In the last voyage there came some women who were pregnant, and they easily surmounted these difficulties, as others had [42] done before them. There is also some pleasure in taming the souls of the Savages, and preparing them to receive the seed of Christianity. And then experience makes us feel certain that God, who shows his goodness and power to all, has, nevertheless, for those who expose themselves freely and suffer willingly in his service, favors seasoned with so much sweetness, and succors them in the midst of their dangers with so prompt and paternal assistance, that often they do not feel their trials, but their pain is turned to pleasure and their perils to a peculiar consolation. But I would like to keep here, where we are, the children of the Hurons. Father Brebœuf leads us to hope that we shall have some, if he goes with our Fathers into those well-peopled countries, and if there is anything with which to found a seminary. The reason why I would not like to take the children of one locality [and teach them] in that locality itself, but rather in some other place, is because these Barbarians cannot bear to have their children punished, nor even scolded, not being able to refuse anything to a [43] crying child. They carry this to such an extent that upon the slightest pretext they would take them away from us, before they were educated. But if the little Hurons, or the children of more distant tribes, are kept here, a great many advantages will result, for we would not be annoyed and distracted by the fathers while instructing the children; it will also compel these people to show good treatment to the French who are in their country, or at least not to do them any injury. And, lastly, we shall obtain, by the grace of God our Lord, the object for which we came into this distant country; namely, the conversion of these nations. CHAPITRE IV. DE LA CREANCE, DES SUPERSTITIONS, & DES ERREURS DES SAUUAGES MONTAGNAIS. I'AY desia mandé, que les Sauuages croyoient qu'vn certain nõmé Atachocam auoit creé le monde, & qu'vn nommé Messou l'auoit reparé. I'ay interrogé là dessus ce fameux Sorcier & ce vieillard, auec lesquelles i'ay passé [44] l'Hyuer, ils m'ont respondu, qu'ils ne sçauoient pas qui estoit le premier Autheur du mõde, que c'estoit peut-estre Atahochã, mais que cela n'estoit pas certain qu'ils ne parloient d'Atahocam, que comme on parle d'vne chose si esloignée, qu'õ n'en peut tirer aucune asseurance, & de fait le mot Nitatahokan en leur lãgue, signifie, ie racõte vne fable, ie dis vn vieux conte fait à plaisir. CHAPTER IV. ON THE BELIEF, SUPERSTITIONS, AND ERRORS OF THE MONTAGNAIS SAVAGES.