Winter at Stadacona and the Cedar Cure

Au mois de Décembre fumes avertis que la mortalité s'estoit mise au peuple de Stadacona, tellement que jà en éstoient morts par leur confession plus de cinquante. A cause de quoi, leur fimmes défenses de non venir à notre Fort, ni entour nous. Mais nonobstant les avoir chassés, commença la mortalité entour nous d'une merveilleuse sorte, et la plus inconnue.

In the month of December [we] were warned that the mortality had set itself on the people of Stadacona, so that already of them were dead, by their confession, more than fifty. Because of which, [we] made them prohibitions not to come to our Fort, nor around us. But notwithstanding having chased them [away], the mortality began around us in a marvelous [astonishing] manner, and the most unknown.

In the month of December we learned that a mortality1 had broken out among the people of Stadacona.2 By their own account, more than fifty of them had already died. So we forbade them to come to our fort, or anywhere near us.3 But even though we had driven them away, the mortality broke out among us too, in an astonishing way, and of a kind no one knew.

1. The writer’s word for a deadly outbreak. The disease he goes on to describe among the French was scurvy, caused by a lack of vitamin C. Historians usually take the sickness at Stadacona to be scurvy too.
2. An Iroquoian town on the site of Quebec City, ruled by Donnacona. Cartier’s ships lay at the mouth of the Sainte-Croix (now the Saint-Charles River), across from it.
3. The French feared contagion: the idea that disease passed from person to person by touch, breath, or objects, long before anyone knew about germs. Scurvy does not pass between people.

Car les uns perdoient la soutenue, et leur devenoient les jambes grosses et enflées, et les nerfs retirés, et noircis comme charbon, et aucunes toutes semées de gouttes de sang, comme pourpre. Puis montoit la dite maladie aux hanches, cuisses, espaules, au bras et au col. Et à tous venoit la bouche si inefcte et pourrie par les gencives que toute la chair en tomboit jusqu'à la racine des dents, lesquelles tomboient presque toutes.

For some lost their support [strength?], and their legs became big and swollen, and the sinews drawn back, and blackened like coal, and some [legs] all sown with drops of blood, like purple. Then the said sickness climbed to the hips, thighs, shoulders, to the arm and to the neck. And to all [of them] the mouth became so infected and rotten by the gums that all the flesh fell from it down to the root of the teeth, which fell out almost all.

Some lost all their strength. Their legs grew thick and swollen, and the sinews drew tight and turned black as coal. On some, the legs were spotted all over with drops of blood, purple in color. Then the sickness climbed to the hips, thighs, shoulders, arms, and neck. And in everyone the mouth grew so foul and rotten at the gums that all the flesh fell away, down to the roots of the teeth, and nearly all the teeth fell out.

Et tellement s'esprit la die maladie en nos trois Navires, qu'à la mi-Fevrier, de cent-dix hommes que nous étions il n'y en avoit pas dix sains, tellement que l'un ne pouvoit secourir l'autre, qui estoit chose piteuse à voir, considéré le lieu où nous estions ; car les gens du pays venoient tous les jours devant notre Fort, qui peu de gens voyoiént debout, et jà y en avoit huit de morts, et plus de cinquante où on espéroit plus de vie.

And so much did the said sickness take hold in our three Ships that at mid-February, of a hundred and ten men that we were, there were not ten healthy, so that the one could not help the other, which was a pitiful thing to see, considering the place where we were; for the people of the country came every day before our Fort, who saw few people standing, and already there were eight dead, and more than fifty in whom one hoped [no] more for life.

The sickness took such a hold in our three ships that by the middle of February, of the 110 men we were, not ten were healthy. No one could help anyone else. It was a pitiful thing to see, given where we were. For the people of the country came in front of our fort every day and saw few of us on our feet. Already eight were dead, and there were more than fifty whose lives we had given up hope for.

Et pour couvrir la dite maladie lorsqu'ils venoient près de notre Fort, notre Capitaine, que Dieu a toujours préservé debout, sortoit au devant d'eux avecque deux ou trois hommes tant sains, que malades, lesquels il faisoit sortir après luy; et lorsqu'il les voyoit hors du parc, faisoit semblant de les vouloir battre, et criant, et leur jettant bâtons après eux, les envoyant à bord, montrant par signes es dits Sauvages qu'il faisoit besogner ses gens dedans les Navires : les uns à gallifester, les autres à faire du pain et autres besognes, et qu'il n'estoit pas bon qu'ils vinssent chômer dehors : ce qu'ils croyoient. Et faisoit le dit Capitaine battre et mener bruit es dits malades dedans les Navires avec bâtons et cailloux, feignans gallifester: Et pour lors estions si épris de la die maladie, qu'avions quasi perdus l'espérance de jamais retourner en France, si Dieu par sa bonté infinie et miséricorde ne nous eust regardé en pitié, et donné connoissance d'un remède contre toutes maladies, le plus excellent qui fut jamais vu ni trouvé sur la terre, ainsi que nous dirons dans le chapitre suivant.

