With all these precautions, we
joyfully plied our paddles on a portion of Lake Huron, on that
of the Illinois and on the Bay des
Puants.
The first nation that we came to was that of the Folle Avoine.
t entered their river, to go and visit these peoples to whom we
have preached the Gospel for several years, in consequence of which,
there are several good Christians among them.
The wild oat, whose name they bear because it is found in their
country, is a sort of grass, which grows naturally in the small
rivers with muddy bottoms and in swampy places. It greatly resembles
the wild oats that grow amid our wheat. The ears grow upon hollow
stems, jointed at intervals; they emerge from the water about the
month of June, and continue growing until they rise about two feet
above it. The grain is not larger than that of our oats, but it
is twice as long, and the meal therefrom is much more abundant.
The savages gather and prepare it for food as follows. In the month
of September, which is the suitable time for the harvest, they
go in canoes through these fields of wild oats; they shake its
ears into the canoe, on both sides, as they pass through. The grain
falls out easily, if it be ripe, and they obtain their supply In
a short time. But, in order to clean it from the straw, and to
remove it from a husk in which it is enclosed, they dry it in the
smoke, upon a wooden grating, under which they maintain a slow
fire for some days. When the oats are thoroughly dry, they put
them in a skin made into a bag, thrust it into a hole dug in the
ground for this purpose, and tread it with their feet so long and
so vigorously that the grain separates from the straw, and is very
easily winnowed. After this, they pound it to reduce it to flour,
or even, without pounding it, they boil it in water, and season
it with fat. Cooked in this fashion, the wild oats have almost
as delicate a taste as rice has when no better seasoning is added.
I told these peoples of the Folle Avoine of my design to go and
discover those remote nations, in order to teach them the mysteries
of our holy religion. They were greatly surprised to hear it, and
did their best to dissuade me. They represented to me that I would
meet nations who never show merry to strangers, but break their
heads without any cause; and that war was kindled between various
peoples who dwelt upon our route, which exposed us to the further
manifest danger of being killed by the bands of warriors who are
ever in the field. They also said that the great river was very
dangerous, when one does not know the difficult places; that it
was full of horrible monsters, which devoured men and canoes together;
that there was even a demon, who was heard from a great distance,
who barred the way, and swallowed up all who ventured to approach
him; finally that the heat was so excessive In those countries
that it would inevitably cause our death.
I thanked them for the good advice that they gave me, but told
them that I could not follow it, because the salvation of souls
was at stake, for which l would be delighted to give my life; that
I scoffed at the alleged demon; that we would easily defend ourselves
against those marine monsters; and, moreover, that we would be
on our guard to avoid the other dangers with which they threatened
us. After making them pray to God, and giving them some instruction,
I separated from them. Embarking then in our canoes, we arrived
shortly afterward at the bottom of the Bay des Puantz, where our
Fathers labor successfully for the conversion of these peoples,
over two thousand of whom they have baptized while they have been
there.
This bay bears a name which has a meaning not so offensive in the
language of the savages; for they call it la bale sallee ["salt
hay"] rather than Bay des Puans, although with them this is
almost the same and this is also the name which they give to the
sea. This led us to make very careful researches to ascertain whether
there were not some salt water springs in this quarter, as there
are among the Hiroquois, but we found none. We conclude, therefore,
that this name has been given to it on account of the quantity
of mire and mud which is seen there, whence noisome vapors constantly
arise, causing the loudest and most continual thunder that I have
ever heard.
The bay is about thirty leagues in depth and eight in width at
its mouth; it narrows gradually to the bottom, where it is easy
to observe a tide which has its regular ebb and flow, almost
like that of the sea. This is not the place to inquire whether
these
are real tides; whether they are due to the wind, or to some
other cause; whether there are winds, the precursors of the
moon and
attached to her suite, which consequently agitate the lake and
give it an apparent ebb and flow whenever the moon ascends above
the horizon. What I can positively state is, that, when the water
is very calm, it is easy to observe it rising and failing according
to the course of the moon; although I do not deny that this movement
may be caused by very remote winds, which, pressing on the middle
of the lake, cause the edges to rise and fall in the manner which
is visible to our eyes.
We left this bay to enter the river that discharges into it;
it is very beautiful at its mouth, and flows gently; it is
full of bustards, ducks, teal and other birds, attracted thither
by
the wild
oats of which they are very fond. But after ascending the river
a
short distance, it becomes very difficult of passage, on account
of both
the currents and the sharp rocks, which cut the canoes and
the feet of those who are obliged to drag them, especially
when the
waters are low. Nevertheless, we successfully passed those
rapids; and on approaching Machkoutens, the Fire Nation, I
had the curiosity
to drink the mineral waters of the river that is not far from
that village. I also took time to look for a medicinal plant
which a
savage, who knows its secret, showed to Father Alloues with
many ceremonies. Its root is employed to counteract snake bites,
God
having been pleased to give this antidote against a poison
which is very common in these countries. It is very pungent,
and tastes
like powder when crushed with the teeth; it must be masticated
and placed upon the bite inflicted by the snake. The reptile
has so great a horror of it that it even flees from a person
who has
rubbed himself with it. The plant bears several stalks, a foot
high, with rather long leaves; and a white flower which greatly
resembles the wallflower. I put some in my canoe, in order
to examine it at leisure while we continued to advance toward
Maskoutens,
where we arrived on the 7th of lime.
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