Editing Pierre-Esprit Radisson (section)

===Capture, adoption, and torture by Mohawk===
In 1651 or 1652, while hunting fowl near his [[Trois-Rivières]] home, Radisson became separated from his hunting group.{{sfnp|Radisson|Scull|1885|pp=25–134}} After discovering its several men killed by a [[Mohawk people|Mohawk]] raiding party, he was captured by the warriors. {{sfnp|Radisson|Scull|1885|pp=25–134}} Perhaps because of his youth, he received fairly mild treatment and, as he showed interest in [[Mohawk language]] and culture, was adopted and assimilated.{{sfnmp|1a1=Radisson|1a2=Scull|1y=1885|1p=25–134|2a1=Nute|2y=1978|2p=45}} In the Mohawk custom of adopting young captives, whether indigenous or European, to replace relatives lost to disease or warfare, Radisson joined a local Mohawk family near modern-day [[Schenectady]] in New York.{{sfnmp|1a1=Radisson|1a2=Scull|1y=1885|1p=25–134|2a1=Nute|2y=1978|2p=45}}

Not long after Radisson's integration, which took about six weeks,{{sfnmp|1a1=Radisson|1a2=Scull|1y=1885|1pp=25–134|2a1=Fournier|2y=2002|2p=23}} while out hunting with three Mohawk, he met an [[Algonquin people|Algonquin]] man who convinced him to defect and return to Trois-Rivières.{{sfnp|Radisson|Scull|1885|pp=25–134}} Together, they killed Radisson's Mohawk companions, traveled 14 days, and sighted the town, but were captured by patrolling Mohawk. {{sfnmp|1a1=Radisson|1a2=Scull|1y=1885|1pp=25–134|2a1=Fournier|2y=2002|2p=24}} The Mohawk killed the Algonquin and subjected Radisson, along with some 20 prisoners, to ritual torture. His adoptive, Mohawk family advocated for him and materially compensated the bereaved families to spare him execution and temper his torture.{{sfnp|Fournier|2002|pages=33-34}}

As the Iroquois despised cowardice and punished it with death, Radisson's adoptive parents advised him to be brave and yet not too brave, since the Iroquois also sometimes ate the hearts of exceptionally brave men to acquire their courage.{{sfnp|Fournier|2002|page=34}} Radisson's fingernails were pulled out while he was forced to sing, one finger was cut to the bone, and he watched ten [[Wyandot people|Huron Indians]] get tortured to death.{{sfnp|Fournier|2002|page=33}} The next day, an old man burned Radisson, tied to a scaffold, and a young man drove a red-hot dagger through his foot.{{sfnp|Fournier|2002|page=34}} After three days of similar treatment, the Mohawk brought out Huron prisoners and, using [[tomahawk]]s, bashed in the heads of some, whereas the rest were adopted by individual families.{{sfnp|Fournier|2002|page=35}}

Once eventually released, the overwhelmed Radisson found that, as he would recall, "all my pains and griefs ceased, not feeling the least pain. [My father] bids me be merry, makes me sing, to which I consented with all my heart."{{sfnp|Radisson|Scull|1885|p=60}} He felt deep gratitude to his adoptive parents, whom he described as very loving, for saving his life.{{sfnp|Fournier|2002|page=35}} By Iroquois standards, Radisson's torture had been moderate.{{sfnp|Fournier|2002|page=35}} Radisson recounts witnessing other torture: "They burned a Frenchwoman; they pulled out her breasts, and took a child out of her belly, with they broyled [broiled] and made the mother eat it, so in short she died".{{sfnp|DeVoto|1998|page=99}} Sometime after his own wounds healed, Radisson spent some five months on a war-party expedition.{{sfnmp|1a1=Radisson|1a2=Scull|1y=1885|1p=79|2a1=Fournier|2y=2002|2p=40}}