our Festivals But when our Merchandizes were once Exhausâ—ed those Missionaries thought sit to leave us imagining that their presence was altogether unprofitable It may be also averr'd for a certain truth that the most part of the Missions that were
establish'd forty Years ago have been discontinu'd and are no longer kept on foot particularly those of the great Bay of St. Lawrence River of Ristigouche of Nipisiguit of Miskou of Cape Breton of Port-Royal of Wolf-River of Magdelane Cape of the three Rivers and many â—thers which were founded among the Hurons at the head of that River For the Missionaries who were wont to reside in those Parts have made no difficulty to leave 'em and even to abandon Tadoussac with a design to settle at Chigoutimi If my Life and Health through the Divine mercy be any longer preserv'd I shall give a very particular account in a third Tome of some other more considerable Obstacles that hinder the propagation of the Gospel among the American Savages and I shall only take the liberty to add here that whoever are desirous to enter upon the functions of this painful Ministry ought of necessity to lay aside all manner of regard to Worldly Riches and to be content with a moderate subsistence according to the Apostolical Injunction This without doubt wou'd prove an effectual means to convert the Savages and to oblige 'em to embrace the Christian Religion but perhaps I may have occasion elsewhere to speak more largely to this Subject CHAP. XXXI Of the Barbarous Customs and rude Deportment of the Savages THE Savages have very little regard to the Rules of Civility in use among the Europeans nay they even fall a laughing when they see our People employ'd in paying mutual respects one to another Upon their arrival at a place they scarce ever trouble themselves with saluting the Company there present but sit squat on the Tail without giving any manner of Salutation or so much as looking upon any one altho' a Visit were made to ' em They sometimes run into the first Hut that lies in their way without speaking one word take place where they can and afterward light their Pipe or Reed Thus they Smoke in profound silence and then depart after the same manner When they enter our Houses built and furnish'd after the European fashion they get possession of the principal Post but if a Chair be set on the middle of the Hearth they immediately seize upon it and never rise up to give place to any Man whatsoever altho' he were even a Prince of King For they take as much State upon themselves as can be done by Persons of the highest Rank and Quality In the Northern Countries the Savage Men and Women take care only to cover their privy Parts all the rest of their Body being destitute of Cloaths The Southern Savages go stark Naked without any sense of shame nay they make no scruple to break Wind publickly having no regard to the presence of any Person whatever They treat their Elders very rudely when they do not sit in Council and the common Discourse both of the Men and Women is incessantly full of Ribaldry and Obscene Expressions As for the kindly Correspondence between them they generally endeavour to conceal it nevertheless they sometimes take so little precaution in that Affair that they are often surpriz'd Besides the Savages observe none of the Rules of that natural Modesty and civil Deportment which are in use among us between Persons of both Sexes neither are they accustom'd to any of those Caresses or regular Methods of Courtship which are usually perform'd by the Civiliz'd People of Europe but every thing is there Transacted in a gross manner and with a great deal of Brutishness They never wash their Wooden or Bark Dishes nor their Porrengers and Spoons nay the Savage Women after having turn'd their young Children dry with their Fingers wipe 'em very lightly with a peice of Rind and then immediately fall about handling their Victuals Indeed this Nastiness was often very offensive to me and even hinder'd me from eating with those People in the Hut where they had made me an invitation neither do they scarce at any time wash their Hands or Face The Children shew very little respect to their Parents nay they often are so audacious as to beat them without receiving due Correction for such Misdemeanours by reason that according to their Maxim Blows wou'd serve only to balk their Courage and to render 'em uncapable of being good Soldiers They sometimes eat snorting and blowing like Brute Beasts and as soon as the Men have enter'd a Hut they fall to Smoaking Tobacco If a cover'd Pot happen to lie in their way thâ—y make no scruple to uncover it to see what may be contain'd therein They eat in a Dish that the Dogs have lick'd without washing or scouring it and when they light on Fat Meat they only rub their Faces and haste with their Hands to cleanse them not forbearing to Belch incessantly Those Savages who have found means to Trunk for Shirts with the Europeans never take care to wash 'em but generally let 'em Rot upon their Backs They seldom pare their Nails and scarce ever wash their Meat before they dress it Their Huts in the North Countries are for the most part very Nasty I was also much surpriz'd one day to see an Old decrepit Woman who was employ'd in biting a Child's Hair and devouring the Lice that were in it The Women are not asham'd to make Water before any Company yet they chuse to go a Mile or two into the Woods to ease their Bodies rather than to expose themselves to the publick view when the Children have foul'd their Cloaths they usually throw off the Urine with their Hands These people are also often seen eating as they lie upon the ground like Dogs In a word these People are unwilling to put themselves to the least trouble upon any account whatever and act on all occasions after a very brutish manner However Notwithstanding all this strange Barbarousness many things are Transacted by 'em with a great deal of Discretion and Agreeableness