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
One of them is called by the Savages _Ouinascou_; [162] our French
call it the whistler or Nightingale.[22] They have given it this
name, because although it belongs to terrestrial animals, yet it
sings like a bird; I might say that it whistles like a well taught
Linnet, were it not that I think it only knows one song; that is to
say, it has not a great variety of tones, but it says very well the
lesson that nature has taught it. It is about the size of a Hare
and has a reddish skin. Some have assured me that it rolls itself
into a ball, and, like the Dormouse, it sleeps all Winter, it
being impossible to awaken it. I have only seen this animal in the
Summer; it is excellent eating, and excels the Hare.
L'autre est vn animal basset, de la grandeur des petits chiens, ou
d'vn chat, ie luy donne place icy, non pour son excellence, mais pour
en faire vn symbole du peché; i'en ay veu trois ou quatre, il est d'vn
poil noir assez beau & luisant, il porte sur son dos deux rayes toutes
blãches, qui se ioignãs vers le col & proche de la queuë, font vne
ouale qui luy dõne tres-belle grace; la queuë est touffuë & [163] bien
fournie de poil, cõmme la queuë d'vn Regnard, il la porte retroussée,
cõme vn Escurieux, elle est plus blanche que noire, vous diriez à l'œil
notãment quant il marche, qu'il meriteroit estre nommé le petit chien
de Iupiter; mais il est si puant, & iette vne odeur si empestée, qu'il
est indigne d'estre appellé le chien de Pluton, il n'y a voirie si
infecte; ie ne l'aurois pas creu si ie ne l'auois senty moy mesme, le
cœur vous manque quasi quand vous en approchez, on en a tué deux dans
nostre court; plusieurs iours apres il sẽtoit si mal par tout nostre
maison, qu'on n'en pouuoit supporter l'odeur. Ie croy que le peché que
sentit saincte Catherine de Sienne, deuoit estre de mesme puanteur.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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