The text gets a little more complicated after that, rather confusing in fact, but I would try to recount the events as explained best I can. They mention Donnacona again when they meet in St. Croix along with 25 boats loaded with people. That day the Huron people wouldn’t get the ship which made Cartier and the others suspicious. People seemed joyous, but Taigoagny and Dom Agaya did not. The captain asked the two men if they were going with them to Hochelaga and the men said yes. The captain left the ship with an armed escort of men, which didn’t sit well with the Donnacona. Things seem fine the next day when the Donnacona and a huge group of Huron feasted with them all outside the ship and small presents were given. It seems the Donnacona did not want them to go to Hochelaga. There was some mention of making Taigoagny a present to appease the Donnacona. The Donnacona even made a present of the daughter of his sister who was about 10 years old, along with two younger boys. There is the argument after that between Taigoagny and Dom Agaya, and Cartier refers to Taigoagny as having treason and malice. The children were taken on the ship (note to self to remember this for research) and there was a gunfire display for the pleasure of the people which according to the author was later used by Taigoagny to convince the people that the Frenchmen had killed two of the Huron.
Things turned bad after that. With the help of Taigoagny some the warriors dressed up like devils with huge horns, black-and-white skins, and faces painted black. Things get super confusing about then, so they bought a stolen boat, a performance related to the Huron trying to convince the explorers not to go on to their planned destination, but from what I can tell it entirely centered on Taigoagny and Dom Agaya who were now working together it seems. There was some mention of the Huron leader requiring a hostage be left behind, I guess to make sure they returned from Hochelaga. The footnote says it is believed the people didn’t want the Frenchman to go to Hochelaga because the visitors had given them such wonderful gifts they didn’t want to share the generous visitors with others.
When Cartier met the new group along the river they saw houses built all along the banks. These people were very friendly as well, and shared a large amount of the fish they had fished from the river they lived by with the newcomers for trade. The leader of this group also gave the captain a gift two of his own children, a girl about the age of 8 or 9, and a boy of 2 to 3 years. The captain accepted the girl but refused the boy because he was too small. Knowing how my own people value their children, I admit to being baffled at the idea of the leader of this group giving his own children to the strangers. This is the second time it is mentioned that a leader of the Huron has done this, and I find myself curious if this is a common practice. I can’t imagine what it was like for those children on the ships, far away from their people, their families, anything familiar. After this the explorers met a group of hunters, but no one else until they reached Hochelaga.
At Hochelaga they were greeted by hundreds of people, men women and children, who I assume are Huron since there is no mention of a recognizable difference between them and those Cartier and his men just left. Like all the rest the situations they were meeting with friendliness, acceptance, and a large dose of hands-on curiosity especially from the women and children. The captain gifted the women with tin and other “trifling things”, and gifted the men with knives. Once they reached the village itself there were gifts given to the leader of hatchets and knives, as well as some religious icons including a “memorial of the crucifixion” which the captain made the Huron leader kiss before hanging it over his neck. This interaction seemed to go extremely well.
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