On the 21st of March, a Savage who was eating at our house, upon the ground, according to their custom, stopped suddenly, saying that he would eat no more,--if he did, he would die. I asked him why, and he told me that he has seen a bright light revolve around his plate. I was about to put my hand upon the plate, and he cried out, _Khiga nipin, Khiga nipin_, "Thou wilt die, thou wilt die." Now as I am becoming familiar with their fancies, to make him understand his simplicity, I took a spoonful or two of what he was eating, and ate it myself. He looked at me with astonishment, and, seeing that I was not sick, "I will eat also," said he, "since thou hast eaten of it." On dit que quelques Basques ou Anglois leurs ont baillé l'apprehension [101] que les François les vouloient empoisonner. C'est pourquoy plusieurs vous inuitent de gouster le premier de ce que vous leur presentez. En quoy il arriua vne chose agreable à vn Sauuage fort adonné a boire: le sieur du Plessis luy ayãt fait presenter vn verre de vin, ou de sidre; il se tourne, & le donne à vn François pour en taster: ce François le tasta si bien, qu'il n'y laissa rien. Le Sauuage qui le voyoit faire, crioit prou _egouspé, egouspé_, c'est assez, c'est assez: mais l'autre tira iusques au bout, puis presenta le verre tout vuide au Sauuage, pour l'apprendre vne autre fois à quitter ces deffiances. It is said that some Basques or Englishmen have communicated to them the fear [101] that the French were seeking to poison them. That is why many of the Savages invite you to first taste whatever you give them. Apropos of this, a very amusing thing happened to a Savage who was much addicted to drink. Sieur du Plessis having presented him with a glass of wine, or of cider, he turned about, and gave it to a Frenchman to taste; this Frenchman tasted it so well, that there was none of it left. The Savage, who saw what he was doing, cried out, _egouspé, egouspé_, "It is enough, it is enough." But the other drank the last drop, giving the empty glass to the Savage, as a lesson that, another time, he must be less suspicious. Le 22. nostre Pierre ayant pris vn Castor, vne Sauuage l'ayant écorché, nostre frere le prit & le laua: ceste femme voyant qu'il faisoit tomber à terre le sang de cét animal, s'écria, en verité cét homme n'a point [102] d'esprit, & se tournant vers Pierre, luy dit, tu ne prendras plus de Castors, on a respandu le sang du tien: c'est vne de leurs superstitions, qu'il ne faut point respandre à terre le sang pur du Castor, si on veut auoir bonne chasse, du moins Pierre nous le dit ainsi.