And to cover the said sickness when they came near our Fort, our Captain, whom God has always preserved standing, went out before them with two or three men, healthy as well as sick, whom he made go out after him; and when he saw them outside the enclosure, [he] made as if to want to beat them, and shouting, and throwing sticks after them, sending them aboard, showing by signs to the said Savages that he made his people work inside the Ships: some at calking, the others at making bread and other tasks, and that it was not good that they should come idling outside: which they believed. And the said Captain made the said sick men inside the Ships beat and make noise with sticks and stones, pretending to calk: And at that time [we] were so taken by the said sickness that [we] had almost lost the hope of ever returning to France, if God by his infinite goodness and mercy had not looked on us in pity, and given knowledge of a remedy against all sicknesses, the most excellent that was ever seen or found on the earth, as we shall tell in the following chapter.

The people of the country came near our fort, and we had to hide the sickness from them. So our captain, whom God always kept on his feet,4 went out to meet them. He took two or three men with him, some well and some sick, and had them follow him out. Once they were outside the enclosure, he pretended he wanted to beat them. He shouted and threw sticks after them and sent them back on board. He showed the Savages5 by signs that he kept his men working inside the ships. Some were calking6 and others making bread or doing other jobs, and it was no good for them to come idling outside. And they believed it. The captain also had the sick men inside the ships bang and make noise with sticks and stones, pretending to calk. By then we were so stricken by the sickness that we had almost lost hope of ever returning to France. But God in his infinite goodness and mercy looked on us with pity. He let us learn of a remedy against all sicknesses, the most excellent ever seen or found on earth, as we will tell in the next chapter.

4. Or “whom God always kept from harm.” The French debout (standing) can go with either part of the sentence; either way, the captain stayed well.
5. The writer’s word, Sauvages. The French used it for the Native peoples of America; it also meant people of the forest.
6. Hammering fiber into the seams of a ship to make it watertight.

Un jour notre Capitaine voyant la maladie si émue, et ses gens si fort épris d'icelle, estant sorti hors du Fort, et soy promenant sur la glace, apperçut venir une bande de gens de Stadaconé, en laquelle estoit Domagaya, lequel le Capitaine avoit veu depuis dix ou douze jours fort malade de la propre maladie qu'avoient ses gens: car il avoit l'une de ses jambes aussi grosse qu'un enfant de deux ans, et tous les nerfs d'icelle retirez, les dents perdues et gâtées, et les gencives pourries et infectes.

One day our Captain, seeing the sickness so stirred up, and his people so strongly taken by it, having gone out of the Fort, and walking on the ice, saw coming a band of people from Stadaconé, in which was Domagaya, whom the Captain had seen ten or twelve days before very sick with the very sickness that his people had: for he had one of his legs as big as a child of two years, and all the sinews of it drawn back, the teeth lost and spoiled, and the gums rotten and infected.

One day our captain, seeing the sickness spreading so and his men so badly stricken by it, had gone out of the fort and was walking on the ice. He saw a band of people coming from Stadaconé, and among them was Domagaya.7 Ten or twelve days before, the captain had seen him very sick with the very same sickness his men had. One of his legs was as thick as a two-year-old child, with all its sinews drawn tight. His teeth were lost and ruined, and his gums rotten and foul.

7. A son of Donnacona. He and his brother Taignoagny had spent over eight months in France after Cartier’s first voyage, learned French, and came back with him as guides.

Le Capitaine voyant le dit Domagaya sain et guéri fut fort joyeux, espérant par lui sçavoir comme il s'étoit guéri, à fin de donner aide et secours à ses gens. Et lorsqu'ils furent arrivez près le Fort, le Capitaine lui demanda comme il s'estoit guéri de sa maladie : lequel Domagaya repondit, qu'avec le jus des feuilles d'un arbre, et la marc, il s'estoit guéri, et que c'étoit le singulier remède pour cette maladie. Lors le Capitaine demanda s'il y en avoit point là entour, et qu'il lui en montrast pour guérir son Serviteur qui avoit pris la dite maladie en la maison du Seigneur Donnacona : ne lui voulant déclarer le nombre des Compagnons qui estoient malades. Lors le dit Domagaya envoya deux femmes avec notre Capitaine pour en quérir, lesquelles en apportèrent neuf ou dix rameaux, et nous montrèrent qu'il falloit piler l'écorce et les feuilles du dit bois, et mettre le tout bouillir en l'eau, puis boire de la dite eau de deux jours l'un, et mettre le marc sur les jambes enflées et malades, et que de toutes maladies le dit arbre guérissoit ; et s'appelle le dit arbre en leur langage Annedda.

