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
Upon our arrival in Kebec, we heard of the death of six prisoners
held by the Savages, the result of the drunkenness which has been
introduced here by the Europeans. The English Clergyman, who was
not of the same Faith as his people,--for he was a Protestant
or Lutheran, and the Kers are Calvinists or of some other more
libertine Religion (they held this poor Minister a prisoner in
our house for six months),--told me that the Montagnards wanted
to negotiate a peace with the Hiroquois, and that the one who was
in charge of the prisoners had promised him that they would not
be killed. Nevertheless, this wretch being drunk with brandy,
which he had procured from the English in exchange for Beavers,
called his brother and commanded him to go and strike [44] one
of the Hiroquois with a knife and kill him, which he did. Thus
all thoughts of peace vanished. They were talking about killing
the others. The Minister, hearing this, said to the Savage that
in killing this prisoner he had not kept his word. "It is thou,"
answered the Savage, "and thine, who killed him; for, if thou hadst
not given us brandy or wine, we would not have done it." And, in
fact, since I have been here, I have seen only drunken Savages;
they are heard shouting and raving day and night, they fight and
wound each other, they kill the cattle of madame Hebert; and, when
they have returned to their senses, they say to you, "It is not
we who did that, but thou who gavest us this drink." When they
have slept off their drunkenness, they are as good friends with
each other as ever, saying to each other: "Thou art my brother, I
love thee; it is not [45] I who wounded thee, but the drink which
used my arm." I have seen some of them with very badly bruised
faces; even the women get drunk, and shriek like furies. I expect
that they will kill some of us French People one of these days, as
they have already thought of doing; and after eight o'clock in the
morning it is not safe to go to see them without arms, if they have
any wine. Some of our men going to see them after dinner, a Savage
tried to kill them with his hatchet, but other Savages who were not
drunk came to their assistance. When one of them is very drunk, the
others tie him by his feet and arms, if they can catch him. Some of
their Captains have come to plead with the French not to sell them
brandy or wine, saying that they would be the cause of the death of
their people. It is by far the worst when they see before [46] them
others as drunk as they can be. But let us end the talk about these
Hiroquois. The English Captain was asked if he wanted some of them.
As he supposed he would have to make them a present, he answered,
"no," and said that they might do with them what they pleased. Now
this is the way they were treated:
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