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tNOVA FRAN CIA:

• O R, T H E ' ' i'^A;\^v>H ,

DESCRIPTION

Of that Part of

> N E W FRAN C E,

Which is one Continent with Vi R G i n i a. _

DESCRIBED

In the Three late VOYAGES and PLANTATION
made by Monf. de MontSy Monf. du Pont-Gravey and Monf.
de Poutrincourty into the Countries called by the Frenchmen^

5 La Cad I a, lying to the South- Weft of Cape Breton.

TOGETHER WITH

.. 4-,. . , . ..'S, '

An excellent feveral TREATY of all the Commodities of the faid
Countries, and Manners of the natural Inhabitants of the fame.

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796

N F A F R A N C I A:

THE

Three late Voyages and Plantation of Monf!
Je MontSj of Monil du PonuGrave^ and of MonH
de Poutrincourt^ into the Gauntries, called by the
Frenchmen^ La C a d i a, lying to the South- Weft

\ of Cape Br B TON. i >i ^ * t-i

TOGETHER WITH

An excellent feveral Treaty of all the Commodities of the
faid Countries, and Manners of the natural Inhabita^s of
the fame.

C H A P. I.

7be Patent of the French Kinr to MonJ. de Monts, for the inhabiting of the
Cottntries of L^ Cidk, Cina.di, anJ other Places in "New Ttarcc.

HE N R Y, by the grace of God,
king of Franee and Navarre. To
our dear and well beloved the lord
of Morits, one of the ordinary gentlemen
of our chamber, greeting. As our greateft
care and labour is, and hath always been,
fince our coming to this crown, to maintain
and conferve it m the ancient dignity, great-
nefs, and fplendor thereof, to extend and
amplify, as much as lawfully may be done,
the bounds and limits of the fame i we
being, of a long time, informed of the
fltuation and condition of the lands and
territories of 2La Cadia, moved above all
things, with a Angular zeal, and devout
and conftant refolution, which we have
taken, with the help and afliftance of
God, author, diftributor, and prote^or of
all kingdoms and eftates, to caufe the peo-
ple, which do inhabit the country, men
(at this prefent time) barbarous atheifts,
without faith or religion, to be converted
to Chriftianicy, and to the belief and pro*

•>. I...

;v .\

feflion of our faith and religion : and to
draw them from the ignorance and unbe-
lief wherein they are. Having alfo of a
long time known, by the relation of the
fea-captains, pilots, merchants, and others,
who of long time have haunted, frequented,
and trafficked with the people that are
found in the faid places, how fruitfui, com-
modious, and profitable may he unto us,
to our eftates and fubjecls, the dwelling,
r r.ireflion,and habitation of thofe countries,
for the great and apparent profit which
may be drawn by the greater frequentation
and habitude which may be had with the
people that are found there, and the traf-
fick and commerce which may be, by that
means, fafely treated and negociated. We
then, for theic caufes, fully truftingon your
great wifdom, and in the knowledge and
experience that you have of the quality,
condition, and fituation of the faid country
of La Cadia ; for the divers and fundry
navigations, voyages, and frcquentations,

that

■«

// DefcripttGn of Ncnv France.

797

that yo'.i have made into thofe parts, and
others near and bordering upon it : affiiring
ourHlvcs that this our relbhition and inten-
tion, being committed unto you, you will
attentively, diligently, and no Itls coura-
geoiilly and valorouHy, execute and bring
to Inch perfedtion as we defire, have ex-
prtlly appointed and edabliflied you, and
by thcfe prefcnts, figned with ourown hands
do commit, ordain, make, conftitutc, and
ertabiilh you, our lieutenant-general, lor
to reprcfent our pcrlon, in the countries,
territories, coaftsand confines of ha Cadia.
To begin from the 40th degree unto the
46th i and in the fame diftance, or part
of it, as far as may be done, to eftablifli,
extend, and make to be known our name,
might, and authority. And under the
fame to fubjeft '"ibmit, and bring to obe-
{liencc all the people of the faid land and
the borderers thereof : and by the means
thereof, and all lawful ways, to call, make,
inftrud, provoke, and incite them to the
knowledge of God, and to the light of the
taith and Chriftian religion, to cllablirti it
there : and in the exercife and profefllon
of the fame, keep and conferve the laid
people, and all other inhabitants in the faid
places, and there to command in peace,
red and tranquility, as well by fca as by
land : to ordain, decide, and caufe to Ik
executed all that which you fhall judge fit
and ncccffary to bu- done, for to maintain,
keep, and conferve, the faid places un-
der our power and authority, by the forms,
>way: and means prcfcribcd by our laws.
And for to have there a care of the fame
with you, to appoint, ellablilh, and con-
ftitute all officers, as well in the affairs of
war, as for judice ano policy, for the firll
time, and from thenceforward to name and
prefent them unto us 1 ibr to be difpofed by
us, and to give letters, titles, and fuch
provifoes as Ihall \x neceffary : and, ac-
cording to the occurrenaes of affairs, your-
felf, with the advice of wife and capable
men, to prefcribc under our good plea-
lure, laws, llatutcs and ordinances con-
formable, as much as may be jwlTible, unto
ours, efpecially in things and matters that
arc not provided by thcin •, to treat and
contraft to the fime effeft, peace, alliance,
and confederacy, good amity, correfpond-
ency , and communication with the faid peo-
ple and their princes, or others, having
power or command over them ; to enter-
tain, keep, and carefully to obfcrve, the
treaties and alliances wherein you (hall co-
venant with them : upon condition that
they themfelves perform the fame of their
part. And for want thereof to make
open wars againft them, to conftrain and
bring them to fuch reafon, as you Ihall
think needful, for the honour, obedience,
Vol. II.

and fervice of God, and the eftablilhment,
maintenance, aiid coiilervation of our (aiil
authority amongft them -, at Icaft, to haunt
and frequent by you, and all our fubjeifts
with them, in all afTumncc, liberty, frc-
quentation, and communication, there to
negociate and trafBck lovingly and peace-
ably v to give and grant unto them fa-
vours and privileges, charges, and honours.
Which entire power aforefaid, we will
likewife and ordain, that you have over
all our faid fubjedls that will go that voy-
age with you and inhabit there, fraffick,
negociate, and remain in the faid placfs,
to retain, take, rcfervc, and appropriate
unto you, what you will and Ihall lee to
be moft commodious lor you, and proper
to your charge, quality and ufe of the laid
lands, to diltributc fuch parts and portions
thereof, to give and attribute unto them
fuch titles, honours, rights, powers, and
faculties, as you Ihall fee necelTary, accord-
ing to the qualities, conditions, and merits,
of the pcrfons of the fame country, or
others : chiefly to populate, to manure,
and to make the laid lands to be inhabited,
as fpecdily, carefully and flcilfully, as time,
places, and commodities may permit. To
make thereof, or caufe to bt made to that
end, difcovery, and view along the mari-
time coalls and other countries of the main
land, which ynu fhall order and prefcribe
in the aforefaid fpace of the 40th degree
to the 46th dc<z;ree, or othcrwife .as much
and as far as may be, along the faid coaft,
and in the firm land. To make carefully
to be fought and marked all forts of mines
of gold and of filver, copper, and other
metals and minerals, to make them to be
digged, drawn from the earth, purified, and
refined, for to be converted into ufe, to
difpofe according as we have prcfcribcd by
edids, and orders, which we have made
in this realm of the profit and benefit of
them, by you or them whom you fhall
cftablifh to that clFcd:, referving unto us
only the tenth penny, of that which fhall
iffue from them of gold, filver, and cop-
per, leaving unto you that which we mighr
take of the other faid metals and minerals,
for to aid and eafe you in the great expences,
that the forefaid charge may bring unto
you. Willing, in the mean while, that as
well for your fccurity and commoiiity, as
for the fecutity and commodity of all our
fubjedls, who will go, inhabit, and trafHck
in the faid lands j as generally of all others
that will accommodate themfelves there
under our power and authority, you may
caufe to be built and frame one or many
forts, places, towns, and all other houfes,
dwellings, and habitations, ports, havens,
retiring places and lodgings, as you (hall
know to be fit, profitable atid ncccffary for
9 R tht

79S

i Dcjcription of New France.

the pcrlorming of the faii.1 ciutTprizc. To
eflabhth garrilbns ami Ibkliirs tor the
ktt-ping ol them. To aid and llrvc you
tor tlic etfcfts abovcfaid witli the vagrant,
iillf perlbns and niartcrlers, as well out ot
towns as ot the country i and with them
that be condemned to perpetual banilh-
mcnt, or tor three years at the leaft out
of our realm ; provided always tiut it be
done by the advice, content, and autho-
rity ot our officers. Over and befidcs
tiiat wliidi is abovementioneil (and that
which is moreover preicribt'd, commanded
and ordained unto you by the commillions
anil powers, which our mod dear coulin
the lord of AmpuiHe, admiral of Frame,
hath given unto you, for that which con-
cerncth the art airs and the charge of the
admiralty, in the exploit, expedition, and
executing ot the things abovcfaid) to do
generally whatfoever may make for the
conquelt, peopling, inhabiting and pre-
fervation ot the laid land of La Cadia ;
and of the coafts, territories adjoining,
and of their appurtenances and depend-
encies, under our name and authority,
whatloever ourfelves would, and might
lio, if we were there prefent in perlbn,
although that the cafe Ihould require a
more Ipecial ortler, than wc prefcribc unto
you by thefe prel'cnts ; to the contents
wiiereof, wc command, ordain, and moll
cxprcfly do enjoin all our jutl ices, officers
and fubjedts, to conform themfelves j and
to oljey and give attention unto you, in
all and everv the things abovcfaid, their cir-
cumllanccs and dependencies. Alio to give
unro you in the executing of them, all
luch aid and comfort, help and alfiftance.

as you Ih.ill have need of, and whereof
they Ihall be by you required j and this
upon pain of diibbcdience and rebellion.
Anil to the end, no body may pretend
caufe of ignonuKC of tiiis our intention,
anil to bufy himlelt in all, or in part ut
the charge, dignity and authority which
we give unto you by thele prelents -, wc
have ot our certain knowledge, full power
and regal authority, revoked, fuppretTcd
and declared void, anil of none efietit
hereafter i and from this prefent time, all
other powers and commitTions, letters and
expeditions given and delivered to any
perfon focver, for to difcovcr, people and
inhabit in the forefaid extention of the faid
lands, fituated from the faid 40th degree,
to the 46th, whatfoever they be. And
furthermore, we command and ordain all
our faid officers, of what quality and con-
dition foever they be, that after thefe pre-
fents, or the duplicate of them Ihall be
duly examined by one of our beloved and
trully counlellors, notaries and fecretaries,
or other notary-royal, they do upon your
requeft, demand and fuit, or upon the
fuit of any our attornies, caufe the fame
to be read, publilhed, and recorded in
the records of their jurillliftion, powers
and precinds, feeking, as much as fhal!
appertain unto them, to quiet and appeale
ail troubles and hinderances which may
contradidl the fame j tor fuch is our plea-
fure. Given at Fount ainebleau, the eighth
day oi November, in the year of our Lord
1603; and of our reign the 15th. Signed
Henry, and underneath, by the king,
Potier ; and fealed upon fingle label with
yellow wax.

CHAP. II.

'The voyage of Moftf. de Monts into New-France ; ivbat accident i happened in
the faid voytigc : The cattfcs of the ice banks in Newfoundland : The impo-
fing of name i to certain ports : The perplexity wherein they were, hy reafonoj
thr fhiy rf the other f:ip.

MOnficur de Monts h.-iving made the
commiifions and prohibitions bc-
tore-faid, to be proclaimed thorough the
realm of France, and efpecially thorough
the ports and maritime towns thereof,
caufed two thips to be rigged and fur-
niihed, the one under the conduft of cap-
tain Timothy of 7Vifw-/&fli'f«,theotherof cap-
tain Morellof Honfleur. In the firtl he thip-
ped himfelf, with good number of men
of account, as well gentlemen as others.
And torafmuch, as Monf. de Poutrincourt
was, and had been, thofe countries a long
time defirous to fee of New-France, and
there to find out and chufe fome fit place
to retire himfelf into, with his family, wife,

and children ; not meaning to be the laft
that (hould follow and participate in the
glory of fo fair and generous an enterprize,
would needs go thither, and (hipping him-
felf with the faid Monf. de Monts, car-
rying with him fome quantity of armour The fct-
and munitions of war, and fo weighed ting forth
anchors from New-haven the feventh day fromMTi-
of March, 1604. But being departed *"'"''"'
fomewhat too foon, before the winter had
yet left off her frozen weed, they found
flore of ice banks, againft the which they
were in danger to ftrike, and fo be caft
away ; but God, which hitherto hath
proi'pered the navigation of thefe voyages,
prefervcd them.

One

A Defcription of New France.

799

One might wonilcr, and not without
c.mti-, wliy in the fame parallel, thtrc is
more ice in this lea, than in thatf)f7W(;/f<'.
WhtTCiinto I anl'wer, that the ice that
is toiind in thofc leas, is not originally
from the fame climate, but rather conic
from the northerly parts, driven without
any let thorough tlie vaft of this great
fca by the waves, rtorms, and boiftt rous
floods, which the ealhrly and nordierly
winds do caufc in winter and fpring time,
and drive them towards the i()uth and
well : but tiie French leas are flieltereil by
Scotland, Eng^land and Ireland \ which is
the caul'e that the ice c;innot fall into it.
Another reafon alfo miglu be alledged,
and that is tlie motion of the fea, whicli
bcareth more towarils thofe parts, becaufe
of the larger courfe rhat it maketli towards
ylmericti, than towards the lands ot thefe
our parts. 'I'he peril of this voyage was,
not only in the meeting of the laid banks
ot ice, but alfo in the Itorms that vexed
them : one of them they had that brake
the galleries of the ihipj and in thefe tur-
moils, a joyner was carried away by a lea
or Halli ot water, to the next iloor of
death, overboard, but he held himfelf taft
at a tackling, which by chance hung out
of the faid Ihip.

The voyage was long by reafon of con-
trary winds, whicli lllilom liappencth to
Mirc>' for them that let out in Alarcb for the new
the new found lands, which are ordinarily carried
liindi. ^'''^ ^" '^''•'^ "•" '""■thern wind, fit to go
to thofe lands. And having taken their
Theifleof couife to the fouth ot the ifle of Sahlon, or
.W/oi or Sand, fur to Ihun tl.e laid ice, they al-
moft nil from Caribdis into Scy'.la, going
to flrikc towards the faid ifle, during the
thick inilh that are Irequent in that fea.

In the e:id, tiie lixth of May, they
came to a ciiMin port, where they found
captain RoJ/igiicl ol New-haven ; who did

Winds
good in

Sun J.

truck tor fkiiis witii the favase,
to tlie kinii's

g,.., contrary
which was the

Port r/tf
R.Jfigml.

,^ ., ....iihitions,
caufe tliat liis lliiji was confifcated. This
port was calleii he Von dii Roffignol, hav-
ing (in this his hard toitune) this only
good, that a ^ood and lit harbour or
port, ill tliole coalts beareth his name.

From thence coalling and difcovering
the lands, they arrived at another port.
If port du ^'^^y *'"''' which they named l.e Port du
Afcutisn. Motitton ; by reafon that a mutton or wea-
ther, having leaped overboard and drowned
himfelf, came aboard again, , and was ta-
ken and eaten as good prize. By fuch
Capitol of accidents, many names have anciently
Rmi. been given on the fudden, and without
any great deliberation. So the capitol of
Rome had its name ; becaufe tiiat in dig-
ing there, a dead man's head was found.
Milan. So the city oi Milan hath been called Me-
diolanum, that is to fay, half wool ; for
that the Gauls, calling the foundation

thereof, found a low half covered with
wool i ami fo of fundry others.

Being at the port du Moulton, they ca-
b.aned and lodged themfelvcs after the
favage fafliion, expedting news of the other
lliip, wherein was the vi(Stu.als, and other
iiecelfary provifion for the food and enter-
tainment of them that were to winter
there •, being about an hundred in num-
ber. In this p(jrt they tarried a month in
great perplexity, for fear they had tliat
fome finiller acciilent had happeneil to tiie
faid other Ihip, who let out the tentli ol
March \ wherein was Monf de Pont of
Honjleur, and the faid Capt. Mortl.

And this was lb much the more im-
portant, for that ot the coming ol the
faid lliij) tlependcd the whole luccefs ot
the bufinefs. For even upon this long
tarrying, it was in qucftion, whether they
lliould return into France or no. Monl.
de Poutrincourt was of advice, that it was
better to die there; whereto the faid Monf
de Mcnts confirmed himfelf In the mean
while, many went a hunting, others to fifli -
ing, tor to llore the kitchen. Near the faid
Moutton port, thereis aplaceforepleniflied
with rabbets and conies, that they almnlt Store of
did eat nothing elfe. During that time, *•''""'■■'
Monl. Champlein was fent with a fliallop
to fcek fartiier off a fitter place to retire
themfelvcs ; at which exploit he tarried
fo long, that deliberating upon the return
th;y tiiought to leave him behind, for
there was no more viiftuals ; and they
fervcd themfdvcs with that, that was
found in the faid Roffignol's Ihip •, with-
out which they had been forced to return
into France, and fo to break a fair enterprize
at the very birth and beginning thereof,
or to ftarve, having ended the hunting of
conies, which could not ftill continue.
Now the caufcs of the ftay of the (iiid Monf.
du /,./, and Capt. Afore/, were two; the
Oi . ' at wanting a cock-boat, they em-
plo) ', their time in the building of one,
in the land where they arrived firli, which
was the Englijh port ; the other, that be- jp«^/^
ing come at Campfeau port, they found port.
there four fhips ot Bajkes, or men of St. Cump/,aa
John de Luz, that did truck with the port,
favages, contrary to t!ie faid inhibitions,
from whom they took their goods, and
brought the matters to the laid Monf.
de Mottts, who ufed them very gently.

Three weeks being expired, and the
faid Monf. de Monts having no news
of the Ihip he looked for, he deliberated
to fend along the coaft to feek for them ;
and for that purpofe difpatched fome
favages, to whom he gave a Frenchman
for company with letters. The faid fa-
vages prom ifed to return at the time pre-
fixed, being eight days, whereof they
failed not. But as the fociety of man and
wite, agreeing well together, is a pow-
erful

8oo

A Dcfaiption of New France.

rrliil tiling ■, lo tlulV lavagts Ix-fori- their
il(|>.irtiirc, had a cair ol thiir wivts and
i!HKln.n, and rci|iiiral viduals tor thcin,
wliirh was {^raiitdt. And having hoillal
lip fills within tlw days alter, tluy found
tlidlithattluy iinightlor, at a jiLuc called
I c fiity iks IJlcs, who were thenifelves in
no Ills fear or grief for the faid Monf.
</,■ M' >iti, than he of them, becaufe they
tmmd not, during their voyage, thole
marks and figns that were agreeil upon be-
tween them •, which was.that Monf. de Monts

fhould iiave left at Cauipft'ttu loinc crols
on a tree, or letter there fixeil ; which he
dill not, having far ovirlhot the laiild/w//)-
feau, l)y reafon that for the laid iced banks,
he took his way Ibriuwhat tar on the loutli,
as we have faiil. So iiaviiig nad the let
ters, tile faid Monf. du Pout, ami cap-
t.ijn MoreU gave up the victuals and pro-
vilioii that thiy had brought lor them
that fhould winter there, and lb r turned
b.itL towards the great river ot Caiuda,
for t!\e tr.ide ol fkins and furrj.

Monf i.'i;
I'iKl, (;0
rill to ( U
K/i.i.i, (o
tv.ulc lor
turti.

CHAP. JII.

TZv /(■rtt'/^/T of Port du .Mouttoii : T/m' uccidt-iit rf a man loft in the laoods for the
{"pace (f fixtccn da\'s : Bay Frantoifc, or I'rentli Bay : Port-Royai : The
"/•/■:• T o/L'Kquillc: yl lopptr-mine: The mifhiif of gohicn-mines : Of dui-
;; omh : Tiirky /tones .

i'liiit

.*'/. .Man
bin.

lilur.

LI- Nciv France in the end being
_ _ containedintwofhips, they weighed
andiors from port du Mmtton, to employ
their time, and to difcovcr lands as much
as might be before winter. We came to
C,i/>e de i>it/ilt, or the Sandy Cape ; and
hoin thence we failed to the bay of St.
Alary, where our men lay at anchor fifteen
days, whilll the lands anil pafHiges, as
well by lea as by river might be defcried
rri:i place and known. riiis bay is a very fair place to
to mh,ibit. inhabit, becaufe that one is readily carried
.Vlino; of thither without lioubling. There are mines
iron anj of iron and filver, but in no great abun-
dance, according to the trial made thereof
in France. Having foiourned there lome
twelve or thirteen days, a llraiigc accident
happened, fuch as I will tell you. There
was a certain churchman of a good family
in J'aris, that had a defire to perform
the voyage with Monf. de Monts, and that
.igainll tiie liking of his friends, who fent
cxprefly to Honfl'^ur to divert him thereof,
and to bring him back to Paris. The
of a man fliips lying at anchor in the faid bay of
loit ill the St. A/ijrv, he put himfelf in company with
fome that went to fport themfelves in the
woods. It eame to pafs, that having (laid
to drink at a brook, he forgot his I'word,
and followed on his way with his com-
pany ; which when he perceived, he re-
turned back to feek it -, but having found
it, forgetful from what part he came, and
not confidering whether he fhould go eaft
or weft, or otherwife (for there was no
path) he took his way quite contrary,
turning his brick from his company -, and
fo long travelled that he found himfelf at
the lea fliore, where no (hips were to be
leen, 'lor they were at the other fide of
a nook of land far reaching into the lea).
1 le imagined that he was forfakcn, and
began to bewail his fortune upon a rock.
Tlie night being come, every one being

\ccidir.t

w oo;ls
lo-.irtccn

(lays.

retired, he is found wanting •, he was
alkcil for of thole that had been in the
woods \ they report in what manner he
departed from them, and that fince they
had no news of him. Whereupon a p.io-
teltant was charged to have killed liiin,
becaufe they quarrelled fometimcs format-
ters of religion. I'inally, they founded a
trumpet thorough the foreft, they lliiit
oft" the cannon divers times but in vain i
for the roaring of the fea, ftronger than
all, that did expel bark the found of the
laid cannons and trumpets. Two, three
and four days pafs, he appeaieth not. In
the mean while, the time haftens to de-
part ; lb having tarried fo long that he-
was then held for dead, they weighed
anchors to go further, and to lie the
depth of a bay that h.ath fomc.j.o leagues
length, and 14 (yea 18) of breadth,
which was named La Baye Franfoife, or
the French-bay.

In this bay is the palTage to come into l.n Bmr
a port, wherciiito our men entereil, anil ^V""! '•
made fome abode-, during the which they
had the pleafure to hunt an i llan, or ftag,
that crofted a great lake of the lea, which
maketh this port, and did fwim but eafily.
'J'his port is invironed with mountains on
the north fide : towards the fouth be fmall
hills, which (with the faid mountains)
do pour out a thoufand brooks, which
make that place pleafanter than any other
place in the world : there arc very fair falls
of waters, fit to make mills of all Ibrts.
At the eaft is a river between the faid
mountains and hills, in' the which, (hips
may fail fifteen leagues and more ; and m
all this diftance, is nothing of both fides
tlic river but fair meadows ; which river
v.-;is named L'Eqiiilk, becaufe that the firft Y'? "^'"■
fifh taken therein was an equille. But the o'^'-^f'^-
faid port for th» beauty thereof was call-
ed Pert Royal. Monf de Poutrincourt, PortRyyal

having

A Dejcription of New France.

8ot

A copper
aiine.

Thingi
fihl to be
provided
ill new
pLiiitoti-
• lib.

having Jbiind this place to be to his liking,
tlcnianiltd it, with the lands thereunto
adjoyning, of M( l.dtMonts, to whom
the King hail by commiflion, before in-
ferred, graiitril the diftribiition of the
lands of New-France, from the 40th de-
gree to the 4')th. Which place was granted
to the faid Monf. de Poutrimourty who
fince hath had lettirs oi confirmation for
the (;ime of his ma|( lly \ intending to re-
tire himfelf thither with his family, and
tlu re to ellablilh the Chrillian and IVencb
name, as much as his power fhall ilretcli,
and (joil grant him the means to accom-
nlilli it. The faid port containtth eight
liigiiesof circuit, bclidesthe river of /.'A-
qutlle. Ihere arc within it two iflis very
fair and pleafant \ the one at the mouth
ol the laiil river, which I deem to be of
the greatiuls of the city of Heauvais \ the
other at the fide of the mouth of another
river, as broad as the river of Oife, or
Afnrne, entering within the faid port ;
the faid ifle being almoll of the grcatnefs
of the other ; and they both are woody.
In this port, and right over-againft the
former ifle, we dwelt three years after
this voyage. We will ipeak thereof more
at large hereafter.

From Pert Royal, they failed to the
copper mine, whereof we have fpoken be-
fore elfe-whcrc. It is a high rock between
two bays of the fea i wherein the copper
is conjoined with the (tone, very fair and
very pure, fuch as is that, which is called
Rozette copper. Many goldfmiths have feen
of it in France, which do fay, that under
the copper mine there might be a golden
mine ; which is very probable : for if
thofe excrements that nature expelleth
forth be fo pure, namely, fmall pieces
that are found upon the gravel at the foot
ot the rock, when it is Tow water, there
is no doubt that the metal which is in the
bowels of the earth is much more perfect -,
but this is a work that requireth time.
The lirlt mining and working is to have
bread, wine and cattle, as we have faid
elfe-where. Our felicity confifteth not in
mines, elpaially of gold and filver, the
which iervc for nothing in the tillage
of the ground, nor to handicrafts u(e.
Contrarywile, the abundance of them is
but a charge ami burthen, that keepeth
man in perpetual unquiet, and the more
he hath thereof, the lefs reft enjoyeth he,
and his life lelTer allured unto him.

Before the voyages of Peru, great riches
might have been letup in a fmall place ;in-
fteadot that, in this ouruge, by theabund-
ance of gold and filver, the fame is come
at no value or eftecm : one hath need of
huge chelh and coffers to put in that,
which a fmall budget might have con-
t lined : one might have travelled with a
purfe in one's fleevc, and now a doak-

VOL. II.

bag and a horle mult expredy be hail for
that purpoie. «» We may jiiitly ciirfe the
♦' hour, that the greedy av;iricc jlid carry
" the Spaniard into the weft, for the wo-
" ful events that have enl'ued thereof. For
" when I conlidcr, that by hisKrecdinefshe
" luith kimlledaiid maintained the war tho-
" rough all Chriftendom,and his only ftudy
" h.ith been how to deftroy his neighbours
»' (and not the Turk) I cannot think that
" any other but the tievil hath been the
" author of their voy.iges. And let not
" the pretence of religi(jn l)c alledgcd unto
" me i for (as we have faid elle- where)
*• they have killed all the offspring of the
" country with the moil inhuman tor-
•' ments tiiat the devil hath l)een able
" to excogitate. And by tlnir cruelties
" have renuircd the name of God odious,
** and a name of offence to thofc poor
" people; and hi!Ve continually and daily
" blalphemed him in the midft of the
" Cientile.s, as the prophet reproacheth to
•' the people of Ifrael : witnefs him that
" had rather be damned, than to go the
" paradile of the Spaniards"

Ihe Romans (whole covetouhu fs hath
been unfatiablej have made cruel wars to
the nations of the earth, but the Spanijh
cruelties are not to be found out in their
hiftories. They have contented themfelvcs
to ranfack the nations which they have
overcome, anil not to deprive them of
their lives. An ancient heathenifh author^
making trial of his poetical humour, findeth
no greater crime in them, but that if they
found out or dilcovercd fome people that
had gold, they took them for their ene-
mies. The verfes of this author have lb
good a grace, that I muft needs infert
them here, though I intend not to alledge
much latin.

Orbemjam latum Komanus vithr habebut,
i^ti mare, qua terra, quit JiJus currit

utrumque.
Nee fatiatus erat, gravidis freta pul/a

carinis
Jam peragrabantur : _fiqnis finus abditus

ultra.
Si qua foret tellus qua fulvum mitteret

aurum,
Hoftis erat : fatifquein trijiia bellaparatis

^icrebantur opes.

Petronius Arbiter.

But thedodtrine of the wife fon ofSiracb
U-acheth us a contrary thing. For know-
ing that the riches which are digged up,
even from as deep as Pluto's dens, are
that which fome one hath faid, irrita-
menta malorum, he declared, that man to
be happy that hath not run after gold, and
hath not put his hope injilverand treafures %
adding, that he ought to be efteemed to havi
done inniiicrful things among all his people,
9 S and

802

iJwmoi.J

TiMk>-

y7 Deftription of New France.

flWr/ to hf ihf exomtiU efglory^ vihUb hath
l)ttn lemPlfd tygolti, atid rmained perfKI.
Anil fo ny a contrary li niV, the l.unc to
br unluppy that lioth «)thirwilV.

Now to return to our mines. Among
theic copper rocks, there arc found lomc-
tiines Imall rocki covered with diamomis
fixid to them : I will not afliirc them tor
Hne, hit that is very pleafing to the fight.
There are alio certain Ihining blue llonev,
whicii are ot no lei's value or worth
thin 'Tid'Ky (loius. Monf. de Champdore,
uv.r guide for the navigations in thole
KUiiuries, having cut within a rock one
o( tiiolc rtoncs, at his riturn trom Nnv-

hiiHce, he brake it in two, and uavr onr
part ol it to Monl. de Monti, the other
to Monl. de Poulrimourt, which they
made to Ik- put in gold, ami were tound
worthy to be prelcntal, the one lo the
king, by the laid Pciitnmotirt, the other
to the tjuccn by the laid Je Monti, anil
wen very well accepted. I remcmlH rthat a
uolilliuith ilid oiler fifteen crowns to
mi.mi.de PoutriMiourl lor that lieprel'ented
to his ni.iji.fty. rJKre be many other le-
crets, rare and fairthin^s within theBround
of thole countries, which are yet unknown
unto us, and will come to the knowKi.^c
and evidence by inlubiting the province.

CHAP. IV.

77r iicfcrlption of the river St. John, and of the ijlc St, Croix.

river.

V inc.-.

Abiiml-
ancc of
lilhci.

H.\ V I N G viewed the faid mine, the
company palled to the other fide of
the /i't-wfit bay, .uulwcnt towards the bot-
tom of the fame ; then turning back came
to the river of iV. John, fo called, as I
think, becaufc they arrived thither the
four and twentieth day ol June, wiiicli is
St. John Biiptijl's day. There is a fair
port, but tile entry or mouth is danger-
ous to them that know not the bcft ways,
becaufc that before the coming in, there is
a long bank of rocks, which are not feen
nor difcovered but only at low water, which
do I'erve as lor defence to this port, within
which, when one hath gone about a league
there is found a violent fall of the faid ri-
ver, which lallcth down from the rocks,
when that the fca doth ebb, with a mar-
/elous nolle ; for being fometimes at an
.mchor at fea, we have heard it from a-
bove twelve leagues off; but at full fea
one may pafs it with great (hips. This
river is one of the faireft that may be feen,
havingftorcof illands, andfwarming with
tillus. This laft year, 1608, the faid
Monf. de Champdore, with one of the faid
Monl. ds Mcnt'& men, hath been fome
fifty leagues up the faid river, and do wit-
nels that there is great quantity of vines a-
Jong the (hore, but the g'rapes are not fo
big as tiiey be in the country of the Ar-
mouchiquoh ; there are alfo onions, and ma-
ny other forts of good herbs. As for the
trees they are the faireft that may be feen.
When we were there we faw great num-
ber of cedar trees. Concerning fiflies the
faid Chtimpdore hath related unto us, that
putting the kettle over the fire, they had
taken fifh fulRcient for their dinner before
that tlir water was hot. Moreover this
river, Itrctching itfelf far within the lands
of the favages, doth marvcloully Ihorten

the long travels by means thereof. For in
fix days they go to Giifl}epe, coming to
the bay or gulpli oiChaieur, or heat wlien
they are at the end of it, in carrying tlieir
canoes fome few leagues ; and by the lame
river, in eight days, they go to Tadeufar,
by a branch of the fame which comtth
from the north weft, in fuch fort, that
in Port Royal one may have, within fifteen
or eighteen days news from the Frenrb-
men dwelling in the great river of Canada,
by thefe ways, which could not be done
in one month by lea, nor without dan-
ger.

Le.iving St. John'i river, they came The inc of
following the coaft, twenty leagues from st. (.'.,,
that place, to a great river, which is pro- twenty
perly fea, where they fortified themfelves 'l-'-ig^cs
in a little idand feated in the midft of this 't"]"./^!.
river, which the faid Champdore had been \„.
to difcover and view -, and feeing it ftrorg
by nature, and of eafy defence and keep-
ing, befidcs that the feafon began to Hide
away, and therefore it was behoveful to
provide of lodging, without running any
farther, they relolved to make their abode
there. I will not fift out curioully the rea-
fons of all parts upon the refolution of this
their dwelling ; but I will always be of
opinion, that whofoever goes into a coun-
try to poflefs it, muft not ftay in the ides,
there tbbcaprifonen tor, before all things
the culture and tillage of the ground muft
be regarded ; and I would fain know how
one (hould till and manure it, if it behov-
eth at every hour in the morning, at noon
and the evening, to crofs a great pafliige
of water, to go for things requifite from
the firm land. And if one feareth the e-
nemy, how (hall he that huHundeth the
land, or otherwife bufy in necefiary affairs,
favc himfclf, if he be purfued •» for one

findeth

A Defiription of New France.

803

findftli not always a boat in hand in time
ol np« (I, nor two mfn toroniluCt it; Ixliilcs,
our lite requiring many comnKKlitics, .in
illindisnotfit lortobegin tljctUablilhnicnt
andfcrat of au)lony,unld"stlKri-bi'airraits
anil ilrcams ol (Wiit water tor to ilrink,
and to lupply otlicr ncafTariis in lioiil-
hold, wliich is not ill I'lnjll illaml^ \ tiu-rc
net-dcth wocxl tor tuci, wluih alto is not
there y but aKivi all, tlurc nni(l W- llul-
ters Irom thf luntlul winds and cold,
whicli IS hardly toundin a fmallcontinrnt,
cnvironnl with water on all tides. Ni ver-
thclefs the loinpany fojoiirned there in
the midtl ot a broad river, where the north
■wind and north well blowethat will \ and
becaule, that two leagues higher there be
brwjks that come crot's-wir- to tall within
this 1 irge branch ot" the (i-a, the ille ot the
h'rtnihmtH\ retreat was called St. CVis/.r,
twenty live leagues diftantlrom/*or/-A!t>y-
al. Whillt that they begin to cut down
cedars, and other trees ot the laid ille, to
make neceflary buildings, let us return to
feck out mailer Nicholas //uin, loft in the
wootls, which long time fiiitc is holden
for dead.

As they began to vifit and fearch the
ifland, Monf. de CbampJire, of whom
wc dial 1 henceforth make mention, bccaufc
he dwelt four years in ihofc parts, con-
ducing the voyages made there, was lent
back to the bay of St. Mtiry, with a mine-
finder, that had been carried thither lor to
get tome mines of filver and iron, which
Jj,^"^^'°f they did; and as they had crolTed the
i/! A/rt. V ^'ff'^ bay, they entered into the faid bay
where tia- of Si. Mary, by a narrow ftrcight or pal-
fage, which is between the land of Port-
Royalt and an illand called tiic Lcng ijle.,
where after fomc abode, they going a fi th-
ing, the faid yliibri perceived them, and
began with a feeble voice to call as loud
as Tie could ; and tor to help his voice he
advifed himiclf to do as Ariadne did here-
tofore to Thefeus ;
Candidaque impofui longa velamina virga.
Scilicet cblitos admonitura mei :
for he put his handkercheif and his hat
on a llatTs end, which made him better
to be known ; for as one of them heard
the voice, and aflced the reft of the com-
pany if it might be the faid Monf. /iu-
pri, they mocked and laughed at it, but
after they had fpied the moving of the
handkerchief ana of the hat, then they
began to think that it might be he ; and
coming near, they knew pcrfeftly it was
himfelt, and took him in their bark with
great joy and contentment, the fixteenth
day after he had loft himfelf. Divers in
this latter age have ftufTed their books and

lol) mail
w.a:. found
again.
Lung ifle.

hillories wiili many mir.icli«, wiirrnn \%
not to Iv tiKiiul lb great ciiife ot adiuir.i-
tion as is tills i tor durini' tlieli fixteui days
he ted liiniKit but by, t know not wii,.t,
Imall tiuirt, like unto cherries, without,.
Kirnel, yn not to ili iie.itc, wIikIi arc
liaiiely loiiiid 111 tiiole \vi)Oi.ls. And in-
deeil 111 tJK I'c lall voy.ijjcs a l"|VTial yrace
and favour ol 1 jod hatji Ix-en cviddit in
many occuirrnces, which we will nuiik as
occafion Ih.ill be ortim!. 'llie poor //«-
/-;■/, I call linn lo by nafonof liisatHK.lioM,
w.is, as one may e.ifily think, niarveloul
ly wr.ikeiiid ; tlxy g.ive him 1o<hI by
nuafurc, and biuiij^ht liim b.ick ag.iin to
the comp.my at the illand of St. Croix,
whereot every one received an incredible
joy and confolarion, and efpecially Monf.
lie Motits, whom it conct rned iiior> than
any other. Do not alkdge unto m- tin:
hiltory of the miid of Confolana, in
the country ot Poi^Uii, whuh was two
years without eutinir, tome fix year« agoj
nor ol another near Berne in Swifferland,
which loft, not yet full ten years ago, the
delirc and appetite of eating, during all
her life-time i and other like examples j
for they be accidents happened by tlie dil-
ordenng of nature \ and concerning that
which Pliny reciteth, lib. vii. cap. i. that
in the remotell parts of the Indies, in the
inferior parts of the fountain an I fpriny
of the river Ganges, rhere is a nation of
/ijlotns, tliat is to fay, mouthlefs people,
th.it live but with the only odi-ur and
exhalation of certain roots, flowers, and
fruits, which they alUiine tlirou|!;li their
notes; I would hardly believe it, but
would think rather that in frntlling th.y
might bite very well of tlic faid roots and
fruits ; as alio thofe that James y^tirticr
mcntioneth to have no mouths, and to e.it
nothiiif;, by the report of the lavage Do-
nacona, whom he brought into France to
make recital thereof to the king, with o-
ther things as void of common I'enfc and
credit as that. But imagine it were true,
fuch people have their nature difpofed to
this manner of living, and this cafe is not
alike. For the faid Aubri wanted no fto-
mach, nor appetite, and hath lived fix-
tecn days, partly nouriftied by fome nutri-
tive force, which is in the air of that coun-
try, and partly by thofe fmall fruits before
fpoken of, God havinggivcn him ftrength
to endure this long want of food, preferv-
ing him from the Hep of death : which I
find ftrange, and is fo indeed. But in the
hiftories * of our times there be found
things of greater marvel ; among other
things, of one Henry de Hajfeld, merchant,
trafticking from the low countries to Berg,

• Jthn H'itr in his treatif« Dt J.jiiiiUt Ommtiit.

8o4

A Defcription of New France.

in iVtrziv/v, who having Iieard a belly-god
preacher' ipcaking ill ot the miraculous
tails, as though it wtre not in God's po-
wer to do that which hehathdone in times
palt, provoked by it, did elTay to taft,
iiiul abrtained himlllf three days from eat-
ing ; at the end wliercof, being pinched
witii hunger, tookjaniorlll of bread, mean-
ing to Iwallow It down with a glal's of
beer, but all that iluck fo in his throat,
that ho remained forty ilays and forty
nights without cither eating or drinking ;
that time being ended, he vomited out by
the moutli that which he had eaten and
drunk, whicii all that while remained in
his throat. So long an abftinencc weak-
ned him in fuch fort , that it was needful
to i'uftain and reftore iiim with milk. The
governor of the country having undcr-
Itood this wonder, called him before him,
and enquired of the truth of the matter -,
whereof being incredulous, would make
new trial of it, and having made him
carefully to be kept in a chamber, found
the tiling to be true. This man is praifed
tor great piety, efpecially towards the
poor. Some time after being come tor his
private affairs to Brufeh in Brabant, a
creditor of his, to bereave him of his due,
accufed him of herefy, and fo caufcd liim
to be burned in the year 1545.

And fince one of the canons of the city
of Liege, making trial of his ftrength in
fafling, having continued the f^'me even
to the feventeenth day, felf himfelf fo
weakened, thatunlefs he had been fudden-
ly fuccoured by a good reftorative, he
had quite perifhed.

A young maid of Buchold, in the ter-
ritory of Munjier, in JVeftphalia, afflifted
with grief of mind, and unwilling to flir
or go abroad from home, was beaten
by her mother for the fame, which re-
doubled her dolour, in fuch fort, that hav-
ing loft her natural relV, was four months
without either drinking or eating, faving
that fometimes (he did chew Ibme roafted
apple, and walhedJier mouth with a little
Ptifan.

The ecclefiaflical hiftories*, among a
great number of faflers, make mention of
three holy hermits, all named Simeon,
which did live in llrange aufterity and long
falls, as of eight days, and fifteen days
continuance, yea longer, not having for
.ill their dwelling but a column or hermit-
age where they dwelt and led their lives,
byreafon whereof they were named Stelites,
that is to fay Columnaries, as dwelling on
pillars.

Bur all thefe before alledged, had part-
ly relblved themfelves to fuch falls, and

partly h.id by little and little accuftotftcd
themfelves to it, fo that it was not very
ftrange for them to fail lb long, which was
not in him of whom we fpeak, and
therefore his fafl is the more to be admired
by lb much as that he had not in any wife
difpofed himfelf thereto, and had not ufed
thtle long aufteritics.

After he had been cherifhed, and they
fojourned yet fome time, to order the bu-
finefs, and to view the lands round about the
ille St. Croix, motion was made to fend
back the (hips into France before winter,
and lb they that went not thither to winter
prepared themfelves for the return. 'I'he
mean while the favages from about all
their confines came to fee the manners of
the Frencbmen,and lodged themfelves wil-
lingly near them lalfo in certain variances
which happened amongft themfelves, they
did make Monf. de Monts judge of
their debates, which is a beginning of vo-
luntary fubjeftion, from whence a hope
may be conceived, that thefe people will
foon conform themfelves to our manner of
living.

Amongft other things happened before „,, ,
the departing of the faid Ihips, it chanced (^^r, au-
one day, that a favage called Bituani, thority in
finding good rclifli in the kitchen of the marriage,
faid Monf. de Monts, fettled himfelf
therein, doing there fome fervice •, and
yet did make love to a maid, by way of
marriage, the which not being able to have
with the good liking and confent of her
father, he ravilhed her, and took her to
wife. Thereupon a great quarrel enfucth,
and in the end the maid was taken away
from him, and returned to her father's.
A very great debate was like to follow,
were it not that Bituani complainingto the
faid Monf. de Monts for this injury, the
others came to defend their caule, laying,
to wit, the father alTifted with his f.iends,
that he would not give his daughter to a
man, unlefs he had Ibm^, means by his in-
duftry to nourifli and maintain both her
and the children thatfhould proceed of the
marriage -, as for him he faw not any thing
he could do, that he loitered about the kit-
chen of the faid Monf. de Monts, not
excercifing himfelf in hunting j finally, that
he Ihould not have the maid, and ought
to content himfelf with that which was
paft. The fiud Monf. de Monts having
heard both parties, told them, that he
detained him not, and that the faid Bitu-
ani was a diligent fellow, and (hould go
a hunting tomakeproof of what he could
do. But yet for all that they did not re-
ftore the maid unto him, until he fhewed
effedlually that which the faid Monf.

E'vagriu!, lib. i. chap. j. of the ccclefialligal Jiiftory. BanniKs upon the Martyal. Rom. ix. Janu.

v-/ Defer iption of New France.

Storf nf
faliiion.

Bc.ivcr^.

€•••171 arc
hcaii.bce;
linielets,
or (iich
tr:ni;i:..

(if MoiUs lia>l promifcd oFhim. Finally,
hegoeili a filniiig, lakcth great ilorc of
r.ilmons, the maid 13 reddivcral him, and
the next day following he came, cloatiud
with a fair new gown of bf.ivers, well let
on with A/j/iii'/&/(/J*,tothe lort wliieh was
then a building for the freiuhmen, bring-
ing his wife with him, as triumphing tor
the vlclory, having gotten lu r as it were
by dint of fword, wnom he hath ever fince
loved dearly, contrary to the cullom of
the ether favag; s, giving us to underlUmd

th; Lthtrly authority, and the hufband's
indullry; a thing which I have much ad-
mired, feeing, that in our Chrilliancinui.li,
by I kncAv not whatabule, men have lival
many age.-, during which the fatherly au-
tiiority hath Lx-en defpifed and ll t at nauglir ,
until that the ecclelialtical conventions h..vc
o-pened their eyis, and known that the
lame was even againll nature itfelf, and
that our kings by laws and etlicls have re-
eltabliflied in his iorce this I'atlierly autho-
rity, whi;:h notwithftanding in fpiritual

that tlu' thing whicli is g(itten with pain, marriages and vows of religion hath no

ou'>;ht to be much clicnlhed.

Hy this action we fee the two moft con-
fuier.ible points in matter of marriage to
be obfeiveil among thefe people, guided
only by the law of nature, that is to fay.

yet recovered his ancient glory, and hath
in thisrefped, his prop but upon the courts
of parliament's orders, the which often-
times have conflraincd the detainers of
children, to reftore them to their parents.

8oq

^he fa

hers au-
liority in
narriage.

C H A P. v.

Jrfdription (J tbc ijliUrl of 6i. V.xo'xx cj'ittidi d : ll.'c cnti^'-pi izc r,f Mo'if.
iMonti d'.tiicuh and "••:-:ro:ii.

Dc'irip
tioii ol :iK'
iilc'of.-V.

Bl'. FO R K wc fpcak of the fliip's re-
turn into h'raiicc, it is meet to tell you
how hard the ill{;of^'/. CVw'.v is tobefound
oiit, to th-in that were never there ; lor
there are fo many ides and great bays to
go by, before one be at it, tiiat I wonder
how ever one miglu pierce fo far tor to
lind it. Tiiere arc tliree or four moun-
tains, imminent above the others, on the
fides; but on the north fide, from whence
the river runi; th down, there is but a
iliarp-pouiied one, above two leagues dif-
tant. i'h.; woods of the main land are
fair, and adnfir.ible high and well grown,
as in like manner is the grafs. There arc
riglit over agiinft the iiland frelh water-
brooks, very pleafant and agreeable, where
divers of Monf. de Mon.'s's men did
their bufinefs, and built there certain
cabins. As for tlic nature of the ground
it is moft excellent and moft abundantly
fruitiul; for the faid Monf de Monts
having caufed there tome piece of ground
to be tilled, and the fame lowed witii rye,
tor I have feen there no wheat, he was not
able to tarry for t'lc maturity thereof to
reap it; and notwithttanding, the grain,
fallen, hath grown and increafed fo won-
derfully, that two years after we reaped
antl dill gather of it, as fair, big, and
weighty, as any in France, which the foil
had brought forth withoutany tillage, and
yet at this prefent it doth continue Itill to
multiply every year. The faid iiland con-
taineth fome half a league of circuit, and
at the end of it on the fea fide, there is a
mount or fmall hill, which is, as it were,
a little ifle fevered from the other, where
Vol. II.

Monf. (!e Af!i,'.*''< cannon was placed ;
there i^ .ilfo a little cliapel buih after the
lavage tathion ; attheiuot of which chapel
th( re is iurii Itore ol miilcles as is won- Score of
derful, which may be gathered at low wa- niuklo.
ter, but rhey are Imall; 1 believe that
MoTif. (/• Monts'-i people did not forget to
chufe a.il take the biggeft, and Ktt there
but the fmall ones to grow and increafe.
As for the cxercifeand occupations of our
Frenchmen., during the time of tlieir abode
there, we will mention it briefly, ha\ing
firft conducted back our fliips into France.
The lea and maritime charges in fuch
entcrprizcs as that of Monf. de Mouts,
be to great, that he who hath not a good
ftock and foundation fliall eafily link un-
der liich a burden -, .and for to fupply, in
fome tort, thofe cxpences, one is forced to
fufl^er and bear infinite difcommodities,
and put himfelf indangcrto bedifcredited
among unknown people, and which is
worfe, in a land which is unmanured, and
all overgrown with forefts ; wherein this
action is the more generous, by fo much
as the peril is more evidently dangerous :
and notwithfianding all this, fortune is not
left unattempted, and to tread down to
many thorns that ftop t!ic way. Monf.
de MoHts\ thips returning into France, he
remaineth in a detblate place, with one
bark and one boat only, and though he is
promifed to be fent for home at the end
of the year, who may alTure himfelf of
/Eulus\ and Neptune's fideUty, two evil,
furious, unconftant and unmerciful mat-
ters ? beholii the eftate whereunto the laid
Monf". de Monti reduced himfelf, hav-
9 T iug

8o6

A Defci'iption of New France.

The re-
turn of M
JfP-jUfin
iiurt into

ing !vid no help of tlu- king, as have had
all tliolV voyages that havcbscn litrctofore
d. Icrilxil, txccpt tlie lite lord marquis de
b Roihc"^, and yrt it is he that hath done
inort- than all the reft, not having yit loft
his hold: but in the end ' fear he Hiall be
lonftrained to give over and forfake all,
to the great flianie and reproach ot the
I'renih name, which by this means is
made ridiculous and a by-word to other
nations -, for, as thovigh one woulil ot fet
purp.ofe oppofe iiimlelf to the converfion
of tliefj poor wefterly people, and to the
fettin^; i'orward of the glory of God and
the kn-gs, there be men ftart up llill of
(irtiriic and e)n.yt men wliich would not
give a ftroke.or dra-.v' their fwords forthe
king's fcrvice, as Monf. Jg Poutrin-
icurl, ftiewed one day to his majeftyi men
which would not endure the leaft labour
in the world for the honour of God, which
do hiix'cr that any prolit be drawn trom
the very province itl'elf, to furnilh to
tiiat which is necilVary to theeftabliihment
of fucii a work, ciuifuig rather tliat Englijh-
vicn and Hollcndns reap the profit thereof,
t!ian Frenchmefi, and leeking to nuke the
name of God unknown in thofe parts ot
the world ; and luch men, which have no
fear of Gud, for if they had any they would
he zealous of his name, are heard, believed,
and carry away tilings at their pleafurc.

Now let us prepare and hoift up fails.
Monf. de Peidrimotiri made the voyage
into thefe parts \\ ith fome men of good
iort, not to winter theie, but as it were
to find out a land that might like him ;
which he having done, had no need to
fojourn there any longer. So then the
Ihips being ready for the return, he Ihip-
ped himfelf, and tliofe of his company, in
one of them. The mean while the lame
was from all fides in tiiele parts, ot the
woiiders made in OjJeiui, then befieged by
llieir highnefs of Flanders, already three
years palled. The voyage was not with-
out Itorms and great perils ; tor amongft
others, I will rtcite two or three which
might be placed among miracles, were it
not that the fea accidents are frequent
enough, not that I will, for all that, dark-
en the fpeeial favour tiiat God hath al-
ways fhewed in thel'c voyages.

The firft is of a guft of wind, which in
the midft of their n.ivigation came by n^ht
inftantly to ftrike in the fails, with fuch a
violent boiftcroufnefs, tiiat it ovc rturned
the Ihip, in fuch manner, that of the one
part the kctl vv;is on the face ot the water,
and the fail Iwimming upon it, without
any means or time to right it, or to loofe
the tack! r. On the fuddcn the fea is all
on fire, and the mariners themlilves all
wet, and did feem to be all compalled
with tlames, lit furious was the feaj the

tailors c.iU this fire St. Goiidrans fire; and
by ill fortune, in this fudden furprife,
there was not a knife to be tbund tor to
cut the cables or tke fail. The poor fliip
during this cafualty, rem.iined overturned,
carried continually, one while upon moun-
tains of waters, then another while funken
down even to hell. Briefly every one did
prepare to drink more than his belly full,
to all his friends, when a new blaft of
wind came, which rent the fail in a thou-
fand pieces, ever after unprofitable to any
ufe. Happy fail! having by his ruin
laved all this people ; for if it had been a
new one, they had been caft away, and
never news had been heard of them. But
God iloth often try his people, andbring-
eth them even to death's door, to tlie end
they may know his powerful might and
fear him. So the lliip began to tfir, and
rife again by little antl little j and well it
was tor them that the was deep keel'd, tor
if it had been a fly boat with a flat bottom
and broad belly, it iiad been quite over-
turned upfidc down, but the ballaft, wliich
remained beneath, did help to ftir her up-
right.

The fecond was at Crtfquet, an ifle or
rock in the tbrm ot a calk, between
France and England, on which there is
no dwelling, being come within tliree
leagues of the fame, there was fome jea-
loully between the mailers of the Ihip, an
evil which oftentimes delfroyeth both men
and fair enterprises, the one faying that
they might double well enough the faid
Cafqttet, another that they could not, and
that it behoved to caft a little from the
right courfe for to pafs under the ifland.
In this cafe the worft was that one knew
not the hour of the day, becaufe it was
dark by realbnof mifts, and by confequence
they knew not if it did ebb or flow ; for
if it had been flood, they had eafily dou-
bled it; but it chanced that it was turning
water, and by that means the ebb did hin-
der it ; lb that approaching the faid rock,
they law no hope to fave themfelves, and
that they neceflarily muft go ftrike againtl
it. Then every one began to pray to God,
to crave pardon one of another, and, for
their laft comfort, to bewail one another.
Mereupon captain Rojfignol, whofe (liip
was taken in iVifTO France, as we have faid
before, tircw out a great knife, to kill
therewith captain Timothy, governor of
this prefent voyage, faying to him, doft
thou not content thyfelf to have undone
me, but wilt thou needs yet caft me here
away? but he was held and kept from do-
ing that he was about to do ; and in very
truth it was in him great folly, yea great
madriefs, to go about to kill a man that
was going to die, and he, that went to
give the blow, in the fame peril. In the

end

A Defcription of New France.

807

Their re-
turn to

end as they went to ftrike upon the rock
Monf. de Poutrincourt, who had already
yielded his Ibiil and recommenilcd his family
toGod, afkcd of him that was at the top if
there were any hopes, who told there was
none : then he bad fonie to help him to
change the fails, which two or three only
did, and already was there no more water
but to turn the fhip, when the mercy and
lavour of God came to ^elp them, and
turned the fhip from the perils wherein they
faw themfelvts. Some had put ofF their
doublets for to feek to fave themfelves by
climbingupon the rock, but the fear was
all the h.uni they had for that time, faving
that few iio'.irs after, being arrived near to
a rock called Le nid a L'a^le, the eagle's
neft, they iliought to go board it, thinking
in the darknefs of the mill it had been a
fliip, from whence b?ing again efcaped,
they arrived at Newhaven, the place from
whence they firll fet out. The laid Monf. de

Poutrincourt having left his armours and
provilions of war in the ifle of St. Croix, irt
the keeping of the faid Monf. de Monts,
as a gage and token of the good will he had
to return hither.

But I may yet fet down here a marvel •
lous danger, from which the fame veffe!
was preferved, a little after the departing
from St. Croix, and this by a fad accident
which God turned to good : for a certain
tippling fellow being by night ftealingly
come down to the bottom ot the fliip tor
to drink his belly full, and to fill his bottle
with wine, he found that there was but too
mach to drink, and that the faid fhip was
already half lull of w.iter, in fuch fort,
that the peril was imminent, and they had
inlinite pains to (tanch her by pumping. In
the end, being come about they found a
great leak, by the keel, which they ftopt
with all dilis;ence.

CHAP. VI.

T/je liuilJings of the ijle St. Croix. Uiihioivn fickncfs, &c.

at. Cioi.\

The T'^URING the forefaid navigation,
buildings Y^ Monf. de Alonts\ people did work
mthriilcof .(i^Qyt thg (-0ft^ which he feated at the end
of the ifland oppofite to the place where he
had lodg(.d his cannon : which was wifely
confkltred, 10 the entl to command the ri-
ver 11]) and down : but there was an incon-
venience ; the faid icrt did lie towards the
noith, and without any flielter, but of the
trees that were on the ille (hore, which all
alwut he commanded to be kept, and not
cut down. And out of the fame fort was
the Swit/ers lodginrr, [\rcat and large, and
other fmall lotlgini^-, reprefenting, as it
were, a lliburb. Some had houfed them-
felves on t!ie hrm land, near the brook. But
within the tort was Monf. (/i'M?«/j's lodg-
ing, made with very fair and arriticial car-
pentry wcrk, with the banner of France
upon the tame. At another part was the
llorehoull.-, wherein confitted the fafety and
life of eveiy one, likewife made fair with
carpentry work and covered with reed*.
Right over-againft the f aid ftorehoufc, were
the lodgings and houfes of thefe gentlemen,
Monf. D'oruiile, Monf. Cbiimplein, Monf.
Champdore, and other men of reckoning.
Oppofite to Monf de Monti's faid lodging
there was a gallery covered tor to exercife
themfelves, either in play, or tor the work-
men in time of rain. And between the
faid fort and the platform, where lay the
cannon, all was full of gardens, whereunto

every one exercifed himfelf willingly. AH
autumn quarter was pafled on thefe works,
and it was well for them to have lodged
themfelves, anil to manure the ground of
the ifland before winter ; whilft that in thefe
parts pamphlets were fet out under the
name of mailer Guillaume, Huffed with all
forts of news : by the which, amongd
other things, this prognofticaror did fay,
Monf. de Monts did pull out thorns in Ca-
nada: and all well confidered, it may well
be termed the pulling outof thorns, to take
in hand fuch enterprizis, full of toils and
continual perils, with cares, vexations, and
difcommodities. But virtue and courage
that overcometh all thefe things, makes
thofe thorns to be but gilliflowers and rofcs,
to them that rcfolve themfelVesin thefe he-
roical adlions to make themfelves praife-
worthy and famous in the memory of men,
defpifing the vain pleafures of delicate and
effeminated men, good fornothing but to
coffer themfelves in a chamber.

The mod urgent things being done, and Three dif-
hoary fnowy father being come, that is to commodi-
fay, winter, then they were forced to keep '"^^ '""'"'
within doors, and to live every one at his 5 "cm>.
own home : during which time, our men
had three ipecial difcommodities in this
ifland, viz. want of wood (for that which
was in the faid ifle, was fpent in buildings)
lackof frefli water, and the continual watch,
made by night, fearing foine furprifc from

th(<>

8o8

yl Dcfcriptiori of New France.

hi?

ihc (hv.-'ges, that liad loilged themftlvcs at
tlicfooiot the r.iiil iflaiiil, or fomc other
eiK-my : for the malethction and rage of
m.iny Chrilhans is tuch, tliat one miiil take
had of ihem mucli more than oi intidtrls.
A ihiny which grievethnie to fpeak: wo )ld
to Ctod I were a liar in tiiis relpsft, and
tliat I had no caiilc to Ipcak it! wiien they
liad ntrdof watiT or wood, they were con -
(trained to crol's over the iivcr,whichisrhri':e
1 i-r rivci as broad on every fide as the river ^xame,
of,?;..'/. It was a thing painiul and tedious, in fmii
fort that it was needflil to keep the huat a
whole day, before one miyht jjet necelVa-
i:t>. In the mean while, tlie cold and
Ihows came upon them, and the ice lb
(Iron;^, that the cytler was frozen in the
villtis, and every one liis nieafure was
given him out by weight. As for wine, it
was ditbibutcd but at certain days of the
week. Many ivile (luggifli companions
drank fnow water, not willing to take the
Unknown pains to (Tofs the river. Briefly, the un-
fickr.cilb. knov.n fu kneffi-s, like to thofe I'efcribcd
iin:o lis by "j.unci ':^iarl\cr in his relation,
airdled us i for remedies there were none
!o be found : in the mean while, the poor
Ui.k cre.'Hires di.i liir.~:ilh, pining away
by liitlc ;.-,r want of fweet meals, r.s milk
or fpocii-mea' lor to fuflain dieir llomachs,
which could not receive the hard meats,
by rca.bn of let, proceedir.g from a rotten
fltfli vvhicli grew and over-abounded within
their mouths -, and when one thought to
root it our, it did grow again in one night's
fpace 11101C abund.u-.tly than before. As
for the tree called JaneJtia, mentioned by
tlu'taid f^uiiiier, the fav.-.gesof thefe lands
know it not -, in that ic was mofl pitiful to
behold every one, very few excepted, in
this mifery, and the miferable fick folks to
the, as It were full of life, without any
pofTbility to be fuccoured. There died
of this ficknefs thirty-fix, and thirty-fix or
forty more, that were llricken with it, re-
covered themfclves by the help of the
fpring, as foon as the comfortable fealbn
appealed. But the deadly fealbn for that
Danger- ficknefs is in the end oi January, the months
of February and March, wherein moll
commonly the fick do die, every one in his
turn, according to the time they have be-
gun to be fick : in fuch fort, that he which
began to be ill in February and March,
may efcape, but he that fhall over-haflc
himfclf, and lietake hiin to his bed in Be-
icmber and January, lie is in danger to die
in February, March, or the beginning of
ylpril, which time being pafled, lie is in
good iiope, and as it were affured of his
fafety. Notwithftanding fome have felt
fome touch thereof, having been fharply
handled with it.

Monl. de Mor.ts being returned into

moiith:

Frau-e, did confiilt with our doflors of
phylic upon the fiekncl's which, iii my
opinion, they foiin.f \ < i y iilw and unknown,
for I do not fee, that wlien we went away,
our apothecary was charged with any or-
lier lor tlic cure thereof : notwithftanding it
feeineth that IJippQcra.'cs hith had certain
knowledge of it, or at lealf oi' (bir.e thac
w.is very like to it. For in the b>H)k Je
iiiU'i i.h ajfr.^f. he fpeaketh of a ceitain ma-
lady, where the belly, and afterward tlie
(pl.'ii du Iweli a:id li.'.rden ittcif, and leel
grievous and (li.irp gripes -, the (kin be-
comcth black and pale, drawing towards
the colour of a green pomegranate ; the
ears and gums do render and yield a bad
("cent, the (aid gums disjoining themfelves
from the teeth •, the legs full of blifters,
the limbs are weakened, i^c.

But efpccially the northerly people, are N'onlinly
more ("abjedt to it than ot!ur more lixitherlv r'-'^^r''"
nations : witnefs, the IFLwdcrs, Frirfiaul ^'rf?
men, and otiicrs tlicrcabout, amonglt whom liiiiari- tf
the laid HoI'muIu i do write in their tiavi- .v.-.'
gations, that going to the F.jJ}-hh'.'::s\'.\M-\y F'-"':"-
of them were t.;!; 'ii with the fame dileafc,
being upon the coalt of Gu'trey ; a danger-
0.13 coall, bearing a pcfliferous air a hun-
dred ie. g'les fiir in the ia.i : and the fame,
1 mean tile //.."i/./itrj, b ing, in the year
i Lo6, gone upon the road of S/r.in, to
keep the latr.e coaft, and to annoy th.e Spa-
):ij7j r.avy, were conltrai.ned to withdraw
themfelves by rcalbii of tliis difeafe, hav-
ing tall into the lea two and-twcnty of their
dead. And if one will hear the witntls
of Olaus Afii^nu.', writing of the northerly
nations, of which part him.felf was, let
him hearken to his report, which is this :
There is, faith he, yet another tnart'uil fuk-
iiefs ( hat is, a ficknefs that affiicleth them
ivbn follow the "-Kvars) ti'hith tenncnteth and
afni^eth them that are befiegcd, fuch I'.koje
limhi thickened by a certain fiefljy heavinef\
and by a corrupted blood, "which is betzveea
the flejh and thejlin, dilating itfelf like wax ;
they fnk zvith the leaft iinpnjnon made en
them liitb the finger ; and dtsjoineth the teeth
as ready to fallout ; chan^eth the white colour
of the fkin into blew, and catfetb a benumb-
ing, vu'.'.u a di'lnfe to t.ike phxfuk ; a>hi
that dijeaje is called in the vulgar tongue of
the country Sorbet, in Greek Ka.yjl>x, ter-
adveniure, becaufe of this putrifying Jrftnefs
which is under the jkin, which feemcth to
proceed of indigejling and fait meats, a>.d to
be continued by thecdd exhalation of the zvalls :
but It fljall not have fo much force icbere the
hotifes are inward wainfcolted ivifh boards.
If tt continue longer, ii mtift b: driven out
by taking every day wormwoor., as one ex- ^ r. cili
pellethcut the root rf the /lone, by a decoHion '^"■'' •>"■
of Hale beer drauK with 'butter. The fame ""•' '^""'■■
author do:h yci fay, in artother place, a

thing

A Defcription of New France.

809

frurvj

pit-
;0t to
Jiiid
aft- tf

thing much to be noted : In the bei^mnng^
faith he, they fufta'm the fiege with force,
but in the end, the foldier being by continuance
weakened^ they take away the povijiotu
jrom the invaders by artificial means, fub-
(ilties, andambu/hments, efpecially the Jleep,
which they carry away, and make them to
grafs in grajfy places of their boufes^ for
fear that through want of frefh meats they
fall into the lotbfimeft ficknefs of all fick-
Sfhit, oTiieffes, called in the country language Sorbiit,
l/jut is to fay, a wounded Jlomacb, dried by
cruel torments and long anguifhes ; for the
cold and indigefling meats, greedily taken,
feem to be the true caufe of this ficknefs.

I have delighted myfelf to recite here
the very words of this author, becaufe he
fpeaketh thereof as being (kilful, and fets
lorth fufficiently enough the land difcafeof
l^evj France, faving that he maketh no
mention of the ftifflning of the hams, nor
of a fuperfluoiis flefh which groweth and
aboundeth within the mouth ; and that if
one think to take it away it incrcafeth ftill ;
but well fpeaketh he of the bad llomach.
For Monf. de Poutrincourt made a negro
to be opened, that died of that ficknefs

all other water-birds : for in being an over-
curious obfcrvator of thefe things, one
might tall into the danger of ftarving, and
die for hunger. They place yet among
the meats that are to be ihunned, biflcet,
beans, and pulfc, the often uflng of milk,
cheefe -, the grofs and harfli wine, and that
which is too fmall, white wine, and the
ufe of vinegar *, beer which is not well fod-
den, nor well fcummed, and that hath not
hops enough ; alfo waters that run through L'ad wa>
rotten wood, and thofe of lakes and bogs •, '"^'^
ftill and corrupted waters, fuchasare much
in Holland and Friefland, where is obferv'd
that they of Amflerdam are more fubjedb to
p.ilfies and ftiffening of finews than they of
Rotterdam, for the abovefaid caufe of ftill
and fleepy waters ; which, bclides, do in-
gender dropfies, dyfentcries, fluxes, quar-
tan agues, and burning fevers ; fweilings,
ulcers of the lights, Ihortnefs of breath,
ruptures in children, fwelling in the veins,
fores in the legs : finally, they wholly be-
long to the difeafc whereof we fpeak, be-
ing drawn by the fpleen, where they leave
all their corruption.

Sometimes this ficknefs doth alfo come

in our voyage, who was found to have the by a vice, which is even in waters of run-

Ciufes of
thefaiddi
feafc.

.Mr
;oiif.

inward parts very found, except the fto-
mach, that had wrinkles as though they
were ulcered.

And as for the caufe proceeding from fait
meats, it is very true, there are many other
caufes concurring which feed and entertain
this ficknefs : amongft which I will place
in general the bad food, comprehending
with it the drinks ; then, the vice of the air
of the country, and after, the evil difpofition
of the body : leaving the phyficians to fift
it out more curioufly. Whereunto Hippo-
crates laith, that the phyfician ought alfo
carefully to take heed, in confidering the
feafons, the winds, the afpcds of the fun,
the waters, the Kind itfclf, the nature and
fituation of it, tlie nature of men, their
manner of living and exercife.
Whatfoor) As for the food •, this ficknefs is caufed
caiifi-s the by cold meats, without juice, grofs and
•''^- corrupted. One muft then take heed of
fait meats, fmoky, mufty, raw, and of an
evil foent, llkewife of dried filhes, 3.% New-
foundland ^nih, and ftinking rays : briefly,
from all melancholy meats, which are of
hard digefting, are eafily corrupted, and
breed a grofs and melancholy blood. I
would not, for all that, be fo fcrupulous as
the phyficians, which do put in the num-
ber of grofs and melancholy meats, beeves-
flclh, bears, wild boars and hogs-flelh,
(they might as well add unto them beavers
flefh, which notwithilanding we have found
very good) as they do amongft fifties, tlie
tons, dolphins, and all thofe that carry lard ;
among the birds, the herns, ducks, and
Vol. II.

land
cal'c

ning fountains ; as if they be among or near
bogs, or if they ilTue from a muddy
ground, or from a place that hath not the
fun's afpeft. So Pliny reciteth, that in the
voyage which the prince Ccefar Germanicui
made into Germany, having given order
to his army to pafs the river of Rhine, to
the end to get ftill forward in the country,
he did fet his camp on the fea-fhore, upon
the coaft of Friefland, in a place where
was but one only fountain of frefh water
to be found, which notwithftanding was fb
pernicious, that all they that drank of ic
loft their teeth in lefs than two years Ipace,
and had their knees fo weak and disjointed
that they could not bear themfelves: which
is verily the ficknefs whereof we fpeak,
which the phyficians do call Stomaccace, Sicmacca-
that is to fay, mouths fore, and Scelotyrbi, ce, Suh
which is as much to fay, as the fhaking 'yl"--
of thighs and legs. And it was not pofli-
ble to find any remedy, but by the means
of an herb called Britannica, or fcurvy-
grafs, which befides is very good for the
finews, againft the fores and accidents in
the mouth : againft the fquinancy, and
againft the biting of ferpents. It hath long
leaves, drawing in colour to a dark green,
and produccth a black root, from which
liquor is drawn, as well as from the leaf.
Strabo faith, that the like cafe happened to
the army that ^lius Gallus brought into
Arabia, by the commifljon of Auguflus the
emperor. And the like alfo chanced to
king S. Lewis's army in Egypt, as the lord
de Joinville reporteth. Other cffedls of bad
<) U waters

*>I0

A UcJiriptloH of New France.

waters are feen near unto us, to wir, in
Sarov, wherj the women, more than men,
Ijccaiile they arc ot a colder conllituticn,
have commonly I'wellings in their throats
as big as liottles.
v\ h;it air Next to waters, the air is alfo one of the
'■ .igiliiil fathers and ingenderers of this ficknefs, in
liv.u.ii. bo[i;<;y .uul waterilh places, ami oppofite to
the louth, which is often moll rainy. But
there is yet in A'r» France another bad
quality of the air, by reafon of lakes that
be thick there, and of the great rottennefs in
the wood?, wiioi'e odour the bodies having
drawn up, during the rains of autumn and
winter, e.ilily are engendered the corrup-
tions of the mouth, and fwelling in the
legs before fpoken, and a coiil entreth in-
Icnliblyintoic, which bcnumbeth the limbs,
Itiffeneth tlie iincws, conftraineth to cret p
with crutches, and in the end to keep the
bed.

And for as much as the winds do partici-
pate with the air, yea, arc an air running
with a more vciiement force than ordinary,
and in this quality have great power over
the iie.iltii and fickncfles of men, we will
ipeak fomething of it, not (for all that)
(haying ourfelvcs from the fequci of our
hillory.
NVinds. The caftcrly wind, called by the Latins,

Sub/olanui, is held for the healthfulleft of
all, and for that caufe, wife builders give
advice to fet their buildings towards the
atpeft of the eaft. The oppofite to it is
the wind called Favorinus, or Zephiriis,
which our feamen doth name well, which
in thefe parts is mild and frudifying. The
llnithern wind, alkd yiiijler by the Latins,
is in Africa hoc and dry : but in crolTing
the Alcditerranean fea, it gathcreth a great
moiftncfs, which makes it ftormy anil pu-
trefying in Provence and Languedoc. Tiie
o[)porue to it, is the northern -wind, other-
wile called Boreas, Bize, Tramontane, which
is cold and dry, chaceth the clouds and
Iweepeth the airy region. It is taken for
the wholfomed next to the eaft wind. But
■ thefe qualities of the wind found and noted
in thefe parts, make not one general rule
through over all the earth ; for the north
wind beyond the cquinoflial line is not
cold as in thefe parts, nor the fouth wind
hot, bccaufe that by a long crofiing, they
borrow the qualities of the regions through
which they pafs : bcfides that, the fouth
wind at his firft ifTue is cooling, according
to the report of thofe that have travelled in
Jfrica. In like manner, there be regions
in Pent, as in Lima and the plains, where
the north wind is unwholfome and noifome
And thorough all that coaft, which is about
500 leagues in length, they take the fouth
wind for a found and freih cooling wind,
and which more is, moft mild and pleafiint :

yea alio, that it doth never rain by ir, ac-
cordini, to that whicii Jo/cpL Aafta wi iteth
of it, clean contrary to that we fee in thii
part of F.iirope. And in Spain the e.iit
wind, which we have faid to be found, the
fame Jcojhi faith, that it is noifome and
iinlbund. The wind called Cinm, which
is the north welt, is fo ftormy auvi boille-
rous in the wefterly (hores of Norivay,
that if there be any which undertaketh any
voyage that way, when that wind bloweth,
he muft make account to be lolt and call i
away : and this winil is fo cold in that re-
gion, that it fiillereth not any tree, fmall
or great to grow thi're : lb that for want of
wood they mull fcive themfelves with the
bones of great lillies, to l^nh or roalt riieir
meats, which difcommodity is not in thefe
parts. In like fort, wc have had expt ; iencc
in Nc'W France that the north winds are not
for health : And the north eall (which arc
the cold, ftrong, fliarp and (lormy /-/y///-
loKs) yci worfe ; which our fick folks, and Sk.'. folk';
they that had wintered there the Jbrmer -'"J bcafts,
year, did greatly fear, becaufe that likely '^' ''■••■' t^'^
lome or them drooped away, when that v.raihcr a
wind blew, for indeed they had lome fen- coming,
fible feeling of this wind : as we fee thofe
that be fubjedl to ruptures endure great
pangs when that the foiith wind doth blow :
ami as we fee the very beads to prognolli-
cate by fome figns the change of weather.
This noifome quality of winds proceedcth
(in my judgment) from the nature of the
country through which it pifleth, which,
as we have faid, is full of lakes, and thofe
very great, whicii be, as it were, (landing
and ftill waters. Whereto I add the ex-
halation of the rottennefs of woods, that
this wind bringeth, and that in fo much
greater quantity, as the north weft part is
great, large, and fpacious.

The fcafons are alfo to be marked in Srafons.
this difeafe, which I have not leen nor heard
of, that it begins to work, neither in the
fpring time, fummcr, nor autumn, unlcfs
it be at the end of it, but in winter. And
the caufe thereof is, that as the growing
heat of the fpring maketh the humours
doled up in the winter to difperfe them-
felves to the extremities of the body, and
fo cleareth it from melancholy, and from
the noifome humours that have been ga-
thered in winter •, fo the autumn, as the
winter approacheth, draweth them inward,
and doth nourifhthis melancholy and black
humour, which doth abound efpecially in
this feafon, and the winter being come
flieweth forth his effefts at the colls and
griefs of the poor patients. Galen yieldeth
a realbn for the fame, faying that the hu-
mours of the body, having been parched
by the burning of the fummer, that which
may reft of it, after the heat is cxpulfcd,

bc-

'/ Defiription of New France.

8ri

Had fond
ar.il (III
ccirMiiotli-
tn-sct' the

bead-.

dthe

and

'icr a

tio.. of

Loav.

^•x

iKcomctli forthwith cold and dry •, that
is to Liy, cold by the jiriv.ition of the henr,
:incl dry in as much a-: in the drying of thcfe
humours, all the moillncfs that was therein
hath been confumed : and thereby it com-
cth tii.it lickiiclll's arc bred in tliis fcafon,
and the fartiicr one goeth the weaker nature
is, .i!ui the intemperate cokinels of the air
being entered into a body already thereto
difpofcd, doth handle it, as it were, at a
beck and at will, without pity.

