The first is found in the interests of the Island Savages, the Algonquains, and the other tribes which are between Kebec and the Hurons. These people, in order to monopolize the profit of the trade, prefer that the Hurons should not go down the river to trade their peltries with the French, desiring themselves to collect the [206] merchandise of the neighboring tribes and carry it to the French; that is why they do not like to see us go to the Hurons, thinking that we would urge them to descend the river, and that, the French being with them, it would not be easy to bar their passage. The second reason may be found in the fear of the Hurons, who see that the French will not accept presents as a compensation for the murder of one of their countrymen; they fear that their young men may do some reckless deed, for they would have to give up, alive or dead, any one who might have committed murder, or else break with the French. This makes them uneasy. Aside from this, as sieur de Champlain has told them that there is no true friendship unless visits are interchanged, they are very desirous, at least in appearance, to have us [207] in their country. God has set limits to time, which man cannot pass. When the moment shall have come which he has fixed for giving succor to these tribes, there will be neither dike nor barrier that can resist his power. Au reste cõme ie ne cognois point les secrets ressorts de sa prouidence, ie n'ay peu encor iusques à present m'attrister de ce retardement de nos Peres. Autant que nous pouuons coniecturer par les apparences humaines il y auoit esperance d'vne grande moisson: mais ayant fait tout ce que nous auons peu pour enuoier des ouuriers à cette recolte, nous croyons que le maistre du champ n'a pas voulu qu'on y mist encore la faucille: si ce coup est vn coup de sa bõté, qui void au delà de nos pensées qu'il soit beny pour vn iamais: si c'est vn coup de sa iustice qui ait voulu [208] chastier si rigoureusement nos offenses, qu'il foit encor beny au delà des temps. Nous detestons la cause de ce chastiment, & adorons la main qui nous frape, auec vne tres-grande confiance que celuy qui a tiré la lumiere des tenebres, tirera du bien de ce malheur. Nos Peres ne ferõt point icy oisifs. Le Pere Brebeuf leur fera leçon tous les iours soirs & matins de la langue des Hurons. Ie me sens moy-mesme fort porté d'aller à cette eschole, afin que si V. Reuer. me veut enuoyer l'an qui vient auec eux i'aye desia quelque auance: ie n'ay encor rien cõclud d'asseuré sur ce point: i'y veux pẽser pl⁹ à loisir deuãt Dieu.