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Voyages of Samuel de Champlain, Vol. 1

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None of Champlain's works had been reprinted until 1830, when there
appeared, in two volumes, a reprint of the publication of 1632, "at the
expense of the government, in order to give work to printers." Since then
there has been published the elaborate work, with extensive annotations, of
the Abbé Laverdière, as follows:--

OEUVRES DE CHAMPLAIN, PUBLIÉES SOUS LE PATRONAGE DE L'UNIVERSITÉ LAVAL. PAR
L'ABBÉ C. H. LAVERDIÈRE, M. A. SECONDE ÉDITION. 6 TOMES. 4TO. QUÉBEC:
IMPRIMÉ AU SÉMINAIRE PAR GEO. E. DESBARATS. 1870.

This contains all the works of Champlain above mentioned, and the text is a
faithful reprint from the early Paris editions. It includes, in addition to
this, Champlain's narrative of his voyage to the West Indies, in 1598, of
which the following is the title:--

_Brief Discovrs des choses plvs remarqvables qve Sammvel Champlain de
Brovage a reconneues aux Indes Occidentalles au voiage qu'il en a faict en
icelles en l'année mil v[c] iiij.[xx].xix. & en l'année mil vj[c] i. comme
ensuit_.

This had never before been published in French, although a translation of
it had been issued by the Hakluyt Society in 1859. The _MS_. is the only
one of Champlain's known to exist, excepting a letter to Richelieu,
published by Laverdière among the "Pièces Justificatives." When used by
Laverdière it was in the possession of M. Féret, of Dieppe, but has since
been advertised for sale by the Paris booksellers, Maisonneuve & Co., at
the price of 15,000 francs, and is now in the possession of M. Pinart.

The volume printed in 1632 has been frequently compared with that of 1613,
as if the former were merely a second edition of the latter. But this
conveys an erroneous idea of the relation between the two. In the first
place, the volume of 1632 contains what is not given in any of the previous
publications of Champlain. That is, it extends his narrative over the
period from 1620 to 1632. It likewise goes over the same ground that is
covered not only by the volume of 1613, but also by the other still later
publications of Champlain, up to 1620. It includes, moreover, a treatise on
navigation. In the second place, it is an abridgment, and not a second
edition in any proper sense. It omits for the most part personal details
and descriptions of the manners and customs of the Indians, so that very
much that is essential to the full comprehension of Champlain's work as an
observer and explorer is gone. Moreover, there seems a to be some internal
evidence indicating that this abridgment was not made by Champlain himself,
and Laverdière suggests that the work has been tampered with by another
hand. Thus, all favorable allusions to the Récollets, to whom Champlain was
friendly, are modified or expunged, while the Jesuits are made to appear in
a prominent and favorable light. This question has been specially
considered by Laverdière in his introduction to the issue of 1632, to which
the reader is referred.

The language used by Champlain is essentially the classic French of the
time of Henry IV. The dialect or patois of Saintonge, his native province,
was probably understood and spoken by him; but we have not discovered any
influence of it in his writings, either in respect to idiom or vocabulary.
An occasional appearance at court, and his constant official intercourse
with public men of prominence at Paris and elsewhere, rendered necessary
strict attention to the language he used.

But though using in general the language of court and literature, he
offends not unfrequently against the rules of grammar and logical
arrangement. Probably his busy career did not allow him to read, much less
study, at least in reference to their style, such masterpieces of
literature as the "Essais" of Montaigne, the translations of Amyot, or the
"Histoire Universelle" of D'Aubigné. The voyages of Cartier he undoubtedly
read; but, although superior in point of literary merit to Champlaih's
writings, they were, by no-means without their blemishes, nor were they
worthy of being compared with the classical authors to which we have
alluded. But Champlain's discourse is so straightforward, and the thought
so simple and clear, that the meaning is seldom obscure, and his occasional
violations of grammar and looseness of style are quite pardonable in one
whose occupations left him little time for correction and revision. Indeed,
one rather wonders that the unpretending explorer writes so well. It is the
thought, not the words, which occupies his attention. Sometimes, after
beginning a period which runs on longer than usual, his interest in what he
has to narrate seems so completely to occupy him that he forgets the way in
which he commenced, and concludes in a manner not in logical accordance
with the beginning. We subjoin a passage or two illustrative of his
inadvertencies in respect to language. They are from his narrative of the
voyage of 1603, and the text of the Paris edition is followed:

1. "Au dit bout du lac, il y a des peuples qui sont cabannez, puis on entre
dans trois autres riuieres, quelques trois ou quatre iournees dans chacune,
où au bout desdites riuieres, il y a deux ou trois manières de lacs, d'où
prend la source du Saguenay." Chap. iv.