1 would add willingly to all the forcfail
caufes the Lad food of the fea, which in
a long voyage brings much corruption ii]
niAn's body. Kor one muft of necelTity,
alter four or five ilays, live of fair meat,
or bring flieep alive, and llore of poul-
try ; buc this is but tor maflers and com-
manders in fh ps : and we had none in our
voyage but tor to referve and multiply in
the land whither we did go. The mari-
ners then and patTcngers do fufTcr difcom-
modity as well in the bread as in the meat
and drink \ the hifket becomcth dampifli
and rotten, the fi flics that are given them
alike, and the waters fbinking •, they which
carry fwect meats, be it ticfh or fruits, and
that lite good bread, goixt wine and good
broths, do cafily avoid thole ficknelTts ;
and I durd, in fome Ibit, be anfwerable
unto them tor their healths, unlets they be
very unhcakhful by nature. And when I
confider that this dil'eafe is as well taken in
Hcl!,;nd, I'.tefuwd, in Spain antl in Gtiimy,
•as in Canada., I am brought to believe that
the chief caule thereof is In that which I
have faid, ami not peculiar nor particular
to New France.

After all thefe caufes and confiderations,
it is good in every place to have a well dif-
pofed body, tor to be in health and live
long. For thole which naturally gather
cold and g'ofs humours, and have the mafs
ot their body pory : Itevi, they that be
fubject to the oppilations of the fplecn. and
they that utc not a itirring life, but fitting
and without frequent motion, are more apt
and lubjedl to thefe ficknetTcs. Therefore,
a pliyfii-ian might fay that a ftudent is not
lit for that country, that is to fay, he fhall
not live there in health: nor thofe which
over-toil in labours, nor melancholy people,
men which have drowl'y dreaming fpirits,
nor thole that be often vifited with agues,
and luch other fort of people. Which I
might eafily believe, becaufe that thefe
things do heap much melancholy, cold,
and fupcrfluous humours. Notwithftand-
ing I have try'dthe contrary, both by my-
I'elt and by others, againft the opinion of

fome nf ours, yea, of S/t^amos f A fern-
hcrton himfelf, who jilayeth the foorhfayer
among the fivages, who, arriving in that
country, taid, that I fliould never return into
fraya; nor Monf. EnuUct, fometimrs cap-
tain of Monf. de Pnit'lncciirt's regiment,
who, for the moft part of ths time, l:;;tli
had agt;es there, but he did fare w.ll. And
they thtmfelves did advife our labourer, t)
rake Init Im.ill l.diour in their work, w hi,-!>
counfel rhey could very well obterv-c -, for
I m.iy f.iy, :;nd that truly, that I never
made to much botlily work, for th? plea-
furc that I djd take in drefling and tilling
my giirdcns, to inciofe and hedge ih.m,
againft the gluttony of the hogs, to make
knots, to draw out alleys, to build arbours,
to tow wheat, rye, barley, oats, beans,
peafe, garden herbs, and to water tiicm ;
fo much defirc had 1 to know die goodnefs
of the ground by my own experience. So
that funimcrs days were unto me too fliorr,
and viry ol'ten did I work by moon- light.
Concerning the labour of the mind, I took
a reap inable part of it ; for .at niglir, every
one being retired, amongthepratingq, nodes,
and huriiburlies, I w.is tliut up in my ftudy,
reading or writing of Ibn^ething. Yea, I
will not be afhamed to fpeak, tliat bcinor
requeued by Monf. de Pciilrhianrt, our
commander, to beflow fome hours of niy
indufbry, in giving ChrilVian inflrudions to
our finall cotnpany ; for not to live like
beafls, an.l for to give to the favagc-s an
example of our manner of life, I have
done it according to the necefTity, and b-*-
ing thereof rcquefted, every Si'udav, and
fometimes extraordinarily, ahnoft 'durin"'
all the lime we have been there -, and
well was it for me that I had brought my
bible, and fome books unawares ; for
othervvife it had been very difficult for me,
and had been caufe to excufe me of that
work. It hath no: been without fruit, many
witnefTing unto me, that they had never
heard fo much good talk of God, not
knowing before any principle of that which
belongcth to ChrifUan dodrine : and fuch
is the ftate wherein live the moft part of
Cbrijlendom ; and if there were any edify-
ing of one part, there was backbiting on
the other, by reafon, that ufing a French
liberty, I willingly fpake the truth : where-
upon I remember the faying of the prophet
jmos, Voey have hated, faith he, hm that
reproved them in the gate, and have bad in
abomination him tbatjpake in integrity. But,
in the end, we became all good friends ;
and amongtl thefe things God gave me al-
ways a found and a perfeft health, always

■{■ Sngamcs is a fav.igc word which fignificth a lord, a nilcr. or a captain.

8l2

A Defer iption of 'Sqw F'rance.

a good tafte i always merry and nimble,
fiving that having once lain in the woods,
ne.ir to a brook In fnowy weather, I was
touched with a cramp, or Sciatica, in my
thigh a fortnight's ipace, not lofing my
appetite nor llomach for the fame •, tor in-
deed I took, delight in that which 1 did,
dcfiring to confine there my life, if it would
pleafe God to blefs the voyages.

I (hould be over tedious, if I fhould fet
down lierc the difpofition of all perfons, and
to fpe.ik concerning children that they arc
more fiibji'd lo this fitkncfs than others,
for thiU they have very often ulcers in the
moiitli ;ind gums, becaufe of the thin fiib-
ft.incc that abound in ilicir bodies : and
alio tliat they gather many crude himiours
by their diforder of living, and by the
quantity of fruits they cat, being never fiUM
with it, by which means they gather great
quantity of watcrilh blood, and th^- fplecn
being (lopped cannot foak up thofe moil-
tures. And as for old folks that have their
heat weakened, and cannot refill the fick-
nefs, Ixing filled with crudities, and with
a cold and moid temperature, which is the
qunlity proper to ftir up and nourilh it : I
will not take the phyfician's office in hand,
fearing the ccnfuring rod : and notwith-
ftanding, with their leave, not touching
with their orders and receitsof /^rtw,/^/^*;.
Rhubarb, and other ingredients, I will write
here th;it which I think more ready at hand
for the poor people, who have not the abi-
lity and means to fend to Alexamlria, as
well for the prefervation of their health, as
for the remed) of this ficknefs.
AHviccfnr It is a certain axiom. That a contrary
iickr/.-flt;3 f^iif)- bg hcalcd by his contrary. This
ficknefs proceeding from an indigeftion of
crude, gi-nf;, cold and melancholy meats,
which offend the ftomach, I think it good,
fubmitting myfelf to better judgment and
advice, to accompany them with good
fauces, be it of butter, oil, or fat, all well
fpiced, to correft as well the quality of the
meat as of the body inwardly waxen cold.
Let this be faid for crude and grofs meats, as
beans, peafe, and fifli i for he that (hall
eat good capons, good partridges, good
ducks, and good rabbets, he may be af-
fured of his health, orelfe his body is of a
very bad conftitution. We have had fome
fick that have, as it were, been raifed up
from death to life ; for having eaten twice,
or thrice of acoolicemadeof a cock, good
wine taken according to the necelTity ot na-
ture, is a fovercign prefer vative for all
ficknelTcs, and particularly for this, Maf-
ter Macqtiin and mafter Georges, worihip-
ful merchants of Rochel, as alTociates to
Monf. de Monts, did furnifh us with forty-
five tons of wine, which did us very much
good. And our fick folks themfcl vcs, hav-

Good
wine.

ing their mouths fpoiled, and not being
able to eat, have never loll their taAc of
wine, which they took with a pipe. The
fame hath prcfcrvcd many of them from
death. The young buds of herbs in thcHeibsin
fpring time be alfo very fovercign. Atid the ipring
befides that reafon requires to believe it, 1 ""»«•
have tried it, being my felf gone many
times to gather fome tor our fick people,
before that thofe of our garden might be
ufcd, which reftorrd them to their tafte
again, and comforted their weak llo-
m.ichs.

And as for that which conccmeth the
extcritir pa'ts of the body, we have found
great good in wearing wooden pantotfles,
or pattens, with our (hoes, for to avoid the
moiftneCs. The houfes need no opening,
nor windows on the north-weft fide, being
a wind very dangerous, but rather on the
caft-fide, or the fouth. It is very good to
have good bedding (and it was good for
me to have carried things ncccflTary to this
purpofe) and above all, to keep my fcif
neat. I would like well the ufc of itoves. Stoves,
iuch as they have in Germany ; by means
whereof they feel no winter, btingat home
but as much as they pltafe. Yea they have Stovcj in
of them in many places in their gardens, B"dciu.
which do fo temper the coldnefs of winter,
that in this rough and (harp feafon, there
one may fee orange-trees, lemon-trees,
fig-trees, pomegranate-trees j and all fuch
fort of trees bring forth fruit as good as in
Provence : which is fo much the morecafy
to do in this new land, for that it is all co-
vered over with woods (except when one
come in the Armouchiqucis country a hun-
dred leagues further off than Port -Royal.)
And in making of winter a fummer, one
(hall difcover the land ; which not hav-
ing any more thofe great obftaclcs thac
hinder the fun to court her, and from
warming it with his heat, without doubt it
will become very temperate, and yield a
moft mild air ; and well agreeing with our
humour, not having theie,^ even at this
time, cither cold or heat that is excef-
five.

The favages that know not Germany^
nor the cuftoms thereof, do teach us the
fame lelTon, which being fubjcft to thofe
fickne(res(as we have fcen in the voyage of
James ^tarlier) ufe fweatings often, as it Thefwe«t.
were every month ; and by this means ingsof the
they prefcrve themfelves, driving out by f»*»E"-
fweat all the cold and evil humours they
might have gathered. But one fingular
prefervative againft this perfidious ficknefs,
which comcth fo ftealingly ; and which
having once lodged itfelf within us, will
not be put out } is to follow the counfel of
him that is wife amongft the wife, who
having confidered all the affliflions that .

man

Me
inir

A Defer iption of New France.

8'3

lbs in

mm givM to himfdf during his life, Iiatli
Itjtuul nothing better than to rejoin: bimjclf,
and ilo good, and to take pUafure in bis cun
tvrrki. Tiny that have ilonc fo in our
coiiH)any, liavc found thciulclvc!) wvll liy
it-, contr.uiwifc fomc always gunigiiig,
repining, never content, idle, iiavc been
Mcin-. of tound out by the fame diltML'. True it ii,
mirth. thjt fof to enjoy mirth it is good to have
the fwcetncfs ot frefli tneats, flefli, fiflus,
milk, butter, oils, liiiits, and luch liktr,
which we had not at will (I mean the com-
mon fort ; for always fome one or other
of the company diil furnifli Monf. ile
Poutiincotirl's table, with wild- fowl, veni-
fon or frcfii liHi.) And it we had had half
a dozen kine, I believe that no body had
died there.

It refteth a prcfervativc neceflary for
the actomplifliment of mirth j and to the
end one may take pleafiire on the work of

1.1.-. iianils, is every one to have the honed
( oiiipany of his lawful wile j for without •
that, the chear is never pertedt ; ones mind
is .ilw.iysupon thatwhieh one lovesantl de-
(in lU ; there is Hill fome forrow, the l)ody
becomes lull of ill immours, and fo the
iickntU doth breed.

And lor the laft and fovcrcign remedy, TicbuJ
! lend back the patient to the tree ot litc''*«
(lor lb one may well quality it) which
yamrs iifuariier doth call /Iniiedda, yct> un-
known in the coatt of Port- Royal, unlcfs
i: be, pcrailvonfure the Sa/pifras, whcreof-'#i/'"'
there is quantity in certain places. And
it is an alfurcd thing, that the faid tree
is very excellent. But Monf. ChampUin,
who is now in the great river ot Canada,
pafTing his winter, in the fame part where
the faid f^mrtier did winter, hath charge
to find it out, and to make provifion
thereof. • •" '

ve».

CI m

Icni.

CHAP. vir.

7hr efifcovrry of lands hy Mnnf. dr Moiits : FalmUin tala and rcpvts of tkc
r'tier and feigned toivn ^'Norombcga : '"'The nfnting of the authors tbiit ha-ee
written thereof : Fijh hanks in^e.\Niou\\i\\i.m\: Kinibeki : Chovncoet : Mal-
Icbarre : Annouchiquois, ^c.

Monf.

ifthe
rs.

H E rough feafon being pafled,
Monf. de Monts wearied with his bad
dwelling at St, Croix, determined to feck
out another port in a warmer country, and
more to the fouth j and to that end made
a pinnace to be armed and furnifhed with
vidiiuals, to follow the coail, and difco-
vering new countries, to feek out fome
happier port in a more temperate air. And
becaufe that in feeking, one cannot let tor-
voyage for ward fo much as when in full fails one go-
the aifto- gti^ jp (jpgn fgj J 3f,j tj^^t finding out bays

new kind' an<i g""s, lying t)etween two lands, one
mult put in, becaufe that there one may
as foon find that which is fought for, as elle
where, he made in this voyage hut about
fix fccre leagues, as we will tell you now.
From St. Croix to fixty Jeagues tor ward,
the coaft lieth eaft and wcfl ; at the end of
which fixty leagues, is the river called by
the favages Kinibeki. " From which place
" to Mallebarre it lieth north and fouth,
" and there is yet from one to the other
" fixty leagues in aright line, notfoUow-
" ing the bays. So tar ftrctcheth Monf.
•' De Monti's voyage, wherein he had tor
" pilot in his velfel, Monf. De Cbamp-
" dore. In all this coaft fo far as Kinibeki,
" there are many places where (liips may b^-
" harboured amongft the illand.s, but the
" people there are not fo frequent as is br-

VOL. II.

Kinibeki
fixty
leagues
from St.

i.idx.

" yond thar." And there is no remark-
able thing (ut Icatl that may be feen in the
outfide ot tiie lands) but a river, whereof
many have written tables one after another,
like to thofe that they (who grounding
themfelves upon Hannos's commentaries,
■.xCartha^in'um captain) havefcignedof towns
builtby him ingreat number upon the coalts
of ylfrica, which is watered with the ocean
tea 1 tor that he play'd an heroical part
in failing fo tar as the itles of Cape Verdy
where long time fincc no body hath been }
the navigation not being fo fecure then
upon that great lea, as .•. is at this day by
the benefit of the compafs.

Therclbre without alk'dgingthat, which
thvl'nttwntcvsf Spaniards and Portugueze)
have laid, 1 will recite that which is in the
laft book, intituled, TIjc tiniverfal hiftory
of the Weft-Indies, printed at Dcivay, the
laft year 1607, in the place where he fpeaks
of Norcmbega : for in reporting this, I
fhall have alio laid that whicli the firlt have
written, from whom tliey have had it.

" Moreover, towards the north (laith Fabulou-i
" the author, after he had fpoken of T/V- tali^ of
" gmia) is Norombega, which is known ''-'^ "*"
" well enough, by realon or a lair town, ^,,
" and a pic.it river, though it is not found
" from wiience it hath its name ; for the
" Barb.iriaiis do call it Agguncia : at the
9 X " mouth

Si4

A Dcjcription of New France.

Pmfii-

•* mouth of this river there is an innml
*» vc-ry lit for filhing. 'I'hc region that
" goeth along the id, ilothalwiindin lilh -,
" aniltowjrJsi\V;r I'hnue, there are great
"■ iiuinlxTs ot will! lieath, unil is very com-
" iiKM-iioiistDr hunting! theinhabit.'-.isdo
" live in the l'an\e maimer as they jf New
" I'rance." Ifthisbeautitiiltown hath ever
been in nature, I woiilil tain know who
hath pulled it down : tor there are but ca-
bins here and there nude with pearkes
covi led witli barkot trees, or with Ikins-,
and botii the river and the place inhabited,
are call .d Pempic^oet, and not .l^^uiicia.
The river (laving the tide) is learce as the
river ot Oyfe. And there can be no great
river on that coall, becaule there are not
laiuls Ivifficient to produce them, by rca-
Ibn of the great river of Canada, which
runneth like this cuail, and is not lour-
fcore leagues dill.int from that jilace in
•crofling the lamls, which from elle-wheic
received many rivers falling Irom thole
j-.aits which are towards Norombr^n : at
tile entry whereof, it is lb far trom having
but one illaiul, that rather the number
thi-Teof is almoil infinite, for as much as
tiiis river enlarging it Iclf like the greek
Laml'da x ; the mouth whereof is all full
ol illes, whereof there is one ot them ly-
ing very far otf"(and the foremoll; in the
lea, which is high and markable above
the others.

But fome will fay that I equivocate in
the fituation ut Norv»il/egn, and that it is
not placed where I take it. I'o this I an-
fwer, that the author, whofe words I have
a little before alledged, is in this my fuf-
ficicnt warrant -, who in his geographi-
cal map, hath placed the mouth of this
river in the forty-tourth degree, and his
ftipjjofed town in the forty-tifth, wherein
we differ but in one degree, which is a
fmall matter. For the river that I mean
is in the forty-fifth degree; and as lor any
town, there is none. Now of necelTity it
mull be this river, becaufe that the fame
being palTed, and that of Kinibeki, (which
is in the fame heighth) there is no other
river tijrward, whereof account fhould be
made, till one come to Firgifiia. I fay
furthermore, that feeing the barbarians of
Noromhega do live as they oi New France,
and have abundance of hunting ; it muft
be, that their province be feated in our
New- France : for fifty leagues farther to
the fouth-wcft there is no great game ; be-
caufe the woods are thinner there, and the
inhabitants fettled, and in greater number
than in Norombe^a.

True it is, that a fea captain, named
Jebn /llfonfe, of Xaintonge, in the relati-
on of his adventurous voyages, hath writ-
ten •, that, having pafTed St. John\ illand
'which I take for the fame that I have

called heretofore the il1c of Bacaitlos) tlie
coafl turneth to the well, anil weft Ibiith-
well, as far as the river of Norumbt^a,
" newly difcovered (faith he) by the For
" /itgneze And Spaniards, which is in thirty
" degrees : adding that this river h.itli
" at tlie entrance thereof many iflcs, banks,
" and rocks ; and that fifteen or twenty
" leagues within it, is built a great town,
" where the people are fmall and biackilh,
" like them of the Indies; and are cKrath-
" eil with skins, whereof they ha\e .i-
" bundance ot all l()rts. Item, that the
" bank of Newjcuiidland endeth there ;
" and that that river IxingpafTed, theroafl
" turneth to the well, and well north-
" well, above two hundred fifty leagues
" towards a country, where thereareboth
" towns and caftles. But I fee very little
" or no truth at all, in all the difcourfes
" of this man :" and well may he call his
voyages adventurous, nut for him, who was
never in the hundreilth p.irt of the places
he defcribeth (at leafl: it is eafy fo to think)
but for thofe that will follow the w.iys
which he willeth mariners to follow.
For if the faid river of Norcmbrga ln' in
thirty degrees, it muft needs be in Flori-
da ; which is the contrary to all them that
ever have written ol it, and to the very
truth itfelf.

Concerning that which he filth of the Tlic ¥.rc3i
bank of Newfoundland, it endeth (by the ^^"^ "'
report of mariners, about the ille of Sab- /'"',,

I r. 1 1 n 'T' • /OK'l-l/cW.I.

ton, or Sand) about cape liretan. I rue it
is, that there are fome other banks, that are
called Lebanquereau, and Lebanrjacqtiet ;
but they are but five or fix, or ten leagues,
and arc divided from the great bank of New-
foundland ; and touching the men in the land
of Norombega, they are of fair and high fta-
ture. Andtofay, that this river lieingpafled
the coaft lieth weft, and weft north-weft,
that hath no likelihood. For from cape
Breton, io far as the point of Florida, that
lieth over againft the ille de Cuba ; there is
not any coaft ftanding weft north-weft,
only there are in the parts joyning upon the
true river called Norombcga, fome fifty
leagues coaft, that ftandeth caft and weft.
Finally, of all that which the faid John AU
fonfe doth report, I receive but that which
he faith that this river, whereof we fpeak,
hath at the coming in many iftands, banks
and rocks.

The river of Norombega being pafTed, Kinibeki.
Monf. de Monti went ftill coafting, un-
til he came to Kinibeki ; where a river is-,
that may ftiorten the way to go to the great
river of Canada. There is a number of
favages cabined there •, and the land begin-
neth there to be better peopled. From Kini-
beki going farther, one findeth the bay of
Marchin, named by the captain's name

that

i!i'

A DefcriptioN of New France.

815

!«• grot
Ilk 01
It
inMitn.U

The bay
oF Mai

thin.

Chifva-
lutt.

Vinei.

MalUbaK'

The Ar.

mou> '' •

IruitiJi .

anil

thicvfi

Shoali
ftrctching
tar into
the lea.

The fwift
nek o( the

A) m^Ui hi-
^twis.

th.it comm:inileth therein. This Marcbin
W.IJ killeil the year th.it wc ilc|).irtci.l Iroiii
NcwHtuice in 1607. F.irthcr is unorjitr
bay callcii Cbovacaet, where, (in rcg.inl ot
the former countries) is .1 great niiinbcr ot
people i tor there they till tlic gruuml,
and the region iTcginncth to be more tem-
perate i iwnl tor proof of this, there is in
this hinii (tore of vines j yea even tlicrc be
idincis full of it, (which be more fubjeft to
ihe injuries of the wind and cold) as wc
Ihali (liy hereafter. There is bttwetn
, Chovacorl and Mallebarre, many bays and
ides •, and the coaft is fanily, with fhallow
ground, drawing near to the faid Malle-
barrt, fo that fcarce one may land tlicre
with barks.

The people that Iw from St. Johti's ri-
ver to Kinibeki ("wherein are comprifcd the
rivers of St. Croix and Norombe^^a) are
called Etecbemins \ and from Kiiiibfki, as
far as Alallebarre, and farther, they are
called Armoticbiquois. They be traitors
and thieves ; and one had need to take heed
of them. Monf. ik Monts, having made
foine Hay at Malleb.vre, victuals began to
be ((;arce with him } and it was needful to
think upon return, cfpecially feeing all the
coaft fo troublefomc, that one could pafs
no furdicr without peril, for fhoals that
ftretch far into the Ccd, in fuch wife, that
the farther one gocth from the land, lefler
depth there is. But before departing, a
carpenter of St. Maloes died cafually ;
who going to fetch water with fome ket-
tles i an Armoucbiitiois feeing fit opportu-
nity to (leal one of thofe kettles, when
that the Frenchman took no heed, took it,
and ran away (peedily with his booty.
The Malovine running after, was killed by
this wicked people •, and although the
fame had not happened, it was in vain to
purfue after this thief ; for all thefe /Ir-
moucbiquois are as fwift in running as grey-
hounds ; as we will yet further fay in fpcak-
iiig of the voyage that Monf. de Poutrin-
court made in the fame country, in the
year i6o6. It grieved fore Monf. de
Monts, to fee fuch a thing ; and his men
were earneft for revenge ("which they might
do i for the other barbarians were not fo
far from the Froicbman, but that a mufkec
(hot might have feared them •, which they
had already on reft, to level every one at
his man) but the (aid Monf. de MontSj
upon fome confiderations, which many
other of this place and dignity might
have mKTed to confider -, made every one
to put down their mu(kets cocks, and left

them alone, not having liiihcrto found a
lit pi.ice to m.ike a fettled ilwelling. And
lo the faid Monf. de Aluiils, caiifecj .ill
thin«s to be in a rcadnieli tor the return to
it. Croix, wIktc he hiiil left u good num-
bcr of hia men, yet we.ik by the winter
(itkne fs, of wiiole health he w.is careful.

Many that know not what Ixlongeth to
the lea, do think, that the letting of an
habitation in an unknown land is eafy :
but, by the dilcourle of this voyage, ami
others that follow, they (hall find tli.it it is
far eaficr tf) fay, than to do v and that
Monf. de Monts, hath exploited many
things this Brft year, in viewing all the
coaft of this land, even to Mallebarre j
which is four hundred leagues, following
the fame coaft, and fearching to the bot-
tom of the bays j bcfides the lalwur he
forced to, in caufing houlcs to lie made at
St. Croix J the care he h.id of thofe which
he had brought thither, and of their return
into France ; if any peril or ftiipvvret k
fhould come to thofe that had promifecl
him to fetch him at the end of the year.
But one may run and takes pains to feel:
ports and havens, where fortune favourttli ;
yet (he is always like to herfelf. " It is
" good for one to lodge himfelf in a fweet
" mild climate, when one may chufe,
" notwithftanding death follows us every The mor
" where." I have heard of a pilot of New- tality of
baven, that was with the Engliflmen in '''J' ^-"K-
Virginia twenty-four years .igo ; that being ,,X^^
come thither, there died thirty, fix of them Vhat'ot'tire
in three months. Neverthclcfs, Virginia l'>rNch m
is taken to be in the 36th, 37th, and 38th '^'™
degrees of latitude, which is a good tern- ^ "":'• .
perate country. Which confidering, 1 ,i™,em
yet believe (as I have already faid beforej per ot //, .
that fuch mortality comcth by the bad fare ; g'"i>"-
and it is altogether needful to have in fuch
a country, at thevery beginning, hoiifliold,
and tame cartel of all forts ; and to carry
ftore of fruit trees and grafts, tor to have
there quickly recreation ncccfT-i-y to the
health of them that delire to people the
land. That if thefavages themfelvesbefub-
je(ft to the ficknefs, whereof we have fpok-
cn } I attribute that, to the fame caufe
of evil fare. For they have nothing that
may correft the vice of the meats which
they take •, and arc always naked amongft
the moiftures of the ground, which is the
very means to gather quantities of cor-
rupted humours -, which caufe thofe fick-
ncfTes unto them, as well as to the ftrangers
that go thither, although they be born to
that kind of life.

CHAP.

8i6

v/ Difaifition of New France.

C H A W VIII.

'Th,' itrrhiil of ^fonf. du Pont fo Sr. Croix : ntnrn f,/ Mwf. tie MontS I :t9
l-'niMcc : 7/;«' Funii/ior of tifjliiJ Moiif. Ju l\»iit for thv Ji/iWfry of nru>
Lui.ii i<t-\ouil Mallcb.irrc, ifc.

I'!

TH F. fpringtimc fcafon bcin(^ paf-
I'cd ill the voy.iyc ot il\c /trinoncbl-
quois^ Monf. tie Moi.ls, liivl tciiiporile at
St. Ctoix lor tlic time tiMt he liul a^^rccil
ii|,oii i ill the which il l»c lucl no news
from I'r.iiict; he iiiitjht cleiJart ami come
to letk Ibmc fliip of tlieni that come to
KevjjouiuUamhot the drying ot fifli \ totlic
mil to repafs into France within the fame,
he anil his company, it it were polTibi
This time was already expircil, and they
were ready to let fails, not cxpcdling more
any liicconr nor retrelhing •, when Monl'.
il:i Poll!, lurnamedC/'-.nv, dwelling at Noii-
Jlttir, ilid arrive with a company ot tome
forty men, for to eal'e the faid Mont". il(
Ahi is and his troop ; which was to the
great joy of all, as one may well imagine ;
.-iiid cannon Ihots were tree and plcntilnl at
the coming according to cuflom, and the
loiind ot trumpets. The laid Monf. ilu
rout, not knowing yet the Hate ot our
Freihbmen, did think to find there an al-
lured dwelling, and his lodgings ready ;
bill confidcriiig the accidents of the Ibangc
Ikkncls whereof wc have fpoken, he took
advice to change place. Monf. ik Mkiih
was very defiroiis that the new habitation
liad been about forty degrees, tnat is to
lay, tour degrees farther than St. Croix :
but having viewed the coalt as far as Mallc-
b.nre, and with imich pain, not finding
what he dtfircd i it was deliberated to go
and make their dwelling in Port Royal,
until means were had to make an ampler
dikovcry. So every one beg.in to p.ick'
updicir things ; that which was built with
infinite labour was pulled down, except
the ftorc houfc, which was too great and
painful to be tranfported ; and in executing
of this, many voyages are made. All
being come to Port Rnyal, they found out
new labours \ the abiding place is cholen
right over againll the ifland, that is at the
coming in of the river V Equnie ; in a
place where all is covered over and full of
woods, as thick .as polTible may be. The
month of Sejitember did already begin to
tome i and care was to be taken for the
Linlad.ing for Monl^. Jn Pout's thip, to
m:.ke roomof them that Ihould return back
into France. Finally there is work enough
for all. When the fhip was in a readi-
nefs to put to lails, Monf. de Monts havir^
feen the beginning of the new habitation"

fliip(Kd himfelf for l)ii return, with tlifm
that would follow him. Notwithllandiu^i;,
many of gnod courage (forgetting the
grief:, and lali urs palled) did tarry iKhind,
amongll wiioni were Monf. Cbamptein and
Monl. CI.\im[^ilort \ the one tor g<ogt,i-
phy, and the other tor the condudinj^^ and
guiding ol the voy.tgcs that fliould be nc-
cefTary to Ix: made by k.\. Then the faij
e. Monf. (if Muiits hoifted up fails, and leav-
cth the fii I Monl, du Pout, .is his lieute-
nant .ind deputy inihefe parts i whow.un-
ing no diligence (according to his nature)
in making perleft that which was needful
lor to lodge both himfelf and his people,
which w.is all that might be done lor that
year in that country. For to go far from
home in the winter, and alter lb long a
toil, there was no reafon . and a> lor the
till.igc of the ground, I believe they h.id
no fit time to do it •, lor the faid Monf.
du Pont w.is not a man to be long in rell,
nor to leave his nr.n idle, it ilierc had
been any means lor it.

The winti r king lome, the fivages of ^'■■»*«''
the country did alTemble thtiiilelvcs, Irom **"'' *^

til V tt'f t,

lar to Port Rcyal, for to truck with the
frenchmen, lor fuch things they hati ; fome
bringing beavers fkins,anilotters(whichare i''-"-'^'"'''.
thofe whereof molt account may be "'si''^ "ijc"*
in that placed and alio cllain or flags,
whereof good buff may Ix; m.ide ; others
bringing tlefli newly killed, wherewith
they made many gooil tabagies, or fealls,
living merrily as long as they h.id where-
withal. Thty never wanted any bread,
but wine did not continue with them till
the feafon was ended. I or when we came
thither the year folluwiiig, they had ' "cn
above three months without any wine,
and were very glad of mir cimiing, for
that made them to take again the taftc
of if.

The grcatcft pain they had, was tojrand-
grind the corn to have bread, which isnilil».
very painful with hand-mills, where all the
ftrength of the b dy isrequifite: and there-
fore it is is not without caufc, that in old
time, b.id people were thrcatned to be fent
to the mill, as to the painfullcft thing that
is •, to which occupation poor flaves were
fet to,bcfore the ufc of water and wind-mills
was found out, as the prophane hiltories
g make mtiition ; and the lame of the com-
ming of the people of Ifrael out of the

land

A Defer iption of New France

817

Kdc

vrrj,
r9, and

lami of /Ftv/'/ • wJwrf, fortlw laftfmirge
that(i<xl willlimlfo I'baraob, licilcrUrrth
by the tnotith ol Ma/ei, rhat about miii'
m^hl he iviU paft ihorougb l''.gypt i ami
*vtry firjll/onijhiill di* Iberf, f'lom ibv firji
luriiofV\y\TM)\\,lbatJhouUjit upon bulbrone,
lo tbt fir/l horn of the maid fervant ■wbub
grimietb tbt m. ' A. id this labour in lb
great, that the i.n^jg^ (.ilthough they Iw
very ixwr) ' .mnot Inar it \ and had ra-
ther to be wiihout bread, tii.ui n^ take lo
much [vir's, .is it hath Iv-en tried, wfT^ring
ihcm halt of fhe grinding »h<y fliouldd >,
but they cluifcd i.jthcr to have no corn.
And I iniglit well 'K.Iieve that the f.ime
with other things, h.iili l>ccn great nie.ans
to breed the fitknefs ipokcn of, in fome
of Monf. du Ponl'i nun ; lor tlicrc died
funic half a dozen of them that winter.
True it is, that I finil a deleft in the build-
ings of our IrencbmeH \ which is, they
had no ditches about tlirm, whereby the
waters of the ground next to them did run
under their lowermoll rooms, which was
a great hindrance to their health. I add
belides the bail waters which they ufed,
tii.it diti not run from a quick fpring, but
from the ncarell brook.

The winter being pafled, and the fea

navigable, Monf. du Pmit would needs at-

chicve the cnfcrpri/.t; lx.-gun the year bc-

P,ui to go jorc by Monf. de Mortis, and to go leek

.1... a.i,„ ^^^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ foiitherly, where the air

miglit be more temperate, according as
he had in charge ofthe laid Monf. de MotUs.
He liiiniflied then the bark which remain-
eil with him to that ctt'eft 1 but being let
out or the port, and full rcndy, hoilted
up fills for MalUbarrey he was forced by
contrary winds twice to put Uick again ;
anil at the third time, thefaid bark ftruck
againft the rocks at the entry of the faid
jiort. In this dilgracc of Neptune, the
men wcrcfaved with the better part ot pro-
vifion and merchandilc v but as for the
bark it was rent in pieces. And by this
mr,-hap the voyage w.is broken, and that
which was fodelired intermitted ; lor the
habitationof /V//iq>vj/wasnotjudgedgood j
and notwithftanding it is on the north and
north- weft fides, well flieltered with moun-
tains, (lillantfome one league, fome half a
league irom the port and the river L'Equille.
So we fee how that entcrprifes take not ef-
left according to the dcfires of men, and
i'.rc accompanied with many perils ; fo that
one muft not wonder if the time be long
in eltablifhing ol colonies, efpecially in
lands fo remote, whofe nature, and tem-
perature of air is not known, and where
one muft fell and cut down forrefts, and
lie conftrained to take heed, not from the
people that we call favages, but from them
that term themfelves Chriftians ; and yet
Vol. II.

The fur-
niiure of
Monf.

the difio

new

lands

hiivr iHit the name of it, ciirfcd and abo-
minablr jH-opIc, worfc th.in wulvci, cne-
niiri to Clod and human nature.

Thii .ittrmpr then k-ing broken, Monf.
du Foul knew not what to «lo, but to ar-
tfnd the fuccour and (upply that Monf.
de MoHii ^iroiiiifed, parting Irom Pvrt
Hoyal at his return into Iruiue, lo fend
him the year follr)wing. Yet lor all events
he built another bark and a Shalop (or to
(cek Frentb flii^is in the places where they
life to dry fifli \ fuih as Cam/ /(.lu- Port,
Englifi Port, Mi/amubis Port, the bay ot
Chaleur (or heat) the bay of A^Iorves or
CodiUs, and others in great number, ac-
((jrding as Monf. de Monti had done the
former y( if •, to the end to (hip hinifcif
in them, and to return into France, in cafe
that no fliip (liould coiiic to fuccour him.
W i.crein he did wilely, for lie w.is in dan-
ger to hear no news from us, that were ap-
pointed t -i fuccecd him, as it Ihall .ippeur
by the difcourfc tbilowiiig.

But in the mean while we muft confider Thr cnm-
that they, which in thefe voyages have r=f'"t5 of
tranfiKjrted themfelves intothcfe parts, have ""^'' ''"'
had an advantage over thofc that would ^cs.
plant in Florida \ which is, in having that
refuge belorefaid, of French fliips that fre-
quent the Newfoundland! Ibr hfhing, nnr
being lorced to build great (hips, nor to
abide extream famines, as they have done
in Florida, whole voyages have been la-
mentable for that refpccl, .ind thefe by
reafon ot the ficknelTes that have pcrfecu-
tcd them : but they of Florida have had a
blelTing, tor that they were in a mild and
fertile country, and more friendly to man's
health then New France, fpokcn of elfc-
wherc. If they have fufTercd famines,
there was gre.it fault in them, for not
having tilled the ground, which they found '
plain and champion ; which before all
other things is to be done, of the.Ti th.at will
lodge themfelves fo far from ordinary fuc-
cour. But the Frenchmen, and almoft all
nations at this day (I mean of thofe that be
not born and brought up to the manuring
of the ground^ have this bad nature } that
they think to derogate much from their
dignity in addifting themfelves to the til-
lage of the ground, which notwithftand-
ing is almoft the only vocatiorf where in-
nocency remaincth. And thereby cometh
that every one fliunning this noble labour,
our (irft parents and antient kings exercifed,
as alfo of the greateft captains of the world,
feeking to make himfelf a gentleman at
others cofts, or elfe willing only to learn
the trade to deceive men, or to claw him-
felf in the fun, God takcth away his blef-
fing from us, and beateth us at this day,
and hath done a long time with an iron
rod { fo that in all parts the people lan-
9 Y guiffaeth

8i8 * A Defcriptlon of New France.

guiflictli mifcrably, and we fee tlie realm luimbtr, groaning in tlieir poor cottu^es,
ot France fwarming with beggars and va- not daring, or alhaincd, to fliew torch
gabonds of ail kinds ; belides an infinite tiieir poverty and rnillry.

CHAP. IX. '

'Tk-Jiijl victhr aud acceptation of the voytij;c by Mouf. dc Poutrinccvart, tcgc-
thcr li'ith the author, into New I'nmce : 'T/.'ivV departure from Paris to go to
Rothcl.

ABOUT the time of the before men-
tioned fhipwreck, Monf. de Monts
being in France, did think carefully upon
the means how to prepare a new iiipply
for iVfw France : which feemed hard and
difl'cult to him, as well for the great
charges that that adion required, as be-
caufe that province had been fo difcredit-
ed at his return, that the continuing of
thefe voyages any longer did feem vain
and unfruitful. Bcruics, there was feme
real'oii to believe that no body would ad-
ventirj himfelf thither : notwithlland-
ing, knowing Monf. de Pcntritacurt^s,
defile : to whom bi lore he had given part
of the land, according to the power which
the king liad given him) which was to in-
habit in thofe parts ; and there to kttle
his fannly and his fortune, together with
the name ot God ; he wrote unto liim,
and fent a man of jnirpofe to give him
notice of the voyage that was in hand ;
which til-; faid Monf de Pcutrincourt ac-
cepted of, leaving all affairs, to attend on
this action, though he had fuits in law of
great weight, to the profecuting and de-
fence whereof his prefencc was very re-
quifite. And that at his firft voyage he
had tried the malice of fomc, which du-
ring his abfence proiecutcd againil liim
with rigour -, and at his return gave over
and became dumb. lie was no fooner
come to Paris-, but tiiat he was foreed to
dep.irt, not having fcarce time to provide
for tilings necelTary ; and, I liaving iiad
that good hap to be acquainted with him
fome years before, aflied me if I would
take part in that bufinefs -, whereunto I
demanded a days refpite to anfwer him.
Having well confulted with my felf, not
fo much dcfirous to fee the country, for I
Thccaufos knew well that there were woods, lakes
of theau- and rivers ; and that one muft go overfeas
(which I had before done in the ftreights)
as to be able to give an eye judgment of the
land, whereto my mind was before in-
clined •, and to avoid a corrupted world I
engaged my word unto him, being indu-
ced thereto fpecialiy for the unjuftice done
to me a little before, by fome prefidial
judges, in favour of a parlbnagc of emi-
^

iliors
voyage

ncnt quality, whom I have always honour-
ed and reverenced : which fentence at my
return hath been recalled, by order and
fentence of the court of parliament, for
which I am particularly obHgrd to Moid".
Serui)!, the king's advocate gener.d, to
whom doth belong pro];: riy this eioge,
attributed according to Uic !•. tter, to thi;
moil wife ^-ul moll ni;!gniricint of all
kirigs, Tbou hfljt loved jiijUcc and haled
iniquity.

bo it is that God awaketh us fomc-
tim( s, to llir us up to g-.'uerous uClions ;
fuch as be tlv.-fe voyage<:, whicli (as the
world doth v.iry) fome will bKimc, otle."
fome will approve. But wjthovit anfwer-
ing any body in this rt IjxcT:, 1 care not
what difcourfes idle men, or iliofe that
cannot, or will not, h Ip n-?, may make,
enjoying contentment in my kif; and being
ready to reneer all f(. rvicu to God and to the
king in thof remote lands, that bear the
name of France, d either my fortune or
condition call me thitlier, tor there to live
in quitt and rtit, by an acceptable pleal-
ing l.ibour, and ro fluni the hard and n.i-
ferable lite, wheit.to I fee reduced tlie muit
part of mm in this part ot the woiid.

To return then to Monf. de Pcutrin-
court : as he had difp.itclied Ibni" bufi-
nefs, he inquired in fome churelies it fome
learned pricll: miglit be ioujid out that
would go with him ; to relieve and cafe
him, wliom Monf de Moils had left tliere
at his voyage, whom we thought lo be
yet livin.g. But becauir it v/a.. the noly
week, in which time they are employed,
and wait on contellior.s and fhrivi, gs,
there was none to be found ; fome excuf-
ing themfelvcs upon tlie troubles and dif-
commodities o; the fea, and the length of
the voyage ; others defuring it tili .titer
Eafter : which was caufe that none could
be had out of Paris : but by rcafon the
feafon haftid on •, for time and tide t.rry
for no man, we wen' forced to c'lr -it.

There re fled to find out fit and njeeffary
workmen lor the voy.ige of Nrjj France^
whereunto fomc were fpecdily provided,
and a price was agreed upon for their wa-
ges, and money given betbrc hand in part

thereof.

A Dejcription of New France.

tlicrcof, to bear their charges to Rachel,
when.- thf rciulfzvous was, at the dwelling
lioiifcs of niail.r Macquin, and mailer
Georges, worlliij^llil merchants of the faid
town, t!ie alTociates of Monf. cle Monts,
which did provide our furniture and pro-
vilion.

Our meaner people being gone, three or
four days after we took our way to Or-
leans, upon Gocd-Fridtiy, for there to fo-

lemnife and pafs our Eafter, where every
one accomplifhed the duty ufual to all
good Chrillians, in taking the fpiritual
food ; that is to fay, the holy commu-
nion, feeing we did undertake, and were
going on a voyage. From thence we
came down the river Loyre to Satimur,
with our carriage -, and from Saumur wc
went by 'I'ours and Maran to Rochel, by
hackney horfes.

819

C H A P. X.

Of ix:hat l-ajjld at Rochel, hcf'jrc ihcy J\t out on their 'coyigc.

BE [ N' G come to Rochel, we found
tlicre Mor.f. de Monts, and Monl".
dc Paitriiicottrt, that were come poil, and
our fliip ralkd the Jomis, of the burthen
of 150 tuns, ready to pafs out of the chains
ot the town, to tarry for wind and tide.
'I'he title I fay, becaufe that a great fhip
laden, cannot come to lea from Rochel,
but ill fpring tides, upon the new aud lull
moon ; by realoii that in the town road
th.'.re is r.o iulficient depth. In the mean
while we nnule good chear, yea fo good,
that we did loiig to be at lea to make
diet; which we did but too foon, being
once come thither -, for during two whole
months we faw not a whit of land, as we
will farther tell anon. But the workmen,
through their good chear (for they had
every one two Ihillings a day hire) did
TFpvr.iir P^^y inarvellous pranks in St. Nicholas
a ot A'o- tjiiai ter, whero they were lodged, which
<itt. wa.-i found ilran^e in a town lb reformed
as /i , ( .('t/ is ; in tlie which no notorious
riots nor diliblutions be made -, and in-
deed one muft beliave himfelf orderly
there, unlefs he v.ill incur the danger ci-
ther of the cenfure of the mayor, or of
the nvniliers of the town. Some of thofe
difoidered men were put in priion, v/hich
were kept in the town-houfe till the time
of going ; and had been further punifhed,
had it iiotbetn upon confideration of the
voyage, where th(.y knew they Ihould
nor have all their eafes, but Ihould after-
wards pay dear enough for their mad bai"-
gain ; in putting the faid maiterMtff j«/«and
mailer Georges to fomuch trouble, to keep
them in order. I will not, for all that, put
inther.umher ofthisdifordered people, all
the rell, for there were fome very civil
and refpcclive : but I will fay that the
common people is a danj^erous beaft ;
anil this maketh me remember the Cro-
quans * war, amongfl: whom I was once

in my life, being in C^uerci. It was the
iVrangeft diing in the world to fee the con-
fulion of thofe wooden fhoed fellows^
from whence tiiey took the name of Cro-
quans (that is to fay Hookers) becaufe that
their wooden flioes, nailed before and be-
hind, ditl hook or Itick fall: at every itep.
This confufed people had neither rhime nor
reaf©n among them ; every one was mailer
there ; (ome armed with a hedge-hook at
a llaff's end, others with fome lufty
fword, and fo accordingly,
■ Our Jouas iiaving her full load, was in
the end rowed out of the town into the
road, and we thought to fet out the 8th
or 9th oi Jpril. Capt. Fou'ques h^d taken
the charge for the conducling of the
voyiige : But as commonly there is neg-
ligence in mens bulinefs, it lia[ipcned tiiat
this captain (who notwithilanding I have
known very diligent and w.itchful at fea)
having left the Ihip ill manned, not being
in her himlelf, nor the pilot, but only fix
or feven mariners good and bad •, a great
fouth-eait wind aroie in the niglit, which
brake tlie Jonns cable, faflened with one
only anchor, and driveth her againft a
forewall which is out of the town, back-
ing and proping the tower of the chain,
againfl which Ihe ftruck fo many times,
that flie break and funk down ; and it
chanced well that it was then ebbing, for
if this milhap had come in flowing time,
the Ihip was in danger to be overwhelm-
ed with a far greater lofs than we had,
but Ihe flood up, and fo there was means
to mend her, which was done witli fpeed.
Our workmen were warned to come and
help in this neceirity, either to draw at the
pump, at the capllan, or to any other
thing, but few there were that endeavour-
ed tiiemfelves to do any thing, the moft
part of them going away, and moft of

them

Croquans fignifics hookers.

820

A Defcription of New France.

them made a mock of it. Some having
gone fo far as to the oar, went back, com-
phiining that one had caft water upon them,
being of that fide that the water came out
of the pump, which the wind did fcatter
upon them. I came thither with Monf.
de Poutrincourt, and fome other wiUing
men, where we were not unprofitable.
Almoft all the inhabitants of Rochel were
beholding this ipectacje upon the ram-
piers. I'hc fea was yet ftormy, and we
thought ourfliip would have dafhed often-
times againfl: tin great towers of the town ;
in the end, we came in with lefs lofs than
we thought of The (hip was all unladen,
being forced to tackle and furnifh her a-
new i die lofs thereby was great, and the
voyages almoft broken off" tor ever; for I
believe, that after fo many trials, none
would have ventured to go plant colonies
in thofe parts; that country being fo ill
fpokcn of, that every one did pity us,
confidcring the accidents happened to them
that had been there before. Notwithftand-
'^^' ^fM '"S Monf deMonts and his affociates, did
"^A/L/ ^^^ manfully this lofs ; and I muft needs
and his af- be fo bold as to tell in this occurrence,
locates, that if ever that country be inhabited with
Chnftians, and civil people, the firft praife
thereof muft of right be due to the authors
of this voyage.

This great trouble hindered us above a
month, which was employed in the unlad-
ing and lading again of our fliip, during
that time, we did walk fometimes unto
the places near about the town, and chief-
ly unto the convent of the Cordeliers.,
whicii is but half a league off from the
town ; where being one Sunday, I did
marvel how in thofe places of frontier,
there is no better garrifon, having fo ftrong
enemies near them. And feeing I take in
hand to relate an hiftory of things, ac-
cording to the true manner of them ; I
fay that it is a Ihameful thing for us, that
the minifters of Rochel pray to God every
day, in their congregations for the con-
verfion of the poor favage people, and,
alfo, for our fafe conducing, and that our
churchmen do not the like. In very truth,
we never required neither the one nor the
other to do it, but therein is known the
zeal of both fides. In the end, a little be-
fore our departing, it came to my mind
to afk of the parfon or vicar of Rochel if
there might be found any of his fraternity
that would come with us, which I hoped
might eafily be done, becaufe there was a
reafonable good number of them : and be-
fides, that being in a maritime town, I
thought they took delight to haunt the
feas, but I could obtain nothing -, and for
all excufes, it was told me, that none would
go to fuch voyages, unlcfs they were mov-
ed with an extraordinary zeal and piety v

and that it would be the bcft way to feck
to the fathers jefuits for the fame \ which
we could not then do, our (hip having al-
moft iierfull lading; whereupon I remem-
ber to have heard oftentimes of Monf. de
Poutrincourty that alter his firft voyage,
being at the court, an ecclefiaftical perfon
efteemed very zealous in the Chriftian re-
ligion, demanded of him what might be
hoped for in the convcrfion of the people
of Nc-iv France^ and whether there wtre
any great number of them ; whereunto he
anfwercd, that a hundred thoufand fouls
might be gotten to Jefus Chrift, naming
a number certain for an uncertain, this
clergyman making fmall account of fuch a
number, (aid thereupon by admiration Is
that all! as if that number did not dd'erve
the labour ofachurchman. Truly, though
there were but the hundredth part of that ;
yea, yet lefs ; one muft not liifFcr it to be
loft. The good fhepherd having among
an hundred fheep one a itray, left the
ninety nine for to go and feck out the one
that was loft. We are taught, and I be-
lieve it fo, that though there were butone
man to be faved, our lord Jefus Chrilt
had not difdaincd to come, as well tor
him, as he hath done for all tlie world. In
like manner, one muft not make fo fmall
account of tiie filvation of tiiefe poor
people, though they fwarm not in number,
as within Paris or Conjlantinople.

Seeing it availed me nothing in demand- Cuilom of
ing for a churchman, to adminifter the thcancicnt
facrament unto us, be it during our navi- '-"''riihans
gation, or upon the land ; the ancient cu(-""Jj;'j;^
tom of the Chriftian s came into my mind, rin imlifir
which going in voyage, did carry witli voyage*.
them the holy bread ot tiie eucharift, and
this they did, becaufe they (bund not in
all places priefts to adminifter this facra-
ment unto them, the world being then
yet full either of heathens or hcreticks ; fo
that it was not unproperly called viatic,
which they carried with them travelling
on the way ; yet notwithftanding I am of
opinion that it hath a fpiritual meaning.
And confidcring that we might be brought
to that nccelTity, not having in Ne^v
France but one prieft only, of whofe death
we heard when we came thither, I de-
manded if they would do unto us as to tlie
ancient Chriftians,who were as wife as wc.
I was anfwered that the fame was done in
that time for confiderations which are not
now at this day. 1 replied that Satirus^
St. Ambrofe's brother, going on a voyage
upon the fea, ferved himfelf with this fpi-
ritual phyfic, as we read in his funeral o-
ration made by his faid brother St. Ambrofey
which he did carry in Orario, wiiich I take
to be a linncn cloth, or taffeta ; and well
did it happen unto him by it ; for having
made (hipwreck, he favcd himfelf upon a

board

A Defcriptton of New France.

1 lardncfs

to COIIK'

board, left of his vcflers wreck ; but I was
as well refufedin this as of the reft, which
gave me cuufc of wondring, fceming to
me a very rigorous thing to be in worfe
condition than the firft Cliriftians ; for the
cucharift is no otiier thing at this day than
it was then ; and if they held it precious,
we do not demand it to make lefler account
thereof.

Lit us return to our Jonas. Now flie
was laden and brouglit out of the town
into the road, there refteth nothing more
than fit weather and tide, which was the
hardeft of tlie mutter. For in places
where is no great depth, as in Rachel^

lortli from one mud tarry for

a port.

the high

jrcion of
Captain

tides of the
full and new moons, and then peradven-
ture tlie wind- will not be fit, and fo one
muft defer till a fortnight's time. In the
mean while the feafon goeth away, as it
was almoft with us -, for we faw the hour
that after fo many labours and charges,
we were in danger to tarry for lack of
wind, bi'caufe the moon was in the wane,
and confetjuently the tide. Captain Foulques
did i.ot feem to alleft his charge, making

no ordinary ftay in the fliip, and it wii
reported that other merchants, not being
of Monf. de Monts's fociety, did fecretly
folicit him to break off the voyage ; and
indeed it hath been thought thathecaufed
us to make wrong courfes, which kept
us two months and a half at fea, as here-
after we (hall fee ; which thing the faid
Monf. de Poutrincourt perceiving, him.
felf look upon him the charge of captain
of the fhip, and went to lie in her, the
fpace of five or fix days, for to get out
with the firft wind, and not to lofe the
opportunity. In the end, with much ado
the eleventh day of My, 1606, by the
favour of a fmall eafterly wind he went to
fea, and made our Jonas to be brought to
the Palijfe*, and the next day being the
twelfth of the fame month, came again to
Cbef de Bois, which be the places were
Ihips put themfelves for Inelter from
winds, where the hope of New France
was aflembled, I fay the hope, becaufe
that of this voyage, did depend the con-
tinuance, or total breach, of the enter-
prize.

821

CHAP. XI.

i!lom of

■ancient

rillians

ryi:ii;

euiiia

iiitlifir

I'hcir iL[-arturL' from Rochel : Sundry meetings of Jloips, and pirates: an ac-
count (jfjlorms and ivinds,porpoiJ]t's, and of the banks of ice in Newfoundland,

HE Saturday, Whitfun-eve.,t\ic thir-
teenth of May, we weighed our an-
chors, and failed in open fea, fo that by
little and little we loll: the fight of the great
towers and town of Rochel, then ot the
iflcs of Rcz and Oleron, bidding France
farewcl. It w.as a thing fearful for them
that were not ufed to fuch a dance, to fee
them carried upon fo moveable an element,
and to be at every moment^ as it were,
within two fingers breadth of death. We
had not Icjng failed, but that many did
their endeavour to yirld up the tribute to
Neptune. In the mean while we went ftill
forward; for thcrewas no more going back,
Meeting the plank being once taken up. The fix-
vi a pirate teenth oi/Vfrfy we met with tXxwtttnHolland'
ers, going for Spain, whicli did enquire of
our voyage, and fo held their courfe.
Since that time we were a whole month,
leeing nothing elfe out ol our floating
town but fl<y and water ; one fhip except-
ed, near about the Azores, well filled with
Englijh and Dutchmen. They bare up with
us, and came very near us, and, according
to the manner of tlic fea, we afked them
Vol. II.

or out
lawed.

whence their Ihip was ; they told us they
were Newfoundlandmen, that is to fay, go-
ing a filhing for Newfoundland filh ; and
they afked us if we would accept of their
company, we thanked them; thereupon
they drank to us, and we tothem, and they
took another courfe ; but having confider-
ed their vefTel all fet with green mofs on
the belly and fides, we judged them to be
pirates, and that they had of a long time
beaten the fea in hopes to make fome prize.
It was then that we began to fee more than
before, Neptune'^ fheep to fkip up, fo do
they call the frothy waves, when the fea
beginneth to ftir, and to feel the hard
blows of his trident ;for commonly in that
place before named the fea is ftormy ; if
one afk me the caufe why ? I will anfwer, ,

that I think it to proceed of a cert^ncon- fe.,j^Ho".
flift between the eaft and wefterly winds, ^'y about
which do encounter in that part of the fea, thc.^^orw.
and efpecially in fummer, when the weft
winds do rife up, and with a great force
pierce and pafs thorough a great diftance
of fea, until they find the winds of thefe
parts, which do refift them (then it is dan-
9 Z gerous

A place fo called near Rachd.

822

A DcfcriptioH of New Fmncc.

Weflciiy
viiiiU or
tlinary in

jlltllfU'jll

cni llu.

From

W IllMKC
ll,)C01ilLV

PulToilTi-'

do piog-
noiliciite
Uorm>.

<j;ci'ous for a fli'ip to Lx; ;it tht'l'c windy en-
counters. Tliis realbn i'ccmetli tin- more
probable unto me, in this, that until wc
caine near the Azores we had the wind tit
enough, and afterward, we had ahnoll al-
ways cither ibuth- well or north-well, little
north and Ibuth, which were not good tor
us, but to fail with the bowline ; torcall-
trly winds we had none at all, bur once
tir twice, which continued nothing witi\
us to fpeak of. Sure it is that thcvvelltr-
ly winds do rtigri much along th;it k a ;
whether it be by a certain repcrculfion ot
the call wind, which is ilitf and IV, ?t un-
der the equinoftial line, whereof we have
Ipoken elfewhere, or bccaufe that this
welterii land, being large and gr;at, alto,
tlie wind that ifliieth from thence doth a-
bound the more, which cometh cfpecially
in lummer, when tiie fun hath torce to
draw up the vapours of the earth, tor the
winds come from thence, ilfuing trom the
dens and caves of the fame ; anti theretore
the poets do feign that Aiolus holdeth
them in prilbns, trom whence he draweth
them, and giveth them liberty when it
pleafeth him. But the fpirit of God doth
conlirm it unto us yet better, when he
liiitli by the mouth of the prophet, th:!t
almighty God, among other his marvels,
liraweth the winds out of his treafures,
which be the caves whereof I fpeak ; for
the word trcifitre fignitieth in llcbreiu a
fecret hidden place.

He bringeth forth the clouds, from the
earlh's furtheji parts,

'The lightnings with the rains he makes,
and them imparts.

On fame in his anger, oh others for plea-
fures :

The winds he draweth forth out of his
deep treafures.

Pfalm cxxxv.

And upon this confideration, Chrifto-
phcr Columbus, a Genoefe, firft navigator
(jf thcle lallages, unto the illands of Ame-
rica, did judge that there was fome great
land in the well, having obferved, failing
on the lea, that continual winds came trom
that part.

Continuing then our courfe, we hail
fome other ftorms and hindrances procur-
ed by winds, which wc almoll had al-
ways contrary, by reafon we fat out too
late i but they that fet out in March have
commonly good winds, becaufe that then
the call, north-eafl- and northern winds do
reign, which arc fit ami profperous for
. thele voyages. Thefe tempells were ve-
ry often foretold us by porjioilTes, which
did haunt about our fliip by thoufands,
l"|)orting themfelves after a very plcafant
manner : fome of them did pay tor their
fo near approaching, for fome men waited
for them at the beak head, which is the

forepart of the lliip, with harping irons
in their hands, which met witli them Ibnie-
times, and drew t!iem in, alioard, with
the help of the other failors, which, \\\\:\\
iron hooks, which they call di'ffrs, tied at
the end of a long pole, piilleil them uj).
We have taken many of them in thatlbrr,
both in going and coming, which have
tlone us no harm. 'J'here b- two Ibrtsol
them, fome of which have a blunt and
big note, others which have it fliarp ; we
took none but of thele kill, but yet 1 re-
member to have feen in the water fomt: ol "
the Ihort noted ones. This lilh Jiuth two
lingers breadth of f.it, at the leall, on the
back i when it was cut in two, we did
walh our hands in his hot bl(;od, which,
they fay, comforteth the (incv/s. Me hath
a marvellous quantity ot t;. th along his
jaws, and I think that Le hoi '■.tii tait that
which he once cateheth -, moreover the in-
ward parts have altogether the talce of
hogs tielli, and the bones r;ot in form ot"
filh bones, but like a four footed creature •,
the moll delicate meat of it is the fin
which he nath upon tiie hac':, and tlie
tail, which are neitiier lifh nor flefli, but
better than that, Ibch as altb is in fiibilancc
of tail, that of the beavers, which feemetli
to lx- fcaled. Thefe porpoiiTes be tl-.e only
fifhcs we took, before we came to the
great bank of Morues or cod-filli. But tar
oil" we law other great filhes, v.'hich did
fhewout ot the water, above half an acre',
length of their backs, and did tiirufl out
in the air, above a fpears height, of great
pipes ot water, thorougli the holes they
lia(' upon their heads.

But to return to our purpofe of (lorms.
During our voyage, we had fome v/hich
madeus (Irike down fail, and tollandwith
our arms acrofs, carried at the plcafurc ot
the waves, and tolled up and down after a
(Irange manner. If any cofter or chell
was not well made fall, it was heard to
rowl from fide to fide, making a foul
noife;fometimes the kettle was overturn-
ed, and in dining or tupping, our e'iflies
and platters tlew trom one i nd of the table
to the other, unlets they wcire held very
tafl:. As tbr the drink, one mult carry
his mouth and the glafs according to the
motion of the fhip. Briefly it was a fport
but fomcwhat rude, to them that cannot
bear this jogging eafily : tor all that, the
moft of us did laugh at it ; for there was
no danger in it, at leatl evident, being in a
good fliip, and llrong to withlland tlie
waves. We had alio fomctime calms,
very tedious and wearifomc, during which
we wallied ourfelves in the fca, we danced
upon the deck, we climbed up the main
top, we fung in mufick. Then when a
little finnll cloud was perceived to ilTuo
from under the iiorizon, wc were forced
2 to

t'cnjHii'ii
(iftlic por-

.■■A,

StvTIllS.IIld

A Dcfcription of New France.

823

■

Wh.i-I-

■

wim).

■

what it i;,

hi-iiv it is

iiuuii-, till'

(ir- Hi!-

i|ni('ii

.--l,

tlic por-

*tn

.irnis.ind
?lr tl'-

to p;ivc over thole cxercifcs, for tn take
hcc^l of a guft ol" vvinJ, whicli was wnippM
in the fame cloud, which diirolvirig itielf,
grumbling, fnorting, whiflling, louing,
ilorming, and buzzing, was able to over-
turn our fliip iip-fide down, iinlefs men
h.id been ready to excciire that which the
mnftcr of the fhip, (who was captain
Foiilques, a man very vigilant) commanded
them. There is no harm in fliewing how
thefe gulls of wind, otherwife called (torms,
are formed, and from whence they proceed.
P/wy fpeakcth of them in his natural hif-
tory, and faith, that they be exhalations
and light vapours raifed from the earth to
the cold region of the air, and not being
able to pais further, but rather forced to
return back, they fomctimes meet ful-
phury and fiery exhalations, which com-
pafi them about and bind fo hard, that
there come thereby a great combat, mo-
rions, andajjitarion, between the fulphury
heat, and the airy moiftnels, which being
conllraincd by tlie llronger enemy to run
away, it opcneth itfclf, inaketh itielf way,
whiltlcth, roareth, and flormerh -, briefly,
becometh a wind, which is great or lefTer
according that the fulphury exhalation
which wrappeth it, breaketh itfelf and giv-
eth it away, fometimes all at once, as we
have (hewed before, and fometimes with
longer time, according to the quantity of
the matter whereof it is mule, and accord-
ing as, either more or Icfs, it is moved by
his contrary qualities.

But 1 cannot leave unmentioned the won-
derful courage and afliirance that good fail-
ors have in thefe windy coiiilicls, ftorms,
and tempefts, when asafliip being carried
and mounted vyou mountains of waters,
and from thence l.-c down, as it were, into
the profound depths of the world, they
climb among the tackling and cords, not
only to the main top, and to the very height
of tiie main malt, but alio without ladder-
iteps, to the top of another malt, faflened
to the firft, held only with the force of
their arms and feet, winding about the
Iiighell tack lings. Vea much more, that
if, in this great tofTing and rowling, it
chanccth that the main lail, which they call
Pal'hi! or Pafeftifi^ be untied at the higher
ends, he, who is iirfl: commanded, will
put himfelf llraddling upon the main yard,
that is, the tree which crofTed the main maft,
and with a hammer at his girdle, and half
a io/.cn nails in his mouth, will tie again
and make tall that which was untied, to
ttie peril of a thoulantl lives. I havclbme-
tlmes heard great account made of a Swit-
7,i-r\ lv>khiefs, who, after the fiegeof l.aoii,
and the city being rendered to the king's
obedienre, climlxd and ftood llraddling
upon rhethwiut branch of the crofs of our
i.uly's '.iii.rch Itceplc of the laid town, and

ftood there forked-wife, his' teet upward ;
but that, in my judgment, is nothing
in r.'gard of this, the faid Svi'itzer being
upon a firm and folid body, and without
motion, and this contr3riwife!'ingingover
an inconllant fea,- tofs'd with bbifteroijs
winds, as we have fometimes feen.

After we had left thefe pirates fpoken of
before, wc were, until the 18th of June,
tolled with divers and almoll contrary winds
without any difcovery, but of one fhip far
oft' from us, which we did not board, and
yet notwithllanding the very light thereof
did comfort us : and the fame day we met
a fliip of Honfleur, wherein captain la
Roche <X\(^ command, going for Newfound^
land, who had no better fortune upon the
fea than we. The cuflom is at fea, that
when ibme particular fhip meeteth with
the king's Ihip (as ours was) to come under
the lee, and to prcfent herfelf, not fide by
fide, but bias-wife : alio to pull down her
fiag, as this captain la Roche did, cxcc[it
the flag, foi Ihe had none, 1^0 more had
we, bting not needful in fo great a voyage,
but in approach. ing the land, or when one
muft fight. Our iailors did call then their Compi.i,.
computation, on the courfe that we had uon ot tlic
made : tor in every fhip, the mafler, pilot, voyage,
and mailer's mate, do write down every
day of their courfes, and winds that they
have followed . for how many hours, and
the ellimation of leagues. The faid la
/?of^^ did account that they were then in the
forty-fifth degree, and within a hundred ■
leagues of the Bank j our pilot, called maf-
ter Oliver f'leuriot, of St. Malo, by his
computation, faid that we were within fixty
leagues of it -, and Capt. Foulqiies within
one hundred and twenty leagues : I believe
he gave the bed judgment. We received
much contentment by the meeting this fliip,
and did greatly encourage us, feeing we
did begin to meet with fhips, feeming unto
us that we did enter in a place of acquaint •
ance.

But by the way a thing mull be noted,
which I have found admirable, and which
giveth us occafion to play the philofophcrs.
For about the fame 18th day of June, we
found the fea-water, during three days
fpacc, very warm, and by the fud warmth
our wine alfo was warm in the bottom of •
our fhip, yet the air was not hotter than
before. And the 2 ifl of the faid month,
quite contrary we were two or three days fo
muchcompalTed with mills and colds, that
we thought ourfelves to be in the month of
'January, and the water of the fea was ex-
treme cold. Which continued with us un-
til we came upon the faid Bank, by rcalbn
of the iiiid mifls, which outwardly did pro-
cure this cold unto us. When I feek out The im-
th.e caufe of this yliitiperijlafe, I attribute '"" V*^ 'I*''
it to the ices of the north which coine f".'f"''f-

- . t,y,, and
noatmg the caufe

834

A Defcription of New France.

land.

cf the ice floating down upon the coaft and fea ad-
of K(iu- joining to Newfoundland and Labrador,
which we have faid elfewhere is brought
thither with the fea, by hernatural motion,
which is greater there than elfewhere, Iw-
caufe of the great fpacc it hath to run, as
in a gulf, in the depth of America, where
the nature and fituation of the univcrfal
earth doth bear it eafily. Now thefc ices,
which fometimes are fecn in banks of ten
leagues length, and as high as mountains
and hills, and thrice as deep in the waters,
holding, as it were, an empire in this fea,
drive out fiir from them that which is con-
trary to their coidnefs, and, confcquently,
do bind and clofe on this fide, that fmall
quantity of mild temperature that the fum-

mer may bring to that part, where they
come to feat and place themfelves. Yet
for all that, I will not deny but this region
in one and the felf-fame parallel is fome-
what colder than thofe of our part of Eu-
rope, for the reafons that we will alledge
hereafter, when we Hiall fpeak of the
foulnefs of feafons. Such is my opinion,
being ready to hear another man's rea-
fon. And being mindful hereof, I did,
of purpofe, take heed of the fame at my
return from New France, and found tiie
dime warmnefs of water, or very near,
though it was in the month of Septnnher,
within five or fix days failing on this fide
of the faid bank, whereof we will now
intreat.

CHAP. XII.

Of the great Bank of Monies or Coddes ; of the Sound ; our coming to the faid
Bank ; the defcription thereof ; theJiJhingof'i^tviiovindX'inAfJh, ami oj birds ',
the caufes of frequent and long'mijls in the ivefternfca ; the landing at the port
du Moutton i the coming into Port Royal, &c.

> arnmgs

near the

great

Ba'ik.

BE F O R E we come to the5fl»^, fpokcn
of before, which is the great Bank
where the fifliing of green cod-filh is
made, fo arc they called when they are not
dry, for one muft go a-land for the drying
of them, the fea-taring men, befides the
computation they make of their courfe,
have warnings when they come near to it,
by birds which are known •, even as one
doth them of thcfe our parts, returning
back into France, when one is within i oo
and 1 20 leagues near it. The mod fre-
quent of thefe birds, towards the faid Bank,
be Codes, Fouquets, and others called Happe-
foyes, for a reafon that we will declare anon.
When thefe birds then were feen, which
were not like to them that we had feen in the
midft of the great fea, we began to think
ourfelvcs not to be far from the faid Bank.
"Which made us to found with our lead upon
a Tiurfday the 2 2d of June, but then we
found no bottom. The fame day in the
evening, we caft again with better fuccefs ;

and how it for we found bottom at thirty-fix fathoms.

'' "''■ The faid found is a piece of lead of (tven
or eight pound weight, made plramidal-
wife, faftcned at one or divers lines -, and
at the biggeft end, which is flat, one put-
teth fome greafe to it, mingled with butter ;
then all the fails are ftrikcn down, and the
• found caft -, and when that the bottom is
felt, and the lead draweth no more line,
they leave ofl^ letting down of it. So our
■ found being drawn up, brought with it

What the
round is,

fome fmall ftones, with a white one, and
a piece of fhell, having moreover a pit in
the greafe, whereby they judged that the
bottom was a rock. I cannot exprefs the
joy that we had, feeing us there, where we
had fo muchdefired to be. There was not
any one of us more fick, every one did
leap for joy, and did feem unto us to be in
our own country, though we were come
but to the half of our voyage, at leaft: for
the time, that paffed before we came to Per/
Royal, whither we were bound.

Here I will, before I proceed any further,
decipher unto you, what meaneth this word
Bank, which peradvcnture puttcth fome in
pain to know what it is. They fometimes
call banks a .fandy bottom which is very
flialiow, or which is dry at low water.
Such places be mortal for fliips that meet
with them. But the Bank whereof we
fpeak, is mountains grounded jn the depth
of the waters, which are raifed up to thirty,
thirty-fix, and forty fathoms, near to the
upper face of the fea. This Bank is holden
to be of 200 leagues in length, and eighteen,
twenty, and twenty-four leagues nu lu,
which being paflTed, there is no more i--Jiiom
found out, than in thefe parts, until one
come to the land. The fhips being there
arrived, the fails are rowled up, and there,
fifhing is made of the green fiih, as I have
faid, whereof we Ihall fpeak in the book
following. For the fatisfying of my reader,
1 have drawn it in my geographical

map

Thearrisr.;
al to the

Fiji-iu'ii.

Of the

woTiiBaii/i

andthcde-

fciiption

ofthetifti-

irig BiinL

A Dejiribtion of New France.

82s

learriv-
:o the
i-bank.

the
liBan/i

■ 1

thcde-

ition
letifti-

'II

Baiik,

map of Newfoundland, with pricks, which
is all may be done to rcprefcnt it. There
are farther ofF, other branches, as I have
marked in the faid map, upon the whicl:
good fifliing may be made j and many go
thither that know tiie places. When that
we parted from Rocbel, there was, as it
were, a foreft of fliips lying at Chef de
Bnis, whereof that place hath taken its
name, which went all in a company to that
country, preventing us in their going but
only of two days.

Having fcen and noted the Bank, we
hoKted up fails .ind tore all night, keeping
ftiU our courfe to the weft. But the dawn
of day being come, which was St. John
Bapliji's eve, in God's name we pulled down
The firti- 'ii'ls, pairing that day a hJhing of cod filh,
iiijiofcod. with a chouland mirths and contentments,
by reafon of frcfli meats, whereof we had
as much as we would, having long before
wifhcd for them. Monf. de Poutrincourt,
and a young man of Retel named le Feure,
who, by reafon of the fea-ficknefs, were not
come out from their beds nor cabins, from
the beginning of the navigation, came upon
the hatches that day, and had the pleafure,
not only of fidiing of cod, but alfo of
thofc birds that be called by French mari-
ners, Happe-foyes, that is to fay Liver-
catchers, becaufe of their greedincfs to de-
vour the livers of the cod-fifh that are
caft into the fea after their bellies bcopen'd,
whereof they are fo covetous, that though
they fee a great pole over their he?,ds,
ready to Itrike them down, yet they adven-
ture themfclves to come near to the fhip,
to catch fome of them at what price foever.
And they which were not occupied in fifli-
ing did pafs their time in that fport. And
fo did they, by their diligence that we
took fome thirty of them. But in this
aftion one of our (hipwrights fell down
in the fea. And it was good for him
that the Ihip went but flow, which gave
him means to fave himfelf by taking hold
of the rudder, from which he was pulled
in aboard, but for his pains was well beaten
by Capt. Fotilques.

In this tidiing we fometimes did take

fea dogs, whofc (kins our joyners did keep

carefully to fmooth their work withal :

Item, fifh called by Frenchmen, Merlus,

which be better than cod, and fometimes

another kind of fifh called Bars : which di-

verfity did augment our delight. They

which were not bufy in taking either fifh

or birds, did pafs their time in gathering

pAcellcnt ^'^"^ hearts, guts, and other inward parts

laui'ages moft delicate of the cod-fifh, which they

made with did mincc with lard and ("pices, and with

the in thofe things did make as good Bologna fau-

)!;'[ ' ° fages, as any can be made in Paris, and

Vo L. II.

Sea-dogs
fkim.

wc did eat of them with a very good fto-
mach.

On the evening we made ready to conti-
nue our courfe, having firfl made our can-
nons to roar, as well becaufe of St. John's
holy day, as for Monf. de Poutrincourt'a
fake, which beareth the name of that faint.
The next day fome of our men told us
they had feen a bank of ice. And there-
upon was recited unto us, how tharthe
year before, a fliip of Olone was caft away,
by approaching too near to it, and that two
men having faved themfelves upon the ice,
had this good fortune that another fhip,
pafTing by, the men took them in aboard
them.

It is to be noted that from the i8th of
June until we did arrive at Port Royal, we
have found the weather quite otherwife to
that we had before : for, as we have already
faid, we had cold mifts or fogs, before our
coming to the Bank, where we came in
fair fun-fViinc, but the next day, we fell to
the fogs again, which a-far off wc might
perceive to come and wrap us about, hold-
ing us continually prifoners three whole
days, for two days of fair we.ither that
they permitted us : which was always ac-
companied with cold, by reafon of the fum-
mer's abfence. Yea, even divers times we
have feen ourfelves a whole fev'nnight, con-
tinually in thick fogs, twice without any
fhew of fun, but very little, as I will re-
cite hereafter. And I will bring forth a
reafon for fuch cfFeifts which feemeth unto
me probable. As we fee the fire to draw Thecaufes
the moiftncfs of a wet cloath, oppofiteunto of mifts on
it, likcwife the fun draweth moiftnefs and I ^^^
vapours both from the fea and from the
land. But for the diflclving of them there
is here one virtue, and beyond thofe parts
another, according to the accidents and
circumftances that are found. In thefe our
countries it raifeth up vapours only from
the ground, and from our rivers : which
earthly vapours, grofs and weighty, and
participating lefs of the moift element, do
caufe us a hoc air, and the earth difcharg'd
of thofe vapours becomes thereby more
hot and parching. From thence it Com-
eth that the faid vapours, having the
earth of the one part, and the fun on the
other which heateth them, they are eafily
dilToIved, not remaining long in the air,
unlefs it be in winter, when the earth is
waxen cold, and the fun beyond the cqui-
noftial line, far off from us. From the
fame reafon proceedeth the caufe, why mifts
and fogs \x not fo frequent nor fo long in
the French fcas as in Newfoundland, becaufe
that the fun, pafTing from his rifing above
the grounds, this fea, at the coming thereof,
receiveth almoft but earthly vapours, and

10 A by

8x6

A Defcription of New France.

A fmall
bank.

by a long fp.icc retaincth this virtue to dif-
folvc very foon the exhalations it draweth
to itfclf". But when it cunicth to the miilil
of tlie ocean, and to the laid NewfouiuUaiuly
having elevated and aflumcd in lb long a
coiirl'c a great abundance of vapours, from
tliis moill wide ocean, it doth not I'o cafily
diflblvc them, as well, becaufc thole va-
pours be cold of theinlllvcs and «f their
nature, as bjcaufe the element which is
nearcft under them doth fympatliize with
them and prefervcth them, and the llin
beams being not holpen in the diffolving of
them, as they arc upon the earth : which
is even Hen in the land of that country,
which, although it hath but fmall heat, by
rcafon of the abundance of woods, not.
withftanding it helpeth to dilperfe the mills
and fogs, which be ordinarily there in the
morning, during lumnur, but not as at
fea j for about eight o'clock in the morning
they begin to vanidi away, and lerve as a
dew to the ground.

