While The Disease Lasted Among Us, Donnacona, Taignoagny, And Many
Others Of The Natives Went From Home, Pretending That They Went To Catch
Stags And Deer, Called By Them Aiounesta And Asquenoudo.
They said
that they were only to be away a fortnight, but they staid away above
two months, on which account we suspected they had gone to raise the
country against us while we were so weak.
But we had used so much
diligence in fortifying ourselves, that the whole power of the country
could only have looked at us, without being able to have done us any
harm. While they were away, many of the natives used to come daily to
our ships with fresh meat, such as stags, deer, fishes and other things;
but held them at a high price, and would often take them away again,
rather as sell them moderately. It must be allowed however that the
winter that year was uncommonly long, and there was even some scarcity
of provisions among the natives.
On the 21st of April 1536, Domagaia came to the shore accompanied by
several strong men whom we had not seen before, and told us that the
lord Donnacona would come next day to visit us, and was to bring
abundance of venison and other things along with him. Next day Donnacona
came to Stadacona with a great number of men, for what purpose we know
not; but as the proverb says, "He who takes heed of all men may hap to
escape from some." Indeed we had great cause to look about us, being
much diminished in numbers, and those who remained being still very
weak; insomuch that we were under the necessity to leave one of our
ships at the port of St Croix. Our captain was informed of the arrival
of that great number of men along with Donnacona, as Domagaia came to
tell him, yet dared not to cross the river between us and Stadacona as
he used to do, which circumstance made us suspect some intended
treachery. Upon this our captain sent one of his servants along with
John Poulet, who was much in favour among the natives, to endeavour to
discover their intentions towards us. Poulet and his companion pretended
only to come on a visit to Donnacona, to whom they carried some
presents; but as soon as Donnacona heard of their approach he went to
bed, feigning himself very sick. After visiting the chief, they went to
the house of Taignoagny, and wherever they went they saw a prodigious
number of people, so that they could hardly stir for each other, most of
whom they had not been used to see before. Taignoagny would not allow
our men to go into any other house in the town, always keeping company
with them wherever they went; and while accompanying them back to the
ships, desired them to ask our captain to carry off with him to France,
a native chief named Agouna, from whom he had received some injury, and
that if our captain was pleased to do him this service he would esteem
it a great favour and would do in return whatever he was desired;
requesting that the servant might be sent back next day with the answer.
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