Manchester Memoirs, Vol. xlvi. (1902), No. 13. 



XIII. Folk-lore of the North American Indians, from 

 the 'Jesuit Relations' (1611-1637), 



By J. E. King, M.A., 



High Master, Manchester Grammar School. 

 Kead February 4th and March iS/k. Received April loth, igo2. 



The 'Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents'* fill 73 

 volumes in the Cleveland (The Burrows Brothers Co.) 

 edition of 1896, of which there is a copy in the Ry lands 

 Library. The French settlements in Canada began in 

 1 501, and in 16 10 there was a permanent post established at 

 Quebec. The first Jesuit mission arrived in 161 1, other 

 missions being sent in 1625 and 1632, and at the beginning 

 of the 1 8th century there were 30 mission stations. 



The different missionaries sent in their journals and 

 made out reports to their Superior at Quebec or Montreal. 

 The Superior made up a Relation based upon such reports, 

 which was annually sent to the Provincial of the Order in 

 France. There it was re-edited and published from 1632 

 to 1673. The Jesuit did not, as has been said, "lead the 

 way." He came in the track of the fur traders — the 

 coureurs de bois — partly to look after his own people, and 

 also to convert the Indians. The Jesuits had their 

 difficulties. The civilian officials were, to begin with, often 

 Huguenots and did not want the Jesuits. There were 

 descents made by the English, which sent the missionaries 

 back to Europe. There was the drink traffic, about which 

 their complaints have quite a modern sound. The impres- 



* The References to the volumes of the ' Relations ' are given in the 

 text of the paper. 



May loth, igo2. 