I hope the reader will not diflike thefe
fmall digreflions, feeing they ferve to our
purpofe. The 28 th of June we found our-
felvcs upon a little fmall bank (other than
the great bank whereof we have fpoken)
at forty fathoms •, and the day following,
one of our lailors fell by night into the fea,
who had been lofl if he had not met widi
a cable hanging in the water. From that
time forward, we began to defcry land-
marks ("it was Newfoundland) by herbs,
mofies, flowers, and pieces of wood that
wc always met, abounding the more, by
■Jhednco- fo much wc drew near to it. The 4th of
\cr\ of St. July our failors, who were appointed for
the laft quarter watch, defcried in the
morning very early, every one being yet a-
bed, the illes of St. Peler ; and the Friday ,
the fcventh of the faid month, wc difco-
vercd on the larboard a co.ift of land, high
raifed up, appearing unto us as long as one's
fight could llretch out, which gave us
greater caufe of joy than yet we had had,
wherein God did greatly fhew his merciful
favour unto us, making this difcovery in
fair calm weather. Being yet far from it,
theboldeftof thecomp.any went up to the
main top, to the end to fee it better, fo
much were all of us defirous to fee this
land, true and moft delightful habitation of
man. Monf. de Poutrlncourt went up thi-
ther, and myfelf alfo, which we had not yet
done. Even our dogs did thrufl: their nofes
out of the fliip, better to draw and fmell
the fweet air of the land, not being able
to contain themfelves from witnefling, by
their geftures, the joy they had of it. We
drew within a league near unto it, and the
fails being let down, we fell a filhing of
cod, the Bfhing of the Bank beginning to

L:ind
marks.

iilandi.

fiil. They who had before us made voy-
ages in iliole parts, liid judge us to be at
cape /i/v.'o;/. The night .rawing on, wc
llooil olf to the lcaw.ird : the next day
following, being the eighth of tl>e laid
month of yw/y* as we drew near to the bay
oi'Cvw/'/tvitt, came about the evening mifls, Tlif Liy
which did continue eight whole days, dur- "• ^'' ''"•
ing the which wc kept us at lea, hulling-'"'"'
Hill, not being able to go forw.ud, being
relilleil hy weft and Ibuih-well wimls. Dur-
ing iJK Ic eight days which were Irom one
Saturday to another, (iod (who hath al-
ways guided thelc voyages, in the which not
one man hath been lolt by fea) lliewed ub
his I'ljccul favour, in lending unto us, among
the thick logs, a clearing of the fun, which
continued but half an hour-, and then had
we fight of the firm land, and knew that
we were ready to be call; away upon the
rocks if we had not fpeedily ftood oft" to
fea-ward. A man doth Ibmetimes leek the
land as one doth his beloved, who fomc-
times rcpulfeth her fweetheart very rudely.
Finally, upon Saturday the 15th of July,
about two o'clock in the afternoon, the (ky
began to falute us, as it were, with cannon
fliots, fliedding tears, as being foriy 10
have kept us lb long in pain ; fo that lair
weather being come ;igain, we faw coming
fir.iit to us, we being tour leagues ofi" from
the land, two fliallops wlih open fails, in
a 'ii:A yet wrathed. This thing gave us Marvel-
much content : but whilft we followed on ''^"''
our courfe, there came from the land odours °|^JJ""
incomparable for fweetnefs, brought with frum tin;
a warm wind, fo abundantly that all the U\A.
orient parts could not produce greatci- abun-
dance. We did flrctch out our hands, as
it were to take them, fo palpable were they,
which I have admired a thoufand times
fince. Then the two fhal lops did approach,
the one manned with favages who had aftag
painted at their fails, the other with French-
men of St. iWa/o, who m.ade their fifliing
at the port of Catnpjeau, but the fivages
were more diligent, for they arrived firft.
Having never feen any before, I did admire The fava-
at the firft fight their fair fliape and form ge^goodly
of vifage. One of them did cxcufe him- ""■'"■
felf, for that he had not brought his fair
beaver gown, becaufe the weather had been
foul. He had but one red piece of frieze
upon his back, and Matachias about his
neck, at his wrifts, above the elbow, and
at his girdle. Wc made them to eat and
drink j during that time they told us all
that had paffed, a year before, at Port
Royalf whither we were bound. In the
mean while, them of St. Malo came, and
told us as much as the favages had ■, adding
that the fVednefday, when that we did fliun
the rocks, they had feen us, and would
2 have

A Defcription of New France.

827

The care
of rlif fa
V .lycs lor

I lair

Marvel-

lous
occurs
Coining
'rumtlie

'Jie lavi-
:s goodly

have come to us with the faid favagcs, but
that they left oft", by reafon we put to fea :
and moreover that it had been always fair
weather on the land j which made us much
to marvel -, but the caufe thereof hath been
Ihcwcd before. Of this difcominodity may
he drawn hereafter a great good, that tiiefc
mills will fervc as a rainpier to the country,
and one (hall know with Ipced what is pafsM
at fca. They tolti us alio, that they had
been advertifed, fome days before, by other
lavages, that a fliip was feen at cape Bre-
ton. 'I'hcfe J'rcnchmcn of St. Malo were
men that did deal tor the afibciates of Monf.
deMonts, and did complain that the firJ/X-;,
or men of St. John de Lus, againll the
king's inhibitions, had trucked with the fa-
vagcs, and carried away above fix thoufand
beavers fkins. I'hcy gave us lundry forts
of tlieir filh, as hn, inarlus, and great
Jli-tans. As for the lavages, before to de-
part, they aiktd bread of us to carry to
their wives, which was granted and given
them, tor they defcrved it well, being come
fo willingly to (hew us in what part we
were ; tor fince that time we failed Hill in
alfurance, and without doubr.

At the parting, fome numberof ours went
a-land at the port of Campjeau, xs well to
fetch us fome wood and trLlh water, whereof
we had need, as for tn follow the coaft froin
that place to Pari Rojal in a fliallop, for
we did fear left Monf du Pout fliould be at
our coming thither already gone from
thence. The favages made otfer to go to
him thorough the woods, with promife to
be there within C\x days toadvertifc him of
our coming •, to the end, to caufc his (lay,
for .as much .as word was left with him to
depart, uiilefs he were fuccoured within the
i6tii day of that month, which he tailed
not to do ; notwithftanding, our men,
defirous to fee the land nearer, did hinder
the fame which promifed us to bring
unto us the next liay the faid wood and
water, if we would approach near the
kind, which we did not, but followed on
our courfe.

The 1'uefday, the 1 7th of July, we were,
accorilir.j:; ro our accullomed manner, fur-
prized with mifls and contrary wind s but
the Ihirfday wc had calm weather, fo that
whether it were mill or fair weather, we
went nothing forward. During this calm,
about the evening, a (hipwright wafhing
himfelf in the fea, having before drank
Drunken- too much j^qua vittr, found himfelf over-
ncfica.iiis taken, the cold of the fea water ftriving
iiivtr. j>e- ag.^i|,ft thg |,g^j of ti,is fpjr jf of y/\ne. Some

mariners feeing their fellow in danger, caft
themftlvcs into the water to fuccour him,
but his wits being troubled he mocked
them, and they not able to rule him i

t Ju

which caufcd yet other mariners to go to
help 1 and they lb hindered one another,
that they were all in d.anger. In the end,
there was one of them, which amon^ this
confulion, heard the voice of Mont, dc Pou-
trinccttrt, who did fay to hini, Joiin Hay
liiok towards me, and with a rope that was
given him he was pulled up, and the rett
withal were fared. But the author of the
trouble fell into a ficknefsthat ahnoll kill'd
him.

After this calm we harl two days of fogs.
"D^ti Sunday the 23d of the faid month, wc
h.id knowledge of the port du Roffis^nol, I'c
and the fame day in the atteinoon, the fun P-
Ihining fair, we caft anchor at the mouth
ot pf)ri du Mouttofi, and wc were in danger
to tall upon a ihoal, b.ing come to two fa-
thoiris and a half depth. Wc went a-land
IcventtL-n of us in number to fctch the wood
and water, whereof we had need. There
we found the cabins and lodgings, yet
whole and unbroken, that IVlonf. de Monts
made two years before, who had fojourn'd
there by the fpacc of one month, as we
have faid in its place. We faw there, be- What
ing a (iunly land, rtore of oaks bearing 8^°'^'^ '"
acorns, cyprus-trccs, fir-trees, bay-trees, \^'|.|'^^J^''' "
muik-rofes.goofeberries, purflain, rafpies, ,i;<„„'/5„.
ferns, Lyjimacbia, (a kind of Sammonce) ca-
lamus odoratus, angelica, and other fimples,
in the fpacc of two hours that we tarried
there. We brought back in our fliip wild
peafe, which we found good. We had not
the kifure to hunt after rabbets that be there
in great number, not far from the port,
but we retuMied aboard as foon as we lud
hiden ourfcives with water and wood ; and
fo hoilted up fails.

Tuejday the 25th d.ay, we were about the /» dp ,b
cape de Sable, in fair weather, and made *"*'''•
a good journey, for about the evening we ^V'f^
came to fight of Lcng Ifie, and the bay of Vhc bar
St. Mary, but becaufe of the night we put St. Mary.
back to the fcaward. And the next day
we caft anchor at the mouth of Port Royal,
where we could not enter, by reafon it was
ebbing water, butwegavetwocannon-fliot
from our (hip to falute the faid port, and
to advcrrife the Frenchmen that we wer'"
there.

TT^urJday, the 27th of July, we came in
with the flood, which was not without much
difficulty, for that we had the wind contr.ary,
and gufts of wind from the mountains,
which made us almoft to ftrike upon the
rocks. And in thefe troubles our (hip
bare ftill contrary, the poop before, and
fometimes turned round, not being able to
do any other thing elfe. Finally, being Tlic beau-
in the port, it was unto us a thing marvel- ty of the
lous to fee the fair diftance and largenefs of P°"'
it, and the mountains and hills that invi-

roned

828

A Defcription of New France.

roned it, and I wondered how fo fair a
place did remain defert, being all tilled
with woods, feeing that fo many pine away
in the world, which might make good of
this land, if only they had a chief governor
to conduffl them thither. By little and
little we drew near to the ifland, which is
right over-againft the fort where we have
dwelt fince: an ifland, I fay, the mod agree-
able thing to be feen in her kind that is pof-
fible to be dcfired, wilhing in ourfclves to
have brought thither fome of thofe fair
buildings that are unprofitable in thcfc our
parts, that ferve for nothing but to retire
wild fowl in, and other birds. We knew
not yet, if Monf. du Pout was gone or no,
and therefore wc did expcdl that he ihould
fend fome men to meet us ; but it was in
vain ; for he was gone from thence 1 2 days
before : and whilft we did hull in the midit
of the port, Membertoti, the greateft Saga-
WW of the Souriguois{i'o are the people call'd
with whom we were^ came to the French
fort '0 them thar were left there, being
only two, crying as a mad man, faying in
his language, H^bat ! youjland here a din-
ing Cfor it was about noon) and do not fee
a great JJjip that Cometh here, and vie know
not what men they are ! Suddenly thefe two
men ran upon the bulwark, and with dili-
gence made ready the cannons, which they
furniihed with pellets and touch pow-
der. Membertou, without delay, came in
a canoe made of barks of trees, with a
daughter of his, to view lis: And having

found but friendHiip, and knowing 111 to
be Irembtnen, made no alarm. Notwith-
ftandina one of the two Frenchmen left there,
called La Taille, came to the fhorc of the
port, his match on the cock, to know what
we were, though he knew it well enough,
for we had the white banner difplay'd at the
top of the mart, and on the fuddcn four
volley of cannons were (hot oft", which
m.ide innumerable ecchoes: and Iroin our
part, the tort was faluted with three t aiiiion
Ihots, and many mufket (hots, at which
time our trumpeter was not flack of his
duty. Then wc landed, viewed the houfe,
and wc pafTed that day in giving God
thanks, in feeing the favagc-cabins, and
walking thorough the meadows. But I
cannot but praife the gentle courage of thefe
two men, one of them I have already
named, the other is called Miauelct : which
deferve well to be mentioned here for hav-
ing fo freely expofed their lives in the con-
fervation of the welfare of New France:
for Monf. du Pent having but one bark and
(hallop, to feek out towards Newfoundland
for French (hips, could not charge himfulf
with fo much furniture, corn, meat, a. '.J
merchandifcs as were there, which ht had
been (breed to cad into the fea, and whicii
had been greatly to our prejudice, and we
did fear it very much, if thefe two men
had not adventured themfelvesto tarry there,
for the prefeiving of thofe things, which
they did with a willing and joyful mind.

CHAP. XIII..

'Tin' /jiippy 7nctitivg of Monf, du Pont j his return unto Port-Royal j rejoicing ;
(h'fcripli^<n of the fa id port ; conjeSlure touching the head and fpring of the
great river 0/' Canada ; the return of Monf . du Pont into France ; the voyage
of Monf. de Poutrincourt unto the country of the Armouchiquois j the excr-
cifes ami manner of living in Port Royal, &c.

TH E Friday^ next day after our ar-
rival, Monf. de Poutrincourt, affected
;iig of the to this enterprife as for himfelf, pat part
ground, of his people to work in the tillage and ma-
nuring of the ground, whilft the others
were employed in making clean of the
chambers, and every one to make ready
that which belonged to his trade. In the
mean time thofe people of ours that had
left us at Campfeau, to come along the coaft,
met, as it were miraculoufly, with Monf.
du Pont, among iflands, that be in great
number in thole parts. To declare how
great was the joy of each fide, is a thing

not be expreflfed. The faid Monf. du Pont^
at this happy and fortunate meeting, re-
turned back to fee us in Port-Royal, and to
(hip himfelf in the Jonas, to return into
France. As this chance was beneiicial unto
him, fo was it unto us, by the means of
his (hips that he left with us. For without
that, we had been in fuch extremity that
we had not been able to go nor come any
where, our (hip being once returned into
France. He arrived there on Monday the
laft of July, and tarried yet in Port Royal
until the 8th of Augujl. All this month
we made merry. Monf. de Poutrincourt

did

A Defcriptton of Nc\ * rancc.

819

Abun-
dance of
liiooks.

did fetup and opened ahogfticad of wine,
one of tlum that was given him lor his
own drinking, giving leave to all coiners,
to drink as \ona as it fhoulii holii, fo that
Ibmc of them drunk until tluir caps turn-
ed round.

At the very beginning, we were dcfir-
ous to fee the country up the river,
where we found meadows, aimoil contin-
ually alxjvc twelve leagues of ground, a-
niong which, brooks do run without num-
ber, which tome from the l\ills and moun-
tains adjoining. The woods very thick on
the w.Ker-lhores, and (o thick that fome-
times one cannot go thorough them j yet
tor all th;it, I woidd not make tlum fuch
a.s Jofepb Jcojla reciteth thofe of Peru to
be, when he faith, one of our brethren, a
man of credit, told us, that being gone a-
Jiray, and loft in the mountains, not know-
ing what part nor which way hejhouldgo,
found biinfelf among bujhesfo thick, that
be was conftraiued to travel upon them,
without putting bis feet on the ground, a
whole fortnights fpace. I refer the believ-
ing of that to any one that will, but this
belief cannot reach lb far, as to have place
with me.

Now in the land whereof we fpeak, the
woods are thinner far off from the fliorcs
and waterilh places ; and tiie felicity there-
of is fo much the more to be hoped for,
in that it is like the land, which God did
promife to his people, by the mouth of
Mofes, faying. The Lord thy God doth
iiring thee into a good land, of rivers of
waters, with fountains and depths, which
do fpring infields, &c. J land where thou
fhalt eat thy bread without fcarcity, where-
in nothing fhall fail ihec, a land wbofe
ftones are of iron, and from wbofe mountains
thou pjalt dig brafs. And further in an-
otlier place, confirming the promifcs for
the gooilnefs and ftate of the land that he
would give them. The country, faith he,
wherein you are going for topoffefs it, is not
as the land of Egypt, from whence you are
come forth, where thou didft fow thy feed,
and watered it i-jilh the labour of thy. feet,
as a garden of herbs. But the country
thorough which you are going to pafs, for to
poffefs it, is a land of mountains and fields,
and is watered with waters that raineth
from heaven. Now according to the de-
fcription that heretofore we have made of
Port-Royal, ind the confines thereof, in de-
fcribingthe firft voyageofMoni, deMonts,
and as yet we do mention it here, brooks
do there abound at will, and, for this re-
fpcft, this land is no lefs happy than the
country of the Gauls, now called France,
to whom king /igrippa, making an oration
to the Jews, recited by Jofephus in his
wars of the Jews, attributed a particular
felicity, becawfe they had ftore of domcf-
Vo... II.

t a part of
tain, tor the

r the ftones i^onrtonr,
.jidbcot iron, Momitiniis

tical ibuntai ; am' alfo, f'
thole countii. < c.illed //
lame confiili ation. As
which ourGoii promifed fho.
and the mountauis of brafs, th.it figi ofbtaf.
eth notliing cllc, but the mines of coj); ,
ot iron, and of Heel, whereof we hav> al-
ready heretofore fpoken, and wiU fpt k
yet hereafter. And as tor the fields, whci •
of we have not yet fpoken, there be fome
on the weft fide of the faid Part Royal,
and above the mountains there be ibme
fair ones, where I have fcen lakes and
brooks, even as in the valley •, yea, even
in thepaflageto come forth trom the fame
tort, tor to go to lea, there is a brook
which falleth trom the high rocks down,
and in falling difperfeth itlelf into a fmall
rain, which is very delightful in fummer,
bccaufe that at the foot of the rock, there
are caves, wherein one is covered, wliilft
that this rain falleth lb pleafantly ; and in
the c.ive, wherein the rain of this brcwk
falleth, is made, as it were, a rainlww,
when the fun fhineth ; which hath given
me great caufe of admiration. Once we
went from our fort as far as the fea thorough
the woods, the fpace of three leagues, but
in our return we were pleafantly deceived,
for at the end of our journey, thinking to
be in a plain champion country, wc found
ourfelves on the top of a high mount-Vm,
and were forced to come down with pain
enough, by reafon of fnows. But moun-
tains be not perpetual in a country. With-
in fifteen leagues of our dwelling, the
country thorough which the river fEquille
palTeth, is all plain and even. I have i'een
in thofe parts many countries, where the
land is all even, and the faireft of the world,
but the perfeftion thereof is, that it is well Countiy
watered ', and for witnefs whereof, noton- well wn
ly in Port Reyalibut alfo in aWNew France ^"'''^^
the great river of Canada is proof thereof,
which at the end of four hundred leagues,
is as broad as the greateft rivers ot the
world, replenilhed with illes and rocks in-
numerable-, taking her beginning from one Conjec-
of the lakes which do meet at the ftream turcon the
of her courfe, and fo I think, fo that it [j;^'"^^°f
hath two courfes, the one from the eaft ^-^y^"^^
towards France, the other from tlie weft Camniu.
towards the fouth-fea •, which is aiimirable
but not without the like example found
in our Europe : fbr the river which cometh
down to Trent and to Verone, proceedeth
from a lake, which produceth another ri-
ver, Whofe courfe is bent oppofite to the
river hins, which falleth into the river
Danube. So the Nile ilTueth from a lake
that bringeth forth other rivers, which dif-
charge themfelves into the great ocean.

Let us return to our tillage ; for to that what is
we muft apply ourfelves ; it is the firft the firft
mine that muft be fought for, which is mine.
ID B more

830

A DtfcriptioN of New Frrmcc.

nrorc worili than the troafurci of .Itti/xili-
p<i ; ami he that hath cum, wine, lattlr,
wodIIimi ami Imncn, liathcr, iron, .iikI .il
tirwanltotl-lifh, hi-ncciktli iiootliii trc.i
lures Jor the nccclVarit s ol lilc •, now all
thi:> is, or may hi-, in tin land by lis di'-
taibcil J upon the wliiiii Monl". r/r rmi-
Sowim' „ifri>iicitrt having cauli'ii a leconil tillij.^ to
ioin. -' bt nude, in Httetn days ;itter his arrival
thitlier, he lowed it with our /-w/f/i eorn,
as well wheat and rye, is with hemi), llax,
iurni|i li-eil, radifli, cabbages, and other
leeds, anil the eighth day following, he
law that his lalx)ur had not been ni vain,
but rather a lair hope, by the produc'tiun
that tile ground had already made of the
leiiis which flu- had nceived ; whii h be-
ing fhcwtd to Monf. tin Pont., was unto
him a lair fubjert to make his rilation in
France., as a tiling altogether new there.

The twentieth day of /Ii(gnjl was alrea-
dy come, when tiiele fair fliews wire nude,
and the time did admoniili them that were
to go in the voyage to make ready, where-
unto they began to give order, lb that the
twenty-fiftii day of the fame month, alter
many peals of ordnance, tiuy weigiud
anchor to come to the mouth ol the port,
winch is commonly the firll days journey.
C:!u!i; of Monf. de Monts being deiirous to reach
thcvoya^e as far into the foutli as he could, and leek
majc imo out ^ ^\;\ct very fit to inhabit, bi-yond Miil-
Icbarrc, had reciueitcd Monl". de Poutrin-
ccurt to jKifs further than yet he had done,
and to ktk a convenient port in good
temperature of air, making no greater
account of Port Royal than of St. Crcix,
in that which concerneth health. Wherc-
unto the laid Monf. de Poulrincourt being
willing to condefcend, would not tarry
for tile fpring time, knowing he Ihovild
have other employments to exercife liim-
feif withal. But feeing his fowings end-
ed, and his field green, refolvcd himfelf
to make this voyage and difcovery before
winter. So then he difpofed all things to
rliat end, and with his bark anchored near
to the Jonas, to the end to get out in
company. Whilft they lay there for a
profperous wind, the fpacc of three days,
there was a whale of mean bignefs, wiiich
the favagesdo ca\\ Altiria, who came eve-
ry day into the port, with the morning
flood, playingthere within at her pleafure,
and went away back again with the ebb.
And then, taking fome leifure, I made in
French vtrfes, a farewel to the faid Monf.
du Pont, and his comjiany, which I have
placed among the mules oiNew France.

'i he twenty eighth day of the faid
month, each of us took his courfe, one,
one way, and the other another, diverfly
to God's keeping. As for Monf. du Pont
he purpofcd by the way to fet upon a mer-
chant of Roan, named Boyer, who con-

thc coji<
try ol'tnf

yfrmcii'.'i-
f .vc;'. .

trary to the king's inhibitions, w.» in thofc
parts to truck with the lavages, notwirh
Handing he had Ixin deliviredout ofpr'-
Ion in Rnihel, by the lonCent ol Monl. i.V
/V«/n»/i^»r/, under piomile li< lliouid not
go thither i but the laid flr;v.r was alrea-
dy gone. Ami as for Monf. </c Poutrin-
court, he took his cotirle tor the i'.le of »S'/.
Crois, til ■/•>(•«£/'/»(•«.( Ill II abode, hivini^
Monf dc Champdore lornuller and \r,\\\S\:
of his bark •, but being hindered by the
wind, and bceaufe his bark did led;, he
was fonid twic to put b.ick a|!;ain. in
the <iul he i]uite p.illid the b.iy /■'rnuj-nj,-^
and viewed the faid ille, where he loutul
ripe corn, of that which two ye.iis Uforc
was lowed by Monf. de Monti, wliicli
was fair, big, weighty and will fill,\'. 1 Ic
(int unto us Ibinc of tiiat c.nn to Port-
Royal, whire 1 was rei|Uelhd to iVay, to
look to the lioufe, and to kci p the relk of
the company till re in concord 1 wlureun-
to I did aj^ne, though it was nf rred to
my will, tor tiie .ilUiraiice tli.it wi lud a-
mong ourfelves, that the year following
welhould make our h.ibitatiun in a warmer
country, beyond Ma/lcl'arrc, and th.it we
Ihould ail go in company, with them that
Ihoiild be lent to us out lA France. In the
mean while, I employed myfelf in dreirmg
the grou'id, to make indolures and p.ir-
titions of gardens, for to low corn and
kitchen herbs. We caufed, alio, a ditch
to be made all about the lort, which was
very needful to receive the waters .md
moiltnefs that before did run undem- itli
among the roots of trees, that had iuen
fallendown, which peradventiiredid nuke
the pKice unhcalthful. I will not fluid in
defcribing here, what each of our other
workmen and labourers did particularly
make. It futficeth tlut we had Ib^re of
joiners, carpenters, mafons, ftonc-carvers,
lock-fmiths, tailcs, board-fawyers, ma-
riners, &c. wiio did exercife their trades,
which in doing their duties, were very
kindly ufed, for they were at th.ir own li-
berty tor three hours labour a I'.ay. The
overjilus of tne time, they bed twed it m
going to gather mufdes, whicii are at low
water in great quantities before the fort,
or lobflers, or crabs, which are in Port-
Royal under the rocks in great abundance,
or cockles, which are in every part of the
ooze, about the fhores of the faid port ;
all that kind of filh is taken without net or
boat. Some there were that fometimes
took wildfowl, but not being fkilful, they
fpoiled the game •, and as for us, our table
was furniflied by one of Monf. de Monls'%
men, who provided for us in fuch fort
that we wanted no fowl, bringing unto us,
fometimes half a dozen of birds, called by
Frenchmen, Outards, a kind of wild geefe,
fometimes as many mallards, or wild geefe
2 white

y/ DcfiiiptioH of New France.

831

u ii.tiurc
ot ;!.;• la
\.r,.c.-.

>* Iiiff aiul grc y, very often two or tlmr;
(I. /cnot lanis ami i)tluT kiiuli oi bir.ls.
\\ tor brciil, ii(( Uxly tclt w.uit tlii-rcor,
•uut jVfiy OIK' lull tim-f (jiMrts ot [uin-
juil {;ood wiiK acl.iy i wlii( li li.itli contimi'il
«■ ltl\ W*. .IS loil^'l* Wi- li.ivc kc'M tluTt , t'.iv-
111(5 tlvit, wli' i\ th y, wlio lamc to t'ttih
us, inlU\ul ot liriiii;in[^ ronimoditics unto
us liolpal US to Ijiiiil our own, as wc
111. ill havi* (M(ii)ii liiii'altcr to ilrci lie,
wi* wcrctori'al to ri'ilucp tlut portion to a
|)int, ami nntwlthllaniiinf]; tlicrc was very
t)ttiii Ibnutlilnj; nunc ot extraordinary.
J'liis voyajre, lor tliis reijieCt, hath k'ln
th'* li'll voy.igi- ot all, whereot we are to
give much iir.iiils to the I'aiil Monl'. dc
Mnnts, and liis a(l'oci.ite<i Moi\r. M.ufdn,
and Monl. 6Vfi>ijc.f ot /^atix'Ain I'roviding
lo .ilnind.intly lor us. |-or truly, I rind
that this ^eptemhral liiiuor, I mean wine,
is .imong other things, ,\ t'overeign prefer v-
ative againll the litknifs ol that couiitry.
yXnd the I'piecru s, to eorred the vice tliat
ini^'Jitbe in the .iir of that region, which
neverthelel's I h.tve always tound very
clear and pure, iiotwitiitlanding the rea-
^bll^tllat Im.iyhavealledged for the fame,
fperiking heretotore of the fame fick-
iiels. I-'or our allowance, we had
peafe, beans, rice, prunes, raifins, dry
cod, and fait llefli, befides oyl and
buitrr. But wJKiilocver the lavages,
flwelhng near us, had taken any quan-
tity ot flur[T(()n, lalmon, or fmall
tilhi s \ item, any Ix ivers, lillnns, Cnra-
iious^ (or tallow deer) or other bealb
mentioned in my farewel to Nav rraiicc,
they brouglit unto us halt ot it ; and that
wliich remained tiiey expofed it fometimes
to file ()ubliekly, and they that would
have any thereof did truck bre.id for it ;
tliis was partly our manner of lite in thofe
parts. But althougii every one of our

workmen h.ul his p.irticular tr.idc or oc-
cujiation, y<r lor all th.ii it wxi ncceirary
to employ himtelt to all uf-s, as m.uiy
ilid. .Some nialimi .md Itonc-carvn-i ap
plied tl.<'nililvrs to bakinir, wl'i.li made
us as goo.i bread us is m.id .• in I'/iris. Alio
one ot our l.rvyers, diver; timea made ui
ccils in g.''e.u (|uantity.

Wherein is to benotal .1 thing tint now
I remember : it is, that beuig iitcelljry
to cut turts to cover the pil> .s of wood,
heaped to mak'; tiie laid coals ; there were
found in the meadows three toot deep ot
earth, nut i-.irtii, l)ut grals or herbs,
mingkd with mudd, which liave heaped
themll Ive.s yearly oni upon another from
the bi ginning of the worlil, lujt having been
moved. Nevcrtheleli. the gre.n thereof
tirveth lor palhire to the elTans ; whith
we have m.iny times [\x\\ in our me.ulowi
of thole [i.irts, in Iv rds of three or (our,
great and fmall ; futFering thcmfelvcs
lonietimes to be ajiproaehed, then they
ran to the woods : but 1 may lay more-
over, that I have Ibeii, in crofFing two
leagues of our faid meadows, the fame to
be all trodden with tracks ot cllans, for I
know not there any other cloven-footed
bcalh. There was killed one of thofe
bealh, not far olF from our fort, at a
place where Monf. de Monls having caufed
the grafs to be mowed two years before,
it W.IS grown againthe fiirelt of the world.
Some might marvel how thofe me.ulows
are made, feeing that all the ground in
thofe places is covered witii woods : For
fiuistadion whereof, let the curious read-
er know, that in high fpring tides, fpc-
cially in March .ind September^ the tlood
covereth thok l}iores, which hindereth the
trees there to take root. But every where,
where the water over-floweth not, if there
be any ground, there are woods.

CHAP. XIV.

TLir dcpartiiigfrom the tJJc of St. Croix : T/jc Iniy of Marchin
.4 dcfcrlption of the Armouchiquois, Gff.

Choiiakoct ;

rimptt
gotl.

LE T us return to Monf. du Potttrin-
court, whom we have left in the ille
ot S(. Croix : having made there a review,
and chcrifhcd the favages that were there,
he went in the fpace ot tour days to Pem-
tegoct, which is tliat place fo famous un-
der the name of Norombega. There necd-
f th not fo long a time in coming thither,
but he tarried on the way to mend his
bark -, for to that end he had brought

with him a fmith and a carpenter, and
quantity of boards. He eroded the ides,
which be at the mouth of the river, and j^;^,;^^;^;
came to KiniMi, where his bark was in
danger, by reafon of the great ftreams
that the nature of the place procureth
there. This was the cauie why he made
there no ftay, but pafled further to the J■^^g bay
bay of Marchin, which is the name of a of Mar-
captain of the favages } who at thearriv- ciia.

4 Defcription of New France.

Confcdc-
racy.

laid

1 he river
of Olmc-

(I.U:.
Port de
Cb'juiihct-

An illand
of vinej.

'Mie river
of 01i,:c-

al of the faid Monf. de Potttrhicourt, be-
gan to cry oualoiid He He ; whereunto tlic
hkc anlwer was made unto him. He rc-
phed, aflcing in his language, what arc
yc ? tlicy anfwered hini, tricndf ; and
tliereuponMonf. de PotUrincoiirt appioacli-
ing, treated amity with him, and prcfent-
cd him widi ki.ivcs, liatchets, and mata-
chias ; that is to Hiy, icarl's, carknets and
bracelets made ot beads, or (^uils made of
white and blew glals, whereot lie was very
lad ; as alio tor the confederacy that the
Monf. de Foutrincciirt made with him,
knowing very well that the fame would
be a gnat aid and fiipport unto him. He
dillriluited to fome men that were about
him, among a great number of people,
tlie prefints that tlie faid Monf. de Pou-
trincourt gave him, to whom he brought
ftore of Origimc, or ellans flelh (for the
Bajks do call a itag, or Elian, Orignac)
to refrefli the company with victuals.
That done, they fet fails towards Cboiia-
koet, where the river ot Capt. Olmechin
is, and where the year following was made
the war of the Houriquois and Etechemins^
under the conduft of the Sagamos Mem-
bcrtou, which I have defcribed in verfes,
wiiich verfes I have inferted among the
mufes of New France. At the entry of
the bay of the faid place ot Cbouatcoet,
there is a great ifland about half a league
• compafs, wherein our men did iirlt diico-
ver any vines (for, although there belbme
in the lands near to Port Royal, notwith-
ftantling there was yet no knowledge had
of th"— ) "'hich they found in great quar
tity, having the trunck three and four foot
high, and as big as ones fift in the lower
part, the grapes fair and great, and fome
as bigg as plumbs, others leller, but as
black, that they left a ftain where their
liquor was fpilied. Thofe grapes, I fay,
lying over budies and brambles that grow
HI rhe f une ifland, where the trees are not
fo thick as in other where, but are fix or
tlvtn rods diftant afunder, which caufeth
the grapes to be ripe the fooner -, having
belidcs a ground very fit for the fame,
gravelly and landy. They tarried there
but two hours ■, but they noted, that
there were no vines on the north-fide,
even as in the ifie St. Croix are no cedar-
trees, Lut Oil the Weft-fide.

From tills Ifland tiicy went to the river
ot Olmechin, a j;jrt ot Choiiakoet, where
Marchin and the faid Olmechin brouglit
to Monf de Poutrineourl a priloner ot tiie
Souriquois (and therefore their enemy)
which they gave unto him trcely. Two
hours after there arrived two lavages one
an Etechemin, named Chkoudun, captain of
the river 6'/. John, called by the favages
Oigoudi : Tlv: other a Sotta/quois, named
MeJJ'an^wt, Capt. cr Sagamos ot tlie rivcr

of the port de la Heve, where this prilo-
ner was taken. They had great ftore of
merchandife trucked with Frewhmen,
whicii they were coming to utter ; that is
to fay, great, mean, and fitiall kettles,
hatchets, knives, gowns, fliort cloaks,
red waftcoats, bifket, and other things -,
whereupon there arrived twelve or fifteen
boats, full of favages of Olmechins fiib-
jedtion, being in very good order, all
their faces painted, according to their
wonted cufiom, when they will fecm tair,
having their Lx)w and arrow in hand, and
the quiver, which tiiey laid down aboard.
At that hour Mejfamoet began his oration The On-
" before the favages ; fliewing them, tion of
" how that in limes paft, they often had M,f.inuet.
" friendthip together j and that they
" might eafily overcome their enemies,
" if they would have intelligence, and
" ferve tiiemfelves with the amity of the
" Frenchman, whom they faw there pre- *
" lent to know their country, to the end
" to bring commodities unto them here-
" after, and to fuccour them with their
*' tbrces •, which forces he knew, and he
" was the better able to make a demon-
" ftration thereof unto them, by fo mucii
* ' that he which fpake, had before time
" been in France, and dwelt there with
" Monf. de Grandinont, governor of Bay-
" onne." Finally, his fpeech continued
almoft an hour with much vehcmency
and atFedion, with a gefture of body and
arms, as is requifite in a good orator.
And in the end he did catt all his mer-
Ljiandizes (which were worth about three
hundred crowns, brought into that coun-
try) into Olmechin's boat, as making him
a prefent of that, in alTurance of the love
he would witnefs unto him. That done
the night hafted on, and every one retired
himfelf : but Mejfamoet was not pleafed,
for that Olmechin made not the like orati-
on unto him, nor requited his prefent •,
for the favages have that noble quality,
that they give liberally, calling at the
feet of whom they will honour, the pre-
fent that they give him : But it is with
hope to receive fome reciprocal kindnefs,
which is a kind of contrad, which wc
call, without name, / give thee, to the
end thou Jhould'Jl give me ; and that is
done thorough all the world. Therefore
Mejfamoet fiom that day had in mind to
make war to Olmechin. Notwithftanding A com-
the next day in the moining, he and his country,
people did return with a boat laden with ^^^'j^^,
that which they had, to wit, corn, to- r'°'"P'°"

bacco, beans and pompions, which they
diftributed here and there. Thole two
Capt. Olmechin and Marchin have fince
been killed in the wars : in whofe ftead
was chofen by the favages one named Bef-
fabes, which fince our return had been kil-
led

andgrapes.

A Defcription of New France.

83:,

le Oi».

m of

:orn-

intry,

ins,

npions

Igrapes.

led by Englijhmen ; and inftead of him
they have made a captain to come from
within the lands, named Afticou, a grave
man, valiant and redoubted, whicli, in
the twinkling of an eye, will gather up
one thoufand favagcs together, wliich
thing Olmechin and Marchin might alio
do. For our barlis being there, preftntly
the fea was leen all covered over with their
boats, laden with nimble and lufty men,
holding themfelvcs up ftraight in them ;
which we cannot do witliout danger,
thofe boats being nothing elfe but trees
hollowed after the fafliion that we will ihew
you in the book following. From thence
Monf. de Poutrincourt following on his
courfc, found a certain port very delight-
ful, which hud not been feen by Monf.
de Munts. And during the voyage they
faw ftorc of fmoak, and people on tiie
fhore, which invited us to come a-land ;
and feeing that no .'.ccount w.is made of
it, they followed the bark along the land,
yea moft often they did out-go her, fo
fwift are they, having their bows in hand,
and their quivers upon their backs, always
finging and dancing, not taking care with
what they fliould live by the way. Hap-
py people ! yea, a thoufand times more
nappy than they which in thefe parts
make themfelves to be worfliipped ; if
they had the knowledge of God and of
their falvation.

Monf. de Poutrincourt having landed
in this port, beheld among a multitude
of lavages a good number of fifes, which
did play with certain long pipes, made as
it were with canes of reeds, painted over,
but not with fuch an harmony as our fhep-
hcrds might do ; and to fliew the ex-
cellency of their art, they whirtlcd with
their nofes in gambolling, according to
their fartiion.

And as this people did run headlong,
to come to the bark, there was a favagc
which hurt himftlf grievoufly in the heel
againft the edge of a rock, whereby he
was inforced to remain in the place. Monf.
de Poutrincourt' s chirurgeon, at that
inftant would apply to this hurt that
which was of his art, but they would not
permit it, until they had firft made their
mouths and mops about the wounded
man. They then laid him down on the
ground, one of them holding his head on
nis lap, and made many bawlings and
fingings, whereunto the wounded man
anlwered but with a Ho., with a com-
plaining voice, which having done they
yielded him to the cure of the faid chi-
rurgeon, and went their way, and the
patient alfo after he had been drefled \
but two hours after he came again, the
moft jocund in the world, having put a-
bout nis head the binding cloth, where-

VOL. II.

with his heel was wrapped, for to feem
the more gallant.

The day following, our people entered
farther into the port, wh-re b. iny /one to
fee the cabins of the fav.iges, an old wo-
man of an hundred or fix (core year.: of
age, cami to caft at the feet 01 Mo-X. de
Poutrincourt a loaf of brt:a<', mad; A'ith
the wheat called MMs, or Mti:s •, utd in
thefe our parts, Turky or Suraifn wheat,
then very fair hemp of a long growth :
item, beans, and grapes newly gathered,
becaufc they havl feen Frenchmen eat of
them at Cboiiakoet ; which the otJur f i-
v.iges feeing,that knew it not,they brought
more of them than one would, emuL.tiii^
one ajiothcr j arid for recompence ot tins
their kindnefs, there was ft t on their fore- The <m
heads a fillet, or band of papi.r, wet vithpii-ity -i'*
fpittle, of which they were very ptoad, ig;">-.Kc:
It was fhev. ed them, in prcfling thi. i:;rapc ," '^''^
into a ghifs, that of tiiat v/e Ci\ maKe '""■^'^*'
tho wine which we did drink. Wc would
have made them to eat of d.. g nj but
having taking it into their mont'.s, .;.jy
fpit it out, ib igior.r.t is th.s people
of th^' bell thing that GoJ iiath g!\e'! to
man, next to bread. Yet notw-.th.Itxvi-
ing they have no want of wit, ari". mi3ac
br brought to do Ibme good thii.gs," if
they were civilized, and I1...1 the uie of
handicrafts. But they are fubtil, thievuh
and traiterous ; and though they be na-
ked, yet one cannot take heed of thi^ir
fingers ; for if one turn never fo little his
eyes afide, and that they Ipy the oppor-
tunity to fteal any knife, hatchet, or any
thing elfe, they will not mifsor fail of it ;
and will put tiie tlieft between their but-
tocks, or wilLhide it within the land
with their foot fo cunningly, tliat one
fliall not perceive it. Indeed I do not The bad
wonder if a people poor and naked be mtunr of
thievifh, but when the heart is malicious, *''^ ''^':'
it is inextulable. This people is iUCH^^^f'
that they muft be handled with terror ; '
for if through love and gentlenefs, one
give them too free accefs, they will pradtife
lome furprize, as it hath been known in
divers occafions heretofore, and will yet
hereafter be feen. And without deferring
any longer, the fecond day aftf r our com-
ing thither, as they faw our people biily
awafliing linnen, they came fome fifty,
one following another, with !k)ws, ar-
rows and quivers, intending to pl;\y fome
bad part, as it was conjefturcd upon tlieir
manner of proceeding ; but they were
prevented, fome of our men going to
meet them, with their mufkets and mat-
ches at the cock, which made fome of
them run away, and the others being
compafletl, in haying put down their
weapons, came to a Peninfule, or fni.Ul
head of an ifland, where our men were ;
10 C and

834

A Dcfcriptioti of New France.

and making a friendly flicw, demanded to
truck the tobacco they had for our mer-
chandizes.

The next day the captain of the faid
place and port, came into Monf. de Pou-
triiicouri's bark to fee him ; we did marvel
to fee him accompanied with Olmtcbin,
feeing the way w;ismarvcllous long to come
thither by land, and much fhorter by fca.
That gave caufe of bad fnfpicion, albeit
he had promifed his love to the Frenchmen.
Notwithltanding they were gently receive J:
and Monl. de Poutmcourt gave tothefiid
Olineckin a compleat garment, wherewith
being cloathed, he viewed himfelf in a
glafs, and did laugh to fee himfelf in that
order. But a little while after, feeling
that the fame hindred him, although it
was in O^ober, when he was returned un-
to his cabin, he diftributed it to fundry
of his men, to the end that one alone
fliould not be owr-peftered with it. This
ought to be a fufficient leflbn to fo many
finical, both men and women, of thefe
parts, who caufe their garments and breaft-
platcs to be made as hard and (tiff as wood,
wherein their bodies are fo miferably tor-
mented, that they are in their clothes un-
able to all good aftions. And if the wea-
ther be too hot they fuffer in their great
bums with a thoufand folds, unfupport-
able heats, that are more untolerable,. than
the torments which felons and criminal
men are fometimes made to feci.

Now during the time that the fiid Monf.
de Poutrincourt was there, being in doubt
whether Monf. de Monts would come to
make an habitation on that coaft, as he
wifhed it, he made there a piece of ground
Corn fiw - to be tilled, for to fow corn and to plant
cd, and vines, which they did, with the help of
•.nesplant- Qyj. apothecary mafter Lewes Hehert, a
man, who, befides his experience in his
arc, taketh great delight in the tilling of
the ground. And the faid Monf. de Pou-
trincourt may be here compared to good
father Noah^ who after he had made the

tillage iiioi't necflTu-y for the fowiiig of
corr, he began to plant the vine, whufc
effefts he Iclc afterwards.

As they were a deliberating to pafs far-
ther, Olmcchin came to the bark to fee
Monf. de Poutrincourt, where having tar-
ried certain hours, either in talking or eat-
ing, he faid that the next day one hundred
boats fliould come, containing every one
fix men ; but the coming of luch a num-
ber of men, being but troublefome, Monf.
de Poutriticourt would not tarry for tnem :
but went away the fame day to Malleburre,
not without much difficulty, by rcafon of
the great (Ireams and flioals that are there.
So that the bark having touched at three
foot of water only, we thought to be cafl a-
way, and we began to unload her, and
put the viduals into the fhallop, which
was behind, for to fave us on hmd ; but
being no full fea, the bark came afloat
within an hour. All this fea is a land over-
flowed, as that of Mount St. Michael's, a
fandy ground, in which, all that refleth is
a plain flat country as far as the mountains,
which arc feen fifteen leagues off from that
place ; and Lam of opinion- that its far as
Virginia, it is all alike. Moreover, there
is here great quantity of grapes, as before,
and a country very full of people. Monf.
de Monts being come to Mallebarre in an-
other feafon of the year, gathered only
green grapes ; which he made to be pre-
ferved, and brought fome to the king.
But it was our good hap to come thither in
Olioler, for to fee the maturity thereof. I
have here before Ihewed the difficulty that
is found in entering mlo Mallebarre. This is
the caufe why Monf. de Poutrincourt came
not in with his bark, but went thither
with a fhallop only, which thirty or forty
favagcs did help to draw in \ and when it
was full tide (but the tide doth not mount
here but two fathom high, which is fel-
dom feen) he went out, and retired himfelf
into his faid bark, to pafs further in the
morning, as foon as he fhould ordain it.

CHAP. XV.

Dangers: unknown languages : the making of a forge and of an oven : croffesfd
up: plenty: aconfpiracy: difobedience : mukher : the fight of three /hundred
againft ten: the agility of the Armouchiquois : bad company dang^-rous : the
accident of a mufket that didburfi : the infolency of the favagcs ; their timero-
fity, impiety, and fight : the fortunate port : a bad fea : revenge : the coun-
f'l and rcfolufion for the return : new perils : God's favours : the arrival
of Monf. de Poutrincourt at Port-Royal ; and how he was received.

\ H E night beginning to give place to
the dawning of the day, the fails are

hoifled up, but it was but a very perilous
navigation. For with this fmall veflfcl they Danger.

were

j4 r>eJcription of New France.

83s

<:-??■

•■ ^vcre forced to coafl the land, where they
found no depth : going back to ll-a it was
yet worfe, in fuch wife that they diil (Irikc
twice or thrice, being raifed up :;gain on-
ly by the waves, and the rudder was brok-
en, which was a dreadful thing. In this
extremity they were conRrained to caft
anchor in the fea, at two fatiioms deep,
and three leagues off from the land ; which
being done, Daniel Hay, a man which
takcth pleafurc in (hewing forth his virtue
in the perils of tlie fea, was fent towards
the coafl: to view it, and fee if there were
any port. And as he was near land he law
a lavage, which tlid dance, fingingjojo,v&.
He called him to come nearer,and byfigns
afked him, if there were any place to re-
tire (liijjs in, and where any frelh water
was ; the favage having made lign there
* was, he took him into his Ihallop, and
brought him to the bark, wherem was
Chkoudun, captain of the river of Oigoudi,
otherwife St. John's river' ; who being
"brought before tliis favage, he underftood
him no more than did our own people ;
true it is, that by figns he comprehended
better than they what he would fay. This
lavage Ihewed the places, were no depth
was, and where was any, and did fo well
indenting and winding here and there, al-
way the lead in hand, that in the end they
came to the port Ihewed by him, where
fiTiall depth is ; wherein the bark being
arrived, ililigence was ufed to make a
forge for to mend her with her rudder,
and an oven to bake bread, becaufe there
was no more bifketleft.

Fifteen days were employed in this
work, du>,ng the which Monf (/f Poutrm-
ourt, according tothe laudable cufl:om of
Chrifl:ian5, made a crofs to be framed aiid
fet up, upon a green bank, as Monf de
Monts had ilone two years before at Kinibe-
kr^znd Malkban-e.^oyr among thefe pain-
ful cxercifes they gave not over making
good chear, with that whicii both the fea
and the land might furnilh in that part ;
for in this port is plenty of fowl, in taking
ol which many ot our men applied them-
' felvcs ; efpecially the fea larks are there in
hrkTw •" Srt^^t flights, that Monf de Poutrin-
^1), * ' court killed twenty-eight of them with
one rulivc^r fliot ; as for fifli, there be
fuch abundance of porpoifles, and another
kind of lifli, called by Frenchmen SoufleurSy
that is to lay Blowers, that the fea feems to
W all covered over with them : but they
had not tlie tilings neceflfary for this kind
ot lifliingithty contented dicmfelves then
Slicll-filTi. with fliell-fifli, as of oyflrers, fcoUops, pe-
riwincles, whereof therf was enough to
be fatisfied. The favages of the other
Crapes, fide did bring fifli, and grapes within bal-
Kii'.'i !,if j^i-ts made of ruflies, for to exchange wit!i
''"• fome ot our wares. The laid Monf de

A I".

Puvtrincourt feeing the grapes there mar-
velloufly fair, commanded him that waited
on his chamber, to lay up in the bark a
burden oftiic vines from whence the laid
grapes were taken. Our apotliecary M.
Levjis Hebert, defirous to inhabit in thofe
countries, had pulled out a good qu.;:itity
of them, to the end to pl.mt them in Port
Royal, wh' re none of them are, although
the foil be there very fit for vines -, v/hich
nevcrthelefs, by a dull forgctfulncfs, was
not (lone, to thegreatdifcoutcnt of the faid
Monf de Pouirincourt ^nd of us ,'11.

After certain days, the faid Monf de
Poufrinccurt, feeing there grer^t afllmblies
of favages, came alhore, and to give them
liimc terror, made to marcii before him
ontof his men, flourifliing with two naked
fwords ; whereat they much wondered,
but yet much more when they faw that
our mufliets did pierce thick pieces of
wood, where their arrows could not fo
much as fcratch ; and therefore they never
aflailed our men, as long as they kept
watch ; and it had been good to found the
trumpet at every hours end, as captain
James ^artier diil : for, as Monf de
Poufrinccurt doth often fay, one niujl never
lay bait for thieves ; meaning that one
mufl: never give caufe to an enemy to
think that he may furprize you ; but one
mufl: always fliew that he is mifl:ruft:ed,
and that you are not afleep, chiefly when
one hath to do with favages, which will
never fet upon him that reloUitely expeds
them ; which was not performed in this
place by them that bought the barj^ain of
their negligence very dear, as we will now
tell you.

Fifteen days being expired, the faid
Monf de Poufrinccurt feeing his bark
mended, and nothing remaining to be done
but a batch of bread, he went Ibme three*
leagues difliant within the land, to fee if
he might difcover any Angularity ; but in ^jg,,, ^f^
his return, he and his nun perceived the coTifpiracy
favages running away thorough the wood
in divers troops of twenty, thirty, and
more, fome bowing themfelves as men
that would not be fecn, others hiding
themfelves in the grafs not to be perceived •,
others carrying away their ftufls and ca-
noes full of corn, for to betake them ta
their heels, bsTides the women tranfport-
ing their children, and fuch ihiff^as they
could with them. Thofe adlions gave
caufe to Monf de PoutrtKcourt to think
that this people did plot fome bad enter-
prize -, therefore being arrived, he com-
manded his people which v/ere a making
of bread to retire themfelves into their
bark. But as young people do often for-
get their duty, thefe having fome cake,
or fuch like thing to make, had rather fol-
low iheir liquorifli appetites, than to do

xhxK

836

A Defcription of New France.

Difobedi.
encc.

1:
'1

i;f ^'^.

that which was commanded them, tarried
'till night without retiring themfelves.
About midnight Monf. de Poutrincourt,
thinking upon that which had pafled the
day before, did alk whether they were in
the bark, and hearing they were not, he
fent the Ihallop unto them, to command
and bring them aboard, wlicreto they dif-
obey'd, except his chamberlain, wh'^ fear-
ed his mafter. They were five, armed
with mufkets and fwords, which were
warned to ftand ftill upon their guard, and
yet, being ncgligciit, made not any watch,
fo much were they addifted to their own
wills. The report was, that they had be-
fore Ihot off two mufkets upon the fli-
vjges, becaufe that fome one of them had
ftolen a hatchet ; finally, thofc favagcs,
either provoked by that, or by their bad
nature, came at the break of day without
any noife, which was very eafy to them,
having neither horfes, waggons, nor wood-
en fhoes, even to the place where they
were aQeep, and feeing a fit opportunity
to play a bad part, they fct upon them
with Ihots of arrows and clubs, and killed
two of them -, the reft being hurt began to
cry out, running towards the fea Ihore -,
tlien he which kept watch within the

Murther bark, crjed out all affrighted, O Lord !

done by our men are killed ! our men are killed !

favagei. ^j [^js voice and cry every one role up,
and haftily, not taking leifure to fit on
their cloaths, nor to fet fire to their mat-
ches, ten of them went into the fhallop,
whofe names I do not remember, but of
Monf. Cbamplein ; Robert Grave ; Monf.
du Pouts' s fon ; Daniel Hay, the chirur-
geon i the apothecary -, and the trumpet-
er ; all which, following the faid Monf.
de Poutrincourtt who had his fon with
him, came a-land unarmed ; but the fa-
vages run away as faft as ever they could,
though they were above three hundred,
befides them that were hidden in the
grafs, according to their cuftom, which
appeared not. Wherein is to be noted,
how God fixeth I know not what terror
in the face of the faithful, againft infidels
and mifcreants, according to his facred
word, when he faith to his ciiofen people,
mnejhallbe able to fiand before you ; the
Lord your God Jhall put a terror and fear
of you over all the earth, upon which you
(ball march. So we fee that a hundred
tliirty five thoufand Midianites, able fight-
ing men, ran away, and killed one ano-
ther, before Gideon, which had but three
hundred men. Now to tiiink to follow
after thefe favages, it had been but labour
loft, for they are too fwift in running ; but
if one had horfes there, they might pay
them home very foundly, for they have a
number of fmall paths, leading from one
place to another^ which is not in Port

Royal, and their woods are not fo thick,
and have befides ftore of open land.

Whilft that Monf. de Poutrincourt was
coming a-lhore, there was (hot from
the bark fome fmall caft pieces upon
fome favages, that were upon a little hill,
and fome of them were feen fall down, but
they be fo nimble in faving their dead
men, that one knewnot what judgment to
make of it. The faid Monf. de Poutrin- J^^'^^^^r-
court, feeing he could get nothing by pur- '"8 ?' '''*
fuing of them, caufed pits to be made to *^^ "
bury them that were dead, which I have
faid to be two, but there was one that
died at the waters fide, thinking to fave
himfelf, and a fourth man, which was fo
forely wounded with arrow-lhots, that he
died being brought to Port Royal ; the
fifth man had an arrow fticking in his
breaft, yet did fcape death for tliat time ;
but it had been better he had died there,
for one hath lately told us that he was
hanged in the habitation that Monf de
Monts maintaineth at Kebeck in the great
river of Canada, having been tiic author
of a confpiracy made againft his captain ^""'P'"*
Monf Champlein, who is now there.
And as for this mifchief it hath been pro-
cured by the folly and difobedience of one
whom I will not name, becaufe he died
there, who played the cock and ring-lea-
der among the young men that did too
lightly believe him, which otherwife
were of a reafonable good nature j and be-
caufe one would not make him drunk, he
fwore, according to his cuftom, that he
wo';'d not return into the bark, which al-
fo came to pafs ; for the felf-fame was
found dead, his face on the ground, have-
ing a little dog upon his back, both of
them Ihot together, and pierced thorough
with one and the felf-fame arrow.

In this bad occurrence, Monf. du Font's
fon, above-named, had three of his fin-
gers cut off with a fplint of a muflcet,
which being overcharged did burft, which
troubled the company very much, that was
affl idled enough by other occafions : never-
thelefs, the latt duty towards the dead was
not negleded, which were buried at the
foot of the crofs that had been there planted,
as is before faid. But the infolency of this The info-
barbarous people was great, after the mur- Icnc> ofthe
thcrs by them committed ; for that as our '^^'^S"«
men did fing over our dead men, the fune-
ral fervice and prayers accuftomed in the
church, thefe rafcals, I fay, did dance and
howled a-far off, rejoicing for their traitor-
ous treachery •, and therefore, though they The ti-
were a great number, they adventured not '^"^"^{[^^
themfilves to come and affail our people, favages.
who, having at their leifure, done what we
have faid before, becaufe the fea waxed
very low, retired tliemfelves unto the bark,
whe'*'n remained Monf. Chatnpdore for the

guard

A Defcription of New France.

837

The im-
piety of
the la-
vage..

ic bury-
oithe

ilpira-

Hi^iii.

Port For-
lunc.

nfo-

ofth«
es.

if-

rthc

guard thereof. But being low water, and
h.iving no means 10 come a-land, this
wicIcL'J genciVit ion came again to the place
where iliey had committed the nv-ircher,
pulled up the crols, digged out and unbu-
ricd one ot the dead corps, took away his
fliirt, and put it on them, fliewing their
fpoils that tiicy had carried away : and be-
fides all this, turning their backs towards
the bark, did call land with their two
hands betwixt their buttocks in derifion,
howling like wolves •, which did marvel-
loudy vex our people, which fpared no call
pieces fliotsat diem •, but the diftance was
very great, and they had already that fub-
tilicy as to call thcmlelvcs on the ground
when they faw the fire put at it, in fuch
fort that one knew not whether they had
been hurt or no, fo that our men were
forcetl, nill or will, to drink that bitter
potion, attenilingfor the tide, which being
come and fufficicnt to carry them a-lanti,
as loon as they fliw our men enter into thj
(hallop, they ran away as fwitt as grey-
hound.s, trilling themlelves on their agi-
lity. Tlicre was with our men a Sagamos,
named ScbkouduH, fpoken of before, who
much diCliked their pranks, and would
alone go and fight againll all this multi-
tude, but they would not permit him, fo
they fct up tiie crofs again with reverence,
and the body which tliey had digged up
was buried again, and they named this port.
For I Fort low.

The next day they hoi Peed up fills to pafs
further and difcover new lands, but the
contrary wind conllrained them to put back,
and to come again into the faid port. The
other next day after, they attempted again
to go fartlier, but in vain, and they were
yet forced to put back uniil the wind fliould
be fit. During thefe attempts, the favages,
thinking, I believe, that that which had
pafTed between us was but a jeft and a play,
would needs come again familiarly unto us,
and offered to truck, dilfembling that they
were not them that had done thole villanies,
but others, uhichthey laid were gone away.
But they were not aware of the fable, how
the llork being taken among the cranes,
which were found doing fome damage,
was punifhed as tlie others, notwithltand-
ing fhe pleaded that (he was fo far from
doing any harm, that contrariwife flie did
purge the ground from llrpents, which
Ihe did eat. Monf de Poutrincourt then
fuffered them to approach, and made as
though he would accept of their wares,
which were tobacco, carknets, and brace-
lets made with the Ihells of a fifti called
vigttaux, and eftirgm, by James ^artier
in the difcovery of his It-cond voyage, of
great efteem among thsm : Item, of their
corn, beans, bows, arrows, quivers, and

Vol. II.

other fmall tralli. And as the fociety was
renewed the laid Poutrincourt comm.-inded
to nine or -ten that were with him, to make
the matches of their mufkets round, like to
a round fnar:, and that' .vhen he fliould
give a fign, every one fliould call hisltring
upon the favagc's head that fliould be near
him, and fliould catch him, even as the
hangman doth with him that he hath in
hanil i and for the effecting of this, that
half of his people fliould go a-land, whilft
the favages were bufy a trucking in the
fliallop •, which was done, but the execu-
tion was not altogether according to his de-
fire 1 for he intended to fervehimfelf with
them that fliould be taken, as of flavcs to
grind at the hand-mill and to cut wood i
wherein they filled by over-much hafte :
neverthelefs, fix or feven of them were cut
in pieces, which could not fo well run in
the water as on the land, and were watched
at the paflage, by thofe of our men that
were a-land.

That done, the next day they endea-
voured to go farther, although the wind
was not good, but diey went but a little
forward, and faw only an ifland fix or ftwcn
leagues off, to which there was no means
to come, and it was called I'' lie doiiteu/e,
the doubtful ifle, which being confidered,
and that of one fide the want of victuals was
to be feared, and of the other that the winter
might hinder their courfe, and befides they
had two fick men, of whom there was no
hope of recovery ; counfel being taken it
was refolved to return into Port Royal j
MonC de Poutrincourt befides all this, being
yet in care for them whom he had left
there, fo they came again for the third
time into port Fortune, where no favage
was feen.

Upon the firft wind, the fliid Monf de Their le-
Poutrincourt weighed anchor ibr the return, '"*""•
and being mindful of the dangers pafled, he
failed in open fea •, which fliortened his
courfe, but not without a great mifchief of
the rudder, which was again broken ; in
fuch fort, that being at the mercy of the
waves, they arrived in the end as well as
they could among the iflands of Norombega,
where they mended it. And after their de-
parture from the laid iflands they came to
Menane, an ifland about fix leagues in
length, between St. Croix and Port Royal,
where they tarried for the wind, which be-
ing come fomewhat favourable, parting
from thence new mifchances happened ; for
the fhallop being tied at the bark, was
fl:ricken with a lea fo roughly, that with
her nofe fhe brake all the hinder part of
the fiid bark, wherein Monf de Poutrin-
court, and others, were. And, moreover,
not being able to get to the paflTage of the
faid Port Royal, the tide (which runneth
10 D fwifdy

838

A Defcription of New France.

fwifdy in thatplicc) carried them towards
tlie bottom ot bay Framoife^ from whence
they came not forth cafily, and they were
in as great danger as ever they were before,
for as much as feeking to return from
•whence they came, tliey faw themlclvcs
carried with the wind and tide towards
the coaft, which is high rocks and down-
falls, where, unlefs they had doubled a
certain point that threatened them of
wreck, they had been caft away. But God
will, in high enterprizes, try the conltancy
of them that fight for his nam^, and fee if
they will waver : he bringeth them to the
door of death, and yet holdeth them by
the hand, to the end they fall not into the
pit, as it is written, // 'n I, it is /, and there
is none other God with me ; I kill , and make
alive -, I wound and I heal ; and there is m
body that may deliver any out of my band.
So we have faid heretofore, and fecn by
cffcft, that although in thofc navigations
a thoufimd dangers have prefented them-
felves, notwithftanding not one man hath
been lolt by the fea, although that of them,
which do only go for filhing, and to trade
for fkins, many there be that perifli there ;
witnefs, four fifhermen of St. Malo that
were fwallowed up in the waters, being
gone a fifliing, when as we were upon our
return into France : God being willing that
we fhould acknowledge to hold this benefit
of him, and to manifl-ft by that means his
glory, to the end that fcnfibly men may
fee that it is he, which is the author of thefe
holy enterprifes, which are not made of
covetoufnefs, nor by unjuft effufion of
blood, but of a zeal to eftabliHi his name
and his grcatnefs among nations that have
no knowledge of him. Now after fo many
heavenly favours, it is the part of them that

have received them, to fay at the kingly
pfalmilt, well-beloved of God:

Tet, nevertbelefs, by thy right hand thou

holtf/l me ever fajl,
And wtfh thy counjel d'jl me guide to glory

at the lajl.
fn.'.it thing is (here that I can -juijh but thee

in heaven above ?
And i'l the earth there is nothing like thee

thai" I can love, Pfal. Ixxiii. 23, 24.

After many perils (which I will not com- Thearriv-
parc to them of UhJJ'es nor jEncas, fearing :il ot'
to defile our holy voyage with prol^han^• ^^]""^\ '''
impurity) Monfi/.'/'tf/zOmuftr/ .arrived in' .,'^,'"
Port Rfiyal the 14th liay of November,"'
where we received him joyfully, and witii
a Iblemnity altopjethcr new in that parr.
For about the time that we cxp.dcd his
return, with great dcfirc, and tliat i"o mutli
the more, that if atiy harm h.\\\ liappened
to him, welud been in danger to have con-
fufion among ourfelvcs, I advill-d myfclf
to fhcw fome jollity ^oiug to meet him, as
we did. And tor as much as it was ia
French vcrfes made in harte, I ha\e placed
them with the mufcs of Nova Francia, by
the title of Neptune's Theatre, whcreunto I
r( fer the reader. Moreover, to give greater
honour to the return, and to our aition, we
did place over the gate of our fort, the
irms of France, environed with laurel
crowns, whereof there is great Itore along
the woods fides, with the kiny,'s pofy.
Duo protegit unus; and under, the arms of
Monf, de Monts, with this infcriptim, DiZ-
bit Deus his quoque finem ; and thofc of
Monf. Poutrincourt, with this other infcrip-
tion, Inuitt virtuti nulla eft via ; both of
them alfo invironed with garlands of bays.

CHAP. XVI.

7'he condition of the corn ivhich they fowed; the iujlituticn of the order of Bon
temps ; the behaviour of the favages among the Frcnclimcn ; the fate of
winter ; li'hy rains and fogs be rare in this fea fan j nchy rain is frcqtccut be-
tween //'f Tropics; fnow profitable to the ground; the Jlatc of January ; con-
formity of 'H'cathcr in the ancient and New France ; why the Jpring is foiv,
&c.

Theflate 'T^HE public rejoicing being finidied,
of corn. A Monf. de Poutrincourt had a care to
fee his corn, the greateft part whereof he
had fowed two leagues off from our fort,
up the river I'Equille : and the other part
about our faid fort : and found that which
was firft fown very forward, but not the
laft, that had been fown the 6th and loth

days of November^ which notwithftanding
did grow under the fnow, during winter,
as I have noted it in my fowings. It would
be a tedious thing to particularize all that
was done amonglt us during winter } as to
tell how the faid Monf, de Poutrincourt
caufed many times coals to be made, the
forge- coal being fpent ; that he caufed ways

.. to

A DcJlriptioM of New France.

839

i,i n n

I 'lull

Tlir ;iff nf to be made thorough the woods s that we
til.' com y^gut tiinrough the t'orefts by the guide of
[''','" th^' eoiiipafs •, and other things ol luch na-
;,,,,.s. tare. But I v.ill relate that, for to keep
riiL- in'li us nitrry and cleanly, concerning viduals,
iiiunn ol tj,,.|-(. ^vas an order edabliflied at the t.ible
';.''„^'''"'' of the laid Monf. de Pou!rmotirt, which
was nr.med Uordie dc hon temps, the order
of good time, or the order of mirth, at
15 ril i.'i vented hy Moni. Cbampkiii, wherein
they who were of the fame table, were
c\cry one at his turn and day, which was
in filb'en days once, ftcward and caterer.
Now ills care was, that we Ihould iiave good
and woilhipluj tare, which wasfo well ob-
fer\ed, that although the belly-gods of
thcfe p irts do often reproach unto us that
we had not La Rue aux Ours f of Paris
with us, we have ordinarily had there as
good chear as we could have at La Rue
aux Ours, and at far Icfs charge *, for there
was none, but, two days before his turn
came, was careful to go a hunting or fifli-
ing, and brought fome dainty thing, bc-
fidesthat which was of our ordinary allow-
ance : fo well, that at breakfaft we never
wanted fome modicum or other, of filh or
flcfh •, and at the rcpaft of dinners and fup-
pers, yet lefs : for it was thegreat banquet,
where tiie governor of the feall, or fteward,
whom the lavages do call AtoSlegi, having
made the cook to make all things ready,
did march with his napkin on his (houlder,
and his (laff of oBice in his hand, with the
,x:ollar of the order about his neck, which
was worth about four crowns, and all ot
them of the order following of him, bear-
ing every one a difli. The like alfo was at
the bringing in of the fruit, but not with
fo great a train •, and at night after grace
was faid, he refigned the collar of the or-
der, with a cupot wine, to his fucceflbr in
that charge, and they drank one to another.
J have Leretofoic Hiid, that we had abun-
dance of fowl, as mallards, outards, gcefe
grey and white, partridges, and other birds ;
item, of ellans, or (lag flefh, of caribous^
or deer, beavers, otters, bears, rabbets,
wildcats, or leopards, nibacbes, and fuch
like, which the favages did take, where-
with we made as good diflies of meat, as
in the cooks-fhops that be in La Rue aux
Ours ( Bear'-Jlreet) and greater (lore i for
of all meats none is fo tender as ellan's
llclli, wliereof we made good padics, nor
fo delicate as the beaver's tail. Yea, we
have had fometimcs half a dozen fturgeons
at one clap, which the favages did bring to
us, part whereof we did take, paying for
it, and the reft was permitted them to fell

publickly, and to truck for bread, whcrecjf
cur ptople had abundantly. And as lor
the ordinary mi\u brouglii outci i).:ncc,
thi'.t was dillributed equ.dly, ;•.:. much to
the lealt as to tiie bigf^cll. And the like
with wine, ar, we have faid. In Hvh ucHoaa
we hud always twenty or thirry fivages,
ir-n, women, girls, and Loy^, who be-
held us doing our offices. Bre,^ 1 was given
them gratis, as we do hen to the po. r.
B'.ic as f(jr the Sagavios Alet/ibertou, and
other Sagamos, when any c;ime to us, ilicy
fat at table eating and drinking as wc did ;
and we took pleafuie in feeing them, as
contrariwife their abfence was irkfoine unco
us ; as it came to p.ifs three 01 iour times
that all went away to the places where they
knew that game and venifon was, atiil
brought one of our men with them, who
liv'd fix weeks as they did without fait, with-
out bread, and without wine, lying on the
ground upon llcius, and that in ihowy wea-
ther. Moreover, they had grctter care of
him, as alio of others that have often gone
with them, than of themfelves, faying,
that if they fljould chance to die it would
ba laid to tluir charges to have killed them :
and hereby it may be known, th.at we were
not, as it were, pent up in an iflar! as
Monf. de Villegagnon was in Brnjll : ibr
this people \ovc Frenchmen, and would all,
at a need, arm themfelves for to maintain
them.

But to ufe no digrcfUon, fuch p;overn.
ment as we have fpoken of did ferve us
for prefervativ;'s againft the counrrydileafc.
And yet iour ot ours died in February ar:\ A;..>aliiy,
March, of them who were of a tretlul con-
dition, or fluggifh : and I remember I ob-
ferved that ;dl had their lodgings on the
weft-fide, and looking towards the wide
open port, which is almoft iour leagues
long, (haped oval-wife •, befides, they had,
all of them, ill bedding. For the iormer
fickne(res, and the going away of Monl'.
du Pont, in that manner its we have faid,
caufed the quilt-beds to be caft away, tor
they were rotten. And they that went with
the faid Monf. dti Pont carried away the
Iheets and blankets, challenging them as
theirs. So that (bme ot our people had
fore mouths, and fwoUen legs, like to tiie
phthificks-, which is the ficknels rliat God
fent to his people in the dciart, in punilh-
ment for that they would fill themfelves
with flefli, not contenting themfelves with
that whereof the dcfai t furnifhed them by
the divine providence.

We had fair weather almoft during .ill The Me

the winter. For neither rains nor fogs are o'" ^*ii't<;'

h t •; •.;=■% i j-Q weather.

•f La Rue aux Gun, or Btar-Jtreit, is as Pye-com;r, or fuch a cook place, in Leiti/on,

840

A D^fcription of New France.

fo frequent there as here, whither it be at
lea or on the land : the rcalon is, brcaiifc
the liin-beams, by the long diltance, have
not ill'.' t'orcL- to rail'c up vapours Irom the
ground here, chiifly in a country ail woody.
But in funimer ic iloch, both troin the feu
and land, when as their torce is augmented,
and thofc vapours are diflblved fuddcnly
or flowly, according as one approacheth
Wliy it to the equinodlial line. For we fee that
raintthlie- between the two Trollies it raincth in more
twecn the abundance both at lea and on the land, ef-
1rspi:s. pgj-j^iiy j„ Pi,,.u and Mexico, tlian in Africa,
becaull' the fun by fo long fpice of ll-a,
having drawn up much nioiftncf> from the
main ocean, he diffolvith th:;m in a mo-
ment by tiie great lorce of his heat ; where
contrariwifc, towards the NcufotohUamh
they maintain thcmfelves a long time in tlie
air, before they be turned into rain or be
difpcrfcd : whicli is done in dimmer, as
we have faid, and not in winter ; and at
fea more than on the land. For on tli;.- land
the morning mills ferve lor a dew, and iail
alxjut eight o'clock ; and at fea they dure
two, three, and eight days, as oftentimes
we have tried.

Seeing then we are fpeaking of winter,
we fay that rains being in thofc parts rare,
in that feafon, the fun likewife Ihineth there
v'jry fair after the fail of fnows, which we
have had feven or eight times, but it is
cafdy melted in open places, and tlie longeft
abiding have been in February. Howfoe-
Snow is ver it be, the fnow is very profitable for
protitable. the fruits of the earth, to preferve them
againft the froft, and to ferve them as a
furr-gown : which is done by the admirable
providence of God for the prefervation of
men, and as the pfalni faith,

He giveth JiWJ) like wool, boar-froji
Like aJJjes he doth fpread.
Like morfels cajis bis ice.

Pfal. cxlvii. 16.

Iroib, And as tlie (ky is feldom covered with

when they clouds towards Newfoundland in winter-
"'^'^' time, fo are there morning frofts, which

do cncreafe in the end of January, Febru-
ary, and in the beginning of March, for
until the very time of January we kept us
ftill in our doublet^ • and I remember that
on a Sunday, the 1 4th day of that month, in
the afternoon, we fported ourfelves finging
in mufic upon the river I'Equille, and in
the fame month we went to fee the corn
two leagues off from our fort, and did dine
merrily i:i the fun-fliine : I would not, for
all that, fay, that all other years were like
Conform- unto this ; for as that winter was as mild
ityof wea- in thefe parts, thefc laft winters of the years
-md1">/'^^7' if'pS. have been the hardell that
fLn'^r. ^^^'' ^'^^ '<^'^"> ''^ '^'"'1 ^"^0 l^een alike in

thofc countries, in fuch fort tliat many fa-
vagcs liitd through the rigour of the wea-
ther, as in thefe our parts many poor peo-
ple and travellers have Ixen killetl througli
the fame hardnefs of winter weather. But
I will fay, that the year before we were
in Avw France, the winter had not been
fo hard, as they which dwelt there before
us have tell i Red unto mc.

Let this fufficc for that which conccrneth
the winter feafon. But I am not yet fully
fatibfied in fearching the cauie, why in one
and the fell-fame parallel the feaibn is in
thofe parts of New France more How by a
month than in thefe parts, and the leaves
appear not upon the trees but towards the
end of the month of May ; unlefs we fay
that the thicknefs of the woods, and great-
nefs of forells, do hinder the fun from
warming of the ground •, Jiem, that the
country where we were is joining to the fea,
and thereby moie fubjed to cold, as parti-
cipating of Peru, a country likewife cold
in regarii of yifriea ; and, befides that,
this land having never been tilled is the
more dampilh, the trees and plants not be-
ing able eafily to draw fap from thvir mo-
ther the earth. In recompence v;hercof,
the winter there is alio more flow, as we
have heretolb.e fpoken.

The cold being pafTed, about the end I'rfi'iiig
of March the befl difpos'd among us ftrived j* S^f-
who Ihould befl till the ground and make
gardens, to fow in them, and gather fruits
thereof ; which was to very good purpofe,
for we found great difcommodity in the
winter for want of garden herbs. When
every one had done his fowing, it was a
marvellous pleafure in feeing them daily
grow and fpring up, and yet greater con-
tentment to ufe thereof fo abundantly as we
did : fo that this beginning of good hope
made us almoft to forget our native coun- ►

try, and efpccially wiien the fifh. began to
haunt frelh water, and came abundantly
into our brooks, in fuch innumerable quan-
tity that we knew not what to do with it.
Which thing when I confider, I cannot
wonder enough how It is pofTible, that they
which have been in Florida havefuffered fo
great famines, confidering the temperature
of the air which is there almoft without
winter, and that their famine began in the
months of Jpril, May, and June, wherein
they could want for no fifli.

Whilft fome laboured on the ground,
Monf. de Poutrincourt made fome buildings
to be prepared for to lodge them which he
hoped fhould lucce^d us ; and, confidering
how troublefome the hand-mill was, he
caufed a water-mill to be made, which Thebuild-
caufed the flivages to admire much at it : for, ing o* a
indeed, it is an invention which came not ^?'""
into the fpirit of men from the firft ag,es.

Alter

A Defcn'ptiofi of New France.

84X

Abun •
ci.intL' of
herring..

After that, ouv workmen Iia'.i much reft,
tor the mod part of them did iiliiiofl: no-
thing. But I may fay, that this mill, by
the dihgencc of our millers, clitl furni(h
us with three times more herrings than was
needful unto us for our fuflcnancc. Monf.
de Poutrimourt made two hogfhcads full
o\ them to be faltcd, and one hoglhead of
fardims, or pilch.irds, to bring into Fraiicf
for a (hew, which were left in our return
at St. Malo, to foms merchants.

