IMAG£ EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1 1.0 ■1.25 Uil2£ 125 ■^ iiii 122 £f |j£ 12.0 ! U il.6 Hiotographic ^Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14SS0 (716) •72-4503 6 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical IVIicroreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques ;\ Cv Tachnical and Bibliographic Notas/Notaa tachniquas at bibiiographiquaa Tha Inatituta tias attamptad to obtain tlia bart originai copy avaiiabia for fiiming. Faatura* of tliia copy which may ba bibiiographically uniq ja, which may altar any of tha imaqaa in tha raproductlon, or which may aignificanlly chdnga tha uaual mathod of fiiming, ara chaclcad ba'ow. D D n n D Colourad covara/ Couvartura da jouiaur Covara damagad/ Couvarturo andommagte Covara rastorad and/cr laminatad/ Couvartura raataurte at/ou paliiculte Covar titia miaaing/ La titra da couvartura manrna I I Colourad mapa/ Cartaa gtographiquaa an couiaur Colourad inic (i.a. othar than biua or blacic)/ Encra da couiaur (i a. autra qua blaua ou noira) r I Cclourad piataa and/or iiluatrationa/ D Pianchaa at/ou iiluatrationa an couiaur Bound with othar matarial/ RaiiA avac d'autraa documanta Tight binding may cauaa ahadowa or diatortion along intarior margin/ La re iiura aarrAa paut cauaar da I'ombra ou da la diatortion la long da la marga intAriaura Blank laavaa addad during raatoratioii may appaar within tha taxt. Wttanavar poaaibia, thaaa hava baan omittad from filming/ 11 aa paut qua cartainaa pagaa blanchaa ajout^aa lora d'una raatauration apparaiaaant dana la taxta, mala, loraqua cala Atait poaaibia, cas pagaa n'ont paa 4tA f iim^aa. Additional commanta:/ Commantairaa aupplAmantairaa: Tha tot L'Inatitut a microfilm^ la maillaur axamplaira qu'il iui a 4ti poaaibia da sa procurar. Laa ditaiia da cat axamplaira qui aont paut-Atra uniquaa du point da vua bibiiographiqua, qui pauvant modifiar una imaga raproduita. ou qui pauvant axigar una modification dana la mithoda normaia da filmaga aont indiqute ci-daaaoua. D D D □ D Colourad pagaa/ Pagaa da couiaur Pagaa damagad/ Pagaa andommagtea Pagaa raatorad and/or laminatad/ Pagaa raataurtea at/ou palliculAaa Pa^aa diacoiourad. atainad or foxad/ Pagaa dteolortea, tachattea ou piqutea Pagaa datachad/ Pagaa d^tach^a Tha poa oft film Ori( bag tha aior oth( first sion or 11 HShowthrough/ Tranaparanca Tranaparanca Quality of print variaa/ Quality in^gaia da I'impraaaion Includaa aupplamantary matarial/ Comprand du material auppKmantaira Only adition avaiiabia/ Sauia Mition diaponibia Tha shai TINI whi( MBf diffi antii bagi righi raqu mati Pagaa wholly or partially obacurad by arrata aiipa, tiaauaa, ate, hava baan rafiimad to anaura tha baat poaaibia imaga/ Laa pagaa totalemant ou partiallamant obacurciaa par un fauillat d'arrata, una paiura, ate, ont it* fiimiaa A nouvaau da fapon A obtanir la maiiiaura imaga poaaibia. Thia itam la filmad ^t tha raduction ratio chackad ImIow/ Ca documant aat film* au taux da reduction indiqui ci-dasaoua. 10X 14X 18X 22X MX 30X , y 3 12X 16X 20X 24X 28X 32X Ira details las du modifiar lar una filmaga Tha copy filmad hara haa baan raproducad thanka to tha ganaroaity of: Douglas Library Quaan's Univarsity Tha imagas appaaring hara ara tha bast quality possibia considaring tha condition and laglbility of tha original copy and in Itaaping with tha filming contract spacif icationa. L'axamplaira filmtl fut raproduit grica A la g4n4roait4 da: Douglas Library Quaan's Univsrslty Laa imagaa suivnntas ont #tA raproduitas avac la plua grand aoin, compta tanu da la condition at da la nattat6 da I'axampiaira filmA, at an conformity avac laa conditions du contrat da filmaga. Original copiaa in printad papar covara ara filmad baginning with tha front covar and anding on tha laat paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- aion, or tha bacit coi/ar whan appropriata. All othar original copiaa ara filmad baginning on tha first paga with a printad or illuatratad impraa- sion, and anding on tha last paga with a printad or illuatratad imprassion. tes Laa axamplairas originaux dont la couvarture an papiar aat imprimAa sont fiimAs an commandant par la pramiar plat at an tarminant soit par la darniAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'imprassion ou d'illustration, soit par la sacond plat, aalon la cas. Tous laa autras axamplairas originaux aont filmte an commanpant par la pramiAra paga qui comporta una amprainta d'imprassion ou d'illustration at an tarminant par la darniira paga qui comporta una talla amprainta. Tha last racordad frama on aach microficha shall contain tha symbol — ^> (moaning "CON- TINUED"), or tha symbol V (moaning "END"), whichavar applias. Un das symbolas suivants apparattra sur la darnlAra imaga da chaqua microficha, salon la cas: la symbols — ► signifia "A SUIVRE", la symbols ▼ signifia "FIN". 'a Mapa, platas, charts, ate, may ba filmad at diffarant raduction ratioa. Thosa too larga to ba antiraly includad in ona axposura ara filmad baginning in tha uppar laft hand cornar, laft to right and top to bottom, as many framaa as raquirad. Tha following diagrams illustrata tha mathod: Laa cartaa, planchaa, tablaaux, ate, pauvant Atra filmte A daa taux da reduction diffirants. Lorsqua la documant ast trop grand pour Atra raproduit an un saul ciichA, 11 ast filmA A [>artir da I'angia supAriaur gaucha, da gaucha A droita, at da haut an bas, an pranant la nombra d'imagas nAcassaira. Las diagrammas suivants iilustrant la mithoda. f arrata dto It la palura, ;on h 1 2 3 32X 1 2 3 4 5 6 ■ •<:*,■. . * ■ '' ' ' A ■f- LETTERS T O THE Dutchefs of Lesdiguieres; Giving an Account of a VOYAGE to CANADA, AND Travels through that vaft Country, AND ^^fZ.' Louisiana, to the Gulf of Mexico. UNDERTAKEN By Order of the prefent King of FRyiNCE, By Father CHARLEVOIX. Being a more full and accurate De- fcription of Canada, and the neigh- bourinej Countries than has been before publifiied ; the Charafter of every Nation or Tribe in that vaft Tra£l being given j their Religion, Cuftoms, Manners, Traditions, Go- vernment,,|,anguages, and Towns j the Trade"^^ried on with them, and at what Places ; the Ports or Forts, and Settlements, eftabliftied by the French \ the great Lakes, Water-Falls, and Rivers, with the Manner of navigating themj the Mines, Fifheries, Plants, and Ani- mals of thefe Countries. With Reflexions on the MiAake.s the French have committed in cany-ng on their Trade and Settlements; and the moil proper Method of proceeding pointed out. Including alfo an Account of the Au- thor's Shipwreck in the Channel of Bahama, and Return in a Boat to the MiJJtJfipp'u along the Coaft of the Gulf of Mexico, with his Voy- age from ihence to St» Domin^tf and back to France, •^c^ Printed for R. Goadby, and Sold by R. Baldwin in Pater NosTBR-Row, London. 1763/ \ u- So^bl ^ C-^TU ^~^ (^^ ^'Zj '^'S^: iS^' /? .^^ ,. ■)-, '^^ (5» <^ f • THE >>' 1 C O N T E N T S. o k ^fl M ABENAQUIS, the Village of thefc Savages at Beckancourt, 5*. their Village at St, Francois^ 60. of their Nations, i iz. jVgonquins, of the jUgonqu'm Language, 112. the Lower jvgonquim, 112. the Higher >i/jfOffyBi»j, 113. Charac- ter of the Algonquin Language, izi. Particularities of this Language, 122. Difference between the People of the Huron Nations and the AU gonquittSf 123. Origin of the War which the Algonqnins and the Hu- rom have maintained againft the Iro- quois, 124. and Sequel of this War, 126. Anttcofitf Ifle, its Defcription, 13. Arms, oifenfive and defenlive, of the Savages, 143. Afftnihoih, Savages, their Character ; Lake of the Affinibtih, 110, iii. AJh Trees, of Canada, 93. Mour, a Pink of the Company's ; the Author embarks in it, 345. the Ship ill commanded, 346. fets fail, ' 347. the bad Management of this Ship, and its Wreck, 349. Akanjas, a Savage Nation : Defcripti- f the Iflands, 90. Buffaloe, Hunting t''e Buffaioe in Ca- >iaJa, 68. Defcription of this Ani- mal, 68. Bull-mujk, Dcfcription of this Animal, 69. Bahama, Paflage thro' the Channel, 375. Route we muft tike to po from thence to 5/. Domingn, '3/6. Old Channel of Bahama, 376. Bay of St. Bernard, 343. Bay ojf Afiitanza, dcfcribed, 375. Ba/rje, Ifle of, or TLoulouJt, Salt Springs here, 335. Bayagouljs, a Savage Nation, 330. Beft to the Skin Trade, 33. Of Licences, and their Abufes, 34, 35. Various Changes in the Money, 36, 37, &c. The Pifierence of the Beaver of Canada fro n that of Europe, 38. Of the Lordlhips of Canada, 49. The riglic' of Patronage not attached to theni. Gentlemen are allowed to tr.ide, 50. Canada not known in France but i>y its worfl Side ; exceffive Cold tliere, 56, The happy Condition of its In- tiabitanrs, 102. its Lxtent, 109. Of the Vines of this Country, laS. Why tlie Trees have no Leaves in tlie Moi.tli of May, 130. Canadians, Creoles of Canada, thsu* hap- jiy Condition, 1 02. Many know not how to make Advantage of it, 102. Good and bad Qualities of the Cw oles, lO'?, 104, &c. Canus, Dcfcription of tlie Canoes of Bark, 118. Carcajou, Or Siu'viqua'jou, how it bunts the Ori_ir«^/, 66, 67. s i '>^ Cardinal Bird, in Canada, 89. Cai'ihoti, Dcfcription of this Creature, 67. Cajionchiagon, River, its Dcfcription, 144. Cajlor, of the Hies, and the Nation of the Cartor, (Beaver) 195. Cjjiorcian, what it is, 41. Cataiacou'i, Reflexions on the Fort of Catardccui, and on the Way they take to go to it, 117. Defcription of this Fort, 120. Route from this Place to ham'tne Bay ; a Dt,fcription of the Country, 128, 129. Cedars, of two Species in Canada, 93. . Cedars white and red, 171. Chavihly Fort, its Situation, 83, 84. Charlevoix, Author of thefe Letters,. fets fail, 2, Efcapes a Storm, 4. How lie is received by the Poute- euatamUi, 175. His Departure from, Detroit \p t?0 to . MuhillimakinaCf 190. An Adventuie tliat .hap- peoed to him in the River St. Jo- ffph, 123. His Departure from Fort St. "Jiiffphf 272. 'ihe News he hears, at Pimiteouy, he finds liimfelf be- tween four Parties of £neniies,284. His Uifikulties, 285. The Care of the Chief for his Safety, 287. He baptize the Daughter of this Chief, 288. His Departure from the iVar- chez, 326. He embarks in the ji- dour, 345. He arrives at Havre de. Grace, 384. CONTENTS. Chiffs, c the Savages ; Remarks on their Names, i8i. Of the Succel- fjon and Elefti n of the Chiefs, and of their Power, iSi, i8z. Ot the War Chiefs, i8-z. aj, of the Cod and the Fifhery, &c. S, 6. C'v/rf, c:;ceflrive, in Canmij, 96, 97, Tlie Jnconveniencies of it, 97. Reflexion on the Caufcs of the great Cold, 98, Cempafs, Remark on the Variation of the Compafs, 17. Ccpptr, Mines of Copper on the Bor- ders of tlic Ul'per Loke, I94. C'iunai, of three Savage Nations lield with the Commandant of Detroit, the Refult of it, 173, 174, Of the Afflftants, or Counfellors, in the Councils of the Savages, iSz. The Wifdom of thefe Countils, 183. Of tl>e Orators who have a Right to fpeak in them, 184. Cn'mans, in the River of the Tafout, 309- Cacijue, Defcription pf i..e Grand Cacique, 378. Ca/>e hran,ois, of St. Domingo, its De- fcription, 380. Of the I'lain of the Cape, Obfervations on this Colony 381, 38Z. Departure from the Cape, 382. CaJJint, or yhakchine, a Shnib, the Virtue of its Leaves, 341. ChaouacLas, a Savage Nation, 334. Chopltcu'ias, a Savage Nation, 33a. Chitimachas, a Savage Nation, 330. Chicackas, a Savage Nation, 305. River •of the Chicaciias, 305. Colapijfai, a Savage Nation, 330. CJd, extreme, 301, 303. Cotton, on the Tree in Louijiava, 31a, Remark on the Root of the Tree that bears it, 329. Crtiv, of the Adour, Meafures take to fave themfelves, 351. Pafl"engers diftruft them, 352. turbances in the Ship, 354. Steadinefsof the Officers, 355. An Englijh Ship endeavours in vain to fuccour them, -^s?. They deliberate on the Courfe they are to take, 3 58. They are divided, 358. The great- tfft Number return to Biloxi, 359. Their D?fpair, 359. Their Provift- they The Dif- The ons f.iil, 360. They meet with fomc! Spaniards who had been wrecked. Danger of being dcAroyed, 361, They arrive at St. Mark d^jlpalacktt 3fM. Departure from thence, 364. Falfe Alarm, 365. They arrive at St, Jojfpb, 365. Departure from thence, 368. Arrive at Penfacolc, 368. And from thence at Bihxi, 369. Cu6a, Defcription of the North Coafl: of this ifland, 348. Currents, Remarks on thofe of the Lakes of Canada : Great Currents between the Turtle IJlands and the Martyrs, 359. Cyprffs, of Louijiana, Remark on itk Virtues, 329. ! I Dar.cf of Fire, among the Savages, its Defcription, 148, 149. A Story on this SubjeA, 149. Dance of the Caluv.tt, its Defcription, 207. Dance oj-tlic Difcovery, 208. Treaties made by Means of the Dance of the Calumet, 208. Other Dances, 208. Dance of the Bull, 209. Dances ordered by the Phyfj> cians, 209. Defcription, of the Great Bank oi New- foundland, 2, 3. Of a Storm, 4. Of the Ifle of y^w/;Vi5/?(r, 13. Of S^ebee, 19, Sec. Of the Miflion of Lo'retto, 28. Of the Town of Troit Rivieres, 53. Of the Orignal, 64. Ot the wild Bull or Buffaloe, 68. Of the Mulk Bull, 69. Of the inarid and Town of Montreal, 73, 74, &c. Of the Seal, 79- Of the Falls of the River St. Laurence, 116, 117, 119. Of the Canoes of Bark, 118. Of the Fort of Cataracoui, 120. Of the South Coaft of Lake Ontario, 136. Of the Racquets for walking upon the Snow, and of the Sledges for carrying the Baggage, 142. Of the River Cajconchiagon, 144. Of the Bay of the Tfonnontbouans, 145. Of the River Niagara, 145. Of the Country of the Environs of this River, 147. Of the Fire Dance, 148. Of the Fall of Niagara, 152, 153, Sec. Of Lake Erie, 169. Of the Upper Lake, 193. Of the Dance CONTENTS. II VI Dance of the Calumet, 207. Dttrttt, Arrival at Detroit, the Nature of the Country, 171. Of tlie Savages fettled n«ar tltc Fort, 172. Dcgif of the Dogs tlie Savages ufc for nu(U>r»g, 58. ptatb, what palTcs at the Death of a Savage, »73. Their Generofity to the Dead : Of their Funerals/rombs, >\ppariiions, various Pradices a- |)out tiM Dead, 173, 274, ire. What paffes after the interment : Of Mourning, 276. The Notion of the Savages about thofe who die vio- lent Deaths, 277. The Feaft of Souls, 277. The Manner of mourn- ing for the Dead among the IlJinoh, 287. Ptluge, Tradition of the Deluge a- mong the Savages, 297. Dcfcriptlon of the Fcftival of Dreams, 259, &c. Of tli« TfcwA/if, 279. Of the Kajkafquiai, 292. Of the Miffi- Jlbp'i above the l//ims, 294, &c. Of tne Country of the Natchez, 310. Of the great Village and Temple of the NAuhex, 312. Of a Feftival of the NatcLcz, 318. Of New Orleans, 324. Of the River and Village of the Tonkas, 327. Of the principal jVlouth of the M'ljpjftppi, 336, &c. Of the Coaft, the Road, and the Port of B'llox't, 340, 341. Of the North Coad of the Ifland of Cuba, 348. Of the Martyr Idands, 356. Of the Country of the Apalaches^ 362. Of St. Jofcph, 366. Oi the jpay of PenfacoU, 367. Of the Port of the Ha-vawfab, 373. Of the Bay pi Matanxa, 375. Of the grand Cacique, 378. Of Cape FrancMt, 38p» Of the Port of Plymouth, 383. Defer^hm, freqiient in Louifiarta, 370. DUpo, Don, Caciqjiie of the Savages of the Mfirtys, vifits the French who ^fcaped Iron* the Wreck of the A" , dpiir, 356. H>8 Authority : He re- nefufes to give the FretKb Guides to go to Sf. Anguftioy 357. Difiajies comn(K)n among the Savages, 266. Their extravagant Notion of Difettfts, 269. Voraiihef, Remark on the Deradetst 3»». DmwhM .())«tr NatMr^^^cffiung to tl>c Savages, 257. A Story on thii Subject, 257. How they are fatis- fied about a Dream, when it is too hard to accomplish its InAruflions, 258. Of the Feftival of Dreams i A Defcription of one of tbefe Fefti- vals, 259, Ice. Eagles, of iwo Kind in Canada, 87. Eelibjtt, what t'le Savages of Canadm tmnk of them, 298. Eels, of the Eel Fiihery in Canada, 100. Elms, two Species of £lms in Canada, 94. EngliJhfTiWertnct between the EngRJh 4nd French Colonies, 27. The £«£- lip oppofe a Settlement on the Ri- ver Niagara without Effect, 147. An EngUJh Ship endeavours in vain to fuccour thie Crew of the A- diur,ii^. A.nEngM) Interloper at Biloxtt his Fate, 360, 374. Endea- vour to bring over the French Allies to their Party, 370. The French meet with an Epglljb Ship, 382. The Captain's Behaviour, 383. The Ingenuity of the Englijh to catch Pirates, 384. Erie', Defcription of Lake Erie, 169. Of the North Coad of this Lake, 169. EJkimaux, Savages, their CharaAer ft Cudoms, 106 &c. Fall, of Niagara, defcribed. Remarks on this Cafcade, 152, 153. Falls of the River St. Laurence, 116, 117, 119. Fall of MonttHerenei, 19. Fall of the Recollet, 75. Fall of St. Louis; Iroquois Village there, 76, 77. Origin of this Settlement, 105. Famine, Route from Cataracaui to fa- mine Bay, LoS. Defcription of this Place, 129. Firs, four Species of, in Canada, 92. Fire, Defcription of the Fire Dance} a Story on this Subject, 148, 149. Fijb, of thofe that are taken in tlie Gulf and River St. Laurence, 85. FiHi peculiar to Canada, 87. Armed Fi(h, how it catches Birds, 86. FlesPlattt,its £ife£ls, 178. Feuit' Fit % Harts, I Hcntan^ on tl II liurens, I C O N T E N IS. VI t ^ on thU are fatis- it in too ructions, earns i A !fc Fefti- >f CatutJs lada, loo. 1 CanatUp he Enfrlijh The £«^- ►n the Ri- ft, 147. rs in vain if the j1- erloper at .. Endea- tncb Allies be French Ship, 382. . 383. The ; to catch ritf 1 69. |his Lake, larader He I Remarks Falls of 116, 117, 19. Fall 111 of St. }here, 76, Vent, 105. ]o»< to fa- in of this \adaf 92. >ancej a US. fn in the titce, 85. Armed 1,86. Fouti' \ rtuntaitis, fingular, 145' r', of Canaiia, 70. ... i-. Difference between the FrtHtb Cc.onies and the Efglijh, 27. Fafli, of t'.ie Savages, »5X. Ftft'ivMl, of the Dead, among the Sa- vages of Canada, 277, 278, &c. A Feftival of the Nate hex, 318. Fire, Religion of Fire in Florid,!, 323. FItrida, the Inconveniencies of the Coaft of Florida, 360. Forejiif of Louijiana, 306. French, deprived of Spiritual Aids a- mong the Natchez, 325. Their fre- quent Defertions in Louifiava i A Confpiracy of fome difcovcred, 370. Fruit Trees o( Loutfutna, 293, 294. Why the Leaves fall fo foon, and appear fo late on the Trees of Louijiana ^ 302. Funerals of the Savages of Canada, 274. Game, of the Game of the Di(h, or of the Little Bones, 176. Superili- tious Ufc of it for the Cure of Dif- tempers, 176. Came of the Stiaius, and other Games ufed among the Miamies, 226, 227. Gafpe, or Gachefe, Bay and Point of tills Name, 112. Gulf, in the Place of a Mountain, overturned, 15. Gcr.ti, Good and Evil, according 10 the Savaged, 250. The necelfary Preparations to obtain a Guardian Genius, 250. The Savages fome- times change their Guardian Genii, and vrhy, 251. Of the evil Genii, 262. Ginfeng, of that of Canada, 225. Grant, of Mr. Law, 307. A Grant badly fituated, 309. Other Grants ill fituated, 328. The Gra*^ 's of St, Reyne, and of Madam De Mczicres, 329. That of M. Diron, 329. That of M. le Comte D^A-tagnon, 331. Culft in the River of MiJJiJJippii 310. H Harts, of Canada, 67. Hontan, (the Baron de la) his Calumny on the Fair of Montreal, 78. fiurens, a Savage Nation : Of the Peo- ple of this L.ingunge, IT?. Charac- ter of the Ilurcn Language, 121. Particiilarititj of this Lafi;jijav;e, 122. Diffcirncc bctwicn the Uw rens and the /Hgonjrnns, 123. Ori- gin of the War wluch the Iluront «n(l /llgon-juins have maintained a- gair.fl the Iiojiti,is, 124, 1^5, Ac. An extraordinary Malady of a Ilu- rcin Wiman, and the ridiculous Me- thod of her Cure, 150, 151. In what Temjjer the Author finds the Hurcns of Detrtit, 175. How they puniHi Murder, 187, 188. Kf^';ula- tions about Things found, lik. A fingular Inflance of a Thing found, I89. Hair, wliy the Savages have no Hair on their Bodies, 220. Havannah, Defcription of the Port of the llavannah, 3-' 3. The Governor reiufes Leave to enter liis Port, 374. Jcjitits, Defcription of their College at ^ebec, 23. lii'inois, a Savage Nation, feem to have the fame Origin as the Micmiest 114.. Irejuois, of the Fall of St. Louis, and the Mountain. Diforders caufcd by Brandy among them, 77. Orii^in of their Settlement at the I all of St, Louis, 105. Policy of the Iroquois, 184. IJJands, Bird, JI. Idnnds aux Coudrrr, 15, 16. Ifle of Orleans, 17. Jfland* of Ricblieu and St. Francois, 59. Illand of Jefus, 75. Iflands of 6V. Peter, 10. Jews, the Affinity of the Savages with the Jews, 253. Iliinois, a Savage Nation on the River of the Illitiois, 280, 281. Their Re- ception of their Prifoners,282. Their M:>nner of burning them, 282. Par- ticularities of their Parties of War, 283. Their doleful Songs, 283. A remarkable Story of one of their Chiefs, 286. Their Manner of mourning for the Dead, 287. Dif- ferent Tribes of the Illinois, 296. ' The Ufefulnefs of the Poft of the Illinois, 3C0. Marks of the Warri- ors, 304. Ir.digo, oi Louijiana J 312, •i CONTENTS. Vlll Ju^^trty of Canada, 263, 264, &c. 'Aeir Tricks, 264. Inftallation of the Jugglers, 265. Impoftuie of the Jugglers, 270. 1 heir Cruelty to the Sick in defperate Cafes, 270. Jug- glers of Acadia called Autmo'xmy 270. Jugglers of the NaubtXy 321. Kikapousy a Savage Nation, t 14. '^.ajkajquiaiy Dcfcrip kaj^uiasf 292, 293. Kajkajquiaiy Defcription of the Kaf- Lake, of the A£luibo\ky HI. Lake of St. Pctir, 52. Lakcy the Upper, its Defcription, ic\-\. Fable of the Savages about this Lake, 193. Copper Mines on its Borders, i(j^. Lake:,, the Flux and Reflux in tliofe of Canada, 129. Languages, oi Canada, Huron Language, Algonquin Language j Particularities of the two Languages, laz. Lemons, of the Strait (Detfo'it) 17S. Lencorner, Qcfcription of this iilhj Method of taking it, 85. Lteemesy the Abnfe of Licences, 54. LorettOy a Village in Canada, Defcrip- tion of the Minion fettled t!tere> 28. Lakesy of Canaday Remark on their Currents, 211. t-ake, of Pontchartrabt, J45. Law, Mr. his Grant at the Akanfas, 307' Louifiatta, Fruit Trees of tliis Coun- try, 293, 294. Its Forefls, -506. Where they ought to build tii'/ir Houfes, 338. From whence pro- ceeds the wrong Notion, wl xh they have in France, of this Coun- try, 339. Frequent Defertions in Lou'tjiana, 370. M Magdalen, or Magdaleine, Cape Mag- dalen, 54. Magicians, how pvfniftied among the Savages, 188. Miflbominesy or luild Oats, a Savage Nation, 202. Maplcy of its Juice, 60. Male an7 1-em.ile Maple, 93. . " Marriages, of the Savages. Of th« Plurality of Wives and Huftjands. Of the Degrees of Kindred, 196. Particular Laws for Marriat^cs^ 196. How tlicy treat of Mar- riages, 197. The C.remonies of Marriage, 198. Mafcoutins, a Savage Nation, 114. Miamits, Savages, feem to have the fame Origin as the Illinois, 114. Their particular Ciiftoms to pre- . pare themfelvcs for War, 141. MiclAUimakinac, the Situation of this Fort, 19Z. Traditions of the Sa- vaj^es about MicbiUimakinac. Plenty of Filh here, 194, 195. MiJ/curi, t!ie. Savages of the Miffouri defeat a Piarty of Spaniards, 204. Money, various Changes in that of . Canada, 36, 37. Mortrcal, Difference between ttie Country of ^(^hcc and that of Montreal, 72. Defcription of the Jfland and Town of Montreal, jy 74. Of the Environs of tins Iflafid, 76. Of the Fair of Montreal, 78. Maintain, hcquois Village of the Mountain, 77. Maix, Corn of Canada, 237. Of the Bread of Maiz, 239. Maiz rotted, how ufed by the Savage. , 238. M^ranieg, river, its mines, 291, 292. Maiquctte, river of Father Marquittt, 232. Marriages, oi the Natcl^cz, 319. Matpal, F.iiglijb Interloper at Biloxiy 369. His Fate, 374. Martyrs, Savages hvthe Ifles c', 351. Defcription of thofe Ifles, 356. Great Currents between the Marty, s and tlie Turtle IJJands, 359. Afatanza, Defcription of the Bay of Matanza, 375. Mauhile, River of, 343. Murder, how puniilied by the Huron:', 187, 188. Medicine, the Principles on which a!l tlie Phyfic of the Savages is found- ed, 269. Men, their Origin, according to the Savages, 248, 249. Miamies, a Savage Nation ; Games ufed among them, 226, 227. Michigan, Danger of th« Navigation •f CONTENTS. «af Lake Michigan : Remark on tlie Rivers that run into it froni the Eaft, 221, 222. Minet, Secrecy of the Savages about the Mines of their Country, 225. Mines of the River Marameg, 291. Mines of Iron, 303. Mijftonaries, among tho Natchez, with- out Succefs, 325. Mijjljpppi: Entrance into it by the River of the Illinois, 290. Conflu. ence of the Mijouri and the Mi£i- Jippi, 291. Defcription of this River above the IJ/inois, 294, 295. The Manner of navigating the MiJJiJippi, •}oi. Changes that have happened in the Mouth of it, 333. Of the Pafles of the Miffljjippi, 335. Of its principal Mouth, and other Pafles, 336. Means of opening the prin- cipal Pafs, 337. Breadth between the Pafles, 337. Difficulty of na- vigating the River, 338, 345. Re- mark on the Waters of the Mi£ljfip- pi, 34S. Mijfouri, Confluence of this River and the Miffijfxppi, 291. People fettled on this River and its Environs, 294. Mourning, of the Savages of Canada, 276. That of the Natchez,, 321. Myrtle : Of the Myrtle Wax, 342. N Name, Obfervations on the Names of the Savage Chiefs, 181. Of naming their Children, 200. Remarks on their Names, 201. Necklaces, of the Strings, Necklaces, or Belts of Porcelain, 132. Newfoundland, of the Inhabitants of this Ifland, 105. Niagara, River, Its Defcription, 145. Projeft of a Settlement on this Ri- ver. Fruitlefs Oppofition of the EngU/h, 147. Defcripiion of tlie Country of Niagara, 147. De- fcription of the 'Fall of Niagara. Remarks on this Cafcade, ic,z, k;^. Noquets, Savages. Bay of the Ni- quets, 202. Natchex, a Savage Nation ; Defcripti- on of their Country, 310, Sec. De- fcription of the great Village, and the Temple, 312, &-c. Of tiie N'a- IX tion in ge»^eral, 314. Of the Gre^f Chief, and the Woman Chief, 315. What happens at their Death, 316. Tiieir Manners and various Cuf- toms, 317, 318. Defcription of one of their Feftivals, 318. They offer the firft Fruits in the Temple: Of their Marrir.ges : Of levying Sol- diers, 31^ Of the Provifions for War : Ot their Marches and Encampin^s : Of the Prifoners : Names of the Warriors, 320. Of their Jugglers : Of Mourning, 321. Their Treaties : Audience given to Ambafladors, 322. Mif-- fionaries at the Natchez without Succefs, 325. O Oah, of two Species in Canada, 93. Ontrrio, Defcription of the Soutli Coafl of Lake Ontario, 136. Onneyouth, Courage of an Onreyoutb Captain, burnt by the Huron'., 166. Orignal, or Elk. Defcription of this Animal, 64. The proper Time to hunt tlie Orignal, 65. V,itiou> Ways of chacini; h;,n, 61;, 6(j, How the Carcajou, or wild Cat, hunts Iiim, 66. Otiiagamies, Savages, 1 14. Otitanuais, Savages, 113, Orleans, (Neiv) its Defcripfion, 324. Remarks on its Situation : Little Deptli of the Country below this City, 332, 333. The State of it at the Departure of the Authoi, 334. Otiabache, River. Its Situation, 303. Oianas, a Savage Nation, 330. Oyflcrs, of two Sorts on the Coaft of Florida, 360. Partridges, three Sorts in Canada, M. Peltry, ill Conduft in Refped to tlti^j Tra.le, ^-;, ^c. Of what tli'jy call tl;c (mall Peltry, 70. Pir.es, of two fpecies in t.a«,7rt^ gz. Porcelain, of Canada, 13?.. O.' th(? Striries, Necklaces, or Belt/ of . Porcelain. Their Ufc, 137., n •, i'o/f, how tiiey go Poft in a Sle^.--/ 49,Si. P,f:il \i BH I' » IP ' ■rt; In CONTENTS. J* Porpeiftt, of two Colours, 8l. Ufe pf their Skins, 8». The Way of fi/hingfor them, 82,83. FeuteouatamUs, Savages, 114. The Author's Reception of them, 175. Ifles of the Ptuteouatamktf zoi. Priefitf who are Priefts among the Savages, 253, 266. Prifoners, of War among the Savages. Their firft Reception, 160. Their Boadings, i5i. What they make them fufTer at their Entrance into the Village, 161. The Diftribution of the Captives, 162. How they decide their Fate, 162. Of the Adoption of a Captive, 163. Of thofr that are to be burnt, 164. How they receive their Sentence of Condemnation, 164. The Prin- ciple of the Barbarity they exercife on thefe Occafions, 165. Prifoners, of War : Their Reception by the Illimis, and the Mrnner of burning them, 282. How they are treated by the Natthex, 320. Provence, a Angular Adventure of a Ship of Provence, 27, Sec. Pvans, (fiinking) Savages fo called, 203. Of the Fort and MilTion of the Bay of the Puam, 203. Partots, of Loutfiana, 284. Psftngen, efcaped from the Wreck of the Mour: What pafles between them and the Savages of the Mar- tyrs, 352. They diftruft the SFiip's Crew, 352. Several fav'd bv a good Providence, 353. TK^iv 'I rouble from the Savages, y^^, PenfacoU, Tides at Penfacole, 364. I^e- fcription of the Bay of Penfmokt 367. Jt is reftored to the Sfeniardsf Pimiteouy, Village of the Jtlinoit, 284. Remarkable Story of the Chief of this Village, 286. His Care for tl\e Safety of Father Charlevoix, 287. His Daughter is baptized, 288. Pines, red and white, 223. Pirates, Ingenuity of the Englip to catch them, 384, Plymouth, Arrival at pymoutb : De- fcription oi this Port,'383. Ptinf, cut cflf, 308. Second Point cut ff, 3»8- Peuteoustamies, a Savage Nation Of their Chief, and their Orator, szS:. Pyromancy^ praAifcd by the Savages, 265. Siuthee, Origin of the Name of this City, 18. Its Situation, i^. De- fcriptlon of this Ci^y, and its prin- cipal Buildings, 19, 20, &c. The Epifcopal Tiilace, 21. The Ca- thedral and the Seminary, 21. The Fort and Cape Dtamoni, 22. The Recollets and the VrJuRnes, 22. The Jtfmts College, 23. The Hofpital, 24. The General Hofpital, 24, 25. Of the Fortifications, 25. Of the Inhabitants of this City, 26. Difference between the Country of ^•ebec and that of Montreal, 72. Scarry, on the Banks of the JJii^'- Rat,; (Cafe) its Situation, to. PMe^uets, Defcription of the Racquets for walking on the Snow, 14a. Rat, (Muflc) its Defcription, 48. Rartit'Snake, its Defcription. Re- mi:dy for itsBite, 91. Recollets, Defcription of their Houfe at Sluebec, 22. Richlieu, Iflands of RtcbrieUf 59, 72, Of Fort Richlieu, 62. River, of Beckancourt, 50, 51. River Jet Prairies, (of the Meadows) 75- Soe-tuck, Particularities of that of Canada, 69. RofierSfCipe Rojiers, 12. Reedif 302. Remarks, on the Heat, at:d on the dif- ferent Latitudes, 372, 373. On the Colony of Caft Francois, in St. D»- mingo, 381. iil^Trs, Remarks on thofe that run into Lake Michigan, 222. River, of Father Marquette, 222. River, of the Illinois, 280. Its Courfc, 290. Its Entrance into the Mif~ fijjippi, 290. River Ouabache, or fVabache, 303* River, of the Cbicacbas, 305. River, of the Akanjas, its Defcrip- tion, 306. River f of the Tafous, 308. River ^ I vfe; ■i '^ i 9? CONTENTS. xi :he Savages, ame of this n, 19. De- and its prin* 0, &c. The The Ca- >ry, £1. The nJf 22. The ws, 2». The rhe Hofpital, lofpital, 24» ions, 25. Of [lis City, 26. e Country of tntreaf- 72. of the Mlj'- n, 10. the Racquets o>y, 142. ion, 48. iption. Re- their Moufe ./?«, 59, 72, te Mttdowt) of that of d on the dif- 7 J. On the ji, in £r. D»' ofe that run L2. tte, 222. Its Courfc, uto the Mif- het 303, 05. its Defcrip' R'lVtr^ hi I Xiver, (Rti) J*8. Itiver, of Mautihf 343. Sagutnayp River, 14. &ji/7r Laurtme, of the Gulf of this Name, 11. Of the Entrance of the River St. Laurtna, 12. Of its Tides, and the Variation of the Compafs, 16, 17. Of the Fifh taken in the Gulf and River of St. Laurente^ 85, 86. Defcription of the Falls of this River, 116, 117, 119. St. Franult, Ifles and Village of St, Francois, 59, 60. Lake of St. Fran- cois, 118. 5/. P«/, (Bay of) 16. St. Peter's FUh, Defcription of it, 85. St. Peter's (/lands, so. Lake of St. Peter, 52. Sakis, a Savage Nation, 204. A Council of the Sakis, and on wha*: Occafion, 205. Savages, Zeal of the Chrijiian Savages of Loretto, 28. Preparations and Superftitions of the Savages for hunting the Bear, 55, 56. The Manner of hunting the Bear : A ridiculous Ceremony when the Bear is killed : How the Hooters are received at their Return, 57. Of their hunting Dogs, 58. They tnarry the Seine before they ufe it, 86. Character of thofe of the En- virons of Hudfon's Bay, 107, 108. Of the Savages of the North of Canada. 112. Other Savages of Hudfon's Bay, 1 1 3. The Manner of declaring War among the Sa- vages, 130. Motives which en- gage the Savages to make War, 136, 137. See H^ar. The No- tion the Savages have of Cou* vage, 139, 140. The Principle of the Barbarity they exercife to- wards their Prifoners of War, 165. Their Skill in Negociations, 167, x68. Savage Nations fettled near the Fort of Detroit, 172. Council of the three Nations at tiie Fort, 173. The Refiilt of it, 174. Savages, of Canada : Why they are more eafiiy converted than more dvUized Nations, 179. A general Idea of their Government, 180. DivlHons of the Nations int* Tribes, 180. Obfervations on the Names of the Chiefs, 181. Of the Succeflion and Ele£lion of the Chiefs, 181. Of their I ower, 18;;. Of the AfliAants or Counfellors ; Of the Body of the Elders: Of the War-Chiefs, 182. The Power of the Women hi fome Nations, 183. The Wifdom of thefe Coun- cils, 183. Of the Orators: Of the Intcrefts of thefe People : The Policy of the Iroquois, 184. Of the Government of the Villages : The Defers of this Goverment, 185. How jealous the Savages are of their Honour, 189. The Pains the young Savages taJte to adorn them- felves, 19 1. Fable of the Savages zboMt X\it Upper Lake, 193. Their I'raditions about MichiUimakinac, 194. Their Marriages, 196, tec. Jealoufy of the Savages, 197. Of naming their Children, 200. Re- marks on their Names, 20 1. The Savages of the Bay des Puana dance the Calumet, 200. SuperAitions of the People near the Bay, 210. Various Nations to the North and We A of Canada, 211. Savagfs, of Canada : Their Portrait : The'r Strength, 212. Their Vices: Why they do not multiply : Advan« tages they have over us, s 1 3 . Their Eloquence : Their Memory : Thsif Penetration : Their Judgment, 214. Their Greatnefs of Soul, &c. Their ConAancy in fuffering Pains, 21c. Their Valour: Their Kind- nefs to each other, 217. Their Pride, and their other Failings, 217. Their Qualities of the Heart. 218. E^cample of the little Affe&ion of Children for their Parents, 218. Particular Friend/hips among the Savages, 219. The Colour of the Savages, 219. Why they have no Hair on their Bodies, 220. Their Secrecy concerning their Simples, and the Mines of their Country, 225. Thr fad Confcquences of their Drunkennefs, 228. Their Happi- nefs, 229. Their Contempt for our Way of living, 2'^o. The Care Mothers take of their Children, 230, XI I CONTENTS. »30. The ridiculous Shapes which fonie give to their Children, 231. What rtrengthens them, and makes them fo well rtiaped, 232. Their firft Exercifes, and their Emulation, 232. In what their Education con- fifis, 233. Of the Paffions of the Savages, 23^. How tiiey prick themfclves all over the Body, 2,34. How, and vviiy they paint their Faces : The Ornaments of the Men, 235. Of the Ornaments of the Women, 236. Of their Sow- ing and Harvefl : Of the Maiz, 237. Of the Sagamltty : Of the Rock Tripe, and rotten Maiz, 238. Of the Bread of the Maiz : Various Roots, &c. and their Ufe : Works of the Women, 239. Works of tiie Men : Their Tools : The Form of their Villages, 240. Their Manner of fortifying themfelves : Of their Winter Camps, 241. Their Naftinefs : The Inconvcniencies of the Suni ler for them, 244. A :. Their N6tion about thofc who dte violent Deaths, 277. Their Inge'- nuity to furprize their Enemies, 289. Their Traditions of the Sia of the firft Woman, and of th,e Deluge, 297. How they know the North when the Sky is cloudy, 298. What they think of Eclipfes and Thunder, 298. Their Manner of dividing Time, 299. Savages, on the Martyr Iflands : What paffed between them and the French who efcaped from the Wreck, 352. Trouble from the Savages, 353. Who thefe Savages were, 354. Sacrifice:, of the Savages, 252. Sa^amitty, the common food of the Savages, 238, Salt Springs, in the Illand of Tboloufe, or Baliae, 335. SaJJltfias, a Tree of Canada, 225. Sea-CI T S. on food of tlie and of Tbokuftf ry the Sein be- eir Manner of Snul, Thoughts of the Savages con- cerning its Immortality, 254. Their Notion of what becomes of \t when feparated from the Body, 255. (f the Country of Souls, 255. Their Notion of the Souls of Beafts, 256. Sorcerers, among the Savages, 262. Spirits, The Notion of the Savages concerning them, 249. See Genii. Stars, the Notion of the Savages of the Stars and Planets, 297. Sun, Name of the Great Chief of the Natcbez, 315. Sivfating, how the Savages ufe ir, 268. T.^iouffac, Port of this Name, 14. Tatnfjs, a Savage Nation, 331. Tamarouas, Nation of the Illinois : Their Village, 291. Tempejl, and its fad Conffquences, 345- Temple, of the Natchex : Its Defcrip- fion, 312, &c. Firft Fruits offered in the Timple, 3 19. *I'heakiki,'^\\Gr : Its Springs, 272, &c. Its Defcription, 279. Thunder, What the Savages think of it, 29S. Tides, of the River St. Laurence, 16, 17. A Sort of Tides in the Lakes of Canada, 129. Tides, at Penfacolc, 364. Tobaccoy fiicceeds in the Country of thi Natcbex, 311. Tombs, why, the Savages carry Provi- fions to the Tombs, 255. Of their Tombs, 274. Tonihata, Ifle : Its Situation, 119. T'juicas, a Savage Nation : Defcrii^tion of their Village : Of their Cliief : The State of this Nation, 327. Touloufe, 111 and of Touhufe, or Balife, 335- T'^iiric, a Sort of Wood Pidgeons : Tlieir PnfTage in Canada, 101. Trade, of Brandy : Tlie Diforders it occafions among the Iroautishf the Fti!/ St. Louis, and of the Moun- tain, 77. T>avc!r.iifr, the Inconveniencies of tra- velling in Canada, 135, 136. The rieafuie and Convcniencies of it, 170. XiU Trees, peculiar to CanaJn, 94. Why they have no Leaves in the Month of May, 130. Tripe, of the Rock : What it is, and the Ufe the Savages naake of i^ 238. Turtles, plenty in Acadia, 85. Turtle, IHands : Great Currents be«- tween them and the Martyn, ^59, Fercheres, (Madam and Mifs de) : The Bravery of thefe two Canadian La- dies, 63. Vejials, whether or not among the Savages, 254. Villages, Form of thofe of the Sa- vages, and how they fortify them, 240, 241. V01VS, of the Savages, 252, 253. UrJ'ulines,oi S^ucbec, 2s. W * Walnut-Tree, 93. JValnut-Trees, of Louif.ana, and their Properties, 304. JVar, how the Savages fing the War- Song, 130. Of the God of War, 131. Of the Declaration of War, 131* -'.Motives wliich engage the Savages to make War, 136. The Manner how a War is refolved on, 137. Preparations of the Chief, 137. The Deliberation of the Council : The Meafures they take to get Prifoners, 138. Songs, Dances, and Feafts of the War- riors, 139. The Notion thefe Peo- ple have of Courage, T39. The Trial which they make of the Warriors, 140. The Precautions for the Wounded, 140. The Fare- well of the Warriors, 142. Of their Arms, ofFenfiveand detenfive, J43, Of the Care they take to carry their Deities, 143. Circum- ftances of the March of the War- riors, 154. Of their Encamping : Of the Meeting of different Par- ties of War, 11; 5. Of their En- trance into an Enemy's Country : Of their Approaches and Attacks, 156. Their Way of fighting* Their Inftinft to know th« Mark of their CONTENTS. XIV their EneniM Steps, iS7< Pn- cautiom to fecure their Retrant, and to keep their Prifoaenu 157. Of the Marks they leave «f their Viftory, 158. Trittinph of the Warriors, 160. Wax^tA the Myrtle Wax, }4s. Wbalt^ its Fight with the Sword-Fiih, 6. Of the Whale FiflMry, 83. WbtaU ^hy it has not fucccMed in Louifiana, 30Z. H^idtwbood, of Widowhood and fe^ cond Marriages among the Savages, »77« IFiU Cberry-Tree of Canada^ 93. Wlli'CatSf of Louifiana f 304. fyitods^ of Cemdaf 92. •■'S Wthiu, or wild Cats, of Canaia, 70. IVman, Tradition, of the Sin of the firft Woman, among the Savages, 297. Woman Chief of the Nat* tias, 315. JVWm, their Power in fome Savage Nations, 183. Advantages of the Mothersover the Fathers, 199. Of their Lying-in, and its Confe- quences, im. The Care they take of their ChiUten, xoo. Tafoust a Savage Nation ; River of the Tafout, 308. Fort of the Ta- feus, 309. ■i \ -k: i.j :„i ' aioMatU, 70. « Sin of the the Savages, of the Nat' totat Savage itages of the era, 199. Of I its Cenfe- ;are they take n : River of It of the Ta- By the Tranflator's being at a Difiance from the Prefs, the following Errata have happened. Page 10 line 19 read lUy inftead of Race, Page 18 line 9 Breton inAead of Britain, Page 20 line 4 Jtt inftead of de. Page 24 line 41 Gbaplain inftead of Almoner. Page 36 (the Note) ^Livr« is lod. Half^nny in^eid o{ ji Livre is It. %d. Page 40 line 33 irtad inftead of round. Page 60 line 19 Chaudiire in- Aead of Chandiere. Page 61 thelaft line Plant inftead of Plain, Page 64 laft line Sbamtit inftead of Skamios. Page 68 line 44 againft the fVind inftead of vuitb the fFind. Page 70 line 31 after die Word Kind read of. Page 74 laft line read la l>efore Fluhe, Page. 81 line 38 Bite for Bett, Page 85 line 28 turning for burning. Page 95 line 11 Saleil for Soriel. Page 97 line 40 read no after the Word Time. Page 99 line 4 read it before is. Page 103 line i^ fruitful inftead of faithful. Page inline 32 StanSnavia inftead of Scandtnaria. Page 1.15 line 9 not inftead of no. Page 136 line 16 read 100 Pole: for 70 Yards. Page 175 line 16 read Grandmoib^ inftead of Great Grandmotber, Page 183 line 21 Grandmstber inftead of \7reat Grandmother, Page 190 line 27, 100 Poles in- ftead of 70 Yards. Page 204 line 44 Chaplains inftead of Almoners. Page 205 line 12 Chaplain inftead nf Jf-ntntr, Page 232 read Letter XXII. inftead of XXVI. Page 238 line 45 Iksaim inftead of Wheat. Page 239 line 14 read Majs inftead of Mefs, Page 269 line 36 Wood of White Fir inftead of Wood •f Epinette, Page 283 line 8 if inftead of ibif. Page 284 line 8 Stragglers m- itead of Staplers, Page 395 line 5 read Seine for Siene. Page 338 read Great Gainers hy inftead of Great hy Gainers. In feveral Places from Page 345 read Bihxi iimead of ibe BHoai. Page 373 line 18 read in inftead of the. Page 376 line 25 reckoned inftead of rtckmd^ Page 379 line 3 by Soft inftead of If North Eajf, \'A Advertisement of the Translator. ALthough thefe Letters were begun to be written in the Year 1720, yet the Writer hasj by Notes, taken Notice of what material Alterations have been made Ance. — It is, be- yond Doubt, the moil perfefl Account of 'Canada that is extant. And it is faid that it was from this Work in particular that our Minifters formed their Notions of the Importance of Canada^ and the vafl Advantages which might be derived therefrom. And at the fame Time it gives the moll accurate Defcription of the Country, it affords much Entertainment, by the particular Account it gives of the Manners, Culloms, ^r. of the various Inhabitants of thefe vail Countries. •jSf*%ii-j|^«fei^n^^)eC#)8C=fe«^^.4rfeMdf^ \ ^*^ « $« S^$« )8C3« »3X 5fi(t« xjx A N r* I ' HISTORICAL JOURNAL : ■ ■' ""■■■" . OF "'^ " ' ' ■ • ■ . Travels in North America: , Undertaken ' '^ . . ' 1 By Order of the King of F r a n c e. LETTER!. jr^ Voyage from Roche lle to Quebec, ^oihe Remarks upon the Foyage^ the Great Bank of Newfoundland, and the Riwr St» Laurence. ^ Madam, & Quebec, Sept. 24. -" Arrived in this City aftier a tedious and trouble-^ fome Paflage of 83 Days : We had however but 1000 Leagues to make, fo that you fee we don't al'.vays go Poft at Sea, as M. the Abbot de Choify ufed to fay. I made no Journal of this Voyage, becaufe I fufFered greatly by the Sea Sicknefs a- bove a Month. I flattered myfelf J.at I fhould have been free from it, becaufe I had fufl^ered it twice before ; but there are fome Conilitutions which cannot fympathize with this Element, and fuch is mine. And in the Condition we find ourfelves under this Sicknefs, it is not poflible to attend to what pafTes in the Ship : On the other Hand, nothing is more barren than a Voyage lilcc this ; for the chief Obfervation to be made, is, whence the Wind blows, how much the Ship gets forward, and if it keeps in the right Courfe ; for during two thirds of the Way there is nothing to be feen but Sky and Water. However, I fhall proceed to in- form you of what I can remember, that is moll likely to give yoa B fome ■■l\ IP' The 9th of Auguft j^ Defcription of the Great Bank. % An Hijicrical Journal of fome Minutes Amufemcnt ; to keep, as well as I can, the Promirt; I made you. We ftaid in the Road of ^/> the ift of July, and the 2d we got under Sail by Favour of a fmall Breeze from the North-Eall. I'he three firft Days we had fcarce any Wind, but yet it was in our Fa- vour, and we comforted ourielves, becaufe this made the Sea very pleafant. It looked as if it wanted to flatter us, before it Ihewed itfclf in it's worft Humour. The 4th or the 5th the Wind changed, and came diredlly againll us, the Sea ran high, and for near fix Weeks we were tolfed in a very extraordinary Manner ; the Winds changed continually, but they were oftner againll than for us, and we were almoft always obliged to fail as near the Wind as poflible. our Pilots thought themfelves upon the Great Bank of Nevjfoundlandt and they were not much miflaken. But from the 9th to the 16th we made fcarce any Way. What they call the Great Bank of Nen.vfounMandy is properly a Mountain hid under Water, about 600 Leagues from France to the Weft. The Sieur Z)/r«yj, who has given us a very good Work of North America^ and a very inftruftive Treatife on the Cod Filhery, makes this Mountain extend 150 Leagues from North to South ; but according to the moft exadl Sea Charts, it begins on the South Side, in 41 Degrees North Latitudey and it's Northern End is in 49 Degrees 25 Minutes, The Truth is, it's two extremities grow fo narrow, that it is difficult to mark it's Bounds. It's greateft Width from Eaft to Weft, is about 90 French and Englijh Sea Leagues ; between 40 and 49 Degrees of Longitude. I have heard fome Seamen fay, that they have caft Anchor in five Fathom Water, which is againft the Sieur Denys^ who fays, that he never found lefs than 25 on the Bank ; it is Certain that in many Places there are above 60. About the Mid- dle of it's Length on the Side o{ Europe ^ it forms a kind of Bay, which they call the Pit ; and this is the Reafon, that of two Ships which are upon the fame Line, and in Sight of each other, one Jhall find Ground, and the other none. y- Before we arrive at the Great Bank we meet with a fmaller one, which is called the facquet Bank : Some fay there is another be- fore this, which is of a conical Figure ; but I have feen fome Pilots who of the three make but one, and they anfwer the Objeftions which are made to this, by faying that there are Hol- lows in the Great Bank, the Depth of which has deceived thofe who make three of it, becaufe they did not let out Line fuflicient. Whatever may be the Figure and Extent of this Mountain, which it is impoffible to know exactly, they find here a prodi- gious Quantity of Shells, and many kinds of Fiih of all Sizes ; the Travels in North j4merica. ^ le Promife 2d we got Eail. Ihe in our Fa- e Sea very ; it Ihewed 1 changed, *or near fix nner ; the rainft than s near the :s upon the and they It from the eany Way. properly a m France to very good tife on the agues from a Charts, it ude^ and it's ruth is, it's to mark it's i about 90 Degrees of ;y have call Sieur Denys, Bank; it is it the Mid- ind of Bay, of two Ships other, one fmaller one, [another be- ] feen fome anfwer the ^re are Hol- ^d thole who fuflicient. Mountain, ^re a prodi- [f all Sizes ; the ■^ xm-. the greatcft Part of which ferve the Cod for Food; the Number oF which feem to equal the Grains of Sand that cover the Bank. For above two Centuries they have loaded two or three hundred Ships every Year, and tlie Number fcarce appears to be leflened. But they would do well to difcontinue this Filhery now and then, efpeciaily as the Gulf of St. Laurence^ the River itfelf for above 60 Leagues, the Coafts oi AcadtUy of Ijle Royal f , and of New foundlandy are almoft as well llock'd with this Fifh as the Great Bank. Thefe are, Madam, real Mines, which are more valuable, and requirt murh lefs Expence, than thofe of Mexico and Peru. We fuffcrcd greatly all the Time that the contrary Winds cTL r> r /< ' Kept us upon the Frontiers of this Kine- mJs d F ^""^ ""^ ^""^ ^i^' ^°^ ?^ '' ^^"^ """^ '^''- / '^ // ^o / "^^ "' agreeable and inconvenient Part of the bout the Hank. ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^j^^ g^,^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ him.':'^, and the greateft Part of the Time we have thick and Cold Fogs ; which is fuch a Sign of approaching the Bank, that they cannot be miftaken. What can be the Caufe of a Phacno- menon fo remarkable and conftant ? Can it be the Neighbour- hood of the Land and the Woods that cover it ? But, befides that Cape Race, which is the neareft Land to the Great Bank^ is Thirty- five Leagues diftant, the fame Thing does not happen upon all the other Sides of the Ifland ; for the Ifland of Ne-wfomdland is not fubjeft to Fogs but on the Side of the Great Banky every where elfe its Coalts enjoy a pure Air, and a ferene Sky. It is therefore probable, that it is the Nearnefs of the Great Bank that caufes Fogs that cover Cape Race, and we mull feek for the Cauie upon the Bank itfelf. The following are my Conjeftures upon it, which I fubmit to the Judgment of the Learned. I begin by obferving that we have another Sign of approach- ing the Great Bank, which is that upon all its Extremities, which tliey commonly call its deep Shores or Precipices ; the Sea is al- ways rough, and the Winds high. May we not look upon this as the Caufe of the Fogs which reign here, and fay that the Agitation of the Water, the Bottom of which is mingled with Sand and Mud, thickens the Air, and makes it greafy and that the Sun draws only the thick Vapours from it, which it can never difperfe: It may be afk'd me, Whence comes this Agitation of the Sea upon the Borders of the Great Bank, whilll every where clfe, and upon the Bank itfelf, there reigns a profound Calm ? This is the Caufe if I miftake not : We find every Day in thefe Seas, Currents which run fometimes one Way, and fornetimes another. The Sea, irregularly driven by thefe Currents, and /Iriking impetuoufly againfl the Sides of the Bank, which are r almoft every where perpendicular, is repulfed with the fame f Violence ; which caules the Agitation we find here, t This i$ what we call Cupc Breion, B z If w 4 An Hijlorical Journal of If the fame Thing does not happen upon the Approach of all deep CoaAs, it is bccaufe all have not i'uch a great Extent as this ; that they hive no Currents about them, or that they are not fo ftrong ; or that they do not crofs one another; that they do not meet fuch deep Coalls, and are not repulfed with (o much Force. Skilful Mariners agree, that the Agitation of the Sea, aad the Mud which it (lirs, contribute greatly to thicken the Air ; but that the Winds occafioned hereby do not reach far ; and upon the Great Bank^ at feme Dillance from its Sides, the Sea is as calm as in a Road, unlefs there is a ftrong Wind coming from fome other Part. It was on Friday the 17 th of Anguft^ at feven o'Clock in the . ^ « Evening, we found ourfelves upon the Bank, in ji c^torm. ^^ Fathom Water. Our Ship's Crew longed for frefh Cod ; but as the Sun was fet, and the Wind was fair, it was thought heft to take Advantage of it. About eleven o'Clock at Night we had a ftrong Wind at South Eaft, which with a Mizen Sail alone would have driven us 3 Leagues in an Hour. If this had been all, by furling all our other 3ails, which was inftantly done, we fhould have had no Caufe of Complaint ; but there followed fuch a heavy Rain, as if all the Catarafts of Heaven were opened, attended with Thunder and Lightening, which fell fo near us that the Rudder remained unmoveable, and all the Seamen who worked the Ship felt the Blow. It redoubled after- wards, and a Hundred Pieces of Cannon fired together would not have been louder : We could not hear one another ; one Clap fucceeding another, before the firft was over. We could not fee each other in thtmidftof the Lightening, becaufe it dazzled our Eyes ; in ftiort, during an Hour and a half we feemed to be in the ho'.teftFire of a Trench ; the Hearts of the Boldeft trembled, for the Thunder always remained over our Heads ; and if it had fallen a fecond Time upon us, we might have gone to feed the Cods, at whofe Expence we reckoned foon to have feafted. Had not what is called St. Elmo*s * Fire given us Notice of this liurricanei wc might have been furprized and overfet under Sail. After an Hour and a Half the Rain ceafed, the Thunder grumbled only at a Diftance, and the Lightenings were only weak Flalhes in the Horizon. The Wind was ftillfair, but not fo ftrong, and the Sea appeared as fmooth as Glafs ; then every tjrc wanted to lay down, but all their Beds were wetted; the Rain had penetrated thro* the imperceivable Cracks, which is inevi- table when the Vcffel is greatly loaded : We ftiifted as we could, and thought ourfelves happy to come off fo well. Whatever * Thefe Fires moft commonly appear upon the Yards^at the Approach of a Storm. ' _ ■ ' * ■ ■ . , is r^ • 13 travels in North America, r> oach of all ExtCiit as lat they arc hat they do h To much of the Sea, hicken the t reach far ; I its Sides, trong Wind Hock in the he Bank, in / longed for 5 fair, it was 1 o'clock at ith a Mizen ur. If this was inftantly ; but there of Heaven g, which fell and all the )ubled after- ether would ;r ; one Clap could not fee dazzled our to be in the Irembled, for d if it had to feed the ave feafted. s Notice of iverfet under |he Thunder were only Ifair, but not then every bd; the Rain tch is inevi- las we could. Whatever Ithe Approach is violent never lafts long, efpecially the South Eaft Wind ; at Icaft in thefe Seas. The Calm returned with the Day, we made no Way ; but we made ourfelvcs Amends by Fiftiing. Every Thing is good in the Cod while it is frein ; it loofes r\r L r J J nothing of its Goodnefs, and becomes fomc- Of the Lodand ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ j^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ jy j^ the Fijhtry. g^j^ . ^^^ ^^ j^. ^j^^ ^i^^x^ only who eat the beft Parts of it ; that is to fay ^ ""the Head, the Tongue, and the Liver: To preferve all tliefe Parts would take up too much Salt; fo they throw all into the Sea which they cannot confume at the Time of Filhing. The largelt Cod that I faw was not 3 Feet long ; yet thofe on the Great Bank are the largell ; but there is perhaps no other Creature in Proportion to its Bignefs, that has fo wide a Mouth, or that is more voracious. Wc find in the Stomach of this Fifli, Pieces of broken Pots, and Bits of Iron and Giafs. Some People fancy they digeft all this, but this is difcovered to be a Millake, which was founded upon finding in them fome Pieces of Iron half worn away. Now we arc convinced, that the Cod can turn itfelf Infide-out like a Pocket, and that the Filh frees itfelf from any Thing that troubles it by thi$ Means. The Fifli of the Great Bank is what is falted ; and this is what they call White Cod^ or more commonly Green Cod, M. Dcnys fays, he has feen as fine Salt made in Canada, as they bring from Brouoge; but after they had made the Expriment inMarfhcs, which they had dug for that Purpofe, they flopped them up again. Thofe who molt exclaimed that this Country was good for nothing, have been more than once the very People that have hindered us from making any Advantage of it. The Dry Cod cannot be made but upon the Coaft ; and this requires great Care and Experience. M. Denys, who allows that all tnofe that he has feen carry on this Trade in Acadia, had ruined themfelves by it, proves perfeftly, and makes it appear very plain, that it was wrong to conclude from hence, that there was not a Plenty of Cod. But he alledges, that to carry on the Fifhery with Succefs, the Fifhermen muft be fettled in the Country ; and thefe are his Reafons. Every Seafonis not fit for this Fifliery, it can only be carried on from the Beginning of May to the End of Atgu/f, Now if you have SczmenTvom. France ^ either you muft pay them for the whole Year, and the Charges will eat up the Profit ; or you will only pay them during the I'ime of the Fifliing, and that will not do for them. To think of employing them the reft of the Time in fawing Planks, and cutting Wood, is quite a wrong Notion, for it would notanfwerthe Expence.* But if they * This Remark, if a juft one, miy put us out of Fear of the French rivalling us at prefent in the Fifliery by what is allowed to them by tljt late Treaty, . ' • are 6 Jn HiJIorical Journal of are Inhabitants, ycuwill be better fervcd; and It will be their own Faults if tliey don't thrive: They will take their Time for the Fifhery ; they will chufe the bell Places ; they will gain much during four Months, and the reft of the Year they will w'Oil: for themfelves, in their Habitations. If this Method had been taken a hundred and fifty Years ago, Acadia had now been one of the moft powerful Colonies in America. For whilft they aircdled to publiih in France^ it was impoffible to make any Thing of this Country, it enriched Al'w England, by the Fifhery alone; altlio' the Englijh had not ail the Advantages there, which we could have had. Wlien we are pafTed the Great Bank, we meet with feveral fmallcr ones, almoft equally abounding with Fifh as the Great Bank. There are indeed few or none of thofe Fifh which require warmer Seas; but there are a great Number of Whales, Spouting Fifli, Porpoifes, ^c. and many others of lefs Value. We have more than once had the Diverfion of the Fight betv/een the Whale and the Sword Fifli, and nothing is more entertaining : The Sword Fifh is as thick as a Cow, feven or eight Feet long, j^rad'Killy lefTening towards the Tail. It takes its Name from its Weapon, a Kind of Sv/ord three Feet long, and four Inches wide ; it is fixed above its Nofe, and has a Row of Teeth on each Side an Inch long, at an equal Dlllance from each other : This Fifli is good with any Sauce, and is excellent eating ; its Head is better eating than a Calf's, and is bigger and k[uarer; and the Eyes are very large. The Whale and the Sword Fifli never meet without fighting, - , and the latter, they fay, is always the Aggref- / ,' for. Sometimes two Sword Fifh join againft ^^ a Whale, and then It Is not an equal Match : The Whale has neither Weapon ofFenfive nor Its Tail ; to make Ufe of it againft her Enemy, ilie plunges ncr Head under Water, and if fhe can ftrike her Enemy fhe kills him with a Blov/ of her Tail; but he is very dexterous to fliun it, and Inftantly falls upoi. the Whale, and runs his Weapon in its Back ; moll commonly It pierces not to the Bottom of the Fat, and fo does it no great Injury. When the Whale can fee the Sword Fifli dart to ftrike him, he plunges; but the Sword Filh purfues him in the Water, and obliges him to appear again : Then the Fight begins again, and lafts till the Sword Fifli loofes Sight of the Whale, which fights aU Avays retreating, and fvvims beft on the Surface of the Wa- ter. The FItttan or HalUhut is like a large Plaice ; what they call the Flet, is a fmallcr Kind ; It Is dark coloured on the Back, and white under the Bc!!y j it is generally four or five Feet Fight Whale and Sivcrd Fiji:/. dcfcnfive but travels in North America. 7 Feet long, and at leaft two Feet broad, and a Foot thick ; it has a large Head : Every Part of it is extremely good and tender ; they get a Juice out of the Bones, which is better than the finelt Marrow. The Eyes and the Edges of the two Sides, which they call Relinguesy are very delicate Bits. They throw the whole Body into the Sea to fatten the Cod, whofe moll dangerous E- nemy is the Flettan^ who will eat three of them at a Meal. — I ihall fay nothing of the various Kinds of Birds which live upon thefe Seas, andfubfift only by Fifhing ; for here all are Filhers. Many Travellers have described them, and have faid nothing on this Head that deferves to be repeated. The 1 8th, the Wind fair, we think the Winds have carried us a little too much to the South, and we fteer Weil North Well, to get into our Latitude. The Reafon is, we have not feen the Sun thefe ten or twelve Days, and therefore could not obfcrve our Latitude. This frequently happens, and is what caufes the greatell Danger of this Voyage. About ei^ht in the Morning we faw a fmall Veflel, v/hich feemed to mate towards us ; we met it, and when we were near we enquired in what Latitude we were : It was an Englijh Ship, and the Captain anfwercd in his own Language : We thought we underllood him that wc were in 45 Degrees ; we could not greatly trull to this Account, for he might be under the fame Millake as ourfelves : However, we took Courage, and as the Wind continued fair, wc fluttered our- felves, if it did not change, wc ihould have palled the Gulph in two Days. About four in the Afternoon the Wind fell, wliich was a Concern to us ; however, this faved us. At eleven at Night the Horizon appeared very dark before us, tho' every where elfe the Sky was very ferene : The Sailors of the Watch * made nofcrupleto fay it was Land; the Officer made a Jell of it, but when he found they perfiiced in the fame Opinion, he began to think chey might be in the right. By good Fortune there was very little Wind ; fo that we hoped Day would appear, before we Ihould come too near the Land. At Midnight the Watch changed ; the Sailors who fucceeded the firft, were diredlly of their Opinion ; but their Officer undertook to prove by good Rcafons, that the Land could not be there, and what they fiwv was only a Fog, which would difperfe in the Morning ; he could not make them think fo, and they continued pofitive in their Opinioti, that the Sky * A Ship's Company is divided into four Bands, eacli ot wliitli are on Duty foui Hours j each Band is commanded by an Ofhcer, Error of the Pi- Jots j and the dan- gerous Ccn/equeuces if it. was 9 An Hiji or ical Journal of was too clear to have any Fog on that Side, if there was nd Land. At Day-break they all cried out that they faw Land, the Offi- cer would not vouchfafe fo much as to look that Way, but ihrugged up his Shoulders, and four o'Clock ftriking, he goes to Bed, affirming that when he waked, they would find this pre- tended Land melted away. The Officer that fucceeded, who was the Count de Vaudreuil, being more wary, began furling feme Sails, and foon faw this Precaution was neceflary. As foon as it was Day-light they faw the Horizon almoft all bordered with Land ; and they difcovered a fmall Englijh Veflel at Anchor, about the Diftance of two Cannon Shot from us, M. de Voutron^ who was informed of it, immediately fent for the incredulous Officer, who came out of his Cabin with much Reludlance, where he ftill perfifted that we could not be fo near Land ; he came, however, after two or three Summonfes, and at Sight of the Dan- ger we had been expofed to by his Obftinacy, he flood afto- nilhed. He is, notwithftanding, the moft fkilful Man in France to navigate thefe Seas ; but too much Skill fometimes does Harm, when we rely too much upon it. Neverthelefs, Madam, if the Wind had not failed the Day be- fore, at four in the Afternoon, we had certainly been loft in the Night ; for v^e were running full Sail upon fome Breakers, from whence we could not have efcaped. The Difficulty was to know whereabouts we were ; it was certain we were not in 45 Degrees the Day before, but were we more to th? South or North ? On this we were divided in our Opinions. One of our Officers affirmed, that the Land we faw before us was Acadia ; that he had been there before, and remembered it : Another aflerted, that it was the Ifles of St. Peter : But what Probability is there that we are fo far advanced ? It is but twenty-four Hours fince we were upon the Great Bank^ and it is more than 100 Leagues from the Great Bank to the Ifles of St. Peter. The Pilot Chaviteait maintained it was Cape Race: What a Miflake, fays he, is there in our Reckoning ! there is no Doubt of it, and it is no Wonder, as it is impoffible to make Allowances for Currents we do not know, sad which vary continually, as we have had no Obfervation to correft our Errors ; but there is no Probability that we fliould be either on the CodiQ.s of Acadia^ or on the Ifles of St. Peter, His Reafons appeared * good, yet we ftiould have * About 5 Years after, the fame Chaviteau miftook in his Reckoning in a Manner much more fatal ; he was ftill Mafter of the Came!, and having been feveral Days without an Obfervation, the Night of the zf^xhoi Augujiy this Ship was wrecked upon a Rock near Loui/lourg, in Ijle Rcyal, and no Perfon was faved. Tliey found by the Journals of the Pilots, that they reckoned themfclves 70 Leagues from that Place. been kere was nd Travels hi North America, 9 been very glad if he had been miftaken j for we conceived how vexatious it would be to be Wind-bound under Cape Race. In this Uncertainty, we refolved to enquire of the Captain of the Inglijh Ship, and Chanjiteau had Orders to do it : At his Return he reported, that the Englijh were as much furprized as we to find themfelves in this Bay, but with this Difference, that it was the Place they were bound to: That Cape Race was before us, and Cape Brolle ten Leagues lower; that from themidft of thofe Breakers, upon which we had run a Rilk of being loft, there if- fued a River, at the Entrance of wliich there was an Englifl> Village, whither this little Veflel was carrying Provifions. About 15 Years lince, there happened to us in the fame Place, a very fingular Adventure, which put us in as much Dan- ger as that which I have juft now mentioned. It was in A'l^ujl^ and we had till then felt the Weather very hot : One Morni»ig when we rofe, we were fo pierced with the Cold, that every Body put on their Winter Garments. We could not conceive from , whence it could proceed, the Weather being fine, and no North Wind. In fhort, the third Day at four o'Clock in the Morn- ing, aSailorcried as loud as hecould, Luff; that is to fay, turn the Helm to the Windward j he was obeyed, and the Moment after they perceived a vaft floating Piece of Ice, which ran clofe by the Ship's Side, and againft which we fhould have been wrecked, if the Sailor had not had good Eyes, and if the Steerfman had not direftly turned the Helm, I did not fee this Ice, for I was not yet up ;. but all who were then upon Deck artured us, that it feemedas high as the Towers of No- ire Dame at Paris, and was for certainty much higher than the Mafts of the Ship. I have often heard it affirmed that fuch a Thing waa impoffibie, becaufe it muft have been prodigioufly deep to rife fo high above the Sea ; and that it was not poUible that a Piece of Ice fliould acquire that Height : To this I anfwer in the firft Place, that to denv the Faft we muft give the Lie to many People, for it is not the firft Time that fuch floating Rocks have been feen in the Sea. The Ship called the Mother of the Incarnation^ making the fame Courfe as we did, ran the fame Danger in open Day ; the Rock of Ice which nearly occafioned its Lofs for Want of Wind to fliun it, was feen by the whole Ship's Company, and judged to be much greater ftill, than that which we met. They add that the Genei-al Abfolution was given, as in Cafes of the greateft Danger. It is certain in the fecond Place, that in HudfonU Bay there are feme of thefe Rocks of Ice formed by the Fall of Torrents, which come from the Tops of the Mountains, and which break away with a v.ft Noife during the Summer, and are afterwards driven *bout by the CurrenW. The Sieur Jermy who lived many Years C . in .'XJ 10 An Hiftorical JoKinal of this Bay, fays he had the Curiofity to found at the Foot of one of thele Rocks of Ice which was aground, and that they let out ah hundred Fathoms of Line without reaching the Bottom. But I return to our Voyage. Cape Race Madam, is the South Eaft Point of the Ifland of AWv- 0/ Cape Race, f'r'^^^"^ >j '^\ ^^uated in 46 Degrees, and '' ^ about 30 Minutes North Latitude; the Coall runs from thence loo Leagues to the Weft, making a little to the North, and terminates at CapeRacey which is in 47 Degrees. About half Way is the great Bay oi Placentia, which makes one •f the fineft Ports in America. Weft South Weft of this Bay, there is a high Land, which is feen at a great Diftance, and ferves t6 r ake it known : It is called U Chapeau rouge (the Red Hat) becaufe at a Diftance it appears in the Shape of a Hat, and is of a reddifti Colour. The 23d at Noon we were over againft it, and in the Evening W2 came up with the Ifles of St. Petery which were on our right Hand, They are three Iflands, the two firft of which are very high. The lUe of St *^^^ ^^°"^ *^^ ^^'^^ ^^ which we were, they Feter ' appeared to be nothing but Mountains covered with Mofs. They fay that this Mofs covers in feveral Places fine Porphyry. On the Side of A'ifw- foundland there are fome Lands which may be cultivated ; and a pretty good Port, were we formerly had fome Habitations. The greateft and moft Weftcrn of the three, which is moft commonly called the Ifte Miquelony is not fo high as the other two, and appears very level ; it is about three quarters of a League long. The 24th at Day break, it was 5 or 6 Leagues behind us ; but after Midnight we had no Wind : About four o'Clock in the Morning, there arofe a fmall Breeze from the South Eaft. Waiting till it was ftrcng enough to fill our Sails, we amufed ourfelves with Filhing, and took r pretty large Quantity of Cod. Weftopt two Hours longer than we ftiould hive done, for this Fifhery, andwc had foon Caufe enough to repent it : It was eight o'clock when we got under Sail, and we run all the Day in Hopes of difcovcring Ccpc Ray^ which was on our right, or the little Ifle of St. Paid, which we were io leave on the left, and which is .-ilmoft over againft Cape Rcy ; but the Night came on before wecould difcover either. We heartily willied then, we had made Ufe of the Time we had loft. What was the more vexatious we had aboutMidnightanothcrStorm, muchlike thatcn ^}^cGreat Sankf and knowing that we were near one of thofe two Iflands which we were to pafs between, we did not dare to make Ufe of the Winijl, whitii would have carried us on at a great Rate. So, contrary to the Opinion ci Chai'tteau, who engaged to go for- ward without Danger, we lay by. At break -^Day wc difcovcred Cape Raj, upon which the Current* lot of one bey let out ttom. But nd of Neiv-' grees, and , the Coall a little to |.7 Degrees. I makes one ,f this Bay, ;, andferves e Red Hat) lat, andisof ;ainft it, and * which were •e very high, e were, they ; Mountains lat this Mofs lide of New- rated ; and a Itations. The ift commonly er two, and jf a League lagues behind jfour o'clock |c South Eart. ,, we amufed intityof Cod. ,one, for this It was eight the Day in Iright, or the the left, and ht came on 'then, we had lore vexatious at en the Grw/ [e two Iflands make Ufe of ■at Rate. So, [ed to go for- which the Current* Travels in North America. 