The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 5: Quebec, 1632-1633
History
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 5: Quebec, 1632-1633
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Indians of North America -- Canada; Jesuits -- Missions; Jesuits -- North America
On the last day of May, la Nasse, our Savage, came to tell us that
one of their men had dreamed that some Frenchmen would be killed.
Now, either because the Devil had given them this sentiment, or
that among all their dreams there is now and then one that happens
perchance to be true, however that may be, on the 2nd day of
June the Hiroquois killed two of our Frenchmen and wounded four
others, one of whom died [238 i.e., 138] shortly afterward. This
catastrophe happened in this way: A bark and shallop were ascending
the great river St. Lawrence; the latter went ahead, and, to hasten
its speed, sailors went ashore to tow it with lines or cords. As
they came to double a point of land, thirty or 40 Hiroquois, who
were in ambush, fell upon them with horrible cries; they killed
the two men first encountered, with blows from their hatchets,
then discharged a storm of arrows so suddenly and unexpectedly that
our Frenchmen did not know which way to turn, not having foreseen
the attack. They even dared to try to board the shallop in their
canoes; and, had it not been that a Frenchman took aim at them with
his arquebus, and that the [239 i.e., 139] bark, which was not far
away, speedily equipped a boat to come to the rescue, having heard
the cries of the combat, it is probable that not one of them would
have escaped. The Hiroquois, seeing the arquebus, and the other
boat coming to their help, fled, first skinning the heads of those
whom they had killed and bearing away the scalps by way of bravado.
Le 8. de Iuin, le Pere Masse arriua de Tadoussac, il réueilla nostre
ioye, voyant qu'apres auoir esté si long temps malade sur la mer il se
portoit bien. Il nous dit que Pierre Pastedechouan estoit plus meschant
que iamais. Que les Anglois qui estoient à Tadoussac l'auoient perdu
par l'yurognerie: O que celuy-là sera coupable deuant Dieu, qui a
introduict l'heresie en ces contrées! Si ce Sauuage auoit de l'esprit,
estant comme il est corrompu par ces miserables [240 i.e., 140]
heretiques, il seroit vn puissant obstacle à la publication de la foy,
encore n'y apportera-il que trop d'empeschement, si Dieu ne luy touche
le cœur. Il fait paroistre par ses deportemens qu'il nous estoit donné
pour tirer de luy les principes de sa lãgue, & non pas pour le bien de
son ame, puis qu'il se bande contre son Dieu & contre la verité.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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