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
Le 28e quelques chasseurs François retournans des isles qui sont
dãs le grand fleuue S. Laurens nous dirẽt qu'il y auoit du gibier à
foison, des outardes, des oyes, des canards, des sarcelles, & autres
oyseaux. Ils nous asseurerent encore qu'il y auoit des pommes dans
ces isles, fort douces, mais fort petites, & qu'ils auoyent mangé des
prunes qui ne cederoient point à nos abricots de France si ces arbres
estoient cultiuez. Les Sauuages gastent tout, car rencontrans vn arbre
fruictier, ils l'abbattent pour auoir le fruict.
On the 28th, some French hunters, returning from the islands which
are in the great St. Lawrence river, told us that game swarmed
there; bustards, geese, ducks, teal, and other birds. They assured
us also that there were apples in those islands, very sweet but
very small; and that they had eaten plums which would not be in any
way inferior to our apricots in France if the tree were cultivated.
The Savages spoil everything, for, when they come to a fruit tree,
they cut it down to get the fruit.
Le 31. vn Sauuage surnommé Brehault, pource qu'il parloit fort haut,
reuenant de la chasse demãda le couuert chez nous pour vne nuict, & à
[21] souper par consequent. On luy donna des pois, & à ses deux enfans
qui l'accompagnoyent: il mangeoit auec si grand appetit, que pour
exploitter dauãtage il quitta vne cueiller d'estain qu'on luy auoit
presentée, & prit la grande cueiller du pot, s'en seruant pour manger:
Et pource que le plat n'estoit pas assez profond il puisoit dans la
marmite, de laquelle il se seruoit pour écuelle, sans garder autre
ciuilité que celle que son grand appetit luy fournissoit. Ie le laissay
faire quelque temps. Apres qu'il eut bien mangé, il s'en va prendre
de l'eau auec la mesme cueiller du pot, beuuant cela auec plaisir,
& reiettant son reste dans le seau. voila toute l'honnestete qu'ils
sçauent.
On the 31st, a Savage, surnamed Brehault on account of his loud
voice, in coming back from the hunt asked us for a night's lodging
and consequently for his supper. We gave peas both to him and to
his two children who were with him. He ate so ravenously, that to
make the best of the occasion, he threw aside the pewter spoon that
had been given to him, and took the great pot-ladle to eat with;
and, as his dish was not big enough, he dipped into the saucepan,
and even used it as a ladle, observing no other law of politeness
than what his great appetite suggested to him. I let him go on for
some time. After he had eaten well, he dipped some water out with
the same pot-ladle, drinking it with great relish and throwing back
into the pail what was left. This is all the manners they have.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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