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Voyages of Samuel de Champlain V3

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But, on the other hand, in consideration of the various circumstances;
namely, that the savages do not exercise reason, that they are hard to
approach, are easily estranged, and are very ready to take vengeance, that,
if we should force them to inflict punishment, there would be no security
for those desirous of making explorations among them, we determined to
settle this affair in a friendly manner, and pass over quietly what had
occurred, leaving them to engage peaceably in their traffic with the clerks
and agents of the merchants and others in charge.

Now there was with them a man named _Estienne Brûlé_, one of our
interpreters, who had been living with them for eight years, as well to
pass his time as to see the country and learn their language and mode of
life. He is the one whom I had despatched with orders to go in the
direction of the Entouhonorons, [219] to Carantoüan, in order to bring with
him five hundred warriors they had promised to send to assist us in the war
in which we were engaged against their enemies, a reference to which is
made in the narrative of my previous book. [220] I called this man, namely
Estienne Brûlé, and asked him why he had not brought the assistance of the
five hundred men, and what was the cause of the delay, and why he had not
rendered me a report. Thereupon he gave me an account of the matter, a
narrative of which it will not be out of place to give, as he is more to be
pitied than blamed on account of the misfortunes which he experienced on
this commission.

He proceeded to say that, after taking leave of me to go on his journey and
execute his commission, he set out with the twelve savages whom I had given
him for the purpose of showing the way, and to serve as an escort on
account of the dangers which he might have to encounter. They were
successful in reaching the place, Carantoüan, but not without exposing
themselves to risk, since they had to pass through the territories of their
enemies, and, in order to avoid any evil design, pursued a more secure
route through thick and impenetrable forests, wood and brush, marshy bogs,
frightful and unfrequented places and wastes, all to avoid danger and a
meeting with their enemies.

But, in spite of this great care, Brûlé and his savage companions, while
crossing a plain, encountered some hostile savages, who were returning to
their village and who were surprised and worsted by our savages, four of
the enemy being killed on the spot and two taken prisoners, whom Brûlé and
his companions took to Carantoüan, by the inhabitants of which place they
were received with great affection, a cordial welcome, and good cheer, with
the dances and banquets with which they are accustomed to entertain and
honor strangers.

Some days were spent in this friendly reception; and, after Brûlé had told
them his mission and explained to them the occasion of his journey, the
savages of the place assembled in council to deliberate and resolve in
regard to sending the five hundred warriors asked for by Brûlé.

When the council was ended and it was decided to send the men, orders were
given to collect, prepare, and arm them, so as to go and join us where we
were encamped before the fort and village of our enemies. This was only
three short days' journey from Carantoüan, which was provided with more
than eight hundred warriors, and strongly fortified, after the manner of
those before described, which have high and strong palisades well bound and
joined together, the quarters being constructed in a similar fashion.

After it had been resolved by the inhabitants of Carantoüan to send the
five hundred men, these were very long in getting ready, although urged by
Brûlé, to make haste, who explained to them that if they delayed any longer
they would not find us there. And in fact they did not succeed in arriving
until two days after our departure from that place, which we were forced to
abandon, since we were too weak and worn by the inclemency of the weather.
This caused Brûlé, and the five hundred men whom he brought, to withdraw
and return to their village of Carantoüan. After their return Brûlé was
obliged to stay, and spend the rest of the autumn and all the winter, for
lack of company and escort home. While awaiting, he busied himself in
exploring the country and visiting the tribes and territories adjacent to
that place, and in making a tour along a river [221] that debouches in the
direction of Florida, where are many powerful and warlike nations, carrying
on wars against each other. The climate there is very temperate, and there
are great numbers of animals and abundance of small game. But to traverse
and reach these regions requires patience, on account of the difficulties
involved in passing the extensive wastes.

He continued his course along the river as far as the sea, [222] and to
islands and lands near them, which are inhabited by various tribes and
large numbers of savages, who are well disposed and love the French above
all other nations. But those who know the Dutch [223] complain severely of
them, since they treat them very roughly. Among other things he observed
that the winter was very temperate, that it snowed very rarely, and that
when it did the snow was not a foot deep and melted immediately.