When any one happens to come into their Huts whilst they are Eating they usally set before him their Dishes full of Meat and they take it as a very great Favour when every thing is eaten up that was presented nay they wou'd chuse rather to be destitute of Provisions two days than to let you depart without offering to you every thing they have with much sincerity so that if the Messâ—s happen to be already distributed upon the arrival of any Person the good Woman whose right it is to make this distribution finds means to order matters after such a manner that there may be somewhat to be given to those who come unlooked for Some of these Savages presented to us the finest Mats and set us in the best place of the Hut when we came to make 'em a Visit and those who have often convers'd with the Europeans are wont to salute us when we meet them It is also customary among the same People when they have receiv'd a Present to send back part thereof to those who made it Although
peasure Therefore 't is absolutely necessary that endeavours be first us'd for the Civilizing of all these Nations before they be sollicited to embrace the Christian Religion For as long as they remain free from the yoke all attempts made for their Conversion will be attended with very little success at least if the Divine Grace do not interpose in an extraordinary manner by working some miracle in Favour of those People These are my Sentiments as to this Affair grounded on the experience that I have had as well as many other Franciscan Friars that accompany'd me in America But I may give a more particular account of these matters in a Third Tome and shall only inculcate thus much here that what I have freely declar'd was not with a Design to give Offence to any Person whatever but only to write the truth without Partiality or Dissimulation CHAP. XXXIII Of the pleasantness and frutfulness of the Country of the Savages That powerful Colonies may be easily settl'd in the Northern and Southern Parts BEfore we enter upon a particular Description of those pleasant Countries which are situated to the North and South of Northern America it will be expedient to speak a word or two concerning the Northern Territories to the end that it may appear from thence that powerful Colonies might be easily Establish'd therein it must be acknowledg'd indeed that there are Vast Forests to be clear'd from Canada to the Land of Louisiana along the Banks of the River Meschasipi so that much time must of necessity be spent in performing this Enterprize But every one knows that all new settlements are accompany'd with great Difficulties nevertheless a considerable Progress soon follows a good Beginning and the whole work after much pains may be at last happily brought to perfection Very great advantages have been formerly reap'd and no small profits as yet arise even at this day from the catching of Fish part of which was usually dry'd and became a Staple Commodity in the hot Countries insomuch that this Fishery-Trade was carry'd on in the preceeding Age with above a Thousand or 1200 Vessels The great shelf of Terra nova the neighbouring shores the adjacent Ilands Cape Breton the perforated Island and Acadia are the most convenient places in the World for Fishing but I do not here speak of the Northern Fishery which is claim'd by the French by vertue of their being the first Possessours in those Parts And indeed these Fish-Marts were inexhaustible Mines for the Kingdom which cou'd not have been taken from it if they had been supported by good Colonies Thus a great number of Vessels might pass from thence every Year to Fish for Porpesses Whales and Sea-Wolves out of which may be taken many Barrels of Oyl proper to be us'd in domestick Manufactures and even some part of it may be Transported into foreign Countries It is well known that the Fishery-Trade alone which is manag'd on the Coasts of Canada gave occasion to the first considerable Settlements that were made in those parts of America It is true indeed that they had as yet no opportunity to search the Country in ordeâ— to observe whether there were any Mines yet many Veins of Tin Lead Copper and Iron were found in several places and without doubt much more may be discover'd hereafter if due Application were made to that purpose Besides the Country affords good store of Wood necessary for the carrying on of the Mine-Works by reason of the spacious Forests in which are many plaâ—es where there are Quarries of a kind of Bastard-Marble and large Mines of Pit-Coal proper for Smith's Forges There is also a certain sort of Plaister which very much resembles Alabaster By how much farther a Man advances into this Countrey so much the greater number of fine Forests and Woods will appear to his view abounding with divers sorts of Gummous Trees which are of singular use for the making of Tar and Masts for Vessels besides good store of Pine-Trees Firr-Trees Cedars and Maples fit for all sorts of Mechanical Works more especially for the Building of Ships As for Naval-Tackle which may be made there the Sea-Men may be constantly employ'd and easily find means to maintaine their Families They might also inure themselves more to the Sea by Traffick and the Westeâ—n Navigation because many more Voyages are made thither than to the Levant and in regard also that the Vessels are there more numerous In the beginning of the Settlement which was made of a Colony in Canada their Profiâ— amounted Yearly to a Hundred Thousand Crowns without comprehending the Gain of Private Persons In 1687. this Summ was Tripled and above by the means of the Skins with which the Vessels were Laden at their return and although they are sought for a great deal farther than at first nevertheless their considerable Commerce will never cease as we have observed by the great discoveries which we made in those parts It is certain that there are no Nations in Europe that have so great an inclination to the