Champlain Fights beside the Algonquin and Wendat

Le soir estant venu, nous nous embarquasmes en nos canots pour continuer nostre chemin, & comme nous allions fort doucement, & sans mener bruit, le 29 du mois, nous fismes rencontre des Yroquois sur les dix heures du soir au bout d'un cap qui advance dans le lac du costé de l'occident, lesquels venoient à la guerre. Eux & nous commençasmes à jetter de grands cris, chacun se parant de ses armes. Nous nous retirasmes vers l'eau, & les Yroquois mirent pied à terre, & arrangèrent tous leurs canots les uns contre les autres, & commencèrent à abbatre du bois avec des meschantes haches qu'ils gaignent quelquesfois à la guerre, & d'autres de pierre, & se barricadèrent fort bien.

The evening having come, we embarked in our canoes to continue our way, and as we were going very quietly and without making noise, on the 29th of the month, we met the Iroquois around ten o'clock at night at the end of a cape which juts into the lake on the western side, who were coming to war. They and we began to raise great cries, each one readying himself with his arms. We withdrew toward the water, and the Iroquois set foot on land, and arranged all their canoes against one another, and began to cut down wood with poor axes which they sometimes win in war, and others of stone, and barricaded themselves very well.

When evening came, we set off in our canoes to continue our journey. We were moving very quietly, without any noise. It was the 29th of the month,1 around ten o’clock at night. At the tip of a point that juts into the lake on the western side,2 we met the Iroquois,3 who were coming to make war. Both they and we began to raise great shouts, and everyone readied his weapons. We drew back onto the water. The Iroquois went ashore and lined up all their canoes side by side. They began to cut down trees, with poor axes they sometimes win in war and others of stone, and they built themselves a very good barricade.

1. Of July 1609. Champlain’s dates for this journey do not all agree, and historians date the fight differently.
2. A point on the western shore of Lake Champlain, probably near Ticonderoga; some editors place it at Crown Point.
3. Here the Mohawk, the easternmost of the Five Nations of the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee), whose country lay in what is now New York State.

Aussi les nostres tindrent toute la nuit leurs canots arrangez les uns contre les autres attachez à des perches pour ne s'esgarer, & combattre tous ensemble s'il en estoit de besoin; & estions à la portée d'une flesche vers l'eau du costé de leurs barricades. Et comme ils furent armez, & mis en ordre, ils envoyerent deux canots separez de la trouppe, pour sçavoir de leurs ennemis s'ils vouloient combatre, lesquels respondirent qu'ils ne desiroient autre chose: mais que pour l'heure, il n'y avoit pas beaucoup d'apparence, & qu'il falloit attendre le jour pour se cognoistre: & qu'aussitost que le soleil se leveroit, ils nous livreroient le combat: ce qui fut accordé par les nostres: & en attendant toute la nuit se passa en danses & chantons, tant d'un costé, que d'autre, avec une infinité d'injures, & autres propos, comme, du peu de courage qu'ils avoient, avec le peu d'effet & resistance contre leurs armes, & que le jour venant, ils le sentiroyent à leur ruine. Les nostres aussi ne manquoient de repartie, leur disant qu'ils verroient des effets d'armes que jamais ils n'avoient veu, & tout plain d'autres discours, comme on a accoustumé à un siege de ville.

Also ours held their canoes all night arranged against one another, tied to poles so as not to stray, and to fight all together if there were need of it; and [we] were within the range of an arrow toward the water from the side of their barricades. And when they were armed and put in order, they sent two canoes separated from the troop to know from their enemies if they wanted to fight, who answered that they desired nothing else: but that for the time being there was not much sign [of it], and that one had to wait for the day to recognize each other: and that as soon as the sun rose, they would give us battle: which was agreed by ours: and while waiting the whole night passed in dances and songs, as much on one side as the other, with an infinity of insults and other remarks, such as the little courage they had, with the little effect and resistance against their arms, and that, the day coming, they would feel it to their ruin. Ours also did not lack retort, telling them that they would see effects of arms such as they had never seen, and plenty of other talk, as is customary at the siege of a town.

Our people,4 for their part, kept their canoes side by side all night. They tied them to poles so they would not drift apart and could all fight together if they had to. We were a bowshot out on the water from their barricade. When our people were armed and in order, they sent two canoes out from the group to ask the enemy whether they wanted to fight. The enemy answered that they wanted nothing else. But for now, they said, there was not much light, and they must wait for day to see each other. As soon as the sun rose, they would give us battle. Our people agreed. While we waited, the whole night passed in dancing and singing on both sides, with no end of insults and other talk. They told us how little courage we had, and how little our weapons could do against theirs, and that when day came we would feel it, to our ruin. Our people had answers ready too. They told them they would see weapons do things they had never seen before. There was plenty of other talk, the kind that is usual at the siege of a town.

