he breviaries, ink-stands and writings were
instruments of magic; if the Frenchmen prayed to God, it was according
to their idea simply an exercise of sorcerers. Going to the stream to
wash their dishes, it was said they were poisoning the water: it was
charged that through all the cabins, wherever the priests passed, the
children were seized with a cough and bloody flux, and the women became
barren. In short, there was no calamity present or to come, of which
they were not considered as the source. Several of those with whom the
fathers took up their abode did not sleep day or night for fear; they
dared not touch what had been handled by them, they returned the
strangers' presents, regarding everything as suspicious. The good old
women already regarded themselves as lost, and only regretted the fate
of their little children, who might otherwise have been able to repeople
the earth."

The Neutrals intimidated the fathers with rumors of the Senecas, who
they were assured were not far off. They spoke of killing and eating the
missionaries. Yet in the four months of their sojourn Brebeuf and
Chaumonot never lacked the necessaries of life, lodging and food, and
amidst difficulties and inconveniences better imagined than described
they retained their health. Their food supply was bread baked under
ashes after the fashion of the country, and which they kept for thirty
and even forty days to use in case of need.

"In their journey, the fathers passed through eighteen villages (_bourgs
ou bourgades_), to all of which they gave a Christian name, of which we
shall make use hereafter on occasion. They stayed particularly in ten,
to which they gave as much instruction as they could find hearers. They
report about 500 Fires and 3,000 persons, which these ten _bourgades_
may contain, to whom they set forth and published the Gospel."
(Lalemant's Relation.)[4]

[4] In another place it is stated that there were 40 villages of
the Neutrals in all.

Disheartened, the fathers decided to return to Kandoucho or All Saints
to await the spring. Midway, however, at the village of Teotongniaton,
or S. Guillaume, (perhaps in the vicinity of Woodstock) the snow fell in
such quantities that further progress was impossible. They lodged here
in the cabin of a squaw, who entertained them hospitably and instructed
them in the language, dictating narratives syllable by syllable as to a
school boy. Here they stayed twenty-five days, "adju