2. "Cedit iour rengeant tousiours ladite coste du Nort, iusques à vn lieu
où nous relachasmes pour les vents qui nous estoient contraires, où il y
auoit force rochers & lieux fort dangereux, nous feusmes trois iours en
attendant le beau temps" Chap. v.

3. "Ce seroit vn grand bien qui pourrait trouuer à la coste de la Floride
quelque passage qui allast donner proche du & susdit grand lac." Chap. x.

4. "lesquelles [riuieres] vont dans les terres, où le pays y est tres-bon &
fertille, & de fort bons ports." Chap. x.

5. "Il y a aussi vne autre petite riuiere qui va tomber comme à moitié
chemin de celle par où reuint ledict sieur Preuert, où sont comme deux
manières de lacs en ceste-dicte riuiere." Chap. xii.

The following passages are taken at random from the voyages of 1604-10, as
illustrative of Champlain's style in general:

1. Explorations in the Bay of Fundy, Voyage of 1604-8. "De la riuiere
sainct Iean nous fusmes à quatre isles, en l'vne desquelles nous mismes
pied à terre, & y trouuasmes grande quantité d'oiseaux appeliez Margos,
don't nous prismes force petits, qui sont aussi bons que pigeonneaux. Le
sieur de Poitrincourt s'y pensa esgarer: Mais en fin il reuint à nostre
barque comme nous l'allions cerchant autour de isle, qui est esloignee de
la terre ferme trois lieues." Chap iii.

2. Explorations in the Vineyard Sound. Voyage of 1604-8. "Comme nous eusmes
fait quelques six ou sept lieues nous eusmes cognoissance d'vne isle que
nous nommasmes la soupçonneuse, pour auoir eu plusieurs fois croyance de
loing que ce fut autre chose qu'vne isle, puis le vent nous vint contraire,
qui nous fit relascher au lieu d'où nous estions partis, auquel nous fusmes
deux on trois jours sans que durant ce temps il vint aucun sauuage se
presenter à nous." Chap. xv.

3. Fight with the Indians on the Richelieu. Voyage of 1610.

"Les Yroquois s'estonnoient du bruit de nos arquebuses, & principalement de
ce que les balles persoient mieux que leurs flesches; & eurent tellement
l'espouuante de l'effet qu'elles faisoient, voyant plusieurs de leurs
compaignons tombez morts, & blessez, que de crainte qu'ils auoient, croyans
ces coups estre sans remede ils se iettoient par terre, quand ils
entendoient le bruit: aussi ne tirions gueres à faute, & deux ou trois
balles à chacun coup, & auios la pluspart du temps nos arquebuses appuyees
sur le bord de leur barricade." Chap. ii.

The following words, found in the writings of Champlain, are to be noted as
used by him in a sense different from the ordinary one, or as not found in
the dictionaries. They occur in the voyages of 1603 and 1604-11. The
numbers refer to the continuous pagination in the Quebec edition:

_appoil_, 159. A species of duck. (?)

_catalougue_, 266. A cloth used for wrapping up a dead body. Cf. Spanish
_catalogo_.

_déserter_, 211, _et passim_. In the sense of to clear up a new country by
removing the trees, &c.

_esplan_, 166. A small fish, like the _équille_ of Normandy.

_estaire_, 250. A kind of mat. Cf. Spanish _estera_.

_fleurir_, 247. To break or foam, spoken of the waves of the sea.

_legueux_, 190. Watery.(?) Or for _ligneux_, fibrous.(?)

_marmette_, 159. A kind of sea-bird.

_Matachias_, 75, _et passim_. Indian word for strings of beads, used to
ornament the person.

_papesi_, 381. Name of one of the sails of a vessel.

_petunoir_, 79. Pipe for smoking.

_Pilotua_, 82, _et passim_. Word used by the Indians for soothsayer or
medicine-man.

_souler_, 252. In sense of, to be wont, accustomed.

_truitière_, 264. Trout-brook.

