more than the French themselves. Thus we would guard the village of the Hurons with our arms, and they in their hunting expeditions would give chase to [209 i.e., 205] or at least would discover their enemies.

Whoever will carefully weigh these reasons will conclude that it is quite necessary to exert ourselves, and to spare no expense, to form near us a settlement of Hurons. Those whom we have here are already well disposed through the grace of our Lord. Here is another example of their affection.

As the ships arrived very late, the passage having been long and troublesome this year, our food gave out, and we were in great straits as to what we should do with these poor children. I asked the advice of Monsieur de Montmagni, our Governor, in this matter. I honor his courage; he replied that, as we had had so much trouble in getting these young men, he did not think we would have the heart to send them back, since they were behaving so well. "It is a matter of suffering," he said, "and of saving something from your food and from ours." He fully appreciates the importance of this Seminary for the glory of our Lord and for the commercial interests of these Gentlemen. Having reported this so wise reply to our Seminarists, the oldest one said thereupon, "That suits us well; it would have been a great pity to send us back to our country, for although we had made up our minds to stay [210 i.e., 206] with Echon" (Father Brebeuf)" and with Antoine," (Father Daniel) "if he had gone up there again, yet it will avail a great deal more to suffer a little down here than to return into so great dangers." Alas!

Helas! c'eft ce pauure garçon qui a pensé tout perdre. Nous en verrons l'occasion au chapitre suiuant. Dieu l'a ramené par d'estranges auantures.

it was this poor boy who was nearly undone, the occasion whereof we shall see in the next chapter. God brought him back through strange adventures.

CHAPITRE XIIII.

DE L'ESTAT DU SEMINAIRE À LA VENUË DES HURONS

S1

LEURS COMPATRIOTES.

I la Miffion & le Seminaire des Hurons, n'euffent esté establis fur ceste pierre de laquelle il est dit Petra autem erat Chriftus, s'en [sc. c'en] eftoit fait ceste année, l'edifice eftoit abss [sc. à bas], les troubles, les guerres, les maladies, les calomnies, en vn mot toutes les machines qui peuuent sortir de l'Arfenal des Demons ont efté pointées côtre ceste Sainte entreprise, en forte que nous pouuons dire morimur & ecce viuimus, Nous voions tout renuerfé & [211 i.e., 207] tout affermi quasi en mesme temps. Tous les mal-heurs, toutes les peftes, les guerres, & les famines qui affligeoient le monde au premier aage de l'Eglife naiffante, s'attribuoient jadis à la foy de Iesus Christ, & à ceux qui l'embraffoient, ou qui la preschoient. Ce qui s'eft paffé touchant ce poinct en la primitiue Eglise se voit tous les iours en la nouuelle France, notamment au païs des Hurons. Il ni à [sc. n'y a] malice noire dont nous ne foions chargez. En voici les occafions.

Comme la contagion à fait mourir grand nombre de Hurons, ces peuples ne recognoiffant point la iustice de Dieu, qui prend vengeance de leurs crimes, se font imaginez que les François eftoient caufe de leur mort. Vn certain Algonquin fort meschant homme leur raporta l'an paffé, que deffunct Monsieur

CHAPTER XIIII.

OF THE CONDITION OF THE SEMINARY AT THE COMING OF THE HURONS, THEIR COUNTRYMEN.

F the Mission and Seminary of the Hurons had

IF

not been established on that rock of which it is

said, Petra autem erat Christus, it would have come to an end this year, the edifice would have been overthrown. Troubles, wars, sicknesses, slanders,in a word, all the machinations that can issue from the Arsenal of the Demons, have been directed against this Holy enterprise, so that we could say, morimur et ecce vivimus. We see it entirely overthrown and [211 i.e., 207] entirely established almost at the same time. All the misfortunes, all the pests, wars, and famines which in the early ages of the infant Church afflicted the world, were formerly attributed to the faith of Jesus Christ, and to those who embraced or preached it. What occurred in this regard in the primitive Church can be seen every day in new France, especially in the Huron country. There is no black malice of which we are not accused. Here are the causes of it.

As the contagion caused a great many Hurons to die, these people, not recognizing therein the justice of God, who takes vengeance for their crimes, imagined that the French were the cause of their death. A certain Algonquin, a very wicked man, reported to them last year that the late Monsieur de Champlain, of blessed memory, had said to a Montagnez