Au commencements de ceste leur entreprinse de bastir vne [211] chaloupe, on se mocquoit deux: car le cõducteur de l'oeuure estoit leur garçon, qui n'en sçauoit pas plus qu'vn apprentif: ses aides estoyent deux Prestres, qui iamais n'auoyent faict tel mestier. Neãtmoins (disoit-on) le P. Enemond sçait tout faire, & au besoin il se trouuera bon Scieur d'ais, bon calfeutreur, & bõ Architecte. Mais le P. Biard dequoy seruira-il à cela? Ne sçais-tu pas, (disoit l'autre,) que quand la chaloupe sera faicte, il luy donnera la benediction. Ainsi causoyent-ils, & en auoyent beau loisir, aupres du feu. Mais les Iesuites ne perdoyent point de temps à scier planches, à raboter ais, rechercher courbes, à faire estoupes des bouts de cordages qu'ils recouuroyent, à courir les bois pour amasser de la resine. Que voulez-vous? A la my-Mars leur gaillarde chaloupe fut [212] dans l'eau equippée, parée, accommodée brauement auec l'admiration de ceux qui s'en estoyent moquez: & tout au contraire, le sieur de Biencourt, qui au commencement de l'Hyuer auoit eu trois bonnes chaloupes, à la fin ne s'en trouua du tout point, & fut contraint du bris d'icelles faire rauauder vn malotru bateau pour trois personnes au plus, qui n'eust sceu faire trois lieües continuellement en mer, qu'il ne fust pery, tant il faisoit d'eau. When they began to carry out this plan of constructing a [211] boat they were both laughed at; for the master of the work was their servant, who knew nothing more about it than an apprentice; his assistants were two Priests, who had never followed this trade. "Nevertheless" (some one said) "Father Enemond can do anything; and in case of need he will be found to be a good Sawyer of planks, a good caulker, and a good Architect. But of what use will Father Biard be in such work?" "Dost thou not know" (answered the other) "that when the boat is done he will give it his blessing?" Thus they chattered, and talked it over leisurely around the fire. But the Jesuits lost no time in sawing planks, planing boards, seeking bent wood, making oakum out of bits of rope which they found, and tramping over the woods in search of resin. What came of it? In the middle of March their jolly-boat was [212] upon the water equipped, adorned and fitted up bravely, to the admiration of those who had sneered at it: and on the other hand, sieur de Biencourt, who in the beginning of Winter had had three good shallops, at the end did not have any at all; and he was obliged, out of the wrecks of these, to patch up a clumsy boat large enough for three people at the most, which leaked so badly that it could not go three continuous leagues upon the sea, without sinking.