1 1 Currents bore us, and to encreafe our Misfortune, we had no Wind to keep us off : We were almoil upon it, when about half an Hour paft five in the Morning a fniall Breeze from the North Weft, came in very good Time to our Afliltance. We loll nothing of it, and we got out of Danger. The North Weft after having done us this good Office, would have obliged us extremely, if it had given Place to fome other Wind ; but it did not, and for two Days kept us at the Entrance of the Gulf of 5"/. Laurence. On the third Day we paiTed between the Ille of 5/. Pauly and Cape St, Laurencey which is the moft northerly Point of Ifle Royal; this I'affage is very narrow, and we do not hazard ourfelves in it, when the Air is foggy. The Paffage which is between th« Ifle of 5/. Paul and Cape Ray^ is much wider ; but our Sails were fet to take the other, and we made Ufe of it. The Gulf of 5/. Laurtnce is 8o Leagues long, which wepafFed i-\e I r If r ^^'^ * good Wind in twenty-four Hours, by u/ the uuij Of ^^^ j^^j ^^ ^j^^ Currents. About half Way we I o'^T'S'n^A mGct With t\ic Bird IJlands, which we paffed the Bird ijianas,^ ^^j^j^.^ Cannon Shot, and which muft not be confounded with thofe which James Cartier difcovered near the Ifland of NewfounMattd. Thefe I fpeak of, arc two Rocks, which appeared to me to rife perpendicular, about 6o Feet above the Sea ; the largefl of which is not above z or 300 Paces in Circumference : They are very near each other, and I believe there is not Water enough between them fpr a large Poat. It is difficult to fay what Colour they are, for the Dung of the Birds entirely cover their Surface and Sides ; Yet we difcovered in fome Places, Veins of a reddilh Colour. They have been often vifited, and Boats have been entiiely loaded here with Eggs of all Sorts : They fay that the Stench is infupportable. They add, that with the Penguins, which come from the neighbouring Lands, they find many other Birds which can't fly. The Wonder is, that in fuch a Multitude of Nefls, every Bird im- mediately finds her own. We fired a Gun, which gave the Alarm thro' all this flying Commonwealth, and there was formed above the two Iflands, a thick Cloud of thefe Birds, which was at leaft two or three Leagues round. The next Day, about the Dawn, the Wind dropt all at once. n two Hours more we could have doubled Cape Rojiers, and ave entered the River St. Laurenccy which runs North Eaft and outh Weft, and the North Weft Wind which rofe foon after, ould have ferved us ; but we loft two Hours of the twenty-four Fiftiing.and in Confequence, two Days at the Entrance of the ulf ; and we were obliged to wait here till the North Weft opped, which was not in five Days, in which we made only five eagues.. C 2 Cap« t2 • An hUJl or ical Journal of ' • Cape Rofiers is properly the Entrance of the River St. Laurence, and from hence we muft meafure the Width of its Mouth, which is about 30 Leagues. '1 little on this Side, more to the Souths are the Bay and Point of Ga/pet or Garhepe. Thofe who pre- tend that the River St, Laurence is 40 Leagues wide at its Mouth, meafure it probably from the Eaftern Point of Gafpe. Below the Bay we perceive a Kind of Ifland, which is only a fteep Rock, about 30 Fathoms long, 10 high, and 4 in Breadth : It looks like Part of an Old Wall, and they fay it joined formerly to Mount Jolif which is over againll it on the Continent. This Rock has in the midft of it an Opening like an Arch, under which a Boat of Bifcay may pafs with its Sail up, and this has given it the Name of the pierced Ifland : Sailors Icnov they arc near it, when they perceive a flat Mountain ftand above others, and which is called Rowland^ s Table. The Ifland cif Bona'venture is a League diftant from the pierced Ifland ; about the fame Diflancc is the Ifland Mi/cou, which is eight Leagues in Compafs, and has a Vifiry good Haven. Not far from this Ifland, there rifes out of thfl^ea a Spring of Frefli Water, which" bubbles up, and makes a Jefflike a Fountain pretty high. ^11 thefe Coalts are excellent for their Fifliery, and the An- ch<^ge is good every where. It would be eafy alfo to eftablifli Magazines here for the Ufe of i^ebec. But we have loft a great deal of Time in purfuing the Fur Trade, which we fliould have employed in the Fifliery for Cod and many other Sorts of Fifli, with which this Sea abounds, and in fortifying ourfelves in thofe Ports, the Importance of which we have difcovered too late. But to return to our Voyage : It was natural upon having near us fuch fafe and convenient Retreats, that we fliould have made Ufe of them, to wait for the Return of a fair Wind ; but they hoped it would return every Minute, and they wanted to take Advantage of it immediately. At length, on Thurfday the loth of September^ the North Weft Wind dropt about Noon, when finding we could not ad- vance, or fcarcely work the Ship, we amufed ourfelves with fifliing, and this Amaefment was again hurtful to us ; for the Steerlman minding his fiftiing more than his Helm, let the Wind come upon nis Sails : During the Calm, we had driven much Upon the Ifle of Anticofte^ and this Negleft of the Steerf- man brought us fo near, becaufe the Currents carried us that Way, that we faw plainly all the Breakers with which the Ifland is bordered. To compleat ourMisfortune, the little Wind which was juft rifen failed us in our Ncceflity. Had this Calm continued but a fliort Time, we had been loft. A Moment after our Sails fwcllcd a little, and we endeavoured to Travels in North America. «3 to change our Courfe, but the Ship, contrary to what is ufaat, wo.. 1 not come to the Wind, and this twice together: A certain Proof, th at the Current by which it was carried was very ftrong. We thought ourfelves loft without Refource, becaufc we were very near the Rocks : To run the Rifk of turning about with the Wind in our Poop was extremely hazardous ; but after all, there was nothing elfeto be done; fo we fet ourfelves to work, rathcrlo have nothing to reproach onrielvcs with, then in Hopes of faving ourfelves; and in an Inilant we found by Experience, that Goj> comes to the Afliftance of thofe that endeavour to help them- felves. The Wind changed to the North, it frefhcned by Degrees, and about feven o'clock at Night we cleared the Point of Anu- co/te, which had put us in fo much Fear. This Ifland extends about 40 Leagues North Eaft, and South Defcrittion ft) ^^^' about the Middle of the River St, Lan" jn. J- aHiHX ^^ rence, but has little Breadth. It was granted ijis of Anticoite. , o- «v /• u- n ^ r I •^ to the Sieur johct^ upon his Return from the Difcovery of the MiJ/iJJippiy but they made him no great Prefent. ft is abfolutely good for nothing : It is poorly wooded, its Soil IS barren, and it has not a fingle Harbour where a Ship may be in Safety. Tliere was a Report fome Years ago, that there was a Mine of Silver difcovered in this Ifland ; and for Want of Mi- ners, they fent from ^tebec (where I was at that Time) a Gold- imith to make the Proof of it ; but he did not go far. He foon perceived by the Difcourfe of the Perfon who raifed the Re- port, that the Mine exirtcd only in his own whimfical Brain. The Coafts of this Ifland arc pretty well ftored with Fifli ; neverthelefs, I am perfuaded, that the Heirs of the Sieur Jclut would willingly change their vaft Lordfliip, for the fmalleil Fief of France, When we have pa fled this Ifland, we have the Pleafure to fee Land on both Sides, and to be aflured of the Way we make ; but we muft fail with a great deal of Caution up the River. Tuefday the 3d, we left on the left Hand the Mountains of Notre Dame, and Mount Zo«/V; it is a Chain of very high Moun- . tains, between which there are fome Vallies, which were formerly inhabited by Savages. The Country round about Mount Louis has fome very good Land, and fome French Habi- tations. They might make here a very good Settlement for the Fifliery, efpecially for Whales ; and it would be convenient for Ships which come from France^ to find Afliftance here, which they fometimes extremely want. The next Night the Wind encreafed, and was ver> near playing us an ugly Trick. We were not far from Trinity Point, which wc were to leave upon our right ; and the Steerfman thought us wide enough from it to be out of Danger ; but M. de Voutron ftarted up in a Fright, crying 14 -^n Hijlorical Journal cf crying out to the Stcerfinan to keep off the Shore. U this Order had been deferred a Quarter of an Hour, the Ship had run upon the Point, which appeared fome Moments after. The 4th at Night, we anchored for the firll Time, a little below what they call the P^/x of Mt/flw. They are two Heads of the fame Mountain, v^hich is about two Leagues within Land. I do not think one can (ce a wilder Country ; there is nothing to be fcen but poor Woods, Rocks, Sands, and not one Inth of good Land ; there are indeed fome fine Springs, and Plenty of good Wild-Fowl ; but it is impoflible for any but Savages and Canadians to follow their Game in fuch a Place. On the other Side of the River is the Shoal of Mamcouagany famous for more than one Ship-wreck, which advances two Leagues into the River. It takes its Name from a River which rifes in the Moun- tains of Labrador^ makes a pretty large Lake, which bears the fame Name, but more commonly that of St. Barnabas^ and difchargcs itfelf into the River St. Laurence acrofs the Sand : Some of our Maps call it la Rivitre Noire (the Black River.) The 8th we fct Sail, but it was not worth our while for the Way we made; but Variety of Amufement and Exercife is good for Sailors. IntheNightof theioth we made ic Leagues; and in half a League more we had cleared the moft difficult Paflage of the River. We alfo fhould have got into the ftrong I'ides, for to this Place they are hardly yet perceivable but at tJie Shores : But the Wind changed fuddenly to the South Weft, and obliged us to feek for Shelter, which we found under Ifle Ferte or Green Ijlandy where we remained five Days. We wanted nothing here, but at the End of this Time, we refolved to try if we could not find on the North Side, as we were made to hope, fome Land Winds, which would carry us into the great Tides. We went therefore, and anchored at MoulinBaude (Baude Mill) r^^ c the Traverfe is five Leagues over. Upon ar Of Saguenay, - - _ - . § . r. Pert a ttream of clear Water. They might build a Water-Mill here, but it is not likely it will ever be done. There is not perhaps a Country in the World lefs habitable^than this. The Saguenay is a little higher j it is a River which the largeft Veflels may go up 25 Leagues j at the Entrance we leave the Port of Tadoujac to the Right. The greateft Part of ouv Geographers have here placed a Town, but where there never was out one French Houfe, and fome Huts of Savages who came there in the Time of the Trade, and who earned away their Huts or Booths, when they went away ; and this was the whole Matter. It is true that this Port has been a long Time the Refort of all the Savage Nations, of the North and Eaft, and that , , „ ^\ riving here, I alked to lee the Mill, and they " ^ V fhewed me fome Rocks, from whence ifl'ued Travels in North America, '5 that the French reforteJ hither as foon as the Navigation was Krec, both from France and Canada ; the Miflionarics aJfo made Ufc of the Opportunity, and came to trade here for Heaven : And when the Trade was over, the Merchants returned to their Homes, *he Savages took the Way to their Villages or Forefts, and the Gofpcl Labourers followed the laft, to compleat their Jnftruftions. Yet fome Accounts, and fome Travellers, have fpokcn much of Tadoujfac ; and the Geographers have fuppofed it was a Town"; and fome Authors have given it a Jurifdidion. Tadoujfac in other Refpe6\s, is a good Port, and they aflured me that 25 Men of War might lay here (heltercd from all Winds ; that the Anchorage is fafe, and Entrance eafy. Its Shape is al- moft round, fome ileep Rocks of a prodigious Height Airround it on all Sides, and a fmall Stream runs from them, which may fupply the Ships with Water. All the Country is full of Mar- ble ; but its grcateft Riches would be the Whale Fifhery. In 1705, being at Anchor with the Herot in this Place, I faw four of thefe Fifli» which were between Head and Tail, almofl as long as our Ship. The Bifcaniers have followed this Fifhery formerly with Succefs, and there is ftiil upon a little Ifland of their Name, and which is little lower than Ifle Veite (Green Ijland) fome Re- mains of the Furnaces, and the Ribs of the Whales. What a Difference it there betwixt a fixt Filhcry, which they might fol- low quietly in a River, and that which they go to Greenland for with fo much Danger and Expence. The two following Days there was no Land Wind, and we greatly regretted our firft An- chorage, near which there were fome /^/v«f A Habitations, whereas here we faw neither Man nor Beaft : In fhort, the 3d Day at Noon we weighed Anchor, and we cleared the Paifage of Vljle Rouge (Red IJland) which is diflicult. You mull firlt bear upon the Ifland as if you would land on it, this is to fhun the Point* aux Allouctis (Lark Point) which is at the Entrance of hagu nay ' upon the Left, and which advances greatly into the River ; hav- ing done this, we change our Courfe. The PafliK^e on the South of /.'7/7e? Rouge is much fafer, but to do this we niuft have gone back, and the Wind might have failed us. Vi^ e Rouge is only a Rock a little above Water, which appears red, and upon which more than one Ship has been loft. The next Day with little Wind and Tide, we came to an Of the 1(1 aux -^"^^^or above the Ifland Coudres, which is 1 5 Co/dres, iL the ^eagues from Quebec zn^Tadouffhc, ar.d thi* jQ If railage is dangerous, when the Wmu y^ not •^' to our Defire; it is rapid, flraight, and 1 Mile long. Formerly it was much fafer, but in 1663 an Earthquake rooted up a Mountain, and threw it upon the Ifle of CVw*. . % whichwas made one half larger than before, and in the Place of u.c ', I Mountain 1 6 yln Hi/lorical Journal of Mountain there appeared a Gulf, which it is not fafe to approach. We might have palFcd on tlie oouth of the Ifland Coudresy and this Paffage would have been fafe and eafy ; it bears the Name of M. d'theri'tlU, who tryed it with Succefs, but it is the Cuftom to pafs by the North, and Cuftom is an abfolute Law for the Ge- nerality of Mankind. Above the Gulph I have juft mentioned is the Bay of St. Pauly Of th ^ f ^^^'"^ ^^^ Habitations begin on the North o "b ^ ■* IV 7 Side ; and there are fome Woods of Pine- "' Trees, which are much valued : Here arc alfo fpme red Pines of great Beauty. Meflis. of the Seminary of ilnebec arc Lords of this * Bay. Six Leagues higher, there is a very high Promontory, which terminates a Chain of Moun- tains, which extend above 400 Leagues to the Weft: It is call- ed Cape Tormenty probably becaufe he that gave it this l^ame, fufFered here by a Guft of Wind. The Anchorage is good, and we are furrounded by Iflands of all Sizes, which afford a very good Shelter. The moft confiderable is the Ifle of Or- leansy the Fields of which being all cultivated, appear like an Amphitheatre, and terminate the Profpedl very pleafingly. This Iflanc' is about 14 Leagues in Compafs ; and in 1676 it was niadc a Title of Honour, and firft gav^e Title of Count to Francis Bertheloty Secretary General of the Ordinance, by the Stile of Count St. Laurence ; who purchafed it of Francis de La'valy firft Bilhop of ^lehec. It contained then four Villages, but it has now fix Parilhes pretty well peopled. Of the two Channels made by this Ifland, that of the South only is navigable for Ships : Even Boats cannot pafs that of the North but at high Water : So that from Cape Torment we muft traverfe the River to go to ^ebecj and this Traverfe has its Difficulties ; we meet with fome moving Sands, on which there is not abi'ays Water enough for large Vefl"els, fo that this is never attempted but whilft the Tide flows. But this Difiiculty might be ftiunned by taking the PaflTage of M. d^Iber'ville. Cape Torment^ from which we pafs tofnake the Traverfe, is 1 10 Leagues from the Sea, and yet the Water is a little brackifti : It is not fit todrink, but at the Entrance of the two Canals, which form the Ifle of Orleans. This is a Phoenomenon pretty hard to explain, efpecially ^if we confide r the great Rapidity of the River, notwithftanding its Breadth. The Tide flows here regularly 5 Hours, and ebbs feven. At Tadoujfac it ebbs and flows fix Hours ; and the higher we go up the River, the more the Flood diminiflies, and the Ebb increafes. At twenty Leagues above ^ebec it flows three Hours, gnd ebbs nine. Higher up the Tide is not perceivable. When it is , •A very good Lead Mine ha$ been found here lately. Travelj in North Jmerica. 17 balf Flood in the Port of Tadouffac^ and at the Entrance of 6"/?- guenay, it is but juft beginning to flow at Checmtimi^ twenty-five Leagues higher up the River Sarufnay; and yet it is high Water at the three Places at the fame Time : This happens no Doubt becaufe the Rapidity of the River Sapuenayy greater than that oi St. Laurence^ running againft the Tide, makes an Equili- brium for feme Time between C/jecoutmi, and the Entrance of the Saguenay into the Great River. This Rapidity was not lb great butfince the Earthquake of 1663. This Earthquake overthrew a Mountain in the River, which flraitened its Bed, and formed a Peninfula, which they call Cbecoutimi^ above which the Stream is fo ftrong, that Canoes can't get up it. The Depth of Saguenay, from its Mouth up to Checoutimiy is equal to its Rapidity : So that it would not be fafe to anchor in it, if they could not make fail their Veflels to the Trees that cover the Banks of this River. It is alfo found that in the Gulf of St. Laurence^ at eight or ten Leagues from the Land, the Tides are different, according to the various Situations of the Land, or the Difference of the Seafons ; that in fome Places they follow the Winds, and in o- thers they run arrainft the Wind ; that at the Mouth of the River, at certain Months of the Year, the Currents always run to the Sea, and in others always towards the Land ; and laftly, that in the River itfelf, till near the feven Iflands, that is to /ay, fixty Leagues, there is no Flux on the South Side, nor any Reflux on the North Side. It is not eafy to give any good Re:ifons for all this ; all that can be faid, with the greateft Probability, is, that there are fome Motions under Water, which produce thefe Irregularities, or that there are fome Currents vhich come and go fi-om the Surface to the Bottom, and from the Bottom to the Surface, in the Manner of Pumps. Another Obfervation to be made here is, that the Variation of the Compafs (which in fome Ports of France, is but two or three Degrees North Weft) con- tinues always decreafing till we come to the Azores, where there is no longer any Variation ; but from thence it increafes in fuch a Manner, that upon the Great Bank of Nc-n.foimdland it is twenty-two Degrees and more ; afterwards it begins to decreafe, but flowly, fmce it is ftill fixtecn Degrees at ^ubec, and twelve in the Country of the Hurons, where the Sun fets thirty-three Minutes later than at ^ebec. Sunday the twenty-fecond, we caft Anchor by the Ifle of Or- r. leans, where we went to take an Airing, ^ till the Return of the Tide. I found this Country fine, the Soil good, and the Inha- bitants pretty well at their Eafe. They have the Charai^tcr of being given to Witchcraft; and they are confulted, they fay, up- on future Events, aud concerning wjjat pafTes in diilant Places. D For Of the Orleans. IJle 1& Jn Hijicrlcal Journal of For Inilance : If the Ships of France do not arrive fo foon •» ofual, they are confulted to hear News of them, and it is faid they have fometimes anfwered pretty true ; that is to /av, having guefTed right once or twice, and having out of Divernon made People believe that they fpoke from a certain Knowledge, Peo- ple fancied they had confulted the Devil. When yames Cartier difcovered this Ifland, he found it full of Vines, and named it the Iflc of Bacchus. This Navigator was a Britain. After him there came fome Normans j who plucked up the VineSj and fubftituted Pomona and Ceres in the Room of Bacchus. In Faft, it produces good Wheat and excellent Fruit. They alfo begin to cultivate Tobacco, and it is not bad. — At length, on Mon.iay the 23d, the Camel anchored before ^tehect where I arrived two Hours before in a Canoe of Bark. 1 have a thoufand Leagues to travel in thefe brittle Vehicles : I muft ufe myfelf to them by Degrees.. -This is. Madam, all that I could recolleft of the Particulars of my Voyage.— I fhall have fbmething of more Confec[uence to write herea/ter. ' ' ' * • I am, &c. .^> LETTER II. r;r A De/cription c/" Quebec, CharaSIer of the Inhabitants, and the Manner a/' Li'ving in the Ft^EKCH Colony. . Mad AM^ Quebec, 0<5. 28, 1720. I Am going to fpeak of ^ehec. — All the Defcriptions I have hitherto feen of i' are fo different, that I thought it would be a Pleafure to you to fee a true Pifture of this Capital of l^enu France. It really deferves to be known, were it only for the Singularity of its Situation ; for it is the only City in the World that can boaft of a Port in frefli Water a hundred and twenty Leagues from the Sea, and capable of containing one -hundred Shi^s of the Line. It is alfo fituated on the moft navi- gable River m the World. This River, up to the Ifle of Orleans, that is to fay, one Wh A N hundred and ten, or one hundred and twelve f^"^t, ^ • '^^^ Leagues from the Sea, is never lefs than four tj ^jueoec IS ae- ^^ ^^^ Leagues wide ; but above the Ifland '^''^^ * it grows narrower all at once, fo that before ^ebec it 16 but a Mile broad, which gave it the Name of ^ue- heiotOx^ebeci which, in the Algonquin Language, fignifies Con- trarian, The Abenaquis, whofe Language is a Dialed of the Algonquin, 7raveh in North America. »9 tantSf and the Jlgenquin, call it ^libect which Agnifies fomething /&«/«/ ; be« caufe, at the Entrance of the little River Chaudiere, by which the Savages came to Quebec from the Neiehbourhood of Acadia^ the Point of Lta of this City, I fliail de- fcribe its principal Buildings more particularly, and then I fhall give an Account of its Fortifications. —-The Church of the lower City was built in Confequence of a Vow made during the Siege y. (a) This City is confiderably increafed within tlie laft twenty Years. 4 . of Travels in North yimerical 2 1 of ^ebect in i6qo. It is dedicated to Our Lady of Viflory^ and ferves the Inhaoitants of the lower City. It is a very plain Building : All its Ornament is a modeft Neatnefs. Some Sillers of a Congregation which I fhall mention hereafter, are lodged between this Church and the Port. There are but four or five, and keep a School. This Epifcopal Palace is finifhed, excepting the Chapel, and half the Buildings of the Defign, which was intended to be a long Square. If it is ever nniftied, it will be avery fine Build- ing. The Garden extends to the Brow of the Rock, and com- mands all the Road.— When the Capital of AVzu France fliall be as flourilhing (a)z.% that of the Old, (we muftdefpair of nothing, Paris was a long Time much lefs than ^cbec is now,) as far as the Eye can reach they will fee only Towns, Caftles, Countiy Houfes ; and all this is already fketched out : And the River 5/. Laurence that majeftically rolls her Waters, and brings them from the Extremity of the North or the Weft, will be covered with Veflels. The Ifle of Orleans^ and the two Banks of the two Rivers that form this Port, will difcover fine Meadows, rich Hills, and fertile Fields ; and nothing is wanting for this End, but to be more peopled. A Part of a charming Valley (which the River St. Charles winds plcafingly through) will, no Doubt, be joined to the City, of which it will certainly make the fineft Quarter : And when they have bordered all the Road with no- ble Quays, and we Jhall fee three or four, hundred Ships loaded with Riches which hitherto we have not known how to value, and bringing back in Exchange thofe of the Old and New World, you will acknowledge. Madam, that this Terrafs will afford a Profpedl that nothing can equal. The Cathedral would not be a fine Parifh Church in one of The Cath d I ^^ fmalleft Towns in France. Judge, then, „^j */. c ^- if it deferves to be the Seat of the only Bi- and the bemtnary. „ • , i- u • • n l r / r • • •^ Ihoprick which is in all the French Empire in Americuy of greater Extent, than was ever that of the Romans. The Architedlure, the Choir, the great Altar, the Chapels of this Cathedral, appear only fit for a Country Church. The moft tolerable Thing belonging to it, is a very high Tower or Steeple, folidly built, and which at a Diftance makes fomc Ap- pearance. The Seminary, wjiich joins to the Church, is a large Square, the Buildings of which are not finifhed : What is built, r (a) The Event of Things has fhewn, that this Author had not a true Pro- phetic Spirit. How muft tlie French be mortified, to find ;ill their fond Hopes of raifing Quehec. to fuch a Height of Magnificence, fruftrated by the Valour of the Engllpj Arms ; and to fee th faj It is now finifhed. They Travels in North Americd. ^-^ nked with two z is but one e other is to be ranee is a large lufe the Fort is y, with a 3al- 0;, makes fome ; to the Mid- dth a fpeaking Feet. Coming r into a pretty ; arrive at the form. Befides 'lace the purefl m', play on the )nes which are have feen lome ds of the beft this gave the irce. The on the Side of h would be an It is neatly allery (fomc- ought, which ds. In fhort, Piftures that bme here that erable to the It, accompa- VrfiiUne Nuns And withal they receive :he firil Time ending them :o re-ellablifh iite finiflied. They are neatly and conveniently lodged : It is the Fruit of the good Name they have acquired in the Colony by their Pietyj CEconomy, Sobriety, and Labour : They gild and embroider. All are uiefully employed ; and whatever comes from tlicir Hands, is generally of a good Tafte. You have feen, without Doubt, Madam, in fome of the Rela- cr/ T r •♦ /^ / t'^ons, that the College of the Jc/ui:s is a very J ^/-'OeluitsCi)/- fine Building. It is certain, that when this ^^^' City was a rude Heap of French Barracks, and Savage Cabins, this Houfe (the only one with the Fort that was built of Stone) made fome Figure. The fii 11 Travel- lers, who judged by Comparifon, have reprefented it as a very line Building. Thofe who followed them, and who, according to Cuftom, copied after them, fpoke the fame Language : But the Cabins have difappeared, and the Barracks are changed to Houfes, moft of them well built ; fo that the College is now a Difgrace to the City, and is in a very ruinous Condition, (a) The Situation is bad : It is deprived of the greatcft Advan- tage it could have, which is the Profpcft. It had at firfl the View of the Road, and its Founders were good enough to fancy that they would be allowed to enjoy it, but they were deceived. . The Cathedral and the Seminary make a Ma(k that leaves them nothing but the View of the Square, which has nothing to make Amends for what they have loll. The Court of the Col- lege is fmall and dirty ; nothing refembles more a Farm Yard, \ The Garden is large and well kept, and is bounded by a little Wood, a precious Remain of the antient Forcfl that formerly co- vered this whole Mountain. The Church has nothing fine on the Outfide, but a pretty Sort of a Steeple : It is entirely covered with Slate, and is the only one of Canada that has this Advantage, for every Thing here is covered with Shingles. The Infide is well adcrncd : It has a fine Gallery, bordered with an Iron Baluilradc, painted, gilt, and well contrived ; a Pulpit entirely gilt, and well wrought in Wood and Iron ; three handfome Altars ; fome good Pidurcs ; the Roof not arched, but flat, and pretty well ornamented ; no Pavement, but a good Floor, v.hich makes this Church more fupportable in Winter, whilft People arc frozen with Cold in the others. I do not mention the four great cylindric inajji-ve Columns'^ made of one Block of a certain Porphyry black as Jet-, irithoiit Spoff cr Feins, with which it pleafed the Baron de la Hcntan to enrich the grand Altar. They would certainly be much better than thofe they have, which are hollow, and coarfely covered with Mar- ble. But this Author might eafily obtain Pardon, if he liaJ difguifed the Truth, only to adorn the Churches. (a) The College is fmce rebuilt, and is now very fine. 24 An Hijlorkal Journal of *(V; The Hofpital has two large Halls, one for the Men and the other for the Women ; the Beds are well The HofpitaL kept, the Sick are well attended, and every Thing is convenient, and very neat. The Church is behind the Woman's Hall, and has nothing remarka- ble but the great Altar, the Altar-piece of which is very fine. This Houfe is ferved by feme Nuns of St. Aujlin^ the firft of which came from Dieppe, They have begun a good Houfe here, but it is very likely they will not foon finilh it for Want of a Fund. As their Houfe is fituated on th^ Midway of a Hill, on a Spot that advances a little upon the River 5/. Charles^ they have a very pretty Prcfpeil. The Houfe of the Intendant is called the Palace^ becaufe the Chief Council meets there. It is a Grand Pavillion, the Ends of which projefl fome Feet, to which we afcend by a double Flight of Steps. The Front tov/ards the Garden is much plea- fanter than thi.t of the Entrance, having a View of the little River. The Royal Magazines are on the right Side of the Court, and the Prifon is behind. The. Gate at the Entrance is mafked by the Mountain, on which the upper City ftands, and which prefcnts in this Place only a fteep Rock, very difagreea- ble to the Sight. It was much worfe before the Fire, which fome Years ago entirely deftroyed this {a) Palace, for it had no Court in Front, and the Buildings flood upon the Street, which is very narrow. Going down this Street, or more properly fpeaking, this Way, we come into the Country, and about half a Mile diftant ftands the General Hofpital. It is the fineft cr-1 r^ iv r Houfe in Canada^ and would be no Difgrace . , "'to our grcateil Cities of France, The Re- ^'^'''' ■ . collets formerly pofleffed this Place : M. de St, Falliery Bifhop of^el>ec, removed them into the City, bought the Ground, and fpent 100,000 Crowns in Buildings, Furni- ture, and a Fund for its Support. The only Defeft ol this Hof- pital is, its being built in aMarfh; however, they hope to remedy It by draining the Marlh ; but the River St. Charles makes an Elbow in this Place, and the Waters do not eafily run off, and this can never be well mended. The Prelate, who is the Founder, has his Apartment in the Hou/e, and makes it his ordinary Refidence ; he lets out his own Palace, which is alfo his own Work, for the Benefit of the Poor. He did not difdain to fervc as Almoner to the Hofpital, as well as to the Nuns, and he performed the Duty of this Office with a Zeal and Ailiduity, which would be admired in a com- mon Prieft, who was to live by this Employment. Artifts or [a) Tliiii Palace was again entirely burnt down. Othc'-S travels in North Aiiierica. n thcrs, whom great Age or Infirmities have deprived of j»etting their livino-, are received into this Hofpital, to a certain Number of Beds that are appropiated for this Purpofe, and thirty Nuns are employed to attend them* It is a Copy of t^ic Hotel Dieu of lilu:becy but to diftinguifli the Nuns, the Bilhop has given them fome particular Regulations, and makes them wear a Silver Crofs upon their Breafts. The greateft Part of them are of good Families, and as they are not of the richeft of the Country, the Bifliop has given Portions to many. i^luebec is n >t regularly fortified, but they have been long nr I V if employed in making it a defenfible Place : U/ the torttji- ^,j^jg ^..^y jj ^^^ ^^^y ^^ jjg ^^^^^ .^ jjg pj.g_ actions. ^^^^ Condition. The Port is flanked by two BaiHons, \vii/;h at the high Tides, are almoft level with the Water, that is to fay ^ about twenty-five Feet high, for the Equi- nodtial Tides rife fo high. A little above the Baftion on the right, they have made a half Baftion in the Rock, and higher up, by the Side of the Gallery of the Fort, there is a Battery of twenty-five Pieces of Cannon. There is alittle fquare Fort called the Citadel ftill above this ; and the Ways to go from one Forti- fication to another are very fteep. To the left of the Port, all along the Road up to the River St, Charlest there are good Bat- teries of Cannon, and fome Mortars. FroL. ";e Angle of the Citadel, which looks towards the City» , they have made an Oreille of a Baftion, from whence they have made a Curtain at right Angles, which runs to join a very high Cavalier, upon which there is a Mill fortified. Defcending from this Cavalier, we meet, at about the Pittance of Mufket Shot, a firft Tower with Baftions, and at the fame Diftance from this a fccond. The Defign was to cover all this with a Stone facing, which was to have the fame Angles as the Baftions, and which was to terminate at the End of the Rock over againft the Palace, where there is a little Redoubt^ as well as on the Diamond Cape* I know not why this has not been executed. Such was, Madam, pretty near the State of ih-* Place in 17U, when the £»f///^ fitted out a great Fleet for the Conqueft of Canada^ which failed of Succefs through the Raftmefs of the Commander, who, contrary to the Advice of his Pilot, came too near the feven Ifles, and loft all his largeft Ships, and three thoufand Men of his beft Troops. After having mentioned what is moft material in our Capital, I muft fay a Word or two of its Inhabitants j this is its Beauty. And if upon confideringonly itsHoufes, Squares, Streets, and public Buildings, we may reduce it to the Rank of the fmalleft Cities of France^ the Worth of thofe who inhabit it, fecures it the Title of Capital. E I have 26 -//.' IliJlDvical Journal of tants. 1 have already faid that they reckon fcarcely at ^chec fevcit ^^ , r / /■ thoufand Souls ; but we find here a little VJ the Inhabi- ^^^^^^ World, which wants nothing to make '^ ^' an agreeable Society. A Governor Ge- neral {a) with his Attendants, Nobility, Officers of the Army, and Troops t An Intcndant {b) with an upper Council, and the inferior Jurifdidlions : A Commiffary of the Marine (r) : A Grand Provoft [d) : AGrand Surveyor of Highways, and a Grand Mailer of the Waters and Forelts (e) whofe Jurifdiftion is cer- tainly the moflextenfive in the World : Rich Merchants, or who live as if they were fuch : A Bifhop and a numerous Seminary : RecolUts and Je/uits : Three Societies of Maidens, well compofed : Circles as brilliant as in any other Place, at the Governor s, and the Intendant's Ladies. Here feems to me to be every Thing for all Sorts of People to pafs their Time very agreeably. And fo they do in Reality, and every one endeavours to con- tribute what they can towards it. They play, they make Parties of Pleafure, in Summer, in Chariots, or Canoes ; in Winter, in Sledges on the Snow, or (keating on the Ice. Shooting is much followed ; Gentlemen find this their only Refource to live plent'fully. The News current is but little, becaufe the Country furnifnes fcarce any, and the News from Europe comes all together ; but this affords Converfation for great Part of the Year : They make political Remarks on Things paft, and r.'iife Conjedlures on future Events : The Sciences and the fine Arts have their Turn, and Converfation never grows dull , The Canadians, that is to fay y the Creoles of Canaduy breath at their Birth an Air of Liberty, which makes them very agreeable in the Commerce of Life ; and our Language is no where fpoken with greater Purity. There is nobody rkh here, and 'tis Pity, for they love to live generoufly, and no one thinks of laying up Riches. They keep good Tables, if their Fortunes will afford it, as well as to drefs handfomely ; if not, they retrench the Expence of their Table to beftow it on Drefs ; and indeed we muft allow that our Creoles become their Drefs. They are all of good Stature, and the beft Complexion in the World in both Sexes. A plea- fant Humour, and agreeable and polite Manners are common to all ; and Clowniflinefs, either in Language or Behaviour, is not known among them. [a) The Marquis de Vaudreml. {b) M. Begon. {t) M. Clerambaut (rA'tgre- mm, {d) M, Pevyt dt St, Simert, (?) M, le Baron de Btkancourt. X V Jr 'Travels in North America, 27 It is not fo, as they fay, with the Englijh our Neighbours, / and they who know the two Colonies only tnueen and Frenc •* / t 1-rt. by the Manner of livine, aftine and fpeaking the Lnglilh I , t u u-. . u ^ . • i • j * , p, , ol the inhabitants, would certainly judge mcs. ours to be the nioft flourilhing. In New Eng- land., and the other Provinces of the Conti- nent of America^ fubjeft to the Britijh Empire, there prevails an Opulence, of which they feem not to know how to take the Be- nefit; and in A'ifw France^ a Poverty difguifed by an Air of Eafe, which does not feem conftrained. Commerce, and the Culture of Plantations, ftrengthen the former; the Indullry of the In- habitants fupports the latter, and the Tafte of the Nation diffufes an unbounded Agreeablenefs. The Englijh Colonill gathers Wealth, and never runs inta any fuperfluous Expence : The French enjoys what he has, and often makes a Shew of what he has not. One labours for his Heirs; the other leaves them in the Neceflity in which he found himfelf, to fhift as well as they can. The Eng- lijh Americans are entirely averfe to War, becaufe they have mucJi to lofe J they do not regard the Savages, becaufe they think they have no Occafion for them. The Youth of the Frenchy for the contrary Reafons, hate Peace, and live well with the Savages, whofe Efteem they gain during a War, and have their Friendfhip atall Times. Icould carry the Parallel further, but I mud finifli : The King's Ship is ready co fail, and the Merchant Ships are reparing to follow it ; and perhaps in three Days there will not e a fingle Ship in our Road. / am, &c. - I LETTER III. Of the Huron Village; What has hindered the Progrefs of the French Colony ©/"Canada; Of the Money current there. Ma DA M, Quebec, Feb. 15. I Am returned from a little Journey of Devotion, of which I (hall give you an Account, but 1 mull firll acquaint you, that I was miftakcn at the End of my laft Letter, when I faid the Road of ^ehec would be empty in three Days. A Ship from Marfeilles lies here ftill, and has found Means to be under Shel» terof the Ice, with which this Rvver is covered. This is a Secret which may be of fome Ufe. It is good to have fome Re- fource againfi: any Accident that m ay happen. The Captain of this Ship weighed Anchor the 3 2d in the Evening, and after he 1'^ An Uijiorical Journal of had made about a League, he anchored again to wait for fome of his Pafleiiger<:, who embarked in the Middle of the Night : He then gave Orders to prepare for failing as foon as the '^I'ide lliould begin to fall, and went to Bed in pretty good Time. About Midnin;I.t they waked him, to let him know that the Vc-nel was filling with Water : They pumped, but to no Pur- pofe : The Water increafed continually, mftead of diminifh- ing. In (hort, every one began to think of faving himfelf, and it was Time. The laft were not yet alhore when the Ship dif- uppeared. A Bark loaded with Merchandize from Montreal met with the fame Fate at the Lake St, Pierre^ (Sf. Peta-y) but they hope to get them both up again, when the fine Weather returns j and they flatter themfelves that the greatell Fart of the Loading of thefe two Vefliels will not be loll, The Affair of the Ship of Marfnlles may have fome Confequences ; for the Captain fufpefts that fome Body play'd him a Trick. I now come to my Pilgrimage. Three Leagues froi > hence, J n r • • r ^^ ^^^ North-Eaft, there is a little Village of A Uejcnption OJ ru^:a-„fJ,„.,„, whnfp rKanM U K.iJlf nft^r Cbrijiian Huronsy whofe Chapel is built after Loretto. the l^odel, and with alJtheDnTienfions, of the ^anta Cafa of Italyt or the Houfe of loretto ; from whence they fent to our new Converts an Image of the Virgin, like that which is in that celebrated Place. They could not well have chofen a wilder Place for this Miffion : Neverthelefs, the Concourfe here is very great ; and whether it be Fancy, Devotion, or Prejudice, or what you pleafc, many Pcrfons have alfured me that they were feized upon their Arrival here with a fecret and holy Hor- ror, which they could not refill : But what makes a ftill greater Impreflion, is the folid Piety of the Inhabitants of this Defart. They are Savages, but they retain nothing of their Birth and cTL y I f ii Original out what is valuable ; that is to fay, e ea OJ je jj^g sij^pij^itv and Freedom of the firft Age of i^a-vages. ^^^ World, with the Addition of Grace ; the Faith of the Patriarchs, a fincere Piety, that Rcftitude and Do- cility of Heart, which is the Character of Saints, an incredi- ble Innocence of Manners, a pure Chriftianity, on which the World has never breathed the contagious Air that corrupts it, and often Aftions of the moll heroic Virtue. Nothing is more affedling than to hear them fing in two Choirs, the Men on one Side, and the Women on the other, the Prayers of the Church, and Hymns in their own Language. Nothing is comparable to the Fervour and Modefty which they make appear in all their Excrcifes of Religion. I never faw any Perfon who was not touched with it to the Bottom of his Soui. Phis Village was formerly more populous ; but Difeafes, and fomething, I know not what, that reduces infenfibly to nothing » all ences : for the Travels in North America. 29 all the Nations of this Continent, have greatly diminifhed the Number of Inhabitants. The Age and Infirmities of fome of ihc'ir anticnt Paftors had alfo made fonme Breaches in their firft Fervour ; but it was not difficult to recover them ; and he that governs them at prefent, has nothing to do but to keep Things iipnn the Footing he found them. It is true, that they takeajl Manner of Precautions to hinder their falling off again. Strong Liquors, the moll common, and almoll the only Stumbling- JMock, which makes the Savages fall, are forbid by a folenin Vow, the 'FranfgrciTion of which is puniflied with publick Pe- nance, as well as every other F.iult which caufes Scandal ; and the fecond OfFenc' generally fuffices to banilh the Guilty, with- out Hope of Return, from a Place which ought to be the impene- trable Afylum of Piety and Innocence. Peace and Subordina- tion reign here intirely ; and ti • whole Village fcems to make but one Family, regulated a the pureft Maxims of the Gofpel. This always furpn^cs every one who knows how far thefe People (and the Huron: efpecially} do naturally carry Pride and the Spirit of Independence. The greatell, and perhaps the only Trouble of a MifTionary here, is to find Provifion for his Flock. The Diftrift they pofTefs, cannot fufficiently fupply them; and there are good Reafons why they do not permit them to abandon it. — Monfieur and Madam Regon were of our Pilgrimage, and were received by thefe good People with a Rcfpedt due to Perfons of their Rank, and who never let them want Necefl'arics.- After a Reception entirely military on the Part of the Warriors, and the Shouts of the Multitude, they began the Exercifes of Piety, which was mutually edifying : They were followed by a general Feaft, at the Expencc of Madam Begoiu who received all the Honours of it. The Men, according to Cuftom, eat in one Houfe, and the VVoraen and Children in another : I fay Houfe, and not Cabin ; for thefe Savages are lately lodged after the French Manner^The Women on thefe Occafions ufed only to (hew their Gratitude by their Silence and Modefty ; but becaufe it was a Lady of the firft Rank that was then in the Colony, who treated the whole Village, they granted the Huron Women an Orator, by whom they difplayed to their illuflrious Benefaftrefs all the Sentiments of their Hearts. As for the Men, after the Chief had made a Speech to the Intendant, they danced and fung as long as we picafed. Nothing, Madam, is lefs diverting, than the^ Songs and Dances : Firft, all are feated upon the Earth like Apes, without any Order. From Time to Time a Man rifes up and comes forward flowly into the Midft of the Place, always keeping Time, as they fay, he turns his Head from Side to Side, figns ?o <-1n Jiifimcal Journal of fings an Air, which is far from being melodious to any one but a Savage born, and pronounces fome Words which have no great Meaning, Sometimes it is a Song of War, fomotimcs a Song of Death, Jometimes an Attack or a Surprize; i'or as thefe People drink nothing but Water, they have no drinking Songs, and they have not yet thought of finging their Amours. Whilft they fing, all the Company never ceafe to beat Time by drawing from the Bottom of their Breail an He, which never varies. The Connoifleurs fay they always keep Time exa£lly. I refer it to thcrn. When one has ended, another takes his Place : And this conti- nues till the Aflembly returns them Thanks ; which would foon happen, without a little Complaifance, which it is good to have for this People. It is in Faft a very tirefome and difagreeable Mufick, at leaft to judge by what I have heard. Throats of Iron, always in one I'one ; Airs which have always fomething fierce, or mournful. But their Voice is quite different when they fing at Church. As for the Women, their Voices have a furprizing Sweetnefs ; they have alfo a good deal of Tafte and Inclination for Mufick. Upon thefe Occafions, the Speech is the beft Thing. They explain in few Words, and generally very ingenioufly, t'^e Occa- fion of the Feaft ; to whicn they never fail to give fome high Motives. The Praifes of the Founder are never forgotten ; and they take the Opportunity of the Prefence of fome Perfons (efpecially when they fpeak before the Governor- General or the Jntendant) to a(k fome Favour, or to make fome Reprefentation. The Orator of the Hurotis, on that Day, faid fuch witty Things, that we fufpe»^ed that the Interpreter (who was the Miflionary himfelf) had lent him his Wit and Politeiiefs with his Voice ; but he protcfted that he had added nothing of his own ; and wc believed him, becaufe he is known to be one of the moll op(.'n and fincere Men in the World, (a) Before I had taken this little Journey, I had made feveral Ex- curfions about this City ; but a^ the Earth was every where co- vered with Snow, five or fix Feet deep, I could thereby learn nothing of the Nature of the Soil ; but I have been over it formerly in all Seafons, and I can afTure you that it is very rare to fee Lands more fruitful, or of a better Quality. I applied niyfelf very diligently this Winter, to inform myfelf of the Ad- vantages which might be made of this Colony, and I will com- municate to you the Fruit of my Labours. Cavada does not **nrich France ; this is a Complaint as old as the Country, and it is not without Foundation. It has no rich Inhabitants : This is alfo true. Is this the Fault of the Country, or is it not owing alfo to the firfl: Settlers ? I fliall endeavour to make you able to decide this Point. (a) Father P iter. Van, Ricltr. The Travels in North /Imerica* e feveral Ex- I'hefJ/e No- iions People had of Canada. The firfl Source oi the ill Tortune of this C untry, wliich is honoured with the Name of AVio Fmnccr was the Report which was at full fprcad through the Kingdom, that it had no Mines ; and. they did not enough confider that the greatcll Advantage that can be drawn from a Colony, is the Increafe of Trade : And to accomplilh this, it requires People ; and thefc Peoplings mull be made by Degrees, lo that it will not appear in fuch a Kingdom as Frame ; And that the two only Objefts which prefented themfelves firft in Canada and Acadia^ (I menn the Furs and the Fifhery,) required that thefe Countries fhould be peopled : \i they had been fo, they had perhaps ^ivca greater Returns to France^ than Spain has drawn from the richell Provinces of the New World ; efpecially if they had added Ship-building : But the Luftre of the Gold and Silver which came from Mexico and Pen: fo dazled the Eyes of all Europe^ that a Country which did not produce thefe precious Metals, was looked upon as a bad Country. Let us hear upon this Subjcft a fenfible Author, who had been in thefe Places. *' The common Queftions they make (fays Mark Lefcarhot) •* are thefe : Is there any Gold or Silver ? And no Body afks, '• Are thefe People inclined to hear the Chtijlian Doilrine ? '* And as to the Mines, there are fome indeed, but they mud be •' wrought with Induftry, Labour, and Patience. The fincft •* Mine that I know of, is that of Corn- and Wine, and the •* breeding of Cattle. They who have this, have Money ; and *' we do not live upon Mines. The Sailors who go from all " Parts of Europe to get Fifli at Netvfcundlnnd and beyond, eight •' or nine hundred Leagues diftant from their Country, find there •* good Mines, without breaking the Rocks, digging into the " Bowels of the Earth, and living in the Darknefs of HeH. " They find, I fay, good Mines at the Bottom of the Waters, " and in the Trade of Fur and Skins, of which they make good Money." gave Nexv France a very bad Name without knowing it ; but thofe who thought to get fome Profit by it, took no Meafures for this Purpofe. Firft, they were a long Time be- fore they fettled upon a Place : They c'eared the Land without having firft well examined it : They (owed it, and raifed Buildings upon it ; and then, without knowing whyy they often abandoned it, and went to fome other Place. This Inconftancy was the great Caufe of our lofing Acadia, and hin- dering us from making any Thing of it, whilft we were in Pof- feflion of that fine Country. — The Author I have already cited, and who was a Witnefs of our Want of Refolution, was not afraid They not only Mijiakes that 'were made at the fir J} Settlement. ^2 An llijlorical 'Journal cf ..1 mv 11 I <( *t ■;, -I afraid to blame thofe who were moH guilty in this AHair. '♦ f» ** is thus (fays he) that at all Time-) we make much ado about nothing, that we purine new F.nterpiizes witli i^reat Heat, and that we projcrt fine Heginninj^s, and then quit every 'riiin»r. In Reality, for fuch Undertakings tliere mull be a Subfillence and Support ; but we murt alfo have Men of Rtfolution, wJio ** will not foon be dilhcartcned, and have this Point of Honour *' in View, Viilory or Death., that Death being great and glorious ** which happens in executing a great Defign j fuch as laying *♦ the Foundation of a New Kingdom, and ellablifhing the ** Chrijlian I'aith among People where GOD is not known." I come now to Trade. The Trade of Canada has been a long Time folely in the Filhery and Skins. The Cod Filhery was carried on upon the Great Bank, and upon the Coafts of Ne-wfounMandj a long I'ime before they difcovered the River of St, Laurence : Ihey bethought themfelves too late, of making a Settlement upon the Ifland ; and we had fniVered the Englijh to be before-hand with us. At length we took Pof- fefllon of the Port and Bay of Placentia. The Militia of Ca- nada have performed here many warlike Exploits j eqcial to thofe of the boldeft Buccaneers of St. Domingo. They have often de- flroyed the Inhabitants, and ruined the Trade of the Englijh in this Ifland : But they who fufFered their rtrongell Places to be eafily taken from them, knew their Enemy too well to be dif- heartened. Accuftomed to fee the Canadian Fire break out amidft the Northern Ice, and die away of itfelf in the Midft of what ought to have given it more Power, they behaved them- felves at the Approach of our Heroes like a fkilful Pilot upon the Approach of a Storm. They prudently yielded to the Temped, and afterwards repaired without any Hindrance the Damage which had been done to their Pofts ; and by this Con- duct tho' they were always beat in Ne--wfoundland, either when they attacked or defended themfelves, they have always carried on a much greater Trade than their Conquerors, and have at laft re- mained the fole Mailers and quiet PofTeflbrs of this Ifland. Wc have behaved ftill worfe in Acadia. This great and rich Province has been a long Time divided amongft divers private Perfons, none of which are grown rich, whilil the £«^///^ have made an immenfe Profit of the Fifliery upon the Coafts. The Settlements which thefe Proprietors made here, not being upon a folid Foundation, and wanting themfelves Judgment, ana ruining one another, they left the Country in much the fame Condition they found it ; and with fuch an ill Name, that it never recovered till the Moment we loft it. But our Enemies have made us know the Value of it. The Travels ill North America, 33 The Trade to which they confined themfclyes folely for a /// ConduSl in RefpeSl to the Skin "Trade. long Time in Canada^ was that of Slcins or Furs. It is impoflible to relate the Faults which have been here committed. The Ge- nius of our Nation never, perhaps, was Ihcwn more than on this Occafion. When wc difcovered this vaft Continent, it was full of Deer and other Bcalls of the Chace : But a Handful of Frenchmen have within a fingle Age found Means to make them almoll entirely difappear, and there are fomc Species of them entirely deftroycd. They killed the Orignals, or Elks, for the fole Pleafure of killing them, and to (hew they were good Markfmen. No Body thought of inter- pofing the King's Authority to put a Stop to fuch an extrava- gant Diforder : But the greateft Evil proceeded from the infa- tiable Covetoufnefs of private Pcrfons, who applied themfelves folely to this Trade. They came for the moft rart from France^ like SiMONiDEs ; that is to fay ^ pofTefling only what they had upon their Backs ; and they were impatient to appear in a bet- ter Condition. At firft, this was eafy : The Savages did not know the Treafure their Woods contained, but by the Eager- nefs the French fhewed to get the Skins out of their Hands, they got from thm a prodigious Quantity, by giving them Things which fon.c People would not pick up : And even finca they have been better informed of the Value of this Merchan- dize, and expeded to be fomething better paid for it, it was \txy cafy for a long Time to fatisfy them at a fmall Expencc: With a little Conduft, this Trade might have been continued on upon a tolerably good Foundation. It would be difiicult, however, to name a fingle Family, at this Time, that has been enriched by this Trade. We have feen fomc Fortunes, as immenfe as fud- den, raifed and difappear almoft at the fame Time ; like thofe moving Mountains of Sand which fome Travellers fpeak of, and which a Whirlwind raifes and levels again in the Plains of Af- rica. Nothing is more common in tnis Country, than to fee People fufFera languifliin^ old Age under Mifery and Contempt, after having had it in their Power to have made a handfom^ Settlement for themfelves. . ..,^ After all. Madam, thefe private Perfons who have mTiFcd making Fortunes which they did not deferve, would have been unwortny of the Public Concern, if the Effefts of it did not fall upon the Colony ; which foon found itfelf reduced to fuch a State, as to fee entirely dried up, or running in another Channel, a Spring from whence fo many Riches might flow into its Bofom, Its Ruin begun by its Plenty. By Means of heaping up Bea- ver Skins, which were always the principal Objedk of this Trade, there was found fuch a vaft Quantity in the Magazines, ^^ , that VI 34 -^T^ Hiftdricai Journat of that they could not be difpofed of : Whence it happened, that the Dealers not being willing to take them, our Adventurers, whom they call here Cmreurt de Bot's, (Fonji Rangers) carried them to the Englijh, and many of them fettled in Ne^ York. Se- veral Attempts were made to hinder thefe People from deferting the Colony, but with little Snccefs ; on the contrary, thofe who went over to our Neighbours for the Sake of Ictereft, were de- tained there by the I^ar of Punifhment ; and fome Vagabonds, who had taken a Liking to Independency, and a wandering Life, remained amone the Savages ; from whom they could not be diftinguiflied,' but by iheir Vices. Recourfe was had feveral Times to the publifhing of Pardon to all that would return ; which at firft had little EfFeA ; but at length this Method, ma- naged with Prudence, anfwered the expefled End. They made Ufe of another Method, which was Hill more ef- ^^ y . , feftnal. This was, to allow a Number of uy Ltcencej,ana p^jfo^j^ ^^^^ ^^ thought they could con- thetr AbHjes, ^^^ ;^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ j^ ^^^ Countries of fhe Savages, and prohibit all other Perfons to go out of the Co- lony. The Number of thefe Licences were f lited, and they were diftributed to poor Widows and Orphans, who could fell them to the Traders for more or lefs, according tP the Value of the Trade | that is, according to the Places wnere the Licences permitted them O go ; for they had taken the Precaution to mark out the Places, to hinder them from going all one Way. Befides thefe Licences, (the Number of which was fettled by the Court, and the Diftribution of which belongs to the Governor General) there are fome for the Commanders of Pofts, and for extraordinary Occafions ; and the Governor gives fome alfo by Name oi fimpk PermiJJions : So that a Part of the young Men are tontinually roving the Woods ; and though they do not commit any longer, or at leaft fo openly, the Diforders which have fo much dilgraced this Profeffion, yet they dill contract a Icofe vagrant Habit, of which they are never entirely cured : They lofe at ieaft^ an Inclination for Labour ; they waile their Strength, and become incapable of the lead Reflfaint ; and when, they are no longer able to bear the Fatigues of thefe Joumies, (which foon happens, becaufe thefe Fatigues are very great) they remain without any Refource, and are no longer fit for any Thing. From hence it proceeds, that Arts have been a long Time neg- iefled, that much good Land lies ftill uncultivated, and that the Country is not peopled. It has been often propofed to abolifh thefe pernicious Licences, and to make fome French Settlements in fome chofeu Places, and where it would be eafy to aflemble the Savages, at leaft at certain Seafons of the Year. By this Means tJie Trade would be rendered more fiouriihing. Thefe 9 vail I,! Travels in North America. 35 vaft Countries would be infenfibly peopled ; and this would perhaps be the only Means to execute what the Court has had fo long at Heart, XXifrtncbify thefe Savages. I believe I may at^ leafl a/Tert, that if this Project had oeen followed, Canada would have been at this Time much more populous than it is ; that the Savages, attracted and retained by the Help and kind Treatment they would have found in our Habitations, would have been lefs rovine, lefs miferable, and in Confequence would have encreafed in ^fumber, (inftead of which their Numbers are furprifingly diminiflied) and thev would have been attached jtio us in fuch a Manner, that we might have made the like U(e of them by this Time, as of the Subjefts of the Crown ; and the more fo, as the Miflionaries would have found much lefs Difficulty in their Converfion. What we now fee at Loretto^ and in fome Meafure amoneft the Iroquois, the Algonquins, and the Abenaquisy who live in the Colony, leaves no Room to doubt of the Truth of what I advance ; and there is no Perfon amongft thofe who have been moll converfant with the Savages, who does not agree that we can never depend on thefe People till they are Chrijiians, I will cite no other Example than the Abenaquis ; who, though few in Number, v/ere during the two laft Wars jhe principal Bulwark of Ne^ France again ft Neiu England, This Projeft, which I have laid before you. Madam', is as old as the Colony, it was that of M. de Champtain its Founder, and it was the Defire of almoft all the MiiTionaries whom I have known, and whofc painful Labours in the Situation in which^ Things have been a long while, do not produce any great Fruit in the Miffions which are at any Diflance. It wouldbe in Faft very late to take up this Defign now with ReCpefl to the Savages, who difappear in fuch a Manner, as is fcarce conceiva- ble. But what fhould hinder us from following it, with Refpe£^ to the French^ and to continue the Colony from one Neighbour- hood to another, till it can reach out a Hand to that of Louijiana, to ftrengthen each other. By this Means the Englijh in lefs than an Age and a half have peopled above five hupdred Leagues of Country, and have formed a Power on this Con- tinent, which we cannot help beholding without Fear when we take a near View of it. Canada may and does fome«. times carry on a pretty confiderablc Trade with the Ifles of Ame- rica, in Flour, Planks, and other Wood fit for Buildings ; as there is not perhaps a Country in the World that has more Variety of Wood, nor a better Sort: Judge what Riches this may one Day produce. It appears that few f eople underfland this Article ; I do not underfland it enough my felf to enter into a more particular Ac- count: I have fomethingmoreKnowledgeinthe Article of Oils, of which Ilhallfoon take Notice. Being inHafle to finifh my Letter, t F 2 have 56 ^ 'An Hiflcrical Journal of' have only Time to compleat what concerns the Trade in ge- neral. Nothing has more contributed to diftrefs the Trade than the fre- r, . M,, quent Changes which have been made in the • *f "JT -^^ Money j this is the Hiftory of it in few tn the Money. Words. In 1670, the Weft-India Company, to whom the King had given the Domain of the Iflands of the Continent of French America^ had leave to fend to thefe Iflands a hundred thoufand Livres (a) in fmall Money, marked with a particular Legend, that was proper to it. The King's EdiA is aated in February^ by which this Species was to be current only in the Iflands. But upon fome Difiiculties which arofe, the Council made an Or6.cr November i%t 1672, that the faid Mo- ney, and all other Species that was current in Francey ftiould pafs alfo, not only in the French Iflands, but alfo on the Conti- nent oi America fubjedl to the Crown, with an Augmentation of one fourth Part ; that is to fay y the Pieces of fifteen Sous for twenty, and the reft in Proportion. The fame Order decreed that all Contradls, Notes, Accounts, Sales, and Payments, fliould be made according to the Rate of the Money, without making Ufe of Exchanges, or accounting in Sugar or other Merchandize, on the Penalty of making all fuch A£ls void. And for all paft it was ordered, that all Contrafts, Notes, Debts, Dues, Rents in Sugar, or other Merchandize, ftiould be paid in Money, ac- cording to the Currency of the faid Species. In the Execution of this Order, Money encreafed one fourth in AVov France^ which foon occafioned many Difficulties. In Faft, M. de Champigny Noroy, who was made Indcndant of ^ebec in 1684, and who is now Intendant at Ha^vrc -de-Grace t found himfelf foon embarrafled, both in the Payment of the Troops, and other Expences of the King in this Colony. Befides this, the Funds which were fent from France, almoft always came too late ; and by the firft of January the Officers and Soldiers were to be paid, and other Payments to be made, which were equally indifpcnfable. To fatisfy the moft prefllng De- mands, M. de Chatnpiguy made Notes to fupply the Place of Mo- ney, obferving always the Au" mentation. And by Order of the Governor and the Intendant, they fet on every Piece of this Mo- ney (which was a Curd) theTreafurer's Sign Manual, the Arms ct Francfy and the Seals of the Governor and Intendant in Wax; they afterwards got them printed in France, on Pafteboard, with the fame Marks as the current Money of the Kingdom ; and it was ordered that they fhoiild be prefcnted every Year before the Arrival of the Ships from France^ to add a Mark, to prevent Counterfeits. •, ill (a) A Livre is about is, 8d. ef our Money. Thh Travels in North America, 37 This Pafleboard Money did not laft long, and they made Ufe again of Cards, on which they graved new Devices. The Intendant figned all that were of four Livres Value and above, and only made a Flourifh upon the others. In latter Tijne* the Governor General figned all that were of fix Livres or more. In the Beginning of the Autumn, all the Cards weis car- ried to the Treasurer, who gave for their Value Bills of Ex- change upon the Treafurer General of the Marines, or his Clerk at Rochforty on the Account of the Expences for the next Year. Thofe which were damaged or defaced were burnt, after they had taken a proper Account of them. So long as thefe Bills of Ex- change were faithfully paid, thefe Cards were preferred to Money ; but when the Bills were not paid, the Cards were no longer carried to the Treafurer ; fo that in 1702, M. de Champi^ny %z.\t him- felf a great deal of Pains to no Purpofe, to call m thofe he had made. His Succeflbrs were obliged to make new ones every Year to pay Officers, which multiplied them to fuch a Degree, that they fell to no Price, and nobody would receive them any longer. Trade was hereby entirely ruined, and the Diforder went fo far, that in 17 13 the Inhabitants propofed to lofe half, on Condition that the King would take them again and pay the other half : This Propofal was accepted the Year following, but the Orders given in Confequence, were not entirely executed till 1717. An Order was then made to abolilh the Money of Cards, a-nd they begun to pay in Silver the Officers of the Co- lony. The Augmentation of one fourth was alfo abolifhed at the fame Time : Experience having made it appear that the Augmentation of the Species in a Colony, is not the Way to keep it in it, which was the Thing propofed ; and that Mo- ney can never circulate greatly in a Colony, but when they pay in Merchandize for all they have from the Mother Country. In Faft, in this Cafe, the Colony keeps the Species, inrtead of which, if it has not Merchandize futficient to anhvcr the whole Demands upon it, it is obliged to pay the Surplus in Money, and ho\y will it come back again? In (hort. Madam, you will be furprized to hear, that in i7o6, the Trade of the oldell of our Colonies was carried on with a Fund of only fix hundred and fifty thoufand Livres, and Things aie not much changed fince that Time. Now this Sum difperfed amongft thirty thoufand Inhabitants, cannot fet them at their Eafe, nor afford them Means to purchafe the Merchandize of France. So the greatefl Part of them go naked, efpecially thofe who are in the diflant Settlements. They do not even fell the Surplus of their Merchandize to the Inhabitants of the Towns, becaufe the latter are obliged for a Subfillence to have Lands ^rt the Country, and to improve them themfelve*. * When 32 M Uijlorical jcurval of When the King took Canada out of the Hands of the Comp^- nies» his Majefty fpent much more for fome Years than he has done fince ; and tne Colony, during this Time, fent to Frana near the Value of a Million of Livres in Beaver Skins every Year, tho' it was lefs peopled than it is now : But it has always had more from France than it could oay, and has afted like a private Perion, who has thirty thoufand Livres a Year Eftate, and who ft)ends forty thoufand or more. By this Means its Credit is fallen, and in falling, has brought on the Kain of its Trade; which, fmce the Year 1706, has confifted in nothing more than fmall Peltry. All the Dealers fought for them, and this was their Ruin, becaufe they often bought them dearer of the Savages, than they fold them in France, am. tec. LETTER IV. ', O/the Beavers c/'Canada, how they differ from the Beavers of Europe; Of their Manner of Building: The Manner of hunting the Beavers: Of the Advantage to be made of them. OftheMvsKKAX, MADA^f, Quebec, March i. I Was to go from hence a Day or two after I had clofcd my laft Letter, out I muft lUU flop for Want of Carriage. The bed i call do in the mean Time, is to entertain you with the Curiofi- ties of this Country ; and I begin with what is moft fingular, that is, the Beaver. The Spoils of this Animal has hiuierto furniftied Neiv France with the principal Objed of its Trade. It is of itfelf one of the Wonders of Nature, and it may be to Man ft, great Exampl'j of Forefight, of Induftry, Skill, and Conftancy in Labour. The Beaver was not unknown in France before the Difcovery (TL T\-a- ^^ America^ and we find in fome ancient Writ- ^be Diprence . ^^ ^^^ Hatters of Parisy fome Regula- ff the Beanjer of ^^^^^ ^^^ making Beaver Hats : The Beaver or Canada,/ro»i/A«/ ^^^^^ j^, ^^^j^^j^ ^^^ f^^^ Creature ; but c/^ Europe. either that the European Beaver is become ex- ireamly fcarce, or its Fur was not fo good as that of the Ameri- can Caftor, we hear little Mention now but of the laft, unlefs it be with Refpeft to Cajioreum, of which I (hall fay a few Words at the End of this Letter. I do not know that any Author has fpoken of this Animal as being anjr Thing curious ; perhaps it was for Want of obferving it attentively; perhaps alfo that the ,.■,•:'■ Caftors travels in North America, ?9 tors or Beavers of Europe are like the Land Caftors, the Dif- ference of which from the others I fliall prefently make you luiderftand. However that may be, Madam, the Beaver of Cana^ji la ar. f^f, t p f amphibious Quadrupcde, which cannot hovv- Of the tur ef ^^^^ remain a long Time in the Water, and the Beaver. ^^^ do without being in it, provided it has the Opportunity of waftiing itfelf fometimcs : The largefl Beavers are fomething under four Feet long, about fifteen Inches from one Hip to the other, and weigh about fixty Pounds. The Colour of tLis Animal is different, according to the dif^ ferent Climates where it is found. In the moft diftant Parts of the North they are generally quite black, though fome- times they are found there white. In the more temperate Countries they are brown, and by Degrees, as thev ad- vance towards the South, their Colour grows more and more light. Amongft the llinoitt they are almoft of a fallow Colour, and fome have been found of a flraw Colour. It it further ob- ferved, that the lefs black they are, the lefs they are furnifhed with Fur, and of Confequence their Skins are lefs valuable. This is an Effeft of Providence, which defends them from the Cold, as they are the more expofed to it. Their Fur is of two Sorts all over the Body, except the Feet, where there is but one Sort very fliort. The longeft Sort is about eight or ten Lines, or Parts of an Inch longj luppofe an Inch to be divided into twelve Parts* It is even two Inches long on the Back, but diminiihes by Degrees towards the Head and Tail. This Fur is fliff and gloffy, and is what gives the Colour to the Creature. Upon view- fng it with a Microfcope, the middle Part of it is found to be the clearefl, which proves that it is hollow; this Fur is of no Ufe. The other Fur is a very fine Down, very thick, and at moft not above an Inch long, and this is what is made Ufe of. It was formerly called in Europe, Mufcovy Wool. This is properly the Cloathing of the Beaver, the firft ferves him only for Ornament, and perhaps helps him in fwimming. They (ay that the Beaver lives from fifteen to twenty Years ; J J t ' I t^*t ^^^^c"*^lcgo"^0"r Months with Youngj ti /-".i*"^ *?!!''