The first and main aim of the translator has been to give the exact sense
of the original, and he has endeavored also to reproduce as far as possible
the spirit and tone of Champlain's narrative. The important requisite in a
translation, that it should be pure and idiomatic English, without any
transfer of the mode of expression peculiar to the foreign language, has
not, it is hoped, been violated, at least to any great extent. If,
perchance, a French term or usage has been transferred to the translation,
it is because it has seemed that the sense or spirit would be better
conveyed in this way. At best, a translation comes short of the original,
and it is perhaps pardonable at times to admit a foreign term, if by this
means the sense or style seems to be better preserved. It is hoped that the
present work has been done so as to satisfy the demands of the historian,
who may find it convenient to use it in his investigations.

C. P. O.

BOSTON, June 17, 1880




THE SAVAGES

OR VOYAGE OF

SAMUEL DE CHAMPLAIN

OF BROUAGE,

Made in New France in the year 1603.

DESCRIBING,

The customs, mode of life, marriages, wars, and dwellings of the Savages of
Canada. Discoveries for more than four hundred and fifty leagues in the
country. The tribes, animals, rivers, lakes, islands, lands, trees, and
fruits found there. Discoveries on the coast of La Cadie, and numerous
mines existing there according to the report of the Savages.

PARIS.

Claude de Monstr'oeil, having his store in the Court of the Palace, under
the name of Jesus.

WITH AUTHORITY OF THE KING.




DEDICATION.

To the very noble, high and powerful Lord Charles De Montmorency, Chevalier
of the Orders of the King, Lord of Ampuille and of Meru, Count of
Secondigny, Viscount of Melun, Baron of Chateauneuf and of Gonnort, Admiral
of France and of Brittany.

_My Lord,

Although many have written about the country of Canada, I have nevertheless
been unwilling to rest satisfied with their report, and have visited these
regions expressly in order to be able to render a faithful testimony to the
truth, which you will see, if it be your pleasure, in the brief narrative
which I address to you, and which I beg you may find agreeable, and I pray
God for your ever increasing greatness and prosperity, my Lord, and shall
remain all my life,

Your most humble
and obedient servant,
S. CHAMPLAIN_.




EXTRACT FROM THE LICENSE

By license of the King, given at Paris on the 15th of November, 1603,
signed Brigard.

Permission is given to Sieur de Champlain to have printed by such printer
as may seem good to him, a book which he has composed, entitled, "The
Savages, or Voyage of Sieur de Champlain, made in the Year 1603;" and all
book-sellers and printers of this kingdom are forbidden to print, sell, or
distribute said book, except with the consent of him whom he shall name and
choose, on penalty of a fine of fifty crowns, of confiscation, and all
expenses, as is more fully stated in the license.

Said Sieur de Champlain, in accordance with his license, has chosen and
given permission to Claude de Monstr'oeil, book-seller to the University of
Paris, to print said book, and he has ceded and transferred to him his
license, so that no other person can print or have printed, sell, or
distribute it, during the time of five years, except with the consent of
said Monstr'oeil, on the penalties contained in the said license.




THE SAVAGES,

VOYAGE OF SIEUR DE CHAMPLAIN

MADE IN THE YEAR 1603.




CHAPTER I.

BRIEF NARRATIVE OF THE VOYAGE FROM HONFLEUR IN NORMANDY TO THE PORT OF
TADOUSSAC IN CANADA

We set out from Honfleur on the 15th of March, 1603. On the same day we put
back to the roadstead of Havre de Grâce, the wind not being favorable. On
Sunday following, the 16th, we set sail on our route. On the 17th, we
sighted d'Orgny and Grenesey, [121] islands between the coast of Normandy
and England. On the 18th of the same month, we saw the coast of Brittany.
On the 19th, at 7 o'clock in the evening we reckoned that we were off
Ouessant. [122] On the 21st, at 7 o'clock in the morning, we met seven
Flemish vessels, coming, as we thought from the Indies. On Easter day, the
30th of the same month, we encountered a great tempest, which seemed to be
more lightning than wind, and which lasted for seventeen days, though not
continuing so severe as it was on the first two days. During this time, we
lost more than we gained. On the 16th of April, to the delight of all, the
weather began to be more favorable, and the sea calmer than it had been, so
that we continued our course until the 18th, when we fell in with a very
lofty iceberg. The next day we sighted a bank of ice more than eight
leagues long, accompanied by an infinite number of smaller banks, which
prevented us from going on. In the opinion of the pilot, these masses of
ice were about a hundred or a hundred and twenty leagues from Canada. We
were in latitude 45 deg. 40', and continued our course in 44 deg..

