^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // 1.0 1.1 I 1.25 US ^" ■^ Ui 12.2 ^ Ufi |20 ■ 1.8 Hiotogra{Jiic Sciences Corporation ^\^ >. v^ 23 WBT MAIN STMIT WIUTCR.N.Y. MSM (716)S72-4S03 CIHM/ICMH Series. Collection de microfiches. Canadian Inatituta for Historical IMicroraproductions / Institut Canadian da microraproductions hiatoriquaa Tachnieal and Biblioflraphio Notaa/Notaa taohnlquat at bibliograpHiquaa Tha Inatituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia copy which may ba bibliographieally uniqua. which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha raproduction. or which may aignifieantly changa tha uaual mathod of filming, ara chackad balow. □ Colourad covara/ Couvartura da eoulaur rn Covara damagad/ D D D D D D Couvartura andommagAa Covara raatorad and/or laminatad/ Couvartura raataurAa at/ou palliculia □ Covar titia miaaing/ La titra da couvartura manqua I — I Colourad mapa/ Cartaa g^ographiquaa mn eoulaur Colourad inic (i.a. othar than blua or black)/ Encra da eoulaur (i.a. autra qua blaua ou noira) |~n Colourad plataa and/or illuatrationa/ Planchaa at/ou illuatrationa an eoulaur Bound with othar matarial/ RaliA avac d'autraa documanta Tight binding may cauaa ahadowa or diatortion along intarior ma/gin/ La re liura sarrAe paut cauaar da I'ombra ou da la diatortion la long da la marga intiriaura Blank laavat addad during rastoration may appaar within tha taxt. Whanavar posaibla. thasa hava baan omittad from filming/ II aa paut qua cartainaa pagaa blanchaa ajoutiaa lora d'una raatauration apparaiaaant dana la taxta. mala, loraqua cala Atait poaaibia, caa pagaa n'ont paa AtA f ilmtes. Additional commants:/ Commantairaa supplAmantairea; L'Inatitut a microfilm* la maillaur axamplaira qu'il lui a 4t4 poaaibia da aa procurer. Las dAtaiia da cat axamplaira qui aont paut-Atra uniquaa du point da vua bibliographiqua. qui pauvant modifiar una imaga raproduita. ou qui pauvant axigar una modification dana la mAthoda normala da filmaga aont indlquAa ci-daMoua. r~n Colourad pagaa/ n Thia itam is filmad at tha reduction ratio chackad balow/ Ce document est filmi au taux da reduction indiquA ci-daasous. Pagaa da eoulaur Pagaa damagad/ Pagaa andommagiaa Pagaa restored and/oi Pagaa reataurAaa at/ou palliculAes Pagaa discoloured, stained or foxe« Pagaa dAcolorAas. tachatAas ou piquAaa Paga% detached/ Pagaa d*tach*es 8howthrough> Tranaparanea Quality of prir Qualiti InAgala da I'impression Ineludas supplementary matarii Comprend du material aupplAmantaira Only edition available/ Seule idition diaponible I — I Pagae damaged/ r~1 Pagaa restored end/or leminated/ rri Pagaa discoloured, stained or foxed/ |~n Page% detached/ |T^ Showthrough/ r7/| Quality of print variaa/ r~1 Includes supplementary material/ rn Only edition available/ Thai to til Th« poai ofti film! Orig bagi thai alon otha firat aion or ill Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to ensure the best possible image/ Les pages totalement ou partiallement obscurcies par un fauillet d'errata, una pelure, etc., ont At A filmies A nouveau de fa^on A obtenir la meilleure image possible. Tha shall TINI whii Map diffi antli bagi right raqii mati 10X 14X 18X 22X 26X aox t y i 12X 16X aOX 24X 28X 32X 1 i Th« eopy fllm«cl hw has b««n r«produe«d thankt to the OMMroalty of: National Library of Canada L'axamplaira fllm4 f ut raprodult wr§09 i la 04n4roalt4 da: BibliotMqua natlonala du Canada Tha Imagaa appaarlng Hara ara tha baat quality poaalbia oonaldaring tha condition and laglblllty of tha original eopy and In kaaplng with tha filming contract apaclficatlona. Original ooplaa in printad papar covart ara filmed baglnning with tha front oovar and anding on tha last paga with a printad or llluatratad Impraa* •Ion, or tha back covar whan appropriata. All othar original copiaa ara fllmad baglnning on tha first paga with a printad or llluatratad impraa- •ion, and anding on tha iaat paga with a printad or llluatratad impraaaion. Laa imagaa •uhrantaa ont 4t4 raprodultaa avac la plua grand toin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattat* da l'axamplaira fllmA. at an conformity avac las conditions du contrat da fllmaga. Las axamplalras origlnaux dont la couvartura •n paplar aat imprimia sont fllm4s an commandant par la pramiar plat at an tarmlnant salt par la darnlAra paga qui compoift* una ampralnta d'Impraaaion ou d'iliustratlon, solt par la sacond plat, salon la cas. Tous las autras axamplalras origlnaux sont fllmte an commandant par la pramlAra paga qui comporta una ampralnta d'Impraaaion ou d'iliustratlon at an tarmlnant par la darnlAra paga qui comporta una talla ampralnta. Tha last racordad frama on aach microflcha shall contain tha symbol ^^^ (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol V (moaning "END"), whichavar appllas. Un das symbolas suivants apparaltra sur ia darnlAra imaga da chaqua microfiche, salon ia cas: ia aymboia —^ signlf is "A 8UIVRE ". la symbols V signifia "FIN". Maps, platas, charts, ate. may ba fllmad at diffarant reduction ratios. Thosa too larga to ba antlraly included in ona axposura ara filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent itre fllmAs A des taux da reduction diffArants. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour itre reprodult en un soul cilchA, 11 est fiimA A partir da i'angle supArieur gauche, do gauche A droite, et de Itaut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants iiiustrent ia mAthode. 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 IJEW VOYAGES T O North ' America* CONTAINING An Account of the feveral Nations of that vaft Con- tinent; their Caftoms, Commerce, and Wav of Naviga^ tion upon the Lakes and Riven ; the feveral Attempti of . the Ei^ii/Sk and French to difpoflefs one anotheri with the Reaibnsof the Miicarriag? of the former i and the various Adventuret between the Frenchf and the Ireqtufi Conft- derates of £«;/«» To His Grace WILLIAM Duke of Devon/hirCy Lord Steward ofHerMajeflys Houjholdj Lord Littttenant oj the Lounty oj Der- by, Chief Jujlice in Eyre of all I et Majefly's torefls^ ChaceSy Tarks^ &,c. Trent- North 5 One of the Lords of Her Majejlys Mofl Honour alle ^rivy Councsly and Knight of the Mojt Noble Order of the Garter* ' My Lord, : SUiice I had the Honour to prefent the ) King of fDenmark with the firft Part ot this Book, I prefume to make a Pre- fent of the Latter to your Grace. In making the iirfl: Dedication, I had no other Inducement, than a due Regard to the Benefits I received from His Majefty's Favour 5 and the fame Motive with refe- rence CO your Grace, has prompted me A z to The Dedication. to make this Acknowledgement of the undeferved Favours you kindly vouch* fafed me. I did not dare to launch out into the Praife of His Danifh Majefty, who has a juft Title to all forts of Encomiums ^ By rcafon that the little French I had, has been forgot among a fort of People, that take Panegyricks to be Affronts. 'Tis with the fame View, My Lord, that I decline the Pleafure of publifliing thofc diftinguidiing Qualities, that place Your Lordfhip at tne Head of the moft accom- plifli'd Grandees of the World, and the moft zealous Patriots of their Country. J anjy ijohb all Gratitude and Veneration^ My Lordi Tour Grace's Mojl Bumble "* \' ■■'■ ^nd Moji Obedient Servant^ .. . i. * .. I ■ ' Lahontan, »1 ;V' •*k -I THE THE P R E FA C E. H Avhg Jiatfe/J my /elf iJblth the vain Hopes of retriev'ujg the King of France's Favour, before the Declaration of this War ; / was Jo far from thinking to fat theji Letters and Memoirs to the ^refs \ that I de^ fign*d to have committed *em to the Flames^ if that Monarch had done me the Honour of rein-' ftating me in my former PlaceSy with the good leave ofMeJJieufs dc Pontchartrain, * the Father and the Son. 'Twas * ]** MiChan* with that Fiew that 1 negle&ed to *aStbl otlTsi^ put 'em in fuch a Drefs as might fff^f'y ofstMtit nowbeiviJh'dforJortheSatisfac^ ^.j^^./Vma..yl/> tion of the Reader that gives him^ felfthe trouble toferufe 'em. Between the fifteenth andftxteenth Tear of my Jgelwentto Canada, and there took ca^a to keep up a conjiant Correfpondence hi Letters with an old Relation y who had requir'aofme a Nar^ rative of the Occurrences of that Country ^ upon the Account of the yearly yijfi fiance he gave me. 'lis thefe very Letters that make thegreateji ^art of the fir ft Volume, 7*hey contain an Account ofalltbatfafs'd between the EngUfti, the French, the Iroqucfc, and the other Savage Nations^ ^ 3 from The Preface. from the Tear 1 68 j, to 16^4. 7*ogether viith a great mafiy car ion j R«n ^i- •;■•.• '^■' gf The Preface. of that Choke proceeded from the Relation Jcofm re/fornkd zvith \ for that honefl Gentleman W- dicultd the Mitafhorical Harangue of the * Grangula; and intreatedme fwt * ^"i^tm to make a It feral 7ratijlttwn of a Lan^ ^ gnage that was foJlnff\i wit (> Ficiions and fa* z\tg(! Hyfcrbohs, '7h for this Reafon that all the Dijcourfes and Arguments of thoje Nations^ are here accommodated to the European Style and way of Speaking 'j for having comply' d with my Fit end's Rerjucfl^ I contented my felfin keepm ing only a Copy of the Letters I writ to him^ during my Pilgrimage in the Country of theji thiked Philujbphcrs, *7will not be improper to actjuaint the Reader by the byCy that thofe who know my Faults, do as little Jtiflice to thefe People, as they do to me^ in a Hedging lam a Savage my f elf and that chat makes me /peak Jo favourably of my Fellow^So* vages. Thefe Obfervators do me a great deal of Honour y as long as they do not explain themfelves^ fo as to make me direiily of the fame Chara^er with that which is tack'd to the U^ord Savage hf the Europeans /'/; their way of thinking: For in faying only that I am of the fame Temper with the Savages, they give me, without Defign, the CharaBer of the honeftefi Man in the fVorldm *'7is an uncontejled Truth, that the Nations which are not debauch'd by the Neighbourhood of the Europeans, are Strangers to the Mea/ures of Mcum ^«iTuum, and to all Laws, Judges, and Priefls^ This cant be calTd in ^eflion, fwce all Travellers thai have vijtted thoje Countries^ A 4 vouch The Preface. vouthfor Us Truths and a gr tat mjny of different FrofejffiQHty have given the H^orld repeated ^/ifTur" anees that *tu Jo. Now this being grantea^ tve ought not to Jcrufic to believe^ that thej'e are fuch wife and reajonable Pi o fie, I take //, a Man mtift be ^uite blind ^ who does not Jee that she Property of Goods ( I do not J peak of the i;/- groffing ofiVomcn) is the only Source of all thi Dtjirders that perplex the European Societies. Vfon that Confideration 'twill be ea/y to perceive^ fiat I have mt fpoke wide in d^Jaibtng tha$ Wijdom and jicutencjs which (bines through the Words and A^iions of theje poor Americans, tf all the IVorld had Accefs to the Books ofToyages^ ihat are found in fomc well' flock* d Libraries^ $hey woutajind in above a hundred Dejcriptions 0^ Canada, an Infinity of Difcourfes and Argu* ments offir'd by the Savages^ which are incom* farably firongery and more nervous thati thofe / have inferted in my Memoirs, As for Juch as doubt of the InflinSi and won^ derful Capacity oj Beavers^ they need only to ca(l their Eyes upon the Great Map of America, drawn by the S/eur dc Fcr, and grav'd at Paris $n the fear i6p8. iVhare they will meet with feveral furprizing things^ relating to theJe Animals, h^hile my Book was a Printing in Holland, / was in England ; and as foon as it appear^ dy feveral Englifh Gentlemen of a difiinguifhing Me~ rit, who underhand the f rcnch as well as their Mother tongue J gave me to knowy that they wouidbegladtofee a more ample Relation of the Manners The Prep ACE.' Mamien ami Ctifloms of iht PeopU of that Con* timnt^ whom wt caii by the Name oj SavjgiS. TTjis oblig*(i me to commt/Ntcate to theje GeutU* men^ the Subftatice oj the Jevtral Confertncei I had hi that Country with a certain Huron, whom the French cail Rat. H^hile I ,flayd at thai American'j Village ^ I imploy'd ny time vttf agreeably in making a tareful CoiMion of ail bts Jirguments and Opinions \ and as fbon as J r#« turn* d from my Voyage upon the Lakes o^Canada, i Ihewd my Mmujcript to Count i^roncenac, who was Jo tleas*d with it^ that he took tba Pains to ajlift me in digeftitig the Dialogues^ and bringing them into the Order tbey now appear in : Fbr before that^ they were abrupt Conferen* ces wit lout Connexion, Upon the SoUicitationof thefe Englilh Gentlemen^ I banje put thefe Dia* loiues into the Hands of the Perfon who tranjlat^^ ed my Letters and Memoirs: And if It had not been for their pr effing Inflancesy they had never feen the Light ; for there are but few in the fVorld that will judge impartially^ and without Prepoffefjiony offbme things contained in *em, I have Hkewije intrufied the fame Tranjlator with fume Remarks that I made in Portugal, and Denmark, when I fled thither from New- found-Land. 7*here tie Reader will meet with a Defer iption o/' Lisbon ^^/^ Copenhagen, and of the capital City ofAtTz^ou. To the 7'ran/lation of my frfl Folume^ I have added an exaa Map o/ Newibund-Land, which was not in the Orig/naL I have Ukewife cor^ re^ed almofl all the Cuts of the Holland /w- prejfton. ' The Preface. frejjtcn^ for the Dutch Gravers had murdered ^w, by not under fiand'wg their Rxplicatiovsy which were all in French. T'hey have grav'd Women for Men^ and Men for Women \ naked ^erjbnsjor thoje that are cloath*dy and e contra. jis for the Maps y the Reader will find *em very exa£iy and J have taken care to have the T*ra5is of my Voyages more nicely delineated^ than in the Original, 1 under fland by Letters from Paris, that the two Mejfteurs de Pontchartrain endeavour by all means to he reveng*d Upon me for the jiffront they fay I have given 'em in publifhing fume trifling Stories in my £ooky that ought to have been con^ ceafd, I am likewUe inform' dy that I have rea^ fon to be apprehenjtve of the Refentment offeve^ ral Ecclefjaflicksy who pretend I have tnjulted God in cenj tiring their Condu^i. But f nee I ex~ fe0ed nothing lefs than the furious Refentment both of the one and the other y when I put this Book to the Prefs ; / had time enough to arm my f If from Top to foe^ in order to made Head againfi 'em, *Tis my Comfort y that I have writ nothing hut what I make good by authentick proofs ; be^ fidesy that jt could not have faid lefs of 'cm than I have done'y for if I had not tied my felf up to the direEi fhread of my Dijcourfey I could have made DigreffionSy in which the Condu6l both of the one and the othery would have appeared to be prejudicial to the Repofe of the Society y and, the publick Good, I had Provocation enough to have treated *em in that manner ; but my Letters be^ ing addrefsd to an old bigot ted Relation of mine y « * . . who urJered cationsy grav'd naked contra. m very ? gratis \n in the tkat the tr by all ont they ti'tjiing feefi con-- ave rea" offevc" tnjulted nee I ex~ 'entment Hit this arm my ' againji nothing ifs\ he- \em than \If up to uld have both of 'd to be td the to have ers be" \of mine^ .who The Preface. who fed upon Dcvotiou, and dreaded the hifluence of the Court \ he ft ill bejeech'd me to 'u;iite nothing to him that might d'tjoblige th^i Clergy or the Courtiers^ for j ear of the intercepting of my Let^ ters, however^ I have y^dvicefrvm Paris, that fome pedants are fet at fiork to lajh me in writ" ing \ and fo I mufi prepare to /land the Brunt of a 6hmver of j^fronts^ that will be pour*d upon me in a few Days. But 'tis no matter \ I am fo good ^ Conjurer^ that Jean ward off any Storm from the Side of Paris. / laugh at their 'Threats^ andjtnee I ean't make ufeofmy Sword, 1*11 wage War with my ^en, I'his I only mention by the bye, in this my Pre^ faee to the Reader ^ whom J pray the Heavens to crown with ^rofperity^ in preferving him from having any Bufinefs to adjufl with mofi of the Mintfters of State^ and Priefls ; for let them be never fo faulty y they'll Jlill be f aid to be in the Right J till Jueh time as Anarehy be introduc*d amongfl us, as well as the Americans, among whom the forryefi Fellow thinks himfelf a better Man^ than a Chancellor of France, fhe/e People are happy in being fcreen*d from the Tricks and Shifts of MiniJierSy who are always Maflers where^tver they come, I envy the ^tate of a poor Savage^ who tramples upon Laws^ and pays Ho" mage to no Scepter. 1 wifh / could Jpend the refl of my Life in his Hut, and fo be no longer expos* d to the Chagrin of bending the Knee to a Set of Men, that facripce the publick Good to their private Intereft, and are born to plague honejl Mi'n, fThe two Minijlers of State I have The Preface:. to Jo withy have been follUited in vatfiy hy tte Dutchefs of LudCy CardinaV Bouillon, Count Guiicar, Mr, de Quiros, and Count d' Avaux: Nothing could prevail^ tho* all that is laid to my Charge^ confifts only in not bearing the Affronts of a Governor y whom they froteS\ at a fime when a hundred other Officer Sy who live under the Imputation ofCrimesy infinitely greater than mincy are excusdfor three Months Ah fence from Court. Now the Rsafon /V, that they give le/j garter to thofe who have the Misfortune to dtf» fkafe the two Mejpeurs de Fonchartrain, than tojuch as aH contrary to the King*s Orders, But after all my Misfortune Sy I have this to fohcemey that 1 enjoy in England a fort of LU bertyy that it not met with elfewhere: For one may jufily fayy that of all the Countries inhabit* td by civilised Peopky this alone affords the great* tfl PerfeHion of Liberty, Nayy I do not except the Liberty of the Mtndyfor lam convinc'dy that the Engliih maintain it with a great deal of Ten* dernefs : So true it isy that all Degrees of Slavery are abhorr'd by this Peopky whojhew their JVif* dom in the Precautions they take to prevent their finking into a fatal Servitude* ■•''. 1 ^/ *. '" ^> J ' '- ^' •' ^: \ - • ' n ■J 1 THE CONTENTS. VOL. I. LETTER L Dated at ^ebec, Nov. 8. 1683. COntaimng a Defcrlption of the ^affhge from France to Canada ; witbjbme Re^ marks upon the Coafts^ Channels^ dCc. and the Fariation of the Needle. p. i. LETTER II. Dated at the Canton of Beaufre^ May 2. 1^84. Containing a Defcription of the Plantations of Canada, and the manner in which they were firflform*d: As aljb an Account of the f ran/'* portation of Whores from France to thai Country^ together with a Fiew ofttsClimate (tnd SoiL p. 7* LET- The Contents. LETTER III. Dated at Q^eheCy Md^y ij. 1684. Containing an ample Defcrhtton of the City of Qiicbcc, and if the J/land of St. Lduxcncc p. II. L E T T E R IV. Dated at Monreal, June 1 4. i ^84. Containing a brief De/criftion of the Hahitattori$ of the Savages in the Neighbourhood of Qnc'-' bee; of the River of St. Laurence, as far up as Monreal '^ of a curious'way offlhitig Eels ; and of the Cities of Trois Rivieres, and Mon- real : T'ogether with an Account 0} the Con^ du^ of the Foreft'Rangers or Pedlars, p. 16. L E T T E R V. .. Dated at Monrealy June 18* 1684. /;; which is contained a fhort Jc count of the Iro- qiiefe, with a Hew of the War and Peace . they made with the Krench, and of the means by which it was brought about. p. 12. \ L E T T E R Vr. • Dated at Monrealy June 20. i ^84, JBehig an ample Dejcription of the Canows made of Birch Barky in which the Canadans .per" form The Contents. form all their Voyages^ with an Account of the manmr tn whkh they are made and tna-' LETTER VII. DsLicd m Monrealj Novemb. 2, 1684J Defcribtng the River oj St, Laurence, from Monreal to the fir^ great Lake 0/* Canada, with the Water^fallsy CataraSis^ andNaviga^ tion of that River : jis aljo Fort Fronienac, and the Mv ant ages that accrue from it, 7i- gether with a circamftantial Account of the Expedition of Mr. dc la Barre, the Governor General^ again/i the Iroquefe; the Speeches he tnade^ the Replies he reeeiv'dy and the final Accommodation of the Difference. ' p. a^, LETTER VIIL Dated ziMonrealy June 28. 16% s* Reprefenting the Fortifications 0^ Monreal, and the indifcreet Zeal of the ^rtefis^ who are Lords of that Town: fVith a Defcription of Chambli, and of the Commerce of the Savages ttfQn the great Lakes. p. 45. L E T T E R IX. Dated at Bouchervilky OB. a. 1^85. ^eing an Account of the Commerce and Trade of Monreal : Of the Arrival of the Marquis of Denonyille The Contents. Dcnonvillc wifh fome fronfs\ and of the rt* calling of Mr, dc la Barre. Wtth a curious Defcnftton of certain Lice nfes for trading in Beaver'SkJns in the remote Countries, pt J i • L E T T E R X. Dated at Bouchervilky July 8. i ^8^. Relating the j4rrival of Mr, de Champigni, in the room of Mr* dc Mcules, who is recall* d to France ; the Arrival of the troops that came along with him^ the Curiofity of the Rackets^ and the way of hunting Elks j with a Defcrip" tion of that Animal. IP* 55^ L E T T E R XL Dated at BouchervUky May a8. 1 687. Being a carious Dejcriftion of th^ Hunting of divers Animals, p. 60. LETTER XII. '-- " ' '«...■ Dated at St. Helens^ over againft Monreal^ June^. 1687. '■i . 7%e Chevalier de Vaudreuil arrives in Canada with fome froops. Both the Regular 7'roops * ; and the Militia are pojied at St. Helens, in i- a Readinefs to march againjl the Iroquefe. >* • ' '^•^ P« ^8. S/'' *'. ' "i ■''■n., 1 « » > -. « ' •■ \ LET- ». 4 The Contents. L E T T E R. Xlir. Dated at Niagara^ Aug. 2. i68f. • Rtprefenting the unfavourable JjffUe of the Cam^ fa$gn, made in the Iroquefe Country ; the DtJ^ covery of an Amhufcade^ and tie iffuing of Orders for the Author to march with a De* taehment to the great Lakes, p. 70* LETTER. XIV* Dated at MtJJilimakmac^ May 16. x688. ^he Author leaves Niagara, and has an Income ter with the Iroquefe at the End of the Land" Carriage, ^he After*part of his Foyage. A Dejcription of the Country, He arrives at Fort St, Jofeph in the Mouth of the Lake of Hurons. A Detachment of the Hurons arrivt at the fame ^lace. After an Engagement^ they fit out for Miililimakinac. A ftrangi Adventure of Mr, dc la Sallc'j Brother. MiflUlimakinac defcrib'd* p. So. L E T T E R. XV. Dated at Miffllimakinac, Sept. iS. i6^B, Defcribing the Fall call'd Saut St, Marie, where the Author ferfuades the Inhnhitants to join the Outaouas, and march againfi the Iroquefe. And containing an Account of the Oc current m of the Foyage between that Place and MiC- fi]imakinac. p. ^i» % LET* V The Contents. LETTER. XVI. Dated at MiJftlimakUiac^ May 28. i68^. Contatnhig an y4ccou)Jt of the ^t4thor*j Defar* ture fronty and Return tOj Miflilimakinac. yi Defer ipt ton of the Bay of Puants, and its tillages, ytn ample Defcription of the Bea^ verjy foUozvd hy the Journal of a remarkable Voyage upon the Long River ^ and a Map of the adjacent Country, p. 104. LETTER. XVn. -' Dated at ^ehecj Sept, 28. i68p. The Author fets oat from Miflilimakinac to the Colony^ and defcrwes the Country^ Rivers^ and Pajfes that hefaw hy the way, 7'he Iroquefe make a fatal Incurjion into the IJlandof^on-- real : Fort Frontenac is abandon* d \ Count Frontcnac is fent to Canada, and the Marquis of DenonyiWc is recaird. p. 142. L E T T E R XVIIL Dated at ^ehec^ Nov. 15. 168^. Giving an Account of Mr, dc Frontenac'j ^m- * valy his Reception, his Voyage to Monrcal, and { the repairing of Fort Frontenac. p. i i i . ■*^ L E T T E R XIX. , Dated QtMonreal, OMer 2. 1690. Relating the Attempts upon New-Eogland and New- The Contents. New- York ; a fatal EmbaJTy fint by $hi French to the Iroqucfc, and an ill'Concei^ted Enterprize of the Knglifh and the Iroqucfe, in marching by Land to attack the French Celony. LETTER XX. ^ Dated at Rochel^ Jamary 12. i^^i, * Being a Relation of a Second and very important Expedition of the Engliih by Sea ; in which is contained a Letter written by the Englifh j^d- miral to Count Frontcnac, with the Gover^ mr*s verbal Anfwer, As alfo an Account of the Author"* s Departure for France, p. 155^. ^ LETTER XXI. Dated at Rochelj July 26. 16^1, ^ Containing a Defer iption of the Courts or Offices of the Minifters of St ate y and a Hew of fome Services that are ill rewarded at Court, p. id6. LETTER XXII. Dated at ^r/e^^^r, iS/w;. 10. 16*^1. Which contains an Account of the Author* sDepar^ turefrom Rochel to Quebec, of his Voyage to the Mouth of the River St, Laurence, of a Rencounter with an Engliih Ship which he fought *j of the flranding of his Ship'^ of his failing thro* the River St, Laurence; of the N^ws be received that a ^arty of the Engh'fh • . '. \^,^^ r. ; • . a a anA ■>* Hic Contents, and Iroqucfc, bad defeated a Body of tU French frcof J, P» »7«« LETTER XXIII. Dated at Nants^ O£fob. ij. 16^2. Containing an Account of the taking ofjomi Eng- liih VefftUy of de/eattnz a Party of the Iroqucfe, ffan Iroquefe burnt ative at Qiiebec ; of ano* I ^ ^ihir Party ofthefe Barbarians^ who having fuf" priz'dfonu Coureurs dc Bois, were afterwards t jfiirfriz'd them/ehes. Of the Projeffofan En^ terfrlxe profos'dby Mr. Frontenac to the jiu" c V $hor. Of the Author's Departure In a Frigatfor ^f France, and his flopping at Placentia, which u was then attacked by the Englifh Fleet that xj came to take that Poji from us. How the EngliOi faird in their Defign^ and the Au^ . ^hor purju* d his Foyage. V'^7S' l-^- L E T T E I^. XXIV, Dated at Nants, May lo. 16 p^. s* Contatnmg an Account ofMt, Frontcnac'i Proje^. ^ : which was ifeje^edat Courts and the Reafon why •i . , tp was reje0ed. 7he King gives the Author the t^j; Lieutenancy j/'Ncwfound-Land, 6Cc. together \)^: ivlth the In^pendent Qfmpany. p. 1S7. LETTER XXV, Jilted at Flana in Pprtugaly Jan. 31. 16 $4. f*. ,J1be Author's Departure fron^ France to Placcnti^, ^ Fleet of^Q En^Hfli Ships came tofeizeupon The Concents. $baf Vlaie\ hut is dlfippointeJ^ andjheen of, fit Rtafon why the Englifl) hjve bad Sticcefs in all their Enter frizes beyond Sea, The Author's jidventure with the Clauernor of Placcnc*u. His Departure for Portugal. An Engagement with a Fluihing Privateer. p. 1^3. Memoirs of l^ortb^Ametlca. Containing a Geographical Defcriftion of that vajl Continent \ the Cujloms and Commerce of the Inhabit ant Sf SCc. p. 203. Afhort Defcription of Canada. p. 105. A Lift of the Savage Nations 0/*Canada. p. 130. A IMl of the Animals 0/ Canada. p. 232. A Defcription offuch Animals or Btafts as are not mentioned in the Letters, P« ^33- A Lift of the Fowl or Birds o/Canad a . p. 2 3 7 . A Defcription offuch Birds as are not accounted for in the Letters. P- 23^. A Defcription of the Jn/efls pfCm^d^* p» 242. fhe Names of the Ftfi of Canada, p. 243. A Defcription of the Ftfh that are not mentioned in the Letters, p. 244. fhe Trees and Fruits (?/Canada. p. 247. A Defcription of the aboyc'mention'd frees. p. 24I. A General View of the Commerce of Canada. p. 254. fhe Commodities trucked to and again between the French a^d the Savages. p. 257. ^n Account of the Government ^Canada in Qeti^ralf . , p. 2()o. The Content!. ^ Dlfcotirfe of tht InUtifi of $h French and Kiiglifh in North- America. p. %6o. A'table Exfkimngfom uncommon Tirmj. p. iy6. The Contents of the Second Volume. \ Difcourjeof the Habit ^ Honfes^ Comfkxi" jf\ on ana Temperament oj the Savagej of North-America. p. i. Vol. 2. yfjhort new of the Humour s andCufloms of the Savages, p. 7. 7'he Belief of the Savage j^ and the Ohjiacles of their Converjion. P« *y« 7ht way ofWorfhif u\*d by the Savages, p. a^. ^n jic count of the Amours and Marriages of the Savages, P» 34* J Viev) of the Difeafes and Remedies of the Sa^ vages. ' p. 4 J. !the Diversions of Hunting and Shooting ufual among the Savages, . . p. j j, The Mifttary Art of the\Savages. * P- 7*' A View cf the Heraldy and the Coats of Arms of the Savages. » p. 84. An Explication of the Savage Hieroglyphicks. p. U. A Conference or Dialogue between the Author and AdariOf a noted Man among the Saya« ges, Contaiiiiug a Circumflantial View of the Cttfloms \ , and Humours of that People, p. 5^0. *i. • . ■ /*''^'^' '"An ch and ). 160. JttiC. mflcxi" ^agej of Vol. 2. jofthi (teles of p. ly. p. ay. }ages of p. 34. I P- 4i- I ufual \Arfns p. S4. hicks, p. 8^. uthor Sava« \ufioms p.yo. An The Contents. An iffPfP£NZ)/V, Containing fomc New Voyages to "-Portugal and Den* mark j after tHc Author's Retirement from Canada, LETTER. I. Dated at Lhhon^ y^fril ao. itfp4. Contiitnitig a DefinpttonofVx^nz,^ Porto a Porto, Avciro, Coinibra, Lisbon ; together with a Hew of the Court of Portugal ; (wd an yic^ count of the Government y Lawsy CiifomSy ami Humours of the Portugucfc. p. 1 85. L E T T E R. 11. Dated at Travcmunde^ i ^^4. Containing an j^ccount of the y1nthor'*s Voyage from Lisbon to Garnfey ; his Adventure with an Englifh Man of War^ and an Englifh ^/'r/- vateer : ADefcriftlon 0/ Rotterdam and Ani" ftcrdam ; the Author's Voyage to Hamburgh ; the Dimenfions of a Flemilh Sloop '.^ a De^ fcriptlon of the City 0^' Hamburg \ the Ati" thor*s Journey from tience to Lubeck, and a Defcri^tion of that City. p. an. LETTER, III. Dated at Copenhagen Sept. la. i^y4.' Containing a Defcription of the ^ort and City of Copenhagen*^ a Veiwofthe Danifh Court ^ and I The Contents. of the Humours^ Cujlomj^ Commerce^ Forces f Kc. of th Danes. p. 226. L E T T E R IV. Dated at Parisj Decemb, 2 p. 16^4, Containing a Jour ml of the jiuthor*s fraueh from Copenhagen to Paris. p, 144, LETTER V. Dated at Er letch y July 4. 1(^5^4. Giving a View of the Suferfiition and Ignorance of the People of Beam ; their Addi^ednefs to the Notms of fVitchcrafty Apparitions^ fiCc. And the Author's Arguments againji that Delafion, p. ajj. L E T T E R VI. ^ Dated at Huejiay July 1 1. 16^5. Conta/ning an Ac taunt of the Author* s Efcape and Journey to Spain ; his being taken up for a Hu- gonot, and the Ignorance and Bigotry of the Curates and People of Bczvn in France, p. 268. LETTER VIL Dated at Saragoza, 05lob. 8. 1 6^s* Containing a Defcriptiou ^Saragoza ; a Flew of the Government of Arragon, and an Account , of the Cufoms of the People, p. 274. Afhort DiSlionary of the Language of the 4S1- vages. p. 287. Some ^, Forces^ p. aa6. 94. 'i travels p. 144. 4- Ignorance hdnefs to ioftSy 2iCc. P- aji- tv- l/cape and foraHu" ry of the e. p. 268^ I Fiew of % Account p. 274. f the Sa" p, aS/. '''i«>iKia«nPB^„ rr ,<■' ; >-mS Sn njtifh 309^^ ■»"■« tMuiana I • Sxrvx SLtxxrsL or £i^!i riyi 'i^u.-tm. jUfj^ki .^\ .If. LtJppaXL :tjLKX B'i-ve* Ch^* J^ A .f!^. XanlCarrui^ . of duijtonjutei *rrtick. 0fJr. anJ.^t *'*»»*r Jt iuM*^ TH x^i '^^^ ^fiunfirim • VI liA-SLX OT <&^ ^eiuur* HxTltOlir ^'^''Wity "s ^r, Creviecoeur j 'Thtta^j of the ^gMi. him.. tf»ti ' Ji^^ftrhtuttutj ^\t%. !,XLAIX4 roimX.A i«^ efjnundt»m*k e JO 6o txo $8a '-771 xSzi xyt4 Xnoti/h and JTroneh J Hxju s ONS Bay ! I I atn e < Jt.JIfcU S TjTltlt^ Z)J: X-4.JBlt^D01t <>J* 1,/ , .-■■.. '_-R « J A'/ic^tttllt : Snatjih Jart n^lifh Tvrt Jt±^yiSu/HM,tMU ^K * I lave €^*^^ "' '• ■*,' SS'..ft.ift' ^ ''^ "^-^« l***/ LatAo-viua. tttnu S*'^ Xauiren.ce X.d».ltifeou ^^ J.:3rtah9] tfihatAcKtgn «1 Xk ^IV-^M J5^« ^^ M-^^ 6 Acadia r j-rfA// *« ,f*^ !(ILB.IIC4 Zaxm'LJut*, . >,p/kntuekt.t Ifle Ijle -ono- I >^. s o JO So ixo 1 8a zxo 9oa Xiyti/h atul Crouch It-*it^u/u A.TI,A.NTICK V-A.2^ J^ O c i: js.N t^ of tit 4- ^- 7- ne a^ ral.J.ff^I.3 TfHUmUin^ Hour«« af^ TAHUGI^ AUK , ufUh art 8c ptu4j in Unjhth auardin^ to -iJk^Jiramaht t/mt^Mom^tai^JLaftsjma^ mm ufr0n^:Markj afTrt4^ . •dctat . l; -: — , i T^^mCCeit uj'dhy tfu 1* AHTJCL A.X7IC in uneh xoo nun may nm^; •C yiceorcUna to my con^mtatian fiuh a '^^fjfpti **^*f/^ ^ Mjojtmt- tcnajrom tkd mvw to Mtf jt»rn . mfBom Ithittjitt into that (matt part of y Creat^i^rmr \o£ UlLiCCiCiipi. unch is htn. laid Jcum . I:/V jnugli^rtelu that art fun oAm^ /$iMnMi(lil*m«kituM \hmfkioithytu%a*l»4ruimyi4^Cau^Ijtitrlmn^'ihy^ tthu^rdthuM Tfl mMrka in fimtHiy^fj ntprtAni: \jfMu*j ihmtJ^tif'dat wilft eutaaina hiah^r up ?\ Tk4l>mUm^ HouTcf of -A. according to iiuJ^rauaht t/U ■ m, irf Some New VOYAGES T O NORTH-AMERICA TOME I. L E T T E R I. Dated at the Port of^elfec, Nov, 8. 1683. Containing a Defcription of the Pajfage Jrom France /^ Qiriadaj withfome Remarks upon the Coajis^ Channels^ &c. and the Variation of the Needle. SIR, I Am furpriz'd to find that a Voyage to the Ne\r World is fo formidable to thofc who ar« oblig'd to undertake it ; for I fotemnly proteft, that 'tis far from being what the World com- monly takes it for. *Tis true, the Paflage is in fome meafure long ; but then the Hopes of viewing an unknown Country, atones for the Tedioufnels of the Voyage. When we broke ground from Rochelkj I acquainted you with the Reafons that mov'd Mr. le Fevre de la Barrty Governor-General of Canada J to fend the Sieur Mahii, a Canadefe, to France j and at the fame time gaVc you to know, B that « ^ % Some Ne^ Voyages that he had refolvM upon the utter DeftruAion of the Iroquefe^ who are a very warlike and favage People. Thefe Barbarians befriend the Englijh^ upon the account of the Succours they receive from 'em i but they are Enemies to us, upon the Apprehenfion of beins dellroy'd by us fome time or other. The Generall fpoke of but now, expect- ed that the King would fend him feven or eigh* hundred Men \ but when wefet out from RocbelUt the Seafon was fo far ad vanc'd, that our three Com- oanies of Marines were reckon'd a fufficient Venture. I met with nothing in our PaflTage that was dif- agreeable, abating for a Storm that alarm'd us for fome Days, upon the Precipice of the Bank ofNeW' found-'Latid, where the Waves fwell prodigfoufly, even when the Winds are low. In that Stoi in our Frigate recclv'd fome rudeShocks from the Sea ibut In regard that fuch Accidents are ufual in that Voy- age, they made no Impreflion upon the old fea- fon'd Sailors. As for my part, I could not pre- tend to that Pitch of Indifference % for having ne- ver made fuch a Voyage before, I was fo alarm'd in feeing the Waves mount up to the Clouds, that I made more Vows to Neptune^ than the brave Ido- tnenaus did in his Return from the Wars of Troy. After we made the Bank, the Waves funk, and the Wind dwindled, and the Sea became fo fmooth and eafy, that we could not work our Ship. You can fcarce imagine what Quantities of Cod-fifh were catch'd there by our Seamen, in the Space of a Quarter of an Hour ; for though we had thirty-two fathom Water, yet the Hook was no fooner at the Bottom, than the Fi(h was catchM i fo that they had nothing to do but to throw in, and take up without Interruption: But after all, fuch is theMif- fortune of this Fifhery, that it does not fucceed but upon certain Banks, which are commonly paib ^-/ over to Nortb-Amet'tcz. ? bver Without (lopping. However, as wewereplen- tifuJIy cntertain'd at the Cod of thefe Fiflies, fo fuch of 'em as continued in the Sea, made fuffici* ent Reprifals upon the Corpfeof a Captain, and of feveral Soldiers, who dy'd of the Scurvy, and were thrown over board three or four Days after. In the mean time the Wind veering to the Weft- North- Weft,we were oblig*d to lye by for five or fix Days ; but after that, it chop'd to the North, and fo we happily made Cape Rapt tho' indeed our Pilots were at a lofs to know where we were, by reafon that they could not take the Latitude for ten or twelve Days before. You may eafily ima- gine, that 'twas with great joy that we heard one ofour Sailors call from theTop-Maft, LW, LanJ^ luft as St. PauUVid when he approached to Maltha^ rwrcf^. r«fr op*- For you mud know that when the Pilots reckon they approach to Land, they ufe the Precaution of Jencfing up Sailors to the Top- Maft, in order to fome Difcovery, and thefe Sai- lors arc relieved every two Hours till Night comes, at which time they furl their Sails if the Land is not yet defcry'd : So that in the Night-time they fcarce make any way. From this it appears how impohant it is to know the Coaft, before yoii ap- proach to it } nay, the PafTengers put fuch a Va- lue upon the Difcovery, that they pfefent the firft DifcoVerer with fome Piftoles. In the mean time, you'll be plcas'd to obferve, that the Needle of the Compafs, which naturally points to the North, turns upon the Bank of Newfound- Land^ twenty- three Degrees towards the North- Weft •, that is, it points there a Degree nearer to the Weft, than North-North-Weft. This Remark wc made by our Compafs of Variation. ,.,—.#•- . We defcry'd the Cape about Noon ; and in order to confirm the Difcovery, ftood in upon it with all 3alls alofc« At laft, being afiur'd that 'twas* the B 2 Pro- Some New Voyages Promontory wc lookM f«)r, an univcrfal Joy was fnread ihrouj^hout the Ship, and ihc I'utr of the Wrcichcsthut wc had thrown ovcr-bo.ird, wasquitc foraoc. 'I'hcn the Sailors let about the Chrillcning of tliolc who had never made the Voyajjc before > and indeed they had done it fuoner, it it hud not been for the Death of our above-mention'd Compa- nions. The ChriUening I fpeak of» is an i«nperii- ncni Ceremony, pradlisM by Sea faring Men, whofc Humours are as llran^e and extravagant, as the Element itfclf, upon which ihry fooliflily truft themfclves. By vertue of a Cullom of oKl Hand- ing, they profane the Sacrament of Baptifm in an unaccountable Manner. Upon that Occafion, the old Sailors being blacken*d nil over, and difguis'd with Rags and Ropes, force the greener Sort that have never pafs'd fomc certain Degrees of Lati- tude before, to fall down on their Knees, and to fwear upon a Book of Sea Charts, that upon all Occafions they will pradife upon others, the fame Ceremony that is then made ufe of towards them. After the adminiftring of this ridiculous Oath, they throw fifty Buckets full of Water upon thrir Head, Belly, andTliighs, and indeed, all over their Bodies, without any regard ro Times or Sealbns. This Piece of Folly is chiiHy pra6tis*d under the Equator, under the Tropicks, under the Polar Circles, upon the Bank ni New found- I^and ; and in the Streights o( Gibraltar ^ the Sufui, and the Darda- Helloes. As for Perfons of Note or Chara»5l(T, they are exempted from the Ceremony, at the Kxpencc of five or fix Bottles of Brandy for the Ship's Crew. Three or four Days after the Performance of this Solemnity^ we difcover'd Cape Raye, and fo made up to St. Laurence Bay, in the Mouth ot which we were becalm'd for a little while; and during that Calm, we had a clearer and pleafanter Day, th'jrti *ny we bad fccn in the Paliagc. Ic look'd as if . i. thtt duaf ll rod( itfelj Da] choi thrc the as to North' Amma.. 5 thicD.iy hail been vouchrafd us \»y way of Rrconi« pence for the Kain*, I'oj^p;^, and hi^li Winds, that we encounterM by the Way. riicrc wc faw an Ensagrnienc between a Whale and a * Sword FiOi, at the Dif- • tCp»i>yn, « n/h it- tanceof a Gun 'liot from our '*'"* •<-«''• f f«^' trigate. Wr svcrc pcrfcdily i^hrrHm^rL,. ^nj charm'd when wc faw the Sword- hMvUg m h, sntnt Filhjump out of the Water in (•'* ^f a.i» whirf, h order to dart its Spear into the J*'*' ^J"' ^"i' h' Body of the W hale, when oblig- i^i„„ ,/,/,^. -' cd to take Breath. This enter- » taining Show laftedat lead two Hours, fometimcs to the Starboard, and fometimcs to the Larboard of the Ship. The Saih>rs, among whom Supcr- llition prevails as much as among the Egyptians^ took this for a Prefagc of fomc mighty Storm \ but the Prophecy ended in two or three J^ays of con- trary Winds, during wliich time wc traversM be- tween the Ifland of ycwfouml Landy and that of Cape Breion. Two Days after we came in Sight of the Ifland of Fowls^ by the Help of a North-liaft Wind', which drove us from the Mouh of St, Laurence Bay, to the Iflc of Anticojli^ upon the Bank of which, we thought to have been call away, by Hearing it too much. In the Mouth of that kivcr we fell into a fecond Calm, which was folJow'd by a contrary Wind, that oblig*d us to lye by for fome Days. At lalt we made Tadottjfacy by gra- dual Approaches, and there came to an Anchor. 'I'his River is four Leagues bioad wliere we then rode, and twc^nty two at its Mouth ; but it contracts itlelf gradually, as it acproaches^to its Source. Two Days after, theWind (landing Eaft, we weigh*d An- chor^ and being favoured by the Tyde, got fafc through the Channel of the Red Ifland, in which the Currents are apt to turn a Vefl*cl»on one Side, as well as at the JllUpd of Coudrefi^ which lies fome i ' * B 3 Leagues 6 Some Iseifi) Voyages Leagues hig)ier. But upon the Coaft of the laft Idand, we had certainly flruck upon the Rocks, if we had not drop'd an Anchor. Had the Ship been call ay/ay at that Place, we might eafily have fav'd ourfclves: ^ut itprov'dfo, that we were more afraid than hurt. Next Morning we weighed with a frplh Gale from the Eaft, and the next Day after came to an Anchor over againft Cape fourmente^ vfhcrc we had xiqt above two Leagues over, tho' at the fafne time 'tis a dangerous Place to thofe who are unacquainted with the Channel. From thence wehadbutfeven Leagues failing to the Port of ^w^- hecy where we now ride at Anchor. In our PalTage from the red Ifland to this Place, we faw fuch Floats of Ice, and fo much Snow upon the Land, that we V^ere upon the Point of turning back for France^ tho* we were not then above thirty Leagues off pur deiired Fort. We were afraid of being ftop'd by the Ice,' and fo loft \ but thank God we 'fcap'd. We have receiv'd advice, that the Governor ha^ mark*d out Quarters for our Troops in fpme Vil- lages or Cantons adjacent to this City ; fo that \ am oblig'd to prepare to go afhoar, and therefore mud make an end of this Letter. I cannot as yec give you any Account of the Country, excepting that 'tis already mortaHy cold. As to the River, 1 mean to give you a more ample Defcription of it, when I come ro know it better. We are inforni* ed that Mr. de la Salle is ju(t return'd from his iTravcls, which he undertook upon the Difcovery of a great River that falls into the Gulf of Mexico ; and that he imbarqqes To-morrow for France, lie is perfe^iy well acquainted with Canada^ an4 for that reajTon you ought to viHc hjni^ if^you gQ to Piiw this Winter. 1 am, "' gq;f;i:3(^vf>i ZourS^ &C, ' "f . n^ ' : ■■■ ^ LET-' C*k.« i lUfsf'^'S •;^'iR3 p^%%\ to Nor/iS- America. >fc/ U^'.lU, LETTER 11. Dated at the Canton of Beaupri, May 2. 1684. Containing a Defer iption of the Plantations of Canada, and the manner in which they were firji formed: Asalfoan Account of the Tranf ',. portation of Whores from France to that Country j together with a View oj its Climate and Soil, SIR, AS foon as we landed laft Year, Mr. de la Barre lodg'd our three Companies in fome Cantons or Quarters in the Neighbourhood of ^^^^r. The Planters call thefe places Cotes, which in France iignifies no more than the Sea-Coail ; tho' in this Country where the Names of Town and Village are unknown, that Word is made ufe of tu exprefs a Seignory or Manor, the Houfes of which lie ac the Diftance of two or three hundred Paces one from another, and are feated on the Brink of the River of St. Laurence, In earneft, Sir, the Boors of thofe Manors live with more Eafe and Conveni* ency, than an Infinity of the Gentlemen in France. I am out indeed in calling 'em Boors, for that Name is as little known here as in Spain \ whether it be that they pay noTaxes, and enjoy the Liberty of Hunting and Fifhing \ or that the Eafinefs of their Life» pats 'em upon a Level with the Nobi« lity. The poor eft of them have > 1 ^ • 2 * * - four \ArpentsoiGTOVLn^ inFront, t ^ Arpentii 4 si>»t and thirty or forty in Depth : The 'f ^'>!*nd cont^inmg , , ^' ^ .'. * ^. , 100 Perches fquare, wholeCountry bemgacontinued .