settling of Colonies as the English and Hollanders the Natural Disposition of that People not suffering them to remain Idle in their Houses Thus the vast Countries of America of which I have given the Description may hereafter constitute the chief Mart of their Traffick and Private Persons who undertake it without engaging their Countrey will not fail of their wish'd for Success They may easily contract Alliances with the Savages and find means to Civilize 'em The Colonies which they establish there will be soon Peopled and may be Fortify'd in those places with a moderate Expence Indeed they must be at first content with a light Gain but afterwards they will get great Profits by the means of a considerable Commerce maintain'd by 'em in that Country In England and Holland there is a very great quantity of Manufactures of all sorts which cannot be vended nor consum'd in the Wars upon which account Commerce may be yet augmented and render'd much more advantageous by transporting these Commodities into America where a prodigious utterance of 'em may be made incessantly Thus we may come to a clearer understanding than we have hitherto done of the wonders of Divine Providence which has not thought fit that all the Countries of the World shou'd be equally furnish'd with all sorts of Provisions to the end that mutual Society Communications and Traffick might be maintained among the different Nations of the Universe as also that the Evangelical Truth might by that means be promulgated throughout the whole Globe of the Earth and that the several Naâ—ions which are spread abroad on all sides might be partakers of Salvation and of the benefits acquir'd for us by our Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed it seems to be somewhat great and glorious to gain Battels and to subdue Rebellious Subjects but for certain 't is infinitely more Glorious to gain Souls by freeing them from their profound Ignorance and natural Blindness And indeed I
to be kindled in their Councils Thus it is the same thing with them to make a Council-Fire or to appoint a place to visit one another as to call an Assembly as is usually done by the Relations and Friends whenever they are desirous to Treat about their Affairs Lastly the eighth Present was to demand a Union of their Nation with the Canadians and they added a large Collar of Porcelain with Ten Gowns of Beaver and Elk-Skins to confirm the whole Treaty Whatever inclination the Inhabitants of Quebec might have to punish the Assassines for preventing the like Outrages for the future yet they were oblig'd to pardon 'em in regard that they were not in a condition to make Head against such potent Enemies Therefore two Hostages were demanded of them to serve as a security for the performance of all their Engagements Whereupon the Iroquois delivered to Father Ioseph two young Lads of their Nation nam'd Nigamon and Tebachi to be instructed by him Afterward the Criminals were sent back upon Condition nevertheless that at the arrival of the Ships which were expected from Europe this Affair shou'd be finally determin'd I remember that during my abode in Canada I often heard the French murmur against those Proceedings and even declare that they had made it appear how heinously they resented that Action which remain'd unpunish'd Afterward the Iroquois committed many other Outrages of the like nature saying That in so plucking off the Hair of the French they had found means to be quit with them for certain Skins of Wild Beasts instead of those of the Canadians whom they would Flea and that if the People of their Nation wou'd not suffer the like Insults without revenging them all the Iroquois wou'd be destroyed one after another Indeed these Barbarians have grown more insolent ever since and despise the Canadians as a People destitute of Courage Nay notwithstanding the Overtures the Iroquois have seemingly made of Treating with them yet they have done nothing but play'd the Politicians to the end that they might get a greater quantity of the European Merchandizes into their possession than that which they procure in exchange for their Skins We may observe even at this day that the War which the Iroquois actually maintain against the French in Canada is a sufficient proof of the cruelty and continual enmity of those People Therefore the Europeans ought to take away their Fire-Arms in order to reduce 'em to Obedience as also to force 'em to be more peaceable than they are and live after the manner of the Inhabitants of Europe which wou'd be a proper means to Convert 'em to the Christian Religion The Spaniards have effectually taken this course among the Mexicans who dare not keep any Fire-Arms even at this very day under pain of Death yet those People are never the worse treated nay the Mexicans are as good Roman-Catholicks as any in the World and live under the most gentle Yokâ— of any in the Universe Our first Recollects or Franciscans in the first Colony of Canada soon perceiv'd the necessity there was of frustrating the Counsels of the Iroquois who are the most formidable Enemies of the Europeans They judge that all the Negotiations relating to Peace which those Savages set on foot with their Enemies are Counterfeit and feigned only to conceal the Infractions which they made in former Treaties Therefore the Monks often represented to the King of France that to draw off those Barbarians and to hinder 'em from taking in their Councils any measures which may be prejudicial to the Colony of Canada it was requisite to found a Seminary of fifty or sixty Iroquois Children only for seven or eight Years whicâ— Term being expir'd they might be maintain'd by the Profits of certain Lands which were cultivated during that time As also that these Children wou'd daily offer themselves to the said Monks with the consent of their Parents to be instructed and brought up in the Christian Religion Lastly that the Iroquois and other Savages seeing their Children