Wendat (Huron)
A people whose towns lay in the country near Georgian Bay, in present-day Ontario. They were allies and trading partners of the French, and Jesuits lived among them from the 1620s.
Champlain Fights beside the Algonquin and Wendat
Samuel de Champlain, Les voyages (Paris, 1613), on the fight on Lake Champlain, July 1609 · events of late July 1609; printed 1613
Deffaite des Yroquois au Lac Champlain. A Le fort des Yroquois. B Les ennemis. C Les Canots des ennemis faits d'escorce de chesne, qui peuuent tenir chacun 10. 15. & 18. hommes. D. E. Deux chefs tués, & vn blessé d'vn coup d'arquebuse par le sieur de Champlain. F Le sieur de Champlain. G Deux Arquebusiers du sieur de Champlain. H Montaignets, Ochastaiguins & Algoumequins. I Canots de nos sauuages aliés faits d'escorce de bouleau. K Les bois.
Defeat of the Iroquois at Lake Champlain. A: The Iroquois fort. B: The enemy. C: The enemy’s canoes, made of oak bark, each of which can hold 10, 15, or 18 men. D, E: Two chiefs killed, and one wounded by a shot from the sieur de Champlain’s arquebus. F: The sieur de Champlain. G: Two of the sieur de Champlain’s arquebusiers. H: Montagnais, Ochastaiguins, and Algonquins. I: The canoes of our allied Savages, made of birch bark. K: The woods.
A Winter of Famine by Lake Superior
Pierre-Esprit Radisson, account of his voyage to Lake Superior, written in English about 1668–1669, on the winter of 1659–1660 · events of the winter of 1659–1660; written about 1668–1669
To augment our misery we receive news of the Octanaks, who weare about a hundred and fifty, with their families. They had a quarell with the hurrons in the Ile where we had come from some years before in the lake of the staring hairs, and came purposely to make warres against them the next summer. But lett us see if they brought us anything to subsist withall. But are worst provided then we; having no huntsmen, they are reduced to famine.
To add to our misery, we received news of the Octanaks, who were about a hundred and fifty, with their families. They had quarreled with the Hurons on the island we had come from some years before, in the lake of the staring hairs, and had come on purpose to make war against them the next summer. But let us see if they brought us anything to live on. No: they were worse provided than we were. Having no hunters, they were reduced to famine.