Among all thefc things the f\id Monf.
de Poutriiuourt did not ncgleft to think on
his return : which was the part of a wife
man, for one nnift never put fo much truft
in men's promifcs, but one muft confider
that very often many difalters do happen
to them in a fmall moment of time. And
therefore, even in the month of April, he
made two barks to be prepared, a great
one and a fmall one, to come to feck out
French (hips towards Campfeau, or New-
foundland, if it (hould happen that no fup-
ply fliould come unto us. Rut the carpen-
try work being finiflied, one only incon-
venience might hinder us, that is, we had
no pitch to calk our veffcls. This, which
was the chiefell thing, was forgotten at our
departure from Rochel. In this important
neceflity, the faid Monf. de Poutrincourt ad-
vifed himfelf to gather in the woods quan-
tity of the gum iffuingfromfirr-trees: which
he did with much labour, going thither
himfelf, mod often with a boy or two ; fo
that in the end he got fomehundred pounds
weight of it. Now after thefc labours,
it was not yet all, tor it was needful to
melt and pur; y the fame, which was a nc-
cetTary point and unknown to our thip-ma-
fter Monf. de Cbampdore, and to his mari-
ners, for as much as that the pitch we have
Cometh from Norway, Swedeland, and
Dantzhk. Neverthelefs, the faid Monf.
de Poutriiicourt found the means to draw

out the quintctTcnce of thcfe gums and firr-
tree barks i and caufed quantity of bricks
to be made, with the which he tnaile an
open furnace, wherein he put a limbeck
made with many kettles, joined one in the
other, which he rilled with thofe gums and
barks : then being well covered, fire was
put round about it, by whofe violence the
gum inclofcd within the faid limbeck
melted and dropped down into a bafon (
but it was needful to be very watchful at
it, by reafon that if the fire had taken hold
ofthe gum, all had been lofl. That was
admirable, efpccially in a man that never
faw any made. Whereof the favages being
aftonifhed, did fay, in words borrowed
from the Bafqttes, Endia chauc Normaiidia,
that is to fay, that the Normans know
man/ things.' Now they call all French- Why the
men Normans, except the Bafques, becaufe (^''"'sc*
the moft part of fifliermen that go a fifliing ^ " '""J'
there, be of that nation. This remcily ^IZm,'*
came very fitly unto us, for thofe which
came to feek us were fallen into the fame
want that we were.

Now, as he which is in expectation hath
neither contentment nor reil;, unril he hath
that which he dcfireth ; likewifc our men,
in this feafon had often their eyes upon the
great compafs of Port Royal, to fee if they
might difcover any Ihip a coming ; wherein
they were oftentimes deceived, imagining
fometimes they had heard a cinnon-lhot,
other .while to perceive a fiiil ; and very
often taking the favages boats, that came
to fee us, tor French fliallops. For at that
time, great number of favages alTembled
themfelves at the palTagc of the (iiid port to
go the wars againtt the Armouchiqiwis, as
we will declare in the book following. Fi-
nally, that which was fo much expefted and
withed for, came at length, and we had
news out of France, on the Afccnfwn-day in
the forenoon.

CHAP. XVII.

77r arrival cf the French ; Monf. de Monts'.! focicty is broken, and ivhy ; the
covet oufncfs cf them that do rob the dead; bonfires for the nativity of the duke
©/"Orleans ; the departing of the favages to go to wars ; Sagamos Membertou ;
voyages upon the coajt ; bay Fran9oiie ; bafe traffic ; the tovm of Ouigoutli ;
how the favages do make great voyages ; their Bad intention ; ajleelmine ; the
voices of fca-ivohes, orfeals j the ftate of the ifle St. Croix j tlje love of , the
favages toicards their children ; the return into Port Royal.

TH E fun did but begin to cheer the
earth, and to behold his miftrcfs with
an amorous afpeft, when the Sagamos Mem-
bertou, after our prayers folemnly made to
God,and the breakfaft dittributedto the peo-
Vol. n.

pie according to the cuftom, came to give us
advertifement that he had feen a fail upon the
lake, which came towards cur fort. At this The old
joyful news every one went out to fee, but fav.iges
yet none was found that had fo good a fight j}^',^*-" 0°°^

10 E

842

A Defer iption of New France.

i;r- • •!

ill

ll! i

a'l 1k', tlioiigli 111' be above 100 ycirsolil j
iv.'vcrthcltl's, we I'picil very loon what it
\v.is. Monl". r/f Voittnncmrl taulcil in all
diligence tiic lin.ill baik tobt; m.ulc icidy
fi >r to [^o to vi.'w ImtlRT. Monl'. dcChamp-
d'jic aiul Tiiviul lL\y went in Irt, ami by
the fign that bad been toKl them, being
certain that they were Irienils, tlicy made
prclently to be charged lour cannons and
twelve faiicontis, to laliitc them that came
fofar to fee lis. They, on their part, did
not Tail in bc^^inning the joy, and to dil-
cliargc tlieir puc^s, to whom they render'd
thv- like with iil'ury. It was only a thiall
bark, iMivlcr the charge of a young man ot
St. Mih, named Cht-valur, who ijcing ar-
rive 1 at the fort, delivered his letters to
Moiif. ili roiarbhvmtf which were read
publickly : they did write unto him, "• that,
" for to help to fave the charges of the
" voyage, the lliip, being yet the Jvnai,
" fhould ftay at Campfeau port, th-Jie to
" lilh for cods, by reafon thar ir.c nvr-
" ch.ints aflbciate with Monl". do MoiUs,
" knew not that there was any filhing I'ar-
" tlier than that place : notwithilanding,
" if it were nccefTary, he fliould c.'.ufe the
" (liip to come to Port Royul. More-
" over, that the Ibciety was broken, be-
" caiife that, contrary to the king's edict,
"• the HoUamlen, conducted by a traiter-
" ous Frenchman caiied l.i Jaiiujj'c, iiad
*' the year before taken up the beavers,
" and other furrs, of the great river of
*' Canada ; a thing which clid turn to the
'• great damage of the fociety, which, lor
" that caufe, could no longer furnini the
" charges of the inhabiting in thefe parts,
" as it had done in times pad ; and there-
" fore did lend no body for to remain there
" alter us." As we received joy to fee
our afllired fuccour, wc felt alfo great grief
to fee fo fiiir and fo holy an cnterprize
brok-jn ; that lb many labcirs and perils
p.tlt llioukl ferve to no elfeft, and that the
hope of planting the name of God and
the catliolic taith fhould vanifii away ; not-
withiuindir.g, afcer that Monl'. de Poiilriii-
iourt, had a long while muled hereupon,
he faid, thar although he fliould have no
body to come witli him, but only his fa-
mily, he wotiki not tbrfake the enterprife.
It was great grief unto us to abandon
(without hope of return) a land that had
produced unto us fo fair corn, and fo
m.\i\y fiiir adorncl gardens. All that
could be done until that time, w.ts to find
cut a place, lit to make a fettled dwelling,
and a land of good fertillity. And that
being done, it was great want of courage
to give over the cnterprize, for another
year being palled, the necelity of main-
taining an habitation there, ihould be tak-
en away, for the kind was fuffiticnt to

yield ihings ncctllary lor life. This wai
the caule of that griit which pierced the
hearts of them which were ikfiroiis to fee the
Chrillian Religion elkibliflied in that coun-
try. Hut on thccontr.ary, Moni'.df Monis,
aiitl his alfociatcs, reajjing 110 benefit, but
lofs i and having no help Irom die king,
it was a thing which they could not do,
but vviih much difficulty to maintain an ha-
bitation in thofe parts.

Now this envy for the tr.ide of beavers
with the I'av.iges, found not only place in
the IM.imkn hearts, but alfo in Dciich
merch.ints, in fiich Ibrt that the privilege
which h.id been given to the faid Monf ile
MvHts for ten years, was revoked. I'he
unfatiable avarice of men is a flrangc thing,
which have no regaril to that wliicli is ho-
neff, fo that they may litle and catch by
what meant foevcr. And thereupon I RohMni..
will fay moreover, that there have Ix-cn '""'"'"■"
fome of them that came to that country *■* "
to fetcii us home, that wickedly have pre-
fumed lb much as to flrip the tlead, anti
Ileal away the beavers, which thofe poor
people do put, lor their laft benefit, upon
tliem whom they bury, as we will declare
more at large in the book following. A
thing that inakeih the French name to be
odious, and worthy difdain among them,
which have no fuch fordid quality at all,
but rather having a heart truly noble and
generous, having nothing in private to
themfelves, but nithcr all things common,
and which ordinarily do prefent gifts (and
that very liberally, according to their abi-
lity) to them whom they love and honour.
And befides this mifchief, it came to pafs
that the fa vagcs, when that we were at
Cam/>Jf(tu, killed him that had fliewed
them the fepulchres o*^ their dead. I need
not to al ledge litre what Ilerodole reciteth
of the vile bafenefs of king Darin s^ who,
thinking to have caught the old one in the
ncft (as faith the proverb) that is to fiy,
great treafures, in the tomb of Semiramis,
queen of the Babylonians, went away alto-
gether confounded, as wife as he came thi-
ther, having found in it a writing, altoge-
ther contrary to the firft he had read,
which rebuked him very fliarply for hij
avarice and wickednefs.

Let us return to our forrowful news,
and to the grief thereof. Monf. de Pen-
trincourt having propounded to fome of
our company, whether they would tarry
there lor a year, eight good fellows offer-
ed themfelves, who were promiled that
every one of them fhould have a hogf-
head of wine, and corn fufHciently for
one year, but they demanded fo great wa-
ges that they could not agree ; fo refolu-
tion was taken for the return. Towards
the evening we made bonfires for the nati-
vity

» ■

A Defcription of New France.

843

:lie

Vlty of my lord the cliike of Orlmn, and
began ;it"rclh to make our cannons and fau-
concts to thunder out, accompanicil witli
(lore of mulkct fhots, having Mart: fuii[;
lor that purpofe, te Detim laiulamus.

The laid Chevalier, bringerotthc news,
had borne the office of captain in the (hip
that remained at Campfeati, anil in this
condition there was given to him, for to
bring unto us fix weathers, twenty-four
hens, a pound of pepper, twenty pounils
of rice, as many ot railins, and of prunes,
a thoufand of almonds, a pound of nut-
megs, a quarter of cinnamon, two pouniis
of iTiacLS, half a pound of cloves, two
pounils of citron-rinds, two dozen of
citrons, as many oranges •, a IViiilpbaVui
gamon of bacon, and fix other gamons •,
a hogdiead of Gafcoin wine, anil as mucii
of fack, a hogfliead of powdct'd Ixi I",
four pottles and a half of oyl of olives, a
jar of olives, a barrel of vinegar, and two
fugarloaves •, but all that was loll throu;i,li
gutter-lane, and we faw none of all thi;re
things to make account of : ncvcrthckfs
I have thought good to name here tliefc
wares, to the end that they which will
travel on the feas may provide themfelvcs
therewith. As for the hens and weathers
it was told us that they died in the voyage,
which we eafily believed, but we defired,
at leafV, to have had the bones of them •,
they told us yet, for a fuller anfwer, that
they thought we had been all dead j fee
upon what ground the confuming of our
provifion was founded. For all that, we
gave good entcrtainincnt to the faid Cheva-
lier and his company, which were no fmall
number, nor drinkers like to the late de-
ccaled Monf Le Alarqu/s de Pifani, which
made them like very well of our compa-
ny ; for there was but ryder well watered,
in the fliip wherein they came, for their
ordinary portion. But as for the Cheva-
lier, even the very firil day he fp.akc of a
return, Monf. de Poutrincourt kept him
fomc eiglit days in delays ; at the end
whereof, this man willing to go away,
the laid Monf. de Poittrincourt put men in
his bark, and detained him, for fomc re-
port, that he had laid, that being come to
Campfeaii, he would hoift up fails and
leave us there.

Port Royal \ from whence they returned
vi^'lorious, by the (Iratagems which I
will ill cl are in the defcription that I have
made of this w.ir in French vnlis. Thir
lavages wiTe near two months in the al-
fembling tiiemfelves thitiicr. The gn at
Sagamos Membertott had made them to be
warned during, and before, the winter,
having lent unto them men of purpolc,
namely his two fons Jdaudin and Atlati-
di>tfcf.>, to appoint them there the rendez-
vous, or place of meeting. This Saga-
mos is a man already very old, and hath
feen Capt. James if>uartier in that coun-
try, at which time lie was already marri-
ed and had children ; and notwithltand-
ing did not fecm to be above fifty years
old. 1 le hath been a very great warrior
in his young age, and bloody ihirln;,r his
life •, which is the caiife why he is liiid to
have many enemies, and he is very glad
to keep himfelf near the Frencbmen, to
livo in fecurity. Dining this gathering of
people, it behoved to make prelents unto
him, and gifts of corn and beans, yea of
fom.' barrels of wine, to lealf iiis tiienils -,
for he declared to Monf de Poutrincourt
in thefe words : I am the Saf^amos of this
country, and am efteemed to be thy
friend, and of all the Normans (for fo
call they ilic Frenchmen, as I have laid) and
that you make good reckoning of me :
it would be a reproach unto me if I did
not fliew the efteds of this love. And
notwithftanding, whether it be through
envy, or otherwife, another SaganioSt
named Shkoudun, who was a good friend
to the /< w/f /&, and unfeigned, reported un-
to us, that Membertou did plot fomething
againft us, and had made an oration to
that purpofe -, which being underllood by
Monf. dc Poutrincourt, he lent liiddenly
for him, to afionilh him, and to lie if
he would obey. Upon tlie llrll lending
he came alone with our men, not making
any refufil ; which was the caufe that he
was permitted to return back in peace,
having Hril: been kindly uled, and had
fomc bottles of wine, which he loveth ;
becaule (laith he) that when he hath drunk
of it, he lleepeth well, and hath no more
fear nor care. This Membertou told us,
at our tirfl coming thither, that he woukl
make the king a prefent of his copper
mine, bccaufe he faw we make account of
of mines, and tlrtt it is meet that the Sa-

Fifteen days after, the fliid Monf. de

Poutrincourt lent a bark toCampfeau, with

part of our workmen, for to begin to pull gamos be courteous anil liberal one towards
The fava- down the houfe. In the beginning of the other. For he, being Sagamos, elleem-
gcs go to June, the lavages, about four hundred in eth himfelf equal to the king, and to all
tiiewars, number, went away trom the dwelling his lieutenants ; and did fay often to

that the Sagamos Membertou had newly

made, in form of a town, compafled a-

bout with high pales, for to go to wars

againil the /Irmoucbiqtiois, which was at

Cboiiakoet fome eight leagues diilant from

lieutenants
Monf. de Poutrincourt, that he was his
great friend, brother, companion and e-
qual j lliewing his equality by joyning
the two fingers of the hand, that be call-
ed indices, or dcmonlVrative lingers. Now

although

844'

A Df/criptioii of New France.

upon till"
coall of
the Frill J>
bay.

Salmons .

Aflcmlily
of iavagi
a fealliii;:

J''iUli> ;ra
ding.

i^-

Oiiignuiii

nlthoiigh this prcfcnt which hf woiilil give
to his m.ijtlVy, w.is .i \\\\n^ th.it hr c.uiil
not tor, notwiililUiiulim; lliai prouvilrth
I rum a generous uiul ^ooil niiiul ot his,
which ill (i rveth as gie.it prailes as it tlic
thing liad h'.nn ot greater value. As liiil
tlie Perfum ititig, wlio received witli as
good a will a handtul ot water trom a
]H)or roimtryman, .is the grtatclt i)ic-
luits tii.it luul IxTii made unto him. I'or
if AUtHbertcu li:id had more, lie would
iiavc otVereil it iilieially.

Mont', dc }\u:r!)ii:ou)t Ixiiig not willing
to dejuit tJunce, until he had Iccn the il-
fuc ol Iiis expecution, that is to lay, the
rijKmls oi Ills corn, he deliberated, al-
ter th.it the lavages were gone to the wars,
to make voyages along tlie co.ilt. And
heeaule Chevalier w.is ilelirous to ga-
ther I'ume beavers, hv lent him in a liiiall
bark to the river ot .V/. "Jobn^ called by
the lavages, Ouiy^ciidi, and to the illi- ol .V.
Croix i and he", the laid Monf. de Pou-
triiicourt, went in a fliallop to the laid
copper mine. I was of the laiil Che-
valier's voyage-, wecroiVed r.\\<:Freneh bay
to go to the laid river, where as loon as
we arrived, half a dozen lldmons newly
taken, were brought to us •, we (ojourn-
ed there four days •, during wiiich, we
went into the cabins ol Sa^aiiwj Chkoudtm,
where wc faw fome eighty or a hundr. d
lavages, all naktcl, excejjt their privy
members, which were a making Ta/uigy
(tlut is to lay, a banquctting) with the
meal that the laid ChevaHer had trucked
with them for their old Ikins lull of lice
(for they gave him nothing but that which
they would call away -, ) lb m.ide he there
a traffick which I little praife. But it
may be that the odour of lucre is favory
;ind fweet, of what thing Ibever it be, and
the emperor Vefpajian did not difdain to
receive in liis own hands, tiie tribute
which came unto him from the pilTing
vellels ot Rome.

Being among thofe favagcs, the Saga-
tnos Chlicudun would needs give us the
l)!e-afure, in feeing the order and gclture
that they hold going to the wars, and
made them all to pals before us, which I
referve tofpeakof in the book following.
The town oiOuigoiidi 'io I call the dwell-
ing oi the faid Chkouduii) was a great in-
dofure upon an hill, compafied about
with high and fmall trees, tied one againll
another ; and within it many cabins, great
and Ijnall, one of which was as great as
a market lull, wherein many houfliolds
jcdred themlllves ; and as lor ciie iame
where they made their "Tabagy, it was
liiiiiewhat lefs. A good part of the faid
lavages were of Caehepe, which is the
beginning of the^icat river of Canada ;
and fiiey tuld us, that they came from

their dwelling thither in fix days, whicli

m.ide me much to m.irvel, leemg the di-

llaiue that there is by le.i, but they ihort-

cii viry much their w.iys, ami make

great Voyages by the means ot lakes and

nveri, at the end of which king come,

in carryuig their canoes three or four

leagues, they gel to other rivers thac

have a contrary courl'e. All thefe favagcs

were come thither to go to the wars v. ith

Meiiiberlcti againll the /Irmtiuhiquois.

Ihit becaule I have fpoken of this river

of Otiigaiidi, in Monf. de MoHli\ voy-ige,

I will not at this time Ipeak more of it.

When we returneil to our bark, which

was at tlie coming in of tlie port, lulf a

league oil' trom thence, Iheltered by 4

cauliy that the lea hath m.ule there \ our

men, .mil I'pecially Capt. Cbanipdore, that

condueleil us, were in doubt, left fome

mifch.mce fhould happen unto lis, and

having km the fav.iges in arms, thought

it luid been to do us Ibme milchief, which

had been very eafy, lor we were but two,

and theritorc they were very gl.id of our

return. yMter which, the next day came 71,^ f^(,_

the wizard or foothfayer of that quarter, tiity of«n

crying as a mad-man tow.irds our bark -, 'luimoii,

not knowing what he meant, he was lent '" iHvaRo

for in a Cock-boat, and came to parly ' '"'"*/•

with us, telling us that the Jrmoucbiqtiois'''^'

were within the woods, which came to

afTailthem, and that they had killed fome

of thiir lolks that were a hunting ; And

thcretore that we fhould come a-land to al-

fift them. Having heard tliis difcourfe»

which .according to our judgment, tend-

ed to no good, we told him that our jour*

neys were limited, and our vitfuals .alfo,

anti that it wasbehovcful for us to begone^

Seeing himfelf denied, he laitl that before

two years were come about, they would

cither kill all the Normans, or that the

Normans lliould kill them. We mocked

him .and tokl him, that we wouki bring

cur bark before their fort to ranlack tJicm

all i but we did not, for we Wi.nt away

that day : and h.aving the wind contrary,

we Iheltered ourltlvcs under a fmall

illand, where we were two d.ays ; during

which, fome went a fhooting at mallards

for provifion ; others .attended on the

cookery. And Capt. Cbampdore and my

fell", went along the rocks with hammers

and chifels, feeking if there were any

mines. In doing whereof we found qu - . „._. _
c n. , ° 1 I !_■ 1' "^ mine of

tity or Iteel among the rocks, which v-as/j^gj^

fince molten by Monf. de Poutrincc rt,

who made wedges of it, and it w.is found

very fine fteel, whereof he caufed a knife

to be made, th.at did cut as a razor, v>hich

at our return he ftiewed to the king. <

From thence we went in three clays to

theideot 6V. Croix, being often contraried

with the winds ; and becaule wc had .- bad

conjecture

A Defer iptioti of New France.

845

MfHtim.

AcaI) Vol
ccj.

Turi!«.

The fiiva-
gps of bet-
ter nature
than niii-
ny C'liri-

A number
oi' illcs.

fonjoftiirc of the lavngps, whitli wc iliil
fee in nrc.it mimlKii, at the rivtr of St.
'Jbbn, 4iul th.it thi- troop th.it w.is itt p.irt-
cd Irom Pvrt Uoytil wxs yd at Miune \m\
Ulc Ik twifii tht; faul Port Royal uml St.
Croix) whii'li wt- woiilil not triilt, wc kept
good w.itili in the niyht tiint v .it whicli
time we did often hiar llals voices, which
were very hkctotlie voice ot owls ; a thing
contrary to thf opinion of them that have
(aid aiul written tli.it lilhes have no voice.

Heinji; .iniveil.it tlieille oi St. Croix, we
ioiind there the Iniildings, Kit there all
whole, laving th.it the ilore-hoiile was
iincovi nd o\ one fide. We found there
yet lack in the liottoni of a pipr, whereof
wc drank, and it w.is not much the worle.
As fiir [gardens, we toiuu! there coleworts,
forrel, lettuces, which wc ufed tt)r the
kitching. Wc m.idtr there alio good pa-
flies ot nirtlc-iloves, which are very
plentiful in the woods ; but the anxk is
there fo high, that onecoiikl not find them
when they were killed and fallen in the
prounil. The court was there lull ot
whole cafks, which fomeill dilpofed ma-
riners did burn for their pleafurcs, which
thing when I faw, I did abhor, and I did
judge, Ixtter than betorc, that the lava-
ges were (being lefs civilized) more hu-
mane and iionelter men, th.m many that
bearthenameofChriftians, having, during,
three years, Ipared that place, wherein
they hati not taken fo much as a piece
of wood, nor fait, which was there in
great quantity, as hard ."iS a rock.

Going from thence, we call anclior a-
mong a great number of confufed ides,
where we heard Ibme favages, and wc did
call to them to come to us : Tiiey an-
fwered us with the like rail. Whereunto
one of ours replied, 0/ien Kirtm ? that is
to fay, -what are ye ? they would not dif-
cover tlienifelvcs : but the next day Oagi-

1^1

niont, t!ic Sjgamoi of thi^ river, c.ime to
11!*, .ind we knew it was he whom wc
heard. J le diil prepare to follow Mtm-
bert'.u and his troop to tiie wars, where
he w.is gricvoully wounded, as I have laid
in my verfes upon this m.ittcr. This
On^imoHt liath a d.iughter alH)ut elt ven
ars old, who is very comely, which
lonl. lit Poutrinceurt defired to have. The love
and hatii oftentimes dem.indcd her of him of the lu-
to give her to the Qi_n.en, promiling him '■"''"' "''.
that he lliould nevtr want corn, nor any **^" y*'"-'"'
thing elle i but he would never tondc- "^ "''''"■
fcend thereto.

Being entred into our bark he accom-
panied us, until we came to the broad
fe.i, where he put hiinldf in his fliallop
to return back. \ anil for us wi' bent our
cdurle for Port Royal, where we arrived
before liay, but we were before our fort,
jull: at the very point that fair Aurora be- ''^"'^al'"-
can to Ihew iier nuldy cheeks upon the *n 'V

L 1111 II l\i\al

top ot our woody lulls ; every rxnly w^s
yet alleep, and there was but one that
role up, by the continual barking of
dogs i but we made the reft loon to
awake, by peals of mufVct lh(.rs and
trumpets-lbund. Monf. de Pouirincourt
was but the day before arrived from his
voyage to the mines, whither wc have
laid that he was to go ■, and the day be-
fore that, was the bark arrived that had
carried part of our workinen to Campfeau.
So that all being alTembled, there relfed
nothing more than to prepare things nc-
celliiry for our Ihipping. And in this
bufinefs our water-mill did us very good
fervice, for otherwifc there had been no
means to prepare meal enough for the
voyage, but in the end we had more than
we had need of, which was given to the
favages, to the end to have us in remem-
brance.

CHAP. XVIII.

The Port d^ C.uiipllau ; our deparlurc from I'ort Royal ; fcg of dght dayi
conlhmancc ; a rain-bo'u uppcaring in the ivater ; the port de Savalct ; tillage
an honourable exercife ; the favages g>'i<f m Monf. de Poutrincnurt's going
(iivay J return into France ; rr/yage to mount St. Michael 5 frnlis of New
France prefentcd to the king • a voyage into New France ajter the f aid Monf.
de Poutrincourt'i return.

The de- T T P O N the point that we fliould take
fcripnonof V_J ^i"" 'c^^e of Port Royal, Monf. de
the port .Vi Poutrincourt lent his men, one after ano-
Campjiuu. ti,^.r^ to find out the fliip at Campfeau,
Vol. II.

which is a port, being between feven or
eight illands, where Ihips may be Iheltereo'
from winds •, and there is a bay of above
filteen leagues depth, and fix or feven
10 F leagues

846

A Defcnption of New France.

Abiin-
ci mcc of
f.iir cod.

leagues broad •, the Hiid place being diftant
iVom Port Royal above one hundred and
filty leagues : We had a great bark, two
imal! ones and a (hallop •, in one of the
ihiall barks Ibnie men were fhipped that
were lent before, and the thirtieth of July
tiie otlier two went away. I was in the
great one, condudted by Monf. de Champ-
ilore ; but Monf. di Poutriiicourt defirous
to fee an end of our fowed corn, tarried
till it was ripe, and remained there eleven
days yet after us. In the mean time, our
firft journey having been the paffage of
Port Royal, the next day milts came and
fpread themfelves upon the fca, which
continued with us eight whole days •, du-
ring which, all we could do was to get to
Cape dc' Sable, which we faw not.

In thefe Cimmerian darkiic0es, having
one day caft anchor in the fea, by rcafon
of the night, our anchor drived in fuch
fort, that in the morning, the tide had
carried us among iflands, and I marvel
that we were not caft away ftriking againft
fome rocks. But for victuals we wanted
for no lifh, for in half an hour's filhing we
might take cod enough for to feed us a
fortnight, and of the faireft and fattelt that
ever I faw, being of the colour of carps,
which 1 have never known nor noted but
in this part of the faid Cape de Sable; which
after we had paflld, the tide (which is
fwift in this pLice) brought us in .1 lliort
rort./t/rt time as fat .IS to the p ndelaHeue, think-
ing tliat we were no further than the Port
dii Aleutian: there we tarried two days,
and in the very fame port we fiw the cods
bite at the hook. We found there Itore of
red goofeberries, and a Marcafite of cop«
per mine ; we alfo made there fome truck-
ing with the favages for (kins.

From thenceforward we had wind at
will, and during that time, it happened
once tliat being upon the hatches, 1 cried
out to our pilot, Monf. de Cbampdorc,
that wc were ready to ftrike, tliinking I
had feen the bottom of the fea, but I was
deceived by the rainbow, which did ap-
pear with all its colours in the water,
procured by the Ihadow, that our bow-
fprit fiiil did make over the fame, being
oppofite to the fun-, which, aflembiing
its beams within the hollownefs of the fame
fail, as it doth widiln the clouds, thofe
beams were forced to make a reverberation
in the water, and to Ihew forth this won-
der. In the end, we arrived within four
leagues of Campfeau, at a port where a
good old man of St. John de Liis, called
Capr. Savalet, received us with all the
kindnefs in the world : and for as much as
this port (which is little, but very tiiir)

yy,..

hath no name, I have qu lified it in my
geographical map with the name of Savd-
let. This good honcft man told us, that
the fame voyage was the forty-fecond voy-
age that he had made into thofe parts,
and nevertheiefs the Neufoundlartdmen do
make but one in a year. He was marvel-
loufly pleafed with his filhing, and told
us moreover, that he took every day fifty
crowns worth of fifli, and that his voyage Good fiili-
would be worth one thoufand pounds. '"2-
He paid wages to fixteen men, and his
velFcI was of eighty tuns, which could
carry one hundred thoufand dry fifhes : he
was fometimes vext with the fiivages that
did cabin there, who too boldly and im-
pudently went into his fhip and carried
away from him what they lilted : and fur
to avoid their troublefome behaviour, he
threatened them that we would come thi-
ther, and that we would put them all to the
edge of the fword if they did him wrong:
this did fear them, and they did him not
fo m|ich harm as otherwifc they would
have done: notwithftanding, whenfoever
the fidiermen came with their fliallops full
of filh, they did chufe what feemed good
unto them, and they did not care for cod,
but rather took merlus or whitings, baries
or fletans, a kind of very great turbut,
which might be worth here in Paris above
four crowns a-piece, and peradventurc fix
or more, for it is a marvellous good meat,
efpecially when they be great, and of the
thicknefs of fix lingers, as arj thofe that
be taken there: and it would have been
very hard to bridle their infolency, becaufe
that for to do it one fhould be iorced to
have always weapons in hand, and fo the
work fliould be left undone. T lie good - .. ,',.,
nature and honefty of this man was extended i.i.n.i.Js.
not only to us, but alio to all our people
that pafTed by his port, for it was the paf-
fage to go and come from Pert Royal:
but there were Ionic of tlv^ni that came !o
fetch us home who did woife than the la-
vages, ufing him as the foidier does the
poor peafant or country larmtr here ; a
thing whicli w.is very grievous ior me to
hear.

We were four days there by reafon of
the contrary wind -, then came we to Camp-
fcau, where we tarried ior the other bark,
which came two days alter us ■, and as tor
Monf. de Poutrincourt, as loon as he fiw
that the corn might be reaped, he pulled
up fome rye, root and all •, for to Ihcw
here the twauty, goodnefs and unmcafur-
able height of the lame: he alfo made Fvcecding
gleans of the other forts of feeds, as wheat, ♦••>"■ torn,
barley, oats, hemp and otlicrs, for the
fame purpoft ; which was not done by them

that

A Defcription of New France.

847

d Mi-

that have heretofore been in 'Brafil and in
Florida: wherein I have caufe to rejoice,
becaiife I was of the company and of the
firft tillers of that land : and herein I pleaf-
ed my felf the more, when I did *et b:
fore mine eyes our ancient tiither l^uub, a
great king, great prieft, and great prophet,
whofe ocaipation was to hufband the
grdtind, both in fowing of corn and plant-
ing the vine : ap'' the ancient Roman cap-
tain, Seramt.' . 'vLo was found fowing of his
field, when t.*"r ; he was fent for to conduft
the Roman arm^ and ^tintus C'mcinnatus,
who all dufty did plough four acres of
lands, bare-headed and open ftomach'd,
when the fenate's herald brought letters of
the dittatorfJiip unto him 1 in fort, that
this mtflTenger was forced to pray him to
cover himlelf, before he declared his em-
Fair balfage unto him. Delighting myfeif in
v.hcat, this cxercifc, God hath blefTed my poor
labour, and I have had in my gartlen as
fiiir wheat as any can be in France, where-
of the faid Monf de Poutrincourt gave
unto me a glean, when he came to the faid
port de Campfeau.

He was ready to depart from Port Royal,
when Memhertou and his company arrived
viftorious over the Armi^uchiquois : and be-
caufe I have made a defcription of this war
in French verfes, 1 will not here trouble my
paper with it, being defirous rather to hie
brief than to feek out new matter. At the
inftant requelt of the faid Metnberlou he
tarried yet one day ; but it was piteous to
fee at his departing thofe poor people weep,
who had been always kept in hope that
fome of ours fhould always tarry with
them. In the end, promife was made un-
to them, that the year following houlholds
and families fliouki oe fent thither wholly
to inhabit their land, and teach them trades
for to make tliem live as we do, which
promife did fomewhat comfort them.
There was left remaining ten hogfheads
of meal which were given to them, with
the corn that we had fown and the poffcf-
fion of the manor, if they would ufe it,
which they have not done ; for they can-
not be conftant in one place and live as
they do.

The eleventh of yfwjf///?, the faid Monf.
de Poutrhicourt departed, with eight in his
company from the faid Port Royal in a
fhallop, to come to Campfeau; a thing
marvclloiiny dangerous to crofs fo many
bays and leas in fo imall a veffel, laden
with nine pcrfons, with viftuals necelTary
for the voyage, and reafonable great quan-
tity of other {\:uff. Being arrived at the
port of Capt. Savalet, he received them
all as kindly as it was polTible for him 1

and from thence they came to us to the
faid port of Campfeau, where we tarried
yet eight days.

The third day of September we weighed The de-
anchors, and with much ado came we F*"'."S
from among the rocks that be about the '5^'^,,"""
faid Cawpfeau i which our mariners did Franci:
with two Ihallops, that did carry their
anchors very far into the fea for to uphold
our fhip, to the end fhe fhould not flrikc
againfl the rocks. Finally, being at fea,
one of the faid Ihallops was let go, and
the other was taken into the Jonas, which
befides our lading, did carry one hundred
thoufand of fifh, as well dry as green.
We had reafonable good wind until we
came near to the lands of Europe ; but we
were not over-cloyed with good chear,
becaufe that (as I have fliid) they who
came to fetch us, prefuming we were
dead, did cram themfelves with our re-
frcfhing commodities. Our workincn
drank no more wine after we had left Purt
Royal; and We had but fmall portion there-
of, becaufe that which did over abound
with us was drank merrily, in the com-
pany of them that brought us news from
Fra}jce.

The twenty-fixth of September we had The figlic
fight of the Sorlingues, which be at tiieot the in-
lands end ot' Cornwall in England, and the'''"i""'-
twenty-eighth thinking to come to St. Ma-
lo, we were forced (for want of good
wind) to fall into Rofcoff in Bafe Bretagne,
where we remained two days and a half
refrelhing ourfelves. We had a favage
who wondered very much feeing the
buildings, fteeples, and wind-mills in
France ; yea alfo of the women, whom he
had never fecn cloathed after our manner.
From Rofcoff (giving thanks to God) we
came with a good wind unto St. Malo -,
wherein I cannot but praife the watchful
forefight of our mafter Nicholas Martin,
in having fo fkilfully conduced us in fuch
a navigation, and among fo many banks
and dangerous rocks, wherewith the coaft,
from the cape of UJhant to St. Malo is
full. If this man be praife-worthy in this
his aftion, Capt. Foiilqiies deferveth no lefs
praifes, having brought us through lb many
contrary winds into unknown lands, where
the firfl foundations of Nezv France have
been laid.

Having tarried three or four days at St, The voy-
Malo, Monf. de Poutrincourt^ s fon and age unto
myfeif went to mount St. Michael, where ^'' ■'y'"
we fliw the relicks, all laving the buckler'"^'" "
of this holy archangel. It was told us
that the lord bifhop of Auranches, had
four or five years ago forbidden to fhcw it
any more. As for the building, it meriteth

843

4 Defcription of New France.

The to be called the eighth wonder of the world,
eighth J J fjj^ jjj^jj gjgm jj jt j,po„ (i^g viomt of

the worki '^"^ °"'y '■°'^'^» '" '"^ midll or the waves

at lull fea. True it is, that one may fay

' ' that the fea came not thither when the

. ■ fa.J building was made; but I will reply,

> " ' th:.t howfoever it be it is admirable: the

complaint that may be made in this rcfpeft

is, rh.ii fo many fair buildings are unpro-

fitabie in thele our days, as in the nioft

part of the abbies of France. And would

to God tiiat by fome Archimedes means,

they miglit be tranfported intoJVifw France,

there to be bener employed to God's fer-

Vicc and the king's. At the return we came

to fee the fifhing of oyfters at Caucale,

After we had fojourn'd eight days at St.
Malo, we came in a baric to Honfleur,
where Monf. cle Poutrincourl's experience
flood us in good ftcad, who feeing our pi-
lots at their wits end when they (iiw them-
felves between the ifles of Jerfey and Sark
(not being accullomed to take that courfc,
where we were driven by a great wind,
caft fouth-eaft, accompanied with fogs and
rainj he took his fea-chart in hand and
play'd the part of a pilot in fuch fort, that
we pafled the Raz Blanchart (a dangerous
paffage for fniall barks) and we came ea-
lily, following the coaft of Normandy^ to
Honfleur; for which, eternal praifes be
given io God. Amen.

Being at Paris, the faid Monf. de Pou-
trincourt prefcnred the king with the fruits
ot the land trom whence he came, and
elpecially riic corn, wheat, rye, barley
and oats, as being the moft precious thing
that may be brought from what country
focver. It had been very fit to vow thefe
firft fruits to God, and to place them in
fome church among the monuments of
triumph, with more juft caufe than the
ancient Romans, who prefented to their
country gods and goddelTcs, Terminus, Seia,
and Segefta, the full: fruits of their tillage,
by the iiands of the priefts of the fields
inllituted by Romulus, which was the firft
order in New Rome, who had for a blazon,
a hat of the ears of corn.

The faid Monf. de Poutrincctirt had bred
ten outards taken from the (hell, which
he thought to bring all into France, but
five ot them were loft, and the other five
he gave to the king who delighted much
in them, and they are at Fontainbleau.

Upon the fair fhew of the fruits of the

or wild
gcclc.

of Leavers j-.^jj
. Dimnnco
ro iVJoTil'.

country, the king did confirm to
Monf. de Monts, the privilege for the trade
or beavers with the favages, to the end to
give him means to eftabhfh his colonies in
New France ; and by this occafion, he fent
thicher in March kill: famihes, there to

begin Chriftian and French commonwealths,
which God vouchfafc to blefs and increafe.

The faid (hips being returned, we have
had report by Monf. de Cbampdore and
others, of the ftate of the country which
we had left, and of the wonderful beauty
of the corn that the faid Monf. de Poutriu-
court had fowed before his departure, to-
gether of the grains that be fallen in the
gardens, which have fo increafcd, that it
is an incredible thing. Membertou did ga-
ther fix or fevcn barrels of the corn that
we had fowed and had yet one left, which
he rcferved for the Frenchmen whom he
looked for, who arriving, he faluted with
three mufket fliot and bonfires. When it
was laid to his charge that he had eaten
our pigeons which we left there, he fell a
weeping, and embracing him that told it
him, faid, that it was the Macharoa, that
is to fay, the great birds, which are eagles, Eagjf,.
which did eat many of them while we were
there. Moreover, all, great and fmalJ,
did enquire how we did, naming every
one by his own name, which is a witnefs
of great love.

From Port Royal, the faid Cbnmpdore
went as far as Choiiakouet, the beginning
of the Armouchiquois land, where he paci-
fied that nation with the Etechemins, which
was not done without folemnity. For as
he had begun to fpeak of it, the captain,
who is now inftead of Olmechin, named
Aftikou, a grave man and of a goodly
prefence, how favage foever he be, de-
manded that fome one of the faid Eteche-
mins Ihould be fent to him, and that he
would treat with him. Oagimont, Sagames The ^a^•».'
'iffh' riverof 5/. Crowf, was appointed for ges wif-
that piirpofe, and he would not truft them, '*°'"-
but under the aflTurance of the Frenchmen ■
he went thither. Some prefents were made
to Ajlikou, who, upon the fpeech of peace
began to exhort his people, and to fhew
them the caufcs that ought to induce them
to hearken unto it *, whereunto they con-
defcended, making an exclamation at
every article that he propounded to them.
Some five years ago, Monf. de Moats
had likewifc pacified thofe nations, and
had declared unto them, that he would be
enemy to the firft of them that Ihould
begin the war and would purfue him.
But after his return into France^ they
could not contain themfelves in peace.
And the Armouchiquois did kill a Souri-
quois favage, called Panoniac, who went
to them for to truck merchandize, which
he took at the ftorehoufe of the faid Monf.
de Monts. The war above-mentioned
happened by rcafon of this faid murder,
under the conduft of Sa^amos Membertou :

(be

A Dejiription of New France.

849

the faid war was made in the very fame
place where I now make mention, that
Monf. de Champdore did treat the peace
this year. Monf. Champk'm is in another
place, to wit, in the great river of Ca-
nada, near the place where Capt. James
^artier did winter, where he hath for-
tified himfelf, having brought thither
houfliolds, with cattle and divers forts of
fruit-trees fruit-trees : there is ftore of vines and ex-
vines, ' cellent hemp in the fame place where he
hemp. is, which the earth bringeth forth of it-
felf : he is not a man to be idle, and we
cxixft fhorcly news of the whole difco-

vcry'of this great and incompar... . river,
and of the countries which it waflieth on
both fides, by the diligence of the faid
Cbamplein.

As for Monf. de Poutrincourt, his de-
fire is immutable in this refolution to in-
habit and adorn his province, to bring
thither his family, and all forts of trades
neceflTary for the life of man. Which,
with God's help, he will continue to effeft
all this prefent year 1609 ; and as long
as he hath vigour and ftrength will pro-
fecute the fame, to live there under the
king's obeyfance.

fail*
if-

Vol. II.

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8so

NOVA FRANCIA,

O R A

DESCRIPTION

O F

NEW FRANCE.

BOOK II.

Containing the Fajljwns and Manner of Life of the
People there ; and the Fertility of the Lam Is and
Seas mentioned in the former Book.

Ihe PREFACE.

jl^,;

W
lii'

I' V

ALMIGHrrCcd, in the creation of
jl this ivcrldt hath fo much delighted hini-
felf in diverfity, that ivhether it be in
heaven, or in the earth, either under the
fame, or in the profound depth of waters,
the effe^s of his might and glory do fhine in
every place. But the wonder that far ex-
ceedeth all others, is, that in one and the
felf-fame kind of creature, I mean in man,
are found more variety than in other things
' created. Far if one enters into the conjider-
eition of his face, two fiall not be found
who in every refpe^do refemble one another ;
if he be confidered in the voice, the Jame
variety Jhall be found ; ifintbefpeecb, all
rations have their proper and peculiar lan-
guage whereby one is dijliguifljed from the
ether: but in manners and fajhion of life,
there is a marvellous difference,which,with-
cut troubling curfehes in 'r offing the feas to
have the experience thereof, we fee vifibly in
cur very neighbourhood. Now forafmuch as
it is a fmall matter to know, that people
differ from us in cuftoms and manners, unlefs
we know the particularities thereof; a fmall
thing is it likewife to know but that which

is near to us ; but the fur fcience is, to
know the manner of life of all nations of
the wcrld, for whi':h rcafon Ulyllls h.^tb
been ejleemed, bccaufe be l.-ul feen much and
known much. It hath fecmed ;,'<■( :jj'iiry un-
to me, to exercifemyfclf,in this jcL^v.d book.,
upon this fubjelf, in that wk:ib loucbctb
the nations fpoken of by us, feeing that I
have tied myfdf unto it, and that it is one
of the brjl parts of an bifloiy, which w'ti'-
out it would be dejetlive, having but Jligblly
and cafually handled hercalove thofe thi}t_i_ .>■
that 1 haver eferved to fpeak of here. H'b'ih
alfo I do, to the end, if it plea fe Ccd to
take pity of thofe peer people, and to wcrk
byhis holy fpirit, that they be brought into
his fold, their children may know ha-eafter
what their fathers were, and blefs them
that have employed themfelves in their can-
verfion, and reformation of their uncivility.
Let us therefore begin with man from his
birth,and having in grofs marked out what
the courfe of his life is, we will condutJ
him to the grave, there to leave him lor, 'ft ^
and alfo to repofe owfelves.

C II A P.

A De/cnptioN of New France.
CHAP. I. :-\

, Of ihc nativity of 7nan.

85.1

TH E author of the book of JVif-
dom, called Solomon' ?<, witiiefleth
unto \is a moll true thing, that,
uill men have a like entrance into tl^e worlds
and the like going out ; but each leveral
pc'ople hath brought fomc ceremonies,
alter thell- were accomplifhed : for fomc
have wept, feeing tiie birth of man upon
tills wordly theatre •, others have njoiccd
at it, as well bccaufe nature hath given
to every creature a defire to preferve
his own kind, as for that, man having
bien made mortal by fin, he defireth to
be in fome fcjrt reftored again to that loft
right of immortality, and to k'ave fome
viliblc image ifTued from him, by the ge-
neration of children. I will not here ilif-
courfeupon every nation, for it would be
an infinite thing, but I will fay that the
Hebrexvs, at the nativity of their children,
did make fome particular ceremonies unto
them, i'poken of by the propliet Ezekiel,
who having in charge to make a demon-
ftration to tlie city of Jeriifidem, of her
own abomination, doth reproach unto
her, faying, that (lie is ilTued and born out
of the G//v,/(.;/(,v.'A'j country, that her father
was an Ainorile, and \\:r mother an Hit-
tite ; and, as for thy birth, fays he, in the
day that thou wdft bfirn tlpy navel was not
cut, neither was thou wafhed in ivatcr to
f of ten thee-, nor falted liithfalt, ncr, any

wife, fwaddled in clouts. The Cimbri did
put their new born children into the fnow
to harden them ; and the Frenchmen did
pKinge theirs into the river Rhine, to
know if they were legitimate j for if they
did fink unto the bottom, they were ef-
teemetl baftards, and if they did fwim on
the water they were legitimate i meaning
as it were that Frenchmen ought naturally
to fwim upon the waters. As for our fa-
vages of New France, when that I was
there, thinking nothing kfs than on this
hiltory, I took not heed of many things,
which I might have obferved; but yet I
remember, that as a woman was delivered
of her child, they came into our fort, to
demand very inftantly for fome greafe or
oil, to make the child to fwallow it down
before they give him the dug or any food.
Tiiey can render no reafon tor this, but
that it is a cuftom of long continuance :
whereupon I conjecture that the devil,
who hath always borrowed ceremonies
from the church, as well in the ancient as
in the new law, would, that his people,
fodo I call them that believe not in God,
and are out of the communion of fiints,
(hould be anointed like to God's people,
which undlion he hath made to be inward,
b;'caufethe fpiritual unclion of the Chrif-
tiansis lb.

CHAP. II.

Of the impofiion of names.

Thedigiii

tvo*Vliicr

AS for impofitionof names, they give
thein by tradition, that is to fiy,
they have great cjuantity of names, which
tlu:y cluife and inipofe on their chiltiren -,
but the eldelt Ion commonly beareth his
father's name, adding at the end Ibme
ftilp or full diminutive; as the eldeft o'i Mcnibcrtou,
Lojii. ii^aii \^f. called Membertcuchis, as it were
the lefltr or the younger Membertou ; as
for the younger fon, he beareth not the
father's name, but they give him fuch
name as they lift -, and he that is born af-
ter him fhall bear his name, adding a fyl-
lableto it; as the younger of Men/berteii
is called /Ulaudin, he that cometh after is
called .Utaitdinech. So Memembourre had
a fon nameil Semcoud, and his younger
was called Scnicoudccb. It is not lor all

that a general rule to add this termination
ecb. For Panoniac\ younger fon, of whom
mention is madeinM^w^^rr/^a'swar againft
the- Armoucljiquois, which I have deferibed
in tile mules of New France, was called
Panoniagues ; fo tliat rhis termination is
done according as the former name rcqui-
reth it. But they have a cuftom that when
tliis elder brother, or father is dead, they
change names.for to avoid the forrow that Tlic
the remembrance of the deceafed might clianjincr
bring unto them. This is the caufe, why °* "amc.~.
after the deceafe of Memembourre and Seni-
coud, that died this laft winter, Semcoud-
ecb hath left his brother's name, and hath
not taken that of his father, but rather
Ixiith made himfelf to be called Paris, be-
caufe he dwelt in Paris. And after Pa-

mnidc's

852

A Defaiption of New France.

«ij«/^i-j's ilcatli, Piinonlagues foiibok his
n;ime, and was, by one of our men called
Roland, which I Hiitl evil and indifcreetly
done, lb to propliane Chriftians names,
and to impol'j them upon intidels -, as I
remember of another that was called Mir-
/;>;, Alexander the great, thoiigli he was
an heathen, would not that any fliould
bear his name, iinlefs he Ihould render him-
ielf worthy thereof by virtue. And, as
one day a Ibldier, bearing the name of A-
lexander, was accufed before him to be
voluptuous and lecherous, he commanded
him, titlier to forfake that name, or to
ch;;nge his life.

I'lie Drafilear.Sy as John de Leri f-iith,
wliom I had rather follow in that which
he hath feen, than a Spaniard., impofe
names to their children of tiie firft thing
that Cometh belbre tliem, as if a bow and
firing come to their imagination, they will
call their child Oiirapacen, which fignifi-
eth a bow and ftring, and fo confequently.
In regard of our lavages, they have at this
day names without fignification, which
perad venture in the firfl: impofing of them.

didfignify ibmcthing,but as the tongues do
change, the knowledge thereof is ioll.Ofall
the names of them, that I have known, I
have learned none, faving that CbkotiduHj
fignifyeth a trout; ami Oigoudi, the name
ot the river of t!ic li-id C/.'^o«(/««, which fig-
nitieth to fee. It is very certain, that names
have not been impofed, to what thing fo-
cvcr, without reafon •, for /fdam gave the
name to every living creature, according
to the property and nature thereof-, and
confequently names have been given to
nien fignifying fomething ; as Jdam figni-
fyeth man, or, that luhicb is made of earth ;
Eve, fignifyeth, the mother of all living \
Aht\, weeping; Cain, poffejfion-, Jefus, a
fivicttr \ Devil, a Slanderer ; Satan, an
adverfary. Sec. Among tlie Romans
fome were called Lucius., bccaufe they were
born at the break of day ; others Cefar,
tor tliat the mothers belly was cut at the
birth of him that firtl did bear this name;
In like manner Lentulus, Pifo, Fabius,
Cicero, &c. all nick names, given by rea-
fon ol fome accident, like our favages
names, but with fome more judgment.

CHAP. III.

Of the feeding cf their children.

m :

ili

ALMIGHTY God, Ihcwing a true
mother's duty, faith by the pro-
phet ffaiah. Can a 'xoman forget her child,
and not have campaffwn on the fon of her
•womb? This pity which God requireth
in mothers, is to give the breaft to their
children, and not to change the food
w hich they have given unto them before
thdr birth. But at this day, the mofl: part
make their brealh to fcrve for allurements
to wioredom-, and being willing to ftt
themlelves at cal'e, free from the children's
noife, do fend them into the country,
where pcradventure they be changed, or
given to bad nurfes, whole corruption and
bad nature they luck with their milk ;
and from thence come the changelinc^s,
weak and degenerate from the right fl:ock,
wh.ofe names tliey bear. The lavage wo-
men bear a greater love than that towards
their young ones ; for none but themlelves
do nourilli them -, and that is general
tiiri.ughout all the Wefi Indies; likewife
their breafts arc no baits ot love, as in
thefe our parts, but rather, love in thole
lands is made by the flame that nature
klndleth in every one, without annexing
any arts to it, either by painting, amorous
poifons, or otherwife. And for this man-
ner of nurfing their children, are tlic an-

cient German women praifed by Tacitus.,
bccaufe that every one did nurfe their
children with her own brealts, and would
not have luftered that another befides
themfelves Ihould give iuck to their
children. Now our favage women do
give unto them, with the dug, meats
which they ufe, having firfl: well chewed
them ; and fo by little and little bring them
up. As for the Iwaddhng of them, they
that dwell in hot countries, and near the
Tropich, have no care ot it, but leave
them free, unbound. But drawing to-
wards the north, the mothers have an e-
ven fmooth board, like the covering of a
drawer or cupboard, upon which they
lay the child wrappetl in a beaver turr ;
unlefs it be too hot, and tied thereupon
with fome fwaddling band, whom they
carry on their backs, their legs hanging
down •, then being returned into their ca-
bins they fet them, in this manner up
ftraight againft a ftone or fomething el fe.
And as in thefe our parts, one gives fmall
feathers and gilt things to little children,
fo they hang a quantity of beads and fmall
fquare toys, diverfiy coloured, in the up-
per part of the faid board or plank, for
the decking of theirs.

CHAP,

A Defiription of New France.

853

C W A W IV.

Of their love toicaiih tin ir chihlreut

'\&

fTAH A r which wc have faid even now
J^ is a part of true love, which doth
fliainc the Chriftian woiin.n. But after
the children Ik- weaned, anil at ail times,
they love them all, obferving this law,
that nature hath grafted in the hearts uf
all creatures, except in lewd (lippery wo-
men, tQ have care oi' them. And wlicn
it isqucflion to demand of tliein fome of
their children, I fpcak of thc&?/n^«o/j, in
whofe land we dwelt, for to bring them
into France, they will not give them \ but
if any one of thcmiloth yield unto it, pre-
fents miift be given unto him, belides
large promifes. We have already fpokcn
of this at the end of the 1 7th chapter. So
then I find that they have wrong to be
called barbarous, feeing that tlie ancient
Romans were far more barbarous than they
who oftentimes fold their children for to
have means to live. Now that wliich cauf-
eth them to love their children more than
we do in thefe parts, is, that they are the

IS,

maintenance ot their fathers in their old
age ; whether it be to help them to live.

The caufc
why tlie
(iivagcs
l()\c their
children

wc doVn " o7 to detend them from their enemies ;

thcfe parts. iiT^ nature conferveth wholly in them her
right in this refped •, by reafon whereof,
that which they wifli molt is to have num-
ber of children, to be thereby fo much
the mightier, as in the firft age of the
work!, when virginity was a thing reprov-
able, becaufe of God's commandment to
men and women to incrcafe, multiply and
veplenilh the earth ; but after it was filled,
this love waxed marvellous cold, and child-
ren began to be a burthen to fathers and
mothers, whom many have had in dif-
dain, and have very often procured their
death. Now is the way open for France

to have a remedy for the fame ; (or it it
])leaie (iod to guide and pr();(K 1 the voy-
ages of Nr.v France, wholbever in tinl;;
parts Ihall find himfelf oppreiicd, may
liafs thither, and there end his days in nil,
and that without feeling any poverty. Oi- il
any one lindeth himlelf over- bin ciKiied
with children, he may fend hali ol them
thither, and with a fmail puiiion they (hall
be rich, and poffefs the land, whicli is tiie
moll affured condition of tliis life. For
we fee at diis day, labour and pain in all
vocations, yea, in them of the bell fort,
which are oiten crofled through envy and
wants j others will make a hundrecl cap-
pings and crouchings for to live, and yet
they do but pine away. But tlie ground
never decdveth us, if we eanuiUycherilh
her 1 witnefs the fable of him, who by
his lad will and teilament, did declare to
his children that he had hidden a trtafure
in his vineyard, and as they had well and
deeply digged and turned it they found no-
thing, but the year being come about,
they gathered fo great a quantity of
grapes, that they knew not where to be-
llow them. So through all the holy fcrip-
ture, the promifes that God maketh to
the patriarchs yliraham, Ifaac, and Jacob,
and afterwards to the people of Jfrael, by
the mouth of Mofes, are. That they fliall
poffefs the land, as a certain heritage that
cannot perifh, and where a man hach
wherewith to fuftiun his family, to make
himlelf Ihong and tf) live in innocency ;
according to the fpeeches of the ancient
Caio, who did fay, tiiat commonly huf-
bandmen, or farmers Ions be valiant and
llrong and do think on no harm.

CHAP. V.

'" • Of their religion.

MAN being created after the image
of God, it is good reafon that he
acknowledge, lerve, worlhip, praife and
blcfs his creator ; and that therein he im-
[iloy Iiis whole defirc, his mind, his
Vol,. II. -!-- — "- —

■ 11

ftrength and his courage. But tlie nature
of man having been corrupted by lin,
this fair light that God had firft given un-
to him, hath been fo darkned, that lie is
become thereby to lofe the knowledge cf
10 H lus

8S4

A Defcription of New Franca

Idolaters
in yiy^i-
Mia.

«i

his beginning. And for as much as God
Ihewcth not himfclf unto lis by a certain
vifiblc torm, as a father or a king might
do, man finding himfch' overcome with
poverty and infirmity, not fetthng him-
lelf to the contemplation of the wonders
of this Almighty workman, and to fcek
him as he ought to be fought for-, with a
l>ale and brutilh fpirit miferably hatii he
forged to liimfiit gods, according to his
own fancy ; and there is nothing vifible
in the world, but hath been deify 'd in fomc
place or other -, yea even in that rank and
degree, imaginary things have alfo been
put, as virtue, hope, nonour, fortune,
and a thoufand fuch like things. Item in-
fernal gods, and fickneflcs, and all forts
of plagues, every one worlhipping the
things that he flood in fear of. But not-
withltanding, though Tully hath faid,
fpeaking of the nature of the gods, that
that there is no nation fo fuvage, or brut- "
ilh, nor fo barbarous, but is leufoned ♦'
with fome opinion of them •, yet there "
have been found, in thife later ages, na- «♦
tions that have no feeling thereof at all ; "
which is fo much the ftranger ; that among "
them, there were, and yet are, idolators, "
as in Mexico and Virginia. If we will, we
may add hereunto Florida \ and notwith-
ftanding, all being well confidered, feeing
the condition both of the one and of the
other is to be lamented ; I give more
praife to him that worlhippeth nothing,
than to him who worlhippeth creatures
without cither life or fenle -, for at leaft,
as bad as he is, he blafphemeth not, and
giveth not the glory due to God to an-
other, living (indeed) a life not much dif-
fering from brutiflmefs ; but the fame is
yet more brutifti that adoreth a dead thing,
and putteth his confidence in it. And be-
fides, he which is not ftained with any
bad opinion, is much more capable of
true adoration, than the otlier \ being
like to a bare table, which is ready to re-
ceive what colour foever one will give to
it. For when any people hath once re-
ceived a bad impreflion of doifrine, one
muft root it out from them before another
may be placed in them. Which is very
difficult, as well for the obftinacy of men,
which do fay, our fathers have lived in
this fort ; as for the hindrance that they
give thfem which do teach them fuch a
doftrine, and others whofe life depend-
cth thereupon, who do fear that their
means of gain be taken from them ; even
as that Demetrius the filver-fmith, men-
tioned in the A^s of the apoftles. This
is the reafon why our favages of New

France will be found more eafy to receive
the Chriftian dodrine, if once the pro-
vince be thoroughly inhabited. For (that
we may begin with them of Canada)
James i^tar/ier, in his ftcond relation,
recitcth that wl^ch I have faid a little be-
fore, in thefe words, which are not here
laid down in the former book.

" This faid people (faith he) hath not any
" belief of God (that may be eftecmed) for
" they believe in one, whom they call Cu-
" doiiagni^ and fay, that he often fpcaketh
" to them, and tellcth them what weather
" fhall fallout They fay that when he is
" angry with them lie caltcth duft in their
"eyes. They Ldieve alfo, that when they
" die they go up into the If.irs j and after-
" wards th^y go into lair gnxn fields, full
" offair tri.:s, dowers and rare fruits. Af^
♦' ter they had made us to underftand thefe
" things, we (hewed them their error ; and
" that their CuJoiiagni is an evil I'pint that
♦' dcctiveththem, and that there is but one
" God, which is in heaven, who doth give

unto us all, and is creator of all things,

and tliat in him we mutt only believe,
" and that they muft be baptized, or go
" into hell. And many other things of our
" faith were fhewed them-, which they eafi-
" ly believed, and called their Cudoiiagiiiy
" Jgoiuda *. So that many times tliey re-
" quettetl our captain to caufe them to be
" baptized, and the laid lord (that is to
" fay, Donnacona) Taiguragiii, Domagaia,
" with all the people of their town came
" thither for that purpofe-, but bccaule wc
«* knew notthcir intent and dt fire, and that
" there was no botly toinftruft them \r. riie
" faith } we excufed ourfelvcs to them for
" that time, and bad Taiguragni and De-
" magaia to make them undcrltand that we
«« would return another voyage, and would
♦' bring pricfts wiilius and Cbrime, telling
" them, for an excufe, that one cannot be
" baptized without the faid Chrcme, which
" they did believe. And they were very
" glad of the promife which the captain
" made them to return, and thanked them
" for it.

Monf. Champkiny having of late made
the fame voyage which the Capt. James
^artier had made, did difcourfe with
favages, that be yet living, and report-
cth the fpecches that were between him
and certain of their Sagamos, concerning
their belief infpiritiial and heavenly things,
which I have thought good (being inci-
dent to this matter) to infert here. His
words are thefe. " The moft part of
" them be people without law, according
" as I could fee and inform my felf, by
'• ; «« the

Tie r*\»'
grbcalv to
be coii-
vcrti J to
the Chri-
ftian reli-
gion.

The fava-

Ccs religi-
on ill C'u-

People ra-
ly to be
eonv Cited.

Jgoixda fignifieth wicked.

A Defcnption of New France.

85s

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to
iri-

The fava- "
get belief t(
•nJ faith. ^^

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the faid great Sagames, who told mc
that they verily believe there is one
God, who hath created all things. And
then I aflccd him, feeing that they be-
lieve in one only God -, oy what means
did he place them in this world, and
from whence they were come ? He
anfwered me, that after God had made
all things, he took a number of arrows,
and did ftick them into the ground,
from whence men and women fprung
up, which have multiplied in the world
until now, and that mankind grew by
that means. I anfwered him, th ^t
what he faid was falfe j but that ind'.;d
there was one only Goii, who hi.d
created all things both in heaven and
earth. Seeing all thcfe things fo perfcft,
and being no body that did govern in
this world, he took flime out of the
earth, and created thereof our firft fa-
ther Mam : and while he did fleep,
God took one of his ribs, and formed
Eve thereof, whom he gave to him for
company, and that this was the truth
that Doth they and we were made by
this means, and not of arrows, as they
did believe. He faid nothing more to
me, but that he allowed better of my
fpeech than of his own. I aflced him
alfo if he believed not that there were
any other but one only God ? He faid
unto me that their belief was -, there
was one only God, one fon, one mo-
ther, and the fun, which were four.
Notwithftanding, that God was over
and above all j but that the fon was
good, and the fun, by reafon of the
good which they received of them :
as for the mother, Ihe was naught and
did eat them, and that the father was
not very good. I fhcwcd him his er-
ror according to our ;aith, whereunto
he gave fome credit. I demanded of
him if they never faw nor heard their
anceftors lay that God was come into
the world ; he told me he had not
feen him, but that anciently there were
five men, who travelling towards the
fctting of the fun, met with God,
who demanded of them, whither
ye : they anfwered, we go to fcek
our living : God anfwered them, you
fliall find it here. But they pafTed
further, not making any account of
that which God had faid unto them ;
who took a ftone and therewith touched
two of them, who were turned into
ftones ; and he faid again to the three
others, whither go ye ; and they an-
fwered as at the firft time ; and God
fa^d unto them again, pafs no further,
you Ihall find it here -, and feeing that
they found no food they palTed further :
and God tqck two ftaves, and touch-
ed therewith the two foremoft, who

were transformed into ftaves. But the
filth man ftayeil and would pafs no
further 1 and God afked him again,
whither goert thou j who made anfwer, I
go to feek for my living ; and God
told him, tarry and thou (halt find it -,
and he flayed without pafTing any fur-
ther. And God gave him meat, and
he did eat of iti and after he had made
good chear he returned among the
other lavages, and told them all that
you have heard. He alfo told me,
that at another time there was a mail
who had fbare of tobacco (which is an
herb the fmoke whereof they take) and
that God came to this man and alked
him where his pipe was -, the man took
his tobacco-pipe and gave it to God,
who drank very much tobacco. After
he had taken well of it, God brake the
faid tobacco-pipe into many pieces,
and the man afked him, why haft thou
broken my tobacco-pipe, and thoii
feeft well that I have none other. And
God took one which he had, and gave
it him, faying unto him ; lo, here is one
which I give to they ; carry it to tliy
grcMSagamos, let him ko-p it ; and if he
keep it well, he fhall not w.int any
thing, nor any of his companio s :
the faid man took the tobacco-pi^ e,
which he gave to his great Sa^a:noSt
who (whilft he had it) the fav. jes
wanted for nothing in the world ; but
that fince the faid Sagamos had loll tliis
tobacco-pipe, which is the caufc of the
great famine which fomctimes tlity
have among them. I demanded of
him, whether he did believe all diat ^
he told me yes, and that it was true.
Now I believe that that is thecaufe why
they lay that God is not very good.
But I replied and faid unto him, that
God was all good, and that without
doubt it was the devil that had Ihewed
himfelf to thofe men, and that if they
did believe in God as we do, they fhould
want nothing that fhould be needful for
them. That the fun which they faw,
the moon and the ftars, were created
by the fame great God, who hath
made both heaven and earth, and
that they have no power, but that
which God hath given them \ that we
believe in that great God, who by his
goodnefs did fend unto us his dearly
beloved fon, who being conceived by
the Holy Ghoft, took human flelh with-
in the virgin womb of the Virgin
Maryt having been thirty-three yjars
on earth working infinite miracles, raijC-
ing up the dead, healing the fick, dri-
ving out devils, giving fight to the
blind, fhewing unto men the will of
God his father, for to ferve> honoi^ir

«< and

8s6

yl Dc/criptioM oj New France.

aiivl worniipliiin, hatli fpillcd lii:i blood,
.iiid liiffcicd death and pafllon for us,
and tor our Tins, and redefined man-
kind, lKii)!r lujriid and ril'eii again,
went down iiito lull, and afcended up
nito heaven, where he fittech at the
ru;ht hand ul (iod his I'atii- r. I'hat
tins was tiie belief of all Chrillians
which di> l)elicvc i;i the Father, in the
.Son, and in the liolyGliuR i which be
not for all that three Gods, but are one
fell' lame and one only God, and one
'I'rinity, wherein there is nothing be-
fore nur after, nothing greater nor lei's.
I'hat the Virjj,in Ahiryy motiier to
the .Son of Ijod, and all men and
women that have lived in this world,
doing God's cominandnients, and flit-
tered martyrdom for iiis name, and
who, by the permiOion of (iod, have
wrought miracles, and are Saints in
heaven in hi'* paradife, pray all tor us
unto this great divine majclly, to par-
don us our faults and fins, which we
doag-iinft his law and commandments :
and to by tiie faints pniyers in heaven,
and by our own that we make to his
divine majcfty, he giveth us what we
have need of, and the devil hath no
power over us ; and can do us no
hurt. 'I'hat if they had this belief
they fliould be even as we arc. That
the devil fhould not be able to do
them any more harm, and they fliould
not want what iTiould t)e needliil for
them. Then the faid Sagamos faid unto
me, that he granted all that I iaid : I
demanded of him what ceremony they
ufed in pr.iying to their God -, he told
me that they ufed no other ceremony,
but that every one did pray in his
heart as he wcnikl. This is the caufc
why, I believe there is no law among
them, neither do they know what it is
to worfhip or pray to God, and live
the moll: part as brute beafts ; .ind I
believe that in fliort time they might be
brought to be good Chrillians, if one
would inhabit their land, which motl of
them do defiiv. They have among them
fome favagcs whom they call Pi/oloua,
who fpcak vifibly to the devil •, and he
tellcth them what they muft do, as well
for wars as tor other things ; and if he
lliould command them to go and put
any enterprize in execution, or to kill a
Fnnchman or any other of their na-
tion, they will immediately obey to his
command. They believe alfo that all
their dreams are true ; and indeed,
there be many of them which do fay
that they havefeen and dreamed things
that do happen, or lliall come to pats.
But to fpeak thereof in truth they be
vifujiis of the devil, who doth deceive
an^fedure them." .SofarMonf. Cham-

le.ui\ report. As tor oiir Suur'ifuois.,
and other iheir lU'ighlxAii.s, lean lay no-
thing ell'e, but that they are deilitut'" of
all knowledge of God, h.ive no .ukjiMti-
on, neither do they make any divine I r-
vice, living in a pilitul ignorance •, wl\ieh
ought to touch tlic hearts both of ChrilU- A U-iUn
an princes, anil prelates, who very ol'tcn '<" ' '"•-
do employ ujjoii frivolous tlungs that "'•'" PV"*:
which would Iv more than iulfieient to '^'^t,-.
ettablitli there many colonies, winih woiiul
bear their names, .iboiit whom theli. poor
people woukl llork and alfemble them-
felves. 1 do not fay they fliould go thi-
ther in perl<)n, lor their prefe' ce is here
more neceif.iry, anil befides every one is
not (it tor the tia \ but there are to many
pcrtbns well ditpoled that would employ
themfelvesonthat, if they had the nuans i
they ilien that may do it are altogether
unexeiilable. Our prefent age is laJkn, Toallfoftj
as one might fay, into an iijlcrgie, want- .uu! a«;
ing both love aiul Chriftian charity, and ;'.'"'»
retain almoll nothing of that lire which ° '?'*?''"
kindled our fathers either in tiie time of
our firll kings, or in the time of the eroi'
fades tor thi. Holy Land \ yea contrariwil'e if
any venture his lite, and that tittle means
lie hath, upon this geneious Chriltiiui
work, the moll p.irt J j mock him tor it •,
lik^ to the falamaiicLi., which doth not
live in the midtt of tlamts, as fome do
imagine, but is of fo cold a nature diat
llie killcth them by her coldnefs. Every
oni. would run after trcahires, and would
carry them away without pains-taking,
and afterward to live frolick ; but they
come too late for it ; and they thoukl have
enough if they did believe, as is meet to
lio, in him that hath faid ; Seek jirjl the
kingilom of God, and all thcfe things fhall
he given unto you over end ahve.

Let us return to our lavages, for whofc
convcrfion it refleth unto us to pray to
God, that it will pleafe him to open the
means to make a plentiful harvcit, to tlie
further manifellaiion of the gofpel •, for
ours, and generally all thofe people, even
as far as Florida inclufively, are very cafy
to be brought to the Chritfi.in religion, ac-
cording as I may conjecture of them which
I have not teen, by the difcourfe of hifto-
ries. But I find that there fhall be more
facility in them of the nearer lands, as from
ci^c BretonloMallebarre,)xQA\.\'iii they have
not any fliew of religion (for I call not re-
ligion unlefs there be fome latria and di-
vine fcrvicej nor tillage of ground, at lead
as far as Cboiiakoet, which is the chiefeft
thing that may draw men to believe as one
would, by reafon that out from the earth
comcth all that which is neceflary for the
life, after the general ufe we have of the
other elements. Our life hath chiefly need
of meat, drink and clothing. Thefe peo-
ple

. / Defcnption of New France,

857

'I 1:( rl^iu

I. >.ii;p» to
one's ilc-
volioii.

pie;, .IS oriL m.iy l.iy, liavc nothing of all
ili.it, tor it is not to be ciljal covcrcil, to
lx;.ilw,>ys\v.inclcrin;^ and loJgeJ under four
llaki'S, iiiid toluvc.ifkinupoii tiicir back :
ncitlicr do I cdl citing and living, 10 cat
all ,it once and ilaivctlic next day, not pro-
viding for tlie next day : wliolocvcr thtr»
Ihall give bread and cloathing to tiiis jh;o-
pic, the fame fli.di l)c, as ic were, tlieir
(jod, they will believe all that he fhall lay
to them. Liven as the patriarch 7<Jifti did
ijroiriife to Icrvc (Jod if he would give him
bread to eat and garments to cover him.
Ciod iiath no name \ tor all that we can
fay cannot comprehend him \ but we call
hull Ciod Ixcaufc he givcth : and man in
giving may, by refcinblance, be called God.
Cauf', I'aitli St. Gregory Naziauzeti, that
l/jou heejl a God towarils the needy, in imi-
tatii{s; God's merc'tfulnefs. For man hath
nothing lb ilivine in him as benefits, I'he
heathen have known this, and, amongft
others, Pliny, when he faith, that it is a
great fign of divinity in a mortal man, to
help and aid another mortal inan. Thefc
people then enjoying the fruits of the ufc
of trades and tillage of the ground, will
believe all that fliall be told them, in audi-
turn aurisy at the firft voice that fhall found
in their ears \ and of this have I certain
proofs, becauli: I have known them wholly
liifpofcd thereunto by the communication
they had with us j and there be fome of
theiTi that are Chriilians in mind, and do
perform the afts of it, in fuch wife as they
can, though they be not baptifed, among
whom I will name Cbkoudun, captain,
alias Sagamos, of the river of St. John, men-
tioned in the beginning of this work, who,
whenfocver he eateth, lifteth up his eyes to
heaven, and makcvh the fign of the crofs,
becaufc he hath feen us do fo i yea, at our
prayers he did kneel down as we did : and
becaufe he huth feen a great crofs planted
near to our fort, he hath made the like at
hishoufe, and in all his cabins ( and carrieth
one .It his breaft, faying, that he is no more
a lavage, and acknowledging plainly, that
they are beafls (fo he faith in his language)
but that he is like unto us, defiring to be
inftrufted. That which I fay of this man,
I may affirm the fame almofl; of all the
others ■, and though he (hould be alone,
yet he is capable, being inftruifledt to bring
in all the reft.

The Armotichiquois are a great people,
which have likewife no adoration 1 and
being fettled, becaufe they manure the
ground, one may eafily make a congrega-
tion of them, and exhort them to that
which is tor their falvation. They are vi-
cious and bloody men, as we have faid
herctoiore •, but this infolency proceeds for
that they feel themfelvcs ftrong, by reafon

Vol. II.

of tiicir iiuiltituJ', and Lcraufc they live
more at (ale than the others, reaping the
Iruits ol the earth. Tlieir country is not
yet well known, but in that fmall part that
v/e have ilifcovcrcd, 1 find they have coii-
toruiity with them of nrginia, except in
the li.ipcrilition and error in that which con-
ccrneth our fuhjict, for as much as the
lirginians do begin to have fome opinion
of a lu|)erior thing in nature whi' h (^,o-
vcrncth here this world. They bilicve in Thercii
many gods, as an Kngli/lj hillorian tliati^i'nofthc
dwelt there rcporteth, which they call Mon- '".i'""'""'
toac, but of fundry forts and degrees. One
alone is chief and great, who hath ever
been, who purpofing to make the world,
made firft other gods, for to be means and
inllruments wherewith he inight ferve him-
felf in the creation and in the government;
then alterwards the fun, the moon, and the
ftars, as demy-gods, and inllruments of
the other principal order. They hold that
the woman was firft made, which by con-
junflion with one of the gods had children.
All thefe people do generally believe the
immortality of the foul, and that after
death good men arc in reft, and the wicked
in pain : now them that they efteem to be
the wicked are their enemies, and they the
good men •, in fuch fort, that, in their opi-
nion, they Ihall all after death be well at
eafe, and efpecially when they have well de-
fended their country, and kiird many of their
enemies. And as touching the refurrcdtion Fabulous
of the bodies, there are yet fome nations in taicb of
thofe parts that have fome glimpfc of it : '';^. ''«'""''"
for the yirginians do tell tales of certain men '"'
rifen again, which fay ftrange things : as of
one wicked man, who after his death had
been near to the mouth oiPopoguJJo, which is
their hell, but a god faved him, and gave
him leave to come again into the world,
for to tell his friends what they ought to
do for to avoid the coming into this mife-
rable torment. Item, that year that the
Englijhmen were there, it came to pafs
within fixty leagues off from them, as faid
the Virginians, that a body was unburied,
like to the firft, and did Ihew, that being
dead in the pit, his foul was alive, and
had travelled very far, thorough a long
and large way, on both fides of which did
grow very fair and pleafant trees bearing
the rareft fruits that can be feen ; and that,
in the end, he came to very fair houfes,
near to the which he found his father, which
was dead, who cxprefly commanded him
to return back, and to declare unto his
friends the good which it bchoveth them
to do for to enjoy the pleafurcsot this place ;
and that after he had done his mefTage he
lliould come thither again. The general
hiftory of the IVcJi- Indies reporreth, that
before the coming of the Spaniards into
JO I Peru,

858

A Dcfaiption of Nt\> France.

