country in good health, after a long instruction; this man filled our hearts with joy.

Father Pierre Pijart, in going up to the Hurons, met him on the way; see how he writes me about him: "Now I beg you (but I am wrong to beg a thing which is nothing more than the desire of your heart) to show a pleasant face to our first Christian; I confess to you that when I first met him, even before he said that he had letters to give me, which I send to you, I was touched by his gentleness and modesty. There came into my mind what I had once heard of the ancient Christians, converted from Idolatry, and what I read a little while ago about the Japanese; 30 it is, that baptism worthily received, outside the grace which is infallibly attached to it, confers upon the new Christians an external gentleness, in their manners and in their speech. The little that I saw of him in passing made such an impression upon me, that, if I could, I would have thrown myself at his feet to kiss them." These are the Father's words. He [319 i.e., 315] who can change wolves into lambs, has changed a barbarian into a child of God. As the Hurons fell sick on the way, this good Neophyte instructed them, to get them ready for baptism. His nephew being attacked by the contagion, Mathurin (the name of one of our men) said to him, "Pierre " (the name he received at Holy Baptism), “ take care of thy nephew." "I am praying God day and night for him," he answered; "do thou also pray to him for the same object.' "But be careful" (he replied to him) "that he does not die without instruction." "I have already instructed him," answered the good man; "he knows all that it is necessary to believe in order to be a Christian, and he believes it; if he

ction; ie l'ay defia inftruit, refpondit le bon homme, il fçait tout ce qu'il faut croire pour estre Chreftien, il le croit; s'il baiffe, ie t'appellerai pour le baptiser, ou tu me diras les paroles qu'il faut dire, s'il fe porte bien, ie le menerai au Seminaire, en la maison des Peres. Eftant arriué aux trois Riuieres, le P. Claude Pijart allant par les cabanes, porter des pruneaux aux malades, il le prenoit auec foy, & luy faifoit signe qu'il inftruifit fes compatriotes, il le faifoit auec affection, comme auffi l'vn de nos hommes nommé Petitpré, ce qui fut caufe que le P. en baptifa quelques vns. Mais nous en parlerons l'an prochain. C'est la couftume quand ces peuples defcendent pour venir voir les François, de tenir quelques confeils [320 i.e., 316] ou affemblées; au commencement ce font eux qui parlent, & qui traittent de leurs affaires, fur la fin ce font les François qui les affemblent, & qui leur recommandent ce qu'ils ont à leur dire. Aians donc à leur arriuée demandé de parler au Capitaine des François; Monfieur le Cheualier de l'Ifle s'y trouua en l'absence de Monfieur le Gouuerneur. Pour tefmoigner l'eftime qu'il faifoit de ceux qui embraffoient noftre faincte foy, il fit affeoir nostre Neophite aupres de foy: lequel fut bien estonné se voiant tant honoré des Francois. Nous eftios affis fur des bancs, & les Hurons eftoient affis en terre, felon leur couftume, chaqu'vn aiant pris place, & tout le monde gardant le filence, deux Capitaines Hurons, expoferêt leurs prefens. L'vn d'eux voulant haranguer, demanda premierement comme fe nommoit Monfieur le Cheualier de l'Ifle, puis il l'apostropha, & luy dit: L'Isle (c'est ainsi que ces peuples nomment chaque chose par fon nom, fans autre ceremonie) vous

sinks, I will call thee to baptize him, or thou shalt tell me the words that must be said; if he gets well, I will take him to the Seminary, to the house of the Fathers." When they reached the three Rivers, Father Claude Pijart went through the cabins, to carry some prunes to the sick, and took him with him; he made him a sign to instruct his countrymen, which he did affectionately, as did also one of our men, named Petit-Pré, which caused the Father to baptize some of them. But we will speak of them next year. When these tribes come down to see the French, they are accustomed to hold councils [320 i.e., 316] or assemblies. At first, it is they who speak and treat of their own affairs; towards the end, the French call them together, and recommend to them the subjects they wish to be discussed. Now having at their arrival asked to speak to the Captain of the French, Monsieur the Chevalier de l'Isle, in the absence of Monsieur the Governor, acted for him. In order to show the esteem in which he held those who embraced our holy faith, he had our Neophyte sit near him, who was greatly astonished at seeing himself so highly honored by the French. We were seated on the benches, and the Hurons on the ground, as is their wont. Each one having taken his place, and all being in silence, two Huron Captains showed their presents. One of them, wishing to make a speech, asked first what Monsieur the Chevalier de l'Isle's name was; then he addressed him, saying: "L'Isle " (it is thus these people call everything, by its name, without other ceremony), "you and your people are Okhi," that is to say, "you are Demons, or extraordinary beings, and more than common men. Although our country is ruined, although pestilence

