The wildmen give it a name; it is
another lake, but not so bigg as that we passed before. We calle it the
lake of the staring hairs, because those that live about it have their hair
like a brush turned up. They all have a hole in their nose, which is done
by a straw which is above a foot long. It barrs their faces. Their ears
have ordinarily 5 holes, where one may putt the end of his finger. They use
those holes in this sort: to make themselves gallant they passe through it
a skrew of coper with much dexterity, and goe on the lake in that posture.
When the winter comes they weare no capes because of their haire tourned
up. They fill those skrews with swan's downe, & with it their ears covered;
but I dare say that the people doe not for to hold out the cold, but rather
for pride, ffor their country is not so cold as the north, and other lakes
that we have seene since.
It should be difficult to describe what variety of faces our arrivement did
cause, some out of joy, others out of sadnesse. Neverthelesse the numbers
of joyfull exceeded that of the sorrowfull. The season began to invite the
lustiest to hunting. We neither desire to be idle in any place, having
learned by experience that idlenesse is the mother of all evil, for it
breeds most part of all sicknesse in those parts where the aire is most
delightfull. So that they who had most knowledge in these quarters had
familiarity with the people that live there about the last lake.
The nation that we weare with had warrs with the Iroquoits, and must trade.
Our wildmen out of feare must consent to their ennemy to live in their
land. It's true that those who lived about the first lake had not for the
most part the conveniency of our french merchandise, as since, which
obliged most of the remotest people to make peace, considering the enemy of
theirs that came as a thunder bolt upon them, so that they joyned with them
& forgett what was past for their owne preservation. Att our coming there
we made large guifts, to dry up the tears of the friends of the deceased.
As we came there the circumjacent neighbours came to visit us, that bid us
welcome, as we are so. There comes newes that there weare ennemy in the
fields, that they weare seene att the great field. There is a councell
called, & resolved that they should be searched & sett uppon them as [soon
as] possible may be, which [was] executed speedily. I offered my service,
soe went and looked for them 2 dayes; finding them the 3rd day, gave them
the assault when they least thought off it. We played the game so furiously
that none escaped.
The day following we returned to our village with 8 of our enemys dead and
3 alive. The dead weare eaten & the living weare burned with a small fire
to the rigour of cruelties, which comforted the desolat to see them
revenged of the death of their relations that was so served. We weare then
possessed by the hurrons and Octanac; but our minde was not to stay in an
island, but to be knowne with the remotest people. The victory that we have
gotten made them consent to what we could desire, & because that we shewed
willing [ness] to die for their defence. So we desired to goe with a
company of theirs that was going to the nation of the stairing haires.
We weare wellcomed & much made of, saying that we weare the Gods & devils
of the earth; that we should fournish them, & that they would bring us to
their ennemy to destroy them. We tould them [we] were very well content. We
persuaded them first to come peaceably, not to destroy them presently, and
if they would not condescend, then would wee throw away the hattchett and
make use of our thunders. We sent ambassadors to them with guifts. That
nation called Pontonatemick without more adoe comes & meets us with the
rest, & peace was concluded. Feasts were made & dames with guifts came of
each side, with a great deale of mirth.
We visited them during that winter, & by that means we made acquaintance
with an other nation called Escotecke, which signified fire, a faire proper
nation; they are tall & bigg & very strong. We came there in the spring.
When we arrived there weare extraordinary banquetts. There they never have
seen men with beards, because they pull their haires as soone as it comes
out; but much more astonished when they saw our armes, especially our guns,
which they worshipped by blowing smoake of tobacco instead of sacrifice. I
will not insist much upon their way of living, ffor of their ceremonys
heere you will see a pattern.
In the last voyage that wee made I will lett you onely know what cours we
runned in 3 years' time. We desired them to lett us know their neighboring
nations. They gave us the names, which I hope to describe their names in
the end of this most imperfect discours, at least those that I can
remember. Among others they told us of a nation called Nadoneceronon, which
is very strong, with whome they weare in warres with, & another wandering
nation, living onely uppon what they could come by. Their dwelling was on
the side of the salt watter in summer time, & in the land in the winter
time, for it's cold in their country. They calle themselves Christinos, &
their confederats from all times, by reason of their speech, which is the
same, & often have joyned together & have had companys of souldiers to
warre against that great nation.
