We Lay'd In The Wood Because They Would Not
Goe Into Their Village In The Night Time.
The next day we marched into a village where as wee came in sight we heard
nothing but outcryes, as from one side as from the other, being a quarter
of a mile from the village.
They satt downe and I in the midle, where I saw
women and men and children with staves and in array, which put me in feare,
and instantly stripped me naked. My keeper gave me a signe to be gone as
fast as I could drive. In the meane while many of the village came about
us, among which a good old woman, and a boy with a hatchet in his hand came
near mee. The old woman covered me, and the young man tooke me by the hand
and lead me out of the company. The old woman made me step aside from
those that weare ready to stricke att mee. There I left the 2 heads of my
comrades, and that with comforted me yet I escaped the blowes. Then they
brought me into their Cottage; there the old woman shewed me kindnesse.
Shee gave me to eate. The great terror I had a litle before tooke my
stomack away from me. I stayed an hower, where a great company of people
came to see mee. Heere came a company of old men, having pipes in their
mouthes, satt about me.
After smoaking, they lead me into another cabban, where there weare a
company all Smoaking; they made [me] sitt downe by the fire, which made
[me] apprehend they should cast me into the said fire. But it proved
otherwise; for the old woman followed mee, Speaking aloud, whom they
answered with a loud ho, then shee tooke her girdle and about mee shee tyed
it, so brought me to her cottage, and made me sitt downe in the same place
I was before. Then shee began to dance and sing a while, after [she] brings
downe from her box a combe, gives it to a maide that was neare mee, who
presently comes to greas and combe my haire, and tooke away the paint that
the fellows stuck to my face. Now the old woman getts me some Indian Corne
toasted in the fire. I tooke paines to gether it out of the fire; after
this shee gave me a blew coverlett, stokins and shoos, and where with to
make me drawers. She looked in my cloathes, and if shee found any lice shee
would squeeze them betwixt her teeth, as if they had ben substantiall
meate. I lay'd with her son, who tooke me from those of my first takers,
and gott at last a great acquaintance with many. I did what I could to gett
familiarity with them, yeat I suffered no wrong att their hands, taking all
freedom, which the old woman inticed me to doe. But still they altered my
face where ever I went, and a new dish to satisfy nature.
I tooke all the pleasures imaginable, having a small peece at my command,
shooting patriges and squerells, playing most part of the day with my
companions. The old woman wished that I would make meselfe more familiar
with her 2 daughters, which weare tolerable among such people. They weare
accustomed to grease and combe my haire in the morning. I went with them
into the wilderness, there they would be gabling which I could not
understand. They wanted no company but I was shure to be of the number. I
brought all ways some guifts that I received, which I gave to my
purse-keeper and refuge, the good old woman. I lived 5 weeks without
thinking from whence I came. I learned more of their maners in 6 weeks then
if I had bin in ffrance 6 months. Att the end I was troubled in minde,
which made her inquire if I was Anjonack, a Huron word. Att this I made as
if I weare subported for speaking in a strang language, which shee liked
well, calling me by the name of her son who before was killed, Orinha,
[Footnote: Called Orimha, over-leaf.] which signifies ledd or stone,
without difference of the words. So that it was my Lordshippe. Shee
inquired [of] mee whether I was Asserony, a french. I answering no, saying
I was Panugaga, that is, of their nation, for which shee was pleased.
My father feasted 300 men that day. My sisters made me clean for that
purpos, and greased my haire. My mother decked me with a new cover and a
redd and blew cappe, with 2 necklace of porcelaine. My sisters tyed me with
braceletts and garters of the same porcelaine. My brother painted my face,
and [put] feathers on my head, and tyed both my locks with porcelaine. My
father was liberall to me, giving me a garland instead of my blew cap and a
necklace of porcelaine that hung downe to my heels, and a hattchet in my
hand. It was hard for me to defend myselfe against any encounter, being so
laden with riches. Then my father made a speech shewing many demonstrations
of vallor, broak a kettle full of Cagamite [Footnote: Cagamite, Cagaimtie,
Sagamite, a mush made of pounded Indian corn boiled with bits of meat or
fish.] with a hattchett So they sung, as is their usual coustom. They weare
waited on by a sort of yong men, bringing downe dishes of meate of
Oriniacke, [Footnote: Oriniacke, Auriniacks, horiniac, the moose, the
largest species of deer. Called by the French writers - Sagard-Theodat, La
Hontan, and Charlevoix - Eslan, Orinal, or Orignal.] of Castors, and of
red deer mingled with some flowers. The order of makeing was thus: the
corne being dried between 2 stones into powder, being very thick, putt it
into a kettle full of watter, then a quantity of Bear's grease. This
banquett being over, they cryed to me Shagon, Orimha, that is, be hearty,
stone or ledd.
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