^ch of vhuhTseigh^ f oreft of lofty Treesi the Stumps um foof long. i Some New Voyages of which muft be grub*d up, before they can make life of a Plouch. *Tistrue, this is a troublefotiic und chargeable Task at firft i but in a fliort Time after they make up their Loffes ; for when the Vir- gin Ground, is capable of receiving Seed, it yields an Incrcafe to the Rate of ah hundred-fold. Corn is there fown in May, and reap'd about the middle of September. Inftcad of threfhing the Sheafs in the Field, they convey *em to Barns, where they lie till the coldeft Seafon of the Winter, at which time the Grain is more cafily difengag'd from the Ear. In this Country they likewife fow Pcafe, which are much eftecm*d in France. All forts of Grain are very cheap here, as well as Butchers Meat and Fowl. The Price of Wood is almoft nothing, in cdmparifon with the Charge of its Car- riage, which after all is very inconfiderable. Moll of the Inhabitants are a free fort of People thatremovM hither from France, and brought with 'cm but little Money to fee up withal : The reft fire thofe who were Soldiers about thirty or forty years ago, at which time the Regiment of Carig^ pan was broke, and they exchang'da Military Poft, for the Trade of Agriculture. Neither the one nor the other pay'd any thing for the Grounds they poflfefs, no more than the Officers of thefe Troops, who mark*d out to themfelves, certain Portions of unmanur*d and woody Lands ; for this vaft Con- tinent is nothing elfe than one continued Foreft, The Governors General allow'd the OHicers three or four Leagues of Ground in Front, with as much pepth as they pleas*d •, and at the fame Time the Officers gave the Soldiers as much Ground as they ^oleas'd, upon the Condition of the Payment of a Crown per" j^rpentf by way" of Fief. After the Reform of thefe Troops, feveral Ships were fent hither from France, with a Cargde of Woinco of an qrdinary ^cpmation, under th^ Di- ;\ , •- ■: . ... • ^ . ,. ,• redlioq to North' f^mtx\c2L. f re^lion of fome old ftale Nuns, who rang'd them m three Claflcs. The Vcftal Virgins were hcap'd up, (if I may fo fpcak) one above another, in three different Apartments, where the Bride- grooms fmgled out their Brides, jud as a Butcher' does an Ewe from amongft a Flock of Sheep. In thcfe three Seraglio's^ there was fuch Variety and Change of Diet, as could fatisfy the moft whimfi- cal Appetites i for here was fome big, fome little,^ fome fair, fome brown, fome fat and fome meagre. In fine, there was fuch Accommodation, that every one might be fitted to his Mind : And in- deed ihf- Maiket had fuch a Run, that in fifteen Days time, they were all difpos'd of. I am told, that the fattefl went off beft, upon the Apprc- henfion that thefe being lefs a6live, would keep truer to their Ingagemenrs, and hold out better againft the nipping Cold of the Winter: But af- ter all, a great many of the He- Ad venturers found themfclves miflakeh in their Mcafures. However, let that be as it will, it affords a very curious Re- mark ; namely, That in fome Parts of the World, to which the vicious European Women are tranf- ported, the Mob of thofe Countries does ferioufly believe, that their Sins are fo defaced by the ridi- culous Chriflening I took notice of before, that they are look'd upon ever after as Ladies of Vir- tue, of Honour, and of untarnilh'd Condud of Life. The Sparks that wanted to be married, made their Addreffes to the above-mentioned Governeffes, to whom they were oblig'd to give an Account of their Goods and Eftates, before they were allow'd to make their Choice in the three Seraglio's. After the Choice was determin'd, the Marriage was conclude^ upon the Spot, in the Prefence of a Priefl:, and a publick Notary ; and the next Day the Governor- General beftow'd up- on the married Couple, a Bull, a Cow, a Hog, a ► • Sow, to Som Niw Voyages Sow, a Cock, a Hen, two Barrels of fait Meat, and eleven Crowns i together with a certain * Horns. Coat of Arms calPd by the Greeks * «if«7«. The Officers having a nicer Tafte than the Soldiers, made their Application to the Daughters ^f the ancient Gentlemen of the Country, or thofe of the richer fort of Inhabitants •, for you know, that Canada has been polTefs'd by the French above an hundred Years. In this Country every one lives in a good and a well-furnilh'd Houfe ; and moftof theHoufes are of Wood, and two Stories high. Their Chimnie* are very large, by reafon of the prodigious Fires they make to guard themfelves from the Cold, which is there beyond all meafure, from the Month of December^ to that of -^/)n7. During that Space of time, the River is always frozen over, not- withflanding the Flowing and Ebbing of the Sea; and the Snow upon the Ground, is three or four foot deep *, which is very (Irange in ^ Country chat lies in the Latitude of forty-feven Degrees, and feme odd Minutes. Moft People impute the extraordinary Snow to the number of Mountains, with which this vaft Continent is replei^ifh'd. Whatever is in that matter, I muil take notice of one thing, that feems very ftrange, namely, that the Summer Days are longer here than at Paris. The Weather is then fo clear and ferene, that ir^ three Weeks time you (hall not fee a Cloud in the horizon. I hope to go to ^ebec with the firft Op- portunity i for I have Orders to be in a Readinefs to imbarque within fifteen Qaysfor Monreal^ which is the City of this Country, that lies fartheft up towards the Head of the River. I am. Olv Tours, ?ec, LET^ eat, and certain than the lughters I try, or For you 5 French »d and a ufes are himnies s Fires e Cold, : Month tt Space r. not- he Sea; or four Country )egrees, lUte the intains, e^ifli'd. otice of ly, that : Paris, that iq i in the rft Qp- ^adinefs , which beft up ff fee, to Utrtb'AmctXQt^ n LETTER HI. ; Dated at ^ebec May 15. 1684. Containing an (tmpU Defcription of the City of Quebec, andof th? JJtand of Orlczn^. ■ ' • , .....' .1. , . SIR, TlEforp I fet out for MonreaU I had the Curio- fj fity to view the Ifland of Orleans^ which 19 leven Leagues in length, and three in Breadth : it extends from over-againft Cape ^ourmente^ to within a League and a half of Suehec^ at which place the River divides itfelf into two Branches. The Ships fail thrpugh the South Channel ; for the North Channel is fo foul with Shelves and kocks, that the fmall Boats can only pafs that way. The idand belongs to a General Farmer o( France^ who would make out of it a thoufand Crowns of yearly Rent, if himfelf had the Management of it. 'Tis furrounded with Plantations, that produce, sill fort9 of Grain. Quebec is the Metropolitan of 'Sew-Francey being almoft a League in Circun^ference ; it lies in the Latitude of 47 Degrees, and 12 Minutes. The Longitude ofthis Place is uncertain, as well as that of feveral other Count|:ies, with the Leave of the Geographers, that reckon you up 1200 Leagues from Rocielk to ^^^f, without taking the Pains to meafqrf the Courfe : However, I am fure that ic lies but at too great aDiftance from France^ for the Ships that are bound hither; for their PaiTage com- monly lails for two Months and a half, whereas the homeward bound Ships may in 30 or 40 Days failing, eaiily make the Belle I(le, which is the f * ' Somi^ New Voyages fureft and mcUl ufual Land, that a Ship makes upon a long Voyage. The Rcafon of this Diffe- rence, is, that the Winds arc Eaftcr'" for lOO Days of the Year, and Weftcrly for 260. ^ehec is divided into the upper and the lower Ci- ty. The Merchants live in the latter, for the Con- veniency of the Harbour j upon which they have built very fine Houfes, three Story high, of a fort of Stone that's as hard as Marble. The upper or high City is full as populous, and as well adorn*d as the lower. Both Cities are commanded by a Caftle, that ftands upon the higheft Ground. This Caftle is the Refidence of the Governors, and affords them not only convenient Apartments, but the nobleft and moft cxtenfive Profpeft in the World, ^f^^ff wants two eflential things^ namely, a Key and Fortifications ; though both the one and the other might be eafily made, confidering the Conveniency of Stones lying upon the Spot. 'Tis inc6mpafs*d with feveral Springs, of the beft frefli Watei" in the "World, which the Inhabitants draw out of Wells j for they are fo ignorant of the Hydroftaticks, that not one of 'em knows how to convey the Water to certain Bafins, in order to raife either flat or fpouting Fountains. Thofe who live on the River-fide, in the lower City, are not half fo much pinch'd with the Cold, as the Inhabitants of the Upper; befides that the former have a peculiar Conveniency of tranfporc- ingin Boats, Corn, Wood, and other Necefiaries, to the very Doors of their Houfes : But as the latter are more exposed to the Injuries of the Cold, (o they enjoy the Benefit and Pleafure of a cooler Summer. The way which leads from the one City to the other, is pretty broad, and adorn*d with Houfes on each fide i only 'tis a little fteep. ^ehec Hands upon a very uneven Ground i and its Houfes are not uniform. The Intenc^ant lives in a — Bottom, to Abf/^-Amcrica. i j Bottom, at Ibme fmall Diftance from the Side ofa Jittlc RivtT, which by joyning the River of St. Laurence^ coops up the City in a right Angle. His Houfe is the Palace in which the Sovereign Coun- cil aflembles four times a Week ; and on one fide of which, we fee great Magazines of Aromuni* tion and Provifions. There are fix Churches in the High City : The Cathedral confifts of a Bifhop,. and twelve Prebendaries, who live in common ia the Chapter-Houfe, the Magnificence and Archi- tedlurc of which is truly wonderful. Thcfc poor Priefts are a very good fort of People *, they con- tent themfelves with bare Neceffaries, and meddle with nothing but the Affairs of the Church, where the Service is performed after the Roman way. The fecond Church is that of the Jefuits, which ftandi in the Center of the City ; and is a fair, (lately, and well lighted Edifice. The great Altar of the Je- fuits Church, is adorn*d with four great Cylindrical Columns of one Stone •, the Stone being a fort of Canada Porphyry, and black as Jet, without either Spots or Veins. Thefe Fathers have very conve- nient and large Apartments, beautify*d with plea- fant Gardens, and feveral Rows of Trees, which are fo thick and bufhy, that in Summer one might take their Walks for an Ice-Houfe: And indeed we may fay without ftretching, that there is Ice not far from 'em, for the good Fathers are never without a Refervein two or three Places, for the cooling of their Drink. Their College is fo fmall, that at the bed they have fcarce fifty Scholars at a Time. The third Church is that of the Recolleds, who, through the IntercefHon of Count Frontenac^ obtained Leave of the King to build a little Cha- pel (which I call a Church ;) notwithftanding the Remonftrancesof Mr. J(f Lfli'^/oui Bifhop, who, in Concert with the Jefuirs, us*d his utmoll Effort^ for ten Years together to hinder it. Before the building ^/ ,', 14 S(me Nm Voyages fourth Church isthic of the UrjeUneS^ which has been burn'd down two or three timet, and ftill re- built to Advantage. The fifth is that of the Hofpital-Order, who uke a particular Zixt of the Sick, tho'themfelvesarepoo^andbut illlodg'd. The Sovereign G>uncil is held at ^e- t st§ tht lee. It confifts of twelve Counfellors of Slf'*'^ + Capal'^ de fpadd^ who are the fupream Judicature, and decide all Caufes with- out Appeal. The Intendant claims a Right of be- ing Prefident to the Council t but in the Jufticei Hall the Governor-General places himfelf fo as to hct him, the Judges beins fet on both Sides of them ; fo that one would think they are both Pre- fidents. While Monfteur de Frontenac was in Ca-- nada^ he laugh'd at the pretended Precedency of the Intendants } nay, he ufed the Members of that Aflembly as roughly as Cromwell did the Parlia- tnent of England, At this Court every one pleads his own Caufe, for SoUicitors or Barrifters never appear there ; by which means it comes to pafs, that Law-Suits are quickly brought to a Period, without demanding Court Fees or any otheP Charges from the contending Parties. The judges, who have i>ut four hundred Livres a Year from the King, have a Difpenfation of not wearing the Robe and the Cap. Befides this Tribunal, we have in this Country a Lieutenant- General, both Civil and Military, an Attorney- General, the Great Provoft, and a Chief Juflice in Eyre. The way of travelling in the Winter, whether in Town or Country, is that of Sledges drawn by Horfes; who are fo infenfibleof the Cold, that I have feen fifty or iixty of 'em in January andF^- hruary ftand in the Snow up to their Breaft, in the '• midfl to Nfrtb'Amcnca, 5 midft of a Wood, without ever oflfering to go near their Owner's Houfc. In the Winter-time they travel from ^ebec to Monreal upon the Ice, the River being then frozen over \ and upon that Oc- cafion thefe Sledges will run you fifteen Leagues a Day. Others have their Sledges drawn by two MaflifF Dogs, but then they are longer by the Way. As for their way of travelling in Summer, I [hall tranfmit you an Account of it, when I come to be better inform*d. I am told that the People of this Country will go a thoufand Leagues in Canoes of Bark *, a Defcription of which you may expedb, as foon as I have made ufe of *em. The Eafterly Winds prevail here commonly in theSpring and Autumn j and the Wefterly have the Afcen- dant in Winter and Summer. Adieu, Sir : I mud: now make an end o^ my Letter, for my Matter begins to run fhort. All I can fay, is, that as foon as I am better inftru6ted in what relates to the Commerce, and the Civil and Ecclefiaftical Go. vernmcnt of the Country, 1*11 tranfmit you fuch exaA Memoirs of the fame, as (hall give you full Sacisfa6lion. Thefe you may expert with the firft Opportunity; for in all Appearance our Troops will return after the Conclufion of the Campaign that we are now going to make in the Country of the Iroquefe^ under the Command of Mcnfieur de la Barre, In feven or eight Days time I mean to itnbzrk for Monreal i and in the mean time am going to make a Progrefs to the Villages of Scilleri, of Saut de la Cbaudiere^ and of Lorete^ which are inhabited by the Abenakis and the Hurons. Thefe Places are not above three or four Leagues off; fo that I may return with Eafe next Week. As for the Manners of the People, I cannot pretend to defcribe 'em fo foon ; for a juft Obfervation and Knowledge* of thefe things cannot be com- paf^'d without Time. I have been this Winter at ,.,,.., hunting \6 Some Nemi Voyag^t hunting with thirty or forty young Algonkins^ who were well-made clever Fellows. My Defign iii ftccompanying them, was, to learn their Lan- guage, which is mightily efteem'd in this Court- try \ for all the other Nations for a thoufand Leagues round (excepting the Iroquefe and the Hurom) imderftand it perfectly well ; nay, all their refpedtive Torques come as near to this, as the Poriuguefe does to the Spamfl). I have already made my -fclf Mailer of fome Words With a great deal of Facility \ and they beingmightily pleafed in feeing a Stranger ftudy their Tongue, take all imaginable Pains to inftrudt me. I am, >,'A tif LETTER IV. Dated at Afo/^r^d/, June 14. 1684. .7 Containing a brief Defer ipt ion of the Habitations of the Savages in the Neighbourhood of Quas ' bee: Of the River of St. L^Lwrcncc, &c. as « far up as Monreal ; Of a curious way of fjh' ingEels; and of the Cities of TrohKivierc^ and Monreal: together with an • Coureurs de jiccount of theCondu^ ofthe* Fo- Hois. See the EX' n n n it flmtion TM. ^ejl Rangers or Pedlars. \. SIR. < . BEfore my Departure from ^eheCy I vifited thd adjacent Villages inhabited by the Savages; The Village of Lorete is peopled by two hundred Famiitef /. n* lu JNo»7/j- America. \? milifs of IliirouSy who ucrc converted to CfiriOia- nity hy the Jciliits, though wi:h a great deal of Rchi6lancy. 'I lie Vill.iges nf S/tlery, and ofSatit de la Cbaucitere^ arc compos'd of three hundred I'ami- lics of Abcii.ikis^ who arc likcwife ChrilH.in.i, and among whom the Jefuits hive ilttlcd MifTionariei. i rcturn'd to ^ncicc time enough, and imbarqucd under the Conduct of .1 MaUer, that would rather have had a Lading of Goods, than of Soldiers, 'i he North-Iiaft Winds wafted us in five or fix daystoTrt;/! Rivieres^ which is the Name of a fmall City^featedat ihediftanceofihirty Leagues from hence. That City derives its Name from three K ivers, that fprinj; from one Channel, and after continuing their Divifion (of fonae Space, re-unite into a joint 6trcnm, that falls in- to tnc River of St. Laurence, about half a quarter of a League below the Town. Had we lail'd all Night, the Tides would havecarry'd us thither in twoDaystimcj but in regard that the River is full of Rocks and Shelves, we durft not venture upon it in the dark ; lb, we came to an Anchor every Night, which did not ac all dilplealc me; for in the courle of thirty Leagues, (notwithftanding theD? knefsof the Night) it gave me an Opportunity of viewing an infinite number of Habitations on each Side of the River, which arc not above a Musket-Shot diftant one from another. The Inhabitants that are fettled between Quebec and fifteen Leagues higher, diverted me very agree- ably with the fifbing of Eels. At low Water they ftretch out Hurdles to the lowcft Water- Mark ; and that Space of Ground being then dry by the Retreat of the Water, is cover*d over, and fhut up by the Hurdles. Between the Hurdles they place at certain Diftances Inftruments call'd Ruches^ from the Rcfemblance they bear to a Bee- hive ; be- fides Baskets and little Nets belag'd upon a I'olc, which they call Bouteux, and Bouts de ^iticvres. 'J hen they let all ftand in this falhion for three Months in # C the \ 1 8 Some Ntiv Foyiiges the 5)prinp;, n»»d two in the Autumn. Kow ns of- ten as the 'I'idc <-.)mf s in, the Ixls looking out for nnllow IMiUvs, .nul n) ikini* tov^artii ih'iSfin.ir, croud in nmniv.'; the I hirdUs, uhl(h hinder \m afterward-* to retire with tl>c f.bb-wattr j upon that they arc fiirt'd to l)tirv thtmrtlvcs in the abovcmtntioncd J'-ngliKs, ^^fij'li nrr foni'tinns li) ovcr-rramM, that they trek. When 'tis low \\. Iter, the Inhabitant tnkc out tndc l.th, which arc certainly the big^dt, and tlie loupf (I in the World. 'M>cv lalt thtm up in Barreli, whiro tfic)*!! keep a whole Year without fpi)iling : And indcet! tluy give an admirable Reliflj in all Sauces ; nay, there's nothing that the Coun- cil of JS^iu'! cc dtlires more, than th.it this 1 ifliery fhould be equally plentiful in nil Years 7'i'ijs Riih'ici is a little paltry Town, fc.itcdin the Latitude of f()rt)'-ri\ Dii'.rces ; *tis not fortified neither with .Scone, nor Pales. The River to which it ovvcs its Name, takes its Rife an hundred Leagues rothcNoith-\\ e(l,fronr]thegrcateURiilge of Moun- tains in the Univcrle. The yl/^ojtkiiis who are at prclent an jjiatick Sort of Savages, and, Ike the Ayahs^ have no letiltd Abode j thai People, I fay, fcldom Oragtjlc far from the Banks of this River, itponwiiieh they have excellent Ikaver-hunting. In former times the Inqi.cfc cut oti' three fourths of that Nation ; but they have not dir'd to renew their In- curfions, fmce the French have peopled the Coun- tries that lie higher up upon the River of St. Lan- fence, Icall'd Irois Rtviet-csa little Town, with refe- rence to the Paucity of the Inhabitants; though at the fame time they are very rich, and live in ftatejy Houlcs. The King has made it the Rcfidence of a Governor, who would die for Hunger, if he did not trade with the Natives for Beavers, when his fmall Allowance is out : Befides, a Man that would live there, muft be of the like Temper with a I^og, or at kaft he mull: take Pkafure in fcratch- to iVor/^- .America. 19 irtg hU Skin, for the I'Ic.11 nrc there more niime* roiis thin the (iiiiM^ ofSnul. I am inform\l> that the N.itivci ot' chb Pl.uc make the bwU ^uldic-rs in the Country Three f .en^'ies fiighcr wc cntcrM St Pctcr*i F.nkc^ which is fix I, Clones lonn;, atul h..d Diificulty enough in (.rolling it ; for the frequent Cnlms r.bli^'d us to raft Anchor feveral times. It receives three at four Riven that abounrf with I'ifh ; upon the Mouth of which, I dtlnyM with my 'lelcfcope very fine I Ionics. 'J'o^vards the I'vening wc fhil'd out of that f.akc with a frcHi lualterly Gale; and thouc»h we hoiftcd up all omt SaiN, the Current run lo ftroOj^' againll us, th.»t 'cwas three I loun before wc could make Sorely which was two imall Leagues off! Screl is a Canton of four T.eagucs in Front, in the Neighbourhoo V . S, to ?Sor//> America. 27 fttaUy, N^hcn they are made of the Bark of the Birch-trcc, which tomes oft* with hot Water in the Winter time. '1 he pre.iicft Trees afford the hc(t Barks for Canows; but oftentimes the Bark of one Tree is not fufTicient. The Bottom of the Bon is all of one Piece, to which the Sides arc Co artfully lew'd by the Savaj^es, that the whole Boat appears as one continu'd Bark. They arc trimm'd and ftrengthcn'd vvitii Wicker Wreaths, and Ribs ofCc- iiar-Wood, which are almoft as light as Cork ; the Wreaths arc as thick as a Crown-piece , but the Bark has the Thicknefs of two Crowns, and the Ribs are as thick as three. On the two Sides of the Boat, there run from one End to the other two principal Head-bars, in which the Jjids of the Ribs are inchas'd, and in v.hich the Spars arc made fAi^^ that run acrofs the Boat and keep it compadV. Thefe Boats have twenty Inches in Depth, that is from the upper Edge to the Platform of the Ribs i their Length extends to twenty eight Foot, and the Width at the middle Rib is computed to be four Foot and a half. They are very convenient upon the Ac- count of their extream Lightnefs, and the drawing; of very little Water; but at the lame time, their brittle and tender Fabrick, is an Argu.nncnt of an equivalent Inconveniency ; for if they do but touch or grate upon Stone or Sand, the Cracks of the Bark fly open, upon which the Water gets in, and fpoils the Provifions and Merchandize : Every Day there is fome new Chink or Seam to be gamm'd over. At Night they are always unloaded, and carried on Shoar where they are made £ift with Pegs, left the Wind (hould blow 'em away ; For they arc io light that two Men carry 'em upon their Shoulders with Eafe. This Conveniency of Lighcnefs and ealy Carriage, renders 'em very ferviceable in the Rivers o't Canada^ which are full of Catarads, W^ater-falls, and Currents : For iivthefe Rivers we are objig'd cither to traniport 'em 1 8 Some Netv Voyajies 'cm over Land where fuch Obllrudtioiis happen, or cKc to tow Vm along where the Cnrrrnt is not ovcr- rapiJ, and rhc Shoir is acrcffible. Thclc Boats are of no Ulc for the Navigation of I.nkcs j for the Waves would (wallow cm up, if tlicy could not reach the Shoar when a Wind ariles. *I'is true the Inhabitants venture in 'cm for four or five Leagues from one Illand to another ; but then tis always in calm Weather, and nothing is made Ufe of but Ous ; for bcfidcs the Rifque of bcin^y ovcr-fet, the Gooila are in Danger of being dimig'd by the Water, cfpe- cially the Furs, which are the moO valuable Part of the Cargoe. When the Seafbn (crvcs, they carry little Sails j tut if the Wind be but a little briN^, tho' they run right afore it, 'tis impoffiblc to m.'.kc any Ufe of it without running the Rifquf! of Ship- wreck. If their Courlc lies diredtly South, they cannot put up Sail without the Wind ftands at one of the eight Points, between North-weft and North- Eaft ; and if a Wind happens to fpring any where clfe, (unlcfs it comes from the /.and which tlcy coaft along) they are oblig'd to put in to the Shoar with all polTiblc Expedition, and unload the Boat out of hand, till fuch Time as a Calm returns. As for the working of thcfe Boats, the Canow- Men ply fometimcs on their Knees, namely, when they run down the tmall Water-falls ; fometimcs ftanding, when they ftcm a Current by fetting the Boat along with Poles; and fometimcs fitting, liz. in fmooth and ftagnating Water. The Oars they make ufe of arc made of Maple- wood, and their Form is reprefented in the annex'd Cut. The Blade of the Oar is twenty Inches long, dx Inches broad, and four Lines thick : The Handle is about three Foot long, and as big as a Pigeons Egg. When they have Occafion to run up againft rapid Currents, they make ufe of Poles made of Pine- wood i and the letting of the Boat along with theiV, is ^/ to Nor/^-America. »9 is w!iat they c.ill Piquet dc fmi. The Canowj have neither Stern iior Frow, for they run to a Foint at both rinds : Neither hive they Keels, Naiis or Ta^s in the whole Strudurc. 'J he Stcci fman, or he \^lio Conns the Boat, rows without Interruption a^ well as the reft. The common Purchafc oi luch a Iloat is eighty Crowns > but it doe$ not lail above five or fix Years. This Day I have rccciv*d Advice, that Mr. ck U Barre has rais'd the Militia in the Neighbourhood of Quebec ^ and that the Governor of this Ifland has re- ceived Orders to have that of the adjacent Cantons in Readinefs to march. I am, S IK^ Tciii's^ &c. LETTER VII. Dated at Monrealy Nov. 2, 1684. Defcribhig the ConrfcoftheRiver of St, Lawrence, from Monrcal to the fir fi great Lake tj/ Cana- da j with the f^Vater-fallsy Catara^j^ amiNavi" gat ton of that River : jis alfo Fort Frontcnac, iwd the Ahantages that accrue jrom it. 7«- gether with a circumflantial jiccoimt of the Expedition of Mr. de la Barre, the Governor^ General againfi the Iroquefe ; the Speeches he made^ the Replies he receiv\iy and the final Accommodation of the Difference, SIR, THank God I have finifhM this Campaign, and I am now returned in Safety to this Place. To prelent you with the Hiftory of our Campaign, be pkas*d ^o Some ?\CTJ t'oyaj^ei plc'isM to know th.it in two or three Dnvj after the )).itc()t*my laft, I iml).»rqti'd on beard of n O- nuw th.it wns uork'd l>y thrtc expert Cnnow Men. Jivcry Cinow eont.iind two Solditrj; and wc all row u up aganiii the Current of the River till we arriv'd at S^ii't dc St. Umis^ about three Leagues above this Town, whi( h is a little Water-fall, but fo rapid that our Watermen were forc'd ro ftand in the Waier up to their Middle, in order to drag the Canows apainft the Stream for half a cjuirtcr nfa League. We rcimbarqu'd above this Pai.s, and row'd about twelve Leagues up the River, and thro' the L ikcof Sr. Lrtiix^ till wcarriv*d at a Place callV the Oifcadcs^ where we were forc'd to turn out and carry our Boats and Baggage over Land, about half a quarter of a League, "lis true, wc mij^ht have tow'd our Boats ag.inft the Stream in this Phice with feme Labour j but there was a Catarad a Uttle above it, which they call le Catarafie ciit Iron. I had taken up a Notion that the only Difficulty of iailing up the River, confiftcd in the Trouble of Land-carriage: but when I came to be a Spectator of the Matter, I found that the Stemming of the Currents whether in towing of the Canows, or in letting them along with Poles, was equally labori- ous. About five or fix Leagues higher we came to the Wat:r-falls call'd Saitts des Cedrcs^ and dtt Buif-* fon^ where wc were forc'd to tranfport our Boats five hundred paces over Land. Some Leagues above that, we enter'd the Lake of St. Francis^ which is faid to be twenty Leagues in Circumference ; and having crols'd it, met with as ftrong Currents as before, particularly at a Fall call'd Lon^ Saut, where we had recourse to Land-carriage for half a League. Then we were forc'd to drag up the Boats againft the rapid Stream ; and after a great deal of Fatigue came at laft to a Pafs call'd la Galete^ from whence we iiad but twenty Leagues failing to Fort Fronte"- tiac. to 2sor//j- America. 1« IMC, This P.ili wai the I lO DifTiculry \vc h.ul to liirmounti fjf above it the Water \\:\s i\h llill as thu ot a i'ool, and tfitn our \\ .kttrmtn p')M with their Can inltciil o{ VoUi. The Mirm^otmi.*^ v,\\UU wc rail Mict'j:^rSy arc un- fuffcraMy trouhlclomciii ;ill the Couiitrus o^ Cnia^ d(t. \\ c were haimttil with iiich CUmuIs oI *ctn, th it wc thought to I'cc't up i ai!cl imoakiiir; h(.ii»'; the only Amrur that could keep 'cm olF, tlic Remedy was worli.' than the Diieafc; In the Night-time the People flicltcr themlllvcs from *cm in Ilowers or Arbours, made after the f()llowing Manner. They drive into the Ground Stakes or little Branches of Trees, at a certain Diftantc one from a: orhtr, !•) as to form a lemicircular I'igurc i in wiiitJi thev put a Quilt and Bedrloaths, covering it above W'th a large Sheet that falls down to the Ground on all fidr*', and lb hinders the lnle<5ts to enter. Wc landed at I'ort Frontcuac after twenty Days fiiling; and immediately upon our Arrival, }-\r. /J//M our Commander in chief, vicw'd the Foi'ifi- cationsofthe Place, and three large Barques that lay at Anchor in the Port. W^c rcpair*d the Fortifi- cations in a very little time, and fitted up the three Barques. This Fort was a Square, confiding of Li-;7e Curtains flunked with four little Baftions; thcle Flanks had but two Battlements, and the Walls were lb low, that one might eafily climb upon 'em with- out a Ladder. After Mr. de ii Salic concluded the Peace with the Iroqueje, the Kin^^ befK. v'J upon him and his Heirs the Property of this Ira^ej but he was Co negligent, that inftead of enriching hiinfclf by the Commerce it might have uforded, he was confiderably out of Pocket upo i it. 'I'o my Mind this Fort is fituated very advanta<^eoufly for a Trade with the five !rnqucfe Nations : For their Villages lye in the Neighbourhood of the L^ke^ upon w hich they may traniport their Furs in Canows with nnore liafe, 3 2 Some New Voyages Eafe, than they can carry *em over Land to A^^- Tork. In time of War I take it to be indefendble 5 for the Cataradls and Currents of the River are fuch, that fifty Iroqttefe miy there ftop five hundred French^ without any other Arms but Stones. Do but con- fider, Sir, that for twenty Leagues together the River is fo rapid, that we dare not fet the Canow four Paces off the Shoar; Befides Canada being no- thing but a Foreft, as 1 intimated above, 'tis im- pofTible to travel there without falling every Foot into Ambufcades, efpeciaily upon the fianks of this River, which are lin'd with thick Woods, that ren- der 'em inacceffible. None but the Savages can skip from Rock to Rock, and Icour thro' the Thickets, as 5f 'twere an open Field. If we were capable of fuch Adventures, we might march five or fix hundred Men by Land to guard '^e Canows that carry the Provifions ; but at the lame time 'tis to be con- lidcr'd, that before they arriv'd at the Fort, they would confume more Provifions than the Canows can carry ; not to mention that the Iroquefe would flill out-number 'em. As to the Particulars relating to the Fort, I Ihall take notice of 'em when I come to give a general Defcription oi NeiL-France. While we continued at Fori Frontenac^ the Iroquefe who live at Gancoujfe and ^nenti^ at the diftance of feven or eight Leagues from thence, threw in upon us Harts, Roe-bucks, Turkeys and Fifti; in Ex- change for Needles, Knives, Powder and Ball. To- wards the End of Aiiguft Mr. de la Bane join'd usj but he was dangeroufly ill of a Fever, which rag'd in like manner among moft of his Militia j lb that only our three Companies were free from Sicknefs. This Fever was of the intermitting kind; and the convulfive Motions, Tremblings, and Frequency of the Pulfs that attended the cold Fit, were fo violent, that moft of our fick Men dy'd in the fecond or third Fit. Their Blood jvas of to Aorf/5- America- r> rom tting ings, cold Men i y/as of of a blackifli brown Colour, and tainted with a fort of yellowifh Serum, not unlike Pus or corrupt Mat- ter. Mr. de la ]] im^s Phyfician, who in my Opinion knew as little of the true Caules of Fevers as Hippo^ crates or Galeu^ and a Hundred Thoufand befides ; this mighty Phyfician, I fay, pretending to trace the Caufc of the Fever I now fpeak of, imputed it to the unfiwourable Qiialities of the Air and the Aliment. His Plea was, that the exceflive Heat of the Seafon, put the Vapours or Exhalations into an over-rapid Motion j that the Air was Co over-rare- fy 'd, that we did not fuck in a fufficient Quantity of it; that the fmall (Quantity we did receive, w^s load- ed with lnfe<5ls and impure Corpufculum's, which the fatal Neceflity of Refpiration oblig'd us to fwal- low ; and that by this means Nature was put into Diforder : He added, that the Ufe of Brandy and fait Meat fowr*d the Blood i that this Sowrncfs occafion'd a fort of Coagulation of the Chyle and Blood ; that the Coagulation hindred it to circulate thro' the Heart with a due Degree of Celerity ; and that thereupon there infued an extraordinary Fer- mentation, which is nothing elfe but a Fever. But after all, to my mind this Gentleman's Syftem wa^ too much upon the Iroquefe Strain ; for at that rate the Diftemper muft have feiz'd all without Diflinc- tion, whereas neither our Soldiers noi\the Sealbn'd Canadans were troubled with it ; for it raged only among the Militia, who being unacquainted with the Way of letting the Boats with Poles, were forc'd at every turn to get into the Water and drag 'em np againll the rapid Stream : Now, the Waters of that Country being naturally cold, and the Heat being exceflive, the Blood might thereupon freeze by way oi ArstiperiJlafiSy and fo occafion the Fever I ipeak of, purluant to the common Maxim, Om- nis rspentina mutatio eft perictdofay i. e. All fudden Changes are of dangerous Confequsms, D Ai 5 4 Some Tsenv Voyages ' As foon as Mr. de la Bane recovered, he imbarqu'd in order to continue his March ; tho' he might have cafily known, that after halting fourteen or fifteen Days at that Fort, when the Seafon was fo fir ad- vanc'd, he could not pretend to compafs the End of his Expedition. We row'd Night and Day, the Weather being very calm, and in five or fix Days came before the River oi Famifie^ where we were forc'd to put in upon the Apprehenfion of a Storm. Here we met with a Canow that Mr. Dulbut had fent from MiJJilimakinac^ with Advice, that purfu- ant to Orders he had engag'd the Hurons^ Outanui^s^ and fome other People, to join his Army ; in which he had above two hundred brave ♦5MCoureu^s * porcfl: Rangcrs. Thefe News were tL/I""* '" * " ^^^y acceptable to Mr. de la Barre; but at the fame time he was very much perplex'd j for I'm perfuaded he repented oftner than once, of his entring upon an Expedi- tion that he forefaw would prove luccefslefs ; and to aggravate the Danger of his Enterprize, the /ro- gue/e hnd at that time an Opportimity to fall upon us. In fine, after a mature Confideration of the Confequences, and of the Difficulties chat ftood in the Way, he lent back the Canow to Mr. Dulhut^ withOrders to difinifs the Foreft Rangers anu Sava- ges immediately, where-ever he was, and by all means lo avoid the approaching to his Trc»ops. By good luck Mr. Dnlhut had not yet rcach'd Niagfaa^ when he rccciv'd ihele Orders j with which the Sa- vages that arcompany'd him were lb dififatisfied, that they thic vr out all manner of Invedives againft the French Nation. As foon as Mr. do Li Barre had difpatch'd this Canow, he fent Mr. Ic Motne to the Village of the Onnontagnes^ which hy about eighteen Leagues up the River. This Mr. k Moine was a Gentleman of Kormandy^ and highly efleem'd by the Iroqucfe, .who call'd to Korth-hmzncz. 3^ call'd him Akoncjfan^ \. c. the Psrtridge. His Oider^ were, to endeavour by all means to brinj» along with him Ibme of the Old-ftanders of that Nation j and accordingly he returned in a few Days, accom- pany'd with one of their rr.uO: confiderable Gran- dees, who had a Train of thirty young Warriors, and was diftinguifti'd by the Title of the Grangula, As foon as he debarqucd, Mr. de la Barre fent him a Prefent of Bread and Wine, and of thirty Sal- mon-Trouts, which they filh'd in that Place in fuch Plenty, that they brought up a hundred ac one Call of a Net: At the lame time he gave the Grandee to underftand, that he congratulated his Arrival, and would be glad to have an Interview with him after he had rcftcd himftlf for fome Days. You muft know that he had us'd the Precaution of fend- ing the Sick back to the Colony, that the Iroqtiefo might not perceive the Wcaknefs of his Forces ; and to favour the Stacagem, Mr. le Moine rcprefented to the Granguhi'y that the Body of the Army was left behind at Fore Frontenac^ and that the Troops he faw in our Camp, where the General's Guards. But unhappily one of the iroojicfc that had a Smattering of the French Tongue, having ftroul'd in the Night- time towards our Tents, over-heard what we (aid, and fo reveal'd the Secret. Two Days after their Arrival, the Grangnla gave notice to Mr. de la Barre that he was ready for an Interview j and according- ly an Hour being appointed, the v7hole Company appeared as the Figure rcprclents it. The Grangula i[\t on the Eaft fide, being plac*d at the Head of his Men, with his Pipe in his Mouth, and the great Calumet of Peace before him. He was very attentive to the following Harangue, pro- nounc*d by our Interpreters ; which you cannot v/ell underftand, without a previous Explication of the Calumet^ and the Colters that it mentions. ,f.M D 2 The ^^ Some New Voyages The Olumet of Peace is made of certain Stones, or of Marble, whether red, black, or white. The Pipe or Stalk is four or five Foot long ; the Body of the Calumet is eight Inches long, and the Mouth or Head in which the Tobacco is lodg*d, is three Inches in length -, its Figure approaches to that of a Hammer. The red Calumets are moft eftcem'd. The Savages make ufe of 'em for Negotiations and State Affairs, and efpecially in Voyages ; for when they have a Calumet in their Hand, they go where they will in Safety. The Calumet is trimm'd with yellow, white and green Feathers, and has the fame effedb among the Savages, that the Flag of Friend- fhip has amongft us ; for to violate the Rights of this venerable Pipe, is among them a flaming Crime, that will draw down Mifchici Jpon their Nations. As for the Colters^ they ^rt certain Swathes of two or three Foot in length, and fix Inches in breadth ; being deck*d with little Beads made of a certain fort of Shells that they find upon the Sea-flioar, between New-Tor k and Virginia. Thele Beads are round, and as thick as a little Pea ; but they are twice as long as a Grain of Corn : Their Colour is either blue or whice ; and they are bor'd thro' juft like Pearl, being ran after the fame manner upon Strings that lye fideways one to another. Without the Inter- vention of thele Colters^ there's no Budneis to be negotiated with the Savages; for being altogether unacquainted with Writing, they make ufe of thera for Contrails and Obligations. Sometimes they keep for an Age the Colters that they have received from their Neighbours j and in regard thaf every Colter has \u peculiar Mark, they Jearn from the old Perfons, the Circumftances of the Time and Place in which they were deliver'd ; but after that Age is over, they are made ufe of for new Treaties. t(* 'JV m as to North' America. 37 Mr, dc la Barre'j Harangue^ was to ibis Ptirpofe. ' The King, my Maftcr, being inform'd that the five Iroquefe Nations have for a long Time madejinfradions upon the Meafurcs of Peace, or- dered me to come hither with a Guard, and to fend Akouejfan to the Canton of the Onuota^ncsy in order to an Interview with their principal Lea- ders, in the Neighbourhood of my Camp. This great Monarch means, that you and I fhould fmoak together in the great Calumst of Peace, with the Provifo, that you ingage in the Name of the TjonmutouanSy Goyoguans^ Omtotagues^ Onnoy' otites^ and Agn'tes^ to make Reparation to his Sub- jeds, and to be guilty of nothing for the future, that may occafion a fatal Rupture. ' The Tfomtotttouam^ Goyogouans^ Onnotagies^ On- myotites andAgnics^ have ftrip'd, rob'd, and abus'd all the Foreft-R angers, that travel' d in the way of Trade to the Country of the llliuefe^ of the Otimamis^ and feveral other Nations, who are my Mailer's Children. Now this Ufage being in high Violationof the Treaties of Peace concluded with my Predeceflbr, I am commanded to demand Re- paration, and at the fame time to declare, that in cafe of their Refufal to comply with my De- mands, or of relapfing into the like Rpbberies, War is pofitively proclaim'd. ^his Colier viakes my Words good. * The Warriors of thefe five Nations haveintro- duc'd the EiigliJJj to the Lakes, belonging to the King my Mailer, and into the Country of thofe Nations to whom my Mafter is a Father : This they have done with a Defign to ruin the Com- merce of his Subjefts,and to oblige thefe Nations to depart from theirdueAllegiancejnotwithftandin^ the Re]{nonftrances of the late Governor of New- D 5 2brk, I ; •]t I 3 8 Some Keiv Voyages ' Tork^ who faw thro* the Danger that both they * and the Englijh exposed thcmlclvcs to. At pre- ' lent I am willing to forget thofe Adionsj but if * ever you be guilty of the like for the future, I ' have exprefs Orders to declare War. ^his Colicr warrants my l^Vords. * The fanne Warriors have made feveral barba- rous Incurfions upon the Country of the Illinefe^ and the Oumamis. They have mallacred Men, Women, and Children ^ they have took, bound, and carried off an infinite Number of the Natives of thofe Countries, who thought themfelves ie- ciire in their VilKiges in a time of Peace. Thefe People are my Mafter's Children, and therefore mult hereafter ceafe to be your Slaves. I charge you to rcftore 'ern to their Liberty, and to fend em home 'without Delay j for if the five Nations refule to comply with this Demand, 1 have cxprels Orders to declare W ar. ^bis Colicr makes my Words gocd. ' This is all I had to fay to the Graugula^ whonri ' I defire to report to the five Nations, this Decla- * ration, that my Mafter commanded me to make. ' He wifhes they had not oblig'd him to * The French « fend a potent Army to the Fort of * Q?- ^ taracouy^ in order to carry on a War ^ that will prove fatal to them : And he will be very much troubled, if it {o falls out, that this Forr, which is a Work of Peace, muft be imploy*d for a Prifon to your Mijitia. Ihefe Mifchicfs pught to be prevented by mutual fndea- vours: The French who are the Brethren and Friends of the five Nations, will never difturb their Hepofej provided they make the Satisfac- tion Inow demand^ and prove religious Obfervers of their Tr^atie^. I wilh my Words may pro- ^ duce call it Tort Frontcnac. c c ( & IS to Aor/Z^- America. ?9 c c c duce the defir'd liflTed j for if they do not, 1 am oblig'd to join the Governor of Nc^ui-llrk^ who h.is Orders from the King his Mafter, loniliil me to burn the five Villages, and cut you off. ^bis Colicr confirms vty irord. Wiiile Mt. de la Barres Interpreter pronounc'd this Harangue, the GrmgtUa did nothing but look'd upon the Knd of his Pipe : After the Speech was ftnifli'd, he rofc, and having took five or fix Turns in the Ring that the French and the Savages made, he retnrn'd to his Place, and (landing upright fpoke after the following manner to the General, who lat ' in his Chair of Statu. ' t OnnontiCy 1 honour you, and o\\ ^ This Title they ' the Warriors that accompany me do ^'Z. '" ^['' , 1'!/ c , r tr r I I 1'crnor - iieucral the lame: Your Interpreter has made <,/ Canada. * an end of his Dilcourfe, and now ' 1 come to begin mine. My Voice glides to your ' Ear, pray lift en to my Words. ^ ' OnncntiOy in fetting out from ^chec, you muft ' needs have fancy 'd that the Icorching Beams of ' the Sun had burnt down the Forcfts which render *■ our Country unacceflibie to the French ; or elfe ' that the Inundations of the Lake had furrounded ' our Cottages, and confin*d us as Frifoners. This ' certainly was your Thought • and it could be no- ' thing elfe but the Curiofity of feeing a burnt or ^ drown'd Country, that mov'd you to undertake ' a Journey hither. But now you have an Oppor- ' tunity of being undeceiv'd, for 1 and my warlike * Retinue come to affure you, that the Tfonontou- * ans^ Goyogouans^ Onnotagues^ Onnoyoutes and ' ylgniesy are not yet deftroy'd. I return you thanks ' in their Name, for bringing into their Country * the Calumet of Peace, that your Predeceffor re- * ceiv'd from their Hands. At the fame time I P 4 ' coi;^- :,! >! I I I t c 46 Some New Voyages * congratulate your Happincfj, in hav- ^ Burying th < ing itft undcr Ground f the bloody tlJf ' A^^» ^hat has been ib ofcen dy'd with * the Blood of the Frcucb. I muft t<:ll * you, Onnontio^ 1 am not aflctp, my Kycs arc open j and the Sun that vouchlafes the Light, gives mc a clear View of a great Captain at the Head of a Troop of Soldiers, whofpcaks as if he were afleep. He pretends that he docs not ap- proach to this Lake with any other View, than to iraoak with the Omcta^ti^s in the great Cr///- met-, but the Grauptla )kx\o\vs better things, he (^zts plainly thnt the Oumntio inenn'd to knock 'em on the Head? if the Fnucb Arms had not been io much weakcn'd. ' I perceive that the Onuontio rav^s in a Camp of fick People, whofe Lives the grc.it Spirit has fav'd, by vifiting them with Infirmities. Do you hear, Onuontio^ our Woipen had took up their Clubs; and the Children and the old Men, had vifited your Camp with their Bows, and Arrows, if our Warlike Men had not flop'd and difarm'd them, when Akouejfau your AmbaiT.dor appcar'd befor^ my Village. But I have done, TH talk no more of that. ' If oil muft know, Onuontio^ we have robb*d no French Meu^ but thole who fupply'd the I/lificf^ and the Oumamts (our Enemies) with Fufees, with Powder, and with Ball: Thefe indeed we took: care of, bccaufcfuch Arms might have coft us our Life. 0\ir Condu(5l in that Point is of a Piece witli that of the Jefuits, who ftave all the Barrels of Brandy that are brought to our Cantons, left the People getting drunk fhould knock them in the Head. Our Warriors have no Beavers to give in Exchange for all the Arms they take from the French^ and as for the Old ibperannuated People^ they do not think of bearing Arms. ' to N»r/j&- America. 4» ft bis Colicr compreb$nds my IVerd. * Wc have conduced the Ettf^lijb to • ^(y pr'ttni our * Lakes, in order to traffick with '^^2 uC the Outaouas^ and the Huron s j jull as the yJigojtkius conduced the French to our five Can- tons, in order to carry on a Commerce that the En^ltjh lay claim to as their Right. We are born Freemen, and have noDependance either upon the Onnontio or the f Corlar. We have a Power to go where we pleafe, to con- t Corlar /; the dud who we will to the Places we re- o>i/'r«{/ of fort to, and to buy and fell where New- York; we think fit. If your Allies are your Slaves or Children, you may e'en treat 'cm as fuch, and rob 'em of the Liberty of entertaining any other Nation but your own, ftbis Colicr contains my Ifhrd. . * We fell upon the IWnefe and the Oumamis^ bc- caufe they cut down the Trees of Peace that fcrv*d for Limits or Boundaries to our Frontiers. They came to hunt Beavers upon our Lands j and con- trary to the Cuftom of all the Sava- ges, have carried off whole Stocks, + both Male and Female. They have ingag'd the Cbaouanons in their Inte- reft-, and entertained 'em in their Country. They fupply'd Fire-Arms, after the concerting of ill Defigns againll: us. We have done '* lefs than the Englifi and the French^ who without any Right, have ufurp'd the Grounds they are now p.oflfcrs'd of J and of which they have dif- lodg'd feveral. Nations, in order- to make way for their building of Cities^ Villages and Forts. ■• •■ ' '■^^' ■■'■.