After traversing the country and observing what was noteworthy, he returned
to the village of Carantoüan, in order to find an escort for returning to
our settlement. After some stay at Carantoüan, five or six of the savages
decided to make the journey with Brûlé. On the way they encountered a large
number of their enemies, who charged upon Brûlé and his companions so
violently that they caused them to break up and separate from each other,
so that they were unable to rally: and Brûlé, who had kept apart in the
hope of escaping, became so detached from the others that he could not
return, nor find a road or sign in order to effect his retreat in any
direction whatever. Thus he continued to wander through forest and wood for
several days without eating, and almost despairing of his life from the
pressure of hunger. At last he came upon a little footpath, which he
determined to follow wherever it might lead, whether toward the enemy or
not, preferring to expose himself to their hands trusting in God rather
than to die alone and in this wretched manner. Besides he knew how to speak
their language, which he thought might afford him some assistance.

But he had not gone a long distance when he discovered three savages loaded
with fish repairing to their village. He ran after them, and, as he
approached, shouted at them, as is their custom. At this they turned about,
and filled with fear were about to leave their burden and flee. But Brûlé
speaking to them reassured them, when they laid down their bows and arrows
in sign of peace, Brûlé on his part laying down his arms. Moreover he was
weak and feeble, not having eaten for three or four days. On coming up to
them, after he had told them of his misfortune and the miserable condition
to which he had been reduced, they smoked together, as they are accustomed
to do with one another and their acquaintances when they visit each
other. They had pity and compassion for him, offering him every assistance,
and conducting him to their village, where they entertained him and gave
him something to eat.

But as soon as the people of the place were informed that an _Adoresetoüy_
had arrived, for thus they call the French, the name signifying _men of
iron_, they came in a rush and in great numbers to see Brûlé. They took him
to the cabin of one of the principal chiefs, where he was interrogated, and
asked who he was, whence he came, what circumstance had driven and led him
to this place, how he had lost his way, and whether he did not belong to
the French nation that made war upon them. To this he replied that he
belonged to a better nation, that was desirous solely of their acquaintance
and friendship. Yet they would not believe this, but threw themselves upon
him, tore out his nails with their teeth, burnt him with glowing
firebrands, and tore out his beard, hair by hair, though contrary to the
will of the chief.

During this fit of passion one of the savages observed an _Agnus Dei_,
which he had attached to his neck, and asked what it was that he had thus
attached to his neck, and was on the point of seizing it and pulling it
off. But Brûlé said to him, with resolute words, If you take it and put me
to death, you will find that immediately after you will suddenly die, and
all those of your house. He paid no attention however to this, but
continuing in his malicious purpose tried to seize the _Agnus Dei_ and tear
it from him, all of them together being desirous of putting him to death,
but previously of making him suffer great pain and torture, such as they
generally practise upon their enemies.

But God, showing him mercy, was pleased not to allow it, but in his
providence caused the heavens to change suddenly from the serene and fair
state they were in to darkness, and to become filled with great and thick
clouds, upon which followed thunders and lightnings so violent and long
continued that it was something strange and awful. This storm caused the
savages such terror, it being not only unusual but unlike anything they had
ever heard, that their attention was diverted and they forgot the evil
purpose they had towards Brûlé, their prisoner. They accordingly left him
without even unbinding him, as they did not dare to approach him. This gave
the sufferer an opportunity to use gentle words, and he appealed to them
and remonstrated with them on the harm they were doing him without cause,
and set forth to them how our God was enraged at them for having so abused
him.

The captain then approached Brûlé, unbound him, and took him to his house,
where he took care of him and treated his wounds. After this there were no
dances, banquets, or merry-makings to which Brûlé was not invited.

So after remaining some time with these savages, he determined to proceed
towards our settlement.

Taking leave of them, he promised to restore them to harmony with the
French and their enemies, and cause them to swear friendship with each
other, to which end he said he would return to them as soon as he
could. Thence he went to the country and village of the Atinouaentans,
[224] where I had already been; the savages at his departure having
conducted him for a distance of four days' journey from their village. Here
Brûlé remained some time, when, resuming his journey towards us he came by
way of the _Mer Douce_, [225] boating along its northern shores for some
ten days, where I had also gone when on my way to the war.

