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
Just as a man in Europe arranges his toilet with care when he
is going to pay a visit to some respectable family, so these
Savages have their faces painted when they make visits. The son
of Manitougache wishing to go to our settlement, I saw his mother
grease him and paint him red; she did the same to her husband.
They find this so agreeable that the little children do not think
they are beautiful unless their faces are smeared over with
something. I saw one rubbing his fingers upon a rusty axe, and
then making streaks upon his face with the rust. I made a small
cross with some ink upon the brow of a little boy; he acted very
proud, and the others considered him quite beautiful. Oh, how weak
are the judgments of men! Some place beauty [28] where others see
nothing but ugliness. The most beautiful teeth in France are the
whitest; in the Maldive Islands whiteness of teeth is considered
a deformity, they paint them red to be beautiful; and in Cochin
China, if my memory serves me, they paint them black. Which is
right?
Le 13. Manitougache nostre hoste & voisin nous vint dire qu'on auoit
veu quantité d'Hiroquois qui auoiẽt paru iusques auprés de Kebec. Tous
les Montagnaits trembloient de peur. Celuy-cy nous demanda si sa femme
& ses enfans ne pourroient pas bien venir coucher chez nous, nous luy
respondismes que luy & ses fils seroient les tres-bien venus, mais
que les filles & femmes ne couchoient point dans nos maisons, voire
mesme qu'elles n'y entroient point en France, & qu'aussi-tost que nous
serions fermez, que la porte ne leur seroit [29] plus ouuerte. Il
enuoya donc tout son train, tous les ieunes gens aux cabanes voisines
de Kebec, où l'on disoit que l'on enuoyeroit quelques harquebusiers
pour les garder. Pour luy estant inuité du Capitaine des Sauuages de
prendre sa cabane iusques à ce que l'effroy fust passé, il fit response
que s'il deuoit mourir, qu'il vouloit mourir aupres de nous, & ainsi
ayant mis ses gens en asseurance, il nous reuint trouuer.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account