•■•- '■ j^/j ^ Among the Sava^di 'tis n capital Crime to tle- flroy all the 'em with ^^'»^;^''^ "/ « Hittletneut* I M * In frring tht Axe, fignijicf the making of M Ptace i and the tiigging of it up, imports m Declaration •fWar. 42 Some New Voyages ' ^bis Colier contains my Word.' * I give you to know, Onnontio^ that my Voice • is the Voice of the five Iroquefe Cantons. This is • their Anfwcr, pray incline your liar, and liftcn • to what ihcy rcprcfcnt. * The ^fonontouans^ Coyc^ouans^ Omwta^tKs^ Onmyoutes^ and Annies declare, that they interred * the Axe at Cataracnuy^ in the Prcfcnce of your Predcccflbr, in the very Center of the Fort ; and planted the Tree of Peace in the lame Place, that it might be carefully pre- ferv'dj that 'twas then ftipulated, that the Fort fhould be us'd as a Place of Retreat for Merchants, and not a Refuge for Sol- diers ; and that inftead of Arms and Ammuni- tion, it fhould be mide a Receptacle of only Bea- ver-Skins, and Merchandize Goods. Be it known to you, Onnontio, that for the future you ought to take Care, that fo great a Number of Martial- Men as I now It'c, being fhut up in Co fmall a Fort, do not ftiflc and choak the Tree of Peace. Since it took Root lb cafily, it muft needs be of perni- cious Coniequencc to ftop its Growth, and hin- der it to (hade both your Country and ours with its Leaves. I do aflfurc you, in the Name of the five Nations, that our Warriors fhall dance the Calumet Dance under its Branches j chat they (hall ' reft in Tranquillity upon their Tf'is Thritfe < ^ Matts, and will never dig up the fZlT'^ ' ^^^,^<^ '^"^ ^0^" ^^^ Tree of Peace, ' till fuch time as the Ounontio and the Corlar^ do either jointly or leparately offer to in- vade the Country, that the great Spirit has di(^ pos'd of in the favour of our Anceftors. j7j IS i /r./ , *' 'fh* i',nt»tf0 4. i. 4. ^ 4. 4. 4. '^ 4.4.4.9^4*^.4 4. 4.4.4.4. tt ^' '^'- '-^ tt • 44. HAIUIKS ■ i.4. 4.4. ('\Ml> 4.ik 44. 44k '44.' . ' 44 44^444 X 444444 '4444 44 !m 444 444. , /ilt-ifirhf ^ lut i/'tvt.-r •■■iifi i'fp{'t.f m 1 7Ae ili/unut iy'/yeaee \\ ^. »///» mrnl HdttM^ ti'ffff^'J' L*/"*** V,.. J'jttil' lo North' Amct'iOi. 43 ^his Collcr contains my Hord-, and tbt other comprt* bends the Pouier granted to me by the Jive Na- tions. , ! Then the Cranguta addrcfs'd himrdfco Mr. /# MoinCj and fp jKc to this Purpoie. • /tk"tffun^ take I Icart, vou arc a Atan of Senfe j fpeak and explain my Meaning j be lure you forget nothing, but declare all that thy brethren and thy Friends rcpn lent to thy chief Onnoutto^ by the Voice of the (IrauguLi^ who pays you all Honour and Relpcdt, and invites you to accept of this Prelent i)f Beavers, and to afTift at his FeaO: innmcdiately. ' 1 his other Prcfcnt of Beavers is fcnt by the * five Nations * > the Onnontio. As foon as iiie Grangula had done, Mr. le Moine and the Jefuits that were prelent, cxplain'd his An- Iwcr to Mr. cie la Harre^ who thereupon retir*d to his Tent and ilorm'd and blufter'd, 'till fome body came and reprefented to him, that, Iroca Progenies uefcit habere modes ^ i. e. 'the Iroquefe are always up^ on Extreanis. The (irangtila danc'd after the Iroquefe manner, by way of Prelude to hi^lintertainmentj after which he rcgaTd fcvcral of the French. Two Days after he and his Martial Retinue return'd to their own Country, and our Army let out for3fo«- Yeal. As foon as the General was on board, toge- ther with the few healthy Men that remained, the Canows were dilpers'd, for the Militia draggled here and there, and every one made the beft of his way- home. Our three Companies indeed kept together, becaufe all of us^ both O'fficers and Soldiers, were carried in flat-bottom'd Boats, made of Deal on purpofe for our Ufe. However, I could have \yi(h'd to have run down the Falls and Catarads in 44 Some Nenv Voyages in the fame Canow that brought me up, for every body thought we ihould have been cad: away at iheie Paifes, which are full of Eddies and Rocks ; and 'twas never heard before, that fuch Precipices were pafs'd with Deal Boats either upwards or downwards. But we were forc'd to run all Hazards, and had certainly been fwallow'd up in thofe Moun- tains of Water, if we bad not oblig*d (everal Ca- nows to (hoot theCataradts at the head of our Boats, in order to (hew us the Way, at the fame time we had prepar'd our Soldiers for rowing and fhieving upon Occalion. Do but confider, Sir, that the Currents run as fafl as a Cannon Ball .* and that one falfe Stroak of the Oar, would have run us unavoid- ably upon the Rocks ; for we are oblig'd to fleer a Zig-zag Courfe purfuant to theThread of the Stream, which has fifty Windings. The Boats which are loaded, are fometimes lofl in thofe Places. But af- ter all, tho' the R if que we run be very great, yet by way of Compenfation, one has the Satisfadtion of running a great Way in a little Time 3 for we run from Galete to this Town in two Days time, notwithflanding that we crols'd the two flagnating Lakes I took notice of before. As foon as we landed, we receiv*d Advice that the Chevalier de Callieres was pome to fupply the room of Mr. Pcrrot^ the Governor of this Place. Mr. Perot J has had fcveral Scuffles with Mr. de Fron^ tenac^ and Mr.de la Barre-^ of which you may ex- pe6fc a farther Account, when I am better inform'd. All the World blames our General for his bad Suc- cefs: 'Tis talk'd publickly, that his only Defign was to cover the fending of feveral Canows to craffick with the Savages in thofe Lakes for Beaver-Skins. ' The People here, are very bufy in wafting over to Court a thoufand Calumnies againfl him ; both the Clergy and the Gentlemen of the long Robe, write! to his Diiadvantagc. Tho* after all, the whola * Charge to North'AmetkA. 45 Charge is faKe^ for the poor Man could do no more than ne did. Juft now, I was inforrn*d that Mr. Hainaut^ Mr. Montortier^ and Mr. Diirivau^ three Captains of Ships, are arriv'd at Quebec, with a Defign to pafs the Winter there, and to aflift him as Counieilors -, and that the lafl of thefe three has brought with him an Independent Company, to be commanded by himfelf. I (haM have no Opportunity of writing again be- fore the next Spring ^ for the lafl Ships that are to return for France this Year, are now ready to Sail. I amy SIRy 7ourSy &c. LETTER VIII. Dated at Monreal^ June -^S. 1685. Reprefenting the Fortifications of Monreal, and the ijidifcreet Zeal of the Prtejis^ who are Lords of that ^own: With a Defer ipt ion of Chambli, and of the Commerce of the Savages upon the great Lakes. SIRy IHave juft receiv'd yours, by a (mail Veflel of Bourdeaux^ loaded with Wine 5 which is thefirft that came to ^elec this Year. I am mightily pleas'd to hear that the King has granted to Mr. ds la Salle four Ships, to go upon the Difcovery of the Mouth of the MiJJifipi-^ and cannot but admire your Curio- fity, in defiring to know the Occurrences of this Place, and how I Ipent my Time in the W^inter. Mr. de Callieres was no Iboner poifefs'd of his Go- vernment, than he ordered all the Inhabitants of this Town, and of the adjacent Country, to cut down and bring in great Stakes, of fifteen Foot in length, to 3 46 Some New Voyages to fortify the Town. During the Winter, thefe Or- ders were purfucd with fo much Application, that all things are now ready for making the Inclolurej in which five or fix hundred Men are to be imploy'd. I fpentPart of the Winter in Hunting with the ^l- gonkius^ in order to a more perfedl Knowledge of their Language ; and the red I fpent in this Place, with a great deal of Uneafmcis: for, here we can- not enjoy our felves, either at Play, or in vifiting the Ladies, but 'tis prefently carried to the Cu- rate's Ears, who takes publick notice of it in the Pulpit. His Zeal goes fo far, as even to name the Perfbns j and fmce he refufes the Sacrament of the Holy Supper to Ladies of Quality, upon themoft flender Pretences, you may ealily guefs at the other Steps of his Indiicretiort. Yon cannot imagine to what a pitch thefe Ecclefiaftical Lords have fcrew'd their Authority: They excommunicate ail the Masks, and where-ever they fpy 'em, they run after 'em to uncover their Faces, and abufc 'em in a re- proachful Manner; In fine, they have a more watch- ful Eye over the Conduft of the Girls and married Women, than their Fathers and Husbands have. They cry out againft thofe that do not receive the Sacrament once a Month j and at Eajter they oblige all Ibrts of Perlbns to pive in Bills to their Confcifors. They prohibit and burn all the Books that treat of any other Subjed but Devotion V\'hen 1 think of this Tyranny, I cannot but be inrag'd at the imper- tinent Zeal of the Curate of 'his City. This inhu- man Fellow came one Dnv to my Lodging, and finding the Romance ^^f the Adverirurci; o^Petronius upon my Table, he fell upon ;t \virh an unimagina- ble Fury, and tore out almoll ,ill the Leaves. This Book I valued more than my I^ife, becauie 'twas not caftrated ; and indeed I v ns 10 provok'd when 1 faw it all in VVreck, that if my Landlord had not h.;ld mCj I had gone immediately to that furbuknt Pii- llor*i ■$ to North' AmetlcA. 4r ftor's Houfc, and would h.ive pluck'd out the Hairs of his Beard with as little Mercy as he did the Leaves of my Book. Thefc Animals cannot content them- fclvcs with the ftudying of Mens Adions, but they muft likewife dive into their 1 houghts. By this Sketch, Sir, you may judge what a pleafant Life we lead here. The 3och of the laft March the Ice melted; and the River being then open, I was fent with a fmall Detachment to Cbambli : for commonly the Sun re- fumes its Vigour here much about that Time. Cbam- bli ftands on the Brink of a Bafin, about five or fix Leagues off this Place : That Balin is two Leagues in Circumference, and receives the Lake cf Champlam by a Water- fall that is a League and a half in length ; out of which there arifes a River that difcmbogues at 6'or^/ into the Kiver of St. Laurence, as 1 intimated above in my fourth Letter, In former times this Place had a great Trade in Beaver-skins, which is now decay 'd : for the Soccokis, the Mabin^ans, and the Openangos, us'd formerly to rcfort thither in Shoals, to exchange their Furs for other Goods • but at prefent they are retir'd to the EngliJhCo\cr\\ts^ to avoid the Purluit of the/rc^//^/t?.The Cbampla:u'L?ikc^ which lies above that Water-fall, is eighty Leagues in Circumference. At the End of this Lake we met with another, call'd S. Sacrament, by which one may go very eafily to Ne-jj-Tork, there being but a Land-car- riage of two Leagues from thence to the River Du Fer.. which falls into the Manathe. While I was at Cbambli, I favv twoCanows loaded with Beaver-skins pafs privately by that way, and 'twas thought they were fent thither by Mr. de la Barre. This fmugg- ling way of Trade is exprelly prohibited : For they are oblig'd to carry thele Skins before the Office of the Company, where they are rated at an Hundred and 60 per Cent. ^{^ than the EJiglifi buy 'em at in their Colonies. But the little Fort that ftands at the* If! m n A 48 Some Neiv Voyages the Bottom of the Water- fall, upon the Brink of the Bafin of Cbamblty being only finglc Pallifadoes, it cannot hinder People to pals that way; efpecially confidering that the Profped of fb great a Profit, renders the Paflcngers the more daring. The Inha- bitants of the adjacent Villages are very much cx- pos'd to the Incurfions of the Iro^uefe'm time of War. Notwithflanding the Weaknefs of the Fort, I conti- nued in that Place a Month anu a half, and then I returned hither, where Mr. de la Bane arriv'd fome Days after ; being accompany'd with Mr. Hennaut, Mr. Montortiery and Mr. du Rivau. Much about the fame Day there arriv'd 25 or 30 Canows, be- longing to the Coureurs de Bois^ being homeward- bound from the great Lakes, and W with Bea- ver-skins. The Cargo of each Canov/ amounted to 40 Packs, each of which weighs 50 Pound, and will fetch 50 Crowns at the Farmers Office. Thefe Ca- ne vs were foUow'd by 50 more of the Outaouas and HuronSi who come down every Year to the Colony, in order to make a better Market than they can do in their own Country of MiJJilimakiuac^ which lies on the Batiks of the Lake of Hurons^ at the Mouth of the Lake or the Illinefe, Their way of Trading is as follows. Upon their firft: Arrival, they incamp at the Dlf- tance of five or fix hundred Paces from the Town. The next Day is fpent in ranging their Canows, un- loading their Goods, and pitching their Tents, which are made of Birch Bark. The next Day after, they demand Audience of the Governor General ; which is granted 'em that lame Day in a publick Place. Up- on this Occafion, each Nation makes a Ring for it- felf ; the Savages fit upon rhe Ground with their Pipes in their Mouths, and the Governor is leated in an arm'd'Chair ; after which, there fcarts up an Orator or Speaker from one of thefe Nations, who makes an Harangue, importing, ' Thar his Brethren are * come 11 i io North Amend. 49 come to vifit the Governor General, and to renew with him their wonted Fricndfhipi Thfit their* chief View is, to promote the Intcrcft of the French^ Ibme of whom being unacquainted with the way of Traffick, and being too weak for the tranfport- ing of Goods from the Lakes, would be unable to deal in Beaver-skins, if his Brethren did not come in Pcrlbn to deal with *em in their own Colo- nies: That they knew very well how acceptable their Arrival is to the Inhabitants o( Monrcal^ in regard of the Advantage they reap by it: That in regard the Beaver-skinsere much valutd in FrancCy and the French Goods given in Exchange are of an inconfiderable Value, they mean to give ihitFreiich fufficient Proof o^ their Rcadinefs to furnifh 'cm with what they dcfire fo earneftly : That by way of Preparation for another Year's Cargo, they are come to rake in Exchange, Fufees, Powder, and Ball, in order to hunt great numbers of BeaveV*, or to gall the Iroquefe^ in cafe they offer to dil^ turb the /t<:»c/^ Settlements: And, in fine, Thdt in Confirmation of their Words, they throw a Pur- cclian CoUer with fomc Beaver-skins, to the Kttchi' Okima (fo they call the Governor General) whoie Protection they lay claim to in cale of any Rob- bery or Abule committed upon 'em in the Town. The Spokefman having made an end of his Speech, returns to his Place, and takes up his Pipe , and then the Interpreter CAplains the Subftance of the Harangu** to the Governor, who commonly gives a* very civil Anfwer, efpecially if the Prefent bc va- luable ; In confideration of which, he likewile make s them a Prefent of Ibme trifling things. This done , the Savage rifes up, and return to their Hutts to make fuitable Preparations for the enfuing Truck. The next Day the Savages make their Slaves carry the Skins to the Houfes of thfi Merchants, who bar- gain with *em for iuch Cloaths as they wailt. All ttie )il Inha- ftei .--^-y**- 50 SottM New Voyages i Inhabitants of Monreal are allow'd to traffick with 'em in any Commodity but Wine and Brandy ^ theie two being excepted upon the Account that when the Savages have got what they wanted, and have any Skins left, they drink to Excefs, and then kill their Slaves i for when they are in drink, they quan j1 and fight ', and if they were not held by thofe who are fbber, wou'd certainly make Havock one of another. However, you muft obfervc, that none of 'em will touch either Gold or Silver. *Tis a comical Sight, to lee 'em running from Shop to Shop, ftark naked, vith their Bow and Arrow. The nicer fort of Wo- men are wont to hold their Fans before their Eyes, t" prevent their being frighted with the View of rhc'iT ugly Parts. But thefe merry Companions, w!i' know the brisk She- Merchants as well as we, u.Q not wanting in making an Oifer, which is fome- rimcs accepted of, when the Prefent is of good 2. < ' . le. If we may credit the common Report, there arc more than one or two of the Ladies of this Coun- try, whofe Conflancy and Vcrtue has held out a- gainft the Attacks of leveral Oflficersj and at the fame time vouchfaf d a free Acceft to thefe nafty Le- chers, "fis prefum'd their Compliance was the Effedk of Curiofity, rather than of any nice Relifh ; for, in a Word, the Savages are neither brisk, nor conftant. But whatever is in the Matter, the Wo- men are the more excufable upon this Head, that fuch Opportunities are very unfrequcnt. As foon as the Savages have made an end of their Truck, they take leave of the Governor, and fo re^ turn home by the Li ver of Outaouas. To conclude, they did a great deal of Good both to the Poor and Rich 5 for you will I'eadily apprehend, that every body turns Merchant upon fuch Occafions. I am^ S[R.y Tours, &c. ' ' LET" At Dc ca/ De Bci SI. IRe< cou none o: you wa Aim the Bel they ar Commc few in ^gcs In I The Inl adjacent Monreal dearer bouring 'y thich i'oxes, a fees, Po every on beft Piac Time, ^nderfla •> • • to North' hmmc^. ^^ lor leir |de, IT-^ LET T E R IX. Dated at BcucberviUe, 06tob. 2. 1685. Bc^//g an Account of the Qomfucrce and Tirade of Monreal: Of the ylrrhal of the Marquis of Dcnonville with fovic Trvopi; ; and of the Re^ calling of Mr. de hi Barre. If^'/th a curious DefcripticJi of certain hie ejfes for Trading in Beaver- skins in the remote Countries. SIR, ^ IReceiv'd your fecond Letter three Weeks ago, but could not fend a fpecdier Anfwer, by realon that none of our Ships have yet fet Sail for France. Since you want to kndw the Nature of the Trade of 3io«- real^ be pleas'd to take the following Account. Almoft all the Merchants of that City ad only ori ' the Behalf of the ^tiehec Merchants, whofe Fadors they are. The Barc^ues which carry thither dry Commodities, as well as W^ine and Brandy, are but few in Number j but then they make feveral Voy- ages in one Year from the one City to the other. The Inhabitants of the Ifland oi Monreah and the adjacent Cantons, repair twice a Year to the City of Monreal, where they buy Commodities fifty /;crC(r;;^ dearer than at ^lehec. The iiavages of the neigh- bouring Countries, whether fettled or erratick, car- ry thither the Skins of Beavers, Elks, Caribous, Foxes, and wild Cats ^ all which, they truck for Fu- fees. Powder, Lead, and cither Necefraries. There every one is allow'd to trade ^ and indeed 'tis the beft Place for the getting of an Eftatf in a fhort Time. All the Merchants have fuch a perfed good Underftanding one with another, that they all fell £ 2 at ji Some Nenv Voyages At the fame Price. But when the Inhabitants of the Country find their Prices exorbitant, they raifc their Commodities in Proportion. The Gentlemen that have a Charge of Children, efpccially Daugh- ters, are oblig'd to be good Husbands, in order to bear the Expcnccofthe magnificent Cloaths with which they are fct off i tor Pride, Vanity, and Lux- ury, reign as much in Keiv Frituce as in Old France. In my Opinion, 'twould do well, if the King would order Commodities to be rated at a reafonabic Price, and prohibit the idling of Gold or Silver Broca- does, Fringts, and Ribbands, as well as Points and rich Laces The Marq'iis o( Dcnowcille is come to fucceed Mr. de la Bcirre in tlic Quality of Governor-General j for the King has recall 'd Mr. de la Bane, upon the Accufations laid a<;ainft him by his Enemies. To be fure, you who are in France know better than I, that M. de Denowville was Maitre de Camp to the Queen's Reeiment of Dragoons, which Place he fold to Mr. Murccy when the King beftow d this Government upon him j and, that he brought with him fome Companies of Marines, befides his Lady and his Children 4 for it jcerns the Danger and Inconveni- entics that attend iuch a long and troublelbme Voyage, made no ImprcfHon upon her. This Go- vernor ftay'd at firft fome Weeks at ^icbec^ after which he came to Mcnreal, with 500 or 600 Men of Regular Troops, and fcnt back the Captains lla't' vaut^ Montortter, and du Rivo, with feveral other Officers. His Army is now in Winter Quarters all round Alonreal. My Quarters are at a Place call'd lioHchcY'viHe, which lies at the diOance of three Leagues from Monreal. I have been here fifteen Days, and in all appearance (hall live more happily than in the Town, abating for the Solitude j {or at leaft I iliall have no other Oppofition to encounter in the Cafe of Balls, Gaming, or Feafling, but the xealous to ?" or fi- America. n f ealous Freaks of a filly Pricfl. 1 nm informed, that the Governor has given Ordtrs to complcat tlic lor- tifications ofMourcat^ and is now ready to cmbarque for J^uehcc^ where our Governors commonly pais the Winter. 'J he Savages 1 fpokc of in my laA, met the Iroquefe upon the great River of che iititaottas^ who inform'd *em that the Euji^lijh were making Prepara- tions to tranfport to their Vill.igcs in MtffiltwakniaCy better and cheaper Commodities than thole they had from the French. This Piece of News did equally alarm the Gentlemen, the Pedlars call'd Coureun de Ilois, and the Merchants i who, at that rate, would be cnnfiderable I.oHrsj for you muft know, that Cauada fubfifts only upon the Trade of Skins or Furrs, three Fourths of which come from the People that live round the greit Lakes : So that if thcfi;;^- UPj Oiould put fuch a Dcfi-^n in Execution, the whole Country would fuficr by it j elpecially con- fiderin^, that 'twould fink certain IJccn/es j an Ac- count of which will be proper in tiiis P^ace. 1 hele Licenlcs are granted in Writing by the Go- vernors General, to poor Gentlemen and old Offi- cers who have a Ch irge of Children. They aredif- pos'd of by the King's Orders; and the Dclign of 'em is, to enable luch Pcrlons to fend Commodities to thefe Lakes. The Number of the Perfons thus impower'd, ought not to exceed twenty-five in one Year j but God knows how many more have private Licenfes. All other Perfons, of what Quality or Condition fbever, are prohibited to go or fend to theie Lakes, v. ithout fuch Licenfes, under the Pain of Death. Each Licenfe extends to the lading of two great Canows; and whoever procures a whole or a half Licenfe for himfelf, may either make Ufe of it himfelf, or fell it to the higheft Bidder. Com- monly they are brought at fix hundred Crowns a Piece. Thofe who purchafe *em, are at no Trouble in finding Pedlars or Fore{l. Rangers to undertake E 5 the 54 Some Sew Voyi\^i:$ ii (! the long Voyages, which fetch the mod coifidcrable Gains, and commonly extend to a Year, and lomc- times more. The Merchants put into the two Ca- nows ftipulated in the Licenfc, fix Men w Ith a thou- fand Crowns- worth of Goods, which arc rated to the Pedlars at fifteen per Cent, more than what they arc fold for in ready Money in th'' Colony. W hen the Voyage is pcrK^rm'd, this Sum of a thoufand Crowns commonly brings in fevcn hundred ffrCc/;/. clcnr Vrofit, and Ibmctimcs more, I'omttimcs lefs ; for thcil- .Sparks call'd Coureurs de Bois bite the Savjir ges mod dcxttroujiy, and the lading of two Canows, computed at a thoufand Crowns, is a Piirchaic iot as many Beaver skins as will load four Canows : Now, four Canow? will carry a hundred and fixty Packs of Skins, that is, forty a-picccj and reckon- ing each P.ick to be worth fifty Crowns, the Value of tl^c whole announts to (ic;ht thculand Crowns. As to the Repartition of this extravagant Profit, 'tis madcafter the fo'lov inj; Maimer: In the firft Place, the Merthmt takes out of tiie whole Bulk fix hun* drcd Crowns for the Purchafe of his Licenlc ; then a thoufand Crowns for the prime Coft of the ex- por^-ed Commoilities. After this, there remains (>4oo Cv'iv.ns of Surplufage, out of which the Mer- chajit takes forty ferCtut. for Bottomree, which a- raounts to 2560 Cnwns i and the Remainder is di- vid^'d equally among the fix Coureurs de Boisy who get little more than 600 Crowns a-piece j and indeed 1 mud fay 'tis fairly earn'dj for their Fatipue is in- conceivable. In the mean time, you muft remark, that over and above the foregoing Profit, the Mer- chant gets 25 per C;;;f. upon his Beaver-skins by car- ^•ying theiTi to the Office of the Farmers General, where the Price of four Ibrts of Beaver^skins is fix*d. If the Merchant fells thefe Skins to any private Man in the Country for ready Money, he is paid in the eurrcnt Money of ^ic t^owntry, which i$. of lefs Va- lue lue tha the SoL Th but ver 40Q to AV/Z»-Amcrica. 5J Juc tlj ifi the Bills of Exclnngc that the Dircdor of that Office draws upon Rodcl or Pflris; for there they arc paid in hrcncb I.ivrcs, which arc twenty Sols^, whereas a Canada Livfc is but fifteen Sots, This Advantage of 25 per Cent, is call'd le Reneficei but take noticct that 'tis only to be h.id upon Bea-> ver-skin& ; for if you pay to a r^elcc Mcrchanf 400 Canada Livres in Silver, and take from him a Bill of Exch ngc upon his Corrcfpondcnt in France^ his Corrcfpondcnt will pay no more than 300 French Livres, whidi ^ a juft Equivalent. This is the laft Intclligcnr'^ I fhall give you for this Year, which has already ! rnught in a very cold Autumn. The Quebec Ships niuft let Sail in the middle of No'vemhery puriiiant to the wonted Cuf* torn. I am, S ^ R, 77;//ri, Sec. LETTER X. Dated at Boucberville July 8. 1686. Ke fating the Arrival of Air. Je Chan^plgni, in the room oj Mr, tic Mcules, ivho is recall' J to Fnince; the Arrival of the T^voopi that came along with biw^ the Curio fit y of the Racket s^ iind the way of hunting Elks j with a Dt'fcrif'- tion of that Anitnal, 1 Hough I have not heard from you this Year, yet I will not flight this Opportunity of writ"» ing to you. Some Ships from prance are arriv'd at ^elec^ and have brought over Mr. dc Champigni E 4 Noroudf V v^ <^. \ ^ V 1 # .^ ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) {./ ^ "V^ .^> ^- ''^ \^ 1.0 I.I liilli 125 itt lU 12.2 2.0 I L25 i_U 11.6 Photographic Sciences Cbrporalion 23 WIST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. USSO (716)872-4503 5 Musket-ihot behind ui. As foon as thefe Animals perceived Day-lighc, they came out of their Holes, which were immediately ftop*d up by the Savages, and upon that the Dogs fctch'd em up with Ea(e. We faw but two of 'em, which made a vigorous De* fence aguinft the Dogs, but were llrangled after « Difpute of half an Hour. Thefe Animals are not unlike a Badger, only they are bigger, and more mifchievous. Tho' our Dogs (hew'd a ereat deal of Courage in attacking the Ctircaioux^ they betray*d their Cowardice the next Day in a Rencounter with a Porcupine, which we fpy'd upon a little Tree. To obtain the Pleafure of feeing the Porcupine £ill, we cut down the Tree ; but neither the Does nor we durft go near it : The Dogs only bark'd and jump*d round itj for it darted its long and hard Hair, like fo many Bodkins* three or four Paces off. At laft we pelted it to Death, and put it upoti the Fire to burn off its Darts ; after which we fcald- cd it like a Pig, took out the Intrails, and roafted it : But tho' *twas very fat, I could not relifli it (6 well as to comply with the AfTertion of the Natives, who ailedge, that it eats as well as a Capon or a Partridge. After the Turtle-Doves had all pafs*d over the Place, in QuefV of their Southern Retreats, the Sa~ vagcs offer'd to fend feme of their Number with Canows to conduct me home, before the Rivers and Lakes were frozen over ; for themfelves were to tarry out for the Elk-hunting ; and they imagin'd that the Cold and Hardlhip attending that Exercife, had made me fick of it the Year before. Howe- ver, we had then a Month good before the Com- mencement of the Froft, and in that Interval of time, they proffer *d to entertain me with more di- verting Game than any 1 had leen before. They proposed to go fifteen or fixteen Leagues further up the Country, alTuring me, that they knew of a cer- tain tf 4 Smt Nfw Pcyagei uin Place that had the mod advantageous Situa- tion in the World, both for Pleafurc and Profit, and that afforded great Plenty of Otters, of the Skins of which, they roean'd co make a great Cargoe. Accor* dingly we pull'd down our Hutts, and having im- barqu'd in our Canows, fail'd up the River, till we came to a little Lake of two Leagues in Circumfe- rence, at the £nd of which we faw another greater Lake, divided from this by an Iflhmus of x f o Paces in length. We pitch'd our Hutts at the Diltance of a League from that Iflhmus ; and fome of the Sa- vages fifh'd for Troucs, while the red w^re imploy'd in laying Traps for the Otters upon the\JBrinks of the Lake. Thefe Traps are made of five Stakes plac'd in the Form of an oblong Quadrangle, fo dS to make a little Chamber, the Door of which is kepc up, and fupported by a Stake. To the middle of this Stake they tye a String which pafTes thro' a little Fork, and has a Trout well faften'd to the End of it. Now, when the Otter comes on Shoar, and fees this Bait, he puts above half his Body into that fatal Cage, in order to fwallow the Fifh ; but he no fooner touches, than the Stfing to which 'tis made faft, pulls away the Stake that fupports the Door, upon which an heavy and loaded Door falls upon his Reins and quafhes him. During our Pil- grimage in that part of the Country, the Savages took above two hundred and fifty Canada Otters, the Skin» of which are infinitely prettier than thofe of Mufiovy or Sweden. The beft of 'cm which are not worth two Crowns in this Place, are fold in France for four or five, and fometimes for ten, if they are black and very rough. As fbon as the Sa- vages had fct their Traps, they gave Orders to the it' Slaves to go round the Lake every Morning, in or-i der to take out the amphibious Animals. After that they conducted me to the above-mention*d Idh- mus, where I was furpriz'd to fee a fort of a Pafk . of -to Abr/i^-Ainerica. »ti&- America. 7J \ the \vholc Courfc of his Life : At laft, after many Sighs and Groans, he bow'd down his Head, and wrapM himldf up in Silence, ^tatjue pnteji narrate rcftalant ultima flevit. But this was not the only Thing that afFcdtcd me, when I beheld the Miiery oftheie innocent Creatures: I faw fbme young Sa- vages of our fide burn their Fingers with Fire in their lighted Pipes 5 which provok'd me to threlh 'em foundly j but I was feverely reprimanded for my Fains, and confinM to ray Tent for five or fix Days, where I only repented that 1 had not dealt my Blows in a double Meafure. Thefc Savages relented the Matter fo highly, that they ran prefently to their Hutts, and flew to their Fufees, in order to kill me. Nay, all that could be done was icarce fuflicient to appeaie 'em y for the Difpute came to that height, that they would have left us, if it had not been that our Men alTur'd 'em I was ^ drunk, that all the French were * ^'"^"S thesava- prohibited to give mc either Wine ^^ ;:;::;™ S",^ or Brandy, and that I ihouid cer- jor the Bottle at- tainly be imprifbn'd as fbon as the tones for all crimes. Campaign were over. However, the poor Wretches, the Prifoners, were carried to ^te- bee ; from whence they are to be fent to the French Gallies. Much about that time, the Sieur de la Foreft, one of Mr. de la Sailers Officers, arriv'd at the Fort in a great Canow, being conducted thither by eight or ten Coureurs de Bois. He gave Mr. de Denonville to underhand, that a Party of the IlUnefe and the Oumamis waited for the Hurons and the Outaouas at the Lake of St. Claire^ in order to join 'em, and to march with joint Forces to the River of the Tjfonontoaans^ that being the Place of their general Rendezvous. He added, that in the Lake of the Hurons near Miffilimakinac^ Mr. de la Durante tais^ aflifted by the Savages, our Allies, had taken an En^Ujh Company, conduced by fome Iroquefe, . who '■■^i'- 74 Some New Voyages who had fifcy thoufand Crowns worth of Goods in their Canows, to be difpos'd of in Exchange with the Nations that dwell upon thefe Lakes ; as alfot that Mr. Dulbut had taken another EngliJ}) Convoy, being afliftcd by the Coureurs de tiois^ and the Sava- ges, who had InarM the former Capture ; and that he had kept the Englijh and Iroqueje as Prifbners, as well as their Commander, who was caird Major Gregory, In fine, he reprefented to Mr. de Dcnon* milley that 'twas high time for him to fet out from Fort Frontenac^ if he mean'd to appear at the gene- ral Rendezvous, where the Auxiliary Troops lent from the Lakes would arrive very fpcedily. The next Day, being the jd of July y the Sieur de la Foreft embarqued again for Niagara^ and fleer'd to the North-fide of the Lake. At the fame time we embarqued, and ftood to the oppofite fide of the Lake, being fayour'd by the Calms which in that ^onth are very common. By good luck our whole Body arriv'd almofl at one and the fame time in i\ieK\\tr oUht^fonontoU' am i and upon that Occafion, the Savages, our Al- lies, who draw Predictions from the moil trifling Jkccidents, fiiew'd their wonted Superflition in take- ing this for an infallible Prefage of the utter Dc- Ihodion of the Iroqttefe: Tho' after all, they prov'd lalfe Prophets, as you will find by the Sequel of this Letter. The fame Night that we landed, wehawl'd onr Canows and Boats out of the Water, and fet a firong Guard upon 'em. This done, we built a Fort of Stakes or Pales, where we left the Sieur Dorvilkrs with four hundred Men to guard our Shipping and Baggage. The next Day, a young Canadefe^ call'd Fontaine Marion^ was unjuflly fhot to Death. His Cale ftood thus : Having traveled frequently all over this Continent, he was perfectly well acquainted with the Country, and with the Savages oi Canada ^ and after the doing of fevcral good Services to the King, '• to Nortb'Kmcncz. 75 King, dcftr'd Leave from the Go>|rrnor General to continue his Travels, in order to carry on (bmo little Trade; but his Requeft wai never granted. Upon that, he reiblv'd to remove to New^EnfJland^ the two Crowns being then in Peace. The Planters of New-England gave him a very welcome Recep- tlon i for he was an adive Fellow, and one that un- derftood almoft all the Languages of the Savages. Upon this Confideration, he was employ 'd to con- dudt the two En^iijb Convoys I fpoke of but now, and had the Misfortune to be taken along with them. Now, to my mind, the U(age he met with from us was extream hard ; for, we are in Peace with Ent' land i and befides, that Crown lays Claim to the Property of the Lakes of Canada. The next Day we began our March towards the great Village of the Tjfonontouans^ without any other Frovifions than ten Biskets a Man, which every one carry*d for himlelf We had but feven Leagues to march in a great Wood of tall Trees, upon aimootb even Ground. The Costreurs de Bois, with a Party of the Savages, led the Van, and the reft of the Sava- ges brought up the Rear, our regular Troops and our Militia being polled in the Middle. The firft Day the Army march*d four Leagues, and the ad« vanc'd Guards made no Difcovery. Thelecond Day our advanced Parties march'd up to the very Fields of the Village without perceiving any thing, tho' they paft within a Piftol-fhot of five hundred Tfonontouans^ who lay flat upon the Ground, and fuflfcr'd 'em to pais and rcpafs without Moleftation. Upon their In- telligence we march'd up with equal Precipitation andConfufion, being buoy*d up with the Apprehen- tion that the Iroquefe had fled, and that at leaft their Women, Children, and (iiperanuated Perfbns would fall into our Hands. When we arrived at the Bottom of the Hill, upon which the Ambufcade was plac'd, attheDiilance of a quarter of a League from the Vil- lage, f 76 Some New Voyages lige» they began to raifc their wonted Cry, which was follow'd by the firing of ibme Muskett. Had vou but fcen, Sir, what Difordcr our Troops and Militi.! were in amidfl the thick Trees, you would have joynd with me, in thinking that ieveralthou- lands ofl'Utrfipe^m arc no more than a fiifficient Num- ber to make Head againfl five hundred Barbarians. Our Batallions were divided intoflrig^ling Parties, who fell into the Right and LcfCf without knowing where they went. Inltead of firing upon the Inqutfe^ wefir*dupon one another. 'Twas to no Purpofe to call in theSoldiers of fuch and fuch a Ihtallion, for we could not fee thirty Paces off: In fine, we were (6 difbrder*d, that the £nemy were going to cloie in upon us with their Clubs in their Hands ; when the Savages of our fide having rally *d, rcpuls'd the fine- any, andpurfu*d 'em to their Villages with (o much Fury, that they brought off the Heads of eighty, and wounded a great many. In this Adtion vvc loll ten Savages, and a hundred French: Wc had twenty or two and twenty wounded, in which Number was the good Father Angeleran the Jefuit, who received a Aluskct-Oiot in thole Parts which On)r He made Anfwcr, that he could not leave his wound- ed Men behind, and that he thought it proper to encamp, that the Surgeons might have time to drefs their Wounds. To obviate this Pretence, the Sa- vages offered to make Litters for the tranfporting of *em to the Village, that lay but a little way oft. But our General did not approve of their Advice j upon which, notwithflanding his Remonftranccs, they drew up into a Body, and tho' they confided often different Nations, agreed in a joint Refolu- tioni* 'Wf to 7\V#i-Amcnca. 7T tbn of purfuing their Fnemy, in hopes of taking, i. lead their Women, their old Men, and their Chil dren. Our General being acouainted with their Re. folution, gave 'em to know, tnat he c^rneftly defir'd they would re(\ for one Day, and noi depart from his Camp, and that the next Day he would burn thdr Villages, and ftarvc *em to Death by fpoilinR theif Crops. But they took this Compl»m'*nt fo ill, that mofi of 'em rcturn'd to their own Country ; rcmon- llrniing, * Th.it the Frtncb came out to fetch a Walk, ^ rather than to wage War, fince they would noc * take the Advantage of the beft Opportunity in the * World : That their Ardour, like a Flafh of Fire, * was cxtinguifhd as (bon as kindled : That 'twas M ' fruitlcfs Adventure, to draw together (b many ^ Warriors, from all Parts, to burn fome Hutts of * Bark, that the Knemy could rebuild in four Days : * That the ^fonontouam did not matter the fpoilingof ' their Corn, for that the other Iroqueft Nations were * able to fupply 'em : And in fine. That fince thqr * had joyn'd the French twice together to no Purpofc, * they would never trud 'em for the future, in fpite ^ of all the Remonftrances they could make. Some are of the Opinion, that Mr. ae DeuonviUe ought to have gone farther ^ and others affirm, that 'twas im- poffible for him to do more than he did. For my Part, I (hall not venture upon any Decifion of the Matter ; thofe who fit at the Helm are moil liable to be perplcx'd. To purfue the bare Matter of Faft ; we march' d next Day to the great Village, and car- ry 'd our wounded Men upon Litters ; but we found nothing there but Afhes ; for the Iroquefe had burnt the Village thcmftlves, by way of Precaution. Then we (pent five or fix Days in cutting down the hidiau Corn with our Swords. From thence we mirch'd to the two little Villages of the ^he^aranbies and the Dattoncaritaouiy which lay about twoor three Leagues off! Having done the like Exploits there, we re- turn'd 78 Some Netw Voyages tum'd to the Lake-fide. In all thefe Villages we found plenty of Hories, black Cattle, Fowl and Hogs. All the Country round aflbrdcd us a very charming, pleafant, and even ProfpecSt. The Fo- rcfts thro' which we march'd were replenifti'd with Oak, Wall-nut, and wild Chefnut-Trees. Two Days after we imbarqu'd for Niagara^ which lay thirty Leagues off, and arriv'd there in four Days. As foon as the Troops had debarqu'd, we imploy'd *em in making a Fort of Pales with four Baftions, which was fini(h*d in three Days. Here we mean to leave 120 Soldiers under the Command of Mr. des Bergeres^ with Ammunition and Provifions for eight Months. The Fort (lands on the South fide of the Streight of Herrie Lake, upon a Hill j at the Foot of which, that Lake falls into the Lake ofFron- ienac. Yefterday the Savages our Allies took leave of Mr. de Denonville, and made a Speech after their ufual manner ; in which, among other things, thev iniinuated. That they were pleased to fee a Fort w conveniently placed, which might favour theirRe- treat upon any Expedition againft the Iroquefe ; That they depended upon his Promife, of continu- ing the War till the five Nations Ihould be either deftroy'd or diipoflefs'd of their Country; that they earneftly defir*d that part of the Army fhould take the Field out of hand, and continue in it both Win- ter and Summer, for that they would certainly do the fame on their Part ; and in fine, that for as much as their Alliance with France was chiefly grounded upon the Promifes the French made of liftening to no Propofals of Peace, till the five Na- tions fhould be quite extirpated; they therefore hop'd they would be as good as their Word ; efpe- cially confidering that a Ceflation of Arms would fully the Honour of the French, and infallibly dii^ engage their Allies. Mr. de Denonville gave them frelh AfTurances of his Intention to carry on the War, in ' to North' AmeiicA. 79 in fpite of all the BfTortsof the Iroquefe; and in a Word, proteilcd that he would profecute this Defign ib vigoroufly, that in the End thefe Barharians fhould be either quite cut off, or obliged to fhift their Seats. The General callM for me that very Day, and ac- quainted me, that in regard I underdood the Lan- guage of the Savages, I was to go with a Detach- ment to cover their Country, purfuant to their Rc- oued. At the fame time he alTiir'd me, he would in- form the Court of the Reafons that mov*d him to detain me in Canada^ notwithdanding that he had Orders to give me leave to go home. You may ca- fily guefs, Sir, that I was thunder-ftruck with thefe News, when I had fed myfelf all along with the hopes of returning to France^ and promoting my Intereft, which is now fb much thwarted. Howe- ver, I was forc'd to be contented -, for the greater Power bears the Sway all the World over. Furfii* ant to my Orders, I ma^e all fuitable Preparations for my Voyage, without Lois of Time. I took leave of my Friends, who fingled out the beft Soldiers for me; and made me Prefents of Cloaths, Tobac- co, Books, and an Infinity of other Things that they could fpare without any Inconveniency, becaule they were then upon their Return fo the Colony, which affords every thing that one can defire. By good luck, I brought my Aftrolabe with me from Monrealy which will enable me to take the Latitudes of this Lake, and to make feverai other ufefid Ob- (ervations; for, in all appearance, I fhall be out two Years or fuch a Matter. The Men of my Detach- ment are brisk proper Fellows, and my Canows are both new and large. I am to go along with Mr. Dulbutj a Lions Gentleman, who is a Perfbn of great Merit, and has done his King and his Coun- try very confiderable Services. Mr. de T'ojiti makej another of our Company ; and a Company of Sa- vages 8o Some New Voyages vaf^es is to follow us. Mr. de DenottvUle will (et out for the Colony by the North-fidc of the Lake ofFrontenaCy in two or three Days. He defigns to leave at Fort Frontenac^ a number of Men and Ammunition equal to what he leaves here. I here- with traniroit fome Letters for my Relations, which I beg you would convey to their Hands. If I meet with any Opportunity, Til fend you a Journal of my Voyage the next Year, In the mean time, I am, - I, . S IK^ ' t Tours^ &c. ^'^ LETTER XIV. [,: Dated at MiJJilimakinac^ May 26. 1688. 'the Author leaves Niagara, and has an Encoun-' ter with the Iroquefc at the End of the Land*- ' Carriage. The Aft er^ fart of his Voyage. A • Defcription of the Country. He arrives at Fort St. Jofeph in the Mouth of the Lake of Hurons. A Detachment of the Hurons arrive at the fame Place. After an Engagement ^ they fet out for Miflilimakinac. AJirange Adven- ture oj Mr. de la Salle'j Brother, MifTilima- kinac defcrib'd. SIR, IAm at a Lofs to determine whether 'tis owing to Stupidity, or Greatnefs of Mind, that the Lou of my Eftate, which 1 infallibly forelee, does not at all afredb me. Your Letter is but too (hrewd a Confir- mation of my Prophecy : However, I cannot but puriue your feaibnable Advice in writing to Court ; jto to Nortb'Amtnc^. 