And if Brûlé had gone further on to explore these regions, as I had
directed him to do, it would not have been a mere rumor that they were
preparing war with one another. But this undertaking was reserved to
another time, which he promised me to continue and accomplish in a short
period with God's grace, and to conduct me there that I might obtain fuller
and more particular knowledge.

After he had made this recital, I gave him assurance that his services
would be recognized, and encouraged him to continue his good purpose until
our return, when we should have more abundant means to do that with which
he would be satisfied. This is now the entire narrative and recital of his
journey from the time he left me [226] to engage in the above-mentioned
explorations; and it afforded me pleasure in the prospect thereby presented
me of being better able to continue and promote them.

With this purpose he took leave of me to return to the savages, an intimate
acquaintance with whom had been acquired by him in his journeys and
explorations. I begged him to continue with them until the next year, when
I would return with a good number of men, both to reward him for his
labors, and to assist as in the past the savages, his friends, in their
wars.

Resuming the thread of my former discourse, I must note that in my last and
preceding voyages and explorations I had passed through numerous and
diverse tribes of savages not known to the French nor to those of our
settlement, with whom I had made alliances and sworn friendship, on
condition that they should come and trade with us, and that I should assist
them in their wars; for it must be understood that there is not a single
tribe living in peace, excepting the Nation Neutre. According to their
promise, there came from the various tribes of savages recently discovered
some trade in peltry, others to see the French and ascertain what kind of
treatment and welcome would be shown them. This encouraged everybody, the
French on the one hand to show them cordiality and welcome, for they
honored them with some attentions and presents, which the agents of the
merchants gave to gratify them; on the other hand, it encouraged the
savages, who promised all the French to come and live in future in
friendship with them, all of them declaring that they would deport
themselves with such affection towards us that we should have occasion to
commend them, while we in like manner were to assist them to the extent of
our power in their wars.

The trading having been concluded, and the savages having taken their leave
and departed, we left Trois Rivières on the 14th of July of this year. The
next day we arrived at our quarters at Quebec, where the barques were
unloaded of the merchandise which had remained over from the traffic and
which was put in the warehouse of the merchants at that place.

Now Sieur de Pont Gravé went to Tadoussac with the barques in order to load
them and carry to the habitation the provisions necessary to support those
who were to remain and winter there, and I determined while the barques
were thus engaged to continue there for some days in order to have the
necessary fortifications and repairs made.

At my departure from the settlement I took leave of the holy Fathers, Sieur
de la Mothe, and all the others who were to stay there, giving them to
expect that I would return, God assisting, with a good number of families
to people the country. I embarked on the 26th of July, together with the
Fathers Paul and Pacifique, [227] the latter having wintered here once and
the other having been here a year and a half, who were to make a report of
what they had seen in the country and of what could be done there. We set
out on the day above mentioned from the settlement for Tadoussac, where we
were to embark for France. We arrived the next day and found our vessels
ready to set sail. We embarked, and left Tadoussac for France on the 13th
of the month of July, 1618, and arrived at Honfleur on the 28th day of
August, the wind having been favorable, and all being in good spirits.

ENDNOTES:

201. Champlain made a voyage to New France in 1617, but appears to have
kept no journal of its events. He simply observes that nothing
occurred worthy of remark. _Vide_ issue of 1632, Quebec ed., p. 969.
Sagard gives a brief narrative of the events that occurred that
year. Vol. I. pp. 34-44.

202. Eustache Boullé. His father was Nicolas Boullé, Secretary of the
King's Chamber, and his mother was Marguerite Alix. _Vide_ Vol. I.
p. 205 _et passim_.

203. Nicolas de La Mothe, or de la Motte le Vilin. He had been Lieutenant
of Saussaye in 1613, when Capt. Argall captured the French colony at
Mount Desert. _Vide Les Voyages de Champlain_, 1632, Quebec ed.,
p. 773; _Relation de la Nouvelle France_, Père Biard, p. 64.

204. _Fauquets_. Probably the common Tern, or Sea Swallow. _Sterna
hirundo_. Peter Kalm, on his voyage in 1749, says "Terns, _sterna
hirundo, Linn_, though of a somewhat darker colour than the common
ones, we found after the forty-first degree of north latitude and
forty-seventh degree of west longitude from _London_, very
plentifully, and sometimes in flocks of some hundreds; sometimes they
settled, as if tired, on our ship." _Kalm's Travels_, 1770,
Vol. I. p. 23.

