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on the ships, sent their thunder rolling over the waters and through the vast
forests of the country. After taking possession of the Fort, he paid a visit to
our Lord in the Parish Church and afterward in our Chapel, repairing then to
the Hospital, and thence to the Ursulines'. A fine day's events! Let us see the
following.
On the next day, which was the 12th of the same month, July, while he was washing his hands before sitting down at table, the cry arose, " To arms!" and a report came that the Iroquois were killing some people, at a spot so near by that the cries of both the attacking party and the attacked were heard from the neighboring houses. Monsieur [64] the Governor left the company and the dinner, instantly raised 220 men, - without counting the Hurons and Algonquins who joined the party, - and gave chase to these skirmishers. The latter, in order to make their escape, dropped two Algonquin children whom they were carrying away, after leaving as dead three poor Algonquin women; one of these had indeed been killed on the spot, the second died of her wounds some time afterward, while the third recovered.
On the 13th, Monsieur the Governor started forth at daybreak with 250 men; but after a six hours' march they found only the Iroquois' trail, who themselves had retreated. Hence, Monsieur the Governor was forced to lead his men back, determined to march out in good order at the first certain information he should receive of the enemy's approach.
On the 28th, Monsieur the Governor honored our Fathers by visiting their College, which in truth is not so largely attended as the one in Paris. So Rome was not as large or [65] as triumphant under
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Romulus as under Julius Caesar. But, after all, small though the school was,
the pupils did not fail to receive him in three languages, - which pleased him
greatly, as also a large company of French and Savages who were present on this
occasion.
On the 1st of the month of August, the Savages went to salute Monsieur the Governor, and presented him with their gifts, as a sign of their joy and of the hope which they entertained of being delivered, by his means, from the ills inflicted upon them by their enemies. Monsieur the Vicomte paid them his compliments, and then gave them a feast, after the custom of the country.
Some time afterward, - receiving information that two Iroquois had come to Three Rivers to make some proposition to Sieur de la Poterie; and believing, with reason, that they were advance-scouts of some army, and were coming to spy out the condition of this place, its defense, and the attitude of its inhabitants, - he started out with 150 Frenchmen and 100 Savages, and went up as far as Three Rivers. But not finding [66] anything in sight, after settling Monsieur de la Poterie as special Governor over that place, he pushed on as far as the Islands of Lake St. Pierre, halted for some time on the old site of Fort Richelieu, and, the wind not permitting him to ascend the river to visit Montreal, returned to Kebec with all his militia.19
On the 14th of the same month, a score of Agneronnons who were opposite the Fort of Three Rivers, on the other side of the Great River, and who were well aware that Monsieur the Governor had arrived there, went down in the night toward Kebec, and, after prowling stealthily about our settlements to
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capture some poor Huron or some Algonquin, pounced upon two Frenchmen at Cap
Rouge. One was the son of a settler named Haiot, and the other was a servant of
Monsieur Bourdon. They were robbed and stripped, but received no farther
injury, as they adroitly escaped the enemy's hands.
Toward the end of August, these twenty hunters of men and beasts went up again [67] by stealth to Three Rivers. A Frenchman who saw some of them stealing like thieves upon their prey, aimed at one of the band, but was balked of his purpose by a young Iroquois who shot him in the arm. As he was not far from the village, he made his escape. These Barbarians, not thinking that he was wounded, divided into two bands; ten remained hiding in the dense woods, while the remaining ten were so bold as to go and present themselves before the French, saying that they came upon Onontio's invitation to discuss a permanent and general treaty of peace.
