Every Moneth I
Had A White Shirt, Which My Father Sent For From The Flemeings, Who Weare
Not A Farr Off Our Village.
I could never gett leave to goe along with my
brother, who went there very often.
Finally, seeing myselfe in the former
condition as before, I constituted as long as my father and fortune would
permitt mee to live there. Dayly there weare military feasts for the South
nations, and others for the Algonquins and for the French. The
exclamations, hoopings and cryes, songs and dances, signifies nothing but
the murdering and killing, and the intended victory that they will have the
next yeare, which is in the beginning of Spring. In those feasts my father
heaves up his hattchett against the Algonquins. For this effect [he] makes
great preparations for his next incamping. Every night [he] never failes to
instruct and encourage the young age to take armes and to reveng the death
of so many of their ennemy that lived among the french nation. The desire
that I had to make me beloved, for the assurance of my life made me resolve
to offer myselfe for to serve, and to take party with them. But I feared
much least he should mistrust me touching his advis to my resolution.
Neverthelesse I finding him once of a good humour and on the point of
honnour encourages his son to break the kettle and take the hattchett and
to be gon to the forraigne nations, and that was of courage and of great
renowne to see the father of one parte and the son of another part, & that
he should not mispraise if he should seperat from him, but that it was the
quickest way to make the world tremble, & by that means have liberty
everywhere by vanquishing the mortall enemy of his nation; uppon this I
venture to aske him what I was. [He] presently answers that I was a
Iroquoite as himselfe. Lett me revenge, said I, my kindred. I love my
brother. Lett me die with him. I would die with you, but you will not
because you goe against the ffrench. Lett me a gaine goe with my brother,
the prisoners & the heads that I shall bring, to the joy of my mother and
sisters, will make me undertake att my retourne to take up the hattchett
against those of Quebecq, of the 3 rivers, and Monteroyall in declaring
them my name, and that it's I that kills them, and by that you shall know I
am your son, worthy to beare that title that you gave me when you adopted
me. He sett [up] a great crye, saying, have great courage, son Oninga, thy
brother died in the warrs not in the Cabban; he was of a courage not of a
woman. I goe to aveng his death. If I die, aveng you mine. That one word
was my leave, which made me hope that one day I might escape, having soe
great an opportunity; or att least I should have the happinesse to see
their country, which I heard so much recommended by the Iroquoites, who
brought wondrous stories and the facilitie of killing so many men.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 37 of 223
Words from 18663 to 19198
of 117345
