Letter 244

My very dear son,

Since we enjoy the blessings of peace our missions are flourishing and prospering with many blessings. It is wonderful to see the zeal of the Gospel workers. They have all set out for their missions with fervour and courage which makes us hope for great success. This peace with the Iroquois and the other nations has caused such a stir in France and has so stirred many people for the glory of God that the Abbe de Quellus has come this year and brought several priests from Montreal. Several of them are people of birth and quality, well-built men, whose looks inspire piety. The Abbe de Fenelon was no way ashamed to be named as companion to a priest younger than he in the Iroquois Mission following the example of the Jesuits. The harvest is great. God sends workers in proportion.

Our Bishop keeps in his house a certain number of Indian boys and an equal number of French, so that being brought up and reared together, the Indians will absorb the manner of the French and so become Frenchified. The Jesuits are doing the same and the Sulpicians are going to imitate them. And as for the girls we have Indians also with our French boarders for the same purpose. I don’t know how it will end for to speak plainly it seems very difficult. For all our years here we have been able to educate only seven or eight who became like the French. The others in great numbers have all returned to their families though they remain very good Christians. They find the Indian way so attractive because of the freedom, that it is a miracle to be able to win them over to French ways which they think unworthy of them who glory in never working except in hunting, sailing and war. They bring the women and children to the hunt and it is they who skin the animals and cure the hides and smoke the meat and the fish. They cut the wood and in fact look after all the family needs while the men go hunting. In their lodges the men watch the women working while they smoke. All they do beyond that is to erect their building, make the cradles for the infants, make snow shoes, sleighs and canoes. Any other work is beneath their dignity, unworthy of them. Children learn that even from infancy. The women and girls paddle their canoes as well as the men. Judge then if it is easy to change them from the habits inculcated since infancy and natural to them.

Since my last letters the country has felt the effects of the comet that appeared last April, an epidemic which is very severe and has brought many within inches of death. It begins with a rash like measles and is accompanied by high fever, sore throat and other dangerous symptoms. However nobody died of it, our infirmary was constantly filled for six weeks. I got it too but didn’t have to go to the infirmary. I was eight days without getting up at four in the morning on account of the fever and cough. They say it’s the effect of the comet but I believe it’s an effect of God’s justice who, like a good Father, wants to chastise his people. However this comet damaged the wheat in no way. The harvest is abundant and there is reason to hope there will be enough to feed everybody. We are making acts of thanksgiving to Him who overwhelms us with so much goodness. He feeds the birds of the air and does not refuse men, though they are sinners, their nourishment and support.

From Quebec. 17 Oct. 1668.
p. 312-313.