8t in the mean time fuffer me to fatisfy my Promife^ in prefenting you with a Relation of my Voyages. I imbarqued at Niagara Auguft 3. on board a Ca- now Mann'd with eight Soldiers of my Detach- ment J and after running three Leagues againft the Current of the Streight, came that lame Day to the Place where the Navigation ftops. There 1 met with the S\t\xT Grifolon de la ^ourette^ Brother to M. Dulbuty who had ventured to come from MiJJilimam kinac with a fingle Canow to join the Army. The ^th we commenced our great Land-Carriage to the Southward, being oblig'd to tranfport our Canows from a League and a half below the great Fall of Niagara^ to half a League above it. Before we got at any beaten or level Path, we were forc*d to climb up three Mountains, upon which an hundred Iroquefe might have knock'd us all on the Head with Stones. While we were imploy'd in this Tranfport Service, we were alarm'd twic^ or thrice i which caution'd us to keep a flrid Guard, and toTranfport our Baggage with all pollible Expedition: Nay, after all our Precautions, we were forc'd to leave one half of our Baggage about half Way, upon the DiA covery of a thoufand Iroquefe that marchM towards us. Do you judge. Sir, if we had not fbme Rea-« fon to be alarm'd ; and whether we would ftand to facriBce all to the natural Principle of Self-prefer- vation ; tho' indeed we were in danger of lofing our Lives as well as our Baggage ^ for we had not imbarqued above the Fall half a quarter of an Hour, when the Enemy appeared upon the Streight fide. 1 aflfure you, I icap'd very narrowly ; for about a quarter of an Hour before, I and three or four Savages had gone five hundred Paces out of our Road, to look upon that fearful Catarad ; and 'twas as much as I could do, to get at the Canows be- fore they put off! To be <;aken by fuch cruel Fel- G lows, 8i Some New Voyages lows, was to me no trifling thing, ♦ 7*# Trifoners ta- H tiiortr 6 ntetite^ ma il 'vivere brw ktn by the iroqucfc giaftdo & troppo. ^0 die is uotbittg^ MTi frtuHtntly burnt. |^^ ^^ /^^^ ^„ ^j^g ,„y^ of Fire * tS too much. As for the Water-fall of Niagara 5 'tis fevcn or eight hundred Foot high, and a half a League broad. Towards the Middle of it we defcry an Ifland that leans towards the Precipice, as if it were ready to fall. All the Beads that crofs the Water within half a Quarter of a League above this unfortunate Ifland, are fuck'd in by Force of the Stream : And the Beads and Fifh that are thus kill'd by the pro- digious Fall, ferve for food to fifty Iroquefe, who are fettled about two Leagues off, and take 'em out of the Water with their Canows. Between the Sur- face of the Water that fhelves off prodigioufly, and the Foot of the Precipice, three Men may crofs in a Breafl: without any other Damage, than a fprink- ling of fome few Drops of Water. To return to the Story of the thoufand Iroquefe ; I muft tell you, that we crofs'd the Streight with all the Vigour we were Maders of, and after rowing all Night, arriv'd next Morning at the Mouth of the Lake, which appear'd to be indifferent rapid. Then we were fecurefrom all Danger, for the Iro- quefe Canows are fb dull and large, that they cannot fail near fo quick asthofemade of Birch-bark. The former are made of Elm-bark, which is very hea- vy* and their Form is very awkward ; for they are fb long and broad that thirty Men row in them, two abread, whether fitting or danding, and Sides are fb low, that they dare not venture 'em upon the Lakes, tho' the Wind be very flack. We coaded along the North-Coad of the Lake of£'n>, being favour'd by the Calms, which are in a manner con- ftant in that Seafbn, e;ipecially in the Southern Countries. Upon the Brink of this Lake we fre- quently tb Sotth' Atntnc^. «j quently faw Flocks of fifty or fixty Turkies, which run incredibly fail upon the Sands. And the Sava- ges of our Company killM great Numbers of 'em, which they gave to us in Exchange for the Fiih that we catch*d. The 2stb we arriv*d at a long Point of Land which (hoots out 14 or ijf Leagues into the Lakcj and the Heat being exceflive, we chofe to tranfport our Boats and Baggage two hundred Paces over Land, rather than coaft about for thirty-five Leagues. Septemb. 6. We entered the Straight of the Lake of Huron ^ where we met with a flack Cur- rent of half a League in breadth, that continued till we arriv'd in the Lake oi St. Claire ^ which is twelve Leagues in Circumference. The ith of the lame Month we fteer'd on to the other End, from whence we had but fix Leagues to run againft the Stream^ till wc arriv*d in the Mouth of the Lake oi Hurons^ where we landed on the 14//&. You cannot ima- gine the pleafant Profpedt of this Streight, and of the little Lake -, for their Banks are cover'd with all forts of wild Fruit-Trees. 'Tis true, the want of Agriculture links the Agreeablenefs of the Fruit ; but their Plenty is very furprizing. We fpy'd no other Animals upon the Shoar, but Herds of Harts, and Roe-bucks : And when we came to little Iflands, we fcour*d 'em, in order to oblige thefe Beads to crofs over to the Continent9 upon which they offer- ing to fwim over, were knock'd on the Head by our Canow Men that were planted all round the Iflands. After our Arrival at the Fort, of which I was order'd to take PolTeffion, Mr. Dulbut and Mr. de Sonti had a Mind to reft themfelves for fbme Days, as well as the Savages that accompany *d us. This Fort, which was built by Mr. Dulhut^ was garifbn'd upon his own Charges by the Coureurs de Moist who had taken care to fow in it Ibme Bufhels o{ S^urkey-V^hczt^ which afforded a plentiful Crop, ihat prov'd of great Ufe to me. The Gariibn fur- G j& rendred 84 Some Nenv Voyages rendred their Poft very chearftilly to my Detach- ment ; and then purfued their Commerce with our SivageS) for every one had leave to go where he pleas^. This gave me an Opportunity of fending two Canows under a Guard of Soldiers, to difpofe of a great Roll of Tobacco of 200 weight, that Mr. Dulbut had kindly prefented me with ; for that ho- neft Gentleman informed me, that mv Soldiers might eafiiy purchafe Corn in Exchange for Tobac- co, (boner than for any other Commodities. I am oblig'd to him as long as I live ; but I am much afiraid, the Treafurer of the Navy will make him no better Compeniation for this riece of Service, than for a thoufand other Disburfements upon the King's i^ccount. The Soldiers I fent with the To- bacco, returned in the latter End of November^ and brought with 'em the Reverend Father A'venau the Jefuit, who found no occafion to trouble himfelf with preaching up Abftinence from Meat in the time of Lent. They brought Advice, that a Party of the Hurons being prepar'd to march out of their Villages, to attack the Iroquefe Beaver-hunters, would fpcedily repair to the Fort to reft themfelves. In the mean time I waited with Impatience for the Arrival of one 7'ureot^ and four more of the Co«- reurs de Bois^ who were to come to me in the begin- ning of December^ along with fome other Huntfmen that Mr. de Denonville had promised to iend me : But hearing nothing of 'em, and our Commons be- ing at that time v cry (hort, I (hould have been very much pinch'd, if four young Canadefe who were expert Huntlmen, had not tarry 'd with me all Win- ter. The above-men tion'd Party of the Hurons ar- rived Decemb. 2. being headed by one Saentfouatiy who left me his Canow and his Baggage, to keep till he return'd ; for he could not poilibly continue his Navigation longer, ^upon the Account that the Surface of the Water began then to be cover'd with •Ice. to Kortb'hmtxkz. 85 Ice. Thele Savages chofe to march over Land to the Fort ofNiararaj where they expeded to receive Intelligence before they enter'd the Country of the Iroqu9je, They march*d ten Days, /. e, iifty Leagues, without feeing one Soul. But at laft their Scouts perceiv'd the Foot-fteps of fome Huntlmen, which they trac'd at a great Pace for a whole Night, the Snow being then a Foot deep. Towards the break of Day they returned, and gave notice to their Fel« low-Adventurers, that they had difcover'd fix Hutcst with ten Men lodg'd in each of 'em. Upon this Intelligence the whole Party made a halt, in or- der to paint their Faces, to prepare their Arms, and to concert proper Meafures. The Attack was {o form'd, that two Men made fbfcly up to the two Doors of the Hutts with their Clubs in their Handsy to knock down any one that offerM to come out, while the red were imploy*d in firing their Pieces. And the Adtlon was crown'd with wonderful Suc- cefs j for the Irequefe being furpriz'd and fhut up in their bark Prifons, there were but two out of fixty- four that made their Efcape ^ and thefe two being naked and deftitute of Fire- Arms, could not but perifli in the Woods. Three of the Hurons indeed were kill'd upon the Spot, but to atone for that Lofs, the Aggreflbrs carry d off fourteen Prifbncrs, and four Women. This done, they march'd back to my Fort with all poflible Expedition. Among tlje Captive Slaves, there were three who had made Part of the Number of the 1000 Iroquefe that thought to have furpriz'd us the Year before, when we were imploy'd in the great I^and-Carriage at Niagara. They gave us to undcrftand, that the Fort of Niagara was block'd up by eight hundred Iroquefe^ who mean'd to appear before my Poft without any Delay. This troublefome Piece of News gall'd me to the laft Degree, for fear of being reduq a tQ Extremities ^ and with that View I was a » - G 3 verf Z6 Some Nenv Foyagis very nice Husband of what Corn I had Icfc. I ^a$ pot apprchenfive of being attac^'d by 'em, for the Savagts never fight fairly, neither do they ever Attempt to pull up Pallifadoes ^ but I was afraid that they would (larve us out by cramping our Huntfmcn in their due Range. However, the //«- rons continuing fifteen Days in my Fort to refrefh themfclves, 1 us'd the Precaution of ingaging them to aflift my Huntlmcn in providing Meat : But as foon as they took leave of mc in order to return home, our Hunting was at an End, and the Gates were kept fluit. At ia(t, finding that my Provifions were almoft out, T refblv'd to go to MiJJiliniak'mac^ to buy up Corn from the IJurotis and the Outaouam. Accor- dingly, having left fome Soldiers to guard the For( in my AblVnce, I imbarq'd with the reft of my Detachment on the firft of Aprils with a gentle South-£aft Gale j by the Help of which we infenfi- biy crofs'd the Bay of Saguinan. That little Gulf i« fix Hours over, and in the middle of it there are two little Iflands, which afford a very fealbnable Shelter when a Wind arifes in the eroding over. Before you have crofs'd this Bay, the Coaft is all along full of Rocks and Shelves, one of which that I faw was fix Leagues broad : But above it the Coaft is clean and low, efpccially towards the Sand-River, which lies half way between that Bay and a Place call'd /' Anfe du ^onuere. Now this laft Place is reckoned thirty Leagues off the Bay. Having pafl; that, we had but thirty Leagues more to fail j which we did without any Danger, but the Help of an Eaft-South-Eaft Gale, that fwell'd the Waves pro- digioufly. In the Mouth of the lllinefe Lake we met the Party of the Hurons that I mentioned before ; and four or five hundred Outaouas^ who were bound home, after having fpent the Winter in hunting of J^eavers upon the River of Sa^iman. Both they. ' :■ : "' and \^^'f to TVorfi-Amcrica. 87 ore; und hey. and and wc were forc'd to lyc by in that Place for three or tour Days, by rcafon ot the Ice : After which the Lake was clear'd, and wc crofVd it together. When the Hurons came afhoar, they confulted among themfelves how to difpofe of their Slaves : After which they made a Prcfent of one of *em to Mr. de Jtichereau^ who commanded in that Place; but the poor Wretch was prefently (hot to Death. Another of 'em was prelenced to tne Outaouasy who granted him his Life, for fuch Reafbns as you would eafily apprehend, if you were better acauaint- cd with the Policy and Cunning of that fort otMen, whom you now take for Beafts. I arriv'd in this Place on the iStb q£ April^ and my Uneafincfs and Trouble took Date from the Day of^my Arrival : For I found the Indian Corn fo fcarce by reafon of the preceding bad Harvefts, that I defpair'd of finding half (b much as I wanted. But after all, I am hopeful, that two Villages will fur- nifh me with almoft as much as I have Occafion for. Mr. Cavclier arriv*d here May 6, being accompany'd with his Nephew, Father Anaftafe the Recollet, a Pilot, one of the Savages, and fomc few Frenchmen^ which made a Sort of a party-colour'd Retinue. Thcfe Frenchmen were fome of thofe that Mr de la Salle had conduded upon theDifcovery of jlf/^p/. They give out, that they are fent to Canada^ in order to go to France^ with fome Difpatches from Mr. de la Salle to the King : But we fufpedt that he is dead, becaufe he does not return along with *em. I fhall not fpend time in taking notice of their great Journey over Land ; which by the Account they give, cannot be lefs than eight hundred Leagues. Mijftlimakinac^ the Place I am now in, is certainly a Place of great Importance. It lies in the Latitude of forty-five Degrees, and thirty Minutes; but as for its Longitude, I have nothing to fay of it, for B-cafops mention'd in my fecond Letter. 'Tis not '•- Cr 4 ^boVc 8S Some Isew Voyages gbove half a League diftant from the JUitiffi Lake, an Accounc of which, and indeed of all the other ]Lakes, you may exped elfe-where. Here the IIu^ tons and Outaouns have, each of *em, a Village i the one being icvcr'd from the other by a fingle Palli- iadoe : But the Outaouas are beginning to build a Fore upon a Hill, that Hands but looo or 1200 Pacei off. This Precaution they were prompted to by the Murder of a certain Hurnn^ call*d Sauda' euires^ who was alfaflinated in ihe Saruhian River by four young Outaouas. In this Place the Jefuits have a little Houfc, or College adjoining to a fort of a jChurch. and inclosed with Pales that fcparate ir from thp Village of the Ilurons. Thelc good Fathers la- viih away all their Divinity and P<.rience to no pur- pofe, in converting fuch ignorant Infidels: For all the length they can bring em to, i:;, rhat oftentimes they'll defire Baptifm for their dying Children, and fome few fuperannuatcd Perfbns confent to receive the Sacrament of Baptifm, when they fiiid themlelvcs ac the. Point of Death. The Coureurs de Bots have but a very (mall Settlement here ^ though at the fame time 'tis not incpnfidcrwile, as being the Staple of all the Goods that they truck with the South and the Weft Savages; for they cannot avoid pailing this way, when they go to the Seats of the I/lhic/e^ and the Oumamis^ or to the Bay des Puatits^ and to the River o( MiJJifipi. The Skins which they im- port from thefe different Places, muft lye here fome time before they are tranfported to the Colony. MtffUitnakinac is fituated very advantageoufly j for the Jroquefe dare not venture with their ferry Ca- nows, tocrofs the Strcight of the ////;; 1 8. 1688. Defcribing the Fall call d Saut St. Marie, where the Author perfuades the Inhabitants to join the Outaouas, and march aggainji the Iroquefe. And containing an Account of the Occurrences . of the Voyage between that Place and Miflili- makinac I Am now returned from the Iroquefe Country, and have quitted the Fort of St. Jofepb, againft my Will. I cannot allow myfelf to doubt, but that you took care of the Letter direded for Mr. de Seignelay^ which I tranfmitted to you three Months ago. r? - - I ftt ^ / • Iftt to Nortib- America. pj I fet out from hence in my Canow, Jum 2. And after my Arrival at the Water-fall call d Saut Sainte Marie J I perfuaded forty young Warlike Fellows to join the Party of the Outaouas that I mention'd in my laft. This Saut Sainte Marie is a Cataradb, or rather a Water-fall of two Leagues in length, which gives Vent to the Waters of the upper Lake, and at the Bottom of which, not far from the Jefuits Houfe, there's a Village of the Outcbipoues^ alias Sauteurs. This Place is a great Thoroughfare for the Coureurs de Bois that trade with the Northern People, who ufually repair to the Brinks of that Lake in the Sum- mer. The continual Fogg that riies from the upper Lake, and fpreads over the adjacent Country, ren- ders the Ground Co barren, that it bears no Com. The 13th of the fame Month I fet out from the abovemention'd Village, being accompany'd by the forty young Sauteurs^ who embarqu'd in five Ca« nows, each of which held eight Men. The i6th we arriv'd at the Ifle oi Detour^ where my Soldiers and the Party of the Outaouas had tarry*d for me two Days. The firft Day was fpent by the Outaouas and the Sauteurs in Warlike Feafts, Dancing, and Singing, purfuant to their wonted Cuftom : The next Day we all embark'd, and traverfing from Ifle CO Ifle, made the Ifland ofManitoualin in four Days. This Ifland is 25 Leagues long, and (even or eight broad. In former times 'twas poffefs'd by the Of/- taouas o£ 7'aloih call'd the Otontagans ^ who were diflodg'd by the Progrcft of the Iroquefe, that has ruin'd fo many Nations. We coafted upon that Ifle a whole Day j and being favour'd by a Calm, crofs'd from Ifle to Ifle till we made the Eaft-fideof the Lake. In this Paflage we crofs'd between two Iflands that were fix Leagues difl:ant the one from the other ; and upon that Occafion our Watermen, who were not us'd to venture fo far out in their flender Boats, were fain to tugg hard at their Oars. The 94 Some New Voyages The Savages flood out at firfl, and refused to ven* turc fo far from Land, for they would rather have gone fifty Leagues about ; but at lafl I over-per- fuaded 'em, by reprefenting that I would have been very loth to venture my own Perfbn, if I had not been fufHciently provided againfl all Danger by an exad Knowledge of the Winds and the Storms. The Calm continuing, we made the River of Stheonon^ tate on the 25th. The next Day there fprung up a Gale from the Wefl-South-Wefl, which kept us back for four or five Days j but our flop was of no great Advantage to us, for it rain'd fo heavily, that we could not hunt. This Country is the ancient Seat of the Httroris^ as it appears from the Name they give to their Nations in their own Language, 'viz. S*beonotttaterononsy /. e. the Inhabitants of ubeonoti' tate. But after the Iroquefe had, upon divers Occa- fions, taken and defeated great Numbers of 'em, the refl quitted the Country to avoid the like Fate. We re-embark'd on the 29th, and on the ift of July arrived at Fort St. Jofepb^ where the Soldiers I had left waited for us with great Impatience. Having landed fbme Sacks of Corn at the Fort, we fet out again on the 3d of Jtily^ and purfued our Courfe with all Diligence, in order to an early Appearance in the Iroquefe Country. We fail'd through the Streight or Neck, and flood to the South-fide, of the Lake Erie ; and being favoured by the Weather, arriv'd on the 1 7th in the River Conde^ which I fhall have occafion to take notice of in defcribing the "Lakes of Canada. Immediately, upon our landing, the Savages fell to W^ork in cutting down Trees, and making a Redoubt of Stakes, or Pales, for the Security of our Canows and Baggage, and for a iafe Retreat to our felves in cafe of Neceility. The 2oth they march'd, each Man being provid- ed with a light Covering, a Bow, and fbme Arrows, Cor elfe a Fufce) and a little Bag containing ten Pound to North- Amend. 95 ) vcn» have r-pcr- ebeen id not by an 8. The eonoth ng up ept us lofno y, that indent le they :, *viZ' beottoti' Occa- Df 'em, :e Fate. (July I had iaving fet out Courfe larance ;h the de, of ather, llhall |ng the ding, Trees, 'or the for a [rovid* jrrows, fg ten 'oun4 t Pound weight of the Flour of the Indian Corn. They thought it mod convenient to keep to the Banks of the River, upon which the Goyogoans are wont to fifh for Sturgeon ; for that Filh, which is fix Foot in length, comes out of the Lakes in hot Wea- ther, and fwims up the Rivers. They had refblv'd likewife, if they found the Country clear, to march up and furprize the Villages of the Goyogoans : but they were foon eas'd of that trouble; for they had not march'd two Days when their Scouts defcry'd three hundred Ircquefe ; and on the other Hand the Iroquefe Ipy'd them to fuch Purpose, that the Scouts efcap*d very narrowly, and had much ado to return to the Body of the Party, which immediately betook themfclves to Flight. 1 was mightily furpriz'd when 1 heard the Centinel of our Redoubt cry out, /4ux ^rmesy our Men arc beaten and purfuedy but I was yet more furprizM when I faw the Fugitives run at full Speed, when there was no body behind them* When they came up, they were all filent for half an Hour, purfuant to their Ufe and Wont ; after which their Leader recounted to me the Particulars of the Adventure. 1 thought at firft that their advanc'd Guards had miftook the Number of the Enemies j for I knew that the Outaouas had not the Reputa- tion of too much Courage ; but the next Day a Par- ty of the Iroquefe appear' d in fight of our Redoubt, which gave me occafion to believe that they were in the Right of it. Nay, this Truth was afterwards confirmed by a certain Slave calPd Chaouamn^ who made his Elcape to the Redoubt, and aflur'd me, that the Iroquefe were not lefs than four hundred ; to which he added, that they expedted to be join'd by fixty more that had march*d Ibme Months be- fore to the Country of the Oumamis. He informed us farther, that while the Marquis ^^D^wowi;///^ was concerting Meafiires for a Peace with the five Na- tions, an Englipjinan^t of the Name o£Aria^ accom- pany 'd ' < ^6 Some Ne^w Fey ages pany'd with (bme others, endeavour'd to difTuade them from Peace, by Orders from the Governor of New-Tor k. In the mean time the Savages hav- ing prels*d me to aflift at a Council of War, they Eropos'd to lie by for a fair Wind, and then to em- arquc. They reprefented, that they defign'd to fail to the End of the Lake, where they would in- fallibly light upon the fixty Jroquefe that I mention'd above j but withal, that they could not agree to let out in a Calm, becaufe that after their quitting the Redoubt, and launching out, a contrary Wind might force 'em aihore, where their Throats might be cut if the £nemy purfuM 'em. I reply 'd, That 'twas then fuch fine Weather, that we had nothing to expedfc but Calms; that if we tarry 'd longer in this Place, our Enemies would thereby G;ain time to make Canows in order to a Purfuit; that fince the Favourablenefs of the Wind was (b uncertain, we ought to embarque without Lofs of Time; that we might fail in the Night, and icuik in the Day- time behind Rock5 and Points of Land ; and, that by this means the Enemy would be at a Lofs to know whether we ftood to the South or to the North-fide of the Lake. The Savages made Anfwer, That 'twas true their tarrying might be every way prejudicial ; but 'twas equally true, that my Expedi- ent was dangerous; However, they coniented to embarque along with us, and for that End gumm'd their Canows. We embarqu'd on the 24th at Night, and the Weather being fair, clear, and calm, made a great deal of way that Night, and the fuccecding Day. The next Evening we came to an Anchor, defigning to deep for three or four Hours, but not to ftir out of the Canows. About Midnight we weighed ourlittle wooden Anchors, and one half of the Men row'd while the other was at reft. Thus did we contiuue to fteer with a great deal of Precaution and Care, rowing all Night, and lying by all D.ay. 3 to tforth'fiihtnai. 97 t we f.ay. Jul:, July 28. when we were lying aldioft all afleep in ft Creek of a little Khnd, the Watch defcryingioma Canows that made towards us, wak'd ibme Savages that had gone afhore to fleep the more convenient* ly. The Nolle having alarm'd us all, we preiently made our felves ready to get in head of thele Canows $ but at the iame time, tho* we were but half a League 0% we could not diftinguifli who they were, by rea* ion that the Sun-beams failing perpendicularly, made the Surface of the Water look like a Lookine-gialf. Indeed there being but two of 'em, we reckon d they were Mann'd with Iroquefe^ and that each of 'em contain'd at leaft twenty Men; upon which Sufpi- cion, the Leader of the ^^z/ff^rjonerM togoaChore with his Men, and poft himfelf at the Entrv of a Wood, from whence he would fbftly follow the Ca- nows without being diicover'd, 'till fuchtimeas we forc'd 'em afhore. At the fame time he propos'd that the Outaouas and my Detachment (hould fufier 'em to be within a Musket-^fhot of the liland before we difcover'd our felves, or offer'd to give *cm Chafe, upon the Apprehenfion that if wefollow'd 'em cloier^ they would be fb far firom getting on (hore^ that they would fight as defperate, and chuie rather to bd kill'd or drown'd than to be taken. This Propo£il was lik'd, and every thing was manag'd accordingly* As ibon as our unknown £nemy perceiv'd us, they made the Shore with all itnaginable Precipitation | and juft when they were going to knock their Prifb- ners on the Head, the Sauteurs fell upon 'em, but mifs'd of their aim in taking 'em all alive j for they fought to the lad Gafp, like Men that knew no Me* dium betwixt Conqueft and Death. Unafdlus viJiis millam fperare falutem. This Engagement happened while we landed ; however, the Sauteurs catne off with Honour, for they loft only four Men, aiid of twenty Iroquefe they kill'd three, wounded five^ and took the reft Frifoners^ fothat not one of 'em efcap'd. a The :% ^ 98 Some Sew Voyages The Iroquefe had along with them eighteen Slaves o^ the OumamiSj who were all wounded, and feven big* belly*d Women, from whom we had Intelligence that the reft of their Party were then upon their Re- turn by Land upon the Banks of the Lake, having thirty-four Prifbners, of both Sexes ; and that they could not then be far off. When this Intelligence was laid before us, the Outaouas were of the Opinion that wc (hould reft fatisficd with the Feats we had done, upon the Plea that the above-mention*d four hundred Iroquefe would certainly get before us. On the other Hand, the •S'^z/r^f/rj maintained that they had rather perifh than fail to attempt the Refcue of thcfe Prifbners, and the Defeat of the whole Party ; and that if no body would iecond 'em, they would make the Attempt by themfelves. The Bravery of this Refblution obliged me to encourage and edge on the Outaouas, I remonftrated to 'em, that in regard the Sauteurs ingrofi'd the Glory of the former Adtion, they had morereafon than we to decline thcRifque of a fecond Engagement ; that if we refused to back *em, our Cowardice would cover us with everlafting Infamy : And, that in order to render the Attack more fecure, we ought to ufe a fpeedy Precaution in finding out fome Point or Elbow of Land where our Canows, our Baggage, and our Frlfoners might be lodg'd fafe. The Outaouas had a great deal of Re- ludlancy to the Matter ; however, after confulting among themfelves, they comply'd with therropofal, more for Shame, than out of true Courage. Having laid down that joint Refolution, we made up a little fort of a Fence in feven or eight Hours, and then lent out Scouts on all Hands, while the main Body was kept in Readinefs to march upon the firft Alarm. Auguft 4. two of our Spies returned upon fuli fpeed, to acquaint us that the Iroquefe were not above three Leagues off, and that they advanced towards us ; and withal, that upon the Road there was a little Brook, upon I ^v. to North- Ameticz. 99 iipon which an Ambufcado might be conveniently laid. This Advice animnttd our Savnges lb much, thnt they run immediately to take roflcfTion of that ddvantngcous Foft ; but thty knew not how to make the right ulc of it. The Outr.nuas were too hafty in firine^ i and by (hooting at too great a Diilance, gave all the Enemies an Opportunity of making their ILlcape, abating for ten or twelve, whole Heads were brought into the little Fort where I ftay'd. The Slaves indeed were all retaken, and lb relcued from the Cruelty of theie Tygers j which cncourag'd U9 lo reft latisfied. When the Expedition was over, we ftow'd thcfe poor Wretehes in our Canows, and fteer*d with a!l Expedition to the Strcight or Neck of the Lake oi Huron ^ which we made on the 13th. We enjoy 'd a great dealofPleaiiircin ftemmingthe Current of that Streight; thelllinds of which, thac I mentioned above, were cover'd with Roe-buek§. This Opportunity we did not llight ; nor did w<5 grudge our flopping upon thele Iflands for eight jbays^ during which time we were bufied in Hunt-» ing, and refrcfh'd our lelvcs with plenty of excellent I'ruit that was fully ripe. Here the wounded and retaken Prilbners had an Opportunity of refting, and of drinking the Broth of leveral iorts of Meat 1 and we had time to broil as much Meat as we could flow in our Canows, not to mention the great num-* bers of Turkeys that we were oblig'd to eat upon the Spot, for lear that the Heat of the Seafon would Ipoil 'em. In that fpacc of time the poor wounded Savages werq carefully purg*d withluch Roots as the Amerh cans are well vers'd in ; which 1 mean to explain to you in its pre per Time and Place; and they want- ed not good Reitoratives of Jelly-broth. The 24th we re-embarqu'd, and arriv'd at Night at Fort St. Jofeph^ where I found a Party of eighty Oumamis^ commanded by one Michitonka^ who being lately H ft teturn'd loo Some New Voyages return'd from Niagara^ expeded my Arrival with the utmoft Impatience. When I landed, I was fur- prife'd CO fee the Fort cramm*d with Savages ; but on the other Hand, they were equally adoniih'd to find in our Company their Country-men, to whofe hard Fortune they had been altogether Strangers. The joyful Meeting fiird the Air with Acclamations, and Panegyricks rung all about to an extravagant Degree. I wifh, Sir, you had been there to partake of the Fleafure of fb nne a Show; had you been prefent, you would have join'd with me in owning that all our French Rhetor ick cannot reach fuch pi- thy rnd fignificant Figures, efpecially upon the (core oi Hyperboles^ as made up the BuIk of^the Ha- rangues and Songs that thefe poor People utter*d with Rapture and Tranfport. Micbitonka acquaint- ed me, that after he went to the Fort of Niagara^ with a Defign to make fome Expedition into the Country of the Stfonontouans^ he found that the Scur^ nty had made fuch a terrible Havock in that Fort, that it had fwept off the Commander, and all the Soldiers, bating twelve, who had the good Luck to get over it, as well as Mr. de Ber feres ^ who by the Advantage of a hale Conftitution had (lem'd the raging Violence of that Diftemper. He inform'd me farther, that Mr. Bcrgeres having refblv*d to fet out with his twelve Men for the Fort of FrontenaCj had defir'd of him a Reinforcement of fome young Outnamis^ which was granted him ; that after Mr. Bergeres had embarqu'd, himfelf march'd over Land to the Country of the Onnontagues^ where he rejoin'd the Reinforcement he had granted to Mr- de Bergeres^ and underilood from them, that during the Winter the Scurvy had carried off as many Soldiers at Fort Frontenac as ar. Niagara ; and, that Mr. de DcnonviUe was negotiating a Peace with the Iroquefe. The Governor of Fort Frontenac had requefted Micbitonka to engage in no £nterprife, and to return ; . t home to North' AtnaioL* loi home \rith his Men -, upon which that Leader being in full March homeward, was attack'd by three hun- dred Onnontagues^ whom he durft not engage other- wife than in a running Fi|;ht, by which he loft four Men. Being inform'd ofall thefe Circumflancei, I confk !ted with the three difTerent Nations that were then poited in my Fort. After a mature Refled^ion upon the Intelligence that was laid before 'em, they came to this Reiblution j that fince the Marquis a# Denonville had a Mind to clap up a Peace, and the Fort of Niagara was abdicated, the Fort I then com- manded would be of no Ufc; that (ince I had nei- ther Provifions nor Ammunition for above two Months, I fhould be oblig'd at the End of thefe two Months ^o retreat to the Place from whence I now write ', that at that time of the Year our Navigation would be uncafy and dangerous -, that in regard I lay under an Indifpenfible NecefHty of making my Retreati 'twas of no great moment whether I march'd off two Months foorer or later; and, in fine, that fmce I had recelv*d no freih Orders, nor no Succours, 'twas my Bufinefs to go off along with them. This Refolution, which was a fufficient Argument to fway me, afforded matter of Joy to the Soldiers, who were afraid of being oblig'd to a more rigoroas courie of Abflinence in that Poft than they had formerly un- dergone ', for the Meafures of a critical Abftinence do not fit well upon a Soldier's Stomach. In fine, pur- liiant to our joint Refolution, we fet Fire to the Fort on the 27th, and embarqu'd that fame Day, and keeping clofe to the South fhore of the Lake that I took notice of in my laft, arriv'd here on the loth of September. The Oumamis march'd over Land to their own Country, and carry 'd with 'em the Wound- ed, who were then in a Condition to march. Upon my Arrival in this Place, 1 found here Mr. de la Durantay^ whom Mr. Detjonville has inverted \vith the CommifHon of Commander of the Co;/r^^ri Ha '4^ \ot Some Senv Voyages di hois that trade upon the Lakci. and in the South* cm Countries of Canada. The Governor has lent me Orders to return to the Colony if the Scafbnanti other Circumftmcts pcrnDit} or to tarry here till the Spring, if 1 forelce unl'urmountabic Dimciiltics in ihe FafTaj^e. In the mean time he hjs lent me \MttU to anlwcr the Pay of my Detachment, and tolubfiit 'em in the Winter. Thcfc Orders would bcextrcam acceptable to me, if I could but contrive how to re- turn to the Colony i but that Icems to be abfolutcly impoflible, and both the Freucb and the Sav.igcs oj;rcc that it is io. There are in that Pafliigc lb many Water-falls, Catarads, and Tlaces where there's a NtCcHity of tedious Laud-carrlagts, that I dare not run I'uch Hazards with my Soldiers, who cannot work the Boats but upon Itagnating Water. Upon that Confidcration I have thought it more proper to halt here till the next Yearj at which time 1 dcfign to take the Advantage of the Company of Ibmc Frenchmen and Savages, that promile to take into each of their Canows one of my Men. In the mean time, I am upon the point of undertaking another Voyage, for 1 cannot mew myfclf up here all this Winter. I dcfign to make the beft: Ufe of my time, and to travel through the Southern Countries that ) have fo often heard of, having cngag'd four or five good Huntfmen oithtQiitaouas to go along with me. The Party of the llurons that I mention*d in the Beginning of my Letter, rcturn'd hither two Months ago, and brought with *cm an Iroqucje Slave, whom their Leader prefented to Mr. de lucbereati^ the late Colonel o?i\\tCourcurs de Bois^ and whom thatCo- Jonel order*d to be immediately ihot. The crafty Leader adked upon that Occafion a very cunning and malicious Part, the fatal Confequences of which I eafily Ibrcice : He intruded no body with the Secret but mylelfi for he is my true Friend, and he knows chat I am his. However, I muft go no far^ber up- . on to Nirtb- fimetict. le; on thi« Matter, left my Letter (hould be Intercepted. Tho* after all, if the Blow were not alrcndy given, or if 'twere pofTiblc to remedy it, my Friendship Hiould not hinder mc from acquainting Mr. di Di* noiiviUe with the Intrigue, that he might get clear of it as well as he coulX If it picafes God to allow me a iixfe Return to France^ 1 (hall tell you the Story by word of Mouth. 1 underftand by your laft. that the Kinf^ has pre* fcrr*d his Almoner, the Aboot of St. Valiers ^xoiht Bifhoprick of ^ehec ; and that this Bifhop was confetratcd in St. Sulpicc'% Church. This Piece of News would be very welcome to me, if I thought he would be Icfs rigid than Mr. de Laval^ his Prc- decclfor. But what likely hood is there that the new Bilhop will be of a tradhblc Temper? If *tis true that he has refus'd other good Bifhopricks, he mud be as fcrupulous as the Monk Dracontius^ that St. yithanafins ccnfures for not accepting of a Prefenta* tion to a Bifhoprick that was offcr'd him. In fine, if he is of that icrupulous Temper, his critical Stridt- nels will fcarce go down in this Country ; for the People are already tir'd out with his Predeceifor's ^^(communications. / 4W, SIK^ T9Ut$^ &c. ^ 4^ LET. 104 Some ?Aw Voyages LETTER XVI. Dated at MiffiUmakinae, May 28. 1689. Contdkiing an Account of the Author* i Departure from^ and Return to, MifTilimakinac. A De- fiription of the BayofpM^inis , and its Village^, An ample Defcription of the Bhsiv^n -, follow' d hy the yoiirnal of ^ remarkable Voyage upon the Long River i ana a Map of the adjacent Country, SIR, THank God, I a?^ now rctutn'd from my Voy- age upon the Long River, wHich falls into the Jlivcr oi MiJJifipi. I would willingly have trac'd It pp to its Source, if feveral Obftacles had not flood in my way, I fttout from hence the 24th of Sept. accompany'd with my own Detachment, find the nve Huhtmnen I mention'd in my laft : who indeed did me a great deal of Service. All the Soldiers were provided with new Canows loaded with Provi- fions and Ammunition, and fuch Commodities as are proper for the Savages. The Wind, which ftood then in the North9 waked me in three Days to the Bay of PotiteouatamiSj that lay forty Leagues off. The Afouth of that Bay is in a manner choak'd with Ifles, and the Bay itfelf is ten Leagues broad, and twenty-five Leagues lon^. The 29th we came to a little deep fort of a River, which difembogues at a Place where the Water of the Lake fwells three Foot high in t\yelve Hours, and decreafes as much in the fame Compafs of time. Our tarrying there three or four Days gave me an oppor- tunity of making this Remark : The Villages of the SakfSy the Pouteouatamis^ and fome Malominis, are - ' * featcd to Nirtb'Ataenai. ibj mms^ are ieaced on the fide of that River, and the Jefuici have a Houfe or College built upon it. This is a Place of great Trade for Skins and Indian Com, which thefe Savages fell to the Coureurs de BoiSy as they come and go, it being the neareft and mdft convenient Falfage to the River of Mijpfipi, The Soil of this Country is fo fertile, that it produces (in a manner without Agriculture) our European Corn, Fieafe, Beans, and feveral other Fruits that are not known in France. As foon as I landed, the Warriors of thefe three Nations came by turns to my Apartment, to regale me with the CalumeUD^nce^ and with the Captain' j^Dance ; the former being a Signification of Peace and Friendfhip, and the latter oiRefped and Efteem. I returned the Compliment with a Prefent of fome Rolls of Brajil Tobacco, which they value mightily, and fbme Strings of ^iV« Beads, with which they imbroider their Coats. Next Morning I was invited to a Feaft with one of the three Nations j and after having fent to 'em ibme Difhes and Plates, purfuant to the Cuftom of the Country, I went accordingly about Noon. They began with congratulating my Arrival, and after I had return'd them Thanks, fell a Singing and Dan- cing one after another, in a particular Manner, of which you may expe^ a circumdantial Account when I have mere Leifure. The Singing and Dancing lafled for two Hours, being feafbn'd with Acclama- tions of Joy and Jefts, which make up part of their ridiculous Mufick. After that the Slaves came to ierve, and all the Company fat down after the Baft- f r;/ faihion, every one being provided with his Mefs, jufl as our Monks are in the Monaflery-Halls. Firft of all, four Platters were fet down before me, in the Firft of which, there were two white Fifh on- ly boil'd in Water ; in the Second, the Tongue and Breaft of a Roe-buck boil'd ; in the Third, two Wopd-hensa the hind Feet or Trotters of a B^ar, and the Jjft: to6 Some'tJe'w Voyages the Tail of a Beaver, all roaftedj and the Fourth contained a large Quantity of Broth made of ieveral fbrrs of Meat. For Drink they gave me a very plea- fant Liquor, which was nothing but a Syrup of Maple beat up with Water; but of this more elfc- whcre. The Feaft laded two Hours; after which I intreated one of the Grandees to fing for me; for in all the Ceremonies made iife of among the Sava- ges, 'tis cuftomary to imploy another to adt for 'cm. I made this Grandee a Prefent of fbme Pieces of To* bacco, in order to oblige him to adt my Part till Night. Next Day, and the Day after, Iwasoblig'd to ^o to the Feafts of the other two Nations, who oblerv'd the fame Formalities. The moft curious thing I iaw in the Villages, was ten or twelve tame Beavers, that went and came like Dogs from the Rivers to the Cottages, without ftragling out of the Road. I ask*d the Savages if thefe Animals could Jive out of the Water; and receiv'd this Anfwer, that they could live afhoar as well as Dogs, and that they had kept fome of 'em above a Year, with- out fuflering them to go near the Rivers; Fronri whence I conclude, that the Cafuifls are out in not ranging Ducks, Gecfe, and Teals, in the number pf Amphibious Animals, as the Naturalifts are wont to do. 1 had heard the fame Story from feveral Americans before ; but being apprehenfive that there were different Species of Beavers, I had a Mind to be better informed; And indeed there is a particular kind of *em, which the Savages call the ferrejirialy or Land-Beaver ; but at the fame time they tell you, thele arc of a different Species from the Am- phibious Sort ; for they naake Holes or Dens in the Earth, like Rabbets or Foxes, and never go near the Water, uijlefs it beto drink. They are likewife call'd by the Savages, the lazy or idle kind, as be-, ing expeird by the other Beavers from the Kennels in which thefe Animals are loclg*d, to the Number •f • - ^5 /tead te> tfte tail . . , - .4' '.' "» -to Abeet'e attaekan/it/i Jvearj 1 lii^Mlg "^^^" ^ AW 2^ Sr^^^^S gP^"**H*IPiiiPiMHUiEr=^ '- ""^r^S ^3>i itl'ciaoj ^futtto t/ieir nttett 1 r. 1 - V-~/' t TSW-^^n" ■'fn' >4- ;^^ >»> :tf,>--*'^'f>t} •?v* I i > to Nor/i&- America. 107 pf 80. Thefe Kennels I mean to defcribe afterwards ^ in the mean time I only take occafion to acquaint you, that the idle fort being unwilling to work^ are expell'd by the others, juft: as Walps are by Bees i and are To teas'd bv 'cm, that they are forc'd to quit the Kennels, whicn the better and more in* duflrious Race huddles up to themselves in the Fens. *rhi8 fupine Beaver refemblcs the other fort in its Figure, excepting tha, the Hair is rub'd off the Back and the Belly, which is occafion'd by their rub- bing againft the Earth when they return to, or (lir out from their Holes. The Writers of Natural Hiftory arc very much out, in fancying that the Beavers cut off their own Teilicles, when purfued by the Huntimen ; for that which the Fhyficians call Caftoreum^ is not lodg'd in the Tefticles, but in a certain Bag that Nature feems to have form'd on purpofe for thefe Animals, and this Bag ^hey make ufe of to clear their Teeth, after the biting of fbme gummy Shrub. But fup- pofing the Tefticles to be the proper Receptacle of the Caftor, we muft ftill conceive that 'tis impoflible for a Beaver to pull out his Teilicles, without rending the Nerves of the Groin, in which they are feated juft by the Sharebone. 'Tis manifeft that Elian an4 feveral other Naturalifts, were fcarce acquainted with Beaver-hunting; for had they known any thing of the Matter, they would never have talk'd of the purfuing of thefe Animals, which never go from the Side of the Pond where their Kennels are built j ^nd which dive under Water upon the leaft Noifc, and return to their Dens when the Dan«3:er is over. If thefe Creatures were but fenfible of the realbn for which War is declar'd againft 'em, they would flea themfelves alive ; for 'tis their Skin only that the Huntfmen want, the Value of the Caftor being nothing in companion with that. A great Beaver is twenty -fix Inches long, from the hind-Hcad> to io8 Some New Voyages 'he Root of the Tail. 