On the 2nd of May we reached the Bank at 11 o'clock in the forenoon, in 44
deg. 40'. On the 6th of the same month we had approached so near to land
that we heard the sea beating on the shore, which, however, we could not
see on account of the dense fog, to which these coasts are subject. [123]
For this reason we put out to sea again a few leagues, until the next
morning, when the weather being clear, we sighted land, which was Cape
St. Mary. [124]

On the 12th we were overtaken by a severe gale, lasting two days. On the
15th we sighted the islands of St. Peter. [125] On the 17th we fell in with
an ice-bank near Cape Ray, six leagues in length, which led us to lower
sail for the entire night that we might avoid the danger to which we were
exposed. On the next day we set sail and sighted Cape Ray, [126] the
islands of St. Paul, and Cape St. Lawrence. [127] The latter is on the
mainland lying to the south, and the distance from it to Cape Ray is
eighteen leagues, that being the breadth of the entrance to the great bay
of Canada. [128] On the same day, about ten o'clock in the morning, we fell
in with another bank of ice, more than eight leagues in length. On the
20th, we sighted an island some twenty-five or thirty leagues long, called
_Anticosty_, [129] which marks the entrance to the river of Canada. The
next day, we sighted Gaspé, [130] a very high land, and began to enter the
river of Canada, coasting along the south side as far as Montanne, [131]
distant sixty-five leagues from Gaspé. Proceeding on our course, we came in
sight of the Bic, [132] twenty leagues from Mantanne and on the southern
shore; continuing farther, we crossed the river to Tadoussac, fifteen
leagues from the Bic. All this region is very high, barren, and
unproductive.

On the 24th of the month, we came to anchor before Tadoussac, [133] and on
the 26th entered this port, which has the form of a cove. It is at the
mouth of the river Saguenay, where there is a current and tide of
remarkable swiftness and a great depth of water, and where there are
sometimes troublesome winds, [134] in consequence of the cold they bring.
It is stated that it is some forty-five or fifty leagues up to the first
fall in this river, and that it flows from the northwest. The harbor of
Tadoussac is small, in which only ten or twelve vessels could lie; but
there is water enough on the east, sheltered from the river Saguenay, and
along a little mountain, which is almost cut off by the river. On the shore
there are very high mountains, on which there is little earth, but only
rocks and sand, which are covered, with pine, cypress and fir, [135] and a
smallish species of trees. There is a small pond near the harbor, enclosed
by wood-covered mountains. At the entrance to the harbor, there are two
points: the one on the west side extending a league out into the river, and
called St. Matthew's Point; [136] the other on the southeast side extending
out a quarter of a league, and called All-Devils' Point. This harbor is
exposed to the winds from the south, southeast, and south-southwest. The
distance from St. Matthew's Point to All-Devils' Point is nearly a league;
both points are dry at low tide.

ENDNOTES:

121. Alderney and Guernsey. French maps at the present day for Alderney
have d'Aurigny.

122. The islands lying off Finistère, on the western extremity of Brittany
in France.

123. The shore which they approached was probably Cape Pine, east of
Placentia Bay, Newfoundland.

124. In Placentia bay, on the southern coast of Newfoundland.

125. West of Placentia Bay.

126. Cape Ray is northwest of the islands of St. Peter.

127. Cape St. Lawrence, now called Cape North, is the northern extremity of
the island of Cape Breton, and the island of St. Paul is a few miles
north of it.

128. The Gulf or Bay of St. Lawrence. It was so named by Jacques Cartier on
his second voyage, in 1535. Nous nommasmes la dicte baye la Sainct
Laurens, _Brief Recit_, 1545, D'Avezac ed. p. 8. The northeastern part
of it is called on De Laet's map, "Grand Baye."

129. "This island is about one hundred and forty miles long,
thirty-five miles broad at its widest part, with an average
breadth of twenty-seven and one-half miles."--_Le Moine's
Chronicles of the St. Lawrence_, p.100. It was named by Cartier
in 1535, the Island of the Assumption, having been discovered on
the 15th of August, the festival of the Assumption. Nous auons
nommes l'ysle de l'Assumption.--_Brief Recit_, 1545, D'Avenzac's
ed. p. 9. Alfonse, in his report of his voyage of 1542, calls it
the _Isle de l'Ascension_, probably by mistake. "The Isle of
Ascension is a goodly isle and a goodly champion land, without
any hills, standing all upon white rocks and Alabaster, all
covered with wild beasts, as bears, Luserns, Porkespicks."
_Hakluyt_, Vol. III. p. 292. Of this island De Laet says, "Elle
est nommee el langage des Sauvages _Natiscotec_"--_Hist. du
Nouveau Monde_, a Leyde, 1640, p.42. _Vide also Wyet's Voyage_ in
Hakluyt, Vol. III. p. 241. Laverdière says the Montagnais now
call it _Natascoueh_, which signifies, _where the bear is
caught_. He cites Thevet, who says it is called by the savages,
_Naticousti_, by others _Laisple_. The use of the name Anticosty
by Champlain, now spelled Anticosti, would imply that its
corruption from the original, _Natiscotec_, took place at a very
early date. Or it is possible that Champlain wrote it as he heard
it pronounced by the natives, and his orthography may best
represent the original.

