rdinary. At this news, my
heart was pierced through with a most bitter and sharp pain, because I
had not seen, or consoled, or baptized those poor victims.
Consequently, fearing lest some other like thing should happen in my
absence, I said to a good old woman--who, by reason of her age, and the
care that she had for me, and the compassion that she felt toward me,
called me her nephew, and I called her my aunt--I then said to her:
"My aunt, I would much like to return to our cabin; I grow very weary
here." It was not that I expected more ease and less pain in our
village, where I suffered a continual martyrdom, being constrained to
see with my eyes the horrible cruelties which are practised there; but
my heart could not endure the death of any man without my procuring him
holy baptism. That good woman said to me: "Go then, my nephew, since
thou art weary here; take something to eat on the way." I embarked in
the first canoe that was going up to the village, always conducted and
always accompanied by the Iroquois. Having arrived, as we did, in the
settlement of the Dutch, through which it was necessary for us to pass,
I learn that our whole village is excited against the French, and that
only my return is awaited, for them to burn us. Now for the cause of
such news. Among several bands of Iroquois, who had gone to war
against the French, the Algonquins and the Hurons, there was one which
took the resolution to go round about Richelieu, in order to spy on the
French and the savages, their allies. Certain Huron of this band,
taken by the Hiroquois, and settled among them, came to ask me for
letters, in order to carry them to the French, hoping, perhaps, to
surprise some one of them by this bait; but, as I doubted not that our
French would be on their guard, and as I saw, moreover, that it was
important that I should give them some warning of the designs, the arms
and the treachery of our enemies, I found means to secure a bit of
paper in order to write to them, the Dutch according me this charity.
I knew very well the dangers to which I was exposing myself; I was not
ignorant that, if any misfortune happened to those warriors, they would
make me responsible therefor, and would blame my letters for it. I
anticipated my death; but it seemed to me pleasant and agreeable,
employed for the public good, and for the consolation of our French and
of the poor savages who listen to the word of Our Lord. My heart was
seized