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Please summarize Chapter 1 of Jesuit Relations: Natives and Missionaries in Seventeenth-Century North America by Allan Greer.

Chapter 1, "Montagnais Hunters of the Northern Woodlands," is about the Montagnais and is based on the writings of Father Paul Le Jeune (1592-1664), the first superior of the New France mission. By the time Le Jeune first encountered the Montagnais, the tribe had been trading with the French for about half a century but had largely kept their ancestral ways. They spent the summers fishing and collecting berries along the St. Lawrence, and they spent the winters inland hunting. Their spiritual beliefs could be described as "animistic," as they believed animals and the land held spirits. 


In 1633, Father Le Jeune followed the Montagnais while they were searching for game. The group was led by Mestigoit, who had earlier converted to Christianity and then returned to his Montagnais beliefs. Le Jeune wanted to learn about their beliefs and language while trying to convert them to Christianity. As Le Jeune struggled to survive, he did not impress the Native Americans around him with evidence of European superiority.


Le Jeune described the ways the Montagnais followed game, including moose and caribou when the snows came. He described the ways in which the Native Americans set up and struck their camps and transported their goods using sledges in the snow. He said of their travels, "To paint for you the hardships of the journey, I have neither pen nor brush equal to the task." He also discussed how arduous their travels on snowshoes were, and he became so cold that the Native Americans told him, "do not winter anymore with the Indians, for they will kill you."


In later entries, Le Jeune described the beliefs of the Montagnais, including their belief in Atohocam, who created the world, and Messou, who restored the world after a great flood. He also wrote about the two spirits of the seasons--one who created the spring and summer and one who created the fall and winter. He then wrote about the fine qualities of the Montagnais, including their harmonious relations with each other. As he wrote, "You do not see any disputes, quarrels, enmities, or reproaches among them." Finally, he wrote about the ways in which they resolved disputes and how they did not believe in discipling children though punishment or chastisement. 

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