1'^^

Ptru, they of Cufco anil thcrciliour, iliil
likewife believe the rcliirrctJtion ot ihc Iw-
dies. For iVeing th;it the Spaiiwds, with
u ciirfal avarice i)j)^ninn 1; • rei'ilchrcs for
to luvc ilicgolil Mu\ then hes rii.u \MTcin
them, iliilcalt amlfratter ihc bones ot ihc
dead here aiul there, they pr.iyel thctn nor to
fcatter them fo, to the end that the fame
fhoiild not hinder them from rifing apain :
which is a more pcrfcdt belie tlian thai ot
the Siidilut-eeu :i'hI o* the (jreeks^ which
the i^olpel ami the ,\(\io\ ihe apoltles wit-
ncfs unto us that they fcolleil at ihc rcliir-
rcwHon, as alio, almoll all d\c heathen anti-
quity hath done.

Some of our wcftern Iniiiam, cxpcding
this relurredion, have tUccmed that the
Ibuls of the good did {^o into heaven, anil
them of the wicked into a great pit or
hole, which they think to Ix- far oft" towards
the fun fetting, whidi they call Pnpoj;uJJi,
there to burn for ev: ■ ; and fuch is ihc Ix-
licf of the yir_^iniititj : Tiie others, as tlie
Brafdians, that the wicked gowithyf/fwrw,
which b the evil fpirit that tormenteth them i
bur .is for the good, that they went behinil
the mountains to dance and make good
chear with their fathers. Many of the an-
cient Chriftians, grounded upon certain
places of JiJ'Jras, of St. Paul, and others,
have th'.-ughtthat after death our fouls were
feqiieftercd into places under the earth, as
in y^M;/'(Jw's bolbm, attending the judg-
ment of God : and there Orij^eti hath though:
that they arc as in a fchool of fouls, anil
place of indrudtion, where tlicy learn the
caufes and reafons ot the thin<rs they have
feen on the earth, and by reaibning make
judgments of confequcnces of things paft,
and of things to come. But fuch opinions
have been rejedlcd by the refolution of the
dodtors of the Sorbonne in the time of king
Philip the fair, and lince by the council ot
Florence. Now if the Chriitians have held
that opinion, is it much to thefc poor fa-
vagcs to be cntred in thofe opinions that
we have recited of them ?

As concerning the worfhipping of their
gods, of all them that be out of theSpaniJh
dominion, I find none but the Virginians
that ufe any divine fervicc, unlcfs wc will
alfo comprehend therein, that which the
Floridiam do, which we will recite hereafter.
They then reprefent their gods in the fliape
of a m.in, which they call Kevuafovuock,
One only is named Ksvuas. They place
them in houfes and temples, made after their
fafhion, which they call Machicomuck,
wherein they make their prayers. Ting-
ing and offering to thofe gods. And fee-
ing we are fallen to fpcak of infidels, I
praife rather the ancient Romans who were
above 173 years without any images of
gods, as St. Aitgujlin faith. Numa Pom-

puiiii 1 .iving wifely lorl'iddrn to make anr,
becauk' that fuch a tbulifh and ti-nlMcli ,

thiiifi; made tiaiti to be dclpiird, and hoin
this coiuempt came, ih.it the people did
call out all leaf, notliiig Iwing bi-tter than
to worlhip them in Ipirit feeing they ate
ipirits. And indeed r/wjCiith, */2i<i///vr/
is nothing which jLewelb more the weakneft
of mun') wit, I ban to feek to njpj^n fime
image or fyure to God \ for in what part
foevcr I vat (io,l Jbewelb himfelf be ii all
fenje, all f.gbl, all bearing, all foul, alhnt'
derjlandiiig ; and, finally, be is all of hipi'
felf without ufing any organ. The ancient
Germans indruited in this dodrine, not
only did admit no images of their gocis, a«
faith Tacitus, but alio would not that they
fhoiikl be drawn or painted againlt the walls,
nor (ct in ,iny human form, efleeming that
to derogate too much Irom the greatncfs of
the heavenly jxjwer. It maybe laid among
lis, that figures and rcprefenrations are the
lxx>ks of ilie unlearned \ but leaving dif-
putarions alide, it were lilting that every
one Ihuuld be wile and wellinllruiilcd, and
that nobody Ihould be ignorant.

Onr Souriqiiois ami t^rmcuchiquois favagrsTlic 1.1
have the indultry Iwth of painting and car v- vagf^lmv*
ing, and do make pic'turesof lieafts, birds, ||\''i,',',','{"y^f
and men, as well in Hone as in wood, as .vliniinj,
prettily as good workmen in thcfe parts ; ami carv-
and notwithftanding they fcrvc not them- '"g-
felves with them in adoration, but only to
pleafc the fight, and the life of fome pri-
vate tools, as in tobacco-pipes. And in
that, as 1 have faid at the lirft, though they
be without divine worfliip, 1 praife them
more than the Virginians, and all other
lorts of people, which, more lieafts than
the very bcalb, worftiipand reverence fenfe-
Icfs things.

Capt. Laudonniere in his hiftory of Ho-Tlief/o-
rtda, faith, that they of that country have '"'""'•
no knowledge of God, nor of any religion,
but of that which appearcth unto them, as
the fun and moon ; to whom, nevcrthelefs,
I find not in all the faid hillory that they
make any adoration, favingthat when they
go to war, the Paracouji makcth fome
prayer to the fun for to obtain viftory, and
which being obtained he yieldeth him
prailes for it, with fongs to the honour of
him, as I have more particularly fpoken in
the loth chapter of my firft book. And,
notwithftanding, Monf. de Belleforejl writ-
eth to have taken from the faid hiftory
that which he nientioneth of their bloody
facrifices, like to them of the Mexicans^
afTcmbling themfelvcs in one field, and fet-
ting up their lodges, where after many
dances and ceremonies, they lift up in the
air and offer to the fun him upon whom the
lot is fallen to be facrificed. If he be bold
in this thing, he prcfumeth no lefs where

/ Dcjcription of New France.

ia\8
duC-
thof .

tfV-

v».

lie writcth the lil;e of the people of Can.uh,
wliom he nukfth ratriliccrs ol hiim.in bo-
ilifs, althoutjh tliuy never thoiij^ht on it.
l-'or it Capt. yjma ^^artitr liaih lun foiiic
of their enemies hculs, ilrciral likr Ic ithcr,
fi't upon piece* of w(X)'i, itiiothiiot follow
that they have Ixcn lacrirucd, liut it \^ tlu'ir
culloin to do To, like to tlic anticnt Gaulois,
that iit to fay, to take off the hcaiK of their
<'iictuic» whom they have killfil, anil to
let ilicm up in, or witliout iluii cabins :\%
A trophy i which is ufual thoioii^h all the
Hyi-Imlifs.

To return to our lloritlmtis. If any one
will call the honour they do to the fun, tu
Ix: an aft of religion, I will not contrary
him. For in the old time of the gohkii
age, when that ignorance found place
anumi^fl nun, many (confiderinii the ad-
mirable effects of die fan and of the nuxjn,
wherewith God ufed» to govern things in
this low world) attiibutcd unto them the
revtrenccdiie to the creator : and this man-
ner of reverence is expounded unto us by
'Job, wlieii he faith : Jf I buvt hebohkii the
fun ill his brij^hlitcfs, and the moon running
iL'iir I ' iiml if my Ixarl bulb been fediicet! in
fecrct, and my mouth balb kijpd my hand \
this alfo had been nn iniquity to be condemned,
for I bad denied the great God above. As
for the hand kilTing it is a kind of reve-
rence which is yet obfcrved in doing ho-
mages. Not being able to touch the fun,
they flretched forth their hands towards it,
then kilTcd it : or they touchcii his idol,
and afterwards did kifs the hand that had
touched it. And into this idolatry did the
people of Ifrael fometimes fall, as we fee
in Ezekiil.
Brr.ftliivn. In regard of the Bra/ilians, I find by
the difcourfe of John de Leri, whom I had
rather follow than a Spanijh author, in that
which ht hath feen, that not only they arc
like unto ours, without any form of religion
or knowledge of (iod, but that they are fo
blind and hardened in their anth:opophagy,
thit they fcem to Ik in no wife capable of
the Cliriflian doctrine. Alfo they are vi-
fibly tormented and beaten by the devil,
which they call Jigiian, and with fuch ri-
gour, that when they fee him come, fome-
times in the (hape of a bead, fometimes of
a bird, or in fome ftrange form, they are,
as it were, in defpair : which is not with
the other favages, more hitherward, to-
wards NeafounJland, at leaft, with fuch
rigour. For James i^luartier reporteth,
that he cafteth earth in their eyes, and ihcy
call him Cudouagni ; and there where we
were, where they call him /hutem, I have
fometimes heard that he had fcratched
Mnnbertcu, being then, as it were, a kind
of (bothlliyer of the country. When one

^S9

tiT.H the Biiiji/iani that one mud believe
111 (i(Kl, they like tli.it advice well enough,
but by and by they forget their lelfon ami
Ktarn a^^ain to their own vomit, which li
a llr.iiige bruiillinets, not to be willing at
the le.ill to reilecm themlclves from the de-
vil's vexation, by religion V which nulkelh
th' m iiiexcufable, feeing alfo they have
Idiuc memory remaining in thim I'f tlr
(■cner.d fUH)d, and of the gofpel, il it Ixr
fotliat their report be true, for they make
mention in their fongs that the wutets Ixiuj^
once oveillown, did cover all the e.iiili,
and all men were ilrowned, except their
grandfathers, who faved themfelves upon
the highell tret* of their country : and of
this flood other f^ivages, mentioned by mc
elllwhere, have ..!fo fome tradition. As
concerning the gofpel, the (MdeLeri f;iith,
that having once found occafion to fliew
unto them the beginning of the world, and
how *tii meet to belicvr in God, and their
miferable condition, they gave ear unto
him with great attention, being all amazed
for that which they had heard \ and thar,
thereupon, an ancient man, taking upon
him to fpeak, faid, that in truth lie had
recited wonderful things unto them, which
made him tocall to mind that which many
times they had heard of their grandfathers,
that of a long time fithence a tnair, that is
to (iiy, a ftranger, cloathed and bearded
like to the Frenchmen, had been there,
thinking to bring them to the obedience of
the GckI which he declared unto them, and
had ufcd the like exhortation unto them i
but that they would not believe him : and,
thercfoie, there came another thither, who,
in fignof acurfc, gave ihtm their armours,
wheicwith fince they have killed one ano-
ther : and that there w.is no likelihood they
fhould forfake that manner of life, bccauic
that all their neighbour nations would mock
them for it.

But our Souriqiiois, Canadians, and their
neighbours, are not Co hardened in their
wicked life ; no, neither the Virginians nor
Floriditins, but will receive the Chriftian
clc)<5trine very cafily, when it fhall pleafe
God to ftir up them that be able to fuccour
them, neither are they vifibly tormented,
beaten, and torn by the devil, as this bar-
barous people of Bra/il, which is a ftrange
maledidion, more particular unto them
than to other nations of tliofe parts : which
maketh me believe that the voice of the
apolllesmay have reached fo far, according
to the faying of the faid old ancient man,
to which having (lopped their ears, they
bear a particular punifhment for it, not com-
mon to others, which peradventure have
never heard the word of God, fince the
univerfal flopd, whereof all thofc nations,

86o A Defer iption of New France.

in more tlian three thoiifand leagues of hath been given them by tradition from
ground have an obfcurc knowledge, which father to fon.

C H A P. VI. .

Of the footbJ<i)rrs and majien '4 the ceremonies among the Indians.

■ U J '

I Will not call, as fome have done, by
the name of priells, them that make
the ceremonies and invocations of devils
among the If^ejl- Indians, but inasmuch as
they have the ufe of iacrifices and gifts
that they offer to their Gods, for as much
as the apollle faith, every prieft or bifhop
is ordained to offer gifts and facrifices ; fuch
as were them of Mfx/Vo, the grcateft whereof
was called Papas, who offered incenfe to
their idols, the chief of them was that of
the god whom they did name Vttzilipuztli,
although neverthelefs, the general name of
him whom they held for fupreme lord and
author of all things, was Vtracocba, to
whom they attributed excellent qualities,
calling him Pachacamac, which is creator
of heaven and earth •, and Ujapu, which is
admirable, and other fuch like names.
They had alfo facrifices of men, as them
of Peru have yet, which they facrificed in
great number, as Jofeph Acofta difcourfeth
thereof at large. Thofe may be called
priefts or (ncrificers -, but in regard of them
of Virgima and Florida, I do not fee any
facrifices they make, and therefore, I will
qualify them with the name of wizards,
or mailers of the ceremonies of their reli-
gion, which in Florida I find to be called
larvas, and lonas ; in FtrgiHiat Vuiroances ;
in Brafil, Caribes; and among ours, I
mean the Souriquois, jicutmeins, Laudon-
iiierc, fpeaking of Florida, " They have,
*' faith he, their priefts, unto whom they
" give great credit, becaufe they be great
" magicians, great foothfayers and callers
" on devils. Thefe priefts do ferve them
" for phyficians and chirurgeons, and
** carry always with them a bag full of
" herbs and drugs to phyfick them that be
" fick, which be the moft part of the great
" pox V for they love women and maidens
" very much, whom they call the daugh-
" tcrs of the fun : if there be any thing
" to be treated, the king calleth the lar-
" van, and the ancienteft men, and de-
•' mandeth their advice." See, moreover,
what I have written heretofore in the 6th
chapter of the firft book. As for them of
Fir^iim, they are no lefs fubtle than them
of Horida, and do procure credit to them-
Iclves, making them to be refpefted by

tricks or (hew of religion, like to them thaC
we have fpoken of in the laft chapter,
fpeaking of fome dead men rifen up again.
It is by fuch means, and under pretext of
religion that the Inguas made tnemfelves
heretofore the greateft princes of America,
And them of thefe parts that would deceive
and blind the people have likewife ufcd of
that fubtilty, as Numa Pompilius, Ly/ander^
Sertorius, and other more recent, doing,
as faith Plutarch, as the players of trage-
dies, who defirous to fliew forth things,
over-reaching the human ftrength, have
refuge to the fuperior power of the gods.

The Aoutmoins of the laft land of the
Indies, which is the neareft unto us, arc
not fo blockifh but that they can make the
common people to attribute fome credic
unto them ; tor by their impoftures they
live and make themfelves efteemed to be
neceffiry, playing the part of phyficians J^^ phy-
and chirurgeons as well as the Floridians: ^^?^'^'^'^
let the great Sagamos Membertou be an ex- ^^^^^ „f
ample thereof; if any body be fick, he isihc fa-
fent for, he maketh invocations on his de- vages.
vil, he bloweth upon the part grieved, he
maketh incifions, fucketh the bad blood
from it ; if it be a wound he healcth it by
the fame means, applying a round Alice of
the beaver.i ftones. Finally, fome prefent
is made unto him, either of venifon or
fkins. If it be queftion to have news of
things abfent, having firft queftioned with
his fpirit, he rendereth his oracles com-
monly doubtful, very often falfe, but fomc-
times true v as when he was alked whether
Panoniac were dead, he fliid, that unleft
he did return within fifteen days, they
fhould not expect him any more, and ';hat
he was killed by the Armouchiquois ; and
for to have this anfwer, he muft be pre-
fented with fome gift •, for there is a trivial
proverb among the Greeks, which bcarcth,
that without money Pha'bus* oracles are
dumb. The fame Membertou rendered a
true oracle of our coming to Monf. du
Pont, when that he parted from Port Roya{
for to return into France, feeing the 1 5th
day of July paffi;d without having any
news. For he did maintain (till, and did
affirm that there (liould come a ftiip, and
that his devil had told it him ; item, when

the

A Defcription of New France.

86i

and
of

the riivages be a hungred, they confult with
Membertou's oracle, and he faith unto them*
Go ye to fuch a place and you (hall Hnd
game. It happcneth fometimes that they
Hnd fome, and fometimes none: if it
chance that none be found, the excufc is,
that the beaft is wandering and hath chang-
ed place } but fo it comes to pafs, that
very often they find fome : and this is it
which makes them believe that this devil
is a god, and they know none other, to
whom notwithftanding, they yield not
any fervice nor adoration in any form of
religion.
How the When that thefe Aoutmoins make their
/"''"'"''_"' mows and mops, they fix a flaff ilS a pit,
thl"dcvi'l ^° which they tie a cord, and putting their
head into this pit, they make invocations
or conjurations, in a language unknown to
the others that are about, and this with
beatings and bowlings, until they fweat
with very pain : yet 1 have not heard that
tlicy foam at the mouth as the Turks do.
Wiien this devil is come, this mafter^oa^-
vioiu makes them believe that he holdeth
iiim tied by his cord, and holdeth faft
againft him, forcing him to give him an
anfwer before he let him go. By this is
known the fubtilty of this enemy of nature,
■ who bcguileth thus thefe miferable creatures,
and his pride withal, in willing that they
which do call upon him, yield unto him
more fubmifiion than ever the holy pa-
triarchs and prophets have done to God,
who have only prayed with their fiices to-
wards the ground.
A fong to That done, he beginneth to fing fome-
^^^ rf j! thing (as I think) to the praife of the devil,
vil. "^ who hath difcovered fome game unto them;
and the other favages that are there do an-
fwer, making fome concordance of mufick
among them : then they dance after their
manner, as we will hereafter fay, with fongs
which I underftarjd not, neither thofe of
ours iliat undcrllood their fpeech beft.
Rut one day going to walk in our meadows
along the river, 1 drew near to Memberioii's
cabin, and did write in my table-book
part oi that which I underftood, which is
written liwrc yet, in thefe terms •, haloet ho
Lo bi' be ba ba babet bo ho he, which they
did repeat divers times; the tune is in my
l.iid tablo-book in thefe notes; refafolfol
re fu! I'ol fa fa re re fol fol fa fit. One fong
being cnd"d, they all made a great excla-
uiatidn, faying E! Then began again
another fong, faying; egr\^na hau e^rigna
he tjc bn bu ho bo cgrigiia hau ban hati ; the
tune ot this was, fa fa fa folfol fa fa re re
folfoifafa re fa fa folfol fa. Having made
the ufual exclamation, they began yet ano-
ther fong whicii was ; Tamcia alldujah ta-
mcia (wu -jcni hau ban he be : the tune where-
of was, fol fol folfafa re re re fa fa folfa
Vol, II.

folfafa re re. I attentively hearkened ujj-
on this word allcltijahre^e^xeA fundry times,
and could never hear any other thing ;
which maketh me think, that thefe fongs
are to the praifes of the devil, if notwith-
ftanding this word fignify with them that
which it fignifieth in Hebrew, which is,
praife ye the Lord. All the jther nations
of thofe countries do the like ; but no bo-
dy hath particularly defcribeu, their fongs,
faving John de Leri, who faith that the
Brafilians do make as good agi-eem(;nts in
their fabbaths. And being one day at\heir
folemnity, he doth report that they ftid,
he he he he be he he he he be, with this note,
fa fa fol fa fa fol fol fol fol fol. And that
done, they cryed out and howled after a
fearful manne*' the fpace of a quarter of an
hour, and the women die! fkip violently
in the air until they foamed at the mouth :
then began again their mufick, faying,
hcit bear aure hetir a hettr aure heura bear a. ' '

otiech; the note is, fa mi re fol fol fol fa mi
re mi re mi ut re. This author faith, that
in this fong, they bewailed their deceafed
fathers which were fo valiant ; and never-
thelefs they comforted themfelves, for that
after their death, they were afilired to go
to them behind the high mountains, where
they (hould dance and be merry with them.
Likewife that they had, with all vehemen-
cy, threatened the Oeulacas their enemies,
to be in very fhort time taken and eaten
by them, according as the Caraibes had
promifed them; and that they had alfo
made mention of the flood fpoken of in
the former chapter. I leave unto them
that do write of Demommanie, to philofo-
phize upon that matter. But moreover,
I muft fay that whilft our favages do fing
in that manner betorcfaid, there be fome
others which do nothing elfe but fiy he or
hct (like to a man that cleaveth wood)
with a certain motion of the arms ; and
dance in round, not holding one another, The dan
nor moving out of one place, fl:riking with ces of tha
their feet againft the ground, which is the'^^^S'^-
form of their dances, like unto thofe which
the faid de Lcri reportcth of them of Rrafd,
which areabout fifteen hundred leagues irom
tliat place. After which things, our lavages
make a fire and leap over it, as the ancient
Canaanites, Ammonites, and fometimes the
l/raetites did ; but they are not fo deteftable,
for they do not ficrifice their children to the
devil through the fire. Befides all this,
they put half a pole out of the top of the
cabin where they are, at the end whereof
there is fome matacbias, or fomething elfe
tied, which the devil carrieth away. Thus
have 1 heard the difcourfe of their manner
of doing in this matter.

There may be here confidered a bad ufe

to leap over the fire, and to make the

lo K children

862

A Dcfcription of New France.

The Jevi!
will be
fervL'd as
God.

Ibl

children to pafs through the flame, in the
bone-fire made upon St. ']chn BaflijPs day ;
which ciiflom endiireth yet to tliis day
among us, and ought to be reformed :
for the fame comcth from the ancient abo-
minations that God hath fo much hated,
whereof Tbeodoret fpcaketh in this wife:
/ have feen (faith lie) in fame towns piles of
-wood kindUdr once a ycur, and not only cbil-
dren to leap over them, but alfo men, and
the mothers bearing their children over the
flamsL, ivbicb didjkm unto them to be as an
expiation and purification ; and this in my
judgment was the fin o/Achaz.

Thefe falhions ha^■e been forbidden by
an ancient council holden at Conjlantinople :
whereupon Balfamon doth note, that the
twenty-third day of 7""^ (which is St. John
Baptijl's eve) men and women did affemble
themfclves at the fea (hore and in houfes,
and the cldeft daughter was dicflsd like a
bride, and after they had made good chear
and well drunk, dances were made, with
exclamations and fires all the night, prog-
nofticating of good and bad luck. Thefe
fires have been continued among us, upon
a better fubjeft j but the abufe muft be
taken away.

Now as the devil hath always been wil-
ling to play the ape, and to have a fervice
like to that which is given to God, fo
would he that his officers fliould have the
mark of their trade, to the end to deceive
the fimple people the better. And indeed
Membertou, of whom we have fpoken, as
a learned Aoutmoin, carrieth hanged at his
neck the mark of his profeflion, which is
a purfe rrianglewife, covered with their
embroidery work, that is to fay with ma-
tachias ; within which there is I know not
what, as big as a fmall nut, which he faith
to be his devil, called Aoutem, which they
of Canada do name Cudouagni, as faith
James ^lartier. I v/ill not mingle facred
things with prophane, but according as I
have faid, that the devil playeth the ape,
this maketh me to remember of the ratio-
»^/ or /)f5orrt/ of judgment, which the high
prieft did carry before him in the ancient
law, on the which, Mofes had put Urim
and Tbummim. Now Rabbi David faith,
that it is not known what thefe Urim and
'fburnmim were, and it feemeth that they
were Hones. Rabbi Selomoh faith, that it
was the name of God Jehovah, an inefiable
name, which he did put within the folds of
the peroral, whereby he made his word to
ihine. Jofepbus doch think that they were
twelve precious Hones. St. Hierom doth in-
terpret theli: two words to fignify dotlrine
and truth.

And as the prieftly office was fucceffivf,
not only in the houfe of Aaron, but alfo
in the family of the great prieft of Mem-
phis, whofe office was affigned to his eldeft
fon after him, as thyamis faith, in the
Jhthiopian hiftory of IMiodorus: even fo
among thefe people this. office is fucceffive,
and by tradition they do teach the fecret
thereof to their eldeft fons. For Memher-
tou's cldeft fon (who was named Judas, in
jcft, for which he was angry, underlland-
ing it was a bad name) told us, that after
his father, he fhould be Aoulmoin in that
precinft, which is a fmall matter: for every
Sagamos hath his Aoiittnoin, if himfelf be
not ib, but yet they covet the fame, for
the profit that comctli thereof.

The Brafilians have their Caraibes, who
travel through the villages, making the
people believe that they have communica-
tion with fpirits, through wijiofe means
they can, not only give them victory
againft their enemies, but alfo, that of
them depends the fertility or fteriiity of the
ground. They have commonly a certain
kind of bells or rattles in their h.;nds,
which they call maraca, made witli the
fruit of a tree, as big as an Oftricii's egg,
which they make hollow, as they do here
the bottles of the pilgrims that go to St.
Jatnes. And having filkd them with fmall
ftones, they make a noife with them in
their folemnitics, like the bladders of hogs :
and going from town to town they beguile
the world, telling the people that their
devil is within the fime. Thefe maraca
or rattles, well decked with fair feathers,
they ftick in the ground the ftaft' that is
through it, and do place them all along and
in the midft of the houfes, ccmmanding
that meat and drink be given to them. In
fuch wife that thefe cogging mates, mak- ti,£. j^.
ing the other poor idiots to believe (as the poilure of
facrificers of the idol Bel did heretofore, 'hcC«.
of whom mention is made in the hiftory of ''"'^"•
Daniel) that thofe truits do eat and drink
in the night ; every houftiolder giving cre-
dit thereto, doth not fail to fet near thefe
maraca, meal, fiefli, fifh and drink,
which fervice they continue by the fpace
of fifteen days or three weeks -, and during
that time, they are fo tbolifh as to perfwade
themfclves, that in founding with thefe ,
maraca, fomc fpirit fpeaketh unto them,
and attribute divinity unto them in fuch
fort, that they would efteem it a great
mifdeed to take away the meat that is pre-
fented before thofe fair Bels •, with which
meats, thofe reverend Caraibes do merely
fatten themfclves. And ib under tlilfe
pretexts, is the world deceived.

CHAP,

.1 -.J,.,?;, J ;

A Defcription of New France.

w-vj^ .4v«*-= -^

t;;

CHAP. VII. .

Of their language. '^' -'•

«;-,;-h.i j,Sf.'^

863

eof

J-

TH E effcdVs of the confufion of Babel,
arc come in as far as to thofe people
whereof we fpeak, as well as in the hither
Sundry world. For I fee that the Patagons do fpeak
laiisuaget, another language than them of Brajil, and
they otherwife than the Peruvians, and the
Peruvians are d'AinO. from the Mexicans:
the ifles like wife have their peculiar fpeech ;
they fpeak not in Florida as they do in
Virginia : our Souriquois and Etecbemins un-
. derdand not the Armouchiquois, nor thefe
the Iroquois ; briefly, every nation is divi-
ded by the language •, yea in one and the
felf fame province there is difitrence in
language, even as in Gallia, the Fleming,
they of Bafe Brelagne, the Gafcon and the
Bafque do not agree. For the Author of
the hiftory of Virginia faith, that there
every wiroans or lord, hath his peculiar
fpeech. Let this be for example, that the
chief man or captain of feme precincl
Cvvhom our hiftorians James ^tartier and
Laudonnicre, do call by the name of king)
is called in Canada, Agohanna; among the
Souriquois, Sugamos; in Virginia, Viroans;
in Florida, Paraculfi ; in the ifles of Cuba,
Cacique ; the kings of Peru, Inguas, and
fo forth : I have left the Armoucbiquois and
others, which I know not. As tor the
Brafdians they have no kings, but the old
ancient men, whom they call Peoreroupi-
ibech; becaufeof the experience they have
of things paft, arc they which do govern,
exhort and difpole of all things. The
vtry tongues arc changed, as wc lee, that
with us we have not the language of the
ancient Gaullois, nor that which was in
Caroiiis Mat^ims's time, (at leaft it in.*h
dill'er very much). The Italians do fpeak
no more Latin, nor the Grecians the an-
cient Creek, cfpecially in the fca coafls,
nor the Jeivs the ancient Hebrew. In like
manner, Jdines i~liiaylier hath kit unto us
a kind of dictionary of tiie language of
Canada, wherein our Frenchmen that haunt
there, in thcfe days, underftand nothing,
and therefore I would not infert it here :
only I have there found Caraconi which
fignifieth bread, and now they fay Caracona,
which 1 efteem to be a word of Bafque,
For the fatisiadtion of fome, I will fet here
fome numbers of the ancient and new lan-
guage of Canada.

The old.

1 Si-gada.

2 '■ligeni.

The new.

1 Bet^oti.

2 JSicbou.

3 4^'-

4 Homacon,

5 Onifcon.

6 Indaic.

7 Ayaga.

8 Addegue.

9 Madellon,

10 AJfem.

Nichioa.

Rau.

Apateta.

Coutouachin,

Neouacbin.

8 Neftouachin.

9 Pefcoiiadet.

10 Metren.

The Souriquois do fay.

1 Negout, 1

2 Tabo.

3 Chicht.

4 Neou,

5 Nan.

6 Kamacbin.

7 Eroeguenik 7

8 Meguemorcbin. 8

9 Ecbkonadek. 9

10 Metren. 10

4
5
6

The Etechemina
Bechknn.
Nicb.
Nach.
lau.

Prencbk.
Chachit.
Coutachit.
Erouiguen.
Pecbcoqusm. . •;'
Peiock.

For the conformity of languages, there Conformi-
are fometimes found words in thefe parts, »y of'^n-
which do fignify fomething there, as7o^»B""S"
de Leri faith, that leri fignifieth an oijler in
Brafd; but very few words are found
which come in one and the felf fame fig-
nification. In Maffeu^s oriental hiflory,
I have read fagamos in the fame fignifica-
tion as our Souriquois do take it, to wit, a
king, a duke, a captain: and they that
have been in Guiney fay, that this word
babougic, fignifieth there a little child, or
a fawn of a beaft, in that fenfe as the faid
Souriquois take that word ; as this French
word mouftacbe, which cometh of mijlax,
and that which we fay in French, hoire a
tire-larigot, which I conftrue in Engli/h,
to drink till one's eyes be out, cometh of
larygx, lariggos, i^c. and the Greek words
paradeifos, bofpboros, come from the Hebrew
CD"11S and 11BD3.

Bur concerning the caufe of the change The caufe
of the language in Canada, whereof we o' ''^i-"
have tpoken, I think that it hath '^-'PF"" ian?ua °*
cd by a deftrudion of people: for it is ''"S"^£'^'"
fome eight years, fince the Iroquois did af-
femble themlllves to the number of eight
thouland men, and difcomfitcd all their
enemies, whom tliey furprized in their
inclotures. To this I add, the traffic which
they make from time to time for their
fkins, fince the Frenchmen came to fetch
them ; tor in the time of James ^lartier,
beavers were not cared for •, the hats that
be made of it are in ufe but fince that time ;
not that the invention thereof is new -, for

864

A Defcription of New F'rance.

Of tlie

pronuii-

tintion.

I'i- 1

in the ancient orders of the hat-m;ikcrs of
Pnrts^ it is faid, tliat they fliall make hats
ot tine beavers (wliich is th(.ca(tor)lHiC whc-
th'.T it Ix; lor tlic dearneis or otherwil'e,
the ulo thereof iiath been long fincc Icti
off.

As for the pronunciation, our Sotiriquci)
have the greek » wiiich we call v, and
their words^do commonly end in a as
jhuriqiiois, foiiriquoa; curtain, capitania;
tioniuvid, mnnainlia ; hafqiit\ hufquoa ; tine
martrc fa marten) fiiartra ; a baMqiict,
tiiba^ifia, l^c. But there are certain letters
which rhey cannot well pronounce, that is
to f.iy, an v confonaiit, and / indcad
w her- of they put h ami f, as for fevre
(which is a fmith) they will (iiy pebre;
and tor llmvago, (which fignifieth favage)
they fay chabaia, and fo call they them-
i'elvcs, not knowing in what fenfe we take
that word : and yet they pronounce the rell
of the French tongue better than our dy"-
cous, who, befides the turning of v into b
and of the b into z\ were yet difcerncd
in the la(t troubles, and badly handled in
Provence, by the pronouncing of the word
cabre, inftead whereof they did fay crabe
as aforetime the Epbraimitcs having loft
the battle againft the Gileadites, thinking
to fcape away, were well known in paf-
fing the river Jordan, in pronouncing the
word J}.nbboleth, which fignifieth an ear of
corn, inftead whereof they d'.l (xy fibbn-
letb, which fignifieth the ford of a river,
afking if they might well pafs: the Greeks
had alfo a fundry pronunciation of the felf-
fame word, becaufe they had four diftindl
tongues, varying from the common fpeech:
and in Plautns we read tiiat the Pecrnejlins,
no: far dillant from Rome, did pronounce
konia inftead of clconi: . Yea even at this
day, the good wives of Paris do yet lay,
mott courin for mon coufm, which is my
coufin ; and mon mazi tor mon mari, which
fignifieth hufband.
ilK- inv.i- Now to return to our favages : although
j',t- have 1 thjj [jy re^^iQn of tratfic many of our French-
' ""'^" ■"■ f„fii ^Q underftand them, notwithftanding
they have a particular tongue, which is

lOlluuC

only known to them ; which makcth tne

to doubt of that which I have faid, that

the language which was in Canada in the

time of James ^lartier is no more in ule:

for to accommodate themftlvcs with us,

they Ipcak unto us in the language which

is to us more familiar, wherein is much

bafque mingled with it ; not that they care

greatly to fpeak our languages -, for there

be fome cl tliem which do lomctimes fay,

that they come not to feek after us; but

by long frec]uentation, they cannot but re- . '

tain fome word or other.

I will farther fay, that concerning the Tlufr
numbers (feeing we have ipoken of it^ they """i'-' of
do not reckon diftinftly as we do, the ""'"''"
days, the weeks, the months, the years, "^^^'
but do declare the years by number of
funs \ as for one hundred years, they will
fay cachmetren achtek, that is to fay one
hundred funs ; bittmetrenagui: achtek one
tlioufand funs, that is to fay one thoufand
years -, metren knicbkaminati, ten months,
tabo metren guenak twenty days : and for
to fliew an innumerable thing, as the peo-
ple of Paris, they will take their hairs or
hands full of land : and after that man-
ner doth the holy fcripture likewite ufe
fometimes to number, comparing [Hijer-
bolicalie) armies to the land that is on the
fea (liore. They alfo fignify the feafons
by their cftefts, as for to make a man to
underftand that the Sagamos Poutrincourt
will come at the fpring time, they will fay,
nibir betour, {Sagmo for Sagamos, a word
ftiortened) Poutrincourt bctour kedrelch ;
that is to fay, the leaf being come, then
will the Sagamos Poutrincourt come certain-
ly. Therefore as they have no diftinftion
neither of days nor of years, fo be not
they perfecuted by the ungodlinefs of their
creditors, as in thefe parts ; neither do their
Aoulmoins (horten, nor lengthen the years,
for to gratify the brokers and bankers, as
did in antient time the idolatrous priefts of
Rome, to whom was attributed the go-
vernment and difpofing of times, of fea-
fons and of years, as Solon writeth.

CHAP. VIII.

Of the 7/fe of letters.

</( ItUcrt

IT is well known, that thefe weftern
nations have no ufe of letters, and it is
that, which all them that have written
ot them do fay they have moft admired,
to fee that by a piece of paper I give
knowledge of my will, from one end of

the world to the other v and they thought
that there ftiould be enchantment in this
paper. But that is not fo much to be won-
dered at, if we confid'r., that in the time
of the Roman cmp. lors, many nations of
tiiefe parts knew not the fecrets of letters •,

amongll

A Defcription of New France.

86s

amongft whom, tacttus putteth the Ge>-
nam, (who at this day do fwarm with men
of learning) and he adds a notable fen-
tcnce, that good manners are in more cre-
dit there, than good laws ellewhcre.

As for our Gautlois, it was not fo witli
them. For even from the old time of the
golden age, they had the ufe of letters, yea
(by the leave of thofc godly dodors who
do call them barbarousj before the Greeks
and Latins : for Xenophon ("who fpcaketh
largely of them, and of their beginning,
in his Equivoques) doth witnefe unto us, that
the letters which Cadmus brought to the
Creeks, were not fo much like to the Pb(E-
nician letters, as the Galatees ytere, that is
the Gaullois. Wherein Cafar did equivo-
cate in faying that the Druids did ufe of
Creek letters in private matters •, for con-
trariwife, the Greeks have ufed of the
Caullois letters. And Berofi faith, that the
third king of the Gaullois after the flood,
named Sorron, did inftitute univorfities in
thefe parts : and Diodorus doth add, that
there were among the Gaullois, philofophers
and divines, called Sorronides, (mwch more
ancient than the Druids) which were greatly
reverenced, and unto whom all the people
did obey. The fame authors do fay, that
Bardus, firft king of the Gaullois, did in-
vent both rhymes and mudck, brought in
poets and rhetoricians, who were called
Bards, whereof Cafar and Sirabo make

mention. But the fame Diodorus writeth,
th.it poets were among them in fuch reve-
rence, that when two armies were ready
ro llrike, having their fwords drawn, and
the JAVclins in hand to give the onfct,
tliofc poets coming, every one did furceafe
and put up their weapons i lb mucli doth
wrath f;i\e place to wifdom, yea among
the wildcl): barbarians, and fo much doth
Mars reverentc tlie mules, faith the author.
So I hope that our moft Chriftian, moft
aiiguft, and moft vidflorious king Henry
the fourth, after the thundering of bcflcging
of towns and battles is ceafed, reverencing
the nnifes and honouring them, as he hath
already done ) not only he will reduce his
eldeft daughter to her ancient glory, and
give unto her, being a royal daughter, the
propriety of that Ba/ilict fattened to the
temple of Apollo, who, by an hidden vir-
tue, did hinder that the fpiders fliould
weave their web along his walls*, but
will alio eftablifh his New France, and
bring to the bcfom of the church, fo ma-
ny poor fouls which that country beareth,
all ftarved for the want of the word of God,
who are as a prey unto hell : and that for to do
this, he will give means to condudl thither,
Chriftian Sorronides and Bards, bearing the
flower-de-luce in their hearts, who will in-
ftrudk and bring to civility thofe barbarous
people, and will bring them to his obedience.

C H A P. IX.

Of their chatbing and -wearing of their hairs.

iui;

GOD in the beginning, did create
man naked and innocent, made all
the parts of his body to be of honeft fight :
but fin hath made the members of gene-
ration to become (hameful unto us, and
not unto beads which have no fin. It is
the caufe why our firft parents having
known their nakednefs, deftkute of cloaths
did fow fig leaves togetlier for to hide their
iliame therewith: but God made unto them
coats of (kins and cloathed them with it,
and this before they went out of the garden
of Eden. Cloathing then is not only to
defend us from cold, but alfo for decency,
and to cover our Ihame : and neverthelefs
many nations have anciently lived, and at
this day do live naked, without apprchen-
fion of this Ihame, decency and honefty.
And I marvel not of the Brafilian fuvages
that are fuch, as well men as women, nor
of the ancient Pi^s (a nation of Great
Britain) who {Herodian faith) had not any
Vol-. II.

life of ck>aths, in the time of Severus the
emperor ■, nor of a great number of other
nations, that have been and yet are naked :
for one may lay of them, that they be
people fallen into a reprobate fenfe, and
forfaken of God : but of Chriftians which
are in Mtlmpia, under the great Negus,
whom we call Prefter-John \ which, by Naked-'
the report of the Portugueze that have writ- n>-'<s of the
ten hiftories of them, have not their parts, ^'^""".
which we call privy-members, any ways^""'"
covered. But the lavages of New France
and of Florida, have better learned and
Jcept in mind the lellbn of honefty, than
thofe of JEthiopia. For they cover them
with a (kin tied to a latch or girdle of lea-
ther, which patTing between their buttocks
joineth the other end of the faid latch be-
hind i and for the reft of their garments,
they have a cloak on their backs made
with many (kins, whether they be of otters
or of beavers, and one only (kin, whether
lo L it

866

A DeftripUoH of New France.

The wo-

llICll.

Ofliof-

bhc'ir?

I'hcO'oC/
tloathin''

it be of elKin, or (lag's (kin, bear, or
lufcrne, which cloak is tied upward with
a k-ather ribbaiul, and they thrull com-
monly one arm out; but being in their
cabins they put it o(V, unlefs it be cold :
and 1 cannot better compare it, than to pic-
tures that are made of IleraiUs, who killed
a lion and put the fkin thereof on his back ;
notwith(tanding they have more civility,
in that they cover their privy- members.
As for the women, they difter only in one
thing, that is, they have a girdle over the
fkin they have on \ and do refemble (with-
out comparifon) the pictures that be made
of St. John Baplift. But in winter, they
make good beaver (leeves, tied behind,
which keep them very warm. And after this
manner were the ancient Germans cloathed,
by the report of Qrjar and TacUus, having
the molt part of die body naked.

As for the /Irmoiiehiquois and Floriilians,
they have no furrs, but only (hamois : yea

■ the faid Jrmoucbiquois have very often but
a piece of mat upon their back for fafliion
fake, having neverthelefs their privy mem-
bers covered. God having fo wifely pro-
viJed for man's infirmity, that in cold
countries he hath given furrs, and not in
the hot, becaufe that otherwife men would
make no efteem of them •, and fo for that
wiiich concerneth the body. Let us come
{o the legs and feet, then we will end with
the head.

Our favages in the winter, going to fea,
or a hunting, do ufe great and high (lock-
ings, like to our boot-hofen; which they
tie to their girdles, and at the fides out-
ward, there is a great number of points
without taggs. I do not fee that they of
Brafd or Florida do ufe them, but feeing
they have leather, they may as well make
of them if they have need as the others.
Befides thefe long itockings, our favages
ilo ufe (hoes, which they call mekezin,
w hich they fadiion very properly, but they
c.mnot dure long, efpecially when they
go into watry places, becaufe they be not
curried nor hardened, but only made after
the manner of buft", which is the hide of
an ellan. Howfoever it be, yet are they
in better order than were the ancient Gottes,

J which were not thoroughly hofed, but
with bufkins or half boots, which came
fomewhat higher than the ancle of the loot,
where they made a knot, which they bound
with horfe hairs, having the calf of the leg,
the knees and thighs naked : and for the
reft of their garments, they had leather
coats plated, as grcafy as lard, and the
fleeves down to the beginning of the arm ;
.md on thofe jerkins, inftead of gold lace,
they made red borders, as our favages do.
Behold the Itate of thofe that ranllicked
the Roman empire, whom Sidonius Aplh-

ii.iris, billiop of Auver^r.c, doth dcfcrilx*
alter this manner, going to the council of
yJvitiis the emperor, for to treat of peace;

— Squdiitl vcjlci, iu prd'ula tihuro
Linteapin^ut'jcun! Urvo, ncclani^i'refojfiiut
yliiiita Jiirain /'cllnsi iK I'Oi'ti.'n undo
rcrcih-mpai(pentHdisJ:ifpc>hiiti'qn'uium,<Ji:,

As for the head attire, none oi the lava • -jhe f,iv.i.
ges have any, unlels it be that lome of thegr.i head
hidicr lands truck their fkins with I )ew/j//jd'/jiittirc.
for hats and caps; but rather both men
and women wear their iiairs ilittcrin" over
their llioulders, neither bound nor tied,
except that the men do trufs them upon tlv-
crown of the head, fomefour fingers lenodi,
with a Icither Lice, which they let hang
down behind. But for the .'hmouchiquuis
ami Flcridians, as well men as women,
they have their hairs much longer, and
they hang them dov/n lower than the
girdle when they are uiitrulfed ; for to a-
void then the hindrance that they might
bring to them, they trufs them up as our
hoffe- keepers do a horft's tail, and the men
do (tick in them fome leather that like them,
and the women a needle or bodkin with
three points, after the fafliion of the French
ladies j who alfo wear tlieir needles or bod- The fa-
kins, that ferve them partly for an orna-vagewo-
ment of the head. All the ancients had ""^i; ^""^
this cuftom to go bare-headed, and the*^
ufe of h-its is but lately come in. The fair
Abfalom was hanged by his hairs at an onk,
after he had loft the battle againft his fa-
ther's army ; and they tiid never cover their
heads in thole days, but when they did
mourn for fome misfortune, as may be
noted by the example of David, who hav-
ing underftood his fon's confpiracy, fled
from Jcrtifalem, and went up the mount-
ain of Olives weeping and having his head
covered, and all the people that was.v.ith
him. The Per/tans did the like, as may
be gathered by the hillory of Hainan, who
being commanded to honour him whom
he would have to be hanged, to wit. Mar-
decai, went home to his houfe weeping,
and his head covered, which was a thing
extraordinary. The Romans at their be-
ginning did the like, as I gather by the
words which did comm;'.ntl the hangman
to do his office, recited by Cicero and Tilus
LiviuSt in thefe terms ; vade li^or, colli^^a
manus, caput obmibitOf arbori infelici juf.
pendiio. And if we will come to our
welterly and northerly people, we fliall
find that the moll part did wear long hairs,
like unto them that we call favages. That
cannot be denied of the ^'ranf-Alpin Gaul-
lois, who for that occafion, gave the name
to Gtiliia Comala ; whereof Martial fpeak-
ing faith i . .

. bodkins.

1 Dcftription of New France.

—- Mollej'i{Uii flagellant (ulla ccmts.

Our IVmh kings have been fr.,mmeil
,:„;,TV, bucaiifc tlii;y iliii wc.ir their hiiirs fo
long thar tlu;y did htat riov.-n to the back
■ind th^ (houlticrs -, lb th.it Gregory ol Tuurs,
fpeaking of kino; C7ci'/>';. hairs, he calleth
them Capilhrtim F!.i!;r-!Li. The Goihs tlid the
like, :ind k'ii: to hang ever their fhouklers
great flocks of hairs curled, whicii the au-
thors of tha: iiine do call graiwi, which
fafhion of liairs was forbidden to prielts,
.ilfo the fecular apparel, in a council of
the Gets: and Jornandei in the hiftory of
the Goths recircth, that king Atalaru would
that the priells fliould were the thiare, or
hat, making two tarts of people, fome
whom he called Pileatoi, the others Capil-
lalos, which thefe took for fo great a favour
to be called hairy, that they made mention
of this benefit in their fongs ; and notwith-
Itanding they braided not their hairs. But

I find by the tcftimony of Tacitus, that
the Siieviaiis, a nation of Germain, did
wreath, knit, and tie their hairs on the
crown of their heads, even as we have faid
of the Souriquois and Annoucbiqucis. In
one thing the /Irmouchiquois do ditier from
the Souriquois and other favaj^es of Ne:ju-
fcuiullaiul, which is, that they pall out
their haiis before, which the others do not
Contrary to whom, Pliny reciteth, that
at the defcent of the liiphien Mountains,
anciently was the region of the Arimpbccns,
whom we now call Mufcovites, who dwelt
in tbreftsi but they were all (haven, as
well men as women, and took it for a
(hameful thing to wear any hairs. So we
fee that one felf-fame fafhion of living is
received in one place and rcjcfted in ano-
ther: which is familiarly evident unto us
in many other things in our regions of theft;
parts, where we fee manners and tafhions
of living, all contrary, yea fomctimes un-
der one and the lame prince.

C H A P. X.

,0/ the form, colour, ftafure, and aBivlty of the fayages; and inddcntly of tht
fies in thcfc Kcjtcrn parti > and ivhy the Americans be not black, &c.

1 nc
f.li.'r
liioit

iia.

: be

AMongft all the forms of living and
bodily creatures, that of man is the
fiilreft and the nioft pcrftdt: which was
very decent, both to die creature and to
the creator, feeing that man is placed in
this world, to command all that is here
beneath. But aUhoui^h that nature endea-
voureth hsrfclf always to do good, not.
withftandlng llie is fometimes Ihort and
forced in her adtions, and thereof it cometh
that we have monfters and ugly things,
contrary to the ordinary rule of others.
Yea even fometiines after that nature hath
done her office, we help by our arts, to
render that which Ihe hath made ridiculous
and mifliapen 5 as for example, the Bra-
filians are born as fair as the common fort
of men, but coming out of the womb
they are made deformed in fqueezing of
their nofe, which is the chiefeft part where-
in confilteth. the beauty of man. True it
is that as in certain countries they praife
the long nofes, in others the kawk iioi'es,
l"o among the Brnfdians it is a fair thing
to be fiat nofed, as alfo among the Moors
of yifrica, which' we lee to be all of the
iitine lijit. And with thefe large noftrils,
the Brnfdiiuis arc acciillomed to make
thcmfelvLS yet more deformed by art,
making great holes in their cheeks, and
under the lower lip, for to put therein
green itoiies and of other colours, of the

bignefs of a tefter -, fo that thofe ftoneS
being taken away, it is a hideous thing
to fee thofe people. But in Florida, and
every where, on this fide the Tropick of
Cancer, our fav.iges be generally goodly
men, as they be in Europe •■, if there be
any Ihort-nofed one it is a rare thing.
They be of a good ftature, and I have
feen no dwarfs there, nor any that drew
near to it. Notwithflanding (as I have
faid elfcwhere) in the Mountains of the
Iroquois, which are beyond the great fall
of the great river of Caiiada, there is a
certain nation of favagcs, little men, va-
liant and feared every where, whicli are
more often alTailers than defenders. But
although that where we dwelt the men be
of a good height, neverthelefs I have
feen none fo tall as Monf de Poutrinccurt,
whofe tallnefs becometh him very well.
T will not fpeak here of the Patagons, a
people which is beyond the rivcr oi Plate,
whom Pighafetta, in his voyage about the
world, faith to be of fuch an height that the
tallell among us could fcarce reach to their
girdle. Thefameis outof thelimitsof our
New France. But I will willingly cotne to
the other circumffances of body of our fava-
ges, feeing thefubjcft callethus thereunto.

They are all of an olive colour, or ra- The cn-
thcr tawny colour, like to the Spcuiiards, r.ct lour of th«
that they be fo born, but being the moll lavages.
part o'i the time naked, they greafe their

bodies

I i

863

yj Defiriptkn of New France.

Thrdr
Uripiioii
ol'thf f.io
of AVif

Tlie fava
gi--. rcmc

ilifs a-
giiiiift tlic

lilCf.

From
whence
Cometh
the burn-
ing of A
fiua.

From

wiicncc

proceed-

boJics, and do anoint them fomctiims
with oil, for to dctcnd them trom thf
Hies, wliicli are very troubleComc ; not
only, where we were, but alio thorough
all tliat new vvorki, and even in Hi\ijil -,
lb th.it it is no wonder it Becizebiib jm ince
ol' Hies hatli there a great cnijiire. I'liele
Hies arc of a colour drawing towards red,
as of corrupted blood, v.'hicJi maketh me
to believe that their generation comcth
but from the rottennels of woods. And
inrleed wc have tried that the fccond year,
being in a place fomewhat more open, we
have had fewer of them than at the firft.
riicy cannot endure great heat, nor wind •,
but otherwife (as in clofe dark weather)
tiuy are very noifome, by reafon of their
Itiiigs which ihey have, long for fo fmall
a lx)ily i and they be fo tender that if one
touch them never fo little they are fqueez-
ed. They begin to come about the fif-
teenth of June, and do retire thcmfclves in
the beginning of September. Being in the
Pert de Campfeati in the month of Augufty
\ have not feen or felt any one ; whereof
I did wonder, feeing that the nature of
the foil and of the woods is all one. In
September, after that this vermine is gone
aw.iy, there grow other flies like unto
ours, but they arc not troublcfome,
and become very big. Now our favages
to favc themfclves from the dinging of
thefc creatures, rub thcmfelves with cer-
tain greafes and oils, as I have faid,
which makes them foul and of a tawnilh
colour : befides, that always they lie on
the ground, or be expofed to the heat
and the wind.

But there is caufe of wondring, where-
fore the Brafdians, and other inhabitants
of America between the two Tropicks, are
not born black as they of Africa, feeing
tli.it it feemeth it is the fclf-fame cafe, be-
ing under one and the felf-fame parallel,
.md like elevation of the fun. If the
poets fables were fufficient reafons for to
take away this fcruple, one might fay
that Phaeton having done the foohfti deed
in conducing the chariot of the fun, only
Africa was burned, and the horfes fet
again in their right courfe, before they
came to the new world. But I had ra-
ther fay, that the heat of Lybia, being
tlie caufe of this blacknefs of men, is in-
gcndred from the great lands over which
die fun paffeth before it come thither,
from whence the heat is (till carried more
abundantly by the fwift motion of tl.is
great heavenly torch. Whereunto the
great fands of that province do alfo help,
which are very capable of thofe heats,
fj)ecially not being watered with ftore of
rivers as America is, wliich aboundeth in
rivers and brooks as much as any pro-
vince in the world -, which do give per-

pef.iiil refrediing unto if, and m.ikcs tlic pili ihe
uyion mutli nmrt- temper.itc; the ground coding of
being alfo there more t;ir, and reiaining •''«""•''
better the dews ot hciven, which .ire
there abundantly and rams alio, fur the
realbns aboveliiid. For the fun finding in
the meeting of thefc lands thofe great
nifiil nelfts, he doth not tail to dr.iw agood
quantity of them ; and that lb much the
more plentifully, that his force is there
great and marvellous ; which makes there
continual rains, Specially to them that
have him for their zenith. I add one
great reafon, that the fun leaving the
lands of Africa, giveth his beams upon a
moirt element by fo long a courfe, that
he hath good means to fuck up vapours,
and to draw together with him great quan-
tity thereof into thofe parts •, which mak-
eth that the caufe is much differing of
the colour of thofe two people, and ot the
temperature of their lands.

Let us come to other circumflanccs. Black
and feeing that we are about colours, I li^it-.
will fay, that all they which I have {ctn
hare black hairs, tome excepted which
have Abraham colour luirs -, but of flaxen
colour I have feen none, and Icfs of red ;
and one muft not think that they which
are more foutherly be otherwife i for the
Floridians and Brafdians arc yet blacker
than the favages of Ncwfcundlaiid. The
bcird of the chin (which our favages
call migidoni) is withthem as black as their
hairs. They all take away the producing
caufe thereof, except the Sagamos, who
for the mod part have but a little. Mem-
hertoH hath more than all the others, and
notwithftanding it is not thick, as it is
commonly with Frenchmen : if thefe peo-
ple wear no beards on their chin (at the
leafl the moft part) there is no caufe of
marvelling. For the ancient Romans thcm-
felves, efteeming that that was a hindcr-
ance unto them, did wear none, until
the time of Adrian the emperor, who
firft began to wear a beard ; whicli they
took for fuch an honour, that a man ac-
cufed of any crime, had not that privi-
lege to Ihave his hairs, as may be ga-
tliered by the teftimony of Au/us Gellius,
fpeaking of Scipio, the fon of Paul. As
for the inferior parts, our favages do not
hinder the growing or incrcafing of hairs
there -, it is faid that the women have
fome there alfo. And according as they
be curious, fomc of our men have maile
them believe, that tiie French women
have beards on their chins, and have klc
them in that good opinion, fo that they
were very tielirous to fee fome of them,
and their manner of cloathing. By thcfe
particularities one may underftand, that
all thefe people have generally Icffer hairs
than we ; for along the body they have

none

A Dejcription of New France.

Ui)

none at all •, fo far is it then that, thty be
hairy as fome think. This bclongcth to
the inhabitants of the illts Gorgadcs, fioni
whence Ilanno the Cartha^ini<ui captain
brought two womens (kins, which he did
fct up in the temple of Juno tor grc.it
fingularity •» but here is to be noted what
we have faid, that ourfavagc people have
almoft all their hairs black \ for the French-
men in one and the fdf-fame degree are
not commonly fo. The ancient authors
Polyiius, Ctfftir, Strabo, Diodore the Cici-
lian, and particularly jmmian jkarcelUn,
do fay, that the ancient Gaullois had al-
moit all their hairs as yellow as gold,
were of high ftatiire, and fearful for their
ghaftly looks ; befides quarrelfome and
ready to ftrike ; a fearful voice, never
fpeaking but in threatning. At tliis time
thofe qualities are well changed ; for there
are not now fo many yellow hairs ; nor fo
many men of high ftaturc, but that other
nations have as tall v as for the fearful
looks, the delicacies of this time have
moderated that ; and as for the threat-
ning voice, I have fcarcc feen in all the
Gauls, but the Gafcons, and them of
Languedoc, which have their manner of
fpeech fomewhat rude, which they retain
of the Gotijh and of the Spaniard, by
their neighbourhood ; but as for the hair
it is very far from being fo commonly
black. The fame author Jmmian faith
alfo, that the women of the Gauls (whom
he noted to be good Ihrews, and to be
too hard for their hufbands, when they
are in choler) have blue eyes, and confe-
qucntly the men ; and notwithftanding
in that refpeft we are much mingled ;
which maketh that one knoweth not what
rarenefs to chufe for the beauty of eyes.
For many do love the blue eyes ; and o-
thers love them green ; which were alfo
in ancient time moft praifed. For among
the Sonnets of Monf. de Couci, (who was
in old time fo great a clerk in love mat-
ters, that fongs were made of it) green
eyes are praifed.

The Germans have kept better than we
the qualities which Tacitus giveth them ;
likcwife that which /Immian recitethof tiie
Gaullois : In fo great a number of men
(faith Tacitus) there is but one falhion of
garments ; they have blue eyes and fear-
iul, their hairs fhining as gold, and are
very corpulent. Pliny givetli the fame
bodily qualities to the people of the Ta-
probane, faying that they have red hairs,
their eyes blue, ard the voice horrible
and fearful. Wherein I know not if I
ought to belicn'e him, confidering the cli-
mate, which is in the 8tl), 9th, and loth,
degrees only, and that in the kingdom
of Calecute, farther off than the j€qui-
noilial line, the men are black. But as
Vol. II.

for our favagcs, concerning their eyes,
tliiy have them neither bku; nor grien,
but black for the moft part, like to their
hairs v and neverthelefs their eyes are not
irnall, as they of the ancient Scythians,
but of a decent greatnefs. And I may
fay aflliredly anil truly, that I have k^n.
there as fair boys and girls, as any can be
in France. For as for the mouth, they
have no big moorifli lips, as in Africa,
and alfo in Spain \ they are well limbed,
well boned, and well bodied, competent-
ly ftrong i and neverthelefs we had many
in our company who might have wreft-
led well enough with the ftrongeft of
them i but being hardncd, there would
be made of them very good men for the
war, which is that wherein they moft de-
light. Moreover, among them there are
none of thofe prodigious men whereof
Pliny maketh mention \ which have no
nofes on their faces, or no lips, or no
tongue ; item, which are without mouth,
and without nofe ; having but two fmall
holes, whereof one of them ierveth for to
breathe, the other ferveth inltead of a
mouth ; item, which have liogs heads,
and a dog for a king ; item, wiiich have
their heads on the breaft, or (Mie only eye
in the midft of the forehead, or a flat
broad foot to cover their heads when it
raineth, and fuch like monfters. There is
none alfo of them which our favage Ago-
hanna told Capt. James ^artier, that he
had fecn in Saguenay, whereof we have
fpoken heretofore. If there be any blind
with one eye, or lame (as it happeneth fome-
times) it is a cafual thing, and cometh of
hunting.

Being well compofed, they cannot
chufe but be nimble and fwift in running;
we have fpoken heretofore of tiie nimble-
nefs of the Brafilians, Margaias and 0«-
etacas ; but all nations have not thofe bo-
dily difpofitions. They which live in
mountains have more dexterity than they
of the vallies, becaufe they breathe a pu-
rer and clearer air, and that their food is
better. In the vallies the air is grofTcr,
and the lands fatter, and confequentlyun-
wliolefomer. The nations that be between
the Tropicks, Iiave alfo more agility than
the others, participating more with the
fiery nature than they that are farther off.
This is the caufe why Pliny fpeaking of
the Gorgoncs and ifles Gorgonidcs (which G^rgones.
are thofe of CapeVerd) faicJi, that the men
are there fo light of foot, that fcarce one
may follow them by the eye-light, in fuch
manner, that Hanno tiie Carthaginian
could not catch any one of them. He
maketh the like relation of the Troglo-
dytes, a nation of Guiney, whom he faith
are called Therothoens, becaufe they are
as fwift in hunting upon the land, as the
10 M Ichth^-

yl Dcjcription of New France*

I''

1 licir
ilcMcrity
in fwiiii-

i!,£.

U}.>:b\'ophA^es r.fi' prompt in fwiiiuiiing in
the tCa, vvho iilinolt ari.- as llkioin weary
riuT.'in as ;i tilli. Anil M'jJ'cus in his
liillorics ol' the- huiies rcpovtitii, tluiC the
I\',:in's Mu thi' nohks luul warriors arc;
calli'd) of th'- kinr'.ilom of Miluiuvis,
■MX lb liimhk- and lb Iwitt, as it is ahnoll
ii'.craiiblf, untl do iianiUi' lb well thtir ho-
llies at will, that tluy \lvm to iiavc no
bones, in liuh llirt, that it is iiartl to
come to Ikirniilli a[j;ainll I'urh men, loraf-
much as with tiiis agility, they advance
and recoil as they lilt. Hut tbr to make
tlumteives llich, tiiey help nature, and their
iinews arc flrctchcd out even from liven
years oi' age, whic!\ afterward are anoint-
ed and rubbed with oyl of Srfumum *.
Th.t which I lay, is known even ii;
h.alls ; for a Spiii.-i/Jj jvnna or a harbe is
iriorc lively and light m running, than a
roolVin (.'r GiraiiiiicunM \ an Itnluvi horfc
jnore than a Frnich horfc. Now althougii
that which I have laid be true, yet lor all
that there be nations out of the T'ropicks,
who by erc.rci'e anil art come to fucli agi-
lity, l-'or the holy fcripture maketli men-
tion of one //(7;:^.'i7 an Ifrcelitc, of whom
it witnelkth, that he was as light of toot
;js a roe-buck of the fields ; and for to
come to the people of the north, the Ile-
ritli are renowned tbr being fwitt in run-
ning, l)y this verfe ot Sidovius,

Ciirfii Ileriilus, jiuuUs llunnus, Francuf-

qi'.c nrJalu.

And by this fwiftncfs the Germans fomc-
times troubled very much Julius Crfar.
So our Jn:icucl'ific!s are as fwift as grey-
liounds, as we have laid lieretofore, and
the other lavages are little inferior unto
them, and yet they do not force nature,
neither do they ufe any art to run well,
ikit as the ancient Gnuliois, toeing addifted
to hunting (for it is their life) and to war,
their bodies are nimble, and lo little charg-
ed with fat, that it doth not Iiinder them
from running at their will.

Now the lavages dexterity is not
known only by running, but alfo in
fwimmiiig, which they all can do j but

it iVems, that Ibme more tli.in others. .^»
lor the Ih-.i/siidiis they are Id natural in
tiuit trade, that tlu y would I'wim ei^>;lu.
days in the fea, ii iuui'ier did not prei'i
tlum, and they iear iiioiv tli.it fome lilli
fliould devour them, thin to pcrilh
through wearinefs. 'l'\v like is in ih-
ruld, wher-.' the men will follow a liHi in
the fea, and will take it unlets it be too
^''t?' Jl/''/'^-' ■'^''^M't faith lb much ot
tli.iu ot /\tu i and as for that whicli
concernetli breathing, they have a certain
art to fup up the w.iter, and to call it out
again, by which means they will rem.iia
eafily in it a long time. The women
likewife have a marvellous 'lifpofition to
tli.it exercile ; for the hillory of furidii^
maketli mention th.it they can pals great
rivers in fwimmiiig, holding their children
with one arm ; and tiiey cUmb very nim-
bly up the liigheH: trees of the country.
I will allirin nothing of the /Irmcuchi-
quois, nor of our lavages, becaufe [ took
no heed to it \ but it is very certain that
all can fwim very cunningly, l-'or thtr
other parts of their bodies tiny have them
very perfed, as likewife the natural fen-
fes. l-'or Member ton (who is above a hun-
dred years old) did fee Iboiicr a fliallop
or a canoe of the lavages, to come a-far
off" unto Pert Royal, than any of us ; and
it is faid of the Rrnfilians and other lava-
ges of Vcru hidden in the mountains,
that they have the fmelling fo good, that
in fmelling of the liand, tliey know if a
man be a Spamard, or a Frenchman \ and
if he be a Spauiard, they kill him with-
out rcmifllon, fo much do they hate him
for the harms that they have received of
them ; which the abovcfaid y-lcofta doth
confefs when he fpeaketh of leaving the
Indians to live according to their ancient
policy, reproving the Spaniards m that.
And therefore (laith he) this is a thing
prejudicial unto us, iiccaufc that they take
occafion to abhor us '^notJ tiiat he Ipeak-
cth of tlicm who do obey them) as men
who in all things, whether it be in good
whether it be in evil, have always been,
and ftill are, contrary unto them.

...... CHAP.

S.ftnuf a kind of corn, Pliiy. !.ik iS. r.?/. TC,

•. . . . '■:.■: . '. .. *;■

l.-i_ ,1-

'. f

or I tip I

V (IglH

irililij

1',
iilllll(l-|vi'

A Dcfir'iption of New Trance

•'. :■:'::■ c II A p. XI.

Of the p.nutings, iiuvks, iniljknu am! ornament i '■f' tbcir hJi.-i.

8-1

T is no marvel if tin.- I.ulits ot our time
ilo paint tlu'inliJvrs } for ot a lonjj;
, time, and in many places tliat track' liatli
hatl Inginniiig. But it is icinovnl in ilic
lioly liodks, and made a ixj; roach by the
voitv-s ot thf prophets, as wlicii 'Jcraniab
thiiatuicth the city ot Jcriifdltm \ H'/.ct
tbou J/jih't I'i dt-liri,jed, laitli lie, ivbot
wHl ib!.ti da? ll'0!f)^b /hull cloathefl tl.'xjiJf
luith fiiirlet ; tboit^b tbou Jakijt tb)felf
ivilb onidiitciUi of gold ; tboii^b tbou painlejt
tb\ face ivith colours, yet pjull tbou tiiiii
lljyjdf in vain : for tby lovers zvill til'bcr
iba, (III,! feci: /by life. The iJrojihct /,'?.( -
kid makcth the like rcproai h to the cilic.
oi Jcriifileiii and Snmaria, wliith lie com-
jiart til to two k'wd harlots, who havin^f
lent to I'cek out men coming liom tar,
and being come, they have waihtd thcm-
t'elve^, ami painted their faces, and have
put on their lair ornaments. The queen
'Jezebel doing the I'ame, was for all that
call down out at a windinv, anil bore the
punifliment of her wicked life. The Ko-
VhiKS ilid anciently paint their bodies with
Vermillion, ixsP/iny faith, when they entered
in triumph mto Rome, and he addeth, that
the princes .uid great lords ot'Etbiopiii made
great .iccnunt of that colour, wheiewith
they wholly painted tliemfelves red ; alfo
both theoneand theother did ferve them-
ielves tlkixwich, to make their god fairer.
And that the firll expence which was al-
lowed ol" by the cenlbrs ,ind m.illers of
accounts in Jiomc, was of the monies bel-
towcd for to colom- with vermilion the
lace of fupilcr. The tame author reciteth,
'in another place, that the yfiidercj, Ala-
Ibitcs, Mofigcl'cs, and llipporccm, people
\.)\' Lilya, did plaifter all their bodies over
V. ith red chalk. Briefly, this fafliion did
pals as far as to the north; and thereof is
come the name that was given totheP/V/.f,
an ancient jirople oi Scythia, nciglibours
to the G'jibs, who in the year S 7, after
tlic nativity of our Lord Jefiis Cbriji, un-
der the empire ot Domitian, made courfes
and fpoils through the illes which lie
roithw.'iil, where liaving found men who
made them refillance, they returned back
without doing any thing, and lived yet
naked in their cold country, until the year
of our lord •:;7o. Ak which time under
thr empire ol'Vtilcufinian, iK'ingjoincd with
the ''.::: -.lis aiuLSVc/.f, they tornu.nted very
jnui'i tluin o( Grccit Britain, as AiumiaH
^Itircciii'! reciteth ; and king ivfolved to
iMnain there, as they did, they de

wives in marriage ; wher;"Upon being vie-
nicd, they retired rluinfelvcT to tlu- .V.o.'-,
of whom they were turniflud, upon con ■
dition that the inalculine race of rlie king's
coming to tail among them, that then the
women tliould fucceed in the realm ; now
thefe people wefi' called y^'.V.', bec.iufe of
the |)aintings \\li:ch they ufed upon tluir
nakrti budie'-, which, laitli /Avi./V;;;, they
woukl not co\M \\ilh any cloathing lor
tear to hide and darken the fair painting
they li.ul let upon it, where wav lit out
bcatb ot all lorts and punted with iron
inflrumi lit',, in fuch f()rt t!iat it w.is un-
polhble to take them oti': which tlr.y did
as t^oloH tiiith, even from their inlancy, in
manner, that as the child did grow, to
did grow tliofe fixed figures, even as the
marks tliat are graved upon the young
pompions. The poet Clciiidiait doth alio
give us many witneflesof this in his Pane-
gyrick.u as when he fpeaketh of the empe-
ror Hofuritis's grand- lather.

Jlle leves matiros, necfaljo mmiiic piUcs
Edomuit —

And in the Ciotbic war,

Fcrroque iiolatiis,

Perlegit exardmcs Piito hsorioUefi^^uras.

This hath been noted by Monf. de Bcllc-
foreft, and afterward by the kilned Sctvarcfi
upon the obfervation that Sidoiiic dc Pclii^nac
maketh thereof And albeit that ourCf//.'/V
Pcitartis, called by the Latins Pi'tcncs,
be not defcended from the race of thofe,
lor they v/ere ancient (Jnullcis even in Ju-
lius Ca-far's time, nevirthelefs 1 may well
believe th.at this name hath been given them
for the fame occafion as that of the PiHs.
And as cuftoms once brought in among a
people, are not loft but by the length of
many ages, as wc fee yet the follies of
Shrove 'duefday to continue, fo the ufcs of
jiainting, whereof we h.ave fpokcn rcmain-
eth in Ibme northerly nations. J-'or I
have heard fomctimes Monf. Le Comte d'
Esmond tell, that he hath feenin his young
years, t'aem of Brunfivic come into his
lather's houfe with their faces greafed with
painting, and theirvilage al! bhiekcd, Irom
whence per.idvcnturethis word oi Broizcr
may be derived, which figniBetli in Picar-
dy to black. And generally I believe
that all thofe northerly peoiile did ule
painting, when they would make them-
ielves brave; for the Gelcns and /Igatbyy-
fi's, nations of >SV\7/(v'(7, like the Picfs, \\c\c
maneied oftliis iV.iterniiy, and with iron intlru-
C'J rhv B'-ilcns, whieh now m\- ['.uil fl.'.}ic.i.. ni.nts dui tolour vhiir bo'.'ii.'. ; \-\v: E'lglifj-

r.itii

A Definition of New France.

In.h I'll.

wcx likfwil**, thm calUc! Britonu l>y the

ftying <'t 'Tcrtulliiin \ tl\c Goths, luTidcs
thf iron inltriiiiKnts diil iilV virmillion
to makf tin ir f.ia s iiiul bndii s ral. Brict-
ly, it WIS a Iport in the old tiiius to [\-i:
lo iii.mv nntirks, mm and wonun ; (or
till re .lie found yir old |nctiirrs, wlucli hi'
that hatli inadf tl\i' lullory of the Engiifl}-
>w/'«'s voyage uW) rirxi>ii<i, Iiith cut in
biafs, where the /'/V/j ofijoth fix arc paint-
ed our, with thiir fair mrifioiis, and
fwords hangiH}^; upon the naked iUni, as
j/erolujn dilciibitli theni.

'Ihii hiinuHir of palming having been
To ^v'lT-ral in thill- parts, tin re is no raiife
of mocking, if the ptople of tiu IFfJi-
hi.lies h ivc done-, antl yet ilo the like,
viiiih IS univerl.d and without exception
among tliole nations. For if any one of
thcin niaketh love, he Ihill he painted
with blue or red colour, and his miftrefs
alio -, ii they have veniloa in abundance,
or be p,lad tor any tlung, they will do the
like g nerally. But when that they are
fad, or plot fonie treafon, then they over-
ralhill thiir lace with black, and are hi-
ileo'.illy dtiorni'd. Touching the body,
our lavag's apply no painting to it, which
the Brajileans and I-'kridiaiis do, the moft
part whereof are painted over the body,
the arms and thighs with lair branches,
hole painting can nev r be taken away,
becaufe they are pricked within the flefli.
Notwithlfanding many Br,ifilcans do paint
only their bodies, without incifion, when
they lift -, and this with the juice ofacer-
tain truit, which they call Genipat, which
doth black fo much, that though they
wafli themfelves, they cannot be dean in
tenor twelve days after. They o^ Virginia,
which are more of tins lide, have marks
iij^on their backs, like to thole that our
merchants do put upon their packs, by
the wluch, even .is the flavcs, one may
know under what lord rhey live, which is
a t./ir form of goveniineiit forthis people ;
feting that the ancient yi«)Wrt« emperors
have ufed the like towards their ibldiers,
which were marked with the imperial
mark, as St. Jv.^ujline., St. Ambrofe, and
otiiers do witnils unto us. Which tiling
Lonfiiiv.t'ine the great did likewife, but his
nurk was tlu; lign ot the crofs, which he

made to be printed noon tlie flioulder^ of
his foldiers, as liimflt faitli m an epiftle
whicii he wr()t<- to the king ol Pofia, re-
ported by Thtodoifl in tlie etcleliollical
hiltory 1 an(lthe»irtlChrilli.ins, as march-
iiir; under the l)anner ot 'Jcjin Chnfi, did
rike the fame m.uk, whidi tlu y printeti
in their hand, or on the arm, to the end
to know one another, elpecially in time
ot perfecution ; as Protupim laith, ex-
pounding this place of Ifaiah : One will
J'iiy, I am lie LbrJ's,tinJ the other will < all
hiiiiftlf -with the name 0/ Jacob, ttnd mi-
other zvill ivrite it-itb hij band, / tin, the
Lcrd's, and will Jinuime hinifelf with the
name of Ifrael. The great apoflle .St. Paul,
did bear the marks oi the l.onVJefusChriJt
in his flefli, but itwa^yet after another man-
ner, that IS to fay, liy the bruifes, which
he had on his body, ol the llripes that he
had received for his, name. And the He-
brnvs had for mark the cir( umcilion of
the I'ore-fkin, i-«y the which they are Ic-
<)ueftred from other nations, and known
lor tiod's people. But as for other bodi-
ly incilions, fuch as anciently th? Piils
did. make, and the fav.iges do yet make
at this ilay, they have been anciently ve-
ry exprefsly forbidden in the law of God
given to Mofes. J-'or it is not lawful for
us to disfiguretlic image and the form that
God hath given unto us ; yea the pidures
and paintings have been blamed and re-
proved by the prophets, as we have noted
elfewhcre. And iWiullian faith, that the
angelr. which have difcovercd and taught
unto men their paintings and counterfeited
things, have been condemned of God ;
alledging for proof of his faying, the
book ot Enoch's prophefy. By thefethings
alx)ve recited, we know that this hither
world hath anciently been as much de-
formed and favage as they of the IViJi- In-
dies, but that which feerneth unto me,
moft worthy of wondering, is the naked-
ncl's ot thofe ptople in a cold country,
wherein they delight -, even to h.arden their
children in tKe Ciow, in the river, and a-
mong the ice, as we touched heretofore
in another chapter, fpeaking of the dm-
bri and Frenchmen, which h. tn alio been
their chiefeft ftrength in the conqueft that
they have made.

CHAP. XII.

Of t !:/.)• (ju!ii\!rd uiian:ciits cf the body, l)rciccli'ts,carket!Cts, ear-rings, &c.

WE that do live in thefe parts, under
the authority of our princes, and
civilized commonwealths, have two great
tyrants 0! our life, to whom the people

of the new world have not been yet fub-
jefted, the excefTes of the belly, and the
ornament of body, and briefly all that
which belongeth to bravery, which if we

ihould

1 ,

'/ Dcfinption of New France.