eftes des Okhi, c'eft à dire, vous eftes des Demons, ou des creatures extraordinaires, & hors le commun des hommes. Quoy que noftre païs foit perdu, que la contagion & la guerre rauagent tout, vous nous attirez vers vous, faifans que nous furmontions [321 i.e., 317] toutes fortes de difficultez pour vous venir voir. Puis nous monftrant leurs prefens; voila qui parle peu, auffi fommes nous en petit nombre, tout le mõde fe mourant dans nos bourgades, & par les chemins, cela n'empesche pas que nous ne foions venus confirmer la paix & l'amitié qui eft entre nous. Monfieur le Cheualier de l'Ifle fit repartir qu'il eftoit fort aife de les voir, que noftre grand Capitaine Monfieur le Gouuerneur, eftoit monté la haut pour leur parler, qu'il les auoit long-temps attendu, qu'il auoit enuoié vne barque au deuãt d'eux, pour les proteger contre les Hiroquois, que les viures manquans, la barque eftoit defcenduë, puis remontée pour la feconde fois, mais en fin voiant que la saison se paffoit, elle auoit este contrainte de retourner. Que ce grand Capitaine aiant appris que cinq cens Hiroquois tenoient le lac S. Pierre, prenans les Hurons au passage, auoit enuoié querir du fecours à Kebec, qu'on luy auoit enuoié vne barque, & quatre chalouppes, pleines de braues guerriers, & que luy mefme auoit voulu pourfuiure leurs ennemis; qu'au refte il eftoit fort marry de n'auoir peu remonter iufques aux trois Riuieres, qu'il y auoit quantité de nauires, & vn tresgrand nombre de [322 i.e., 318] François, tant à kebec, qu'a Tadoussac, qu'il eftoit empesché à les congedier, mais qu'il l'auoit delegué en fa place, qu'il les verroit tres-volontiers l'an prochain; pour moy, leur fit il, ie fuis bien refiouï de vous voir, mais tres

and war are laying all waste, you attract us to you, making us surmount [321 i.e., 317] all sorts of difficulties to come and see you." Then, showing us their presents, "These tell but little; but then we are in small numbers, for they are all dying in our villages, and along the way; this does not prevent us from coming to confirm the peace and friendship which exists between us." Monsieur the Chevalier de l'Isle made reply that he was very glad to see them; that our great Captain, Monsieur the Governor, had come up there to speak with them, that he had waited a long time; that he had sent a bark to meet them, to protect them against the Hiroquois; that, for lack of supplies, the bark had come back, then had gone up a second time,- but finally, seeing that the season was passing, it had been obliged to return. He said that this great Captain, having learned that five hundred Hiroquois held lake St. Pierre, capturing the Hurons as they passed through, had sent to Kebec for aid; that he had been sent a bark and four shallops, full of brave warriors, and that he himself had tried to pursue their enemies; that, furthermore, he was very sorry he could not come up to the three Rivers again,— that there were a large number of ships and a great many [322 i.e., 318] Frenchmen, both at kebec and at Tadoussac; these he was occupied in dismissing, but that he had delegated him in his place, and that he would gladly come and see them next year. "As for myself," he continued, "I am very glad to see you, but very sorry about your sickness. I will thank you for your presents, which are very acceptable to me; but I have one suggestion which I wish to urge upon you strongly. It is, not to believe these false rumors, like the