The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 8: Quebec, Hurons, Cape Breton, 1634-1636
History
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. 8: Quebec, Hurons, Cape Breton, 1634-1636
Canada -- History -- To 1763 (New France); Indians of North America -- Canada; Jesuits -- Missions; Jesuits -- North America
As to the first, the little paper and leisure we have compels me
to say in a few words what might justly fill a volume. The Huron
country is not large, its greatest extent can be traversed in
three or four days. Its situation is fine, the greater part of it
consisting of plains. It is surrounded and intersected by a number
of very beautiful lakes or rather seas, whence it comes that the
one to the North and to the North-northwest is called "fresh-water
sea" [mer douce].[33] We pass through it in coming from the
Bissiriniens. The soil of this country is quite sandy, although not
equally so. However, it produces a quantity of very good Indian
corn, and one may [164] say that it is the granary of most of the
Algonquains. There are twenty Towns, which indicate about 30,000
souls speaking the same tongue, which is not difficult to one
who has a master. It has distinction of genders, number, tense,
person, moods; and, in short, it is very complete and very regular,
contrary to the opinion of many. I am rejoiced to find that this
language is common to some twelve other Nations, all settled and
numerous; these are, the _Conkhandeenrhonons, khionontaterrhonons,
Atiouandaronks, Sonontoerrhonons, Onontaerrhonons, Oüioenrhonons,
Onoiochrhonons, Agnierrhonons, Andastoerrhonons, Scahentoarrhonons,
Rhiierrhonons_, and _Ahouenrochrhonons_.[34] The Hurons are
friends of all these people, except the _Sonontoerrhonons_,
_Onontaerrhonons_, _Oüioenrhonons_, _Onoiochrhonons_ [165] and
_Agnierrhonons_, all of whom we comprise under the name Hiroquois.
But they have already made peace with the _Sonontoerrhonons_, since
they were defeated by them a year past in the Spring.
Les deputez de tout le Pays sont allez à _Sonontoen_ pour cõfirmer
cette paix, & dit on que les _Onontaerhonons, Ouioenrhonons,
Ouiochrhonons & Agnierrhonons_, veulẽt entrer en ce party. Mais ce
n'est pas chose asseurée; que si cela est, voila vne belle grande porte
ouuerte à l'Euangile. On m'a voulu mener audit _Sonontoen_, mais ie
n'ay pas iugé à propos d'aller encore en aucune part, iusques à ce
que nous ayons icy mieux estably les fondemens de la Loy Euangelique,
& que nous y ayons tiré vn crayon, sur lequel les autres Nations qui
se conuertiront se puissent reigler. Ie voudrois bien n'aller en aucũ
lieu qu'on [166] ne nous recogneust aussi tost pour Predicateurs de
Iesus-Christ.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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