Educated and Maintain'd after this manner wou'd not propose any Projects in their Counsels for the forming of Enterprizes against the Colony as long as the said Children were as it were so many Hostages for their Father's Fidelity CHAP. XXXV Proper means for the Establishing of good Colonies The Opinions of the Savages concerning Heaven and Earth FOrasmuch as the Franciscan Monks do not possess any thing by right of Propriety not being capable by vertue of the Rules of their Order either to sell alienate or even to enjoy Revenues it may be justly affirm'd that there is no religious Order more proper than their's for the maintaining of Colonies which are settl'd on behalf of the Roman-Catholicks in America The verity of this Assertion appears from those whom the Empâ—râ—ur Charles V. sent to New Mexico where there are â—ven at this day a great number of powerful Families that have reap'd great â—dvantage from the moderate and regular Proceedings of our Monks The best Lands have not been there swallow'd up as in Canada where we see â—hat the Wheat and most Fertile places are now unâ—er the Jurisdiction of certain Commonalties who found means to get possession of them during the absence of the Recollects or Franciscan Friars who nevertheless were the first and most ancient Missionaries of Canada The People of New France having made great Sollicitations to cause us to come back thither after a long forc'd absence our Recollects perceiv'd at their return that an alienation was made of the best Lands of our Settlement belonging to the Convent of Our Lady of Angels where I my self have often renew'd and marâ—t out the Bounds that were left us in order to prevent the designs of those who were desirous absolutely to deprive us of what still remain'd in our possession I have no intention here to Censure or to give Oâ—fence to any Man but if some are displeas'd because I have here Publish'd my Great Discoveries they ought at least not to disturb my Tranquility upon that account Indeed I cou'd publickly declare many things which wou'd not be acceptable to a great number of Persons and yet at the same time speak nothing but the Truth I shall not insiâ—t on the great advantages that arise from the Missions of the Fransciscan Friars into the sour Quarters of the World but a particular enumeration of them wou'd fill up a very large Volume therefore I shall only give some account here of the pains our Monks have taken in the present Age in carrying on the Discoveries we have lately made in America When the French Colony was first settl'd in Canada our Recollects only demanded of the States Twelve Men capable to Cultivate the Lands and to manage a Farm These were to be under the Command of a Master of the Family who ought to be a Lay-Man for the maintenance of Fifty or Sixty Savage Children whilst the Monks were employ'd in Travelling into all Parts to
carry on the Missions and to Convert other Nations to the Christian Religion Indeed these Monks do actually expose their Lives and are inur'd to all manner of Fatigues on purpose to propagate the Gospel throughout all the Regions of the World A Remonstrance was formerly made by our Monks that it was requisite that the Christian Religion and the authority of publick Justice shou'd be maintain'd by a good Garrison settl'd in some convenient place of Northern America which might keep in Subjection the Country for the space of above Eight Hundred Leagues along the Banks of St. Lawrence River There is no place convenient for Landing but at the mouth of the said River so that the chief Mart being once settl'd their Commerce might by that means be very much promoted and even render'd extremely Advantagious which might also be improv'd by the power of the Prince who might make himself Master of it and might enlarge his Dominions with the extent of a large River To these may be annex'd many spacious Countries which might be possess'd in this vast Continent on the Banks of the great River Meschasipi which is infinitely more convenient than that of St. Lawrence for the Establishing of New Colonies by reason that all sorts of Grain may be there reap'd twice a Year and even in some places thrice not to mention a very many other Advantages to which it may be added that a great number of People who wou'd come to visit these New Colonies might by that means be render'd Tributary Indeed I shall be always ready to contribute as far as it lies in my power toward the promoting of so noble an Enterprize and even to spend the remainder of my Life in that Service But in order to bring the Matter to a happy conclusion it wou'd be requisite First That the Princes or States who design to reap the benefit of our Discoveries shou'd cause Justice to be administer'd in those New Dominions with a great deal of exactness The beginnings of Colonies are always carry'd on with much difficulty which makes it necessary to prevent Robberies Murders Debauches Blasphemies and all other Crimes that are but too common among the Europeans who inhabit America Secondly It wou'd be expedient to cause a Fort to be built at the Mouth of St. Lawrence's River and more especially on that of Meschasipi which are the Landing places for the Vessels and to maintain a sufficient number of Men for the Defence of these Forts In the mean while the Inhabitants might go out in Parties and employ themselves in clearing the Lands Twenty or Twenty Five Leagues round about There they might get in three Crops every Year and yet spend some time in taming Wild Oxen which may be afterward serviceable on many occasions Besides other Profits that might arise from the above-mention'd Mines and the Sugar-Canes which are found there in much greater quantities than in the American Islands the reason is because there are more spacious Tracts of Land proper for the Planting of these Sugar-Canes on which may be sown divers sorts of Grain these will not thrive nor come to maturity in those Islands