■ ^^^ ^*' commonly four Young ones j fome Oejcnptton of tbts rp^^vellers make the Number amount to eight, Anmai. ^^^ j believe this feldom happens : She has four Dugs, two on the great Peroral Mufcle, between the fecond and third Ribs, and two about four Inches higher. TIu? Mufcles of this Animal are very ftrong, and bigger than fcems necefTary to its Size. Its Inteftines on the contrary are very tender; its Bones are very hard, its two Jaws, which are almoft even, have a verjr great Strength ; each Jaw is furniflied with ten Teeth, xi^o cutting ones and eight GrindtTS. The upper cut- ting ]■ I =., mM ' ,' ''■ '■ I i.;«. ' 40 An Hijiorical Journal of ting Teeth are two Inches and a halt iongj the lower are above three Inches, and follow the Bend of the Jaw, which gives them a Strength which is admirable in fuch little Animals. It is ob- ferved alfo, that die two Jaws do not meet exaftly, but that the upper reat i over the lower, fo that they crofs like the Edges of a Pair of Sciflars ; and lallly, that the Length of all their Teeth Js exadly the third Part of the Roots of them. The Head of a Beaver is nearly like the Head of a Field Rat, the Snout is fomewhat long, the Eyes little, the Ears fhort and round, cover- ed with Down on the Outfide, and naked w ithin ; its Legs are fhort, particularly thofe before, they are feldom above four or five Inches long, and like thofe of a Badger ; iis Nails are as it were cut lloping, and are hollow like a Quill. The hind Legs tre quite different, they are flat, and furnifhed with a Mem- brane ; fo that the Beaver goes but flowly on Land, but fwims as eafily as any other Water Animal : And on the other Hand, by its Tail, it is entirely a Fifh ; and fo it has been declared by the College of Phyficians at Parisy and in Confequence of this Declaration, the Dodors of Divinity have agreed, that the Flelh might be eaten on Faft Days. M. Lemery was miflaken, when he faid that this Decifion was only confined to the Tail of the Beaver. It is true that we can make but little Advantage of this Condefcenfion : The Beavers are fo far from our Habitations at prefent, it is rare to have any that are eatable. The Savages who dwell amongft us, keep them after they have been dryed in the Smoak, and I aflure you. Madam, tjiat I know of nothing more ordinary. We muft alfo, when the Beaver is frelh, put it in fome Broth to make itlofeawild and naufeous Tafte; but with this Precaution there is no Meat lighter, more dainty, or wholfome : They fay that it is as nourifhing as Veal : Boiled it wants fomething to give it a Relilh, but roafted it it wants nothing. What is ftill moll remarkable in the Shape of this Animal, is the Tail. It is near four Inches round at its Root, five in the midft, and three at the End, (I fpcak always of the large Beavers) it is an Inch thick, and a Foot long. Its Subftance is is a hard Fat, or a tender Sinew, which pretty much refembles the Flelh of a Porpoife, but which grows harder upon being kept a long Time. It is covered with a fcaly Skin, the Scales of which are hexagonal, half a Line thick, and three or four Linqs long, which lay one upon another like thofe of a Fifh; they lay upon a very tender Skin, and are fixt in fuch a Man- ner, that they may be eafily feparated after the Death of the Animal. This is, Madam, in few Words, the Defcription of this curious amphibious Creaiure. The torettm. travels in North America. 4; The true Teflicles of this Animal were not known to the ne 4U r r Ancients, probably, becauff* they are very 0/ ibe Lay- ftnall, and hid under the Gr m. They had given this Name to the Purfes or Bags of the Caftoreuniy which are '. ery different, and four in Number, in the lower Belly of the Beaver. The two firft, which they call the upper, becaufe they are higher than the others, have the Shape of a Pear, ond communicate with each other like the two Pockets of a Wallet. The two others, which are called the lower, are rounded at the Bottom. Thefe contain arefinous, foft, glewy Matter,* mixt with fmall Fibres, of a greyilh Colour without, and a yellowilh within ; of a ftrong Smell, difagreea- ble and penetrating, and which is eafily inflammable. This is the true Cajioreum : It grows hard in the Air in a Month's Time, and becomes brown, brittle, and friable. If we are in a hurry to harden it, it need only be hung in the Chimney. They fay that the Cajioreum which comes from Duntxict is better than that oi Canada^ I refer to the Druggills ; it is cer- tain that the Bags of the latter are fmaller, and that here aHb the largcft are efteemied. Befides their Bigncfs, they fliould be heavy, of a brown Colour, of a penetrating and ftrong Smell, full of a hard brittle and friable Matter, of the fame Colour, or yellow, interweaved with a thin Membrane, and of a fharp Talle. The Properties af Cajlcreum, are to attenuate vifcous Matter, to ftrengthen the Brain, to remove Vapours, to provoke the Menfcfi, to hinder Corruption, and to evaporate bad Humours by Trani- piration ; it is ufed alfo with Succefs againft the Epilepfy, the PalfV, the Apoplexy, and Pcafnefs. The lower Bags contain an undluous fat Liquor like Honey. Its Colour is apale Yellow, its Odour fetid, little differing from that pi Caftoreum, butfomething weaker and fainter. It thickens with keeping, and takes the Confiftence of Tallow. This Liquor is refolving, and ftrengthens the Nerves ; for this Purpofe, it need only be applied to the Part aiFefted. It is a Miftake to fay, as fome Authors do flill, upon the Credit of the ancient Natura- lills, that when the Beaver is purfued, it bites off thefe pretended Tefticles, and leaves them to the Hunters to fave his Life. It is of his Fur which he ought rather to deprive himfelf, for in Compa- rifon of his Fleece, the reft is hardly of any V"alue. But how- ever, it is this Fable, which has given it the Name of Caftor. The Skin of this Animal, deprived of its Fur, is not to be negleded ; they make Gloves and Stockings of it ; but as it is dinicult to get off all the Fur without cutting the Skin, they feldom ufe any but thofe of the Land Beaver. You have heard, perhaps. Madam, of the fat and dry Beaver Skins j the Difference is this, the dry Skin is the Skin of a Beaver that has neve|- bepn ufed ; G thu- (f '!,^^'>ich it difcov -•ng of ^.iX't^r.^:J'"!i^4f-/ .u. cne Begin nials more Fur. and the Skin iTh"' ^''' ^^^^^ all otheS formed four different Ways w th n"?' '^" ^"nting i p^^ ^rench. and the 1 rap • rhV fi a ^^^'' ""'^^ ^^^ Gun ^thl Ztrti''^^ ['''^^^^^^^^^^ ZT^K'^'^o tt ^-ycs of this lutle Animal are fn Zf ■ ^ ^^^°"^» ^ecaufe the .mo the Water, be "„r t netrcoL'^'''""'"! beCt^fe"' to find fome fi e(he,- and teXer P J-'"^"rt''»''s into th " Wood: //e Trench requires mor^ r. ♦• ^"^ without any Tronku 7ravels in North America. •47 at a good Diftance, becaufe in blowing they give a confiderable Motion to the Water ; fo that it is cafy to take their Meafures to kill them as foon as they appear above Water : But for the greater Certainty, and not to be feen by the Beavers, they throw upon the Hole which they make in the Ice fomc broken Reeds or Stalks of Indian Wheat, and when they find that the Ani- mal is within Reach, they feize him by one of his Paws, anj throw him upon the Ice, where they knock him on the Head before he has recovered of his Surprize. If the Cabin is near fome Rivulet, they are taken with lefs Trouble, they make a Cut acrofs the Ice to let down their Nets, then they go and break down the Cabin. The Beavers that arc in it never fail to run into the Rivulet, and are caught in the Net, but they muft not be left there long, for they would foon make their Way out by gnawing it. Thofe which have their Cabins in the Lakes have, at three or four hundred Paces from the Shore, a Kind of Country- houfe, where they may breathe a bet- ter Air : Then the Hunters divide themielves in two Parties, one goes to break down the Country Cabin, and the other Party falls upon that of the Lake ; the Beavers which are in the latter (and the Hunters take the Time when they are all there) fly for Refuge to the other; but they find nothing there but Dull, which has been thown in on Purpofe, and which blinds thcnx fo that they are eafily taken. Laftly, in fome Places, they make a Breach in the Caufey ; by this Means the Beavers foon find themfelves aground, and without Defence, or elfe they immediately run to remedy the Evil of which they do not know the Authors, and as they are well prepared to receive them, the Beavers feldom efcape, or at leail fome of them are taken. There are fome other Particularities of the Beavers which I find in fome Memoirs, the Truth of which I cannot warrant. They pretend, that when thefe Animals have difcovered any Hunters, or any of thofe Beafts that prey upon them, they dive, ftriking the Water with their Tail, with fuch a great Noife, that they may be heard half a League off: This is pro- bably to give Notice to the reft to be upon their Guard. They fay alfo tnat they have the Senfe of fmelling fo exquifite, that being in the Water they fmell a Canoe at a great Dillance. But they add, that they only fee Side-ways like a Hare, and that through this Defeft they often fall into the Hands of the Hun- ter whom they feek to (hun. And laftly they affirm, that v/hen a Beaver has loft his Mate, they never couple again with another, as is reported of the Turtle Dove. The Savages take great Care to hinder their Dogs from touching the Bones of the Beaver, becaufe jhcy are fo hard they would fpoil their Teeth ; they fay the fame Thing Some Particula rities of this Crea ture. m i 48 An Hlfiorical Journal of Thing of the Bones of the Porcupine. The Generality of tha Savages give another Reafon for this ; it is, they fay, not to enrage the Spirits of thefe Animals, which would hinder at an- other Time the Chace from being fuccefsful. For the reft. Ma- dam, I wonder they have not tried to tranfport fome of tbefe wondcrlul Creatures into France ; we have Places enough where they might find Food enough, and Materials fqr building, and I believe they would multiply there prefently. We have here alfo a little Animal much of the fame Nature Of t' M fk ^^ ^^ Beaver, which in many Refpefts feems / "^ "J to be a fmaller Species, and is called the • '' MuJkRat, It has, in Faft, almoft all the Properties of the Beaver, the Sliape of the Body, and efpecially of the Head of both, is fo alike, that one would take the Muflc Rat for a little Beaver, if his 'Fail was cut off, which is almoft like tiiat of our Rats ; and if its I'efticles were taken away, which tonuiij a moll exquifite Muflc. This Animal, which v/ti^,ii; lout four Pounds, is mucli like that w'.ich Mr. Ray uef^ribes under the Name of Mus Aiplnus. It takes the Field in the Month of March, and irj I'ood is then fome Bits of Wood, whicii it peals bcibre eating tliem. After the Snows arc melted, it live, i-pon the Roots of ricttles, then on the Stalks and Leaves of tiiis Phuit, Jn Summer it feeds moflly on P^aftierries and Straw- berries, and afterwards on other autumnal Fruits. During this Seafon, the Male is feldom fcen without the Female : When Winter begins they feparate, and each goes to find a Lodging in fome Hole, or the Hollow of a Tree, without any Provifions ; and the Savages ailirm that as long as the Cold lafts they eat pothin ,. t- ^^^ and handy nvithciit being liable to be troubled jnen an ' ^^^ this /ic county or reputed to hanje derogated from ■^ ^■^''^' their Birth and Family. Thr'e arc the Terms of the Older, which was made by the Council, tlie 10th oi March '.685. And further, there are no Lordfhips in this Country, even ot thofe which give Titles of Honour, to which the Right of i'atronagc belongs; f r upon the Claim of fome Lorda, founded opon their having built a Parlfli Church, his Majcfty being pre- fent in Council, declared the fame Year, 1685, that this Right belonged only to the Bifhop, as well becaufe he is more capa- ble than any other of judging who are the litteft Perfons, as be- caufe, that the proper Allowance of the Curates, is paid out of the Tytheti that belong to the Bifliop. The King in the fame Order declares, that the Right of Patronage is not to give any Aank of Honour. 1 departed from Peinte anx Trembles before Day, with a one eyed Horfe, 1 changed him afterwards for a lame one, and then )iim for a broken winded one. With thefe three Relays, I went fcven- teen Leagues in fevcn or eight Hours, and I the Baron de Beckancourt'i, chief Surveyor of Neiv France, who would by no Means Aiffer me to go forward. This Gentleman has a Village of Abtnaquisy under the Direction of a J^'/uit in Matters of Re- ligion*, to whom 1 was very glad to pay my Refpefts by the Way. The Baron lives at the Entrance of .a little River that comes from the South, which runs entirely through his Lordfhip, and bears his Name. The Life which M. de Beckancettrt leads in this Defert (for here arc no other French Inhabitants as yet but the Lord) naturally briiij^s to Mind the antient Patriarchs, who did not difdain to divide with their Servants rhc Labours of their Countiy, and lived almoft in as plain a Manner as they. The Advantage which he Makes by the Trade with the Savages his Neighbours, by buying Skins of them at the firft Hand, is More than the Profits he could make of Inhabitants, to whom he fliould divide his Land. In Time, it will be his own Fault if he has no Vaflals, and he will make more advantageous Con- ditions when he has cleared all his Land, The Kwtr Bee kan- fflwfV WHS formerly called Riviere Puafttey or the Stirling Ri- irr. I enquired the Caufe cf this Name, for the Water ap- peared to me very fmcy and they aflured me that it i» very good, and that there is no bad Smell in all this Quarter. Yet fome told Mt it was fo called on Account of the bad Qualities of the Waters ; 0/ the Situa- fioh of Bcckan- court. arrived of the early at Highways li Travels in North J.mrica, ^i Waters : Others attributed it tj the great Number or'"MuIk Rats that arc found in it, the Scent of which the Savages cannot i^ear ; but here is a third Reafon. which they who have made the grcatefl Rcfearches into the antient Hiliory of the Country fay, is the ti ue one. Some Algonquin s were at War with the OnmntcharoanonSf better known by the Name of the Iroquct Nation, which aaticntly dwelt in the Ifland oi Montreal. The Name it bear* proves, that it was of the Huron Language ; but they fay it was thcfe Hurons who drove them from their antient Habitation, and who have in Part dellroycd them : However that may be, this Nation was at the Time I fpeak. of, at War with the Algoiquim^ who, to make an End at once of the War, which they began to be weary of, contrived a Stratagem, which fucceedcd. They fet themfelves in Ambuflj on the two Sides of a little River, which is now called Beckaucourt. Then they detached fome Canoes, which made a Shtv/ of Fiihing in the Great River. They knew that their Enemies were not far off, and they made no Doyubt that tney would foon fall upon thcfe pretended Filhermen : And in Fadt, they foon faw a Fleet of Canoes coming in Hsile to attack them ; they feemed to be afrighted, fled, and got up the River. They were followed very dofc by the Enemy, who thought to make a very eafy Conqueft of this Handful of Men ; and tvi draw them on, they affeftcd to be greatly terrified. This F'eint fucceeded, the PurAicrs dill kept advancing, and making moft hideous Cries, according to the Cuilom of thefe Bar- barians, they thought they were indantly jgoing to leize their Prey. Then a Shower of Arrows from behind the Bufhes which bor- dered the River threw them into Confufion, which they gave them no Time to recover. A fecond Difcharge which followed clofc upon the firlt, entirely routed them. They drove to fly in their Turn, but they could no longer ufe their Canoes, which were every where pierced witii Arrows : They leaped into the Water, hoping to favc themfelves by fwimming, but befides that the greatcll Part were wounded, they met at landing the Death they fled from, and not one efcaped the Algoriquins^ who eavc no Quarter, and did not even araufe themfelves with ma- ting of Pri loners : The Irequit Nation never recovered this fa- tal Blow, and though fome of thefe Savages have been feen fince the Arrival of the French in Cajii:.^a, at prefent there are none remaining. In the mean Time the Number of dead Bodies which remained in the Water and upon the Sides of the River infefted it in fach a Manner, that it Hill retr.ins the Name of Ri-vm^ Puarttit (the Stinking lUi'sr.J Us - ■ The il 'm I Uh 'I" li m I ill I; ( , 52 ^n Uiftorical Journal of The Abenaqui Village of Beckancourt is not fo populous as i t r\^ .L Au was fome Years ago, yet they would be of Of the Ah tr\2i- ^ .«-/! ^ • c< c ^c wr a\iy'II /"R - 8"*^^' Amftance to us m Cafe ot a War. q I ageoj - q-j^gj-g Savages are alv/ays ready to make In- roads into Nc'-w England^ where their Name alone has often carried Terror even into Bojion. Th«y would alfo ferve us as efFeftually againll the Iroquois^ to whom they are no ways inferior in Valour, and are better difciplined. They are all Chrijiiansy and they have a pretty Chapel, where they prac- tife with much Edification all the Exercifes of the Chrifiian Re- ligion. We mull, neverthelefs, acknowledge, that they are great- ly fallen from the Fervour which appeared in them the firll Years of their Eftablifhment amongft us. They carried them Brandy, which they took a gr^'at Liking to, and the Savages never drink but to get drunk. We 'e learnt by fatal Experience, that in Proportion as thefe People depart from God, in the fame Mea- fure they pay lefs Refpeft to their Pallors, and grow more in the Intereft of the Englijh. It is greatly to be feared that the Lord will permit them to become our Enemies, to puniih us for having contributed, fora fordid Intereft, to render them vici- ous, as it has already happened to fome other Nations. After having embraced the Mifllonary of Beckancottrty (a) vl- c .. .- /. . , fited his Village, and made with him fome for- / ua ton £a :'^ rowful Refle6lio»:s which naturally arife from oac« / ^j^^ Diforders I have mentioned, and for which he is often reduced to groan in the Sight of God, I crofted the River St. Laurence to come to this Town. Nothing is more charming than its Situation. It is built upon a gentle Hill of Sand, which is only barren for the Space it may occupy, if it ever becomes a confiderable Town ; -for at prefent it is but of little Confequence. It is fur- rounded by whatever can render a Town agreeable and wealthy. The River, which is near half a League wide, runs at the Bottom. Beyond, we fee a cultivated fruitful Country, that is crowned with the fineft Forefts in the World. A little below, and on the fame Side as the Town, the Great River re- ceives anothe- 'olerably fine River, which before it mixes its Water with f' .ft, receives at the fame Time twv i others, '^ne t other to the left, which has given the Name {Three Rivers) to the Town, at about the fame Diftance, begins the Lake of c\ftU 1 I r ^^' P'"'^'^* which is about three i-eagues Ujtbe Lake of ^^j^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ j^^^ . ^^ ^^^^ nothing to the right of Trots Ri'v Above, a St. Pierre Peter.) (St. '% bounds the Sight on tnat Side, and the Sun appears to fct in the Waves. This Lake, which ks only an Enlargement of the River St. Laurence^ receives (a) Father Eujlach Le Sueur. many ifh» the hi a Travtls in North America* ^^ i^ivers. It appears probable, that it is thefe Rivers that in a Courfe of Years have eaten away the low and light Soil, through which they run. This is moft apparent in the River St. Franf9tt, the Mouth of which hath may little Iflands interfperfed in it, which probably were formerly joined to the Continent. And moreover, in all the Lake, unlefs in the midrt of the Channel where the Strength of the Current of the Great River has pre- ferved its Depth, there is no pafling but in Canoes. There are alfo fome Places where great Canoes, if they are but H{ loaded, cannot eafily pafs. But it is every where full of and the Fifli are excellent. The/ reckon but about feven or eight hundred People in >^n /' •**• r 'lown of Trots Rivieres, but it has in thfroZjT Neighbourhood wherewithal to enrich great City ; that is to fay, very good Iron Mines, which may be wrought with Profit at at any Time (*)% Upon the whole, though this Town is but thinly peopled, its Situation renders it of great Confequence, and it is one oi'"' the oldeft Settlements in the Colony. From the firft, this Poft has had a Governor, he has a thoufand Crowns Salary, and an Etat Major (a certain Number of General Officers of the Army under him.) Here is alfo a Convent of Recollets, a pretty good Parifli Church ferved by this Society, and a very fine Hofpital» joined to a Nunnery of Urfulities, to the Number of forty, who are employed as Nurfes to the Hofpital. This is alfo a Founda* tion of M. (fe St. Fallier. From the Year 1650, the 6'*wc<&((/ {whofc Oflice and Pov^er was afterwards aboliflied and invelled in the Superior Council of i^tehcc, and the Intendant) had a Lieutenant at Trois Ri'viercs : At prefcnt, this Town has a com* mon Court of Jullice, the Chief of which is a Lieutenant Ge- neral. It owes its Origin to the great Refort of Savages of difierent Nations to this Place. At the Beginning of the Colony there came down many, efpecially from the fartheil Parts of the North, by the three Rivers, wiiich have given the Name to this Town, and by which they go up a great Way. The Situs* tion of the Place, joined to the great Trade that was carried on here, engaged fome French to fettle here ; and the Neighbour- hood of the River de Sore/, then called the Iroquois Ri'vcr, (which I Oiall mention foon) induced the Governor General to build a Fort here, where was maintained a good Garrifon, and which had from the firft a Governor of its own. This Port was then looked (a) They are aftually wioi'jlit at this Time, and produce the b.ed to unite them with the Abenaquis of St. Francois. All their Anfwer to thefe Invitations was, tnat they could not refolve to quit a Place where the Bones of their fathers reft. But fome People believe, and not without Foun- dation, that this Rcfufal proceeds lefs from themfelves, than from fome People to whom their Neighbourhood is advantage- ous ; and who, without Doubt, do not fufficiently confider that they lacrifice the Salvation of thefe Savages to a little Intereft. I have juft been informed, Madam, that in a few Days I Ihall have an Opportunity of fending this Letter to ^eiec, from whence it may go early to France by the Ifle Royal. I ihall fill it yp with what concerns the Huntings of the Savages. The hunting of the Beaver, as I have before obferved, was not their principal Concern, till they faw the Value which the French fet upon the Skin of this Animal. Before this, the hunting of the Bear held the firft Place, and was performed with the greateft Superftition. This is what is obferved at this Day Chace, amongft thofe who are not Chrijiians. m this (a) Befidss the Iron Mines, which are very plentiful at Cape Mtidehinr, here have been diCcoverecl fome Years ago, feveral Springs of Mineral W»ten. , _ ' It travels in North America, It is always a Of hunting the Bear. Si W^r-Chief who fixes the Time.aiK! h:\s the Care of inviting the Hunters. 'I'his Invita- tion, which is made with great Ceremony, is followed with a Faft of eight Days ; during which they muft not drink ever a Drop of Water. And 1 will tell you by the Way, Madam, th-tt what the Savages call falling, is to take abfolutely nothing at all. Still more, in Spite of the extrem*^ Weaknefs which hich an Abftinence one may fuppofo ca'niiut fail to caufe, they never ceafe finging all the Time it lafts. They obferve this Faft, in order to induce the Genii, or Spirits, to difcover the Places where they may find many Bears. Many even do much more to deferve this Favour. Several have been feen to cut their Flefli in feveral Places of their Jody, to render their Genii, or Spirits, more propitious. But it is proper to obferve, that they do not afk their Afiiftance to conquer thefe furious Animals : It fuffices them to be informed where they are. As JJax did not aflc o^ Jupiter to give him the Viftory over his Enfemies, but only Day enough to make an End of hi« Conqueft. The Savages fupplicate alfo on the fame Account the Manet of the Beafts which they have killed in former Huntings ; and as their Thoughts run wholly on the Matter whilft they arc awake, it is natural that during their Sleep (which can't be very found upon fuch empty Stomachs) they Ihould often dream of Bears. But this is not enough to determine them : It is neccf* fary that all, at leaft the greateft Number, fhould in their Sleep have feen Bears in the fame Place : And how (you will fav) fnould ill their Dreams agree in this ? The Cafe feems to fee thus : Provided a Ikilful Hunter has thought he has dreamt two or three Times together of feeing Bears in a certain Place, ei- ther through Complaifance, or through continual talking of it, Cheir chimerical Brain at laft takes the Impreflion, and every Body prefently dreams the fame, or feign that they have dreamt fOy and a Refolution is taken to go to that Place. The Faft being over, and the Place of the Hunt fettled, the Chief who is chofea for the Chace gives to all chofe who arc to be of the Party a great Feaft j but no Pcrfon dares be prefent, without having firft bathed; that is to fay^ w\.l]\onX. having plunged into the River, let the Weather be ever fo fevere, provided the River is not frozen. This Feaft is not like many others, in which they are obliged to cat up all : Though they have fafted fo long before it, (and perhaps it is for this Reafon) they cat moderately. He who gives the Feaft, eats nothing ; and all his Employment, whiSft the others are at Table, is to relate his former Atchieve- ments in hunting : Frefti Invocations of the Manes of dead Bears, finilhes the Feaft, Then they begin their March, cquipp'd i;rif;: 'J!" 1 f ; ( (• |i An Hiftjrical Journal of as for War, and their Faces befmeared with Black, dmidll the Acclamations of the whole Village ; for the Chace, amongft thefe People, is as noble as War. The Alliance of a good Hun- ter is more fought after than that of a famous Warrior, becaufe the Chace provides the whole Family with Provifion and Cloath- ing, and the Savages defire nothing more : But a Man is not elleemcd a great Hunter, till he has killed twelve great BeaUs in one Dav. Thefe People have two great Advantages over us in this Ex- ercifej for, in the firft Place, nothing flops them, neither Bulhes, Ditches, Torrents, Ponds, nor Rivers. They always go for- ward upon a ftrait Line. In the fecond Place, there are few, or rather no Crtatures, which they cannot overtake in running : 'f htey ^ • *. been feen, as it isfaid, entering a Village, leading B "■"> .n :; Wythe, (which thev had tired l)y running down) as if v^^-' ' 1 been leading a Flock of Sheep ; and tne nimblefl Deer j noi r-ifter than they are. Laftly, the chief Hunter muft make little Advantage himfelf of his Game : He is oblig'd to be very liberal of it : If they even prevent his Gift, and take it away from him, he muft fufFer the Lofs without faying any Thing, and be contented with the Glory of having labour'd for the Public. Neverthelefs, it is not complained of^ if in the Diflribution which he makes of the Game, he gives the iirfl Part to his own Family. But we mufl confefs, that thofe Sa- vages with whom we have mofl Commerce, have loft fomething of that antient Generofuy, and that wonderful Difintereftednefs which they were remarkable for.— Nothing is more contagious than the Spirit of Intereft, and nothing more capable of alter- ing the Manners of a People. Winter is the Seafon for hunting the Bear ; Then thefe Ani- mals are hid in hollow Trees ; or if they find any blown down, they fhelter themfelves un- der the Roots of them, and ftop up the En- trance with Branches of Pine, fo that they are perfedlly fcreened from the Rigour of the Seafon ; otherwife, they make a Hole in the Earth, and take great Care, when they are in, to ftop up the Opening. Some have been found at the Bottom of a Cavern, hid in fuch a Manner as not to be per- ceived, though looked very narrowly for. But in what Manner foever the Bear is lodged, he never leaves his Retreat for the whole Winter: This is no longer doubted of. It is as certain that he never makes any Provifion for the Winter, and of Confe- quence, that during all that Time he never eats or drinks : As to his living all this Time by fucking his Paws, as fome Authors have affirmed, every one is allowed to believe what he pleafes : But this is certain, that they have been kept chained up during the ^he Bear is fix "Months 'without fating. travels in North America. bl he Winter, without having any Thing given them to eat or to drink, and at the End of fix Months they were as fat as before. It is without Doubt furprizing that a Creature cloathed with fuch a good Fur, and who has not the Appearance of being very ten- der, fhould take fuch Precautions againft the Cold, which ho one elfe would think there was any Need of. This (hews we nuift not judge by Appearances : Every one beft knows his own Wants. There is no Need of running much to catch the Bear : en nf /- ^^ is only neceflary to know the Places //,e Manner of ^j^^^.^ ^^^ arc^xc^ Number is hid. As foon hunting the Bear. ,^^ ^^^ Hunters think they have found fuch a Place, they form a Circle of a Quarter of a League in Circum- ference, or more or lefs, according to the Number of Hunters : Then they advance, coming ftill clofer and cjofer together ; and every one looks before him, to find out the Retreat of fome Bear ; fo that if there is any, it is difficult for or*^ to efcape, for our Savpges are excellent Ferrets. The next-F > .' r fame Ma- noeuvre begins again at fome Diftancc from th-ihce, id all the Time of the Chace is employed in this Mannr When a Bear is killed, the Hunter y • t ^ End of his lighted Pipe between hisT ::n, blows into the Bowl ; and thus fil^'ng the Mouth and Throat of the Beall wit' P'.^k, he conjures its Spirit to bear no Malice for what he has Body, and not to oppofe him in his future as the Spirit does not anfwer, the Hunter (to knowif^his Prayer is granted) cuts the String under the Bear's Tongue^ and keeps it till he returns to the Village : Then they all throw, with great Ceremony, and after many Invocations, thefe Strings into the Fire : If they crackle, and flirink up, as feldom fails to happen, this is taken for a certain Sign that the Spirit of the Bear is appeafed j if not, they believe they are en- raged, and that the Chace of next Year will not be fuccefsful, unlefs they can find a Way to reconcile them ; for, in fhort, there is a Remedy for every Thing. The Hunters make good Cheer, as long as the Chace lafls ; Ho-w the Hun- ^""^ ^''^l i^ .tjey have but little Succefs, they .^^, . • J ^ carry oft with them enough to treat their ters are rerefvea at ^ • ' j j r j ^l • r? ^i* i t" their Ret r Friends, and feed their Families a long Time. This Flefh is in Reality no great Ragout, but every Thing is good to the Savages. To fee now they are received, the Praifes they give them, the pleafed and felf-fuffi- cient Airs they take upon themfelves, one would fay they were returning from fome grand Expedition, loaded with the Spoils of a whole Nation deflroyed. The People of the Village fay. It I mu/l A ridiculous Ce- rnnotiy ivhen a Bear is killed, juft done to the Huntings : But M < 1 ii 58 An Hifiorical Journal of l^il ;?(! Ai Some Farticiila- rities cf the Bear. muj} he a Man (and the Hunters fvy (o thcmfclves) to fight iviii and conquer Bean in this Manner. — Another Thing for which they receive no lefs Praife, and upon which they as much pride them- felves, is to leave nothing of the great Fcaft which is given them at the'r Return from the Chace by the chief Hunter. The firfl Service that is prcfented, is thelargcll Bear they have taken; and they ferve it up whole, with all its Entrails : It is not even fkinned ; they only fmge the Slrin as one does that of a Hog for Bacon. This Feall is performed to a certain Spirit, whofe An- ger they think they fhould incur if thty did »iot eat all : rhey muft not even leave any of the Broth in which the Mea: was boiled, which is fcarce any Thing but Fat melted and re- duced to Oil : Nothing can he worfe ; and it generally kills fomc of them, and makes many of them very fick. The Bears are not mifchievous in this Country, but when they are hungry, or when they are wounded ; however, People are on their Guard when they approach them. They feldom attack ; they even generally run away as loon as fhey fee any Perfon, and there needs only a Dog to make them fcour quite away. The Bear ruts in July: He then grows fo lean, Sc his Flelh is foinfipid ;\nd ill tailed, that even the Savages who often ea.t thofe Things, the Sight of which would turn our Stomachs, can hardly touch it. Who would believe that this Paflion fhould wafte an AnimnI of this Kind and Shape more in one Month, than a total Ablli- pence from Food for fix Months ? It is lefs furprizing ihat hi; Ihould then be fo fierce and ill-natured, that it is not fafe to meet hinxi» his Way. This is the EfTed of his Jealoufy. .Thii* Seafon being over, the Bear grows fat again, and no- thing contribute.^ more to it than the Fruits which he finds in the Woods, of which he is very fond. Above all, he is fond of Grapes ; and as all theFortftsare full of Vines, which grow to the Tops of the highelt Trees, he makes no Difficulty to climb Vjp them ; But if a Hunter finds him there, his Daintinefs cor him his Life. When he has thus well fed upon Fruits, hij Flefh has a very good Tafte, and keep^s it till Spring : It has, neverthelefs, always a great Fault ; it is too oily ; and if it is not nfcd with Moderation, it caufes the Bloody Flux. On the other Hand, a Bear's Whelp is as good as a La«nh. I forgot. Madam, to tell you that the Savages always carry a rif fl, n yA S'"^^'- Number of Dogs with them when they $a' I \^^j. hunt ; they are the only Domcfiic Creatures avages uje for ^hich they bring up, and they bring them vumtng. ^ up only for Hunting : They all feem to be of the fame Species : Their Ears Hand upright ; their Nofe is longy like that or" a Wolf ; but they are very faithful and at- % tached ' 1 ;■ H Travels in North yimerica, 59 tachcd to tliclr Maftcrs ; who, neverthelefs, feed them hut poorly, and never fondle them : Th ;y break them betimes to that Kind of Chace they are intended for, and they are excel- len^ Hunters. I have not Time to add any^ Thing mr'-'*. for they call me to depart. / am* &c. L E T T E R VI. • V > I Defer i pi ion of the Country, and the IJlandi o/* Richlieu /7wcoId. Our ad in France By Degrees, 5 it flops en- g, the Tree t it can bear Jcrhaps, to T'ravels in North America. 6t let it reft a Year or t\v.j, that it might recover its vStrcngth* But at lall, when it is worn out, it ffives to cut down, and its Wood, Roots, and Knots, are fit for many Thing';. Tliis Tree muft be very plenty here, for they burn much oi it. Tlic Water of ilie Maple is pretty clear, though a little whitilh ; it is very cooling, and haves in the Moucha Talle like tliatot' Sugar, very a^rceaole. It is a very good Peroral; and iti what Quantity focvcr it is drank, though you arc never fo much heated, it never does Harm ; for it has not that Rawnefs which caufes the Pleurify ; but on the contrary, a balfamick Virtue, which fweetens the Blood, and a c:r:ain Salt, which keeps up the Keat of it. They add th.;t it never congeals ; but if they ke(fp it acert.iin Time, it becomes an excellent Vinegar. I do" not warrant this fur Faft, and I know that a TravcIleT ought not to take c»cry Thing for Truth which he hears. It is very probable that the Savages, who are well acquainted with the V^irtues of all their . lants, have at all Times made the fame Ufe of this Water, which they do at this Day ; but it is certain they did not know how to make a Sugar of it, which we ha -^ fince taught them. They were contented to let it boil a little, to thicken itfomething, and make a Sort of Syrup, which is pretty enough. What is further required to make Sugar of it, is to let it boil till it takes a proper Confiftence, and it purifies itfelf witiiout any foreign Mixture. There needs only Care not to ' boil it too much, and to fcum it well. The greateft Fault in making it, is to let it harden too much in its Syrup, which makes it oily, and to keep a Tafte of Honey, which renders it lefs palatable, unlefs it is refined. This Sugar made with Care, and it requires much lefs than ours, is natural, perioral, and does not burn the Stomach. Beildes, the making of it is vtry cheap. It is commonly thought that it is impofible to refine it, like that which is made from Cane" ; but I do not fee the Reafon of this ; and it is certain, thai as it comes out of the Hands of the Savages, it is purer and much better than the Sugar of the lilands, which has undergone no more Management. I gave fome to a Sugar Baker of Or- leatUf who found no other Defeft in it, than that which I have already mentioned, and which he attributed folely to its not being fufHciently purified. He thought it alfo of a better Kind than thf other, and made fome Lozenges of it, which I had the Honour to prefent to you, Madam, and which you found fo ex- cclle! t. It will be objefted, that if it was of fuch a good Quality, it would have become anObjeft of Trade, but there is not enough made for this Purpofc; but perhaps they are in the vvroig m not trying what may be done. There are many other Things be- sides this, that are negleded in this Country.— The Plain-Tree, the p J! I m Wd ^^2 yfn Hijiorical Journal of the fmall Cherry, the Afh, and the Walnut-Trees of different Sorts, give alfo a Water that mak^s Sugar, but in lefs Quantity, and the Sugar is not fo good. Yet fome People give the Pre- ference to that which is drawn from the Afh, but there is very little made. Could you have believed, Madam, that we (hould find in Canada^ what Firgil fays in foretelling the Renewal of the golden Age, that Honey Ihould flow from the Trees (a). All this Country has been a long Time the Theatre of many Of F t R I hloody Scenes, becaufe d"jrlng the War with f or tcj- jj^^ Iroqnoist it was the moll expofcd to the ""^' Excurfions of thofe Barbarians. They came down upon the Coloay, by a Rirer that difcharges itfelf into the River 6''. Laurence^ a little above Lake St> Pierre^ on the fame Side as that of St. Francois ; and to which, for this Reafon, they at firft gave their Name. It has been fine ^ for fomc Time called Richlieu^ and is now called the River dt Sorcl. The Illands of Richlieuy which they came to firft, ferved them equally for their Ambufhes, and for a Retreat ; but when we had (hut up this Paff'age by a Fort, built at the Entrance of the River, they took their Way by the Lands above and below, and threw themfelves efpecially on the Side of St, Fran^ois^ where they found the fame Advantages to exercife their Robberies, and where they have committed Cruelties which are horrible to relate. They fpread themfelves afterwards through the whole Colony, ^ , r, and they were obliged in order to defend 11 Ln a '" themfelves from their Fury, to build in every all the fartjhes. p^j.j^ ^ j^j^^^ ^^ p^^.^^ ^^^^^ ^j^^ Inhabitants may take Refuge on the flrft Alarm. They kept in each Fort one or two Centincls, who did Duty Night and Day, and they h^d all fome Field-Pieces, or at leafl fome Pattereroes, as well to difperfe the Enemy, as to give Notice to the Inhabitants to be upon their Guard, and to inform when they wanted Succours. Thcfe Fort« are onjy Inclofures, defended with Pallifadoes, with fome Redoubts : Tne Church and the Manor-Houfe are always in this Inclofut e ; and there is ftill Room enough left, in cafe of need, to give Refuge to the Women and Children, and the Cat- tle. This has been found fufficient to preferve them from any Infult ; for I never heard the Jroquoit took any of thefe Forts. They very feldom block them up, and fcarce ever attack them to take them by Afiault. One is too dangerous for Sav.iges, who have nodefenfivc Arms, and do not love a Viftory llained with their Blood : The other Way does not agree with their Manner of making War. Two attacks of the Fort de Vercberes, arc nevcr- (c) pt durte S^utrcui fvdabum rojcida mdk. thdefj lis • 11 travels in North America. 63 tlielefs famous in the Annals of Canada ; and it looks aS if the Iroquois had attempted it twice, contrary to their Cuftom, only to dilplay the Valour and Intrepiditjr of two Amazons. In 1690, thefe Savages being informed that Madam i/i? Vercherti J. . was almoft alone in her Fort, approached it (valiant Aaions ^j^j^om ^eing feen, and attempted to fcale tf t'wo Canadian ^j^^ Pallifadoes : Some Muflcct Shot that were ^^^'"' fired to good Purpofe, upon the firft Noif« they made, difperfed them ; but they foon returned, and they were again repulfed ; and what fuprifed them the more was, that they faw only a Woman, and her they faw every where. This was Madam de Venheresy who kept up as good a Countenance as if (he had had a numerous Garnfon. The Hope which the Be- fiegers had conceived at firft, to take a Place eafily, which they knew was without Men, made them return feveral Times to the Charge; but the Lady with the Help of the Women with her, always beat them off. She fought in this Manner two Days, with fuch Bravery and Prefence of Mind, as would have done Honour to an old Warrior ; and at laft (he obliged the Enemy to retire, for Fear of having their Retreat cut off, greatly aftiamed of being forced to fly before a Woman. Two Years after another Party of the fame Nation, much more numerous than the other, appeared in Sight of the fame Fort, whilft all the Inhabitants were abroad, and the greateft Part employed in the Fields. The Iroquois finding them thus difperfed, without any Sufpicion of an Enemy, feized them all one after another, then marched towards the Fort. The Daugh- ther of the Lord, who was at moft but fourteen Years old, waa about two hundred Paces oft" the Fort. At the firft Cry ftie heard, fhe ran to get in : The Savages purfued her, and one of them came up with her juft as {he got to the Door; but having feized her by a Handkerchief that was about her Neck, flic let it flip from her, and foeot in, and ftiut to the Gate. There was nobody in the Fort but a young Soldier and a Company of Women ; who, at the Sight of their Huft)ands whom the Savages were binding and carrying away Prifoners, fent forth molt lamentable Cries. The young L.idy loft neither her Judgment nor Courage. She began by pulling oft^ her Cap, Ihe tied up her Hair, put on a Hat and a Jacket, and locked up all the Women, whole Cries and Tears could but encourage the Enemy. Then ftie fired a Cannon and fome Mufket Shot, and ftiewing herfclf with her Soldier fometimes in one Redoubt, and fometimes in another, changing frequently their Drefs, and firing to good Purpofe whenever Ihe faw the Iroquois approach the Tallifadc, the Savages fancied there were many People in the Fort, and when the Chevalier dt Cri/kv, upon liearing the firing, «am« m 64 An Hifiorical Journal cf m r! came to fuccour the Place, the Enemy was already marched • oif. Let us now return to the Chafe. That of the Orignal would • r\r I r/z not have been lefs profitable to us at prefrnt, VJ the Uky or ^j^^^ ^j^^^ ^^ jj^^ Beaver, if our Predeceflbrs Un^nal. ^^ ^j^j^ Country had given more Attention to the Profits which might hcivc been made of it, and had not al- molt entirely deftroyed the bpecics, at leallin thofe Places which are within our Reach. What they call here the Orignal, is what in Germany y Polandy „ T\ r ■ ■ ^ and Mufco'tyy they call the Elk or Great ADefcnpuon 0/ ,^^^^^^ This Aniiiial here, is as big as a the Ungnal. j^^^.^^^ ^^ ^ j^j^j^ ^^^ ^^^^,,^^^,,. Tpj-^g hind Quarters are large, the Tail but only an Inch long, the Hams very high, the Legs and Feet like thofe of a Hart ; a lony Hair covers tiie Withers, the Neck, and the upper Part of the Ham^ : 'I'lic Head is above two Feet long, and he carries it out, which gives him an ill Look : Its Muzy,le is large, and IcfTens in the upper Part like that of a Camel, and'lts Noihils are fo large one may eafiiy thrult in half one;; Arm. Its Horns are not leis long than thofe of a Hart, and nuichwidci-; They arc flat and forked like thcfe of a Deer, and are renewed every Year ; but I know not if upon the new Growtli, the)' make an Incrcafe which de- notes the Age «)f the Animal. They fay tli.nt the Orii^nal is fubjcft to the Epilcpfy, and wh'jn ihc Fits fei/e him, ne gets over them by fcratching his Ear with his left hind Foot till he draws Blood, which has made the Hoof of this Foot be elleemed a Specific againft the falling Sicknefs. It is applied to the Heart of the Patient, and they do the fame to cure the Palpitation of the Heart: They put it alfo into the left Hand of the Perfon who is difordered, and rub his F^ar with it : But why Ihould they not draw Blood from him alfo, as the Oric^nal does ? This Hoof is alfo reckoned very good againil the Plcurify Cliolick Pains, the Flux, the Vertigo, and the Purples, by reducing it to Powder, and giving it in Water. I have been told that the Algonqulnsy who formerly made the Flefli of this Animal their common Food, were very much fubjedl to the Epilepfy, and never ufed this Remedy : Perhaps they had better. The Hair of the Orignal is a Mixture of light grey and dark red. It grows hollow as the Beall grows old, and never lofcs its elallic Power : Beat it ever (o long it fprings up again. MattreH'c;; are made of it, and Saddles. Its Flelh is well tailed, light, and nourilhing ; it would be a Pity that it ihould caufe the I^pilepfy ; but our Hunters, who have lived upon it whole Winters, never found that it had any bad Quality. Its Skin is llrong, foft and fubftantial ; it is made into Shamios, and cxceUcnr T'rai'cls in North Jmcrica, H The proper Time to hunt the Or/'g- nal. excellent BuiF, wliich is very lijrht. TheSavagci. look upon the Orignal as a Crc ituic ot' gooa Oincn, and believe th.it thore who dream frequently of it, may flatter thcmfclves with long Life : But they think quite the contrary with Regard to dream- ing of the Bear, except in the Time when they are difpofed to hunt thofe Creatures. There is alio current among thefe Bar- barians, a comical Tradition of a great Orignal, near which ail the reft appear but as Ants : They fay his Legs are fo long, that eight Feet Depth of Snow is no Hindrance to him j that his Skin is Proof againft all Sorts of Arms, and that he has a Kind of Arm which grows out of his Shoulder, which he makes Ufe of as we do of our's ; that he never fails to have after him a great Number of Orignals, who form his Court, and who render him all the Servics he requires of them. Thus the Antients had their i^iicenix, and their Pegafus : And the Chine/e and the Japane/e have their Kirin, their Foe, their Water Dragon, and their Bird of Paradifc. — Every Country has its ridiculous Notions. The Orignal loves cold Countries ; he feeds on Grafs in Sum- mer, and in Winter he gnaws the Trees. When the Snows are high, thefe Animals troop together into fome Pine-Grove, to fhel- tor themfelves under the Verdure from the bad Weather, and they continue there as long as they find Food. 'I'hen it is eafy to hunt them ; but eafier ftill, when the Sun begins to have Strength enough to melt the Snow ; for the frofty Nights making a Sort of Cruft upon the Snow melted in thf Day, the Orignal (which is an heavy Creature) breaks it with his cloven Foot, fleas his Legs, and has fome Trouble to get out of the Holes he makes. V/irhout this, and efpecially when there is but little Snow, they cannot approach him with- out Trouble, nor without Danger ; bccaufe, wnen he is wound- ed, he grows furious, turns fuddenly upon the Hunter, and tramples him under his Feet. The Way to cfcape this, is for the Hunter to throw him his Coat, upon which he difchargcs all his Fury ; whilft the Hunter, hid behind a Tree, can taKc hi:. Meafures to kill him. The Orignal always goes a great Trot, which is near equal to the Speed of the Bufialoc, and ne holds it a long Time: But yet the Savages can out-run him. They fay that he kneels down to drink, to cat, and to reft himfelf, and that there is in his Heart a little Bone, which being reduced to Powder, and taken in Broth, appeafcs the Pains of Child-birth, and facilitates Delivery. The moft Northern Nations of Canada have a Way of per- y ' yy - forming this Hunt which is very eafy, and I- rt""' ^^^"^ without Danger. The Hunters divide them- lelves into two Companies ; One embarks m K Cuuoes ; I, ' I. I ■i'i •'•il 'I' el 4'' ; <'• m mi M 66 jin Hijiorical Journal of Canoes ; and thefe Canoes keeping at fome Dillance from each other, form a large Semicircle, the two Ends of which touch the Shore : The other Company that remains on the Land, performs much the fame Operation, and encl'^fe a large Space. Then thefe Hunters let go their Dogs, and rouze all the Orignals that are in that Space ; and driving them forward, oblige them to run into the River, or the Lake. They are no fooner in the Water, than they fire upon them from all the Canoes : Every Shot takes Place, and very feldom even a fmgleOrignal efcapes. Champlain fpeaks of another Manner of hunting not only the Orignals, but alfo Harts and Caribous, which is fomething like this Way. They inclofe (fays he) a Part of a Foreft with Stakes, interwoven with Branches of Trees, and leave but one narrow Opening, where they lay Snares made of raw Skins. This Space is triangular, and from the Angle of the Entrance they draw another Triangle, much larger : So thefe two Inclofures communicate together by the two Angles : The t ,o Sides of the fecond Triangl; are alfo fhut up with Stakes, and the Hun- ters ranged upon a Line form the Bafe. Then they advance, without breaking the Line ; and drawing nearer and nearer to each other, they make a great Shouting, and ftrike upon fome- thing that makes a great Noife. The Beafls bei;:: ari\cn for- ward, and not able to efcape either to Right or Lth, and being affrighted with the Noife, know not where to fly, but into the other Inclofure ; and many, as they enter it, arc caught by the Horns or the Neck. They ftruggle greatly to get loofe, and fometimes they carry with them or break the Sna ' 5 : Sometimes alfo they ftraigle themfelves, or at leaft e'vc thv .iunttrti Time to fhoot them at their Eafe. Thofe vvhi . efcap* this, fare no better : They are in lofed in too fmall a Space to Ihun the Ar- rows which the Hunter?: 1 i .y at them from all Sides. The Orign.-'! has oth.x Eue nies than the Savaces, and which yj ,, >^ maL- :, mO lefs rough War againft him. The II0IV the Car- „ n. ^ 11 r n^ .l y--*^ • /^ • ■//C / terrible of all is the Carcajou, or Qum- ' cajou, a Sort of wild Cat ; whofe Tail is fo long, that it can twift it feveral Times round its Body : Its Hair is a reddilh brown. As foon as this Hunter can come up with an Orignal, he leaps upon him ; and fixing upon his Neck, twills its long Tail round it ; after which, it tears the Jugular Vein. The Orignal has but one Way to efcape this Misfortune ; t^at is^ to get into the Water as foon as he is feized by this dangerous Enemy. The Carcajou, who can- not bear the Water, lets go his Hold immediately. But if the Water is too far off, it has Time to kill the Orignal before he can get into it. Commonly this Hunter, whofe Smell is not the bcil, brings hrce Foxes to the Chace, and fends them out upon the cajouy cr nvil hunts the Orignal. Travels in North yimerica. 67 the Oifcovery. As foon ai they have fmelt out an Orignal, two place themfelves at his Sides, and the third behind him, and they all three make fuch a fine Manueuvre, harrafling the Bead, that thev oblige him to go where they have left the Carcajou, with which they agree afterwards about dividing the Game.— Ano- ther Stratagem of the Carcajou, is to climb up a Tree: There ly- ing along upon an extended Branch, he waits for the pafTing by of an Orignal, and leaps upon him as foon as he is within his Reach. Many People have imagined. Madam, that the Relations of Canada give the Savages more Wit and Senfe than they have. They are, neverthelefs. Men : And under what Climate ftiall we find Brutes that have an Inltin£l more ingenious than the Beaver, the Carcajou, and the Fox ? The Hart of Canadais abfolutely the fame as in France, per- Ofth H t d ^^P^ commonly a litttle larger. It does not tU r 7 '"^ ^" appear that the Savages diflurb him much ; the caribou. ^^ j^^^^ ^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^y^^ ^^ againfl him in Form, and with any Preparations. It is not the fame with Regard to the Caribou (a). This is an Animal not fo high as the Orignal, which has more of the Afs than the Mule in its Shape, and which equals the Hart in Swiftncfs. Some Years ago, one appeared upon Cape Diamondy above S^uehcc : It was, no Doubt, flying from the Hunters, but he perceived f^O'i he was not in a Place of Safety, and he made almoft but on^ Leap from thence into the River. A wild Goat of the Jlp^ cou'l not have done more : Then he fwam very fwiftly acrofs the Ri- ver ; but it was all to no Purpofe: Some Canat'ansj who were going to make War, and wiio were encamped near the Point of Levi, having difcovered him, waited for his landing, and killed him. They greatly efleem the Tongue of this Animal, which herds moll about Hudfons Bay. The ^\t\xx Jeremy ^ who has parted many Years in thefe Northern Parts, fays, that be-^'veen tl\c Danes River and Port Nelj'on, during the whole Summr gious Numbers of them ; which being driver by the Flies and Gnats^ come to refrefli ther Side ; and that for the Space of forty or fifty almoll continully with Herds of ten thoufand it appears that the Caribou has never beer bers in the moll frequented Places of Canai abounded every where when we firll difcovered the Country ; and it might have made an Article of Trade, and a great Con- venience of Life, if they bad been careful toprcferve the Breed: But this they have not done ; and, either becaufe they have (a) It differs not from the Rain-Deer, but in its Colour ; which is brown, or a little r^ddiih, K z thinned hey fee prodi- )m the Woods ves by the Ser* igues they meet . leaft. any great Num- but the Orignals %.>\ '.is' i.-m ^8 J In Hijhrical Journal of thinned the Species, by killing great Numbers, nr that by frightening them they have been driven to fome other Country, notningis mere fcarce at prefent. In the Southern and Weftern Parts of Neiv France^ on both Of h '■ / '" ^*^" ^^^ MiJ/iJ/ippif the moft famous Hunt is ^nff I "^'''"^ '"'" that of the Buftaloe, which is performed in ■if"°^' this Manner: The Hunters range themfclveb on four Lines, which form a great Square, and begin by felting Fire to the Grafs and Herbs, which are dry and very high : Then as the Fire gets forwards they advance, clofing their Lines : The Buffaloes, which arc extremely afraid of Fire, keep flying from it, and at laft find themfelves fo crouded together, that they are generally every one killed. They fay that a Party feldom returns fiom hunting without killing Fifteen Hundred or Two Thoufand. But left the different Companies fliould hinder each other, they all agree before they fet out about the Place where they intend to hunt. There are alfo fome Penalties appointed againft thofe who tranfgrefs this Rule, as well as aguinft thofe who, quitting their Port, give way to the Beafts to efcape. Thefe Penalties confift in giving a Right to every Perfon to fl:rip thofe who are guilty, and to take away even their Arms, which is the greateft Affront that can be given to a Sa- vage ; and to pull down thtir Cabins. The Chiefs are fubjecil to this Penalty, as well as the others, and if any were to endea- vour to exempt them from this Law, it would raife a Civil War amongft them, which wo !! not end foon. The Bull, or Buffaloe, of Canada is bigger than ours; his ^ . . . - , Horns are low, black, and Ihort ; he has a l^f^Pfn ojtbe ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^j. j^g.j. yj^jpj. j^jg Muzzle, and yddBull, or ISuf- ^ ^^^^^ r^^^,^ ^f j^gj^ yp^^ j^j^ j^^^j^ ^^.j^j^,^ •^^ °'' falls down upon his Eyes, and gives him a hidnas Look. Ho has a great Bump upon his Back, which begins at his Hips, and goes incrcr.fmg up to his Shoulders ; this Lump is covered with Hair, fomcthing reddifti, and an( very long ; the reft of t!ie Body is covered with black Wool, which is much valued. They fay that the Skin oi a Buffaloe has ei^ht Founds of Wool on it. 'I'his Animal has a large Cheft, the hind Parts fmall, the Tail very flioit, and one can fcarce fee any Neck it has, but its Head is bigger than that of the European Bulls. Ke runs away generally at the Sight of any PeHbn, and one Dog is enough to make a whole Hera take to a full Gallop. The Buffdoe has a good Smell, and to approach him without being perceived near enough to flioot him, you muft go with the Wjnd. When he is wounded he ':> furious, .ind turns upon the Huntei >. He is as furious when the Cows have newly waived. His Flcfh is good, brt they feldom eat any but that of % the Bull. It Travels m North J merle a. 69 ij\c Cows, becaufe the Buiraloes are too tough. As for his Skin, there are none betur ; it is eafily drefled, and tho' very llrong, it becomes fupple, like the beil Shamois. The Savages make Shields of it, which are very light, and which a Mulket Ball will not eafily pierce. TJiey find about Hudjon's B.iv another Bull, whofe Skin and Of ft' M Ih ^^^^ ^''^ t*^* Tame with thofe I have already jj '^ defcribed. This is wliat M. Jenmy fays of it : " Fifteen Leagues from the D^«t'j River, is the River of SecL, fo called becaufe there are many in this Place. Between thtfe two Rivers there is a Kind of Bulls which we call the Mufi Bulls ; becaufe they have fo llrong a Smell of Mufk, that .It fomc certain Times there is no iuch Thing as eating their Flcfli. Thefe Ariimals have a very fine Wool, and it is longer than that of the Barhary Sheep. I brought fome to France in 1708, of which 1 had fome Stockings made, which were finer than tliofe made of Silk. Thefe Bulls, though they are fmaller than our's, have Horns much thicker and longer : Their Roots join on the Crown of the Head, and dcfcend by the Side of the Eyes almoll as low as the Throat ; afterwards the End rifes up, and forms a Kind of Crefcent. There are fome fo large, that 1 have fecn of them, which be- ing feparated from the Skull, weighed both together fixty Pounds : ' Their Legs are very ihort, fo that their Wool drags upon the Ground when they walk ; which makes them fo deformed, that ic is difficult at a little Dillancc to know which Way the Head ftands. There are not many of thefe Animals ; fo that the Savages would foon dellroy them, if they were to hunt them. Moreover, as their Legs are very fhort, when there is much Snow they kill them with Lances, as they are not able then to make any Speed."' The moft common Quadrupede at this Time in Canada, is the Roe-Buck, which differs in nothing from our*s. it is faid that it Ihcds Tears when it is run down by the Hunters. Vv'hilil it is young its Hair is ftriped with many Colours length wife : Afterwards this Hair falls ofi^, and another grows up of the Colour of the common Roe-Buck. This Creainre is not fierce, and is eafily tamed, and feems naturally to have an Affedtion for Man. The Female that is ulisd to the Houfe, retires into the Woods in rut- ting Time, and as foon as it has coupled with the Male, returns again to the lloufc of her Mailer. When her Time is come to bring forth, fhe returns into thr Woods, and remains there fome Days with her Young ; then (he returns again to her Mailer; but continues t© vifit her Young very afliduoufly : When they think proper, they follow her and lake her Young, and Ihe brings << «( 0/ BucL the Roe' i\ •; « "'.ir'^l M 11 I'l 1 '■ Lfi '1 i^ III ^;^ Ml- If II i iti ; 1 i ii 0/ //j." and Foxes. 70 y^;/ lliftorical Journal of br'ngs them up in the Houfe. It is fomething ftrange that all our Habitations have not whole Herds of them. The Savages hunt them but feldom. There are alfc in the Woods of Canada many Wolves, or ra- iwri, thcr wild Cats, for they only rcfemble the Wolves in a Kind of Howling : In every Thing elfe, fays Mr. Sarrafttit they are rx gintre fclino (of the Cat Kind.) 'I'hcy are true Hunters, which live only on the Animals they catch, and which they purfue to the Tops of the higheft Trees. Their Fiefh is white and good to eat. Their Skins arc well known in France ; it is one of the fineft Furh of this Country, and one of the greatcil Articles of its Trade. There are a Sort of black Fovos in the northern Mountains, whofe Skins are much valued, but they are very fcarce. There are fome tiiat are more common, the Hair of which is black or grey, and others of a tawny red. They find fome going up the Mijjtjjippi that arc very beautiful, the Fur of which is of a Silver Colour. We alfo meet with here Tygers, and Wolves of a fmalicr Kind than our's. The Foxes here catch Water- Fowl in a very ingenious Manner. They go a little Way into the Water, and come out again, and make a thoufand Capers upon the Bank of the River. The Ducks, the Buftards, and the like Birds who are pleafed with this Sport, approach the Fox : "When he fees them within his Reach, he keeps himfelf very quiet at firft, not to fcarf them ; he only wags his Tail to draw them nearer, and the filly Birds give into the Snare fo far as to pick his Till. I'hen the Fox leaps upon them, and feldom mifles his Aim. Some Dors have been broke to this Way with Succefs, and thcfc Dogs make a iharp War with the Foxes. Here is a Kind Pole-Cat, which they call Enfant de Diable or f)F tl r II ^^'^ Fitaiite (the Child of the Devil, or ftink- _ ••' "* "* ing Beail) becaufe when it is purfued. it "'"0'' makes a Ui ine which IHnks the Air for half a Mile round. It is in other Refpeds, a very pretty Animal. It is about as high as a fmall Cat, but bigger round, has bright Hair inclining to grey, with two white Lines, which form on the Back an oval Figure from its Head to the Tail. Its Tail is biilhy like a Fox's, and it carries it like a Squirrel. Its Fur is like that of the Pekans, another Kind of wild Cat, about the fame Bignefs of our's. Otters Skins, common Foie-Cat's, the P//0/J or Stote, the Field Rat's, the Ermine's, and the Marten's, are what we call the fmall Peltry. The Ermine is about the Size of our Squirrel, but fomething longer; its Hair is a fine white, and it has a very long Tail, the End of which is as black ^% jet. The Martens in Canada ure not fo red as thofe of France 1 I Hi travels in Xor:h America. 7 1 Prancct and have a finer Fur. They keep j;epci.!lly In the midft of the Woods, out oi* which they never coine hut once in two or three Years ; but they always come out in great Troops. The Savages btlievc that the Year when they fee them come out, will be good for Hunting ; that is to Jay ^ that there will be a deep Snow. The Martens Skins are aftually fold here at a Crown a-piccc, I mean the common ones, for thofe that are brown fetch up to twenty-four Livres, and more. The Pitoi or Stotc differs no- thing from the Pole-Cat, but in that the Fur \\ blacker, longer, and thicker. Thefe two Animali make War with the Birds, even with thclargcft, and make great Ravages in Hen-Roolls and Dove-Houfes. The Field R.t is twice as big as ours, and has an hairy Tail, and its Fur is of a very fine Silver J^rey. There are fome which are entirely white, and a very beautiful White. The Female has a Purfe undt i the Belly, which opens and (huts when (he will. She puts her young ones in it when (lie is purfued, and faves them with hcrfelf. As to the Squirrels, they give them very little Difturbance here, fo that there are a prodigious Number in this Country. They diftinguifh them into three Sorts; the red, which does not differ from ours, the ^ou//}, which are a little fmaller, and are fo called becaufc their Fur is Ariped lengthwife with red, black, and white, much like the 5w//i of the Pope's Guard ; and the flying Squirrels, of much the fame Size as the Jiv/y;, wliofe Fur is a dark grey. They call them flying, not becaufe they really fly, but oecaufe they leap from one Tree to another, the Dirtance of forty Paces at leaft. When they leap from a high Place to a h)wer, they leap twice as far. What enables them to make fuch Leaps, are two Skins which they have on their Sides, between the fore and hind Feet, and which ftretch to the Breadth of two Inches. They are \txy thin, and only covered with Down. This little Animal foon grows familiar ; it is very lively when it does not fleep ; but it often flceps in any Place it can creep into, as a Pocket, Sleeve, or Mufl'. It foon grows fond of its Maflcr, and will find him out amongft twenty Perfons. The Porcupine o.i Canada is as thick as a middling Dog, but fhorter, and not fo high ; its Quills are about four Inches long, about the Thickncls of a fmal] Straw, white, hollow, and very ftrong, particularly on the Back. Thefe are its Arms, both ofFenfive and defenfive. It darts them direftly at thofe who attempt its Life, and if it enters ever fo little in the Flefn, it muft be drawn out inllantly, or elfc it fmks in entirely. Its for this Reafon, that they are very careful to hinder their Dogs from approaching thefe Animals. Their Flefh is good eating. A roaitcd Porcupine, is as good as a fucking Pig. The F^res and Rabbits here are like thofe of Europit excepting that their hind Legs are loa^^cr. Their Skins - are i 7» An HiJUjTkal Joi'rnal cf are of no great Ufc, bccaure they IheJ their Fur continually; which is a Pity, for their Fur is very fine, and would do no Da- mage in the Hat Manufafture. In Winter thcfe Animals turn grey, and feldom come out of their Holes, where they live upon the fnialleft Branches of the Birch Tree. In Summer, their Fur is of a yello^ifti red. The Foxes make a Hiarp War with them in all Seafons, and the Savages take tliem in Winter in Gins, when they gc out to feek for Food. / am, SiC. L E T T E R VII. /f Dejcrlptiontf the Country hetavcen Lake St. Pierre, and Mont- real : In av bat it differs /row Quebec. J Dejc'riptiofi of the IJland and 7c z<;« o^ Montreal, and its Etfuirons. Of the Fijkery far Seals ^ the Sea Coav, Porpoife, and IVhaL'. Madam, Montreal, iV/«/-f^ 20. Of th 1(1 d T ^^P^^'s^ ^^6 '3*^* from St. Franfois, and .jA uy^,' ' X the next Day I arrived in this Town. J ^ ' had not in paffinghere, which is about twenty Leagues, the Pleafure I had formerly in coming this fame Route in a Canoe, in the fineft Weather in the World, to fee open be- fore me by Degrees as I advanced, Canals that reached out of Sight, between a prodigious Number of Idands, which at a Di- flance feemed to make one Land with the Continent, and Itop the River in its Courfe, thofe pleafing Views, which ciianeed every Moment like the Decorations of a Theatre, and which one would think were contrived on Purpofe to recreate a Travel- ler : But I had fome Recompence in the Singularity of the Sight of an Archipelngo, that wa.'' become in fome Manner a Con- tinent ; and by the Convenience of travelling in a Sledge, or Kind of Calalh, upon Canals between IHands, which appeared as if they had been plac'd by a Line like Orange Trees. As for the Profped, it is not fine in this Seafon. Nothing it ^.». . more melancholy than that White which co- Utjjerenu be- ^^^^ ^ Thing, and which takes the Place To ebec "7 ""^ '^^^ beautiful Variety of Colours which is "■J, ^.«* ' ^ 1 the greatelt Ornament of the Country : than //&<»/ 0/ Montreal, n^ ^ 1 • . 1 . j • *». o 1 J 1 rees, which appear planted m the Snow, and Sight only hoary Heads, and Branches —In other RefpeAs, Madam, the Lake the River Lvin is io France. On the Side; which prefent to our loaded with Ificles.— of St. Pitrrt is here what Travels in North America. n Side of i^iehic the I-inds are j»ood ; but in general you fee no- thing that can recreate the Sight. Moreover, the Climate is very fevere ; for the more we go down the River, and the more we advance towards the North, of Confequence the Cold is more pierciii";. i^irhec is in 47. 56. Latitude. Trois Riviera \s in 46. and fome Minutes : And Montreal between 44. and 45. The River »9/. Laurence^ above the Lalce of St. Pierre, making an Fl- bow to the South. It feems therefore, whi'n wc arc pall the IJJan<{s ff Richliru, as if we were tranfported all at once into another Climate. 'I'he Air is fofter, the Li'.nd more level, the River fitu r ; and its Hanks have a Je ne fcai quoi, more pleafing. We meet from Time to Time with Iflands, fome of which are inhabited ; the others, in their natural State, offer to the Sight the finell Lan^ifcapes in the World. In a Word, it is 7o«r<7///« and tc I.imavne of ,-} uvergtte , compared with Maine and Normandy, The Ifle of Mouirealy which is as it were the Centre of this n /■ •..