1642.] ken£ goupil. 223 



An ear of green corn was thrown to him for food, 

 and he discovered a few rain-drops clinging to the 

 husks. With these he baptized two of the Hurons. 

 The remaining two received baptism soon after 

 from a brook which the prisoners crossed on the 

 way to another town. 



Coutui-e, though he had incensed the Indians by 

 killing one of their warriors, had gained their admi- 

 ration by his bravery ; and, after torturing him most 

 savagely, they adopted him into one of their fami- 

 lies, in place of a dead relative. Thenceforth he 

 was comparatively safe. Jogues and Goupil were 

 less fortunate. Three of the Hurons had been 

 burned to death, and they expected to share their 

 fate. A council was held to pronounce then' 

 doom ; but dissensions arose, and no result was 

 reached. They were led back to the first village, 

 where they remained, racked with suspense and 

 half dead with exhaustion. Jogues, however, lost 

 no opportunity to baptize dying infants, while Gou- 

 pil taught children to make the sign of the cross. 

 On one occasion, he made the sign on the forehead 

 of a child, grandson of an Indian in whose lodge 

 they lived. The superstition of the old savage 

 was aroused. Some Dutchmen had told him that 

 the sign of the cross came from the Devil, and 

 would cause mischief. He thought that Goupil 

 was bewitching the child ; and, resolving to rid 

 himself of so dangerous a guest, applied for aid 

 to two young braves. Jogues and Goupil, clad in 

 their squalid garb of tattered skins, were soon after 

 walking together in the forest that adjoined the 



