hordes of Algonquins, who roamed the forests of the lower St. Lawrence,
and of whose language he had been so sedulous a student. His
difficulties had of late been increased by the absence of Pierre, who had
run off as Lent drew near, standing in dread of that season of fasting.
Masse brought tidings of him from Tadoussac, whither he had gone, and
where a party of English had given him liquor, destroying the last trace
of Le Jeune's late exhortations. "God forgive those," writes the Father,
"who introduced heresy into this country! If this savage, corrupted as
he is by these miserable heretics, had any wit, he would be a great
hindrance to the spread of the Faith. It is plain that he was given us,
not for the good of his soul, but only that we might extract from him the
principles of his language." [ Relation, 1633, 29. ]

Pierre had two brothers. One, well known as a hunter, was named
Mestigoit; the other was the most noted "medicine-man," or, as the
Jesuits called him, sorcerer, in the tribe of the Montagnais. Like the
rest of their people, they were accustomed to set out for their winter
hunt in the autumn, after the close of their eel-fishery. Le Jeune,
despite the experience of De Noue, had long had a mind to accompany one
of these roving bands, partly in the hope, that, in some hour of distress,
he might touch their hearts, or, by a timely drop of baptismal water,
dismiss some dying child to paradise, but chiefly with the object of
mastering their language. Pierre had rejoined his brothers; and, as the
hunting season drew near, they all begged the missionary to make one of
their party,--not, as he thought, out of any love for him, but solely
with a view to the provisions with which they doubted not he would be
well supplied. Le Jeune, distrustful of the sorcerer, demurred, but at
length resolved to go.