130. _Gachepé_, so written in the text, subsequently written by the author
_Gaspey_, but now generally _Gaspé_. It is supposed to have been
derived from the Abnaquis word _Katsepi8i_, which means what is
separated from the rest, and to have reference to a remarkable rock,
three miles above Cape Gaspé, separated from the shore by the violence
of the waves, the incident from which it takes its name.--_Vide
Voyages de Champlain_, ed. 1632, p. 91; _Chronicles of the St.
Lawrence_, by J. M. Le Moine, p. 9.

131. A river flowing into the St. Lawrence from the south in latitude 48
deg. 52' and in longitude west from Greenwich 67 deg. 32', now known
as the Matane.

132. For Bic, Champlain has _Pic_, which is probably a typographical error.
It seems probable that Bic is derived from the French word _bicoque_,
which means a place of small consideration, a little paltry town. Near
the site of the ancient Bic, we now have, on modern maps, _Bicoque_
Rocks, _Bicquette_ Light, _Bic_ Island, _Bic_ Channel, and _Bic_
Anchorage. As suggested by Laverdière, this appears to be the
identical harbor entered by Jacques Cartier, in 1535, who named if the
Isles of Saint John, because he entered it on the day of the beheading
of St. John, which was the 29th of August. Nous les nommasmes les
Ysleaux sainct Jehan, parce que nous y entrasmes le jour de la
decollation dudict sainct. _Brief Récit_, 1545, D'Avezac's ed. p. 11.
Le Jeune speaks of the _Isle du Bic_ in 1635. _Vide Relation des
Jésuites_, p. 19.

133. _Tadoussac_, or _Tadouchac_, is derived from the word _totouchac_,
which in Montagnais means _breasts_, and Saguenay signifies _water
which springs forth_, from the Montagnais word _saki-nip_.--_Vide
Laverdière in loco_. Tadoussac, or the breasts from which water
springs forth, is naturally suggested by the rocky elevations at the
base of which the Saguenay flows.

134. _Impetueux_, plainly intended to mean _troublesome_, as may be seen
from the context.

135. Pine, _pins_. The white pine, _Pinus strobus_, or _Strobus
Americanus_, grows as far north as Newfoundland, and as far south as
Georgia. It was observed by Captain George Weymouth on the Kennebec,
and hence deals afterward imported into England were called _Weymouth
pine_--_Vide Chronological History of Plants_, by Charles Picketing,
M.D., Boston, 1879, p. 809. This is probably the species here referred
to by Champlain. Cypress, _Cyprez_. This was probably the American
arbor vitæ. _Thuja occidentalis_, a species which, according to the
Abbé Laverdière, is found in the neighborhood of the Saguenay.
Champlain employed the same word to designate the American savin, or
red cedar. _Juniperus Virginiana_, which he found on Cape Cod--_Vide_
Vol. II. p. 82. Note 168.

Fir, _sapins_. The fir may have been the white spruce, _Abies alba_,
or the black spruce, _Abies nigra_, or the balsam fir or Canada
balsam, _Abies balsamea_, or yet the hemlock spruce, _Abies
Canadaisis_.

136. _St. Matthew's Point_, now known as Point aux Allouettes, or Lack
Point.--_Vide_ Vol. II. p 165, note 292. _All-Devils' Point_, now
called _Pointe aux Vaches_. Both of these points had changed their
names before the publication of Champlain's ed., 1632.--_Vide_ p. 119
of that edition. The last mentioned was called by Champlain, in 1632,
_pointe aux roches_. Laverdière thinks _ro_ches was a typographical
error, as Sagard, about the same time, writes _vaches_.--_Vide Sagard.
Histoire du Canada_, 1636, Stross. ed., Vol I p. 150.