Hioulil cift olV, it woulil hi' a iiu ans to re-
tail the polilcti .i^^f, ami to tike .iw.iy the
ral.imit'us wliiih wc lie in molt lort ot
men. Kor h" which poUilV tli imifh,
making liiiall exptna-, woiikl Ik' liberal,
anil wdiilil luccoiir the neeily, wlureiinto
he is hinilreil, willing not only to maintain
but alio to aiignii nr iiis tram, aiul to make
Ihiw «)t himltlt, VI ry otti n at the colls of
the poor piople wholi- blooil lie fucketii.
i^i deverant plcl>/)ii,mtiim fuut fjmm pa-
tiis, I'aith the pI'almilK I leave t'lat wiiich
beloiij^tth to looil, not luingmy puipol'e
to Ipeak ol it in thischaptiTi I leave alio
the exeelles which confill in hoiilhoUl
implements, leniiinf; the rcaiier back to
riiiiy, who hath I'poken ample oi'ihvRo-
niiin pomps ami ilipeilluities, as of velU Is
alter tlie I'ltrviome anil Clodienne fafliion,
ot tvj-tleads alter the Deliapie talhion,
ami of tables all wrougiit with gokl ami
filvir imboH'u! ; wlure alio he kttetlioiit
a Have, Dnijilhows Ro/iint/ii.i, who bang
fivalurer ot the hi[?,litr Spuhi, caufed a
torge to be made tor to work a piece ol
lilver plate of live quintals weight, accom-
panieil with tight ntlurs, all weighing
half a quintal. I will only fpeak of tiie
motachitis ot our lavages, and fay, that
it wc ilid content ourfelves with their fim-
plicity, we (hoiild. avoid many troubles
that we put ourfelves unto, to have fupcr-
rtuities, without which we n\ight live con-
tentedly, becaufe nature is latisfied with
little, and the coveting whereof makes us
very often to decline trom the right way,
ami to tlray from the patiiof juftice. The
cxcefies ot men iloconiilf the mod part in
things which I have faid I will omit, which
notwithftanding I will not leave un-
touched if it come to purpofe. But ladies
have always had this reputation, to love
cxcefie'-- in that whiciiconccrneth the deck-
ing of th( ir boilies ; and all the moralilts
who hav< iiuule prolellionto reprefs vices
have ment!u!iid them, whtre they have
found a large llibjei't 'o fpeak of. Clement
yllexandrinc making a long numeration of
women's trinkets, wliich he hath the moft
part taken out (jf the j)i<)phet Ifaiab, liiith
in tlu; I nd, that he is weary to fpeak fo
much of it, and that he marvtUeth that
they are not killed with fo great a weight.
Let us take then> then by thofe parts
wherein they be complained of. 'Ttrtul-
lian marvelleth of the audacioufnefs of
man, which fetteth himfelf againft the
word of our Saviour, which faid, ^fhat it
is not in us to add any thing to the meafure
or height that God bath given unto us •, and
notwithftanding ladies endciivcur themfckes
to do the contrary, adding upon their heads
cages made of hairs, fajhiomd like to loaves
of bread, to hats, to panniers, or to the
hollownefs of fcutcheons. If they be not a-

VOL. 11.

S?.^

fljanied with this fuperflurus emrmily, nt
leaft, laith he, let them be nfljamed nf the
Jilth u'hii b I hey bear \ and not to cover •;
holy and a Chriftian head with the leaving.*
of another k:atl, peradientioe unclean, tr,
guilty of fomi crime, and ordained to a
putintfiil death. And in the fame placi ,
(peaking of them whi< li ilo colour ths ir
h.iirsi I fefome, faith he, who do changi'
the colour of their hairs with fijf'ro'i.
They are eifhamed of their country, and
would be (iaullois women, cr d.-rman wo-
men, fo much do they d.jguife ibemfeljcs.
Whereby is known how mueh red hairs
werecfteemed in the old time. And in-
deed the ht)ly Icripturc praifeth that of
A/ivV/ whicii was fuch. But to ftek it
out by art, St. Cyprian, and St. Hierowe,
with our TerluHian ilo lay, that tli ■• (ami'
doth prefage the lire of hell. Now our
favages, in that which conlifteth in the
borrowing of hairs, are not reprov.ibii ;
for their v.mity ftrrtcheth nut fo far-, but
for the (C)louring ot them, lor as miieh as
when they an- merry, ami paint tlnir fa-
ces, be it with blue or with red, they paint
al(b their iiairs with the fame colour.

Now let us eome to the ears, to the
neck, to the arms and to the hands, and
there we (liall timi wlurewith to bufy our
feives \ thefe are parts where jewels are
eafily feen, which ladies have !< arned very
well to obferve. 'I 'he (irfl" men which
have liad piety in tlum have made eun-
fciencc to otter any violence to nature,
and to pierce the ears for to hang any pre-
cious tiling .It it ; tor none is lord of his
own memlxrs to abufe tliem, lb laith the
civilian Ulpian. Ami tlieretore when the
fervant of Jbraham went into Mcfopota-
mia tor to timi out a wife for //}j<7f,an(i had
met with Rebecca, he put upon lur tore-
head a jewel ot gold hanging tiown be-
tween her eyes, and alio br.icek ts ot gokl
upon her iiands ; for whieli reafon it is
faid in the Proverbs, that a fair woman
which lackcth di fere tic n is l:ke i: golden ring
in a fwine' s fnout . But men have t.iken
more lieeiice than they ought, and have
defacid the workmanfliip ot God in tlicn ,
to pleafe their own fancies. Wherein I
do not wonder at the Rrafilians loi whom
we will liereafter fpeak) but of civili/ed
people, which have called otlur nations
barbarous, but much more ol the Chrif.i-
ans of tliis age. When Seneca did com-
plain of that whicli was in his time -, The
folly of women, faith he, hod not made
men fubjeil enough, but it halb been yet be-
hoveful to hang two or three patrimonies at
their ears. But what patrimonies .' They
cany (faith Tertullian) iflands and farm-
haufes upon their necks, and great regifters
in their ears containing the revenues of a
great rich man, and every finger of the left

lo N Land,

874

A Di'JcriptioH of New lu-ancc.

hM)i haih a ptUtivicny lo p!ny withal.
Mnally, lu: cannot comp.iu- tluni better
than to coiidtinncd men tli.it arc in the
cavts ot K.'bicpia., which thf more they
arc culpable, lo nuich the richer are they,
b;'caiile tliat the fetters and bolts, where-
with they arc tied, arc o: gold. But lie
cxhortctii the Chrillian wonicn not to be
I'uch, " for as much as thcMc thing.'-, arc
" certain marks i-<i lalcivinuliuis, which
" do belong to thoii; millhievous oblati-
" ens of jJublickunchalHty." Pliny, al-
beit he was an heathen, doth no lefs
abhor thofe cxcefles, " For our ladies
"• j]:i:b be, for to be brave do bear hang-
" ing at their fingers thofe great pearls
" which arc called elencbus, in falhionot
" pearls, and have two of them, yea
•' three at their ears. Yea they have in-
" vented names to ferve tiiemfelves thcre-
" with in their curled and troubiefome
*' I'uperfluities. For they call bells
"■ tliem v.-hich they carry in number at
'• tlieir ears, as if they did take pleafure
"■ to lx;ar pearls gingling at their ears.
" And that which is more, the houfwifely
"■' women, yea the poor women alio,
"■ deck tiiemfelves therewith ; faying,
" tliat a woman ought to go as feldom
" without pearls, as a conful without
" his iifliers. Finally, tliey are come fo
" far as to adorn their Ihoes with them,
♦' and garters, yea their bufkins are yet
" full and garnillied therewith. In fuch
'■ fort that it is not now any more que-
" llion to wear pearls, but they muft be
*' mat'e to ferve for pavement, to the
" end to tread but upon pearls." The
fame author dotli recite that Lollia F^u-
lina, forfaken by Cali^uLi, in the common
teafts of mean men was lo overladen with
emeralds and with pearls, on her head,
her hair, her ears, her neck, her fingers
and her arms, as well in collars, necklaces,
as bracelets, that all did Ihine at it, and
that Ihe had of them to the worth of a
million of gold. The fame was excef-
five, but Ihe was the greateft princefs of
the world, and yet he doth not fay that
file (lid wear any on her (hoes -, as he
doth yet complain in fome other where
that the dames of Rome did wear gold on
their feet. IFh^t difi/der ! (faith he) Let
us permit the ivcr.fii to wear as much gold
as th.y "jji/l in jracelets, at their fingers,
at their necks, at their ears, and in carkenets
and Lridles, Sec. muft they for all that deck
their/eat laitb i! ? &:c. I IJiould never make
an end, it I Ihoukl continue this fpeech.

The Spanijb women in Peru do go be-
yond that, to: their fhoes arc fet over
with nothing bui places ot gold and filver,
and garnilhed with pearls. True it is
t!)at they arc in a country which God hath
blcllid al/undantiy with all thefe riches.

But il thou li.ift not ti)

do not vex tiiy iMf at

tempted througii tiivy •,

but earth, di^in-d and

thouland troubles, in the bottom ol' liL'i

much of tlienT,

it, and be iitn

tiicli things are

piuiHed with a

by the incredin

oi men like

<lc\v', received within the lliell of a fifh, "!'■« they

le labour, and v/ith the lili
unto thee; pearls are but iv.;'!;

1 are lilliet! by men that be torced to ^^'•

w hii h are lillu'

become lilhcs, tliai is to lay, to be al-
ways iliviiig m theilepth of the lea. And
for to have thefe things, and to becloath-
ed in lilk, and lor to have robes with in-
finite folds, wc turmoil our felves, we
take cares which do fliortcn our days
gnaw our bones, fuck out our marrow,
weaken our bodies, and confume our fpi-
rit. He that hath meat antl drink is as
rich as all thele, if he could confider it.
And where thofe things do abound,
there delights do abound, and confequent-
ly vifces ; and to conclude, behold wliar
God faith by his prophet : '■They jhall caft
their filver out into the ftrce'.s, and their
gold Jhall be but dung, and Jliall mt d^iiver
them in the day of my great ivrath. 1-Ic
that will have further knowledge of the
challifements wherewith God doth threat-
en the woman that abufe carkenets and
jewels, which have no other care but to
attire and deck thcmfelves, go with their
breails open, their eyes wand ring, and
with a proud gate, let him read the third
chapter of the propliet Ifaiab. I will not
for all that blame the virgins v.'hich have
fome golden things, or chains of pcarb,
or other jewels, alto fome modeft veihirc j
for that is comelinefs, and all things are
made for the ufc of man ; biitexcefs is that
which is to be blamed, bccaufe that under
that, very often is lafcivioufnefs hidden.
Happy are the people which not having
the occafions to fin, do purely ferve God,
and poffefs a land which furnilheth them
of that which is neccflary for hfe. Happy
are our lavage j)eople if they had the lull
knowledge of God ; for in that cafe they
be without ambition, vain-glory, envy,
avarice, and have no care of thefe bra-
veries, which wc have now defcribed i
but rather do content thcmfelves to have
matachias, hanging at theii cars, and
about their necks, bodies, arms, and
legs. The Brafilians, F/cridians, and ylr-
moiichiquois, do make carkenets and brace-
lets (called bou-re in Brnfl, and by ours
matachias) n't t\\z fhells of thofe great lea.
cockles, which be called I'ignch, like un-
to fnails, which they break and gather
up in a thoufand pn-ces, then do (mooth
them upon a hot ilone, iir.tii they do
make them very Imall, and having pier-
ced them, they make them ' ds widi
them, like unto that whitii we call pur-

cdnni. Anion;', thol,' Ix-ads

they intev-
mif'ht

Ic.

Pl^lrl^ ill

i'ilJJII!,-!.

Copper.

•/ Dcfcription of New France.

87.

tniiigle b.iwioi Ipaccs other beads, as
iil.ick as thofc wliicli I have ipoken of to
be white, m.;i!c with j<t, or certain liard
and black wocnl which is hke unto it,
wJiich they Ihiootli and make linall as
they lilt, and this hath a very good
grace. And it tilings are to be ellceined
tor their faihion, as we fee it practii'ed in
our merchandises ; thele collars, I'earts,
and bracelets niaile ot j^reat periwindes
or porcelain, are richer then pearls Cnot-
wit.'ilhinding none will believe me herein)
lb do they elKem them more than pearls,
gold or filvcr ; and this is that which

tlie little chikhvns hp.iis. 'J'lir men do not
much care i'cr tlie;ii, except thattlie Br.t-
filuius do \v-ear ab;;ut their necks hall*
moons ot bones very white, which they
call j-rttv of the moi.n's name: and our
Souriqtids tio likewiie wear tome jollicic s
of like Ihiu', without excels. And they
which havr r.one ot tiuit, do commcily
carry a kniic before tiuir brealls, wliica
they ilo Piot tor ornament, bur. tor w.int
of pocket, and bccauie it is an impk-
ment which at all times is necellary unto
them. Some have giro' les made of ,'/;i(-
tucbir.s, wherijwith tncy firve themlelve.s.

they of the great river of Canada in the only when they will fet out themfelve

time of James Quart /ir did call efiirj'nt
(whereof we have made mention hereto
lore", .1 word \\hich 1 have had much jdo
to know, and which BtUeforeJl the ccjfino-
grapher underftood not, when he would
fpeak of it. At this day they have not any
more of them, or cite they have loll the
knowledge to make rhem; tor they ule;;/(

and make them brave, i ne Aout;)iir,HS or
t^ooih-jiiyeys do car--/ before their brealt::i
foine lign ol their vocation, as we will
lieie.ifttr fay. But a.s t(jr the men of the
/Irmoucl.'ifjttois they ha\ c a fa.'liion t-i wear
at their hand -uriifs, and .ibrvc the ar.cle-
bone ot rhe toot, about th^-ir legs, pl.it_s
ot copper, lettu--'.vil'e, and about tluir

tachias very much, that are brought unto waiits girdles fathioned with copper quills
them out oi France., Now as with us, lb 111 as long as tiie middk-iuiger filed together

tiiar country women do deck themlelves
with luch things, and will have chains that
will go twelve times about their necks,
hanging down upun tiieir brealfs, and a-
bout their hand-wrifts, and above the elbow.
They alio hang long firings of them at
their cars, which come down as low as
their flioulders. If the men wear any, it
will be only tome young man that is in
love. In the country of Virginia wlierc
Ibme pearls be found, the women do w^ar
carkenets, collars and bracelets of them.

M .irlr

the length of a girdU, even juft of that
faihion which Ikrcdian rcciteth to have
been in ufe among tht PiBs, whereof we
have fpoken, when he faith, that they
girded their bodies and their necks with
iron, efteeming that to be a great orna-
ment unto them, and a teflimony of their
great riches, c\'en as other Barbarians do
to have gold about them. And there arc
yet in Scotland lavage men, which neither Sav.is^e
ages, nor years, nor the abundance of i''"-
men could yet reduce unto civility. And

or elfe of pieces of copper (made round although that (as we have laid) the men

like fmall bullets j which are found in their be not (o defirous of matacbias as the

mountains, where fome mines of it are. women, notwithlhinding the men of 5ra-

But in Port Royal, and in the confines /I, not caring for clothing, take great

thereof, and towards Newfoundland, and pleailire to ili<:k and garnilli tliemlelvts

at I'adciijfac, where they have neither
pc.u"ls nor vignols, the maiils and women
do make mala,k'as, with the quills or
brilllcs of ihe porcupine, which they dye

with the feathers ot birds, .and do uf^;
thofe v/herewith we ufe to fill our beds
whereon we lye, and chop them as final!
as pye-meat, which they dye in red, with

with bku k, white, and red colours, as lively their Brri/il wood, then having anointed
.IS polVibly may be, for our fcarlets have their bodies with certain gums, which

no hotter lullre than their red dye ; but
rhey nmre eftcein the malachias which
com" unto tiicin from the Armouchiquois
country, i'^nd they luiy them very dear ;
.uid iii.it bei'.iufe they can get no great
quantity of tliem, by reafon of the wars
that thule nations h.ive continually one a-
g.ilnfl: another. I'here are brought unto
them liom France matachias made with
fin.ill qi.ills <u glafs mingled with tin or
trucked with them, and
e fatliom, for want ot an
■.lid ot merchandize is in
that which the Latins do
I'.ichr'iS. They alio make
<ii them Ini.rll iquares of fundry colours
f-wed tcg'tii'-r, which they tyc behind, on

lead, wJmh ,11
ineafureil by i
ell 1 and tliis
that country,
i:.ill Af"i;,!ii.i tni

fervc them inftead of paffe or glue, they
cover themlelves with thofe feathers, and
make a garment at one clap, after the an-
tick fadiion ; which hath made (faith
John de Leri in his Hiftory of America)
the firfl". of our men that went thither
to believe that tlie men which be called
f ivages wtre hairy over all their bodies,
wliicli is nothing fo. For (as wc have al-
re;idy laid) the fiv.igcs in what part fo-
ever, have lelftr liairs tlian we. They of
Florida do alfoulethis kind of down, but
it is only about their he.'.ds, to m.ike
themlelves more ugly. Befides this th:.t
we have laid, the BrafHians do niakj
frontlets ot feathers, which they tye and
fit in order of all colours ■, thole frontlets

btins?

^-jd

A Defcription of New France.

being like in fafhion' to tliofe rackets or
periwigs, which ladies ufc in thcle p.irts,
the invention whereof they feeni to have
learned of tliofc favnges. As for thcni of
our NcM Francs:, in the days that be of
folenmity and reioicing among them, and
when they go to the wars, they have a-
hout their heads as it were a crown made
with long hairs of an ellan or ilag,
painted in red, palled, or otherwiil' lalt-
ned to a fillet of leatiicr of three lingers
breadth, fiieh as "]<mcs !-^iaythr faicli he

hail ilen with the king (lb doth he call
him) and lord of the lavages, which iie
found in the town of llocbelaga. Eur
thi y do not ufe fo many ornaments of
featliers as the Brafdiiuis, which make
gowns of them, caps, bracelets, girdles,
and ornaments for their checks, aiui tar^
gets upon their loins ot all colours ; whicli
would be more tedious than delightlul to
fpecify, lince it is an eafy matter for
every one to fiipply the faiiv-, ;iml to
imagine wliat it is.

C H A P. XIII.

Of iiuD'ringi',

Canaiii

i he pru-
Ititutiiigof"
Miaidciis.

HA V I N G fpoken of the linkages
garments, deckings, ornaments and
paintings, it hath feemed good unto mc to
marry them, to the end the generation of
them be not loll, and that the country re-
-niain not defert. For the lirfl: ordinance
that ever God made, was to increali; and
multiply, and every creature capable of
generation to bring forth fruit according
to his kind. And to the end to encou-
rage young folks tliat do marry, the yru;s
had a cuilom anciently to fill a trough
with earth, in the which, a little before
the wedding, they did low barley, and
the lame being fprung, they brought it
to the bridegroom ani.1 the bride, laying,
Bring forth fruit and multiply as this bar-
ley, -lahich brings forth focncr than all o-
ther feeds.

Now to return to our favages, many
thinking (as I believe) tliat they be fome
logga of wood, or imagining a common-
wealth of Plato, do demand if they have
any marriage, and if there be any priells
in Canada to marry them. Wherein they
feem to be very raw and ignorant. Capt.
James f^uartier fpeaking of the marriage
ot the Canadians, in his fecond relation
faith thus : "■ They obierve the order of
" marriage, faving that the men take
*•' two or three wives. And the hufband
" being dead the women do never mar-
■•' ry again, but do moLirnfor his death all
" their lite long, .ind do daub their tace
" with Coal beaten to powder and with
" greafe, the Lhicknels of a knite, and
" thereby are known to be widows.
"■ Then hegoeth turther i they have ano-
" rher bad cuilom with their ilaughtcrs ■,
" lor being come to be marriageable,
they are put all in a ilew-houie, aban-
doned to all comers, until they have
found out a match •, and all this have
we feeii by experience ; for we liave

" feen the houfes as full of thefe maidens,
" as is a fchool of boys in France." I
would have thought that the faid Janh's
f^artier h:\i\ (touching this jirollituting of
maids added fomewhat of his own, but
the difcourfe of Monf. Chaniplcin, which
IS but fix years fince, doth conhrm the
fame thing unto me, faving that he fpeak-
etii not of alTemblies, which keepeth me
me from contrarying it. But among our
Sonriquots there is no fuch thing ; not
that thefe favages have any great care of
contineixy and virginity, for they do not
think to do evil in corrupting it : but
whether it be by tile trequentation of
Frenchmen or otlierv.'ile, the maids are a-
Ihamed to do any unchalle thing publick-
ly ; and if it happen that they abandon
theiiilllves to any one, it is in It'cret.
iVIoreover, he tliat will marry a maid it
behovetli him to demand her ot hei father,
without whole content the thall be none
of his, as we have already laid hereto-
fore, and brought tbrth the example of
one that had cone ot'ierwiie. And if
he will marry, he thall Ibmetimes make
love, not after the manner of the F.Jfeens.,
who (as Jofepbus f.iith; did try the maid-
ens by the tpace of three years, before
they married them, but by the fpace of
lix months or a year, v.'ithout abiding of
them ; will paint his tice that he may
feem the fairer, and will have a new gown
of beavers or otters, or of fomething elle
well garnifhed with matachias garded
and laid o\er in form of parchment lace
of gold and filver, as the Goths ditl ute
heretotbre. It ii meet moreover that he
fhew himfelf valiant in hunting, ami that
they know him able to do fbniething,
for they do not truft in a man's means,
which are none other than that which he
gcttethbyhis days labour, not caring any-
wife for other riches tlian hunting, unltfs

oui

A Defiription of New France.

877

t!ic niiud
cn^ 111
Jliijil.

The pox.

our manners make them to have a defire
of it.
The pro- The maidens of Brafil have hberty to
i'i'"''ng"f proltitute themfclves as foou as they are
able tor the fame, even as them of Cana-
da. Yea the fathers do fcrve for panders
to their daughters, and they repute for an
honour to communicate tlieni to the men
of thcil' parts that go tliither, to the end
to have of their rae. . But to confent un-
to it, would be too damnable an abomi-
nation, and tliat would deferve rigorous
punifliment, as indeed for the flacknefsof
men God hath puniflitd this vice in fuch
wife, that the fore hath been communi-
cated in thefc parts, even to them that
have been too much additted after Chri-
ftian wenches and women, by the fick-
nefs which is called the pox, which be-
fore the difcovery of thole lands w:is un-
known in Europe •, for thefe people arc
very much fubjeft to it, and even they of
Florida ; but they have the guayac, the
efquifi, and the fajfafras trees very fove-
reign for the cure of that leprofy, and I
believe that the tree annedda, whofe
wonders we have recited, is one of thefe
kinds.

One might think that the nakednefs of
this people would make them more lea-
ciierous, but it is not fo. For as Ctefar
giveth the Germans this commendation,
rtityofthe jj^^j. ji^gy i^jj^j i,^ ti^fjir ancient favages life

<?;,?««« ^"■"■'^ ^ continency, as they reputed it a
a'lKlof the thing moft vile for a young man to have
lavages of the compuTiy of a woman before he came
^'•"■^ to the age of twenty years ; and in their
Frunce. Q^u difpofition alfo, they were not moved
thereunto, although that pcll-mel, all
together men and women, young and
old did bathe themfelves in rivers -, fo alfo
may I fay for our favages, that I never
faw amongft them any unfeemly gefture
or unchafte look, and I dare affirm that
they be lefs given to that vice than we
^ in thefe parts. I attribute the caufe there-

of, partly to this their nakednefs, and
chiefly to the keepi' ; bare of their head,
fiom whence the matter of generation
hadi his original ; partly to the want of
hot fpices, of wine, and of meats that do
provoke to that which is the primary fign
of unclean defires, and partly to the fre-
quent ufe which they have of tobacco,
whofe fmoke du'.leth the fenfes, and mount-
ing up to the brain hindereth the funiiti-
ons of Venus. John de Leri praifeth tiie
Brnfdians for diis continency ; neverthe-
lefs he addeth, that when they are angry
they call fometimes one another Tiuire,
that is to fay. Sodomite, wiurcby it may
be conjeftured that tliis fin reigneth a-
niong them, as Capt. Laiidonniere f.ii':h it

The cha-

tioth i;; Florida ;
love the feminine
Vou II.

and that the Floridians
fex very much. And

indeed I have heard, that for to plcafc the
women the more tliey bufy themlclves
Very much about that wliich is tiie pri-
mary fign ot unclean defires, whereot we
fpake even now ; and that they may the
better do it, they furnifli themielves with Greatftore
ambergrenfe, whereof they have great (tore, of.iwi.r
which firll they melt at the fire, then in-.f""^-
jedl: it (with fuch pain, that it maketh
them to gnalh tlieir teeth) even fo fir as
to the bone Sacrum, and with a whip of
nettles, or fuch hke thing, make that
idol of Maacha to fwell, which king /Ifa
made to be confumed into aftics, and caft
it into the brook Cedron. On the other
fide the women ufe certain herbs, and en-
endeavour themfelves as much as they
can to make reftriftions for the ufe of
the faid Ityphalks, and to give either par-
ty their due.

Let us return to our marriages, which ^-^^j^^^^^
are better than all thefe rogueries. The of mar-
contradters do not give their faith between riage.
the hands of notaries, nor of their footh-
fayers, but fimply do demand the confent
ot the parents ; and fo they do every where.
But here is to be noted, that they keep, and
in Brafd alfo, three degrees of confangui-p g,
nity, in the which they are not ufed tocon-of conun-
tradt marriage, that is to wit, of the ibnguinity
with the mother, of the father with his
daughter, and of the brother with the fitter.
Thefe excepted, all things are permit-
ted. As for dowry, there is no men-
tion of it. Alfowhen any divorce happeneth
the hufband is bound to nothing : and al-
though that, as it hath been ftid, there is
no promife of loyalty given before any fu-
perior power, neverthelefs, in what part fo-
cver the wives keep chaftity, and tl-ldom
is any found that breaketh it : yea, I have
heard oftentimes fay, that in yielding the
duty to the huthand, they make themielves
oftentimes to be conftrained ; which is rare
in thele parts. For the Gaullois women
are rcnovrned by Strabo to be good porters,
I mean fruitful, and breeders ; and con-
trariwife I do not fee that the people do
abound in thefe parts, although that they
all labour for generation, and that poly-
gamy is ordinary with them, which was
not among the ancient Gaullois, nor among
the Germans, though they be a more ruf-
tick people. True it is that our favages
dc kill one another daily, and are always
in fear of their eaemics, keeping watches
upon their frontiers.

This frigidity of Fenus bringeth an ad-
iTiirable and incredible diing among tiiefe
women, and wliich was not to be found,
even among tiie wives of :hc holy patriarch
Jacob, which is, that, although there be
many wives toon? hufband, for polygamy
is received througii ,ill that new world, '''•:i"''g'-
10 O notwith-

878

J Defcription of New France.

notwithftauiling there is no JL-aloiify among
tliem, which is in BvaftU -i hot country a--
well as Canada : but as for the men, they
are in many places very jealous •, and if the
wife be found faulty fhe fliall be put away,
or in danger to be killed by her hufband ;
antl in that (as for the fpirit of jealoufy)
there needs not fo many ceremonies as thofe
that were done amongll: the "Jewi^ recited
in the book of Numbers. And as for di-
vorcement, not having the ufc of letters,
they do it not in writing, in giving to the
wife a bill figned by a publick notjry, as
St. Aiiguftin doth note, ipeakingof the faid
Jeivs ; but are contented to tell to the pa-
rents, and unto her, that fhe provide for
herfelf, and then (he liveth in common with
the others until that fome body do feck
after her. This law of putting away hath
been received al mod among all nations, ex-
cept among the Chriftians, which havekept
this precept of the gofpel, That which God
hath joined together y let no man put afuiider:
which is molt expedient and lefs fcandaloiis ;
and very wifely did Ben-Sira anfwer (who
is faid to have been nephew to the prophet
Jeremy) being afked of one who had a
lewd wife, how he fliould do by her. Gnaw,
iiiith he, that bone whicb is fallen to thee.

As for the widows, I will not affirm that
which James ^tartier hath faid of them

in general, but I will fay, that where we
have been, they llaiiitlicir Liccs withblack,
when they pleafe, and not always : if their
hufljand hath been killed, tlu*y will not
marry again, nor cat tlclh, until they have
feen the revenge of his death. And lb we
have feen the daugliter ot Mcmh^rtou to
praftife it, who after the war made to the
Jrmoncbijuois, hereafter defcribed, did
marry again : except in that cafe, they
make no other difficulty to marry again
whfn they tind a fit match.

Sometimes our fav.ages having many
wives will give one of them to their friend,
if he hath a defireto take her in marriage,
and fhall be thereby fo much difburdened.
Touching maidens that be loofe, if any -^''omina-
man hath abufed them, they will tell it at ^Jj^'J"'"-"'
the firft occafion, and therefore it is bad n,o,n^ ,iiy
jefting with them -, for the chaflifement infiill-ls.
ought to be very rigorous againft them that
mingle the Chriftian blood with the infidels,
and for the keeping of this juftice Monf. de
Vilkgagnon is praifed, even by his enemies:
and Phmehas, the fon of Eleazar, the fon of
Aaron, becaufe he was zealous of the law
of God, and appealed his wrath, which
was about to externiin.ite the people, for
fuch a fin, had the covenant of perpetu.aj
priellhood, promifed to himand tohispof-
terity.

CHAP. XIV.

The tabagic.

I H E ancients have faid. Sine Cerere
& Baccho friget Venus, that is, with-
out Ceres and Bacchus, Venus is cold : hav-
ing then married our favages, it is meet to
make dinner ready, and to ufe them .after
their own manner : and for to do it, one
mull confider the times of the marriage 1
for if it be in winter they will have venifon
from the woods, if it be in the fpring-time
or in fiimmer, they will make provifion of
What fa- fi'^ i ^s for bread, there is no talk of it
vage trom the north of Nezvfoundland until one
countries come to tki country of the Armouchiquois,
have corn, ynlefs it be in trucking with Frenchmen, for
whom they tarry upon the fea-fhores, fit-
ting on their tails like apes, as foon as the
fprinir-time is come, and receive in exchange
for their (kins, for they have no other mer-
chandize, bifkct, bean:5, peafe, and meal.
The Aimouchiqnois, and other nations more
remote, befides hunting and filhing, have
wheat called mais, and beans, which is a
r,reat comfort unto them in time of nccef-
hty ; they make no bread v.ith it, lor th'.y

have neither mill nor oven, and they can-
not knead it otherwife than in (lamping ic
in a mortar, and in gathering thofe pieces
the bed they can, they make fmall cakes
with it, which they bake between two hot
(lones ; moft often they dry this corn at the
fire, and parch it upon the coals. And
after that manner did the ancient Italians
live, as Pliny faith : and, therefore, one muft
not fo much wondc." at thefe people, fee •
ing that they which have called others bar-
barous, have been as barbarous as they.

If 1 had not recited heretoiore the man-
ner of the favages lahngie, or banquet, I
would make here a larger defcription : but
I will only fay that when we went to the
river St. John, Inii^g in the town of Oui-
goudi, fo may I \\>.il call a place enclofed
replenillied v.-ith people, we faw in a great
thicket eighty lavages all naked, except
the middle parts, making tiiLigaia witli
meal they hat! of us, whereof they had
kettles full. Every r,n<: had a dilh made
with th'. b.'.rk oi' a ti<e, and a I'^oon as

deep

A Defcription of New France.

S79

Tlic uo-

ilerp ns tlic palm of one's hand, or nioiv ;
antiwith this they had venifonbcfides. And
litTc it is to be noted, that he which enter-
taincththe others doth not dine, but fcrvcth
the company, as very often the bride-
grooms do here in France.

The women were in another place apart,
nRr.iionot jji^^l ^^jj^^i ^^^ ^^^ ^^.j^jj ^^g j,^^,^ ^ wherein

tilt- iiiL-n '"''y ^^ "OKd a bad ufc among thofe peo
pie, which liave never been ufed among the
nations of thefc parts, fpecially the GaitHois
and Germans, which have admitted the
women, not only in their banquets, but
alfo in their piibiick coiinfels, efpeciaily
with tiic Gaullois, after they had pacified a
great war which arofe between them, and
(lid decide the controverfy with fuch eqiiity,
as Fliilarcb faith, that thereby cnfucd a
greater love than ever before : and in the
treaty that was made with //(?;.'«/7^(i/, being
entered into Gallia, to go agiiinft the Ko-
vhins, it was faid, that if the Carihagimaui
Iiad any difference againfl: the Gaullois, it
lliould be decided by the .advice of the
Gaullois women. It was not fo in Rome,
where tlieir condition was fo bafe, that by
the law Voconia, the very father could not
make them to inherit more than of the one
third part of his goods : and the emperor
"Jiijliiiian forbiddeth ihim in i.is decrees to
accept the awardfliip which had been de-
ferred unto them, which fhewed either a
great feverity againfl them, or an argu-
ment that in that country they have a very
weak fpirit. And after this fort, be the
wives of our favages, yea, in worfe con-
dition, in not eating with the men in their
lahagics ; and, notwithflanding it fecmeth
unto me that their fare is not in their ftafts
fo delicate, which ought not to confifl only
in eating and drinking, but in their fociety
ot that li:x which God hath ordained unto
man for to help him and to Keep him com-
pany.

It will feem to many that our favages

lio live very poorly, in not having any

feafoning in thofe few mefTes that I have

named : but I will reply that it was not

Caligula nor Heliogabulus, nor fuch like, that

have raifed the liofiian empire to its great-

nefs ; neither was it that cook who made

made an imperial feait all with hogs-flefli,

Jifguiied in a thoufand forts ; nor thofe

liquDriHi companions, who after they have

tkllroyed the air, the fea, and the land,

not knowing what to find more to afrwa[;e

their gluttony, go a fecking worms irom

the trees, yea do keep them in mew,

;!n(i do fatten them, for to make thereof

VihatiiH-n a delicate mcfs : but rather it was one

li.ucrai.'a Curius DiKtatus who did eat in wooden

"'""'' dilhes, anil did fcrape raddil1;cs by the

i,ci> ' fire lide : item, thofe good Inifliandmcn

whom the Iciute did fend lor Irom tl.e

plough for to condiidl; tiic Roman arn^y j
ar.d in one word, thofe Romans whicii
did li\'e with fodden food after the tnan-
n.'i of our favages ; for th.ey had not the
ule of bread but about 600 years after
the founilation of the city, having learned
in trael of time to make Ibme cakes grolly
dreiVed and baked under tiie embers, or iii
the oven : Plin)-, author of this report, faith
moreover, that the ScytLiaiis, now Tayiars,
do alio live with lodden food and raw meal
as the Rrafdians. And, neverthelels, they
have always been a warlike and mighty
nation. Tiie lame faith, that the Arym-
fhrci:, which be the Mufcovitei, do live in
foielts, as our favages do, with grains and
fruits which they gather from the trees,
without mention either of f^efli or of filh.
And, indeed, the prophaneauthorsdoagree,
that tlie firfl men did live after that manner,
to wit, of corn, grains, pulfe, acorns, anci
ir.afles, from whence cometh the Greek
word phagein, to wit, to eat ; fome parti-
cular nations, and not all, had fruits, as
pears were in ufe among the /Irgives, figs
with the Athenians, almonds with the Medes^
the ^mitoi Cannes vi'iih the ./Ethiopians, the
cardamuin with the Per/ians, the dates with
the Babylonians, the trefoil, or three-leaved
grafs, with the Egyptians. They which
have had none of thofe fruits have made
war againft the beads of the woods and
forefts, as the Getulians and all the northern
men, yea alfo the ancient Germans, not-
withflanding they had alfo meats made of
milk ; others dwelling upon the fliores o{f'^-"ho-.
the fea, or lakes and rivers, lived on fiflics, t^^S";
and were called Ichthyophages ; others liv-
ing of tortoifes, were called Chelonophagcs :
part of the Mthiopians do live of graf- ^jhh-
hoppers, which they fait and harden in the t^""' '^°
fmoak in great quantity for all feafons, and '^^o^op
thcijin do the hiflorians of this day agree pg'tj.
with Pliny ; for there arc fometimes clouds
of them, that is to fay, fuch infinite num-
bers, that they hide the clouds ; and in the
call likewife, which deflroy all the fields,
fo that nothing remaineth unto them to eat
but thole graflioppers, which was the food
of St. "John Baptift, in the defart, accord-
ing to the opinion of St. Hicrome and Au-
giiftine : although Nicephorus thinketh that
they were the tender leaves of the tops of
trees, bccaufe that the Greek word achrides
fignifieth both the one and the other. But
let us come to the Roman emperor, befl
qualified: Amwian MarifUin, fpeaking of
their manner of life, fiith,tli,it.Sa/;fci,.^w:-
/;■<!/;, Metellus, 'Trajan, and Adrian, did
content themtllves ordinarily witii the meat
of the camp, tliat is to fav, with baron.

cheef

c, an

d bruvajie. If then oi;: lavages

lave vcnilbii and lilli abiir'.daiitly, I do not

r;mes
wc

think them ill furnilhed i for i;:,:

88o

Sturgeoiij,

and other
tiiL.

A Defiription of New France.

Bread.

The fa-
vagps j'uf-
piciou^.

briety and
■'juttony
of the fa-
-Tages.

WO h.ive received of them quanvity of ftur-
geoiis, of filmoMS, and other fifh s be-
fidcs their venilbn, ami beavers which live in
ponds, and live partly on the land, partly
in the water : at leaft, one laudable thing
is known in tliem, that they are not men-
eaters, as the 59/jbwnj have been aforetime,
and many other nations of thefe parts of the
world ; and as yet are at this day the Bra-
filians. Cannibals, and others of tlie new
world.

The inconvenience which is found in
their manner of life is, that they have no
bread. Indeed bread is a food very natural
for man, but it is cafier to live with flefh,
or vith fifh, than with bread only. If
they have not the ufe of fait, the moft part
of the world do ufe none -, it is not alto-
gether necefHiry, and the principal profit
thereof confiftcth in preferving, wherciinto
it is altogether proper •, notwithftanding,
if they had any to make fome provifions
they would be more happy than us ; but
for want of that they lometimes fufFer
fome need, which happeneth when the win-
ter is too mild, or the latter end of the
iame, for then they have neither venifon
nor fifh, as we will declare in the chapter
of hunting ; and are then conltrained to
feed upon the barks of trees, and on the
parings of fkins, and on their dogs, which,
upon thisextremity, they do eat •, and the hif-
tory of the Floridians faith, that in extremity
they eat a thoufand filths, even to the fwaU
lowing down of coals, and to put earth in
their fpoon- meat. True it is, that in Per/
Royal there is always (hell-fifh, fo that in
all cafes one cannot die there for hunger.
But yet have they one fuperftition that they
will not feed on mulTels, and they can ul-
ledge no reafon for it, no more than our
fuperftitious Chriftians which will not be
thirteen at a table, or which fear to pair
their nails on the Friday, or which have
other fcrupulofities, true apilh toys, luch
as Pliny reciteth a good number of them in
his natural hiftory : notwithftanding, in
our company feeing us to eat of them they
did the like ; for we mufl fay here by the
way, that they will eat no unknown meat,
but firft they mufl fee the trial of it by
others. As for beafts of the woods they
eat of all them, the wolf excepted. They
alfo eat eggs, which they go gathering
along the fhores of waters, and they do
lade their canoes with them, when the
geefe and outards have done laying in the
lprinL,-time, and they ufe all, as well them
that be old as new. As for modelly they
ufe it being at table with us, and eat very
foberJy ; but at home in their own houfes,
as the Brafdians, they ftretch out their bel-
lies as much as thty can, and do not leave
tating as long as there is any meat : and

if any of ours be at their tabagie, they
will bid him do as they do. Notwithfland*
ing I fee no gluttony like to that of Hercu-
Ifs, who alone did cat whole oxen, anil
did devour one from a Paifan called Dia-
damns, by reafon whereof he w.is calleii
Butheiis, or Btiphagos, ox-eater. And with-
out going fo far, we fee in the countries of
thefe parts, greater gluttonies than that
which one would impute to the favages %
for in the diet of Augjhourg was brought to
the emperor Charles the fifth, a great whorc-
fbn which had eaten a calf and a fheep,
and yet was not full : and I do not know
that our favages do wax fat, or tliat they
have great bellies, but that they are nim-
ble and fwifr, like to our ancient Gaullois
and high Allanans or Germans, who by
their agility, did trouble very much the
Roman armies.

The food of the Bra/ilians are fcrpents, TJic mm
crocodiles, toads, and great lizards, which of the
they cfttem as much as we do capons, le- ^'"/''""u.
verets and conies. They, alfo, make
meal of white roots, which they call ma-
niel, having the leaves of paoniamas, and
the tree of the height of the elder tree i
thofc roots are as big .is the thigh of a man,
which the women do crumble very fmall,
and eat them raw, or elfe they make them
to feeth well in a great earthen vtlTel, (tir-
ring it always, as the comfit-makers do
malce fugar-plumbs. They are of a very
good tafte, and of tafydigeftion, but they
be not fit to make bread, becaufc they dry
and burn themfclves, and always return
into meal. They have alfo with thiS tnahis^
or mats, which groweth in two or three
months after it is fowed, and that is a great
fuccour unto them, but they have a curfed
and an inhuman cuftom to eat their pri-
foners, alter they have well fatted them ;
yea, a moll horrible thing, they give them
in marriage the faireft maidens they have, „
putting about their necks as many halters
as they will keep him moons ; and when
the time is expired, they make wine
of the faid mats, and roots, wherewith
they make themfelves drunk, calling all
their friends ; then he that hath taken hini
knocketh him on the head with a club,
and divideth him into i^icces, and makes
carbonnadoes of him, which they eat with
a fingular plcalure above all meats in the
world.

Furthermore, all favages generally do Commo-
live everywhere in common-, the moflnihyof
perfcdl a:id mofl worthy life of man, fee- ''''•■■
ing that he is a fociable creature ; the lile
of the ancient golden age, which the holy
apolUes would have reftored again -, but
being to cflablifh the fpiiitual lite, they
could not execute that good dellre. It it Ifofpitab
hapinrns then that our lavages have veni- 'V
ivn, or other food, ali the company have

piu-t

A Tyeftripthn of New Prance.

part of it. They have this mutual cha- the hr.irt, as bread for to (Irengthcn hirri*
rity wliichliath liecii taken away fronf us, as the Pfulmift faitli; and the apolHc St.
finci- tliat mine ami thine have come into Paul liimfelf iloth couiilM his dilciplc Ti-
the world. Tliey have, aifo, holpitality, mothy to life it by realbn of his inlirmity.
a virtue peculiar to the ancient (laiiHois, For ivine, liiith Orihafms, recrealelh and
according to tlie witnefs n\' Partbrnius, quickenetb our beat; v:hereh\ hy cov fe-
rn his Erotegites, of Cuefar, Sahian and quence, the iligejiures are made better, and
others, who ilid conllrain travellers and good blood is ojgendred, and good murifh-
ftrangers to come into their houfes, and ment thorough all the parts of the bods
tiiere to take arofrelhins; a virtue which where the wine hath force to fierce-, and

r:it

rink

itab-

feenieth to h.iveconfervcd herfelfonly with

the nobility and gentry ; t(jr among the

ether fort we lee her very weak and at

the point ol' death. 'Tacitus giveth the

fime praife to the Germans, faying that

with them all houiVs are opened to llrang-

crs, and there they are in llich afluraiice,

that, as if they were facred, none ilare do

them an injury, charity mv\ hofpitality, procurer of all thofe good effects, but if it

which are mentioned in the law of God, be drank unmea fur ably, it prodiuclh cffeEis

who laid to his people, The jlr anger which q»ite contrary. And J'laio willing to Ihew

fojcurnelb among you, f}.HiU be Unto yen as forth in one word, the nature and pro-

he which is bcrn among you, and you Jhall perty of wine -, that which warmeth, faith

therefore they which be weakened by/uknefs
do recover by it a flronger being', and do
likewife renew by it an appetite to their
meat. It hreaketh the phUgm, it purge th
cboLrick humours, by the urine, and with
its pteafant odour and lively fubjlance gl a d-
deth the heart of man, and giveth flr\'ngih
to the body. IVine taken moderateh is tht

love him as yourfelves ; for you have been
Jlrargers in thr land of h'gypt; fo do our
lavages, who, ilirred up with an humane
nature, recive all Grangers, except their
enemies, whom tliey accept in t!ieir com-
monalty ot lite.

But we iiave fjioken enough of eating,
let us now fpeak of drinking. I know not

he, both body and foul, is that which is
called wine. The lavages, which iiavc no
ul'c of wip.e, nor of Ipiccs, have found
out another means to warm the fame fto-
mach, and in fome fort to break (b many
crudities proceeding from the filh than
they eat, which othcrwife would extin-
guifh their natural heat ; it is the herb

abundantly the moll: "xcellent fruit that
(iod hath given unto us, and they know
not the ufe tiiereof. For I fee that the
ancient Romans were a long time, as Pli-
ny faitli, without either vines or vineyards;
and our Gaullois liid make beer, the ufe
whern>f is yet Irequent in all Gallia Belgi-
ca; and this kind ol drink did l\\<z Egypt-
ians, aJfo, ule in former times, as faith
Diodcrus, who attributcth the invention
thereof to O^ris. Notwithlfanding after
that the ule of '.vi.ie w.is come among the
R'/wans, the Gi:.:I'o!s Kjok lo good a tafte
in it, in the voyages tliat rliuy made there
with their armies, that they continued af-
terwards the i'.ime ve.iy -, and afterwards
tile 1,'alian iiic rdiants ili.l d j.w much mo-
ney from the (;'ri«//d/7'j, with tiicir wine tliat
they brought tliitlier. But the Germans,
knowing their own nature fubjed: to drink
more than is needful, would have none
brought Ui tliem, for fear that being
drunk, tin y laigiit be a prey to their ene-
mies i and contented themfelves with beer.
And notwithllaniling, Ixcaufe the conti-
nual drinking of water engendreth crudi-
ties in the llom.ich, and thereby great in
difjx)litions, tiie nations have eommonl)
foximl liettcr tin- moderate ufe of wine.

S8t

whether 1 ought to place among the great- which the Braftleans do c?i\\ pet un, that
elt blindnelfes of t\\v lFeJl-Indians,X.o have is to fay tobacco, the fmoak whereof they

take almolt every hour, as we will declare
more at iargf, when we come hereafter to
fpeak of that herb. Then as in thefe parts
one drinketh to another, in prefentingthe
glafs to him to whom one hath drunk,
which is done in many places ; fo the fa-
vages willing to feall fomebody, and to
Ihew him fign of amity, after tlity iuve
well taken of that fmoak, they prelent
the tobacco pi[)e to him that they like
beft- : whicii cullom to drink one to ano-
tiier is not new, nor particular to the
Flemings and Germans ; for Heliodorus m
the Ethiopianhiilory ol Chariclca, witncff-
eth that tiie fame was a < ti Horn altogether
ufed in the countries, whereof he fpeaketh,
to drink one to the other in token ot
friendlhlp. And be ...ule it was abufed,
anti men were appointed to conlf rain them
tli.it would not pledge, ylhafuerus, king of
the Per/tans, at a banquet that he made to
all the principal lord.s .in.i governors of
his countries, did forbid by an exprcfs
law to force any, and did command that
every one flioukl be ferved alter his own
will. The Egyptians did ull no forcing,
but notwitiillanding they drank up all,
and that with great devotion ; for after
they had found out the invention to apply

which hath been givui of God to rejoice painting and matachias upon 111 ver, they
Vol.11. lo P took

88z

A Defcription of New France.

took great ilclij'Jit tu Ice their God Aim-
ing paii'.tcd in tiig buyoiii of their cup-s, ;is
IHtny I'aitli.

Our lavages, Canadians., Souriquols, ajid
otiiiT.s ari' tar Iroin thd'c lii Tiglits i anil
liavini!, ncithmy but the tobaico, Ipoktii
of by us, to warm their Roniachs alter
thi' crudities ot" waters, and to give Ionic
Imatch to the mouth, having tliat in com-
mon with many other nations, tliat they
love that wliich is bitiiij;, t'uch as the laid
tobacco is, which, even as wine or (Irony
beer, taken, as it is laid, in IhioaU, niak-
ctli giddy the fenles, and, in fonie iort,
procureth fleep ; lb that this word ilriin!.-
ard is among tiiem, by this word cyxi--
kcHy as well as amongll us. I'he i-loridi-
ans. have a certain fort ot drink called la-
fim, wiiich tliey drink all hot, wliich they
make ot" certain leave s ot trees •, but it is
not lawtul tor every one to drink of it,
but only to thcPaiuiouJIi, and to theni that
liave made proot of their valour in the
wars. And this drink hath fuch virtue,
that aslbonas tin. y iuive drunken it, they
become all in a fweat, which being pall,
they be ted. for twenty four hours, by
, the nourilliing force of the lame. As for
oftlic^!'"^ them of /?;'<7//V they make a certain kind ot
Jiiianj. drink which tliey call caouin, witii roots

The- r:o

n It i:i
iJiillk.

anil a grain calkd mill, which they put to
fetth and foiteii in great earthen vefl!'h:,
nude in the manner of a tub, over tlie
lire, and being foftened, it is the ofricc of
t!ie womui to cliew it all, and to fit them
again to leetii in other vellMs, then having
kit all to be fettled and Iklnimed, they
cover the velKUintil that it mullbe drunk-
en •, and this drink is as thick as lees, af-
ter the manner of the defrutum of the /,</-
inis, am! ol the tafte of four milk, white
and red as oiu' wine is, and they iii.ike ir
in every feafon, becaule thattlu laid roots
do grow there at all times. Furthermore
they ilrink this cncuin fomewiiat warm,
but with fiich excels, that rhiy never de-
part from the place wiierc they make their
leads, until that they have d.rimk all out,
though there were of the fame a tun for
every one. So that the J-'lcniinxs, High
Dutchmen., and S\vitzn-s, are but young
novices in that tr.ieii' in regard of tlu m. I
will not fpeak here of the cyders and per-
ries of Normandy, nor o\' thv I/idrcmels,
the- uf • whereof, by tiie re[)ort of P/u-
i.inh, was long betore the invention oi
wine, feeing our favages ufe none of it.
But I have thought good to mention the
(ruit of the vine, by realbn that Ne-uj
franct' is plentilully turnilhed therewith.

CHAP. XV.

OJ' their dti/h-rs nud fi/igs.

M l',X the belly is full then comes
mirth, faith the proverb •, it will
not be then unfit to fpeak of dancing alter
fealling: for it is alio faiii(;f the people of
ffrael, rliat after they hail well lilled then-
bellies they arofe for to ))!ay and dance a-
l-i.-nccs-n bout their golden calf Dancing is a thing
lli:ij:ed m very ancient among all people. Kut it
was firll made and inllituted in eiivine

things.

tilings, as we did now mark an ex.imple
of it; and the Gj;wi?«/7('.f who did \\e)r-
Ihip the fire, did dance about it, a A fa-
crificed their children unto it ; which man-
ner ot dancing was not invented by the
idolaters,but rather by the people of God.
For we read in the book ui 'Jud^^rs, that
tlierc was a folcmnity to Goil in Silo,
where tile maidens came to elance at the
Jount! of tlK, ilute. And D.iiid bringing
back the ark of the covenant into Hieni-
filon, -.veni- before it 111 his fliirt, danci; g
with all i-'.is Urength.

As !(jr til- heatliens they have followeel
thi; lalhion i for Plaiarch in the life of
Nnias faith, that the towns of dree: had a
cuftom t \ I ry year to go into Delos, tor to
celebrate tli -. lances and foiigs in the ho-

nour of //polio ; ane! in the life of I.ycttr-
giis, the orator, faith, that he diil orilain
a very folemn dance in the Pyree, unro
riic honour o\' Neptune, with a wager of a
hundred crowns price to the bell: dancer,
and to the fecond of eighty crowns, ;ind
to the third of fixty. The mufes, elaugh-
ters ofjupiter, do love dancing, .md all
they that have fpoken of •:hein make us to
go feek for them upon the mountain
P.iriuiffus, where, fay they, they dance at
the found of ///).'://i5's harp.

As lor the Latins, the fame Plutarch
fiith in the life of Numa Pompilius, that
he did inftitutc the college of the Saltans,
which wen pri-:fts dancing and gamboling
anel tinging tongs in the honour ol (uxl
Man, when that a buckler of brafs fell
mirieulouny trom heaven, which was a
gage from that God for the confervation
of the empire ; and that buckler was called
ancile, but for fear that it thould be llolen
away, he caufcd twelve (jthers to be mad.c
alike nameel ancilia, whieli were carried
in the \ears, as we did heretofore our ori-
JI.::;:i}ie,. mi.] as the cm]ic\or Conjlantine did
t!ie Libarum. Now the loremoll ot thole

Saltans

A Dcfiription of New France.

883

Saltans that il'til lead the otlicrs in tlic il.iiice to the honour of Man \ likcwlfc the Tkn-
was called Pr.iful, that is to lay, liitt cliaiis do fin^ to the honour of the liin, "to
dancer, pr.^ aliis Salians, faith lujiiis, \v!in \vlv)iii they attnbiire.ill thtir vit-lciics: not
takcth from that the name otthr y';<v;i/)
people, which were called Siiliaiis Ixeaule
they did love to da-^a-, to fkip and to

Kambol 1 and of thefe oalitiiis are come the
laws, which' we lall Sa/ique, that is to
fay laws of ilaiuvs.

So then to euine again to our (jurpofe,
the dances have fieen lirft inllituted tor ho-
ly thini^s. \\'hereto I will add, the tef-

for all that fo idihlly as Orphrus, inveritor
oi the heatheniih dcvilininefies, of wiioin
S:. Gregory Nnziaiizcn mocketh iiimfelf in
an oraticju, bceaufe that among otlu*r tol-
lies, ill an liyma he fpeaketh ol 'Jn/ilcr
in rhis wife: O i^hrioin Jupiter! ihegrealejl A fbolifli
c/' (ill ibegods, vjbkh art rcjidoit in all forts fii'l;)' '^ng
of dung, as well of (Jjeep as of Ijorfes aiid^'^J''f"'"'
mules, &c. And in another hvmn that

timony of Ar/uw, who faith, tliat the he makedi to Ceres, he faith, that flie

Indians which did worfhip the fun riP.ng,
dill not think to have duly faluted him,
unlefs tiielr fongs and prayers were accom-
uaniid witii tiances.

This kind of exeieife was fincc applied
to another ufe, tfiat is to fay, for the go-
vernment oF health, as Pltttanh faith, in

■ the treaty for the fame. So that Socrates

■ himfelf (howfoever precife and reformed)
took pleafure therein, tor which c.uife he
defircd to have a houfe large and Ipacious,
as Xennpbon writeth in hist)an(niet, and the
Perfians did cxpredy ufe the fame, as
Dtiris writeth in thefevcnth of iiishifloiies.

But the delights, lafcivioufnefs, and dif-

dil'covereth her tiiighs for to liibmit her
body to her paramours, and to make hcr-
telf to be tilled.

Our Souriquo'.s do m.\ke alfo dances and
fongs to the honour of the devil which
flieweth them their game, and that they
think to gratify him ; whereoi one needeth
not to marvel, becaufe th.U we ourftlves,
that be betfcr inllructed, do fing pfdms
and longs of [jraife to our Ciod, tor that he
givcth us our daily food : and I do not fee
that a man who is a hungred, ha\ e any
great hill either in finging or dancing:
nemo cnim fallal fere fobriia , faith (Cicero.

Allij when they will teatl: any body, The ilmi-
orders, did convert them lincc to their own they luve no fairer gellurc, in many pla- ccs and
ufe, and the dances have ferved tor /i/uvf- ces than d.incingi as in like manner, if (01135 of
vetes and brokers of unchaftity, as we find any one makcth them a feall:, lor all thankf- \'^".'/f"'^'3..

it but too much, whereof v/e have tefti- giving, they betake themlllves to dancing, j,^,^
monies in the golpel ; wh^rc we find that • • • ■ ■■ ■■ ■ ■ n/r /-

it coft the lif- ot the greateft that ever
arole amongfi men, which is St. John
Baptijl. And Arcefilaus faid very well,
that dances are v.-noms, iharper than all
the poifons that tic earth bringeth forth,
forat^much as by -4 certain incitement they

as it hath been feen Ibmetimes, when Monf.
de PoKtriiitourt did give them their dinner,
they tlid ling tongs of praifes unto him,
faying, that he was a brave Saganws, who
had made them good cheat, and which was
their good friend •, which they did com-
piclu'iid very mylHcally under thele three

infmuate into the foul, wherein they com- wowh, epigito ialo^edtco: I fay niyllically,

municaic and imprint voluptuoufnefs and for I could never know the proper lignifi-

deledation, which tiie bodies properly do c.uioncjt every one of thefe words. I believe

affeft. that it is of the ancient language ot their

Allfava- Our fav.ages, and generally all tlie peo- lorefathers which is out of ufe, like as the

ges do pie of the IVijl-Indics, have time out of old Hebrew is not the Jews langu.ige at this

d.-ince. mind the ufe of tiances. But lafcivious (\\y, and was already changed in the time

pleafure hath not yet lb far prevailed againtl of the ajwtlles.

them, as to make them dance at the plea- They fing alio in their common /.7/M,';-/f';,

fure thereof, a thing vhich ought to t'trve the prailes of their brave captains and Sa-

as a lefibn to the Chrittians. The ule then gamos that have killed many of their ene-

of their dances is for four ends, either to mjcs : wiiich was prai5lifed anciently in ma-

pleale their gods (let who will call them ny nations, and is pi\it:~tifed yer anionglt us

devils it is all one to me) as we have mark- pt this day ; and is found to be api)rov!;d

ed in two places before, or to chear up and of decency in the holy llripture, ia

fome body, or to rejoice thcmtelves of the canticle of LVZ'jm/', after the overthrow

fome viftory, or to present fickneflls. of king Sifera. And when young David

In all thefe dances they fing, and make no had killed the great Goliah, as the king

dumb fhews, as in thofe ilances %s hereof did return viftorious into Jerufalctn, the

women came out of all the towns '"id met
him with tabrets, rebecks and timbrels,
d.uicinir and finging merrily, i^iying by

the Pythienne oracle fpeaketh, v/!ien he

faith ; it behoveththat the beholder undcr-
Ibuid die dancing flagi-idayi-r, althouiih

he be da mb; and that lie hear him though coiufe and anlwering one another-, Saul
he doth not f|ieak. But as in Delos tiny balb fiain his thaufwd, and David his ten
did ling to the hoiiout of Apdlo, the Saliahs tbi'ttfuiid. Jlheneiis faith, that the Gaullois

had

884

.7 Dcfiriptiofi of New France.

FiiHih

/Men.

%•'

h;\il poets nanici,! fianli, whom tliey revc-
riiicat very mucli ; and thofc jiocrs M fing
vha vucc, the ileal:* of virtuous and fa-
mous men v but xhvy did writi- notliinj; in
jniblici-;, iK-caulc that Writing niakcth men
florhtiil ami m^iigt-nt in learniny. Not-
wiihlhindiiig Carolia Mtj^tius was of ano-
Thc Cong) thcr opinion i lor he cauicd longs to Ix:
of the made in the vulgar tongue, cotitaining the
deeds and ads of rlic ancients, and com-
manded that the children fliould be made
to learn them by heart, and that they fliould
ling them, to the end that their meniory
Ihould remain from father to Ion, and
from race to race, and by this means others
lliuuld be rtirred uj) to do good, and to
write the aftions and deeds of valiant men.
1 will further lay here by the way, that the
LiueiUmvmani had a certain manner of dan-
cing, which they ufed in all their feaHs and
folemnities, which did reprefent the three
ages i to wit, the time paft, by the old
men, which did fay in Tinging this burthen,
<Wt' i(.rrc hcrelnfore viiloroui \ the prefent,
by the young men in rhe flower oi their
youth, f^iying, zi^ he Jo now at tbi t.m: ;
the future, by the children, who did lay,
v^l' fiall be fo too, when our turn coma.
What arc ^ w'" "'^^ ^ufy myfelf in defcribing all
the Cava- the fafliions of the gambols of their ancient
gesdaii- predcceirors, but it fufficeth me to fay,
*■'■'■ that the dances of our lavages are made
without removing from one place, and not-
withllanding they are all in a round (or
very nearj and do dance with vehcmency,
llriking with their feet upon the ground,
and lifting themlelves up as in half a leap ;
and as for their hands they hold them clofe,
and their arms in the air, in form of a man

that thre itencrh with a motion of them.
As for the voice, there is but one that fing-
cth, be it man or woman ; all the refb do
and iay, het, het, as (bmc that breathctli
out with vehcmency : anil at the end ol
every fonR, they all make a long and louil
exclamation, faying, bccee. I'or to be
more nimble, they commonly put them-
lelves Itark naked, becaufe that their gowns
made of fkins do hinder them ; and it they
have any of their enemies hcails or arms,
they will carry thcin about their necks,
dancingwith this t/'r jewel, which they will
Ibmcrimcs bite, lo great is their hatred
even againfl the dead. And for to end this
chapter as we began ir, they never mako
any ttibagieov lealf, but that there is a dance
after if, and afterward, \{ the S alamos he
difpofed, according to the Hate of their
afVairs, he will iiiakc an oration of one,
two, or three hours continuance, and at
every demonftration ulking the advice of
the company : if they approve his propo-
fition, every one will cry out aloud, heeeet
in fign of allowing and ratifying of the
fame ; wherein they give him very atten-
tive audience, as we have feen many tiniei.
And aifb when that Monf. dc Poutrinccurt
did fcall our favages, Membertou, after
dancing, made an oration with luch vehc-
mency, that he made the world to wonder,
" fliewing the coiirtefiej and witnefles of
" friendfhip that they received of the
" rrenclMne)u what they might hope of
" them hereafter i and how much their
" prefence was profitable, yea neceffary
" unto them, becaufe that they did flcep
" in fecurity, and had no fear of their
" enemies, i^c" ; - ., ,

I :m4J,i

:;yfc»-

CHAP. XVI.

Of the dijpojltlon of their bodies, and of their phyfick and chinir^ny.

.M:u.;»

WE have faid in the hifl: chapter,
that danviny is profitable for the
prcfcrvation of health : alfo it is one of the
caufes why our favages do delight fo m.uch
in it. Bat they have yet fome other pre-
fervatives which they ufe very often, thar
is to fay, fweats, whereby they prevent
ficknefTcs: tor they be fomctimes touched
with this phtb'.fick, wherewith the men of
Capt. 'James !c>uar:lcr and Monf. de Monts
were annoyed, which notwithllanding is
but feldom •, bat when it happeneth, they
have in Canada the tree called aunedda,
which I term the tree of life for the excel-
lency tliereof, wherewith they heal thcm-
Jc.'vesi and in tb-.' country of the JnnoU'

rbiquois, they have fajfafras, and in Flo- Saffafrat,
rida, efquin. The Soiiriquois which have Eiquin.
none of tliefe kinds of woods, do ufe fweats,
as we have faid, and they have their Aout-
tpoifis for fhyficians, who for that purpofe
do dig in the ground and make a pit, stows or
which they cover with wood and big f^at hot hou-
ftones over it ; then they put fire to it by a 'e^.
hole, and the wood being burned, they
make a raft with poles, which they cover
with all the (kins and other coverings which
they have, fo as no air entereth therein ;
they caft water upon the faid ftones, which
are fallen in the pit, and do cover them :
then fhey put themfelves under the fame
raft, and with motions, the AQUtmoin fing-

ing

III I
i

.V Defer ipt ion of New France.

88.?

Tlic phy-
iii'iaii^ 111
Flitii.Ui.

Tl.f n.n

jtiin'i |i|iy

lai.

■i or

lOU-

liiy, an^l ilw others f.iying fas in their
claHCcs ' bet, k't, hd, tlicy put tlicmfclvu
into a iWcit. If tlicy h.iptnTi to fall into
fu kncl'i, (For one iinid ilii; in the end) the
j-hulinoin doil. blow, wiih excrcifings, up-
on tlic mcnilxT ^rievcJ, ilotli lick it and
fiU k it V and it rh.u be no: lulficient, he
lectcth the patient blood, llotcinnj^his flefli
v.idi the point ot a knife or lomcthing die.
h they do not IkmI ihcm aiw.iys, one mull
tonlidcr that our phylicians do not always
tiire tlu'ir patients neither.

j(n llurlLi tlicy have their Jurvan, who
continually carry a bag full ot hctbs and
drugs han[;ing about their necks to cure
the tick, which are lor the moll part fick
of the pox ; and they blow upon the parts
ulFciiUJ, until they draw the very blood
I'roin it.

The Brj/iliiin phyficians are named
atnonfj them Paj^is, Cthey be not their
Cariiili:i or foothlayeisj who in fucking as
af'orefaid, they endeavour themlelves to
heal diftales •, but they have one ficknels
which is incurable, which they call piMs,
proceeding ol" k-achery, which notwith-
llanding little children fotnetimcs have,
even as them in thcl'c our parts that be lull
of pock-holes, which comjth unto them
(as I thitik) from the corruption of their
parents. This contagion doth convert it-
lllf into boils bro-idcr than the thumb,
which difperfe themlelves throughout all
the body, and even as tar .is the face, and
being touched therewith, they bear the
marks thereof all their life-time, fouler
than lepers, as well Hra/iliaiis as other na-
tions. As for the fick body's diet, they
give him not any thing, unltfs he afketh
for it •, and without taking any other care
of them, they ceafe not to make their noife
and hurly-burlics belore them, drinking,
ikipping and finging, according to their
cuftoin.
The S'ni- As for the wounds, thz Aoutinoins of our
Souriquois and their neighbours do lick
and luck them, ufing the beavers kidney,
whereot they put a llicc upon the wound,
and fo ic doth heal itfelf with that. The
ancient Gcnnans ffiith TacUtts) not having
yet the art of chirurgery did the like; They
hihi^ (faidi he) ibcir wounds to their mothers
and lo ticir zvives, ivho are vol afraid either
to mtmuir ihnn, or to fuck them ; yea they
bring tbem -SiclUiih to the canf, and exhort
ibcm to fgbt valiantly : fo that fometimes
armies ready to run niuny, have been reftored
by thi: prayers of the i:jQ?nen, opeiii/ig their
breajh to their hujlanas. And after-wards
they ivillin^ly ujed the "jjoviens advices and
connfcis, -^-herein they eficem fame holy thing
i'j he.

And among the Chriflians, many ("not
caring lor God ho longer than tht y receive
Vol., II.

chinir-
gcons.

good gills of liim ) do leek foi the he.ding
lit ih';ir dileales, by clurim and help or
witches. So among (nil lavages, the ,Vw;
iii'Jin haviiiy; loine lure in i iiiv, tni]uiriili
otteii of his devil to know whedier he Hiail
heal or no-, and hath never lUi anfwer buc
iloubtUilly, by ;/ or and. There be Ibmc
ot them whicli iometimcs do make incre-
iliijle cures, as to heal one that h.ith his
anus cut off. Wlmh notwidilhndmg, I
know not wliy I Itiould find it llrangc,
when I confider what Moiif. de Hujheqtn
writetli in his diLourti: o( his eiiibafly mio
'I'ltrky, the lourth cpilUe.

" Coming near unio liudd, the bafha
" fent fome of iiis houdiold lervants to
" meet us, with rnany heralds and officers :
'* but among the rell, a fair troop of young
•' men on horfeback, remaikable tor thr
" novelty ot their order. They had rheir
'* heads bare and ftaven, upon the whicli
" they had made a long bloody flafli, and
" tlirufl divers feathers of binls witiiin the
" wound, from whence the very pure
*' blood did trickle down; but inftcad of
" Ihrinking at it, they weai lifting up
" their heads with a laughing countenance.
" Before me marched fome foot men, one
" of them had Kv, ani.s niiked and hang-
" ing down on his fides i both which arirn
" above the elbow, were thruft quite thro' •

" with a knife th It fluck fall in tlieni.
" Another was naked from his head to tlie
*' navel, luvii.g the Ikin of his back io
" jagged up and down in two places,
" athwart which he had made to pufs an
" hatchet of arms, which he did carry in
" fcarf-wile as we wouki do a cutlals.
" I faw another of them, who had fixed
" upon the crown of his head a horflioe
" with many nails, and of fo long conti-
" nuance, that the nails were fo fixed and
" fad in the tlefh that they ftirred nor.
" Wc cntred into Buda in this pomp,
" ami were brought into the bafh.Vs houle,
" with whom I treated of my alTairs. All
" this youthful company little caring for
*' their wounds, were in the lower court
" of the houfe : and as I was a looking on ^
" them, the balha alkcd of me what I \

" thought of it? All well faid I, except
" that thefe men do with the Ikin of their
" bodies, that which I would not do with
" my coat; for I would feek to keep ic
" whole. The bafha laughed, and we
" took our leave."

Our favages do very well fometimes Tl-.e tryal
make tryal of their ronflancy, but we muft '^'^ '''^ '='
confefs that it is nothing in
things above rehearfed : for ;
is to put burning coals upon their arms,
and to hitler their Ikins to burn, fo that
the marks thereof do remain there for ever ;
which thing they do alfo on other parts of
10 Q the

I regard of thc"S'''W:>^

II I 1 J !t.1l'.C).

qU that they do

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23 WIST MAIN STRICT

WIBSTIR.N.Y. US80

(716)S73-4S03

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^\f^

8cS6

A Defer) lotion of New France.

die botly, an^l fhcw tlicfe m.'iks to Hiy
th.it they have x [.ycat coiira-^f. Rut the
aiiticnt Mtitiui Sc/rvo!a, did nuiih inoie
than that, burning couragioiifly his arm in
tile fire, alter he had milled the kilhng ot
king Fcrfemm. If this were of my piir-
pt^l'e, I would declare the cuftoir.s of the
[.acedtrmonidfis, who did make every year
u tea(t to the honour cf D'nifia, where the
young boys did fliew their tryal by whip-
ping of themfcbes. Item the cullom of
the ancient '"erfians, who wordiipping the
fun, which they called Mithra, none could
be received to that friiternity until he had
given his conllancy to be known, by four-
fcore kinds of torments, of fire, of water,
of farting, of folitarinefs, and other things.
But let us return to our favages phyli-
cians and chirurgeons. Although the num-
ber of them be but fmali, yet lb it is, that
the hope of their living doth not confift
Healthful wholly in that trade; for as concerning the
coiintr)-. ordinary ficknefles, they are fo rare in thole
parrs that the verfe of Ovid may be very
well applied unto them :

Si valeant homines an ttia Pbabe jacet:

In faying y?, pro quia. For thcfe do al-
fo live a great age, which is commonly
leven fcorc or eight fcore years. And if
they had our commodities, to live by fore-
caft and induftry to gather up in fummer
for the winter, I believe they would live
above three hundred years : which may be
conjeftured, by the report that we have
made heretofore of an old man in Florida,
who had lived that great age. In fuch fort,
that it is no particular miracle of that
which Pliny faith, that the Pandoriain do
live 200 years, or that they of Taprobane,
.ire lively and nimble at a hundred years
old. For Afemhertou is above a hvindrcd
years old, and yet hath not one white hair
on his head, and fo ordinarily be the others:
and that which is more in every age, they
have all their teeth, .-^nd go bare-headed,
not caring at leaft to make any hats of
their Ikins, as the firft did that ufed them
in thefe parts of the world. For they of
Peloponntjui, the LacedcFmonians did call a
The tirft hat cynen, which Julius Pollux faith, to
original of fjgnify ^ Jog's (kin. And of thi-fe hats
do yet the northerly people ufe at this day,
but they arc well furred.

Long
livc».

hatv

That wh'wh alfo procurerh the hralth of Conronl
our fav.igis, is the loncord which tlicy 'V^ ""'*
have amonr; them, and tiie fmall care tliey y^^^"'^'^
t.ikc for the commoditii-s of this life, for
tiie which we torment and vex ourklves.
'I'lvry have not that ambition, whieh 111
thi-fc jiarts gnaweth and tictteth the n.inds
and fpirits, and fillcth them with cares,
makiu"^!: blinded men tn go to the <irave in
the very flower of their age, and fomt times
to I'crve tor a fliamefiil fpeftacle to a pub-
liik death.

I tiare alfo, and that very well, attri-
bute the caull' of this dil'iiofition anil long
health of our lavac,cs to their manner of
life, which is alter the ancient fafhion, with-
out curiofity; for every one doth grant
that fobriety is the mother of health : and Sobriety,
although they fometimes exceed in their
tabapes, or feafts, they diet themfelves
afterwards well enough, living very often
eight days more or lefs with the fmoke of
tobacco, not returning to hunting until
they be hungry j and that bcfidis being
nimble they want no exctrcife, fome way
or other. Briefly, there is no tucnriori
amongft them of thofe fhort asies which do
not out-pafs forty years, whit h is the life
of certain people of jEtbiopia, as Pliny
fiith, which do live of locufts, or graf-
hoppers, faked in the fmoke. Alfo cor-
ruption is not among them, which is the
foftering mother of phyficians and of ma-
giftrates, and of the multiplicity of officers,
and of publick extortioners, which are
created and inftitutcd for to give order unto
it, and to cut off the abufes. They have
no fuits in law, the plague of our lives, to
the profecuting whereof wc mud confumc
both our years and our means, and very
often one cannot obtain juflice, be it cither
by the ignorance of the judge, to whom the
cafe is difguifed, or by his own malice, or
by the wickcdncfs of an attorney that will
fell his client: and from fuch affliftions do
proceed the rears, fretlulnefs, and defola-
tions, which bring us to the grave before
our time : For Sorrow, faith the wife man,
halh killed many, and there is no profit in it.
Envy and wrath JJxrten the life, and care
hringeth old age before the time j but the jy
of the heart is the life of man, and a man's
gladnejs prolongetb bis days.

•J. .

'V C H A V.

.a- 1

"*■

A Dejcription of New France.
CHAP. XVIL

T^he csercifcs of the mau

887

VI-

Bows mi
arrcws.

fT E R health, let us fpcak of exer-
_ _ cifes which be the maintainers and
proteftors thereof. Our favages have no
bafc cxercifc, all their fport being either
tiic wars or hunting, whereof we will fpeak
fevcrally, or in making implements fit for
the fame, as Cafar witneffcth of the ancient
Germans, or a dancing, and of that wc
have already fpoken, or in pafllng the time
in play : they make then bows and arrows,
bows which be ftrong and without finenefs i
as for the arrows, it is an admirable thing,
how they can make them fo long and fo
(trait with a knife, yea with a flone only,
where they have no knives. They feather
them with 'he featlicrs of an eagle's tail,
becaufe they are firm and carry themfelves
well in the air : and when they want them
they will give a beaver's iTcin, yea, twain
for one ot thofe tails. For the head, the
lavages tli.it have trafflck with Frenchmen
do head them with iron heads which are
brought to them •, but the Armoucbiqtwis,
and others more remote, have nothing but
bones made like ferpcnts tongues, or with
tl^e tails of a certain filhcalled7rf«<j«, the
which fifli is alfo found in yir^inia by the
fame name, at leaft the Engli/hhiAorhn doth
write in feekenaiik. This fifli is like to a
era life lodged within a very hard fliell,
which (hell is of the greatnefs of a difh, a
long tail, likewifc hard, for it is (hell and
(harp. His eyes arc upon his back, and
is very g«x)d meat.

They alfo make wooden mafes, or clubs,
in the fafh'on of an ab'oot's IfafF, for the
war, and fliicKls which cover all their bo-
ilie>, as did our ancient Gaullois. As for
the ijuivers that is the womens trade.

For iilhin;^ : tlie Annoiichiquois which
have hemp do make hfhing lines with it,
but ours tli.it have not any manuring of the
ground, do truck for them with Frenchmen^
as alfo for fifliinghooks to bait for fi(h •,
only they mike with guts bew-ftrings, and
rackets, which they tie at their feet to go
upon the fiiow a hunting.

And for .is much as the nccelTity of life
doth conftr.iin them to change place often,
whether it be for fifliing (for every place
hath its panicul.ir fifh, which come thi-
ther in certain feafon) they have need of
horfes in their remove for to carry their

boats made ( f b.irks of trees, which go
as fwiftly .is may be without fails : when

they remove they put all that they have
into them, wives, children, dogs, kettles,
hatches, matacbias, bows, arrows, qviivers,
fkins, and the coverings of their houfes.
They are made in fuch fort, that one mufl:
not (lir nor (land up when he is in them,
but crouching or fitting in the bottom,
otherwife the merchandize would overturn :
they are four foot broad, or thereabouts, in
the midft, and are (harp towards the ends,
and the nofe is made rifing, fortopafs com-
modioufly upon the waves. I have faid that
they make them of the barks of trees, for
the keeping whereof in meafiire, they gar-
nifli them within with ludf circles of cedar
wood, ti wood very fupple and pliable,
whereof Noah's ark was made : and to the
end they leak not, they cover the feams,
which join the faid barks together, which
they make of roots, with the gum of firr-
trces. They alfo make fome of willows
very properly, which they cover with the
faid gum of firr-trees •, a thing which wit-
ne(reth tliat they lack no wit, where necef-
fity prelTeth them.

