in men whose abandonment to evil-speaking (or cursing) is as great as or greater than their insolence in showing their contempt? A ces exercices chrestiens que nous faisons icy à l'habitation, assistent aucune fois les Sauvages, quand aucuns y en a dans le port. Ie dis, aucune fois, d'autant qu'ils n'y sont gueres stylés, non plus les baptisés que les payens, ne sçachant gueres davantage les uns que les autres faute d'instruction. Telle fut la cause pourquoy nous resolusmes dés nostre arrivée de ne point baptiser aucun adulte, sans que prealablement il ne fust bien catechisé. Or catechiser ne pouvons-nous avant que sçavoir le langage. At these christian services which we conduct here at the settlement, the Savages are occasionally present, when some of them happen to be at the port. I say, occasionally, inasmuch as they are but little trained in the principles of the faith--those who have been baptized, no more than the heathen; the former, from lack of instruction, knowing but little more than the latter. This was why we resolved, at the time of our arrival, not to baptize any adults unless they were previously well catechized. Now in order to catechize we must first know the language. De vray, Monsieur de Biancourt, qui entend le sauvage le mieux de tous ceux qui sont icy, a pris d'un grand zele, et prend chaque jour beaucoup de peine à nous servir de truchement. Mais, ne sçay comment, aussi tost qu'on vient à traitter de Dieu, il se sent le mesme que Moyse, l'esprit estonné, le gosier tary, et la langue nouée. La cause en est d'autant que ces sauvages n'ont point de religion formée, point de magistrature ou police, point d'arts ou libéraux ou mechaniques, point de commerce ou vie civile; et par consequent les mots leur défaillent [48] des choses qu'ils n'ont jamais veues ou apprehendées. It is true that Monsieur de Biancourt, who understands the savage tongue better than any one else here, is filled with earnest zeal, and every day takes a great deal of trouble to serve as our interpreter. But, somehow, as soon as we begin to talk about God he feels as Moses did,--his mind is bewildered, his throat dry, his tongue tied. The reason for this is that, as the savages have no definite religion, magistracy or government, liberal or mechanical arts, commercial or civil life, they have consequently no words to describe [48] things which they have never seen or even conceived.