• ^ fine Country, is ten Leagues long from Eaft Dfkrtption of ,ti- ,1 ' 1 r t ** • • , jll f yi to Welt, and near four Leagues over in its t -il ' " greatcll Breadth. The Mountain from which it takes its Name, and which has two Meads of unequal Height, is almoft in the Midll of the Length of the Ifland, but it is but half a League from the South Coall, upon which the Town is built. This Town was called k'itle-Mariet by its i^^oundcrs ; but this Name hith never been brought into common Ufe : It is only mentioned in public Writings, and amongll the Lords, who are very tenacious of it. Thcfe Lords, who have the Domain not only of the Town, but •ilfo of the whole Ifland, are Miflionaries of the Seminary of St. Siilpice : And as all the Lands here arc very good, and well culti- vated ; and as the Town is as well peopled as ^chrc, we may .ntRrm that thi;, Lordfliip is worth half a Dozen of the bell in Canada. This is the Fruit of the Labour and good Condut^ of the Lords of this Ifland ; and certainly twenty private Perfons, amongft whom this might have been divided, would not have fnit it in rhc State we now fee it, nor have made the People fo lappy. The Town of Montn-nl has a very chcarful Afpcil : It is well fituatcd, open, and well built. The Agreeablcnefs of its Environs, and its Profpefls, infpircs a certain Gaity, of which every one feels the Effeft. It is not fortified : A fingle Pallifade, which is but poorly kept up, is all its Defence ; with a bad Re- doubt upon a little Eminence, which fcrves for a Bulwark, and which terminates with a gentle Slope at a little Square. This is what wc meet with at firll, in coming from ^cbec. It is not for^y Years ago, fince the Town was quite open, and expofed to be burnt by the Sav.iges or the £w, ';^\ It was the Chevalier de Calluniy Brother of tlie Plenipottiniary of R:j\:% > IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 11.25 U^IZB 12.5 jig ^^ Mb ■^ lU 12.2 mm 1^ m V '/ /4 Photographic Sciences Corporation ^\ ,v 4 o 1> 23 WIST MAIN STRHT WnSTH.N.Y. MSM (7i«.' •73-4903 o ! B 'j4 -^fi Hifiorical Journal of clofed it whilft he was Governor. They have talked fome YeaVi of furroundine it with Walls (a) ; but it jurill not be cafy to en- gage the Inhabitants to contribute towards it : They are brave^ and not rich ; a ad are hard to be perfuaded of the Neceffity of this Expence, being fully convinced that their Valour is more th$Mr funicient to defend the Town againft any Enemy that fliould ^are to attack it. Our Canadians^ on this Article, have all a pretty good Opinion of themfelves, and we muft allow it is not ill founded ; but in Cohfequerce of the Confidence which this j^ves them, it is not fo difHcult to fnrprize them, as to conquer them. Montreal is a long Square, fituated On the Bank of the River j which rifing infenfibfy, divides the Town in its Length into High and Low ; but the Afcent from one to tne other isfcarcely perceiveable. The Hotel Dicu^ and the King's Magazines, are in the Lower Town, and alrooft all the Traders live there. The Semi..ary and the Parilh Church, the Rscollets, the Je/uits, the Maids of the Congregation, the Gcirernor, and.greateft Part of the Officers, are in the Higher Town. Beyond a little Rivulet, which comes from the North V/eft, and bounds the Town on that Side, there are fome Houfes and the Hofpital General ; and foing to the Rights beyond the Recollets, whofe Convent is at the Ind of the Town, on the fame Side, there begins to be formed a Kind of Suburb, which in Time will make a very fine Quarter. The Je/uits here have but a very Kttlc Houfe ; but their Church, which is juft fini(hed, is large and well buiic. The Convent of the Retclleti is much larger, and the Society more numerous. The Seminary is hi the Centre of the Town: It appears that they ftudied mof'e to mak/, tht i Part of Rivulet, own on al ; and I is at the Formf d a feartjr. )ut their it. The Ety more >wn : It tvenient, jords of hich has ' ^dec. Dignity is here igh one fo nu- Novici- to Nenv its Rife of this firft of They They are poor, yet their Poverty does not appear in thei'' Hall ; which is large, and well fumimed with Beds and othe^ Furniture ; nor in their Church; which is fine and well adornM • nor in their Hou&, which is well built, neat and convenient : But they have but a poor Maintenance, though they are all inde- fatigable employed in the Inlhrudtion of Youth, and in the Care of the Sick. The Hofpital General owes its Foundation to a private Per« fon, named Charront who afTociated himfelf with many pious Perfons, not only for this good Work, but alfo to furnifli the Country Pariihes with School-Mailers, who ihould inftru£t the Boys, as the Sifters of the Congregation do the Girls : But the Society was foon diflblved : Some left it for other Affairs, and fome through Ficklenefs ; fo that the Sieur Charron was left alone. However, he was not difcouraged ; he emptied his own Purfe, and found Means to open thofe of fome powerful Perfons : He built a Houfe, and procured a Number of School- Mafters, and Perfons to attend the Hofpital. The Public took a Pleafure to affift and give Authority to a Man who fpared nei- ther his own Subftance, nor his Pains, and whom nothing could .difcourage. In fhort, before his Death^ which happened in 1^19, h^ had the Comfort to fee his Proje^ out of all Danger of failing, at lead with Re^edl to the Hofpital General. The Houfe is fine, and the Church very pretty. The School- Mafters are not yet well eftablifhed in the Parilhes } and the Prder they have received from Court, forbidding then^ to wear an uniform Habit, or to engage themfelves by Vows, may hin- ^ ^er their Eftablifhment. Between the liland of Montreal and the Continent on the Of the Id d f ^^^^ ^i^tt there is another Ifland about Tefus and the K~ ^^^^ Lej^ues long, and two Leagues over : *ver des Prairies'" ^' ^^^ ^"^^ named the Ifland of Montmagny, VoftheMeadowsS ^^^"^ '^® Name of a Governor Geneial of ' Canada : It was afterwards granted to the Jefuits, who called it the Ifland of Je/us j and it has preferved thisJaft Name, though it has pafled from the Hands of the Je* fuits to Meflieurs of the Seminary of ^ehec, who have begun to place fome Inhabitants her^ ; and as the Lands are good, there is Room to hope th^t the whole Ifland will foon be cleared. The Channel which feparates the two Iflands, is called the Ri- TheFallo/thi y"u'*i/ir'J^ ^^'/'^T^ ^""T^n *'/""' Recollets m the Midft of fine Meadows. Its Courfe is impeded towards the Middle by a Torrent which they call the Recol'et's Fall, in Memory of one of that Or- der, who was drowned here. The Ecclcfiailics of the Seminary mil Jin iU ."3 1^ , '6 An Hijlortcal Journal of ^1 of Montreal^ for a long Time, had a Miflion of Savages near this Place, which they have fince removed to another Part. The third Arm of the River is ftrewed as it were with fuch a f^f , jj, . prodigious Number of Iflands, that there is %• tS r'"i almol as much Land as Water. This Chan- rom of Montreal, ^^j -^ ^^jj^^ Milles-iJIes, or River of St. Jean, {thou/and IJlandsy or St. John's River.) At the Head of the Ifland Je/usy is the little Ifland Bizarciy (6 called from the Name of a Sivi/s Officer, to whom it belonged, anc* who died a Major at Montreal. A little higher towards the South, is the Ifland Perrot ; thus called by Mr. Perrott who was the firft Governor of Montreal, and the Father of Madam the Countefs . .^' - . . • - ^ The ■ N ' near this tith fuch a at there is (his Chan- Sf' Jean^ ad of the Ithe Name Id a Major The Ifland pvernor of la Roche- fs Ifland is and they Lake des Perrot fa- ith of the into the ' as wide. Fad no- nee. Till ^^eft; but :her, and its Envi- • Villages Chambly. It of the ith Side, ry popu- : Barriers . It has Leagues, fain ft the is now a it now ; he Mif. ngs m jaurencBy !, which eopled, B( unds ich be- The Diforders occa- Jtonedby the Brandy Trade in the/e tnuo Villages. ^r axels in North America, 77 The fecond Village is called de la Montagne^ (of the Mountain) ^ . , T . becaufe it was a long Time on the Mountain }^f*Z ^'■oquo^s which gave the Name to the Ifland. It has */ '^^ '^''««'«'«- fince been removed to the RecclUes Fall, as I faid before. It is now on the Continent, over-againft the Weft End of the Ifland. It is governed by the EcclefiaiHcs of the Se- minary of Montreal. Thefe two Villages have produced many brave Men, and their Fervour in Religion was admirable before the Avarice of our Traders had introduced Drunkennefs, which has made ftill greater Ruin here than in the Miflions of St. Fran^ fois and Beckancourt. The MiiTionaries have in vain employed all their Induftry and Vigilance to put a Stop to this Diforder. It was to no Purpofe that they called in the Aid of the Magiftrates, threatened the Wrath of Heaven, and offered the moft per- fuafive Reafons : All fignificd nothing. Even the moft fatal Accidents, in which the Hand of GOD evidently appeared heavy on the Authors of this Evil, have not been fufii- cient to open the Eyes of feme ChriJIiansy whom a Thirft af- ter fordid Gain hath blinded. One lees even in the Squares and Streets of Montreal, the moft frightful Speftacles, the certain Confequences of the Drunkennefs of thefe Barbarians : Huf- bands and Wives, Fathers, Mothers and their Children ; Brothers and Sifters, taking each other by the Throat, tearing off each other's Eprs, and biting one another like furious Wolves. The Air refounds in the Night with Howlings, more horrible than thofe which the wild Beafts make in the Woods. Thofe who have moft to reproach themfelves with for thefe horrible Diforders, are the firft to afk, I'f thefe People are Chrif- tians ? We may anfwer them. Yes, they are ChriJIiansy and new Converts, who know not what they do : But thofe who cooly, and knowing the certain Effeft, bring them by their Avarice to this Condition, have they any Religion ? They know that the Savages would give all they have for a Glafs of Brandy ; This is a Temptation to the Traders ; againft which, neither the Cries of the Paftors, nor the Zeal and Authority of the Magiftrates, nor Refpedl of the Laws, nor the Severity of the Sovereign Ju- rifdidlion nor the Fear of GOD's Judgments, nor the Thoughts of Hell, (a Reprefentation of which is feen in the Drunkennefs of thefe Savages) have been able to reftrain them.— —But let us turn away our Eyes from thefe difagreeable Objefts. The great Trade for Skins, after the Town of Trois Rifecies t>/ Seals, the others. There are fome that only friflc about in the Water : Our Sailors call them Brajfeursy (Brewers.) They have given the Name of Nau to another Sort ; for which I can give no Reafon, nor know the Meaning of the Word. Ano- ther Sort they call Grojfes Tetes^ (Great Heads.) There are fome fmall ones that are very lively and Ikilful in cutting the Nets they ^e taken in : They are o( a Tyger Colour ; they are full of Play and Spirit, and as pretty as Creatures of this Shape can be. The Savages learn thefe to follow them like little Dog^, and eat them notwithftanding. M. Denys fpeaks of two, Sorts of Seals that are found upon the Coafts of Acadia. One Sort (fays he) are fo big;, that their Voung are larger than our largeu Porkers. He adds, that foo« - ..^ after t I 80 ... An Hijhrical Journal of after they are brought forth, the old ones carry them to the Wa- ter, and from Time to Time bring them afhore again to fuck : That the Time of fucking them is the Month of February ; when the young ones, which they aim chiefly to catch, go fcarce any more into the Water : That at the firft Noife the old ones fly, making a great Noife to give Notice to the young ones to follow them ; which they never fail to do, if the Fifliermen do not make Hafle to give them a Blow on the Nofe with a Stick, which is enough to kill them.-— The Number of thefe Animals muHbe very great upon thefe Coafts, if it true, as the fame Au- thor affirms, that in one Day they take fometimes eight hundred of the young ones. The fecond Species of thefe Seals, which M. Dotys fpeaks of, is very fmall, and has little more Oil but what it has in its Blad- der, Thefe lafl never go far from the Shore, and there is always one that (lands Centinel : At the firil Signal he gives, they all throw themfelves into the Sea : After fome Time they approach the Land, and raife themfelves upon their hind Feet to fee if there is nothing to fear : But in Spite of all their Precautions, they furprize a great Number of them on Shore, and it is almoil impoffible to take them any other Way. It is agreed, that the Flefti of the Seal is not bad to eat, but /;/ - ; IP/ -7; it is more profitable to make Oil of it: and Ski of th '^^** " "°^ difficult. They melt the Fat on an m Of e ^^^ ^\re^ and it diflblves) into an Oil. Some- times they only put the Fat of a great many Seals on Square Planks ; and leave it to diflblve of itfelf, a Hole being made at the Bottom, for the Oil to run through. This Oil whilft it is new is very good for Kitchen Ufes ; but that of the young Seals foon grows rank, and the otner dries too much, upon keeping any time : They then ufe it to burn, or to drefs Skins with. It keeps clear a long Time, has no Smell, and leaves no Lee, nor any Kind of Foulnefs at the Bottom of the Veflel. At the firft fettling the Colony, they ufed a great Quantity of Seal Skins to make MulFs ; but that is now out of Falhion; and their chief Ufe now is to cover Trunks, ^c. When they are tanned they have almoft the fame Grain as Morocco Lea- ther : They are not fo fine, but they are ftronger, and wear better. They make of them very good Shoes, and Boots ; which will not take Water. They are alfo ufed to cover Seats of Chairs, the Frames of which are fooner worn out than the Co- vers. They tan thefe Skins here with the Bark of the Spruce Fir, and in the TinAure, they ufe to dye them black, they mix a Powder, drawn from certain Stones they find upon the Banks of the Rivers ; which are called Thunder StoneSf or Mircafitcs. The "li Travels in North America. Si The Seals couple upon the Rocks, and fometimes upon the rt D *• ! Ice, where alfo the Females bring forth their ^r/frj-' Young. They have commonly two. and Titles cj theje Am^ ^^^^ ^^j^j^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ j^ ^j^^ VizHtX, *** ^* but oftener upon the Land. When they would accuftom them to fwim, they carry them, as they fay, on their Backs in the Water, and let them off from Time to Time into the Water, then take them again, and continue this Prafiice till the young ones can fwim alone. If this Fa£l is true, this is a flrange Fiih, \yhich Nature has not taught what the greateil part of Land Animals are capable of almolt as foon as they come into '^he World. The Seal has its Senfes very quick, and this is its foie Defence ; but this does not hinder them from being often furprized, as I have before remarked ; but the moft com- mon Method of fifhing for them is this : The Cuftom of this Animal, when it is in the Water, is to come with the Tide into the Creeks. When they have difcovered the Creeks, where a great Number come, they fhut them up with Stakes and Nets ; they only leave a fmall Space open by which the Seals enter. When the Tide is up, they flop this Opening, fo that after the Tide is out, thefe Fifh remain on the Shore, and they have only the Trouble to knock them on the Head. They follow them alfo in a Canoe, in Places where there is Plenty of them, and when they put their Heads out of the Water to breathe, they fhoot them. If they are only wounded, they eafily take them ; but if they are (hot dead, they fink direftly to the Bottom, like as the Beavers do. But they have great Dogs, which are train'd to fetch them- up at the Depth of feven or eight Fathom, Our Fifhermen take but few Sea-Cov/s on the Coafts of the Gulph of ^t. Laurence ; I know not whether they have taken any in other Places. The Englijh formerly eftabliftjed a Fifliery for them at the Ifle of Sable ; but they made no great Advantage of it. The Shape of this Animal is not very different from the Seals. What is peculiar to it, are two Teeth, of the Bignefs and Length of a Man's Arm, a little bent back at Top, and which appear at a Diflance like Horns; this is probably the Rea- fon they are called Sea-Cows. Our Sailors Call them more plainly la beet a la grande denty (the great toothed Bead) thefe Teeth are of very fine Ivory, aswell as all thofe which are in the Jaw of this Fiih, and which are four Inches long. There are in the River Zt. Laurence Porpoifes of two Colours : In the Salt Water ; that is to /ay, till a little below the Ifle of Orleans^ they do not differ from thofe found in the Sea : In the frefh Water they ere all white, and as J)ig as a Cow. The firft go generally m Companies, I have have not cK^rved the fame of the M others. Porpoifes offwo Colours* fe lt Siifu. M jfn Hiftorical yournal of others, though I have feen manv of them playing in the Port of ^ebec. They feldom go higne*" than tnis City, but there are many on the Coafls of Acadiay is well as of the firll Kind ; fothat the Difference of their Colour does not proceed from the Difference of the fait and frefli Water. The white Porpoifes yield a Hogfliead of Oil, and this Oil is little different from that of the Seals : I never faw an\' Perfon who had eaten the Flefh of this Animal ; but as to the Black Porpoife, they fay, that they are not bad eating: They make Puddings and Chitterlings of their Entrails, the Harfletis excellent in Fricaffee, and the Head better than that of a Sheep, but not foeood as a Calf's. The Skins of both Sorts are tan'd like Mcrocco Leather. At Vr f th ' ^^^ *' " ^^^^ ^^^ ^^** ^"^ *^ ^" ■'^"^^ thick, je oj. btir ^j^gy fcrape it a long Time, and it becomes like a transparent Leather ; and how thin foeverit is, even fo as to be ht for Waiftcoats and Breeches, it is always very ftrong and Proof agaiiill a Mufket Ball. There are fome eighteen Feet long, and nine wide ; they fay that there is nothing better to cover the Tops of Coaches. They have lately eflaolifhed two Fifheries below ^ebec for Porpoifes, one in the Bay of St. PauU and the other feven or eight Leagues lower, over-againft a Habitation called Camourafcat from the Name of certain Rocks that rife confiderably above the Water. The Ex- pences are not great ; and the Profits would be confiderable, if the Porpoifes were Animals fettled in a Place : But either through Inflindt, or Caprice, they often break the Meafures of the Fifhermen, and take another Route than that where they wait for them. Moreover, thefe Fifheries, which would only en- rich fome few Perfons, have occafioned an Inconvenience which made the common People complain ; which is, that they have greatly diminifhed the Eel Fifhery, which is a great Help to the poor Inhabitants. For the Porpoifes, finding themfelves dif- turbed below ^ebec, are retired to fome other Place ; and the Eels, finding no longer thefe great Fifh in their Way, which obliged them to return back, go down the River without any Hindrance ; whence it happens, that between ^ebec and Trots RiviereSf where they took a prodigious Number every Year, they now fcarce take any . The Way of fiihing for Porpoifes is much the fame 2s that I have been mentioning for Seals. When the Tide is out, they fet Stakes in the Mud, or Sand, pretty near one another, and they faften Nets to them in the Shape of Fuhnels, the Opening of which is pretty large, and made in fuch a Manner, that when once the Fifh has entered, he can't find his Way out again. They take Care to put upon the Tops of the Stakes Branches of Greens. When iht Tide rifes, thefe Fifh giving Chace to Her* t^y ■ i/* •'♦ *- T Travels in North America, 83 Herrings, which always run to the Sides, and being allured by the Greens which they greatly love, are enraged in the Nets, and find themfelves (hut u^ As the Tide finlcs, it is pleafant to fee their Trouble, and their fruitlefs Attempts to efcape: At laft they remain on dry Land, and often one upon another in fuch great Numbers, that one Blow with a Stick kills two or three of them. They fay that there h:fve been found fome among the white Sort, which weighed thr&e thoufand Pounds. Every one knows the Nature of the Whale Fifliery, therefore r\r*L UTL I I fhall fay nothing of it. It is faia here, that ' ^-^'^' ^'"'^'^ the Bi/caynirs, who carried it on formerly in the River St. Laurence^ difcontinued it only to apply themfelves entirely to|the Fur-Trade, which required not fomucn Expence or Labour, and the Profits ot which were then more confidcrable, and of a quicker Return. On the other Hand, they had not all the Conveniencies for this Filhery, which may be had at prefent, now there are Habitations very near the Gulf. Some Years ago they tried to re-eftablifli it, but without Succefs : The Undertakers either had not a fufficient Fund to make the neceflary Advances, or expefted their Charges to be reimbnrfed fooner than the Thing would allow, or elfe they wanted Perffeverance. It appears nevcr- thelefs certain, that this Fifhery might be a great Ariicle in the Trade of this Colony (a)t and might be carried on with lefs Expence and Danger than on the Coaft- of Greenland -, and what Ihould hinder to fix it here, as M. Denys propofed to do that of the Cod-Fifliery in Acadia. — — This is. Madam, all that con- cerns the Fifheries, that may enrich Canada, I amy Sec, ll i i"'^ LETTER VIII. 0/the Fort of Chambly : Of the Fijh% of the Birds : And tffomt Animals y peculiar to Canada. Of the Trees 'which are the fame luith thofe ofi'KANCE ; and of thofe lobich are peculiar to this Country. Ma dam, Chambly, March I. ON E of t]\c chief Defences of Montreal againft the Iroquois and Neiv Torky is Fort Chambly : It is from this Fort I have the Honour to write to you. I came hither to pay a Vifit (a) It is to be hoped that we fhall now eftablifh a Whale Fifliery in thefe Parts } as there fe.ms great Probability that a vaft A4vanta§e may be reaped from it. M 3f to ^3 ■ 84 An Hiflortcal Journal of to the Commandant, who is M. lie Snhre'vois, of one of the bcil Families of Benucey my Friend, my Companion in the Voyage, and a good Officer. 1 (hall defcribe this important Fort, and the Situation of ii, in a few Words. In the firft Years of our Settlement in this Country, the Iro' euois, to make their Incurfions into the verv Centre of our Ha- DJtations, came down a River which difcharges itfelf into the River St. Laurencet a little above Lake St. Pierre^ and which for this Reafon, was called firft the Iroquois River. It has been fince called the River of Rkhelieut from a Fort which bore this Name, and which was built at its Mouth. This Fort beine in a ruinous Condition, M. ^e Sorely Captain in Can'pnan-Sa/ieresRcgi- men t, built another, which he called by his own Name. This Name communicated itfelf to the River, and it is ftill called fo, tho' the Fort has not been ftanding for a long Time. When we Iiave gone up the River about leventeen liCagues, going always towards the South, but a little to the South Weft, we find a Torrent or Water- fall, and overagainft it a Kind of little Lake, formed by the River itfelf. It is by the Side of the Water-fall, and overagainft the Lake, that the Fort is fituated. It was firft built of Wood, by M. t/e Chamblyt at the fame Time thnt M. tie Sorel built his Fort, but it has been fmce built of Stone, and flanked with four Baftions, and there is always a pretty good Garrifon kept in it. The Lands round it are very good, and they begin to eftablifti fome Habitations here, and many People think that in Time, they will build a Town in this Place. From Chambly to Lake Champlairit it is but eight Leagues. The River Sorel croflfes the Lake ; and there is perhaps nc Part of AV*v France which is more fit to be peopled. The Climate is milder than any other Part of the Colony, and the Inhabitants will have the Iroquois for Neighbours, who at the Bottom are a good Sort of People, who will not feek to quarrel with us, when they fee us in a Condition not to be afraid of them, and who will find their Account I believe ftill better from this Neighbourhood, than from that of NeiM Tork. Many other Reafons ought to engage us in this Settlement, but if I fhould write all, I (hould have nothing to fay when I have the Honour to fee you again. I ftiall take Advantage of the Leifure Hours I have here, to continue to entertain you with the Par- ticularities of this Country. I have already given an Account of what the Gulf and the River of St\ Laurence may fupply for the Trade of NevJ France ; it remains for me to fpeak of the Refources which the Inhabitants may find here for the Support of Life. ^ Y Whcreyey !!» travels in North America 85 Fijh ivhicb ar» taktn in the Gulj and lU'ver 0/* St. Laurence. Wherever the Water of the River is fait, that is tofay^ from Cape Tortmnt to the Gulf, one may take al- '■«> all Fifti that live in the Sea, as Sal- n on. Tunny, Shad, Trout, Lamprey, Smelts, Concer Eels, Mackerel, Seals, Herrings, An- chovies, Pilchards, Turbots, and many o- thers that are not known in Europe. They are all taken with a Sein, or other Nets. In the Gulf they take Hallibuts, three Sorts of Thornbacks, the common, the curled Sort, which they fay is better than in France^ and another Sort that is*^not efteem- ed; LentornttSt a Kind of Cuttle Fifli, St. Pcter*^ Fifli, Requiems, 5ca Dogs, a Kind of Reauiems much lefs mifchievous whilil alive, and beyond Comparilon better when dead, than the com- mon Sort. Oyfters are very plenty in Winter on the Coalls of Jacida, and the Manner of fiming for them is fcmething fmgu- Jar. They make a Hole in the Ice, and they thruft in two Poles together in fuch a Manner, that they have the EfFed of a Pair ofPinchers, and they feldom draw them up without an Oyller. The Lencornet is, as I have faid, a Kind of Cuttle Filh, but how- ever, it is very different from the common Cuttle Fifti. It is quite round, or rather oval ; at the End of its Tail is a Sort of Ledge, which makes him a Kind of Shield, and his Head is furrounded with Barbs half a Foot long, which he makes Ufe of to catch other Fifli. There are two Kinds, which differ only in Bignefs ; the fmaller Sort is about a Foot long. They take few but of the laftSort, and thofe by the Light of a Flambeau : They love the Light much, they fhew it them on the Shore when the Tide is at Height, but juft upon burning, they approach it, and fo arc left aground. The Lencornet roafted, boilea, or fricaffeed, is very good eating, but makes the Sauce quite black. The St. Peter*& Fifh is like a fmall Cod, has the fame Tafte, ' and is dried alfo like that. It has two black Spots on the Sides of its Head, and the Sai- lors fay, this is the Filh in which St. Peter found the Piece of Money to pay the Tri- bute to the Roman Emperor, for our Lord and himfelf ; and that its two Spots are the two Places by which he took hold of it: For this Reafon they call it St. Peter^s FilL The Sea Plaice is firmer and better than the River Plaice. They catch them as well as Lobfters with long Sticks armed with a fharp Iron, which is notched to prever.i: the Efcape • of the Fifh. In fhort, in many Places, efpecially to- wards Acadia, the Ponds are full of Salmon Trouts, and Tur- tles two Feet in Diameter, the Flefh of which is excellent, and (he Top Shell ftreaked with white, red, and blue. Among 0/5/. Peter's ^ Fijh. Of the Sal- mon Trout, and the TuriUt ^c. '.;1 r> 86 An Hijhrical Journal of I ' I I hi W¥m Among the Fiih with which the Lake CbamplMn^ and the Ri- Of tt 4 i ^^^^ which flow into it, abound, M, Cham- ' -p-j/ ^ ' fm c ^/^/;, obferved one pretty fingular, which he '■'^' calls Chaoufarout probably from the Name fiven it Vy the Savages. It is a particular Species of the Armed ilh, wh'ch is found in many Places. This has a Body nearly of the fame Shape as a Pike, but it is covered with Scales that are Proof againft the Stab of a Dagger : Its Colour is a filvcr grey, and there grows under his Mouth a long bony Sub- ilance, jagged at the Edges, hollow, and with a Hole at the End of it; wliich gives Reafon to judge, that it breaths by it: The Skin that covers it is tender : The Length of it is proportioned to that of the Fifh, of which it makes a third Part. It is two Fingers in Breadth in the fmalleft. The Savages aflured M. Cha?nplaiii that feme of thefc Fiih were eight or ten Feet long, ■ but the Inrgefl he faw were but five Feet, and about as thick as a Man's Tiiigh. One may eafily conceive that fuch an Animal is a Ravager IT ; . j-^.n among the Inhabitants of the Water, but one • , ; n f ^'^ would not imagine that it fhould make War catches JJn-us. ^.j^,^ ^j.g Inhabitants of the Air ; which he does, however, with much Art, in this Manner: He hides him- felf in the Reeds in fuch a Manner, that only this Inflrument of his is to be fcen, which he thrufts out of the Water in an up- right Pofition ; the Birds that want to reft themfclves take this for a dry Rccd, or Piece of Wood, r,nd perch upon it, They are no fooncr on it, than the Fifli opens nis Mouth, and makes fuch a fudJen Motion to feize his Prey, that it feldom cfcapes him. The Teeth which edge the Inftrument that he ufes tQ fuch good Purpofe, are pretty long and very fliiarp. The Sa- vages Aiy, that they are a ibvereign Remedy againll the Head- Ach, and that pricking with one of thefe Teeth where the Pain is fliarpefl:, takes it away inilantly. Thefe People have a wonderful Skill in ftriking Fifh in the rr-r -nr ■ /- Water, efpccially in thc Torrcnts. They fifli • ^;^^^^'^'•^'«.-^ '/ alfo with the Sein, and they have an odd Ce- ' rcmony before they ufe this Net. They marry it to two young Maids, and during the Wcddi; g Fealt they • place it between the two Brides. They exhort it very {erioufly to take a great many Fifh, and they think to engage it to do fo by making great Prcfents to its pretended Fathers-in-Law. The Sturgeon here is a Sea and a frefh Water Fifh ; for they r\ £,T r ^^^ i^ "PO" ^'^^ Coafts of Canada^ and in the r Oj fijhwg for L^l^gg ^j^.^h crofs the River 5/. Lau- Sturgeon. ^.^^^^^ j^^^y ^^^^^^ jj^ink it is the real Dol- phin of the Antients ; if this is true, it was fitting that this : ^}:^ Travels in North America. 87 King of Fi(h fhould reign equally in the Ocean and the Rivers. Be that as it may, we fee here Sturgeons of eight, ten, and twelve Feet long, and big in Proportion. This Animal has oa the Head a Sort of Crown raifed about an Inch, and it is co- vered with Scales of half a Foot Diameter, almoll oval, and fprinkled with fmall Figures which fomething refenihle the Flower de Luce of the Arms of France. The Savages take them in the Lakes in this Manner : Two Men are at the two Ends of a Canoe ; he behind (leers, and the other Hands up, holding a Dart in one Hand, to which a long Cord is fallened, the othti End is tied to one of the Bars of the Canoe. As focn as he fees the Sturgeon in his Reach, he throws his Dart, and endea- vours to ftrike where there are no Scales ; if the Fifh is wound- ed it flies, and draws the Canoe alfo pretty fwiftly, but after having fwam about 1 50 Paces it dies, then they draw up thQ Cord and take it. There is a fmall Kind of Sturgeon, the Flefli of which is very tender and delicate. The River St. Laurence produces many Fifh which are not ,,.^ .. known in France: The moft efteemed are the ftjh peculiar to j^y;^^^^ ^^^ ^i^^ Poifon-dore (tlie Gilt Fifh)-, the other Rivers of Canada, and ef^ecially thofe of Acadia, are as well flocked as this River, which has perhaps the moll Fifh of any in the World, and of the moft va- rious Kinds, and the beft of the Sorts. There arc fome Scafons when the Fifh alone might feed the whole Colony; but I know not what Credit may be given to what I have feen in the Ma- nufcript of an antient Miflionary, who affirms that he faw a Mer-man in the R.iver de Sorel, three Leagues below Chamhly. ThePvelation is written with much Judgmentj but the better to (late the Fail, and to fhew that the firll Appearance did not de- ceive him, the Author fhould have added to his Account a De- fcription of this Monfter. We are fometimes feized at the firfl Glance with a Refemblance, which upon viewing more atten- tively immediately vanilhes. Furthermore, if this Fifli in hu- r^.an Shape came from the Sea, it came a lonr Way to get fo near Chamhly, and it is fomething ilrange that it was not feen but in this Place. Our Forefls arc not fo well flocked with Bir-is as our Lakes and Rivers are with Fifh; however, here arc forae which have their Merit, and are pecu- liar to America. We fee here two Sorts of Eagles, the largefl has the Neck and Head almotl white ; they prey upon the Hares and Rabbits, which they take in their Talons, and carry to their Magazines and their Nefls. The others arc all grey, and are contented to make War with the Birds : And they arc all pretty good Fifliers. Th^ Falcon, tne 9 Gofb Two Sorts of Eagles. 1 ' ^ i i I! ' f $8 An Hiftorical Journal of Gofs Hawk, and the Taflel, are entirely the fame as in France; but we have a fecond Sort of Falcons which live only on Fifh. f Our Partridges ar' of three Kinds, grey, red, and black ; the ;gf., c * /• ^ '^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^ efteemed, they have too much r, \ V '-^ Taftc of the Grape, Juniper, and Fir : Their artrtages, jj^^^ ^^^ gy^^ ^^^ ^jj.^ ^^^ Pheafant's and their Flcfli is brown. They all have a long Tail, and fpread it as a Fan, like the Turkey Cock : Thefe Tails are very fine, ibme are mixed with red, brown, and grey ; and others of a light and dark grey. I faid that the black Partridges were not moft citeemed, out fome People prefer them to the red. They are all bigger than in France, but fo filiy, that they fufter themfelves to be fliot, and even approached, without fcarce ftirrii.g. Befides the Snipes, whlca are excellent in this Country, and ^ , n. , the foiall Game of the Rivers, which is eve- Vther JStras. ^^ ^^^^^ plenty, they find fome Woodcocks about the Springs, but in a fmall Number. Amongft the Ilinois, and in all the fouthern Parts of Ncm France, they are more common ; M. Denjs afTerts, that the Crows of Canada are as good to eat as a Fowl. This may be true on the Side of Acadia, but I do not find in thefe Parts that they are much of this Opi- nion. They are bigger than in France, and fomething blacker, and have a different Cry. The Ofprey on the contrary is fmaller, and its Cry is not fo difagreeable. The Screech-Owl of Canada differs from that of France only by a little white Ruff about the Neck, and a particular Cry : Its Flefh is good to eat, and many People preter it to a Fowl. Its Provifion for the Winter is Field Mice ; whofe Feet it breaks, and then nou- rifhes and fattens them with Care till it has Occafion to feed upon them. The Bat is bigger here than in France. The Black' birds and Swallows are here Birds of PafTage, as in Europe. The firft are not black, but inclining to red. We have three Sorts of Larks, the fmalleft of which are as bij; as a Sparrow. The Sparrow is but little different from our's, arid has the fame Inclinations, but an ugly Sort of a Look. We kv. in this Coun- try a prodigious Quahtity of Ducks, they reckon twenty-two different Species. The moft beautiful, and thofe whofe Flefh is woft delicate, are the Branch Ducks : They call them To becaufe they perch on the Branches of Trees ; their F'umage is very much varied, and very brilliant. Swans, Turkies, Water-hens, Cranes, Teal, Geefe, Buftards, and other great River Birds fwarm every where except in the NeigLhourhood of the Habi- tations, which they never approach. We have Cranes of two Colours, fome white, and others giidelin. All of them make . . ^ , excellent travels in North America. ^9 excellent Soup. Our Wood-Peckers are very beautiful ; tnere are fome which are of all Colours, others are black or a dark brown all over except the Head and the Neck, which are of a very fine red. The Nightingale of Canada^ is much the fame as that of France for Shape, but ithas but half its Song : The Wren has robbed it of the other Half. The Goldfinch has not fo fine a Head as in Europe^ and all its Plumage is mixt with Yellow and Black. As I never faw any of them in a Cage, I can fay nothing of their Song. All our Woods are full of a Sort of Birds, whieh are Yellow all over, about the Bignefs of a Linnet, which has -a pretty Note, but its Song is very Ihort, and not vajlcu. It has no other Name but that of its Colour, being called the Yel- low Bird. A kind of Ortolan, whofe Plumage is of an Afh Colour on the Back, and White under the Belly, and which they call the White Bird, is the beft Songfter of all the Inhabitants of our Woods : It is little inferior to the Nightingale of fraw^, but it is the Male only that fings, the Female which is of a deeper Colour is filent even in a Cage. This little Bird has a very pretty Plumage, and is well called an Ortolan for its Tafle. I know not where it retires during the Winter, but it is always the firft to proclaim to us the Return of Spring. As foon as the Snow is melted in fome Places, they come in great Flocks, and we take as many of thera as we pLife. It is feldom, but at a hundred Leagues from hence towards the Off I r J' I South, that we begin to fee the C«rrt''/;?«/^/>7/. \;^-{i ^^ ^^ ^"^ There are fome at Parisy that were tranfported from Louijiana^ and I believe they will make their Fortune in France^ if they can breed them there like the Canary-Birds. The Sweetnefs of its Song, the Brilliancy of its Plumage, which is of a fine Scarlet, a little Tuft of Feathers they have upon the Head, and which pretty well refembles the Crowns which Painters give to Indian Kings and Arnencam, feems to confirm to them, the Empire of the Air. They have neverthelefs a Rival here who would have all the \'otes for it, if it pleafed the Ear as much a^ it charms the Sight. This is what they call in this Country VOifeau Mouche, (the Fly-Bird.) It is thus called for two Reafons : The firft, on Account its OftheFlyBird, Smallnefs, for it is but little bigger than nuith its Feathers. the common May-Bug, or Chaffer. The fecond, is on Account of a pretty loud Humming, which it makes with its Wings ; which is much like that of a great Fly. Its Legs, which are about an Inch long, are like two Needles, its Bill is the fame, and it puts out of it a Hrtle Trunk, which it thrufts into the Flowers, to draw out *heir juice, upon which it feeds. The Female has nothing brilliant, N o a pretty Bird. ill illS p, I \ 90 Travels in ^ortk America, a pretty fine White under the Beliy^, and an A(h Colbfir on the reft of her Body, is all its Ornament ; but the Male is a perfeft Beauty. Ithas on the Top of the Head, a little Tuft of a beautiful Black, the Throat red, the Belly white, the Back, the Wings, and the Tail of a green like that of Rofe Leaves ; a Lay of Gold fpread over all this Plumage gives it a great Brilliancy, and a little imperceptible Down, gives it the fineft Shades that canbefeen. Some Travellers have confounded it 'with the Hummlng-Bird, u •- J A' of the Iflands ; and In Faftit appears to be a r Tz? ^''"' Species of it; but that is a little bigger, its f^omhcHtmmxng^ pfumage is not fo brilliant, and its Bill bent a little downward. I may however be deceiv'd in regard to the Brilliancy of the Humming- Bird's Plubiage, becaufe I have never feen any alive. Some have faid it has a very melodious Song, if this is true, it has a greait Advantage over our Fly-Bird, which Nobody has heard fing. But I have heard myfelf a Female, w^ich whiflled in a harfh and difagree- ableNote. This Bird has a very ftrong Wing, and flies with furprizing Swiftnefs ; you fee it upon a Flower, and in a Moment it rifes up to a great Height ir the Air, almoll perpendicular. It is^an Enemy to tne Crow, and a dangerous one too. I heard one fay, 'who was worthy of Credit, that he had feen one fuddenty quit a Flower it was fucking, rife up as fwift as Lightning, and go and thruft itfeff under the Wing of a Crow, that was float- ing very high in the Air, with its Wings fpread out, and peirc- ing it with its Trunk, niade it fall down dead ; either Icill'd by the Fall, or the Wound. The Fly-Bird fe^ks Flowers, which have the flirongcfft Smell j and it fucKs th^m, keeping always upon the Fluttering : But it refts itfelf from Time to Time ; and then one may view it perfeftly : TheyAave been kept fome Time upon fugared Water, and Flow- ers; I kept one formerly for 24 Hours : tt fufFered itfelf to be taken, and handled) knd feigned itielf dead ; as foon as I let it go, it took its Flight, and kept fluttering about my Window : I made a Prefijnt of it to one of my Friends, who the next Morn- ing found it dead ; and tliat Night there had been a little Froft. Thefe little Animals take Care to Ihun the firft cold Weather^ It is very probable, that they retui-n towards Carolina ; and it is afliired that they are not there but in the Winter. They make their Nefts in Canada^ where they hang ♦^hem to a Branch of a Tree, and turn them in fuch Manner, that they are fheltered from all Jthe Injuries of the Weather. N thing is fo neat as thefe Nefts* The Bottom is made of very little Bits of W od, platted like'a Baflcet f and the Inflde is lined with I kiiow not what Sort of i>own, which appcws like Silk. The Eggs are ab<5ut the Big- ' nelt >uron the f« a perfea beautiful »e Wings, a Lay of Wilrancy, IJiades chat lin^-Bird, irs to be a pig^er, its Bill bent Meceiv'd Plulnage, It has a dvantage ^t'l have diragree- flies with Moment ndicular. 'card one fiiddenfy "'ng, and 'as iloat- id peirc- T kilPd Smell ; 'titre/!s ieaiy : I Flow- :felf to s I let low : I Morn- Froil. 'ather^ d it is ■ their Tree, mall ike'a rt of Big. Snakt, Ai Hiftorical Journal of 91 nefs of a Pea, and have yellow Spots upon a white Ground. They fay they have commonly three, and fometim^s five Eggs. ' Amongil the Reptiles of this Country, I know of none but nr *L p t4i the Rattle-Snake that defervesany Attention. tak '^**"® ^^^ ^°^^ °^ '^*(^ *^ ^*S as a Man*i '* Leg, and fometin»es tiigger, and they are long in Proportion: But ^here are 'fom6, and I believe the grea^ft Number, that are not bigger nor longer than oiar largeft Adders in /"r^wtf .- Their Shape i^ pretty Angular. Upon a iiat and very thick Necjc they have but a fmall Head : Their Co- lours are ^vely, without being brilliant ; a pale Yellow predo- minates, witli fome Clouds that are pretty enough. But what is mod remarkable in this Animal, uits Tail, which is fcaly like a Coat of Mail, a little flat ; and they fay that it grows every Year one Ring or Row of Scales, fothat t|iey know its Age by its Tail, as we do that of a Horfe by his Teeth. In moving, it makes th^ fame Npife as a Cricket in flying : For you know, without Doubt, Madam, that the pretended Singing of a Cricket is only the Nolfe of its Wings. And the Refenj- blance I fpeak of is fo alilje, that I have often been deceived b'y it myfelf : It is this Npife that has given this Serpent the Name it bears. The Bite of this Serpent is mortal, if a Remedy is not applied immediately ; but Providence has provided a Remedy. In aM the Places where this dangerous Reptile is found, there grows a Plant which is called katile- Snake Herb ; the Root of which is a certain Ant'idote againft the Venom of this Serpent : It need only be pounded or chewed, jind applied like a Poultice upon the Wound : It is a beaiitiful Plant, and eafily" known : Its round Stalk, a little bigger than aGoofe's Quill, rifes to the Height of three or four Feet, and ends in a yellow Flower of the Shape and Bignefs of a cohimon Dailey : This Flower has a very fweet Smell, TJie Leaves of the jpiant are oval, and are fupported five togetJber, like tlic Claw of a Turkey, by a StaJI? of an Inch long. The Eattle-Soake feldom attacks the Paflenger that does not meddle vvith it. T have had* one at my Feet, which was cer- tainly mqre afraid than mvfelf ; for I did not perceive it till it was running away : But i/ you tread upon it, you are immedi- ately ftung ; and if you purfue it^ if it has but a little Time to recoyeritjelf, it folds i'tfelf round with the Head in the Middle, and ijien "(j^arts itfelf with' great Violence ^nd Fury againft its )Purfuer : l^ever;thelefs, the' Savages chace it, arid find its Flefli ypry goo^. I have even heard wme Frenchmen^ who had tailed jt, fay, that it was not bad' eating ; but they were Travellers, an^ fuc^ People think every Thing good, becaufe they are often N 2 ' hungry. Ml! I. v.: Wi m m m I '-■! 92 An Uijlorical Journal of hungry. But this is at leall certain, that it does no Harm to tho^ that-ent it. I know not, Madam, whether I fliould undertake to fpeak to nr *i, w J yo" of ^^^ Woods of Canada, We are iti the fC j^ Midftof the greatcft Forefts in the World. •^ ^"* ' In all Appearance they are as old as the World itfelf, and were not planted by the Hands of Men. No- thing is more magnificent to the Sight ; the Trees lofe them- felves in the Clouds ; and there is fuch a prodigious Variety of Species, that even among thofe Perfons who have taken moft Pains to know them, there is not one perhaps that knows half the Number. As to their Quality, and the Ufes to which they may be employed, the Sentiments are fo different in this Country, and in France^ that I even defpair of ever being able to give you that Satisfaftion which I could wifh upon this Article : At leaft, for the prefent, I muft confine myfelf to fome Obferva- tions which I have made myfelf, and have had from other Peo- ple, who have more Skill and Experience in this Matter than inyfelf. What ftruck my Sight mod the firll Time I came into this r\r*L ^ Qj.. Country, were the Pines, the Firs, and the Vfthefwo bpe- Cedars, which' are of furprizing Height and €tes of tims. Bignefs. There are here two Sorts of Pines. They all produce a Rofm which is very fit to make Pitch and Tar : The wh'te Pines, at leaft fome of them, have at the \Q\y Tops of them a Kind of Mufhroom, which the Inhabitants call Guarigue^ and which the Savages make Ufe of with Succef? againft Diforders of the Breaft and Bloody-Fluxes. The red Pines are fuUeft of Gum, and the heavieft Wood, but they do not grow fo large. The Lands which produce both 3orts, are not the beft to produce Grain ; ' they generally confift of Gravel, Sand, and Clay. There are four Species of Fir in Canada ; the firft refembles -, „ . . our's : The other three Sorts are the White, Fqur ^ecies of . ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ , r^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ *"'"^* the fourth Sort grow very high, and are fit for Mafls, efpecially the White, which is alfo fit for Carpenters Work : It grows generally in wet and black Lands ; but which being drained, may bear all Sorts of Grain : Its Bark is fmooth and fhining ; and there grows upon it fome little Bladders, the Bignefs of a Kidney-Bean, which contain a Kind of Turpen- tine, moft excellent for Wounds, which it cures in a fhort Time; and even for Fraftures. They affirm, that it allays Fevers, and cures the Diforders of the Stomach and Lungs. The Way to tife it, is tQ put two Drops of it into Broth : It has alfo a purg- \^Z Quality. This is what they call at Paris, the White Bal/am. ' ThO |o Harm to ^peak to are in the ^e World. ^W as the Pen. No- 5^e them- ''ariety of iken moft Mt knows to which \nt in this 'eing able « Article: Obferva- ther Peo- atter than into this » and the %ht and of Pine*, ^itch and the very tants can Succef? The red y do not are not Gravel, fembles White, >nd and 1 are ^t penters which fmooth Ts, the urpen- rime; s, and ^ay to purg. (if/am. Tho 'Travels in North America. 'n I ii'ifl If The red Fir has fcarce any Rcfemblance with the white : Its Wood is heavy, and may be employed for Building. The Lands where it grows are only Gravel and Clay. The Spruce Fir is gummy, but does not throw out enough Gum to be made Ufe of : Its Wood lafts a long Time in the Earth without rot- ting, which renders it very fit to make Inclofures : Its Bark is very fit for the Tanners ; and the Savages make of it a Dye, which is pretty near a deep Blue, The greateft Part of the . Land where this Tree grows, is Clay. I have neverthelefs feerl fome very large in a fandy Soil, but perhaps under the Sand there might be Clay. The Cedars are of two Species, White and Red : The firlt f^ „ . - ai 2 the largeft : They make Pales of it ; and lixjoapectes oj ^^^^ ^^^^ j^ ^^^^ ^^^^ generally make i^eaars. Shingles with, becaufe of its Lightnefs. There diflills from it a Kind of Incenfe, or Perfume ; but it bears no Fruit like that of Mount Lebanon. The red Cedar is fmaller : The mod fcnfible Difference between one and the other is, that the Smell of the firft is in its Leaves, and of the other in the, Wood ; but the laft is by much the moft agreeable. The Cedar, at leaft the White, grows only in a very good Soil. There are every where in Canada two Species of Oaks, di- Hinguifhed by the Names of White and Red* The firft are often found in a low, wet, and fertile Soil, which is fit to produce Grain and Puife. The Red, whole Wood is left efteemed, grows in a dry and fandy Soil : ; Both Kinds bear Acorns.— The Mapl': is .very common in C«- ' fiadat and fome are very large, of which they make handfome Furniture: They grow on high Grounds, which are filteft for Fruit-Trees. They call the Female Maple here Rhene^ the Wood of which is wav'd, but paler than that of the Male : In . other Refpeds it has the fame Shape and Qualities ; but it requires a wet and fruitful Soil. The wild Cherry-Tree, which grows promifcuoufly with the Maple and the White Wood, makes very fine Furniture : It yields more Water of Juice than the Maple ; but it is bitter, and the Sugar made of* It never lofes its Bitternefs. The Savages make Ufe of its Bark in certain Diforders that happen to Women. There are in Canada three Sorts of Alh ; the True, the Mon- grel, and the Baftard : The firft Sort, which grows amongli the Maples, is fit for the Carpenters Ufe, and to make Calks for dry Goods : The fecond has the fame Properties, and grows «ts the Baftard Kind does, only in a low and good Soil. They reckon alfo in this Country three Kinds of Walnilts | the hard, the foft, and a third Kind which has a very thin Bark : Thtf Of the Oaks^ Maplesy 'Wild Cherry^ Beachy Walnut J &C. iii'iil I Qui ^M BiJlof^Ual Journal of The hard Kind bears very fiarvH Nuts, gpod to e^t, l;>u,t hard to i^iell : \U Wood is good for nothing bat to burn. I'He foft Xind bcara long Nuts, as big as thofe of Francis but the Shells ay:e very hard : The Keruels are excellent, 't'he Wood is not ib fine as our's ; but. to make Ajnends, i( fcarce ever decays, e^ ther in £arth or in Water, and is with DifBcultv confunied in the Fire. The third Sort bears Nuts of tlje Bignefs of the &rA, but in a greater Quantity » which etre bitter, and incloifed in very foft Shells. They m»ke very good Oil of thefe Nuts. This Tree yields fwcetcr Water than tl»e Maple, but in a fmaller Quantity : It grows only, like the foft Walnut, in thebeft Soils, Beach Trees are very plentifql here. I have feen fome on iandy Hills, and in very fruitful low Lands : They bear much Maft> from which it would be eafy to extr^£t an Oil. The Bears make it their principal Food, as do alfo the Partridges. The Wood is very foft, and fit to make Oars for Boats ; but the Rud- ders of Canoes are made of IVJaple. The White Wood, whjch grows amongit the Maple and the wild Cherry, is very plenty. Thefe Trees grow large and ftrait : They make 5<*ards and Flanks of them, and ajfo Ca{ks for dry Goods : It i!> foft, and eafy to work. The Savages peel off the Bark to coyer their Cabins. Elms are very common through the whoje Country. There o- c^ ,r are white and red. The Wqod of the firft ^ "'^' ^tiois make their Canoes of the Bark of the re X Elm : There are fome of a fingle Piece, which will hold twenty Men. There are alfo fome hollow Elms, where the Bears and wild Cats retire from Nonjember to J^ril- The Aft>en-Trec commonly grows here bv the Sides of Rivers and Marme?. They find in the thickeft Woods a great Number of Plumb-* «- ^ ; - Trees, loaded with Truit, but very four. The Trees peculiar to „. 'J- . ci \, -ii, ' u-t^ ,. ^ * Vtnegar-Tree is a Shrub very Pithy, which tbts Lountry. ^j^jg^ Bunches of a ftiar^ Fruit, of ^n Ox^ Blood Colour. By infufipg them in Water they make a Kind of Vinegar. The temine is anotlier Kind of Shrub which grow* by the Side of Brooks, find Meadows. It bears ^ JBuncb of Fruit of a lively red, which is aftringent. There ^re three Sorts of Coofterries that grow naturally ijo this Country. They . gre the fame as in France. The Sloe grows here a^ in France : This Fruit is wonderful for curing the Bloody-Flux in a vcrjr jfhoFt Time. The Savages dry tj^m as we do Cherries in Frawt, The Atota is a Fruit with Kernels as big as a Cherry : This Plant, which runs upon the Ground ip the Marilies, produces lard to le foft Shells is not Travels in North America, 95 its Fruit in the Water. The Fruit is (harp, anJ they make Sweet-Meats of it. The White-Thorn is found by the Sides of Rivers, and prcduces much Fruit with three Kernels. This is the Food of many wild Beafts. They call here the Cotton- Tree a Plant which Ihoots up like Alparagus, to the Height of about three Feet, at the Top of which grow many Tufts of Flowers. In the Morning, before tlie Dew is off, they (hake thefe Flowers, and there falls off with the Water a Kind of Honey, which is made into Sugar by boiling. The Seed grows in a Bladder, which contains a very fine Sort of Cotton. Tho Soliel (the Sun) is another Plant very cofhmon in the Fields of the Savages, and which grows feven or eight Feet high. Irs Flower, which is very large, is in the Shape of a Marigold, and the Seed grows in the fame Manner. The Savages by boiling it draw out an Oil, with which hey greafe their Hair. The Plants which thefe People principally cultivate are Maiz, or Turkey Wheat, Kidney-Beans, Gourds, and Melons. They have a Kind of Gourd lefs than our's, which has a fweet Tafte. They boil them whole, or roaft them under the Alhes, and eat them thus without any thing with them. The Savages before our Arrival here had the common Melons, and the Wa- ter Melons. The firft are as good as our's in France^ efpecially in this Ifland, where they are very plenty. Hops and Maiden- Hair are the nitural Growth of this Country ; but the Maiden- Hair grows higher here, and is infinitely better than in Fr««f^. . — ———Here is a Letter, Madam, in which you will eafily diftingaifh a Traveller who ranges thro* the Woods and Plaint oi Canada^ and who is entertained with every thing that nii?- fn'l 22. Canada ts not kmivn in France, hut by its ijoorji Side. IT is furprifing that in France^ where they fo often fee Per- fons who have parted a good Part of their Lives in Canada^ they fhould have fuch a wrong Idea of this Country. This pro- ceeds without Doubt from the Information of thofe People who know it by its worll F'de. The Winter generally begins before the VefTels fail for France, and it begins in a Manner that aftoniflies thofe who are not iifed to it. The firft Froft fills the Rivers with Ice in a few Days, and the Earth is foon covered with Snow, which lafls fix Months, and always rifes fxx Feet high where the Wind has not Power. There is indeed no Want of Wood to provide againft the V tr r u Cold, which foon becomes exceffive, and lafls iLxcejjive \^old, ^jjj ^j^^ gp^..^^^ j^ ^^^^^^ forward : But it is very melancholy not to be able to flir out without being frozen, or without being wrapt up in Furs like a Bear. Befides, What a Sight is the Snow, which dazzles one's Eyes, and hides all the Beauties of Nature ! There is no longer any Difference be- tween th^ Rivers and the Fields, no more Variety, even the Trees are covered with a Rime, and all their Branches are hung with Ificlfco, under which it is not fafe to fland. What can one think when we fee the Horfes have Beards of Ice a Foot long? And how can one travel in a Country, where the Bears for fix Months dare not verfture out of their Holes ? And indeed, 1 never pafTed a Winter in this Country, but I faw fome People who were carried to the Hofpital, to have their Legs and Arms cut off that were frozen. In Faft, if the Sky is clear, there blows from the weftern Parts a Wind that cuts the Face. If the Wind turns to the South or the Eaft, the Weather grows a little milder, but there falls fuch a thick Snow, that you cannot fee ten Paces at Noon l)ay. If there comes a thawing Air, adieu to all the Capons, Quarters of Beef and Mutton, the Fowls and the Fifh, which had been laid up in the Store-Rooms : So that in Spight of the Rigour of the exceffive Cold, they are flill ob- Uged to wifh for its Continuance. It is to no Purpofe to fay the 22. Travrh in Nof th .■America, of* the Winters arc nf»t In coUi a-; thry were eighty Vcats ago, that in all Appearance ihey will ^row milder here;ittcr. 1 he Miifor- tuneof thole who came before us, and the good Fortune of thole who (hall come after us, is no Cure for the prcfent Kvil which we fuffer. A Creole of Marfim'co, who Ihould have landed the lirft Time in Frufuy during the great Froil in 1709, would he have b:cn much relieved by hearing me fay, who came at that Time from i^ebcc^ that the Cold was not fo ftiarpas in Canada? For though 1 fpoke the Truth, aud had good Evidences of it, yet he might have anfwcred me, that he did not find the Cold of France lefs piercing by hearing that it was Iharper Hill in Canada. Neverthelels, as foon as the Month of May is come. the Scene is foon changed, rhc Sweetnefs of this End of the the Serenity of the Autumn, in which we enjoy a Courfe of fine Days, which- are '>ldom feen in moll of the Provinces of France: All this, added to the Liberty which they enjoy in this Country, is a Compenfation which makes many People think an Abode here, at leaft as agreeable as in the Kingdom where they were born ; and it is certain, that our Canadians do not fcruple to give it the Preference, After all, there are in this exceflive and long Cold, fome In- ^ , . conveniencics which can never be well re- The Incon'venien- ^^^^^^ . j ^^n p|jjce in the firft Rank, the cies 0/ thi great j^j^^ulty of feeding Cattle, which during the whole Winter can find abfolutely nothing in the Fields, and of Confequence coft much to feed, and the Flelh of which, after fix Months dry Food, has fcarceany Tafte. The Fowls require alfo a great deal of Care, and much Corn, to preferve them during fo long and fevere a Winter. If we fave the Expence by killing at the End of OSi^her^ all the Animals we are to eat till May^ one may eafily judge that fuch Meat is very infipid, and in the Manner that I have faid they take Fifti under the Ice, they cannot be v€ry plenty j befides that, they are immediately frozen. So that it is almoll impofiible to have them frelh in the Seafon when it is moft difficult to do without. We Ihould alfo be very much embarralfed during Lent, without Cod and Eels. There is at that Time frelh Butter and Eggs ;. aud there is but little Nourilhment to be expefted in eating the (a) They plow the Fields in Summer, they fow from the midft of April' to the 10th of May, they cut the Corn from the 15th of Au^uji to the 20th of September. The Lands that are not plowed till the Spring bear Icfs,- becaufs they are not fo well impregnated with the nitrous Parts of the-. Snow, V 'i! il jiliii ^^ o Pulfe,. 9? An hjjiorical Journal of Pulfe, and Roots, which they prefervc in Store-Rooms as well as they can, but which has fcarce any Virtue when they have been kept there feme Months. Add to this, that excepting Apples, which are excellent here, and the fmall Summer Fruits which do not keep, the Fruits of France have not fucceeded in Canada. Thefe, Ma- dam, are the Difadvantages which are caufed by the great Cold. We are, notwithftanding, as near the Sun as they are in the moft fouthern Provinces of France^ and as we advance in the Colony, we come nearer ftill. From whence can this different Temperature of the Air proceed under the fame Parallels ? This is what, in my Opinion, no Perfon has yet well e::- plained. The greateft Part of the Authors, who have treated on this r n a • *i Matter, have fatisfied themfelves with fay- Kejtcxtcncn the . ^^^^ ^j^j^ j^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ proceeds Caujes of the great ^^^^ ^^^ g^^^,^^ ^^. ^^ ^ ''^^ ^^e Ground, that it is impoflible that the Ground fhould be well warmed again. But this Anfwer makes the DifHculty ftill greater^ for one may afk what is it that produces this great Quantity of Snow, in Climates as hot as Languedocy and Fro%r?ice, and in Parts that are much more diftant from any Mountains. The Sicvir DenySf whom I have cited feveral Times before, aflerts, that the Trees grow green before the Sun is high enough above the Horizon to melt the Snow, and to warm the Earth ; that may be true in Acadia, and on all the Sea Coafts, but every where elfe it is certain that all the Snow is melted in the thickeft i ore ft before there is a Leaf upon the Trees. This Author fcems not to have any better Authority for faying, that the Snow melts rather by the Heat of the Earth, than that of the Air, and that it is alway? at the Bottom that it begins tc melt : For who can be perfuaded that the Earth, co- vered with a frozen Water, ihould have more Heat than the Air, which receives immediately the Heat of the Rays of the Sun. Befides, it does not Anfwer the (Jueftion, what is the Caufeof this Deluge of Snow, which overflows vaft Countries in the midft of the temperate Zone ? There is no Doubt but that, generally fpeaking, the Moun- tains, Woods, and Lakes, contribute much to it; but it appears to me, that we muft ftill feek for other Caufes. Father Jofepb Brejani, an Italian Jcfuity who paft the beft Years of his Life in Canada, has left us in his native Tongue, a Relation of FJeiM France, in which he endeavours to clear up this Point of Phi- lofopby. He cannot allow that we fhould attribute the Cold, of which we feek the Caufe, to any of the Caufes I have jufl mentioned, «v;«. the Mountains, Woods, and Lakes, with wJiich this I .'! Travels in North America. 99 ' this Country abounds ; but he feems to go too far ; for there is nothing to anfwer aguinft Experience, which makes us fcnfible ot the Abatement of the Cold, in Proportit n as the Co.uiiry is clear- ed of the Woods, altho' is not in fo great a Proportion as it ought to be, if the Thicknefs of the Woods was the principal Caufe of it. What he allows himfel/*, that it is common to fee a Froft in Summer after a very hot Day, appears to me a De- monftration againft him ; for how can we explain this Phoeno- menon otherwife, than by faying that the Sun having opened in the Day Time the Pores of the Earth, the MoifturC'that was inclofed in it, and the nitrous Particles which the Snow left in it in great Quantities, and the Heat which is continued after the fetting of the Sun, in an Air fo ft'btil as that wc breathe in this Country, form thefe little Frofts in the fame Manner as we make Ice on the Fire : Now the Moifture of the Air is evidently a great Part of the Caufe of the Cold ; and from whence ftiould this Moifture come in a Country where the Soil is generally mixt with much Sand, if it was not from the Lakes and the Rivers, from the Thicknefs of the Forefts, and from Mountains covered with Snow, which in melting water the Plains, and from Winds which carry the Exhalations every where. But if Father Brefani was miftakenj as I think, from exclud- ing all thefe Things from the Caufes of the exceflivc Cold of Canada^ what he fubftitutes in Lieu thereof, feems to me to contribute greatly towards it. There are, fays he, in the hot- teft Climates, fome moift Lands, and there are fome very dry in the coldell Countries : But a certain Mixture of dry and moift makes Ice and Snow, the Quantity of which makes the Excefs and Duration of the Cold. Now if one was to travel but very little in Canada^ we fhould perceive this Mixture in a very re- markable Manner. it is without Contradiction a Country where there is the moft Water of any Country in the World, and there are few, where the Soil is more mixt with Stones and Sand. Add to this, it feldom rains here, and the Air is ex- tremely pure and healthy ; a certain Proof of the natural Dry- nefs of the Earth. In Faft, Father Brejfani affirms, that during fixteen Years that the Miffiou fubfifted in the Country of the Huronsy there lived there at the fame Time fixty Frenchmen^ many of whom were of a tender Conftitution ; that they all fared very hardly in Point of Diet, and fufFered in other Refpedts beyond all Imagination, and that not one died. In Fadl, this prodigious Multitude of Rivers and Lakes, which occupy as much Space in NeiM France as half the Lands n Europe^ one would imagine fhould furni(h the Air with new Vapours j but, bcfides that the grcattft Part of thefe Waters O 2 arc i^l v'l tNll- il ' li Hi 1 I : 1 oo An Hijlorical Journal of •re very clear, and on a fandy Bottom, their i^reat and continua* Agitation blunt the Rays of the Sun, hinder it from raifing mony Vapours, or caufes them to fall agnin in the Fogs ; for th? . Winda excite upon thefe frefli Water Seas as frequent and as violent Storms as upon the Ocean : And this alfo is the true Rcafon why it feldom rains at Sea. The fecond Caufe of the exceflive Cold of Canada, according to Father BreJJ'aniy is the Neighbourhood of the Northern Sea, covered with monftrous Heaps of Ice above eight Months in the Year. You may here recoUtit, Madam, what I faid in my firll Letter of the Cold we felt in the Dog Days, from the Neigh- bourhood of a floating Ifland of Ice, or rather from the VVind which blew upon us from the Side where it was, and which ceafed the Moment it was under the Wind. It is moreover certain, that is does not fnow here, but with a North F.ait Wind, which comes from the Quarter where the Ice of the North lies ; and though we do not feel fo great Cold while the Snow falls, there is no Doubt but it contributes greatly to render fo piercing the Well and North Weft Winds, which come to us acrofs vail Countries, and a great Chain of Mountaing which are covered with Snow. Laftly, if we take the Opinion of this Italian Miflionary, the Height of the Land is not the lead Caufe of the Subtilty of the Air which we breathe in this Country, and confequently of the Severity of the Cold. Father Breffani takes great Pains to prove this Elevation by the Depth of the Sea, which increafes, fays he, in Proportion as we approach Canaday and by the Number iuid Height of the Falls of the Rivers. But it feems to me that the Depth of the Sea proves nothing at all, and that the Falls of the River St. Laurence, and of fome Rivers in Nenu France, |)rove no more than the Catarafts of the Nile. On the other Hand, we do not obferve that from Montreal, where the Falls begin, down to the Sea, that the River St. Laurence is much more rapid than fome of our RivCio in Europe. I think there- fjre, we mud keep to the Neighbourhood of the Ice of the North, as the Caufe of the Cold, and that even in Spite of this Neighbourhood, if Canada was as free from Woods, and as well peopled as France, the Winters here would not be fo long and fo fevere. But they would be always more fo than in France^ becaufe of the Serenity and Purity of the Air : For it is certain that in Winter, all other Things being equal, the Froft is keener when the Sky is clear, and the Sun has rarified the Air. When the Winter is paft, Filhing, Shooting, And Hunting, r\^ L viv'/u abundantly fupplies thofe wjith Provifions Oftbetclbijh^ who take the Pains for it: Befides the Fifli ^^y' and Wild Fowl, which I have already men- tiqncd, the River St. Laurence and the Foreft, furnilh th"* Inha- bitants ^I ravels in Norih America '■ loi bitants with two Sorts of Manna, as we may call it, which arc a great Support to them. From i^ebec to Trois Ri'vicrcsj they take in the River a prodigious Quantity of great Eels, which come down, as they fay, from Lake Ontario^ where they arc bred in fome Marlhes, on the Side of the Lake ; but as they meet, as I before remarked, with white Porpoifes, which chafe them, the grcatclt Part ftrive to return again, and this is the Rcafon they take fuch a great Number. They filh for them in this Manner : Upon a Part of the Shore which is covered at high Water, and which is left dry when the Tide falls, they place Boxes at certain Diftances, and fix them againft a Fence of Ozier Hurdles, which leaves no Paflage open for the Eels. Large Nets, or Bafkets of the fame Matter, are fixed by the nar- rowed End into thcie Boxes, and the other End, which is very wide, lies againft the Hurdles, upon which they place at Inter- vals fomn Lunches of Greens. When all ij covered with the Tide, the Eels, which always run to the Side, and which are en- ticed by the Greens, come in great Numbers along this Fence, and enter into the Bafkets, which condud them to the Prifor.s prepared for them. And often in one Tide the Boxes arc hlled. Thefe Eels arc bigger than cur's, and yield a great deal of Oil. I have already obferved, that with whatfoever Sauce they arc eaten, they always retain a rank Tafte, to which we can- not reconcile ourfelves but with Difficulty : Perhaps this is the Fault of our Cooks. Their Bones all terminate in a Point a little bent, which I do not remember to have feen in thofe of France. The bell Method of drefling this Fifh is to hang it up in the Chimney, and there let it roall flowly in its Skin : This Skin comes ofFof itfelf, and all the Oil runs out. As they pro- vide great Store of them during the three Months that the Filhery lafts, they fait them, and put them in Barrels like Her- rings. The other Manna I fpoke of, is a Kind of Wood-Pi- geons, which come here in the Months of May and June. It is faid that formerly they darkened the Air by their Multitudes, but it is not the fame now. Neverthelefs, there ftill comes into the Neighbourhood of the Towns a pretty large Numbei to reft upon the Trees. They commonly call them Tourtesy and they differ in Fad from Wood-Pigeons, Turtles, and the common Pigeons of Europe^ enough to make a fourth Species. They are fmaller than our largefl Pigeons of Europe ; but have their Eyes, and the like Clouds of their Neck. Their Plumage is of a dark brown, except their Wings, where they have fome Feathers of a very fine blue. One would think that thefe Birds fought to be killed, for if there is any dry Branch on a I'ree, they chufe that to perch upon ; Hi t m IC2 An Hiftorical Journal of upon ; and they range themfelves in fuch a Manner, that the worft Markfman may knock down fix at leaft with one Shot. They have alfo found a Way to take many alive, and they feed them till the firft Froft ; then they kill them, and lay them up in their Store-Rooms, where they keep all the Winter. It follows from hence. Madam, that every one here has the Ne- T'hp b t^' C ceflaries of Life : They pay little to the King ; vv ffuli'i^' the Inhabitant knows neither Land-Tax nor tan^ofol^llt Py"-I^«^ney J J^e ^^^ Bread cheap ; Meat and ^'^^ ^°J ' Fifli are not dear; but Wine and Stuffs, and every Thing they have from France, is very dear. The moft to be pitied are the Gentlemen and Oflicers here, who have only their Salaries, and are burthened with Families : The Women feldom bring any other Portions to their Hufbands than much Wit, Love, Agreeablenefs, and Fruitfulnefs. But as God gives to the P«/Iarriages of this Country the Bleffing which he gave to the Patriarchs, they ought alfo, in order to fubfift fuch numerous Families, to live like the Patriarchs ; but thofe Times are paft. In Ne-w France there are more Gentlemen than in all the rell of our Colonies together. The King maintains here twenty-eight C'Lmpunies of Marines, and three Etati Majors. Many Families have been enobled here, and there have remained here feveral Officers of the Regiment oi Carignan-Salieresy which have peopled the Country with Gentlemen, the greateft Part of which find it hard to live. It wouH be harder with them ftill, if they were not allowed to trade, and if every one here had not a common Right to fifn, (hoot, and hunt. Aftci all, ii they fuffer Want, they are a little to blame them- felves. The Land is good almoft every where, and Agriculture do^ not degrade a - ,. Gentleman. How many Gentlemen in all lioft age Of ts. ^j^^ Provinces of Francs would envy the com- mon Inhabitants of Canada if they knew it ; and thofe who languilh here in a fhameful Indigence, can they be excufed for not embracing a Profeffion, which the fole Corruption of Man- ners and weak Maxims have degraded from its antient Ho- nour ? We do not know in the World a Country more healthy tlian this : There prevails here no particular Difeafe ; the Fields and Woods are full of Herhs of wonderful Virtue, and the Trees dillill raoft excellent Balfams. Thefe Advantages ought nt leaft to keep thofe in this Country who are born here; but Ficklcnefs, and Averfion to diligent and regular Labour, and a Spirit of Independency^ have driven out a great Num- be • o ' young People, .