Many nations of thefe parts have had the
like in times paft. If we feek in the holy
fcripture, we (hall find that Afi^j's mother,
feeing (he could hide her child no longer, (he
did put him in a little cheft, that is to fay,
in a little canoe : for Noah's ark, and this
fame fmall cheft is one fame word P2Q in
Hebrew, maik of reed, and daubed it ivith
Jlime and pitch ; then put the child in it, and
laid it among the bull-rtifies by the flmre of
the river. And the prophet Ifai^ib threat-
ning the Ethiopians and /ijfvrians, IVoe^
faith he, unto the country wku b feiideth by
fea ambajfadors in paper vejfels (or rulhes)
upon the waters, faying, mcjfengers go ye
quickly, &c. The y£gyplians, neighbours
to the Ethiopians had in the time ol Julius
Crrfar, the fame ve(rels, that is to f.iy, of
paper, which is a rind of a bark of a tree,
witnefs Lucan in thefe verfes :

Conferitur bibula Memphitis cytnba papyro.

But let us come from the eaft and fouth
to the north : Pliny Hiith, that anciently the
Engliflmen and Scotchmen fetched tin in the
land of MiSiis, with canoes o( willows
fewcd in leather. Solin faith as much, and
ffidore, which callcth this fa(hion of canoes,
carabus, made of willows, and environed
with oxhides all raw, Which, faith he, thf

Saxon

S88

A Defcription of New France.

•*','Trf^.*

S.ixon piriiti-! Ho tifi, who ivith tho/e vijlrti-
tneiits are fu.'ifl tn fh^ht. Siiloiieiis ile Po-
itgnac, fpcikiiig of tlic fame Siixons Ihitli,

Cm I'dle fnhim JhUnre Britamiim

LiiJtis, y /tjfuto gluucum mare findare
Ictnbo.

The fav.iges of the north, towards La-
brador^ have certain fmall canoc$ of thir-
teen or fourteen fwjt long, and two foot
broad, made of this tafliion, all covered
wich leather, yea, over-head, and there is
but one hole in the midft, where the man
puttcth hinifcif on his knees, having half
his body out, fo that he cannot perifh, fur-
nirtiing his vcfiels with viduals before he
1 i c oil cometh in it. I dare believe, that the fa-
ii "■'! <)' bics of the fyrens, or mermaidens, come

t!iblc»''" ^"^""^ ''^'"» ^^^ dunces elleeming that they

were fifh, half men or women, as they

have feigned centaurs by feeing men on

horfcback.

Car.nrs of The Aniioucbtqucis^ Virginians, Eortdians,

h;'l!ov.cd .j„ | BrafiUans, do make another falhion of

c.inoes,forhavingneithcrhatchetsnorknives,

except fome copper ones, they burn a great

tree very ftrait at the foot, and fell it down }

then they take fuch length as they will, and

life to biirn it inftcad of fawing it, fcraping

tlie burnt part of the tree with ftones : and

for the hollowing of the veflcl, they do

continue the fame. In one of thofe boats

fix men will fail wich fome iluff, and will

make long voyages: but thefe kind of

canoes are heavier than the others.

They alfo make long voyages by land as
well as by fea, and they will undertake (a
thing incredible) to go 20 or 30, yea, 40
leagues througli the woods, without meet-
ing with any path or inn, and without car-
rying any viduals but tobacco, and a tin-
der box, witli their bow in hand, and their
quiver at their backs j and we in France are
much troubled when we have never fo little
They arc loll oiir way in fome great foreft. If they
tniiKi.on- be prcfled with thirft, they have the fkill to
I . birch • fucij the trees, from whence do trickle down
"'^*" a fweet and very pleafant liquor, as my-

felf have tried it fometimes.
r.itif ry of I" ^^^ countries where they ufe tillage,
cftiJi. as in that of the Armouchiquoiiy and fiu"-
ther off, the men do make an infinite
number of carthcn-pots, like in fadiion to
night-caps, in which they fecth their
meats, Ikfli, fifli, beans, corn, pompi-
ons, i^c. Our Scuriquois did fo anciently,
and did till die ground ; but fince that
Frenchmen do bring unto them kettles,
beans, pcafe, bifkct and other food, they
arc become llothful, and malic no more
account of thofe exercifes. But as for
the /Irmouchiquois which have yet no com-
merce with us, and them that are further

off, they till tlie ground, do fatten itwitjj
fhells of fill), they have their families
dillint^t, and their plots of ground about
them ; contrary to the ancient Genihiiis
which (m Co- far faith 1 had not any field
proper, neither did ihty dwell above a
year in out place, having alinoft no other
living than milk, flefli, and tliecfe, think-
ing it too tedious a thing tor them to
tarry a whole year of purpofe for to reap
u lurvcft. Which is alfo the humour of
our Souriqttcis and Canadians^ who, and
all others (as we muff needs confefs) are
nothing laborious but in iuinting. For,
the manuring of the ground, the women
do take the grcatell pains in it, who a-
mongll them do not command at home,
and do not make their hulbaiids to go to
the market, as they do in many provin-
ces in thefe our parts, and cfpecially in
the country of Jealoufy.

As for the tillage of the Fleridians, xjij jp/,.
hear what Laudonnierc faith of it j they riiiiam
fow their corn twice a year, that is to fay, tillajie.
in March and in Jime, and all in one and
the felf-fame land. The faid mill from
the time that it is fowed until it be ready
to he reaped, is not above three montlw
in the ground : The lix other months
they fumr the ground to reft. They alfo
gather ta.ir pompiens and very good beans,
they do not dung their land i only when
they will fow, they fet the weeds on Hre
which are grown during the fix months, and
burn them all. They till their land with an
inftrumcnt of wood, which is made like
to a broad pickax, wherewith they dig
their vines in /'ra«« •, they put two grains
of mill together. When the lands are to
be fowed, the king commandcth one of
his men to call his iiibjedts together every
day to come to labour, during the which,
the king caufeth great ftore ot that drink
whereof we have fpoken to be made. In
the fcafon that the corn is gathered, it is
all carried into the common ftore-houfe,
where it is diftributed to every one ac-
cording to his quality. They fow but fo Tlieir li^.
much as they think will fervc them for fix i"g 'i'l/ing
months, and that very hardly i for during ^^^ *'""
the winter they retire themftlves three or ^'''^'
four months of the year into the woods j
where they make little houfes of palm
leaves, to lodge thcmfclves in, and there
do live of acorns, of fifii which they take,
of oyfters, or ftags, turkey-hens and o-
ther beafts that they take.

And feeing they have towns and houfes, Thetown*
or cabins, I may yet well put this among ot the u-
their exercifes. As for the towns, thty ^'£"-
be multitudes of cabins, made fome-
what piramid wile ; others in form of a
cottage, others like garden bowers, com- '
paflcd as it were with high pales of trees
joined one near the otiicr, even as I have

fct

j4 Defcnption of New France.

8S()

F.-t 0.1? die town of Iloihela^/i, in my map
of tlic yrcat rivijr of Canada, t'lirrlicr-
ii'.nir, («ie miift not marvel of this fliipt:
ol a town, which might fccni fimple ;
liring that the faircft towns of Mttfovy
luvc no better inclofure. The ancient La-
fedi.vnomani would have no other walk than
tin ir coprage and valour : Before the ge-
nt:ral flood C<m diil build a town, which
he named Enoch ( I believe it was no other-
wife nude tiian thofe of our favages) but
he did feel the wrath of God which purfued
him, and h.ul loll all afTurance. Men had
but cabins and pavillions, and as it is
written of Jahal the fon of Ada \ that be
ivai thf father of the divellcn in Tabcriia-
tlci and of Shifhcrdf. Alter the flood
they built the tower of Bal/el, but this
was folly. 'Tacitus writing of the manners
of the Germans, f lidi thai in his time tln-y
had not any ule neither of lime nor Hones,
tilt: I'.nglijh Jirilons much iefs. Our Gaul-
loii were then, from many ages before,
come to civility \ but yet were they a long
time in the beginning without any other
habitations than cabins ; and the firft OW-
loii king that built towns and houfes, was
Alaj^us, who fucccedcd his father the wife
Samotbes, three hundred years alter the
flood, eight years after the nativity of
Abraham, and the one and fiftieth year of
the reign of Ninu^, as Beroftus the Chaldean
doth fay. And although they had build-
ings, they lay notwithltanding on the
ground upon fkins, like to our favages.
And IS in the ancient times the names
were given which contained the qualities

and acfli of perfons, Ma^us was fo called,
bccaule he was the firll b\iilder. For in
the Scythian and .■Armenian language (fiom
whence our Caullois came fhortly after the
flood) and in the ancient Gniillois tongue,
Magtis fignificth a builder, faith the fame
author ; and lb hath John Anniiis of yitsrbo
very well-marked ; from whence came our
names of the towns of Rolhomagus, Neoma-
giis, Noviomagm. So likewile Samothti
fignifieth wife, and the old Caullois philo-
Ibphers were (before the Druids) called
Samolbeans, as Diogenes Laerlius reportetli,
who conlefTcth that philolbphy did begin
from them whom the Greek vanity did call
Barl^arous.

1 will add here for an exercife of our fava- Gam. s of
ges their play at hazard, whereunto they are ''i'- '^*^''''
lb addicted that fometimes they play out all S*^'
that they have ; and James ^lartter writ-
eth the fame of them of Canada, in the
time that he was there. I have feen a kind
of game that they have, but not thinking
then to write this treaty, I took no heed to
it. They put fome number of beans co-
loured and painted of the one fide in a
platter ; and having ftretched out a (kin
on the ground, they play thereupon,
ftriking with the difh upon this fkin,
and by that means the beans do flcip in the
air, and do not all fall on that part that
they be coloured -, and in that confifteth
the chance and ha: .rd j and according to
their chance they have a certain number of
quills made of ruflies, which they diftri-
buie to him that winneth for to keep the
reckoning.

CHAP. XVIII.

Of the ivomcus cxercifesi

The \vo-

"ruan is
called

Tti E woman was given in the be-
ginning unto man, not only ibr to
aid and afTitl him, but alfo to be the ftore-
houfe ot generation. Their firft exercife
then that 1 will attribute unto her, after
that fhe is married is to bring forth good-
ly cluldren, and to aflllt her hufband in
this work ; for this is the end of marriage.
Ar.d therefore is flie very well and fitly
called in Hebrew O^pi that is to fay
Pi'-rced, becaulc it is meet thatflie be pierc-
ed, if Ihe will imitate our common mother
the earth, which in the fpring time, defi-
rous to bring forth, openeth her bofom
for to receive the rain and dews which the
heaven poureth upon her. Now I find
that this exercife (hall be rcquifite for them
that will inhabit New trance to bring
Vol. II.

forth there fl:ore of creatures, which fliall
fing the praifcs of God. There is land
enough to nourifh them, fo that they he
willing to work » and their condition fhall
not be fo milerable as it is with many in
thcfe parts, which do feck co employ
themfclves and do not find wherein -, and
albeit they find it, yet very often is their
labour unrewarded and unfruitful. But in
that country he that will take pleafure,
and as It were fport himfclf with Iweet la-
bour, he ftiall be aflurcd to live out of
bondage, and that his children fliall yec
be in better ftate than himfelf was. The
firft exercife then of the woman is to work
in generation, which is a labour lb fair and
fo meritorious, that the great apoftle St.
Paid, to confblate them in the pains they
to R taka

890

A Dcfiription of New France,

take in that i.ibour hath faiil ; that the wo-
man Jhall be faved through bearing^ of (bit-
tiren, if ibey remain in faith, end love, and
bolinefs with modejly. That is to fay, it"
flic inllruft them in fuch fort that tlic jfod-
linefs of the mothtr may be icnowa by the
guoJ inditution of the children.

This firft and chicfcft article being men-
tioned, let us come to the others. Our
favage women after they have brought
forth the fruit of this cxcrcife, by I know
not what pnidice, do oblcrve without law
that which was commanded in the law uf
A/0/^j touching puritication. For they fhut
themfclves up a-part, and know not their
hufbands for thirty yea forty days 1 during
wiiich time they do not leave for nil that
trom going here and there, where they
have bufmefs, carrying their children with
them, and taking care for them.

I have faid in the chapter of the tabagit
that among the favages, the women are
not in as good a condition as they were
anciently among the Gaullcis and Ger-
mans. For (by the report of James ^^ ar-
tier himfelf) they labour more than the
men, faith he, whether it be in fifhing,
be it in tilling or in any thing elfe. And
notwithftanding they are neither forced,
nor tormented -, but they are neither in
their tabagies nor in their councils, and do
the fervile bufinefs, for want of fervants.
If there be any venifon killed, they go to
flay it and to fetch it, yea were it three
leagues off i and they mufl find it out by
the only circumdance tliat ihall be dclcrib-
ed to them by words. They that have
prifoners do alfo employ them to that, and
toother labours, as to go fetch wood with
their wives i which is folly in them to go
fetch dry and rotten wood very far off
for to warm them, although they be in the
midft of a forefV. True it is that the
fmoke is very irkfome to them, which it
may be is the caufe thereof.

Touching their fmaller exercifes •, when
the winter doth approach, they prepare
that which is neceffary to oppofc them-
fclves againfl this rigorous adverfary, and
make matts of rufhes, wherewith they gar-
nifh their cabins, and others to fit upon,
and all very artificially ; yea alfo colouring
their rufhes, they make partitions in their
works, like to them that our gardeners
do make in their garden knots, with fuch
meafure and proportion as noticing is
found amifs therein. And bccaufe that
drcffinc'of *^^ body muft alfo be cloathed, they cur-
fcinj. T ^f"! fupple the fkins of beavers, flags
and others, as well as can be done iiere.
If they be little they few many tc^ether,

Mattj.

Th» Cur
Tying and

and make cloaks, flecves, ftocki-ig«;, and
flioes, upon all which tl/in^i tJu y make
works whicii luvc .1 very jjood !;:.ilv.
Item, they make paiiPicis of rilh.-a and ra';t.:rj.
roots, for to put thcjr i;;.ci.ilitii;s in, as
corn, beans, pealc, Jkili, li!l» anil oth.r
tilings. They make alii.) ;)unls 'A lea- I'diia.
thiT, upon wiiich ihcy makj works wor-
thy of admiration, with tlu- hairs of
porcupines, coloured with red, black, ^-''"•
white and blue, which be the colours i,liat
they make, ib lively that ours fecm in no-
thing to be comparable to them. They DiOics.
alfo excrcife themfclves in making dillits
of bark to drink, and put their meats in,
which are very fair according to the Ihilf.
Item, fcarfs, necklaces and bracelets which
they and the men do wear, which they m,i,.,.
call matachias, are of their making. <-w..
When the barks of trees mull be taken off
in the fpring-time, or in llimmer, tiicre-
with to C0V.T their houfes, it is they
which do tUat work ; ;is iiktwife they la-
bour in t'.i ,• making of canoes and fmall Canow,
boats, V .en they are to be made ; and i's
for the '. .ing of the ground (in the coun-
tries wi. :re they ufe it) they take therein
more pains than the men, who do play
the g- itlemcn, and h..ve nc care but in
hunting, or of wars. And nctwithfland-
ingall their labours, yet commonly tlicy
love their hufbanus more than the women xiiT wn-'
of thefe cnr parts. For none cf them are n.di.iovo
fecn to n :ry again upon their graves, 'iJ ''"^""
that is to ( ly prefently alter their deceafe, ^•""'"'•i^*.
but ratlur do tarry a long time. And if
he hath been killed, they will eat no Hefh
nor will condeiirend to fccond marriage
until they have feen the revenge tliereof
made ; a teftimony botli of true love
(which is fcarce found among us) and al-
fo of chaftity. Alfo it happcneth vi.ry
feldom that they have any divorcements,
but fuch as are voluntary ; and if they
were Chriflians they would be families
with whom God would dwell and be well
plcafed, as it is meet it flioukl be fo, for to
have perfeft contentment ; for otfierwife
marriage is but torment and tribulation ;
which the Hebrews, great fpcculators and
fearchers into holy things, by a fubtlc ani-
madverfion, have very well notal, for
Aben Hezra fi'.ib, that in the name of
the man V^K and of the woman DB'N the
name of God, Jab, is contained ; and if
the two letters which do make this name
of God Lv; taken away, there fliall remain
thefe two words TNI Vftf which do fig-
nify fire and fire ; that is to fay, that
God being taken awciy it is but anguilh,
tribulation, bittcmcfs and grief^

t'l ."!

CHAP.

A Defcription of New France,

89 1

CHAP. XIX.

Of their chili ty.

ONE miifl: not hope to find in our
favages tliat civility which the Scribes
and Pharifees did require in the difcipics
of our Lord. For wliich their over great
curiofity he made them fuch anfwer as
they deferved 1 for they had brought in
ceremonies and cuftoms which were re-
pugnant to God's commandment, which
they would have ftreightly to be obferved,
teaching ungodlinefs under the name of
fiety. For if a wicked child did give
and put into the common box of the tem-
ple tnat whicli appertained to his father,
or to his mother, they (for to draw this
profit) did juftify this wicked fon, againft
the commandment of God, who hath
above all things commended and com-
manded the childrens obedience and reve-
rence towards them that have brought
them into the world, which are the image
of God, who hath no need of our goods,
and doth not accept the oblation that is
made unto him ot the goods of another.
The fame Scribes and Pharifees did alfo
bring in a civility to wa(h hands, which
our Lord doth not blame but in as much
as they made the not obferving of it to
be a great fin.

I have no caufe to praife our favages in
thofe kind of civilities, for they wain not
themfelves at meals j unlefs they be mon-
ftroudy foul -, and not having any ufc
of lii.aen, when their hands be greafy
they are conftrained to wipe them on
h^rs, or upon their dogs hairs. They
make no curiofity of belching, being at
meals j which the Germans and others in
thefe parts do as weli as they. Not
having the art of joyners work they dine
upon the broad table of the world, fpread-
ing a (kin where they eat their meat, and
fit on the ground. The Turks alfo do the
fame. Our ancient Gatdlois were no bet-
ter than they, who {Diodorus faith) did
the fame, fprcading on the ground dogs
(kins, or wolves Ikins, upon which they
did dine and fup, making themfelves to
be fcrvfd by young boys. The Germans
were more rude -, lor they had not learn-
ing, philolophy, nor fo much delicate-
ntls as <jur nation, which defar faith to
have had the ufe of a thoufand things by
the means of their navigations on the feas,
whereby tliey heljuid the bordering peo-
ple of Germany, who ufcd fome fmall ci-
vility, and more humanity than the o-

ori'
falu-

theri of their nation, by rcafon of the
communication they had with our people.

As for the compliments that they ufe
one towards another coming from far,
they may very briefly be recited j for we
have many times feen favage fVrangers to ^j^^ j-^^^^
arrive in Port Royal, who being landed, ges^faiuu.
without any difcourfe* went ttrait to tioni.
Membertou's cabin, where they fat down,
taking tobacco, and having well drunken
of it, did give the tobacco-pipe to him
that feemed to be the worthieft pcribn,
and after confequently to tlie others •, then
fome half an hour after they did begin to
fpeak. When they arrived at our lodg-
ings, their falutation was. Ho, bo, ho,
and fo they do ordinarily ; but for making
of curtefies and killing of hands they have
no ikill } except fome particulars which
endeavoured themfelves to be conform-
able unto us, and fcldom came they to fee
us without a hat, to the end they might
falutc us with a more folemn aftion.

The Floridians do make no enterprife. The FA
before they aflcmble their counfel divers ''" '»' fa
times i and in thefe affemblies when they '*'«on*
arrive they falute one another. The Pa-
raoujli (whom Laudonniere calleth king)
placeth himfelf alone upon a feat wliich is
higher than the others •, where, one after
another, they come to falute him, and
the eldeft begin their falutation, lifting up
twice both their hands as high as their
ibices, faying Ha, be, ya, ba, ha, and
the others do anfwer. Ha, ha. And they
fit every one upon feats which are about
the council-chamber.

Now whether the falutation Ho, bo,
doth fignify any thing or no (for I know
no particular fignification in it) yet not'
withftanding it is a falutation of joy, and
the only voice Ho, ho, cannot be made
but almod in laughing, teftifying thereby
that they are glad to fee their friends.
The Greeks have never had any thing elfe
in their falutations, but a witnefling of
joy by their wcrd cbaire, which fignifi-
etii, be ye merry ; which Plato difliking
was of advice that it were better to fay
fophroney, be ye wife. The Latins have
had their ave, whidi is a wifli of happir
nefs V fometimes alfo feihe, which is a
wilhing of health to whom one faluteth.
The Hebrews had die verb Jbalum wjiich
is a word of peace and of health. Acr
cording unto which our Saviour did com-

maod

Sgi

yl Dcfniption of New France;.

nvm.l lir. npoHlcs to laluU' tlic lioulls
wliirc thiy IlioiiKI cnM- iii, that is to I'.iy,
acioiiliiig to tlic iimrpiitation ot the
toinnu)M traiifliitioii, to pronounce pcice
iii.co them 1 vl\ich lalutation ot p.'acc
was liDiii the fiill agis aniongil the peo-
ple ol (ioil. 1 or It is written that ^t'-
thro, Mofcs'^ father in law, coming to re-
joice witli him tor the graces that God
had ilonc unto iiim and unto his people,
by the delivcTing ot tlu m trom the land
ot .-Bjr/'/, Mofes 'ivfrit cut to meet bis fa-
thcr-iH-l,i%v, ttnd having, hewed bimfeli kif-
fed h'nii i and tbey faluted one another vjiih
wor^s ff peace. We Freuchiiwn do tay,
Dieu z-ous gard, that is, God keep you,
Dieu reus doint le bon jour, God give you
good morrow j Item, Le hon fair, good
evening. Notwithllanding there be many,
who ignorantly do fay, Jevoui domie, Le
Ion pur, Le bon fuir, that is to fay, 1
give (or bid; you good morrow, gootl
evening -, a manner of Ipeerh which would
be more decent, by dcfiring and praying
to God that it be fo. Angels have fome-
times fainted men, as he who did fay to
Cideon : Mofi Jlrong and valiant man, the
Lord is wilb thee. But God faluteth no
body i tor it belongeth to him to give fal-
vation, and nottowifli it by prayer.
.Salutation The heathen had yet a civility in falur-
111 fr.ecz ing them which did Ihceze, which cuitom
'"g- we have kept of them. " And the cmpc-
•' ror Td'frivs, the fuldeft man in the world
*' ffaith Pliny) would be faluted in fnccz-
•• ing, although he were in his coach,
" Uc. All thofe ceremonies and inllitu-
" tions Cfaith the fame author) arc come
" from the opinion of them which think
" that the gods will aflift our affairs."
Out of thefe words may be eafily con-
jeftured that the falutationsof the heathen
were prayers and vows for health, or other
felicity, th.it they made to the gods.
And as they did fuch things in meetings,

fodid the/ ufc the word vale (b- ye well, Them.,!-
be ye m health, as we ufe to fay in Ln^Ujb i,'",',;^ ^
fare you well) at the dep.irtiire i yea in let- j,|„„i„„ „f
tcrs and epiltlcs, whieli alio dif-y Ik gtn al- litin...
ways with tlicfc words : ll you i/e w l.talii,
tt is well ; I am in health. Hut : eiu\a
faith that this good cullom w.is broken in
his time -, as at this day among us it is to
write downifli like to pjt in the begin-
ning of a letter, God keep you in healib ;
which was in times pall a holy and Cliri-
ftian manner of writing. Inilead of this
vale, which is often tound in the l-.oly
fcriptures, wc fay in our language A Dieu (jr .//>.,«
God be with you, wifhing not only hcalih ^''"t l>c
to our friend, but alfo that God do keep ^*'''' J"*"-
him.

But our favages have not any falutatioti
.It the dep.iiure, but. jiily ti>e A Dieu
which they have learned of us. And to
finilh this dillourfe v/here we began, they
are to he . vifiimt tided tor their obedience 'J'hc fav.i
th.il ih y yn iu o tlK.r tar:,. ,i .ind mothers, %'"' '•''"''ti-

to wliutc cor.ini.;;Ki'i!far:i they obey, do
nourifli them in their old i^-, .ml delend
tliem againll their enemies. And here
witluis (Oh milerable thing !; there is otten
fcen the childrens fuits in law againil their
parents •, books of the fatherly ix)wer arc
feen publifhed, concerning the childrens
withdrawing from their ol)edience. An
unworthy ait for childreii that be Chrifti-
ans, to whom may be applied the fpeeches
of Ttirnus Hernonius, recited in 'Titus Li'
villi, laying, that there is nofpttdier dcci'
ding and taking up of any matter^ than
between the father and the jon ; a thing that
might be dif patched in few -aords \ for if be
would not obey and give place to bis father ^
undoubtedly evil fl.wuld come to him. And
the word of God which is a thunder-bole
faith : Curfed be he who bonoureth not his
father and bis mother, and all the people fliall
fay Amen.

11 ttothcir
p:'.ienl3.

CHAP. XX.

Of the i-irtiies and vices of t/je favages.

VIRTUE like unto wifdom, dif-
daineth not to be lodged under a
mean roof. The northerly nations are the
laft that have been brought to civility •,
and notwithllanding, before that civility,
they have done great adlions. Our lava-
ges, although they be naked, are not void
of thofe virtues, that are found in men of
civility ; for every one (faith Ariflotle) bath
in him, even from his birth, the principles

and feeds of virtue. Taking then the four
virtues by their fprings, we fhall find that
they participate much of them. For firft
concerning fortitude and courage, they
have thereof as much as any nation ot the
favages CI fpeak of our Souriquois and of
their allied) in fuch fort, that ten of them
will always adventure themfelvcs againft
twenty Annoucbiquois \ not that they be al-
without fear (a thing which the

forc-

togcther

J Dcfcript'ion of New France.

893

V.1

■dl-

icir

forP-allepcd /frifiotle cloth reproach to the
ancient Cellien-Gaulloit, who Icarcxl no-
thing, neither the motions of the earth,
nor the tcmpelb of the fea, faying, that
this was the property of an hartbiiin Icl-
low) but with that courage they liavc, tlicy
tflecm that wifdomgivcth unto them much
advantage. They tear then, but it is that
wliich all wife mi-n lio fear, ami that is
death, which is terrible and dreadful, as
(he that riflcth all, through which (he
palTeth. They fear Ihamc and reproach,
butthis fear is coufin-german to virtue. They
arc ftirred to do good by honour, for as much
as he, amongrt thpm, is always honoured,
and getteth renown to himfelf that hath
done fomc fair exploit. Having thefc
things proper unto them, they arc in a
maliocrity, which is the very feat of vir-
tue. One point makcth this virtue of
force and courage imperfeft in rhem, that
they are too revengeful ; and in that

Temper-
ante

thi-y put their I'ovcreign contentment,
winch inclineth to brutilYinefs. But they
are not alone, tor all thofe nations how
far foevcr they may ftrctch themfelvcs
Irom one pole to the other, are infedted
witii this vice. The Chriflian religion
only may bring them to reafon, as in
fomefort (he doth with us (F fay in fome
fort) becaufe that we have men very im-
perfed:, as well as the lavages.

Temperance is another virtue, con*
fifting in the mediocrity in things that
concern the plealiires of the body 1 for as
for that which conceriieth the mind he is
not called temperate or intemperate, who
is moved with ambition, or with defire to
learn, or that employetli his time in toys.
And for that which coiicen.eth tiie body,
temperance or intemperance, is not ap-
plied to ;ill things tiiut nMghc be fubjett
to our fenl'cs, tinlcfs it be by accident, as
to colour, to a pidturc j item, to tlowers
and good fcmts ; //^;«, to longs and hear-
ing of orations, or comedies ; but ra-
ther to that wl\ich is iiibjecl to feeling,
and to that which rmclling fccketh by
arts, as in eating and lirinking, in per-
fumes, in tlicvcnerial aiSt, to teiuiis play,
to wreftling, to running, and fuch like.
Now all thefe things do depend of the
will, which being To, it is the part of a
man to know how to bridle his appe-
tites.

Our favages have not all the qualities
requifite for the perfeftion of this virtue •,
for as for meats we muft acknowledge
their intemperance, when they have
where-with, and they do cat perpenially,
yea fo far as to rife in the night to ban-
quet. But feeing that in thefe our parts
many are as vicious as they, I will not be
too rigorous a cenfurer of them. As for
the other anions there is no more to be
Vou II.

reproved in them than in us \ yea I will
fay k Is, in that which concirneth the venc*
rial adtion, whereto tluy are little ad-
dided i not comprehtiuling lure, tor all
that, them of I'UriJa, aiul in hotter coun-
tries, of whom we have fpok<n heretofore.

Liberality is a virtue as worthy pr;iife, I ibcral-
as avarice and protlig.dity, her oppolites, "y-
arc blame-worthy. It conliiteth in giving
and receiving, but rather in giving in
time and place, and according to oecaiinn,
without excels. This virtue is proper
and befitting great perfonages, which be-
as it were Uewards of the goods of the
earth, which God hath put into their
hands, for to ufc them liberally, that is
to fay to diitribute them to him that hath
none, not being excelTivc in needl-fs ex-
pcnces, nor too fparing where mngniti-
cence is to be Ihewn.

Our faViTges are praife-worthy in the
exercife ot this virtue, according to their
poverty ; for as we have faid before, when
tiicy vifit one another, they give mutual
prefcnts one to the other. And whf n lome
French Sagtimos cometh tothem,they dothe
like with him, cafting at his feet fom. bun-
dle of beavers, or other furrs, which be
all their riches •, and Ibiliil they to Monf.
de Poutrincourt, but he took them not to
his own proper ufe, but rather put them
into Monf. de Mants's ftore-houfe, be-
caufe he would not go againft the privi-
lege given unto him. 1 his cuflom of
the faid favages proceedeth but from a li-
beral mind, and which hath fome genero-
fity. And although they be very glad
when the like is done unto them, yet lo
it falleth out, that they begin the venture,
and put themfelves in luizard to lofe
their merchandilc. And who is he a-
mongft us that doth more than they,
that IS to fay, which giveth but with in-
tention to rec the poet faith.

Nemofuasgr. :s perdere lellet opes.

«' There is no body that giveth, intend-
" ing to lofc."

If a great pcrfonage giveth to a mean
man, that is tor to draw Ibnie fcrvice
from him. Even that which is given
to the poor, is to receive tlie hun-
dred-fold, according to the promiie of
the gofpel ; and for to fliew the gallant-
nefs of our faid favages \ they do not
willingly cheapen, and do content them-
felves with that which is given them ho-
neftly with a willing mind, dildainiiig
apd blaming the ialhions of our petty
merchants, which be an hour a chcapning
for to buy a beaver-fkin •, as I faw be-
ing at the river St. John., whereof I have
fpoken heretofore, that they called a
young mcrcliant of 67. Male, Mercr.to-
10 S '"'<?»

894

yl Defcription of New France.

rhiy wh'uh is a wonl of reproach amotig
them, Ixirrowcil of the liitfqua^ ligmiy-
iiii; as it wtiL-, a Iia{;^linj5 ftUow. Fi-
nally, tluy liavc notliuig iti tluin but
IVankiicIs ami liberality in tlu-ir cxiliaiiR-
ing. Aiul IteiiiR the bali; maimers of
fonif of our nun, they ilcmanik'il fomc-
tinus, what tlu-y r.iine ro fcfk f(^r in
tluir country, faying, that tluy came
not into oui s i ami la ing that we arc
ricliiT than tlicy, wc Ihould give them
liberally tlut wiiich we have.

Out of this virtue, there growcth in
them a magnifictncc which cannot appear,
and nniaineth hidilcn, but for all that they
are provoked by it, doing all tjjcy can
lor to welcome tkir friends. And Mem-
berloH was very defirous that fo much
honour (hould Ix* lionc unto him as to
Ihoot otVour cannonswhen he did arrive,
bccaufe he law that ihe fame was done to
the French captains in fuch a cafe, faying
tl\at it was due unio him, feeing that he
was a Sagamos.

1 Urehofpitality m.-iy be mentioned •, but
having fpokcn thereof ncrctofore, I will re-
fii tilt- reader to the chapter of the tahgie,
wlierc I give them the praife attributed to
the (Jaullois and ancient Frenchmen for
tiiis refped. True it is tliat in fome
places there be fome which be friends for
the time, and take their advantage in nc-
a-llity, as hath been noted in Ltmlon-
i:iire's voyage. But we cannot accul'e them
in that, lelt we alfo accufe ourfelyes,
. ,. , Jty wliich do the like. One thing I will fay
vi the lii- that bclongeth to fatherly piety, that the
v.,r,i 10- children are not fo cvirfcd as to dcfpife
their p.u-ents in old age, but do provide
for them with venifon, as the Jtorks do
towards them that have ingendred them.
A tiling which is the fliame of many
Chrillians, who being weary of their pa-
rents long life, do oftentimes ftrip them
before tliey go to bed, and fo do leave
them naked.

'I'liey ufe alfo humanity and mercy to-
wards their enemies wives and little chil-
dren, whole lives they fparc, but they
remain their prifoners lor to ferve them,
according to the ancient right of fcrvi-
tude, brought in amongft all the nati-
ons of the other world, againft the natu-
ral liberty. But as for the men of de-
fence they fpare none, but kill as many
of them as they can catch.

As for jullice, they have not any
law cither divine or human, but that
which nature teacheth them, that one mud
not offend another. So have they tiuar-
ffls very feldom ; and if any fuch thing
<!() ch.nnce to happen, the Sagamos quiet-
eth all, and doth jullice to him that is
offentled, giving lome baftinadoes to the
wrong doer, or condemning him to make

at f

w .1 r(
their pa
rem;).

fome prcfenti to the other, for to p.infy
him, which is fome torm of dominion.
If it be one of their prilbners, that haili
otfendni, he is in danj^er to go to | ot.
l-'or alter he is killed no Iwniy will rcvi nge
his death : the fame conlideration is in
thefc parts of the world •, there is no ac-
count made of a iivin's lilc that hath no
fupport.

Oncdaytlicrc was &n Armoiubiiuou wo- Fvkumoo
man, priloncr, who liadcaufed a country- gtjuui«.e.
man ot hers, priloncr, to cfcapc away •,
and to the end to travel and pals on the
way, flic had ftolen Irom Alemiiertou*s ca-
bin a tiodcr-box (tor without that they can
do nothing) and a hatchet i which being
come to the knowledge of the favages,
they would not proceed on the execution
thereof near unto us, but they went to ca-
bin themfclvcs four or five leagues trom
Port Royal, where flic was killed: and
becaufe Ihe was a womao, otjr favages
wives and daughters did execute her.
Kinibetb'ceecbt a young maid of eighteen
years of age, fair and well fpotted with
colours, gave her the Srft l\roke in the
throat, which was with a knife i another
maid of the fame age, hand fome enough,
called Melembroeth, followed on, and the
daughter of Membertou, which we called
Mitnbertou-ecb-coecb, made an end. Wc
reproved them fliarply for this cruelty,
whereof they were all afhamed, and durft
not fliew themfelves any more. This is
their form of juftice.

Another time a man and a woman, prt<
foners, went clean away, without tinder*
box or any provifion of meat ; which was
hard to be performed, as well for the great
diflance of way, which was above three
hundred leagues by land, becaufe itbehov*
ed them to go fecretly, and to take heed
from meeting with any favages. Never-
thelefs thofe poor fouls pulled off the bark
of certain trees, and made a little boat
with the bark of them, wherein they crof-
fcd the bay Francoifcy and got to the other
fhore, over-againft Port Royaly fliortning
their way above one hundred and Bfty
leagues ■, and got home into their country
of the Armouchiquois,

I have faid in fome place that they arc Wherein
not laborious, but in hunting and fifhing, thefava
loving alfo the labour taken by fea j floth- fj".^['3^^'
ful at all other painful exercife, as in the f^^^^^^
manuring of the ground, and in our me-
chanical trades-; alio to grind corn for their
own ufe. For (bmetimes they will rather
feethitin grains, than to grind it by handy
(trength. Yet notwithllanding they will
not be unprofitable ■, for there will be fome
means to employ them, to that whereunto
they be inclinedby nature, without forcing
it } as heretofore did the Lacedemoniatit to

the

A Defiriptiott of New France.

the young men of their commonwealth.
As for the children having yet taken no
bias, it will be eaficr to keep them at home
uiid to employ them u. thole things that

fhall be thought fit: howfoever it be,
hunting is no bad thing, nor fiHiing nei<
thcr. Vkx us fee then how they behave
themfelvei therein.

«9S

'tOD

CHAP. XXI.

OJ thtir hunting.

rein
iva-
re di-
tand
ul.

O D, before fin, gave for food unto

man, every herb bearing feed upon

nil the earth, and every tree wherein is the
fruit of a tree bearing leed \ without mak-
ing mention of the fpilling of the blood
of beads: and notwithftanding after the
banifliment from the garden of pleafure,
the labour ordained for the punifliment of
the faid fin, required a ftronger and more
fubftantial food than the former \ fo man
full of carnality, accuftomed himfclf to
feed upon fleih, and did tame ceruin num-
ber of beads for to ferve him to that effect \
though fome would fay, that belbrc the
flood no flcdi w;is eaten : for in vain had
Abtl been a flicpherd, and ^ahel father of
Ihepherds. But after the flood, God re-
newing his covenant with man; the fear
and dread of you, faith the Lord, /hall be
upon every beajl of (be earth, and upon every
fowl of tie heaven, with all that movetb on
the earth, and upon all thefijbes of the fta ;
they are given into your hands ; all that mov-
etb, having life, fhallbe unto you for meat.
The be- Upon this privilege is formed the right of
e'""'!'B'''^ hunting i the nobleft right of all rights that

of* hunt ^ »" ''^« "*« 0^ ■"*"' ^^^'"8 that God is
ing. the author of it. And dieretore no mar-
vel if kings and their nobility have referved
it unto them, by a well concluding reafon,
that if they command unto men, with far
better reaibn may they command unto
beads. And if they have the adminidra-
tion of judice to judge malefa^ors, to
overcome rebels, and to bring to human
fociety wild and favage men \ with far bet-
ter reafon ihall they have it for to do the
fime towards the creatures of the air, of
the foreds and of the fields. As for them
of the fi;a, we will fpeak of them in ano-
Forwhat '^er place. And feeing that kings have
end kiiii;* been in the beginning chofen by the people,
have been {or to keep and defend them from their
enci,,.'!, whild that they are at their necef-
fary works ; and to make war as much as
need is for the reparation of injury, and
recovery of that which hath been wrong-
fully ufwrped, or taken away ; it is very
reafonable and decent, that as well them as
the nobility that do aflid and ferve them
in thofe things, have the cxcrcife of hiint-

ciioleu.

ing, which is an image of war, to the end
to roufe up the mind and to be always
nimble, ready to take horfe, for to go to
encounter with the enemy, to lie in am-
bufh, to .iflail him, to chace him, to tram-
ple him under foot. There is another and y^^ ^^^
fird aim in hunting, it is the food of man, md of
whereunto it is deuinated, as is known by hunt;.} I
the place of fcripture afore alleged : yea,
I fay fo dedinated, that in the holy lan-
guage, it is but one and the felf-faine
word "^ for to fignify hunting for vc-
nifon) and meat: as among a hundred
places this of the 13 2d pfalm. Where
our God having chofen Sion for his habita-
tion and perpetual red, promifeth unto
her, that he will abundantly blefs her vic-
tuals, and will fatisfy her poor with bread.
Upon which place, St. [Hierome termeth
venifon, that which the other tranflators do
call visuals, better to the purpofe than
widow in the common tranflation.

Hunting then having been granted unto
man by a heavenly privilege, the favages
throughout all the IVeJl-Ind'us, do exercife
themfelves therein without didin6bion of

Eerfons, not having that fair order eda-
liflied in thefe parts, whereby fome are
bom for the government of the people and
the defence of the country, others for the
exercifmg of arts and the tillage of the
ground, in fuch fort, that by this fairaeco-
nomy every one iiveth in fafety.

This hunting is made amongd them
chiefly in the winter. For all the fpring
and fummer time, and part of autumn,
having Hfli abundantly for them and their
friends, without taking any pains, they do
not much feek for other food. But in win-
ter when that fidi goeth away, feeling the
cold, they forfake tlie fea fliores and cabin
themfelves within the woods, where they
know to have any prey •, which is done as
far as the countries that approach near to
the 'Tropic of Cancer. In the countries
where beavers arc, as throughout all the
great river of Canada, and upon the coalh
of the ocean, as far as the country of tiic
Armoucbiquois, they ilo winter upon the
fhores of lakes, for the fifliing of the faid
beavers, wlK-rtof wc will fpeak in due

place :

896

yl Defcription of New France,

fini'tum

p'acc , htir flrft let us fpt.ik of the W/w«,
which they call apia/hii, ami our Uajqiifj

It IS the tallfft creature that is, next un-
to tJK ilrnmfdtrx arul ctimcl, lor it is lui^licr
otiiKi'lljnti,,n ih; horfe. His hairs k- coimiioiily
•"^ "*8 of i',rey colour, ami romttinics ol iluii or
(allow, almoll as long as chc ringers ot one's
hind: his heail is vny long, ami haih al-
moll \n uitinite ordtr ol ticth : he Ixartth
his horns double like the ll.ig, but 4S broad
as a plank, and ilinc loot long, j^armnial
widi Ipriys gro^Mn|; upward all aion<j
tipon one liile: his liit be loiked as the
rta;j;s, (nir nuMh more Hat : his Hcfh is
fhort ami very ileluate: Ik- fcedcth in the
meadows, and livcth alfo of the tender
crops of trees. It is the plentifullell thing
that the favages have, next to tilh.
Jitw-to We may lay then, that the bell and fit-
hj\ teft time for the laid lavages to all hunt-
ing by land is the winter fcal'on, when that
the loreds be hoary, and the Ihow deep,
andel'paially if upon the fnow, there c mes
a hard froil which dodi hanlen it. Then
l>eing well cloathcd with a cloak furred with
bea\ crs, and fleeves on the antis tied to-
getiier with a latch ; item ftockings made
with tht leather of elhns., like to buff,
(wliich they tie at their girdles) and fhoes
on their lect of the fame leather, very fine-
ly made -, they go with their bow in hand,
and the ijuivcr on rlirir backs, that way
that their Aoutmoiu hath fhcwn them (for
we have laid herctoiore that they confult
with the oracle when they are hungry)
or fomewhere elfe, where they think they
(hall not lofe their time and labour. They
have dogs or hounds almolt like to foxes
in form ami bignefs, and of hairs o( .til co-
lours, which follow them \ and although
they do not f|)cm1 nor call, neverthelels
they can very v.cll find the haunt of the
beall which they leek for, which being
found, they purfue her courageoiifly, and
they never give her over until they have
RichMs .M her clown: .and for to follow the game
more eafily, they tie rackets Cthricc as great
:is ours) under their Itct, with the which
they run iwiftly upon that hard fnow with-
out finking: if it be not hard enough, yet
they ijive not over hunting, but will fol-
low tlie chacc three days together, if need
be. Finally, having wounded her to death,
they l"o tire her with their hounds, that (he
is forced to fall down ; then they cut and
rip up her belly, give relief to the hunters,
and take their (hare of it. One muft not
think tliat they eat the fle(h raw, as Ibmc
do imagine, and as James ^/artier him-
felf tloth write, for they carry always,
going through the woods, a tinder-lxjx
before thc'r breafts for to make fire when
hunting is done, where the night doth force
them to tarry.

fhirir ftct.

VVc wiiit once to the fpoil of an ellan^
left ilead upon ilic brink of a great brook*
about two le.igues and an hall within the
Lindsi where wc palled ihc night, having
taken tlic fnows lor to lodge us. Wc
nude there a very dainty Icilt with this
vciiilon, more tender tlun any other kiml
of llelh •, and after the roart wc had I'lxldtn
meat, and broth abund.uitly, made rcaily
at an inll.int by a favagc, who did fr.ime
with his hatthet, a tubb or trough of the
body of a tree, in which he lx)iled his ikfli.
A thing which I have admired, and hav- pair in-
ing propounded it to many, who thought vi.,ti<,i, of
thcmtelvcs to have gtxxl wits, could not •"■" '8«
hnd out the invention of it, which notf" I*"
withllanding is but brief, which is, to put '"
ftones made red hot in the (ire in the laid
trough, ami to renew them until the meat
be (oil. y'>jepb Aeojla rcciteth, that the
favages ot Peru do the fame.

The chief hunter being returned to the
cabins telleth the women what he hath
done, and that in fuch a pl.ice, which he
nameth to them, they (liail find the veni-
Ibn. It is the faid womens duty to go .ind .p.
flay the ellan, the dear, (lag, bear, or other mal Ju-
gamc, and to bring it home. Ihen they ly.
make good chear as long as there is any
proviCion \ and he that hath hunted, is he
that hatii the lelTer (hare-, (or their ciilloni
is, that he mud lervc the others, and t atcth
none of his own purchafe. As long .is the
winter continueth, they lack none of it;
and there hath be'cn fome one favape, that
in a h.ird fcalbn hath killed fifty of tlitin
(or his part, as I have Ibmcrimes heard.

As for the hunting of the beaver, it is ui,y the
alfo in winter that chiefly they uli- it, forUa^ei «
tworcafons j oneot them we have alleged ""t take*
heretofore, the other becaufe th;it alter '" '"'"•
winter this beaft (hcddetli her hairs, and '""'
hath no furr in fummer. Befules, that
when in fuch a feafon they \vouUl feck out
for beavers, hardly (hould thr y meet with
any, becaufe this creature is amphibious,
that is to (ay, earthy and watcrilh, and
more w.iteri(h than othcrwife •, and having
no invention to take her in rhe w.iter, they
might be in danger to lofe their pains.
Notwithltanding if by chance th'-y meet
any in fummer-time, fpring-timc, or au-
tumn, they fail not to e.at it.

Behold then how they catcli them in w in- The de-
ter time, and with moft profit. The K-a- fcription
ver is a beaft very near as big as a fliorn -Tid fithing
(hcep, the young oms be Icfs, the co- '''^^''"=''**
lour of his h.iir is of a chefnur colour: ^'^'^'
his feet be (hort, the fore-feet have claws,
and the hinder feet with fins, like geefe :
the tail is as it were fcaled, almoft of the
form of a foal-filh, notwithftanding the
fcale goeth not off: it is the bcft and de-
hcatelt part of the beaft. As for the head,

A Defcriptiou of New JFrance;

897

iiig

c»-

Ic is fliort and almoft round, having two
ranlts of jaws at the fides, ami bclore four
great ftiarp tccfh one by another, two
above and two beneath : with thcic teeth
he cutteth fmall trees and poles in fundry
pieces, wherewith he buikleth his hoilfc.
I'hat which I lay is an admirable and in-
Thehcn credible thing. This creature lo<lgeth him-
vrrscibin fp|f upon the brinks of lakes, and there
•' '''■"• he firit m.ikcth his couch with ftraw or
other things fit to lie iifion, as well for him
as for his temale \ raifcth a vault with his
woo(.l, cut and prepared, which he covcrcth
with turf, in fuch fort that no wind enters
therein, forafmuch as all is covered and
Ihut up, except one hole which leadcth
under tlie water, and by that way he gocth
forth to walk where he liftcth. And becaufc
the waters of the lakes do fometimes rife,
he makcth a chamber above the lower
dwelling, for to retire himfcif in, if in
cafe any inundation rtiould happen : in fuch
fort, that fome beavers cabin is above ei^ht
foot high, all made with wood, piramid-
wife, and daub'd with mud. Moreover
h is held that being amphibiotis, as we have
faid, he mud always participate with wa-
ter, and that his tail be dipped in it ■, which
is the caufe why he lodgcth himfcif fo Hear
a lake. But being fubtic he contenteth
not himfcH with that which we have liiid,
but hath moreover an Iffuc into another

t^laec our of the lake, without any cabin,
)y whicli way he goeth on the land ancl
bcguileth the hunter. But our favages being
aware of it, take order for the Hime and
ftopt his paflage.
How the When they will then take the beaver,
brdvrr n (j,gy pierce through the ice of the frozen
lake, about his cabin, then one of the ra-
vages thruftcth his arm into the hole,
tarrying the coming of the faid beaver,
whilll that another goeth upon this ice,
ftriking with a (lalT upon it for to aftonifh
Mm, and make him to return into his lodg-
ing. Then one muft be nimble for to
feize on his neck, for if one catch him by
any jvirt where he may bite, he will bite
very fore. The fle(h thereof is very good,
almoft a.; if it were mutton.

And r.s every nation hath commonly
fomethlng peculiar that it bringeth fprth,
which is not fo common with others ; fo
anciently the realm of Ponlui had the fame
for the proilucing of beavers, as I learn it
Out of Virgil^ where he faith,

— yirofaque PontUi caftored.

And after him, of Sidonie de PoligHac
bilhop of /luvergne, in thefe verfes,

— — Fert Tndiis ebur^ Chaldaus amomum,
AJfyrius gemmast Ser vellerat tbura Sabeus,
Vat. II.

takrn.

Atlis melt Phanutpalmat, Lacedttmenolhmm^
/Irgoi equoif Epirus equas,j>tcuaria GtUliit,
Arma Calybi, frumenla Ldbtit Campanui

jdccbum,
Aurum Lydus, Arabs gultam, Pantbaia

tnyrrham,
PoHtus tajlorea, blaltam Tyrus, ara Cork'

thus, Vic.

Sidon. Apol. in Carm. 5.

But at this day, the land of Canada bea-
rcth the bell away for that refpeft, al-
though that fome of them are brought out
of Mujcovy^ but they are not fo good at
ours.

Our ravages have alfo made us to eat of
beavers flelh, which was very good and
tender, and like to beef : «/«/i, of leopards,
refcmbling much the wild cat, and of a
bead which they call nibatbtt, which hath S'ii»ikn.
his paws almoft like to the ape's paws, by
means whereof he climbeth ealUjr upon the
trees, yea he layeth his young ones there.
He is of greyifh hairs, and his head like
to a fox ■, but he is fo fat that it is almoit
incredible. Having defcribed the principal
game, I will not iland to fpcak ot wolves
(for they have fome, and yet eat nbne of
them) nor of lucerns, otters, coneys, and
others which I have mentioned in'my Fare-
well to JVIrttf France, whereto I refer the
reader, and to the recital of Capt. Jamei
^artier.

Neverthelefs it is good to fhew here,
that bur French cattle profiteth very well
in thofc parts. We had hOgs which have Hog».
multiplied very much •, and although they
had a ftye, they did lie abroad, even in the
fnow and during the froft. We had but one a we-
wethcr, which proved very well, although Iher.
he Was not taken in by night, but was in
the midft of our yard in winter timfc
Monf. de Poutrincourt made him twice tO
be (horn, and the wool of the fccond year,
hath been efteemed in FranU better by two
fous, or fcven farthings Englijh, in the
pound than that of the firft. We had no
other houfhold cattle, but heiis and pigeons,
which failed not to yield the accurtomcd
tribute, and to multiply abundantly. The
faid Monf. de Poutrincourt took, coming
out of the (hell, fmall outards, which he
did very well breed, and gave them to the
king at his return. When the country is
once ftored with thofe creatures and others,
they will encrcafe fo much, that one (hall
not know what to do with them \ like as
in Peru, where are at this day, and long
fince, fuch quantity of oxen, kine, fwine,
horfes and dogs, that they have no more
owners, but do appertain to the firfl: that
do kill them. Being killed, they carry
away the hides to traffic withal, and the
carcafles are left there ; which I have many
10 T times

898

A Defcription of New France.

times heard of them that have been there,
bcfides the witnefling of "Jofepb Acofia.
■J he hearts Coming into the country of the Armou-
llAr^r-l ^^'J"""* ^"'^ 80'"g farther towards yirj^i-
•L. ' *' "'^ =*"'' Florida, they have no more ellani
nor beavers, but only ftags, hinds, roe-
bucks, decrs, bears, leopards, lucerns,
ounces, wolves, wild-dogs, hares and co-
reys, with whofe Ikins they cover their
bodies, making chamois of them of the
biggeft hearts. But as the heat is there
greater than in the countries more norther-
ly, fo they do not ufe furrs, but pluck out
the hairs from their (kins, and very often
for all garment they have but half breeches,
or a fmall cufliion made with their matts,
which they wear on that fide that the wind
doth blow.

Rut they have in Florida crocodiles alfo,
which do affail them oftentimes in fwim-
ming. rhey kill fome of them fometimes,
and eat them : the flefh whereof is very
fair and white, but it fmelleth of muik.
Lioiu. they have alfo a certain kind of lions,

which little differ from them of Africa.
Sra/uiam. As for the Brafilians, they arc ia far
from New France^ that being as it wrre,
in another world, their bcafts are quite
different from thofe that we have named,
Tapimuf. as the tapirrouj/buy which if one defireth to
/»*• fee, he muft imagine a beaft half an afs

and half a cow, Tiving that her tail is very
Ihort : his hairs draw towards red, no horns,
ears hanging, and an afs's foot : the flefli
thereof is like to beef.
Stag!. They have a certain kind of fmall ftags

and hinds, which they call feou-ajjout,
whofe hairs be as long as goat's hairs.

But they are perfecuted with an evil
beaft which they call janou-are, almoft as
tall and fwift as a grey-hound, much like
to the ounce ; (he is cruel, and doth not
fpare them if (he can catch them. They

take (bmetimes fome of them in (hares,
and do kill them with long torments. As
for their crocodiles they be not dangerous.

Their wild-boars are very lean and un- Wild
fle(hy, and they have a fearful grunting '»'o^»-
and cry. But there is in them a ftrangc
deformity, which is, that they have a hole
upon the back, through wliich they blow
and breathe. Thofe three be the biggeft
bcafts of Brajil. As for fmall ones^they
have fevcn or eight forts of them, by the
taking whereof they live, and alfo of
man's flefti; and are better and more
provident hu(bands than ours. For one
cannot find them unprovided, but rather
having always upon the boucan, (diat is
to fay a wooden grate fomewh.it high built
upon four forks) fome venifon or tilh, or
man's flefti -, and with that they live merrily
and without care.

Now leaving there thofe Antbropopbages
Bra/ilians, let us return to our New France,
where the Men there arc more humane,
and live but with that which God hath
given to man, not devouring their like.
Alfo we muft lay of them that they are
truly noble, not having any aclion but is
generous, whether we confidcr their hunt-
ing, or their employment in the wars, or
that one fearchout their domeftical aftions,
wherein the women do exercife themfclves,
in that which is proper unto them, and
thf men in that which belongeth to arms,
end other things befitting them, fuch as
we have faid, or will fpcak of in due
place. But here one muft confider, that
the moft part of the world have lived fo
from the beginning, and by degreej men
have been civilized, when that they have
affembled themfelves, and have formed
commonwealths for to live under certain
laws, rule and policy.

CHAP. XXII.

0/ kawking.

SEEING that we hunt on the land,
let us not overftray ourfelves, le(l
if we take the fea we lofe our fowls*, for
the wife man faith, that in vain the net is
fpread before the eyes of all that have wings.
It hunting then be a noble exercife, where-
in the very mufes themfelves take delight,
by reafon of fdcnce and folitarinels, which
brings forth fair conceits in the mind ', in
fuch fort, that Diana (faith Pliny) doth not
more frequent the mountains than Minerva.
If, I fay, hunting be a noble exercife,

hawking is Far more noble, becaufe it aiin-
eth at an higher fubjeft, which doth par-
ticipate of heaven, feeing that the inhabit-
ants of the air, are called in the facrcd
fcripture, volucres ca:li, the fowls of the
air. Moreover, the exercife thereof doth
belong but to kings and to the nobles,
above which their brightnels fliineth, as
the fun's brightnefs doth above the ftars.
And our favagcs being of a noble heart,
which maketh no account but of hunting
and martial affiiirs, may very certainly have

right

A Dejcriptiott of New Frahce.

899

right of ufage over the birds that their land
doth ttfFord them ; which they do hkewile,
but with much difficulty, becaufe they
have not (as we have) the ufe of guns.
They have enough, and too many birds
of prey, as eagles, laynards, faulcons,
tiercelets, fparrow- hawks, and others,
which 1 have fpecitied in my Farewel to
t^ew France; but they have neither the
ufe nor induftry to bring them to fervice,
as the French gentlemen j and therefcre
they lofc much good fowl, having no
other means to feek after tliem, or to take
them, but only with the bow and arrows,
with which inlrruments they do, like un-
to them who in France flioot at the jay
in time of middle-lent, or creep along
the grafs, and go to affail the outards, or
wild gecie, which do graze in the fpring
time, and in fuinmer along the meadows :
lomctimes alio they carry themfelvcs foft-
ly, and without making any noife, in
their canoes and light veffels made with
bark of trees, even to the Ihores where
the mallards and other water-fowl are, and
there ftrike tliem down. But the grcateft
abundance they have, come from certain
iflands, where fuch quantity of them are.
Great to wit, of mallards, margaux, roquets,
abundance outards, or wild geefc, curlieus, cormo-
of water f^j^jj ^^j others, that it is a wonderful
*^"*^'' thing, yea that which Capt. James ^ar-
tier reciteth, will feem to fome altogether
incredible. When we were upon our re-
turn into France., being yet beyond Camp-
feau^ we parted by fome of thofe iflands,
where in the fpace cf a quarter of an liour,
we laded our Dark with them, we had no
need but to ftrike down with ftaves, and
not to go about to gather until one were
weary of ftriking. If any man doth ask
why they fly not away, one muft confider
that they be birds only of two, three, or
four months old, which have been there
hatched in the fpring-time, and have not
yet wings great enough to take flight,
though they be well flefhy and in good
The fowl plight. As for the dwelling of Per/ /Joya/,

cf Port

we had many of our men that furniflied
with them, and particularly one of

Monf. de Monts'% houihold fervants, cal'
led Francois Addeni^ whofe name I infert
here, to the end he be had in memory,
becaufe he always provided for us abun-
dantly with it. During the winter he
made us to live only of mallards, cranes,
herns, woodcocks, partrigcs, blackbirds,
and fome other kinds of that country
birds: but in the fpring time, it was a
fport to fee the grey geefe and the big
outards (a kind of wild geefe) to keep
their empire and dominion in our mea-
dows; and in autumn the white geefc,
of which fome did always remain for a
pitwn : then the fea larks flying in great

flocks upon the fliores of the waters,
which alio very often were paid home.

Touching the birds of prey, fome of
our men took from the neft an eagle,
from the top of a pine-apple tree, of the
moft monftrous height that ever I faw any
tree, which eagle, Monf. de Potitrincourt
did breed for to prefent her 'o die king,
but flie brake her ties, feeking to take
her flight, and loft herfelf in the fea com-
ing home. The favages of Campfeau had
fix of them perched near to their cabins,
at our coming thither, which we would
not truck for, becaufe they had pulled off
their tails to feather their arrows. There
be fuch a quantity of them in thofe parts,
that often they did eat our pigeons, and
it did behove us to look narrowly to
them.

The birds that were known unto us, I
have enrolled them (as I have faid) in my
Fareviel to New France, but I have omit-
ted many of them, becaufe I knew not
their names. There alfo may be feen the
defcription of a little fmall bird, which
the favages do call niridau, which liveth AV«</<7»J
but with flowers, and flie did come noif- F''«''.
ing in my ears* paffing invifibly (fo fmall
is fhe) when in the morning I went to
take a walk in my garden. There will be
feen alfo the defcription of certain flies,
fliining in the evening, in the fpring time,
which do fly up and down the woods
in fuch a multitude that it is a wonder.
For the birds of Canada, I alfo refer the
reader to the report of Capt. James ^lar-
tier.

The Armouchiquois have the fame birds, A wonder-;
whereof there are many which are not f"l *"^'-
known unto us in thefe p-irts. And par-
ticularly there is one kind of Water-fowl,
which have their bills made like two knives,
having the two edges one upon another 1
and that which is worth the wondering at,
theuppermoft part of the faid bill is fliort-
er by the one half than the lowermoft;
in fuch wife that it is hard to think how
this bird taketh her food. But in the
fpring time, the cocks and henS, which
we call Indian orturky cocks» do fly thi- Turky."
ther as wandring birds, and fojourn there "^"cks.
without pafling further hithenvard. They
come from the parts of Virginia and Flo-
rida. There be yet befides thefe, par-
triges, parrots, pigeons, ftock-doves,
turtle-doves, black-birds, crows, tierce-
lets, faulcons, laynards, herns, cranes,
ftorks, wild-gcefe, mallards, cormonants,
white aigrets, red, black, and grey ones,
and infinite forts of fowl.

As for the Braftlians, they alfo have
ftore of turky-cocks and hens, which they
name arignan-oujfou, of whom iliey make
no account, nor of their eggs: in fuch
manner, that the faid turky-hens breed

their

900

^ Defcription of New France.

their young ones as they can» without fo
much a-do as in thcfe parts. They have
alfo ducks, but becaule they go heavily
they eat none ot" them, faying that they
would hinder them from running fwiftly.
ItttHt a kind of pheafants which they call

jatous J other fowls whicli they name
mouton^ as big as peacocks j fome kinds
of partriges as big as gecfe, called mo-
cacoiia -, parrots ot fundry forts, and ma-
ny other kinds altogether unlike unto oun.

CHAP. XXIIL

Of their JiJI-vng.

Compari-
fon be-
tween
hunting,
hawking,
and filli-

OPP IAN in the book that he hath
made upon this fubjedt, faitli, that
in the hunting of beafts and of birds, be-
fides the facility, there is more content-
ment and delight than in fifhing, becaufe
that a man hath many retreats : one may
get hiinfelf into the fhadow, one may
meet with brooks to quench his thirft,
one may lie down on the grafs, one may
take his repaft under fome flicker. As
for birds one may take them in the neft
and with bird-lime, yea of themfelves
very often they fall into the nets. But
poor liflier-men cafl their bait upon an
uncertainty j yea, double uncertainty, as
well becaufe they knov/ not what adven-
ture fliall happen unto them, as becaufe
they are upon an unconftant and untame-
able element, whofe very fight only is
fearful. They are always wandering from
place to place, fubjed to tempefts, and
beaten with ftorms and winds. But yet
in the end he concludeth that they are
not deftitute of all pleafure, but rather
that they have enough, when they are in
a fliip well built, well tight, well clofed,
and fwift in failing. Then cutting the
waves they go to fea, where the great
fltuUs of devouring fiflies are, and caft-
ing into the fea a line well twifted, the
weight of it is no fooner in the bottom,
but that as foon the bait is fnatched up,
and fuddenly the fifli is drawn up witli
great pleafure. And in this exercife did
Mark Anthony^ the fon of the emperor
Severus delight himfelf very much ; not-
withftanding Plato's reafon, who forming
his common-wealth hath forbidden his
citizens the exercife of fifhing, as ignoble,
and illiberal, andfofterer of idlenels, where-
in he did grofsly equivocate^ fpecially
when he chargeth fiihcrmen with idlenefs,
which is fo evident that I will not vouch-
(life to refute him. But I marvel not of
that which he faith of filhing, feeing that
with the fame he alfo rejedleth hawking,
upon the fame reafons. Plutarch faith
that it is more laudable to take either a
hart, a roebuck, or a hare, than to buy
tlicm ; but he wadeth not fo far as the

other. Howfoevcr it be, the churchy
which is the firft order in human fbcicty^
whofe priefthood is called royal by the

treat apoftle St. Ptter., hath permitted
(hing to church-men, and forbidden
hunting and hawking. And indeed^ to
fay that which is molt probable, the food
of filh is the beft and founded of all, for
as much (as Ariftotle faith) that it is not
fubjeft to any ficknefs ; from whence
Cometh the common proverb. Sounder
than a jifh. So that in the ancient hiero-
glyphics a fifli is the fymbol of health.
Which notwithftanding I would mean»
eaten whilft it is new -, for otherwife (as
Plautus faith) Pifcis nifi rtcens nequam efti
it is nothing worth.

Now our favages do cat it new enough^
as long as it lafteth ; which I believe to be
one of the beft inftruments of their health
and long life. When winter cometh^ all
fifli are afl:oniIhed, and fhun the ftormS
and tempefts, every one where he may ;
fome do hide themfelves in the fand of
the fea, others under the rocks, others
do feek a milder country where they may
be better at reft. But as fbon as the mild-
nefs of the fpring-time doth return, and
the fea doth calm it felf, as after a long
fiege of a toWn, truce being made, the
people being before a prifoner, iflilieth
forth by troops to go and take the air of
the fields and to rejoice themfelves j to
thofe citizens of the fea, after the gufts
and furious ftorms be paft, they come to
enlarge themfelves through the faltedfields^
they Ikip, they trample, they make love,
they approach to the fhore aixi come to
feek the refrertiing of frefh water. And
then our faid favpp's that know the ren- The fifli
dezVous of every one, and the time ot rende?.-
their return, go to wait for them in good ^p"^-
devotion to oid them welcome. The
fmelt is the firft fifli of all that prefcnteth
himielf in the fpring ; and to the end we
go no further to feek out examples than
at our Port Royaly there be certain brooks
where fuch fkuUs of thefe Irnelts do come. Smelts in
that for the fpace of five or fix weeks one 8'"' .
miglit take of them fufficient to feed a <!'**"*">'•

whole

yl Dejcription of New France.

90t

whole city. There be other brooks.
Herrings.; where after the iinelt cometh the lierring,
with like niultitudc, as we have alreaity
Pikhers. marked clfewhcre. //««, the pikhersdo
come in their lealbii, in iiicli abundance,
that fomttimes, willing to have iimiething
more tor our fupptrilun ordinary, inlcls
than the I'pacc ol an hour, we had taken
enough of them to I'crve us tor three

tills philolb])hcr did lire witii Amhrofid
and o, the tood of the gods, and not of
lilli, ot which none are tarrificcd unto
them -, our f.iid good re]igiou<;, as the
Ccrdciiers, or Francifcvis of Si. Maio,
and orhtis of the maritime towns, toge-
ther with the pricfts, may fay that in eat-
ing Ibmetimes fifli, they eat of the meat
confccrated to God. For when the N(\(3-

Dolphlns, days. 'I'hc dolphins, iVurgeons and fal- /i7«W/rt?;<y«7f« do meet with fome wonder-

Ifh

i m
ity.

^•..i„cun;., ,^j,ns do get to tile head of the river in
baliiioiis. jj^j. j-jjij py^-i jirjyal, where luch quantity

of them are, that they carried away the
nets which we had laid for them, by rea-
fon ot the multitude of them that we liiw
Fidiing of there. Ill all places iilh abound there
the ittva- in like manner, as we our felves have feeii.
£'s- The lavages do make a hurdle, or wear,

that crollctli the brook, which they hold
almoll: up ilrait, proped ;igainll wooden
bars, archwife, and leave there a fpace
lor the iifli to pafs, which fpace tney
flop when tiie tide doth retire, and all the
lilli arc found llaycd in fuch a multitude
that they liitftr them tobelolf. And as tor
the dolphins, Ihirgeons and falmons, they
take them after that manner or do llrike
them \s ith harping irons, lb that thelc;
people are iuippy ; for there is nothing
ui the world to good as thel'e frelli meats.
And I iind by my reckoning that Pytha-
goras was very ignorant, forbidding in his
fair golden itiitences the ufe of iilh
witiiout dillindtion. One may excufe him,
in thatfifli being dumb hath tome conform-
ty with his feCt, wherein dumbncfs (or
filence) was much commc'ndcd. It is al-
io laid that he did it becaufe that tilh is
nourilhed in an elemeiit enemy to man-
kind. Item, that it is a great fin to kill
and to eat a creature that iloth not hurt us.
Item., that it is a delicious and luxurious
meat, not of necelfity (as indeed in the
hieroglyphics of Orus Jpollo, filh is put
tor a mark ot delicicy and voluptuouf-
nefs). Item that he(thefaid/'_)'//.)tf_g-erffj)did
eat but meats that might be offered to the
guds ; which is not done with fifli, and
uiher luch toys recited by Plutarch in his
CoH'ci'-.ial i'^iejlicns. But all thofe fuper-
llitions be tuolilli ; and I would fain ile-
mand oi fuch a man, if being in Ctinada
he h.ki rather die for hunger tlian to eat
Iilh. So many anciently to follow their
own fancies, and to fay thcfe be we, have
forbidden their followers the ufe of meats
that God h.ith given to man, and Ibme-
times l.iy'd yoaks upon min that they
themfelves would not bear. Now what-
foevtr thephi'olopliy of Pythugcras is, I
am none of hi-,;. 1 find better the rule
of our gooil relig;ov'.s nun, whicli ]ilealc
tlKnifelves in eatriji; of tleih, which 1 liked
well in Nciv France, neither am I yet dif-
pleali-d when I meet with fuch tare. If
Vol. II.

ful fair cod, they make of it a S,ni5loru>n,
fo do they call it, and do vow and confe-
crate it to St. Francis, St. Nicholas, St.
Leonard and others, head and all, where-
as in their lithing they call the heads into
the fea.

I Ihould be forced to mike a whole
book if I would difcourlt of all the filh
that are common to the Br.iftluius, Flori-
diar.s, /Irmouchiquois, Cunudians, \xnlSou-
riqtiois. But I will rellrain myfi If to two
or three, having firll told tli.it in Port
Royal there are great bet!s of mulcles, Mufdtf?;
wherewith we did fill our Ihallops, when
that fometimes we went into thofe parts.
There be alfo fcallops twice as big as oy- "Calloj-j.
ffers in quantity. Item, cockles, winch have Cockle,
never failed us ; As alfb there are chatag- Sentiitf-
Hcs de mer, fea chefnuts, the molf delici- ";"'•
ous filh that is poffible to be. Lew, crabs l' b'urs
and lobflers, thole be the Ihell -ridi ; but a rnrt of
one mull take the pleafure to fetch them, ci„ht
and are not all in one place. Now the J'.-.-;i!c.'i
faid port being eight leagues compafs, "^^n'F'^'".
there is (by the abovelaid philolbphers
leave) good fport to row in it tor fo plea-
llint a 'ifl'.ing.

And teeing v/e are in the country v.'lvr-;
the cods are taken, I will not yet le -.v . uif ''
work, until I have Ipoken fonu thing
thereof. For fo many people ami in lij
great number go to fetch them OLit of all
the parts ot Europe every year, that I
know not from whence liich a Iwarm may
come. The cods that be brou^;ht into
tliefe parts are either dry or w-t. The
tiihing of the wet filh is on the bank in
the open lea, on this fide Neivfou>:dland.
Fifteen or twenty (more or lefs) mariners
h.ive every one a line (it is a cor.l) of
forty or fifty fathoms long, at the end
wlureof is a hook baited, and a lead of
three; i)ounds weight to bring it to the
bottom-, with this implement they filh
their cods, which are fo greedy, th.it no
Iboner kt down, but as foon caught,
where pood filhin" is. The fifh bcino;
drawn a lliip-board, there are boarJ.s in
form of narrow tables along the ihip
when; the Iilh are drelfed. There is one
that cutt;-th off their heads and calhtli
tin m commonly in the fea •, anotlur cut-
teth tluir bellies and garhelleth them, and
fendcth back to his fellow the bimTcll; part
of the iiack-bone whicli he cuttcth awav.
ic U Tli'.vt

r:ic f -ii-

ii.iol cud.

902

A DeJcriptioH of New France.

That done, tlu-y are put into the faking-
tiiblor tour and twenty hours, tlicn they
are laul up. And in tliis I'ort liu tlicy
work, continually (without rclpceling the
•Sunday, whirli is the Lord's day) tor the,
fpacc of almoll three months, thiir fails
clown, until the lading be fully made.
And becaufe the pour mariners do endure
there fome coid among the togs, fpecially
them that be molt lially, whicii b.gin
their voyage in February, from tlur.ce
Cometh the faying, that it is cold in Ca-

Drying of i\s for llie dry cod, one mull go a-land.

thf cod. There is in Nrjsfonudland and in BcicniUcs,
great number ol ports where lhi])s 1r- at
anchor for three months. At the very
break of day the mariners do go two or
tliree leagues otf in the lea to take their
lading. They iiave every one filled their
Ihallop by one or two a-clock in the af-
ternoon, and do return into the port,
where being, there is a great fcaflbld built
on the fea-ihore, whereon the filh are cart,
as one caft fheaves of corn through a
barn window. There is a great table
whereon the fifh caft, are drelTed as above
faid ; after fix hours they are turned, and
fo fundry times. Then all are gathered,
and piled together ; and again at the end
of eight days put to the air. In the end
being dried they are laid up. But there mull
be no fogs when they are a drying, tor then
ihey will rot ; nor too much heat, tor they
would become red, but a temperate and
windy weather.

They do not fifh by night, becaufe then
the cod will not bite ; I duril believe
that they be of the firti which liitfer
themfclves to be taken fleeping, although

Whyfilh that Oppiuji is of opinion that fifli, war-

flcep not. ring and devouring one another, as do
the Brajilians and Canibals, are always
watchtuland fleep not ; excepting never-
thclcfs the farpt only, which he faith
puttcth himleit in certain caves to take
his llecp. Which I might well believe,
and this fifli defervcth not to be warred
upon, feeing he makcth wars upon none
others, and liveth of weeds ; by reai'on
whereof all the authors do fay that he
chfcweth his cud like the Iheep. But as
the lame Oppian faith that this fiili only
in chewing his cud doth render a moilt
voice, and in that he is deceived, becaufe
that myielf have heard many times the
feals, or fea wolves, in open fea, as I
have faid elfewhi:re ; he might ^fo have
equivucoted in this.

The fame cod leaveth biting after the
month of September is paflcd, but n tirtth
himfelf to the bottom of the bro.ul ll-a,
or elff goeth to a hotter country until the
fpring time. Whereupon I will here al-
lege what Pliny notcth i that tifli which

have Hones in their heads do fear winter,
and retire themlelves betimes, of whole
number is the cod, which hath withm her
br.iins two white ftones made gundole ^'°''_^""
wile and jagged about ; which have not i^.,'^" '
thofe that be tak^n towards Scotland, as
ioine learned and curious man hath told
me. -This fifli is wonderfully greedy,
and ilcvourcth others, almoft as big as
himllll, yea even lobllcrs, which arc like
big Langoujlcs, and I marvel how he may
digdl: thole big aiu! hard fliells. Ot the
livers ot' cods our NcwfouHdlandmen do
make oils, caiting thofe livers into barrels
let in the lun, where they melt of them-
lelves.

I'here is great traffick made in £tfr(j/>t'f'iilioylot
of the oyl of the filh of iV(?«;/o««<//«;/</. t™ii,
Antl tor this only caufe many go to the
filhing of the whale, and of the hippopo-
tanies, which they call the beaft with the
grt at tooth or the titorfes ; of whom fome-
thing we muft fay.

The Almighty, willing to fhew unto j:-^^^ ,
Jouhow wondertul are his works -, ivi/t ^^t-'y^^^i^.^
thou draw (faith he) Leviathan tvitb a
hock, and his tongue with a firing tvhieh
thou hajl raft in the water Y By this Le-
viathan is the whale meant, and all filh,
ot that reach, whole hugenefs (and chiefly
of the wh.-ile) is fo great, that it is adread-
lul thing, as we have Ihewed elfewhere,
fpeaking of one that was calf on the coaft
of Brajii by the tide ; and Pliny faith that
there be tome found in the Indies which
have four acres of ground in length. This
is the caufe why man is to be admired
(yea rather God, who hath given him the
courage to alTail fo tearful a monfter,
which hath not liis equal on the land.) I
leave the manner of taking ot her, def-
crilx'tl by Oppian and St. Bafil, tor to
come to our Frenchmen, and chiefly the
Bajques, who do go every year to the
great river ox Canada liirthe whale. Com- t-j,,, ,;^,
monly the fifhing thereof is made in the whtic the
river called Lefquemin towards Tadoujfac. whale ii
And tor to do it they go by fcouts to ''''"^''•
make watch upon the tops of rocks, to
fee if they may have the fight of tome
one ; and when they have dilcovercd any,
forthwith they go with tour Ihallops after
it, and having cunningly boarded her,
they ftrike her with a harping iron to the
depth of her lard, and to the quick ot the
fleih. Then this creature feeling herfelf
nidely pricked, with a dreadtul Lioilte-
roufnefs cafteth herlelf into the depth of
the tea. The men in the mean while are
in their fliirts, which vere out the cord
whercunto the harping iron is tied, which
the whaie carrieth away. But at the fhal-
loji fide that hath given the blow there is
a in.;n ready with a hatchet in hand to cut
the faid cord, left per chance fome acci-
dent

A Defcription of New France.