4. Champlain’s Native allies: Montagnais (Innu), Algonquin, and Wendat (Huron) warriors, who had brought him along as an ally of the French.

Après avoir bien chanté, dansé & parlementé les uns aux autres, le jour venu, mes compagnons & moy estions tousjours couverts, de peur que les ennemis ne nous veissent, preparans nos armes le mieux qu'il nous estoit possible, estans toutesfois separez, chacun en un des canots des sauvages montagnars. Après que nous fusmes armez d'armes légères, nous prismes chacun une arquebuse & descendismes à terre. Je vey sortir les ennemis de leur barricade, qui estoient prés de 200 hommes forts & robustes à les voir, qui venoient au petit pas audevant de nous, avec une gravité & asseurance qui me contenta fort à la teste desquels y avoit trois chefs.

After having well sung, danced and parleyed with one another, the day come, my companions and I were still covered, for fear that the enemies would see us, preparing our arms the best that was possible to us, being nevertheless separated, each in one of the canoes of the Montagnais savages. After we were armed with light armor, we each took an arquebus and went down on land. I saw the enemies come out of their barricade, who were nearly 200 men, strong and robust to see them, who came at a slow pace toward us, with a gravity and assurance which pleased me much, at the head of whom there were three chiefs.

After much singing, dancing, and talk back and forth, day came. My companions and I stayed hidden all the while, so the enemy would not see us. We got our weapons ready as well as we could. We were separated, each in one of the canoes of the Montagnais5 Savages.6 When we had put on light armor, we each took an arquebus7 and went ashore. I saw the enemy come out of their barricade. There were nearly two hundred of them, strong and sturdy to look at. They came toward us at a slow pace, with a dignity and confidence that greatly impressed me. At their head were three chiefs.

5. The Montagnais, now known as the Innu, of the lower St. Lawrence, the first allies of the French.
6. Champlain’s word is sauvages, used by the French for the Native peoples of America; it also meant people of the forest.
7. A matchlock gun, fired by a slow-burning cord. Champlain and two other Frenchmen carried them.

Les nostres aussi alloient en mesme ordre & me dirent que ceux qui avoient trois grands pannaches estoient les chefs, & qu'il n'y en avoit que ces trois, & qu'on les recognoissoit à ces plumes, qui estoient beaucoup plus grandes que celles de leurs compagnons, & que je feisse ce que je pourrois pour les tuer. Je leur promis de faire ce qui seroit de ma puissance, & que j'estois bien fasché qu'ils ne me pouvoient bien entendre pour leur donner l'ordre & façon d'attaquer leurs ennemis, & que indubitablement nous les desferions tous; mais qu'il n'y avoit remède, que j'estois tres-aise de leur monstrer le courage & bonne volonté qui estoit en moy quand ferions au combat.

Ours also went in the same order and told me that those who had three great plumes were the chiefs, and that there were only these three, and that one recognized them by these feathers, which were much bigger than those of their companions, and that I should do what I could to kill them. I promised them to do what would be in my power, and that I was very sorry that they could not understand me well, to give them the order and manner of attacking their enemies, and that undoubtedly we would defeat them all; but that there was no remedy, that I was very glad to show them the courage and good will which was in me when we should be at the fight.

Our people advanced in the same order. They told me that the men with three tall plumes were the chiefs. There were only these three, and you could tell them by their feathers, which were much taller than their companions’. They told me to do whatever I could to kill them. I promised to do all in my power. I told them I was very sorry they could not understand me well enough for me to tell them how to attack their enemies in good order. If they could, we would surely defeat them all. But since nothing could be done about it, I would gladly show them my courage and goodwill when we came to fight.

Aussitost que fusmes à terre, ils commencèrent à courir quelque deux cens pas vers leurs ennemis qui estoient de pied ferme, & n'avoient encores aperçeu mes compagnons, qui s'en allèrent dans le bois avec quelques sauvages. Les nostres commencèrent à m'appeller à grands cris: & pour me donner passage ils s'ouvrirent en deux, & me mis à la teste, marchant quelque 20 pas devant, jusqu'à ce que je fusse à quelque 30 pas des ennemis, où aussitost ils m'aperceurent, & firent alte en me contemplant, & moy eux. Comme je les veis esbranler pour tirer sur nous, je couchay mon arquebuse en joue, visay droit à un des trois chefs, & de ce coup il en tomba deux par terre, & un de leurs compagnons qui fut blessé, qui quelque temps après en mourut. J'avois mis quatre balles dedans mon arquebuse.