We naturally ask why it was called _pointe aux vaches_, or point of
cows. An old French apothegm reads _Le diable est aux vaches_, the
devil is in the cows, for which in English we say, "the devil is to
pay." May not this proverb have suggested _vaches_ as a synonyme of
_diables_?




CHAPTER II.

FAVORABLE RECEPTION GIVEN TO THE FRENCH BY THE GRAND SAGAMORE OF THE
SAVAGES OF CANADA--THE BANQUETS AND DANCES OF THE LATTER--THEIR WAR WITH
THE IROQUOIS.--THE MATERIAL OF WHICH THEIR CANOES AND CABINS ARE MADE, AND
THEIR MODE OF CONSTRUCTION--INCLUDING ALSO A DESCRIPTION OF ST MATTHEW'S
POINT.

On the 27th, we went to visit the savages at St. Matthew's point, distant a
league from Tadoussac, accompanied by the two savages whom Sieur du Pont
Gravé took to make a report of what they had seen in France, and of the
friendly reception the king had given them. Having landed, we proceeded to
the cabin of their grand Sagamore [137] named _Anadabijou_, whom we found
with some eighty or a hundred of his companions celebrating a _tabagie_,
that is a banquet. He received us very cordially, and according to the
custom of his country, seating us near himself, with all the savages
arranged in rows on both sides of the cabin. One of the savages whom we had
taken with us began to make an address, speaking of the cordial reception
the king had given them, and the good treatment they had received in
France, and saying they were assured that his Majesty was favorably
disposed towards them, and was desirous of peopling their country, and of
making peace with their enemies, the Iroquois, or of sending forces to
conquer them. He also told them of the handsome manors, palaces, and houses
they had seen, and of the inhabitants and our mode of living. He was
listened to with the greatest possible silence. Now, after he had finished
his address, the grand Sagamore, Anadabijou, who had listened to it
attentively, proceeded to take some tobacco, and give it to Sieur du Pont
Gravé of St. Malo, myself, and some other Sagamores, who were near him.
After a long smoke, he began to make his address to all, speaking with
gravity, stopping at times a little, and then resuming and saying, that
they truly ought to be very glad in having his Majesty for a great friend.
They all answered with one voice, _Ho, ho, ho_, that is to say _yes, yes_.
He continuing his address said that he should be very glad to have his
Majesty people their land, and make war upon their enemies; that there was
no nation upon earth to which they were more kindly disposed than to the
French. finally he gave them all to understand the advantage and profit
they could receive from his Majesty. After he had finished his address, we
went out of his cabin, and they began to celebrate their _tabagie_ or
banquet, at which they have elk's meat, which is similar to beef, also that
of the bear, seal and beaver, these being their ordinary meats, including
also quantities of fowl. They had eight or ten boilers full of meats, in
the middle of this cabin, separated some six feet from each other, each one
having its own fire. They were seated on both sides, as I stated before,
each one having his porringer made of bark. When the meat is cooked, some
one distributes to each his portion in his porringer, when they eat in a
very filthy manner. For when their hands are covered with fat, they rub
them on their heads or on the hair of their dogs of which they have large
numbers for hunting. Before their meat was cooked, one of them arose, took
a dog and hopped around these boilers from one end of the cabin to the
other. Arriving in front of the great Sagamore, he threw his dog violently
to the ground, when all with one voice exclaimed, _Ho, ho, ho_, after which
he went back to his place. Instantly another arose and did the same, which
performance was continued until the meat was cooked. Now after they had
finished their _tabagie_, they began to dance, taking the heads of their
enemies, which were slung on their backs, as a sign of joy. One or two of
them sing, keeping time with their hands, which they strike on their knees:
sometimes they stop, exclaiming, _Ho, ho, ho_, when they begin dancing
again, puffing like a man out of breath. They were having this celebration
in honor of the victory they had obtained over the Iroquois, several
hundred of whom they had killed, whose heads they had cut off and had with
them to contribute to the pomp of their festivity. Three nations had
engaged in the war, the Etechemins, Algonquins, and Montagnais. [138]
These, to the number of a thousand, proceeded to make war upon the
Iroquois, whom they encountered at the mouth of the river of the Iroquois,
and of whom they killed a hundred. They carry on war only by surprising
their enemies; for they would not dare to do so otherwise, and fear too
much the Iroquois, who are more numerous than the Montagnais, Etechemins,
and Algonquins.

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