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
[50] On the 5th of December there was a very strong wind, which has
happened several times. The Northeastern is violent here; one day
it tore away a part of the roof of a house at the fort. Father de
Nouë, returning that day from celebrating holy Mass, said that he
and the young man accompanying him were compelled to hold on to
each other, for fear that the wind would carry them away.
Passant vers ce mesme temps dans le bois où estoient cabanez quantité
de Sauuages, ie trouuay vn corps mort, enseueli par les Sauuages:
il estoit esleué fort haut sur des fourches de bois, accompagné de
ses robes & autres richesses, couuert d'vne escorce (c'est leur drap
mortuaire.) Ie demanday quand on l'enterreroit, ils me respondirent,
quand il ne neigeroit plus; la neige tomboit pour lors en abondance.
About this time, in going into the woods where there were a number
of Savages encamped, I found a dead body which the Savages had
enshrouded; it was raised high upon wooden scaffolds, and near it
were its clothes and other belongings, covered with bark (that
is their mourning cloth). I asked when they would bury it. They
answered me: "When it stops snowing." The snow was then falling
very fast.
[51] A l'occasion de ce rencontre quelqu'vn me dit qu'vn Sauuage estant
mort, les autres frappent sur la cabane crians oué, oué, oué, &c. &
comme i'en demãdois la raison à vn Sauuage, il me dict que c'estoit
pour faire sortir l'esprit de la cabane.
[51] At the time of this occurrence some one told me that, when a
Savage dies, the others strike on his cabin, crying: "oué, oué,
oué," etc. And when I asked a Savage the reason for this, he told
me that it was to make the spirit come out of the cabin.
Le corps du mort ne sort point par la porte ordinaire de la cabane, ils
leuent l'escorce voisine du lieu où il est mort, & le tirent par là. Ie
demanday pourquoy: ce Sauuage me repartit que la porte ordinaire estoit
la porte des viuãs, & non des morts: & par consequent que les morts
n'y deuoient point passer. Or comme il croioit m'auoir bien satisfait,
& qu'il se mocquoit, ie luy demanday, si quãd il auoit tué vn Castor,
il le faisoit entrer & sortir par la porte cõmune? ouy, dit-il: elle
est donc, luy dis-ie, la porte des morts aussi bien que des viuans:
il repart qu'vn Castor estoit [52] vne beste: alors ie repliquay en
riant, vostre porte est donc la porte des bestes, aussi bien que vous
l'appellez la porte des viuans; il s'écria, asseurément cela est vray,
& se mit a rire.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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