As soon as [we] were on land, they began to run some two hundred paces toward their enemies, who were standing firm and had not yet seen my companions, who went off into the woods with some savages. Ours began to call me with great cries: and to give me passage they opened in two, and [I] put myself at the head, marching some 20 paces in front, until I was some 30 paces from the enemies, where at once they saw me and halted, contemplating me, and I them. As I saw them start to move to shoot at us, I laid my arquebus to my cheek, aimed straight at one of the three chiefs, and with this shot two of them fell to the ground, and one of their companions who was wounded, who some time after died of it. I had put four balls in my arquebus.

As soon as we were ashore, our people began to run about two hundred paces toward their enemies. The enemy stood their ground. They had not yet seen my companions, who had gone off into the woods with some of the Savages. Our people began calling for me with loud shouts. They split in two to let me through, and I went to the front. I marched about twenty paces ahead of them, until I was about thirty paces from the enemy. They saw me at once and halted, gazing at me, and I at them. When I saw them start to move to shoot at us, I put my arquebus to my cheek and aimed straight at one of the three chiefs. With that shot two of them fell to the ground, and one of their companions was wounded and died some time later. I had loaded four balls into my arquebus.

Comme les nostres virent ce coup si favorable pour eux, ils commencèrent à jetter de si grands cris qu'on n'eust pas ouy tonner; & cependant les flesches ne manquoyent de costé & d'autre. Les Yroquois furent fort estonnez, que si promptement deux hommes avoyent esté tuez, bien qu'ils fussent armez d'armes tissues de fil de cotton, & de bois à l'espreuve de leurs flesches; Cela leur donna une grande apprehension. Comme je rechargeois, l'un de mes compagnons tira un coup de dedans le bois, qui les estonna derechef de telle façon, voyant leurs chefs morts, qu'ils perdirent courage, & se mirent en fuite, & abandonnèrent le champ, & leur fort, s'enfuyans dedans le profond des bois, où les poursuivans, j'en fis demeurer encores d'autres. Nos sauvages en tuèrent aussi plusieurs, & en prindrent 10 ou 12 prisonniers: Le reste se sauva avec les blessez. Il y en eut des nostres 15 ou 16 de blessez de coups de flesches, qui furent promptement guéris.

When ours saw this shot so favorable for them, they began to raise such great cries that one would not have heard it thunder; and meanwhile the arrows did not fail on one side and the other. The Iroquois were very astonished that so quickly two men had been killed, although they were armed with armor woven of cotton thread and of wood, proof against their arrows; That gave them a great fear. As I was reloading, one of my companions fired a shot from within the woods, which astonished them again in such a way, seeing their chiefs dead, that they lost courage and took to flight, and abandoned the field and their fort, fleeing into the depths of the woods, where, pursuing them, I made still others stay [dead]. Our savages also killed several of them, and took 10 or 12 of them prisoners: The rest escaped with the wounded. There were of ours 15 or 16 wounded by arrow shots, who were promptly healed.

When our people saw this shot go so well for them, they began to shout so loudly that you could not have heard thunder. All the while, arrows flew from both sides. The Iroquois were greatly astonished that two men had been killed so quickly, since they wore armor woven of cotton thread and wood, which arrows could not pierce.8 This filled them with fear. As I was reloading, one of my companions fired a shot from inside the woods. This astonished them again so much, with their chiefs dead, that they lost heart and ran. They abandoned the field and their fort and fled deep into the woods. I chased them there and brought down still more of them. Our Savages also killed several, and took ten or twelve prisoners. The rest escaped with the wounded. Fifteen or sixteen of our people were wounded by arrows, but they soon healed.

8. Body armor of wood laced with cord. Cotton did not grow there, so Champlain’s “cotton” was probably another plant fiber.

Après que nous eusmes eu la victoire, ils s'amuserent à prendre force bled d'Inde, & les farines des ennemis, & de leurs armes, qu'ils avoient laissées pour mieux courir. Après avoir fait bonne chère, dansé & chanté, trois heures après nous en retournasmes avec les prisonniers. Ce lieu où se fit ceste charge est par les 43 degrez & quelques minutes de latitude, & fut nommé le lac de Champlain.

After we had had the victory, they amused themselves taking much Indian corn and the flours of the enemies, and their arms, which they had left in order to run better. After having made good cheer, danced and sung, three hours after we returned with the prisoners. This place where this charge was made is at 43 degrees and some minutes of latitude, and was named the lake of Champlain.

After we had won, our people spent their time gathering up plenty of the enemy’s Indian corn9 and meal, and their armor, which they had left behind to run faster. After a good feast, with dancing and singing, we set off for home three hours later with the prisoners. The place where this battle was fought lies at forty-three degrees and some minutes of latitude. It was named the lake of Champlain.

9. Maize. The defeated war party had carried it as food for the march.