We have just noted above, under date of the month of June, that the Agneronnon Ambassadors who had restored Father Ondesonk to us had received orders to return to their own country, and to tell their Elders that their prisoners would not be released until they themselves came to arrange for a general treaty of peace between all the Nations. Now, whether those Ambassadors had met on the way these twenty hunters or warriors, or [68] had actually made their report to the country, whereupon these twenty men had started out to come and treat with the French, it is certain that the twenty made every effort to capture by stealth all the Hurons, all the Algonquins, and perhaps all the French, whom they could catch. And, as they found their number too
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large to make people believe that they came as Ambassadors, they divided, and
only ten presented themselves. But they fell into the pit which they were
digging for others, and, wishing to deceive us, were themselves deceived; for
he who was in command at Three Rivers adroitly effected their capture, and sent
seven of them to Monsieur the Governor at Kebec.
These poor wretches barely escaped being murdered by the Algonquins upon landing, even under guard of the French, who were more than fifty strong, and well armed for conducting them from the river bank to a tower not far distant. Monsieur [69] the Governor not having yet made known his purpose to the Algonquins, they believed that he wished to free these prisoners. Hence they became infuriated against them, remembering the acts of perfidy, treachery, and murder committed upon their poor fellow-countrymen. I believe that they are now well satisfied with Monsieur the Governor's course of action, seeing that he has at heart the interests of the Faith, of Religion, of the Christian Savages, and of all our Allies.
The Captain of this band of Agneronnons - to give further particulars - is called in his own tongue Atogouaekouan, and in the Algonquin, Michtaemikouan, or, "the large spoon." If he is the same one who came to Kebec in 1645, to treat for peace with Monsieur the Chevalier de Montmagny, he is a tall, well-formed man, daring, valiant, deceitful, eloquent, and given to raillery. Such were the fine qualities observed in him even at that time. This, then, was the condition of the country on the 6th of September of this year, 1658, when the first vessel weighed anchor to return to France.
Jesuit Relations, vol. 55.
Dablon, Claude
Relation of 1670-1671.
pp. 19-227.
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birds can enlarge it so quickly and open it so wide that it would easily hold a
man's head. Swimming at the same time to meet the fish, or waiting for it below
the rapids, while it comes down, they hold this net all stretched for it, and
make it enter as into a fishing-net, whereupon they promptly shut it, lest the
fish escape. This God teaches man artificial fishing, by the lesson furnished
by these natural fishers. 9
One does not tire of paddling over these lakes and rivers when he meets with such diversion. Now he has to push on for more than twenty leagues through this fair country before reaching the Fire Nation; they are situated on a little hill, whence nothing but vast prairies are to be seen on all sides, with [169 i.e., 171] some groves scattered here and there, which nature seems to furnish solely for the gratification of the eye, or to meet the needs of man, who cannot dispense with wood.
Here, then, we arrived on the fifteenth of September, 1670, and were received by an assembly of all the people, that we might accomplish what will be set forth in the following article.
ARTICLE III. EVENTS ATTENDING THE
PUBLICATION
OF THE FAITH TO THE FIRE NATION, AND
TO ONE OF THE ILINOIS NATIONS.
The Fire Nation is erroneously so called, its correct name being Maskoutenech, which means "a treeless country," like that inhabited by these people; but as, by changing a few letters, this word is made to signify "fire," therefore the people have come to be called the Fire Nation.
[170 i.e., 172] It is united, within the same pali-
Jesuit Relations, vol. 55.
Dablon, Claude
Relation of 1670-1671.
pp. 19-227.
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sade enclosure, to another people called the Oumami, who form one of the
Nations of the Ilinois, - being dismembered, so to speak, from the rest, to
make its home in these regions.
They form together more than three thousand souls, and are able to furnish each four hundred men for the common defense against the Iroquois, who pursue them even into these remote districts.
