on his departure. 4th, if the wife failed in her duty and the husband drove her away, what she could take away with her - and the same if, of her own free will, the fancy seized her to return to her relatives. All these questions show that they had thought over the matter. We did what we could to satisfy them thereupon,-assuring him besides that when he should confer with the Father Superior, who would explain it clearly, they would all have good reason to be fully satisfied with our proceedings in the matter. This is the situation in regard to these marriages. Some of our Frenchmen had thought seriously of going farther, and of carrying out this plan, and the thing seems indeed to be advantageous to Christianity; but some obstacles were thrown in the way. The matter certainly deserves mature deliberation; many things are to be considered before [194] engaging themselves in marriage, -above all, among barbarous peoples like these.

As regards the reunion of this whole nation of the Bear, it is a matter still undecided. The Father Superior has made several journeys with this in view, in the hope they had given us of a general council; he had even given them his word that, if it were only a question of a present, we were resolved to spare nothing to this end. And very recently, being at Ossossanè, where some of the old men regarded the matter as already accomplished, he had sent word to us to send him twelve hundred porcelain beads to present to the two parties which were to assemble at Andiataé. In fact, the majority of the Captains of the villages in that quarter started to go thither; but the one who was the author and chief of this division having refused to be present, the matter has remained

aagée: fon mary tefmoigna en estre affez content, neantmoins craignant que le baptesme ne la fit mourir: [195] il me dist, me monstrant trois de fes doigts. Mon neueu, regarde, trois iours font d'importance, me donnant à entendre qu'il eftoit important qu'elle ne mourut dans le troisiefme iour, autrement qu'ils croiroient que nous ferions caufe de fa mort, & me pressa de luy dire fi elle gueriroit. Ie lui respondis qu'il n'y auoit que Dieu qui le peuft dire affeurement, qui feul eftoit le maisftre de nos vies, & en difpofoit à sa volonté, mais que ie l'affeurois bien d'vne chofe, que le baptefme ne luy auanceroit point fes iours, au contraire que Dieu, qui a vn foin particulier de tous ceux qui font baptifez, luy pourroit bien auffi rendre la fanté. De fait au bout de quelques iours elle fut parfaitement guerie, & depuis nous à beaucoup aydé pour en baptifer quelques autres. Le 26. le P. Pijart & le P. Garnier baptiferent deux petits enfans à Onnentisatj.

Le vingt-neufiesme nous affemblafmes les principaux de nostre bourgade, pour sçauoir premierement, s'ils eftoient en refolution de paffer encor icy l'Hyuer: fecondement fi le deffein qu'ils auoient eu de fe reünir auec ceux d'Ouenrio [196] eftoit tout a fait rompu, autrefois ce n'eftoit qu'vn bourg; troifiefmement, fi enfin ils ne vouloiēt pas prefter l'oreille aux propofitios qu'on leur auoit faites fi fouuent toufchant leur falut. A ce dernier article ils respondirent que quelques vns d'entre eux croyoient ce que nous enfeignions, que pour les autres ils n'en pouuoient pas respondre: au reste qu'ils n'eftoient pas encor en difposition pour cét année de changer le lieu de leur demeure; & que l'année prochaine il ne tiendroit pas

hanging on the hook. Nevertheless, it is not yet regarded as hopeless.

On the 21st, we went to Ouenrio, Father Garnier and I, where we baptized the very aged wife of the Captain. Her husband seemed to be rather pleased at this; nevertheless, fearing that baptism might cause her death, [195] he said to me, showing me three of his fingers, "My nephew, look; three days are of importance,"-giving me to understand that it was important that she should not die on the third day, otherwise that they would believe we were the cause of her death; he urged me to tell him if she would recover. I answered that no one but God could tell that with certainty,- that he alone was the master of our lives, and disposed of them at will; but that I would certainly assure him of one thing, that baptism would not shorten her days, -on the contrary, that God, who has a special care over all those who are baptized, might indeed even restore her to health. In fact, at the end of a few days she had entirely recovered, and since then has helped us a great deal in baptizing some others. On the 26th, Father Pijart and Father Garnier baptized two little children at Onnentisati.

On the twenty-ninth, we assembled the chief men of our village, to know, first, if they had determined to pass the Winter here again; secondly, if the intention they had had of reuniting with the people of Ouenrio [196] was altogether relinquished; formerly this was all one village. Thirdly, if they would not at last lend ear to the propositions that had so often been made to them touching their salvation. To this last point they answered that some among them believed what we taught; as for the others,

à eux, qu'ils ne s'affemblaffent en vn mefme bourg auec ceux d'Ouenrio, quoy que s'en foit nous fommes refolus pour nous, d'eftablir ailleurs d'autres refidences.

Ce mefme 29. Le P. Sup partist pour aller à Teanaoftaiaé auec le P. Garnier, afin qu'il peust témoigner fur les lieux aux parens de Louys de Ste. Foy le reffentimet que nous auios de l'affliction de leur famille, & effuier par quelques petis prefes le reste de leurs larmes. Ce voyage ne fut pas inutile pour plufieurs, dont les vns receurent le S. baptefme, & les autres eurent le bien d'eftre informez de nos faincts myfteres, que nous aurons d'orefnauent plus de commodité de leur prescher, maintenant que nous fommes [197] habituez à Offoffané, qui eft comme le cœur du pays. Au bourg de Scanonaenrat le P. Sup. aiant ietté quelque propos de noftre croyance à noftre hofte, quelques autres de la cabane s'approcherent, & efcouterent fort attentiuement fans deftourner le difcours aillieurs felon la couftume des Sauuages, mais luy faifans plufieurs queftions fort à propos. Entre autres comment nous fçauions qu'il faifoit fi bon au Ciel? ce qu'il falloit faire pour y aller? commēt s'entendoiet les commendemens de Dieu, que le Pere leur propofoit? ils les gouftoient & approuuoient grande

ment.

Le 30. ils arriuerent à Teanaoftaiaé où ils recontrerent vne bonne partie des parens de Louys de Ste. Foy, & à cette premiere entreueüe, se renouuelerēt les reffentimens de la perte qu'ils auoient faite; le Pere leur témoigna d'abord que dés le mois d'Octobre il auoit eu deffein de les aller confoler à la premiere commodité, mais que la maladie de noftre maison, les

Moreover, they

they could not answer for them. were not yet inclined for this year to change the place of their residence; and that next year it would not be their fault if they did not meet in the same village with the people of Ouenrio. Be that as it may, we are resolved for our part to establish other residences elsewhere.

On this same 29th, the Father Superior set out to go to Teanaostaiaé with Father Garnier, in order that he might upon the spot testify to the relatives of Louys de Ste. Foy the sympathy we felt for the affliction of their family, and by means of some little presents wipe away the rest of their tears. This journey was not unprofitable for several persons, of whom some received Holy baptism, and others had the blessing to be informed of our holy mysteries. How much greater will henceforth be our facilities for preaching to them, now that we are [197] settled at Ossossané, which is, as it were, the heart of the country. At the village of Scanonaenrat, the Father Superior having made some remarks about our belief to our host, some other inmates of the cabin approached and listened very attentively, without diverting the conversation to other subjects according to the custom of the Savages, but asking him several very pertinent questions. Among others, "how we knew that it was so pleasant in Heaven?". "What must be done, in order to go there?" "How were the commandments of God that the Father proposed to them to be understood?" They enjoyed and approved them greatly.

On the 30th, they arrived at Teanaostaiaé, where they met a great many of the relatives of Louys de Ste. Foy; and at this first interview they renewed