'Tis about three Foot and eight Inches round, its Head is (even Inches long, and fix broad ; its Tail is fourteen Inches long, and fix broad, and about the Middle it has the Thicknefi of an Inch and two Lines. The Figure of the Tail is Oval i the Scale with which *tis covcr'd, and which performs the Office of what the Phyficians call the Mpidermis or Scarf-skin^ is an irregular Hexagon. The Beaver carries upon its Tail the Clay, the Earth and other Materials of which they make their Banks find Kennels, or Hutrs, by a wonderful IndindL Its Ears are ihorr, round and hollow ; its Legs are five Inches long, its Feet ilx Inches and eight Lines, aind its Paws are three Inches and a half from the Heel to the end of the great Toe. Its Paws are form'd much like a Man^ Hand, and they make vie of *em in feeding, as Apes do. The five Toes are join'd like thofe of a Duck, with a Membrane pf a Slate colour. Its. Eyes are of the leiler Size, in Proportion to the Bulk of its Body, and bear the Figure of a Rat's Eyes. Before its Muzzle there are four Fore-Tcech or Cutters, n)iz. two in each Jaw, as in a Rabbet, befides which it has fixteen Grinders, that is, eight in the upper, and as many in the lower Mandible. The Cutters are above an Inch long, and a quarter of an Inch broad, being very itrong and iharp like a Cutlas; for a Beaver afTilted by its AlTociates, (if I may fb call its Fellow* Reavers) cuts down Trees as big as a Hogfhead ; which I could never have believ'd, if I had notob- ftrv'd with my own Eyes, above twenty Trunks of Trees cut down in that fafhion. A Beaver has two Xve. i ling to , that I and to pray'ci to the Source. d that 1 meffious ) uretir de Difcovc- on d ine J by rca- uld find ^ar: He furpfize inftead me ten. Country ad main-* I ftay'd 1 time he le to givci ire of the ription of I prefent- vo Pound ttle Axe, 'oat, and a Roll Roll of Brafil Tobacro. Two of t!ic ten Warriort that he gave me, could fpeak the Language of the Outaouas^ which 1 was well plcas'd withj not that I was a Stranger to their o^n Language, for between that and the Altrnkin there is great Difference, but In regard that there were leveral Words that puzled me. My four Outaouas were trnniporred with this little Reinforcement, and were then fo incouraged, that they told me above four times, that we mighc venture fafely fo far as the Plantation of the Sun. 1 embarqued with this fmall Guard the i6th about Noon, and arriv'd that Night at the Land Carriage of Ouifconfinc^ which we finifh'd in two Days, that is, we left the River of P//^/;/j, and tranlported our Canows and Baggage to the River Ouifconfiuc^ which is not above three quarters of a League dii^ tant, or thereabouts. I (hall fay nothing of the Ri« ver we left, but that 'twas muddy, full of Shelves, and inclofed with a fteep Coalt, Marihes, and frightful Rocks. The i^tb we cmbarqu'd upon the River OuifcoU" finc^ and being favour*d by a flack Current, arriv*d in four Days at the Place where it empties it {elf into the River MiJJiJipi; which is about half a League broad in that part. The Force of the Cur- rent, and the Breadth of that River, is much the lame as that of the Loire. It lies North-Eaft, and South-Weft ; and its Sides areadorn'd with Meadows, lofty Trees and Firs. I obferv'd but two Iflmds up- on it, though there may be more, which the Dark- nefs of the Night hid from us as we came down. The 23^ we landed upon an Ifland in the River MiJJifipi^ over againll the River I fpoice of but now, and were in hopes to tind fome wild Goats there, but had the 111 fortune to find none. The Day af- ter we croft to t'other Side of the River, founding it every where, as we had done the Day before, and found nine Foot Water in the fhallowcft Place. The ji of itovimhr we made the Mouth of the Lofir^ BJvery having firft ftcm'd fevefal rapid Currents of that River, though 'twai theh at loweft £bb. In diif little Paflage we kill'd feVeral wild Beeves which we broil'd, and catch'd feveral large Dabs. On the $d we enter'd the Mouth of the Long River y which looks like a Lake full of Bull-ruftiesj we found in the middle of it a narrow Channel, upon which we fteer'd till Night, and then lay by to fleep in our Canows. In the Morning I enquired of my ten OutagamiSy if we had far to fail before we were clear of the Rufhesi and receiv'd this Anfwer, that they had never been in the Mouth of that River before, though at the fame time they affur'd me, that about twenty Leagues higher, the Banks of it were clad with Woods and Meadows. But after all we did not fail fb far, for about ten a Clock next Morning the River came pretty narrow, and the Shoar was cover'd with lofty Trees; and after con- tinuing our Courfe the reft of that Day, we had a Froiped of Meadows now and then. That fame Night we landed at a Point of Land, with a DeHgn to drefs our broil'd Meat, for at that time we had none frefh. The next Day we flop'd at the firft Ifland we faw, in which we found neither Man nor Beaft; and the Evening drawing near, I was un« willing to venture far into it, fo we e*en contented our (elves with the catching of fbme fbrry Fifli. The (>th a gentle Gale iprung up, which wafted us to another Idand about ix Leagues higher, where we landed. Our Paflage to this Place was very quick, notwithftanding the great Calm that always prevails upon the River, which I take to be the leaft rapid River in the World. But the Quicknefs of the Paffage was not the only Surprifal, for I was amazM that I faw no Harts, nor Bucks, nor Tur-* keys, having met with 'em all along in the other Parts ofmy Diicovcry. The ']tb the fame Wind drove us to ver. to North" Amctkz. Mi LoHt fits of In which ^n the which ind in ch wc n our %y ten : were r, that River 'd mc, cs of it ifter all :k next and thti tcr con- e had a lat fame Defigrt we had :hc firft [an nor I was un- Intented jry Filh. iftcd us ,, where las very It always Ithe leaft mefs of for I was ►r Tur-i ler Parts Irove us to to a third Ifland, that lay ten or twelve Leagues off the former, which we quitted in the Morning. In this third Ifland our Savages kill'd thirty or forty Pheafants which I was not ill picas 'd with. The Htb the Wind proving unfcrvicrable to us, by reafon that 'twas intercepted by Hills cover'd with Firs, we ply'd our Oars ; and about two in the Afternoon, defcry'd on the left Hand large Mea- dows, and ibme Huts at the didance of a Quarter of a League from the River. Upon this Difcovery, our Savages and ten of the Soldiers jump'd upon the Shoar, and directed their Courfc to the Houfes, where they found fifty or fixty Huncfmcn prepared to receive 'em, with their Bows and Arrows. As fbon as the Huntfmen heard the Voice of the Outagamis^ they threw down their Arms, and presented the Company with fome Deer that they had jull kill'd^ which they likewife helped to carry to my Canows. The Benefadtors were fbme of the Eokoros^ who had left their Villages, and come thither to hunt. I pre* fented *cm, more out of Policy, than Acknowledg- ment, with Tobacco, Knives and Needles, which they could not but admire. Upon this, rney re- paired with Expedition to their Villages, and gave their Aifociates to underftand, what a good ibrt of People they had met with ; which had to much In- fluence, that the next Day towards the Evening, there appeared upon the River- fide above two thou- fand Savages, who fell a dancing as fbon as they defcry'd us. Thereupon, our Outagamis went afhoar, and after a fhort Conference, fbme of the princi- pal Savages, imbarqu'd on board of our Canows, and fb wc all fleer'd to the chief Village, which we did not reach till Midnight. 1 order*d our Huts to be made up on a Point of Land near a little Ri- ver, at the Diflance of a quarter of a League from the Village. Though the Savages prefs'd me ex- treamly to lodge in one of their Villages, yet none I went 114 Some New Voyages went with *em but the Outagamis^ tnd the four Ou- taouasy who at the fame time caution'd the Savages not to approach to our Camp in the Night-time. Next Day I altow'd my Soldiers to rcfrefh and reft thrmfelvcsi and went my lelf to vifit the Grandees of this Nation, to whom I gave Prefcntsof Knives, Scidars, Needirs, and Tobacco. They gave me to underhand, that they were infinitely well pleas'd with our Arrival in their Country, for that they had heard the Savages of other Nations fpeak very honourally of the tr$itcb. I took leave of 'em on the \2thy and let out with a Convoy of five or fix hundred Savages, who march*d upon the Shoar, keeping pace with our Canows. We paisM by ano- ther Village that lay to the right Hand, and (lop'd at a third Village that was five Leagues diAant from the fird, but did not difimbarque : For all that I defign^d, was to make a Prefcnt to the leading Men of the Village, from whom I receiv*d more Indian Corn, and broil'd or dry'd Meat, than I had occafion for. In fine, I pafsM from Village to Village without flopping, unleis it were to incamp all Night, or to preient the Savages with fome Trinkets ^ and fo flcer*d on to the laft Village, with a Dcfign to get fbme Intelligence. As ibon as we arrived at the £nd of this Village, the great Governor, who indeed was a venerable old Gentleman, fcnt out Hunters to bring us good Cheer. He informed me, that fixty Leagues higher 1 (hould meet with the Nation of the I^ffanapeSy who wag'd War with him ; that if it had not been for their being at War, he would have given me a Convoy to their Country ; that, however he meant to give up to me fix Slaves of that Country, which I might carry home, and make ufe of as I faw Occafion ; and that in failing up the River, I had nothing to fear, but the being furpriz'd in the Night-time. In fine, after he had inftruAed me in feveral very uleful Circumilances, I immedi- ■ . A - ately to N>r/A-Amcrica. nj ately made every thing ready for my Departure. The Commanders of this People ncciuiinccd me that they had twelve Villages Peopled by 20,000 Warriors } that their Number was much greater be- fore the War, which they wag'd at one time with the NadontJJit^ the Pammoba^ and the i\jjanapes. The People are very civil, and (o far from a wild Savage temper, that they have anAir of Humanity and Sweetnefs. Their Huts are long, and round at the Top, not unlike thofe of our Savngrs ; but they are made of Reeds and Bulrufhes, intcrlicM and ce- mented with a fort of fat Earth. Both the Men and Women go n.iked all over, excepting their Privitie.i. The Women are not (o handibme, as thofe who live upon the Lakes of Canada. There ieems to be fbmething of Government and Subordination among this People; and they have their Houfes fortified with the Branches of Trees, and Falcines (Ircngth- ened with fat Earth. The 2ifi we imbarqu*d at the Break of Day, and landed that Night in an lOand cover'd with Stonet and Gravel, having pafs'd by another at which I would not put in, becaufe I would not (light the Opportunity of the Wind,which then ftood very fair. Next Day the Wind (landing equally fair, wc (ec out and continued our Courfeall that Day, and the following Night i for the fix Effanajies informed us, that the River was clean, and n'ce from Rocks and Beds of Sand. The i^d we landed early in the Morning on the right Side of the River, in order to careen one of our Boats that fprung a Leak While that was doing, we dreft fbme Venifon thnt had been prefented me by the Commander o^ she ]aft Village of the Eokoros ; and the adjacent Coun- try being repleniih'd with Woods, th« Savages of our Company went a Shooting in the Forcfts; but they faw nothing but fmall Fowls, that they did not think fit to (hoot at. As foon as we reimbarqu'd, I 2 the t\6 Some tJefo) Voyages the Wind fell all of a fudden. and fo we were forc'd to ply the Oars ^ but moft of the Crew having ilept but little the Night before, they row'd but very faintly, which oblig'd me to put in at a great Ifland two Leagues higher ; the fix EJfanapes Slaves hav- ing informed me, that this IJland afforded great plenty of Hares, which ! found to be true. Theft i^nimals had a lucky Inftindt in taking (helter in this Ifland, for there the Woods are fo thick, that we were forc'd to let fire to feveral Places, before we could diflod^e 'em. Having made an end of our Gamc« my Soldiers fed heartily, and thereupon fell fo found afleep that I could fcarce get 'em wak'd upon a falfe Alarm, occafion'd by a Herd of Wolves that made a noife among the Thickets upon the Continent. We re- imbarqu'd next Day at ten a Cloc! a the Morning, and did not run above twelve Leagues in two Days, by reafon that the Savages of our Company would needs walk along the River fide with their Guns, to Ihoot Geefe and Ducks ; in which they had very good Succefs. After that we incamp'd jufl by the Mouth of a little River on the right Hand, and the EJfanapes Slaves gave me notice, that the firfl of their Villages was not above fix teen or eighteen Leagues oflF. Upon this Information, I fent, by the Advice of the Savages of our Company, two of the Slaves to give notice of our Arrival. The 2.(itb we row'd briskly, in hopes to reach the firft Village that Day j but being retarded by the huge Quanti- ties of floating Wood, that we met in feveral Places, we were fore d to continue all Night in our Canows. The 27//& about ten or eleven a Clock we approach- ed to the Village, and after putting up the great Calumet of Peace upon the Prow of our Canows, lay upon our Oars. Upon our firfl Appearance, three or four hundred Effojiapes came running to the Shoar, and,* after dancing i oui Fu mif to liv' ha( afH B fofc'd ng (Icpt at very t Ifland es hav- d great Thcfe iclter in ck, that , before Soldiers ieep that ; Alarm, i a noife Were- klorning, wo Days, ly would Guns, to had very ft by the and the e firft of eighteen , by the wo of the 26tb we ft Village ; Quanti- ral Places, ir Canows. approach- the great r Canows, ir hundred and," after dancing it 1 to North-America. 1 1 7 dancing juft over againft us, invited us afhoar. As foon as we came near the Shoar, they began to jnmp into our Canows ; but I gave 'em to know by the four EJfanapes Slaves, that I defir'd they fhould re- tire, which they did immediately. Then I landed, being accompany'd with the Savages of our Com- pany, namely, the Outagamis^ and the Outaouas^ and with twenty Soldiers. At the fame time I gave Or- ders to my Serjeants, to land and poft Centries. As we ftood' upon the Shoar, all the EJfanapes proftra- ted themfelves three or four times before us, with their Hands upon their Foreheads ; after which we were convoy*d to the Village with fuch Acclama- tions of Joy, as perfedly ftun'd us. Upon our Arri- val at the Gate, our Condudtors ftopp'd us, till the Governor, a Man of fifty years of Age, march*d out with five or fix hundred Men arm'd with Bows and Arrows. The Outagamis of my Company perceiv- ing this, charg'd 'em with Inlolence in receiving Strangers with their Arms about 'em, and call'd out in the Eokoros Language, that they ought to lay down their Arms. But the EJfanapes Slaves that I had fent in the Day before, came up to me, and gave me to undcrftand, that 'twas their Cuftom to ftand to their Arms on fuch Occafions, and that there was no Danger in the Cafe. However, the ob- ftinate Outagamis oblig'd us to retire immediately to our Canows : Upon which the leading Officer, and the whole Battalion, Hung their Bows and Ar- rows afide all on a fudden. Then I return'd, and our whole Company enter'd the Village with their Fulees in their Hands, which the Savages admir'd mightily. The Leader of the Savages conduced us to a great Hut, which look'd as if no body had liv'd in it before. When I and my twenty Soldiers had enter'd the Place, they ftopp'd the Outagamis^ affirming,' that they did not delerve the Privilege of entring within the Cottage of Peace, fincc they I 3 bad i i if ! ill :l , III I li \um 1 I Some Nens) Voyages had endeavour'd to create a Difference, and occafion a War between us and the Bjjanapes. In the mean time I order'd my Men to open the Door, and to call out to the Outagamis^ that they (hould offer no manner of Injury : But the Outagamis in (lead of coming in, prefsd me to return with all Expedition . to the Canows, which accordingly I did without Loft of Time, and carryed with me the four EJJanapes Slaves, in order to leave 'em at the firft Village we came to, We had no fooner imbarqucd, than the two other Slaves came to acquaint me that the Go- vernor would ftop me in his River; but the 0»/^- gaiiiis made Anfwer, that he could not do that without throwing a Mountain into it. In fine, we did not (land todifpute the Matter; and tho* 'twas then late, we row*d ftraight to the next Village, which lay about three Leagues off. During the time of this Paffage, 1 us'd the Precaution of taking from my fix Slaves an exadt Information of the Con- ftitution of their Country, and particularly of the principal Village. They having aflTur'd me, that the Capital Canton was feated upon a fort of a Lake, J took up a Refolution of not flopping at the other Villages, where I fhould only lofe time, and lavifh my Tobacco, and {leering diredlly to the Metropo- litan, in order to complain to their Generaliffimo. We arriv'd at the Capital Canton on the %d of November^ and there met with a very honourable Reception. The Outagamis of our Company com-? plainM of the Affront they had receiv'd ; but the Head General being already informed of the Matter, made anfwer, that they ought to have carried off the Governor or Leading Officer, and brough*: him along with them. In pafltng from the firfl Village to this, we run fifty Leagues, and were follow 'd by a Proceffion of People, that were much more fbci- ^ble than the Governor that ofFer'd us that Affront. After our Men had fitted up our Huts at the dif- tance I foi 5i to Nof/iS- America. 119 iccafion e mean and to offer no lead of pedition 3Ut Lofs :jfanapes Wage we than the the Go- tie Outa- do that fine, we ho' 'twas Village, iring the of taking the Con- •ly of the me, that fa Lake, the other md laviih Metropo- liffimo. the sd of onourable any com-!* 5 but the e Matter, :arried off )Ugh*: him •ft Village )llow'd by more foci- ,t Affront. It the dif- tance tancc of a Cannon-(hot from the Village j we went in a joynt Body with the Otitagamts and the Outa' ouas, to the Cacick of that Nation ^ and in the mean time the EJfanapes Slaves were brought before him by ten of my Soldiers. 1 was a<5lually in the Pre- fcnce of this petty King, when thelb Slaves fpent half an hour in proftrating themfclves feveral times before him. 1 made him a Prelent of Tobacco, Knives, Needles, Sci (Tars, two Firelocks with Flints, fbme Hooks, and a very pretty Cutlas. He was better fatisfied with thefe trifling things, which he had never feen before, than I could have been with a plentiful Fortune. He teftified his Acknc^wltdg- ment of the Gift, by a Countcr-prefent thar was more fblid, though not much more valuable, as confifting of Peafe, Beans, Harts, Roe-bucks, Gtcie and Ducks, of which he ient great plenty to our Camp : And indeed, we were extreamly well fatis- fied with fuch a feafonable Prefent. He gave me to know, That, fmce I defign'd to vifit the Gnacfi^ tares^ he would give me a Convoy of two or three hundred Men : That the Gnac fit ares were a very honefl fort of People ; and that both they and his People were link'd by a common Intercft in guard- ing off the Mozeemlek, which were a turbulent and warlike Nation. He added, that the Nation laft mention'd were very numerous j that they never took the Field without twenty thoufand Men at leaft : That to reprefs the Incurfions and Infults of that dangerous Enemy, the Guacfitares and his Nation had maintain'd a Confederacy for fix and twenty Years ; and that his Allies (the Gnacfitares) were forc'd to take up their Habitation in Iflands, where the Ene- my cannot reach 'em. I was glad to accept of his Convoy, and returned him many thanks. I ask'd four Pirogues of him, which he granted very frank- ly, allowi*"^ me to pick and chufe that Number out ot fifty. Z-oyal Robes are of the lame Magnificence with thoie of the Commander of the Okoros : For he is naked all over, excepting his lower Parts, which are cover*d with a large Scarf made pf the Barks of Trees, The large Extent of this Village might juftly intitle it to the Name of a City. T"e Houfcs are built al^ioft like Ovens, but they are {at ge and high ; and moft of 'em are of Reeds cemented with fat Earth. The Day before I left this Place, as I was walking about, I faw thirty pr forty Women running at full (peed ; and being furpriz'd with the Spedacle, ipoke to the Outagamis Xo order my four Slaves to fee what the Matter was } for thele Slaves were my only Interpreters in thi^ wnknowq to North^Atntxk^. MX It view es J by le half, mid not f ftrokc n ibme >uld not ey were he Axe. left my id beg'd by any to me. that the lore Dif- n time I hout giv- 1 all the tnmander uilt by it ^rrounded his Rela- is ftrew*d he is car- re of the iander of ;epting his rge Scarf lExtcnt of ame of a fvens, but sm arc of lay before faw thirty |and being '^utagatnis atter was j rs in thi^ unknown unknown Country. Accordingly they brought me word, that 'twas fome new married Women, who were running to receive the Soul of an Old Fellow that lay a dying. From thence I concluded, that the People were Pythagoreans j and upon that Ap- prehenfion^ ask'd em now they came to eat Ani- mals, into which their Souls might be transfus'd : But they made Anfwer, that the Tranfmigration of Souls is always confin'd to the refpcdive Species, fo that the Soul of a Man cannot enter into a Fowl, as that of a Fowl cannot be lodg'd in a Quadruped, and fo on. The Okorosy of both Scaes, are fully as handibme and as clever, as this People. December the ^tb^ I took leave of this Village, ha- ving ten Soldiers on board of my Pirogue, befides the ten Oumamis, the four Outaouas^ and the four Bjfanapes Slaves, that 1 have mention'd fo often. Here ended the Credit and Authority of the Calumet of Peace, for the Gnacfitares are not acquainted with that Symbol of Concord. The firft Day we had enough to do to run fix or feven Leagues, by rea- fbn of theBulrufhes with which the Lake is incum- ber'd. The two following Days we fail'd twenty Leagues. The J^b Day a Weft-North-Weft Wind furpriz*d us with fuch a boifterous Violence, that we were forced to put afhoar, and lay two Days upon a fandy Ground, where we were in Danger of ftarv- ing for Hunger and Cold ; for the Country was lo barren, that we could not find a Chip of Wood wherewith to warm our lelves, or to drefs our Vidtu- als ; and as far as our £ye could reach, there waj nothing to be feen but Fens cover*d with Reeds and Cl^y« dnd naked Fields. Having indur'd this Hardfhip we fet out again, and row'd to a little liland, upon which we incamp'd, but found nothing there but green Fields^ however, to make ibme Amends, we fifh'd up great numbers of little Trouts, upon which we fed v«ry heartily. At laft, after failing 122 SovM Nenv f^oyages (ailing (ix Days more, we arriv'd at the Point or Lands-end of that Ifland which you fee mark*d in my Map with a Flower-de-luce. 'Twai then the 19th Day of December^ and we had not yet felt all the rigorous Hardfhips of the Cold. As loon as I had landed and fitted np my Tents or Huts, I de- tach'd my EJfanapes Slaves to the firft of the three Villages that lay before us ^ for I had avoided (lop- ping at fome Villages in an Ifland upon which we coalted in the Night-time. The Slaves return'd in a great Alarm, occafion'd by the unfavourable An- fwer they received from the Gnacfiares^ who took us for Spaniards^ and were angry with them for con- dud ing us to their Country. I (hall not be minute in every Particular that happened, for fear of tiring your Patience. 'Tis fufficient to acquaint you, that upon the Report of my Slaves I immediately em- barqu'd, and pofted my (elf in another Ifland that lay in the middle between the great Ifland and the Continent ; but I did not fuffer the EJfanapes to be in my Camp. In the mean time the Gnacfitares fent expeditious Couriers to the People that live eighty Leagues to the Southward of them, to defire they would fend fome of their Number to examine us; lor that People were (uppos'd to be well acquainted with the Spaniards of New Mexico, The Length of the Journey did not difcourage 'em, for they came as chearfuUy as if it had been upon a National Con- cern; and after taking a View of our Cloaths, our Swords, our Fufees, our Air, Complexion, and manner of Speech, were forced to own that we were not true Spaniards. Thefe Confiderations, join'd to the Account I gave 'em of the Rea(bns upon which I undertook the Voyage, of the War we were ingag'd in againfl Spain^ and ofthe Country to the Eaft ward that we podefsM ; the(e, I fay, had fo much Influ- ence, as to undeceive 'em. Then they invited me to cnc mp in their Ifland, and brought me a fort of Crain to Nor/A- America. 'M Grain not unlike our Lentils, that grows plentifully in that Country. I thank*d *em for their Invitation, and told 'em that I would not be obliged to diftruft them, nor give them any occafion to diftruft me. However, I crofs'd with my Savages and ten Sol- diers well arm'd ^ and after breaking the Ice in cer- tain Places (for it had frecz*d hard for ten or twelve Days) I landed within two Leagues of one of their Villages, to which I walk'd up by Land. 'Tis need- left to mention the Particulars of the Ceremony with which I was received, it being the fame with what I defcrib'd upon other Occafions ; I (hall only take occafion to acquaint you, that my Prefents made a wonderful ImprefTion upon th^ Minds of thcfc People, whom I (hall call a rafcaliy Rabble, tho' at the fame time they are the politeft Nation I have yet Icen in this Country. Their Governor bears the Figure of a King more than any of the other Commanders of the Savages. He has an abfblute Dominion over all the Villages which are defcrib'd in my Map. In this and the other Iflands I faw large Parks, or Inclofures, ilock'd with wild Beeves for the uie of the People. I had an Interview for two Hours together with the Governor, or the Cacick 'y and almoft our whole Conference related to the Spaniards of New Mexico^ who, as he aifur'^ were not diftant from his Country above eighty me Tazous, each of which is three Leagues. I muft own indeed, I was as curious upon this Head as he and I wanted an Account of the Spaniards was from him, as much as he did from me : In fine, we reciprocally inform^ one another of a great many Particulars relating to that Head. He requefted me to accept of a great Houfe that was prepared for me; and his firi^ piece of Civility confif^ed in calling in a great many Girls, and prefling me and my Retinue to ferve our felvcs. Had this Temptation been ibrown in our way at a more feafbnable time, it had prov*d 124 *^^ •^'^ ^py^s^^ prov'd irreflftable; but *cwas not an agreeable Mela for PafTengers that were infeebled by Labour and Want. Sine Cerere £^ Baccbo friget Venus. After he made us fuch a civil Profter, the Savages, upon my Inftance, reprefented to him, that my Detach- ment expedted me at a certain Hour, and that if I ftay'd longer, they would be in Pain for mc. This Adventure happened on the 7th o( January, Two Days after, the Cacick came to lee me, and brousht with him four hundred of his own Subjeds, and rour Mozeemlek Savages, whom 1 took for Spa^ ttiards. My Midake was occafion'd by the great Dif* ference between theft two American Nations; for, the Mozeemlek Savages were cloathed, they had a thick buihy Beard, and their Hair hung down un- der their Ears ; their Complexion was fwarthy, their Addrefs was civil and fubmiflivc, their Mien grave, and their Carriage engaging. Upon thefe ConHde- rations I could not imagine that they were Savages, tho' after all I found my felf miftaken. Thele toxxt Slaves gave me a Defcription of their Country, which the Gnacfitares reprefented by way of a Map upon a Deer's Skin j as you fee it drawn in this Map. Their Villages ftand upon aRiver that iprings out of aRidge of Mountains, from which the long River likewife derives its Source, there being a great many Brooks there which by a joint Confluence form the River. When the Gnacfitares have a mind to hunt wild Beeves, they fet out in Pirogues, which they make ufe of till they come to the Crofs mark'd thus (+) in the Map, at the Confluence of two little Rivers. The Hunting of the wild Bulls, with which all the Val- leys are cover'd in Snmmer, is fometimes the Occafi- on of a cruel War; For the other Crofs (+) which you fee in the Map is one of the Boundaries or Li- xnits oi Mozeemlek ;'and if either of thefe two Nations advances but a little beyond their Limits, it gives Rife to a bloody Engagement* The Mountains I ^ , fppkf to H>rth^Amtt\cz. II f iMefi ir and After upon ctach- it if I This e, and bjeds, )r Spa- at Dif- s; for, had a jvn un- ', their grave, onfide- avages, ;fe tour ^ which upon a Their iRidge kewife Brooks River, wild akeule +)in rs. The cVal- Dccafi- which or Li- gations : gives tains I fpokf It fpoke of but now, are fix Leagues broad, and C6 high that one muft call nn Infinity of Windings and Turnings before he can crofs 'em. Bears and wild Beads are their oniv Inhabitants. The Moztemlek Nation is numerous and puiflanc. The four Slaves of that Country informed me, that at the diftance of 150 Leaeues nrom the Place where I then was, their principalRiver empties it iclf into a Salt Lake of three hundred Leagues in Circumfe- rence, the Mouth of which is about two Leagues broad: That the lower part of that River is adorn'd with fix noble Cities, furrounded with Stone cement- ed with fat £arth: That the Houfes of thefe Cities have no Roofs, but are open above like a Platform, as you fee 'em drawn in the Map : That befides the abovemention'd Cities, there were above an hundred Towns, great and fmall, round that fort of Sea, up- on which they navigate with fuch Boats as you fee drawn in the Map : That the People of that Cfountry made Stuffs, Copper Axes, and feveral other Manu- factures, which the Outagamis and my other Inter- preters could not give me to underfbnd, as beine al- together unacquainted with fuch things: That meir Government was Defpotick, and lodg'd in the Hands of one great Head, to whom the reft paid a trem- bling Submiflion : That the People upon that Lake call themfelvcs ^abuglauky and are as numerous as the Leaves of Trees, (fuch is the Expreflion that the Savages ufes for an Hyperbole :) That the Mozeemlek People fupply the Cities or Towns of the ^ahuglauk with great numbers of little Calves which they take upon the abovemention'd Mountains: and. That the Slubugiauk make ufe of thefe Calves for feveral Ends ; for, they not only eat their Flefh, but bring 'em up to Labour, and make Cloaths, Boots, i^c, of their Skins. They added, That 'twas their Mif- fortune to be tookPrifbners by the Gnacfitares in the War which had lafted for eighteen Years ^ but, that they ti6 Some New Voyages chey hoped a Peace would be fpeedilv concluded, upon which the Prifbnen would be exctiang'd, pur- fuant to the ufual Cuftonn. They glory d in the FofTedion of a greater Meafure of Reafon than th« Cnacfitans could pretend to, to whom they allow no more than the Figure of a Man ; for they look upon 'em as Beads otherwife. To my mind,*their Notion upon this Head is not (b very extravagant ; for I ob- ferv'd fo much Honour and Polttencis in the Con. verfation of theic four Slaves, that I thought I had to do with Europeans : But, after all, I muit confeis, that the Gnacfttares are the mod tradable Nation I met with among all the Savages. One of the four Mozeemlck Slaves had a rcddiih Ibrt of a Copper Me- dal hanging upon his Neck, the Figure of which is reprefented in the Map. I had it melted by Mr. de Pontics Gun-fmiib, who undcrftood ibmething of Metals i but it became thereupon heavier, and deep- er coloured, and withal (bmewhat tr.)(ftable. I defir'd the Slaves to give me a circumftamial Account of thele Medals j and accordingly they gave me to un« deriland, that they are made by the Tabuglauky who are excellent Artizans, and put a great Value upon fuch Medals. I could pump nothing farther out of *em, with relation to the Country, Commerce and Cuftoms of that remote Natjon. AH they could fay was, that the great River of that Nation runs all a- long Wedward, and that the fait Lake into which it falls, is three hundred Leagues in Circumference, and thirty in Breadth, its Mouth dretching a great way to the Southward. I would fain have fatisfied my Curiofity in being an Eye-witnefs of the Manners and Cudoms of the Tabu^lauk^ but that being im- pradticable, I was forc'd to be indrudted at fecond Hand by thefe Mozeemlek Slaves j who afTur'd me, upon the Faith of a Savage, that the 'J'ahuglauk wear their Beards two Fingers breadth long ; that their Garments reach down to their Knees ^ that they co- ver led, mr- thc th« ivno ipon )tiofi lob- Con- [had nfefs, ;ion I four rMe- lich is ing of dccp- defir'd iint of to un- ity who ! upon out of ce and lid fay IS all a- hich it :e, and sat way led my anners ng im- fecond ir'd me, k wear t their hey co- ver to Sortb'' AmcxioL. 1x7 ver their Heads with t (harp-pointed Cap ; that they always wear a long Stick or Cane in their Hands, which is tipp'd, not unlike what we ufe in Europfi that they wear a (brt of Boots upon their Legi which reach up to the Knee i that their Women never (hew themfeWes, which perhaps proceeds from the fame Principle that prevails in Italy and Spain ^ and, in fine, that this People are always at War with the puiAant Nations that are feated in the Neighbour- hood of the Lake ; but withal, that they never di(^ quiet the (Growling Nations that fall in their way, by reafon of their Weakne(s: An admirable Le(ron for fbme Princes in the World, who are (b much in- tent upon the making ufe of the ilrongeil Hand. This was all 1 could gather upon that Subjedt.:My Curiofity prompted me to defire a more particular Account ; but unluckily I wanted a good Interpre- ter i and having to do with feveral Ferfons that did not well underftand themfelves, I could make no- thing of their incoherent Fuftian. I prefented the poor miferable Slaves with fbmething in proportion to the Cuftom of that Country, and eadeavour'd to perfuade 'em to go with mc to Canada^ by making em fuch Offers as in their £(leem would appear like Mountains of Gold ; but the Love they had for their Country (lifled all Periuafionss fo true it is, that Na- ture reduced to its juft Limits cares but little for Riches. In the mean time it began to thaw, and the Wind chop'd about to the South-wefl ; upon which I gave notice to the great Cacique of the Gtiacfitaresj that I had a mind to return to Canada. Upon that occafion I repeated my Prefents i in Compenfation of which, my Pirogues were ftow'd with Beef as full as they could hold. This done, I embarqu'd, and crofs'd over from the little Ifland to the Continent, where I fixed a p^reat long Pole, with the Arms of France done upon a I'kte of Lead. Ifet out the 26th of January^ and i' iiS Some Nfttf Foy^s and arrived fife on the ^ch of Fttruary in ihe Country of the iiffoftdpes. We had much more Plcafurc in failing down the River, than we had in going up i for wc had the agreeable Diverfion of feeing (everal Huntfmen fliootine the Water-Fowl, that are plen- tiful upon that River. You muft know, that the Stream of the Long River is all along very flack and eafy, abating for about three Leaj;uei between the fourteenth and fifteenth Village ^ for there indeed its Current may be call'd rapid. The Channel is fo Oraight, that it fcarce winds at all from the Head to the Lake. 'Tis true 'tis not very pleafant ; for moft of its Banks have a di(mal Profpeft, and the Water it (elf has an ugly Tafte; but tnen its Ufefulnefs at- tones for fuch Inconveniencies ; for, 'tis navisable with the greateft £afe, and will bear Baraues of fifty Ton, till you come to that Place whicn is mark'd with a Flower-de-luce in the Map, and where 1 put up the Poft that my Soldiers chriften'd/tf Hontan*sLi* mit, March 2. 1 arriv'd in the Miffifipi^ which wai then much deeper and more rapid than before, by reafbn of the Rains and Land-floods. To Ave the Labour of rowing ; we then left our Boats to the Current, and arrived on the loth in the Ifhnd of Rencontres^ which took its Name from the Defeat of ^00 Iroquefe accomplifh'd there by $00 NadoueJ/is, The Story of the Encounter is briefly this: A Party of 400 Iroquefe having a Mind to furprife a certain People in the Neighbourhood of the Otentas (of whom more anon) march'd to the Country of the Illinefe^ where they built Canows, and were furnifh'd with Frovifions. After that they embarqu'd upon the Ri- ver Mijfijipij and were difcover'd by anothci little Fleet that was failing down the other fide of the fame River. The Iroquefe crofs'dover immediately to that Ifland, which is fince call'd Aux Rencontres. Tha Nadoueffisj 1. e. the other little Fleet, being fufpici- ous of fome ill Dcfign, without knowing what Peo- ple to North' Atr\cx\cz. lip intry re in ^erai plen- It the kand in the eed iu lis fo cad to r moft Water lefs at- /igable of fifty mark*d c 1 put ich wai »re, by kve the to the jnd of Defeat idoueJJiS' Party certain if whom I'd with theRi- ic; little :he fame to that \s. The fufpici- [hat Peo- ple pie they were, (for they had no Knowledge of the Jrcqutjt but by Hear-iay}^ upon this Suipicion, I fay, they tugg'd hard to come up with 'cm. The two Armies pofted themfeJves upon the Point of the liland, where the two Croflfes arc put down in the Map ^ and as (bon as the Nadoutjfis came in fight, the IroQuefe cry'd out in the Uhntfe Language, IVbo arc ye f To which the Nadouejfis anfwcr'd. Some body : And putting the like Queilion to the Iroquefe^ received the (ame Anfwer. Then the IroquePe puc this Que(^ lion to *cm, IVbere are ycu agoing r To hunt Beeves, reply 'd the NadoueJ/is. But pray^ fays the Nad'jucJfiSj what*! your BuJineJ's ^ ^o bunt Men, reply 'd the /ro- queje. 'Tis welly (ays the NadotieJJis, "jjc are Men^ and fo you need go no fartber. Upon this Chalicncc the two Parties difembarqu'd, and the Leader of the NadoueJ/is cut his Canows to pieces ; and after repre- fenting to his Warriors that they behov'd either to conquer or die, march'd up to the Ircquefe-^ who received *em at firft Onfet with a Cloud of Arrows : But the NadoueJ/is having flood their firfl Difcharge, which kilPd 'em eighty Men, fell in upon 'cm with their Clubs in their Hands, before the others could charge again -, and fo routed 'cm entirely. This En- gagement laftcd for two Hours, and was fo hot, that two hundred and fixty Iroqueje fell upon the Spot, and the reft were all taken Prilbners. Some of the Jroqtiefe indeed attempted to make their Efcape after the Adtion was over j but the victorious General lent ten or twelve of his Men to purfue 'cm in one of the Canows that he had taken j and accordingly they were all overtaken and drown'd. The NadoueJJts having obtainM this Vidory, cut off the Noies and Ears of two of tnc clevcreft Frifonersj and fupplying *em with Fufees, Powder, and Ball, gave 'em tne liberty of returning to their own Country, in order to give their Country-men to underdand, that they ought not to employ Women to hunt after Men any longer. K The I JO Some New Voyages The 1 2th we arrived at the Village of the Otentas^ where we took in a plentiful Provifion of ^urkiy Corn^ of which thefc People have great ftore. They informM us, that their River was pretty rapid, and took its Rife from the neighbouring Mountains: and that the upper Part ofit was adorn'd with fe vera! Vil- lages inhabited by the People call'd Panimaha^ Pane* affa^ and Panetonka* But confidering that I was (Iraitned for time, and that I faw no probability of learning what 1 wanted to know with reference to the Spaniards, I took leave of 'em the next Day, uhich was the 1 3th, and in four Days time, by the help of the Current and our Oars, made the River of the Mtjjouris. This done, we run up againft the Stream of that River, which was at leaft as rapid as the MiJJifipi was at that time j and arriv'd on the 1 8th at the firft Village of the Mtjjouris, where I only ftop*d to make the People fome Prefents that procur*d me a hundred Turkeys, with which that People are wonderfully well ftock'd. After that, we rowM hard againft the Stream, and landed next Night near the fecond Village. As foon as I arriv'd, I detach'd a Serjeant with ten Soldiers to convoy the Outa^amis to the Village, while the reft of niy Crew were bufled in fitting up our Hutts and un- loading our Canows. It happen'd unluckily that neither the Soldiers nor the Outagamis could make the Savages underftand *em j and the latter were juft ready to fall upon 'em, when an old Fellow cry'd out, that the Strangers were not without more com- pany, for that he had dlfcovcr*d our Hutts and Ca- nows. Upon this, the Soldiers and the Outagamis retir'd in a great Confternation, and advis'd me to keep a ftrong Guard all Night. About two a Clock in the Morning two Men approach'd to our little Camp, and call'd in Jllinefe, that they wanted an Interview ; upon which the Outagamis, being ex- treamly well iatisfied that there was fome body a- mong oft wit Ma min plof bufi whi( Tod two to I^rth'Amcrici. M< mtaSf urkfy They I, and 11 and alvil- 1 was ility of encc to t Day, by the • River inft the as rapid i on the where 1 ;nts that lich that ftcr that, |ded next arrlv'd, convoy [ft of my and un- :kily that lid make Iter were low cry 'd lore com- and Ca- )utagamis Is'd me to It two a Id to our ly wanted being ex- body a- inong mong 'em who could underftand what they (aid, re** ply'd in lllinefe^ that they (hould be very welcome as (bon as the Sun appear'd in the Horieon. Never* theleis, the Outagamis .xtCtnttd, the former Affront (b much, that they importuned me all Night long to let fire to the Village, and put all the fcoundrel In* habitants to the Sword. I made Anfwer to 'em^ that 'twas our buunefs to be wifer than they, and to bend our Thoughts, not upon a fruitlefs Revenge, but upon the Difcovery that we were then in queft of! At the break of Day the two Adventurers of the Night came up to us, and after putting Interrogato- ries to us for the fpace of two Hours, invited us to come up to their Village. The Otttagamis reply 'd^ that the Head or Governor of their Nation ought to have faluted us fooner ; and this oblig'd *em to gc back to give him Notice. After that we faw no bo- dy for three Hours; butatlaft, when our Impatience was juft beginning to boil, we percciv'd the Govern nor, who accofted us in a trembling Pofture. Hd was accompany'd with fbme of his own Men, who were loaded with broil'd or dry'd Meat, Sacks of ^r-» key ox Indian Corn, dry'd Raifms, and fome fpeckled or partirr/> America. M? the Morning i the «6th, about three a Clock in the Afternoon, we defcry'd three or tour hundred Sava- ges employed in the Hunting of Beeves, which iwarmed in all the Meads to the Weft ward. As foon as the Hunters Ipyed us, they made a Sign that we ftiould make towards 'em. Being ignorant who, or how numerous they were, we made a Halt at firft; but at laft we put in about a Musket- Ihoc above *em, calling out to 'em that they fliould not approach to us in a Body. Upon that, four of their Number came up to us with a fmiling Countenance, and gave us to know, in the lUtnefe Language, that they were Akanfas. We could not but credit their Report, for they had Knives and Sciifars hanging upon their Necks, and little Axes about 'em, which the IlUnefe prelent *em with when they meet. In fine, being alTur'd that they were of that Nation, which Mr. de la Salle and feveral other Frenchmen were intimately acquainted with, we landed at the fame Place j and they entertain'd us firft with Dancing and Singing, and then with all Ibrts of Meat. The next Day they ihew'd us a Crocodile that they had knock'd in the head two Days before, by a Stratagem that you'll find defcrib'd in another Place: After that they gave us the Diverfion of a Hunting Match ; for 'tis cufto- maiy with them, when they mean to divert them- felves, to catch the Beeves by the different Methods laid down in this Cut. I put fome Queftions to 'em relating to the Spaniards^ but they could not relblve 'em. All that I learn'd from 'em was, that the Mif- fouris and the Ofages are numerous and miichievous Nations, equally void both of Courage and Honefty ^ that their Countries were water'd with very great Rivers j and, in a Word, were too good for them. After ^fii had (pent two Days with them, we pur* fued our Voyage to the River Ouahacb^ taking care to watch the Crocodiles very narrowly, of which they had told us incredible Stories. The next V9iY K 3 we ' 11 '■r msyi 1 J4 Some New Voyages V'Oenter'd the Mouth of chat River, and founded it, to try the Truth of what the Savages reported of its depth. In effedt, we found there three Fathom and a half Water ; but the Savages of our Company al- ledg'd, that 'twas more fwell'd than ufually. They all agreed, that 'twas navigable an hundred Leagues up) and I wiih'd heartily, that my Time had allow'4 nie to run up to its Source ; but that being uni.:a- ibnable, I fail'd up againd the Stream, till we came to the River of the JUtnefe^ which we made on the gtb oi^pril w ith fbme Difficulty, for the Wind was againft us the firft two Days, and the Currents were very rapid. All I can fay of the River Miffijipi^ now that I am to take leave of it, is, that its narrowed part is half a League over, and the (halloweft is a Fa- thom and a half deep ; and that according to the In- formation of the Savages, its Stream is pretty gentle for feven or eight Months of the Year. As for Shelves or Banks of Sand, I met with none in it. 'Tis full of Iflcs which look like Groves, by reafon of the great plenty of Trees, and in the verdant Sealbn of the Year afford a very agreeable Profpeft. Its Banks are Woods, Meadows and Hills. I cannot be pofitive, whether it winds much in other Places; but as far as I could fee, its Courfe is very different from that of pur Rivers in France -, for I muft tell you by the Way, that all the Rivers oi America run pretty ftraight. The River of the IlUnefe is intitled to Riches, by vertue of the benign Climate, and of the great quan- tities of Deer, Roe- Bucks, and Turkeys that feed vpon its Brinks : not to mention feveral other Beads ^nd Fowls, a Pefcription of which would require an intire Volume. If you faw but my Journal, you vould be fick of the tedious Particulars of our dai- ly Adventijrss both in Hunting and Fiihing divers gpecies of Animals^ and in Rencounters with th» Sa- vages. In n^ort^ the |aic thing I fhajl mention of to North' America, M5 led it, of its 1 and ny al- Thcy sagues How*d uri*«a- ecame on the nd was ts were that I jft part sa Fa- the In- y gentle Shelves is full of le great I of the s Banks pofitive, as far as I that of leWay, aight. les, by at quan- hat feed er Beads quire an a|, you our dair ig divers I th^ Sa-: intion of ihiii ii this River, is, that the Banks are repleni(h'd with an Infinity of Fruit-Trees, which we faw in a difmal Condition, as being flrip'd of their Verdure; and that among thefe Fruit-Trees, there are many Vines, which bear mod beautiful Cluilers of very large Grapes. I ate Ibme of thefe Grapes dry*d in the Sun, which had a mod delicious Tade. The Beavers are as unfrequent in this, as in the long River, where I faw nothing but Otters, of which the People make Furs for the Winter. I ftt out from the Illinefe River on the loth of y^pr/7, and by the help of a Wed South- Wed Wind, arriv'd in fix Days at the Fort ofCrevecoeur, where I met with Mr. de ^onti^ who receivM me with all imaginable Civility, and is judly rerpe(5ted and ho- noured by the Jroquefe. I day*d three Days in this Fort, where there were thirty Coureurs de Bets that traded with the Illinefe. The 20th I arrivM at the Village of the Illinefe ; and to leflTen the Drudgery of a great Land-carriage of twelve great Leagues, in- gag'd four hundred Men to tranlport our Baggage, which they did in the fpace of four Days, being incourag'd by a Bribe of a great Roll o(Brafil To- bacco, an hundred pound weight of Powder, two hundred weight of Ball, and Ibme Arms, which I gave to the mod confiderable Men of their Number. The 2/^tb I arriv'd at Chekakou^ where my Oiitaga- ms took leave of me in order to return to their own Country, being very well fatisfied with a Preient I made 'em of fome Fufees, and ibme Pidols. The s.sth I reimbarqu d, and by rowing hard in a Calm, made the River of the Oumamis on the zM^ there I met four hundred Warriors, upon the very fame Place where Mr. de la Salle had formerly built a Fort. Thefe Warriors Were then imploy'd in burn- ing three Iroquefe^ who, as they faid, deferv'd the Punifliment ; and invited us to fhare in the Pleafure of the Show j for the Savages take it very ill if one K 4 refufes 1 J 6 Some New Voyages rcfufes the Divcrfion of fuch real Tragedies. The Tragical Spe6tacle made me (brink, for the poor Wretches were put to inconcciveable Torture j and upon that I refolv'd to reimbarque with all £xpedi- tion i alledging for an Apology, that my Men had great (lore of Brandy with 'em, and would c rtain- ]y make themfelves drunk, in folemnifmg their ViAory, upon which they would be apt to commit Dilbrdcrs, that I could not pofTibly prevent. Act rordingly 1 went immediately on board, and after coafting along r'le Lake, crofs'd the Bay d(! l*Ours^ and landed nt MiJJilimakiuac the zzd. I am infcrm' ' by the Sicur de S. Pierre de Kafan-> tirni, whotr ' el'd from ^ehec hither upon the Ice, that ' ' ' .. .