*nd have hindered the Colony from being people.!. . . Thcfc, Many knonv not hoiv to make Ad- TrdTfis in North America, 103 1 up in the Ne- Gocd and bad ^alities of the Creoles of Cana- da. Thefe, Madam, are the Failings of which they accufe, with the moft Foundation, the French of Canada. The Savages have alfo the fame ; one would think that the Air which they breathe in this vaft Continonl contributes to it ; but the Exam- ple and Company of the natural Inhabitants, who place all their Happinefs in Liberty and Independence, are more than furiicient to form this Charadler. They accufe alfo our Creoles of being very greedy, and of heaping up Riches, and truly for this Purpofe, they perform Things one would not believe without feeing : The Journies they undertake, the Fa- tigues they endure, the Dangers they expofe themfelves to, the Ef- forts they make, exceed alllmagination. There are, notwithftand- ing, few Men lefs covetous, who diffipate more eafily what has coft them fo much Pains to acquire, and who fhew lefs Concern for having loft it. And there is no Room to doubt, but that they generally undertake thefe painful and dangerous Journies through Inclination. They love to breathe an open Air, they are accuilomed betimes to live a roving Life ; it has Charms for them that makes them forget the paft Dangers and Fatigues; and they pride themfelves in braving them anew. They have much Wit, (efpecially the Women, whofe Wit is brilliant and eafy). They ar 2 faithful in Expedients, bold, and capable of conducing Affairs of the greateft Moment. You have known. Madam, more than one of this Charadler, and you have often exprefled to me your Surprize at it. I do afTure you, that the greateft Part here are fuch ; and they are the fame in all Ranks. I know not whether I fhould place among the Failings of the Canadiansi the good Opinion they have of themfelves. It is certain at leaft that it infpires them with a Confidence that makes them undertake and execute what would feem impoffible to many others. We muft allow, on the other Hand, that they have excellent Qualities. They are of a good Stature, and well ihaped in Body. Their Strength of Conftitution is not always anfwerable thereto ; and if the Canadians live long, they are old and worn out betimes. This is not entirely their own Fault, it is partly that of their Parents, who for the moft Part do not watch enough over their Children to hinder them from ruining their Health in an Age, in which, when it is ruined, there is no Refource. Their Agility and Dexterity are without equal ; the moft fkilful Savages do not guide their Canoes better in the moft dangerous Torrents, and are not better Markfmen. Many People are perfuaded that they are not fit for the Sciences, which require much Application, and a Courfe of Study. I cannot fay whether this Prejudice is well or ill o founded. !' |i ! 1 hi ' |i ! I ii! )|ii hll :!'i!|f •'i4 ji J cnr-iTT Pi V 104 ' ; An Hijlorical Jcurnal of founded, for wc have had no Canadian yet who has undertake. li to confute it. Perhaps they are fo only from the loofc difiipat- cd Way they are brought up in. But every one muft iicknow- ledge, that they have a wonderful Genius for Mechanics : They have fcarce any Need of Mailers to excel in them, and we fee every Day fome who fucceed in all Trades without having ferved an Apprenticefliip. i>onie charge them with Ingra- titude, yet they have appeared to me to have Hearts good enough, but their natural Levity often hinders them from con- jidering the Duties that Gratitude requires. It is f:iid they make bad Valets; this is becaufe they are too high fpirited, and love their Liberty too much to fubmit to Servitude. On the other Hand, they are very good Mailers. This is quite contrary to what is faid of thofe from whom the grcatcft Part take their Origin. They would be perlcd Men, if with their own good Qualities, they had preferved thofe x)f their Anceftors. Some have complained that they are inconllant Friends : This is far from being generally true, and in thofe who have given Room for this Complaint, this proceeds from their not being ufed to any Rellraint, even in their own Affairs. If they are not eafy to be difciplined, this comes from the fame Principle ; or be- caufe they have a Difcipline cf their own, which they think the propeiefl: to make War with the Savages, in which they are not altogether in the wrong. On the other Hand, they feem not to be Mailers of a certain Impetuofity, which makes them fitter for a Coup de Main, or a fudden Expedition, than for the regular and fettled Operations of a Campaign. It has alfo been remarked, that amongll a great Number of brave Men, who have diilinguilhed themfelves in the late Wars, there have been few found who had Talents to command. This was perhaps, becaufe they had not fufficiently learnt how to obey. It is true that when they are well headed, there is nothing they cannot accomplifli, either by Land or Sea; but for this End, they rruft have a great Opinion of their Commander. The late M. d*I6er'vilTe, who had all the good Qualities of his Country, without any of its Defefts, would have led them to the End of the World. There is one Thing upon which it is not eafy to excufe them, which is, the little Regard they have for their Parents ; who on their Side, have a Tendernefs for them that is not juftifiable. The Savages fall into the fame Error, and it produces amonc it them the fame Effedls. But what above all Things ihould make us value our Creoles is, that they have a great deal of Piety and Religion, and that nothing is wanting in their Education on this Point. It is alio true, that out of their own Country they retain fcarce any of their Faults. As with this, they are ex- • " i^, -: tremely tiiiiipat- cknow- : They 1 we fee having Ingra- > good Travels in North America, lojy tremely brave and dexterous, they might be rendered very (cr- viceable for War, for the Sea, and for the Arts ; and I believe it would be for the Good of the State to promote their Increafe more than has hitherto been done.- Men are the principal Riches of a Sovereign ; and Canada^ though it could be of no other Ufe to France^ but for this Purpofe, would ftill be, if it was well peopled, one of the moll important of our Colonies. / am, &c. LETTER X. t-.n - Of thelKQCivois Village. 0/ tbe Fall of St. Lov is ; and of the different People njuho inhabit Q\Vi AHA.. Ma dam. Fall op St. Louis, May 21. THIS Village was at firft placed by St. Magdalen's Mea- dow, about a League lower than the Fall of St. Louist to- wards the South. The Lands not being found fit for producing Maiz, it was removed over-againft the Fall itfelf, from whence it took the Name it ftill bears, though it has been removed again a few Years ago a League ftill higher. I have already faid that its Situation is charming, that the Church and the Houfe of the Miflicnaries are two of the fineft Buildings in the Country ; from which we may conclude, that efFeftual. Meafures have been taken not to be obliged to make more Removals. I reckoned, when I came here, to go away immediately after the Eajler Ho- lidays ; but nothing is more fubjed to Difappointments of all Kinds, than thefe Sort of Journies. I am yet uncertain of the Day of my Departure ; qnd as we muft make Advantage of every Thing, when we make fuch Excurfions as mine, I have endeavoured to make Ufe of this Delay : I have pafled the Time in converfing with fome antient Miffionaries, who have lived a long Time with the Savages, and have had from them many Particulars concerning various People who inhabit this vaft Continent j which. Madam, I ftiall now communicate to you. The firft Land of America that we meet with coming from ' Of the I J b' ^^^^^^ to Canada^ is the Ifland of Neivfound- tants of 'New ' ^^"^^ ®"^ of the largeft that we know. It foundland. " could never be known Tor Certainty, whe- ther It had any JNative Inhabitants : Its Bar- rennefs, fuppofing it every where as real as it is thought to be, is not a fufficient Proof that it has had no Native Inhabitants ; P . for m i m I- ! ■8! it '' 106 jfn Hifiorical Journal of for Fiihing ind Hunting is fufiicient to maintain Savages^. This is certain, that here was never feen any bat E/kimaux, who are not Natives of this Country. Their real Country is LabraJtr^ or New Britain : It is there at leaft that they pai« the greaceft Part of the Year ; for it would be prophaning the Name of A^- tive Country, to apply it to wandering Barbarians, who having no AileAion for any Countty, travel over a vaft Extent of Land. In Fa£t, beudes the Coafts of Newfoundland, which the EJkimaun range over in the Summer, in all the vaft Continent which is between the River St, Laurence and Canada, and the North Sea, there has never been feen any other People than the Efiimaux : They have been met with alfo a good Way up the River Bourbon, which runs into Hud/on*s Bay, coming from the Weft. The original Name of thefe People is not certain ; however, it is very probable that it comes from the Ahenaqui Word E/qui- mantfit, wnich fi^nifics an Eater tf raw Flejh. — ^The Ejkimaux are in FaA the only Savages known that eat raw Flefti, though they have alfo the Cuftom of dreffing it, or drying it in the Sun : u is alfo certain, thp.< of all the People known in America, there are none who com <; nearer than thefe to compleat thd firft Idea «vhick Europeans had of Savages. They are almoft the only People where the Men have any Beard ; and they have it io thiclc np to their Eyes, that it is difficult to diftinguifti any Fea- tures of the Face : They have befides fomething hideous in their Look : Little Eyes, looking wild ; large Teeth, and ytxy foul : Their Hair is commonly black, but fometimes light, much in Disorder, and their whole outward Appearance very rough. TJieir Manners and their CharaAer io not difaeree with their ill Look : They are fierce, furly, miftruftftti, anduneafy, always inclined to do an Injury to Strangers, who ought therefore to be upon their Guard againft them, i^ to their Wit and Under- fUttding, we have had fo little Commerce with this People, that we can fay nothing concerning them ; but they are however cunning enough to do Mifchief. They have often been feen to go in the Night to cut the Cables of Ships that were at An- chor, that they might be wrecked upon the Coaft ; and they make no Scruple of attacking them openly in the Day, when they know they are weakly mann'd. It was never poftible to render them m«r« tradable ; and we cannot yet treat with them, but at the End of a long Pole. They not only refufe to approach the Europeans, but they will eat nothing that comes from them ; and m all Thines, they take on their Part fuch Precaution, as fliews a great Diffidence, which gives Room to miftruft reciprocally every Thing that comes from them. They are tall, and pretty well maped: Their Skin i« as white as Snow, which M. This who are grcateft UofNa- |o having- fxtent of Vhich the pontinent and the f than the up the from the »owever, 9taux are gh they Sun : It here are ril Idea fie only ive it 6 ny Fea- in their 7 foul : nuch in rough, h their always e to be Cinder- ed that >wever 'n feen at An< t they when ble to : with iife to :omes fuch >m to rhcy nowr» hicfe 7'ravels in North America. 107 ivhich proceeds without Doubt from their never goinr naked ia the hotteft Weather. Their Hair, their Beards, the WhiteneHi of their Skin, the little lefemblance and Commerce they have with their neareft Neighbours, leaves no Room to doubt that they have a different Origin from other Amtricatu : But the Opinion which makes them defcendcd from the Bifcayners, feems to me to have little Foundation, efpecially if it is true, as I have been a/Tured, that their Language is entirely different. For the reft^ their Alliance would do no great Honour to any Nation ; for if there was no Country on the Face of the Earth lefs fit to be inha- bited by Men than Newfoundland and Labrador, there is perhaps no People which deferve more to be confined here than the Efii" maux. For my Fart, I am perfuaded they came originally from Greenland. Thefe Savages are covered in fuch a Manner, that you can hardly fee an v Part of their Face, or the Ends of their Fingers. Upon a Kind of Shirt made of Bladders, or the Guts of Fiih cut in Slips, and pretty well fewed together, they have a Coat made of Bear or Deer Skins, and fometimes of Birds Skin:. A Capuchin of the fame Stuff, and which is failened to it, covers their Head ; on the Top of which there comes out a Tuft of Hair, which hangs over their Forehead ; The Shirt comes no lower than their Waift ; their Coat hangs behind down to their Thighs, and terminates before in a Point fomething below the Waift ; but the Womer wear them both before and behind, to the Middle of the Leg, and bound with a Girdle, from which hang little Bones. The Men have Breeches of Skins, with the Hair inwards, and which are covered on the Outfide with the Skins of Ermine, or fuch-like : They wear alfo Socks, with the Hair inwards, and over this a Boot, furred in like Manner on the Infide ; then a fecond Sock and fecond Boots : And they fay that thefe Coverings for the Feet are fometimes three or four- fold ; which does not, however, hinder thefe Savages from be- ing very nimble. Their Arrows, which are the only Arms they ufe, are armed with Points made of the Teeth of the Sea-Cow, and they fometimes make them of Iron, when they^ can get it. It appears that in Summer they keep in the open Air Night and Day, but in the Winter they lodge under Ground in a Sort of Cave, where ihey all Ire one upon another. We are little acquainted with the other People which are in nr ,1, D *i r "^e Environs, and above Hud/on*s Bay. In P.^Vplfon -^ the Southern Part of this Bay, they trade rort weiion. ^j^j^ ^^^ Miftaffim, the Monfonis, the Crifinaux, and the AJJiniboiU. Thefe lafl came here from a great Diftance, fince they inhabit the Borders of a Lake which is to the North or the North Weft of the ^ioux^ and their Language is a Dialed . P 3 of li.'t'' io8 '• . " An Hifiorical Journal t)f of the ^ioux. Thfe o*her three ufe the Algonquin Language. The CriJlinauXy or Killijiinonsy come from the North of the upper Lake. The Savages of the River Bourbon (a)y and the River Sainte Therefcy have a Language entirely different from either : It is probable thev are more acquainted with the EJkimaux Lan- guage» It is ooferved, that they are extremely fuperftitious, and offer fome Sort of Sacrifices. Thofe who are the moft ac- quainted with them affirm, that they have, like thofe of Canada. a Notion of'igood and evil Spirit ; that the Sun is their great Deity ; and that when they deliberate on an important Affair, they make him as it were fmoke ; which they perform in this Manner: They affemble at Day-break in a Cabin of one of their Chiefs ; who, after having lighted his Pipe, prefents it three Times to the rifing Sun j then he guides it with both Han('.s f/om the Eaft to the Weft, praying the Sun to favour the Nation. This being done, all the Aflembly fmoke in the fame Pipe. All thsfe Savages, though they are of five or fix different Nations, arc known in the French Relations by the Name of the Sa-venoiSf becaufe the Country where they inhabit is low, marfliy, poorly wODded, and becaufe in Canada they call Savanes (b) thofe wet Lands which are good for nothing. GoiTng to the North of the Bay, we find two Rivers ; the firft of which is called the Danes River, and the fecond the Ri'ver of Seals. There are fome Savages on the Sides of thefe Rivers, to whom they have given (I know not why) the Name, or rather the Nick-Name, of the flat Sides of Dogs. They are often at War againft the Savanois, but neither one nor the other treat their Prifoners with that Barbarity which is ufual amongft the Canadians ; they only keep them in Slavery. The Sa'vanois are often reduced by Want to ftrange Extremities : Either through Idlcnef"? on their Part, or that their Land produces nothing at all, they find themfelves, when the Chaceand the Fifhery fail, without any Provifions ; and then it is faid, they make no Diffi- culty to eat one another : The Weakeft, no Doubt, go firfl. It is alfo faid, that it is a Cuftom amongft them, that when a Man is arrived to an Age in which he can be of no longer Service to his Family, but on the contrary a Burden to it, he puts a Cord himfelf about his Neck, and prefents the two Ends of it to him of his Sons whom he is moft fond of, who ftrangles him as foon as he can : He even thinks that in this he does a good Adlion, (a J They fay that when they have gone one hundred Leagues up this Ri- ver, it is no longer navi^ble for fifty Leagues, and that afterwards it runs in the midft of a very fine Country, and this lafts to the Lake of the ^Jini' ^//{, where it rifes. ' Ci>J The Eng/ijl call them Swmpt. not ,1 Travels in North America, 109 not only becaufe he puts an End to the Sufferings of his Fatheri but alfo becaufe he is perfuaded he haftens his Happinefs ; for thcfe Savages imagine that a Man who dies in old Age, is born again in the other World at the Age of a fucking Child; and that on the contrary, thofe who die young, are old when they come into the Country of Souls. The Daughters of thefe Peo- ple never marry, but wita the Confent of their Parents, and the Son-in-Law is obliged to live with his Father-in-Law, and be fubjeft to him in every Thing, till he has Children. The Sons leave their Father's Houfe early. Thefe Savages burn their Dead, and wrap up their Arties in the Bark of a Tree, which they bury in the Earth : Then they raife over the Grave a Kind of Monument with Poles, to which they fallen Tobacco, that the Deceafed may have wherewith to fmoke in the other World. If he was a Hunter, they hang up alfo his Bow and Arrows. Tho* the Mothers weep for th^ir Children twenty Days, the Fathers receive Prefents, and iji Return make a Feaft. War is much lefs honourable amongft them than the Chace ; but to be elleemcd a good Hunter, they mull fall three Days together without taking the leaft Nouriflimcnt, having their Faces fmeared with Black all this Time. When the Fail is over, the Candidate facrifices to the Great Spirit a Piece of each of the Beads he hath been wont to hunt ; this is commonly the Tongue and the Muzzle, which at other Times is the Hunter's Share : His Family or Relations don't touch it ; and they would even fooncr die with Hunger than eat any of it, it being appropri- ated to the Hunter to feall his Friend'i and Strangers with. A^ to the reft, they fay that thcfe Savages are perfectly difintereftecl, and are of moll inviolable Fidelity ; that they cannot bear a Lye, and look upon all Deceit with Horror. This is, Madam, all that I could learn of thefe Northern Peo- ple, with whom we never had a fettled Intercourfc, and whom we never faw but en pajjhnt. Let us come to thcfe we arfi better acquainted with. — One may divide thtm into three Clafies, diilinguilhed by their Language, and their particular Genius. In that Extent of Country which is commonly called / -'79 tTL T f f f France^ which has no Bounds to the North, »T V rp ^^^ °" ^^ ^^^^ ^^ Hudfons Bay, which w .18 difmembered from it by the Treaty of Utrecht^ which has no other on the Eail but the Sea, the Euglip Colonies on the South, Louijiana to the South-Eaft, and the Spanijh Ter- ritories to the Well : In this Extent of Country, there are but three Mother Tongues, from which all the others are derived : Thefe are the Sioux^ the Algonquin^ and the Huron, We know but little of the People that fpeak the firll of thcfe Languages, and no Body knov/s how far it extends. We have hitherto liad no m iro • j4n Hifiorlcal Journal of no Commerce but with the Sioux and the Jjjimlt9ib, and thia Has not been greatly followed. Our Mifilonariet have endeavoured to make a Settlement ^ , (>. among the Sioux; and I knew one who greatlv Of tbe bioux. ,gg,etted ^y^^ ^ie had not fucceeded, or ra- ther, that had not remained longer among thefe People, who appeared to him docible. There are none perhaps from whom we may gain more Information concerning all that is to the North Weft of the MiJJiJpppit as they have an Intercourfe with all the Nations of thefe vaft Countries. They dwell commonly in Meadows, under Tents made of Skins, and well wrought : They live on wild Oats, which grow in Abundance in their Marfhes and Rivers, and by hunting, efpecially of the Buffa- loes that are covered with Wool, and which are in Herds of Thoufands in their Meadows : They have no fixed Abode, but travel in great Companies like the Tartarst and never ftay in one Place any longer than the Chace detains them. Our Geographers didinguilh this Nation into nuofidering Si- •OAT, and Sioux of the Meadows ^ into Sioux of the Eafit and Sioux of ' the Weft. Thefe Divifions don't appear to me to be well ground- ed : AH the Sioux live after the fame Manner ; whence it hap- pens that a Village which was laft Year on the Eaft Side of the Miffiffippi^ (hall next Year be on the Weft Side ; and that thofc who were at one Time by the River St. Pierre, are perhaps now far enough from it in feme Meadow. The Name of Sioux, which we have given to thefe Savages, is entirely our own mak- ing, or rather is the two laft Syllables of }iadou?J}ioux, as they are called by n my Nations : Others call them NadoueJJis. They arc the moft nunierous People we know in Canada : They were peaceable enough, and little ufed to War, before the Hurons and Outaouais took Refuge in their Country, flying from the Fury of the Iroquois. They derided their Simplicity, and made them Warriors to their own Coft. The Sioux have feveral Wives, and they fevercly punifh thofe that fail of Conjugal Fidelity. They cut off the End of their Nofes, and cut a Circle in a Part of the Skin on the Top of their Head, and pull it off. I have feen fome People who are per- fuaded that thefe Savages had a Chinefe Accent : It would not be difficult to know the Truth of this, nor to know if their Language has any Affinity with the Chinefe. Thofe who have been amongft the AJJimhoih fay, that they arc Of the Aflini- ^^^* ^^^^ made, ftrong, nimble, inured to the boils ^ ' ^o\d. and all Manner of Fatigues ; that they prick themfelves all over the Body, and marK out Figures of Serpents, or other Animals, and that they under- take very long Journies. There is nothing in this that diftin- guifties Travels in Norih America, 1 1 1 gttiibes them much from the other Savages of this Continent^ whom we know ; but what is particular in their Chara£ler is, that they have a great deal of Gravity ; at leaft they appear fo, in Comparifon of the Crijiinauxt with whom they have fome In- tercourle. The Crifiinaux arc in Fail of an extraordinary Vi- vacity ; they are always fineing and dancing ; and they fpcalc with fuch a Volubility ana Precipitation, that has never been obferved of any other Savages. The Native Country of the AJJtnihoih is about a Lake which nr L T I r hears their Name, and which is little known. t //r -u -r ^-^ A Frenchman whom I have feen at Montreal, the AUtniboiIs. ^^^^.^j ^^ ^^ j^^j ^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ feen it as they fee the Sea in a Port and en pajjant. The com- mon Opinion is, that this Lake is fix hundred Leagues in Com- pafs, that we cannot goto it but by Ways which are almoft im- pafTable, that all the Borders of it are charming, that the Air here is very temperate, though thev place it to the North Weft of the upper Lake, where the Cold is extreme, and that it con- tains fuch a Number of Iflands, that they call it in thefe Parts the Lake of IJlands, Some Savages call it Michinipi^ which figni- lies the Great Water ; and it feems in Faft to be the Source of the greateft Rivers and all the great Lakes of North America : For hyfeveral Evidences, they make the River Bourbon to rife out of it, which runs into Hudfon*i Bay ; the River St. Laurence^ which carries its Waters to the Ocean j the MiJJijUippt^ which dif- charges itfclf into the Gulph of Mexico ; the Mcjfouri, which mingles with the laft ; and which, to the Place where they join, is in no Refpefl inferior to it ; and a fifth which runs, as they fay, to the Weft, and which of Courfe muft go into the South Sea. It is a great Lofs that this Lake was not known to thf Learned, who have fought every where for the terreftial Paradifc. It would have been at leaft as well placed here as in Scandinaria, But I do not warrant. Madam, all thefe Fafts for Truth, which arc only founded upon the Reports of Travellers ; much lefs what fome Savages nave reported, vix.. that about the Lake of the AJptti boils there are Men like the Europeans , and who are fettled in a Country where Gold and Silver is fo plenty, that ij ferves for the moft common Ufes. Father Marque/tey who difcovercd the Af{^^/^/ in 1673, fays in his Relation, that fome Savages not only fpoke to him of the Ri- ver, which taking its Rife from this Lake, runs to the Weft, but that they alfo added, that they had feen great Ships in its Mouth. It appears in the old Maps under the Name of Poualais, and of whom fome Relations fay that their Country is the Boundary ttj thjit of the CripnauXi or Ktlli/iinons. , , , . . . A;/:^A .., The Of the Abena- quis Nations^ and the lower Algon- V- 112 yln HIJhrical Journal of The AUonitiin and Huron Languages have between them almort nr tU ^ P *.f ^^' *'•- Savage Nations of Canada that we u/weicopic arc acquainted with. Whoever fliould well y '^'^ Algonquin u„jcrftand both, might travel without an In- Langiiage. terpreter a!)ove one thoufand five hundred Leagues of Country, and muke himfelf undcrftood by one hun- dred diffiTcnt Nations, who have each their peculiar Tongue. They//^p;^///«erpccially has a vafl Extent : It begins at Acadia and the Gulf ot St. Laurjnce, and takes a Compafs of twelve hundred Leagues, twining from the South Eaft by the North to the South \VeIl. They fay alfo, that the Wolf Nation, or the Mahiiigans, and the grcatcft Part of tlie Indians of AVxu England and Virginia, (^tTi\!iAlgonquinY)\2i\c^'i. HYicJlgonqutnu OT Cam If as, who arc Neighbours to Nc-iv Eng- land, have for their neareft Neighbours the Etechemhis, or Malecites, about the River Pen- tagn'it ; and more to the Eaft are the Micmaksy or Souriqriois, whofe proper or Native Country is Acadia, the Continuance of the Coaft of the Gulf of St. Laurence, up to GafpSy (from whence one Writer calls them Gafpefians) and the neighbouring Iflands. In going up the River St. Laurence, we meet with at prefent no Savage Nation, till we come to Saguenay. Neverthelefs, when Canada was firft difcovered, and many Years afterwards, they reckoned in this Space many Nations, which fpread themfelves in the Ifland Anticofte, towards the Hills of Notre-dame, and along -th6 North Side of the River. Thofe which the antient Relations fpeak moft of, are the BerfuvrAics, the Papinachoisy and the Mon- tagncz. They call them alfo (efpecially the laft) the lonver Al- gonquinsy bfcaufe they inhabited the lower Part of the River with Refpeft to i^/0A; were^ not long fince,.oae People,, confider- iw^ Of the Outaga- mis, the Mafccu- tins, and the Ki- eapotts. Travels in Ncrth America. I^^ be able to fpea k them. F or ing the Affinity of their Languages. I ftiall with more Certainty, when I have been amon" the reft, the greatell Part of the Algonquin Nations, excepting thofe which are more advanced towards the South, employ tncm- felves bur little in cultivating the Lands, and live almoft wholly upon Hunting and Fifhing ; fo that they are not fixed to any Place. Some cf them allow Plurality of Wives ; yet, far from multiplying, they decreafe every Day. There is not any one of thefe Nations that confifts of fix thoufand Souls, and fome no of two thoufand. The Huron Language is not by far fo extenfive as the Algon • f\c L T> J.1 f quin: The Reafon of which is, without Vftbefeopieof }q^^^^^ that the People who fpeak it have the Huron Lan- ^^^^ j^^^ ^.^^j^g ^^^^ ^y^^ Algonquins : I fay &'^^^^' the Huron Lan|;uage, in Conformity to the common Opinion ; for fome maintain that the Iroquois is the Mother Tongue. Let that be as it will, all the Savages which are to the South of the River St. Laurence^ from the River Sorel to the End ©f the Lake £;•/>, and even pretty near Virginiuy be- long to this Language : And whoever underftands the Huron, underilands them all. The Diale£b are indeed extremely mul- tiplied, and there are almoft as many as there are Villages. The five Cantons which compofe the Iroquois ConunonwcaRh, have each their own Language ; and all that was formerly called without any Diltinftion the Huront was not the fame Language. I cannot find out to what Langua|;e the Cberokeet belong, a pretty numerous People, which inhabit the vaft Meadows which are between the Lake Erie and the MiJJiJJippi, But it is worth while to obferve, that as thegreateft Part of the Savages of Canada have at all Times been converfant with each other, fometimes as Allies, and fometimes as Enemies, al- thouga the three Mother Tongues which I have fpoken of, have no Manner of AfHnity or Agreement with each other, thefe People have nevertheless found Means to treat together without the Help of an Interpreter: Either that long Cuftom makes it eafy to underftand each other by Signs, or that they have formed a Kind of common Jargon, which they learn by life. — I have juft received Notice that I muft embark : I raall finifh this Article at my firft Leifure. fji. J amt &c. %M# \ 11 I o.* LETTER * ii6 An Hiftorical Journal of .-^ LETTER Xr. 1 1 Voyage to Catarocoui. A Defer iption of the Cmntry^ and of the Falls of the Ri'ver St. Laurence. Defcriptton and Si- tuation of the /"or/ Catarocoui. Of the Lunguagts of Ca- nada, and of the Peopk that fpeak them. The Occafion cf the Warheinjoeen //&£ Iroquois and the Algonquiks. Mad A M, Catarocoih, Moy 14. I Departed from the Fall St. Louis the Day after I had clofed my laft Letter, and went to lie at the.Weftern Point of the Ifle of Montreal t where I did not arrive till Midnight. The next Day I employed all the Morning in vifiting the Country, which is very fine. In the Afternoon I crofTed the Lake St.Louh to go to the Cafcades^ where I found thofe of my People who went hither in a direft Way : I found them bufy in mending their Canoe, which they had let fall in carrying it on their Shoulders, and which was fplit from one End to the other.' This is. Madam, the Convenience and Inconvenience of thefe little Car- riages : The leaft Thing breaks them, but the Remedy is ready anaeafy. It fuffices to furnifti one's fclf with Bark, Gums, and Roots ; and there are very few Places where one does not find^^ Gums and Roots fit to few the Bark. What they call the Cafcadgs, is a Water-fall fituated exaftly n /• •**• /• above the Ifland P«ro/, which makes the Se- iheFdUoUheRi^ paration of the Lake St. Louis, and the Lake Q J -^ " des deux MontagneSf (of the tiuo Mountains J, ver bt. i^aureiKe. ^,^ ^^^j^ j^^ ^^ ^^ ^ jV^j^ ^^^ ^^ ^j^^ ^ and make the Canoes pa fs empty in a Place they call /^ Troti^ (the Holt) : Then they draw them to Land, and make a Portage of half a Quarter or a League ; that is to fay, they carry the Canoe with all the Baggage on their Shoulders. This is to irvoid a fecond Fall called le Buiffon, (the Bujh). This is a fine Sheet of Water, whieh -falls from a flat Rock about half a Foot high. They "might eafe themfelves of this Trouble, by deep- ening a little the Bed of a fmall River which runs into another above the Cafades : The Expence would not be great. S ■ . • V ^^ Above V' and of and 6/- of Ca- cf the Travels in North America 1 1 7 Above the BuiJJhny tke River is a Mile wide, and the Lands on Rcflixicn en the fi»t of Cataro coui, and on the Ifay they take to go thither. both Sides are very good, ^nd well wooded. They begin to clear thole which are on the North Side, and it would be very eafy to make a Road from the Point, which is over againft the Ifland Montreal^ to a Bay which they call la Galette. Ihey will fhun by this forty Leagues of Navigation, which the Falls render almoft im- practicable, and very tedious. A Fort would be much better fitu- not be furprifed. Madam, at thefe frequent Wrecks, when you know how thefe Gondola's are made. I believe "hat I have already told you that there are two Softs of them, the one of Elm Bark, which are wider and more clumfily built, but commonly bigger. I know none but the Iroquois who have any of this Sort. The others are of the Bark of Birch Trees, of a Width lefs in Pro;, portion than their Length, and much better made : It is^thefe that I am going to dcfcnb^, becaufe all the French, and almoft all the Savages, ufe them. (a-) M. dc CUramhaut, acorn $ the Weathe*- was fine, the Night very clear, and this engag'd us tq embark at Three in the Morning. We pafled thro* tke mldft of a Kind of ArchiptlagOt which they call Miile IJUs^ (the Thou/and JJltSt) and I b«liev« there are above five hundred ; When we are pdfeA Of th: Tonihata. Ifiand ■M ■'I ; ADefcription of Fort Cataroconi. 1 20 An Hijhrical yournal of parted thefe we have a League and half to arrive at Cataroconi i the River is more open, ana is at leafl half a League wiJe ; then we leave upon the Right three great Bays pretty deep, and the Fort is built in the third. This Fort is a Square with four Baftions built with Stone, and the Ground it occupies is a Quarter of League in Compafs, its Situation has really fomething vcvy pleafant ; the Sides of tl;e River prefent every Way a Landfcapc well v.ried, and it is the fan»e at the Entrance of Lalce Outarioj which is but a fmall League diftant ; it is full of Iflands of different Sizes, all well wooded, and nothing bounds the Horizon on that Side : This Lake was fome Time called St. I.^uis, afterv/ards Frontcnac, as well as the Fort of Catarocsniy of which the Count de Frontenac was the Founder; but infenfibly the Lake has gained its antient Name, which is Huron or Iroquois^ and the Fort that of the Place where it is built. The Soil from this Place to la Galctte appears fomething barren, but this is only on the Edges, it be- ing very good farther on. There is over-againll the Fort a very pretty Ifland in the midft of the River ; they put fome Swine into it, which have multiplied, and given it the Name of IJle des Pores: There are two other Jflands ibmewhat fmaller, which are lower, and half a League dii>ant from each other; one is called the IJle of Cedars y the other IJlc aux Cerfs, (Harts IJland). The Bay of Catarocoui is double, that is to fay ^ that al- moft in the midft of it there is a Point that runs out a great Way, under which there is good Anchorage for large Barks. M. de la SaUt fo famous for his Difcoveries and his Misfortunes, who was Lord of Cataracouij and Governor of the Fort, had two or three here, which were funk in this Place, and remain there ftill : Behind the Fort is a Marfh where there is a great Plenty of Wild Fowl : This'is a Benefit to, and Employ- ment for, the Garrifon. There was formerly a great Trade here, efpecially with the Irot^uois ; and it was to entice them to us, as well as to hinder their canying their Skins to the Eng- lijh, and to keep thefe Savages ih Awe, that the Fort v/as built: But this Trade did not laft long, and the Fort hias not hindered the Barbarians from doing us a great deal of Mtfchief. They have ftill fome Families here on the Outfides of the Place, and there are alfo fome MiJ/ifaguex.^ an Algonquin Nation, which ftill have a Village on the Weft Side of Lake Ontario, another at Niagara^ and a third in the Streight. I find here. Madam, an Opportunity of fending my Letters to ^ebec: I ftiall take Advantage bf fome leifure Hours to fill up this with what I have further to fay to you on the Difference n" the Languages of Canada, Tliofe who hare ftudied them perfeftl^ \widc ; deep. Is tone, |rter of really lof t!:e is the fmall I well This c, as ntenac ntient :)f the it be- ort a. foine STame laller, )t-her; 'Harts lat al- Traveli in North America, i 2 1 perfetflly, Tay that thofc three of wliich 1 have fpokcii have all the Characters of primitive Languages ; and it is certain that they have not the fame Origin ; yvhich the l*ronunciation alone is fufficient to prove. The Sjon whilUes in fpeaking ; the Hu- ron has no labial Letter, which he cannot pronounce, he fpeaks in the Throat, and afperates almoft every Syllable ; the Algon- quin pronounces with more Sweetnefs, and fpeaks more natu- turally. I can learn nothing particular of the iirll of thefe three Languages, but our Sntient Miffionaries have much flu- died the two laft, and their principal Dialefts : This is what I have heard from the moll fkilful. The Huron Language has a Copioufnefs, an Energy, and a Sub- limity perhaps not to be found united in any of the finefl that we know ; and thofe whofe native Tongue it is, tho' they are now but a Handful of Men, have fuch an Elevation of Soul that agrees much better with the Majefty of their Language, than with the fad State to which they are reduced. Some have fancied they found in it fome Similitude with the Hebrexv ; others, and the greateft Number, have maintained it had the fame Origin as the Greek ; but nothing is more trifling than the Pro'ofs they bring for it. We mufl not depend efpecially upon the Vocabulary of Brother Gabriel Saghard, a Recollet who hath been cited to fupport this Opinion ; much lefs on thofe oi James Car- tier and the Baron de la Hontan. Thefe three Authors took at Random fome Terms, fome of v/hich were Htiroriy others y^/. gsnquiit, which they ill retained, and which often iignified quite different from what they thought. And how many Errors have been occafioned by fuch Milcakes of many Travellers. The Algonquin Language has not fo much Force as the Httron^ r-L ci i^ .1 but has more Sweetnefs and Elegance: Boih Lharader of the , n-urrr« n- \t • " Ai . ■; have a Richnefs of LxprelUons, a Variety of ° ^"" Turns, a Propriety of Terms, a Regularity y^ * •' which artonifli : But what is more furprifing is, that among thefe Barbarians who never iludy to fpcak well, and who never had the Ufe of Writing, there is not intro- duced a bad Word, an improper Term, or a vicious Conilruc- tion ; and even Children preierve all the Purity of the Lan- guage in their common Difcourfe. On the other Hand, the Manner in which they animate all they fay, leaves no Room :o doubt of their compreh-^nding all the Worth of their Exprefli- ons, and all the Beauty of their Language. The Dialedls which are derived from both, have not prefervcd all their Beauties, nor the fame Force. The Tfonnonthouans^ for Inflance (this is one of the five Iroquois Cantons) pafs among the Savages to have a vulgar or rude Language. R Iij 122 An Wtfiorical Journal of In the Huron all is conjugated ; a certain Device which I ^' I '^' /. cannot well explain to you, diftinguifties the Particularitmof ^^^^^^ ^j^^ j^^^^^^ ^^^ Pronouns, the Ad- m Huron Lan. ^^^^^^^ ^^ r^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^ ^^^^j^ S'*^Z'' Conjugation, one abfolute, and the other re- ciprocal ; the third Perfons have the two Genders, for there are but two in thefe Languages ; that is to fay^ the noble and the ignoble Gender. As to the Numbers and Tenfes, they have the lame Differences as in the Greek: For Inftance, to relate Travels, they exprcfs themfelves differently according as it was by Land, or by Water. The Verbs aftive multiply as often as there are Things which fall under Adion; as the Verb which fignifies to eat varies as many Times as there are Thines to eat. The Adlion is expreffed differently in Refpeft to any thing that has Life, and an inanimate Thing ; thus to fee a Man, ana to fee a Stone, are two Verbs ; to make Ufe of a Thing that belongs to him that ufes it, or to him to whom we fpeak, are two difi'erent Verbs. There is fomething of all this in the Algonquin Language, tho* 1 p . , . . - not the fame, of which 1 am not able to give .tfyT-'V-^ any Account. Notwithftanding, Madam, if theAXgoxi^umLan- ^^^^ ^^^ jj^^j^ j ^^^^ ^^^^ j^ ^^jf^^^^ ^^^^ Jj^^ i"^S^' Richnefs and Variety of thefe Languages ren- ders them extremely difficult to learn j their Poverty and Barren* nels produces no lefs Difficulty : For as thefe People, when we firft converfed with them, were ignorant of almoft every Thing they did not ufe, or which did not fall under their Senfes, they wanted Terms to exprefs them, or they had let them fall into Oblivion : Thus, having no regular Worfhip, and forming of the Deity, and of every Thing which relates to Religion, but confufed Ideas, not making fcarce any Reflexions but on the Objects of their Senfes, and on nothing which did not concern their own Affairs, which were confined within a fmall Compafs, and not being'accuflomed to difcourfe on the Virtues, the PaiEons, and many other Subjefts of our common Converfation ; not cultivat- ing any Arts, but thofe which were neceffary for them, and which were reduced to a very fmall Number j nor any Science, only obferving what was within their Ability ; and for Life, having nothing fuperfluous, nor any Refinement : When we wanted to fpeak to them of thefe Things, we found a great Vacuity in their Languages, and we were obliged, in order to make our- felves underftood, to fill them up with Circumlocutions that were troublefome to them as well as to us : So that after having learnt of them their Language, we were obliged to teach them another, compofcd partly of their own Terms, and partly of our's tranf- lated into Huron and Algonquin^ to make the Pronunciajtion cafy to them. As to Charadcn they had none, and they fup- plied iX i Travels in North America. 12^ plied the Defeft by a Sort of Hieroglyphicks. Nothing fur- prifed them more than to fee us exprefs ourfelvcs as eafily by writing as by fpeaking. If it is aflced how we know that the Sicuy the Huron, and the jlJgonquin, are rather Mother Tongues than fome of thofe which we look upon as their Dialefts, I anfwer, that it is not cafy to jniftake in this, and I think there needs no other Proof than the Words of the Abbe Dubo/s, which I have already cited ; but in fhort, as we can judge here only by Comparifon, iF frcm thefe Reflexions we may conclude that the Languages of all the Savagea of CanadaZTC derived from thofe three which I have noted, I allow it does not prove abfolutely that thefe are primitive, and of the £rft Inftitu- tion of Languages. T add, thatihcfe People have in their Difcourfe fomcthing of the j^fctic Genius, \yhich gives Things a Turn, and figurative ExprelTicns ; and this is, perhaps, what has perfuaded fome Perfcns that they derive their Origin from JJia, which feems probable enough. The People of the Huron Language have ,.ays applied them- felves more than the others to cultivating the Land; they have alfo extended themfclves much lefs, which has produced two EfFefts : For in the fir ft Place, they are better fettled, better lodged, and better fortified ; and there has always been amongft them more Policy, and a more diflinguifhed Form of Gover- ment. The Quality of Chief, at leaft among the true Hurons, which are ihtTictincatatcst is Hereditary. In the ftcond Place, till the IroquohWars, of which wc have been WitnefTes, their Coun. try was more peopled, though they never allowed Polygamy, They are alfo reputed more indudrious, more dexterous in their Affairs, and more prudent in their Refoluticns; which cannot be attributed but to a Spirit of Society, which they have prcfcrved better than the otherc. This is remarkedparticularly of the Hurnm, that tho' fcarcely any longer a Nation, and reduced to two Villa- ges not very large, and at a great Diftance one from the other ; yet they are the Soul of all the Councils, when they confult on any general Affairs. It is true, that in Spite of that Differ- ence which is not feen at the firft Glance, there is much Refem- blance in the Senfe, the Manners, and all the Cultoms of the Savages of Canada ; but this is the Confequence of the Inter- courie which has been always between them for many Ages. This would be the Place to fpeak to you concerning the Go- vernment of thefe People, of their Culloms, and of their Re- ligion ; but I fee nothing in this yet but a Chaos, which it is impoffible for me to clear up. There are fome Travellers who make no Scruple to fill their Journals with whatever they hear faid, without troubling them- fclves about the Truth of any Thing. You would not, doubtlefs, R 2 huve ^ j: «l ■aau^ M Hijlorical Journal of m. 114 have me follow their Example, and impofe upon you for Truili all the extravagant Things that have been placed to the Ac- count of our Savages, or that have been taken ai they could from their Traditions. Thcfc Traditions, on the other Hand, are fo little to be relied on, and almort always contradift each other fo grofsly, that it is almoft impolTible to difcover any Thing from them that may be depended on. In Fad, how could fuch People, as we found thcfc, tranfmit faithfully down to Portcrity what has paifcd between them for fo many Ages, hav- ing nothing to help their Memory ? And can we conceive that Men, who think fo little of Futurity, fliould ever bufy them- felves about what is part, to make any faithful Records of it ? So that after all the Enquiries that could be matk*, we are fliil at a Lofs to know what was the Situation of Canada when we made the lirll Difcovery thereof, about the Middle of the fixth Century. The only Point of their Hiftory, which is derived to us with any Sort of Probability, is tlie Origin of the War, which M. de Chaiv.phin found very much kindled between the Jroquois on the one Side, and the Hurons and Algotiquins on the other; and in which he engaged himfelf much more than was agreeable Jto our true Intereft. I cannot difcover the firft Beginning of this War, but I do not think it was very antient. What I fhall fay about it, I give you Notice before Hand, I do not war- rant the Truth of, though I have it from pretty good Authority. The Algovquinst as 1 have already obferved, poffeffed all that Extent of Country which is from ^ebecy and perhaps a!fo from Tadoufac quite to the Lake of NipiJ/ingy following the North Shore of the River St. Laurence^ and going up the great River, which runs into it above the Ifle of Montreal. By this we my judge that this Nation was then very numerous ; and it is certain, that for a long Time it made a very great Figure in this Part of America^ where the Hurons were alone in a Condition to difpute with them the Pre-eminence over all the reft. For the Chace they had no Equals, and for War they acknowledged no Supe- riors. The few who remain to this Day, have not decjenerated from the antient Merit of this Nation, and their Misfortunes have not yet leffened their Reputation. The Iroquois had made with them a Kind of Confederacy, very ufeful to both Sides j but which in the Opinion of the Savages, amongft whom a great Hunter and a great . Warrior are equally efteemed, gave the Algonquins a real Superiority over the Iroquois. The latter, almoft wholly employed in the Culture of the Lands, had engaged to give Part of their Harveft to the Algonquins j who, on their Side, • * were Origin of the War ivhich the Algonquins and the Hurons hanje maintained againji the Loquois. ^'raixh in h^orfh America » lis, TrmU e Ac- could land, each any how down hav- that hem- it? flill vhen the were to divide with them the Fruit of the Chace, and to defend tht'm agriinft wlioever fiiould undertake to dilliirb them. The r-Ao Nations lived thus a long Time in a good Undcrllanding ; but an ill timed Haughtincfs on one Side, and a Refentment, which was not e.xpeded, on the other Side, broke this Union, and made a f^iarrel between thefe two People that hath been never reconciled. As Winter is the great Seafon for the Chace, and that the F,;uth, then covered with Snow, gives no Employment to them who cultivate it, the two Confeaerate Nations joined together to winter in the Woods ; but the Iroquois commonly left the Chace to the Algojiquhisy and contented themfelves with fleain^ the Beafts, drying the 1' lefh, and taking Ciire of the Skins. This is at prefent every where the Work of the Women, perhaps then it was not the Cultoni : However, the Iroquois made no Difiiculty of it. From Time to Time, however, fome of them took a Fancy to try themfelves in the Chace, and the yJIgon quins 6.1^ not oppofe it, in which they were bad Politicians. It happened one V\ inter, that a Troop of both Nations ftopped In a Place where they expeded Plenty of Game, and fix young /llgonquins, accompanied with as many Iroquois of the fame Age, were detached to begin the Chace. They prefently difcovered fome Elks, and they all prepared themfelves diredlly to purfue them ; but the Algouquins would not fufFer the Iroquois to fol- low them, and gave them to underlland that they would have enough to do to Ilea the Beads they Hiould kill. Unfortunately for thefe Boallers, three Days paffed without their being able to bring down a fingle Orignal, though a great Number came in Sight. This bad Succefs mortified them, and probably was no Difpleafure to the Iroquois ^ who earnelUy defired to obtain Leave to go another Way, where they hoped to be more fuccefsful. Their Propofal was received by the Algonquins^ as was formerly that by the Brothers of Davids which the young Shepherd made to go and fight with the Giant Goliah: They told them that they were very' vain to pretend to have more bkill than the Algon- quins ; it was their Bufinefs to dig the Earth, and that they fhould leave tiie Chace to thofe that were fit for it. The Iroquois^ en- raged at this Anfwer, made no Reply ; but the next Night they departed privately for the Chace. 'The A 'gonquins were furprifed in the Morning at not feeing them, but their Surprife was foon changed into extreme Vexation ; for in the Evening of the fame Day, they faw the Iroquois returning loaded with the Flelh of Ori^nals. There are no Men in the World who are more fuf- ceptible of Spite, and who carry the EfFetts of it further : The Refttlt of that of the Algojiquins was fudden : The Iroquois were no fooner afleep than they were all knocked on the Head. Such 126 'An Hijlcrlcal jfcurnal of Such an AfTaffination could not be long a Secret ; and though the Bodies were buried privately, the Nation \v«i3 foon informed of it. At firll, they complained with Moderation, but infilled on having tb.e Murderers puniilicd. They were too much dcf- pifed to obtain this Jullicc : The Algotuiuins would not fubmit to iiiake even the lead Satisfaiflion. The Ircqiiois in Defpair made a firm Refolutlon to be revenged „-, de Main, fometimes deftroys a whole Town ; and often the i'car of an Irruption drives a whole Canton to forfalce tlicir Country, and then thefe Fugitives, to avoid dying by the Sword of their Enemies, or by Torture, expofe themfelves to perifti by Hun- ger and Cold m the Woods or on the Mountains, becaufe they feldom have Leifure or Precaution to carry Provifions with them. This has happened in the laft Age to a great Number of M' gonquinj and Huront, of whom we could never hear any Ac- count. M LETTER XII. ji Defcription of the Country up to the Ri'ver of the Onjnontacue*.* Of the Flux and Reflux in the great Lakes of Canada. The Manner hoiju the Sa'vnges Jing their IFar-Song. Of the God of War among ji thefe People. Of the Declaration of IVar. Of the Necklacer of Shells : And of the Calumet : And of their Cujltms of Pence uftd War, Madam, Famine Bay, May i6, I Have the Misfortune to be detained here by a contrary Wind^ which in all Appearance will laft .1 long Time, and keep me in one of the v/orft Places in the World. I (hall amufe myfelf with writing to you. Whole Armies of thofe Pigeons they call Tourtes pafs by here continually j if one of them would carry my Letter, you would perhaps have News of me before I leave this Place : But the Savages never thought of bringing up Pigeons for this Purpofe, as they fay the Arabi and many other Nations formerly did. -• = rem- 1% Departure from Catarocoui : The , Rout form thence to Famine Bay : J Defcription of the , Country, 128 Jn HiJJorical 'Journal of I embarked the 14th, exaftly at the fame Hour I arrived .it Catarocoui the Evening before. I had but fix Leagues to go to the Iflc of Chcvreuils, ( Roe- Bucks) where there is a pretty I'ort that can receive large Barks ; but my Canadians had not examined their Canoe, and the Sun had melted the Gum of it in many Places ; it took Water every where, and 1 was forced to lofe two whole Hours to repair it in one of the Iflands at the Entrance of the Lake Ontario. After that we failed till Ten ■ o'clock at Night, without being able to reach the Ifle of Chev- reuilst and we were obliged to pafs the rcll of the Night in the Corner of a Foreft. This was the firft Time I perceived fome Vines in the Wood. Of th V f '^^^^'^ wcxQ almoft as many as Trees ; to the . p -^ J '" •' Top of which they rife. I had not yet made this Remark, becaule I had always till then 'Hopped in open Places ; but they aflare me it is the fame every where, quite to Mexico. The Stocks of thcfe Vines are very large, and they bear many Bnnches of Grapes ; but the Grapes are fcarcely fo big as a Pea ; and this mul^ be fo, as the Vines are not cut nor cultivated. When they are ripe, it is a good Manna for the Bears, who feek for them at the Tops of the highell Trees. They have, neveithelefs, but the Leavings of the iJirds, who have foon gathered the Vintage of whole Forells. I fetout early next Morning, and at Eleven o'Clock I (lopped at the Ifle auxGaUotSy three Leagues beyond the Ifle/j^.v Chc-vres, (of Goats J, in 4.3". 33'. I re-einbarked about Noon, and made a Traverfe of a League and a half, to gain the Point of th: Tra- njerfe. If to come hither from the Place where I paHed the Night, I had been obliged to coall the Continent, I fliould have had above forty Leagues to make ; and we muft do this, when the Lake is not verv calm; for if it is the leaft ag-i- tated, the Waves are as high as in the open Sea : It is not eve.'i poflible to fail under the Coalt, when the Win^ blows hard from the Lake. From the Point of the Ifle aux Ga/lots, we fee to the Weft the River Chougueft, otherwifc called the River d'On- nontague^ which is fourteen Leagues ofl^. As the Lake was calm, and there was no Appearance of bad Weather, and we had a little" Wind atEaft, which was but jull enough to carry a Sail, I refolved to make diredly for this River, that I might fave fifteen or twenty Leagues in going round. My Conduftors, who had more Experience than myfelf, judged it a dangerous Attempt ; but, out of Complaifance, they yielded to my Opinion. — The Beauty of the Country which I quitted on the Left Hand, did not tempt me any more than the Salmon, and Numbers of other -^ excellent hived At Id bur fix fii'it can yinns had ^Mn had f'ices ; it IS forced Is at the till Ten Jt in the Wood, to the et made tilJ then e everv 7 large, apes are ines are Manna Jii^heft ^' iiirds, flopped made a '■'c Tra- ced the fliould a this, ft api- t even I from fee to ./'Off- calm, fiad a lil, I fteen had ipt; The did ther lent Trcvveh 'ni North y^nnerica, 120 excelltut Filh, which they take in fix fine Rivers which are at two or three Leagues Diftancc one from the other (aj : We took then to the open Lake, and till Four o'Clock wc had no Caufe to repent of it ; but then the Wind rofe fuddenly, and we would willingly have been nearer the Shore. We made towards the near- eft, from which wc were then three Leagues off, and we had much Trouble to make it. At length, at Seven at Night we landed at Famine Bay ; thus named, fince M. de la Barret Governor Gene- ral of Nc'Tv Franccy had like to have loll all his Army here by- Hunger and Diftempers, going to make War with the Iroquois, It was Time for us to get to Land ; for the Wind blew ftrong, Pj r • f andthe Wives ran /ohieh, that one would not Uejcrtptton 0/ ^^^^ ventured to pafs the Seine at Paris y over- t amine Hay. ^„^\^[\ the Lou^>re, in fuch Weather. As to the reft, this Place is very fittodeftroy an Army, which depends on the Chace or the Fifiiery for their Subfiftencc, befides that the Air appears to be very unhealthy here. But nothing is finer than the Woods that cover the Borders of the Lake : Tne white and red Oaks rife up here even to the Clouds. There is alfo here a Tree of the largell Kind ; the Wood of which is hard, but brittle, and. much refembles that of the Plane-Tree : The Leaf has five Points, is of a middle Size, a \try fine Green on the Infide, and whitifti without. It is called here the Cotton-Trect becaufe in a Shell nearly of the Bignefs of a Korfe Chefnut, it bears a Kind of Cotton ; which appears, neverthelefs, of no Ufe. As I walked upon the Side of the Lake, I obferved that it lofes Ground on this Side fenfibly : This is evident, becaufe for the Space of half a League in Depth the Land i.s much lower and more fandy than it is beyond. I have obferved alfo in this Lake (and they aflureme the fame happens in all the others) a Kind of Flux and Reflux almoft momentane- ous ; fome Rocks which are pretty near the Shore being covered and uncovered feveral Times within the Space of a Qgarter of an Hour, although the Surface of the Lake was very c?!m, and there was fcarce any Wind. After having confidered this fome Time, I imagined it might proceed from Springs which are at the Bottom of the Lake, and from the Shocks of thofe Currents with thofe of the Rivers, which flow in from all Parts, and which produce thefe intermitting Motions, (a) The River of the j^Jfumit'wn, a League from the Point of the Tra^ •verft ; that of Sa/^Ls, three Leagues further; that of la Plancbe, (the Plank) two Leagues further ; that of b grande Fam'mf, (the great Famine) two Leagues more ; that of /a petite Famine, (the little Famine) 0x19 League; that «f la grojj'e Econr, (the th'nk Bark) one League. A Bur 130 An hiijtorical Journal of But would you believe, Madam, that in this Seafon, and in Whv the Trees ^^ Degrees Latitude, there is not yet a Leaf , ^ , upon the Trees, though we have fometimes as Tl/'^LTT^r great Heat as you have in the Month of July, theMonth ./May. |j^^ ^^^^^^ ^^ ^^j, j^^ ^.^^^^^^ Doubt, be- caufe the Earth, which has been covered with Snow feveral Months, is not yet heated enough to open the Pores of the Roots, and to maKe the Sap rife. For the reft, the great and the little Famine do not deferve the Name of Rivers ; they are but Brooks, efpecially the laft, but are pretty well ftocked with Fiih. There are nerc fome Eagles of a prodigious Bignefs. My Peo- ple have juft now taken down a N«ft, which confifled of a Cart Load of Wood, and two Eagles which were not yet fledged, and which were bigger than the largeft Hen Turkeys : They cat them, and found them very good. 1 returned to Catarocoui j where, the Night that I ftaid there, I was Witnefs to a Scene that was fomething curious. About Ten or Eleven ©'Clock at Night, juft as I was going to Bed, I heard a Cry, which they told me was a War-Cry ; and' a little after, I faw a Company of MiJJi/aguex enter the Fort finging. Some Years fince, thefe Savages engaged themfelves in the War which the Iroquois make with the Cberokeest a pr/Btty nume- rous People, who inhabit a fine Country to the South of Lake Erie^ aiid lince that 1 ime the young People are eager for War. Three or four of thefe Heroes, equipped as for a Mafquerade, their Faces painted in a horrible Manner, and followed by almoft all the Savages who live about the Fort, after having run thro* all their Cabins finging their War-Song to the Sound of the Chichikoue (a)^ came to do the fame in all the Apartments of the Fort, in Honour to the Commandant and the Officers. I confefs to you. Madam, that there is fomething in this Ceremony which fills one with Horror the firft Time one fees it ; and I found by it what I had not fo fenfibly perceived before, as I did then, op,gsand.Jan- ^^ ^^^ AfTembly with his Fighting-Club or /.lJ '""^ Hcad-breaker in his Hand, and fings ; all his t>f the If amors. c u- c t- r • Jr/.„«- #■«- •^ Soldiers anfwer him fmging, and iwear to fupport him well, or to die in the Attempt. All this is ac- .companied with very expreflive Geftures, to make one underftand that they will not fly from the Enemy. But it is to be remarked, that no Soldier drops any Expreflion that denotes the leaft De- pendence. They only promife to aft with a great deal of Union and Harmony. On the other Hand, the Engagement they take, requires great Returns from tl: Chiefs. For Inftance, every Time that in the public Dances, a S? age, ftriking his Hatchet upon a Poft fet up on Purpofe, puts the Aflembly in Mind of his brave Aftions, as it always happens, the Chief un- der whofe Conduft he performed them, is obliged to maigs him a Prefent ; at leaft this is the Cuftom among feme Na- tions. The Songs are followed by Dances : Sometimes it is only walk- The Notion thefe ^"S ^^^^^^a proud Step, but keeping Time ; People hafn Hiftorical Journal of 9 Spe^ator of it, with a Pipe in his Mouth : It is the fame Thing commonly in all their Feafts of Preparation, that he who gives them, touches nothing. The following Days, and till the Departure of the Warriors, there pafles many Things which are nor worth Notice, and which are not conftantly prac> tifed. But I mull not forget a Cullom which is lingular enough, and which the Iroquois never difpenfe with : It appears to have been invented to difcover thofe who have Senfe, and know how to be Mailers of themfelves ; for thefe People whom we treat as Barbarians, cannot conceive that any Man can have true Courage if he is not Mafler of his Paffions, and if he cannot bear the higheil Provocations : This is their Way of pro- ceeding. The oldeft of the Military Troop affront the young People tTL ct • 1 L- L ^^ ^^^ ^°^ injurious Manner they can think sL I r.L of, efpecially thofe who have never yet feen f&ry make of their ^^^^^ £nemy : They throw hot Coals upon yyarrioTi, ^^^^^ Yit2.d,%, they make them the Iharpeft Re- proaches, they load them with the moil injurious Expreffions, and carry this Game to the greateft Extremities. This mufl be en- dured with a perfeA Infenftbility : Tofhew on thefe Occafions the lead Sign of Impatience, would be enough to be judged unworthy of bearing Arms for ever. But when it is praflifed by People of the fame Age, as it often happens, ihe Aggreflbr muft be well afTured that he has nothing to account ror himfelf, otherwifc when the Game is done, he would be obliged to make Amends for the Infult by a Prefent : I fay, when the Game is done ; for all the Time it lafts, they muft (uffer every Thing without being angry, though the Joke is often carried fo far as to throw Fire- brands at their Heads, and to give them great Blows with a Cudgel. ' As the Hope of being cured of their Wounds, if they have the gf., n .• Mii fortune to receive any, does not contri- V^ trtcauttons ^^^^ ^ j-^^j. ^^ ^^^ htzvttt to expofe for the -wounded. ^YitmkXvt^ to the greateft Dangers, after what I havr related, they prepare Drugs, about which their Jugglers are employed. 1 Ihall tell you another Time what Sort of People thefe Jugglers are. All the Village being aflembled, one of thefe Quacks declares that he is going to communicate to the Roots and Plants, of which he has made a good Provi- fion, the Virtue ofI»ealing all Sorts of Wcunds, and even of re- floring Life to the dead. Immediately he begins to fing, o- ther Jugglers anfwer him ; and they fuppofe that during the Concert, which you may imagine is not very harmonious, and which is accompanied with many Grimaces of the Aflors, the healing Virtue is communicatea to the Drugs. The principal ,. . . Juggler pe fame ]that he fy»f and Thing! My prac- [cnough, Ito have }ow how vt treat |ve true cannot 5f pro- People n think Kct feen s upon )eft ke- ns, and been- ons the worthy opie of e well lerwife amends e ; for t being ' Firc- vilh a ve the ontri- xpofe after their t Sort bled, icate rovi- { te~ , o- ■ the and the ipal gler Travels in Nor lb America. 141 iaggler proves them afterwards : He begins bv making his Lips ieedy he applies his Remedy ; the Blood, which the Impoltor takes Care to fuck in dexteroufly, ccafes to run, and they cry out a Miracle! After this he takes a dead Animal, he eives the Company Time enough to be well aflured that he is dead, then by tne Means of a Pipe which he has thrull under the Tail, he caufes it to move, in blowing fome Herbs into its Mouth, and their Cries of Admiration are redoubled. LalHy, all the Troop of jugglers eo round the Cabins finging the Virtue of their Me- dicines. Thefe Artifices at the Bottom do not impofc on any one ; but they amufe the Multitude, and Cuflom mud be fol- lowed. There is another Cuftom peculiar to the Mtamh, and perhaps c JL *• f to fome Nations in the Neighbourhood of Some particular ^^^r^^^^ j ^^d thefe Particulars from a Frend^ Cu^omt of the ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^ Witnefs of them. After a Miamis to pre- ^^^^^^ p^^j^^ ^j^^ .^^.^j^ ^^jj j^^^ ^^ ^ j, j^^ pare tbcfn/el'vesfor ^^ ^j^^^^ ^^^^ p^g^j^ ^^j^ ^^jj,^ ^^^^ 3,^j^^^ '^' the Heads of which were painted green. All the Savages pafTed this Altar bowing; their Knees, and the Jug* glers lead the Van, holding in their Hands a Sack which con- tained all the Things which they ufe in their Conjurations. They all ftrove to exceed each other in their Contorfions, and as any one diflinguilhed himfelf in this Way, they applauded him with great Shouts. When they had thus paid their firft Homage to the Idol, all the People danced in much Confufion, to the Sound of a Drum and a Chichicouc ; and during this Time the Jugglers made a Shew of bewitching fome of the Savages, who feemed ready to expire : Then putting a certain Powder upon their Lips, they made them recover. When this Farce had lafted fome Time, he who prefided at the Feaft, having at hit Sides two Men and two Women, run through all the Cabins to give the Savages Notice that the Sacrifices were o;oing to begin. When he met any one in his Way, he put both his Hands on hisjHead, and the Perfon met embraced his Knees. The Vic- tims were to be Dogs, and one heard on every Side the Cries of thefe Animals, wno/e Throats they cut j and the Savages, who howled with all their Strength, feemed to imitate their Cries. As foon as the Flcfti was dreffed, they offered it to the Idols j then they eat it, and burnt the Bones. All this while the Jugglers never ceafed raifing the pretended dead, and the whole ended by the Diftribution that was made to thefe Quacks, of whatever was found moil to their Liking in all the .Village. Pfeom 'I! 142 An Hiflorical jQurnal of From the Time that the Refolution is taken to th make War, J ri r. i. ■ (■ *'^^ ^'^^ Departure of the Warriors, they fing A uejcnption oj their War-Songs every Night : The Days r Knrqiieti for n- j • i • t» ^' rni. ■^ , are pafled in making Preparations. They nvnlkin? upon S or ''^ ^^d"f 'th ^^"P"'^ ^ovcit Warriors to go to fing the War- Slil^* r" -^ Song amongft their Neighbours and AUiet» Kl R '" ' ^^^^ ^^^y c"g^S^ beforehand by fecret Nci- ing }e (iggag . gociations. If they are to go by Water, they build, or repair their Canoes : If it is Winter they furnifh them- selves with Snow Shoes and Sledges. The Raquets which they mufl have to walk on the Snow aie abou< thr«e Feet long, and about fifteen or fixteen Inches in their grcateft Breadth. Their Shape is oval, excepting the End behind, which terminates in a Point; little Sticks placed acrofs at five or fix Inches from each End, fcrve to ftrengthen them, and the Piece which is before js in the Shape of a Bow, where the Foot is fixed, and tied with Leather Thongs. The Binding of the Raquet is made of Slips of Leather about a fixth Part of an Inch wide, and the Circumference is of light Wood hardened by Fire. To walk well with thcfe Ra- quets, ihey muft turn their Knees a little inwards, and keep their Lc'irs wide afunder. It is fome Trouble to accuftom ones (elf to it, but when one is ufed to it, one walks with as much Eafc and as little Fatigue as if one had nothing on ones Feet. It is not poflible to ufe the Raquets with our common Shoes, w« mufl take thofe of the Savages, which are a Kind of Socks, made of Skins dried in the Smoke, folded over at the End of the Foot, and tied with Strin{>s. The Sledges which ferve to carry the Baogage, and in C^te of Need the fick and wounded, are two lit- tle Boards, very thin, about half* Foot broad each Board, and fix nr feven Feet long. The fore Part is a little bent upwards, and the :Sides are bordered by little Bands, to which they fallen Strap* to bind what is upon the Sledge. However loaded thefe Car- riages may be, a Savage can draw them with Eafe by the Help ©f a long Band of Leather, which he puts over his Breaft, and which they call Collars. They draw Burdens this Way, and the Mothers ufe them to carry Children with their Cradles, but then it is over their Foreheads that the Band is fixed. All Things being ready, and the Day of Departure being come, err r ;; r- they tJike their Leave with great Demonftra- JlheFare^vdlof ^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ Tendernefs. Every Body de- 0f the If ar, ton. ^^^^^ fomething that has been ufed by the Warriors, and In Return give them fome Pledges of their Friend- fliip, and Afiurances of a perpetual Remembrance. They fcarte enter any Cabin, but they take away their Robe to give them a better, at lead one Jis good. Laflly, they all meet at the Cabin of the Chief : 'J'hcy find him armed as he was the firft Day he lp.ok,e je War, [ey fing Bays They War- |AIIie», JtNe. they them- |h they and Their Travels in North America. J 43 IS fpdkc to them ; and as he always appeared in publick from that Day. They then paint their Faces, every one according to his own Fancy, and all of them in a very frightful Manner. The Chief makes them a fhort Speech ; then he comes out of his Cabin, tinging his Song of Death : They all follow hi:n in a Line, keeping a profound Silence, and they do the fame every Morning when they renew their March. Here the Women go before with the Provifions ; and when the Warriors come up with them, they give them their Clothes, and remain almoft naked, at leaft as much as the Seafon will permit. Formerly the Arms of thefe People were Bows and Arrows, , . J and a Kind of Javelin ; which, as well as Pa their Arm, ^^^^^ Arrows, was armed with a Point of fffenffveanddcjen' gong wrought in different Shapes. Bcfidcs l'"^'' this, they had what they call the Head- breaker : This is a little Club of very hard Wood, the Head of which is round, and has one Side with an Edge to cut. The greateft Part have no defenfive Anns ; but when they attack an Intrenchment, they cover their whole Body with little light Boards : Some have a Sort of Cuirafs made of Ruflies, or fmall pliable Sticks, pretty well wrought : They had alfo Defences for their Arms and Thighs of the fame Matter. But as this Armour was not found to be Proof againft Fire Arms, they have left it off, and ufe nothing in its Stead. The Wellcrn Savages always make Ufe of Bucklers of Bulls Hides, which are very light, and which a Mufkct-Ball will not pierce. It is fomething furprifing that the other Nations do not ufe them. When they make Ufe of our iSwords, which is very fcldom, thev ufe them like Spon toons ; but when they can get Guns, and Powder, and Ball, they lay afidc their Bows and Arrows, and ihoot very well. We have often had Rcafon to repent of letting them have any Fire Arms ; but it was not we who firft did it : The Iroquois having got fome o/ the Dutch ^ then in Pofleffion of ■Ne^tj York, we were under a Neceffity of giving the fame to our Allies. Thefe Savages have a Kind ot Enfigns to know one another> and to rally by : Theft are little Pieces of Bark cut round, which they put on the Top of a Pole, and on which they have traced the Mark of their Nation, and of their Village. If the Party is numerous, each Family or Tribe has its Enfign with its diilinguifliing Mark : Their Arms are alfo dillinguiflied with different Figures, and fometimes with a particular Mark of the Chief. But vvliat the Of the Care they take to carry th:ir Diitiet. Savages would flill Icfs forget than their Ann", and which they have the ^rcatell Carcal)Out thev ar>." cajial)lc of, arc tlicir ALuutous. I fliail fpcak of them more lar^^ely in another Place : It iulHccs to i'nv here-, that they arc tkc !