Qui fait profession de ne se point fascher, doit faire profession de patience; les Sauuages nous passent tellemẽt en ce poinct, que nous en deurions estre confus: ie les voyois dans leurs peines, dans leurs trauaux souffrir auec allegresse. Mon hoste admirant la multitude du peuple que ie luy disois estre en France, me demandoit si les hommes estoient bons, s'ils ne se faschoient point, s'ils estoiẽt patients. Ie n'ay rien veu de si patient qu'vn Sauuage malade; qu'on crie, qu'on tempeste, qu'õ saute, qu'on dãse, il ne se plaint quasi iamais. Ie me suis trouué auec eux en des dangers de grandement souffrir; ils me disoient nous serõs quelquefois deux iours, quelque fois trois sans manger, faute de viure, prends courage, _Chihiné_, aye l'ame dure resiste à la peine & au trauail, garde toy de la tristessé, autrement tu seras malade; regarde que nous ne laissons pas de rire, [104] quoy que nous mangions peu, vne chose presque seule les abbat, c'est quand ils voyent qu'il y a de la mort; car ils la craignẽt outre mesure; ostez cette apprehension aux Sauuages, ils supporteront toute sortes de mespris & d'incommoditez, & toutes sortes de trauaux & d'injures fort patiemmẽt: Ie produiray plusieurs exemples de tout cecy dans la suitte du temps, que ie reserue à la fin de ces chapitres. Whoever professes not to get angry, ought also to make a profession of patience; the Savages surpass us to such an extent, in this respect, that we ought to be ashamed. I saw them, in their hardships and in their labors, suffer with cheerfulness. My host, wondering at the great number of people who I told him were in France, asked me if the men were good, if they did not become angry, if they were patient. I have never seen such patience as is shown by a sick Savage. You may yell, storm, jump, dance, and he will scarcely ever complain. I found myself, with them, threatened with great suffering; they said to me, "We shall be sometimes two days, sometimes three, without eating, for lack of food; take courage, _Chihiné_, let thy soul be strong to endure suffering and hardship; keep thyself from being sad, otherwise thou wilt be sick; see how we do not cease to laugh, [104] although we have little to eat." One thing alone casts them down,--it is when they see death, for they fear this beyond measure; take away this apprehension from the Savages, and they will endure all kinds of degradation and discomfort, and all kinds of trials and suffering very patiently. Later, I shall give several examples of this, which I am reserving for the end of these chapters.