903

•■ Hi
id.

yl or

ng ol
hale.

Uow the
inJl m
dotakctlii
whale.

tner
It the
Ic !>,

ticiit (houUl happen that it were mingled,
or tlut the wlule's force fhould be too
violent •, wliich notwithllanding having
found the Ixjttom, and being able to go
MO further, Ihe niountetli up again lei-
furely above the water ; and tiun again
llie is let upon with gi.ive-ftavcs, or per-
uiifans, very Iharp, lo liotly that the lalt-
water piercing witliia her delh fl;e lol-
eth iicr force, and nniaineth tliere. Then
one tieth her to a cable at whole end is an
anchor winch is call: into the fea, then at
tile end ui lix or eiglit days they go to
tetch her, wlun time and opportunity
permits it they cut lier in pieces, and in
great kettl. s tlo leetii tiie fat wliich melt
fth itlelt' into oyl, wherewith they may
fill four luindied hoglheads, fbmetimcs
more, anil fbinetimes lefs, according to
the greatnels of the beait, and ot the
tongue coinmonly they draw live, yea fix
hogiheads full ot train.

It this be acimirable in us, that have in-
dullry, it is more admirable in the In-
■ d'lan peoi)le, naked antl without artificial
inflruments ; and neverthclcfs diey exe-
cute the fame thing, which is recited by
'Jofefh Accfta, faying that for to take
thofe great monfirers they put- themfelves
in a canoe or bark, made of the barks of
trees, and boarding the whale they leap
nimbly on her neck, and there do ftand,
as it were on horfe-back, attending the fit
means to take her, and feeing their oppor-
tunity, the boldelV of tliem jnitteth a
ftrong and fliarp flafi", which he carrieth
with liim, into the gap of the whale's no-
flrils (I call noflril the conduit, or hole
througli which they breathe) forthwith he
thrufteih it in tar witii another very llrong
ftafF, and maketh it ro enter in as deep as
he can. In the nit-an while the whale
beateth the fea furioully, and raifeth up
mountains ot water, diving down with
great violence, then moimttth up again
not knowing what to ito through very
rage. Tiie ludinn notwithllanding re-
maincth llill fitting fall, and lor to pay
her home tor this trouble, fixctii yet ano-
ther like Ifafl' in the other noifril, making
it to enter in, in fuch wile that it ftoppcth
her wind quite, and taketli away her
breath, and he cometh again into his
canoe, which he hokieth tied at the fide
. of the whale with a cord, then retiretli
iiimfelf on land, having hrft tied his cord
to the whale, which he vercth out on her •,
which whilll fhe findeth much water,
fkippeth here and there, as touched with
grief, and in the end ilraweth to land,
where forthwith, for the huge enormity
of her body, flie remaineth on the fl^ore,
not being able to move or ftir herfelf any
more. And then a great number of In-
dians do come to find out the conqueror

for to reap the fruit of his conqueft, and
tor tlut purpofe they make an end of kil-
ling of her, cutting her and itiaking mor-
fels of her flelh (whicii is bad enough)
which they dry and ftamp to make pow-
der of it, which they ufc for meat, that
ferveth them a long time.

As for the hippopotdmes, or morfes, Mor/a.
we have faid in the voyages of James
^artier that there be great number of
them in the gulf of Canada, and efpeci-
ally in the ifle of Brion, and in the feven Ifle <f«
illes, which is the river of Chifcbedec. It ^'■'<"»- '
is a creature which is more like to a cow
than to a horfe •, but we have named it
Hippopotame, that is to fay, the horfe of Hippo-
the river, becaufe Pliny doth fo call them '"'«'•
tliat be in the river Nile, which notwith- °J ^^''"'
fianding do not altogether refcmble the ""^^
horfe, but doth participate alfo of an ox
a cow. He is of hair, like to the feal, that
is to fay, dapple gray, and fomewhat to-
wards the rn.1, the Ikin very hard, a
finall head like to a Barbary cow, having
two ranks of teeth on each fide between
which there arc two of them of each part
hanging from the upper jaw downward,
of the form of a young elephant's tooth,
wherewith this creature helpeth herfelf
td climb on the rocks. Becaufe of thofe
teeth, our mariners do call it ta bejte a
la grand' dent, the beaft with the great
teeth. His ears be fliort and his tail alfo,
he loweth as an ox, and hath wings or
or fins at his feet, and the female calleth
her young ones on the land. And be-
caufe that he is a fifii of the whale-kind
and very fat, our Bafques and other ma-
riners do make oyl thereof, as they do
with the whale, and they do furprife him
on the land.

Thofe of Nile (faith Pliny) are cloven
footed, the main, the back, and the neigh-
ing of a horfe, the teeth ilTuing forth as
to a wild boar. And he addeth, that
when this creature hath been in the corn
for to feed, he goeth away backwards
upon his return, for fear he Ihould be fol-
lowed by his traces. *

I do not purpofe to difcourfe here of
all the forts of fifh tliat are in thofe parts,
the fame being too fpacious a fubjed for
my hiltory, becaufe alfo that I have fpe-
ciiicd a good number of them in my Fare'
vjcl to New France. I will fay only that
by manner of paftime on the coafts of
New France, I will take in one day fifh
enough for to ferve as food for a longer
liniC than fix weeks, in the plases where
the abundance of cod is, for that kind of
filli is there mofl frequent. And he that
hath the induflry to take mackarels at fea, infinite
may there take fo many that he Ihall not multitud*
know what to do with them, for in many '^^ ^^'"''
laces I iiavc fcen infinite numbers of them "' '

pi:

dole

904

A Dejcription of New France.

doil' together, whicli did occupy more
jpacc there three times than the market
h.ills of Paris do contain .And notwith-
iVanding 1 lie a number of people in our
country oi France, fo wretclied, and foidle
in tlielc days, that they had rather die for

hunger, or live in flavery, at tlie lead to
languifti upon their miierable dunghill,
than to endeavour to get out of tiic mire,
and to change their fortune by fome gene-
rous aftion, or to die in it.

CHAP. XXIV.

Of the quality of the foil.

The r.-,::

Frr.nce
fiiu-ingtl-
Unic tf-
iod.s a:.
tiyr,! Jhi

Wl-", have made provifion in the three
Lift ciiaptcrs of venifon, of fowl,
and of fifli, whicli is much. But in our
old ancient France, bread and wine being
our ufual fuilenance, it would be hard un-
to us to make here our abode, unlefs tlic
land were lit for the fame. Let us then
enter into confideration of it, and let us
put our hanils into our bofom, to fee if
the (lugs of this motlier will yield any
milk to nourifli her children -, and as for
tiie \\[\, wc will take what may be hoped
tor of her. ylttilius Regulus, twice con-
llil in Rome, did commonly lay, that Otie
mull notchoofe places over rank, bicaufc
they are ur.liealthfu! -, neither jilaces over
barren, althou^ili one may live healthily
in them ■, and with fuch a moderate foil
did CdU, content himfelf. The ground of
Nciv France is fuch, for the molt p.irt of
iii fai:d, under which wc have often found
clay ground -, and of that earth did Monf.
de Pautrir.court caufe a qu.intity of bricks
to be made, wlierewith he built a fur-
nace to nielt the gum of the firr-trec, and
chimneys. I v,-ill fay i'.;rther, that one

J may iriake with tliis earth fucli operati-
ons, as widi the earth which wc call terra
Jig;!/atc7, or Iclus arwcnicus, as in many

'•^ occalions our apothecary, maftcr Lczais
Ikhcrt, molt futiirient in his art, hath made

'. trial of it ; by the advice of Monf de
Pci'.triiiccur: ; yea ivcn when tlut Monf.
du Pc':!'s^l'on hatl three fingers cut off
with a nu'.l'kft-fliot, wliicli chd hurll b'.ing
over-char^:d, in tlie country of the yi'r-
jnotifhiqucis.

I'his province having the two n.atures
of earth that God hath given unto man
for to poliefs, who may doubt but that it
is a land of promife, when it fh.all be ma-
nured : We have made trial of it, and
have taken pleafurc tlierein, which never
did all them that iiavc gone before us,
whether it be in Brafil, whether it be in
Florida, or in Canada. God hath blefied
our labours and hath given unto us fair
wheat, rye, bacrly, oats, peafe, bean<^,
hemp, turnips, and garden herbs ; and this
io plentifully, that the rye was as high as

the talleft man tint may be feen, and wc
did fear that this heighth Ihould hinder it
from bringing forth feed ; liut it h.ath ib One- hun-
well frudilied, that one French grain fowed 'l'^'-''' •'"**
there, h.ith yielded one hundred and fifty "'/^y^''"
ears of corn, fuch as by the tellimony of (Vomone
my lord chancellor, he illand of Cicilia gr.un.
nor the country of BeauJJe do yield none
fairer. I did low wheat, without luifering
my land to reft, and without dunging it
at all ; and nevcrthclefs it grew up in as
fair perteclion as the fairelt wheat in
France, although the corn and all that we
did fow was too long kept. But the
new corn which tlic laid Monf. de Pcii-
trincourt did fow bciorc his departure
from thence grew up fo beautiful that
it was wonderlul, according to the re-
port of them that have been there, a year
after our departure. Whereupon I will
fay that which was of mine own doing,
that in the month of ylpril in the year
1607, having lowed too thick and too
near one to the other, Ibme few grains of
the rye that was gathered at St. Croix (the
firft dwelling of Monf. de Moils, fome
twenty five leagues from Port Royal) thefe
gniins did multiply fo abundandy that
rliey choaked one anotlier, and came to
r.o good perfection.

But as for the ground mended, dunged
witii our hogs dung, ca with the fweepings
of the kitchen, fhells of fifli, or fuch like
things ; I would not believe unlefs I had
feen it, the cxceflive loftinefs of the jilants
th.it it hath produced every one in his
kind. Yea the fon of Monf. de Pou-
trincourt, a young gentleman of great
forwardncfs, having fowed grains of o- Orangrs.
ranges and of citrons in his garden, they ^'trons..
fprung plants of a foot high at three
months end. We did not expect fo much,
and notwithftanding we took pleafure
therein, emulating one another. I refer
to any man's judgment il the fecond
trial will be done with a good courage.
And here I muft fay by the way that the
fecrctary of the faid Monf de Monts, be-
i.ng come into rhofe parts belorc our depair-
ure, did fay diat he would not tor any

thin-r

yl Dcfcription of New iuancc.

yo^

t'l'ii'.;^ i'l the worltl, but to have;

iiiilels li';

liun-
nd

oin
II one
n.

IgfS.

mul ■
^.K- VDya;^;'.', anil th;it iiiilels li'; Ivicl
Urn our corn, he would not h.:vL' be-
lieved it. Ktliuld how contiiiu.iliy th'j
toimtry of Canada li.ith hn-ii liilcivditfil,
\iiuiir whole name all tliat l.ii;d is com-
]Ti/.n.l, not knowinu; w)mt it is, upon tlie
r'.poitot Tome niai inn F, wiio only do
j;o to lifh for cci!,' .md upon tho rumour
ct Ionic lickiidlis, wliich ni.iy be avoided
\,\ miiiitniiiing ol mirth ; lb that intii be
•v.'tU liiniilhcd ol ncci. iVanus.

But to continue our purpofe ot the
incnding of the ground, whereof wt-fpake
cVlii now. One certain ancient author
fiitli, that the cenlbrs of Rome did k-t to
'tarni tlu: liuiigliib and otiier unck-anncis,
whicli were drawn out of finks, lor a.
tliouland' taknts a year, which are worth
li.v hunih'cd thoufand French crowns, to
the <};ardeneri; of Aowf, becaufe that it was
the e.^ceHentwIt du!i<; ot all -, and there was
to tliat end commiiiioners ordained for to
ckanle them -, likewife the bottom and
chaiuiel of tlie river Tiher^ as certain an-
cient iiifcriptions, which 1 have fometimes
read, do record.

The land of the Armtjuchlquoh^ doth
bear yearly fucli corn, as that which we
call Saracen wheat, Tnrky wheat, and In-
dian wheat, v.'hicli is the [rio or Enftmcn
fnigcs, ol Pliny and Columella ; but the
Virginians, I'loridia;::, and Braftlians,
more foutherIy,make two harvelh a year.
. Ail thefe jicople do till their laiul with a
\vooden pick-ax> weetl out the weeds and
ti,i:;.ui!ins burn them, fatten their fields with fliell-
au sow- ^^^ having neither tame cattle nor dung,
then they heap their ground in fmall heaj)s,
two foot dillant one from one another ;
and the montii of May being come, they
fet their corn in thole heaps of earth, as
we do plant beans, fixing a ftick, and
putting four grains of corn feverally one
after another, by certain fuperftitionj in
tlie hole, and between the plants of the laid
corn, which groweth like a fmall tree,
and is ripe at three months end, they alio
fet beans fpotted with all colours, which
are very delicate, which by reafon they
benotfo liigli, do grow very well among
tliele plants ul corn. We have fowed of
the laid corn, this laft year in Paris, in
gootl j.';round, but with fmall jirolit, hav-
ing yiekltd, every plant, but one ear or
two, and yet vei'y tiiin •, whereas in that
country one grain will yield four, five and
lix cars, and every year, one with another
above two hundred grains, which is a
marvellous incieale; whicli Ihewech the
])roverb reported by 1'hcopbrajlus to be
wry true, tiiat it is t!ie year that produ-
cctii the fruit, and not the field ; that is to
lay, tliat the tem;)erature of the air, ar.d

Th* :iinn

IKT of'l'.l!

inj; 'lie
gri)>iiij.

Vol..

II.

jt the weather, is that which

inakeili f'lr planf; to bud and fniflify*
more lli.in the nature ol the earrli ; wiure-
ini:. to be wondered tliat our ciirngiuweth
better there, than ilvir corn here \ a cer-
tain tillimony that vjo.i h.ith blelfed that
country, lince that his naine hath Uen
calkd U[ioii there; alio, that in tiiele
jiart";, fince fome yeari, Goil beateth us,
us 1 have laid elfewliere, witluodsof iron,
antl in that country lie hath fpiead hi.s
blelling abundantly upon our labour, and
th.1t in one parallel and elevation ot the fun.

This corn growing high, as we have
fiid, the llalk ot it is as 'jig as cines. yea
bigger. 'I'he ftalk and corn taken green,
have a fugar tafte, which is the caufe why
the moles and field rats do fo covet it, ior
they Ipoilcd me a plot of it in Neiv France.
The great bealls, as flags and other
beafls, as- alio birds, do Ipoil it-, and the
IndicHi- are conlb aincd to keep them, ai
we do the vines here.

The harvciVbeing done, this peojitelay- iiarui uu-
eth up tlieir corn in the ground, in pits, Jwgiouud
which they make in fbme defcent of a liill,
for the running down of waters, furnifli-
ing thole pits with matts ; and this they
do becaufe they have no houfes with lofts,
nor chcfls to lay it up otherwife-, than the
corn conferved .after this manner, is out
of the way of rats and mice.

Sundry n.itions of thofe parts have had
the fa.me invention to keep corn in pits.
For Siiidas maketh mention of it upon the
word Sciroi; and Procopius, i;i the fecond
book of the Gothic war, faith that the
Goths bcfieging Rome, fell within the pits
where the inhabit.uits were wont to lay
their corn. Tacitus reporteth, alfo, that
thcGermans had fuch pits. And without
partitularifing any farther, in many places
of France they keep at this day their corn
after that manner. We have declared
heretofore in what fafliion they flamp their
corn, and make bread with it, and how
by the teftimony of Pliny, the ancient
Italians had no better induflry than they.

They of Canada and Hochtlaga, in the
nmtoi Jamts ^artier, did alfb till after
the fame manner, and the land did afford
them corn, beans, pcafe, meldns, pom-
pions, and cucumbers, but fince tliat
their furrs have been in requefl, and that
for the fame they have had bread .ind other
vicluals, without any other pains, they
are become fluggifh, as the Souriquois al-
fo, who did adiiicl thcmfelves to tillage
at the liime time.

But both the one and the other nation
have yet at this time excellenthemp, which lump,
the ground produceth of itfelf; it is high-
er, finer, whiter, and llronger than ours,
in tliefe our parts. But that of the Ar-
Kcucbimisis beareth at the top of the ftalk
thereof a co.l, filled with a kind of cotton (^-.j^jon.

»o

9o6

A Defcriptiu/i of New France.

\IIie V, :n

Jim plant
«d ill
Fniitct.

like unto filk, in which licthtlu- ("iL-d ; of
this rotton, or whatioivcr it Ix-. gcKxl
beds may Ik' made, more excellent a tlioii-
fand times tiian of feathers, and ioiterthan
rommon rotfofi. Wc have (owed of the
faid ftrd, or grain, in divcrfe places of
P/irh, but it did not proVe.
\ ir,f and Wc havc iVen by our hiftory, how along
srrpo. the great river, beyond ladoujfac, vines
are found innumerable, and grapes at the
feafon. I ha\'e fcen none in Port Royal ^
but the land antl tlie hills are very pro-

\\^^^ the l"^''' *"'' ^^' ^>'^"'' 'i'^'-' """'^ '" ancient
time, iinlcis peradvcnture along the coall
ot" the Midi t err (mean fea jand tlic Caullois
having done fome notable Icrvice to the
emperor Probus, they demanded of him
for recompcnce, permiflionto plant vines,
which he granted unto them j but they
were firft denial by the emperor Nero.
But why do I allege the Gaulloh, feeing
that in Braji/, being a hot country, there
were none, until that the I'tenchmen and
Portugiicfc had planted foine tiiere ; fo
there is no doubt but that the vine will
grow plentifully in the faid Port Royal,
Iccing, likewife that at the river St. John
which is twenty leagues more northward
than the faid port, there be many of them,
yet for all that not fo fair as in the country
ot the Armouchiquois, where it feemeth
that nature did delight herfelf in planting
of them there.

And for as much as we have handled
this fubjeft, fpcaking of the voyage that
Monf. df Poutrincourt made thither, we
will pafs further, to declare unto you that
the mod part of the woods of this land, be
oaks and walnut-trees, bearing fmall nuts.

Oaks

tree

iSut tree., with four or five fides, fo fwect antl deli-
cate as any things may be; and likewife
plumb-trees, whicn bring forth very good
Saffafrai. plumbs ; as, alfo, fafllifras, a tree having
leaves like to oak leaves, but left jagged,
whofe wood is of very good fcent, and
mod excellent for the curing ot many di-
feafes, as the pox, and the ficknefs of Ca-
tiada, which I call phthi/ic, whereof we
liave difcourfeil at large heretofore.
Tobacco Thi-y alfo plant great llore of tobacco,
a-idthcu.e a thing mott precious with them,and uni-
•" "• verfilly an.cingil: all thofe nations. It is
a plant of the bignefs of confolida major,
the fmoak whereof they luck up with a
pipe in that manner that I will declare un-
to you, for the contentment of them that
know not the ufe of it. After that they
have gathered this herb, they lay it to dry
in the fhade, and have certain fmall bags
of leather, hanging aliout their necks, or
at their girdles, wherein they have always
jonie, and a tobacco-pipe withal, which
is a little pan hollowed at the one tide,
and within whofe hole there is a long quill
or pipe, out of which they fuck up the

loolilli
Krt.diiiff*

fmo.ik, wliiv.li is within the fiid p.m. altiT
thev put lire to it, with a loil that they
lay upon it. I'hcy will Ibnutimes lullir
hunger tight days, having no other ful-
tenance than that fmo.ik ; and our I'rench-
men, who have frequenti d tlir-m, are fo
b<'witchcil with this ilrunkennefs ot tobac-
co, that they can no more br without it,
than without meat or drink, .indupon that
do they fpeiid.good (tore of money i tor
thegootl tobacco which cometh i.ur uHira-
fil doth fomitimes coif a French crown a "^ *<"'«=
pound. Which I deem toolithnefsin tiiem, "'J'" =''"•'•
becaufe that notwithllanding they do not '*'-'^'^'^"
fpare more in their eatin;; and drinkint^
than other men, neither do they take a
f)it of meat, nor a cup otiliink the lefs
by it. But it is the more excufable \\\
tile favages, by reafon they have no great
delicioutncfs in their tabugies, or banquets,
and can make cheer to them that coine to
viiit them with no greater thing, as in
tliefe our parts oneprefents his friend with
tome excellent wine ; in fuch fort, that if
one retufeth to take the tobacco pipe, it is
a fign that he is not a frierul. And they,
wiuch among them have tome obfcure ^l"^!"'*'''
knowledge ot God, do lay that he taketh fhink'^hat
tobacco as well as they, ;ind that it is the Cnd hath
true nectar deicribed by the poets. taken to-

Tiiis fmoak of tobacco taken by the .''?'^'^'» .
mouth, in fucking, as a child that fuck- jl,''." *,jj
eth his dug, they make it to itTue thro' plop^^nit^
the nofe, and palling through the con- oftobacco.
dujts ot breathing, the brains are warmed
liy it, and the humidity of the fame dried
up. It doth, alfo, in fome fort make one
giddy, and as it were drunk, it maketh
the btlly foluble, mitigateth the palTions
of Venus, bringeth to flcep, and the leaf
of tobacco, or the athes that remain in the
pan healeth wounds. Yea, I will fay
more, that this nedar is unto them fo
fweet, that the children do fomevimes
tup up the fmoak that tht ir fathers caft
out of their noftrils, to the end that no-
thing be lott. And becaufe that the fame
hath a tart biting talle, Monf. de Belle-
forcjl, reciting that which y^wf; ^tartier,
who knew not what it was, faith of it,
will make the people believe that it is
fome kind of pepper. But whatfoever
fwectnefs is found therein, I could never
ufe myfclt to ir, neither do I care for the
ufe and cuftom to take it in fmoke.

There is yet in the land of the Armou- R""'^ ^f-
cbiquois, certain kind of roots, as big j&f ">•''' ''"■
a loaf of bread, molt excellent for to be
eaten, having a tafte like the ftalks of arti-
chokes, but much more pleafant, which
being planted, do multiply in fuch fort that
it is wonderful ; I believe that they be thofe
which be cilled afrodilles, according to
the defcription that Pliny nlaketh of them.
" Thcfe roots, faith he, are made after

«' the

A Defcription of New France.

907

iiii

nu:

;iltcr

ava-

that

to-
)

\ir-
ind
rtii'n
uccu.

11.

•' the fafhion of fmall turnips, and there
>' is nu pLint that hach lb many roots as
*' this luiii, lor fomctimes one fliall find
•' iourlcOTe afroJilUs tied toj^cthcr. They
" arc good roaftcd under the embers, or
'* cnteii raw with pepper, or oil and fait.
Conl'uicring all this, it Icemeth unto me
tliat thett; arc men very mifcrablc, who be-
ing able to live a country lile, in quiet and
rctt, and take the benefit ol the ground,
which dotli [)iy her creditor wichlbprofit-
ablc an uiliry, do pal's their age in towns,
in toilowii)^ of fuicsin law, in toiling here
and there, to tcck out the means how to be-
guile and deceive Ibme one or other, taking
iuch pains ab do even bring them to their
grave, tor to pay their houlc-rcnt, for to
be clothed in (ilk, lor to have fome preci-
ous moveables, briefly, for to fet out and
teed theinlclves with all vanity, wherein
contentment is never to be found. " Poor
" tools, faith Hejindy which know not how
" one half of thefe thin;;s, with quiet, is
" more wortli than all heaped together
" with fretfulncfs, nor how great benefit
*' is in the Malous, and the DaffadiUes.
" The gods certainly have hidden from
" men the manner ot living happily. For
" otherwife one day's labour would be
*' fufHcicnt for to nourith a man a whole
*' year, and the day Ibllowing he would
" let his plough upon his dunghill, and
*' would rcil his oxen, his mules, and
" himfelf.

This is the contentment which is prepa-
red for them that fliall inhabit New-France^
tiiough fools do defpife this kind of life,
and the tilling of the ground, the moft
harmldsof all bodily exercifes, and which
1 will term the molt noble, as that which
iuttaineth the lile of all men. They dif-
dain, 1 fay, the tillage of the ground, and
notwiihifanding all the vexations where-
with one tonnentcth iiimfelf, the fuits in
law that one tollows,the wars that are made,
;iic but tor to have lands. Poor mother!
what hall thou done that thou art fodefpi-
led ? the other elements are very often con-
trary unto us, the fire confumeth us, the
air doth intect us with plague, the water
fwallowcth us up, only the earth is that
which coming into the world, and dying,
receiveth us kindly, it is fhe alone that nou-
rilheth us, which warmeth us, which lodges
us, which cibatheth us, which contraryeth
us in nothing, and flie is fet at naught, and
them that do manure her are laughed at,
they are placed next to the idle and blood-
fuckers of the people. All this is done
here among us j but in New France, the
golden age mull be brought in again, the
ancient crowns of cars ot corn mull be re-
newed, and to make that to be the firtl

trcct

glory, which the ancient Rmani did call
fliuria aJprea, a glory of wheat, to the end
to invite every one to till well his field, fee-
ing that the land prcfenteth itfelf liberally
to them that have none.

Being alFured to have corn .ind wine,
there rclleth but to furnilh the country
with tame cattle, tor they will breed there
very well, as we have faid in the chapter
of hunting.

Of fruit trees, there be but few, befidcs Ormge
nut-trees, plumb-trees, and fmall cherry- 'f^"
trees, and fome hazlc-nut trees. True it ^'''*"
is, that all that which is within the land is
not yet difcovered, for in the country of
the Iroquois there are orange-trees, and they
make oils with the fruit of trees. But no
Frenchmen nor other Chrillians have been
there yet. That want of fruit-trees is not
to be fountt very (Irange i for the molt
part of our fruits are come out of other pla-
ces, and very often the fruits bear the name
of the country from whence they have been
brought. The land ot Germany is good,
and fruitful : but Tacitus faith, that in his
time there were no fruit-trees.

As for the trees of the foreds, the moft i-],j t^jj,
common in Port-Royal be oaks, elms, afli, and fruits
birch, very good for joiners work, maples, pf '''^ l»»'*
fycamores, pine-trees, firr-trees, white- '" '''.'''"
thorns, hazle-trees, willows, bay trees, '^^ '
and fome others bcfides which I have not
yet marked. There is in certain places
ftore of ftrawberries, and rafpberries, item,
in the woods fmall fruit, blue and red. I
have feen there fmall pears very delicate,
and in the meadows, all the winter long,
there be certain fmall fruits like to fmall
apples coloured with red, whereof we made
marmalade for to eat after meat. There
be ftorj ofgoofe-bcrries lUce unto ours, but
they grow red ; item, thofc other fmall
round goofe-berries, which we do c&Wgeue-
dres, and peafe in great quantities along
the fea fliorcs, the leaves whereof, we took
in fpring time, and put among o"- ciid
peafe, and fo it did feem unto us that we
did eat green peafe. Beyond the faid ba)^
Francoife, that is to fay, in the river St.
John and St. Croix, there is ftore of cedar
trees, befidcs thofe trees that I have named.
As for them of the great river Canada, they
have been fpecified in the fecond book, in
the relation of the voyages of captain ^^otw
^artier nad of Monf, Champlein.

Thofe of Florida be pine trees, which Trees of
bear no kernels in the fruits that they pro- Fior-.Ja
duce, oaks, wallnut- trees, black cherry-
trees, lentifks, chefnut trees, which be not
natural as in France, cedar trees, cyprefs
trees,palm trees, holly trees, and wild vines,
which climb up the trees, and bring forth
good grapes ; there is a kind of medlars,

the

,d Dcfinption of New France.

ihe fmit wIvTcnr i< bcrtiiaiul biggtr th.iil
thitof Ftaiic, thi'ie :trc, alio, plumb nccs
which bMrii very lair frui., but not very
{i;«(vl Mlpberries •, a rmall gfAin wliich we
c.i!l with 111 bUias, blues which arc very
y,rnK\ to l>e cnttn ■, »/:/,/, rixjts, which
ihey call htift, v/hereol, in iheir need,
tlit-y nuilce breail.

The province of Brajil hath taken licr
n.inu-, as we think, ol a tertani tree which
wc call brfjil, anil the fava^csof the coun-
try arahonlon, it is high, and as big as
our oaks, and hath the leal like to the box
]ea^. Our Frtuchmen and others do go in-
to that country for to latle their ihips with
it ; the fire of it is almoft without fmoke,
but he that would think to whiten his iinnen
with theafliesof that wood, would far de-
ceive himfcif, for he fliould find it dyed in
red. They have, alfo, palm trees of fun-
dry forts : and trees the wood whereof of
fome, is yellow, and of others violet -,
they have alio fome that have the fcent of
rolls, and others ftinking, whofc fruits are
dangerous to be eaten; iltm, A kind ot
^uayac, which they name hinotirae^ which
ihoy ufe for to cure a difeafe called among
them pa»s, as dangerous as the pox. The
tree which beareth the fruit, that we call
the Indian nut, is called among them fa-
bauchie: they have alfo cotton trees, of the
fruit of whereof they make beds, which
they hang between rwo forks cr polls.
This country is happy in many other
forts of fruit trees, as orange trees, citron
trees, lemon trees, and others always green,
whereby the lofs of that country, where the
Frenchmen had begun to inhabit, is fo much
the more grevious unto them that love the
welfare of France, for it is more than evi-
dent, that tlw dwelling is there more plea-
fant and delightful than the land of Canada
for the temperature of the air. True it is
that the voyages thither are long, as of four
and five months, and that in performing
of them fometimes wants muft be endured,
as may be feen by the voyages maile thither
in the time of yUle-gagnon ; but to New-
France, where we were, when one begin-
neth his voyage in due feafon, the voyages
are but of three weeks, or a month, which
is but a fmalltim''.

If the fweetnefs and delicacies be not
there, fuch as they are in Peru, one muft
not lay therefore that the country is nothing
worth. It js much that one may live there
in reft, and joyfully, without taking care
for fuperfluous things. The covetoufncl's
of men hath caufed that no country is
thought goodjunlefs there be mines of gold
in it i and fots as they lie, they do not con-
ami ijiver ^"■^'"''^ ^^'^^ ''^^ country of France is now
iiiinci. unfurniflied of the fame, and Cifr/wawv, al-

fo, whereof T^jc.-rw; fiid, rli.it lie knew nor
whether the goiis in their an^cr, ur theii
favour, had denied guid and lilver to that
province. They do not lie that all the In
diaiti have not any ule of filver, and live
more contentedly than we; if wc tall
them fools, they may lay as much of us,
and peradventure with better realbn. They
know not that God pronulini^ to his peo-
ple a happy land, he faith th.it it II1.1II be
a land of corn, of barley, of vines, of fig-
trees, of olive trees, .nnd ol honey, where
they fhallcat their bread without Icmiiy,
idi: And for all metals he givcth linni
but iron and copper, left that gold and lil-
ver make them to lilt up their heart and
forget their God ; and he will not that
when they fhall have kings they fliould
hoard up much gold or filver. They Jo
not confider that mines be the church-yards
of men ; that the Spaniard hath confiimei
therein above ten millions of poor Indian la-
vages, inrtead of inftrudling them in the
Chriftian faith ; that there be mines mJtalyt
but that the ancients would not give leave
to work in them forthe prefcrvation of the
people i that in the mines is a thick air,
grols and infernal, where one never know-
cth when it is day nor night ; that to do
fuch things is to leek to difpoftefs the devil
of his kingdom. That it is a thing un-
worthy to a man to bury himfelf in the en-
trails of the cartJi, to feek out for hell,
and miferably «x> aUife himfelf under all
unclean creatures \ he to whom God hath
given an upright form, and his face look-
ing upward, for to behold the heavens, and
to ling praifes unto him ; that in countries
where mines be the land is barren; that we do
eat neither gold nor filver, and that the fame
of itfclf doth not keep us warm in winter j
that he which hath corn in his barn, wine
in his cellar, cattle in his meadows, and
afterwanl cod-filh ami beavers, is more af-
fured to have gold and filver, than he which
harh mines to find vii^uals ; and ncverthe-
lefs there be mines in New France, as wc Mines in
have mentioned clfcwhere: but that is not ^,1u
the firft thing one muft feek for, men do '■■'•i<''-
not live with opinion only ; and this con-
fifteth but in opinion, nor the precious ftones
neither, which are fools baubles, wherein
one is moft often deceived, fo well art can
counterfeit nature ; witnefs him that did
fell, fome five or fix years fince, vcfl'els
for fine emerald, and had made himfelf
rich by the folly of others, if he could have
played his part a-righr.

Now without making fhcw ofany mines, prnits lu
profit may be m.ide in New France, ofdi- bcluped
vers Hrrs that be there, which I find arc 'o"" "'V'-n'
not to be defpifed, feeing that wc fee fo '^" '■'"•
much cnvv againft a privilege, that the

kiilK

A Defcription of New France.

kingciki grant to Monf. de Monis, for to
help to crt.ibli(h and fettle there fome
frencb colony. But there may be drawn
a general commoiiity to France, that in
the Icartity of vidtuaU, one province may
fuccour the other \ which might be done
now, if the country were well inhabited v
frcing that fince we have been there, the
fialbns have always been good in it, and
in thefeoiir pans rough to the poor, which
do die for hunger, and live but in want
anil pinury ; inftead of that, there many
might live at their eafe, who it were better
to prcfervc than fulFer to perilh. Bcfides
fifhing btiiig made in New Franccy the
Uetvfoundland fliips (hall have nothing to
do but to lade, arriving thiiher.inftead that
thty are forced to tarry three months
tlurc, and fliallbc abkto make three voy-
ages lor one.

Of cxquifite woods I know none there,
but the cedar and t\\t fajfafras \ but good
profit may bi- drawn trom thefirrandprufe
trees, bccauie they will yield abundance
of gum, anil thty die very often through
over much liquor. This pim is very fair
like the turpentine of Venicey and very
fovenign for medicines ; I have given

fome to fome churches of Paris, forfrank-
inccnfc, which hath been found very good. Soap afhei
One may moreoverfurnifhthc city of Pa-
ris and other places of France with foap-
aOies, which at this prefcnt be all bare
and without woods. They who find thcm-
felvcs afflidled may have there a pleafant
place to retire thcmfclves into, rather than
to yield themfelvcs fubje^ to the Spaniard
as many do. So many families as be in
France, overcharged with children, may
divide themfelves, and take there their
portion with thofc fmall goods and move-
ables as they have. Then time will dif .
cover fomething anew, and one mufl help
all the world if it be poinble. But the
chiefert good one muIV aim at, is the cf-
tabiilhment of the Chridian religion, in a
country where God is not known, and
the converfion of thefe poor people, whofe
damnation crieth vengeance againft them
that may, and ought to employ themfelvcs
thereto, and to contribute, at leaft with
their names, to that efFedl, feeing that
they gather up the fat of the earth, and
are conftituted ftewards of the things of
this world.

(

lltS 10

licpcd

CHAP. XXV.

Of their laar.

OF poflefTing of land cometh war ;
and when one hath eftabliflied him-
fclt in New France, fome greedy fellow
peradvcnturc will come to take away the
labour of honeft painful men j this is that
which many do fay, but the ftate of France
is, God be praifed, too well fettled, for to
be afraid of fuch tricks, we are not now
in the time of leagues and partiahties ; there
is none that will begin with our king, nor
make aiiventuious enterprizes for a (mail
purchafe. And though any one would do
it, I believe that the remedies have been
thought upon already ^ and moreover
this adiun is tor religion, and not to take
away another's goods. This being fo,
faith maketh one to march boldly with af-
furance, and topafsthroughall difficulties
For behold what the almighty faith by his
prophet Ifiiiah, to them whom he taketh
in his tuition, and to the Frenchmen of
New France, Hearken unto me you that
follow jujiice,and that feek after the Lord,
behold the rock cut of which you were cut^
to the deep of the ctftern from whence ye
have been drawn \ that is to fay, conlider
that ye are Frettchmett; Look to Abraham
Vol. IL

jfcur father, and to Sarah who hath brought
you forth, how I have called him, he being
all alone, and have blejfed and multiplied
him J therefore ajfuredly the Lord will com-
fort Sion, 6?f.

Our favages do not ground their warS To what
upon the poflefTion of the land. We do "d the fa
not fee that they encroach one upon ano- ^'^'^^^ ^
ther for that refpcft. They have land e-
ilough for to live and for to walk, their
ambition is limited within their bounds,
they make war as Alexander the great did
make it, that they may fay I have beaten
you •, or elfe for revenge in remembrance
of fome injury receivedj Which is the
greateft vice that I find in them becaufe
they never forget injuries; wherein they
are fo much the more excufable, becaufe:
they do nothing but that, which ourfelves
do alfo J they follow nature ; and if we
refrain any thing of that inftindb, it is thd
commandment of God which maketh us
to do it, whereunto many do flop their
eyes.

Therefore when they will make Vfisti

the Sagamos, who hath moft credit amon^

them, maketh them to kndw the caufe

10 Y why

910

(^ Defcriptioti of New France.

v^gej.

The man-
ner 10 for-
ttt or f re-
fage the
cv ent of
the war.

wliy, the renJezvoiij, ami time of the af-
lembly. Being arrived he nukcth kmg
orations unto tlicm upon tlicoccilion whiclj
iiollcreii, ami for tocncour.it'c them. At
every propolition he dem.itulcth their ad-
vice, and it they give conltnt they all nuke
an excl.imation, faying //.;«, if not, fomc
Sjgamss, will bi-gin to (JHrak, and fay
what he thinketh goal of it, being Iwth
the one and the other well heard. Their
Suirrim wars are made but by furpri'ics, in the dark
ofihei*- o|- (hg „jg|,t^ or by moon-fhinc, by am-
bufhments, or fubtilty 4 which is general
throughout all thofc Indies. For we have
feen, in the firft book in what falhion the
Ihridians do make war, and the linijilidiis
do nootherwifc. And the furprizes being
done, they come to handy blows, and do
fight very often by day.

But before they go from home, ours, I
mean the Souriquoii^ have this cultom to
make a fort, within which all the young
men of the army do put themlelves, where
being, the women come to compafs them
about, .and to keep them asbefieged. See-
ing themfclves fo environed they make faU
lies, for to fliun and deliver themlelves out
ofprifon. The women that keep watch
do rcpulfe them, do arrcft them, do their
beft endeavour to take them ; and if they
be taken they lay loads on them, do beat
them, ftrip them, and by fuch a fuccefs
they take a goal prefige of the war they
go to make ; if they cfcape it is an evil
fign.

They have alfo another cuuom concern-
ing fomc one particular man, who bring-
ing an enemies hc.id, they make great
feafts, dances and fongs for many days •,
and whilft thefe things be doing, they (Irip
the conqueror, and give him but fome bad
mg to cover himlclf withal i but at the
end of eight days or thereabout, after the
fcalt, every one doth prcfent him with
fomcthing to honour him for his valour.
SucceiTion The captains amongft them take their
of captains degree by fucceflion, as the regality in
thele our parts, which is to be underftood
if the fon of Sagamos imitateth the virtues
of his father, for otherwifc they do as in
the old time, when that firft the people
did chufe kings •, whereof John de Miung
author of the Reman de la Rofe, fpeaking,
he faith, that. They cbofe the talleft^ that
had the btggefi body, and biggeji bones amongjl
them, and viade him their prince and lord.
But this S^^d;/>0i hath not an abfolute autho-
rity among them, but fuch as Tacitus re-
portethof the ancient German kings ; "The
♦' power of their kings, faith he, is not
" free, nor infinite, but they conduft
" the people rather by example, than by
*• commandment." In Virginia and in

Floruit they are more honoured than among
the Sourtqucii : Ua jn Hrajil he that hatn
taken and killed moll priloners, they will
take hun for captain, and yet hii children
m.-iy not inherit that dignity.

Their arms, arc the tirll which were inTh.-fiiv«;
ufe after tlic creation of the world, clubi, gtiauuH
bows, and arrows \ for .is for (lings and croli.-
bows they have none, nor any weapons of
iron or flecl, much Id's thofc that luiman
wit hath invented fincc two hundred ycjrs,
to counterfeit the thunder j nor rams, or
other ancient engines of battery.

They are very fkilful in fhooting an ar- Fvccllcnt
row, and let that be for an example, ■"'•*'"*•
which is recited heretofore of one that
was killed by the /Irmotichiquois, having a
little dog pierced, together with him,
with an arrow fhot afar off. Yet I would
not give them the pr.iilcs due 10 many
nations of this hither world, which have
been famous for that cxercife, as the Sty-
Ihians, Getes, Sarmates, Goths, Scots, Par-
tbians, and all the people of the fuijl, of
whom a great number were fo ikiltul,
that they had hit a hair j which the holy
fcripturc witnefleth of many of God's peo-
ple, namely of the Benjamitcs, who going
to war againft I/racl : Of all this people,
faith the fcripturc, there were /even hundred
(ho/en men, being left handed i all thefe
could fling a flone at an hair's breadth, and
not fail. In Crete, there was an jllccn, fo
fkillull an archer, that a dragon c.trrying
away his fon, he purfued after him, and
killed him without hurting his child. One
may read of the emperor Domitian, that
he could direft his arrow far off, between
his two fingers, being fpread abroad. The
writings of the ancients make mention of
many who (liot birds through, flying in
the air, and of other wonders w Iiich our la-
vages would admire at. ButnotwithflanJ-
ing they are gallant men and good war-
riors, who will go through every place,
being backed by fomc number of French'
men \ and which is the fccond thing next
unto courage, they can endure hardncfs
in the war, lye in the fnow, ami on the ice
fuller hunger, and by intermifTion feed
thcmfelveswith Imoke, as we havcfaid in
the former chapter. P'or war is callcti mi- ^'om
Ma, not out of the word mollitia, as L'l- ^hence
j>ian the lawyer and others would have it, (i,^ ^^^^j
by an antiphraflical manner of fpeaking-, malici- or
but of militia, which is as much as to fay miUtiii.
duritia, kakia, or of affliilio, which the
Greeks do call kakcfis. And fo it is taken
in St. Matthew, where it is faid, that the
day hath enough of his o^vn grief, kakia, that
is to fay, his affUHion, his pain, his labour,
his hardnefs, as St. Hierome doth expound
it very well. And tlie word in St. Paul,

kako-

// Dcfiription of New France.

iva.

iK'nt

kAf^va'M'on has kal/tijlratiotti IrfonChrijlnn,
Ii.kI iiui Ixen ill (MriilutcJ dura, that is,
Siifjfr rtJJli'ttBii ai a ^ood iMto of Jtfut
Lhrvi, iiillcuil ot labora,Laid(n th^Jtlj vuttb
fiitience, at i( is in f '>jfiA

Duratf, U rebus vo/mii Jtnjie ficundis.

And in anntlicr place lie callrth the Sci
fwsduroi bel.'i, tn li^jfi'^^y br.ivc at>d c»cel-
cnt captnini : which hai J/;''!'! and inalic«
ot war, 'Ifrtullian lioth cxp»vjn<l imbonttai
111 the book tl'.'.t he hath written w 'liemar-
lyrn, lor to exhort them to fuller afflif 'ions
manfully tor flic name of Je/ui Cbrift. A
J Idler, l.iitli li;, cannot come to the wan
with pleafurcs, and he goetb not to the
^^bf cttnifig jorth from hts chamber, but
cut of tents and pnvilltons Jlreti bed cut,
and tied to /talks and forks, Ubi cmnis du-
ritia (sf imbonitas id tnfuavitas, vjbert no
fleafurt is.

Now although the war which is made
coming iortli out ot terns and pavillions is
haril, yet notwithlhinding the life of our
favages is yet harvlcr, and may be called
a true militia, that is to fay, malice,
which I take for hardnefs. And after
this manner do they travel over great
countries through the woods for to fur-
prile their enemy, and to aflail him on
SubjcAofthc ludden. I'his is that which keepcth
tlie(a\ii. them in perpetual fear ; for at the lead
»«'•■•"• noile in tlie world, as of an ellan which
pafleth among branches and leaves, they
take an alarm. They that have towns,
after the manner that I have dcfcribed
hcretotbrc, are fomewhat more aJTured.
For hiving well barred the coming in,
tJiey may a(k quiva lit, who goetli there ?
and prepare themfclves to the combat.
By (uch I'urpriies the Iroquois being in
number eight thoufand men, have here-
tofore exterminated the /ll^umequins, them
ot IJocbHaga, and others bordering upon
the great river. Ncverthelefs, when our
favages under the conduft of Membertoti
Went to the war againft the Jrmoucbi-
quois, theyimbarkcdthemfelves inlhallops
and canoes ; but indeed they did not en-
ter within the country, but killed them
on their frontiers in the port ot Cboiiakoet.
And tor as much as this war, the caufe
thereof, the counfcl, the execution, and
the end ot it hath been dcfcribed by me
in French verfcs, which I have annexed
unto my poem intitled the Mufes of
New France, I refer the reader to have
rccourfc to it, becaufe I will not write one
thing twice. I will only lay, that being
at the river St. John, the Sagamos Chkoti-
dun, a Chriilian and Frenchman in will
and courage, made a young man of Ret el,
called Lefevre, and myfclf, to fee how
they go to the wars ; and aitcr their feafl

911

they rame forth liimc fourHiir.' <Mt o|
his town, having l.iid down thnr mantlrj
ot tiirr, that is to lay fbrk n.»kc.l, Ixar-
ing every one a lliield which covered all
tluir body over, ult.r the lalliion ot the
ancient Caullois, who palled into Grcect
iitulcr the Capt. Brennus, of whom they
th.-it could not wade the rivers, did lay
th' mfclvcs on their bucklers, which fcrved
f hi m for boats, as I'aiifantus l.iith. Be- Tl.cir
lides th' fe rtiields, they had every one his •"•'"'"••r of
wooden m.icc, their quivers on their backs, "'*"'""»
and til. ir bow in hand •, m.nrching as it '^\\
were in dancmp wife. 1 do not think tor Ami.tui.
all that, tlut whii, ch'y come near to the >i*i><-<--
enemy lor to fight, that they be fo order-
ly as the ancient Lacedaemonians, who from
the age ot tiv ye.us were accuftomed to
a certain manner ot dancing, which they
uled going to tight, that is to fay with a
mild and grave mcafurc, to the louiul i)i
flutes, to the end to come to blows with'
a cool and lettleil fente, and not to trou
ble their minds ; to be able alfo to ililom
them that were couragious from them
that Were fearful, as Plutarch faith. But
rather they go lurioufly, with great
clamours and teartul howlings, to the end
to allonilh the enemy, and to give to
themfclves mutual aflurance •, which is
done amongll all the wefterly Indians.

In this muftcring, our favages went to
make a turn about a hill, and as their re-
turn was fomewhat flow, wc took our
way towards our bark, where our men
were in fear, left lome wrong had been
done unto us.

In the vidory they kill all that make How the
refinance, but they pardon the women lavages
and children. The Bra/ilians contrari- bclnvc
wife do take prifoncrs as many as they *[ '*' '*'*
can, and lefervc them for to be tatned, to *'' '"^'
kill and to eat them in the firft alTcmbly
they Ihall make. Which is a kind of fa-
crifice among tliofe people that have fome
form of religion, from whom tliofc meji
have taken this inhuman cuftom. For
anciently they that were overcome, were
facrificed to the gods who were thought
to be authors of the vidtory, whcreot it
came that they were called ViSiimes, be-
caufe that they were overcome ; f^i^inia
a Viilis : They were alfo called Ihflcs,
ah Hofle, becaufe they were enemies.
They that did fet forth the name of Sup-
plice did it almofl: upon the fame occafion,
caufing fupplications to be made to the
gods of the goods of them whom they
condemned to death. Such hath been the
cuftom among many nations to facrifice
the enemies to the falfe gods, and it was
alio pradifed in Peru in the time that
the Spaniards came thither firft.

We read inthe holy Icripture, that the pro-
phet Samuel cut in pieces //^^j^ king of the

Jmale-

9ii

A Dejcription of New France.

//»)mW//Cj, before fhe Lord inG/V^a/.Which
might be tbiind ftrange, Iceiiig tli.it there
Wiis nothing fo mild as this holy prophet
was. But one miift confulei here that it
was by a fpecial motion ot the Ipirit of
God which ftirrcd Samuel to n»ake himfelf
executioner of the di vine julticc againft an
enemy ot" the people of Ifrael, inllead of
Saul, who had ncglefted the command-
ment of God, which was enjoyned to
fmite AmiTL'k and to put all to the edge
of the fword, without fparing any living
foul ; wliich he did not ; and therctbre
was he tbrfakcn of God. Samuel then
did that which Saul fliould have done, he
cut in pieces a man who was condemned
of God, who had made many widows in
Ifrael, andjuftlydid receive the like pay-
ment i to the end alio to fulfil the prophe-
cy of Balaam, who had foretold long
before that the king of the Ifraelites
Jhould be raifed up above Agag, and his
kingdom fliould be exalted. Now this
3iSi\on of Samuel is not without example.
For when they were to appeafe the wrath
of God, Mofes faid : Put every man his
fword by his fide, and fiay every /nan his
brother, and every man his cotnpanion, and
every man his neighbour. So Elijah made
the prophets of Baal to be killed. So at
St. Peter's words Ananias and Saphira fell
down dead at his feet.

Now to return to our purpofe, our fa-
vages as they have no religion, fo make
they no facrifices ; and befides, are more
humane than the Bt afilians for as much as
they eat no man's fle/h, conrentlug them*
felves to deftroy th>''m .hat do annoy
thein. But they have fu(h a gcnerofity
in them, that they had ather die than
to fall into the hands of their enemies.
And when Monf. de Poutrincourt took re-
venge of the Armouchiquois t which mur-
tiered feme of our men, there were fome
who fuffcred themlelves rather to be hew-
ed in pieces, than that they would be car-
ried away prifoners ; or if by main force
they be carried away, they will ftarve or
kill themlelves ; yea alfo they will not fuf-
ter the dead bodies of their people to re-
main in the poffcirion of their enemies,
and in the peril of their own lives, they
take them and carry them away ; which
Tacitus doth alfo teftify ot the ancient
(jermans, and it hath been an ufual thing
with all generous nations.

The viftory being gotten of one fide or
othei-, the victorious cutteth off the heads

of the enemies flain, how grc.it focvcr
the number ot them is, which .ire itivided
among the c.iptuins, but they leave there
the carc.ifs, contenting themfelves with
the fkin, which they caufc to be dried, or
do tan it, and do make trophies with it
in their cabins, taking therein all their
contentment. And ioine folemn feail
hapening among them (I call feafl: whcn-
foevcr tni y make labagie) they take them,
and dance with them, having them hang-
ing about their necks at their arms, or at
their girdles, .md with very rage tiicy
foinetimes bite at them ; which is a great
proof ot this difordinate appetite of
revenge, whereof we have Ibmetimes
fpoken.

Our ancient Gaullois did make no lefs
trophies with the heads of their enemies
than our fuMges. For (if Diodorus and Ti-
tus Livius may be believed) having cut
them, they bring them back from the
tield hanging at the petral of their horfes,
and did tie or nail them Iblemnly, with
fongs and praifes of the vanquifliers
(according to their cuftoms) at their gates,
as one would do wild boars. As tor the
heads of the nobles they did embalm them
and kept them caretuUy within cafes,
for to make ibcw of them to thofe that
come to fee them, and for notliing in the
world tliey would reftore them, neither
to kinfmen nor any other. The Boians
(which be the Bourbonnois) did more ; for
after they had taken out the brains, they
did give the tkuUs to goldfmiths for to
giirnilh them with gold, and to make
velTels of them to drink in, which they
ufed in facred things and holy folemni-
tics. If any man thinketh this ftrange,
he mull yet find more ftrange that which
is reported of the Hungarians by Viginere
upon Titus Livius, of whom he faith*
that in the year 1566, being near Java"
rin, they did lick the blood of the Turks
heads which they brought to the emperor
Maximilian ; which goeth beyond the
barbaroufnefs that might be objedled to
our favages.

Yea I muft tell you that they have
more humanity than many Chriftians,
who within thefe hundred years have com-
mitted in divers occurrences, upon wo-
men and children cruelties more than
brutilh, whereof the hiftories be full ;
and our favages do extend their mercy to
thefe two forts of creatures.

CHAP.

A Defer iption of New France.

913

CHAP. XXVI.

Of their fiimrals.

THE war being cmlecl, humanity
doth invite ua to bewail for the
dead, and to bury them. It is a work
wholly of piety, and more meritorious
tli.in any other. For he that yiveth fuc-
coiir to a man wliilll he is alive, may
liope lor fonic fervice of him, or a reci-
procal kiiidn>.ls •, but from a dead crea-
ture, we cm expcft nothing more. This
is that which made that holy man Toby
to be acceptable to God •, and for that
good ortice, tliey tliat employed them-
lelves in tiie burying of our Saviour arc
prailed in the gofpel. As for tears and
jnournir.gs behold what faith the wife fon
cf SiruiJj : My fin pour forth tears over
the iL-.iJ, and It-gin to mourn as if thou
/.\:Jjt fitjfcred great harm thyfelf \ and then
cover his body according to bis appointment^
and nc^lci} not his burial. Make a griev-
cus lamentation, and be earncjl in moun-
v:g, and ufr lamenlalicn as he is worthy,
and that a dc.y or two, lejl thou be evil
fpckcn of.

This kflbn being come, whether it be
by fome tradition, or by the inftinft of
nature, as tar as to our lavages they have
yet at this day that common with the na-
tions of tlufe parts to weep for the dead,
i\\\'\ to keep the b<xlies of them after
iluir dcceale, as it was done in the time
of the holy p.icriarciis Abraham, Ifaac,
and 'Jacob, and fincc. But they make
ftrange clamours many days together, as
we \..\.\^ in Port Royal, fome months after
our aiTival into that country (to wit in
November) wlKie tluy made tiie fuiieral
c Tcmonies lor one of tlieirs, named Pa-
lioiii.i who liad taken foinc merchandizes
out ie>{ Moiif. de A/cnts'i llore-houfe, and
went to truck witli the Armouchiquois.
I'his Panoniac was killeti, and the body
brouglit back into tiie cabins of the river
of iSV. (,Vi;;.v, wliere our favages did both
Weep lor hisn and embalmed him. Of
wiiat kind this balm is [ could not know,
not b/u'.g able to enquire of it upon the
})lace.s ; I believe tluy jag the dead corps
and make them to dry. Cert.iin it is,
that tliey pi.eilrve them irom rottennels ;
wiiicii i\\\\i[t, they ilo alnioll throughout
all thefe [ndies. 1 le that iuuli written tlie
hiflory of Virginia, i'.iith that they du.w
VM ihrlr entrails Imm the body, Hay the
(le;id, take .iway the ikiii, cut all the Hclh
dIY from the bones, dry it at the fun, then
lay It '^enclofed in mats) at the feet of the
deul. rliat done, tliey give him iiis own
fixin .;gaiii, and cover therewith tlie bones

Vu;. II.

tied together with leather, fartiioning it
even lb as if the flelh had remained at
it.

It is a thing well known tiiat the anci-
ent Aigyptians did embalm the dead bodies,
and kept them carefully. Which (befides
the prophane authors) is feen in the holy
fcripture, where it is faid that Jofeph did
command his fervants and phyficians to
embalm the body of Jacob his father ;
wiiich he did according to the cullom of
the country. But the Ifraelites did the
like, as it is feen in the holy chronicles,
where it is fpoken of the death of the
kings ylfa and Joram.

From the river of St. Croix, the faid
dcccafed Pancniac was brought into Port
Royal, where again lie was wept for. But
bccaufe they are accultomed to make their
lamentations for a long continuance of
days, as during a month, fearing to offend
us by their cries (for as much as their ca-
bins were but fome five hundred paflea
off from our fort) Membertou came to in-
treat Monf. de Pcutrincourt not to diflike
that they fhould mourn after their wonted
manner, and that they would be but eight
days in performing of it, which he ea-
fily granted them ; and then afterwards
they began the next day following, at the
break of day, their weepings and cryings,
which we did hear from our faid fort,
taking fome intcrmifTion on the midft 6f
tlie day ; and they mourn by intermifTion
every cabin his day, and every perfon his
turn.

It is a thing wortliy marvelling, that
nations lb far iliftant do agree in thole ce-
remonies with many of the hither world.
For in ancient times the Perftans (as we
read in many places of Herodotus, and
.'■^. Curtius) did make fuch lamentation,
did rent their garments, did cover their
heads, did cloutli themfelves with a mourn-
ing garment, which tlie holy fcripture
doth call fnckclc'h, and Jofephus fchema
tapeincn. Alio they fliaved themfelves,
nnd their h<>rles and mules, as tlie learned
Brufms hath noted in his obitrrvations, al-
leging for this purpofe both Herodotus and
Phi/arch.

Tlie /Egyptians did as much, and per-
adventure more, in that wliich concern-
eth lamentations. For after the death of
tlie holy p.itriaich Jacob, all the ancients,
men of calling, and the counfellors of the
houfe of Pharaoh, and ot the country of
Egypt, went up in great multitude even as
tar as to the corn floor of Atad in Canaan,

ic Z and

914

A Defcription of New France.

and did weep for him with great and
grievous complaints; in fiich fort that the
Canaanites feeing it tlid fay -, this mourning
is grievous to the y^gj/Sinns ; and for the
greatnefs and novelty of the iiime mourn-
ing they called the faid floor JM Mif-
rtiim, that is to fay the mourning of the

The Romans had hired women to weep
for the dead, and to relate their prail'es
by long mournful complaints •, and thofe
women were called Pra-fca; as it were
Pra;fe5l,et becaufe that they did begin the
motion whai it was needful to lament,
and to relate the praifes of the dead.

paufe of every complaint they will fay ; tJic Per.

the To-

tiipinam-
tMtilit are
f remies to

Mertede qua condu^a; flent alieno in
funere prefica multo ^ capillos fcindunt,
fcf clamant magis, faith Lucilius by the
report of Nonius ; fomctimes the very
trumpets were not neglefted at it, as yir-
gil teftifieth in thefe words :

// ckIo clamor y clangor que tubarum,

I will not here make a colleftion of all
thecuftomsof other nations ; for it would
never be at an end ; but in France every
one knoweth that the women of Picardy
do lament their dead witli great clamours.
Monf. des Accords amongit other things
by him collefted, reciteth of one, who
making her funeral complaints, that flie
faid to her deceas'd hufband ; good God !
My poor hufband, thou haft given us a

ijitiftil farewel ! O what farewel ! It is
or ever. O what long congie. The wo-
men of Beam are yet more pleafant ; for
they recount during the time of a whole
day the whole life of their hufbands. La
mi amou, la mi amou ■■, )rara rident, a'il de
fplendou : cama huge bet danfadou : to me
halen balem^ lo m'ejhurbat : mati de pes :
fort tard cougat :■ and fuch like things :
that is to fay -, My love,' my love : fmiling
countenance ; bright eye ; nimble leg ; and
good dancer ; mine own valiant, mine own
'valiant -, early up, and late abed, &c.
John de Lfn reciteth, that which foUoweth
of the Gafcoign women j yere,yere, 6 lebet
renegadou, die bet jougadou qu'hcre, that is
to fay ; ob the brave fwaggerer, oh what
a fair player he was ? And thereupon he
reporteth that the women of Brajil do
howl and bawl with fuch clamours, that it
feemeth tliat it be fome alTembly of dogs
and wolves. He is dead (will fome wo-
men fay drawing their voices) he was fo
valiant, and who hath made us to eat of
fo many prifoners ; others making a
quire apart will fay ; Oh what a good hunt-
er and what an excellent fiflier he was !
Oh what a brave knocker down of Por-
tuges and of Margaias he was ; of whom
he hath fo well avenged us. And at the

he is dead, he is dcaU for wliom we do "'a"/-
now mourn ! W'hereunto the men do
aniwer, faying ; alas it is true! we fl>;»ll jj-e^^.
fee him no more until wcfte him behind y;//^,,, be-
the mountains, where we (hall dance with litvc tUe
him, and other fuch things ; but the moft rcAirredti-
part of thefe people do end their mourn- ""•
ing in one day, or fomewhat more.

As for the Indians of Florida, when
any of their Paraovjlis die, they weep
tliree days and three nights continually
and without eating ; and all the Paracu-
Jlis that be his allies and iri.nds do the
like mourning, cutting half their hair?, as
well men as women, m token of lovt.
And that done, there Lc fome women or-
dained, who during the time of fix moons
do lament the lieath ot thtir Paraotijli
thrive times a day, crying with a loud
voice, in the morning, at noop, and at
nigiit ; which is the faP.uoii or th.c Ro-
man Prtcfices, of Wiiom we have not
long fince fpoken.

For that which is of the mourning ap-
parel, our Souriquois do paint their faces
all with black ; which maketh them to
feem very hideous ; but the Hebrr^vs were
more reprovable, who did fcotch their
faces in the time of mourning, and did
lliave their hairs, as faith the prophet Je-
remiah ; which was ufual among them of
great antiqiuty ; by reafon whereof, the
lame was forbidden them by the law of
God in Leviticus : You Jhall not cut round
the corners of your hairs, neither mar the
tufts of your beards, and you ffjall not cut
your fleflj for the dead, nor make any print
of a mark upon you. I am the Lord ; and
in Deuteronomy, Tou are the children of the
Lord your God,youfhall not cut your fehes,
nor make any baldnefs between your eyes for
the dead.

Which was alfo forbidden by the Ro-
mans in the laws of the twelve tables.

Herodotus and Diodorus do fay, that
the Egyptians (chiefly in their kings fune-
rals) did rent their garments, and be-
fmearcd their faces, yea all their heads ;
and aflembling themfelvis twice a day,
did march in round, finging the virtues
of their king ; ditl abilain from foddcn
meats, from living creatures, from wine,
and from all dainty fare during the fpace
of feventy days, without any wafliing,
or lying on any bed, much lefs to have
the company of their wives, always la-
menting.

The ancient mourning of our queens
of France (for as for our kings they wear
no mourning apparel) was in white colour,
and therefore after the death of their huf-
bands they kept the names of roines
blanches (white queens.) But the com-
mon mourning of othe;s is at this day

11, •

A Defcriptton of New France.

915

in black, qitifuv perfona rijits eft. For all
thefc inoiiinings art- but deceits, and of a
hundred there is not one but is glad of
- fuch a weed. This is the caufe tliat the
ancient Thraciatu were more wife, who
did celebrate the birth of man with tears,
and their funerals with joy, fhewing that
by death we are delivered from all cala-
mities wherewith we are born, and arc
in reft. Heraclides fpeaking of the Lo-
crois faith, that they make not any
mourningfor the dead, but rather banquets
and great rejoicing. And the wife Solon,
knowing the forefaid abufes, doth abolifh
all thofe renting of cloaths of thofe weep-
ing fellows, and would not that fo many
clamours fliould be made over the dead, as
Plutarch faith in his lite. The Chriftians,
yet more wife, did in ancient time fing
allelujah at their burials, and this verfe of
the pfalm, Revertere aiiima men in requiem
tuam, quia dominus benefecit tibi,

And now myfoulftth thou artfafe.

Return unto thy reft ;
For largely lo the Lord to thee.

His bounty bath expreft.

Notwithftanding becaufe that wc are
men, fubjed to joy, to grief, and to other
motions and perturbations of mind, which
at the firft motion are not in our power,
as faith the philofopfier, weeping is not a
thing to be blamed, whether it be in con-
fidering our frail condition, and fubjcfl: to
fo many harms, be it for the lofs of that
which we did love and held dearly. Holy
perfonages have been touched with thofe
pafllons, and our Saviour himfelf wept
over the fepulchre of Lazarus brother to
the holy Magdalen. But one muft not
fufFcr himfelf to be carried away with for-
row, nor make oftencations of clamours,
wherewith very often the heart is never a
whit touched. Whereupon the wife fon
of Siracb, doth give us an advertifemcnt,
faying, {Veep for the dead, for he hath loft
the light \of this life] but make fmall weep-
ing, becaufe he is in reft,
Thcr.wi- After that our favages had wept for
pc:. do Panonhic, they went to the place where
his cibiii was whilft he did live, and there
they did burn all that he had left, his
bows, .urows, qui\'ers, his beavers (kins,
his tob.icco f without which they cannot
live) his dogs, and other his fmall move-
ables, to the end that no body fliould
quarrel for his fucceflion. The fame (hew-
eth how little they care for the goods of
this world, giving thereby a goodly leflbn
to them, who by right or wrong do run
after this filver devil, 'and very often do
break their necks, or if they catch what
they defire, it is in making bankrupt with
God, and fpoiling the poor, whether it

Burn the
moveable
go.ids of
the de-
CQafcd.

be with open war, or under colour of juf-
tice. A fliir leflbn, I fay, to thofe cove-
tous unfatiable Tantalujfes, who take fo
much pains, and murder fo many creatures
to feek out hell in the depth of the earth,
that is to fay, the treafures which our Sa-
viour doth call die riches of iniquity. A
fair leflbn alfo for them of whom St. Hie-
ro»»^ fpeakcth, treatingof the life of clerks:
There be fome^ faith he, who do give a little
thing for an alms, to the end to have it again
with great ufury; and under colour of giv-
ing fomething, they feek after riches, which
is rather a hunting than an alms: fo are beafts,
birds, and fifhes taken. A fmall bait is put
to a hook, to the end to catch at itftlly wo-
tnens purfes. And in the epitaph of iVir-
potian to Heliodore: Some, faith he, do heap
money upon money, and making their purfes
to burft out by certain kind of fervices, they
catch at a fnare the riches qf good matrons,
and become richer being monks, than they
were being fecular. And for this covetouf-
nefs, the regular and fecular have been by
imperial edidls excluded from legacies,
whereof the fame doth complain, not for
the thing, but for that the caufe thereof
hath been given.

Let us come again to our burning of
goods. The firft people that had not yet
covetoufnefs rooted in their hearts (M the
fame as our favages do. For the Phry-
gians (or Trojans) did bring to the Latins
the ufc of burning, not only of moveables,
but alfo of the dead bodies, making high,
piles of wood for that efFefl-, as ^neas
did in the funerals of Mifenus :

-Cs* rohorefeilo

Ingcntem ftruxere pyram.

Virgil, JEneid 6.

Then the body being walhed and anointed,
they did caft all his garments upon the
pile of wood, frankincenfe, meats, and
they poured on it oil, wine, honey, leaves,
flowers, violets, rofes, ointments of good
fmell, aud other things, as may be feen
by ancient hiftories and infcriptions. And
for to continue that which I have faid of
Mifenus, Firgil doth add ; • ■

Purpureafque fuper veftes, velamina not a
Conjiciunt : pars ingenti fubiere feretro, i^c,

congefta cremantur

Tbura, dona, dapes, fufo craleres olivo.

iEneid 2.

And fpeaking of the funerals of Pallasy
a young lord, friend to ^neas :

Tutngeminasveftes, oftroque, auroquerigenleSt

Extulit /Eneas

Multaque prtBterea laurentis pramiapugna
Agger at, fcf Iqngo prcedam jubet ordine duct :
Addit equos isf tela, quibus fpoliaverat boftem.

And

()t6

/I Dcfcription of New France.

And underneath :

Spargitur y tcllas lacbrymis, fparguntur t?

anna.
Hir.c aliifpoUa occifis direpta Lmiiiis
Coiijiciioit igiii, galeas, eufeique decerns,
Frceiiape ferveiiUJqiw roltu : pars munern

mta
Tpforum clypeos, (^ non f(dkia tela,
Sc-ligerofque flies, raptafqiie es omnibus agris
Iiijlammain jugulant pecudcs

In the holy fcripture I find but the bo-
dies of Sad and of his fons to have been
burnt after their overthrow, but it is not
iaiJ that any of their moveables were caft
into the fire.

The old Gaidlois and Germans did burn
with the dead boily all that which he had_
loved, even to the very bealts, papers of
accounts and obligations, as if by that
means they would either have paid, or de-
manded their debts. In fuch fort, that a
little before that Cafar came thither, there
*vere fome that did caft thcmfelves upon
the pile where the body was burned, in
hope to live clfewhere with their kindred,
lords and f '■lends. Concerning the Germans,
'Tacitus faith the fame ol them in thefe terms,
^^<a: vivis cordi fuijfe arbitrantur in ignem in-
fcrunt ctiain animalia, fervos & clientes.

Thefe lafliions have been common an-
ciently to many nations, but our favages
are not fo foolifh as that j for they take
good heed from putting themfelvcs into
the fire, knowing that it is too hot. They
content themfelves then in burning the
■^ dead man's goods -, and as for the body,
they put him honourably in the grave.
This Panoniac, of whom we have fpoken,
was kept in the cabin of Niguirc/et his fa-
ther, and of Neguioadetch his mother, un-
til the fpring time, when that the alTem-
bly of the favages was made for to go to
revenge his death: in which affembly he
was yet wept for, and before they went to
the wars they made an end ot his fune-
ral, and earned him (according to their
cuftom^ in a defolate ifland, towards Cupe
de Sable, fome five and twenty or thirty
leagues dilhint from Port Royal. Thole
ifles which do ferve triem for church-yards
are fecret amongit: them, for fear fome
enemy fhould feck to torment the bones of
their dead.

Pliny, and many others, have efteemcd
that it was fooliflinefs to keep dead bodies,
under a vain opinion that after this life one
is fomething. Bur one may apply unto
him, that which Portius Fejlus, Governor
of Cfcfarca, did Ibolilhly fay to the apolUe
St. Paul : iJjou art befide thy felf; much
learning hath made thee mad. Our favages
are efteemed very brutilh, (which they are

not) but yet they have more wifdom in that
refpeft than fuch philofophers.

We Chriftians do commonly bury the
dead bodies, that is to lliy, we yield them
to the earth Ccalled humus, from whence
cometh the word homo a man) from which
they were taken, and fo did the ancient
Romans before the cuftom of burning them •,
which amongfl the IVeft- Indians the Bra-
Jilians do, who put their dead into pits dig-
ged after the form of a tun, almolt up-
right, fbmetimes in their own houfes, like
to the 'irll Romans, according as Serzius
the commentator of Firgil doth fay. But
our favages as far as Peru do not fo, but
rather do keep them whole in fcpulchres,
which be in many' places as fcafTolds of
nine and ten foot high, the roof whereof
is all covered with mats, whereupon they
ftretch out their dead, ranked according to
the order of their deceafe. So almoft our
favages do, Hiving that their fepulchrcs arc
lefs and lower, made after the form of
cages, which they cover very properly,
and there they lay their dead : which we
call to bury, and not to inter, feeing they
are not within the earth.

Now although that many nations have
thought good to keep the dead bodies ;
yet it is better to follow that which nature
requireth, which is, to render to the earth
that which belongeth unto her, which (as
Lucretius faithj

Omnifarens eadem rerumejl commune fepuU
chrum.

Alfo this is the ancienteft fafhion of bu-
rying, faith Cicero. And that great Cyrus^
king of the Perfians, would not be other-
wife ferved after his tleath, than to be re-
ftored to the earth : O iny dear children!
(faid he before he died) iL-hen I have ended
my life, do not put my body either in gold
or in fiver, or in any clbcr fepulchre, but
render it forthzaith to the earth : for what
may be }nore happy and more to be de fired,
than to join himfelf -with her that producetb
and nourifoeth all good and fair things? Ho
did he elteem for vanity all the pomps and
excefTn'e cxpenccs of the pyramids of
Jl\gypt, of the maufalcums and other monu-
ments m-tde after that imitation ; as the
fame of Augujlus the great, and magnifi-
cil mals of Adrian, the feptizone of Seve-
rus, and other yet Icfs j not effeeming
himfelf af\er death more than the meanell
of his fubjedls.

The Romans did leave the entombing of
the bodies, having perceived that the long
wars did bring dilbrder unto it, and that
the dead corps were unburied, which by
the laws of the twelve tables, it was be-
hoveful to bury out of the town, like as
they did in Atbefts. Whereupon Arnohius,

fpcaking

A T)efcription of New France

9*7

fpcaking againft the GentHei : Wc do not
fear (Caith he) ai you think, the ranjackbig
of our gravis, but we kept the moft ancient
and bejl cujlom of burying.

Paufanias (who blamcth the Gaullois as
much as he can J faith in his Phociques, that
they had no care to bury their dead ; but
we have (hewn the contrary heretofore :
and though it were lb, he fpcaketli of the
overthrow of the army of Brennus. The
fame might have been faid of the Naba-
teem, who faccording to Strabo) did that
wiiich Paufanias doth objeft to the Gaullois,
and buried the bodies of their kings in
dunghils.

Our favages are more kind than fo, and
have all that which the office of humanity
may dcfire, yea even more. For after
tliey have brought the dead to his reft,
every one maketh him a prefentof the beft
thing he iiath: fome do cover him with
many fkins of beavers, of otters, and other
bealls : others prefent him with bows, ar-
rows, quivers, knives, matachias, and
other things, which they have in common,
not only with them of Florida, who, for
want of furrs, do fct upon the fepulchrcs
the cup wherein the deceafed was accuf-
tomed to drink, and all about them they
plant great numbers of arrows : item they
of Brafil, who do bury with their dead
things made of feathers and carkenetsj
and they of Peru, who (before the coming
of the Spaniards) did fill their tombs with
treafures: but alfo with many nations of
thefe our parts, which did the fame even
from the firft time after the flood, as may
be conjedured by the writing (though de-
ceitful) of the fepulchre of Semiramis,
queen of Babylon •, containing, that he of
her fucccflbrs that had need of money
Ihould make it to be opened, and that he
(hould find there even as much as he would
have. Whereof Darius, willing to make
trial, found in it nothing elfe but other
letters fpeaking in this fort; unlefs thou
wert a wicked man and unfatiable, thou
•wouldH not have, through covetoufnefs, fo
trotihUd the quiet of the dead and broken
doiVH their (epulchres. I would think this
cuftom to have been only among the hea-
thens, were it not that I find in Jofephus's
hiltory, that Solomon did put in the fepul-
chre of David his father above three
millions of gold, which was rilled thirteen
hundred years after.

This cullom to put gold into the fepul-
chres being come even to the Romans,
was forbidden by the twelve tables, alfo
the exceflive expences that many did make
in watering the bodies with precious liquors,
and other myfteries that we have recited
herctufure. And notwithllanding many

fiftiple nnd foolifti men and women did or-
dain by will and teftament, that one (houid
bury with their bodies their ornaments,
rings, and jewels Cwhich the Greeks did
call Cfi.'aphia) as there is a form feen of it,
reportcil by the lawyer Scavola in the books
of the Digejles i which was reproved by
Papinian and Ulpian, likewife civil lawyers )
in fuch fort, that for the abiife thereof, the
Romans were conftrained to caufe that the
cenfors of the womens ornaments did con*
demn, as fimple and effeminated, them
that did fuch things, as Plutarch faith, in
the lives of Solon and Sylla. Therefore
the beft courfe is to keep the modefty of
the ancient patriarchs, and even of king
Cyrus, whom we have mentioned before^
on whofe tomb was this infcription, re*
ported by Arriaru

nou that paffefl by, ivbomfoeUtr thou beejl^
and from what part foever thou comeft^
for I am fure that thou wilt come : I am
that Cyrus who got the dominion to tbi
Perfians : I pray thee envy not this littU
parcel of ground which covereth my poof
body.

So then our favages are not excufable irt
putting all the bcfl ornamer's they have
into the fepulchres of the dead, feeing they
might reap commodity by them. But
one may anfwer for them, that they have
this cuftom even from their fathers be-
ginning (for we fee that almofl from the
very time of the flood the like hath beett
done, in this hither world) and giving to
their dead their furrs, matachias, bowsj
arrows and quivers •, they were things that
they had no need of.

And notwithftanding this doth not cleaif
the Spaniards from blame, who have rob-
bed the fepulchres of the Indians of Peru^
and cufl the bones on the dunghilj no^
our own men that have done the like, in
taking away the beavers fkin in our iVifw-
France, as I have fa' I heretofore.

For as Ifidorus faith of Damiette, In an
Epiftle : It is the part of enemies, void of all
humanity, to rob the bodies of the dead, which
cannot defend themfelves ; nature itfclf bath
given this to many, that hatred doth ceafe
after death, and do reconcile themfelves with
the deceafed: but riches make the covetous to
become enemies to the dead, againft whom
they have nothing to fay, who torment their
bones with reproach and injury. And there-
fore not without caufe have the ancient
emperors made laws, and ordained rigo-
rous pains againfl the fpoilers and deftroy-
ers of fepulchrcs.

All praifis he given to Cod,

Vol. II.

II A