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
Ils sont fort liberaux entr'eux, voire ils font estat de ne riẽ aimer,
de ne point s'attacher aux biẽs de la terre, afin de ne se point
attrister s'ils les perdẽt. Vn chiẽ dechira n'a pas longtemps vne belle
robe de Castor à vn Sauuage, il estoit le premier à s'en rire; l'vne
de leurs grãdes injures parmy eux, c'est de dire cét homme aime tout,
il est auare: si vous leur refusez quelque chose, voicy leur reproche,
comme ie remarquay l'an passé, _Khisakhitan_ _Sa_K_hita_, tu aime cela,
aime le tant que tu voudras: ils n'ouurent point la main à demy quand
ils donnent, ie dis entr'eux, car ils sont ingrats au possible enuers
les estrangers. Vous leur verrez nourrir leurs parents, les enfans de
leurs amis, des femmes vefues, des orphelins, des vieillards, sans
iamais leur rien reprocher, leur donnans abondamment [108] quelquefois
des Originaux tous entiers; c'est veritablement vne marque d'vn bon
cœur, & d'vne ame genereuse.
They are very generous among themselves and even make a show of
not loving anything, of not being attached to the riches of the
earth, so that they may not grieve if they lose them. Not long ago
a dog tore a beautiful Beaver robe belonging to one of the Savages,
and he was the first one to laugh about it. One of the greatest
insults that can be offered to them, is to say, "That man likes
everything, he is stingy." If you refuse them anything, here is
their reproach, as I remarked last year: _Khisakhitan Sakhita_,
"Thou lovest that, love it as much as thou wilt." They do not open
the hand half-way when they give,--I mean among themselves, for
they are as ungrateful as possible toward strangers. You will see
them take care of their kindred, the children of their friends,
widows, orphans, and old men, never reproaching them in the least,
giving them abundantly, [108] sometimes whole Moose. This is truly
the sign of a good heart and of a generous soul.
Comme il y a plusieurs orphelins parmy ce peuple; car depuis qu'ils se
sont adonnez aux boissons de vin & d'eau de vie, ils meurent en grand
nõbre; ces pauures enfans sont dispersez dans les Cabanes de leurs
oncles, de leurs tantes, ou autres parents, ne pensez pas qu'on les
rabrouë, qu'on leur reproche qu'ils mãgent les viures de la maison,
rien de tout cela, on les traitte comme les enfans du pere de famille,
ou du moins peu s'en faut, on les habille le mieux qu'on peut.
As there are many orphans among these people,--for they die
in great numbers since they are addicted to drinking wine and
brandy,--these poor children are scattered among the Cabins of
their uncles, aunts, or other relatives. Do not suppose that
they are snubbed and reproached because they eat the food of the
household. Nothing of the kind, they are treated the same as the
children of the father of the family, or at least almost the same,
and are dressed as well as possible.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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