*' 144 '^^ Hijiorical Journal cf the Symbols under whichever/ one reprefen's his familiar SpU rit. They put them into a Sack, painted of various Colours; and often, to do Honour to the Chief, they place this Sack in the fore Part of his Canoe. If there are too many Manitous to be contained in one Sack, they diftribute them into feveral, which are entrnflcd to the Keeping of the Lieutenant and the Elders of each Family : They put with thefe the Prefents which have been made to have Prifoners, with the Tongues of all the Animals they have killed during the Campaign, and of which they mud make a Sacrifice to the Spirits at their Return. In their Marches by Land, the Chief carries his Sackhimfelf^ which he calls his Mat ; but he may eafe himfelf of this Bur- then, by giving it to any one he chufes ; and he need not fear that any Perfon ihould refufe to relieve him^ becaufe this carries with it a Mark of Diftinftion. This is, as it were, a Ri^ht of Reverfion to the Command, in Cafe the Chief and his Lieute- nant fliould die during the Campaign. But whilfl I am writing to you, Madam, I am arrived in the River of Niagara^ where I am going to find good Company, and where I (hall ftay fome Days. I departed from the River of Sa- bles the 2 1 ft, before Sun-rife ; but tAe Wind continuing aga?nft us, we were obliged at Ten o'Clock to enter the Bay of the Ifonnonthouans. Half Way from the River of Sables to this Bay, there is a little River, which I would not have failed to have vi- fited, if I had been fooner informed of its Singularity, and of what I have juft now learnt on my arriving here. They call this River Cafconchiagon : It is very narrow, and of Of th R ". ^^^'^^ Depth at its Entrance into the Lake. f (i^fconchk-'^ ^ '^^'^^ higher, it is one hundred and forty ^ " Yards wide, and they fay it is deep enough ^°"* for the largeft Veflljls* Two Leagues from its Mouth, we are Hopped by a Fall which appears to be fixty Feet high, and one hundrfid and forty Yards wide. A Mulket Shot higher, we find a lecond of the fame Width, but not fo high by fwo thirds. Half a League further, a third, one hun- dred Feet high, good Meafure, and two hundred Yards wide. After this, we meet v/ith feveral Torrents ; and after having failed fifty Leagues further, we perceive a fourth Fall, every Way equal to the third. The Courfe of this River is one hun- dred Leagues ; and when we have gone up it about fixty Leagues, we have but ten to go by Land, taking to the Right, to arrive at the Ohio^ called La belle Ri-viere : The Place where we meet with it, is called Cams ; where an Ofiicer worthy of Credit (a)^ and (») M. dc Jtnca.n, at prcfent a Captain in the Troops of Nenv France. 9 the Travels in North America, . '45 the fame from whom T learnt what I have juft now mentioned, a/fured me that he had feen a Fountain, the Water of which is like Oil, and has the Tafte of Iron. He faid alfo, that a little further there is another Fountain exadtly like it, and that the Savages make Ufe of its Water to appeafe all Manner of Pains. The Bay of the Tfonnonthouans is a charming Place : A pretty A T\ r • ' f River winds here between two fine Meadows, ^ Uejcnpuon oj bordered with little Hills, between which we Z' ^"^ 1 *''' difcover Vallies which extend a great Way. Tfonnonthouans. ^^^ ^j^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^^ the fineft Profpeft in the World, bounded by a great Foreft of high Trees ; but the Soil appears to me to be fomcthing light and Amdy. We continued our Courfe at half an Hour paft One, and we failed till Ten o'Clock at Night. We intended to go into a little River which they called La Riviere aux BaeufSf (Ox River) ; but we found the Entrance (hut up by Sands, which often happens to the little Rivers which run into the Lakes, becaufe they bring down with them much Sand ; and when the Wind comes from the Lakes, thefe Sands are llopped by the Waves, and form by Degrees a Bank fo high and fo ftrong, that thefe Rivers can- not break through it, unlefs it be when their Waters arc fwelled by the melting of the Snow. I was therefore obliged to pafs the reft of the Night in my Of th R' Canoe, where I was forced to endure a pretty N'a ara^ ''^'^ fuarp Froft. Indeed one could fcarcely here ^ * perceive the Shrubs begin to bud : All the Trees were as bare as in the Midft of Winter. We departed from thence at half an Hour paft Three in the Morning, tne jzd, be- ing Afcenjton-Day, and I went to fay Mafs at Nine o'Clock in what they call le Grand Maraisy (the great Marjh). This is a Bay much like that of the Tfonnonthouans y but the Land here ap- peared to me not to be fo good. About Two in the Afternoon we entered into the River iV/og-zir^, formed by the great Fall which I (hall mention prefently ; or rather, it is the River ^t. Laurence^ which comes out of the Lake £r//, and paffes through the Lake Ontarioy after a Straight of fourteen Leagues. Thev call it the River of Niagara from the Fall, and this Space is about fix Leagues. We go South at the Entrance. When we have made three Leagues, we find upon the Left Hand fome Cabins of Iroquois Tfonnonthouans y and fome MiJJifaguez, as at Catarocoui. The Sieur Joncairey a Lieutenant in our Troops, has alfo a Cabin here, to which they give before-hand the Name of Fort (a) ; for they fay that in Time it will be changed into a real Fortrefs. (a) The Fort has been built fince at the Entrance of the River Niarargy on the fame Side, and exaftly in the Place where M. de Dinonville had ouilt one, which did not (ubfiA a long Time. Ther« is alfo here the Beginnings •f a F««ri Village. ... U I found hX: 146 * » jfn Hyiorical Journal of I found here feveral OfHcers, who muft return in a few Dtyt to ^Bect which obliges me to clofe this Letter, that I may fend St by this Opportunity. As for myfelf, I forefee I (hall have Time enougn after their Departure to write you another ; and tho Place itfelf will furnifh me with enough to fill it, with that which I ihall learn farther from the Officers J have mentioned. / am, ice. W'.. \\\ LETTER XIV. >.«• WhatpaJJid betnveenthe Tfonnonthouans and the Englifli, onihe Oc- cafion of our Settlement at Niagara. The Fire-Dance : A Story «» this Occajion, A Defer iftion of the Fall of Niagara. Madam, Fall of Niagara, JWitiy 26. I Have already had the Honour to inform you that we have here a Project of a Settlement. To underfland well the Oc-> caHon of it, you muft know, that by Virtue of the Treaty of Utrecht, the EngUJh pretend to have a Right to the Sovereignty of all the Country of the Iroquois, and of Confequence to have no Bounds on that Side but the Lake Ontario. Neverthelefs, it was concei'-ed that if their Pretenfions took Place, it would foon be in their Power to fettle themfelves drongly in the Cen* tre of the French Colony, or at leaft to ruin their Trade entirely. It was therefore thought proper to guard againll this Inconveni- ence ; neverthelefs, without any Infringement of the Treaty : And there was no Method found better than to feat ourfelves in a Place which (hould fecure to us the ixtt Communication of the Lakes, and where the EngUJh had no Power to oppofe our Set- tlement. The Commiffion for this Purpofe was given to M. de Joncaire ; who having been a Prifon'' of th« )ur Set- oM.dg igft the avages, of the ed very Adop, £xecu- fonnon- 1 them imong much retire Jyhad never Travels in North yimerical 147 never ceafed to Lok upon him as one of their Children ; that he might live in any Place, and that he might chafe the Place that he judged moil convenient. He required no more : He came dire£lly here, £xed upon a Spot by the Side of the River that terminates the Canton of the T/onnontbtuanst and built a Ca- bin upon it. The News was foon carried to New Tork, and caufea there fo much the more Jealoufy, as the Englijh had never been able to obtain in any of the Iroquois Cantons what was now granted to the Sieur Joncaire. They complained in a haughty Manner, and their Complaints cTL 17 «,rn, J. w*r^ fupported by Prefents, which brought \ f.Lr^!i^\ tHe other four Cantons into their Inteicft : it » sir a ^"^ ^^^^ ^^g"^^^'* nothing, becaufc the Iro^ " quoii Cantons are independent of each other, and very jealous of this Independence : It was therefore ne- cefTary to gain the T/otmoHthouans, and the Englijh left no Means untried for this Purpofe ; but they foon perceived that they Ihould never fuccecd in diflodging M. de 'joncaire from Niagara, Then they reduced their Terms to this Requefl, that at leail they might be permitted to have a Cabin in the fame Place. '* Our Land is in Peace, ^faid the T/onnonthouans to them) the French and you cannot live together without dillurbing it : Fur- thermore, (added they) it is of no Confcquence that M. dejon^ **" caire dwells here ; he is a Child of the Nation ; he enjoys «* his Right, and we have no Right to deprive him of it." We mull allow. Madam, that there is fcarce any Thing but a n /• •*« • r ^^^^ ^^^ *^® public Gpod that can engage Dejcription ot ^^ officer to live in a Country like this. It the Country of ^x^ is impoffible to fee one more favagc and ^S^""^* frightful. On one Side we fee under our Feet, and as it were in the Bottom of an Abyfs, a great River indeed ; but which, in this Place, refembles more a Torrent by its vapidity, and by the Whirlpools which a thoufand Roclcs make m it, through which it has much Difficulty to find a Paf- fage, and by the Foam with which it is always covered. On the other Side, the View is covered by three Mountains fet one upon another, the laft of which lofes itfelf in the Clouds ; and the Poeis might well have faid, that it was in this Place the TV' 4aHs would have fcaled Heaven. In fhort, which Way foever v'ou turn your Eyes, you do not difcovcr any Thing but what in- fpires a fecret Horror. It is true that we need not go far to fee a great Change. Behind thefe wild and uninhabitable Mountains wc fee a rich Soil, magnificent Forefts, pleafant and fruitful Hills : We treathe a pure Air, and enjoy a temperate Climate, between two U a Lake, <( <( 148 An H{fl or ical Journal of I^alccs, the \tt\ (a) of which is two hundred and fifty Leagues in Compafs. It appears to me, that if we had had the Precaution to have iiecured ourfelves early by ? good Fortrefs, and by a moderate peopling of a Poll of this Importance, all the Forces of the Iroquois and the Englip> j'>ined together, would not be capable at this Time of driving us out of it, and that we Ihould be our- felves in a Condition to give Laws to the firft, and to hinder the greateft Par', of the Savages from carrying their Peltry to the Second, as they do with Impunity every Day. The Company which I found here with M. de Joncaire, was compofed of the Baron de Lrv^uJl^ the King's Lieutenant at Montrealt and the Marquis de Ca'vagnalt Son of the Marquis de Vaudreui), the prefent Governor General of Neio France^ and of M. de Sennen'uUt Captain, and the Sieur de la C&awvigfterie, En- fign, and the King's Interpreter for the Iroquois Language. Thefe Gentlemen are going jto negociate an Accommodation with the Canton of Onnontague, and had Orders to vifit the Settlement of M. de Jottcairey wiui which they were very well fatisfied. The T/onnonthouans renewed to them the Promife they had made to fup- port him. This was done in a Council ; where M. de Joncaire^ as I have been told, fpoke with all the Senfe of the moft fenfible Frenchman^ and with the moft fublime Iroquois Eloquence. The Night before their Departure, that is to fay ^ the 24th, a A T) r 'm' f ^HFfi^i,^' %^\^ us an Entertainment which is */. P' n '^'^ fomething Angular, He was quite naked when the rire-i^ance. .^ j^ . ^^^ ^y^^^ ^^ entered the Cabin of this Savage, we found a Fire lighted, near which a Man beat (fmgingatthefameTime) upon a Kind of Drum : Another ihook, without ceafing his Cktchikoue^ and fung alfo. This lafted two I^ours, till we were quite tired of it ; for they faid always the iame Thing, or rather they formed Sounds that were but half articulate, without any Variation. We begged of the Mafterof the Cabin to put an End to this Prelude, and it was with much Reluftance he gave us this Mark of his Complaifance. Then we faw appear five or fix Women ; who placing themfelves Side by Side on the fame Line, as clofe as tney could to each other, with their Arms hanging down, fung and danced, that is to fay , without breaking the Line, they made fome Steps in Cadence, fometimes forward and fometimes backward. When they had continued this about a Quarter of an Hour, they put out the Fire, which alone gave LieKt to the Cabin ; and then we faw nothing but a Savage, who had in his Mouth a lighted Coal, and who danced. The Symphony of the Drum and the Chichi- koue (a) The Lake Ontario, The Lake fri/is three hundred Leagues in Compafs' Travels in North. America, 1 49 hue ftill continued. The Women renewed from Time to Tim* their Dances and their Song. Ihc Savage danced all the Time; but as he was only to be diftinguifhed by the faint Gloom of the lighted Coal which he had in his Mouth, he appeared like « Spe^lre, and made a horrible Si^ht. 1 his Mixture of Dances, Songs, Inftroments, and the Fire of the Coal which ftill kcjpt lighted, had fomethine odd and favage, whi^.h amufed us for half an Hour ; after wnich we went out of iu*i Cabin, but the Sport continued till Day-light. And this is all. Madam, that I have fecn of the i^ ire-Dance. I could never learn what paficd the reft of the Night. The Mufick, which I heard ftill forne Time, was more tolerable at a Diftance tkan near. The Con<* traft of the Voices of the Men and Women, at a certain Di- ftance, had an EfFeft that was pretty enough ; and one may fay, that if the Women Savages had a good Manner of finging, it would be a Pleafure to hear them fing. I had a great Defire to know how a Man could hold a lighted - „ , . Coal fo long in his Mouth, without burning A btory ontf:is j^^ ^^^ without its being extinguiftied ; but Subject, ^jj jj^^j J ^^yjj jg^j.j^ ^f jj ^^3^ ^^^^ ^^^ gj^_ vages know a Plant which fecures the Part that is rubbed with it From being burnt, and that they would never communicate the Knowledge of it to the Europeans. We know that Garlick and Onions will produce the fame EfFed, but then it is only for « Ihort Time (a). On the other Hand, how could this Coal conti- nue fo long on Fire ? However this may be, I remember to have read in the Letters of one of our antient Miflionaries of CanadM fomething like this, and which he had from another Miffionary who was a Witnefs thereof. This laft ftiewed him one Day % Stone, which a Juggler had thrown into the Fire in his Prefence, and left it there till it was thoroughly heated ; after which, growing, as it were furious, he took it between his Teeth, and carrying it all the Way thus, he went to fee a fick Perfon, whi- ther the MilTionary followed him. Upon entering the Cabin, he threw the Stone upon the Ground ; and the Miffionary having taken it up, he found printed in it the Marks of the Teeth of the Savage, in whofe Mouth he perceived no Marks of Burning. The Miffionary does not fay what the Juggler did afterward for the Relief of the fick Perfon. The following is a Faftof the fame Kind, which comes from the fame Source, and of which you may make what Judgment you pleafe. (a) They fay that the Leaf of the Plant of tl e Anemony of ConmiM^ though of a cauftick Nature in itfclf, has this Viitue. ft A Httfn h; I:: "■I i^o An HiJIorical Journal of A fiui'on Woman, after a Dreanij real or imaginary, was taiceii Another remark' ^^'^^ ^ fwimming of the Head, and almoll a »ble Storv of a ' g^"^*"*^ ContraAion of the Sinews. As from ^,^ ^ '' the Beginning of this Diflemper flic never flept without a great Number of Dreams, which troubled her much, flie euefled there was fome Myftery in )t, and took it into her Head that fliefliould be cured by Meant 6f a Feaft ; of which ftie regulated herfelf the Ceremonies, ac-^ eotding to what {he remembered, as ftie faid, of what flie had feen praftifed before. She delired that they would carry her direftly to the Village where flie was born \ and the Elders whom ftie acquainted with r^rDefip i, e/horted all the People toaccom-' jpany her. In a M( , nt ' l Cabin was filled with People, who €ame to offer their Sen:- : *^he accepted them, and inftrufled fhem what they were i; i ; :.r>^ immediately the ftrongeft put lier into a Balket, and cai.^ecl he ' Turns, fmging with all their Strength. When it was known flie was near the Village, they siflembled a great Council, and out of Refpefl they invited the Miflionaries fo It, who in vain did every Thing in their Power to di/Tuade fhem from a Thing in which they had Reafon to fufpeft there teas as much Superftition as Folly. They liftened quietly to all they could fay on this Subieft ; but when they had done fpeak-^ JnjT, one of the Chiefs of the Council undertook to refute their l)ifcourfe : He could not effeft this ; bui fetting afide the Mif- fionarics, he exhorted all the People to accjuit themfelves exaftly of all that fliould be ordered, and to maintain the antient Cul-* toms. Whilft he was fpeaking, two Meflengers from the fick l*erfon entered the Aflembly, and brought News that flic would foon arrive ; and defired, at herRequell, that they would fend to fncet her two Boys and two Girls, drefl*ed in Robes and Necklaces^ withfuch Prefents as flie named ; adding, that flic would declare her Intentions to thefe four Perfons« All this was performed imme- diately ; and a little Time after, the four young Perfons return*d with their Hands empty, and almofl naked, the fick Woman Kaving obliged them to give her every Thing, even to their ilobes. In this Condition they entered into the Council, which was flill aflembled, and there explained the Demands of this Wo- man : They contained twenty-two Articles ; amongft which was tL blue Coverlet, which was to be fupplied by the MifTionaries ; and all thefe Things were to be delivered immediately : They fried all Means to obtain the Coverlet, but were conftanily re- fufed, and they were obliged to go without it. As foon as the lick Woman had received the other Prefents, flie entered the Vil- lage, carried in the Manner as before. In the Evening a public Cryer gave Notice, by her Order, to keep Fires lightecfin all the CabinS} Is taken \lmoi\ a ts from lehad •ry her whom fccom- ■* who jrudled ;ft put 1 their Iraveh in North America, 151 Cabins, becaufe fhe was to vifit them all ; which Hic Oi.l as foon as the Sun was fet, fupported by two Men, and foIlo\ i hj all the Village. She patTed through the Midtl of all the M;;*, 'icr Feet and her Leas being naked, and felt no Pain ; \ hiUt her two Supporters, tnoueh they kept as far from the Fires as they poffibly could, AifFered much by them ; for they were to lead her thus through more than three hundred Fires. As for the ficl^ Woman, they never heard her complain but of CoM j and a)t the End of tnis Courfe, (he declared that (he found herlelf eafed. The next Day, at Sun-rife, they began, by her Order ftill, ^ Sort of Bacchanal, which lafted three Days : Tl.. firft Day thi? People ran through all the Cabins, breaking and overfetting every Thing ; and by Degrees, as the Noifc and Hurly-burly cii^ creafed, the fick Woman aflured them that her Pains diminiihcd. The two next Days were employed in going over all ths Hearths (he had patted before ; ana in propofing her Defires in enigmatical Terms ; they were to find them cut by Guefs, snd accomplifh them direftly. There were fome of them hor i, obfcene. The fourth Day the fjck Woman made a fecond V'xiii t I'l] \^ DefcriptioH of gara. 152 yfn HijhrUal Jouriial of lerve to them, that her pretended Genius had promifed her a |>crfe£b Cure, and had not kept his Word. I'hey replied, that IP i'uch a great Number of Things commanded, it was very diflicult not to havcomit^id one. He expected that they would liavc infifled princioally on the Refufal ot the Coverlet ; and in Fa£t they did juft mention it ; but they added, that after this Refufal the Genius appeared to the iick Woman, and a/Tured her that this incident ihould not do her any Prejudice, be- caufe as the French were not the natural Inhabitants of the Country, the Genii had no Power over them. But to re- turn to my Journey. When our Officers went away, I afcended thofe frightful Mountains I fpoke of, to go to the famous Fall of Niagara^ above which I was to em- bark. This Journey is three Leagues : It v/as formerly five, becaufe they pafled to the cither Side of the River ; that is to fay^ to the Weft, and they did not re-embark but at two Leagues above the Fall : But they have found on the Left, about half a Mile from this Catara£l, a Bay wherejhe Current is not perceiveable, and of Confequence where one may embark without Danger. My firft Care, at my Ar- rivrJ, v;as to vifit the fined Cafcade perhaps in the World ; but I dire^ly found the Baron dt la Hontan was miftaken, both as to its Height and its Form, in fuch a Manner as to make me think he had never feen it. It is certain that if we meafurc its Height by the three Mountains which we muft firft pafs over, there is not much to bate of the fix hundred Feet which the Map of M. ti-ehp gives it ; who, without Doubt, did not advance this Pa- radoXjUUt on the Credit of Baron de la Hontan and Father Hen" itepin. Bat after I arrived at the Top of the third Mountain, I ohfervcdthat in the Space of the three Leagues, which I travelled aft^rvvrrds to this Fall of Water, tho* we muft fometimes afcend, we defcended ftill more ; and this is what thefe Travellers do not fcem to have well confidered. As we cannot approach the Cafc^.de but by the Side, nor fee it but in Profile, it is not eafy to meafure it with Inftruments : We tried to do it with a long Cord fattened to a Pole ; and after we had often tried this Way, we found the Depth but one hundred and fifteen, or one hundred and twenty Feet: But we could not be furethat the Pole was not ftopped by fome Rock which juts out ; for although it was always drawn up wet, as alfo the End of the Cord to which it was fattened, this proves nothing, becaufe the Water which falls from the;, Mountain rebounds very high in a Foam. As for myfelf, after I had viewed it from all the Places where one may examine it mott eafily, I judged one could not give it lefi than one hundred and forty, or one hundred and fifty Feet. Ai I Travels in North America. 153 As to Its Shape, it is in the Form of a Horfe-flioe, and about four huiuired Paces in Circumference ; but exa£lly in the Mid- dle it is divided into two by a very narrow Iflapd about half a Mile long, which comes to a Point here. But thcfe two Parts do foon unite again : That which was on ray Side, and which it onlv feen in Pro/ile, has feveral Points which jut out; bat that which T faw in Front, appeared to me very fmooth. The Baron ife la Heatan adds to this a Torrent which comes from the Weft ; but if this was not invented by the Author, we muft fay that in the Time of the Snow's melting, the Waters come to difcharge themfelves here by fome Gutter. You may very well fuppofe, Madam, that below this Fall the River is for a long Way affeAed by this rude Shock, and indeed it is not navigable but at three Leagues Diftance, and exactly at the Place where M. de Joncaire is fituated. One would imagine it ihould not be lefs navigable higher up, fince the River falls here perpendicularly in its whole Breadth. But befides this Ifle, which divides it in two, feveral Shelves fcattered here and there at the Sides of, and above this Ifland, much abate the Rapidity of the Curren*. It is nevcrthelefs fo drone, notwithftanding all this, that ten or twelve O»/ome Ltrcum- j ^^^ y^^^ j^ ^.^j^ Patience, and make good Ufe of the Time. I fhall therefore proceed on the Article of the Wars of the Savages, which will not be foon finilhed. — As foon as all the Warriors are embarked, the Canoes at firft go a little Way, and range themfelves clofe together upon a Line : Then the Chief rifes up, and holding a Chichicoue in his Hand, he thunders out his Son^ of War, and his Soldiers anfwer him by a treble //If, drawn with all their Strength from the Bottom of their Breads. The Elders and the Chiefs of the Council who remain upon the Shore, exhort the Warriors to behave well, and efpecially not to fuffer themfelves to be furprifed. Of all the Aavice tnat can be given to a Savage, this is the moft ne- ceffary, and that of which in general he makes the leaft Benefit* (a) Eft nemus Haemoniae prznipta quod undiq; daudit Sylva, vocant Tempe, per qua Peneus ab imo Effufus Pindo fpuniofis volvitur Undis. DejeAifque gravi tenues agitantia Fumos Nubila conducit, fummifque afpergine fylvat Imuluit, & fonitu pluliquam vicina f.tisat. Thi. fiances of the March of the Warriors* Travels in North America, '55 pr /row hat we* pe«ed. egood eed on yages, oon as little Then d, he I by a >in of who well, f alJ : ne- This Exhortation does not interrupt the Chief, who continues ringing. Laftly, the Warriors conjure their Relation* and Friends not to forget them. Then fending forth all together hideous Howlings, they fet cfF directly and row with fuch Speed that they arc foon out of Sight. The Hurons and the Iroquois do not ufe the Chichicoue, but the^ give them to their Prifoners : So that thefe Inftrumenfr, which amongft others is an Inftrument of War, feem amongft them to be a Marie of Slavery. The Warriors feldom make any fliort Marches, efpecially when the Troop is numerous. But on the other Hand, they take Prefages from every Thing; and the Jugglers, whofe Bunnefs it is to explain them, haften or retard the Marches at their Pleafure. Whilft they are not in a fuf- pefted Country, they take no Precaution, and frequently one ihail fcarce find two or three Warriors together, each faking his own Way to hunt ; but how far foevcr they ftray from the Route, they all return punfti'^Hy to the Place, and at the Hour, appointed for their Rendezvous. They encamp a long Time before Sun-fet, and commonly they QffL ;. X leiive before the Camp a large Space fur- / *' »f«w/- j-ounded with Palifades, or rather a Sort of ^' Lattice, on which they place their Manitoust turned tow.Tds the Place they are going to. They invoke them for an Hour, and they do the fame every Morning before the^r decamp. After this they think they have nothing to fear, they fuppofe that the Spirits take upon them to be Cpntinels, and all the Army flceps quietly under their fuppofed Safeguard. Expe- rience docs not undeceive thefe Barbarians, nor bring them out of their prefumptuous Con6dence, It has iis Source in an In- ^lolence and Lazinefs which nothing can conquer. Every one is an Enemy in the Way of the Warriors ; but ne- Of the t' verthelefs, if they meet any of their Allies, rj-a- . D [-^ or any Parties nearly equal in Force of Peo- f/far ' pie with Whom they have no Quarrel, they "•^ ^'^' jmake Friendftiip with each other. If the Al- lies they meet are at War with the fame Enemy, the Chief of the ftrongeft Party, or of .that which took up Arms firft, gives fome Scalps to the other, which they are always provided with for thefe Occafions, and fays to him, ** Tou ha*ve done your Buji~ nefs\ thi is to fay, you have fulfilled your Engagement, your Honour ia (afe, you may return Home." But this is to be un- derftood when the Meeting is accidental, when they have not appointed tnem, and when they have no Occafion fw a Re- inforcement. When they are juft entering upon an Ene- my's Country, they flop for a Ceremony which is fome- thing Angular. At Night they make a great Fea?l, after which they lay down to flccp : As foon as ihey are av/aice, thofe X 2 who 11 i ( ; II I I t I 156 j^?i llijlorical Journal of who have had any Dreams go from Fire to Fire, Tinging their Song of Death, with which they intermix their Dreams in an enigmatical Manner. Every one racks hb Brain to guefs them, and if nobody can do it, thofe who have dreamt are at Liberty to return Home. This gives a fine Opportunity to Cowards. Then they make new Invocations to the Spirits; they animate each other more than ever to do Wonders ; they fwear to aflift each other, and then they renew their March : And if the/ came thither by Watei, they quit their Canoes, which they hide very carefully. If every Thing- was to be obfcrved that is prefcribcd on thefe Occafions, it would be difHcult to furprife a Party of War that is entered into an Enemy's Country. They ought to make no more Fires, no more Cries, nor hunt no more, nor even fpeak to each other but by Signs ; But thefe Laws are ill obfcrved. Every Savage is born premmpiuous, and incapable of the leaft Reftraint. They fcldom negledl, how- ever, to lend out every Evening fome Rangers, who employ two or three Hours in looking round the Country : If they have (ctn nothing, they go to fleep quietly, and they leave the Guard of :he Camp again to the Manitous, As foon as they have difcovered the Enemy, they fend out a csr^L ' aj.^ l Party to reconnoitre them, and on their Re- Ofthetr Approaches ^^^\ ^old a Council. The Attack is ana Attacks. generally made at D.iy-break. They fup- pofe the Enemy is at this Time in their deepefl Sleep, and all Night they lie on their Bellies, without ftirring. The Ap- proaches are made in the fame Pofture, crawling on their Feet and Hands till they come to the Place : Then all rife up, the Chief gives the Signal by a little Cry, to which all the Troop anfwcrs by real Howlings, and they make at the fame Time their firft Difcharge : Then without giving the Enemy any Time to look about, they fall upon them with their Clubs. In latter Times thefe People have fubftituted little Hatchets, in the ftead of thefe wooden tleai/-6nakers, which they call by the fame Name; fince which their Engagements are more bloody. When the Battle is over they take the Scalps of the dead and the dying; and they never think of making Piifo.icrs till the Enemy makes no more Refinance. If they find the F.ncmy on their Guard, c. coo well intrenched, thev retire if they have Time for it ; if not, they take the Refo- lution to fight lloutly, and there is fometimes much Blood flied on both Sides. The Attack of a Camp is the Imag<; of Fury jtf'lf ; the barbarous Fierccncfsof the Conquerors, and the Dc- fpair of the Vanquiflied, who know what they muft cxpe^l if they fall into the Hands of their Enemies, produce on either Side fuch Efforts as pafs all Dcfcription. The Appearance of the Comhatanw all befmearcd with black and red, Hill en- crcaffs Travels in North America. »57 creafes the Horror of the Fight ; and from this Pattern one might make a true PiAure of Hell. When the Viftory is no longer doubtful, they direftly difpatch all thofe whom it N/ould be too troublefome to carry away, and feek only to tire out the reft they intend to make Prifoners. The Savages are naturally intrepid, and notwithftanding their brutal Fiercenefs, they yet prefervc in the midd of AdUon much Coolnefs. Nevcrthelels they never fight in the Field but when they cannot avoid it. Their Reafon is, that a Viftory marked with the Blood of the Conquerors, is not properly a Vidory, and that the Glory of a Chief confifts principally in bringing back all his People fafe and found. I have been told, that when two Enemies that are acquainted meet in the Fight, there fometimes paffes between them Dialogues much like that of Homer s He- roes. I do not think this happens in the Height of the En- gagement ; Jut it may happen that in little Rencounters, or per- haps before pafling a Brook, or forcing an Intrenchment, they fay fomething by Way of Defiance, or to call to Mind fome fuch former Rencounter. War is commonly made by a Surprize, and it generally fuc- rrv • r n- ci ceeds ; for as the Savages very frequently z .1 i/i 1 ' neffleit the Precautions neceilary to ihun a kmiv the Mark of- o T r .u a.- a n •^c \ • tl ' F ' St h Surpnle, fo are they aaive and ucilful in nemiis eps. furprifmg. On the other Hand, thefe Peo- ple have a wonderful Talent, I might fay an Inftin^l, to know if any Perfon has pafled through any Place. On the ihorteft Grafs, on the hardell Ground, even uppn Stones, they difcover r')me Traces, and by the Way they are turned, by the Shape of their Feet, bv the Manner they are feparated from each other, they diftinguifh, as they fay, the Footfteps of different Nations, and thofe of Men from thofe of Women. I thought a long Time that there was fome Exaggeration in this Matter, but the Reports of thofe who have lived among the Savages are fo una- nimous herein, that I fee no Room to doubt of their Sincerity : Till the Conquerors are in a Country of Safety, they march n . ^ forward expeditiouflv : and Icll the Wound- Precautions to j n. u *^ i u •'« l i /• ,1 D ^ ^^. ed ihould retard their Retreat, they carry them Jecurc their Retreat , ^ . . ^ , v "^ • /i i by turns on Litters, or draw them in Sledge* in Winter. When they re-enter their Canoes, they make their Prifoners fing, and they pradlife the fame Thing every Time they meet any Allies ; ati Honour which cofts them a Feaft who receive it, and the un- fortunate Captives fomething more than the Trouble of Sing- ing : For they invite the Allies to carefs them, and to carej'i a Prifoner is to do him all the Mifchief they can devife, or to maim him in fuch a Manner that he i& lamed for ever. But there are fome and to keep their Prifoners. ■ i .1 ■ 1 I' t \IM 158 An Hijforical Jottrnal of f(»me Chiefs who take fome Care of thefe Wretches, and do not fiitfer them to be too much abufed. But nothing is equal to the Care they take to keep them, by Day they are tied by the Neck, and by the Arms to one of the Bars of the Canoe. When they ^o by Land there is always one that holds them ; and at Night they are ftretched upon the Earth quite naked ; fome Cords fartened to Piquets, fixed in the Ground, keep li.eir Legs, Arms, and Necks fo confined that they cannot ftir, and fome long Cords alfo confine their Hands and Feet, in fach a Manner that they cannot make the leafl Motion without waking the Savages, who lye upon thefe Cords. If among the Prifoners there arc found any, who by their Wounds a»e not in a Condition of beinq; carried away, they burn them direftly ; and as this is done in the firft Heat, and when they are often in Halle to retreat, they are for the moll Part quit at an eafier Rate than the others, who are rcferved for & flower Punilliment. 1'l-.c Cuilom among fome Nations is, that the Chief of the ,, , vliliorious Party leaves on the Field of BnttJe his Fighting Club, on which he had taken Care to trace the Mark of his Nation, that of his Family, and his Portrait ; that is to fay^ an Oval, with iiU the i-'igures he had in his Face. Others paint all ihefe Marks on the Trunk of a Tree, or on a Piece of iiark, with Cha'coal poundcj and rubbed, mixed with fome Colours. They add fome Hieroglyphic Charafters, by Means of which thofe who pafs by may know even the minuted Cir- cumdances, not only of the Adion, but alfo of the whole Tranf- a-flions of the Campaign. They know the Chief of the Party by all the Marks 1 have meniioncd : The Number of his Ex- ploits by iO many Mats, that of his Soldiers by Lines ; that of the Priloncrs carried awav by little Marmojets placed on a Stick, or on a Chichlccv.e \ that of the dead by human Figures without Heads, with Differences to dillinguilh the Men, the Womeo, and the Children. But thefe Marks are not always fet up near the Place where the Adion happened, for when a Party is pur- fued, they place them out of their Route, on Purpofe to deceive their Purfuers. When the Warriors arc arrived at a certain Diftance from the , Village from whence they came, thc) halt, ^jey /ro'- a,^j tf,e Qj^i^f fends one to give Notice of 0/ i/jc ihcy leave rj' tU'ir ViJorv. Hr nnv ilaim their Victory stt the yillages. his Approach. Among fome Nations, as foon a. the Mcffenger is within hearing, he makes v;irious Cries, which give a general Idea of the principal Ad- ventures and Snccefs of the Campaign : He marks the Number of Men they have loft by fo many Cries of Death. Immediate- ly id do not Jal to the Jhe Neck, jiien they I at Night le Cords fs. Arms, \ng Cords that they res, who by their 'ay, they Teat, and the moil "erved for 'f of the of B.ittje ad taken ion, that '^Jaf is to Othefs Piece of ith fome y Means iteft Cir- le Tranf- le Party his Ex- that of a Stick, without iVomco, up near is pur- deccivc ■cm th« :> halt, tice of as foon makes \\ Ad- umber diate- Travels in North America, '59 ly the young People come out to hear the Particulars : Some- times the whole Village comes out, but one alone p.ddreflcs the Meflenger, and learns from him the Detail of the News which he brings : As the Meflenger relates a Fadt the otlicr repeats it aloud, turning towards thole who accompanied liim, and they anfwer him by Acclamations or difmal Cries, according as the News is mournful or pleafin^. The Meflenger is then con- ducted to a Cabin, where the Elders put to him the fame Quef- tions as before ; after which a publick Crier invites all the young People to go to meet the Waniors, ainl tlie Women to carry them Refrelhments. In fome Places they only think at hrft of mourning for thofe they have loft. The Meflenger makes only Cries of Death. They do not ^o to meet him, but at his entering the Village he finds all the People ai- femblcd, he relates in a few Words all that has pa.Ted, then re- tires to his Cabin, where they carry him Food ; and for fome Time they do nothing but mourn for the dead. When this Time is expired, they make another Cry to pro- claim the Viftory. Then every one dries up his Tears, and they think of nothing but rejoicing. Something like this is praftifed at the Return of the Hunters : The Worhen who flayed in the Village go to meet them as loon as they are in- formed of their Approach, and bcft^re they enquire of the Suc- cefs of their Llunting, tlicy inform tliem by their Tears of the Deaths that have happened fincc their Departure. — To return t© the Warriors, the Moment when tiie Women join them, is pro- perly fpeaking the Beginning of the Purliflimcnt of tlie Prifbn- crs : And when fome of them r.re intended to be adopted, which is not allowed to be done by all Nations; tlielr future Parents, whom they take Care to inform of it, go and receive them at a little Diftance, and conduct them to their Cabins by fome round-about Ways. In general the Captives are a long Time ignorant of their Fate, and there arc few who efcupe the firH Fury of the Women. , I am, See, t^^*^ '^^^' LET. Jr i6o An HificrUal Journal of LETTER XV. i' 'f Tbe/irjf Rectptien of tht Pri/oners. The Triumph of the Warriors. The Diftrioution of the Capti'ves : Hoiv they decide t/jeir Fate^ am! 'what follcws after. With ivhat Inhumanity they treat thofe ivho are condemned to die : The Courage they Jheav, The Negociations of the Satages. - Madam, jit the Entrap. e of Lake Erie, May 27. I Departed this Morning from the Fall of Niagara, I had about feven Leagues to go to the Lake Erie, and I did it ^without any Trouble. We reckoned that we fhould not lay here this Night ; but whilft my People rowed with all their Strength I have pretty well forwarded another Letter, and while they take a little Reft I will finifli it to give it to fome Canadian whom we met here, and who are going to Montreal. I take up my Recital where I left ofFlaft. All the Prifoners that are deftined to Death, and thofe whof tri ^ n J? * ^'^^^ ^^ "° y^^ decided, are as I have already //.^y>r// Kecep. j^ y Madam, abandoned to the Fury ol tlOM of the PrtJO' u xr u ^ ^ ^u t«; • ■' •' the women, who go to meet the Warrunf. ; and it is furprifing that they refift ai! rhc Evils they make them fufFer. If any one, efpecially, has loll ti- tlier her Son or her Hulband, or any other Perfon that v as vJ . ir to her, tho* this Lofs had happened thirty Years befo:,.. (he h a Fury. She attacks the firft vv'-jo '.lis under her Hand ; and one can fcarcely imagine how far Ihe js tr ; ; ted with Rage : She h?» no Regard either to Huma-^^ry or T.-t » / and every Wound fl-^r fives him, one would expect him w iilt dead at her Feet, if we Id not know how ingenious thcfc Barbarians are in prolonging the moft unheard of Punifliment : All the Night paflcs in this Manner in the Camp of the Warriors. The next Day is the Day of the Triumph of the Warriors. The cru 4 y^ft Hijlorical Journal of ^mongil the HuroHSy and the Inquoist thoTe Prifoners they intend nrtu^r. a,^, ,^. ^^ \i\xxx\y are ibmeiimcs as well treated at firll, be it *"^ ''*''®" ^" ^'^^ Moment of their Execution. to oe urnt. ^^ ^i^Q^ jj^j^j jjj^yg jjgpj^ adopted. It appears as if they were Vidlims which they fattened for the Sacrifice, and they are really a Sacrifice to the God of War. The only Differ- ence they make between thefe and the other, is, that they blacken their Faces all over : After this, they entertain them in the bell Manner they are .able : They always fpcak kindly to them ; they give them the Njimeof 5o/f/, Bret hers ^ or Nep/jevjj, according to the person whofe Manes they are to appeafe by their Death : They alfo fometimes give them young Women, to ferve them for Wives all the Time they h.ive to live. But when they are informed of their Fate, they muft be well kept, to prevent their efcaping. Therefore often- times this is concealed from them. When they have been delivered to a Woman, the Moment they rr ,t . ■ . inform her every Thing is ready for Execu- tlm» they reccKve ^^^^^ ^^^ j^ ^^ longer a Mother, Ihe is a Fury, thetr bentence of ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ tendered Carefles to the (..oncimnation, ^revitQil Excefs of Rage ; She begins by invok- ing the Spirit of him ftie defires to revenge: *' Approach, (faya ihe) you are going to be appeafed ; I prepare a Feaft for thee ; V drink great Draughts of this Broth which is going to be poured *• out for thee ; receive the Sacrifice I make to thee in facri - ♦^' ficing this Warrior ; he ftiall be burnt, and put in the Kct- *' tie ; they (hall apply red hot Hatchets to his Flefli ; they Ihall ** pull off his Scalp ; they fliall drink in his Skull : Make theretoe *• no more Complaints; thou (halt be fully fiui^fied."— ^ — This Form of Speech, which is properly the Sentence of Death, varies much \ to the Terms ; but for the Meaning, it is always much the fanif. Then a Cryer makes the Captive come out of the Cabin, and cki lare;, in a loud Voice the Intention of him or her to whom he belongs, and finifhes by exhorting the young People to beha\ e well : Another fucceeds, who addrefles him tiiat is to fuffer, aiul fay:i, ♦* Brothir, take Conra^t ; toou art '^oiti^^ to he burnt : " And he anfwers coolly, " 77jat is i>.e/i, I grve thee Thanks.*^ Immedi- ately there is a Cry made through the whole Village, and the Pri- loner i^ led to the Place of his Puni(hment. For the moll PiU t they tie him to a Poll by the Hands and Feet; but in fuch a Manner, that he can turn round it : But fometimes, when the Execution is made in a Cabin from whence there is no Danger of his efcaping, they let him run from one End to the other. Before they begin to burn him, he (ings for the lail Time his Death-Song : Then he recites his Atchievements, and almoll always in a Manner the moft inUiiting to thofe he {lerceivi;- iiround him. Then he exhorts them not to fparc him, but to rcmepiber tlul he ii a Man, and a Warrior. F/ithei Travels in North America. 165 Fiiher I am much miftaken : Or, what ought moft to furprife us in thefe tragical and barbarous Scenes, is not that the Sut- fcrer Ihould fing aloud, that he Ihould infult and defy his Execu- tioners, as they all generally do to the Ia(l Moment of their Breath; for there is in this an H.iughtinefs which elevates the Spirit, which tranfports it, which takes it oft' fomcthing from the '1 houghts vi its Sufferings, and which hinders it alfo from Ihcwing too much Senfibility. Moreover, the Motions they make, divert their Thoughts, take off the F.dge of the Pain, and produce the (ame F-fFeft, and fomething more, than Cries and 'I'carj. In lliort, iltcy that there are no Hopes of Mercy, and Defpair feives Relol':tion, and infpires Boldnefs. But this Kind of Infcnfihility is not fo general as many have • •*/- /- thought : It is not unufuul to Iiear thefe poor .Jp L?,^ Wretches fend forth Cries that are capable of tb< Barbarity they ^j^^^j^^ ^^^ ^.^^^^^^ ^^,^^^ . ,^^^^ ^^.^.,^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ exera/eon thefe Uc ^^^^^ g^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ j.^^^^.^ j-^^ ^j^^ ^,^^^_^^ *^"J">'^'- and the rell that are prefent.- As to the Caufe.i that (houKl produce in the Savages an Inhumanity, vvhicli we could never have believed Men to have been guilty of, 1 believe they ac-^ quired it by Degrees, and have been ufed to it iiifenfibly by Cuf- tom ; that a Dcfire of feeing their Enemy behave meanly, the Infults which the Sufierers do no: cc.ife to make to their '1 oi- inentors, the Defire of Revenge, which is the reigning Palficn of tl'.'s People, and which ihoy do not think fufiiciently glutted whillt the Courage of thofe who are the O'ujtc't of it is not lubdued, ;iud lallly Superllition, have a great Share in it : i'or wiiat Ex t'Jiil'5 arc not produced by a falle Zeal, guided by io many i'uilions. 1 fhall not. Madam, relate the Particulars of all that pafk-a in thefe horribie Executions : It would carry me too far ; be- caul'e in this there is no Uniformity, nor any Rules but Caprice and Eury. Often tiiere are as many Aclorsas Spedators ; //•/// is tojuft all the Inhabitants of the Village, Men, Women, and Chikhen, and every one docs the worit they can. There are only thole of th<; Cabin to which the Prifoncr wa3 delivered, that forbear to torinent him; at leaft, this is the Pradicc of many Nations. Commonly ihey begin by burning the Feet, then the Legs ; and thus go Upwardi to the Head : And fometimes tliey make the Punifhment lall a whole Week ; as it happened to a Cjcnt'eman of Canada anioujjtl the hoquois. They are the leall fpaicd, who having already been taken and adopted, or fet at Liberty, are taken a fecond Time, 'i'hcy look upon them aslmnatural Children, or ungrateful Wrctci. - cs, who have made War with their Piu-ents and Ucnefailors, and tliey Ihew tliem no Mercy. Jthappcr.s fometimes that the Suftercr, t\ \.\\ when he i.^ not executed in a Cabin, is not ticd> and is allcvtcd hi !l I ■ M i 1^1^ M Hijiorical Journal cf to defend himfclf ; which he does, much lefs in Hopes of faving lii> Life, than to revenge his Death before-hand, and to have the Glory of dying bravely. We have fcen, on thefc Occafions, how much Strength and Courage thefe Palfioni can infpire. Here fol- Jovvs an Inftance, whicli is warranted by Eyc-Witneflcs, who are worthy of Credit. An Iroquois, Captain of the Canton of Onneyeuth, chofe rather to Courape of an ^^^^^^ hinifelf to every Thing, than to difgrace Onne YOUTH '^''"^^'^ ^y ^ f ^>8'»t, which he judged of dange- CaMain burnt bv ^^"^ Confequence to the your.g People that were ,'.;«„ on v« under his Command. He fought a long Time /,..<^«uRONs. jj,,^ ^ j^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ refolved todie with his Arms in his Hands ; but the Hurons, who oppofed him, were refolved to have him alive, and he was taken. Happily for him, and for thofe who were taken with him, they were carried to a Village, where fome Miflionaries rcfided, who were allowed full Liberty of ! /i^ 7 Photographic Sciences Corporation ^ 'i? \ <> "^ "TL -!^.\ 23 WEST MAIN SriEET WEBSTER, N.Y. U5S0 (716) 872-4503 O^ ^ <° • L An Hi/lorlcal journal of 168 ful Enemks, to put an End to a War that is trouWefome to bot^ Parties ; or rather, to fufpend Hoftilities : For I have already obfei-ved, that the Wars are perpetual that a*e between Natio^ and Nation ; fo that there is no depending upon a Treaty oi Peace, fo Ions as one of the two Parties can give any Jealoufy to the other. Alt tl^e.Time they oegociate, and before they enter into a Negociation, their principal Care is not to appear to make the firll Steps, or at leaft tQ perfuad6 their Enen^y that it is nei- ther through Fear or Neceffity that they do it : And this is ma- naged with the greateft Dexterity. A PJenipotentiary does not abate any Thing of hi§ StifFhefs, when the Affairs of his Nation are in the word Condition ; and he often facceeds in' perfuading thofe he treats with, that it is their Intereft to put aw End 10 Hoftilities, though they are Conquerors : He is under- the greateft Obligations to employ all hi? Wit and Elout the of the '. Of ivc we . to Jr rival at De- troit. Travels in North jimerica* 1 7 1 to merit by our Dependence on , and Refignation to the Will of God ? They fay commonly that long Voyages do not make People re- ligious ; but nothing one would think ihould be ntorc capable of making them fo, than the Scenes they go through. The fourth we were ftopped a good Part of the Pay on a Point _ , ,. which runs three Leagues North and South, y J^'j '^■'^' and which they call Pointt Pelee (Bald Point) : and red Cedars. j^ j^^ notwithftanding. pretty well wooded on the Weft Side ; but on the Eaft it is only a fatidy Soil, with red Cedars, pretty fmall, and in no great Number. The white Cedar is of more Ufe than the red, whofe Wood is brittle, and of which they can onlv make fmall Gbods. They fay here that Women with Chila ihould not ufe it for Bufks. The Leaves of this Cedar have no Smell, but the Wood has : This is quite the contrary of the white Cedar. There arc many Bears in this Country, and laH Winter they killed on the Point Pilee alone above four hundred. The fifth, about four o'Clockin the Afternoon, we perceived Land to the South, and two little Iflands which are near it : They call theih the IJJes det Serpens a Sonnettes (Rattle-Snake IJlands) ; and it is faid they are fo full of them, that the/ infeft the Air. We entered into the Strait an Hour before Suh fet, and we pafled the Night under a very fine Ifland, catted J[/Zp des Bois Blanc (of White Wood). From the Long Point to the Strait, the Courfe 19 near Weft ; from the Entrance of the Strait to the Ifle St. Claire, which is five or fix Leagues, and from, thence to Lake Huron, it is a little Eaft bv South : So that all the Strait, which is thirty-two Leagues long, is between forty-two Degrees twelve or fifteen Minutes, and forty-three and half North Latitude. Above the Ifle of St. Claire the Strait grows wider, and forms a Lake, which has received its Name from the Ifland, or has given its own to it. It is about fix Leagues long, and as many wide in fome Places. They fay this is the fineft Part of Canada, and indeed to ne Nature of '^f%\ ¥ " .^.J' Appearances Nature ha. fj Co t denied it nothing that can render a Country je un ry. beautiful : Hills, Meadows, Fields, fine Woods of Timber Trees, Brooks, Fountains, and Rivers, and all thefe of fuch a good Quality, and fo happilv intermixed, that one could fcarce defire any Thing more. The Lands are not equally good for all Sorts of Grain ; but the greateft Part are furprilingly fertile, and I have feen fome that have produced Wheat eight Years together without being manured. Hcw- cvcr, they are all good for fomcthing. The Iflcs feem to have been placed on Purpofe to pleafe the Eye. The Rivers and Z 2 lh« '{ ' 172 An Hiftorical Journal of the Lakes are full of Fifh ; the Air pure, and the Climate tem- preate, and very healthy. Before we arrive at the firft Fort* which is on the left Hand, Ofth S * League below the Ifle of St. Claire, there rtfrj ^^"^^i" are on the fame Side two pretty populous jett/ea fuar the villages, and which are very near each o- '"^^^ ther. The firft is inhabited by feme Tion^ nontatex, Hurom, the fame, who, after having a long Time wan- dered from Place to Place, fixed themfelves firlt at the Fall of »?/. Maryy and afterwards at Michillimakinac* The fecond is in- habited by fome Pouteouatamis. On the Right, a little higher, there is a third Village of Outaouais, the infeparable Companions of the Huronst fince ^e Iroquois obliged them both to abandon their Country. There are no Chrijiians among them, and if there are any among the Pouteouatamis t they are few in Number. The Hurons are all Chrijiians, but they have no Miflionaries : They fay that they chufe to have none ; but this is only the Choice of fome of the Chiefs, who have not much Religion, and who hinder the others from being heard, who have a long Time defired to have one. (a) It is a long Time fince the Situation, ftill more tlan the Beauty of the Strait, has made tis wifh for a confiderable Settlement here : It was pretty well begun fifteen Years ago, but fome Reafons, which are kept fecret, have reduced it very low. Thofe who did not favour it faid, firft, that it brought the Peltry of the North too near the Englijh, who felling their Mer- chandizes to the Savages cheaper than our's, would draw/ all the Trade to New Tork, Second, that the Lands of the Strait are not good, that the Surface to the Depth of nine or ten Inches is only Sand, and under this Sand there is a Clay fo fiifF, that Water cannot penetrate it ; whence it happens that the Plains and the inner Parts of the Woods, are always covered with Water, and that you fee in them only little Oaks badly grown, and hard Walnut-Trees } and that the Trees ftanding always in the Wa- ter, their Fruit ripens very late. But to thefe Reafons they re- ply, it is true, that in the Environs of Fort Pontchartratn the Lands are mixed with Sand, and that in the neighbouring Forefts there are fome Bottoms that are almoft always full of Water. Neverthelefs, thefe very Lands have yielded Wheat eighteen Years together without being manured, and one need not go far to find fome that are excellent. As for the Woods, with- out going far from the Fort, I have feen fome in my Walks, which are no ways inferior to our fineft Forefts. (a) They have at length given them one for fome Years paft. As Travels in North America. i'^ As to what they fay, that in making a Settlement at the Streight, wefhould bring the Fur Trade of the North nearer to the Englijh ; there is no Perfon in Canada \«^ho does not own tliat we (hall never fucceed in hindering the Savages from carrying their Merchandize to them, in whatsoever Place we make our Set- tlements, and whatever Precautions we take, if they do not find the fame Advantages with us as they find at Ni'ivTcrk. — I could fay many Things to you. Madam, on this Subject ; but theic Difcuffioni would carry me too far. We will talk of this fome Day at our Leifure. The 7th of June^ which was the Day after my Arrival at the n •} f i^ Fort, M. de Tonti^ who is the Commandant, ^ounalof^ three gfl-g^bled the Chiefs of the three Villages I o «r- • «ii(;ijiiMt«.u tiiw w.»%,i^ w* V..V, w..^^ Village .r^K f^T^-i have before mentioned, to communicate to /fk c -^^ r tl^em the Orders he had juft received from the (tne btreigbt.J Marquis de Vaiidreuil. They heard him pa- tiently, without interrupting him ; and when he had finilhed, the Huron Orator told him in few Words, that they were going to deliberate on what he had propofed to them, and they would return him an Anfwer in a fliort Time. — It is the Cuftom ©f thefe People, never to give an Anfwer direftly, when it concerns a Matter of fome Importance. Two Days after, they re-af- fembled in a greater Number at the Commandant's, who defired me to be prefent at this Council with the Officers of the Garri- fon. Safieratjiy who is called by our French People, the Kin^af the Httronsy and who is adlually the hereditary Chief of the *77- •nnotitatezy who are the true Hurons^ was prefent that Day : Bu't as he is ftill under Age, he only came for Form : His Uncle, who governs for him, and who is called the Regent^ was Spokef- man, as being the Orator of the Nation : And the Honour of fpeaking for all, is commonly given by Preference to the Hurons, when there are any in a Council. At the firft Sight of thefe Ai- femblies, one is apt to form a mean Idea of them. — Imagine that you fee. Madam, a Dozen of Savages almoft naked, the«r Hair fet in as many different Forms, and all ridiculous ; fome with lac*d Hats on, and every one a Pipe in his Mouth, and look- ing like People that have no Thought at all. It is much if any one drops a Word in a Quarter of an Hour, and if they anfwer him by 10 much as a Monofyllable : Neither is there any Marks of Diflin£tion, nor Precedency in their Seats. But we are quite of another Opinion, when we fee the Refult of their Deliberations, Two Points were confidered here, which the Governor had much at Heart. The firft was, to make the three Villages be contented without any more Brandy, the Sale of which had been entirely prohibited by the Council of the Marinqi. The fecond was, to engage all the N;;tions to unite with the French to de- If i ^74 yfn Hifl or teal Journal of ftroy the Ou/agamis, commonly called, /r/ Rf/narJs, (the Foxes), whom they had pardoned fome Years before, and who were be- t inning to commit the fame Outrages as before. M. de Tonti at rft repeated in few Words, by his Interpreter, what he had more fully explained in the firft AflembI/ ; and the Huron Orator replied in the Name of the three Villages : He made no Intro- duAion, but went diredlly to the Buflnefs in Hand : He fpoke a long Time, and leifureiy, (lopping at every Article, to give the Interpreter Time to explain in French what he had before fpoken in his own Language. His Air, the Sound of his Voice, and his Aftion, though he made no Geftures, appeared to me to have fomethin? noble and engaging ; and it is certain that what he faid, muft have been very eloquent ; fmce from the Mouth of the Interpreter, who was an ordinary Perfon, deprived of all the Ornaments of the Language, we were all charmed with it. I muft own alfo, that if he had fpoken two Hours, I fhould not have been tired a Moment. Another Proof that the Beauties of his Difcourfe did not come from the Interpreter, is, that this Man would never have dared to have faid of himfelf all he faid to us. I was even a little furprifed that he had Courage to repeat fo faithfully, as he did, certain Matters which muft be difpleadng to the Commandant. — When the Huron had done fpeaking, Onanguice the Chief and Orator of the Pouteouatamis, exprefled in few Words, and very ingenioufly, all that the firft had explained more at Length, and ended in the fame Manner. The Outaouais did not fpeak, and appeared to approve of what the others had fpoken. The Conclufion was, that the French, if they pleafed, might tTA p r h e refufe to fell any more Brandy to the Savages ; , c i '^^^ '^*y *^°"^^ ***^^ ^^^^ ^^'■y "^^^^ '^^ '^*^y * had never fold them any ; and nothing could be imagined more forcible than what the Huron Orator faid in expofing theDiforders occafionedby this Liquor, and the Injury it has done to all the Savage Nations. The moft zealous Mif- fionary could not have faid more. But he added, that they were now fo accuftomed to it, that they could not live without it ; from whence it was eafy to judge, that if they could not have it of the French, they would apply to the Engiijh, As to what concerned the War of the Outagamis, he declared, that nothing could be refolved on but in a general Council of all the Nations who acknowledge Ononthio (a) for their Father; that they would» without Doubt, acknowledge the Neceflity of this War, but they could hardly truft the French a ftcoftd Timfe ; who having re-united them, to help them to extirpate the common (it) This is the Name the Savages give the Governor-General, % Enemy, Travels in North America, ^16 Jn nvhat Tem- per the Author found the Hurons c/" Detroit, (the iJtreight.) Enemy, had granted him Peace without confulting their Allies, who could never difcover the Reafons of fuch a Condudl. The next Day I went to vifit the two Savage Villages which are near the Fort ; and I went nrll to the Hurons. I found all the Matrons, among whom was the Great Grandmother of Bafieratfu much afHifled to fee themfelves fo long d'e> prived of Spiritual Helps. Many Things which I heard at the fame Time, confirmed me in the Opinion I had before entertained, that fome private Interells were the only Obftacles to the Defires of thefe good Chrijiiant. It is to be hoped that the laft Orders of the Council of the Ma- rine will remove thefe Oppofitions. M. de Tonti afluied me that he was going to labour ac it effe^ually (bj. Thoie who conduced me to this Village aflured me, that without the Hurons, the other Savages would be ftarved. Thi^ is certainly not the Fault of the Land they poffefs : With very little Cultivation it would yield them Neccflaries : Fifliing alone would fupply a good Part, and this requires little Labour. But fince they have got a Reiifh for Brandy, they think of no- thing but heaping up Skins, that they may have wherewithal to get drunk. The Hurons, more laborious, of more Fore- fight, and more ufed to cultivate the Earth, aft with greater Prudence, and by their Labour are in a Condition not only to fubfiil without any Help, but alio to feed others ; but this indeed they will not do without fome Recompence ; for amongft their good Qualities we muft not reckon Difintereftednefs. I was ftill better received by the Injidel PoHteouatamis, than by rr- n ^,. » thc Chrifitan Hurons. Thefe Savages are the ,i*out7uau- -^ «-« "^en of CW. •. They are mo,.ove. . of a very mild Difpofition, and were always "^* * our Friends. Their Chief, 0»««^a/V/, treated me with a Politenefs which gave me as good an Opinion of hia Underftanding, as the Speech which he made in the Council ; He is really a Man of Merit, and entirely in our Intereft. As I returned through a Quarter of the Huron Village, I faw a Company of thefe Savages, who appeared very eager at Play. I drew near, and faw they were playing at the Game of the Dijh. This is the Game of which thefe People are fondeft. At this they fometimes lofe their Reft, and in fome Meafure their Reafon. At this Game they hazard all they poflefs, and many do not leave off till they are almoil ftripped c[uite naked, and till they have loll all they have in their Cabins. Some havo (b) The Hurons of the StreigVit have at laft obtained a Milfionary. who hat revived ameng them their former Fervor, been 1 176 \4n Mijiorlcal Journal of been known to ftake their Liberty for a Time, which fully proves their Paflion for thisi Game ; for there are no Men in the World more jealous of the'^r Liberty than the Savages. The Game of the Dijh, which they alfo call the Game of the a-L n r ^'^^^ Bonesf is only play'd by two Pcrfons : .^. rfn!'"^ "-C- Each has fix or eight little Bones, which at .k r. 1 n'' "^ firft I took for Apricot Stones ; they are of tAe littJe nones. ^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ YAgntk : But upon viewing them clofcly, I perceived that they had fix unequal Surfaces, the two principal or which are painted, one Black, and the other White, inclining to Yellow. The)r make them lump up, by flriking the Ground, or the Table, with a round ana hollow Dilh, which contains them, and which they twirl round firft. When they have no Difh, they throw the Bones up in the Air with their Hand,'! : If in falling they come all of one Colour, he who plays v/in5 ave : The Game is forty up, and they fubtraft the Num- bers gained by the adverfe Part^. Five Bones of the fame Co- lour win but one for the firft Time, but the fecond Time they win the Game : A lefs Number wins nothing. He that wins the Game, continues playing : The Lofer gives his Place to another, who is named by the Markers of his Side ; for they make Parties at firft, and often the whole Village is con- cerned in the Game : Oftentimes alfo one Village plays againft another. E.ich Party chufes a Marker; but he withdraws when he pleafes, which never happens, but when his Party lofes. At tivery Throw, cfpecially if it happens to be decifive, they make great Shouts. The Players appear like People poflefled, and tile SpeAators are not more calm. They all make a thoufand Contortions, talk to the Bones, load the Spirits of the adverfe Party with Imprecations, and the whole Village echoes with Howlings, If z\\ this does not recover their Luck, the t-ofers may put off the Party till next Day : It cofts them only ft fmall Treat to the Company. Then they prepare to return to the Engagement. Each in- vokes his Genius, and throws fome Tobacco in the Fire to his Honour. They aflc him above all Things for lucky Dreams, i^s foon as Day appears, they go again to Play ; but if the Lofers fancy that the Goods in their Cabins made them un- lucky, the fii'ft Thing they do is to change them all. The great Parties commoitly laft five or fix Days, and often continue ,aU ^f^ght. In the mean Time, as all the Perfons prefent, at leaft t^iofe who are concerned in the Game, are in an Agitation that deprives them of Reafon, as they quarrel and fight, which ne- ver happens among the Savages but on thefe Occafions, and in Drunkennefs, one may judge, if when they have done playing they do not want Reft. It 7'ravch in Ncflh .