-^ ,,.... J>u' 'h^ .0; 'K i7//f has took up a Refolution of tnakirg a }'eac> with the hcquefe^ in which he means to con ^rcht' •• the other Nations that are his Al^ lies J kid will: '^Vit View had given notice to his Allies, that they (hould not infell the Iroquefe. He acquaints n;c further, that Mr. de Denouvtlie has fent orders to the Governor of this Place, to perfuade the Rat^ (one of the Commanders of the Burous) to go down to the Colony, with a Defign, to have him hang'd ; and that the Savage General being ar ware of the Defign, has made a pubJick Declaration, that he will go thither on purpoie to defy him. Ac- cordingly he defigns to fet out to Morrow with a great body of Outaouas^ and feme Coureurs de Lnis^ under the Command of Mr. Dulhut. As for the Sol- diers of my Detachment, I have difpers'd 'cm in feveral Canows among the Sa\a,;;es, ;.nd the Cou- reurs de Bois ; but having fome Bafincls to adjuft in this Place, I am oblig'd to tarry my Iclf Icven or eight Days longer. This, Sir, is the true Account of my little Voyage. I have related nothing but the eflential Circumftan- ces j choofing to overlook the reft, which are fo trifling, as to b^ unworthy of your Curiofity. As » ' for to NoK^ib-Amcrica. M7 The poor J and xpedi- in had rtain- 7 their :ommit r. Ac^ d after Rapaft" the Ice, ution of le means his Air :e to his lefe. He ?hasfent perfuadc o have being a- aration, lim. Ac- >w with a de Fnis^ the Sol- 'cm ii^ the C(3«- adjuft in Icven or e Voyage, rcumftan- ch are fo fity. As for for the lUinefe Lake, 'tis three hundred Leagues in Circumference, as you may fee by the iicale of Leagues upon the Map. 'Tis featcd in an admirable Climate ; its Banks are cloathM with fine and tall Trees, and have but few Meads. The River of the Oumamis is not worth your Regard. The Bay de I' Ours qui dotty is of an indifferent large Extent, and receives the River upon which the Ouiaouas are wont to hunt Beavers every third Year. In fhort, it has neither Shelves, Rocks, nor Banks of Sand. The Land which bounds it on the South-fidc, is reple- nifli'd with Roe bucks, Deer, and Turkeys. Fare- wel. Good Sir J and alfure yourfcJf, that 'twijj al-, ways be a i'enfible Pleafure to me, to amufe you with an Account of the greatcft Curiofities I meet with. But now, Sir, I hope you will not take it ill, that the Relation I here give you, is only an Abridg- ment of my Voyage j For, in earntft, to be mi- nute upon every particular Curiofity, would require more Time and Leilure than I can fpare. I have here fent you a View of the fubftamial Parti and fliall afterwards hope for an Opportunity of recounting to you by Word of Mouth, an Infinity of Adven- tures, Rencounters, and Ob'ervations, which may call up the rcfledling Faculty of thinking Men, My own Thought is too fuperficial to philofophizc upon the Origin, the Belief, the Manners and Cuftoms of fo many Savages j or to m^ke any Advances with reference to the Extent of this Continent to the Weft ward. 1 have contented ;ny lelf with offering fome Thoughts upon the Caufes of the bad Succefs gf the Difcoveries, that feveral experienc'd Men have attempted in America^ both by Sea and Land: And I flatter my (elf, that my Thoughts upon that Head are juft. The frefh Inftances of Mr. de la J^alle^ and feveral other unlucky Difcoverers, may afford a fufficient and feafonabie Caution to thofe, ^l]o for the future fhall undertake to difcover all the li I \]i Some Nenv Voyages the unknown Countries of this New World. *Tif * not every one that's qualify'd for fuch an Enterprife, " fiOH lic9t omnibus adire Corimbum. 'Twere an eafy matter to trace the utmoft Limits of the Country that lies to the ^t^oi Canada^ provided it be gone about in a proper Method. In the firft place, in- flead of Canows, I would have fuch Adventurers to make u(e of certain Sloops of a peculiar Structure, which migh : draw but little Water, and be port- able, as being made of light Wood ; and withal carry thirteen Men, with 35 or 40 hundred weight of Stowage, and be able to bear the Shock of the Waves in the great Lakes. Courage, Health, and Vigilance, are not fufficient of themfelves to qualify a Man for fuch Adventures ; he ought to be pol- lefs'd of other Talents, which are rarely met with in one and the fame Perlbn. The Condudb of the three hundred Men that accompany'd me upon this Dilcovery, gave me a great deal of Trouble. It requires a large Stock of Induftry and Patience, to keep fuch a Company up to their Duty. Sedition, Mutinies, Quarrels, and an Infinity of Diforders frequently take place among thole, who being in re-' mote and folitary Places, think they have a Right ofufing Force againft their Superiors. One muft dilTemble, and even (hut his £ves upon occalion, leaft the growing Evil (hould oe inflam'd: The gentleA: Methods are the fureft, for him that com-* mands in Chiefs and if any Mutiny or ieditious Plot is in View, 'tis the Bufinefs of the inferior Officers to ftifle it, by perfuading the Mutineers, that the Discovery of fuch things to the command* ing Officer, would create a great deal of Uneaiinefs. , So^ the chief Officer muft ftill make as if he were ignorant of what paifcs, unlefs it be, that the Flame breaks out in his Prefence; then indeed he lies un- der an indifpenfible Obligation, of infliding fpeedy . and private Punifliment, without his Prudence di- redid to Nortj&- America. M9 re6s him to put off the Execution, upon an Appre- henfion of lome pernicious Confcquences that ma/ enfue thereupon. In fuch Voyages he muft over- look a thoufand Things, which upon other Occafi- ons he has all reafon to punifh. He muft counter- feit a downright Ignorance of their Intrigues with the She-Savages, of their Quarrels among them- felves, of their Negligence in not mounting the Guard, and not obferving the other Points of Duty ; in a Word, he muft pretend to know nothing of an Infinity of fuch Diforders, as have no dircdk Ten- dency to a Revolt. He ought to ufc the Precau- tion of fmgling out a Spy in his little Army, and reward him handfomely for a dexterous Intelligence as to all that happens; to the End that he may re- medy the growing Disorders either diredtly or indi- redily. This Spy may, by good Management, and due Secrecy, find out the Ringleader of a Club or Cabal j and when the Commanding Officer has re- ceiv'd fuch Satisfaction upon the Matter, that there's no room left to doubt of the Criminal's Demerit i 'twill then be very convenient to make away with him, and that witn fuch Management, that no body Ihould know what became of him. Farther j He ought to give *cm Tobacco and Brandy now and then, to ask their Advice upon ibme Occafions, to fatigue 'em as little as poflible, to call 'em up to dance and make merry, and at the fame time to exhort 'em to live in a good Under-* Handing with one another. The beft Topick he can make ufe of for inforcing their Duty, is Reli- gion, and the Honour of their Country, and this he ought to defcant upon himfelf : For though I have a great deal of Faith in the Power of the Clergy j yet I know that fort of Men does more harm than good, in Voyages of this nature; and for that rea- fon I'd choofe to be without their Company. The Pfrfop who wndertajces to go upQH a Difcovery, ought •i5« ilij 140 Some Kew Voyages ought to be very nice and cautious in the Choice of his Mcnj for every one is not fie for his Bufincfs. His Men ought to be between 30 and 40 years of Age, of a dry Conflitution, of a peaceable 1 cm-* per, of an ^dive and bold Spirit, and inur'd to the Fatigues of Voyages. The whole Retinue mult con- fift of three hundred Men j and of that number there muil be fome Ship- Carpenters, Gun-5miths^ and Sawyers with all their Tools ; btfides Hunt(- men, and Fifliermen with their Tackling. You mud likewife have Surgeons among 'em, but their Ched ought to contain nothing but Razors, Lan- cets, external Medicines for VVounds, Orvietan and Senna. AH the Men of the Detachment, ought to be provided with Buff-Coats and Boots to turn the Arrows J for, as I intimated above, the Savages of the unknown Countries are Strangers to Fire- Arms. They muft be arm'd with a double barrei'd Gun, a double barrel'd Piftol, and a good long Sword. The Commanding Officer muft take care to provide a fufficient Quantity of the Skins of Deer Elks, and Bctves, in order to be (cw*d together, and hung round his Camps upon certain Stakes fix*d at convenient Didances from one another. I had as many as would go round a Square of thirty Foot every way j for each Skin being five Foot deep, and almoft four Foot broad, I. made two pieces of eight Skins apiece, which were raisM arxl extended in a Minute. Befides thefe, he ought to carry with him fbme Pot-Guns of eight Foot in lengtn, and (ix in breadth s with two Hand-Mills for grinding the Indian Corn, Nails of all (izes. Pickaxes, Spades, Hatchets, Hooks, Soap, ^ and Cotton to make Candles of Above all, he muft not forget to take in good ftore of Powder, Brandy, Brajil Tobacco, and fuch things as he muft prefeut to the Savages whofe Country he difcovers. . Add to this Cargo, an Aftrolabe, 9 Semieircki fp'" veral to North- hmenci. M' )icc of ftncfs. :ars of Tcm-. :o the ;i con- amber miihs^ iunt(- You t their Lan- anand ought turn avages Firc- arrcl'd d long ^e care f Deer aether, Stakes lother. are of g five made 1 were thefe, Mns of th two ^ails of Soap, all, he owder, lemuft fcovers. cie, fc' veral veral Sca-C^mpaiTcs, fomc Simple, and fomc of Variation, a ! o^d-ftonc, two larfe Watches of three Inches Diam' ter } Pencili, Colours, .ind Paper^ for making Journals and Maps, for the Defigning of Land-Creatures, Fowl, Fifh, Trees, Plants, Grain, and, in a Word, whatever feems worthy of his Cu» riofity. I would likewife advifc him to carry with him Ibmc Trumpeters and Fidlers, both for animat- ing his Retinue, and raifing ^he Admiration of the Savage.K. With this Equipage, Sir, a Man of Senle, Condud, ^nd Action; I mean ^ Man that's Vigi- lant, Prudent, Cautious, and, above all. Patient and Modcr ' and qualify *d for contriving Fxpcdienti upon au Occafionsi a Man, I lay, thus quai fy*d, and thus fitted out, may boldly go to all the Coun- tries that lye to the Weft of Canada^ without any Apprelieiifion of Danger. As for mv own part, I ierioufly declare, that if 1 were polTcfrd of a thefe Qualities, I (hould efteem it my Happlneis to be imploy'd upon fuch an Enterprife, both for the Glory of his Majefty, and my own Satisfaction : For the continu'd Diverfity of Objects, did fo charm mc in my Voyages, that I had fcarcc Time to refledk up- on the Fatigue and Trouble that I underwent. lam. • \ SIR, Toursy Sec. ■( 1 ♦ r .1 < JLET- _o IMAGE EVALUATION rEST TARGET (MT-3) /. 41^ _^. 1.0 1.1 11.25 ltt|21 125 ■JO ^^" ■■■ !!! m m us. MWi. PhotDgraphic Sciences Corporalion 23 WtST MAIN STtEET WnSTIR.N.Y. USM (7T6) t72-4S03 ^ * •ss <^ ,«> >. 'ws, and rejedted ented of to his in away And ;m, up- >ught to* choofe chooie the leaft ; but this Storm blew over. In the great River of the Outaouas^ not far from the River oiLiiWi^ I met Mr. de St, Helene at the Head of a Party of the Coureurs de Bois^ who was bound for Hudfon*s Bay, in order to retake fbme Forts that the Englifi had feiz'd upon. He acauainted me with the Prince o£Orange*s Expedition for England; and gave me to underftand, that upon his Arrival, King fames retir'd to France^ and that the Prince was pro- claim'd King, which fcem'd to preiage a bloody and (harp War in Europe, I alTure you, Sir, this piece of News (urpriz'd me extreamly $ and not- withftanding'that I had it from the Mouth of a Man, whole Word I relv very much upon, yet I had all the Difficulty in the World to make myfelf believe, that a Revolution of fuch Importance could be ac* compliih'd in fo (bort a Time, without the EfTufion of Blood; e(pecially confidering what a ftrid Alli- ance there was between our Court, and the Court of England, and how much 'twas the Intereft of both tnefe Monarchs to give mutual Afliftance to one another. July the ^tb I arriv'd at Monrealj after venturing down feveral fearful Cataracts in the River of the Outaouas, and enduring the Hardfliips of fifteen or twenty Land-carriages, fome of which are above a League in Length. The Navigation is pretty fure from Miffilintakinae to the River des Francois ; for in coafting along the Lake of Hurons, we meet with an Infinity of Iflands, which ferve for a Shelter. But in going up that Ri- ver, there's fbme Difficulty; for it has five Catarads which oblige us to turn out and carry all over-land for thirty, fifty, and a hundred Paces. Having pafs'd that River, we enter'd the Lake of the Ne- piceriniSy from whence we are forc'd to t'ranfport our Canows and Baggage two Leagues over-land, to another River which has fix or feven Water- falls that we commonly (hoot. From that River we have another ! I 144 Some New Foyages another Land*carriage to the River Creufey which £ills with rapid Currents into the great River of the Outaouas^ near a Piace call'd Mataouan. We conti- nue our Courfe upon this great River, till we come to the Point of the Ifland of Monreal^ where 'tis loft in the great River of St. Laurence, Thele two Ri- vers join one another with very gentle Streams, and quitting their fearful Channels, form the little Lake of St. Louis. I thought to have loft my Life at the Fall, call'd the Fall of St. Louis^ about three Leagues from Momeal j for our Canow having overfet in the Eddy, I was carry'd by the Current to the Foot of that Catarad^, from whence the Chevalier de Vau- dreuil drag'd me out by a great Chance. The Ca- nows and the Skins belonging to the fix Savages were loft ; and one of the Savages was drown'd. This is the only time I was in danger, through the whole Courle of my Voyages. As fbon as I landed here, I repaired with Diligence to a Tavern to refreih my ielf, and to make up the Lodes I had fuftain'd by a neceflfary Abftinence. The next Day I waited upon Mr. de DenonviUe^ and Mr. de Cbampigni^ to whom I give an Account of my Voyages, and withal) gave in the News that a great Company of the Coureurs de Bois and Savages would arrive very fpecdiiyi which they did accordingly, after fifteen Days. The Rat 1 mention'd above, came down hither, and rcturn'd home notwithftanding the Threats that were Icvell'd againft him. By this Ad- venture, he fhew'd that he iaugh'd at their In- trigues. But now that I have mention'd his Name, I cannot forbear mentioning a malicious Stratagem that this cunning Savage made uie of laft Year, to prevent the Conciufion of a Peace between Mr. di Denott'ville and the Iroqttefe. This Savage is the general and chief Counfeilor of the Hurcns-y he is a Man of forty Years of Age, and brave in his way. When he found himielf prefs'd to North' Amencz. which r of the e conti- e come : 'tis loft two Ri- iMt and tie Lake fe at the Leagues et in the Foot of de Vau-' The Ca- Savages drown'd. ough the I landed to refrefli fuftainM I waited ipignii to ges, and npany of rive very er fifteen ne down ding the this Ad- heir In- lis Name, uratagem Year, to n Mr. d4 "ounfellor of Age, d himielf prefs*d ui prcfi'd and importun'd by Mr. de DemftviJle, to cn» tcF into the Alliance concluded in the Year 1687, that I took notice of before j heat laft comply'd with his Defire, with this Referve, that the War ihould not be put to an End till the Irnqttcfe were totally routed. This Claufc the Governor promised to make good, and gave him Aflurances to that pur- pofe on the ^d of September^ in the lame Year, which happened about two Days before I let out from Niagara^ upon my Voyage to the great L Ices. This Savage-General relying upon Mr. de Defton- viUe*s Promile, march*d from M>jJiUmakmac at the Head of an hundred Warriors, as I infinuited in my 14//& Letter, in order to invnde the Iroqttefe Coun- try, and atchieve Ibme glorious Fears among 'cm. In the mean time to carry on his Defign the more cautioully, he thought it proper to pals by the way of Fort Frontenac^ where he might receive fbme In- telligence. Upon his Arrival at this Fort, the Go- vernor told him, that Mr. de Denonville was negotia- ting a Peace with the five Iroquefe Nations, whole EmbalTadors and Hoftages he expedled in a fliort time, in order to conclude and r.t'fy the Peace, he having Orders to conduft 'em to Monreal : And that upon that Confideration, 'twas moft proper for him and his Warriors to return home, and to pals no further. The Savage General was mightily liirpris'd with this unexpected piece of News ; cfpeciall) con- fidering that by the means of that Peace, hf and his Nation would be given up as a Sncrifice fur the Welfare of the French. When the Governor had made an End of his Remonftrance, the Rat ac- knowledg'd, that what he offer'd was very reafon- able, but withal, that inftead of follovving i^is Ad- vice, he would go and tarry for the Ifoquefe Em- balTadors and Hoftages ac the Citaradt^, by which they were oblig'd to pals. He had not tarry 'd there above five or jQx Days, before the unhappy Depu- L tiei 14^ Some New Voyages ties arriv'd with a Train of forty young Men, viho were all eitheir kill'd or taken as they difembarqued. The Priloners were no iboncr fetter'd, than this crafty General of the Hurons reprefented to 'em, that the French Governor had lent him notice to take up that Poft, in order to lie in wait for a Par- ty of fifty Warriors, that were to pafs that way at a certain fct Time. The Ircquefe Ijeing much lur- pris'd with the Apprehenfion of the Ferfidioufneis that he charged upon Mr. tie Denonville^ acquainted the Kat with the Defign upon which they came. Upon that the Kat counterfeited a fort of Rage and Fury ; and to play his Cards the better, flew out in Inve<^ives againft Mr. de Denonville^ declaring, that fbmc time or other he would be reveng'd upon that Governor, for making him the Inftrument of the moll barbarous Treachery that ever was aded. Then he fix'd his Eyes upon ail the Priloners, among whom was the chief £mba(Tador call'd ^be- ganejorens^ and (poke to this purpofe; Go^ my Ere' tbren^ though Jam at War with you^ yet Ireleafe you^ and allow you to go home, *^is the Governor of the French that put me upon this black ASfion^ which I Jhall never he able to digeft^ unlefs your five Nations revenge themfelves^ and make their juft Keprijals. This was fufficient to convince the Iroquife of the Sincerity of his Words; and they alTur d him upon the Spot, that if he had a Mind to make a feparate Peace, the five Nations would agree to it: Howe- ver, the Kat having loft one Man in this Adventure* kept an Iroquefe Slave to fupply the Place of the IVIan he had loft : And after furnifliing the Prifbners with Guns, Powder, and Ball, in order to their re- turn homeward, march'd to MiJJiltmakinac^ where he prcfented the French Governor with the Slave that he brought ofE The poor Wretch was no iboner deliver'd, than he was condemn'd to be fhot ; for at that time the French Garrifbn did not know i * that in anc the her -^ yrho rqued. n this ticc to a Par- way at ch fur- oufncls uaintcd r came. age and IV out in iclaring, r'd upon ment of as a6kcd. >rifoncrs, iird ^be- , my Bre- leafe you^ tor of the J ifibicb I Nations .epriJaU* f'e of the im upon feparate ; Howe- [dventurey :c of the Prifoncrs p their re- Icj where [the Slave l;hwas no jtobelhotj not know that to AW/^- America. U7 thai f r. d& Denonville defign'd to clap up a Peace with the Iroquefe. The condemn'd Prifoncr gave an Account of his Adventure, and that of the Am- badadors^ but the French thought that the fear of Death made the Fellow talk idly, and were con- firmed In that Thought, by hearing the Rat :'nd his Men lay, that he was Light-headed : Infomuch, that the poor Fellow was put to Death, notwithftanding all the Realbns he could offer. The fame Day that he was fhot, theR^^ call'd an old /ro^wr/^ Slave that had fcrv'd him a long while, and told him, he had refolv'd to allow him the Liberty of returning to his own Country, and fpending the reft of his Days among his Friends and Country-men. At the fame time he gave him to know, that lince he had been an Eye-witneis of the barbarous Ufage that his Country-man had met with from the French^ not- withftanding what he offer'd in his own Defence, ic behov'd him to acquaint his Countrymen with the Blacknefs of that Adion. The manumitted Slave obey'd his Orders fb pundually, that foon after the Iroquefe made an IncurHon, at a time when the Go- vernor did not dream of any fuch thing, for he had us'd the Precaution of giving the Iroquefe to under- iland, that he difallow'd of the Kat% Treachery 5 infomuch, that he had a mind to have him hang'd ; and upon this ProfpeA, expeded hourly ten or twelve Deputies to conclude the Peace he lb much defir'd. In ef!e<5l the Deputies did come, but neither their Number nor their Defign was luitable to what the Governor had promifed to himfelf. Twelve hun- dred Warriors landed at the Lands-end of the Ifland oiMonrcal^ and burnt and fack'd all the Plantations in thai Quarter. They maffacred Men, Women, and Children j and Madam de Denonville^ who was theti at Monreal with her Husband, did not think herfelf fafe in that Place. A general Confternation L 2 was ^ I 148 Some Nefw Voytt:re5 was fprcad all about i for the Hirl\triatis were not above three Leagues from Monnal They burnt all the adjacent Sectlementii, and block'd up two Forts. Mr. di DenonnUe iint out a Detachment of a hundred Soldiers and fifty Sav;i^cs lo oppofe 'em, beingunwillingto fparca j»rfirer Number out of the City : but all the Men of thr D' uii Iment were either taken or cut in pieces, excepting twelve Savages, one Soldier, and Mr. de Lougueil who commanded the Party, and w.is carried off by the twelve Sava- ges after his Thigh was broke: The other Officers, namely, the Sieurs de la Ralerre^ Denis, la Plante, and Vtlledeni, were all taken Prifoners. In a Word, the Barbarians laid almoft the whole Ifland wafte* and lofl only three Men, who having drank to £x- cefsof the Wine they found in the Plantations, were decoy 'd into a Fort by a Canadefe Cow-keeper, that had been tHeir Slave for fbme Years. As fbon as the three unfortunate Ir$quefe arriv'd in the Fort, they were thrown into a Cellar to fleep themielves fbber: and, queftionlefs, as (bon as they wak*d they repented of their exceflive Drinking. When they wak*d, they fell immediately a finging^ and when the Garrifon offer'd to fetter 'era, and carry 'em to Monreal, they flew to fome Clubs that lay in the Cellar, and made fuch a vigorous and brave Defence, that the Garrifon was forc'd to fhoot 'em upon the Spot. The Cow-keeper being brought before Mr. de Denonville, he told him, that the Breach made by the R^/'s Contrivance was irrepar- able ; that the five Iroquefe Nations refented that Adventure with fo much Warmth, that 'twas im- pofTible to difpofe 'em to a Peace in a fliort Time ^ that they were fo far from being angry with that /f«- ron for what he did, that they were willing to enter Into a Treaty with him, owning that he and his Party had done nothing but what became a brave Man and a good Ally. Doubtlefs this fatal Incur- fion ^.v to North* AmcrktL. 149 e not burnt p two icnt of of the ; either wages, nanded 5 Sava- )fficers, Plantey Word, wafte* to Ex- US, were »er, that (bon as le Fort, cmfelves ^ wak'd When ig; and id carry that lay d brave lOOt 'em brought . that the irrepar- ited that 'twas im- t Time -, ithatH«- to enter > and his e a brave tal Incur- fion (ion was a great SurpriCil to Mr. de Dinowvilte^ and afforded him a copious Field for Refledllon. * Twas already impoflible to continue the Poffcflion of Fort Frontenac-^ where they began to want Provifions, and which could not be relieved without cxpofing a great many Men to the Danger of the PafT-s orCa* caradts) which I have mention*d 16 often. There was a downright NecefTity of calling out the Garri- fbn* and blowing up the Fort; but the Difficulty lay in finding a Man to carry Orders for that effed to the Governor, for nobody duril undertake it, till the Sieur Peter de Arpenti^ni offered to go all alone through the Forefts ^ and accordingly he went, and did his Bufinefs fuccefsfully. The Orders were ex- tream welcome to Mr. de Valreues^ the Governor of the Fort for the time ; who, upon the receiving of *em9 run a Mine under the four Baftions, which, with the Powder he put in, was rcckon*d fuflicient to blow it up. This done,iie cmbarqu d, and came down the River through the Cataraas to Mottreal, where he found Mr. de Demtmlle^ and accompany'd him hither. That Officer did not only abdicate the Fort of Frontenac^ but fet fire to the three great Barques that they us*d to ply with upon the Lake, both to awe the hoquefe in time of War, and to con- vey Commodities to 'em in time of Peace. Mr. de Denottville adted a prudent Fart in relinquifhing both this Fort and that o( Niagara ; for, in earneft, thefe two Pofts are indefenfible, by reafon of the inacceflible Catarads, upon which an Ambufcado often hoquefe may repulfe a thouiand Frenchmen by the throwing of Stones. But after all I muft own, that the Welfare and Frefervation of our Colonies had an abfblute Dependance upon thefe two Forts, which fcem'd to infure the utter Deftrudion of the Jroquefe-j for they could notftir out of their Villages to Hunt) or to Fifh, without running the Rifque of having their Throats cut by the Savages in Alliance • .i ' L 3 with I' I Ml I JO Some NiW Voyages with us, who being then aifur'd of a fafc Retreat) uould have made continual Incurfions into the Coun- try of thole HarbitriiUis : And by this nneans the Iro" qucfe bciii}^ unprovided with Beaver-skins to be gi- ven in txihangc for Guns, Powder, Ball, and Nets, wou'd \k' (larv'd to Death, or at leaft be obligM to depirt their Uountry. In the end n( September Mr. de Bonawenture^ Cap- tain ird Owner of a Merchant Ship, arriv'd in this Port, and brought the News of Mr. de Frontenac*$ RciniValhncnt in the Place of Governor-General of Canada^ and of the Rc-calling of Mr. de Denonville^ whom the Duke de Beauvilhcrs has recommended to the King, for the Place of Sub-Governor to the Princes his Grandfbns. Some People are uneafy at the re-ca)liiig of this Governor; nnd 'tis laid, that the Reverend Fathers the Jefuits, fill under the Number of.thc Malecontents : For if we may credit the Reports of the Coui\try, they contributed in a great meafurc, to the re-calling of Mr. de Frontenac fevcn or eight Years ago, by atfliitg in concert with the Inctndant o£ Cbejiieau^ and lupreme Council, and drawing up Accufations againft him which had the defired h^c&. ; thoiiPfh now the King (hews that )ie is undeceiv'd, by reinlUcing that Gentleman once more in this Government. In the mean time the Statefmen of the Country that are moft guilty, fcnow not how to drels this Kettle of Filh ; for they make no queftion but the New Governor will retain a juft Relcntmen; of what's paft. But the Gentle- men, Merchants, and other Inhabitants, are makr ing Preparations for folemnizing his Arrival, which they expedt w|th as much Impatience, as the Jews do the MeJJias. The very Savages that live in the ^Skirts of tlie Colony, fhew an uncommon Joy upon the Hopes of his Return : And indeed, we need not think it ftrange, for that Governor drew Efteem ^p4 Veneration, not oply from the frencb^ but from* M. ifVJ>iW»# ifijf V Coun- ic /ro- be gl- i Nets, B*d to p, Cap- in this 4tenac*i icral of uended r to the cafy at id, that dcr the Ly credit ted in a rontenac icrt with Council lich had ews that lan once ime the guilty, ■or they 1 retain Gentle- re makf , which le Jews re in the oy upon leed not Efteem >ut from to Nor/iS- America. M« ill the Nations of this vaft Continent, who look'd upon him as their Guardian Angel. Mr. de DinoH" *vUh begins to pack up his Baggage, and that in ejf- fedt, is all I can C\y of him 1 is none of my Bu« fmels to meddle with an Infinity of AfTiirs, that re- late to the Gentleman's private Intered. As to the Qucftlon, whether he has manag'd well or ill. du- ring the Courft of his Government, or whether he was lov*d or hated, I know nothing of the Matter. I tm at a Lois to know whether he kept a good or ibrry Table, for indeed I was never at it. Adieu. I make Account to fet out for Kocbelj when the VeiTcl that brings our new Governor, returns for France. I am, 5/R, Tours^ &c. LETTER XVIII. Dated at j^iwbcc Nov* 15. i^8p. Givhg an Account of Mr, dc Frontcnac'j Arrl' valy hi J Reception^ his Foyage to Monrcal, and the repairing of Fort Frontenac. SIR, <':■■■ TH E Intelligence you give me of the adjudging of the Lands of I^ibo;;M/i, would have drove me to defpair ; if you had not aifur'd me at the lame time, that I might recover it after a Century of Years, (if I had the Misfortune to live fo long) up- on the Condition of reimburfmg to the PoflcflTor, the Sum that he pay'd for it, and of proving that I was actually in the King's Service in the remote Parts of the World, when that Eftatc was fold Tofpeak to the Purpolc, Mr. de Frontenac has countcrmand- L 4 cd 131 Some Ntw Voyages td the Leave I had en go for Fniurf, and has offered me i\ free Acccls to ins Pocket and his Table. All thr Arg.imrnt^ I ottlrM, have no Influence upon him, ni.il io i am bound to obey. 'J his new Governor nrriv'd at ^tbic the istb of OCl'^hif. He came on fhorc at eight a Clock at Night, and was received by the Supreme Council, and all the Ii. habitants in Arms, with Flambeaux both in the City, and upon the Harbour, with « triple Difchtirge of the great and fmall Guns, and lUumin itions in all the Windows of the City. That fame N ight he was complimented by all the Compa- nies 0* the 'i'own, and above all, by the Jefuitf, who upon that Occafion mide a very pathetick Speech though the Heart had lefs Hand in it, than the Mouth. The next Day he was vifited by all the Ladies, whofe inward Joy appear'd in their Counte- nances, as much as in their Words. Several Per- ions made Fire-works, while the Governor and his Retinue fung ^e Deum in the great Church. Thefe folcmn Dcmnnftrations of Joy, increas*d from Day to Day, till the new Governor fet out for Mottrealj and til'' Condudt of the People uoon this Head, af- forded fignal Proofs of the Satisfadbion they had in his Return, and of their refling affur'd, that his wife Conduct, and noble Spirit, would prelerve the Re- pole and Tranquillity that he always kept up, du- ring liis firft ten Years Government. All the World ador'd him, and ftyl'd hm Kedcf?iptor Patrice-, to which Title he had a juft Claim, for all the Inhabi- tants of thefe Colonies agree, that when he came firft to Canada^ he found all things in Confufion and Di(lrt(s. At that time the Iroquefe had burnt all the PI mtations, and cut the I'hroats of Ibmc thou* fands o^ \ht Frfiicb ', the Farmer was knocked on the Head in his Field ; the Traveller was murdered up- on the Road, and the Merchant ruin'd for want of. Coraa>crcc ; AiJ the Planters wejr? pinch'd with Fa' " mine, to twrth'A mcrica. •5? mine, the War renderM the Countrv dcfolate ; and, in A Word, Sew'Franct had infallibly pcriOi'd, it' this Governor had not mde that Peace viith the Barbarians^ that 1 fpoke of in my fifth Letter. 'I he bringing of that Peace to bear, was an A Aion of sreater Importance, than you can well imagine ^ for thele Barbarians grounded all their Wars upon a perlbnal Enmity, ^^hereas the huroftan Ruptures depend more upon Intereft than upon pure Revenge. Mr. di St. Valars the Bifhop of ^uthtc^ arriv*d likewife on the istb at the fame Fort. He had im- barqu*d in the preceding Spring, on board of a Bark that he had hir*d to tranfport him to Acadia^ to Ntwfound'land^ and to the other Countries of his Diocele. Mr. dt! Irontenac our Governor, let out for Monreal in a Canow, four or five Days after his Arrival ; and I had the Honour to accompany him. All Endeavours were u&*d to difTuade him from un- dertaking that Voyage, when the Seaibn was fo cold, and io fir advanced : For, as I inform'd you before, the Ice is thicker and flronger here in Ofiob. than 'tis at Paris in January ; which, is very (Irange. Notwithilanding all the RemonOranccs drawn from the Hardfhips and Inconveniencies of the Voyage, he (lighted the Fatigues of the Water, and threw himielf into a Canow in the fixty-eighth Year of his Age. Nay, he took the Abdication of Fort Fron^ tcnac fo much to Heart, that he had gone freight thither, if the Nobility, the Priefts, and the Inha- bitants oi Monreal^h2id not intreated him, with joint Supplications, not to expofe his Perfbn to the Dan-i ger of the Falls and Catarads that lie in that Paf^ fage. In the mean time fome Gentlemen of Canada^ followM by a hundred Ceuretirs de Bois, under the Command of Mr. Maitut^ ventured upon the Voyage, with intent to learn the State of the Fort. I acquainted you in my lad Letter, that Mr. de Val" renes had blpwn vp the Walls of the Fort^ when r-i ;.- he m 1 54 Some New Voyages he made his Retreat j but by good luck, the Da- mage was not fo great as 'twas took to be j for the Party commanded by Mr. Mantet^ have already reared up the ruinous Wall to the height of fome Fathoms, and will continue to Work upon the Re- pair of the Fort all this Winter. This News Mr. de Fronttnac received laft Night, which was the fixth after his Return to this City. I had forgot to tell you, that he brought with him out of France^ Ibme of thofe Iroquefe that Mr. de Denonville had lent to the Galleys, as I intimated in my thirteenth Letter j the reft having pcrifh*d in their Chains. Of all the(e unfortunate Barbarians that he has brought back, the moft confiderable is one that goes by the Name of ('reouabe. He was not us'd as a Galley Slave, in regard that he was the Leader of the Goyoguans^ and the Governor has lodg'd him in the Caftle, in confidcration of the Efteem he (hews both for Mr. de Frontenac^ and for the French Nation. Some flatter themfelvcs with the Hopes, that fbme Accommodation with the five Iro- quefe Nations may be effedted by his Mediation ; and for that end Propofals of Peace are now in Agi- tation : But 1 have three good Reafons for predi^- ing, that fuch a Defign will prove abortive. I have already laid thefe Reaixis before Mr. de Fronteuac, who gave me to know, lIi st after the Departure of the Ships^ he would dilcourle me upon that Head. I (hall I ot offer at the Particulars of his Interview, with Monfieur and Madam de Denon'viUe ; till fuch time as you and I have an Op}»orf:unity of talking under the Rofe. Some Officers accompany Mr. de Denonville and his Lady to France^ in hopes of be- ing preferred. In all probability the Ships will iet lail to Morrow, for we have now a fair and gentle Wefterly Gale; befides, that the Seafon for quitting this Port, is almoft (pent. I am, SIR. Tours, &c. LET- to "North- hmtncz. M5 :he Da- , for the already of fome the Rc- icws Mr. the fixth with him t Mr. de imated in crilh'd in (irbarians lerable is He was le was the crnor has )n of the ff, and for :s with the e five Iro- lediation; w in Agi- r predi^- r. I have FrontehaCj )arture of lat Head, nterview, , till fuch of talking ly Mr. de pes of be- ps will let nd gentle )r quitting rj, &c. ; LETTER XIX. Doxtd ^t Monreal, OMer 2. i6go. Relating the Attempts upon New-England and New- York $ a fatal Embajjy fent by the French to the Iroquefc j and an ill-concerted Enterpri/e of the Englifh arid the Iroquefe, in marching by Land to Attack the French Co- lony, SIR, A Bout fifteen Days fince, a Ship o£ Rochet, laden with Wine and Brandy, arrivM in this Har- bour ; and the Captain took care to convey a Let- ter from you to my Hands. As to your Defire of having a circumflantial Account of the Trade of Canada, I cannot fatisfy it at prefent, for I am not as yet fo thoroughly acquainted with all its Bran- ches. But I afTure you, that fome time or other I fhall fend you fuch Memoirs, as will give you Satis- fadion upon that Head. In the mean time, I hope you'll be contented with an Account of what pafs 4 in this Country fmce the Date of my laft. As foon as Mr. Deiioimlle let out from ^ehec, upon his Return to Fravce, Mr. de Frontenac took Pofleffion of the Fort, which is the common Refi- dence of our Governor-General ; and order'd one of our beft Architeds to make Preparations for re- building it as foon as he could. In the Beginning of this Year, Mr. d* Ihcrvilte at-^ tempted to pillage a Imall ViiJ .^e in NewTork^ call'd by the Iroquefe Corlar ; which Name they likewile give to all the Governors of that Englijli Colony. This I J 6 Some New Voyages , This Gentleman, who is a Cauadefe, was attended by five hundred Coureurs de Bois^ and the like num- ber of Savages j and the whole Party made the Ex- pedition over Snow and Ice, notwithftanding they had three hundred Leagues to march backward and forward, and that the Roads were very rugged and troublelome. Mr. d* Iberville met with wonderful Succcfs, for after he had ptllag'd, burnt, and fack'd that little Village, with the adjacent Cantons, he fell in with a Party of an hundred Jroquefe^ and defeated 'em intirely. Much about the fame Mr. de Portneuf^ another Canada Gentleman, march'd out at the Head of three hundred Men, one half Savages, and the other \\^\( Coureurs de Bois^ with intent to poflefs hinifelf of a Fort belonging to the En^liJIy^ call'd Ktneheki^ which ftands upon the Sea-Coaft oi New England^ towards the Frontiers of Acadia^ The Garriion of this Fort made a brave Defence : But there being great Quantities of Gra- nado's and other Fire-works thrown in upon 'em, while the Savages (contrary to their Cuftom) fcal'd the Palifadoes on all Hands, the Governor was oblig'd to furrender upon Difcretion. 'Tis (aid, that in this Adion the Coureurs de Bois did their Duty very bravely, but the Enterprize had prov'd fuccefslels without the Afliftance of the Savages. As foon as the Rivers were navigable, Mr. de Frontenac offer'd to fend me with Propofals of Peace to the IrogiieJt>. But I made Anfwer, that fince his Pocket and Table had been free to me during the Winter, I could not imagine that he had a Mind to be rid of me fo foon. Being oblig'd by this Re- ply to unfold my Meaning, I remonftrated to him, that the King of England having loft his Crown, «nd War being proclaim^, the Governors of New^ England and NewTorky would infallibly ufe their utmoft Efforts to excite thefe Banditto*s to redouble, their Incurfiens j that for that end they would fur- nilh to Norti&- America, »5r ttended :e num- the Ex- ng they rard and ged and onderful id fack'd tons, he •y^, and ime Mr. march' d one half ois, with ig to the ipon the ontiersof e a brave s of Gra- ipon *enOj fm) fcal'd rnor was 'Tis faid, did their ad prov'd vages. e, Mr.de s of Peace t fince his uring the a Mind f this Re- :d to hini> is Crown, •s ofNew' ufe their redouble, /ould fur- nilh ni(h 'cm with Ammunition ^ratisj and even joyn 'cm in order to attack our Towns j and above all, that the Intrigue of the Rat had Co provok'd *cm, that, in my Opinion, 'twas impoflible to appeafe'em. Upon thcle Confiderations, 1 humbly befeech'd him to have Ibme other Perlbn in his View, in cafe he perfilled in his Defjgn of making a Trial of that Nature. The Chevalier Do was fingled out for this fatal EmbalTy, being attended by one Co//>;, as In- terpreter of the Iroquefe Language, and two young Canadans. They iet out in a Canow, and when they came in fight of the Village of the Omontagttes, were receiv'd with the honourable Salvo of feveral good Blows, and condudted with the fame Ceremo- ny to the Village. Such a Reception could not but be difagreeable to the Gentleman that came to make Offers of a Peace. The ancient Men being quickly aflembled, thought it moft proper to fend *em back with a favourable Anfwer, and in the mean time to ingage fome of the Jgnies and Onnoyotes^ to lie in wait for 'em at the Catarads of the River, and there kill two, lending the third back to ^ehec^ and carrying the fourth to their Village, where there would be found fome Englijh that would fhoot 'em, that is, that would give them the fame Ufage as the Rat did to their Ambaffadors: So true it is, that that Adion flicks in their Stomachs. This Frojedt had actually been put in Execution, if it had not been for fome of the Planters of Netv-Torky who were then among the Barbarians^ having come thither on purpofe to animate 'em againft us. Thele Planters knew fo well how to influence the Barba- rians ^ that were already bent upon Revenge j that a Company of young Barbarians burnt 'em all alive, excepting the Chevalier D(?, whom they tied Hand and Foot, and fent him bound to Bofton^ with a Defign to pump out of him, a View of the Condi- tion of our Colonies and Forces. This piece of News I J 8 Some New Voyages News wc rcccivM two Months after, by (bmc Slaves that made their Efcape from the Iroquefe ; and Mr. de FrofttettaCy when furpriz'd with fuch difmal News, declar'd, that out of twenty Captains that offer'd to execute that Commiflion, and would have taken the Imployment for an Honour. I was the only one that had been capable of lorefeeing its bad Succefs. June the 24.//^, I imbarquM for this Place in a fluggifli Brigantine, that the Captain of the Gover- nor's Guards had caus'd to be built the foregoing Winter. This venerable VefTcl had the Honour to lodge the Intendant and his Lady ^ and all of us being in no haftc, fpent ten or twelve Days by the Way, and feafted like Kings every Night. Mr. de Frontenac mark'd out a Fort in his FalTage to the City of ^rois Rivieres^ which I fpoke of before. Fifteen Days after our Arrival in this Place, a cer- tain Savage whdfe Name was Plake^ came and gave us notice, that he had difcovcr'd a Body of a thou- fand En^ltfljy and five hundred Iroquefe that march'd up to attack us. Upon this Intelligence, all our Troops crofs'd over to the Meadow of Madelaine^ oppofite to this City, and there incamp'd, in con- jundlion with three or four hundred Savages that were oi:r Allies, in order to give the Enemy a warm Reception. Our Camp was no iboner form*d, than Mr. de Frontenac detach'd two or three fmall Par- ties of the Savages to obferve the Enemy. Thefe Parties came loon back, after having furpriz'd (bme flragling Iroquefe at hunting on the Confines of Champlaine Lake : The Prifoners informed us, that the Englijh being unable to encounter the Fatigues of the March, and unprovided with a fufficient Stock of Provifions, both they and the Iroquefe were return'd to their own Country. This Account be- ing confirm*d by other Savages, our Troops de- camped, and march'd back to this Place, firom whence I was k }i ;i »*>.. i Slaves nd Mr. INews, offtr'd e taken ic only its bad r ice in a Gover- tregoing )nour to all of us s by the Mr. de e to the ' before. ;, a cer- and gave f a thou- march'd all our adelaine, in con- ges that r a warm 'd, than lall Par- Thefe z'd feme ifines of us, that Fatigues fufficient uefe were ;ount be- oops de- whence I was to North' Amtxicz. ijp I was detachM fomr Days after to command a Par- ty that was to cover the Reapers of Fort Roland^ which lies in this Ifland. When the Harveft was over I returned to this Place, along with the Hurotts and the Outaouasy who had come down from ineir own Country, in purfuit of their ufual Trade in Skins, an Account of which you had in my eighth Letter. Thefe Traders continued here in fifteen Days, and then march*d home. This, Sir, is a Summary of all our Occurrences of Moment fince the lad Year. About fifteen Days hence, I think to fet out for ^ebec^ in Mr. de Frott' tenac*s Brigantine. I conclude with my ufual Com- pliment, ^ / R, TourSf &c. LETTER XX. Dated at RocJbely January 12, i^^i/ Be'wg a Relation of a Second and very important Expedition of the Englifh by Sea ; in which is contain* d a Letter written by the Englifli jid" miral to Count Frontenac, with the Govern- nor' s verbal Anfwer, As alfo an Account of the Author* s Departure for France. 5/R, ' IAm arriv'd at lad at Rechel^ from whence I now tranfmit you a Relation of all that pais'd in Canada^ fince the Date of my laft Letter. In the fpace of a few Days after that Date, Mr. de Fron' tenac receiv'd Advice that aftrong Fleet ofEngliJb Ships %6o Sdme New Fey ages Ships amounting to thirtv^four Sail, was (een near Sadotijjac. Immediately he got on board of his Bri- gnntine, and ordcr'd all the Troops to imbarque in Canows and Boats, and to row Night and Day to prevent the Fnemy; all which was happily put in £xe^iit!on At the iame time he gave Orders to Mr. de Caliieres, to bring down as many of the Inhabi- 4ants as poflibly he could. Wc rovv'd with fuch Bxpedition, and Diligence, that we arriv'd the jrf Day at Quebec. As loon as Mr. de Frontenac de- bar qued, he view*d the weaked Pods, and order'd *em to be fortified without lofs of time: He rais'd Batteries in feveral Places, and though in that capi- tal City wc had but twelve great Guns, and but little Ammunition, yet he feem'd to be refolutely bent upon an obdinate Refiftance to the Efforts of the Enemy's Fleet, which in the mean time flood catching of Flies, at the diilance of two Leagues from ^lebec. We took the Advantage of their flow Approaches, and work'd inceflantly to put our (elves in a Pofture of Defence. Our Troops, our Militia, and our confederate Savages, came up to us on all Hands. 