The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 6: Quebec, 1633-1634
History
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 6: Quebec, 1633-1634
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Indians of North America -- Canada; Jesuits -- Missions; Jesuits -- North America
Among the South Americans it is different. Our Europeans have
heard the noise, the voice, and the blows that the Devil deals to
these poor slaves, and a Frenchman, worthy of belief, [79] has
assured me that he heard it with his own ears. In regard to this,
a very remarkable thing is reported to me; it is that the Devil
takes flight, and does not strike or else ceases to strike these
wretches, when a Catholic enters their company, and that he does
not cease to strike them in the presence of a Huguenot. From this
it happened that, one day, seeing themselves being beaten in the
presence of a Frenchman, they said to him, "We are astonished that
the devil beats us when thou art with us, seeing that he does not
dare to do it when thy companions are here." It suddenly occurred
to him that this might come from his religion (for he was a
Calvinist); so, addressing himself to God, he promised to become
a Catholic if the devil ceased beating these poor people in his
presence. After this vow was made, never afterward did any Demon
molest an American in his company, on account of which he became a
Catholic according to his promise. But let us return to our story.
I have seen our pretended Magician perform the same witchcraft
on two other occasions. [80] He observed all the above mentioned
ceremonies, except that he changed the charm, for once he made use
of four sticks made in the shape of spindles, except that they were
heavier, and that they had something like teeth in certain places.
Also he used the end of the tail and the foot of a Porcupine, and
some hairs of the Moose and of the Porcupine, bound together in a
little sheaf. Another time he used these spindles also, and a foot
of the Porcupine or of another animal, the bone of some beast, an
iron similar to that which they fasten to a door to pull it open,
and some other absurd things. His servant, the renegade, held all
these things ready for him, and beat the drum while his Master was
occupied in the ditch. These are a part of their actions, among
which are mingled their songs, their cries, their howls and uproar.
Leur Religiõ, ou plustost superstitiõ, consiste encore à prier: mais, ô
mon Dieu! quelles oraisons font ils? Le matin les petits enfans sortans
de la Cabane, s'escrient à pleine teste, _Cacoua_k_hi_ [81] _Pa_k_hais
Amiscoua_k_hi, Pa_k_hais Mousoua_K_hi, Pa_k_hais_: venez Porcs épics,
venez Castors, venez Elans, voila toutes leurs prieres.
Their Religion, or rather their superstition, consists besides in
praying; but O, my God, what prayers they make! In the morning,
when the little children come out from their Cabins, they shout,
_Cacouakhi,_ [81] _Pakhais Amiscouakhi, Pakhais Mousouakhi,
Pakhais_, "Come, Porcupines; come, Beavers; come, Elk;" and this is
all of their prayers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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