^imerua. '77 SuperJIithus Ufe ef this Came for fhcCurcofDiJim- pers. It happens Pjiuctiincs that thefe Parties of Play arc made by On* r of the Phyfician, or at the Kcqucil of the Sick. There needs no more for this Puri^ofc than a Dream of one or th« ftther. This Dream is always taken for the Order of fome Spirit ; and then they prepare them- felves for Play with a great deal of Care. They aflemble for fevc . ral Nights to try, and to fee who has the luckieft Hand. They conlult their Genii, they faft, the married Perfons obfcrve Con- tinence ; and all to obtain a favourable Dream. Every Morn- inp; they relate what Dreams they have had, and of all the Things they have dreamt of, which they think lucky ; and they make a CoUeftion of all, and put them into little Bags which they carry about with them ; and if any one has the Reputation of being lucky, that is^ in the Opinion of thefe People, of having* familiar Spirit more powerful, or more inclined to do Good, they never fail to make him keep near him who holds the Difti : They even go a great Way fometimes to fetch him ; and if through Age, or any Infirmity, he canviot walk, they will carry him on their Shoulders. They have often prefled the Miflionaries to be prefent at thefe Games, as they believe their Guardian Genii are the mod powerful. It happened one Da) in a fiuron Village, that a fick Perfon having fent for a Juggler, this Quack prefcribed the Game of the Dijhy and appointed a Village at fome Diftance from the fick Perfon's, to play at. She immediatelyfent to aflc Leave of the Chief of the Village : It was granted : They played ; and when they had done playing, the nek Perfon gave a great many Thanks to the Players for having cured her, as fhe faid. But there was nothing of Truth in all this : On thecon* trary, fhe was worfe ; but one mull always appear fatisfied, even when there is the leaft Caufe to be fo. The ill Humour of this Woman and her Relations fell upon the Miflionaries, who had refufed to aflifl at the Game, notwith- (landing all the Importunities they ufed to engage them : And in their Anger for the little Complaifance they ihewed on this Occafion, they told them, by Way of Reproach, that fince their Arrival in this Country, the Genii of the Savages had lofl their Power. Thefe Fathers did not fail to take Advantage of this Confefllon, to make thefe Infidels fenfible of the Weaknefs of their Deities, and of the Superiority of the God of the Chrtf' tians. But beAdes that on thefe Occafions it is rare that they are well enough difpofed to hear Reafon, thefe Barbarians re^ ply coldly, *' You have your Gods, and we have our*s : *Tis 9 ** Misfortune for us that they are not fo powerful as your's." A a The I 1 q^/^ Flea- Plant, andUtEf- tannot take too I7I An hliftorical Journal of The Strait ii one of the Countries of Canada wlie^6 a Bo- ianill mieht make the moft Difcoveries. I have already ob« ferved, that all Canada produces a great n\any Simples which have great Virtues. There is no Doubt that the Snow contri- butes greixtly to it : But there is in this Place a Variety of Soil \ which, joined to the Mildnefs of the Climate, and the Liberty which the Sun has to warm the Earth more than in other Places, becaufe the Country is more open, gives Room to believe that the Plants have more Virtue here than in any other Placet One of my Canoe Men lately proved the Force of a P)atit» which we meet with every where, and the Knowledge of which is very neceiTary for Travellers ; not for its good Qualities, for I never yet heard it had any, but becaufe we much Care to Ihun it. They call it the Flea- Plant ; but this Name does not fufficiently exprefs the EffeAs it produces* Its Effects are more or lefs fenfible, according to the Conftitution of thofe who touch it. There are fome Perfons on whom it has no EfFe£t at all ; but others, only by looking on it, are feized vith a violent Fever, which lalls above fifteen Days^ and which is accompanied with a very troublefbme Iteh on the Hands, and a great Itching all over the Bodvi It has an EfTeft on others only when they touch it, and then the Party affe£(ed apt. f>ears all over like a Leper. Some have beeh known to havtf oft the Ufe of their Hands by it. We know no other Rclnedy for it as yet but Patience. After fome Time all the Symptoms difappear. There grow alfo in the Strait Lemon-Trees in the haturai ^^ , ,. Soil, the Fruit of which have the Shape and r:i I. '."" Colour of thofe of PwtugaU but they arc tfthe Strait. fmaller, and of a flat Tafte. They arc ex^ cellent in Conferve. The Root of this Tree is a deadly and very fnbtilc Poifon, and at the fame Time a fovereign Antidote againft the Bite of Serpents. It muft be pounded, and applied dire£lly to the Wound. This Remedy takes Effefl inftantly, and never fails. Oa both Sides the Strait the Country, as they fay, preferves all its Beauty for about ten Leagues within Land j after which they find fewer Fruit-Trees, and not fo many Mea- dows. But at the End of five or fix Leagues, inclining towards the Lake Erie to the South Weft, one fees vaft Meadows which extend above a hundred Leagues every Way, ind which feed a prodigious Number of thofe Cattle which I have already mention<* cd fcTcral Times* / am, &c. LETTER Travels in North yfrnerica* *79 ■*-■• LETTER XVII. Farteuj Remarks oh tJl^e CharaSlttt CuJIwis, and GovernmeHt tf ti§ Savages* Madam, >^/ Detroit ^z^&r Strait), y«/i« 14. AFTER I had clofed my laft Letter, and given it to • Perfon who was going down to ^htc, I prepared myfelf to continue my Journey, and in Fa6t, I embarked the next Day> but I did not go far, and by the Want of Precaution in my Con* dudors, I am returned here to ¥oti Pontchurtraint where 1 fear I fhall be obliged to flay yet feveral Days. Thefe are Difappoint* ments which we mud exped with the Canadian Travelleri, they are never in Hafie, and are very negligent in taking their Mea* fures. But as we muft make the beft of every Thing, I (hall take Advantage of this Delay, to begin to entertain ^ou with the Government of the Savages, and of tneir Behaviour in public Af* fairs. By this Knowledge you will be better able to judge of what I fliall have Occaiion to fay to you hereafter ; but I fhall not fpeak very largely on this Subject : Firft, becau& the Whole is not very intereilmg : Secondly,^ becaufe I will write nothing to you but what is fupported by ^ood Teftimony, and it is not eafy to find Perfons whofe Sincerity is entirely unfufpeded, at kail of Exaggeration ; or who may not be fufpeAed of having given Credit too lightly to all they heard ; or who have Difcerni» ment enough to take Things in a right View, which requires a Ion? Acquaintance with the Country, and the Inhabitant*, t {hall fay nothine of my own on this Article, and this will pre- vent me from following a regular Series in what X fhall fay. But it will not be difficiiTt for you to colled and make a pretty re- £ular Whole of the Remarks which I fhall interfpeife in m;^ etters, according as I receive them. It mufl be acknowledged. Madam, that the nearer View we take of our Savages, the more we difcover in tiiem ibm"^ valuable Qualities. The chief Fart of the Principles by which they regu- late their Condu£l, the general Maxims by which thev govern themfelves, and the Bot- tom of their Character* have nothing which appears barbarous. Furthermore, the Ideas, though quite con- fuled, which they have retained of a firft Being ; the Traces, tho^ i^SLQ^ eiaced} of a religioui Worfliip, which they appear to Aa 2 have The Savaiesof Canada are more tajily to he convert^ fdt^ott the more ci- fuilixed Nations* i8o An Hijioricdl Journal of have rendered formerly to this Supreme Deity ; and the faint Marks, which we obferve, even in their mod indifferent Afliohs of the antient Belief, and the primitive Religion, may bring ■them more eafily than we think, into the Way of Truth, and make their Converfioh to (^^r//?/Wirv to be more eafily effedted ^han that of more civilized Nations. In Fa£l, we learn from Experience, that Policy, Knowlfedge, and Maxims of State, create in the lart an Attachment and a Prejudice for their falfe Belief, which all the Skill, and all the Zeal of the Labourers of the Gofpcl have much Pains to overcome. So that there is Need of Grace acting more powerfully on enlightened Infidels, who are almoil always blinded by their Prefuniption, than on thofe who have nothing to oppofe to it but a very limited Know- ledge. The greateft Pare of the People of this Continent have a Kind J r- 1 TJ of Ariftocratic Government, which varies al- A general laea „ioft to Infinity. For altho' each Villr.ge has tj their Gowrn- j^^ ^^.^^^^ ^^^ -^ independent of all the o- ^^" * , thers of the fame Nation, and on wh<»m his Subjefls depend in very few Things ; neverthelefs, no Afi iir of any Importance is concluded without the Advice of li* Klders. Tov/ards Acadia the Sachems were more abfolute, aid it coes not appear that they were obliged as the Chiefs are in almoU all other Places, to bellow Bounties on private Perfons. On the contrary, they received a Kind of Tribute from their Subjefts, and by no Means thought it a Part of their Grandeur to referve nothing for themfelves. But there is Reafon to think that the Dilperfion of thefc Savages of Acadia^ and perhaps alfo their •Intercourfe with the French^ have occafioned many Changes in their old Form of Government, concerning which Lcfcarbot and Xlhamplain are the only Authors who have given us any Parti- culars. Many Nations have each three Families, or principal Tribes, *- i^/ders. t «-'oes not I'^lmoil al] • On t/ie Subjefts, to referve hink that alfo their han ges in •artot and ly Parti- I Tribes, leir Ori- frotn the s looked of Prc- ibe Bro~ Coujins. ach has ch con- Ifberate ind the I whofe Arms, ""igures on it, unlefs feme particular Rcafons make them fubflitute others. Thus the Huron Nation is the Nation of tlie Porcupine. Its firft Tribe bears the Name of the Bear, or of the Pot-Buck. Au- thors differ about this. The two others have taken for their Animals, the If^f and the Tortoifc. In fliort, each Village has alfo its own Animal ; and probably it is this Variety which has occafioned fo many Millakcs in the Authors of Relations. Fur- thermore, it is proper to obfervc, that befjdes thefe Eir.in^ions of Nations, Tribes, and Villnges, by Animals thero are yet others which are founded upon feme Cullom, or ^n fome particular Event. For Inrtancc, the Tiotmonfotcx Hurons, who are of the firft Tribe, commonly call themfelves the Nation of Tobacco } and we have a Treaty, in which thefe Savages, who were then at Michillimakinac, have put for their Mark the Figure of a Beaver. The Iroquois Nation have the fame Animals as the Hurotty of Q,r . which it appears to be a Colony; yet with th N^^"^^ '"f "fl ^^^^ Difference, that the Family of the Tor- r/ ■ f^'" ^ ^ '°^^^ ^^ divided into two, wluch they call the ■'^^■'* great and the little Tortoife. The Chief of each F^^mily bears the Name of it, and in public TranfadioniS they never give him any other. It is the fame in Refpeft to the Chief of the Nation, and of each Village. But bendes iliis Name, which is, as I may fay, only a Reprefentation, they have another which diftinguifhes them more particularly, and which is, as it were, a Title of Honour. . Thus one is called the mojl nobley another the moji antienty &c. Laftly, they have a third Name which is perfonal ; but I am apt to think that this is only ufed among the Nations, where the Rank of Chief is hereditary. The conferring or giving thefe Titles, is always performed with great Ceremony. The new Chief, or if he is too your.g, he who reprefents him, muft make a Feaft and give Prefents, fpeak the Elogium of his Predeceffo/, and fing his Song. But there are fome perfonal Names fo famous, that no one dares to aflume them ; or which, at lead, remain a long Time before they are re-ail umed : When they do it, they call it, raifmg froiti the Dead the Perfon who formerly had thai Name. In the North, and in all Places where the Algonquin Language Of tl 9 / prevails, the Dignity of Chief is elective ; / oe uccej- ^^ ^^ Ceremony of the Eleftion and In- ftallation confifts in Fealls, accompanied with Dances and Songs. The Chief eledlcd never fails to make the Panegyrick of him takes, and to invoke his Genius. Amongft the 4iurons, where this Dignity is hereditary, the Succeflion is con- tinued JioHy and of the Ele£iion of the Chiefs. whofe Place he ( . ( \d2 Jn Hi/iorical Journal of |muei4 t>y, thfi V/oman^s Sid« ; fo that at the Peath of the Chief'}, it is not hi^ Son that fucqeeds him, but hii> Siiler's Son ; qr, in Cafe of failure of fuch, the neifeft Relation by the Fe- jpiaje Lin:. Jf a whole Branch happens to be extinft, the Bpbleft ^iatroi;! of a Tribe chufes the Perfon flic likes beft, and ^clai:es hipi Chief. T^ey mull be of an Age fit to govern j and if the hereditary nz-.A,;^ P^,,.,*,. ^^^^^ " "°' °* ^S^* ^^^y ^^^^^ * Regent, U^tbar rower, ^i^ho has aU the Authority, but whooeFcifes 51 in the Name of the Minor. In general, thefe Chiefs do not \ccei,ve any great IV^arks of Refpeft ; and if they are always o]beyed, it is becaufe they know how far their Commands will $ave f'orce. It is true »lfo, that they entreat or propofe, rather tl\ari, command, and that they never exceed the Bounds of the ^ttle Authority tt ^y have. Thus it is Reafon that governs j and the Government is the more effedtual, as the Obedience i% jfiqrp voluntary^ 9Jid that ther^ is no Fear of its degen<;rating ^to Tyranny. Beildes this, ^very family has ^ Right to chufe themfelves 9 Couhfellor, or ^n AiHilant io the Chiefs who is to watch over their Interefts, and without whofe Advice the Chief cajj under-^ take nothing. Thefe Cou/ifellors are efpe- take Care of the public Treaiu^c, and it ^glpjigs to them to direft how it is to pe employed. The firft Iteccpcion of them into this QfHce, is in a general Council ; but ^,ey do not give Notice of this to their Allies^ as chey do in the !^Iefibn or Inflallation of a Chief. — ir-Jn the Hifrun Nations, the yforaen ijanje 5he Counfellprs, and they often chuije Perfons of ^eir own Sex. ' XW« Body of CounfelJors, or Affiftan^o, i? the firft of all : r^r *i n J i- 'i'^c fecoad Is that of the Elders ; that is tt^ ih mJ^ "^ /ay, of all wlio have attained the Age of tp^tians. Maturity. I could never learn cxaftly what ^s.Age is. The lait is that of the Warriors : It comprehends ^ that arc able to bear Arms. This Fody has often at its $e^ the Chief of the Nation, or of ihe Village ; but he mull Save (J-iftinguilhed himfelf firft by fome brave Aftion, otherwifc Ije is obl?.sred to ferve as a Subaltern j that is te Jay^ as a com- mon Sol4ier, for there is no othpr R*ak i,^ the Armies of the ^^yages. A. great Par^ may indeed have feveral Chiefs, becaufe they i^ tb& irar commanded ; but they are not the lefs fub- \iptifs* jeft to the Commander of th;c Party, a Kind <^ Qcner^} with,QUrt. Chara/^r, without real Audicrity, who can acithv Of the J£if Uffits ot Qattj^" J'ellors. ^iaUy obliged; to »s? ^faveU in Kcrth Jmerlcd, hfeitiitfr reward nor ponifh, whofe Soldiers mr.y IcSvc him v/helK they pleafe, without his having a Right to fay any-Thinj^ \efeft of* this Government, is, that there Ts no *Th Thf^a' 6f Puniftiment for Crimes among tliefe People. ., r^' J. ■'/ indeed this Defeft' has not the fanie , a Jit- \Storm, 'in, ob- and we The Claire^ xy ap- e upon . /ide at re Sa- On trance agues fthis travels in North America, ig-i c^reeable Situation that can be fecn. Prom thence, to Lake Huron they reckon twelve Leagues, and the Country is all the Way charming. It is a magnificent Canal as flrait as a Line^ bordered with lofty Woods, divided by fine Meadows, and fprinkled with Iflands, fome of which are pretty large. Wc fteer here North North Eaft, and at the Entrance of Lake Hu- ron, the Courfe is North for twelve Leagues further. In croffing Lake St. Clairct I had in my Canoe a young Savage tr-t w% • I ilrong and vigorous, and on the Strength of rbePa^nstheyoung ^j^^^ ^^^^ \ ^^^^ depended, in granting Socages take to a- ^^^ ^^^ p^^ ^^^^^ J^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^ . ^^^ aorntbtmjel'va, ^^ ^^^^ ^^ jj^^j^ AiTiftance. In Recompence he diverted me much, till a Storm which rofe over our Heads, ))ep'an to make me uneafy. This young Man had been at hit Toilet before he embarked, and he did not give three Stroke* with his Oar, but he took his Looking Glals to fee if the Mo- tion of his Arn.o had not difordered the drefTing of his Hair; or if the Sweat had not altered the Figures he had drawn on his Face with Red, and other Colours, with which he had painted himfelf. I know not whether he did not hope to arrive at the Village of the MiJU^fagMtx, before Night, to be prefent at fome Feaft, but we could not go fo far. The Storm began juH as we got to an liland at the End of the Travcrfe of the Lake, and we were forced t(» ftay there. The young Savage however did not appear to be much difconcerted at this Diiappointment, for theie People are •aiily reconciled to every Accident : Perhaps alfo he only intend- ed to (hew himfelf to us in all his Fiiiery ; but if this was his JDefign he loft his Labour, I had feen him a few Days before ia his natural Appearance, and liked him much better than with this odd Mixture of Colours, which had cofl him fo much Pains. We fee few Women paint their Faces here, but the Men, and especially the young ones, are very curious in this Ornament t There are fome who employ half aDay in painting themfelvcs in this Manner only to go from Door to Door to belooked at, and who retum mightily latisfied with themfelves, tho' Nobody has faid a Word to them . We entered Lake Huron the twentietii, abont ten in the Morning. And we prefently had the Diveriion of fifhing for Sturgeon. The next Day, in Spite of the Thunder, which grumbled all the Day, but which was fatisfied with threatening us, I advanced near twenty-five Lea^^es on the Lake, but the twenty-third a thick Fog, which hindered us from feeing four Paces before our Canoe, obliged us to go more flawly, becaufe we failed on a rocky Bottom, which in many Places is not covered - with half a Foot Water : It extends a great Way into the Lake, «ni 192 yfn Hift or teal Journal of tnd is ten Leagues long : Our Canatliam call it lis Pt^s Plair^ (the Flat Country.) The next Day we gained the Ba^ of SagMintm, which it five or ^, (,. ^ fix Leagues wide at the Mouth, and thirty nl-t'Vv'^T "-^ deep. The Outacuais have a Village in the ^^* fine Country. From thence \q MichiUimakinac ne fee nothing fine, no more Vines, bad Woods, and very little Game. Ten Leagues above the Bay of Sagkinam we fee two pret- ty large Rivers a League didant from each other, and four or five Leagues farther the Bay of TotiHerre (Thunder BdyJ^ which is three Lengnes wide at its Entrance, and has but little Depth. Mi€hillhnakinitc (a) is 43" 30 Minutes North Latitude, and the Courfe, which is a ico Leagues from the Mouth of the Strait, coaAing the Weft Side of Laxe Hurottf is almoft North. I arrived the twenty-eighth at this Pod, which is much declined fince A/. d4 lu Mctte Ca4)iUa( drew to Detroit the greateft Part of the Savages who were fettled here, and efpecially the Hurans. Seve- ral Outaouais have followed them, others have difperfed them- felves in the lilcs of Cafior j there is only here a middling Vil- lage, where there is ftill a great Trade for Peltry, becaufe it is the PalTage or the Rendezvous of many of the Savage Na-' tions. The Fort is preferved, and the Houfe of the Miflionarie&, who are not much employed at prefent, having never found much Docility among the Outaouais ; but the Court thinks their Pre- fence necefli? 7, in a Place where one muft often treat with our Al- lies, to exercife their Minrftry among the French^ who come hi- ther in great Numbers. I have been affured, chat fmce the Set- tlement of Detroit, and the Di^eriion of the Savages oecafion- ed thereby, many Nations of the North who ufed fo bring their Peltries hither, have taken the Route of Hudfn^s B'tty, by the River Bourbon, and gp there to trade with the EngUJh ; but AT. di la Motte could by no Means forefee this Inconvenience,, fince we were then in Pofl'eflion of Hud/on* s Bay. Tho Situation of MichilUmakinac is very advantageous for Trade. This Pod is between three great Lakes ; Lake Michi^ gan, which is three Hundred Leagues in Compafs, without mentioning the great Bay that comes into it ; Lake Huston, which is three Hundred and fifty Leagues in Circumference,, and which is triangular ; and the Upper Lake, which is five Hundred Leagues. All three are navigable for the largeft Bai4cs^ and the tw^ firfl; are only feparated Dy a little Strait» which haa* alfo :{a) Some pronounce it MiffiUimekintK, which deceived ilf, ^ Ig' fjfimitdar^ w>ia-has madeit t\vb'ditferehtPlace«» Water Travels in North America, 193 Water enough for fome Barks which may Hill fail without any Oblbcle through all the Lake £r//till they come to Niagara. It is true there is no C'cmmunication between Lake Huron, und the Upper Lake^ but by a Canal of twenty-iwo Leagues, much en- cumbered with Falls or Torrents ; but theft Torrents do not hin- der the Canoes from coming to unload at Michilhmakinac^ ever/ Thing that can be got from the Vpptr Lake. This Lake is two Hundred Leagues long from Eaft to Weft, r, f . ■ f and in many Places eighty wide from North Defcrtpuon of ^^ ^^^^^^ ^,j ^^^ ^^^J| ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ /*. Upper Lake, ^^^^j^ . j^ ^^^^^ ^^ dangerous to be fur- prifed here by a North Wind. The North Side is more conve- nient for failing, becaufe it is all along lined with Rocks, which form little Harbours, where it is very eafy to take Refuge ; and nothing is more neceflary when we fail in a Canoe on this Lake, in whitli Travellers have obferved a pretty fingular Phccnome- non. They fay, that when there will be a Storm they have No- tice of it two Days before. At firfl, they perceive a little Trem- bling on the Surface of tlie Water, and that lafts all the Day, without any manifcft Increafe ; the next Day the Lake is cover- ed with pretty large Waves, but tliey do not break all the Day, fo that one may fail without D.inger, and may alfo make a great deal of Way if the Wind is fair ; but the third Day, when it is leaft expedted, the Lake is all on Fire ; the Ocean,' in its greateft Fury, IS not more agitated, and one mufc ha^e inUantly fome Afylum to fly to for Safely ; which we are fure to find on the North Side, whereas on the South Coaft, one mull from the fe- cond Day encamp at a good Dillance from Shore. The Savages, by Way of Acknowledgement for the Quantity J? jl; /• /. c of Fifli this Lake affords them, and through rin the Rcfpca they are infpired with from its 'vagesof /*f upper ^aftExtent, havemade it a Kind of Deity, and ^^^^' offer Sacrifices to it after their Manner. But I think that it is not to the Lake itfelf, but to the Genius which prefides over it, that they offer up their Prayers : If v e believe them, this Lake has a divine Origin : *Twas M'tchaboui the God of the Waters, who made it to take Beavers. In the Canal by which it difcharges itfelf into Lake Huront there is a Torrent caufed by fome great Rocks ; our Miffionaries who once had here a very flourilhing Church called it the Fall of St. Mary. Thefe Rocks according to the Tradition of the Barbarians are the Re- mains of a Caufey or Bank, which the God built to flop theWaters of the Rivers, and of the Lake Alimipegoriy which have filled this Great Lake. Cc Oa 194 An Hiflorical Jmrnal of I \tk On its Borders, in fome Places, and about certain Iflandt, tkev' t r- ^j. TUT' ^^^ g^**' Pieces of Copper, winch are alio LopperMtnes, f;he Objcft of the fupcrftitious Worfhip of the Savages ; they look upon them with Veneration, as a Preient of the Gods who live under the Waters j they gather the fmalleft Bits of it, and preferve them with Care, but make no Ufe of them. They fay, that formerly there was a great Rock that flood high above the Water all of the fame Matter \ and as it does not appear at prefent, they fay that the Gods have carried it to another Place ; but it is very probable, that in Length of Time the Waves of the Lake halve covered it with Sand and Mad j and it is certain, that there has been difcovered in many Places, a pretty lar|;e Quantity of this Metal, without being obliged to dig deep for it. At my firft Journey into this Country, I knew one of our Brethren, who was a Goldfmith by Trade, and who, wMlft he was in the MiiTion of St. Marx's Fall, went thither to find Copper, and had made Candleilicks, Croifes, and Cenfers of it ; for this Copper is often almoft entirely pure. The Savages add, that when Michahou made the Upper Lakcy S I fth T dwelt at Michillimekittac, where he was ^ya^ oj e ra- ^^^ . ^jjjj Name is properly that of a li^^tle t tons OJ ^ * «- jfljjjj^ almoft round, and very high, fituate at *"'^^ ^' the Extremity of Lake Huron, and by Cuf- tom it has given its Name to all the neighbouring Country. The Ifland may be about three or four Miles round, and one may fee it at the Diftance of ^velve Leagues. There are two Iflands to the South of it, the fartheft of which is five or fix Leagues longj the other is very fmall, and quite round. They are both well wood- ed, and the Lands are good ; whereas that of Miehillimakinac is only a barren Rock, and fcarcely covered with a little Mofs and Herbs. It is neverthelefs one of the moil celebrated Places of Canada, and was a long Time, according to the antient Tradi- tion of the Savages, the chief Abode of a Nation of the fame Name, and of which they reckoned thirty Villages in the En- virons of the Ifland. They fay, that the Iroquois deftroyed them, but they do not fay at what Time, nor on what Occafion. This is certain, that there are no Marks of them remaining. I have fomewhere read, that our old Mifiionaries have feen fome Remains of thefe People (aj» The Michulimakinacs lived almoft only by Fiftiing, and there is perhaps no Place in the World where there is fuch Plenty of Fifh. The moft common Fifli in the three Lakes, and in the Rivers that flow into them, are the Herring, the Carp, the Gilt Fifh, the (a) The Word Mich'ill'makinac fignifies a gr«at Number of Tortoifcs ; but I never heard they find more here at prefent than in other Places, Pike, Plenty of Fijh in thefe Paris. [pper Lake, ■^^ iie was of a little , f iituate at "d by Cuf. onfy. The "lay Tee it inds to the ' fpng, the ell wood- ^makinac is Mofs and Piaces of nt Tradi. *he fame the En- ed them, '• This ■ I have Remains Of the IJles of Caftor (Beaver), and of the Nation of the Caftor. Travels in North jimerical 195 Pike, the Siargeon, the AJtikoMugve, or white Fi(h, uid above ally the Trout. They take three Sorts of the laft^ among which fome are of a monftrons Size, and in fuch Numbers, that a Sa- vage with his Spear mil fometimes (bike fifty in three Hours Time. But the moft famous of all is the White Fifli : It is about the Bignefs and Shape of a Mackeral ; I know of no iCind of Fifii that is better eating. The Savages fay, that it was Michabw who taught their Anceftors to fiih, that he invented Nets, and that he took the Notion of them from the Spiders Web. Thefe People, as you fee, Madam, do not give greater Honour to their God than he deferves, fince they are not afraid of fending him to School to a vile InfeA. Whatever Lands appear in Sight hereabout, do not give an Idea of a good Country ; but there v> no Need of going far to find Soils lit for every Thing. We may fay the fame of the Ifles of Caftor, which we leave on the left Hand^ a little after we enter into the Lake Michigan. The Outaouais, who are retired thither, fow here Maiz, and they have learnt this good Cuftom from the Huronst with whc.m they have lived a long Time in thefe Parts. The Amikoues formerly dwelt in thefe Iflands : This Nation is now reduced to a very fmall Number of Families, which have pafTed over to the liland hianitoualin, on the North Side of the Lake Huron. It is, neverthelefs, one of the moft noble of Canada^ according to the Savages, who believe it to be defcended from the Gnat Cajior, which is, after Michabou or the Great Hare, their principal Deity, and whofe Name it bears. It was He, as they fay further, that formed the Lake NipiJJing j and all the Falls we meet with in the Gre/it River of the Ou- taouais^ which goes out of it, are the Remains of Banks he made to conipafs his Defign. They add, that he died at the fame Place, and that he is buried on a Mountain, which is feen on the North Side of Lake NifiJ/ing. This Mountain reprefents naturallv on one Side the Shape of a Beaver; and this is, no Doubt, what nas given Rife to all thefe Stories : But the Savages maintain, that it was the Great Caftor who gave this Shape to the Mountain, after he had chofen it for his Burial-Place; and they never pafs by this Place without paying their Homage to him, by offering him the Smoke of their Tobacco. This is. Madam, what I thought v/orthy of Note in this Poft, which is fo famous in the Travels and Accounts of Canada. 1 return to the Manners and Cuftoms of the Savages; and afcer having mentioned what concerned their Wars, J am going to entertain you concerning their Marriages. Cc ? A 1L'ii 196 An Hijimcal Journal of A Plarality of Wives is cftablilhed in many Nations of the Of the Ph I't ■^h^^'^i^ Language, and it is common enough ofJVinjes a 'dtif- ^^ marry all the Sifters; this Cuftom is found- /^ / " '^" ed on the Notion they have, that Sifters will agree together better than Strangers. In this Cafe all the Wives are upon an equal Footing ; but among the true Algonquin! they have two Sorts of Wives, and the fecond are Slaves to the firft. Some Nations have Wives in all the Places where they ftay any ccnfiderable Time for hunting; and I have been rffured that this Abufe has been introduced lately among the People of the Huron Language, who in all former Times were fatisfied with one Wife. But in the Iroquois Canton of ^fonnonthouan there prevails a much greater Diforder ftill, which is a Plurality of Hufbands. As to what concerns the Degrees of Kindred, with Refpeft tq O/* th Ti Marriage, the Hurom and the Iroquois are f J- J J ^^^'^^ very fcrupulous in this Matter : Among them ^ '» ^^ • there muft be no Manner of Relation between the Parties to be married, and even Adoption is comprehended in this Law. But the Hufl)and, if his Wife dies firft, muft marry her Sifter, or in Default of fuch, the Woman which his Wife's Family Ihall chufe for him : The Woman, on her Side, is obliged to the fame Thing with Refgeft to the Broth«;rs, or the Relation: of her Hufljand, if he dies without Children, and ihc is ftill of an Age to have any. The Reafon they give for it, is the fame that is mentioned in the 25 th Chapter of Deuteronomy ^ verfe 6. The Huft)and who ftiould refufe to marrj the Sifter, or the Rcla ion of the deceafed Wife, would expofe himfelf to the greateft Outrages that the Perfon rejected can poffibly do him, and would be obliged to fuiFer them without Complaint or Refiftance. When for Want of any Relations, they permit a Widow to provide herfelf another Way, they are obliged to make her Prefents : This is as a Teftimony which they give of her good Conduft, and which ftie has a Right to demand, if flie has really behaved well all the Time of her Marriage. There are in all Nations fome ccnfiderable Families, which -, . f , cannot marry but among themfelves, efpe- Particular La^ws ^^^jj^ ^^ ^^^ Algonquins. In general, the for Marriages. Stability of Marriages is facred in this Coun- try, and for the moft Part they confider as a great Diforder thofe Agreements which fome Perfons make to live together as long as they like, and to feparate when they are tired of each other. A Hufl and who Ihould forfake his Wife without a lawful Caufe, muft expeft many Infults from her Relations ; and a Woman who fhould leave her Huiband without being forced to it by his iU Conduft, would pafs her Time ftill worfe. Amongf !l Travels in Nor Ik America, 197 Among the Miamh, the Hufband has a Right to cat ofF his Wife's Nofe if fhe runs away from him ; but among the Iroquois and the Huruns they may part by Confent. This is done without Noife, and the Parties thus feparated may marry again. Thefe Savages cannot even conceive that there can be any Crime in ihis. ** My Wife and I cannot agree together," faid one of them to a Miffionary, who endeavoured to make him compre- hend the Indecency of fuch a Separation, ** my Neighbour's' ** Cafe was the fame, we changed Wives, and we are all four " happy : What could be more reafonable than to make us " mutually happy, when it is fo cheaply done, without wrcng- ** ing any Body.'* Neverthelefs, this Cuftom, as I have already obferved, is looked upon as an Abufe, and is not anticnt, at lead among the /r0^;^f ^f^'^"" pie various Accounts, proceeding either froni mes 0/ Marriage, ^j^^ different Cuftoms of divers Nations, or from the little Care the Authors of Relations took to be well informed : Furthermore, the whole appeared to me to be fo little worthy your Curiofity,> that I thought it not worth my while to inquire a great deal about it. 1 he Hufband that is to be, fuufl make Prefents, and in this, as in everv Thing elfe, nothing can exceed the Difcketion with which he behaves, and the reipeflful Behaviour which he fliews to his future Spoufe. Tn ibme Places the young Man is contented to go and £t by the Side of the young Woman in her Cabin, and if fhe fuffers it, and continues in her Place, it is taken for her Con- fent, and the Marriage is concluded. But in the midft of all this Deference and Refped, he gives fome Toker j that he will foon be Mafter. In Faft, among the Prefents fhe receives, there are fome which ought lefs to be regarded as Marks of Friend- fiiip, than as Symbols and Notices of the Slavery to which fhe is going to be reduced : Such are the Collar, (a) the Kettle, and a Billet, which are carried to her Cabin. This is to let her know, that fhe is to'carry the Burdens, drefs the Provifions, and get Wood for Firing. The Cuftom is alfo in fome Places for her to bring before- hand into the Cabin where fhe is to dwell after Marriage, all the Wood that will be wanted for the next Winter. And it is to be obferved, that in all I have jufl faid, there is no Difference between the Nations, where the (m) Tlus Collar is that which I have mentioned before ; that is ttfayf .lor^ and brpad Band of Leather which ferves to ^^^ Burdens* Women travels in North America* 199 Women have all the Authority, and thofe where they have no- thing to do with the Affairs of Government. Thefr fame Wo- men, who are in fome Degree the MiftrefTes of the State, at leaft for Form, and who make the principal Body of it, when they have attained a certain Age, and have Children in a Con-> dition to make them refpefted, are not at all refpefted before this, and are in their domeftic Affairs the Slaves of the Huf- bands. In general there are perhaps no People in the World who J, A more defpife the Sex. To call a Savage a , ^^fl'^^'S'' "/ Woman, is the greateft Affront that can be f' S""' '^''* ?^^^" ^*™- NotWithflanding, the Children belong only to the Mother, and acknowledge her alone. The Father is always as a Stranger with Refpeft to them ; in fuch a Manner, however, that if he is not regarded as a Father, he is always refpe£led as the Mailer of the Cabin. I know not, however, if all this is univerfal amongft all the People of Canada that we are acquainted with ; no more than what I have found in fome good Memoirs, that the young Wives, befides what their Hufbands have a Right to require of them for the Service of the Cabin, are obliged to fupply all the Wants of their own Parents ; which probably mufl be under- ftood of thofe who have no longer any Perfon to render them thefe Services, and who are not, by Reafon of their Age or In- firmities, in a Condition to help themfelves. However this may be, the new married Man is not without Employment. Befides Hunting and Fifhing, which he is ob- liged to follow all his Life, he mufl at firfl make a Mat for his Wife, build her a Cabin, or repair that they are to live in ; and as long as he lives with his Wife's Parents, he mufl carry to their Cabin all that he gets by Hunting and Fifhing. Among the Ireqmist the Woman never leaves her Cabin, bccaufe fhe is jud^d the Miflrefs, or at leafl the Heirefs of it. Among other Nations, after a Year or two, fhc goes to live with her Mother- in-law. The Savage Women in general are brought to Bed without Of the' L ' any Pain, and without any AfTiflance ; but J tbetr laying' ^j^g^.^ ^^ ^^^^ ^^j^^ ^^^ ^ ^^ Time in La- w, and tu Lmje- ^^^^^ and fufFer much. When this happens, * ^*^*'* they give Notice of it to the young People, who all on a fudden, and when the Patient leafl expcfts it, come and make great Noifes at the Door of the Cabin, the Surpiife of which has fuch an ElFeft upon her, as inflantly to procure her Delivery. The Women never lay-in in their own Cabins ; many are taken fuddenly, and bring forth their Children as they arc at Work, or on a Journey: For others, when they find them- 200 An Hiftorical journal of themfelves near their Time, they make a little Hut withoat the Village, and they remain there forty Days after they are delivered. But I think I have heard fay that this is only done for the firft Child. This Time being expired, they extingnifh all the Fires of the Cabin to which fhe is to return ; they fhake all the Clothes, and at her Return they light a new Fire : They obferve pretty nearly the fame Formalities with Regard to all Perfons of the Sex in the Time of their Terms, ana not only whilfl thefe laft, but alfo whilfl a Woman is with Child, or gives Suck, (and they commonly fuckle their Children three Years) the Hulband never approaches them. Nothinjg would be more Praift- worthy than this Cuftom, if both Parties preferved the Fidelity they owe to each other ; but there is often a Failure on one Side or other. Such is the Corruption of the human Heart, that the wifeft Regulations often produce the greateft Diforders. It is even faid, that the Ufe of fome Simples, which have the Power to prevent the Confequences of the Women's Infidelity, is pret- ty common in this Country. Nothing can exceed the Care which the Mothers take of their cfL r *i, TUT Children while they are in the Cradle ; bnt rUiJ '^ entirely to themfelves ; not through Want of luhtldreti. AfFeftion or Indifference, for they never lofe the Tendernefs they have for them, but with their Lives; but becaufe they are perfuaded it is beft to leave Nature to herfelf, without any Reftraint. The Aft which terminates the firft Stage of Infancy, is giving a Name, which among thefe People is an Affair of Importance. .This Ceremony is performed in a Feaft, where no Perfons are ^ - • .1 • prefent but of the fame Sex with the Child Qfnamingthetr that is to be named. While they are eating Qhildren, ^j^.^ ^.j^jj^ j^^ ^^^^ ^j^^ ^^^^^^ ^f ^^^ ^^^^^^ or Mother, who continually recommend it to the Spirits, efpe- cially to that whica is to be its Guardian Genius ; for every Perfon has their own, but not at their Birth. They never make new Names, each Family has a certain Number, which they take by Turns. Sometimes alfj they change their Names as ihey grow up, and there are fome Names which they cannot go by after a certain Age ; but I do not think this is the Cuftom every where : And as among fome People in taking a Name they take the Place of the Perfon that bore it laft, it fometimes happens that a Child is called Grandfather, and treated as fuch by one who might really be fo to the Child, They |t withoot |r they are only done [ires of the Clothes, kvc pretty pns of the |tiiefe laft, 'ck, (and Hu/band ft- worthy 'elity they "e Side or that the ■". It is the Power y» is pret- :e of their adie; but save them I Want of never lofe iives; but firft Stage ^ple is an ■Hbns are he Child re eating le Father ts, eipe- fbr cyery *cr make ich they Sanies as mnot go Cuftom » Name netimes as fuch They Travels in North America, 20 1 They never call a Man by his proper Name, when they talk n k tf • ^^ ^^"^ ^^ common Difcourfe, this would be emar s on j unpolite ; they always give him the Quality ^ """"'' h i has with Refpeft to the Perfdn that fpeaks to him ; but when there is between them no Relation or Affini- ty, they ufe the Term of Brother, Uncle, Nephew, or Coufin, according to each other's Age* or according to the Value they have for the Perfon they addrefs. Further, it is not fo much to render Names immortal, if I may ufe the Expreflion, that they revive them, as to engage thofe to whom they are given either to imitate the biave Ac- tions of their Predeceflbrs, or to revenge them if they have been killed or burnt, or lallly to comfort and help their Families. Thus a Woman who has loft her Hufband, or her Son, and finds herfelf without the Support of any Perfon, delays as little as fhe can to transfer the Name of him fhe. mourns for to fomc Perfon capable of fupplying his Place. They change their Names on many other Qccafions, to give the Particulars of v/hich would take up too much Time : There nc'ds no more for this Purpofe than a Dream, or the Order of a Phyfician, or fome fuch trifling Caufe. But I have faid enough on this Head, and here is a Traveller waiting to know if I have any Commiffion for him to Quebec. 1 ihall therefore clofe my Letter a:id give it him. I anti &c. LETTER XIX. Voyage to the Bay. Defcription of the Route, and of the Bay* Irruption of the Spaniards again/} the Missovkis, and their Defeat. The Dances of the Savages, ■ Madam, MiCHlLLlMAKINAC, yufy ±1. Letter, I have made a Voyage SINCE waiting my laft to the Bay eighty Leagues diftant from this Poft. I took Advantage of the Opportunity of going with M. de MoH' tign^y Captain of a Company of the Troops which the King maintains in Canada, Knt, of St. Lcuis, and whofc Name is fa- mous in the Annals of this Colony ; but he is at lead as valu- able for his Probity and his Charader full of Equity and Sin- cerity, as for his Courage and warlike Exploits. " D d We 202 An HiftofUal Journal of ) We tmbtrked the fecond of July in the Afternpon, we r\r *L It e coafted for- thirty Leagues a Cape which fepa^ -t/fe^*» ^ "'" ^^^^ MictHgoH from the Upper Lake-, it is '** "<*l"«"' in fome Places only a few Leagues wide, and it is fcarce poffible to fee a worfe Country; but it is terminated by « pretty River called the Maniftit^ full of Fifli, and efpecially of Sturgeons. A little further, going to the South Weft, we enter into a great Gulf, the Entrance of which is bordered with Iflands ; they call it the Gulf, or the Bay of the Ntquets, This is a ytry fmall Nation which came from tne Borders of the Upper L»ke, and of which there remains only a few Families difperfed liere and there, without any fixed Abode. The Say »f the Noquets is feparated from the Great Bay only r^L in r *u ^y ^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^^ PouteoMOtamis, and I have J^ 4/ies ej m j^^^^^j obferved that they were the antient Pouteouatamis. ^bode of thefc Savages. ^The greateft Part of them arc very well wooded ; but the only one which is ftill peopled is not the largeft noi^ the bed, there remains in it now only one indifferent Village, where we were obliged to pafs the Night, though very much againft our Inclinations : We could not refnfe the preifing Intreaties of the inhabitants ; and indeed < there is no Nation in Canada that hath always been more fin" cerely attached to the French, The 6th we were flopped almofl the whole Day by contrary Winds ; but it proving calm at Night, we embarked a little a^. ter Sun-fet by a fine Moon-light, and we kept going forwards twenty-four Hours together, making only a very fhort Stop to fay Mafs, and to dine. The Sun fhone fo hot, ana the Water of the Bay was fo warm, that the Gum of our Canoe melted in fe- «veral Places. To compleat our Misfortune, the Place where we flopped to encamp, was fo full of Gnats and Mufketoes, that we could not clofeour Eyes, though we had not flept for two Days before ; and as the Weather was fine, and we had Moon-light, we embarked again on our Route at Three o'Clork in the Morn- ing. gone five or fix Leagues, we found ourfelves over-againil a little Ifle, which is not far from tiie Wefl Side of the Bay, and which hid from us the Entrance of a River, upon which is the Village of the Malbomines, which the French call foiles Jveines, (luild Oats), probably becaufe they make their common Food of this Grain. The whole Nation confifls of no more than this Village, which is not very popu-^ lous. This is to be regretted, for they are very fine Men, and the beft fhaped of all Canada : They are even taller than the Psuteouatamis. I am afTurcd that they Have the fame Origin, and jiearly After we had Of the Malho- mines, or Nation »f wild Oats. p'noon, tve vhich fepa. V^c, and "wnated by >ecia]Jy of ft we enter pered with f'- This is » aifperfcd Bay only ;d I have JC antient Jate/l Part ich is ftiij P" « now Paft the , j;e couJtf »a indeed 'lOfe fin- contrary little aA 'brward* • Stop to i^aterof ^ in fe- here we that we o Days i-iight, Morn- rrelves )t far ivhich upon vhich tliey ation opu-> and the and arJy Travels in North America. loj •nearly the ftme Language, as the Noquefs txA the Saultturn (Leapers) ; but they add, that they have alfo a particular Lan^ guage which they keep to themfeltres. They have likewife told me fome odd Stories of them, as of a Serpent which goes every Year into the Village, and is received by tnem with jgreat Gere- monies, which makes me believe that they are inclined to Sor- cery. A little beyond the I/Iand I jufl mentioned, the Coiunfry 0/ thi People J^^"^". ^" Appearance all at once , aftd tailed Puans being wild enough, as it is to this Flace« f (linking) ' *^ becomes the moft charming in the World. ^ *'* It has even fomething more fmiling than the Strait ; but though it is every where covered with very fine Trees, it is much more fandy, and not fo fertile. The OtehM- gratf who are commonly called the Puanij dwelt formerly on the Borders of the Bay, in a very delightful Situation. They werd attacked here by the Illinois , who killed a ^reat Number of them : The Remainder took Refuge in the River of the Outei' gamist which runs into the Bottom of the Bay. They feated themfelves on the Borders of a Kind of Lake ; and I jadge it was there, that living on Fifh which they got in the Lake in great Plenty, they gave them the Name of Puans ; becaufe all along the Shere where their Cabins were built, one faw nothing but Itinking Fifli, which infcftcd the Air. It appear* at leaft that this is the Origin of the Name which the other Sav»;es had given them before us, and which has communicated itfelt tothe Bay, far from which they never removed. Some Time after they had quitted their antient Poft, thev endeavoured to revenge the Blow they had received from the Illinois ; but this Enterprize caufed them a new Lofs, which they never recovered. Six hun- dred of their beft Men were embarked to go in Search of the Enemy ; but as they were crofling Lake Michigan, they were fur- prifed by a violent Guft of Wind, which drowned them all. We have in the Bay a Fort which ftands on the Weft Side of Of the Portland the River of the O^^P^^rV, half a League l^F tU, -Mm £■ "■''01 Its Mouth ; and before we arrive at it, ^' Sails. The Otcha^ras have lately come and fedted themfelves near us, and have built their Cabins about th© Fort. The Miflionary, who is lodged pretty near the Com- mandant, hopes, when he has learnt their Language, to find them more docible than the Sakis, among whom he labours with very little Succefs. Both of them appear to be a good Sort of People, efpecially the firft ; whofe greateft Fault is, tnat they are a little given to thieving. Their Langiiage is very differcRt •fsom all (he others, which makes me bcUcvc that it is not derived P d p from 204 An Htftorical Journal of from any of Canada ; and indeed they have always had more Intercourfe with the PeoLleof the Weft, than with thofe we arc acquainted with in this Country. The Sakisf though they are but a fmall Number, are divided Of th Saki *"'** '^° Faftions, one of which fide with ■^ 'the Ou/agamis, and the other with the Poute- euatamis. Thofe who are fettled in this Poft, are for the moft Part of the laft Party, and of Gonfequence in on.r Intereft. They received the new Commandant witn great Demonftrations of Joy. As foon as they knew he was near arriving, they ranged themfelves with their Arms on the Bank of the River ; and the Moment they faw him appear, ihey faluted him with a Difcharge of their Mufkets, whicn they accompanied with great Shouts of Joy. Then four of the c ^tef Men wciit into the Ri- ver, where they were foon up to their Waift ; but they waded quite to his Canoe, and took him up in a great Robe made of piany Roe-Buck Skins, well fewed together, of which each of them held a Corner. They carried him thus to his Apartment, where they complimented him, and faid many Things to him which were extremely flattering. The next Day the Chiefs of the two Nations paid me a Vifit, and one of the Otchugras (hewed me a Catalan Piftol, a Pair of Spanijh Shoes, and I know not what Drug, which feemed to be a Sort of Ointment. He had received thefe Things from an AjoueXy and they came into his Hands by the following Means. About two Years ago, fome Spaniards^ who came (as they fay) Soaniards d - ^^""* ^^'^ Mexicoy intending to get into the f< tedh th S ' Country of the Illinoisy and drive the French nja ^ th M'C ^^°"™ thence, whom they faw with extreme foin^i . ' Jealouiy approach fo near the MiJ/ouri, came down this River and attacked two Villages of the O£iotatasy who are Allies of the Ajctiez ; from whom it is alfo faid they are derived. As thefe Savages had no Fire Arms, and were furprifed, the Spaniards made an eafy Conqueft, and • killed a great many of them. A third Village, which was not far off the other two, being iaformed of what had.pafled, and not doubting hut that thefe Conquerors would attack them, laid an Ambufli, into which the Spaniards heedlefsly fell. Others fay, that the Savages having heard that the Enemy were al moll all drunk, and faft aflecp, fell upon them in the Night. How- ever it was, it is certain that they killed the greateft Part of them. There was in this Party two Almoners, one of whom was kill'd direftly, and the other got away to iht MiJfouriteSi who took him Prifoner,' but he efcaped from them very dcxteroufly : He had a very fine Horfe, and the Mijfouritts took Pleafure to fee him ride it. It, vv |had more )fe we are ■e divided I'ide with he Poute- the moft Intercft. 'Orations |ng. they River; with a ith great the Ri. y waded made of each of •rtment, to him a Vi/It, Pair of to be a rom an ^eans. ey fay) nto t\\z French xtreme » came ges of 11 it is Arms, t, and • » not d not id an ! fay. moll fow- rtof ill'd him d a ide it. Travels in North America, 20 ? it, which he did very (kilfully. lie took Advantage of their Curiofity to get out of their Hands. One Day, as he was prancing and exercifing his Horfe before them, he got z little DiAance from them inlenfibly ; then fuddcniy clapping Spurs to his Horfe, he was foon out of Sieht. As they had taken no other Prifoner, it was not certainty known from what Part of Neav Mexico thefe Spat:iards came, nor what was their Dcfi^n : For what I have already faid of it, is only founded on the Re- port of the Savages, wno perhaps intended to make their Court to us, in publifhing that by this' Defeat they had done us a great Service. All that they brouglit me, wa? of the Spoils of the Almoner that was killed ; and they took from him alfo a Dook of Prayers, which I did not fee : It was probably his Breviary. I bought the Piftol : The Shoes were v/or.th nothing ; and the Savage would not part with his Ointment, fancying that it was a Sove- reign Remedy for all Difeafes. I had the Curiofity to afic how- he intended to ufeit ; he replied, it was fufficient to fwallow a little ; and with what Difeale foever one was attacked, it efFeded an immediate Cure : But he did not" tell me that he had as yet made a Trial of it, and I advifed him to the contrary. We begin here to find the Savages very ignorant ; they are far from being fo ingenious, or atleaA fo apt to learn, as thofc who are more converfant with us. The next Day feveraj Sa^iis came to the Miffionary, with whom J f^ •//•/. ^ lodged, and invited me to comcto a Kind ^i^ounal Of the ^^ Council, which they propofed to hold. I oAKis^ ana on xvh at r.j j t. ui*i .^ / confented ; and when ever)' one had taken \JccajioK. j^jg pj^^^^ ^^^ ^^^j^j. j^jj ^ ^^jj^^ ^^ ^j^p Ground before me ; and the Orator beginning his Speech, prayed me in the Name of all the reft to emjajje the Kin? (a) to take them under his Protedlion, and to purify the Air, which for feme Time they faid had been infefted, which appeared by the Number of fick Perfons then in their Villages, and to defend them from their Enemies. I replied, that the King was very powerful, and perhaps more fo than they imagined ; but that his Power did not exiend over the Elements ; and that when Difeafes, and other like fatal Cafualties, afflifted his Province., he addre/Ted himfelf, that an End might be put to them, to the. Great Spirit that created Heaven and Earth, and who is alone the Sovereign Lord of Nature : That they fhould do the fame, apd they would find the Benefit of it. But to prevail with him to hear their Prayers, they muft firft acknowlcdg%him, and ren- (a) Thefe Savages always fpeak the Title cf the King (Le Roy) in French, der i1*): 2o6 An HlfloTical yowrnal of derhim the Worfhlp and Homage which he has a Right to ex« EeiEl from all reafonable Creatures : That they could do nothing etter , nor more agreeable to the King, than to llften to the Fa- ther^a^ which his MajeHy had Tent them, and to be docible to his InftruAions : That he was a Man beloved bv Heaven : That the Manner in which he lived among them, could not fail of making kim very much efleemed ; and that his Charity towards the Sick, and all thofe who wanted his Affiflance, ought to have convinced them of the tender and fincei'e Affeftion he had for them ; and laflly, that I would not receive their Collar, till they had pro- mifed me to behave with Regard to this MifHonary, in quite another Manner than they had done hitherto, and to give him BO Caufe for the future to complain of their Untowardncfs. " A% to the Protedion of the King, which you afk, and the Requed you make me to engage him to defend you againft your Enemies ; this great Prince has prevented your Wiflies, he has given ^ood Orders on this Head to Ontnthio (h)^ who is already inclined to execute them with the Zeal and Affec*i «* tion of a Father (c). You can make no Doubt of this, if •• you confider the Commandant he fends you. You muft cer- •• tainly know, and you feem in Faft to have been well inform*d, *• that among the French Captains there are few that equal him •* in Valour, and you will (oon love him more than you efteem *• him already.'* They feemed to be fatisficd with this Anfwcr, and they pro- nifed me much more than they will perform, in all Probability : However, I took their Collar, and tfte Miffionary flattered him- ielf that this A<^ion would have a good £fFe£l. In the Afternoon of the fame Day, the two Nations gave us one after the other, the Diverfion of the Dance of the Calumet in a great Efplanade^ whicli is befor*; the Lodgings of the Com- mandant. There was fome D ifFeren <" ^'n their Way of perform- ing this Dance ; butit was not confderable. However, I learnt by it that thefe Feafts vary much ; fo that it is impoflible to give a Defcription that agrees with them all.^ The (Jubagras varied the Dance fomething more than the otherj and fliewed an extra- ordinary Agility ; they are alfo better made^ and more aflive than the Sakii, «( «f « «( (*) Father Peter Cbardon, a Jejuit. (b) Tliis is the Name the Savages give the Governor-General. It means Creat Miuntain^ and comes from the Chevalier de Montmagh^ who was the f«- cond Governor of Canada. (c) They always call the Governors, and the Commandants^ their Fathers. Thi« Travels in l^orth America* 207 Thii Ceremony it propcrlv a military Fcaft. The Warriori m. f . ' - are tne AAors, and one would fay, that it Difcnpuw y ^^^ inftituted only to givr them an Opportu- tbt$ Danet. ^-^^^ ^^ publiftiing their ^reat Atchlevement* in War. I am not the Author of this Opinion, which does not agree well with their's, who have maintained that the Calumet took its Origin from the Caducetu of Mercury^ and that in iti Inftitution it was eftecmed as a Symbol of Peace. All thofe i f;iw dance, fing, /hake the Cbichicout, and beat the Drumj were young People eqiipped, as when they prepare for the March ; they nad painted their Faces with all Sorts of Colours, their Heads were adorned with Feathers, and they held fome in their Hands like Fans. The Calumet was alfo adorned with Fea- thers, and was fet up in th« moft confpicuous Place. The Band of Mufic, and the I)anters were round about it, the Speftatori divided here and there in little Companies, the Women fe- parate from the Men, all feated on the Ground, and drefTed tn their iioeil Robes, which at fome Diilance made a pretty Shew. Between the Mufic and the Commandant, who fat before the Door of his Lodging, they had fet up a Pofl, on which at the End of every Dance a Warrior came and gave a Stroke with his Hatchet ; at this Signal there was a great Silence, and this Man repeated with a loud Voice, fome oT his great Feats ; and then received the Applaufcs of the Speftators, and after went t» to his Place, and the Sport began again. This lafled two Hours for each of the Nations ; and I acknowledge to You, Madam, that I took no great Plcafure in it, not only on Account of the fame Tone, and the Unpleafantnefs of the Mufic, but becaufe all the Dances confifted in Contorfions, which feemed to me to exprefs nothing, and were no Way entertaining. This Fead was made in Honour of the new Commandant ; yet they did him none of the Honours which are mentioned ia lome Relations . They did not take him and place him on a new Mat ; they made him no Prefent, at leaft that I know of ; they did not pafs any Feathers over his Head ; I did not fee the Calu- met presented to him ; and there were no Men <}uite naked, painted all over their Bodies, adorned with Plumes of Feathers;, aad Beads, and holding a Calumet in their Hands. Perhaps in is not the Cuftom of thefe People, or IVL Je Montigty had ex- empted them from thefe Ceremonies. I obferved only, that from Time to Time all the Affembly fet up great Shouts to applaud the Dancers, chiefly during the dancing of the Otchagrasy who, in the Opinion of the Frntch, bore away all the Honour oubt the the Dif. orms this the Place, 'ch he re- ■riors, the he makes a fudden g to kil? le of the fie makes s Gun at Might; 'nt a Re- rhen he ii"! Mind he hrave of hi -y grave and fet ! repre- ate Na- by the hey fet Hance, in the • Mark- edges, Skins ipines ^have gnof 3por- ions, ' are ViJ. travels in North America. 209 The Dance the BulL lage by beating a Drum, and they meet in his Cabin, if it can contain all the Guefts. The Warriors dance one after another, then ftriking on a Poll, Silence is mad : They fay what they pleafe, and they ftop from Time to Time to receive the Applaufes of the Auditors, who are not fparing of them. But if any one boafts falfely, any Perfon is allowed to take Dirt or Aihes and rub his Head with them, or play him any other Trick he thinks proper. Commonly they black his Face, faying, ** What I do is to hide your Shame, for the firft Time *• you fee the Enemy you will turn pale." He who has thus puniflied the Bragadocio, takes his Place, and if he commits the fame Fault, the other never fails to return the Compliment. The greateft Chiefs have no Privilege in this Matter, and they mull not be affronted at it. This Dance is always performed in the Night. In the weftern Parts there is another Dance ufed, which is -. called the Dance of the Bull. The Dancers ^ form feveral Circles or Rings, and the Mu- fic, which is always the Drum and the Chi. chicoiie^ is in the mid ft of the Place. They never fcparate thofc of the fame Family : They do not join Hands, and every one carries in his Hand his Arms and his Buckler. All the Circles do not turn the fame Way ; and tho' they caper much, and vtvy high, they always keep Time and Meafure. From Time to Time a Chief of a Familv prefents his Shield : They all ftrike upon it, and at every Stroke he repeats feme of his Exploits. Then he goes and cuts a Piece of Tobacco at a Poft, where they have faftened a certain Quantity, and gives it to one of his Friends. If any one can prove that he has done greater Exploits, or had a Share in thofe the other boafts of, he has a Right to take the Piece of Tobacco that was prefented, and give it to another. This Dance is followed by a Feaft ; but I do not well fee from whence it derives its Name, unlefs it be from the Shields, on which they ftrike, which are covered with Bull's Hides. There are Dances prefcribed by their Phyficians for the Cure ^ J J of the Sick, but they are generally very , ./"p/ /'• ^^^ lafcivious. There are fome that are entirely tytbe fhyjtctans. ^^^ Diverfion, that have no Relation to any Thing. They are almoft always in Circles, to the Sound of the Drum and the Chichicouey the Men apart from the Wo- men. The Men dance with their Arms in their Hands, and tho' they never take hold of each other, they never break the Circle. As to what I faid before, that they are always in Time, it is no difficult Thing to believe, becaufe the Mufic of the Sa- vages has but two or three Notes, which are repeated continually. E c This 1 Y V^\ 2fO An Hificricsl Journal tf This makes their Fcails very tirefome to an Ewo/umi after he 3ia£ fecn them once, becaufe they \»£L a Ipjig Time, and you heayr always the fame Thing. M the Nations near the Bay, if we except the Pouteoutamis, are ja\3icii more rude and ignorant than the others, they are alfo more ^ivea to Supcrftilion. The Sun and Thunder are their principal Deities, and they fpem to be more ftron^ly per- fuaded than thofe we we cpnverfant with, that every Species ©f Animals has a Guardian Genius, who watches for its JPrefervatioa. A Frenchman having one Day thrown away a Moufe he had jiilt catched* a little Girl topk it up to eat it: The Pather of the Child, who faw it, fnatched it from her, and began to make great Carefibs to the dead Animal, The Frenchman aflced him the Reafon, he replied, ** // is to appectfe the Genius •* tf the Mice, that he may not torment my Daughter , after Jhe has ** eaten this,** After which he returned the Animal to the Child, who eat it. They have above all much Veneration for Bears : As foon ^ they have killed one, they have a Feaft, accompanied with feme odd Ceremonies. The Head of the Bear, painted with all Sorts of Colours, is placed during the Repaft on an elevated place, and there receives the Homage of all the Guefts, who celebrate by Songs the Praifes of the Animal, while they cut his iPody in Pieces, and feaft upon it. Thefe Savages nave not only, like the reft, the Cuftom of preparing themfelves for their |;reat Hunting Matches by Fafting, which the Outagamis extend even to ten Days together, but alfo, while the Hunters are jn the Field, they often oblige their Children to faft. They obferve their Dreams while they faft, and draw from thence good and ill Prelages of the Succefs of the Chace. The In- tention of thefe Fafts is to appeafe the Guardian Genii of the Animals which they are to hunt ; and they pretend that they in- form thejn by Dreams, whether they will hinder or favour the Hunters. The Nation which for twenty Years laft has been the moil talked of in thefe weftern Parts, is the Outagamis. The natu- ral Fiercenefs of thefe Savages, four'd by the ill Treatment they have feveral Times nvet with, fometimcs without Caufc, end their Alliance with the Jroquoisy who are always difpofed to create us new Enemies, have rendered them formidable. They have lince made a ftriift Alliance with the Siouxt a numerous Nation, which has inured itfelf to War by Degrees; and this Union has rendered all the Navigation of the upper Part of the Miffijffippi almoft impradicable to us. It is not quite fafe to na- vj^ate the River pf the llUmiiy unle& we arc in a Condition \o • prevent after ht you hoar fou/am/j^ are "y «re alfo lunder arc ■on^Jy per. ery Species ^es for its ^n away g ^'atit; The and began Frenchman ■ the Genius fter /he has the Child, ' As foon anied with in ted with in elevated uefts, who hey cut \\n ' have not s for their mis extend unters are ^ft. They 'n thence The In- nii of the t they in- vour the the njofl lie natu- reatment It Caufe, pofed to They umerous and thia t of the J to na- ition to prevent Travels in North America. 2fi prcvtfat a Surpvife whicli k a great Injury to the Trade be- sureen tW twaCotonieSo i met in the Bay iovM Sioux, of whom I made many ftnqui- ^ . nr . ritfs about the Countries, which are to the tt'l»Qrth and ^*^ *^ North Weft of C«»«iAr ; and th^" W^ /"Canada" ^ lc»ow we maft not entirely d'epehd o» ^^ * what the Savages (ay; yet by coraparina what I have heard from them, witsh that wnick- X have beard Irom many others, I havtf great Reaibn to belkve tfiat there are en this Continent fome Spmmards or other European Coio- niti, much more North than any we know of New Mexico and Caii/hraiet, and that in goiit|g up the Mijfewri as far as it is na- vital>Ie, we come to agreait River that runs to the Weft, and diicharges itfelf intO' the South Sea, Independent of fuch Di(^ covcry, which I believe more eafy this Way than by the North, I can make no Doubt, on weighing the Information I have had from many Places, and which agree pretty well together, that by endeavouring to penetrate to the Source of the Aff^- riy one fhould find wherewithal to make one Amends for the Charges and Fatigues of Atch an Enterprize. / am, 8cG* I !• s LETTER XX. l^epartwre from Michi-llimAtKinac. Remarks on the Cufrenti 9f the Laiie, Portrait of the Sax K0E3e/ Cak At) a. their ^ood emd bad ^aUtie$» MAt>Aii, Lake MiCHrcAifi, ^u^ fi, I Departed ft6m MichillimakiH'ac the Day befbi . they are unfruitful. Befides the Reafons I •J .»y have already mentioned, that is to fay, the irpeop e . fpjj^^g ^^^qj take to fuckle their Children, their Cuftomof Continence all this Time, and the exceinve La- bours they are obliged to undergo, in whatfoever Condition they find themfelves, this Barrenncfs proceeds alfo from the Cuftoia eilablifhed in many Places, which permits young Women topro- fHtute themfelves before they are married ; add to this, the ex- treme Neceflity to which thefe People are often reduced, and which takes away their Defire of having Children. For the reft, it is certain, that they have great Advantages over 77> j4J / "^ » ^"^ ^ confidcr, as the chief of all, the ^1 , * Perfedtnefs of their Senfes, eitiier internal or they have (yver us, ^ i t c •» r /u c l- i -^ external. In bpite ot the bnow, which dazzles their Eyes, and the Smoke, which almo'l fmothers them for iix Months in the Year, their Sight never decays : Their / • • • Hearin(j i*!l*' Their Narration is clear and exa£t ; and though they ufe many Allegories, and other Figures, it is animated, and has all the pleaiing Tarns which their Language affords. They have a true and folid judgment, and go diredly to the Mark in View, without ftopping, without wandering, and with- out bein|; put on a wrong Scenf. They readily conceive all that is within the Compafs of their Knowledge ; but to put them in a Way of fucceeding in the Arts, without which they have lived hitherto, as they have not the leafl Idea of them, it would require a great deal of Labour ; and the more To, as they have the highefl Contempt for tvtxy Thing which they do not 6nd neceflary, that is to Jay^ for what we value moft. It would aifo be no imall Difficulty to make them capable of Reilraint and Application in Things merely fpeculative, or which they fhould look upon as ufelefs. As to what relates to their own Concerns^, they negle^ nothing, nor do any Thine precipitately : And though they iire fo flow in taking their Refolutions, yet they arc as warm and a<5live in putting them in Execution. This is ob. ierved efpecially of the Hurons and the Iroquois. They are not only ready at Repartee, but al fo witty. An (httaouais, named Jahn It Blanc^ a bad Cbrifiiaft, and a great Drunkard, being aflced by Cj t ^luch ©n them ; or, to fpeak more properly, "^^ ' they are not Virtues in them. Fnendfhip, Compafiion, Gratitude, Attachment, they have fomething of all this, but it is not in the Heart ; and in them it is lefs the Efiedt of a good Difpofition, than of Reflexion, or InAinA. The Care they take of Orphans, Widows, and the Infirm, and the HoTpita* lity they exerciie in fuch an admirable Manner, are to them only the Confequence of their Perfuafion, that all Things ought to be in common among Men. Fathers and Mothers have a Fond- nefs for their Children, which rifes even to Weaknefs ; but which does not incline them to make them virtuous, and which appears to be purely Animal. Children, on their Side, have no natural Gratitude for their Parents, and they even treat ihem fometimes with Indignity, efpecially their Fathers. I have heard fome Examples of this Sort, that are horrible, and which cannot be related : But here f<^Ilows one Inftance that was pub- lic. An /rfffKWj, who ferved a long Time in our Troops againfthis, P 4,1 f the own Nation, and even as an Oflicer, met his f- T^Tan' ^ Father in an Engagement, and was going to *ii,'jy^ '"" f- kill bim. When he difcovejed who he was, ChiUren for their ^^ ^^jj ,^j^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^j^ ^^ j^j^^ „ ^^^ faren s. „ jf^^^^ once given me Life^ and now I give it ta ■* you. Let me meet ivith you no more; for I ha've paid the Debt I •' o'w*d you.'** Nothing can better prove the Nexeifity of Edu- cation, and that Nature alone does not fnfiiciently infirufl us in our P„,i„larP>ie^- OfefolncTi. Every o« »»°»8^ tetwctn f^p,amnsth.Sa- Friend Marly of h«o«»S„,, ^Mih ,4"- whom there is a ?»'»*J,f ,|e!r common In- ie but oS wh? did nQt.P«f«V'^\^ed Ais MiffioWty, if . ;"t?e>frJXv^.»-r4s ^Hi:irrtey 'at'^hf Tys depenl: . Some report ^^'^^^oU believe at leaft « » . '"Xciur.f ^Sava«.d«.not ^^ro«^^^^^^^^^ * " tweenthe we ana u ^ (Wafthy , and '^heCdhur of ^^^^ imagined. ^.^^^^ . -^ appears more in the Salvages. of a dirty dark R«^» ^^y^is -Jlot their natu- ' iSs^RTd^- \Td"it iTfu^r^Sng f t X^^^; o thl^eat H-s c'o^trn^tu^^^ all the Inclemen- of the Sun in Summer, »nd>in *ii P ciesof the Air, . ^ 220 An Hiftorlcal Journal of It is not fo eafy to give a Reafon wky they have not a Hair my thiy haf a bad Wope of nly en- ; which 5s were 5fC. Travels in North Amep'ua, 221 LETTER XXI. Journey to the River Sr. Josivu. Remarks on the RtIorth Latitude ; this is nearly the Latitude cSTHmhreal. Wxom the Entrance of Lake Michigan to this Ifland, the Coaft is very fandy, but if we go a little Way into the Country it ap- pears to be very good, at leaft to judge of it by the fine Forells vrith v^ichit is covered. On the other Hand, it is well watered, for we went not a League without difcovering either fome large firobic, or fome pretty River, and the farther we :gio South, the ■Rivers j^ow larger, and 'have a longer Courfe, the Ptninfnlay itwiiith rep'iratcs Lake JUiehigan from Lake HuiroHt growing wider 'asiitad%Tinces to the South. Nevertfael^fs, the jgieateft Part of "tifde Rivers are but narrow, and (hallow at th»irMoath.