The Captain, seeing the said Domagaya healthy and cured, was very joyful, hoping to know through him how he had cured himself, in order to give aid and help to his people. And when they had arrived near the Fort, the Captain asked him how he had cured himself of his sickness: which Domagaya answered, that with the juice of the leaves of a tree, and the marc [pulp], he had cured himself, and that it was the singular remedy for this sickness. Then the Captain asked if there was any of it round about, and that he show him some of it to cure his Servant who had taken the said sickness in the house of Lord Donnacona: not wanting to declare to him the number of the Companions who were sick. Then the said Domagaya sent two women with our Captain to fetch some, who brought nine or ten branches of it, and showed us that one had to grind the bark and the leaves of the said wood, and put the whole to boil in water, then drink of the said water every other day, and put the marc on the swollen and sick legs, and that the said tree cured all sicknesses; and the said tree is called in their language Annedda.

When the captain saw Domagaya healthy and cured, he was overjoyed. He hoped to learn from him how he had been cured, so he could bring help and relief to his men. When they reached the fort, the captain asked him how he had cured his sickness. Domagaya answered that he had cured himself with the juice and the pulp of the leaves of a tree, and that this was the one remedy for this sickness. Then the captain asked if there was any of it nearby. He asked Domagaya to show him some to cure his servant, who had caught the sickness in the house of Lord Donnacona.8 He did not want to tell him how many of his companions were sick. Then Domagaya sent two women with our captain to fetch some. They brought back nine or ten branches and showed us how to grind the bark and leaves of this wood and boil it all in water. Then the sick were to drink the water every other day and put the pulp on their swollen, sick legs. They said this tree cured every sickness. In their language the tree is called Annedda.9

8. Donnacona, the leader of Stadacona.
9. Long identified as eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis), the tree has been argued more recently to be balsam fir. The 1545 printing spells the name Ameda.

Tot-après le Capitaine fit faire du breuvage pour faire boire es malades, desquels n'y en avoit nul d'eux qui voulut icelui essayer, sinon un ou deux qui se mirent en aventure d'icelui essayer. Tot-après qu'ils en eurent bu ils eurent l'avantage, qui se trouva être un vray et évident miracle. Car de toutes maladies de quoy ils estoient entachés, après en avoir bu deux ou trois fois, recouvrèrent santé et guérison ; tellement que tel des Compagnons qui avoit la vérole puis cinq ou six ans auparavant la dite maladie, a esté par la dite médecine curé nettement. Après ce avoir vu, y a une telle presse qu'on se vouloit tuer sur la dite médecine à qui premier en auroit : de sorte qu'un arbre aussi gros et aussi grand que je vis jamais arbre, a esté employé en moins de huit jours; lequel a fait telle opération, que si tous les médecins de Louvain et Montpellier y eussent esté avec toutes les drogues d'Alexandrie, ils n'en eussent pas fait tant en un an, que le dit arbre a fait en huit jours. Car, il nous a tellement profité, que tous ceux qui en ont voulu user ont recouvert santé et guérison ; la grâce à Dieu.

Soon after, the Captain had the drink made to give the sick to drink, of whom there was none of them who wanted to try it, except one or two who ventured to try it. Soon after they had drunk of it they had the advantage [benefit], which turned out to be a true and evident miracle. For of all sicknesses with which they were stained, after having drunk of it two or three times, [they] recovered health and cure; so that one of the Companions who had had the pox for five or six years before the said sickness has been cleanly cured by the said medicine. After having seen this, there is such a press that people wanted to kill each other over the said medicine, [as to] who would have some first: so that a tree as big and as tall as I ever saw a tree has been used up in less than eight days; which has had such an effect that if all the doctors of Louvain and Montpellier had been there with all the drugs of Alexandria, they would not have done as much in a year as the said tree has done in eight days. For it has profited us so much that all those who were willing to use it have recovered health and cure; thanks to God.

Right away the captain had the drink made for the sick. Not one of them wanted to try it, except one or two who took the risk. As soon as they had drunk it, they felt the good of it, and this turned out to be a true and plain miracle. After they drank it two or three times, they recovered their health and were cured of every sickness they had. One of the companions had had the pox10 for five or six years before this sickness, and he was cured cleanly by this medicine. After seeing this, the men pressed so hard for the medicine that they almost killed each other to be first to get some. So a tree as thick and as tall as any tree I ever saw was used up in less than eight days.11 It worked wonders. All the doctors of Louvain and Montpellier, with all the drugs of Alexandria,12 could not have done as much in a year as this tree did in eight days. It did us so much good that everyone who was willing to use it recovered health and was cured, thanks be to God.

10. La vérole, here probably syphilis, which the 1545 printing calls la grosse vérole, “the great pox.”
11. The 1545 printing says the tree was as big as any oak in France and was used up in six days.
12. Louvain (Leuven, in modern Belgium) and Montpellier, in southern France, had famous medical schools. Alexandria in Egypt was a great market for spices and drugs.