The Climate of the Territories situated between the frozen Seas and the Gulph of Mexico is much more temperate along the River Meschasipi than in the said Islands the Air being very near of the same Temperature as in Spain Italy and Provence and the Soil is extremely fruitful The Men and Women always go there with their Heads uncover'd and are of a more advantageous size than the Europeans As for the Sentiments of these Barbarous People concerning the Heaven and Earth if it be demanded who was the Creator of them There are some Old Men among them of a more quick apprehension who make Answer That for the Heaven they know not how it was made nor by whom first created Indeed if we had ever been there say they we might have come to some knowledge of it But thou seemest it to be void of discretion continue they to ask what we think of a place so far advanc'd above our Heads where 't is impossible for Men to ascend How woulds't thou have us speak of a thing that no Man has ever seen It plainly appears that thou art destitute of Vnderstanding to propose to us such sort of Questions But say they can'st thou by Scripture of which thou talkest so much shew us a Man who has come down from the top and the manner how he ascended When we reply'd That our Souls being separated from our Bodies are endu'd with admirable Agility and that they fly up to Heaven in the twinkling of an Eye to receive the Recâ—mpence of their Works from the great Creator of the World These Savages who shew a great deal of indifference to every thing that is told 'em and are very subtil in making a shew of admitting whatever is propos'd to 'em being urg'd usually answer to this effect That is very well for those of your Country but we Americans do not go to Heaven after death We only pass to the Countâ—y of Souls where our People are employ'd in Hunting fat Beasts and where they live more peaceably than we do in the places where we now have our abode All that thou hast told us tends to the advantage of those Men whose Habitation is beyond the great lake For so these Wretches call the Sea Then proceeding in their Discourse they add that as for their parts they are created after a different manner from the Europeans Hence it appears that he who Plants and he who Waters does little or nothing towards the Conversion of the People and that 't is God who gives the increase Therefore from him alone is to be expected that happy moment when these ignorant People will be ready to embrace the Christian Faith As for their Opinion concerning the Earth they make use of the Name of a certain Genius whom they call Micâ—boche who has cover'd the whole Earth with Water as they imagine and relate innumerable fabulous Tales some of which have a kind of Analogy with the Universal Deluge These Barbarians believe that there are certain Spirits in the Air between Heaven and Earth who have a power to foretell future Events and others who play the part of Physicians curing all sorts of Distempers Upon which account it happens that these Savages are very Superstitious and consult their Oracles with a great deal of exactness One of these Masters-Jugglers who pass for Sorcerers among them one day caus'd a Hut to be erected with ten thick Stakes which he fix'd very deep in the Ground and then made a horrible noise to Consult the Spirits to know whether abundance of Snow wou'd fall ere long that they might have good game in the Hunting of Elks and Beavers Afterward he bawl'd out aloud from the bottom of the Hut that he saw many Herds of Elks which were as yet at a very great distance but that they drew near within seven
being instructed in our Mysteries being attentive and very constant at Prayer althô their Mind was not as yet sufficiently enlighten'd to embrace in a due manner The Truths of the Christian Religion and none came to â—eek instruction any otherwise than induc'd thereto by Interest to obtain of us Knives Awls and other Toys of the like nature Perhaps it may not be improper here to subjoyn certain Reflections for which I am indebted to an excellent Monk of our Order whose name I may have occasion to produce in a Third Volume if I shall be permitted through the Divine Mercy to accomplish my Design There is undoubtedly a great deal of difference between the Zeal Labour and indefatigable Industry â—f true Missionaries and the pretended Success of some Impostors that have been so often boasted of without any appearance of Truth The least piece of Justice that can be done to the Memory of divers Apostolical Persons in New France is to acknowledge that they have really surpass'd every thing that can be express'd concerning them and that they have at least come very near if not altogether equall'd the Enterprizes Courage and Sufferings of the Apostle St. Paul who was expos'd to very great dangers to hunger and thirst and to violent Persecutions nay their silence has been great and commendable amidst the clamours and malicious slanders of their Enemies But the Conduct of these Missionaries justifies it self and set 'em above the like Reproaches as well with respect to Canada as every where else I formerly us'd my utmost Efforts in that place as well as other Missionaries among the Iroquois to Civilize those Barbarians to render 'em capable of admitting Laws and Civil Government and to put a stop to their Brutish Outrages as far as it was possible I have endeavour'd to bring 'em off from their vain Superstitions and thus in some measure have prepar'd the ways of the Lord according to my ability However it must be confess'd that very little progress has been made in this Reformation since these People are as Savage as ever always equally adhering to their ancient Maxims and profane Customs as being extremely addicted to Gluttony Drunkenness Pride and Cruelty and even uncapable either of Instruction or Obedience Altho' a Man shou'd seek for a reformation of Manners or even some marks of Humanity among the Iroquois as long as