[26] CHAPTER III.

OF THE SAVAGES WHO HAVE RECEIVED BAPTISM.

UR Savages are always savage, they resemble the migratory birds of their own country.

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one season turtledoves are sometimes found in such abundance that the end of their army cannot be seen when they are flying in a body; at other times in the same season they appear only in small flocks. It is the same with many other birds, with fish, and with terrestrial animals, they vary according to the year. Our Savages are like them in this inconstancy. Ephrahaim sicut avis avolavit. Sometimes they come in a body, sometimes singly. Be that as it may, here are the fruits that have been gathered from those who have lived near our settle

ments.

Last year we baptized about one hundred Savages; this year, we have baptized more than three hundred in all, including those among the Hurons, at Kebec, and at the three Rivers. The first to receive this grace at Kebec was called Tisiko in his own language; he is one of the Seminarists [27] from the Hurons, of whom I shall speak in the proper place. Father Charles l'Allemant baptized him when he was almost in the last agony, and gave him the name of François.

On the 19th of September another Seminarist, named Satouta, was made a Christian, and named

La troifiefme qui a eu entrée en l'Eglise de Dieu, a esté vne petite fille, qui me fut apportée, comme i'estois à la Riuiere des prairies, auec Monfieur nostre Gouuerneur; fa mere la voyant malade, & me rencontrant là par cas fortuit, me dit, nous venons de bien haut fur le grand fleuue, ie me fuis depeschée de venir deuant les autres, qui viennent apres moy, pour vous prefenter ma fille malade, afin que vous la baptifiez, comme vous auez fait mes autres enfans. Ie la voulois mener à Kebec, mais puis que ie te rencontre icy, tiens, la voila prie pour elle; or voiant que l'enfant fe portoit affez bien, ie luy dis qu'elle defcedift iufques aux trois Riuieres, qu'elle y trouueroit mon frere le P. Buteux, qui luy accorderoit fa demande, elle entre donc dans fon canot, & ne manque pas d'aller trouuer le Pere, qu'elle aborda la larme a l'œil, luy parlant en ces termes.

Voicy le quatriefme de mes enfans, que ie [28] vous prefente, i'efpere que le baptefme luy fera plus fauorable pour le corps, qu'il n'a efté aux trois autres; mais quand elle ne deuroit pas guerir, ne laisse pas de luy faire selon vostre couftume: car ce que vous faites, ne peut estre mauuais, puis que vous nous cheriffez tous. Le P. la baptisa le 26. de Septembre, Monfieur de Chafteau-fort fut fon parrain, & luy donna nom Marie, bien toft apres elle s'enuola au ciel, auec fes freres & fœurs, fi bien que cette pauure femme barbare, a quatre enfans en Paradis, Dieu luy vueille donner le bien qu'elle procure à fes enfans.

Le 5. de Nouembre le P. de Quen baptisa vn ieune garçon, aagé d'enuiron quatorze ans; nous l'auions. instruit auparauãt, le fieur Oliuier fut fon parrain, & luy dõna nõ Martin, fes parens firent voir qu'ils

Robert in his baptism; we shall speak of him also in the chapter on the Seminary for Hurons.

The third who has entered the Church of God was a little girl who was brought to me when I was at the River des prairies with Monsieur our Governor. When her mother found she was sick, meeting me by chance, she said to me, "We come from far up on the great river; I have hastened on ahead of the others, who are coming after me, to present to you my sick child, that you may baptize her as you have my other children. I intended to take her to Kebec; but, as I have met thee here, see, here she is, pray for her." Now seeing that the child was tolerably well, I told her to go down to the three Rivers; that she would find my brother, Father Buteux, there, and he would grant her request. She went in her canoe, and did not fail to find the Father, whom she addressed, with tears in her eyes, in these words:

"Look, here is the fourth of my children whom I [28] present to you; I hope that baptism will be more favorable to her body than it has been to those of the other three; but even if she shall not get well, do not fail to do with her according to your custom; for what you do cannot be bad, since you all love us." The Father baptized her on the 26th of September; Monsieur de Chasteau-fort was her sponsor, and gave her the name Marie; soon afterwards she flew away to heaven, to be with her brothers and sisters, so that this poor barbarian woman has four children in Paradise. May God grant her the blessing she has procured for her children.

On the 5th of November Father de Quen baptized a boy about fourteen years old, whom he had previously instructed. Sieur Olivier was his sponsor, and

estoient fort contens, qu'on enfeignast leur fils. Ie fuis eftonné que ces barbares, voyans leurs enfans defefperez pour la fanté du corps, font tres-aises, du moins plufieurs d'entr'eux, qu'on leur procure le ciel. Et quand ils fe portent bien, ils ne fe foucient que de la terre. Mais helas! ce malheur n'eft pas fi particulier aux Payens, que ceux mefme qui ont la foy, & qui portent le nom de Chreftien [29] n'y participent. Combien voit on de perfonnes dans l'Europe, dont l'ame est si attachée à la terre, qu'elle ne la quitte, que lors qu'on met leur corps en terre. Ie remarquay en l'inftruction de cét enfant, la bonté d'vn Sauuage; lequel voyant ce pauure malade tomber en quelque deffaillance, accourt vers nostre maifon, & me rencontrant en chemin, me dit tout hors d'haleine, ce pauure garçon s'en va rendre l'ame, ie t'allois appeller, cours tant que tu pourras, cette ferueur monftre quelque creance en nos mysteres, Dieu vueille donner accroiffement à ces petits commancemens d'vne foy, qui n'eft pas encor affez forte, pour les induire à quitter leurs meschantes habitudes.

Le mefme iour nous baptifafmes auffi vn grand Sauuage, aagé d'enuiron quarante cinq ans, il fe nommoit Chibanagouch en fa langue, le fieur Oliuier fut encor fon parrain, & luy donna le nom de Paul; celuy-cy eftoit aimé de ceux de fa nation, tant pource qu'il eftoit l'vn des principaux d'entre eux; que pour autant qu'il eftoit bon guerrier, & homme hardi: il tomba malade retournant de l'Acadie, & comme ie le voiois déchoir tous les iours, ie l'abordai plusieurs [30] fois pour luy parler de Dieu, mais en vain, fon cœur rempli d'orgueil, ne pouuoit donner lieu à la verité, il haiffoit fes ennemis auec rage & fureur:

named him Martin; his parents showed that they were very glad that their son had been taught. I am surprised that these barbarians, when they see their children's bodily health hopeless, are pleased, at least some of them, to have a place in heaven procured for them; and, when they are well, they care only for the world. But alas! this misfortune is not so peculiar to the Pagans, that those who have the faith and who bear the name of Christians [29] do not participate therein. How many persons do we see in Europe whose souls are so attached to the earth that they do not leave it until their bodies are placed in it. I observed, during the instruction of this child, the kindness of a Savage. He, seeing this poor sick child fall into a kind of swoon, ran towards our house and, meeting me on the way, told me, all out of breath, that this poor boy was about to render up his soul, “I came to call thee, run as fast as thou canst." This zeal shows some belief in our mysteries. May God grant an increase to these small beginnings of a faith which is not yet strong enough to induce them to give up their bad habits.

On the same day we also baptized an adult Savage, about forty-five years old, named in his own language Chibanagouch. Sieur Olivier was his godfather also, and gave him the name Paul. He was loved by those of his nation, not only because he was one of the principal persons among them, but because he was a good warrior and a bold man. He fell sick while on his return from Acadia; and, as I saw him. wasting away every day, I approached him several [30] times to speak to him about God, but in vain; his heart, filled with pride, could not make room for the truth; he hated his enemies with rage and fury.