« ; but "they have this Singularity, that theyfotm X«kes uesr^tfacr En- trance of two, three, or 'four Leagues round. ' This proceeds, noDotrbt, from the Quantity of Sand Whirh they bring down : Thefe 'Sands being driven back by the Waves of the Lake, Wluch ahnoft always come from the Weft, gather at the Mouths t)f the Rivers, whofe Waters being ftopt fay thefe Banks, which vheypafs. over with Difficulty, bave mode themfcflves by Degrees 'thefe Lakes, or Ponds, Which prevent the Inundation df the whole Country when cthe Snows imelt. On-tte third I entered Father Marfuette*j tLivcr tG escamine if JT *L^ -k/i wli^t 1 had 'heard of it was true. It is at fl«ett?r;?W " « only «^B«»«*» bttt fift«n P«^« l^ig^e^ «l vfr. which is 'near twn> Leasnestround, to an4* A Ad t re f *'* Source is not far from Lake Erile< It \$ the Auth'c'r^s ""in tL J^^'S^^le eighty Leagues, and in the twenty- River^K. Jofeph. ^r ^^"^^Tc \ "^'"^ "/ J° f!,"** "^ •' ^ the hort, I faw none but good Lands, co» vered with Trees of a prodigious Height, under which there * (a) Thus the Savages call the Jefuits. They call the Priefts, ths tVhiu Capes J and the Recollcts, the Grfy Gdwrn, ^rowj i. "iti 224 An Hiftorical Jtiurnal of ( III grows in fome Places very fine Capillairey (Maiden Hair). I was two Days making this Way, but the Night of the firft was very near putting an End to my Journey. I was taken for a Bear, and I was within a Hair's Breadth of being killed under this De- nomination, by one of my Canoe Men in the following Manner. After Supper and Prayer, as it was very hot, I went to take j^ Walk, keeping always by the Side of the River. A Spaniel that followed me every where, took i. Fancy to jump into the River, to fetch I know not what, which I had thrown in with, out Thought. My People, who thought I was g^one to Reft, cfpecially as it was late, and the Night dark, hearing the Noife this Creature made, thought it was a Roe-Buck that was croffing the River ; and two of them immediately fet out with their Guns charged. Luckily for me, one of the two, who was a blundering Fellow, was called back by the refl, for Fear he ihould occafion the Lofs of their Game ; otherwife it might have happened, that by his blundering I fhould have been (hot. The other advancing flowly* perceived me about twenty Paces from him, and made no Doubt that it was a Bear Handing upon his hind Feet, as thefe Animals always do when they hear a Noife. At this Sight he cocks his Gun, which he had loaded with three Balls ; and crouching down almoft t§ the Ground, made his Approaches as filently as poflible. He v^as going to fire, when on my Side I thought I faw fomething, without be- ing able to diflinguifh what it was ; but as I could not doubt but that it was one of my People, I thought proper to afk him if by Chance he did not take me for a Bear : He made me no An- fwer, and when I came up to him, I found him like one Thun- der-ftruck, and as it were feized with Horror at the Blow he was juft going to give. It was his Comrades who told me what had pafled. The River 5/. Jofcph is fo convenient for the Trade of all Parts of Canada^ that it is no Wonder it has always been much frequented by the Savages. Furthermore, it waters a very fertile Country : But this is not what thefe People value moft . It is even a great Lofs to give them good Lands : Either they make no Ufe of them, or they foon make them poor by fowing their Maiz. The Ma/coutins had, not long 11 nee, a Settlement on this Ri- ver ; but they are returned to their own Country, which is, as . they fay, ftill finer. The Pouteouatamies have fuccefllvely occu- pied here feveral Polls, and remain here ftill. Their Village is on' the fame Side as the Fort, a little lower, and on a very fine Spot. The Village of the Miamits is on the other Side of the River. ft Tki • i wa3 Was very >raBear, this De. Manner, to take uf Spaniei into the in with, to Reft, :he Noife I croffing ith their ho was a Fear he it might •n (hot. I twenty 'ftanding [hey hear i loaded Ground, going to lout be- oubt but m if by no An- 5 Thun. Blow he ae what 225 Travels in North America. Thefe Savages who have at all^Tinies applied themfelves more Of the Gin-feng ^^*" *« ^*"» *° P^^*^^' J^«' / j»»f,^ ^ t!?"^ rr^^fiAii <*" Gm-fengy and are perfuaded that this #/i.anaaa. pj^^ ^^ ^^^^ y.^.^^^ ^^ ^.^^^^^ Women fruit- ful. But I do not think that it was for this Reafon they called it Ahe/outchenza, which means a Child : It owes this Name to the Shape of its Root, at leaft among the Iroquois. You have feen without Doubt, Madam, what Father Lafttauy who brought it firft to France^ has wrote of it under the Name of AurtUa Cana- denjii : It is at leail for Shape abfolutely the fame as that which comes to us from CUfina, and which the CJ^ne/i get from Corea and Tartary. The Name they give it, which iignifies the Likenefs of a Man ; the Virtues they attribute to it, and which have been experienced in Canada by thofe who have u&d it, and the Conformity of the Climate (aj^ are great Reafons to think, that if we took it as coming from Chinay it would be as much edeemed as that the Chinee fell us ; perhaps it is fo little ef> teemed by us, becauie it grows in a Countiy that belongs to us, and that it has not the Recommendation of being entirely Foreign. In going ap the River St. Jofeph, I obferved feveral Trees, c\r 4L » which I had not feen in any other Place. cr -^ j\l T? The moft remarkable, and which I took at V^^^' large, and bears Beans which appear very good to the Eye ; but the more they are boiled the harder they grow, fo that they could never be ufed. The Fields which fur* round the Fort are fo full of Sa/Tafras, that it perfumes the Air ; but it is not a great Tree as in Carolina : They are little Shrubs which grow near the Ground ; perhaps alfo they are but Shoots of the Trees that were cut down to clear the £nvirons of the Fort, and of the Savage Villages. There are here many Simples, which they fay the Savages make Ufe of a little at a Venture, without any other Principle than a flight Experiment made by Chance, and which fometimes de- ceiyes them ; for the fa?ie Remedies do not aft equally on all Sorts of Sj^bjefls, atvacked with the fame Diftempers ; but thefe People know not how to make all thefe Diftinflions. One Thing which much furprifes me, is the impenetrable Secrecy t^icy keep con- iSecrecy of the Savartf cpncerfi- ing their ^impleft and the Mines of their Cojtnfry, (•) The Slack River (la Riviere Noire) is in 4? Deg. 50 Min. it is in the fame Latitude they get the Gin-feng of Corea for the Emperor ol China, Some of our's has been carried to China, and being prepared by the Chinefe, they have fold it as coming from Ctrta or Tanary^ for the reft; this Prepa- ration adds nothing to it. Gg <'t\m \ cerning 1 2i6 An Hiftcrical Journal of cerning their Simples, or the little Curiofity of the Freaeh to St the Knowledge of them. ^ If the laft are not in Fault, no- ing nukes it appear more, in mv Opinion, xk^t the Sarares are not pleafed to fee us in their wouBtry : And we have wktt Proofs, wluch are as clear as this. It is very likely aUb that they are of the fame Opinion with Regard to their Simples, as they are about their Minej { that is tojM, that they would iaou. die, if they difcovered any of them to dtraajgers. The Savages of thefe Farts are naturally Thieves, and think ^., .. w. . all good Prizes that they can catch. It is u/tb€Mtamts, ^^^ ^jj^^ jf ^g ^^^ difcover that we have loft any Thing, it is fufiicient to inform the Chief of it, and we are fure to recover it; but we muft give the Chief more tuan the Value of the Thing, and he requires farther fome Trifle for the Perfon that found it, and who is probably the Thief him- felf : I happened to be in this Cafe the Day after my Ar^val, and they (hewed me no Favour. Thefe Barbarians would fooner en|[age in a War than make the leaft Concef&ons on this Point. Some Days after I paid a Vifit to the Chief of the Miamus^ who bad got the Start of me : He is a tall Man, well fhaped, but much disfigured, for he has no Nofe : I was told that this Misfortune happened to him in a drunken- bout. When he heard I was coming to fee him, he went and placed himfelf at the Bottom of his Cabin, on a' Sort of an Alcove, where I found him fitting with his Legs acrofs, after the Eaftern Man- ner, He faid very little to me, and feemed to aflume a proud Gravity, which he did not maintain well : This is the firft Sa- vage Chief that I faw, who obfervcd this Ceremony ; but I was told beforehand that he muft be treated in the fame Way, if you would not be defpifed by him. That Day the Poweouatamis were come to play at the Game of fT-L n r Stranvs witli the Miamts : They played in the The Lrame of ^j^^ ^^^j^ ^^ ^j^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^ ^^ fmall Reeds about the Bignefs of a Wheat Straw, and about fix Inches long. They take a Parcel, which are commonly two hundred and one, and always an odd Number. After having fhuffled them well to|;ether, making a thoufand Contorfions, and invoking the Genii, they feparate them with a Kind of an Awl, or a pointed Bone, into Parcels of ten each : Every one takes his own at a Venture, and he that happens to get the Par- cel with eleven, gains a certain Number of Points that are a- greed on. The whole Game is fixty or eighty. There are other V/ays of playing this Game, and they would have explained them to me, but I did not comprehend it, only that Iretu^ to fu^t. no- Sarares -^o that W^s, a« luid ibos 'dthiiifc /• his [we have 't» and lore taan Trifle for f^f hittlm [Arrival, [d /ooner on this fliaped, pat this hen he mfelf at where I rn Man- a proud firft Sa- 'Jt I was '» if you ^ame of i in the 1 open ws are out fix ly two laving rfions, of an y one e Par- are a- /ould only that Travels in Norsk Jmiri^a, 227 that fometimes the Nomber Nine wins Uie Game. They added, that there was as mnch Skill as Hazard in this Game, and that the Savages are great Sharpers in this as well as in alt other Games ; and that they are fo eager at it, that they play whole Days and Nij^hts, and fometimes do not leave ofi* playing till they are quite naked, and have nothing more to lofe. They have another Game, at which they do ndi play for any Thing, but merely for Diverfion; but it has almoft always fomc bad Qonfequences with Refped to their Manners. As foon as it is Night, they fet up in the Middle of a great J 4L^ n Cabin feveral Pofts in a Ring, in the Midft Anotbtr Lrame. ^^^ ^j^^. £aftrumenta of Mufic : They place on each Poft a Packet of Down, and which mai!>be each of a different Colour. The young People of both Sexes, mingled together, dance round about thefe Pofts : The young Women have alfo Down of the Colour they like. From Time to Time a young Man fteps out of the Ring, and goes to fake from a Fdl fome Down of the Colour which he knows hb Miftrefs likes, and putting it upon his Head, he dances round her, and by a Sign appoints her a Place of Rendezvous. When the Dance is over, the Feaft begins, and lafts all Day : At Night everyone retires, and the youn^; Women' manage. Matters fo well, that in Spite of the Vigilance of their Mothers, they go to the Place of Aflignation. The Miamis have two Games more, the iifft of which is ' called the Gamg of the Bat. They play at it with a Ball, and Sticks bent and ending in a Kind of Racket. ' They fet op two Pofts, which ferve for Bounds, and which are diftant from each other according to the Number of Players. For Inftance, if they are eighty, there is half a League Diftance between the Pofts. The Players are divided into two Bands, which have each their Poft : Their Bniinefs is to ftrike the Ball to the Poft of the adverfe Party without letting it fall to the Ground, and without touching it with the Hand, for in either of thefe Cafet they lofe the Game, unlefs he who makes the Fault repairs it by ftriking the Ball at one Blow to the Poft, which is often im- poffible. Thefe Savages are fo dexterous at catching the Ball with their Bats, that lometimes one Game will laft many Days together. The fecond Came is much like the former, but is not (b dan- gerous. They mark out two Bounds, as in the firft, and the Players occupy all the Space between. He that is to begin, throws a Ball up in the Air as perpendicularly as poffible, that he may catch it the better, ana throw it towards the Bounds. All the others have their Hands lifted up, and he that catches the Ball repeats the fame, or throws the Ball to one of his Band Gg 2 that mm Of the Chief, and the Orator of the Pouteouata- mis. r228 An UiHorUd Journal of . that he: Judges more nimble and dexterous than hiihfelf ; foht9 t win the Game, the Ball muft never have been in the Hands of the adverfe Party before it comes to the Bound. The Women alio play at this Game, but it is but feldom : Their Bands coaftft of four or five, and the firft that lets the Ball fall, lofes the Game. The Pottteouatumh have here a Chief, and an Orator, who are Perfons of Merit. The firil, named Piremotit is a Man upwards of fixty, very fo- ber and prudent : The fecond, named Ouila- meki is younger : He is a Chrifiian, and well inftrudted, but he makes no Exercife of his Religion. One Day as I was making him fome Reproaches on this Account, he left me fuddenly, went into the Chapel, and /aid his Prayers aloud, fo that we heard him at the Miffionary's Lodeing. It is difficult to find a Man that fpeaks better, and who lias more Senfe. On the other Hand, he is of a very amiable CharaAer^ and fincerely attached to the French^ Pirtmon is not inferior in any Refpe6t, and I have heard them both in a Coun- cil at the Commandant's, where they fpoke with a great deal of Eloquence. ' Many Savages of the two Nations which are fettled on this i *"'" ? ft frh their Happinefs : of, excepting War. wn ! „ dift„rb th«r n |p _^^^^ inhuman Manner. B ^^^^ "^""'^i uAe Commerce Drunkennefs hath «» ^^^^j^ p^,i,es, f "^ '" ,f'*ith the pre- :yLirNo?wi&ding,as.l«ya2.-^^^^^^^ t'°V- taSt- Th*a«^«%^t''theSn^^^^ of *«i.?Cf«ce"edtm'Nam«. ,,^ ^if. they lead "weS «knowU'''S«*« "hSd bVbefides that .« thi. wemun appears 'ery hard , du'. , ^f H«;/.V- ./'*« nUhing giv« ""f ^"S feature, Vl^. fomc Beggarsby Protem , ^^ ^,, happy m tn of our Convcnicncies. our R^^^^^^^^ themfelves that they moved them, and that ^W ar^ P^ ^^o went to Paru in 1 660 ::S tl^^'i^i !^^oy.^ Hou.. and all the Beauu^^ 1 ■id*';fc 2 30 Jn Hyiorical yournal of of that great City, admired nothing in it, and would have pre- ferred their Villages to the Capital of the mod flourifhing King, dom of Europe, if they had not fecn the Street of la Huchettt, where the Shops of the roafting Cooks, which they always found fupilifhed with all Kinds of Meat, charmed them greatly. We cannot even fay that they are fo highly delighted with en, r * A* '^***' ^^y ^^ living, only becaafe they arc .lIl ^™^' not acquainted with the Swectnefs of our's. ^ T/'-"'*'^ A good Number of the /"r/^r* have lived IVay 6f Ifvtng. y^y.^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ y^^^^ ^^ ,^^,j ^,^^^^^ with it, that many Perfons could never prevail with ikem to re- turn, though they might have been very much ae their Eafe in the Colony. On the contrary, it was never jpollible for a fingle Savage to conform to our "Way of living. We have taken Chil- dren from tlie Cradle, and brought tnem up with much Care, and omitted nothing to hinder their knowing any Thing of what pa/Ted amongft their Parents. All thefe Precautions were cfelers : The Force of Blood prevailed over Education. As foon as they found therafelves at Liberty, they have torn their Garments to Pieces, and went through the Woods to feek their Countrymen, whofe Way of Life appeared to them more pleafing than that they led with us. An Iroquois, named la Plaque ^ lived many Years with the French % the fame who, as I have told yon. Madam, in faving his Father's Life in an Engagement, thought he had fully fatisfied all the Debt he owed him : He was alfo made a Lieutenant in our Troops to fix him, becaufe he was a very brave Malt ; but he could not continue in our Way of living : He returned to his Nation, only carrying from us our Vices, without corredling any of thoTe he brought with him. He loved Women to Excefs : He was well Aiaped : His Valour aod his brave A£^ions gave him a great Reputation : He had a great deal of Wit, and very amiable Manners : He had many Intrigues with other Men's Wives ; and his Biforders went fo far, that it was debated in the Council of his Canton, whether the^ Ihould not take him off. It was however concluded, by the Majority of Votes, to (pare his Life ; becaufe, as he was extremely courageous, he woula people the Country with good Warriors. The Care wi.ich the Mothers take of their Children, whilft they are yet in the Cradle, is beyond all Ex- pi-elTion, and proves very clearly that we often r L- ni-u 'Poil ^* when we exceed the Limits which •/ thetr L,:Udren, ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^j^^^ ^^^^ j^^^,^ them : They carry them every where with them ; and when they feem ready to fink under the Burdens they load themfelves with. the Cradle of their Child is reckoned as nothing. One would 9 even Tht Care nvhich the Mothers take Travels in North America, 3« even fty, that this additional Weight is an Eafement that renders the reft lighter. Nothing can be neater than thefe Cradles : The Child lies very conveniently, and very eafy in them ; but it is bound only as high as the Waift ; fo that when the Cradle is upright, thcfc little Creatures have their Heads and half their Bodies hanging dowo. In Europe thjty would fancy that a Child that was left in this Condition, would grow quite deformed ; but it happens di- reftly contrary : This renders their Bodies fupp!e ; and they are ail, in Fa^f of a Stature and Port, that the beft ihaped among us would envy. What can we fay againlt fuch a general Expe- rience ? But what I am going to mention, cannot be foeafil/ julHfted. There are on this Continent fome Nations which they call tTL V / f^ Heads, which have in Fadt their Foreheads CI . ''77''«" very flat, and the Top of their Heads fome- Shapes ^htchjme ^.^ lengtliened. This Shape is not the ^^e to tbeir Lbtl- ^^^ ^^ Nature; it is the Mothers who '^"'' give it their Children as foon as they are born. For this End, they apply to their Foreheads, and the back Part of their H^s, two Mafles of Clay, or of fome other heavy Matter, which they bind by little and little, till the Skull has taken the Shape they defire to give it It appears that this Operation is very painful to tlie Childrcxi, whofe Noftrils Ihcd a whitifli Matter, pretty thick. But neither this Circumflance, nor the Cries of thefe little Innocents, alarm then Mothers, jea- lous of procuring them a handforae Appearance, without which they can't conceive how others can befatisfied. It ^^ quite the reverfe with certain Alfonquins amongd us, named k und Henids, or Bo^l Heads, whom I have mentioned before ; for they make their Beauty confift in having their Heads perfeftly round, and Mothers take Care alfo very early to give them this Shape. I would willingly, Maaam, take Advantage of the Leifure I have in this Place, and which perhaps will be longer than I de- fire, to finifli what I have to fay to you on this Subjeft ; but fome Troubles which have happened to me, and the approaching Departure of a Traveller, who is returning to the Colony, oblige me to interrupt this Recital, which I fhall refume the firft Oppor- tunity. / am. Sec, tt 'is. ■ LETTER 422 An Hifiorical Journal of LETTER XXVI. Sequel of the CharaHer of the Savages, and their Wajf of living. Madam, St. Joseph's River, Jugufi 8. IRefume the Coarfc of my Memoirs, where I broke it off. You will think, perhaps, that I do not obferve a fufficient Regularity : But we excufe, at leaft in a Relation, what we ad- mire in an Ode : V/hat in a Lyrick Poet is an EfFed of Art, is a Matter of Necefljty in a Travelkr, who cannot relate Things but as he gets Information, and who is obliged to write what he fees, for Fear of forgetting it. The Children of the Savages, when they leave the Cradle, are u^L *'* • y/. * "o' confined in any Manner ; and as foon as irbattttstbat j^ ^^j. ^^^^j their Hands and Feet, Jtrengthem .he ba- ^^ j^^ ^^^^^ ^^^.^ they will quite naked, vages, "^^f'^^'J j^j^ jjj^ ^3j^^^ j^j^ jj^g ^6oi^, into the Dirt, them Jo lueUjoapd ^^j j^^^ ^j^^ ,3^^^^ ^j^j^,^ ^^^^^ their Bodies ftron^, their Limbs very fupt le, and hardens them a^ainft the Injuries of the Air ; but alio, as I obfcrved before, it makes them fubjeft to Diftempers of the Stomach and Lungs, which deftroys them early. In Summer they run, as foon as they are up, to the River, or into the Lakes, and continue there a Part of t^ • Day, playing like Fifli when it is fine Weather at the Sur- face of the Water (a)^ It is certain that nothing is better than this Exercife to make their Joints free, and to render them nim- ble. They put a Bow and Arrows into their Hands betimes, and to ctu ' c nv excite in them that Emulation, which is ihe IbezrjirjtLxer. y^^^ Teacher of the Arts, there is no Need Z!L:^ ' to fet their Breakfaft on the Top of a Tree, as they did by the young iiafW?«o»w»/.* They are ail bom with that Paffion for Glory, that has no Need of a'Spur ; and indeed they (hoot with a furprizing Exaftnefs, and with a little Praftice, they acquire the fame Dexterity in the Vfe of our Fire Arms. They make them alfo wreftle, and they pur- fue this Exercife fo eagerly, that they would often kill one ano- ther, if they were not parted : Thofe who are worfied are fo en- (aj It is very probable that this is iAxe lUafon WI7 the Small-Pox is fo fa- tal among the Savages. Much Bathing hardens the Skin, and prevents the £ruption of the PuAules. raged at it, their Rcve In gene' In luha Education make a ba fiils. ^ Wb ways in ar the brave Thefe yoi till they have mad Faults, tt would mJ nion that A Mot UieDauj Jijgrace « effectual French, i is fcarce in the C corrcft The CI favours their fti Wei 8. it off. |ufficicnt wcad- ^rt, is a IThines «^iiat he [die. are Toonaj |d Feet, naked, leDin, Bodies linft the makes which hey are Part of le Sur- r than 1 nim- ind to is the Need Tree, They 'dof and 'Vfe pur- ino- en- )fa. the Travels in North America. 233 raged at it, diatthey do not take the haft Repofe, till they have their Revenge, la general oat may fay, that the Fathers and Mothers negleiSt r L^ 4L • nothing to infpite their Children with cer- Ih nubat ibetr ^^^ Principles of Honour, which they pre- Education conjijts. f^^^^^i their J^ves, but of which they often make a bad Application ; and in this their whole Education con- fi^s. When they give them IndruAipns on this Head, it is al- ways in an indirect Way ; the moft common is to relate to them the brave Actions of their Anceftors, or of their Countrymen. Thefe young People are hred ac thefe Stories, and are never eafy till they find an Opportunity of imitating the Examples they have made them admire. Sometimes, to correal them for their Faults, they ufe Prayers and Tears, but never Menaces. They would make no Impreffion on Spirits, prepoHe/Ted with an Opi- nion that no Perfon has a Right to ufe Compulfion. A Mother, who fees her Daughter behave ill, falls a crying: On the Daughter's afking the Caule, (he is fatisfied with faving. Ton difgrace me. It feldom happens that this Way of reproving is not effectual : Neverthelefs, fince they have converfed more with the Trench, fome of them begin to chaftife their Children ; but this is fcarcely amongft any but the Cbriftians, or '^^ofe that are fettled in the Colony. Generally the grecteft Punifhment they ufe to correft their Children, is to throw a little Water in their Faces. The Children are much affected by it, and by eveiy Thing that favours of Reproof ; the Caufe of which is, that Refentment is their ftrongeft PaiEon, even at that Age. We have known fome Girls hang themfelves, for having only r\r *L j> n: received a flight Reprimand from, their Mo- fth s ^ '^^"» ^^ * ^^"^ Drops of Water in their oj be aavages. paces j and who have given Notice of it, by faying, Tou jhall Ic/eycur Daughter. The greateft Misfortune is, that it is not to Virtue that they exhort thefe young .People ; or, which is the fame Thing, that they do not always give them true Notions of Virtue. In Reality they recommend nothing to them fo much as Revenge, and 't this of which they fliew them the moft frequent Examples. One would expert. Madam, that a Childhood fo badly di/ci- plined, fhould be followed by a Youth of Turbulence and Cor- ruption : But on one Hand, the Savages are naturally calm, and early Mafters of themfelves ; Reafon alfo guides them rather more than other Men : And on the other Hand, their Conftitu- tion, efpecially in the Northern Countries, does not incline them to Debauchery ; yet we find ibme Cuftoms among them, in which Chaftity ii entirely difregarded ; but it appears that this H h proceeds )H . 1^:1 i. iM t''!i!i ''I 234 An Hjjlorical Journal of eroceeds more from Soperftition, than the Depravation of iTte Heart. The Huronst when we firft beean td converfe with them, were more lafcivious, and very brutal in their Pleafures. The young Perfons of both Sexes abandoned themfeWes without Shame to all Manner of Diflblutenefs ; and it was chiefly amone them, that it was not efteemed a Crime for a Girl to pvoftitute nerfelf. Their Parents were the firft to engae^e them in this Way, and many did the fame by their Wives, for a bale Intereft. Many never married, but took young Women to ferve them, as they faid, for Companions ; and all the Difference they made between thefe Concubines and their lawful Wives, was, that with the firft • there was no Agreement made : For the reft, their Children were on the fame Foot as the others ; which produced no Inconveni- ence, in a Country where there are no Eftates to inherit. One does not diftinguifh Nations here by their Drefs. The Men, when it is hot, have often only fomethfng of an Apron to . cover their Nakednefs. In Winter they clothe themfelves more or lefs, according to the Climate. They wear on their Feet a . Sort of Sandals, maue of Roe-Buck Skins fmoked : Their Stockings are alfo Skins, or Bits of Stuffs, which thev wrap round their Legs. A Warftcoat, made of Skin, covers them to the Waift, and they wea^ over that a Rug or Blanket, when they can have it ; if not, they make themfelves a Robe with a Bear's Skin, or of feveral Beaver or other like Skins, or Furs, with the Hair inwards .r The Women's Waiftcoats reach juft below their Knees ; and when it is very cold, or when they travel, they cover their Heads with their Blanket, or their Robe. I have feen feveral who had little Caps, like Skull Caps ; others have a Sort of Capuchin, fattened tO their Waiftcoats ; and they have befides a Piece of Stuff which ferves them for a Petticoat, which covers them from the.Waift down to the Middle of the Leg. They ^are all very defirous of having Shirts and Shifts ; but they n^ver put them under their Waiftcoats, till they are dirty, and then they wear them till they drop to Pieces, for they never take the Trouble to wafh them. Their Waiftcoats are generally dreffed in the Smoke, like their Sandals ; that is to fay-y ' after they have hung a proper Time in it, they rub them a lit- tle, and then they m;iy be waftied like Linen : They prepare ; them alfo by foaking {hem in Water, then rubbing them with theh Hands till they are dry and pliable ; but the Savages think onr Stuffs and Blankets are much more convenient. Many make various Figures all over their Bodies by pricking themfelves, others only in fome Parts. They don't do this merely for Ornament : They find alfo, as it is faid, great Advantages by this Cuftom, It ferves greatly to defend them Horv they trkk themjkhves nUfiver travels in North yimerical «35 them from the Cold, renders them lefs fenHble of the other in- juries of the Air, and frees them from the Perfecution of the Gnats. But it is only in the Countries po/Tefied by the Eugli^, efbecially in Firgima, that the Cuftom of pricking themielves all over the Body is very common. In New France the greated Part are fatisfied with fome Figures of Birds, Serpents, or other Animals, and even of Leaves, and fach-ltke Figures, without *Order or Symmetry, but according to every one's Fancy, often in the Face, and fometimes even on the Eye-lids. Many Wo- men are marked in the Parts of the Face that anfwcr to the Jaw Bones, to prevent the Tooth-ach. This Operation is not painful in itfelf. It is performed in this Manner : Thev be^in by tracing on the Skin, drawn very tight, the Figure they intend to make ; then they prick little lK>les dofe together with the Fins of a Filh, or with Needles, all over thefe Traces^ foas to draw Blood : Then they rub them over with Charcoal Duft, and other Colours well ground and powdered. Thefe Powders fink into the Skin, and the Colouri are never effaced : But foon after the Skin fwells, and forms a Kind of Scab, accompanied with li;flammation. It commonly excites a Fever j and if the Weather h too hot, or the Opera- tion has been carried too far, there is Hazard of Life. The Colours with which they paint their Faces, and the jT d h ^^^^^'^ '^'y "^^ themfclvcs with all over vwt an wjr their Bodies, produce the fame Advantages, '" /««' ibeir ^^j^ ^j jj^g^ p^^^g ^^ gjyg jj^g f^^g good Appearance, as pricking. The War- riors paint themfelves, when the^r take the Field, to intimidate their Enemies, perhaps alfo to hide thei*- Fear ; for we muil not think they are all exempt from it. The young People do it to conceal an Air of Youth, which would make them lefs taken for old Soldiers, or a Palenefs remaining after fome Dillemper, and which they are apprehenfive might be taken for the £fFe£l of Want of Courage: They do it alfo to make them look handfome; but then the Colours are more lively, and more varied. They paint the Prifoners that are going to die ; but I don't know why : Perhaps it is to adorn the Victim, who is to be facrificed to the God of War. Lallly, they paint the Dead, to expofe them drefTed in their ^neft Robes ; and this is, without Doubt, to hide the Palenefs of Death, which disfigures them. The Colours they ufe on theie Occafions are the fame they em- cf, ^ ploy to dye Skins, and they make them from ofthM*^ certain Earths, and the Bark of fome Trees. / t en» They jire not very lively, but they do not very eafily wear out. The Men add to this Ornament the Down of Swans cj- other Birds, which they Ilrew upon their Hair after it H h 2 has they Faces* SiJ 236 An Hift»rkal Journal of mm has beeii gi^afed, like Powder. They add to thi i Feathers of all Coloars, and Banches of the Hair of divefs Animals, all placed in an odd Manner. The Placiiifi^ of their Hair, fottielimes (land- ing up like Briftles on orte Side, and flatted on the other, or drefTed in a thoufand different FalhioHs, Fbndtoti in their Ears, and fometimes in dieir Noftrils, a great Sh6ll Of Porcelain hang. ing about their Neck, or on their Bread, fome Crowns made of XM Plumage of fcarce Birds, the Claws, Feet, or Heads of Birds of Prey, little Horhs of Roe-Bucks, all thefe Things made up their Finery. Bat whatever they have mOft precious is always employed to adorn the Captives when thefe Wretches make their firft Entry into the Village of their Conquerors. It is obfervabf^ that the Men take very little Pains to adorn cTL n , ^"y P^*"' ^^^ ^^^^ Heads. It is juft the Re- ibe UrnamHtt ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ Women : They wear fcarcely Hair, and they would think themfelves difgraced if it was cut off ; therefore, when at the Death of a Relation t^ey cut off Part of it, they pretend by this to (hew the greateft Grief for their Lofs. To preferve their Hair they greafe it often, and powder it with the Dnft of Spruce Bark, and fometimes with Vermilion, then they wrap it I'p in the Skin of an Eel or a Serpent, in the Fa(hion of Whifkers, which hang down to their Waift. As to their Faces, they are fatisfied with tracing fome Lines on them with Vermilion, or other Colours. Their Noftrils are never bored, and it is only among fome Na- tions that they bore their Ears ; then they wear in them Pendants, as do alfo the Men, made of Beads of Porcelain. When they are drefTed in their greateft Finery, they have Robes painted with all Sorts of Figures, with little Collars of Porcelain fet on them without much Order or Symmetry, with a Kind of Border tole- rably worked with Porcupine's Hair, which they paint alfo of various Colours. They adorn in the fame Manner the Cradles of their Children, and thtinetimes r: In a than the r twenty hen they 30 Ftct. tarits I' I Kind 0/ :ngth of er this, For the lere the J for a ing but Sark, Bark, fixed up like the Umbrello of a Window, and they never (hut clofe. The(e Cabins have neither Chimnies nor Windows* but they leave an Opening in the Middie of che Roof, by which Part of the Smoke goes out, which they are obliged to (hut when it rains or fnows ; and then they muft put oat the Fife, if they will not be blinded with the Smoks. The Savages fortify themfdves better than they lodge : We efL •sjt r ^c ^'fOM Villages pretty well paliiFadoed with Thf M.^er tf Redoubts, where they always take Care to foriifyiHg tbm- ^^^^ ^ ^^ Provifion of Water and ^"''^"' Stones. The Palifladocs arc even double. and fometimes treble, and have commonly Battlements at the laft Enclofure. The Pofts the^ are compofed of are interwoven with Branches of Trees, that leave no Plac^ open. This waft fafficient to fupport a long Siege, before thefe People knew the Ufe of Fire Arms. Every Village has a pretty large open Place, but it is feldom of a regular Figure. Formerly the Iroquois built their Cabins much better than the other Nations, and than they do rhemfelves at prtfent : They fomeames »,vrought Figures in Reliavo on their Cabins, tho' the Work was very rude ; but fince in feveral Incurfions their Ene- mies have burnt almoft all their Villages, they have not taken the Pains to re-eftablifh them in theiriirft State. But if thefe People take (o little Pains to procure the Conveniencies of Life in the Places of their ordinary Reiidence, what can we think of their Encamp- ings in their Travels, and their Winter Quarters. An anti^tit Mifllonary (a)t who to lay himfelf under a Neceflity of learrA ing the Language of the Mflnfagnaij, would accompany them in their Hunting during the Winter, has given us an Account of it, which f fliall traiiA:ribe almoft Word for Word. Thefe Savages inhabit a Country very wjld and .uncultivated, n^ L ■ izr- * but not fo much as that which they chafe for VftUfirmnter tjieir Hunting. You muft march a long Time ^^^r^' before you coifte to it, and you m«ft carry oti your Back ull you want for £ve or £jc Months, throhgh Wavs ibmetinies fo frightful, that one can't conceive how the wild Creatures can come here. If they had not the Precaution to fur- niih themfelves {With the Bark of Trees, they would Have no- thing to defend them from the Snow and Rain during die Jour- ney. As foon as they arrive at the Place propofe^ they accom- modate themfelves a little better ; but thil|cc.>fms only in not being expofed continually to all the Injuries of the Air. Every Body is employed for this End ; and the Miflionaries, ivho at fird had no Body to ferve them, and for yAiota (m) iMkerfutJUftunt. a . n the 242 the Savages An Hijlorical Journal of had no Regard, were not fpared any mere than the reft ; they did not even allow them a feparate Cabin, and they were obliged to lodge in the firft that would receive them. Thefe Cabins, among thegreatcft Part of the Jlgonquin Nations, are much in the Shape ot our Ice-Houfes, round, and ending in a Cone : They have no other Support but Poles, fixed in the S>:ow, tied together at the Ends, and covered with Pieces of Bark ill joined together, and not well fattened to the Poles J fo that the Wind comes through on every Side. The fetting up thefe Cabins is but the Work of half an Hoar at moft. Some Branches of Pine ferve for Mats, and there are no other Beds. Thconly Convenience attending this is, that theymay be changed every JJIay. The Snpw, which ts heaped up round about them, forms a Sort of a Paraj^et, which has its Ufe, for the Winds do not pierce through it. By the Side, and under the Shelter of this Parapet, they fleep as quietly on thefe Branches, covered with a poor Skin, as on the fofteft Bed. The Mifliona- ries have fome Difficulty to accuftom themfelves to this Lodg. ing, but Fatigue and Neceflity foon reconcile them to it. They cannot fo well reconcile themfelves to the Smoke, which almoll always fills the Top of the Cabin in fuch a Manner, that one cannot (land upright in them withouthavingone'sHeadin a Sortof a Cloud. This is no Trouble to the Savages, accuftomed from their Childhood to fit or lie on the Ground all the Time they ore in their Cabins : But it is a great Punifiiment to the Frenchy who can't reconcile themfelves to this Inaftion. On the other Hand, the Wind, which enters as I before ob- ferved, on all Sides, blows in a Cold that chills one Part, whild one is fmothered and broil'd on the other. Often oiie cannot dil- tinguifli any Thing at two or three Feet Diftance ; and our Eyes water fo, that we are blinded : Sometimes, to get z. little Breath, we are forced to lie on our Bellies, with our Mouths almoft clofe to the Ground. The fliorteft Way would be to go out ; but the greateft Part of the Time this is not to be done ; fometimes becaufe of a Snow fo thick, that it darkens the Day, and fometimes becaufe there blows a dry Wind, that cuts the Face, and even Ihivers the Trees in the Forefts. Never the- lefs, a Miflionary is obliged to fay his Office, to fing Mafs, and to perform all the other Duties of his Miniftry. To all thefe Inconveniencies we muft add another, which at firft will feem a Trifle to you, but which is really very confidera- ble ; it is the Troublefomenefs of the Dogs, The Savages have always a great Number that follow them every where, and which are very much attached to them ; they are not fawning, becaufe they are never fondled, but they are bold and ikilhil Hunters. I have Travels in North America. 243 I have already faid that the Savages break their Does very early to that Sort- of Huntit4g they are intended for ; I add, that every Man mud have many, becaufe a great Number are de- ftroyed by the Teeth or the Hon:s of the wild Creatures, which they attack with a Courage that nothing can daunt. Their Mailers take little Care to teed them : They live by what they can catch, and this is not much, fo thev are always very lean : On the other Hand, they have little Ha.^r, which makes them very fenfible of the Cold. To keep themfelves warm, if they can't come to the Fire, where it would be diflinolt for them all to find Room, the ^h there fhould be no Perfon in the Cabin, they go and lie down on the firft they meet with ; and often one wakes ID the Night in a Surprize, almoft ftifled by two or three Dogs. If they were a little more difcreet in placing themfelves, their Company would not be very troublefome ; one could put up with it well enough ; but they lie where they can : Drive them away as often as you pleafe^ they return direftly. 'Tis nuich worfe in the Day-time ; as foon as any Meat appears, you are incommoded with the Bullle they make to have their Share. A poor Miffionary is lying on the Ground leaning on his El- bow near the Fire, to fay his Breviary, or to read a Book, ftriving as well as he car to endure the Smoke ; and he niuft alfo bear the Perfecution of a Dozen Dogs, which do nothing but run over him backwards andforwe^ds after a Piece ofMeat they have difcovered. If he has Need of a little Reft, it is hard for him to find a Little Nook, where he may be free from this Vexation. Jf they bring liim any Thing to eat, the Dogs get their Nofcs in his Dilh before he can have bis Hand in it ; and often while he is employed in defending his Portion againft thofe that attack him in F-ront, there comes one behind that carries off half of it, or by running againft him, beats the Difh out of his Hands, and fpills the Sagamitty in the Afties. Ofrentimes the Evils I have mentioned, are effaced by a greater ; in Comparifon of which the others are nothing, «ff«"«i '„d as the natura' i»n ^^^^ as the Colony encreafes,M^h all Sorts ot {J^f,. Country have «>°«fS" Portrait of *'feP^°P^';„d CuHom. Inihort. tomakea^br Appearance and Manne^^ b- A M' '"'"■■ which are '""'^.^em a fecial l-'?^';'; ,r,« ./ '*' S«- fervable '■"""Ky »« the Imperfeftiou. ^^J free f'°?,*T Society among u • Jhey which fo oft^en dUl^b ^^ifb^fthey do *at^^n cMd W^^^ appear to be wuhoutl p,i„ciple, wbich th«^ „ Reafon. and fometimes througn thofe who give i> ^j^; and Unbridled P^®"" Hhe "»» «^="^*'='^ ,^^ ^u E^tbT before the They feem to lead the m pecple on^"""' ji^v,leag. they were perhaps tnew, r 24^ ^^ niftortcai Journal of Knowledge of the Objcfts, which fo much work upon and feduce ns, had excited in them Defires which Ignorance kept in Supine, neis ; and which have not as yet made any great Ravages among them. Wedifcover in them a Mixture of the fierccft and the moft gentle Manners, the Imperfe£lions of wild Beads, and Virtues and Qualities of the Heart and Mind, which do the greateft Honour to Human Nature. One would think at firft that they have no Form of Government, that they acknowledf^e neither Laws nor Subordination ; and that living in an entire independence, they fuffer themfelves to be folely guided by Chancr, and the wildeft Caprice : Neverthelefs, they enjoy almoft all the Advantages that a well regulated Authority can procure for the beft go- verned Nations. Born free and independent, they look with Horror even on the Shadow of a defpotic Power ; but they fel- dom depart from certain Principles and Cuftoms, founded on good Senfe, which are to them inftead of Laws, and which in wme Meafure fupply the Place of a lawful Authority. They will not bear the lead Reftraint ; but Reafon alone keeps them in n Kind of Subordination ; which, for being voluntary, is not the lefs cfFcftual to obtain the End intended. A Man who IhouM be highly efteemed by them, would find them docible enough, and would make them do almoft what he pleafed ; but it is noteafy to obtain their Efteem to fuch a De- gree : They never give it but to Merit, and to fuperior Merit ; of which they are as good Judges as thofc amongft us, who think they have the moft Difcernment. They rely much onPhyfiognomy, and perhaps there are no Men m the World who are better Judges of it. Tht Reafon is, that they have none of that Refpedl for any Perfon whatfoever, which feduces us : And ftudying only pure Nature, they have a perfeft Knowledge of it. As they are not Slaves to Ambition andlntereft, and that there is fcarce any Thing but thefe two Paflions which has weakened in us that Senfe of Humanity which the Author of Nature had graved in our Hearts, the Inequality of Conditions is no Way neceflary to them for the Support of Society. Therefore, Madam, we do not fee l;ere, at leaft we feldom meet with thofe haughty Spirits, who, fiill of their own Grandeur, or their Merit, almoft fancy they are a different Species, difdaining the reft of Mankind, by whom of Confequence they are never trufted nor beloved ; who think none like themfelves, becaufe the Jealoufy which reigns among the Great, does not permit them to fr.^ each other near enough ; who do not know them- felves, becaufe they never ftudy their own Hearts, but always flatter themfelves ; who do not confider that to win the Hearts of Men, we muft in fbme Meafure make ourfelves their Equals : So t^at with this pretended Superiority of Knowledge, which 9 * they they look they poiwl rable Igno never cnjo In this ' in Man w ftinaion o the Rig^.t rit,thatii much the timents tl and of w to ourfeb Religv thefe Pe( them wit fewer Ol theWorl lytheEr in all its fc^andali >\ho an Gofpel You this I r pretty h fully 01 much ( gettwc moft oi fularl] ortra tions, efcape Atten of In Worf travels in North America. 247 they look upon as the eflentlal Property of the eminent Rank they poflefs, the greateil Part of them live in a proud and incu- rable Ignorance of what concerns them the moft to know, and never enjoy the true Pleafures of Life. In this Country all Men think thcmfelves equally Men ; nnd in Man what they efteem moll, is the Man. Here is no Di- ftinifiion of Birth ; no Prerogative allowed to Rank, which hurts the Rights of private Perfons ; no Preheminence given to Me- rit, that infpires Pride, and which make» other People feel too much their Inferiority. There is perhaps lefs Delicacy of Sen- timents than among us, but more Juftnels ; lefs of Ceremonies, and of what may render them equivocal ; lefs of Confidcralion to ourfelves. Religion alone can bring to Perfcftion the ^ood Qualities of thefe People, and correfk their evil ones ; this is common to them with others, but what is peculiar in them is, that they Hart fewer Obftacles when they begin to believe, which can only be the Work of fpecial Grace. It is alfo trnc, that to eftablifh perfect- ly the Empire of Religion over them, they ought to fee it praftifed in all its Purity by thofe who profefs it ; they are very apt to be f(^andalized at the Behaviour of bad Chri^iansy as all thofe are, who are inftrafted for the firft Time m the Principles of the Gofpel Morality. You will a(k me, Madam, if they have any Religion ? to this I reply, that we cannot fay they have none, but that it is pretty hard to define what they have. I will entertain you more fully on this Article, at my firft Leifure ; for though I am not much employed here, I am fo often interrupted, that I fcarcc get two Hours in the Day to myfelf. This Letter, as well as moft of the preceeding, will inform you, that I do not write re- gularly. I content myfelf at prefent with adding, to finiih the Portrait of the Savages, that even in the moft indifferent Ac- tions, we find fome Traces of the primitive Religion, but which efcape the Obfervation of thr^e, who do not confider them with Attention, becaufe they are ftill more effaced through the Want of Inftru6tion, than altered by the Mixture of a fuperftitioo:; Worfhip, or fabulous Traditions. / tfw, Uz. f,f: V 1 LETTER 24^ An Hifiorical Jwrnal of LETTER XXIII. Of the TratiUivns, tmi •/ the Religtw of the Savage y Canada. Madam, Jt the Fort of the Rinttr St. Joseph, Stpt. 8. THIS Letter will be very long, if fome unforereen Acci- dent does not oblige me to jput off to another Oppioituni- ty, what I have to entertain you with concerning the Belief, thc Traditions, and the Religion of pur Savages. Nothing is more certain, than that (he Savages of this Conti- (fL %T »• *■ 'I'^Qt ^^^^ ^" ^^^^ °^ ^ ^i*^ ^cing, but at the Ihe mum oj ^^^^ ^j^g nothing is more obfcure. They the S'^cfsof the ^ j^ general, in making him the firft Spi- %Jrtgim of Man. P^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^ Qxtzx.ox of the World ; but when we preft them a little on this Article, to know what they mean by the first Spitit, we find nothing but odd Fancies. Fa- bles fo ill conceived, Syllems fo little digelKd, and fo little Uni- formity, that one can fay nothing regular on this Subject. They fay that the ^iOMv come much nearer than the reft to what we ought to think of this firft Principle. But the little Intercourfe we have had with them hitherto, has not aiForded me an Oppor- tunity of learning their Traditions, as far as I coHldhave wilhcd* to fpeak of t^em with any Certainty. Almoft all the Algonquin Nations have civen the Name of the Great Hare to the nrft Spirit,; fome call him Michabouf otheri Jtahvctm. TJie ^reateft Part fay, that being fuppprted on the Waters with all his Court, all compofed of four-tooted Creatures like himfelf, he lbrm«d the Earth out of a Grain of Sand, t^ken from the Bottom of the Ocean ; and created Men of the dead fiodies of Animals. There ane fome alfo thajt fpeak of a God of the Waters who oppofed the Defign of the Greoi Hare, or at leaft refofed to favour it. This God is, according to fome, the great Tiger, but it is to be obferved, that there are no true Tigers jnCoMoJa; therefore this Tradition might probably be derived from fome other Country. Laftlv, they have a third God named Matcomekf whom they invoke during the Winter, and of whom I could learn nothing particular. The Arejkoui of the Hurons^ and the Agrefkoue of the Iroquois^ is in the Opinion of thefe People the Supreme Being, and the Go J of War. Thefe People do not give the fame Origin to Men as the Jlgon^uins, and they do not go fo far back as the Creation of the World, irawh in North America. Mo travel: in ^^°"";"'."' .; rworU .. firft; =>■«» trani Jhf foon appea^d » ^-1".^;^^,. hi.hcft Pan of Heaven per«.vmg It. threw n ^^^^ g^^^ „f , Tor :y '"S. t ^l^: f%^^ ,'' efs to iheir r«"=."^'f pi^S; Tin^d^Vf ?^r K S"^ ^t:^^ i According to the /ro7«o-'^> ^^^ tSpre came then a {^ ciugt, r/V««i but one can ^^ ce Qc ' ^ j^ ji,„ertca. ^rSavaffes much ficlher Date, which v^ ^;^^^; .^^„ ^^ ^he Stones he Savap tell about their principal 1^^ ^ h •'1 II 250 An Hificrkal Journal of But befides the firft Being, or the Great Spirit, and the othcf Gods which are confounded with him, they have an infinite Number of Genii, or Subaltern Spirits, good and evil, which have their particular Worfhip. The Iroquois place Atahentfie at the Head of the evil Spirits, r\c*L. n J A *"*1 make Joujkeka the Chief of the Good. %, f They even confound him fometimes with nnl^eniu ^^^ q^j ^j^^ expelled his Grandmother from Heaven, for fuffering herfelf to be feduced by a Man. Thev addreis themfelves to the evil Genii, only to beg that they would do them no Harm ; but they fuppofe that the others watch over Men for their Good, and that every Man has his own Genius. In the Huron Langui^e they call them Okkis, and in the Algon^ auin, Manitous. They have Recourfe to them when they are m any Danger, when they go on any Ei terprize, and when they would obtain fome extraordinary Favour. They think they may tfk any Thing of them, however unreafonable it may be, or however contrary even to good Behaviour and Honefly. But Children, they fuppofe are not born under their Prote£lton. They muft firft know how to handle a Bow and Arrows, to merit this Favour. There muft alfo be fome Preparations to receive it. This is the moft important Affair of Life. Thefe are its prin- cipal Ceremonies : They begin by blacking the Face of the Child ; then it muft «-, ^ faft for eight Days, without having the Ibi necejjan leaftNourifhmenf; and during this T me his Freparations tcob- ^^^^^^ Guardian Genius mull appear to him iain a Guardian .^^ ^^^ Dreams. The empty Brain of a poor K^enius, Child, juft entering on the firfl Stage of Youth, can*t fail of fumifliing him with Dreams ; and every Morning thev take great Care to make him relate them. However, the Fauing often ends before the Time appointed, as few Children have Strength to^be^ir it fo long ; but that creates no DifHculty. They are acquainted here, as in other Places, with the conveni- ent Ufeof Difpenfations. TheThin^ which the Child dreams of moft frequently, i 1 fuppofed to be his Genius ; but no doubt this Thinjp was confidered at firft only as a Symbol, or Shape under which the Spirit manifefts himfelf : But the lame has hap- pened to thefe People, as tc *ill thofe who have erred from the primitive Religion : They nave attached themfelves to the Re- prcfentation, and have loft Sight of the Reality. Neverthelefs, thefe Symbols fignify nothing of themfelves : Sometimes it is the Head of a Bird, fumetimes the Foot' of an Animal, or a Piece of Wood : In a Word, the moft ordinary Things, and the leaft valued. They preferve them, however, with as much Care as the Antients lid their PennUu There i« even !« otJier I infinite which ^g the nie his to him * poor ^outh, orning r, the ildren cult/, iveni- reams loubt ^hape hap. I the Re- lies: fan lar/ /er, ; i« Travels in North jfmertca. 25' even nothing in Nature that hath not its Spirit, if we believe the Savages ; but they are of all Degrees, and have not the fame Power. When the^ do not comprehend a Thing, they affign to it a fuperior Genius, and their Wayof Expreflion in this Cafe is to fiy. It is a Spirit. It is the fame for ftronger Reafons with Re(pe£t to Men, thofe who have fingular Talents, or who do ex- traordinary Things, they fay are Spirits; :.bat is t»/ay, they have a Guardian Genius of a more exalted Degree than Men in general. Some, efpecially the Jugglers, endeavour to perfuade the Multitude that they are fometimes in a Trance. This Madnefs has exifted at all Times, and among all Nations, and has given fiirth to all the falfe Relieions. The Vanity, which is fo natural to Mankind, has never imagined a more eifeAual Method to rule over the Weak : The Multitude at laft draw after them thofe who pride themfelves raoft in their Wifdom. The Anuri" xan Impoftors are not behind-hand with any in this Point, and they know how to obtain all the Advantages from it which they propofe. The Jugglers never fail to puulifli, that during their pretended Extacies, their Genii give them great Informations of Things done at the greated Diilance, and offuture Events ; and as by Chance, if we will not allow the Devil any Share in it, they fometimes happen to divine or guefs pretty right, they acquire by this a great Reputation : They are reckoned Genii of the firft Order. As foon as they have declared to a Child what he mud for « . f the Time to come look upon as his Guardian I * , . ^ r! Genius, they inllrud him carefully of the r y^^, "'* '""* Obligation he is under to honour him, to 4ina -why. ^^j^^ ^j^g Council he fhall receive from him in his Sleep, to merit his Favours, to put all his Truil in him, and to dread the EfFedls of his Anger if he negleds his Duty towards him. The Feftival terminates in a Peak, and the Cuf- tom is alfo to prick on the Body of the Child, the Figure of his Okkit or his Manitou. One would imagine that fuch a folcmn Engagement, the Mark of which can never be effaced, Ihould be inviolable ; neverthelefs, there needs only a Triile to break it. The Savages do not easily acknowledge themfelves in the Wrong, even with their Gods, and make no Difficulty to juftify themfelves at their Expence : Therefore, the iirll Time they have Occafion to condemn themfelves, or to lay the Blame on their Guardian Genius, the Fault always falls on the latter. Tiiey ieek another without any Ceremony, and this is done with the fame Precautions as at firft. The Women have alfo their Mam- toujf or their OUis, but they do not fo much regard them as the -. . . Kk 2 Men; ;>.ii '* ■^'u il ; ,1 U m 'Ur ,M.m lir I 9 152 Jn Hljforlcal jGurnal of Men ; perhaps, bccauft tlicydo not find thern fo much Employ- ment. They make to all thcfe Spints different Sorts of Offerings, which or y / you may call, if you pleafe, Sacriiices. They Sacrifices nf the ', .' . • , • ^ 1 .1,. i „u« r> ^ '' J throw into the ilivcrs and the Lakes Pttun^ oa-jages. Tobacco, or Birds that h;:vc had their Throats cut, to unJer the God of lac VV'aters propitious to them. In Honcurof the Sun, andfometimes alfo or the inferior Spirits, they throw into the Fire P-^rt cf every Thing they ufe, and which they acknowledge to hold »rom them. It isibmetimesout of Gratitude, but oftencr through Intcrell : Their Acknowledgment alfo is in- terefted ; for thefc I'coole have no Sentiments of the Heart towards their Deities. V/e have ohferved alfo on fome Occafions a Kind of Libations, and all this is acompani'd with Invocations in myftcrious Terms, which the Savages could never explain to the Europeans, cither that in Fait they hav.no Meaning, or that the Scnfe of them has not been tranfmitt'id by 'Fradition V'ith the Words ; perhaps alfo they keep it as a Secret from us. Wc find nlfo Collars of rorcel.ain. Tobacco, Ears of Maiz, Skins, and uhole Animals, efpccially Dogs, i;n the Sides of difficult .ind dangerous Ways, on Rocks, or by the Side of the Falls ; and thcfr arc- fo many Offerings made to the Spirits which prcfidc in thefc IMaces. I have nlrtady faid that a Dog is the moll common Vidim that they facrifice to ihcm : Sometimes they luing hi:u up aiive on a Tree l>y the hind Feet, and let liim die there ravir.p mad. The War FealK which is always of \J0^ , m.iy very well ?lfo pafs for a Sacrifce. In fhort, they render much tlie fame Honours to the mifchi'vous Spirits, as to thofe that arc be».ef;cc'nt, when they have any Thing to fear from tluir Malice. Thus, Madam, amoiiq; thcfe People, whom feme have repre- Oft^^eFaPt fentcd .is having no Idea of Religion, or a / ' /'•'• Deity, almoll every Thing appears to be the Objedt of a Religious Worflnp, or at leall to have feme Relation to it. in>rnf; have lancied that their Fails were only intended to ac- cuftom then to heir Uunf^cr, and I agree that they may be partly defigr.cd for this End ; but all the Circumftances which .iccompany them, lca\c no Room to doubt that Religion is the principal Motive; was it only their Attention, which I h.ivc fpoken of, to obferve their Dreams during that Time; for it is certain that thcfe Dreams arc cllecmed rs real Grades, and Notices from Heaven. Thei'* is Hill Icfs Room to doubt that Vows are among thcfe Qf y ^ . People pure Ads of Religion, and the Cullom •^ *■'* of them is abfolutcly the lame as with us. For InUance, when they arc out of Provifions, as it often happens in their Trai'ds in North ylmerica. ^^■>l iheir Journies and ia their Huntings, they promife their Genii to give in Honour of them, a Portion of the firfl Beall they (hall itill to one of their Chiefs, and not to eat till they have perform- ed their Promife. If the Thing becomes impofllble, becaufe the Chief is at a great Dillance, they burn what was defigned for him, and make a Sort of Sacrifice. Formerly the Savages in the Neighbourhood of Acadia had in their Country, on t!ic Side of the Sea, a very old Trtt^ of which they ufed to tell many wonderful Stories, and uhich was always loadfd with Offerings. Tlv- Sea having laid all its Roots bare, it fupportcd itfclf llill a long Time againlt the Violence of the Wiiids and Waves, whicli connimcd the Savages in their Notion, that it was the Seat of fr-ine great Spirit: Its Fall was not even cap:'.!'''-* of undeceiving tiiem, .ind as long as there appeared fomc Ends of the Brancljcs out of the Water, they paid it the fame Honours as the .vhole I'ree had re- ceived while it was ftandin'^i:. Tlie grcatcll i'art of their Fcafln, thc-Ir Songs, and their Dances frr f^- •. r- av>pear to me to have hud th.eir Rife from I ijt Affinity of D ,• • 1 AM . /• f 'T' - ,, (, ■" -^ L Religion, and itill to prclervc lome Traces ,, , ^ of It ; but one niufl. have t^ood hves, or ra- trt lews • .^.' •' * tl'.er a very lively IiVjaiMnatio;!, to pcr.;civc in them all that fome Travellers ha*'c pretended to difcovcr. I have met with fome who could not help thinlcing that our Sa- vages were (icf-ended from the 7. Tt-v, and found in every Thin^ fome Afhnity between tijcfc i^arh.-iri; nr. and the People of God. There is indeed a Refemhl:;r.ce i!\ lome Tl.ings, as not to uf(i Knives in certain Meal?, & not to break the Bono 5 of the Bc:'.R they cat at thofe Times, and the Separation of tlic Women during the Time of t'ltlr ufuul Infirmities. Some Pcrfons, tliey lay, have heard them, or thought they heard them, pronounce the VVord Hallelujah in their Songs : But who can believe, that wlien they pierce their Ears ani Nofcs, they do it in Purfuancr of the I.a.v of Circum':ifion ? On the other Hand, don't v,e kuow diat the Cuftom of Circumcifion is more antient than the J^avv iliat was given to Ahrahnm and his Poftcriry : The Feaft tliey make at the Return of the Hunters, and of \i hich they muil leave no- thing, has alfo been taken for a Kind of Burnt-OfFering, or fur a Remain of the Paflovrr of the Ijradiics ; and the rather, they fay, becaufe when anv one cannot compafs his Portion, he may get the Aflillance of his Neighbours, a-- was prailifed by the iVoplc of God, when a Family was not fu.licient to cat the whole l^afchal Lamb. An antient Miifionary (a)^ w-ho lived a long Time v/Ith the 0«- Thdr Priedt f^'^ouals^ lus written, that among ilief: Savagci '^ * an old Man performs the Office of a Prielt at (u) Failicr ClauiU A''tuez, a yfjuir, the m V- Mil Vejials amo ig the Savages. 254 yfn Uiflorical Journal of the Feafts, which I have juft mentioned ; that they begin byi giving Thanks to the Spirits for the Succefs of the Chacc ; J.\ terwards another takes a Loaf of Petunt breaks it in two, and 1 throws it into the Fire. This is certain, that thofe who have men. tioned them as a Proof of the Poffibility of Atheifin^ properly fo called, are not acquainted with the n. It's true that they never difcourfc about Religion, and that their extreme Indolence on this Point has always been the greateft Obftade we have met with in converting them to Cbripianity. But however little they dif. coarfe about it, we fhould do wrong to conclude from thence that they have no Idea of God. Indolence is their prevailing Charafter : It appears even in the Affairs which concern them moft : But in Spite of this Fault, Q in Spite even of that Spirit of Independence in whicn they arc bred, no People in the World have a greater Dependence on the confufed Ideas they have preferved of the Deity ; even to that De- gree, that they attribute nothing to Chance, and that they draw Omens from every Thing ; which they believe, as I have faid before, are Notices from Heaven. 1 have read in fome Memoirs, that many Nations of this Con- tinent have formerly had youn_^ Maids, who never had any Converfaticn with Man, and never married. I can neither warrant, nor contradid this Fad. Virginity is of itfelf ^ Sute fo perl'cft, that it is no Wonder it has been refpefttd in ail the Countriej of the World : But our oldeft Mifliorjaries have faid nothing, that I know of, of thefc Veftals ; though nany agree concern- ing the H^fteem they had for Celibacy in f1)me Countries. I find alfo, that among the Huroas and th^ l cquois there were, not long fincc, a Kind of Hermitf ; vho ci;vrved Continence} and they fliew \x^ fome very falutury i lunts, which the Savages fay have no Vii ' u ;, if shey are not adminiftered by Virgin Hands. The Belief the " Their 1 bought s of the Immortality " ' '^ ' Truth, they cannot well define citlier one or the other. When we afk what they think of their Souls, they anfwer, they areas it were the Shadows, and the animated Images of the Body : And 'tis in Confcquence of this Princi- ple, that thty believe every Thing is animated in the Univerle. Therefore it is entirely by TratStion that they hold that our Souls do not die. In the diiferent Expreflions they ufe to ex- plain themfelves on this Subjeft, they often confound the Soul with its Faculties, and the Faculties with their Operations, ^ though i:t\ ciinblifhed amongft our Americans^ is that th*e Immortality of the Soul. Neverthe- kii, they do not believe it purely fpirltual, more than their Genii ; and to fpeak the >f no though they k they chufc o 1 They fay a! Thtir Notior what becomes the Soul, nuhen farated from wards it goe fome, it is tra OUiers thir Why they a Provtfions to Tombs* Children ; w gin a new < Sides of Hig ther their Soi Company wi Duty, that tl not laft long, to fad. It V. Living, wit Food for the But one T Tht Prefftiti make to the L only carry alfo Prefent were highly Graves, to were buried to profane againfta N; Terms witl Ihavemt Of the C ■s/ Souls. is very far ling thithc they run tl ipvak efpci travels in North America, 255 though thry know very well Ygainfta Nation, and the greateft Sign that they come to no Terms with them. I havementioned that the S-uls, when theTime ome that they Of th C / ^^'^ ^" P**^' ^'^^ ^^^^ froitx thei iiodies, go to a ,/• / f ^^'^ '^ Region which is appointed • their everlall- ing Abode. This Countr) . liy the Savage?, is very far to the Weft, and the Souls are fevers;! Months trave?- ^ing thither. They have alfo great Dil!i':.:l:t runs from C Ways : The to contradi^ Confufion, 1 Iceep out of guefs their he muft gi they return think how commonly Opportuni to give th< any Wron be forgot. I find i A Defcf one of the I'als. done by fa) Fal Head to dream that he knocfo» «P'^ '^^ J^"evene« «he ^ •'" ff '! t^„%"U hi Turn to.^-fuSofS. « - faV 0?th otSr Hand wUh a mlc Preien^.^ ^^^ dead. ^" *•»'- f ♦k;c Trouble : ^^ ^^ ' .\.„- tViit contraiucis „fy,oget »"' ° ''l^^iTDream wl* another that ^^^^ ^^^^ Mfe immediately luiii p„amer, 1 lee P' ,, „„„ ■i\ ^w Mr /-« j Fafcher C/a:'^* O''^'"'* ^\ weigl^t^ 26o yin H'Jiorhal Journal of weighty Affair of State. They had no fooner re-entered their Cabins, but inftantly there came forth Men, Women,' and Chil. dren, almoft quite naked, though the Weather was exceffive eold. They entered directly into all the Cabins, then they went rav. Jng about on every Side, without knowing whither they went, or what thev would have : One would have taken them for People drunk, or (lark mad. Many carried their mad Freaks no further and appeared no more : Others were refolved to make Ufe of the Privilege of the Fcfti. val, during which they are reputed to be out of their Senfes, and of Confequence not refponfible for what they do, and fo revenge their private Quarrels. They did fo to fome Purpofc : On fome they threw whoTe Pails full of Water, and this Water, which froze immediately, was enough to chill them with Cold who were thus ufed. Others they covered with hot A(hes, or all Sorts of Filth : Others took lighted Coals, or Fire-brands, and threw them at the Head of the firft they met : Others broke every Thing in the Cabins, falling upon thofe they bore a Grudge to, and beating them unmercifully. To be treed from this Perfecution, one mull guefs Dreams, which often one can form no Conception of. The Miflionary and his Companion were often on the Point of being more than Witneffes of thcfe Extravagancies : One of thefe Madmen went into a Cabin, where he had feen them take Shelter at the firft. Happy for them, they were juft gone out ; for there was great Realon to think this furious Fellow in- tended them fome Harm. ' Being difappointed by their Flight, he cried out, that they muft guefs his Dream, and fatisfy ir immediately : As they were too long about it, he faid, / Muji kill a Frenchman : Immediately the Mafter of the Cabin threw him a French Coat, to which this Madman gave fevera) Stabs. Then he that had thrown the Coat, growing furious in his Turn, fajd he would revenge the Frenchman^ and burn the whole Village to the Ground, He began in Faft by fetting Fire to his own Cabin, where the Scene was firft afted; and wlien all the reft were gone out, he (hut himfelf up in it. The Fire, which he had lighted in feveral Places, did not yet appear on the Outfide, when one of the Miftionaries came to the Door : He was told what had happened, and was afraid that his Hoft could not get out, tho' he might be willing : He broke open the Door, laid hold of the Savage, turned him out, put out the Fire, and |hut himfelf up in the Cabin. His Hoft neverthelefs ran .through the Village, crying out that he would burn it : They threw a Dog to him, in Hopes that he would glut his Fury on that Animal ; he faid it was not enough to repair the '.-..•...-. • • Affroni Affront hcb Cabin : Th« iftftantly all This Man areffed himf ing himfelf equipped tw their Hair a Club in tl Cabins, yell upon the R< ikilful Ropt Outcries, a down, and who growi every Thii out of thi another W were the t^ had juft be War-Song did not br A Wan Arrows in had made once on a it, and li Hair, cut peared, h Means of Things. of I kno him to di than he his Sticl were pi*< Two they hi Ground given that (ht out of as he f: plain li It n. ic Day, l;Cf /wo"wo"en UUe^«.. ^ Bodies and ? • Ha\r diftievelled, a won ^"^^ , . ^©es into ull tne their Hair oi»»«:* ,^, attended, nc g^' rrimbs .Filful Rop.-Da«cer -lO"^". '„« Hurt j ^^ ^J^^'. "Ihcr woman S their Pla«. «"««'^,'„'^;dS" wUich n.e peared, holdine a S«'« " " ,,^, he could reveal the moi Lans of «^^t''4^:^tp^^^^ him 4.r^r"„^T mVh= gave ,,,ey had fome »;^^^^^ ^T^ Sa^d .hey judged Ground : rhe/ g» ^ ^ ^ Hoe in her Hand, a ^J^.^j'i,^ given her. I he owe ^^ ^^ <="'""'i '(^h If had drearft, '''Tofthe V Uage'rnd fet her to Work A C ef^n^^^ ^^^ rh"e W. that feVaw two hu-n Hear.s^^^ V j^ pbin his Dream, and at th.s every ; i,^, ff" „ake h:V T^^ vS and he was cbUged to ^^^^^^^^ H 1 ''*'■■ Si ^ ^^^ •'^x. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ^ f^ yM ^ 1 % ^o 1.0 ll=y= 11.25 ■ii|2£ 121 mm 1.4 6" Photographic ^Sciences Corporation A <^^\ iV •^ [V 4f^ 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. UdSO (716) •7JI-4503 o^ 1 w ^o 2^2 ,~ An Hift or icai Journal of himfelf eafy without. Sometimes there were Troops of People that made Sham-Fights ; fomctimes Companies of Dancers, who a£ied all worts of Farces. This Madnefs lafted four Days, and it appeared that it was out of Refpeft to the two Je/uits that they hadf thus fhortened the Time : But there were as manv Diibrders committed in this Space of Time, as they ufed to do in fifteen Days. Neverthelels, they had this further Regard for the Miflionaries, that they did not difturb them in their Funftions, and did not hinder the Chrifttans from acquitting; themfelves of their religious Duties. But I have faid enough on this Arti- cle. I cu)fe my Letter to give it to a Traveller, who is return- ing to the Colony, aiTuring you that / attif &c. LETTER XXIV. Sequel of the Traditions of the SavagE9» At the Fort of the River St. Joseph, Sept. 14. Madam, TK R E E Days ago I left this Place, to go to Chicagouy by coafting the South (hore of Lake Michigan ; but we found the Lake fo rough, that we thought it betterto return hither ; and take another Route to get to Lowjlana. Our Departure it fixed for the i6th, and I {hall take Advantage of thefe two Days Dc-. lay, to proceed in my Account of the Cufloms and Traditions o| Our Americans. The Savages, in what I faid to you in my former Letter, ac- Of th I knowledge only the Operations of the Good fy ./ f /J! Genii. The Wizards alone, and thofe who ^"* J^" ' "^^ Enchantments, are reputed to hold any a^tzaras. Correfpondencc with the Evil ; and ^tis Wo- jnen moft commonly that follow this deteftable Trade. The Jugglers by Profeffion not only forbear it, at leaft openly, but they make it a particular Study, to know how to difcover En- chantments, and to hinder their pernicious Effedts. At the Bot- tom, in all the Stories I have heard on this Matter, there is fcarce ar^ Thing but juggling. They ufe on thefe Occafions either Ser- pents, out of which they take the Venom ; or Herbs, gathered at certain Seafons ; or pronounce certain Words ; or ufe Ani- mals whofe Throats they liave cut, and fome Parts of which are thrown in^o the Fire. / . Among Travels in North America. 263 Among the Illinois^ and fome other Nations, they make little Marmr/ets to reprefent thofe whofe Days they would fhorten, and which they ftab to the Heart. At other Times they take a Stone, and by the Means of feme Invocations they pretend to form one like it, in the Heart of their Enemy. I am perfuaded this fei- dom happens, unlefs the Devil is concerned in it ; however, they are fo afraid of Magicians, that the leaft Suibicion is enough to caufe whoever is the lead fufpeded of being inch, to be cut to Pieces. Yet though this Profeffion is fo dangerous, there arc People to be found every where, who have no other. It is alio true that the moft fenfible, and the leaft credulous of thofe who have been moft converfant with the Savages ; do allow that there is fometimes Ibme Reality in their Magic. Why fliould thefe Infidels, Madam, be the only People in whom we Ihould not difcover the Operation of the Devil ? and what other Mafter but this mifchievous Spirit,