he shou'd think fit nevertheless they wou'd be always found to be such as they were Thirty or Forty Years ago Since the French of Canada have concluded a Treaty of Peace with them and the Jesuits resided among 'em in quality of Missionaries altho ' they have built as many Churches and Chappels as were destroy'd by 'em before yet these Iroquois who may be very justly call'd the Invincible Philistines have made no very great progress in the knowledge of the Christian Faith To speak the truth we as yet see the contrary even at this day These Barbarians arâ— now carrying on a Cruel War with the French who remain in those Countries altho' I confess indeed 't is difficult for me to comprehend that Christians shou'd be engag'd in a War against a Brutish sort of People whom I have manag'd with all the Circumspections of which I was capable during Six or Seven Years that I resided among them either by the Embassies with which I was charg'd or by the Insâ—ructions I had given 'em as to Reading Writing and even Religion it self However we have constantly endeavour'd to keep this Warlike Nation in Peace as far as it lay in our power The Iroquois who always treat our Monks with the Title of Chitagon that is to say the Bare-feet have often lamented their absence at the Lake Ontario or of Frontenac where they had a Missionary Mansion-House I have frequently heard say that when a Priest of St. Sulpitius a Jesuit or some other Clergy-man of Canada demanded of the Iroquois How it came to pass that they gave them no share of their Game or Provisions got by Hunting as they had done to the Bare-feet These Savages reply'd that our Recollects were accustom'd to live in Common after their fashion and that they had no recompence for all the Presents they made them and that they did not take any Skins of which all the other Europeans are so greedy nor any other thing by way of Retaliation for what they had done for them This shews that it wou'd be requisite to begin with Temporal things in treating with those People and afterward to proceed to Spiritual For if as it happen'd in the Primitive Church the present Christians were only one Heart and one Soul if they were willing to act generousâ—y without regard to their private Interest or Advantage or at least if they only took in Exchange of the Savages a reasonable Equivalent with respect to what they had given them without doubt more might be gain'd of them and the Conversion of these Barbarous Nations might be easily effected It is true indeed that during my Residence in Quality of a Missionary at the Fort of Frontenac among the Iroquois whilst the Jesuits were dispers'd up and down in their Cantons those Religious Persons were engag'd in Employments very different from mine For in regard that these Barbarians acted only according to the direction of their Senses they then look'd upon the Missionary Jesuits as so many Captains or Men of great Quality that is to say as the Envoy and perpetual Residents of the French Colony at Canada whose Office it is to maintain a good Correspondence between them to dispose of Peace and War and to Reside in their Cantons to serve as a Pledge or security for those People when they went to Treat with the Inhabitants of Canada Otherwise those Barbarians wou'd have lain under perpetual diffidence and fear of being arrested for want of having Hostages in their own Countrey for the safety of their Lives and Fortunes It has been already observ'd that the above-mention'd Missionaries are wont to take upon them the Tuition of the Savage Children and discharge that Office to very good purpose By those means they draw in the Barbarians to their place of Residence and employ them in clearing the Lands of their Cantons which contributes much to the Advantage of the Colony and even of the Church it self Thus it happens that to their Reputation and Zeal are owing many considerable foundations for the Foreign Missions which have been obtain'd of divers Potent and well disposed Persons whose liberal Contributions as well as the Endowments and Annual Gratuities given by the King are apply'd to the same use To conclude these Missionary Mansions are the proper Places for the forming of true Saints by the means of an indefatigable Zeal a fervent Charity accompanied with Patience and Humility by a great dis-engagement from self-interest by an extraordinary Gentleness and by a pure and liâ—ely Faith Indeed this is a kind of Apostolical Discipline very different from that which is commonly
the Recollects were now lodged in one of their own which they had built These Fathers made their last Effort to succour and relieve the French In the beginning of the Spring Mounsieur Champelin having experimented the great necessities which we Laboured under during the Winter which had been very Severe this Year in Canada insomuch that the Snow lay Six or Seven Foot deep without ever melting because it seldom or never rains here in this Season desired Father Ioseph to grant him a parcâ—l of our Lands that lay on the side of the point of Hares Four Gentlemen of the Country had given him some other grounds all which he ordered to be tilled in hast and sown with Pease Indian and bearded wheat at the beginning and in the middle of the month of May. They are forced to Sow it then because the wheat will not endure the Winter there as in Europe because of the great Snows and extremity of cold Moreover the Governour sent out some towards Gaspiâ— which is between the Pierced Island and Boston which last belongs to the English to see if they could meet any Frenâ—h Vessels there but upon the return of the great Shallop which he sent we had the mortification to understand there was none there However we were informed that the Gasperian Savages had profered to feed twenty entire Families and the Algonquins and Mountaneers had promis'd us yet greater relief A Bark was likewise equipped for France of which the Sieur du Boulle Brother-in-law to the