'Tis certain, that if the Englifh Admiral had made his Delcent before our Arrival at ^ebeCj or even two Days after, he had carried the Place without (Iriking a Blow ^ for at that time there was not two hundred French in the City, which lay open, and expos'd on all Hands. But inftead of doing that, he caft Anchor towards the Point of the Ifland oi Orleans^ and loft three Days in con- fulting with the Captains of the Ships, before they came to a Rclblution. He took the Sieur Joliet with his Lady and his Mother-in- Law, in a Bark in the R iver of St Laurence. Three Merchant-men from France^ and one laden with Beaver-Skins from HudJon'S'Bay^ enter'dthe K\y er o( Sag^uemy^ by the way of^adouJTac^ where they fculk'd, and after hauling their Guns afhoar, rais'd very good Batte- ' ries. to Abr/A- America. \6\ I near lis Bri- -que in Day to put in i to Mr. [nhabi- h fuch the 3^ *.mc dc- order'd Ic rais'd lat capi- ind but jfolutcly iforts of ne ftood Leagues icir flow )ur felves \ Militia, us on all Admiral the Place there was hich lay iftead of Point of in con- ore they ;ur JoUet a Bark in =hant-men ikinsfrom ay, by the and after ,od Batte- ries, ties. To be fhort, the Officers of the Enemy't Fleet came to a Refolution after the lofsof threeor four days in ufelefs Confultations, during which time wc we^e^joyn'd on all hands by great pumbers of Inhabitants and Soldiers. Purfuant to the Refb<* Jution of the Councils of War, the Engltfi Admiral, namely, Sir iVtlliam Phtpx, lent out his Sloop with a French Flag upon it*s Prow, which made up td the City with found of Trumpet. Upon this, Mr* de Frontenac fent out another with a French Officer to meet it, who found an Englijb Major in the Sloop, who (;ave him to underdand, that he had the Charge of a Letter from his General, to the Go- vernor oi Canada, and hop'd he might be allow*d to deliver it himfelf. Upon that the French Officer took him into his Sloop, and having blindfolded him, conduced him to the Governor's Chamber j where his Face being uncovered, he delivered him a Letter, the Subftance of which was this. * I Sir P^tlliam Phips, General of the Forces of * New-England, by Sea and Land, to Count Fron*' * tenac. Governor General of ^ehec, by Orders * from, and in the name of IVilltam III and Mary * King and Queen o( England j am come to make * my felfMafter of this Country. But In regard * that I have nothing fo much in view, as the pre- * venting of the Effufion of Blood, 1 require you * to furrender at diflretion, your Cities, Cadle's^ * Forts, Towns, as well as your Perfons ; alTuring * you at the fame time, that you fhall meet with * all manner of good Ufage, Civility and Humanity* * If you do not accept of this Propofal without * any Reftridlion* 1 will endeavour, by the Affift- * ance of Heaven, on which I rely, and the Forcd * of my Arms, to make a Conqueft of 'em. I cx- * pe6k a pofitive Anfwer in writing in the fpace of * an Hour, and in the mean time give you notice, M * that 1^2 Some New Voya^^es * that after the Commencement of Hoftilitles, I (half * not entertain any thoughts of Accommodation. Sign'd, nyiiam Pbips, After the Interpreter had tranflatcd the Letter to IVlr. de Ironteuac, who was then fur rounded with Of- ficers j he orderM the Captain of his Guards to make a Gibbet before the Fort, in order to hang the poor Major, who in all appearance underftood French j for upon the pronouncing of this fatal Sen- tence, he was like to I'woon away. And indeed I muft fay, the Major had fome rcafon to be aflcdled, for he had certainly been hang*d if the Bifliop and the Intendant, who to his good luck were then pre- fent, had not interceded on his behalf Mr. de Frofi' tcnac pretended, that they were a Fleet of Pyratcs, or of Perfons without Commiillon, for that the King of En^^Lwd was then in France. But at laft the Governor being appeas'd, ordcr'd the Major to repair forthwith on board of his Admiral, againft whom he could defend himfelf the better, for not being attacked. At the lame time hedeclar'd, that he kiiew no other King of (Ireat Britain thtin James II, that his rebellious Subjects were Pyrates, and that he dreaded neither their Force nor theirThrcats. This faid, he threw Admiral Pbips's Letter in the Major's Face, and then turn'd his Back upon him. Upon that the poor Ambaflador took frefh Courage, and looking upon his Watch, took the liberty to ask Mr.de Frontenac^ if he could not have his An- fwer in Writing before the Hour elaps'd. But the Governor made anfwer with all the Haughtinefs and Difdain imaginable, that his Admiral deftrv'd no other Anlwer than what flew from the Mouth of Cannons and Muskets. Theie Words were no fooner pronounc'd, than the Major was forc'd to tal'e his Letter again, and being blind-folded, was reconduded to his Sloop, in which he row'd to- wards the Fleet with all Expedition. Tbo tion. Pbips, cttcr to vith Of- ards to lang the ierftood ital Scn- indeed I affeaed, hop and hen pre- de Fron- Pyrates, that the It at hift le Major I, againil , for not ar'd, that an James ates, and rThrcats. :cr in the pon him* Courage, liberty to e his An- But the ughtincfs 1 deferv'd le Mouth s were no forc'd to ded, was row'd to- to North' Am:rlc2i. .(J, The next day about two in the Afternoon, fixty Sloops were fcnt afhoar with ten or twelve hundred Men, who ftood upon the Sand in very good or- der. After that the Sloops went back to the Ships, and brought afhoar the like Compliment of Men, which was afterwards joyn'd by a third Comple- ment of the fame number. As fcon as thefc Troops were landed, they began to march towards the City with Drums beating and Colours flying. This Delcent was made over a{;ainft the Ifle of Orleans^ about a League and a half below ^tebec ; but *twaa not fo expeditious, but that our confederate Sava* ges, with two hundred Cottretirs de BoiSy and fifty Officers, had time to poll thcmfelvcs in a Copfe of thick Brambles, which lay half a League off the Place of Landing. It being impofTible for fb fmall a Party to come to an open Battle with a numerous linemy, they were forc'd to fight after the mannei? of the Savages, that is, to lay Ambufcadoes from Place to Place in the Copfe, which was a quarter of a League broad. This way of waging Waf prov'd wonderfully fuccefsful to us, for our Men being pofted in the middle of the Copfcj we fuffcr'd the Englijh to enter, and then fir'd upon 'em, ly- ing flat upon the Ground till they fir'd their Pieces ^ after which we fprung up, and drawing into Knots here and there, repeated our Fire with lUchSucceis, that the Enghjh Militia perceiving our Savages, fell into Confufion and Diforder, and their Battalions were broke ; infomuch, that they betook thcmfelves to flight, crying out, Indians^ Indians^ and gave our Savages the Opportunity of making a bloody Slaughter among 'em, for we found three hundred Men left upon the Spot, without any other lofson our fide than that of ten Conreitrs de Bois^ four Officers, and two Savages. The next day the Englifi landed four Pieces of brafs Cannon mounted like JField-pieces, and foughc M a very 1 6^ Some New Voyages yitxy bravely, though they were very ill difcipliird. *Tii ctrr.iin there was no want of Courage on their fide, aiici tluir want of Siiccdi muft be imputed to their unnrqunntcdmii with military Difciplinc, to their being mfecblcd by the I'atigues of the Sea. and to the ill Condwd of Sir U'dtiam Phtps^ who upon this Kntcrprife could not have done lefs than he did, if he had been cn|;agcd by us to (land flill with his Hands in his Pockets. 1 his day pafs'd over more peaceably than the next, for then the liitghjh made a frcfti Attempt to forte their Paflligc through the Copfe, by the help of their Artillery j but they loft three or four hundred more in the Attempt, and were forc'd to retire with all diligence to the I.anding-placc : On our fide we loft Mr.deSt. Ihlaie^ who dy*d of a Wound in his Leg, and abouE forty French-men and Savages. This Vid^ory ani- mated us fo much, that we purfucd the En^lijh to their Camp, and lay all Night flat upon the Ground juft by it, with a defign to attack it by break of Day : But they fav'd us the labour, for they em- barked about Midnight with fuch ConfufioHjthat we kilTd fifty more of em, rather by Chance than by Dexterity, while they were getting into their Boatt. When Day came, we tranfported to ^ehec their Tents and their Cannon, which they had left behind 'cm ; the Savages being in the mean time employed in ftripping the Dead in the Wood. The fame day that the Defcent was made. Sir fJVliam Pbips weighed and came to an Anchor witb four great Ships, at the diftance of a Musket-fhot from the lower City, where we had only one Batte- ry of fix or eight Pounders. There he Cannonadoed for twenty-four Hours (b handfomly, that the Fire of the great Guns equalled that of the fmall Arms. The Damage they did to the Roofs of the Houfes, amounted to Ave or fix Pifloles j for, as I informed you in my firft Letter, the Walls of the Houfes are io hard, that a Ball cannot pierce 'em. When ti to N?r/^- America. i^f 1 their ittd to inc, i(» :a.and f5 upon han he nd ftiU i*d pvtT :hrougb 3Ut they ttcmpt, I to the Ir. de St. ad abous ory ani- ; Ground break of diey em- n,that we ! than by eir Boatf . ibec their :ft behind employ 'd ■nade, Sir chor witb usket-lhot )ne Batte- monadocd at the Fire nallAinns. le Houies, inform'd :loufes are -When When StstUiUtam Phips h.id m^idc .in end ofihrfe ploriou! lUploiti, he ftnt to demand of Mr. lie Fronteu.K ioiwe Eit%l'flj Prifoncrs in lixchangrr for the »Sicur Johct^ with (lis Wife .ind hii Moihci\and lomt; J)C.imcn J which was ffinhwith put in execution. This done, the Fleet weii'hM Anch(»r and ftccrcd homeward. As fa failing upon us ey were >f work- ir after, em, we •bout a y down Pre- ive us a rs, and It lafted ally one 0US5 we , with- ding of eiaht or Two the Hci'- France^ being 1 bchig a Convoy to ten or twelve Merchant Ships. He gave me fome Rcfrefhments, and told me fomc News oi Canada^ which were very acceptable. We purlu'd our Courfc in fpight of the South-Eaft Wind, which obliged us to tack about leveral ways, rill we came to Portnetif^ near to ^adoujfac. In this -Place we were llrandtd by the Fault of theCoaft- ing-Pilot, who being olftinaie for calling Anchor near the Land, was like to have been the Caufc of a Shipwreck. At Midnight the Ship was {o dafti'd againft the Sand, that I thought fhe was fplit in pieces, but the Tide ebbing by degrees, (he was left lying i.pon the Coaft, without any apparent Da- mage. 1 prefently caus*d a Kedger to be dropt in the deep Water belag'd with feveral Ropes called Grel'nts EptjJ'es ifee the Explication ^ahle^ and the next Morning theTide returning, fet the Ship afloat, and then we haul'd it in with the Capflan. Oir the 13th we caft Anchor near the Ked Ifland^ and the next Day being the 14th, we pafs'd that Chan- nel without danger, by the favour of a frefh Gale from the North-Eaft. On the 15th we caft Anchor at the Jjle of Hares : On the 1 6th we pafs'd the IJle of Coudres : On the 17th we weather'd the Cape of ^ottrmeiite^ and the next Day we anchored in this Port. From the Mouth of the River to this Place, we had the fineft Sunihine Days that ever were feen : During which time, I had both Leifure and Opportunity to view the Coafts on the right Hand and the left, while we lacked about and about as the wind (erv*d. When 1 faw a great many Rivers on the South fide, I ask'd the Pilots why the Ships us'd to fteer their Courfe on the North fide, where there is no Anchorage to be found, but at Papinachefc^ the feven J/les^ and Portneuf. They anlwer'd me, that the ordinary Bree- zes of the rough North-Weft Wind, which blows upon this River for three quarters of a year, were the ' I 1 74 Some fsew koyage$ the true Caufe why they durfl not go far from thd North fide ; and chat no body could cnfure a Ship that (hould (leer on the South fide, except it were in the Months oi June, Jtilyt and Atigtifl. If it were not for chat, 1 believe it would be more plea- lant, more eafy, and lefs dangerous to fail on che Souch, than on che Norch fide, becaufe one might caft Anchor every Night at the Entrance of thofc Rivers which dilcharge themfelves all along that Coaft, and would not be obliged to be veering a- bout continually Night and Day, as he is forced to do when he (leers his Courfe on the North fide. This, Sir, is all I had to fay at prefent about our failing in this River, which I (hall have occafion to mention to you again. After our Ship cad Anchor heioxt Quebec, I landed with the 0:\tv?i\\tx Meaupou whom 1 conduced to cheHoufeof Alr.Fro7/rf«^r,who offer'd to him as well as to me, the Ufe of his Table and Houfe. I am inform *d that 3 00 Engltjlo, and 200 Jroquefcy approached about two Months ago to the \{[t oi Monreal : That the Governor of that Ifle tran(ported 15 Companies from the other fide of the River, to watch their Motions : That a Detach- ment of the Enemy having furprized our Out- Guards, attacked the whole Body of them, and our Camp at the fame time, with {o much Vigour and Courage, that they kilPd upon the Spot more than three hundred Soldiers,befides two Captains,(ixLieu- tenants, and five Enfigns ^ and that after this fatal Expedition, Mr. Vakenes, a Captain of the Ma- fet out from Monreal, with a Detachment of Fines, French and Savages, to go to Fort Chamhli^ (for fear the Iroquefe (hould attack that Pod) who hav- ing met in their Paflfage a Party ofEngliJb and /ro- quefe, attacked them vigoroufly, and defeated them.. All thefe different Adventures give me ground to conjcdurcj that it will be much more difficult / than 5v to North 'Atr\cv\ca. »75 rn thd I Ship were If it plea- 3n the ' might * thofc g that ing a- forced h fide. ut our Hon to Anchor leaupou 5?c,who Table nd 200 » to the at Ifle of the )etach- ' Out- nd our ur and re than xLieu- lis fatal le Ma- nent of //, (for 10 hav- nd /ro- i them.. ground difficult than than *tis imagined, to make a good Peace >»ith the five Nations of the Iroqttefc. Mr. Frontenac has given the necelfary Orders to all the neighbouring Habi- tations, that they fhould tranfport a great quantity of Stakes and Lime in the Winter time to the Neigh- bourhood of this City. Farewcl, Sir, the laft Ships which are to depart hence for France^ will fail in three or four Days. I am, S I K^ Toursy 6e. LETTER. XXIIL Dated at NantZy OfM. 25. 1692, Containing nn Account of the taking of fome Engiidi Veffelsy of defeating a Tarty of the Iroqucfc j of an Iroqucfc burnt alive at Que- bec ; of another Tarty ofthefe Barbarians^ who having furprized forne Coureurs de Bois, ijuere afterijoards fur prized themfelves. Of the TrojeB of an Enterprize propos'd by Mr. Frontenac to the Author. Of the Authors departure in a Frigat for France, and his flopping at Placentia, which was attack d by an EngliOi Fleet that came to take that Toft from us. How the EnglKh /^//^ in their ^ejign, and the Author purfud his Voyage. SIR, THIS Letter comes from Britdny, and not from Canada.^ from whence I parted fuddenly to re- turn into France^ about two Months after I received your Letter, which 1 could not then anfwer, for want of an Opportunity. You tell me, that you are fatisfy'd with the Defcription I have fent you of the River / 17^ Some New Voyages River St. Laurence^ and that you would be very glad to have as exa<^t an Account of the whole Coun- try ofCanadct. I can fcarcc fatisfy your Defire at prcicnt, bccaufe I have not yet had time to fort all my Memoirs, and therefore you muft not take it amils, that 1 pray you to fufpcnd your Curiofity for lome time. In the mean time, here follows the Relation of fomc things that happened in Canada^ which may be acceptable to you. Immediately after the Ships parted from ^ehec the laft Year, Mr. Frontenac ordered a Plan to be drawn of a Wall to encompafs the City, and hav- ing tranfported thither all the Materials ncctifary fur building fbme Redoubts of Stone^ he took care to fortify it during the Summer. Some Days ago a Gentleman of New-England call'd Nelfon^ was brought Prifoner to ^ttebec^ who was taken in the River of Kenebeki, upon theCoaft ofj^cadiaytogcther with three Ships belonging to him, and becaufe he was a very gallant Man, Mr. Frontenac gave him a Lodging at his own Houfe, and treated him with all manner of Civility. About the beginning of this Year, this Governor gave the Command of a Party confiding of 150 Soldiers, to Chevalier Beau- coUTy with whom fifty of the Savages that were our Friends were joyn*d, in order to march on the Ice towards Fort Frontenac. About thirty or forty Leagues from Monreal, they met a Company of fix- ty Iroqtte/e^ who were difcovered by the Foot-fteps of fome of their Hunters that had draggled out of their Cottages, and the next Day they were all fur- priz'd, and either had their Throats cut, or were made Prifoners. The Sieur de la Plante^ who liv'd in Slavery with thefe Wretches, had the good For- tune to be prelent in their Company when they were defeated, and he had certainly been killed with his Mailers, if he had not cry'd out with all his- Might, S^are me^ I am a Frenchman : He was one of the cc (C (C \ N to Abr/^- Am erica. 177 5 very Coun- jfire at fort all take it fity for ws the "Canada, ^ebeC [1 to be nd hav- cctflary )ok care ►ays ago 0;;, was n in the together :aufe he /e him a kim with ining of and of a er Beau' were our on the or forty y of fix- oot-fteps »d out of e all fur- or were jvho liv'd ood For- len they iird with ._ all his- fas one of the the four Officers, who had the Misfbiturtc to be ta- ken in that fatal Incurfion, >vhich thefe 'I ygcrs mnde into Monreal^as I told you in my 17th Letter. The Chevalier jBe^«f:o«r return'd again to the Colony with his Party, and brought along with him twelve Pri- foners of the Iroqtitfe^ who were immediately con- du(fted to ^ebec : After they arrived, Mr. FronteuaG did very ju3icioufly condemn two of the wicked- eft of tne Company, to be burnt alive with a floW Fire. This Sentence extremely terrified the Gover- nor's Lady and the Jefuits j the Lady us*d all manner of Supplication to procure a Moderation of the terrible Sentence, but the Judge was inexorable^ and the Jefuits employed all their Eloquence in vain upon this Occafion. The Governor anfwered them, '' That it was abfolutely neceflfiry to make ** fome terrible Examples of Severity to frighten the Iroquefe j That fince thefe Barbarians burnt almoft all the French^ who had the Misfortune to fall in- to their Hands, they muft be treated after the fame manner, becaufe the Indulgence which had hitherto been fhewn them, feem'd to authorize *' them to invade our Plantations, and fo much the *' rather to do it, becaufe they run no other Hazard *' than that of being taken, and well kept at their *' Mafter*s Houfes i but when they fhould under-* *' ftandthattheir^«r/??caus'dthcm tobeburntjthey *' would have a care for the future how they ad* '' vanced with {o much Boidnefs to the very Gates " of our Cities ; and in fine, That the Sentence of *^ Death being paft, thefe two Wretches muft prea *' pare to take a Journey into the other World. This Obftinacyappear'd furprizing in ^Ix.Fronteuac^ who but a little before had favour'd the Efcape of three or four Perfons liable to the Sentence of Death, upon the importunate Prayer of Madam the Gover- neis ; but though Ihe redoubled her earneft Suppli* cations. Ihe could not alter his firm Refolution as N to cc C( 1 7 8 Some Ntw Voyages to tlicfc fwo Wretches. The Jcfuits were there- upon lent to baptize them, and oblige them to ac- knowledge the Trinity and the Incarnation, and to reprclcnt to ilicm the Joys of Paradife and the Torments of Hell, within the Space of eight or ten Hours. You will readily confels. Sir, that this was a very bold way of tre.iting thele great Myfterics, and that to endeavour to make the Jroquele undcr- Aand them i I can aflfure you, that from the Minute they were acquainted with this fatal News, they fent back thclc good Fathers without ever hearing them ; and then they began to fing the Song of Death, according to the Cuftom of the Sa- vages. Some charitable Perfbn having thrown a Knife to them in Prilbn, he who had the Icaft Cou»- rage of thetwo, thrul^ it into his BreafV, and died of the Wound immediately. Some young Htirous o£ LorettCy aged between fourteen and fifteen Years, came to leize the other, and carry him away to the Diamant Cape^ where Notice was given to prepare a great Pile of Wood. He ran to Death with a greater Unconcernednefs than Socrates would have done, if he had been in his Cafe. During the time of Ex- ecution he fung continually j " That be was a War- " riour, brave and undaunted ; that the moft cruel *' kind of Death could not Ihock his Courage, that *' no Torments could extort from him any Cries, that his Companion was a Coward for having kill'd himielf through the fear of Torment j and laftly^ that if he was burnt, he had this Comfort, that he had treated many French and Hurons after " the fame manner." All that he faid was very true, and chieBy as to his own Courage and Firmnefs of Soul ; for I can truly fwear to you, that he neither fhed Tears, nor was ever perceived to figh j but on the contrary, during all the Time that he fuf- fer'd cc C6 to A^r//^- America, 1 rcrc there* hem to ac- lation, and ife and the ight or ten lat this was Myfteric», ueje iinder- cm to their IS for Songs, I, that from 1 this fatal crs without to fing the \ of the Sa- ; thrown a ; Icaft Coi>- l, and died g Htirom of teen Years, I way to the ;o prepare a th a greiuet have done, injc of Ex- was a War- mod cruel 79 urage that any Cries, for having nent ^ and is Comfort, iurons after as very true, Firmnefs of t he neither figh ; but that he fuf- fer*d fcr*d the moft horrible Torments ihit could be In- vented, and which laftcd about rhe S^^ct of three Hours, he never cen^'d one Minute from finging. The Soles of his Feet were roaftcd before two great Stones red hot, for more \\\\\\ a quarter of an Hour ; the Tops of his Fingers wcrcfcnrch'd in a Stove of lighted Pipes j during which Torture he did not draw back his Hand. After this, the fevcral Joints of his Body were cut off, one after another : The Nerves of his Limbs and Arms were dillorted with a little Iron Wand, after fuch a minner as cannot pofllbly be cxprclVd. In Hnc, after many other Tortures, the Hair of his Head was taken off after fuch a manner, that there remain*d nothing but the Scull, upon which thelc young I'lxccutioners were going to throw fome burning Sand, when a cert^iin Slave of the Uurons o( Lorctte^ by the Order of Ma- dam the Governefs, knock'd him on the Head with a Club, which put an Fnd to his Martyrdom. As to my felf, I vow and fwear, thu the Prologue of this Tragedy created in me lb great a Horror, that 1 had not the Curiofity to fee the lind of it, nor to hear this poor Wretch fing to the laft Moment of his liife. I have fecn lb many burnt againft my Will, amongft thofe People where I fojourn'd, du- ring theCourfeof my Voyages, that I cannot think of it without Trouble. 'Tis a fid Spe6tacle,at which every one is obliged to be prelcnt, when he happens to fojourn among thcle Savage Nations, who intii<5t this cruel kind of Death upon their Pril()ncrs of War J for as I have told you in one of my Letters, all the Savages pradtifc this barbarous Cruelty. No- thing is more grating to a civil Man, than that he is obliged to be a Witneft of the Torments which this kind of Martyrs fuffer ; for if any one fhould pretend to (bun this Sight, or exprefs any Compal- fion for them, he would be eftecmed by them, a Man of no Courage. N 2 After r-i! i' X * 1 l8o Svn:e Ktnv V(yage% After the Navigation w.is open and free, the Sicur iSt. Michel a dfUJilitu^ let out from AUurcal lor the Beaver l.ikcs, at the Head of a Party of the Courenn cUfints^y^'nh (IveraiCnnows laden with Inch Goods as arc prt^pcr f(»r the Savage* In their Pai- fagc from Louy^-Xua to the Ilivtr of the OutaouaSy they met (ixty Iroqucfe^ whofurpriz'd them and cui all their '1 hro us, except four, that had the good Forrunc eo cltapc and Ciirry tlic News to Munreal. As ibon as this h;tal Aaidcnc was known, the Che- valier Viimlrcttil, put himltlf in a Canow with a De- tachment, and purfu'd this Party of Iroqttife^ being follow'd by a hundred CJUticiaut, and ibme confe- derate .Savages. 1 know not by what Chance he had the good I-ortunc to overtake them, but fo it was, he liirpriz'd ihtm, and attack'd them with Vigour, upon which thty fought dclpcrately, but at laft they were defeated. ThisVidory coft us the Lives of many of our Savages, and of three or four of our OfSccrs. The Iroquefi that were taken, were carrieci to the City oi Monreal^ near which Place they were regaled with a S.ilvo of Bafiinadoes. About the Beginning of the Month of J/z/y, Mr. Frontenac having received fbmc News from the Commander of the Lakes, fpoke to me of a cer- tain Projcdt, which 1 had formerly fhown him to be of great Importance : But becaufe he did not iufficienily confidcr all the Advantages that mighe be reaped from it, and on the contrary, appre- hended a great many Difficulties would attend the putting it in Execution, he had altogether negledled this Affair, of which I fhall give you the following Account. I obferv'^d to you in my 1 7th Letter, the great Im- portance and Advantage of the Forts ofirontenac and Niag^ara^ and that in the Conjundure of Cir- cumflances wherein Mr. Denonville then found them, h was isDpoiEble to preierve thenv* You have alfo h' A . remark'd to ^V//> America. i8i •ce, the weal lor ^ of the ith inch icir Pal- Uttaouas, and cut he good Mhiireal. the Chc- ih a Dc- fe^ being nc confc- ce he had fo it was, 1 Vigour, : laft they Lives of ur of our ;re carrieii they were July, Mr. from the of a cer* m him to did not rat mightt appre- ttend the negledled following great Im- irottteuac re of Cir- und them, have alfa femark'd rcm.irk'd the Advant.iges which the S.ivaf;;es have over the iiumpcMs, hy their \v.iy offi^htinf, in the I'orcfts of this vail Cotuitient. Since we cannot dcftroy the Iroptefc with our own finale I'orcej, we are ncccflfirily oblitj'd to hwc recouric to the Sava- ges that are our Allies : ^ nd 'tis certain, as they thcmrdvcs forefce, that i thcfc Hitrbanans could compalsthe DclVrudionot our Colonics, they would be iubducd by them looner or later, as it has hap- pened to many other N uions, lb they know it to be their Intercd to join with us to dcftrov thcfc Rau' diti's. Now fincc they arc well affcAcd to this Dc- fign, wc muft endeavour to facilitate to them the means of putting it in Kxcrution ; for you may ca- fily believe that thcfc People, as lavage as they are, arc not lb void of Senlc, as to travel two or three hundred Leagues from their own Country, to fieht againft their Uncmies, without being furc ot a Place of Rctreit, uherc they may rcpole thcm- ielvcs, and find Provifions. 'i'hcrc is no Qiiedion therefore but we fliould build Torts upon the Lands o£ihe Iroquefe^ and maintain ihcm in Ipitc of their Teeth. This, Sir, is what I proposed above a Year ago to Mr. Fro}jteuac\ and it is what he would have me ftill to undertake. I proje(5t therefore to build and maintain three Forts upon the Courfe of the Lakes, with fome Vcflfils that fhall go with Oars, which I will build according to my Fancy ; but they be- ing light, and of great Carriage, may be manag*d cither with Oars or a Sail, and will alio be able to bear the Shocks of the Waves. 1 demand fifty Sea- men of the French Bifcay, for they are known to be the moft dextrous and able Mariners that are in the World. I mull alfo have two hundred Soldiers, cholcn out of the Troops of Canada' I will build three little Caftles in feveral Places, one at the Mouth of the Lake Errie^ which you fee in my Map of Canada^ under the Name of Fort Suppopy befides two N 3 others. w. N. 1 8 z Some New Voyages otht.s. The fccond I will build in the fam'2 Place where it wis when I miintain'd it in the Years 1687 and 1688, whereof I have wrote to you in nw 1 4th and 1 5thLetters : and the third at the Mouth o/the Bay odorojito, upon the fame Lake. Ninety Men will be fufficient to gnrilbn thefe three Re- doubts, and perhaps a fmaller Number ; for the /ro- qnefe^ who never faw a Cannon but in a Picture, and to whom an Ounce of Powder is more precious than a Lewis-d'or, can never be perfuaded to attack any kind of Fortification. I defire of the King for put- ting this Projcd in Execution, 15000 Crowns a Year, for the Maintenance, Entertainment, Subfiftence, and Pay of thefe 250 Men. It will be very eafy for me to tranfport with the abovcmention'd Vefr fcls 400 Savages, into the Country of the Jroqiiefe^ whenever 1 have a Mind. I can carry Provifions for 2000, and tranfport as many Sacks of Indian Corn as are necelTary for maintaining thele Forts both in Winter and Summer. 'Tis eaiy to have plenty of Hunting and Shooting in all the Ifles, and to con- trive Ways for eroding the Lakes ; and it will be {q much the more eafv to purfue the Iroqttefe in their Canows, and fmk tHem, that my VeflTcls are light, and my Men fight under a Cover. In fine, if you law the Memorial which I am to prefent to Mr. Pontchartrain^ you would find that this Enterprize is the fineft and moft ufeful that can be invented, to diftrefs the Iroqttefe in time of War, and confine them within Bounds in time of Peace. Mr. Fronte- 7tac has join'd to it a private Letter to Mr. Pontcbar^ tr^hiy wherein he obferves to him, that if this Pro- jedl were well put in Execution, thefe terrible Ene- mies would be obliged in two Years time, to aban- don their Country. After this he adds, that he judges me fufficiently qualified to go upon fuch an En- terprize, and believes I will make my Point good. Perhaps he might have light on others that know the Country andCufloms of the Savages better than I do; to North' AiTifirica. 18} im'i Place the Years :o you in ;he Mouth . Ninety three Re- 3Y the IfQ' fturc, and ;cious than attack any ig for put- vnsaYear, ubfiftence, very eafy ion'd Vef- le Jroqiiefe^ )virions for id'tan Corn rts both in I plenty of nd to con- : will be fb efe in their s are light, ine, if you bnt to Mr. Enter prize 5 invented, ind confine ^r. Fronte- '. Pontcbar*- if this Pro- •rible Ene- ;, to aban- t he judges ch an En- i^oint good, that know setter than I do; I I do : But by an Accident which does not tend much to my Advantage, I hive purch;is'd the Efteem and Friendfliip of thefe Savages, which in my Opinion was the only Realbn that mov'd Mr. de Front enac to fingle out me for this Service. July the 27th, the Governor having given me his Packet for the Court, and the St. yiuue i-rigat being rigg'd and fitted out accoring to his Orders, I em- bark'd in the Port of ,^iebcc^ and after five Days failing, we met in the River of St. Laurence^ over- againft Monts Notre Dame^ twelve Merchant-men, bound from France for ^tebcc^ under the Convoy of Mr. d' Iberville, Captain of thePo//. y^ugufi the ^ch, we got clear of the Bay of St. Laurence, by the help of a wefterly Gale, and that in fuch fair and clear Weather, that we defcry'd the Iflands of Cape Breton and Newfoundland^ as diftindly as if we had been within a Musket-Shot of 'em. The nine or ten following Days were fb far of a different Stamp, that we could fcarce fee from the Prow to the Poop of the Ship, for all of a fudden there fell the thick- eft and darkeft Fog that ever I (aw. At the End of theft Days the Horizon clearing up, we ftood in for Newfound- Land, defcrying Cape St. Mary ; and by making all the Sail we could, arrived that very Day in the Port of Placentia. In that Port I found fifty Filhermen, moft of which were of French Bifcay, and thought to have fet out for France along with them in a few Days : But they were longer in getting ready than I thought for, and when we were juft ready to break ground, we were inform'd by fome Fifhermen, that five large Englijb Ships were come to an Anchor near Cape St. Mary, This Intelligence prov'd very true, for on the ijitb of September they caft Anchor in fight of Placentia. The i6tb they weigh'd, and came to an Andhor in the Road, out of the reach of our Guns. Upon this the Governor was not a little perplexM, for he had but fifty Soldiers in his Fort, and a very m '.n h; N 4 fmall 1 84 Some New Voyages fmall Moiety of Ammunition. Befides, the Fort was commanded by a Mountain, from whence he might be gall'd with Stones flung out of Slings j and 'twas to befear*d,'the En^lijh would pofleis theni- felvcs of that high Ground. 1 march'd with fixty of the Seamen belonging to the FiChermcn, to prevent their Landing, in caie they attempted to make a Delcent at a certain Place callM la Fontaine', and I rompafs'd my End without firing a Gun. In efle6^, fix or feven hundred En^liflo put into the Land in twenty Sloops, witli a Defign to have landed at that Place J upon which my vigorous Cantahrians being full of Fire and Forwardneis, appear'd too foon upon the Shoar, in fpiteofmy Teeth, and by that means obliged the Engliflj to take another Courfe, and row with all their Might to the back of a little Cape, where they threw in a Barrel of Pitch and Tar that burnt two Arpents of Thickets. The Mh about J to Norf/> America. i8j the Fort icncc he ngsi and els theni- h fixty of prevent ) make a le-, and I In efl'ea, ; Land in led at that icius being foon upon :hat nneans , and row ttle Cape, d Tar that Sth about ff from the and made imediately. one of his the other, wo EngliJiJ he Gover- he would s done ac- went on ith all Re- eet-meats, we drank d England. Carriages \ofle-helle tQ him to be |rms, in re- )uld prove md all the }nhabi-> bitants, upon the Account that he would find a /great deal of Difficulty in preventing the Pillaging and other Diforders; that in order to avoid this Mil- fortune, 'twould be a prudential Part in thf Gover- nor, to come to a Compofition. Our Officer be- ing fully acquainted with the Governors Mind, made anfwer in his Name, that he was refolvM up- on a vigorous Defence, and would rather fpring the Place in the Air, than furrender it to the Enemies of the King his Mafter. After a mutual Exchange of Compliments, we took leave of him, and being rea- dy to get into our Sloop, he told us with Embraces, that he was infinitely forry he could not falute us with his Guns, in the Room of which he order'd five or fix Huzza*s, with Long Itie the King, When we went into the Boat, we return 'd him the fame number of Shouts, to which he return'd a Seventh, that finilh*d the Ceremony. Upon our Return to the Fort, Mr. de Cofie- belle gave the Governor an Account of the Force of the Admiral's Ship. The St. Albans (fo the Ship was call'd) carried fixty fix Guns mounted, and fix hundred Men Compliment, but the other Ships appeared to be of lels Force. The next Day, which was the igth^ they advanced within Cannon-lhot of the Fort, where they lay by, while a Sloop row'd up to the Batteries. The Go- vernor fent out another Sloop to know what the Matter was, and was anfwer'd, that if he had a mind for a Parley in the time of the Ingagement, he Ihould put up a red Flag for a Signal. I was then polled at la Fontaine^ to oppofe a Defcent j for that was the only Place that could be ferviceable to the Englijb, in order to mafter Placentia. The Eng- lijh ought to have confider'd, that their Cannon would do no Service againft an impenetrable Ram- part, and that they would lole their Labour in ^hooting againft Flints and Earth. But it feems, they were oblig'd by exprefs Orders from the Prince of Orange^ I li! \i6 Some New Voyages Orange todo it, and at the fame time to expofe thcm- fclves to the Danger of being funk, which had certain- ly been effeded, if we had had Powder and Ball cnough,for the Cannonading laded almoft fiveHours. Tlie zoth a French Pilot who was Prifoner on board of the Admiral, made his Efcape by throwing himfelf into the Sea in the Night-time. He landed at the Place where I lay in Ambulcade j and after he had given me an Account of what pafs'd in the Fleet, I fent him to the Governor's Houfe. He in- formed me, that they had defign'd a Defcent with fevcn or eight hundred Men, but alter'd their Refo- lution, upon the Apprehenfion, that there were fourteen or fifteen hundred Seamen ready to oppofe them J that they were of the Opinion, that my fixty Bifcayans who difcover'd themlelves upon the Shoar at la Fontaine^ in fpite of all I could do, had no other View but to draw 'cm into an Ambuicade, by tempting 'em to come up. The 217? they fet fail with a North-£aft Gale, after having burnt all the Houfes at Pointe Verte, where the Governor had ient a Detachment by way of Precaution that very lame Day j but the ways were fo impradticable, that the Detachment could not get there in time to op- pole the Enemy. This one may juftly fay, that ifithadnot been for the Captains of the Bifcay Ships that were then at Placerttia^ that Place had un- doubtedly fallen into the Hands of the Englifi : And this I can convince you of, when you and I meet. In this bloody Expedition, the Englijh loft fix Men ; and on our fide the Sieur Boat^ Lieutenant of a Nantes VcflTel, had his Arm fhot off! In fine, the Engltjh did all that Men could do, {o that nothing can be faid againft their Condu<5t. OSioher the 6tb^ I took Shipping in Purfuit of my Voyage to France^ being accompany'd with feveral other VefTels. The Wefterly Winds were fb favour- able to us in our Faffage, that we came to an An- chor to North' Avc\cx\c3i. 187 chor on the z$d at St. Nazere^ which lies but eight or nine Leagues from this Place. I am to fct out immediately for Ver failles ; in the mean time, 1 am, SJK, Totirsy &c. LETTER. XXIV. ; Dated at Nantes^ May lo. i^5?3. \ Contawlrjg an J c count of Air, Fronton acj ^ro^ jeBy which was rejected at Courts and the Rea^ Jon why It was rejefhd, The King gives the Author the Lieutenancy of the IJk of New- found-Land, &c, together with a free Inde-^ fendant Company. I Am now once more at Nantes^ from whence I wrote to you in O^oher laft. I am now return'd from Court, where 1 prefented to iMr. Pontcbar- train Mr. Frontenac's Letters, and the Memorial I mentioned in my laft. I was anfwer'd, that it would not be proper to execute the Project I propos'd, be- caufe the forty Seamen which were neceflary for my Purpofe, could not now be allow'd me j and be- fides the King had given Orders to Mr. Frontenac^ to make Peace with the Iroquefe upon any Terms whatlbever. This Inconveniency alfb was found to attend the Projedl, that after the Forts which I intended to build upon the Lakes were intirely finilhed, the Savages that are our Friends and Con- federates, would rather leek after Glory, by making War 1 8 8 V Some New Voyages War upon the Iroquefs^ than take PIcafiire in Hunt- ing the Beavers, which would be a confidcrablc Da- mage to the Colonies of Of««i/^, that lubfift only, as one may fay, by the Trade of Skins, as I fhall (hew you more particularly in a proper Place. The Eng- ItJJj will by no means take it ill, that we do not build thefe Forts, for befidcs that they are too much concern *d for the Prcftrvation of the Iroquefe^ they will always be ready to furnifh with Merchan- dize the iSavage Nations, that are our Allies, as they have done hitherto. I muft own my Iclf mightily oblig*d to the Englijh^ who attack'd us at Placentia the laft Year ; they declared publickly, though with- out any juft Ground, after they arriv'd in England^ that they would infallibly have taken that Place, if I had not oppos*d their Defcent. I have already informed you, that I did not at all hinder them from landing at the Place where I was pofted with fixty Bifcayan Seamen : So that they attribute to me a glorious Adiion, in which I had no Share, and by that means have done me io much Honour, that his Majefty hath beftow*d upon me the Lieutenancy of the Ifle of Newfound-Land and Acadia^ which I ne- ver delerv'd upon that Score. Thus you fee, Sir, that many times fuch Perfbns are preferred, who have no other Patrons in the World, but pure Chance. However, I fliould have been better pleas*d, if I could have put the abovemention'd Project in Execution ; for a iblitary Life is moft grateful to me, and the Manners of the Savages are perfedly agree- able to my Palate. The Corruption of our Age is fo great, that it feems the Europeans have made a Law, to tear one another in pieces by cruel Ufage and Reproaches, and therefore you muft not think jt ftrange, if I have a Kindnels for the poor Ameri- cans^ who have done me fb many Favours, I am %Q fet out the next Day after To-morrow, from this. Place, to Nor^7> America. 189 Place, in order to embark at St. Nazere. The Mef" fieurs iV Anjtii^ two Nantes Merchants, have taken upon them to maintain the Garifon of Phccntiay upon condition of certain Grants made by the Court, who furnilhes them with a Ship, wherein I am to have my Paflfage. Pray fend me your News by fome Ships of S. John de Lttz^ which are to fail from this Place within two Months, in order to truck with the Inhabitants oi Placentia. I cannot conclude this Letter, without giving you fome Account of a Dilpute I had very lately at my Inn, with a Portugueze Phyfician, who had made many Voyages to Angola^ Brazil^ and Goa. He maintained, that the People of the Continent of America^ AJta, and Africa^ were defcendcd from three different Fathers, which he thus attempted to prove. The Americans differ from the AJiatics^ for they have neither Hair nor Beard j the Features of their Face, their Colour and their Cuftoms are dif- fei fnt ; befides that, they know neither meum nor //////;/, but have all things in common, without mak- ing any Property of Goods, which is quite contrary to the AJjafic way of living. He added, that Ame^ rica was Co far diftant from the other Parts of the World, that no body can imagine, how a Voyage fhould be made into this New Continent, before the Ufe of the Compafs was found out 5 That the Afri- cans being black and flatNos'd, had fuch mondrous thick Lips, fuch a flat Face, fuch foft woolly Hair on their Head, and were in their Conflitution, Manners, and Temper, lb different from the Ame-' ricans, that he thought it impoflible, that thefe two forts of People fhould derive their Original from Adanty whom this Phyfician would have to refemble a ^ttrk or a Perfian in his Air and Figure. J an- fwer'd him prefently, that fuppofing the Scripture did not give convincing £vidence, that all Men in general are defcended ^om one firil Father, yet his Reafoning I't I SM 1 90 Some New Voyages Reafbning would not be fufficient to prove the con* trary, fince the Difference that is found between the People of America and Africa^ proceeds from no other Caufc but the different Qualities of the Air and Climate in thele two Continents: That this appears plainly to be true, becaufe a "Negro Man and Wo- man, or a Savage Man and Woman, bein^ tranf- planted into Burope^ will produce luch Children there, who in four or five Generations, will infalli- bly be as white, as the moft ancient Europeans. ThePhyfician deny'd this Matter of Faft, and main- tained, that the Children dcicended from this Negro Man or Woman, would be born there as black as they are in Guiney ; but that afterwards the Rays of the Sun being more oblique and lefs fcorching than in Africa^ thcfe Infants would not have that black fhining Ludre, which is fo eafily diflinguifhed up- on the Skin of fuch Negroes as are brought up in their own Country. To confirm his Hypotbejis, he aflTur'd me, that he had feen many Negroes at Lif' hou^ as black as in Africa^ tho' their Great Grand- father's Grandfather had been tranfplanted into Por- tugal many Years ago. He added alfo, that thofe who were defcended from the Portugueze^ that dwelt at Angola^ Cape Vert^ &c. about a hundred Years ago, are fo little tawn*d, that 'tis impoflible todiftinguifh them from the Natives of Portugal: He further confirmed his way of Realbning,from an unconteftable Matter of FaA j for, fays he, if the Rays of the Sun were the Caufe of the Blackncfs of the Negroes^ from hence it would follow, that the Braziltans being fituate in the (ame Degree from the Equator with the Africans^ (hould be as black as they are; but fb they are not, for 'tis certain their Skin appears to be as clear as that of the Portuguefe. But this was not all, he maintained farther, that thofe who are defcended from the firft Savages o( Brazil^ that were tranfported into Portugal^ above an Age ago* to NortL-Ametki. 191 5 con- en the om no .ir and ippcars i Wo- tranf- hildrcn infalli- ropeans. 1 main- s Nefiro ?lack as R.ays of ng than at black [bed up- it up in bejis, he ; at Lif" : Grand- into Por- at thofe ze, that hundred ipoflible ortti^cil : , from an ., if the :kncfs of that the from the black as tain their 'ortuguefe. hat thofe iBrazih' e an Age ago. le ago, have as little Hair and Beard as their Anccf- tors, and on the contrary, thole who arc dcfcendcd from the firft Portttgucze^ who Peopled the Colo- nies of Brazil^ are' as Hairy, and have as great Beards, as if they had been born in Portugal. But after all, continued he, though all that I have faid is abfolutely true, yet there are fome People, who rafhly maintain, that the Children of the Africans and Awericans, will by degrees degenerate in Eu* rope. 1 his may happen to thofe whofe Mothers re- ceive the Embraces oi Europeans^ which is the Rca- fon why we fee fo many MttUattos in the Ifles of America^ in Spain^ and in Portugal: Whereas if thefe Women had been as clofely kept up in Europe^ as the Portugtieze Women are in Africa and Anieri- cay the Children of the RrafiUam would no more degenerate than thofe of the Portugueze. Such, Sir, was the Rea(bningof this Dodtor, who hits the Mat- ter pretty juftly towards the End of his Dilcourfe; but his Principle is moil falfe, and mod abfurd, for no Man can doubt, unlefs he be void of Faith, good Senfe and Judgment, but that Adam was the only Father of all Mankind. 