On the very next day after arriving at this Village, we took in hand the matters which had led us thither, and convoking the elders of the two nations separately, we announced to them first that we were the Ambassadors of the Master of our lives, sent to all Nations of this earth to instruct them; that we had spoken to the Outaouacs, to the people of the Sault, to the Hurons, to the Pouteouatami, and to all the others, by whom we had been heard with favor; and that we promised ourselves the same from them, in view of the kind reception that they had given us on our arrival. Secondly, [171 i.e., 173] Father Allouez, after reviewing what he had taught them the previous Spring, concerning the Sovereignty and Unity of God, and the Incarnation of his Son, - expatiated upon some of the most evident and most impressive truths of our Faith, as, for example, on Paradise and Hell; while to aid them better to conceive and to take into their hearts, through their eyes, what they had just heard, he showed them a Picture of the Universal Judgement, and took occasion to describe to them, in terms suited to their understanding, something of the happiness of the Saints and the torments of the damned.
These poor people looked with wonder at this Picture, having never seen anything like it, and
Jesuit Relations, vol. 55.
Dablon, Claude
Relation of 1670-1671.
pp. 19-227.
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listened with an attention and silence full of respect, but with such eagerness
that, not satisfied with the instructions given them through the day in public and
in private, in the streets, public places and fields, they assembled during the
night, in crowds, to hear [172 i.e., 174] a more detailed account of the
Mysteries about which they had been told.
They had conceived so high an opinion of the things of the Faith, and of those who published it, that they invited us to many feasts, not so much for the sake of eating as of obtaining, through us, either recovery from their ailments, or good success in their hunting and in war.
Of this sort was a feast to which we were called, where a very peculiar ceremony was observed. It seemed to be a feast for fighting, and not for eating; for in place of a table, a sort of trophy had been erected, on which had been hung all a warrior's arms, - bow, arrows, quiver, and war-hatchet, together with provisions, namely, a little meal and some tobacco; with other articles commonly carried on their persons by the Warriors of this country, to give them renewed courage for fighting. The master of the feast did, however, produce a dish of indian corn cooked in pisikiou-fat; and in placing it before us he [173 i.e., 175] addressed us as follows: "You have heard of the peoples called Nadouessi. They have eaten me to the bone, and have not left me a single member of my family alive. I must taste of their flesh, as they have tasted of that of my kinsfolk. I am ready to set out against them in war, but I despair of success therein unless you, who are the masters of life and of death, are favorable
Jesuit Relations, vol. 55.
Dablon, Claude
Relation of 1670-1671.
pp. 19-227.
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toward me in this undertaking. Therefore, to obtain victory by your means, I
invite you to this banquet." This was a fine opportunity to disabuse that
man and instruct him, and with him the entire assembly, by declaring that we
were but the weak servants of the great God of Armies; that from him alone was
to be expected the help and success desired on any occasion; but that the great
secret of success was to acknowledge him and obey his commandments. It was easy
during the repast, which was simply of indian corn, to continue these themes.
They invited us to other [174 i.e., 176] feasts also, for similar purposes, - either to gain our favor or to afford us some diversion; for occasionally some of the oldest men would appear, dressed as if for playing a comedy, and would dance to the music of some very tuneful airs, which they sang in excellent harmony.
This esteem, which they showed on all occasions, gave us free access to the cabins, where we were regarded and listened to as extraordinary Spirits; and so we availed ourselves of this advantage to instruct the people everywhere, and to seek out sick persons in all the cabins.
Of these there was then but one in the Village, and that was a child of ten or twelve years, who had long been consumptive and was dying by degrees. He was instructed and publicly baptized, with the approval and to the wondering delight of all these good people, and received the name of Francois at his Baptism, - a ceremony which was happily followed by health of soul and body alike.
[175 i.e., 177] All this, and much else that oc-
Jesuit Relations, vol. 55.
Dablon, Claude
Relation of 1670-1671.
pp. 19-227.
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curred, belongs to the two Nations of this Village in common; but something in
particular must be said in commendation of the Ilinois.
ARTICLE IV. SOME PARTICULARS CONCERNING THE NATION OF THE ILINOIS, ESPECIALLY REGARDING THE GOOD DISPOSITION AND POLITENESS OF THOSE PEOPLES.