Governor accepted the Command and took the Sieur des Dames Commissary to the Company for his Lieutenant Being near Gaspeé in the Bay of St. Lawrence they happily met a French Ship Commanded by the Sieur Emeric de Caen who brought them Succours He told them the King was sending the Sieur de Rasilly to Fight the English and Protect the Countrey The Bark was Laden out of the other Vessel and the Sieur du Boulle returning with it towards Quebec fell in with an English Vessel that took him Prisoner and all his Crew In the mean time the Hurons Arrived at Quebec with twenty Canou's where they Trafficked their Indian Wheat Monsieur de Champelin gave part of it amongst the Jesuits who had taken upon them to support such a number of People and we Recollects having also receiv'd supplies subsisted our selves and others till the arrival of the English who were not long before they came The English Fleet surprized the French in Canada The First time they appear'd was on the 19 th of Iuly in the Morning 16â—9 over against the great Bay of Quebec at the Point of the Isle of Orleans The Fleet consisted of Three Men of War and Six other Vessels which stopt a little at Tadoussac but were a following them Father Valentine le Roux assures us that there was not Powder for the discharge of above 8 or 900 small Arms and some few Cartridges for Canon Admiral Kirk upon his approach sent an English Gentleman to the Sieur Champelin to Summon the Place â—nd deliver him a Letter which was conceived in terms â—ull of Civility The miserable State of the Countrey which had neither Ammunition nor Provisions having received no supplies for two Years together obliged the Governor to return a softer Answer than thâ— last Year Whereupon he deputed Father Ioseph le Caron Superiour of the Recollects to go aboard the Admiral and Treat about the Surrender of the Place upon the most advantageous Terms that he could get but above all if possible to gain some Time The Father according to his Instructions demanded Fifteen days But the English General who from the Prisoners taken Aboard the Bark had learnt the condition of the place would admit of no delay He then fell to five upon which a Council was held on Board thâ— English Fleet but could obtain no other Answer save that they could allow them no longer but till the Evening This the General order'd him to carry to the Governor and acquaint him withal that he had only to prepare his Articles that they might be punctually executed on both sides Moreover he very Civilly advis'd Father Ioseph to retire with his Religious into the ordinary Convent giving him to hope that no harm should be done them happen what would Two French Prisoners one whose Name was Bailli formerly Commissary to the Company the other Peter le Roy a Cart-Wright by his Trade had done the Jesuits several ill Offices with onâ— of the English Captains whom they had perswaded that their Cloyster would afford good Booty Nay the Captain himself told Father Ioseph something in a Passion that had the Wind presented he would have begun with them Father Ioseph failed not to acquaint them with the design of the English that they might provide for their safety in the approaching Treaty Father Ioseph having received his Answer was led by the Captain through the whole Ship who showed him his Preparatâ—ons and his Men under Arms. After which they set him ashore to go and make his report to Monsieur Champelin at Quebec Upon the delivery of his Message a Council was held where they were mightily divided in tâ—eir Opinions what was best to be done Two French Men who accompanied Father Ioseph had observed that there were not abâ—ve two or three hundred Men of regular Troops aboard and some others that did not much seem to have the Air of Soldiers Besides that the Courage of the Inhabitants was much to be relied on for which reasons they as also the Jesuits and those of our Order had a great mind to run the risk of a Siege But the Experience which the Sieur Champelin had of the bravery of the English who sooner than quit it would perish in the Attempt remonstrated to the Council that 't was better to surrender on good terms than to be all cut in pieces by an unseasonable defence Upon this Articles were prepared and Father Ioseph intrusted with a Commission to carry them a Board the English Admiral where all things being regulated time was granted for the signing them till the morrow In the mean time the Savages who were Friends to our Religious but especially one Chaumin were very earnest with Father Ioseph and our Recollects to let two or three of the Order retire with them into the Woods and from thence into their Country Though this Chaumin was not as yet very well settled in the Christian Religion yet had he a passionate Affection for our Religious because they Live in common like the Savages A Debate arose upon this Proposal on one hand it was consider'd that the English would not continue long in Possession of the Country but that the French King would sooner or later recover it again by Treaty or otherwise that in the mean time they should advance the publick good among the Savages who of their own accord had offer'd to entertain our Missionary and that in short the Country returning under the Government of