'Tis certain, that the Savages of Canada, and all the other People oiAine* rica^ have not naturally either Hair or Beard ^ that the Features of their Face, and their Colour ap- proaching to an Olive, Ihew a vaft Difference be- tween them and the Etiropeatis. What is the Caufc of thc(e things I know not, and yet I cannot believe them to be the Effedl of their Air and Food. For that rate, thoie who are defcended from the at French, that firft fettled in Canada near a hundred Years ago, and for the mofl Part run up and down in the Woods, and live like the Savages, fhould have neither Beard nor Hair, but degenerate alfo by de- grees into Savages, which yet never happens. Af- ter this Phyfician had alledg'd all thefe Reafons, he digrefs'd from this Subje^, and having a mind to diicover I pi Some New Voyages dilcovcr his f xtrav.igant Opinions, askM mc what 1 thought of the Salvation of lb many Auitricans^ to whom in all Probability thcGofpcl wai never preach- ed. You may very well believe, that I made no fcruple to condemn them by wholelalc to Eternal Fire, which he took very ill. ' How can you, laid * he,condcmn thelc poor People with fo much Aflfur- * ance* *Tis probable that their firft Father, having * never finn*d as our yldam did, had a good Soul, * and an upright Heart, fmcc his Pollerity do cx- * aAly oblerve the Law of natural Equity, which is * expref' 'd in Latin in thefe well known Words, * Alteri ne fcteris quod tihi fieri mn lis j and allow * no Property of Goods,nor any Diftindtion or Subor- * dination among them, but live as Brethren, with- * out Dii'putes, without Suits, without Laws, and * without Malice. But fuppofing, added he, that * they were originally dclcendcd from Adatn^ we * ought not to believe, that they are damn'd for * their Ignorance of the Chriftian Doctrine, for who * can tell but God may impute to them the Merits * of Chrift*s Blood, by ways fecret and incomprehen- * fible to us? and befides; (fuppofing that Man has * a free \\ ill) his Divine Majcfty without doubt * will have a greater Regard to his moral Adlions, * thin to his Worfhip and Belief The want of* * Knowledge, continued he, is an Unhappinefs, but ' not a Crime, and who can tell but God has a mind * to be honour'd by infinite ways of paying him * Homage and Relpeft, as by Sacrifices, Dances, ' Songs and the other Ceremonies of the Americans ? He had Icarce made an end of his Difcourfe, when I fell foul upon him with all my Might, as to the preceding Points; but after I had given him to un» derftand, that if among the mtilti njocati^ i. e. thole who Diofels the true Religion, who are but a hand- gion, ful of Men, there are found hxufauci eletii^ all the Americans mull be in a very deplorable Condition : He to North" Amcrkz. ^9i what 1 MJ, to ircnch- idc no Sternal u, (aid I Aflfiir- having d Soul, do cx- which is Words, id allow r Subor- n, with- iws, and lie, that tdatn^ we mn'd for , for who ic Merits nprehen- Man has ut doubt Adions, want of inefs, but as a n^ind ying him , Dances, iiericans ? fe, when as to the m to un» li. (?. thofe t a hand- ^ all the Condition : He He anfwer*d mc impudently, that I was very rafh to determine who (hould be in the Number of the Reprobate at the la(l Judgment, and to condemn them without Riving any Quarter; for, iays he, th\i is to infnlt the VVildom of God, and to make him deal as t^oricioufly by his Creatures, as St. Paul^i Potter did by his two Vcfllls. NeverthcK'^'s, when he faw that I treated him like an impious, unbe« licving Wretch, he, to be even with mc, reply 'd ill thele foolifh Words, Fidem ezo btc qua adbthetuf Myftertti facris hiterpeUo^ fed fidem illam quA boud mntii foror eft^ (juaq j reitam ratiouem amat. Frorri hence you may judge. Sir, whether this fine Phyfi« cian was able to remove Mountains. I am^ LETTER XXV. Dated at Vlana in Portugal Jan. 31. i6p4. fhe j1uthor*s Dej^nytUrefrom France to PlacCntid* j4 Fleet of^o Englifh Ships came to/eize upon, that Place \ but is difappointedy and peers off", 'The Reajbn why the Englilh kwe bad Succefs in all their Entir prizes beyond Sea. The jAuthor*s Mventure with the Governor of Placentia; His Departure for ffonugal, jin Engagmehli with a Flufhing Privateen ^'^* ... . 1D0 not at ail doui^t but you will befenfibjy a^ear' ed with my fad and fatal Mifadventure^ whieH 1 arni iibit io Mt ibii in Account of. Aiid firft 1 ^'4 *S^'^ ^^^'W^ Foynges you muA know, that after wc had wniccd for a (a'lt VV ind fifteen or twenty Days at St. Nazire^ we let iail on the 12th of Afiy laft. Our Paffagc wai nei- ther lonj; nor ftiort, for wc arriv'd at the Harbour of Placentta the 2otb of Jtme^ having taken an Ijij^Iifb 5hip laden with Tobacco, on the Ed^es of the Bank of Ktw found- Land. After I landed, I went to lalotc Mr. Hromllun^ Governor ofPtacnitiHj and dcclar'd to him how glad i was to obey the Orilers of Co wile a Commander. He anlwer*d, thai he was much (urpriz'd to find, that I had Ibl- licired to be employed there, without ncquaintinf; him with it the preceding Year ; and that he now plainly perceived, that the Project about the J ferters, becaufe they had Iain two Nights out of the Garrifon^ without his leave ^ and, which would have prov'd yet more fatal to thefe innocent Men, he had certainly caus'd 'em to be knocked on the Head, on purpofe to ven me, if the Recollets, and his own Mifsy had not earneftly interceded on their behalf After this Accident, the Recollets advifed me to go and fee him, and to entreat him to put an end to all his Perfecutions, aflurlng him at the fame time, that I was entirely his Servant anii Friend. Durus eft btc fermo. Whatever Rcludiancy I had to yield to an Advica to North-Amtt'ici. ^97 Advice fo contrary to Nature, which I muft confe(s» ftruggied furioufly within me, yet 1 offer'd fo much Violence to myfelf, that I fubmitted to it. I was at his Houfe, went into his Chamber, and being with bim all alone, I ipoke to him for a quarter of an Hour in the mofl fubmiflive Terms, that any Slavs could ufe. I am afham'd to make this Confeflion to you, for I bluih to myfelf every time I think of fo mean a SubmifHon. However, inilead of his liftening to my Reafbns, and treating friendly with me, he fell into a mod furious Faflion, and loaded me with a Torrent of mod bitter Reproaches. In this Caie, Sir, I preferred the Service of the King, before the Pundilio*s of Honour, for I did nothing but retir'd to my own Houfe, being well iatisfy'd that I was not aflaf!inated by his Domedicks : But the Difbrder which this Affair produced, would re- quire a long Difcourfe. It will be more to the pur- pofe, to come to Matter of Fa6t ; I do alTure you, that he would have laid me up, if the Inhabitants had appear'd to be in his Intereft. He pretended that he had been infulced, and confequently that he ■was in the right in revenging himfelf, whatever it coft him. But the tragical End of a Governor, whofe Throat was cut in thisCountry about thirty or forty Years ago, furnilh'd him with abundant mat- ter of Rcflectien. He judged it therefore hisfafeil: way to diflemble his Anger, being perfuaded, that if 1 (hould have run him through with my Sword, the Soldiers and Inhabitants would have favoured my Bfcape to the Engliflj^ in the Neighbourhood of ?/^- centia. In the mean time the Recollets, who had a mind to compofe thefe growing Differences, found no great Trouble in reconciling us, for they remon- ftrated to him, of what Confequence it would be |br us to live in a good Correfpondence, and to avoid the Troubles that would enlue upon our Quarrels. TJiis Propofal of an Accommodation, was in ap- Q 3 pearancc •t,;l t 'M ipS Some New Voyages pearance moft agreeable to him, and Co much the rather, becauie he was glad to diAemble his Refent- ments by the external Signs of Friendfhip. So we law and embrnc'd one another with mutual Pro- teflations of f()rgetting all th^t had pais'd between us. J After this Reconciliation, I hadreafbn to believe, fhat his Heart would not give the Lye to his Mouth, becaufe I thought he was not io imprudent as to in*- form the Court of ibme Trifles, wherein he would appear to have prollituted his Honour ; but I was deceived, for he took the Pains to add afterwards to |hc verbal Proceft he had given in before our Ac- commodation, iome Falfehoods which he ought to jiaye concealed. 'Tis necdlefs to acquaint you, how by chance his Papers fell into my Hands ; that In- flifcretion might prove a Difadvantage to ibme Per- ibns, whom Heaven bleis. I Ihall only tell you, that after the Recollets had ieen and read the Alle- gations contained in his Papers, they made no Scru- ple to advife me to take care of myfelf, and inge- nuoufly declared to me, that they never intended to meddle any more in that Affair, becauie they per- ceiv'd that they had innocently contributed to do me a Prejudice, by reitoring Peace between him and me. This wholelbme Advice made me perceive the Danger to which I (hould be expos'd, if I continued any longer at Placentia^ inlomuch, that the Fear I bad of being lent to the Bajiile^ after the Arrival of the Ships from France^ niade me rclblve to abandon all hopes of making my Fortune here, and to throw up my Places. After the Inhabitants were acquaint- ed with this News, all of 'em, except three or four, jcame running to my Houfe, to alTure me they were ready to fign my verbal Procefs, in cafe I would change my Relolution : But inftead of ac- cepting their Offer, I gave them to underftand, ha- ving thank'd them firft for thdr Good-willj that they '^y^^i^ to N^r/iJ- America.' 199 jthey would bring Miichief upon themfelves, and be look'd upon at Court as feditiou9 Peribns, and Difturbers of the publick Peace ; fince by a deteftable Principle of Politicks, an inferior Perfon is always judgM to be in the wrong, whatever Reafon he may have on his fide. Indeed,! would gladly have avoided this fatal Neceflity of throwing up my Places, which feem'd infenfibly to lead me to fome great Fortune ; but at lad the Con- finement in the Baftik^ made fuch a deep ImprefHon upon my Mind, after I had ferioufly refleded upon the troublefbme Circumftances of my Affairs, that I made no fcruple to embark in a little Veifel, which was the only one, and the laft that was to go to France. The Propolal I made to the Captain of prefenting him with 1000 Crowns, was (b well received, that he engag'd to land me upon the Coaft o£Portu^:/ii ^nr that Sum, upon Condition that I fhould keep Vr, m ;ret. The beft of the Matter was, that my L..vmy had ufed the Precaution of writing to the Governors of Belle Ifle, of the Ille of iie, and of Rochelle^ to feize me as ibon as I ihould land. He reckoned, and not without Reafon indeed, that this Veflel would put into one of thefe three Ports : But three hundred Piftoles, dexteroully con- vey'd to the Hands of fbme People, that are not much accuilom'd to finger Gold, have a wonderful Effed , for that very Sum, which indeed I was loth to part with, fav'd me my Liberty, and perhaps my Life. Purfuant to this Rclblution, I imbarqu'd the j^b of the laft Month, notwithftanding the Rifque that one runs by Sailing in the Winter- time through fuch a Sea as lies between A/^^/b//«^/-L^«c/ and France. 'Tis ncedlels to inform you, that 1 left at Placentia a great deal of Hou(ho)d Furniture, which I could, meither fell nor carry off 'Twill be more edify- ing for you to hear the Journal of our Voyage. We encountered three terrible Storms in our PalTage, O 4 without 51 op Scwe Aew Voyagis without any damage > and in the lad of thefe, which jafted three Days, the Wind at North-Weft, we fun a hundred and fifty Leagues without any Sail^ This laft Storm was fo viplept, that the Seamen im-r brac'd, apd bid an eternal Adieu to one another ; for every Minute they expedt^d to be funk without |lelie£ As this Stprm alaroi'd US| fo the contrary Winds from the Baft and North-£ai^, that fprung upon US a hundred Leagues to the Weftward of f ape Fnufterre^ occasion a ^n caual Dread 5 for we y^ere obliged tp traverlcthe Sea for three or four and twenty Days, after which we defcry'd the Cape by virtue of our frequent Tackipgs, and by a flrangs Accident, were attack'd by a Flujlmg Privateerj which could not board us, becaufe the Sea roll'd fb high, but contended hcrfeif with Firing upon us, and fhat with fo little efedt, that we did not lofe one >Ian. Our Mafts and Rigging indeed were fo da-? ^lag'd, ?hat after we were parted from the Priva* tecr, by the help of the Night and a great Fog, we could ^arcc make \i(e pur Sails : however we refitted with all poIHbJe diligence, and the Captain of the Ship having then a fair Pretence to lufFout of the dired Couf fe, flood p the 3outh-£aft in the Nightt time. This feign'd Courie did not fecure us from ihe Privateef, which poight happen to fteer the lame tpurfc ; fb that in the Night-tin^e we put ourfelvcs in a Readinqfs to renew the Fight in the Day*time^ in effedt, (le did not purfue us, as we apprehended : ^iit about Noon \ye efeap'd yet more narrowly, for we werepurfu*d by a Salfyvjan .]n fight of theCoaf^ for four Hours, and were within a Hair's breadth pf being ^aken,.befv^e we got under the Cannon of the Fort of this City. Had we been catch *d, the povernor o^Placentia would have had fome ground for the joyful Exclamation, Incidit in Syllam^ &c.; But tjiank God vye were only frightned. .^. r . A<,ll|;.-v; ,.:i J5?V ^) to tiMTtb" Amtxic^. 101 which ift, we ly Sailf icn iniT other ; without ontrary fprung rard of for we bur and ^pe by flrange ivateer^ roird fo us, and lofe one c fo da** e Priva* ^og, we ver we ptain of It of the : Nighty us froni be fame urfelvc^ ky*time^ lended : /ly, for leCoaft breadth nnon of M, the ground tiiiy 6cc.: At fii ibon as we came to an Anchor, I paid down ^y looo Crowns to the Captain, who has reafbn to look upon this Adion, as one of the beft hb ever did in his Life-time. The Long-boat was no fooner in the Water, than I went afhoar with all my Baggage i and as foon as I came into this City, I procur'd Ammunition and Frovifions for the Ship with that Expedition, that the Captain weigh'd Anchor the very next Day, and fo con* tinued his Courfe to France. As for the Memoirs of the Country of Canada^ which you have (b often defir'd, I have addreis'd 'em to the Rocbel Merchant, who convey *d your Letters to me all the while I was in Canada. To thefe I have tack!d a fmall Catalogue of the moft neceffary Words of the Algonkin Language ; which, as I have often told you, is the fineft and the moft univerfal Language in that Continent. If your Nephew con- tinues his Defign of undertaking a Voyage to that Country, I would advife him to learn thefe Words in the time of his Paflage, that fo he may be able to ftay five or fix Months with the j^lgonkim^ and imderftand what they lay. I have likcwifefentyou an Explication of the Sea-Terms, made ufe of in my Letters. The making of this little Table, was a Diverfion to me -in my Voyage ; for in perufing my Letters, I drew out Ibme Remarks which I de- fign tp impart to you, if I find that the enfuing Memoirs give you Sitisfaftion. You will readily guefs, that from the Year 1683, to this very Day, 1 have renounced all manner of Ties to my Country. The curious Adventures that I have related to you in Writing firce that time, will undoubtedly afford an agreeable Diverfion to your Friends ; provided they are not of the Num- ber of thofe unfufferable Devotees, who would ra- ther be crucified, than fee an Ecclefiaftick expos'd. Pray be fo kind as to write to me to Lisbou^ and • . inform %ei Some New Foy^es inform me of what you hear, in reference to my Concern. You have fuch good Correipondents at Paris, that you cannot mifs of knowing how things go. I doubt not but my Advcriary £cds himl^lf vrith the Hopes, that his ufual Prefents would pro- cure the apprphending of me in France^ where he thinks I would be the Fool to lane) : But now to be furc he'll fret his Heart out, for that he cannot gall me tohis Wifhes. However, 'tis as much his In- tereft to follicit my Death, (purfuant to his unjuft Charge againft me) as 'tis my Glory to procure him a long Life. Upon this Foot, Sir, the longer he livc.^, the more Revenge 1 fhall have j and confe- flutfitfy i Ihall have an Opportunity of an eafy So- lace for the Lois of my PirKcs, and the Diigrace I have met with from the King, lam, ' SIR, ,1 - » ■ • I f, » TourSi &c. '^ ,■' ». ' -4' \ _. ' f i. •, ' ' ■ : .•f ' ■ ,r, , • t-s-.- ;^. ' '> '■f ' > .\r . ■ ■ ir., ->•:-' - r** . . , , . it '^ t ''Tm \. MEMOIRS < ». t '' . .' *4f * . i/-;ji) y /0)^. 20} to my ents at r things himielf lid pro- lere he v to be not gall his In- i unjuft ure him nger he I confc- ;a(y So- fgrace I ;).:, ■,•',' i OIRS MEMOIRS O F •jjfi.l'^T^'':- :t(Y 'SoTth' America; ; Containing a Geographical Defer ipt ion of thai vaji Continent ', theCuJioms ana Commerce of the Inhabit antSy &c. S IK, '■•'> ' IN my former Letters, I prefented you with a View of the EngUJJj and French Colonies, the Commerce of C.««^rf^, the Navigation upon the B-ivers and Lakes of that Country, the Courfe of Sailing from Europe to North- America^ the feveral Attempts made by the EngUjh to mafter the French Colonies, the Incurfions of the French upon NeW" England^ and upon the Iroquefe Country : In a Word, Sir, I have reveal'd a great many things, that for Reafons of State or Politicks, have been hi- therto conceal'd ; infomuch, that if you were capa- ble of making me a Saciifice to your Refentment, 'tis now in your Power to ruin mc at Court, by pro- ducing my Letters. All that 1 writ in the foregoing Letters, and the whole Subftance of the Memoirs I now fend you, is truth as plain as the Sun-fhine. I flatter no Man, and I fpare no body. I fcorn to be partial ; I beftow due JPraife upon thofe who are in no Capacity to lervc 204 Some New Voyages (erve me, and I cenfure the Condud of others, that are capable of doing me an Injury by indire^ Me^ thods. 1 am not inHuenc'd by chat Principle of In* tereft and Party-making, that is the Rule of ibme Folks Words. I facrificeall to the Love' of Truth, and write with po other View, than to ^iv^ you a juft kepreientation of things as they arc. 'Tis beneath me to mince or alter the Matter of Fad, contained cither in the Letters I fent you fbme ten or twplye Years ago, or in thcfe Memoirn. In thp Courfc of my Voyages and Travels, I took care to Icecp parti-7 cular Journals of every thing ^ but a minute Reia« tion of ail Particulars, wo'ild be irkfbme to you, bc- fides, that the Trouble of taking a Copv of the Journals, before I have an Opportunity o( (hewing you the Original, would require more time than 1 can well fpare. In thcic IVTemoirs you'll find as much as will (erve to form a perfedl Idea of ti^e yaft Continent of 'iioxth' America. In the Courfe of our Correfpondence from the Vfear 1683, to this time, I ient you five and twenty Letters, of all which I have kept a Double very carefully. My bnly View an writing of thefe Letters* was to inform you ol* the moft eflential Things ^ for I was unwilling t6 perplex and confound your Thoughts, with an Infi- nity of uncommon things, that have happen'd iti that Country. If you'll confult ndy Maps, as you read the abovemention'd Letterss, you'll find a jufl: Reprefentation of all the Places 1 have fpoke of. Thcfe Maps are very particular, and I dare alTure you, they are the corredkeft yet extant. My Voyage upon the Long River, gave me an Opportunity of making that little Map, which 1 fent yo'i from Mif- filintakinac in 1699, with my fixteenth Letter. 'Tis true, it gives only a bare Defcripcioii of th tt River, ^'nd the River of the Mijfouris j But ir rt-quir'd more time than I could fpare, to make it mvirr* complete, t)y ^ Knowledge of the, ad[jacent Coimtnes, which , •» ' ; ' " ■ . have to Not/Jb-Arfictic^. loj I, that ^Me, of In- • (bme rruth, lajuft eneath ntain'd twflye nrk of P ps'tW e Rela- ou, be- of thb hewing than I find as ti^c yaft , e of our time, I which I y View you olf ling t6 an Infi- >en*d in as you id a judi 5oke of. aflure Voyage unity of Dm Mif' ter. 'Tis River*, rM more omplete, Vv'hich have have hitherto been unknown to all the World, ai Vrell as that great River, and which I would never have vlfited, if I had nrt been fully intruded in every thing that related to it, and convoy'd by a good Guard. I have plac*d the Map of Canada at the Front of thefe Memoirs, and defire that Favour of you, that you would not fhew it to any body un- der my Name. To the latter Part I have fubjoin'd an Explication of the Marine^ and other difficult Terms, made uie of in my Letters, as well as in thefe Memoirs; which you'll plealeto ronfult, when you meet with a Word that you do not underfland. 3U ,.u;jj yiJJjort Defiription of Canada. You'll think. Sir, that I advance a Paradox, when I acquaint you, that Ntvi-France^ commonly call'd Canada, comprehends a greater Extent of Ground, than the half of Europe : But pray mind what Proof I have for that AlTertion. You know that Europe extends South and North, from the 35 to the 72 Degree of Latitude, or, if you will, from Cadiz to the North Cape on the Confines of Lapland ; and that its Longitude reaches from the gtb to the g^b Degree ; that is, from the River Oby, to the Weft Cape in Tflandia. But at the fame time, if we take the greateft Breadth of Europe, from Eaft to Weft, from the imaginary Canal, (for Inftance) between the ^anais and the Volga, to Dinglebay in Ireland, it makes but 66 Degrees of Longitude, which con- tain more Leagues than the Degrees allotted to it towards the Polar Circle, tho* thele are more nu- merous, by reaibn that the Degrees of Longitude are unequal : and fmce we are wont to meafure Pro- vinces, Iflands, and kingdoms, by the {pace of Ground, I am of the Opinioji, that we ought to make uie of the fame Standard, with refped to the four Parts of the World. The Geographers who par- cel ±o6 Some New Vtyages eel out the Earth in their Clofets, according to their Fancy $ thefe Gentlemen, I fay, might have been aware of this Advance, if they had been more care* ful. But, to come to Canada, All the World knows, chat Canada reaches from the %^th to the 6 f/j& Degree of Latitude, that is, from ihe South-fide of the Lake Brrn^ to the North-fide of Hudfon's Bay ^ and from the zH^bj to the si^tb Degree of Longitude, i>/z. from the River MtJJiJipi^ to Cape Kafe in the Idandof New-Foundiand. I af- firm therefore, that Europe has but 1 1 Degrees of Latitude, and 3 3 of Longitude, more than Canada^ 3n which I comprehend the Ifland of New-Found" Jand^ Acadia^ and all the other Countries that lie to the Northward of the River St. Laurence^ which ]s the pretended great Boundary that fevers the French Colonics from the Englijh. Were I to reckon in all the Countries that lie*" to the North- Weft of Canada^ I fhould find it larger than Europe : But I confine myfelf to what is di(cover*d, known and own*d; I mean, to the Countries in which the Trench trade with the Natives for Beavers, and in which they have Forts, Magazines, Miflionarics, and fmall Settlements. 'Tis above a Century and a half fince Canada was difcover'd. John Verafan was the firft Difcovcrer, though he got nothing by it, for the Savages eat him up. James Cartier was the next that went thither, but after Sailing with his Ship above ^iiebec^ he re- turn'd to France with afbrry Opinion of* the Coun- try. At laft better Sailors were imploy'd in the DIC- covery, and trac'd the River of St. Laurence more narrowly : And about the Beginning of the laft Cen- tury, a Colony was fent thither from Kcuen^ which fettled there after a great deal of Oppofition from the Natives. At this Day the Colony is fo populous, that 'tis computed to contain iSoooo Souls. I have already given youfome Account of that Country in my 3 to North* Amcncz. 207 5 their ebeen :c care- s from s,from rth-fidc » ^^6tb d. laf- rrccs of Qanadai 'Found-' at lie to , which /crs the reckon Weft of : But I [Wn and lich the and in Lonaries, mda was f'covcrer, eat hini thither, k, he re- \e Couii- the Dif- \ce more laft Cen- I, which Ifrom the |opulous, 1 have ^untry in my tny Letters, and therefore (hall now only point to the muftnotrd lM.iccs,and take notice of what may grati- fy vour Curiofity beyond what you have yet he^rd. vVc arc at a Lois to find the Head of the River of Sr. /.rti/ff ;/f #, for tlio we have trac'ditfcvcnorcight hundred Leagues up, yet wc could never reach its Source ; the remotclt Place that the Coureurs dt Hois go to, being the Lake Letietrtipitrott^ which dijlim« bogues into the Upper l.nkc^ as the Upptr Lake docs into the I^ikc oi llurons^ the Lake of Htirons into that of F.nii alias Cow//, and that of Errii^ into the Lake of Fronunac^ which forms this laft great River, that runs for twenty Leagues with a pretty gentle Stream, andfwceps thro* 30 more with a very rapid Current, till it reaches the City of Monreal ; firom whence it continues its Courfe with (bmc moderation to the City of^iobcc j and after that, fpreads out, and inlargcs iticTf by degrees to its Mouth, which lies a hundred l.cagues further. If we may credit the North-Country Savages, this River takes its Rife from the great 1 .ake of the y^JJimtottals^ which they give out to be larger than any of the Lakes I mcn-^ tion'd but now, being fituatcd at the Diftance of fifty or fixty Leagues from the Lake o( Lenemipi^on, The River of St. Laurence is 20 or 22 Leagues broad at its Mouth, in the middle of which there's an Ifland call'd yJnticnftiy which is twenty Leagues long. This Ifland belongs to the Sieur Joliet a Canadatty wha has built a little fortify 'd Magazine upon it, to guard his Goods and his Family from the Incurfions of the Eskimaux^ of whom more anon. He deals with the other Savage Nations, namely, the Mantagnois^ and the Fapipauachois in Arms and Ammunition, by way of Exchange for the Skins of Sea-Wolves or Sea- Calves, and feme other Furs. Over againft this Ifland, to the Southward of it, we find the Ifle call'd L'l/lc Penle^ which is a great Rock with a Paffage bor'd through it, in which the jo8 Some New riyages the Sloops can only pafi. In time of Peac^ thd Bifcayaus of Frana^ and the Normans^ us*d to fiih for Cod at this Place : For here that Tifh are very plentiful, and at the fame time larBer, and more proper for drying than thole of Niw-FouMdhud, But there are two great Inconvenicncrs that attend the fifhing upon this Idand i one is, that the Ships ride in great Dangci , unlefs they have good Anchors and (Irong Cables -, another Inconvenience is, that this Place affords neither Gravel nor Flint-ilones to ftretch out the Fi{h upon before the Sun. and that the Fifhermen are forc*d to make ufe oi a fort of Hurdles. There are other Fifhing-places bcfides this, which lie fome Leagues higher up upon the fiime Side of the River. Such is that call d Gafpi, where the Ships Crews fometimes trade in Skins with the Ga/pe" fians^ to the Prejudice of the Proprietors of this River. The other Places for Cod-fi(h lie toward Monts notre damt^ in the little Bays or Rivers that empty themfelves into the River of St. Laurence, On the other fide of the River there lies the wide extended Country of Labrauofy or of the Eskimaux^ vfho are fuch a wiJd barbarous People, that no meant Dvhatfbever, have hitherto been able to civilize 'em. One wou'd think that good old Homer had this Peo-^ pie in his View, when he fpeaks of the Cyclops ;• for the Charader of the one, fuits the other admira- bly well, as it appears from thefefour Verfts, in the ninth Book of his OdyJfM^ which are fo pretty, thatJ- I cannot forbear inferting them in this Place. Aax' %ry' v^n\£v os%up v«l'>w ttd^w^ i Tha<< to l^ortb-Amcvkz. 909 nfiftx very more itaiid, ittcnd Ships ichors » that • nes CO d chat art of \vhich >idc of re the of chit toward irs that ence, le wide imauXf meanf ize 'em. s Peo-* lychps i' dmira- 9 in the , tha!^ Tha^J That is ; tliis People do f)ot (Krptcx thcmfclvcs wirh voluininouH LawA, uiui vcxatiuus Suits; they lie tight only in the tops of Mountains, and deep Cluves, ami cvcrv one conHncs his C are to the Ma- nagement ot' h(s own Faniily, without troubling his Hcail abiJut hi» Neighbour. T'he DafJiS were the firrt Dilcovcrcrs of thiy Country, which is full of Porti, Havens and Bays, that the Quebec Barques rclort to in the Summer, in order to truck with the Savages for the Skins of Sea Calves. The Com- merce I fpenk of, is carried on after this Manner. As foon as the ^iieUc lUrques come to an Anchor, thcfe Devils conie on board of them in their little ('anows matic oi' the Skins of Sca-Calves, in the Form of a Weaver's Shuttle, with a Hole in the middle of it, refcmbling that of a Purfc, in which they ftow thcnifclvcs with Ropes, litting Iquat upon their Breech. Being let in this fiilhion, they row with little Slices, fometimes to the Right, and fome- timcs to the Left without bending their Body for fc.ir of Over-letting. As foon as they arc near the Barque, they hold up their Skins upon the End of the Oar, and at the lame time make a demand of lb many Knives, Powder, Ball, Fufccs, Axeo, Kettles, Sf' In fine, every one Ihcws what he has, and men- tions what he experts in exchange: And fo when the Bargain is concluded, they deliver and receive their Goods upon the End of a Stick. As thefe pi- tiful Fellows ufc the Precaution of not going op board of our Boats, fo we take Care not to lufFe; too great a number of Canows to furround us ; for they have carry'd olF oftner than once, fomr of our fmall Veflcls, at a Timcwhenour Scamer vvcre bufied in hauling in the Skins, and delivering out the other Goods. Here, we are oblig'd to be very vigilant in the Night-time, for they know how to make great Sloops, that will hold thirty or forty Men, and run as fall as the Wind ; And tis for this P Rcafon X lO Some NetM) Voytiget Hetfon that the Mahuini^ who fifh for Cod at Petit Nordy and the Spamards who follow the fame Filhcry at Portocbouay are oblig'd to fit in long Barques to fcour the Coaft and ^^urfue 'em; for almoft every Year they furpriic fomc of the Crew on ihoar, and cut their Throats, and fomecimcs they carry off the Vcffel. We arc aflur'd that their number of Warriours or Men that bear Arms, amounis to thirty thoufand ; but they are fuch cowardly Fel- lows that five hundred CHJiwo*s from Hud/on* s Bayy ufcd to defeat five or fix thoufand of them. They are poflcfs'd of a very large Country, extending fi-om over againft the Iflcs of Miiigan to Hudfbn s Streieht. They crofs over to the Ifland of NeW' foutja-Land every day, at the Streight oi Belle Ifle, which is not above feven Leagues over ; but they never come fo far as Placentiay i . fear of meeting wi th other Savages there. .< « . > A n. t\ t Hudfou's Bay adjoins to this ^erra of Lamhradofy and extends mm the f2d Degree and thirty Mi- nutes to the 63 of Latitude. The Original of its Name was this. Captain //, rcmembring that I aefcrib*4 \ re to the c. Upon I fee the d in my c South- tonofjtatCy rofjs^ was rt, with- ips I met it Fort I 3Ut ftop- oiSaki- to take 5 that lye he Coalt. ong, and which we 7 fcrvicc- : for the Id be ob- itc round ; dircftly fiilh into ^Leagues nly three )Ut Dan- ? Bridge. ronS) are upon the nthcRi- wc meet for AJif- I to yoa fo great Tie 1 'imc •e purfuc ig that I icfcribM to NortlhAmcxic^. 1 1 7 dcfcrib'd the Hinefe Lake in my fixtccnth Letter. The Lake Errii is juilly dignified with the illu- flrious Name of Centi'^ for alTurcdly 'tis the fined Lake upon Earth. You may judge of the Goodncis of the Climate, from the Latitudes of the Countries that furround it. Its Circumference extends to two hundred and thirty Leagues ; but it alfords every where inch a charming Profpcd, that its Banks arc dcck'd with Oak-Trecs, Elms, Chcfnut-Trccs,Wal- nut-Trecs, Apple-Trces, Plum-Trees, and Vine* which bear their fine Cluftcrs up to the very Top of the Trees, upon a fort of Ground that lies asfmooth as one's Hand. Such Ornaments as theic, are fuf- ficicnt to give rife to the molt agreeable Ic^ea of a Landskip in the World. I cannot exprcfs what vaft Quantities of Deer and Turkeys are to be found in thcfc Woods, and in the vaft Meads that lie upon the South Side of the Lake. At the Bottom of the Lake, we find wild Beeves upon the Banks of two pleafant Rivers that difembogue into it, with- out Cataracts or rapid Currents It abounds with Sturgeon and white Fifh j but Trouts are very fcarcc in it, as well as the other Filh that we take in the Lakes of Hurons and llinefe, ' Tis clear of Shelves, Rocks, and Banks of Sand ; and has fourteen or fifteen Fathom Water. The Savages afTure us, that 'tis never difturb'd^with high Winds, but in the V onths of December, Januaryy and February, and e- ven then but feldom, which indeed I am very apt to believe for we had but very few Storms, when I winter'd in my Fort in i688, though the Fort lay open to the Lake of Hurons, The Banks of this Lake are commonly frequented by none but Warri- ours, whether the Iroquefe, the Ilimfe, the Oumamis^ ^c. and 'tis very dangerous to ftop there. By this means it comes to pafs, that the Stags, Roe-Bucks and Turkeys run in great Bodies up and down the fcoar, all round the Lake. In former times the £r- rierofWfjs 9 1 8 Sinne N^w Voyages fieronoftSy and the ^daftogutroMms^ liv'd upon the G>nfine8 of the Lake, but they were extirpated by the Iroquefli as well at the other Nations mark'a in the Map. Upon the North Side of the Lake we defcry a Point of Land, that ihoots fifteen Leagues into the Main \ and about thirty Leagues beyond that to the £aftward, we meet with aimall River that takes its rife near the Bay of Ganaraske^ in the Lake of Frotttenacy and wouldaflbrd aihortpalFage from the one Lake to the other, if 'twere not mcumber'd with Catara^ks. From thence to the Strcight or Mouth of the Lake, you have thirty Leagues; the Strcight being a League over, and fourteen Leagues long. Upon this Streight you fe« Fort Sappop mark'd in the Map, which is one of the Ferts that I men- tioned in my 33d Letter, From that Imaginary Fort to the River of Condhj we have twenty Leagues, The River of Condi runs fixty Leagues in Length without Catarads, if we may credit the Savages, who aiTur'd me, that one may go from its Source to another River that falls into the Sea, without any other Land-carriage than one of a League in length, between the River and the other. I faw only the Mouth of the firll River, where our Outaouas tried their Limbs, as I told you in my fifteenth Letter, The Illands that you fee mark'ci in the Map at the Bottom of the Lake £rm, arc replcniih'dwith Roe- Bucks and with Fruit Trees which Nature has gc-r ncroufly provided, in order to entertain the 1 ur- keys, Pheafants and Deer with their Fruit. In fine, if there were a clear and free PafTage for Vef- fels from Quebec to this Lake, it might be made the fincft, the richcft, and the moft fertile Kingdom in the World ; for over and above all the Beauties I have mentioned, there are excellent Silver Mines a- bout twenty Leagues up the Country, upon a certain Hill, froi^ whence tli^c Sayages brought to Nortb-Amcxlcz. pon the »uted by niark'a icfcry a into the that to i-at takes Lake of Torn the umbcr'd eight or ics; the Leagues Rmark'd I men- aginary L.cagnca, I Length Savages, s Scarce hout any 1 length, only the tas tried 1 Letter, ip at the ith Roc- z has geT chc 1 ur- In fine, for Vef. made the igdom in beauties I Mines a- upon a brought 119 us great lumps, that have yielded that precious Me- tal with little wafte. From the Lake £rr/i\ I (leer my Courfe to that of FrofjtetiaCy which I could not forbear to Ijscak of in mv feventh and feventccnth Letters. This Lake (as I intimated above) is 280 Leagues in Circumfe- rence, its figure is Oval, and its depth runs between twentjjT and twenty five Fathom. On the South Side it receives feveral little Rivers, particularly thofe of thc'Tjfo/jofjtouatJSy o£ the OfinontagueSy and of the F^i- mh/e'y on the North Side 'tis join'd by the Riversof Ganaraskfy and ofTeonofjtat^. Its fides are deck'd with tall Trees, and the Ground is indifferent even and level, for it has nullocp Coafts. On the North Side wc meet with feveral little Gulfs. You may go from this Lake to that of Huronsy by going up the River 7aNaoitatgy{rom whence you have a Land-car- riage of fix or eight Leagues to the Kivcr e( Toroft' tOy which falls into it. You may likcwife have a Paffage from the Lake of Frontetjac, to that of Errie^ through the B^y of Gatmrasksy by making a Land- carriage from thence to a little lUver that's full of Catarauntrics that differ widely from one another. The Coaft of Madia extends from Kef/ehki, one of the i^'ron tiers of New^Etiglami^ to Hjk Pcrcle^ near the Mouth of the River oi St. Laurence, This Sca- Cojift runs almoft three hundred Leagues in Length, and has upon it two great navigable Bays, namely, the Bay calKd Fraucnifey and the Bay acs Chaieurs, It has a great many little Rivers, the Mouths of which are deep, and clean enough for the greatcrt Ships. Thcfc Rivers would afForl a plentiful Salmon- filhcry, if there were any Body to undertake it ; and moft ot 'cm as well as the Gulphs that lie before 'em, fumiili fuchCods as we take at the Jjle Percee, For in the Rummer time, that Sort of Filh make into the Coall in Shoals, cfpccially about the Iflandsof Cape Bretof/y and of St. John. ' Tis true, the latter has no Harbours, and the iormcrhas none that receive any Vcfl'cl above the Burden of a Barque; but if thdc two Iflands were peopled, the Inhabitants might fit out Slom^s to manage the Fiflicry ; and to- wards the latter F.nd oi Attgnjiy when thcFifli are rur*d and ready, the Ships might come to an An- chor near the Land, and fo take 'em in. Two Gentlemen of the name of Amour of ^lebeCy have a Settlement tor Beaver-hunting upon the River of ^t.John'y which is a very plea fant River, and a- dorn*d with Fields that arc very fertile in Grain. Tis navigable for twelve Leagues up, from its Mouth* Between the point of Madia, and the- liland to iV(^/i&- America. 9ir t receive Ifland of Cape BrctoUy there is a Channel or Strcighc about two Leagues in breadth, which is deep enough to carry the greatcd Ships iu trjiut, 'lis call'd the Pafa (its CiiiKtauMy and would be much more t'rc- quented than it is, it' the Merchant-uiea l>ound to Catiad'Sy would let out trom Frat/fe abouc the ipb of March '^ lor then they might pafs thit Way, being aliur'd oi' a clear PuiFuge at altScufon.H ot' the Year, whereas the Channel of Cape d^f Ruyty is of- tentimes covered with Ice in Jpril: And by thi* Contrivance, the iihips would arrive at ^t€i'€i; in the Beginning of May* Moit ot the Countries of Jcadia abound with Corn, Fcafe, Fruit and Pullc ; and have a plain Dillindlionof the iburScafonsof the V'car, notwith- Itanding that 'tis cxtream coM for three Months in Winter. Several Places of Jcadia^ aflbrd Malh as (Irong as thofc wc have (torn Nonuay \ and if there were Occaiion, all ibrts of Ships might be built there : For if you'll believe the Carpenters, the Oak of that Country is better than ours in Europe, In a Word, 'tis a wcry fine Country j the Climate is ia- dilicrent temperate, the Air is pure and wholcibmc, the Waters clear and light, and there's good Accom- modation for Hunting, Shooting and Filhing. The Animals that wc meet with there moll commonly, arc Beavers, Otters, and Sea-Calves, all of 'cm be- ing very numerous. Thoic who love Meat are in- debted to the Doctors, who perfuadeJ the Popes to Mctamorphofc thefe terrcftial Animals into Pllh \ for they arc allow'd to cat of *em without Scruple in the Time of Lent, lb be plain, the Knowledge I have of that Country, makes me forcfee that the Englifh will be Mailers of it fome Time or other. I could give very plauliblc Reafons for the Prophecy. 1 hey have already begun to ruin the Commerce that the trench hud with the Savages, and in a Ihort Time, they'll compals its intirc Dcltru^ion. The Frcticb r tti Shme New voyagti, frtmh they will prize their Qoodi too high, though they are not To good is tho4e of the Rnglijb ; «nd yet the Efiglijb tell their Gnnmodities cheaf>cr. ' Twcrc a Pity that we Ihoutd tamel)r leave to the Knglt/b a Country < the Conqueft of which they have attempt- ed fo often ii Conndcratlon of our Fur-trade and Cod-filhing. 'Tia impollible to hinder 'em to pof- fcfs thcmiclves of the octtlementa upon the Coalt of jicadiay by rcafon that they Ive tft fuch a Di (lance from one another \ fo that they 11 certainly fuccecd in fuch Entcrprizes, as indeed they have done already. The French Go\cmorsy they a^ with the fame View, 88 many of thofe who are imploy'd in Porta beyond S^a. They look upon their Place as a Gold Mine given 'iem, in order to enrich themfelvea; fo that the publick Good, muft always march behind pri- vate Intcrcft. Mr. df AStmval fuffer'd the Rttrlijh to poflcfs themfelvea of Port Royal^ becaufe that Place was coverM with nothing but fingle Palidado'a But why was it not better tortif/d ? I can tell you the Reafon ; he thought he had Time enough to fill his Pocketa, before the £»^///& would attack it. This Governor fucceeded to Mr. Perroty who was broke with Difgrace, for having made it his chief Bulincfs to enrich himfelf^ and after returning to Frame^ went back again withfcveral Ships laden with Goods, in order to ict up for a private Merchant in that Country. While Mr. Perrst was Governor, he fuf- fer'd the Englifi to pofTefs themfelves of fevcral ad- vantageous Polls, without oflcring to ftir His chief Bufincfs was to go in Barques from River to River, in order to traffick with the Savages : And after he was difgrac'd, he was not contented with a Com- merce upon the Coalls oi Acadia^ but would needs extend it to the Etjgltp Plantations ; but it colt him dear, for fome Pirates fell in with him, and after feizing his Barques, duck'd himfelf, upon which he died immcdiKtelv. The though nd yet Fwcrc nglifb » tempt' de and to pof- :oiii^ of M (lance cecd in 1 ready. c View* beyond d Mine fo that ind pri- FM at Place liflado'd tell you zh to fill It. This as broke Burmcfs } France^ 1 Goods, t in that •, he I'uf- /eral ad- His chief :o River, after he a Com- Id needs coit him ,nd after n >Yhich The to Natth-kmrnoi. *^^ The three principal Savage Nations that live upon the CoiiiBo( jlfaJta^ are the A^nakis^ the Mktnmky ^niitYic Cambas* There arc fome other erratick Na- tionSfWho go and come from jUadiayXoNcjj^EutljHd and go by the names oiAtahinianSy Soccokis^ and Op/- nafno. The 6rll three (having fix'd Habitations) are intirely in the Interefts of the Frtnth ; and I muH fay, that in time of War they gall the Knglijb Colonies with their Incurfions fo much, that we ought to take Care to perpetuate a good Underilanding between them and us. The Baron of Saint Ciftuns^ a Gen- tleman ot'Oierofi in Btartt^ having livM among the Alunakjs after the Savage Wav, tor above twenty Years, is fo much rcfpeded by tne Savages, that they look upon him as their Tutelar God. He was for- merly an Officer of the Carignsn Regiment in Ca^ ttada 'y and upon the breaking of that Regiment, threw himfelf among the Savages, whofe Language he had karn'd. He married among 'em after their Faihion, and prefer'd the Forrefts oT Acadia to the Pyumeau Mountains, that encoropafs the Place of his Nativity : For the Bril Years of his abode with the Savages he behav'd himfelf fo, as to draw an inex* prefnble edeem from 'em. They made him their Great Chief or Leader, who is in a Manner the So- vereign of the Nation ; and by degrees he has work'd himfelf into fuch a Fortune, which anv Man bu^ he would have made fuch Ufe of, as to draw out of that Country above two or three hundred thoufand Crowns which he has now in his Pocket in good dry Gold. But all the Ufe he makes of it, is, to buy up Goods for Prefents to his Fellow-Sa- vages, who upon their Return from hunting, pre- fent him with Beaver Skins to a treble Value. The Governors General of Canada keep in with him, and the Governors of New^Englaitd are afraid of him. He has fcveral Daughters^ who are, all of 'em- 1 4 Some Mew Voyages^ 'cm, married very handfomly to FrenchmetJ^ and had good Dowries. He has never chang'd his Wifcj by which Means he mcan'd to give the Savages to undcrftand, that God doth not love inconftant Folks. 'Tis faid, that he endeavoured to convert thcfe poor People, but his endeavours prov'd fuccefslcfs j fo that 'tis in vain for the Jefuits to preach up the Truths of Chriftianity to 'cm; though after all, thcfe good Fathers are not dii'courag'd ; nay, they think that the adminiitring of Baptifm to a dving Child, is worth ten times the Fains and Uneannels of living among that People. Port-Royal^ the Capital or the only City of Jca- diay is in cfFedl no more than a little paultry Town, that is fomcwhat cnlarg'd fince the ^^ ar broke out in i68p, by the Acceffion of the Inhabitants thatliv'd ncarBoflonythcMctroooWtaLTioiNew-Englatid, A great many of thcfe People retir'd to Port-Royal^ upon the apprcheniion that the EngUJh would pillage 'cm, and carry 'cm into their Country. Mr. de Mem~ T;hildy is f living [ of Aca- Town, c out in chat liv'd I, A great alj upon [age 'cm, de Metie- I faid bc- with the ilifTudoes \ Capitu- hat made his word illy, and idc of 44 Ige of a )ad, and DOUt lix- ;, and fix that the is in the There's nd at the l4and that fes ten or twelve »>' ri" 11 •M , /' 1 I a^Ai. ■•.i^.i-xyr:. 7- VH.I. p.XX/ Crtatr :P.STIuiran w CO ffritV tt I'tidtni' ^St:Paul 1S^E^^^ «>™ M^nn^tM- X-tuUan ^^v .^i^unlv ^3*1% :trifii u^at»f «FOTJlsrr>^*?y t s^^i .