Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

the first mass is said therein, although the building is not completed. The Ursuline convent is burned to the ground on the night of December 30, and the nuns with difficulty save their own lives, losing all their furniture and clothing; the loss is estimated at 40,000 francs. The Ursulines are aided, as much as possible, by the Hospital nuns and the Jesuits; the latter (including even the brethren) decide to deny themselves their desserts, "in order to aid therewith these good mothers, who have more need than we of these delicacies."

LXXIV. The Relation of 1649-50 is entirely written by the new superior, Ragueneau, being dated at Quebec, September 1, 1650; it is supplemented by two letters,-one, penned by Jerome Lalemant, apparently soon after his arrival in France, in December following, and addressed to the provincial at Paris; the other by the mother superior of the Hospital nuns, addressed to "Monsieur N., a citizen of Paris," and dated at Quebec, September 29.

In the Relation proper (of which we here give the first twelve chapters), a short prefatory note to the provincial announces the removal of the Huron Christians from their ruined country to the more sheltered vicinity of the French settlements. The Relation proper begins with the removal of the mission from Ste. Marie to St. Joseph Island. The wretched Hurons having fled in all directions,— into the forests or the rocky islands of the lake, or to a refuge among the Tobacco and Neutral tribes,- the Jesuits see that they can no longer remain at their posts, but must follow their flocks. Accordingly, they accede to the request made by their disciples, that they will accompany the latter to St. Joseph,

some of the Fathers, however, being sent on itinerant missions to remote bands of savages. The departure from their old home, and its destruction by their own hands, lest the enemy should find it a vantagespot, are eloquently and pathetically related. At the new Ste. Marie, built upon the island, the Jesuits are obliged to fortify both their house and the neighboring village. This village had over a hundred cabins, containing more than six thousand souls; but famine and pestilence have swept away many of these. During the entire winter, the people not only suffer these horrors, but are in constant dread of a threatened attack by the Iroquois. This accumulation of misfortunes, however, renders the poor Hurons so tractable to the Faith that the missionaries accomplish among them "by a single word, more than ever before, in entire years." Another potent influence upon them is the charity of the Jesuits, who aid the starving and sick people to the utmost of their power; "many have remained alive only through the assistance which we rendered them.” It is interesting to note the method employed by these Fathers in aiding the poor- that of personal investigation, the essential element of the best modern almsgiving; and the foresight which secured, before winter, all available supplies of food within their reach. The writer describes the occupations of the missionaries during the winter, relieving the poor, visiting the sick, and instructing all in religion.

Ragueneau describes, at length, the capture and devastation of the mission villages in the Tobacco tribe, and the martyr deaths of Garnier and Chabanel, the former, on December 7, 1648; the latter,

about two days later. Then follow biographical sketches of these two Fathers, with eulogies upon their apostolic labors and saintly characters. Chabanel's missionary life presents an especially pathetic aspect, since though full of zeal and spiritual aspiration - he could not learn the Indian language; and, moreover, was filled with disgust and aversion at the natives, their customs, and mode of life, and at the hardships imposed by his duties to them. Yet he would not relinquish these, and even bound himself by a vow, to "remain there until death, that he might die upon the Cross."

Certain infidels in the mission of St. Mathias, where Chabanel was stationed, had during his absence formed a conspiracy against the missionaries, and had profaned and plundered one of the Jesuit chapels. There is good evidence that Chabanel was murdered by an apostate Huron, - probably as a result of that conspiracy.

66

Some of the Huron fugitives have made a new settlement, on the shore of Lake Huron, and a missionary is sent to spend the winter with them; this constitutes the mission of St. Charles. Some welcome the Father gladly; others accuse the Faith of bringing ruin upon them. These last must be humiliated, before they can be saved;" this is accomplished by famine, the fishery being this year a failure. Thereupon," they flocked to him like sheep, and entreated for Holy Baptism." At the end of winter, many of these sufferers betake themselves to the new Jesuit post on St. Joseph Island. Another mission is carried on, among the Algonkin tribes along Lake Huron,—the Fathers sharing the wretched nomadic life of those people.

Ragueneau describes the renewed incursions of the Iroquois in the spring of this year (1650), which complete the ruin of the wretched Hurons. Their country is thoroughly devastated; the scattered bands who still remain are ruthlessly butchered by an enemy "more cruel than cruelty itself;" and despair reigns in the hearts of the few survivors. Many of those who had taken refuge on St. Joseph Island are driven by hunger to the mainland, to search for food, and are destroyed by the Iroquois. The Christian Indians who remain on the island see but one hope for their lives; they entreat the Jesuits to convey them to the French settlements on the St. Lawrence, and there form a Huron colony under French protection. This proposal is accepted, and the remnant of the tribe, some three hundred in number, make their way to Quebec,- always in danger, while on this fifty days' journey, from ferocious Iroquois rangers. Ragueneau graphically portrays the devastation which these enemies have wrought, not only in Huronia, but along Lake Nipissing and the Ottawa River,- reducing a populous region, full of promise, to a wilderness.

At last (July 28) this sad company arrive at Quebec. All possible aid is furnished to them there, but this new charge is too great for the means of the little colony, and much suffering occurs among the fugitives; several hundred more of these are expected before long, from the upper country. The Iroquois are now constantly harassing the French settlers, wherever they can find them away from the protection of the forts; and it is desirable that measures be at once taken to break their power.

Some Christian Indians from Sillery, and some of

the Hurons, go in the spring to attack the Iroquois; but, through the treachery of one of their own number, suffer a severe defeat. Some of their warriors are burned to death by the Iroquois, but they suffer as Christians, even to the latest breath. The Sillery church has thus suffered greatly, having lost many of its chief native Christians, and numerous instances of their faith are recorded.

This year, it has been impossible to send a missionary to the Attikamègues, although they desire one; but their goodness and innocence being great, they do not need so much spiritual support as do most other tribes.

Then follows an account of the Holy Cross mission at Tadoussac. The most conspicuous feature in this work is "the burning zeal manifested by the Christian Savages and their Captains for the extension of Christ's Kingdom, and the banishment of vice from their Churches." Various instances of this are related, especially in their attempts to restrain drunkenness. The Tadoussac Christians invite the people of neighboring tribes (of whom they had formerly been jealous) to come and dwell near them, that they also may receive Christian instruction; and they even invite the missionaries to go with them upon their trading expeditions inland,-upon which they had hitherto refused to take any Frenchmen. Accordingly, Druillettes goes to a distant tribe (probably one which De Quen had visited before), wherein are some Christians, whom he consoles and instructs, administering to them the sacraments.

MADISON, WIS., November, 1898.

R. G. T.

« AnteriorContinuar »