205. St. John's day was June 24th.

206. According to Sagard they were assassinated about the middle of April,
1617. _Hist. Canada_, Vol. I. p. 42.

207. Sagard says the French, on account of this affair, were menaced by
eight hundred savages of different nations who were assembled at Trois
Rivières. _Vide Histoire du Canada_, 1636, Vol. I. p.42. The
statement, "on estoit menacé de huict cens Sauvages de diuerse
nations, qui festoient assemblez és Trois Rivieres à dessein de venir
surprendre les François & leur coupper à tous la gorge, pour preuenir
la vengeance qu'ils eussent pû prendre de deux de leurs hommes tuez
par les Montagnais environ la my Auril de l'an 1617," is, we think,
too strong. The savages were excited and frightened by the demands of
the French, who desired to produce upon their minds a strong moral
impression, in order to prevent a recurrence of the murder, which was
a private thing, in which the great body of the savages had no part.
They could not be said to be hostile, though they prudently put
themselves in a state of defence, as, under the circumstances, it was
very natural they should do.

208. They were then at Trois Rivières.

209. The moat around the habitation at Quebec was fifteen feet wide and six
feet deep, constructed with a drawbridge to be taken up in case of
need. _Vide_ Vol II p. 182.

210. Probably Père le Caron, who was in charge of the mission at Quebec at
that time.

211. _Vide Histoire du Canada_, par Sagard, 1636, Vol. I. p 45.

212. They arrived on St. John's day, _antea, note 205_, and consequently
this was the 2tth of June, 1618.

213. Jean d'Olbeau.

214. Frère Modeste Guines. _Vide Histoire du Canada_, par Sagard, à Paris,
1636, Vol. I.p. 40.

215. Joseph le Caron, Paul Huet, and Pacifique du Plessis.

216. Louis Hébert, an apothecary, settled at Port Royal in La Cadie or Nova
Scotia, under Poutrincourt, was there when, in 1613, possession was
taken in the name of Madame de Guercheville. He afterward took up his
abode at Quebec with his family, probably in the year 1617. His eldest
daughter Anne was married at Quebec to Estienne Jonquest, a Norman,
which was the first marriage that took place with the ceremonies of
the Church in Canada. His daughter Guillemette married William
Couillard, and to her Champlain committed the two Indian girls, whom
he was not permitted by Kirke to take with him to France, when Quebec
was captured by the English in 1629. Louis Hébert died at Quebec on
the 25th of January, 1627. _Histoire du Canada_, Vol. I. pp. 41, 591.

217. These fields were doubtless those of Louis Hébert, who was the first
that came into the country with his family to live by the cultivation
of the soil.

218. Platon. _Vide_ Vol. 1., note 155.

219. Champlain says, _donné charge d'aller vers les Entouhonorons à
Carantouan_. By reference to the map of 1632. it will be seen that the
Entouhonorons were situated on the southern borders of Lake Ontario.
They are understood by Champlain to be a part at least of the
Iroquois; but the Carantouanais, allies of the Hurons, were south of
them, occupying apparently the upper waters of the Susquehanna. A
dotted line will be seen on the same map, evidently intended to mark
the course of Brûlé's journey. From the meagre knowledge which
Champlain possessed of the region, the line can hardly be supposed to
be very accurate, which may account for Champlain's indefinite
expression as cited at the beginning of this note.

The Entouhonorons, Quentouoronons, Tsonnontouans, or Senecas
constituted the most western and most numerous canton of the Five
Nations. _Vide Continuation of the New Discovery_, by Louis Hennepin,
1699, p. 95; also Origin of the name Seneca in Mr. O. H. Marshall's
brochure on _De la Salle among the Senecas_, pp. 43-45.

220. _Vide antea_, p. 124.

221. The River Susquehanna.

222. He appears to have gone as far south at least as the upper waters of
Chesapeake Bay.

223. The Dutch fur-traders. _Vide History of the State of New York_ by John
Romeyn Brodhead, Vol. I. p. 44 _et passim_.

224. Attigonantans or Attignaouantans the principal tribe of the Hurons,
sometimes called _Les bons Iroquis_, as they and the Iroquois were of
the same original stock. _Vide_ Vol. I. p. 276, note 212.

