The Son-in-law of our Savage, wishing to go hunting, took counsel with him [the Manitou] near our house. He made a little wooden Cabin, shutting himself inside toward nightfall, singing, crying, and howling. The others were around him. I begged a Frenchman to fire a shot of the arquebus, to frighten them with the noise; but I am not sure that they heard it, so great was the uproar. The Manitou told him to go hunting in a certain direction, that he would find Moose there, and no Hiroquois. The Manitou was proved a liar; for the hunter returned almost starved, having found very little. [81] As to the Hiroquois, he could not have run against any, because he kept at a great distance from them. I believe that the greater number of these consulters of the Manitou are only deceivers and charlatans. Notwithstanding this, when they advise anything it is carried out exactly. If one of them should tell the Savages that the Manitou wanted them to lie down naked in the snow, or to burn themselves in a certain place, he would be obeyed. And, after all, this Manitou, or Devil, does not talk to them any more than he does to me. Ie me doute neantmoins qu'il y en a quelquesvns qui ont vrayemẽt communication auec le Diable, s'il est vray ce qu'en disent les Sauuages, car on les voit marcher sur leurs cabanes sans les rompre: ils deuiẽnent furieux & comme possedez, dõnent des coups capables d'assommer vn bœuf, & neantmoins la douleur passe [82] en peu de temps: sans grand outrage on les void tout en sang, puis gueris en vn moment. Ils racontent quantité d'autres choses semblables, mais quãd ie les presse, ils m'aduouẽt franchement qu'ils n'ont point veu cela, ains seulement qu'ils l'ont ouy dire. Il ne faut pas leur faire grandes obiections sur leurs fables, pour les arrester, & leur faire perdre terre. Nevertheless, I am inclined to think that there are some among them who really have communication with the Devil, if what the Savages say is true; because some are seen to walk upon their huts, without breaking them down. They become furious and act as if possessed, striking blows hard enough to fell an ox, and yet the pain passes [82] away very soon. Without any great injury, they cover themselves with blood, and are healed in a moment. They relate many other similar things; but, when I question them closely, they frankly admit that they have not seen them, but have only heard of them. One does not need to offer any very serious objections to their stories, to interrupt and confuse them.