Voyages of Samuel De Champlain — Volume 03 — John Shaqi
Voyages of Samuel De Champlain — Volume 03Champlain, Samuel de
History
Voyages of Samuel De Champlain — Volume 03
Champlain, Samuel de
America -- Discovery and exploration -- French; Indians of North America -- Canada; New France -- Discovery and exploration
Some time after they called me, in order to communicate to me what they had
resolved upon. I proceeded to them accordingly with my servant. After I had
seated myself by their side, they said they were very glad to see me, and
to find that I had not failed to keep my word in what I had promised them;
saying that they felt it an additional proof of my affection that I
continued the alliance with them, and that before setting out they desired
to take leave of me, as it would have been a very great disappointment to
them to go away without seeing me, thinking that I would in that case have
been ill disposed towards them. They said also that what had led them to
say they were going a hunting, and build the barricade, was not the fear of
their enemies nor the desire of hunting, but their fear of all the other
pataches accompanying me, inasmuch as they had heard it said that on the
night they sent for me they were all to be killed, and that I should not be
able to protect them from the others who were much more numerous; so that
in order to get away they made use of this ruse. But they said if there had
been only our two pataches they would have stayed some days longer, and
they begged that, when I returned with my companions, I would not bring any
others. To this I replied that I did not bring these, but that they
followed without my invitation; that in the future, however, I would come
in another manner; at which explanation they were much pleased.
And now they began again to repeat what they had promised me in regard to
the exploration of the country, while I promised, with the help of God, to
fulfil what I had told them. They besought me again to give them a man, and
I replied that if there was any one among us who was willing to go, I
should be well pleased.
They told me there was a merchant, named Bouyer, commander of a patache,
who had asked them to take a young man, which request, however, they had
been unwilling to grant before ascertaining whether this was agreeable to
me, as they did not know whether we were friends, since he had come in my
company to trade with them; also that they were in no wise under any
obligations to him, but that he had offered to make them large presents.
I replied that we were in no wise enemies, and that they had often seen us
conversing with each other; but that in regard to traffic each did what he
could, and that the above-named Bouyer was perhaps desirous of sending this
young man as I had sent mine, hoping for some return in the future, which I
could also lay claim to from them; that, however, they must judge towards
whom they had the greatest obligations, and from whom they were to expect
the most.
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