225. Lake Huron. For the different names which have been attached to this
lake, _vide Local Names of Niagara Frontier_, by Orsamus H. Marshall,
1881, P. 37.

226. Brûlé was despatched on his mission Sept 8, 1615. _Vide antea_,
p. 124.

As we have already stated in a previous note, it was the policy of
Champlain to place competent young men with the different tribes of
savages to obtain that kind of information which could only come from
an actual and prolonged residence with them. This enabled him to
secure not only the most accurate knowledge of their domestic habits
and customs, the character and spirit of their life, but these young
men by their long residence with the savages acquired a good knowledge
of their language, and were able to act as interpreters. This was a
matter of very great importance, as it was often necessary for
Champlain to communicate with the different tribes in making treaties
of friendship, in discussing questions of war with their enemies, in
settling disagreements among themselves, and in making arrangements
with them for the yearly purchase of their peltry. It was not easy to
obtain suitable persons for this important office. Those who had the
intellectual qualifications, and who had any high aspirations, would
not naturally incline to pass years in the stupid and degrading
associations, to say nothing of the hardships and deprivations, of
savage life. They were generally therefore adventurers, whose honesty
and fidelity had no better foundation than their selfish interests. Of
this sort was this Étienne Brûlé, as well as Nicholas Marsolet and
Pierre Raye, all of whom turned traitors, selling themselves to the
English when Quebec was taken in 1629. Of Brûlé, Champlain uses the
following emphatic language: "Lé truchement Bruslé à qui l'on donnoit
cent pistolles par an, pour inciter les sauuages à venir à la traitte,
ce qui estoit de tres-mauuais exemple, d'enuoyer ainsi des personnes
si maluiuans, que l'on eust deub chastier seuerement, car l'on
recognoissoit cet homme pour estre fort vicieux, & adonné aux femmes;
mais que ne fait faire l'esperance du gain, qui passe par dessus
toutes considerations." _Vide issue of_ 1632, Quebec ed., pp. 1065,
1229.

But among Champlain's interpreters there were doubtless some who bore
a very different character. Jean Nicolet was certainly a marked
exception. Although Champlain does not mention him by name, he appears
to have been in New France as early as 1618, where he spent many years
among the Algonquins, and was the first Frenchman who penetrated the
distant Northwest. He married into one of the most respectable
families of Quebec, and is often mentioned in the Relations des
Jésuites. _Vide_ a brief notice of him in _Discovery and Exploration
of the Mississippi Valley_, by John Gilmary Shea, 1852, p. xx. A full
account of his career has recently been published, entitled _History
of the Discovery of the Northwest by John Nicolet in_ 1634, _with a
Sketch of his Life_. By C. W. Butterfield. Cincinnati, 1881. _Vide_
also _Détails fur la Vie de Jean Nicollet_, an extract from _Relation
des Jésuites_, 1643, in _Découveries_, etc, par Pierre Margry, p. 49.

227. Paul Huet and Pacifique du Plessis. The latter had been in New France
more than a year and a half, having arrived in 1615. _Vide antea_,
pp. 104-5.




EXPLANATION
OF
TWO GEOGRAPHICAL MAPS OF NEW FRANCE.


It has seemed to me well to make some statements in explanation of the two
geographical maps. Although one corresponds to the other so far as the
harbors, bays, capes, promontories, and rivers extending into the interior
are concerned, nevertheless they are different in respect to the bearings.

The smallest is in its true meridian, in accordance with the directions of
Sieur de Castelfranc in his book on the mecometry of the magnetic needle
[228] where I have noted, as will be seen on the map, several declinations,
which have been of much service to me, so also all the altitudes,
latitudes, and longitudes, from the forty-first degree of latitude to the
fifty-first, in the direction of the North Pole, which are the confines of
Canada, or the Great Bay, where more especially the Basques and Spaniards
engage in the whale fishery. In certain places in the great river
St. Lawrence, in latitude 45°, I have observed the declination of the
magnetic needle, and found it as high as twenty-one degrees, which is the
greatest I have seen.

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