The Country of the Neutrals | Page 3

whom the French
called the Neutrals, and Father Joseph Le Caron wrote Daillon urging
him to continue his journey as far as their country.
He set out accordingly on the 18th October, 1626, with two other
Frenchmen, Grenolle and La Vallee. Passing through the territory
occupied by the Tobacco Nation, he met one of their chiefs, who not
merely offered his services as guide, but furnished Indian porters to
carry their packs and their scanty provisions. They slept five nights in
the woods, and on the sixth day arrived at the village of the Neutrals. In
this as well as in four other villages which they visited, they were
hospitably entertained with presents of food, including venison,
pumpkins, "neintahouy," and "the best they had." Their dress excited
the astonishment of their Indian hosts, who were also surprised that the
missionary asked nothing from them but that they should raise their
eyes to heaven, and make the sign of the cross.
What excited raptures of admiration, however, according to his
narrative was to see him retire for prayer at certain hours of the day: for
they had never seen any priests beyond passing glimpses when visiting
amongst the neighboring Hurons and Tobacco Indians.
At the sixth village, Ounontisaston, in which Daillon had been advised
to take up his abode, a council was held at his instance. He observes
that the councils are called at the will of the chiefs, and held either in a
wigwam or in the open air, the audience being seated on the ground;
that silence is preserved whilst a chief is addressing the assembly, and
that what they have once concluded and settled is inviolably observed
and performed by them.
Daillon explained that he had come on the part of the French to make
alliance and friendship with them and to invite them to come and trade,
and begged them to permit him to stay in their country "to instruct them

in the laws of our God, which is the only means of going to Paradise."
They agreed to all he proposed and in return for his gifts of knives and
other trifles, they adopted him as "citizen and child of the country," and
as a mark of great affection entrusted him to the care of Souharissen,
who became his father and host. The latter was, according to Daillon,
the chief of the greatest renown and authority that had ever been known
in all the nations, being chief not only of his own village, but of all
those of his nation, to the number of twenty-eight, besides several little
hamlets of seven to eight cabins built in different places convenient for
fishing, hunting, or cultivating the ground. Souharissen had acquired
his absolute and extraordinary authority by his courage and his success
in war. He had been several times at war with the seventeen tribes, who
were the enemies of his race, and from all he had brought back the
heads of those he had slain, or prisoners taken alive, as tokens of his
prowess. His authority was without example amongst other tribes.
The Neutrals are reported by Daillon as being very warlike, armed only
with war-club and bow, and dexterous in their use. His companions
having gone back, the missionary remained alone, "the happiest man in
the world," seeking to advance the glory of God and to find the mouth
of the river of the Iroquois, (probably the Niagara,) in order to conduct
the savages to the French trading posts. He visited them in their huts,
found them very manageable and learned their customs. He remarked
that there were no deformed people amongst them. The children, who
were sprightly, naked and unkempt, were taught by him to make the
sign of the Holy Cross.
The natives were willing that at least four canoes should go to trade if
he would conduct them, but nobody knew the way. Yroquet, an Indian
known in the country, who had come hunting with twenty of his tribe
and secured five hundred beaver skins, declined to give him any
indication of the mouth of the river; but he agreed with several Hurons
in assuring Daillon that a journey of ten days would take him to the
trading post. The missionary, however, was afraid of taking one river
for another and getting lost or perishing of hunger.
For three months he was treated with kindness. Then the Hurons

became jealous lest the trade should be diverted from them. They
accordingly circulated rumors through every village, that Daillon was a
great magician, that he had poisoned the air in their country, and many
had died in consequence, that if he was not killed soon, he would burn
up their villages and kill their children, with other stories as
extraordinary and alarming about the entire French nation.