As the name Outaouacs has been given to all the Savages of these regions, although of different Nations, because the first to appear among the French were the Outaouacs, so it is with the name of the Ilinois, who are very numerous and dwell toward the South, since the first who visited point saint Esprit to trade were called Ilinois.
These People are situated in the midst of that beautiful region mentioned by us, near the great river named Missisipi, of which it is well to note here what [176 i.e., 178] information we have gathered. It seems to form an inclosure, as it were, for all our lakes, rising in the regions of the North and flowing toward the south, until it empties into the sea - supposed by us to be either the vermilion or the Florida sea, as there is no knowledge of any large rivers in that direction except those which empty into these two seas. Some Savages have assured us that this is so noble a river that, at more than three hundred leagues' distance from its mouth, it is larger than the one flowing before Quebec; for they declare that it is more than a league wide. They also state that all this vast stretch of country consists of nothing but treeless prairies, so that its inhabitants are all obliged to burn peat and animal excrement dried in the Sun, until we come within
Jesuit Relations, vol. 58.
Claude Jean Allouez
Report, in:
Relation of 1672 and 1673.
pp. 21-71.
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I began by procuring a separate Lodging for myself, so that all The tribes
might freely come and listen to The words of life; For I encountered there
twenty Cabins of ilinoues, thirty large cabins of Kikabou, fifty of
Machkoutench, Over ninety of miamiak, [and] three ouaouiatanoukak.1I
placed our Chapel near the village, in the midst of Their Fields, Among The
machkoutench. It was ready for The feast of The assumption, on which day
I said holy mass [in it].
Shortly afterward, there was such a concourse and [such a] crowd of all those tribes that it was impossible for me to make myself heard. They broke through The Cabin, - which was made, according to their fashion, of rush matting, - to see us at Their ease. As I could not make myself heard [listened to by this mob], I sent out an old man to speak to Them. They replied to Him that they wished to see The black gown. [put a stop to The disorder; but he could obtain no other answer from all the people than that they wished to see the black gown.]
A portion of the day had passed in that manner when I issued from the Chapel, and, placing myself on a slightly elevated spot, I said: "It is important that you should listen to me, and not that you should see me. Listen to me therefore." God granted me The grace of Speaking The miami Language, For The majority belonged to that tribe. Profound silence was observed during a Long instruction, after Which they knelt down, made The sign of The cross - men, women, and children - and prayed to God with me in Their own Language.
The great number of persons did not prevent my saying holy mass every day. I had hung up a
Jesuit Relations, vol. 58.
Claude Jean Allouez
Report, in:
Relation of 1672 and 1673.
pp. 21-71.
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in council." [But it is well that thou shouldst explain this in
open Council to all The Captains."]
The 19th. I went to the miamy. I gathered The elders together and explained to Them The principal points of The faith, [and] The mystery of The cross; they listened to me with approval. At night [This they plainly manifested, for at night] I saw that they had hung on The cross clusters of indian corn, girdles, and red garters. [This is done among them only as a mark of veneration.]
On the 20th, two of the principal miami came to me, and begged that, when I should go away, I would give Them that cross, that they might take It to their village. "It is not in its right place with The machkoutench," they said to me; "they obey thee not." I gave Them no Positive answer; nevertheless, they Spread the report that I had given It to Them. The machkoutench on hearing [learning] this, came to complain [of it], and told me [to me, saying] that they would not allow it to be removed from the Spot where it was. This holy contention gave me joy. To satisfy Their devotion, I promised Them that it should not be removed from the Place where it was; and, to gratify the desire of the miami, I caused another similar one to be made, which I erected in {transported elsewhere; but that, in order to satisfy The miami, I would have another similar one made. In fact, I erected one in] their village, As I had planted The first among The machkoutench.
At night, I went to a Cabin to see a sick woman, who had come to pray to God in The morning [in a very bad state of health]; I was surprised to find Her cured. I did not recognize Her, for she was working like The other women. She told me that, after
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