as I continu'd there I met with one of the said Ambassadors since that time in their own Country who told me such horrid things that I cannot entirely believe them and I rather suspect the Miamis to be Contrivers thereof However Father Allouez had no sooner intelligence that I was arriv'd at the Village of the Illinois that they sent one Monso one of their Chiefs with four large Kettles twelve Axes and twenty Knives to persuade the Illinois that I was Brother of the Iroquois that my Breath smell'd like theirs that I eat Serpents that I was sent to betray them and attack them one way while the Iroquois should attack them by another that I was hated by all the Black-Gowns who forsook me because I design'd to destroy the Miamis having taken two of them Prisoners and lastly that I understood Physick enough to poison all the World Their Suggestions were so ridiculous and so false that I had no great difficulty to convince the Illinois of the Malice of my Enemies and Monso was in great danger of losing his Life for his pains They told him he had an Iroquois Serpent under his Tongue meaning his Baseness and Malice that his Comrades who had been Ambassadors into their Country had brought that Venom and had breathed in the Malice of the Iroquois in smoaking in their Calumet I was oblig'd to interceed for him for else they would have murthered him 'T is certain that their Design is to engage Count Frontenac into a War with the Iroquois and having try'd in vain several Ways to succeed they think there is no better than to perswade the Nation of the Miamis who are our Confederates to settle themselves near the Illinois and make an Alliance with them insomuch that the Iroquois cannot attack one Nation without breaking with the other and thereby oblige your Lordship either to forsake our Allies or declare Wars against the Iroquois This is not a rash and groundless Judgment for these Miamis with whom Father Allouez lives have kill'd several Iroquois this Winter and having cut the Fingers to another they sent him back to tell their Nation that the Miamis are join'd with the Illinois against them Perhaps that Perfidiousness obliges Father Allouez to quit them next Spring as I understand he designs to do However I am confident to stop the Progress of this Cabal if your Lordship comes this Year to weep for the Death of the Onontake who have been kill'd for the Illinois have promis'd me to release some Slaves and forbear their Excursions against the Iroquois who having been inform'd of my Good Offices have express'd a great Gratitude thereof This Weeping is a common Ceremony among the Savages when any of their Warriors have been kill'd I do not wonder that the Iroquois should talk of invading our Allies for they are every Year provok'd and I have seen at Missilinaokinak amongst the Poutouatamits and the Miamis the Heads of several Iroquois whom they have kill'd by Treachery as they were a Hunting last Spring This is come to the Knowledge of the Iroquois for our Allies have been so impudent as to boast of of it and especially the Poutouatamits who dancing the Calumet at Missilinaokinak before three Agniez or Envoys of the Iroquois boasted of their Treachery and held in their Hands several Heads of Hair of Iroquois's I cannot forbear to take notice of the Discourse I had with a Savage of the Nation of the Wolf who being convinc'd of the Truth of the Christian Religion and pressed by some Missionaries to embrace the Catholick and by some English Ministers to embrace Theirs was in great perplexity which of the two he should chuse for as he told me these Men are very unlike the Apostles the former because of their great Covetousness and the latter because of their being marry'd But having observ'd in the Recollects both Chastity and the Contempt of the Riches of the World he was Baptiz'd by them I have seen in this Country abundance of Green Parrots bigger and finer than those of our Islands A DISCOVERY OF SOME New Countries and Nations IN THE Northern-America By Father MARQUETTE ON the 13th of May 1673. I embark'd with M. Ioliet who was chosen to be our Director in this Undertaking and five other French-Men in two Canow's made of Barks of Trees with some Indian Corn and boil'd Flesh for our Subsistence We had taken care to get from the Savages all the Intelligence we could concerning the Countries through which we design'd to travel and had drawn a Map of the same according to their Relation in which we had mark'd the Rivers and the Name of the Nations we were to meet and the Rhombs of the Wind we were to make use of in our Journey The first Nation we meet with is call'd the Nation of the Wild-Oats I went into their River to visit that People to whom we have preach'd the Gospel for several Years and amongst whom there are many good Christians The Wild-Oats from which they have got their Name is a sort of Corn which grows naturally in the small Rivers the bottom whereof is owzie as also in marshy Grounds It is much like our European Oats the Stem is knotted and grows about two foot above the Surface of the Water The Corn is not bigger than ours but it is twice as long and therefore it yields much more Meal It grows above the Waters in Iune and the Savages gather it about September in this manner They go in their Canow's in those Rivers and as they go they shake the Ears of the Corn in their Canow's which easily fallâ— if it be ripe They dry it upon the Fire and when it is very dry they put it into a kind of Sack made with the Skin of Beasts and having made a Hole in the Ground they put their Sack therein and tread on it till they see the Chaff is separated from the Corn which they vann afterwards They pound it in a Mortar to reduce it into Meal or else boyl it in Water and season it with Grease which makes it near as good as our Rice I acquainted that Nation with the Design I had to travel farther into the Country to discover the remotest Nations and teach them the Mysteries of our Holy Religion at which they were mightily surpriz'd and did their utmost to disswade me from that Enterprize They told me that I should meet some Nations who spare no Strangers whom they kill without any Provocation or Mercy that the War those different Nations had one with the other should daily expose me to be taken by their Warriors who are perpetually abroad to surprize their Enemies That the great River was exceedingly dangerous and full of dreadful Monsters who devour'd Men and even the Canow's themselves They added That a Devil stopp'd the Passage of the said River and sunk those who were so bold as to come near the Place where he stood and in short that the Heat was so excessive